Thank you to I.K.A. Valian, Yuleen75, Super Goat Grl, Booklover13 and La Generala for your reviews, and an especial thanks to QuinKilo1055 to for your 'Ganondorf sitting around watching soaps suggestion'! I rather like that idea...

By the way, if any of you have a crazy idea you'd like me to include in this story, coz hey, anything goes in this fic no matter how random, let me know either in review or Private Message! And to everyone who expressed concern for Amber in the last chapter, there will be wolf-I mean-dog revenge coming up. Why did I think of "Dog the Bounty Hunter" (TM) when I wrote that??? Hmmm, that might work …er, anyway I digress, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I love writing this story! ((insert manic grin face here))

Oh yeah, and the chapter is quite long for me, it was originally two chapters, but I just couldn't resist rolling it all into one chapter for your edification! ENJOY!


Chapter Twelve

Kokiri village was renowned in all of Hyrule for its peace and tranquillity. Few people had ever seen it, and even fewer knew its exact location. The very air of the Lost Woods demanded silence from all who travelled in its depths. From time to time, snatches of a song played on the wings of the wind as it fluttered overhead. Sometimes, the soft murmur of a nearby brook disturbed the peace but no birds sang. Fireflies and fairies floated lazily around in the dusky undergrowth.

Zelda was astonished to see that the solemnity seemed to have affected Link. For the first time since she had met him, he was walking quietly, smiling slightly as he looked around. Tingle too seemed to have been calmed by the restful atmosphere. He seemed perfectly contented (probably because he now was the proud owner of a Moaning Fairy) and apart from breaking into the occasional unmelodious song about fairies, he was behaving himself. The pervading calmness all around her suited Zelda's mood, it gave her chance to think, although more often than not she found that she was thinking about Link and his odd behaviour, and she had to jog her thoughts away from that dangerous ground.

'Really,' she decided as she took another furtive glance at his profile, 'one should not be attracted to a man that has just traded you for a map.' Link must have sensed her gaze, for as she thought this, he looked over at her and smiled. To her absolute horror, Zelda felt a blush spread across her cheeks as she again had the disturbing thought that he really was rather handsome. She hastily turned away. She knew that Link would be grinning.

"How far is it to the Village, Tingle?" She whispered. Determined to keep away from dangerous thoughts of attraction to a lunatic, for Link clearly was a very dangerous escaped idiot.

"Hm? Oh not fairy far." Replied Tingle, with an inane grin on his little face. "Ehhhhehehehehehe, Tingle made a funny. Not fairy far. Tingle said Fairy not Very. Hahahahahaha. Does the Fairy get the joke?"

Having long since given up trying to convince Tingle that she really wasn't a fairy, and knowing that he wouldn't let the matter drop until she said understood the joke completely and joined with his hysterical laughter, Zelda smiled and nodded. She was hoping that somebody in the mysterious village would be able to assist her in escaping from the pair of lunatics she was with. Surely they would not be so easily mislead by Link and his stupidly endearing eyes, would they?

Just as this thought passed through her mind, she noticed that Link was walking a little closer to her. She glared at him as he winked at her and gently placed a hand on her arm and slowed their pace. Once Tingle was far enough away, he turned back to her and whispered, "Zelda, listen to me – I am really, really, really sorry for all of this. Will you forgive me?"

"No." She whispered back.

"I thought you'd say that." He sighed. She noted that his eyes were dancing, as always, so she did not quite believe that he was as upset as he made out. "I will rescue you, I promise."

"Like I said before – PAH! I don't want you to rescue me, I will do it myself and then I will not be obliged to you anymore and you can leave me alone. I am not impressed by your theatrics, Sir Link, nor am I entirely pleased that you sold me."

"I know, and I am sorry." He said. She didn't know now whether to believe him or not. He looked and sounded entirely sincere – a thing she had not seen before – and she was confused. "I get a little carried away sometimes."

"No kidding…"

"I know. I am an ass." He said, remorsefully. "I just can't help myself sometimes, but I have a plan."

"Great."

Zelda met Link's amused look with a completely bland smile. She may have been fighting an inner struggle to prevent herself from saying, 'oh all right, I forgive you' but she was determined not to let Link see her weakening. Faced with those candid blue eyes that sparkled with mischief and sincerity, she found it a little difficult not to grin back.

"I honestly think this will work. The plan is…"

"You will tell Tingle the truth?" She asked hopefully.

"No, that would be far too complicated. We just go along with the pretence until we can get to this mysterious passage and then we run."

"Is that not a little unfair on Tingle?"

