Before I start I'd like to thank Guntou, Super Goat Grl and Liquid Soul for your reviews. Also I'd better apologise for making Impa a little grumpy, and childish. I promise she will be nicer in future! Anyways, onwards with the tale. Please do review, reviews make me happy!!!


Chapter Four

The wind howled around Link's head as he made his steady progress towards the lights of the inn he could just about make out in the distance. His long cloak swirled around his body and occasionally smacked his legs as if encouraging him to move faster. To be fair, he was already moving pretty fast. The night was cold, it was wet and windy, and he didn't really want to be a target for the elements for any longer than he had to.

He had not walked the whole way. Being Link, and therefore being resourceful, he had managed to cadge a lift with a very pretty ranch owner for most of the journey. He had made up some story about falling on hard times, which when added to the simple entreaty in his eyes and mixed with just the slightest hint of flirtation in his voice had won the girl over without a great deal of protest. She had even offered him a room for the night, which he had declined. He did not want to be late for his meeting with the judges.

He whistled a jaunty tune as he marched forward. Not once did he regret his decision to come to Hyrule, nor did he think about the cosy little ranch he could have stayed at overnight (Providing the girl's father had not objected to the plan). He did not even mind that the ground under his feet was thick with mud, his hair was sodden and plastered to his face and that his boots had developed yet another hole. In fact, these things only added to the adventure in Link's eyes. He thought it was fun.

He always had been a little bit odd.

At his side, ears and tail both firmly down and fur as sodden as the ground she stepped on trudged his pet dog. At least Link insisted she was a dog, but most people who had ever come into the said animal, especially if they caught her at a bad moment, insisted she was in fact a wolf. For starters (they would say), her fur was rough and thick, her muzzle long and powerful and her eyes a curious pale blue. She was unnaturally inquisitive, highly intelligent and was intensely loyal to her owner. She had wolf-like markings too and preferred howling to barking. Her head almost reached Link's waist and her paws were huge. She was docile enough as she plodded along and occasionally she raised her head to look up at her master.

Even travelling at their quick march, it seemed to take forever to actually reach the inn. Link rapped his knuckles against the old oak door and continued humming to himself. Out of habit, the dog stood behind him. Link had discovered long ago it was better for people not to see his pet before he had successfully arranged accommodation. He wondered idly if the farm girl would really have let him and his pooch stay the night. She had appeared to be a little frightened of his pet.

After a short pause the door was opened a fraction. This occurred right after some cold rain had finally managed to trickle down Link's back making him shudder. He removed his cap politely as he realised he was being observed. It was the landlord's wife, Anju. She seemed to be rooted to the spot, looking at a point just beyond Link's shoulder.

Seeing as he was a polite soul, Link bowed to her (in the process allowing yet more freezing cold rain to slither merrily down his back). "Hi, you're expecting me." He said cheerfully as he stood up again.

Anju hadn't moved. Her eyes were still transfixed on the spot just behind him.

"Um, good evening. May I come in?" Link waved one hand to and fro in front of her eyes. She blinked and then focussed on him…for a second before her attention was dragged back to the thing behind him. A huge beast with raging blue eyes and masses of shaggy fur lurked in the darkness just behind his legs.

"N-no…" She stammered.

"No? But I've booked!" Link looked slightly confused, "I sent a carrier, um, bird thing two days ago and you responded saying you would be absolutely delighted to have me stay in your inn and that you would prepare the best chamber in the house for my own personal edification." He leaned against the door frame and widened his eyes to their fullest and cajoled her saying, "You've not forgotten have you?"

Anju, thus confronted with a sopping wet, baggage laden, blue-eyed male, who seemed to have developed the largest, most beseeching eyes she had ever seen, whose bedraggled hair was hanging over his face in ropes and whose nose was red with cold, opened the door a little more. As a reward for this act of generosity, Link grinned at her.

The door opened a little wider involuntarily. "You have a room booked?" She asked blankly.

"Yes. I am staying courtesy of the wonderful judges Rauru and company. They're going to pick up the tab - aren't I lucky!"

Anju took stock of the man standing before her whilst her mind rapidly conjured up images of the resplendent judges currently occupying her three best chambers. One eyebrow rose involuntarily. "You are their guest?" She repeated.

Link shuddered as more rain dribbled from his sopping wet head down his back. Still he managed to smile, "Yes. They have arrived, haven't they?"

"Um… they are here." She eventually admitted.

"Great, then can I see them, please?" Link smiled again and clutched his cap to his chest in a very urchin-like manner. It hadn't taken him long to notice that the landlady was heavily pregnant. Behaving like a child in such a situation was sure to appeal to her. "Or if I can't see them, can I at least step inside of this torrent whilst you ask if they wish to see me or not? You see, I've had a very long journey and it's rather late and I am getting hungry and you know…"

Anju gazed blankly at him at this torrent of words washed over her. Link chattered on in a similar vein, wearing down her defences until she finally admitted defeat and opened the door wide enough for him to just about step inside. Link shot her a grateful smile as he passed by and then whistled his dog. Anju took a few steps back as the huge animal trundled in happily after her master.

