Hello again, my fair readers! This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter fic. I'm not sure how long it's going to be yet or how frequently I'll be able to update... But, if you like it, hang in there, for I will finish it at some point. As always, reviews/criticism/comments are welcome.

Post-OoT-sent-back-in-time Hyrule, mainly because that Zelda and Link are my favorite.

And, because I'll probably forget to do this every chapter, I'm including an all-encompassing disclaimer: For the entirety of this story, I do not own the Legend of Zelda or any of the characters associated with said series. I am, however, going to give them personalities AND make Link speak.

Prologue

Crash!

Her Royal Highness, Zelda III of Hyrule, looked up from the latest report from the royal council, an annoyed expression on her face. She sighed, slowly getting up from her desk to investigate the cause of the commotion.

She had barely stepped outside the door of her study when she was nearly bowled over by two young blonde boys with wooden swords, yelling wildly as they swung wooden swords at an invisible foe, followed by a young blonde girl wielding an oversized staff, yelling just as loudly.

"Daphnes! Nalia! Kalin!" she yelled down the stone corridor, "what in the name of the goddesses are you three doing? Come here this instant!"

The children looked at each other worriedly, and, weapons hidden behind their backs, they walked shamefully back down the hallway. The queen was well known for her justice, and the three had good reason to assume a punishment was at hand: not much in Hyrule went unnoticed by the queen, especially in her own home.

She grabbed them by the ears and dragged them into her study and instructed them to sit down on a plush bench. "Now," she asked sternly, "are you going to tell me what that noise I heard was?" The children looked at each other out of the sides of their eyes, silently discussing whether or not to tell the tale of the broken vase.

Zelda frowned. She opened her mouth to say something, but the elder boy, Daphnes, spoke up. "Well, mum," he said sheepishly while pushing his shaggy blonde hair out of his eyes, "see, Kalin and Nalia and I were playin' knights and dragon…"

"And we were usin' that really ugly vase in the library as a dragon," the younger Kalin interjected. "'Cuz it sorta looks like a dragon, right, mum?"

The queen had to stifle a smile at her son's observation. It truly was a hideous vase. A gift from the Gerudo, the terracotta serpent clashed horribly with, well, everything.

Nalia nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah, so, we were just poking at it, and we accidentally knocked it off the pedestal."

Zelda raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Well, that explains the vase, but what about you three almost running me through?"

Kalin rolled his eyes. "Sheesh, mum," he said exasperatedly, "don't you know anything about knights? They have to charge into battle!"

She chuckled. "Kal," she said, tousling his hair, "I know a fair bit about knights. For example, knights charge into battle before they defeat the enemy, not after." She walked over to her desk, sat down, and picked up her quill.

Daphnes walked over and peered over her shoulder. "How do you know about knights? You're a girl, and girls don't fight."

"Hey!" objected Nalia, "I helped you guys kill the dragon, and I'm a girl!"

Kalin scoffed. "Nalia, you're not a girl, you're our sister."

Zelda put her quill back in the inkpot. "They don't, you say?" She turned around to face her children.

"Nah," Kalin said, shaking his head, "if they did, all the knights would get cooties." He shuddered. "Blech, I wouldn't want cooties on my sword."

The queen grinned. "I have had the pleasure of fighting alongside many valiant knights, and none of them ever got cooties." She looked out the window. "One knight in particular," she sighed longingly.

The children looked at each other, puzzled. "Was he brave?" Nalia ventured.

Zelda nodded. "Very much so. In fact, he helped save Hyrule."

Kalin jumped up and down excitedly. "Didhekilladragon? Didhekilladragon?"

Daphnes grabbed his brother. "Come on, Kal," he said skeptically, "he probably just did something boring like sign a treaty."

A small smile crept across the queen's face. "Not quite. Let me tell you about it…"