Chapter 1

In the light of the early sun, I rode Kaia out of the Grove. It gave me a task to do and I was going to do it. Even if it meant leaving the Grove unattended. I think in the entire history of the Guardians, the grove has only once been un-attended to. I prayed to the goddesses that it would be alright. I set out to find the Hero of Time and get the master sword from him. I needed to fight the evil coming to destroy the Grove. If I didn't get the sword, something bad was going to happen, I just knew it. It was the Guardian instinct. Just like the affinity for the elements that I had. I could ask them to do my will, and of course they did. They knew me well, they knew the Grove well. They were like un-spoken playmates. They were like un-touchable, un-controllable people, dreamlike people. Having them to call upon was like having an army of friends at your side. Without the elements I would feel empty and alone.

In the distance I saw a rocky wall and the element of water spoke to me, whispered in my ear about how there might be spring hidden behind that wall. I smiled and urged Kaia onwards. Sure enough there was a spring behind there. Glad for the relief after an all-night ride, I hopped off Kaia, knowing she would always come to me if I called. That was the duty of a Guardian horse. I watched as the beautiful white horse galloped away, her flawless white mane blowing behind her. I sat down next to the water and smiled at my reflection. I admired the tattoos on my face and arms and legs. They were gifts from the elements and the Grove. A curling and twirling symbol of air swirled under my right eye, colored as beautiful, rich silver. My right arm held the mark of fire, and it smoldered its way, spiraling around my wrist and almost up to my elbow. It was a burning orange and yellow color. Almost identical to it, on my right side stood the un-matched green of the earth symbol growing and winding its way around my arm. My legs held the powerful crashing waves of the water symbol. It cascaded in a wondrous show, looping their line around both of my legs my legs. The symbols are what made me special looking. Without them I looked like a normal Hylian. Or at least I hope that's what they still called the people here. I was educated in the Grove by the Grove and the spirits of past Guardians… I had never been outside like this before. They always told me of the corrupt world Hyrule had become. I never believed them.

I sighed and decided to pull my long maroon hair out of its boring braid. I knew I'd never be able to put it back by myself, but this journey was all about new things… might as well try a new hairstyle too. I giggled at the frivolousness of trying a new hair-style. Being a Guardian was so much more then hairstyle. I glanced at my pale, ivory skin. The only other Guardian who had been outside had once called me a little porcelain doll, probably referring to my round childish face and perfect complexion. Not to brag, but the Grove has kept me clean and disease free for my entire life. My age… I don't quite know… Somewhere around 18 years old… girls this age in the normal world would be married by now. Or at least engaged. My eyes held the color of the sap that comes from the trees near the grove. Not the color of sun or a fire, but not quite the color of the warm and wonderful earth. Also, I was thin… unfortunately. Beauty was seen in how much wealth you had, or at least that is what the grove told me…. Also I was very self-conscious about the size of my chest area. The fact that it was almost as flat as a board concerned me.

As I was contemplating my appearance and resting by the water, I head a crunching and the sound of hooves behind me. I easily assumed it was Kaia, not bothering to check. That was my first mistake.

"Kaia, who knew it was this hard to find the Hero of Time." I said with a laugh. I didn't expect my horse to answer me.

"Who's trying to find me." Responded the voice of a man behind me. I turned around and the Hero of Time sat before me on his steed, Epona.

I quickly fumbled around trying to get up, but only managed to step on my hair and make a fool of myself. Graceful Guardian legs… where are you when I need them. He looked as he did in the images that the Grove showed to me, not at all scary. He didn't look menacing; in fact, I didn't get an evil vibe from him at all. His golden hair shone in the sun and his cerulean eyes sparkled as he smiled at me. Maybe he would just give me the master sword. I finally got to my feet and he gave a small laugh and reached his hand out to shake mine. I gave the customary greeting of a "hand-shake" and smiled back with due friendliness.

"I am Kaylee, Guardian of the Grove… and I am seeking the Hero of Time." I said, glad to have found him.

"Oh yes, the Guardians. The Deku tree spoke of them once…" He trailed off, perhaps finding a painful memory lingering in his subconscious. "But I always thought they were myths. I guess stranger things have happened lately."

"Oh yes… the takeover of the evil lord. Have you been having luck with that?" I said pleasantly.

"Yes… you make it sound so pleasant." He said with a laugh.

"I'm only trying to be friendly and considerate to the great Hero of Time." I said with a sweet smile.

"Now that's the face of a person that wants something from me." He said, smile disappearing slightly.

How could he read my face this easily? I know I've never really interacted with a person before, but the spirits were like people…right? I faltered only a moment when I saw his smile disappear. He laughed at my discomfort.

"I don't have a lot to do today… besides saving all of Hyrule. Maybe I could help you." He said, through a chuckle.

"Oh, thank you. I don't need you to do anything. I just need something from you. The master sword. That little old thing of your back… I'll just be on my way if I could only have it."

"I'm afraid I can't do that. That's the most important sword in all of Hyrule. I don't think the world would be in a very good place if I gave to some Guardian."

"I'm not just a Guardian. I'm the Guardian of the Grove. And right now… if I don't get that sword, something even worse will happen then the world having to wait a bit to be saved."

"I simply can't give it to you. I'll give you however many rupees you want and you can buy yourself a great sword. I know a great place in Goron City…"

"Then you leave me no choice. "I said sharply, before he could finish. "I'll have to battle you to the death. Winner gets the master sword and loser tastes the sweet water of the sacred realm."

"I can't let you do this. I'll wipe the floor with you." He said with a smirk.

"I'll give you five extra seconds… I've got to get my sword." I said, not paying attention.

"I will not fight you." He said sternly.

