Despite his gruff demeanor, Rudolf chatted happily with Link and Zelda as he led them into the Goron domain.
Rudolf had a wife and a child, which confused Link, but he did not ask how it was possible. He and his family lived at the base of the Eldin Volcano in the Goron village, as many other Goron families did. Others were stationed high up in the mountains to gather rocks for food, and to protect and serve Darchund, the Goron Elder.
The Elder, as Rudolf explained, was the oldest Goron alive, outliving even the Zora Queen. They respected him greatly and treated him as they would a king, feeding him the finest gemstones and ore. Apparently, the transition in currency from obsidian to rupees had been hard for Darchund, as he kept confusing money for food.
It also became apparent that Rudolf did not know that Zelda was the princess. In fact, he was uninformed of their names, which seemed to be a purposeful action on the part of the Zoras. When introducing herself, Zelda used her alias.
"What a beautiful name," remarked Rudolf, and Zelda pretended to be flattered. "And you, lad?"
"Link," he replied.
"Link and Impa," Rudolf repeated. "Today, I will bring you to the Goron village so that you may rest. Tomorrow, we will travel up the volcano to see Darchund."
Link's mind kept going back to food. They still had water from the Zoras, but their food supply had dwindled considerably through the Ladin Pass. After the tiring journey, the last thing he wanted was to be expected to eat rocks.
They listened to Rudolf's cheery narrations as if he were a tour guide and they were visiting out of leisure. He pointed out the different mountains and told them their names, spoke lovingly of his family, and gave them a brief history of the Goron tribe. He did not ask about where they came from or where they were headed, for which Link and Zelda were grateful. While they had to keep their mission a secret, they were tired of lying.
"Ah, the Goron village!" exclaimed Rudolf, allowing them to survey the scene.
The village reminded Link of Kakariko, only much less populated. The buildings were made of wood and stone sturdy enough to support a heavy Goron. There were so many of them, young and old, male and female, though Link had trouble telling the difference between the genders. He saw houses and stores, and a winding pathway that he supposed led to the volcano. While it was unfamiliar to him, he was glad for civilization and a place to rest.
The Gorons began to notice Rudolf and his newcomers. A few of them made their way over curiously.
Rudolf stood proudly to introduce them. "Everyone, this is Link and Impa. The Zoras sent them through the Ladin Pass to see Darchund.
It was difficult to interpret the expressions of the Gorons. They stared at them with gleaming black eyes. Suddenly, they all erupted into a jaunty cheer, causing Link to smile, mostly in relief.
One of them came forward and took Zelda's hand. "You are as welcome as can be," he said. "My name is Gerulf. I own the village shop."
Zelda shook his hand, both nervous and excited. "Nice to meet you," she said sincerely.
"We apologize if the living conditions are not comfortable for you," Rudolf added. "But we Gorons do not require beds to sleep."
Gerulf smiled, still holding onto Zelda's hand. "They are welcome to sleep in the attic above my shop."
Another Goron suddenly interjected. "We must gather food for the newcomers." There was another cheer, and several Gorons followed him down the winding path. Link hid a grimace.
"This way," Gerulf said, tugging on Zelda's arm as gently as he could. Link and Zelda followed him to his store, which was just as dusty as the other buildings, but still quaint and well-kept. The inside was dark and cozy, with racks of mining tools, shelves of potion bottles, and a wooden cabinet that looked like it was being cleared out for something. "Coming Soon" read the sign fastened to the doors.
A narrow staircase led to the attic of the shop, which was empty except for a large canvas sheet covering something. Link didn't ask what it was, and Gerulf didn't elaborate.
"This will be your room," was all he said.
"Thank you," replied Zelda.
The attic provided shelter from the hot sun, but it was still stifling. After Gerulf left to return to his shop, Link slipped his boots off and laughed as Zelda wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"You stink too," he said to her.
"That's no way to talk to a princess," she answered with a grin, sweat-stained and dirty. It was the first time Link had seen her smile in a long time. It felt good to see her happier. He knew she was miserable, but so was he, and he didn't know how to make it better for her if he couldn't even make it better for himself.
