Real Courage [Complete]

Outside of the throne room, Lila had no idea where to go. She considered picking a random direction but then thought of something else. Would the chief be susceptible to goading?

“Hey,” she called out. “I beat up your minions. You can’t hide from me! I will get my sword back!”

Lila paused to listen but was rewarded with a group of blins attacking from one side of the hallway. They weren’t any trouble at all now that she had most of her gear. She dispatched the blins quickly and continued going the way they had come from.

“Is that all you got?” Lila tried shouting again at the next juncture. More blins appeared, and more blins went down. She continued goading the chief, “It’s no use. Give me my sword and this can end.”

One more round of blins showed up, and afterward, Lila could see a darkly-lit room. She rushed into the room without considering the consequences. The door slammed shut behind her, and bars blocked the way. Lila braced herself for the possibility of a fight.

Because it was so dark, she couldn’t see her enemy right away. What she could see were pedestals and displays lining the walls, each with its own tiny candle. That was the only light source now that the door was closed. The displays held some gruesome objects, such as skeletons and severed hands. Some of the displays held weapons. At the other end of the room stood the Moblin Chief, clutching the Master Sword in one hand and a trident in the other.

“You stole that from the Gerudo!” Lila accused, recognizing the trident. “And you stole my sword. I’ll be taking both back, thank you.”

“I take, make mine!” the chief roared back as he lunged forward with the trident.

Lila used the Boots of Sturdiness to stabilize her position then grabbed the trident with both gauntletted hands. The Moblin Chief was stronger than she expected, and he pushed her against the wall. A crackle of blue lightning danced down the trident’s haft and jolted her. She cried out and had to let go, shoving forward as she did so. The moblin took a few steps back.

“What did you do to that thing?” Lila shouted.

“Make mine,” the chief repeated. “Upgraded with power. Dark. Demonic.”

Lila took heavy steps forward, keenly aware of every ache and injury that hadn’t yet healed. The electricity had awakened her nerves with a fresh wave of pain. But she couldn’t let any of that slower her down. She had to fight her way out of there.

She shifted her shield to her left arm. Then she pulled out her boomerang and threw it at the moblin. The moblin charged at her again with the trident, so he was unable to block her attack. The boomerang hit his head, which made him stumble and fall to the side.

Lila rushed forward and wrenched her sword from him. Then she slashed downward but only hit armor. The missed attack gave the moblin time to jump out of her way. She cursed but didn’t have time to regroup. The moblin chief jabbed at her with the trident, and she could feel the trident scraping against her shield as the metals screeched against each other.

Another jolt of electricity made Lila back away. The moblin followed her, pressed her. Soon her back hit the wall again. The electricity wouldn’t stop. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed in pain.

“You suffer,” said the Moblin Chief in satisfaction. “You will die.”

In desperation, Lila thrust her sword at the moblin’s gut. The squelching sensation told her that she made a hit. The moblin roared in pain, and the electricity stopped. Lila ducked to the side, taking her sword with her. The Master Sword slashed through the Moblin Chief. Lila stumbled to her feet to see the chief lying on the ground, the fight gone out of him. Relieved, she finally took a deep breath… and coughed from the stench.

After regaining her composure, she said, “I’ll take that,” reaching for the trident.

The chief clutched it closer to himself and said, “No! Mine!”

Lila sucked on her teeth. “Give me the trident, or I’ll have to kill you for it.”

The chief hesitated, but decided to loosen his grip. Panting, Lila bent down to grab the trident. As she did, she felt electricity crackle up her arm. Quickly, she yanked the trident away from the chief, and the lightning stopped.

Lila backed away from the chief to survey her situation. First, she made sure she got every one of her items back, which she did. Then she looked around the room. The bars had disappeared from the doorway, so that was good. She noticed a familiar sparkle in the air and saw a glowing heart gem laced with gold. She had seen these hearts before at the end of particularly difficult battles. Excited, she reached for it and watched it vanish in a dance of gold and ruby flecks that reflected what little light was in the room. Instantly, she felt refreshed, though sleepy. The aches and pains were gone but at the cost of her energy. As long as she could get out of there quickly, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“I’ll return this for you,” Lila said to the moblin chief. “I’m leaving now. No need to get up.”

The forest was a maze. Zale felt lost without Lila. Link was an excellent tracker, though. He seemed to follow a direct path even when Zale saw no sign of passage. The way Link moved reminded Zale of a wolf. Zale shivered, thinking of the last time he had encountered wolves during Lila’s trial. His memory was hazy, but he knew she was brilliant. All he could recall was a warm sensation and a flash of light.

Link stalked ahead of the group, just within sight. Finally, he signaled the group to wait. He scouted ahead for a moment and then returned to talk to Zale.

“This is it,” Link said. “There’s a cave in a clearing up ahead. It looks constructed. There are two guard towers on either side of the entrance, and two more at the far end of the hill. I saw no other guards.”

Zale asked, “How many are in the towers?”

“Just one bulblin each.”

“Good. We should be able to take them out quietly,” Zale said. “I’ll shoot one with my crossbow at the same time you shoot the other. Meredith and Arden can take out the other two at the far end.” He whispered his plan to the named volunteers, and they slipped off into the forest. They were to whistle when they were in position. Zale and Link moved to where they’d have a clear shot on their targets. Zelda, Salvatore, and the last volunteer Kolba stayed behind.

At the sound of the whistle, four arrows flew to their mark and each landed true. The bulblins fell from their posts without noise, leaving the path open. Zale waited and watched for any movement. When none came, he went back to the clearing. Link was already there.

“Nice plan,” Link said, no longer whispering.

Zale said, “Thanks. Are you willing to take point when we go in?”

Link smiled broadly. “Of course!”

“Then when Arden and Meredith get back, we’ll make our move. Until then, watch the entrance.”

Link nodded and left. A few minutes later, the two volunteers came back, and they all went to join Link. Zale arranged them strategically, and then they went to the cave entrance. They were all struck by the horrible smell as they approached. They didn’t reach the cave, however, when Link held out a hand to stop them.

A bokoblin was running out of the cave. Link ran forward and attacked it at the entrance. It vanished in a puff of smoke, but Link kept his guard up. More blins started spilling out of the cave. They all seemed to be afraid of something inside.

“Pull back!” Zale shouted and did just that. Link remained, though, killing as many blins as he could with each stroke. Zale watched as the blins that escaped scattered away from the cave in every direction. They totally ignored Zale’s group. It seemed like they didn’t even have weapons.

Zale told the others, “Let them pass.”

After a minute or so, the flood abated. No more blins were running from the cave. Link stood with his sword still raised, though he was winded from his one-sided fighting. Zale wondered what Link was waiting for. Were more blins coming?

Without warning, Link ran into the cave and out of sight.

“What is he doing?” Zale wondered aloud.

“Let’s go check,” Zelda said, worried.

The group moved forward, though the smell was almost unbearable. Meredith had to run aside and throw up because of the stench. Zale ignored her plight. He was stunned by what he was seeing.

Link was fighting Lila!

“Stop it!” Zelda shouted, rushing ahead. She reached out to touch Link, and he stopped fighting. Lila stopped fighting as well but didn’t put her sword down. She looked worn out and ready to collapse. Zale ran to her and swallowed her in a tight hug. Then she finally let her sword drop.

“You’re alive!” Zale said. He felt tears pouring down his face, both from relief and the smell.

Lila’s voice was as rough as she looked. “Yeah, I’m fine, no thanks to him.”

Link retorted, “Just give me the Master Sword and I’ll get out of your way.”

Zelda held him back and said, “Not now.”

“Yes, now!” Link growled. “It’s my sword–”

“This is not the place for this discussion,” Zelda said shakily. She was looking green. LInk looked down at her in concern, and Zale actually saw him relax.

“You’re right,” Link said. “Let’s get out of here.”

“I second that,” Lila chimed in.

The group left the cave and didn’t say anything until they were back in the forest. Lila closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air.

“That was the worst dungeon I’ve ever been in,” she said.

“Are you hurt?” Zale asked frantically.

Lila laughed. “That’s not what I meant. I meant the smell. It was revolting!”

Everyone laughed along with her at that. Except for Link. He stood with his arms crossed with a glower on his face.

Zale noticed Link’s expression and said, “Let’s get back to Castle Town and see if we can get things sorted out.”

