Chapter Fourteen: Princess Rescue

"So, you're saying it's actually safe to be in Lord Jabu-Jabu's stomach?" Link asked. The idea that the Zora princess was in their patron deity was, well, insane. And horrifying, and slightly comical. Being swallowed by a giant…well, now that he thought about, he had no idea what their god was, but he had to assume it was a fish of some kind. To be swallowed by one whole was something straight out of a fairy tale. But then, he had fought against bug monster inside a tree spirit, and had fought a fire breathing land dragon. If that wasn't fairy tale enough, perhaps rescuing a princess inside a fish would top off his adventure rather nicely.

"If it is, then shouldn't someone find her?" Navi added. The king shook his head.

"Indeed, it is safe for us, but I do not know for any other race. Alas, I would do as you suggest, but my people are hesitant, for he is still our patron god, and only the priestesses would go before him, and they are fearful now, in his illness he has been acting strangely. I wait for my scouts to return to seek their courage in this task."

Courage. That singular word had come to mean more to him than any other since the start of this quest of his, and even his magic was summoned by courage drawn from his friends. Now courage was needed again, for the sake of the Zora race, and the races of Hyrule.

"Then let us go, Your Majesty. We will find your daughter and what's making Lord Jabu-Jabu ill and end it. If we do this, we can save not only Her Majesty, but your people and the rest of Hyrule, before it's too late! If Ganondorf is behind this, then we'll stop him!"

He won't win this time. He won't take another life while I'm here…Father.

You would do this, though you are a stranger to us?" The king asked, surprised. Link nodded.

"Without a second thought. This is bigger than both of us, Your Majesty."

This child is beyond his years, King Zora thought to himself. But then, He was Kokirian, they did not age past childhood, so how was he to know how old he was really? The boy was strong, and he had proven himself, by his knowledge of the ancient song and his tale. And he was right, of course, this was more than a matter concerning his own people, this threatened Hyrule itself. As King of Zora's Domain, Guardian of the Fountain, and presider over Zora's River, it was his duty to quickly address the crisis. There was no time to waste.

"Very well, you speak truly, Link. I give you my permission to enter Zora's Fountain, and I charge you thus: find my daughter, and help our Lord, zora!" He shuffled himself aside to reveal a break in the gate behind him, opening the path to the Fountain beyond.

"Take this with you as well, young man, a treasured weapon passed down the Do Bon line for generations, and know that your kindness will not be forgotten." With these words, the king removed from the folds of his cape an item Link recognized immediately: a boomerang. But it was not like any he had seen fashioned by the Kokiri. Those had been made simply with pieces of branches and bark. This was fashioned whole from a tree, and had been smoothed and polished, and decorated with painted stripes on both wings, a simple three stripe pattern of green-yellow-green. The elbow of the weapon was inlaid on both sides with a kite-shaped ruby. Link was glad he had learned how to use one effectively; he had learned how to at the same time he was taught the use of a slingshot, but had found he was better with the projectile weapon, and had hardly used one since.

Hastening up the right-hand path, Link accepted the boomerang with many thanks, and after being advised on certain customs, he took off down the path.

"Your Majesty, has anyone other than a Zora ever entered the Fountain? And to give your royal treasure so freely…"

"None that I have ever heard Vann, no. But tell me, if he had not offered his aid, would you go instead?" No response was given, for none was needed.

~0~

The sun was beginning to set near the horizon when Link and Navi arrived at Zora's Fountain. To their left stakes rose up from the ground, placed there to prevent anyone reaching the waterfall beyond, which Link realized was the same that they had passed underneath to enter Zora's Domain. In front of them, northwards, rock rose up, marking the beginning ascent of another side of Death Mountain, this one impassable. There was though, he noticed, what appeared to be a cave entrance carved into the rock face, but it was far too high to be accessible without aid.

To their right was a simple altar fashioned of the same stone surrounding them, and the vast lake that was this place's namesake. Beyond the altar, however, resting where the king said he would be, was the Zora's protector god, Lord Jabu-Jabu.

As Link had suspected, he was a fish. But he was by far larger than he could have imagined a fish being. He was bigger than his house, bigger than even the house at Lon Lon Ranch! His scales were largely shades of gray, the back darker than the rest of his visible body, but his bulbous eyes stood out, contrasting as a vivid blue. And true to deity fashion, the Zora had not wasted effort in adorning him with a golden headdress, making him look as regal as a fish could be.

