Disclaimer: Still don't own Zelda...yadda yadda yadda. *holds up a shield
for protection from angry disclaimer people*
A/N: Aw fiddle...I didn't want to stop there but by now I'm sure you know why I had to...oh well...I'll get around it somehow. I'm switching to calling her Zelda instead of Tetra now, for obvious reasons. This happens to be one of my favorite chapters cause, well...I added a part that I thought would have been sweet to add ^.^ And also, this is around the time she realizes something she should have seen long ago. *winks* On with the story!
Chapter 14: Meeting with a Nightmare
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"Zelda...?
...I'm...a princess?"
As she slowly spoke these words, the young girl who use to be known as Tetra looked up at the King standing before her, confusion written all over her face. She had just gone from pirate to princess in under a minute...and it all happened so fast. She could barely keep up with the sudden fact that she had royal blood in her.
The King could tell by her expression that the new princess was utterly taken off-guard by her new identity. He nodded to the young girl in hopes of getting that stunned expression out of her eyes, but when she merely blinked in response, he had to resort to talking.
"You are confused, aren't you?" he questioned, already knowing the answer. He lifted his head. "I guess such is to be expected."
Upon lifting his head, the King of Hyrule quickly remembered their true mission. He knew Ganon was still alive somewhere. They had to move quickly to prepare for their next encounter with the evil king.
Zelda kept her gaze on the King as he focused his own gaze on a different source behind her. Upon seeing him do this, the new princess suddenly remembered that Link was still in the room, and she slowly turned around, her dress dragging a little on the stone floor as she faced the boy behind her.
Not surprisingly, he was staring right at her, looking just as amazed as she was by her sudden change in looks.
She couldn't help but feel a little awkward at the way he was staring at her, though her amazement made it short-lived. Too many questions were running through her head at the moment to consider what his thoughts were.
"Link..." the King said, getting the boy's attention but also getting Zelda's attention by accident. The princess kept her eyes on Link and listened as the King continued his talk.
"I am terribly sorry that you have been caught up in these events." He said to the young boy. "...but now that it is known that Tetra is indeed Princess Zelda, Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods that she possesses." He lowered his gaze to him and added. "He will not rest until he has found her."
Link glanced over at Zelda, who had an obvious look of shock in her eyes upon hearing what he said.
"If he succeeds..." the King continued as Link looked back up at him. "...my ancient kingdom under the sea will be turned into a land of shadow and despair...and so will the world you know above the waves."
Link got a serious and determined look in his eyes upon hearing this. He didn't want any of that to happen to his home island...or anywhere else for that matter!
The King was pleased to see this boy's tremendous courage show in his eyes. He may have been just a boy, but his courage was unlike any he had ever seen in anyone. Thus, he was fitting to take on such a task as protecting the world when it needed it.
While the King explained things further to Link, Zelda remained quiet throughout his entire speech. The princess was really having trouble copping with the fact that she was being hunted at that very moment. Somewhere out there, Ganondorf was looking for her and from the Kings previous explanation, he was going to stop at nothing to get her in his grasp once again.
This fact made her feel very vulnerable all of a sudden, and fear began to seep into her soul, much to her already overwhelming surprise.
"Why...why do I feel so frightened...?" she questioned herself subconsciously. She would never have felt this afraid while she was Tetra...instead she would be rushing everyone and ordering them to get up so they could go after the darn fiend!
But...she didn't have that kind of will anymore. It was almost impossible for her now; almost as if her whole personality had changed along with her clothing. And she didn't feel comfortable...or at ease about this fact.
The young princess wasn't paying much attention to what the King was saying through her inner turmoil, but she did managed to hear that they had to go back to the surface to restore the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. Somewhere in his explanation, Link looked back at her for a brief moment and then looked back at the King.
She did her best to try and hide her fear as she inadvertently continued to stare at the boy in green. She found that every time she looked at him, and saw the courage shine in his eyes, it made her feel more relaxed and less tense. Zelda couldn't believe how safe she felt right now with him in her presence.
"Zelda..."
The sound of her name quickly broke her stare and her thoughts.
The princess slowly took her eyes off Link and turned to the royal being that called her name.
The King looked down at her with soft eyes.
"It is far too dangerous for you to join us in restoring the Master Sword's power and searching for the final piece of the Triforce." he said. "Fortunately, this sacred chamber is not yet known to Ganon. It is my wish that you remain here in hiding until we return."
"It's my wish too." Link quickly added.
Zelda looked to her left to see the young hero now standing beside her, and on his face was that reassuring look he always gave her when he knew she had to make a decision.
"Will you do this?" the King questioned.
Zelda gazed back at Link for a little while longer before she looked to the floor. She really didn't want to stay here all by herself. Did they really have to go, she wondered...did Link really need to leave...she didn't know what she would do if he left now.
But...he was needed to restore power back into the legendary blade...he had to go...
Slowly, she closed her eyes and nodded her head in response. Though it really didn't show, inside she was screaming at herself for allowing them to leave her behind.
Both Link and the King smiled kindly at her, knowing it must have been hard to make such a decision.
When the princess finally opened her eyes, she raised her head a little, about to say a request that they hurry with their return. Before she could speak though, the image of the King's feet suddenly vanished right in front of her eyes!
Both her and Link gasped a little at his sudden disappearance. Before they had time to figure out why though, they quickly heard the King speak to them from behind.
"Link. We must go." he said quickly.
The hero and princess turned around to face where they entered the chamber to see the King standing at the foot of the stairs. He disappeared again, reappeared halfway up the steps, and then vanished once more. He materialized at the top and paused to look at them before he faded out of the room, leaving the two alone in the silent chamber.
They stared for a couple of seconds, obviously astonished by the King's disappearing act.
Link was the first to regain his thoughts. He hesitated for a brief moment, before he started to walk toward the steps to catch up with the King.
"...Link."
The boy stopped and looked back at the princess, who now had a hand reaching out to him.
"Yes, Tet-I mean...Princess Zelda?" he questioned. He shook his head at the messing up of her name, but then stopped short when he saw the look in her eyes.
Zelda did not look happy at all. Fear was very obvious through her gaze, and for a second, the boy thought he saw her tremble a little.
The princess lowered her hand as she tried to find words to say. There was just too much she wanted to tell him right now...and time was short. And so...she chose the most important of them.