"I suppose." Link smiled reluctantly, "To be honest, I have lived for most of my life in a society where remorse and pity play but a small part in your life. It's a little hard for me to be sympathetic for one who is so clearly insane."

"So speaks Link – the most dangerous lunatic I have ever met." She sighed. "And it is not fair on Tingle, you traded with him in good faith, just because you are a rapscallion doesn't mean I will let you get away with double-crossing him."

"So what would you like me to do?" He whispered back.

"Tell him the truth." She replied, "And do what you promised all along – take me to Impa."

Link rolled his eyes and murmured, "And I'll bet even if I do all that, you still bit won't forgive me, will you?"

"Nope." The smile she had been trying for force into recess finally broke through her defences as she took in his heart-broken look. "You did sell me, Link."

"For a great price."

"For a crummy map and a ostentatiously hideous ring that nobody in their right minds would want…oh wait – that must be why you like it!"

Link laughed at this and from one of his many pockets withdrew the ring and held it up to her, "It's actually quite pretty, don't you think?"

"No, it's big and clumpy."

"Nonsense – it's tiny – see it won't fit on any of my fingers."

"That's because they're all thick – like your head."

"Hey, that's not nice!" He retorted. He held the ring up to the sunlight that glinted through the leaves high above them and examined the emerald solitaire hidden in the centre of the embossed leaf shape. "I actually think this is pretty valuable, you know." He remarked. "I am tempted to say that it is almost, but not quiet, as pretty as you!"

"Enough with the flirting, Link."

"Flirting? Me? I wouldn't dream of it!" Laughed Link. He attempted to look serious for a moment, but considering his eyes were dancing with mischief, it was rather impossible. It was also rather impossible for Zelda to retain her indifference to him when he was watching her in such a way . He studied her face for a moment, and then a tell tale grin flashed across it. Zelda had another feeling of doom and dread. "Do you know, I think you secretly like me, Princess." He remarked in all sincerity.

"Like you?" Zelda repeated in dumbfounded amazement. "Why, that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say. And I have heard a lot of dumb things from you, Linkipoo. You do know I think you're mad, don't you?"

"That doesn't mean you don't like me though." He remarked, with a particularly evil grin on his face. "How unfortunate for you!"

"How unfortunate for you that your mind tricks you into having such ridiculous delusions."

"It's very odd," Said Link as if she hadn't just attempted to shoot his ego down, "The more I see of you, the more I like you. Your beautifully eloquent way of expressing your complete, enduring and eternal devotion to me is so sweet..." He winked at her and added innocently, "…it makes me want to weep."

"Shut up, you idiot." Link laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug. He was like a puppy, she decided as she pushed him away half-heartedly – a big, lollopy Hylian Labrador – sweet, endearing and determined. And he hadn't learnt the meaning of 'no'. He looked at her from underneath his mop of golden hair and grinned. Zelda choked.

"Thanks for forgiving me."

"I haven't."

"Oops, sorry, I thought you had!" Link gave her his best grin and Zelda choked again. She hastily turned away. "I'll tell you what, I will trade your forgiveness for, not only a Link-styled 'rescue Zelda from Tingle' package, worth thousands believe me, but I will also throw in this delightful ring. What say you?"

"Besides 'you are crazy'?" Smiling up at her from under his unruly hair, the way he was, Zelda was again reminded of a puppy hopefully seeking approval from its master after being naughty. He had the same big-eyed pleading look and crestfallen droop of the mouth. If he had a tail, she thought, it would be wagging. Unfortunately for Zelda, an image of Link with a big, bushy tail flashed through her (regretfully) over-active imagination at this precise moment and she giggled.

Taking this as acceptance of his heartfelt desire, Link grinned again, making her choke even more. He then dropped to his knees before her, "Ah, my lady fair, I beg thee accept this token of my affection…" He began. Zelda turned away in acute embarrassment. On seeing this, Link only started to laugh. He remained where he was, humbling himself before her, but dropped the medieval act, "Please accept this token-oh no, I've used that word already, um-accept this…symbol of my gratitude to your magnanimity and a deposit on my supplication for your benign mercy?"

"Wow, those were some pretty big words there, Linkipoo. Do you even know what they mean?"

"Nope but they sounded good!" He replied instantly.

She choked again as Link, with a great deal too much pomp and ceremony, slid the heavy signet ring over her slender index finger and kissed her hand. And then they both realised that it wouldn't come off.

It was perhaps inevitable that Tingle would notice that his new found, beloved and delightfully tall Moaning Fairy (Zelda) and his newest, bestest friend in the whole entire world (Link) had disappeared. He had been merrily dancing along, singing an entirely original (and completely tuneless) ditty about how he would rule the Kokiri forever, and how his father would be forced to eat his words about his good-for-nothing 'special' son when he saw that he had become a God amongst fairies, when he noticed their absence So he turned around and suddenly his song was forgotten.

