~Chapter 7~
"Shinda?" a voice called, making Shinda lift her sleepy head in response. Princess Zelda stood in the doorway, looking around with interest. Her dress was torn and covered with filth from the sewer they had fallen through. She lost both of her shoes, and even though Shinda offered her the shoes the servant had given her, Zelda had refused. Her hair had fallen loose of its design, and hung loose around her shoulders. Only her blue eyes looked the same, and they seemed to glow in the pale light of the flickering torches. Shinda had come to like the look of blue eyes; they seemed pure and gentle.
Zelda smiled when she saw Shinda. "Hey, there you are! I was wondering where you were…this place is so confusing," she told Shinda as she took a step forward, causing Shinda to jump up.
"Stop! Wait!" Shinda cried, rushing to Zelda to stop her from moving forward. Zelda paused, her foot still in the air.
"What is it?" Zelda asked, trying not to fall over. Shinda took Zelda's hand and guided her around the large hole in the floor, the very one that had almost killed her mother years ago. Zelda let herself be led, trying to see what Shinda saw, but still saw solid ground.
"There is a hole. Please, princess, don't explore the well without me," Shinda told Zelda, letting her sit down next to herself. As Zelda sat carefully on the dirty ground, Shinda picked up the book she was reading and turned back to the page she was on.
Zelda smiled. "Thank you, Shinda. You must really know this place by heart." She looked curiously at the book in Shinda's hand. "Shinda, we need to talk about this plan."
Shinda did not look up, but sighed heavily. "I am not changing my mind. No, I am not crazy, either. This HAS to work! I don't know much about Ganondorf, or this Hero of Time, but if Ganondorf is as evil as I have been told, then we must destroy him for good. Then, I can come back here, forever, and alone." She flipped the page, deep in her reading. Zelda said nothing, just watched the Sheikah skim through the ancient words on the page. Clearing her throat, she asked Shinda about her book.
"That's not Hylian, is it?"
Shinda looked up at that. Zelda stared hard at Shinda, making the girl feel self-conscious. Zelda was absolutely beautiful, even when covered in head to toe with dirt. I am not that pretty, Shinda thought, before smacking herself. What was she thinking? She never thought like that! She has never compared herself to someone before, and the feeling was alien to her. Coughing, she nodded.
"Yes and no. Mother calls this Old Hylian. It's the written language from hundreds of years ago. I can't read Ancient Hylian," Shinda said, waving a hand over to the pile of books with strange hieroglyphics, "Mother died before she taught me." Shinda turned the next page. "I don't know the spoken word for the old language, but I know how it is read. That's all I need, really."
Zelda laughed, before covering her mouth. "What?" Shinda asked, looking a little hurt. "Was it something I said?"
"No, no. It's just ironic. I can't read the written word of Old Hylian, but I can understand spoken word. It is something the royal family is taught at an early age. Several races still speak the old word, so it is important for me as royal blood to be able to communicate with these races."
Shinda looked at Zelda for a moment before smiling. "Yes…that is amusing."
"Your name is Old Hylian, did you know that?" Zelda asked Shinda.
Shinda's eyes widen with the news, and she closed her book. She turned her body to face the princess, and suddenly felt a strange sense of happiness. Shinda has never really had such an interesting conversation with another human before, and she felt as if she could get use to it.
"No, I did not. Could you… tell me what is means?" Shinda asked, leaning forward with interest. Zelda coughed.
"Sure, but are you sure you want to know?" Zelda asked, shifting in her seat with discomfort. Shinda nodded, leaning in farther.
"Yes, I really, really do."
"Very well, if that is what you wish." Zelda closed her eyes, remembering her lessons. "Shinda….Shinda….ah, yes. Shinda, you name is very fitting for your home, I think."
"Yes?" Shinda encouraged, getting excited.
"Your name means dead, or death, Shinda. Um… to be dead, or to die," Zelda said slowly, watching for Shinda's reaction. Shinda did noting at first, the truth of her name had not registered on her face. Then, she leaned back, considering her next words.
"Death, huh?" Shinda looked at the ceiling before sighing. "Not very fitting, as I am alive. But… Shinda is only my nickname, as my real name is a bit harder to say."
Zelda looked surprised. "Really? Would you mind telling me?"
"Shinjitsu Noko is my real name, princess. Well… I think Noko is my last name, but I am not sure," Shinda said, trying to remember her past. She could never pronounce her name when she was young, so her mother had given her Shinda as a nickname, to help her daughter learn her own existence. Zelda blinked, and turned her head to one side.
"Interesting. Very strange for a name indeed," she mumbled, looking hard at the floor.
"What? What is?" Shinda asked.
Zelda gave Shinda a half smile. "You real name holds an entire different meaning. And a very strange one at that."
"Well, what does it mean?"
"Your name," Zelda told Shinda, "mean 'Child of Truth.'"
"Found it!" Shinda sang out, springing up, clutching a book tight in her hands. Leaving the princess sitting on the floor, she sprinted out to where Faren sat with Link, trying to give the wounded boy water to drink. Faren look up at Shinda's sudden entrance, dropping the ladle of water on the floor.
"What did you find? And where did you come from?" Faren cried, falling back and sitting down hard.
