Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda isn't owned by me...yet.

It was an average day at Hyrule Castle. An 11-year old Link was in the courtyard training. For a long time, he had been training to be a knight that was almost as good as his father. His father wasn't actually the best knight by most standards, but definitely by his son's standards. Link was having a training battle against his father, who was mounted on a horse. "That's not enough, son. I want you to act as though you are genuinely trying to kill me." Link nodded and rushed in at his father. Link then had an idea. After his father struck a blow towards his son, Link dodged an ran over to the back, jumping onto the horse. He smacked his father across the chest while trying to hold on.

Link's father held up his hand to signify practice was over. "That was quite a strategy you came up with, son." Link stared at him with a stern face and said, "Thank you, father." Just then, an announcer came to the courtyard. He called, "Attention, everyone, emergency meeting in the grand hall for all knights." Every knight soon came into the grand hall. There was the captain of the guard and a young, strange fish like man. Link whispered to his dad, "Hey, who's that?" His father is explained, "That's a zora. They're a race of long lived fish people who live near the river." The zora stepped forward, "Attention, everyone, I am Kapson. I am a priest here on behalf of the zoras to seek out some of the best spear wielders in Hyrule's court to train our princess. I would like to have the three best spear wielders travel with me to Zora's Domain." The captain of the guard then came up.

"We shall have a contest. The final three winners shall come with Kapson to Zora's Domain. The only rule for this contest is you must wield spears." Link whispered to his dad, "If anyone can do it, it's you Dad. I've seen you wield a spear...though its the only weapon you haven't taught me yet." His father chuckled, "Well, if you think I can do it."

The contest soon began. It was down to one more competition for 1st place. It didn't matter who won as they would both go, but they wanted to play this contest to the end. The two had wooden practice lances and started fighting. They both dodged fearlessly. After several stabs at each other. The opponent knocked down Link's father. Everyone (except Link) cheered. Link walked up to his father and comforted him, "You did great dad. Just a little slip up."

The knights soon rode off for Zora's domain. Fortunately, Kapson was kind enough to let Link come along with his father. They soon arrived at the domain. Kapson stated, "Every structure you see before you is made out of luminous stones." The knights were in awe...though for Link it was only on the inside. Knights never showed fear, so he bottle up all his emotions.

The three knights were now in the main hall. A green zora man came up and announced, "Presenting King Dorephan Triton Lanayru and his daughter Princess Mipha Neptune Lanayru." Two zoras came up and sat at their thrones. The green zora glared at the hylians and scolded them, "What are you monkeys doing? Bow your heads." The king motioned the zora to stop. "That's enough Muzu. There is no need for formalities. These hylians are our guests." He looked towards the knights. "Welcome, knights of Hyrule Castle. I am so glad you could come to help teach my daughter. She has had many teachers over the years, but I decided to have the best of the royal guard come to teach her her final lessons." She got up from her throne and curtsied to the knights.

It was a three one one battle and the knights were still having a tough time. Link was observing every part of the spearmanship. He still wanted his father to teach him how to use them. Mipha then held on to her spear and stabbed in rapid succession. One of the knights said, "You've already mastered are rapid stab charge attack." She bowed. "Thank you." Link made sure to remember that charge attack. Link's father exclaimed, "I think that's enough for today." Dorephan beamed, "I am so proud of you, my daughter. I propose we have a celebratory feast." Link perked his head up for that. He loved nothing more than a good meal. The table was lined with mainly seafood.

Link was sitting right next to the princess. Muzu complained to the king, "She's royalty. That vermin does not deserve to sit with her." "I feel she should be sitting with someone closer to her age. I apologize for Muzu. He's not exactly a fan of hylians." Link and Mipha were sitting quietly together. Eventually, Link broke the silence. "You were very good with that lance." "Oh, it was nothing. I've been training for the last 30 years." Link choked. "30? But you look like your 13." "We zoras age much slower than hylians. I'm actually a little under 50." Link felt so many mixed messages.

The two continued to eat. Mipha said, "I'm sorry if I'm not talkative. I'm not very good with words." Link nodded, "Don't worry, I'm the same." The two smiled. Everyone around them was bold and outgoing, but the two were shy and liked to keep to themselves. Something they had in common. Just then, a zora guard came up to the table. He bowed and exclaimed, "Your majesty. There's a ferocious beast headed towards the domain!" "What is it, a Moblin, an Octorock?" "We don't know what it is. It looks like a horse, but from the neck up, it looks like the top half of a demon! It's incredibly strong. And what's more, it has SHOCK ARROWS!" Every zora gasped. "This creature already killed three of our men." Link asked the princess, "Shock arrows aren't too bad as long as you don't have too many wounds. Why is everyone scared" Muzu slapped the Hylian. "Do you know nothing?" Mipha calmed him.

