The Twilight Princess

Seven

Aria fluttered open her eyes. At first, everything was pitch black. Slowly, she started to regain her vision. It started off with a fuzz, and gradually grew clearer, until it was completely normal again. She sat up, scratching her head. She looked around. She was in a.......bed? Above her head was a cupboard filled with colorful vases and pottery.

Some were a bright yellow, others a bright red, dark blue, and so much more. The walls were lined with maps and old newspaper columns. But there was something certain at the front of the room that caught Aria's eye. There was a small, wooden table. On top of it sat a treasure chest atop a stack of articles, photos, and maps.

Right above the table, nailed into the wall, was a cluster of photos circled and written on. It was like a collage. Some photos were ripped and marked with a big X. It looked like someone was trying to solve some sort of puzzle, or maybe even a mystery.

The collage and room itself was a mystery. Aria had no clue where she was, or how to get home. She couldn't even really remember what had happened. Her memories were fuzzy. She climbed out of the bed. To the right side of the collage of photos was a wooden door.

She tried to turn the golden knob, but it wouldn't budge. That was when Aria realized that the door was locked. She pressed down the lock on the knob, unlocking it. She slowly crept open the old door. It creaked. She wanted to be quiet and careful, thus she didn't know what was ahead.

Aria crept across the wooden floorboard. It was so old that it squeaked as her foot touched it. "Ay, you be wakin' up, huh lil' dewdrop?" An elderly man with a white beard and cane stood up from where he was sitting at the dining room table. "Guess ya best be gettin' home now...."

He slowly stood up, his skinny legs wobbling. He tried to balance on his cane. Standing up, Aria realized he wasn't very tall at all. She was taller than him, at least. "Who are you, and..... where am I? What happened?" Asked Aria, dazed. The man chuckled. "Listen. Ya must be careful on ya trip home, ya promise?" Aria nodded. "But-"

The man sat down on the sofa. "Listen, here be what happened. I was out in that Evergreen Forest, which ain't so green right now, collecting them wood for ma fireplace. To be keepin' warm durin' this dreadful winter. And that's when I came across you." He pointed a crinkled finger at Aria.

He continued, "And so I wasn't so sure what tah do, 'cause I couldn't just leave ya all alone to freeze out there, so I took ya home with me, and put you in ma nice, warm bed. Ya welcome, kid," he huffed. Aria forced a half-smile. "Thanks."

The man tipped his hat to her. "Anytime. The name's Kirby Wahsit, but most people around here call me Wise Man Wahsit, or Old Man Wahsit, 'cause of mah knowledge." He held his chin high, proud.

Aria raised an eyebrow. "What kind of knowledge?"

"Oh, ya know, stuff." He paused. Then he lowered his voice. "Like the Twilight Princess."

Aria's big eyes grew even bigger. "Like what?"

"The Twilight Princess," Old Man Wahsit mumbled. Aria's eyes shined with excitement. "Tell me everything you know," she exclaimed. "Well, I've been tryin' to solve this mystery for years. All I know is that....."

He was interrupted by the sound of banging outside the front door. Aria's heart raced. "Uh....what is that?" She asked, panicked. Old Man Wahsit stood up. "Wait here dewdrop," he ordered. "I'll be takin' care of this." He slowly crept towards the door. As he did, the banging faded.

He peeked outside through the tiny peephole in the door. "Ah, one of these clowns," he sneered. He unlocked and opened the door. Scared, Aria hid behind a pillow on the sofa. Suspense rose. At first she didn't hear anything.