Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Zelda characters. They are all property of Nintendo.

A/N: I didn't get so many reviews for the last chapter, maybe because it was bad, I don't know... but I'm going to put the next chapter up too, just for you who actually want to read this story. I feel as though it's not going anywhere, but I have the feeling that this story is going to be pretty long, so that's why. I don't want this story to end after just a few chapters! I read a statement in one of the reviews, that it's not much romance in this story yet. It's because the story – in my opinion – just has begun and there are a lot of things that'll happen later! It's probably going to be L/Z romance later in this story, but I don't want to do it right now, because Link and Zelda are children in this story, and I want them to be more like good friends in the beginning. I'm probably going to add a few other romance stories as well, but more about that in the following chapters, if there are going to be any, that is. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed this story so far! My special thanks are for Ani1, you're really encouraging me.

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Chapter six: People can actually change

The following weeks were the best time in Zelda's life. She lived a happy life in Kokiri Village with her new best friends Link and Saria, and the two fairies Navi and Tatl. When they were all together, they used to take walks around the village, play all day or go for a swim in the pond. With Saria, Zelda did 'calm' things like picking mushrooms in the forest, but with Link, she learned to climb in trees, use a slingshot and a little sword and tell the difference between a Skulltula and a Deku Baba.

If someone from the Castle had been there, they wouldn't have recognized the Princess at all. She had completely changed. Her shyness and polite behaviour had gone and she had become more of a tomboy. She didn't regret staying in the forest, she didn't miss anyone from the Castle except Impa.

Impa had been like the mother she had never had. She could tell Impa everything, share her problems, her sorrow or her happiness with her. Impa would always understand her. Zelda was worried about her, she knew that Impa probably missed her very much. But the young Princess really liked her new life and wouldn't return to the Castle.

The only dark cloud on her blue, cloudless sky was Mido, the so-called leader of the Kokiri people. He did everything he could to insult Link and Zelda or be mean to them, but if Saria was with them, he didn't do anything. He had not given his hopes up about a possible date with Saria. But she detested him. She knew that Mido hated Link and Zelda, but she couldn't do anything to change it. She really cared for Zelda and wanted her to be safe. The Princess wasn't allowed to walk in the forest alone, since the soldier that had been looking for her had been attacked by Wolfos a couple of weeks ago.

And Mido... he was the one he was, and it seemed impossible for him to change. But everyone can get a second change, can't they?

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"Make sure you hold it steady", Link told Zelda. "Then close your right eye and aim for the bulls-eye."

Zelda held Link's fairy slingshot in her right hand. She slowly pulled her left arm back, then closed her eye and tried to focus on the target, which was attached to a tree branch almost twenty yards away. She released the Deku seed and watched it fly through the air and hit the target next to the bulls-eye.

"You're getting really good with the slingshot!" Link exclaimed and clapped his hands. Zelda smiled. She knew he just wanted to cheer her up, but she appreciated his praise anyway. She put a new Deku seed on the slingshot and aimed for the middle of the target. She released the Deku seed again and smiled happily as she saw it score a perfect bulls-eye.

"Wow! That was incredible!" Link said and patted her on the back. "You're almost as good as me", he added mockingly and puffed out his chest, trying to look proud of himself. Zelda laughed. She new that it was a lie; she would never be as good with the slingshot as he was.

"Let me try", Link said and she gave him the weapon. He put a Deku seed on it and tried to aim for the target, but lowered the slingshot as they heard a distant scream.

"What was that?" Zelda asked.

"I don't know. Let's go and take a look." When Link said 'go', he didn't mean it. He rushed through the woods in an incredible speed, so that Zelda had problems to catch up with him. When they had run for almost ten minutes, Link stopped dead in his tracks and watched the scene with horror. Zelda stopped right beside him, panting heavy, and when she was what was happening she let out a scream of fear.

