Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Zelda: Facade of the Living ❯ Princesses have time off?! ( Chapter 2 )

-Hyrule…

The land created and blessed by the Three Goddesses.

It's power, glory, and prosperity are the awe of the entire world. One man controls it all, the King of Hyrule. The lands and kingdoms under his authority are vast and wide-ranging. One by one, stunning military victories brought the surrounding countryside, and everything beyond it, into his realm, turning what was once a small kingdom into a mighty empire.

His children stand to inherit this empire, to make it grow far beyond what it is, and to keep the current trend of peaceful relations with all people under the Royal Family's rule.

Of course, there are always evil ones who wish to change that…


Chapter Two: Princesses have time off?!


Death Mountain

Several days after meeting his new comrades, Link reached the summit of Death Mountain. The active volcano was, of course, not the highest peak in the world, but it was certainly very dangerous. The heat waves drifting out of the open crater made everyone in his party sweat. All the trees that had grown up the eastern slope were gone, leaving only volcanic ash and rock.

Gonga was the only one who seemed to be at home.

"Ahh, perfect weather!" he said, breathing in the scorching air.

As a Goron, heat would be the last thing to bother him. His tough, leathery skin was enough to shield against temperatures of well over three thousand degrees. Gonga felt right at home, but his companions still gave him odd looks.

With his warhammer, he broke off a large chunk of black volcanic rock. Shoving it into his gaping mouth, Gonga ground the rock up rather noisily, prompting even more strange looks. Then, totally oblivious to all other things, he curled himself up into a ball and went to sleep.


*****


Link sighed to himself.

"Typical…"he thought.

Standing up, he moved himself closer to the edge of the sheer cliff face that led to lower ground. It wasn't as hot where he stood, so he sat down, letting his legs dangle over the edge.

Gazing out over the majestic landscape, Link could see the little village of Kakariko, the Sheikah village where Princess Zelda's caretaker, Impa, was born. He presumed that Jade was also born and raised somewhere in the vicinity.

Quickly, his thoughts turned back to Zelda. He actually hadn't seen her in a good few years. The last chance he was able to really spend time with her was the few months after he returned the Master Sword to its proper place in the Temple of Time. It had been a magical time, where the two of them did nothing but play in the grass all day long.

They had been the only two people on the planet to have any knowledge of Ganondorf's reign of terror. Since Link had never been sealed away in the Sacred Realm, the King of Thieves never did gain control of anything. People began to wonder why he had mysteriously disappeared, the Gerudo especially. Without their leader, Nabooru, Ganondorf's second-in-command, took over.

The Gerudo quickly fragmented however, but were recently united once more under Gorkhan. He wasn't related to Ganondorf, but was the most recent male to have been born to them.

The Gerudo were known to have ridiculously long life spans. For some reason, only one male was born to them every hundred or so years. Hylian scientists and philosophers were still trying to find what could have caused this strange mutation in such a small group of humans.

Gorkhan himself entered the world seventy-five years after his predecessor, and was now only twenty-three.

But such things didn't concern Link right now. He preferred instead to dwell on his memories of the princess, Zelda. She had entrusted him with her own personal treasure, the Ocarina of Time. It was all she had given him when he set off in search of his fairy friend, Navi.

As if a dream had suddenly been realized to him, he drew the ocarina out of his pocket and started to play a sweet melodious song on the little clay instrument. Zelda had taught him one of the most soothing pieces of music he had ever heard.

Together, they had played it constantly as they sat and looked up at the brilliantly luminous stars at night.

Suddenly, Link snapped out of the dream and tried to remember his task at hand. But memories of Zelda and their adventures kept creeping back into his head. He had wanted to stay with her forever, but he greatly missed his fairy friend.

And so, Link journeyed far, ending up in the far off Hylian province of Termina. There, he literally stopped the moon itself from crashing into the ground, with help from four giants of course. The young hero had many more adventures, and almost single handedly saved the lands of Hyrule, Labrynna, and Holodrum, all in a few short years.

Now, at age nineteen, he was old enough to be the Hero of Time. Journeying far, he located the Blade of Evil's Bane, the Master Sword. The Oracle of Secrets had removed it from its pedestal, and with it he stopped the dark plots of Ganon, the King of Evil. For a while, he had needed to use two hands to wield the sword, but it did not fail him in the end.

Link had grown since then, and was now a strapping young man and an able swordsman.

Throughout his recent adventures, he had seldom seen his beautiful friend Zelda.

In fact, she was one of the reasons he traveled so much.

Once upon a time, the Princess of Hyrule had captured his heart. They had never been anything more than friends, but Link wanted something more than that. He was her champion, and the rules of chivalry forbid anything other than acquaintances between knight and lady. But maybe, if he did enough, he might gain more than just Zelda's friendship.

If Link could win her over, then maybe he would finally be complete.


*****


Just as the last chord of Zelda's Lullaby came from his ocarina, the Deku Scrub came and sat down next to him.

"That's a beautiful song," said Dreck, admiring the fine craftsmanship of the instrument. "Is the ocarina yours?"

Link smiled a bit before answering.

