I breathed in the scent of fresh pine and embraced the cool air as it brushed my skin. The trees towered over me like gods as I passed by them. The occasional croak of a frog or a rustle in the foliage didn't bother me at all. In fact, it made me feel at peace. No one seemed to be there except me, and that was something that I certainly didn't have a problem with. I'd rather be alone to enjoy the quiet scenery.

The noise of a rushing river came into earshot, and soon, I could barely see it behind a cluster of pines. I slowly made my way over to it and bent down to touch it's cool surface. Water ran quickly past my fingers, spraying a little mist on my arms and face. My reflection looked distorted in the rushing water, but it was clear enough to see that I wasn't alone anymore.

Now, a man stood beside me in the water. Whirling around, there didn't seem to be any man in sight, but when I looked back at my reflection, he was still there. He had long silver hair and pale skin and wore a long green robe with intricate silver swirls decorating it. Reaching up, he delicately placed a hand on my shoulder.

Even though he was only there inside the river, I could still feel his touch on my shoulder. Taking a closer look at the river, I noticed that his hand was adorned with five rings, one on each finger. They all emitted a soft, pulsing glow.

"Maven."

The man spoke loud and clear, and it felt like he was speaking right in my ears—like he was in my head. I looked at the figure, unsure what to say.

"Yes? That's my name," I said timidly.

"Maven, Heroine of the Goddesses, it is time," he said regally.

"Time?" I asked confused, "Time for what?"

"The Goddesses have chosen you for a reason. The twilight is spreading across Hyrule as we speak, as I'm sure you already know. But time is of the essence, and the darkness is coming much faster than the Goddesses could have ever predicted."

"What? But Link made it seem like it wasn't an immediate threat. After all, it took about a month for the twilight to spread, and no one in Hyrule is even aware of it yet," I said, raising my voice in concern.

"The Hero was wrong. You haven't much time to prepare, so you must stop them as soon as possible, before the twilight completely corrupts Hyrule. Otherwise, all will be lost forever in the darkness," he warned.

I twiddled my thumbs in anxiety. All this talk of the twilight was making me nervous. The last time they had invaded Hyrule, I was too much of a coward to even leave my house. How was I supposed to fight off a whole army of them if I was just a gutless coward?

"Then how do we stop them?"

"You must search for the three powerful objects sent down to Hyrule by the Goddesses. Each one lies in a distant land, and it will take courage and strength to retrieve them," he said. Then, straightening his back and lifting his chin to stare off into the distance, he recited, "One of which you seek hides in a lonely mansion atop a snowy mountain, its icy slopes and fierce blizzards a challenge for anyone to fight through. The next lies high among the clouds, where birds of many colors soar above their floating city. The final object is shrouded in darkness and rests deep within a dormant land that isn't so different from our realm."

He paused for a moment, and I found myself staring into his cold, blue eyes. Breaking his gaze, he said forcefully, "Now, go! Fight the twilight!"

It was as if he had blasted me with an extremely powerful torrent of wind. I was knocked off my feet onto the hard ground and had just enough time to look back into the river before seeing the man disappear.

A warm liquid dripped down onto my eyelid, causing me to immediately open my eyes. Sitting up, I noticed that I was sweating like I was in the center of Death Mountain. I wiped the sweat off my face and looked around. Early morning light streamed in through the windows and the bar was completely empty, except for one person. Link, who was sitting on a stool by the bar, noticed that I had awoken and made his way over to me.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied, still a bit shaken from my dream.

"Good. So you're well rested," he said as he helped me out of bed and walked towards the door, "But now we must head to the castle as soon as possible."

"But…" I wanted to tell Link about my dream. No matter how ridiculous is seemed, there were much stranger things going on. But something within me told me that it wouldn't be wise to share my secret. Perhaps he wouldn't believe me. What that man had told me was completely different from what Link believed, and something told me Link wouldn't trust a girl without the experience of ever embarking on a single quest.