“Why not now?” Link challenged. “We can fight it out here and now.”

Zelda put a hand on his chest. “That wouldn’t be fair to Lila. Can’t you see she’s been through an ordeal?”

“I can fight,” Lila defended, “and I’ll win.”

Zale scolded her, “You need rest! You haven’t even recovered from your fight with Ganondra! I’ll bet you had to fight your way out of that place,” he added, pointing with his head toward the cave.

Lila sighed, “You’re right.”

“Then it’s settled,” Zale said. “We go back to town.”

After the group traveled for a while in silence, Meredith said, “I have to ask. Why do you all look the same? I mean, why are you in pairs? I mean, she looks the same as you, Sire–”

“It’s okay, Meredith,” Zale sighed. “That’s what we want to figure out. But–I need the three of you to keep this a secret for right now. We don’t know what might happen if word gets out. Understand?”

“Yes, Sire,” Meredith, Arden, and Kolba answered.

“Good. Since you’ve helped us out so much already, I’ll keep you informed.”

Arden looked surprised. “You don’t have to do that for us, Sire.”

“Nonsense. I’m sure you’re all curious, just like us. As long as you keep your promise, things will work out.”

“Then,” Meredith wondered, pointing to Link and Zelda, “shouldn’t you two put on disguises?”

The two looked at each other and then at Zale, who sighed again. “That’s a good point. Do you two have any other clothing that will hide your face?”

Zelda answered, “Yes, but where can we get changed?”

Zale answered sheepishly, “Would you feel comfortable changing behind some trees?”

Zelda replied, “Sure. It’s not like I haven’t done it before.”

After Link and Zelda changed clothes, the party shared a pleasant conversation the rest of the way back to Castle Town. By unspoken agreement, they didn’t talk about Link and Zelda’s past. Zale wanted to question them in a more secure setting. He also wanted to keep an eye on them in case they had worse plans in mind. Arden, Meredith, and Kolba mostly stayed quiet, but Zale coaxed them into chatting more and more until they carried the conversation on their own.

Castle Town was still a mess, but residents worked cheerfully to repair buildings and, subsequently, their lives. As the group passed, people shouted praise for Lila and her courageous triumph over evil. Seeing so much energy gave Zale a little hope for the future, but the thought of his father’s death brought him right back down to earth.

Meredith and Kolba took the horses to the stable. Arden stopped in the town to continue fixing things. Zale gently took Lila’s hand and led the way inside. She tried to catch his eye, but he busied himself with finding a proper room for discussion. Sometimes they had to stop for a moment when someone needed something from the prince. The gratitude toward Lila continued through the halls. No one asked about the two hooded figures, and Zale imagined the sideways looks made Link and Zelda uncomfortable.

Finally, with Salvatore guarding the door, the four of them sat in a private room. The room was so cramped that it almost felt like a closet, but a small table with six straight-backed chairs was crammed in there. Simple torches on the walls provided enough light to make them comfortable. Once seated, Zelda removed her hood and Link followed suit.

Lila had a million questions but didn’t know where to start. Realizing this, she looked to Zale to get them going. Link and Zelda watched him expectantly. His head stooped, examining the table as though answers were hidden there. Before long, he spoke.

“We each hold a piece of the Triforce, correct?” The others were startled at the question but all nodded. “Two copies of the Triforce of Wisdom and two copies of the Triforce of Courage. It stands to reason that there should be two copies of the Triforce of Power, but you don’t know who that could be.”

Lila remembered her theory about the Triforce of Power and pulled her gloves off, but Zelda spoke first.

“We have one other companion, but I’ve seen no evidence that she has the Triforce of Power.”

“Zale, look!” Lila interjected. She thrust her left hand forward. Two triangles glowed on her hand. She had a huge smile on her face when she said, “Defeating evil comes with a few extra perks.”

There were gasps around the room. Even Link showed his surprise.

“How…?” said Zelda.

“By defeating Ganondra, of course,” Lila answered. “She was the one who had the Triforce of Power. I imagine there’s a Ganondorf somewhere running around with his own Triforce of Power.”

“Right,” Zale said, gathering his wits. “If you don’t know who that is, it’s possible he’s behind all of this. We need to find out who it is and learn if they have evil intentions.”

Zelda asked, “What makes you thing they’re evil?”

“History,” Zale said simply. “In all of the research I have done, the one who bears the Triforce of Power is always looking for more power, usually to the detriment of others. That’s what Ganondra was after.”

No one said anything after this statement.

“Okay,” Zale continued. “Now, on to the question of you two. Where to begin…?”

“I’ll tell you where,” Link said. “We’re here to get the Master Sword. Rova said it belongs to me and that it’s time for me to claim it. Once I have what’s rightfully mine, we will leave and you’ll have nothing to worry about.”

“Not so fast,” Lila countered. “The Master Sword belongs to me, fair and square. I rescued it from Ganondra, and I went through the Trial of Light to earn it. You can’t just take it from me.”

Zale was glad they were talking civilly about it, even though they were both glaring at each other across the table. He tried to think of a compromise.

“Why do you need the sword?” he asked Link. “Maybe you can borrow it for a time and then return it.”

“No!” both Lila and Link said.

Zale deflated, feeling outmatched. How was he supposed to settle their dispute?

Zelda came to his rescue by saying, “Let’s talk about this later. I can tell Lila is about to collapse from exhaustion, and Zale looks like he needs to rest, too. I, for one, could use a break. Prince Zale, is there a place Link and I could stay for the night?”

“Of course, I’ll find you some rooms,” Zale said, relieved.

He opened the door and told Salvatore to take Link and Zelda to some empty rooms. He also instructed him to get Impa and meet him at Lila’s room. Then it was just Zale and Lila left.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Zale suggested. “We’ll go to your room.”

He took her hand again and entered the hallway. No one was in this particular hallway, which was part of why Zale had chosen it. He began a leisurely stroll toward Lila’s room.

At first, he didn’t know what to say. So much had happened since he last talked to her that fateful night in her room. He felt like it had been ages. They walked in silence for a while before Lila spoke.

“That was some adventure,” she said to break the silence. “I almost didn’t get out of there. The smell was horrible!” She smiled at Zale, but he still couldn’t look her in the eye.

“Yeah, the smell,” he said absently.

Sensing his distress, Lila comforted Zale. “What’s wrong?”

Zale was surprised to find himself blinking back tears. A lump formed in his throat which he tried to swallow but couldn’t. “I-I…”

Lila stopped and wrapped him in a hug. “It’s okay, I’m here now. Everything will be alright. I promise. I won’t get hurt anymore.”

Zale’s breathing was ragged, and he couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. He knew she was lying. She couldn’t stay out of trouble. It wasn’t in her nature. She would be a protector for the rest of her life. But that wasn’t the only thing on his mind. Before he knew it, he was sobbing uncontrollably. He and Lila sank to the ground.

“Please, tell me what’s going on,” Lila said.

Zale tried to breathe normally. He pushed into Lila’s embrace, wishing she could take his hurt away. He licked his lips, trying to find the right words to say.

“I… I can’t tell you… in the open… like this,” he said unsteadily. “The public… doesn’t know… yet.” He took a deep breath, shuddering with the exhale. “Please,” he added, “let’s go to your room.”

Lila nodded and helped him up. She supported him as they walked. She wanted to ask more questions, but he didn’t seem capable of answering them. So she stayed quiet. Zale hoped no one would see him like this and was glad they didn’t pass anyone in the halls.

Salvatore and Impa were waiting outside of Lila’s room by the time they got there. Salvatore stayed outside, and Impa entered the room with Lila and Zale. Zale quickly shut the door behind them and then he turned to Impa.

“Tell Lila what you told me. Tell her about the Shiekah and what happened with–on the road. No buts. She needs to know.” He paused and added, “I need her to know.”

Impa tried to protest but nodded in obedience.

Lila once again asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zale couldn’t look at the girls anymore for fear of crying again. “Impa will explain.” He put his hand on the doorknob. “I gotta–there are things–” He paused and risked a glance at Lila over his shoulder. “Just… we’ll talk later.”

He hurried out the door and leaned against it, breathing heavily. Salvatore eyed him with concern and said, “You need your sleep. It’s time for bed.”

By this time, guards had appeared for their post at Lila’s door, so Zale felt secure leaving her. He nodded to Salvatore and let his friend lead the way to Zale’s rooms.