It was not the fact that they had fallen some way behind that caused him to yell his favourite battle cry of "KOOOOOLOOOO LIMPAAAAAAAAAH!" but the fact that his precious fairy was at that precise moment swamped in an embrace from her erstwhile companion and although she was pushing him away, she was giggling.

"NO. NO. NO. NO! Bad Sir." Cried Tingle, as he dashed back towards them, his cheeks glowing red. His legs moved so fast that he almost tripped up a few times. "Do not flirt with Tingle's fairy!"

Link tried his best to school his features into one that didn't involve grinning, or laughing in some way, for it was clear Tingle was upset. Zelda took one look at Tingle's little top-heavy form, running at top speed, and the way that his pointed hat bobbed up and down on his head as he ran, choked and turned away. Link waited until Tingle was not bent double with exertion, panting heavily before he made an attempt at defending himself. "I wasn't flirting, kind sir." He replied calmly.

"Tingle…saw…you h-hug…Tingle's… fairy." Gasped Tingle, clearly not as recovered from his sprint as Link had originally thought. Seeing the irate, odd face before him, and the way that Zelda was still desperately gnawing at her hand in an attempt to prevent any further giggles escaping on her part, Link couldn't help but smile. And make matters worse.

"I did warn you she was very attached to me." He explained, contritely.

There was a suspicious cough noise coming from Zelda's general vicinity. Link glanced at her and saw that she had stuffed both of her hands into her mouth and was pointedly avoiding his gaze. "I was just trying to convince her that you, Tingle, are a much better prospect than I will ever be."

"Eh?" Tingle was confused, and suspicious.

"Alas, it is true. These Moaning Fairies are fickle, feckless creatures. One moment they avow their heart to you, the next they see a strapping, handsome, attracitve Kokiri Lord in their line of vision and Whoosh, they're off like a rocket." Zelda choked again. "I was just telling Fairy Zelda, because she said she really fancied Lord Tingle, that if she behaved very, very well and was good to Lord Tingle – making him drinks, and rubbing his feet and carrying him around when he is tired, and so on, and so forth, that he will like her back."

"Fairy Zelda will carry Tingle around?" Enquired Tingle suspiciously. Clearly this thought was the only one that he had paid any attention to and was the most attractive to him. He had always wanted to be tall. He did not notice that 'Fairy Zelda' had turned around and was giving Link's back a very pointed glare.

"Of course she will, won't you?" Link winked at his long-suffering companion. It wasn't the wink, but the mischievous smile that immediately followed it that finally battered down her defences.

"Fine, fine. I'll do whatever you want." She sighed, more to Link than Tingle although he didn't notice this, and instantly demanded a shoulder ride.

Link considered this for a moment and then said, "No, Fairy Zelda is useless at giving directions and taking them – I mean, that is how we got lost (in the Lost Woods) in the first place - so you'd better ride on my shoulders, Lord Tingle of the Kokiri." Tingle saw no reason to object to this plan. The only thing that worried him was the way that Zelda seemed to be pledging to kill Link just as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

"Ah, don't worry about that." Said Link, casting a wicked glance at the fuming Zelda, "It's one of the traits of a Moaning Fairy. She likes to cast death threats on the one she loves the most. It's a token of their affection, and once you see past the ominous, naturally sadistic trend of their thoughts, it's actually quite cute."


Tingle was a small man. But he was heavy. Link was secretly glad that the Kokiri village was not actually more than a half-hour walk from their previous stop. Deeper and deeper into the woods they had gone. At one point, Link believed that they had gone around in a circle again, but Tingle had insisted that he knew the way, and being a cartographer, it was likely that he actually did, so neither he or Zelda complained.

The woods were thicker and deeper near the village, and the air was still and quite warm. Link wasn't sure if he liked it as much as the outskirts of the wood. There was something odd about it. However, he was not afraid. He had been trained throughout his life to scorn fear, and had been raised to be confident in every situation. He glanced at Zelda, who was walking to his left, and wondered how she was faring.

He noticed she was not one for complaining. Even when he had been horrible to her, she had retained a pretty serene attitude towards him, only half-threatening revenge and murder. They had been on their feet all day, even Link was feeling the strain, but she had not actually said a word about her feet being sore (which he imagined they were, given that she wore heeled boots), or being too hot (which he guessed she was, as the dress she wore was made of thick wool) or that she had been abominably used by him. Well, perhaps she had said one or two things about that, but even so, she had forgiven him with very little persuasion on his part. He wondered if she really was that sweet, or whether he was going to be in for a nasty shock later on.

