The Royal Archives

Lord Alromon sipped from his goblet as he read from the sea of scrolls in front of him. He’d been in the reviewing hall of the archives since early that morning and by late afternoon his frustration was starting to show. The royal archivist had been bringing more and more scrolls every hour and as Lord Alromon read through them he was still no closer to any answers. The dimming light in the hall’s window was a reminder to the young lord that his time was quickly running out, in a few days he and his regiment of riders would have to leave to escort the princess’s caravan to Nautalin. The door to the hall opened and Halon looked up to see a nervous looking boy wearing apprentice’s robes come through, holding a candle and an oil lamp.
“By your leave m’lord.” He said bowing.
“For what?” Lord Alromon asked wearily, and the boy pointed to the unlit candles on the table. He nodded his reply and the boy quickly and quietly went about his duties. The door opened again; this time the royal archivist returned with more scrolls, many of which looked ancient.
“I have found more histories for you, my lord.” He said enthusiastically as he wheeled a cartful of scrolls into the viewing hall.
“Are these real histories or just old stories?” Halon asked, showing his annoyance.
“I’m sorry, my lord.” He said bowing low. “It’s the subject; the Triforce is so ancient that stories are all that we truly have.” The scholar’s answer made Halon’s anger flare.
“You are no help!” He uttered before draining his goblet.
“Please my lord, if I knew exactly what about the Triforce you wished to know I could be of more help.” The archivist pleaded with him, and Lord Alromon thought. The old man in Nautalin was a peasant and a scoundrel and would not be missed, but the sudden murder of the royal archivist would not go unpunished. The lack of time made him decide to take the risk.
“Very well.” He said and the master archivist beamed.
“Wonderful!”
“What do you know of the Trivoid?” Lord Alromon asked.
“I’ve heard of it, not much unfortunately it is a rather obscure tale, but…” He rubbed his bearded chin as he though.
“What?” Halon asked impatiently.
“One moment.” He answered, and dashed out of the door. Rustling could be heard through the door and within a few minutes the achivist returned with a scroll.
“I do believe I have what you seek.” He said waking to the table and moving several scrolls out of the way.
“Why didn’t you bring this earlier, with all of these?” Halon asked, gestuing at the pile of scrolls.
“Apologies my lord, but you asked for histories.” He said bowing again.
“And…?” Halon asked harshly.
“This scroll is made of children’s stories and riddles.” The scholar answered, laying out the scroll.
“Very well. Continue.” Halon said not wanting to waste anymore time.
“I remember this because the princess came here some time ago asking for everything we had on the Triforce as well; this story stood out to me because I thought I’d heard all the Triforce legends.” He explained, and Halon felt for the first time since stepping into the archive that morning that he was close to his goal.
“Boy!” Halon called.
“M’lord?” The apprentice answered. Lord Alromon gestured to the door and his command was immediately followed. “Yes m’lord.” The young boy said nervously, spilling candle wax as he left closing the door behind him.
"Tell me of the Trivoid." The archivist obliged, pressing his finger on the scroll.
"Right here, my lord." Lord Alromon's anger grew.
"I cannot read ancient Hylian, you fool." He uttered coldly.
"Yes, I'm sorry, my lord." The man apologized quickly, then started to read from the ancient piece of paper. "It's a tale of the goddesses Farore, Din, and Nayru. After creating the world, they rested for a long time, so long that the ancient Hylians built a temple to protect them, and to worship them." The archivist explained.
"Continue."
"Yes, my lord. For several centuries, while the goddesses rested, the land flourished, until one of the caretakers of the goddesses' temple committed sacrilege by stealing strands of hair from each of the three deities. The power from these mere hairs corrupted him even more; he became a conduit for them and his power destroyed the temple waking the sleeping goddesses. It took the three of them to defeat him, but instead of risking the same incident while they rested, they became the Triforce."
"And what of the Trivoid?" Lord Alromon asked, trying to stave off his impatience.
"This is what it says: Darkness lies in the blood of the holder." The archivist answered, looking up from the scroll.
"The blood of the holder?" Lord Alromon echoed in confusion.
"Another riddle perhaps." The archivist answered. "Or an ingredient." He added, glancing back at the ancient papers before him. Halon gave him a blank stare.
"Ingredient? How so?"
"I may be wrong, my lord, but blood was mentioned." The archivist answered.
"And?" Halon pressed, his nostrils flaring causing the archivist to flinch.
"Well, there are several incantations, and potions that involve blood."
He uttered in fear. "The sacrilegious cleric did use hairs from the goddesses; for someone who is mortal but possesses the sacred power of the Triforce, blood would probably be needed." He finished, still breathing heavy.

Halon walked quickly towards the window, lost in thought. "Blood of the holder...." He muttered thinking aloud, and as he looked out over the horizon he saw the tops of the building in Hyrule city."What could it mean?"
A few more seconds would pass in silence before he turned away from the window and walked back to the table startling the archivist.
"Speak to no one of this." He said in a hushed tone, and in a quick motion Lord Alromon slipped a large red rupee into the startled archivist's hand.
"Of...of course. Thank you, my lord." The man stammered out as Halon left the reviewing hall.