Lila turned to Impa with concern for Zale plain on her face. For a third time, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

Impa gestured to sit and they did. “It’s a long story since Prince Zale wants me to tell you about my tribe. If I tell you the ending first, will you promise not to run off?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll want to comfort him right away.” Impa couldn’t speak without showing her own sorrow.

Lila thought about it. “I think I can do that.”

Impa whispered in her ear, “The king is dead.”

Lila gasped and reeled away. “The… you mean Zale’s father?” Impa nodded. Lila looked at the door but kept her promise. “I’m listening.”

“My tribe, the Shiekah, was formed by the princess of the Era of the Hero of Time. There have been rough patches, but for the most part, we’ve stayed by the royal family to protect them from the shadows. We knew Ganondra was going to attack, so we took King Gaepora to our secret village.”

“Wait,” Lila interrupted. “You knew Ganondra was going to attack? Why didn’t you protect Zale? Zale got captured because you left him behind!”

Impa winced. “I didn’t know he was captured… We were told to just protect the king. I’m sorry. We should have protected the entire royal family.”

Lila softened, seeing Impa’s discomfort. “I’m sorry for getting angry with you. Please, continue.”

Impa nodded and did so. “At the village, the king became sick. We figured out that he had been poisoned, but we had no idea how. It took days of intense healing magic for him to get better. As soon as he was, we made our way back to Castle Town.”

Impa paused, her eyes misty. Her voice was choked when she continued. “On the way back we were attacked by two witches. They had the powers of fire and ice.”

“Kotake and Koume,” Lila said in shock. “I defeated them!”

“Then at least justice has been served,” Impa said with a small sob. “They were too strong for us to overcome. They killed everyone, including the king. I only managed to escape because the king sacrificed himself for me.”

Lila took a moment to process everything Impa had told her. There was a secret tribe that lived to protect the royal family. They took the king to safety only for him to be killed by Kotake and Koume. Then a thought occurred to her.

“If you had taken Zale to your village, then he would be dead, too…”

Impa gasped, having never made the connection. “You’re right! Thank Hylia things went the way they did!”

“Yes,” Lila agreed. “Maybe it was a divine decree that ultimately kept him safe.” She waited a few seconds and then said, “Well, I should go see him, now.” She stood up, wavering, but Impa protested.

“It’s late! Prince Zale needs his rest. By the looks of it, you need rest, too. You can talk to him in the morning.”

Lila felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She grumbled, “Fine. I’ll wait until tomorrow.”

Impa turned to leave, but Lila held out a hand to stop her.

“Thank you,” Lila said softly. “For telling me all of this. I’m sure it was hard for you.”

Tears welled at the corners of Impa’s eyes. “You’re welcome. Thank you for listening.”

With that, Impa left, and Lila was able to go to sleep.

After Salvatore had found them a pair of rooms next to each other, Link and Zelda were talking in Link’s room. Link was pacing in agitation.

“I should just get the sword while everyone is sleeping,” Link said.

Zelda said, “You tried that already, remember? Did it work? No.”

“Lila was already awake when I got there,” Link protested, not sure if it was true. “This time I’ll be ready. I know about the guards now.”

“Don’t tell me you plan to kill the guards.”

Before Link could answer, there was a flash of light in the corner of the room. Link and Zelda looked to see their teacher, Rova.

“What are you doing in the castle?” Rova demanded.

“Relax,” Link said. “We’re trusted here.”

Rova looked at him, one eye fiery and one eye icy. “Then why don’t you have the Master Sword yet?”

Link’s calm faltered. “Um, well…”

“We’re working on it,” Zelda supplied.

“Work faster!” Rova raged. “The sword belongs to you, Link, not that girl.”

“But ‘that girl’ also had the Triforce of Courage,” Zelda said cooly.

Before she could elaborate, Rova said, “I don’t care about that! It doesn’t matter. Get the sword, or we will have a problem.”

Link and Zelda both blanched at the thought. With one last glare at each of them, Rova vanished the way she had appeared.

“I gotta get that sword.”

“Yes, but how?”

Zale had a hard time sleeping and eventually woke up early. He decided to visit with his little sister. Little Zelda was asleep in her room, looking like an angel. Zale brushed her hair with his hand and let the blond strands slide between his fingers. She always kept her hair clean and soft. The motion made her turn and open her eyes blearily.

“Hey, sis,” Zale said softly. “It’s time to wake up. I have something I need to tell you.”

Little Zelda sat up in her bed, blinking away the sleep. She asked, “What is it?”

“Not yet, little one,” Zale said. “Get dressed and then we can talk over breakfast.”

Zale stepped out to Salvatore to bring his and Zelda’s breakfast up to them while Zelda changed out of her nightclothes. Once Zelda was dressed, Zale returned to her side and waited for the food to arrive.

“Can you tell me now?” Zelda asked, excited.

Zale’s heart sank. How was he supposed to tell her? He had to be the one to do it, though. She had to know before he told anyone else.

“Sit down, Zelda,” Zale said, his voice husky.

Zelda caught the mood immediately and sat down, subdued.

“This isn’t something fun,” she said.

Zale shook his head. Slowly, his eyes closed. He took a deep breath and began.

“You know how Father’s been missing?”

Zelda’s breath caught. “Yes.”

Zale took another deep breath. “I’m afraid he… he didn’t make it home.” He saw tears in his sister’s eyes. “He… he… father… well, he was… killed.” Zale swallowed hard as Zelda looked desperately at him. “I’m so sorry, little sis.”

Seeing her tears brought out his own tears, and together they started crying uncontrollably. They hugged each other fiercely. The pain was unbearable, but it was worse now that Zelda felt it, too. Zale wanted to take all of the hurt from her, even if it meant taking it on himself.

Zale didn’t know how much time had passed when there was a knock on the door. He quickly stood up and answered. Salvatore and Nellie stood there with Zale and Zelda’s food. Zale gestured for the food to be brought in but stopped Salvatore.

“Did you tell her about my father?” Zale whispered.

“Yes, Sire, just like you asked,” Salvatore responded.

“Thank you.”

Nellie was Zelda’s handmaiden and best friend, just like Salvatore was to Zale. She knelt beside Zelda and gave her a great big hug. Zale watched for a moment. Maybe things would be okay. They had friends by their sides.

After eating, Zale and Zelda went to the shrine of Goddess Hylia. It was a sacred place in the center of the castle that only the royal family could visit. Therefore, Salvatore and Nellie waited in the chapel that led to the shrine’s entrance. Zale and Zelda entered the shrine by themselves. It was a small, rectangular area that was open to the sky. A pool of water separated the Goddess’s statue from the viewing platform. The morning light reflected beautifully off of the water.

Zale held Zelda tight beside him. He looked at the Goddess’s statue, not currently feeling tears in his eyes. His mind wandered, thinking about all of the things he needed to do next to become king. Occasionally, Zelda’s soft sobs broke into his thoughts.

After a few minutes of silence, Zale said, “We’ll be okay. Don’t worry, Zelda. I’m here for you.”

They turned to leave. A bright light made them pause and turn back around. To Zale’s astonishment, a semitransparent figure floated above the water.

“Father?” Zale gasped. The figure looked exactly like the king.

“Yes, my dear son, darling daughter,” said the ghost of the king. “Lady Hylia has granted a special meeting between us. Our time is short. Know that I love you both and am very proud.”

Fresh tears sprang to Zale’s eyes. His mouth hung open at first. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. The image of his father remained.

“We love you, too, Daddy,” Little Zelda cried out. “We’ll always love you!”

King Gaepora addressed Zale. “My son, I know the task ahead of you may seem monumental. There will be times that you doubt yourself. But know that in the end, your father believed in you and knew you could handle yourself with grace.” Then he spoke to Zelda. “My dear. My darling Little Zelda. You may be sad for a while. It may be a long while. But someday, you will find the strength to help your brother run the kingdom.”

Zale could sense that their time was running out. He said, “Your will. Did you mean what you wrote for me?”

“Of course,” King Gaepora said, spreading his arms. “It’s time for me to go. I love you, my children. Never forget that.”

The king began to fade. Zelda held out a hand, and after a moment, so did Zale. Within seconds, King Gaepora was gone for good.

After a long silence, Zelda said, “Let’s go, brother. Tell me how I can help you.”

