In the Mean Time

By Lonneke Mous


The Escape

Zelda woke up sitting straight up in her bed. For a moment she was paralysed. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. She could feel it in her entire body. Then she thought of the fairy boy, she met recently and hoped he was okay. She wasn't sure if he really was alright and that frightened her. Zelda knew she couldn't sleep now, knowing something is wrong. So she quickly put on her clothes and stepped outside of her room with a candle in her hand she just litted. She decided to go to Impa's room (her father probably wouldn't believe that there was danger) and Zelda started to run down the stairs. 

Her room was high in the top of one of the towers, so she didn't knew, that her father was killed just a few moments ago and that it was that event that woken her. Ganondorf pulled his sword out of the body while he smiled at the corpse of the dead king. 
"Fool" he thought. "Old fool, who didn't know who his enemy's were until it was too late."
The queen was captured for the fun of his men, who were now plundering the castle. Overall, things went well. But there was one more thing he had to do. The princess was still somewhere in the castle. He had no intentions to kill her. Then the entire royal family was slaughtered and that would be too much for the people. They could accept a new king, as long as they still had the feeling of a royalty that ruled the city. So he would use Zelda as a symbol for the family. The fact that she could help him in his quest for the Triforce was another reason why she would live. Who cares about the people when you have ultimate power. So he had to capture her. With any luck, he could make the girl like him. Sure, she was hostile towards him, but he could change that. He just killed the king, he could do anything! And if she does what he wants, then it would be a lot easier for him. But he had to find the little brat first.

Impa looked at the men around, that were lying dead on the ground. When she understood that Ganondorf was to attack the castle, she feared the worse. The king was a peaceful man, who never sought war, and therefore had a lousy army. 
The king, he would probably be dead by now. Then it hit her: princess Zelda. She was in her room in the tower. With any luck, the army didn't get her and she could escape with her. It was her only hope. Impa put her sword back in the scabbard and ran to her bedroom, from where there was a secret passage to the tower. When she was in her bedroom, she moved the rug. Behind it was a tunnel that would let Impa to her goal.

Zelda ran down the stairs, when she heared men shouting. At first, she thought the men were celebrating something, what else could it be? But realising the things she felt, she wasn't to sure about it. So she decided to be careful and listen to the men first.
"Did you saw him? A weak shivering man. It was too much honour for him to be killed by our great Ganondorf. That no excuse for a king should've been in a dirty dungeon for the rest of his life." The men laughed.
Zelda didn't. She was shocked. Her father was dead. He was such a peaceful man, he had no enemy's, only friends. And apparently, one of the friends was a low life snake named Ganondorf. And his men. Wait a minute, men? Wasn't Ganondorf leader of women called Gerudo? Where were they? Perhaps they were loyal enough not to fight against her father. Unfortunately not loyal enough to fight against Ganondorf. But what should she do now? The castle was captured, her father dead and Ganondorf would be looking for her in no time. Then, it hit her: Impa. If anyone could have survived these men, who sold their souls, it would have been her. But Zelda couldn't get past those men. Although they were drunk, there were too many of them. Not to mention the fact that they had swords and the best thing she had to defend herself was a candle. Suddenly she remembered the passage from her to Impa's room. It was an old tunnel. The last time it was used was probably when Impa told her about it and said she would use it in case of an emergency. Well, Zelda thought, if this wasn't an emergency, then she didn't know what was.

Impa walked through the passage. While she hurried on the stairs, she stopped thinking about the persons who died, stopped thinking about the late king, stopped thinking about the plundering men, who took everything in the castle as if it was theirs. All she thought about was Zelda and how she had to save her. She was the only hope for the kingdom.
Impa reached the door to Zelda's room and she opened it. For a moment, Impa was paralysed. The princess wasn't in her bed! Where could she be? Has Ganondorf taken her? Was she too late? But Impa didn't see any trace of violence. Did the princess come out of her bed and walked through the castle, as she did from time to time? Then she was in even greater danger. Impa walked fast to the normal door of the room and wanted to leave the room. As she opened the door to the rest of the tower, she bumped into someone. It was princess Zelda!
"Princess, you shouldn't be out of your bed." said Impa.
Zelda noticed her voice sounded slightly worried. And for Impa, who never showed her emotions, it meaned that she must've been scared to death.
"I know I shouldn't be wandering, but I woke up with a terrible feeling and when I walked down I heared men talking about my father. My father...who was killed."
Zelda started to cry. Impa, who was never good at handling with the emotions of a child, simply said: "I know, but we must escape the castle. You can mourn for him later. Right now, we have to get out of here. Do you understand?"
Zelda wiped her face and nodded.
"Good. Now we have to find a way to escape. I'm afraid escaping isn't going to be easy. Ganondorf is searching for you. I heared he promised a large sum of money to whom brings you alive. And that he would kill every men if you got hurt. He wants you alive."
"Well, that's a good thing."
"But not good enough to stay. We must leave now, before it's too late. Unfortunately, I don't know a way out of here. Ganondorf has every known exit guarded."
"I may know a way." said Zelda and she walked further to her room, to her window.
"There is a roof beneath this window. From there we can jump on a tree, that is next to the stables. Do you think we can make it from there?"
"Let me see." Impa looked down at the window.
"It appears that we can land there safely. I don't know about the tree, I can't see it. But I'm afraid we don't have a choice. We'll do it. But how could you think of this so fast?"
Zelda raised her shoulders. 
"When I didn't want to come to your lessons, I used it to get away from you."
"We'll talk about that later. Now, let's leave."
Impa went first. She climbed carefully through the window and landed on the roof. Impa looked down to the tree. She had landed hard, but she didn't pay attention to it. Other things were more important now. She saw that two men were guarding the stable. Impa made clear with her hands to the princess, that two men were guarding it. She jumped to the tree. She made some noise, but Impa was too good, to make too much noise. She carefully climbed further down, until she reached the ground. She took her sword, without making a sound. The men, who were probably drunk, hadn't notice her yet. That would be fatal. Impa raised her sword and before the guards knew it, they got hit on the head and were knocked unconscious. She climbed up the tree on the roof and let Zelda know that she could come down now. 
Before the princess went out of the window, she walked away from the window. Impa was afraid that Ganondorf got her, but Zelda returned to window later and jumped out of it. The princess landed on the roof and when she landed, she went through her knees, because there wasn't enough room to roll further. Impa climbed down the tree again, this time faster, because she knew what branches she could use to stand on. After she was on the ground, Zelda jumped on the tree. She did it rather well, Impa thought, not making too much noise. She must've done this often. And that was the part Impa didn't like.
Zelda was now standing on the ground next to Impa.
"What did you do up there?"
"I forgot something I had to take with me."
"So, now what do we do?' asked Zelda.
"Well, were at the stables and we need to get out of here. What do you think?" said Impa, with sarcasm in her voice, something she used way too often according to Zelda.
"Okay, I'll saddle my Daisy up and you saddle up your Thunder."
"I'm afraid we don't have enough time to saddle up two horses. Look, your mother's horse, Artemis is already saddled up. We'll use her, she's fast enough."
"But when I ride her, it's bumpy and my back will start to hurt. Can't we use Daisy? She rides softly." whined Zelda.
"Sorry princess, no time for that. Right now there are things that are more important than your behind." said Impa and she put Zelda on the horse.
"Now I'm gonna sit behind you and we're off."
"Wait." screamed Zelda.
"Keep your voice down, we don't want to get heared."
"But we're forgetting something."
"Don't worry about food. There's enough in the sack."
"No, something more important."
"When your tummy makes sounds, food is the only thing that matters. Trust me."
"No, the Ocarina of Time. Ganondorf can't have it. That's what I took in my room. The fairy boy should have it."
"Well, now you have it, we can go."
"That's the problem, I don't have it."
"Where did you put it?" said Impa, and her voice was full with anger. 
"I let it fall down the tree. I'll get it right away." said Zelda and she ran to the tree, that was just a couple of meters away.

Ganondorf sat on the throne. Or hang would be more appropriate. Hang and being angry. Very angry. His men still didn't have the princess. She could've escaped by now. This wasn't good for his mood. He just found out the Ocarina of Time wasn't at it's usual place. So that annoying little girl must have it. Where was she?
"Sir" said one of Ganondorf's men hesitating, cause he recognised Ganondorf's angry face.
"What?' yelled Ganondorf.
"The guards at the stables didn't call back for there duty. We don't know what happened to them, they could be drunk and forgotten it, but I wanted to send some men just in case. If that's okay with you sir."
"No, I'll go myself." said Ganondorf, because he had the feeling these men weren't drunk, but something more permanent, like dead.

Zelda saw the Ocarina lying on the ground. She picked it up and because she was so happy she had it, she didn't hear a person coming.
"Princess, look out!" shouted Impa.
Zelda looked up and there she saw her enemy, Ganondorf, standing just a meter away from her.
"Well", he said," the girl AND the Ocarina. What a pleasant surprise."
Ganondorf tried to grab Zelda, but she ducked and Ganondorf missed. Zelda ran to Impa, who was already on the horse, and she jumped on it. She forgotten all about a possible pain in the back and concentrated only on the huge man, that was so close behind them. Just after Zelda jumped on the horse, Impa started to ride the horse and they were off. Impa simply stormed out of the castle, not paying attention to the guards. When they were out of the castle, Impa rode them over the hills. The gate to the castle was closing, but Impa made it just in time. In the meantime, Ganondorf orded to saddle his horse, Blackness, and rode after them. On his horse, he saw the woman and the girl leave the castle and get through the gate. He cursed like a madman, which he was off course.

The man on the market, that was in control of the bridge to Hyrule field saw the two people on the horse coming very fast and decided to quickly lower the bridge. He thought that the people would storm through the bridge if necessary, and the man didn't want that. So he lowered the bridge and the two people on the horse rode away.

Zelda was afraid. She saw the bridge was up, but luckily, she saw it went down. She closed her eyes, in fear that they would hit the bridge, but opened them when she found out they got through. Then, she saw the fairy boy! He was standing just outside. Zelda didn't think, but reacted quickly. Ganondorf could gain on them easily and then all would be lost. He could have her, but not the Triforce. So the princess threw the Ocarina of Time away and prayed that the fairy boy could get it. He was there only hope...

Ganondorf wasn't angry or pissed of, he was a lot worse than that. Those blasted women got away so easy. Why are hired men always so stupid? And now they were of to Hyrule field. It was impossible to search them by night, so he had to wait until the morning. Then, he noticed a little kid standing next to him.
"Hey kid, do you know where they went?"
The kid said nothing, but instead, he drew his sword.
"Trying to protect them, hey?" said Ganondorf and he blasted the kid away. Then, he turned around and went back to the castle. He now ruled Hyrule, but that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted the Triforce. He had planned he would have it soon after this night, but his plans didn't work out. He desperately needed to torture someone to get rid of this terrible feeling. Well, he still had the queen...


Turning Point

Zelda and Impa sat together eating in Hyrule field at a small campfire.
"Why can't we make the fire bigger?" asked Zelda.
"You know we can't do that. We could be found."
"I know, but it's so cold."
The two women were silent.
"What do we do?" asked Zelda, wanting to get away from this awkward silent feeling.
"We must hide until..."
"Until what?"
"Until it's save for us."
"Then I hope that fairy boy can get rid of Ganondorf." said Zelda. Impa wasn't to sure about that. He was just a kid, not strong enough to face that much evil.
"Let's get to sleep and we'll see about it in the morning."
"What do we do then?"
"I have friends in Kakariko village. Good friends, that will not betray us. They will help us."
And the two women finished their meal and started to sleep. Or at least, one of them did. Zelda couldn't go to sleep, not after all the things that happened this night. And then, she felt something. She had put a message on the Ocarina in case the fairy boy would get it and now she felt, that he was reading it. Maybe things could still get right.

A while ago Ganondorf decided to follow the boy after he blasted him. And now it paid of. That boy had the three Spiritual Stones. He, a little boy, did something that even the great Ganondorf couldn't accomplish! But now, he had him. That little bastard raised the Master sword and now he would feel the power of Ganondorf...

