‘Peace at last falls over the country. The mighty Hero Link defeats Gannondorf and the years of terror and despair are finally over.
After weeks of celebration life gradually returns to normal. All is well in the beautiful land of Hyrule.’
The dark night can do nothing on the beauty of the Temple of Time. The white stone and towering architecture is vastly dominating against the inky black sky.
Amongst the shadows a small grey terrier is running around, he is just one of many dogs who own the town and roam the night. Nothing out of the ordinary here… Until… wait? What’s that?
Quick footsteps are heard over the yapping of puppies, the fast movement of a cloaked figure is seen ducking in and out of the street lights.
Drunken party goers on their way home from extended celebrations interrupt the mysterious person’s stealth across the main courtyard. They quickly duck in to a covered doorway before the obnoxious group even notice the change in wind. The small leaves of the manicured trees are the only indication that the breeze has shifted from North to West. Before long they’ve slipped back out and are making their way towards the temple.
As they approach the wind changes once again, West to South, the terriers’ fur ruffles from the motion. The figure moves silently past the animal pausing briefly to acknowledge the terriers’ startled look. In fear that the dog may bark and bring attention to them our hooded curio coos out soothing notes and distracts the innocent creature long enough to carry on by.
Slinking up the front steps a delicate hand reaches towards the large wooden doors of the Temple, exposing an unusual marking of three golden triangles on the back. As the hand gently pushes against the frame a final change of wind is indicated by assisting the opening of the heavy door, South to East, and our Heroin steps inside the majestic entrance to The Temple of Time.
~oOo~
Almost eighteen years have passed since the last day of the “Darkness that Night Envied” or the “Battle of the Ages” or any of the many titles history has given the event. And that’s just it, it is ‘history’ now, something that is taught in school as fact and a tad bit of fable.
Did the Hero really have a loyal Mare who would come from any great distance to aid him in his travels? Did he really have a fairy companion every step of the way? What was with all the green??
Its details like this that make Hyrule’s young Princesses doubt the history books. But, if their big sister Zelda says it happened then it must have, she would never lie to them nor make up stories.
Zelda was more like a Mother to them than a sister since they never knew their real Mother and their beloved Father passed away several years ago. It doesn’t really bother them much; Zelda is all the family they need.
Growing up in the castle is a very privileged life indeed, too privileged for some, so privileged in fact that it is driving our young Princesses crazy. They yearn to be outside the grounds walls amongst the rabble and common people. The Royal Guards and even the servants are so uptight and dull, save the Head of the Royal Guards that is.
The girls have always been told to refer to him as ‘Sir’ even though he is not that much older than their own sister and he is much too handsome to have a stuffy, stuck up title as ‘Sir’.
Tall, broad and muscular the blond haired and blue eyed beauty is rugged and confident in a worn traveller’s sort of way. He exudes this sense of purpose and power when he walks and his piercing stare causes ones heart to skip. Those eyes have seen many things, things that no one will ever know of, except of cause the Queen Zelda.
When in the castle walls he only speaks to Zelda. It is somewhat of a given rule that no one must engage him in conversation least they be subjected to an awkward silence.
This trait of his only deepens the admiration our Princesses hold for him. The ‘Strong Silent’ type if you will.
Spring in Hyrule is an enchanting time of the year. All the colours are intensified and the many varieties of flowers perfume the air in an intoxicating aroma that is dizzying if inhaled too deeply.
Of course you would have to be outside of the Castle Town’s city walls to truly appreciate this.
And of course you would have to be outside of the Royal Grounds to be able to leave the city walls of Castle Town.
And of course you would have to be outside of the Royal Castle’s walls to be able to be in the Royal Grounds in order to go to Castle Town to leave the city walls.
And this, my dear reader, is where our Princesses reside.
Prisoners in their own home. Captives of their own blood.
Unable to venture any further than the immediate castle and the small inner gardens held within the historic walls.
While growing up this was a fine place to play, content with life as they knew it. An entire castle was plenty big enough for three small young girls to run around and be naughty as only young girls would know how.
But now these young girls are young women, and as young women they know how to sneak through closed doors and hear through thick walls and knowledge of the large world outside didn’t take long to find them.
One of their favourite pass times was to make their way unseen down to the Guards barracks and listen to the tales the men would tell each other over a lager or ale after a long week on patrol of Hyrule.
(This story has been cut short to fit in the 1000 words limit. This is not the full product.)