"They're a lot more cheerful than I thought they would be," said Link. "And so welcoming."
"It's because they don't know who we are," Zelda reminded him. "Queen Damay was afraid they wouldn't help us if they knew why we're really here. That's why she gave us so much money and why she didn't tell them our names. We'll have to be careful if we're going to get what we need."
"We're seeing their Elder tomorrow. What are we going to tell him?" Link whispered.
"I don't know. But you have to remember that Din is the goddess of this region. She is the one they answer to. And she most definitely doesn't want us here."
00000
To Link's delight, they were not forced to eat rocks.
The Gorons provided them with a smoked mountain goat and crisp loaves of bread, and invited them to eat outside in the hot afternoon sun. For their own meal, the Gorons carried armfuls of rocks and crystals, which they arranged for people to choose from. Children came rushing over to select the best.
Everyone ate together as a group. Every meal was an occasion. A cause for celebration.
The goat was something Link had never tasted, but he enjoyed it, and he enjoyed his surroundings. The Gorons were jolly and warm, full of laughter. It made him wonder if Zelda's words were true. Still, he was careful not to give too much away in conversations he had with them.
"So, you say you're from Hillwind?" Gerulf asked. "Then you must be further away from home than you've ever been."
Link nodded. "Do you get human visitors often?"
Gerulf shrugged. "Now and again. Sometimes a lucky Alf will stumble upon us, and we'll give them something to eat and send them home. We trade with the other provinces sometimes. But I haven't seen a Hillwind since. . ." he trailed off.
Link ached with curiosity, wondering if it was Jørn. "Since when?"
"Must have been a few years ago," Gerulf replied. "Oh, well. I can't remember him much. Hey, Rudy, do you remember the Hillwind that visited us a few years back?"
Rudolf looked up from his rock assortment, and thought long and hard. "He wasn't a Hillwind. He was an Alf who had been living in Hillwind."
Link burst into excited laughter that made Zelda look his way in confusion. "That's Jørn," exclaimed Link.
"Yeah, that was his name," Rudolf agreed. "He was just a boy. He needed magic armor just to beat one of us in a contest, the feeble oaf." He burst into giggles.
"But really, the boy learned a lot. He told us that he had been everywhere in Hyrule," added Gerulf, crunching on a rock. "None of us have ever left the Eldin region. Rudy here is the only one who ever leaves the Goron Domain."
Finally, Zelda piped up. "It's beautiful here. If I lived here, I wouldn't leave, either."
The two Gorons smiled gratefully.
"That is very sweet of you, young lady," said Gerulf. "But truth be told, neither the clear Eldin skies, nor the white sands, nor even the gemstones hidden away in our mines are comparable to your own beauty."
Zelda blushed, startled at being called beautiful by somebody who was not human.
"He's right, you know. And where are you from, lass?" Rudolf asked.
"I'm from Hillwind, too," Zelda stuttered. Link stifled a laugh. He tried to imagine Zelda working in the fields, fishing, washing in the lake, climbing trees, living the simple Hillwind life. She wouldn't last a week. But the more he thought about it, the more it interested him. He remembered that the original plan was to bring Zelda back to Hillwind with them, before they found out what had happened to Daegal. Now Link didn't know what was going to happen.
"Oh, lovely. And what's Hillwind like nowadays?"
Link faithfully came to her rescue. "It's getting colder now," he answered. "It'll be winter soon. We've been doing lots of work to stock up on food before it snows."
"And now you're up here," laughed Rudolf. "Must be quite a change."
Zelda nodded. That was one thing she could be truthful about.
The Gorons didn't finish their meal quickly. They made it last the afternoon. Link and Zelda relaxed and enjoyed themselves, both agreeing that the Gorons were more hospitable than the Zoras.
They were interrupted by the sound of a horse's hooves on the sandy road. When the Gorons looked up, they groaned loudly, and some retreated to their homes. Rudolf and Gerulf remained to greet the newcomer, though they looked completely unenthusiastic.