"NOOOOO" yelled Zelda. Impa woke up immediately.
"Are we under attack?" she asked.
"It's the boy and Ganondorf and the Triforce and..."
"Slow down princess, what happened?"
"I saw it. The fairy boy had the three Stones and the Ocarina and he pulled out the Master Sword, but Ganondorf came and now HE's got the Triforce. Now all is lost and" suddenly the princess stopped talking. Impa would have been surprised by this sudden stop, if she did not know what made her stop. Above Zelda's right hand, a Triforce symbol lighted up. Then it shrank and pasted itself on her hand. Zelda feld the power going through her and she knew, that she now had the Triforce of Wisdom.
"Princess, are you alright?"
"Yes Impa, I am." said Zelda with a very calm voice.
"What the hell happened?"
Zelda never heared Impa swear, although she was sure Impa knew wonderful ways to hurt someone with words, and she was surprised to hear that she did now.
"Ganondorf took the Triforce, but it was too much for him. The Triforce splitted in three parts. Ganondorf has Power, I have Wisdom and the fairy boy has Courage."
Impa waited for a while, so that she had time to realise what Zelda just said.
"So, what do we do now? Find the boy and make Ganondorf pay?"
"We can search for the fairy boy, but we will not find him. He is put away."
"Put away? Where is he?"
"He is the Hero of Time, for he is the one who pulled the Master Sword form it's pedestal. However, he shouldn't have done that. At least, not now. Now it's too early. He's too young to fight such a great evil. So he is put away to rest for seven years untill he's strong enough to fight. For him, the seven years will pass with a blink of an eye."
"How do you know all this?" Impa asked. Impa always knew the princess had special powers, that she could 'feel' things. But this was something completely new. Not only that. It's like at the moment the part of the Triforce got a hold of her, she matured. She was no longer a child that liked to play on the fields. She was now someone with infinite wisdom, as if she has seen the world from the moment it was born untill now. She would never be the same again.
"I hold the Triforce of Wisdom. I'm blessed, or cursed if you prefer, with the wisdom of the Goddesses. Seven years will pass. We have to let Ganondorf rule for the time being.. And trust me, those will be seven horrible years."
Impa never doubted the last sentence from the princess Zelda, who was now so much more.




Kakariko Village

They finally got to Kakariko village. Zelda's feet hurt like...well, she didn't know any good words to express herself, because those things aren't part of an education as a princess, but let's just say they really hurt. Impa sold the horse so that they would have money. And then they had to walk to Kakariko village by foot. Zelda, who never walked very far or long, couldn't take another step.
"Are we there yet?" she whined.
"Yes, there's the village."
And by the look of the goal, Zelda ran towards the entrance in relief. That is to say, until Impa stopped her.
"You can't rush in like that. By now people know that Ganondorf's in charge and that he wants you. We have to use the back entrance."
"He doesn't want me, he wants the Triforce.
"Exactly. And he knows he has only a part of it. He probably guesses you know more about it. He is ruthless and he only cares about his goal. He will do what is necessary to reach it. So, he will search for you."
"So, we need to walk more?"
"Yes."
Zelda groaned.

Ganondorf could feel the power flow through his body. He was always able to do some magic, but after he touched the Triforce, his powers were only greater. Now he was truly unstoppable. He would get the rest of the Triforce no matter what. And he knew just were to search it. That stupid girl had to know more about it and he would force the answers out of her. Off course, he had to find her first.

"I know we couldn't go in front, but did we have to enter Kakariko village by the graveyard?"
"It's the only way princess."
"But it's so spooky. I'm sure there are ugly things around here."
"No they are not. And if they were, then they would be here by night, not in brought daylight."
That gave Zelda some comfort.
"So, we'll leave before it's dark."
"No. We can't walk in the village by day. Then we'll get caught. We have to wait here untill it's dark."
That didn't give Zelda comfort.
And so they waited on the graveyard. They were simply walking along the graves, reading the inscriptions. Once, a kid came with a funny looking mask on. Impa heared him coming, so they hid next to a tombstone, although Zelda didn't think it was necessary, it was just a kid. But then again, so were she and the fairy boy and now the fate of the land was in their hands. The kid simply walked over the graves acting like a fool. Then his mother yelled for him and he quickly went home.
During the day, Zelda began to feel relaxed around the place. Okay, relaxed is a wrong word if the current ruler of the kingdom is looking for you, but she was less afraid of the place. Then the night came and Zelda was glad that they would do something about now. This waiting really was boring. All of the sudden, the door of the wooden hut that stood on the graveyard opened. Zelda wasn't allowed to look inside the hut during the day, afraid someone would see her, so the two women didn't know who was there. Then a man came out of it with a lantarn. Or man isn't totally right. He was Hylian and a man, but he was disfigured. This must be Dampé, the gravedigger of which the kid with the mask talked about.
Zelda wanted to go to him, she thought he couldn't do any harm, but Impa stopped her.
"No princess." Impa whispered, but with a commanding tone in her voice.
"Why not? He seems harmless?"
"Appearances can deceive."
"But if we don't go out there and walk away, we can't get to Kakariko village."
Impa thought about this. She had a point.
"Okay, we'll walk. But I go first and do not go to that man."
"Very well." said Zelda with a pinch of joy, because she just beaten Impa.
Impa stealthy walked along the wall to the exit of the graveyard and Zelda followed her, when they heared a noise. Dampé had fallen and his lantern was broken. This time Zelda couldn't care about what Impa thought and she ran to the man, that was lying on the ground.
"Oh, you poor man. Are you okay? I'll help you up."
"You friendly madame. Why help poor Dampé?"
"Because your a person like everyone else. But your lantern is broken. Here, you can have mine." said Zelda and she gave Dampé her candle, which she had on her belt and which she had with her from the moment she stepped out of her room and during her escape.
"Thank you madame. Dampé in debt. Dampé will repay."
"You don't have to. But if anyone asks for me or my companion", Impa now stood next to Zelda, "just say you never saw us."
"Dampé know you. You Zelda, princess. You escape. Evil man on throne."
"That's right. So don't tell anyone."
"Dampé won't tell. Old king good for Dampé."
"Bye Dampé." said Zelda and she and Impa walked away to Kakariko village.

"Well?" Zelda asked.
"Well what?" Impa said, a bit irritated because the princess didn't do what she said at the graveyard.
"Well aren't you supposed to say something like 'you were right all along, you could have talked to him, I was wrong'?"
"No." said Impa even more irritated because the princess was right.
"Why not?"
"Because you didn't do what I said."
"And why should I do what you say?"
This question was an unexpected one for Impa.
"Well, I raised you and I know what's best for you."
"And you're always right." said Zelda on a sarcastic tone.
"Off course not."
"Then why should I do it?"
"Do what?"
"Do everything you say."
"Because..ah, just forget it. Look, we're supposed to be at that house."
Zelda looked at the house. It was terrible. She saw a lot of good houses here in the village and off course they had to be at the worst. It looked good from a far, but up close one could see that whoever owned it never heard of the word 'maintenance'. The planks were bent, rotten, or simply missing.
"Are you sure that people live here?"
"Well, people is a big word."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see." said Impa, who remembered the princess's fear of spiders when she was young. Hopefully, Zelda got over that. If not, then this could get nasty.
Impa opened the door. Zelda thought the look from the outside was the worst thing she had ever seen. She was wrong. The inside was the worst. The house was deteriorating and there were cobwebs everywhere. Zelda hated cobwebs. Not because she didn't like the strings that got caught in you hair, but because they mean that a spider is nearby. And she hated spiders. She walked further in the house, which was very dark. Zelda was just thinking how much this place looked like a ghost house, when all of the sudden a huge skulltulla came down from the ceiling. Zelda yelled as loud as she could and ran to Impa.
"Spiders have taken over this house. Your friends aren't here. Let's go." said Zelda after she got her breath back.
"Hate to disappoint you princess, but these ARE my friends. They were cursed."
"You mean that we have to stay in a house filled with big spiders?!" Zelda couldn't believe it.
"Not all of them are spiders, at least not anymore." said a young man, who walked out of the shadows.
"James?" asked Impa surprised. "How come your normal again?"
"Some kid lifted the curse. Or at least part of it. Right now I'm the only one who's back to normal, but I hope he can turn the others back as well."
Zelda got the feeling she knew the kid this James guy was talking about.
"How did he look?"
"Well, he wore green clothing and some weapon equipment. Not too special, but he did have a fairy."
"The fairy boy!" Zelda cried out.
It was obvious that James didn't understand the enthusiasm of the princess, so Impa explained the whole thing to him, although it took a long while.
"And that's why we're here. We need shelter and there are few people who come here. For some reason they think it's hunted. You're father still owes me from far in the past and I want to reclaim that debt." said Impa.
"But off course. My father always talked about you. Plus, you're friends with the fairy boy. Your friends of this house and you're always welcome if you would need something."
"Well, right now I need food. Haven't eaten since this morning." said Zelda.
"But off course you can eat."
"Good, now bring me some caviar."
"Caviar, princess?"
"What's wrong with caviar?"
"Well, we don't have it."
"Ah, simple food", Zelda said disappointed. 
"So what do you have?"
"Bread, princess."
"With...?"
"Just plain bread, princess. That's all we've got."
"Well, I'll guess that will have to do for now. But how come you only have bread?"
"Well, you see, I got my old shape back only recently. The people of the village think this place is cursed and then they saw me walking, so they thought I was a ghost, who wanted to haunt the people. I couldn't buy anything, the people just wanted me to go away. My head still hurts because of the things they threw at me."
Zelda couldn't think how anyone would hurt James. He seemed so nice. And while she was busy being surprised, Impa was busy getting her face all red. Zelda noticed that Impa's face was on the break of explosion. She only saw that face once, when she did something very, very wrong. Impa was mad at her for days, weeks even. Right now Zelda really didn't want to be in the shoes of the village people.
Impa walked out of the door.
"Wait!" Zelda said. "The day is starting to come. You can't walk out. Ganondorf will get you."
"He won't."
"Why?"
"Because he has no evidence of me have anything to do with you."
"Ganondorf isn't the kind of man that needs evidence. I think the fact that you're my nanny is prove enough."
"She's right Impa and you know it. My father cares about you and he wouldn't want you to leave."
"Sorry, I made up my mind. Those villagers need a lesson."
Impa stormed to the door. Zelda could almost see the thunder around her face. Then she heared a weird and odd sounding voice.
"Stay."
It came from a spiders, the biggest one.
Impa turned around.
"Jacob? Is that you?"
"You know you shouldn't go."
In less than a second, Impa's head cleared and it got it's normal colour back. She sighed.
"I know. I won't."
"Good." and the spider went to the ceiling.
"Who was that?" asked Zelda.
"That's my father." James said.
"Oh."
The room was silent for a while. Zelda was the first one to speak again.
"I can't spent seven years here and only go out when it's dark. I need a new identity, a new life, so I can go out."
"And do what?"
"Well, buy something for on the bread for example."
"I mean, do what against Ganondorf?"
"Nothing. There is nothing we can do and you know it. We can only be a relief to the people, not a cure. That's the fairy boy's part."
"Very well. I knew you couldn't stay long in a house full of spiders." Impa said.
"So, where can I get new clothes?" Zelda said, glad she had something to do again.
"We'll need a tailor. You can say all you want, but when people see you in those clothes, they know you're the princess."
"Plus I can't wear the same thing for seven years. This could get out of fashion. And I probably grow out of it as well."
Impa sighed. 
"That too."
"So, we're going to the Kakariko tailor?"
'Well, that's a problem." James said.
"You guys don't have a tailor?!"
"We do, but he's very loyal to Ganondorf. I think he's a spy. You can't get your clothing there. You will have to go to the market at the castle."
"Are you sure?" Impa asked.
"We have to be as far from Ganondorf as possible. We shouldn't go towards him."
"I'm afraid there's no other option."
"Then we will leave tonight." Impa said and the decision was made.