"No," he replied, "I'm sort of…holding it for a friend."

He meant the Princess, but Dreck didn't know that, and continued his line of questioning.

"Really? Who? I'll bet it's a girl," he said.

"Yup," replied Link

"Oooooo…is she pretty?"

"Very!"

Again, a broad smile crept its way across his face. Dreck didn't seem to understand why Link had suddenly spaced out, so he poked him in the side to get his attention.

"Enough daydreaming, we need to get down this mountain quickly before I burst into flames!" said the Deku.

Indeed, if they did not leave soon, the heat might very well set the little shrub man on fire. Link fixed his hat, placed the ocarina back in its pouch, and stood up. He proceeded to wake up the sleeping Goron from a safe distance. The big Gonga woke from his sleep in an uproar, standing and swinging his arms wide while yawning, nearly missing Link.

"Okay, so how are we going to get down?" asked Zeta, her hands on her hips.

In reply, Dreck reached underneath his tiny gray hat and pulled out two strange looking flowers. Both were quite large, with eight orange-red petals neatly splayed out in a circle. He gripped the stalks tightly and stepped closer to the edge of the cliff, ready to jump off.

Link saw what he was doing, and went to help him. He grabbed two small, volcanic rocks that were nearby and tied them to Dreck's legs with a length of rope he always carried with him.

Seconds before he was about to jump, an irate Zeta physically restrained him.

"Dreck, you crazy wooden man!" she yelled at him. "You want to get killed don't you?! The wind is blowing too hard! You'll end up at the lake with this type of breeze!"

The Deku put away his flowers and glared at the Zora.

"Quiet fish woman!" he shot at her. "I know what I'm doing! I'm a lot smarter than you think!"

Zeta snarled at him to show her disgust, forcing him to explain his intentions. He put away his flowers for a moment and pointed out over the expanse of the horizon to show what he meant. Looking around, Zeta saw the dark, circular cloud that always hung over Death Mountain appeared to be larger and was rotating a little bit faster than it normally did.

"Listen, there's about a four knot wind going right now," he said. "I weigh only a few kilos, so yes it might very well blow me all the bloody way to Lake Hylia. But if you were paying attention, you'd have noticed the rocks attached to my feet!"

"Oh…" was all Zeta was able to say.

Dreck shook his bulbous head in pity for the Zora woman. Again he pulled out his flowers and held them at the ready.

"The rocks will act as weights and counteract the force of the wind. It's really quite simple, even for you Zeta," he added sarcastically.

"Why you rotten little piece of bark! I'll…"

She never did get to finish insulting him. Before Zeta could scream any more obscenities at him, Dreck stepped off the edge and into the wild blue yonder. At first, the force of the wind blew him slightly off course. But soon he was soaring majestically in the bright azure sky, thoroughly enjoying himself the entire time.

Dreck landed quite a distance away on a small ridge at a much lower altitude. He waved to them from afar with his stubby arms, then sat down to take a quick nap.


*****


Zeta was furious.

"Argh! Who does that demented little shrub think he is?" she yelled, venting her frustration.

"Uh…the smart one," Jade answered, beginning to climb down the rough surface of the cliff.

"Yes Zeta, you must admit, that was a pretty good idea," Gonga added, searching for a way to perhaps roll down the mountain.

"I think you should give him credit for things once in a while," Link said. "Maybe then you wouldn't fight so much."

The cerulean colored Zora turned several different shades of purple in anger.

How dare they speak to her like that.

Why should Zeta, the greatest archer ever, have to listen to their sarcastic comments all the time? She had come from the proudest line of Zora warriors, and could probably hit that smart-mouthed Deku Scrub from where she was standing.

Of course, none of that mattered.

Her comrades were almost at the bottom by the time she had finished her temper tantrum.









The City of Hyrule

At least three and a half days later, after a very painful journey down the mountain, Link and his party entered the magnificent City of Hyrule. It was hard for him to believe, but the city seemed bigger than it had when he was a child. The drawbridge that had once allowed entrance to the city had been dismantled, as a population boom forced people to build their houses and shops just outside the city limits. Therefore, a new wall was constructed, leaving the small tributary of the Zora River to flow unimpeded through the heart of town with a permanent stone bridge running across it.

Everything appeared to be grandiose. The majesty that was Hyrule Castle, with its many banners fluttering in the breeze, overshadowed everything. The Temple of Time, where everyday Hylians could go to pay homage to the goddesses, stood tall as a beacon of light and hope.

The Market Square was still the bustling place it had always been, even now somewhat late in the afternoon. Customers and merchants from all over the realm convened here every day to trade goods for rupees, the small jewels that were used as currency in Hyrule. People were bustling about, and generally minding their own business. At first, none of them noticed the weary travelers enter the square, but they did eventually.

"If we go north from here, we can meet with Princess Zelda," Link said, pointing to the castle. "I don't have any money, so we might as well just go and get it overwi…"

Before he could end his sentence, the Sheikah boy jabbed him in the side.

"Master Link, look!" Jade exclaimed, gesturing out into the crowd.