Zale laughed at the unexpected words. The two left the shrine, and he said, “Stay with Nellie for now. I’ll let you know when I need you. I think I know exactly how you can help.”

“How?” Zelda asked.

“I’ll tell you when I’m ready,” Zale answered.

“What am I supposed to do until then?” Zelda pouted.

Zale laughed again. “I don’t know. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”

Then he and Salvatore went to check on Lila. On the way, Zale told Salvatore about the encounter with his father’s ghost.

“You’re very lucky,” Salvatore said. “Not many people get to say goodbye the way you got to.”

“I know,” Zale said. “Hylia honored Zelda and me.”

Once they arrived at Lila’s room, Zale knocked on the door. There was no answer, so he knocked again. Fearing the worst, he pushed the door open.

“Lila?” he asked, worried she was gone again.

His fears receded when she bolted up in her bed.

“Hu-what?” Lila wondered, reaching for her sword.

Zale laughed and held up his hands to calm her. “Relax, it’s just me.”

“Oh,” she said, leaning back on her pillows. “What do you want so early in the morning?”

“It’s not that early,” Zale said. “I just wanted to check on you.”

“I’m here, I’m alive.” Lila put a pillow over her face, so her next words were muffled. “Can you make it dark in here?”

Zale laughed again. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a sitting position. “Come on, it’s a great day!”

Lila raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s gotten into you?”

Zale had a small smile as he said, “I spoke to my father’s ghost.”

Now Lila was awake. “That’s amazing!”

“Yeah. He told me that he loved me, and now his death doesn’t seem so hard.”

“I’m happy for you,” Lila said with a smile. “You’re very lucky.”

“That’s what Salvatore said. Anyway, I have a lot to do today. You should get something to eat and we’ll chat later.”

“Okay,” Lila agreed.

“Se ya around.”

“Goodbye.”

Zale left, feeling better than ever. He wanted to see Impa next, so he went to the infirmary. He asked about her and was told she had opted to return to her own home. They told him where to go and he went on his way. He was glad to find her still at home.

“Good morning,” Zale greeted as she let him in. Salvatore waited outside.

“Good morning,” Impa replied. She seemed weary.

“How are you holding up?” Zale asked sympathetically.

Impa didn’t respond at first. She guided Zale to a sitting room and motioned for him to sit.

“Can I get you anything?” she asked.

Zale shook his head. “No, thank you. I want to know how you’re doing.”

Impa stood for a while, seemingly lost in thought. It looked like she was holding back tears. Then she sat across from Zale with great sigh.

“It’s tough,” she finally admitted. “I feel like it was my fault that the king died.”

Zale frowned, feeling sorry for her. “It’s not your fault. I said it the other night, and I’ll say it again. Don’t feel bad about what happened.”

Impa bowed her head. “I know… I know. It’s just… hard to wrap my head around.”

“It will take time,” Zale said, “but you’ll feel better eventually.”

“Thank you,” Impa said. She siped her eyes and looked up at him. “What about you? You seem to be doing alright.”

Zale smiled softly. “Yes, I’ve made peace with my father’s death. Actually, his ghost visited me and Zelda. He told me he loved me and that made everything better.”

“Wow,” Impa breathed. “How wonderful!”

“It was,” Zale said with a nod. He paused for a moment and then said, “Are you up for helping me with a big task?”

Impa sat up straight. “Yes, anything, Sire.”

“This might be hard for you, but you’re the only one who can do it. I need you to retrieve the bodies of my father and the Shiekah that fought beside him.”

Impa gasped.

“Can you do it?” Zale asked.

She quickly nodded. “Yes, of course. I’ll leave right away.”

“Good. Take as many soldiers as you need. The time for secrecy on the matter is over.” Zale stood and Impa did the same. “Be quick about it. I want a proper funeral as soon as the generals return.”

Impa saluted to him and said, “Yes, Sire. We’ll be back by the end of the day.”

“Good. And, Impa.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“Anything for you, my Prince.”

Lila at her breakfast in the dining hall. She was tired of being in her small room all the time. Admittedly, she didn’t spend much time in there anyway, but it was too much. The dining hall was much better.

She still got looks and praise wherever she went. She figured all of the attention would eventually die down. At least, she hoped it did. She wasn’t used to receiving accolades from everyone around her. All growing up, she had been like a pariah, someone looked down on. It was because she grew up among the Gerudo, where everyone else was stronger than her, a Hylian. Now, she was looked to as the strong one.

Link joined her while she was still eating. Zelda wasn’t with him. A couple of servants standing at the ready were the only others in the room.

“Are you here to take my sword?” Lila accused.

Link held up a hand. “No, no. Not this time. I actually want to make a peace offering. How would you like to meet my Loftwing?”

“Your what?”

“Loftwing. It’s a rare bird large enough to fly on. Zelda mentioned that she told you about the ocarina. Loftwings come from a time long ago.”

Lila glanced at the servants but could read no reaction. She was worried that Link was too loose with his words. Out loud, she said, “Yeah, I guess that sounds like fun. Maybe we can race. You on your Loftwing and me on a horse.”

“Great idea!” Link said.

He waited for her to finish eating and then they wen to the stables together. Lila picked out a horse and guided him to Hyrule Field. In the field, Link pulled out a whistle and blew. Then they waited until a large, bright red bird landed next to him.

“This is Crimson,” Link said, stroking the bird’s head and beak. “He has been my faithful companion throughout my journey.”

“He’s beautiful,” Lila said in awe. Her horse brayed as though feeling left out. “You’re beautiful, too,” Lila said.

“Shall we get going?” Link asked.

Lila nodded. “Let’s see what you’ve got!” She mounted her horse and waited for Link to do the same. Once he did, she pointed out Lon Lon Ranch. “We’ll race to the ranch,” she said. “Ready?”

“Go!” Link shouted and took off.

Lila spurred her horse forward. “Hey, that’s cheating!”

All she could hear was Link’s laughter fading away as he climbed into the sky. She concentrated on riding as fast as she could. He swooped down and glided next to her, taunting.

“Looks like I’m going to win,” he goaded.

Lila pushed her horse, willing him to go faster, but it just wasn’t enough. Link landed his Loftwing easily while Lila skidded to a stop. He was the clear winner. Both riders were panting fiercely when they dismounted.

Lila stomped over to Link and got in his face. “You cheated by starting early!”

Link laughed and backed away. “I didn’t need to cheat. I was way ahead of you.”

Lila had no real response to that, but she was still angry. “Why you–”

She heard a scream and all of her anger evaporated.

“Someone’s in trouble,” she said, looking around.

“Yeah, so?” Link said, frowning.

“We have to help them!” Lila ran off to the entrance of the ranch. Link shrugged and followed her. The Loftwing flew off, and the horse ran away in fear.

Within the ranch gates, the ranch keeper and his daughter were cowering from deformed black figures. The figures had big, flat heads, and walked on two legs. They had two arms and a number of whip-like tendrils sprouting from their heads. There were nine of the creatures.

“Help me defeat those things,” Lila said to Link and then rushed to attack the nearest one. Link grunted in acceptance and attacked another one. As soon as they were within range of the monsters, a translucent fence fell out of the sky to trap them. Lila didn’t care. She wasn’t planning to leave until they were gone.

Because there were so many creatures, Lila tried to lure them all close to one spot. It wasn’t hard. Five of them had their attention on her. The other four were surrounding Link. Once she deemed her five were in a tight enough circle, she raised her sword to the sky. Her sword glowed with blue light, and she spun on her toes, hitting each monster. They fell to the ground and didn’t get back up. She checked one to make sure it wouldn’t fight anymore and then went to help Link.

He was holding his own, but since he didn’t have the Master Sword, he couldn’t use the spin attack like Lila. She slashed at one of the monsters, drawing it away from the others and Link. After that one was defeated, she drew a second one away. Then only two remained.

“Wait!” Link warned. “You can’t leave one still standing or it’ll awaken the others!”

“What?”

“Trust me!”

“We’ll kill them together, then,” Lila said. She squared up beside Link, ready for the final kill.

“Together. One, two, three!” Link said.

On three, the two of them attacked the remaining monsters, both of which fell at the same time. With the battle over, the monsters burst into black squares. The squares rose into the air and into a portal that Lila hadn’t noticed before. Then the fence also disappeared.

