Forgotten Secrets

Link awoke still feeling tense despite the night's rest. Just the other morning he had knighted all the trainees who had caught him staring at the girl only a few nights ago.

(What did they know about me? Do they see me as a leader or an irresponsible boy?)

These thoughts lead to the girl, to Zelda. He knew her name now. He remembered just yesterday he had stared into those green eyes again. She had not looked up until the end of the ceremony.

(What went through that girl's mind? The skilled girl with the sword, I want to know more about her.)

He knew he had to get ready but instead he stared at the ceiling, his arms flopped to his sides. Finally deciding to start his day, he changed into his royal attire.

He put on a black buttoned shirt with gold designs on the sleeves and the shoulders, black dress pants and finally some polished loafers. Link wanted to see his mother to see how she was doing, despite knowing she would criticize this plain look. But he liked it and it was much more comfortable that the things she made him wear.

He sat on a chair lined with velvet next to his elaborate bookshelf as he ran his fingers over the thick blue velvet. Sitting back, he admired his room with the blue carpet and his king size bed. He felt he had so much that people surely people envied him.

Then he heard the familiar footsteps approaching his door. The footfalls clamored up the stairs. Hearing the knock on his door, "Prince Link? Link walked over and grabbed the door handle. He opened it abruptly.

There stood Impa, with her warm brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight and white braid straight down her back. Many people thought that white hair came with age but Impa was only a few years older than Link.

The Sheikah tribe, of which Impa was a member and a highly honored one at that, had always been known for that trait of white hair at a young age. She wore a traditional Sheikah outfit that was tan with a mix of red and dark blue. She had slung her straw hat over her back by a strap that held it in place. Her shirt had puffy sleeves and could stand any weather.

The outfit had been built for combat and had pockets where multiple daggers were hidden from sight. Link had always been aware of that factor and was carefully about what he said to Impa, though he knew she would be forbidden to ever pull a dagger on him.

She walked in and Link shut the door tightly behind him. He resisted the urge to cross his arms and waited for her to speak.

"Your mother wants to see you," Impa said in in ominous tone.

After a long pause Link asked, "What does she want to see me about?"

"I suggest you go see her yourself," Impa insisted.

Link instantly picked up that she knew something about this visit that he did not. He could not imagine why his mother wanted to talk to him. His speculation varied from the worst scenarios to the even more terrible.

Link gave a questioning glance but Impa bowed and exited the room. He quickly tried to run out into the hall to inquire further but found the hall deserted except for a few maids and guards eying him. Impa had already sped away. She was fast unlike him who was slow and vulnerable.

Link sighed. He knew he had to see his mother not out of free will anymore but a command. He walked to his study and slumped in his chair. His mother thought knowledge was the best weapon, but he thought it was holding a real sword. She had always made him read extensive books about history, life, and old folklore. He knew this knowledge would become useful later in life but the only part that had truly interested him was the folklore of Hyrule.

He had poured over the book of folklore trying to make sense of what he read. One of the mysteries was a fear that lived 10,000 years ago, a fear that was eventually defeated. The princess and the hero had been prepared back then with the Divine Beasts and the guardians. The knowledge was lost of how the elaborate machines were created. What sparked this urge to prepare? How had they known this Calamity Ganon was coming?

Nothing in the book made sense. When he searched all over for earlier history, none was found. Many researchers have found relics and some letters, so these people obviously had known to write. Yet no books with those important details were found. The folklore remained but the facts surrounding the situation had evaporated.

It was as if someone made sure they were never found. History of 10,000 years ago had been wiped from existence, only the stories of the Calamity were remembered and written. These people had been prepared but it kept nagging, how had they been tipped off?

His mind had never gone as deep into the folklore as it did just now. Slipping the old folklore book off the shelf, he laid it on his incredibly messy desk. He coughed as the dust was unsettled. He hadn't looked in this book in a long time. It had a plain black worn-out cover, with a swirling purple smoke painted on it. Peering out of the smoke decoration were glistening red eyes.

He never liked the look of it but the knowledge inside was worth the sinister cover. Link was surprised at how much dust had collected as he blew the dust off the pages. Then he remembered scolding the maid for touching his books. After that he had forbidden any maids or guards to enter the room without permission.

Link grumbled. He was trying to stall seeing his mother knowing Impa would soon be banging on his door. He knew the rules. If he ignored Impa's banging, she had permission to drag him wherever he was supposed to go. He glanced down at the book. He knew he had to see his mother soon. Anything but talking to his mother, anything to get it off his mind.

