The palace was now in front of him. Link had a difficult time interpreting the size of it-he was used to the short hay shacks back at home. It was a finely constructed castle. The building was made of shining gray gravel, with a couple peaks and one large summit in the middle, the top of it holding a small flag. Each short bump had an arch, and the castle's doors were finely carved magnolia wood.
And in front of all that were two workers guarding a tall, black, metallic gate.
"Where's your paper, kid?" One sleazy, unshaven guard grumbled. When Link offered nothing, he grouched, "no appointment? Then scram!"
Link relunctantly left, muttering words that would make the people of Kakariko pass out. He spotted a hill, climbed up, and dropped into a hole in a wall too small for most. He snuck through, then stuck to the side of the valley as he passed guards on the grounds of the castle. He delved into a bush and arrived on it's other side, then found himself playing a game. Guards wandering a specific path repetitively, all day, seemed to have the same direction, so Link had to follow them from behind, but not too close for them to hear his steps. Garden rosaries and brick walls stopped him at every turn. It was a thrill, slow as he had to move, knowing the consequences of his being discovered.
Link was in a small garden space, a meadow.
There was Princess Zelda. She was looking through a glass pane window, engrossed in whatever was occuring inside. Her blonde locks brushed over her shoulders, and her dress slightly passed her feet and spread across the green blades of grass. The clothing was pink and white.
She turned around, and Link glimpsed her face. Blue eyes, narrow brows, small pink lips, slightly outstretched 'elf' ears. She was the most beautiful girl Link had ever seen.
"How did you make it past the guards?" Zelda asked, as she pushed a few yellow strands of hair out of her face.
"Uh, I don't know. It was pretty easy, actually."
"Well, what is your name?"
"Link...Your Highness."
Princess Zelda bit her lip slightly. "Do you want to watch?" She whispered.
Link nodded, and joined her by the window.
Inside was some royal hall. There was a table, and by it sat the very King of Hyrule, speaking with a dark man in black, with a large black hat atop his head.
"...-da? What do you want with her? Oh, you're a suitor, I suppose?"
"Not exactly, Your Highness. Please, if you would just allow me a visit with the Princess, I will be on my way."
"What are your intentions, man? Good Nayru! You're a complete stranger. Say, how did you even get in here? Where are your appointment papers?"
"I have none, King. It was pretty easy, actually." Link felt a strong sense of deja vu lingering with the conversation.
"Guards! Escort this man out, at once!"
"Your Majesty..." the man pulled off his large hat and his bright red hair was revealed. It was the very same man in Link's dream.
"I would suggest you reconsider. Bring me the Princess."
"No!" the King stood as two guards held the man by his arms. "Good day, sir!"
"Very well, then...I'd rather not be on the King of Hyrule's bad side. Good day, Your Majesty. Good day."
The security began moving him away, but before he was out of sight, he took a glance at the window pane Link and Princess Zelda were watching through, and grinned a smile that stretched wide. They could hear his cackling away as he left their vision. The King put his head in his hands.
"I've seen the man before," Link pointed out.
"Did you dream him?" the wide-eyed Zelda asked.
"Yes...he was in my dreams. He insulted me as I while I got ready to beat him up a whole bunch."
"I dreamt him too," Zelda said, "but in my dream, he was nice and kind. His looks were scary, but he tried to be nice."
"Do you think we're..." Zelda wondered, "important?"
Link nodded. His shield still hanging from his hand awkardly, he slung it's strap over his shoulder.
"I was supposed to meet with you. The Great Tree told me to see you."
"The Great Tree?" she whispered, astonished. "I know the Prophecy. Link, is it? Link, I think you're the Chosen One."
"I keep hearing that," Link said.
"Hey, if you're the Chosen One, then I must be one, too!" She giggled.
"Why?"
"The prophecy says, Link, that 'the Chosen One, the Princess of that Time, and the Dark Force will meet together in a swirl of balance before deciding the fate of a new world.'"
"Spooky," Link mumbled.
"Oh, I guess I need to get you something, then. It's some kind of paper that all the princesses get in case they get to be the girl that meets the Chosen One. Gosh! I can't believe it's me."
She began walking away from the window, but stopped in her tracks. "Oh, but we'll have to sneak you past the guards, won't we? Hmm...I know, we'll go through my secret way! Heehee!" She pushed through under a bush and Link followed, and on the other side they were on a rounding hill that led to the window of Zelda's room. She opened it, and they dropped in.
"It's a bit of a mess, Chosen One, so watch your step." The room was a big mix of pink and white, with sudden red and black colors clashing in various spots. A large, elegant bed had it's place in the middle. Dolls littered the floor. Zelda ruffled through a file before she discovered and pulled out an envelope, very clearly marked: OPEN ONLY FOR THE HERO.
"Gee, I really hope you're the Chosen One."
"Why's that?"
"I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble if you aren't."
