The Legend of Zelda and its characters belongs to Nintendo

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is the product of mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto. All copyrights belong to Nintendo.

A/N: Hi there! This is my first attempt at writing a Zelda fanfic. You are currently viewing the second version of this first chapter...I actually posted the original version of this chapter a day ago, but I had to do some editing...I really am inexperienced with this fanfiction writing stuff. I really hope this chapter isn't confusing to read; I always find writing the beginning of anything extremely difficult, but I did my best! I have this entire story outlined from beginning to end, so who knows how long it'll take to write it all. Oh, and one final and obvious thing to note: I am not a professional writer. There may be some spelling and grammar mistakes, but I am only writing this for fun! Enjoy!

PS. If Nintendo ever came out with a game like this, I definitely wouldn't know how to react. Link, our precious hero, wanting to kill Princess Zelda? Instead of saving her? Whoa.

Flashbacks are italicized.

………………………

Something about the way he spoke made everyone's skin crawl.

Link was in his late teens, just on the verge of reaching adulthood. With deep cerulean eyes and dirty blonde hair that framed his face in the most perfect way, he was actually quite handsome. But he was a different kind of handsome, one that had an air of mystery mixed with attractive danger. Danger that only accelerated into fear whenever he opened his lips.

"I would like a trip to Castle Town," Link said, ice clinging to his every word. Basil, the elderly owner of Aislin Village's transportation service, studied his young customer with weary eyes. He had dropped off a previous client just hours ago, and had hoped to close business early so he could have some much needed rest. But something about this young man, his voice was probably what did it, made Basil change his mind.

"May I have your name and reason for departure?" Basil asked. He couldn't make himself turn away from his customer's eyes. They were too blue, just like the ocean. A perfect shade of blue.

"Link. My business in Castle Town is confidential," Link stated. Basil nodded and accepted the rupees from his customer's outstretched hand. He couldn't help but notice Link's muscular build. A scabbard rested on Link's back quite comfortably, but Basil knew the blade inside could kill anyone in an instant. He didn't want to upset his customer, feeling that death would find him sooner than he had previously expected.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to leave in a few hours," Basil said. Link nodded in agreement, much to Basil's relief. Feeling a bit braver, he decided to continue speaking. "My horses have just returned from today's earlier travels, and I want them well rested before I load them up at the wagon again. In the meantime, you may pack any belongings you wish to carry in the wagon's luggage area. The wagon is in the back of this building."

Link followed the old man's advice and went to the back of Basil's building, where a magnificent wagon of oak frame and canvas cover lay resting. As Link placed some suitcases onto the wagon, a sudden cold breeze gently nipped Link's skin. Link immediately looked up at the sea of warm red leaves covering Aislin Village's many trees. Indeed, autumn had definitely arrived in this modest town. It was beautiful outside, and Link almost allowed himself to smile. It was his favorite time of year.

Footsteps made their way to Link's ears, and in response he reached for his sword and swiftly turned around, ready to face whatever had made the noise.

It was Wren, Link's guardian. Wren was a young man himself, about fifteen years older than Link. He had short platinum blonde hair and piercing turquoise eyes, and, like Link, was tall and muscular. Despite their similarities, the two were not related by blood.

"Are you ready, Link?" Wren asked as he helped Link load his belongings onto the wagon. They had trained for this moment for years. Of course Link was ready.

"I will go straight to Kafei and Anju's residence, just as the King instructed me to in his letter," Link verified.

Wren went up to Link and whispered in his ear, so no one could hear him. "As soon as you are knighted and are familiar with the castle's entrances, write me a letter." Wren paused, tears in his eyes as he looked at the boy he had raised. "I probably won't ever see you again, Link. If you are successful with your mission, you know you'd immediately be imprisoned or killed. But that is a great sacrifice I'm sure you'll be willing to make. I wish you luck. Farewell, my son." With that said, Wren pulled Link into an affectionate hug. Link had never seen Wren so emotional and felt guilty about being emotional himself. They had told each other it was best to leave feelings out of their lives since they would do nothing but distract from the mission.

Basil nearly jumped at the sight before him. There was his customer, a frightening young man who had previously seemed incapable of any emotion, hugging a man he assumed to be his father, crying actual tears that flowed from his eyes of ocean blue. Basil coughed slightly, and the two immediately broke off their embrace. Besides tears, Basil swore he could see what appeared to be fear in both men's eyes.

