Eternity

by Kasuto of Kataan I

Eternal life has been sought by many peoples from time immemorial. But magical stones that grant both a curse and a blessing might not be all that they seem. He who chooses the blessing chooses death, and he who chooses the curse chooses life. The simple choice of life could lead to not only the death of one person, but to millions.

2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

All was calm, and they were at peace. Their minds were clear of thoughts, and they only concentrated on the task at hand. "Now, focus," said a female voice. "You have done this before, and you can do it again. Concentrate."

The boy the woman spoke to tried to focus his attention, but couldn't. He didn't feel like doing this right now. "Nothing's happening," said the boy. "I can't do this," he sighed with frustration, opening his eyes and breaking the focus he had.

The older woman smiled to herself; she remembered what it was like being a teenager. She was lucky that she had gotten these kids to concentrate for five consecutive minutes. "It's all right, Link," said the woman. "We can try again later." Link agreed and he sat down on the grass between the two other people who were present. Zelda, on his left, wore a simple lavender-colored dress with a complex flower pattern on it, and her hair was tied back into a long pony-tail. Solo, who sat on his right, was wearing a blue tunic and a matching skirt, a strange combination of boys' and girls' clothing that would look unusual on anyone but her. Her long, flowing hair hung freely and went far past her waist, some of it piling on the grass as she sat down. She tugged at the blue bow in her hair, which had become a nervous habit of hers.

"It's okay, Linkie-pooh," said Zelda, putting her arm around him and resting her head on his shoulder. "Maybe you don't have any special powers."

"Yeah, you're just a dud," commented Solo, giving Link a sarcastic grin.

"Zoya said I have powers," rebutted Link, sticking out his tongue at Solo. Of course, Link really had no idea what he was really talking about. Only in the last few weeks had they been visiting with the Guardians, mainly Zoya, who were also fellow Oracles. One day they had come out of nowhere, asking Link, Zelda, and Solo to come visit them. It turned out that they had many things to teach the children about the Oracles and who they were. Apparently they had more in their job descriptions than hiding the Triforce. Right now they were outside the village of Kataan, which was nearly twenty miles away from Hyrule Castle.

"I wouldn't call them 'special powers'," said Zoya. "They're more like...supplemental abilities. You are lucky that your abilities have already started to surface. Many times they don't appear until you're in your twenties."

"I honestly haven't seen any special powers," said Link. "I'm just the same as I always was." The two girls nodded in agreement.

"Oh? You haven't?" said Zoya in an almost-sarcastic tone. She flashed her trademark grin, and Link knew he was in for a long lecture. Sometimes he hated having such a big mouth. "The fact is, you have already exhibited some of your abilities. All of you have. Zelda, you have shown extraordinary mental powers already. Those prophetic dreams you had so many years ago, those weren't simply coincidences. It was because of your extra-sensory abilities that you had those dreams. The most amazing ability you've shown is psychic imprinting. When you gave Link the Ocarina, whether consciously or not, you placed a message on it. You imprinted your thoughts on to an inanimate object, and Link was able to read those thoughts. Psychic imprinting is a very hard skill to master, even for me, and you did it without even thinking."

"I remember that," said Link. He could recall vividly when he had first touched the Ocarina of Time. It was so amazing, it had been as if Zelda were actually there talking to him.

"You have shown great promise too, Link," continued Zoya. "Your ability to even receive Zelda's message is proof. An ordinary person wouldn't have seen that vision, but you did. You are unusually sensitive to psychic energy."

"Does that mean I can read people's minds?" asked Link excitedly. The prospect of reading people's thoughts seemed strangely appealing to him.

"No, it's not quite like that. You cannot 'read' people's thoughts. Actual thoughts are private from everyone. But you are sensitive to the psychic energy. You can sense the feelings and intentions of others. You might see it as perfectly normal, but it is not something ordinary people can do. Have you ever noticed that? You always seem to know how people are feeling, whether they're hiding their feelings or not. You are an excellent receiver, you can sense the energy of anyone or anything in the world, all you have to do is refine that ability."

"I always knew Link was sensitive," said Zelda, hugging Link tighter. "You're so much better than boys who only care about sports and fighting, and...groping women."

"What about me?" asked Solo sheepishly, feeling left out. She couldn't think of any special powers that she had, maybe she was normal and they were just humoring her.

"You too will develop your abilities in time," said Zoya. "Your powers haven't been manifested outwardly much yet. But, it will happen all in good time. You have, of course, shown preliminary signs. Your dreams about Link were the key. You, like your brother, are unusually sensitive to psychic energy. You were able to receive the message from your mother, even across time. The first dream you had wasn't intentional on her part, but you got it even though it wasn't directed at you. Believe me, you will all discover things that you never even dreamed were possible."

"Like that tele-porty-thingie you were trying to get me to do?" asked Link.

"Yeah, I want to do that," whined Zelda. "It would be so cool to be able to zap myself to anywhere I want to go." She imagined what it would be like to be able to go anywhere instantaneously, and not ever have to worry about riding a horse again.

"I have to admit, that is the most fun," said Zoya with a child-like smile. "With practice, you three should be able to do that. But I'll tell you now, it's the most difficult ability to master. It is enormously taxing, both physically and mentally. I didn't master that skill until I was forty. The only one of you who has demonstrated this ability is Link."

Link raised an eyebrow when he heard that. "When?" he asked. He never remembered being able to teleport.

"Don't you remember?" asked Zoya. Link shook his head. "During your whole time-travel adventure, you teleported countless times."

"I remember playing those warp songs on the ocarina."

"That's it," said Zoya, the expression on her face looking like she had just completed an award-winning lecture. "I'm sorry, I should have explained this to you before. It wasn't the ocarina that warped you whenever you played a song. It was you. The ocarina was merely a device that helped to magnify and focus your energy. It was all your power that teleported you, the ocarina only enhanced that power since you were unable to use it on your own. If anyone else had played those songs, they would have only made music, nothing more."

"So you're saying I teleported on my own?" asked Link excitedly. "But I didn't even think about it. How could I even control it if I had no idea I was doing it?"

"Oh, but you did know what you were doing," replied Zoya. She annoyed Link once again with her all-knowing smirk. "When you played those songs, what were you thinking about? I seriously doubt that you were wondering what was for dinner. When you played one of the songs, the only thoughts in your head were of where you were supposed to be teleported to. You expected to be warped to a specific place, and you were. You did it all on your own, and you didn't even know it. But remember, it will still take a while for you to master your abilities. All of you will be able to do it eventually."

Link stood up, excited at the possibility of disappearing at will. He wanted desperately to do this now, he hated having to wait for things. "Can I try again?" asked Link.

"If you want to," responded Zoya. "Close your eyes. The only thing you should be thinking about is where you want to go. For now, just try to teleport yourself a few feet from here, next to Zelda. Now, focus your mind. Forget all thoughts, and think only about the place in the grass a few feet in front of you. Concentrate only on your task. Visualize where you want to go, and visualize yourself standing in that place. Concentrate on being there."

Link closed off his mind to all thoughts. He imagined the place in the grass a few feet in front of him, and he imagined himself standing there. Suddenly, Link began to feel strange. His mind became suddenly absent of everything except for the vision of where he wanted to go. He felt his body begin to tingle. It was a very peculiar sensation, as if all the hairs on his body were standing on end. He knew he was doing this; he was finally going to do it. The strange sensation finally ceased as Link vanished in a flash of light. Zelda and Solo stood amazed, and looked at the spot in the grass, expecting Link to appear there any moment. "Where is he?" asked Zelda.

Zoya had a large grin on her face, and she turned to look at the small lake that was behind them. "Watch," said Zoya, pointing to the lake. Suddenly, there was a flash and Link was falling through the air. To the girls' amazement, Link hit the water with a loud splash. Zoya giggled and tried not to laugh out loud. A few moments later, Link came walking out of the lake, soaked to the bone and covered in green, stringy algae. As he approached the group, he aimed a frustrated glare at Zoya. The two girls giggled and Zoya finally burst out laughing. Link's face was red with embarrassment and slight anger.

"What was that?" asked Link, frustrated. "You said if I focused on where I wanted to go, that I would go there. Why did I end up in the lake?" With an annoyed expression, Link squeezed some of the water out of his clothes and picked the large strands of seaweed from his clothes and hair.

"I probably should have mentioned that," said Zoya, attempting to control her laughter. She rarely got a thrill in her life, and this event was a welcome change from her usual boring routine. "Teleportation isn't something you can just do. Even though your thoughts were focused, they weren't focused enough. It takes a lot of practice to do it even for the first time. You didn't have the ocarina to focus your thoughts, so the results were...less than satisfactory."

"That doesn't explain why I fell in the lake," moped Link, beginning to become disgusted by the rotten smell that emanated from his clothing.

"All the Oracles who first discover there teleporting abilities end up in that lake sooner or later. The Temple of Truth, which you have visited before, has other properties other than being a gateway to the Sacred Realm and being a tomb for the Guardians. It acts as a beacon to other Oracles, almost like a magnet. When an Oracle first teleports on his own, he will end up in the lake. You see, the portal attracts Oracles when they first teleport on their own. And it just so happens that the center of the lake is directly above the portal. So when you vanished, the power of the portal drew you to that point and you fell into the lake. It will take you a long time before you're able to overcome the pull of the beacon."