Around them, stood at least a hundred other Hylians. Every one of them was simply gawking at Link, and they soon began to whisper amongst themselves. They moved in closer to stare at him some more.

"Impossible…" said an old man. "Link is thirty feet tall."

"I heard he can lift mountains with his bare hands," a little girl whispered.

"His clothes are pretty shoddy," a young woman said.

"Who cares, he's handsome! Look at the size of his ears!" her friend exclaimed, beginning to drool.

This went on for only a few more seconds before the crowd had them completely surrounded. All of them swarmed in, trying to grab Link so he could give out autographs.

"AAAAHHH!!" the hero began to yell. "Get em' off!! Get em' off!"

Link never did think he was that much of a celebrity, but apparently he was. Several small children firmly attached themselves to his legs, and many young women were clawing at him, trying to have him all to themselves. With girls tugging on each arm, and little kids disrupting his balance, Link was sure to topple headfirst into the sea of people.

If he did, the hero might be smothered to death.

Things were rapidly going out of control. The rest of Link's party had been rudely shoved out of the way as soon as they had entered the square. Gonga could have easily cleared the area, but he didn't really want to hurt anybody. Jade and Zeta were at a loss, and even Dreck was out of ideas. They just hung their heads and hoped the mob didn't suffocate their friend.

Lucky for the Hero of Time, a couple of the King's soldiers came to break things up.

"All right, all right, break it up!" one of them said, forcing his way through the crowd.

"Everybody go about your business and leave this man alone!" the other soldier added.

Clad in shining armor, these two warriors served the King with an unparalleled devotion. Hylian soldiers always did look a little ominous, but most were easygoing unless there was some kind of trouble.

The hero had fallen over, and was now lying in the middle of the hard cobblestone street. While one soldier returned to duty, the other bent over to give Link a hand. The green clad Hylian took hold of the soldier's outstretched arm and pulled himself to his feet.

"Thank you muchly sir," Link said, "I'm afraid to think of what they might have done to me…"

The soldier nervously put his hand behind his head.

"Oh, it was nothin' really," he chuckled. "Hey, wait a minute! Haven't I seen you before?"

Link looked rather confused, and shifted uncomfortably.

"If we have, I don't remember," he replied.

"Of course we've met!" the soldier exclaimed. "You're "Mister Hero"!"

At the mention of that name, the memories all came flooding back. He had given this soldier a wooded mask with the image of a popular children's' character, a fox called Keaton. Every kid in the realm had wanted one, and Link was happy to sell it to the man, for a small profit of course, so he could give it to his son.

Link could only guess how much fun its new owner had playing with it, but he was happy nonetheless.

"I didn't thank you enough for that kiddo," the soldier said. "If there's anything I can do for ya, don't hesitate to ask."

The hero only thought for about five seconds before answering.

"Can you take me and my friends to see Princess Zelda?"









Hyrule Castle

The royal palace was a truly wondrous sight to behold. Giant towers rose above the billowing clouds hovering over Hyrule Field, demanding obedience from all those living in the realm. Much larger than it actually seemed, it was designed and built by a veritable army of bricklayers. This symbol of authority was both a wonder of architecture and an impregnable fortress.

Although the outer wall of Hyrule Castle was made of simple gray stone, the inside was composed almost entirely of the finest marble. Banners hung from every wall, proclaiming for all the King's sovereignty. His Majesty's Royal Guard stood straight as arrows at every major entrance. Everything was immaculately clean, with not the tiniest bit of dust or dirt anywhere to be seen.

That is, of course, until our heroes trudged in the front entrance.

Knowing he wasn't actually supposed to be there without permission, the soldier who had led them in quickly turned and exited the foyer.

"Hmm, this is nice…" Jade muttered to himself, admiring the furnishings.

As if to confirm this, a door on the other side of the vast greeting room opened. Out stepped a woman, dressed in a dark blue gown with a long train that spread along the floor. Her hair was of the same color as Jade's, a stark white.

Her eyes were of deepest crimson red, making it seem as if they were ablaze with anger.

But she wasn't angry at all, and stared at the five incoming travelers.

"Yes, it is nice," she said, gesturing to the splendor of the castle interior. "I sincerely hope you don't get these tapestries dirty with the layers of muck that are caked on you boy."

Jade frowned and glared at the woman as she walked gracefully over to them.

"Greetings, Mistress Impa," Link said, bowing courteously before her. Behind him, his friends showed their admiration in the same manner.

This was Princess Zelda's caretaker, Impa. One of the greatest of Sheikahs, she was handpicked by the King to tend to his daughter's every need. In fact, she had literally raised the Princess since she was an infant.

Zelda, being much older now, had no need for her services. The Princess had her own ladies-in-waiting to tend to her, so Impa was made to be little more than an advisor and personal friend.

"Stand up child," Impa told the young hero. "There's no need for that…"

The same deep wisdom was in her voice that Link had remembered from many years before. She had an aura of respectability about her, the kind that meant no one would never dare to question her authority. But despite her often hard exterior, Impa's heart was bigger than Hyrule itself.

She herself had been quite big in the recent past, having had a great taste for Calatian chocolate, but had slimmed down to her normal size.

