Lullaby

by Latent Lullaby

It has been a long time since I knew enough to be able to count the days I've lain here on this cold floor. This dark cell has been my home for far longer than I ever could have guessed it would be."- An account of the first Princess Zelda's imprisonment

Lullaby

A Memory (Chapter One)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda and/or all associated characters.

Author's note/warning: This is a slightly darker, more realistic view of Zelda's solitude in her prison. This Princess Zelda is the first Zelda (Loz), so far as the games are ordered. This is the first part of a five part chapter story that tells each individual story of a princess imprisoned. I don't think a lot of people think about writing fics from the first game, so I figured I'd give it a try. Review and let me know how I did. :D

Many thanks to Charm and Strange for Being my Beta on this story and picking at it until it became semi-readable.

"In the beginning... Amidst the darkness of eternal space, from a distant nebula three goddesses were sent upon a formless chaotic waste of a world. Din, the goddess of power, forged the mountains and great plains from the fiery bowels of desolation and separated the sky, waters and the land.Farore bestowed living intelligence upon the land with many creatures of varied kind. Nayru, with wisdom, brought the order of law and harmony upon the world and set into motion the everlasting cycle of birth, life, death, and afterlife. These three created the unification of cosmic balance. Before the goddesses traveled away from the land they created, they bestowed a manifestation of their essence within a mighty artifact called the Triforce, an object that would be sought by many and attained by only one. The Triforce took its place within its heavenly annex within a Sacred Realm where the spirits roam free."

"And so began the odyssey of Hyrule..."

-Book of Mudora, The Early Times, Chap. 1, v. 1 - 6

"Zelda, are you sleeping?" Impa peered into the room suspiciously. "I saw a light on. I know you've been reading when you're supposed to be asleep again." She ambled into the room and stood just before the small bed. "Where have you gone? I can't find you. I'll have to tell the captain of the guards to go out looking for you in the field." She knowingly ignored the wriggling little lump on the bed.

Being a good nursemaid didn't exactly entail taking pristine care of your charge. It more or less depended on being a good actress, or at least, good enough for a silly little girl to believe you.

The little girl waited until her nursemaid seemed like she was getting a little frantic and threw off her blanket, yelling out her name and enjoying Impa's melodramatic response. She held a hand to her bosom and smiled, laughing along with the little girl, getting the joke the way every nanny should. "My love, what are you doing up, scaring me half to death instead of sleeping like a little girl rightfully should be?"

"I don't want to sleep." The little girl proclaimed loudly.

"Oh, is that all?"

She smiled obligingly, settling herself comfortably on the bed while keeping a solid hold on the girl's little frame. "Are you having trouble falling asleep?" She glanced down at the girl who shook her head, playing with the rough material of Impa's apron. It was scratchy, very unlike the silk gowns her mother wore or the smooth material of her father's robes. But it was a good kind of scratchy, the kind that you appreciate when you've been touched with soft things most of your life.

"I'm not tired, I wanted to read."

Impa chuckled. "Well I suppose that's simple enough."

"Lady Impa." They both turned at the sound of the door opening. A man stood there, wearing a strange sort of suit that clung to his body and a mask that hid everything but his red eyes. The little girl gripped Impa's dress tightly in fright, though she made no noise of fright. He was tall and scary, and looked at her with those eyes for a few seconds before turning his attention to Impa. The girl was glad that he had passed her over without a word.

"We have done the perimeter check that you asked for, and I have posted five guards around this wing of the castle. Is there anything else you require?" Even his voice was scary and quiet.

"No captain, you may commence tonight's watch." He bowed and closed the door without another word. Both Impa and Zelda were quiet, the happy, comfortable mood from before gone like an extinguished candle.

Impa looked down at her, "Zelda, were you scared of that man?"

"A little bit." The little princess admitted.

"I can understand why." She stroked Zelda's head and smiled apologetically, "Though he's not going to go away, he's a Sheikah, like all of our guards."

"Why do the Sheikah stay all around the castle, Impa?" The little girl was somewhat appeased with Impa's attention and reassuring prescense and felt more at ease... But...

"The Sheikans protect you and your parents. They made a promise before you were born, and this is their way of keeping it." She sighs and taps my nose. "Besides, your old nursemaid is a Sheikah, so it seems we're not all that bad." Zelda glanced up at her with a sour expression. It was easy to forget that she was a sheikah sometimes. Impa hardly ever mentioned it. And Impa was never scary or silent.

"Oh Zelda, the Sheikah are just like you. They're happy and sad and everything inbetween," She laughed. "They just show it differently. And difference is nothing to dislike someone about."

