Reincarnated

Chapter 1: Clipping from the Lucky Clover Gazette

Prince Zephyr IGNORING the Coming War

As predicted by the Sheika prophets, Ganon is to be re-incarnated in the coming months. His sinister presence is felt across Hyrule, with monster sightings and blood moons up 273% from last year. 

In response, King Rhoam has made a great effort to protect the people of Hyrule; erecting forts in order to protect our towns and village, strengthening ties with the other races in Hyrule, and preparing the Divine Beasts and army of Guardians that defended our ancestors from Ganon's wrath so many years ago. His efforts may be the only thing standing between us and oblivion.

Ever since the tragic passing of the Queen last year, the people of Hyrule have been fearing the worst without any female in the royal family to inherit the powers of the Goddess Hylia. The King's recent efforts have put many of these fears that Hyrule will be unprepared to rest.

The same cannot be said for Prince Zephyr. Since the Queen's funeral, he's retired from public life entirely. He's not shown face at any royal events, and when questioned about his mysterious absence during this crisis, officials seem to brush aside the question as irrelevant. 

When questioned about his son's absence, King Rhoam said "My wife's passing has been hard on everyone, my son especially, and we have decided that he is not in a state for public affairs at this time."

It is appreciated that he should need time alone to grieve his mother, but after so long with no information on him, it almost seems like he retired to his fate, to live a life of luxury until the time comes that Ganon should lay waste to the kingdom.

It is appalling that he should have no consideration for his subjects, especially in light of the King's effort. We hope that with the Royal Ball, we will get at least some information on the matter, but with the event's unconfirmed status as of yet, we can only hope. Make sure to check the upcoming issues for any updates on the missing prince. 

Excerpt from Zelda's Journal

God, there's another one of those stupid articles. They make me so mad. It's like, I'm not here by choice, they heard my dad say he keeps me locked up, why not blame him? He thinks I'm "not ready," but it's him that's not ready. I'm ready to show "Zelda" to the world because that's who I am now, but he's not ready to see her.

He'll find any reason to say I'm wrong, that I'm too young to know what I am, or that I'm just grieving. It probably wasn't the best timing that I came out to him after Mother died, it made him think I had some weird plan.

Hyrule's grief was compounded with a great panic. We knew that Ganon was coming back, and to face him, we must raise an incarnation of Hylia and a courageous hero to challenge him. Mother was the Goddess made physical, that was certain. The beautiful heiress to the royal bloodline, it wouldn't be doubted.

Finding the Hero though, was more troubling. After a wide search, there just seemed no one fitting. One top pick from the royal guard, emerged, but it turns out he had improper relations with the captain's daughter. People started to lose hope that a duo would be found to face Ganon. When Mother died, any hope we had was smashed into a thousand pieces.

After we got back from her service, I remember Father sitting in the library across from me, the seat next to him empty. He faced his head away from it towards the fire. It burned hot, he liked the fires to be big. I wondered what he saw in the fire, did visions of Mother dance before him? Is that the reason he stopped spending his evenings there?

I always saw the person I wanted to be, ablaze with so many passions in the flame. That night I saw her dance, fiercer than I had seen before. I couldn't keep thinking about her anymore.

"Dad?" I said.

"Yes, son." he didn't move his head away from his fire.

"I feel like I'm a bad son."

"What do you mean?" Once again, his expression didn't change.

"I think I'd make a better daughter." That made him turn his head. That intensity with which he gazed into the fire was now turned to me, and my blood turned cold despite the heat on my face.

"I don't like being a boy, and I've heard of this Sheikah, in the paper, who I guess also didn't like being a boy. He said there was this potion that he'd drink, and slowly, it turned him into a girl. I guess it worked because now they let him, or her I guess, into Gerudo town, and I thought maybe I could do the same thing." The words all erupted from my mouth, and it felt like the breath that leaves you after a Goron hugs you.

Father remained silent for a long moment, and for that time, it seemed like I wouldn't be able to breathe in again. My confession would be the last breath from my lips, and it would fall on deaf ears.

"That won't work." he finally responded, his voice grave and his eyes motionless as they looked at me.

"It worked for him."

"It's all well and good that the Gerudo let a boy into their town, but that doesn't make him a woman. Just pretending to be a girl won't save Hyrule."

"What?"

"Hylia's powers are passed into the female descendants of the royal bloodline. That was your mother, and her light guarded Hyrule against evil, but she's gone now. You can't fool Hylia into giving you her magic, she knows you are the prince. All we can do now is prepare the best we can." He seemed resolved in himself, that he had settled the topic.

"That's not what I meant at all!" I pleaded with him.

"I'm tired of the matter. Leave it to rest." He would not hear me.

"I'm not trying to replace her, I know I can't, I just..."

"Leave it!" He shouted, then he leaned towards me and said in a quiet, but no less intense voice. "I don't want to hear any more of this fantasy of yours." With that, he stood up and went off to his bedroom.