"And so it was that the Hero of Time, with the help of the princess and the Sages, sealed away the King of Evil and saved all of Hyrule from his wrath."

Bright blue eyes were wide with awe, and the young girl was nearly bouncing with excitement. She'd listened with rapt attention the entire time, completely enthralled by the tale, but now that it was over her mind was overflowing with questions. "So the princess was Sheik the whole time?!"

The old woman huffed, amused that out of everything her charge had clung to that detail. "Yes, Zelda, she became Sheik so that the King of Evil wouldn't take her piece of the Triforce."

"And so that she could help the Hero save everyone!" Zelda leapt from where she sat on the ground and started her best impression of swordplay, before stopping abruptly. She stared out into space for a few moments, little brows furrowed, and then she all but leapt into the woman's lap. "You're a Sheikah! Can you teach me to be just like you, Impa?! Please?"

Impa had both dreaded and hoped for this reaction. It was a dangerous path, if Zelda was to see it through, but the world itself was dangerous and not at all kind to princesses in hiding. She herself was old and would not likely be able to see her charge reclaim her rightful place, and she refused to allow Zelda's fate be at the mercy of a chosen hero. No, her little girl would follow in Sheik's footsteps… "Very well, but know that there is no going back. Once you choose this, you will not be Zelda for a very long time. Understand?" Zelda paused to think, and Impa was proud that the six-year-old didn't immediately agree. The answer, however, was the same in the end.

"Yes."

Sheik crouched low to examine a hoofprint in the mud. She'd never seen one like it before in person, but it was the wrong shape and size to be a deer. It did, however, match one of the outlines her mentor had drawn for her to memorize: A horse. There were no wild herds in these woods, so it had presumably brought a rider… But why? There was nothing here that would draw in a traveler other than what was mere myth, and no one but the most certain or the most desperate would risk the Falon Woods. Perhaps in the days of the Hero of Twilight, but not anymore. The spirits here were not amiable to outsiders.

Both curious and suspicious, she scaled the nearest tree to track the hoofprints from above. As she followed, it was some relief to realize they weren't headed towards her home but to the deepest part of the forest. That was good, it meant they were probably looking for the Sacred Grove: A wannabe Hero with a little more bravery or foolishness than the rest was not nearly as worrisome as someone looking for Impa. She'd been warned, growing up, that someday people with less than good intent may come looking for the presumed last of the Sheikah, but it seemed that today was not that day.

The sound of frantic hooves beating at the ground and a sword hacking into wood came from ahead, and Sheik stopped to wrap magic around herself before continuing. It was a relatively short-lived spell, but she would appear as a mere shadow until it faded or she willed it away. That done, she continued on until she could see the fight. A man on horseback with sword and shield, fending off a small hoard of puppets. The admittedly creepy spirits were not particularly threatening provided one had a weapon and the ability to use it, but Sheik was honestly a little concerned for the horse. It was a beautiful creature, and most certainly did not deserve the slight beating it was taking while its master tried to whittle down his adversaries.

She knew she'd probably regret it, but she took pity and sunk a throwing knife deep into one of the puppets' skulls. Regardless of if he was friend or foe, she needed to him alive if she wanted to find out why he'd truly come. So as he cut down another of the monsters she threw another knife, and another, and another, until she had but two left and all the Puppets were felled. The immediate threats dead, the man wheeled his horse around as he scanned the treetops for her.

Not seeing a bow on his person and fairly confident he at least wasn't stupid enough to try hurling his sword at her, she let the shadow glamor fall. "What business do you have with the Sacred Grove, stranger?" He started at her greeting, but whether it was because of her sudden visibility or an accurate guess as to what he was after she couldn't be sure. His sword arm tensed, as if it would help him if she really wanted him dead. Honestly, if he had any common sense he would've raised his shield instead. A sword was a meager defense against a throwing knife, and his sword would do him no good unless she deigned to join him on the ground. Though it'd just be pointless then, because then he could just trample her with his steed.

His brow was furrowed and he hesitated in his reply, and she was confident enough in what he wanted to ask that she went ahead and spared them both the trouble. "The green tunic. Only those who dream of being Heroes wear that color." She'd met a few similar men wandering the forest in similar garb, though at least this one seemed to have sense enough to put some chainmail under it. Usually they were merchants or young farmers or noble boys a little too far down the line of inheritance, hoping to be chosen by the Master Sword to have a chance to raise their lot in life. Foolish.

The man nodded, unsure if she was trying to insult him or not. "Yeah, I'm looking for the Master Sword." Of course he was.

