Prologue

A girl wearing a light blue dress sits at a grand piano, playing a sweet tune that echoes softly through her home. The day outside is beautiful, one of the most beautiful her country has seen in years, with a light breeze, and few clouds in the sky. She hears gleeful shouts from the open window and smiles. Would her younger brothers never tire from their games of heroism and adventures?

She gets up, her wavy blond hair falling just past her shoulders. It’s nice outside, so she decides join them. She walks down the stairs and out the front gate of her home, and, sure enough, there are her brothers, playing games.

“You’re no match for me!” one of the boys shouts, swinging a wooden sword all around him. He is no more than five, but like most five year olds, his energy drives him, and he runs about the meadow, shouting threats and insults.

“You lousy hero! You can never defeat me! Never! All the world shall be mine!” The boy trips then, and flops down onto the grass, but it isn’t long before he gets up and shouts out again.

Another boy, much older than his brother, at seven, also has a wooden sword. He runs forward and cries, “You can never win! I’ll defeat you yet, scoundrel! And then I shall win the lady of honor and rescue her from...from...how does it go, Grandmother? I forgot.”

“From your hand of evil,” says an old woman who was watching, barely concealing a smile. Her hair is gray, and pulled back in a bun behind her head, but it isn’t hard to tell that it used to be blond.

“Yes! I shall rescue her from your hand of evil!”

The younger boy looks at him indignantly. “You will not! You...you....” he spots the girl watching them. “Alana! What’s a good name for this hero who is challenging me?”

The girl walks up to them, and shakes her head sadly. “His proper name should be fake. Or imaginary, or fanciful, or nonexistent, or even not real at all. Heroes are just stories, Sammy, they don’t really exist.”

The older boy frowns. “But they do exist, Grandmother told us so! She’s even being our maiden of honor. You can go next, if you want.”

“No thank you, Derik. I’m fourteen years old, much too old too believe in such nonsense! Grandmother, why are you filling their heads with senseless stories? You know all of that isn’t true. There aren’t any real heroes, at least, not anymore. I doubt that there ever were. It’s completely stupid.”

“Alana, these stories aren’t false. There are real heroes today, still living. There’s been heroes as long as the world has existed,” the old woman says.

“Yes, along with dragons and magic and flying horses.”

The younger boy runs to his grandmother, and looks up at her. “Grandmother, why didn’t you ever tell me that there were horses that fly?” he asks in an injured voice.

The old woman laughs. “There aren’t, darling. Alana just doesn’t believe in heroes.”

“Well,” the girl says impatiently, “That’s because they don’t exist. I mean, a hero has to be brave, wealthy, and all kinds of things. He has to like everyone else better than he likes himself, and he has to be good, and kind, and perfect, and dashing, and handsome, and unstoppable, and the best at everything. People like that just don’t exist anymore.”

“Of course they do! Besides, a hero doesn’t have to be all those things, after all, no one is perfect. I knew a hero once, and at first you would think he was the most unlikely hero you’d ever meet.”

The girl tutted disbelievingly.

“Sit down, all of you, on the grass,” the woman says. She sits, pulling the younger boy into her lap, and the older boy sits right next to her, but the girl doesn’t move.

“Are you going to tell us another wild story?” she asks, a smile of amusement playing at her lips.

“No, no, not at all,” the old woman says, smiling. “This story is true, I promise.”

The younger boy looks up at her. “Have we already heard this one, Grandmother?”

She shakes her head. “No, this is a story I haven’t told you before, and it really happened. Sit down, Alana, you should hear it too.”

“Oh, all right.” Reluctantly, the girl sits down on the grass. “Is it really a true story?”

“Of course it is, I was there!”

The boys gasp in amazement; even the girl can’t stop her bright blue eyes from growing wide. “You?” the older boy says. “You were there? That’s so cool! Tell us, Grandmother, tell us!”

She laughs, looking at the beautiful world around her. “You know, Alana, you live in such a beautiful place. Didn’t you ever wonder what kept it beautiful?”

“I don’t know,” the girl says.

“Well, I do. I’m going to tell you three a story, now, and just listen, because I guarantee every last word is true.”

The girl starts to interrupt, but both of her brothers shush her, so she sits back with amusement and exasperation evident in her expression.

“Now, all this happened quite some time a go, but I remember it perfectly. I do believe it all started with a little girl named Zelda. She was about ten years old at the time, and she first noticed something was wrong when it was a beautiful day just like this. She had been sitting on a balcony outside her room, and all of the sudden, she felt cold....”

Chapter One: The Beginning of the End

A young girl of about ten years old sat brushing her hair on the balcony outside her room. She sighed. Today had been boring, mostly. Her father had brought in some diplomats from other lands, he said, and had done several other important things, but this meant little to her. Her long blond hair fell down around her waist as she got up and went inside, leaving the huge window that served as a door open.

The sunlight and the calm breeze made her want to take a nap, and she put down the brush and headed for the bed when she something made her stop. A cold wind blew from down at the front gate below her window. It creeped up her arms and chilled her heart. She swayed slightly, feeling sick, and shuddering despite the warm sun. Whatever was down there wasn’t a good thing.

Slowly, she turned around, and was about to go back out on the balcony to investigate the voices she heard below at the front gate, but she was stopped when she heard her name from outside her door. Someone knocked. She turned away from the open window and airy curtains to face the door.

“Zelda! Zelda, you in there? Your father wants you to meet his new advisor, and I have to give you the lecture before you can go down and terrorize him, okay?” It was Impa, Zelda’s nursemaid and trusted friend.

Impa was a tall Shekiah woman. She had white hair and red eyes, which made her look menacing, but in truth, she was very protective of Zelda, and was very kind when she wanted to be.

Impa loved telling Zelda things about her race, to pass the information down, and Zelda loved hearing about it. She felt special to know that Impa shared those types of things with her and no one else. The Shekiah were mysterious people, but had recently been reduced in numbers. During a war that had ended on Zelda’s birthday, ten years ago, the Shekiah, always great friends to the Hylians, had fought the King’s enemies with him, but as a result, had been reduced to almost nothing. The Shekiah held no grudge against the Hylians, but were very wary of Gerudo, and out of the few that were left, some of the Shekiah would go so far as to attack a Gerudo on sight.

Impa had been friends with Zelda’s family for a long time. She served as a nursemaid to Zelda’s mother, and had been friends with Zelda’s grandmother. Zelda’s father had married into the Royal Family when he was young. Queen Dareene had met him because he was one of the top Knights in the force. They had fallen in love and gotten married, despite the common belief that royalty belonged with royalty and nothing else.

Dareene had died giving birth to Zelda during the Wars ten years ago. The battle and the fighting had been too much for her while she was in labor, and she lived just long enough to name Zelda and give the King a final kiss on the cheek. After that, Zelda’s father had been constantly on the move, contacting other countries and making peace treaties and forming good relations. He had never wanted another war to come to Hyrule again. Since he was so busy, he had asked Impa to look after Zelda.

Impa was like a mother to Zelda, and it was through her that Zelda learned everything about her mother that her father wouldn’t ever talk about, and it was also through Impa that Zelda discovered she could do magic, as it was in her blood. Being Shekiah, Impa knew a little magic herself, and she taught Zelda a few simple things, like how to move small objects without touching them, and how to unlock doors and windows that had latches on them, instead of real locks. Impa had told Zelda that she would to wait until she was older to learn the rest of it.

Forgetting about the voices, Zelda grinned and opened the door. “Oh, come on, I’ve heard it before, can’t I just say it to save you the trouble? Or better yet, let’s skip it.”

Zelda herself was a practical joker. She loved to play pranks on people, and took great pleasure in pushing people in the smaller moat that surrounded the castle when their back were turned, or making trouble when people were trying to do something, usually in the kitchen. It annoyed the cooks to no end when she stole a snack just before dinner. She usually knew her limit, but occasionally, she went a little too far. Most of the castle staff had learned to be wary of her, and a few had even labeled her as a troublemaker or a tomboy. However, they spoke of the princess with fondness, as she made their usually dull work seem less so. The only reason most of them fussed was that they knew the King wouldn’t like it if Zelda got away with her jokes. The King was a little too strict with his daughter, trying to prove that he could be a good parent and a good king, even though he was of common blood.

Zelda didn’t get why they had no sense of humor. It seemed like the only people in Hyrule who understood her were Impa and the Composer Brothers.

Besides Impa, the Composer Brothers were Zelda’s only friends. They lived in the Market, but kept to themselves, combining music and magic to produce amazing results. Her father trusted them, and didn’t mind them stopping by whenever they felt like it. He had given guards orders to let them by whenever they came.

The brothers had taken a liking to Zelda when she had first pushed Sharp in the moat, and stolen Flat’s pen while he was helping his brother out of the water. They were old, but she had given them new spirit, and they took her on trips to Lon Lon Ranch to look at the horses at least once every other month, and always said hello when they dropped by the castle.

“Afraid not,” said Impa. “I have my orders, Princess.” Impa called Zelda princess as a name of affection, but also as a way to tease her. She knew all too well how Zelda hated formalities and proper titles. Once, she had hid in a cabinet in the kitchen for three hours to avoid a big party. Impa had found her, but not until the party was already over.

Zelda winced at being called by a royal title. “Impa, can’t we just skip it? Or, I’ll say it. It’ll take less time that way, y’know. Like, a few minutes, as opposed to a few hours.”

Impa couldn’t help but laughing. “All right, then, let’s hear it.” Zelda truly knew this speech by heart, and it was highly amusing to see her act it out, because she was so well practiced at it.

Zelda scrunched up her face into the most serious look she could muster. “Zelda,” she mimicked, lowering her voice so it sounded almost like her father’s, “I want you to go downstairs to meet some weird important person that somehow means a lot to this kingdom of Hyrule, and I want you to be good and act like the wonderful little princess I just know you can be. This means a lot to me, so I want you to be on your best behavior, and after they leave I’ll bribe you with something, I promise. Okay?” Zelda raised her eyebrow at Impa, then said in an undertone, “I know he’s going to bribe me, so I'll just get that part over with.”

Then Zelda dropped her look, and widened her eyes innocently, then replied to herself, “Okay, I’ll be good, I promise.”

Impa just had to laugh. This girl was just like her mother, and it showed.

She picked up Zelda’s crown. Zelda scowled, because as much as she hated that thing, she had yet to gain any ground on the argument she shouldn’t have to wear it. With a sigh, she put it on, checked her reflection to make sure it was straight, and headed down the stairs.

“So,” she said to Impa, “Who is this guy, anyway?”