When Link looked, he saw a blond, fair-skinned man in a tall, red hat atop a horse. He carried a bag on his back which was stuffed with something that Link couldn't see. He nudged Zelda to get her attention. When she saw the insignia on the man's red hat, she gasped and jumped to her feet, and ran inside Gerulf's shop, hiding her face as best she could.
Confused, Link wanted to chase after her. But he was also curious as to who the newcomer was.
"Who is that?" he asked Gerulf.
"The Hylian postman," Gerulf answered. "He is here to deliver Castle Town's news to us."
Rudolf scoffed as the man on the horse drew closer. When he dismounted, Link could see for the first time how short he was.
The postman rummaged in his bag for a bundle of papers. Without waiting to see if he had an audience, he unwrapped the papers and began his announcement.
"Delivery for the Goron Tribe of the Eldin region. Castle Town's latest news."
Link saw no expression from the man, except for when he eyed Link suspiciously, most likely wondering what another human was doing in the Goron Domain. Suddenly, he understood Zelda's reaction.
None of the Gorons moved to take the paper from the postman, so he shoved it into Gerulf's arms.
"You deliver mail?" Link asked the postman before he could mount his horse again.
The postman gave Link an exasperated expression, making Link's question sound stupid. "Yes, young man," he replied.
"Would you take a letter to Hillwind?"
The postman considered this, to Link's surprise. "Sending a letter such a long distance would be expensive, but I don't see why not. Where is the letter?"
"Well, I have to write it first," Link said hastily. He looked to the Gorons for help.
With a sudden change in attitude, Gerulf took the postman by the arm. "You've come such a long way," he said. "Why don't you stop into my store, and relax a bit?"
The postman hesitated, but agreed. Link ran ahead of them to Gerulf's shop and searched the counters for paper and a writing utensil, his hands shaking with excitement.
Upstairs, he found Zelda in the corner of the attic, looking frightened. "What are you doing?" she asked softly.
"Writing a letter home," said Link, spreading the paper out on the floor.
"What? Why?"
"Because I need them to know I'm okay."
It was evident that Zelda didn't want him to. She seemed afraid, which was strange for her.
"Just don't mention anything about what we're doing," she requested. "And don't mention my name. Don't even refer to me as Impa. Just leave me and the mission out of it. Tell them only how you're doing."
"Why does it matter?" asked Link.
"Because all the mail is inspected by Hylian officials in Castle Town."
Link didn't take the time to answer. He started furiously scribbling on the paper, addressing different parts of the letter to different people. To Jørn, he told of his newest adventures, seeing Gorons and Zoras, and meeting new people. He wished he didn't have to leave out the part about the Runner's Express. To Athol, he repeated over and over that it was going to be okay and not to worry about him. He also wrote to Domhn and Nichol, apologizing for being away so long.
When he was finished, he folded up the letter and took it downstairs, where he found Gerulf trying to entertain the postman.
"Here it is," he said, handing the letter over.
The postman accepted it along with the last of Link's rupees. He shoved it into his bag and tipped his hat.
"I must be on my way, now. Thank you for your business, young man."
"No, thank you," breathed Link. He watched the postman go, while worrying about all the things that might happen to the letter to prevent it from reaching Hillwind. He shook the thoughts from his mind.
Gerulf had a sour expression on his face. "He is always so rude to us. He brings us these newspapers expecting us to believe what we read. And he treats us like we're inferior." He stared at the paper in his hands. "Perhaps you would like to read it?"
He handed the newspaper to Link. "The princess is missing."
"What?" Link asked.
"It says on the front. The princess of Hyrule has gone missing. I hope they find her safe."
Link tucked the paper under his arm. "Me too," he said, and hurried up the stairs.
"Is he gone?" Zelda asked, keeping her voice down.
"Yeah, he left."
Zelda stepped out of her corner and straightened herself out. "I know it was probably irrational of me to hide. I was just afraid he would recognize me. We've come too far to make a stupid mistake like that. What's that you've got?"
