CHAPTER 1

HYRULE CASTLE

Princess Zelda sighed as she gazed out her bedroom window. The sun shone brightly in the land of Hyrule, and all was good. Still… as a young woman, no matter how regal, she yearned for excitement and a purpose. As the princess of Hyrule, she had many duties. Something that wasn't one of them was staving off boredom, however, that seemed to be her most consistent activity.

Her father, King Daphnes, was a very strict man. He never allowed her to mingle with any of the common rabble, for he knew she would find a young man, and didn't want her to sully the royal name. He believed in keeping the bloodline pure royalty, and because of his kingly title, his personal beliefs were held as law. Zelda hated it. She wanted to meet someone. It was unnatural for a girl of her age to be rotting away behind closed doors, she knew it wasn't right. However, word of god is word of god, she had no choice but to bend to the will of her father.

She spent her days inside the castle, reading of Hyrule's rich history. Her favorite story was that of over a thousand years prior, a story of the Hero of Time. Legend states that a Kokiri boy dressed in green saved the whole world from the perils of the Gerudo King: Ganondorf. His heroic actions were never forgotten, but he was never seen again after the events that transpired. Hyrule was left with so much gratitude to give, but no one man could accept it. No man except him. It's still a mystery to where that wonderful hero got off to, but wherever it was, hopefully it wasn't terminal to his health.

Too much time has passed since then, and the world is still prospering. Perhaps Ganon was sealed for good… although, Zelda had been experiencing night terrors as of late. Daphnes and his men feared the worst. The staffing of guards around the Temple of Time was doubled over the last month. Though Daphnes and Zelda both were frightened of what might be on the horizon, they trusted in the Goddesses' power, wisdom, and courage. The Triforce would protect them in times of need. Besides, legend has it that when Hyrule is faced with near overwhelming odds, the hero dressed in green returns to defeat his foe once again. Although there was slight panic, there could be no serious worries.

"Make sure to mop up the rest of the mess, boy!" Tyreece yelled. Lance groaned and took to the stable that housed the cows. Another one soiled the floor once again. He was grateful for the work, but he wished Lon Lon Ranch was a nicer place to be. It smelled like manure and there were WAY too many cuccos.

Ringo, his snobby co-worker who mainly oversaw the cattle, sneered at Lance as he came into take care of the ten pound dung pile. He hated that mustache-toting milk-drinker. A sorry excuse for a farmhand and a lousy mistake of a man. Maybe he was a little too harsh on him, but it was okay because the feeling of disdain was mutual.

"Better get scrubbing if you wanna be in bed before midnight." Ringo quipped, his glossy facial hair twinging with the feeling of cleverness. Lance muttered a curse under his breath and continued to work. Being non-confrontational was the best way to avoid him. Ringo didn't enjoy being ignored, but he left him alone and continued his previous task of feeding the cows.

Halfway through Lance's excremental elimination, Tyreece called him from the horse field. "Get down here, boy! I need a favor of you!" The stable boy quickly handed off the grunt work to Ringo, and bolted to the fenced in area.

"What do you need of me?" Lance asked, enthusiastic about possibly working with the horses. Tyreece smiled. He recognized Lance as a man after his own heart, a horse-lover. He noticed him working with a wild pony outside the ranch, and knew he had found his new recruit. "I need you to take Epona to Castle Town for trade. Do you think you can handle that?" Tyreece asked, unsure if the boy was truly ready for a job that would affect their finances. Lance nodded vigorously. "Of course, sir! When should I leave?" He asked. Tyreece threw a saddle on the young steed and turned back to his employee. "You can leave now, you'll have to stay overnight in an inn, though. You'll lose your ride. I'll pick you up tomorrow, I have business there."

Lance approached Epona, she was just as beautiful as the day he first saw her. Of all the horse at the ranch, she was his favorite. They had a natural affinity for each other it seemed. He patted her side and the gentle beast let out a whinney. He jumped on Epona's back, and gripped her snow-white mane. "Hyah!" He shouted as he set out on his journey. Little did he know, he would never return to Lon Lon Ranch.