“What were those?” Lila wondered, looking at the portal. It shrunk until it also vanished.

“Shadow Beasts,” Link answered. “But it doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t make sense?”

Before Link could answer, the ranch keeper and his daughter came up to them with smiles on their faces.

“Thank you!” said the ranch keeper.

“You saved us!” said the daughter.

Link looked uncomfortable, but Lila said, “It’s all in a day’s work. I’m used to fighting monsters.”

“Wow,” the daughter said.

Then they heard clapping from near the barn. They turned around to see a tall Gerudo woman with green skin walking toward them. Her two-toned hair was pulled up into pigtails to emphasize the red and blue portions. Something about her gold eyes made Lila’s skin crawl.

“Rova, what are you doing here?” Link asked. Lila saw that he stiffened, but didn’t seem ready to attack. So he knew the mysterious person. Things seemed tense between them, but she obviously wasn’t an enemy.

“Those monsters chase me here,” Rova answered, drawing near. “Thank goodness you arrived when you did.”

“So, those monsters weren’t your doing?” Link asked.

“Good heavens, no,” Rova responded. “I don’t know how they got into this realm.”

“Excuse me,” Lila said, “can someone tell me what those monsters were?”

“They were from the Twilight Realm,” Rova explained.

Link added, “Which was supposed to be sealed off.”

“What’s the Twilight Realm?” Lila asked.

“Long story,” Link said.

“Yes, it is,” Rova said dramatically. “I’ve had such a hard day. Maybe we can go someplace to get a bite to eat.”

“You can eat with us,” offered the ranch keeper.

“No, no,” said Rova. “Let’s go to Castle Town. Link, lead the way.”

Link shared a look with Lila and shrugged. Then he did as he was told.

“Thank you for the offer, but we really do need to go,” Lila said before following Link and Rova. The ranch keeper tipped his hat as she hurried away.

Cleaning up the kingdom’s affairs felt endless to Zale. He seemed to be working nonstop since the defeat of Ganondra. At least the generals would be arriving today, so maybe they could lighten some of his burdens. He missed his father. King Gaepora would be so much better than Zale, but the task fell to the prince.

This morning, Zale had to figure out what to do with all of the Gerudo currently occupying the dungeon. The kingdom wasn’t equipped to handle so many prisoners. Not for much longer, anyway. He wondered if they had a leader, now that Ganondra was gone. He could work with a leader to negotiate peace. He decided to ask Lila about it and moved on to the next pressing matter.

Zale needed to announce to the kingdom about his father’s death. He had to wait for the generals to come back before that could happen, though. Was there anything else he could do to prepare? No. That task would have to wait also.

That left Zelda, a mysterious visitor. Zale went to her room, but the guard wasn’t there. Zale wondered where she could be, then thought about where he would go in her position: the library. He hurried to the library, and, to his delight, found Zelda curled up with a history book. Zale cleared his throat to get her attention.

“Hello, Prince Zale,” she said, not looking up.

“Are you enjoying the book?” Zale asked, sitting in an armchair beside her.

“Oh, yes,” she replied. “It’s interesting to see events from a different perspective.”

“Ah… yes,” Zale said, unsure of what she meant.

Zelda closed the book and set it aside. “That’s right. You don’t know.”

“Know what?”

“Link, Rova, and I have been traveling through time,” she said. “We have been gathering sacred objects after their usefulness was over.”

“What for?” Zale wondered.

“To protect them, of course.”

“Protect them from what?”

“Time, monsters, take your pick.” Zelda shrugged.

“That seems… unnecessary.”

Zelda shrugged again. “It’s what Rova told us to do.”

Zale said, “Rova… Link mentioned her before. Who is she?”

“She’s our mentor and our guardian. She raised us until we were old enough to collect the artifacts. She trained us and put us through trials. We owe everything to her.”

“I see,” Zale said, sitting back and putting a hand to his mouth in contemplation. “And you’ve never seen the Triforce of Power on her hand?”

“Correct,” Zelda replied.

“I take it you trust her?”

“Yes.”

Zale considered his next question before voicing it. “What would you do in my position? Would you hand the Master Sword to a stranger just because he had the Triforce of Courage?”

Zelda took her time answering. “Normally, yes, but there are two Triforces in play.”

“Exactly.”

“Then, no, I suppose I wouldn’t.”

“So you see my problem.”

Zelda sighed. “Yes, I do.”

The two were silent for a moment, both deep in thought.

“Perhaps… they could duel over it,” Zelda ventured.

Zale wanted to dismiss the proposition immediately for fear of Lila getting hurt. However, he saw no other alternatives. He mulled the idea in his head for several minutes. Finally, he said, “That seems to be the only reasonable option. Neither one will use the Master Sword in the fight, to make it fair. It might be a while before we can schedule the fight, though.”

Zelda cocked her head to the side. “Why’s that?”

“My–” Zale felt emotions well up inside him. He thought he had made his peace with this! “My father passed away recently, and I need to prepare his funeral.”

Zelda softened instantly. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “Of course, we can wait until after the funeral.”

“Thank you,” Zale said, his throat constricted.

Zale patted his knee, and he smiled weakly at her. Then he made his goodbyes and left the library.

Outside the library, he took several deep breaths and then said to Salvatore, “I thought I was doing better.”

Salvatore said, “Grief comes in waves. Sometimes you’re okay and other times you’re not. It’s okay to let the emotions take over.”

Zale sighed and shook his head. He didn’t want to be taken by emotion. He still had so much to do.

Salvatore said, “Perhaps it’s time for you to eat lunch.”

Zale sighed, “Yes, alright,” and headed for the dining hall.

Lila was there with Link. They were both chowing down fiercely, as though they were having a competition. A woman was with them. Zale assumed that was Rova. He hailed them, and Lila stopped eating to smile and reply.

“Good timing,” she said. “I can tell you all about our encounter while we eat.”

“Encounter?” Zale asked, sliding into the seat next to her. A servant immediately brought him a plate full of food.

“Yeah,” Link said with his mouth full. “We fought some monsters that were after Rova. That’s Rova, by the way.” He gestured at the woman without putting his food down. Zale noticed that she wasn’t eating. Her plate had been picked clean.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Zale said to his new guest.

“All good, I hope,” Rova responded politely.

Zale stared at her for a bit, taking in her appearance. Something about her seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place why. To hide his staring, he said, “I hope you have been treated kindly.”

“Actually, we were stopped on our way into town,” Rova said cooly. “Lila had to convince your guards that I wasn’t an enemy. Do all visitors go through such hostility?”

Zale said, “I’m afraid my subjects are a bit afraid of… Gerudo. We… recently had a battle against them.”

“Oh really?” Rova remarked.

Lila watched the two during the exchange. She felt uncomfortable even though everything seemed normal. Eventually, she broke into the conversation.

“Zale, why don’t you eat?” she said.

He looked at her, surprised. He had forgotten she was there.

“Oh, right,” he said and picked up his fork and began eating.

“If you don’t mind,” Rova said, getting up, “I would like to retire for an afternoon nap. Is there a place where I can rest?”

Zale nodded and waved Salvatore over. “Salvatore will take you to an open room.”

“Thank you,” Rova said. She curtsied before leaving with Salvatore.

Zale shot a concerned look at Lila, then masked his expression so Link wouldn’t notice.

“Zelda and I were just talking,” Zale said. “We have an idea on how to settle the dispute over the Master Sword.” Lila and Link both looked at him in anticipation. “We think it’s only fair for you two to duel.”

“You actually want us to fight over it?” Lila asked.

Link grinned. “Sounds good to me. You’re not scared, are you?”

“Of course, I’m not scared,” Lila quickly replied.

“When do we start?” Link asked.

“After my father’s funeral,” Zale answered. “It should be no more than two days from now.”

“Hear that? In two days, that sword will be mine,” Link said, but Lila put a hand on Zale’s shoulder. Zale smiled softly at her. Link saw the exchange and added, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” Zale said to Link.

“There you are!” Came a voice. Everyone turned to see a woman with blond hair entering the dining hall.

“Lady Fapiath,” Zale greeted. “A pleasure to see you.”

The woman bowed.

Zale continued, “This is Lila and Link.” He pointed to each in turn. “Have you eaten? Please, join us.”

Fapiath shook her head. “I have been waiting, sire. Remember? I wished to speak to Lila as soon as she was awake.”

