Note: Special thanks to MinnesotaFats/TerminusEst13#7947 on Discord for the series title.

Hello, everyone. While I'm aware an adaptation/retelling/novelization of this game is nothing new, I realized that, as I was writing this, it doesn't matter how many stories there are about it. They all come from a love of the game and its world. And, for me, Ocarina of Time got me into Zelda in the first place. And writing this will also help me with the original Zelda story I'm planning, as well as let me see just what type of universe I want to build for that one. But aside from that, I'll wholeheartedly admit that I've always wanted to write something for Ocarina of Time, even when I first got into writing. And also, specifically, I wanted to do something that could help tie it in with the games that came before it.

My history with the Zelda franchise started with A Link to the Past, the game that I see as a base for Ocarina of Time, as it mentioned many elements and characters that are seen in the last game. And the same could be said for Link's Awakening on the Gameboy. I'm a millennial, so most 90s stuff I was raised on came from my uncle or older cousins, but when I first saw them play Ocarina, needless to say, it blew my five-year-old mind. Yes, I will admit, I am a bit nostalgically biased, but I hope that doesn't bleed too much into this.

The game is not perfect; it is overrated, and so is my favorite, Majora's Mask, but it can't be denied that these games shaped Zelda into what it is today. But even if they didn't, I still would love them. I love their worlds, their characters, and all the mystery, both in lore and unused/unfinished content, and I also love how people see it differently. So, if I'm going to do a fanfic of my own with it, I want it to be different enough to where it doesn't copy off anyone, but the story isn't too separate from the source to where it's not even the same thing. As I thought about it, I found myself going for a more romantic angle. Specifically revolving around a pairing that's been implied since the series began.

And given the lore of Skyward Sword, the Eras before the events of Ocarina, and what came after, there's a lot more I can play around with than I could when I was younger. As for the pairing mentioned, I think I might be obvious, but I'll try and play it out organically. Plus, their relationship fuels a good portion of the conflict and hints at what I want to try out later.

With that said, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it!

Special thanks to my uncle, Chris. Without you, my love of this series wouldn't exist, and none of this would've been possible.

Cycle of Ostinati-Ocarina of Time-The Girl from Castle Town

Come, small one, and I'll tell you a story. A story that, despite it being new for all involved, has happened before. It happened at the beginning of time and not long after the land where you stand today was formed. It happened again not long after that, and even now, it's still happening.

A cycle that has persisted since existence began. A cycle that began when gods still shared the world with mortals, when a destructive, dark evil made itself known, and when the Power of Gold both nearly ended and saved not just the land but the world. A cycle that, despite having just been completed, will begin again. Only, this time, things will be different. The actions taken in this current course of familiar events will not only change what was before but affect how the cycle shall continue in the future. In this cycle, time itself will be altered and forced to change. And, in turn, the cycle will be forced to change.

And all of this would be due to the efforts of two children: a boy from deep within the forest and a girl confined to a stone palace.

But perhaps it is best to start from the beginning. Or rather, the beginning of this cycle. What is the cycle, you ask? Who does it involve, and what does it entail? Come to think of it, I haven't told you yet, have I?

Well, I reside in the land of Hyrule, deep within the lush, dense forests to the south. But should you come to look for me, you will never find me because you would indeed seek a man. And I am pretty far from anything made of flesh. I am just one of several fellow residents of the forest, towering high and covering what we hold dear underneath our branches.

I am a tree, a Deku Tree, to be precise. The Great Deku Tree. And this is my domain, the Kokiri Forest. I have resided here long enough to see the cycle occur more than once, but I never thought that It would come again so soon. Indeed, the time draws near for the key players of this tale to be introduced. And for me to fulfill my role, whatever it may be.

For in the land of Hyrule, there are many stories. Stories of magic and mystery, of incredible dangers and dangerous quests. Tales of fair maidens, of traveling through the depths of a volcanic mountain to plunging into the deepest of waters. And, most importantly, brave souls that take up arms to battle against forces that would tear Hyrule and the world asunder. Many stories are chronicled throughout history, and many more will come afterward. Indeed, there are many stories.

But, only one of them is a legend.

