A light wind blew across the lush, green, thriving kingdom of Hyrule. Its fair princess, Zelda, stood on her balcony.
"Father never lets me go out without one guard!" Zelda said, slightly annoyed.
"It's for a valid reason, Zelda," a voice said. Zelda immediately recognized the voice as her father's. She turned to face him.
"I know, but-!"
"I know how much you wish to be like any other commoner girl, but you are royalty, so I will not allow you to go out alone! I want to make sure you are kept safe!" her father said.
"Of course, father. I understand…" Zelda said before she walked away sadly.
"There must be a way…!" the king whispered under his breath. He walked away.
Zelda sat in the garden of the castle, looking at her reflection.
"Sometimes…" she thought to herself, "I wish I weren't a princess!" she finished as she slapped her reflection in the water.
"Your highness," a voice said, "your father wishes to speak to you!"
"Alright," Zelda said as she got up and strode away, unaware of the piercing red eyes in the shadows. Zelda approached her father.
"Hello, daddy!" Zelda said.
"I have come to the conclusion that there is a way for me to send you out protected while feeling comfortable!" the king said.
"Really?!" Zelda said excitedly.
"Yes. We must depart for Lynna Village!" the king said.
"Great!" Zelda said as she ran outside.
"Impa! Get two knights to accompany us!" the king ordered.
"As you wish, your majesty," Impa said. Impa left the throne room and came back a few minutes later with two knights.
"Thank you, Impa!" the king said.
"Anytime, your majesty," Impa said. The king left with the two guards following him.
"I do hope she hasn't gotten too far ahead of us. That could be bad," the king said.
Zelda continued running down the path to Lynna Village, unaware of the same pair of piercing red eyes watching her from the shadows.
"I can't believe she's actually out here alone!" the voice of the red eyes said.
"Should we strike, Kayran?" another voice said. This one had yellow eyes.
"Let's wait! I get the feeling we'll regret it if we strike right- oh yep! Here comes King Daphnes and two knights!" Kayran said.
"Daughter! Wait up!" Daphnes said as he walked as quickly as possible to catch up.
"Sorry, daddy! I just really want to feel comfortable being guarded while out here!" Zelda said with a smile on her face.
"Well you will probably get injured if you keep running with your current clothes," Daphnes responded playfully. Zelda turned and started walking alongside her father. A small bird landed on Zelda's right shoulder.
"Oh! Look at this little guy!" Zelda said as she held up her left index finger, allowing the bird to perch on her finger.
"What is it with princesses and having a way with nature?" Daphnes asked.
"We do not know, your majesty," one of the guards said.
"It was a rhetorical question," Daphnes said.
"Aye," the guard responded. They continued walking until they arrived at Lynna village. Daphnes sighed deeply.
"Zelda. If I let you explore the village on your own, do you swear upon Hylia that you will stay safe?" Daphnes asked. Zelda gasped joyfully.
"Yes! Yes yes yes!" Zelda said. She ran off.
"Did she not remember anything from that short conversation a few minutes ago?" Daphnes said.
"This feels so nice! To feel like I'm just another girl in the kingdom!" Zelda said as she walked through the village. She saw an opening into the beach. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching and left the village.
"This is when we strike!" Kayran said. He slipped as quietly out of the shadows of the bushes as possible. He snuck up behind the little girl, and clapped his hand over her mouth. He pulled her back into the bushes and sat down.
"What do we do now?!" the other man said urgently. Zelda was frantically struggling within the thief's grasp. Kayran pulled out a small dagger and showed Zelda it.
"Now if you don't scream, then I'll let you go. However, if you scream, then I'll be forced to use this, understand, princess?!" Kayran said. Zelda nodded. Kayran released his hand from the girl's mouth.
"What do you plan to do with me?" Zelda whispered.
"Not right now, my dear…" Kayran said dismissively.
"Please tell me!" Zelda said.
"You're a princess. Take one guess!" Kayran said impatiently. Zelda sighed.
"Ransom?" Zelda assumed. Kayran nodded.
"Come on. We're going to our hideout," Kayran said as he got to his feet.
"Come on, princess," the other man said. Zelda followed them through the forest of trees and bushes, hoping that her father would send the guards to look for her.