If I invented Zelda, the series would
Probably never get off the ground
I'm lazy that way
The Legend of ZeldaA Princess's Destiny
Zelda's side of Ocarina of TimeChapter One: A Wicked Man from the Desert
"Before Life Began, Before the World had Form,
Three Goddesses Descended Upon the Chaos that was Hyrule.
Din, the Goddess of Power;
Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom;
Farore, the Goddess of Courage.
And where once was chaos, they created a beautiful land: Hyrule.
These three goddesses then returned to the heavens,
Leaving behind the sacred, golden Triforce.
Where the Triforce stood became the Sacred Realm..."
The Great Deku Tree
"The Triforce contained the power of the gods,
The power to grant the wish of the one who holds the Triforce in his hands.
If someone with a righteous heart makes a wish,
It will lead to a golden age of prosperity.
If someone with an evil mind has his wish granted,
The world will be consumed by evil.
That is what has been told...
So the ancient sages built the Temple of Time,
To protect the Triforce from evil ones.
The Temple of Time is the entrance to the Sacred Realm from Hyrule..."
Princess Zelda
A dark cloud enveloped Hyrule, swirling around above the green field. Once it was bright, but the cloud cast a deep shadow. Zelda watched from the tallest tower of Hyrule Castle. The beautiful castle shifted toward Hyrule Field, into the storm. Raindrops slowly fell from the swirling clouds, but quickly became a swift downpour. Each drop stung as it hit. As she peered through the rain, Zelda could see that the storm was blowing in from Gerudo Valley, and thicker, more violent storms were on the way. Lightning bolts began striking, and one struck the castle. The tower Zelda watched from began collapsing. She shrieked in terror, and a young, male Sheikah jumped from the plains. It was Sheik, the man who kept appearing in Zelda's dreams, and he came bounding from stone to falling stone. He grabbed the princess from her spot on the falling tower, and returned to a safe place on the ground. He threw a smoke bomb on the ground, and Zelda wished she could be as strong and courageous as he was.
Suddenly, her attention was called to the Kokiri Forest, where a bright, green light shattered the clouds, and brought golden daylight onto the field, shining from the Triforce. As the sky brightened, the green light faded, and Zelda saw it came from a green stone in the hands of a small, green clad boy with a fairy...
"Princess, wake up!" Princess Zelda awoke in her comfortable bed. It had all been a dream, or rather, a vision. Sunlight flooded into her private bedchamber through the windows facing east. The awakening voice was that of her nursemaid and bodyguard, Impa. Impa was a Sheikah, a loyal protector of the Royal Family of Hyrule. The Sheikah had defended the king's family for centuries, but only one did now; all the rest were either dead or in hiding outside of Hyrule. Impa was the most loyal servant in Hyrule Castle, defending Zelda from her day of birth, when Impa was only twelve. Now, eleven years later, Impa still stood next to Zelda everywhere the princess went. Impa had a dark complexion and white hair, both of which she was born with. She was very muscular from years of training under the Sheikah arts. She wore her traditional Sheikah outfit, a black and navy, skin-tight suit that cut off above the knees and elbows, giving her a good range of motion. Atop this, she wore a steel breastplate, and she wore tall boots and long gloves.
"Princess, the sun has risen far," she said with her commanding voice. "Why did you sleep so long?"
Zelda sat up and stretched. "A vision, Impa," was her reply.
"Another?"
"No, the same one. The same dream I've seen so many times now, only different."
"Different, Zelda?"
"Yes. There was a boy."
"The Sheikah boy again?"
"No. Another boy. From the forest. He had a guardian fairy and a green, shining stone."
"A Kokiri," Impa noted.
"I suppose he was. But he stopped the storm of my vision. How could a small Kokiri stop the great evil, personified by the storm?"
"That green stone was the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, Princess," Impa informed.
"I am aware of that, Impa."
"Yes, but the stone symbolizes courage and the blessing of the Great Deku Tree."