"...I...I don't know how to say this..." she stuttered. Pausing a moment to gather her words, she then continued. "...I should have told you this long ago...but everything that's happened to you and your poor sister...it's..." she paused again, this time from realization.
Knowing though that Link needed to hear the truth, she pushed her discomfort aside and suppressed her voice as she finished with the words...
"...it's all been my fault..."
The young girl then lowered her head and looked to the floor, letting her hair that was no longer in a bun fall in front of her clothed shoulders. She felt so guilty for getting him involved because of her identity. Putting a gloved hand up to her heart, she slowly added in her most sincere voice.
"...I'm so sorry."
Link remained quiet. He was touched and a little taken off-guard by the way she was apologizing to him for something she really didn't have control over. He now could tell that her clothes were not the only things that had changed...
The boy couldn't stand to see her act so guilty for something she had no say in in the first place though, so to ease her guilt, he waved a hand through the air and spoke.
"It's alright." He said calmly and sweetly. "It wasn't your fault."
Zelda slowly looked up at him.
"How...can you say that? You would not be here in a ruined castle getting ready to go fight a great evil if it wasn't for me." she said, sounding a little persistent.
Link stared at her, wondering why she was trying to convince him it was all her fault.
The young princess got a sad look in her eyes and lowered her head
again.
"...and...now you have to leave...and I can't do anything to help." she quietly whispered. Tears began to fill her eyes as she held her hands up to her chest in an attempt to try and ease her sadness.
"...I...I'm scared..." she said quietly before she closed her eyes and
started to sob.
After a brief moment of silence, young Zelda suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.
The princess slowly looked up to meet Link's soft, comforting eyes. His gentle gaze made her breath catch in her throat as she stared back into them with her own moist eyes, trying to find words to express the rest of her fears.
But she didn't stare long, and quickly lowered her head slightly, not wanting him to see the fear that was overcoming her.
Before she could tell him how worried she was for his own safety, she suddenly felt him slowly pull her toward him, and before she knew it, his arms were wrapped around her waist and holding her gently, locking her in a small, tender embrace.
Zelda quickly reopened her eyes, stiffening in response to his hug. She was obviously taken off-guard by his method of easing her fear, and she quickly ended up staring over his shoulder, her mouth partially open with surprise.
But...instead of shoving him away like she would normally do, she found herself getting less tense and more relaxed and finding no will to break the awkward moment. All her guilt and tension was suddenly leaving her, as she continued to stare off into space.
For the first time in seven long years...she felt completely safe.
Before the moment lasted too long though, Link suddenly pulled back.
The princess looked over at him with her glazed eyes once they parted from each other. She suddenly found herself staring when she locked eyes with him...and what she saw somewhat surprised her.
The boy's cheeks were totally red, and his smile had a wide bashful look to it. He managed to keep a straight face through it all, but he couldn't keep it long, knowing what he had just done to ease the girl's inner turmoil. His eyes were shifting from her to the floor constantly, all the while rubbing the back of his head with one hand.
Put plainly...he was blushing.
Zelda suddenly felt her own cheeks feel a little warm and before she knew it, she was blushing too.
Knowing that she was feeling better than she did before from her face, Link turned back to normal and took a few steps back, all the while still keeping his shifting eyes on her.
Then...he turned around and quickly walked up the steps.
Upon reaching the top, he slowly looked back down at Zelda, only to find her where he left her standing. She was still staring up at him, with that same blushing face he left her with.
The boy managed to smile through his embarrassed face and waved a farewell to the princess, knowing that he wasn't going to see her again for at least a couple more days.
Seeing his gesture, Zelda slowly lifted her right hand and returned his farewell with her own small wave.
With their silent good-byes said, Link turned around and disappeared into the dark stairway.
"...Link..." she whispered as she watched him leave.
As soon as his figure vanished into the dark passage, the princess looked at her still waving hand. She halted her farewell upon seeing the symbol of the Triforce on the back of her hand and she slowly put it up to her heart.
"...please...be careful..."
~ ~ ~
Hours passed...
...but to the Princess of Hyrule...it seemed more like an eternity. For hours on end, she sat near the small stream of water at the base of the platform...thinking. It wasn't exactly the way she wanted to pass the time, but she knew she needed time to straighten things out and this was obviously the only way she knew how to. She had tried to fall asleep as another solution; but she wasn't the least bit tired and only ended up staring at the ceiling.
Sometime during her silent wait, the princess had tried to leave the lonely room; but she found that the entrance to her chamber was sealed closed by the pedestal of the statue in the room above. This didn't pose much of a problem though, because for some unnatural reason, she didn't get hungry, thirsty, or tired during the long hours. It was like time itself was frozen in this small sacred chamber.
Leaning her head forward, the young girl peered at the stone floor as a dozen thoughts ran through her mind.
"So...this is my destiny?" she questioned herself out loud while looking down at the glowing Triforce symbol on her hand. "...to be a royal princess of an ancient kingdom that lies forgotten at the bottom of the sea...that is my fate?"
The princess took her eyes off the symbol and slowly leaned over to peer into the clear stream of still water.
She couldn't even recognize who was staring back at her. She looked so different from when she was Tetra. She looked so elegant...and innocent. The jeweled accessory on her head made her look even more royal, as did the small gold plate on her chest that was loosely wrapped around her neck with a pink cloth. She touched the dark pink beads that were around her throat, trying to accept her reflection to be her own.
Suddenly, thoughts of her long lost mother came rushing into her already crowded thoughts. Memories of what her mother had said seven years ago kept replaying in her head, reminding her of one of her many goals.
When we find the great treasure under the ocean...
...we will finally know where we belong...
...that's what she had told her.
"This place..." the young girl silently said. "Is...is this the great treasure underneath the sea that my mother was searching for?"
There was really no other explanation for it...Hyrule must have been what Zelda's mother was looking for.
"Then...why do I feel so lost?" the princess whispered. "Why do I feel this isn't what my mother really wanted...?"
She continued to stare at her reflection on the waters still surface. She now knew why her mother didn't finish her stories...she obviously didn't want her to know that what they were looking for was a forgotten kingdom that was once overthrown by a great evil in the past and then buried underneath the waves. It would have ruined her stories.
Slowly, Zelda reached at her reflection, until her fingers touched the waters surface, creating small ripples that distorted her figure.