"What?" He stopped and looked back at me.

I bit my lip. "I've never been in the presence of royalty before, and I'm not sure what to say," I lied. I couldn't do it.

"That's what you're worried about?" he asked with a chuckle, "Don't worry, Maven. Zelda understands perfectly well that you'll be confused. I was when I first met her."

"You sound like my father," I smirked.

"Well then he must be a wonderful man," he said.

"Don't flatter yourself," I replied.

"Right," he murmured. Then swinging the door open, he announced, "Come! We've got a princess to meet, and we don't want to keep her waiting."

"Alright, alright," I said, jogging outside.

Outside the bar, I could hear shouts of children and small talk passing by. On the main street, people were already milling around and going about their daily business. Women were carrying baskets and walking from booth to booth, and soldiers were patrolling up and down the streets. Children were chasing each other all around and occasionally shrieking in joy. Men in carts pulled by cattle yelled at them to move out of the way, and mothers grabbed their children in response. I just stood back to watch the busy scene play out.

"This way," Link beckoned me across the street and into a smaller one.

I followed him down multiple streets, passing by cramped houses and shops. It wasn't until I saw a man slouched against a wall staring us down that I noticed almost everyone —women, men, and children alike—were watching us as we passed by. Some stared with admiration, while others stole quick glances before hesitantly moving by. Suddenly, two girls about my age approached Link with huge smiles on their faces.

"Link!" the one with blonde curly hair tied up in pigtails cried, "You're back in Castle Town!"

The other girl with short, light brown hair reached out and hugged his arm. "We missed you! Where have you been?"

"I've been, uh, traveling across Hyrule," he stammered.

"Across Hyrule?" the blonde one squeaked, "Oh no, I hope you didn't get hurt!"

He shook his head. "No, no. I'm fine. Trust me."

"But what about the monsters?" the brunette asked, "Aren't they dangerous?"

"Of course they are," he said, earning a squeal from the girls, "but I handled them."

"Yay, Link!" they cheered in unison. I held back my annoyance and kept silent as they practically threw themselves all over the poor boy.

As soon as they pulled away to give him space, the blonde asked, "Since you're back now, why don't we play a round of the STAR game with Purlo!"

"I'd really like that, but…" Link started.

"But what?" she interrupted.

"I've got to escort her," he stated firmly, pointing at me, "to the castle."

An immediate sense of dislike poisoned the air and I met the two girls' gaze. Their eyes were full of hatred. I didn't know how to respond, so I just waved.

"Hi," I said, extending a hand, "My name's—"

"Yeah, I could care less what your name is," the brunette spat, swatting my hand away, "Link? Who's this? You told us that we were the most important girls to you. You said that you would spend your time between quests with us. Are you trying to say that you lied to us?"

"No, I didn't say anything. She's just…um…" Link scrambled for the right words.

"Just what?"

"I'm his cousin," I intervened, "He's taking me to visit Castle Town and Hyrule Castle. Coming from the Ordona Province, I've never seen such a marvelous and rich town."

"You don't seem to look like Link," the brunette said suspiciously.

"Our relationship is complicated," I said, brushing over the subject.

For a moment, the girls just looked at me, like they were examining me. I tried to appear relaxed. For all they knew, I had nothing to hide from them. I was just an unknown girl that they had misjudged. Honestly, they didn't look like they could do much damage, and judging from what I did to those watchmen back in Kakariko Village, I'm sure I could take them on. But I didn't need anyone hating me.

"I guess it doesn't matter then," the brunette blurted out, breaking the silence. Squeezing Link in her tight embrace she said, "Don't forget to meet us at the STAR Game later!"

"We'll miss you!" the blonde chimed in, hugging Link immediately after her friend let go.

"I promise to come by later," Link assured them.

With a wave, the two girls giddily walked away.

As soon as they were out of earshot, I asked, "Who exactly were they?"

