Fan Fiction ❯ The Mirror Tells All ❯ Third ( Chapter 3 )

You Wish! Productions presents...

The Mirror Tells All

A Legend of Zelda Fan Fiction

By: Blue Taboo

Proud member of Darkscribes.org

What then began was nothing like Link could ever imagine. Surely he'd wandered from place to place in the past seven years, and had traveled throughout half of the known world, journeying into the unknown as well a few times, but he had always been the helpful commoner, not a Knight or a Lord or anything like that. As soon as he entered the warm glow of the castle halls, though, he entered a new life, one that had been made up by his Princess for what she believed to be the best.

He followed her in silence, trying not to look like a fool as he took in the new scenery with great awe. Before, such glimpses were only given from the vantage point of the few tiny windows that overlooked the garden. The way he had looked inside was almost as if he was looking at a painting. The concept of a reality beyond the glass never formed in his young mind. Now here he was, seven years later, and it still amazed him that the castle existed beyond the gardens, but he didn't know any better, and he realized, as he followed Zelda diligently, that he knew less than he ever thought he did.

"I'll assume that by now, someone is readying a room for you," she remarked as they walked, "So while we wait for that, I think I should introduce you to some men who may be able to help us with your new identity. They are all very kind gentlemen, Link, and I think that you will like them."

He offered now response, but still kept his attention focused on his following and ogling.

Eventually, after winding through an incomprehensible maze of stone halls and staircases, whose walls were decorated will all sorts of paraphernalia, ranging from hand woven tapestries to shields and weapons that not even Link had a name for, they came to a set of large solid oak doors, upon which were delicate carvings. Indeed, Link thought, it must have taken a great artisan to create the beautiful images on the doors. On the top left of the four panels, A Knight on his steed sat proudly, in full armor, holding the banner of Hyrule in one hand, and a great sword in the other. The top right panel was done in the image of a Knight in combat, also in full armor, but without his horse. He was sword to sword with an evil-looking man, who was unidentifiable for the most part. The bottom left panel had the image of a Squire in formal clothes, walking amidst a rack of lances and holding a short sword in one hand. The bottom right panel was a simple Page, not more than nine or ten years old, who held in one hand, a toy horse, and in the other, a toy Knight. There was such rich detail in the carvings that one could look at them all day and not see absolutely everything portrayed in them.

Zelda, however, was not as dumbstruck as her companion at the familiar sight of the doors. She didn't even notice the awe on his face as she quoted, still facing away from him, "There's an old saying that goes, 'If you give a man a place just for himself and no other, then it becomes his kingdom.' I never understood it, until I found out where the old men went at night." With that, she opened one of the doors, allowing more of the soft yellow light of candles to fill the slightly dimmer hall.

Four aging soldiers sat on various couches and chairs around a great stone hearth, roaring with laughter. Their gathering made the vast room with all its high ceilings and unused space, seem empty. Two long tables were on either side of the hearth, accompanied only by books taken from the massive shelves on the wall opposite the hearth, which lay opened and forgotten about on the dusty surfaces of the tables. However, when the door was fully opened, the small center of life in the great room stopped its laughter and turned to meet its visitors.

"Ah! Milady, what brings you to our part of the castle?" a broad man, the youngest of the group, appearing to be only in his fifties, asked of the Princess.

"I'm actually here on an important matter, as is an old friend," Zelda explained.

Link stepped forward slightly, still hanging in the door way, to make himself known.

"Well then," another old man asked, this one completely bald and slightly older than the first, "What business is it that brings her Highness into the Knight's Den without even taking off her cloak."

Only then did Zelda realize she was still wearing the cloak that had at first concealed her from Link's vision, though the hood had remained unused since she first drew it back. She then casually undid the fastenings of the heavy garment, and draped it over a well used wooden chair that happened to reside near the door. What she wore underneath was not the kind of dress Link was accustomed to seeing her in. In fact, it had not even a tint of pink on it. The light, silky fabric was indeed a dark forest green, one that was almost more black than green itself, and embroidered in gold. Link decided that he liked it, a lot. It flattered her already beautiful features very well, but it took all his effort to pull his gaze away and back to where it belonged, which was anyway where else.

