((Disclaimer: The Zelda characters aren't mine, but Kiren is.))
A SECRET WELL KEPT ~Nine months later~
The Princess' attendant Impa stole out of the Castle Town in the semi- darkness of evening. She employed her skills as a Sheikah to make herself cloaked, hard to spot and silent. Hyrule Field seemed dark and foreboding in the half-moonlight. Not that it bothered Impa, but it was unnatural for Hyrule. Since Ganondorf came to power, nothing had escaped his wrath save the Gerudo Valley. And the wicked Desert Man paid no heed to his kin. So life in the Fortress continued much as it had before the takeover.
Impa strode quickly up the red rocks and stood by the gorge, the bundle in her arms held tight against her strong chest. She took a long look at the tiny boy swathed in silk blankets and laid him down at the top of the slope leading to the bridge. The child had wisps of red hair, and fair blue eyes that were squeezed shut in a dreamless sleep. Impa took a note from her tunic pocket and slipped it inside the blankets. The boy opened his eyes at her movements, and Impa met his gaze.
~ A green-clothed figure lying on the floor in a pool of red. ~
The vision was over as soon as it appeared, and Impa was left reeling beside the tiny baby. His eyes closed again and he dropped back into slumber. Impa took a deep breath of the still night air and forced her hands to stop shaking.
She concealed herself in the shadows and waited a long while until the Cuccos began crowing. A Gerudo Warrior emerged from the Gate over the river. Her sharp eyes noticed the heap of blankets across the bridge, and spear at the ready, she came across and prodded it. Impa revealed herself from the rocks and bowed respectfully. The Warrior, recognising her, returned the bow, "Good day, Impa, friend of the Exulted Nabooru."
"Good morning, friend. I have greetings from the Princess, and a gift for your people." Impa indicated the boy.
The Warrior's eyebrows rose. She stooped and picked up the boy, a long- fingered hand retrieving the note.
"That contains a full explanation, better than I could give. Take him inside before he attracts too much attention," advised Impa, a cautious glance around revealing nothing but red rocks.
"What is his name?" enquired the Gerudo.
"Kiren," said Impa, and the boy's eyes flicked open again; he scowled at Impa, who repressed a shudder.
"Kiren," repeated the Warrior, "Very well, we will raise him as one of us. But do not expect great things from this boy - we will raise him as we raise all the other children who are born to us, trained in the ways of fighting and thievery."
Impa nodded, "That is what the Princess wished. Good day, friend Gerudo."
"Good day Impa. Send our regards to the Princess."
Impa nodded and began to walk away as the Gerudo crossed the gorge and started inside the Fortress. A gurgle made Impa turn. Excellent vision showed her a tiny fist extend from the blanket and clench. There was a creaking and snapping of ropes; and as the boy's fist unclenched, the rope and wood bridge spanning the deep gorge tumbled into the river. The Warrior stared in amazement, and then hurried inside the Fortress. Impa calmed her racing nerves and pushed the boy from her mind. Consoling herself with the fact that she would never see the child again, she began the trek back to the Castle town in thoughtful silence.
She was dragged from her thoughts by an unpleasant shock as she approached what was left of the drawbridge to the Castle Town. The drawbridge still existed - in two halves. Sheikah sense warned her of danger within, but her duty was to guard the Princess. So, leaping the fallen bridge in an easy bound, Impa set off inside.
The first thing she missed was the noise, the hubbub of markets and children playing. Only a chill wind swept through the passage, and the stones underfoot were stained a dark colour. Impa's hand went to the dagger in her belt.
A groaning came from the main square, and she beheld dozens of thin red- skinned figures. The ReDead were slow moving, but Impa whistled, in clear tones, the Sun's Song. The spirits of the Composer Brothers had spoken to the Sage of Shadow in the graveyard and taught her the tune, feeling it would be useful. She sped through the frozen figures up to the Castle. Gannondorf was getting worse. It was only a matter of time before his reign became so solid as to be permanent, and even the power of the Triforce wouldn't be able to unseat him.
The sky was dark, but the Castle intact. Impa noted two new towers, made out of a shadowy stone. They must have sprouted during the night. The guards let her through, and she made her way up to her charge's chambers quickly.
She opened the door, slipped inside and locked it. Zelda was sitting on the bed, drawn into herself, rocking and hugging her knees. Her head flicked up as Impa entered, and she sniffed. Impa crossed the room and held the Princess as she had done when the girl was very small.
"I wish we'd never left the Sheikah Village in the mountains, Impa. I wish I'd listened to you. I wish none of this had happened!" Zelda broke down and sobbed into her friend and protector. Impa shushed and rocked her until she fell into an uneasy sleep.
