Note: Hello all! Here's the fateful meeting with the Princess. Given that I explained much with Gris, the sequence with Zelda won't be too long. And, come later, Link will experience different things with both the Princess and Gris, which will impact the future and his relationships with "both" of them.

Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy it!

The Princess of Destiny

"It's a fool's dream, you know. He'll never be able to do it."

From behind a row of dense topiary, Navi listened in and watched the patrolling guards, occasionally looking back at her charge to see whether or not he was being attentive. Still, despite the boy's critical mission, she and Link were curious about what the armored men were discussing.

"Do what?" another guard questioned, having met his fellow soldier in between the water fountains in that particular garden section.

"Make peace with those desert people." the other guard answered.

Seeing that the two were distracted, Navi urged Link to make a move. The boy ducked behind one of the fountains, silently creeping around, all the while surveying the environment. While there was a good amount of greenery here, it didn't appear to be similar to any garden he had seen back in the Kokiri Forest. While those like the Know-it-All Brothers and Twins had larger patches of the earth as they grew for more than just one, there was no barrier of stone that kept the plants in place. In fact, these plants didn't appear to be crops, let alone produce any berries or fruit.

These plants were just dense, green bushes trapped in confined blocks of rock with soil filling in the space. Some trees were fashioned into various shapes, some resembling spheres while others were trimmed to fan out from the bottom to the top. No tree grew naturally like that, Link thought. So was a garden a place where the natural flora was restrained and not allowed to spout and grow? Needless to say, it began to make Link feel a little confined.

Navi peered around the corner, the conversation between the two guards continuing. "You don't believe that they can be allies?" the guard questioned his companion.

"Are you kidding? They're a cursed people!" the other guard retorted with a scoff. "The King is just setting himself up for failure."

"Ok," Navi whispered to Link. "Go."

Link nodded and continued on while the two armored men were distracted. Nevertheless, pieces of their discussion were still heard by both the boy and his fairy.

"I still don't know why His Majesty insists to make peace with them. Has he really been affected by the war so much?"

"Bear in mind, our last King was lost in that war," the softer-speaking guard told his comrade. "Our Robin was a Prince then, having just become a man. And not just that, he was the only Royal Son left when the war was over."

Robin? Was that the name of the King? And these guards seemed to be on friendly terms with him. Were they his friends? And he had lost his own father? How sad, Link thought, an image of the Great Deku tree coming to mind.

"Hurry!" Navi whispered, Link's attention being brought back to the present.

"Hm?"

The two guards turned to look forward, having believed to have heard a rustle in the nearby topiaries. But, upon looking, there was no one to be seen.

"You can't afford to lollygag," Navi told her blonde charge. "We can't afford to get caught. Otherwise, we'll be kicked out before we even get a chance to see the Princess!"

Well, duh! Of course, he knew that! Link moved on, concealing himself behind another bush, two more guards patrolling the section. This area bore a rising pathway of wood that went over one guard's head.

"This looks like it'd be tricky," Navi said. So use caution when you…?!" The fairy looked to the side and saw Link climbing up the wood archway. "What are you doing?! Don't go that way!" She hissed, but Link continued on without her, trying to balance his way across. "Ugh…kids." She groaned, a hand coming to her face.

This would be easy, Link thought. He had walked across the bridge from Saria's house to the tops of the two wooden towers in the Kokiri Forest hundreds of times. Balancing over this would be no problem for him! At least, he thought that before he felt his foot slip. He managed to grab the edge of the wooden pathway at the last second, the guard a few feet down.

Luckily, he appeared to remain oblivious to the boy's presence. "I told you so," Navi remarked, Link pulling himself back up onto the narrow pathway. "Well, even if you acted rashly, it seems this is the best direction to go."

He knew it. Even though she wouldn't say it, Navi basically admitted Link was right. Something he took great pride in. Regardless, he continued on, albeit with a little more grace than before. But only a little.