He crossed his arms on the table and rested his head. Then he heard yelling. He thought he hadn't heard anything like that in a long time. He sat up and strained his ears. The voices were muffled. Pushing his chair in, he opened the door open with his left hand. The voices became louder.

Link peered down and saw the girl arguing with Barta, Captain of the Royal Guard. The girl, Zelda, was dressed in a navy-blue cap engraved with the symbol of Hyrule. She was wearing a uniform with a navy-blue tunic over a red plain shirt. The navy tunic had gold tinted on the sleeves. Pure white gloves covered her hands all the way up to her elbows. Stylish boots were laced up to her knees. Her navy-blue pants were tucked into the boots.

He could catch just barely "I'd prefer not to escort him!"

In the bright sunlight he was able to see a tint of red on Zelda's cheeks. He supposed it was her getting angry or it could be just his imagination since he was so far up. Barta's lips were moving, it appeared she was talking in a calmer but strict tone by looking at her face. Those sharp eyes had always shown authority. After Barta's words, Zelda eyes flashed with anger and she stormed off. Even Link had better control than that.

(Sheesh)

Link watched Zelda cross the training grounds and storm into the main castle. Whatever had angered her must have been extreme and most certainly a pain. Suddenly Barta turned towards his direction. He ducked behind the stone rail. It seemed like a miniature wall that could hide him from her sight.

(Why did I duck?)

It's not as though the conversation was private, they were talking on the training grounds. He knew a soldier like Barta would catch sudden movement. This most certainly would make her be on higher alert. Him ducking and had only made it more likely she would have seen him.

(Stupid!)

Link got on his knees and peeked over. Link saw a line of trainees file out of the soldier quarters nearby. They were marching to the training ground. He could tell they were new. He could see in their eyes uncertainty and fear. Peering over again, he got up slowly. He thought it was very undignified to be crouching over like this.

Retreating to his study he pulled the door shut. He leaned his back against the door. It still felt like he had eavesdropped. He scratched the back of his ear.

(What were they talking about?)

He looked around his room as though searching for something but knew not what. Something nudged at him in his thoughts. His eyes fell on the folklore book on his desk. It looked like it had been shifted slightly.

His eyes searched around again. Uncertainty filled his mind. His heart began to race. He felt he wasn't alone in the room anymore. Yet not a single soul was in sight. Plastered to the door he did not want to move. He gulped. He wanted to look through the book again but feared to cross the room to get it.

Link found the courage in his heart. Forcing his legs to move, he still felt a strange aura in the air. Picking up the book with one swift motion, he fled from the study kicking the door open.

He decided to retreat to his bedroom. He looked back to his study as he was about to shut the door from the bridge to his study. What had just been his study a few minutes ago now turned into a strange and uncertain place. He had a feeling that someone had gone into his study. He wasn't sure why, but he wasn't about to take any chances going back there. He locked the door behind him. He sighed and sat down on the blue velvet chair.

(Where was Impa?)

He thought she should have been banging on his door by now. He looked at the book resting in his hands. He flipped through the pages quickly but as he turned the page, his finger felt a sharp pain and he pulled his hand away from the book. It was just a paper cut but it stung him. Quickly flipping back to that page, he found a neatly folded paper nested inside a page of the book. As he looked at the folded paper, his cut swelled with blood and quickly spilled a few drops of blood onto the paper before he could pull it away.

The page had been stuck near the beginning of the chapter on the history of Hyrule Castle. He picked up the paper. It had many creases as though many people had handled it. Unraveling it, he studied it. At first, he didn't know what he was looking at. He turned it in all directions. It seemed to be a map but of what?

He got up from his chair and made his way to the bookcase retrieving a book with all the known maps of Hyrule. He flipped through with his uninjured hand and found a map that resembled the map he had in his hand. He placed them next to each other on his table next to the fireplace. They were almost identical. Except the map that he had retrieved from his room had one extra room added to it that was not shown on the official map of Hyrule Castle?

(What?)

He furrowed his brow and searched the two maps for answers. The room that had not appeared on the official map was in an area known as the lockup. He was forbidden from entering that area of the castle. It seemed to be a hidden room since this room had never been found or recorded in the maps he had seen. As he stared at the room on the map, he noticed tiny writing.

It read, "Ostende faciem tuam et daemonium tenebris. An vereris omnes a subito, ut dignum faciem meam. Ite nunc oportet nos certare usque ad mortem."

"Is a passcode or something?" he mused aloud.

Just at that moment Impa burst in.

"Come on Prince Link, the Queen is-"

Link snapped "I don't believe I gave you permission to enter my private bedroom."

Impa stood there and he could swear he could see a smile almost appear on her lips, but she withheld it.