The young princess suddenly missed her mother more than ever. She would have felt more prepared for this if she was still with her...but instead she had to face her new destiny all by herself...with no one to help her.
Zelda continued to stare at her partially submerged hand, catching the small wrinkled glow that radiated off the Triforce symbol. As she watched it glow, she quickly realized what she was thinking...and suddenly remembered who had comforted her when she needed it the most.
Slowly lifting her hand out of the cool water, Zelda glanced over to the small pedestal where the Master Sword use to lay dormant. She lowered her head, as thoughts of Link came into her mind.
She really missed him...more than she thought she would actually. She had waited days it seemed for his return and with each passing minute, she grew more and more worried about him. For all she knew, he could have been dead by now...
The young princess shuddered at the very thought. She didn't know what she would do if he suffered such a fate. To her, it would be like her mother's kidnapping all over again...or possibly worse. He was more of a friend to her than she ever thought a person could be to her...much to her slight amazement.
Quite frankly, she didn't think she could make any friends. When she was Tetra and her usual self, she really didn't get along with anyone except her crew. And plus the fact that she was a pirate gave her somewhat of a bad reputation, and she was avoided by all common folk they ended up meeting. Link had been the only one who hadn't given up on finding her good side, and because of that, Zelda thought him as a friend.
But now, some slightly different questions were popping into her head. Was that all Link was to her? Just a friend?
Zelda suddenly lifted her head.
It finally dawned on her. After spending days on trying to figure out that strange feeling that had snuck its way into her heart when she first met the young hero, Zelda somehow but finally knew why she felt the way she did.
Link was more than just a friend to her...
Over the few days she had known the young boy, she, as a stubborn and full fledged pirate, had secretly grown to admire his unsurpassed courage and unending kindness, and as result, had gone out of her way to help him and keep him from harm. She had done things that even went against her role as a pirate, and had even put herself in great danger to keep the boy from meeting his own death.
And now that her true identity was revealed, along with her true personality and innocence...the realization of how much she cared for the boy was more believable.
Nudge was right...Link did mean a lot to her...so much in fact that the thought of him not living was devastating to the princess.
Zelda had to stare back down at the symbol on the back of her hand. She didn't think she would experience such weird feelings at such a young age...but then again she didn't act her age...and neither did Link. No normal twelve year old would have taken on a task of being a hero or a leader of a group of pirates. Both she and Link's personalities seemed to rival that of fourteen or fifteen year olds, which made them pretty mature for their age in both personality and responsibility.
...but even if Link was more mature than his age, she knew he was still just a young boy...he had his limits! She couldn't help but worry over how he was fairing against Ganondorf's army all by himself. He treated her with friendship despite her rude behavior, and had even gone so far as to save her life three times without any concern for his own safety. He was someone special to her...and she couldn't bear the thought of him not living to see another day.
All this worrying was making the young princess even more anxious for the young hero's return. Slowly propping herself back on her feet, she silently walked back up the small steps to the circular platform and halted, staring down at the vacant pedestal that now stood at her feet.
"I don't know where you are...or what you are doing..." she whispered quietly. "...just please...come back safely, Link..." Her blonde hair slipped over her shoulders as a single tear escaped her eye. "...I...I need you...now more than ever...
...please...come back to me..."
Before the princess allowed herself to start sobbing, she quickly took a deep breathe and wiped away her tear.
Just then, her pointed ears picked up a faint sound echoing throughout the entire chamber, grabbing her attention and interrupting her thoughts.
It was a very odd sound too. It was occurring spontaneously in brief moments, and after each sound came a loud but muffled thud like something just hit the floor in the room above.
Princess Zelda straightened up as the noise suddenly halted. She peered toward the entrance to the chamber, now seeing that the dark stairway leading out of the room was a little bit brighter than usual.
Immediately, she knew that someone had opened the way into her small chamber of solitude. She took a few earnest steps forward as she kept her eyes locked onto the still dark entrance.
"Link?" she quietly called, hoping to see his familiar green figure emerge from the dark stairway.
As she watched with hopeful eyes, she suddenly felt a cold draft start to blow into the room, making a sudden chill run down her spine and cause her to close her eyes for a brief moment. Once the draft weakened, the princess looked back to the entrance...
...and her mouth dropped open with shock.
"Ganondorf!" Zelda cried, suddenly freezing with fear.
Ganondorf didn't respond to her call of fright. He just stood there, letting his presence creep darkness into the small lonely chamber. Dark purple smoke seeped in from behind him, making his presence even more frightening.
The stunned princess didn't move an inch as the dark fiend then started to make his way down the stairway, taking small casual steps like he wasn't in any sort of rush. He was the last person she wanted to see...especially now!
"H-how...how did he get down here? I thought he didn't know about this place!" she thought, suddenly realizing she was stuttering with fear even in her thoughts.
Ganondorf grinned evilly.
"You thought wrong, princess." He suddenly said in a low cold voice, much to Zelda's surprise. She stared in shock as he reached the base of the steps and was now making his way across the small pathway up to the platform where she stood.
Upon seeing how close he was getting, Zelda forced herself to get out of her stunned state and quickly spun around to run in the opposite direction. She didn't get far however, before she heard a swoosh and suddenly saw Ganondorf standing in her path of escape.
She skidded to a halt and stared up at the tall fiend, suddenly realizing she couldn't outrun him.
But instead of accepting this fact, she turned around yet again and started to bolt to the exit as fast as her heels could take her.
Instead of being stopped by Ganondorf this time however, she was met by a wall of blazing fire!
Princess Zelda halted immediately before she met the burning ring of flames that now encircled the platform her and Ganondorf stood upon. She knew now that she was trapped...
Also knowing there was absolutely nowhere to run now, the defenseless princess could do nothing but turn back around to face the King of Evil, who was snickering at her pathetic attempts to flee from him.
"So..." he began as he slowly started to walk toward her. "...it looks like the fearless sea rat has finally become the helpless princess she was destined to be." He chuckled. "Did you really think you would be safe here knowing that I had the Triforce of Power in my possession?"
The Princess of Hyrule did nothing but shiver a little in response.
He grinned. "Foolish child...with my full power no longer sealed by the Master Sword, there is no safe haven for you!" he halted his approach. "...and now that you know who you really are..." his grin widened. "...you must know now why I have spent all these countless years searching for you and your ancestors."
Princess Zelda gasped.
"The Triforce!"
