Link and Zelda spent the entire day with their nerves on edge, but Kafei proved to be both a gracious host and an apparent ally. He furnished them with food and safety, as well as giving Link several bundles of arrows and even some more exotic items.

"These are some bombs, smuggled from the Goron mines at Death Mountain," Kafei said conspiratorially, handing Link a bag of the explosives.

Link took one of the bombs out and examined it, having never used one before. The bomb itself was a ceramic container packed full of gunpowder and topped with a fuse.

"You never know when those might come in handy," Kafei shrugged. "I've heard that the Gorons have produced even larger bombs… called powder kegs… but they refuse to sell those to anyone other than a Goron."

"Thank you, Kafei," Link said sincerely, replacing the explosives carefully back in the bag, his mind already sifting through vague ideas as to how to use the bombs.

That night, as Link prepared for his routine patrol, Zelda watched him from across the room. Kafei had been generous enough to give them a small, two bed room on the second floor of the manor to stay in. A single window in the room overlooked the western entrance of the manor grounds; vines snaked up the manor's walls and around the window, providing a convenient path for Link to enter and exit the manor discreetly.

"I can't believe you're still going out tonight," Zelda said incredulously, watching as Link strapped on a pair of gauntlets.

The young knight paused for a moment, taking the time to look over at her. "How so?"

"Well, all of Ganondorf's army is out looking for you," she replied, rather bitingly. "You've lost the element of surprise."

"Perhaps," Link admitted as he strung his longbow, "but my duty still stands."

Zelda sighed, obviously resigned to his stubbornness. "I've given up hope that you'll listen to me; you're about as implacable as a Deku tree."

Link walked over to her, taking both of her hands in his own and looking firmly into her eyes. "Zelda, I always have listened to you. And never have you failed to give me sound advice. But some things… just need a special kind of crazy." He smiled, an eager glint in his eyes. "Does that make sense?"

"No," Zelda replied bluntly. Link sighed in return, sitting down next to her on the edge of the bed.

"Listen, Zelda… there's something I've been meaning to tell you for awhile…"

"Oh Link, don't do this," Zelda groaned, turning away from him.

"It's not what you think," Link insisted. "I… Zelda…"

He took a deep breath, watching her look at him curiously, before he blurted out: "You're the Princess of Hyrule."

She blinked, confused. "I'm the…"

"Princess of Hyrule," Link muttered, closing his eyes and leaning back.

Unexpectedly, Zelda began to laugh, her eyes wrinkled in apparent mirth. Link frowned and opened his eyes.

"You don't believe me?"

"Link," Zelda said, trying to control her fit of laughter, "I am not the Princess of Hyrule. I can assure you that much."

"You are," he retorted. "My father told me before he died… that you are the king's daughter!"

Zelda looked slightly shocked at the revelation, her giggles subsiding. "Aleron told you that?"

"Yes!" Link sighed, exasperatedly. "I should have told you months ago when I first found out… I don't know why I didn't…"

"Link… you don't… believe Aleron, do you?"

"Why would my own father lie to me?" Link replied bitterly, shaking his head in agitation. "Zelda, Aleron served as a knight to King Harkinian… your father."

"My father… King Harkinian?" Zelda repeated, somewhat dubiously. "Link, this is ridiculous!"

"No it's not!" Link ran a hand through his hair, grinding his teeth. "It makes perfect sense. Your father – King Harkinian – entrusted you with my father before… before Ganondorf took over."

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed, obviously somewhat agitated as well. She shot up from the bed, her hair flying wildly. "This… is… insane!"

"Think about it!" Link retorted, anger building up irrationally inside of him. Goddesses, why was it so hard to convince her? "Why else would my father have so willingly taken you in as a child? Even the most kind-hearted aristocrat would be unlikely to adopt an orphan from off the streets!"

"Don't say that!"

"Why is this so hard for you to believe?" Link asked. "Why can you accept the fact that you are the Crown Princess of Hyrule?"

"Because I'm not!" Zelda shouted, and Link stopped his ramblings immediately. Somewhat apologetically, Zelda lowered her voice and continued. "I'm not the princess, Link. I can't be." She shook her head, sighing sadly, and collapsed back down on the bed.

"Why can't you be?" Link asked gently, walking over to her and taking her hand.

"Link! The monarchy is dead! It has been dead for nearly two decades! Even if… even if I was the Princess… do you think the citizens of Hyrule would simply just accept me… some silly little girl… as their queen?"