Finally, he made it past and came across a series of hedges that stood towering over the boy, blocking his view. Navi flew over and saw that this appeared to be a maze of some sort. But every maze had an end. "Just keep quiet and follow me," she advised Link. "I'll keep an eye out."

Nodding, Link entered the maze, slowly going through the topiary lining his path, all the while Navi flew up to peek further ahead. The fairy motioned for Link to move, the boy turning a corner. In the corner of her eye, Navi saw a guard approaching, so she urged Link to remain quiet. The boy did so, yet both he and Navi caught some of what he was saying.

"That man from the desert," the guard said aloud. "He makes me nervous. All those people do."

Again, more talk of these desert people, Link noted. Just who were they? Were they as bad as everyone said they were? From what he heard, they sounded no better than monsters.

"No time to dwell on that now," Navi told him, seemingly reading the boy's mind. "Hey, there's a path that goes to the center."

Oh really? Well, if that was the case, Link wasted no time in going in that direction.

"Huh? No, wait! I didn't mean you could go that way!" the fairy followed her charge until both of them came across a sizable monument with the same three crests he had seen everywhere.

The statue resembled a woman with the Triforce before her, as if the proclaimed treasure belonged to her. She was dressed in a long gown, a crown resembling the rays of the sun on her head, and her eyes spoke of ages gone by, but also had a hint of youth to them. A sword was in her left hand, while a small harp or lyre rested in the other, contrasting the image of a warrior with a musician. The woman carved out of stone was beautiful, Link thought, yet he couldn't help but let his eyes fall onto the weapon in her left hand. That sword, he had never seen it before.

And yet, he felt the urge to want to claim it.

"You can admire the art later," Navi told Link, all the while looking around. "Right now, you've got to…eek!" she squeaked. "Duck!"

Link obeyed, spotting the two guards approaching. Thankfully, they stopped near the northern end of the statue. "From what I've heard," one of the guards began. "The Princess won't stop bothering the King about it."

"Ah, so she still thinks the Gerudo are here to invade Hyrule?"

Wait for a second, Link thought. Invade?

"That's what she's been saying," the guard who spoke first answered his fellow soldier. "Although, I think she's just being a little paranoid."

"Are you sure about that?" the other man questioned. "You know what they say about the daughters of the Royal Family, don't you?"

"Go," Navi told Link, the boy creeping around the stone woman, passing by the guards. But, as he did so, he continued to listen in on their discussion.

"Don't tell me you believe that!" the other guard scoffed. "That's just a rumor."

"Are you sure? There's a lot of strange things that happen whenever a Hyrule gains a Princess," he then leaned in closer. "Not to mention that, if she's around, then he's not too far behind."

"Who?"

"You know," the guard then whispered. "Him."

"Him?"

"The Hero!"

Link stopped, having just reached the corner of the statue. Both guards still had their backs turned, so he could sneak by with no problem. Yet talk of the Hero, the one that Gris had been searching for, drew his interest.

"But the Princess is just a kid!" the other soldier protested. "The Hero's supposed to be, well, the stuff of literal legends! If the stories are anything to go by, he'd be no bigger than she is now!"

Huh? Link pondered what this meant.

"Then I guess we'll just have to wait until later. Although," the guard's comrade paused. "I do think that he might have to make a move soon."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, whenever there's a Princess, there's a Hero. And when there's a Hero," his features, even if they were concealed in the shadow of his heavy helmet, grew serious. "There's always a great Evil to fight."

Link's eyes widened. A great Evil? Like the spider he had fought in the forest?

"Never mind, just go!" Navi reminded Link. "I swear, you get distracted so easily."

"Do not!" Link protested with a hiss.

"Do too," Navi retorted, folding her arms. "You don't even look at what's in front of you."

"Do too-"

CRUNCH!

