Back pressed against a cold stone wall, gasping for air as quietly as her lungs would allow... that's how Zelda found herself on her third night in Hyrule Castle Town. The cacophony of hurried stomps on the stone pavers sent a lasting jolt of anxiety through her. She held her breath as they stormed passed her shadowed cover, her eyes trained on a soldier as shouts between them were muffled by her racing pulse.
This was not how she had imagined her first visit to the capital, not the way she had daydreamed about it whilst neglecting her duties on a hot summer day in the fields. She wouldn't bother asking herself useless questions, such as how she had gotten here. She knew the answer to that all too clearly to deny responsibility for the current complication that was her life. More importantly, she needed to locate the whereabouts of what, or rather who, had caused her simple life to become so convoluted.
She slipped deeper into the darkness of the side street. The swordsmen in question had moved on deeper into the city, but the maiden feared revealing herself just yet. Keeping to the shadows was her safest bet. Traveling the alleyways would be his first choice, and so therefore it was hers. Zelda was certain she would find him in these shadows, and then they could escape together, but only from the city. Never from the shadows; from now on, the shadows would be their only salvation...
It wasn't always this way, and certainly Zelda's greatest adventure hadn't started like this. When did they ever? No, her tale started months ago, before she knew anything at all about this world or any other. Before, all this was a distant impossible future, and now her old way of life had been buried and unreachable. How cruel, and yet incredibly compelling, these forces of fate could be...
"Hmm," humming a nearly forgotten tune softly whilst sinking her toes into the sands, Zelda watched as the spring water lapped over the tops of her feet. This was the life. An early autumn breeze barely combated the vigilant summer sun. She let her shawl catch in the wind, raising it up like sprouting wings. The air never smelt so sweet. How wonderful this moment would have been if she knew it could last. Turning her back on the spring, she eyed up her handsome companion. His gaze was averted as he leaned down for a refreshing taste of holy water. Her horse, and love of her life.
"Oh, Baily!" She gushed. His ears twitched, but he ignored his rider. She smiled and stepped up to his side. Her fingers grazed his neck before combing through his dark mane. "How long has it been since I was able to come out here with you? Almost two months now. Just looking at you I can tell the difference that fresh water makes."
He raised his head to stare back at her, and in response she leaned her cheek against his warm shoulder as his sigh blew passed her face. This caused her to grin, and step back to rub his snout before skipping back into the spring's shallows. Gazing up at the fading sunlight, the blonde felt the calm fading similarly within her.
"Time to go."
Dusk was upon them as they sauntered up to the village gates. Pausing there, she glanced sideways at the twin swordsmen guarding the entrance. Their stoic expressions seemed icy, as always. The term 'mercenary' seemed to fit these guards better.
The path through Ordon was long but familiar, right up to the stables. When Zelda caught sight of Malina leaving, the two young women shared a smile. After leaving Baily in his stall, she was left alone, only her thoughts accompanying her on the walk home. As she passed by her childhood friend's home, she caught a view, through their window, of the family sitting down for dinner.
Cole met her eye and waved with enthusiasm. In response to her old friend's glee, she responded with an eye roll and blowing a raspberry. In that glimpse of the family moment she had invaded on, she also caught his sister's eye. To her, Zelda had smiled, and her attempt to return it was evident before the older woman went back to staring at her full plate. Their mother and uncle were present, backs turned to the window. The look on the sister's sunken, beaten expression as both her hands protectively cradled her unborn child was enough. She had seen enough. She was quick to keep walking.
It was just Zelda's luck to get caught in the start of a downpour before she even crossed the stream that divided Ordon. Hurrying for cover, the girl stomped through puddles leading to her doorway. Once inside, she began the hassle of warming up. Setting a fire in the living room's fireplace, tossing her wet clothes in the doorway, and starting a warm bath. By the time she was dressed for bed, hair still dripping from a bun, she was feeling toasty and rather sleepy. Her night was over, and the morning would call for an early start to work.
As she snuggled up under her quilt, the girl's dull gaze settled on the empty bed across from her. Those sheets that had been made for years, and a mattress that had become unaccustomed to the weight of a sleeping body for as much time. She shut her eyes from the sight.
"Grandma!" I pounced, flopping onto her bed as we both were jostled by the movement.
