Link entered the Castle Courtyard. The Courtyard was octagonal shaped, each side being thirty-two feet long. The entire perimeter of the courtyard was surrounded with a shallow decorative moat, this moat being eight feet wide, and three feet deep, but only holding two feet of water. The middle part of the courtyard had some flowers growing in it at the far end. There, on a bridge over the moat, he saw a Hylean girl of about fifteen years of age looking through a window. She appeared to be nervously waiting for something.
The girl had achieved most of but not all of her final size. She was five feet and three inches tall, and weighed slightly less than nine stone. She had very blond hair, with just enough yellow to prevent one from saying "ash-blond." This was in fact her natural hair colouring, as her eyebrows and eyelashes, hair not henna touched even by the vainest of women, were just slightly more yellow, in the manner of natural variation. Her eyes were blue, but were a "normal" blue, not the unnaturally deep flashing blue Link's eyes were. Her features were feminine and well formed. Yet her countenance seemed fixed in an expression that told of receiving great responsibilities at a tender age.
She wore no makeup, and a very conservative dress. The dress bespoke at the same time "virgin girl" and "future queen." It was tight about the neck, not showing any of Zelda's bosom, which was only starting to get large enough to be difficult to hide. The cuffs of the sleeves reached unto her wrists, and it was floor length. The main body of the dress was in the palest of purple samite, almost appearing white. The sleeves were in a pale sky-blue. Panels of the pale purple, with medium purple trim covered the shoulders. Over this, she wore a sideless, sleeveless tunic in darker purple. Unto this was embroidered over her pelvis the Triforce, two-headed eagle, and inverted triangle of the Anton Royal Line, Princess Zelda's family. She wore a thin leather belt with golden waist plate about her waist, a heavy golden necklace with some dull read stone about her neck, and golden bracelets about each wrist. Her hair was worn in a tight bun, and was almost totally covered with a headdress, made in the pale and darker purple samite. A small Triforce crest surrounded with two sprigs of laurel was affixed to the scarf, just above her forehead.
He thought, "By the way she's dressed, she would have to be Princess Zelda. But she looks no older than her fifteen years, and certainly no wiser than any other Hylean girl of her age. Is the future of our people in the hands of a flighty maiden?"
Navi answered "No. Looks can be deceiving, Link. She IS the Princess of Destiny. She may not look it, but she is wise beyond her years. Besides, even by Kokirish standards, you are a little young to be guarding the Kokiri Emerald and slaying monsters." Link quietly approached her to find out for sure, hoping that she wouldn't call the guards.
The Princess turned around with a start. "Who?! Who are you? How did you get past the guards?" she exclaimed. She looked up at Navi and became even more frightened. "Oh? What's that? Is that… a fairy?!" she exclaimed, almost but not quite shouting.
Link answered nervously "Yes, Your Highness. She's my guardian fairy. The Princess calmed down a little. She asked quietly, "Then are you… Are you from the forest?"
Link answered "Yes, Your Highness."
The girl continued haltingly, "Then… then… you wouldn't happen to have… the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, would you? That green and shining stone… Do you have it?"
Link replied, "Yes, Your Highness, I have the Kokiri Emerald."
The Princess laughed with relief. "Just as I thought! I had a dream. In the dream, dark storm clouds were billowing over the land of Hyrule. But suddenly, a ray of light shot out of the forest, parted the clouds and lit up the ground. The light turned into a figure holding a green and shining stone, followed by a fairy. I know this is a prophecy that someone would come from the forest. Yes, I thought you might be the one. Oh, I'm sorry! I got carried away with my story and didn't even properly introduce myself!" She regained her more regal composure, as she speaking like an over-joyed young girl rather than the Princess Royal she was. Her composure at least partly regained, she said, "I am Zelda, Princess of the Hyleans and Sheikahs." As she nodded slightly towards Link, she asked, "What is your name?"
"Link, Your Highness" he replied, after a couple moments hesitation.
"Link. Strange… it sounds somehow… familiar," replied Zelda, as if she were in another time. She regained her composure, and said, "OK then, Link… I'm going to tell you the secret of the Sacred Realm that has been passed down by the Royal Family of Hyrule. Please keep this a secret from everyone."
"Yes, Your Highness!" Link replied nervously.