The main hall of the royal archive was vast and filled with shelves of books and scrolls as well as several small desks each with a burning candle. Halon quickly navigated the maze of desks out of the archives, and into the main courtyard of the palace grounds. The courtyard was mostly empty except for a few servants lighting lanterns throughout the grounds and smell of fresh bread and roasting meat was coming from the kitchens. Dinner would be served in the main hall tonight, as with all the visiting nobles they would sit at the king’s table droning on about nothing and drinking until they couldn’t see strait. Halon felt his stomach growl at the thought of the feast to be served and resigned to dine with nobles and listen to the pointless gossip that he despised. The dimming light of sunset cast long shadows over the grounds as the Halon walked towards the archway that led to the main corridor and after looking over his shoulder and behind him to make sure none of the servants were in earshot. Stopping near the shadow of a columned archway he looked in the darkness.
“Siam.” He whispered.
“My lord.” Siam’s hiss answered from the shadows.
“Has the boy arrived?” Halon asked, while slowly looking away.
“Not yet, the princess grows restless.” Halon nodded.
“What else?” He added quietly.
“The queen speaks highly of you, and she was searching for you, my lord.” Saim’s answer him wince.
“She’s a witless old keese who cares for little except gossip, how much longer must I endure this?” Halon uttered. “I have no more need of you tonight.”
“Lord Alromon!” A female voice called him.
“Wait, Siam.” He added quietly and turned toward the sound.

Queen Rimeena walked toward him her arms folded behind the back of her long gown.
“My queen.” He said with a bow. “I was just on my way to dinner.” He added with with a fake smile, hoping that the queen accepted it as genuine.
“Good, I was hoping I find you.” Rimeena answered and as she came closer her tone became softer. “There is a matter I wish to discuss with you.”
“Of course, my queen.” Halon answered and Rimeena looped her arm though his as they started on their way. “What is it you wish to speak of, Your Highness?” He asked.
“It is of my daughter and her appointment on the Council of Lords that I wish to speak of.” She uttered with distaste, then sighed.
“You do not approve of it?” Halon asked as he walked with the queen.
“I do not.” The answer was stern. “The king’s will it may be, but nonetheless she is the princess. And that position has obligations, none of which are on the Council of Lords.” Rimeena explained, her tone becoming soft again. “By her age, I was married and pregnant.”
“Thus is tradition.” Halon added. and the queen’s grip on his arm tightened.
“Exactly!” She exclaimed. “And her choice of guardian is this peasant boy who is no older that she is if not younger, no one is sure.”
“No one?” Halon asked.
“He’s a foundling.” She answered. “How is he to protect her, I know the position is mostly ceremonial, but…”
“My queen.” Halon cut in, causing Rimeena to fall silent, and meet his eyes. “You have seen my guardian, have you not?”
She nodded her answer.
“Does he look as if I keep him for ceremonial reasons?”
“No.” She answered quietly.
“He serves a purpose, my queen. And he serves it well.” Halon said, meeting her eyes.
“I believe you.” She answered, her fear seeping through, and Halon decided to inquire futher.
“How did this boy, what is his name?” He asked.
“Link.” Rimeena answered.
“That is it?”
She nodded her answer.
“How did Link…come to live in the palace?” Halon asked with fake confusion, and Rimeena sighed again and then stopped walking to face him.
“The king told me not to speak of it, but you are a sitting lord on the Council and you have proven your loyalty.” She said, bringing her hand up and caressing his scar. A brief silence followed before they started walking again. “Please understand that what I tell you is not to be heard by anyone else’s ears.”
“Of course, my queen. You have my word.” Halon answered, giving a gentle reassuring squeeze to the queen’s hand.
“My daughter is convinced, and she has also convinced her father that she and Link are keepers of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage.” The queen explained.
“My queen?” Halon almost laughed out loud, causing a sideways glance from Rimeena. “How did this come to be?” He added, more seriously.
“A long story, as Zelda tells it. To explain it more briefly, Zelda possesses the Triforce of Wisdom, the boy Link, that of Courage.”
“What of the Triforce of Power?” Halon asked, no longer faking his curiosity.
“That, my daughter says is possessed by the Gerudo King, a dreadful beast of a man named Ganondorf.” She spat.
“The Gerudo King?” Halon echoed surprised.
“He was here eight years ago to speak of peace; he disappeared shortly after and hasn’t been seen since.” Rimeena continued to explain. “Zelda says that he is trapped in a timeless realm, sealed there by the Master Sword.”
“Such a blade exists?” Halon asked, surprised.
The queen nodded. “In the Temple of Time, in an antechamber behind the altar. I myself have seen it. It is the only piece of evidence this whole load of dribble has.”
“Extraordinary.” Halon said as they neared the dining hall.
Rimeena’s tone became even quieter. “What I have to ask of you is for you to personally watch over my daughter, and keep Link a fair distance away from her.”
Halon was confused for a moment. “As you wish, Your Highness.” He answered as they entered the crowded dining hall. The king stood and walked over to greet them.
“You are finally here. We weren’t going to wait much longer.” King Davos said jokingly, as he took Rimeena’s hand from Halon.
“Your Majesty.” Halon said, releasing Rimeena’s arm.
“Join us, Halon.” The King said gestuing to an empty seat at the large table. As Halon stood in front of his seat Queen Rimeena and King Davos walked hand in hand to the head of the table, where Zelda was already waiting.
“Zelda.” Rimeena said as she approached.
“Mother.” She answered, as the king and queen stood behind the two large seats. Davos picked up his wine goblet and everyone else followed suit, and followed him as he raised it.
“To the health and vitality of the land and its people!” His voice boomed through the hall.
“Here, here!” The gathered nobles called.
“With the blessings of the goddesses Farore, Din, and Nayru, we feast!”
“We feast!” They all echoed and drained their goblets in unison