"The truth is, Link, no one knows how old the Sheikah people are, save ourselves," Impa explained. "I'm Zelda's nurse now, but I'm destined to continue to look after all of the members of the Royal Family for quite some time. Of course, we age, but at a far slower rate than do the other races of Hyrule and her neighboring lands. It is an anomaly among the people. Many believe the Sheikah have found a fountain of youth, and are unwilling to share. Others think that we have a strange bone structure that allows us to carry our insides differently, allowing them less wear and better overall health. Me, I'm not sure what it is, but you wouldn't believe I'm almost 90, would you?"

Link cringed at the word "fountain," but his eyes momentarily bugged out of his head at her last sentence.

"No way, you look so... well, young."

"Thank you," Impa said simply, and turned her attention back towards Zelda.

"I've never felt so young... younger than when the Knights compare me to themselves."

"You're Hylian," Impa said, not taking her focus off of Zelda. "You're supposed to be the way you are, and I'm supposed to be the way that I am. It's just the natural order of things."

"Sheikah are all like that, aren't you?" Link inquired. Impa looked at him quizzically before turning back to Zelda. He spoke again. "About keeping things natural and all. What's the deal with that?"

"It's part of our religion. You have your Goddesses and Triforces, we have Sha'krah, Creator of Life and Keeper of Peace." Impa looked at Link, whose eyes had found the floor. "Why?"

"Just interested in history of races other than my own, for once, I guess. I should start reading more, like Zelda, and not seem so naïve all the time."

The Princess was currently reading on a bench against a stone wall in the courtyard. She sighed and turned another page, positively bored. She'd read this one at least a dozen times, but there was nothing else to do. Her lips moved as she read, not because she needed to do so, rather, because she memorized this particular passage and was reciting simultaneously with her mental voice.

Impa reminded Zelda of the time left before lunch, and Zelda nodded and waved her hand dismissively to acknowledge her notice.

Link took this moment to rise from the edge of the fountain -- he and the fountain had since made peace -- where he and Impa were sitting and continue sword-fighting against sack of grain. The birds returned, but didn't seem to bother anyone in the least, though all of them were screaming for a late morning meal.

"Speaking of races other than your own, Link, the Princess will be traveling to Labrynna tomorrow to meet with the Tokay people."

Link looked over his shoulder for a moment.

"What's so special about them?"

"They're isolated, is all," Impa said. They have a whole island to themselves in Labrynna, but no one else ever goes over there. She feels it's time relations were opened with Crescent Island, and that an alliance was established. The Tokay, after all, do have an abundance of Scent Seeds on their island. It might prove useful one day, you never know."

"Oh," Link said. He stretched his back. "Who's going with her?"

"I am. She'll only be a few days, and I'll be the only one she needs."

Link's heart and ears fell at the sound of the news. Part of him wanted to go with Zelda, just to be by her side. Then again, with more banter between them, Zelda probably wouldn't get to see any Tokay, because Link would do his best to keep her occupied, but no thanks to anymore rogue fountains, thank you very much.

"So what time are you leaving?"

"In the morning, shortly after breakfast. Labrynna is quite far away, as you know, and the journey will be well into tomorrow evening. She's so excited, Zelda. Can't wait to go. As soon as His Majesty said she could be the ambassador, she went running around trying to find any information she could on Crescent Island and the Tokay. Of course, she already read everything we have. She ate dinner quickly and was off searching again."

That's why she was so ravenous yesterday, Link thought. She was just excited.

Impa sighed.

"She's always been like that, thirsty for knowledge. Good quality for a leader. When she ascends, I'm sure Hyrule will see nothing but prosperity, all the better once this relation with the Tokay is opened up." She smiled at Zelda with a maternal sort of pride.

Link smiled at Zelda, too.

***

The next morning, Link slept in. He didn't wake up until the sun kissed him through the gaps in his window blinds. A murmur escaped his lips and he rolled over, but it was no use. He was awake. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes when the neighing of some horses caught his attention. He stumbled over to the window -- mornings were not his friends -- and peered through the blinds. An excited scene caught his attention, and he rubbed his eyes again to better focus on the goings-on below.

There was a decorated carriage with four white horses leading the way, tied together with pretty reigns, several Triforces adorning everything. On either side of the carriage were several guards and Knights, lining the way to the castle entrance. A fanfare rang out, and several maidservants led the way before Impa, Princess Zelda and the King.

"Shit!" Link leapt from the window and struggled to find his uniform. "How come no one told me about this?" Impa told you yesterday morning. You should have expected to send off the Princess, he argued himself. "That doesn't mean anything!" he shouted back, and hopped out of his room and outside, pulling on his boots as he did so, hair wild and unbrushed.

Link stumbled more down the steps of the castle and soon found his place among the ranks of the Knights, just as the initial fanfare was ending. He drew his sword and presented it like the other Knights did, as was tradition when a member of the Royal Family left on a journey. One of the older Knights, Faji, a Goron, elbowed Link in his right shoulder for being late. Faji was considerably larger than Link, and being a Goron, it was understood that his elbow must have hurt. Link resisted the urge to protect his smarting right arm with his left, since he was presenting his sword. He simply gritted his teeth and bore the pain, trying to keep his sword as straight as possible.

