I don't own Legend of Zelda. If I did the games would tie in together better and there would be a few different ones added in.

Chapter Three: Link's Life Story

It was sunset now and Link hadn't left Romani Ranch yet. In fact, he spent most of the day outside by the stable that Epona used and was in. He kept to himself and stared at the sky, lost in thought and glad that the moon was where it belonged. He could see it a little, like one normally could in the day, and there it strangely looked like a normal moon. He couldn't make out the face at all now.

Romani and Cremia had left him alone all day, but now the younger girl shyly approached the green-clad boy. "Um... Grasshopper?" No response. "Link? Would you like some dinner?" They both heard his stomach growl and knew his answer.

Link joined the two ranchers for dinner. He thanked them both for their hospitality and ate much more civilly then one would expect of him. He did guzzle down quite a bit of milk though. He didn't contribute much to the conversation as always, so the two girls did most of the talking at first.

"Say, little boy, is it true that you were the one that stopped the moon?" Cremia asked, hoping to brighten the Hylian boy's mood.

"Where'd you hear that?" Link asked, curious.

"Well, that fairy told us the other day. Plus the carpenter's boss at the carnival said he saw you go up the clock tower just before the moon vanished." Cremia answered.

"Well... yeah, I did. But four giants helped too." Link modestly told them, not feeling boastful over his deeds.

Nevertheless, Romani was quite impressed. "Wow. You're a hero."

"I guess. Back home I'm called the Hero of Time." Link added. Normally he'd say this with more enthusiasm, but today he had a lot on his mind.

"Really?" Both girls asked.

"Yeah. Back home, in Hyrule, I had to fight in two times seven years apart to defeat one man, a Gerudo named Ganondorf." Link explained. "It wasn't easy."

"What did you do?" Romani eagerly asked. She loved to hear adventure stories.

"First, I had to acquire three sacred stones, cure a tree of a curse, or at least try to, then save the Goron's food supply, and rescue a Zora princess inside a whale." Link shuddered a little and looked down. "Ugh. That last one gave me nightmares for a week. You want disturbing? Try being in a whale's gut. The smell alone is enough to make you want to swear off eating fish."

Link noticed their bothered faces and quickly changed the subject. "Sorry about that. After that part, I had to travel forward in time and became an adult. Then I had to rescue six people called sages, most who were close friends to me. I even had to go back and forth thru time a few times, so I lost track of how long it took me to do the job."

"Eventually I faced Ganon himself." Link continued. "He simply refused to accept defeat. When he finally did go down, the princess of Hyrule had to seal him in another realm. Then she sent me back to my original time, which is now, and it was like nothing had happened."

Link sighed. "Then I was on my way home and I got ambushed by the Skull Kid and brought here."

Link's eyes widened. The Skull Kid had gotten to Hyrule. He must surely know how to get back. Tomorrow Link would find him and find out how to get home.

"Wow." Romani said. "You've really done all that?" Link nodded. "That... you're right. It doesn't sound easy." Something appeared to be on her mind all of a sudden. "Hey. While you're here, could you stay and help out around the ranch for a few days?"

"Romani!" Cremia gently scolded her younger sister.

"Why not?" Romani countered. "We could use a man around here. Besides, that vagabond does nothing that's not cucco-related and our aunt's too obsessed with her dogs to find a husband. Link here helped us out greatly several times. The least we can do to repay him is offer him a place to stay until he goes home."

"Thanks, but I'll probably just sleep outside tonight." Link said.

"Why?" Romani asked, sounding just slightly disappointed.

"Well, I might be able to go back home tomorrow. And I'm used to sleeping outside anyway. I appreciate the offer." Link explained.

"I don't like the idea of a young boy sleeping outside, even if he's an experienced warrior." Cremia countered. "I insist you sleep in the guest room tonight."

"Why can't he sleep in our room like last night?" Romani asked, surprising Link.

"Because last night we needed to keep an eye on him since he wouldn't wake up." Cremia answered. "And because I'm sure you'll try to sleep next to him again, which you shouldn't do."

"You... slept right next to me?" Link asked, more than a little embarrassed.

"We found you passed out in the field and brought you here." Cremia told the boy before Romani could say anything. "We put you in her bed to keep an eye on you, and she apparently decided to keep you company."

Link adverted his gaze and took another bite of his meal. But he still couldn't stop blushing and occasionally glancing at Romani once in a while.

--

Link was now in the house's guestroom on the ground floor. He laid back on a futon-like mattress staring at the ceiling, unable to get to sleep just then. He heard the door open and sat up right away. Romani walked in and sat down next to him like it was completely natural.

"Umm... what are you doing?" Link asked.

Romani giggled. "For someone as brave as you claim to be, you sure get nervous around girls, Grasshopper."

"Well, I've only really been around four girls back home, and none were as direct as you."

"Four girls, huh?" Romani asked. "Any of them cuter than Romani?"

Link couldn't tell if she was jealous or just toying with him. "Well, one of them looks an awful lot like you. But... you're more of a spitfire than she is." She gave him a look. "It's a good thing you're like that. It makes you more fun to be around."

"What about the other three?"

Link took a deep breath. "One's a Zora, one's a princess, and the other's a Kokiri. And no, they're not cuter than you."

Romani blushed and swatted him on his chest. "Oh, you're just saying that."

"No, I'm not. I don't find Zoras cute, and Saria, the Kokiri girl, is cute, but she's practically a sister to me. As for Zelda, the princess, you're definitely cuter than she is."

Romani smiled then hugged him friendly. "Will Grasshopper promise to visit Romani in the future?"

Link patted her head. "Grasshopper promises." He then laid back on the futon and Romani cuddled up next to him. "Does Romani plan on sleeping next to Grasshopper all night?" He asked, deliberating mimicking the way she talked.

"You weren't complaining last night." She coyly told him.

"And I'm not complaining tonight either." He reassured her. "But... may I ask why?"

Romani shrugged and yawned. "I don't know. Just like it. You're warmer and more comforting than any teddy bear, that's for sure."

The ranch girl then closed her eyes and went to sleep. Link stayed up a little longer, surprised that he actually was this close to a girl, and not as bothered by it as he would have thought before.