"You gentlemen and I have spoken at length on the condition of this kingdom," Zelda began, addressing the old men, "And if memory serves me correctly, you are supportive of my right to the throne, correct?"

The men nodded uniformly, adding a few affirming grunts.

"Well then, I also remember the lot of you saying something about getting that 'Bloody Emperor' out of this kingdom as soon as possible, right?"

Instead of simple grunts, the men answered with cheers and calls to battle.

Zelda laughed ruefully. "Well, my dear old friend Link has helped me many times in the past. So many, that I don't think you'd believe me if I recounted all of them to you. He is a skilled warrior, as well as a skilled thinker, however, he is not the type of person that can simply wander this castle or hold counsel with me without reason, if you know what I mean. I know this may seem strange to you, but I have a feeling that Link could be essential to ridding our kingdom of its most recent problems."

"So how does this involve us?" the most elderly of the bunch called out from a slit in his long white beard.

"Patience, sir," Zelda commanded, "I am coming to a point here. You see, Link had just found me in the gardens, and he has just arrived back in Hyrule from a journey of many years. Terinae interrupted his homecoming and I had to tell him something, so I said that Link was the son of one of my late father's late Knights, and an aspiring Squire himself."

"Hold up, hold up!" the youngest one demanded. "You mean to say that you just made this peasant 'friend' of yours into a Squire with a simple word and, no less, the son of one of our departed finest? You do know, Milady, that there are reasons that we Knights are a dying breed in Hyrule. We are all old men, most of us widowers, who have had no sons to carry on our traditions. Not only is it illogical to give us one, but very complicated. For the Goddesses' sake, it doesn't even seem that the boy can even speak!"

Link, even in his state of shock had to prove the raging old Knight wrong. "I can speak, as well as learn."

"Then learn this, boy!" the vehement Knight shouted, "If you are to be any Squire in this castle, you will address me as 'Milord' every time you so much as open your mouth in my direction."

Link did not recoil, yet he made a note to watch out for the Knight's sour tongue.

"Wrasten," Zelda admonished, "I pray you, go easy on him. He has only just learned of Hyrule's fate, but he is willing to help us, and I am willing to do everything in my power to let him help, but I can't do that if you scream at him as if he were a servant."

"'Tis what he is, isn't it?"

It still baffled the young swordsman how people cared so much for what place they were in society, but he felt the sting of that comment as if it demeaned him to some animalistic level of life.

"Not anymore. I wish that you would willingly accept him and teach him as I will, but I can still expect your work without your will. However, it is not my wish to place any order upon the Old Knights of Hyrule. At least the rest of you are kind and gentle souls, as I've grown to know you. What do you have to say on this matter?" the Princess inquired.

"You know, Highness," the bald one spoke, "That I am for anything that is helpful to this, the greatest of Kingdoms."

"I have no objections," stated the bearded man, "And, in fact, I rather like the idea. It's about time we had a new Knight in Hyrule, even if he's only part of a plot to restore our royalty to its rightful place on the throne."

The youngest grunted a less enchanting go ahead, offering no words towards the matter.

The lone Knight who had kept silent for the whole encounter was then the focus of all eyes in the room. His salt and pepper hair and short beard were neatly trimmed, and one could see that he was older than he looked, and even wiser beyond those years. He deliberated silently, the glow of the hearth bouncing off his aging, but still striking face and green eyes. His eventual answer, however, only served to confuse Link even further. "Didn't Dorian's wife have a babe, not more than twenty years ago, that died of a fever just before the war took his parents that fall? The boy could be passed as Dorian's son...for he has the look of him, at least enough to fool that foreign thief."

A mutual nod of recognition as well as few stronger stares in Link's direction were what followed.