She huffed, warm breath uncomfortably trapped by her cowl. "Why? You should know this is a fool's errand. Only those sent by the Royal Family can even reach where the Sword rests, let alone try and claim it." And she knew he hadn't been sent by the Royal Family, because the way to open the path was only known to Zeldas and their Sheikahs. The surprise was obvious on his face and she knew that he hadn't known that. Of course he didn't: Only she and Impa did, and all those who had tried and failed before him (if they'd made it out of the forest, that was).

"There must be some way to reach it! I can't have come all the way out here for nothing…" Had this been the first one, she might've felt a little bit of sympathy for him. Maybe she'd even have doubts, think that maybe, just maybe, he was the Hero of their time. That maybe it was time to finally leave these woods and save her kingdom, regardless of having a few years of training yet. But there'd been at least half a dozen here before him, and even if he did look the part a bit better than the rest…

She raised an eyebrow. "Well, it seems you have. Looks like there will be no grand festivals in your honor or fair maidens swooning at your feet."

At that, he fixed her with a look. It wasn't anger, she didn't think, but there was a sharpness to it that also tinged his tone. "That's what you think I'm here for? I don't care about some stupid festival, I need it to save Hyrule!" She felt her eyes go wide. "Isn't that what it's for?"

"Yes, it is…" She consciously narrowed her eyes even as she began to let herself have an inkling of hope. "What are you called, trespasser?" Sheik barked the demand, knowing that most people gave some sign when lying to someone of perceived higher authority. It wasn't failsafe by any means, but if he hesitated or tripped over his own name she would know him to be a liar.

But the answer was immediate, and when it came she just... Knew. "It's Link." Link, a man with blonde hair and blue eyes in a green tunic and astride a brown mare with a white mane. His hands were gloved but in that moment she was willing to bet quite a lot that if she took off the left one, she'd find the mark of the Triforce of Courage. Her hands were shaking, and she gripped the rough bark of the branch she perched upon to steady them. So many had come before him, but this one… There was a very real possibility that Link was the chosen hero.

And if the chosen hero had come, suddenly her dreams just might be tangible.

Sheik vaulted down, deciding if he was who she believed he was he wouldn't skewer her in cold blood regardless of the Sheikah garb she wore. "Well met, Link. I am Sheik, survivor of the Sheikah." It was fitting, she thought, to introduce herself with the same words the Hero of Time's Sheik had supposedly used. Seeing the weeping eye symbol proudly displayed on her clothes, he tensed. For a moment she honestly believed he might try to attack her, but when he noticed how seemingly relaxed her posture was the moment passed. It was a curious reaction, but she didn't feel like now was the time to question it. Sheik waited another moment to see if he'd comment, but when he did not she continued. "And if you've come for the reason you claim, I will show you the way to the sword you seek."

Clear surprise flitted on his face, and she would be lying to say that she wasn't surprised that his first reaction wasn't suspicion from the way he'd reacted to seeing a Sheikah. Her 'hero' was too trusting for his own good, she mused as she quickly retrieved the knives she'd thrown in the fight earlier. She set the pace with a slow loping gate, giving the mare just enough time to choose steady footholds among the gnarled roots that made up the forest floor. Sheik didn't look back at her follower, but paid very close attention with her other senses lest he have a change of heart and stab her in the back. She honestly doubted he'd do it, but it was better safe than dead.

Which was how she noticed that there was an extra set of footsteps following her, light as they traced her own. Huh. He'd done her the courtesy of dismounting, rather than keep the advantage against her he had while on horseback. Or... Maybe, if he was as idealistic as he'd seemed when she'd asked about the Master Sword, maybe it was just so that they could talk without him towering over her.

Sheik huffed at herself. They weren't there yet and Link hadn't proven himself by drawing the Sword, and until then she was getting ahead of herself by trying to see what she wanted to see. And regardless, she'd have to teach him not to be so trusting of everyone he met if he really was who she hoped he was.

Though… Did she really want to? Someone with a trusting nature was naturally easier to trust in turn, and she supposed… She supposed that if he could draw the sword, he'd have her to watch his back.

She was drawn out of her musing when they reached the entrance to the Sacred Grove. Halting, she turned to Link. "You should leave your horse here, for her sake. If she bolts, she'll be lost forever."

The man frowned. "Epona's braver than that. And anyway, she comes when called."

Sheik crossed her arms. "I don't think you understand, hero. These woods are old and fickle, steeped in spirits and mischief. There's a very specific way to reach our destination, and if you make one wrong move you'll wander through the trees until you die. I wouldn't wish that fate upon your Epona."

