Chapter One: A Farewell Sung
The melody from the piano begins to go into a decrescendo, followed by the orchestra who watches the pianist raise a single hand. The open hand raised high in the air curls tightly and there is dead silence in the room. In the expected rest, the pianist bobs her head slightly in counts before making a loud pentatonic, the orchestra plays their final harmony, the singer in the middle of the crowd belts her last note, all eyes on the pianists now open hand. She moves it up, once, twice, and a third time before closing it into a fist. At the command, the orchestra stops immediately. The pianist carefully stands from her seat, points at the concert master whose hand begins to guide the bow against the strings of his violin for the short closing solo. As he's finishes his piece, he raises his bow and the recording studio is silent. A chorus of heads raise to look at their conductor, the blonde stands tall in front of the crowd with a wide smile and she waits until the red light on top of the door disappears. The room rises in shouts of celebration.
"And that's a wrap." Zelda says loudly, clapping along with everyone. One male from the other side had walked in with bouquets of flowers, handing one to Zelda, another to their red head singer and the last to their concert master, who bows his head in thanks. The clapping and whooping drags until Zelda raises a fist in the air. All the noise dies down, and once again she looks over her shoulder to invite the producers and co-director to come inside the booth. They all stand from their chairs, grinning and laughing as they enter the cramped soundproof room. Glee swell inside their heart as they see Zelda under the soft glow of the light above her. She holds the bouquet close to her chest and waits until everyone is quiet before she closes the well-accomplished meeting.
She scans the room starting from her right, where the directors and producers are. "I want to thank you all for your hard work." Claps fill the room for a short while, eager to hear Zelda continue. "As you all know, I won't be here for a couple of weeks." The crowd awes in disapproval, but smiles continue to show on their faces. "No, really." Zelda smiles back, raising her free hand in hopes of comforting them. "My grandmother had already went through a heart attack. Because of her, she insisted I postpone my visit because she knows how important this is." There is a pause as Zelda fights back tears, staring at all of them intently, her eyes glossing in tears. "I really do want to thank all of you-" Her voice begins to waver as all the pent-up emotions from the past years finally overwhelm her. Flashes of memories creep into her mind as every single face triggered different events. She wipes away a single tear, which earns a heartfelt noise from the crowd. "for encouraging me through such a stressful time." She let out a single chuckle, continuing to quickly wipe her tears before they run past her mascara. One of the co-directors walks up to the blonde to hug her, thus creating a moment where each and everyone in the room had to fight back their own tears.
"You're making everyone cry!" Her co-worker says out loud, earning a chorus of laughter, including Zelda's.
"Continue your great work everyone, and yes, I will bring my phone with me but try not to call." Zelda teases, breaking the tension of sadness and allowing the crowd to laugh. "Remember not to get too drunk at the after party." She says with a giant grin plastered on her face as her friends laugh. "This is not quite done." She winks. "But, once again, thank you for all your hard work and dedication. I guess it's safe to say that I've fallen in love with all of you." She presses a hand against her lips and stretches it out to the crowd.
With one final bow, the crowd starts their cheers. The musicians disperse in the wooden recording room and begin to place their instruments back into their cases. Zelda joins the producers who shower her with compliments and love. Malon, the only red head stands still in the center of it all, unsure of which group to join - the musicians or the backstage crew. Her knees are weak, and she feels faint but tries not to show it by smiling at the many who continue to pat her back and give her words of encouragement and compliments. Without appearing rushed, Malon quickly steps down from the podium, walks out of the room and makes a bee-line for Zelda, lightly pushing others out of her way.
But the sea of people pull Malon deep within the wave and she is forced to watch many bid their goodness towards the blonde who took the time to give them her own lengthy encouragement.
Finally, the crowd is gone and Malon has the courage to say what she needs to. With her flowers held tightly withing her arms, she walks to Zelda. The woman she revers and and is always seen smiling breaks under the growing frown and elevating eyebrows. The blonde lets out a heavy sigh, wiping the sweat from her forehead before leaning over to her work bag. She rearranges her papers before glancing at Malon.
