Chapter Five—Destiny

Never could I have imagined what would happen twenty-six days before my real fourteenth birthday—the day before the three year anniversary of the day Link had disappeared.

Night had just fallen, marking the three year anniversary of the when Ganondorf Dragmire had taken Hyrule Castle in a bloodbath, a massacre. I knew it was. I always counted the days. Yet, by now, I managed to sleep on these nights.

I felt myself waking up, and realized that I was not curled up in my traditional Sheikah tent. I had no idea where I was, but I wasn't panicking. I don't think I could have panicked if I had wanted to.

Looking at myself, I realized that I was actually materializing here. This was impossible… but it was happening. It was definitely no dream.

"Where am I?" I asked. My voice came out quietly, but the place was so silent that the sound spread out across apparently boundless space. I looked around; all the features of the place became clear only when I consciously looked at them.

I was standing on a large, circular platform, which was somehow both colourless and every colour all at once. Wherever I was, my eyes were no longer subjected to the laws of mortal possibility. Six smaller circular platforms floated around it, each a different colour: green, red, blue, orange, purple, yellow. The platform on which I stood, near the edge, also bore six circles in these colours, each with a different design superimposed on it. I stood between the green and yellow ones.

All around the platform was emptiness, blackness, the absence of anything. Occasional beams of light shot arbitrarily through this space, but illuminated nothing. I was still absorbing this when I noticed what was in the centre of my platform.

There was a bier constructed of the same colourless-rainbow, glass-like material and resting over a glowing gold image of the Triforce. Lying on this dais was, unmistakably—

Link!

I gasped, and quietly approached were he lay. All his possessions lay next to the bier, including his clothes. He was covered only by a light, silvery cloth which rippled as if in water, and his bare chest was exposed. He looked as though someone had placed him there, just so; his head lolled to one side with his golden hair strewn about, lips parted, and right hand hanging limply over the edge. His left hand was touching, just slightly, the Master Sword which lay next to him. On this hand was clearly visible the mark of the Triforce, much like the one I bore beneath my costume, the right triangle of it glowing.

When I had seen him last, he had been fresh from battle—wet, filthy, bearing weapons and a look of fierce determination. Here, now, he looked so vulnerable… so fresh and young and innocent.

And yet, so unquestionably like the Hero of Time.

It struck me heavily how cruel it was of destiny to deny him his youth to make him into what he had to be.

::He must lose seven years of his life so that Hyrule can have a future. He is a part of Hyrule.::

Even though I had never heard that voice before, I knew instantly who I would see when I turned around.

Before me stood a woman with golden skin, and hair of the same colour which rippled around Her, as if the light She radiated were a wind. She wore a shapeless gown of blue, so light and smooth that I couldn't conceive of any mortal fabric of which it could be made. Her eyes were every shade of blue at once, matching that gown that looked to be an extension of Her body, and She saw with them more of me than I had known existed. There was a solid, strong, maternal gentleness etched into Her perfect features. She was so divine that I could sense Her emotions regardless of the fact that Her face did not change, and I could hear Her words regardless of the fact that She did not speak. She was so perfect that She needed no physical manifestation, I could tell, but She assumed one so that I could in some way conceive of Her in my limited mortal mind.

::I am thy mother, thy teacher, thy life, thyself, Zelda.::

"I know that…" I breathed in amazement.

::I am Nayru.::

"Of course… of course, I know."

::Thou knowest also thine own identity, and that of this boy, is it not so, daughter of Churo, heir to Hyrule?::

Suddenly, I realized I had given myself away. Nayru read the horror on my face.

::Ganondorf the Dark One is not in this world. This is the Sacred Realm of Myself and My sisters. Would We bring the Hero of Time to a place that is unsafe?::

I didn't know what I should say, though my mind was exploding with things I wanted to say.

::Speak thy heart, daughter.::

"I wish that Link didn't have to lose these years."

::If he did not, no one would oppose the King of Evil. He and Hyrule would die young. He gains years even as he sleeps.::

But these are the best years of his life. He's losing everything to fight this battle.

Nayru must have heard my thoughts, but since I didn't voice them, She didn't respond. I asked a new question.

"What is happening to Link?"