"Oh." He seemed taken aback at that and for a moment she thought he'd turn around and abandon his quest, but instead he merely tied Epona's reins so that they wouldn't drag against the ground and let go. The mare lipped his sleeve, curiosity in her bright eyes, and then turned around and meandered back the way they came.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't surprised. Had their positions been reversed Sheik would have left without a second thought, especially since Link had acted earlier like he had reason to distrust a Sheikah. It was the perfect setup, after all: Lure someone deep into the woods and then vanish from their sight, then let the forest and its spirits do the rest of the work themselves. Link was very fortunate that she was who she was, because otherwise he may have been dead several times over. She turned her gaze into the depths of the Grove. "From this point on, stay close."

They ventured forward, Sheik slowing their pace just in case. She knew there was at least one skull kid who liked to 'play' with travelers who made it this far, and from the earlier appearance of puppets she knew one of them was aware of Link's presence. At the same time, though, she rather doubted one would cross their path. Her face was known to these woods, and they usually only messed with those who travelled alone anyway.

Sometimes, Sheik wondered if they weren't just lonely. It was said, after all, that skull kids were just forest children who wandered too far from home.

Noticing that the footsteps behind her had stopped, she turned to see Link staring at the first clearing in awe. The Sacred Grove did have a certain atmosphere, Sheik had to admit. Even if it was quite a bit less grand when one knew how so many had met their fates here, forever cursed to wander the woods as stalfos. They were lucky that the day was young and they had little to fear from the undead, or she would be much less patient with the man's staring.

Not to say that she had an abundance of patience in the first place. After allowing him a few moments to gawk, she grabbed him by the wrist and tugged at him to follow. As soon as she did so she realized her mistake and froze, waiting for him to react to being grabbed suddenly, but he only looked at her with a mildly puzzled expression. Another thing she should get him to work on later, then, was his reactions to being suddenly grabbed by nearly total strangers in an unfamiliar place where no one would find his body.

But she digressed, here in the woods where she should be focusing on leading him safely through the Grove. After her initial prompting Link followed her without any mishaps, and it wasn't long before they stood before the ruins of the Temple of Time. Sheik turned to him. "You brought an instrument, I trust?" It was well known that all of the previous Heroes had needed a special affinity for music, and even the silliest of the would-be questers brought something capable of carrying a tune with them. She herself had a small harp, though it was currently at her home and she wasn't willing to lead this man there until he had proven himself by drawing the sword.

He nodded, pulling an ocarina from his pocket. "The, uh, guy who gave me the idea to come here gave me this."

There was definitely a lie of omission or a half-truth there, but she let it slide with a raised eyebrow for now. "And he gave you an ocarina? Not a flute, or set of reeds, or a lyre?" No one else had come with an ocarina, though she didn't know if that had to do with relative commonness compared to other instruments or if only the Sheikah knew which Heroes had used which instruments. Not that it really mattered, in the end… And anyway, his was just a simple one carved from wood and left with a light coat of polish; had it been timeshift-stone blue she might have had a small heart attack then and there.

Link just shrugged. "It fits in my pocket."

As good a reason as any, she supposed, and held out her hand. "If you'll allow me to borrow it, I'll open the doors." He did as she asked, then examined the door with a confused expression. It was common knowledge that musical instruments were important to every Hero's journey, but very few people knew the exact role it really had or of the Royal Family's special brand of magic. Sheik herself had been taught the first special melody by her mother as a young child, as was tradition, though… She'd never actually used it. Impa had taken her to see the resting place of the Master Sword, once, and she knew how it was supposed to work.

Mimicking what her teacher had shown her a few years past, Sheik took her place in the center of the Triforce emblem on the ground. It'd been a while since she'd last played this song or on an ocarina, but nonetheless the notes were true as she played the tune of the royal lullaby. Sure enough, the door slid open as the last note faded. Done, she turned to hand him back his instrument only to find that he'd already passed her in entering the holding place of the sacred sword.

When the Master Sword came into sight, it was just in time to see him clasp the handle. But nothing happened and she closed her eyes, not realizing until then how high she'd allowed her hopes to climb. Had this worked she could have left this forest and freed her people, taken her rightful place and become Zelda again… A flash of light pierced through the darkness of her eyelids and she opened them with alarm, prepared for some sort of attack. Had Link turned on her, his quest failed?

But no. The clearing was swathed with a now gently fading light, and Link held the drawn sword.