Here is the third chapter after more than a month. It took me forever because I have been at work six days out of the week while we all take turns on vacation (our department is very short-staffed). I finally revised this chapter and have it ready for posting. I'm going to try and discipline myself to revise and write more before classes start in three weeks. Now, without further ado, here is the third installment.

Let the Journey Begin

Trot-trot, trot-trot, trot-trot. This is the sound Link hears as he gallops across the grassy plains to the castle he was afraid he wouldn't reach in time. This horse is definitely the better way to travel as she is speedy, obedient, and sleek-looking so he gets there fast and looks cool doing it. At the drawbridge where Zola's River surrounds and protects the castle he is forced to stop and hop off of his horse because she is not allowed to go into town. He has to trust she will stay here without taking off into the wild blue yonder while he is away visiting Zelda.

Quickly, though, he recalls that whenever he lost track of her in the future al he had to do was play Epona's Song, and she would come running back to him. Of course, she was also older and bigger. No one better mess with his horse, he thinks. He couldn't do that to poor Malon. After promising he'd take care of the foal, he can't let some thief make off with her. Snapping him out of his worries, she neighs softly. He smiles and strokes her snow-white mane. It's the softest thing he's ever felt. Even though their future adventures have been forgotten by the steed, he knows she will be alright alone. Now at ease knowing everything will be fine while he's gone, he looks into her big black eyes and tells her he'll be right back. She snorts in his face, and with a look of disgust he walks away wiping his cheek off.

In the castle town, people bustle around as usual. Over at one of the stands a mass huddles closely, most likely bidding on some so-called rare and new item. He never did trust those merchants. All they care about is making money no matter at whose expense it is. That's why he never bought anything from them. Anything they sell he could probably find in the wilderness and sell on his own. Glancing at the spot where he originally met Malon, he continues straight through the town, almost being run into by the man who is always late. "Huff-huff, I'm late. For a very important date." That's what he said back then. Some underfed and scruffy mutts run around yipping at each other, and he recalls the one named Richard who was owned by the rich and stuck-up lady living in the alley. She gave him a nice reward for finding her poor pooch and bringing him home again. After all though, he thinks to himself, that's his job. At least being a hero grants you rewards at times.

The Happy Mask Shop is ahead on his right. The creepy man there with a perpetual smile on his face has the dream of selling all his masks because he believed out there in the world there was someone meant for each one, and selling that person the mask would bring happiness to the individual and the one selling it. Link, of course, sold them all. The trickiest one was the man running around the field aimlessly at night, chasing rabbits and trying to be one of them. Fittingly he sold him the Bunny Hood. The guy in the white toga and running sandals was forever grateful and paid him handsomely. It filled his empty giant's wallet, which holds five hundred rupees. For some reason he stops his straight ahead path and makes a detour to the small shop. On the door is a sign posted. Curious, he leans in to read it. 'Happy Mask Shop closed until further notice. Sorry for any inconvenience.' Link looks perplexed that he would leave his shop. It was his dream, his life's desire. Oh, well. Link has his own dream to attend to now. He turns and keeps walking.

Once out of the town, the sounds die down, and he finds himself staring down a dirt road. High dirt walls surround it, and up ahead a lone tree stands. Vines grow on the wall on the right. If he were to continue the path would bend to the right and lead up the gate where one of the many incompetent guards supposed to be protecting the castle stands. To get around this, he climbs up the vines and runs quietly along until he gets to the gate. He then jumps off behind it, landing perfectly and not attracting any attention. The dirt road runs up and curves to the left this time, and on the right it goes to a dead end where a cave housing a fairy is. She gave him a magic spell called Din's Fire. Din is the goddess who cultivated the land of Hyrule with her flaming arms and made the land the way it is. Her color was orange, Link's least favorite hue, but she is still one of the Three to be revered and worshipped.