Glancing at her profile, which betrayed the weariness that she was determined not to show, he decided not.

The three companions were silent for three reasons, the first was that Zelda refused to speak to either of them, the second was that they were sneaking up to the village (just in case they weren't welcome) and third, Link had threatened to 'let Tingle fall from his shoulders if he dared start singing that tuneless piece of filth that he had been composing again'. In other words Tingle was sulking too.

The trees overhead seemed to be whispering as they passed through the dark forest. High in the canopy, Link could see little white fairies watching them suspiciously. He idly wondered if he could con one of them into trading places with Zelda. It was as he was half-plotting this course, that Tingle broke his sullen silence by saying, "There it is, Bad Sir. Kokiri Village." And that was Link's cue to finally drop Tingle back onto the floor.

Ahead of them was a large hollowed out tree trunk lying on its side, completely fenced in by tall, mossy rocks, trees and vines. A lone sentry guarded the entrance; his little feet planted squarely apart, unruly red hair peeping from under his pointed green cap, a white fairy circling his head lazily. Link crept forward slightly and noted that the sentry was not looking into the forest, as he should be, but in to the village. Link wondered why the sentry was apparently more preoccupied by preventing anyone from leaving rather than letting anyone enter. He wondered if he could sneak past.

"Why, they are children!" Exclaimed Zelda quietly. "I thought they'd be like Tingle."

"Yeah, me too." He whispered back. He suddenly chuckled, "I was imagining some almighty magical folk from the way Tingle described them. I'm disappointed." Link noted that Zelda had forgotten her anger (again) and was smiling at him. "You could just pick the kid up and move him to one side, you're at least twice his height!" She said.

"I know." He grinned, "It's not a bad plan, you know. He's not even armed."

"Apart from with that little fairy."

"Maybe I could borrow the fairy…" Said Link. "And give it to Tingle, then I can have you back as my fairy."

"Quit whilst your ahead, Link." Zelda advised him coolly. "We'll have no more stealing, sneaking or lying whilst I am around, thank you."

"Damn, looks like I will have to get rid of you after all." They both started laughing. Unfortunately, this alerted Tingle to the fact he was being ignored. He had been happily imagining his complete overthrowing of the hapless Kokiri, and had been busy picturing their Tingle-Worship, when the sound of soft laughter interrupted his pleasant dreams.

"What are you talking about?" Asked Tingle, in his usual high-pitched, tuneless and extremely loud voice.

"EEK!" Shouted the sentry, swinging around to face the forest. "INTRUDERS!"

"Eeh-hehe, hello, Mr Fairy!" Called Tingle cordially.

The fairy-child's blue eyes widened perceptibly. Even from a distance they heard his gasp of horror. He stepped back and seemed to be torn between fight and flight. His little body shook as he tried to obey his duty to keep unwelcome persons from out of his village. He shouted back, "NO! BAD TINGLE!!! GO AWAY! YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!" He took another step back as Tingle grinned happily.

"Hey wait for Tingle, Mr Fairy!" Called Tingle.

"GO AWAY!" Called the child, still torn between his duty of protecting his village from invading Tingles and his dread of the said Tingle.

Watching from the sidelines, Link and Zelda exchanged a glance of mutual amusement and exasperation and stood up, ready to join the fray. The sentry, who looked to be about ten years old at the most, took one look at the two tall Hylians standing there, gulped and ran in the opposite direction. "EEEK! GIANTS!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES…"

"WAIT!" Yelled Tingle.

The Kokiri child didn't seem to hear as he put on an extra spurt of speed and ran screaming and crying into the village.

"No don't wait." Called Link after the fleeing figure. He stepped forward calmly and added, "I think we've just gained access to the village. And all I had to do was stand up."

"I told you that you are terrifying." Remarked Zelda as she took his offered arm and walked through the hollow tree trunk with him. "Even kids are scared of you."

"No, it was the sight of you that got to him." He retorted.

"Wait for Tingle!" Came a call from behind.

"You sure you don't just want to run away now?" Whispered Link, his eyes glinting with mischief. "We could easily outrun him…"

"It's tempting thought." Replied Zelda, sighing as she heard Tingle puffing away as he ran to catch up with them them, although she refused to watch him running again, as Link had. "But I am determined to teach you some morals, my friend, so we will stick this out."

"Fine." Link took a look around at the little wooden houses, and shallow stream that ran right through the village and noticed that all the doors were shut, all the windows were rapidly being closed and there was nobody in sight. This only made him smile more. "Isn't this place just cute?"