"Shall we go, lad?" Basil asked as he tied his horses to the wagon. Any signs of sadness were instantly wiped away from Link's face. He narrowed his eyes, which glistened dangerously in the autumn sun.

"Of course," he replied coldly. He was ready to go… and kill Princess Zelda, heir to the throne of Hyrule.

………………………

The trip across Hyrule Field was long and tedious. Aislin Village was Hyrule's most southward inhabitance and the farthest place away from Castle Town's northern location. Basil was used to hearing his passengers' constant chattering to keep him company, but this particular passenger had kept the trip uncannily silent. It was eerie.

"So, was that your father back there?" Basil asked, attempting to make conversation. He immediately regretted opening his mouth. The tone in Link's voice was too chilling to endure.

"No. My family is dead," Link muttered. Basil felt something like sorrow for the boy's loss.

"I thought he seemed a bit young. It's a shame young men these days are becoming fathers at such early ages. They have their whole lives ahead of them," Basil continued. He glanced slightly at his passenger. Link had his arms folded across his chest, and when they made eye contact, Basil quickly turned to face the other way. "Um, whatever business you have, I'm sure you'll enjoy Castle Town. There's just so much to do. Aislin Village's too quiet of a place for a boy your age to live in," Basil said.

Basil dared not to speak again for the rest of the trip. When he finally recognized the hazy outline of Castle Town's front gates in the distance, he couldn't stop smiling. No longer would he have to endure this ride with the most silent and frightening customer he had ever had. He pulled the reins on his horses and the wagon came to a screeching halt.

"We've arrived! Do you know where you're going from here?" Basil asked. Link, who had fallen asleep, immediately opened his eyes.

"Not unless you know where an Anju or Kafei reside," Link murmured. Basil looked surprised.

"You're staying at The Stock Pot Inn? Well, I guess it's only natural for out-of-towners to stay at their inn, but somehow I had the feeling you were leaving Aislin Village forever so you could live in Castle Town. You did seem awfully sad to leave that guardian of yours back there," Basil said. Link frowned at the memory.

A few moments later, all of Link's baggage had been removed from the wagon. Just as Link was about to embark on his deadly quest, Basil held out a shaky hand.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye. I know you'll enjoy your stay at The Stock Pot Inn…Kafei and Anju are excellent hosts. Oh, and if you ever need a ride back to Aislin Town, be sure to look me up!" Basil shook Link's hand briefly, went back on his wagon, and with one final wave, rode back to Aislin Village, happy to finally be rid of customers for the rest of the day.

Link was finally alone. He had just learned an important clue in his quest: Kafei and Anju owned a hotel, and Link assumed the King mentioned their inn as a suggestion for temporary residence before Link's knighting. Feeling fairly confident about his mission, he stepped through the front gates and entered Castle Town.

It was enormous. Link, who was used to the peace and tranquility of Aislin Village, felt slightly out of place. The town bustled with activity he didn't know was possible. Market venues lined the streets and alleyways, and Hyrulians of all races stumbled over each other to make their purchases. Gorons were advertising a hot spring that had just opened in Death Mountain, handing out fliers to anyone who passed by. A large crowd had gathered to hear a Zora band perform in the town's square. Even children were busy running around in the streets, blissfully lost in their own imaginations.

"Excuse me. Do you know where The Stock Pot Inn is?" Link asked a Hylian who had accidentally bumped into him. The man looked somewhat frightened.

"The Stock Pot Inn? It's right there, behind that building," the man said, pointing. Link grabbed his suitcases and made his way there. He soon found himself in front of a quaint old hotel, and, after taking a few moments to appreciate its beauty, opened the front door.

An attractive girl sat behind the hotel's front desk. She sighed deeply as she pushed some wavy auburn hair away from her face. This girl's name was Cera, and she hadn't seen Link enter the main lobby. She was too busy getting lost in her own thoughts.

"Does Kafei and Anju reside here?" Link inquired. Cera froze. How long had she been daydreaming? She noticed a strangely handsome man was now standing in the hotel lobby. But then, his cerulean eyes met the stare of her hazel ones. They reminded her of water. Like the ocean. Or Lake Hylia. She could stare into those eyes forever. Her heart skipped a beat.

"H-hello, welcome to the Stock Pot Inn! Do you have a reservation?" Cera greeted nervously. He looked about her age. She wondered if he was already in a relationship.

"Does Kafei and Anju reside here?" Link repeated. The way he spoke sent shivers down her spine.

"Oh! You," she realized, "must be Link!" A few days ago, her father had come home with exciting news from the King.

