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Chapter 3: Zelda's relaxing afternoon

Princess Zelda was taking a rare moment of peace and quiet to enjoy some tea and cake in the gardens of Hyrule castle. For the past four months Zelda has been up to the tips of her pointed ears in one mess or another. From trying to aid king Ralis of the Zora and his people after the death of queen Rutela, to calming the tempers of the hot-headed Gorons. Rebuilding the throne room and making sure the handful of villages dotting the land are recovering from the Twilight invasion. She has been so busy that she has had no time to breathe let alone relax, so much so that when she realized she had some free time before the council meeting later this afternoon she practically ran to the gazebo that she is currently sitting at.

Slowly stirring the brown liquid around in the cup with her spoon she only pays it little mind as her attention is on the book in front of her. It was a medium size rectangle book bound in black leather. About one-inch-thick front to back, with warn pages. Zelda found this book in the castle library one day when she was looking for something to read. At first look the book did not seem like anything special, she just pulled it off the shelf at random. However, when she took a look at the cover, she noticed that the symbol of the Kokiri emerald was on the front. Curious she opened the book to start reading. She had only just read that it was the journal of a member of the long lost Kokiri tribe, named Robin Kokiri, before a guard ran in and told her that Link was being mobbed by the people (again), so she had to put it down and go help the poor hero and has been too busy to go back to it until now.

Thinking of her friend she wonders how he is doing. The first week after Midna went back to the Twilight realm and shattered the mirror, he looked so devastated and wouldn't say anything at all the whole ride back. And then he left to go back to Ordon still in that quiet mood. She hasn't known him and Midna long but even she could tell that they had deep feelings for each other, that even Zelda was surprised that Midna chose to destroy the mirror. On some level Zelda understands why she did it. Cutting off the two worlds so they can't put the other in danger again. It was the wise move, but was it the right one? She can't help feeling that it hurt two good friends too much and she wishes she can help. But the mirror was the only known way to travel between worlds and she worried Link would not bounce back from this. So, she was not expecting when on the second week he threw open the doors to the throne room, (making her jump), rushed in and started asking about the royal library and the Triforce like an excited puppy. After taking a few minutes to calm the hero down and get him to explain she learned of his plan to return to the Twilight Realm. Even though she wants to help him the Triforce of power likely went back to the sacred realm, and the keys have been lost to time. With the mirror gone she told him there is no way to get back. Undeterred he had said that there has to be some way to get back. And it didn't make sense to only have one way to get into the twilight, and that it was strange that only the true ruler of the Twili could destroy it. Knowing she was not going to change his mind and as thanks for all he did for Hyrule, Zelda allowed Link unrestricted access to the royal library and hopes that maybe he can find something, unlikely as it is.

Turning the page Zelda begins to read the next part. "Friday, month nine, day six. After speaking to the leader of the Gerudo tribe, me and Navi headed to the snow peak region to find a way to get to this 'Mausoleum of The Night' to find what my father was doing before he was killed." Zelda pauses reading for a moment.

'Strange, I didn't think the Kokiri had children, since they were said to look no older then twelve. How curious.' Zelda thinks before she resumes reading.

"It's been ten years since his death and two since we started trying to find out what happened to him. I don't have much to go on, only that he was trying to hide something extremely dangerous. But It's very strange he didn't take Navi with him. Queen Zelda and King Parrow, as well as the other leaders of Hyrule knew exactly what he was doing, but they were the only ones. Not even mother knew when I asked her. Father had only told her that he was trying to stop something very bad from happening, had failed and had died soon after. They didn't tell me what he was trying to hide, as they swore to my father to never tell anyone about it. And had said something like that was better off forgotten and never spoken about again. However, they did tell me one thing, if I was going to go look for this thing, I should be aware of the prophecy attached to it."

"When the White Sun and the Black Moon pierce the skies of day and dusk, the door to Night will be torn asunder and the chained Darkness shall engulf the lands and devour the golden lights. To vanquish the dark tide and restore the three sacred lights, the hero of days end must recover the hidden blade of half-light and awaken the sleeping blaze of shadows. Together with his lost heir of twilight and two golden allies they must seek the four hidden keys of Time, or Darkness shall reign eternal."

"I can't even begin to guess what that means, the only thing that sounds familiar is the part about the 'Black Moon' since we have a festival for it that happens every one hundred years. but nothing bad has ever happened during it so I could be wrong. The whole 'Sky's of day and dusk' part is confusing. The moon turns black at noon for only an hour and the sun doesn't change at all. Day and dusk also can't happen at the same time, so thinking about it is just going to give me a headache at this point. I'll just ask lord Rauru if he knows when I get to snow peak since he agreed to meet us there."

