By: Betti

PROLOGE

This is the story of a princess and her prince. The hardships they have to go through, the romance between them, and everything in between. This is the story of a fallen swordsman and a shadow princess...

Chapter 1

"Mothia!"

"Yes? Thy honored king calls upon his faithful servant…"

This was the typical start of Mothia's day. The Fiery-Moon king never seemed to stop shouting at her or telling her what to do.

"I want you to go into the 'beautiful' city of Hyrule and bring back what pleases me…" The King commanded.

"Yes… your highness." Mothia said with a bow. With that she departed the monstrous king's courtroom.

Krona followed Mothia out undetected, "Willow, you really want to go back to Hyrule? Remember what happened last time?"

Krona was Mothia's one and only friend in the Fiery-Moon palace. He was a tall and boney elfin man who always seemed to be worrying all the time about Mothia's safety after "the Hyrule incident" last season. Krona was also the only person, besides Mothia, who knew of the prophecy of the final ruler of the Fiery-Moon Kingdom, or so they thought.

Not far from the castle itself, rides a young swordsman who is in need of a place to stay. He doesn't care where he is going or who he will encounter.

Where he comes, from he is known as a shadow, a demon, and a monster. He seeks only shelter and a drink.

He sees a tower; hopefully he heads in that direction. He is thirsty for attention; his red eyes seem to dance with hopefulness but his expression never falters it solemn mood.

With night chasing after him he heads towards the castle, which he knows nothing about.

The swordsman dismounts his loyal horse when he sees a candle lit from the window of a very small house.

Should I intrude? The swordsman thought to himself as he reached the door of the house. He knocked only once. The door swung open. "Ka ling?" asked a girl about his age. "Si ka… ley morna?"

"Uh… I don't speak your language. I am sorry to intrude but may I spend the night?" He was trying to be as polite as possible. What language is that anyway? He could not help but wonder.

"Yah na fom teoan… rna?", the girl stated.

She was obviously native to the land but why was she so far out of the castles ground, he would never know. She was so beautiful with her scarlet hair and her fiery eyes.

"Do you speak my language?" the boy asked hopefully.

"Yeah," was the simple response the girl. "I was actually heading to Hyrule tonight but if you want to stay a night I can wait until morning."

"Thank you, I don't mean to be a bother- what is your name?" Asked the boy swordsman.

"Well that's the thing I don't just have one name… I have two: Mothia and Willow. It is a bit confusing but once you meet the King you will understand… you seem thirsty, there are some drinks in that room over there," indicating to the room to the left of them.

"Thank you… Willow." The boy said as he headed for the kitchen-like room.

"May I ask of your name?" Willow asked when the boy got back, "Please, do, sit down. Mi cassah, suh cassah." Patting the spot next to her.

The boy sat down with a sigh. "My name is Link, but you may call me what ever you like and may I say thank you, again, for letting me into your home for the night."

"You are very most welcome Link." Willow said with a soft nod. "Where are you heading on your journey? For, I see that your horse is carrying quite a load."

"I am on a personal quest."

"Oh, a quest, to where is the quest taking you to?"

"Wherever the winds will take me to, which part of Hyrule am I-"

"Oh Link, this is anything but Hyrule… you will learn that very soon! See the Fiery-Moon Kingdom split off from Hyrule hundreds of years ago. The rulers of both Hyrule and here never got along so there was a war and the Fiery-Moon Kingdom won so they gained their 'freedom' to split off…

"See Link, after the War of Hyrule, the king became extremely sick, so sick that he died four days after the victory."

Willow sighed and brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Link, there was no heir of the king that was old enough to rule a newly formed kingdom so the wife of the king started a traditional festival: 'The Fire Moon Festival' which triggered the name for the new kingdom: 'Fiery-Moon Kingdom'.

"Yet, shortly after the Festival was finished a terrible thing happened: the Queen and two of her thirteen children were taken to Hyrule as punishment for the Joy of victory. The seventh child and the last child were put into a horrible cruelty of servanthood to the king's two sons.

"The mother, sadly, was taken to the king's court and killed by the king himself…"

Willow stopped the horrifying story and started crying uncontrollably into her hands.

Link didn't know what to do. He thought he should just sit there, but thought better of it. So he took Willow in his arms and tried to sooth her by gently talking to her.

Her hair is so soft, almost like wolves fur. Link thought to himself as he stoked her long, scarlet hair. She is so beautiful… I wonder why she is so upset? Questions started to crowd in Link's confused mind.

"Willow….. Willow… Willow…." Link repeated her name over in a hushed tone, and rested his lips on top of her dark smelling head of hair until she calmed herself down.

"Link, did you come from Hyrule?" Willow whispered as she tilted her head up to look at him in his shadowed face.

Link didn't want to say 'yes' because of the story, but he also knew he could never lie to Willow after what just happened. So he decided to tell the truth.

"Yes, I came from Hyrule… but I am not wanted there anymore." Link paused to see Willow would do. Nothing, "they call me a demon there… they hate me. They think I am a monster so they threw me out of the training academy… they envied me and my swordsmanship. I was told to leave and never return… so I won't."