Ganondorf made a small snicker at her right answer.
The princess looked down at the glowing triangle on her hand, which was now pulsating a little because of the presence of another Triforce piece that Ganondorf already had.
Almost out of the blue, the fiend suddenly started to speak words that the princess really wanted to forget.
"I remember you now..." the evil man muttered. "...on that day...seven years ago. You were just a small girl at that time."
Ganondorf got a cruel smile on his face.
"...the day I captured your helpless mother instead of you...yes...I remember clearly..." He added coldly.
Princess Zelda took her eyes off her hand and shot a look of heartbreak straight at the fiend, which told him she remembered clearly also, much to her disliking. The princess ended her silent period and quietly spoke.
"What...did you do to my mother?!" she managed to say.
Ganondorf merely gave her an icy smile.
"...she was no longer of use to me..." he uttered. "...and I
always dispose what I no longer need."
Zelda gasped upon hearing those words. She knew exactly what he meant by dispose...
The young girl suddenly fell to her knees and covered her face as tears started to pour out of her eyes. Even if she already guessed her mother was dead, it was just too much for her to hear that sudden fact from the person who had killed her. She started to cry into her hands, suddenly feeling like she was the only person left alive on the earth.
Ganondorf broke the sound of her sobbing.
"...it was only a matter of time before I found who held the Triforce of Wisdom and claimed what was rightfully mine." He stated while looking down at the crying princess. "...and now that I finally have you within reach...I will make sure I will not leave empty-handed."
With that said, Ganondorf started his approach again, knowing that Zelda was too preoccupied with her feelings to even consider running away.
So many thoughts were running through Zelda's head, which did make her oblivious to Ganondorf's approach.
"Why did this have to happen?!" she screamed in her head. "Why?! This is definitely not what my mother wanted!" She took her hands off her eyes and stared at the ground, letting her tears fall to the stone floor. "...I...I can't...I can't let this horrible man get his hands on what my mother wanted me to protect from him. I just can't!"
Watching her tears fall to the floor, a strong feeling gripped her heart as she whispered. "Link...where are you...?"
Suddenly, Zelda felt a cold hand grip one of her arms and tighten its hold as it tried to drag her to her feet.
"No!" she cried, resisting Ganondorf's pull on her gloved arm. She grunted and heaved to try and release his grip, only to find that it would get tighter with each struggle she did.
"Link!" Zelda cried, hoping he could somehow hear her and come to her rescue like he always did in the past.
"Call all you want, princess." Ganondorf huffed. "He will not come to your rescue now, no matter how hard you try to call him."
Zelda didn't listen to him and shouted Link's name even louder, as she used all her determination and strength to try and yank herself loose.
Feeling her will getting slightly stronger, Ganondorf squeezed his hand on her arm so tight, that the slight sound of bones cracking resulted.
Zelda screamed as she felt his icy grip tighten to the point where the bones in her arm started to feel like they were going to snap in two! Before they broke however, Ganondorf yanked her sideways and threw her right across the platform to the other side with annoyance.
Landing in a heap opposite of the evil Ganondorf, Princess Zelda remained motionless as she held her almost broken arm while laying on her side, panting from the throbbing pain she was getting from it. She kept her glazed eyes shut tight as she endured the horrible feeling in her arm, and in her heart.
Ganondorf made his way over to the princess' side and glared down at the pitiful site before him.
"You truly are a foolish child...just like that boy..." he muttered, frowning at the poor girl at his covered feet.
Through all her suffering, Zelda somehow managed to reply to the fiend's comment.
"Link...will...come..." she said through gasps.
"...and...he...will...kill...you!"
Ganondorf just grinned an evil smile.
"Well...you are partially correct. He will come..." he remarked. "...and when he does...I will have a little something waiting to greet him." He added with a sneaky smile.
Zelda forced one of her blue eyes open and stared up at the fiend, suddenly fearing the worst.
"No..." she cried. "I...won't let you!"
While she said this, the young princess started to get back up on her feet, slowly but surely. She was about to try and run in a blinding attempt to flee, but before she even got one foot away from him, Ganondorf hit her in the back with his hand, sending her sprawling back to the ground.
"Have you not been listening to me you idiotic child!" he shouted angrily. "You cannot run from the inevitable! Accept your fate now, or I will go right now and kill the boy!"
An eerie silence followed.
Zelda didn't move during the period of silence. She started to prop herself up to her knees, keeping her gloved hands placed on the floor with her head low while letting her blonde hair fall in front of her eyes. Immediately she started to sob again.
Ganondorf could tell by the way she responded that she had made her decision. He paced up to her slouching figure as he muttered a few words.
"Do not worry...I will not kill you...yet." he said in a low tone. "I need you as bait to lure your pathetic excuse for a hero to my lair." He paused. "That is...if he manages to pass the trial that will await him once he returns to this chamber."
"In the meantime..." he slowly added as he reached down to the broken girl and lifted her by the back of her neck. "...you have something that I need..."
Zelda did nothing but peek open one of her teary eyes. She looked back into the fiend's cold red gaze as he lifted his other hand and placed it on her forehead. She shivered and shut her eyes tighter upon feeling his cold palm on her head, not even bothering to lift even a finger against whatever he was hoping to do.
Keeping her suspended above the ground, Ganondorf started to cast a mysterious spell, which slowly started to seep its way into Zelda's body. It didn't take long before the princess started to feel the effects of the spell and once Ganondorf completed his casting, he let her drop back to the ground and watched.
Zelda didn't feel any pain or burning from his cast, but instead was finding herself having trouble keeping her eyes open. She saw the ring of fire around her suddenly disappear through her blurring vision, and immediately she felt an urge to try one more attempt to run.
As she tried to get on her feet, she started to feel the full effect of the spell. It was slowly draining all her energy out of her, and now she found it difficult to even try to stand up...
...but she persisted.
Ganondorf just grinned at her constant attempts to even stand up and watched as the princess finally got to her feet.
Zelda slowly started to feel very tired and weak as she started to walk to the exit... she was just too exhausted from the spell's effect to even get halfway there.
Without another moment lost, Princess Zelda suddenly let herself fall back to the floor, never to get up for who knew how long. She closed her eyes and sadly let herself fall victim to Ganon's spell of darkness.
Ganondorf smiled evilly as he watched the princess collapse under his
spell.
"...sweet dreams...