The Legend of Zelda

Ocarina of Time

The Girl from Castle Town

Prologue-Bedtime Stories

In the farthest corners of Hyrule lies a great forest, a forest that had existed since the very land came into being. The trees are healthy and robust, the leaves a beautiful green that bathe in the rich sunlight, and a collection of peculiar creatures that only resided within the borders of the woods. Despite its beauty, these woods were forbidden to enter, for this forest wasn't just any forest; it was enchanted. Or, as some would say, cursed. According to the few that had entered and miraculously came out, these woods were ever-changing and never-ending.

Thus, this place that perplexed and confused all who entered it, a sense of direction impossible to find or navigate, was christened The Lost Woods. Despite the dangers, some rumors told of how, if you traveled through the maze of trees that were said to speak and talk, and somehow managed to get past the more vicious denizens of the woods, you would discover a small section unlike any other. This is called the Kokiri Forest, home of the Kokiri and the Great Deku Tree. The home of the fairy children.

Called such by those outside the forest's barriers, the Kokiri were rumored to be beings that forever remain as children. They were said to possess eternal life, but the fairy children always stayed within the confines of the forest, and thus, they were scarcely ever seen. No one exactly knew why, but everyone had their speculations and theories. Regardless, tales of the Kokiri were popular with the youth of Hyrule, for the desire to be a child forever with a magical companion was what many children wanted. True, some children that loved the stories wanted to grow up, but the thought of being in contact with such otherworldly creatures still fascinated them.

And ironically enough, tales from outside the forest were equally fascinating to the Kokiri children.


The Kokiri Forest was but a small section of the Lost Woods, yet, in this small place, there was no need to fear any danger. The Great Deku Tree, which rested in the southern corner of the secluded area, had banished all monsters and creatures that could harm the Kokiri to the depths of the Lost Woods. The Kokiri may have looked like children, but they had their community where they held the duties of both children and adults. True, the Great Deku Tree would watch over the forest, but the Kokiri had fields to till, crops to plant and harvest, and tend to their houses composed of painted hollowed-out trees, some of them having cone-shaped tops. But, above all else, they were to cherish each other and their fairy companions.

A secondary reason that the Kokiri are called fairy children is because of their deep bonds with the fair folk. One of the rarest and most ancient of all existing life, fairies guarded the life of not just the forest but Hyrule itself. Fairies could be big or small, human or animal-shaped, but those that dwelt within the Kokiri forest were glowing orbs of colored light, a pair of insect-like wings affixed to their back. Their purpose was to guide and protect the Kokiri they were assigned to, their bond made official by the blessing of the Great Deku Tree. They were eternal, but only as long as the Kokiri they bonded with lived, for if they were killed, their fairy would die with them.

But such things didn't trouble the minds of the fairy children. After all, the Great Deku had banished all monsters from this section of the forest; what was there to be afraid of? True, those from the outside could perhaps find their way to the village, should they somehow navigate through the forest, but what was the chance of that happening? The Lost Woods were so big and dense that most that dared venture in quickly began looking for a way out. Regardless of whatever could happen in the future, the Kokiri children were confident that the Great Deku Tree would protect them.

Night had fallen over the forest, and all the children were gathered around the trunk and roots of a mighty tree. His branches were long and full of leaves, covering all the youths and their winged companions like a dove shielded their chicks. The Great Deku Tree was indeed a tree, but he bore a face like many others. He had prominent eyebrows and a mustache of wood, and while he didn't move it much, he could speak, just as he was doing as he was nearing the end of his tale.

"Thus, with the evil Mage of the Wind defeated, the Princess was saved, and the mystical sword returned to its resting place," the Great Deku Tree told the Kokiri, voice deep and rumbling but soft and gentle. "The Four Heroes had become one again, and he and the Princess swore that they would never forget each other till the end of their days."

With the conclusion of his tale, several pairs of young hands applauded. The Deku Tree looked at all his children, who resembled children outside the forest. Many had red hair, but some were blonde or, in one case, even green. Still, they all shared the same skin tone of light peach. They were all dressed in green attire, the boys dressed in green tunics and hats, while the girls stuck to dresses or short pairs of overalls. Every one of his children had their own fairy companions, who were also listening to the story.

All but one.

And as the rest of the children left, the ancient tree's eyes watched that particular child go, having kept himself near the back of the group. Soon, he thought to himself. I feel that you will be needed very, very soon.

