Hello everyone!

I'm back with this story after rewriting it and I'm much happier with how it turned out.

I hope you enjoy it and I hope to hear your opinions:)

The heat of battle. The stench of blood. The hot trickle of sweat across her brow. Running. Screams of the fallen. Cold and... darkness.

-xXx-

Zelda slumped into a chair. She had just gotten out of another lecture from her father, and her temples were pounding. She rubbed them as she organized some papers.

She needed to do some thing. Without her powers she was useless, nothing more than a burden to others. She just needed to work harder.

Then, she heard a knock at her door. She groaned.

"Enter," she sighed. The door clicked open an Impa strode in.

"Yes, what is it?" Zelda said, a little more forceful than she had intended.

Impa ignored her tone.

"Princess, "Impa began, "your father has asked that you schedule a meeting with the champions for tomorrow."

Zelda suppressed a groan. Instead, she replied, "Of course, whatever his Majesty demands." Zelda couldn't help the slight sarcasm that leaked into her remark.

Impa raised her eyebrows.

"You know," she began, "Purah and Robbie have discovered a new shrine. They even found some unusual artifacts that may be interesting."

Zelda quirked an eyebrow.

"If you want to, that is," Impa added. "Now I have to go." She turned on her heel and exited quickly.

For a few moments Zella sat in silence. Then she stood up and followed Impa out the door.

Dammit, Impa! She thought, You really do know how to make me curious, don't you!

Though, she was glad for a distraction.

-xXx-

To say that Zelda was interested would be an understatement. She was absolutely fascinated with the items that Robbie had in store for her.

She rushed around with Purah, fiddling and examining broken Guardian parts. It was rare to see the princess so happy. After a lot of digging and sorting, they finally came to the last item of inventory.

"Purah? What is this?" Zelda asked as she examined a large, coffin-like casket.

"We are not sure," Robbie said excitedly, "Purah thinks it's a storage container, but I think it might be buried treasure."

"Or there's nothing in it," said Impa.

"Stop killing the suspense!" Purah groaned.

Zelda observed the glowing orange lock.

"You should try the Sheikah Slate!" exclaimed Purah.

Zelda pulled the slate from her belt and hesitantly placed it into the glowing lock. The casket seemed to shine brighter as it change from orange to blue. A distinct whirring came from the lid as the individual pieces unlocked and moved aside to reveal the coffin's contents. Zelda gasped and stepped back as the lid slid back to reveal a woman's face.

The woman's eyes were closed and her face was smooth and serene. Raven hair swirled in the glowing liquid she was suspended in, and strands of it clung to her pale cheeks. She was fitted in a simple shirt and trousers, yet she could have worn a dress of rags and still would have looked more beautiful and regal than any royalty.

The stunned silence that followed was soon broken by Purah's triumphant shout.

"Ha! I knew it was a body! Pay up!" she cried. Robbie begrudgingly handed her a purple rupee.

Impa eyed them both with an expression that conveyed both confusion and concern.

While Impa interrogated her older sister on why she ever thought there was a body in the casket, Robbie and Zelda immediately started debating on whether or not they should move the woman from the water. At this point they weren't even sure if she was still alive.

Despite the two separate conversations going on at once, all four of them froze as the woman stirred slightly. The liquid in the casket rippled as her head moved. She gave a small sigh but otherwise remained still.

After a short quarrel, Zelda eventually called Link in to help lift the woman out of the coffin.

Link remained stoic throughout the entire transition, yet he was still thoroughly confused. Apparently he couldn't leave the princess alone with the scientists without something happening.

He laid the woman down on a low table. She was surprisingly lightweight and the water from the casket seeped from her clothing and into his gloves. She looked Hylian. But there was something strange about her appearance.

Her ears were pointed but we're not as long as a Hylian's and there was something a little too graceful about her features.

-:-

"-yet she is still alive!" finished Zelda excitedly. She stood in front of her father's desk as he listened intently to her story. His brow was furrowed in thought.

There was a pause.

"So you've been fraternizing with those scientists instead of training like I've been telling you?" He said. Zelda's face fell. Hadn't he been listening to a word she said?

"Yes, well no but –".

"No excuses!" King Rhoam thundered suddenly and Zelda felt her heart fall into the pit of her stomach.

"I've told you again and again to continue with your training and yet you slack off! I'm very disappointed in you, I expected better."

Zelda winced inwardly.

"If you cannot concentrate on your training then I am forbidding you from going to the laboratory ever again."

Zelda felt desperate, and she suddenly burst out, "But what if she can help us?"

Her father hesitated and Zelda continued, "The Divine Beasts are helping us to Defeat Gannon, what if this woman is the key to unlocking my own power? She could be useful."

King Rhoam paused for a minute, clearly thinking. Then, to Zelda's great relief, he nodded.

"Alright. But if she doesn't prove her use in 2 months, then you are never to go near another Guardian ever."

Zelda was full to bursting with excitement. But she somehow kept her composure as she bowed, "Thank you, Father."

King Rhoam waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, "You may go".

Zelda turned on her heel and left as quickly as she dared. Despite her good mood, an ominous feeling was starting to gather itself in the pit of her stomach.

To be continued...

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