The Return of Ganondork
Chapter One
It was a depressingly gloomy day at the castle. The princess of Hyrule couldn't help but let her thoughts wonder as she stared out the window into a small courtyard sprinkled with yellow flowers. She wasn't surprised that her thoughts had wondered back to him again: her best friend and love that she had met on the very steps she was over looking. She almost envied him at the moment. He was checking up on the temples while she was stuck under a heap of papers to sign almost as big as Death Mountain. Requests, proclamations, laws needing to be approved, laws needing to be withdrawn because they were outdated…the list went on.
"Too many sheets of parchment for my liking." She grumbled. But responsibility was in the job description and she accepted it. Her coronation was in a few months when she turned nineteen. She would have to get used to handling it all.
Sighing, Zelda set down her quill, got up out of the chair, and stretched a little. Why he couldn't leave the temples alone lately was anyone's guess. Most of the monsters terrorizing the country had died along with Ganondorf, their creator. But there was always the stubborn few that remained and managed to stir things up a bit here or there.
Memories of moments at this window with him flooded through her and she had to struggle to suppress them before they stole the last of her concentration.
"Link," she laughed to herself "when they ask why the papers are not finished yet, I am going to blame you."
Thunder rumbled in the distance, bringing an uncomfortable feeling to her attention. She was really worried about him. He hadn't told her which temple he'd be going to or when he'd be back. He usually did both without asking. The excuse that he had just forgotten belied his exceptional memory or knack for noticing and retaining detail.
A very loud clap of thunder boomed as it started to rain heavily. The princess straightened herself and started back towards the chair. But before she could sit down something odd struck her. All she could hear was the rain. There was no clanking of armor, no maidservants scurrying about to dust, sweep, or change bedding.
No chatting about the sudden change of weather.
Zelda slowly walked from behind her writing desk and over the door, trying to make as little sound as possible. Upon opening the door, she was stunned to see the complete lack of guards. Freedom and privacy were nice, but something like this was unheard of. Something was clearly wrong.
Warily, she walked out into the hallway, her footsteps echoing throughout it. About halfway down she stopped at the door to Impa's quarters and knocked.
Impa had been by her side for as long as she could remember. One of the last of the Sheikah, who were sworn to protect the Royal Family, she had taken care of Zelda from birth. She knocked again, finding it hard to believe that Impa would not be in her chambers at this time of day. She opened the door finally, only to find the large room empty. And so it continued for half an hour: Zelda knocking on various doors, then entering to find them vacant.
The entire castle was empty except for her. Frustrated and confused, she started for the stables. Thankfully the stables were full, but it brought another puzzling thought to mind. Just how had everyone left so quickly without her notice? Not coming up with any logical answers, she fetched her white stallion Kale and saddled him.
Not knowing what else to do, she started towards town. The Temple of Time would provide shelter from the pouring rain and, hopefully, guidance.