At the loud greeting, a young lady about my age appeared from around the corner. "Romani, hush! Dad's asleep, and I don't want you waking him!" She placed a hand on her hip, looking both annoyed and relieved. "What took you so long? I was beginning to get worried."

Romani scowled. "Stupid guards wouldn't let me through again. But Ralin helped me! She's really nice. Can she spend the night?"

Cremia looked up, noticing me for the first time. "Oh. Of course." Her expression softened instantly, smiling at me. "I'm Cremia, Romani's older sister. I run the farm." She held out her hand to me, and I shook it gratefully. "Are you from out of town?"

"Yeah, I'm from Hyrule."

"Hyrule... I know that sounds familiar..."

'FAIRY BOY WAS FROM THERE!" Romani shrieked from the other room.

"ROMANI! SHUSH!" Cremia shrieked back. She turned to me again. "Sorry. She can get a little..."

"Excited?"

"Yeah. We don't get many visitors from out of town. Anyway, thank you so much for helping Romani, and you're more than welcome to spend the night."

"It's much appreciated, but I'm not sure if I should. I'm on a tight schedule, and I need to get to Woodfall Temple."

She laughs. "Why, you're almost halfway there! Honestly, though, if that's where you're headed, it'll be best for you to get a good night's sleep. You'll need it if you want to be aware."

"I suppose..."

"You're one of those hero types, I can tell. Well, don't worry, I highly doubt the monster population inside Woodfall is going to double over one night."

I smirk to myself, finally giving in. "I suppose you're right."

"YAY! RALIN'S SPENDING THE NIGHT!"

"Romani! Quiet!" Cremia hissed again, hanging her head in defeat and chuckling to herself. "Can you show Ralin to the guest room, please?"

Romani skips back into the room, smiling, and grabs my hand. "Come on! It's upstairs by my room." I throw another quick thank you to Cremia as Romani pulls me up the stairs. She leads me to a door, stopping in front and turns to me after opening it. "You can sleep in here." She explains. "If you need anything, I'll be right in there. G'night!"

She skips straight across the hall to the door opposite the one she opened, closing it behind her and leaving me to venture into the room myself. I wander into the room, taking in the small bedroom, with a dresser pushed against the wall and a bed in the center of the room. I sigh, not even bothering to take in the rest of the room once I've seen the bed, and fall on it gratefully, falling asleep in an instant.

The darkness was the same, I could tell through my eyelids. Something had woken me, but what...

A lone chuckle sounded through the darkness, sending shivers down my spine. I knew that chuckle. My eyes flew open, and I bolted up to face my fear, only to find it was true.

"No. No, you couldn't have-"

Ganondorf laughed, picking me up and hoisting me into the air. "Silly Ralin. Did you honestly think you could hide from me?"

I struggle for breath, but the world is fading quickly. No, no no no no no! I can't die! I've got to-

I bolt upright in the bed, gasping for air. What...

It was a dream. It was all a dream. Thank Farore it was just a dream. I catch the sound of a door closing across from mine, the door I remember hearing Romani go into. I wait a second, finally silently slipping out the door just in time to see her shadow disappear around the corner and hear her footsteps go down the stairs. I follow quietly, tailing her out the door and towards the barn. She stops, sighing and shoulders slumping, and I pause behind her, unsure whether to walk up to her or not.

"It's okay, I need someone to talk to."

I jump. It's like she's read my thoughts, but I head over anyway. "Something bugging you?"

"It's... okay, I'm gonna tell you something, but... it's kind of weird."

"Well, I've seen plenty of weird things in my day. I'm sure it can't be to weird."

"You promise you won't laugh?"

I stick out my pinkie finger. "Promise."

She looks up at me, then shakes my pinkie with hers before turning to stare up gravely at the sky. "Okay... Well, you know how I told you that Fairy Boy helped me with the aliens?"

"Yeah, I wondered about that. What did you mean?"

"Well, there were these aliens that would come down last year, and hurt the cows. Fairy Boy helped me protect the cows by attacking them with arrows so they'd go back to the sky."

"Okay."

"... The only reason I'm telling you this is cause I don't know what to do, and cause Cremia doesn't believe me, and, well... You know how I said I thought you were going to help me?"

"Yes."

"Well, you see, I think this is it. I can always somehow tell something about a person's future when I first meet them. I think this is how you're gonna help me. But you have to promise to believe me."

"I promise, Romani. You can tell me."

"It's... the aliens. I... I think they've been coming back. So, I came out here tonight to try and protect the cows." She held up the bow she had strapped to her back. "I've been practicing, and all, but... I don't think I'm good enough. So... do you think you could help me out? I'd be by the barn to protect the cows, and you can take my bow and shoot the aliens. They can't get hurt! I have to protect the cows! Will you help? Please?"

"...Why haven't you told Cremia?"

"I... I tried, honest! But, she doesn't believe me, and with her having to run the Ranch and everything..."

"...I'll help you, Romani. You can count on me."

She beams up at me, before suddenly flinging herself at me and hugging me, startling the heck out of me. She detaches herself, smiling and handing me the bow she had. I hold it in my hand, getting a feeling of how heavy it is, realizing it's awfully large for her to use, before pulling back the string to test the tension. I finally take the quiver from her, as an ear splitting shriek fills the air. I jump out of my skin, while Romani just stomps her foot.

"I knew it! That's the aliens! I'll be by the barn, Ralin. Good luck!"