...Princess Zelda!" he said with an evil chuckle.
A/N: Aw fiddle...I didn't want to stop there but by now I'm sure you know why I had to...oh well...I'll get around it somehow. I'm switching to calling her Zelda instead of Tetra now, for obvious reasons. This happens to be one of my favorite chapters cause, well...I added a part that I thought would have been sweet to add ^.^ And also, this is around the time she realizes something she should have seen long ago. *winks* On with the story!
Chapter 14: Meeting with a Nightmare
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"Zelda...?
...I'm...a princess?"
As she slowly spoke these words, the young girl who use to be known as Tetra looked up at the King standing before her, confusion written all over her face. She had just gone from pirate to princess in under a minute...and it all happened so fast. She could barely keep up with the sudden fact that she had royal blood in her.
The King could tell by her expression that the new princess was utterly taken off-guard by her new identity. He nodded to the young girl in hopes of getting that stunned expression out of her eyes, but when she merely blinked in response, he had to resort to talking.
"You are confused, aren't you?" he questioned, already knowing the answer. He lifted his head. "I guess such is to be expected."
Upon lifting his head, the King of Hyrule quickly remembered their true mission. He knew Ganon was still alive somewhere. They had to move quickly to prepare for their next encounter with the evil king.
Zelda kept her gaze on the King as he focused his own gaze on a different source behind her. Upon seeing him do this, the new princess suddenly remembered that Link was still in the room, and she slowly turned around, her dress dragging a little on the stone floor as she faced the boy behind her.
Not surprisingly, he was staring right at her, looking just as amazed as she was by her sudden change in looks.
She couldn't help but feel a little awkward at the way he was staring at her, though her amazement made it short-lived. Too many questions were running through her head at the moment to consider what his thoughts were.
"Link..." the King said, getting the boy's attention but also getting Zelda's attention by accident. The princess kept her eyes on Link and listened as the King continued his talk.
"I am terribly sorry that you have been caught up in these events." He said to the young boy. "...but now that it is known that Tetra is indeed Princess Zelda, Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods that she possesses." He lowered his gaze to him and added. "He will not rest until he has found her."
Link glanced over at Zelda, who had an obvious look of shock in her eyes upon hearing what he said.
"If he succeeds..." the King continued as Link looked back up at him. "...my ancient kingdom under the sea will be turned into a land of shadow and despair...and so will the world you know above the waves."
Link got a serious and determined look in his eyes upon hearing this. He didn't want any of that to happen to his home island...or anywhere else for that matter!
The King was pleased to see this boy's tremendous courage show in his eyes. He may have been just a boy, but his courage was unlike any he had ever seen in anyone. Thus, he was fitting to take on such a task as protecting the world when it needed it.
While the King explained things further to Link, Zelda remained quiet throughout his entire speech. The princess was really having trouble copping with the fact that she was being hunted at that very moment. Somewhere out there, Ganondorf was looking for her and from the Kings previous explanation, he was going to stop at nothing to get her in his grasp once again.
This fact made her feel very vulnerable all of a sudden, and fear began to seep into her soul, much to her already overwhelming surprise.
"Why...why do I feel so frightened...?" she questioned herself subconsciously. She would never have felt this afraid while she was Tetra...instead she would be rushing everyone and ordering them to get up so they could go after the darn fiend!
But...she didn't have that kind of will anymore. It was almost impossible for her now; almost as if her whole personality had changed along with her clothing. And she didn't feel comfortable...or at ease about this fact.
The young princess wasn't paying much attention to what the King was saying through her inner turmoil, but she did managed to hear that they had to go back to the surface to restore the power to repel evil to the Master Sword. Somewhere in his explanation, Link looked back at her for a brief moment and then looked back at the King.
She did her best to try and hide her fear as she inadvertently continued to stare at the boy in green. She found that every time she looked at him, and saw the courage shine in his eyes, it made her feel more relaxed and less tense. Zelda couldn't believe how safe she felt right now with him in her presence.
"Zelda..."
The sound of her name quickly broke her stare and her thoughts.
The princess slowly took her eyes off Link and turned to the royal being that called her name.
The King looked down at her with soft eyes.
"It is far too dangerous for you to join us in restoring the Master Sword's power and searching for the final piece of the Triforce." he said. "Fortunately, this sacred chamber is not yet known to Ganon. It is my wish that you remain here in hiding until we return."
"It's my wish too." Link quickly added.
Zelda looked to her left to see the young hero now standing beside her, and on his face was that reassuring look he always gave her when he knew she had to make a decision.
"Will you do this?" the King questioned.
Zelda gazed back at Link for a little while longer before she looked to the floor. She really didn't want to stay here all by herself. Did they really have to go, she wondered...did Link really need to leave...she didn't know what she would do if he left now.
But...he was needed to restore power back into the legendary blade...he had to go...
Slowly, she closed her eyes and nodded her head in response. Though it really didn't show, inside she was screaming at herself for allowing them to leave her behind.
Both Link and the King smiled kindly at her, knowing it must have been hard to make such a decision.
When the princess finally opened her eyes, she raised her head a little, about to say a request that they hurry with their return. Before she could speak though, the image of the King's feet suddenly vanished right in front of her eyes!
Both her and Link gasped a little at his sudden disappearance. Before they had time to figure out why though, they quickly heard the King speak to them from behind.
"Link. We must go." he said quickly.
The hero and princess turned around to face where they entered the chamber to see the King standing at the foot of the stairs. He disappeared again, reappeared halfway up the steps, and then vanished once more. He materialized at the top and paused to look at them before he faded out of the room, leaving the two alone in the silent chamber.
They stared for a couple of seconds, obviously astonished by the King's disappearing act.
Link was the first to regain his thoughts. He hesitated for a brief moment, before he started to walk toward the steps to catch up with the King.
"...Link."
The boy stopped and looked back at the princess, who now had a hand reaching out to him.
"Yes, Tet-I mean...Princess Zelda?" he questioned. He shook his head at the messing up of her name, but then stopped short when he saw the look in her eyes.
Zelda did not look happy at all. Fear was very obvious through her gaze, and for a second, the boy thought he saw her tremble a little.
The princess lowered her hand as she tried to find words to say. There was just too much she wanted to tell him right now...and time was short. And so...she chose the most important of them.
