I guess this could be considered a Prologue. Each chapter will be tagged with warnings at the beginning.

Cover photo belongs to Alderion-Al at DeviantArt.

This is obvious, but I do not own any of the characters, items or places mentioned in this FanFiction. That all belongs to Nintendo.

This Chapter contains: Non-Major Character Death Hinted Violence


Chapter One

A beautiful day in Hyrule, was not something uncommon, but today the beauty shone brighter. For to celebrate the birthday of Princess Zelda, a great ball was being held in the castle. The young princess was now eighteen and rumours that she would choose a suitor that night swept across the lands. Many princes and noblemen alike were arriving from every corner of the world to offer their hand in marriage and with it, an allegiance between countries. Across Castle Town and throughout the castle, people were decorating and dancing as the celebrations began.

Princess Zelda awoke in a delighted mood. To celebrate the day of her birth, was always a joyous occasion. She stretched her arms out and took a moment to listen to the birds whistle their morning song, until the echoes of music reached her ears. She always loved how Hyrule's people would celebrate today as if it were their own birthday and as she climbed out of her sheets, Zelda peered through her window, down at Castle Town where people all dressed in bright colours were beginning the festivities. A smile lifted at the corners of her lips and she giggled as she saw the many carriages worming their ways through the streets, towards the castle. No doubt each one filled with a potential suitor. Princess Zelda had no intention of picking a suitor tonight, or the next day, or the day after that. In fact, Zelda had promised her heart that she would wait until she found love, before she married. For as heir to the throne of Hyrule, Zelda did not need a husband and she fully intended on ruling by herself. At least, for a while anyway. But oh, how amusing she always found it when suitors came to town, each one attempting to flatter her. She made a sort of game of it and quite enjoyed it.

A knock on her door and Zelda remembered that she had not even dressed yet. She beckoned for her ladies to enter and greeted them as she did every morning.

"Oh, come now your highness, your bath has been ready for the past fifteen minutes. Any longer and it'll simply go cold."

Zelda's eldest lady in waiting, Miss Thalia was quick to usher the princess into her bathing chambers and whilst complying, Zelda simply chuckled.

"Quickly now child, we don't want to be late."

Miss Thalia had known Zelda since she was a child and had been her nanny from the moment she was born. Now, she was her lady but the two had developed a close bond throughout the years. Zelda was quick to slip from her night gown and step into the marble pool which had been built into the floor of her bathing chambers. It was spacious and beautiful, fit for a princess.

"Please don't worry Miss Thalia, I cannot be late to my own party, for the celebrations do not start until I am there."

"Your father would say quite otherwise my child, now be quick, we must get on guests are already arriving."

Zelda chuckled again but obliged.

Zelda's ladies spent a good few hours bathing her, dressing her, styling her hair and all the while they gossiped about all the eligible suitors who had come seeking Zelda's hand in marriage. Soon, the princess was ready. She wore a simply dress which did not flare too much, much like her everyday dresses. It was white, with a sheer purple overlay which separated at her waist and fell to her sides. Upon her shoulders sat two silver pauldrons, each delicate and detailed as if a spider had spun them from silk, on to her shoulders. From these pauldrons hung a length of pink sash which flowed over her upper arm and reached the floor, connecting at the back. She wore long white gloves reaching past her elbow, which connected with the pauldrons through a bejewelled chain. A similar chain sat neatly across her chest, eliminating the need for a necklace. Her hair was pinned up into an elegant bun which allowed many curls to cascade down the back of her neck and a curl in front of each ear, framing her face. Of course, her outfit would not be complete without her signature diadem perched delicately on her forehead and her pointed ears wore the triforce earrings which once belonged to her mother, as they did every day.

She watched herself in the mirror for a while, as her ladies had disappeared to ready themselves and she awaited her father's arrival at her chambers. It was here, that Zelda felt a wave of unease flow through her. She lifted her right hand and as she watched the triforce shine brighter than it usually did, she could have sworn that in that moment, she saw fire in her reflection. She knew that the reaction of her triforce could mean only one thing. The Triforce of Courage had been awoken and the cycle had once again, begun. It was now only a matter of time before the bearer of Power would seek out Wisdom.