"You're always saying things like that." The little princess pouted. Impa rolled her eyes and sighed at the stubborn little girl, figuring it was better to move onto something else than argue with her. She said nothing for a long moment, and the little girl settled against her chest, listening to the beat of her heart; it was steady and reassuring.

The old nursemaid began to hum something the little girl hadn't heard before. It was a simple song; really kind of short and frank, but kind of pretty. The little princess liked it, though it was a little strange. It wasn't anything like her usual lullabies and nursery rhymes. Zelda sensed that it was more than that....

"...Zelda, do you know what this song is?" Impa tapped her arm just as the little girl's eyes were beginning to drift closed. "Oh, I didn't mean to wake you again little one." She smiled apologetically and tried to keep the awakening girl settled down against her.

"I don't care about sleeping," The little princess whispered drowsily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes to keep from sleeping for just another few moments. "Tell me about that song. You've never sung it to me before."

Impa sighed and relented. "It's a Sheikan song." Zelda pursed her lips disbelievingly."It's true. It's an old, nameless Sheikan love song."

"The Sheikah fall in love?"

"Of course they do, silly girl. Haven't we already talked about this?" She leveled a matronly glare at the little girl who grinned in response. "I want you to listen to the Sheikah, next time they all come together to make music during one of the festivals. You'll hear this song." With the mention of a festival Zelda brightened considerably.

"Why do they sing it?"

"It tells a story. And to the Sheikah, songs of the past are very important, most of our history is recorded within their songs." She closed her eyes and the little girl couldn't help but stare in wonder. She tried to imagine what her nursemaid was seeing. It was a moment before Impa spoke again. "...And more than that. Music is the balm of the soul, Zelda. When you heard that song, you felt comfortable, right?" Zelda nodded helpfully.

"I fell asleep."

"Then you see what I'm saying. This is an old song to the Sheikah, and it means a lot to them."

"What does the song really mean?" She closed her eyes.

Impa was quiet for a moment, looking into the distance. "It basically says, 'I am with you, wherever you are. You are safe, safe with me. So sleep here, sleep with my voice and my song. You are safe.' But the words are only half the magic of the song."

Impa looked down her charge. "I've kept you up too long Zelda, and your father's going to be upset that his little girl is asleep in her seat at breakfast." The little girl took the hint and snuggled back into a sleeping position.

Impa rose and tucked the little girl in, kissing her forehead warmly. "Thank you Princess."

Zelda's chest was warmed with pride at the old woman's smile. "But Impa, before you go... Sing that song for me again?"

Her nursemaid, the wonderful guardian who had known her since birth, knew her better than anyone. She said nothing and blew the candle out, kneeling beside her bed and wordlessly beginning the love song.

Zelda distinctly heard the last note Impa sang before she placed a warm, rough hand on her head and pulled her covers closer around her little frame. The princess fell asleep with that last tone in her mind.

'...sleep here, sleep with my voice and my song. You are safe...'

How many days have I been here?

Five days? Twenty? Three months?

It had been a long time since I knew enough to be able to count the days I've lain here on this cold floor. This dark cell has been my home for far longer than I ever could have guessed it would be.

I was dreaming about my past just now. Long ago, when I was a little girl, not even six. It seems that the only action my mind is capable of is going back to the past to hide from the present. I flex my hand against the rough stone I'm sprawled on.

I was put here, and seemingly forgotten. The creature who seemed so intent on capturing me has not been down here since early on, maybe from the beginning of my time here. He first demanded to know where the Triforce of Wisdom was, and once I made it clear that I no longer knew, he taunted and debased me. First he starved me, then he hung me from the wall in chains, suspended by my arms until I couldn't feel them anymore. My captor hurt me in every way he knew how... And I lie here now in this cell without light, dripping and damp, matted and barely holding onto reality. I've been feeding on the scraps they throw to me when they feel merciful, and subsisting on the water that drips from the cracks and crevices of the stone ceiling above me.

If my people could see me, I doubt they could recognize me. A dirty and disgusting prisoner. No more royalty than the rats that run through my cell.

Water drips mercilessly on me, soaking into my already waterlogged clothes, which are no doubt rotting.

Oh Goddesses, I haven't even looked down at myself for weeks for fear of seeing what state my clothes are in. How long will it be until I rot with them?

In my prison, I am reduced to scents, tastes, and the shapes that sometimes move in like shadows when light shows through. I am hyper-aware of the things that move while I lay awake. Sometimes, I can tell what they are, sometimes I wonder if they are more occult than I'm willing to realize. I cling to myself this way. I do not move, for fear, and for my own dignity. If I responded to all of these things I have borne the way I wanted to, I'm not sure I would have the right to call myself sane anymore.

