Hello Readers!

Just as a brief explanation: This is an original Zelda story. However, it does use the world of Breath of the Wild as a backdrop.

"My powers will never come," the young princess whimpered as she let her arm fall to her side. For only a few minutes now she had been standing with her arm stretched out in front of her, concentrating on the back of her hand. As if sheer will would cause the mark of the triforce to appear in all its Goddess-given glory.

"Come now," the queen crooned softly as she scooped her daughter into her arms; trying to stop the chuckle raising in her throat from surfacing, "you know these things take time."

"But you said you got your powers at my age!" the princess retorted, throwing her arms up in a show of defeat.

The queen couldn't hold back her chuckle this time as she explained, "every princess is different, Zelda, my mother didn't unlock her powers until she was much older."

The princess looked down at the ground, not at all convinced. She opened her mouth to protest once again before being interrupted by a white-haired woman racing into the royal gardens where the queen and princess had chosen to spend their afternoon.

"Your majesty, there is a situation that requires your immediate attention," the woman urged as she offered a quick bow.

"Lady Impa," the queen turned to face the Sheikah caretaker, "what is the matter?"

Impa's eyes flitted to the small princess that the queen held in her arms before looking away. "You must see for yourself. Come quickly."

The queen nodded in understanding and proceeded to place Zelda back on the ground, "go find your father, he'll be in his study."

"Wait! Why can't I come?" Zelda asked as the queen began to turn away.

The queen turned back for a moment, "I'm sorry, my dear, but this is not a matter for a child." She turned away once again and followed Impa into one of the castle corridors.

The princess frowned, balling her fists as she kicked a small pebble on the ground, moping before her face brightened. She looked around, eyes shifting from side to side, then ran toward where her mother and Impa had gone. She slowed down as she saw their shadows ahead of her and turned a pointy ear to them as they spoke.

"I'm not sure how it started, all I know is that their at each other's necks now," Impa sighed.

"Oh goddesses, the last thing we need is a civil war between our knights, does this have anything to do with the last argument a few weeks ago?" the queen asked.

"Not sure, but I'm starting to think that these new training grounds are cursed."

Zelda stopped in her tracks, surveyed her surroundings once again and turned back to leave the corridor, knowing exactly where to go now. She just hoped she'd get there in time before her mother found out that she'd not gone to her father as ordered. The princess experienced no delays as she made her way to the knight's training grounds, walking with such a purpose that every servant, guard, and counselor she passed did not think to stop her on her quest.

She heard the shouts of many angry knights long before she arrived at the entrance to the training ground. Zelda looked up and saw her mother atop one of the battlements with Impa standing behind her as she assessed the situation.

"My good Ladies and Sirs," the queen's voice rose amongst the arguing in a tone Zelda knew all too well; one her mother often used to gain the control of a room. All the knights fell silent and looked up at their queen. Some straightened their posture and sheathed their swords as their eyes widened in fear, others did not move from their battlestances and their expressions seemed to sour.

"What is it the troubles you so?" the queen inquired, carrying herself with authority.

Zelda didn't get to hear the reason as a hand grasped her shoulder and she gasped as whoever had caught her turned her to face them and found herself face to face with a royal guardsman.

"Princess?" the man's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as his brown eyes narrowed, "whatever are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see what mother was doing," Zelda replied, trying to look back at the scene, but the man started to pull her away from it.

"This is no place for a child, go to-"

He didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as a roar of anger pierced the air. Zelda yanked herself away from his grasp to see that her mother had not managed to quell the opposing sides' anger. She watched as one of the knight's rose their sword to strike a knight in front of them.

"No!" Zelda cried as her arm instinctually shot up. A Golden light pulsed from her palm and the sword that had started to bear down on its opposer hit a golden barrier that had appeared between the two groups of knights instead. The wielder of the sword reeled back at the sudden interception and his fellow knights caught him before he could fall. All eyes turned to the source, the princess.

Zelda froze, her hand still raised and her power still surging from it. She looked up at the battlements toward her mother. While everyone stared at her with an expression of shock and disbelief, her mother wore a smile of pride and gratitude and her eyes seemed to urged her to take advantage of the undivided attention she now had.

"Stop this ridiculous quarrel!" Zelda exclaimed, but her voice shook and she felt small and meek despite the power she was now wielding. "Your duty is to work together to protect our kingdom, not fight like children. In the name of the goddess, I command you to cease this behavior!"

All of the knights exchanged glances, even the ones who had desired to defy the queen before now seemed reluctant to do the same to the princess as she showcased her divine powers for the first time. They all dropped to their knees and the knight whose attack she had stopped spoke.

