To meet the Lady

[Darivan Caol]

Darivan touched down just outside of the Castle. Guards had spotted him flying in, but as they hadn't shot him down, he assumed that they had received his notification of arrival. It wasn't necessary as he had been summoned by the Princess herself, but he never liked to take the off chance that someone was getting a little trigger happy up in the palisades.

He looked around, and summoned the first guard he could find. "Please inform the Princess of my arrival. Send someone to the courtyard when she will see me." The guard nodded and rushed off to do his bidding. It wasn't exactly his first time at the castle.

He walked into the Castle, and eventually came to the courtyard. He picked out his favorite spot by the fountain and sat down to wait.

[Zelda]

Zelda was sitting at a large oak desk, papers sorted neatly around her as she worked. She was writting slowly, carefully rounding each letter to perfection, pausing only ever so briefly to dip the tip of her pen into an ink jar. What was considered her office was a long room with a single window behind her desk that stretched from floor to ceiling in an ornate stained glass that cast an array of colors across her white marble floor. A gentle knock on the large wooden doors at the opposite end interrupted the silence and she waved a hand to the single guard who'd been standing in the corner since she'd entered the room two hours ago.

She continued writing as she listened carefully to the two guards, her Captain had arrived. She smiled softly, only for a moment, before placing her pen gently on the desk and standing slowly from her chair.

"I'll go to meet him, he's in the courtyard, yes?" She moved gracefully from behind her desk, walking without haste towards the door.

"My princess, if we may, it would be more appropriate for us to bring Captain Caol to you," Zelda looked up at her guard, nodded and continued walking out the door and with a shrug of their shoulders the two men fell in step behind her. They had said their piece and it would be out of place to insist further.

The walk from her study to the courtyard was a short one and soon she was stepping lightly upon the cobble stoned walk towards a large fountain, a familiar figure sitting there. The sound of spring birds and the gentle bubbling of the fountain was pleasant and refreshing, just what she needed.

"Captain Caol, I am glad to see you have arrived safely," She nodded to the Oocca as she stopped a few feet away.

[Darivan Caol]

"My Lady." He rose, and bowed, sweeping his wing in front of him in sync with his arm. "I have brought you a present. He smiled. "More paperwork." He reached into his messengers bag to pull out a sheaf of tightly corded paperwork.

"These are the Ooca's monthly reports." He handed them to the Princess as her Guards shifted behind her. "Would you like to take this conversation somewhere more comfortable?" Meaning he was tired and wanted to sit down, and hopefully, partake of something refreshingly liquid.

He studied her face as she received the paperwork.

[Zelda]

Zelda smiled, the faintest up turn at the corners of her mouth as she nodded her head and one of the guards took the report, leaving the small group to put it on her desk for later.

"That sounds like an excellent plan," She turned to the other guard that was left, "I will be perfectly safe with Captain Caol, if you would inform the kitchen we will be taking tea and biscuits in the back garden," He gave a small bow and left to do as he was told. With that done she waved a hand in front of her to beckon her Captain to join her as she walked slowly towards a gated arch past the fountain. As they approached it a female guard on the other side opened the gate, closing it behind them and continuing to stand guard. The back garden was very well kept like the rest, but this garden was flourishing with all of the princess' favorite flowers.

Arbors were set up all around the rim of the circular area, wisteria vines covering almost every inch of the wooden structures. A small circular, open air pavilion with intricate wood work on every post and a white shingled roof sat at the center of the garden, a small table and two chairs set up for the Princess and her guest. She sat in her chair, opposite her captain, motioning for him to take a seat as well.

"So, how have things been looking?" While most of her higher ups worked directly within the castle there were a few, including Captain Caol, who mostly did field work. IOt had become routine that once a month, or sooner if necessary, those field men reported to her directly, always giving her feed back on how the outlying provinces were doing. The reports were generally short and sweet, little more than a few local issues, very few involving any violence, the kingdom was peaceful, but Zelda was on edge. She had a feeling, something that settled uneasily in her stomach and woke her from her sleep with dreams of darkness and fire. She sensed the world was not all right, surely there was something scratching at the seams of her world, hoping to untangle the delicate fabric of the universe.

[Darivan Caol]

Darivan followed the Lady's beckons to the garden.

"The City in the sky has been...peaceful. Sometimes dreadfully so. We have very few squabbles." He was distracted as refreshments arrived. The servant placed the tray on a low table placed in the garden for such a purpose. He nodded, and the servant bowed before taking her leave. He set the cups, then poured tea for the Princess and himself. He set her cup on a little plate, then offered her the sugar. He placed a biscuit on his plate.

Sipping his tea, he seemed to remember something.

"Although....there have been some strange occurrences. And they often happen before full dawn, of before complete dusk. The rumors are spreading like wild fire among our citizens."