"Very funny, Link. Like you'd appreciate dolls houses and that sort of thing. I thought you were all 'Oooo, I'm Link - I've been brought up to be all fearless, macho and manly…'" Replied Zelda, doing a rather accurate imitation of Link's voice. He looked down at her in amazement.

"Do that again." He begged.

"What?"

"My voice – that was great!" He laughed. "I had no idea you were so good at impressions. I could make a fortune…" Zelda's eyes narrowed dangerously, Link chuckled and corrected himself, "I mean you could make a fortune from that and zapping people at random and creating fireballs – just think you could be a one-woman show. And I could be your manager…"

"Don't even think about it, Link." She warned him. "You are not profiteering from me in any other way, shape or form, I refuse to let you."

"Are you sure?" He begged, using his big, pleading eyes to their best advantage. Although she smiled, she shook her head. He seemed to accept defeat but Zelda was not convinced he had let go of the idea entirely. Especially when he cast an impish sideward glance at her.

'Really', she thought, 'the sooner she got back into Impa's safe care, away from this lunatic, the better it would be for her peace of mind'. She carefully, and wilfully ignored the little voice in her head that was telling her that she was actually enjoying her time with him, by reminding herself (sternly) that this idiot had cut her hair, dragged her around in circles for three days all the while following a blank piece of paper, had traded her for a map, and then had tried to make amends by giving her a tacky emerald ring (if it was indeed a real emerald), which was now stuck on her finger. All he had to recommend himself to her was his looks (which, admittedly were nice but she had met handsome men before), his voice (which was really, really attractive…), his eyes (she had always liked blue-eyed men)…his smile…his charm…his… Zelda stopped herself thinking about him at this point, refusing to acknowledge that she was growing rather fond of him.

Of course, the knowledge that her inner self was telling the truth, and against her better judgement she did quite like Link, only put her in a bad mood. So she glared at him.

"Now what have I done?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders in exasperation.

"Look, will you stop prating about and get on with what we came here to do?" She snapped, determined not to let herself fall into the trap of being nice to him.

"Which I have done, so now I just need to find Keese Cavern and I'll be on my way. Toodle-pip, Princessy." Said Link cheerfully.

"Ah-ha, not so fast." She grabbed his collar and pulled him slightly closer to her. "You still owe me, Linkipoop. Remember your little speech from before – something about my 'benign mercy'?"

"I do." He grinned down at her, and as their eyes met, she saw something akin to affection lurking in his eyes. Surely he did not like her, did he? Whatever would a man like him see in a boring, sheltered and grumpy girl like her? She wondered, for a second anyway, before she caught back up with her runaway thoughts and reprimanded herself. Regardless of what it was in his eyes, it lingered there for a long moment and made it quite impossible for her to turn away.

"Hey! Tingle said no flirting with Tingle's fairy." Came an irritated voice from somewhere below them. Zelda jumped at the sound, and looked away, a blush on her cheeks. Which was exactly what she did not want to happen. She knew Link would be laughing at her again, but as she cast a furtive glance at him, she saw that he was staring at her, with a confused expression on his face. 'Oh dear', thought Zelda.

"Tingle demands to meet with the Kokiri." Demanded Tingle, evidently feeling that whatever was going on between his fairy and his newest, bestest friend, was no where near as important as making sure Tingle got what he wanted.

"That might be a little tricky," Said Link, recovering quickly from his Zelda-induced stupor, "They all appear to have hidden from you."

"Well knock on their doors and tell them that a fairy has finally come to Tingle after all these years and now they must let him live in the forest with them."

"Why can't you tell them?" Asked Link.

"Um…Tingle has a reason…"

"They can't kick you out now you have a fairy, can they?" He mused, "Surely you want to declare this good news for yourself, don't you, Tingle? Your moment of triumph has arrived – you should laud it over them all!"

"Don't encourage him." Muttered Zelda, almost to herself, only Link was standing close enough to her to hear, so he winked at her.

"Ehh-he-he-huuuuhh" Sighed Tingle. "Ah, Kind Sir, it is not that easy. The Kokiri are mean to Tingle. They do not want Tingle in their Village. They say he is just a fat little old man who has de-de-oh what is it? - de…limptions?"

"Delusions." Zelda corrected him kindly, "Link could tell you all about those, couldn't you, Link?"

"Yep, indeed." Answered Link, in his usual sunny manner. Zelda couldn't decide whether his ability to completely ignore any insult flung at him was a flaw or an asset.

"Yes," Said Tingle. "It is hard to be a fairy when nobody believes you are one."

