It took less time than Leyla had thought it would to reach the ruins where she had first met with Malia outside of her dreams. Despite how tall Tam was, he was surprisingly light, and he knew how to help keep his height from becoming an obstruction to travel by air. She landed in a clear, circular area; shattered houses surrounded them, what used to be a fountain a little ways away.

Arctic Fox hopped off first, her legs wobbling underneath her slightly until she caught her balance. Tam followed her, Mink wrapped around his neck. Leyla shifted herself back into her natural form, rolling her shoulders. Several satisfying pops sounded, and Leyla sighed, turning towards Tam.

"Can you find your way back to Hyrule from here?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I think so," Tam said.

"Hello, you two." Tam and Leyla both turned to see Malia before them, her ghostly appearance rippling in the air in a nonexistent breeze.

"Hi," Leyla said, "the Spirits are fine now. Anything I else you need me to do?" Leyla asked. Her expression suddenly became dark. "And would you care to explain why you told me to come alone, but had me followed?" Malia opened her mouth. "And none of that 'certain events have to happen' crap."

Malia's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Leyla's profanity. She recovered herself quickly, however, and said, "I have my reasons for feeling the need to provide you with proper protection."

"And what reason would that be? Are you my mom all of a sudden?" Leyla questioned, surprised at how controlled her voice sounded.

Tam cleared his throat very pointedly not looking at either of the women. Malia raised an eyebrow at him, "Did you let something slip?" she demanded.

"Let what slip?" Leyla asked, confused. "What is going on?" Her eyes widened. "Are you saying-?"

Tam cut in, "You should tell her the truth before she kills me."

Malia actually glared at Tam, then sighed. She turned to Leyla and said, "I suppose I have no more reason to keep your past hidden from you." She looked at Leyla for a moment, sizing her up. "No, nothing shall be held back. I suggest that you sit down."

Leyla sat without saying anything. Tam sat down next to her.

"Close your eyes, and I will show you."

Both obliged, and their minds were filled with scenes from the past.

WWW

It was a grand celebration. People were filing into the palace slowly, because the guards had been required to search each and every one of the guests. Big events were likely to attract danger, after all. Especially when the Royal Family was involved.

The head guard stood a little ways inside of the entrance hall. He wasn't actually part of the inspection, but someone had to make sure the guards saw no reason to slack off.

Shift.

The royal family was still on the throne dais, watching the growing crowd. Thallmas, the king, his hair a deep brown, brought to mind a regal lion. Malia, the queen, her own hair a dark gold, was an elegant swan. In between the two of them was their three-year-old daughter, her father's fierce green eyes and her mother's gentle hair in ringlets about her cheeks. She was a small pup, fidgeting for something to do. Leyla. Princess Leyla.

Shift.

It was an hour later, and the flow of guests had finally stopped. The little princess had found something to amuse herself with behind her father's throne; a small, blue butterfly that had made its way into the palace hall. Malia looked to Thallmas, who was inviting her to a dance. The musicians had started to play a lively song, one of Malia's favorites. She accepted his invitation and the two went to the dance floor.

Shift.

Leyla had the butterfly on her hand, and was trying to communicate with it. Her friend was able to do it very well, especially with monarch butterflies. Leyla couldn't see how, butterflies always whispered, and didn't seem to hear you well unless you whispered, yourself.

She sighed in exasperation as the butterfly flew away, seeking the fading sunlight from one of the high windows. She peeked around her father's throne and saw her parents dancing. As always, the rest of the dancers had made a circle around her parents, giving them the spotlight. Her mother had always said that was good if the people saw the royals amongst them, and it was even better if they respected your space without them asking. At least, she thought that was what she said.

Shift.

Malia and Thallmas were soon dancing in a small circle of their own. Malia had often said that the people needn't do that, but she didn't mind it too much, so long as people didn't think she had ordered them to do it. She looked over Thallmas shoulder –tall though he was, she could still easily see over them- and saw Leyla peeking out from behind his thrown. The little girl watched the dancers, and, every now and then, eyed the tables full of food, with an odd fascination. Malia smiled. One day, she would be in the spotlight, dancing with her suitor.

BLAM. The doors slammed open, and the head guard, his armor dented and burned, ran in.

Shift.

Leyla jumped as the wide, double doors opened suddenly, causing a loud noise like a cannon fire to echo down the hall. She pressed herself against her father's throne, watching from behind. One of the guards came running, his armor looking beat up. Weren't they supposed to keep those looking shiny?

The guard stood in the door way, panting, "Inva-!" he fell to the ground, a thick stick in his back, his red blood glinting gold in the torch light.

Before she knew it, the room was in utter chaos. Everyone was screaming, some of the ladies had fainted. Men pulled out swords and transformed into their strongest species. The guards that lined the walls varied from large birds of prey to giant hulking bears. They ran to guard all of the exits to the room, and the guests gather in the center, the weakest in the middle, the strongest at the edges.

