Hehe, another longish chapter for you all. I hope you like it, I will be away for about a week so here this is! Any more ideas?

Tall, dark and handsome, and rather mysterious. Do you like him?

Hope you like.

"Thank you." Came the quiet reply.

Glancing at her companion, "Pardon? Did you say something?"

"No."

Turning around, looking for the bird she asked, "So, where is that cucco?"

"By the back gate to Dodongo's Cavern."

"And where is that?" She inquired.

Throwing back his head, he laughed. Watching him, she tilted her head back humouredly, saying, "I seem to provide quite a bit of entertainment today."

"No, it's not that, I grew up near here, if you were actually a villager, you would know." He chuckled again. Smiling, she waited patiently for him to regain his stern composure once more. Wanting to speak to him, she asked him, "Why are there guards in the village today?"

"They aren't."

"Pardon? They are dressed as castle soldiers. Albeit a bit scruffier than usual, and clearly not on duty."

"How much do you know about the goings on at the castle?"

"Not very much, recently," she admitted, "Though I hope Zeke is doing well." Casually throwing the last line out as bait. Rising to the occasion, he continued on, "It seems that the Princess has vanished, you knew that much, correct?"

"Of course, the village has been very concerned with the fate of its own crown princess." Leia goaded.

"The Queen is very concerned, however the consort wasn't particularly distressed. The court speculates that he had something to do with the Princess' disappearance. But that isn't the most recent news. It seems the Queen has become tired of the consort's behavior, and has recovered quite well from the death of her spouse. However, now both of her children have been separated."

"What?" Leia breathed out.

Leaning closer to her, he whispered, "Bryal has kidnapped Prince Zeke."

"NO!"

Surprised at the outburst, people turned towards them.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, studying her with a practiced eye.

"Uhm, no. Just that the toad would do such a thing." Leia quickly said.

Seeming to be satisfied with something, Leia added, hurriedly, "So has the Queen found the Prince yet? He must be scared."

Tilting his head, he seemed to be weighing his options, before saying blandly, "Probably, he has had his sister around him his entire life."

Frowning, she knew he wasn't telling her something. I guess it would be strange to find someone who seems to know the state of current affairs in the castle in the remote village. And he knows that those guards are not from the castle. So they're either deserters, or they're with Bryal, and that means Zeke's nearby. And nothing Bryal could do, can keep me away from my little brother.

Turning to the man, she thanked him once again, "Thank you for telling me. I hope to see you soon."

Bowing, he replied, "It will be a pleasure, I shall definitely see you once more."

Hearing the cucco squawk, she caught the bird, and walked away. Turning to wave farewell at him, he had vanished.

Looking around confused, she shook her head, I have more important things to worry about than some mysterious attractive man. Going towards the pen, the cucco lady gave Leia a bottle. Thanking the woman, Leia turned away, walking along the gate, asking the 'real' guard on duty. As it was difficult to see his expression through his mask, she moved away. Trying to go through the gate, two voices called out to her, one was the guard's, the other, Link, who was coming down from the path. The blue hilt of his broadsword was peeping out from behind him, proclaiming that despite Link's best intentions, he was on no mercy mission.

Tell me what you think!