Link showed her the paper. "A Hylian newspaper," he responded. "You're in it."
"Really?" Zelda took it from him and studied the front cover. "Well, at least it's nice to know he cares a little. There's nothing in here about Impa, though."
Out of curiosity, she flipped through the pages, shaking her head, laughing after reading some bits. "This is utter propaganda. Most of it isn't even true. Look. It says here that we've been recruiting soldiers for the milita. And here it says that the king will start paying more for Kakari and Veran imports. Whoever wrote this is a genius. He knows just how to appease the more powerful provinces while making it look like we could still crush them."
Link had lost interest in pretend Hylian current events. He had begun to poke around the huge canvas sheet.
"What do you think is under here?" he wondered aloud.
"It's probably covered up for a reason," muttered Zelda, still reading.
Curiosity got the best of Link. He lifted a corner of the canvas revealing some sort of experiment with different explosives. Quickly, he dropped the canvas, having seen something he probably wasn't supposed to.
"What was it?" Zelda asked.
"Bombs."
00000
It was hard to sleep on the wooden floor of the attic, but the humidity kept them warm through the night.
Early the next morning, they greeted Gerulf before setting off to find Rudolf. He was stationed just outside the Goron village, keeping a watchful eye out.
"Just precaution," he explained to them. "I stand watch through the night and warn the village if there's any disturbance."
"What kind of disturbance?" Zelda asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"Soldiers," replied Rudolf. "So, you two look like you're ready to go up the mountain."
Link and Zelda nodded.
"We'll be on our way, then. But I must prepare you. The Gorons who are stationed atop the peaks are much more hostile to outsiders. They are protecting our Elder, after all. Don't be surprised if they don't make you feel welcome."
Suddenly, Link remembered something else that Jørn had told him about the Gorons. He remembered that they would roll up into balls and trample their enemies if they felt threatened.
"Won't they leave us alone if they see we're with you?" he asked Rudolf.
Rudolf shrugged and laughed, which didn't make Link feel that much better.
He led them down the long, winding path, which started to tilt uphill, and eventually became steeper and rockier. Up on the peaks of the mountain, treacherous-looking Gorons stood watch. Link flinched, waiting for them to attack, but they only stared as they passed.
The climb was hot, and by the time they reached the top, both Link and Zelda were dizzy, out of breath, and dehydrated.
"We can rest for a moment," Rudolf offered, and they gladly accepted. "I forgot, humans need water. How silly of me. But don't worry, there's water in the spirit spring."
"What's the spirit spring?" Zelda asked.
"Inside the Elder's chamber, there is a spring that has been blessed by the Goddesses. The Gorons don't drink water, but every human who tastes it becomes recharged with strength. You are welcome to try it."
The Elder's chamber was blocked by two huge stone doors guarded by two equally huge Gorons. There was no sign of cheer in their faces.
"Gentlemen," Rudolf greeted them. "I have a couple of Hillwinds here to see Darchund."
The guards glared at him suspiciously. "What business do they have with the Elder?"
"Their business is their business," replied Rudolf, chuckling a bit to make light of the conversation. The guards didn't seem to think it was funny. "They were sent here by the Zora Queen Damay."
At the mention of the Zora Queen, the guards suddenly stepped aside to let them pass.
"Thank you," said Rudolf. He then turned to Link and Zelda. "I have to wait out here, I'm afraid. But you can go in, now. Good luck."
The guards opened the doors for them. Link and Zelda stepped into a dark cave lit only by candles. Ancient carvings, like the ones on the bodies of the Gorons, had been painted across the walls and ceiling. They saw no Elder, but they did find the spirit spring that Rudolf had mentioned. Each of them took a drink, and immediately felt restored.
"We should bring some of this with us," Link suggested.
"But where's Darchund?" wondered Zelda.
They followed a candlelit path through an archway into another room. At the far end of the room, the Goron Elder sat in a chair made of stone, surrounded by piles of glittering gemstones of all colors.
The Elder was easily three times the size of a normal Goron. He was misshapen, and somehow withered, if rock could appear withered. He still had the same gleaming eyes.
