All right, more action, less talking, in this chapter, people. I really didn't want another episode of discussion like the last one, since no one seemed to like the length. Things are really picking up now, though, and some new characters are going to be added to Link's, *ahem* new, mandatory quest. Enjoy.
Ch. 14
It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,
How hard the battle goes, the day how long;
Faint not,-fight on! To-morrow comes the song.
-Maltbie D. Babcock
"Now entering Hyrule Castle fields," Saria read from the sign. She looked around with interest, as she had avoided this part of Hyrule for most of her life. Link clambered down from Epona now, and Saria followed suit, giving the horse a rest. They had been traveling for most of the night, and now streaks of pale dawn were painting the dark horizon. In the distance, Link could make out a dark outline jutting up from the horizon which was Hyrule Castle Town. It seemed like it had been forever since he'd been so close to home, and he felt an extra stride in his step, anxious to be there.
Saria followed as quickly as she could, and they made good time, reaching the gates just as the afternoon sun reached its peak. A guard lounging near the drawbridge looked at them in startlement, but made no move to stop them. Link breathed a sigh of relief: It meant that Zelda had probably coaxed her father into letting up the lookout on him. He took Epona's reins and led her over the wooden bridge, looking back to see Saria following, her head tipped back to see the stone gates as she walked into the town.
"You act like this is the first time you've been here," Link called back in curiosity. Saria turned to look at him in embarrassment.
"It sort of is," She explained. "I've only been here once before, and that was to make sure you were okay up in the castle."
"Oh yeah," He remembered. "I never thanked you for returning my stuff to me... How did you do it?"
Saria caught up to him, and tentatively rested a hand on Epona's broad shoulder. "It wasn't so hard when you spend so much time sneaking around. The hardest part was finding you. You make a fast get-a-way on horseback."
"How did you find me before I came back?" Link asked in bewilderment. Saria's hesitated in answering though as they entered the busy town of Hyrule Castle, and conversation at this hour was near impossible. Shoppers bustled around impatiently, checking goods and haggling over prices. Most of the town's children were out now, and they were racing to and fro, chasing cuckoos, dogs, and essentially anything that moved. Saria was astonished by all of it, and Link amused himself in the meantime by watching her reactions to the sights. When they had moved through the busiest part of town, they were able to start the conversation again.
"What were you saying?" Saria asked.
"Huh? Oh yeah, how did you find me?" Link asked again, eyeing the guards stationed around the quieter part of town. Most of them looked in their direction, but didn't do much more than give them a suspicious look.
"Well... First I watched you leave through the East gate of the courtyard, and then I went back to find your stuff, which you had to put in the most inconvenient place," She scolded. "I had to go back to the castle where some of the soldiers were going to sell your tunic, and then steal it when they weren't paying attention... I mostly just followed your trail... The spirits of the fields also were ready to help... Don't ask," She warned him quickly, "It's one of those Sage things."
Link shook his head. "I'll be ready to have the rest of this cleared up, then. I guess I'm really boring you with all of my nagging."
"Not at all," Saria responded. "It's nice to be able to see you again after all this time."
Link turned to respond, but suddenly the blaring cry of a dozen Royal horns sounded, and immediately the guards closest to them raced from their posts towards the gate headed for the castle. Link stepped back in alarm, and Saria grasped his arm.
"What's happening?" She asked, turning in alarm to see more guards rush past them towards the gate.
Link's eyes narrowed. "I don't know... Look," He pointed at the gates, which were being dragged shut by the last guards to leave, and then locked. The guards turned, then, and ran up to the road through the valley towards the castle.
The inhabitants of the town started to pour towards the gate in confusion, and several were already there, peering through. Epona twitched at the close contact of the dozens of people swarming around them, and Link put a hand to her shoulder to calm her. Slowly, the mass halted, and they fell silent as each citizen tried to find out what was going on. It was an eerie moment: the entire town was hushed, and the wind whistled through empty streets and corners. Suddenly, a single cry raised up from somewhere up the road, and every Hylian present felt chills moving down their spine. Voices started to rise.