“Your father’s new advisor. Actually, he’s the Gerudo King,” she added with a scowl. “I’m probably a little prejudiced when it comes to the Gerudo, since I’m Shekiah, but I got a little chilly when we were introduced. He just got here maybe half an hour ago. To me, he doesn’t act right. I don’t think he’s really after peace. Your father just wants the Gerudo to become more honest, and stop robbing us, and wants us to be a little more friendly with them, but he’s asking for a small miracle. A lot of people still have grudges against Gerudo. I’ll let you judge for yourself, but I figure you’ll just look at him before you start thinking up things to put in his bed when he’s asleep. Snakes, rats, spiders.”

“What do you mean, bed? He’s got a room here? He’s going to live here?”

“I’m afraid so,” Impa said apologetically.

“Just great,” Zelda muttered before stepping into the light of the meeting hall. Impa gave her a look that said, quite clearly, behave.

Zelda knew the look well, so she put on a fake smile and waved to her father. “Hi, Daddy!” she called brightly.

Her father was standing near the middle of the room, talking to someone, but it looked like he had told them to wait a minute when Zelda came in the hall. He waved back to his daughter, and called her over. Impa, having done her job, left. She hated these meetings just as much as Zelda did. She preferred to wait in the courtyard, until she was supposed to come back and get Zelda.

“So where is he?” Zelda asked, trying to keep her voice polite and innocent sounding.

“In the other room over there, talking to someone. He’ll be right out,” the King said, looking at his daughter closely. He knew that tone of voice all too well.

“Okay.” Zelda saw him staring and her eyes got wider. “What?”

Her father shook his head and sighed. “Now, Zelda, I want you to be—”

“Behave, I know, I know,” she said, cutting him off.

As the door on the other end of the room started to open, Zelda felt the same sensation she had in her room only half an hour before. Wasn’t that when Impa said the new advisor got here?

Zelda shuddered and faked a pretty good sneeze. She wanted out. The wind was getting too close to her, and she felt sick. What scared her most was that she seemed to be the only one who could feel it.

Her father, so sharp at spotting her plans ahead of time, but not so good at spotting a fake sneeze, fell for the act immediately. “Is something wrong, honey? Do you feel okay?” he asked, looking a bit concerned. Zelda rarely got sick or pretended to be sick, because she hated staying in bed.

Zelda was facing away from him, so she didn’t see the person coming out of the room, and she was grateful. Was this the chilly feeling Impa had had?

“I feel a little sick, Daddy. Maybe I’m coming down with something,” she said. She wasn’t lying by much, she truly felt nauseous and cold. She heard a rumble of voices behind her, and knew the person had stopped for a moment to talk to someone.

The King studied Zelda closely, trying to spot any tricks she might have been playing. “You look a little pale,” he said, seeing that she was truly sick. “Why don’t you take a nap, and meet him when you feel better?”

Zelda managed a small smile. “Okay. Thanks.” She hugged him and went straight out the door, before whoever this person was finished talking and got closer. She had to get away from that cold.

She found Impa in the courtyard, like she usually was when Zelda decided to play sick. Impa shook her head and smiled. “You got out of it that fast?”

Then she saw that Zelda really did look pale. “Hey, are you really sick?” Zelda shook her head, then nodded. The truth was she didn’t know if she was sick or not. Maybe she was losing her mind.

She said nothing, she just shook her head again. She didn’t even feel like telling Impa about this. What if Impa thought she was crazy?

Impa saw past the act, knew something was wrong, but didn’t pursue the subject. If she didn’t push Zelda, then Zelda would tell her when she felt ready.

The next day, Zelda was walking up the stairs to her bedroom, when she passed the man in walking down the stairs. When she looked at him, she didn’t see the background of her home, but of wreckage, ruin, and blood...and someone on the floor behind him, being slaughtered…it wasn’t, no it couldn’t be….

Her eyes widened and she let out a scream, splintering her hand on the banister. He turned to look at her, the castle returning, his red eyes full of cold, horrible hate. She backed away and ran up the stairs.

Over the next few weeks, this started happening more and more often, so that Zelda could no longer look at him for all the awkward situations it created when she screamed. This was torture, and still no one knew, because she was afraid everyone would think it was a joke, or think she was crazy. Impa even asked her about it, but Zelda just shook her head and refused to talk about it.

But she was forced to, one day after another party when she faked sick. She and Impa were in the courtyard, and Impa kept asking questions about why she was sick, and what was making her act so upset all the time lately. Zelda was sure Impa wouldn’t believe her. But the questions persisted.

“Do you promise to listen and not think I’m crazy?” Zelda said quietly.

“Of course,” Impa said.

“You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

“Zelda, you know I wouldn’t. Please tell me what’s bothering you.”

So Zelda broke down, and told Impa everything, because she had no one else to tell. About her weird feelings when the man was at the front gate, she now knew it must have been him, and how sick she had felt upon nearly encountering him. About the cold wind that chilled her heart and made her sick with fear every time he came too close. About her horrible flashes of what was to be...the only thing she left out was the person she saw being killed. She was wrong about that. She had only imagined it. It wasn’t going to happen.

Zelda had always had dreams and visions, had always seen what most people couldn’t. Dreams about lost items, or what the weather would be like, being able to tell if a person was lying to her or not, all kind of little things. Impa told her it was because of the magic in her blood, but Zelda had always seen it as something normal she could rely on.

But she had never felt anything as sure and strong as this. And never anything this horrible, this cold and unfeeling. Never anything this dark….

Never anything this evil.

Impa listened intently as Zelda talked herself into silence, and when Zelda finished, she sat back against the hard wooden bench and told her, “I knew he was bad news.”

Zelda just stared. “You don’t think I’m crazy?” she asked.

“No.”

“You don’t think this is another prank, or some weird story?”

“Of course not.”

“And you don’t find it weird at all?”

“The only thing I find strange is that you’re very young, and you could tell he was...well, evil. Your mother could sense those things, too, but not until she was almost seventeen or so.”

Zelda bit her lip and hugged herself. “I’m going to have to meet him eventually, aren’t I? Face to face, actually talk to him? I don’t know if I can do that.”

Impa put an arm around Zelda, and Zelda looked up at her. “Please, don’t tell Daddy. You know he won’t believe me,” Zelda said, sounding close to tears.

“I know, and I know I promised, but I’ve got to do something if this man wants to hurt the Royal Family. It’s not just my life’s work, it’s what my gut is telling me to do. And you know what that means.”

“Right,” said Zelda bracingly. “Always go with your gut.”

So Impa took Zelda to see her father the next day, and they talked to him about what was happening. He only got angry. All he wanted was peace, he told them, and did they really want to jeopardize that because of Zelda’s overactive imagination? They argued for a long time, until Zelda shouted at him, something she rarely did, that he won; she was going to bed. She could only be grateful that her tears fell after she landed facedown on her bed.

Zelda was still crying when Impa opened the door quietly and sat on the bed next to her. She put a hand on Zelda’s back. “It’s okay,” she said quietly. “You cry all you want to.”

“Why won’t he believe me?” Zelda choked out. “Does he really think I would make something like this up?”

Impa just shook her head, and sat with Zelda until she had cried herself out. Then she helped her put on her nightgown, and put her to bed.

Zelda was barely awake as Impa helped her into bed. She was so exhausted. Her eyelids were so heavy. And she had no problem giving into sleep....

She was standing in Hyrule Field. In the middle of her home. It was so beautiful. She was admiring the beauty, looking at the sapphire sky, when she noticed dark clouds, coming from the desert to the west. They grew bigger and bolder, moving into Hyrule quickly, so quickly she hardly knew what was happening. They tore apart her beautiful home, destroyed everything in their path. Zelda heard horrible laughter ringing in her ears, and knew that it was the laughter belonging to the evil man. She saw his red eyes glaring down at her from the clouds, as if she was a tiny bug he was all too eager to squash. She started crying. Sobs racked her body at the horrible things she saw. She endured this for several more minutes, until something happened.

The clouds parted for an instant over the forests, and a light shot through the opening, piercing the darkness. She looked around. It was chasing the clouds away, making them evaporate into nothing. The sky glowed brightly from the light. It was so bright the sky seemed to be gold, instead of blue. She squinted at the forests, trying to see. She could just barely make out the figure of a boy, smiling at her. He looked about her age. Blond hair, that had a shade of red in it, was hanging limply from the green cap on his head, and all the rest of his clothes were green. He was followed, guarded, by an orb of light, barely visible because of all the light around her.

The light grew brighter and brighter. Surely, all this light, it was the heavens on earth?

The figure of the boy walked toward her, slowly, purposefully, and she saw that he was carrying a beautiful emerald, a green, shining stone that glittered in all the gold light all around them. He reached her, looked her dead in the eyes, and she awoke with a start.

Impa had heard Zelda crying, and came into her room to check on her. She found her tossing and turning in bed, and it had taken Impa a long time to shake her awake.

“What happened?” Impa asked.

“I had a nightmare,” Zelda said shakily. “Or a dream. I don’t know. I was standing in the field. There were these clouds that came from the desert, and they started tearing everything up. They killed everything. All of it was g-gone....” At this point Zelda started crying again. She couldn’t continue. She had seen everything she loved die before her eyes.

Impa hugged her, whispering to her softly, and waited for her to calm down. When Zelda mastered herself, she continued.

“They were chased away,” she said, wiping away her tears. “I saw a light from the forest. It chased them away. And the light got so bright. Even the sky turned gold. And...it was so weird, Impa....” Zelda’s face had a serene look on it now, as if her mind was a million miles away, in a place Impa couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“What, Zelda? What was weird?”

“There was this boy. He looked my age. And he was wearing green. He had blond hair, with some red in it, and there was a ball of white light following him. And he came out from between the trees and smiled at me, and it was like...he was smiling like he knew something I didn’t, but it wasn’t in a mean way. It calmed me down, sort of.”

Impa knew this had to be true. Zelda sounded and acted calmer just by telling about it. “Go on,” Impa said softly. “What did he do?”

“I don’t remember him talking, but he sort of...said...he could help me, and that it was going to be fine. And he walked right up to me, really slow, still smiling....” A look of unease passed over Zelda’s face. “He looked me dead in the eyes, and he had the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. It was almost scary. I think he was about to say something, out loud, I mean, but I woke up. Impa, what did that mean?”

Impa was a bit surprised. Shekiah passed down many legends and folk tales, and one of them seemed to fit this situation. She hoped she was wrong about this, however; if she was right, Zelda had very hard times ahead of her.

“I think it meant that the boy from the forest can help us,”Impa said quietly. “Shekiah say that the Goddesses give each of us a task to accomplish in our lives, a destiny to fulfill. Some people do, some don’t. Each of us has to make choices, and if they’re the right ones, we will be blessed. I know your task is to protect Hyrule. I know my task is to protect you. Maybe this boy’s destiny is to help us. Maybe his task is to help you protect Hyrule, and defeat the evil.”