Zale bit his lip and then replied, “I’m sorry. A lot has been on my mind.”

Fapiath sighed. “I understand.” Then she turned to Lila and bowed again. “Lady Lila, might I have a moment of your time?”

“Sure,” Lila said. “What’s this about?”

“I knew your parents,” Fapiath said unceremoniously.

Lila gaped and looked at Zale. Then she looked at Link. “Um… if you knew my parents…”

Fapiath followed Lila’s gaze and gasped. “You… you’re twins?”

“Well,” Lila said, “that’s what I was going to ask you.”

The woman shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you sit,” Zale offered again. “Tell us what you know.”

Fapiath took a chair near Link and began her tale. “We’re from Ordon Province, a fruitful region protected by the sacred being Ordona. Life there is quiet and peaceful. Your parents owned a small orchard near the north of the province. They were the most kind-hearted people I ever knew. They were always watching over the village, helping those in need, and assisting with defense against monsters. Their death was devastating.” She paused and had a faraway look in her eyes.

“What happened to them?” Lil said in a near whisper.

Fapiath continued, “It was the morning of your birth. No one knows exactly what happened, just that your home was seen in flames. Everyone thought the baby had been lost in the fire. Then I saw you on the battlefield and knew who you must be. Now it’s my turn to ask: Where have you been all this time?”

Lila found that tears welled in her eyes and wiped them away. “I was raised by the Gerudo.”

“I was raised by a woman named Rova,” Link said, startling Lila. She and Zale looked at him in surprise. “What? It’s clear they could have been my parents, too.”

“It’s true,” Fapiath said. “You both look just like them.”

“That means,” Lila said slowly, “we must be twins. And if Link and I are twins, then… does that mean…?” She looked at Zale with wide eyes.

“It’s possible that Zelda and I are twins,” Zale said, his eyes downcast in thought. “And it’s possible that Ganondra had a twin.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Lila said.

“That means, your father…” Link trailed off, looking at Zale.

“Is Zelda’s father,” Zale finished. “I need to tell her.” He rushed off to the library, leaving the others in stunned silence.

“Um, I should follow him. Thank you,” Lila said to Fapiath. She nodded to Link, and the two of them ran after Zale. He was already out of sight, but luckily, Salvatore was back.

“Where’s Prince Zale off to in such a hurry?” he asked.

“To find Zelda,” Lila said quickly. “Do you know where she is?”

Salvatore looked around and then whispered, “Which Zelda?”

“My Zelda,” Link responded.

“We last saw her in the library,” Salvatore said.

“Thanks!” Lila said and tore off, Link at her heels.

“Wait!” Salvatore shouted, but they ignored him. Lila wasn’t sure if he would run to catch up, but didn’t really care. She just wanted to get to Zale.

Lila and Link caught up to him just outside the library. He heard them running and looked around.

“What are you doing here?” he huffed.

“We’re here for support,” Lila answered, also panting.

“Well… okay, thanks, I guess,” Zale replied.

After catching their breath, they went into the library together. Zelda was still there reading. She looked up when she heard them approach.

“What’s going on?” she asked quietly, closing her book.

Zale responded just as quietly. “Don’t worry, we just made a discovery.”

“Oh?”

“We figured out that Lila and Link must be twins, which means you and I must also be twins,” Zale said. He gave her a slight smile.

“Well, of course,” Zelda said, blinking.

“You already knew?” Zale said, deflated.

Zelda explained, “I puzzled it out as soon as I met Lila. It’s the most reasonable explanation. Link and I were born in this time, after all.”

Zale dropped into an armchair. “So, then, you know that my father is–”

“My father, yes. I…” Zelda hesitated. “I am sorry I didn’t get to meet my parents. I knew Mother had died in childbirth, but I was hoping to meet Father someday.”

No one spoke for a moment. Zale realized that, of the four of them, he was the only one to grow up with a birth parent. He wondered how that made the others feel. It must have been hard, growing up without a parent, but a guardian would do what any parent would do. Right? He searched for something to say next.

“Our parents died in a fire,” Lila told Zelda. “Somehow, I ended up with the Gerudo, and Link ended up with Rova. Do you think… someone… set the fire to kidnap… us? Could… could Rova be behind it?”

“No, Rova wouldn’t–” Link began to protest, but Zelda cut him off.

“You know as well as I do that Rova is capable of such a thing.”

Link stiffened. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Then why not kidnap me?” Zale asked, shuddering. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad she didn’t.”

“Maybe it was too dangerous to take us both,” Zelda suggested.

Zale sighed. “Maybe.”

“So what’s Rova’s plan?” Lila asked. “Why kidnap and raise two Triforce holders?”

“We didn’t always have our Triforces,” Link piped up. “In fact, we didn’t have them until recently. How would Rova know?”

“The same way Ganondra knew,” Lila said. “There was some sort of prophecy before we were born. But that doesn’t answer the question: why?”

Zelda said, “The same reason we collect artifacts: for protection.”

“Protection from what?” Lila asked, growing impatient. “Why protect only you two?”

“Maybe she didn’t think you two would obtain Triforces,” Link said, also growing heated.

“Calm down, you two,” Zale said. “There’s no need to get angry. Why don’t you go do something else while Zelda and I talk it out.”

Lila shook her head and sat in another armchair. Seeing her actions, Link did the same. “I’m calm,” she said. “I’m just really curious.”

“Me too,” Link chimed in.

Zale nodded. “Good. Now, where were we?”

“What is Rova protecting them from?” Lila supplied.

“Right. Do you have any idea?” Zale asked, looking between Link and Zelda.

Link shook his head, frowning. Zelda on the other hand seemed contemplative. She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms.

“Zelda?” Zale prompted.

“Rova has never been straightforward when I ask,” she said.

“You’ve asked her?” Link balked.

“Yes. She always said there was a great evil out there. She wouldn’t tell me where or when this evil was. Maybe it’s time to ask her again.”

“That might not be a good idea,’ Link cautioned.

Zelda sighed. “I know. I doubt I’ll get anything more out of her.”

“Not to mention the Master Sword situation,” Link said.

Before anyone could say more, Salvatore appeared and said, “Prince Zale, the generals have arrived.”

“I’m sorry, everyone,” Zale said, standing. “We’ll have to continue this later.”

Lila also stood up. “I’ll come with you,” she said.

Zale smiled at her. “Thanks.”

With that, they left the library.

“Where are they?” Zale asked Salvatore outside of the library.

“They have only just arrived,” Salvatore said. “I’m sure they’re still in the courtyard.”

Zale made a split-second decision and guided Salvatore and Lila to the throne room. Upon entering the throne room, Zale looked at the empty throne with sadness. He approached the grand throne slowly. He felt the oiled cedar as he ran his hand along the armrest. Then he stood back and imagined his father sitting there. Kin Gaepora’s time had passed. Now it was time for Zale to rise.

Feeling determined, Zale sat on the throne for the first time. It was surprisingly comfortable, though slightly too big for him. His father had been a man of great stature, whereas Zale was almost as frail and fragile as his sisters. He wondered if he would ever fit in his father’s place.

“Your Majesty,” Salvatore said, kneeling. Lila watched him curiously before doing the same.

Zale clenched his jaw and said, “Please, don’t do that. At least, not when we’re alone.” The two stood again. “That’s better. Now, Lila, I want you to stand beside me as my vanguard.”

Lila stepped onto the platform without hesitation. Zale pointed to where she was supposed to be and she took her position. She stood tall with one hand on her belt above her sword. The other hand hung free, ready to grab her sword at a moment’s notice.

“You don’t have to look so scary,” Zale said, trying to joke around. He found he was feeling a little too nervous to put on more than a quick smile. When they were ready, Zale said to Salvatore, “Okay. Bring them in.”

Salvatore nodded and left to fetch the generals. There was a few minutes of silence. Zale resisted the urge to fidget around in his chair. He wished he had a more commanding presence like his father. Instead, he had to draw on his own strengths. What were his strengths again? Lila was the strong one. He could rely on her for anything. He looked at her. She had her light blue eyes set forward watching the door. When she saw him looking at her, she gave him a broad smile.

“You’ll be great,” she said.

Then the doors opened and Salvatore announced that the generals of Hyrule had arrived. He tried to name them one by one, but General Davros stopped him.