Impa and Zelda had food (mostly bread) with them from James. He also got them two dark cloaks, so that they wouldn't be given too much attention if anyone should be walking on the streets. During the rest of the day the princess and Impa made the plans. It was also during that day, that James saw Ganondorf's men all over town.
"It's like they know you're here." he had said.
Now the two women were walking out of Kakariko village in the darkness of the night and entered the graveyard. All of the sudden, a hook appeared before them and was gone at the same second.
"What was that?" whispered Zelda. She would soon find out. Dampé was sitting on the roof of his little home and he had something in his hand. When he recognised the two women, he came down. Zelda was afraid he would fall, but Dampé was very quick and agile. In no time he was standing in front of the two women waving with the item.
"What is it?" Zelda asked.
"Hookshot princess. Item it grab from far. Look." Dampé demonstrated it on a wall and he got pulled towards it.
"What a handy item. How did you get it?" asked Zelda, when Dampé was back with the women.
"Found at grave. Lying there it did. Dampé pick up."
"Well, it's a very useful thing."
"Princess wanting Hookshot?"
"Oh no, you keep it."
"Dampé no use for Hookshot. Princess use for Hookshot. Dampé owes princess. Dampé give princess Hookshot."
And just when Dampé moved his arm to hand over the weapon, a guard, who entered the graveyard, yelled: "They're here. Come. They're here."
Impa pulled at Zelda's arm and they started to run. Dampé stood still on his place with the Hookshot in his hand. It took him a while to understand what was going on.
There were now three guards at the graveyard. Impa and Zelda were almost at the other exit, that lead to Hyrule field, when one of the guards fired an arrow at Zelda. Dampé saw that he do it and jumped before the princess. He got hit and fell on the ground. His last thoughts were about him finally being his one customer and how thankful he was to be able to do such a great thing for that kind princess. Then he passed away holding the Hookshot in his hand.
Zelda saw him and wanted to go to him to see if he was okay, but Impa pulled her away. Zelda had no choice, but to run away, or she would fall. She started to cry and she was sure of one thing: she would never forget Dampé.


A new Identity

Zelda and Impa were at the bridge of the castle. They could feel the tension hanging in the air. The princess looked around. The bridge was up, but they had to get inside. Impa talked to the window of the guardhouse. Inside there should be a guard, able of lifting the bridge.
"Excuse me sir." Impa said, holding her cloak really tight, so that she would reveal as little as possible.
"What is it?"
"Could you please lift the bridge for us?"
"Sorry, when it's night there will be no bridge lifting. Orders from Ganondorf."
Impa didn't like this. With the old King, travellers could get inside at night when they asked it to the guard. She had hoped it would still be like that. Apparently, she was wrong. Then she decided a different approach.
"Do you know who we are?" said Impa with a demanding voice.
"No."
Zelda couldn't she Impa's face, but she was afraid it was pretty red and in anger Impa would reveal the two women. But luckily Impa didn't.
"We are working for Ganondorf. Special workers if you can put it. We do things only he knows about and we have important information. I don't think he likes getting the information tomorrow when he can have it this night. Off course, I will blame you for the delay. I heared Ganondorf did nasty things to guards he didn't like..."
The bridge went up. It worked.
"Please don't say anything."
"We won't say a thing if you don't say a thing. We do work in secret you know."
"I understand completely."
Impa and Zelda walked over the bridge at night with their cloaks firmly over their clothing and their face. Of to the tailor.

At first the tailor didn't like being woken up after midnight. But when he saw who his customers were, his anger went away very fast.
"Princess! What are you doing here?"
"No time for that now. I need new clothing. These stand too much up."
"But off course you do. I heard about your father, God bless his soul, I'm so sorry. But quickly, come in. I'm so glad to know that your still free. My mother must know about this."
"No" said Zelda immediately on a very commanding tone.
"As little people as possible may know about my whereabouts. Don't tell her a thing. Now please, the clothing. I need them to be ready the next morning."
"But off course. Exactly what did you have in mind?"
"Impa and I already discussed about that. I need a new identity. Impa and I have decided that I will be a Sheikah named Sheik. So I need to look a bit like one and I need my hair and face covered as much as possible. I don't want people saying that I look a lot like the princess."
"I think I have an idea."
The tailor took a piece of paper and draw roughly some new clothing. It was a tight pink suit that was on her body from her foot till her hands. There was something above it that looked like a ruined white T-shirt, with the typical Sheikah paintings on it in red: an eye with a tear and three small triangles on top. There were bandages at the wrist and around the head. Impa thought it looked good enough, besides the pink colour.
"So princess, what do you think?"
"Do I have to wear that ruined thing above the suit?"
"Oh yes princess. Sheikah's always wear the same clothes for a long time, thus making the clothing old."
Impa looked very angry at the tailor, who became a bit afraid.
"Or so I heared. Off course it isn't true, but it's what people say and you should live up that stereotype."
"Well, then I guess it's okay. I have to say I like the pink."
Impa couldn't agree. She had to stop the tailor from making it pink, or she would be blinded each time she looked at the princess for the next seven years.
"But pink pays attention and we don't want that. What about something else, like...blue?"
"Blue?!" Zelda asked.
"Yes princess, blue. I'm sure it would suit you."
Zelda rarely got a compliment or something which was supposed to be one from Impa, so when Impa flattered her, Zelda completely agree on making the suit blue.
"And dark blue, not bright blue." Impa quickly added.
"I'll start working on it right away. You'll have to wait until I'm ready. If you want there's some food in the kitchen. It's not much, but it's something."
Zelda and Impa walked to the kitchen. Well, Zelda ran because of her hunger and Impa walked slowly on her own typical way.

Ganondorf got more angry every hour. That darn princess couldn't be found! She was spotted at Kakariko Village. That is to say, LEAVING Kakariko Village. She got there unnoticed, while Ganondorf had putten a lot of guards there. Silly dogs. Those Gerudo were a lot better soldiers, but they were loyal to the king. What had he done for them? Ganondorf was their leader, not that fool! And now the princess wandered free and with her the secret of the complete Triforce. Oh, Ganondorf's new powers were nice, but he wanted more. He wanted all of the Triforce and for that he wanted her. But she was nowhere to be found. She'd probably be far away from him with the Goron's or the Zora's. Some place far from the castle and the market paying attention to his every move...

Actually, the princess was near Ganondorf, sleeping in a kitchen. She had just eaten and then she simply fell asleep. Impa let her, it was a long day after all. And so Impa sat on the kitchen table eating very slowly while Zelda was sitting next to her with her head lying on the table and on the background you could hear a man working hard with siccors, strings and needles.
The tailor was finished and looked at the result. He was very pleased with himself. It looked a lot like he had in mind and very like Sheikah clothing. He would show it to the princess right away. So the tailor took the suit and walked to the kitchen. Impa heared that the sounds from the tailor had stopped, so she expected him to be ready and woke the princess. Zelda was sitting at the table with sleep in her eyes, but she already had that attitude of high society all over her. The tailor showed the suit and Zelda still thought it would be better if it was pink. The princess took the clothes and walked to another room, where she put them on. There was a mirror, which came in handy when she had to put the bandages around her head. It went difficult and took a lot of time, but in the end she got it right. She walked to the kitchen and showed her new clothing to the two people sitting at the table.
"Well, what do you think?"
"No one would recognise you princess." Impa said.
"That's not what I mean. How do you I look?"
Impa sighed. Apparently looking good was more important then being save.
"You look as good as ever." Impa diplomatically said.
"You look beautifully, princess. The rays from the sun itself would envy you."
Zelda said nothing, but stared at the ground. Impa thought that the tailor really know how to compliment a woman, but right now there were other things.
"Princess, we have to leave." Impa quickly said when she saw that the tailor wanted to continue his praise.
"Yes Impa. What should we do with my old clothes?"
"We can't take them with us. If someone spots them, your identity is revealed. Plus we have to travel as light as possible. It's better if the tailor burns them."
"But they're my favourite clothes!"
The tailor knew he had to interfere.
"I can hide them. There is a space in the house no one knows about. I will keep them there."
"Thank you."
The tailor took the clothes and hid them. Impa and Zelda stood in the kitchen and started to walk outside. It was still dark, and it would take a couple of hours before the sun was up and Impa wanted to be away by then.

"Sir, the horse with which the two women fled has been spotted."
"Well, where is it?" Ganondorf asked anxiously.
"It's at the tailor."
"Which tailor?"
"The tailor at the market." the man who delivered this message was standing uncomfortable. Ganondorf wouldn't like the fact, that they got so close to him. The man was right.
"WHAT?! Are you saying they simply asked the guard if he could lower the bridge for two fugitives, then they wandered on the marketplace where every guard could see them and opened the door of the tailor after they asked to one of my undercover man what he thought of the weather?"
"Well, no sir." For some reason, guards never understand sarcasm.
"Then what happened?"
"Well, they tricked the guard at the bridge and the wore cloaks and, well..."
"And what?"
"And, well...the guards at the market were kinda...drunk, sir."
"Drunk?!" Ganondorf yelled.
"Yes sir. They were celebrating our victory."
"Letting a very important person wander free doesn't sound like a victory to me. I want those men executed first thing tomorrow."
"What do we do now, sir?"
"Well, those two rats walked in, so now I suggest we close the trap."
"Do what, sir?"
"The bridge wont be up untill we have them. Only if I'm personally there the bridge will be lowered. And four SOBER guards will be guarding it. That way those darn women can't escape."
"Brilliant plan, sir. I'll see to it right away."
The messenger saluted and walk away very fast. He was glad he wasn't punished for bringing this awful news. At least now he could join his friends at the bar.
"Oh, and since you were so kind to tell me this, I honour you by letting you guard the bridge for the first period. You may chose the three other man. I'm sure you're friends love to volunteer." Ganondorf said, when the man was just about to leave the room.
"Off course sir. What an honour. Thank you, sir."




The Second Escape

Impa and Zelda, wearing the clothes of Sheik, were standing in the dark against a wall of one of the houses on the market. Impa looked carefully at the bridge. With one look of an eye she saw that it was guarded too well. They needed a diversion and soon, in a few hours the sun would be up and she wanted to be gone before that would happen. Stealthily they walked back to the tailor. 
"Perhaps you know what we could use as a diversion?" Impa asked the tailor.
"Let me think...Yes, that might work!"
"What?"
"Well, for the princess's next birthday the King, bless his soul, wanted a doll of her on actual size. So I made it. If we put on the dress that I put on the attic, it will distract the guards, because they will think that's the princess."
"Do it right away." Impa said and the tailor rushed to the back of his house. In a few moments, he was back with the doll and the clothes.
"Now, we have to put the clothes on the doll. Sadly, I made the head too big and we can't put the dress over it's head. I'm afraid we have to tear the dress and then sew it back together."
And so with the instructions of the tailor, the three people put the clothes on the doll.
"You know," the tailor said while they were working to kill the time and the tension, "I was thinking of making a little doll for girls and lots of clothes they can put on. I'm still thinking of a name. Perhaps I'll name it after the girl that lives next door: Darbie."
Zelda, who was struggling with a thread that just wouldn't go in the needle, said: "I don't think that will be a success."
Finally, the doll was finished. Zelda took a good look at it.
"The dress is okay, and the doll is large enough, but the doll doesn't look like me at all. This was supposed to look like me?"
"Well, it's just the first one I made and I meant to improve it. But now, we don't have enough time for it. It will have to do."
"Could you go to the bridge and check out the situation? Perhaps it's changed." As usual, Impa said it like a question, but because of her voice, it sounded like an order you have to follow.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll go now and see what I can find out. If I'm not back in ten minutes, I won't come back at all."
"You're a tailor. Do you really think that they want you dead?" Zelda asked.
"No, but I always wanted to say that."