"Then you will die." I said with a sharp laugh. "You could always give me the master sword."

"The world needs salvation more than you need this sword." He said, with a look of almost sadness.

I called for Kaia and she came with swiftness. I grabbed my sword from where I placed it, in the sheath on the saddle. It wasn't long, like his, but it was perfectly weighted and sharp.

"Head start is over… Sorry you wasted it?" I said, showing no emotion.

"I don't want to fight you." He said sternly, not drawing his sword.

"Too bad."

I came at him with a slow and easy to dodge downwards strike. I made wide and un-skillful swipes at him. Maybe if he thought I was an amateur, he would fight me just for the heck of it. He dodged with quickness and I countered, equaling his pace. I sped up slightly and he barely dodged and took out his shield. I smiled. I was getting to him. It's been a while since I've just gotten to use my swordsmanship. I vowed to not harm him with the elements right then. It would be un-moral to wield something that your opponent didn't equal.

"Come on, little fairy boy. I'm getting bored." I said, faking a yawn.

"Your form is off, and your swings are too wide." He said, with a frown of concern.

"Oh really? I doubt you could do any better." I edged and he broke. Finally.

He charged at me with quick and perfectly timed stabs. I blocked easily, but it was easy to tell he was quite the master. He played off of my defensive strategy with a couple advancing horizontal strikes. I blocked one and countered another, but he blocked with his shield.

"Lefty? Nice. But no shields allowed." I said with a smug smile.

He tossed his shield to the side and it clanged to the ground to his right. I took the advantage this time and attacked. My moves, the ancient ones, taught to me by the spirits in the Grove. He blocked each of them with the same ease as before. I decided to swing hard and fast for the top of his head, a risky move but well worth it if it lands. He blocked with such speed that my grip on the sword faltered and it swung from my grasp and landed behind him.

"Good one, fairy hero." I said back up, feeling a bit worried but then I felt the reassurance of water. It would back me up… and though I did say I wouldn't harm him with the elements. I never said anything about helping myself. I backed up further and I could tell he thought I was retreating. He almost looked concerned, but I wiped that image from my mind. I ran towards him and halfway to him I sprung into a flip and jump that allowed most of my body over him and to my sword. Not to be out done, he swung at my head, missing, but taking a good bit of my hair with him. My dark red hair now fell un-even, Shorter in the back then in the front and only just reaching my shoulders. I gasped as I realized just how close that strike came to my head. He was good. Then I gasped at the length of my hair that fluttered to the ground around the Hero of Time.

"I wanted it cut anyways." I said, partly to myself, still not completely recovered from the shock. I felt the strength of water being lifted from my legs and I felt the fatigue and ache of the day return. I was weakening, I tried to call on help from the other elements, but they wouldn't answer to me. I cursed at them inside my mind. Now was not the time to play games. He charged at me with full speed, almost as if he weren't at all tired. I now cursed outside of my mind and only just managed to black him. I felt something pull at my leg and it stung. But I couldn't look away from the sharp, advancing of the hero's blade. He was good… Maybe too good. My leg faltered and I fell. I felt the weight of the Hero of Time on top of me, weighing me down. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the quick embrace of death and then said my prayers to the goddesses. I waited more than enough time for him to kill me, then I opened my eyes to see him looking at me. His beautiful blue eyes looked into my soul and I saw his face up close for the first time. I couldn't tell if it was the fatigue or not, but I didn't expect the Hero of Time to be so… so handsome. I shook my head. He was going to kill me.

"Do it. Kill me." I said.

"I won't. You don't need this." He replied, sheathing his sword.

A blue orb of light fluttered out of his hat. This must be his fairy. Why such a great being would ever follow a human, I could never tell. He was weak, though I admit to his attractiveness. He had the authority to kill me, and I tried to kill him. The fairy fluttered around me.

"What an amazingly beautiful fairy, I almost never see one out of the Grove. I'm Kaylee, Guardian of the Grove." I said to it.

"Navi. And I thought the Guardian of the grove was male. He was like… old and creepy, and his name was Raliftan." She chattered, and I laughed.

"He died a couple years ago. I'm the new Guardian. I..." I said, but a throbbing in my leg cut me off. "Ack!"

"Link! You almost clean sliced her leg off." Navi said, scolding her owner.

"Stop overreacting. It's a little deeper then I meant it to be, but she wouldn't back off. I'm going to need to treat it." He said, almost grimly.

"Well, come on then, Kay. Let's get you fixed up." Navi fluttered around me some more.

I tried to stand, but my head felt light and a burning sensation filled my legs, I was in too much pain to call the elements, so I just sat there.

"Come on! You're slower than a crippled fat child." She joked and I smiled through the pain, gritting my teeth.

"I'll just stay here. It's nice down here." I said, not wanting to look at the pool of blood that was starting to emanate from my leg.

"Link! You hurt her badly. She can't even stand! You're so terrible. I can't believe you're the Hero of Time! Shesh!" She continued to chatter on and on, but my head started to spin and I closed my eyes. I felt the ground lift from under me, but I passed it off at a symptom of blood loss.

"Good! Pick her up and put her Epona. You better make camp soon so Stalchildren or Wolfos won't come to get us." I heard Navi say.

The Hero of Time picked me up. Was he going to dispose of me somewhere? Hopefully an inn of some sort, if they still had those. I wasn't sure and I didn't care very much. My head hurt and I just wanted to sleep. I succumbed to the dark pleasant master called sleep.

So… Did you like it? Even if you didn't please tell me what I can change to make it better. Negative feedback is worth more than no feedback at all to me. Thank you and let me know if IU should continue this story.

(P.S.- Is the plural of Stalchild, Stalchildren?... or am I just pulling things out of the air? X3)