Outside the Great Deku Tree's Meadow, the children discussed the story they had just been told. "I still wish the Princess would get with the Hero in one of these," A girl that looked to have just reached adolescence said. Her hair was blonde and tied in two large low buns, and a green hairband rested atop her head. She wore a green dress and a pair of green boots, her eyes bright blue. She clasped her hands together and swooned. "If love is supposed to conquer all, then why can't they ever be together?"

"Maybe because they're supposed to get married in the next story?" A girl with short red hair theorized, her identical sister wondering that as well.

"But she's a Princess," the other sister said. "Doesn't she have things that she needs to do? Besides, she can't marry him! He's not a Prince!"

"Who says she has to marry a Prince?" The previously speaking sister questioned.

"I'd say the King wouldn't let that happen," a Kokiri boy said. He wore a green tunic and cap, a pair of green shoes, brown hair, blue eyes, and had a no-nonsense attitude. Compared to the other children, despite being the same age, he behaved and thought the most like an adult. "Besides, it's not as if the Hero HAS to get with the Princess. The land would've been saved either way."

"Yeah, but if I had to choose between a Prince and the Hero, I'd take the one with the sword any day." A girl with short green hair giggled. Unlike the blonde or redhead girls, while she wore a green hairband, she wore a pair of green overalls with a darker-colored turtleneck underneath and a couple of green boots on her feet. Like the other girls (and boys), her eyes were a vibrant blue.

"Eh, who cares about that mushy stuff!" A Kokiri boy dressed in a green shirt, pants, and cap with green shoes and bright red hair suddenly spoke up. His demeanor was proud and confident, the other Kokiri listening to what he had to say. "The best parts are whenever the Hero gets to fight some monsters!" He then began mimicking the movements of wielding a sword.

"I've seen some of those monsters, you know." Another redheaded boy said, garbed in a green tunic, cap, and shoes. But unlike the boy that had just spoken, his hair covered his eyes, making the others wonder how he and his two brothers saw anything.

"You have not," the brown-haired Kokiri boy said. "Stop lying."

"It's true!" Another identical boy dressed the same retorted. "Just the other day, I saw a Skulltula crawling around the back of my house!"

"What?! Ewww!" The blonde bun-haired girl stuck her tongue out in disgust.

"That's impossible!" one of the girl triplets said. "No monster can get in the Kokiri Forest! The Great Deku Tree said so!"

"Well, I saw it! And that's not all!" The redheaded boy said, hair still covering his eyes. "Its back was made of gold!"

The brown-haired Kokiri raised a brow. "Ok, now I know you're lying."

"It's true!"

"Well, whatever!" The redheaded boy (not related to either the triplets or twins) said. "If any monster dares to come in here, I'll take care of them!"

"Oooh, Mido! What a man you are!" The blonde giggled.

The green-haired girl rolled her eyes. Always trying to get his attention, aren't we, Fado? She thought, referring to the blonde girl. Of course, the object of her affection, Mido, never showed interest in her. Instead, the green-haired girl was the one he fancied.

"You're a little on the scrawny side, aren't you?" The brown-haired boy said, pointing at the pitiful excuse for a bicep on Mido's left arm.

"Shut up, Flint!" Mido barked back. "I'm not afraid of anything from the forest or the outside!"

The triplets and twins discussed their supposed sightings of monsters in the Kokiri Forest while Mido continued to proclaim his bravery, Fado fawning over him. All the while, Flint, the only brunette of them all, expressed his doubts. The green-haired girl looked to see one of their own that no one had accounted for. The other children didn't mean anything by it (except for Mido); he was just not someone who made the first move in starting a conversation. Nevertheless, she thought that he deserved some recognition.

"What about you, Link?" She asked a boy that had been off a short distance away from the group of other children. "You got anything to add?"

As if on cue, the other Kokiri shifted their attention to the boy the green-haired girl was talking to. The boy, Link, appeared to be the same as the other Kokiri: dressed in a green tunic and cap with a pair of boots (only brown instead of green), blonde hair, and large blue eyes. But there was one discernible factor about him compared to everyone else, even the green-haired girl. Out of all of the fairy children that resided in the forest, he was the one that had no fairy companion by his side. And, as long as the other children had known him, a fairy had never once come to him.

Link looked at the girl who had addressed him, appearing confused. Just what did he want to add, if anything?

Suddenly, the redheaded boy (that wasn't one of the triplets) scoffed and folded his arms. "Oh, what does he know?" He said. "He's probably too stupid even to understand the story!"