Mido was hanging on to a branch about ten feet above the ground. He looked horror-stricken and stared at the Moblin beneath the tree. That was what it was, a Moblin. The big, pig like creature roared angrily and tried to reach Mido's legs. Fortunately, it was unarmed. But the long tusks and its hostile appearance was frightening enough.

Link handed his slingshot and bullet bag with Deku seeds over to Zelda and unsheathed his sword. "We've got to help him!" he whispered to her. "I know he's never helped us out of anything, but we can't leave him here. And remember: make sure you hold the slingshot steady!"

Link took a few steps forward, clutching his Deku Shield and sword. He realized with fear that his Kokiri blade was almost the size of one of the Moblin's fangs. Fortunately for him, the creature stood with its back to Link, and didn't see him. Mido had seen Link and Zelda, but wasn't dumb enough to acknowledge that they were there.

Link looked at Zelda and saw that she had the slingshot ready. When she caught his eye, she released the Deku seed and managed to hit the Moblin hard in the head. Meanwhile, Link jumped forwards and stabbed the Moblin in its back. The creature turned around, just to receive a Deku seed in the eye. It roared of pain and tried to lung for Link, but he jumped out of the way and stabbed the Moblin in the neck. That was enough.

"Oh Link, you were fantastic!" Zelda exclaimed and hugged him tightly. Link blushed a deep scarlet and murmured something inaudible. Zelda let go of him and turned to Mido, who had climbed down and approached them with a guilty – believe it or not – look on his face. For the very first time in his entire life, Link felt sorry for him. He knew this wasn't easy for him.

"I... I... I mean..." Mido stuttered and looked down to his feet. "Thanks."

"Your welcome, Mido", Link responded and looked at him. And suddenly he felt that he wasn't afraid of Mido anymore. After all, he and Zelda had saved his life, and Mido would not dare to hurt them again.

"How... how did you know I was here?"

"We heard you scream when we were practicing with the slingshot", Zelda explained.

"Oh, okay... you see... I was on my way to... yeah... bye", Mido stammered and dashed off. Link and Zelda looked at each other, confused. But then Link smiled.

"You know, I think he's grateful", he said to Zelda. "He just doesn't know how to show it."

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After that day, Mido never did anything to Link and Zelda again. It seemed as though he avoided them and didn't want to speak to them. But it was obvious that he was grateful. Everyone in the village noticed Mido's sudden change. He wasn't the one he used to be. He didn't act bully or stuck up around the other Kokiri anymore. Even Saria began to like him more than she did before.

But in the Castle, people weren't as happy as the Kokiri. King Harkinian and Impa had begun to realize that they wouldn't see their Princess again. Knight Viscen hadn't returned from the forest, and the King had sent more soldiers to look for Zelda, but all of them had returned in a terrible state; without horses and weapons, murmuring things about lost children, wolfs as big as horses and similar things. The King thought they were insane.

Impa sat on a small throne next to the King. Her eyes were red and puffy, it was obvious that she had cried. She missed Zelda so much, it was almost as though she had lost her own child. The little Princess had been like a daughter for her, and she loved the young girl. She couldn't bear the thought that Zelda probably was dead. She just couldn't. The Princess had been so young, so beautiful, so innocent...

It's my fault that she's dead, Impa thought sadly. If I hadn't suggested that we would go mushrooming, she would have been alive and here right now. But Impa realized that it was just senseless to blame herself for something that had already happened. It wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't give her Zelda back...

"Impa", King Harkinian said and turned to his servant.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Impa saw determination in the King's eyes and wondered what he was up to.

"I have made a decision. I'm going to get married again. Hyrule will get a new Queen."

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A/N: There's chapter 6!  What do you think? It was short, I know, but I thought it was perfect to end it right there. I would be really happy if you told me your opinion of this story so far in your reviews! It's up to you to decide whether I should put the next chapter up or not.  I don't have anything to say here. I just hope this chapter turned out all right. And about the romance thing: it'll come later!

..::Hylian Heroine::..