ica.N. some of you people are going to tell me that I sux at writing. And it's true! -_-;; Anyways enjoy. I've got to many stories to keep track of and I've just started another one. -_-;; Please review other stories if you read YUGIOH. I'm screwed. -_-;; I'm SO screwed. I keep on starting new stories, and not finishing them. What a drag. Well, you can help me by clicking the little button at the end of this page! Enjoy!

~~*Just A Peasant; Nothing More*~~

Princess Zelda bent down to smell the small, pink wildflowers. She was in the forest, during spring. Her father hated her to go out of the Castle Walls, so she always snuck out when no one was there. She hated the "royalty" life. All those frilly dresses, and those stupid corsets. She loved the mornings, as it made her feel like as though she was free.

Suddenly, two pairs of heavy footsteps warned Zelda. She turned around fearfully, and saw two men just footsteps away from her.

"Ha! There she is! Hurry!" the bigger one yelled at the smaller one.

Zelda froze for a second, and then she started to run. The branches tore at her clothes and her hair. She continued to run, and saw some tall grass. She tried to run into it, so that she could hide.

"Gotcha!" the big man cried as he seized her from behind.

She screamed as she was lifted into the air.

"That wasn't so hard was-," he was cut off as an arrow sprouted at his throat. He clutched his neck, dropping the princess. He staggered a few steps, and fell to the ground in a dead faint. Zelda slammed to the ground, just footsteps away from the giant.

"What the?" the other man cried, clueless. He was cut off by another arrow, stuck in his back.

As Zelda lay on the floor, she peered up to look at a young man, extending his hand out. She took it, and got to her feet.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem," the young man answered, gazing off into the distance. The sun was beginning to set, and in one hour, darkness would arrive.

The young man had blonde hair, and he had dark blue eyes. He was holding his bow, and on his back was his quiver of arrows.

"Do you live around here?" he asked, turning back to look at her.

"Umm.I don't.I.um." Zelda stammered.

"Then you must spend the night at my home. Darkness comes swiftly here, and you could get lost on the roads. The name's Link by the way."

"Thank You, my name is Zelda." She replied, ignoring the 'princess' part of her name.

"We'd be best to set off now, as you seem rather.worse for wear."

"All right."

As they walked through the tall grass, they came upon a cozy cottage.

"Welcome," Link told her. She stood gaping there at the cottage. It looked so much friendlier than the cold, stonewalls of her home. Link led her into the cottage. "You must be tired," She nodded, not sure of what to say. "Follow me, they're a lot of spare bedrooms in my home."

He led her to a bedroom, and opened the door. "If you wish, you can reside with me as long you like. The wardrobe there," he nodded toward a wardrobe in the corner of the room, "Is filled with attire such as yours. They belonged to my.deceased mother." He gave a curt nod, and left to the kitchen.

She walked into the room, and opened the wardrobe. She found dresses in many colors, not too fancy, but that was fine with her. She was sick of all the frilly dresses her servants made her wear. She chose a light blue colored dress, and put it on, leaving her torn dress on the bed. She ran a brush through her hair, combing out all the twigs and some grass that was in her hair. She set the brush down, and walked out of the room to find Link.

Link turned around to find Zelda at the doorway. His mouth dropped open as he saw her, but closed it quickly. He walked over to her and tapped her on the shoulder, and gestured to the table. Some bread, some soup, and some water. That was all. She didn't mind. Castle food was so dull. The bread was tasteless, and Zelda had dipped some into her soup. "Princess! Dipping bread into soup is a commoner act! Never ever do that again!" Mistress Peach has told her. She doubted that Link would care. She sat down at the table, and took a bite of the soup. It was really good, compared to the dull soup that she had every morning, lunch and dinner.

"I've never been much of a cook, really." Link told her between a mouthful of bread.

Zelda smiled as she filled her mouth with more soup.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Link woke up early in the morning, and he went out to a flat piece of land that he had cleared. He unsheathed his sword, and took off his shirt. He swung his sword around, and started to practice. A series of thrusts, some blocks, some turns, some kicks.

Zelda woke up, half expecting to hear Mistress Peach tell her that she had another royal duty to do. When she threw off the covers, she realized that she was still at Link's cottage. She made her bed, an act Mistress Peach would scold her for doing, and ran a brush through her hair. She put on a purple silky dress, and walked out of the room. She looked around the house for Link, then she walked outside to look. A glint of metal casting off the sun made her curious, so she walked toward it. She found Link practicing without his shirt on. The sweat gleamed on Links muscles as Zelda came in view.

With a final thrust, Link turned around, and saw her standing-gaping at him.

"Um."

"Uh.sorry if interrupted you in your.sword practicing." Zelda said, not knowing what to say.

"You didn't uhh.interrupt me. I just uhh.finished," Link replied in the same manner.

Zelda spied his green shirt on the floor, and bent down to pick it up.

"Uh.here,"

"Thanks."

He put on the green tunic, and slid the sword back into his sheath.

"Why don't we have, breakfast?"