"Something wrong?" Zelda smiles, taking her jacket from the back of the chair and placing it on. At that question, Malon feels an uncomfortable tug in her stomach at the sight of many co-workers. Thoughts of anger, guilt, sadness, fear and worry whisk her away from reality. Fortunately Zelda understands Malon's feelings and doesn't ask anything else until they are in the hallway, away from their co-workers. Zelda then looks over her shoulder and can see Malon taking small steps behind Zelda.
"The management and stuff…" Malon mumbles, slowly raising her head to see confusion on Zelda's face. The blonde has an eyebrow raised in the air, with her mouth slightly open as she tries to find connections with what was just said. When it hits her. Zelda laughs, seeing her young worried self in the place of Malon. Both toiled over the success of their debut album.
"It'll be fine." Zelda stops to place a hand on Malon's shoulder. "Trust me, because I'm the one who hired them and I don't hire people who don't know what they're doing." The redhead is awestruck by how simply Zelda took the uncomfortable situation, embraced it and lightened it. "Remember I'm just a phone call away if anything goes wrong, which I doubt there will be." As they stare into each other eyes, Zelda is compelled to hug her. The girl who was raised in the country is now a grown woman in the city and Zelda couldn't help but feel proud of Malon. Quickly, Zelda pulls back from the hug when she hears a loud ding.
"Take care love," Zelda says, giving her one final smile. "Remember that you can still call me!" Zelda twirls on her heel, looking forward before stepping into the elevator. Once she's inside, she turns back to face Malon and gives her a thumbs up as the elevator doors close, leaving the redhead alone to ponder.
123
Zelda's blonde hair bobs up and down as she paces around the parking lot looking for the silver Mercedes-Benz in the sea of similar coloured cars. Finally spotting the boxy vehicle, she unlocks the car with her phone before resting against the white leather seats. Settling in the car and taking her phone, she wires the touch-pad to the car and hits the play button on Queen's Somebody to Love.
The familiar voices that she had grown up listening to of the song fill the car. Zelda pulls out of the parking lot and waves goodbye to the security guard before joining the sea of automobiles. Tall buildings of glass cover the blue sky above while reflecting the citizens and the road filled cars below. Signs upon signs and flashing lights have now blurred with the many other colourful buildings. Eventually, Zelda is out of Downtown Hyrule and into a highway that she can happily speed on.
Upon the arrival of her home, she can see the crowd of paparazzi's surrounding the front gate. They had gone from being calm and collective to a group of wild dogs willing to step over each other to get near her car. This made her frown, she couldn't move her car because the threat of running over a citizen is highly evident. They begin slamming their palms on her windows to catch her attention and scream her name in a loud chorus.
Stuck in a wave of chaos, the line of guards in suits that block the open entrance are forced to leave their spot and aid the woman who honked the horn in desperation. She stops pressing on her car's wheel once she sees the men in tuxedo's pushing violently through the crowd to get near Zelda. Once they surround her door, she unlocks her car. The guards form a semi-circle around the car door while one opens the door for her. She steps into the tiny space of peace while the one who had opened her door slips into her car.
They are shouting loudly all calling out for her and Zelda is forced to cower under the four men. As gentle as the men where with her, she could feel them being closing in on her as the pressure from the crowd collected their weight and leaned against the guards. Every single gap between the crowd and Zelda was filled with microphones and flashing cameras. They chant her name, hoping she'd respond while the many others ask her questions: "Where is Facade?", "Have you seen him with another girl?", "Is it true he had an affair while you were sick?" or "Are you going off to visit your grandmother?". As tempting as it was to shout back and bite, she holds her tongue and places a mask of no emotion.
Finally inside the safe quarters of her parent's property, she lowers the tension in her shoulders and waits by the side of the road, choosing to ignore the crowd that shouts across the large distance.