"Mido!" The green-haired girl scolded the boy for his rudeness. But her anger quickly grew into concern when she saw Link's blonde brows begin to narrow and his eyes growing fierce. "Link, no," she whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's not worth it."

Link looked at her as if he were about to protest that the other boy, Mido, had started it. Ultimately, however, he remained silent. Just as he did all the other times that Mido tried to goad him.

"He might not know how to talk, but he's not deaf," Flint said. "Therefore, contrary to what you believe, he has at least a certain degree of intelligence."

All right, Link thought. That was a LITTLE better. But a "certain degree?" What did that mean? Even if he was far from stupid, as Mido claimed, he had more than a "certain degree" of intelligence.

"You know, maybe we should all start preparing ourselves." One of the triplet brothers asked (Cypress, to be exact).

"Prepare for what?" One of the twins (Phoebe) asked.

"To fight monsters, of course!" Another brother (Elm) proclaimed. "After all, we saw that Skulltula!"

"You did not!" Flint argued. "And besides, even if monsters WERE to come to the Kokiri Forest, the Great Deku Tree could take care of them easily."

"Uh, how?" One of the two sisters (Karya) asked. "Yeah, he's powerful and all, but he can't move because he's a tree."

"So we should arm ourselves!" The third brother (Birch) shouted, getting pumped up. "Let's all get some weapons and start training!"

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'll let you brave; strong men handle all that," Fado said. "Besides, if monsters were to come, we all know Mido will protect us." She smiled, but Mido only rolled his eyes. The blonde's flirting could get a little grating.

"Hey, I'm plenty tough too!" Cypress said, flexing his bicep for everyone to see, even if it was barely just a bump on his arm. No one seemed that impressed. "Aw, c'mon, guys!" He then looked at the green-haired girl. "Saria! You think I'm fighting material, don't you?"

"Sure you are, Cypress! Press IS in your name!" She giggled. "Although," she then looked back at the quieter blonde boy. "I think Link here would be able to handle things just fine," she then winked. "Isn't that right?"

Link rubbed the back of his cap and looked at the ground, unsure how to respond to Saria. He was tough (much tougher than Mido, the wimp!), but the Kokiri girl's comment made him feel a little put on the spot. Not to mention a little flustered, his cheeks growing warm with embarrassment. None of the other children could entirely gauge what Link was thinking about, seeing as he wasn't that talkative, but Saria seemed to understand him fine. She might've been the only one that understood him without having to try and guess.

"Still," Saria spoke again, stopping for a moment to yawn. "I guess we can finish this up tomorrow," she said. "Right now, all I want to do is go to bed."

Several of the other children soon found themselves feeling tired, and they all separated and went to their homes. All except Mido, Saria, and Link. "I'll walk you to your house, Saria." The redheaded boy said, trying to get the green-haired girl's attention.

"Oh, thanks, Mido, but I've got something to talk about with Link." She said, though the blonde boy couldn't remember Saria ever mentioning this until now.

Then, before he could protest or say anything (even if it wasn't much), Saria took him by the hand and dragged him away, leaving a red and very envious Mido behind. Saria and Link made their way to not the girl's, which resembled a carved dome, but the boy's, which was a hollowed-out tree. Well, treehouse. A wooden ladder led up to a single room that served as the boy's living space. But, if you looked to the left of the ladder, you would see the image of a small figure fighting a fire-breathing monster with a sword.

"So, what'd you think of the story?" Saria asked Link. The blonde boy smiled and nodded, presenting his opinion to the Kokiri girl. She then looked down at the small carving Link had made in the tree. "Hm," Saria hummed, critiquing the boy's artwork. "Looks good, but don't you think he should have a princess by his side?" Link's blue eyes widened in shock and embarrassment; the boy adamantly shook his head. "Hey, I'm only teasing!" Saria assured him, even if seeing him flustered was kind of funny.

Link lightly kicked the ground, hoping the redness and heat would disappear from his cheeks. True, he always loved the sword fights and monsters in the Deku Tree's stories, but he didn't understand why they sometimes got so mushy. Link could only guess it was because girls liked those sorts of things, but in every story told, the Hero, whoever he was, always got the girl at the end, especially if the girl was a Princess. It wasn't like Link was even interested in things like that; such things weren't manly or tough at all!