Zelda shuddered, remembering the first part of her dream again. “I hope so,” she said. She loved listening to Impa tell her Shekiah stories, in her voice that was strong and gentle at the same time.

Impa talked until Zelda fell asleep again. Then she kissed the girl on the forehead, and went back to her own room, across the hall.

She was getting more concerned over the situation. It seemed no matter what they tried to tell the King, he wouldn’t listen. In the following months, Zelda had more and more nightmares, and wouldn’t go near the man, but made a habit of watching him through the courtyard window. Impa confided in the Composer Brothers, on one of their visits, but soon afterwards, they disappeared, and no one had any details, but she heard from somewhere that they were dead. She didn’t tell Zelda.

Zelda began to snap at people, because of the stress it was putting on her. She always regretted it afterwards, but she couldn’t make herself stop. She was no longer the person she used to be. She acted differently around her father, but he took no notice. The guards now had to use Lord when addressing the man, and he slowly gained more and more power.

His name was Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, and eventually some of the other Gerudo started visiting the castle. Most of them stole things, or tried to, and weren’t very friendly, but a few seemed genuinely happy at the prospect of peace, and were nice to Zelda.

She felt bad for them, because they didn’t realize their king wanted anything but peace.

Zelda, only being ten, did not know how much longer she could keep this up. She had recurring dreams about the boy, and dreams about her world being utterly destroyed.

The only time she and Ganondorf were in the same room together was at dinner, and Zelda always sat at the other end of the table, merely picking at her food, until Impa suggested Zelda go upstairs for some reason or the other. Zelda would obey, and later, Impa would smuggle food upstairs to her, to keep her from starving to death.

That night, Zelda was upstairs brushing her hair when Impa came up with food.

“Thanks,” Zelda said. She began to eat the food slowly, still feeling a little sick. Just his presence was enough to make her throw up. She could not decide, and neither could Impa, if it meant he was that evil, if Zelda was that sensitive, or both. Either way, Zelda hated it. She had never been close to her father, but now they were as distant as strangers on the street.

When Zelda got through eating, she hid the plate under the bed, so she could take it to the kitchen the next morning. Then she sat on the bed, thinking.

“Impa, I don’t think I can do my task,” she said quietly. “I don’t think I can handle this much longer.”

Impa smiled at her. “You’re doing wonderful, for someone your age. You can do your task, no matter what it is. Remember, if you stay strong, and don’t give up, there’s nothing you can’t do, Princess. I know, I have faith in you. I can tell you’ll make it, it’s in my gut.” Impa sat down beside her on the bed. “And I always have to listen to my gut.”

Zelda actually smiled, for the first time in nearly two or three months. Then she got up, and Impa turned down the blankets for her. She got into bed, and turned so she could see the window. Impa started to leave, but Zelda asked her, “Impa, what do the Shekiah say about stars?”

Impa smiled and sat down on the bed. “Lots of things. They say the spirit journeys into the sky, and becomes a star, when you die. If you see a falling star, that means someone up there is watching over you, making sure you’re safe. It’s their way of showing love. They say the stars that burn brightest, the ones we can see from here, are the people who did great things. Some of the stars connect, make pictures in the sky....”

Impa stopped when she saw Zelda had fallen asleep. She looked out the window, and a star fell down toward the earth. Impa blinked. But she made a wish, as all Shekiah did when they saw a star. She wished that Zelda would find a happy ending, somehow. She wished that some day, things would be okay with her.

While Impa was thinking, Zelda was asleep. And she was dreaming. She had once again found herself in Hyrule Field, but this time, the despair and waste was beyond sobs or words. She was standing by the real moat, the one surrounding the Market. She saw herself and Impa riding on a white horse, as fast as they could go, right out of town. She was clutching the Ocarina of Time in her hand, the only thing she had that was her mother’s. She was also wearing her locket, the one with a picture of her mother and her father in it. Then Zelda saw herself throw the blue ocarina in the moat as she rode by. Why? That was one of the most treasured possession of the Royal Family. Why did she just throw it in the moat?

But she and Impa were gone, riding far away...out of sight. She realized they had passed a boy on the way out.

The boy. The same one from the forest. The same one with the bright blue eyes and the white ball of light.

Another horse appeared on the drawbridge then, more deadly and menacing than the storm around it.

Deadly black, and wearing armor, the horse reared up, and when it came back down, she could see the rider was Ganondorf. He asked the boy in a deadly whisper, barely audible above the raging storm….

“Where is she, boy? Which way did they go?”

The boy remained silent, but withdrew his sword, which was more like a big dagger, and held up his tiny wooden shield.

Gannondorf laughed, an evil, horrible laugh. His nostrils flared. “So, you think you can defeat me, with those puny toys?”

The boy held his ground. She could see it, he was beginning to feel fear.

“You know you can’t protect her. No one can. It’s too late now. Everything she cared about is gone, and soon you will be, too.”

Still, he didn’t move or speak. She could see pure terror in his eyes now, but he seemed to resist showing any signs of fear in front of the man. Why was he doing this to protect her? He was risking it all so that herself and Impa could get away...she wanted to cry out and warn him, but how? It was a dream, she could do nothing but watch. He shouldn’t do this, and she knew the truth before it happened, he was about to die....

“Fine! You’ve got guts, you know, but you don’t stand a chance against me.”

Ganondorf held out a gloved hand, which began to glow with an evil, purple light.

The boy turned and tried to dodge the deadly attack, but the spell caught him in the midriff, and he landed flat on his back on the muddy ground, rain falling on his face, pale with pain. Ganondorf laughed again, and rode off without another word in the direction she had seen herself and Impa go. The white ball of light hovered around the boy’s head, trying to help him, but he didn’t move. He seemed to be….

But that couldn’t be. He couldn’t be dead, he was the light, from the forest, the light that chased all the darkness away. If he died, then there was no hope...Zelda started crying again, all the destruction around her was horrendous.

Impa was still looking out the window when Zelda stirred in her sleep. Then she started shaking and crying. She tossed and turned several minutes before Impa could wake her, and when she woke up, she just cried weakly into Impa’s shoulder. When she finally stopped crying, she told Impa about the dream. She didn’t want the boy to die. He was their only hope. Impa tried to comfort Zelda as best as she could, but there wasn’t much she could do. She just let Zelda cry.

Little did Zelda know it then, but far across the land, in a small, uncharted forest to the east, a blond haired, blue eyed boy dressed in green clothes had just had the same nightmare as she.

Chapter Two: A Fairy at Last

Link sat on the edge of his bed, panting and sweating. For the fifth night in a row, he had found himself once again having the nightmare about the girl riding away on the horse. He had been having the dream for months, but it was happening every night now. And that man…. Something told Link that the evil man had intended to kill him with that blast. And succeeded. His heart pounded as he tried to remember the dream that kept slipping away from him when he awakened. He tried to remember what the girl looked like, what she had thrown to him, but it was all disappearing so quickly….

His blond hair fell out of his cap as he shook his head in confusion.

There was also the matter of the fairy. Link had always hoped that one day a fairy would come to him, so he could be like all the other Kokiri kids. Then he wouldn’t get teased as much by Mido, the self proclaimed leader of them all. But, though his ninth birthday had come and gone, no guardian fairy had flown in his window to be his lifelong partner.

And yet, there had been one, right there, hovering around his head, trying to help him, when no help could be had…but Link had no fairy, and probably never would.

So what was one doing at the scene of his death?

Link shuddered at the choice of his words.He was ten now. This was the age when most Kokiri stopped “growing” and remained children forever. They never grew up, and never died. But he still should be old enough not to be afraid of his dreams.

Or of death, even.

Since it would never happen to him.

There had been times he had really waned to die. Because he never got a fairy, he was never allowed to join in the games the other children played. He had always been picked on and laughed at. Mido, being so fond of his new object of fun, had even given him a nickname, Mr. No Fairy.

Every night before he went to sleep he wished on shooting stars for a fairy partner, and every morning when he awakened, he anxiously hoped to see a fairy coming to him through the window. He had even spent all of his tenth birthday wishing for a fairy, all day, only to be disappointed again.

The only thing that had kept him going was his best friend, Saria. She had curly green hair and a sassy yellow-orange fairy named Ellen. She had raised Link from the time when he had been born from the forest spirits. When he had gotten older, however, she took the role of his friend, rather than the role of caretaker. It had worked out well. They told each other everything, laughed when the other was happy, and tried to be sympathetic when the other was upset. Saria had never failed to stand up for him against Mido, and even though he was old enough to stand up for himself, she yelled at Mido every chance she got, which was usually when Link got picked on.

None of the other Kokiri kids were brave enough to stand up to Mido, because he was so big, but a small handful had told Link that they didn’t mind him not having a fairy, and they didn’t participate in the acts that Mido did to torment Link. Link was grateful that they didn’t pick on him, the “village runt,” but he still found himself wishing he had a fairy so he could have more friends.

Link untangled himself from his bedcovers and dried himself off, muttering to himself, “Just a dream, a really bad dream....”

The problem with the dream, the really big problem, was that all he could tell Saria was that it was a bad dream. He couldn’t remember enough to tell her anything else. And with just that, she could give him no advice.

He had been soaked in sweat, so he changed clothes before drinking some water to wake himself up a bit, and walked out the door. When he got to the landing before the ladder that led down to the ground, Mido was waiting for him. Link was unpleasantly surprised. Now what did he want?

Link climbed down the ladder slowly, bracing himself for verbal abuse, but before he could put one foot on the ground, Mido shoved him into a small mud puddle by the ladder. Link fell down, getting his clothes dirty. He felt his face grow hot and he felt tears burning at the corners of his eyes, but he swallowed it back. He’d had a lot of practice at that. Mido had already started walking away, laughing. A few of the children came to see what had happened and they started laughing too.

“Hey!” Link yelled after Mido. “What was that for?”

He didn’t get an answer; Mido was already long gone. He just sighed and went back up the ladder to change his clothes. He would look to make sure Mido wasn’t there next time. He sighed again as he reached the landing in front of his door. He felt like his whole life consisted of avoiding bullies.

***

Navi the fairy watched as the chosen boy, the only one without a fairy of his own, was once again teased by the other Kokiri. She had her orders from the Great Deku Tree, the guardian spirit of the Kokiri Forest, to watch over this boy, until his time of destiny came.

And it was coming. Evil had been entering the land of Hyrule. She could feel it, and she had seen him have nightmares. She was getting really sick of watching Link getting picked on. Even though what was coming would mean horrible things, and hardships he would have to face, a part of her almost wished it would hurry up. She almost wanted to go on an adventure

But she shook herself mentally every time she thought this. She didn’t want that. She had already witnessed far too much battling and excitement and blood. How long had it been since she brought that boy here? Almost ten years...yet the memories were still fresh and raw, and she didn’t like that. She wanted them to go away.

