Chapter 21: Plans are Hatched
Zelda paced along her room. The sun had not yet risen and she still wore her sleeping gown. She glanced out the windows to see light creeping over the horizon. Not much longer, with the sun would come the beginning of the festival. And she had her excuse to get out of the castle and go meet with thar boy, Link.
She still did not know what to make of him. The Goddesses wanted them to work together, that was obvious. But why him? It was obvious why they would choose her, of course. She was a princess after all, and brilliant. Everyone said she was, and who was she to deny the obvious?
But Link? He didn't seem like anyone too special. Couldn't the Goddesses have given her a more useful ally? Perhaps some great wizard that could teach her faster than Rauru? Or maybe one of the great knights of the realm, someone who could stand up against Ganondorf in a fight?
But no. She had a boy about her age, who smelled like dried sweat and horses, thought it was a good idea to go straight up to challenge his enemy to a duel. He didn't even have a proper sword!
Sure he was confident in his abilities, but what if that was just false bravado? There had been some words whispered by the servants that there had been some trouble in Ganondorf's quarters, a fire or something. What if the Gerudo had captured him? What if they'd already killed him?
What if he never made it to the Gerudo's rooms at all and he fell down the walls and cracked his head open? That seemed the most likely scenario of them all. What if she sent the poor boy to his death?
So she paced instead of sleeping, which just made the endless hours of the night last even longer. At one point she tried to pick up one of the books on warfare Impa had brought for her to read, but she reached a passage about how a commander must be willing to sacrifice their own soldiers to achieve victory and she had to stop.
Was that what she had done to Link and his fairy? Just sent them to their deaths as if they were nothing?
For not the first time, she thought back to her first discussion with Ganondorf, and his strange sayings. There are no innocents in war. The foul secrets of war and governance. That war was what made him a monster. Would it make her the same? How many people did her father send to die? How many did her mother?
Ask your guardian about Kakariko.
So she put down her books and continued pacing. Waiting. Thinking. Overthinking. And Analyzing everything again.
A knock came at the door, which knocked Zelda out of her thoughts with a start.
"Princess?" Impa's voice sounded from outside. "Can I come in?"
"What?" Zelda said. "Oh, yes."
The door opened and Impa entered and huffed. "Still not dressed?"
"What?" she said again. Brilliant repartee there, Zelda. She looked out the window, and the sun had already risen high. When had that happened? It was well into the morning, and she had just been wasting her time worrying rather than actually preparing for the day. "Oh, yes, I'll be getting ready."
Zelda entered her boudoir and picked a stylish but muted dress for herself, while Impa waited outside for her to prepare.
"I was thinking that perhaps we could go to the festival today," Impa said. "Take a day's rest from your studies and just enjoy yourself. It'd be good to get some fresh air, and to let your people see you from time to time."
"Perfect," Zelda said as she smoothed the dress in front of her. "That is actually exactly what I wanted to do." Well, that made one part of her plan easier. Her excuse was all lined up.
"That's wonderful to hear," Impa said, her voice a little too happy.
Why, wonderful? She was planning something. Zelda walked out of her boudoir and saw that Impa was no longer alone in her room.
"I thought it would be nice," Impa said. "If your father joined us."
King Liotidos looked uncomfortable as he looked around Zelda's room, but when his eyes met hers he smiled. "Princess Zelda," he said, his voice stiff. "I- I moved aside some of my meetings and judgments to give myself a day."
No. No. He couldn't come with them. That would ruin everything.
"My king," she curtsied.
"I wished to tell you, it was good, what you did yesterday. I know you did not wish to apologize to Ganondorf, but you will be queen one day and you will have to keep your vassals satisfied." He shook his head. "But, you clearly understand that. You were very impressive at the council."
"And so that's it?" Zelda said, her heart pounded. He was trying so hard. But she could not let him see that she had stolen from Ganondorf. She could not show him her magic or let him see what she was planning. "You treat me like I'm an embarrassment for months, and you think you can just walk in here and say you want to celebrate with me?"