"He asked us to host a young knight-to-be!" Kafei exclaimed as he burst through the hotel's front door. Anju and Cera, who were both behind the lobby desk, stared at him with blank expressions planted on their faces.

"The King personally asked me, I mean, me! Of all the knights of Hyrule!" Kafei paused for a bit, gasping for breath, before continuing. "There's a lad coming to Castle Town. Goes by the name Link, and he's from Aislin Village. Apparently he's descended from a long line of knights, and he's coming to claim his place as the next new knight in his family! He'll be here in a few days"

"That's…great, dear! But what-"

"Hush hush, Anju my darling! Allow me to explain your roles! We shall be his temporary host family, or at least until he is able to find a permanent residence himself. Darling, you will act as a surrogate mother of sorts. I hear our guest is orphaned, and has been nearly his entire life. We most definitely want him feeling welcomed at this exciting event, and we don't know how long he'll stay. But when he does leave, of course we want him to go around spreading good praise about The Stock Pot Inn's excellent hospitality! And you," Kafei nodded at Cera,"I expect nothing but your best behavior during Link's stay. None of your foolish daydreaming. I only pray to the goddesses he's not of your taste."

"F-father-"

"And my role? Why, I am to escort him to Hyrule Castle the morning after he arrives! The King requested knighting him as soon as possible. He also asked me to teach the boy how to act like a real knight! Imagine that! Me, a mentor! And a father figure to a boy without a family!"

Cera smiled. Her father was certainly excited about Link's arrival. But her recollections nearly caused her to miss Link's answer to her assumptions.

"Yes, I am Link. I was instructed by the King to stay here. I am sure you heard my situation?" Link questioned.

"Of course I heard! I'm Cera, daughter of Kafei and Anju. My parents are out and probably won't return until later tonight, but they instructed me to give you this…" Cera reached into her pocket and pulled out something shiny. As she handed it over to Link, she knew his penetrating glare never left her face. She blushed.

The object was none other than a key to Link's room. He grabbed his suitcases, which had been resting on the floor, and headed towards the stairway at the back of the lobby. Cera watched him leave, and although she found it rude that he didn't utter "thanks" or even "goodbye", she couldn't stop herself from swooning over his mysterious aura and muscular physique.

Link's room was the last room on the second floor, a suite usually reserved for The Stock Pot Inn's most prestigious guests. When Link entered his room, he was breathless. He had a relatively plain bedroom back at Wren's home in Aislin Village, so he was not used to the lavish furniture and comforting decorations that resided in this suite. There was even a fireplace beside the rather large and roomy bed, which Link immediately flocked to so he could warm himself up.

After the suite became warm enough to his liking, Link began unpacking from his suitcases. He pulled out his most important possession, his family shield, which he planned to show the King as proof of his family's heritage. His fingers traced the shield's edges, which were cool to the touch. His father and ancestors once wielded the very shield he was holding now. Excitement briefly overcame him as he thought about his family and how he was about to follow in their footsteps to serve the King, but the feeling was short lived.

Link plopped himself down on his soft, feathery bed, and blew out the candle that was the only other source of light in the room besides the fireplace. The windows in his suite were dark, suggesting that nighttime had befallen Hyrule. Link felt his eyelids grow rather heavy as he lay there, thinking about his mission. The last thing he thought about as he drifted off to sleep was his knighting the next day, which would make him one step closer at avenging his family's deaths.

………………………

A warm, savory aroma awoke Link the following day. It was a scent unlike any he had ever experienced. His stomach grumbled and his mouth salivated, but he ignored his body's hungry messages for a bit to freshen himself up. Link washed his face and changed into clean clothing. When he couldn't bear his hunger any longer, he grabbed his sword and shield, left his suite, and descended down the stairs. Whatever was making the smell was not in the main lobby, so Link used his nose and followed the smell into a small room on The Stock Pot Inn's first level.

A woman with short auburn hair was distributing breakfast across a wide table. Seated at the table was Cera and a man Link assumed to be her father, Kafei. He had a most unique shade of violet hair, but other than that he seemed like any average Hylian man.

"Well it's about time you got up!" Cera teased. Both Anju and Kafei turned to give their daughter harsh stares. Link ignored her and pointed at the empty chair at the table, which had a plate filled with eggs and warm, buttery biscuits in front of it.

"Is…is it alright if I sit there?" Link asked cautiously. He wasn't sure if this table was reserved only for the members of Kafei's family, or if it was welcomed to all hotel guests. He wondered how many Hyrulians, besides himself, were renting a room at The Stock Pot Inn.