"What happened? Is somebody dead?"
"Why were we locked out!"
"Hey! Lets break down these gates! They've no right to keep us out!"
"Of course they do, you idiot, they're Royalty!"
"What's so bad that they've got to keep us out for?"
Link felt anxious. Were they trying to keep them out? Or something in? He started to move forward, shouldering people out of the way. Epona resisted at first, but then began to push through the crowds. Saria chased after him. She caught up and grabbed the back of his tunic.
"Link! What are you doing? We can't get through!"
"We have to!" He said in a low voice for only her to hear. "Zelda's the only one who can help us get to the Sages! If something's happening in there, I have to go find out what it is!" Saria said nothing more, but helped him push through the crowds, leading Epona along.
"Get back!" Link cried. "Let us through!"
Most did so grudgingly, mumbling to themselves about upstart young punks. A few tried to resist, but scrambled away when they were almost felled by Epona's sharp hooves. Finally, they made it to the gates, and Link wrapped his hands around it, peering through. He couldn't see far up the road, for there was a bend there that kept the castle out of view. He gritted his teeth in frustration, and looked up to see the height of the gate. It was high up, an interwoven mesh of metal that had kept him out of the town once before. He turned to the people.
"Quiet!" He called. "Listen to me!"
The townsfolk, who were naturally curious about everything, fell mostly silent, and leaned forward en masse to listen. Link thought quickly about what he wanted to say.
"I need somebody to get something sturdy!" He yelled, hoping they could all hear him. "Something strong enough to knock down this gate!"
"Like a battering ram?" Someone called out. Link nodded.
"Exactly! We need to get through!"
There was a sudden murmuring from the crowd, as they all looked about mutinously at each other. No one was sure really of what to do. Saria came forward, and stepped in front of Link to face them. They immediately fell silent at the sight of the young woman with the green hair.
"Listen!" She called out in a high, ringing voice. "I know you must be unsure of what's happening, as we are too! But ask yourself this: Could you ever forgive yourselves if something should befall the Royal Family? The Guardians of the Hylian people, who have watched over us for hundreds of years! Are they to fall now in the face of your suspicion? Come now! Fetch a battering ram, and let us come to the aid of our King!"
Link was stunned at the speaking voice the seemingly quiet Saria had just used, and so it seemed were the Hylians. They were still for a moment, before setting up in a thunder of voices, many at the back turning to withdrawal into town. Link turned to Saria.
"I didn't know you could talk like that!" He raised his voice over the roar of the crowd. Saria smiled bashfully.
"There seems to be a lot you don't know about me, Link," She replied mysteriously, stopping him from responding by turning to speak to someone else standing near the gate. Link blinked in surprise, and then shook himself. Even now, groups of the townsfolk were returning with all sorts of things to be used. Link's eyes widened in surprise at some of them.
"Wait! No! Thats not... please, put that cuckoo down!" He looked around frantically, and finally looked up at his horse. Epona had been standing nervously off to the side, and now he ran up to pull himself up into the saddle. From here, he could see and hear much better.
"Okay...wait! Only one group at a time... There!" Link spotted one mass of people carrying what looked like a long bench, taken from some building in their excitement to save their Kingdom. "Let them through!" He called out, and the people grudgingly parted in straggling lines to let the group in. They came at a charge in their enthusiasm, and crashed into the gate in a clumsy mess, each one falling in a sprawl. The crowd started to close in around them in frustration, and Link spurred Epona on into the thick of it, trying to push people back. "Hold on! Hold on! Saria, try to get them to listen to you!" He called out to her. She nodded, and fought her way to the gates again.