She watched as Link came back down the ladder. He checked the bottom before climbing down. This time, however, Mido was hiding behind it, and he again pushed Link down in the mud.

Navi knew Link learned fast. He wouldn’t come back down now, not even for breakfast, and he ate enough to feed all of Hyrule’s army. She felt hot with anger. It would be at least noon before Mido forgot about the stalking game and found someone else to pick on. She was helpless to do anything to help, restricted by her orders from the Deku Tree. She watched as he climbed back up the ladder.

She was about to go skim through the pond for a second, to cool off, when the Deku Tree contacted her telepathically.

Telepathic communication was not uncommon among fairies and the Deku Tree himself. Anyone could do it, so long as the connection between the two people was opened. Some people were born knowing how to open it, some had to learn, and some couldn’t do it even if they tried. All fairies could do it, as well as most Hylian prophets and a few creatures from other races that learned magic—whether it had come naturally, or from books. Most fairies were so practiced at it that they could read someone’s surface thoughts without them knowing, and they tended to talk to their children telepathically so much that the kids eventually learned how to open the connection by themselves, or even get traces of what their fairy was thinking.

Navi, he thought to her, Art thou alone?

Yes, she answered.

Good. The King of Evil hast found me at last, and put me under a curse. I...have very little time left.

Navi gasped out loud, and thought frantically to the Deku Tree, No, please don’t think like that. It’ll be fine. We’ll remove the curse. You can’t go, the children need you!

She had met with the King of Evil before this, and knew he had no mercy in his heart. But she couldn’t accept that the guardian of her home was dying. She just couldn’t.

Navi, the old tree thought to her, thou must remain’eth calm. I know I will not survive the curse. I am very old, Navi. My time approached me long before this, and no matter how quickly we act, I will soon perish.

No, Navi thought, a tear making its way slowly down her face.

Navi, the tree thought, feeling her sadness, thou must not grieve for me. Thou must make haste, and find the child that ye brought here ten years ago. I am sure that he can help me. He must get the Kokiri’s Emerald before the King of Evil does.

Then we can give it to him, can’t we? she asked.

No, the old tree responded heavily. He is indeed the one with the power to fulfill the prophecies, but he has to make the choice to undertake the task.

He will, Navi thought at once. I know he will.

Very well, the tree responded. Either way, he must see me before my time is up. Navi, the task of telling him of his true identity may well fall to thee.

Navi’s eyes grew wide. I don’t know if I’m up to that kind of thing, she told the Deku Tree desperately. I mean, I’m just a fairy....

Navi, you saved him from a terrible fate. Thou art no ordinary fairy. Ye can face the challenges ahead of both of you. I place my faith in thee, Navi.

Navi nodded. I’ll be there as soon as I can, Great Deku Tree, she said, wiping away another tear.

This was it. She always knew this would happen one day. She had never really wanted it to. Sure, she wished for a little excitement now and then, but she knew in her heart she hadn’t wanted it to happen.

She had started it.

Then she asked herself the question that had been lurking at the edges of her mind for ten years.

Will I be able to finish it?

***

As he climbed back up the ladder, Link saw Saria watching, but he pretended not to. He knew she would probably yell at Mido, but it didn’t make Link feel any better. He should have looked, should have seen Mido, he shouldn’t have been so stupid. He really hated the way Mido could make him feel so dumb. Link changed clothes and lay on his bed. No way was he going back down there. Let some other idiot get picked on.

Link was still brooding, looking out the window and wishing for a fairy, when something small and round flew in through his door and thwacked him on the side of his head. Thing yelped at the same time as Link did.

“Ow!” Link said. Then his eyes widened at what he saw. The thing landed in his hand, and looked up at him. It was only a ball of light, but he could tell it was grinning at him. “Hiya, Link.”

It was a fairy.

Link couldn’t believe his eyes. He said shakily, “W-wait a sec. I…I must be dreaming. This is impossible. I mean, this isn’t happening. This is way too good to be true. Are you...are you my fairy?”

The fairy grinned at him again. “Yup!”

“No way,” Link whispered. “This is too good to actually happen to me.”

“Think what you want,” said the fairy. “Listen, I’ve sort of been...watching you...your whole life....” her voice trailed off, but then she added brightly, “but I got tired of it, so I’m your partner now!”

Link just stared at her. “What’s your name?”

“Oh, sorry. I’m Navi. We can work out all the official stuff later, but right now....” Navi couldn’t help but grin even wider at the look on his face, “Right now, the Deku Tree wants to see you.” She waited for his reaction.

Link sat weakly on his bed so he wouldn’t collapse. He stammered, “Y-you’re kidding, right? I got a fairy and the Deku Tree wants to see me? This is a dream. This is a really bizarre dream....”

Navi took flight from his hand and began to hover lightly around his head. “Well,” she said, “even if it is, you’ve still got to go see the Deku Tree. If I don’t bring you back, I’m one cooked fairy.”

He nodded at her, dazed. “Okay then, but first…” He went to the tree stump in the center of his room. After pounding it a bit, it came open. Link was slightly surprised to hear her gasp.

“You mean you’ve been watching me all my life and you never knew about this?”

Navi flew over to inspect the opening. “No.”

Link climbed down the ladder, and reached for the lantern at the bottom of the hole, but realized he didn’t need it. He grinned. “Saria told me these things have been here forever. They’re underground passages that connect all the houses to each other. Only me and Saria know about them, it’s a secret. She says even though I’m the newest Kokiri, I probably know my way around this place and the Lost Woods as good as she does. And no one knows it better than her.” There was a rare note of pride in his voice.

They had been continuing through the dark, damp tunnel all the while he had been talking. Now they reached a fork, but Link didn’t turn right or left. He knocked softly on the wall in front of him. “Saria, you in there?”

To Navi’s surprise, the wall opened, and all at once they were inside Saria’s house. “I didn’t want to go back down the ladder,” Link explained to them. He looked out the window. Sure enough, there was Mido, ready at the foot of the ladder to give Link another mud bath.

Link walked inside and closed the wall, which Navi noticed was cleverly hidden behind the stove. Saria only stared at him. He grinned. “So I guess I’m really not dreaming?”

“You got a fairy....”

“I could have told you that,” said Link, giving her a half grin.

“You really got a fairy....”

“I know, isn’t it great?”

“You got a fairy!”

Saria hugged him, hard, and he was nearly knocked over into the stove.

“Saria—you’re choking me, get off.”

“Sorry...but...you got a fairy!” She sat down weakly on her bed.

“I know.”

Link then proceeded to tell her he needed to see the Deku Tree, or rather, the Deku Tree wanted to see him, and watched as her face turned from shocked to joyful. She stood up and gave him another hug.

“That’s great! I’m really happy for you. Mido is gonna explode!” she said gleefully.

Link hadn’t thought about that. “I know! Hey, Navi, you don’t mind me showing you off a little before I go, do you?”

She did. They had to hurry. But she couldn’t bring herself to ruin his moment. “Well, just a little. We do have to hurry to the Deku Tree.”

Saria’s pointy ears perked up. “Hey, do you need an escort?”

Chapter Three: Sword and Shield

Link and Saria ran out the door, nearly tripping over each other in their excitement. They stopped to talk to a few other children, The reactions were all different. A few were happy, a few were shocked, and some were just plain rude about it.

Upon Navi’s orders, Link headed for the path that led to the Deku Tree’s meadow. He and Saria started running, racing each other, and Link got there first. The only problem was, he ran into Mido. Literally.

“Oof—what the—uh-oh....” Link said.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. No Fairy,” Mido said, when they reached him. He was about to say more, and he saw that Saria was with Link. “Hi, Saria,” he said.

The only people who didn’t seem to know that Mido was jealous of Link’s friendship with Saria were Saria and Link. All the Kokiri children said this was because those two were always in their own world, and they also said that if it wasn’t for Saria, Mido might have not picked on Link so much. Other kids countered this theory with the fact that Saria was the only one who could make Mido leave Link alone.

It was the topic for discussions over dinner, and some people kept trying to tell Saria or Link what was going on, but they never would listen. As many of the Kokiri said, they were truly in their own world, as the real one was sometimes too harsh and uncaring.

Saria glared at Mido and helped Link to his feet. “You’re a jerk, Mido.”

Mido frowned. “Does Mr. No Fairy want to go see the Deku Tree, is that it?” Mido asked, and he laughed.

“Yes,” said Saria hotly, “We do.”

“Let us by, Mido,” Link said.

“Saria can go. You can’t. Only kids with fairies can get by here.”

With that, Navi decided she could no longer keep her temper in check. She buzzed out from under Link’s hat angrily.

“Well, he’s got one, Mr. No Brains, so let us by, you big ugly—”

Mido’s eyes widened and he tried to snatch Navi from the air, but Link beat him to it. He knew if Mido caught Navi, he would crush her in his fist. Mido, however, had seen her, and had heard the insult. He looked very much like he wanted to hit Link, and was only restraining himself because of Saria’s presence.

But Navi was out of harm’s way, and she didn’t stop talking. “You’re a jerk, Mido, a lousy stinking no good—”

Mido took a swing at Link’s head, but Link ducked and kicked him in the shins. They kept punching at each other, until Saria managed to break them apart.

“Stop it, you two!” she shouted. “Do you want to kill each other?”

“Maybe,” they said, at the same time. They glared at each other.

“I don’t care if you’ve got a fairy,” Mido sneered. “You need a shield to get past here...and a sword, too.”

Link glanced at Saria. “Now can I hit him?”

“No, c’mon. Link, hey, wait a sec, what are—Link!”

They had started throwing punches again. Saria tried to pull them apart, but it was no good. Then Navi’s voice made Link stop.

Wait a minute! I happen to know where a sword is, and a shield too. C’mon, you’ll need them anyway, and when we get them, it’ll blow his socks off!

Her voice sounded gleeful. But…where was she talking from? Her voice seemed to be inside his head. Link stopped punching and stared at her. She had released herself from his hand, and was now hovering near Saria. She appeared to have said nothing.

Oh, you’re not too bright, are you? Now that I’m your fairy, we can talk telepathically! I’ll tell you all the rules and things later, but for now, let’s go get the sword.

Link stopped staring, but he was still slightly surprised. He wondered if she could read his thoughts. Navi shook her head, even though she knew he couldn’t see it through the light. Only what you want me to hear. Navi crossed her fingers behind her back as she thought it.

Link glared at Mido. He still wanted to throw a punch at him, but the thought of a sword was exciting. When he had been five, the shop had stopped selling wooden swords, because people had been getting hurt with them, and he had never gotten to use one.

He decided that he could do more damage to Mido with a sword anyway, and he walked away. Saria stared after him, wondering if she should go or pick up where Link left off and throw a punch.