The tailor walked around the market being inconspicuous. Well, actually he was so inconspicuous, it was just conspicuous. Moving from tree to tree, checking the area with his eyes, making sudden moves, the guards just had to notice him even though it was still dark because of the early dawn.
"Hey you."
"Who, me?" The tailor tried to look as innocent as can be.
"Yeah you. What are you doing. You're not trying to get out, are you?"
"No, of course not, no, what gave you that idea, that's one of the craziest things I've ever heared. Me breaking out!" The tailor gave a look as if he laughed about it, but the result was that drool came out of his mouth and he looked really stupid.
"But, ehm, if I was trying to get out, which I'm not I assure you, how could I do that? Not that I want to know that of course"
"Well, you could ask Ganondorf to join you."
"But he's a busy man, he won't have time for me. So, how then?"
"Not. We have strict orders. Only lift the bridge if Ganondorf is here. Even is someone tells us he has a letter in which Ganondorf gives authorisation, we can't lift the bridge."
"Oh, I see. I'll just walk back and forget about that important information since I don't care about it."
And the tailor wandered of with his inconspicuous conspicuous way of walking.

"Bad news I'm afraid: the bridge is only lifted if Ganondorf himself is there."
"So they know we're here." Impa said.
"Now what do we do?"
"Well, one way or another, that bridge has got to go."
"Yeah, just ask the guards: "Excuse me, but could you be so kind to set the bridge on fire so that the most wanted person in this country can go away?". I don't think that will work. Trust me, those guys are very smart, they noticed me and I was very inconspicuous."
"If the guards won't destroy it, then someone else has to. It's the only way. Do you know some guys at the market who are willing to do that?" Impa asked.
"Well, I know who are loyal to the King, God bless his soul, but they will surely be brought to death."
"Unless they can run really fast like us." Zelda said.
"That won't do princess. Hyrule doesn't need more fugitives like us. No, they must destroy the bridge without the guards finding out who did it."
"Well, they could use an arrow. The guards may not see them in the dawn." Zelda said.
"You want to destroy the bridge with an arrow? I don't think that will work." The tailor said.
"But if it's an arrow with some burning cloth on it, the bridge will be on fire and then it could work."
"Like I said, brilliant idea that arrow." The tailor added, but no one listened.




The Princess' Death

"Did it work?" Impa asked the tailor after he came back.
"Yes, they're ready and waiting for you signal."
"Princess, are you ready?"
"Couldn't be more ready, although I'm very nervous. And this suit is so tight, I can hardly breath."
"But do you know the plan?"
"Oh yeah, off course."
"Then we're off. We have no time to waist, the sun is coming very fast now."

"Sir, the sun is setting. Do you wish to seek the fugitives?"
"Of course I want to find them. What kind of a question is that?!" Ganondorf asked angry.
"Then shall I guide you to the market?"
"I think I can find it on my own. Just send about twenty men to the market, okay?"
Ganondorf wasn't really like a little sunshine this morning. He had hoped the guards at the bridge would've caught the princess by now. In the dark, the people wouldn't see it and they could start a rebellion if they saw that their precious princess was caught. Sure, punishing the people would be fun, but then he would have less men who could work for him. But knowing the ability of the guards, the princess could have escaped by now. Ganondorf rejected that idea, the guards had a thick skull, but fortunately, the bridge was also thick. She couldn't have passed it and there is no other way out. No, she was in a trap and now, he was going to close the trap by searching every inch of the market. He would soon have her and then he would have the entire Triforce and all it's power.

Impa and Zelda we're standing behind a house, close to the bridge. The tailor was with them, just like the doll and a horse the tailor 'borrowed' from one of the villagers. Without a sound they put the doll on the horse. Impa checked to see if it wouldn't fall and then she raised her hand. All of the sudden, a cloud of fire arrows came out of nowhere and hit the bridge.
"I told you I heared something!" one of the four guards said.
"Why do these things always happen on my watch?"
"What do we do now?"
"Well, we could stand here, pretend that nothing is going on."
"And let the bridge burned down? I don't think Ganondorf will like that."
For a silent moment the guards thought very hard.
"Perhaps we can move the fire by blowing it away."
"Excellent idea. Men, wave with your cloaks, so the fire will go away."
And that's what the guards did. They waved and blowed and as a result, the fire grew.
"Hey...puff, puff...it seems that the fire grows."
"That's not good, is it?"
"Perhaps we should stop doing this."
"Now I know! You use water on fire. Come, there is a bucket here. You fill it with water from the well."

Impa looked at the guards. It seemed like they increased the fire, but that would be very strange and unreal. The fire looked big enough for the next part of the plan. Impa hit the horse as hard as she could and the horse ran of to the bridge.

Ganondorf just entered the market and immediately he saw that the bridge was on fire. Those idiots. Suddenly, he heared a horse running very fast. He couldn't get a good look on who was on it, because it was a bit foggy and the horse moved so fast you couldn't get a good look, but it seemed like it was that blasted princess! She was escaping again!

"Ehm, isn't that a horse with princess Zelda on it coming at us?"
"It seems like it."
"He's coming very fast, don't you think?"
"Perhaps we should move away tactically to see what the princess will do."
"I think that's a good idea."
And the guards ran away screaming.

Zelda had her eyes fixed on the doll, but Impa saw that a new man had entered the market. Ganondorf was here. They should be extra careful now. He was not a man to underestimate.

As the horse came to the bridge, it pranced and the doll fell in the flames. Immediately, the doll caught fire and in a few seconds, there was nothing left from it.

"Look, the princess Zelda. She's..." one of the guards said after they took in new positions.
"What's with her?" asked her guard, who couldn't see the bridge.
"I think she's dead."

"Princess, we have to leave now before Ganondorf checks the bridge for your remainings."
Impa and Zelda went carefully to the bridge. Luckily, the people that were standing on the market were stunned because of the 'death' of princess Zelda and Impa and Zelda used that moment to get away. The both put a piece of cloth before their nose and mouth and ran through the fire.

"Stop that fire!" Ganondorf yelled at the twenty men, who just entered the market.
Buckets were taking from every house and soon, the bridge was just a pile of black wood and ashes. Ganondorf walked around the bridge, searching for signs that would make him convince it was Zelda that died in the flames. He saw a piece of pink cloth lying and picked it up. Yes, it was from her dress, but still he wasn't convinced. Something inside him said this wasn't over, that it was only beginning. But for now, it was enough. The hunt for Zelda would stop and Ganondorf would still be without the last two pieces of the Triforce. Now he would never have them! Never will his power be completed! Ganondorf raised his head, looked to the sky and yelled a sound that was more like an animal than a human being. The people who heared it put their hands on their ears because of the pain the sound made. And then it stopped.

"What do we do now?" Zelda asked to Impa on Hyrule field after they ran away and were far away from the castle.
"I'm going to Kakariko village. When the tailor went to seek loyal people, he also informed a couple of men, that they should go to Kakariko village, for it will be safer there. They will come and they will need me. You should come with me, for it isn't save for you to be alone."
"And when they don't need you anymore?"
"We'll just wait and see what we do then. Who knows? For now we are free."

A New Goal

A year has passed since Zelda's "death". After the bridge was burned, some of the people who lived on the market moved and started a life at Kakariko village. They thought it wasn't save to be so close to Ganondorf. They were right.

Ganondorf ordered to kill everyone who were at the market or in the streets the night of Zelda's escape, because some had helped the princess. Also, Ganondorf fired, tortured or killed every man he had hired, since he was positive that they were the dumbest men alive. He did this shortly after finding out how he could call the undead, so they could guard the market and do things for him. For the rest, Ganondorf did very little, which was a surprise for the princess and Impa. Sure, he raised taxes, burned farms and captured some men, but it wasn't in large quantities. It was as if Ganondorf was busy doing other things...

"Dang!" Ganondorf threw away the old book he had been studying.

"The greatest library in the entire world they say, but not one word about how to get the entire Triforce. Get the Spiritual Stones, they say, get the Master Sword and the Hero of Time, they all say. Then you'll have the Triforce. But I already tried that and I failed. I got but one piece and there isn't one word about how one should collect the other two. Not one word and I read them all! A whole year waisted by reading useless books. Well, that's going to change."

Ganondorf rang the bell. A poe appeared out of thin air.

"What is it sir?"

"Get me a torch. I want to lighten this place up."

"You want to destroy thousand years of wisdom?"

"No, I want a torch."

"Very well."

And the poe vanished again. Then a torch came in the room. It was as if it could fly by itself, but Ganondorf knew the now invisible poe was carrying it.

"Thank you. Now drop the torch."

"Yes sir."

And the torch fell as if the force that kept him in the air suddenly decided that he was playing with it long enough.

"Should I get a bucket with water sir?" asked the poe while the books started to burn.

"No, I already thought it was a bit chilly in here." said Ganondorf and the poe disappeared again.

"Impa?" Zelda asked.

"What is it Sheik?"

"First of all, stop calling me Sheik. We're alone here."

"Ganondorf could have spies."

"Ganondorf thinks I'm dead."

"That's what his brains, if he has any, say, but perhaps his heart tells him different things. He has the Triforce of Power, you the Triforce of Wisdom. Don't you think you're connected in one way or another?"

"You could be right."

"I don't know if I'm right, you know more about this stuff then me. But what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well, I'm leaving Kakariko village."

"No, you're not. You're too young to go out there on your own."

"I'm old and wise enough."

Impa couldn't argue about the wisdom part. In the past year, Zelda came up with remarkable solutions for problems Impa couldn't solve. Whenever the villagers wanted to know something or had a problem, they often went to Zelda first. But old enough?

"You're wise enough, sure I know that. But you're still a kid."

"Would a kid fake it's death because he's hunted? Would a kid have a different identity? Would the fate of a land lie on a kid's shoulders?"

"The fate also lies on the faerie boy and fate thought he was too young, just like you are now."

"You can't keep me here. I have to leave, that is what fate wants."

"And exactly why does fate want to do that? You said there was nothing we could do until the Hero of Time returns."

"There are...things."

"Things?"

"Yes."

"And these things are...?"

"Something that I can't tell you. But I have to go."

"Fine, if there's no other way. If you have to go, you can go."

Zelda sighed of satisfaction. She knew Impa wouldn't want her to leave, but it seems that she managed to convince her.

"And I'm coming with you."

"NO!" Zelda said immediately. "You have to stay here, you can't leave."

"And why, princess, can you leave, but can't I?"

"Well, ehm, Kakariko needs you." Zelda said, and it was obvious that she was lying or withholding something.

"Hmm, and why doesn't Kakariko need you? You did a lot for this place and the people the last year."

"Because, like I said, I have to go."

Impa said nothing but thought hard for a long time. Then, she came to a decision.

"You're wise Sheik. Your wisdom exceeds most man even though you're still a child. I trust that wisdom now in doing the right thing. You may go..."

"Yes!"

"If you tell me what those things are."

Zelda groaned.

"I can't. Really Impa, I'd tell you if I could, but I can't, I swear it."

"I was afraid you would say that."

Zelda stood looking sad and sighed.

"Well don't just stand here, you have things to pack." Impa said all of the sudden.

Zelda's face cleared up in an instant and their was a smile on her face, although that was hard to see with the bandages around her head. She hugged Impa and then stormed out of the room to her chambers. She hated to keep a secret from Impa, but she couldn't tell her about the Sages, not while Impa was one of them.

Ganondorf was thinking about what to do next. He read all those useless books and now he had to do something else. But when it came to the entire Triforce, he was powerless. There was nothing he could do about it and that made him feel impotent. And the impotent made him feel angry and gave him the urge to show that he was in command, not some silly fake-golden triangle or an extinct Royal family! He was the boss and now the world would know it. Ganondorf was pleased with the idea of destroying the world. But where would he start his ruthless campaign? Of course, at the place that cares the least about him. An isolated place, where not many people come, so that Ganondorf would show that you couldn't hide from him anywhere. And he knew just what that place was: Kokiri forest.

Zelda was riding a horse on Hyrule Field. She didn't like going out on her own, but she knew that Impa had to stay in Kakariko village.

Zelda stopped and started thinking about what to do next. When the Hero of Time would return, he had to gather the Sages and she would help him with it. She couldn't prevent harm being done to the Sages, she couldn't lock them away or so. Now that she thought of it: what was she going to do? She knew that she had to visit the Sages and make sure they're okay, without letting them know about the Sage-business. The Hero of Time would have to free them and make them realise what their job is. Well, two of the six Sages were at the right place. The Sage of Light was protecting the Hero of Time and Impa was in Kakariko village. Four Sages left to check. She thought long and decided to go to Kokiri forest. That is where the Hero of Time came from, so he'd probably go there first. Plus she had the feeling that something was going to happen there very soon.