"That was good!" She called, trying to reassure them. "This time, lets aim for the center of the gate, where the lock is! Come on, you can do it!" The group straggled up again, and grabbed the bench again, backing up to give it another try. They came forward in a charge again, this time striking the center of the gate. There was a creaking of metal, and the crowd took this in good spirits, beginning to back away. They cheered the group on as they rammed the gate again and again, until finally, after the fifth or so hit, it bent inward fully, and the mass started to rush forward. Link beat the first wave to it, though, and Saria chased after him, until he slowed slightly, and let her catch up. He held out a hand, and she managed to grasp it, and was pulled headlong up into the saddle.
With Link and Saria riding Epona at the lead, the whole residents of Hyrule Castle Town went charging forward up the road.
*************
A guard who had been standing impatiently by the gatehouse turned to look at the echo of hooves coming around the bend. He raced forward, and caught Epona's reins.
"How did you get through?" He shouted. "The Castle is off limits!"
"We're here to help!" Saria said. Link nodded, taking the reins back. The guard would have said more, but there was a sudden cry of hundreds of voices, and his eyes widened at the sight of the town's residents charging up the path. He tried to step in front of them.
"Halt!" He cried. "You can't go in!"
"Open the gate you fool!" Someone shouted. "We're only here to help!"
"Yeah! So get it open before we smash the damn thing down with you!"
The guard gulped, and hurried back to his post, stamping his spear three times in the dust kicked up from many feet. The gate started to raise, and the army of townsfolk clambered through it. Link had led Epona to the side of the mass, and was watching them move through the suddenly-tiny gatehouse. The guard raced up to him.
"What's going on?" Link shouted above the raised voices.
"No one's sure!" The guard responded anxiously. "The drawbridge to the castle has been raised, too! We were only ordered out here to keep the area closed off!" They all looked up to see several guards above them on the ridges, watching worriedly as the townsfolk swarmed in.
"Everything's locked up tightern' box!" One called down. "Don't see how anyone could get in!"
"Do you want to?" Link called up. The guard looked surprised.
"'Course we would! Thats the Royal Family in there! You got a way?"
Link looked around quickly. "I think I might... Hurry, get all the guards together and bring them around the moat to the back cellar door! Don't let the people see you!" The guards all nodded, and turned to leave their posts. The gatehouse guard looked suspiciously at Link.
"Aren't you that kid who got into trouble in the Castle a while back?" He asked distrustfully.
"Yeah," Link responded absent-mindedly. "And now if you don't mind, I'm going to see if I can get you out of trouble now."
*************
"What do you plan to do?" Saria asked, as they ran down the ridge slope where the guards had stood minutes before.
"I'm not sure yet," Link confessed. "But I don't think it would have done anyone any good if we'd all just stood around... Any ideas?"
"Well," She thought on it as they snuck towards the castle at the angle that Link usually entered.
"This is more like it," He joked, checking around to see if anyone had spotted them. The mass of the townsfolk were at the raised drawbridge, making a huge fuss and stomping about in annoyance. Both could see that this group wouldn't be of much more help.
"First I think we need to know what we're dealing with," Saria said, coming to a halt as they rounded the Castle side to find the guards milling about nervously. The Chief of Guard, a tall, powerfully-built Hylian with steely gray-blue eyes, came up to Link.
"You're the one who said you had a plan?" He asked gruffly. Link hesitated, and then nodded. "Good, maybe you'd be so kind to explain it to me, then. I don't appreciate being left in the dark when it comes to my duties."
Link apologized. "First things first: We have to get in. All of the gates are locked... do you think you could break down the cellar door?" Link ventured.
The Chief shook his head doubtfully. "In time. Its solid wood, though, and aged."
"He's right," Saria nodded. "That wood is Deku. If its petrified, there's no breaking it down."
"Okay..." Link said. "So, here's what we'll do. I'm going to go through that water channel across the moat from here, and since there's no guards around, I'll head for the door in the garden. I'll go through and see if I can open this door."
The Chief squinted. "For some green clothed punk from nowhere, you sure know a bit about our Castle."
Link shrugged. "Lucky first guess."
The Chief eyed him incredulously. "Sure, of course it is. All right then, go on, and hurry!"