Her train of thought was interrupted as a knock on her door pulled her back to reality.

"Zelda my dear, are you ready? It's time, the celebration is about to begin."

"Yes father, I'm coming!" Zelda had called out to her father without even realising and she took one last moment to watch the triforce on her hand glow, before shaking it from her mind for the rest of the day. It would not spoil the celebration that the people of Hyrule had been looking forward to for months. She turned from her mirror, just as the doors were opened and her father took a step inside her chambers.

"Ah my dear, with each year that passes, you grow to look more and more like your mother."

Zelda gave her father a quick bow of her head before stepping towards him.

"You are too kind to me father. Are we to see her? Before the ball?"

Her father offered his arm for her to take and she took it eagerly.

"Of course, my dear. As we do every year."

It had become somewhat of a tradition for the pair to visit the grave of Zelda's mother on the day of her birth. For it was not just the day of Zelda's birth, but also the day of her mother's death. As they strolled down the hallway, heading for the steps which would take them to the gardens, Zelda could not shake this feeling of chaos from the back of her mind. She knew it would come, but she had not expected it quite so soon.

The pair enjoyed the warm sunlight and the cool breeze as they strolled through the garden and once at her mother's grave, Zelda perched herself by the stone and placed a hand on it as her father did the same. They knelt there for a few minutes before King Daphnes smiled at his daughter and stood, offering her his hand so she may stand too.

The two headed back inside and down several lengthy hallways, towards the throne room where many balls had been held throughout the years. Not only was today the celebration of her birth, but as her eighteenth birthday Zelda was expected to give a speech thanking her people and promising that when her time comes, she will rule the kingdom just as her father did. She had spoken to the public before and was not as nervous as she thought she would be. In fact, the only thing making her nervous was knowing that before long, Hyrule could and most likely would, fall into panic and chaos until the Hero could be found. She perked her head up in realisation then, as the doors to the throne room were opened and the King and his daughter were announced to the room.

Of course. The hero. It'll be up to me to find him. She had almost forgotten, that it was her duty to find the hero that would be able to stop the bearer of Power, as it has been in countless past times before.

Princess Zelda was rather enjoying her celebration. She had danced, talked and then feasted at dinner before dancing and talking some more. She had been introduced to all the suitors and found it quite amusing how they would all try to sway her at once. Now, it was almost time for her speech and she was sat in her throne, twiddling her fingers in her lap for the throne next to her, belonging to her father was empty. He must have gone outside for some air. She thought. She had planned to wait for him, but she knew the etiquette she must follow even if he did not appear and when the bells chimed for midnight, she knew she could not wait any longer. So, she rose from her throne and as she stood, the room quickly grew quiet and all eyes were on her. She took a deep breath and wetted her lips before smiling towards the crowd of people.

"People of Hyrule, I thank-"

She was cut short, as a blood curdling scream ripped through the windows from Castle Town, followed by many more. Before anyone could even react, the double doors at the entrance of the hall swung open, crashing into the walls. Many different monsters swarmed the hall. Some with clubs, some with swords, all hideous and terrifying. People began to scream and panic as these intruders cornered civilians and pushed them to the side creating a pathway down the middle of the hall leading to the thrones. Zelda knew this was the work of the bearer of power. She knew he had returned but she thought not, that he would attack so quickly. She brought a hand up to her lips as she watched her father, stagger into the hall. He held his waist and his back hunched as he stumbled down the path. The crowds of people grew silent as they watched in horror, their king making agonising noises.

"Father…"

Zelda picked up the front of her dress and scurried down the three steps of the throne platform and towards her father. She dropped down to her knees as her father collapsed in front of her and she took his head in her lap. King Daphnes looked up at his only child with fear and sorrow in his eyes as blood trickled down his chin.

"Zelda… My dear… sweet…"

"Father, who did this to you?"

The two simply stared at each other for a moment as Zelda's eyes brimmed with tears. Her father ushered her to come closer so that he may whisper and Zelda lowered her head to his mouth so she might hear the final words of King Daphnes before he closed his eyes, never to open them again.