Her father's smile withered away in an instant. "I was never embarrassed by you."
"You kept me locked in my room like a petulant child! You always ignored me."
"Perhaps," he said, "I acted rashly. I was trying to teach you that you needed to respect our subordinates. That being princess doesn't give you free reign to say or do whatever you want."
"You didn't think just telling me that would have sufficed? No, you had to threaten to cloister me and send me away."
"No, I did not think just telling you would suffice, because you do not listen to me when I am trying to teach you."
"Well perhaps I don't think you have any valuable lessons to teach!" She did not care about her father's approval. She had to remind herself. She did not care about it at all.
"Both of you," Impa's voice rose high. "Enough of this."
"I am willing to admit I may have made some mistakes," her father said over her.
"Some mistakes?" Zelda forced herself to give a scornful laugh. "I can't think of anything you've done right."
The king stepped up to her, glaring down. He had been a warrior once, Zelda had heard the older knights and servants discuss it from time to time. A good one at that. But she had never saw him in his prime. For as long as she could remember he spent more time at the dinner table than holding a weapon. But as he glared down at her, she saw that hard look of an old warrior for the first time. A focused anger, a desire to defeat some great enemy.
It almost made her scared. But she put her hands on her hips and glared back up to him. She could not give in. For his own good and her own.
He broke first, his face twitched and his lip wobbled a bit and then all the fight fell out of him at once. And all that stood before was a sad, broken man. "Very well," he said in a quiet voice. "I am clearly not wanted. Enjoy the festival."
He left the room, leaving Impa glaring down at her. "What has gotten into you? I hope you are happy, Zelda. By the Goddesses, I was wrong, you're worse than-"
But Zelda could not hold herself back any longer and she gave a strangled snorting gasp, and then the tears came. Her vision blurred and all she could do was cry. She had to do it. It was the only way to get away from him and go check on Link. But that was it. Her father would hate her now.
Thin but strong arms enveloped her, and Zelda pressed her face into Impa's stomach, until her tears made her guardian's frock wet.
"What is going on? This isn't like you."
"I had to do it," she said through her tears. "Please, Impa, I had to do it."
"Tell me what is wrong."
"You have to promise, you can't tell my father. He can't know."
Impa sighed, but then said. "I promise, what is going on?"
With her governess' arms still wrapped tight around her, Zelda sniffed. Through tears she could not control, she told Impa everything.
"This is where you said to meet him?" Impa asked, the guard towering over her as they stood beside the outer wall of the castle. A row of trees before them separating the royal land from the rest of castle town.
"Well, it's the place they chose," she said. She wanted to lean on the tree or the wall while she waited, but a princess needed to hold herself perfectly, even in clandestine meetings with woodfolk. "My first thought was to meet at the Temple, but Ganondorf knows the temple. This seemed safer, in case the Gerudo did something rash."
Impa nodded, folded her arms and leaned against the wall. Well, she could do that. She wasn't a princess. "Will we have to wait for them long?"
"What are you talking about?" came a voice above them. "We've been here the whole time."
From the nearest tree, the branches shook and then a small green figure dropped to the ground. He landed soft on his feet, then stood up tall, stretched, and yawned. He had twigs in his hair, and leaves stuck to his clothes. Had he slept in the tree?
"Who are you?" Link said to Impa. "Zelda didn't mention anyone else."
"Princess Zelda," Impa corrected, eliciting a shrug from Link. "I am Impa, her guardian."
"Well, hello then. I'm Link and this," he waved at the ocarina hanging from his side, "is Navi."
The Sheikah gave a confused look, until the fairy poked out of the instrument briefly, before going back inside.
"Do you have it?" Zelda asked, hoping to cut off any of the pointless introductions and idle chatter. "Did everything work out?"
"Of course," Link said, he twisted his shoulder and swung the bag on his shoulder around. He untied and opened the sack and pulled out several scrolls. Zelda took the largest of them and stared at it.
