Princess Zelda

Princess Zelda, in Ocarina of Time, is the Princess of Hyrule and one in a long line of Princess Zeldas. In Ocarina, Zelda's role is very unique - she appears to Link as a child and an adult, and as Link travels back and forth in time, manifests as such, respectively. She also takes the form of Sheik when Link is an adult, and serves as the Seventh Sage.

Child
As a child, Princess Zelda wears her short blonde hair under a white and purple veil-like head covering secured with a gold Triforce brooch. She has blue eyes and pointy ears, similar to Link's. Zelda wears a puffy-, long-sleeved white shirt under a short-sleeved, long white dress with purple accents, which in turn is worn under a sleeveless purple top and royal sash hanging over the front of the dress. Over her whole outfit is a golden belt, and Zelda has a gold bracelet on each wrist, as well as a gold-and-red necklace slightly resembling the Goron's Ruby.

Adult
As an adult, Zelda wears her long, golden-blond hair down, with a gold-and-red crown on her forehead. She wears earrings shaped like the Triforce, as well as golden shoulder plates and decorative gold plates on her chest. Her sleeveless dress has a high, white collar, with a purple bodice and a long white skirt with purple trim. She also wears a golden belt, and the crest of Hyrule on her skirt. Zelda has long white gloves.

Sheik
Main article: Sheik When in the form of Sheik, Zelda's hair is tucked underneath white bandages, with only some bangs sticking out. Her eyes are now red, and she wears bandages covering all of her face, but for her eyes, which goes down to her neck. Sheik wears a tight bodysuit in a few shades of dark blue, with a bright red Sheikah emblem on the chest. There are some bandages on her forearms, and a ring on her finger. In this form, Zelda may be trying to appear male.

Biography
Zelda's mother died at some point before the game, and her father dies later into it. Zelda had a symbolic dream about Link, so when she meets him in Hyrule Castle, she knows who he is. Zelda teaches him Zelda's Lullaby on the Fairy Ocarina, before sending him to find the three Spiritual Stones. Later, when Ganondorf attacks, she flees Hyrule Castle with her nursemaid, Impa, and isn't seen again until Link is an adult. However, she tosses the Ocarina of Time into the castle moat, which Link retrieves once she is gone. Upon receiving it, Zelda appears in a vision and teaches him the Song of Time. During his quest, both Zelda's Lullaby and the Song of Time become important songs, solving different puzzles or letting Link into different areas.

Zelda appears once Link is an adult, now in the form of Sheik. Sheik is a skilled harp player and teaches Link many songs - including the Minuet of Forest, Prelude of Light, Requiem of Spirit, Nocturne of Shadow, Bolero of Fire, and Serenade of Water, which teleport him to the Forest Temple, Temple of Time, Spirit Temple, Shadow Temple, Fire Temple, and Water Temple, respectively. Once Twinrova is defeated, Sheik reveals her true identity as Zelda, also revealing that she is the seventh sage. She gives Link Light Arrows and says that they both have part of the Triforce in them, and just then, Ganondorf shows up and captures Zelda in a big pink crystal. She is freed once Link defeats Ganondorf, and when Link is fighting Ganon, she uses her magic to aid the fight. Then, she and Link escape. The player must follow Zelda as she runs out of the castle. She and the other sages then seal away Ganondorf.

In the end, Zelda thanks Link for everything he has done and, in a touching final cutscene, sends him back to his childhood for good. Link may become the Hero's Shade after this, training his descendant in Twilight Princess.

Trivia

 * A Gossip Stone mentions that Zelda is a tomboy.
 * Her name was inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald, who was a writer and painter, as stated by Shigeru Miyamoto.
 * The name Zelda, however, means "woman warrior" or "fighting maid", and comes from the German name Griselda, meaning "dark battle".
 * It could also come from words meaning "companion" or "luck".
 * Zelda is also associated with "Delta", the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, which is shaped similarly to a Triforce.
 * In the courtyard where Link meets Zelda, there is a Super Mario Bros. level through one of her windows.