"They'd be more than willing to accept you over Ganondorf!"

"Oh, so this is just exchanging one ruler for another?" Zelda replied, somewhat sarcastically.

"No, of course not," Link replied hurriedly. "Listen, Zelda – you've always wanted to help Hyrule. Help the citizens. You can do that – as the Princess of Hyrule."

"I'm not fit to rule over anyone," Zelda replied. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, Link, but I've never made a damned bit of difference to anyone in my entire life!"

"Zelda…"

"No, Link, listen to me," she sighed. "I don't know if Aleron was telling you the truth, or even if you're telling me the truth – only the Goddesses know what I truly am."

She gazed at Link sadly, holding both of his hands in a familiar embrace. "But I am not fit to be a ruler. If you know anything about me, Link, then you'll know that I'm horribly idealistic." She smiled ruefully. "I believe in all those old tales of chivalry and romance – bygone stories from the Golden Age of Hyrule. I can't run a country, or manage the people. The citizens of Hyrule deserve an experienced ruler, one that can guide them in the proper direction."

"How can you give up so easily?" Link demanded fiercely. "Zelda, you've seen what the majority of the nobles are like: greedy, backstabbing pigs! Do you think they're fit to rule Hyrule? Do you think they would govern in the peoples' best interests?"

Link sat down next to her, gripping her tightly. "Zelda, you're so much more than you give yourself credit for. I know you – I've known you for all my life – and I can truthfully say that you've got the wisdom and sense to lead. After all, you've directed the manor and its servants for years, and… well, you've always given me sound advice," Link finished, with a smile. "You have all the necessary traits of a benevolent ruler: kindness, firm authority, and a true desire to inspire good. All you need is confidence."

"Confidence," Zelda repeated, sarcastically. "Link, how can you expect me to lead a country when I've been hiding from Ganondorf for all these years?"

"You're better than the nobles," Link replied firmly. "But you're more educated and authoritative than the average citizen. You have charisma, Zelda, and the people will love you if you can inspire them. Sometimes idealism isn't necessarily a bad thing. You have the vision to forge a new country, the hope and faith to lead Hyrule into a better future."

"You've practiced this a lot," Zelda stated. Link shook his head.

"Zelda, you've won me over to your side. You were right: I'm fighting Ganondorf solely because of you. I love you as my friend, but also as my princess. You inspire loyalty in me, and devotion, and Zelda – believe me when I say this – I truly believe you are the best hope Hyrule has."

Link sighed, shrugging his shoulders, and closed his eyes. "I've known that you were the Princess for months. But I never told you – in fact, I convinced myself it was better that you didn't know. Why? Because I was selfish. I wanted to keep you all to myself – I didn't want you devoting yourself to Hyrule and leaving me behind." He smiled bitterly, looking away from her.

"But now I see that you are the one person this country needs the most. You know politics, Zelda – you've grown up amongst the scheming and treacherous Hylian aristocracy. But you have a genuine love for the people, and that balance is what makes you a great leader… a great queen."

"Link," Zelda sighed, still reeling from the sudden revelation of her birthright. "This is all a mistake… some terrible error you're making…"

"Have some more faith in yourself, Zelda," Link said, smiling at her. "Have the same faith that I hold in you. You've said to me that you wanted to make a difference… you wanted to help Hyrule. Zelda, I'm a simple warrior – I brawl and fight to make a marginal difference. But… as the Crown Princess, you can do so much more than I ever could…"

"But the people won't accept me!" Zelda cried, wringing her hands desperately. "The nobility will deplore me… the citizens will distrust me…"

"You're a vital link between the nobility and the citizens," Link replied calmly. "I said it before, Zelda – you know politics, but you place the needs of the citizens over the wants of the nobility. Especially after Ganondorf has been ousted, and Hyrule desperately needs a leader… Zelda, whether you acknowledge it or not, you're perfectly suited for leading us."

Zelda turned away from Link, looking down at her hands. Surprisingly, they were shaking.

Link moved closer to her. "I know this feels overwhelming, Zelda. I know that you might not think you're suited for royalty… but I do. I know you are, and I'll always be there for you." He smiled, wrapping a gentle arm around her waist. "I might not be the best advisor, but I think I could make a good jester."

Zelda smiled, taking comfort in Link's soft words and touch. What he said was true… perhaps she could make a difference. She wasn't a warrior like Link… but that didn't prevent her from fighting Ganondorf on her own terms.