"Why didn't you tell me this before I tried?" asked Link, feeling uncomfortable for being the center of attention. The two girls stifled giggles and flashed him sarcastic grins.

"There are some things you just have to learn on your own," replied Zoya.

"Yeah, well, does that have to be one of them?" said Link sarcastically. Zoya's only response was her childish smile. Link knew he was beaten. Instead of trying to think up a response, he instead sat down on the grass. Zelda looked at Link, who was still covered in stringy green algae and pinched her nose with her fingers.

"You smell like dead fish," commented Zelda. Solo merely grinned, picking a piece of seaweed off of Link's shoulder and dangling it in front of his face. Link pulled the seaweed from her hands and mashed it into her face. Solo gave an angered expression and stood up and walked to the shore of the lake. With an almost diabolical smirk, Solo grabbed handful of sticky, stringy algae and slowly approached Link. Knowing what was coming, Link tried to shield his face. However, his defensive motion was too late and the clump of seaweed smacked into his face, leaving a slimy green trail as it slid down his surprised façade. Then, as if nothing happened, Solo sat down next to Link and began to absently pick at the grass in front of her.

"You are so dead," said Link, giving Solo a look that only a sibling would understand. Zelda watched yet another display of sibling rivalry with acute fascination. She could never understand why they relentlessly tormented each other so much, yet could still stand living with each other.

"You know, watching you two is probably more fun than anything else I've seen," remarked Zelda. This only garnered her two cold stares.

"Yeah, well you don't have to live with this lazy lump," commented Link, looking at Link but directing the comment at Solo.

Solo merely crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue. "You're the lazy lump," retorted Solo. "Do you know what it's like living with him?" asked Solo to Zelda. "Especially when I'm trying to sleep. He snores so loud it sounds like a stampede. Not to mention his walks around in his underwear all the time, which is not a pretty sight."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that," said Zelda, causing Link's face to turn beet red. He couldn't believe that Solo said that. "I'd give anything to see Link in his underwear." Zelda gave him an almost seductive look. "Or less."

Solo apparently, was not amused. "Yeah, you would," retorted Solo. "I'm just saying that that's not something I want to see. And after a while, his dirty clothes start to pile up and the whole house smells like a pig sty."

His embarrassment turning to anger, Link responded indignantly, "Yeah, well, what about the time you..."

"Could we?" interrupted Zoya harshly, stopping the argument suddenly. The three kids turned and looked at Zoya with shocked faces. "Thank you. Are they always like this?" asked Zoya to Zelda.

"All the time," replied Zelda, rolling her eyes.

"You guys are all too far gone to keep going for today. We can just continue our exercises next week." Link and Solo broke off their accusative stares and agreed with Zoya. "You're all too restless and we would just be wasting time if I tried training you anymore today."

"But we can just continue where we left off, right?" asked Link. "'Cause I really want to learn how to warp myself places and read people's minds."

Zoya sighed. Sometimes she wondered if enthusiasm was go or bad in this kind of situation. Sometimes being excited made them more eager to learn and made them concentrate harder. On the other hand, being over-enthusiastic could make them expect too much and then end up being disappointed when they didn't get the desired results. This obviously happened with Link. He was so excited that he might be able to teleport himself, that his excitement clouded his thoughts and he ended up in the lake. "You guys can practice somewhat on your own," said Zoya. "Every now and then I want you to just sit down and relax. Try to clear your minds of thoughts and meditate. Not only will meditation hone your abilities, it is also simply a relaxing activity—especially after a strenuous day. Just sit and think, and try to see how many of other people's emotions you can sense. You'd be amazed at how many different emotions you can feel at once." Zoya huddled the kids together to prepare them for their quick jaunt home.

Link paused for a moment and gave Zoya a questioning look. "Can I ask you a question?" said Link. "I just had a thought. Will we be able to teleport other people without actually having to go with them ourselves?"

"Well, sort of," Zoya smirked. "I know what you're thinking, and no. You won't be able to make some random person vanish without him even knowing. The subject has to be willing to do it. The only way you can teleport another person without their knowledge or consent is to physically touch them and to teleport yourself along with them. So don't get any crazy ideas."

"Rats," said Link.

"Are you guys ready?" asked Zoya.

"Yeah," replied Zelda for the whole group.

"Okay, where do you guys want to go? I can't send you guys to separate places, so you should decide on one place."

"You should probably send us to Link's house," said Zelda. She looked at him and gave a look of near-disgust. His clothes had begun to dry and now the algae was beginning to harden into some kind of crusty substance. "Because Link needs to change his clothes. Right, Link?" Link nodded his agreement.

"Very well," responded Zoya. She extended her right arm and faced the palm of her hand at the kids. "Now just relax and try to focus on where you want to go. If you guys try to exert some control over this, it'll make my job a whole lot easier. Take a deep breath and concentrate I'll see you guys in a couple days." Zoya closed her eyes and focused on sending the children to their destination. After decades of practice, teleporting others was almost unconscious. It had become so easy that it took very little concentration for her. The only drawback was the fact that once she teleported the kids, she would end up being tired and out of breath for a few minutes. But it was no different than sprinting a hundred yards. Just to amuse herself, Zoya snapped her fingers and the three children vanished in a brilliant flash of light. Zoya smiled to herself and walked back to her cottage.

---

Link, Zelda, and Solo had been walking through Hyrule Field and were just entering Lon Lon Ranch. Malon was in the corral babying the horses, waiting for the others to arrive. "Are my little babies happy?" asked Malon, directing her question at the totally oblivious horses. They continued grazing at the grass, mostly ignoring Malon. But she could tell that the horses were really happy. She seemed to have an unusual rapport with them, able to understand and read their feelings. Epona, who was now fully grown, walked up to Malon and gently nuzzled her with her nose. "Oh, what does my cute little Epona want?" asked Malon in a baby-voice. Epona snorted. "Oh, I don't have any apples for you. You'll just have to eat grass." The horse stared blankly for a moment and then walked away and continued eating grass. Malon smiled and walked back to the house. The others should be there at any moment.

Then, as if on cue, Link, Zelda, and Solo entered the ranch. Malon smiled and excitedly ran up to greet them. "Hi guys!" shouted Malon as she ran up to them. After a few moments, they finally met right in front of the house. Malon walked up to Solo and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "How's my little angel doing?" said Malon in an affectionate voice. "I missed you. It's been nearly two days since I've seen you."

"Well, I've been kind of busy," replied Solo. "We all have." Link and Zelda nodded.

Malon gave an understanding smile, she knew what Solo meant. "So you guys were doing those mind-warping-magical-teleporting-sorcery lessons?" said Malon, as really more of a statement than a question.

Solo sighed and nodded. "It's not sorcery," rebutted Link. "It's a part of who we are. And it can get really tough."

"Well, I'd really like to be able to read minds and teleport and stuff," pouted Malon. She looked at Solo. "Promise me that you'll take me somewhere nice when you can finally do that vanishing thing." Solo smiled and nodded, putting her arm around Solo's shoulder.

"Oh don't worry," responded Solo. "We can have plenty of fun with that later on. Speaking of that vanishing act, you wouldn't believe what happened earlier." Link flashed Solo a glare that seemed to say that she would die if she continued, but Solo disregarded Link's stare and redirected a smirk at him. "Link tried to do the teleporty thing, and he ended up falling in the lake."

Malon giggled and Link gave Solo another death-glare. "So fairy-boy fell in the lake, huh?" said Solo, stifling another giggled.

"Yeah, and he came out all soaking wet and covered with gooey, sticky seaweed," added Solo.

"Okay, I think we can stop talking about this now," protested Link. "This isn't let's-make-fun-of-Link time."

"Well, what are we going to do then, anyways?" asked Malon. She had no idea what the others had planned, she had only known that they were going to come over today. But Malon didn't care, she just enjoyed being with her precious Solo.

"I thought we could have a little night on the town," said Zelda in an excited tone. "It'll be kinda like a double-date."

"Ooh! That sounds like fun!" cheered Malon. "I'd love to go on a little date with Solo." Malon hugged closer to Solo, causing her to blush slightly. "So where are you planning on going? It's not like there's much to do around here."

"Yeah, I'd kinda like to know that, too," added Link. He was beginning to become bored living in the same place for so long. It seemed like he had already been everywhere and done everything. He wanted so desperately to get out of Hyrule City and to go find some action and adventure. But he also didn't want to leave Zelda behind. He always put her feelings in front of his, even when he didn't like it. Sometimes Link wondered if Zelda thought he was being to sappy and love-sick, but he couldn't help it. Link was completely devoted to Zelda, and gladly did whatever she wanted. Link knew he was spoiling her, but he felt like it was the only way he could express his feelings. Besides, she was a princess, it wasn't like she hadn't already been spoiled before.

"Oh, I've found a great place we can go to," said Zelda. "It's right by the market and I bet you guys didn't even know it was there."

"What is it?" asked Link.

"Yeah, tell us," prodded Malon.