She laughed in surprise, "Oh, my little princess, aren't you full of energy tonight!"
"Yes, yes!" I shouted, grinning from ear to ear. Looking up at her through my bangs, I shook the bed as vigorously as my body would allow. "I want to hear one of your stories tonight!"
"Oho, do you?" She chuckled, brushing my bangs from my eyes, "You know, Zelda, I think it's time for a haircut."
"Nope!" I exclaimed, shaking my head.
"No?" Her voice filled with disbelief, "Do you not want to see the world around you?"
"No, grandma, it's not that. I want to grow my hair out like mommy's. In the picture!" I pointed at the one on the nightstand. My grandmother had said that my papa had drawn it before I was born. Proof of my mom's existence. Grandma had told me before that I looked just like her, and that my hair, like hers, was as light as straw. She said that the day the picture was drawn, her hair had shone bright in the southern sunlight, like mine. But mine was short. I wanted it to be exactly like mom's.
"Zelda, you would look lovely with long hair. Just like your mother. But you must keep it out of your face in the meantime, so I can see those beautiful eyes of yours," she said, tilting my face up to look at her, "so we will only trim your bangs, okay?"
I nodded, and then rolled over onto my back. "Okay, so will you tell me a story now?"
"Sure," she agreed, smiling softly. She motioned for me to get into bed.
"I will tell you an old legend, about a heroic princess," she began, and I grinned with excitement. "This princess was not more than a few years older than you, and like you, she was strong-willed and intelligent for her age. She was so wise, that the goddesses spoke to her through her dreams. This is how she learned her kingdom was in grave danger. To save her people, the goddesses showed her a boy. She was to teach this boy a secret she protected. That secret was her lullaby," grandma hummed the tune softly. I narrowed my eyes at the familiarity.
"Hey, grandma, why is her secret lullaby my lullaby?" I questioned, suspicious of the truth in her tale.
Instead, she laughed heartily, "That's because it's the same. Your lullaby and hers. It's a song with very powerful magic."
"Yeah, right!"
She smiled despite my disbelief, "Oh, it's true, my sweet girl. This lullaby is very old, and was passed down to each princess through generations." She continued with the story about the legend of this princess. Somewhere between the parts of her adventure, I felt myself unable to stay awake.
Zelda's lids opened with a drowsiness, but shebriefly recalled the dream of her grandmother as it slipped away. Laying there, she stared up at the ceiling, lost in thoughts that clung to the memory. Instead, her mind flooded with more memories of her grandmother. With a constricted throat, she bit back unwanted tears.
It was time to get up.
Lunging off the bed, she twisted into a standing position. Leaving the mess of sheets behind, the maiden went to work getting ready for the day. Pulling on trousers, boots, and anything else she would need to combat the menial labor under the sun. She grabbed a leather strap off her nightstand, tying back long blonde locks. As she did so, she was reminded of her dream. Her hair was much longer now than it was then, falling just above her hips. The hue had lightened with age, appearing almost silver in the right light. Her grandma, she was sure, would have loved it.
To fight off any hunger for the morning, she grabbed a chunk of bread, engulfing it swiftly while downing some water. She was out the door in record time. The sun had still yet to rise.
Zelda caught Cole shuffling towards the fields on her way.
"Hey!"
He jumped in surprise as she slapped him square on the back.
"Oh, shit, you scared me, Zel."
A smirk lit up her face. "Good, maybe that removed the sleep from those teary eyes."
His hands flew to his eyes to rub away said sleep, "Shuddap."
"Slurring your words is a good sign of non-awakeness. Or that you're drunk."
"Maybe I'm drunk then," he declared.
She laughed, about to disagree when the vision of his broken sister captured her thoughts. With a newly fallen expression, she studied his. "Maybe," was all she returned contemplatively. He stared back in scrutiny.
Without explanation, the girl jumped right in, "How's your sister?" She continued walking without his answer. He fell into pace beside his best friend, newfound tension clear in his body.
"Well, Cal isn't home, so there's your answer."
"I know, I just..." her brain swam to find the right words, "he could be back in the next few days, you know?"
He scoffed, scratching at his cheek anxiously. Zelda took it upon herself to notice all the red marks of irritation lining his jaw and neck. He'd been doing a lot nervous scratching lately.
