Chapter 15: The Temple of Time
Link waited just outside of Princess Zelda's room. She'd moved over the years. Her rooms were more private, and she had and entire suite for herself. Link sat on one of the couches, safely away from prying eyes.
He couldn't remember anything ever being so comfortable. With it's soft, goose-feather pillows, fleece blanket draped over the back, and its velvet lining, he felt he could've fallen asleep right then and there.
Zelda emerged from her room dressed in common clothing with her hair braided back quickly, already falling from the braid. Her hair was long now. She made no effort into seeming like her royal self, and somehow, that seemed to fit her more.
She pulled on a cloak and leaned over the couch. "You could stay here for the night and we can go tomorrow. You look ready to fall asleep."
Link cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes. "No, I've been sleeping for the past seven years. It can wait."
Pulling the cloak on, Zelda sighed. "I wish you'd tell me."
"There's no time. I need to figure out what to do first. Lives are at stake."
So, you don't know what you're doing?"
"I…" Link stuttered, "No, I do know. I need the Master Sword to… to figure out how, I suppose."
Zelda took a deep breath and headed out the door, glancing around. "Well, let's go then. I still expect to be filled in."
"You will be." Link said, following her through the halls. "Are we still sneaking out of here?"
With a laugh, Zelda shook her head. "Only these halls. There's a guard who will let us out without question. There's a few now, actually. It makes life much easier."
"I can't believe you still have to sneak around. Why?"
"I'm still the Princess. My father forgets that I'm not an eleven-year-old girl still, though. Even more so, he forgets that he got lucky and I'm not one of the rebellious princess you hear stories of. I certainly don't bring boys back to my rooms," she said, turning around and making a playful face.
"No," Link agreed, "You only bring back men."
Zelda laughed. "Young men. How old are you again?"
Link rubbed his head. "Oh… I should be nineteen… maybe twenty. What is the exact date?"
For a moment, Zelda seemed to have forgotten that he had been captive for years. Her face betrayed her in a mix of confusion, and sadness. "It's the 26th in the lunar cycle of Dinraal, 560 AG."
Link balked. "Wow. So yeah, almost twenty. Are you my age? I can't remember now."
"I was 11 when you were taken, now 18. Fate didn't want to burden the elderly, did she?"
"We have stronger shoulders to carry the weight of the world."
With a grin, Zelda ran up to a guard at the front of the castle. "Ralph, how have you been? Are your girls feeling better?"
Ralph turned to her and blushed. "You remembered they were sick? They are, Princess, thank you for asking. I'm humbled by your memory."
"I loved meeting them. Please, bring them by anytime at all."
"I just might for their birthday, Majesty. I still am under orders not to let you leave here without an escort, though."
Zelda grabbed Link's arm and pulled him forward. "I have one. He's in training, but I figured a small excursion to the Temple of Time would be perfect."
"Where's your sword, soldier?"
Link went to answer, but Zelda cut him off. "I asked that he not bring it." Gesturing to her clothes, she winked. "I'm in disguise. I just wanted to pray to the Goddesses in peace today."
Ralph's face softened. "I… I don't feel great letting him out without a sword, but I can't keep you from your prayers. Just… recruit, return immediately if there are any problems."
Link nodded, and Zelda pulled him along. "Thank you, Ralph. We'll be sure to come back this way so you know I'm safe!"
"Nothing would make me happier, Princess Zelda."
Link followed Zelda again through the back of the castle. "Do you charm all of your guards into letting you leave?"
"I like Ralph. He's very sweet. No extra charm needed." Zelda slowed her steps and walked beside Link. "Well, we have to walk all the way around the castle now to get to Market Town. We have time."
Snorting, Link shook his head in disbelief. "You brought us this way on purpose, didn't you?"
Shrugging, Zelda waited.
Link knew he wouldn't win, and he launched into his tale, trusting Zelda with all the details he wasn't sure he should share with Malon. He started at the beginning, and they walked slowly down a deserted path to Market Town. He told her about the Sages' deaths, and Ganondorf's desperation. He explained how he'd trained, and how he could go into the Sacred Realm when he slept. He only spared her the details of his day-to-day: the Stalfos, the meals, the punishments he endured, the way he made a new family, the things he said to gain a new mentor.
The more he spoke, the more Link realized what he'd lost. While losing seven years was one thing, he also lost his entire new family in one fell swoop.
Zelda grabbed his hand and stopped him.
"Link, I have to tell you something. I went to visit with your friends here a few times. At first, they were confused and upset. I don't know what happened, but one day, they all vanished. Gaebora, Saria, Fado, even Mido, Mila, and Mallo. They all were gone. I don't know where they went. They never left me any indication that they were leaving, and even your neighbors didn't know. Something happened, and they won't talk about it to me."
Link ran his hand along his jaw and shook his head. "Nothing? They said nothing? When was this?"
"Six years."
With a deep breath, Link continued toward the Temple of Time. Zelda watched, waiting for him to say something, but the rest of the trip was silent.
When they entered Market Town, Zelda pulled up her hood and rushed toward the Temple. She made her way inside and stopped in the entry.
Rauru was standing in the center of the Temple.
Link barely acknowledged him and headed for the stones.
"Link!" Rauru called. "Link, stop!"
Like a defiant child, Link stopped and slowly turned to Rauru. "What? I have to get the Sword."
"It will not lift from its resting place if you approach it as you are now. You are distraught, angry, vengeful. These are not qualities becoming of the Hero."
"I never asked to be your chosen hero. I would have been very happy with my friends."
Rauru closed his eyes before looking at Zelda. "She's told you then. I thought it best not to add that worry to your sentence. You were already young and struggling with the hand you'd been dealt. I couldn't have added to that."
"Princess?" Link called. Zelda looked between Rauru and Link before heading over to the stones. She took out a small, blue ocarina from her bag. Link looked at it closely and reached for his own. "Is this something I should help with?"
Zelda's eyes lit up and a broad smile filled her face. "You kept it!"
Spinning it over in his hands a few times, Link nodded and played a quick tune. "Practiced with it pretty often, too."
With her own face turning red, Zelda held up her own ocarina and faced the stones. "This is a special ocarina, called the Ocarina of Time." She played her own tune in front of the stones, a song that wasn't long, but was filled with an old longing and soul. When she finished, the door began to rumble, and it rose.
"Here," she said, handing it over to Link. "You'll find more use from it out here than I will in the castle."
"I can't take this," Link protested.
"Your sword is waiting for you, Hero. Go on." She kept her hands behind her back, and Link slid the ocarina into his pouch beside his old one before heading inside while Zelda and Rauru stayed at the door.
A long sword with a blue hilt was lodged into a pedestal of stone. It looked like it had been in there for ages and would never be removed again. Still, he made his way up the steps and grabbed hold of the hilt. To his surprise, it barely gave him any resistance and slid out with ease.
The sword was light in his hand and felt as if it had been made for him. Giving it a few practice swings, he slid it inside his belt, realizing he'd have to find a proper sheathe at some point.
Link had expected something more to happen, some great white light to emerge from the pedestal, or some vision to appear, telling him where to go. Instead, it was as if he was holding any other sword. With that disappointment, he returned to the waiting Zelda and Rauru.
He didn't wait for them to speak. "Princess, I'll escort you back, but then I have to see if there's anything I can find out about my friends before I can find the Sages."
"I can come with you," Zelda offered, but they both knew it wasn't true. She was the Princess.
"Thank you, but I'll be okay."
"Do what you must," Rauru agreed. "But remember that Ganondorf will not wait forever."
Link looked down at the Triforce on his hand. It was glowing. "I know he won't."