There, written at the top The Prophecies and Songs of Nayru in a neat and clear hand. It looked almost plain, many of the older books and scrolls in the library had fanciful calligraphy or ornaments drawn at the margins. But not this one. Every letter was clear and precise with no frills or distractions.
Herein lies the sayings of Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom may my words guide thee children of the Three through thy struggles.
This was it. She held in her hands the words of one of the three Goddesses. Written before she departed the world with her sisters. Zelda's hands trembled as she read further.
"You got these from the tower," Impa said.
"Yeah, that was the plan."
"And you climbed up the tower?"
"Yeah," Link looked to Zelda giving a confused expression then back to Impa.
"That's impossible," the Shiekah said. "I could maybe make that climb with hooks and climbing gear."
"Then you must not be very good at climbing," the boy shrugged then patted Impa on the elbow. "I could show you how to get better sometime."
Impa let loose a loud burst of air through her nose, then forced herself to smile. "That… would be… nice."
"I'm still not certain how this scroll is going to help us defeat Ganondorf," Link peered over it. "I tried reading some of it, but it didn't make a lot of sense to me."
"It's written in Old Hylian," Zelda muttered as she continued onward.
Our gift, the last we give
When gone my sisters are
This must be about the Triforce!
"I know," Link said. "The Great Deku Tree taught us Old Hylian, but even then it doesn't make much sense. It's like they're talking in riddles."
"Well next time I see a Goddess, I'll tell her you're not happy with her work," Zelda snapped. No one said anything for several seconds, Zelda looked up from the scroll to see the boy frowning at her and Impa had that disappointed look she was never any good at hiding.
"Sorry," Zelda said, "It's been a rough morning."
"Hmm," Link nodded, then he smiled and held out his hand. "Happens to the best of us."
His hand hung between them. Clearly she was meant to take hold of it, shake it like the servants and lower knights sometimes did with each other. But royalty does not shake hands with a commoner. They can be magnanimous to them, reward them, grace them with the royal presence, but not lower themselves as equals.
He gave her another confused look and then wiggled his hand a little.
But this wasn't just some random peasant. He was a Chosen of the Goddesses. Tentatively, Zelda reached out. The boy's hand enveloped hers. It was warm and calloused and a little sweaty. But his smile went even wider as he gave her a firm shake and let her hand go. It was not entirely unpleasant, which surprised Zelda more than a little.
"So, Princess," he emphasized the title and glancing to Impa, "Zelda, what's our next move?"
She unrolled the scroll and scanned the beginning of each of the segments, hoping to quickly pick up something relevant. It took a few lengths of the scroll until she found something that sounded a little relevant. "Here, listen to this.
Our last great gift within a Sacred Realm
By Time and Stones of count of three held shut
An Em'rald granted to the brave Old Root
Who taught young knights to never run
A Sapphire to Wisdom of the Seas
He guides his people through the floods
And torrents low and high
The last a Ruby to he who hatched high
By power ruled o'er all he saw
Pull forth the Sword of Evil's Bane
And set the world aright
When she finished Link was frowning and shaking his head. "See that's the poetic nonsense part. They could have just come and told us what to do. Though the sword sounds interesting."
"I think the sword is metaphorical," Zelda said. "The Triforce can clear away any evil there is, so there should be no reason to have an actual sword."
"Right. Metaphorical," Link muttered. "Obviously." Did he not know what metaphorical meant? Oh Goddesses give me strength.
"Break down what it's saying. Three stones to open the Door of Time, but I knew that already."
"What's a Door of Time?"
Zelda waved him away. "Questions after I finish working this out." The boy made a huff, but didn't speak further. "An Emerald, a Sapphire, and a Ruby. Torrent and flood are both water related. So that one is obvious, Lord Jabbu-Jabbu guides the Zora, and he is renowned for his wisdom."
