Chapter Seven

-A Music Lesson-

The boy looked around him in wonder, fighting the urge of getting up and touching the curtains, inspecting the fireplace, and going to jump on the bed. The fairy seemed just as intrigued as she flew around the room, stopping to inspect several objects.

Impa had gone to see if Nabooru was still within the castle, leaving the children in Zelda's room.

"It's so big and colorful here…and so noisy. How can you sleep at night? " asked Link.

"I don't know, I never really thought about it. I guess I'm so used to hearing noise that I don't even pay attention to it anymore. "

"If you ever came to the forest at night the silence would be deafening to you…You should come though, one day if ever you need peace and quiet. "

Zelda looked at the boy and smiled. "I would like to. That is if the Kokiri don't mind. "

"I don't think they would mind having a stranger in the forest. Most would be very curiose about you. "

"Except Mido, " the blue fairy added.

"Who is Mido? " asked Zelda.

"He's the tribe leader of the Kokiri, but let's not talk about him. "

Zelda saw that Link was uncomfortable so she quickly changed subject. "What's it like where you live? "

"Everyone lives in small houses in the trees. During the day everyone has their own task to do. Some people gather food from the woods, some make clothing, others fish or hunt. Once we finish we are free to do whatever we want. When night comes sometimes we make a big fire and we all sit around it to tell stories."

"And what is your appointed task? " asked the princess with interest.

"I have to get the firewood and go with those who pick berries in the Lost Woods. Sometimes the Deku Scrubs like to attack us, and I'm one of the few who can wield a sword and is actually good at it. What do you do here?"

"…Well, basically I am learning how to rule a kingdom and everything that comes with being a ruler. I have to study various things like arithmatics, law and the history of Hyrule, " Zelda paused and shivered in disgust. "Not to mention dancing and etiquette. "

"You mean you don't get to play? " asked Link in surprise. "All you do is work? "

Zelda nodded. "Even if they did let me play, I don't know exactly what play is, " she said blushing in embarassement. How odd she must sound to him, or to other children her age.

Link put his hands to his hips and looked at her sternly. "Well I guess I'm going to have to teach you, you definitely have to come to the forest soon. "

Zelda smiled in amusement but quickly regain her seriosness. "Link is there by any chance an adult living in the forest? "

"No . The only adult that has ever entered the forest was Ganondorf. Why? "

"Oh nothing. "

There was an ackward silence for a while. Link sat down on a nearby chair and Zelda sat on the edge of her bed. The two thought how strange and foreign the other was. It was Navi who finally broke the silence.

"So how long do you think we'll have to stay here, your highness? "

"Oh, I don't know. You'll probably be able to leave tomorrow morning. Today is too late, you'll never make it back to your forest before sunset. "

The door suddenly opened and Impa entered.

"She has gone already. We'll have to make a decision without her. "

Zelda lowered her head and closed her eyes.

"Do you think we could find the Triforce? " asked Zelda.

"Ya! Lets's get it before Ganondorf does, " Link said getting up from his chair.

"Not so loud young one, " reprimanded the Sheikah. "You are not supposed to be here remember? "

"Sorry, " he appologized.

"Perhaps we can get it before the desert man does. After all, according to the legends it can only have one master at a time, no? " said Navi.

Impa nodded. "We only need two more keys and I think I know where to look for the next one. "

Zelda opened her eyes. "The Gorons right? I read somewhere that the spiritual stone of fire is passed down from leader to leader. "

"That is correct. However there is one problem. I cannot go there myself without attracting attention, " Impa turned towards the princess. "And you are definately staying within the castle's walls after yesterday's incident. The last thing we need is you getting killed by that mad man. "

Zelda sighed and looked at Link. She knew what she was about to ask was dangerous for him, but who would suscpect him? No one could possibly suspect a Kokiri…a child…trying to get the Triforce. He said he could wield a sword and already has fought Ganondorf's creations. "Link, do you think you are capable of doing this? If you don't want to do this it's okay, Impa can always message Nabooru. "

The boy thought about it. He was eager to return home, but if returning meant leaving his new friend in danger and the kingdom, he wouldn't be able to sleep at night. He didn't want the Forest Spirit to have died for nothing. The desert man was going to pay for what he did. "I'll do it. Just tell me where to go. And what exactly are gorons? "

"They are giants made of stone that live on Death Mountain. When they don't move you can pass right by one and you would never even know it, " said Impa.

"But they are shy towards strangers and tend to stick to themselves, " continued Zelda. She turned towards Impa. "Do you think that if we teach him the song of the royals they would help him? "

"Hmm… I guess it wouldn't hurt if Link knew it. "

Link cleared his throat, "Uh…I'm not a good singer you know maybe it's not a good idea. "

"That's okay. You just have to hum it," said Zelda.

"How about I learn to play it on my ocarina? " asked Link as he pulled out a gray and green ocarina.

The Sheikah then whistled a slow but simple tune.

"I like it. It's calm, soothing and somewhat sad…Whistle it again. "

After hearing it a second time, Link played the song perfectly.

"You're a fast learner. You have quite a talent for music," commented Zelda.

Saria taught me all about music and how to pick up notes just by hearing something. "

"This song is very important so don't teach it to anyone. Only use it if someone of high ranking doesn't beleive you that Zelda sent you. "

"How about this one Link. Do you think you can play this one? " asked Zelda. She then began to hum a tune that was slow yet less nostalgic.

Link put the mouthpiece to his lips and began to play it. "I like this one. What's it called? "

"This one is called the Song of Time. Legend says that it has the power to open the door to the Sacred Realm once you have all the keys, " explained Zelda.

"And what are the keys other than the spiritual stones of fire and the forest?" asked Navi.

"The other ones are the spiritual stone of water and the ocarina of time. But you don't need to look for the ocarina of time because Zelda has it, " Impa said.