The sound wasn't overly loud, the branch that had snapped underneath Link's foot was little more than a light snap. In fact, it was little more than a twig that had broken off the topiary during the trimming last week. Yet it served as just enough to garner the attention of the two guards, their sights on the blonde boy in green.

"Hey, how'd you get in here?" one of the soldiers questioned the boy, but Link only responded with silence, as well as a look of wide-eyed shock. "Hey, I asked you a question, kid. Speak up!"

"Never mind stealth for now!" Navi said. "Run!"

She didn't need to tell him twice! Link darted forward, going as fast as his small legs would carry him, yet he had little to no sense of direction without Navi, as much as it pained him to admit it.

"This way!" the fairy then said, having taken a peek above. "The end is right there!"

Link rushed in the direction the fairy flew in, keeping on her tail. He heard several sets of footsteps from behind, realizing with terrible comprehension that the guards were gaining on him. But he was so close! All he needed to do was show the Princess he had the stone, and she'd surely know who he was! Even if he wasn't the Hero Gris told him she needed.

He was about to make his exit, yet a tall, dark shape blocked the way. Forced to stop, Link looked up at the figure in front of him, realizing that it was a woman, yet she was dressed differently than the guards. Nevertheless, her bodysuit and armor made her appear intimidating, her hair a ghostly white and eyes blazing red. She said nothing, only gazing upon the boy and fairy curiously. Then, she noticed that the boy wasn't alone, the cavalry following to surely deal with him.

"Stop right there…eh?" Captain Viscen ordered, only to realize that, instead of an intruder, he came across a rather familiar face. "Oh, Lady Impa," the armored soldier greeted. "What brings you here?"

The tan-skinned woman grinned with her red lips, her face bearing white, triangular marks underneath her eyes. "The Princess has decided to spend her time in the courtyard in comparison to greeting the visiting Monarch from Gerudo Valley," the woman, Impa, answered the Captain. "Apparently, she's not that big of a fan of him."

"Well, I can't exactly blame her," Captain Viscen said. "The Gerudo have always been nothing but trouble," he remarked. "But still, we have a more urgent matter at hand."

"Oh? Such as?" Impa asked.

"Well, an intruder has managed to sneak into the garden, and seeing as the Princess is in the courtyard, I thought it only appropriate to apprehend him," he then peered behind the woman. "He went this way," he didn't tell the Princess's attendant that he and his men had initially lost Link. "But he…eluded us. Have you seen anyone come this way?"

Impa raised a brow. "My dear Captain, I can see things that you could never hope to perceive," she told the man. "Nor would you want to. But I have seen no one enter the Castle grounds save for the man from the ranch. The Princess is completely safe."

Captain Viscen would never call the woman a liar, but he still wasn't certain. "Are you sure?" he questioned.

"Absolutely," Impa answered. "Now, I believe your sharp wit and fearsome skills could be better used to make sure our guests get here safely, don't you think?"

"Hm…yes, you're right," the Captain of the Royal Guard agreed. "Well, with that, we shall be off. Thank you for your help, Lady Impa."

The guards turned around and headed in the opposite direction, Impa waiting until they were out of sight and in earshot. "All right, you," she then spoke. "Go on in. She's waiting."

Link emerged from the bush, covered in leaves and small twigs. He was about to step through the entrance to the courtyard, which was a much more familiar and pleasant site than the rest of the garden. The grass was trimmed and kept at an even level, a small body of water surrounded the small island of green, and a tiny bridge served as a means to enter and exit. There were bright, colorful flowers and plants in potted soil, surrounding the small island. And at one of the windows situated ahead of him, there she stood.

"Ok, there she is," Navi observed. "Wait, let's get you looking presentable," she brushed off the leaves and twigs from the boy's clothes. "Now, go up and talk to her," Link froze in place, eyes large and clearly more than a little nervous. "Don't get shy now!"

"Am not!" Link protested.

As if to prove it, he ran right into the courtyard but stopped when he got a few feet within the vicinity of the young girl peering through the window. "You're late," she said, turning around to face the boy. "But you're here now, so I suppose that's all that matters."