"It is. However, it is harder to be on the receiving end of the opposite statement without even having the satisfaction of being allowed to hit the originator of the said fable." Said Zelda, with a pointed look at Link.

"It is my recollection that you did hit me." Link reminded her. Zelda choked and Tingle looked confused. Too many long words had been used for him to understand what his fairy was talking about. He decided that he would have to teach her to only use simple phrases like, "Hey", "Listen", "Watch Out", and "Hail King Tingle". Those were the only phrases a fairy need know, he decided.

"Yes anyway, Kind Sir, Tingle must speak with the Kokiri now. Link will tell them that he has a fairy and that makes him a Kokiri."

"If I do, what will you trade me?" Asked Link, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Nothing. Link owes Tingle."

"Do I?"

"Yes. Tingle brought Link to the Kokiri Village. Link promised he would get Tingle into the village. He has not yet done so, Kind Sir."

"Aren't you in the village now?" Queried Link.

"Yes, and No." Replied Tingle, a slightly worrying grin on his face. "Tingle did not say exactly what was meant by 'into the village'. Tingle meant to be accepted into the village. Those were the conditions of the trade for Tingle's Map and Tingle's Ring. Kind Sir - you owe me."

"Wow, duped by Tingle. I'd never have thought that was possible." Laughed Zelda.

"Silence, Fairy." Commanded Tingle. "You talk to much!"

"Excuse me?"

"Shhh. Tingle is your master now. You must be quiet. Tingle does not want an annoying Navi Fairy who talks constantly and pointlessly. Tingle will use magic on you to keep you quiet if you do not behave."

"Wow, shot down by Tingle. Who'd have thought that?" Murmured Link, for Zelda's ears only. She frowned at him. He rolled his eyes and turned to Tingle, "Very well, I'll admit maybe I wasn't clear on the terms of our deal and maybe getting you into the village was not what I originally thought." For a second he stared down at Tingle, who stood as tall as he could, feet planted firmly apart, big bottom lip protruding slightly and his cheeks flushed. Link shook his head and then smiled kindly, "Very well, I will help you." He said.

Zelda gave him a suspicious look but to her amazement, Link was being sincere. He held his hand out to Tingle, and as the little man shook on the deal he said gently, "I don't mind being duped, you know? I do it often enough myself to object to anyone getting revenge on me. What would you like me to do?"

Tingle laughed excitedly and couldn't resist casting a little (Limppaaa) to celebrate but he managed to explain that all Link needed to do was convince the leader of the Kokiri that Tingle's fairy was real. And that owning a fairy made him a Kokiri. And since he would be the only adult Kokiri, he would automatically become their new, beloved leader.

"I'll see what I can do. What's the name of this leader then?"

"Um…Tingle thinks it is Mingo…or something."

"That's all I need." Said Link. He took a step away from his two companions, one of whom was still stunned after being berated by Tingle, and yelled as loud as he could:

"MINGOOOOOOOOOOOOO…"

Somewhere in the village, a door opened…


"Mido." Came an angry voice, accompanied by the sound of running feet. "My name is Mido, you twerp. Everyone always gets my name wrong. Now, who dares disturb the peace of the Kokiri?"

From behind one of the wooden houses, a stout little boy ran forward. His hair was gingery, his face heavily freckled and his eyes were green. He looked particularly cross. Like Tingle, he was dressed from head to toe in green, only he was wearing a thick brown belt with a short sword pushed through it, and on his back was strapped a little wooden shield. He drew his sword and pointed it at Tingle. "Oh it's you, is it? I thought I warned you never to come back to this village, Mr No-Fairy." He growled. Or at least it was the closest to a growl his childish voice could get. Link couldn't help but grin at the sight of Tingle being threatened by a child who was smaller than him.

"Tingle has got a fairy." Retorted Tingle, watching the sword nervously.

"Really, well I don't see none." Said Mido, taking a step forward.

"Hey, put away the sword, kid. You shouldn't play with those things until you are way older." Suddenly interrupted Link. He leaned over and plucked the sword from Mido's grasp with a simple twist.

"Who the heck are you?" Asked Mido fearfully as he jumped up to try and grab his sword back.

"I'm Link. I'm here with Tingle." Answered Link as he held the sword aloft and shook his head.

"Pah, you don't s-scare me." Stated Mido, his voice suggesting otherwise. The sight of a strapping, young, golden-haired Hylian standing before him was a little daunting to one who was barely three foot tall. "Gimme my sword back. It doesn't belong to you."

"You shouldn't play with swords." Said Zelda kindly, stepping in when Link coughed. "They are very dangerous."