Link ripped open the envelope. It was brown and crusted, decades old, likely. The paper inside, fortunately, was mostly unaffected, and could be read clearly.
'The Sword Lies in the Forest, The Sword Unlocks with a Triforce.'
"...That's it?" Link asked, puzzled.
"Well, I didn't write it!" Zelda proclaimed. "But I can explain it. I'm smart like that. The Forest, that's the Lost Woods, right? My history tutor told me it used to be the Faron Forest. And I know what the Triforce is-don't you?"
Link shook his head.
"It's what the three Goddesses brought to Hyrule, a piece from each of them-three golden triangles that symbolized peace, prosperity and promise. That is also mentioned in the Prophecy-'throughout the lands have been scattered three peaces of the Triforce-only the Chosen will see them; only the Chosen may bind them; and only the Chosen will save the land with them.'
"How do you know all this?"
"I'm a princess. As immature as you may think I am, my whole life must be dedicated to serving the citizens of Hyrule, so I intensely study our history, our economics," she began twirling a strand of golden hair, "...anything that will make me a better Princess."
Link nodded. "Okay."
"Good luck on your quest, Link. Don't worry, I won't bring any attention to your going-ons. Oh, and for good luck," Princess Zelda leaned over and kissed Link on the cheek, causing him to blush a fiery red before dashing out the window. He raced through the field, not caring that a few guards were watching. Worst they could do was kick him out, and out was his destination. He leaped over the stone wall, heard a couple of 'hey!'s and sudden footsteps, but he didn't turn back. Soon enough, he was lost among the Castle Town crowds, and hurriedly slumped into a chair by a quaint little potion shop. He turned to the person across from him, before realizing-
"Oh, seriously?"
It was the very same guard on break from an hour ago.
"Oh, hey there, little friend! Did you get to meet Princess Zelda?"
Link didn't answer.
"Cute girl. Smart, too! I'm sure she'll do a fine job of running the kingdom when she's all grown up," he smiled, then mumbled very quietly, "wouldn't mind a piece of that."
Link, disgusted with the guard, shook his head.
"Hey, Bob!" A few guards were running up, they were several yards away. "Bob, be on lookout for this suspicous character! We think he may be a spy! Here, lemme get over there so I can give you a description!"
That was Link's cue to leave. In one motion, he shoved his chair back and dived into the sea of men. Soon enough, he was out of Castle Town. It was getting dark, and he made it out just before the drawbridge closed itself. He took one last look at the closed drawbridge before turning back to the wild around him.
He wasn't sure what would've been worse-being trapped inside Castle Town with the mercy of Hyrule upon him, or being alone in the Hyrule Fields at night.
And in front of all that were two workers guarding a tall, black, metallic gate.
"Where's your paper, kid?" One sleazy, unshaven guard grumbled. When Link offered nothing, he grouched, "no appointment? Then scram!"
Link relunctantly left, muttering words that would make the people of Kakariko pass out. He spotted a hill, climbed up, and dropped into a hole in a wall too small for most. He snuck through, then stuck to the side of the valley as he passed guards on the grounds of the castle. He delved into a bush and arrived on it's other side, then found himself playing a game. Guards wandering a specific path repetitively, all day, seemed to have the same direction, so Link had to follow them from behind, but not too close for them to hear his steps. Garden rosaries and brick walls stopped him at every turn. It was a thrill, slow as he had to move, knowing the consequences of his being discovered.
Link was in a small garden space, a meadow.
There was Princess Zelda. She was looking through a glass pane window, engrossed in whatever was occuring inside. Her blonde locks brushed over her shoulders, and her dress slightly passed her feet and spread across the green blades of grass. The clothing was pink and white.
She turned around, and Link glimpsed her face. Blue eyes, narrow brows, small pink lips, slightly outstretched 'elf' ears. She was the most beautiful girl Link had ever seen.
"How did you make it past the guards?" Zelda asked, as she pushed a few yellow strands of hair out of her face.
"Uh, I don't know. It was pretty easy, actually."
"Well, what is your name?"
"Link...Your Highness."
Princess Zelda bit her lip slightly. "Do you want to watch?" She whispered.
Link nodded, and joined her by the window.
Inside was some royal hall. There was a table, and by it sat the very King of Hyrule, speaking with a dark man in black, with a large black hat atop his head.
"...-da? What do you want with her? Oh, you're a suitor, I suppose?"
"Not exactly, Your Highness. Please, if you would just allow me a visit with the Princess, I will be on my way."
"What are your intentions, man? Good Nayru! You're a complete stranger. Say, how did you even get in here? Where are your appointment papers?"
"I have none, King. It was pretty easy, actually." Link felt a strong sense of deja vu lingering with the conversation.
"Guards! Escort this man out, at once!"
"Your Majesty..." the man pulled off his large hat and his bright red hair was revealed. It was the very same man in Link's dream.
"I would suggest you reconsider. Bring me the Princess."
