"Skyward!"

Skyward mumbled and rolled over, pulling the blankets over her head. "G'way, Golden--I told you not to wake me afore the twelfth bell, 'tis my day off..."

"Skyward! It is I, thine princess! Awaken, my pupil, heed me!"

Skyward's eyes snapped open and she shot up in bed---wait.

She wasn't in a bed. All around her were stars--above her head, below her hooves, and surrounding her from all sides. It was as if she was standing in the midst of a field of them--this place was downright mystical. Stars and spheres of misty light swirled around her, astral mists playing and wafting near her hooves. Also here...she was without her armor. She looked around, frowning when she did not see her mentor.

"Princess Zelda? Where art thou? One hears thee, answer!"

"I am here, my dear pupil and friend." Skyward turned around and saw Zelda waver into solid relief. The Haylian alicorn was smiling as she approached her student, but Skyward lowered her head into a defensive position, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Wait--tell me this--how didst one deliver a message from mine sire to thee?"

Zelda only smiled at her student. "Ye snuck into the castle, fooled mine guards until the end--and picked a rather amusing but impressive battle with Golden Marble, Shatter Point and Thunderous Maelstrom until I saw thine message."

Skyward relaxed, smiling as she let her mentor come forward and hug her, pulling her up from the ground when she went to bow. "Oh, my dear sister in arms...one is glad thou lives! I feared the worst when those two vile hags banished thee."

"How art thou able to contact me? One is worlds away--I am in a different land altogether," Skyward asked, and Zelda shook her head. "It took me much time and research and with the aid of ancient tomes, but...one hast managed the feat. Still--what is this?"

Princess Luna suddenly wavered into view herself, pausing when she saw Skyward and the strange white alicorn near her, and cocked her head--this was a dream but by the same token, something about this entire situation was off. Zelda, upon spotting Luna, instantly took a defensive stance, lowering her head and her horn flared into a brilliant golden glow-- Only to have Skyward jump in front of the darker alicorn, waving her front hooves frantically.

"Princess Zelda--be not afraid! This is Princess Luna, Regent of the Moon and Stars, and the Keeper of Dreams. She, alongside her royal sister Celestia, Ruler of the Sun, rule this land I am residing in--'tis called Equestria. Understand she means thee no harm."

The Haylian princess glanced at her pupil, then regarded Luna carefully, who looked at her stoically. "She speaks the truth, Princess Zelda of Hayrule. I am indeed 'Keeper of Dreams' as she so puts it. So--we meet at long last."

Zelda bowed to Luna, who bowed back in return. "One meant no intrusion, Princess Luna. I wished to attempt to contact my most favored and cherished pupil--given her abrupt 'banishment' to thy lands."

Luna inclined her head. "Skyward is indeed a pony possessed of much courage and a heart of gold, Princess Zelda. Time and again hath she aided our subjects and not once hath she asked for any reward."

Zelda regarded her pupil with a soft smile as she walked over and gathered Skyward close with one wing to hug her. "One worried about thee so much, Skyward. Tis' a grand balm to mine soul to see thee safe."

Skyward hugged her teacher back before sobering and looking at the cerulean eyes of her mentor. "Princess...what now must one do? The Princesses art looking into mine situation, but I know not what is going on..."

Zelda sighed, her ears falling flat against her head. "We escaped Hayrule Castle Town, but not without many casualties to the innocent and the Guard. I dare not tell thee where I am now; understand, 'tis for the safety of one's subjects if not mine own."

"One understands, Princess. But what of the legends? Where is the Hero of Time?"

"That shall be explained soon enough. But, what thou should know is this; Ganondorf did not appear directly, but one suspects he has the Triforce of Power, given that a great barrier of immense power hath appeared round Hayrule Castle itself."

Skyward snarled and stamped a hoof. "Damn it thrice over! Curse that sandblasted son of a chimera! Where is Time Link when one needs him?"

Zelda flicked one wing, the rustle of feathers getting Skyward's attention. "Skyward, heed me--there is something one must tell thee."

The Haylian mare nodded quietly, watching her mentor, Luna watching them with curiosity and intrigue. Zelda crossed to her student, and nodded at her blank flank. "Hast thou always wondered why thine cutie mark had never appeared? Even though thy art a full grown mare by now?"

"Aye. I've tried almost everything short of a civilian's life, Princess...one is near at one's wits end..."

Zelda took a deep breath--Luna raised an eyebrow at the sudden nervous look the Princess had on her face. It reminded her of Celestia bingeing on cake at midnight and being caught red-hoofed. " 'Tis because when thou wast only seven years of age, did in truth thou earn thy cutie mark. There was a raid of Ganondorf's monsters assaulting thy village--thine brother Tempest Wing had a broken wing, and ye picked up his wing dagger to defend him even though thou were not yet a seasoned fighter. Ye had courage, my dear Skyward...courage enough to face down a hungry Like Like that was intent on devouring thine brother. You were willing to die to protect thine wounded sibling...and you blasted the monster with a mighty burst of magic from thine horn."