"That's true." Zelda stood up and walked to her mirror. Impa began making the bed, and Zelda brushed her hair. "So, do you think that means he is no mere Kokiri?" Meanwhile, she thought, 'What chance does a Kokiri stand?' She didn't know much of her adversary, the storm that was coming upon Hyrule. All she knew were the evils it brought about. Whatever it personified was so dark and powerful, the children who fought in the Hundred Years War were being summoned from their graves on Hyrule Field. No child drafted into that first battle of the war lived. Now, they rose every night, scaring all Hylians, and even the dogs of the field, into shutting themselves in their towns all night. Someone, or something, strong enough to evoke the Curse of the Stalchildren every night… what could a child do against something like that?
This was Zelda's message to the people? The message of relief from the goddesses? Impa was the only one who believed her already. Who would believe that a child would save Hyrule from this curse?
"Perhaps the boy is a seasoned warrior guardian of the Kokiri," Impa said.
"A seasoned warrior guardian!" Zelda returned. "The Kokiri aren't warriors, Impa! Their only guardian is the Great Deku Tree. They sit in their magically guarded forest, sheltered from the evils of the world, performing plays and tending their gardens. The Great Deku Tree cares for children. If he'd wanted warriors, he would've grown warriors! So why would the goddesses choose the lowliest of Hyruleans to save this land, Impa?"
"Perhaps it is that they want to teach a message of humility," Impa suggested. "You don't know why the goddesses do anything they do, Zelda. Neither do I."
"But I do know that if I could only convince my father of my visions, he would send out the armies of Hyrule at the first sign of danger!"
"But your father won't believe you, Princess. No matter how much you try, he still doesn't listen. Now it is time to give up on that," Impa said. Impa never said to give up on anything, especially if it had to do with Zelda's visions.
"Mother would have believed me," Zelda replied.
"That is much different, Zelda. Your mother also had the gift of visions. Remember, she foresaw the end of the war, and the hardship to come, which is now your visions' focal point. Your Father won't believe you, and you've already tried for several months now. Just take comfort in the fact that the goddesses have a plan. Now, you've slept late. There's no point wasting any more time. Time for you to get washed up, and then it is time for your private breakfast with your father."
After her bath, Princess Zelda put on a red dress with a golden belt. She wore a golden necklace with a rather large amulet in the shape of the Royal Family's crest: an eagle soaring beneath the Triforce. Her short, blonde hair was brushed and a tiara placed upon her head, then Impa escorted her to the dining hall.
The dining hall was massive, a white, stone dome with a skylight at the top, lighting the room. A long, marble table was the only thing of importance in the room, other than several ornate decorations and plants. A throne-like seat was placed at one end of the table. There, her father was already seated, awaiting her entrance. King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule. He was a handsome man, just out of the middle-aged category. His shoulder-length, blond hair was lightening, preparing its transformation to white. His majestic, blond beard hung off his dry face, cascading onto his blue tunic. He wore a red robe with a high-rising collar, adding to the regal image, which was topped with the golden crown on his head. As Impa walked Zelda into the room, his aged face lightened, and he smiled greatly, with a look only fathers have as they see their daughters for the first time in a good while.
"Zelda! You look beautiful this morning."
"But I'm late, right Father?"
"Well, yes. I would call it fashionably so. The cooks put breakfast on hold for a little while. What kept you?"
"I slept late." Impa scooted Zelda's seat, the seat on one side of the table, closest to the king's, and Zelda sat down. Impa scooted her back in, bowed to the King, and exited the room.
The private breakfast of the princess and the king was undisturbed, other than the head chef personally bringing food. Guards stood at every entrance, and Impa stood at the main entrance, awaiting Zelda. This allowed the king and his daughter a small portion of private time for each other out of an otherwise busy and claustrophobic day, full of people and important events.
At this moment, the chef brought in milk. "This is the very last of the milk, your majesty," he said.
"Very well," the king said. "Send in to the ranch for more."
"It has been done, your majesty," the chef said. Then he bowed and left.
"You slept late, Zelda?" the king asked, returning to their conversation.