As the fanfare played, Impa stepped forth from the castle, followed by Zelda and lastly, the King. Link gasped, forgetting about his arm, again amazed by Zelda's appearance. This time she wore a deep wine-colored gown with an empire waist. Above the waist was a lace-up velvet front, the same wine color, but darker so that it appeared black. The laces up the front and back were done with satin cord. The skirts of her gown were layered; the lace ends of her petticoats were just visible beneath her main skirt, made of taffeta, with a layer of the sheer material, similar to her pale green dress, over it. The sleeves were of the same material, fashioned so that they gave the impression of a sleeve, tied together at her shoulder, elbow and wrist, otherwise flowing freely. Her shoes matched the velvet in color, and bore a higher heel than usual, making her look exceptionally tall. Zelda's long hair was allowed to flow freely down her back, and she wore a tiara as opposed to her crown. The only other jewelry she wore was the long teardrop pendant. She seemed to float down the steps and her hair sailed behind her. Link soon found his mouth quite dry and unable to take his eyes off of Zelda as she made her way to the carriage. He was snapped out of his trance by Faji, who elbowed him again, in the same spot, harshly whispering, "eyes front."

King Harkinian III bade his daughter goodbye, wishing her a safe trip, productive meetings and a speedy return, kissing her on the cheek. Zelda thanked her father for his wishes and curtsied before a footman helped her into the carriage. Link took a hard sidelong glance at Zelda and noticed that several silver rings also adorned her tiny fingers. She slipped inside the carriage and all that was visible was the back of her head. The King also gave his farewell wishes to Impa, and another footman helped her in the carriage on the other side. A seemingly far-off voice boomed.

"Knights! The Princess Zelda and Lady Impa!"

"Hail!" Link shouted in conditioned response, as did the rest of the Knights.

"His Royal Highness, King Harkinian III of Hyrule!"

"Hail!"

The fanfare rang again and the carriage drove off, leaving a grand cloud of dust in its wake. Once through the castle gates and out on the countryside, the next fanfare rang and the King went back inside the castle. Once he was safely inside and his guards followed, the Knights were ordered again.

"Knights, at ease!"

At last, Link's heavy left arm was allowed to fall. He sheathed his sword and held his arms behind his back, slyly rubbing the sore spot on his right arm, hoping that was the last time Faji would ever elbow him.

They stood around for a moment before they were called to attention and marched back inside, where they were dismissed. Link trudged back to his room, because his legs were getting heavier with each step. He undressed, drew the curtains on the window and went back to sleep in his underwear, the bruise on his arm purpling nicely.

***

Lily kept true to her word. The very next day she decided to begin work on her plan to get revenge on everyone that wasn't a Sheikah, but she wasn't anywhere near as strong as she would need to be to do so. It was more than 350 years before an opportunity opened up. She waited patiently, for an attack as perfect as hers was sure to ripen and sweeten with age. Lily had long since moved to the outskirts of Hyrule, living by herself in a forest beyond the mountains that surrounded the Kokiri Forest. She heard that a Gerudo king named Ganondorf was defeated by a little Hylian boy, whose name she had forgotten, but he was unimportant anyway. What were important were the consequences of the Hylian's actions.

Lily was well versed in Hylian religion. During her downtime, she read a lot, and 350 years was a long time to gather information, even if she didn't read a lot. She knew that the Hylians, as well as some members of other races throughout the land, believed in a trinity of Goddesses that created Hyrule, and left three Triforces as a symbol of the work they had done. Lily learned that, not too long ago, Ganondorf managed to get a hold of the Triforce of Power. Upon his defeat, the Triforce was set free, without an owner. Such a powerful object would definitely aid her in her mission.

A knock hit Lily's door one day, causing her whole tiny shack to shake. She answered the door, and to her surprise, it was a Hylian coachman, with his passengers waiting not too far away. Lily scowled at first, but recovered sweetly.

"Can I help you?"

"Sorry to disturb you ma'am," the coachman started, removing his hat. "Only my horses are starting to tire, and I'm in a foreign land. Perhaps you know of a place where I may be able to retrieve some water for them?"

Ugh. Horrid freeloader. You will be among the first to suffer, Lily's thoughts immediately responded, as the back of her right hand began to burn. She straightened herself and simply answered she didn't know, ignoring the sensation. Then she pretended her eyes just landed and the coach.

"Who are you driving?" Lily asked.

"The Princess Zelda of Hyrule, and her nurse, Lady Impa."

"Oh," Lily said, her demeanor changing once more as she curtsied lowly. "Please tell the Princess that I hope she has a safe journey to... to..."

"Labrynna," the coachman answered cheerfully on his prompt. "Crescent Island."

"To Crescent Island," Lily said, with a slight venomous change in her tone.

"I will. Good day to you madam."

"And you take care of yourself. Water those horses soon," Lily said, as he turned to leave and closed the door.

"Poor fool," Lily said loudly once she heard the carriage roll away. "He has no idea of the kind of destruction his information will cause. The Princess away from home, and on a remote island is a fortunate coincidence. The only way he could have helped me more was if he told me where the Triforce of Power lay."

She sighed.

"I should get around to finding where that is, anyway. Soon... soon, all of Hyrule will pay."