The Legend of Zelda: Time and Tale

Chapter 2: Part 1

With my Uncle's sword and shield in hand I found my way though the blinding rain to the outer gates of Hyrule castle. The bastard's trail had ended here, and he locked the gates behind him, I needed to find another way inside. I crouched down near a tall hedge and recalled what the ghostly figure had told me...

You will find a secret entrance in the courtyard...follow the roses...

The landscape was so dark and wet it was difficult to see. My eyes strained, sending a piercing pain through my forehead. I thought of how warm I had been just a few hours before in Saria's arms while we made love. My throat choked with tears at the reminder that those tender moments were the last memories...the last of anything I would ever have of her, when we had only just begun our journey into love. My pain quickly turned to rage, knowing that the man responsible for her death was in this castle somewhere, hiding as a coward would. Her happy smiling face lying underneath me in a climax of passion faded into the cold, lifeless innocent covered in blood.

I would find him. I will have vengeance for Ilya. I will have vengeance for my Uncle and for my sister.

It was then that I realized there were vines going up the brick portion of the gate. I put my sword into its sheath, mounted my shield on my back and grasped the vines with my hands, tugging to test them. When I was assured of their strength, I began to slowly pull myself up. Eventually I felt the flat stone of the top of the structure. I put my palms on it and pushed myself, pulling one leg at a time over until I was sitting on top, my feet flat. From here I could see lights inside the castle. No more guards seemed to be about. I leaped down and landed again on my feet. I waited cautiously, incase I had been heard. I proceeded onward, keeping low, and silent. I my left hand stayed near the hilt of my sword. There were plenty of bushes, hedges and other plants to hide behind.

Oddly enough, several pink rose bushes led down a path, from where I knelt, and with the rain playing tricks on my eyes, I swore the formed an arrow. I stood up and jogged along the path following the roses right up to the castle wall. The roses continued around a corner, and the tip of the arrowhead stopped at a locked iron posted gate.

"Secret entrance," I whispered out loud.

My eyes scanned quickly; there was a tree next to the tip of the arrowhead by the gate door. I approached it and pressed my hands on the cold wet brick. I felt all along the solid portion of the wall away from the iron bars with my right hand, keeping my left near the gate lock. Slowly I moved my left hand forward, something was off. I glanced left and noticed one brick felt different than the others. I pushed against the brick and it moved out of place and revealed a hidden switch. I touched the switch and heard a click in the gate lock. I wasted no time in opening the gate; however it did not open very wide. I held my breath and forced myself through, before the gate clanged back into place. The rain eased slightly, and my vision of the castle courtyard improved. I could make out the stained glass above the large double doors leading in to the castle. I knelt down as I saw two guards on their rounds walk past the entrance doors.

I crawled behind the hedges on this side of the brick wall and kept moving. I saw more guards near the actual castle itself.

Hero...

My breathing stopped in an attempt to silence my beating heart. I closed my eyes, "Tell me where to go."

You're close, I feel you...please hurry...the garden is ahead...hurry...

When my eyes opened I saw the straight path leading into the castle garden. A large lighted fountain stood in the middle. I edged forward, one guard walked away from view, his back to me; I then rushed out into the garden down the stone path, sliding down behind the fountain, checking for guards. My spine tingled; I could sense someone was near. I moved slowly around the circular base of the fountain. Several small steps lead down into a final area of the garden. I rose up and walked down these steps, at a distance, near an arch shaped window stood a tall, slender figure in a long pink nightgown; as I continued closer, the figure turned suddenly at the waist and let a small gasp. It was a woman with long golden blond hair, her small hand near her mouth to silence her gasp.