FicWad

"Prince Zale, it's time to wake up."

Zale groaned but rolled over to the side of his bed. Without opening his eyes, he sat up, letting his legs hang over the side. He waited to see if Salvatore had more to say, which he did.

"The guards have informed me there is an intruder locked in the dungeon. He came for the Master Sword."

Zale's eyes shot open. "Is Lila okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. She stopped the intruder and called for help. Then the guards had her go back to sleep."

Zale wished he could do the same as he felt weariness keep hold of his body and mind. Unfortunately, Salvatore still wasn't done.

The servant said, "Sire, the intruder is an imposter. He looks the same as Lila."

"What does that mean?" the prince wondered as his heart rate climbed again.

Salvatore shrugged. "That's just what I was told. You should talk to him yourself."

"Good idea. Wait, him?"

After breakfast and tending to a few errands, Zale and Salvatore went to the dungeon. It was overfull with the Gerudo women who had surrendered. Zale hoped relations with the Gerudo would get better soon, but these things couldn't be rushed. For all he knew, they could be plotting revenge.

Because of this, the intruder wasn't in the dungeon proper. He was locked in a private room near the entrance, and he was alone. He had no window, but torches lit the room brightly. The guard opened the door for Zale, and he gasped. As reported, this person, this imposter, could be Lila's twin. He hesitated until his mind reminded him to go in. He sat on a chair opposite the imposter, who was chained in his own chair.

The look-alike had a similar expression of surprise and confusion on his face. "You look just like her!" he started, losing his cool.

"Like who?" Zale questioned.

"Like Zelda!"

Zale's face hardened. "What are you talking about?"

The imposter covered his mouth and looked scared. The guard informed Zale, "That's the most he's said so far."

"Thank you," Zale said, "but I need you to leave. Salvatore, will you make sure no one can overhear us?"

Salvatore and the guard bowed and left, closing the door with a click. Zale turned back to the imposter.

"How do you know about Zelda?"

Now the imposter was confused. "How do you know her?"

"This is my dungeon. I believe that means you have to answer my questions. First, though, introductions. I am Zale, Prince of Hyrule." He hesitated, considering his father's words, but didn't say more.

The intruder lowered his chained hands to rest on his lap. He seemed to relax his defenses. "My name is Link. I don't have a title."

Zale nodded. So this wasn't an imposter. He thought of a possibility... if he wasn't lying. "Okay, good. How do you know my sister?"

"She has a brother?" Link wondered.

Zale sighed. "Yes."

Link looked around the room without focusing anywhere. "But we grew up together, and we've never met you. At least I haven't."

"Hold on. How old is she?"

"Seventeen, same as me."

Zale's eyes went wide. "My sister is only ten! We're talking about two different Zeldas!"

"We are?"

"Yeah." A theory popped into his head and he said, "Take off your gloves."

"What?"

Zale felt the Triforce on the back of his hand get warm. He held it up, making Link's eyes bulge out of his head.

"You have the Triforce of Wisdom?"

Zale nodded and put his hand down. "I assume you have the Triforce of Courage? And Zelda bears the same as me."

Link nodded. "How did you know?"

The prince considered his words carefully. "It seems, though I could be wrong, that there are two of each of us. Who holds the Triforce of Power?"

"Um, I don't know. Maybe Rova does."

"Who's Rova?"

"Our mentor. She told me it was time to claim the Master Sword, so that's why I'm here."

"Hmmm..." Zale thought in silence. "Does she have red hair and dark skin?"

"Not at all, well, some of her hair is red, I guess," Link answered. "Half of it's red and half of it's light blue. Her skin is green."

Zale was taken aback. What could that mean? Before they could discuss this further, Salvatore knocked and entered the room. He whispered something in the prince's ear.

"What!" Zale stood immediately. "Where could she be? She's not recovered enough to be moved!"

Salvatore said, "I don't know, Sire. No one does."

Zale turned to Link. "C'mon. Let's go find her."

"What, me?" Link questioned. "Find who?"

"Guard, release the prisoner. We have a hero to find."