"Of course you can sit there, my boy! That seat was set specifically for you!" Kafei exclaimed. He patted the empty chair next to him welcomingly. Link sat himself down and took a great hearty bite from one of the biscuits.

"H-how is it? Is it to your liking?" Anju asked. Link took another hungry bite in reply. It was delicious.

"Believe it or not, she used to be quite the horrible chef. Marriage changes things; it's something I highly recommend doing," Kafei whispered, nudging Link's shoulder playfully.

"It's Link, right?" Anju wondered aloud. Link nodded in confirmation, and Anju breathed a sigh of relief. "I have trouble remembering people's names. You can only imagine the difficulty I have when guests arrive to claim their reservations."

"Yeah, you should see her! This one time a Goron came all the way from Death Mountain and…oh wait! Here I am, yammering away when I haven't even introduced myself yet! I'm Kafei, the proper title is 'Sir Kafei', considering I'm a knight and all…"

"And I'm Anju, Kafei's wife and mother of this girl here," Anju interrupted, nodding at Cera. "We've heard all about you from the King. I hope you make yourself at home during your stay here…I really do, from the bottom of my heart."

For awhile everyone in the room ate in silence, savoring the homemade meal Anju had prepared. Cera kept stealing shy glances at Link, much to her parents' annoyance. The moment of silence didn't last long, however.

"Say, is this your shield?" What a fine looking specimen!" Kafei said, scrutinizing underneath the table at the shield placed near Link's chair. Link placed a protective hand over his shield, as if Kafei's stare could cause some form of harm to his most important possession.

"Speaking of shields, dear, don't you think you should get going? The King requested his knighting to be over and done with by noon, did he not?"

"Darling, you're absolutely right! Link, you don't have a horse, right? Of course you don't, Cera mentioned you came by wagon last night. Oh, you can just borrow one of our horses." Kafei excused himself from the table and motioned at Link to follow him through the main lobby and out the front door. Outside the hotel lay a small stable, which Link had not noticed when he arrived there just a day ago.

"Why do you have a table?" Link asked. Kafei raised an eyebrow at the tone of Link's voice, which was as cold as ever.

"Geeze, you sound as if having a stable is a great offense!" Kafei pushed the stable doors open and went inside. "My wife is an animal lover. She's raised cuccos all her life. Recently she's gotten into horses, though. Not that I'm complaining; it's quite useful having a few horses around. Now let's see…I'll take Durbin. Link, how do you feel about taking Epona?"

A chestnut horse with flaming white hair whinnied at the sound of her name. Link felt strangely attached to this horse, and reached out a hand to stroke her hair.

Kafei chuckled. "I guess Epona it is then! Come along, let's bring the horses out and say goodbye to the girls." Sure enough, Anju and Cera were waiting for them outside The Stock Pot Inn. Anju kissed her husband on the cheek while Cera walked over to Link, who was already sitting atop Epona's back.

"Epona? Wise choice; she's definitely my favorite horse too." Cera stared affectionately at Epona for a moment before continuing. "Oh Link, I can't believe someone as young as you is going to be knighted! You've got to be the youngest knight ever…I wonder what made the King decide to grant your request?"

"What I don't understand is why I must go on horseback. The castle is right there," Link pointed. The Stock Pot Inn, which lay in the very heart of Castle Town, was not that far away from Hyrule Castle. In fact, the castle was clearly visible from where they were, and Link estimated it would take no more than an hour's walk to get there.

"Oh, well the King told my father to have you knighted by noon, so he wanted to arrive there as soon as possible. It's much faster traveling with a horse, you know. Knighting ceremonies tend to occur as early as possible…that way, there's plenty of time for you and the castle residents to enjoy the later festivities," Cera explained. Festivities? Surely Cera must have been mistaken, because Link had never heard of such a thing before. Link gave a surly puzzled face, at which Cera giggled.

Kafei and his horse, Durbin, galloped towards the limits of Castle Town and beckoned Link to follow. Link pulled on Epona's reins, and together the two men turned to give a final wave goodbye before riding off towards Hyrule Castle.

………………………

A/N: So originally I was supposed to have Link encounter Zelda in this chapter, but I, er, embellished the beginnings a bit. Just think of this chapter as an introduction, sort of like a prologue to the main story. The next chapter should be more exciting, since Link gets knighted! And meets up with Zelda! Oh, I wonder how that'll turn out…hee hee.