Before Zelda can turn the page to continue, she hears the sound of boots walking on the stone path toured her. Lifting her head up she sees a red eyed women in her early thirties coming down the walkway. She has snow white hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head with a long braid coming down over her right eye. A red tattoo covers her left eye. Dressed in a blue body suit with armor on her arms, middle and legs with a small chest plate that has a red eye on it over her right breast. A black scarf is wrapped around her neck, and a katana strapped to her left side. Zelda feels a cold dread sink into the pit of her stomach.

It's her guardian Impa, and she has a stack of papers.

Trying to not let the panic show Zelda smiles at her oldest friend. "I thought I had finished all the documents until the meting?" She says while closing the book and turning to Impa.

"You did." Impa says nodding her head and holding out the stack for the princess to take. Crossing her arms, she continues. "These are reports I just received from commander Ashei, of monster sightings around Hyrule, mainly Stalfos and Redeads at nighttime."

Zelda begins flipping through the papers while she considers what to do next. "How many have been seen and where?" She asks.

"No more than a dozen at a time, and mainly the desert and west Hyrule field." Impa replies.

"How long has this been going on?"

"A little more than a week"

"Has anyone been attacked?"

"Not unless they get too close. The monsters seem to be looking for something instead of just killing people."

Nodding her head Zelda thinks all this over. 'This is strange, with the death of Ganondorf all the undead and really strong monsters should have stopped appearing. They did for the four months since his death. So, why suddenly are they back?' She feels that this is only the beginning of something very bad.

Looking back to Impa Zelda says. "Have the knight's start patrolling Hyrule field at night and set up a check point at the entrance to the desert. We need to know immediately if they turn aggressive. And have a messenger contact Link as well, we will need his help if this has something to do with Ganondorf."

Dropping into a bow Impa says. "At once your highness." Straightening up she turns around to go fulfill her princess's orders. Before she can make it two steps a rather rotund knight in full armor carrying a spear rushes up to the gazebo before bowing at the waist.

"Prin-cess Zelda!" The knight pants having ran from the front castle gates to the back where the gardens are located. "Sir Link-is here and wishes to-have an-audie-nce with you."

Zelda and Impa both give each other a flat look for five seconds. Not breaking eye contact Zelda reaches into the pocket of her dress and pulls out a tiny sack of 100 rupees and hands it over to Impa.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Impa says with a smirk putting the sack in a pouch on her belt.

"Quite." Zelda says. Since Link seems to show up whenever they talk about him, they made a little bet and Zelda just lost thinking the odds were in her favor. She's going to be a bit sore about that for a while.

Turning back to the knight She says. "Tell him it is granted and to come to the gardens in the back."

"Right away your highness." The knight says bowing to his princess then to his general before running back to the front to inform the hero.

"I wonder what he could want from you." Impa says crossing her arms.

"I'm not too sure myself. He has not been mobbed since I put in that new law, correct?" Zelda said stacking up the papers on top of the book and handing them to Impa.

"Not that I'm aware of no. I'll put these in your office so you can look over them later." Said Impa taking the stack from Zelda and making her way down the stone path to fulfill Zelda's orders.

"Thank you Impa." Zelda said refilling her cup and taking a sip of the now cold tea. Grimacing, she puts her hand on the side of the pot and concentrates a small bit of fire magic in her palm. While Zelda is reheating the tea, she can't help but wonder if Link did find a way back into the twilight.

Ten minutes later Zelda sees Link coming down the path. "Good afternoon, Link. How are you on this fine day?" She says smiling while motioning for him to take a seat and offering him some tea.

"Good, all things considered. I've run out on leads on how to get to the Twilight Realm for now, so that kind of sucks, but I'm not giving up. Something else just came up I need to talk to you about." Link says taking a seat and accepting the tea from Zelda.

Raising an eyebrow Zelda says. "Have you already heard about the monsters showing up?"

"No. Monsters have been showing up?" Link said with a raised eyebrow of his own.

Zelda tells him about the report she just got from Impa and her worry that Ganondorf might be involved.

Leaning back in his seat Link thinks this over. "Well, the undead is concerning, but I thought he could not come back until at least a century?"

"It's never happened before but we should not rule out the possibility." Zelda said taking a sip of tea, placing the cup on the saucer she continues. "So, what did you wish to speak to me about? It's not every day you ask something from me."