“You are a JERK!” Saria yelled, kicking him in the shins. “A no good bullying jerk!” She picked up a rock and threw it at him. Her yelling had attracted several children, and they laughed as Saria shoved Mido to the ground and stalked off, looking for Link.

“So, where is this sword anyway?” Link asked Navi over Saria’s yelling.

Once again, he could tell the little fairy was grinning at him by the way her light brightened. “Not anywhere around here, that’s for sure. C’mon over this way…ah, here we are!” Navi had led Link to the small area next to the training ground, near the home of the Know-It-All Brothers, the oldest Kokiri next to Saria.

Link stared at the blank face of rock before him.

“Uh, Navi?”

Navi was scanning the ground, apparently searching for something.

“Navi, exactly what am I supposed to be seeing here?”

She looked back and forth, muttering under her breath.

“Navi.”

She stopped, turned around, and looked at him.

“Hmm?”

“Navi, there’s nothing there.”

“Oh yes there is.”

“No there isn’t. I don’t see anything.”

“Well, that means you just aren’t looking hard enough....”

Link looked, and all of the sudden, he did see something, he saw a small hole, just wide enough for him to crawl through. He stared first at the tiny opening, then at Navi.

“How...?”

Navi flew down to examine the hole. “Yeah, I think you can squeeze through.” She looked at him. “Being a runt can come in handy, huh?” It was only a joke, but she realized a second too late she shouldn’t have said it. Pain flashed in Link’s eyes, but it was over so fast Navi wasn’t even sure it had happened.

“You can’t talk, you’re two inches high,” Link said.

Link crawled through the hole slowly, and when he got to the other end, he was encountered by a maze of tunnels. The rest of the forest seemed so far away now. It was foggy. And deathly quiet.

“Where are we?” Link asked his companion.

“Near the sword. We just have to go through this maze first. I know the way, but I learned it in circles, so it’ll look like we’re lost, but if you let me concentrate, I can do it all right.”

“Sure.”

Slowly they made their way through the maze. It did indeed seem like they were lost, but Link made no sound, and allowed Navi to think. When they finally got to the middle, Navi pointed out to him a small, wooden, chest. As he opened it, Navi flew in the chest to illuminate its contents. From the chest, Link withdrew the glittering Kokiri Sword.

Link gasped at the gleaming blade, the three emeralds embedded in the front, the golden handle. Although this sword really was nothing but a big dagger, to ten year old Link, it was huge.

Now, thought Link, now, all I need, all I have to get to get past Mido, is a shield.

“Well, you might need supplies, too.”

Link glared at Navi. “You said you couldn’t read my thoughts.”

Navi glowed brightly. A grin. “I lied?”

He glared at her again, then they left the maze to look for Saria.

“There you are,” Saria said when they reached her. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Link told her the story of where the sword was. She didn’t believe them, at first, and they had to drag her to the hole that Link crawled through.

“Saria, I have the sword, but Navi says I need some supplies, and I still have to get a shield. If I get the rupees for the shield, would you go into the Lost Woods and get some stuff for me? You know the place better than anyone around here.”

“Sure!”

Saria started off toward the woods to collect Deku Sticks, Deku Nuts, and Deku Seeds, and Link went off to find some odd jobs. By the time Link was done getting rupees, Saria had collected a few armfuls of stuff. They went in the shop and bought the shield, then headed off toward Mido, who was still blocking the way.

His reaction was more than they could have ever hoped for.

“What is that?”

“A shield.”

“Big whoop. Anyone can get a sh—sh-shield....”

Mido’s voice died in his throat for Link had just unsheathed the glimmering Kokiri Sword.

“So how about you let us by, Mido?” Saria asked sweetly.

Mido just stood there, looking at the sword.

“How did you get that?”

“None of your business,” snapped Saria’s fairy, Ellen. “C’mon, you guys, let’s go.”

So Link and Saria, grinning, pushed Mido out of the way, and headed down the path.

The journey down the path to the Great Deku Tree was a quiet one. Almost spooky. Nobody spoke until, after awhile, Navi stopped Saria, and told her this was far enough, that she and Link needed to go alone from here.

“Okay,” Saria said. “Bye, Link! And good luck!”

Looking back, perhaps years later, Saria would remember that moment as the one when her life changed forever. Changed, because after that, Link would no longer be with her, every day, to play with and care for. Link would look back on the moment too, thinking the same thing.

After awhile of walking Link said into the vast stillness, “Navi? You know, what you said, you’d been watching me my whole life?”

“Yeah?” She was worried he was going to ask her this.

“Well...why?”

Navi settled down onto Link’s shoulder. “Because,” she told him, “The Great Deku Tree told me to.”

She left it at that. It was true, after all, it just wasn’t the whole story. Navi sighed. She was worried about the Deku Tree. If he perished, the forests would be unprotected. Then what would become of the forest’s creatures? They would die, surely. What would become of her home? It would be destroyed, the first time danger got near. Then she would have no place to go. And neither would these children.

Link pondered over her answer, not aware of her brooding thoughts.

“Well, why? I mean he could have picked any kid here, couldn’t he? What was the point in picking me? You know what everybody says. The village runt, Mr. No Fairy, the kid who can’t stick up for himself.”

Navi knew then that this child was far more mature than he seemed. He had been lonely, and he was forced to grow up, at least on the inside, so he could endure it.

It seemed he had an unbreakable wall around him that only a trusted few were allowed into. The few that he thought would not hurt him. And she realized she had just been accepted into this barrier, because he had shared his worries with her. Or his thoughts, anyway, about what he thought of himself.

Obviously, he didn’t like himself at all. But, if she had anything to do with it, that was going to change.

“You’re not a runt,” Navi said quietly. “And you can stick up for yourself.” She remembered the display of swordfighting she had seen ten years ago. Link could be just as good.

“I don’t understand. Why’m I the one who’s different? What’s so special about me? I’m just....”

“Trust me, you’ll find out soon.”

“But I want to know now, not later.”

No you don’t, Navi thought to herself. And when you do find out, you’ll wish you hadn’t.

“Look, we’re here,” Navi said, more to distract him than anything else.

It worked. Link gasped. In front of him was the Deku Tree, and it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

Chapter Four: Inside the Deku Tree

Link stared up at the huge tree. There was only one way to describe it: Massive.

The tree was over fifty feet tall, its trunk must have been at least thirty feet in width. It was the only tree here, but its leaves covered almost all the light from the sky above. Similar to the Lost Woods and the Kokiri Village at night, the place was lit only with Navi’s glow and with the glow of the air itself. The tree had knots and dents in its bark that looked like a face, but other than that, it was completely smooth. The roots were three times Link’s height, at least. The tree seemed to be old and weary, but at the same time, very wise and mystical, as if it knew more than the forest itself.

Link stood on the hill before the gigantic tree, and said, very shakily, “Y-you wanted t-to see me, Great Deku Tree?”

The Deku Tree gave the impression of smiling. “Yes,” he said. “Link, I hath called thee here because ye hath a destiny. A fate, a fate greater than anyone hast ever known thus far. Thou art the chosen one. The one who will save Hyrule from the reign of peril that will soon overtake it if the force behind the evil is not stopped.”

Link frowned.

It seemed to go along with what Navi had said.

He wanted to ask questions, but had no idea where to start. Why him? What was Hyrule? The outside world? But he hadn’t ever heard of the outside world, so why did the word seem familiar? And who said he had a destiny anyway? If he did, why did the Deku Tree know?

“I...I don’t understand, Great Deku Tree.”

“Thou means to tell me you hath never wondered why I never sent thee a fairy? Sit down, Link, be at ease,” the tree said to him.

Link sat; Navi flitted onto his shoulder.

“I hath much to tell thee, but there is so little time. You see, there is a great evil within me. An evil that was put there by an enchantment, an ancient enchantment that so many hath long forgotten. A spell put on me by an evil man. I would be right in assuming thy slumber hast been disturbed these past few nights?”

Link nodded, wondering how on earth the tree could know that. There had been a fairy in his dream...he thought. Did the tree know about that too? Could he tell Link what it meant?

“Link, I need thy help. I need ye to pass this test of courage, to banish the evil within me. Thou art brave. Link, art thou ready to prove thyself? I hath need of your courage.”

Link’s eyes grew wide. “M-me? Brave? You...you can’t be serious. Me?”

“Yes. You. Thou art...the only one....” His voice sounded weak. “Link, can you do this? Art thou ready? Can thee pass this test of courage?”

Link stood up, and brushed off his pants. “Listen, I...I think you’ve got the wrong kid. I’m not brave or noble or any of that. I’m just a ordinary person. Just Mr. No Fairy.”

There it was again! Navi frowned. Mido had done more damage than he thought. A lot more damage than Link let on, except now, when he was in the company of trusted ones. She could have kicked Mido, had she been big enough.

“Link, you are far greater than you know now. I hath need of thy help. Thou art the only one who can help me...trust in thyself, and the courage inside thee will light the way....”

Link sighed deeply, closing his eyes for a brief moment. He looked at Navi. He looked at the guardian spirit of his home, in dire need of his help. Then he stared at his boots, as he thought of Saria, how happy for him she was, and he saw her smiling face and smiled a little himself, he knew she would want him to do it.

Link thought ofMido, how angry he would be that Link had gotten a chance to do something that he hadn’t, and of all his brothers and sisters in the forest, who would perish without the tree in good health....

But what did he owe his so called brothers and sisters anyway? All they had ever done, most of them, was pick on him. And he was supposed to save them and their home?

Well, it’s my home too, he thought.

It wouldn’t be easy. But there was a vast difference between right and easy.

He thought of the faith that was being put in him, his abilities. Even if they were non-existent.

Link made his choice. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I can.”

And with this, the young hero’s destiny was sealed. There was no turning back now.

“Very well,” murmured the tree. “Enter. And may the Goddesses be with thee.” Link had no idea who the Goddesses were, but he nodded, and entered the gaping hole that was the tree’s mouth.

Navi lingered behind Link. The Deku Tree had opened a telepathic connection, and he said to Navi telepathically, So, I suppose his mother was right about him after all. He is indeed the one.

Navi smiled sadly. There wasn’t ever a doubt in my mind.

***

Darkness. For a moment all Link could see was darkness. Then, as his eyes became used to the dim light, and as Navi entered the cavern with him, he was able to see. Slowly he looked around. He was in the inside of the enormous tree. Spider webs hung from the walls and ceiling, things scurried in the dark corners.

Link shivered. “So, where do I go first?”

Navi scanned the floor. Link had no choice but to follow her; she was his light.

“Well,” she said, “the evil is coming from the roots, spreading it’s way up. So we need to go down. There’s only one tiny complication.”

“What’s that?”

“This.”