She looked up at the others to see if they were adequately impressed with her for figuring out the prophecy so quick. No one moved or made any sign of congratulating her. I am wasted here. "So that leaves, the Old Root and He Who Hatched High. One's brave, the other's powerful. What's the most powerful thing in the realm?"
Link shrugged, "Ganondorf if what you said about him is true."
"Ganondorf wasn't hatched."
"Maybe he was, I wasn't there."
Zelda blinked at him. "Are you serious?"
He sighed. "Malon would have laughed at that."
"Who?"
"Never mind," Link looked disappointed. "It was just a joke. Maybe the most powerful thing is a Moblin? They're pretty big."
"No, but I think that's the right track. Something not human, something that won't live just one lifetime and can be trusted to guard something this important."
"A dragon," Impa said. "In ages past, the most dangerous creatures were dragons that flew along the mountains. So, hatched high."
"Oh I've heard of them," Link said. "Knights would fight them, right?"
"Eh," Impa shrugged.
"Some tried," Zelda said. "But more often than not the dragons would devour any who challenged them."
"Wow," Link's eyes went wide. At first Zelda thought it was out of fear or something. But, he was grinning. "So, where are there dragons?"
"There have no been dragons in Hyrule for hundreds of years," Zelda said.
"Well, then where were they?"
"The mountains to the north," Impa said. "Many collected rare ores and fought with the Gorons over territory."
"Then I guess we go there?" Link said. "And see if we can scrounge up where the Ruby was last seen."
"That just leaves the last one then," Zelda said. "The Emerald, given to the brave who taught other warriors to never run away. Then a bit about roots."
"Link?" the fairy on Link's shoulder said.
"Yeah, yeah I know." He stepped closer to Zelda before he crouched down toward Zelda's feet.
"What are you doing?"
"You're going to have to move, Princess."
She stepped back, and the boy scratched at the ground, pulling up great handfuls of dirt. It did not take long until he pulled something out of the ground with a wet pop, as the rest of the dirt tumbled into the new hole. He held up a filthy bag and overturned it into his hand.
Out rolled an Emerald, with a vine of gold along the side, just as it appeared in the drawing.
"I think this is it," Link said. "But it doesn't really fit the prophecy that well. The Great Deku Tree never taught brave warriors." He held it out to Zelda but paused. "Though, he definitely had roots."
"You have the Emerald," she handed the scroll to Impa and took the stone. Magic radiated out from it and caused her fingers to tingle with the sense of it. Not nearly as much as she thought it would have, but it was definitely there.
"That's why we came here," the fairy, Navi, she believed they said her name was. "We need to find someplace to keep it safe, somewhere the man in black armor cannot get to."
There was something more with the stone. Two different magics seemed to be placed on it, perhaps even more? If she brought this to Rauru, into the Temple perhaps they could study it, analyze the nature of the divine. Figure out how the magic on it works.
"Do you know of such a place?" the fairy continued.
"What? Oh," Zelda sighed. A place to hide it? "Unfortunately, no. I would say it could be placed under protection in the palace, but Ganondorf has his run of castle. I have another spot that I often go, a Temple to the Three Goddesses near the market, but I would not risk putting this there."
"Why not?" Link asked.
"Because that is where the Door of Time the prophecy spoke of resides, and because Ganondorf knows of it too. It would be like bringing the Emerald right to him."
"And he knows where the other two are, right?" the boy said.
"Well, I figured this out in only a few moments, and Ganondorf is clever. Yes, I think it's safe to say that he knows where they are as well. He's been spending his time running around the kingdom, and if I had to guess the current war is his doing."
"Another war?" Link frowned. "I thought this was a time of peace."
"It is," Zelda said. How could she explain to him? "Well, the Hylians and Gerudo are at peace, technically. But the monsters have spread on the outskirts of the kingdom."
"The Moblins," Link nodded, "yeah, I heard about them."
"Not just the Moblins," Impa said from over Zelda's shoulder. "Monsters are attacking Death Mountain and the Zora Domain. Exactly where the Ruby and Sapphire are being held. Assuming the princess is correct."