On to the Sacred Meadow

Ganondorf entered the Kokiri forest alone. When he came riding in on his black horse, people came out of their houses. Well, the people where Kokiri, not Hylian, so they weren't normal people. Plus, they didn't age, but always looked like young children. Ganondorf never got used to the fact that they didn't die of old age and in a way had eternal life. It wasn't fair that someone like Ganondorf, who was superior to them in every way, couldn't trick death like they could. Well, now they were going to pay for making Ganondorf feel humble, because no one messes around with him. No one!

"Heh, you on the horse."

Ganondorf looked down and saw a Kokiri boy with orange hair.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Do you see anyone else on a horse?"

"Do not speak to me as if we are equals."

Ganondorf took his whip and decided to learn this terrible kid a lesson.

"I will learn you to pay me respect." Ganondorf said and he raised the whip.

"Then you have to catch me first."

The child ran away and Ganondorf quickly followed him, filled with revenge. By now, the other Kokiri came out of their houses and they watched what was going on. Some people looked at Ganondorf with fear, while others cheered for the fugitive. The kid managed to get away from Ganondorf by quickly changing his course and using back allays. Like this, the pray kept playing with his hunter, something Ganondorf didn't like. Then the child stopped, standing in front of a wall and climbed it. He followed a path that lead upwards and stepped in an entrance that was there.

Ganondorf climbed of his horse and followed the lad, while he was saying some pretty nasty things. But after Ganondorf walked into the entrance, he saw three other ways he could go to.

"Damned." Ganondorf said.

"He lured me into the Lost Woods. He may think that I won't find him, but he's wrong."

In one of the books he read in the library, which was now ashes, stood that you should listen to pass the Woods. And so Ganondorf listened, but all he could hear was music. Then he realised that the music came from the right and so he decided to take the right path. He continued listening to where the music cam from and after a while, he had no idea where he was, but he kept walking, listening to the music. Then he saw another Kokiri standing in front of the next passage.

"Halt."

"What do you mean 'halt'?"

"I mean that you can't pass. What else should it mean? 'Please stop so I can have your autograph'?"

Ganondorf heard the sarcasm and he didn't like it.

"Don't you know who I am?"

"Someone who can't pass."

"And why can't I do that?"

"Since the death of the Deku Tree, strange stuff is happening in the Sacred Meadow. Saria said, that no one could get there, so you can't pass."

Ganondorf almost lost his patience. He couldn't believe that some Kokiri brat could stop him. Well, he couldn't do that off course.

"A friend of mine, who is also a Kokiri just pass. No let me go further so I can give him what I promised."

"I'm sorry, but I wouldn't let you pass even,...even if you were Ganondorf himself." The Kokiri smiled triomfically.

"Well, you see, I AM Ganondorf. And if you wont let me pass, then I know ways to make you."

Ganondorf showed the whip, that he still had in his hand and which was meant for the other Kokiri boy. But this one would do fine as well according to Ganondorf and the Kokiri could see the threat in his eyes. Needless to say the Kokiri's face got all white and quickly ran away. When he first saw the intruder, he planned to stop him to impress Saria. But he didn't know it was Ganondorf!

"Yes Kokiri brat, run. Run like the rest of you guys will soon." whispered Ganondorf as he looked at the fleeing kid and smiled.

Zelda entered the Kokiri forest riding on her horse. Immediately, Kokiri came running towards her. They all started talking and shouting at the same time.

"Stop, please. One at the time. You, tell me what's going on."

"Your Sheik, right? Impa told us about you."

"I'm Sheik, yes and I'm looking for Saria. Does anyone know were she is?"

"She's in the Sacred Meadow, but we think that Ganondorf is there as well. He was chasing one of us and we fear that our brother lead him to the Sacred Meadow through the Lost Woods."

"No I didn't."

Every Kokiri turned their head and looked at the Kokiri that was walking towards him.

"You really think that I would lead Ganondorf to the Sacred Meadow? I ran so fast that he lost sight of me and then I used a shortcut to get back. He's probably in the Lost Woods right now, trying to find a way out. You know that only Kokiri can find the way. Trust me, we wont be seeing him for a while."

Then the Kokiri, who got chased, bowed and the others clapped.

"I'm not to sure about that. Ganondorf is evil and insane, but he's also smart. He may be wise enough to find a way." Zelda said.

"Do you really think so?"

"I think so." another Kokiri said that came walking towards the crowd of Kokiri that were standing around Zelda's horse.

"Mido! Shouldn't you be guarding the entrance to the Sacred Meadow?"

"I did, but Ganondorf came. You should've seen me. He was threatening me, but I didn't let him go through. Then he started beating me with a whip, bang bang. But still I didn't let him pass. He had to make me to lie on the ground, almost bleeding to death, before he was able to get pass me."

"If that's so, then why don't I see your wounds?" Zelda said.

Mido changed from a hero to a shy person.

"Well, I don't know. Perhaps it was mostly internal bleeding and I..." He decided to change topic before he'd lose total face.

"Who are you anyway? We don't allow strangers here."

"I'm Sheik. Impa most have told you about me."

"Oh, well, ehm, yeah. I remember. She said that we could trust you as much as we could trust her."

"So, you trust me?"

"Well, I guess so."

"Good, because I need someone to lead me through the Lost Woods and get me to the Sacred Meadow. I must face Ganondorf and since you're so brave, I give you the honour of being a volunteer."

It took a while before Mido understood what she was saying. Then his face got frightened.

"But I'm hurt. So I'd love to join you, but I can't."

"All right. Show me one bruise as proof of you having a handicap and you're off the hook."

"I...I don't have a bruise." said Mido, while his face turned all red, matching his hair colour.

"Then lets go. I'll leave my horse here."

Zelda lead her horse to a tree and tied the reins to it.

"Well, I'm ready. Let's go."

Mido slowly walked towards her, trying to expand the time left.

"Can't you walk a bit faster? Ganondorf could be at the Sacred Meadow by now."

Instead of walking faster, Mido started to walk even slower.

"This isn't working. Tell me how to get to the Sacred Meadow and I'll go alone. I can't have a chicken as my guide."

"Nobody calls me a chicken!" said Mido in anger.

"Then why are you walking so slow? Why do you make it look like you're afraid of Ganondorf?"

"I'm afraid for nobody!"

"Good. Now proof it by going a bit faster."

Mido's pride had been hurt a lot and he was really angry now. Zelda thought that Ganondorf could get pretty angry, but Mido was also good at it.

"I'll show you fast." said Mido and he ran away towards a wall. He climbed it and ran towards the entrance of the Lost Woods.

"Finally." Zelda said and she followed Mido.

"So, these are the Lost Woods. I heard a lot about them. Are all those stories true?"

This was a good time for Mido to impress the Sheikah.

"The stories are false, because the truth is even worse." he said with a not-so-spooky voice.

"Really?" Zelda said with sarcasm, although Mido didn't hear that. He thought she was impressed and continued.

"Thousands and thousands of people have tried to seek a way to our sacred ground in the hope of finding eternal youth there. We have seen many people enter these woods, but none coming out of them. At night, you can still here their voices whispering."

"Must be really busy at night then. All those voices babbling at you at the same time about something really boring. Reminds me of the King's parties I went to."

Now Mido was impressed.

"You have met the King?"

"Yeah. He is very kind. Well, that is to say, he was very kind." said Zelda and Mido could hear the grief in her voice.

"So, what was he like?" Mido asked, because he had never met anyone who had met the King.

"He was a friendly person, who didn't feel hate at all. His only fault was thinking that none hated him."

Sheik looked into the distance, but Mido thought that she was even further away with her thoughts. He couldn't figure out if she was talking to him or to herself.

"You must hate Ganondorf for killing him." Mido said, because he couldn't bear the silence anymore.

"Yes, I hate him for that and for a lot more things." Then, the tone of Zelda's voice changed from sad and slow to a bit cheerful.

"Well, we were going to the Sacred Meadow and Ganondorf already has a lead over us, so we'd better hurry. Now, how can you find you're way in these woods?"

Mido, confused because of the sudden change of subject, said nothing for a while, then realised what Sheik had said and answered.

"Well, it's really difficult, you see. No one has ever figured it out."

"Except Ganondorf."

"Yes, well, yeah. But he has special powers and apart from him, none has found his way."

"Just stop the advertisement on how good this place is and tell me how to get to the Sacred Meadow."

"Do you hear the music?"

"Yeah..." Zelda said, wondering what the tune she'd been hearing had to do with the subject.

"Well, it comes from one direction. Follow that way and you'll get to the Sacred Meadow."

"That's it?!" Zelda asked surprised.

"Yes, brilliant, isn't it?"

"No, it isn't. The only reason why people didn't find their way was, because it was so easy. I was thinking of mystical items, special powders, something like that. But it's just some fluffy tune?!"

"I guess..."

Zelda groaned. She could've figured this one out herself.

"Come." she said.

"Do I have to?"

"Who knows, maybe I tumble on a puzzle that is so simple, that I need you to solve it." Zelda said with sarcasm.

Mido, unaware that it was an insult, glowed with pride that such an important person needed him. He could brag about this to the others when he get back. Then he remembered Ganondorf and the glow went away. He wasn't even sure if he'd get back! What good is being a hero if you can't tell it to anyone?

"Would you hurry up a bit? We have to move fast." Zelda said and Mido walked behind her, mocking his situation.

Guard of the Gate

Ganondorf walked through a tree trunk wondering how much further it was. Just as he was about to give up, he walked into the Sacred Meadow. Ganondorf looked around and saw a gate. It was obviously old and rarely used. So he slowly walked to the gate, paying attention to any things that might happen. And something did.

A wolf jumped from the bushes and tried to attack Ganondorf. But then Ganondorf turned his head and stared at the beast. The wolf stood still and growled at him. Then it ran away in fear.

After this short meeting, Ganondorf continued to walk towards the gate. He tried to open it, but although it was very rusty, he had no trouble with opening it. The gate went open smoothly and without making a sound. Ganondorf wondered how this was possible with such an old-looking gate. He looked really good at one of the bars and touched it. Rust came on his hand, so how did it open so easily and without a sound? He thought hard, but couldn't figure out the answer. So he simply let it be "one of those magic-thingies" and continued to walk. He then saw that he could go either left or right.

"Great, another maze." Ganondorf whispered. "Just what I was hoping for."

"So that were the great Lost Woods?" Zelda said.

"Yep, the Deku Tree made it to protect these sacred grounds."

"No offence, but in that case the Deku Tree doesn't have a lot of brains. Well, he doesn't have any brains, because he's a tree and all that, but you understand me, right?"

"Ehm...sure. So,...what were you saying again?"

"Nevermind. Just that I expected a bit more from the Deku Tree. I should talk to him about that. I never talked to a tree before. Wonder what's it like?"

"You can't talk to the Deku Tree."

"Why not?"

"Because he's gone. And it's all because of him." Mido said the word him with disgust.

"Who's him? Ganondorf?"

"No, he's a Kokiri. But somehow we always knew he was different. Anyway, the Deku Tree summoned him one day and when he got back, the Deku Tree was dead."

"So you really think that he killed the Deku Tree?"

"Who else?"

"Well, does the word 'Ganondorf' ring a bell?"

"Ganondorf wasn't near the tree that day. But He was."

"Perhaps Ganondorf put a spell on the Deku Tree, which slowly killed him."

"I guess that's possible..."

"So it didn't have to be the Kokiri, right or wrong?"

"Guess you're right."

"Now, let's get going. We must find Ganondorf."

"What will you do after you've found him?"

"I don't know. Didn't really think of that. I just have to stop him."

"Wow. You're gonna kill him?!" Mido got a huge smile.

"No, that's not my place. I simply have to make sure Ganondorf won't do anything that can't be cured. That in the future, there's still a change of him being stopped."

"So, what can't be cured?"

"Well, I have to protect certain...things." Zelda said, being very vague, but she quickly continued talking. "Sorry, I already said too much. Let's get going."

Zelda wanted to walk to the gate, but then Mido said: "Sheik, stop!"