Link and his friends slowly rose before her. She looked them all over, and noticed the tattoos on three of them.

"We haven't seen you in so very long boy," she said. "Why did you not come to visit us? Much too long…"

"I've, uh…I've been busy," said the hero.

The Sheikah woman laughed heartily.

"I'll bet!" she chuckled. "You're the biggest thing to happen since…since…the Goddesses!"

Link's sense of modesty prevented him from doing anything other than smiling nervously, and Impa patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. Right now there was someone else she needed to speak with.

Ignoring everyone, she walked over to Jade.

"Boy, why are you dressed in those rags?" she asked, referring to the state of his clothing.

Jade looked down at himself and the dirty brown sack he called a pair of clothes. He should have been wearing one of the splendid blue uniforms of the Sheikah warriors. Instead, he was covered in scum, looking more like a pauper than a servant of the Royal Family.

"Uh, I had to ditch my clothes," he nervously replied.

"And why is that?" Impa countered.

"In the process of saving the Hero of Time I misplaced my uniform, thank you very much," Jade sarcastically replied.

At his comments, the Sheikah woman frowned. The boy's insolence was getting on her nerves. This was not the way a proper Sheikah should act and she needed to intervene before he further degraded the honor of her race.

Impa proceeded to bring her right hand into the air. In one swift motion, she slapped him hard upside the head, probably leaving a nice red mark.

"Don't talk back Jade!" Impa said, quite aggravated. "Your big mouth is what always gets you into trouble."

"Sorry Auntie," the boy responded, his head low.

Link and his friends suddenly began to snicker amongst themselves. Apparently, they found something very funny.

"What now?" Jade said, quite annoyed.

The Hero of Time tried to hold back a burst of laughter, and he almost lost the struggle. His face was turning red, and his cheeks were puffed out, holding in the air. Breathing deeply for a moment, he calmed himself, trying not to think of what he had just heard.

"You two are r-related?" Link asked.

"Jade is my nephew," Impa replied. "I trained him personally in the Sheikah martial arts. I sent him out into the world two and a half years ago, hoping he would prove himself a man. How he could lose such an important item as his uniform is beyond me."

"Yeah, he is pretty clumsy," said the hero under his breath. "I'll admit he did help me escape, but other than that he has little sense of balance…"

Jade took offense to that.

"Hey!" he shouted. "That hurt!"

As the boy turned away in anger, Impa sighed quietly. He could be dealt with later, as she was excited to see Link. The young hero hadn't visited in many years, even though he was always welcome. She wondered though, if he knew that.

Did he know that he could come and go as he pleased? The King of Hyrule owed him a huge debt of gratitude for saving his realm again and again, but she had no idea if Link was ever told this.

Was that why he never came back to see her and the Princess?

"Enough of this," the Sheikah woman said. "Jade can be involved with his precious Renegades if he wants to. He can have his attitude and act childish as well."

The boy turned around once more, but only to stick his tongue out at his aunt.

"So," Impa sighed, turning her attention back to Link. "What is it that brings you here?"

"I…uh, we…are here to see the Princess," said the blonde Hylian. "Would you happen to know where she is?"

For a good minute or so, Impa pondered his question, as it required much thought. At that moment, there were very many places the Princess might be. She could easily be locked in a meeting, writing out royal documents, or getting fitted for a gown of some sort. Either way, it was sure to be very important.

"Come to think of it, I have no idea where she is," the Sheikah replied. "Today is her free day, so Zelda might very well still be sleeping."

Link's jaw dropped wide open.

"You mean to tell me that she gets time off?!" he exclaimed.

Impa nodded a few times. She noticed that Link appeared to be a little irked, but more so puzzled. Furrowing her brow, she tried to think of a way of explaining it without making the Princess seem like a snob.

"Not exactly," said Impa. "Her Highness has an enormous amount of responsibilities. Six days a week, she works almost until she drops. Conferences, meeting dignitaries, banquets, all sorts of stuff. Then, on one day of her choosing, Zelda just goes to her room and generally isn't seen for the next twenty-four hours."

"Uh, okay," Link replied, not sure what to make of that. "But is there any chance I could see her now?"

"Yes, I think that we could arrange that…"









Hours later

The room Link stood in now was one of the largest he had ever seen in his life. Pink doilies and white lace were everywhere, giving it a very feminine look and feel. Several bureaus were situated along the walls, including a gigantic one with an equally large mirror. A walk-in closet with a half open door revealed a veritable treasure trove of beautiful gowns and dresses.

The hero then noticed the bed. King-sized did little to describe it, as it was positively enormous. The wooden bed frame had been embroidered with gold, and was shimmering brightly in the fading light of the afternoon sun. Over the mattress were sheets of purest white, crumpled up in the lower left corner, looking for all the world like a big puffy cloud.

Link moved closer to see if anyone was still in the bed. Unfortunately, its occupant was nowhere to be seen, probably gone since that morning. He glanced up and searched the light pink room in an attempt to find its owner.

He found her soon after.