"I am," Zelda said.
The boy looked to the fairy and then shrugged. "So, then we go to try and get the last two stones? If Ganondorf knows where they are, then we have to go and move them."
"No," the fairy said. "The whole point of coming here was to give them the Emerald and be done with it. Link, we're not going to some place called Death Mountain! Especially not when there's an army there."
"I don't have any place to store it," Zelda said. "There's nowhere we have that's safe. Not yet anyway, if we want to defeat him we're going to have to use the stones for ourselves."
Link nodded, "Agreed. We can use them to open that door thing you were talking about. Get that sword, and then we end him."
That sealed it, he clearly didn't know what metaphorically meant.
"Let them do it," the fairy begged. "Link, this isn't about us anymore. Give them the stone and let's go. We've done everything that could be expected of us."
The boy frowned. Could they do this without him? It would just be herself and Impa, perhaps she could get Rauru to aid them, now that she had the scroll. It did not really make sense that they'd need the boy much further. Certainly he was skilled at climbing, but that hardly seemed like it'd be such a useful trait to have when planning the safety of the realm.
But still, something about just taking the stones and sending Impa didn't feel right. She could not go herself, obviously, and if Impa disappeared her father would notice. That would leave Rauru and perhaps some of his students, but there were few of them and the thought of the old portly priests traveling roughly over the land did not seem plausible.
Of course, neither did resting all her hopes on this one boy and a fairy. Even if he definitely looked like he was used to living out in the wild. If she could get a company of knights to go, would be the best choice. But she did not have one of those available to her. And for the first time in her life, Zelda actually thought of the benefits of actually being in charge of Hyrule herself would be. Not having to explain herself to her father, and just ordering people around and they would have to obey her.
Which only made her think about her father again, and the way he looked at her before he left that morning.
"Unfortunately, Navi, was that your name?"
"Yes," snapped the fairy.
"Unfortunately, we do not have many options available here. And of the ones I can think of, Link is the best course of action. If he travels fast he should be able to make it to the mountains before Ganondorf and his Gerudo."
"No," the fairy said again. "We are not going to a place called Death Mountain."
"It is not called that for the reasons you think," Impa said. "Centuries ago it was an active volcano. But it has not erupted in hundreds of years. My understanding is the Gorons have turned the mountain into a welcoming place, if not necessarily a comfortable one."
"See," Link said. "It'll be completely safe."
The fairy groaned. "Why do I even bother, it's not like you listen to me."
"That's not true," the boy protested. "I do listen, but some things need to be done. We're doing this for the Great Deku Tree."
"No," the fairy said. "You're doing this for the Great Deku Tree. I'm trying to keep you safe."
"The roads are safe," Zelda said. "I was at the war council, the Lizalfos have reached the high places in the mountain. You will never have to see them. I will write you a letter of introduction which should take you directly to Chief Darunia, and he will help you from there." She smiled to the fairy, trying to make her feel comfortable. "He is a great man, and a friend. When I was a child, he would dance with me while my father played…" She shook her head, now was not the time to think about that. "Show him my letter and he will give you the stone."
"Alright, perfect," Link said. "I'm going to head off to the mountain in the morning, and you figure out what else that prophecy thing says."
Zelda opened her mouth to rebuke the boy. There was exactly one person in the realm who could order her around. But she stopped, there was no malice in Link. No understanding of his lack of social understanding. It was hard to know what to make of him. "That is… a good plan, Link."
"Glad we're in agreement." The boy held out his hand again. She gave a quick look to Impa before she took it. Still warm and sweaty. But, she found she did not want to let it go. Even as odd as the boy was, he was someone new. Someone she could trust who wasn't Impa. And she was just going to send him on his way.
"This will work," he said with a smile. "We'll get the stones, and then we'll get that sword, metaphorical or not."
Oh Hylia and the Three, I do not understand why you have chosen this boy. Please guide him.