Zelda purposely smirked, trying to annoy them. "I'm not gonna tell," she replied haughtily, turning up her nose. "Besides, it's a surprise. Don't worry, you'll all love it. We're definitely gonna have a blast tonight."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Solo. "Let's go." All in agreement, they turned around and began to walk out of the ranch. Zelda excitedly grabbed Link's arm and forcefully dragged him along with her. This had become a usual occurrence for him, and Link didn't mind in the slightest. This reminded Link of a comment Saria had made quite a while ago. She had observed Link and Zelda's relationship for quite a while and had developed a few interesting theories. She pointed out to Link that Zelda seemed to be the more dominant person in the relationship. It always seemed as if Zelda was the one who gave the orders and made the decisions, albeit lovingly, while Link merely followed her every whim. Link, of course, denied it, insisting that he was the man and he wouldn't let a girl boss him around. But it was obvious even to him that Zelda exerted quite a bit of influence on him. Link was completely devoted to Zelda and showed her undying loyalty. So what if Zelda was slightly dominant over him? In a way, he liked it. It took some of the pressure off of him. He knew that Saria was right, but he would never admit it.

After a few minutes of walking and mindless chatter, they finally crossed the bridge into the village walls. It was late in the afternoon, around five o'clock, and the night-life was just beginning. Zelda led them to the center of the market, which was beginning to wind down and close up for the day. Zelda stood there and smiled at the rest of the group, annoying them once again. "Well? Where are we going?" asked Link, annoyed.

Zelda took Link's hand and slowly led him to one of the side streets. "You're gonna love this place. My dad doesn't know I'm going here and neither does Impa. So don't tell them." They all nodded and agreed to keep the secret. Link, however, wondered what Zelda was getting him into now. She was always coming up with new schemes, each weirder than the last. Link hoped that he wouldn't regret this. They came around a corner into a dark alley and Zelda showed them to the front of a seemingly normal-looking building. She stood there and awaited everyone's reaction. "Well?" asked Zelda.

"Well what?" said Link. He looked at the sign in front of him. "It's a shoe shop."

Zelda sighed and gave a look of displeasure. "No, silly. It's down those stairs." She pointed to a small stairwell that was a few feet away from the shoe shop's door. Above the torch-lit stairwell was a small wooden sign that read: Magillikutty's. Zelda passed the shoe shop doorway and stood at the front of the stairs. Malon, Solo, and Link looked cautiously down the stairs, not knowing quite what to expect.

"You're taking us to a basement called 'Magillikutty's'?" asked Link, scratching his head.

"You are so dense," remarked Zelda. She grabbed Link's hand and took him down the stairs, the others following behind him. She opened the door and all of them walked inside. Link and the others were slightly shocked by what they saw. This wasn't a basement or a dungeon at all. The fairly large room was filled with rows of small tables with people drinking and chatting. At the far left of the room was a small stage with a man playing some kind of stringed instrument and signing fairly raunchy songs and limericks. The people in front of the stage laughed and cheered as the man finished another song. On the long side of the room in front of them, there was a long wooden counter with stools in front of them, many filled with men and women clutching drinks in their hands. Zelda looked at the other three and smiled.

"This is your surprise?" asked Link in near-disbelief. "It's a bar." He coughed slightly, the whole room was filled a very thin layer of smoke, most of it coming from various pipes and cigars in a few patrons' mouths. Link wondered what in the world possessed Zelda to take him here. Although he had to admit, this place didn't seem at all how he envisioned a bar to be like. The room was fairly large, but it seemed small because of the people. It was dimly lit by many torches and lamps, which gave the whole place a calming effect. It was almost...cozy.

"It's not a bar, it's a tavern," insisted Zelda. Link shrugged his shoulders, he didn't care what Zelda called it, it was still a bar. "Come on, let's go sit down." She led them to the main bar where there just so happened to be four free stools. They all climbed onto the stools and looked with awe at the huge array of bottles on the shelves behind the bar. There were hundreds of bottles of every type of liquor. The colors of the liquids ranged from every shade of gold and brown to every color of the rainbow. Link didn't even know so many kinds of liquor even existed.

"So, you wanted to take us to a bar?" asked Solo. She smiled. "That is so cool!"

"At least somebody appreciates it," remarked Zelda, trying to get Link to brighten up. His face had an expression not of disappointment or unhappiness, but more of amazement. He never thought Zelda to be the type of person to take him to a bar.

Link's musings were interrupted by the bartender walking up to them. The man was huge and extremely bulky. His face was round and chubby, covered with a large, black beard. He slapped a fat, hairy hand onto the bar and smiled at the young patrons. "It's nice to see some new faces here," said the bartender in a surprisingly kind and pleasant voice. His voice didn't sound at all like what one would expect coming from such a large man. He sounded more like an old woman than a large, burly man. "So what'll it be?" he asked.

Link, Malon, and Solo gave looks of utter confusion. They had no idea what they wanted. None of them had ever been in a tavern before, what did this place even have? Link began to mumble, but Zelda interrupted him, "Can you give us a few minutes? My friends need some time to decide. We've never been to a tavern before, so we're not quite sure what you have."

"We've got every drink you could possibly imagine," replied the bartender. "You guys think of what you'd like. Just give me a holler when you're ready." The man smiled once more and went to the other side of the bar to serve some other customers.

Zelda turned to look at her friends. "Do you guys have any idea what you want?"

They all shrugged their shoulders. "Are you sure you even want to be here?" asked Link. "I mean, have you ever even had anything to drink before?"

"Oh sure," replied Zelda casually. "Daddy and Impa let me have wine with dinner all the time." It was true, for the last year or so, Zelda's father had allowed her to drink wine with her meals. After all, it was a fairly common practice. He had decided that Zelda was old enough to decide if she wanted to drink or not. "What about you?"

Link looked slightly embarrassed. "Well...not really," he mumbled. "I mean, I've never had anything before. But I've seen people who have had too much to drink before and I don't want to end up like that." Link envisioned a staggering, blithering drunk like he occasionally saw wandering around the marketplace. He could never stand losing control over himself like that.

"Oh, don't be such a pessimist," remarked Zelda. "You'll be fine as long as you do it in moderation. If you drink too much you'll get drunk, but you'll be fine if you have only a couple. Come on, we can have fun," she said, jabbing Link with her elbow. "You can tell the guy what kind of drink you want when he comes over here. Hey mister bartender!" shouted Zelda, waving her arm wildly. "Come over here, we're ready!" Link buried his face in his hands from embarrassment; he felt like everyone was staring at him when in fact no one was.

The bartender saw Zelda's wave and quickly waddled over to them, his face beaming with a jolly smile. "So, you guys decided?" asked the bartender.

Zelda decided to speak for her group. "We all have an idea of what we want, but we might need your help picking something out." She looked at Malon, who sat the farthest away from her. "What do you want, Malon?"

Malon peered at the hundreds of bottles and scratched her head. "Don't you have a menu or something?" asked Malon. The bartender shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'm not sure." she mumbled, scratching her head. "I don't know, give me something that a person who's never had anything to drink would like."

"How 'bout a nice light ale?" suggested the bartender. "I'll get you one that not too heavy. You should like it. And you?" asked the bartender to Solo.

"I want something sweet!" replied Solo excitedly.

"Okay...how about mead? It's an extremely sweet drink made from fermented honey and then we add some fruit juices and spices. It's really good; you'll like it." Solo smiled widely, that sounded like just what she wanted. "And for you sir?"

Link was just as stumped as Malon. "I don't know..." he mumbled.

"Just give him a beer," said Zelda. "Something good and dark for my little man." Zelda clutched Link possessively, causing him to blush. But he agreed with her drink choice for him, and it was easier to just let her pick for him.

"And for you, young lady?" asked the bartender.

"I've heard a lot about Aldorian Whiskey, and I'd like to try it. Bring the bottle."

"Are you sure? That stuff is very expensive, and it's really strong," said the man. He was amazed that such a young girl would ask for a drink like Aldorian Whiskey. It was known for being extremely strong as well as expensive. It was more suited as "a man's first drink" than something a young lady would have. Zelda nodded her assurance and the bartender gave a smile. "Very well. I'll be back in a moment."

"Isn't this exciting?" said Zelda. "I thought we'd have a lot of fun tonight."

"Let's just try not to overdo it," said Link. He inwardly scolded himself, he was starting to sound like some kind of nagging adult.

"Hey, Link," said Solo. "You know, Saria was right about what she said about your relationship with Zelda." Solo gave a very predatory smirk, and Link glowered at her. Zelda didn't know of that conversation, and Link didn't want her to find out.

"Solo, ix-nay on the onversation-cay," said Link through his teeth trying not to make Zelda suspicious.

"What did she say about me?" prodded Zelda, very curious.

"Well, Saria told Link that she thought you dominated him. Like he let you order him around and he was just like a loyal little puppy. I think it's cute; he loves you so much." Zelda, Solo, and Malon giggled madly while Link's face turned a deep shade of red.

"Yeah, you're totally whipped," remarked Malon.

"I am not whipped!" countered Link.

Zelda put an arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's okay, Linkie-pooh. Don't listen to them. It's okay if you're my loyal little puppy," she said in a baby-voice.

"Come on, I don't let her boss me around. I just like making her happy. I'm perfectly capable of making decisions on my own. I'm the man here."

"That's so cute," remarked Zelda pinching Link's cheek. He knew he was fighting an uphill battle; he would never win in an argument against three girls. Especially girls like this. Before Link could make another rebuttal, the bartender arrived with their drinks. He placed the ale in front of Malon, which was in a large, clear mug. The liquid was a very light shade of yellow and there was a thin layer of foam on top. Solo's drink was served in a wooden cup and was thick and syrupy. The lager that the man gave Link was similar to Malon's, but was much darker and richer. Finally, he placed a bottle of liquor in front of Zelda, and poured a small amount of it into a shot glass. This liquor was a very unusual color, it was opaque and greenish. There were hundreds of tiny bands of green color swirling in the shot glass as Zelda picked it up.

