Chapter One

In the village of Kakariko, tension overcomes it as the young men leave the village. It's up to the men to protect their precious country from the man from the desert, who threatens to overthrow the king and kill the princess who fled from the castle. From the houses, families bid their husbands, brothers, fathers and sons a sorrowful, perhaps the last, farewell. In one small house, a man stands with his family, saying his goodbyes to his wife, son, daughter, and infant son.

"When will you be coming home, daddy?" an eight-year-old girl stands with her father beneath the doorway. The man smiles down at his girl and bends down to kiss her silver-haired head.

"Someday, Kila," he responds softly, then he turns to his son, "Troy, I want you to look after your brother and sister. You're the man of the house while I'm gone."

"Okay, dad," The raven and white-haired fifteen-year-old replies; his eyes watering. He tries his hardest not to cry, despite himself. His father smiles at his attempt to hide his feelings.

Then he turns to his wife, "Goodbye, Avilia."

"Goodbye Dasjel," she kisses her husband, "Please come back safely."

"I will. In time to see our little Shoji grow up into a handsome boy," Dasjel kisses the infant's raven head, "Kila, I want you to hang onto this for me." Dasjel took off a pendant from around his neck and puts it around the little girl's neck, "Consider this a promise that I'll come back."

"I'll treasure it forever, daddy," Kila wrapped her small fingers around the sapphire pendant.

"Remember to pray to Nayru whenever you feel sad; she will help you and guide you to peace."

LEGEND

Kila opens her golden eyes to the morning light in her small house. She sits up slowly in her bed, brushes her long hair from her eyes, and gets out of bed. At the mirror she brushes her long silver hair; a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl stares back at her. Something sparkling catches her eye behind her on the dresser; her eyes travel to the pendant's reflection. She turns around to stare at her precious possession nestled safely in an opened box. She walks up to the dresser and touches the deep blue stone encrusted with gold bands. Cool to the touch, it radiates a calm kind of aura that swirls gently around her fingertips. She can feel the spirit of the goddess Nayru comforting her in her short time of need.

The door opens and an older woman comes in, holding a large basket filled with white cuckoo eggs, "Oh, you're awake. Could you help me with the morning chores? The cows need to be milked and the eggs need to be taken to the castle town to be sold," the woman sighs as she places the basket on the table. She rubs her hands gingerly and sits on a woven chair. Soft wrinkles settle around her gentle blue eyes as she stares at her experienced hands, "These old hands aren't what they used to be. They used to be able to carry twice as much weight in eggs as now."

"I had that dream again…" Kila says softly, "About dad…"

The smile on Avilia's lips fade. She stands and approaches her daughter standing by the dresser, "Kila… I loved him, too, and I miss him very much."

"I just wish I remembered more about him…"

Avilia combs her fingers through her daughter's hair, "He was a good man, always smiling. I don't think there was ever a time he was angry; his gold eyes always stayed soft," the mother pauses as if she savored the memory of her first love, "I remember he loved to read. But even more than reading his books, he loved to live them. When we were children, he would reenact his favorite scenes with his friends and I'd watch. Forty years ago… I was only eight… Well, before I make a trip down memory lane, you have chores to do. Here's your work gown. After you milk the cows take the eggs to the castle town. Malon will come by soon to assist you. Oh, and please make sure Troy and Shoji come back inside before breakfast. I don't want their porridge to get cold like yesterday. Oh, what a waste…"

Kila opened up her mouth to ask more about her father, but she knew better than that. She slips into her grey gown and grabs the two pails from the table before leaving to the barn.

LEGEND

Gloved hands grip the leather reigns as the figure silently rides into the village on the back of a brownish-crimson mare. Blue eyes, under vision-obscuring blond hair, scan the village that he has not set foot in for years. He smiles at its progress since he left. Several buildings have been built, along with a new bakery, the smell of fresh baked bread traveling through the air; a florist shop displays brightly colored flowers. He breathes in the fresh perfumes of the pleasant village; it felt even safer since he rid Hyrule of its corrupt ruler ten years ago; even the skies above were crystal clear and pleasurable. The rider comes at a stop in front of an Inn, a new building in the town. He dismounts his steed and starts unloading the bags from the saddle.

"We might as well stay a few days since we're here, right Epona?" he smiles at the crimson mare. She snorts in response and nuzzles his back. He laughs and pats her on the nose before continuing unpacking.