The princess looked down, sadness and sorrow touching her visage. "Thou won the battle, and won thine cutie mark in the process...but when thine father saw it, he summoned me immediately..."

Skyward pricked her ears forward--she could hardly believe her own ears at what Zelda was telling her. "So...so Father knew? All this time I had mine mark and he...he hid it from me?"

Zelda shook her head at her student, who looked betrayed, hurt and angry all at the same time. Luna couldn't blame Skyward for looking so angry--hay, she knew what it was like to have secrets kept from her. "Listen to me now. He wanted to tell thee, that thy had earned thine mark. However--if all the village knew, if anypony knew...thine village would had been the first to fall to Ganondorf's sword. Because if anypony had found out that you bore this..."

Zelda's horn glowed, and the thin beam of light that lanced from it struck Skyward's flank. It didnt burn, or hurt...the light simply expanded over her entirely, shrouding her in golden light. With a 'pfff--zot' it burst into a thousand glittering stars--revealing Skyward. Nothing about her had seemingly changed--except for one thing.

On her flank were three golden triangles, just like Zelda had...only, unlike the princess's mark, two of the triangles were empty; the top and and left bottom one were only golden outlines. However, the right bottom triangle was filled in...and it was glowing; a soft golden light radiating from the triangle itself.

Needless to say---Skyward was completely at a loss for words. She sat down hard on her flank, a spacey expression on her face, her breath coming uneven in her lungs. Zelda sagely nodded at her student, and Luna stared at the ongoings with her mouth slightly open in shock at this revelation.

"With powerful glamours did I hide thine cutie mark, Skyward; for thou possesses the Triforce of Courage. Thine father was sworn to secrecy, and I blocked thine brother's memories of thee getting thine mark so he would not be able to say anything to anypony either."

"Am I...is Time Link...mine...mine ancestor?"

Zelda shook her head in the negative. "Nay and aye, my dear student. Ye are not Time Link's direct descendant...but thine bloodline does stem from Time Link's brother, so it would make thee Time Link's five times over great niece."

Skyward got up and began pacing--as was her habit when she was nervous. "His...he had a brother!?"

Zelda regally nodded. "Two of them in truth, both younger than he by two years, since they were twins. One was a pegasus named Wind Waker, and the other was a unicorn named Skyward Sword. No one knows where Time Link vanished to, not even his own kin back then--but Skyward Sword and Wind Waker had adventures of their own, yet they in time returned to Hayrule. Ye were named after thine many times over grandsire--almost the same coloration he was too, yet he did not have indigo in his mane, that thou most certainly got from thine mother."

Luna interjected here, knowing Skyward had just been hit with the mother of all 'destiny bombs' and likely needed time to think.

"Princess Zelda, if she is indeed the chosen of Farore, then how is she to complete her fated task when she is here in Equestria? We are trying to find a way to be able to send her back, yet we must admit we art having little success..."

Zelda held up a hoof. "Princess Luna--one shalt aid thee and thine celestial sister with this task. However, understand this-- Ganondorf's forces have been seeking young stallions born no less than seventeen years ago--to slay them all, in case one of them is Time Link's descendant. He does not know about Time Link having two brothers, and the possibility one of their lines sired the Hero...or in this case, Heroine of Time. I do not want him knowing about Skyward until 'tis too late for him to react."

Luna nodded, but then her brow furrowed. "And how wilt this affect Equestria? Mind, one must hath one's sister speak with thee about this as well--in Equestria, we hath two thrones, not one--she rules the day, I rule the night."

Zelda put a hoof to her chin, thinking hard before she nodded. "Wouldst' thine sister be agreeable to another meeting a week from tonight then? There are things we must discuss--for now, Skyward, thine cutie mark must remain hidden."

Skyward looked at her mentor, anger and hurt clear in her royal blue gaze, but before she could spit an acidic retort, Luna quickly moved forward, giving the clearly angry Haylian mare a hug. "One knows how thou feels, Skyward. Ye had no control over thine life from the moment thy earned thine mark, and thought all was plotted against thee. But..."

Luna pulled back to look the upset mare in the eyes--turquoise to royal blue. "Allow one to ask ye this. Is thine princess evil?"

Skyward shook her head no.

"Is she malicious?"

Again a mute negative, and Luna pressed forward. "Is she a good ruler?"

Skyward all but exploded this time. "Of course she is! Hayrule prospers under her hoof; one knows she cannot be everywhere but that is what I and my comrades are for! Yet it seems that one could not even bear to tell one the truth!"