Link nodded and headed for the moat. Saria started to follow, but he stopped her. "I need you to keep that mob at the drawbridge busy," He told her. "If they find we're all over here, then it could ruin my plans!"
"You don't have any plans!" She said in irritation.
"Please, Saria," He said, meeting her eyes. "I'm counting on you to keep them busy to buy us some time." She hesitated, and then sighed. "Thanks," He said gratefully, and turned back to the moat. Saria raced back along the walk they'd crept up, and to the townsfolk at the gate.
"Hey!" Someone cried. "Where did you go?"
"Only to check all other possibilities to get in!" Saria reassured them. "Come on, lets see if we can get this bridge lowered!" The people agreed, eager now that they had something to do with all of their enthusiasm.
*************
Link squeezed through the water channel again, getting thoroughly soaked in the process, and scrabbled up through the small pool and into the garden. It was silent here, the thick stone walls absorbing the voices on the other side. The garden was empty, also, and he came around to the door to try it. It was locked, and he slammed a fist against it in frustration. Suddenly, he remembered the strange key, and he dug through his rupee bag to find it. It was still there and intact, and he rolled his eyes at his own forgetfulness. "Stupid, could have used this to get through the other side." He moved it around in the lock several times, before the catch clicked over, and it swung inward into a dark, silent hallway. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, before looking around carefully. It was empty in here, too, and he ran down the corridor until he passed the cellar and came to the rear castle door. It was easy to open from the inside, and he pushed it outwards, accidentally knocking an impatient guard over. Link peered around the door at him.
"Sorry about that," He apologized. He looked up at the surprised group of guards. "If you wanted to know, the doors open!" Leaving it up to them to enter, he turned to race back down the hallway, anxious to know what was going on in the rooms beyond.
*************
"No, no! No wait! Oh dear," Saria sighed, as several more enthusiastic Hylians jumped into the moat and began to swim across. Some were looking around in bafflement at what to do, and a few were wondering about, having lost some interest in the suddenly boring crisis at hand. "Hurry up, Link," Saria muttered to herself, watching another several townsfolk trying to uproot a tree to make a bridge.
*************
Link ran up a wide corridor of stairs, taking the steps several at a time. He had drawn his Goron sword, and now held it as ready as he would ever be clasped in both his hands. A small platoon of soldiers was following behind him, another having split off to follow the Chief.
When they reached the landing, Link had to halt in surprise at the sight. The sconces that had usually been set with torches were gone, leaving dark, cracked walls behind them, as if they had, well, exploded. Here, where the red carpet would have begun down the hallway, there was only blackened ashes and soot reaching across the floor.
"In the name of the Triforce!" One soldier breathed, and the rest nodded their agreement. Link shook himself, and raised his voice.
"C'mon! Lets find out whats going on!"
He continued on, and the soldiers started to follow again.
Soon they reached a much wider hallway, its torch sconces and carpet also gone, replaced by ashes and cracked walls. Double doors that were once strong and impenetrable now were shattered and bent inward, revealing a chaotic sight within the Royal Hall where the thrones stood. Link stopped in amazement at the sight, but the soldiers who had grown up in and around the Castle, raced forward through the gates to the side of the King and Queen. Link caught up to them, and laxed his grip on his sword.
The King's naturally piercing eyes were glazed, and his face was drawn and pale. His wife, the Queen, was also in a similar state, her breath coming in ragged lurches. The soldiers, fighting not to be emotional, knelt by the Royal couples' side, cradling their heads.
"Oh, what happened?" One soldier sobbed, holding the King's hand. Link looked up and around. The room was utterly destroyed: the thrones had been taken and smashed to bits, and the sconces, carpet, and any other material object in the room had either seemed to explode or burn to ashes. The mosaic windows that had once shone light in on the Royal family were now shattered beyond recognition, and bits of glass littered the whole of the chamber. The King turned his head slightly to the side.
