Chapter 1: The Disturbance

Small Prologue not in Zelda's POV :)

He walked, tentatively at first, through the great steel archway leading to Castle Town, a hazy smile on his face, a thicket of dirty blonde hair on his head and that sword on his back. After a short time, he seemed to gain some confidence in the hustle and bustle of the town marketplace as he began to smile more broadly and peered interestedly into the illustrious carts of the many merchants and traders that often did business here. However, it was not long before what can only be described as a small riot broke out as the general populous started to scream and shout, apparently in sheer shock and awe of the sword that was glinting shyly on the boys back.

"SETTLE DOWN, SETTLE DOWN", cried a tall guard from the back of the crowd that had now formed. "PLEASE STAND ASIDE SO WE CAN-", he stopped mid-sentence, tongue-tied as his eyes fell first from the boy's face to the weapon strapped to his back... Finally pulling himself together he paced dramatically into the crowd, not an easy feat as seemingly hundreds of people had now flocked like birds to the point of interest and rescued the now red-faced and bemused young man from the throng. "What's your name son?" the guard asked in a respectful tone, quite the opposite of his commanding bellow from earlier.

"L-link", the boy spluttered, still trying to recover his breath after half a town had tried to catch a glimpse of him.

"Well then, Link", the guard murmured mysteriously, "You've got an appointment with the King."

BANG BANG BANG

"Princess Zelda!" called a voice from outside my door, "Princess, the King requests your presence in the throne room at once".

"I'll be right there..." I called back dully, straightening myself into a sitting position from the bed I had been reading on. Pulling on the assortment of clothing that had been selected for me this morning I stared at my reflection once in the mirror, noticing the uneven tufts of hair that always presented themselves early in the morning. "Ah well even Princesses can't always be perfect", I told myself as I hurried down the sun streamed corridors toward the throne room. On my way, I saw the usual activity of maids rushing around with tubs of laundry and guards standing stock still outside of empty room upon empty room. I almost pitied them, paid to stand there for hours at a time with little to no interaction. They at least knew their place in the world and had a warm and loving home to return to at the end of each day. What did I have? A life of uncertainty, failure and a cold father whose eyes showed only disappointment each time they fell onto her...

A few moments later, I stepped cautiously into the throne room not wanting to alert the people there to my presence but this proved impossible as the hall was now full of people. They all glanced at me for a moment then their eyes snapped back, as if magnetised, to the centre of the room where a young sandy-haired boy? No he was approaching manhood… and yet he still carried the childish streak of positivity in his eyes that had long since vanished from my own heart.

"Ah Zelda!" said a booming voice from the middle of the room, "come forward and see him for yourself." The voice, which belonged to her father, the king, now she thought about it, then became quieter as he spoke softly to the.. person kneeling on the floor. I approached the pair slowly, deliberately taking care not to make a fool of myself while I thought of what to say that could get me back to my room quickest. Then I saw what was making even the most bigoted nobles in the room mute and what clearly gave my father a reason to treat this newcomer like a son. Lying dutifully against the boys back was the glimmering hilt of a sword, a magnificent sword would be an understatement so the only two words that do it justice are "master sword".

"Yes excellent…. Oh so you know the other champions already too! Excellent, perfect, marvellous... Yes your father always was a superb knight and I don't doubt you will be also!"

"Father" I stated to the hall at last, determined to pull his attention from his new pet, "What have I been summoned here for?" I already knew… but I needed to hear him say it, make it final, definite.

"Ah yes Zelda! This here is Link" Link…. "He will be acting as your appointed knight from tomorrow's ceremony!"

"I….Um…" spluttered Link in a tone that was more mature than his face showed and took me somewhat by surprise.

"Tomorrows Ceremony?!" Oh wait "Father I have no need of a… a… chaperone!" I stated hotly "I can manage and have been managing just fine for the last 16 years of my life! How will having this boy" he flinched slightly at this but I took a savage pleasure in the way his face dropped "assist me in any-"

"SILENCE" my father bellowed "This is not negotiable Zelda! Tomorrow you and the other champions will go with Link here and complete the ceremony. That is all I need say to you!" And he turned and walked away leaving me shell-shocked and shaking in the middle of a slowly emptying room. What now…..

