Disclaimer: I don’t want to get in whatever trouble people can get into when using other people’s characters so - The Legend of Zelda, Link, Zelda, Ganon, Hyrule and other related characters and settings belong to to that wonderous console company, Nintendo. No infringement intended.

Juliet A. Singleton (Scullys@bigfoot.com) & Kirsty Singleton (arcadionseye@btopenworld.com)

Chapter 5

"Hey, where've you been all night?" Link asked as Zelda walked over to where he was sat.
    "Sulking," she admitted. Drake laughed loudly. He was busy serving out drinks to everyone, or at least was supposed to be. It seemed to everyone else he was drinking more than serving. "Drake, it really isn't funny," Zelda wailed. Even Link seemed amused. "If you had to be related to the likes of her, you wouldn't be laughing," Zelda added, looking across at Fayette.
    "Well, perhaps not," Drake admitted. "Here, have a drink," he offered, sliding a glass of wine along the bar. Zelda almost missed catching it.
    "Drake!" she said sharply.
    "Don't worry Princess, I've been doing that all night and not once have I damaged anyone of your precious crystal goblets," Drake grinned. Zelda gave him a beseeching look and turned towards Link. "Sprite said you were looking for me," she said. Link nodded.
    "I was. Fayette was beginning to get a little tiresome," he said, grinning.
    "What?" Zelda demanded.
    "Well, y'see she was kinda following me around before. But then I saw Sprite and asked her to find you, and Fayette wasn't very happy, so she walked off," Link admitted.
    "I think one of these days, I'm going to do something harmful to her," Zelda said darkly.
    "Good riddance to her as well!" Drake called.
    "Don't worry, I didn't pay any attention to her little flirtations in the least," Link answered.
    "I would have thought you were beneath her. Apparently, she thinks it's rather terrible for a royal or noble to marry someone without a title," Zelda answered, frowning.
    "Someone thinks Lady Fayette is a bit of a hypocrite," Drake said.
    "Yeah, look at how she talks to all the men at the castle! I mean, Aaron thinks she's wonderful, and so does Hayden," Link said.
    "Misguided fellows those. I think I should give them some pearls of my great wisdom," Drake suggested.
    "You do that," Zelda said.
    "I think I will," Drake replied, sliding another goblet along the bar to someone. Zelda cringed, and waited for the inevitable sound of breaking glass, but remarkably, none came.
    "Drake, you really are beginning to worry me," she said.
    "Princess, I assure you that you will still have a complete set of these tomorrow morning," he said, waving one of the goblets. "And if you don't, then it's no fault of mine," he added. Zelda smiled.
    "Okay. But just be more careful," she said. Drake just laughed, and poured himself some beer. Link stood up.
    "Come on Zelda. I have something to ask you. In private," he said.
    "Don't mind me, kids," Drake boomed.
    "Drake, we're hardly kids. We're almost both 21 years old!" Zelda protested, smiling a little.
    "Compared to me, you are," Drake answered, grinning.
    "We know. Compared to us Drake, you're ancient!" Link laughed. "Let's go outside," he added to Zelda, before Drake had to the chance to follow up on the insult.
   

"Nice one bro. There was a reason why I wasn't using bombs y'know. So this wouldn't happen," said Dion angrily.
    "Well okay, I accept some of the blame but if it wasn't for you and your damn maps we wouldn't be here in the damn first place," replied Damon.
    "Hey bro, you don't go down that path. If you want to be doin' that you blame the sick minded villain who made this map!" said Dion in frustration.
    "Look, Dion. Arguing won't get us nowhere. We need to figure out a way to get out and I suggest we start now," said Damon leaning back on the back wall.
    "Yeah, you're absolutely right bro. I'm sorry, bro's?" replied Dion extending his hand towards Damon. Damon took the hand and squeezed it.
    "Bro's," he said grinning. He let go of Dion's hands and leaned back against the wall.
    "Well bro, we should start testing these walls in case they're hollow. If not, we resort to plan B," Dion said.
   

It was quieter out in the courtyard. Link and Zelda made their way over to where the fountain was and sat on the bench next to the stone rim together. "So, why are you dragging me out here?" Zelda asked, looking slightly happier.
    "Um, well, I don't know if this is a good time, but I really want to ask you something," Link replied.
    "Oh, well, go on then. Now is as good a time as any," Zelda replied, looking faintly amused.
    "I suppose I ought to do this properly," Link replied. Zelda simply smiled. Link had never felt so nervous in his life, but he doubted that Zelda would say no. Smiling, he got down on one knee in front of her. "Zelda, I'd be really, truly honoured, if you'd marry me," he said, taking her left hand and slipping the ring on her finger. Zelda smiled.
    "Of course I would," she said, pulling him up to kiss him. "Yes, you didn't think I'd say no, did you?" she said incredulously.
    "Well no..." Link began, smiling. "But you did say I had to ask you properly," he added. Zelda smiled and stepped back, admiring her ring.
    "That's perfect," she complimented, feeling pleased.
    "Are you sure?" Link asked, looking uncertain.
    "Of course I'm sure! Don't be stupid," Zelda replied excitedly.
    "Well, it's just that..." Link began.
    "No really. I want to marry you and I love this ring. And I can't wait to tell everyone," Zelda interrupted.
    "You want to go and tell everyone now?" Link asked.
    "No. Not just yet. Later on," Zelda replied, smiling slightly.
   

