Yay! I'm glad you all liked it! –does the Happy Dance- Um…I have nothing much to say…except…

SELF PROMOTION TIME! –cheesy music stats up-

Check out Angel in the Battle…it's my most successful story yet. If you're an SSBM fan, anyway.

Ayadin: Glad you like. I've been trying to think of a good Zelda story, so here it is.

Cherry the berry: Yeah, I don't like making Zelda all…helpless and whatnot. I like her to have her own battles and junk, too.

maximushyrule: I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the review!

foxdude33: Yay! I'm on alerta list! LoL.

Akartra: Yay! Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it.

SnowCyrstal: As much as Zelda would love to divorce, she can't, because her marriage currently holds an alliance with Hyrule and Byral's country. (I can't think of a name for it yet) So, she's stuck. :(

Living the Legend

Chapter Two: A Rider at Dawn

Zachary was up before anyone else was, including the servants. Blinking twice and yawning, he sat up, swung his legs out of the bed, and exited his tent. He dreaded staying in a tent and sleeping in a bed; he'd rather sleep on the ground, like a true warrior! His father had refused the boy's exclamation, and the tent and bed were set up the previous night.

The sky was just beginning to pale in the east. To the west was blackness, and the stars were still out. Enjoying the moment, Zachary climbed a small inclination above the camp to get a view of the outskirts of Hyrule. A heavy forest lay to the east where the sun would appear in an hour or so, and to the south there appeared to be a sliver of blue, possibly a lake. To the north was an ominous mountain far off in the distance, with a river not too far off from camp. Zachary smiled, left the small hill, and began wandering around the river to see if he could catch a frog or something.

He sat by the bank, listening to the soft gurgling of the stream as it went along, keeping a watchful eye for anything worth catching. Deciding it was too early for even the underwater inhabitants to be awake, Zachary plunged his hands into the ice-cold river to clean his face and wake him up completely.

Suddenly, movement by some rocks near the river caught his eye. One was a rider, on a sturdy horse—the other, his own mother, Zelda. Zachary let out a small gasp and crawled closer, to hear the conversation.

"Ride fast and hard. Make sure he gets the letter," Zelda was saying.

"I shall not fail you, my Queen," the rider bowed in the saddle, and took a piece of parchment from Zelda. Then, he spurred the horse into an energetic gallop, and they were gone, in the direction of Hyrule. Zachary watched his mother as she looked after the rider, then went back into her tent. Confused, he wandered back to the center of the camp, where a servant was awake and making a fire.

"My Prince!" the servant cried, surprised at the sight. "You are awake quite early. You shouldn't wander so, it can be quite dangerous."

"It is too early for even the Cuccos to be awake," Zachary smiled. "It is not even that cold."

"Well, it is summer."

"That is true."

"Are you hungry, my Prince?"

"No, thank you. I'm just going to enjoy the sunrise," Zachary stood back up from the extremely short conversation and went back to the inclination. Plopping himself down on the grass, he sat and waited for the dazzling star to make its entrance over the forest.

I wonder what's in that forest, Zachary thought as the eastern sky turned a light pink, announcing the coming of the sun. He sat and watched it rise in all its glory, shooting its rays across the empty land.

"Sun gazing, are we?" a voice caused Zachary to jump. He turned and saw his mother, all dressed. He nodded. "Your father thinks this is a waste of time. But then again, he has probably never stopped to see the sun rise himself."

"Why doesn't Father enjoy adventure?"

Zelda paused, a small smile on her lips. "Your father loved adventure."

"He did?"

"He probably still does."

"It's hard to tell."

Zelda looked down. "It is very hard to tell."

"Mother, why did you marry Father?" Zachary queried.

Zelda stopped short. "Zachary, be glad you are a male. Females in this world are married off like items for stupids treaties and alliances."

"You were…given away? By your Mother and Father?" Zachary questioned, eyes wide.

"My Father. Zach, my mother—your grandmother—passed away giving birth to me. But your grandfather, currently the King of Hyrule, wants to see you."

"Why me?"

"Zach, you are the heir of Hyrule. Your Father and I will rule our own country as long as we can, and give it to your uncle when we are too old to rule. But you will run Hyrule."

"Me?"

"Yes."

Zachary was silent. He didn't want to be a king. He didn't even like being a prince!

"What if…what if I die before I can rule? Then what?" Zachary asked.

"Son, do not speak of such things!" Zelda scolded. "You will rule Hyrule when you come of age."

"Okay."

Zelda smiled at her son. "I know it seems ominous now, but it will go away when you get older and mature."

Zachary stared at the sun again, silent. The sounds of everyone awakening and preparing for breakfast was all that was heard on the vast field.

"Mother?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Why were you sending that rider to Hyrule ahead of us?"

Zelda froze, biting her lip. "I…I wanted to notify a friend. He…he was a close friend of mine…I wanted him to know in advance of our arrival…because your father wouldn't let me send it earlier. I had to do it without your father knowing." Zachary stared at his mother's wandering eyes. "Please do not tell your father. I tried to write yesterday, but he wouldn't let me."

Not knowing why, Zachary nodded. Zelda embraced her son. "Go and eat. I overheard your father saying he wanted to train with you before we continued."

Nodding, Zachary set off.

Sorry the chapter's short. But…yeah…I don't have anything to say. I'm tired.