Chapter 6

Along came Cole

Today, Link went to Goron City to visit Darunia. A thing he did every few months to update his sworn brother on general matters and such.

Zelda, was now visibly pregnant. Often Adah would ask why her mother's stomach had exploded. At first she thought her mother had accidentally eaten a bomb of some sort, but Zelda had to explain that it was just the baby growing inside her. Adah failed to understand the concept.

Zelda took the time Link was out, for her chance to visit Kakariko Village. She and Impa were to come along for the ride. Today would be the first time the public really saw Adah. Yes, the King and Queen did present her to Hyrule for her blessings, but that was all. Blessings was were a newborn would be taken to the temple of time to be baptized.

Impa had dressed Adah in the most brilliant dress that a four year old could wear. She even had her own white gloves, and a matching hat. Adah, was very excited. Not by the fact that she was going out of castle grounds for the first time, but today she was going to see Ruby. After they went to Kakariko, they would go to the marketplace and have lunch at an exclusive restaurant.

Zelda, Impa, and Adah, hopped into their white carriage, armed with two chestnut mares. Adah's eye's went wide with excitement as she studied the vast sceneries they passed. Zelda smiled at her daughter's amusement of the outside world.

At Kakariko Village, they stepped out and entered a house on the left side of the village. Adah had to be dragged inside, due to the fact she was entranced by the tall windmill to the side of the house. Upon entering they could smell the strong scents of burning incense. It was dark. Before them was an old woman sitting at a counter with a cat at her side.

Adah smiled widely, and without a thought, she went to go pet the cat. The old woman smiled at the youngster. "This must be little princess Adah.", she said. "Welcome your Highness", she said to Zelda. "I have been expecting you."

Zelda stepped forward before the woman. "Hello. It has been a while."

"Yes, it has. Congratulations."

"Thank you.", she smiled. "I presume a messenger came the other day to inform you of my visit?"

"Yes, he has.", she said. "Now, let us see what the baby will be."

Zelda handed her a bottle full of blue liquid. The woman was delighted to see it.

"Ah, good! You've made it already. This will be much easier now.", the woman said, taking the bottle and pouring it into a small caldron behind her. She lit a fire underneath it and put some kind of dust in it, then mixed the potion.

Adah stood on her tip toes to see over the counter, observing the process. What was she doing? In minutes, the potion turned from blue to a deep red. The woman turned to them and smiled again.

"You will be blessed with another girl.", she said. Zelda nodded.

"Thank you.", she said, reaching into a pocket of her dress. "Oh, I left my rupees in the carriage. Could you watch Adah while I get it?"

"Yes, dear, go ahead." Her and Impa left the house. Adah looked up at her.

"How did you do that?"

The old woman smirked. "Magic."

Adah eyes went wide. She gave a squeak of excitement. "What else can you do?"

"Oh many things. Name it."

Adah thought for a second. "Can you make people grow?"

The woman gave an eerie laugh. "Ah, yes, I can do that."

Adah smiled at the answer. "Could I get some?… For when I need it."

"And when would you need this?", said the old woman, putting a finger to her chin.

Adah wasn't sure of this. "Just in case?"

The old woman laughed. "I do have one bottle in the back. But, what would my pay be?"

These questions were getting harder by the second. Adah thought hard. "I can pay you when I'm grown." The woman grinned at this. She went to the back of her store and came out with a small bottle of orange contents.

She stooped down to Adah's level. "Now, you mustn't tell your parents about this. Only take it at the time you need it most. I warn you, this is permanent. Once you take it, you can never go back to your original age. Drink he whole bottle in one sitting. You will age four years. Do you understand?", she whispered.

Adah nodded. She took everything in clearly. She took the bottle and shoved in her dress pocket. "Thanks" The woman responded by nodding.

Just as she put it in her pocket, Zelda and Impa entered the room. Zelda came up smiling, handing the payment to the woman. "Thank you. You have been a great help."

"Goodbye." ,said the woman, waving. Adah looked back once more before she exited the house. The woman winked.

