The trip to Hyrule Castle had been uneventful. It had taken a day and a night to get there; day to actually get to the gate and a night wait for the gate to Castle Town to open. it would have only taken one day usually, but link didn't want to push Epona while she was carrying all his belongings. During the night he had struggled to get to sleep with the Captains mask on, but with the Stalchildren leaving his camps alone, it had been worth it.
He now approached the gate of Hyrule castle alongside Epona, ready for any outcome. He walked up to the guard in front of the gate and cleared his throat. the man ignored him, looking onwards into empty space. When this process repeated it's self, link lost his temper.
"Hey!" He yelled at the obnoxious man. The man, no longer able to pretend Link didn't exist, looked down disdainfully.
"No civilians are aloud past this point, shorty. Now, run off before I get mad."
Link seethed. If this man knew what he had done, he would be singing to a different tune.
"I request to enter Hyrule Castle, you ugly octorock spawn." Link said with a small grin.
The man glared and bent down with his arm raised. "Listen here tiny. I'm gonna-"
"What's going on here?" Shouted a new voice. They looked over to see a man in full armour, a knight, unlike the shorts wearing guards, marching towards the pair of them.
The guard straightened up immediately. "Captain, this child has demanded that I let him enter the castle, sir. He mocked me so I-"
"So you were going to hit a hopeless child? I don't thinks so." The captain turned to Link. "Son, you can't come in. I'm sorry, but that's regulations."
Link gritted his teeth. Always treated as a child. He doubted they could mentally handle what he had seen and experienced. "that reminds me," He muttered through clenched teeth. "Last time I was here, I was given this." He pulled a sealed letter out of a pouch on Epona and handed it to the Captain, who took it tentatively. He opened the letter and read it through, his eyebrows rising in disbelief, until he read the signature at the bottom.
He handed Link the letter back. "So, you're that kid, then? The one that unveiled Ganondorfs plot?"
Link smiled, happy to get some recognition. "Yes. I am Link of the Forest."
The guard was in shock. "What..? You're gonna let some child run into the grounds of the royal family?!" He spluttered in disbelief.
The captain turned to him. "Show him the letter." He said to link, who happily obliged. "Is that, or is that not, the signature of princess Zelda?"
The guard frowned. "It is."
"So you want to stop a friend of Hyrules royal family from entering the castle? By the goddesses, you were going to slap the boy!"
The guard suddenly found a very interesting part of the ground to stare at.
The captain returned his gaze to Link. "Terribly sorry, son. Now, if you'll just come this way." He then lead Link of into the Castle grounds.
"Impa, I'm so bored." Said the regal and mature princess Zelda as she flopped onto her bed.
Her attendant, the Sheikah Impa rolled her eyes at the princess. "And what would you suggest we do?"
Zelda sat up immediately with a devilish smile. "Why don't we throw deku nuts at the guards?"
"Because that could lead the king to believe we are under attack."
"Oh." Zelda muttered, deflated. She perked up almost immediately. "I could try to sneak out!"
"And you father would think you are kidnapped." Impa said smoothly. "And I would have to stop you regardless."
Zelda returned to doing her best dead fish impression. "Well, I'm out of ideas Impa. All the fun things to do would make my father worried and you're the only friend I have here."
Impa sighed. "Don't fret, princess, something will happen soon. You can count my life on it."
Zelda looked at her attendant and raised an eyebrow, and in response Impa shrugged. Right after, as if set of by this motion, a bell began to ring. Impa looked at Zelda and allowed herself a smug grin.
Zelda scowled. "Oh be quite. Is that a good thing of bad?"
Impa paused. "Sounds like the soldiers bell. I'd say something is happening amongst the troops."
Zelda grabbed her hat and shoved it onto her head. "Well, let's go see what they're so excited about."
"So, why are you here?"
Link looked at the Captain and thought it couldn't hurt to be truthful.
He shrugged and came to the decision. "Well, I plan on joining you." He said simply.
The captain stopped mid stride. "What?"
Link hesitated. "I want to become a knight of Hyrule."
The captain frowned. "What, now?"
Link was losing his confidence. "As soon as I can. It's not like I have anything else to do."
The captain strained his face, trying not to hurt the boy feelings. Link saw this.
"What's so funny?" He growled, all traces of innocence long gone.
The Captain calmed himself. "Well, for starters, you're a bit young-"
"The youthful are those with the most energy."
"-and you are, no offence, a bit short,"
Links eyes narrowed. "I'm not short. And if I was, it would helps with agility."
"And for another thing, you have no combat experience."
Silence. The captain sensed that he had crossed a line. He looked into Links unwavering eyes, and saw something he hadn't seen before. something he didn't like.
Link smiled like a wolf. "Hmm. Maybe you're right. Or maybe, you're wrong. Lets test which one it is shall, shall we? Which way to your training grounds?"
The princess and the Sheikah arrived at the Eastern tower within a few minutes and started searching the grounds for the masses.
"See anything, Impa?" Zelda ask, straining herself over the battlements.
"Careful. No, princess. The grounds seem empty. That is abnormal. Perhaps they are at the barracks or armoury."
"Ok, I'll check." She walked around the tower. "There, Impa, there's a lot of people over there."
Impa walked over and shielded her eyes. "yes, that would be the most likely place. But that's just the training grounds. Looks to be a duel of sorts, but I can only-"
"Did you see that?" Zelda interjected.
Impa frowned at the masses of soldiers and guards. "What was it?"
"I saw green." Zelda whispered sheepishly.
Impa processed the information in a second, before looking to the princess. "I assume that you are itching to discover if you are correct."
Zelda could barely contain her excitement. "Yes. By Nayru yes."