She turns to dash for the barn, turning one last time. "Oh, and Ralin?"

She points to a crate. "It's best if you stand on that. You can see 'em better!"

I nod, darting over to the crate and climbing on top as I notice a flashing light near the other side of the ranch. I squint, finally making out a strange, almost poe- like creature holding a lantern as it floated closer. I make a mental note of what it looks like as I grab an arrow from the quiver and knock it, quickly sending it flying at the monster as it lets out a squeal and dissapears. By this point, there's at least two more, and I quickly knock another arrow, and another, the first missing, but the second hitting home. I let loose another arrow at the other creature, hitting it as well, only to find at least three more lanterns moving forward through the darkness. I growl under my breath, firing arrows faster and faster, as the aliens as Romani called them seem to summon four more for each one I send back. Most hit home, but slowly but surely, the creatures creep forward, getting closer and closer to the crate I'm standing on. I release arrow after arrow, focusing on the ones closest to me, before even beginning to bother about the ones on the horizon. I beat them backwards, nearly running out of arrows, only to have Romani suddenly appear and refill my quiver. Monster after monster dissapears, more and more appearing, only to be sent back to whence they came. Slowly, though it's hard to notice at first, the torrent of creatures slowing, till, finally, I landed an arrow in the chest of the last one, leaving behind only it's unearthly cry as it's lantern winked out.

I stand there, panting, as I try to gather my bearings and breath about what just happened. I stare at the empty field of Romani Ranch, finding it hard to believe not one minute ago it was covered in unearthly monsters from the sky.

It sounded crazy even when I said it.

I feel something poke me in the leg, and I jump, reaching almost instinctively towards the bow before looking down to see it's Romani. I relax, sitting down on the crate as she joins me. We sit in silence for a while, just staring up at the sky.

"You know, you guys have a really creepy moon."

Romani giggles, so I decide to continue.

"I mean, it's like it's laughing at you. What kind of moon laughs at you? Hyrule doesn't have a moon like that?"

She laughs out loud this time, staring up at the moon. Silence falls again, and I can only help but wonder what's going on in her head.

"You know him, don't you?"

"Know who, Romani?"

"Fairy boy. I could see it in your eyes when I mentioned him. You know who he is, and you have feelings for him, though... not like the normal kind, like the way Cremia always looks around the Mayor's son. More like a sibling or parent. You respect him, and don't want him to get hurt."

I'm completely thrown aback, not sure how she figured this out or how to respond.

"Though, you've never spoken to him. I don't know how you can be that close to a person without speaking to him, but your eyes shown truth. Truth... and regret. Am I right?"

I'm completely at a loss for words, finally managing to nod my head.

"But... how does that work?"

"... It's really complicated, Romani."

"I'm a good listener."

I sigh. "It's... I'm his older sister by ten years, but... he's never met me. It's a long story, but, Ralin, I can tell you this about him... he's more than meets the eye."

"Well, so are you."

Silence falls again, kicking her legs in circles as I look at the moon some more. I have a feeling Ganondorf won't be the only thing in my nightmares anymore. This thing is disturbing.

"What's it like in Hyrule?"

"Well... It's kind of like Termina, but, bigger. In the very center, kind of where Clock Town is for you, we have Castle Town. It's the biggest city in Hyrule. It's always so busy, so lively... you can practically breath in the people. It's exhilarating."

"Is there a castle in Castle Town?"

"Oh, yeah. Hyrule Castle. It's absolutely beautiful. You can see it from far away, standing above Castle Town high and proud, almost like a beacon calling people in. I've been in there a couple times. Course, the last time it was under attack, but... Hyrule Castle's always been this sigh of hope... I don't know. I'm probably not making much sense."

"No, no, no! It's fine!" She sighs, staring up at the stars. "I've always wanted to see a castle."

I smile, looking at the stars as well.

"You've done that before, haven't you?"

I look at her, confused. "The bow and arrow? Yeah, I'm a knight. You learn how to use all weapons."

"That's not what I meant. Like... being out in the face of danger. Throwing your life out to protect others."

I smile. "Like I said, I'm a knight. It's my job."

"... Hyrule sounds so wonderful."

"It is."

"Then why'd you leave?"

"...I didn't leave because I didn't want to stay, if that's what you think. I left to save Hyrule, not to escape it."

"Hyrule's in trouble?"

I nodded.

"Then why are you here?"

"Well, according to the Princess, Link- er, Fairy Boy, was supposed to have headed out here to Woodfall to secure the Master Sword."

"But, my guess is, now you need the Master Sword?"

"And Link."

I slide off the crate, standing as I start to hand Romani her bow back, only to have it thrusted back into my own arms. I look up at her, eyes questioning. "But-"

"No buts, Ralin. I believe in you. You're gonna save Hyrule, and probably Termina too. But, you're probably not going to be able to do it all with just a sword. Take it. I've got another one, anyway. It's older, but it's actually my size."

I smile. "Romani, so far, you have given me every weapon I have. I don't know how I'll repay you."

"Well, you did just save my cows, but if you still feel like that's not enough, you can always just go and save the world. That should do it."

I smile, slinging the bow across my back. "Thank you again, Romani."

"Yeah, no problem." She hopped off the crate, pointing to the south. "If you follow the road that way, you'll come across Woodfall in no time."

I nod, heading in the direction she pointed. As I walk out the gate, though, I hear her voice ring clearly through the night:

"GOOD LUCK, RALIN!"