***
Zelda and Impa woke simultaneously, both alert. Zelda looked at Impa, "The Sage of Light has called. . ."
Impa nodded, "I felt it too. I must go to the Shadow Temple and try to clear it out. Zelda, take the disguise, use your training, and get out of the castle. When the time comes, go to the Temple --"
"--and help Link on his way, I know Impa, you already told me."
Zelda shrugged her friend's arms off and dressed hurriedly, slipping into the tight-fitting clothes of her shadow-persona, Sheik. She pulled the tunic neck up and Impa helped her wrap her hair so only the long fringe showed. She concentrated, and her eyes melted to flame red.
Impa looked at her for a moment, and embraced her, "Princess Zelda. . ."
Then she cracked a Deku Nut to the floor and was gone.
Zelda waited a moment to gather herself into Sheik, and then went to the window. She climbed nimbly onto the sill and let herself drop. Landing silently, she ran through the gardens and scaled the high wall to drop unseen into a back alley of Hyrule Castle Town.
Sheik crept to the entrance of the alley and chanced a glance. Her blood ran cold as the ReDead nearest turned its skinny head lethargically. She patted herself and found a sharp disc, enough needles for two handfuls, and a short knife. She sighed, concentrated, and unleashed Din's Fire.
The flames reduced the Undead to quivering balls of misery, and Sheik ran like a ghost herself across the cobbles and up the steps to the Temple of Time. There, she summoned the six sages that were still inside Hyrule. Ganondorf had limited their powers so they may only be present in voice, and Sheik spoke quickly in the echoing halls of the Temple, "Sages, it is happening. The Hero of Time is soon to awake, and--"
"How long away? How long away?" babbled the excited voice of the Forest Sage.
Sheik smiled, "About three days, Saria. Not long now, my friends, not long until we will rid the land of the scum in the castle."
"You have this much faith in the Forest Boy?" came the critical voice of Nabooru, Sage of Spirit.
"Yes, Nabooru, I believe Link can do it. With the Master Sword, the Ocarina of Time, our powers added to his, and the Triforce of Courage, Link will be unstoppable!"
"About time too," said Ruto, and Sheik imagined her face set in a pout, "I've waited long enough for this. When this whole thing is over, then he'll marry me like he promised."
Sheik dismissed their voices with a wave of her hand and muttered, "Don't count on it. . ."
***
A SECRET WELL KEPT ~Nine months later~
The Princess' attendant Impa stole out of the Castle Town in the semi- darkness of evening. She employed her skills as a Sheikah to make herself cloaked, hard to spot and silent. Hyrule Field seemed dark and foreboding in the half-moonlight. Not that it bothered Impa, but it was unnatural for Hyrule. Since Ganondorf came to power, nothing had escaped his wrath save the Gerudo Valley. And the wicked Desert Man paid no heed to his kin. So life in the Fortress continued much as it had before the takeover.
Impa strode quickly up the red rocks and stood by the gorge, the bundle in her arms held tight against her strong chest. She took a long look at the tiny boy swathed in silk blankets and laid him down at the top of the slope leading to the bridge. The child had wisps of red hair, and fair blue eyes that were squeezed shut in a dreamless sleep. Impa took a note from her tunic pocket and slipped it inside the blankets. The boy opened his eyes at her movements, and Impa met his gaze.
~ A green-clothed figure lying on the floor in a pool of red. ~
The vision was over as soon as it appeared, and Impa was left reeling beside the tiny baby. His eyes closed again and he dropped back into slumber. Impa took a deep breath of the still night air and forced her hands to stop shaking.
She concealed herself in the shadows and waited a long while until the Cuccos began crowing. A Gerudo Warrior emerged from the Gate over the river. Her sharp eyes noticed the heap of blankets across the bridge, and spear at the ready, she came across and prodded it. Impa revealed herself from the rocks and bowed respectfully. The Warrior, recognising her, returned the bow, "Good day, Impa, friend of the Exulted Nabooru."
"Good morning, friend. I have greetings from the Princess, and a gift for your people." Impa indicated the boy.
The Warrior's eyebrows rose. She stooped and picked up the boy, a long- fingered hand retrieving the note.
"That contains a full explanation, better than I could give. Take him inside before he attracts too much attention," advised Impa, a cautious glance around revealing nothing but red rocks.
"What is his name?" enquired the Gerudo.
"Kiren," said Impa, and the boy's eyes flicked open again; he scowled at Impa, who repressed a shudder.
"Kiren," repeated the Warrior, "Very well, we will raise him as one of us. But do not expect great things from this boy - we will raise him as we raise all the other children who are born to us, trained in the ways of fighting and thievery."
