Author's note: Italization in this chapter is meant to show that the conversation is done telepathically

Chapter Six: A boy and his Fairy

As they stood outside with the soft breeze caressing them, Zelda was suddenly filled with courage. Listening to the birds chirping and watching the surrounding garden Zelda knew there was still hope. She now had two allies and friends who understood her even tough she was but a child. Which made two other people who realized that Hyrule's peace was about to be shattered.

"Excuse me... "

The sudden sound of a young boy's voice made Zelda jump. Both child and woman turned to face the boy.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for the Princess of Destiny. Can you tell me where can I find her? " the boy asked innocently.

Zelda estimated that the boy must be around her age yet there was something strange about him. He wasn't the child of a peasant and he couldn't have belong to a noble family either. If he would have been, she would have thought he was mocking her. What did he mean by Princess of Destiny? And why was he dressed all in green. For the first time Zelda noticed the soft blue glow hovering around his blonde head. Zelda's heart nearly skipped a beat as she realized who this boy was. A Kokiri!

"Oh my! So one of them did survive the attack, " said Impa with amazement.

"Attack? " the boy looked at them strangely, how could she know about the attack on the Deku Tree when he didn't even mention it yet? But then he remembered that the Deku Tree had told him before dying that the princess was wise and knew many things. Perhaps she already knew that the desert man was after the Triforce.

However wise she was, the princess was nothing like he had imagined. She was tall and so old and oddly dressed. Having seen other children in Hyrule Castle Town, he had gotten used to what the little girl was wearing. His new friend Malon also wore something similar.

Impa moved forward and stopped Zelda before she could do the same.

"Stay and don't say a word yet, just in case Ganondorf let him get away under the condition of obeying him. "

"I am Impa of the Sheikahs. Why do you seek the princess? "

Link took a step back. "Oh! So you aren't the princess? " he asked disappointedly. He had been happy and thought his second quest over.

The little girl softly giggled behind Impa. Link gave her a mean stare which only made the girl giggle more.

"Answer me boy! "

Link looked up to the tall old woman. "I'm looking for her because the forest spirit had a message for her before dying. "

"I know where the princess is. Give me your message and I shall give it to her, " Impa said.

Link eyed her suspiciously. "No, you might be one of His spys. The Deku Tree told me not to trust anybody but the princess herself."

Impa smiled, she liked the boy already. "In that case he gave you good advise. You cannot trust just anyone here, but do not worry you can give her the message right here."

The boy looked at Impa puzzled. "But you just said you weren't the princess..." At that moment the little girl stepped from behind the old woman and stood beside her. The boy blinked.

"You mean she's the princess? " asked Link pointing at Zelda.

"First of all it's not polite to point and second, yes she is the Princess of Hyrule. "

"But she looks just like every other children I've seen here. How can she be a princess if she's not what you call an adult? "

Both Impa and Zelda starred at the boy. It was obvious that he knew nothing of the world.

"Is it true...Is it really true that the forest spirit died? " asked Zelda speaking for the first time.

The boy suddenly looked sad and starred at his boots. The fairy sat on Link's shoulder, looking just as sad as the boy was.

"Yes he did, " answered the boy. "I tried to save the Deku Tree. I tried my hardest to break the curse in time, but by the time I fought Queen Gohma it was already too late. "

Zelda suddenly noticed the boy's short sword and elbowed Impa. Impa seemed to have noticed it too because she had a pensive look of someone who was evaluating something.

"Who is Queen Gohma? " asked Impa. "Was she the one who killed your forest spirit? "

"Queen Gohma was a giant spider-like monster that I found inside the Deku Tree. She was poisoning it, but the true culprit is a desert man who summoned that spider. "

"Ganondorf! " exclaimed Zelda in anger as she clenched her fists. "That's how that weasle got the Spiritual Stone of the Forest. "

Link looked at Zelda and wondered how she knew the name of the desert man. The Deku Tree had told him the princess held the Ocarina Of Time that was needed to open the door to the Sacred Realm. By the anger in her voice he suddenly feared that the desert man had already stolen one of the keys to the Sacred Realm.

"What was the message from the forest spirit, Boy? "

Link eyed the adult and hesitated for a moment before deciding she could be trusted. "The Deku Tree warns you that the desert man is after the Triforce, " he said.

"Oh," was all Zelda was able to say as disappointement washed over her. She had been half expecting the boy to tell them how to stop Ganondorf.

"Why do both of you look so disappointed? I left my home to warn you," Link said looking at them accusingly. "I had a hard time getting here to warn you. Do you know how many people laughed at me and said that I was making things up. That Kokiris don't really exist! "

"I'm sorry child, we didn't mean to be rude but we already knew that, " said Impa. "He's not only after the Triforce but also wants to be the sole ruler of Hyrule. "

"And to do that he's forcing me into marriage. He put a spell on my parents, my father already accepted to give me to him, " Zelda said softly. "And now that he has the Spiritual Stone of the Forest it's only a matter of time..." she trailed off.

"The Spiritual Stone?... Oh you mean the Kokiri's Emerald. Ganondorf doesn't have it, I do. The Deku Tree gave it to me after defeating Gohma. See? " said the boy taking out from his pocket a shiny green stone the size of his fist.

The next thing he knew there was laughter and he was being squeezed as the princess hugged him.

"You have it! You have it! It's not too late! " exclaimed Zelda.

Link looked at her stunned as he pulled away. "You thought Ganondorf had it? "

Zelda nodded. "He is looking for it then...Which means you are in danger, " she said.

Seeing her worried, he shrugged. "Danger, " he repeated. "I'm not afraid. I've faced danger many times before. I've fought several monsters up till now you know. "

Zelda looked at him, thoughts racing through her head. Should she take the Spiritual Stone and let the boy go back home? But if she did that it would be too close to the desert man. She didn't like the idea of having two of the keys to the Sacred Realm near the enemy. However on the other hand Ganondorf had already looked in the forest according to the boy. Would he think of going back to look for it again?

Zelda turned to Impa. "What should we do? "

Impa looked at the boy and then to the princess. "I think we should first go up to your chamber and try to keep the boy's existance a secret until we can decide what to do. "

"I'm sorry for all the troubles you have gone through, you are tired and probably want to go home. Would you mind waiting a little longer? " asked Zelda.

The boy seemed a little surprise at the request and looked at his fairy. They spoke in hushed whispers before the fairy flew up to her.

"We can wait a little longer your Highness..." said the fairy.

"On one condition, " the boy continued. "That you tell me your name, I don't want to keep calling you Princess all the time!"