Chapter 4 'At the Castle' (Thanks to The Rain Child for your suggestions,
some of which I used)
"It's just how I remember it."
Link and Karienif had entered the castle gates. Link was awed at how unchanged it was.
"Yes, it's beautiful," said Karienif happily. "I am very glad I met Zelda. If I hadn't, who knows what I would be doing now?"
Link hesitated, wondering if he should tell him. He decided it was safe. "You know, I asked Zelda to marry me once."
Karienif looked at him. "You did? When was this?"
"When we were both nineteen. She declined, saying her father wouldn't allow it. It was after I beat Ganondorf."
"I see," said the king. They halted at the drawbridge. "We will continue on foot, if that's alright with you."
"It's fine," he answered. As the crossed the bridge, Link looked at his reflection in the water. Karienif said, "I don't think Zelda will mind how you look."
Link smiled. "I was just remembering all the times I swam through here to see Zelda. I had to sneak past all the guards out here and in the courtyard."
"Oh yes. Zelda told me all about it. Through the water drain, eh? Very clever!" They laughed and went on.
Walking into the castle, Link had a strange feeling. As if you would be safe here forever. He gazed around the throne room, placed at the front of the castle. At the far end of the red carpet were the thrones. Sitting in one throne (to the right hand of the king when he sat down) was Zelda.
Link gasped. She was more beautiful than he remembered. He loved Malon more, but Zelda was a dear friend. Her golden hair shone in the sunlight, and her ocean blue eyes sparkled as the stared at each other.
"Your Highness," said Link as he bowed. Zelda rose with a laugh. "There is no need for such formalities, Link! Welcome back, Hero!" They embraced.
Link gazed at her. "You haven't aged at all. And what's this I hear about a princess, hmm?"
Zelda laughed happily. "Yes, Aevia. Lilathen, fetch the princess, will you?" A young girl curtsied and scurried out of the room.
Zelda looked at Link and smiled. "You look good, too! So, tell us. Where have you been all these years? We were both twenty three when you left."
"Oh, I went to a place called Clock Town," he answered. "As soon as I left Hyrule, I was seven again. Then an imp named Skull Kid took Epona from me, as well as the Ocarina." Zelda gasped at this. "Then he turned me into a Deku Scrub," Link finished.
"Where did all this happen?" asked Karienif.
Link thought for a moment. "Strangely, I was still in Kokiri Forest when it happened," he said slowly.
"But how?" said Zelda. "I've had protection there since we met!"
"It was uncharted where I was," Link answered. "I remember now."
"Well," said Karienif. "If we are going to hear Link's entire story, Zelda, we must let him continue. Take your time and tell us everything. If it gets too late, toy can stay here for the night," he said to Link.
"Thank you for the kind offer, Karienif," he answered. "But I must find Malon as..."
"Oh," said Zelda, rolling her eyes.
"Okay. After he turned me into a Deku." He told them about Tatl and how he destroyed Majora's Mask and saved Clock Town, plus all the adventures in between. The whole story took about seven hours to tell.
"Remarkable!" exclaimed Karienif when he finished. "I see why the call you the Hero of Time."
"Yes, it was exciting, being somewhere new," Link said, smiling. Zelda remained quiet.
Karienif rose and stretched, then went to the window. "It's time for supper. That story worked up my appetite!" He laughed. "Come, Link and Zelda. We will dine!" He started towards the door. Link followed him.
"Aevia!" gasped Zelda.
Link and Karienif turned around. "What do you mean?" asked Link.
Zelda looked up. There was fear in her eyes. "We forgot. Lilathen went to get her when Link first got here. I hope." Karienif was gone, with Link in tow.
"She's right. It's been too long," Link said as they hurried along the passage to the nursery.
"Yes," answered the king. "If anything has happened to her, I will get my revenge." They stopped at the door. Link listened closely. "I don't hear anything" he whispered. "Let's go."
Karienif turned the knob. "It's locked."
"Stand back," Link said as he pulled out a mask. The king watched him put it on. There was a flashing light, and when it was gone, so was Link. Instead there was a huge Goron. Karienif gasped and grabbed the hilt of his sword.
"No! Don't!" said the Goron. "It's still Link. I'll tell you later." Karienif just gawked at him.
"Here goes," Link said. He drew back a huge fist and pounded on the door. It echoed through the castle. Three more hits and the door was open. Link took of the mask and smiled at Karienif. "Okay," he said. "Let's go!"
They peered into the room. It was as bad a sight as Malon's house. The chest of drawers and the cradle were knocked over. The window was destroyed and broken glass lay everywhere. A figure was crumpled in a heap in a corner. Link strode over to it and knelt down.
"It's Lilathen," he said. "She's okay." Karienif made no answer. He was looking out the window. Link looked, too. What he saw sent a chill down his spine. Over the desert was a swirling storm. Lightning flashed and lit the night sky.
"Link?" He looked at Karienif. His eyes were angry, yet had tears in them. "Who would do this?"