Luna gestured at Zelda, who silently stood there, sadly regarding her pupil--she genuinely did not want to hurt her student's feelings, but hurt they had been.

"Think thou this--she saved thee and thine kin, thine village. Ganondorf is looking for thou--looking to put thee to the sword, so he cannot be slain and Hayrule restored to peace! He seeks to break the cycle--break it further so he ultimately lords over all! Thine mentor hid thy mark and sent thee here--those two unicorn hags ye told me and mine sister about? One wonders if they were trying to send thee to Ganondorf so ye could be slaughtered!"

Luna's eyes pierced Skyward's own with a truth the Haylian unicorn could not ignore. "Zelda does indeed lament her actions--she never wished to hurt thee. She clearly considers thee like blood kin. But she hath a point. Thine cutie mark must remain hidden--until we all can find a way to weaken the wretch without alerting him to thine presence before 'tis time for him to be removed!"

Skyward was silent for a time while she processed this, then she spoke anew. "How...how can one defeat him while one is here?"

Luna tilted her head regally at her. "We three shalt discuss it and then we shall let thee know once we have the answers. Until then, ye must keep a low profile...or as much as thou can, at any rate. Know this--glamour thy shield; ye must hide, remember this. Blend in as much as thou can."

Zelda came forward, tentatively furling a wing over Skyward. "One understands if thou art angry with me. But please--Luna is right. This was all done to ensure that cursed sand demon could not find thee."

Skyward closed her eyes--she was angry, and had every right to be. But what Zelda and Luna had said made perfect sense. She bore the Triforce of Courage--she was the Hero of Time whether she liked it or not. "...One will admit one is angry. But...ye speak with Nayru's own voice, both ye and Princess Luna. Yet...one has one small request, Princess..."

"Aye?"

"...Find my family, mine village if thou can and make sure they do not fall to the blades of the Gerudo, or traitors within thine royal court. Ye should know Gilded Lock hath a hoof in thy having to flee the castle--Shatter Point found evidence of his wrongdoing before the attack began."

Zelda nodded her head at her student. "Of course one shalt do so. Also, I have something for thee, Skyward. Something that may help thee while thou is in Equestria. However, be very careful with them...these are powerful relics that passed to our hooves when thine uncle Wind Waker and your grandsire Skyward Sword died."

"And these relics are...?"

Zelda reached under one wing and pulled out a short white rod, capped with gold at the bottom and top. The rod had a strange orb placed at its tip however...it was pure white but with four odd symbols on it...each symbol facing North, South, East and West. The Northern one was blue in color and had the symbol of a crystal on it. The Southern one was red and it had the shape of a red sun on it. East was green and had four new clover leaves on it, and West was orange-yellow with a single autumn colored leaf on it.

All three of them could sense the power in the rod, and Skyward tentatively took it in her magic.

Then Zelda removed something else from the other wing--it looked like a harp. One side was red, the other side, blue. A series of translucent strings adorned its center, and linking the lot at the top was a tri pronged golden shaped ornament that held it all together, a green jewel in its center.

"This is the Rod of Seasons, and that is the Harp of Ages. I entrust them to thee, Skyward--after all, 'tis thine inheritance from thine long deceased uncle Wind Waker, and thy grandsire, Skyward Sword. Use them only if thou are in most dire need. Ye must stand on a tree stump to unseal its power. Swing the rod in the desired direction to unleash the season in question. As for the Harp--try to not use it unless circumstances are in truth, dire."

Luna looked at the rod and back at Zelda questioningly. "Why woulds't think she wouldst need such a thing? Equestria's seasons are regulated very well on their own. And as for the Harp--time is a very tricky thing to mess with; history itself coulds't very well be changed. Why take such a risk?"

Zelda looked grimly at the darker alicorn. "Because Ganondorf may try to open portals to thine land; he hath been trying to open portals to other worlds, so my sources hath said--and if he does, he will send evil beasts through as scouts to see if he too can conquer this land. Understand, using the Rod of Seasons and the Harp of Ages will enable Skyward to be able to seal those portals. For example, if he opens a portal in a land to the south, and she is unable to reach the portal's location due to a raging river? If she changes the season to 'Winter', she will be able to reach it over the river that is now entombed in ice, dost thou see? Or, if the portal is too strong by the time she reaches it, if she uses the Harp, and goes back to the past to prevent it from opening..."

Luna slowly nodded, seeing the truth to the Haylian alicorn's words. Zelda continued, gesturing at the Triforce mark on her flank, which glowed softly. "What is more, the more portals she closes, the more it will drain him. Yes, the Triforce of Power is an infinite source, however, he is the channel for it..."

Luna's turquoise eyes lit up. "And if he dost not wish to overexert himself and perish...of course. Yes. One understands. But what if he suspects Skyward is here?"