"Are you all in agreement then?" Zelda asked again, "Do I have the pledge of the Old Knights of Hyrule?"

"I believe I speak for the lot of us in saying that you do, Princess," the once silent one spoke again in affirmative.

Then Zelda grabbed her cloak, after shooting a quick smile in the direction of an overwhelmed Link. "On that note, gentlemen, I'll leave you to get better acquainted. I'll be back in due time."

She stepped back towards the door, whispering at Link as she left, "Don't worry. It may not seem like it, but they are all good men and they will do anything to get the Emperor out of Hyrule. I'll thank you in advance for your help..."

And then he was alone, well, with the Old Knights.

"Nice of her to introduce us all, don't you think?" the young, aggressive Knight added sarcastically.

"Certainly, but she seemed to have a busy air about her. I'm sure it just slipped her Highness' mind," the elderly one reassured him.

"Well, it might as well be me who does the introductions then. Boy, for starters, you can call me Sir Wrasten, that is, when you don't address me as Milord. They tell me I'm the mother hen around here, even though I have expressed one too many times how little I like the term. The old man of old men here to my right is Sir Cortain. We know him as the wise old coot, even if he is generally a little senile. The bald man you see reflecting the fire light is Sir Banon. Don't let the lack of hair fool you, because now that he doesn't have to deal with it in his face anymore, he had become an even greater swordsman. And last but not least the quiet, pretty boy of the group we call Sir Damen. Don't let his ample talk fool you, because he's actually Hyrule's greatest strategist. He probably saves his breath for the next set of logic he plans to throw at us. What about yourself, lad?"

"My name is Link," the more than slightly stunned young man began.

"Oh come now!" Wrasten scolded, but this time there was a more gentle and laughable edge to his sharp tongue. "We know that much already. What do you do when the Princess isn't making up a life for you?"

"I'm an adventurer of sorts. Ever since I was ten years old I've wandered from Hyrule, looking to help out wherever help was needed. Through that, I've come to know all sorts of places, people, and weapons, though I am fond of the sword. The whole story is too long to be an introduction," Link told them.

"Then we shall have to hear it over the course of many evenings later to come," Banon announced, sounding genuinely interested.

"Come closer, boy," Wrasten invited, now seeming to have warmed up considerably since Zelda had gone, "We aren't here to rob you or whatnot."

Link obeyed, and was thankful for the instinct he had to do so. He liked this version of the youngest "Old Knight" better than the snapping turtle of a man he'd first encountered, and he didn't want to set him off again.

"You and the Princess must've both been in a hurry," Banon remarked, upon seeing Link still in all his gear, "Since you couldn't even leave your sword and shield at the door."

"Usually, they never leave me until I sleep," Link commented. "I am so used to the weight now that I barely even notice them."

"Well let's have a look see here," the bald swordsman prompted eagerly. Link could already tell where his interests were.

It felt strange to take off the sword's sheath and its shoulder strap, as well as the shield that was hooked onto it, but Link knew enough to know better than to simply draw his sword when showing it off. Feeling naked, he approached a small table that was among the random pieces of lesser furniture scattered about the large room, and laid the equipment down. Banon followed him eagerly for those few steps, while the others looked on from where they were.

Link gladly withdrew his fine broadsword and placed its hilt towards Banon, wondering what the expert would have to say about it. Banon took it up, and seemed almost thrown off by the lightness of it, not that it was light, but rather, it did look much heavier than it was. He did several things in examining the blade, many that Link thought had no real purpose, while grunting all the while.

"'Tis a grand sword for a young common man such as yourself," he finally remarked, still admiring the inlaid gold in the clean, sharp steel.

"Thank you, Sir," Link replied. "I was owed a favor by one of the finest weapon's crafters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and this was what came of it."