"Listen, lady, I can do what I like! I'm the leader here."

Apart from her obvious distaste at being addressed in such a rude manner, Zelda managed to keep her face straight as she said soothingly, "I do not dispute that, but you children should not be playing with weapons. They are naughty."

"Children? NAUGHTY?" Repeated Mido, on the verge of fury. He jumped up again to snatch his sword back but Link only held it higher above his head. "How old do you morons think I am?" He glared at Link and finished, "I'm three-flipping-hundred. THREE HUNDRED YEARS OLD! Do you hear? Just coz I look like a child don't mean I am one."

"Three Hundred?" Link repeated the word incredulously and avoided looking at Zelda who was in the middle of a mysterious coughing fit. "Wow. You'd need some seriously good ID to prove that at any of the Hylian Bars I go to!"

"Shut up." Said Mido. "We Kokiri have no need of bars and the outside world, and we don't need outsiders either."

"Do you know what a bar is?"

"No." Admitted Mido.

"Then you don't know if you need one or not." Link cast an appraising glance at the little figure before him and grinned slightly, "I'd say you probably do. Some beer would help you grow a nice, manly beard and belly. Then I'd believe you were older than, I dunno, ten?"

"ARGH, I hate you flipping Hylians." Shouted Mido.

"Actually, I'm Catalian not Hylian." Said Link calmly. "You are a rude little thing aren't you? What's your bugbear?"

"You!" Retorted Mido, anxious to be angry at anything and everything that spoke to him.

"Oh, do leave off, Mido." Came a soft, girl's voice. "I'm sure our visitors mean us no harm, and I am certain that even if they have brought Tingle here, there is a reason."

"EEK, Saria." Exclaimed Mido, and magically the grumpy child was gone, replaced by an innocent, angelic looking boy who smiled sweetly at his guests. He smoothed his hair from his face and brushed an imaginary piece of fluff from his shoulder before turning around. Behind him stood a girl, she looked about twelve, and had huge blue eyes, a perpetually sweet smile and green hair. That was a thing Link had never seen before – real, proper, grass green hair. He couldn't take his eyes off it. So he didn't notice that the girl blushed as she glanced at him.

"Hi, I'm Saria. It's nice to meet you." She called in a happy voice. Even though she was half their height, she still held out both her hands to each of them in turn and embraced them. That was until she got to Tingle. She didn't hold out her hands to him, but she didn't frown either. She just smiled slightly and said, "Hello again, Tingle."

"Hello, Mistress Fairy." Said Tingle in a subdued manner.

She folded her arms sternly and asked, "I thought we agreed last time you so kindly visited us that you were not a Kokiri? Do you remember, the Kokiri cannot leave this forest and all Kokiri children have a fairy companion? You promised me you would not come back."

"Ehhehehehehehe, Tingle has got a fairy now, mistress Fairy." Replied Tingle, much to her astonishment. "This Kind Sir found one for him.

"O-oh?" Saria's first favourable impression of Link (admittedly it was a rather dazzled first impression) was rapidly being replaced by a feeling of dread. Zelda could have told her that it was par for the course, and that the anxiety and shock she felt now would be nothing compared to what she would experience after a few days of association with him, but as Zelda knew what was inevitably coming next, she held her peace.

"Um, where…where is the fairy?" Stammered Saria, looking closely at Tingle, unless he had managed to capture one of the Healing Fairies in a bottle (which in her opinion didn't count as a real fairy companion) then he was still as fairyless as he was brainless.

"Tingle's fairy is a special fairy." Announced Tingle dramatically. Zelda cringed. "She is a Moaning Fairy."

"A Moaning…" Began Mido.

"Fairy?" Finished Saria. If the suspicion that he was mad had not already occurred to them many times before, it would have now. He was clearly out of his mind. They had never in all their years heard of such a thing.

"Hah. Tingle knew you would not believe." Tingle laughed maniacally. "So he brought her to show you. Kooolooo LIMPAAAAHHHH!!" He threw his little bits of paper in the air and danced in a little circle, accidentally bumping into Mido as he did.

"Oof. Oh you are such an idiot. This is exactly why we don't welcome outsiders…" Snarled Mido.

Tingle appeared to have adopted Link's immunity to threats and insults. "Ehehehe, Tingle is so lucky to have a FAIRY!" He sang, hopping from one foot to another. "Behold – Tingle's fairy." And with these words he pointed at Zelda.