Contained as I am, I have given up any hope of things returning to normal. I am now a casualty of this fight, or constant warring over the sacred relic of my family and my kingdom. The Triforce, split across the land, brings me no comfort other than the reminder that I have given my life to protect it, and that there is nothing more noble than sacrifice for one's country.

I swallowed things like that during the beginning, and sometimes I dream that I can still do so now.

Along with my infrequent dreaming, I watch my life filter through a retrospective lens and ponder the choices I made, the mistakes I could have avoided... And the things I could have done to avoid dying alone. I was afraid of being alone as a child. My father, the ruler of Hyrule, was usually busy with the running of the country and dealing with the general things required of the King. I saw him when he came at night, kissing my forehead and gently chuckling, proud of my innocence and my happiness. I loved my father very much, and I know that he loved me. But before he was my father, he was the King.

My father is dead now.

Ganon said that he killed him because he was no further use. It is hard to believe that my tall, regal, seemingly unbeatable father is dead. I... will never see him again. I think of him often, more than I think of my mother now that it's been many years since her passing. My father seems to be the only other person I can think about. I miss him. I want him back so badly, for many reasons.

If my father was trying to find me outside of the prison, I would have hope. But if I ever emerge from here, he is one person I will never see again. Ganon took him away, among many other things. I can't ever forget that.

My mother was Queen, and as such was required at my father's side for most things, but she made time for me as often as possible. I understood without asking or being told that it was important that I not make it harder for her or my father by asking for them when I really didn't need to. It was hard, but it was a deed I found myself repeating over and over as I grew older, spanning beyond my parents. I learned to think of others and not myself, because there were more important things to deal with than my silly emotions.

I learned to entrust my deepest secrets and my greatest joys to Impa. She had taken care of me since I was a baby, keeping up with me with those short, old little legs and that stout, motherly heart. It was not so terrible when my mother died because Impa was there to hold me when I could not move to—or was too numb to comprehend— the waking world.

It is amazing what disaster causes us to lose, to let go of, and to hold even closer to our hearts than thought we could before.

I never would have believed before this that I was strong enough to send Impa away so that I could face a monster like Ganon alone. She would have held me close and told me that none of this was my fault. I might have believed her.

But I am left only with myself. Impa is gone. She is looking for help, anyone with a righteous heart strong enough to consider coming to save me.

It was moments before Ganon infiltrated the castle. I had just split the Triforce and attached a spell to each of the shards to go in different directions throughout Hyrule. I was told to do so only when such an attack was imminent. I instructed Impa to brave the lands that I was sure were hostile with Ganon's legions to do this for me. She simply agreed, and grabbed the few things she could before she snuck out of the castle through the evacuation passage behind the throne. I then waited, prayed that she would be alright, and hoped that Ganon would not kill me.

I've run through the events surrounding my capture and my life thousands of times here. It seems the only thing I'm able to do is reminisce. I lay here, day in and day out, staring and seeing vivid memories instead of the stone wall.

I still don't know how long I've been here, or if it's possible that I may see the light of day once more. Some days I'm able to maintain a slight optimism, but most days I am as I usually am. I am now convinced that one cannot exist in darkness for an extended time without taking some of that darkness into themselves. I am changed indefinitely.

I ease myself into a very uneasy sleep, turning my body away from the wall and praying steadfastly to the Goddesses, as I do every time I can, that I might be freed from my prison before my life is lost as well as my mind.

It is raining.

The funny thing about this particular dungeon is the fact that, when it rains, the water falls as though it's raining inside. I assume this is some sort of natural formation that Ganon used in its convenience for a decent hide-out. In military theory, he's not very smart. A place that leaks like this is bound to be weaker than a more well-selected place. If my father were still alive, he would have been knocking this place down only days into my capture. He would often tell me about the rougher points of what a ruler should know; I suppose he was preparing me for the coming days of my being a queen. I was looking forward to that moment, when he might declare me ready, when I might take over for my father. It never occured to me that I would most likely be married to a suitor and rule beside him. My father neglected to mention it much, though he did often say that Hyrule was a terribly big country to rule alone.

It's hard to do anything alone. I understand that now more than ever. There's nothing that defines better than firsthand experience, and until this time I had never had the necessary opportunity to realize it. When you're alone, there's no support; there is no one to bolster your strength when you're sure you have none left. Everything must come from within you. That's my weakness, anyway.