Taking a sip of his tea Link thinks of the best way to explain what has been going on with him. "What do you know about the Hero and prophetic dreams?"

Wondering where this is going Zelda answers. "Well, I know sometimes before the next hero sets off on his quest, he is given visions from the Three Goddesses about the danger he will face. Did you ever have them, Link?"

Shaking his head Link replies. "No, I was pulled into all of this out of the blue. No visions, no warning. It was like that until four months ago. The night after Midna shattered the mirror, I had a dream that I was walking down the hall of a temple I had never seen." And so, for the next hour Link tells Zelda about all the dreams he has had for the past four months ending with the most recent one.

Crossing her arms Zelda leans back in her seat and thinks over all the hero just told her. 'Running for his life from six shadows in a frozen forest cut off from all help. A mysterious temple that is not in any of Hyrule's records. And a sword that radiates magic that is like Midna's. This is quite the mystery.'

"I have to admit I am not quite sure what those could mean. If they are from the goddesses then I can say this does not bode well, we need to find some answers. I know of a way how, but you may not like it." Zelda says after a few minutes of thinking.

"Ok, what is it? I've been having these nightmares for the last four months and I would like them to stop. I think I'm starting to see things." Link says with a shake of is head.

"What do you mean 'seeing things?'" Zelda asks.

"I have been seeing this cloaked figure a few times today in different places. But they are gone after a few minutes, so I just think I'm going crazy." Link says with a shrug.

"I would not worry too much. It is normal when someone is having visions to see things that are not there. But going into what I was going to suggest should help us with this mystery 'person.'" Zelda says taking a sip of tea.

"Well hit me then. What do you got?" Link says taking a long sip of his tea.

"I want you and me to go inside your mind and see one of these dreams play out in real time." Zelda says casually, like one would talk about the weather.

Link starts choking on his tea.

After choking for a few minutes Link is able to catch his breath and looks at the princess. "Is that even possible?" He asks.

Zelda lifts up her right hand and shows Link the back where her mark of the Triforce is. "Yes, with the Triforce of wisdom I have limited psychic powers. One of those is the ability to project my thoughts to other people, but under the right circumstance I can go into that person's mind." She says.

"And the right circumstance is?"

"They have to let me."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't seem so difficult."

"You miss understand me Link!" Zelda says with a chilling tone. "While in your mind I'm in complete control. If I wanted, I could change or wipe your memory clean with a snap of my fingers." The sound of Zelda's snap echos across the suddenly silent gardens. "I could make you my completely obedient puppet or know every dark little secret you have buried. And there would be nothing you could do to stop me. Would you still let me in Link, knowing you would be at my mercy?"

Link thinks all that over and if he trusts Zelda enough to go into his mind. Looking into her blue eyes he has his answer.

"Zelda." She perks up at the lack of title. Link only calls her by just her name when he is dead serious about something. "Back when Zant attacked me and Midna after we got the last piece of the fused shadow, he trapped me as a wolf permanently and nearly killed Midna. When I had almost lost all hope, you were the one who saved us both. Not only did you tell us where to find The Master Sword, but you nearly lost your life healing Midna. You trusted us enough to go to such lengths, so it wouldn't be right if I did not give you the same trust you gave me. After all we are friends, right?"

Feeling a lump in her throat Zelda shows the hero a big smile. "I swear to you on my life Link, I will not betray your trust."

"So how do we do this?" Link says wanting to at last get to the bottom of things.

"Unfortunately, I need to prepare a few things before we start. We need somewhere quiet to work and someone else to break the spell if something goes wrong." Zelda says counting off with her fingers. "Not to mention the council meeting in an hour and doing something like this could take all day. So, go rest and I'll send for you when I am ready." Said Zelda finishing her tea and standing up.

Nodding his head Link stands up as well. "I'll go see how Epona is doing in the stables then. And thanks again for your help Princess Zelda."

"You know one of these days I'm going to get you to just call me by my name." Zelda says with a sigh.

"Not likely." Link shoots back as he and the princess make their way back into the castle.

From on top of the gazebo unknown to the two, a black cloaked figure watches them go. When the two are out of site their purple eyes move to the moon hanging in the afternoon sky.

'A full moon tonight.' Moving their eyes to the sun they speak to three unseen faces. "I wonder if your champions really have what it takes to survive the coming Darkness."

