Hola, mis amigos.

I'm updating really quickly before I go pick up the Granny. She's coming in today to visit us and go shopping... and more shopping. Gotta love the Granny.

I hope you enjoy this next chapter. I should have another one up soon. The writing muses have come to visit, so I have been typing away like a madwoman.

Chapter Two:

"Of Cabbages and Queens"

Jennifer awoke to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She sat up and looked around quickly; she was still at the inn. She cursed silently and shuffled to the door. She opened it slightly and poked her head out. It was Link.

"Are you ready?"

She blinked sleepily at him. "No."

"We must be on our way—"

"I know, I know, give me a minute," she said grumpily, envious of his early morning alertness.

"I have these for you," he said, handing her a soft bundle. "Because your previous," He paused ever so slightly. "…attire was ruined."

Jennifer mumbled a thank you and closed the door. She felt terrible. Last night she felt restless and fretful, tossing and turning for what seemed like hours. Jennifer yawned. The day didn't look like it would be much better.

She stumbled into the clothes. It was a long skirt and bodice, again with the medieval theme. Jennifer grimaced. What was wrong with these people?

After arranging her hair as best she could, Jennifer walked downstairs to find Link waiting for her. He walked with her outside into the blinding sunlight. He helped her into his horse's saddle, and she arranged herself as comfortably as she could. He mounted in front of her, and Jennifer grabbed him immediately, reminded of what happened last time. He looked quickly back at her, eyes unreadable, before nudging his horse into a walk.

The village was packed with people. The din was enormous. Link led his horse expertly between the people, careful not to run anyone over. Jennifer thought of starting a conversation, but the noise was too loud and she was far too distracted. Instead, she simply took in her surroundings. Shopkeepers shouted over the crowd, advertising their wares. Children ran between the people, laughing and joking with friends. Customers bartered with vendors and color splashed almost every surface. Jennifer had never seen anything so beautifully simple. Even though everything was about hustle and bustle, it was a different kind of hustle and bustle than what she was used to. Jennifer smiled.

When they had reached the edge of town, Link let his horse gallop across Hyrule Field. Jennifer held fast to Link in front of her, looking around at the far away trees and mountains on all sides of them. Jennifer was not used to so much nature; she had been a city girl all her life. Her eyes watered and she ducked her head down behind Link's shoulders to block her face from the harsh wind. The hat Link wore to cover his blond hair whipped in her face. They charged across the Field at an alarming pace. Jennifer laid her head on the back of Link's neck, closing her eyes and hoping she didn't die.

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The ride seemed to take forever, but they ultimately slowed to a walk when they reached a huge drawbridge. Link led his horse across the moat expertly, and they began to make their way through the crowd in the city. Jennifer looked around and noticed that it was much the same here as it was in Kakariko, though this town seemed to be much larger than the village. Once again, Link had to maneuver his way through the crowd, though here it was more difficult. The townspeople did the best they could to move out of his way, looking up at Link and grinning. Some even waved. Link smiled back at them. Jennifer noted that it seemed as if Link was pretty well known in the town. Come to think of it, people acted much the same way in Kakariko, smiling at him and waving. Jennifer didn't quite know what to make of it all.

Abruptly, Link stopped and pointed out in the distance. Jennifer followed his finger towards a huge, gleaming white castle. Her jaw dropped as she stared at the castle getting bigger in her sight. Jennifer had never seen such a huge building.

"The king over-compensating for something?" she joked.

"We do not have a king," Link said simply.

"Oh. Right."

The guards seemed to already know Link, as they let him pass without hesitation. As he led his horse familiarly under the large gate, the two guards bowed their heads at him. The horse walked up a dirt path towards the castle and Link helped Jennifer dismount as a boy took his horse by the reins and led her away. Jennifer followed Link into the castle, taking in everything she could in the grand hallway. Large tapestries hung from the walls and beautiful stained glass windows cast colored lights on the marble floor. Link made eye contact with what Jennifer could only guess was a footman-type person.

"She is in the Temple, milord," he said, gesturing behind them.

Jennifer's eyebrows shot up. Temple? Milord? She gingerly followed Link as he turned around and walked back towards the town, turned left, and headed for a large temple. The area immediately surrounding the sanctuary was beautiful, obviously lovingly taken care of. Exotic flowers bloomed along the pathways they walked. When they reached the entrance, Link confidently strode forward, deeper into the temple. Jennifer was wide-eyed with wonder. The temple was vast; everything glittered white. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating everything. In the middle of the aisle, right in front of the altar, a lone woman stood. She turned to face them as Link bowed in front of her. She was beautiful, with golden hair and large blue eyes. As those eyes looked to Link and then locked onto Jennifer, she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. Her eyes held a wisdom Jennifer couldn't imagine seeing in one so young. The queen—for she could only be the queen—couldn't be that much older than her, and yet she held herself with a bearing Jennifer could only hope to achieve some day in the distant future.