"Oh mother!" cried Fayette, approaching Fenella. "I just saw Zelda and Link go into the court yard. Alone."
    "Oh dear now that just cannot do, I shall tell her father immediately," replied Fenella looking around the room for her husband-to-be. Drake approached the two with a bottle of ale in his hand.
    "Hiya ladies!" he said grinning at the two. "Hey, Lady Fayette was it me, or did I see you going into the courtyard with a certain Hayden, brother of Link? I did didn't I?" he said grinning.
    "You must've mistaken me for someone else," stated Fayette, blushing slightly.
    "Is this true Fayette?" demanded her mother. "Of course not mother, Drake's just fooling around, aren't you Drake?!" replied Fayette nervously.
    "No, I'm deadly serious. Oops, was it supposed to be a secret? Tell you what, I won't tell no-one else," said Drake grinning, taking a swig from the bottle he was carrying. Fenella glared at her daughter in annoyance.
    "Fayette, if this is true, I'm very ashamed of you indeed. I can't have you behaving like Zelda," she said.
    "Behaving like Zelda? Now that would be a good thing," Drake remarked. Fenella gave him an exasperated look, before turning back to Fayette. Drake walked off, grinning.
    "He must have mistaken me for... Selina!" Fayette said quickly. "Remember, I've talking to the guests all night," she added. Fenella did not look convinced.
    "Obviously, being around Zelda is a bad influence," she said coldly.
    "Drake has probably had too much to drink anyway! I can't believe you would take his word over mine!" Fayette tried.
    "Perhaps," Fenella said, walking off. Fayette folded her arms and scowled. Damn Drake, she thought. It was too awful that her mother was angry with her. Then again, Fayette wasn't much into living up to her mother's standards anymore. Zelda didn't, and had everything go her way, which Fayette thought was most unfair. She decided to go out into the courtyard and spoil whatever fun they were having.
   

"So what exactly is plan B?" asked Damon. They had tested all of the walls and none were hollow as they had hopped. Grinning Dion threw his pack to the floor and searched through it until he found a folded shovel. He closed his pack and unfolded the shovel and thrust it into the earth.
    "We dig, amigo," said Dion beginning to dig a hole.
    "Dig! I think the heat in here has cooked your cabbage. If we dig we'll end up in lava up to our necks."
    "Not according to this map, amigo. According to this map our prize lies underneath this very room," said Dion holding up the map to Damon. "And before you can say bro, I was always going to resort to plan B. I just wanted to make sure there were no exits round here," explained Dion beginning to dig again. "You get some sleep bro, I'll wake you when I am worn out," said Dion lifting a shovel full of Earth into a slowly growing pile.
    "Well, okay Dion," said Damon throwing his sack to the floor. He pulled his bedroll from the pack and set it out on a soft patch of ground. Yawning he sat down on the mat and watched Dion for a while. After a while he lay down and closed his eyes in an attempt to get some much needed rest.
   

Meanwhile, neither Link or Zelda ever imagined anyone would want to spoil the moment. "I think we'd better go back soon," Zelda said reluctantly.
    "You're right. People will miss us," Link replied, before kissing her again.
    "Well, maybe not this soon," Zelda admitted. Link smiled.
    "I wonder what everyone will say," he pondered.
    "I think they already guessed," Zelda replied.
    "Yeah, maybe. I think we should get married soon. Before your Father," Link answered, grinning at Zelda.
    "Well, sure we should. But once we get married, everyone will probably expect us to be all serious. We'll have to stay indoors all the time, and Father will want you to help him on the Royal Council and I'll have to sit upstairs and darn socks and things for my children," Zelda said mischievously. Link laughed.
    "Zel, you're terrible. But I love you all the same," he said. Zelda smiled.
    "I know," she said, leaning in for another kiss. They didn't notice Fayette walking out into the courtyard.
    "Oh, that's where you two got to!" she said loudly, walking over to where they were sat next to the fountain. They looked up at Fayette in annoyance.
    "For heavens sake Faye, can't you leave us both alone for one minute? I never asked for you to be my personal chaperone," Zelda said sarcastically.
    "I just wanted to warn you before my Mother and your Father came out looking," Fayette declared sweetly.
    "Oh, how helpful of you," Link remarked in disbelief.
    "It's true," Fayette said, her voice still sugary.
    "Well," said Zelda standing up, "we were just about to head inside anyway. Me and Link have something to announce," she said, her tone equally as sweet as Fayette's.
    "Oh, how exciting," Fayette remarked, sounding bored. Zelda ignored her and she and Link walked back inside the hall.
   