"He looks…strange," He said simply. Navi nodded.

"He does, doesn't he? The Zora worship him as their god, but isn't he just am over-sized fish?"

"Maybe he is a god, though, if what King Zora said is true. If his health effects all of Hyrule's water, that sounds pretty godlike to me."

"It could be magic, you know," Navi answered. "But for magic of that magnitude…"

"Godlike, right?"

"…probably. It would be magic so deep we couldn't possibly sense it."

The two of them climbed up the steps of the altar, no longer in ankle high water. Lord Jabu-Jabu hardly seemed to even notice his presence – he made no indication of it, anyway – except he couldn't shake the feeling of still being watched by him. Now that he was closer to the great fish, he could see markings on his scales and fins, telltale signs of his age, similar to seeing older fish in streams and rivers back home. But Lord Jabu-Jabu was old. Very old. The Zora had been worshipping him for generation upon generation, they had said. How old did Zora live to be?

"So, we need to give him an offering before we can approach him the king said, right? What do you give a fish-god for an offering?"

"That's…a good question, he didn't say. I don't think we'll find any bugs big enough to feed him, maybe a fish?"

"Fish sounds reasonable, big fish eat small fish."

It took several minutes for link to find fish within the shallows, and several more to finally catch one by stunning it with his slingshot. Snatching it quickly before it could swim away, he made his way back to the altar. It was time to test their offering. He presented the fish.

It was that moment he questioned if it was really wise to be in the same space the fish occupied.

It only took a split second for the giant fish-deity to snap open its jaws and swallow them whole, faster than either of them had to warn the other, let alone move.

The first thing he noticed was the smell. A pungent, foul odor filled his nostrils and even made his eyes smart and water, and the air was hot, heavy of humidity, and overall equally unpleasant. Link quickly covered his nostrils in a desperate attempt to dull the stench, which was already threatening to make him ill. He heard Navi nearby make a wrenching noise, and knew she was experiencing the same thing he was. She quickly flew underneath his cap as soon as she was done.

"By the Goddesses above, it smells like death in here! I can't stay out there Link, I'm so sorry."

"Oh, so leave me to deal with the fumes, thanks a lot," he huffed, trying as little as possible to not breathe through his nose. He would get used to it — he had to — but he was determined already to try and leave as fast as possible.

After a few more seconds had passed, he began to look around at his surroundings, and found them both disturbing and oddly fascinating. He had no idea where he was inside of Lord Jabu-Jabu, but he was also equally certain that he could not use any traditional anatomical knowledge to guide him, having skinned and eaten fish before. He also had no idea where the light necessary to see anything at all was coming from; it reminded him of the similar quality within the Great Deku Tree. The "floor" he now stood on, along with the walls and above him, were all flesh, colored pink and red, with blue veins tracing their way throughout, which he knew to be blood vessels. He also noted the contracting motion throughout, further evidence of being inside a living creature.

"How are we even alive like this?" Link wondered. "I know the Zora said it was possible, but, this is nothing like I could have imagined, it's like this place is almost…designed."

"I don't know, but I can definitely feel ancient magic at work here. I think the Zora were right Link, maybe we really are inside a god."

"God or no, I can see how their princess was able to be in here. How she was able to tolerate it though…" He let the sentence hang, it was clear what he meant. "Let's just find her and whatever is making it sick, the sooner we get out of here the better."

"Agreed."

So Link began his search, travelling deeper inside the fish. It didn't take long for Link to notice something strange though. The wall lining looked pale in some areas, and mucus covered much of them, with discoloration also present.

"Jabu-Jabu is sick, Navi," he commented, knowing she couldn't see anything. He described what he saw.

"His body is fighting back, maybe that's why he's been acting so strange. We should find the princess quickly, we don't even know if we can get sick from this, let alone a Zora."

"Oh crap, you're right, I hadn't thought of that." He quickened his pace, more than a little concerned now. Rounding a bend, he found the passage opened up into a chamber of some kind. He didn't like what he saw either.

"Monsters?! I guess we found what he's rejecting!" he leapt forward, drawing his sword and shield, to face the threat. Navi peaked out from underneath his hat, covering her nose, quickly observing her surroundings. She jumped out from underneath his cap, and shouted a warning.

"Link wait, not your sword!"

But it was too late, by the time she said anything, he was already swinging. He pulled back, attempting to shorten the swing to miss, but the tip struck the creature across its body.