The guards ahead come into view, and he stops walking before they see him. Of course, their vision is severely limited, probably by those ugly visors attached to their silver helmets that match their other armor. Each holds a spear and wears even dumber looking pantaloons that are striped. Nothing is majestic about them, but that must be the best the king can do. Easily he slips past them by climbing the hill that is right before the first pair of guards. Then it's a clear run past another guard who has his back facing the bridge the overhang of the stonewall and gate creates. Trees scattered around the grass decorate the area, and a few butterflies flutter around some yellow flowers. He runs this way until he gets to a brick wall he can scale. After jumping off, he runs a little bit more and dives into the moat. It carries him around to side of the castle, and again no guards spot him.

On the right side of the castle, he climbs out and glances back at the fifteen or so men he just snuck past undetected. Then, smirking to himself, he pushes the milk crates most likely left here by Talon into the moat and stacks them to form a mound he can jump off of and reach the small ledge where water flows out so he can climb into the castle walls only to sneak past more inept sentinels and to the courtyard where Zelda most likely is. At least, he hopes she's there. If not, he's kind of in trouble. Thinking positively, he jumps across and crawls through the tiny tunnel.

After sneaking past everyone else with the same amount of ease, he steps out of concrete tunnel than separates the courtyard and the garden where she is. At the window she stands wearing her pink and white dress. A headpiece to match adorns her crown with the three triangles put together to form another larger one known to all as the Triforce on the front. All that stands between them now is the bed of flowers she likes to attend to herself. The circular area is very open, and windows on each side provide a small glimpse into the castle. At one is a guard who throws a bomb at you if you misbehave, and in another are pictures of strange creatures that are not of this world. Around it flows a moat that is not very deep. Fond memories tug at him as well as a smile when he calls out her name.

With the reserved countenance all royal family members possess, she turns around. That façade is quickly dropped when she sees the Hero of Time standing there, and she rushes over to greet him, carefully tiptoeing around her flowerbed and leaping at and latching onto him. He hugs the enthusiastic princess back. Regaining her composure, she releases him.

"Link, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay in the forest. That's why I sent you back." To not make her feel even more guilty about what she put him through even though they were only children, he decides to not tell her he wishes she hadn't done that.

"It got kind of small after a few days. After saving the world and then having to go back there it wasn't exactly an easy adjustment."

"I'm sorry, Link. It's all my fault. I was young-well, technically we're young again…." He sort of laughs, and she frowns. "You know what I mean. We didn't know what was truly at stake. I am sorry I got you into that."

"Relax, Zel, I didn't come to visit to make you feel guilty. Besides, it wasn't really your fault, it was the Goddesses and destiny, remember?"

"I suppose you're right. But I am still the one who enlisted your help no matter what was supposed to happen." It gets awkward and quiet for a second. Suddenly, though, she smiles, just as soon happy as she was dark. "But like you said, that isn't what you came her for. Would you mind terribly telling me what that reason is?"

"Well, like I told you a second ago it's small in the forest, and I'm getting kind of antsy. And do you remember Navi?"

"Your fairy partner? The one that was always squeaking out advice?" He laughs at her description.

"Yeah, that one. She and I were really close, you know? She helped me out so much, and I never got the chance to tell her before she flew out of the window in the Temple of Time when I laid the Master Sword down to rest. I want to go and search for her so I could tell her all of that and tell her how thankful I am."

"So what exactly is it that you're saying?"

"I'm leaving to go find her with Epona, and I don't know how long I'll be gone. I told Malon it wouldn't be that long so she wouldn't mind me borrowing my horse, but I honestly have no idea." That wasn't what she wanted to hear though it was what she thought he was meaning. She knows his adventurous spirit couldn't be contained within the confines of his old home.

"When did you plan on leaving? Did you need any help? I'm sure Viscen would have a few guards he could spare-"

"No, Zelda. This is a personal quest. Thank you for the offer, but I need to do this alone."

"I understand, and I wish you all the best. I hope you find her. When you do, tell her I say thank you for protecting the Hero of Time. Hyrule, the Royal Family, and I shall always be grateful."

"Of course I'll tell her. I'm sure she'll be happy if not a little embarrassed. Will you and Hyrule be okay while I'm gone?"

"I think we'll manage. Peace is supposed to reign here for a while." She glances back at the window she was previously staring into before Link arrived a few minutes ago. "I am a little worried about him, though."