Zelda shook her head. "He wilt not because he is seeking me now; he hath left the butchering of mine subjects to his forces. Which are being slaughtered in turn--this is why mine father sent some of his best guards to the villages of Hayrule years and years ago to train them in war's bloody ways, so even if one stallion dies, three more shalt trample the enemy underhoof. But one does so dearly wish that...that such training, such terrible measures was never needed..."

Zelda lowered her head--sadness and exhaustion touching her muzzle. The burden of a ruler was a heavy one indeed--Luna put a wing over her Haylian visitor and nodded solemnly.

"We understand thine plight--we too, know the heavy burden of a crown. However, we must cut this conversation short, one fears; dawn is coming, and with it, mine time too is ending."

Zelda nodded at the darker alicorn, sweeping one wing forward in a formal bow. "One is eternally grateful to thee and thine sister for giving my precious 'sister' shelter during this dark time."

Luna smiled warmly in return. "Think nothing of it, Princess. Between friends, there is little that cannot be shared, and we are rightly glad to have her here. But we shall consult with one's sister and a week from now, we shall seek thee out in dreams...one wouldst think Skyward's own dream would be the focal point?"

Zelda nodded her head, her honey colored mane sweeping about her neck and forequarters. "Aye, it shall. Skyward..."

Skyward looked up from where she was examining the rod, and walked over to her mentor. Zelda regarded her for a long moment, then gathered her close, cradling her as if she was just a filly. "One is so sorry thou hast to bear this burden...I never wished to cause thee so much strife..."

Skyward leaned into her mentor's hold, tears stinging her eyes. "They hath a saying in Equestria...'A true friend is irreplacable,and forgiveness the cornerstone of friendships.' Ye did what ye had to do to save me and mine, and countless other ponies. One can forgive thee...Zelda."

Zelda hugged her student tightly, before pulling back to smile at her, before playfully giving her a headrub, which she ducked away from and playfully swatted at the princess in return. Luna gently but firmly cleared her throat, and Zelda pulled away, beginning to fade into luminous mist. "We shalt meet again, Skyward, Princess Luna! Within a week, one shalt see thee!"

And with those words the Princess of Hayrule vanished, leaving Skyward and Luna in the star strewn dreamscape. Luna looked at Skyward, who looked back at her in return.

"Skyward...or...what shalt ye be called now?"

Skyward shook her head. "Until this is over I cannot take a last name...or unless things are dire enough for me to reveal myself. But what can one do with these?"

Luna looked at the Rod of Seasons and the Harp of Ages and looked at Skyward. "As thine mentor hast said--Use them with great caution. We shalt keep an eye out for any strange portals or beasts we doth not recognize. Until a week from now during thine dreams...Heroine of Time. Now...awaken!"

Luna then faded into a constellation of stars, then vanished completely, leaving Skyward alone...until...

Skyward's eyes blinked open--once, twice...then she yawned and mumbled, rolling over to look out the window. False dawn--not yet true dawn...gods, getting up early sometimes really sucked plot. She winced when she felt something hard and elongated next to her in the bed and sighed in annoyance--had she left her sword on her bed again and forgotten about it before she went to sleep? But when she pulled back the blankets; all lassitude left her and her eyes widened in shock--for there lay the Rod of Seasons, innocently resting against the sheets. Looking about further revealed the Harp of Ages, lying against her pillow near her head.

It hadn't been a dream. Well, it had...but...the proof was in the pudding, or in this case, her own bed as it were!

She popped out of bed and ran to the mirror, checking her flank--

Nothing was there, but she bit her lower lip. The Rod and the Harp's presence was proof enough that Zelda had been telling the truth. She had inherited a legacy she had only heard about in stories and song...

And yet, now faced with the harsh reality of her weighty destiny, knew she never wanted this to happen. At all. How many had died in her absence?

"...Where didst you go, Time Link? Why didst thee abandon us?" she whispered harshly as she covered her face with her hooves and began to cry softly into them. The sun was to rise soon, gilding the room in gold and rose, but Skyward didn't notice any of it as she cried herself to sleep on the floor.

Moments passed--nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The blanket she had all but thrown off the bed suddenly dragged itself over and draped over the exhausted mare, a pillow inching its way under Skyward's lifted head by means of two hooves...translucent ones at that.
It was a pony--but a ghost of a pony. He wore a green tunic and matching cap with a long trailing end to it. He had a pale tan coat, deep cerulean eyes, a bright blond mane, and bore the same cutie mark on his flank Skyward had--clearly an Earth Pony from the looks of him. He looked sadly down at his brother's daughter, brushing her mane out of her face.

"Courage, mine niece...thou art never alone. Ye have great allies in this land--draw on their strength," he whispered before he faded away into nothing, the sun fully shining into Skyward's room and showing no trace of the ghostly visitor.

So deeply was Skyward asleep, she never heard the knocking at the door of her room...