Not even a second later he found himself on the ground, stunned. He felt every part of him tense and tingle strongly, like after blood circulated again after a foot fallen asleep was moved, only this was more painful, and lasted only a split second. As soon as it passed, he felt his body relax, and he gasped. Navi flew into range, fear impressed on her face quite clearly.

"Link! Goddesses be praised, you're ok, right? You're lucky it was just a graze; anything more and you could have been shocked to death!"

"Urgh, I never want to feel that again, what the hell are they?" He asked, looking at the creature, now lying dead on the ground. It didn't take much to kill them, it seemed, but anything that tried to, it was likely to take out with it. It had a strange balloon shape on top, transparent with a bluish tint, and several string-like extensions coming out from the main body, which he was unable to make heads or tails out of given its see-through nature. Navi returned underneath the shelter of his hat, and he could hear her release pent up breath. The smell was getting easier to bear for him, but not for her yet.

"That was what is called a Biri, and those are the smallest of their kind," she added. "Bari are even bigger and more dangerous. Both use bio-electric processes to immobilize, neutralize, or kill their prey, and the venom they have is highly prized because it's so difficult to get. We can attack safely from a distance though, try your slingshot, or even the boomerang King Zora gave you."

"Doesn't look like they're particularly hostile either, does it?" he mentioned, looking around the chamber. There were other Biri present in the room, but they all moved through the air almost sluggishly, using their bodies themselves as a means of propulsion it seemed. None of them showed any signs of being aware of his presence, or the fact that he had killed one of them.

"They aren't until you get close, though I'm not sure how they can tell. I'm not even sure how they are here even either."

"Could they be summoned like the Dodongos and Lizalfos were?" Link asked, picking himself up and pulling out the boomerang. Might as well practice using it, he figured. Only if he needed it; after getting electrocuted for the first time, he wanted to avoid the possibility of it happening again.

"I think so, it's hard to tell with the presence of Jabu-Jabu though, these creatures are nothing compared to him."

"So whatever is making him sick must be pretty strong to be actually hurting him, huh?"

"I'm liking this place less and less, this might be more dangerous than that cave or that monster curse."

"You don't say? Tiny jellyfish that can fry me with a wrong touch, inside a sick fish that we don't know we can get sick from, searching for a princess we aren't even one hundred percent sure is actually here."

"Don't get smart with me, kid, I know you don't like it either," she snapped, and he felt a small fist punch the top of his head. For the second time, he was reminded despite her tiny frame, she was surprisingly strong, and he resisted the urge to rub his head, knowing she was there.

Before he could apologize, they heard a scream.

"I think we found the princess." He charged after the direction they had heard from ahead, and entering another chamber, he stopped short, nearly tumbling over himself. If that Biri was anything to worry about, then this thing certainly was something to be terrified of.

"I think we found what's making him sick," he whispered, staring at what could only be called a monster. Navi peaked out, and blanched.

"Barinade."

The creature hung suspended from the ceiling of the chamber by three tentacles, pulsing, and he realized at once it was a giant parasite of some kind, and it was feeding off Lord Jabu-Jabu! Three others freely flowed, and they all came to meet at a brightly glowing transparent body, with a larger body of flesh attached beneath it. About said body, giant versions of the Biri he had encountered clung to it, which he assumed were the Bari Navi had mentioned. Some of them were free from the body, closing in on a lone Zora child who had fallen to the ground nearby; the three free-flowing tentacles were also pointed directly at her, the ends of which began to glow brightly like the top half of its body was.

He realized what it was about to do, and knew he had only seconds to act. He sprinted, throwing the boomerang to the Bari closest to the Zora princess, and with another hand he threw down a Deku nut, hoping it would have the desired effect. The boomerang sliced through the Bari cleanly and returned to his hand, while the Deku nut did indeed shatter and flash, and he watched with satisfaction the Bari nearby fall to the ground, and the giant parasite itself recoil, halting its attack. The princess wasted no time to scramble to her feet, and when Link reached her he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away to a safe distance. Just in time as well, for as they fled he heard a crackle and a loud snap behind him; just as he had suspected, those tentacles fired off electrical discharges.

For an aquatic race with scales, albeit soft ones, he we pleasantly surprised by how smooth her hand was.

"Thank the goddesses we made it in time, are you alright princess?"

He had expected an answer of thanks, but when he turned to look at her properly, he instead was greeted with her hand that had been held across his face, hard.

