"Now, then," said Zelda in a tone of import. "We're all here."
Link yawned widely before he could stop himself, earning a cool look from Queen Zelda. "Uh… Your Majesty… why did you call me here?"
She sniffed. "I am sorry for pushing this onto you when you've only just returned, but I have a mission for you and Ashei." Hearing her inclusion, the warrior perked up with a too-innocent look.
"We need the divine power of the Goddesses. You will need to travel to Faron Province, to the Sacred Grove, and reclaim the Master Sword." She studied him for a reaction.
Link didn't notice his open mouth. "I'm… sorry? Master Sword? Faron? What divine power?"
The queen sighed. "I suppose you'll merely have to remain ignorant for the time being."
Link felt a touch of anger. "Ignorant of what? If I'm gonna be in danger, you have to tell me what I'm up against, or else you'll be as good as sentencing me to death."
Her mouth tightened, and she stuck her chin out with a sniff. Link thought she disliked him. 'Well, if that's the case, I don't like her either. Royalty. Seem just like the popular kids. Always thinking they're better than everyone else.'
"It would simply take too long to explain-"
"I don't agree!"
"Link, be silent." The teal woman said.
"I would like an explanation-"
"You do not require one." The queen said coldly, muting him. "It is not relevant to your mission. All that is imperative to know is your destination and your goal. The subject is now closed." Her eyes spoke the end of the debate louder than her words did.
Link slumped back into his seat, massaging the bridge of his nose.
"If it will assuage you," she said after a moment. "you are retrieving the Master Sword, the blade which sounds evil's withdrawal. Midna- the woman next to me -will aid your mission."
Midna, the mysterious woman, spoke up again. "I will transport the two of you via portal… Does that sound familiar to you?" She fixed him with an intent stare.
"N…." Link turned it over in his mind. "… No. Should it?"
She huffed out a breath. "No, I suppose it shouldn't; not yet. 'Twas merely wishful thinking."
"So when do me and Ashei leave?" Link asked, sitting up straighter. The soles of his boots drummed against the tiled floor softly.
She turned to Ashei. "As soon as you and him can return with the necessary equipment."
Link scowled at her deliberate ignorance of him. "All right." He said curtly, rising. "Ashei, I'll meet you in the training room."
He turned on his heels and left the room, catching a faint "Weren't the Elders supposed to be here…?" before he crossed the threshold.
Several minutes later
"Could you possibly be a little more disrespectful to the Queen of Hyrule?" Ashei's fists rested on her hips.
"She doesn't like me. I don't like her. I don't owe anything to her, so why shouldn't I be a dick?" He stuffed changes of clothes into a rucksack
"Because you actually owe her your life and more. Much more. You're not going to be an asshole to the Queen of Hyrule." She palmed her face. "I don't think I've ever heard a more ignorant sentiment, even in your case, where you don't remember what she's done for you."
"Well, don't get too mad at me, or I might forget the 'one' I owe you." He said, finalizing the change in subject with a goofy grin.
As expected, she turned a bright scarlet. "Dammit Link, I mean it!" she didn't quite succeed in keeping her voice from quivering.
He spread his hands, surrendering. "I get it, I used to know her, but now I don't, so it looks like I've got a lot of work to do."
"You done yet?" She said, hands returning to hips.
"Yeah." He said, hoisting his pack over his shoulder. "Here's yours." Before he'd been taken here, he would have had a bit more trouble lifting the pair of packs, but training had already improved his physique a bit. 'If this is from one week, then imagine what I'll be like in a month.'
They returned to the Meeting Hall, finding the Goron Elders there waiting with the Patriarch. They were seated at the enormous head table, noticeably much larger than the others. Darbus raised a hand. "Yo! Link-Goro! Good luck!" he said in greeting with a toothy grin. He raised a hand, shouting back.
"Do you have to be so loud?" Ashei complained.
"Oh, it's all in good fun."
"Not for long." She said flatly. "You're gonna to need that sword soon."
Midna stood at the center of the room where tables had been cleared to make a space. She watched them approach with a neutral look, her glyphic arms by her sides. "Are you both ready?" she asked.
They both nodded. She closed her eyes for a solid second, frowning in concentration. She opened her orange, catlike eyes just as a black-and-green portal split the air with a snapping sound.
Link recoiled, shielding his face before he realized that it would not kill him. He lowered his arms, marveling at a portal- a real, rippling portal! -right in front of him. The void inside swirled, resolving into a frozen forest. Snow billowed into the room in gossamer sheets before Midna uttered an indecipherable word- then it stopped. Link picked his way around to the back of the portal, curious to see what would happen if he touched the other side, but jerked back at simultaneous emphatic shouts of "No!" from Midna and Ashei. They looked at him as they might a young boy that tried to touch a woman's breast.
"These have been known to sever limbs, you fool!" Midna admonished, a suddenly tight expression on her face. "Just come here, so I can imbue your swords with temporary wardings."
Link watched her run her fingers twice over each sword, and they shone brighter and even looked sharper. Link hefted it, shocked to discover that it felt half as heavy as before. "Can you just do this whenever you want? 'Cause it's pretty awesome."
"No," she said, eyeing Link as if he'd suggested drinking hot spring water. "It takes a certain type of power that doesn't regenerate for a few hours after use. I won't bore you with the details, so just know that I can't do it more than once or twice every few hours."
Link shrugged. "It's still cool as hell."
Midna gave a wry smile. "Good luck, Link. Ashei."
Then they stepped through.
"You're sure that they left?" he asked, rattling fingernails on the arms of his throne. They plinked each time a finger descended. The Minion spread his arms in an elaborate bow and began to repeat itself verbatim, but a clawed hand waved through the air cut it short.
"You're dismissed." It bowed its bulbous head before retreating to the door. Minions were almost never wrong, so feeling assured of the accuracy of the report was not misplaced faith. He leaned back in the throne, accessing the unmanned aerial drone cameras with slight motions of his retinas. His personal computer was, of course, attuned to him and him alone, so no-one else would understand the functions and commands of his operating system; it was built on his personal habits, idiosyncrasies, and some unique features only another of his species could access.
"Let me see you, Link, Hero of Twilight." The young man appeared on the screen, pointed ears and brilliant blue eyes. He somewhat regretted having merely sent him forward in time instead of killing him or bringing him to his ship, but it was no matter if it was delayed some. These Hyrulians were so easily subjugated that it made his mistake negligible.
"Come to me, Hero of Twilight… The Tyrant King awaits you." He made a sound akin to a snort at his selection of title.
This is now the Author's Note. New chapter will be tomorrow to make up for this one's shortness.