"...I...I don't know how to say this..." she stuttered. Pausing a moment to gather her words, she then continued. "...I should have told you this long ago...but everything that's happened to you and your poor sister...it's..." she paused again, this time from realization.
Knowing though that Link needed to hear the truth, she pushed her discomfort aside and suppressed her voice as she finished with the words...
"...it's all been my fault..."
The young girl then lowered her head and looked to the floor, letting her hair that was no longer in a bun fall in front of her clothed shoulders. She felt so guilty for getting him involved because of her identity. Putting a gloved hand up to her heart, she slowly added in her most sincere voice.
"...I'm so sorry."
Link remained quiet. He was touched and a little taken off-guard by the way she was apologizing to him for something she really didn't have control over. He now could tell that her clothes were not the only things that had changed...
The boy couldn't stand to see her act so guilty for something she had no say in in the first place though, so to ease her guilt, he waved a hand through the air and spoke.
"It's alright." He said calmly and sweetly. "It wasn't your fault."
Zelda slowly looked up at him.
"How...can you say that? You would not be here in a ruined castle getting ready to go fight a great evil if it wasn't for me." she said, sounding a little persistent.
Link stared at her, wondering why she was trying to convince him it was all her fault.
The young princess got a sad look in her eyes and lowered her head
again.
"...and...now you have to leave...and I can't do anything to help." she quietly whispered. Tears began to fill her eyes as she held her hands up to her chest in an attempt to try and ease her sadness.
"...I...I'm scared..." she said quietly before she closed her eyes and
started to sob.
After a brief moment of silence, young Zelda suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.
The princess slowly looked up to meet Link's soft, comforting eyes. His gentle gaze made her breath catch in her throat as she stared back into them with her own moist eyes, trying to find words to express the rest of her fears.
But she didn't stare long, and quickly lowered her head slightly, not wanting him to see the fear that was overcoming her.
Before she could tell him how worried she was for his own safety, she suddenly felt him slowly pull her toward him, and before she knew it, his arms were wrapped around her waist and holding her gently, locking her in a small, tender embrace.
Zelda quickly reopened her eyes, stiffening in response to his hug. She was obviously taken off-guard by his method of easing her fear, and she quickly ended up staring over his shoulder, her mouth partially open with surprise.
But...instead of shoving him away like she would normally do, she found herself getting less tense and more relaxed and finding no will to break the awkward moment. All her guilt and tension was suddenly leaving her, as she continued to stare off into space.
For the first time in seven long years...she felt completely safe.
Before the moment lasted too long though, Link suddenly pulled back.
The princess looked over at him with her glazed eyes once they parted from each other. She suddenly found herself staring when she locked eyes with him...and what she saw somewhat surprised her.
The boy's cheeks were totally red, and his smile had a wide bashful look to it. He managed to keep a straight face through it all, but he couldn't keep it long, knowing what he had just done to ease the girl's inner turmoil. His eyes were shifting from her to the floor constantly, all the while rubbing the back of his head with one hand.
Put plainly...he was blushing.
Zelda suddenly felt her own cheeks feel a little warm and before she knew it, she was blushing too.
Knowing that she was feeling better than she did before from her face, Link turned back to normal and took a few steps back, all the while still keeping his shifting eyes on her.
Then...he turned around and quickly walked up the steps.
Upon reaching the top, he slowly looked back down at Zelda, only to find her where he left her standing. She was still staring up at him, with that same blushing face he left her with.
The boy managed to smile through his embarrassed face and waved a farewell to the princess, knowing that he wasn't going to see her again for at least a couple more days.
Seeing his gesture, Zelda slowly lifted her right hand and returned his farewell with her own small wave.
With their silent good-byes said, Link turned around and disappeared into the dark stairway.
"...Link..." she whispered as she watched him leave.
As soon as his figure vanished into the dark passage, the princess looked at her still waving hand. She halted her farewell upon seeing the symbol of the Triforce on the back of her hand and she slowly put it up to her heart.
"...please...be careful..."
~ ~ ~
Hours passed...
...but to the Princess of Hyrule...it seemed more like an eternity. For hours on end, she sat near the small stream of water at the base of the platform...thinking. It wasn't exactly the way she wanted to pass the time, but she knew she needed time to straighten things out and this was obviously the only way she knew how to. She had tried to fall asleep as another solution; but she wasn't the least bit tired and only ended up staring at the ceiling.
Sometime during her silent wait, the princess had tried to leave the lonely room; but she found that the entrance to her chamber was sealed closed by the pedestal of the statue in the room above. This didn't pose much of a problem though, because for some unnatural reason, she didn't get hungry, thirsty, or tired during the long hours. It was like time itself was frozen in this small sacred chamber.
Leaning her head forward, the young girl peered at the stone floor as a dozen thoughts ran through her mind.
"So...this is my destiny?" she questioned herself out loud while looking down at the glowing Triforce symbol on her hand. "...to be a royal princess of an ancient kingdom that lies forgotten at the bottom of the sea...that is my fate?"
The princess took her eyes off the symbol and slowly leaned over to peer into the clear stream of still water.
She couldn't even recognize who was staring back at her. She looked so different from when she was Tetra. She looked so elegant...and innocent. The jeweled accessory on her head made her look even more royal, as did the small gold plate on her chest that was loosely wrapped around her neck with a pink cloth. She touched the dark pink beads that were around her throat, trying to accept her reflection to be her own.
Suddenly, thoughts of her long lost mother came rushing into her already crowded thoughts. Memories of what her mother had said seven years ago kept replaying in her head, reminding her of one of her many goals.
When we find the great treasure under the ocean...
...we will finally know where we belong...
...that's what she had told her.
"This place..." the young girl silently said. "Is...is this the great treasure underneath the sea that my mother was searching for?"
There was really no other explanation for it...Hyrule must have been what Zelda's mother was looking for.
"Then...why do I feel so lost?" the princess whispered. "Why do I feel this isn't what my mother really wanted...?"
She continued to stare at her reflection on the waters still surface. She now knew why her mother didn't finish her stories...she obviously didn't want her to know that what they were looking for was a forgotten kingdom that was once overthrown by a great evil in the past and then buried underneath the waves. It would have ruined her stories.
Slowly, Zelda reached at her reflection, until her fingers touched the waters surface, creating small ripples that distorted her figure.
The young princess suddenly missed her mother more than ever. She would have felt more prepared for this if she was still with her...but instead she had to face her new destiny all by herself...with no one to help her.
