-two years before Link's appointment as Zelda's knight-

It was cold. There was mist everywhere. And Zelda had no idea where to go. Every time she tried to find her way, she would just get lost.

She was never going to get out of here. It was hopeless. Why did she even listen in the first place? It's not like the guardian spirits of the forest would listen to her prayers. Nobody had listened before. This had all been for nothing, and now she was doomed, alone, and terrified.

Zelda sank to her knees and began to cry, shaking in fear. She was freezing, wearing only her white ceremonial dress. The girl hugged her cold arms, failing to calm down. The mist made it impossible to see anything except for a few frightening trees. Something rustled and she jumped to look around, her heart pounding. She tried to stand up, but her legs were too weak. Hopelessly, she fell back to the ground. It was useless.

~

Link, on the other hand, could not have been more proud. He had just pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal. That meant that he was the chosen hero, wielder of the blade of evil's bane. He would be able to explore new lands and help his people.

As he walked back, he heard something. Hesitantly, he drew closer to the distant sound. It was a girl crying! He picked up his pace, realizing this person probably needed help. The Lost Woods were dangerous if you didn't know how to navigate them.

Link kept following the sound until he finally caught sight of a figure kneeling on the ground helplessly. She wore a white dress and looked just like an angel that had fallen from the heavens.

The girl caught sight of him and was startled. Frantically, she tried to escape, but was too tired to go very far.

"Wh- Who are you? What are you doing here?" Zelda asked meekly, trying to muster as much authority as possible.

Link held out his hand.

"I'm Link. Please don't be scared." He looked over her with his watchful eyes. Suddenly, he caught sight of her golden necklace.

He was talking to the Princess of Hyrule...

She simply looked back at him, eyes wide with fear. The princess tried to inch away from the strange young man. He kept his hand outstretched, though.

"Come." He instructed.

Wiping away her last tears, Zelda hesitantly took his hand. Link helped her off of the ground, and when she nearly collapsed he caught the girl.

Link felt how cold her hands were and draped his own cloak over her shoulders. The princess looked back at him with wide eyes.

"Thank you..."

The knight took the princess back to Hyrule Castle, neither of them speaking to each other at all.

That was the first time the two of them met. Neither Link nor Zelda knew what the future had in store.