::My sister Farore is nurturing him. His is not a natural growth. Look on him, and see how She has changed the course of his manhood. He shall grow no beard, for he has no need of it. Yet, his long disused body has grown visibly stronger…such that thou hast noticed.::

Though Her tone was not teasing, I blushed. It was hard not to notice how perfectly sculpted his body was becoming. I was tempted to retort that if They didn't want me to notice, then They should have covered him up a bit better, but it somehow didn't seem like either the time or the place.

::He is becoming a man—a man perfectly created for his destiny. As thou art becoming a woman perfectly created for thine.::

This statement was obviously meant to entice me into enquiring further.

"My destiny. Is that why I am here?"

::Thou hast come to learn what thou must do to help Link on his quest. Listen well.::

"Yes. Of course I will."

::There exist six Temples in the world you know, one each for Fire, Spirit, Water, Forest, Shadow and Light. Each is, in times when Our laws rule, guarded by a Sage. This is the Light Temple, guarded by the Sage of Light—Rauru.::

At these words, a figure began to materialize, much in the same way I had done, over the yellow symbol on the edge of the platform. It was an old man, with white hair and a thick moustache, wearing robes of red velvet with gold trim, his eyes alive with intensity, his face grave.

"I am Rauru," he said, bowing respectfully, "the Sage of Light. I welcome you, Your Grace, My Queen."

I made a clumsy move halfway between a bow and a curtsey, unsure whether to respond to him as Sheik or Zelda. "Thank you, but I'm still only a princess."

Rauru frowned and asked Nayru, "She does not know?"

::Leave us.:: The tone was not stern, but simply final. Rauru bowed and vanished.

::When I speak to thee, I use no words,:: Nayru began before I could ask a question. ::My ideas enter thy mind. Thou hearest them through a filter of thy psyche. When My idea is thy true identity and title, thou hearest 'daughter of Churo, heir to Hyrule.' In truth, thou art twice a queen.

::First, the deaths of thy noble and worthy parents have made thee the rightful sovereign ruler of all Hyrule. Thou never took the thought into thy mind.::

It seemed so obvious when She said it that my mouth dropped open.

::Second, there are six Temples, but seven Sages. The seventh is their leader, their queen. Thou art the Seventh Sage.::

I felt dizzy. Queen of Hyrule. Seventh Sage. Predestined owner of the Triforce of Wisdom. Everything…

::Yes, thou art truly a powerful woman. The most powerful person in Hyrule. Thanks to Impa, thou art diligently trained to fill thy role.::

I felt dwarfed, miniscule in the scheme of the universe, far too small for the person I was supposed to be.

"Why?" I stammered in faint desperation. "Why me? I can't…do all of this! I can't be all of this! I can't rule the world!"

::It's very true that these are burdens no child should bear, and whatever thou hast told Impa, thou knowest that thou art yet a child. That is why, like Link, thou must spend seven years hidden away until thou art prepared to take up thy mantle.::

"Why am I not here, too, then? With Link, growing up?"

::Because thou hast a guardian—Impa. Link has outgrown his guardians; he is alone in the world. We must give thee information so that thou canst give it to him when it is time for him to hear it.::

She was waiting for me to be ready, to admit that I was ready, to hear and understand this information.

"Okay," I said. "What do I need to know?"

Nayru told me everything I would later tell Link: the locations of the six Temples, the songs that he could use on the Ocarina of Time to access them, and other things as well.

::Before he begins his journey, he will need more equipment than simply the Blade of Evil's Bane. All the weapons he used as a child, he will have outgrown. There is a key took which he can find in the graveyard in Kakariko Village. Tell him simply that.::

"I will."

::There are more questions thou desirest to hear the answers to.:: She was telling, not asking, because She knew She spoke the truth.

"Yes," I admitted. "Who are the Sages?"

::The first, the Sage of Forest, is a Kokiri girl. Thou hast never lain eyes upon her.::

"But Link has?" I guessed; it would make sense.

::Her name is Saria. She raised him, and she is and always shall be his dearest, most beloved friend.::

"She raised him? But he's a Kokiri! He was never an infant, no one raised him!"

::Link is a Hylian.::

"But…how?"

::It would be unjust to tell thee his story when he knows it not himself. Thou shalt hear it, but not from My lips, not now, not here.::

I hesitated. "Oh." What else could I say?

::The Sage of Fire,:: Nayru went on, ::is the lord of the Gorons, Darunia. He and Link met when Link saved his people from starvation in exchange for the Goron's Ruby. They are sworn brothers.::

"My father was Darunia's sworn brother," I said softly.

