"Here we go—exposition: set the scene, introduce most of the important cast, and provide some foreshadowing…standard drill."

As the ages pass and time advances, legends and tales of old fade into the past. All things succumb to the march of Time with her unyielding passing. But let us not dwell on things done and said, for the present and future is what we must live for. The forces of good and evil at present stand ready to clash once more. Will the legend of ages past rise once more to drive out the evil?

And thus here begins the legend once more to be told. A story of a boy and a girl, bound by Fate, tasked to save the Kingdom and the World in whole. Though mandated by destiny to save and sacrifice or fail and suffer, the route to their victory is by no means assured, for no one may induce the future with any true certainty. The path they choose and the actions they take are wholly their own.

Lo! Then listen to my tale, let the story begin…

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: The Hook and Crook of Free Volition

The First Chapter

Hyrule Castle, Throne Room; The 22nd year of rule under the King Daphnes the XIII, the 14th day of Winter

The throne room is tense, everyone is on edge, courtiers—sages, warlocks, mages, maidens, dukes, knights, priests, even the jester is silent. The thrones are empty, but all look to the doors behind them. No one speaks, not one.

The doors suddenly are opened and a midwife steps out and whispers to the herald. The herald's eyes widen in shock before he smiles happily. He blows his trumpet and calls in a loud and joyous voice:

"Hyrule has entered a Golden Age! For to-day the King has been granted a son, praise the goddesses for such joyous and happy tidings! For soon the King shall name him heir and together they shall lead Hyrule to greater prosperity and joy! Long live the King and long live the Prince!"

"Long live the King and long live the Prince!" All present in the court cry aloud.

I hear someone whisper to another, "Praise the goddesses, when the first child was named Zelda all feared the worst, but with a son to become heir, Hyrule will be safe from the legends of past devastation!" At the time, I failed to fully understand the meaning of this event or the words said…

Hyrule Castle, The Crown Heir's Study, The 29nd year of rule under King Daphnes the XIII, Day of the Equinox

"That concludes our final lesson. I am honored to have been your tutor your highness." Impa says.

"So the rumors are true? I am no longer the heir as of today?" I knew I would be losing my position, but I thought I would hold it a bit longer.

"Not quite, Princess Zelda, a fortnight from this day, Prince Daphnes the XIV shall become Crown Prince and heir to the throne of Hyrule Kingdom. The ceremony shall be then and you are to be moved out of the Crown Heir's tower to the western portion of the castle and reside in the Old Keep."

"But you will continue to tutor me surly? I haven't completed my studies." At least let me keep one friend with me!

"Sorry, but I am tasked with teaching your brother, the King has been pleased with my educating of you and wishes for me to teach his new heir. I cannot disobey, but I am saddened that we will not be able to meet much in the future." Impa states stoically.

"I understand, duty and loyalty to the crown comes first." I state hollowly.

"Your education will be on hold until a new tutor can be procured."

"I see, well, I best see to the preparations for my move." I need a distraction. This is all too much right now…

As I watch my things are moved into the Old Keep I sigh. The Old Keep is a clear indication of how far my status has fallen. I have gone from heiress to extra royal, perhaps if I'm lucky I can be granted my own province when I come of age. Either that or be married to some foreign prince of a distant land. Maybe become a sage or maiden and sacrifice my spirit to hold some ancient seal.

None those are the bad circumstances are too bad; rather it is the treatment that bothers me. Recalling the legends of old, I know that history has shown that when the first born is a girl, as tradition holds, is named Zelda. Every story of any significance states that when a Zelda is set to ascend to the throne, a calamity strikes Hyrule. Granted the Hero has always risen and struck down said evil, it is always at a terrible and high cost. When a son takes the throne, well, there are never any legends of the peace and prosperity of Hyrule.

After my brother's birth, he and my mother, the queen were whisked away to who knows where, "For security of the state," I was told. After that day I was gradually isolated from the main circle of information. Not because of my age, but because of my new value: worthless.