"We will obey your command, Princess."

Zelda dropped her arm and the barrier disappeared, but the knights remained on their knees.

"You may rise, my good Ladies and Sirs," the queen spoke now and they followed her command this time.

The queen looked to the man standing behind Zelda, "Captain Rusl, escort these knights back to their chambers, this training session is over. I will address them all in the morning."

"Yes, your majesty," Captain Rusl obeyed as he offered a short bow, Zelda looked back at the royal guardsman with wide eyes. She knew he was important, given his uniform, but not THAT important.

"Princess Zelda," her mother's voice shook her out of her thoughts as she looked back up at her. The queen still wore her proud smile, "you've done well today."

Zelda smiled back at her mother, happy as always to receive her praise, and happier still now that she had unlocked her power.

This was only the beginning.

The princess glided through the castle hallways, her shoes clicking against the wood floor and the back of her blue and gold dress trailing behind her. She had been in the castle gardens with her little brother when Impa had come to tell her that her parents wished to meet with her in the counsel room immediately. She thought it was strange, normally her parents would call her to their study or her study, but she did not question Impa in the moment. She left her brother, Prince Von, with the Sheikah woman then went on her way.

She stopped when she arrived at the door leading to the counsel room and giving it a ginger knock, "Mother? Father?"

"Come in, Zelda," she heard her mother say and she opened the door, shocked to see that her parents were not alone. As she swept her gaze across the counsel table where her parents sat, she saw another person seating beside them.

"High Priest Rauru!" Zelda exclaimed, offering the stout, gray-haired man a respectful bow. "It is a pleasant surprise to see you here."

"A surprise, I'm sure, but I think you will find it to not be as pleasant as you think," Rauru replied.

Before the princess could question his response, her mother gestured to the seat across the table in front of the three. "Sit, my dear, we have much to discuss."

Zelda nodded and took her seat, "what is it you wish to speak to me about?"

Rauru closed his eyes as if thinking about how to phrase his words, "I have received a prophecy."

Zelda felt a chill as her body seized in a panic, "what… what kind of prophecy?" she asked, though she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

Rauru looked up at her with a serious gaze, "Calamity Ganon is to make his return."

Her hands balled up into fists on her lap as a feeling of dread washed over her, "but how?" she asked shakily, "my ancestor, Queen Zelda… she sealed him away not even five hundred years ago. How is it that he is to return so soon?"

"I cannot say for sure, but he will come again soon. I imagine you've noticed the increase in monster activity?"

Zelda looked down at the table, in the last year she had heard several reports of various monsters attacking travelers and even attempting to invade villages. Bokoblins, Moblins, Lizalfos, even Lynels. Name a monster and there was a high likelihood that someone had reported seeing it. Thankfully the Guardians that protected every village in Hyrule had prevented them from being over run, but that did not stop the monsters from making camps near roads and in more remote parts of the kingdom. Zelda herself had seen a group of them while on a diplomatic mission to Kakariko Village when they attempted to attack her party. Thankfully the knights guarding her had killed them and no one was harmed.

Zelda looked back up at Rauru and her parents, "what does this mean?"

"It means that soon you will have to face Ganon…" her mother said in a grave tone, "but I have the utmost faith in you and your abilities, my dear."

Zelda looked down once again, this time at her hands. Seven years ago she had unlocked her power and since then she had learned how to wield it effectively. She was 18 now, and though she was well versed in her abilities, that did not mean she knew how to seal away a great evil. The fact that neither she, nor her mother had ever done anything that required so much power made her feel as if it was impossible.

"You will not be doing this alone, my dear," her mother's voice brought Zelda out of her stupor and she tilted her head to the side.

"The Hero," her father spoke now, "he will aid you in defeating the Calamity."

"What Hero? There is no one who carries the Master Sword as The Hero often does."

"No, but there will be soon," Rauru interjected, "the prophecy I received stated that the Hero is now in hiding. He will only reveal himself to the Princess who carries the blood of the Goddess."

Zelda furrowed her brow, "but when will that be?"

"Soon, we hope, but until then we must be patient," her mother replied sagely.

Zelda frowned, resisting the childish urge to slump back in her seat and cross her arms and instead sat up a little straighter. "So sit and wait while Ganon plans his attack?"

"Zelda-"

"Last time Hyrule did that, Ganon's power had influence over it for one hundred years. What if he does not come in time? What if he is not fully prepared?"

Zelda's mother opened her mouth to retort, but her father placed a calming hand on the queen's shoulder. She glared at him, but the king tilted his head and her eyes softened before she nodded. The king looked back to Zelda, "what do you propose we do then?"

