Chapter 3: For Old Time's Sake
Link was nearing the castle; the snow let up a little allowing his view to broaden a bit more. He felt the crunch of the snow under his feet and wondered what everyone in Termina would think once they discovered Link was gone. Link sighed. He had to say goodbye to a home in Hyrule before, but last time, they knew he was going. This time, they were probably worried. He could see the familiar entrance from afar, which he had seen first in a dream.
Link was at the entrance to Hyrule Castle Town. The sky was dark and menacing, creating an ominous atmosphere befitting the introduction of a great evil... The drawbridge opened, allowing a man wearing black armor to ride outside the town walls. He was of the Gerudo tribe, a race that boasted dark skin and flaming orange hair. His smile bespoke nothing but wrong intentions...
Link approached the fantastic walls and the image was clear in his mind. Not much had changed, except they added another tower into the castle, and the bridge was made of new wood. He could smell the faint aroma of cooking food from the chimneys of the town's residents. Link looked longingly at the castle. He broke into a run, careful to keep his of his cloak's hood over his face, and the rest of the cloak on his body. Even his boots may trigger someone's memory. He wanted to continue unabated to Hyrule Castle. Had the Hylian Royal Family known about Termina as well? Had they known Link may have stumbled upon a world of no clear escape? Link had never heard of anyone entering Termina, not even in the Kokiri Forest, where the Lost Woods-- the gateway to the entrance of Termina-- were clear knowledge. Perhaps the Kokiri had kept it a secret from Link as well? Link got to the gate, and entered Castle Town.
Castle Town was emptier than he had left it, but it was still crowded. People in thick cloaks, or small children in more clothing than usual running around chasing the dogs running around the street. There seemed to be a few cats, too. The snow seemed to be a small obstacle for regular life in Hyrule. Link thought in regret about Zora's Domain, still frozen even after the ordeal. The effects of Zelda's spell didn't do much for major changes.
Zelda and Link were on a plane of existence all to themselves. Everything was white, and they were alone. Link had just defeated Ganon and ended his destructive path. Link was an adult, stripped of his youth by the effects of the Master Sword. Zelda apologized, tears almost forming in her eyes. She expressed her regret that Link couldn't experience his childhood, and, bading farewell, she took Link's Ocarina of Time and sent him back to the point before his adventure and Hyrule's troubles began.
Saria, his close friend, still became a sage and left the Kokiri Forest. The Gerudo continued thieving, however, not from the poor, but steadily increasing with such thievery since the loss of Nabooru, who had become a sage, but Link, having no status in the tribe, could do nothing to prevent them from stealing. Ruto again was afflicted with a fascination with Link, still becoming a sage. Though Zora's Domain froze randomly; no one knew what caused it. Other than small outbursts of wrongdoing, or odd events, Hyrule had remained peaceful.
Link walked through the bustle of the town, unnoticed in the sales, chatter, and general noise of a busy town. Link basked in the noise. He missed Hyrule Castle Town's liveliness. It was something not in trouble. Something that did not to be saved because he knew it was something that persevered. He approached the gates of Hyrule Castle from the entrance south of the castle. A guard stopped him at the gates.
"This is the entrance to the Castle of the noble Family of Hyrule's loyalty. If you wish to be in audience of royalty, you must have a good reason." Link knew this guard. He had seen him many times on his regular visits to Zelda, sometimes sneaking by him just for fun. Link laughed at the thought.
"Do you find their nobility humorous? Reveal your intentions and your self to me and I may let you pass"
Link knew what to do. If this guard was truly the man he thought he was, he'd know the right thing to do. Link warned the man not to tell, under any circumstances, who he was or that he was here. "I cannot guarantee that, but if you are deemed important enough, you may have your privacy." Link lifted his hood, and the guard stood rigid on the spot. "Very well," the guard said, rather emotionally, "You may see the Princess." He struck the ground with his spear, and the gate slowly slid open. Link walked silently up to the castle, with his hood back up. The guards saluted him, and Link entered the castle.
Link saw the familiar red carpet and Royal Family Crest inside the spacious castle. Link had run through this place many times, trying to dodge the many guards dotting the castle. However, when they found out a seven-year-old child could easily break through their security straight to Zelda, they boosted the security up severely. If Link had his Stone Mask, it'd be easier. But Link felt like a bit of adventure again. For old time's sake. He saw some people who obviously spotted him, some reading books, but he was cloaked. He was safe as long as he didn't stay still. He went out of the castle again and found the drain blocked. He grinned at the sight. Ah, the days which he could fit in it. Wet tunics are horribly uncomfortable --the hat's a nightmare to keep on-- but Link had a solution. He used the door to the right of it on one of the towers. Link was really surprised that no one ever guarded it. He didn't know where it lead, but he knew it was an indirect way into the castle. Link would have to surprise Zelda. He crawled inside, and what he found surprised him. It was a large chamber-like room with cauldrons bubbling away. Link smelled red potion, so he took out his bottles. He looked inside them and was displeased to find they had dried milk in them, and he was horribly aware of the fact these bottles had stored many an insect over the years. The thought made his stomach feel strange.
Link simply scooped some of the red liquid into his mouth, first taking off his gloves. He felt the familiar fiery feeling in the liquid, and was rejuvenated, full of energy. Link felt great. He stretched, and put his gloves back on. Traveling through the corridor, he looked for any ways of getting to the room directly left of him. He tested walls with his sword, but then thought better of it; it would make too much noise. Link began looking for gaps in the walls. He fiddled with the rocky, dungeon-like walls, and found a weakness, leading to the very point the drain had lead to. There were three guards, as usual. Link stared at them. He started to see one doze off. "Hey," one of the guards spoke, "Don't go falling asleep, you know what happened last time"
"Yeah," the guard said, "But we could really use a hero crawling past us right now."
Link grinned at the thought, happy his timing lead him to hear that. Maybe it was the Goddesses. Link's gap was behind the shelf that fed the drain, and a gap in the wall would be noticed. He stopped there, and walked through the corridor, timing his paces to see how far it would be until he was behind a hedge; he'd crept past them many a time before. He thought he had found a nice place mostly devoid of guards, and took out his Hookshot. Using it as something close to a pick axe, he chipped away at the loose rock walls. He broke through, so a tiny peekhole was formed. He looked inside, and the guards were exchanging pleasantries. In the midst of their chat, Link could easily get past to a hiding place. Link had to hurry though; who knew how long they'd be talking?
Link continued to chip away at the rock; the place of exit was behind a hedge, so he had enough time. When one one of the guards laughed loudly, and the other guard joined him while animatedly speaking, Link shoved himself through the hole. Link cut himself on one of the rocks, but it was a small wound. He wouldn't be bothered by it; the red potion was fresh in his veins. He dove behind the hedge, and the guards paused a bit, looking behind him. The other guard made a joke and they continued laughing. Link took advantage of this and snuck to the next section of the garden. There were more hedges, and even a climbable platform; they obviously had not learned their lesson completely. He swerved through the guards, and made it to the final patch of the garden. Zelda was present, staring at her private space deep in thought, picking flowers.
-Chapter End-