"He won't." His words pulled her from her trained attention. "I know. You know. Belle knows it better than anyone. He's three weeks late and he won't be back for his baby to be born."
The words unsaid rang louder than any other. He may never be back. They all thought it, but not a soul had the guts or heart to say it aloud. Except for his wife's expression. The debilitated look in Belle's eyes was clearer than any words.
"I'd say try to be positive, but I'd be a hypocrite, so...as her brother, you need to keep telling her those things, okay?" Their eyes met with the most weighted shame. Nothing they said or did could ever make up for such a grand loss, and when the time came to face it, Belle, too, might be lost to everyone.
"Goddess damned!" Cole suddenly became very animated, kicking the dirt up in a fury, "This is all Dominus' fault! That monster had this all planned."
"Cole, he's not that intelligent. But...I do agree. He went out of his way to watch your family suffer. He always has." She ground her teeth to hold back the rage boiling over for that usurper.
Sensing her darkening mood, Cole wrapped an arm around her shoulders with hope that it was a comforting gesture.
If only a coup d'etat was possible for villagers like them. Zelda was aware, however, that they were not warriors, and Dominus had an army, small as it was. Ordonians were slaves, an oppressed nation without a leader to unite them. Zelda had wished hundreds of times for that, for a savior, a man cloaked in green to come save them from evil. Just as the legends went.
"You know, he doesn't have to wear green," Cole's words, aligned so closely with her thoughts, jolting her from her reverie.
"What?"
"Well, I was just thinking about how we need someone to take charge, lead an overthrow. A hero, like in the legends. But green, or even a holy sword, doesn't have to be required. Maybe just a strong leader and a pitchfork." He looked down at her then, grinning from ear to ear.
She halted, bringing him to a stop. Staring him down straight, she whispered, "Don't ever say something like that out loud again, you got it? You're not a hero, I'm not a hero. We are not heroes. Let's not get killed for things we aren't." They shared a long moment of silence, eyes caught in each other's own heaviness.
Without warning, Zelda was engulfed by Cole's warm embrace. Hugging was not a part of their usual routine. Despite Cole being the affectionate sort, Zelda had long since shied away from such touches. However, in that moment, where Zelda felt like she may just drown in helplessness, she accepted the embrace. As if his arms were the only possible force keeping her from spiraling, she returned the hug and gripped him tight as if he would float away without her hold.
They stayed like that for a long moment, emotions Zelda often repressed emerging, and she buried her face in Cole's shoulder to hide them.
She then felt Cole press his face into her hair, "It's going to be okay. Somehow."
Zelda laughed despite herself, "You don't have to tell me that."
"Hey, what are you two love birds doing? Look at this, Hal, a real pair of desperate lovers."
They pushed each other away with disgust.
"Yuck! You're gross and sweaty," she shouted to save face.
"You smell like the goats!" He bellowed in unison. They both whipped around to glare at the intruder. If they weren't so embarrassed from getting caught in such a heartfelt display of emotions, the two would have found their synced reactions amusing.
Zelda's eyes fell on Dex first, before meeting Halonds sly gaze.
"I'd ask what you two are doing here, but-" She started.
"But you already know the answer. We're coming to work. Just like you two are supposed to be." Rather than scolding, she could tell Dex was getting a kick out of mocking them.
"Shut up, Dex. We were on our way," Cole rose to take the bait.
"Yes, I could see you were on your way to something," Dex said suggestively, and Halonds and him shared a howling laugh as they approached. They both turned red from the presumption as Zelda glared heatedly at the ginger.
"Tell you what, Cole," he said as he placed a hand on his shoulder, "Zelda's like my sister. I'll allow it, though, since I like you. Just don't give me reason to break your legs."
"Give it a rest, Dex. Your jokes are ridiculous," She said with some venom.
Their bickering continued into the morning as they jumped into a full day's work on the crops. Ordon mostly consisted of wheat and corn fields, but during the months between sweltering summers and cooler autumns, the village was known for growing the highest quality pumpkins in all of Hyrule. They were the bread winner for Ordon, and took special care in the coming months to ensure the most profit. The rest of the villagers were out in the heat, working hard to tend to the ending rotation, and readying the soil for the pre-winter seeding where necessary. Hidden among the crops was the majority of Ordon, overseen by a couple guards that cut through the fields ever so often to keep an eye on the workers.