Zelda cleared her throat, not knowing exactly what she was going to say until she spoke. "Perhaps… perhaps we should go out and find him ourselves."

"But the Hero will only reveal himself to the princess," Rauru reminded them.

"Then I will travel Hyrule and find him myself," Zelda said it as if it there was no other option.

"That's much too dangerous," her mother frowned

The high priest nodded, "yes, if the whole kingdom were to know that the princess was looking for her Chosen Hero…" Rauru did not have to finish his sentence for Zelda to understand what he meant. Yiga assassinations could attempt to take her out, young man would claim to be the Hero in hopes of receiving glory. However, Zelda was determined, she was not going to wait for the Hero to just appear.

"Then I won't travel as the princess," she decided as the thought came to her, "if the prophecy is is true, he will appear much faster if I go out into the land than if I stay here in the castle."

Her parents looked at each other and then to the High Priest as they all considered her words. Her mother closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once again. "Do you truly think that this is what you should do?"

"Yes," Zelda replied without hesitation.

The queen looked to High Priest Rauru and the old man nodded in confirmation of the idea.

"Very well then… however I do not believe you should make this journey on your own," her mother folded her hands onto the table. "I know you have learned to defend yourself, but there are many dangers in Hyrule that most cannot handle on their own."

Zelda nodded in understanding, "who shall I take with me?"

"I think," her father interjected, "that since this is your journey then you should decide for yourself."

"Impa," the princess remarked as she opened the door to her study. Standing before her was the Sheikah women in her usual royal Sheikah grab and beside her was the young Prince Von who held tightly onto the older women's hand.

Lady Impa had served the royal family for many years, following in the footsteps of generations of Sheikah who had done the same. She served as protector, advisor, and caretaker all at once. She watched Zelda and her brother when her parents could not, accompanied the princess when she went on trips (and would likely do so with Von as well once he was old enough), and had even taught her how to wield a sword a few years ago.

The little prince smiled, "Zelda!" he cheered and ran over to her. Zelda greeted him with outstretched arms and wrapped him into a warm hug.

"He kept asking when your meeting with the Queen and King would be done. I think he missed you," Impa smirked.

Her brother let go of her and trotted into her study. He found a stray toy he'd left there from his last visit to and sat down to play with it. Zelda chuckled, "I can tell."

Impa watched Von before her gaze moved over to Zelda, "how did it go?" her smirk disappeared and was replaced with a grave look.

Zelda glanced at her hand, reminded once again of the major responsibility she now had. "I don't suppose you know of the news High Priest Raruru received."

"I do," Impa replied to Zelda surprise, "news travels fast in the castle."

Zelda sighed, "I never thought this would happen in my lifetime… but I suppose the goddess is cruel like that."

Impa placed a consoling hand on her shoulder, "Ganon is the one who is cruel, the goddess is the one who gave you your power."

Zelda gave a small nod, "we also spoke of the legendary Hero."

"He is in hiding?"

"Yes."

"I imagine that means we must wait-"

"No," Zelda interrupted, "I do not want to sit back and wait for this 'Hero'. I'm going out to find him."

Impa's eyes went wide and her hand receded, "on your own?"

"No, you know mother would never allow that. She wants me to find others to come with me…"

Zelda trailed off as a thought occurred to her. Who better to go with her then the one who'd helped protect and care for her her whole life? Certainly she could take leave...

"Is there something wrong with that?" Impa asked, ceasing the princess's train of thought.

Zelda shook her head, "no, no. There isn't, I just was trying to figure out something…"

Impa raised her brow with a questioning look, Zelda smiled.

"Lady Impa, you have watched over me my entire life. Would you help me on this quest to find the Hero?"

Impa smiled and then bowed, "I would be honored, Princess."

Zelda beamed, "thank you, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Although I'm sure your mother would prefer more than one person to accompany you on your journey." Zelda's smile dropped, but Impa was quick to reassure her, "don't worry, I know the perfect candidate."

The metallic clang of clashing swords filled the air of the castle training grounds. Zelda stood atop the battlements with Impa by her side. She watched the knights as they trained, hoping that none would notice her and stop to kneel or bow to her as knights often did when he was in their midst.

"Who are we looking for Impa?" the princess asked, searching amongst the knights for the man Impa had told her about earlier that day.

Impa scanned the clearing with narrowed eyes. She stopped and nodded in the general direction of the man in question, "over there, one with the ginger hair."

Zelda searched for herself, which did not take long, spotting the helmet-less knight with his ginger hair that a lot looked like fire in the midday sun. The man was tall and burly with wide shoulders yet narrow torso. His hair, while also being a rather unique color, was styled in a flashy pompadour, which she found strangely fitting for a man of his build.

