A/N: I'm back, with another installment of the Florence Chronicles!!!

Link: Hey, where's Skywise and Redlance?

Oh, they're on vacation, so it's just you and me!! :)

Link: Great...

Time for chappie one!!

Rise of the Heroine of Time: Chapter 1: Ten Years of Peace

The young woman hollered with enthusiasm, riding her horse like the wind and shooting arrows at the targets of the Horseback Archery Range. From the start area, a Gerudo fiercely scribbled each score down, and Nabooru and Link watched the woman closely.

Ten years had passed, and over those ten years, Link had certainly changed. For some reason, he refused to grow any type of facial hair, as his face remained youthfully smooth. His bangs had grown longer, and his thin locks of hair had grown thicker and longer and drooped over his lean shoulders. The ponytail that held the rest of his hair had also grown down to just above his waist. His bright blue eyes no longer seemed innocent, but kind and wise. He still wore the royal clothes he wore when he was crowned, but thankfully the collar was much looser. He watched quietly in thought.

Nabooru, who didn't mature as much as he did, watched as well, and smiled at Link. "Look at her go. She's a natural! Just like you were!"

Link raised a brow. "'Were?'"

"Just kidding!" Nabooru said jokingly. "I have to admit, for someone your age, you still never fail to impress my fellow Gerudos with your flawless sword and archery skills!"

"Oh, come off it, Nabooru," said Link, slightly annoyed. "You say that as if I'm old, and I'm only forty years old. Besides, someone has to keep the tradition alive if we're going to stay a strong Royal Family."

"Why worry about it when Florence is doing it for you? Why, when I first saw her as a newborn, I knew she carried her father's potential!"

Link smiled and continued to watch his daughter train, his thoughts wandering to the day she was first brought into his life.

(Flashback)

Link, only a teenage youth, pounded on the door. "LET ME IN!!"

The door opened and a young woman came out with a frustrated look on her face. "For the last time, you may NOT come in!"

"MY WIFE IS IN THERE!!!"

"I understand, but this is a complicated process that requires peace!"

However, her mind seemed to change quickly when the business end of his sword came up an inch before her face.

"Er... on the other hand..."

Link stepped into the small dark room and struggled slightly to bond-send to her, as he was new at it. -Zelda...?-

-Link...?- came a weak response. When his sight adjusted to the darkness, he found his wife laying in a large bed, gasping for air. He approached the bed, taking her hand and squeezing it gently.

-Don't worry, Zelda, I'm here. We started this together, we'll finish it together...-

-Oh, Link... Thank you...-

The woman swiftly returned, and a few minutes later, she held a small newborn child.

"Congratulations, Your Highnesses," she said, handing the baby to Zelda. "It's a beautiful girl."

Zelda looked at the baby in her arms and sighed in both exhaustion and delight. Link sat down with her, looked at the child, and smiled warmly.

"Look, Link," said Zelda breathlessly. "It's our little baby. Our little Florence..."

"Florence... That's a wonderful name, Zelda."

"The only name worthy of such a beautiful child..."

Suddenly, a warm feeling inside of Link opened up as he stared at the little bundle of joy. When Zelda handed her to him, his heart nearly burst out of his chest. The baby looked right up at him and smiled, softly cooing. Her eyes were so bright, and she already had tiny curls of blonde hair. Words could not express how happy he was as he smiled and cuddled the little baby close, a tear of joy running down his cheek.

Don't worry, little Florence... I'll take care of you... I'll protect you... I promise...

(End Flashback)

Link smiled to himself. He remembered that promise he made, and kept to it for twenty years, raising up his daughter. He looked up at the results.

A tall, beautiful, 20-year-old Florence dismounted her horse. She wore a light green and beige tunic with a halter-top and detached sleeves that went down to her elbows. Instead of a belt, a deep-green, corset-like clothing was loosely wrapped around her waist. Underneath that were deep green tights that abruptly ended with plated gold and purple armor around her shins. He feet wore simple sandals, and her lower arms wore thin, gauntlet-like gloves. Peacock feather earrings hung from her long ears, and she wore the princess crown proudly. Her thick locks of hair were pulled back in much the same matter as Zelda used to, but her hair still looked a little messy. The rest of the hair was pulled back into a large ponytail that went down past her waist. Her old, youthful features had matured, making her a fair, beautiful young maiden.

As Florence smiled and nuzzled her horse, Nabooru smiled. "And her horse is impressive as well."

"Well, of course she is. What do you expect from Epona's fawn?"

Indeed, Florence's horse, Maple, was fawned from Epona, Link's own powerful horse. Maple had a chestnut coat like Epona, but a golden mane. She was a strong and promising horse, and the only one worthy enough to become Florence's mount.

Florence brought Maple over, wiped the sweat from her brow, and exclaimed to the Gerudo, "Well? What's my score?"