Before they could think of what to say, Darchund raised his head to gaze at them.
"Link and Zelda," he said in a raspy voice.
"How do you know my name?" Zelda demanded.
Darchund seemed to laugh, though it sounded more like hoarse coughing. "Queen Damay told me you would be coming, Princess. But to keep things as uncomplicated as possible, I did not inform the other Gorons of your true identity."
"So you lied to them?"
"They understand that you have a purpose, and perhaps it is not their place to be involved in that purpose. They trust me, and therefore, they trust you," Darchund replied. "You two have come for a special tool with which you will destroy Ganondorf. I have forged the silver arrows for you, and I wish I could give them to you as an act of generosity. I am not interested in making a price. All I am interested in are the purple-colored rupees that taste so delicious. A fair trade, I think."
Zelda reached for Link's wallet. "Give him the money," she commanded.
Link pulled out all the purple rupees, each worth fifty, and handed them to Darchund. They watched in horror as the Goron Elder swallowed two hundred and fifty rupees.
"Delectable," he remarked. "I must say, Princess Zelda, one thing I do not hold against the Hylians is the enforcement of their currency."
Zelda didn't know whether to smile or be embarrassed. "I'm glad you feel that way," was all she said.
"And in return for such a treat, I give you your tools." Darchund pulled a quiver of silver arrows from behind his throne and handed them to Zelda. She pulled one out, studying it, wondering how hard it would be to infuse one.
"Thank you, Darchund."
"But wait," Darchund continued. "There is one more thing." Again, he reached behind his throne and pulled out a beautifully crafted bow, which he handed to Link. "A hero's bow. It has been kept deep in the caverns of this volcano for centuries, until the proper use for it arrived. You are a hero unlike any other, Link."
The bow was heavy in Link's arms. He had never picked one up before, and certainly didn't know how to use it. He hated the feeling of it. Its sole purpose was to kill Daegal.
The Elder went on. "The only other Goron in this village who knows of your mission is the shopkeeper, Gerulf. I have given him the task of training you in the ways of the bow. You can trust him. For now, I wish you the best of fortune on your quest."
"How did it go?" Rudolf asked when they exited.
Link gripped the bow tightly in his hands. He wanted to say it had been successful, but it didn't feel that way. Now he could hold in his hands the tool of Daegal's destruction. He didn't even want to look at the arrows.
"We got what we came for," Zelda answered him. She strung the quiver onto her back so Link wouldn't have to carry it.
"I hope they satisfy you," said Rudolf. "Those are some of the most finely crafted tools in all of Hyrule."
00000
Back in the village, Gerulf was waiting for them. He took Link and Zelda into his shop where no one could hear.
"I assume you spoke with the Elder?" he asked in a low voice.
They nodded.
"So you are aware that I have been informed of your mission?"
"Yes," said Zelda. "Do you know who I am?"
"I do, Princess," Gerulf replied. "I'm sorry to have had to keep secrets from you. But now that you have your weapons, I can begin to train you. Who wants to go first?"
Zelda glanced at Link, who was beginning to feel very sick. His hands shook as Zelda handed him the quiver.
"You should learn how to do this," she whispered.
Link took the arrows from her. They glistened even in the dim light. The way they clinked together in the quiver made him feel nauseated.
Gerulf didn't seem to notice Link's trouble.
"About a mile from the village, I've set up some targets. We can go there for practice. Would you like to come, Princess?"
Zelda hesitated. "I would probably just be a distraction," she finally said.
Gerulf took Link to a secluded canyon outside the Goron village. It was littered with red targets, some high and some low, some near and some far away. Gerulf took the bow and an arrow to demonstrate the first shot. Link tried to pay attention, but the heat combined with the anxiety was making him dizzy.
"The arrow goes in like this. . .then you draw. . .aim. . .and fire." He shot the arrow into the center of the nearest target. Once he had retrieved it, he handed it to Link. "Can you try to do that?"
