Lightning splits the sky above our heads, making it seem like midday for a fraction of a second. Impa grabs me by the waist and lifts me up onto my horse, a white stallion named Strider. There is fear in her eyes as she climbs on and sits behind me, taking the reins. She fears for my life, as my bodyguard and as my friend. She barks a command to the horse and flicks the reins, and Strider leaps forward, galloping down the wet cobblestone streets of Castle Town.

As we run from the dark Castle, Impa whispers in my ear, "It's okay. Everything's going to be all right."

But I know in my heart that it's not. I know my life is in danger, and I know that if I die tonight, my beloved kingdom will die as well. I hear a whinny far behind us, and I make the mistake of looking back. The man from the desert is following us on a jet-black horse with wild eyes.

And they're getting closer, fast.

I turn back around to see a soldier in the distance, standing next to the closed drawbridge. Impa yells to him and orders him to lower the bridge, then close it behind us. He pulls the lever and the drawbridge begins to open ever so slowly; so slowly that I fear we won't make it over the moat without stopping.

When we reach the gate, it's just low enough for us to jump off of the edge and onto the grass behind. The horse stumbles a little as he lands on the other side. I can barely make out the form of a boy in the darkness and rain. A blue fairy hovers loyally around his head. It's the boy from the forest, the one I dreamt about and then later sent on a quest to save my kingdom. I know what he will become one day, and he will need the Ocarina of Time. I take it out of a hidden pocket in my dress and throw it his way. Then I close my eyes and pray to the goddesses that they will aid him in the gruesome days to come.

I don't dare look behind me again, for fear of seeing the red-haired man growing closer. Instead, I keep my eyes shut tight and let Impa guide us to where we will hide from the man who killed my father.

After hours of trying to shake Ganondorf and his steed, we finally come to rest in a small cave south of Hyrule Field, near Lake Hylia. The rain has been pouring down in sheets ever since we fled the Castle, covering our tracks and making it difficult for our pursuer to see us as we galloped across the muddy field, thank the Goddesses.

I sit against the wall of the cavern and listen to the rain outside while Impa builds a small fire. Link, the boy from the forest, will need to go to the Temple of Time, where he will play the Song of Time to open the door to where the Master Sword sleeps. That much he already knows. But he doesn't know that pulling the sword out of its pedestal will open another door, this one to the Sacred Realm, where he will sleep until he comes of age. At his young age, he is not yet capable of defending the kingdom from the powerful wizard Ganondorf. I can only hope that he will be ready when the time comes, and that the destruction that Ganondorf will wreak on my beloved Hyrule in the meantime will not be so great that it can't be fixed.

I look over at Impa, who is gently blowing our fire into existence. I can see in the faint glow of the embers the harsh planes of her face, a face worn by age and battle. She has protected me and guarded me my entire life; I can't even remember a day when she wasn't there by my side, guiding me, teaching me, and doing the things that my ever-busy monarch father couldn't.

"I don't know what I would do without you, Impa," I say, a bit absently.

Impa looks at me and smiles. "Oh, don't be so humble," she says. "You are very powerful in your own right… You just don't know it yet." The fire has started to burn on its own, and she crosses over to me and takes my hands in hers. "But you are very young. You are wise beyond your years, yes-more than you know-but you are still only ten. You've lived the life of royalty all this time, and now, at such a young age, your kingdom has been overthrown. These next few years will be very difficult for you, given your age and upbringing, but you must not give up hope during that time, and you mustn't blame yourself for what has happened. Instead, work toward saving what you can of your people and your kingdom."

I nod, mulling it all over for a moment while she moves over to put her back against the wall next to me.

No matter how where we go, chances are Ganondorf and his minions will find us. We'll be running until the Hero returns, and that is too long a time to avoid being caught. As long as I remain princess, I will be recognizable from miles away.

"Impa, we can't stay hidden like this for long."

She meets my gaze and, after a moment, replies solemnly, "I know we can't, but we can try. And if we are found, you know that I will protect you with my life."

I have other plans in mind. "It will never come to that, because I'm going to become the enemy."

She looks at me with a mixture of confusion and horror, and I continue.

"I will change my identity and hide in plain sight. I wish to become someone else, someone other than the Princess of Hyrule, and become close to Ganondorf in order to bring about his downfall."

Her astonishment grows. "You can't possibly be serious-"

"Impa, if we keep running from him, it will end in disaster. But the only place he will never look for me is under his own nose."

Worry and fear cross her face. "Do you realize just how dangerous this is? He has seen your face. He'll recognize you as soon as he sees you, and all will be lost! You are the last thing that the people have to believe in. They need their rightful heir to give them hope in the times to come. If you are captured or killed, they will have nothing left!" She pauses. "I will have nothing left. I can't allow you to do this!"

I feel tears come to my eyes. "What do you think will happen if we just keep running?" I choke on the knot in my throat. "We won't be able to evade him for very long. In disguise, at least I have a chance of surviving these next few years."

Impa sighs and tears her eyes away from mine. "Zelda, you have always shown wisdom far beyond your years. I see now that this is the best thing to do." She stands and walks over to the fire. When I stand and follow her, she asks, "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" I nod, and she kneels in front of me, her right fist across her chest. "Although I fear for your life, I fully agree that it will be safer for you as close to the enemy as possible. I will grant your wish." With this, she walks silently over to where Strider stands patiently in a corner and reaches into a saddlebag, pulling out a bundle.

