I'd like to thank my reviewers thus far, Greki, Joborule, Lany08 and Kouta Aburame. When you're writing your first fic, it's really nice to get reviews.

Here goes chapter 4, don't forget to leave some reviews, thanks.

Chapter 4: The Girl in the Water

The sky had turned a virulent blood red as he stared into those liquid blue eyes. Illuminated by the crimson light, her tears slid down her face like shimmering rubies. He couldn't stop thinking of how it reminded him of blood.

"I'm sorry," he whispered almost to himself as he broke her gaze. Looking out over the expansive field to where the grass met the violet sky he said,

"It's been four years since I last saw you… and there wasn't a single day that I didn't think of you." The light continued to grow redder, clouds began shifting past the sun casting ghostly shadows across the field. A sense of urgency began to well up in him although he wasn't sure why. He felt as if he didn't have enough time to say what he needed to. He looked back up at her to see a glow on the horizon behind her that had nothing to do with the sun.

"Look, I just don't want to lose you." Suddenly the shadows of the clouds began to dance across the two youths as it quickly became apparent that flames were engulfing the edge of the field and smoke was clouding his vision.

"It's not as simple as love. I'm…" he didn't want to say it, especially not to her. His whole life nothing had scared him. He had charged fearlessly into battles with demons and monsters, slain countless wolfos, dismembered the undead, and halted the destruction of the world as he knew it, but the thought of this was too much.

"I'm afraid." The words were sour in his mouth and he despised himself for saying it. Without warning black shadow of a cloud passed over them, only to reveal that they were actually sitting on top of a massive tower. A vast desert spread out before them and flames whipped about in the harsh wind. His hair blew in his eyes as he looked harder into hers.

Fear and sorrow clouded her face as she looked back. "Then it's true, you'll never return my feelings."

"But I...!"

"Link! Look out!" With a horrified scream she through herself forward in a flurry of skirts and knocked him to the side. Just as he hit the ground he turned around in time to see her impaled through the stomach with a scimitar.

"ZELDA NO!"

……………………………..

Link lunged forward only to find darkness and collapsed from his bed to the floor with a crash. He lay on the floor, bewildered and gasping for breath, sweat covering his skin.

The nightmares are becoming more frequent. And that's the last thing I need to deal with right now.

Looking up through the dim moonlight that streamed through the window, Link looked about his crude tree house, remembering that he had returned to Kokiri village. Slowly he stood up nearly bumping his head on the ceiling.

Home sweet home eh?

He looked down past his heaving chest to see the bandages wrapped around his stomach where Saria had cleaned his cut. Feeling his arm he found the wrappings for his arrow wound. He had to hand it to her, Saria really did know her stuff when it came to healing.

Link remembered how foolish he'd felt coming into the village yesterday, on the verge of collapse expecting to find the small wooden houses to be razed to the ground and forest monsters roaming around freely only to find everything exactly as he'd left it four years ago.

Of course Saria had been thrilled to see him and the other Kokiri's were excited to here what new adventures he'd had, especially considering the condition he was in. Too embarrassed to tell them the truth of how he'd come charging back sword in hand to defend them with his life, he'd merely mumbled something about a caravan of traveling merchants who needed help with some wolfos and how he was really tired.

Walking in a crouch, Link made his way to the opposite side of his circular tree house room and exited through the door, grateful to be able to stand full height again on the little balcony.

Judging from the position of the moon just over the trees to the west, Link decided it must be near morning.

Well after that nightmare I definitely can't go back to sleep. I might as well get ready for today.

He had decided yesterday that while he was back in Hyrule, he might as well go into the castle town and see what new equipment they had available. The weight of his wallet after that tournament helped him make up his mind so he began preparations.

By the time the sun had risen and the first rays of greenish-golden light of the forest had peaked above the treetops, Link had collected all the necessary food and other amenities for his escapade and had found a secluded stream a little ways from the village to wash up before he left. He hadn't been able to take a bath since the morning of the tournament and was starting to smell the effects of it.

Slipping his tunic off over his head and unbuttoning his undershirt he looked around the small clearing. As he did so he realized how much he really did consider the Kokiri village his home. Even though he had never actually been one of the Kokiri and had been somewhat of an outcast when he never received a fairy, he still felt that those naïve children were part of his family.

He smiled benignly to himself, probably just because he had grown up with them.

Familiarity really can be such a powerful factor in emotions, especially those of attachment. He frown as he took of his shirt and began unwinding his bandages. Maybe that's why I'm having so much trouble accepting my feelings for… ah never mind.