Now that Zelda is out of reach and unresponsive, the crashing waves of the crowd begin to settle and gives way to the Mercedes-Benz. This moment of peace allows guard to drive the car through. Once everyone is in, the gates close and Zelda finds herself in the familiar leather seats and quiet atmosphere. Looking at the rear-view mirror, she sees the crowd vanish at top of the hill. She looks out the front window once the back image looses her interest and she can see her home resting at the bottom of the hill, by the lake, surrounded by trees. The car's tires smooth into the stone flooring, and parks near the front guard leaves first to open the door for Zelda. She thanks him quickly before jogging up the short stairs and through the double doors.
A large chow chow nearly causes Zelda to fall abruptly as he leans his large body on the woman. His front paws are on her shoulders, he continues to barks loudly and his tail wags. Zelda places her hands under his legs and begins to lead him to the ground. "Simba, Simba!" She chants his name as she rubs his stomach. Once she sees Rosie, one of the maids that had worked for the Nohansen family for as long as Zelda could remember, she stands and leaves Simba on his back and greets her.
"Where's the family?" Zelda asks Rosie. In response the older woman points behind her shoulder and Zelda follows her directions to stare at her right where the kitchen is. "Thanks." Zelda says, walking there as Simba follows behind quietly.
Taking a deep breathe, Zelda hears many voices that echo in the grand home, one, she hadn't expected – Jeff's voice, her older brother. He is supposed to be with their grandmother. Raising her sunglasses on top of her head, she enters the kitchen where the voices grow louder and eventually she sees her family. Her brother is seated on a stool by the island and her mother and father stand side by side talking to him. Her parent's look worried and she nearly looses breath as negative thoughts flood into her head.
"Am I too late?" Zelda's voice interrupts the family's conversation, her brother stands slowly.
"Zelda…" He says softly.
"What happened to nana? Did she-?"
"No-no," Jeff quickly says, shaking his head. He runs a hand through his brown curly hair and smiles. "It's not like that." He looks to his right, gaining approval from his parents who nod. "Jennifer's aunt had passed away from breast cancer." He says, referring to his girlfriend since collage, he is 27. "I had to be with her, and I." He sighs, losing his smile and his eyes glossed. "You know that the chances of cancer can increase if someone has had it in the family before. She finally had the courage to get a check… they found cancer… but it's in the early stage." Zelda raises her hand near her mouth and she could feel her eyes sting with the new found tears. She wasn't that close to Jennifer because she'd often become quiet around family dinners and Zelda had a hard time bringing up topics they could both talk about. Often, it was her digging in to Zelda's life which made the conversation awkward and soon end in silence.
"Goddess, I'm so sorry." Zelda says softly, her voice crackling as it comes out in a whisper. The thought of Jeff loosing someone like Jennifer pained her. Jennifer had changed Jeff for the better and he had brought her out of her own quiet shell. They had been in a relationship for six years and have known each other for nine years.
"It's fine, it's good we caught it in time. I need to be with her." After all, they had been inseparable and she wondered if Jeff had taken the ring he had bought so long ago and had finally asked the question.
"Of course." She says, rushing to be by him before they hug each other. She squeezes him as hard as she could but eventually let go. "Death feels so close." She whispers, her hands still on her brother's waist. There is a moment of silent reflecting before their mother approaches her son and daughter with a box of tissues. Zelda chuckles softly, taking one and thanking her mother.
"Well," Dalta says, catching their attention while she placed the box back onto the island. "I hate to break this moment but Zelda, we have to get you to Forest Haven before sunset."
"Oh yes," Zelda sniffles, walking over to the trashcan to throw her used tissue in.
"Everything is in your green car and Impa is just getting changed. You should too dear." Zelda nods, exiting the kitchen and jogging up the swirled staircase. Stepping into her giant room, she enters her walk in closet and sees the outfit she had planned rested on the center seat.