“What are you doing on the king’s throne, boy?” Davros demanded, shaking a fist.

Zale swallowed. He knew this would be hard, but he didn’t realize how angry the general of Castle Town would be. Luckily, the other generals didn’t seem angry. They looked at each other with expressions of uncertainty.

Deciding patience was his strength, Zale waited for the generals to calm down. He looked at each of them in turn, landing on Davros last. When he was ready, he spoke in a calm, unwavering voice.

“My father, King Gaepora Nohansen Hyrule, has passed from this world,” Zale stated. He was glad that emotion didn’t take him. “It falls to me as his son and rightful heir to be the new king.”

The generals were startled by the news, but they all knelt down and bowed to their new king. Salvatore said, “All hail the king!”

Zale waited a moment. No one spoke. Good. Then he told them all to rise. “Now, we can begin preparations for the funeral. Send out messengers to your areas of the land. Have them announce what I just told you. Have them also announce that the funeral will be in two days' time. All are invited to attend.”

“Two days, sire?” Jovom, the Zora general, asked.

“Is that not enough?” Zale asked back.

Jovom shook his head. “No, I suppose two days are fine.”

“Good,” Zale said. “Anything else?” He looked around at the generals, but they stayed quiet. “The servants will handle decorations and all of that,” he added. “Now on to my coronation. Davros, is there anything you wish to say right now?”

The general in question looked at his feet. In the quiet room, Zale heard him mutter something under his breath but thought it best not to ask him about it. Finally, Davros raised his head and asked, “When will the ceremony be?”

Fapiath answered, “It’s traditional for the ceremony to be performed right after the funeral.”

Zale said, “Then that’s when we’ll do it. We will have a rehearsal tomorrow. Is there anything else we need to discuss regarding the passing of the crown?”

Fapiath shook her head. “You’ll go over all of that at the rehearsal.”

Zale nodded. He wondered if there was anything else he should go over with the generals. Fapiath caught his eye and he frowned at her. “What is it?” he asked.

“Maybe we should discuss… the two visitors,” she said carefully.

Zale’s jaw clenched. He hadn’t wanted to talk about them, but now that Fapiath had brought it up, he had to. Before anyone else could say something, he said, “Their names are Link… and Zelda.” He waited for their gasps to subside. “We have come to the conclusion that Link is Lila’s twin brother, and Zelda is my twin sister.” More gasps. “They have been away from Hyrule until now. Zelda makes no claims to the throne. They are here for the Master Sword.” He wondered if he should say more, but Davros spoke up.

“What makes him think he can have the Master Sword?”

“Don’t worry,” Lila said suddenly. “He’s not going to get it!”

“That doesn’t answer my question, Lady Lila,” Davros said a lot more politely than before.

Zale sighed. “As twins, Lila and Link both have the Triforce of Courage.”

A third round of gasps. Even Davros couldn’t hide his surprise.

“And… you and Zelda…?” Jovom wondered.

“Yes,” Zale answered. “We both have the Triforce of Wisdom. And before you ask, Ganondra had the Triforce of Power and we don’t know if there’s a twin.”

“So someone could be out there with the Triforce of Power and you have no idea?” Davros accused.

“That is correct,” Zale said, calmly staring into Davros’s eyes.

“If there is another threat,” said the Goron General Nodu, “then we will crush them like we crushed Ganondra!” He slammed his fists together each time he said “crush.”

Zale smiled for the first time during that meeting. “That we will, General Nodu. Everyone, keep an eye out for any activity that might indicate a new enemy.”

“Don’t forget,” Lila piped up. Zale turned to look at her. “Link and I fought some monsters at Lon Lon Ranch. I’d say that indicates a new enemy.”

Zale turned back to the generals. “Yes, that’s true,” she said contemplatively.

“We’ll report anything we see, sire,” Fapiath said.

“Good,” Zale replied. “I know I can count on all of you. You each fought well during the battle against Ganondra.”

Ready to change the subject, Zale said, “Now I pass the floor to you. Do any of you have things you would like to discuss?”

General Davros spoke first. “What are we going to do with all of those Gerudo prisoners?”

“Good point,” Zale said. “I was hoping to talk to Lila about this matter.” He turned to her again. She looked startled at being addressed. “Lila, do you know if there’s a person who would be the leader after Ganondra?”

Lila tilted her head in thought. “Probably Nabooru. I think she was the leader before Ganondra took over. She’s pretty old, but she was always by Ganondra’s side.”

Zale nodded. “Then we’ll find her and see if we can come to an agreement of some sort. I want to send the Gerudo home peacefully if at all possible.”

“But, sire,” Davros protested, “they’re ruthless heathens! What if they go back on their word? What if they want revenge for the death of their leader?”

“They’re not ‘ruthless heathens’!” Lila countered. “They’re people just like you! Seems to me that you’re the ruthless one.”

“It’s alright, Lila,” Zale said, raising a hand to calm her. To Davros, he said, “I believe the Gerudo will be reasonable. The only reason they attacked is because Ganondra lusted for more power. Now that she’s gone, the Gerudo will go back to their peaceful lives.”

“They’re not completely peaceful,” said the general of Kakariko, Eri. She was the one who lived in closest proximity to the Gerudo. “We tolerate them in our lands, but they have been known to assault men. They don’t believe in marriage, and fathers rarely get to see their daughters.”

Zale put a hand to his chin in thought. “Hm, maybe we can ask them to change their ways… but that seems unlikely. I’ll talk to Nabooru about it, but I make no promises. If they can’t be more civil toward Hylian men, then we might have to take more drastic measures.”

“Such as?” Eri asked.

“Banishment,” Zale said bluntly. “That’s the best I can think of.”

For once, Davros smiled. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Prince Zale.”

“But only if it comes to that,” Zale reiterated. “I’d rather have open peace between our two peoples.” He sighed and sat back in the throne. “I think that’s enough for today. If there’s anything else you wish to bring up, you can talk to me about it before the rehearsal tomorrow. Thank you all for returning to the castle. You will have your rooms prepared for you. Good night.”

With that, Zale stood up from the throne and motioned for Lila to follow him. Then he left the throne room. He got just outside of the room when he sighed a huge sigh and leaned his back against the wall, his face looking up at the ceiling.

“Being a king sure is hard,” he said.

Lila wrapped him in a hug, surprising him. “You did amazing,” she said quietly. Zale lowered his head and hugged her back.

“Thanks,” he breathed into her. He took in her smell and smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I only helped a little,” Lila replied lightly. “You still would have done great if I wasn’t there.”

Zale nuzzled her neck and she giggled.

“That tickles!”

Salvatore chose then to clear his throat. The two broke their hug immediately.

“Will you be eating in the dining hall this evening?” he asked.

“Yes,” Zale answered, breathless. “Let’s go, Lila.”

Lila woke up screaming. She sat straight up in her bed, trying to piece together her nightmare. She was sweating profusely, and she felt a massive headache, but the only thing she could remember was eyes. Glowing yellow eyes. Or were they two pairs of eyes? She felt it was important that she remember, but she couldn’t.

The guards burst in and swept the room for intruders. Lila paid them no mind. Her head was hurting too much. It didn’t take them much time to see that the room was clear. One guard stood looking out the window while the other guard turned to Lila.

“What’s wrong, Lady Lila?” he asked.

Lila squinted up at the guard. “Bad dream,” she managed to say.

The guard at the window returned to her post, but the other guard remained. Concerned, he asked, “Are you in pain? Should I get someone for you?”

Lila shook her head slowly. The pain was starting to recede. “No, I’ll be fine. I just need more sleep.”

“Yes, Lady Lila,” said the guard, and he left the room, closing the door.

Lila stayed sitting in her bed for a while, letting the headache pass. She couldn’t remember anything about the dream anymore. She shrugged and went back to sleep.

The next morning, Lila had no recollection of waking in the middle of the night. She wanted to sleep in, but a guard was shaking her awake.

“Lady Lila,” he said. He was the same guard as last night. Lila realized she didn't know any of her guards’ names. The guard was still talking. “Prince Zale has requested your presence in the dining hall.”

Lila thanked the guard, asking his name, and got ready for the day. As always, she wore a green tunic, just like the heroes of old. It had become her uniform of sorts. Everyone could recognize who she was when she wore it. It allowed her to go anywhere she wanted without being questioned.