The young girl had her blonde locks confined underneath an article of clothing, only it was a mostly white cap with a vibrant purple lining and a triangular section at the top. A short veil of white with magenta and blue lining near the end hung around the middle of her neck, the same pattern seen on the short sleeves of the white kirtle she wore. Her cotehardie was a bright blue with sleeves that gathered around the shoulder until they puffed out at the elbow, straightening out on her forearms, a pair of golden bracelets fastened around her wrists. She wore a belt of fine leather with an ornate golden buckle, a necklace of angular-shaped gold with a teardrop-shaped ruby in the center, and a purple tunic that hung over her kirtle, the back section a softer lilac color. The tunic itself was decorated with a red crest shaped like a mighty bird with splayed-out talons, and golden triangles situated above and below it.

And above the bird, as well as affixed to her headdress, were three perfectly aligned triangles of gold. The emblem on her headdress seemed to almost always have a slight shimmer to it.

It was her, Link realized. The girl riding on that white creature in his dream. The Princess. A real, genuine Princess. The one the Great Deku Tree spoke of.

It was then that, to his dismay, Link found himself frozen in place. Oh no, oh by the Great Deku Tree, it was her. What was he supposed to do?! And she was looking at him as if he were some idiot! Oh no, he had blown it!

The Princess waited for a moment before she migrated away from the window and to the boy. "You do have it, don't you?" she asked him. "The Kokiri Emerald?"

Link nodded. Ok, so far, so good.

"All right," she then said. "And I assume everything Gris told you is still fresh in your mind?"

Oh, right! Yeah! Link nodded again. He remembered most of it at least. Even if he found himself more dwelling on the time spent with the blonde girl instead of the information she relayed to him. Of course, there was still one thing he didn't know. And, in order to convey it, he would have to possibly speak.

"E-Excuse…me," he began, cursing his vocals. "But…do you know who…?"

"Oh, before we go any further, I should probably introduce myself," the well-dressed girl realized. Impa had told her to mind her manners more often. "I'm Zelda, Princess of Hyrule," she then looked the boy over. "And you, your name is Link, right?"

Link nodded. Navi had taken to reclining on his shoulder. "Don't forget about me! He wouldn't have made it this far if I wasn't here!"

Link huffed. He still had something to say. "I need to know who-"

"Yes, I can tell," Zelda agreed. "Anyway, down to business," she said. "The reason I need the Kokiri Emerald, as well as the other Spiritual Stones, is to stop him." she then gestured to the window.

Him? Was it the one he wished to know of? "You mean…?"

Zelda nodded. She then guided Link to the window she was peering through. "In my vision, a great and terrible storm overtook the whole country," the Princess explained. "And I believe they symbolize that man in there!"

Link peered through the window and was able to see what was inside. And the sight was once again something that took his breath away. A massive chamber with several pillars of brick and vibrant tapestries of varying colors lined the long pathway to an ornate and sizable throne. And upon the throne sat a regal figure, hands on the armrests of the golden throne, his eyes looking forward at the guests he had allowed into his castle.

Link gaped in awe upon seeing the figure, immediately realizing who he was. A King. No, not just a King. The King. The King of all of Hyrule. Although this made Link wonder if his rule extended to the Great Deku Tree's domain, for there were no "royal decrees" ever delivered to the forest.

The King of Hyrule bore pointed ears similar to his daughter (and Link himself), but, compared to the small bit of blonde hidden beneath his daughter's headdress, the King's hair was waves of hazelnut brown, the man sporting a short, neatly trimmed beard and mustache. Upon his head rested a golden crown marked with a violet diamond in the center headpiece, arches of gold coming up to join at his scalp, a purple gemstone meeting in the center. He wore a cape of red with golden trimming that trailed along the stone floor and carpet leading to the throne, a bright orange tunic emblazoned with the same bird-like symbol seen on the Princess's clothes, as well as the Triforce surrounded in the violet lining, the tunic bearing lining of gold. He wore a longer undertunic of a light dusty brown, the sleeves red and gold cuffs, a purple sash around his waist, and a leather belt with an emblem of the Three Crests on his waist. His eyes were green in comparison to his daughter's blue, and he appeared to be middle-aged, but nevertheless, he was a sight to behold.