Besides, he didn't think any girl around here would think of him like that.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Saria asked, but Link shook his head. "Are you sure?" The girl asked again. "Nothing bothering you?" The boy shook his head no. "Mido's not giving you a hard time again, is he?" Link shook his head again, but he followed his response with a clenched fist, meeting the palm of his other hand. "Yeah, I know, I know. You can handle him by yourself," Saria responded, remembering that conversation well. It soon became clear to her that Link wouldn't tell her anything. "Well, all right. You can say it when you're ready. But," Saria said, "If you want to talk, I'm here to listen, ok?" Link nodded. "Ok, then. Goodnight."

With that, the two parted ways, each child going to their respective homes, eager to get a good night's rest. Although, for one of them, their rest would be anything but.


Unbeknownst to Link or any Kokiri, someone else had just heard the same story the Deku relayed to her. Only the telling she heard came from a different source.

"Why wouldn't the Hero just keep the sword?" A young girl asked, dressed in a short-sleeved, white nightgown, her hair hidden underneath a frilly nightcap. "Vaati was defeated, so why not just have it out?" Her features were young and feminine but inquisitive, her bright blue eyes looking into her attendant's.

An older woman sat upon a large bed, a book in her hands. In contrast to the young girl, her skin was tanned, and her eyes a piercing red. She wore a skintight, short-sleeved suit and dark boots with silver armor covering them, even her forearms and hands. She had white, diagonal marks painted underneath her eyes, dark lips, and ghostly white hair tied back into a tight low bun. Yet, despite her intimidating appearance, the child wasn't frightened.

In fact, according to the woman, the girl liked to test her. "The sword served as Vaati's seal," the older woman explained. "Therefore, it had to be put back in its place."

"But the Hero lost his friends!" The girl protested.

"So, you don't consider rescuing the Princess a happy ending?" The older woman asked.

"Not if it means losing your friends," the girl said. "Besides, who's to say whether or not he would've liked her if she wasn't the Princess."

"Hm? Well, that's interesting," the tan-skinned woman said. "For didn't you ask the other day when you would get a Hero of your own?"

"Impa, that was when I was five," the girl said. "Mother didn't marry any Hero."

"But your mother wasn't a native to this country," the woman, Impa, said. "She was the Princess of another nation that married your father to cement their allegiance," she then noticed the doubtful look on the girl's face. "But make no mistake, your mother loved your father, and he loved her."

"But still, if the Hero could have anyone he wants, why does he always go for the Princess? Just because she's the Princess?"

"You don't believe that the Hero's love is genuine?" Impa asked.

"Whether it's genuine or not, being the Princess has to affect something. It can't just be that he likes her for her. Not entirely." The girl countered.

"So, what would you have happen?" Impa asked again. "Would you prefer that the Hero NOT get with the Princess?"

"Well, no," the girl said. "It's just; I think that, if the Hero does love the Princess, it should be because something like a title isn't important to him. It'd be better if he had no idea until the very end."

"Hm, that's a curious take on things," the girl's attendant said. "So, you think that being a Princess shouldn't have any weight on his feelings towards her? Even though she's royalty and he is most likely not?"

"That's right." the young child said.

"Well, I'll be more than happy to discuss this further in the morning, but right now," the white-haired woman reached towards an ornately designed lamp, ready to snuff out the flame that was still burning. She licked her fingers, ready to extinguish it.

"But you won't have to worry about that," she said. "Because I won't do it."

"Do what?" Impa asked. Once she received her answer, she would bid her charge a good night and return to her duties, but what the girl said surprised her.

"I won't fall in love."


Sleep usually came easy for him, but lately, he found himself trying not to sleep. Even past midnight, Link was doing all he could to stay awake. Dressed in his tunic, save for his boots, socks, belt, and cap, Link gripped the sheet covering him, its warmth protecting him from the night air. He was ready for sleep but didn't want it to come. For when he fell asleep, the dreams came.

Dreams he could scarcely remember, but each night afterward, he woke up in a cold sweat, heart thumping and fear overtaking him. They were different each time, but they were all unpleasant to experience. Saria had asked him about it when they started, but Link wasn't sure how to describe the experience. Yes, he told her what he had seen, but at the same time, he didn't. He couldn't convey what they made him feel.

"They're about monsters?" He remembered her asking. "So what? You're in a dream; just think up a sword!"