"Yes, Father. I had another vision."
"Zelda! Would you stop going on about your visions! You don't have visions."
"But I do, Father! Last night I dreamt of the storm again, and a hero was established."
"Oh! A hero from the storm? Do tell." Zelda could tell he was mocking, and gave no response. "Well?"
If she said that a Kokiri boy was the hero, she knew her father would not believe her, and would probably scoff all the more. "Why don't you believe me?" she cried.
"Because you don't have visions. It is impossible."
"Why is it impossible? Because there's never been a seer as young as I?"
"That is part of it."
"Why couldn't the goddesses pick up her visions of the hardship after the war with me, after…?"
"Because, Zelda! Because the hardship was only getting the Gerudos to sign the treaty. Now that they are doing it, there is no hardship."
"And what of the curse?"
"King Dragmire claims to have a solution for that difficulty."
"And what is that?"
"He has not explained to me yet."
"Strange, you seem to spend a lot of time with him. And he's said nothing?"
"There's not much time for anything but arrangements. As a matter of fact, he's spent a longer time getting here than imagined."
"Perhaps he changed his mind."
"Zelda!"
At this time, the chef entered the room with a cooked cucco, boiled eggs, and assorted fruits. They ate in silence after the chef bowed and left. When Zelda finished, she stood and curtsied. "If you'll excuse me, Father…"
"Zelda, listen," the king responded. "I know I've spent several months working on this treaty, but after that, there will be peace. Peace! We have been at war for all of both your life and mine. Imagine, Zelda. We will have all kinds of time for us. I promise!"
After this, Zelda walked out of the room and met up with Impa.
"Are you ready for your studies, Princess?" she asked.
"Yes. Let's begin."
Impa took some books and scrolls, and taught Zelda in Zelda's private courtyard because it was a nice day, very beautiful and warm. Zelda's learning included Hylian High Speech, some astrology, ocarina and harp lessons, and Hyrulean history. Secretly, Impa would often teach Zelda self defense from the Sheikah arts as well. On this day, they were talking about the creation of Hyrule.
"Impa, we studied this a week ago. Why again?" Zelda complained.
"Because, Miss Zelda, this was the single most important day in history, as of yet."
As Impa talked of each goddess's part in creation, Zelda only half paid attention. Even though it was the nicest day Hyrule had seen in quite a while, Zelda was feeling quite pessimistic. The last thing she wanted to hear about today was the actions of the goddesses. How is it that they could put such a burden on Zelda, and still be considered so great and loving?
They allowed a horrible war to last a century, caused over the very memento they left for the peoples of Hyrule, which divided whole families with death. That war took Zelda's mother as well. After the loss of her mother, the queen, she inherited her gift of visions, but only one other person believed she received her dreams from the goddesses. No one believed her as it was, but now she was receiving visions of children saving the world. So even though she could see the future, all she was able to do was watch it become the present. A single tear left her indigo eye and slid down her cheek.
"Princess," Impa said. "I didn't know this story touched you so deeply."
"No, Impa," she replied. "It's not that…"
"I know what it is," Impa said. "Princess, I told you already, the goddesses have a plan." In an instant, Impa had switched from sitting opposite Zelda with a book in her hand, to right next to her with her hands on Zelda's shoulders. "They have a reason for choosing everyone in their plans as well. You with your visions, the Kokiri boy in them, everyone. For all you know, this may not happen for several years to come, and the goddesses are just preparing you."
"But these visions are such a heavy burden," Zelda cried. "I can't carry them alone much longer!"
"But you are not alone, Zelda. I am here to help you. As long as you share everything you see with me, we can converse about it and it will lift some of this weight. I will always be here with you. Now how does this sound? If it makes you feel more comfortable, we will increase your training."
"What do you mean?"
"You know all the basics of the Sheikah arts, and your movements are starting to become less amateur. I will teach you the secret shadow arts of the Sheikah, the strongest and most helpful of the Sheikah's abilities. I never planned to teach you, because you must be a full-fledged Sheikah to learn, and I doubt your father would approve, but it may be a necessary precaution to take. That way, if you would like, we can assist this Kokiri in defeating whatever evil creeps in Hyrule."
