Note: Alright, let me put a few fears to rest (I know how things are generally here on FF). This is NOT a LinkXOC fic so no worries. This was inspired by a dream I had while playing Twilight Princess. This may or may not end up related to that specific game in the Zelda series…but that game is my most recent inspiration. I plan to keep tradition and place key elements in this fic.

And I know that OC fics are not popular. There is a very slim chance of romance in this story and that takes points away from it too. Also, this is my first visit to the Zelda section so feel free to point out any errors or give any feedback (ideas and such). Please, please be nice.

Legend of Zelda: Lily's Quest

Opening one eye at a time, Lily sluggishly greeted the dozen fairies hovering over her bed. For as long as she could remember, upon waking there were always one or two fairies dancing above her to welcome the morning. Never more than three. Fairies always flocked around her. When others were around, the fairies would rest in hiding; always nearby. But only a few. Never so many.

Ever the optimist, Lily opted to ignore the terrible building anxiety at witnessing so many of the small creatures around her. It simply wasn't in her nature to worry. A good thing too since her natural attitude fit quite well with the Gypsies.

She sighed as she sat up; rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Dawn had only just peaked a thin line over the horizon but the day called to her. Recalling the plans Johnas Fray had divulged the night before she was propelled to dress in a hurry.

"Today is the day!" she thought as she dressed. "Today I'll finally see Hyrule Castle!"

Excitement motivated her as she wiggled the dress over her head. Two days ago, on her sixteenth birthday, she had been made an official Gypsy. The status change had been both welcomed and dreaded. She now had all the privileges but her tom-boy ways had to cease. She had to live to their code – not her own.

The pale pink layers only enhanced her own pale tone. Gypsies were naturally tan, but being an orphan it was evident she was not a Gypsy by blood. It didn't matter to her. Auntie loved her, the others accepted her and she had a place she belonged. Orphan or not, this life was her home…even if home traveled from place to place.

"Lily, Lily, Lily," the smallest fairy chanted.

Lily pulled the top of her brown hair back, securing it with a pink ribbon to match her dancing dress. Brushing the length, she did her best to tame her long hair which trailed to her waist.

"Qui, qui, qui," she counter-chanted. Her knowledge of ancient fairy language was limited but adequate. 'Qui' meant 'what'.

"There's an imbalance."

"To the East."

"To the West."

"The South."

"The North."

Lily directed her brilliant green eyes to each fairy as they spoke. She squatted at the trunk by her bed, never redirecting her attention from her small friends.

"He wants all three."

"Such is what Mother warned."

Lily had wrapped her shawl around both exposed shoulders and had just begun to pluck the small bells and jingles out when she paused. Mother…the fairies were frantic and Mother knew why.

This wasn't good.

In all the world there were four Great Fairies to whom the other fairies called 'Mother'. If a fairy didn't specify which 'Mother' then she meant the closest one. At the moment, Lily's camp was in the east. The Eastern Fairy was the guardian of nature. Her wisdom was earth bound and plentiful on past, current and even foreseen events.

Lily had been to the Eastern Fairy once. She had questions but found no answers. The Eastern Fairy had assured her that in time she would understand. That had been four years ago and though Lily was flustered, she had no choice but to accept that answer. A fairy never lies so she would just have to wait.

She dropped the bells back into place and stood. Instinctively she fingered the pendant she never took off. The pendant was diamond shaped and cast in silver. On one side was the emblem of Hyrule and the other side, the one she always kept against her skin, was her name. It was the only clue she had as to where she had come from.

"What does Mother know?" Lily asked directing the question to all of them. Speaking to only one was pointless. What one fairy knew, they all knew.

"Come see Mother."

"Mother will tell you."

A dreadful excitement festered in her. The Eastern Fairy had said she would call her when the time was right. The anxiety to follow only heightened her awareness. The camp was quiet. No one would wake for another hour – maybe more. The Gypsies of Hyrule preferred the night life over early morning wake up calls.

"See Mother? Me?" "Is it time? Will she answer my questions now?"

In a rush, Lily darted for the door. Delayed reflexes allowed her to come to a full stop only after parting the curtain door. Fingers twisted in the heavy canvas and twitched slightly.

Auntie had worked so hard to make a Gypsy out of her. She never faltered faith that the child she found drifting down stream in a wicker basket would one day be a star. A Gypsy female's goal in life was to be a top performer. When Lily had shown an aptitude for the lute and dance, Auntie was thrilled.

Auntie and the other Gypsies never dwelled on her appearance as a short coming for her talent. They were tan and she a pale hue. Their ears were round and her ears were pointed. Their black hair, dark as night, made her dusty brown stand out. To accommodate their appearance were large round brown, red or dark blue eyes. Her eyes were oval and a rich forest green with small blue freckles here and there.

Despite being the opposite of them in almost every physical way, she was a Gypsy. Her talents and attitude toward life bonded her to the pack.