Damen then approached, making almost no noise as he did. He was not interested in the sword and its details that Banon was now blabbering on about. Link watched the clean-cut Knight out of the corner of his eye as he placed his hand on the well-worn Hylian shield that Link had continually kept and repaired throughout his travels. He looked at Link, while the younger man looked right back at him, and for an instant, smiled, then pretended to be interested in Banon's rantings on the good craftsmanship of the blade, and how Link should go about mending the nicks he had in the left side of it so as to make it look even more like new.

Link wasn't really paying attention, though. Something about Damen caught his thoughts. It seemed that the Old Knight knew far more than he cared to say, at least for the moment. His whole stature and appearance exuded knowing, and it reminded Link of the Sages he'd awakened, back in the days of forgotten time. There was a comfort in his knowing, Link could see that, and it exuded from him also. The hero knew that Damen would not lead him astray. It was an odd form of instant trust, but Link had learned long ago that certain feelings he had were meant to be listened to.

Eventually, the sword made it back to its sheath and the excitement Banon had shown over it died down, making the bald Knight seem like he'd been let down, simply because he knew better than to talk on and on about weapons all evening and bore his companions to death with it. They asked Link a few more generic questions, many of which he couldn't answer. High born types, Link found out, had an affinity towards family ties, even if it was in a common man such as himself. When he told them of his good fortune at being raised by the Kokiri, the men seemed more shocked to learn that Link didn't know who his parents were, rather than the fact that he'd been raised by the "Savage Fairy Children" as his old friends were seldom referred to.

As that conversation died down, not unlike the embers of the dying fire in the Knight's great hearth, Damen spoke again, commanding all to listen with his very lack of silence. "Lords," he addressed the whole of them, "I believe that we should get down to more serious matters, even if a little storytelling and conversation is all well and good. We have to invent a history for this boy, and one that will give him enough standing to work with us and give us counsel in this, our time of greatest need."

The Old Knights agreed with grunts and nods, as that was what seemed customary.

"Then we are to say that he is the son of our lost Knight Sir Dorian, and was sent as a young child to live with his mother's family off in another kingdom..."

"Hassentern!" Cortain, the oldest and supposedly wisest suggested.

"That will do. It is believable enough. So young Link here was sent to live with family in Hassentern and train as a Knight there, in a quiet, isolated country manor."

Wrasten chuckled. "It would give excuse for his poor manners."

"Exactly my point," Damen stated. "By that, he learned the blade and the horse, as from what I can tell of him already, he already knows well, but little else. Though he wishes to achieve Knighthood and follow in the steps of his long dead father, he is greatly unprepared for life in Hyrule Castle. Therefore, the Princess and the Old Knights must step in, in order to put the young man on the correct path towards his eventual Knighthood, which he is promised once this 'little political issue' has been solved. It gives us the perfect excuse to have him in tow whenever we wish, and to teach him what he needs to know in order to fit the part of his altered birth. An uncultured, wild young noble out to avenge his parents...there is no better way!"

Damen seemed pleased with himself, and sported a grin not unlike that of a child who knows he's gotten away with something.

"But Damen," Banon butted in, looking perplexed. "The only thing is, if you make the boy out to be Dorian's son...then he's your--"

"Squire!" Damen cut him off, "As he will be to all of us." He then turned to Link and said, "It may seem like a strange and even loathsome idea to you, my young friend, but I will tell you this: From now on, your days are going to be very full and very planned. Cherish and free time you find for yourself, because incidences of such will be few and far between. Are you sure you agree with all this?"

Link pondered on it for a moment, still awestruck by the fast pace at which his world was tumbling and altering around him. "It is for Hyrule, so yes, I agree," he finally blurted out, knowing that was indeed his answer, only cut down a little. "Besides, it's too late now for me to back out, isn't it?"

"I have great faith in you, Link, excuse me, Master Link. It is what most will call you now, either that or Your Honor. Get used to it, because your first lesson is to only call someone you really know and trust by their name alone."

It was then that the doors bust open again, revealing Zelda along with a slightly younger girl, who Link could only guess was some kind of servant.