"The Queen herself gave me permission" Impa retorted.

He quickly tried to slip the paper into a drawer.

"What is that?" Impa pointed at the drawer.

He shoved the paper in deeper, answering angrily, "Oh, it's nothing and who are you to ask?"

Impa pursed her lips. She was obviously angry but so was he. He was so angry he didn't care what she thought.

"I am the royal adviser and I have been told to escort you personally to meet the queen. Now hand me that paper" she growled.

"That's rude to talk to me like that and I refuse to give you this paper" he shot back.

"Fine, you don't have to give me the paper but at least come with me, or I can drag you out of here" she warned.

Link opened his mouth to shoot back at her again but knew better, so he closed his mouth. Sudden embarrassment flowed through him. He should not have snapped like that, should have controlled himself. He was not being as careful with Impa as he usually was. Impa opened the door and held it open for him to exit.

She smiled sweetly "Your Highness," but as she said it, she seemed to mask a scowl and her voice was too high pitched.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and pretended Impa did not exist. He quickly grabbed the paper from the drawer and stuffed it inside his pocket. He didn't trust Impa not to have someone search his room to find it. They climbed up and down staircases. The castle seemed like a never-ending maze.

Even Link did not know of every room and secret. He had found one secret out of a million. Deeper and darker secrets lay within this Castle. Secrets that were hidden never to be found.

Link did not think of anything else. He stared straight ahead. Finally, they reached the grand doors which had figures from Hyrule's folklore etched into the wood. This was the room he always dreaded to see, his mother's room.

He knocked, "Come in..." a firm but tired voice answered.

He turned the polished doorknob. Opening it wide revealed a large, extravagant bedroom. The ceilings were incredibly high. Sunlight flooded through the beautiful, large windows. Everything was coated in purple...royalty.

His mother was proud and never modest about their lives. Even though the bedroom's sole purpose was sleeping it had been lined with bookcases and a second floor with a ramp along with even more. He swore his mother lived in a library.

A large canopy bed was pushed against the wall. The curtains were pulled back. A ghostly figure stared back at him when his eyes fell on her bed. His heart dropped. His mother stared back at him.

Her blonde hair had grown less vibrant fading into grey and her face utterly pale. But her brown eyes stared back at him. Unlike himself she had brown eyes.

His father was the one with the blue eyes.

He missed his father but now was no time to mourn. He cared about his mother but never liked to show it since she had not shown much fondness to him.

She coughed. He was not sure if it was to break the silence or due to her illness.

Her eyes narrowed, "Where have you been?" It seemed more a demand than a question.

Before he got a chance to answer, Impa cut in. She pointed to his pocket, "He was hiding a piece of paper. It must be important or so he thinks".

Impa stepped back and nodded her head. "I was just about to show her," Link blankly spoke while hiding a snarl.

He unfolded the paper and held it out for his mother to see. As she took it, he could see her hands were shaking. Quickly she clenched her hands around the paper to stop the shaking.

She glanced down at it. "It's a blueprint of Hyrule Castle..." she said dully, "Is there perhaps something interesting about it?"

Frustrated by his mother, he pointed at the secret room "That's special" he sarcastically sassed.

Her eyes suddenly sharpened as she followed Link's finger. "There's an inscription? Do you know what it says Link?"

Link shook his head slightly.

"I must send this to the sheikah researchers. Maybe they can translate it. If they do, the guards must be sent to examine the room," she muttered.

"Link this is a great discovery, I appreciate it. I will be sending experienced researchers to explore the sight," the Queen said looking up at him.

"Wait what? I found it you can't just send it away!" Link cried out.

"Link," she said in a stern voice "This is best way. This secret room could be dangerous".

"I'm the one who found it. At least have me escorted with guards to see it. It was my discovery after all" Link countered.

"I don't care if it's your discovery or not. You're the heir to the throne. If you die, the name of the royal family doesn't continue," the Queen scolded.

Those words stung.

(Heir to the throne. Not that I am her son...just an heir)

He snatched the paper from her hand.

"Then I'll go find it myself!" he shouted.

Overwhelmed with anger, he charged out flinging the doors open. Before they could react, he had already shoved a chair under the knobs of the doors.

"Please get Link! He's in a fit of anger. Stop him before he does anything idiotic" the Queen huffed.

"Yeah, you have no idea" he muttered to himself.

He knew Impa was sly and fast. He may be vulnerable and slow, but he had a head start.

Then he was suddenly struck with an idea, a horrible idea. An awful idea. Link got a wonderful, awful idea. Grinning like a maniac, he raced down the hall.