"I'm home!"

I closed the door as quietly as I could, trying not to disturb my parents any further. They usually worked all day, so I just announced that I was home from wherever and went up to my room. I climbed the steps of the stairs, sighing as I closed the door to my room.

We lived in the castle, as I was a princess and my parents were the king and queen. Nobody really knew I was the princess, though. I went to school as a normal girl dressed in normal clothes, and my friends had never been to the castle with me. It was pretty lonely, mostly, but I prefer that no one knows I'm the princess.

Some people wonder why there is still a king and queen in this mostly modern twenty-first century world, but mostly just accept it. There has been a family like this living in the castle since Hyrule was discovered, and so it is the way it is.

I put my backpack down and pulled out my phone, checking the few social media accounts that I had. After that, I slipped my phone in my pocket and looked out one of my many windows, looking at the lush green forest below. Farther away from the castle, the trees and ground were dusted with snow, along with the mountain that stood right by the forest. It was a huge mountain, with three large trees along three of its peaks. The highest peak was the most interesting, though.

The highest peak of the mountain sported large crystals, lots of them. I've always wanted to go and see them up close, but it's far too cold and my parents would never let me do that. They were okay with me staying in the green part of the forest, but not the snowy part. They said it was too cold and too dangerous, but I don't understand why they called it dangerous. It's not like there are monsters roaming around like there were hundreds of years ago.

Sighing, I picked up one of the ancient journals on my desk. It belonged to one of the princesses way before me, a girl named Zelda. This long ago princess wrote of things called Guardians and Divine Beasts, which seemed interesting enough.

And by interesting, I mean interesting.

These Divine Beasts were supposedly created by humans, and stood guard over the different species of before. The different species thing was also interesting to me. I have lots of questions about them, like why they went extinct or how they were different. I guess those questions won't be answered, at least, not for a while.

Anyway, back to my boring life.

I grabbed a few things off my desk; a notebook, pen, and the strange stone tablet that I had found not too long ago. Quietly opening the door, I practically flew down the stairs and out the back door, taking advantage of the newly built back bridge over the castle's moat. The forest called my name, and I called it as I ran with the wind in my hair. I whistled a special tune, as loud as I could. My whistle was followed up by the sound of a horse's galloping footsteps.

My special horse came running to me, whinnying as she ran beside me. I grabbed hold of her blissfully white mane and pulled myself up and onto her shining brown back. Her name was Epona, and she was the most magical horse in the world. I had found some papers saying she was the horse of legend, ridden by the hero himself one thousand years ago. How she lived that long, I have no idea. She could be a descendant of the original Epona, I suppose, but she insisted on being called by that name. When I called her otherwise or without her song, she would stubbornly stamp her hoof or turn away from me. Or she just wouldn't show up. Anyway, I never put a saddle or bridle on her, simply because she looks and feels so free without them. It seems wrong to tie her down with reins.

Now that that's over, I should probably introduce myself. My name is Zoe Lavender-Beatrice Nightfall, and as you know, I am the princess of Hyrule. I have only my horse, the forest, and my few friends at school that don't even know I'm the princess. That's all there's really to know about me.

Epona sped across the plains, the forest speeding toward us. Before I knew it we were zipping through the trees, weaving around them. We almost crossed into the snowy part of the forest when we reached it.

Skidding to a hault, Epona looked at the frozen land, fighting against the tight grip I had on her mane. She wanted to go forward, I realised, but my parents had said no and it really was too cold. Epona tried moving forward again, but I pulled back once more.

"We can't Epona. It's dangerous," I told her, attempting to turn the beautiful horse back toward the greener part of the forest.

Epona gave in, letting me guide her back in the direction of the castle. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket, one hand still grasping Epona's white mane. It was a text from my parents. They wanted me to come home, probably to do homework. I sighed, urging my magical steed to go faster. She gladly broke into a canter, speeding into a gallop soon after.

Once I got back to the backside bridge of the castle, I hopped down from Epona, patting her and saying goodbye. Epona whinnied, galloping back into the forest. Sometimes I wonder if she goes back to the snowy part of the forest, even though I told her it's dangerous. Maybe she'd been in there before, and maybe that's why she wanted to go back. Either way, it's dangerous.

With one last sigh, I crossed the bridge and entered the castle, not really ready just yet to do homework.