Link expressed to her that wasn't the problem. He could do all sorts of things in his dreams, no problem! And, despite Saria's insistence, he wasn't afraid of any of the monsters he saw! Not one bit! He could take them all on! Of course, afraid or not, even if it was just a little, no monster was the source of Link's nighttime anxiety.

No, the face that haunted him was that of something else.


He was preparing for whatever was coming his way, succumbing to his exhaustion again. The blonde boy cursed that he had once again failed to stay awake, then his anger gradually turned into fear, a sickening dread growing in the pit of his stomach. What would he see this time? A giant spider? A dragon? Maybe some sort of sea monster? He had seen more than enough imagined horrors to know that whatever was coming wasn't good.

But, instead of being inside a dark, lava-filled cavern or icy terrain, Link found himself standing on fertile, green grass, a great, blue sky hanging over him. Was he still in the forest? Despite some, link saw that there were not enough trees around to be considered a forest. It was then that Link realized he was nowhere near the Kokiri Forest or the Lost Woods. He was standing in a wide-open field, the terrain primarily flat and unlike anything Link had seen before.

The boy looked around for any potential danger but found nothing. Nothing at all. No animals, no people, no monsters. He was the only one in this expansive land; not another soul was in sight. Nothing was around that could hurt him, so why did he feel like he was in some sort of danger?

He began walking, still looking for any sign of anything besides himself. Not that he was afraid, of course. Monsters were no problem for him; he could take care of them just fine! Besides, it wasn't like that giant spider trying to eat him was that scary! True, Mido said Link screamed like a girl the morning he woke up from that dream, but he wasn't scared!

He was more confused than anything. He couldn't express why, but despite not knowing a thing about this place, the boy felt drawn to go in a specific direction. Link didn't understand what was so special about it or where it led, but he was compelled to go, nevertheless. He wasn't told with words, but a thought in his mind told him that everything would be clear if he obeyed the instinct to go forward. He did so, as he was pretty tired of being unpleasantly surprised every time he went to sleep.

Link walked on and on, growing rather bored after a while, but his body didn't experience any exhaustion. He didn't know what awaited him at the end of this journey, but he saw that the sun was beginning to set. Just how long had he been out here? Should he speed it up, or would it not matter? Regardless, Link didn't want to risk it if this was timed, so he began running, almost as if he were trying to outrun the sun. Even if this was a dream, he wasn't sure if he could be fast enough.

Finally, the sun had come down, yet Link soon found the sky growing dark and stormy instead of a bright, shimmering moon. He found himself standing in front of a bizarre structure: a long wood bridge came down, the bridge attached to a stone gate. As the chains rattled when the large bridge came down, Link spotted a peculiar emblem emblazoned on the top part of the gate. The symbol wasn't anything remarkable: three triangles arranged to create an even larger one, but the golden shimmer on its surface struck Link as hauntingly familiar, even if he had never seen it before.

Three golden triangles. Three golden crests. The Power of Gold.

These descriptions came to Link's mind when he saw the emblem. And while he didn't know what they meant, more and more bits of information came to him the longer he looked at the symbol. Three triangles, three crests, the Power of Gold. Three divine female forms ascended to the heavens, but not before leaving something behind. A direct connection to the divine and their powers.

Triforce.

Wait a minute, Link thought. Triforce? What was a triforce? He had never even heard of such a word! This dream was becoming more and more confusing and, as the stormy clouds began to grow even dark, unsettling. He wouldn't dare say it aloud (especially in front of Mido), but Link found himself instead on edge. Something was coming his way. He just hoped it wasn't "it."

"It" was the dark shadow that followed him in every one of his dreams. Somewhere in the distance, "it" sat there and watched Link's every move, tracking him even if he changed locations in the dream. "It" never was aggressive towards him, but the shadow, whatever it was, felt familiar as well. As if it were him, in a sense. Some kind of separate part he didn't know existed but was always around, watching. And whenever "it" came, it usually brought trouble along.

And, as if on cue, thunder and lightning made themselves known, genuinely making it a dark and stormy night.

But instead of seeing something dark or pitch black, a running object of pure white came towards him, passing right by him. The creature had four long legs, a long neck, dark eyes, and hooves; these details were the only things Link knew. He had no idea just what the animal was. Atop its back rode a figure cloaked in shadow, along with someone else who garnered Link's attention. On the animal was a young girl around his age, dressed in a white dress with a magenta apron-like garment and a white headdress on her head.