"The legend goes like this. The world was created by three goddesses. The goddesses also created the Triforce, which is a set of three sacred golden triangles that contain the essence of their powers. The three goddesses hid the Triforce somewhere in Hyrule, that place is the Sacred Realm. The Triforce has the power to grant the wish of the one who holds it. If someone with a righteous heart has his wish granted, an era of great prosperity will ensue. If someone with an evil mind has his wish granted, the world will be consumed with unspeakable evil. So, the ancient sages built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce."
Link said "So, Your Highness, one can enter the Sacred Realm from the Temple of Time?"
She answered, "That's right. The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world. But the entrance is sealed with a stone wall called the Door of Time. And, in order to open the door, it is said that you need to collect three Spiritual Stones. And another thing you need… is the treasure that the Royal Family keeps along with this legend… The Ocarina of Time! Did you understand what I just told you?" Link nodded his head yes.
"That's great! I forgot to tell you… I was spying through this window just now. The other element from my dream, the dark clouds… I believe they symbolize… that man in there! Will you look through the window at him?" Link looked through the window at the man, genuflecting before the King of the Hyleans and Sheikahs. At that instant, he knew that whatever Princess Zelda asked of him, he would deliver. For in that room, was the monstrous man who had robbed him of sleep these past five months; the same monster who had murdered The Great Deku Tree, and would kill him if only it had a chance.
"Can you see the man with the evil eyes?" Zelda asked. That is Ganondorf, the leader of the Gerudos. They hail from the desert far to the west. Though he swears allegiance to my father, I am sure he is not sincere. The dark clouds that covered Hyrule in my dream… They must symbolize that man!" As Zelda said this, Ganondorf looked towards the window with a blood-curdling snarl on his face. Link turned away with a start.
Zelda asked, "What happened? Did he see you?" She then said, "Don't worry. He doesn't have any idea what we're planning… yet!"
"Your Highness", Link asked, "Have you told your father of your dream? He must be told of how dangerous Ganondorf is!"
The Princess replied, "Yes… Of course I told my father about my dream!" She paused, and continued fearfully, "However, he didn't believe it was a prophecy… But… I can sense that man's evil intentions! What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. He must have come to Hyrule to obtain it! And, he wants to conquer Hyrule…no, the entire world! Link… now; we are the only ones who can protect Hyrule! Please!" Zelda held her hands out as if begging.
Link, without thinking said "Your Highness. To protect Hyrule and the world from this monster, I am eternally at your service!" Link concealed his amazement at himself. He intended to help Princess Zelda, but it was as if someone else, far older and wiser than he answered in his place. He didn't know then, but his words had far more literal truth in them then either he or Zelda knew.
"Thank you! I… I am afraid… I have a feeling that man is going to destroy Hyrule. He has such terrifying power! But it's fortunate that you have come… We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power! He shall not have it! You go find the other two Spiritual Stones! Let's get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and then defeat him!
"One more thing… Take this letter… I'm sure it will be helpful to you." As she said this, she was writing a note on Palace stationary. She quickly finished the note, blotted it, and added the seal of her signet ring to it before handing it to Link. He discretely looked at it as he put it in his pocket. He thought it might be a little melodramatic, but it was clearly in her handwriting on Palace Stationery. Any problems with Hylean soldiers or guards should be calmed, at least enough for him to get the job done.
Zelda gestured behind Link and said, "My attendant will guide you out of the castle. Don't be afraid to talk to her." With that said, Zelda turned away, indicating the audience was over.
Link turned and walked towards Zelda's attendant. As he left, Zelda discretely watched him. She thought to herself "What a nice looking man. If he wasn't a Kokiri, I'd swear that he was my age or younger. But is he a true Kokiri? The Great Deku Tree was rumoured to have taken in some refugees eleven years ago, during the war when I was but a small child. Could I be placing the future of the world in the hands of someone as young and inexperienced as myself, with even less education?"
Zelda shivered in fright at the thought. At the same moment, she realized that fate put them in this situation whether they were ready or not. She also realized that the only way Link could have obtained the Kokiri Emerald was by lifting the curse from The Great Deku Tree before it died. Had the tree died first, the gohma would have taken the Emerald to Ganondorf. That made Link a Kokiri warrior. Since The Great Deku Tree was the Guardian of the Kokiri, Link had to be the best warrior the Kokiri had. Seeing that Link was not one of the Helfdanes, and they were both still alive, healthy, and respected as great warriors throughout the realm, Link had to be even better than them. She just hoped that Kings Darunia of the Gorons and Zora of the Zoras could hold out until Link relieved them, and that she and Link could get into the Triforce before Ganondorf.