On the other side of the vast room near an open window, Link saw the very person he had wanted to talk to for so long. Thin and curvaceous, she was the epitome of beauty. Her long blonde hair flowed down over her back, with only a few strands falling over her face. The girl's eyes were as blue as the sky, like a stunning turquoise. With her kindly heart and a fierce sense of honor and justice, all the peoples of Hyrule respected her. Clad only in a simple white dress, her appearance belied her importance in the lives of everyday folk.

Men would gladly die for her. There had been a train of suitors a mile long since she was a child, as she was royalty of the highest order, answering only to the King.

The greatest treasure of the Royal Family, the maiden was truly the fairest girl in all the land.

She was the lovely Crown Princess of Hyrule, Zelda.

For the entire afternoon she had been sitting at her desk. Now, the young woman was sleeping peacefully as the hero slowly approached her. He noticed a stack of parchment that had fallen off the top, and that she was still gripping an ink pen tightly in her dainty hand.

At first, Link had absolutely no wish to wake her. Impa's last words before sending him in had been a stern warning.

"If you wake Zelda up and she's grumpy, then pity your soul…"

She was so quiet that he could barely hear her shallow breaths. Link locked his knees and stood absolutely motionless, not wanting to make the slightest noise. Despite his not saying or doing anything, Zelda awoke with quite a startle.

The hero stopped breathing when she started to move around. A smile crept across her lips and turned into a wide grin. Though her eyes were still tightly closed, Zelda got up to stretch. She didn't seem to notice Link's presence at all.

Either that, or she was ignoring him for the time being.

"Did, um…did I…wake you?" the Hylian stammered.

"Not really," the Princess replied, yawning. "I just didn't want to get up and on with business. Who are you?"

Despite the sweet, melodious tone of her voice, Link was aghast.

Her last three words drove through him like a dagger. How could she not remember him after all they had been through? Were all the adventures the pain and the emotion for nothing? What purpose would this visit have if he had to spend all his time explaining who he was?

His questions were answered and his mind put to ease when Zelda finally opened her eyes.

At the sight of the man in front of her, the Princess became very excited. Link had grown up to be very handsome. Young women everywhere pined for him, and a few had already tried to marry him. As a rogue however, he was always searching for adventure, and was unlikely to settle down.

But there was at least one person who could change that.

"It's…it's you," the Princess said incredulously. "I can't believe how…how big you are…"

Link was almost a head taller than Zelda, and was certainly more conditioned physically than she. He now wore a white tunic in place of his trademark green one, which had been ripped beyond repair. Impa had taken his hat so it could be mended and presented him with this tunic and a silk undershirt.

"Yes, it is I Princess," Link answered shyly. "It's a…a privilege to finally be in your presence." He got down on one knee and bowed before her, not really knowing what else to say.

"That is totally and completely unnecessary," Zelda said. "Get up."

She walked over to Link and took his hand, bringing him to his feet. For a moment they locked eyes, sending a torrent of memories and emotions washing over the both of them. Zelda quickly grew red in the face and had to turn away.

"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" she asked the hero, trying to hide her feelings. "Is there anything that you need?"

"Actually I do require something Princess," he replied. "I really need to have a talk with you."

She turned back to face him, her cheeks blushing light pink. Batting her eyelashes, Zelda took his hand once more.

"Perhaps then, we should go somewhere a little more private…"









Zeld a's personal courtyard

The Eye of Din had long since disappeared beyond the horizon, allowing the blanket of the night sky to drape itself over the land of Hyrule. A cool summer breeze swept lightly over the courtyard, bringing the temperature down to ideals conditions. The fragrant scent of flowers filled the air, giving the courtyard's only occupants wonderful delusions.

"Ahhh, when was the last time we did something like this?" the Princess of Destiny sighed. "It's so beautiful out…"

"Seven years almost," answered the Hero of Time, who was lying on his back, staring up at the stars.

"And that's definitely way too long," said the Princess. "I've been waiting for you to come back, but for the longest time you never did…"

Link sat up then, and brushed his shoulder length hair out of his face. He turned toward Princess Zelda and stared deep into her eyes, trying to find an answer to her question.

"I wanted to, really I did, but…but I had to find her…" he softy said.

"Oh, your fairy friend, Navi," Zelda replied. "I had almost forgotten. How could I have done such a thing?"

"It's okay Princess, I'll always remember her," he sadly remarked. "In my dreams, I can still see that thing Ganondorf became, and how Navi wanted nothing more than to help me beat him. We did, I went back in time, and she just up and left. At first I thought nothing of it, but…Navi never returned…"

"You never did find her in all your travels, did you?"

"No…"

The hero seemed to be on the verge of tears. Navi had been his only companion in some of the most empty and painful times of his life. Without her, the very first monster he came across might well have chopped Link up and eaten him. She brought him through many more situations like that, but now that Navi was gone, he had changed into a different person than he was as a child.

He had grown up.

Zelda decided to spare his feelings, so she changed the subject.

"I never told anyone about what happened during those lost seven years…" she confessed.

"Well why not?" Link asked.

She hadn't expected that question at all.