I've read stories and books, heard speeches and watched plays about people prevailing against insane odds with only their spirits to guide them on. I can see that things like that exist in certain individuals; that must be why they go down in history, or have plays and songs and books written about them. But what I cannot understand, is how... Sitting here in my own filth, the water dripping down on me as a relentless heaven cries for Hyrule, it feels like the last place I would look for strength would be within my core. I am here, and no one is coming to save me. There is no hope for one who cannot save herself.

I move, shifting my weight and touching briefly the shackles that are attached to my ankles. The skin beneath them is red and raw from persistent rubbing and contact in the time I've been here. Experimentally, I touch the skin. It stings to the touch. I let out a small cry as I remove my hand. The sound of my own voice surprises me.

Suddenly I hear shuffling from outside the door, a guard by the sound of it. He's one of those big brutes, the ones with the huge pig-heads that carry spears and seem to be stronger and... much less intelligent than the rest of Ganon's army. It just had to be one of them guarding me tonight...

My eyes widen in fear as I register the fact that he's opening the door. I scramble as far back as the chains allow me to go. He strides forward, growling, his small yellow eyes watching me. I cower, drawing into myself as far as I can, to make myself as small as possible.

It doesn't matter, he comes close and he raises his hoof, shouting at me to keep quiet. I can't understand him, both from his thick accent and my own inability to register anything besides the fact that he's going to hit me. I duck my head, but not in time to avoid his arm. He hits me cleanly and I fall to the ground, gripping it and trying very hard not to lose consciousness. He warns me to keep quiet again and leaves suddenly, I don't know why. He shouts as he goes, but I don't think it's at me anymore.

It's hard to keep a focus on anything after that; my state of mind is fragile. I begin to cry, which hurts my head exponentially worse than I thought it would. But still, it makes me feel a little better than having no reaction at all.

If I was strong, I could break these bars and the monsters that hold me here. If I were smart, I could find a way out. If I was any different than I am now: a little princess child, weak and ready to give up, I could survive this... But I am myself, and there is no changing it. Despair is my constant companion here, and it eats what's left of me. I can't stop crying now.

Help me...

I close my mouth and remind myself as rationally as I can that no one is coming. I shut my mouth and lay my head flatly against the grimy rock of my prison floor.

I lay there, the tears rolling down my cheeks. I feel numb, though still ripped open from top to bottom. I heave a ragged sigh and close my eyes. If only I could cut to the chase, and just die... It would end my agony.

Somehow, I sleep again.

Another day passes in the form of hours I can only vaguely keep track of. The blood has dried, I think. There's a hard feeling on the side of my head where the monster hit me. I touched it once and found the texture to be similar to all of my other dried annoyances. My head pounds only slightly, not half as much as it did last night.

I haven't heard the guards out there, but I'm sure that they are somewhere. I'm still too scared to make a sound, so I sit quietly in here, watching what I assume is moonlight fill the small cracks in my cage.

I wish I knew what to do about my head. I never bothered to learn about healing when I was still at the castle; I always figured I had more than enough time to learn when I was formally educated. As usual, another stupid choice. I know that something needs to be done about it very soon. It's not as serious as I thought it might have been, but it's still very bad.

Suddenly, I hear noises, great crashes and thuds that shake the entire fortress. Rocks fall from the walls all around me. I hear screams, both human and beast-like. I wonder blankly if Ganon has finally tired of his search for the Triforce shards, and is coming to kill me right now. I forget about myself for the moment, fascinated and terrified by the sounds that could mean anything.

The crashes are loud and soft, varying as time goes by. It sounds like the storm itself.

A rock dislodges itself from the side of the cave with a heavy thud and a scream that was most likely impacting on the other side of the wall. It's Hylian, and it's beautiful to me in a way that scares my humanity away from its faint grasp on my soul.

The ground shakes beneath me, no doubt a ploy of Ganon's; he did the same thing to the castle grounds as he invaded. The initial rumble was nothing, but as the force behind the attack built, the castle began to fall to pieces. It wasn't built to withstand the force of an earthquake and... so it doesn't. I shrink back against a wall that seems sturdy, though my shackles prevent me from reaching it completely. I watch the ceiling for loosening rocks and fold into myself, holding my hands over my ears. The sound gets louder and louder, until I can't hear myself think. I know the end is coming soon. I can't hear the sound of the battle either, or if I can, the only thing my ears can distinguish from the rumble is the roar of Ganon.

Then suddenly, unexpectedly, everything stops. The rocks settle and the sounds from the other room relent.