Hands grabbed at Leyla's waist, and she was being hoisted into the air. She turned in surprise to see her father's face, looking worried and angry. His lions fangs were already showing through and round tufted ears had taken place of his pointy ones. He handed Leyla to her mother, who seemed to be doing her best to not be worried. Doing her best and failing. What was going on? Leyla felt her heart racing, panic rising in her chest. Instinctively, she tried to transform, but her young age only allowed her to grow a temporary wolf tail and ears.

Her mother took her to a small door behind the thrones. A cougar let them through, his eyes on the double doors where the dead guard lay. The door was what the servants usually used when they had to get to the throne room quickly from their quarters, there were doors like it everywhere. Leyla liked to travel through them, and would often talk to the servants she met in them.

Her mother had never traveled through these. She would tell Leyla that it wasn't proper. Now, she hurried through them, ignoring the panicking servants. She took Leyla through the servants quarters, then entered another passage, the one that led to the stable yard. She entered the stable and went straight to where Leyla's horse, Storm was. She led the two year old stallion from his stall and set about tacking him up. She then grabbed Leyla and place her in the saddle.

"Ride," her mother said firmly, "ride and don't look back. Get to Hyrule as fast as you can. I'll send some guards after you. But ride and do not come back until you hear from me."

"Mama?" Leyla asked, tears welling up. "You're not coming?" She glanced at her mother's horse, a beautiful snowy white mare, who was dancing in her stall, nostrils flaring.

"No, I have to take care of this," her mother said. A tear dripped onto her cheek. She reached up and kissed Leyla on the forehead. "I promise you, you will be alright. You'll have good men to look after you."

Shift.

Malia made her way back to the throne room. Her small crown had fallen off sometime before, leaving her hair ragged looking. She entered the room and found what she feared.

Ganondorf.

Her husband was on the dais, his sword in his hand. The guests had been sent out through various hallways. Now, only the guards remained.

The guards had formed ranks in front of the dais, all battle ready; the earth forms in front, Air forms above, all others in the back. Malia took her place next to her husband. Thallmas had partly shifted, his lions ears and teeth were visible, a lions tail lashed angrily, and his hair resembled a thick lion's mane, now.

Malia spoke up, her voice regal and strong. "You dare to try entering our palace uninvited?"

Ganondorf cackled. "And when would you invite me? I was offended that a party was going on without me."

"There were reasons why you weren't here," Thallmas growled.

"What, because of a few past lives? Because of Demise?" Ganondorf still smiled.

"You won't last long here," Malia said. "You have come to your death."

"Oh, have I?" Ganondorf asked. "I do believe that I have brought your death to you." He reached into his cloak, where he had a sheath hiding, he unbuckled it and unsheathed a large, glowing blade.

Malia gasped.

"With this, I have killed a sage. He was pretty easily killed, too." He pointed the sword towards the Wood-Elves. "I wonder, how easily can it defeat you?"

"Light feeds Light, Ganon," Thallmas snarled, his grip tightening on his sword. Malia laid a hand on her arm, horror overtaking her.

"Oh, yet I killed one who is of PURE Light with this sword of PURE Light. Explain that to me, why don't you?"

"Thallmas," Malia whispered, "He's infected it, it's no longer a benevolent blade."

"I think I shall enjoy using this cursed weapon against you." Ganondorf raised the blade, and the room filled with darkness.

Shift.

Leyla dug her heels into Storm's sides. The horse hadn't been properly saddle trained yet, Leyla had been working on it for months. He seemed to have taken to simple commands quite easily, though. It was good to be a Wood-Elf sometimes.

She guided Storm through the thick forest, heading towards the giant stone wall. She looked back briefly, no one was following her, not even the guards her mother had promised. What was going on back in the palace? What had caused her mother to act so oddly? Leyla wasn't watching when Storm jumped a low log, and the back of his neck hit her in the head just as she turned around, and her world became dark.

WWW

Leyla gasped when the visions left her. Tears were streaming down her face, and her eyes were red. She had just watched the doom of her people. She had just seen her parents. She had just found out who she was.

She was a princess. Malia was her mother.

She sniffed, opened her mouth to speak, then closed it.

"I'm sorry," Malia whispered. Tears of pearly white clung to her own cheeks. "What I find extraordinary in that was that your own memories broke through several times there."

Leyla took a deep breath, then stood up. She turned and walked away, becoming a wolf as she did. She wanted to be alone.

She ran for the forest, not knowing where she was going. She picked a tree and ran up into it, her claws digging into the bark. She returned to her natural form, and sat on one of the branches. To her right, in the trunk, there was a hollow, about a foot long and half a foot wide. Hesitantly, she reached inside. From it, she pulled out a small, golden locket in the shape of a bear holding a Tri-Force in its claws. Leyla didn't want to reach back in, but she knew there was more. She put her hand back in the hollow and grabbed a small crown made up now dried vines. It used to have flowers on it, purple ones. She had made it.

For her mother.

Leyla gripped the necklace and the dead crown, then brought her knees up. Hugging them, she burying her face in them and sobbed, not caring if anyone saw or heard.