Link was laying on top of a hill in Hyrule Field. He was enjoying the day, staring up at the clouds with his arms crossed behind his head, and his legs crossed at his knees. The weather was so nice, perhaps he'd go to Lake Hylia and do some fishing... or take a ride up Death mountain and visit the Gorons... or stop by Kakariko Village and visit there...

He really couldn't decide, and besides, he was content to sit there all day. Suddenly a thought struck him. He wasn't that far away from Castle Town, and it was market day. He needed some more supplies, and he could visit-

"MR. LINK!" came a shout. Link sat straight up and looked around wildly. Always unexpected, the postman ran up to him, the flag on his back flapping madly. Panting, he greeted the young man in green, and shuffled through his pack for a letter. "Dud-duh-duh-duh!" the postman exclaimed as he produced a letter. Always courteous, Link thanked him for the letter and gave him an few rupees for his trouble. The postman saluted and ran off in the opposite direction.

Link sighed, his encounters with that man were too frequent for his comfort. Just then, he recognized Zelda's familiar handwriting on the address (which read only 'Link, Hyrule'). Smiling slightly to himself, he sat back down on the grass and opened the letter.

Dear Link,

How are you doing? I'm sorry my last letter took so long for you to receive. The postman was apparently hiding from me, and when I finally caught him sneaking off with a letter from one of the servants. I confronted him with the letter, and he shuffled his feet and mumbled something like, 'so hard to find' and 'never stays in one place' and 'have to search every hole in Hyrule', but it was nothing a tip on the postage couldn't handle (though a very large tip it was).

Link smiled. It was true he was rarely home, and he never stayed anywhere for longer than two days. It must be a pain to deliver all those letters.

Things here at the palace are much as they have ever been. Boring parties, boring balls, boring tea affairs, boring gossip between the ladies-in-waiting, boring everything. It's like everyone has this thing against anything being 'exciting' .

My father seems to think it's entertaining that every available noble bachelor would call on me. They strut around in their stuffed shirts like peacocks. It's rather hard not to laugh out loud. Instead I must curtsey, smile calmly, and act civil while they fall over themselves trying to impress me. Telling me how 'beautiful' I am and how I 'shine like the moon over a cornfield'. I am so sure. My father is no help, he ignores my pleas for mercy and a day off from my 'noble duties' .

The only time I feel anything besides MASSIVE BOREDOM is when I'm with you.

I wish you were here with me. Visit soon, or you might be guilty of a young girl's death by extreme boredness.

Say hello to Epona for me and give her a carrot. Don't over exert yourself, Link, I know how little you sleep.

Zelda.

Link put down the letter. That settled it. He was going to see Zelda. He whistled for Epona, who was grazing not far off. Link leapt on his horse and cantered off for his audience with the princess

***Three weeks later***

Link's blue-eyed frown deepened. "I still wish we'd hired a guard from the Royal Knights."

"Well, I don't! This is supposed to be a private vaca- I mean mission," Zelda caught herself just in time. "Private means no outsiders." She handed Link the last of his horse-packs. "Now, did you remember the blue potion we bought in Castle Town?"

Link strapped the bundle on Epona's back. The beautiful red horse continued grazing indifferently, her beautiful white mane swaying in the slight breeze.

"Yes, Zelda," Link sighed as he mounted his horse. He'd been looking forward to this vaca- er- mission with Zelda for a while, but she seemed rather-um- nervous.

...and slightly annoy-

Oh, thought Link, don't even let it cross my mind. She'd kill me for even thinking it.

"You do have the map, right? And the picture of the Moonset?" The blond princess kept playing with her waist-length hair and bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Link frowned again. There was definitely something wrong with Zelda. Usually she was cool, calm, and collected, but now she seemed to be spending too much time in the company of hysterical cucoos.

"I have them right here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two ancient-looking pieces of paper. Link carefully replaced them in their safe place, and shook his long golden hair out of his eyes... for the zillionth time since he rolled out of his tent this morning. He would have to cut his hair soon, it was starting to annoy him. Maybe Zelda would do it when he got back.

Just then he noticed Zelda was staring at him. Link's face warmed. He gave her a quizzical look.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" (In truth, she was almost drooling) Zelda shook her head rapidly as if coming out of a trance.

"Oh-I just-there was- something on- um-" She fidgeted uncomfortably.

Wishing to spare her any embarrassment, Link broke in- "So, remind me again why I'm going into a deep, dark temple (possibly guarded by a fire-breathing dragon) to retrieve a hunk of metal on a piece of string?"

Zelda smiled. He always made her laugh when she was uncomfortable. She crossed her arms Well, she thought, he asked for it!

"The Moonset is an ancient necklace said to have been bestowed by the goddess Din upon the royal family many years ago. Blah, blah, blah, it is said to have to power to enable a person to share their dreams with another person. I think it might come in handy if I have another prophetic dream with dark clouds approaching Hyrule."

Link grinned. "Well, you know I'll always come rushing to your rescue!" Zelda dropped her arms and examined the grass at her feet, face warm. Link mentally sighed. He'd been hoping for a better reaction to his declaration. A laugh, a hug maybe, a ki-

No. He would not allow himself the pleasure of that thought. She would never think of him that way. They were just friends. Besides, she had handsome suitors and princes in their prissy outfits trailing her like puppies. He, in his torn-up green tunic and his boots that never shined and his face that was never absent of sweat, did not stand a chance.

"Well, I'm off! See you in about three days!" Link pulled at the reins and Epona obliged, turing around.

"Wait, Link!" He halted and Epona whinnied indignantly. "I forgot to tell you something." She rushed to his side.

"Come closer." Link leaned down "Closer." He leaned down some more. "Closer." He was practically falling of his horse.

Quick as a cackling Poe disappears, Zelda stretched up and gave Link a quick kiss on the cheek, then dove back into her tent with a roll to envy Link's.

This time, Link did fall off Epona, and landed with an ungraceful thump. He stared, dumbstruck and red-faced, at the place where Zelda disappeared. His hand touched his tingling and extremely hot cheek. He probably would have sat there all day, but Epona nudged him in the back. (Being a very smart horse, she knew that the sooner they left, the sooner they'd get back, and then she'd get carrots.)

Link, flustered beyond his imagination and barely able to think straight, scrambled atop his horse and took off at a gallop.