"That's General Groose. I've known him since he first came to train as a knight. Knowing him, he'd be ready and willing to accompany the princess on her journey."

Zelda gave the Sheikah woman a small smile before looking back at the general. He wore the usual garb of a Hylian general; with a dark blue tunic, Hylian trousers, white boots and gloves, as well as all the embellishments that showed his higher rank. He held a sword in one hand and a shield in the other whilst taking on a fighting stance, staying light on his feet as he rocked back and forth. A few feet in front of him was another knight- which Zelda assumed was one of Groose's trainees based off his simpler gear- also held a sword and shield and was attempting to copy the general's movements, but he was visibly nervous compared to him.

"It's a bit odd, for a general to train directly with his knights," the princess observed.

"General Groose likes to take a more hands on approach," Impa replied with a smirk.

"Come on, boy, don't be a weakling," Groose taunted, drawing back Zelda's attention. She saw the trainee stiffen before he barreled toward the general with his sword at the ready.

General Groose did not move from his spot, and just when the trainee was about to strike, he raised his shield, which collided with the young man's sword with a loud clang. Upon collision, the general parried his strike, throwing the trainee off balance and leaving his torso exposed. Groose struck his stomach with the hilt of his sword and the trainee fell backwards and onto the ground.

Groose relaxed his stance, "control your anger, kid. Rage clouds your mind, fighting requires a clear head."

Zelda smiled, turning back to Impa, "he's just what I need."

Once training had concluded, Zelda and Impa went down to the training grounds to speak with the general. He was one of the last to leave, checking to see if his trainees had left things as they had found it. He looked taken aback when he turned around and saw the two were standing at the entrance to the training ground.

"Princess Zelda," he kneeled down in a show of respect.

"You may rise," General Groose stood at her command. Zelda was used to this kind of reaction, as much as it irritated her at times. She wished she could excuse people from those kind of formalities, however her mother told her taught her that telling others there was 'no need' would lead to a loss of respect.

The general looked over at Impa with a smile, "it's good see you, grannie." Impa scoffed, but Zelda could tell that she was hiding a smile.

"General Groose, I suspect that you're wondering why I'm here," Groose turned back to Zelda and nodded as confirmation. "I have very important request for you."

Zelda walked out of the castle entrance, her usual royal grab replaced with simple traveler's clothes. She had a traveler's sword and shield strapped to her back and a Sheikah Slate hung from her belt as well as a few pouches.

Her golden hair was done up in a practical braid and she wore no jewelry, save for a necklace tucked under her tunic that bore the royal crest. Her mother had given it to her the day before and told her to show it to the Hero as proof she was of the royal family.

She was the picture of a common traveler, and if it weren't for the fact that her family was walking her out of the castle, no one would have known she was anything more than that.

The princess stopped as she approached Impa and Groose. Groose wore similar traveler's clothes to her own and Impa wore traditional Sheikah clothing that she often saw the villagers of Kakariko wear. Their horses patiently stood behind them, waiting for their long journey to begin. Zelda was a little sad knowing that she wouldn't be able to ride her white stallion, Rhoam, but riding him would have given away her true identity. She turned to her mother, father, and brother with a smile. Before Zelda could say anything her mother enveloped her into a warm hug.

"I know I was opposed to it at first, but now I'm glad Impa taught you how to use a sword," her mother said as she broke the hug and gestured to the sword on Zelda's back.

"I told you she'd have use for those skills," her father chided and her mother scowled at the comment.

"Yes, and perhaps this could be an opportunity for her to teach me how to use a bow," Zelda suggested as she looked to Impa. Impa cocked an eyebrow, but betrayed nothing.

"When will you be back?" Prince Von asked once she turned to him. The mission had been explained to him as best it could be, but the young boy was still stuck on the fact that there was no return date in sight for his sister.

"I will be back as soon as I can, just pray that the Hero will reveal himself quickly. For everyone's sake," Zelda replied with a comforting smile.

Von huffed, "what's this 'Hero' guy's deal anyway? Hiding is not very heroic."

"Well, perhaps he does not know his destiny quite yet."

"But you'll tell him? And you'll get back as soon as possible?"

Zelda nodded, "as soon as possible."

Her brother nodded as well and hugged her tightly, "bring me back something."

Zelda chuckled, "I will."

She released her brother and walked over to Impa and Groose. Groose gave her a wide smile and a bow, while Impa bowed as well. Zelda smiled at the two and turned to wave goodbye to her family before setting off. She knew she would be back soon as she had promised her brother. The Hero was not too far away, she could feel it.