"Well that's what Faye said," Fenella said to the King.
    "Ah, here they are now," said the King, seeing Zelda and Link walking towards them.
    "Father, guess what?" Zelda said, sounding excited.
    "Yes dear?" the King asked.
    "Me and Link are definitely going to get married. We just decided now," Zelda explained happily. The King smiled widely.
    "That's absolutely wonderful!" he exclaimed, hugging both Link and Zelda at the same time.
    "We knew you'd be pleased," Zelda said. "Of course. Isn't it marvellous news, Fenella?" the King asked. Fenella didn't look too impressed to Link and Zelda, but she smiled anyway and nodded. Fayette, who was standing nearby didn't look happy at all.
    "Look Father, isn't my ring so nice?" Zelda said, holding out her hand for inspection. The King beamed.
    "Lovely, my dear." He turned to Link. "I know you're the best person my daughter could have chosen," he said smiling.
   

"Hey! Damon it is your turn to dig some more, we are almost done and I need some much needed sleep," said Dion gently shaking Damon.
    "Uh, sure okay. I'll be there with you in another minute," replied Damon turning over.
    "Hey come on bro, I'm very tired I need some rest," insisted Dion shaking Damon again.
    "Okay, okay, fine I'm up, I'm up!" yelled Damon sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He stood up and grabbed a half full canteen from the ground near by and took a sip from it. Dion by now had lay down on his bedroll and was fast asleep. The hole was very deep, as it could be expected. Dion had just completed his second two hour shift and Damon was just his second now. The hole was about sixteen feet deep and about six feet wide, which was quite good to have been achieved in six hours. He began to dig. He was glad that they had a shovel as he wouldn't have fancied digging with his bare hands.
   

After about an hour of digging Damon had made the hole another foot deeper. They sticky, heavy clay didn't make it any easier either. After taking a quick brake he began to dig again. He concentrated in the more central area of the hole, he didn't want to suddenly find himself with a broken leg or neck even by being careless as he dug. He heaved another shovel full of thick clay from the ground and threw it to one side. Finally he saw light. Damon got down onto his stomach and peered through the hole. There was a stone floor underneath and light was pouring in from the room below. He dropped his shovel and climbed to the top of the hole to wake Dion. He grabbed his pack as did Dion and they quickly found there way to the bottom of the hole. Dion threw a length of rope into the room below after tying it to a cleft in the clay wall. After testing it for stability he climbed down first. Damon was told to wait above just in case there were any unwanted visitors below. Not that Damon could escape. After Dion reached the ground he called up to Damon. "Hey Damon, the coast is clear, you can come on down,"
    "Sure Dion, I'm coming right now."
   
    "Wow, look at this place," exclaimed Damon once he had climbed down. The room was a huge stone chamber, the stone was carved into detailed, intricate patterns and strange Hylian messages and writings were also carved into the rock. In the middle of the room stood an altar of some sort, and on the altar stood a stone thunder bird. Candles were lit and strewn all over the place which did seem a little strange and there was a large metal door at the other side of the room. Dion approached the altar and ran his fingers over the stone thunder bird, marvelling at the craftsmanship.
    "Hey look, it's holding something in it's beak," said Dion as he continued to examine the statue. He carefully reached up and withdrew the rolled up scroll from the statue's mouth. "Damn, it's in Hylian. We'll never be able to decode it," said Dion disappointedly.
    "Well, I say we check what lies behind this door," said Damon walking towards the metal door. Next to the door was a lever which Damon proceeded to pull. Instead of the door opening, as the two had hoped, the statue on the altar rose from where it had sat. Once the statue had stopped rising, Dion went back to examine what now lay under the statue.
    "Hey Damon, get your self over here."
    "Okay, sure Dion," said Damon walking towards the statue. He looked under the statue at what Dion had been looking at. They were Triforce Shards, two of them. One was blue, and one was red. There was another scroll which was also written in Hylian. Damon took the shards and carefully placed them in a leather pouch that hung on his belt. He also took the scroll and placed it in his pack.
    "Well that's great but we still need to get outta here," said Dion carefully tracing the wall with his fingers looking for hidden switches.
    "No Dion, look." To the side of the door was another lever, which Damon proceeded to pull. There was a low rumbling and to the two friends horror the Thunder Bird rose from where it had sat and burst from it's stone form. That's why it had looked so good, it was just a real Thunder Bird covered in clay and covered with a stone finish. It made a dive for Dion, who deftly leapt out of the way. "Dion, do you know how to cast a thunder spell," yelled Damon as he also avoided the Thunder Birds dive.
    "Yeah, I think!" replied Dion rolling away from the Thunder Bird.
    "Then cast it! I think I know how to kill this thing," yelled Damon pulling his sword from his belt. After quickly reassuring himself, Dion raised his arms and chanted a few words under his breath. The room was filled with a bright light which was followed by a howl as the Thunder Birds mask sprang from it's face. Leaping in the air towards the monstrosity Damon swung his sword and struck the bird in the face. It howled in pain then made another dive for Damon, it was only greeted with a broadsword between the eyes. Dion quickly realised what to do and joined in with Damon's actions. They had soon destroyed the evil bird, which disappeared in a puff of smoke. This caused the metal door to open and the roof to start shaking.
    "Oh no, not again!" wailed Dion as the two ran from the room.
   

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