123
Zelda walks down the stairs with a giant smile plastered on her face. She had covered her eyebrows with dark powder and had worn a black wig, tied in a ponytail. Her blue eyes are also covered with dark brown contacts. Seated on her head, is a pair of cheap sunglasses. She had dressed as a teenager by wearing a sweater, short shorts and a pair of flats. "Ehyo Impa." She tries to hold back her laugh upon seeing her longtime friend and guard dressed like her. Impa only acknowledgment of Zelda's presence was a short glance before crossing her arms. She didn't even crack a smile as Jeff told them a joke.
Zelda came down to play with Impa's blonde wig. "And wow, those look like my eyes." Referring to the blue contacts. "And I can't believe I'm seeing you in girly clothing!" She points at the floral top with a coral blazer.
"This isn't your first time." Impa grumbles. Moments like these reminded Zelda of her youth when Impa dressed as Zelda in front of a pushy crowd while Zelda was across the street wearing pedestrian clothing, giggling at her sense of freedom.
"I know. I just like teasing you." She giggles, "But thanks for doing this." She pecks Impa's cheek before linking arms with her.
"Zelda and Impa." Her mother calls out, and the two in disguise both looked at the tiny lady. "It's already 1 o'clock, the sun is going to set any minute!" Dalta pouts, waving at the two to follow her to the garage. Walking past a row of expensive cars, near the garage exit is a green beetle car, suitcases stalked on top and the back truck is roped down. Beside the small car is the familiar Mercedes-Bens, the back seats covered with suitcases.
"Oh geez, I hope this works." Zelda whispers, letting go of Impa's arm. Impa had bid them a short farewell before driving off with the Mercedez-Bens. They watch the car disappear before Zelda turns around to bid her farewell to Jeff, Dalta, her father, Daphnes and precious Simba.
Each one shares their own moment with Zelda before Daphnes ends the goodbyes.
"We'll visit soon." The rough deep voice touches his daughter's ear. "We'll come as soon as this bill is dealt with. Tell ma that her son didn't forget about her." He smiles, kissing his daughter's cheeks before allowing her to leave his large arms.
"I'll tell her every day until you come by." Zelda says, waving goodbye to the four as she enters the beetle. Zelda drives up the slope and sees that the group of paparazzi's from earlier had disappeared except for two or three who continue to wait.
As they notice the unfamiliar green car, their cameras rapidly click. When Zelda is out the gate, they begin to tap the glass on her car and she stops. She rolls down her window while greeting the men. "Hello!" She smiles, talking higher and forcing all the air to come out through her nose so she'd sound different.
"Do you know where Zelda had gone off to?" One man asks, the tip of his pen already touching his notebook.
"She's off visiting her grandmother but I'm not allowed to tell you were. It is a special request from the family, it's a time of grieving because she is dying and all they want is rest." She watches the man write that down before he asks another.
"What's your name and relation to the Nohansen family?" Zelda takes a deep breath, trying to remember what she had said her name would be.
"Marie." She settles with, after all, a lot of girls are named Marie. "I am a maid working for them but I'm off to cross the border to see my family down in Termina." In this moment of silence, she can hear his pen scratch loudly against the paper. Before he opens his mouth to ask another question Zelda interrupts him. "If you don't mind, I'd like to catch a motel before nightfall." The man nods, thanking her half-heartedly before stepping back. Zelda presses the gas and turns south, opposite of where Forest Haven is. Once she is a decent block away from her home, she takes another route that leads her north.
Miles away from Hyrule, commercial buildings are now out of sight. Houses are separated by large lands of trees, grass and water. The concrete begin to disappear as the beetle find its tires on top of dry dirt in place of the concrete. Zelda begin to tap her hand against the steering wheel in correspond to the beat of Home by Philip Philips as it was now playing on the radio. After it repeats, she soon got into the song and began to sing loudly.
With one hand, she pulls off her wig and takes the cap off of her head, allowing her blonde hair to catch the fast wind from the open window. She throws the wig behind her, and rests a hand out the window.
She drives past the familiar landmarks of her childhood, she smiles; knowing she is getting closer to the land her family had escaped to when she was small. She could see the pancake factory, the familiar waterfront, the walking trail entrance, and the abandoned dinosaur park.