"Um, we don't allow… pets…" She began, all the while her eyes fixed in fascinated horror on the beast.

"You don't? Oh, Amber is fine – she'll cause no trouble, I promise!"

The dog, on hearing its name cocked her ears and glanced at her master and then immediately continued her intense olfactory examination of Anju's legs. Given that the dog's square nose was dangerously close to her stomach and that it had already doused her in freezing cold rainwater when she had shook that massive coat of hers Anju took the view that the dog was trouble. Big trouble.

"I am sorry, sir, but we really do not allow pets of this nature into the establishment…" She began firmly enough but then when confronted head on by the fierce ice-blue gaze of the dog and the pleading sky-blue gaze of the dog's owner, Anju lost momentum.

"It's only for one night." Said Link, accompanied by his most winning smile. "And she's a good dog, I promise. Aren't you, Amber? Who's a good dog?"

Amber's huge bushy tail wagged placidly as Link spoke, her eyes fixed intently on her master. Link stroked her ears and patted her head.

"Dog?" Link heard Anju's whispered expression of disbelief and grinned at her. "Sure, why not. Amber's just really big dog, that's all. And she's harmless, aren't you, Girl?" He explained as he itched the dog's snout and she flattened her ears happily. Anju had certainly never seen a dog like that before. "Anyway, ma'am, weren't you going to tell the judges that I have arrived?"

Anju was beginning to feel giddy with the constant subject changes. A hand went to her head. On seeing this, Link became apologetic and made her sit down on a nearby settle. As a comfort, Amber rested her huge head on Anju's knees. The landlady managed a nervous smile at the pair but couldn't quite keep the fear from her eyes. And she was convinced that the wolf would sense her fear and turn on her and…

"I'm so sorry for keeping you standing." Said Link as he took her hand and kissed it lightly. "Really, in your condition you should be resting. What is your husband thinking letting you answer the door this late at night? How many months pregnant are you?"

Anju definitely felt as though her head was whirling now. On the one hand, she was responding to her visitor's solicitousness, on the other she was reacting to the very dangerous pet that accompanied him. "Um, eight months and two weeks." She answered, her eyes fixed warily on the dog whose head was still in her lap and was thus crushing the life from her limbs. She wondered if being in mortal fear could induce labour.

"Wow, and you are still up and about running this inn. You are incredible." Said Link with no trace of insincerity in his voice. "So, is it busy this time of year?"

"Business is so-so." She replied automatically, her eyes still focused unwaveringly on the dog. Amber sighed happily and wagged her tail slightly. Evidently Anju's knee made a nice pillow and she was perfectly happy resting there until her master said otherwise.

"I'll bet you get all manner of strange people staying here." He remarked as he cast his eyes around the entrance hall. He ignored the pointed look Anju gave him at this comment. It was a very old timbered building. The floors were uneven, the walls slanted and the ceilings were low. Oak timbers, darkened with age, ran the length of the hall and decorative lanterns hung in chains in each corner, offering light to the otherwise gloomy prospect. "This Inn's been here forever."

"Yes, it dates back about four-hundred years." Anju gazed around fondly at the hall. She loved the old place – the history, the architecture, the secrets. Link could see that love in her eyes and knew that if he wasn't careful he'd have to listen to a full blown account of the life and times of the Old Tavern, Lake Hylia, Hyrule.

"How many guest can you accommodate?"

"Hm, four." She answered.

"So you've got one spare at the moment?"

"No, we're fully booked." She admitted before realising what she'd just let slip.

"Oh, so who is staying other than the three wonderful judges, or is it just that you've reserved my room for me already."

"A Gerudo lady." Said Anju, distracted by the fast pace of Link's conversation, that and the massive dog that had taken her knee to be a pillow. "She's here with her maid but plans on leaving tomorrow."

"So she's got my room." Link mused; a glint of mischief lit his eyes as he glanced at Anju. She looked thoroughly distracted now and slightly guilty for revealing such information. He wondered if he knew the Gerudo. Having lived in the desert for much of his life, he knew the names of many of the important matriarchs. Only the highest-ranking officials were allowed their own servants. "What's her name?" He asked casually.

"Tassia." Anju answered again without thinking. All she seemed to be concentrating on was not making any sudden movements, which might provoke the animal currently dozing on her knee.

"Tassia, eh?" A singularly impish smile passed over his face. Anju saw the look and hastily stood up. Dog or no dog, she had to get out of this man's presence before she revealed any more of her guest's secrets. "I'll go speak to Rauru for you, er, what is your name?"

"Lord Link Eipough."

Anju couldn't help but allow her eyes to run over Link's apparel. His cloak was patched in many places, his boots had almost faded to white and his leggings were travel stained. She knew a lord when she saw one. She didn't see one in Link. "Right, um, Lord Link. Stay here please."

For a pregnant woman she can move really fast thought Link as he leaned back on his chair. Amber flopped down at his feet, resting her heavy head on his travel worn boots. Link smiled to himself, if he didn't know any better, he would have said she was running away. He only wished he could see the judges faces when she announced his name.


Hope you are all enjoying a slightly...um...cheery Link(ee-poo) and his little pet. Please tell me what you think! Press that review button!