"Now you be careful with that stuff, honey," said the bartender to Zelda. "It's the second-strongest drink I have. I don't want you choking on it."

"I'll be fine," insisted Zelda. She brought the glass to her lips and swallowed the liquid in one quick gulp. Her face contorted slightly as she swallowed it, and then she slammed to glass back down on the table. She slammed her hand against the bar repeatedly as the quick and sudden burning sensation traveled down her throat and into her stomach. When the shock had finally passed, she open her watery eyes and took a deep breath. "Wow!" exclaimed Zelda, hiccupping slightly. She could already feel a warm sensation traveling throughout her body. "That was pretty strong."

The bartender had a lock of near-shock on his face. He scratched his head in confusion. "Lady, I've never seen anyone handle a shot of Aldorian Whiskey like that before. I've seen grown men keel over and pass out from it. You didn't even choke or cough. Since you're such a nice young lady, the first shot is on the house. Just remember, that stuff isn't cheap." The bartender smiled and went to serve some other patrons.

"That stuff wasn't so bad," said Zelda proudly, pouring herself another shot. She hiccupped again, beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol. She sipped at the shot, not quite ready to down it all at once. She looked at the other kids in her group, who were all staring into their glasses. "Aren't you guys gonna try your stuff?"

Malon shrugged and took a sip of her drink. To her surprise, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It had a very light, malty flavor with a slightly sweet hint to it. She took another gulp from it and wiped the foam from the top of her lip. "That wasn't so bad," she said. "It's interesting...kind of bubbly, and it tastes like barley."

Solo, meanwhile was the only one other than Zelda who tried her beverage without having to be prodded. She drank a large sip of the sweet, sticky liquid. "This is really good," said Solo with a large smile. She waved the cup in front of Link's face, to his disapproval. "It tastes like honey." She hiccupped loudly, causing the other girls to giggle. Solo drank her mead quickly, enjoying the sweet flavor.

"Well, Link," said Zelda. "You're the last one. Go on, drink your beer." She poked him on the shoulder and he reluctantly took the mug.

He never thought that he would ever experience peer pressure like this, but there he was. Although he wasn't averse to drinking, he wanted to make sure he didn't overdo it. He had never had any experience with alcohol, so he had no idea what his limits were. "All right, fine. I'll try it," replied Link. He took a sip of the beer, which was a very dark amber liquid and had a thick foam on top. He swallowed the first gulp and set the glass back down. The texture of the drink was slightly heavy, and the flavor seemed to match its color. It was very robust, and slightly bitter. His face gave a look of surprise. "Actually, that's not so bad," he said taking another sip. This drink had the perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness.

"That's the spirit!" cheered Zelda as she gulped down the remaining liquor in her shot glass. She slammed the glass down once again and grinned at Link. He could tell that she was definitely more relaxed than usual. In fact, all of them were beginning to feel more comfortable and they all had a pleasant sense of well-being. "Link, you gotta try this," said Zelda, handing the bottle to Link and sliding the tiny glass over to him.

Link peered at the label on the bottle as he took another sip of his drink. When he came upon the price tag, Link almost choked. He quickly put the mug down and coughed for a few moments. "Zelda! This stuff is seventy-five rupees a shot!" exclaimed Link, pointing to the price tag.

"I know, silly," replied Zelda, her speech very slightly slurred. "I've got plenty of money. You guys can get whatever you want." She leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I'm the princess, remember? I'm rich!" She opened up the purse on her belt to show Link that it was full of purple and gold rupees. She must have had thousands of rupees on her. Link sure hoped no one else found out how much money she had. "I could buy the whole bottle if I wanted to."

"That would cost almost thirteen hundred rupees," Link pointed out. Zelda scoffed and poured a shot for Link.

"Go on, try this," she insisted, handing the shot glass to him.

Link wondered if he should do what Zelda said; he had no idea what his common sense would tell him because it was conveniently gone. He took the glass and gave Zelda a slightly accusative stare. "Are you trying to get me drunk?" asked Link bluntly, causing Malon and Solo to almost choke on their drinks laughing. Link wondered what Zelda would do to him if he was intoxicated. Dirty thoughts ran through his head and he quickly pushed them out. He was more honorable than that, but he knew Zelda might not be. He was more worried about her well-being.

"I'm not trying to get you drunk," replied Zelda casually. "I just want you to loosen up and have some fun for once. You're always so uptight worrying about things. Just relax."

Link nodded, Zelda did have a point. He often did worry about many things, most of which didn't even matter. He frequently drove himself crazy trying to please everyone and worrying about everyone else's problems that he never bothered to take time out for himself. "What the hell, you only live once, right?" said Link. He brought the glass to his mouth and swallowed the greenish whiskey in one gulp. As soon as he'd swallowed it, Link dropped the glass and began coughing violently. His mouth and throat burned and his eyes watered profusely. Zelda gently patted him on the back, trying not to laugh. She had no idea he would react like that. Link coughed a few more times, but finally relaxed after a few moments. He could feel the liquor going down his throat and into his stomach, causing a pleasantly warm feeling to course through his body. "How could you drink that?" he asked Zelda, his voice extremely hoarse. He took a long drink of his beer, which helped to extinguish the fire in his throat and stomach. "Oh, gods. That stuff is horrible!" he said in a disgusted voice. He stuck out his tongue and made a dissatisfied gagging noise.

"Really?" said Zelda, in a voice of child-like surprise. "I didn't think it was that bad. I think it's interesting. But I guess we just have different tastes."

"Well, you can go ahead and drink that stuff, I'll just stick with what I have," said Link, nursing the beer. He could still taste the horrible bitter flavor of the Aldorian whiskey, it was extremely unpleasant. Zelda poured herself another shot and began sipping at it. Link gave her a wary glance. "Please, don't overdo it, Zelda. That stuff is a hundred and fifty proof, and you'll get drunk real fast on that."

"You worry too much. I know my limits, I'll be fine." She sipped the whiskey again.

"You should've had some of this stuff," said Solo, offering him a taste of her drink, which he declined. "Oh, whatever. It's really sweet. It doesn't even taste like it has booze in it." She took a sip of her mead, and made a dissatisfied groan when she discovered that the flagon was empty. "Boy, that stuff sure went by fast. Hey mister bar guy! Can I have another one?" shouted Solo. The bartender waddled over and replaced Solo's glass, and she gave him a pleasant smile.

"You be careful with that stuff," warned the bartender to Solo. "Mead might not taste like it's alcoholic, but it really packs a wallop." Solo nodded her understanding and took another sip. The bartender noticed that both Malon's and Link's glasses were almost empty. "Can I get either of you a refill?"

Malon finished off her drink and shook her head. "No, that's okay. This beer was all right, but it's not exactly my favorite. Do you have anything that's a little sweet and fruity, but not too sweet like that stuff she's having?"

"Of course, I'll bring you a glass of our strawberry wine. That's what most of the ladies prefer. You'll like it." Malon nodded her agreement. The bartender turned to Link, who had finished his drink while the man was speaking to Malon. "And you sir?"

"Just gimme another one of these," replied Link, pointing to his empty mug. The bartender smiled and went to retrieve their beverages. Link was beginning to feel much more relaxed. Maybe Zelda was right, he didn't feel nearly as anxious as he usually did. "Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea," he said to Zelda. The bartender came back with Link and Malon's drinks and then walked off again. "Zelda, where did you ever come up with the idea of taking us to a bar, anyway?" He was very curious to know that. Zelda never seemed to be the type to go to a bar full of roughnecks and commoners. He always envisioned a princess to be the kind of person who would sponsor huge balls with snooty guests. He wondered if anyone here even knew that their princess was even in the same room with them.

"Well, I wanted to do something different," replied Zelda. "I'm sick of stupid parties and dances. I wanted to do something with just the four of us, where we wouldn't have to worry about etiquette and all that other boring stuff. It's a lot more fun just being a normal person." She gulped down her shot of whiskey and smiled at Link. She was beginning to feel more than relaxed, she definitely felt the effects of the liquor now. "Come on, let's do something fun!" slurred Zelda.

"Let's go over there, by the stage," suggested Solo. She pointed to a table surrounded by over a dozen people, who were cheering loudly.

"I wonder what's going on over there," said Malon.

"Let's go find out," said Zelda, cautiously trying to stand up. She wobbled for a moment and Link thought she was going to fall over, but she managed to balance herself. She grabbed her bottle and slowly stumbled over the table, followed by Link, Solo, and Malon. Link noticed Zelda's stumbling, he made a mental note to make sure that Zelda didn't have too much to drink. She was already on the borderline.

They went and stood in front of the table in question. At the table sat a middle-aged woman, who appeared to be about fifty years old. She had long, silver hair that was tied into a tight braid behind her back, an unusual hairstyle in this area. There were six bottles of liquor on the table, and one of them was empty. The woman held one of the bottles in her hand and she was busy pouring shots and drinking them. "What in the world is going on?" asked Link to no one in particular.

A bystander turned around to answer Link's question. He looked just like a normal person, but it was obvious that he had already had a few drinks. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves greatly. "This lady is totally crazy," said the man, pointed to the woman. "We all have a pool going with this woman. We're trying to see how much of that rum she can drink in an hour before she passes out. I had my money on ten shots, but she's already gone past that. Now I'm just watching to see how much she can drink. This is amazing; it's worth the fifty rupees I lost." The man turned around to everybody cheering.