"No!" the King stood as two guards held the man by his arms. "Good day, sir!"
"Very well, then...I'd rather not be on the King of Hyrule's bad side. Good day, Your Majesty. Good day."
The security began moving him away, but before he was out of sight, he took a glance at the window pane Link and Princess Zelda were watching through, and grinned a smile that stretched wide. They could hear his cackling away as he left their vision. The King put his head in his hands.
"I've seen the man before," Link pointed out.
"Did you dream him?" the wide-eyed Zelda asked.
"Yes...he was in my dreams. He insulted me as I while I got ready to beat him up a whole bunch."
"I dreamt him too," Zelda said, "but in my dream, he was nice and kind. His looks were scary, but he tried to be nice."
"Do you think we're..." Zelda wondered, "important?"
Link nodded. His shield still hanging from his hand awkardly, he slung it's strap over his shoulder.
"I was supposed to meet with you. The Great Tree told me to see you."
"The Great Tree?" she whispered, astonished. "I know the Prophecy. Link, is it? Link, I think you're the Chosen One."
"I keep hearing that," Link said.
"Hey, if you're the Chosen One, then I must be one, too!" She giggled.
"Why?"
"The prophecy says, Link, that 'the Chosen One, the Princess of that Time, and the Dark Force will meet together in a swirl of balance before deciding the fate of a new world.'"
"Spooky," Link mumbled.
"Oh, I guess I need to get you something, then. It's some kind of paper that all the princesses get in case they get to be the girl that meets the Chosen One. Gosh! I can't believe it's me."
She began walking away from the window, but stopped in her tracks. "Oh, but we'll have to sneak you past the guards, won't we? Hmm...I know, we'll go through my secret way! Heehee!" She pushed through under a bush and Link followed, and on the other side they were on a rounding hill that led to the window of Zelda's room. She opened it, and they dropped in.
"It's a bit of a mess, Chosen One, so watch your step." The room was a big mix of pink and white, with sudden red and black colors clashing in various spots. A large, elegant bed had it's place in the middle. Dolls littered the floor. Zelda ruffled through a file before she discovered and pulled out an envelope, very clearly marked: OPEN ONLY FOR THE HERO.
"Gee, I really hope you're the Chosen One."
"Why's that?"
"I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble if you aren't."
Link ripped open the envelope. It was brown and crusted, decades old, likely. The paper inside, fortunately, was mostly unaffected, and could be read clearly.
'The Sword Lies in the Forest, The Sword Unlocks with a Triforce.'
"...That's it?" Link asked, puzzled.
"Well, I didn't write it!" Zelda proclaimed. "But I can explain it. I'm smart like that. The Forest, that's the Lost Woods, right? My history tutor told me it used to be the Faron Forest. And I know what the Triforce is-don't you?"
Link shook his head.
"It's what the three Goddesses brought to Hyrule, a piece from each of them-three golden triangles that symbolized peace, prosperity and promise. That is also mentioned in the Prophecy-'throughout the lands have been scattered three peaces of the Triforce-only the Chosen will see them; only the Chosen may bind them; and only the Chosen will save the land with them.'
"How do you know all this?"
"I'm a princess. As immature as you may think I am, my whole life must be dedicated to serving the citizens of Hyrule, so I intensely study our history, our economics," she began twirling a strand of golden hair, "...anything that will make me a better Princess."
Link nodded. "Okay."
"Good luck on your quest, Link. Don't worry, I won't bring any attention to your going-ons. Oh, and for good luck," Princess Zelda leaned over and kissed Link on the cheek, causing him to blush a fiery red before dashing out the window. He raced through the field, not caring that a few guards were watching. Worst they could do was kick him out, and out was his destination. He leaped over the stone wall, heard a couple of 'hey!'s and sudden footsteps, but he didn't turn back. Soon enough, he was lost among the Castle Town crowds, and hurriedly slumped into a chair by a quaint little potion shop. He turned to the person across from him, before realizing-
"Oh, seriously?"
It was the very same guard on break from an hour ago.
"Oh, hey there, little friend! Did you get to meet Princess Zelda?"
Link didn't answer.
"Cute girl. Smart, too! I'm sure she'll do a fine job of running the kingdom when she's all grown up," he smiled, then mumbled very quietly, "wouldn't mind a piece of that."
Link, disgusted with the guard, shook his head.
"Hey, Bob!" A few guards were running up, they were several yards away. "Bob, be on lookout for this suspicous character! We think he may be a spy! Here, lemme get over there so I can give you a description!"
That was Link's cue to leave. In one motion, he shoved his chair back and dived into the sea of men. Soon enough, he was out of Castle Town. It was getting dark, and he made it out just before the drawbridge closed itself. He took one last look at the closed drawbridge before turning back to the wild around him.
He wasn't sure what would've been worse-being trapped inside Castle Town with the mercy of Hyrule upon him, or being alone in the Hyrule Fields at night.