"My lady, if you wish you may see your room, we haven't finished setting it up yet," a between maid informs me. My staff unfortunately been downgraded also, before all of my servants dressed in the blue and gold uniforms, but now are given older black and silver uniforms. Of course, that is the ones that weren't dismissed automatically. I feel sorry, from what I heard employment in the castle is very sought after for its benefits.

"Of course," I follow the girl who is at least five years my senior to the bedroom. The room isn't very large, but considering the Old Keep is from goddess knows how long ago, it is not surprising.

Several servants are setting up various parts of the room. I told them to arrange things in what they considered to be most convenient. I walk over to the balcony which is accessed by French doors normally behind a curtain.

"The curtain required cleaning my lady." The between maid that lead me here says.

"Hardly surprising, who knows when was the last time someone actually set foot in this place?" I reply as I look out and see, a cemetery. What a pleasant view.

"This is the Foreigner's Cemetery, my Lady, it is where they sometimes seal enemies of the state, your new security wished for me to tell you not to visit there at night, Poes have been spotted roaming around there." I realize that I don't recognize any of the servants present. I imagine some of them went to serving the soon to be Crown Prince, but he supposedly already has his own staff.

"About my staff, how many of you remain from before?" I ask, this girl is obviously new, but she should have some idea.

"Most were dismissed, over three fourths of us here are newly employed My Lady." One of the servants adjusting a closet says.

"I see," I muse as I stare out to my new view. All of this will take some getting used to. The Old Keep is partially separated from the rest of the castle, as isolated as one can be within the inner walls of the palace.

"Supper is ready when you desire it my Lady," a maid says entering the crowded bedroom.

"I shall take it now," I sigh, might as well.

"The room except for the curtains shall be ready tonight my Lady."

"Excellent, I shall look forward to resting; this has been a long day."

Hyrule Castle, Foreigner's Cemetery, The 17th year of rule under the King Daphnes the XIII, Ides of Spring

It was a small group, just five guards, a knight, a single mage, and a prisoner in chains. The knight, unfurling a scroll reads aloud: "By Royal Decree of King Daphnes the VIII all those who are found practicing dark magic are to be sealed by way of a sealing sword, so that they may suffer for all eternity for such evil act. You have been found guilty of breaking this law under the reign of King Daphnes the XIII. Stranger to this land, your conduct therefore mandates that you shall be sealed, may your soul rot in this wretched place. Now let us begin."

The prisoner, dressed in tatters, is a young woman in her prime, yet beaten almost beyond recognition has a stony silent stare. Her only reaction looks up to the night sky sadly.

The mage draws a sword—a katzbalger that reflects like a mirror in the pale moonlight. The guards secure the chains to cold stone ground. The mage begins saying words, words of an ancient tongue of an era long since past. As he does this the sword begins to glow, white shining symbols flow out of the blade down the mage's body and onto the ground. The symbols coil up the prisoner's chains and then wrap around her body tightly, squeezing the woman painfully causing her to gasp out in shocked pain. Her eyes water and she bites her lip to hold in her cry, causing her lip to bleed.

As the ritual carries on, the guards and knight stand impatiently as the mage continues speaking in ancient tongue. The prisoner's torment grows as the white symbols grow tighter and start to emit smoke. As the smell of burnt flesh starts to repulse the guards, the prisoner, unable to bear the pain any longer, lets out a scream and writhes in agony.

The mage mostly ignores this display of humiliating agony, though he sneers slightly as he stops chanting. He then stands over the prisoner, who has fallen to the ground, now unable to move due to supernatural binding. Raising the sword and pausing just long enough to insure that the woman sees the blade, plunges it down into her stomach.

Her body is then sucked into the sword, metal chains restraining her clatter empty onto the ground. The mage idly inspects the sword which glowing begins to dim. Then satisfied with his handy work places the sword in a stone pedestal on the ground.

"It's done, let us go, for I do not want to be the last to hear the news of the King's child." The mage concludes dusting his hands. The small group leaves.