Everyone in Ordon worked, but only able-bodied villagers farmed. Most woman that weren't head of household worked with textiles and processing crops into actual products that could be sold to the rest of the village. An even smaller group worked with livestock, such as Malina with horses, and Cal with the goats. There were no shops in town owned by villagers. Dominus owned the handful there was, and they were only there to give the façade of an actual economy. All the rupees they earned went back into rent and products, all profits going straight back into Dominus' pockets. Twice a year, a couple of highly monitored merchants from the Traveling Market were allowed inside Ordon's gates. If one held onto their rupees right throughout the year, they could probably afford to buy something exotic. Anything else an Ordonian wanted, they would have to make themselves, if they could even find the means.
Zelda's grandma had once told her that while Ordon may seem like a prison, which it was, the overall quality of life here had increased since the take-over almost a century before. She was in her fairer years, her early twenties, when Ordon was seized by an unmarked military force. The nobleman that led the force was the father of their current owner. He was a human like most Ordonians, and his lifespan was as short and cruel as he was. Dominus, his son, took over ruling the province at a young age. Apparently, he didn't have the same stomach for violence as his father, and so while he was indeed cruel, Dominus' reign over the province had softened the previously harsh conditions. Her grandmother had told Zelda all this shortly before she was executed on the man's orders.
Zelda's stomach lurched at the memory, and she forced herself to breathe, focusing on her hands and the burning heat on her back as she worked. Anything to block out the images.
Ordonians had more freedoms than they did before, but they were never allowed to leave Ordon Province, unless for authorized business. They were free to go out into Faron Province, but the only routable path into Hyrule was gated and guarded during the day. Dominus was also supposedly more lenient with patrols than his father, hiring less and for fewer hours, and he publicly stated it was a show of faith in "his" people to which he did so. That was a lie. It was because he knew that no Ordonian had ever escaped. If they tried, certainly the brand on their hand would give them away, or left in the woods alone at night, they would be prey to the overwhelming population of monsters. Even if they could make it to the Faron gate…owning weapons was obviously not permitted, and save a stolen pitchfork, there was no way to defend against an onslaught of ravenous beasts.
Zelda thought back to a secret her grandmother had shown her in their home. A hidden basement, housing various family heirlooms that had survived the take-over. The only sword that she knew of was hidden there. It had crossed her mind, on her worst days, to arm herself and go straight for Dominus' head. However, she always caught herself before heading down that dark path. She was neither a warrior, nor a hero.
By sunset all parties were sweaty and exhausted as they set up to head home.
"Hey, Zel, why don't you come over to my place for dinner tonight. We always have enough for an extra person since Cal's been gone, and it would be nice to have a warm body to fill that seat once in a while."
"I don't know, Cole. I've got a lot of things to do when I get home," Zelda said, thinking back to his sister. As harsh as it sounded, she couldn't do it, being in that woman's company. It made the situation too real.
"Oh, come on! What do you have to do? Your house barely gets dirty with you being out all the time, Baily gets taken care of by Malina. What else do you have to do? I know you haven't been eating! You're all skin and bones."
"Oh?" Dex's baritone voice approached them from behind, "And how did you figure that out? Earlier, with that intimate proximity of yours?" Zelda caught his wide grin. He was milking it for all it's worth, and she rolled her eyes at him.
"I eat," she then replied, ignoring all the unnecessary comments. Cole's embarrassment dissipated quickly as he turned back to her.
"Yeah, right. C'mon, just one night to fatten you up a bit."
She was about to reply before she was cut off by Dex.
"I hate to get in the middle, but I already promised Dena I would abduct Zelda for dinner at our place tonight. So, she'll need to get a rain check on that date."
"Since when are you my keeper?" She remarked with incredulity.
"Since more people than just your boyfriend have noticed you aren't eating. Specifically, when Dena notices. Also, you don't have a choice. I said I was abducting you, didn't I?"
"Well, I won't go down without a fight," Zelda remarked.
Cole laughed, "Maybe if you had been eating right, you'd have a chance at taking down Dex."
"Hey, brawns don't always win the fight." They both eyed up Dex's particularly large frame, then glanced at each other.