The sound of heavy footsteps bounces off the wall of the long hallway he walks down. Torches lit with orange fire casts the figures armored body in an eerie light. Coming to a stop outside a dark wood door the figure raises his armored hand and bangs on the door. From underneath it a flat tentacle with an eye shoots up until it is eye level with the armored man.

"...What!?" Hisses a voice from the other side of the door.

"It's time, the Shadow Kargaroks have finished gathering your sand. You are to head to the Twilight while I deal with the Light." He speaks in a deep voice while handing an orb of swirling golden sand to the tentacle.

"They finished already?! Good, good, good, heheheh!" Laughs the voice. "But I'm still mad that you get to take care of the Light and HIM!

"Deal with it. we all have our jobs to do. Or would you like to question the orders of our lord." With that the man turns around and heads back the way he came.

"stsh Bastard!" It scoffed before pulling its tentacle back under the door to get to work as the orb phases through the door.

It has an army to make.

No matter how many times she sees them, Midna can't get use to the billions of stars that dot the night sky in the light realm. Coming from a world of eternal dusk the sky always stays the same orange. Until the carnival of the White Sun that is.

Looking across the fire that is cooking their dinner to her companion she wonders if he would go with her if she asked. She'll wait until after they beat Zant tomorrow and she is back to normal to ask Link.

Noticing her staring Link lifts his head up and makes eye contact with Midna. "Something wrong? You're not usually this quiet." He said handing her a grilled fish on a stick.

Taking the fish and starting to eat Midna shakes her head. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking that our little adventure ends tomorrow after we make it through the arbiter's grounds, get to the mirror of twilight and beat Zant."

Taking a bite of his fish Link looks to the abandoned prison in the distance silhouetted by the full moon. "It is hard to believe that after everything we went through, that it all ends soon. What will you do after we settle things with Zant, Midna?"

"Return to the Twilight Realm and help everyone recover. What about you, Link, will you return to Ordon village and continue being a goat herder?"

"No, I don't think I will."

"Really?"

"Yea."

"Why not?"

Looking into the star filled night sky, a small smile makes its way onto his face. "Don't get me wrong, I love Ordon and everybody there. But ever since we started travelling together, I've got to see more of the world then I ever thought I could. Rusl was right, the rest of the world is so much bigger and amazing then I thought! I want to continue exploring new places and meeting new people for a bit longer, you know?"

Nodding her head Midna can understand where he is coming from. When she was little, she always dreamt about seeing the Realm of Light and now here she is. Although she did not expect it to be under the current circumstances.

"Well, if you run out of things to see here, you can always come and explore the twilight."

"Will your rulers be ok with that? You know, with me being a light dweller and all."

With an impish smirk Midna replies. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can convince the princess to let you."

With the memory fading Midna stares out into the sky from the window in her bedroom. It was the next day when they found out that their little adventure was going to continue for a bit longer and she can't say that she was upset about that part.

Black storm clouds begin to cover the orange sky. 'Looks like it's going to rain.' Midna thinks. Turning back to her desk she goes over to it. Picking up one of the two items on it she holds it up to her face. Hanging from a green chain was the shadow crystal that let Link turn into a wolf. Thinking about him again Midna wonder's if Link would have came with her if she had asked him to when she destroyed the mirror. 'Knowing him, yes. He would have.' She thinks with a sad smile.

Putting the chain over her head and letting the crystal sit on her chest next to her heart she looks at the other item on the desk. It's something that the rulers of Twilight have had for centuries. Sitting on a little stand is a crimson gemstone much like the royal family's eyes, in a golden inverted triangle. The purpose of the gem has been lost to time along with its name, but Midna likes to think it was something important back in the day.

Knocking at the door pulls her from her thought's.

"Enter." She calls.

A royal guard with a mace strapped to his side steps into the room. "Sorry about the disturbance your highness, but we got trouble."

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

The first thing he becomes aware of is the sound of water dripping. The second is water hitting his face. The third is that his head feels like it was split open. And the fourth was that he was on the cold stone floor and his body feels like it was on fire. Opening his eyes, he sees that the water is coming from one of the many stalactites in the cave and that he is all alone. Rising shakily to his feet he begins to make his way to the mouth of the cave, with his right hand holding his head and the other holding the wall for support.

Coming out of the cave he raises his left hand to block the blinding afternoon sunlight. Looking in front of him he sees a wooden bridge about a mile dead ahead. To is left he sees a path leading into a forest. And to his right he sees a castle in the distance and starts to make his way to it while his purple cape flows in the wind.

Thats all for now! Join us next time for

Chapter 4: A Link to Times past