Hey! I'm sorry it took so long, but I've just really been into this game called Runescape lately. If any of you actually play, add Opalmage to your list. That is the account I use most often. I'd love to hear from you! Just tell me that you are a reader, and i wont block you... ANYWAY! Back on topic. Yeah, so... enjoy.

To Find The Future, Find The Past

Chapter 24

The First Awakening

Zelda sighed, and stared out her bedroom window. She was not looking forward to leaving the security of the castle, but she desperately needed a change of scenery.

She, Zel, Link and Linn were going to go riding today. Surely with Link and Linn's sword skills, and Zel's magical powers, Zelda would be safe? She had a really bad feeling about the whole outing from the second that Link had suggested it yesterday. Even though she was against it, she agreed to go, purely to get out of the stuffy confines of her new home.

Turning on her heel, she left her bedroom, and strolled through the halls of the castle, admiring each and every portrait that she crossed. It had just occurred to her that she had never really stopped to admire them before, even though she had lived there for about a year and a half now.

After about half an hour, she heard voices coming from a closet nearby. There was a few murmerings, a thump, and a giggle. Zelda, her curiosity at it's peak, opened the door to find a young couple entwined in each other's arms, kissing passionately. Thankfully, they were still fully clothed.

Zelda considered leaving the two sixteen year olds to their own devices, but decided to stop them from doing something stupid. Clearing her throat, she spoke up.

"If you would like me to organise a priest," Zelda said, half sternly, half amused, "I would gladly organise one for you." The two teenagers looked up, surprised at the person that had disturbed them. Surprise, however, quickly escalated to embarassment, as they scrambled out of the closet, and bowed to her. Zelda could not help but giggle at their bright red faces.

"Just don't do it again." She laughed lightly, and waved her hands, "If you are caught again, I will have no choice but to inform your parents." The two teens, wide-eyed, scampered off in the direction of the gardens. Giggling, Zelda continued on her way.

Eventually, her feet led her to a small, enclosed circular courtyard. She came here often. She recognised it in her dreams as the place that the original Princess Zelda had met the Hero of Time. Sitting on the steps, she began to think very long and hard.

It wasn't that she didn't like the company of the Sheikah, it was just that she was different to them. She was thankful, if not a little afraid, that she might be going to Kakariko today. There, she would see people of her own race, even if they were deemed her ancestral enemies. She had to remember, though, that the Hylians were also a part of her background. She could not say that she was not one of them, but she wasn't truly one of them, either. It didn't matter that they would all be stone statues, it still made her feel better.

Collecting her thoughts, she returned to her chambers. Zel was just about to knock on the door when Zelda rounded the corner.

"Yes?" Zelda asked, startling Zel. Zel whipped around, and it took her a few seconds to figure out what she wanted to say.

"A-are you ready to go?" Zel asked, still a bit shaken. Zelda shook her head. The time that she had spent walking around the castle was the time that she should have used to prepare for their outing.

"Give me a few minutes." Zelda said, going inside, "You can wait here if you want."

"Nah," Zel waved her hand, "Just meet us in the stables in about twenty minutes." Zelda nodded, and closed the door.

HALF AN HOUR LATER

Link sat on the haystack, frustrated. Zelda had an extra twenty minutes, and she was still late! Finally, the door to the stables opened, and Zelda walked in.

"Sorry I took so long." Zelda apologised. No one even bothered to ask why she had taken her sweet time. It would probably eventually lead to her saying the same old thing. 'I got lost, this place is so big', that's what she'd say. That's what she always said.

"Let's go, then!" Linn exclaimed, already having mounted his horse. The rest of them all mounted, Link having to help both Zelda and Zel, and made their way out of the gates.

The fields were so peaceful, without any monsters anywhere. They rode to the highest point in the field, and surveyed their surroundings.

"I want to go to the ranch," Zelda said suddenly, "Something is telling me to go there." Since they had nothing better to do, or because she was the Princess, she didn't know, but they followed her to the ranch. Entering the ranch's gates, Zelda got a bit of a fright.

A man stood there, frozen in stone. His eyes were wide and staring, and his posture was one of fright. Zelda put a hand to her chest, and felt her heartbeat. It was going at a rate that she didn't think was healthy. Taking several deep breaths, she dismounted with the others.

While Zel and Linn were busy examining the stone man, Zelda and Link went inside. Link stayed downstairs, but Zelda went upstairs, and emerged in what looked like sleeping quarters. There was a crib, and a double bed. Zelda walked over to the closet, and opened it. There were several tunics in there, most of them green, a red one, and a blue one. Zelda realised, with a gasp, that she had unwittingly stumbelled upon the home of the Hero of Time and his wife, Malon.

She didn't know if it was right, but she continued to raid the bedroom. She found baby's toys, Malon's diary, and a rather large patch in the wall. Curious, she ran her fingers along the edge of it. Finding a space in the crack that she could fit her fingers into, she pulled it with all her might, and it gave way.