Instantly, it hit Zelda that she was about to discuss something that no one else had ever heard before. It frightened her, and she turned away from Link, and buried her face in her hands.

"It's…it's complicated," she muttered.

Link put his hands on her shoulders, reassuring her.

"Alright, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he said.

The Princess spun to face him, a miserable look on her face. Without her even saying a word, Link understood completely. Zelda had witnessed many horrible things during that time, things that a child should never ever be forced to see.

"There was a battle in the desert," she recalled. "Ganondorf destroyed our army with his legions of demons and monsters. Thousands upon thousands of soldiers died! That was the end. The great, all-powerful Hylian Empire fell two days later…"

Link seemed a bit confused.

"Hylian Empire?" he said incredulously.

"Yes Link, that is our kingdom's official title," Zelda explained. "Labrynna…Termina…all are provinces of Hyrule. This city is now the center of a vast empire."

The Princess gestured to the north, outside the castle walls.

"Hyrule City extends about a mile and a half north of here. Soon there'll be a hundred thousand people living here," she said matter-of-factly. "Ganondorf did terrible things to the people of Hyrule, and he'd do it again if his bonds were ever broken."

A very large amount of people lived in the northern part of the city. That area was the true business and residential center, with the southern part, while smaller, being the cultural center of Hyrule City. Both areas had been thoroughly ravaged during the King of Evil's reign. Luckily, that tragedy had been averted due to Zelda and Link's heroism.

All that was left of that experience for them were memories.

Zelda sighed heavily, and looked up at the sky. She dared not close her eyes, lest visions of Ganondorf's evil reign come flooding back into her mind.

"So now you understand why I can't ever tell anyone about what happened," the Princess murmured quietly.

Link moved closer, and wrapped his arms around her, trying to give comfort. But her emotions took hold of her, and she brushed him off with a strength beyond her at the time.

"I had to see my father die! I had to watch, from four hundred yards off as the axe came down on his head!" Zelda exclaimed. "They murdered him in the field, in plain sight of everyone! Then…then Ganondorf burned the city! Hundreds were killed while it was being evacuated! And I…I couldn't do anything about it…"

At that point, the normally icy calm princess broke down. She collapsed into his arms a sobbing mess, and Link just quietly held her. Zelda was forced to hide from Ganondorf, disguising herself as a Shiekah. Every day of those seven long years she had feared for her life and the lives of her loyal subjects. Frequently, Zelda had nightmares about the Evil King coming to take her away and destroy Hyrule for the second time.

"I refuse to let that happen again…" she whimpered.

The Princess dried her tears and peered deeply into Link's eyes. She could sense that he had his own wealth of hateful memories as well.

"I know Princess," he said. "I saw what was left of the city. All the gutted buildings, destroyed houses, wrecked lives. There were shambling, burnt corpses, willed back into life by that fiend's dark magic! The poor souls would attack anything, totally bent on inflicting the pain they felt in death on those still living! It was horrid…"

"Then you know why we can't ever tell anyone the truth about Ganondorf," Zelda replied. "The Gerudo are very temperamental. Plus they worship their kings, both past and present. If…if they found out about this it would mean yet another civil war."

A thousand things were swirling through her mind, most of them visions of what might happen should the new Gerudo leader decide to get hostile. But what was absent were the solutions to these problems.

Zelda stood and kicked the grass with her shoe in frustration, making a sizeable divot. She liked to have control of the situation, but had little idea now of what to do. The Princess reflected upon everything and anything her father had told her about diplomacy and politics, desperately trying to find the right combination.

A brilliant idea then popped into her head, and she knew just what to do. She grabbed Link, and started to walk towards the nearest door with him in tow.

"Ack! Princess, where are you taking me?!" Link cried.

"Somewhere where we can plan what we're going to do," she answered. "And I want you to call me Zelda, okay?"

"Yes, Princess. By all means…"









The Princess's chambers

Dragging Link behind her, Princess Zelda arrived back at the entrance to her room. Opening the doors, she shoved the hero inside, nearly knocking him to the floor. Then, she promptly walked over to her desk and sat down. Grabbing her ink pen, Zelda began to feverishly write on a piece of gilded parchment.

What she was writing, the Hero of Time had no idea.

"And that is?" Link asked, looking over her shoulder.

"A document that will get me out of this forsaken castle," the Princess replied.

"And where exactly are you going?" the hero inquired.

Zelda looked up from her desk and stared at him, her lips twisting into a smug grin.

"With you, of course," she said plainly.

Link took several steps back, shaking his head. As much as he enjoyed being with the Princess, he surely wasn't going to take her along. It would be his head should anything happen to Zelda.

"You must be joking," Link said, his jaw wide open.

The Princess raised an eyebrow.

"No, not at all," she said innocently.

She then simply returned to her writing, ignoring Link for the time being.

"Zelda, please! You can't be serious!" the hero exclaimed.

Link knew he could do nothing but try to persuade her not to. His antagonistic tone wasn't helping his current cause though.

Again, the Princess stopped. Reaching up, she removed the gold crown from atop her head and placed on the desk. For a moment, she looked at it, pondering its meaning and the responsibility that came with it.