Shaking away the thought, he quickly dropped his undershorts and hopped into the creek. The shock of the cool water instantly washed away his dubious ponderings and he dunked his head under. Laying at the bottom of the stream, he looked up at the distorted image of the overhanging canopy of leaves and hazy green sky.

Suddenly a new image fluttered into view through the rippling liquid. He squinted his eyes at the strangely shaped blue and white features of the object hovering above him, then it dawned on him. Eyes widening in surprise, Link coughed and spluttered as he inhaled water while he broke the surface.

Spinning around, Link recognized the sleek fish-like body of a Zora standing waste deep in the water before him.

Still coughing, he tried to manage speaking, "R-R-Ruto! What are you doing here!" The adolescent Zora girl hooded her eyes as she regarded him coolly.

"Well that's certainly no way to talk to royalty. It's Princess Ruto, or mistress Ruto, or if you really prefer…" she smiled wolfishly, "Love of my life." The only thing Link could do was sink down deeper into the water and hope she didn't realize he was naked, after all Zoras didn't where clothes anyway.

Link had not seen Princess Ruto since she had helped him defeat Ganondorf when she used her powers as the Sage of Water to seal him in the Sacred Realm. He hadn't been particularly keen on seeing her again either considering her incessant not-to-subtle references toward their supposed engagement. He still didn't remember actually saying anything that would intimate that he wanted to marry her, but she refused to be dissuaded. Looking at her now, her slender curvy body and exquisite features, he couldn't deny that she was beautiful in her own fishy way. But he wasn't even sure it was possible for Hylians and Zoras to be together.

Even with that aside, Ruto was excessively demanding and a bit too much to handle in large doses. And that was saying a lot when he had only spent a total of about twenty minutes with her at any given time.

"Uh… yea, sorry. So um, why are you in the Kokiri forest again?" She batted her eyes in what he thought was meant to be feminine cuteness.

"Oh well I seem to have lost something. Funny how every time we meet, it's when I'm looking for something. But no matter because I found you." She began to wade closer to him through the water. Link felt his heart begin to beat faster and he felt a fluttering in his stomach. He sunk even lower in the water and tried to subtly back away from the Princess's onslaught.

"Ah, I see then. W-w-ell I don't want to be keeping you." He stammered as she moved ever closer. Ignoring his comment, the young Zora's eyes slowly moved from Link's face down his body and back up again.

"And you've gotten so much bigger and stronger since we were children." She crooned, regarding his lean muscles. Apparently she had noticed his lack of clothing. Link gulped and tried desperately to think of something intelligent to say but all he could manage was,

"Yea, so have you." He frowned at this, not exactly what he'd been looking for. Disregarding everything he was saying anyway, she hardly noticed his stupid comment and moved close enough so that they were face to face. Link noticed goose bumps on his skin that didn't have much to do with the coldness of the water.

"So Ruto, I should really get going, got a big trip into the castle town and…" before he could finish his sentence the Zora princess closed her eyes and pressed her cold-blooded lips against his. His blue eyes widened in shock and he didn't know what to do exactly. All he knew was that her lips felt really cool and wet which wasn't exactly his idea of a turn on. After a few seconds he slowly pulled away so as not to seem too offensive about it.

Well that was weird. I never thought the first girl I kissed would be a half fish.

Ruto opened her eyes, clearly pleased with herself and the success of her first romantic encounter with Link. He scratched the back of his head and looked away at the trees surrounding them.

"I always knew it was me who you had feelings for. You play it real cool fairy boy, but I see right through you. I invented cool." She whispered just over the gurgling of the stream.

"Ah… yeah, you got me there. Well I'd better get going now." He managed to breath out.

"You can leave me high and dry Link, but you'll always come back for more." Ruto crooned as she ran an icy webbed hand down his chest and across his abs. She dove back into the water and swam off down the creek.

Link watched her go, feeling extremely violated but somehow intrigued.

I'll give it to her, as self-diluted as that girl is, she does know how to play it cool.

Dunking his head one more time, Link climbed out of the water to air-dry in the cool autumn air. The refreshing crisp air helped to clear his head after his interesting encounter.

After he had dressed and was heading back to the village, Link decided that he wouldn't be visiting Zoras' Domain anytime soon.

………………………

There it is, I hoped you liked the excessively awkward kiss between Link and Ruto. I think it helps introduce her character and further Links personality. Plus how can you not enjoy a good awkward romance?

Thanks for reading and the reviews.