This is an old TWW story that takes place before Phantom Hourglass. Be warned, it's not very good.

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The waves lapped at the sides of the King of Red Lions. Even after his adventure in Hyrule, even after he had retrieved the three goddess' pearls, Link, saviour to the lands, never missed a chance to go coasting the waves on the red dragon-headed boat.

It was funny, though, Link reflected, staring at the clear blue waters of the ocean being rapidly skimmed over by the King's red underside, so much had happened to him, and yet... He felt the same as he always had. Even after he had finished two adventures, involving goddess' pearls and a pirate expedition, he was still annoyingly curious and had a knack for getting himself into adventures in which – oddly enough – he always gained something in the end. Link had used to wonder what true courage was, and now he thought he knew.

"Are you all right, Link?" King called. He was zipping through the blue with the greatest of ease, and even without a sail the red boat had no trouble at all. "You seem quiet."

"What?" Link lifted his hand from his cheek, where it had been perched. "Oh no, I was just thinking."

"You're always thinking," King joked.

"Then again, maybe being saviour of Hyrule isn't what it's cracked up to be," Link replied, laughing.

King grinned. "Yeah, and I'm the one who has to carry you around all the time."

Link stifled a wisecrack and patted King's long neck. He relented a few seconds later. "Look who's talking," he retorted with a smile.

The waves pushed up against King's underside as he zoomed on the waters so fast that Link's yellow hair fluttered in the strong wind. Oh, and not to mention the fact that no matter how many times he tried to grab it back, his green elven cap kept floating off.

"Look, Link, look," King exclaimed suddenly. "Look up."

Link glanced up. Sure enough, in the distance, he could discern a green shape, like a small island, about medium size and covered with trees, standing right on the sun's zenith line.

Carefully taking King's neck in his hands, Link lifted one booted foot on one of the boat's carved wooden adornments. He hoisted his other foot up, climbing all the way up the long neck until he was balanced precariously on top of King's head. It was a neat trick his friend, the pirate girl Tetra, had taught him. Carefully balancing on his toes, he stood there like that until King steadied.

"Be careful, King." Link cautioned the boat, reaching out one hand to pat his ornately carved wooden head. "I wonder why we haven't seen it before?" he added suddenly, tossing his head to the sky so that his blond hair was whipped even harder by the wind. "I mean, we've been all over Hyrule."

King rolled his eyes upward, watching as Link pulled a scroll from his back and began reading it. He knew it was the map of the whole kingdom; now worn out from the countless times Link's roving fingers had searched its plain ink drawings, it still came in handy.

The island was starting to come into sight. It was a beautiful, light day on the waves, with an azure blue sky and puffy white clouds, but as soon as King floated through the island's thick foliage, all that was blocked off. It was a breathtaking sight that greeted their eyes. The sky was obscured by a layer of teal-coloured tree leaves, birds in every colour of the rainbow were fluttering among the branches, chirping a cheerful afternoon song. Link stared above at the forest canopy in amazement. King's prow hit gently against the grassy shore, rousing him, and he clambered down stealthily from his head.

"King," Link said, patting the boat's neck again, "see you when I get back, okay?"

King gave Link a lopsided grin, then flew on the waves out from the island. He would know when Link was done on the island. He always did.