I strain my ears, listening for something, anything that might reveal the conclusion of the battle. I tremble at the thought of the brave warrior hurt, maybe defeated. I could never live with that.

A heavy thud resounds from the chamber, and I hear a chuckle. Ganon is speaking. I can't understand what he's saying. The warrior says nothing, and I don't understand why.

There is movement; I can hear faint sounds: the clang of a sword, another chuckle. I can't believe the truth that my mind is leading me to. It isn't possible.

Ganon is still talking, but I don't hear the person who came to fight him. I don't hear him at all. It can't possibly be...

He can't be dead.

He's not.

"No...!" I whisper.

I hear footsteps. It's Ganon, he's going to come in here and gloat, and take his pain from the fight out on me like he said he would. He warned me about this, I never thought he would actually do it.

He's going to hurt me.

I cover my head desperately.

He might kill me.

All this depressed talk about knowing that I'm going to die, and now, I don't want to. I'm so hypocritical.

The door opens slowly; I hear it creak on it's monstrous hinges.

"Impa..." I whimper. I close my eyes and hold myself tightly. The only thing I can see in my head is that night, maybe all of those nights, that she sung me to sleep and made me feel safe. I see her, I hear her song in my head. I guess it's alright to be delusional when you die.

"Hello...?" A hesitant, childish voice calls.

My eyes widen and I squint into the bright light. A small figure takes a step towards me. He is slight and seemingly light footed. His voice was soft and warm. I can tell that this was definitely not anyone aligned with Ganon, and I gasp at the realization.

It is amazing and terrifying at the same time to see someone who isn't a monster for the first time in however long I've been here. My mind runs through what I should do but the truth is that I don't know what to do. Should I embrace him? Should I run away for fear that he'll be disgusted, or try to hurt me? Should I do anything at all...? I find no action worth performing, so I sit there and shake as the figure advances on me.

"My name is Link..." He explains. "Are you the Princess?"

"I-I am." My voice is fragile, weak like before. I wonder if he's doubting the fact that I am as he comes further and further into the cell.

But despite my doubts, his eyes brighten and he loses all of his hesitance as soon as I answer. "I'm here to save you! A woman named Impa sent me, about four months ago." He kneels down to my level. I can't believe how close he is to me. I would be disgusted, facing someone who looks and smells like I probably do. He comes so close to me that I can stare into his eyes, and see the open, young face in front of me. He's got the bluest, purest eyes I've ever seen, even more vibrant than my mother's eyes. They're so honest.

He's not finely chiseled or extremely good looking, but he doesn't need to be. He has a round, chubby nose, those big blue eyes, a large quirked mouth and a pleasant face. I realize quickly that the visage of my savior is not what I ever expected it would be. He's just a boy...

"You defeated Ganon?" I ask finally, still watching his features, fascinated. He nods simply. I want to touch his face, but I restrain myself, knowing that it isn't my place. It is entirely possible that all of this amazement and affection looming in my heart is there simply because he is here now, rescuing me.

"How did you do it? You aren't more than... How old are you?"

"Twelve, and I've been fighting monsters for months now. Ganon was easy." He explains with a hint of pride, taking my hands and lifting me to my feet. "We should get out of here. I don't know how long it's gonna take for the guards to regroup." His statement hits me like a glorious punch in the stomach. He pulls me towards the door and I'm amazed by his strength, even for a boy the same age as I am. His grip is firm, and he's very watchful of me, making sure I don't stumble or trip. I look fragile, I know.

"We need to get you out of here." He glances at me pensively. The light hits me as we pass over the threshold of the prison and I think he realizes just how unhealthy I am. I am sorry to taint his vision of a Hylian Princess. "I'm sorry I took so long getting to you." The stony corridor that we enter is settling and doesn't look very stable, both of us hurry as fast as we can. It still resembles a hall, though there are gaping holes where the steady ceiling used to be. I think I can see the moon as we pass under them on our way out.

I can barely speak, I'm so dizzy; but I manage to smile gratefully to him without falling or retching out the sparse contents of my stomach.

We journey back through the rooms Link must have fought through to get to me. I see monsters slain, doors forced open, unbelievable things for a twelve year old boy to do; I still can't believe it. How could a boy survive all of this? How could a boy care enough to try? I peer up at my hero, who is focused on the way forward. He is hurt too. He is bleeding from several places on his body, and yet he still walks steadily enough to support me. I guess I can't understand how he can be so selfless. He gave me a red potion when we stopped for a moment between rooms, I think it was the last one in his stash. He obviously needed it, but he pushed it off on me, saying that he could get by without it. I drank half of it, and demanded he drink the rest, so that I wouldn't feel as though he was hurting even more for my sake.