She stood still immediately.

"What is it now?"

"Nana."

"What the hell is a Nana? We've already lost too much time because of you."

"It's not a 'what' but a 'who'."

"Okay, then 'who' is it?"

"She's a wolf that protects the final entrance to the Sacred Meadow, the gate. She makes sure that none can get passed the gate. She can open it and close it, no one else can."

"Well, the gate is here, but Ganondorf isn't, so I'm guessing he got passed it. Some bodyguard." Zelda clearly showed how much she hated this situation. Sure, this was a beautiful place, with the most wonderful things, but right now it made very clear how weak it really was.

Mido in the meantime tried to lure Nana by calling her name and making funny noises. Then the wolf finally appeared from the bushes, but she was growling.

"What is it Nana? It's just me, lil' Mido."

Nana continued to growl.

"Apparently she hates you as much as I do." Zelda said.

Nana turned her head to see where this new voice was coming from and when she saw Sheik, she immediately stopped growling and walked towards her like a pet. Nana put her nose in Zelda's hand and began licking it.

"So this is supposed to be your fearsome guard? The last one to protect the Sacred Meadow?"

"I don't understand. Nana hates strangers. Perhaps it's one of those weird things you Sheikah can do."

"Perhaps." Zelda said, but she knew that he was wrong and that it had to do with something much greater.

"Nana." Zelda said to the wolf, changing the subject.

"Would you mind opening the gate for us? You see, we're trying to catch an evil man called Ganondorf."

When Zelda said his name, Nana immediately stopped licking and began growling again.

"Looks like you've already met him." Zelda said.

Then, all of the sudden, the gate opened. Zelda was surprised that it happen so sudden, without a sign, but then she remembered the weird link between Nana and the gate, so she let it rest.

"Well then, of we go."

While Sheik and Mido were walking towards the gate, Nana stared at them, as a some sort of goodbye. Then, after they passed the gate, it closed.

"Well, guess there's no way back now." Zelda thought.

Then Nana howled to the sky real long and real loud. It gave Zelda the shivers to think, that to Nana they were already dead.

Facing Death

Ganondorf was on the stairs, heading for the Forest Temple. He was walking, sighing and complaining about why they had to put stairs around here. Then he had reached the end of the stairs and saw a cute guy hiding in a bush. Ganondorf hated these cute guys. They've been shooting nuts at him all the way and were really annoying. So he had decided to kill them as soon as he saw them. And so he did. The animal, that was hiding in some hole, soon found out that bushes aren't a great cover when a powerful madman wants you dead.

"Something's wrong." Mido said.

"Now what?!" Zelda asked annoyed, since they've stopped a lot of times while walking through these tunnels and every time they've stopped for some idiotic reason. Zelda couldn't wait to find out what kind of an excuse Mido now had to delay the meeting with Ganondorf.

"They aren't here!"

"Who aren't here?"

"The Deku Shrubs. They always hide here. You see, they're shy creatures, so they hide in the bushes that are around here. Plus, almost no one comes here, so this is their favourite place. But now they're all gone."

"Yeah, and I've got a feeling about who did it."

"Who?" Mido asked, proving his stupidity once more.

"Ganondorf off course! Who else?!"

"I don't know."

"Exactly."

"But why?"

"Well, let's see. What kind of creatures are Deku Shrubs?"

"They're shy."

"You've already said that. But if they don't show themselves to Ganondorf, then he wouldn't know of their existence and wouldn't kill them."

"Oh yeah. When somebody comes on their territory, they hit him with nuts."

"And that's pretty annoying. Now were getting some where. And I suppose those Deku Shrubs are cute?"

"Well, they look cute, but sometimes they have a mean temper."

"So why would Ganondorf want to kill annoying, yet cute creatures?"

"Beats me." Mido said.

Zelda sighed.

"Is there anyone who's dumber than you?" she asked.

"Can't say I met him."

"Me neither."

Saria was singing, while she sat on a tree trunk. It was the song she always sang. Her song. The song, only her dear friends knew. Among those were the friends of the forest, like the fireflies. Those little glowers always came listening to her song and sometimes it seemed as if they were dancing in the sky on the melody. She smiled thinking of the creatures that lived in the woods. Sometimes they were all she had. Sure, there were the other Kokiri, but sometimes they seemed so...childish. She felt older, wiser. She has always felled like this, but then there was him. He wasn't like the others. Like Saria, he was wiser and brighter. Because of that, they had a bond and Saria was could always feel him, no matter were he was. After his departure, she was still feeling him. She felt that he has been in danger, four, no, five times. First when he entered the Deku Tree. Then some hot place and after that some strange jelly-like place. And next a weird, dark place, where things weren't what they seemed. Final, a thirsty place filled with ancient mystery. Saria shaked her head. She could only guess where he has been. But then, it was a bit more then a year ago, something happened that she would never forget. One day, she woke up and knew something was wrong. She soon found out what. He was gone. She couldn't feel him anymore. Somewhere, deep down on a hidden place inside her, she knew he was still alive. But then where was he? Where was her friend? She thought about it every day after his disappearance, but never found an answer.

Then, all of the sudden, she heared a twig, that got snapped and immediately, she was back in reality. She stood up, looking around. Someone was here and she had a bad feeling about it. No one of evil could get at the Sacred Meadow, but still, something was wrong. If it was someone pure, then why wouldn't he (or she?) reveal himself. Wait, wasn't someone standing over there? Saria stared at a shadow where she saw a figure of someone.

"I see you discovered me." Ganondorf said, as he walked forward out of the shadows and into the light, so that Saria could see him clearly.

Saria didn't know who this man was, but she knew he wasn't here to give her the 'forest-lover of the month' award. If such a thing would exist. No, this man was evil, with a capital e.

"You may wonder who I am." Ganondorf continued as he was walking around, looking at the surroundings. But although he wasn't looking at her, Saria knew he was talking to her.

"I may." she answered and she feared that her voice was trembling a lot while she said that.

"Well, let me free you from the uncertainty." Ganondorf said and he turned so he was looking Saria straight in the eye, while he was just a couple of passes away from her.

"My name is Ganondorf and it doesn't matter what yours is. Because soon you wont live anymore."

"I'm tired." Mido complained. Zelda took Mido with her to teach him a lesson, but he was really getting on her nerves.

"So?"

"Can't we rest for a little while?"

"No, we have to get moving."

"It doesn't hurt if we'll stop for a little while?" Mido asked on a really annoying tone.

"Yes it does."

"Oh yeah, then who will get hurt and by whom?" Mido asked triomphically with a smile, thinking Sheik had to be convinced be now.

"You will. By me. A lot."

The smile on Mido's face disappeared and he continued walking, not saying anything for the rest of the trip.

Then the two walkers came at a stair.

"Looks like we're finally here."

"You just climb up on the stairs and then you're where you should be. Well, I helped you find your way, so now I can go and leave you with Ganondorf. Bye." Mido said and he quickly ran away.

"Stop." Zelda said, but it was too late. Oh well, she never expected him to face Ganondorf. He may have acted like a hero, but in reality he was an enormous coward. Looks like it all came down to her. Zelda started walking up the stairs.

"You can't kill me." Saria said really scared and filled with surprise. She had never faced danger in her entire life! She and the other Kokiri were protected by the Deku Tree for all those years. But he was dead now, so she could've expected some unpleasant events. But this was a bit more then unpleasant! This was a matter of life and death! Literally.

"And just why can't I kill such a little whimp like you?" said Ganondorf and he slammed his left hand into his right, proving his intentions.

"I'm a Kokiri, you can't kill a Kokiri. No one can. Everybody knows that." Saria said with a faint smile. She knew she was saying lies, but that didn't matter. What mattered was to get out of here. Perhaps she could distract him and run away. But then the Sacred Meadow and the Forest Temple would be left without a guard and that evil man could get his way with it. She'd rather die first and with that thought came strength and courage.

"Oh yes. The tale of the Deku Tree, the almighty protector of his children, the Kokiri. Well let me tell you something, sis. He's dead and isn't her to protect you from that mean ol' bully. Live with it, or should I say, die with it." He laughed hard and loud.

Zelda lied on the top of the stairs, trying not to get noticed. She looked at the two people standing. On the right was Ganondorf, laughing because of some strange reason only psychopaths like himself could understand. Why do bad guys always laugh so much?

On the left was a Kokiri girl, with short green hair. She had to be Saria, the purpose of why Zelda was here. When she started her quest as Sheik, she didn't know exactly what to do, just that she had to do it and it was something good. Now, she knew it. She had to make sure the Sages were kept alive and at the right place, so that the Hero of Time could gather them and wake them up. And now it was time to do it. If she wasn't here, Saria would die and it would already be impossible to stop Ganondorf. But what could she do? Nothing on her own. She needed help.

Swiftly and without making any noise, Zelda left the stairs. At first she walked slowly, so that Ganondorf wouldn't hear her. After she was certain that she was out of reach, she started to run very hard.

Saria had spotted the person on the stairs, and although she didn't recognise him (or her?), she felt it was someone with a good heart. Soon, the others would come and help her. Now, she had to start a conversation with Ganondorf, stalling time. Unfortunately, she had no idea for a topic for the conversation. So, she simple said:

"So, ehm, read any good books lately?"

Going Nuts

"Back so soon? Wasn't he there?" Mido asked. Zelda didn't see him at the entrance of the Sacred Meadow, because she was in such a hurry.

"He was there alright. Listen, we have to go to the other Kokiri. Together we can make him leave."

"Are you sure?" Mido asked, doubting Sheik.

"Positive. But we have to be fast. And this time I mean FAST. No 'I'm thirsty', 'oh, what's this' or something like that. Now let's go."

"Wait."

"Didn't you hear what I said? We have no time."

"I know a short-cut. Instead of taking the first tree on your left, take the path in front of you. You'll be with the Kokiri's in no time."

"Looks like your good for something. Let's go." And the two ran away.

"Let me get this straight. You're about to die in a horrible way and you want your last words to be 'read any good books lately'? What kind of nonsense is that?"

"Well, I was just thinking that we could talk some. Ya know, getting to know my murderer before he kills me. It would mean a lot to me."

Ganondorf was shocked and didn't know what to answer for a long while.

"So when did you turn into my shrink?" Ganondorf asked.

"What's a shrink?"

"That doesn't matter. Now let's forget about all this so I can kill you neatly. It'll all be over very soon. I may even be nice and do it painless."

Ganondorf walked even closer to Saria and raised his hand.

"But why?" she asked on a normal voice, as if she didn't even realise she was about to get killed. But in reality, she was shaking. Stall time, keep talking. Those were the only things she could think about.

"Excuse me?"

"Why would you want to kill me?"

"What kind of a question is that?! Most people beg me when I intend to kill them and you want to make a profile of me?!"

"Well, I was just wondering why a man would kill."

"Well, it's fun for one thing."

"So you kill for fun?"

"Yes, I find killing satisfying. But it's only good when the victim co-operates. So could you please start begging for your life?"

"Would there be any difference if I'd beg?"

"Well, I'd kill you anyway, but it would be make it even more fun."

"Why would I do my murderer a favour?"

"Perhaps I'd do you a favour back."

"Like?"

"Like I can cut your stomach, so your death will take very long and be very painful, or I can cut your head of, which is fast and painless."

"I see." Saria said. She knew she had to stall time, but a slow death wasn't her idea of stalling time the right way.

"So I'd better start begging."

"Yes please." Ganondorf said on a tired and annoyed tone.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Begging. I've never begged my entire life, so I have no idea of how to do it."

"Well, you just sit on your knees before me..."

"Like this?" Saria followed Ganondorf instructions.

"Yes, and then you ask if I wont kill you."

"Okay. Please don't kill me." said Saria completely monotone.

"Put some emotions in it. Mean it."

"Pretty please don't kill me?"

"No, no, no, more emotions in your voice, crying, that sorta things."

"I can't cry on command."

Ganondorf sighed. This kid was working on his nerves.

"Stand up so I can kill you."

"I thought I was supposed to beg."

"Not anymore. Now you're just supposed to die and trust me I'll make it long and painful."