Zelda continued to stare at her partially submerged hand, catching the small wrinkled glow that radiated off the Triforce symbol. As she watched it glow, she quickly realized what she was thinking...and suddenly remembered who had comforted her when she needed it the most.
Slowly lifting her hand out of the cool water, Zelda glanced over to the small pedestal where the Master Sword use to lay dormant. She lowered her head, as thoughts of Link came into her mind.
She really missed him...more than she thought she would actually. She had waited days it seemed for his return and with each passing minute, she grew more and more worried about him. For all she knew, he could have been dead by now...
The young princess shuddered at the very thought. She didn't know what she would do if he suffered such a fate. To her, it would be like her mother's kidnapping all over again...or possibly worse. He was more of a friend to her than she ever thought a person could be to her...much to her slight amazement.
Quite frankly, she didn't think she could make any friends. When she was Tetra and her usual self, she really didn't get along with anyone except her crew. And plus the fact that she was a pirate gave her somewhat of a bad reputation, and she was avoided by all common folk they ended up meeting. Link had been the only one who hadn't given up on finding her good side, and because of that, Zelda thought him as a friend.
But now, some slightly different questions were popping into her head. Was that all Link was to her? Just a friend?
Zelda suddenly lifted her head.
It finally dawned on her. After spending days on trying to figure out that strange feeling that had snuck its way into her heart when she first met the young hero, Zelda somehow but finally knew why she felt the way she did.
Link was more than just a friend to her...
Over the few days she had known the young boy, she, as a stubborn and full fledged pirate, had secretly grown to admire his unsurpassed courage and unending kindness, and as result, had gone out of her way to help him and keep him from harm. She had done things that even went against her role as a pirate, and had even put herself in great danger to keep the boy from meeting his own death.
And now that her true identity was revealed, along with her true personality and innocence...the realization of how much she cared for the boy was more believable.
Nudge was right...Link did mean a lot to her...so much in fact that the thought of him not living was devastating to the princess.
Zelda had to stare back down at the symbol on the back of her hand. She didn't think she would experience such weird feelings at such a young age...but then again she didn't act her age...and neither did Link. No normal twelve year old would have taken on a task of being a hero or a leader of a group of pirates. Both she and Link's personalities seemed to rival that of fourteen or fifteen year olds, which made them pretty mature for their age in both personality and responsibility.
...but even if Link was more mature than his age, she knew he was still just a young boy...he had his limits! She couldn't help but worry over how he was fairing against Ganondorf's army all by himself. He treated her with friendship despite her rude behavior, and had even gone so far as to save her life three times without any concern for his own safety. He was someone special to her...and she couldn't bear the thought of him not living to see another day.
All this worrying was making the young princess even more anxious for the young hero's return. Slowly propping herself back on her feet, she silently walked back up the small steps to the circular platform and halted, staring down at the vacant pedestal that now stood at her feet.
"I don't know where you are...or what you are doing..." she whispered quietly. "...just please...come back safely, Link..." Her blonde hair slipped over her shoulders as a single tear escaped her eye. "...I...I need you...now more than ever...
...please...come back to me..."
Before the princess allowed herself to start sobbing, she quickly took a deep breathe and wiped away her tear.
Just then, her pointed ears picked up a faint sound echoing throughout the entire chamber, grabbing her attention and interrupting her thoughts.
It was a very odd sound too. It was occurring spontaneously in brief moments, and after each sound came a loud but muffled thud like something just hit the floor in the room above.
Princess Zelda straightened up as the noise suddenly halted. She peered toward the entrance to the chamber, now seeing that the dark stairway leading out of the room was a little bit brighter than usual.
Immediately, she knew that someone had opened the way into her small chamber of solitude. She took a few earnest steps forward as she kept her eyes locked onto the still dark entrance.
"Link?" she quietly called, hoping to see his familiar green figure emerge from the dark stairway.
As she watched with hopeful eyes, she suddenly felt a cold draft start to blow into the room, making a sudden chill run down her spine and cause her to close her eyes for a brief moment. Once the draft weakened, the princess looked back to the entrance...
...and her mouth dropped open with shock.
"Ganondorf!" Zelda cried, suddenly freezing with fear.
Ganondorf didn't respond to her call of fright. He just stood there, letting his presence creep darkness into the small lonely chamber. Dark purple smoke seeped in from behind him, making his presence even more frightening.
The stunned princess didn't move an inch as the dark fiend then started to make his way down the stairway, taking small casual steps like he wasn't in any sort of rush. He was the last person she wanted to see...especially now!
"H-how...how did he get down here? I thought he didn't know about this place!" she thought, suddenly realizing she was stuttering with fear even in her thoughts.
Ganondorf grinned evilly.
"You thought wrong, princess." He suddenly said in a low cold voice, much to Zelda's surprise. She stared in shock as he reached the base of the steps and was now making his way across the small pathway up to the platform where she stood.
Upon seeing how close he was getting, Zelda forced herself to get out of her stunned state and quickly spun around to run in the opposite direction. She didn't get far however, before she heard a swoosh and suddenly saw Ganondorf standing in her path of escape.
She skidded to a halt and stared up at the tall fiend, suddenly realizing she couldn't outrun him.
But instead of accepting this fact, she turned around yet again and started to bolt to the exit as fast as her heels could take her.
Instead of being stopped by Ganondorf this time however, she was met by a wall of blazing fire!
Princess Zelda halted immediately before she met the burning ring of flames that now encircled the platform her and Ganondorf stood upon. She knew now that she was trapped...
Also knowing there was absolutely nowhere to run now, the defenseless princess could do nothing but turn back around to face the King of Evil, who was snickering at her pathetic attempts to flee from him.
"So..." he began as he slowly started to walk toward her. "...it looks like the fearless sea rat has finally become the helpless princess she was destined to be." He chuckled. "Did you really think you would be safe here knowing that I had the Triforce of Power in my possession?"
The Princess of Hyrule did nothing but shiver a little in response.
He grinned. "Foolish child...with my full power no longer sealed by the Master Sword, there is no safe haven for you!" he halted his approach. "...and now that you know who you really are..." his grin widened. "...you must know now why I have spent all these countless years searching for you and your ancestors."
Princess Zelda gasped.
"The Triforce!"
Ganondorf made a small snicker at her right answer.