I didn't know that there was such good in the world…that a person like Link would brave intolerable things for a person he had never met is…

"Link, I... May I ask you a question?"

"Sure." He smiles at me. We've stopped again, this time choosing to rest for just a few moments before navigating the entrance of the dungeon. He's standing and I'm sitting, perched on a low-lying rock a few feet away.

"Why did you come? The journey must've been..." I am at a loss for words. "You said that Impa asked you to save me, but, that can't be the only reason." He looks at me, confused. My mind briefly considers ulterior motives, like money, land or even glory. The only great deeds I've seen done have been because of those things, and none of those feats even compare to the overwhelming strength that all of this must've taken.

"I-I don't understand, Princess." It would be alright if he wanted any of those things, he had done an incredible service to me. I would never begrudge him something that he wanted in exchange for saving me. But... I could find no motive that this boy was capable of having.

"How could you ever agree to come save a princess, a girl you didn't even know? You could have done anything but come for me; I'm sure you have a life you left to do this. I don't know anyone who... So why...?" He blinked at me, again seeming not to understand my fragmented questions.

"Princess, I saved you. Isn't that all that matters?" He had all the the objectivity of a young boy. I feel as though I'm being ungrateful for asking. After all, that was all that mattered. I'm free now. Why can't I just be happy with that?

"I'm sorry. You're right." I look away.

We are silent, and I avoid his eyes and fiddle with my hair, wanting to take back my suspicious questioning. I can't believe how edgy I was being about the whole thing. He didn't deserve a questioning from me. He's done enough. I feel foolish for asking at all.

"Princess...?" He sits down next to me. "You okay?"

I smile at him, still inwardly reveling at his kindness. "I'll be fine. I'm sorry I asked; I don't want to trouble you after you saved me like this." He frowns at this.

"It's no trouble. Honestly. I don't get what all the fuss is about is all. I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

We sound like two overly polite children, which we are, sitting there and smiling at each other with different things in our hearts. "Then... Link, if you don't mind me asking again, why don't you get what all the fuss is about?" I peer up at him and he blinks at me before looking away. I wonder if he's blushing, and if so, whether he's blushing from my questioning, or from just me. I honestly doubt the latter.

"I was wandering when I met Impa, and saved her from the monsters that were chasing her. She told me about what had happened at Hyrule Castle, and about the Princess that the enemy had taken captive. She told me about the Triforce of Wisdom and how I had to gather it from the eight temples across Hyrule."

"And so you did it..."

He smiles and nods his head. "After she told me about everything, there was no choice in my mind. I knew I HAD to do it."

I furrow my brow, still unbelieving. "And there was never a moment when you didn't want to take all of this on?"

Link shakes his head sheepishly.

I look away, baffled. "I don't understand." His answers are too simple for my critical mind to comprehend. He leans back on his hands and looked up at the ceiling, looking rather contemplative.

"I guess I didn't really understand either. At first, I just did it because she asked me to, and it was what an honorable man would do. I was trying very hard to be a man." His eyes are distant, as if remembering something in his past. "I still don't exactly get why I did it. It's just something that I knew I had to finish."

"A duty." I conclude.

"Yeah," He nods enthusiastically and looks at me, his eyes lingering. "But I guess, now that I think about it..." He blushes. "I think it was always about you."

I blush and blink at him. "About m-me?"

He has an indescribably soft look on his face, tempered with the heat of his cheeks. It makes my heart warm just looking at him. "I thought of you, whenever things seemed bad. It probably seems stupid to you, but, I thought of how you might be suffering. When I was close to dying, once or twice, I promised myself that I'd get to see what you looked like, if only I pulled through." He chances a look at me and blushes wildly the second his eyes come to my face.

"It's, it's really stupid." He's completely red.

"That's not stupid at all," I smile and put my hand on his, bravely. "I disappointed you though. You probably thought I would look a lot different than... this." He looks at me wide-eyed and shakes his head as I gesture half-heartedly at myself.

"No, no! Believe me, you didn't!"

From anyone else it might seem like flattery. But, as I'm already beginning to see, it was completely genuine coming from him. I don't think I've ever met a person who means the respect that is supposed to be paid to the royals. But he does.

After a moment, he suggests that we get going again, putting an end to the blushing and the awkward conversation. I think we're both relieved.

The moon seems even brighter than from what I could see inside. It hangs in the most beautiful night sky I have ever beheld. I guess it's true that you appreciate things more when you can't haven't had them.

