Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda. Period.

Author's note: I was inspired this time by a piano version of the "Song of Storms" which I believe was played by GameQber – though I do not know who that person is. Truly wonderful piece of art.

Alright! Chapter three is here! Well, sorry to disappoint (though that could just be me, goodness knows I hate political debates!) but after posting, at four am, I realised that there was a lot of things I had left vague in the last chapter, and had to keep Zelda locked up just a bit more. Just a bit, I promise. This is mostly a lot of explanations.

Thank you for your reviews! Sorry for the long waiiiiiit! I had promised myself I would be constant and would work on that story until it was finished. Unfortunately, the blank-page syndrome loves to keep me company.

Chapter three

Friendship

The mare kicked up a cloud of dust as she suddenly ran to the farthest edge of the pen in which both she and the Princess were. Blue eyes turned back to see who had interrupted her session with the maroon-coated horse. It wasn't long until she found who it was, and her mouth almost fell open in shock. Almost, but not quite.

"Well, is that a way to greet your best friend? I'm hurt Zel!" His eyes – bright as a cardinal's feathers – held the mischief he had when they were still kids. Overall, he had not changed much, but his growth dwarfed her by a fair foot whereas before, she had been the tallest. By an inch, but still.

Had she still been a kid, she would have ran in his arms and hugged him and then whacked him on the head for been gone for so long. Had she been a child, she would have immediately treated him as being the best friend he was – her most precious friend. But she was no longer a kid and, by society's rules, she was no longer allowed to be so familiar with a man. Even if said man had been her best friend for years.

So, rather than to give him the hug he deserved, Zelda curtsied.

Kafei Dotour frowned, but did not comment on her unusual distance. He had heard news of her from his parents regularly, often very worried for her since he was away for his page training. It was not uncommon for one of noble blood to be called for such a duty, but he suspected he had been called away for one particular reason.

He had never been a very restrained boy. His favourite pastimes as a child had involved long races through fields and city alike, often "adventuring" in dark alleys. Sometimes, he would stay hidden in the stables or he would "borrow" a horse for the day, knowing early on how to ride the taller creature. Sometimes, he would create labyrinths in the gardens – with the freshly cleaned laundry strung lower to create walls and buckets of dirty water as obstacles. Sometimes, he would climb trees.

Buthe had always, always, dragged a smaller Zelda behind him by the hand.

He could remember her teachers – Tina and Dina – following them around, trying to grab a hold of the two mischievous children as they darted between legs or trees. He could remember the soldiers running after them and slowing down due to their heavy armors and the heat of the summer sun. He could remember both their fathers calling them reckless thousands of times, and he could remember his mother smothering Zelda while saying he shouldn't treat a girl like that.

But once he had reached is eleventh year, and as it was a custom, he had to go and train to become a soldier and a knight. Both he and Zelda had been unconcerned at the time. After all, knights trained right at the barracks, just besides the castle. She would see him everyday, and he would teach to her what he had learned during the day – for once, she would hold the dull training blade in her life.

Yet somehow, rather then stay there in Hyrule, with his best friend, he had been sent to a city rather far away, near the desert. He, even at that young age, suspected some of the council member had to do something with this. Now a little older, he could understand that a Princess that caught frogs to release them at dinner time was not proper, but he still resentment grew once more.

He couldn't even recognise his best friend. What had they done to her? Her curtsy was flawless, and though her surprise had shown when she first saw him, her face was held in a careful smile now. Her dress was clean, and only the edge had small stains on it from being so long. Her hands were covered by long gloves, as the courtly trend stated at the moment. She used to hate gloves with a passion.

Her eyes were teary.

Never before had she hid her tears from him...

He snorted almost rudely. Well, if her teachers had finally snapped and made her in a pretty doll, he was sure he could find a way to break that porcelain illusion for them. And it would start with one simple gesture.

Reaching over the distance between them, Kafei put his head on the golden moonbeam strands and ruffled Zelda's hair. She squeaked, and for the first time in years, glared up at her friend. Though she did nothing else – that would have earned him a shove, fight, or at least a hit ten years ago – her eyes were loud on the subject. Don't do this again. Or else...

