Chapter 7

The four found themselves just killing time in the pub with it being too early to go to sleep but late enough the pub was clearing out.

Once it got to about five other patrons and the workers left Link pulled out his ocarina from his pouch and filled the air with pleasant music.

After a few bars in, the sound of a banjo added to the song, getting the four to notice a man at the bar strumming away.

As they got father into the song, Sam realized she recognized it and started to sing along.

"Near Banbridge Town in the County Down one morning last July, down a boreen green came a sweet colleen and she smiled as she passed me by. She looked so sweet from her two bare feet to the sheen of her nut brown hair. Such a winsome elf, I'm ashamed of myself for to see I was starin' there.

"From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Quay, from Galway to Dublin Town, no maid I've seen like the fair colleen that I met in the County Down."

A hand fell on her shoulder, stopping her singing as the barmaid sung words different from what Sam remembered, but only slightly.

"As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head, and I looked with a feelin' rare, and I say's, say's I, to a passer-by, "Whose the maid with the nut brown hair?"

"Well he looked at me and he said to me, "That's the gem of Hyrule's crown. Young Princess Zeld' from the banks of the Bann, she's the star of the County Down."

"From Goron Bay down to Lake Hylia, from Ger'do to Kokiri, no maid I've seen like the fair colleen that I met in the County Down."

Sam joined back in, guessing she could figure out where the changes were in the two songs, singing with the barmaid.

"She'd soft brown eyes with a look so shy and a smile like a rose in June. And she sang so sweet what a lovely treat, as she lilted a Hyrule tune. At the goddess dance I was in the trance as she whirled with the lads of the town. And it broke my heart just to be apart, from the star of the County Down."

The bartender came in as they sang, "From Goron Bay down to Lake Hylia, from Ger'do to Kokiri, no maid I've seen like the fair colleen that I met in the County Down."

Link and the man finished the song only for those not participating to break out in applause.

"I didn't know you could sing, Sam," Danny exclaimed, smiling at the girl.

"How many goths do you know sing anything?" Sam retorted as the banjo-ist started up another tune.

"What version of the song were you singing?" the barmaid asked.

"An old one from another kingdom," Sam tried. "Who knew the two songs were so close."

"Ours was made during the reign of Queen Zelda the first," the barmaid explained. "Everyone here knows it."

"Barmaid! Refills please!" a voice called out, drawing the woman away.

"So how many royal Zelda's have there been?" Tucker asked.

Link shrugged. "Queen Zelda the first was the one that started the tradition of carrying down the name but even she was named after her ancestor. I think Princess Zelda's the twenty-forth."

"That's gotta be confusing in history class," Danny said.

"Oh so you do have history lessons?" Link asked. "What are you studying to be?"

"Astronaut," Danny said with a smile.

"Lawyer," Sam said.

Tucker shrugged, admitting, "No clue yet."

"An astronaut, what's that?"

"A studier of stars that goes into space," Danny tried to explain. "We've had people walk on the moon and soon on our neighboring planet, Mars."

"I don't totally understand how, but it sounds cool," Link offered only to yawn.

"I guess we should hit the hay," Sam said, glancing around for a clock only to not find one. "We've gotta long trek tomorrow."