"It's so beautiful!" I exclaim, letting go of Link's hand and striding forward to bask in the faint light it cast on the ground. Link stops behind me, and when I turn, he has a pleasant look on his face. Soft, indescribably soft, like before.

"I think so too."

It's so odd, I've never seen a little boy look like that before.

While I'm contemplating his strange smile, he mooches across the clearing to a tree with a horse tied to it. He hefts me up onto her back, climbing up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist to hold the reins. For a moment I feel self conscious again, being so close to him after losing all contact is a little bit overwhelming.

"Princess? Are you okay?" He asks for the second time since we met. His hand is cupping mine and he peers over my shoulder.

I feel my cheeks redden at the thought and sit back against him, knowing that I'm being stupid. "I'm fine." It's nice that he doesn't lean away like I was expecting him to, but stays steady, and even seems to relax.

"Well, hold on. If you want to sleep, I'll get you back with Impa soon."

I don't fall asleep right away. I can't keep my eyes of the passing scenery. I don't recognize this place, though I know we're in the vicinity of Death Mountain. It's well known that Hyrules tallest mountain is surrounded by plains and trees, extending far until you reach the first town. My father often talked about taming the wilds around Death Mountain. We know that the Sheikah have a secret village there, but there were also rumors of a much larger sort of creature living far into the mountian, subsisting completely on rocks. I want to explore these places now much more than I did before I was captured. I was scared, and didn't like the messiness of living outdoors for any ammount of time. Now that I've lived for months in a dungeon, I don't really fear or care about those silly things anymore.

After a while, the horses steady hoofbeats and rhythmic movement, combined with Link's warmth behind me, sends me into a drowsy half doze. And that soon leads me to sleep. I distinctly hope, as my eyes close in defeat, that I'm not leaning to heavily in Link. I don't want to make things any harder for him than they are. But he wriggles behind me and shoulders my lolling head, settling his arms around my waist, loosely holding the reins.

"You're safe with me princess. So sleep." He whispers quietly, reverently.

'...You are safe...'

I drift back into consciousness faintly. I feel very warm and very heavy, maybe almost drowsy and I can't open my eyes. The first things that come back to me are feelings, similar to the drowsy feeling. I feel sore and rubbed raw. But for the first time in a long time, I'm not cold. There isn't stone beneathe me, but something soft.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" I easily recognize the voice of my rescuer.

"We don't know what happened while she was imprisoned. And while I pray they treated her well, I know that it is most likely that they did not. Her physical wounds will heal, but she will not be unchanged." It's Impa. I know it's her. Part of me wants to jump up and hide myself in her arms, and part of me want to just lay there and listen to her speak to convince myself that all of this is not a dream. She sounds so distraught and weak, unlike the Impa I know.

"Can we do anything to help her?"

"I don't know." Impa answers him gravely. "But the important thing is that she is away from that place." She's been crying. "If he hurt her..." Her voice is thick with emotion and it's disturbing to me. I've never heard her so upset. "If he hurt her, I'll..."

"He's dead Ma'am, so he can't hurt her anymore." It's even more surprising to hear how firmly Link is speaking. Just when he has you thinking that he's a harmless little boy, he shows that he's a man.

"...You're right, of course. I just... I cannot stand this, these bruises and the blood. The condition she's in. I never thought he would stoop so low as to torture a little girl. My little girl..." She strokes my hair.

"I'm sorry I didn't get her back sooner." He says regretfully.

"It's not your fault, I am sorry for being so unreasonable. I must stay strong for her, I can't let her see me like this, or else I fear she'll lose whatever balance she had left." I knew that Impa could be like this, and I knew that she would react like this. If anything, her reaction is proof that she loves me, and that she'll always be my anchor. It is more of a blessing than she knows.

He is silent for a moment and sits down, his chair scraping the floor quietly. Impa is sitting next to me. I can tell by her warmth radiating through me. She strokes my hair and it feels wonderful. I imagine Link is silent because he doesn't know what to say. I definitely wouldn't after such a display of emotion from a woman like Impa. Luckily, I don't think she's expecting any comfort from him. Impa knows how to handle herself, that much I know.

"Once the monarchy is established again, you'll have anything you can ask for. You deserve no less. It takes an extraordinary person to do what you've done." Impa is right, of course. But Link's not the type of person to want a reward like that though. I've only known him half a night, but that part of him is easy to see. He is a good person.

"I... I don't want anything." He says faintly, proving me right.

"But you should think about it anyway. You could have a mansion and a noble title, or a farm or a ranch. You've earned the right to choose, at the very least." Impa smiles, her voice twinkles, although faintly and quietly, in that way it does when she's passing on something useful. "Sleep on it, at least," she suggests tiredly.