"Zoras have to have our gills moisturized to stay alive above water. So our bodies secrete a thin layer of slime from our hydration to keeps us alive. But the moisture will damage us incredibly if we are hit by so much as a spark of electricity." Link's father got up. "I won't allow this beast to harm these people. Men, grab your leather armour and let's go." Muzu shook his head, "No, the last thing we need is hylians making things worse by showing off." Link got up. "Listen, we hylians won't take up as much damage. We're not showing off, we want to help." Dorephan admitted, "Perhaps this is our only solution. Our people will die in one hit from the arrows." Link's father nodded, "Yes, but son, you can't join us." "Why not, Dad?" "If this beast is as strong as they say it is, I don't want you getting hurt."

The three knights set off. "We'll be back in a bit." They then rode off. Mipha went over to the young boy and tried to comfort him. "Why don't I show you around the domain." The two were now in the princess' room. It was decorated with sea shells and sea weed curtains. There was a nice water bed and a goldfish bowl with a crimson tadpole in it. "Who's this?" Link asked pointing to the tad pole. "That is my baby brother, Sidon. He was just born before my...mother..." She started shedding a tear. Link sat down next to her on the water bed. "I know how you feel. My mother lost her life as well." She looked up at the hylian. "Yes, I'm still trying to get used to the pain."

Mipha was now introducing Link to her friends. Kodah remarked how cute Link was. Just then, a knight came back. Link ran up to see him. "You're back! Did you slay the beast...where's my father?" The man bent down at Link and gave it to him softly. "Link...your father...was killed." Tears formed at the child's eyes. "No...no he can't be dead...he's strong...he's." He fell down sobbing. "I already lost my mother, I can't lose my father." Muzu came up. "Ugh, weak hylians. At least tell me you killed the monster." He shook his head no. "Just as I thought." Mipha yelled at her teacher, "Muzu, can't you see this young boy is going through trauma...That man sacrificed himself to hold back the monster as much as you could, and you disgrace him in front of his child." Link got up. "I'm going to kill that monster." The guard stopped him. "What are you thinking. You're father couldn't kill him, what makes you think you can." "I probably won't, but my father weakened that beast. I might as well make him more open for you so his death won't be in vain." Link ran off, as both the knight and Mipha yelled, "LINK!" But it was too late.

Link was running through the field on his way to the monster. He noticed him and hid behind a rock. As the beast came by, Link jumped from the rock and struck him. The monster roared and his lungs were filled with FIRE! Link started evading the fire breath. Just then, the beast knocked him high onto a ledge. It then pulled out it's bow and a shock arrow, aiming at the boy. Before he pulled the quiver, it got a burst of pain. Link saw Mipha was stabbing the beast with her trident. "You will not hurt a hair on my friend!" She started her rabid fire at the beast. The beast knocked her away and took aim at her with his bow. Link instantly got up and jumped off the edge, pulling out his bow. "NO!" Suddenly, it felt like time had slowed down. The monster was barely moving and neither was Mipha. Link was not sure what was going on, but took advantage of it. He pulled out arrows and shot the beast in the head several times.

Mipha was in awe. The hylian had fired 6 arrows in less than a second. Was this some kind of power like her healing power? The beast was down and Link had an idea. He mounted the beast and started striking him in the head until the beast died. Mipha walked over to Link and looked at his wounds. "Are you alright, Link?" "Yes, what about you?" "I'm fine...that was reckless of you." "Heh, I'm like that a lot...what are you doing?" "I have a strange ability inherited from my mother to heal people. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but I might as well try." It worked without a hitch.

Soon, Link was on a cliff. He impaled the ground with his father's sword and put his helmet on the grip. A little memorial to his father. Mipha walked over to Link and said, "If your father was here, he would be proud of you." "I know...I just wish that he could have been around a little longer. At least teach me how to use a lance." Mipha thought about it. "I can't replace your father, but I could teach you how to use a lance." He looked up at the Zora princess. "Are you sure?" "Positive."

The two walked back to the domain. The two stood on the battlefield. Mipha stated, "Okay Link, let us begin."