CHAPTER TWO

Spring in Hyrule is an enchanting time of the year. All the colours are intensified and the many varieties of flowers perfume the air in an intoxicating aroma that is dizzying if inhaled too deeply.
Of course you would have to be outside of the Castle Town's city walls to truly appreciate this.
And of course you would have to be outside of the Royal Grounds to be able to leave the city walls of Castle Town.
And of course you would have to be outside of the Royal Castle's walls to be able to be in the Royal Grounds in order to go to Castle Town to leave the city walls.
And this, my dear reader, is where our Princesses reside.
Prisoners in their own home. Captives of their own blood.
Unable to venture any further than the immediate castle and the small inner gardens held within the historic walls.
While growing up this was a fine place to play, content with life as they knew it. An entire castle was plenty big enough for three small young girls to run around and be naughty as only young girls would know how.
But now these young girls are young women, and as young women they know how to sneak through closed doors and hear through thick walls and knowledge of the large world outside didn't take long to find them.

One of their favourite pass times was to make their way unseen down to the Guards barracks and listen to the tales the men would tell each other over a lager or ale after a long week on patrol of Hyrule.

Sitting in their favourite hiding place inside the warm attic of the barracks kitchen the sisters settle in for a night of eaves dropping.

"Went and saw the Zoras again this week, on Links orders. Just another check-up." A gruff guard mumbled in to his flaggan.

"Captain Link!" barked an elderly man who was sitting close to the fire in the stone hearth, grey with age but still fierce in the eyes.

"Huh? Whadda say?"

"You refer to him as Captain, you hear me boy? He may be young but he is a greater man than you or I and you give him the respect he deserves!" The old guard bellowed turning in his stool to give a strong look.

"err, Yes Sir. Sorry Sir. Meant no disrespect" said the guard, burying his face in his drink.

"Geez, Old Ken sure laid in to the new guy", breathed Ebony who was lying on her stomach peeking through the ceiling slates.
"Who's Link anyway? He can't mean The Head Guard can he?"

"There is bound to be more than one Captain in this army Ebony", Jade hissed back, "And how would that guy know his real name if even we don't?" Shifting in her spot she stiffened her shoulders as she faced away to peer in closer. Good thing she did or else she would have caught a very rude hand gesture from her sister.

"Shhh, you two I can't hear!" Ivory whispered with a finger to her lips.

"ahh, Anyways. Where was I? Oh yeah. Captain sent me off to check on the Zoras again. I don't know why he always sends me to see how they're going, not like that Queen Ruto of theirs can't handle whatever is thrown at her. Besides I'm sure she would much rather Li.. er, Captain himself to pop in for a chat. Always asking me question about him she is, bloody annoying."
He takes a long swig of his drink and proceeds to put on an unflattering high pitched voice,
"Oooerh, How is my darrrrrling Link? Can you please tell him I do miss those gorrrrrgeous blue eyes of his"
The new guard prances around the tables like a dancing lad causing the other men to roar with laughter.
"Bloody annoying I tell ya. That Queen may be a looker - for a fish but she is damn annoying."

Old Ken stands up to point a bony finger at the man,
"Now the Zoras are a fine people and valuable allies to us so you keep your opinions on their Queen to yourself okay?" He turns to leave the room and as he does a quick smirk appears in the corners of his mouth before he rubs an aged marked hand over his face.

Ignoring the advice of their superior the men continue to make fun of the Zoras and Queen Ruto, throwing in unsavoury comments here and racists remarks there but the Princesses aren't paying any attention anymore as something much more intriguing has caught their imaginations.

Ebony sat up quickly to grab her sisters arm, "He must be talking about The Head Guard Jade! Queen Ruto asked about his 'blue eyes'!" She was excited, and for good reason.

"Let go of me!" Jade tugged her arm away, "Yes, it does seem that way doesn't it? So if that's true then his name must be…"

"…Link" piped up Ivory. "What a funny name, doesn't sound like a real name really"

"And what does a real name sound like Ivy?" asked Ebony, "I think it's handsome. Simple yet suggestive, just like him" she sighed gazing in to the distance.

"Oh get over yourself Ebs" Jade rolls her eyes at her sister.

"Well, now that we know his name we don't have to call him 'Sir' anymore. " Ivory says while standing to leave through the small hidden door in the side of the roof.
"I wonder why Zelda never wanted us to know his real name though. Maybe he's embarrassed by it, since it's such a funny name?"

At that Ebony lurches towards her sister in anger, "It is not a funny name!" she yells as she goes to tackle Ivory.
Jade managing to grab her around the waist with one arm and throwing her other hand over her sisters mouth hisses urgently in Ebony's ear, "Will you shut it! The guards will hear you!"

"Calm down Ebony. I'm sorry, geez. You're not the only one who fancies him ok? ", Ivory consoles her sister by placing one hand on her cheek.
Feeling her anger subside Ebony relaxes and Jade releases her.

Sighing under her breath at her sisters over reaction Jade leads them out of the attic before anything else happens to give their hiding spot away.

The cool night air is soothing on their hot skin after being in the stuffy crawl space and before long they are in their own heads thinking the guard's story over.
Tip-toing along the castles roof tops and balancing along crumbling ledges the sisters make a trail back to their bedroom window.

"You know what?" Whispered Jade suddenly, "I think I've heard that name Link before."

"So do I actually." Ivory replied.

"No you haven't Ivy, you're just saying that." Scoffed Ebony.

"No I'm not. I have heard it somewhere. Because I remember thinking then that it was a funny name too."

With that remark Ebony's head shot up from watching her footsteps and she slipped on a loose roofing tile.

"Watch what you're doing Ebony! And Ivory will you stop with thinking it's a funny name? You can see it upsets your sister!" Jade, always the mediator.