"That's fifty shots!" cried the woman in a slurred voice. She threw the bottle to her side and uncorked another one. She poured herself a shot and prepared to drink it. "Who wants me to keep going?" The response was a loud cheer from the audience. With that, she gulped down the shot and began to empty the bottle, bit by bit. "How are we doing time-wise?" she yelled in between drinks.

"Thirty minutes left!" shouted someone.

Zelda's group turned to look at each other and they all had looks of shock on their faces. "How can someone drink so much?" said Zelda in amazement.

"I have no idea," said Link, eyeing the strange woman warily. "That stuff's gotta be fake. Nobody can drink that much liquor in an hour. I bet it's all a big hoax."

Link was startled when he felt someone slap a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see the huge bartender standing over him. "Trust me boy, this ain't no hoax. She's a regular here, but I've never seen her do this before. That stuff she's drinking is Hylian Rum, a hundred and ninety proof. It's the strongest stuff I've got, and she has all of it. I'll tell you, I've never seen anything like this. I've seen people pass out from drinking half a bottle, and unfortunately I've known people who died from drinking too much. She drank a whole bottle in fifteen minutes, and that's enough to kill a man. I'll give you a word of advice: don't ever do what she's doing." The man then walked away as abruptly as he had come.

"This is totally weird," said Malon, not believing her eyes.

"Come on, let's go sit down," whined Solo. The group agreed and they found an empty table near the stage. They all sat down and watched the drinking woman with fascination. They had a very good view of her from this position; there were no people in their way. The woman was already three-fourths of the way done with her third bottle, and showed no sign of stopping.

Zelda poured another shot of whiskey and gulped it down. Link bent over and grabbed the bottle before she could pour another one, to her dismay. "I think you've had enough," said Link. "I don't want you getting drunk."

Zelda folders her arms and began to whine like a little girl. "Oh come on, that's so mean," she complained. She put on the cutest face she could muster to try to guilt Link into giving her the bottle. "You sound just like Impa. Oh please, just one more, I promise I won't have too much." Link could tell that Zelda was obviously close to her limit. Her speech was moderately slurred and her eyes were a little glassy. Against his better judgment, Link let Zelda have one more drink. She smiled gratefully and sipped from the shot glass. "Thank you, Linkie-pooh," said Zelda. "That was so nice." She put on an almost seductive smile and leaned over to Link's face. "Did I ever tell you how much I loved you?" she whispered to him. Zelda leaned ever closer until she finally engaged him in a kiss. It was light and quick, but Link enjoyed it greatly. When they both leaned back into their chairs, they were met with hooting and lewd remarks from Malon and Solo.

"Oh, that's so cuuuute," teased Solo, closing her eyes and making kissing faces.

"You two are so sweet," said Malon. They both looked at each other and started giggling madly. Both Link and Zelda's faces turned red. They didn't care, no one else saw it. "Of course, you guys didn't do a very good job."

"What are you talking about?" asked Zelda defensively.

"Well, you didn't put enough feeling into that kiss," continued Malon. She too was feeling extremely relaxed and no longer felt inhibited by her normal common sense. She felt untouchable, as if she could do anything. She didn't care what anybody thought. "I'll show you how to kiss your girlfriend." To Solo's near shock, Malon leaned over and grasped her face with both hands. She then drew Solo's face closer until their lips locked in the most passionate kiss they had ever experienced. Malon's upper lip gently nudged open Solo's mouth and the tips of their tongues touched ever so slightly, sending shockwaves through their bodies. With a few more quick kisses, Malon released her grip and let Solo sit back down. The looks on Zelda and Link's faces were of utter surprise.

Zelda was speechless and Link was completely flabbergasted. "Oh..." he mumbled, not believing the display he had just seen. "Holy sh...Oh gods, I need a drink." He grabbed the bottle of whiskey from Zelda's fingers and took a long gulp directly from the bottle. "Oh man, that stuff is terrible." He looked at Malon and Solo, giving them glares. "Please don't do that in front of me again. Seeing somebody kiss my sister like that is...it's just gross," he stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Well, you kiss Zelda all the time," remarked Solo. "And I don't complain about it." Link only huffed. "You're such a baby. Give me that bottle." Link handed the bottle to Solo, at least she hadn't had too much to drink yet. Solo poured some of the whiskey into her empty mug, which had previously contained mead. She sipped at it slowly. "Do you want some?" asked Solo to Malon.

Malon shook her head. "No, I think this is enough for me," she replied, holding up the glass of strawberry wine. She drank the last few ounces and set the glass down. "I don't want to have too much. I feel pretty good right now, and if I have any more I'll probably get sick." She recalled the time many years ago when her father had had a party at their house with his friends. He had had way too much to drink that night, and had gotten extremely sick, vomiting multiple times. He had given up drinking after that day and hadn't had a drop since. Malon didn't want to end up being as sick as he had been. "But somebody is definitely feeling good," said Malon, looking at Zelda.

"What? I'm fine," she slurred. "Don't worry, I didn't have too much. I'll be fine."

Solo drank more of the green whiskey she had poured into her cup. Now she too was feeling the increased effects of this liquor. "Wow," exclaimed Solo. "You weren't kidding when you said this was good stuff. Go on Malon, try some of it." Solo waved the bottle in front of Malon's face.

Malon still declined. "No, really, I'm fine," she insisted. "I'm gonna have to stay sober to take care of you." She gave a mother-like glance to Solo.

"Whatever, sweetie, you don't have to have any if you don't want to," said Solo, her speech beginning to become slightly impaired. She finished off the whiskey in her cup and grabbed the bottle. With a dissatisfied moan, she noticed the level of liquor in the bottle was dwindling. "Oh, the bottle's almost empty," she complained. The bottle was a fifth of a gallon, and now only a tiny amount remained. Solo tipped her head back and poured the last few drops of the liquor directly into her mouth. "Rats, it's all gone." She dropped the bottle back onto the table, where it tipped onto its side and rolled to the middle.

"Maybe we should get another one," slurred Zelda, preparing to raise her hand to summon the bartender.

Link, however, grabbed her hand and gave her a stern look. "No, no more for you," warned Link, to Zelda's dismay. "You've had enough. And you shouldn't be spending all your money on that anyways. Impa and your dad would kill you if you came home drunk. You're already wasted, and they'll probably blame me for it." He imagined Impa lecturing him for hours about how he should have made sure Zelda didn't drink too much.

"Oh, they won't get mad at you," reassured Zelda. "I can do whatever I want." Her sentence was interrupted by loud cheering coming from the table with the drinking woman.

She stood up and threw her hands into the air like an athlete who had just won a marathon. She bowed a couple times to the cheers and applause coming from her small audience. "Thank you, thank you," she said, her voice slightly slurred. But Link noticed that the woman's speech wasn't nearly as impaired as Zelda's, and that made him wonder. Zelda must not have been very good at holding her liquor. "That's six bottles, gentlemen, over a hundred shots. And I did it in fifty-seven minutes!" The people hooted and cheered again, completely flabbergasted that a woman could drink so much liquor in less than an hour. Most people knew that one could die from drinking much, much less than she did. The woman bowed once more and dumped all the rupees that were on the table into her purse. "You all lost the bet. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get going. I might be back next week if you all want to lose some more money." To the group's dismay, the woman got up from the table and walked up to the bar. She pulled a couple gold rupees from her pocket and handed it to the surprised bartender. "Here's the payment for your rum plus a little extra for you."

The man gave a surprised look and tried to refuse the money. "Lady, seeing you pull that stunt is payment enough."

The woman shook her head, putting the rupees into the man's hand and closing it. "Please, I insist," she said. She was about to turn around and leave until the man put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Wait a second. I'm dying to know, how in the world did you manage to drink that much booze? I mean, I've seen people go into comas from much less. And you drank six bottles in an hour. You should be dead."

The woman smiled, a smile that seemed to say the man would never understand why, a smile that was almost sarcastic and haughty. "Yes, I should be," she replied, turning around and leaving. The bartender merely stood there for a few moments, deeply confused by the woman's statement.

Meanwhile, Zelda had given up trying to talk Link into letting her get another bottle of whiskey. She crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue at him. "You're no fun," she whined.

"Yeah, what if I want some more?" complained Solo. Zelda smiled, at least she had one other person on her side. Malon simply rolled her eyes, becoming amused by Zelda's childish whining.

"I just don't want either of you getting drunk," nagged Link. "I only had a couple drinks, and I know my limits. You two obviously don't."

"Oh, fine, be that way," said Solo, turning up her nose at Link. She saw a cocktail waitress walked past and she flagged her down. The waitress walked up to the table and Link sighed, handling two drunk girls was turning out to be a lot harder than he thought. "Can you bring us two more ales, please?" The waitress nodded and went to fill the order. Zelda smiled at Solo and stuck her tongue out at Link.

"Whatever, if you want to get wasted, you go right ahead," said Link, finally giving up. "But I'm not letting you get any more."

"That's so sweet," slurred Zelda. The waitress returned and placed the drinks onto the table. Zelda and Solo each grabbed one and began to drink them. "Is there anything else to do now that that lady's gone?" asked Zelda, looking around the tavern. Then she noticed that people were walking up to the stage and performing drunkenly. Some of them sang songs, others read poems, and a few told dirty limericks and ballads that garnered cheers and lewd hoots from the bar's patrons. "Ooh! Ooh! Look at that, Link!" cried Zelda, pointing to the people on the stage who were singing so off-key that it was almost painful.