Link threaded the arrow with shaking fingers. It took a lot of strength to draw back the whole way, but Link fired, and the arrow sailed through the air, hitting Daegal in the chest.
Link gasped and stepped back. Gerulf observed his shot, which had landed far to the left of his.
"Not bad, boy," he cheered.
Link's heart was beating rapidly. He couldn't get Daegal's face out of his mind. His innocent, smiling face and golden eyes.
On Gerulf's command, Link fired more arrows, each time killing Daegal over and over again.
00000
They returned for their evening meal, where Link rejoined a glum-looking Zelda.
"How did it go?" she asked.
Link couldn't answer her. He couldn't explain the horrifying feeling he got when he heard an arrow puncture a target. He shrugged, and Zelda knew not to ask any more questions.
They retired to the attic of Gerulf's shop when stars began to appear in the sky. The fierce sun had set, lighting the sky ablaze as if the volcano were erupting. It cast the village in an orange glow, and doused the mountains and canyons in shadow. Crickets were singing, and every so often a breeze would blow loose sand around.
Sometimes, the Gorons would stay out all night, cheering and singing, dancing and wrestling. It was quiet in the attic. Almost too quiet for Link's liking.
Zelda sat by herself in the corner again, clearly troubled. Link was afraid to ask her about it.
"Are we leaving tomorrow?" he asked.
Zelda nodded.
"I'll tell Rudolf to lead us back to the pass tomorrow morning." For some reason, this statement made Zelda's face contort in worry. "Is something wrong?" Link asked her.
"What do you mean?"
"You've seemed down since the Marshes."
Zelda scoffed. "Well, of course I'm down. We've been travelling for weeks, always on the move, on a mission to save the world. Of course something's wrong."
Link could see right through her stinging tone. He did it with Athol so often, it had become second nature to see when someone was trying to avoid something.
"I mean more wrong than usual."
Link had never seen Zelda cry before, but when she started, it broke his heart. She completely broke down in front of him, and he didn't know what to do. When Daegal was upset, he wanted to be given space. But Link didn't know if that would work with Zelda. She looked like she needed someone, to make up for the countless years she had been alone.
He sat down next to her. "What is it?"
Zelda calmed herself down to the point where she could talk.
"I've seen too much," she answered. "I knew my father was negligent of the kingdom, but I never imagined it had gotten this bad. He's ruined everyone's lives, and I just wish I could fix it."
"You can fix it," said Link, trying to be comforting. "Once it's your turn to rule."
"It will be too late by then. So many people have died, and so many more people will die, especially if my father discovers the Marshes. I can't let that happen. I can't let this continue." She looked at Link, her blue eyes wide and pleading. "I have a rather large favor to ask."
"Anything," Link promised.
"Before we go through with the mission, would you come to Castle Town with me? So I can talk to my father?"
Link didn't know what he was supposed to say. Zelda was clearly upset and not thinking rationally. They couldn't go to Castle Town now that everyone knew the princess was missing.
Zelda could see Link hesitating. "I know it's a lot to ask. But it means a lot to me. And in the long run, it would make the journey quicker, since we wouldn't have to make the trip through the pass again."
Link wasn't sure about that. To go back the way they came would be safer, and they would run into less trouble. But he looked at Zelda's tearstained face. She was begging him.
"All right," he finally said. "But I still think it's a terrible idea." Ultimately, Link hoped to delay his next meeting with Daegal.
Zelda hugged Link, which startled him. "Thank you," she said. "I'll take care of everything."
They stayed like that for a few minutes, listening to the muffled shouts of the Gorons as they celebrated into the night.
"We used to have parties like that in Hillwind," said Link, laughing at the memory. "Especially during harvest season. Everyone would play music and make food, and the party would last all through the night. Jørn and I would always drink too much. Daegal would always hide from the noise."
"What's Jørn like?" Zelda asked.
"He's quiet," replied Link. "But he's got stories. He's been everywhere, seen everything there is to see. He's the best person I know, but he has a lot of anger inside of him."
"He's an Alf, right?"