"You will become one of the Sheikah, one of my people who are long gone. You will say that you are seeking revenge against the Royal Family for the wrongs that they did your ancestors." As she speaks, she brings the bundle over to me. "This is the uniform of a Sheikah warrior that I rescued from the ashes of my home long ago. It will be a crucial part of your disguise, and much better for movement than a dress."

I unfold the bundle and hold it in front of me. A white scarf, a shawl, and rolls of bandages fall from the bundle and onto the floor. The uniform is a white full-body suit with purple and blue along the arms and legs. I lay it aside and pick up the shawl, which is square and bears a black eye pattern with a single tear falling from it. It is the same design that is printed on Impa's armor.

I look back down at the objects on the floor. "What are the bandages for?" I ask.

Impa takes my right hand in hers and begins to tape my fingers. "For protecting your body from the elements, and to serve as a bit of a shield in combat," she replies. The scarf will serve to hide most of your face so that you will not be easily recognizable."

She then helps me to get the uniform on, wrapping my torso and hands with the bandages. The shawl goes over my head and hangs in the front and back of my torso. Impa cuts my hair short, like a boy's, and wraps my head as well. I wrap the scarf loosely around my neck and pull it up over my nose, so that the only visible part of my face is my blue eyes. Impa puts a finger on my forehead and says, "Close your eyes." I do as she says, immediately I notice a shift in my eyes; something about me has changed. I open them again and everything around me is brighter, clearer, sharper, and more colorful than before. Impa takes her hand away and explains. "You now have the characteristic red eyes of the Sheikah. They will help you to see much clearer than a Hylian would."

She looks down at me gravely. "You will from now on be known as Sheik. Never reveal your true identity to anyone; even those you think are close to you. Starting tomorrow, I will teach you the ways of the Sheikah. But for now, you must rest."

"Thank you, Impa. You have always been a wonderful mentor, and a wonderful friend. I put my life into your able hands for the remaining time we have together."

She smiles. "It is my honor, Sheik."

Then she goes to sit near the mouth of the cave and keep watch, while I try to go to sleep. I beg the goddesses for their help on the journey that begins tomorrow.

I push Link off of the platform, giggling to myself, and watch him fall. At the very last second before he hits the ground, he opens up the sailcloth and floats down gracefully onto his feet. It makes my heart leap with joy to see my best friend become a knight. I summon my bird and fly down to him, almost knocking him over in a huge tackle-hug.

"You did it! I'm so proud of you!" I back up a little bit. "So, I was thinking… Since you won the contest and everything… Do you maybe want to… go ride around the clouds together?"

He grins. "Yeah, of course!"

We run hand in hand to the edge of the monument and jump off, calling our beloved birds, who gracefully scoop us up out of the air. We glide lazily together, just enjoying the sun and the wind in our faces. I finally decide to tell him what's on my mind. "You know, Link, I've been wanting to talk to you about something for a long time…" Before I can go on, we spot a black smudge in front of us. "What is that?" Our birds begin to turn around to avoid the black swirling winds, but it's too late. I'm jolted off of my bird and sucked down into the clouds. I reach out for Link, who looks on helplessly before trying to dive in and grab me. He and his bird are thrown out of the winds, and I scream as I fall into the unknown.

I wake to a hand on my mouth. My eyes fly open, and I see Impa standing over me with a finger on her lips. She helps me to stand, and as I look around the cave, I remember where I am.

So it wasn't just a bad dream.

I pull my scarf back up over my nose, Impa puts out the fire and scatters the ashes, and we retreat deeper into the cave. I hold my breath, afraid of making too much noise. We hear a snort from the outside. Oh, goddesses. We've been found.

Impa looks at me and silently mouths, Kakariko. I nod, barely breathing, and try to shrink further back into the shadows as she heads toward the entrance, where Strider is standing.

After a quiet moment, I peek around the corner to try to catch a glimpse of our pursuer. At the mouth of the cave, I see every detail of Ganondorf's horse, from its wild glowing red eyes to the intricate workings of its armor. Ganondorf is not in the saddle. Heavy footsteps echo throughout the cave, and Impa stealthily climbs onto Strider. She puts her hands together and closes her eyes. A shadow appears behind her, changing into the shape of a girl; into the shape of me, with my long blonde hair, blue eyes, and royal garb. Impa opens her eyes, looks pointedly at me, and then gallops out of the cave.

Ganondorf appears and leaps onto his own horse, chasing after Impa. There is a hunger in his eyes that sends a chill up my spine. Impa pulls a small seed out of a pouch on her waist and throws it into the ground. Ganondorf shields his eyes from the blinding flash of light it creates, and when it disappears, Impa is gone, taking my terrified image with her. Ganondorf curses and yanks his reins, pulling his horse in the direction that Impa had been going: west, towards the Gerudo Valley.

I keep myself plastered to the back wall of the cave, hiding in the shadows for a few more moments to make sure he is out of sight before I breathe again. Impa was headed west, but I remember what she told me. When I'm sure I can't be followed, I head northeast, toward Death Mountain.