::Thy father was a strong leader. Thou must be as well.::

"Yes. I know. I'm sorry."

::The Sage of Water,:: Nayru went on, ::is Link's fiancée.::

My jaw dropped. "Link has a fiancée?" I gasped, flabbergasted.

::The Zora's Sapphire is also an engagement symbol of the Zora royal family. By taking it from Princess Ruto, Link agreed to marry her.::

"Did he know that when he took it?" I inquired, still in disbelief.

::Yes. But thou hadst set him a task, and he would fulfill it, whatever the cost.::

I felt horrible; Princess Ruto was unbearably self-centred. "Will…will he really marry her?" I asked, unsure if I wanted to hear the answer. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, though, if I had condemned him to that.

::The future of their relationship does not concern thee. I cannot tell thee that which he does not know himself. I will tell thee that he would never marry her willingly.::

He agreed to it for me. "He's losing everything for this task I set him."

::We set the task. Thou art simply Our messenger, and he is simply Our vessel.::

"I just…feel like…it's my fault," I managed, voicing my guilt and doubt for the first time.

::Assure thyself that it is not.::

This was a real direction, and I took a moment to think peacefully over it. When She sensed I was ready, Nayru continued.

::The Sage of Spirit is a woman whose name thou knowest already—Nabooru.::

"But she's disappeared!"

::Link will find her. However, thou must ensure that the other Sages remain safe. They will all be threatened, and thou must protect them.::

The weight of the world, which had been sitting on my chest, dropped a notch as it grew heavier.

::Finally, the Sage of Shadow, a woman from the race not yet represented. The greatest of the Sheikah.::

Something punched me in the stomach. "Impa is a Sage?"

They will all be threatened… and I must protect them.

::Yes. Fear not for her. She is prepared for her destiny, as thou art for thine and Link is for his.::

Somehow, even Nayru couldn't keep from worrying about Impa, the one person I had left in the world. However, I merely nodded, and tried to ignore the twisting anxiety. I have to be a strong leader.

::Ask what other questions thou wilt now,:: Nayru instructed me.

"Will Link succeed in his task?"

::I cannot reveal the ways and will of destiny and divinity to thee.::

I said nothing; I simply stared at Link's face.

::Thou knowest,:: Nayru told me, ::that thou art not to fall in love with the Hero.::

I smirked, leaning against the bier as casually as I could. "I figured. It would be a little backwards to have the princess save the brave knight."

There was a moment's silence, during which I felt Nayru's consciousness in mine.

::Thou mayst spend some time with him, but not as much as thou wouldst like. If that were allowed, thou wouldst remain by his side for eternity.::

"Thank you," I said, not meeting Her gaze.

I turned my attention to Link, studying the subtle details of his features so that I could recall whenever I needed to the reality of the fighting and the face behind the mask of courage, the child inside the man. I looked at the shadows of his eyelashes across his cheek, the way his nose curved slightly, the shape and shade of his lips… A lock of hair containing every shade from white blond to dark auburn was drifting over his face, moving as though in an eddy of water. I reached to brush it out of his eyes, but found there was a barrier around him. It was invisible and stiffly elastic, but it was a barrier nonetheless.

::If thou touch him, it will end the magic surrounding him.::

Of course, this knowledge only made me wish more that I could touch him, just to be sure he was real. I stared at him for a long time, until I knew his face so well that I could have recognized him more easily than his own mother, and certainly more easily than anyone could have recognized me.

::Dost thou remember all that I have told thee?::

I tore my eyes away from Link to look at Nayru. "Yes, I think so."

::All of it is important. Thou asked Me if Link will succeed in his task—that depends in part on thee.::

"And he…he must know me only as Sheik?"

Nayru didn't answer, because I already knew what She would say.

"Will he trust me? Sheik is a stranger to him."

::Thou hast the information he needs. He must trust thee. Just as thou art My daughter, he is Farore's son. Just as thou did not learn thy destiny until necessary, so must Link only receive what information is necessary.::

I couldn't help smirking. "Farore's son? So that's why we can't fall in love. We're cousins."

Not acknowledging this comment, Nayru told me, ::Thou must return now to Hyrule.::

I didn't get a chance to say goodbye before I found myself floating again in softness, like the gentleness that had brought me.

When the world was real again, and I, too, I was in my tent in the dark, in a world that seemed only a shallow echo of that which I had just left.