"Yeah. There's still a lot of bad blood between him and the Hylians. If there's anything Jørn's good at, it's holding grudges. I suppose it's all justified, though. He lost his home and family when he was young. And he has a daughter now that he can't claim, because he's afraid that people will mistreat her because of her heritage." As he spoke, Link wondered how that whole situation was going. Maybe by the time he made it back home, Jørn would be married to Liliah.
"That's why I need to talk some sense into my father," explained Zelda. "So there's no longer any stigma against Alfos. So they can finally get a chance at a good life. It's not fair that some humans are rich and some humans are poor based on where they live and what they look like. The power structure has to end. This way of life isn't what the Goddesses wanted when they created Hyrule. We've warped it to match our own interests. And it's disgusting."
"You're talking like a great leader," Link remarked. "I feel as though even Hillwind would agree to be a part of that."
"That's quite a serious assumption." Zelda smiled at him, and then reclined on the hard floor to sleep.
"Want this?" Link asked, holding out Edvard's jacket.
"Sure," said Zelda. She bundled it up beneath her head to use as a pillow. "Thanks."
They fell asleep listening to the Goron's singing.
00000
"You want to go to Hyrule Field?" Gerulf asked incredulously. The three of them were eating breakfast in his shop so they could discuss plans freely.
"Yes, please," answered Zelda. "We're going to cut across the field. It will be faster, and our mission is time-sensitive. We don't have time to go all the way to the Zora Domain again."
"But it's so much more dangerous," argued Gerulf. "What if you are spotted, Princess? Then your entire journey is compromised. And what about the Bulblins?"
Link had forgotten about the Bulblins. Suddenly, he thought about telling Zelda that her plan was stupid after all, and that they should go back the way they came like they had originally planned.
But Zelda shook her head. "It's a short distance to the castle. Once we make it there, we can safely travel on the Main Road. It takes us right to the Eldin Port, right where we need to go."
Gerulf sighed and considered it. "I suppose you must do what you need to do for the good of Hyrule. But you need to be careful, Princess."
"We will," Link promised.
Gerulf stood up after finishing his breakfast of rocks. "I have something for you to bring with you." He opened a cupboard and pulled out two jars of crystal clear water. "It's from the spirit spring. It will give you the energy to finish your mission. But use it wisely. Be careful not to run out."
"I'll pack our bag," offered Link. He took the water from Gerulf, thanked him, and then returned to the attic.
No matter how many things he stuffed into the magic pouch, everything fit. He packed the water jars and the remaining rupees inside, along with the bow and arrows.
For some reason, Link still had a burning curiosity about the explosives under the canvas. He lifted the cover one last time to get a better look at them.
"I've been working on those for a while now."
Link gasped and spun around, startled to see Gerulf standing at the top of the stairs.
"I didn't mean to-"
"It's all right, boy. Take a look." Gerulf pulled the entire sheet of canvas off, revealing his entire experiment. "I thought explosives would make mining easier for us. But I've been trying to keep them a secret. I don't want the Hylians to find this and use it against us. It could be a great weapon. And I only want it to be used for good."
"How do they work?" asked Link.
"I wish I could show you how. Maybe if you came back to visit sometime, you could try them out for yourself." He rummaged around and pulled out a miniature bomb. "After I got them to work, I started making them in all sizes. This one will fit on your arrows, creating explosive arrows."
Link studied it carefully. "It's a great invention," he said.
"Take a few," offered Gerulf. "Test them out on your own. And don't forget to practice your aim."
"I will," Link promised. "Thank you, Gerulf.
"You're doing the right thing, brother. I have faith in you."
It was strange to get a hug from a rock, but it felt nice anyway. Gerulf held him as gently as possible, and to Link's surprise, he was very warm.
"Are you ready?" he heard Zelda call from downstairs.
"Coming," Link replied. He thanked Gerulf again, and then tucked the bombs into his own pocket where Zelda would not be able to find them.
She was waiting for him in the shop. "Rudolf is waiting for us," she said. "We have to go tell him that there's been a change of plans."