Then it all clicked. The story that Willow just told… was about her family. That was why she had started to cry.

Link pulled Willow close enough to him so that he could whisper to her ever so softly. "I'm sorry."

"If you are sorry… then prove it?" Willow was so close to Link she could smell the emotion that was held between them.

So Link leaned into Willow and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Willow…" Another kiss, "I wish I knew your story before I left Hyrule…" Another kiss, each getting more intense then the next, "I want to stay here… with you."

Link smiled to himself as he toyed with the sleeve of Willow's already too loose shirt. Willow felt a rush of cold down her spine as Link pulled her closer to his body, wrapping herself around him was almost unneeded but she did it anyway.

Then to both of their horrors, the door swung open and a man walked in. "Karonna dek sha lech!" "Waz I enteruptang yahu?" The man said to Willow and Link, who were seemingly glued together. "Surrah, I turnda ta doh tings luk dart."

"Krona! Sha le ya homts ki long?" Willow asked impatiently to the man.

"Nya, waz vert… da… fredantia." The man sighed and set his pack down on the floor. "Wha der say yau nata, hen?" He asked the terribly embarrassed looking Link.

Willow walked casually over to the man and whispered to him, "Dai hen… da… dozenotaa spack dis laungoa."

"Oh, Vart is ura nami, boyt?" The man asked again.

"Link… sir," he was so confused.

"Linka… I kne a boyt namit Linka…" A tear slowly rolled down the man's face, silently and unnoticed by the boy standing in front of him. "Linka…"

"So, vart did da kang say abou da mission?" Willow asked, trying to change the subject.

"Da kang sid nothin abou da mission gavan te yau." The man stated. "Oh, terrible manners," the man stated in an outburst. "Link, my name is Krona."

"Krona is a makeshift guardian to me. Since both of my parents are dead…" Willow said quiet voice.

Krona bowed his head in a sorrowful manner. "Bless the Queen's soul."

Link was confused, why didn't Krona bless both the mother and the father's souls? What is this man doing here anyway?"

Chapter 2

Krona looked back up and smiled as though nothing had happened. "You do know that the Queen was Willow's mother, right?"

"Yes, I figured that out on my own…" Link said, still terribly confused at why Krona was even here.

Willow smiled and shrugged, there was something about this 'Shadow Princess' that made Link just want to throw her over his wild horse and ride off to his makeshift home on the edge of Twilight. Link sighed, a bit too loudly and Krona gave a suspicious eye to the two teenagers. With that Krona got the message that the two didn't exactly want him to be around them tonight. He rolled his and smirked as he opened the door, "Yeh varden Willow tow behabulla tow stardine twodano…"

Willow shirked, slammed the door on Krona, and locked it shut.

"What was that all about?" Link said as he walked over to the horrified Shadow Princess.

"Nothing… just a joke between he and I," Willow said quietly but emphasizing the 'he and I'.

"Oh. Should I know about this joke because he mentioned your name-" Link smiled and moved closer to Willow.

"Just don't ask…. It is weird." Willow said confirming that this topic will never be mentioned again.

"So what language were you two talking in? It sounds like nothing I have heard before…" Link said instantly changing the subject.

"We were speaking Firan- the native language here in the Fiery-Moon Kingdom… Yet almost everyone who lives here's second language is Hylan." Added Willow as Link's face dropped.

"So, why does that man- Krona has such a thick accent and you don't?" Link asked as he slid his arms around Willows waist.

"Well he isn't exactly used to speaking Hylan, because when we are just hanging out here we speak in Firan and not Hylan…" Willow says as she looks into Links fiery eyes. "You're different than the other one aren't you? There is more than this face…." Willow reached up and stroked Link's cheeks with her thumbs.

Link closes his eyes and sighs softly as Willow's soft fingers seem to dance along his shadowed face. "How did you come to get the six strikes on your face?" He leans down and nuzzled his face in Willow's neck.

"It is a long story..." Willow whispers in Link's elfin ear.

"I have time," Link smiled as he stood up straight, completely ruining the sweet moment. Willow sighed as she realized that she just fell into one of Link's many traps to get information not really necessary for his knowledge for the many Realms.

"No Link, I can't tell you- it will be too much for you to take in one night," Willow tried to whittle her way out of this mess she had created.

"I can take it; trust me, I have heard far worse than just battle wound stories." Link stated bluntly as he started to work towards Willow's bedroom.

Willow sighed and managed to reach the door quicker than Link, "who said you'll be sleeping in there?" She said with a smirk. "I personally find that you will enjoy the sofa much better than my bed." Willow laughed as Link gave her an evil smirk.

"But what if I get lonely?" Link said starting to turn around and head back towards the sofa.

"HA! With an imagination like yours I don't think you'll get lonely!" Willow smirked, opened the door to her room, "stay out here and be happy about it."