"But you said you'd make it quick."

"So?"

"You lied."

"Off course I lied. We villains always lie."

"That's not fair."

"Who says life is?"

Ganondorf raised his hand and concentrated.

"I'm writing an angry letter."

"What?"

"Well, you shouldn't have lied to me, so I'll write an angry letter to complain about it."

Ganondorf groaned. This was gonna take a long time. But he had plenty of time and then he would get even with her.

"Everybody, listen to me. Ganondorf is at Saria and he's going to kill her if we wont stop him."

Every Kokiri came to Sheik, after she'd spoken these words.

"We can't let him kill Saria." one of the Kokiri said

"But what can we do against him?" another one said.

"That's okay, I've got a plan." Zelda said and she explained it to the others.

"That is why I wrote this. Thank you for your time. Best wishes, Saria of the Kokiri. So, how does it sound? Do you think it's a good letter?"

"Really good. Now can I please kill you?"

Saria ignored the question and went on with her babbling.

"But who should write it? I can't. Do you know anyone who can write it for me? Someone reliable, so that I can be sure that he writes what I tell him?"

"Look, enough of this. I'm gonna kill you right now, letter or no letter, begging or no begging. I've had enough of this."

And again, Ganondorf raised his hand, preparing himself for the final blow. He expected her to say something, that made absolutely no sense, but she didn't.

Saria saw the other Kokiri sneaking in the shadows and she knew she didn't have to stall time anymore. Which was good, because she'd ran out of ideas.

"What, no complaint, no nothing? What a disappointment." Ganondorf said and he smiled because he could finally free himself from this terrible girl. Then he heared a 'tock'.

"What was tha..." He stopped talking, as he got covered with nuts. From everywhere, nuts came at him. He saw other Kokiri throwing the nuts at him from bushes. Darn girl, she'd been stalling for time all along! He tried to shoot energy blasts to the green men, but he always missed, since he couldn't aim when his face was tortured with nuts. And so, he had no choice, but to be a coward. He fled.

And the Kokiri started to yell victorically. The man that wanted to hurt Saria was fleeing because of them. As Saria saw the great Ganondorf flee, still having his hands on his head to protect it, she had no choice but to laugh out loud. And soon every Kokiri was laughing.

"Did you see the look on his face?" a Kokiri said, after Ganondorf disappeared after the horizon.

"We sure did get him." another Kokiri said.

"He wont be back for a long while. Not after the treatment we gave him."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Zelda said. This was the first thing she said after the attack on Ganondorf. So everyone was silent, waiting for what she was about to say.

"He'll come back, trust me." Zelda continued.

"Why?"

"Ganondorf has the biggest ego I've ever seen. And right now, we've hurt that ego of his. We made him feel incompetent and trust me; man like Ganondorf don't look to feel incompetent. He'll come back for revenge. He will."

Ganondorf's feelings were hurt, big time. This was the second time those Kokiri brats were laughing about him. But soon, they wouldn't be laughing anymore. He would be back. That was a promise. And he wouldn't be alone. That was a threat.

Nana's Death

A few days passed and Zelda learned a lot about the Kokiri and the forests that surrounded them. She loved the peaceful environment and the animals that inhabited it. They were happy days, although everyone knew Ganondorf would return. No one knew however, what would happen then.

"Servant!" Ganondorf yelled as he entered the castle. When he got back from the Sacred Meadow, he found that his horse was gone. No surprise there, the Kokiri probably scared it away. So he had to walk to the nearest ranch and get a horse there. It was terrible. Some old man, who was lazy and clumsy, did do what Ganondorf told him, but it took too much time. Finally, he had left the place and got to his home to find out that his own horse was there all along. Needless to say, Ganondorf wasn't in a happy mood.

"Yes, master?" a poe said, that had just appeared out of thin air.

"I need to destroy something, what should I use?" Ganondorf said. Yes, he wanted to destroy something. But not the Kokiri. They were pesky little flies and not worthy enough to be killed. Still, he wanted revenge on them. So he'd destroy the thing they cherished after the death of the Deku Tree: the Forest Temple. Plus, it was a wonderful way to get even with the Goddesses. After all, they denied him the entire Triforce and now they would pay.

"You can use all sorts of things for destruction, master."

"I want the biggest of the biggest. The ultimate destructive thing. What is it?"

"Well, sir, moblins are the most destructive in the entire world, but they are dumb and clumsy."

"I don't care. How can I get moblins?"

"You hire them as mercenary's, my master."

"And where can I hire them?" Ganondorf asked, but the poe already went invisible and was gone.

"It's so hard to find good personal these days." Ganondorf mumbled as he went to go and see the moblins.

"So this is the Deku Tree?" Zelda asked Saria when they stood before the dead tree.

"Yes, he is our protector and father."

"You say 'is', but he's dead."

"The tree itself is dead, but the spirit of the Deku Tree lives on. And his spirit will return. That's nature. In nature, everything returns, like in a circle."

"I see. So you're saying, there's gonna be another Deku Tree?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that he will return, but I don't know in what shape."

"Well, let's just hope. I've found out that often everything you have left is hope."

The two women were standing at the tree, both deep in their thoughts, but thinking different things. Then a voice got them out of their pondering.

"Saria, Sheik, come quickly." a Kokiri said. He was breathless, probably because he had run a lot.

"What is it?"

"Ganondorf's back."

The evil one was back, but he was still at the entrance of the Kokiri Forest. Simply because the moblins were too big to pass.

"Can't you just crawl?" Ganondorf asked irritated.

"Crawl?" one of the moblins said. He was the biggest and smartest of them all. He could actually talk a few sentences.

"You know, lying on the ground. Like this." Ganondorf showed what the moblins had to do.

"Crawl!" a moblin yelled cheerful and he lied on the ground like Ganondorf.

"Yes, crawl, and now crawl into the entrance."

No response. Ganondorf sighed.

"I'll show it."

And Ganondorf crawled on the ground through the entrance. The smartest moblin had a vague idea of what was expected and followed Ganondorf crawling. Now the other moblins knew what to do, so they followed the two men. Finally, they were all in Kokiri Forest.

"Kokiri!" Ganondorf yelled.

"I'm back and this time I brought some playmates with me." he said and he smiled a real villain-like smile.

All the Kokiri were silent. The monsters Ganondorf had were huge! They were defenceless and helpless. So most of them ran to their homes and closed the door. And that was exactly what Ganondorf wanted to see: those brats fleeing for his power.

"Look who's back." a voice said.

"Who are you? I don't believe we've met."

"I'm Sheik and although you claim you don't know me, I do know you."

"So, why aren't you fleeing with your comrads?"

"They aren't my comrads." Zelda said and she spit on the ground to prove her 'hate'.

"Then why aren't you slaughtering them?"

"I leave that to you. Ya see, I've heared you were finally doing something against these brats and I just wanted to look."

"A Sheikah that wants to see destruction? Now that's something new."

"An ex-Sheikah you mean. I got kicked out of that society. Was too violent or something like that."

Ganondorf smiled. It was always nice to have an admirer watching. But inside of him a warning bell ringed. There was something strange with this person. Something familiar.

"Be my guest to watch, but don't betray me. As you can see, I can easily kill you." Ganondorf said to Sheik.

"So, what are you going to do first?"

"I don't know. Those little whimps aren't worthy enough to be bothered with, so I'll let them live."

Sheik was relieved. He wouldn't kill Saria. But she knew this wasn't over yet.

"That doesn't sound like the almighty Ganondorf who has no mercy."

"But instead, I'll ruin the forest they love so much."

"Now that sounds like you. Can't wait to see it."

"Then let's go."

"Where to?"

"The Sacred Meadow."

"You're going to the Sacred Meadow? But none of evil can get there!" Zelda knew this wasn't true, but she was just polishing up Ganondorf's ego so that he would trust her.

"That's what most people think, but I already prove that was incorrect."

"You've already been at the Sacred Meadow?" Zelda asked with a faked surprise and respect.

"Yep, and now, I'm gonna turn that cute place into something I like a lot more."

And so Ganondorf lead the moblins to the Lost Woods. When they were there, the moblins had a lot of trouble getting through the woods, especially since they were always thinking that they were lost. But in the end, Ganondorf, his moblins, and Sheik were at the Sacred Meadow.

"Looks like I scared him away." Ganondorf mumbled.

"Scared who away?" Zelda asked, while she was standing next to him.

"A wolf. The last time I was here, a wolf appeared, but he isn't here now."

"Perhaps he remembers your last encounter."

"Perhaps. Well, let's open that gate."

Ganondorf walked to the gate. The last time, it opened all by itself, but now it remained closed. He pushed and threw energy balls at it, but it was no use. The gate refused to open.

Then the wolf appeared from the bushes and Ganondorf could swear he was smiling.

"Moblins, open the gate!" he yelled after he was irritated by the smile of the wolf.

So the moblins stormed at the gate. There was a huge blast and Ganondorf could feel the magic coming from the gate. Nana growled at Ganondorf and it was obvious that she was in pain. But despite the moblin's effort, the gate remained closed.

"Again!" yelled Ganondorf.

The moblins stormed at the gate again. And again there was a blast, and although the gate moved a little, it didn't open. After the blast, Nana was breathing heavily. Anyone could see she was in pain and tired of her exertion. Ganondorf saw it as well and he figured that the wolf and the gate couldn't take much more. So once more he yelled: "Again!"

For the last time the moblins stormed at the gate. For the last time there was a blast and for the last time, Ganondorf could feel the magic. But this time, instead of growling, Nana looked into the sky and howled. She howled once, but it was a long, loud, and terrifying one. Then, when the cry was finally over, Nana fell to the ground and disappeared. She simply vanished, like the poe sometimes do. Only she wouldn't come back and with her disappearance, the gate disappeared as well. Zelda felt awful. She had wanted to help Nana, but she knew she couldn't. She had to maintain Ganondorf's trust to make sure he wouldn't do something that couldn't be reversed in time.

Corruption

"And here is the Forest Temple. One of the many temples dedicated to the three Goddesses." Ganondorf said to Sheik, when the party came at the temple.

"So, what we're you planning of doing here?" Zelda asked on a quasi-nonchalant tone.

"Simple, I'm gonna take over the temple." Ganondorf said as if it was the simplest thing on Hyrule.

For a moment, Zelda was paralysed.

"You're gonna do WHAT?"

"Didn't you hear me? I'm going to take over the Forest Temple."

"The Goddesses wont be pleased with that." Zelda said and again she realised what a madman Ganondorf really was.

"The Goddesses, if they have ever really existed, have left Hyrule, remember?"

Zelda didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. But all sorts of thoughts were going around in her mind. He wanted to destroy the Forest Temple and without the protection from the temple, there would be even more evil hurting the Kokiri. She couldn't let him do that, but she also knew that she couldn't stop him. The Kokiri would have to wait for six years until their liberation. Zelda wanted to cry for all the pain these Kokiri would get, but she couldn't. Not when she was standing next to Ganondorf.

"So, how were you planning to take over the temple?"

"With a little help from my friends."

"Those moblins wont get inside, there too big."

"They aren't here to corrupt the temple. They are here to protect the way towards it, so I won't get any trouble from little brats."

"I see. So, where do you want me?"

"Here. Keep an eye on the moblins. See to it that they don't do anything stupid. But if I get back and find out that you've betrayed me, then I will make sure that will be the last mistake you made."

And immediately after Ganondorf was finished talking, he raised his arm. His hand was pointing at a branch and something strange happen. Ganondorf was lifted, by some unknown force and in a second, he was standing on the branch.

"Farewell and remember, do not disappoint me!" he yelled and then he entered the temple.

"Yes sir" Zelda mumbled with a lot of sarcasm. When she started pretending to be evil, she didn't know where it would lead to. She certainly didn't expect to be leading a group of the dumbest things on Hyrule! Now what would she do?! Ganondorf would take over the Forest Temple, she couldn't stop him from doing that. All she could do now was to wait. Even leaving the Sacred Meadow and warn the Kokiri about the coming danger was made impossible thanks to her new job as a babysitter. Well, let's go and check the groups.

