Chapter 1: The Beginning

She ran by him in the hall and he stopped in his tracks. Her bronze-colored hair whipped by and he caught the scent of rain. Dark blinked several times and clung to the darkness, trying to remember her name.

"Zelda…" It came out of the depths of his brain, the name of the princess, whose mother he had been stalking. Nothing out of the ordinary for the shadow, considering he had been sabotaging and assassinating those in wealthy positions for months. All he wanted was to wreak as much havoc to Hyrule as he could, and if he had to play dirty to accomplish that, then he would. He simply had to melt into the shadows, no matter their size, to steal himself from searching eyes. He planned to kill the mother, but the daughter… He would not touch her. He COULD NOT touch her.

She was different.

Deep down in his rotted heart, he knew he was afraid of her power. The princess was so full of light, and so much insight, what with her prophetic dreams and connection to the deities and such. She was like a pure wind that blows before rain, free and beautiful in so many ways, with the ability to move and change her surroundings…

Dark shook the musings from his mind. "Since when did you become a poet?" He thought, ever the cynic. There was no reason for her to mean anything at all besides an obstacle to conquer.

o.o.o.o.o

After moving shadow by shadow down the hall, Dark arrived at the throne room. The room where the queen sat high and mighty in her glorious perch, with her crown of gold and jewels and clothing of silk, velvet, and fur. What right did any family have to rule over all others? Thousands of generations ago, this family took the title of royalty, and why? Why did any family get to decide what all the rest should do?

"That's why I'm here," Dark thought. To rid the world of this ruler, however benevolent, would cause the anarchy to begin. Chaos will reign, people will die, and the buildings will fall… It will be beautiful. He permitted a malicious smile to dance over his lips as he prepared to enter the room in the most discreet way possible.

Just then a hand appeared on his shoulder. That shoulder felt like it was burning, and angry, he turned to see whoever it was, only to come face to face with the princess. He sucked in his breath through his teeth, beyond aggravated.

"What do you want, girl? Tell me before I hurt you!" Not his best threat, but he was under pressure. Literally. For some reason he felt the need to whisper. He unsheathed his black sword with satisfactory stealth.

"You will not hurt me, Dark Link." She smiled at him. "So please do not hurt my mother. There are so many people who would lament her passing."

Dark was taken aback. Who did she think she was? He scowled. "What makes you think I'll listen to a spoiled child?"

"I am not certain. I just wish to prevent this heinous crime." She grabbed his wrist. She was already 18, but her innocence was astounding. "Tch! Naïve, petty child. I am generations older than her in spirit if not in body, and yet she feels she has authority over me because of some royal title!" Dark thought.

Aloud, he questioned, "How can you detect shadows? What are you?"

"I am… just Zelda." She giggled and the sound sent a shiver up his spine. It grated on his ears like metal scratching metal. How she could manage such a thing as laughter amidst the gravity of this predicament, he didn't know.

Dark was done conversing.

"Unhand me, disgusting child! With one slash of this sword you could have the same fate that your mother will: dying at my feet in a pool of blood!"

Zelda gasped and tightened her grip. "I did not wish to do this, but you leave me no choice." The girl called for guards, who promptly came running. Dark's mind stirred to a frenzy as he tried to blend into the shadows again, but somehow he was unable to while in her hold. The guards arrived, and seeing no escape, he panicked. With a nod from the princess, they moved forward. He hissed at them and screamed when they bound his wrists with metal shackles, resisting with all his might. His work couldn't come to this! He had tried so hard to get this far, and he was so close to his goal but then…

"ZELDA!" Dark shouted her name like a curse, and she just looked at him with sympathy. He didn't want her pity, he wanted her blood.

AN: Hello everyone! After years of silence, I finally decided to come back and submit something I've been working on since I got this account. This fanfiction is near and dear to my heart, and the only one that I continue to be proud of. I'll strive to post a chapter a week, but no promises. It is a complete story though, I'm just going through the process of transferring it from one device to another. Well anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Reviews are nice but not necessary :)