"I hope you gentlemen have had a nice chat," Zelda began, "But I'm afraid that its time for me and Calandra to show Master Link to his room in the north wing. So say your good-byes for the night, the hour is drawing late as is."

And with that the Old Knights did whether by wave, grunt, or even a few words, they bid him off, and Link grabbed his equipment, and found that he saw a good side to his confusing dilemma in the castle in the old men. They were all, in their own way, truly friendly and good people and they meant well for him. As much as he trusted Zelda, Link found himself longing for the glow of the great hearth as soon as he'd left it, even though it was a relatively pleasant spring night.

As soon as he was clear of her way, the servant girl shut the door, closing him off from his new friends and teachers.

"Terinae has retired for the night," Zelda reported, "But he made a point of making sure that I told you he looked forward to speaking with you at dinner tomorrow. For that reason alone, you must meet with me in the morning tomorrow, as early as possible. I have a meeting with a few financial advisors just before noon, but until then, you have much to learn, and I have much to teach you."

Link nodded and followed along as they started on another winding course through the maze of stone the Hylians called a castle.

"So how did everything go over with the Old Knights?" she inquired over her shoulder.

"Good, I guess," he told her. "They decided to tell people I was the son of some Knight named Dorian that was killed a long time ago in some war and that I had been raised in some wild country...uh...the name started with an H or something..."

"Hassentern?"

"Yes, that's the one," Link affirmed as they hit a narrow flight of stairs.

"Ah, so they plan to pass you off as some beast boy raised far away from the comforts of Hyrule," she giggled. "That, I guess, will do well enough. It works out reasonably for us then, so all in all, it is a good idea."

After a few more staircases, they then reached an intersection of four long, door-lined corridors.

"This is where most of the noble blood of the castle sleeps," Zelda indicated. "To the south, the direction that points to the heart of Hyrule, is where the royal family is intended to stay. Right now, it's just myself and the Emperor, who demands only the finest we have to offer here. To the west, facing towards a great deal of the rest of the known world, is the ambassador's wing. That is where we board our foreign guests. To the east, at the right hand of the royal family, are the highest born nobles. And lastly, to the north, guarding the royal family from the hostile northern lands, are the high ranking generals and Knights of Hyrule. Everyone is separated like that, which is almost silly if you ask me."

Link could not believe how much information and tradition he'd already encountered in the few hours he'd spent inside the castle. Silly it was, but astonishing as well.

"They gave you a nice room in the north wing," Zelda told him. "After all, it's nearly as empty as my wing these days. Calandra will show you which one it is and bring you anything that you require. I knew I could count on you, Link." With that she smiled. "I was hoping you'd come back. I knew that you would. You've helped me and this kingdom before, and I know you can do it again. Thank you, for everything...again."

She didn't even leave a chance for him to respond, and began to walk briskly away to other important matters. "Remember!" Zelda shouted. "First thing in the morning! I will send someone for you!"

Link simply nodded and waved in goodbye. Words, it seemed, would now be forever beyond him.

"This way," the younger girl beckoned, leading him down the cool, dim north wing. "Yours is the third door on the left, they said." When they reached it, she opened the door for him, which was a practice that Link was severely unaccustomed to, and lit the wall scones with the tiny candle she'd been carrying.

The room was made of stone, same as the rest of the castle, and the largest that Link had ever called home. Two slits of windows offered a view of the western gardens, as well as the clear night sky. Between them, on the wall opposite the door, a rather perplexing tapestry was hung. It was done in such a strange style, that Link couldn't tell what it was supposed to be depicting. He'd seen such things in the nice inns and houses he'd crept into, and usually, they told a story, but this one was fashioned strangely. The south wall was home to a large four post bed, covered in a deep red quilt and newly washed sheets. Two wall scones on either side of it had little matching tables underneath them, one of which held a basin and a pitcher. There was a large cedar chest at the foot of the bed as well. On the south wall, there was a wooden wardrobe and bookcase, both of which were small and empty. A barely sizable table and two chairs, both made of a strangely dark wood, were off in the corner near the door. All and all, very basic for a castle room, but more than Link had ever known in his short lifetime.

