Title: Broken Promises

Game: Zelda

Rating: G

Genre: Romance

Summary: As peace and order returned to Hyrule, he left. But a certain princess has sworn to herself that she will find her best friend and bring him back.

Warning: none

Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time belongs to Nintendo.

A/N: Yay! I updated sooner than last time (by a few months, I think… )

Hope you all like it!! I had fun writing it.

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Chapter 12

I was getting used to living at the ranch, despite the fact that Romani was unwilling to share her pains with me. I just had to accept that not everyone would be as willing to tell others of their problems as I was, or as Impa was, or Zelda… or anyone I knew in Hyrule.

When I initially came here to Termina, I had the impression that it bore a striking resemblance to Hyrule. I suppose that's part of the reason I'm still here. Sure, the place looked different, but the people seemed familiar… the generally personality of this place was rather comforting because it reminded me of my original home. But now, the longer I stayed here, the more that I realised that this place was different to Hyrule- or at least, the Hyrule that I knew.

Those I knew in Hyrule was very tightly-knit. They weren't afraid of sharing their feelings with others… at least, not when it was paining them greatly. And someone would always be able to help. I grew up believing that, I suppose. That everyone would share their problems and that I would be able to help them. It's the reason I originally made friends with Zelda when she came to my village with Impa, hiding from Ganondorf.

It took us a while, I admit, but we were soon great friends. She told me of her worries, of her kingdom, our home, falling into peril under the dark rule of Ganondorf. Her worry and more importantly, the fact that she confided in me was what moved me the most and that was the reason that I offered to help her however I could.

I suggested to her once that I teach her to disguise herself, so that she could go about, under Ganondorf's ever watchful eyes and never be recognised. She had told me of Link, the brave young boy of the forest who was so willing to save our home. At first I was jealous, of course. The way Zelda admired Link's courage. How he was so loyal. I think that was also part of the reason I was so willing to come up with a way to help in the defeat of Ganondorf. I felt so reassured that she still valued me when she told me that she was going to disguise herself as me- her best friend, she had called me.

I still remember going red that day, when she had declared we were best friends. She meant so much to me and it was so elating to know that I meant a lot to her too. In that instant, all my jealousy and worrying over Link being the one Zelda chose to love just evaporated and all I was left with was the ever-strengthening love I had for my princess, my best friend.

It was then that I made up my mind. Tomorrow, I was going to return to Hyrule. I was going to confess all I felt for Zelda. I would finally accept that I could no longer remain her best friend without telling her exactly how much she meant to me. I didn't care about rejection. Not at that exact moment. I was going to be true to myself. Be true to my feelings for her. The truth. That was all that mattered. It was what made friendships so strong.

Zelda rose earlier than usual that morning. Despite the fact that she felt bad that she was keeping Link from spending time with his friends, she was excited. Happy that she would finally be able to begin her search for Sheik. To make him come home with her. She would tell him... tell him what? Tell him what he meant to her? She had already done that. She had done so a few years ago, when she had told him that they were best friends. Wasn't that enough? He knew what it meant. He seemed so happy when she had said it. But there were always differences between friendship… and love.

Was that what she felt for Link? Love? She knew that she liked him, but… love seemed a rather strong word. She cared for him greatly. But didn't she care greatly for Sheik as well? Link gave her attention when she needed it, and her distance when she wanted it. As did Sheik. Was there any difference between what they both meant to her? Perhaps Link was just a good friend… like Sheik was. Or perhaps… Perhaps, as Link suggested… Sheik meant more to her than a friend… as Link seemed to as well. There wasn't any difference she could think of between what Link meant to her and what Sheik meant to her. If Link had gone missing, she would have also searched until she found him and begged him to return to Hyrule. Of course she would have. There was no difference.

"You awake, Zel?" Link's voice came from the other side of the door, accompanied by a couple of gentle knocks to make sure that she wouldn't have woken up if he was mistaken and she was still asleep.

Zelda felt the familiar blush settle across her cheeks. Perhaps there was a difference.

"Well well, you've finally woken up early, have you?" she asked coolly, grinning as she opened the door, "Navi will be pleased when I tell her."

Link laughed too, "I could say the same for yourself, you know. It's definitely earlier than when you usually wake up, isn't it?"

She smiled, "Can I help it? I'm excited. I'm going to finally begin my first adventure, and find Sheik."

"Well, my queen, the first part of your grand adventure can be to accompany me to the map-maker's to make sure that we don't get lost and have to rely on my wonderful navigational skills again," Link said, laughing.

Zelda laughed too, "Shall we go, then?"

Link led the way down the stairs and out of the Inn, "Now… Kafei said that Tingle would be in…"

"Tingle?" Zelda asked incredulously.

"Yeah… heard of him?" Link replied, "A small man… in his forties, now… wears green… thinks he's a fairy…"

"Thinks he's a fairy?" Zelda cried, "How can you trust someone who is that… that delirious to make you a proper map?!"

Link smiled in amusement at Zelda's reaction, "Trust me, he makes the best maps ever… yeah, so he thinks he's a fairy… but it definitely pays off because that balloon he uses to try and fly with gives him the best views in all of Termina and it helps him make his maps."

Seeing no point in arguing her case further, Zelda quietly went with Link to West Clocktown, as Link had remembered where the shop was located.

"Maps! Good quality maps!! Good quality maps for sensible prices!!" Tingle's sales pitch was distinguishable among the other sounds of the town, coming from a small stall beside the west gate of clocktown.

"Hello Tingle," Link greeted the man as he walked to the stall.

"Ah! My good sir! Are you interested in a map? Of course you must be! You wouldn't come here otherwise!!" Tingle cried back.

Pausing, Tingle took a closer look at Link, "Why, are you not the forest fairy I once met?"

Link smiled, "That's me."

"Mr. Fairy!! You've grown up a lot! What can I do for you, my fellow fairy?" Tingle cried, almost falling off his stool in excitement.

Beside Link, Zelda elbowed him, "Mr. Fairy??"

Link shrugged before getting into a very serious discussion about what was wanted on the map, what scale, what material it would be made on, and of course, the price.

Zelda rolled her eyes and sighed. This was going to take a while…

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