One guard idly asks as they proceed back to the main castle: "What sort of dark magic did she perform?"

"Some sort of energy blast, what got her in caught though is her coming to the castle. Claimed that there was some sort of foe ravaging her very distant homeland and that she wanted help to go stop it. When the watch reported her, she was easily captured." One replies.

"Yes, she was very weak, it was perhaps the easiest capture ever, it only took a few guards to overtake her, and nobody was even injured. What was she thinking? Hyrule only deals with actually threats to the kingdom." The knight states boredly.

"If she was so weak, they why did we have to seal her on the night the Queen went into labor?" another guard whines.

"'Cleaning house', is what I was told, 'better sealed than sorry' my master always taught. Now let's hurry, hopefully the King will have a first-born son."

Ordona Province, The Archive of the Spring, The 29nd year of rule under King Daphnes the XIII

"Welcome boy, here to move in and study?" the old man asks as I stand before the moss covered gateway.

"Yes sir," I answer, while I wish I could remain with Rusel and Uli, but they just had Colin and so space is limited. At least I can visit daily.

"What is your name?" the old man draws into his heavy dark green cloak.

"Link"

"Come in Link, here you shall be trained to be a scholar and advance knowledge!"

Hyrule Castle, Old Keep, The 29th year of rule under King Daphnes the XIII, Night of the Equinox

Night falls, but I cannot sleep, while I have been bustling about overseeing the move and feel weary, I cannot will myself to sleep. Tossing and turning I sigh and sit up. No point in resting now, I feel wide awake. Getting up I open the balcony doors and go outside. Before my view towered over the castle walls and gave me a view of Hyrule Field and the lands beyond, now I find myself looking over a moonlit, unkempt graveyard.

All of my lessons taught me that a noble that is socially isolated is in dire straits. My 'friends' have up and gone, courtiers have steadily abandoned my court. The daughters of noblemen slowly left me once my bother was born. There is a stigma attached the name 'Zelda' and once it became obvious I would soon be replaced as heir, people gradually began to abandon ship. Not that I mind, the court was superficial, hollow, but it was a place where I could be with others. When Impa started my tutoring at seven, I was excited; she was one of the few who came often. But now she's gone, along with all the servants who were my friends…

The temple bells ring announcing midnight. The cemetery is all quiet, all is silent, even the wind has stilled.

I sigh and muse aloud, "I suppose I shall construct a new court with the dead and foreign as my courtiers."

A light flashes down below catching my eye! Looking out I see, that must be a poe! I have never seen one, only read of them in my studies. The tall hooded wraith floats above a sword in a pedestal. It must be a big poe, judging by its size. Its lamp and eyes illuminate the graveyard with an ethereal glow. It is a fascinating sight to behold.

Fortunately, Poes have terrible vision and only can see people caught under the light of their lamp. Seeing that I am a far distance away and five stories up, I should be able to view the spirit safety from here.

As if it read my mind, its eyes shoot up and stare at me. A soul piercing gaze that cuts the distance between us to nothing, I feel as though my spirit is being fully viewed—exposed in the moonlight. I would turn away, but I cannot move, feeling frozen to this spot.

Then the sensation passes, almost like nothing happened. The poe floats off and disappears into the night. What was that?

THIS CONCLUDES THE OPENING CHAPTER

AUTHOR NOTES:

Well, I have been reading fanfiction for quite some time. I have always enjoyed seeing what can be done with well known and loved characters. To see the what if's and possibly's is always a hobby of mine.

Anyways, I have decided that it is time that I contribute a story. I cannot guarantee quality or consistent posting. This idea came to me after I acquired a bout of writer's block on another one of my personal writings. I was taught that the best way to cure writer's block is to write, so I made this idea manifest on page. Well, enjoy and see you the next time I update (whenever that may be)!

Mea culpa on any typos, I am my own editor, and my editor is an incompetent drunken weasel.

DISCLAIMER:

P.S. In case you haven't figured it out, I do not currently hold the Triforce and therefore cannot steal the rights to the Legend of Zelda series.