"The Fierce War lasted for almost fifty years, did you know that Link?" the Princess solemnly asked.

"No, I…"

Zelda cut him off there.

"Fifty years of civil war! Fifty years of ceaseless combat!" she said. "That was the price of my father's empire, the price for peace. For me to sit here and do nothing while that peace is threatened by some Gerudo warlord goes against everything I've been taught…"

"But we can handle Gorkhan by ourselves," Link replied. "I don't want to get you involved in this."

The Princess stood up, finished with her document. She folded it, placed it in the closest envelope, and sealed it with wax. Zelda stamped it with her personal seal and placed it on the desk.

"You just don't want me to get hurt," she stated. "That's something you don't have to worry about."

Link simply rolled his eyes.

"Zelda, when did you become a warrior?" he said sarcastically.

"Excuse me!" the Princess retorted. "You forget that I was trained in all the Sheikah martial arts. Granted, Impa doesn't remember it but I'm not completely useless on the battlefield…"

"Princess, could you at least try to see it my way?" Link argued.

That was it. Zelda folded her arms and turned away from him. She would have her way one way or another, and there was nothing Link could possibly hope to do about it.

"No! I do what I wish, when I so wish to do it," she sternly replied. "I do not have to ask your permission to do anything. The way I see it, you have two choices…either let me go with you, or have me go anyway, without you! It's entirely your decision…"

Link quietly sighed to himself and let his head droop. While his arms swung uselessly and his knees buckled, the truth hit him and nearly knocked him over. Another long journey was at hand and he would have to spend day after day after day at the Princess's side.

When he thought about it however, it didn't seem so bad. He'd probably have to protect her from a huge number of goblins and monsters, but at least it would be a challenge. And Link was never one to back down from a challenge.

Plus he would get lots of quality time with Zelda.

"So, what's it gonna be?" the Princess asked.

The young hero smiled to himself.

"Since you put it that way, I don't see why not…"









Outside Hyrule Castle: the next day

Even though a whole day had passed, Zeta was still sore. She hadn't expected such a thorough cleaning, or the use of hard-bristled scrub brushes. She silently vowed never to take a bath anywhere in Hyrule City ever again.

"Ugh…I think I'm missing a few scales," she said, feeling the small of her back.

No one was paying any attention to her complaints. The others were quite busy marveling over their new clothes. Jade had his pristine blue Sheikah uniform, which he was constantly straightening. Dreck was fiddling around with his hat, which had been expertly stitched and now had a red feather sticking out of it.

Gonga wore nothing and was, for all intents and purposes, completely naked.

The young Zora woman then peered down at herself. She tugged down the hem of her purple dress, trying to regain some sense of modesty.

For about a half-hour they had been waiting outside on the fairgrounds in front of the castle. Link had yet to return from his audience with the Princess, so they did not see him during the night. One of the guards woke them up and had given them the message that they were to wait outside.









The previous day: Lower level of the Castle

Zelda's former bodyguard grabbed Link and started to lead him off. His friends followed close behind, all the while marveling at all the stained glass and exquisite artwork of the castle interior. Impa led them all through several winding stairways and down many long hallways. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they stopped in front of a small wooden door where two guards were standing watch.

It had been beautifully carved, but was a little too obscure to be the entrance to the Princess's bedroom.

"This is Zelda's room?" the diminutive Deku Shrub said.

"Of course not," Impa replied. "The Princess would never sleep anywhere in this area of the castle! How could you ever think such a thing?"

"Then what is it?"

"This is the Royal Washroom."

Slowly, one of the guards opened the door. Inside an enormous bathtub sat, just waiting to be used. Fragrant soap and potpourri filled vases adorned the room. The servants inside were prepared to cater to any of the weary travelers' needs. A beautiful, multi-paned stained glass window provided light, throwing a dazzling mixture of color onto the lightly painted walls. Link and his comrades could do nothing but breathe in the aroma.

They were beginning to go into a trance, so Impa snapped them out of their daydreams.

"If any of you want to meet the Princess, the first thing you'll have to do is wash up. You're all filthy," she stated matter-of-factly.

Right then, Link looked down at himself. His tunic was once a bright green, but now it was ripped in many places, the white shirt underneath showing. On top of that, the color had faded and the whole tunic had a very fine layer of dirt on it.

As someone in the crowd earlier had stated, his clothes were pretty shoddy.

Link then glanced at his friends, who were also just as dirty. Jade looked like a grubby peasant wearing a potato sack. The Goron behind him wore nothing at all, save for a beard that had turned to rock from years and years of mineral deposits slowly building up in it. Zeta's clothing consisted of a torn blue sash that barely covered her more private areas. All the Deku Shrub wore was a plain gray hat, which by now had several holes in it.

Each of them had been through Hell and back, so it was only fitting that they looked like it.

"All of you go inside," Impa ordered them. "Quickly now, time is of the essence."

Seconds before he reached the entrance, a great force shoved Link into the stone wall.

"Where are your manners?! Ladies go first!" said Zeta, pushing the Hylian aside.