Zelda turned around and saw a lot of confused faces. Apparently there slow minds didn't understand what had happen and where their leader was. Finally, the biggest one of the moblins (and probably the smartest one, since he actually said things from time to time) opened his mouth.

"You new leader?" he asked and he pointed at Sheik

"Wow! A sentence of three words, this must be a new record!" Zelda thought, but she didn't say it out loud. The moblin wouldn't understand the insult anyway. So she simply said:

"Yes, I am new leader." she deliberately said things slowly and used her hands to make him understand her. After all, it wasn't their fault that they had the brains of a rock.

"What we do?"

Zelda thought hard about this. She could let them help the Kokiri, but if Ganondorf found that out, he would kill her and probably Saria as well. So as much as she wanted it, she couldn't do it. But she didn't want the moblins to help Ganondorf either. So, there was one thing they could do.

"Wait here until Ganondorf returns."

The moblin was obvious relieved because he didn't have to do anything that was extremely difficult.

"And now all I can do is wait as well."

And so Zelda did.

Ganondorf wasn't too thrilled about leaving the moblins with that ex-Sheikah, but right now, he had no choice. He had entered the Forest Temple and now he was walking through the different rooms. When he got to a new room, he would summon a creature, which became the guard of the room. Thus, evil spreaded through the entire temple. Luckily, Ganondorf had found a map in the library, before he burned it, and memorised it. He knew his way exactly.

Then Ganondorf entered a room, which had a big chest standing in it.

"Time for the big one." he mumbled.

This was a special room. There was a chest, that looked just like ordinary chests, but this one held a special weapon. A long time ago the Goddesses gave it to the Kokiri. Problem is, none of the Kokiri could open it, so it remained closed. Legends say, that some chosen person or so can open it. Of course Ganondorf didn't believe those fairytales, but he didn't like thinking that someone would get here, open the chest and free this place from his evil minions. So he decided to guard this room extra well.

Ganondorf was moving his arms as he always did when he was summoning a minion, but this time with more, well, everything. More movement, more magic and more effort. All off the sudden, a black light filled the room and four Stalfos appeared in full armour.

Ganondorf was pleased. Not only were these creatures Stalfos and therefore a master in one-on-one combat, but they also had the power of regeneration. The chosen one could try to open the chest, but he wouldn't even get near it. Or at least, that's what Ganondorf thought.

"What's taking him so long?" Zelda asked out loud. She had been sitting for a very long time, doing nothing. Boredom had struck her and she couldn't get rid of this feeling that she should do something against Ganondorf. Problem was, what? There was nothing Zelda could do about him and corrupting the Forest Temple, and she knew it. But even if she couldn't do something against Ganondorf, couldn't she at least do something at all?! She was bored out of her skull, since her company wasn't exactly the greatest on Hyrule. Everything was better then these eggheads. But then Zelda's thoughts were disturbed by a large rumbling sound. It was like the earth was shaken, except for the part that the earth didn't move. Another rumbling was heard, louder then the one before. This time, Zelda was fully out of her thoughts and into reality. She tried placing the sound, but couldn't. It was something that she had never heard before.

"What is that sound?" Zelda asked in despair after a third rumbling.

"We hungry." the biggest and wisest moblin said.

"Oh no! Ganondorf said nothing about feeding you." The princess sighed.

"What do you guys eat?"

"Food." was the answer, short and simple.

"Yes, I know. But what kind of food?"

"Meat." was the answer this time. Slowly, Zelda was getting to where she wanted.

"And from were should I get that meat?"

It was silent for a long time. All the moblins were thinking really hard, for as far as they could.

"Animal?" one asked uncertain.

"Exactly. And do you see any animals around here?"

"No."

"Then you won't eat."

The moblin wanted to respond to this remark, but Sheik turned away and sat on a tree trunk. It was obvious she was in no mood for conversation. So the moblins let it rest. Hey, these big guys could go days without food.

The princess sighed of irritating. She grabbed her harp, because she had to do something and started to play a few tunes.

"Pretty." a moblin said.

"You think so?" Zelda asked, a bit more friendly than she was before.

The moblin nodded and soon everyone agreed that the tunes were nice to hear. So Zelda started to play a melody and another one after that. At some point, a moblin even hummed with her, even though he was terrible at it. And so the princess relaxed a bit as she waited for the return of Ganondorf.

He was standing in the main hall of the temple. By now, almost every room held monsters of the night and you could feel the evil threat in the temple. But it wasn't over yet. Basically, the temple was still good. For the complete corruption, there had to be some great evil force coming from the inside of the temple. Luckily for Ganondorf, he had read the Tale of the Four Sisters before he had turned the national library into ashes. It says that a long time ago, four sisters, coming from the wilderness, entered Kokiri Forest and produced chaos. They were burning the trees, killing a couple rodents, bullying the Kokiri. So, the Deku Tree stopped them, but their ghosts remained as a punishment. They would live forever, surrounded by goodness in the Forest Temple.

But now, Ganondorf had replaced the goodness into darkness and that evil would strengthen the four sisters and they could come back once again. All Ganondorf had to do was to summon them. So he began a spell, more powerful than any he had used before. A black ball appeared and it was hanging above Ganondorf's head. Slowly, it grew. By the time, the ball had became huge, he stopped growing. For a moment nothing happened, but then all of the sudden, the ball changed colours. First it became dark purple, then green, yellow and another colour. After the colour switch, the ball bursted and the four sisters appeared.

"You have released us." one the sisters said.

"What do you desire of us?" another asked.

"Nothing, my dears." Ganondorf said smoothly and even a bit charming.

"All I want from you is to stay here and guard this temple against all that is good. Make sure this place remains evil."

"If that is what you desire, then that that is what will happen." the purple poe said. And just when she finished her sentence, the four poe sisters disappeared. Since poe have a habit of disappearing, this wasn't special. What was, was the fact that after they disappeared, the four torches, what were standing in the main hall, were lighted.

From nowhere, a voice was heard. It was one of the poe sisters.

"When the light enters, we will awaken. But we foresee that even our powers are not enough against the one that will fight us. You must bring a more powerful protection, if you desire this temple to be corrupted forever."

"What kind of protection?" Ganondorf asked angry, since the sisters were probably right. But there was no response. He waited and repeated his question, but the sisters remained silence. So instead of asking, he started to think. He needed something that was even bigger than the four poe sisters. He tried and he tried, but he couldn't think of anything that was more cunning, stronger, and powerful than the sisters. Well, except him of course. And then, it got him. He would use himself! Well, not really him, because he wouldn't want to spent all his days in this dark, dusty and boring place, waiting for someone who would probably never come. He would use a look-a-like. A ghost from a different dimension, that would take on his shape. The idea was brilliant! But where to put him? Not in the main hall, the sisters were already there. But if Ganondorf wanted to summon the ghost, he would have to do that in a place inside this temple, yet filled with magic. And according to Ganondorf there was only one place in this temple with sufficient magic. The shrine and altar of the temple. The place where in the forgotten days, the Kokiri made sacrifices to the three Goddesses. That's where he would put the ghost, shaped after his own image. And then, none could liberate this temple from evil once more.

The Final Destruction

Zelda was still playing the harp, since she had nothing better to do while babysitting on a bunch of moblins. She had almost finished her entire repertoire, when finally Ganondorf came out of the temple. He had a big smile on his face, something which Zelda didn't like. But she quickly adjusted her attitude and became Ganondorf's humble servant once more.

"Oh lord of Chaos, has it been done?"

"Yes. And on an excellent way I must say. I see that my moblins are still fine."

"Yes sir, I carefully watched over them."

"Good, very good." Ganondorf said. He had totally forgotten about his babysitter when he was busy in the temple. What would he do with this Sheik now? That darn "ex"-Sheikah knew too much about his plans. He needed to get right of this person.

"Well, let's see in what shape they are. Moblins, kill that Sheikah." he said, without showing any emotion.

Zelda was stunned. All shorts off questions were going through her head. Why would he want to kill her? Was it for real or a sick joke? Did he know who she was? But most important: how do I get the hell out of here?

Luckily, the moblins were confused by this assignment. They just spent a long time doing what Sheik said, and now they had to kill her. So for a while, they did nothing.

"Why are you standing there? Do what I demand. Kill Sheik!" Ganondorf said in anger, since the moblins didn't do anything.

Finally the moblins started to move, but Zelda was already gone. She swiftly moved through the maze of the Sacred Meadow, thinking a thousand thoughts at the same time, while the moblins were moving slow due to their size. And when she was through the maze, Zelda used the shortcut to the Kokiri, which Mido showed her, instead of the usual way back. They would never catch her. And Ganondorf understood it. He didn't got mad about it. He simply smiled and said to himself:

"I always like a good foxhunt. We'll meet again, Sheik. And trust me, the next time you wont get away so easy."

Zelda was trying real hard to get her breath back, but it took a long time before she was able to speak again. The other Kokiri came racing towards her.

"Sheik, what happened?" Saria asked.

"It's terrible. Ganondorf has corrupted the Forest Temple."

Saria didn't look shocked or sad. She just nodded.

"I expected him to do that. It's not always fun when your expectations come true." Saria said calmly.

"So you're going to do nothing?" Zelda asked in surprise.

"I can't do anything as long as Ganondorf is out there. He's simply too powerful. May the Goddesses help us. But what happened to you? Why were you running so fast?"

"Well, the fact that Ganondorf wanted me dead helped."

"Why? Did he find out you're on the good side?"

"I honestly don't know. After he came out of the temple, he simply ordered the moblins to kill me. No reason, no explanation, just like that."

"In that case, you'd better hide. I'm guessing he'll be back soon. Go to the hut of the twins. You can hide there."

"Thank you Saria.

"No, thank you. I don't know why, but I got the feeling that without you, things would've been a lot worse. But go now, for time is running out."

The twins were helpful, but they also talked too much. Zelda thought that they kept babbling, so that they didn't have to think of Ganondorf. But when they heard him come, the talking immediately stopped. Zelda noticed, that she didn't hear the sound of the moblins. Apparently he left them at the temple. Yet Zelda quickly stopped thinking about this, when Ganondorf started to talk. She could look out of the window, but didn't, afraid that Ganondorf could see her.

"So you haven't seen the Sheikah?" Ganondorf said.

"No. She's probably lost in the woods. That's why it's called the Lost Woods you know." Saria replied. Then Zelda heard a pause. Ganondorf was probably thinking about wheiter or not to believe Saria. Zelda thought that it was likely that he agreed with her, since he changed the subject.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not here to talk about that Sheik, but about you. You see, little Kokiri brat, your fate is sealed."

"Is it?" Saria said on a calm tone. Zelda could imagine Ganondorf's face turning angry, since Saria wasn't impressed.

"Yes. You see, I corrupted that precious temple of yours. Kinda funny. Thirst I destroyed the Deku Tree and now your temple."

"I should have guessed that it was you." Saria said, still remaining calm.

"But enough about the talk. You see, you're not giving me enough respect. Standing there, thinking that you're so great. It's not what I deserve. So, I'll change my plan and corrupt this place as well. Oh don't worry, I won't bring the same monsters here as the ones in the temple. You simply don't deserve it. So, do you want to meet your new playmates?"

No reply. Then, Zelda heard the ground rumble and things popping up. Oh, she wanted to see what was happening so badly, but she couldn't. Not when Ganondorf was out there.

Zelda heard other sounds of popping up and a few cries. She also heard the feet of the Kokiri, running. Ganondorf was destroying every beautiful thing of the Kokiri. How could this ever get better?

After a while the sounds stopped and Zelda could hear the feet of Ganondorf. He was walking away. Which made sense, since there was nothing left for him to destroy or corrupt. So he left the Kokiri in their misery. He didn't even had the guts to kill them, for which Zelda was very relieved. Ganondorf simply walked away after his path of destruction and the Kokiri wouldn't see him again. Or at least, that's what Zelda hoped.

"The scouts report that the moblins are all over the Sacred Meadow. But luckily, they're so dumb, that we can avoid fighting them easily." Saria said to Sheik when the two were alone in Saria's house.

"Yes, but still." Zelda said irritated.