Princess Ruto (Hyrule Warriors)

Princess Ruto is a playable character from Hyrule Warriors and Hyrule Warriors Legends. The Crown Princess of the Zoras and the Sage of Water, Ruto is an important figure in the Era of the Hero of Time. Due to the actions of Cia, Ruto once again comes to the aid of the land of Hyrule.

Background & History
Ruto is the only child of King Zora XVI who inherited the Zora's Sapphire from her mother. At some point, she was tasked with feeding Lord Jabu-Jabu, a giant fish that was the patron deity of the Zora.

Era of the Hero of Time
When Ruto was ten years old, the Gerudo King of Thieves, Ganondorf came to Zora's Domain and demanded they hand over the Zora's Sapphire, though King Zora and his daughter refused to hand it over. However Ganondorf not deterred by their refusal, placed a curse on Lord Jabu-Jabu causing the deity to become sick and shortly their after, Princess Ruto went missing, causing the King Zora and his people great worry.

Eventually a boy from the forest named Link came to Zora's Domain to retrieve the Spiritual Stone of Water (the original name of the Zora's Sapphire) for Princess Zelda. A member of the Kokiri tribe, Link had witness the effects of Ganondorf's evil first hand when he had cursed the Great Deku Tree to die and had set out on a quest to prevent Ganondorf from obtaining the Triforce located in the Sacred Realm.

Eventually, the boy discovered a Letter in a Bottle in Lake Hylia from Ruto that revealed she had been accidentally swallowed by Lord Jabu-Jabu. Taking the letter to King Zora, he allowed Link to enter Zora's Fountain to rescue Ruto from Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly. The boy offered the deity a Fish and like Ruto was swallowed, allowing him to search Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach for Ruto. Eventually he found Ruto, who he was forced to carry around as she had lost her Zora's Sapphire when she was swallowed. Eventually they found the Zora's Sapphire, but Ruto was captured by a Big Octo. After defeating the Big Octo, the boy ventured to the lair of Barinade, a parasitic monster that was the source of Ganondorf's curse. After defeating Barinade and rescuing Ruto, he asked her to hand over the Zora's Sapphire. Ruto agreed, though with the condition that he would marry her, as the Zora's Sapphire was apparently used as an engagement ring in Ruto's family. Not understanding what he was agreeing to, the boy agreed and was give the Zora's Sapphire. However neither Ruto or Link was aware that Link was the Hero of Time. After pulling the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, the Hero of Time was sealed away for seven years due to being too young to wield it, allowing Ganondorf to enter the Sacred Realm.

Seven years later, Ruto had matured into adolescent. However Zora's Domain was frozen over by Ganondorf, who had conquered Hyrule and become the King of Evil. Fortunately, Ruto was saved from being frozen in ice by a male Sheikah named Sheik. Learning that the source of the freezing conditions was a curse that Ganondorf placed on the Water Temple, Ruto journeyed to the temple to put a stop to it. Eventually, the Hero of Time awoke and eventually returned to Zora's Domain were he discovered King Zora frozen in Red Ice. While searching the Ice Cavern, he encountered Sheik who explained what had happened to the Zora and Ruto. After using Blue Fire to unfreeze Ruto's father, the Hero of Time journeyed to the Water Temple to aid Ruto and awaken the Sage of Water. Inside the Temple, he briefly reunited with Ruto, who had not forgotten his promise to marry her. She showed him the location of a place where he could alter the water levels within the temple, before going off by herself. After defeating his doppelgänger Dark Link and Morpha source of the curse in the Hall of Mirrors, Princess Ruto awoke as the Sage of Water. Realizing they cannot be together, she postpones the engagement until her duties as a sage are over and gives Link the Water Medallion. She later assists the Hero of Time in removing the water barrier preventing access to Ganon's Tower. She and the other Sages later seal Ganon away in the Sacred Realm. However she is unable to marry the Hero of Time as he is sent back to relive his stolen childhood by Princess Zelda. Regardless she is remembered as a important figure in Hyrulean history and a stain glass portrait of her appears in the hidden chamber of the Master Sword in the Era of the Great Sea along with the other Seven Sages.