Zeld could tell that the boy was fascinated by her father. "Oh yeah, you haven't ever seen a King before, have you?" she realized aloud. "But he's not the one I mean," she then gestured to another figure approaching her father's throne. "I mean him."

Link's eyes fell on the one Zelda gestured to, and his previous awe was replaced by ice-cold terror and horrible realization. Before the King stood a towering shape cloaked in black, the shape slowly unveiling itself before the monarch. The shape from the forest, Link realized. The shape had given him the Gohma egg. The one who had killed the Great Deku Tree.

Underneath the thick cover stood a man with dark skin and flaming red hair, his eyes bright and blazing as if fire rested within his irises. Upon his head rested a silver headpiece with a bright, topaz stone situated in the center. He wore dark armor decorated with square-cut topaz, garments wrapped around his forearms and calves over his boots, the cloth white with red and blue angular patterns. He wore a necklace of bright yellow gemstones and bore pierced ears that lacked the length of a Hylian.

He wasn't just the stranger from the forest, he was the man Link had seen in his dreams.

"Can you see him?" Zelda asked Link. "That's the man from the desert, the King of the Gerudo," she told him. "He calls himself Ganondorf Dragmire, and do you see those two with him?" she asked, Link only realizing then that the Great Deku Tree's killer was not alone.

Indeed, two others were with him, women to be exact. Only, compared to those Link and Navi had seen in Castle Town, the duo were tall and bore skin of bronze, as well as hair red as fire. They both wore their hair in long ponytails, and their attire was similar to that of the man they accompanied, only less armored and more defining of their bodies. One woman was dressed mainly in pink, wearing golden jewelry with bright, large rubies situated in each, pink slippers, and a sword attached at her waist.

The other woman appeared similar, only she had long, arching bangs that hung over her face, deep-red clothing, and a yellow topaz situated on her chest. The two women were quite different than those he had seen before, but they didn't look monstrous. Were these really the Gerudo? Despite all he had heard about them, they didn't appear to be as menacing as the man they accompanied.

"Those two serve as envoys of their King," Zelda told Link. "The one on the right is Nabooru, while the one on the left is Aveil," she narrowed her eyes, the unveiled Gerudo King kneeling before the ruler of Hyrule. "Even if they swear allegiance to my father, I know that they're up to no good," she said, eyes growing dark.

Then, even if it was just for a brief second, the Gerudo King turned to the window, his eyes momentarily falling on Link. He didn't get a chance to panic or cry out due to shock, as Zelda pulled him down, both of them hiding underneath the brick layer surrounding the window.

"Did he see you?" Zelda questioned. "Don't worry, he doesn't know what we're planning. At least, not yet."

Link was puzzled. "We?"

"Yes, you!" the Princess told the boy. "That man seeks the Triforce, and he can't be allowed to touch it!" she then led Link over to the center of the courtyard, taking him by the hands. "That's why I need you! All of Hyrule needs you!"

"But…" Link began. "Gris says…I'm not the one you need."

"Well, no, not entirely," The Princess answered. "But, in order for the Hero of Hyrule to save the Triforce, he needs the means to get through the Door of Time," she then pulled out something from within her tunic. "Here," she said, handing the boy a red envelope sealed with wax. The wax seal was pressed with the Triforce. "This is a note from me to you. Show it to anyone you see, and they'll know that you're on a mission from the Royal Family."

Link took the envelope and studied it. True, he understood what she said, but just how was this supposed to help him?