"My... Queen... bring her to me..." The soldiers gently lifted the Queen, just as the Chief of the Guard came barreling in with his squadron of men.
"My King!" He breathed, stumbling forward and kneeling.
"Now now, Ichiro," The King said. "Do not waste your energies on me! We have a much more important issue to...discuss." He paused for a moment in obvious pain, and Link could only marvel at the strength he showed. "My daughter, Princess Zelda, has been taken from us..." He closed his eyes for a moment in grief, and the Queen continued for him.
"A great evil has descended upon us," She spoke in calm voice that showed little of her agony. "One that has taken us all by surprise..." Here she paused to cough, and blood trailed down her elegant mouth. A soldier who was holding her hand took a cloth and gently wiped it away. "I fear what could befall our land now..." She trailed off, and the King, finding his voice, continued.
"You..." He said, meeting Link's eyes. "You are a friend of my daughters."
The Chief looked at Link in surprise, and he himself blinked in confusion.
"But... I," He started.
"No... I understand now... You have a greatness within you... I therefore ask of you a great task, one that I can no longer carry out..." The soldiers lowered their heads in grief. "I need you to find my daughter..." He reached a free hand out towards Link. "And bring her home... as the Queen of Hyrule!"
A low moan raised among the soldiers, as each one knew what this meant. The time of the present King and Queen was passing, a new age was upon them all, for better or worse.
Link let the King grasp his hand. "I..."
"Only she, in becoming the Queen, can help us to rid the land of this evil... without her and the Triforce... I fear we may all be doomed..."
"Take the high road to the southwest..." The Queen said, reaching out a trembling hand to clasp her husband's. "There you must find your way to the sea... and cross it, to the lands where no Hylian has gone in a thousand years... Be strong, and true of heart... For if my daughter had faith in you, than I too trust in your abilities, young one."
Link nodded, too overwhelmed with everything to speak.
"Ichiro, go with him... he will need your knowledge and your strength." The King rasped, squeezing his wife's hand. Ichiro bowed his head.
"I will aid him to the best of my abilities, my Lord and Lady." He spoke.
The King nodded, looking at the faces around him in exhaustion.
"Ah, my children... how big have you grown... Serve your new Queen well when she comes home... and never doubt your place in the hearts of Hyrule." His eyes fluttered shut for the last time, and he breathed his final breath, before both he and the Queen stilled in death.
The room was oppressively silent, as the soldiers hung their heads in prayer to the Goddesses. Ichiro looked over at Link, dry eyed.
"They had faith in you, let it not be in vain."
Link met his gaze weakly. "I... I won't."
Ichiro nodded dispassionately, and lowered his King's hand to his still chest, and rose stiffly. "Get to the drawbridge, all of you, and calm the people. The Orator will come to deliver the message of the King and Queens death." The soldiers were reluctant to move, but rose slowly, one by one, and trudged out of the room without a look back. Ichiro turned to Link.
"You too, kid. Get out of here and go see what that young heart of yours is up to. You're of no use here." He then turned his back to Link.
Link nodded slowly, feeling the first telltale signs of embarrassment at what the Chief had referred to Saria as. It was the first emotion he'd felt in what seemed like a long lapse of time, and it energized him into action. He turned from the sight, and ran back through the broken doors towards the entrance hall, where the drawbridge was already being lowered.
*************
Several grim looking soldiers were already ordering the people to return to the town, and most were reluctant to do so.
Saria spotted Link appearing out of the entrance, and raced forward through the crowd in relief. "Link! What happened?" He shook his head, and kept walking.
"Come on!" He called out, his voice strained. "The sooner we all get back, the sooner they'll tell us what happened!" Grudgingly, the townsfolk started to turn away, disappointed that they hadn't gotten into any skirmishes or battles. At the rear of the retreating civilian army, Link walked slowly. His face was pale, and his features were drawn. Saria stopped him.
"Link... what happened?" She repeated. He sighed.