[Zelda]

Zelda nodded as he offered the sugar and she took one small cube, plopping it into her cup and stirring it gingerly before taking a careful sip. It was pleasantly hot, the feeling traveling down her through and to her stomach chasing away any chill that the early spring breeze clung to. She set the cup back in its saucer, her ears perking up as he mentioned these occurrences. One of her generals had mentioned something similar near the Zora's Domain, odd things going about, but only in the twilight hours.

"What kind of occurences? She raised on delicate, blond eyebrow, waiting to hear what Caol had to say. Her general had mentioned mass numbers of ghosts appearing during the dusk and dawn and strange dark creatures wandering, half there, half gone. She was curious to know if prehaps such things were related, if the same things were happening in the Sky City as they were near the Zora's Domain there was a chance such happenings were connected. This might have left a feeling of ease in her stomach to know she only had the one problem to deal with, but it actually made her feel worse. The thought that such a problem was much bigger then she could handle, that they were some how linked to her dreams and that maybe she knew what kind of force was behind it. She placed her forefinger on her chin thoughtfully, she tried not to let her imagination get the best of her, but stories of a man came to mind, someone she had once believed to be no more then a legend, that Ganondorf was breaking free.

[Darivan Caol]

"Strange things....Villagers have reported to officials that dark images have been walking through walls, and masses of shadows. They mainly show in towns, and gathering places. The people are spooked."

To tell the truth, Darivan himself had witnessed a few of the shadow like forms himself. One had even drifted through him. He shuddered at the memory.

"More tea?"

[Zelda]

So her fear was relatively justified, the shadows were spread wider then just the Lake. She raised a delicate hand, abstaining from any more tea politely, though her eyes had something of a glazed look.

"Spooks," she sighed. This would require a great deal of research, she had already dispatched a small group of guards to the Lake to assist the Zora's, it only made sense she would send a few to the Sky City to do the same.

"I must tell you, Captain, that I have been troubled by dark dreams as of late," she still held her small tea cup gently in her hands as she looked out over the garden. Clouds were beginning to roll in, a storm was on the horizon and the gray shade it cast over the garden was eerie, "I have a sense that these ghosts have something to do with them,"

She turned her gaze to Darivan, serious as could be, though a hint of fear could be seen in her blue eyes, "Captain, I will request that you remain here as my personal guard and my assistant in the matters of these dark beings, that is if you will accept such a role," Of course she could order him into the positions as her captain, but she preferred a more subtle approach, it was her safety on the line after all, she certainly didn't want it in the hands of a disgruntled military man.

[Darivan Caol]

Darivan was flustered by her sudden offer, but quickly regained his composure and made up his mind when he saw her troubled blue eyes. "My Lady, if I was not prepared to protect you, I would never have taken this position. I go where you need me, and if that is by your side, I shall be there."

He set his tea cup down, and his hand went to his pouch. He resisted the urge to whip out his notepad. Instead he put his hand to his chin, in a thoughtful pose. "However, I am troubled by these dreams of yours. Have you kept any sort of record of them? What details can you remember, or are any of the figures familiar? Do you yourself appear in the dreams? Have you gone to a mystic for help; have you told anyone else?" He caught himself, and lowered his head a little. "pardon all of the questions. Captain habit."

He thought for a minute, before she replied. He would have to recommend that she see a mystic, or someone who dealt with dream interpretations. A specialist was definitely more qualified to help the Princess dissect her dreams than he was.

[Zelda]

Zelda gave a weak smile as he drilled her with questions, such an innate habit was why he made such a wonderful Captain. She rested her hands on her lap, the dark troubles clear on her face.

"I have spoken to my father about them, while he tells me it its surely nothing to worry about I can see the unease in his eyes," She took a long breath, her heart felt heavy, In my dreams there is a man with dark skin and flaming hair, he is burning all the lands of Hyrule and giant monsters follow his every order. In every corner of my kingdom there is a light, the Sages light, but he blots them out and the world is covered in darkness," Zelda had studied a great deal in her youth, and even to this day she continued to learn lore and politics, she was sure she would never be done learning, every book, every piece of knowledge was simply a stepping stone on a never ending path.

"I have read stories about such a man, but he was supposed to be locked away, banished from this realm for good. My father insist such a man could never be set free, but I am not so certain of this," She lowered her head, her troubles had never before been so much as to burden her in this way.

[Darivan Caol]

Darivan paused to absorb the information. He was troubled by the fact that lights were being extinguished.

"This is surely troublesome....I think," He paused, "I think we need to send ... someone to check on the Sages. He took the Ladies hands in his. "If I had not already agreed to stay here, I would suggest myself as an emissary, but I believe we should find a trustworthy group of warriors to send." He released her hands, and stood.

He ran a hand through his hair, agitated. "This calls for action....but what?" He looked at the princess, and sighed.