"Yes, well not even brains can win if they've been deprived." Cole pointed out as Dex smirked and flexed like a fool.
"You might be right," she admitted begrudgingly, "okay, let's go, Dex." He laughed loudly, and pushed passed the two.
Upon arrival at the twins' small home, Zelda could smell the mouthwatering scent of Dena's cooking.
"Dena, I brought the prisoner," her brother declared as they stepped through the door. The fairer twin stood at the counter, chopping ingredients.
"Well, this prisoner is about to have the best prison meal of her life."
Zelda laughed, shaking her head at the antics of these siblings. "All right, Dena, you got me right where you want me."
She smiled to herself as she began to set the table.
"I'm going to go clean up," the blonde announced, heading back to the bathroom. After washing her face and arms, Zelda reemerged to see a set table for three. Her stomach grumbled in response. But Dex and Dena were nowhere to be found. There really wasn't anywhere else the two could be. The house consisted of two connected rooms, the front kitchen, and the back bedrooms. Zelda stood in the latter, shifting her gaze across the small living space until she caught a glimpse of Dena's fiery red hair in the window. The twins stood outside the front door, appearing to be in a heated conversation. Zelda stepped closer, hearing the low argument taking place.
"She's almost eighteen, Dena."
"She's still a child, and you know it. Her declining concern for her own health proves that she isn't stable." The blonde blanched, now aware they were arguing about her.
"Sister, Zel has been taking care of herself for a long time now. You know she's just going through rough times."
"Yes!" Dena yelled in a hot whisper, to which the girl in question cringed, "She's going through rough times that will never end. They will be the death of her, and you know it. How long can she keep this up on her own?" The weight of her words crushed the girl. Had Dena always seen her this way?
"She has to go through it in her own way. Besides, even if she did move in with us, what happens then? Surely, she wouldn't be happy living in our cramped home. We can barely support ourselves right now."
"Dex," Zelda heard Dena's voice quiver, "we know the impact of losing both parents. She deals with that and so much more. I can't believe she's even made it this far alone in that home. She's going to drown at some point if we don't help her. It's only starting."
She felt hot shame course through her as her cheeks burned with the guilt. Had she been so unobservant to not realize how her actions were affecting others? Meanwhile, Zelda also felt anger, too. All this time, dealing and caring for her own wellbeing, and Dena didn't bother taking that into account? Did others think of her as some helpless child, too?
"Let's stop this now. We can discuss this later when she isn't a couple shut doors away."
The silence and then shuffling of feet startled her into running towards the bathroom. As the front door clicked open, the bathroom door clicked shut.
"Hey, what were you guys doing?" Zelda said with convincingly genuine surprise. Seven years of working on composure paid off.
"Oh, nothing, just me and Dex fighting over him doing his own laundry. The usual."
Such a bad liar.
"Hah," she smirked, "well, good luck with that. I'm starved, and that smells really good, so skip the arguing and let's eat," Zelda said with enthusiasm as she pulled out a chair.
"You didn't hear any of it, right? It's so embarrassing when you hear our stupid arguments," Dena said, as Dex grunted in agreement.
"No," Zelda said, "but I've heard enough of them to know how they go." Shaking her head in hopes to end the discussion, she grabbed her fork and waited for them to be seated.
"Yeah, you're right." Dena looked extremely uneasy as they began eating. Zelda guessed it was because Dena knew she'd be upset with the argument's true topic. She wasn't wrong.
After an awkwardly quiet dinner, Dex walked the younger girl home despite her protests. She waved him goodbye, adorning an irked expression, before heading inside. The solace of the empty house was a gift, as well as a burden. A gift of silence, and space to breathe free of others' pressuring. A burden, however, on Zelda's mind to openly ponder all that today's events had offered.
She was angry at Dena for her lack of faith. More so she was angry at the older woman's selflessness, which would one day be the destruction of her in this place. Mostly though, Zelda was angry at herself for making Dena worry.
As she crawled into bed, the blonde let her mind linger on all the grief that had led to this moment. All the death Ordon had seen had left scars too deep. The village's history had certainly formed who Zelda was presently. However, her greatest concern was how it would continue to shape not just her, but those she cared about. Lying silently in bed, staring intensely into space, she sent a silent prayer to the skies for a liberator to come, despite believing no one would listen.