"Uhh excuse me… Your highness?" He said with a nervous tone "Um your father… uh the King never told me where I am to sleep and ea-"

"Oh well if he didn't tell you I guess you'd better find out for yourself HERO!" and I stalked from the hall barely able to hold back the scream that was slowly building in my lungs.

I flung open my bedroom door and slammed myself into the nearest chair, my chest heaving with fury, hurt and most of all panic. The re-emergence of the sword that seals the darkness was a sure sign that Ganon's return was fast approaching and what did I have to show for my devotion and dedication… NOTHING! And here he is waltzing up to an old tree and just grabbing is path to the finish line! Then suddenly a loud clattering and the sound of a large boulder being rolled down a quarry exploded outside my door as Revali, Mipha, Urbosa and Daruk staggered into view explaining the sounds she had heard seconds before.

"Princess!" said Revali "This must be a joke right? We've just seen a boy walking across the training field carrying the master sword! And now I find that he is also to be assigned to you! He's short, doesn't look strong enough to wield a blade of grass and can't even beat me in a flying range!"

"Really Revali!" scolded Mipha "How on earth could he beat a race of bird people in a flying range! And while we're on the subject of Link he fully deserves that sword on his back and is a wonderful man to boot! Or fin… I can't really wear boots but why would I plan on marrying him later down the line if he wasn't able to wield a blade of grass?!"

"Link is the one you spoke about all those years ago?" I asked "He was the one that walked into Zora's domain and asked for Zora's Sapphire as a birthday present for his mother?"

"Wait wait" It was Urbosa that spoke up next "He walked into Zora's domain and asked for the Zora Princesses engagement gift just like that so he could give it as a gift?!... That voe has guts I'll say that!"

"Well I don't think he knew the symbolism of the sapphire he just said he's heard stories of how pretty it was and thought it would make a great present! But he was sweet so I told him that he couldn't have it now but to visit anytime he wanted and perhaps… ask again… when he was… older…" Mipha trailed off as a red blush crept up her cheeks.

"Well the little guy always did know how to make a first impression!" rumbled Daruk "First time I saw him he was trekking up Death Mountain with no heat gear at all without a care in the world. It was only once he collapsed and tumbled around 2 miles down the mountain directly onto my doorstep that he finally asked for some help!"

"If he had wings he would have got to the top, done 3 loops of the crater and come down in time for lunch!" sneered Revali from the balcony on which he always took refuge. "Seems to me like he's a slow witted, reckless fool who seems to get into trouble wherever he goes, if you ask me it could even have been a mistake that the sword even let him take it."

"No Revali… the sword does not make mistakes, it has appeared time and time again throughout history to the hero of the given time. And time and again the story is the same. The hero fights Ganon and the Princess seals him away…" and with that she burst into tears "I-I c-can't even f-fill my role i-in all this! You all d-deserve those blue tunics a-and I'm just a f-fraud!"

"Princess!" they all chimed at once.

"Nobody is working harder than you"

"Don't put yourself down you do everything you can"

On and on this stream of encouragement went until I was in a slightly better mood and could open my bloodshot and tear strewn eyes.

"Honestly Princess please" it was Mipha who spoke and her tone was calm and fluid, much like the water of her people "If it is Link's presence that upsets you I can assure you that e is a good man and if anyone can be both a guardian and a friend, a hero and a normal Hylian, Link can!"

"And princess" Urbosa spoke from the corner for the third time that night, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips "Not many Vai get handed such a handsome Voe all to themselves on a platter like this. I wouldn't mind."

And just as some heat started building in my cheeks I and the rest of the champions all shouted cries of disgust (from me and Revali), Horror and perhaps jealousy (from Mipha) and a confused sound that possible came from Daruk.

"Hands off…. ALL OF YOU" Mipha hissed brandishing her spear threateningly as I tried to imagine what Link constantly pacing behind me would feel like, those eyes that would eventually only show disgust.