"Insolence! Who are you to treat me like this! I am Ruto, Princess of the Zora, and you will address me with as much respect!" She stood tall with her hands on her hips, almost arrogantly.

"Son of a Scrub, that hurt," he muttered, rubbing his cheek. "Apologies, Your Highness, but with all due respect, if I had not done something, you'd be no one's princess." When he looked up, he found her staring at him, hard. Clearly she was debating between yelling at him further or doing whatever was less harsh.

He had not seen any Zora children in Zora's Domain, but Princess Ruto was, and by the looks of her, she was possibly younger than he was. She had the same webbed feet and ears, and fins, as the other Zora, only smaller, not fully developed, and she, like the others, wore no clothes or adornments, nor did she require them. Her head was shaped differently, however; with otherwise having a normal face, the sides extended outward reminiscent of a type of shark he had heard of, but never seen. And like the other Zora, she had purple irises, only he found hers to be much more striking. He had to admit, for a Zora anyway, she was beautiful in comparison. Even with that angry look, and having slapped him.

"Princess, your father King Zora asked me to find you and save you and Lord Jabu-Jabu. You should go back and let me take care of that…thing," he finished, glancing back at it. They had traveled far enough to be out of its range, but he didn't like the prospect of getting near it again. If a Biri had nearly ended him, he was sure one hit from that would for sure. Navi peaked out from her hiding spot, spotting both the creature, which she eyes most nervously, and the princess, whom she bowed her head to in respect. The princess caught sight of her, which made her blink, more surprised now than angry. Clearly she had never seen a fairy before. When she spoke again, she was much less demanding, but still exasperated.

"I don't need to be saved, and I don't want to be, you can go back and tell my father that…who are you anyway? You're not a Zora, you should have never even have seen the fountain!"

"Don't need to be? You were being attacked!" Link sighed loudly, he didn't care at this point that he was in the presence of royalty, she was being more stubborn than Mido. He had to remain calm though, if this was going to go anywhere. He looked at her directly, and took on a more even tone. "Everyone's worried about you, Your Highness, and looking for you. I came to Zora's Domain looking for, well, something, but when King Zora told me what was happening I volunteered my help. I'm Link, a Kokirian, and this is my fairy companion Navi."

"Your Majesty," she bowed again. "Please, will you at least tell us what happened?"

"A Kokirian? But how did you even gain entrance? Only royal family members are allowed in our home."

"I came under orders of Princess Zelda," he answered. That got her attention even more.

"Wait, you're a Kokirian, and you know Her Majesty Princess Zelda?!"

"It's a long story. Princess – Your Majesty – please, I know it's rude to ask, but if you're not trapped here, why not go back? It's dangerous here, you know that as well as I do."

She stared at him longer this time, but no longer did she appear hostile. On the contrary, she looked honestly curious, as if wondering if she could trust him.

"You are a strange one, you know. I don't know why I should bother telling you anything, but…" She sighed. "If daddy trusts you, then…I guess it's alright.

"I've been in here lots of times, ever since I started my training with the priestesses. He would sometimes swallow me with along with his ceremonial offering, I imagine that's how you got in here too, right?" Link nodded, so she continued. "But this time, it wasn't an accident…I've been hiding from my father, actually."

"Hiding? Why's that?"

"Because my father always does whatever he likes for me, and he went and arranged a marriage without asking me how I felt! He always goes on about how cute and adorable I am, but he barely considers a word I say, like he doesn't even care! I have my own feelings!"

She started crying now, which completely caught Link off guard from her strong defiance before. Navi flittered over to her and landed on her shoulder, placing a gentle hand on her cheek. The princess sat down against the wall, drawing her knees up to her chin.

"I just wanted him to care what I had to say for once. I thought if I hid for a while, he might finally understand that. The marriage was arranged to happen tomorrow you know, did he tell you that?"

"No, he never mentioned it," Link answered, sitting down next to her. "So you were trying to hide here until that passed?"

She nodded. "But when I came here, there were these monsters everywhere, and I knew something was wrong. I hid, but when I did I dropped my precious stone mother gave me. It's all I have left of her. She would have made daddy understand, I wish she was here…" She lowered her head, stifling a sob. Link looked away, feeling pity for her. He understood what it was like to lose someone. He hadn't really given himself time to think about it too much, but seeing the Zora princess reduced to her state brought tears of his own.