For a long moment, two pairs of childish eyes observed her. There was silence all around. Zelda smiled slightly and waved a hand. And then…

"Pppppppphhhhhhhhh hahahahahahahah…oh my, that's your f-fairy??" Giggled Saria, Mido clung to her for support as he sniggered. She gasped for breath as she struggled to control her giggles. "ppphh…S-she'sss hehe…pp…h-hehe…huge…"

"I can't…breath." Complained Mido as he bent double. "I've not laugh…ed so m-much in age…hoohooo…ages."

"She is a fairy!" Said Tingle. "Link said so."

The sound of more wails accompanied this. The two Kokiri clung to one another for support. Zelda watched them for a moment and weighed up her current options. The way she saw it, there were three options, she could admit to the truth, and ask these adult-children for help. She could abandon Link and Tingle to their ridiculous pretence and run for her life (and sanity). Or she could do something completely and utterly stupid.

Where she got the idea for her third option, she never knew. She didn't even know if it would work, but she did know she was going to regret her actions. But she couldn't back down and let these children, or whatever they were, laugh at Link. That was her job. And so she said, "SILENCE, FOREST CHILDREN. I have had enough of your insubordination. How dare you dishonour me so!"

"W-What?" Saria recovered first. She cast a puzzled glance at Zelda and then shook her head, "Don't try to fool us. We may look like children, but we're not! We're not easily taken in by practical jokes."

"Are you doubting the word of the Great Wailing Fairy?" Zelda glowered at the Kokiri and folded her arms across her chest.

"Um…there's no such thing as a Great Wailing Fairy." Said Saria gently. It was obvious to her that Zelda, whom she had previously thought looked quite sane, was as mad as her companions.

"You mean 'Moaning Fairy'." Whispered Link. Zelda smiled but kept her attention fixed firmly on the Kokiri before her. "Do not doubt what you do not know." She said softly. She closed her eyes and placed her hands, one on top of the other in front of her. Suddenly a thick green light shot out from the signet ring she wore (the one jammed onto her finger by Link earlier). The light shrouded her from head to toe. White tendrils of smoke and tiny stars shimmered and twisted all around her body, as though they were caught in a whirlwind. Tingle and the two Kokiri squealed. Link leaned back against a nearby tree and watched her appreciatively.

Slowly the green light faded, but the tiny stars remained. As it disbursed into the canopy of the forest, Zelda stepped forward. She had changed.

Gone was the drab woollen dress, in its place a long white robe, tied under the bust and around the waist in golden ribbon. Gone were her boots, replaced with dainty golden sandals. Gone was her neat plat of hair, in its place her golden hair was twisted into curls that were caught about her head and fell from the nape of her graceful neck. She was decorated in emeralds and golden chains and on her back, a pair of delicate golden-green wings softly wafted back and forth. The emerald ring on her finger glittered magnificently.

"Um…" Said Mido as he knelt before the Great Wailing Fairy.

"Wow!" Said Saria as she knelt respectfully at his side.

"My fairy!" Exclaimed Tingle joyfully, skilfully breaking the astonishment felt by all. For the second time in the same day, Zelda was cannoned into by an excited Tingle. She managed to retain her footing this time but curiously, she had her complete attention fixed on Link. She smiled as she noted that he did look stunned, and his mouth was slightly agape, but also was disappointed to see that his eyes had their usual twinkle in them. For a moment, he watched her and then he mouthed the words, "I could make a fortune from you!!!"

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the two Kokiri. "Now do you believe? I am the Great Wailing Fairy."

"We believe, Great Fairy, but why, by the Skull Kids Song, are you with Tingle of all people?" Asked Saria in complete incredulity.

"Ah, that is a long story." She said, whilst glaring at Link.

"We believe, but it still doesn't mean we accept Tingle though. He's a lunatic." Mido cast a very telling look at Zelda – the great Wailing Fairy- and sighed, "You can stay though."

Both Saria and Link were just about to object to this plan, both for a similar reason, when a voice came wafting through the wind. It was a voice as hyperactive and high-pitched as Tingle, yet wise and strangely wooden, it sighed, "IIIIII will beeee the judge oooof that…"

Saria and Mido exchanged a confused look. "Was that the Maku Tree?" Whispered Saria. Mido nodded fearfully.

The eerie voice rushed through the leaves again, as if in answer, it said "YESSSSSSSS, it is IIIIIIIIII. Bring them allll to meeeee."

Saria sighed and glanced at Link, wondering what treat was in store for their visitors. "Oh dear." She said.


Wow, my first sorta cliff hanger. Okay, so it was lame but still, I hope it encourages you all to read on! If only to find out how and why Zelda can now do magic and what the Maku Tree wants...

I will stop waffling now, oh wait, no I won't, I just have to say YAY for ZELINK, oh yeah, and please, pretty please review. Or I will set Tingle on you…