"Um, sure."

They walked back into the cottage, where Link had already prepared food.

"Uhh.Link?"

"Yeah?"

"Um.can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure," he replied.

"I'm really..Princess Zelda." She slowly said.

Link choked, and coughed, "You're Princess Zelda?"

"Yeah."

"Forgive me princess, I should have known you sooner," he cried, spring to his feet so her could bow.

"No need. I hate this kind of stuff. Get up. I'm exactly like you, except my family and the people that order me around are completely snobby and greedy." She sighed, "Stupid dresses and corsets. You're the only person who actually treats me like a friend. It's always, "Yes, Princess, Right Away Princess, NO! You're supposed to use that fork!"

"No wonder those two idiots were chasing you! Does your father, the king, know where you were?"

Zelda shook her head. "If he knew, he would have killed me for setting foot outside the door of the palace. Otherwise, he'd insist that I have 10 stupid knights guarding me. I wouldn't get any peace, in fact, I don't have any at the castle."

"Wow.I've always dreamed about how nice it would be to be royalty. I never knew it was so."

"Screwed (didn't know what to write there! -_-;;)" Zelda finished off for him.

"Still, your father will be worried about you. I suggest that you should get back there as soon as possible."

"I know.but what shall I tell him?"

"Make up some wild story about those two hooligans."

"All right."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She took one last look at the cottage that she has stayed at. Link's hands were around her, in someway, because he was holding the reins of his horse.

A quarter of the way there, and Link's horse whined. She wouldn't take another step. As Link dismounted her, 4 men attacked. Despite the surprise attack, Link drew his sword and thrust it into on of the men, and the man instantly died. He spun around, creating a butterfly sweep which injured another, and gave another a gash. He put the two out of their pain as he slashed through their throats. The fourth, was harder to attack. The two battle for thirty minutes, and still there was no victor. Link faltered once, leaving an opening for the man. The man took the chance, and slashed at him, creating a long cut that drew blood, which seeped onto his green tunic. Ignoring the pain, he attacked his attacker, and then he kicked him, in the stomach. The attacker slammed into a tree, and met his death at the end of Link's sword.

Link clutched right arm, as he staggered toward Zelda, and his horse. Zelda slid off the horse, and ran towards him. "Link! You're hurt!"

"I'm.fine." he grunted.

"I might be no doctor, but I know that your hurt. Here," She steadied him over to a tree, and made him sit down. "Take off your shirt, or I won't be able to get at the wound properly. I'll be right back."

As he obeyed, Zelda walked off into the forest, and picked some plants, and walked back toward Link. The wound was roughly 3-4 inches long, it ran vertically down his right arm. She nodded silently, as Link winced. She crushed the plant, and made some type of paste, and she spread it across the wound. Finally, she went to the horse, and got out her shredded dress. She ripped the dress into long pieces, and wrapped it around his arm..

"I'm afraid that will have to serve as a temporary bandage, but it will have to do, I'm afraid." She said, looking very downcast. "I'm so sorry that this had to happen to you."

"I'm fine," he protested. Well, it was part true. It didn't hurt THAT much anymore.

"No your not. I'm afraid we're going to have to rest here for at least an hour. You might injure yourself if we start now. You may as well take a nap or something."

Sooner than Link thought, the hour passed by quickly, and soon they were on their way to the castle. When they were just about there, Link stopped the horse.

"What is it Link?"

"I.uh.want to give you something before you.uh.go back." he slowly said.

He opened his palm, and in it lay a silver necklace, with a silver leaf as it's pendent. As he held it out to her, Zelda gasped, "Link, it's so pretty!"

"I'm glad you like it,"

"But why are you giving it to me?"

"A little something to remember me by," Link told her while clucking to the horse.

As they approached the castle walls, they were stopped by two guards.

"Princess Zelda! Your father is so worried about you! You must go find him. As for the stranger, he must stay outside."

"He is my friend. He will pass with me. That will be all."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Zelda! Where have you been?"

"Outside, father"

"OUTSIDE? WHAT ON EARTH MADE YOU GO OUTSIDE??"

"Um.there were these two men."

Zelda started a long and wild story, so long that her father was constantly nodding his head, half asleep.

"And then, this young man here, who goes by the name of Link saved me father! He really, really did!"

"Why, he's a boy!"

"Not really Your Majesty, I am around 17 years old."

"I see. Oh my god, what happened to your arm!"

"I was uh.injured on the way here, your majesty," Link replied.

"Please go look for one of our nurses, she'll make sure that you don't get any infection from it,"

"Thank You, your majesty."

The king nodded, and faced Zelda, "Ahh, Zelda, will you excuse us. I have something to tell Link before he goes."

"Yes Father."

Zelda gave one last look at Link as she left the room.

"Um, Link, I have been having some nightmares about Gannondorf taking over again, and harming Zelda. How would you like to be my daughter's protector...er.Link?"

"Whatever would make you happy Your Majesty." Link replied.

"I'll take that as a yes. Off you go."

a. N. please read and review! ^^;;