As she strolled in, a female servant took her hand and led Zeta to the tub. The others walked in just as the servant rudely dunked her into the bubbly water. The woman produced a very large scrub brush from off the adjacent wall. For her tactlessness in dealing with the Hero of Time, Zeta would be given "special attention".

When the door closed again, Impa turned around to finish attending to her duties. There were many more things to do and she needed to be elsewhere. It was then that she stepped in something.

Brown and sticky described whatever it was best. Impa tried to shake it off but it remained firmly adhered to the bottom of her shoe. Grimacing, the Shiekah woman pointed to the carpet while addressing one of the guards.

"Get somebody to clean this up…"









Back in the real world...

Like always, Zeta was quickly growing impatient.

"Where is Link?!" she thought aloud. "That bum better get out here soon before I dehydrate!"

Even though it was only 0930 hours, the sun was still scorching hot. The summers in Hyrule were known to be extremely hot and humid.

Zeta's question was answered and her threat dispelled as the castle's drawbridge slowly lowered. When it finally creaked into position, three people walked across the bridge and onto the fairgrounds.

The first was obviously Link. His green hat was unmistakable.

The second was a woman, Impa apparently. She seemed to be carrying a large, brightly colored shield.

But Zeta had no absolutely clue who the third person was. The newcomer was obviously blonde, female, and Hylian. Her attire was much, much different, as she appeared to be wearing armor. The woman's protection consisted of a steel, gold-encrusted breastplate and a metal skirt with a very light pink dress underneath.

As they walked towards them, Zeta noticed that the woman was also carrying a metal staff. It was about as tall as she was, and looked to be a rather formidable weapon.

When they met up, Link was the first to greet them.

"Oh, hello," he said cheerily. "Sorry I made you wait so long. Had to get my hat back from the tailors."

His four companions all facefaulted.

For a reason Zeta didn't understand, Jade immediately knelt down, bowing low in front of the woman in gilded armor.

"What's wrong with you? You like dirt or somethin'?" she asked, scratching her head.

The Sheikah boy gave her a look filled with a million obscenities.

"That's Princess Zelda! Kneel down this instant!"

Turning purple with rage, the Zora woman was ready to hit Jade. But instead of doing that, she suppressed her anger and knelt down in front of the Princess along with her friends.

"Please stand up," Zelda said. "We really should be leaving if we want to get to the ranch before the day ends."

As they stood, Impa positioned herself in front of the Princess Zelda.

"Are you positive this is what you want to do?" she asked, holding up the shield to block Zelda's path. "I'll not be able to help you should you get into some kind of trouble."

"Trouble? Ha!" the Princess laughed. "If anything happens the Hero of Time here will be around to protect me."

Link smiled nervously as the tall Sheikah walked up to him and got in his face.

"Mark my words…may the Goddesses have mercy on your soul should any harm come to the Princess, because I won't!" Impa snarled. "Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes Mistress…" the Hylian stammered.

Zelda's former caretaker then handed Link her shield. It was made of good, solid steel and would be very unlikely to break. On the front, the scarlet eagle of the Royal Family had been painted, along with the golden symbol of the Triforce.

"A Hylian Shield, how nifty," Link said. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome. Use it well," replied the Sheikah woman.

At that point, Impa simply turned and headed back towards the castle, leaving the hero and his party to begin their long journey.









Mere minutes later

Link fixed his hat, lashed the shield to his back and started walking. The Princess followed behind, along with the others, who were eager to know what exactly was going on. All they knew was that they were going south for some unknown reason.

And Zeta wasn't thrilled at the prospect of having to cater to royalty.

"I can't believe "Miss Pretty Prissy Princess Pants" is coming with us,"she thought to herself.

To her great surprise, she found that Zelda was right along side her.

"Your Highness!" she exclaimed. "I…um…I didn't see you there."

The Princess wore a smirk that told she knew what the Zora was thinking about. Zelda wasn't going to bring it up though.

Not everybody likes everyone else.

"Do you…uh…do you know where we're going?" asked the fish woman.

"From what I know, the horse ranch just south of here," the Princess replied. "It shouldn't take us any more than a few hours to get there."

"Ah, I see. We need horses."

"That's correct."

For the next few minutes the two women traveled in complete silence. Link led them down the city's side streets, so as to avoid being mobbed again by passing through the Market Square. It worked well, not a single person stopped them to ask for an autograph.

Smooth sailing all the way.

Eventually, they reached the city gates, where a few guards stood watch. Zelda handed them the letter she had forged, and was allowed to leave the city with her party.

As they stepped onto the grass of Hyrule Field, they could see Lon Lon ranch in the distance. There, at the most famous ranch in the whole kingdom, they would be able to secure horses and essential supplies. Meat, milk, and firewood would be all they needed for now, all easily attainable at the ranch.

Just before they could begin their trek, Zeta stopped the Princess in her tracks.

"Forgive me my lady, but may I ask why you are accompanying us?" she asked in her most respectful tone.

Zelda thought about that for a minute before replying.

"That's simple. I have diplomatic immunity."


End of Chapter Two



Proceed to Chapter Three