"Your Honor?" the girl asked, knocking Link out of his grateful daze, "Do you need anything else?"

"I-I think I'm good for the night. Thanks," he replied, now only wanting to get away from the constant change.

"Good night then, Master Link." With that, the girl disappeared quickly, even before Link could turn around watch her leave.

A bed had never looked so inviting to him as it did now. He had not fought hard on that day, or even ridden very hard or long, but he was exhausted. Link began to take off all of his various belts and straps, unloading pound after pound of various weapons and items he always carried with him. He knew the rest of his treasures were safe with Epona, who had probably bedded down in the tall grass of Hyrule field by now. It was then that he noticed that the Ocarina was still in its pouch, and that he had put it away and hadn't given it to Zelda. There was no need for that now. It appeared that Hyrule still needed his help, and to Link, this meant that the Ocarina was still in his charge. He would ask the Princess if this was what he should think and do when she had less troubling her, when she had time to at least talk to him, that was.

Link was once again startled out of his thoughts when a knock came upon the wood of his open door. He turned around to find Damen standing in the doorway, his black cloak almost completely covering the dull grey clothing he wore.

"I couldn't help but see that your light was still on," the Old Knight began, the grin Link had seen before once again on his face.

"I was just about to go to sleep," Link reported.

"Well, can I ask you to wait a little while longer? I still have some matters to discuss with you, those as such that they can't be spoken in front of my fellow Knights," he stated, leaning on the doorway.

Link nodded.

Damen straightened himself up, looking indeed like a much younger man. "The Knight I mentioned, that you are now the 'son' of...I knew him quite well, you could say. You see, Dorian was my youngest brother, and he and I were close, even though nearly twenty-two years separated us in age. My parents had many sons, of which I was the eldest, and he the youngest, and we were all Knights, and it is strange that I am the last remaining. Most of my brothers died along with Dorian in the war against the invading Gerudos that thought they could take over Hyrule many years ago. Though we did win that battle, it cost us a great deal of casualties, and among them was Dorian."

Only then did Link comprehend the fact that this made Damen his "uncle".

"My little brother's wife and sickly infant son were supposedly killed in a raid on the town they were staying in shortly after. I know no other details of it, simply because those who were left alive in that part of the war were the ones who fled early, and also because my brothers and I had a great falling out only months before that, and we still weren't speaking to one another. That argument is one of the few I regret making in my life, but that is a story for another day."

Damen paused, perhaps out of reverence, or only to catch his breath, but Link didn't dare to make a sound, for fear of ruining the story.

"When I saw you walk into the Den, I thought I'd seen a ghost. Believe it or not, boy, you are the very image of Dorian at your age, only dressed in strange clothes and in need of a haircut. There are a few other things that are different about you, but overall, you look astoundingly like my brother. I don't know where you came from, or who it was that bore you to this land, but it makes me wonder. Never mind that, though, I have said too much. If people talk of your uncle, know that they are speaking of me. I will tell you all you need to know about the family I've put you in, so it is my wish that after you see the Princess tomorrow morning, that you see me in my chambers. I am the second door from the end, on the right. Can you remember that?"

Link nodded again, now fearing that every moment would have him at a loss for words.

"Then I shall see you tomorrow. Good night, Master Link."

"Uh...same to you, Sir Damen."

Damen laughed and turned his shoulder to the stunned young man. "Remember, Link, you can call me uncle if you wish." Then he left, the light of his own candle receding away down the darker hallway.

It was all Link could do to fall asleep that night, what with the new, and strangely uncomfortable for all its softness bed, and the thoughts that raged on in his mind, trying to ponder what exactly had happened that evening, and what would happen the sun rose again.

/_\ /_\

/_\ /_\ Blue Taboo /_\ /_\