Chapter 7: Hyrule Castle
Link couldn't keep his eyes off the symbol above the gate when they arrived in the town center. Talon had offered Link a ride into Hyrule's gates.
Talon knew there was something going on with Link and his daughter Malon when he noticed they couldn't stop talking to each other right before him and Link had to leave. He was fine with it because he thought Link was a good kid.
"Here you go, young Link," Talon said as he brought his carriage full of cow's milk to a halt outside of a shop.
"Thank you very much for the ride, Talon," Link said.
"I would take you further but no civilians are allowed past those two guards over there," Talon told link as he pointed at two guards standing next to a road leading to the castle.
"That is okay, you have helped enough already," Link said to him.
"Well, after you are done with your business here why don't you come back and visit me and Malon," he asked Link.
"That sounds nice," Link said back to him, "but until then, I have business to attend to."
"Goodbye, Link," said Talon.
"Goodbye, Talon," Link said back to him.
"You, too, Navi," Talon added.
"We will miss you," Navi said.
With that they made their way towards the two guards. They walked directly up to the two guards and said hello. They didn't move though.
They tried to walk past them but they put their hands on the handle of their swords when Link was starting to walk past them.
"We need to see the princess," Link said to one of the guards.
They still didn't say anything.
"What are we going to do," Navi said to herself.
"Are you Link," came a female voice from behind them.
Link turned around to see a lady with short white hair wearing light armor standing there looking at them.
"You know who I am," he asked her.
"Yes, I am Impa. I am Princess Zelda's personal body guard," she said.
"We need to see the Princess," Link told her.
"I know, just follow me. I'll take you to her."
They both followed Impa up the road. The guards let her pass with no complications. On the walk up to the castle Link and Navi explained their mission to Impa.
They arrived at two big doors. Impa told Link and Navi this is where Zelda is.
Link opened the door and walked inside. He saw a young girl standing next to a window looking out it. It was the girl from Link's dreams.
Link and Navi exchanged glances. They didn't know if to say anything or not. There was a long silence.
"These past couple of weeks I've been having dreams of a dark cloud creeping over Hyrule," the princess said.
Link stayed quiet.
"Then came a light from the forest and lit up the land of Hyrule. I believe you are that light, Link," Zelda said.
She turned to face him.
"Is the dark cloud Ganondorf," Link asked.
"I believe so," Zelda answered.
"Why is he doing all of this," Link asked, "He killed the guardian for my forest. Why would he do something so cruel?"
"Ganondorf used to be a knight for Hyrule. The very best we have ever had actually. He was a glorious leader and a fierce fighter. He had only one flaw: his desire for power," Zelda told Link.
"So he is after the Triforce to get more power," Link asked?
"That is one of the reasons. His greed is what made him who he is today. He wasn't like the rest of the soldiers. He started to use dangerous weapons like sorcery and witchcraft to defeat his foes. He believes the Triforce can give him all the power he desires. He is after the Triforce so he can destroy what he believes betrayed him," Zelda said.
"Who betrayed him," Link asked.
"He believes my father did," Zelda said, "so he killed him and my mother."
Link didn't say anything.
"He wants my father's people and land to pay for his betrayal. He thought if he killed my parents that would leave me to rule Hyrule, making it weak," Zelda said.
"What did your father do to betray him?"
"One night Ganondorf was patrolling Hyrule field. He saw a woman and a man with a baby. They were going for an afternoon ride in a carriage. He ended up killing both the parents and the child. His idea was to show how unmerciful he was by killing innocent people. My father banished him from the knight hood and from Hyrule for this horrible act. The only place that Hyrule is not a part of is the desert. He has lived there ever since, slowly getting more power and meddling in sorcery."
"So now he is ready to attack Hyrule," Link said.
"Yes, he believes he has enough strength to successfully capture Hyrule Castle," Zelda said.
"What can we do," Link asked.
"All we have to do is keep him away from the Sacred Realm. The entrance to the Sacred Realm is in the Temple of Time in the town center. That is where you must go Link," Zelda said to him.
"What are we waiting for, lets go to the Temple of Time," Link said.
"That would be pointless," Zelda said.
"Why," asked Link.
"The legend says there will be a sign to tell us when to go there," Zelda answered.
"What do you want me to do until then," Link asked her.
"The best place for you to go is Kakariko Village. It is not far from the gates. Go there and wait for some kind of sign. Ganondorf's army could be here soon. We can't risk putting you in harms way, Link. You are the key to it all."
"I understand, I will go there immediately," Link told her.
Link walked out the door. Before he could close it he heard Zelda say "Good Luck."
"You be careful, too, Princess."
He closed the door and started walking back down to the town center.