A/N: Okay, so I'm sure everyone and their moms have done this, but I wanted to too. So there. Anyway, it's basically another retelling of Ocarina of Time in story format, complete with angst, character history, romance, etc. Woot. And Link talks. And it's from more than one POV. I guess. Will eventually become Link x Zelda; Ganondorf x Nabooru is introduced in Chapter Five.

This is the prologue… granted, it's pretty crappy (and really short; the next chapters will be much longer), but all I want to do is write stuff about Link angsting. Um… yeah. Cough. Oo;; Enjoy?

Oh yeah, the italicized hyphen dialogue is a different speaker than the normal hyphen dialogue. You'll get it. I hope. Xx

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Prologue

Rain.

Pounding on her face, her body, her horse. Relentless.

But at least it hid her from the things that sought to pursue her.

A thin wail, rising from beneath the folds of her clothing. "Hush," she whispered to it, kicking the flanks of the horse in the process. "A few more miles, and we'll stop, I promise."

She hated them for making her do this. For making her flee Hyrule like a common renegade. Given her upbringing, it made her feel dirty inside, but to flee was her only choice.

Well, that, or death.

Another wail. "Soon," she cooed, "soon." Too dangerous to stop now. She didn't know how close they were to her. Certainly, she had chosen the fastest horse in all of Hyrule, but it would tire soon, and then what?

It turned out she'd have to find out now. The mare simply collapsed, exhausted from the night chase, sending rider and her precious cargo careening off its back to land crumpled in a nearby bush. The woman got up instantly, still clutching to her body the carefully wrapped bundle, hoisted up her dress, and ran.

—To the forests she heads, goddesses, give her strength—

She felt a sudden infusion of intensity course through her body, and picked up speed. But it disappeared as fast as it had come, and she finally fell down onto the wet grass, tired and ready to give up all hope.

As long as he is safe…

The rain had stopped, she noticed, at the same time a dark shadow loomed over her. One thin hand lifted upward protectively, still prepared to defend herself if need be.

—Do not fear me—

"Who are you?" she whispered, still trying to figure out what was talking.

—I am the great Deku Tree, guardian of the Kokiri and the forest—

"The Deku Tree? Do you dare to—to—" She found herself unable to complete her sentence, her strength falling away like sand beneath cupped hands. Her raised hand fell back to the earth.

—Your son has been blessed by the three golden goddesses. He is destined to save Hyrule—

The woman shook her head. "No. His father was. But he died… died in the war…"

—There is a darker evil rising, one that will come to pass with time. It lies dormant now, gathering strength. But when it arrives, it will be your son who goes to meet it—

"How can that be? He—he doesn't even have a name yet! I can't…"

—Trust me—

"I cannot entrust my son to—to a tree!"

—Trust me—

"Surely you are wrong!"

—Trust me—

Resigned, she sat up weakly and pulled out the bundle wrapped away in her clothing. "Please," she whispered. "Take good care of him for me…"

A slender branch reached out, looping gently around the baby's body, and slowly drew it away. She caught a brief glimpse of her child's face, the face that she would never see again, and began to cry. That fate could be so cruel…

"Deku Tree," she said softly, kneeling. "His name…"

She looked up to the crystalline night sky, so different from what it had been only hours ago, and knew that somewhere up there, her husband was waiting for her. And when she left, there would only be the baby, the last link to their family.

"His name is… Link…"

And then her husband was there, clad in silver armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, gloved hand reaching out for her. Her own hand clasped his, and he pulled her off the ground, and together, they ascended into the heavens, where they would never be separated again.