"Link?" his pointed elf ears perk to a familiar voice and turns around. A red headed girl stands, disbelief fills her blue eyes.

"Malon?"

Malon's eyes well up with tears of joy, "You're back!" She throws her arms around him in a tight hug, "Welcome home…"

"Yeah…" Link wraps his arms around his dear friend's waist, "It's good to be home…"

"You came from Termina? That far?" Malon asks. They sit in the room Link rented in the inn for the time being. A fire blazes in the fireplace with the warmth swirling around the room.

"Well, yeah. You don't think I'd be sitting around in the middle of nowhere for ten years, would you?" Link takes a sip of his coffee.

"Has it really been that long since you left?"

"I guess it has. We really grew, didn't we?" Link laughs softly.

"Yeah, you've really changed. If it hadn't been for your green outfit or Epona, I probably wouldn't have recognized you."

"You've changed too. You've grown into a beautiful woman, Malon."

"Thank you."

Silence lingered between them for a moment. The only thing heard was the crackling fire until Link spoke up.

"So, what's new with you? Anything I should know about?"

"Well… I'm getting married soon. To my father's new assistant at the ranch."

"Oh? Well, whatever happened to Ingo?"

"He died…" Malon's face grows sad, "The horses were frightened during a thunderstorm. He tried to calm them, but he was kicked down and trampled on."

"I'm sorry…" Link places a gloved hand upon Malon's.

"It's okay. Father and I gave him a burial in Kakariko. That's when I met my fiancé. He just came out of the blue, asking for a job at the ranch. Of course, my father accepts, even in his time of grief. He's been good to us, always getting the work done… being charming… handsome… Oh dear! Did I say that out loud?" Malon snaps out of her thought, pink tinting her cheeks.

Link laughs, "I'm afraid you did."

"How embarrassing… And I'm about to embarrass myself further! I need to go and help Kila with her chores!"

"Kila? Is she new here?"

"No, she's lived here all her life. You've never seen her because she's been cooped up in her house all her life, mourning for her father who died trying to rid Hyrule of Ganondorf when she was eight ten years ago. You know, around the time Princess Zelda disappeared."

"That time…"

Out of nowhere, he starts to remember that time. It was raining and the red clouds made it seem like there was a fire in the sky. He stood at the gate, his fairy illuminating the ground below him. He gripped the saturated bag containing the sacred stones and looked on in determination to see Zelda. Suddenly, the gate opened, the shrill cries of horses become audible over the clapping thunder. Horses trampled out of the gate, nearly colliding with Link. Then, he saw her. Princess Zelda had a look of fear on her face as her horse galloped by with her guardian holding her and the reins. Then he heard it… the evil voice that haunted him in his dreams. Those red eyes seared his soul

"I could've stopped…"

"Link? Are you okay?" Malon becomes concerned as she watches his face become sad and hurtful, and then to fearful.

"Y-yeah…"

"It'll be okay. Whatever happens, you have me to talk to if you need to," she gives him an assured kiss on the cheek, "Now, come on. Let's go see to Kila about those chores."

LEGEND

"Thank you for being so cooperative," Kila smiles and pats the dairy cow's side before lifting the two heavy milk pails from under the cow. She carries them over and puts them on a tightly bound bale of hay. She wipes some moisture from her brow and starts putting the milk into the glass bottles. When she finished, she put the bottles in a basket along with the eggs. She turns around in time to see her close friend approach her along with a blonde, green-clothed stranger.

"There you are," Kila puts her hands on her hips, "And here I was starting to think that you wouldn't come."

"Sorry," Malon laughs timidly, "I got carried away with catching up with a friend of mine." She motions toward the stranger, "Kila, this is Link. Link, this is Kila."

"A pleasure to meet you," Kila smiles and puts out a hand.

"The pleasure's mine, Miss Kila," Link takes her hand in his and places a kiss on the back of her hand. The moment he touches her hand, a cool feeling swirled around her hand, thinking she saw a light blue aura dance around their clasped hands.

Was that…?

"Well, I guess we should take the stuff to the market then, shall we?" Malon's statement draws Kila from her frame of mind.

"Oh yes, the eggs and milk," Kila picks up the basket, then turns around and looks at Link with a smile, "You want to come with us?"

Link returns the smile with a subtle nod.