With that Willow closed the door and started getting ready for bed. Link sighed heavily and started to walk back to the sofa where he first realized he loved the girl that just turned him away from what could have been the best night of his life.

Wondering if it safe to roam around the house, Link sat on the couch and put his head in his hands, he didn't want to risk a scolding from his new love. So he sighed once more, and started to remove his riding boots from his feet.

Willow couldn't help but notice that her bed didn't seem as welcoming to her anymore than the abuse from the King, Willow turned away and looked out the curtained window and noticed the her cheek had become wet, "Xiah tuo yaxi ramo? I feel so cold all of a sudden. The man in my house seemed to have come here without an introduction to this culture that King of ours has created…"

Willow turned to the door, "Link, I'm sorry about what I said… forgive me for my action of rejection… Yi loda tu." With that she fell onto her bed and began to cry.

That night, Link was so restless that he decided to get up and walk around. He couldn't stop thinking about Willow and the kiss he gave her. He felt so happy when their lips touched that he totally forgot the only reason why he was here in this out casted kingdom that Willow was living in. He was to seek out the gypsy and take him back to Hyrule. Hyrule: the land of peace, pride, and total joy, as if! Link thought as he entered the kitchen. There as promised were a slice of bread, cheese, and what appeared to be some sort of fruit. Link pulled up a chair and began to eat his dinner; he just could not stop thinking about that scarlet hair and those mischievous, fiery eyes of Willow. Just her name made him want her even more.

Link slammed his fists on the table instantly awakening Willow from her broken sleep. She rushed to where the sound had come from and to her surprise Link had begun to cry.

"Link, what's wrong?" Willow said draping her arms around him like a warm blanket.

"I- I couldn't sleep…" This wasn't a lie but it wasn't true either. Link looked up at the beautiful face that he had grown to obsess over ever so dearly. He could tell she'd been crying too, so he gently pulled Willow's face closer to his own and rested her head on his shoulder. Something that he wished his mother had done to him when he was having a bad day.

"These are mad times even in Fiery-Moon Link; the king here is absolutely obsessed with getting his way and will kill anyone who dares challenge him... I have tried to get him to resist the urge to kill but it is no use, I just don't know what to do anymore." Willow had started to cry again, and Link could feel her tears start rolling down his back.

"Willow, you have power, you can take the king..." Link couldn't bear to hear her sobs anymore, "let's run away so you and I can be free from this madness... we could go to Clock town or Riversbed... would you like that?"

Willow lifted her head to into Link's red eyes, "I can't do that I'm afraid, the King knows who leaves and who enters this kingdom. I don't want you to get hurt do I need you to leave as soon as morning dawns, okay?" Willow couldn't believe that she said this and quickly turned to look at the food Link had not even touched.

"You need to eat something..." Willow said quietly to the room. "I just don't want to hurt you."

Link understood what Willow was trying to convey, but he could bring himself to ask 'why?' So instead he took Willow's hands in his own, kissed them, and got up to leave.

Willow, horrified, wrapped her arms around Link's waist and started to sob again. "plazi donna goot! Yi loda tu!"

Link stopped in mid step and looked down at the girl sobbing into his waist, "Please stop crying, you've cried enough for one night..." Link turned and knelt down in front of Willow. "Sweetheart, I can't stay here in fear of getting detected by the King- you said so yourself- Yi loda tu tao. Hey, I will come back, never fear," Link smiled and brushed a tear drop from Willow's pale face. "I will, I promise."

As Willow saw Link open the door, a thought jumped into her head. She was leaving in the morning- why couldn't she ride with him? Willow rushed to the door after Link had left, but it was too late... Link had ridden away, with only a trail of fog where his noble steed had waited for him.

Chapter 3

As the days grew longer and longer so did Willow's patience, the nights would slur together and make it impossible for her to sleep. However now was not the time to fret about her shadowed swordsman; she had her own quest to pursue. Not that that would be a problem seeing that her quest was to simply regain the company with a belated friend she had.

This was not an easy task, as he thought it would be. Zelda was not as eager for road trips as the "great Mothia". The last time Willow had stepped foot in Hyrule she had almost started a one man war with the kingdom. However she had not come from the Firian-Mona kingdom like was presumed, she just wanted to pop in to get a horse and chat with a few keepers.

Remembering the nagging words of Krona, Mothia dismounted her horse when she got to the gates of the palace that she hoped would, one day, become hers again.

"Krona! Mind me some water before I head out?" Mothia knew that her voice could be heard throughout the palace grounds, since it was basically a ghost town.

The disgruntled man sauntered out of his rusty stoop, and rubbing his darkened eyes began to fill a jug for the rested traveler.

"Why so early, Willow? You know damn straight that I am not a morning person." Krona muttered to himself as he flung the water towards Willow. "Now be careful, morning is not the lightest time of day around here," and with that he scurried back to his hole in the wall.

Willow understood the laws of the land however, what she didn't comprehend was why they applied to herself. Not that she doubted any of them she simply did not see why they existed. With the subtle rules whispering to Willow in the back of her mind, she set off to Hyrule.

It was about