"I'll tell you in a moment... Come over here." He led her to a tall, bristled tree near the gatehouse, and sat beneath it. Epona had wondered over, and started to nibble at his hair, as if sensing his mood. He swiped at her mouth, and gave her a look, but felt grateful nonetheless.
"The King and Queen are dead," He finally said. Saria's eyes widened, and she drew back slightly.
"How? What happened?"
"I don't know..." Link continued. "Zelda has been kidnapped by somebody... I led some soldiers up to the Royal chambers, and the King instructed me to cross the sea to the southwest, and journey to some land to find her." He removed his hood and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "This certainly puts a knot in my plans," He joked weakly. Saria didn't find it funny in the least, though.
"He wants you to what? Link, no one has-"
"Been there in about a thousand years. I know, I heard," He sighed. "I don't know what to do... He said it with his dying breath... Whatever this evil is, Zelda is supposed to be the only one who can stop it."
"But why send you?" Saria responded with anxiety.
"He must know something about me... I guess Zelda must have said something. He also instructed the Chief of the Guard, I think his name's Ichiro, to come with me to help. I don't know what I'm supposed to be able to do, though. I've had enough trouble racing Gorons and dodging Gerudos. I'm not exactly cut out for the-"
"Hero business?" Saria second-guessed. She clasped his hand. "Yes you are, Link! And I know in my heart that you're not going to turn away from this! This is-"
"Come with me," He cut in. She blinked in surprise.
"What?"
"Come with me," He repeated. "You're the only one I really trust to help me. And the Goddesses know I need all the help I can get... I know we kind of got off to a bad start, but you know how to use a weapon, and I, well, don't. So come on and help me save the world!"
She backed off. "Link, the Sages-"
"Forget the Sages!" He said fiercely. "Saria, all they've done is manipulate our lives. It's time we took control of our own fate!"
Before she could respond, a guard appeared out of the gatehouse, looked around for a moment, and, spotting Link, jogged up to him. Link stood up.
"Chief Ichiro is ready to see you." He said.
Saria rose also, to follow. The guard turned, and halted.
"Only you," He said to Link. Link shook his head.
"She's coming with me," He responded.
The guard paused for a moment, and then shrugged, turning towards the castle.
"Fine," He responded in a clipped tone. At the moment most of the soldiers of Hyrule Castle were beyond caring, and it would be a good amount of time before the shock wore off. He led them across the drawbridge, and into the wrecked hallways. They passed the Royal Chamber where the King and Queen had died, and Link saw that the bodies were gone. Saria looked around in amazement at the walls and carpeting, but soon the guard had halted in front of another heavy door that was raked deeply with cut marks, and the frame was slightly charred. The soldier took up guard in the hallway, and Link knocked on the door. When he heard the command to enter, he swung the door inwards, and stepped in.
This room was in a mess, also. What had obviously at one point been a heavy desk in the center of the room now resembled kindling strewn about the stone floor. There were no windows in here, but the same gouge marks that had been on the wooden door were also in the walls, surrounding by hairline cracks and chipped bits of stone. The Chief of Guard, Ichiro, was crouched by a demolished scroll-case, and was leafing through the remains. Upon Link and Saria's arrival, he stood up.
"Close the door behind you." He said, moving over to the remains of another shelf. Link was about to voice his annoyance at being ordered around, but Saria moved to shut the door before he could. She came up to stand beside him. Ichiro had knelt to pick something up. "It was a blessing that I took this from the Royal Library only several days ago. It was the most damaged area in the entire of the Castle. Somebody wanted to hide their tracks well." He dusted off a worn-looking creased scroll, and came over to them. "This map, the only remaining one of a series, was created some thousand years ago by a Hylian trader named Kojishisho."
"A thousand years ago?" Link asked in disbelief, stepping forward to peer at the aged map. Saria looked over his shoulder in curiosity.