"Just some girls that always seem to find me when I visit Castle Town," Link shrugged.

"You don't know their names?"

"Well it's hard when the whole rest of their group is flocking you," he said defensively.

I snickered. "Poor you."

"At least you show some sympathy," he said, his tone full of sarcasm.

"It's only fair."

After that, the two of us continued down the street. Eventually, we made it to a central courtyard. A large fountain was placed in the middle of the area, and the townspeople sat and chatted on the outside rim. A large gate to our left was ajar, and two guards stood positioned on either side. Upon seeing us, they immediately nodded for us to enter. Inside there was a wide pathway leading up to another gate with even more guards were standing watch. They, too, motioned for us to head inside. After crossing over a bridge, we made it into a massive garden.

Trees lined the colossal walls that surrounded the castle, and two mazes made from hedges stood on either side of the garden. Three statues—one on the left, one in the middle, and one on the right—towered over me. Each statue was constructed of three metals poles that wrapped around each other like serpents. They spiraled upwards for about 30 feet until the two outside poles fanned out and the middle pole morphed into the mysterious symbol I had seen on my hand. The so-called "Triforce." A cobblestone pathway lead up to the grand entrance of the castle.

Without a word, Link pulled me down the path. About six guards stood at the entrance. I continued to walk forwards to push open the doors, but as soon as I neared it, the soldiers crossed their spears inches from my face. I could feel the wind from their weapons as they almost brushed my nose. I jumped back in surprise.

"No one enters without Princess Zelda's permission," the guard on the right boomed.

"But—" I started.

Link pulled me behind him and pointed a finger at the guard. "I am Link, the Hero of the Goddesses, and I demand entrance."

"What business do you have with the princess?" another guard questioned.

"She expects us to meet her in the throne room as soon as Maven, here, was ready," Link explained.

"The princess only meets with people when she is ready," the guard stated, tightening his grip on the handle of his spear.

"Well she better be ready now," Link spat, a hint of frustration in her voice.

"How dare you—"

"Garvin!"

The guards spun around in shock to find a tall, thin woman heading towards them from the garden. Her expression was enough to tell that she was upset with them. She was dressed rather strange, with blue garbs decorated in gold patterns. Orange feathers hung from her belt, and she wore odd sandals that fanned out around her ankles like two funnels. A cloak wrapped around her upper torso, concealing her mouth and flapped around in the wind behind her like a cape. A single, long string of hair stuck out of her blonde hair, which was cut extremely close to her scalp. But the strangest part of her appearance were the tattoos on her face. On her forehead was an orange symbol depicting an eye with curled eyelashes and a single teardrop. Beneath her left eye was a large, white teardrop that extended halfway down her cheek.

"Y-yes, Impa?" one of the guards stuttered, bringing me back to reality.

"Why do you disrespect our guests? You should be familiar with Link by now," Impa scolded them harshly.

"Yes, but—"

"So then let them in."

The guard on the right swallowed and nodded before scurrying past her. The others followed suit, and with all their strength combined, they pushed the doors open.

"I apologize for the…inconvenience," Impa said, glaring at the guards. Then turning to me, she murmured, "Princess Zelda is most anxious to meet you."

"Anxious?" I asked.

"Yes. So we must go quickly," Impa said, heading inside the castle as she spoke.

Link jogged after Impa and waved for me to follow. Coming from a small village, I had only heard mere stories of Hyrule Castle. But now, I was inches from its entrance. Just the fact that I would actually meet with the princess, herself, left me at a loss for words. Full of questions, I had no choice but to follow them.

"Princess Zelda," Impa called, "Link and Maven have arrived."

The three of us walked through a large set of double doors and into a spacious room. A wide dark blue carpet led all the way up to a giant statue of female sprites surrounding a large, golden Triforce. At the base of the statue was a throne, and in the throne sat a woman. She wore a purple and white dress with golden jewelry adorning her head and clothes.

