Chapter One

The Zora crept out of her quarters and lurked in the shadows of the Domain. Guards stood near by, watching the water ways, but paying no attention to the walk ways on land. Cautious and silent, she stepped near the cave that lead to Lake Hylia. This time of year it was filled with water, so once she reached the edge, she took one last glance behind her to see that no one took notice to her absence, and she plunged into the dark waves below. She soared through the water, following it's current. Finally she dove with the waterfall that lead into the vast Lake Hylia.

She glided gracefully beneath the cold waves. A few moments later she surfaced, and her shimmering violate skin reflected in the moonlight. Her skin was one of the most unique things about her. Most Zora's were blue, the Royals were a pinkish-brown. Even her parents shared the same blue tinted skin as other Zora's, but she somehow manages to acquire an uncommon gene.

She peaked over to a little hut where two clowns working a canon lived. She'd seen them a couple times, bickering about something. This was as close as she'd ever gotten to a Hylian though. She'd never really left the domain, she wasn't even supposed to come here. But once when she was younger she got whipped away by the current, and found Lake Hylia. It was more beautiful than she ever imagined. She'd started coming here whenever she felt the need to get away, or relax.

Diving beneath the waves again she swam deeper into the vast lake, examining it's rocky bottom. When her father was alive, he told her stories of Lake Hylia. He'd given her a pearl he found when exploring the bottom of the lake. She held it dear to her, and ever since then, whenever she got the chance to slip away, she found herself searching for the pressurized grain of sand that was precious to her people.

She dug at a cluster of pebbles, but nothing lay beneath them. It was unlikely she'd find a pearl anyway, for several years she'd been searching, and found no trace. She spun through the water diving above the lake, not realizing one of the clown men had appeared from the small cottage and seen this. Surfacing she saw the man staring, mouth gaping open at the Zora. She dove and began swimming towards the man, once she got close enough, she stuck one of her fins above the surface.

The scream from the man was distorted underwater, so when she peaked her head up, she was just in time to see the last of him scampering inside the cottage and slamming the door. She giggled, smirking at the thought of scaring the life out of the silly clown man. She stared up at the stars a moment and decided it was time to return back to the domain.

Swimming against the current, back through the cave, she re-entered Zora's Domain. She climbed up onto the platform, and followed the shadows once more to her quarters. The moment she shut the door behind her however, she looked up timidly to see her mother looking quite displeased.

"Coral! What in the name of Nayru are you thinking? Sneaking out this late at night.. it's unheard of. If you were caught by the guards, we'd have to answer to the Royal Family. The age for leaving the Domain is seventeen, you're four years too young!" Her mother was furious, and her eyes screamed of anger. She knew this was because her father left one night, and never returned. His body was found weeks later, dried up near a tree in Hyrule field.. No one knew exactly why he left the Domain that night.

Coral stared down at her feet, pondering how to respond. "I-I'm sorry mother. This is the first time I sw-"

"Oh Coral. Stop it. I know you've been leaving every night for the last week now. It has to come to an end do you hear me? You're jeopardizing not only our family, but your life. You never know what could appear in Lake Hylia that you wouldn't be able to spot because of the night. So please. Just stay here? I'm not asking much." Her mother was trying her best to sound caring, but Coral's violate face began turning a light red.

"But it's not fair! You keep us trapped here like pets! All the children think so, but all the adults are too stubborn to realize! How are our fins supposed to develop if we've no room to swim?" Coral crossed her arms in front of her chest and held a glare.

"Enough. Get to bed. All I can say is if your father were here to see you acting like this, he'd-" Coral took off running at these words. She couldn't stand to hear the finish of the sentence.

She curled up inside a rather large shell, hollowed out and padded with bedding. She buried her face in her pillow and dug her hand under it, pulling out a string with a pearl gleaming on the end. Hugging the keepsake close to her, she allowed the tears to pour, soon soaking her pillow. Her mother had been so high strung ever since her father's death. She could hardly bear it. She wanted nothing more than to be free. To come and go as she pleased, to seek adventure somewhere beyond the walls of the Domain, that seamed more like confinement than a home.