"Thanks, Link," she murmured softly, closing her eyes and sighing. "I just… I just need some time to understand everything. To figure myself out. It's a lot to take in…"

Link nodded, squeezing her hand. "I understand. And remember, Zelda: I'll be here for you."


"Milord," the guard stammered, positively shaking in his boots. "I… I regret to inform you that Sir Hylia was able to evade capture this morning."

Ganondorf leapt from his throne, eyes burning and his face twisted into a snarl. Koume and Kotake instinctively retreated into the far corner of the throne room, while the unfortunate guard remained trembling in front of the wrathful king.

"We've interrogated the manor servants," the guard continued, bravely holding his ground, "but either they don't know where Hylia is… or they won't tell us."

Ganondorf let out an angry snarl, advancing slowly towards the guard. "What else?" the king roared, "or is this another display of the incredible incompetence of my soldiers?"

"Milord," the guard babbled, his eyes bulging in fear. "There was a girl with him."

Ganondorf stopped short in his furious advance, hands resting on the hilt of his sword. "A girl?"

"Yes, milord, a young blonde woman. Sir Hylia seemed to be especially interested in her; he took special interests in ensuring that she escaped with him."

"A young blonde woman?" Ganondorf breathed, momentarily taken aback. The vague image of a woman circled in his mind… a girl he had seen, long ago, at the Hylia manor…

Her name…? What was her name?!

"Milord?" the guard asked uncertainly.

"Get out of my sight!" Ganondorf growled, "before I lose my temper and kill you for your failure."

The guard, not even bothering to bow, turned and positively ran out of the throne room, unwilling to face his lord's colossal wrath. Long after the sound of his frantic boot steps faded away, Ganondorf turned to Koume and Kotake.

"The girl," he growled, angrily. "Who is she?"

"One of Hylia's wenches, no doubt," Kotake dismissed. "She is unimportant. How shall we discipline the soldiers for their failure in executing your orders?"

"No," Ganondorf replied, waving away Kotake's dismissal. "I need to know her identity…"

"But… why, milord?" Koume asked. "Surely she is not the one we should be worrying over…"

"Perhaps not," Ganondorf growled, "but Hylia obviously cares enough about her to ensure that she comes to no harm. If we can capture her, use her as bait to capture Hylia… it seems only too clear that he is the vigilante that has been terrorizing my kingdom for the past few months…"

"Excellent plan, milord," Kotake cooed sycophantically.

Ganondorf stormed back to his throne, musing over the varied thoughts in his head. The woman! He could see her face clearly in his mind's eye, but… who was she? Why was she so important to Hylia?

"Now, how shall we go about flushing out the traitor, milord…?"

Ganondorf wasn't even paying attention to Koume or Kotake: his mind had just grasped upon an old memory, one that he could barely piece together completely. He struggled to hold onto the memory, to remember it before it slipped away…

It was at Hylia manor, before he had arrested that fool Aleron. He had been in the library, talking with the younger Hylia… and that woman… who was she? What was her name?

"I am Zelda," she said, speaking for herself, conquering her fears and looking Ganondorf straight in the eye. Link cast her a sidelong glance; she ignored it, heart pounding in her ears.

Ganondorf looked slightly intrigued, which did little to reassure her nerves. "Just Zelda?"

She nodded her head. "I have been raised by Sir Aleron all my life – my parents died when I was but an infant."

Zelda… raised by Sir Aleron… parents died when she was an infant….

And suddenly, it all came together.

"I HAVE HER!" Ganondorf roared triumphantly, a wicked smile splitting his features that had been scowling angrily only seconds before.

Both Koume and Kotake jumped, still caught up in their own mumblings. Ganondorf approached them, a mad glint in his eyes.

"I've found the princess!" the king declared, his smile looking oddly demented. "That wench was under my nose all along… don't you see, Koume and Kotake? She'd been hiding with the Hylia family for all these years…"

"W… what?"

"Aleron Hylia was a knight in the king's court!" Ganondorf explained impatiently. "Zelda – the woman that escaped with Hylia – had been raised by Aleron since birth, after her parents died. It's only too obvious… she is Harkinian's daughter! The Crown Princess of Hyrule!"

Ganondorf roared in delight, even as Koume and Kotake looked on in bewilderment.

"Milord…" Koume squeaked bravely. "Aren't there… well, couldn't your logic be flawed?"