The woman's eyes widened, and she hurriedly stood and spread her arms wide. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle. I trust you had a safe trip here."

"Something like that," I said as I kneeled down before her.

A hand touched my shoulder and pulled me to my feet. "No need to bow, for it is I who should bow to you." With a smile, she slowly nodded her head to me.

"Thank you, but really, I'm not as important as a princess," I replied modestly.

"Yes, well, let's get to business," Zelda said. Turning to Link, she asked, "Have you explained anything to her about Hyrule's crisis?"

"Not much, but yes. Just a bit," Link answered.

"Good. That makes things a little easier," she said. Suddenly, her whole expression darkened and folded her hands. "There are only three beings in all of Hyrule that are marked by the Goddesses. These marks are each one piece of the Triforce. I, for instance, am marked with the Triforce of Wisdom." Raising the back off her fist to me, I could see a soft glow of the Triforce seep through her pearly white glove. "Link has the Triforce of Courage. And you have the Triforce of Power."

"The Triforce of Power?" I asked.

"Yes. It gives the holder a vast amount of strength—more powerful than any mortal could gain—and mystical powers. Ganondorf, the Great King of Evil, wielded its power before you, but now that he is no more, you are the next in line to take his place. However, I don't believe that your heart is corrupted with the evil that took over his. Instead, I believe that you and Link are the answer to saving Hyrule. By combining your forces, you can stop the twilight from taking the kingdom."

"And what about you? What are you going to do?" I questioned her.

"I will stay here, in the confines of my castle, and watch over my kingdom. It is far too dangerous for the three of us to be in one place, for the twilight could easily take all of our Triforce pieces. If all of our pieces are taken, it could mean the end of the world as we know it. So I trust in you, brave heroine, to aid Link in his quest and save Hyrule from its impending doom."

I closed my eyes and swallowed. This was too much to take in. I still wasn't sure yet whether I really wanted to be in this position, to be the savior of Hyrule. But I couldn't show a trace of fear, so I nodded and simply said, "I won't let you down, Princess Zelda."

"Good. Now that I've explained the main part of the reason that I've brought you here, I'd like to show you your accommodations. Tomorrow, I'll tell you all about your first destination. We have far too many questions and not enough answers," she said. With a small wave of her hand, two guards jogged over to her. "You two. Escort Maven to her room. You may fill her in on any details necessary for the night."

"Yes, Princess Zelda," they stated in unison. One of them took my hand. "Come, miss, this way."

"What about Link?" I asked, "Where's he going to stay?"

"Don't worry about me, Maven. I'll see you in the morning," Link called to me as I was led down a hallway.

Right. Left. Left. Right. Left.

Up. Down. Up. Up.

We walked in silence through empty corridors and up and down stairwells. Each hallway looked exactly the same as the next, as we continued past rows and rows of doors. Occasionally, we would pass a couple servants who would stop to bow their heads to me. I had no idea I was that well-known among the workers already. I just arrived here today, so they must've been expecting me. Soon, the guards halted in front of a wide door at the end of a long corridor.

"Here," one of them said, opening the door. Unlike Telma's bar, this room was much more luxurious. A large wardrobe stood in the far corner next to a polished, wooden desk. A window led to a balcony that overlooked the garden below. A large bed with a silk canopy took up the majority of the room.

"Thank you," I said to the guards as I entered the room.

Ignoring my thanks, the guard holding the door said, "As Princess Zelda informed you, you will learn more about your power tomorrow. In the meantime, you may explore the castle at your leisure."

Then without another word, they left, closing the door behind them. I threw myself down on the bed and sighed loudly. Pulling my dirty sleeves up, I examined the Triforce mark on my hand. The piece on top seemed to shine a little brighter than the other two. That must be my piece. The Triforce of Power. What kind of power would it give me? I had already gotten a little taste of it earlier. Honestly, I wasn't too keen on what those powers would be. But that was out of my hands. Sooner or later, I would have to find out.