"Link, it is a pleasure to see you, as always," she said, sounding—if it was possible—more regal than she looked. But there was some other emotion there, Jennifer couldn't help but notice. She looked at Link, who that same undeterminable emotion in his eyes. But, in a moment, it was gone, as Link turned to Jennifer and began to introduce her.

"This is Jennifer. I—"

Suddenly, everything froze. A beautiful woman rose from what seemed like nowhere, floating serenely just above Jennifer's head. She was dressed in a flowing white dress and had a golden circlet on top of her flaming red hair. Her eyes were a pure gold, sparkling with knowledge. Jennifer took a step back, startled, and looked wildly around her. Everything was frozen in place, not a sound was heard, and Jennifer could feel time itself begin to warp and twist around her. It was the strangest experience she had had thus far—which said quite a lot—and Jennifer shrunk back from the woman, curious and more than a little frightened. The woman, for her part, took all of this in, and slowly smiled at Jennifer.

"Jennifer Nicole Stark," she began in a soft and melodic voice. Jennifer looked up at her, transfixed. "You have many questions, I know, but all cannot be revealed to you. Even I do not know of the future, only what must pass for it to be. You are here for a purpose, Jennifer, one that is both great and terrible. You are here to fulfill your destiny." She paused briefly, as if in hesitation.

Jennifer found her voice at last. "Destiny?"

"That is who I am."

"Oh. So… you're Destiny, giving me my, um, destiny?"

"You must seek the shadows that threaten to envelope us all, a dangerous task, and one not bestowed lightly. Never fear, for you will have as much help as the Goddesses can give. With the assistance of the Protector, and the blessings of the Goddesses themselves, you will embark on your journey, one only you can complete."

She touched a hand to Jennifer's chest, and removed it, leaving a glittering white print, that stretched from her collarbone to top of her breasts. The handprint flared, before finally melting into Jennifer's skin as though it was never there.

"The Protector?" she said. Destiny ignored her.

"So that I may guide you," the woman said gently. "Good luck, dear child, may you fare well on your journey."

And Destiny faded away, leaving Jennifer staring amazed at the wall. Everything had come back to life. Link had trailed off, and was now looking towards Jennifer expectantly. The queen caught Jennifer's eye. The queen's eye's sparkled knowingly, and she calmly walked down the steps towards Jennifer.

"You saw something, just now, did you not?"

Jennifer shook her head dizzily and licked her lips. She could still feel the woman's presence, the intoxicating warmth of it filling her body with its strange comfort. She felt as though she had awoken from a particularly sensual dream, all hot and bothered, and yet surprisingly calm and pleased with herself. Jennifer looked down at her chest, expecting to see the handprint, and disappointed that it had gone, leaving her doubtful that what she had seen was real. But the queen grasped her chin lightly in her fingers and pulled her face up to look at her. The queen's eyes bored into her, but not in a disturbing way. Instead, it was a look filled with curiosity and understanding. The queen dropped her hand.

"I knew Zelda would see something I could not." Link seemed pleased with himself, or at least as pleased as he could seem. "I knew when she appeared out of nothing that this was something for you, Zelda."

Zelda smiled at him like one would a child. "I saw nothing," she stated. "It was Jennifer who saw, not I."

She went to sit at a pew, Jennifer and Link sitting next to her.

The queen continued, "However, I did see Jennifer in a dream naught but two nights ago. She and her companion were touched by Destiny, and passing into the Sacred Realms."

"Touched by Destiny? Like, for example, a handprint on my chest?"

"Precisely," Zelda replied.

Jennifer was temporarily silenced by this revelation that the queen could see into the future, and, more specifically, her future.

"Who was her companion?" It was Link, breaking the silence.

"It was not you, Link. It was a young man I have never seen before. I am sure that his identity will be revealed to us shortly," Zelda said, before turning to Jennifer. "What did Destiny say to you?"

"That I was fated to complete a great and terrible journey. That I must destroy the shadows with the blessings of the Goddesses." The words were burned in Jennifer's memory. "But I don't understand. How am I supposed to defeat the shadows if I don't even know what they are? And who is this Protector of mine?"

"I am certain that all will be revealed to you in due time," Zelda said.

"That's exactly what the Destiny woman said." Jennifer was starting to get a little annoyed at Destiny. She had appeared out of nowhere, placed this burden of a journey on her shoulders, and left in the blink of an eye.

"That is the way of Destiny," Zelda said wisely. "One may not always understand, or appreciate, but there are always reasons."

Jennifer leaned on her hand thoughtfully. Then, she perked up. "You said that we were going into the Sacred Realms. Where are they?"

Both Zelda and Link glanced at each other, and Jennifer felt that it didn't bode well. Zelda sighed before replying cryptically, "They are the realms of the goddesses."

Jennifer gulped. "Like Heaven?"

"I do not know of this Heaven of which you speak."

"Where people go when they…" Jennifer almost couldn't finish. "When they… die?"

Even Zelda could not meet her eyes. Finally, she spoke.

"Yes."

Oh man, strange prophecies. The plot thickens.

Please review, guys! Even if it's just a simple "Good," I will die happy. Not before finishing the story, of course. REVIEW! You know you wanna...

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