Link gasped. He was standing on a gigantic web. He jumped off, but Navi laughed.

“That thing isn’t going anywhere. The only way to break it is to jump on it hard. From the top.” She was telling the truth, she just didn’t think it was such a bright idea.

“You must be kidding.”

“Sorry, but I’m serious. We need to get to the top of the tree.” Navi figured once they got to the top of the tree, there would be something there to help them out. She ran this theory past Link, and he laughed.

“You’re relying on luck with me around?”

“Yes,” Navi said defiantly.

Link looked around. “Well, okay, do we have a ladder around here anywhere?” He thought of his secret entrance to the Lost Woods. “Any vines?”

Navi looked around. “Ah, right over here. I think.” Link went over to the corner of the room, and was about to start climbing when suddenly Navi gasped.

“Stop!” the fairy screeched at him. Navi had seen something moving. She flew up to inspect it.

What Link saw by her light made him draw back in a state of disgust. It was a spider, with thin, long legs, its body covered by what looked to be a human skull. The grotesque spider was almost as big as Link was.

“Skulltulas,” Navi called the creatures. “Deadly, and ugly as sin.”

Link couldn’t have agreed more. He made his way up a rickety ladder instead, brooding. A thought came to him, and he suddenly felt a bit sick. “Navi, I don’t know how to use a sword. The best I ever did was training with a Deku Stick at the training grounds.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure you have natural ability.”

“How would you know?”

“You do,” said Navi, ignoring the question. “You’ll see, just wait.”

Link found out quickly that she spoke true. He encountered a Skulltula on the ground, and he attacked it. He did not know how he knew how to hold the sword, which direction to swing it in, but somehow he knew. It wasn’t long before he got the hang of it, and was able to fight his way to a door.

“Navi...how’d you know that I’d be able to do that? Wait, better question, how did I do that in the first place?”

What was she supposed to tell him? “It’s in your blood, because your father was the Head Knight”? Even in her head the words were not right. “Well,” she said carefully, “Everyone’s good at something, right?”

Link wasn’t quite satisfied with her answer, but he decided to let it go. For now.

Cautiously, he entered the room ahead of him. There was light in this room; torches were hanging on the walls. Something rustled in front of him. Navi flew over to it, so Link could see better. It was an odd creature, it looked like a cross between an overgrown scrub brush and a tiny tree. The “Deku Scrub,” as Navi named it, spat nuts at him, which Link broke with his sword. Every time he moved in to attack, however, it would hide.

They played this game for awhile, with Link getting more and more frustrated at the stupid thing, until he got really irritated, and just gave up. He sat down, put his shield in front of him for protection, and stared at the wall. Navi urged him to get up, but Link wouldn’t budge.

“The only possible way out is to go is past this thing, and it’s not moving anywhere any time soon, so I don’t see what I can—OUCH!” The Deku Scrub had crept back out of its hiding place, and shot another nut at Link. It had hit his shield, but Link had still felt the impact.

“That’s it,” Link growled. He got up, and was about to charge the thing, when he noticed the nut had bounced off his shield and was flying across the room. He watched in fascination as it landed on the creature’s head, and the thing fell to the floor. Navi went over to look at it.

“Out cold,” she told him.

“Cool,” Link said, grinning. He proceeded past the object of annoyance through the next door, and was immediately attacked by some freakish looking bats Navi called Keese.

Link roared in frustration. “I thought this was supposed to be a test of my courage, not my patience!” he yelled. It didn’t take him long to kill them all off, however, and the torch in the middle of the room gave off enough light so he could look around.

All the sudden he had a tingling sensation on the back of his neck. Was someone, or something, watching him? Slowly, he turned around. There were three doors. One had bars on it, and an eerie looking eye above it, another one was blocked by a web, and the third was the one that he came through in the first place. He really wished that the eye would stop staring. It was made of stone, but it was creepy all the same.

Upon Navi’s orders, Link lit a Deku Stick and carried it over to the web, almost burning himself because he was looking at the eye the whole time. After being scolded by Navi for almost turning himself into a human bonfire, Link went through the door.

Nothing jumped out to attack him when he walked through the door. He actually stood still for a second, to see if anything was waiting until he let his guard down, but it seemed that there wasn’t a soul in the room but him and Navi. There was a small wooden bridge in the center of the room, held up by weak ropes. It was suspended over a pit that had smooth walls.

Link however, did not notice the state of the ropes, and neither did Navi. He walked across the bridge, and was about halfway across when he started to feel movement under his feet.

“Uh-oh,” he said, looking at Navi, then at the ropes holding up the bridge. They were unraveling. Horror-struck, Link made a mad dash for the other side of the bridge. The second he stepped onto the other side, the ropes gave way, and the whole thing fell down to the bottom of the pit.

Navi sighed. “It just isn’t your day, is it?”

Link ignored her. It was dark in this room, so she had to go down to look for a ladder. There was none. If he jumped down, he wouldn’t be able to get back up.

Link shook his head, trying to clear it. Then he called to Navi, who had flown to the door that they’d come through to look around, “Anything over here? Some vines or something? Maybe there’s another way out.”

Navi flew back over to look, and found some vines. Link climbed up them slowly, keeping alert for any more Skulltulas.

“Y’know what?” Link said. “Maybe today is my day.”

“Why’s that?”

“I haven’t found any spiders.”

When he reached the top, he ran into something big and heavy. It was another chest, just like the one he had found the Kokiri Sword in. Maybe whatever was in it could help him get out of here. Light shone in the chest as link groped around inside. His hand closed over something small and wooden. He pulled it out, and by fairy light, saw that it was a slingshot.

Link wasn’t really sure if he should be happy or upset. Yes, he had a slingshot, but how was it supposed to get him out of here? He should fly on it?

“No,” Navi responded, having flown to the other side of the room again. She was near the ceiling. “Look,” she told him.

Link looked. Wait a second…was that a ladder? Suspended on the ceiling? What was keeping it up there?

“Another web,” Navi told him.

Link felt a certain frustration. His thoughts were the only thing Mido hadn’t been able to take from him, the only thing he could keep to himself, if he wanted. He felt as though Navi was breaking the rules, somehow.

“Don’t read my thoughts!” he said angrily.

Navi’s glow brightened; she was grinning at him again. Obviously, she didn’t realize how much it bugged him.

“How am I going to get it down?” Link asked her, changing the subject.

Navi sighed and shook her head. “Link. Load the slingshot. And don’t ask me with what, because Deku Seeds aren’t just a food, you know.”

Link glared at her, but took aim with the slingshot, loading in the seeds like he used to do with his old slingshot as a child, before Mido broke it. He was a bit rusty, but eventually, he was able to shoot down the ladder. Carefully, Link slid down into the bottom of the room and made his way toward the ladder. Testing it to make sure it was sturdy, he climbed up to where he had started from.

Link was really irritated now.

“That was completely pointless,” he grumbled to his fairy.

“No it wasn’t.”

“Yes it was.”

“No it wasn’t.”

“Yes, it was.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“It was too!”

“It was not!”

“Was too!”

“Was not!”

Silence.

“Prove it.”

“Prove what?”

“That it wasn’t pointless, duh.”

“How am I supposed to prove that?”

Link rolled his eyes. More silence.

“Well, you got a slingshot.”

Link rolled his eyes again. “So?”

“What do you mean, ‘So?’ That’s good!”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

Navi sighed. “Never mind, just come on.”

Link stood up and followed her out the door. And once again, hefelt the ever annoying sensation of being stared at.

“That does it,” he muttered. Without thinking, he took aim with his newly acquired slingshot and fired into the stone eye. To his disbelief, the eye closed. He stared at it, and blinked. The bars on the door slowly rose. What got to him was that the bars were pointed, and the bottoms of them looked reddish brown.

Link swallowed, and told himself it was only dirt, and not blood, even though he knew he wasn’t fooling anyone.

Going through the door, he found himself in a brightly lit room, full of water. There was a bridge going across, but the spiky pole on top of it made it impossible to get across in one piece. Navi, however, was once again using her powers of inspection.

Before Link could even move, she had figured out how to get across. This annoyed Link slightly; it made him feel a little dumb. It did, however, appeal to his lazy side. He hadn’t ever been extremely observant, and he was glad not to have to do all the work.

“There’s a switch down there, it’s under the water. When you push it, the pole will more than likely lift up and give you ten seconds to run across the bridge, under the pole.”

“More than likely?”

Navi smiled innocently, ignoring him. “I will be flying over the pole.”

Link glared, took a breath, and dived in.

Link had never learned to swim, at least, not underwater. He could tread water and swim on the surface just fine, but maneuvering himself underwater was something he hadn’t ever quite mastered. Something in him had kept him from asking Saria for help, because he had wanted to please her when he was younger, and he’d had too much pride when he got old enough to take care of himself. He hadn’t ever practiced alone, convinced Mido would somehow find him and drown him, or he would just mess up and drown of his own accord.

Link tried opening his eyes under the water. It wasn’t so bad, once you got used to the blurry vision. Then he tried letting go of his nose.

It turned out to be a bad move. He came up gagging and coughing.

“Something wrong?” Navi asked, with genuine concern.

“No,” Link sputtered, trying to catch his breath.

Navi looked at him closely. “Are you sure?” she asked. Then it hit her. “Wait a second...you never don’t know how to swim, do you?”

Link could feel himself getting red. “Of course I do. Who doesn’t?”

Navi shot him a glare. “Tell me the truth, or I’ll read your thoughts again.”

Link didn’t know all the rules of telepathy, so he didn’t know she could only read his surface thoughts; it wasn’t much except a good threat. But it worked.

“Look,” he told her impatiently, “I can swim above water just fine. It’s going under that’s my problem. No one ever taught me, okay? I was too embarrassed to ask Saria, and to scared to try and teach myself without someone watching, in case I messed up.”

Navi thought she heard him mutter, “As usual,” under his breath, but she wasn’t sure. She was about to ask him about it when he started talking again.

“But I’m learning now, it won’t take me long, I’m good at teaching things to myself.” He smiled at her before diving back in. He had been right. In ten minutes he was swimming like a fish, and having a great time. Navi told him impatiently, “The switch, remember?” Link looked at her. “Oh yeah.” He took a breath and went under, and pressed the switch. Up went the pole. Link swam to the edge, walked up, and ran across the bridge. Navi actually went with him, instead of flying over it. The pole started to fall, and landed with a crash on the bridge. Link jumped to safety not a second too soon. “Soooo, now what?”

“Don’t you ever want to figure it out for yourself?”

“Not really.”

She glared and indicated for him to look up.

Link did so, and saw a ladder.

“I need to start climbing?”

“Well, to steal your line, ‘Duh.’”

“No way. You said if I went up there, I’d have to jump.”

“Well, there’s probably something up there we can push, instead.”