Adah and Ruby were beyond ecstatic to see each other. She and Adah sat across each other in their booth. People in the restaurant starred, hoping to get a glimpse of the new princess of Hyrule. And that was only the nobles. Outside of the restaurant people we're shoving and pushing just to see Adah.

She didn't understand what people would be so eager to see. Now, the young children were listening to what there mothers had to say.

Zelda's expression was forlorn. "I just don't understand why the next one couldn't have been a boy.", she pouted.

Malon shrugged. "It is what the goddess's believe you should be blessed with."

Zelda stared at her plate of salad. She didn't seem so hungry anymore. Malon sighed. "You should be thankful at the least that your having a child. Plus, another girl will be better with Adah. Opposite sex siblings don't work as well."

"Why would that be?", she asked her friend. Neither grown woman saw the watchful eyes of their daughters. They didn't even realize that they were listening.

"Well, when there are two girls, it is better to bond with each other, having same interests and all." The conversation went on until they were finished with lunch.

Next stop was shopping. It had been only a few hours, on her first day, that Adah was already bored out of her mind. As the two mothers and Impa browsed around, Adah tugged on her mother's dress, hoping she'd stop the torture.

Ruby, on the other hand, had snagged a seat upon her mother's hip. She was sound asleep, resting her head on Malon's shoulder as Malon held her there with one arm, and shopped with the other.

Just as she was about to ask to be picked up herself, she saw something beyond the booths. It was a group of kids. A group of boys to be more exact.

Adah looked up at her mother, and then at Impa. Both were not looking. Slowly, and quietly, she made her way to the group.

Adah walked until she hid behind a box, conveniently placed ten feet in front of the group. Adah observed them carefully.

Three boys seemed to look her age. One, had dirty blonde hair and green, green eyes. The second one had really, light blonde hair and blue eyes. The last one had caramel colored hair and hazel eyes.

Then there was three older kids. Two twins with dark brown hair and blue eyes, looked around ten. And the last, who seemed to be the leader, was the biggest. He had black hair and green eyes. He was very tall. At least what Adah thought.

They looked very scrawny. They were unlike all the Hylians she saw come to the castle. These boys were wearing rags. Cloths torn and dirty.

The boys were gathered around a small collection of food. The oldest boy was evenly distributing the small morsels to the other boys. They looked so sad.

Without another thought, Adah strolled over to the boys. She came up alongside of one and loomed in to look at the food. One boy looked up, suddenly aware she was there.

"Hi.", said Adah. "I'm Adah. What's your name's?" She smiled in her pretty little dress, waiting for an answer.

There was none. They all stared at her in disbelief. Why had this strange, most likely noble, girl, coming up to them. She must be lost or something. The older one stood up, looking down at her.

"My name is Sean. Are you lost?", he asked. He sounded very kind.

Adah shook her head. "No. My mommy's just over there.", she said, pointing to Zelda. The boys gasped at this.

"Queen Zelda?", Sean whispered. "You are the daughter of the queen?"

Adah didn't understand that term. She never referred to her mother as Queen. What was the queen? "Queen?"

The Sean pointed to the castle. "Do you live there?", he asked.

That she understood. She nodded happily. The boys stared at her.

"Then you must be Princess Adah.", said Sean. He gave the boys a gesture and they all bowed to her. She looked at them oddly. What were they dong?

Just then she heard someone yelling her name. It was Zelda. She was looking franticly around. When Adah turned back, the boys were gone. All except one. He was frozen in some sort of shock. Like he was scared.

Suddenly, Adah felt two hands sweep her up to take her in her mothers arms. She looked up to her mother, who's eyes welled up.

"Adah you scared me so much. Don't do that again!" Zelda embraced her tightly, like she wouldn't ever let go. Then she noticed him. The boy before them.

By this time, Malon had come up to them, along with Impa. Ruby was still asleep in Malon's arms.

"Who's this?", asked Zelda. She placed Adah down, and stooped to the child's height. Zelda's expression filled with sadness. Yes, sadness. "What is your name sweetheart."