In the dining hall, Lila was the last to arrive. Link and Zelda were there, Link looking as sleepy as Lila. Impa was also sitting on Zale’s left. To Lila’s surprise, Little Zelda was there with Nellie, too. A spot was waiting for Lila on Zale’s right, so she sat there. Food was brought to her, and then all of the servants except Salvatore and Nellie left.

“Salvatore,” Zale said, “seal the room.”

Salvatore walked around the room, waving his arms and chanting under his breath. Once he made a complete circle, he bowed to Zale and took a seat at the table where his own food was waiting.

Curious, Lila looked at Zale. He smiled back at her and then addressed everyone.

“Thank you for meeting for breakfast. Please eat,” he said. Everyone took slow, thoughtful bites of food. Zale continued, “I invited you here to discuss Hyrule’s future. First, some introductions.” He pointed to Little Zelda first. “This is my sister, Zelda. Her existence is currently a secret to everyone. We call her ‘Ella.’” Zale then pointed to Zelda. “This is my other sister, Zelda. She and her companion Link are also a secret. They only recently came to our land.”

Zale gave Lila a warm smile and said, “This is Lila. She saved our kingdom from Ganondra, as I’m sure you all know. Link is her brother.” Next was Impa. “This is Impa. She’s part of a secret group known as the Sheikah. Their job is to protect the royal family.

“Finally we have Salvatore and Nellie. They are the personal servants of myself and Ella.”

Lila was surprised that Zale said all of that. This was all stuff that needed to be kept secret, but he was sharing it with everyone at the table. Granted, the room was sealed so no spies could overhear. But they had known Link and Zelda for only a few days. Lila wasn’t yet sure if they could be trusted.

“Now,” Zale said, clapping his hands together, “I’m sure you all have a lot of questions. Hopefully, I’ll be able to answer them. Everyone here is either royalty or serves royalty.”

Lila noticed that Link glanced wearily at Zelda but said nothing.

Zale continued, “First things first. Impa, I want you to recruit two of your kind to watch over Zelda and Ella. They are of royal blood and qualify for the protection of Sheikah.”

Impa nodded. “Yes, sire.”

“Good,” Zale went on. “While she’s gone, I want you by my side, Lila. As for Ella, she needs protection.”

“Why now, brother?” asked Ella. “Nellie has always been enough.”

“Because I’m going to tell Hyrule about you,” Zale answered. Lila could tell that Ella was surprised when her mouth hung open. “At my coronation, I’ll name you as my successor.”

Ella protested, “Won’t that turn the people against you?”

Zale held up a hand to calm her. “The people will follow me because the generals follow me. Plus, they have seen me in battle, meaning I have earned their trust.”

“If I leave now,” Impa interjected, “then I can be back before you make the announcement.”

Zale cocked his head. “Can you really?”

Impa nodded. “We Sheikah have some tactics up our sleeves that you don’t know about.”

Zale nodded. “Good. You can leave after this meeting. Now, I have a question for you, Zelda.” He looked at her with a seriousness that Lila hadn’t seen before. “I need to know. Do you have any designs for the crown?”

Lila gasped, but Zale paid her no mind. His attention was on his estranged sister.

Zelda’s face was blank as she answered, “None. Link and I are here for one thing only and that’s not your crown.”

The two stared at one another for a few seconds before Zale smiled. “Good to know.” Lila couldn’t help but wonder what passed between them. “Do you wish to be introduced to Hyrule at my coronation?”

Zelda thought about her answer before speaking. “No. Now is not the time. I don’t know if there ever will be a time for me to step forward as your sister. Along that vein, I don’t need a Sheikah protector.”

“As you wish,” Zale said with a nod. “Finally, I want to give a quick rundown of what to expect in the coming days. Today, I have a rehearsal for my coronation, which will be tomorrow after my father’s funeral. The next day, Lila and Link will duel over the Master Sword. Any questions? Comments? Concerns?”

“Yes,” came Ella’s voice. Zale looked at her with kind eyes. “You said I could help you. You didn’t give me anything to do to help.”

“You’re right,” Zale sighed. “Well, you can join me at the rehearsal today.”

Ella clapped her hands and smiled. “Good!” she said.

“Anyone else?” Zale asked.

When no one responded, Salvatore spoke up. “There are the volunteers you promised to keep in the loop. Are you going to tell them what’s going on?”

“Ah, yes,” Zale said uncertainly. “Um… Any suggestions?”

Zelda said, “You’ll have to lie to them.”

Zale sighed, “I suppose you’re right. I’ll just tell them that you and Link are travelers from another land and your appearances are coincidental. Do you think they’ll buy that?”

Zelda responded, “They’ll have to you. You’re their king, or will be.”

“It seems wrong to lie to them that way,” Zale said. “But I suppose it’s for the best. Now, is there anything else we need to discuss?”

Salvatore said, “It is traditional for the Royal Choir to perform with the one being coronated. Have you been keeping up with your harp practice?”

Zale’s eyes widened. “I had no idea. What song are we to perform?”

“‘Zelda’s Theme’ is traditional, though with you being male–”

“I’ll do it,” Zale said emphatically. “Ella, you play the flute, right?”

The young princess flushed in surprise. “Y-yes.”

“If you’re familiar with the song, would you like to join us?”

Ella beamed. “Yes! I’d love to!”

Zale smiled back at her. “Wonderful. Salvatore, will you inform the choir of our rehearsal this afternoon?”

Salvatore bowed in his chair. “It will be my pleasure.”

After breakfast, Zale took Lila to talk to Nabooru. They met with her in a room outside of the dungeon so they could be alone. She was in chains, but that didn’t diminish her dignity. She was an old woman, and she sat up straight in her chair. Chairs were brought in for Zale and Lila to sit in.

“Remove her manacles,” Zale instructed.

“But, sir–”

“Do as I say. She will not harm anyone,” Zale said. Once the guard had done as he asked, Zale then added, “You may leave us now.”

“I must protest–”

Zale looked sharply at the guard. “Don’t make me ask again. Lila is here. I’ll be fine.”

The guard shrank under Zale’s gaze and left the room. He locked the door behind him.

Sighing, Zale turned his attention to the prisoner. She was rubbing her wrist and had a thoughtful look on her face.

Zale asked, “You are the leader of the Gerudo?”

Nabooru shook her head. “I was until Ganondra forcibly took control.”

“Tell us how that happened,” Zale prodded.

Nabooru’s red eyes clouded over. “I believe those witches, Kotake and Koume, encouraged her to do it, though I had no warning of the coup. One day, Ganondra entered the throne room brandishing a sacred trident. She gave me the chance to abdicate, and I did. I thought I might be able to influence from the background, but Kotake and Koume had too great a hold on Ganondra. I bit my tongue and managed to stay alive.”

“Ganondra used that trident as a symbol of her power,” Lila supplied. “It’s what I recovered from the bulblin king. Maybe, if negotiations go well, we can give it back to the Gerudo.”

A light flashed in Nabooru’s eyes and she asked, “What do you plan to do with us?”

“That depends on you,” Zale said. “Firstly, now that Ganondra’s gone, will you take up leadership again?”

Once more, Nabooru shook her head. “I cannot hold that honor after cowardly leaving the throne. Perhaps my daughter Riju will accept the honor.”

“Then you will no speak for your people?” Zale asked.

“No.”

“Very well.” Zale stood up and knocked on the door. When the guard opened it, he said, “Take Nabooru back to her cell and bring me her daughter Riju.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard said. He took Nabooru and left Zale and Lila alone.

“What do you think?” Zale asked, startling Lila.

“I don’t know,” she answered. “Ganondra took over before we were born, so I knew nothing about it.”

“My father gave me the histories of the Gerudo, so I knew there had been a peaceful change in leadership. I had no idea it was a coup. Did you notice the way Nabooru reacted when you suggested returning the trident?”

Lila frowned slightly. “No.”

Zale looked away from her, thinking. After a moment, he said, “She mentioned that it was sacred. Do you know anything about that?”

“No. I only knew it as one of Ganondra’s tools. It never seemed sacred to her.” Lila shivered, remembering how the evil woman had used the trident.

Zale noticed and said, “I’m sorry to bring up painful memories.”

Lila gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it. She’s gone now.”

A thought struck Zale at her words. What if there was another? He should have asked Nabooru if Ganondra had a twin. He decided not to mention this thought to Lila just then.