"It was placed in the Royal Libraries much later on, in a ceremony, and a spell was put on it to protect it from the wear of age. Its brother maps were all lost in the great War of Hyrule. I consider it a sign from the Goddesses that it was preserved for so long, and that it should hold the route we need to take." Carefully, he broke the magic seal on it, and began to unravel the papyrus. Link and Saria both stepped forward to see the roughly sketched lines of coordinates over charcoal drawn land forms. In an old Hylian dialect, the islands and land masses were named and routes were written in.
"Can you read it?" Saria asked, squinting at the strange writing. Ichiro shook his head.
"We'll need a translator, also, perhaps a priest of the Temple. Some are supposedly still taught in the ways of the old language."
"And what if we can't find someone who can read it?" Link asked doubtfully.
"Then we rough it without it," The Chief said sharply. "This isn't a pleasure trip, kid. Hyrule is riding on the line."
"Hey hey," Saria soothed. "He was just asking. We're working together now, lets not fight over it."
The Chief squinted at her carefully as if just seeing her. "Who are you?" He finally asked. Saria looked slightly flustered.
"My name is Saria, sir, I-"
"Well, Saria, you have a gentle voice. Thats good. A calm female mind will be helpful among so many brash males." He nodded his approval, and turned to the door, going to open it and peer into the hall.
"You!" He barked at the guard. The young soldier came to attention. "Get to the library and bring me that stuffed bird of a scholar!"
Saria turned to Link in surprise at the gruff Chief's unexpected comment. Link shrugged his own confusion, though. No sense in questioning good luck.
*************
The famous Royal scholar, an odd little Hylian by the name of Tappor, really did seem to be a stuffed bird on first sight. He was short by nature, and a plump fellow. The little spectacles on his nose-ridge seemed to magnify his already round eyes, completing the effect of reminding the viewer of an owl. He waddled in, and blinked in interest at the guests in the castle. Tappor was grieved in the death of the King and Queen, perhaps moreso than most, as he'd known them longer, but in his learnings he had found that there was no sense in mourning over such a thing, and it was best to move on. This may have been why he and the Chief of the Guards clashed so violently in most issues. Nonetheless, he came forward and offered both Saria and Link a ink-smudged hand to shake.
"Hello both of you! Its so pleasant to have such lively people in the Castle walls. Everyone has been so sluggish lately!"
"Perhaps if one would take the time to look around," Ichiro gritted, "One would notice why."
The scholar shook his head. "One must only remember Hyrule was not built on mournful children to understand that things must continue on."
Link and Saria had stood about in bemused silence up until now, but Link quickly decided that it now would be a good time to introduce himself. He stepped forward, and shook the still outstretched ink-stained hand.
"My name is Link," He introduced himself. "I work at Lon-Lon Ranch."
"And our beloved King and Queen thought to bestow such a task as this on a ranch hand! Such absent-minded rulers we must have had!" Link nodded, but was secretly startled at the strange little man's quick mind. Saria stepped forward to shake his hand and greet him next.
"Hi, my name's Saria. I'm from the Woodlands to the east." Tappor was immediately charmed by her manor, and drew her hand close to kiss.
"It is exemplary to meet a person such as yourself, Saria. I hope we will get to discuss many interesting aspects of the forest and its legends on our journey."
"Hold it," Ichiro growled. "What do you mean 'our journey', old man?"
Tappor blinked politely, and removed his spectacles to clean the lenses. "Only that I mean to go with you, young man. I have dedicated my life to the studies of the dialects of Hyrule, and the old language just happens to be one of them. I believe you will be needing me." Saria smiled.
"That would be wonderful," She said, before Ichiro could speak. Link decided to put his opinion in to help the tide.
"I agree. We need as many experts as we can... I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help on this trip. We'll need both you and the Chief to help us." Ichiro was steaming, but he nodded sharply.
"I agree, also." He gritted. "Your expertise will be needed."
"Wonderful," The good-natured scholar replied, resting his little spectacles back on the bridge of his nose. He blinked a few times in an owlish manner, then clapped his ink-stained dusty hands together enthusiastically. "Right. When shall we depart?"