"Oh, no," said Link with a determined glance. "There's no way in hell you're getting me to go up there and sing."

Zelda huffed. "You're such a kill-joy. Well, I'm gonna go up there whether you like it or not." Zelda tried to stand up, but Link pushed her back down.

"What are you even going to do?" asked Link. "Zelda, you don't want to go up there and humiliate yourself in front of everyone. What if they recognize you?"

"Oh, no one will recognize me," insisted Zelda, her speech very slurred. "Nobody knows what I look like. And I just want to go up there to say some things. I'll think of something when I get there."

"But Zelda, look at those people." He pointed to the drunken persons on stage. "They're making idiots out of themselves. I don't want you making a fool of yourself."

"I'm not gonna make a fool of myself, I'll be fine."

Link sighed, Zelda just wasn't listening to him. "Zelda, you're drunk."

"I am not!" she protested. However, her speech was so impaired that it was obvious she was extremely close to being totally intoxicated or already was so. "I'm fine, I'm just a little...tipsy. I want to be like everyone else and have a good time. I'm just trying to blend in."

"Yeah, you're blended all right," remarked Link sarcastically, causing Solo and Malon to giggle.

"Oh, why don't you let her go up there?" asked Solo, not making a very good case for Zelda. She too was intoxicated, she had had almost as much to drink as Zelda. Malon held Solo's hand and tried to get to sit back down.

"No, trust me. It's for her own good," said Link. Link prepared for another protest from Zelda, but he instead heard a dull thump. He turned to see Zelda's head face down on the table, drooling slightly. For a split second, Link looked up at the ceiling, silently asking why the gods were doing this to him. Link gently lifted up Zelda's head, and she was barely able to keep it up. Her face was flushed and red, and her eyes were watery and glazed-over. "You are blind, stinking drunk," said Link. Zelda mumbled meekly. "That's it, it's time to go home." This only caused Zelda to attempt to whine, but she didn't quite manage to. Solo took up the slack and made a disappointed moan.

"I agree," said Malon. "You both have had way too much. Let's go." Malon stood up and put one of Solo's arms around her shoulder. She helped Solo stand up, who was extremely wobbly and could barely keep her balance.

"Are you sure you can handle her?" asked Link, worried that Solo might fall and hurt herself.

"I'll be fine," assured Malon. "I could pick her up if I wanted to."

"Okay." Link turned to look at Zelda, who was still in her chair staring drunkenly at the table. "Let's get up." Link grabbed Zelda in the same way Malon had taken Solo, and he gently eased her out of her chair. Zelda wobbled and put almost all of her weight on Link, which he easily balanced. "We're leaving." Zelda nodded slightly, not feeling like putting up a fight. Link and Malon both led their drunken girlfriends to the front of the bar. Still holding onto Zelda tightly, Link unhooked the purse from her belt and put it onto the counter. The bartender walked up to him and gave an understanding smile.

"I take it you guys are done for the evening?" asked the bartender, shaking his head at the familiar sight of customers who had had too much.

"Definitely," replied Link. "How much do I owe you?"

"Well, you guys drank the whole bottle of Aldorian, and that's a thousand rupees. And the beers and ales you guys had add up to, oh...one twenty-five. So your grand total is eleven hundred and twenty-five rupees. I hope you have enough." This man had had a lot of experience with young customers who drank more than they could afford. He hoped this youngsters wouldn't be like that.

Link dug into the purse and pulled out a handful of shining rupees, handing them to the surprised bartender. "Here's twelve hundred. Just keep the change, you've been a really nice guy."

"Sonny, let me give you a word of advice. You and the brown-haired girl should be fine 'cause you two drank in moderation. But your two friends are not going to feel good in the morning. Believe me, I've had enough hangovers in my life to know that these two are in for a biggie. I recommend making them drink lots of water before they go to bed. That'll help prevent a hangover. But once the morning rolls around, the best cure is just sleep. You take care now."

"Thanks for the advice," said Link. He hefted Zelda's weight and slowly led her out the door, followed by Malon carrying Solo. Zelda just barely moved her legs, concentrating mostly on trying to hold onto Link and not fall over. Solo and Zelda both walked as if they were toddlers taking their first steps. Once Link and Malon had dragged their partners to the center of town, they paused for a moment. "Malon, why don't you take her home back to our house?" offered Link. "The bridge shouldn't be closed for another fifteen minutes, so you can still make it. Do you think you can walk her all the way there?"

Malon shifted her and Solo's weight to get into more comfortable position. "Yeah, I can handle her. I'll get her home fine."

"Okay, I'll take Zelda home, but just know that I probably won't be back until morning." Malon nodded and turned around to leave. "Malon, wait." Link looked at her with deep concerned eyes, which seemed to glow in the dark twilight. "Please take care of my sister. I don't want anything to happen to her. Promise me?"

"I promise," replied Malon. She then slowly helped Solo walk out of the castle walls.

Link hefted Zelda's body weight and walked her towards the castle gates. She occasionally took a few steps, but mostly relied on Link, who was practically carrying her. The went past the guard who quickly opened the gates for them, a slight smirk on his face. The guard knew that Zelda enjoyed getting herself into trouble, and the whole castle would be talking about this in the morning.

Link led Zelda up the path, where she tripped and fell down, taking Link with her. To his utter surprise she pushed him back down and sat atop his chest. She smiled seductively and Link felt like he was going to faint. This definitely wasn't like her. "Did I tell you I had a really great time?" slurred Zelda.

"Um...yeah," mumbled Link in response, feeling almost scared by the predatory look in her eyes.

Zelda examined her surroundings and saw that no one was watching them, they were alone in the huge yard in the front of the castle. "Well, the night's not over. We don't have to go inside just yet. I thought we could have a little fun first." She gently trailed her finger down Link's chest and smiled at him. Link was nearly paralyzed, his heart beating madly and sweating profusely. He gulped as Zelda leaned over and kissed him. Before he could make any response, she put all her weight on top of him and began kissing different parts of his neck and face.

He had never expected Zelda to act like this, and he was more nervous that he had ever been in his life. He knew what she wanted to do, but he couldn't let her seduce him. She was drunk and wasn't thinking straight. "Zelda, please, you're not well," said Link, breathing heavily. The feeling of Zelda kissing him all over his face and neck was unbelievable. He had always loved her personality and her wonderful nature, but now he felt so physically attracted to her. He was fighting an internal battle between his rational side and his deep, primal side.

"You worry too much," whispered Zelda. "Sometimes you need to listen to your feelings." She leaned over and placed her lips onto Link's, kissing him deeply. She gently nudged open Link's mouth with her lower lip and touched the tip of her tongue to Link's. He gasped, but she wrapped her arms around him and continued to kiss him passionately. Zelda then pushed her tongue into his mouth and began to explore with it. Link, finally unable to control himself, closed his eyes and put his arms around Zelda. He then kissed Zelda, their lips and tongues sliding and intertwining and passionate ballet. Zelda moaned as she continued to kiss Link, at a continually increasing pace. After what seemed like an eternity of exploring each other's mouths, Zelda broke of the kiss and started kissing down Link's neck, occasionally touching the tip of her tongue to Link's warm skin. He had never felt like this before, he felt so alive and so in need. He wanted Zelda, and she wanted him just as bad.

Then Zelda stopped kissing him, and began to fiddle with his shirt, trying to find some way to remove it. This action caused Link to jump back, his rationality coming back to him in a crash. He knew he wasn't supposed to do this, he couldn't let Zelda continue. He knew that they would both regret it if they went any further. "Zelda, no," said Link, gently pushing Zelda off of him and sitting up. She looked at him with almost heartbroken eyes. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"But I love you Link," said Zelda. She leaned over and kissed him again, only to be pushed away. She felt heartbroken. Did she do something to upset him? She suddenly became afraid that maybe Link didn't like her. "I want you so much. I love you more than anything, don't you love me too?"

"Of course I do," replied Link in a gentle and caring voice.

"Don't you want me too? Don't you think I'm beautiful? I've wanted to touch you for so long, and I want to feel your touch. I know you want me too. I want so bad to be able to feel you, to show you how much I love you. Why can't it be now?"

"Because Zelda, you're drunk. You can't make a decision like that when you don't have your full capacities. It wouldn't be right for me to let you do this. I know you love me and I love you too. I love you more than anything in the world. I would never do anything to hurt you. But if I let you do this, you know you would regret it. I would never forgive myself for that. Please tell me you understand."

Zelda sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have done that to you. Let's just go home." Zelda tried fumblingly to stand up, but couldn't do so under her own power. Link put his arms around Zelda and helped her up. With his assistance, she was on her feet quickly, a little more quickly than she had wanted. She wobbled around for a moment; she had gotten up too fast and now her head was swimming. The world around her spun out of control and she began to feel sickeningly dizzy.

Link noticed the pale expression on her face and began to feel concerned. "Zelda, are you okay?" asked Link, worried.