If she left now, then Auntie would find her gone and be heart broken. Not only that, but today they were performing in Hyrule Castle. She had always wanted to see the castle, maybe find out why their royal seal was on a pendant found with her as a baby, and now she had the chance. They were to perform for the King himself. Now that she was a full member and old enough to perform, she was allowed to go.

"To see Mother you need to go by horse."

The small voice snapped her from her daze.

"No dress! No good for riding."

Lily blinked at their persistence. She didn't have a horse and she wasn't about to steal one from the camp. She could ride but wouldn't take one unless it was a dire emergency. She decided silently to go by foot.

Fairies buzzed and jingled around her head. If she hadn't become accustom to their constant twirling, she would have been dizzy. Nodding, she set to changing her clothes.

It was only three days ago she had her last practice with Zoagoa. Zoagoa was head of scouting and defense. It isn't common place for a female to be a hunter or fighter – not only in the camp but also over the globe. When Lily had first shown an interest, Zoagoa had tried to discourage her. After constant nagging, Zoagoa figured the only way to flatten her desire was to prove it work too hard for her to handle. Instead, she proved she had raw talent.

To her, moving with a sword or bow was much like dancing with a partner. Learn your partner/opponent, read your partner/opponent, react to your partner/opponent…that easy.

Zoagoa couldn't pass the chance to train her. Johnas Fray (leader of the Gypsies) only allowed it since Zoagoa was his nephew and if anything bad came from it he would blame it on Lily's foreign blood.

She hadn't stowed her training gear yet. Lifting the lid on the trunk, she hastily dug under two dresses. After retrieving the worn cattle-skin pants, light cotton shirt and accessories (belt, boots, pouches and gloves); she dressed in short order.

It had taken her less time than she anticipated and the cool shadowy morning meet her alone. No one else was awake yet. She motioned to the nearest fairy. "Lead the way."

She still couldn't believe she was giving up the chance to see the castle. The urgency of the fairies mixed with an unaware premonitory tug lead her away from the camp and the castle.

She was leaving the Gypsies. She tried to convince herself that it was only for a short time, but some how she knew it would be a very long time before she saw them again. The though saddened her but she couldn't stop. Some force had caught her and she was trapped in the current.

The fairies lead her to the edge of the camp and to her surprise a horse awaited her arrival. Her main was snow white against her light tan hide. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed the wind. Lily was stunned. It was the most beautiful horse she had ever seen.

The horse huffed and reared up slightly. Her head bobbed in an approving manner. On all fours once more, the horse stepped up to Lily and flared her nostrils again. Satisfied with the girl, the horse nudged her lightly.

Lily smiled as she patted the horse's nose. Somewhere in the back of her mind a memory teased her. Something about the horse was familiar though she was sure she has had never seen the animal before.

"Now, ride."

"Horse knows the way to Mother."

Lily wasted no time mounting the horse. The saddle was comfortable but strong. The reins were worn but far from frayed. This horse had an owner who rode her regularly and took care of her. All this was evident in the way she ran across the open field.

Leaving the mystery of the missing horse owner, Lily's thoughts turned to the home at her back. She didn't trust herself to look behind her. Her heart ached that she might never return home. She quickly set to pushing the paranoia away.

"I will come back. I will be a true Gypsy that will bring honor to my tribe. I won't leave Auntie alone."

Her thoughts ran loops as the sun slowly ascended. About the time Auntie would discover Lily missing, the horse stopped at the mouth of a cave. Lily stared long and hard into the mirky darkness. Shifting her weight, she prepared to dismount; but the horse jolted gently forward.

Lily straightened and patted the horse. "Thanks, girl." If the horse hadn't been intelligent enough to move as she had, Lily would have fallen off.

It was uncommon for a horse to trot into a cave. Lily found she couldn't put any effort into interpreting the horse's actions. Her mind was filled with fragmented ideas of why she was called to the Eastern Fairy's fountain. Fairies rarely interacted with anyone or anything outside of the fairy family.

Fairies darted to and fro, offering soft light to see by. Only a few yards from the entrance the soft dirt floor changed to hard tile. Stone and dirt walls gave way to smooth colorless brick. Lily had last been here years ago. This was the home of the Eastern Fairy. She had only been to see the Eastern Fairy once, but the event had resided in her permanent memory. Riding the horse made the route easy, though still long. She was sure the sun had risen just over the fields by the time she reached the fountain.

The horse only stopped when she reached the water's edge. Dismounting, Lily waited patiently beside the horse.

The wait was short. In a mist and light, the Eastern Fair appeared – hovering above the water's center. Radiant and beautiful were the only words Lily could compare to her; though they did her little to no justice.

"Lily," she announced. If sounds were smells then her voice would be the sweetest thing Lily had ever inhaled.

Lily bowed respectfully.

"And Epona." The Eastern Fairy drifted closer. "You have done will to bring her here."

"The horse's name is Epona?" Lily trembled. That name and the horse…her memory flooded back to her. She had heard the name and description. She knew the story of what had transpired only a year ago. But it just wasn't possible.