"About who?" he asks looking behind her and trying to see in. The last time she was staring into the window that shows the king's court she was watching Ganondorf in a meeting with her father. He was the prince of the Gerudo race who hailed from the west, and he wished to form an alliance with the Hylians, but Zelda, having the power of premonition, saw in her dreams a storm cloud billowing over the land. She knew it meant that man. When she enlisted Link, she was sure he was the green light that shot out of the forest with a fairy beside him and a shining green stone. Link had with him the Spiritual Stone of Forest, also known as the Kokiri's Emerald. To obtain it, he had to destroy the parasitic arachnid named Gohma inside the Great Deku Tree and free his guardian from the curse inflicted upon him by Ganon in a twisted attempt to get the stone for himself. It was his key to the Sacred Realm where he would snatch the Triforce from where it belonged to use to fulfill his wicked will. That led to the whole Hero of Time adventure.

"What do you mean you're worried about him? Who is he?" She motions for him to look, so he comes closer and takes a peek inside. Kneeling at the foot of His Royal Highness is a man as tall as Ganon was. He has the same greenish complexion and orange-red hair pulled back and tied into a small ponytail. His armor is also like Ganon's was with it being brown and black with a few traditional marks of the Gerudo clan adoring it in strange places. Apparently sensing Link's gaze he looks up and glances at the boy. His eyes are startling as they hold the same confidence and malevolence Ganon had when he glanced at Link in the same way. Link gasps and backs off, looking at Zelda. "Zelda, he looks like Ganon."

"Yes, I know. That is why I am worried. I don't know who this man could be. Only one male is born among the Gerudos every one hundred years, and Ganon was the last male. There is something strange about him that we need to watch."

"Do you think maybe I shouldn't go?" he asks, the worry showing in his blue eyes. "If he needs to be watched, then-"

"No," she assures him. "It'll be fine, don't worry. You just go and find your friend. If anything comes up, I'll contact you."

"But how will you do that? We don't exactly have a psychic bond or anything." With that point being brought up, she realizes he's right, and she searches her brain for another solution. Suddenly a blue instrument pops onto her mind, and she reaches in her dress into the pocket she had Impa, her nanny and caretaker, sew in for hiding things. Out of it she pulls the Ocarina of Time. Inscribed on the mouthpiece is a small golden Triforce, and the finger holes adorn the front of the beautifully crafted and sanctified instrument passed down by the Royal Family only to other members. "Here, take this with you." She holds it out to him, but he stares at it, making no move to take it from her. "Through this you can contact me. Just play the Song of Time. You do remember it, right?"

"Of course I do. I only had to use to save the world about a million times."

"Then take this. Don't worry about anything. I trust you, and I know you won't lose it. Besides, it's for the good of Hyrule, Hero of Time." She smirks at her last comment, and he practically rolls his eyes at her. She, however, is relentless and shoves it at him with even more tenacity. He could give in now or endure more comments and shoving at. He chooses the former and takes the ocarina from her pale hands. She then clasps them together to show her happiness as she has done many a time.

"All right, Zel, I'll take it if it means protecting Hyrule. Just don't use it to contact me to make sure I'm safe. I will be."

"Yeah, yeah. I won't. You just better not spend too much time away. It may give him the opening he needs to do whatever it is he wants. Another Ganon would only be a big headache."

"Yeah, and I don't want to deal with it as much as you don't." Neither having anything more to say, a silence falls over the pair. Link appears now hesitant to leave his home and his friends. Of course, Zelda is the only friend who even remembers they're friends besides the innocent and annoying Kokiri children. The hero is nervous, she laughs to herself and decides to be the one to send him on his way.

"So I guess this is goodbye for now. You go get Navi, and I'll stay here and watch this new guy." He still won't speak. "Good luck, Link. May the Goddesses be with you. Stay safe." He nods slightly and tells her good-bye before quickly turning and speeding away like a child caught doing something wrong now trying to avoid punishment by their parent. He's a strange one, that much is for sure. Sometimes it is strange to think that together they helped save the whole world. After watching him disappear out of the courtyard, she turns back to her window to watch.

End of chapter.

Alright, so Link finally starts on his adventure. At least, he will in the next chapter. Keep reading to find out what happens