"Zel, if you tell me those tears are not happy, "you're back" tears right now, your royal guard is going to let you fend for yourself, come Gerudo tribes or political shenanigans."

Zelda raised a thin eyebrow.

"What... are you doing here?" She hesitated. He didn't notice. Or didn't care, she wasn't sure.

"Well, after that wonderful way you just ordered things back in place at the House, his Highness ordered for his army to regroup. I have heard the rumours." She flinched a bit. She would have to confirm the rumors it seemed – the war had brought her best friend back to her. Kafei only looked amused. "Is it true you screamed in front of the court?" He let the question hang for a moment.

Shock, at first, and then just refusal to answer kept her mouth shut. Her eyes, however, widened a bit before wandering to the side and her face flushed from the guilt. The cerulean-haired man waited for her blush to fade before he spoke again, relentless in his teasing.

"Shocking! Shocking! The innocent, pure little Zellie would never do that!" He grinned. "Oh, and, just so you know, the entire House is pretty much searching for you. His Highness wanted a word... Half a candle mark ago. I wonder if he's still waiting?"

"Ka... Sir Kafei!" Zelda brushed past him. All merry traces vanished as he stared at her retreating back. He shook his head free of her pristine-perfect-princess image as he turned to bring the horse back to the stables.

"Prepare to leave."

She had expected it of course. That sentence, that is. The Princess was aware that, in the situation they were in, the King would have to retaliate, and she, being a healer, would undoubtedly be needed just behind the army. She was aware of that. She had expected that sentence. But not the others.

"Prin..." The King had to force the words out of his throat. "Princess Zel...da... It is imperative that you pay attention! The war that is brewing will not only affect the Hyleians. The Zoras and the Gorons would suffer as well. There is no way to know what our people will be fighting against. We must strike swiftly, and all at once. Otherwise, this army could conquer our lands."

The fair-haired Lady shook her stupor out of her head. The words were hard to swallow, and even harder to accept. He was sending her as a messenger, on an errand to assemble troops. The Princess was unsure whether to take it as an insult or as a privilege. Her expression resettled to a pure political one. One way or an other, this would change nothing. She would follow the orders.

"Father, if I may speak my mind -" She waited for his nod of approval. "- Even with the support of the mighty Gorons and fierce Zoras, the true problem would lie within finding our enemies. Even now, they bide their time in the sandy dunes of the western Gerudo Desert. It wou-"

"You need naught to concern yourself with such manners, daughter. Your actions have always been seen as rather forward from the court. You are in luck that none of the council mans have overheard and reprimanded you yet. As you will probably be reprimanded for your actions this morning, should they find a minute of spare time. Now, hush such sayings, Princess, and as your maids to prepare travel clothes. Your escort shall arrive as the week progresses."

"Father, to where do you wish me to send our allies? Should they answer your call-"

"Send them here first. The House is close enough to the river – none of our allies will have any trouble finding it, and we need words from the villages. Princess..." Her Father hesitated, and chose his words carefully, pressing wizened hands on important papers as he debated telling her anymore. "Princess... Please, stay safe."

Knowing a dismissal when she heard one, the Princess curtsied with flowering grace and exited the room. The King turned to the nearest foot boy. Nodding once, he called loudly.

"Bring the Head of the Maids in, as well as the librarian. There is much to be done."

He spent the rest of the day locked in his room with not two, but three visitors, and away from large ears.

Ok, I wish to apologise again. Argh! I can't seem to keep a schedule to save my life, sorry. I would like to thank my new friend (who sadly does not have an account, though she does have some stories roleplayed with Gamesplayers) to give me the final push so I could get this chapter out, and to my reviewers, MaroonAngel of Darkness, Xemnas Swan, TheFanatics, kreite and Aki no Hikari. Thank you again, and I am sorry I kept it away for so long. You can hit me on the head if I do not update in a fourthnight, okies? Haha~

Next chapter, Zelda begins her travels with the most weird people she could have ever found. Please, let this be a nightmare. Or maybe a dream.