In his head, Link thought, 'Ganon', but it was impossible. He had been defeated for good. So he said what he truly thought.
"I don't know," he answered quietly. Karienif nodded his head sadly. He bent and picked up a small toy. Squinting, Link saw it as an ocarina. The ocarina Saria gave to him when he left the forest. He closed his eyes and thought back. He remembered little, except how he ran away from his best friend. The rest was dim. He opened his eyes and saw that Karienif was watching him. Smiling reassuringly, Link took out the Ocarina of Time. Putting it to his lips, he closed his eyes once more and played Saria's Song.
A breeze blew through the window, and there was a little laugh that surrounded them. The king looked around in alarm. Then a voice whispered, "Hello, Link. It seems ages since we last talked."
"Hello, Saria. I've called to seek your counsel as a Sage," Link replied.
"Link, ask me any question. Also, tell Karienif not to be frightened." Karienif smiled.
"Saria, what is this new evil that has come upon this land?" Link asked.
There was silence, then she answered, "We don't know. It's bad, whatever it is. Also, demons took Malon and the princess. Karienif opened his mouth to speak, but Link shook his head. "How are they?" he asked.
"Aevia is fine," Saria answered. The king looked relieved. "But we have lost track of Malon. I'm sorry.
"It's alright. You did your best," Link replied, sadly. "I will call later. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Link," she whispered. The breeze went out the window and all was silent. Link turned to Karienif. "Sorry about that. Only I can talk to Saria," he explained. "And the mask I put on is one I got when I was gone. There are three; Goron, Zora, and Deku. They transform me into each when I put them on."
"Oh," said Karienif. "I am glad to hear Aevia is fine. But I am sorry about Malon. Why does my wife act that way when you mention her?"
Link quietly went and gently picked up Lilathen. She stirred a little. Link stood there for a minute, then he spoke.
"After I proposed to Zelda and she declined, I realized I was denying my love for Malon. I told Zelda this, and she said that Malon is too low- class for me. I thought Zelda was too high-class, and I loved Malon. Zelda and I stayed friends, but she and Malon were once friends, and then they were jealous of each other. Malon thinks Zelda will try to take me back, even in marriage."
"Zelda wouldn't do that... I hope." Karienif smile. "But, so are the ways of most women. Now we must be the bearers of bad news. Let's go, and solemnly, if we will. They went out, and Karienif, taking one last look, sighed sadly and closed the door. Next Chapter: Do Dreams Come True? (I'm open to suggestions if you have any!)
"It's just how I remember it."
Link and Karienif had entered the castle gates. Link was awed at how unchanged it was.
"Yes, it's beautiful," said Karienif happily. "I am very glad I met Zelda. If I hadn't, who knows what I would be doing now?"
Link hesitated, wondering if he should tell him. He decided it was safe. "You know, I asked Zelda to marry me once."
Karienif looked at him. "You did? When was this?"
"When we were both nineteen. She declined, saying her father wouldn't allow it. It was after I beat Ganondorf."
"I see," said the king. They halted at the drawbridge. "We will continue on foot, if that's alright with you."
"It's fine," he answered. As the crossed the bridge, Link looked at his reflection in the water. Karienif said, "I don't think Zelda will mind how you look."
Link smiled. "I was just remembering all the times I swam through here to see Zelda. I had to sneak past all the guards out here and in the courtyard."
"Oh yes. Zelda told me all about it. Through the water drain, eh? Very clever!" They laughed and went on.
Walking into the castle, Link had a strange feeling. As if you would be safe here forever. He gazed around the throne room, placed at the front of the castle. At the far end of the red carpet were the thrones. Sitting in one throne (to the right hand of the king when he sat down) was Zelda.
Link gasped. She was more beautiful than he remembered. He loved Malon more, but Zelda was a dear friend. Her golden hair shone in the sunlight, and her ocean blue eyes sparkled as the stared at each other.
"Your Highness," said Link as he bowed. Zelda rose with a laugh. "There is no need for such formalities, Link! Welcome back, Hero!" They embraced.
Link gazed at her. "You haven't aged at all. And what's this I hear about a princess, hmm?"
Zelda laughed happily. "Yes, Aevia. Lilathen, fetch the princess, will you?" A young girl curtsied and scurried out of the room.
Zelda looked at Link and smiled. "You look good, too! So, tell us. Where have you been all these years? We were both twenty three when you left."
"Oh, I went to a place called Clock Town," he answered. "As soon as I left Hyrule, I was seven again. Then an imp named Skull Kid took Epona from me, as well as the Ocarina." Zelda gasped at this. "Then he turned me into a Deku Scrub," Link finished.
"Where did all this happen?" asked Karienif.
Link thought for a moment. "Strangely, I was still in Kokiri Forest when it happened," he said slowly.
"But how?" said Zelda. "I've had protection there since we met!"
"It was uncharted where I was," Link answered. "I remember now."
