Author's Notes: Next chapter up! Getting close, people! Just one or two (or maybe three, but I really doubt it) chapters to go.
Disclaimer: Default.
Chapter 8: Meetings
Zelda hurriedly changed into a more appropriate outfit to receive guests. She couldn't believe the coincidence of Darunia and Nabooru showing up at the same time! It was like all the people Link had influenced were gathering together. She had almost thought all the Sages were gathering together…
Zelda stopped. Where had that come from? Zelda hadn't thought of the Sages in a long time. She hadn't thought about Link's adventure through time, either. Zelda shook her head as she continued walking. Besides, the thought was silly. The Sages weren't gathering together. From what she knew, none of them even remembered that they were Sages. Zelda herself had some of the clearest memories of the alternate timeline, and that was on account of Link telling her about it. Link…Her worries slammed home once again. Nabooru and Darunia were both some of Link's best friends. Zelda decided she would try to get both of them together in a private conference with Impa, and tell them about what was happening with Link. Resolute, Zelda slipped down the wide hall to the conference room, where her father and the guests were already introducing themselves.
Zelda walked into the large chamber, not at all surprised Impa was already there, only half-visible in the shadows of a corner. Darunia was standing on the red carpet that graced the center of the room. He seemed happy, but Zelda guessed that he was still a bit miffed about the king's failure to send help during the mini-crisis of the Dodongo's Cavern blockage. Luckily, Link had taken care of it. Nabooru was lounging, catlike, on one of the purple sofas. She seemed bored with the perfunctory greeting speech the king was currently giving. Nabooru saw Zelda, and rolled her eyes comically as the king rattled on. Zelda restrained a giggle, but only barely.
Impa glided over to where Zelda stood, making less sound than a mouse on a rug. Zelda met her attendant's eyes: it seemed their thoughts had been following similar tracks. Zelda whispered to Impa without moving her lips. "You tell Darunia, I'll take Nabooru." Impa nodded silently, already ghosting over to where she would be able to confer with the Goron Chief as soon as he sat down.
Zelda looked over to where Nabooru sat. Casting a bored look around the room, Nabooru met Zelda's gaze for the second time that day. This time, Zelda did not show any signs of mirth in her eyes. The look she sent Nabooru said; we need to talk. Nabooru got the message, and raised her eyebrows. Shifting to the side to make room for the princess on the couch, Nabooru flicked her gaze over to where Darunia was sitting down, and where Impa stood, surreptitiously, behind him. Darunia saw the look, recognized some hidden meaning. He casually threw a glance over his shoulder, and read the "we need to talk" look in Impa's eyes. Darunia looked back at Zelda, his eyes grave and curious. He knew something was up, so did Nabooru. The king suspected nothing.
Zelda slid over next to Nabooru with diplomatic grace. While the king was distracted, Zelda swiftly leaned over and whispered to Nabooru, "We need to talk. After the meeting." Nabooru nodded slightly. As soon as the king had turned away she whispered her reply. "What's goin' down, kid?" Zelda whispered back one word, or rather, one name. "Link." Shock registered on Nabooru's face as her eyebrows got lost somewhere around her hairline. She said nothing, not daring to attract the king's attention. A brief glance showed Impa swiftly kneeling down to whisper something in Darunia's ear. Neither could hear what was said, but Daruinia's reaction was similar to Nabooru's. Or, it would have been, but Gorons down have very agile eyebrows.
* * *
In a locked room on the other side of the castle, Link thrashed in his nightmares.
* * *
After a boring speech about how honored he was to have them visit, blah blah blah, the king apologized to his guests; he could not hear their diplomatic proposals now, he had a prescheduled meeting with the Zoran king that he must attend to, they were welcome to explore the castle, Impa would you please show them their rooms?. Zelda had expected nothing less. It was perfect timing too. Impa bowed to the king, and motioned to Darunia and Nabooru that they should follow her. Zelda left at the same time, murmuring something about returning to her quarters. Once out of the king's sight, the four friends unanimously turned in the direction of Zelda's courtyard.
Nabooru, tacit as ever, wasted no time. "Alright, princess. What's up with the kid?" Darunia, almost at the same instant, demanded in his rumbling voice, "Is there something the matter with Brother Link?"
Zelda sighed, the strain and worry at last showing on her face. "I don't know."
* * *
Link was held fast by the nightmares that enveloped him. A familiar dark voice whispered to him from the depths of his mind. Soon, it said. Very soon…Link screamed in silence as the voice laughed at him, the sound bouncing off the walls of his mind until Link was sure he must go mad. And still the voice laughed.
* * *
At that moment, Darunia, Nabooru, Impa, and Zelda were all walking to where Link slept as fast as they could without actually running. The moment Zelda had said Link was in the castle, Darunia and Nabooru had turned around and started marching off down the corridor. Zelda had been taken aback by the suddenness of their actions. She and Impa hurried after them, Zelda saying, "Wait! Where are you going?" Darunia had been the one to answer, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. "To see Brother Link."
"But you don't know the way!" Zelda was quick to point out. Nabooru already had an answer to that. "That's why you're going to take us there." (Oh.) Zelda had thought.
They had come across Malon on the way. She seemed a bit put-out by the fact that they had not come to get her before discussing Link, but was soothed when Zelda apologized, introducing Malon to Darunia and Nabooru and vice versa. Malon and Zelda recapped the previous events as the strange group hurried down the hallways.