Link sat wearily on his bunk, slowly trying to make sense of today's facts; he closed his eyes in memory as the flashback began.
"Link, I don't understand these feelings, this has never happened to me before, I…I love you Link." Tetra had confessed this to him on the foredeck, and Link had been so shocked that he turned and ran. In retrospect Link realized he at least owed her an apology. He Pulled the Pirate's Charm from the folds of his tunic and raised the jewel to his lips.
"I'm Sorry, Tetra." It was just a whisper, and Link had no idea if Tetra heard him, but it made him feel a bit better.
Still though, it made Link think. Tetra had these feelings, but Link knew he couldn't return them; after all, the girl he fell in love with was in a temple far beneath the waves, waiting for the day that Hyrule could be sealed away forever.
The last few weeks had been busy ones. The pirates had hauled his boat, a good likeness of the King of Red Lions, aboard onto the foredeck, but the mast was broken in the process. Link sat awake for hours by night carving a new one with the help of his now good friend Nico. Link's plans had to change when he could no longer see Overlook Island from the ship. He knew the trip would be much too long, so he planned to detour passed the Flight Control Platform on his way back. He had been preparing for this trip several days in advance, hiding leftover food in his spoils bag. Now was finally the time he to see if his prior planning had any merit.
The boy in green set out for the galley. He had put his provisions in a secret place, tucked away in a box high on the shelves where not even Gonzo would think to look. He trusted his pirate friends, but was being extra cautious as to avoid conflict between the crew and the captain. Link climbed up the pantry shelves to retrieve the purple sack of provisions. He looked quickly inside, taking a final inventory of its contents. He had several boiled cucco eggs, some salted pork, and a red potion tucked away next to a Joy Pendant. The young hero grinned happily as he put the bag on. As he walked back to his room he saw Nico in the hallway, the pirate walked up to Link and gave a sad smile,
"So your finally leaving for real then, well it's been fun Swabbie., I'll miss you." He held out his hand and Link shook it firmly.
"It's been fun Nico, other than the time you "forgot" to tell me we got new candlesticks downstairs," Nico just smiled, he had thought it was funny, Link couldn't sit right for three days
"I'll miss you too, bye" with that Link walked into his and Nico's room and grabbed the new mast from the corner. The blonde felt the pirates charm was vibrate, but quickly pulled it out of his pocket, took one last look, and flung it onto his bunk. Link gave one final farewell to Nico and opened the door, proceeding quickly and quietly to the foredeck.
Link sighed as he saw his boat come into view, his true concern, however, came when he saw Captain Tetra leaning on the hull waiting for him.
"Good Evening, Captain. You should be sleeping at this hour."
"I could say the same to you, Link, why are you doing this to me? I love you, and if you're going to leave, then take me with you, please!" Link drew in a deep sigh,
"I can't, I'm going to find someone, someone I left a long time ago." Link's mind was filled instantly with the one promise he made before he left the temple,
"I'll come back to you, I promise." and he remembered Medli's reply, as she raised her harp to play for the Master Sword
"I know you will."
Link came back to the present just in time to see Tetra run off sobbing, Link was sure Tetra knew who Link was going to find, and when Tetra got mad, he needed to make sure he and Medli were safe in a place Tetra would never find.
His thoughts turned to his own island, and then to Grandma. He owed Grandma a visit, after all, he hadn't stayed very long before he left with the pirates, and Aryll would be happy to see him. It would also buy Link time to think of the most remote location he knew to hide Medli and himself.
Those were thoughts for another time though; the task at hand was launching his boat, the Link to the Past. Link jumped in and released the ropes. The boat entered free fall, calmly touching down into the seas. Link affixed the mast and raised the sails, immediately picking up speed.
The pirates were sailing into the wind, with the new steam engine Tetra had installed, making the trip much shorter for a boy with a sailboat. The full moon lit the way, and The Hero of Winds set course for Flight Control Platform. Link saw that going upwind it took three days, so he estimated it would take him two days to get back to mapped seas, then another few hours to reach the platform, Link sighed, he had provisions for a three day trip, but that was all he had. He decided to play the Bird-Man game on the platform in hopes of winning breakfast. That game was overrated, and as far as Link was concerned, easily winnable. With food secured, Link began to relax and think about his mission and, more importantly, the girl waiting at the temple, far beneath the glassy seas.