"Really?" Zelda asked excitedly. "That's splendid!"
"Good. We'll start immediately."
"Oh, but what about schooling?"
"Princess, you studied creation just last week. Why again?"
They returned to Zelda's chamber and she changed into her training clothes, clothes Impa used to wear when she was Zelda's age. It was a blue leotard with the Sheikah eye symbol on the upper left portion of the chest. Zelda easily slipped her red dress back on over it and they went back out to her private courtyard, where she removed the dress again.
"Today, we'll just go over some basics," Impa said. "The shadow arts of the Sheikah are the best kept secret we have, and that's saying something."
"What are the shadow arts?" Zelda asked.
"The great abilities of a Sheikah that allow us to do things that no other Hylians can. The shadow arts are actually brought about in much the same way as the powers of the sages of old. Since Sheikah aren't bestowed powers from the gods, however, their powers aren't as strong, but, while sages utilized all the magic from one element, we Sheikah draw energy from all of Hyrule."
"How's that?" Zelda asked.
"Long ago, the founder of the Sheikah discovered the way to channel all kinds of Hyrulean magic into his body through hand signals. Drawing on the powers of the earth and mingling them with his own spirit energy, he could use his body to further extents than any other Hylian. The first and easiest hand signal for a Sheikah to learn is the shadow." Impa made a strange symbol by interweaving her fingers. "You try."
Zelda attempted to mimic Impa's hand pattern, but Impa corrected her and helped her form it correctly. It hurt Zelda's hand at first, but after a brief second she felt a slight calm come over her, and her hands felt as though they were made to form that exact signal.
"You feel the energy flow through you," Impa stated. "The next step is holding that energy. You can't just keep your hands like that, especially in a fight. Retaining the energy after breaking the connection involves intertwining the life force of the element with your own life force."
"How?" Zelda asked slowly, afraid to break the energy flow.
"It is all inside you now. You must hold onto it. In order to do so, you must be in touch with your own magic. This is where many Sheikah fledglings spend whole years of their lives: learning to use their own ki, or spirit energy. I believe you are not afar off from your own, being in tune with the goddesses. You already retain Hyrulean magic through your visions, I believe. Also, magic is said to run deep in the Royal Family's blood."
"So what do I do now?" Zelda asked.
"You must find inner calm, and face your true self."
"Sounds like some sort of pilgrimage," Zelda stated.
Impa gently unwound Zelda's fingers. "No. Sounds like meditation."
They spent most of the rest of the afternoon in silence, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the courtyard. At first, Zelda tried to talk to Impa, but the Sheikah wouldn't converse, leaving Zelda to think about what Impa said about this meditation.
She needed to find inner calm? What was that? And what about facing her true self? She was calm, wasn't she? Sure, Zelda had burst into tears a couple times recently, but that was because of the hardships she faced. The goddesses just put too much on such a young girl. Why did they do what they did? Zelda started going over all the ways the goddesses had let her down, until at about 17:00, a trumpet sounded on the castle wall. Impa lifted her head from its bowed position, and Zelda jumped straight up.
"We have a visitor, Zelda," Impa said. Zelda quickly slipped her dress over her leotard. Zelda hurried inside, Impa following closely, and they stopped to look out a window on the outer wall of the castle to see who was arriving.
Outside, a great ruckus was being raised. A parade of red-haired women on warhorses was passing into the castle gates. Impa made a sound of disgust.
"Gerudos," she said.
In the middle of this parade was a tall, handsome, muscular, red-haired man. A male Gerudo was only born every one hundred years, and was appointed king upon birth. This man had been king for about thirty years. His name was Ganondorf Dragmire.
As Zelda realized what was going on, King Dragmire passed through the gate and noticed Zelda standing in the window. As their eyes met, Zelda felt a chill go up her spine. In his yellow, Gerudo eyes, she saw a thousand evil deeds.