"Well," said Karienif. "If we are going to hear Link's entire story, Zelda, we must let him continue. Take your time and tell us everything. If it gets too late, toy can stay here for the night," he said to Link.
"Thank you for the kind offer, Karienif," he answered. "But I must find Malon as..."
"Oh," said Zelda, rolling her eyes.
"Okay. After he turned me into a Deku." He told them about Tatl and how he destroyed Majora's Mask and saved Clock Town, plus all the adventures in between. The whole story took about seven hours to tell.
"Remarkable!" exclaimed Karienif when he finished. "I see why the call you the Hero of Time."
"Yes, it was exciting, being somewhere new," Link said, smiling. Zelda remained quiet.
Karienif rose and stretched, then went to the window. "It's time for supper. That story worked up my appetite!" He laughed. "Come, Link and Zelda. We will dine!" He started towards the door. Link followed him.
"Aevia!" gasped Zelda.
Link and Karienif turned around. "What do you mean?" asked Link.
Zelda looked up. There was fear in her eyes. "We forgot. Lilathen went to get her when Link first got here. I hope." Karienif was gone, with Link in tow.
"She's right. It's been too long," Link said as they hurried along the passage to the nursery.
"Yes," answered the king. "If anything has happened to her, I will get my revenge." They stopped at the door. Link listened closely. "I don't hear anything" he whispered. "Let's go."
Karienif turned the knob. "It's locked."
"Stand back," Link said as he pulled out a mask. The king watched him put it on. There was a flashing light, and when it was gone, so was Link. Instead there was a huge Goron. Karienif gasped and grabbed the hilt of his sword.
"No! Don't!" said the Goron. "It's still Link. I'll tell you later." Karienif just gawked at him.
"Here goes," Link said. He drew back a huge fist and pounded on the door. It echoed through the castle. Three more hits and the door was open. Link took of the mask and smiled at Karienif. "Okay," he said. "Let's go!"
They peered into the room. It was as bad a sight as Malon's house. The chest of drawers and the cradle were knocked over. The window was destroyed and broken glass lay everywhere. A figure was crumpled in a heap in a corner. Link strode over to it and knelt down.
"It's Lilathen," he said. "She's okay." Karienif made no answer. He was looking out the window. Link looked, too. What he saw sent a chill down his spine. Over the desert was a swirling storm. Lightning flashed and lit the night sky.
"Link?" He looked at Karienif. His eyes were angry, yet had tears in them. "Who would do this?"
In his head, Link thought, 'Ganon', but it was impossible. He had been defeated for good. So he said what he truly thought.
"I don't know," he answered quietly. Karienif nodded his head sadly. He bent and picked up a small toy. Squinting, Link saw it as an ocarina. The ocarina Saria gave to him when he left the forest. He closed his eyes and thought back. He remembered little, except how he ran away from his best friend. The rest was dim. He opened his eyes and saw that Karienif was watching him. Smiling reassuringly, Link took out the Ocarina of Time. Putting it to his lips, he closed his eyes once more and played Saria's Song.
A breeze blew through the window, and there was a little laugh that surrounded them. The king looked around in alarm. Then a voice whispered, "Hello, Link. It seems ages since we last talked."
"Hello, Saria. I've called to seek your counsel as a Sage," Link replied.
"Link, ask me any question. Also, tell Karienif not to be frightened." Karienif smiled.
"Saria, what is this new evil that has come upon this land?" Link asked.
There was silence, then she answered, "We don't know. It's bad, whatever it is. Also, demons took Malon and the princess. Karienif opened his mouth to speak, but Link shook his head. "How are they?" he asked.
"Aevia is fine," Saria answered. The king looked relieved. "But we have lost track of Malon. I'm sorry.
"It's alright. You did your best," Link replied, sadly. "I will call later. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Link," she whispered. The breeze went out the window and all was silent. Link turned to Karienif. "Sorry about that. Only I can talk to Saria," he explained. "And the mask I put on is one I got when I was gone. There are three; Goron, Zora, and Deku. They transform me into each when I put them on."
"Oh," said Karienif. "I am glad to hear Aevia is fine. But I am sorry about Malon. Why does my wife act that way when you mention her?"
Link quietly went and gently picked up Lilathen. She stirred a little. Link stood there for a minute, then he spoke.
"After I proposed to Zelda and she declined, I realized I was denying my love for Malon. I told Zelda this, and she said that Malon is too low- class for me. I thought Zelda was too high-class, and I loved Malon. Zelda and I stayed friends, but she and Malon were once friends, and then they were jealous of each other. Malon thinks Zelda will try to take me back, even in marriage."
"Zelda wouldn't do that... I hope." Karienif smile. "But, so are the ways of most women. Now we must be the bearers of bad news. Let's go, and solemnly, if we will. They went out, and Karienif, taking one last look, sighed sadly and closed the door. Next Chapter: Do Dreams Come True? (I'm open to suggestions if you have any!)