Impa nodded, "That is what the Princess wished. Good day, friend Gerudo."
"Good day Impa. Send our regards to the Princess."
Impa nodded and began to walk away as the Gerudo crossed the gorge and started inside the Fortress. A gurgle made Impa turn. Excellent vision showed her a tiny fist extend from the blanket and clench. There was a creaking and snapping of ropes; and as the boy's fist unclenched, the rope and wood bridge spanning the deep gorge tumbled into the river. The Warrior stared in amazement, and then hurried inside the Fortress. Impa calmed her racing nerves and pushed the boy from her mind. Consoling herself with the fact that she would never see the child again, she began the trek back to the Castle town in thoughtful silence.
She was dragged from her thoughts by an unpleasant shock as she approached what was left of the drawbridge to the Castle Town. The drawbridge still existed - in two halves. Sheikah sense warned her of danger within, but her duty was to guard the Princess. So, leaping the fallen bridge in an easy bound, Impa set off inside.
The first thing she missed was the noise, the hubbub of markets and children playing. Only a chill wind swept through the passage, and the stones underfoot were stained a dark colour. Impa's hand went to the dagger in her belt.
A groaning came from the main square, and she beheld dozens of thin red- skinned figures. The ReDead were slow moving, but Impa whistled, in clear tones, the Sun's Song. The spirits of the Composer Brothers had spoken to the Sage of Shadow in the graveyard and taught her the tune, feeling it would be useful. She sped through the frozen figures up to the Castle. Gannondorf was getting worse. It was only a matter of time before his reign became so solid as to be permanent, and even the power of the Triforce wouldn't be able to unseat him.
The sky was dark, but the Castle intact. Impa noted two new towers, made out of a shadowy stone. They must have sprouted during the night. The guards let her through, and she made her way up to her charge's chambers quickly.
She opened the door, slipped inside and locked it. Zelda was sitting on the bed, drawn into herself, rocking and hugging her knees. Her head flicked up as Impa entered, and she sniffed. Impa crossed the room and held the Princess as she had done when the girl was very small.
"I wish we'd never left the Sheikah Village in the mountains, Impa. I wish I'd listened to you. I wish none of this had happened!" Zelda broke down and sobbed into her friend and protector. Impa shushed and rocked her until she fell into an uneasy sleep.
***
Zelda and Impa woke simultaneously, both alert. Zelda looked at Impa, "The Sage of Light has called. . ."
Impa nodded, "I felt it too. I must go to the Shadow Temple and try to clear it out. Zelda, take the disguise, use your training, and get out of the castle. When the time comes, go to the Temple --"
"--and help Link on his way, I know Impa, you already told me."
Zelda shrugged her friend's arms off and dressed hurriedly, slipping into the tight-fitting clothes of her shadow-persona, Sheik. She pulled the tunic neck up and Impa helped her wrap her hair so only the long fringe showed. She concentrated, and her eyes melted to flame red.
Impa looked at her for a moment, and embraced her, "Princess Zelda. . ."
Then she cracked a Deku Nut to the floor and was gone.
Zelda waited a moment to gather herself into Sheik, and then went to the window. She climbed nimbly onto the sill and let herself drop. Landing silently, she ran through the gardens and scaled the high wall to drop unseen into a back alley of Hyrule Castle Town.
Sheik crept to the entrance of the alley and chanced a glance. Her blood ran cold as the ReDead nearest turned its skinny head lethargically. She patted herself and found a sharp disc, enough needles for two handfuls, and a short knife. She sighed, concentrated, and unleashed Din's Fire.
The flames reduced the Undead to quivering balls of misery, and Sheik ran like a ghost herself across the cobbles and up the steps to the Temple of Time. There, she summoned the six sages that were still inside Hyrule. Ganondorf had limited their powers so they may only be present in voice, and Sheik spoke quickly in the echoing halls of the Temple, "Sages, it is happening. The Hero of Time is soon to awake, and--"
"How long away? How long away?" babbled the excited voice of the Forest Sage.
Sheik smiled, "About three days, Saria. Not long now, my friends, not long until we will rid the land of the scum in the castle."
"You have this much faith in the Forest Boy?" came the critical voice of Nabooru, Sage of Spirit.
"Yes, Nabooru, I believe Link can do it. With the Master Sword, the Ocarina of Time, our powers added to his, and the Triforce of Courage, Link will be unstoppable!"
"About time too," said Ruto, and Sheik imagined her face set in a pout, "I've waited long enough for this. When this whole thing is over, then he'll marry me like he promised."
Sheik dismissed their voices with a wave of her hand and muttered, "Don't count on it. . ."
***