She clutched her stomach and shook her head. "I...don't feel so good." She was beginning to get that uncomfortable bile and retching sensation form in her gut and work its way up her throat. She fell to her knees and bent over as she began to gag. Then, with a loud retch, Zelda bent over further and vomited violently. Link turned his head away as the contents of Zelda's stomach were emptied onto the ground before her. She retched loudly and coughed a few times as her stomach finally stopped regurgitating its contents. Zelda leaned back and sat on her knees, moaning in extreme discomfort. She had never felt so sick in her life. "Uhhh...I feel...uhh," mumbled Zelda. She couldn't even manage to finish a sentence. She no longer felt pleasantly sedated like she had earlier. Now she was dizzy and her stomach was sending waves of horrible nausea through her body. She thought a little drinking was supposed to make a person feel good and relaxed, and now she felt absolutely horrible. That disgusting, acidic bile taste came back up as she bent over and vomited one more time. Link looked in horror as Zelda got sick again, which was not a pretty sight. Zelda took a deep breath as she finally stopped retching once again. She peered at the greenish-yellow stomach contents on the ground before her with morbid fascination. "Ugh, I don't remember eating that," said Zelda, peering at some half-digested lump of food. It was eerily fascinating to her. Link, however, thought he was going to be sick. Zelda finally gave up and collapsed onto the ground, lying on her back and staring up at Link with the most pitiful face he'd ever seen. "I can't get up," she moaned, almost to the point of tears.

"It's okay, honey," said Link, getting to his knees and putting one arm underneath her legs and the other underneath her shoulders. "I'll carry you home." He gently picked up Zelda and walked her home, cradling her like a baby.

Zelda out her arms around Link's neck and shoulders, and gave him an adoring look. "Thank you," said Zelda, sleepily. She let go of Link's neck and her head tilted back. Zelda closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep as Link carried her into the castle. He was surprised and almost thankful that she finally passed out. The look on her face was now serene and relaxed, much unlike the face she wore just a few moments ago. Link passed a very curious-faced guard as he carried Zelda through the foyer and up the stairs.

He was faced with an unusual dilemma when he came to Zelda's door. He still held her in both arms as he tried to think of a way to turn the doorknob without having to put her down. Then he heard a door open down the hallway and turned to see a very curious-eyed yet stern-faced Impa approach. "Can you give me a hand with her?" asked Link meekly, feeling extremely anxious that he was going to get into a lot of trouble. Impa nodded, and silently opened the door for Link, not giving him so much as an awkward glance. The sight of Link carrying a sleeping Zelda to her bedroom was so sweet, that she felt like a little kid again. Link gently placed Zelda on the bed, only a slight moan coming from her sleeping face. He stood above Zelda and then peered at Impa, a slightly confused and unsure look on his face. "Um..." he mumbled.

"Zelda's not going to be very comfortable like that," said Impa, pointing to Zelda, who was on top of the covers and still had all her clothes on. Impa walked over to Zelda's bed and tried to pull one of her boots off. Zelda merely moaned unconsciously, and gave no sign of being able to assist. "Think you can help me?" asked Impa. Link nodded and help her to remove Zelda's boots and socks. "We can forget her nightgown, just help me get her under the covers. Link gently picked up Zelda as Impa pulled the covers back. He then set Zelda back onto the bed and pulled the covers over her. After making sure Zelda was comfortable, Link sat in a chair and prepared to hear a long lecture. "You mind telling me what happened?" asked Impa in a serious tone, causing Link to fidget nervously. "I think I can make a guess as to why you carried her home practically in a coma. She smells like a brewery."

Link tried to think quickly and come up with an explanation. He didn't want her to get in trouble, so he decided to try to place the blame on himself. "It was my fault," he replied. "We went to a tavern in the town and I guess she had too much to drink, and I should've made sure that she didn't, but I guess I really couldn't say 'no', I'm sorry I really didn't mean to..."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," said Impa, interrupting Link's nervous ramblings. She gave Link a kind and almost motherly look, as if to say that she understood him. "You don't have to try and defend her. I'm sure it wasn't your idea to go to a bar." Impa smiled to herself, this must have been Zelda's idea. Only she would think of something like that.

"But I don't want her to get in trouble, I should have watched out for her and made sure she didn't drink too much."

"It's all right. I'm not mad. So let me guess, she dragged you off to a bar, right?" Link nodded in response. "That girl is always trying to do something to get herself into trouble. I guess it's just normal adolescent rebellion. She doesn't like being a princess and I guess this is her way of trying to shed that image." Impa looked at Zelda, who had rolled onto her side and was snoring slightly. "How much did she have?"

"I don't know...she got a bottle of Aldorian whiskey and finished most of that off."

"Holy goddesses in heaven!" exclaimed Impa. "Of all the drinks in the world she had to pick that one. That's what I drank when I first got wasted. How much of it did she drink?"

"About three or four shots. I had a little and then Solo finished it off."

Impa chuckled a little. "Well, she's definitely not going to feel very good when she wakes up in the morning. That stuff is notorious for the hangovers people get."

"You're not going to punish her are you?" asked Link concerned. "Because I don't want her to get in trouble. I shouldn't have let her have any more when I knew she'd already had too much."

"Quit trying to blame yourself. I think what she'll be feeling tomorrow will be punishment enough. This is one of those mistakes a person has to experience on their own if they're ever to learn anything from it. And don't worry, there's nothing wrong with have a little drink every now and then. After all, it's perfectly okay. I just think this'll teach both of you that the key is moderation."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I only had a couple beers because I was worried about her. Somehow I knew she was going to get drunk. It was almost funny."

"I'm sure Zelda made a hilarious drunk," mused Impa. "I remember when I first got wasted. I had a great time at first. We partied all night until I threw up and passed out. When a Sheikah, boy or girl, turns fifteen they are considered an adult. The whole town has a huge party on the lucky boy or girl's birthday, we call it the Day of Attainment. Everyone gets all drunk and rowdy and half the people end up passed out lying in the streets. The town doesn't go back to normal for days, and mine was no different. To this day I don't know why or how, but all I remember is waking up on the roof of my house." Link broke out laughing when her heard that.

"You climbed onto the roof?" asked Link in disbelief.

"Well, the Sheikah are known for their wild parties. Just remember this as a life lesson. Don't ever let alcohol take you over, because it can have disastrous consequences. Still, it was very honorable to try to take the blame for Zelda. It was almost...cute."

"Well, she's the princess and I don't want anything to tarnish her reputation. I love her so much and I don't want one mistake to start rumors."

"You don't have to worry about that," assured Impa. "It's an unwritten rule that nobody makes rumors when the royalty get too...rambunctious. It's so sweet how you carried her in like that." Impa remembered how her husband had always picked her up and carried her into her bedroom. It had kind of been a ritual of theirs. "You should probably go home. The guard can open the drawbridge for you, just tell him I said so."

"No, I want to stay here," insisted Link. "I want to make sure she'll be okay."

Impa saw the stern look of determination on Link's face as he said that. He glanced over at Zelda and the expression on his face melted her heart. Link had such a loving and adoring look on his face whenever he looked at Zelda. Impa had never seen anyone look at Zelda like that. She could tell that Link was unquestionably loyal and devoted to Zelda, that he would do anything for her. She couldn't say no to a face like that. "All right, you can stay and watch over her. I think she would like that. I can get you a sleeping bag and a pillow if you want."

"No, I'll be fine," said Link. "I don't think I'm gonna get much sleep. I just want to make sure she's okay."

Impa nodded and stood up to leave. As she opened the door, she gave one last look to Link. "I'm sure you already know this, but Zelda really loves you. You are the center of her universe. She hasn't stopped talking about you since the day you two met, and I don't think she ever will. She worships the ground you walk on, and I know nothing will ever change that. You're very lucky to have found someone like her, and she's lucky to have found someone like you. Well, good night. Try to get a little sleep." With that, Impa closed the door and left Link alone with the nearly-unconscious Zelda. He already knew the facts that Impa had told him, but hearing the words come from someone else made it seem all the more real. He was in love with her, and he was completely infatuated with her. Everything Zelda did enchanted him, even what had happened this night. There had been something beautifully childlike about how she'd acted. It seemed like whenever he thought he had found ever single reason to love her, a new one came up. He stood up and pulled the chair next to the bed. He sat down and rested his head on his hands, staring at Zelda. Her face is so serene and beautiful, he thought. How could anyone not fall in love with her? Link continued to stare at Zelda's face. She was his whole reason for being, and he had no idea what his life would have been like if he hadn't have met her. Link simply sat there in his chair, watching over Zelda. He was her protector, and he would never let anything happen to her. Right now, he felt like he was falling in love with her all over again.

---

Malon had finally managed to walk Solo back to her home in the Kokiri Forest. Listening to Solo's drunken ramblings on the way home had started out as entertaining, but now it was becoming annoying. "Did you ever notice how grass is always greener in the shade?" slurred Solo. " 'Cause you think it would grow better in the sun. Why is that? And it's always bigger, too. You know, the grass kinda reminds me of that stuff we had at the bar. You shoulda tried some of that green stuff, it was really good."

"We're home now," said Malon, annoyed. They were standing in front of the tree-house and Malon was wondering how in the world she was going to get her drunk girlfriend up that ladder. "Whose idea was it to put a ladder here in the first place?" groaned Malon. "Can you at least try to climb up there? I don't really feel like carrying you."

"Okay, I'll try!" replied Solo, grabbing onto one of the rungs. She shakily climbed up, albeit very slowly. Malon was directly behind her, expecting Solo to fall at any moment. To Malon's surprise, Solo successfully made it up the ladder.