Now on an open field, there is an wide display of the sky that begins to turn orange as the sun began to set. Zelda presses harder on the gas pedal. The speed increases, knowing well that she had just a few miles left before it is Forest Haven. Her skin felt uncomfortable in the seat. her legs stung at the lack of activity, and the inside of her car felt moist. She had ignored the last landmark's washroom, figuring she'd beat the sun but fate had other plans for her. The green beetle went over a large bump. Her bottom leaves the chair but her seat belt keeps her down. The beetle makes a loud noise as it hits the ground. "No!" She says, feeling her car swerve out of control and is forced to pull her car to the side. She takes her phone and steps outside.
The sun is now rested and the stars begin to dance high in the sky, while the rare clouds float in front of the moon. Zelda walks around her car and inspects the poor Volkswagen. The right back tire had ripped off the rim. "Not bad, good thing I came prepared." She opens the back trunk, pushing aside some of her suitcases before she sees the toolbox. She closes the back and takes the extra tire attached to the back of her car. Rolling it down, she puts the leaver below her car and raised it high.
Spending a few minutes replacing it, she walks off, feeling accomplished. Once she closes the back trunk but notices her car leaning down on the back left wheel. She kneels to examine it and notices that it had gone flat. Panic invades her body, starting from her stomach and making its way up. She takes her phone, and starts to dial her family but she's answered with an automatic message stating that she is out of reception. "No, no, no." She repeats, placing a hand on her head. "This can't be happening." She raises her hand high, hoping the bars on her phone would increase but it remains low. "Alright…" She places her phone down and looks around her, an open land of grass. At the end of the open field is a small farm shed that remains unlit.
She looks at the time on her phone, it is 9 o'clock. Her mother had told her to be at her grandmothers before 10 o'clock but in the middle of nowhere with no reception, she is forced to wait. Settling inside the seat, she lowers the back of the driver's seat as far as she can, which isn't all that far because the suitcases in the back prevent it. Grumbling and cursing under her breath, she raises her legs onto the dash board. She locks all doors and raises the window until it almost touches the top. Shifting into a comfortable position, she lay still and stares at ceiling of her car. Her mind raced with thoughts and imaginative solutions until her eyes began to close on their own.
This is the first story I've posted on this site! Please be as critical as you need to be, I'd love to improve. :) I've had this idea in my head for a very long time now... I just never written it down. Hopefully I don't procrastinate because I can get fairly busy in real life with school, as I begin transitioning into university! :( Scary world. But yes, review if you'd like! Cheers and God Bless. :D
I merged Chapter One and Two together. Made changes with tenses and added more information.
Oh no, what will happen to Zelda? Dum dum dum… At least she's out of the city and in the country.
Yes, Zelda has a brother, I did my research. (In the other universe she did, and he's evil because he can't stand not being able to control power like Zelda can). So, in my story, they had a rough past but he matured and they came to love each other as family should.
And yes Facade is also a real character, he is called Prince Facade - Check him out at Zelda Wikia.
And don't worry, she will meet Link in the next chapter! I had that part in but was 4000 words? So I cut it in half. I wanted this chapter to end with her meeting Link but it was too long so instead you get this ending. :)
And yes, I changed Zelda's hair colour. In chapter one, she is a brunette but I made it so she's a blonde... I imagine her composing with brown hair but out of that, I image her as a blonde. And because I'm Canadian, colour is colour not color.
I highly recommend that you listen to the same songs she listens to during that moment.
As for reading this, hopefully there isn't too much present tense/ past tense differences. I had started writing chapter one with present tense but as I began to write this chapter, I got into past tense so I had to go through it and change it up to make it consistent.
But yes, review and tell me what works and doesn't, if there are any grammar errors, spelling or improvements or continuity errors or compliments. I hate editing but I will!
Responding to Reviews:
Guest 1: Thanks so much!
Guest 2: Hopefully it wasn't too confusing… did you realize that they were in a recording studio after? And yes, she is a musician/producer/director. She is in the music industry.