I hear shuffling.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Impa asks.

"...no."

"I can offer you a place here, should you need it." I feel a cool hand on my forehead. "You may stay as long as you want." I really hope he stays.

They are both quiet after that. I hear more shuffling, and I suppose that they're both preparing to retire. The blanket that's covering me is tucked closer to my body and Impa strokes my hair. It feels wonderful feeling something so comforting after feeling nothing at all. Impa starts to hum, and I can't believe that I'm here, safe. That's the song that sent me to sleep when near-hysteric fear pulled my eyes open. That Sheikah song, the love song...

"I know that song." Link quips.

"You do?" Impa stops. "I had not thought many others knew of it. Are you involved with the Sheikah?"

"You could say that. I've got some friends who are from Karkariko village. They play that song, once in a blue moon, of course. but I've heard that song before, I know it," he continues.

"There is no name for this song. It used to be a story, but no one remembers how it went. Some say it was a love story, others an adventure." She sounds like she's smiling. "There is no way to know for sure," my nursemaid explains in the same spirit that she used to tell me my nursery rhymes.

"Do you sing it to her a lot?"

"Yes, more often than other nursery songs and rhymes. This is the one she liked best. She is too old for me to sing her to sleep with this every night, but after her imprisonment..."

Link doesn't answer. I'm beginning to understand that Link just doesn't communicate like other people. And he's even more different than Ganon, who was ancient and terrifying and puzzling all at once. He seems... almost on a different plane of thought. It's different, and I like it. Like everything about Link, It's refreshing.

"It's her lullaby then." He says quietly. "Zelda's lullaby."

"I suppose it is." Impa responds just as quietly.

I open my eyes, mindful that I might alert Impa and Link that I'm awake. I don't want to face Impa yet and see her upset, or face...everything back in that dungeon that I dredged up with my errant thoughts. I blink a few times, my eyes getting used to the dull firelight flickering throughout the room. Everything looks comfortable and brown, and beautifully so. I drink in the sight of sturdy wooden walls and a table.

I don't notice him at first, but there sitting at the table is my rescuer. His hand rests calmly on his thigh, though his posture is erect and alert. I can see that he is strained and tired. I think that nothing will please me more than seeing him safe and asleep, because I know that it was all for me and my kingdom. And I am so thankful that it was him.

Before I can help it his tired blue eyes catch mine. At first neither of us do anything. He doesn't let on that I've awoken, and I don't make a sound. He looks so different in the firelight. Darker, more mature maybe.

He smiles, quietly and graciously and everything in between. I know his feelings from one look, though they are so honorable and true that one look simply isn't enough. I see that he is happy that I'm alive, and that he wasn't in it for thanks and appreciation. And I know that there is a regard for me beyond anything I've ever found in the courts of my father. I know that I've found something, someone who is irreplacable. I can see now, really how lucky I am.

I smile back simply. I trust him, and I hope he knows that. I can offer him almost anything he could dream up, but I know that my trust and friendship and wellbeing is important to him, and is possibly more welcomed than the reward. I can understand that. It's how people should be, instead of expecting rewards and gratification for the things we do for good.

He is a hero in every sense of the word.

He quirks his lips back at me and I see his signature look, that indescribably soft smile that I can't put words to, nor describe accurately. The one that makes me feel safe and worthwhile.

"Lady Impa." He turns slightly. "I wanted to ask if I could have a job in the castle guard when the castle is rebuilt." My heart leaps in my chest.

"But you're just a young boy. You wouldn't want to be tied down with a job, especially one so regimented as the castle guard. Didn't you say that you were a wanderer?" Impa has a point. But I wish that she wouldn't try to make it so well. I want him in the castle, and the guard is perfect if not a little low for him. I would make him my personal guardian.

Link smiles and shakes his head. "Wandering is pretty hard. I was thinking that I'd maybe like to take it easy for a while and make something of myself that matters." Oh, how mistaken he was. He was going to be famous. Everyone would know his name. And his deeds in rescuing me had already proven his worth a million times over.

"Besides, it it's not too strange, I'd like to stay close to the Princess. I know what kind of monsters are out there, and I know that I can prove m'self useful in protecting her."

"Not at all, young hero. But I'm surprised, a life of servitude is not the usual fare for boys like you."

He grins.

"I'm not like usual boys." He turns that smile on me and says nothing. I really don't think he needs to.

I will remember that smile for the rest of my life.

~^~^~^~End~^~^~^~