They both walked into the house and Solo simply stood there, staring at Malon.

"Okay, I think it's time for you to go to bed," said Malon sternly. Solo whined in drunken protest, but Malon insisted. She pushed Solo towards the bed and made her sit down. "You need sleep."

"Fine, party-pooper," said Solo in a huff. She stood up and began to dig in a pile of clothes on the floor, stumbling in an attempt to keep her balance.

"What are you doing now? I told you to go to bed."

"I gotta wear my pajamas," replied Solo. She sat on the bed and removed her boots and socks. Then, to Malon's shock, Solo began to strip all of her clothing off, finally removing everything but her underwear and a camisole. Her face turning beet red, Malon turned around and didn't look. Solo paused and saw Malon's back. "What's wrong? You don't want to see me in my underwear?" teased Solo drunkenly, this only increased Malon's embarrassment, who still had her back to Solo. Solo threw the nightgown on the bed and grabbed Malon from behind. "What's the matter? I thought maybe you'd enjoy seeing me with almost nothing on."

"I'm just trying to be polite," mumbled Malon.

"Okay, fine," pouted Solo, slipping her white nightgown over her head. She walked over to the bed and lay down on it. Like a caring mother, Malon went over to the bed and made sure Solo was comfortable. "Thank you, Malon. I'm sorry, I guess I went a little overboard today."

"It's okay," said Malon. "You just had a little too much." They both looked into each other's eyes, saying things that words never could.

"You always took care of me," said Solo sleepily. She didn't realize how tired she was until she had gotten into her bed.

"It's because you're my little angel. You know I would do anything for you." Solo smiled. Then, in a totally reflexive action, Malon moved her face closer to Solo's. Their lips touched in a light, but emotional kiss. Malon kissed Solo a few more times, quick and short puckers on the lips. She then drew her head back, standing up and smiling. "I love you, more than anything in the world."

"I love you too," replied Solo. Malon walked over to the desk in the side of the room and sat down. The tiny oil lamp on the desk gave off a flickering orange glow that cast unusually shaped shadows on the walls. "Aren't you going to go to sleep?" asked Solo, already falling asleep. Her mind was already halfway gone, and the world was becoming fuzzy with the familiar feeling of sleep.

"I'm gonna stay up for a while. Just to make sure you're okay."

"All right...that's fine..." mumbled Solo as she finally drifted off into the peaceful embrace of sleep.

Malon sat at the desk for a few moments, staring at Solo's serene face. She looked so beautiful when she was asleep. Their was such an air of innocence to her face, that made her look like a young child. She almost seemed to glow in the dark room. As far as Malon was concerned, Solo was her light in the world. She loved her more than anything, and felt so grateful that she had found a soul-mate in such a large and harsh world. Only Solo understood how Malon felt. They shared their feelings and emotions. Malon had never opened up to anyone in her life, not even her father. Solo filled the void that Malon had always felt in her soul. Now she felt alive, and truly happy.

Malon looked around the house that she was in. Solo lived in such a small house. Malon couldn't imagine what it was like living in such cramped quarters with her brother. Malon always wondered what it was like having a sibling, and from hearing Solo's tales, she didn't want one. As Malon's eyes circled the room and passed her love, she noticed something underneath the bed, something small and squarish. Malon wondered what that was. She was never a nosy person, but her curiosity was bugging her. It was something under Solo's bed, and it was probably hers. Maybe it was a diary; it looked like it could be a book. Malon debated in her mind if she should see what it was. After all, they both shared all their feelings, so she would find nothing new in it. Against her better judgment, Malon crept across the floor and took the object from underneath the bed. She sat down and looked to make sure Solo was still asleep; Solo had rolled on her side facing away from Malon and the object. She was still sleeping soundly. Malon looked at the object and discovered that it was a book, about nine inches wide and twelve inches long. It was much bigger than a diary, more like a sketchbook. She wondered for a moment if Solo could draw.

Her curiosity unrelenting, Malon opened the book. The first page was blank, disappointing Malon. Nervously, she turned the page. What she saw shocked her; on the page was a beautiful pencil drawing of a girl. The girl in the picture had her back turned and was petting a horse. This picture was so lifelike, it almost looked real. Malon was amazed that Solo could draw so well. She turned the page to see a similar picture of the same girl feeding a carrot to a horse. The shading and curves and detail of the drawings was amazing. It seemed as if the emotion of the scene was embedded in the picture. It was such a normal everyday scene, but it was so beautiful when it was captured in this artwork. When Malon turned the page, she almost screamed with shock. She looked at the page and saw herself looking back at her. It was as if she was looking into a mirror. Sketched on the page was Malon, drawn in perfect detail. Every curve of her body and every minute shade and texture was recreated perfectly. Malon couldn't have seen a better representation of herself if she had looked in a mirror. The pencil drawing was absolutely perfect. In the picture, Malon stood in a relaxed pose, giving a small smile. Malon felt a tear roll down her cheek as she realized that Solo had drawn this, no one else could capture her image in such exquisite detail. It was then that Malon realized how obsessed Solo was with her. She couldn't believe that she had become such an object of affection. Malon saw Solo as almost a goddess, but she never imagined that Solo saw her in the same way.

Malon turned the page, and was almost brought to tears by what she saw. It was another picture of herself, but she was depicted with an almost god-like quality. In the picture Malon was standing in the clouds with the sun shining behind her. The paper almost seemed to glow. A small caption underneath the picture read simply: "My Godess." Malon felt a surge of emotion come up and she wondered if she could turn the page without having to jump Solo and smother her with kisses, telling her how much she loved her.

Malon turned the page, and saw no drawing. Instead, their was a small folded piece of paper in lying on the middle of the page. She unfolded the paper to see that it was a card. On the front of the card was another drawing of Malon, with tiny hearts floating in the air above her. Their was some writing on the bottom that said "Hapy Burthday." Malon then remembered that her birthday was only a couple weeks away. She had never told Solo when her birthday was, how did she find out? Malon reasoned that this must be a birthday card for her, made by Solo. Feeling completely overwhelmed with emotions of love and affection, Malon opened the card. Inside the card was very unorganized, scrawling handwriting. Ever since they met, Link had been teaching Solo how to read and write. Solo could already speak very eloquently, and she could read at a normal level. But her writing was below average, her penmanship was like chicken-scratch, and she had very bad spelling. But Malon read the card anyways:

Hapy Burthday Malon! i wan to say how much i luv you and this wass the onli way i coud think of. i luv you mor than antything in the world. Sinse its your birthday, i thout this wass the best way to say it. You shoud now that i wan to spend the resst of my life with you and i woud do anythin for you. You r the only person hoo undrstandz me. Your the only i hoo i fel konected with. You r my angel and i wan to dedikat my life to you. I luv you mor than anythin and i hope you fel the samme way.
Luv, Solo.

Malon felt tears flow down her cheeks as she read this. Solo had told Malon that she loved her so many times, but she had never felt it like this before. The feeling was so tangible and so real. Reading Solo's writing made Malon love her even more. She was startled when she heard movement coming from the bed. Solo moaned and started to roll over. Malon quickly closed the book and slid it back under the bed before Solo moved any more. After a few moments, Solo rolled over and opened her eyes. Malon quickly went to her bedside to see what she wanted. "Malon, I'm kinda cold," said Solo. "Will you...please, just lay next to me for a while? I'm just a little lonely. I don't want to impose or anything, but you look like you're tired, and I thought maybe you needed some."

"It's okay," interrupted Malon. "All you have to do is ask, you don't have to go into some rambling explanation." Malon smiled and sat down on the side of the bed.

"Oh sorry, I guess I got a little carried away. It's just that I was worried that maybe I was imposing too much on you and that maybe you're mad at me and you're just being too nice to tell me, I get that a lot."

"You're doing it again," pointed out Malon. Solo often went into rambling soliloquies and Malon usually had to snap her out of it. Solo decided to just close her mouth instead of risking another embarrassing response. Malon took off her shoes and socks, as well as her scarf and placed them neatly on the floor. Then Malon lifted up the covers and positioned herself underneath them. She lay flat on her back, with her hands underneath her head, staring at the ceiling. Malon felt a comforting warmth as Solo snuggled her body closer to Malon's and put her arm across Malon's chest.

Solo rested her head on Malon's shoulder and smiled, although Malon didn't see it. "Thank you," said Solo adoringly as she slowly drifted back to sleep. Malon enjoyed the warmth of another person next to her, it was so comforting. She felt safe and protected. It reminded her of her mother. When she was very young, Malon had always climbed into bed next to her mother whenever there was a thunderstorm. Now she had that same feeling of security that she remembered from so long ago. But now, instead of feeling simply protected, she felt like the protector also. Malon looked at Solo, who was sound asleep, her head still on Malon's shoulder. Malon loved this girl so much, and she would give anything to make her happy. If Solo wanted to sleep next to Solo, then she was happy to oblige. Malon still felt absolutely amazed by the glorious drawings that Solo had made of her. She wondered how she would be able to keep this a secret from Solo. She felt so touched by the discovery that she wouldn't be able to look Solo in the face without acting like she was hiding something. Malon was terrible at hiding things from people. And Solo could read Malon like a book, so it would be even harder to keep it a secret from her. She just hoped Solo would understand. Malon tried not to worry and closed her eyes. Then Malon too drifted off into the calming embrace of sleep.