So Link started climbing. He kept climbing. He climbed, and climbed, and climbed...and climbed...and climbed....

When he finally reached the top, he had to stop and catch his breath. When he looked around, it was dark, and he realized with a start he was near the top of the tree, in the central room. He looked down. His eyes widened. The ground looked so far away.

“Well,” Navi said, “I think it’s time to jump.”

Link stared at her. “Jump?”

Navi flew up off his shoulder to see him better. “Yeah. Jump. There isn’t anything here we can push. There’s no other way down. If we don’t jump we’ll die because if we don’t go down there the Deku Tree will die and the forest will go unprotected. And if the Deku Tree dies, we’ll be trapped inside, did you think about that?”

Numbly, Link shook his head and kicked a small pebble over the side of the ledge he was on. It fell down, down, down....

He never heard it hit the ground. He looked down again, then looked at Navi.

“There is no way in hell you are getting me off this ledge.”

“My, my, Link, watch your language.”

“No. I am not jumping. That isn’t courage, it’s suicide!”

“Link, how does a tree survive?”

Link was taken off guard by this question, but answered to the best of his ability anyway. “Um, well, it needs light and food and water, right?”

Navi nodded. “And where does the water go?”

Link looked down. “The roots. The bottom of the tree. Where the curse is,” he added in a low mutter.

Navi fluttered down onto his shoulder. “Exactly where you’re going. I’m going to stay right here, I’m not flying off, I promise.”

Link continued to look down. Words flashed through his mind.

I hath called thee here because ye hath a destiny. A fate, a fate greater than anyone hast ever known. Thou art the chosen one. Link, can you do this? Art thou ready? Can thee pass this test of courage?

Link stared down at the web he was supposed to break. He would fall that far, then even further, and hit the water with a splash. If he aimed right, and fell through the web. And if there was water down there.

Ye hath a destiny.

What if there wasn’t water down there? He might be brave, yes, but not stupid....

Afate.

Well, that meant he would go splat. No more Mr. No Fairy.

Can thee pass this test of courage?

Well, it would make Mido happy....

Link, you are far greater than you know now...trust in thyself, and the courage inside thee will light the way....

Link looked around him one last time...just in case. He didn’t look down.

He took one last long deep breath.

Then he jumped.

Chapter Five: Leaving the Forest

Link screamed in terror as he plummeted downwards. So did Navi. Her first instinct was to let go and flutter down slowly, but she had promised Link she would stay with him. She really didn’t know if there was water down there or not; but she had stated her logic to Link, and it truly was the only choice they had. She just hoped she was right. Otherwise they were both....

The darkness grew deeper. Navi clung to Link’s tunic. Link’s only thought of comfort was that Navi kept her promise. If he died, at least she was going with him. All the sudden they were surrounded by something sticky. The spider web. It slowed them only slightly, then they fell even faster. Then they hit the water.

Link had never felt so relieved in his life. His whole body stung from the impact, and he was running out of air, but he was alive. Alive.

His need for air increased every second. He wouldn’t be alive for long if he didn’t reach the surface. But before he could reach the top, his will broke and he inhaled a mouthful of murky water. He needed to cough, but that required air. All he could do was flail and kick as hard as he could. Finally, he broke the surface of the water, and he came up coughing and sputtering. But alive. Navi had been knocked off his shoulder and was now laying in the wet dirt nearby, watching Link. Her glow, compared to the dark void he had just fallen through, seemed so bright Link could barely see. Panting, he hoisted himself out of the water and lay flat on his back.

“So,” he panted, “Do I pass the test?”

Navi laughed weakly and told him, “You know, I wasn’t even sure there was water down here. It was only a guess.” She turned around to face the door in front of them, and then she froze. “Hey Link, don’t look now, but we’ve got company....”

Link turned around as well, to see not one, but three Deku Scrubs all about to shoot nuts at him. He grabbed Navi and dove back into the water.

After a second, Link stuck his head up out of the water just enough so he could speak. “Now what? I can’t kill all three of them at once!”

“Don’t worry,” Navi said. “Just take them one at a time.”

Obediently, Link got back out of the water. He repelled a nut at the scrub on the left. The thinglooked dazed for a moment, but it had no effect. He tried the one on the right. Same thing. Link was getting frustrated. He tried the one in the middle. Its reaction startled him. It turned blue and made strange sound, while the others continued to shoot nuts. Link reflected a nut at the one on the left. No good. He tried the one on the right. It too, turned blue. Link, now knowing what was going on, hit the last Scrub with its own nut. The Scrub fell over, knocked out. Then all three of them disappeared.

Link sat down, breathing heavily. He saw something sparkle on the ground. What was that? He reached down, and picked it up. It was a key. Probably the one to the door in front of them. Slowly, he stood up and approached the door.

“So,” he said, trying to make a joke out of it, “What do you think is in here? What’s going to eat us for lunch?”

Navi glared at him.

Taking her silence as an order to open the door, Link cautiously put the key in the lock and turned, anticipating what would be inside. His heart was pounding; he somehow knew he wasn’t going to like whatever was behind this door. This was the evil the Great Deku Tree had asked him to vanish. This was the real test of courage. He opened the door and went inside. Bloodstained bars came crashing down after him. He was trapped.

Link saw something move on the ceiling. It was pitch black here, with a low fog. The thing moved closer. Link looked up into a giant orange eye. He yelled in surprise and fright. This caused the creature to drop to the ground. Link backed away several steps. This monstrosity was a gigantic spider. Evil laughter rang out in the room. Link looked around wildly, trying to locate the owner of the voice. It sounded so familiar....

His heart stopped when he realized that the voice belonged to the man in his dream.

Then the voice spoke. “Well, boy, you’ve managed to get this far, but you’ll get no further. Queen Gohma could use a little snack....” The laughter, the awful laughter rang out again.

Link drew his sword, held his shield in front of him. He was going to die, like he thought would never happen....

But I am not going down without one hell of a fight! he thought furiously. If Mido couldn’t take him down, he wasn’t going to let this thing.

Before Navi could tell him to watch his language again, he was off and running, swinging his sword in every direction he could. The “Queen” was covered in a thick skin, however, and it did no good. After awhile of Link swinging and dodging, the spider walked up the wall and onto the ceiling. For a moment, Link had hoped she was retreating. But instead, she laid eggs. Tiny spiders sprouted out, and Link took them out quickly with his sword, Navi flying near them to give him light. The Queen was still on the ceiling, staring at him with her huge orange eye. He wished that eye would stop staring at him. The back of his neck was starting to tingle....

Link’s eyes widened. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? He had three seeds left. He put them all in his slingshot at once, took aim, and fired. Gohma fell to the floor, roaring in agony. Link went up to her and slashed her in the eye with his sword. Messy as it was, it got the job done. The Queen now lay lifeless before his eyes. Link, who had suffered much damage as well, passed out.

***

When Link woke up, he found himself back at the Deku Tree’s Meadow, Navi sprinkling water on his face. Slowly, Link stood up. He gasped. The Deku Tree looked gray all over, and his leaves were brown and dry; Link knew he was dying.

“I was too late....” Link said bitterly. “Too late....”

“No,” the tree murmured. “Link, thou came not a moment too soon. You see, when the spell was put on me, I was destined to die. But do not grieve for me. We have so...so little time.... Link, thou must take this stone. This is what that man wanted from me so badly that he put this spell on me. Thou must take this, and find the Princess of Destiny...let Navi guide thee. I...I am growing weak. I know thee had many questions...I am sorry I never had the time to answer them.... Please, Saria, let her care for the other object. You...take the stone...Navi...watch over him.... Good...bye....”

The Deku Tree’s leaves fell down from the branches, and in the piles of them, Link discovered a green stone, and what looked like a very large Deku Nut. Link picked them up and ran out of the Meadow, fighting tears. He had been too late...too late....

He ran into something solid. Mido. Mido took one look at Link’s face and said, “You killed him, didn’t you? Didn’t you? Well, get out! You can’t stay here! I ought to kill you myself! Get out! Get out!”

Link didn’t need telling twice. He didn’t care now if Mido killed him or the outside world did. He was sick of this. He was leaving. He got a few things, including his journal and a few things Saria had given him, took his stuff, and just left. Mido’s angry cries followed him. Link shoved past the guard going to the outside, and was soon on the bridge that connected the forest to the outside. Saria was waiting on him. She looked confused.

“Link, what happened?”

Link shook his head. “If I ever come back, I’ll tell you.” His voice was cold and unfeeling, he knew, but he was trying his best not to get upset.

Saria grabbed his arm. “Wait,” she said. “I want you to have this. I made it myself. It was going to be your birthday present...when you play it, think of me.” Saria’s voice broke then, and she started to cry. Mido’s voice got louder.

Link nodded, unable to speak. He took the Ocarina she had carved for him into his hands. Link then got out the seed that the Deku Tree wanted her to have. He gave it to her. She seemed to know what it was, even though he had no idea. Her face was now shining with tears. “So...it’s true? He’s really...gone?”

Link nodded, unable to speak.

Mido appeared in the gateway from the Kokiri Forest. “Get out!” he screamed. “Out! Out! Out!”

Link hated Mido. He hated him like hell. He would never, ever, ever, forgive Mido for this.

“Get out! Get ooooouuuuuut!”

Link hugged Saria, shot another glare at Mido, and, without another word, left his home behind him.

Chapter Six: Sneaking In

Link ran out of the forest. He had planned to run until his legs were sore, but when he reached the field, he stopped short. The sheer size of Hyrule Field was completely overwhelming. Never in his life had he seen a place so huge. He stood there so long staring at it that Navi finally caught up with him.

“Hey,” she said, “Link, are you okay?”

Link just shook his head, continuing to stare at the great plain before him, but in his mind, all he saw was Saria crying, Mido yelling, the Deku Tree, as the leaves shriveled up and died....

Then he sighed, turned back towards his home. For the first time, tears started to well in his eyes. He found it difficult to swallow. He didn’t trust his voice. Wordlessly, he brushed his arm across his eyes, and began walking. He didn’t know where he was going, and he didn’t care. Navi followed him, recognizing the path eh was taking. She knew this route well, even though it had been ten years....

Link walked for a long time, and after about an hour, he found himself in front of a huge stone wall, a drawbridge the only opening. He could hear music and talking coming from inside. It sounded like a lot of people, probably more than he had ever seen. Slowly, he made his way in, wondering if he even allowed to be here.

If Link had bothered to look up, he would have seen the majestic Hyrule Castle rising out of the hills and touching the sky. But he didn’t. All he could see was the ground, a blurry vision of green, then brown, as he walked on the bridge, and gray, and he stepped onto the stone.

