When Armondorf came in again (he had left), he found me sitting by Link, looking sadly at him. Armondorf led me out of the dungeon. I was very angry at him, for what he made me do.

Armondorf saw my anger and said, "What is it, hm?" He stopped in front of the door to the porch area, which was the entryway to the special rooms of the royalty.

"You ruined my life the moment I saw your face," I said through gritted teeth.

Armondorf smirked. "You are quite the actress." He gestured to himself. "You pretend to dislike me."

I crossed my arms, turned away from him, and said grudgingly, "What makes you think I'm acting?"

Armondorf put his hand on my shoulder. "Oh, come on! You must admit I'm . . . oh, I don't know . . . attractive?"

Well . . . it's not like I'd never admit it . . . I mean, if someone threatened to kill me, I'd admit it. But then? No.

"I'd never admit it," I declared, not daring to look at Armondorf, or I'd almost certainly rebuke my claim.

"We are perfect for each other," Armondorf said, ignoring my statement. "I am hungry for power, and you have the wisdom to control it. When father dies, I will have control of the castle, and then . . . the world!" Armondorf walked around in front of me. "And you will help me."

I stared defiantly into his eyes. "So I'm a tool?"

"An ally." Armondorf smirked. "And a powerful one at that.

"Of course," he went on, "You might be more than that . . . much more . . ." He reached behind me to the door and touched it, causing it to open. "In" was the word he said, and as I went in that direction, I saw that it was nighttime. The moon was almost full. Tomorrow . . .

Armondorf closed the door and stepped forward. "Kiss me."

I turned around and thought, "No." But instead of saying it, I focused. My vision went blurry, and a few colors faded, and I was a wolf again.

"Ah," Armondorf said. He could speak Wolfspeak! "Two can play at this game." He turned into that tusked wolf-creature, and I saw that he was still mildly good-looking. Many thoughts do wolf's eyes change.

Just then, Ganondorf walked into the room, Mom in tow. Her hair was greatly tousled and wild, and she looked irritated. Then she saw us and looked—and smelled—afraid.

"Calm down, Sara. It's only a bit of sibling rivalry." Somehow, both he and Mother understood Wolfspeak. Ganondorf walked forward and picked us up by our scruffs. "Stop fighting. She could begin to hold a grudge against us!" He laughed. "And we don't want THAT happening, hm?" He and Armondorf laughed together. My eyes widened with fear. Hearing them laugh together was grounds for panic.

"But I am busy. Have fun!" Ganondorf put us down and turned to Mother. I was aware of a shackle on her leg, and a chain attached to the shackle. Ganondorf was holding the end of the chain. He said something to her in Hylean, then laughed. Mother screamed, and jerked on the chain. "No!" was the only word I understood, and it was coming out of Mother.

Ganondorf snapped his fingers, and not only was he and Mother gone, but Armondorf and I were our old selves.

That night was the first night in a long time that I had slept in a real bed, though even though it was the most comfortable bed I'd ever slept in, it was the least restful sleep. I kept hearing ghastly organ music, which, I learned (from exploring), was coming from a room in the "house" part of the castle. It was Ganondorf playing, while Armondorf looked on.

I was lying in bed, waiting for the tired anti-think to come. I was so tired . . . so unhappy . . . so scared . . .

Suddenly, I heard knocking. I tentatively looked at my bedroom door and called, "Come in!"

It wasn't Armondorf who answered, or any of my parents—it was Link!

"Link!" I said in surprise.

He nodded. "They let me see you. I figured you'd like to see me, after a long and eventful day, and also before one." He grinned.

I sighed. "Do you know what will happen tomorrow?"

Link nodded, and said, "First, they will present the three spiritual stones with their element; fire with fire, water with water, and leaves and twigs with forest. Then Ganondorf will cut your finger so blood comes out, and put some blood onto your wisdom medallion. The medallion will go around your neck. Then you stand in the middle of the Triforce symbol on the floor of the domed room. As the full moon passes over, it will seem to fill the hole in the ceiling. I will have to play the Royal Lullaby, and Ganondorf will ring the bell. Then . . . I don't know." Link went quiet.

I got an idea. "I'm having trouble sleeping. Could you play the lullaby, since I'm technically royalty?"

Link smiled and got out his Ocarina—a blue instrument with a Triforce near the mouthpiece. Then he began to play that melody from the night Ganondorf was outside my window.

I thought about my day, and about how I felt about Link. He could be short-tempered sometimes, and could be . . . what's the word? . . . Assumptuous. Yes. But he was also repentant, and loving, and strong . . . plus, he wasn't too bad-looking. I mean, well . . . he was pretty handsome.

So—how did I feel? I didn't know.

When he was dome playing, Link looked back at me. He smiled at me. "Getting sleepy?"

I nodded, and grinned.

Link leaned over to me and whispered, "I never knew how to say this before, but now, I find that it will be easy. Before . . . well, never mind that. Rebecca . . . I . . . I . . ." He leaned in more. "I love you."

He pulled away, but I grabbed his arm. I had made my decision.

"I love you, too."

Link seemed puzzled at first, then overjoyed. "You . . . do?"

I laughed. "Why else would I say it?"

Link smiled and kissed me. "I can't think of anything." He pulled away one last time, lingered for a moment, then left.