"I left the forest after my father died, the Great Deku Tree." He let the sentence hang for a moment, trying to keep some measure of composure. Princess Ruto turned her head to listen. "He was one of the only ones who really looked out for me. I didn't have Navi see, and for a Kokirian to not have a fairy, you become an outcast really. Saria was one of my best friends, she stood up for me when the Great Deku Tree couldn't, being a tree and all. After the Great Deku Tree died though… I didn't have a parent.

"You have a father that loves you and worries for you. He's doing what he thinks is best for you. Sometimes it's not always what we like, but I think after this you can talk to him and he'll listen."

The princess looked back down again, stifling another sob.

"I'm sorry, I must sound really mean talking like I did."

"You were upset with your father, that's nothing to be sorry for. I've done the same thing going into the Lost Woods, I always came back though, so now it's your turn." He smiled, placing his hand on her shoulder. This time she accepted the touch.

"You're right. I've done this before too, over small things and never this long." She sighed, and pulled herself up again, Link followed suit. She turned to him and smiled. "Thank you, Link, right?"

"Yeah, and sorry for getting involved with family stuff."

"No, don't be, I think I needed to hear that, so…" She stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you again." She pulled away and turned around, facing the now docile parasitic creature. She was also trying very hard not to blush; she had never done that to anyone except for mother and father, and she couldn't help but think that, for a non-Zora, he was kind of cute.

"I still can't leave yet though, I need to get my mother's stone, and I found it over by that thing. I tried to get it myself, but, well, you saw how that turned out. Thanks for that too."

"We need to take care of it anyway, I bet that's what's making Lord Jabu-Jabu sick. I think I can handle it, you stay here where it's safe."

"Wait, you're not going to fight that alone, are you?!" She gaped. Link shrugged.

"I've fought past a giant insect and a King Dodongo, I think an intestinal parasite will be OK. I have Navi too." Link pulled out the boomerang, and Princess Ruto was dumbstruck. Her father had given him their family treasure? Had he really fought a King Dodongo? Just who was this boy?

"Don't expect me to be much help Link, I don't need to die with you," Navi groaned, but flitted over to his side anyway. "Ready when you are."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He charged in.

It was as if the Barinade had been waiting for him. As soon as he was near enough, it sprang to life, aiming all three of its free tentacles directly at him. Link didn't stop moving, he couldn't; to stop, to be hit by that electric charge, was to die.

One fired off, then another, and another again. There was a lag time between shots, he just had to time it right. He threw the boomerang, aiming for one of the tentacles attached to the ceiling. The boomerang sliced clean through, causing the whole monster to tremble. He wasted no time in throwing his weapon again as soon as he caught it, before he had to move again, missing a shot by inches. He could feel his skin prickle where he was closest to it. His second shot had missed, so when he caught it he dashed away, too close for comfort. It was too his benefit Barinade was stationary. Still, he had no time to stop, only more time to see. Dodging another fire, he ran in again, ducking as a shot fired overhead, and threw the boomerang again. It connected, another tentacle hung limp, one more to go. He caught his weapon and dashed away again.

Princess Ruto watched from the chamber's entrance, clutching the wall tightly. She had seen Zora warriors practice their sparing before, and she had heard stories from her father of many brave deeds by other races. Link though…he was putting their best soldiers and those stories to shame. He flew about with an unmatched speed, and there was no hesitation in his movements. And his eyes. Those eyes that had been kind before were fixed and determined, the eyes of a warrior. This was the Link that had slayed a King Dodongo as a child like herself, she believed him now. She believed he could win against this monster too. Lightning arced towards him, and she gasped as he leapt clean over it, throwing the boomerang in midair. It hit its mark, and the Barinade fell to the ground. He was almost too good, she thought.

Then the Bari came loose, moving after him with a surprising speed. He wouldn't be able to avoid them all with just his boomerang, he knew. Drawing out a handful of Deku nuts, he relied on the same strategy he had used before to rescue the princess. He threw down a nut, stunning the closest ones, and he promptly disposed of them, before throwing down another to get by the last few. Drawing the Kokiri Sword, he lunged at the Barinade, slicing it multiple times. Then it began moving again, and he was forced to back off quickly as it began to fire another volley of electrical attacks. More Bari were released from its body, and he watched with dismay as it began to move, spinning rapidly.