"The Hero of Hyrule isn't here yet, but when he comes, I fear he'll come when Ganondorf is ready to make his move," Zelda told both the boy and his fairy. "But, before that can happen, before he can get to the Triforce, he's going to need the Spiritual Stones. And someone needs to get them."

"M-Me?" Link asked. "You…want me to…?"

"There's no one else that can," Zelda told him. "I'm not allowed out of the Castle, that's why I sent Gris out to find him," she said. "But, she found you, so I suppose that shall do for now."

That would do? Gee, thanks, Link thought. Still, he wondered something. "Where…?"

"Where what?" Zelda questioned, curious as to what the boy was trying to say.

"Where is…Gris now?"

Zelda was surprised. "Why do you want to know?"

"I…just do." Link answered.

The Princess was silent for a few moments as if she were trying to concoct an answer in her mind. "She's…around," Zelda told Link. "But you've got more important things to worry about," she said. "You're going to have to go to both the Gorons and the Zoras, and convince them to give you the other Spiritual Stones. But they won't give them willingly," she then gestured to the envelope she had given Link. "Tell them that you're on a mission from the Princess, and they'll understand."

"They will?" Navi questioned, having been quiet until now.

"Of course they will, I'm the Princess of Hyrule," Zelda answered. "They have to listen to me."

Well, she seemed to be confident, Link thought. Although, from what he had heard of the Gorons and Zoras, he wasn't too sure the Princess's word would be enough. Then, he realized that someone was behind him, waiting at the entrance of the courtyard. "That's my attendant, Impa," she told Link. "She'll lead you out of the Castle," he stood there for a moment. "Well? Go get to it."

Link walked toward the white-haired woman, still somewhat intimidated by her presence. And apparently, she sensed this as well, presenting the boy with a pleasant smile. "Well now, so you're the one the Princess has appointed," she said. "You must be a brave lad, taking this on."

Link shifted a little bit, being put on spot. "He won't be going alone," Navi told the woman. "He only managed to get this far because of me."

Impa nodded. "I suspected that," she grinned at Link's embarrassment. "Anyway, you have a long journey ahead of you, so it'd only be fair if you get some help along the way," she then looked at the boy's shield and sword. "You have an instrument with you, right?"

Link nodded, pulling out his ocarina.

"Keep that close," Impa told him. "The Princess," the woman stopped herself for a moment. "Gris has told me that you'll need it."

The boy's eyes lit up. Gris? Did this lady know where she was?

"You'll be able to see her later," Impa assured him. "But, for now, she's counting on you to do this for her."

If Gris was counting on him, then sure, he'd do it. Link nodded, a look of determination on his face.

"Good, now," Impa raised two fingers to her lips. "Remember this song," she instructed him. "It's a melody passed through the ages of the Royal Family, she told him. "And, it also served a song I played for the Princess when she was young," She then brought her fingers close and began to whistle a tune. Link's ears listened, taking the melody in. Even if he had never heard it before, the notes struck a chord with him, as if he had heard it before. Then, the woman stopped. "Go on," she urged the boy. "Play."

Link took the ocarina and began to blow, but he soon realized that he had no idea how to play the instrument. He blew into the woodwind and covered up various holes, yet found he couldn't get the melody right.

"You sound like you need some practice," The Princess said, approaching from behind. She then took the ocarina from Link. "Here, like this," she then played the same melody as Impa had, the girl able to perfectly replicate it despite playing with a different instrument. Then, she handed the ocarina back to Link. "Now, you try."

Link took the instrument back and, albeit with varying success, finally managed to play the song.

"Well you should be able to travel anywhere in Hyrule now," The Princess said. "You just learned my lullaby."

Note: All right, next time, we're going to Lon Lon Ranch, and then back to the Lost Woods! That particular section is based on a side story from the manga, but it'll also give a reason for Link to go back.

Alert me of any errors you may have spotted, and I hope to hear from you all later!