"How so?" the king asked dangerously. Both Koume and Kotake quivered in fear.

"Well… just… you cannot prove that she is the Princess just because of her… ambiguous background."

"You're right," Ganondorf replied, still smiling dangerously. "I can't prove that she is the princess… at least not yet."

The king walked to his throne, glaring out of the castle windows and out into the veil of darkness that had fallen over Castle Town with the coming of night.

"I think… that I have come across an incredible stroke of luck," Ganondorf mused, stroking the hilt of his sword in deep thought. "I sent my soldiers to arrest a vigilante… and instead, I uncovered the princess-in-hiding."

He turned around, gazing down at Koume and Kotake with an almost ecstatic expression on his face. "Don't you see? Both the Hylia scum and that little wench are connected to each other. I just need to capture one… and the other will come soon after."

Ganondorf laughed, the deep, echoing sound reverberating throughout the throne room like an earthquake. Both Koume and Kotake shivered, still huddled against the corner of the room in fear of their liege.

"But… milord…" Kotake piped up, as his laughter subsided. "How… how do you plan on capturing them?"

"They cannot hide forever," Ganondorf replied, "and as for the Hylia boy… I know he is the vigilante we have been searching for. He will reveal himself at night, trying to guide the pathetic rabble of Castle Town into a rebellion."

The usurper-king smiled, his malevolent crimson eyes burning with balefire.

"And that is where we shall catch him. Fetch me Aveil: I have some new sport for the Gerudo to hunt."


The next morning, as Link and Zelda were quietly eating breakfast in the main hall of the Dotour mansion, Kafei burst through the front doors, fully dressed and in jovial spirits. One of the servants, whom Link recognized as the dour-faced porter who had admitted them at the gates only days ago, followed Kafei with a scowl on his face.

"Link! Or should I say, Hero?" Kafei roared uproariously and slapped him on the back, causing Link to choke on a bit of bread. The young Dotour waltzed pass Zelda and took a seat at the head of the table, fetching hungrily for a plate.

"Sakon! We can do better than some stale bits of bread, can't we?" Kafei laughed. The servant named Sakon grimaced, running a hand through his unwashed hair.

"Of course, master," Sakon replied, somewhat sarcastically, heading off to the kitchens to fetch more food.

"Don't mind Sakon," Kafei said, pouring himself a flask of juice. "He was my father's servant even before I was born. I think he's getting tired of serving the Dotour family."

"You seem to be in good spirits this morning, Kafei," Link said, watching as his host piled on sausage and eggs on his plate.

"You want to know why?" Kafei grinned, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a piece of scrap paper. He handed the paper to Zelda, who read it quickly, her eyebrows furrowing deeply as she read each line.

"What is it?" Link asked, craning his neck to see.

Zelda showed him. The paper was a yellowed scrap of parchment, dominated largely by a sketch of Link's face beneath the bold words WANTED.

"For high treason, assault on the king's subjects, and robbery," Zelda read, eyes wide, "Anyone who apprehends Link Hylia… dead or alive… will receive a reward of one million rupees from the king's treasury."

"You're a wanted criminal now, Link," Kafei laughed, watching them with a mischievous sparkle in his eye.

"Great," Link replied, lightly. "At least now I don't have to worry about keeping my identity secret."

Zelda looked slightly worried. "Link…"

"Don't worry so much about him," Kafei reassured her. "He's the Hero! I'm quite sure he can take care of himself… and besides, your secret is safe with me!"

Sakon returned abruptly, bearing a tray loaded with food and cups of tea. Kafei eagerly snatched a small plate of cheese and meat from the servant, who placed the tray of food on the dining table with a scowl still etched on his face.

"Thank you, Sakon." The servant merely grumbled and scowled, taking a step back from Kafei and waiting for further instructions.

Link smiled, handing the wanted poster back to Kafei. "So are these all over Castle Town?"

Kafei nodded. "I found these posters plastered everywhere in the town square when I went this morning. Ganondorf must really want to capture you."

"What'd the townspeople think?" Zelda asked.

"They love it! You're a legend to them, Link," Kafei replied, smiling. "You have no idea… these posters have only fueled the fire. Everywhere I went this morning, no one was talking of anything else. Link, I really think… I think you've got them. They're ready for a fight."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, as Sakon curiously leaned over Kafei's shoulders to read the wanted poster.

"Let me say it this way, my friend. If you want a rebellion… now would be the perfect time to start it."