Author's Note: Sorry for the time that it took for me to finally update this story. I still am hard at work on it and I thank all of you for your patience! This one is rather short, though I do promise another update soon!


Chapter Two
He felt bitter.

Not exactly bitter. Perhaps it was more a feeling of discomfort, knowing that he was no longer in her good graces.

Link hunched forward over the table, his eyes on his folded hands. Blinking, he inhaled deeply, sighing.

He had to leave Hyrule Castle; he and the Princess had both known it. Well, perhaps he had known it slightly better than she had; his realization hadn't shocked him so much as her, after all. His leaving had been inevitable, something that he was ashamed for not having been bold enough to admit to her earlier.

Link really had been in love with her. At least, he thought he had been in love. He had been so certain in his feelings for the Princess until he had begun dreaming about Princess Ruto.

Taking a long swig of the bitter beer he'd been given at the trading post, he replaced the metal mug on the table in front of him and stared into the fireplace.

He couldn't help but feel the fool for leaving Princess Zelda. Although becoming the King of Hyrule interested him about as much as becoming a Rancher, wouldn't becoming King be more practical than condemning himself to the life of a wanderer?

Link couldn't think of himself as a hero. Not even when a fellow traveler had pointed out to him that everything he'd ever done in his life had led the rest of Hyrule to the belief that he was so much more than a hero could he believe it.

Sighing, Link stood, taking his cloak from the back of his chair and swinging it over his shoulders in one swift motion. He dropped a few rupees on the table and left without looking behind him.

He felt angry.

What was he supposed to do? Who was he supposed to believe; himself, who had been asleep for as long as he could imagine, or Zelda? She had every motivation to lie to him, after all. Wasn't it going to be quite the social blow when the entire land of Hyrule realized that her hero was in love with another? A Zoran no less!

With his features set, Link brought two fingers to his mouth and began to whistle Epona's Song loudly enough so that she might hear it wherever she was at the moment. He waited for her to arrive patiently with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes on the sky.

It was nearly sunrise and, while he hadn't slept a wink that night, Link had to go to Zora's Domain. He needed to see for himself that Zelda's words were true; not that his proving her right or wrong would mean he would ever be welcomed back to Hyrule Castle Town again.

Link's dreams were growing more vivid and, while they had begun as happy childhood memories, they were now being played back again and again in a slightly darker undertone. It was only with her that Link could banish these terrible dreams. He had to see her again, to know that she was alright; that he could save her.

Epona was in front of him now, batting his shoulder with her nose so as to wake him from his daydreaming. She looked down at him with her brown eyes, completely unaware of the turmoil consuming her master.

Link shook his head, patting Epona lovingly for a quick moment before mounting her. He brought her to a quick trot heading in the direction of Zora's Domain before leading her on faster and faster.

She didn't protest. It was as though Epona knew the urgency of the situation that they now found themselves in. Link was unhappy and, if by running faster, she could help to ease his frustration then she would.

They rode like they had in the old days, before he'd gotten hurt in the final battle with Gannon. They rode through Hyrule Field with purpose.

Link slowed Epona to a trot when they neared Zora's Domain. Something didn't feel right about the place. It was like something was missing; everything was somehow colder than he remembered.

"I'll be back soon, Epona," he whispered, patting her on the head before turning and making his way towards the entrance to Zora's Domain. He jumped across the stream and made his way through the massive tangles of winding and interconnected paths up to the entrance hidden by the waterfall. Then he remembered that he had given the Ocarina of Time back to Princess Zelda.

He took Saria's ocarina from his pack and held it lightly in his hands. It wasn't made of the same polished ceramic as Zelda's had been, though he prayed it would serve its purpose. Bringing the rough surface to his mouth, Link played the hymn of the royal family: Zelda's Lullaby.

Nothing happened.

The sun was beginning to show over the cliffs and shine onto the waterfall. The birds were singing and everything went on as normal, as though nothing had happened.

Link tried again. He played more clearly this time, moving his fingers flawlessly over the holes in the ocarina. It was a smooth and sweet lament; something that could have brought tears to your eyes. He was desperate and that desperation flowed through into the mood of that song.

Again, there was nothing.

Taking a deep breath, Link closed his eyes for a moment and replaced the ocarina in his pack. He backed up to the very edge of the pedestal he was standing upon and began to run at the entrance. He jumped of course, his eyes closed all the while.

He would never know just how far he made it to the entrance. Once his body hit the icy cold water he froze. The feeling was like being stabbed with one thousand daggers and he could do nothing but let himself fall and be carried away by the flowing river.