His footsteps echoed across the deserted ally as he walked. Navi had hidden under his hat, not wanting to be seen. Link saw no one in the ally but a man dressed in an official looking suit. He was taken aback by how tall he was. So this is what an adult is, he thought to himself. Link heard Navi laughing from his cap, but he ignored her and walked up to the man.

Awkwardly, he said, “Excuse me sir, but, could you...uh, could you tell me where I am?”

The man looked up at the sound of Link’s voice. His eyes raked over Link once, taking in the green clothing and the small weapons, then he chuckled lightly. “You aren’t from around here, are you?” he asked.

Link shook his head.

“Well,” said the man, “This is Hyrule Castle Town, or the Market for short. If you look up there,” the man continued, indicating the castle, “I think you’ll notice Hyrule Castle, where the Royal Family lives. And where you just came from is Hyrule Field.”

Link nodded, not even glancing up from his gaze on the ground. “I just have one other question,” he asked.

The man cocked his head. “What’s that?”

Link shifted awkwardly. “Well, is everyone here so...tall?”

The man laughed again. “What’s your name, kid?”

Link had looked up, and was now staring at the huge castle. He knew he was being rude, but it was so...big.

He felt Navi jerk at his hair from under the hat, and realized the man had asked his name.

“I’m Link,” Link said, finally taking his eyes off the castle.

The man looked very startled at this for a moment, but shook his head wistfully.

Navi peeked out from Link’s hat to see the man better. She couldn’t see him too well because of the helmet...but...something about him was very familiar...what was it? Why did she feel as if she knew him? Navi tried racking her memory, but some part of her mind seemed to yell at her, Don’t go there! You can’t think about that.

She instantly put the thought out of her mind, but that didn’t work for long, because it happened again when the man told Link his name.

He smiled at Link in a friendly way. “I’m Johan,” he said.

Navi drew her breath in sharply. There it was again. That was familiar. Too familiar. But, there could have been a hundred people in the world named Johan...right?

Of course, Navi answered herself. I’m being silly. Stupid, really.

“I work here as a guard for the royal family,” Johan continued, unaware of Navi’s thoughts, or, indeed, Navi herself. “Listen, Link, you seem a little lost. Do you have a place to stay?”

Link shook his head.

“Well, you can stay at the inn I run, if you want to. It’s right over there, dirt cheap and clean, for travelers like you.”

Link shook his head again. His eyes dropped back to the ground. He didn’t have any money.

Johan, seeing what the problem was, offered, “You can stay for free if you need to. I’d really hate to see a kid as young as you out on the streets at night, they’re really cracking down on vagrancy.”

Link looked up and smiled. “I can stay for free?”

Johan nodded. There was something about this boy. But maybe he was imagining things. Of course, the eyes looked the same...the bright blue eyes looked exactly the same.

“Great!” Link said, a smile breaking over his face again. “Thanks a lot, sir.”

Johan laughed. “Don’t call me sir, it makes me feel my age. Just Johan is fine.”

Maybe I’m in my thirties, but I’m not old yet, Johan thought wryly.

Link nodded. “Thanks, Johan. By the way, do you know how I can get into the castle? You said a princess lives there, and, well, I sorta have orders to find her.”

Johan shook his head. “That place is so guarded they inspect the birds that fly by. Why do you need to see her? Who do you have orders from?” Who could a child his age be working for?

Link looked around. No one was listening, but it made him uneasy all the same. Timidly he said, “Can I tell you later? It’s not supposed to be going around, you know? I mean...well, it’s just not anything I can say in the middle of the street. I’ll tell you when I get back, okay?”

There was something funny about this man. Link knew without a doubt he could trust him...yet they had never met. All his life had been spent in the forest. All of it.

Johan nodded. “Sure. Good luck.”

Link grinned at him, thanked him again, and walked off. He was not aware that Johan watched him out of sight, wondering.Link had to hold back a gasp when he got to the Market. The noise was incredible. People moved around and talked, each louder than the next, trying to be heard. They bickered over prices and squabbled over items for sale, and they carried crying children and pets. There were even a few cuccos roaming around. The smells were unthinkable. People baked all kinds of exotic food. At least, it was exotic to Link, who had lived on nuts and berries and occasional fish or other small animals. And all the people...the crowd was huge. Surely, with so many people, so many tall people, it had a mind of its own. They all bustled around so fast it made Link’s head spin; it looked like a multicolored river of people.

Everything was so colorful, it all looked like a big blur. Not to mention Link was so used to seeing the earthy colors in the forest that the square seemed to give off its own light simply because of the new colors that had been so rare until then. There were no trees hiding the sun here as they did in the forest, and Link could see actual sky; the light filtering down through the clouds above made him squint. Everything was so big, so new.

Link, however, continued to make his way toward Hyrule Castle, deciding he could see all of this later. It took a lot of self control, but he managed to pull himself away. He conversed with Navi quietly, trying not to move his lips, and she told him which path lead to the castle.

Funny, she seemed to know her way around. Had she been here before?

When Link got up so far along the path to the castle, the ground started to take over the stone streets, and the terrain grew a little rocky. The ground steeped on either side of him, as if someone had dug out this path with a giant shovel.

It took awhile, but finally, Navi came out from under his hat. “Well,” she said, “I think we’re going to have to sneak past the guards.”

Link nodded, determined to carry out the Deku Tree’s request. He’d find this princess, just like he’d been told to, if it was the last thing he did.

Link walked up to the gate, and, not paying attention to where he was going because he was so busy staring at the massive castle, bumped into a girl.

“Oof—oh, sorry—” Link said, as he ran into her.

“Ouch—” The girl fell down, but she got up again quickly. She seemed used to cuts and scrapes. “Oh!” she gasped. “I’m sorry, I should’ve been watching where I was going.” She smiled at him.

Upon closer inspection, Link could see that the girl was probably a little younger than he was, but not by much. She had flaming red hair, and bright blue eyes, almost like his. They were so much like his that he started when she looked at him.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m Malon, from the ranch in Hyrule Field. Is that a fairy?” she added interestedly.

Navi had tried to duck behind Link, but it was too late. Link was surprised at her bluntness, but he nodded.

“Yeah, she is,” he said.

Malon studied him, thinking. “Hey, would you do me a favor? My dad’s in the castle, delivering milk. He probably...well, fell asleep. You look like you’re headed that way, since there’s no where else to go from here.” She grinned. “I’m pretty sure you plan on sneaking by the guards.” Seeing the look on his face, she added, “People do it all the time, it’s a running dare. No one’s ever gotten too far in, though, because security tightens every time someone gets caught. You won’t make it past the moat unless you’re a really good sneak. Anyway, if you find my dad, Talon, would you tell him I said to come home, fairy boy?”

Link’s immediate reaction was to think, I’m fairy boy?

It was a nice change from his old name.

But thinking about the past made his heart ache, so he nodded at Malon, and said, “Sure I will,” and set off on his way, Navi trailing behind. He could hear Malon singing to herself as he went. She had a very nice voice.Eventually, after scanning the walls around the path, he found some vines to climb. Link was an expert at this, since he had years of experience, what with going in and out of the Lost Woods day and night, and scaled the wall silently and quickly. He then crossed over a large stone gate, and went back down on the path. He cut behind trees until he reached what looked like the moat. He was a much better sneak than he thought.

“Either that, or those guards are the biggest idiots I’ve ever seen....” he thought out loud.

Navi laughed. Link looked down into the water of the moat, and, deciding there was no other way, dived in. The current was stronger than he thought. In almost no time flat he was being pushed up against a metal grate.

He was running out of air fast, and for a second he was sure he was going to die, but then a strong arm lifted him out of the water. Link coughed and sputtered. The man attached to the arm was big and burly and a little chubby, too. He was balding, with the only hair on his face being his stubbly brown beard and bushy moustache. Link gratefully thanked the man for saving him. The man laughed.

“This here ball of light woke me up. And I couldn’t just let you drown. My name’s Talon, owner of Lon Lon Ranch.”

He shook Link’s hand.

“Hey, your daughter’s Malon, right?” Link asked, and Talon nodded. “She’s looking for you. She’s in the Market.”

Talon’s eyes grew wide. “Uh oh...I left her by herself. Thanks for wakin’ me up.” He walked away quickly, muttering distractedly to himself.

Link shrugged. He had barely gotten a good look at the man. He sat down and gazed at the sky. His gaze wandered from the sky to the trees to the castle and back to the sky again. Then he spied a small hole in the castle wall. He wondered if he could squeeze through it.

“Sure,” Navi told him, picking up on his thoughts again.

Link glared, but he hopped across to the other side of the moat and landed near the hole. Wriggling through, he found himself in a garden unlike one he had ever seen.

***

Princess Zelda sat in her courtyard, looking through the window at Gannondorf. She wondered what he was up to now. Lately—it had been almost six months, hadn’t it?—lately, she just wasn’t herself anymore. She was inconsiderate and rude. She no longer terrorized the cooks, she ordered them around like a complete brat. She hated it, what this was doing to her. She couldn’t blame anyone but herself, but really...it had to do with Ganondorf too. Why wouldn’t he just go away? What did he want so much?

She sighed, and continued to stare out the window.

***

Link made his way past the first guards patrolling around the hedges, and quickly passed through several more flower beds. He wondered how long it would take to find this girl, and what she would be like. He knocked out the guards as he went by.

***

Zelda got up, went over to the edge of the courtyard where there was a tiny moat, and stuck her feet in, after pulling off her shoes. The water felt cool and soothing. Maybe all she needed was to relax. She was only ten, after all...maybe she just needed to kill the pressure. If she didn’t, she might start being mean to Impa, too. Then she would really be alone. She didn’t want that.

She already felt alone enough.

***

Link finally came to a stone archway. Silently he creeped his way in, hoping this princess was in there. If she wasn’t, and he found more guards, he was going to find someone else for this job.

They had all been right, he decided. The security around here was unreasonable. That may have been due to the guards; they failed to notice Link sneaking by, even at a few paces away. No wonder people did this as a prank.

***

Zelda stared up into the sky, letting her mind wander. She wished Impa would get back soon. She’d had to leave for some legal business, but it didn’t make being without her any more pleasant. Zelda was growing to depend on Impa more and more.

Without her, Zelda thought, I’d be lost.

Zelda looked back at the window and saw Ganondorf staring at her from the window, in that awful way he did, as if she were some annoying insect he longed to stomp on and destroy. As far as Zelda and Impa could determine, Ganondorf knew that Zelda had long ago caught onto him, and for that reason, he hated her.

She stood up and backed out of the courtyard. She kept backing up long after he smirked at her and left. He scared her so much...and even after he left, the mere memory of him left that terrible, awful cold, that crept up and down her arms, chilled her to the bone....

***

Link backed into the stone archway, looking for anyone following him. He didn’t realize what a dumb move this was until he ran into someone behind him.