"Never mind that! Look!" Shinda said, shoving the book into Faren's face. "See here? It says here the way to get to the god of the dead! I knew it was in one of these books!" Shinda twirled around the room in her elated state before remembering the princess. She ran back through the wall, making Faren gasp in shock, and came back leading the princess safely to the fireplace.
"Thank you, Shinda. Now, please explain what you found," the princess said, taking a seat next to Link. She placed a hand on his face, and observed his face. He was not recovering, she could tell, but said nothing to her guards.
"Ok, it says here," Shinda began, pointing to the page, "that within the Shadow Temple, there is a boat known as the Boat of Death, that leads souls to a place of rest. If we were to get on that boat, it should lead us to the lair of the Devil. However…" Shinda paused, looking up from her page, "it says here that without the guide of a Sheikah, if one that was alive was to get on this boat, they would parish before reaching the Devil. Also, there is a very good chance that the Devil himself may do us in before even letting us talk."
Faren rolled his eyes. "Oh, what a wonderful thought, being killed by the god of the dead himself. Why don't we just kill ourselves here?"
Shinda shot an evil glance his way, but Zelda spoke up. "Well, we have our Sheikah guide, so this is a good start. Perhaps, since I am of royal blood, there is something I could offer in exchange of our lives."
Shinda shook her head. "I cannot guarantee that because you are of royal blood that you will be safe from harm. He is a god after all. I do not think that the gods of his stature care of human status."
Faren mumbled before speaking up. "Why go through all that trouble to save the princess just to have her killed? Let's forget this crazy plan, and move on!"
"I could go alone. I don't need everyone to come with me," Shinda said, closing her book. "Plus, if I die, I could rejoin my mother in heaven. This is the only chance we have to stop Ganondorf," Shinda said, turning to Zelda, "and I think you know it."
Zelda sighed. "True. I do not have the knowledge of Ganondorf's weakness, and from the demonstration he should at the castle, his power is beyond our imagination. I think," she continued, "that we should try this plan, even if it goes against Nayru's laws."
Faren opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself, knowing he would lose this battle. Growing with impatience, he turned his back to the girls, and began to polish his sword.
"Fine, then," he said, "I will stay here with Princess Zelda and Link. You go see this "god" and bring back this hero. But you go alone."
"Faren…" Zelda tried to reason, but Shinda shook her head, and smiled.
"Of course, I will go alone."
Faren said nothing as he slid a cloth over the blade of his sword. Shinda bent down, and looked at the human boy, Link. He had a face that reminded her of Zelda's; she remembered his eyes were blue like the sky, and his blonde hair fell in front of his pained face. He breathed hard, and wavered. Although he was no longer bleeding, he was not healed, and when he rolled in his slumber he let out a cry of pain, reminding everyone that his wounds are very grave.
"How is he?" Shinda asked, and Zelda shook her head.
"Don't worry about him. He'll make it through, he is strong." Zelda avoided eye contact as she said this. She did not want to worry Faren and Shinda of Link's current state. "Why don't you go prepare for the journey for the god. When do you plan to leave?"
"Tomorrow, as soon I wake up. You're right, so much to do!" Shinda stood up, dusting herself off. "I better pack, oh and make sure you guys have food for a few days. Hmm…. Money is important up above, right? I think Mother has some stored around here somewhere…" Shinda ran off, muttering to herself as she did. Zelda smiled at Shinda, nodding to herself.
Yes, if only Shinda's mother had never left. Then, she and Shinda could have been very, very good friends indeed.
Zelda noticed a letter on the ground, and reached for it. It must have fallen when Shinda took off. Picking it up, she began to call for Shinda, but the girl had disappeared into the darkness. Zelda unfolded the letter, and was surprised to see the Hylian she could read written in ink upon the old and yellow surface. With interest, she began to read the letter, in silence with the musky shadows.
Well met, my daughter, well met indeed! I would like to congratulate you, my dear one! A child! I have no doubt indeed that your child will be wonderfully charming! Ah, I see a little beauty you will bear, that you will!
Hm, you are confused, I know this. Surprised to read the words? BAH! You have no clue who I am! What are you, an intelligent monster? Are you not a Sheikah? Come come, use that brain Farore gave you! No? Still confused? Fine, I give up.
I would like to enclose this letter with this book. I am sure that if you turned to page 665, you will have found this letter. I am quite sure, child, that you will find this chapter useful in the future. Ah, I can see that your daughter will, too. Ha ha, the apple does not fall far from the tree! Oh, children still yet amaze me!
You amaze me too, not remembering who I am. Not remembering your own flesh and blood. That child you will bear will be special, you hear me? Only one other like her, and can you guess who that is? Ha ha, ME! Ho ho, there are a few gifts she will not posses that I do, but what can I say?
Take care, girly!
Sincerely, …
Hey, everyone! I know this chapter was updated extremely fast, but I needed to do this before I couldn't update! You see, its going to be a few weeks before I can update, so I wanted to get this chapter done so I can let everyone know.
Thanks for reading, everyone! It makes me so happy. As I always say, please review, cause I love to hear from you! Expect the next chapter to be action packed, I hope!
~Maannga