The boy looked at her, astonished she was talking to him. "C- Cole.", he stammered.

Zelda looked him over. His attire was hardly one to call cloths. "Do you have a home, Cole?", asked Zelda.

He shook his head. Cole looked sideways, hoping his gang would save him. "I live on the streets with my… friends." His last word seemed like a plea. He didn't see them anywhere. Tears started to form in his eyes.

Zelda placed her hands on his shoulders gently. Her mother intuition was kicking in. She looked back to Impa and Malon. "We can't just leave him here to starve."

"What do you expect we do?", asked Malon. She saw the look. "Oh, no Zel. Link will never. Would he?"

"This is my country.", said Zelda. "I'm responsible for my people. If he were to die out here, it would be my fault.", whispered Zelda. "I feel it is right t take care of him."

Malon sighed. "You have a huge heart, Zelda."

The Queen turned back to the small child. He was a boy. A boy. She was going to have two girls. Ever since she was a teen she knew she wanted three children. Two girls and a boy. There was a chance that she could have another girl after the one on it's way. This would be perfect.

"Cole. Would you like to come to the castle with us. We could get you cleaned up, fed, and a warm bed. How would you like that?", she asked.

Cole looked as if he was in utter fear. He turned his head, maybe his "family" would come. But no. He knew they had fled. Left him. Cole nervously nodded his head.

Zelda took his hand to lead him to the carriage. He pulled back. "But….my…my friends.", he breathed weakly.

Zelda looked down at him, visibly having her heart torn apart at the poor child's situation. "We will come back later this week to look for them. Would you like that? We have plenty rooms in the castle."

Cole softened a bit and nodded. Adah smiled. "Mommy?", she asked.

"Yes, Adah baby?"

"Is Cole….going to be my brother?", she asked.

Zelda smiled warmly. "I don't know Adah. We'll have to wait and see."

Adah smiled widely. She was going to get a bother and a sister. What luck!

Malon said she had to make her way home and said her goodbye. She said she was sorry that Ruby was sleeping and promised that they would be able to visit the ranch soon.

Adah agreed. She was too happy, gaining a brother and all, to be crushed by not being able to say goodbye to her friend.

Zelda, Impa, Adah, and Cole, made their way to the carriage to go home. The whole time, Adah couldn't stop smiling.

Later that night, when Cole had been cleaned up, had been made gotten new cloths, and had a full stomach for the first time in his life, they sat in the library, cozily by the fire.

Zelda and Impa sat in chairs, drinking tea. Link would be home anytime now. She looked anxious. She was. What would Link say when he discovered he adopted a son?

Zelda was not about to let Cole back into the cruel world. She was planning to find his friends and get them good families too. That was one reason the public loved her so much. She was the queen to have the biggest heart.

"I'm home!", called Link from downstairs. Adah got up and ran to him.

A minute later, Link walked in, holding Adah. He smiled, greeting Zelda with a kiss and Impa with a wave.

Immediately his eyes darted to Cole. "And who might this be?", he asked, slightly confused. Cole looked up at him with a blank expression.

"Can we keep him?!", blurted Adah…

ATTENTION!!!!!
Due to Hurricane Jeanne, i will not be posting for at least a week. Sry guys, it's hurricane season. Btw, did you know that this is the first season since (i think 18-something) Texas, to get these many hits from a hurricane. We made history. :P... neway, im sry, but i will get to it right after the hurricane. BYE!

zeldaiskool: thanx!

hao: yes, of course, it wouldn't be family if there wasn't jelousy involved. :P

Hyrule Master: yeah, i was thinkin bout doing that, but... i wonder if they had storks....lol...juss was in an imaginative mood i guess

CrazyCruzet212: Thanx

LadyAkki45: well, i guess that gets rid of the not havin a boy problem. lol holy crap. a seven year old learning that. sounds tramatic. lol... yeah, i think it will be pretty long.

dan heron: thanx. im looking forward to writting the teenage years!