Inside, she found a secret ladder. She considered calling out for Link, but she didn't. Climbing the ladder, she emerged in what looked like the roof. Sneezing from the dust, she noticed a covered skylight in the roof. Walking over to it, she pushed it open, breathing in the fresh air. The light flodded the room, and illuminated almost every inch of it. It wasn't until now that she discovered what she had stumbelled upon.

It seemed like this was where the Hero of Time had stored his weapons. There were shields hung on the walls, along with various weapons, such as bows, a grappling hook, and something that looked like a spring-loaded chain. There were a few other things hanging on the wall, that Zelda discovered to be masks. Zelda walked over to them, and picked one up.

It was strange. Zelda expected it to crumble under her fingertips, but it was a strong as the day it was made, if not a little dusty. Taking it over to the light, she examined it closely. It was a mask of a Zora. Putting it back on it's hook, Zelda continued to look around.

Over in the corner of the room, there was a small chest. It was locked with a padlock. Zelda placed her hand over the lock, and heard it click open. Smirking with satisfaction, she lifted the lid off. At least she could do simple little charms like that.

Inside the chest, she found golden tokens. Picking one of them up, she examined it. She recognised the design as a Golden Skulltula. Yet another beast that the hero of Time had fought. Though, judging by the transcriptsthat had been written, he had hunted them. It was unclear just how many he had killed, but he had killed at least one hundred, freeing the cursed family in Kakariko.

Closing the chest, she decided that she would move on. Going to the last chest in the room, she opened it. It was full of different weapons and peculiar instruments. Picking one up, she examined it. It was like a seed, but larger. It was split open in the middle, exposing a shiny yellow orb inside. She made to place it back in the chest, but it rolled off the edge of her hands, and hit the ground. There was a crack, and the room was lit up with a blinding light for a few seconds.

Zelda crouched there for a few seconds. It appeared that Link did not hear the noise, as he was not calling out to her. Pulling her thoughts together, she picked up another of the strange items in the chest. This time, she pulled out a small crystal. Lying in the chest, it had a fiery orange and red centre. As soon as her hands touched it, it turned into a deep blue.

Stunned, Zelda thought about what the Hero of Time would have used it for, and the centre turned a deep, forest green. Zelda had a theory, and tried something.

She thought of fire, and the centre once again became red. She than thought of somewhere she'd like to be, and it turned green. She then thought about how much she wanted to be safe, and it turned blue.

That confirmed her theory. This was most definately the Crystal of the Goddesses, containing Din's Fire, Farore's Wind and Nayru's Love. There was no telling how many times this powerful magic had saved the Hero's life. She was tempted to keep it, but her riding gown had no pockets. She placed it back in the chest, along with the other objects.

Also in the chest, she found something that she was familiar with. A quiver full of arrows. Examining one of them, she walked back over to the bow hanging on the wall. Carefully, she picked it up, and notched the arrow. It was easy.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what looked like a target. Turning fully, she aimed for it. Drawing back the string, turning it at an angle, she let the arrow go. It went soaring through the air, and into the bullseye. Zelda grinned. She had found a weapon that she was taking back to the castle.

She decided to continue to raid the chest. There were other such instruments, such as boomerangs, slingshots, bombs, a very heavy hammer, a set of boots with a very heavy iron sole, and another set of boots that had a golden sole with wings protruding from the heel.

Zelda heard a scream coming from outside. Grabing the bow and arrows, she jumped down the ladder, took the steps two at a time, and rushed out to where the scream had come from. What she saw, however, was not her friends being mauled by some vicious monster, but the man that was, until very recently, a stone statue.

"What did you do?" Zelda asked, amazed. She walked over to the man, and studied him, much to his annoyance.

"I?" the man raged, "I did nothing! I was simply watching a giant wave of light search the land, and then all of you lot appeared!"

"She means me, idiot." Zel said, annoyed, "I don't know what I did. I think I just ran my hand over where his heart is. Or should I say, should be." She added, throwing the man a dirty look. Zelda was hit by the reality of what Zel had just said.

"You mean, that all our research for the last year and a half was wasted?" Zelda asked, incredulous, "All we had to do was touch their chests?" Zel looked at Zelda, wide eyed. Zelda cast a glance at Link. He was standing a little away from the angry man, examining him.

"What is your name, Sir?" Zelda asked the awakened man. He looked at her for a few moments, before he realised who she was. He grew a green tinge to his face, and hurriedly dropped to his knees.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty! I, Ingo, have committed a terrible treason! I knew of your father's asassination, having met several Gerudos on their way to the castle. I did not think that they were serious, so I let them go!"

"Calm down, Mr Ingo." Zelda cooed, waiting for the man to calm himself, "You have been punished enough. Listen to me. Stand up." Ingo stood fearfully, "All has not been well over the years. I am not the Zelda you know. I am, however, her descendant, and therefore Princess of Hyrule. Hyrule has been in a deep slumber for many centuries now, and we are just beginning to awaken it."

Ingo stood there, doing a perfect impersonation of a fish. It took a few moments, but it came. His eyes rolled up into the back of his head, and he fainted.

Well, I'm gonna leave it at that for now. I'm tired, my throat hurts, and my thumb kills! (I jammed it in the door. Smart, huh?)

Thankyou to all my lovely reviewers! Review again, please!