"Epona? You can't mean she's the same horse!?" She gasped at the Fairy who was petting the animal.

The Great Fairy simply nodded.

Lily drew in a heavy breath; still doubtful. "She's Link's horse? The Link?"

Again the Great Fairy nodded majestically. "So you have heard of him, child?"

"Y-yes I have," Lily stuttered still not believing any of this. "But Link is the captain of the guards in Hyrule. Why is his horse not with him?"

Shock riddled her. She was supposed to go to Hyrule. She had hoped to meet Link in person. Everyone wanted to meet him – he did, after all, defeat Ganon and save the kingdom. She was curious. He had been orphaned and had grown up in a small village but still became a hero. And he was her age. She had dreamed of meeting him since she heard the stories. A boy her age – a farm boy her age becoming hero. It was legend and she wanted only to see it in person. After hearing the tale she often fell alseep wondering what kind of person he was, and what a true hero was like.

And the Princess. Lily had wanted to meet the Princess even more than she wanted to meet Link.

"But if his horse is here, then where is he? Had something happened?"

A subtle expression of melancholy on the Eastern Fairy's face confirmed her suspicions. "Ganon is not dead and seeks revenge."

Lily blinked. This all felt surreal. Why was the Great Fairy telling this to her of all people? She was nothing more than an orphan raised by the Gypsies. And where was Link? What kind of hero was he? Did he feel that he had done his part and wanted no more of it? Or was he…

"Link is alive but incapacitated," the Fairy spoke as if reading her mind.

"Alright," Lily responded slowly. "But why tell me?"

"It is up to you to find a way to release Link."

Lily froze. Why her? She wasn't a hero. She wasn't even a hunter. Society frowned on girls who acted out of place and she already treaded the edge. She'd learned to hunt and fight but had never actually done it. There was a difference between learning and experience. A big difference.

"I'm sorry," her voice nearly squeaked. "Isn't there someone else…someone better suited for this?"

"I fear not." The Great Fairy spoke in such a neutral and sweet voice that it chilled Lily further.

"Why me?"

"You will learn that answer as you go. I can say no more, but it is in your blood."

"My…blood?"

"To be a hero."

A fairy never lies. It's not that they like honesty. They can't lie – plain and simple. But if it was in her blood to be a hero, she sure didn't feel much like one.

"Take Epona. She knows the first task you must accomplish."

Lily wanted to ask questions and protest, but the Great Fairy had vanished. Where she had once stood rested a chest.

"Open, Lily, open," the fairies pleaded in unison.

"More chest to follow."

"Mother has placed them for you."

Lily moved but didn't feel the motion. She was numb from fear and a reluctant belief. She lifted the lid and inside found an outfit, a sword and accessories. Inside the privacy of the Eastern Fairy's temple, she changed. Her training outfit was placed in the chest as she donned her new attire.

A purple tunic draped under a belt and reached midway to her knees; leaving her shoulders bare with sleeves slit at the top and covering her upper arm. Soft tan leggings gave her better flexibility than any training pants around. The ends of them stretched half way down her calf but she rolled them up above her knee. High boots of soft suede replaced her worn pair. Arm guards clamped securely over the fingerless gloves, providing an effective means to block a fair number of attacks.

When she was done, various fairies set to adding the final touches. Her pink ribbon was replaced with a matching purple one and a head band. One fairy produced a pair of slave-earrings (each consisted of two hoops and a chain connecting them) stating that it was blessed to help protect the wearer from curses. Her pendant was pulled to her throat and hidden behind a chocker of soft purple cloth. The fairy responsible for hiding the pendant promised Lily it was for the better that it not be seen.

When she reached to retrieve the sword, she noticed there were two swords instead of just one. She lifted one in each hand and found then tailored to her personally. They weighed perfect for her to both wield and inflict damage. During the fairy's help, two sheaths had been added to her belt – one on each hip.

She slid the swords into place one at a time and shifted her weight from side to side. The outfit could have been tailored to her specifically. It probably had been but for what purpose she would have to find out.

Satisfied that everything was in place, she mounted Epona.

"Alright, girl…for better or for worse here we go."

She let the horse take her out of the cave and further away from her camp.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-()-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Blue's Afterthoughts: If you want to see a picture of Lily, I have drawn one on my DA site. I've added the link to my user page, but if you read the description let me warn you: it contains spoilers. I haven't really explained why Lily was chosen and won't in this fic until she finds out herself so if you read the description to the picture then that twist will be ruined. So, read it at your own risk.

Also, the Gypsies are something I'm winging as I write and is somewhat based on actual gypsies and somewhat on my own imagination. I do not intend to offend anyone so please don't take any of it personally. Also, if there is a slim chance that someone likes this, I must warn you that I can not promise updates. They go by inspiration and I'm currently trying to finish other fics (long overdue) among other things. So if you like it please give me some ideas to keep me rolling.