"Hold your horses! Lemme count it up first!" The Gerudo snapped impatiently, scribbling on her parchment. When she finished, her eyes widened in surprise. She showed the parchment to Nabooru, who showed the same reaction. She quickly regained her composure and smiled at Florence.

"2000 points. 100 points for twenty arrows. Perfect score!"

Elation clearly spread across Florence's face. "Father, did you hear that? A perfect score!"

"I sure did!" Link laughed and let his daughter fly into his arms in joy. "You've finally got a perfect score!"

"And such skills deserve a prize!" Nabooru smiled, presenting Florence with a large bow and a large quiver.

Florence took the weapon into her hands and stared in awe at the first bow she had ever received. "It's... beautiful... Thank you."

"It was about time you got a bow, and it had to be as beautiful as your sword, didn't it?"

Florence smiled warmly. "Thank you for everything, Nabooru."

As Florence went to ready her horse for travel, Link looked at Nabooru and said quietly, "I thank you for all you've done for her training, Nabooru. I tried to train her at the Market's Archery Range, but they kept cheating for her, letting her get perfects every time, just because she's the princess."

Nabooru sighed and shook her head. "That's a shame... Why don't you do something about it?"

"I'd rather not start an unnecessary conflict. I'll let them do whatever they wish. The Gerudo Range is a far better place to train, after all..."

Nabooru raised a brow. "I hope that's not how you'll handle more serious situations as the King of Hyrule."

"Of course not!" Link replied, a little jumpy. "I swear, if anything happens to Hyrule, I will handle it just fine."

Nabooru smiled playfully. "If you say so, 'my king.' Well, looks like Florence is ready to go. I'll see you later."

Link nodded and followed Florence to the stalls. After mounting his trusted steed Epona, he looked at his daughter, who had already mounted Maple, and said, "Let's go home."

Home. Home for this family was Hyrule Castle, and upon their noble steeds, they reached their home before sunset. After arriving, telling the mother, Queen Zelda, of the day, and dinner, Florence strangely excused herself to be left alone in her room. She walked hastily down the hall, when a single, concerned voice stopped her.

"Florence...?"

She turned around to face her mother. The Queen of Hyrule wore a royal purple dress, tube-topped and tightly tied up in the upper body. From a red broach, silk, lavender fabric elegantly drooped over her shoulders. Pink silk gloves covered her arms. She wore her queen's crown, and a thin, loose braid held her locks of her back. Blue eyes looked on in concern.

"Mother, I..." Florence stalled. "I need peace in my room..."

"Wait!" Zelda held her shoulder gently when she tried to dash away. "Why the secrecy? For many nights you're avoided our lessons. Why?"

"Mother, please don't take it as offense," Florence took Zelda's hands in hers. "But... I need this time to think- and I have quite a bit to think about."

With that, she left her mother alone in the hall. Zelda stood alone until she felt a strong hand grip her shoulder. She sighed and continued to stare off in the direction Florence went as she felt her husband move to her side.

-Something is troubling her, Link. But I can't tell what...-

Link heard and responded to the bond-send as easily as breathing. -Me neither. I try to ask her, but she won't tell me...-

-She's been skipping her lessons, and... she seems to be... avoiding me...-

-I'm sure she's not avoiding you. She loves you very much. Perhaps it has to do with the lessons?- He briefly paused. -Haven't you taught her all the magic she can learn?-

-Yes, but she has her weak points. We're still trying to work on her readings of prophetic dreams...-

Both parents paused in thought, and looked at each other.

-What if...?-

-Perhaps...-

Their assumptions were right on target, yet Florence in her dark bedroom was unaware of any assumptions being made. She was too busy lost in deep thought for it to matter.

Her deep thoughts reflected the nightmare that had been plaguing her mind for a good week. The cursed vision was the same every night: unlinked images of evil, death, and war, as well as images of Hyrule. Every night she retreated to her room to try and understand this without-a-doubt prophetic dream.

She could've just easily showed her mother the images and let her string it together, but she didn't want anyone to know of it until she could grasp the meaning herself. She knew Zelda would try to instruct her on reading these dreams, and she couldn't let Zelda find out about the nightmares. Not until she could figure it out herself.

Where the images each telling a story? Or was each one a piece of a grand puzzle? And would the solution of the puzzle reveal the warnings foreshadowing the fate of Hyrule?

Figuring out such a puzzle was a mighty burden even for someone her age, but Florence would not give up. The answers were in there somewhere. She just had to find them.

And I have to find them soon, she thought. Before the warnings come too late!

A/N: THERE!!! ROTHOT's up!! Are you happy now, Skye Agony!?

SA: YEP!! ;)

Link: AHH!! Where'd YOU come from!?

SA: Blame my parents!

XD So anyway, review!!