"You have got to be kidding me!" he growled, throwing the boomerang again and again. He was starting to tire, and the shots were getting closer and closer. He had to finish this fast. An idea came to him then, incredibly risky, borderline suicidal, but he knew it would work also. And he would only get one shot.

"I'm finishing this Navi, get clear!" he shouted, and charged forward. He had never tried to summon his aura in combat, let alone use magic, but he was going to try anyway. He had to. Steeling himself, he called upon it, willed it to be, with a single-mindedness. In the heat of battle, his magic rushed forward, enveloping him, and he felt his failing energy surge back.

Navi had heard him and had did as he had asked, flying directly to Ruto's side. She knew what he was about to do, and she didn't want to be near him when he did it. Still, she was afraid. He had practiced dozens of times, but never in action, and definitely not like this. And with this creature, one wrong miscalculation would be the end.

"Goddesses help him," she whispered, and the princess looked at her nervously.

"What's wrong?"

"He's about to use his magic, he's only got one chance."

"Link can use magic?!" She quickly looked back to the battle, and then she saw it. They both saw it. And Navi in particular felt it.

"By the goddesses…" Ruto breathed.

Green light surrounded Link, flowing outwards like flames. Navi dropped several inches before catching herself, shocked by the energy she felt pouring out. She was afraid then, fearful that he would run out too quickly. This was more than he had ever used before, and still it flowed. How much did he really have? Seconds later, and feet away from Barinade, the light surrounding him swirled into his sword, and flashed. Concentrated into such a small space, the energy whirled about in such intensity the blade itself began glowing red, and an intense whine filled the air.

And then it was released, Link let out a savage cry as he whipped his sword about, letting loose the energy he had thrown into it. The wave that was released slashed clean through the Barinade and the surrounding Bari, sending them all crashing into the walls with the blast of wind that followed.

Link dropped to one knee, panting. The energy he had used had been phenomenal, even he realized that. He would have to learn to control it better, in the heat of the moment he had simply let loose. It had been a gamble, one that he couldn't count on too many times.

Navi flitted over to him, landing on his shoulder.

"You OK Link?"

"Yeah, just needed a breather. That was a nonstop fight."

"And you used magic. That was dangerous and you know it."

"Yeah, I'll need to practice control more."

"Good, at least you know. Still though…" She hopped off and hovered in front of him. "You did great, that was…impressive."

"Thanks." He smiled, and pushed himself up. Already he could feel his body starting to ache, he'd have to get used to that too with the practice he'd be putting in. "Now, where's that stone?"

"I found it," Princess Ruto called from behind. He turned around to see her standing back up, holding in her hand what she had called her mother's stone. He knew at once it was what he had come here to search for: the Spiritual Stone of Water.

In truth, it had three stones, not one, rich blue sapphires all, and each one a smooth rounded shape. Each one set across from each other in a triangular fashion, in a golden case that held the gems in a half-moon frame, the center being solid gold as well. Three smaller golden spheres were set opposite each gem upon the golden frame as well. While the stones themselves were smaller than the other two Spiritual Stones he possessed, the frame of the gems made it the largest piece.

"This is the stone my mother left me. It's called Zora's Sapphire, and it's supposed to go to be given to whomever is my future husband. Not the Zora my father picked," She added, smirking.

"Oh…well this just got awkward," Link chuckled. "Zora's Sapphire, that's the Spiritual Stone of Water, isn't it?"

The princess was surprised to hear that term, coming from him. "How did you know that?"

"Because that's why I'm here, to retrieve all the spiritual stones." Very briefly, he told her how he was on a quest to retrieve the three spiritual stones to keep them out of Ganondorf's hands, and how he already had two of them, one from the late Great Deku Tree, and one from Chief Darunia. At Ganondorf's name, Princess Ruto scowled.

"I heard about him from father, he's a bad man. If he's after the stones, it'd be safer with you than with me."

"But isn't it basically like an engagement ring or something?" Link asked. "That's pretty important, I would think."

"Yes…but I don't mind, here," She giggled, and held out the piece to him. "I insist."

"Well, if you say so, I can't really refuse the wish of a princess, can I?" He took the piece and tucked it away with the other two. He could swear he was missing something, the way she had said that. But now he had all three stones! His quest was almost over!

"Now we can go back, and I can tell daddy how cool you were!" she laughed, skipping away.

"What just happened Navi?" Link asked, shaking his head. Navi was trying her best—badly—to hold in a laugh.

"You have another fan, I think."

"Uhh, right." He still didn't get it.