She looked back at him as if she were saddened to leave. To have to leave him. And while he didn't know her, Link felt himself grow sad over her leaving. Where was she going? Why did she have to go?

Would he ever see her again?

Then, Link was overcome with a terrible but familiar dread when he felt something was behind him. He didn't want to do it; he didn't want to know what was behind him, to face whatever terror this night had to offer. But, as always, he wasn't given a choice. The suspense became too much to bear, so the boy turned around, bracing himself for whatever was to come. He couldn't have hoped to have been ready for what he would encounter.

For what he saw was "it," but now, there was a face.

A towering figure robed in darkness atop a black creature similar to the one the girl rode. The animal he rode had eyes of red and was much fiercer than its white counterpart. It reared up on its hind legs, releasing a loud, bellowing sound unlike anything Link had heard. True, it wasn't the most horrifying noise he had heard, but it also sounded very grounded in reality. The noises of the monsters he encountered in his nightmares were intimidating (but he insisted he wasn't scared), but they had something of a fantastical element. They looked, sounded, and acted like what Link believed monsters to be.

But this creature, this animal, felt as if it could exist. It wasn't a monster or anything fantastical, nor did it seem overly malicious as the monsters did. The same couldn't be said for the one riding the beast. What was once "it" was now identified as a being that looked very similar to Link, only much bigger. But he wasn't a Kokiri. He was one of the people from outside. He was a man.

The man was dressed in black armor and had darkly-colored skin that bore an almost greenish tint, contrasting wildly with his flaming, red hair. He wore what Link assumed to be jewelry, particularly that of a gemstone of topaz on his forehead, and, unlike the boy, had short, curved ears instead of pointed and straight. The rider of the black animal looked down at Link, burning, fiery eyes licking onto widened, frightened blues. Link could do nothing but stand, frozen in terror, his fear reaching its peak when the man smiled at him. As if he somehow knew the boy.

He then extended his hand toward the child, the blonde boy paralyzed with fear as he screamed, the roaring thunder drowning out his panicked cries until everything went dark.


The same dream, again.

She heard someone cry from afar, but she couldn't see anything. She was in her bed one minute, and the next, she found herself stranded out in the middle of nowhere with a monstrous storm looming above her. Looking up, the girl, still dressed in her sleepwear, saw something unnatural about this storm; the thunder was near loud and the lightning blinding. No natural storm was this intense; it was as if something terrible was controlling the very world around her. But where was it coming from?

"Please! Just stop being vague with me!" She shouted, unsure if there was anyone who was listening. She's had so many nightmares like this, making her question whether or not the Goddesses could even hear her from within her darkest dreams. "What does this mean?! What's going to happen?!"

Why is this happening now?!

Then, as if to answer her plea, a ray of bright light pierced the dark storm above, forcing it back until there was nothing but light. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw that the light originated from a forest she had only heard about, the Lost Woods. She stepped forward, and while she was nowhere close, she could still discern that a figure had stepped out of the forest. He then noticed and approached her. The girl was intimidated. First, the figure was little more than an indescribable shape, but she also felt a sense of familiarity. As if she had seen them before.

The figure was taller than she was, and though she couldn't precisely discern any particular features, the young girl found the figure quite handsome, with a rosy tint coming to her cheeks. In their hands was what appeared to be a glowing, shimmering stone of green.

Is that an emerald? She wondered. Then, she saw something that surprised her even more. And is that a…?! Fluttering around the figure's head was a small orb of light, kept airborne by a pair of thin wings.

A fairy from the forest.

Note: Just a small preview of what's to come. The Kokiri, such as the twins, Know-it-all-Brothers, and the shopkeeper, don't have any official names, so I assigned them some. Karya and Phoebe are named after hamadryads, wood nymphs that lived in trees, usually groves sacred to the Greek gods. The brothers are named after trees, and Flint, while also a tree, I just call Flint because I think it fits him.

Also, it's pretty obvious who this unnamed girl is, but seeing as this story is mainly from Link's perspective, he finds who she is later. But I won't keep her identity a secret from him forever. As I want him to fall in love with her, the Princess part does not matter regarding his feelings towards her.

With that said, thank you so much for reading! Please leave your input, and I shall see you later!