The princess looked down at the glowing triangle on her hand, which was now pulsating a little because of the presence of another Triforce piece that Ganondorf already had.
Almost out of the blue, the fiend suddenly started to speak words that the princess really wanted to forget.
"I remember you now..." the evil man muttered. "...on that day...seven years ago. You were just a small girl at that time."
Ganondorf got a cruel smile on his face.
"...the day I captured your helpless mother instead of you...yes...I remember clearly..." He added coldly.
Princess Zelda took her eyes off her hand and shot a look of heartbreak straight at the fiend, which told him she remembered clearly also, much to her disliking. The princess ended her silent period and quietly spoke.
"What...did you do to my mother?!" she managed to say.
Ganondorf merely gave her an icy smile.
"...she was no longer of use to me..." he uttered. "...and I
always dispose what I no longer need."
Zelda gasped upon hearing those words. She knew exactly what he meant by dispose...
The young girl suddenly fell to her knees and covered her face as tears started to pour out of her eyes. Even if she already guessed her mother was dead, it was just too much for her to hear that sudden fact from the person who had killed her. She started to cry into her hands, suddenly feeling like she was the only person left alive on the earth.
Ganondorf broke the sound of her sobbing.
"...it was only a matter of time before I found who held the Triforce of Wisdom and claimed what was rightfully mine." He stated while looking down at the crying princess. "...and now that I finally have you within reach...I will make sure I will not leave empty-handed."
With that said, Ganondorf started his approach again, knowing that Zelda was too preoccupied with her feelings to even consider running away.
So many thoughts were running through Zelda's head, which did make her oblivious to Ganondorf's approach.
"Why did this have to happen?!" she screamed in her head. "Why?! This is definitely not what my mother wanted!" She took her hands off her eyes and stared at the ground, letting her tears fall to the stone floor. "...I...I can't...I can't let this horrible man get his hands on what my mother wanted me to protect from him. I just can't!"
Watching her tears fall to the floor, a strong feeling gripped her heart as she whispered. "Link...where are you...?"
Suddenly, Zelda felt a cold hand grip one of her arms and tighten its hold as it tried to drag her to her feet.
"No!" she cried, resisting Ganondorf's pull on her gloved arm. She grunted and heaved to try and release his grip, only to find that it would get tighter with each struggle she did.
"Link!" Zelda cried, hoping he could somehow hear her and come to her rescue like he always did in the past.
"Call all you want, princess." Ganondorf huffed. "He will not come to your rescue now, no matter how hard you try to call him."
Zelda didn't listen to him and shouted Link's name even louder, as she used all her determination and strength to try and yank herself loose.
Feeling her will getting slightly stronger, Ganondorf squeezed his hand on her arm so tight, that the slight sound of bones cracking resulted.
Zelda screamed as she felt his icy grip tighten to the point where the bones in her arm started to feel like they were going to snap in two! Before they broke however, Ganondorf yanked her sideways and threw her right across the platform to the other side with annoyance.
Landing in a heap opposite of the evil Ganondorf, Princess Zelda remained motionless as she held her almost broken arm while laying on her side, panting from the throbbing pain she was getting from it. She kept her glazed eyes shut tight as she endured the horrible feeling in her arm, and in her heart.
Ganondorf made his way over to the princess' side and glared down at the pitiful site before him.
"You truly are a foolish child...just like that boy..." he muttered, frowning at the poor girl at his covered feet.
Through all her suffering, Zelda somehow managed to reply to the fiend's comment.
"Link...will...come..." she said through gasps.
"...and...he...will...kill...you!"
Ganondorf just grinned an evil smile.
"Well...you are partially correct. He will come..." he remarked. "...and when he does...I will have a little something waiting to greet him." He added with a sneaky smile.
Zelda forced one of her blue eyes open and stared up at the fiend, suddenly fearing the worst.
"No..." she cried. "I...won't let you!"
While she said this, the young princess started to get back up on her feet, slowly but surely. She was about to try and run in a blinding attempt to flee, but before she even got one foot away from him, Ganondorf hit her in the back with his hand, sending her sprawling back to the ground.
"Have you not been listening to me you idiotic child!" he shouted angrily. "You cannot run from the inevitable! Accept your fate now, or I will go right now and kill the boy!"
An eerie silence followed.
Zelda didn't move during the period of silence. She started to prop herself up to her knees, keeping her gloved hands placed on the floor with her head low while letting her blonde hair fall in front of her eyes. Immediately she started to sob again.
Ganondorf could tell by the way she responded that she had made her decision. He paced up to her slouching figure as he muttered a few words.
"Do not worry...I will not kill you...yet." he said in a low tone. "I need you as bait to lure your pathetic excuse for a hero to my lair." He paused. "That is...if he manages to pass the trial that will await him once he returns to this chamber."
"In the meantime..." he slowly added as he reached down to the broken girl and lifted her by the back of her neck. "...you have something that I need..."
Zelda did nothing but peek open one of her teary eyes. She looked back into the fiend's cold red gaze as he lifted his other hand and placed it on her forehead. She shivered and shut her eyes tighter upon feeling his cold palm on her head, not even bothering to lift even a finger against whatever he was hoping to do.
Keeping her suspended above the ground, Ganondorf started to cast a mysterious spell, which slowly started to seep its way into Zelda's body. It didn't take long before the princess started to feel the effects of the spell and once Ganondorf completed his casting, he let her drop back to the ground and watched.
Zelda didn't feel any pain or burning from his cast, but instead was finding herself having trouble keeping her eyes open. She saw the ring of fire around her suddenly disappear through her blurring vision, and immediately she felt an urge to try one more attempt to run.
As she tried to get on her feet, she started to feel the full effect of the spell. It was slowly draining all her energy out of her, and now she found it difficult to even try to stand up...
...but she persisted.
Ganondorf just grinned at her constant attempts to even stand up and watched as the princess finally got to her feet.
Zelda slowly started to feel very tired and weak as she started to walk to the exit... she was just too exhausted from the spell's effect to even get halfway there.
Without another moment lost, Princess Zelda suddenly let herself fall back to the floor, never to get up for who knew how long. She closed her eyes and sadly let herself fall victim to Ganon's spell of darkness.
Ganondorf smiled evilly as he watched the princess collapse under his
spell.
"...sweet dreams...
...Princess Zelda!" he said with an evil chuckle.