Chapter 2

"I need some fresh air," Zelda said, coming back to the present. She went into her room, and went into chest, she took out a lot of expensive embroidered gowns, until there nothing left in there, and she then took out the wooden bottom of the chest, in there was a beautiful simple white gown, ten times simpler, yet ten times more beautiful than all the rest of them. Next to it was a rugged, ugly, poor cloak. She pulled it on over her sapphire colored rich gown, than bent over to put everything back, before doing that she caressed the white silken gown, it was soft under her touch, "Mother's wedding dress." She hesitated than stacked everything back up on top of it. She made sure the cloak covered her so that she was unrecognized.

She climbed down the vines on her patio, and silently slipped through a crack in the high walls. She sidled along the wall, being extra quiet when she was opposite the wall to the guards; she then stole across stealthily into the night. She ran and ran, and realized that she would arise suspicion being a lady outside by herself in a deserted place. She found her way to the market place. There she blended in nicely. She pulled her hood over her eyes and stared down at the floor. Nobody would ever suspect that this timid girl would be used to giving orders and getting what she wanted. The only problem was that looking at the floor, she couldn't watch where she was going. The next thing she knew she bumped into a girl, sending her groceries flying in the air.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Zelda shouted.

"Oh. It's… okay," she said distractedly. She was quickly gathering her vegetables before they were trampled by horses and inattentive, or uncaring people. Zelda wasted no time trying to help the girl. In a few seconds all the food, was picked up and put back into the basket, "Thank you" the girl said.

"Thank you, but I just probably wasted two tomatoes, and broken a carrot.

"No… it's fine, really, It's not really my food, I'm shopping for my boss, I just recently got this job and he's really lineate, I plan to tae advantage of him while I'm still on his good side" The girl answered cheerily, with a little smile, well, I best be going, I still have more shopping to do and I don't want to be that much on his bad side, well tootles." With that she skipped off singing a pretty tune.

"Well… bye…" Zelda replied to no one in particular, as the strange girl had already been gone. "Well… she's nice…" She said, and began to wander off again.

She stared daydreaming, and before she knew it she had wandered into a dark, smelly alley. She started to make her way back, when a hand jetted across and grabbed hers.

"What soft, pretty hands, such a lovely lady, I wonder how much the lovely lady has on her" and a strange man came out of the darkness and smiled a toothless smile.

"Let go of me" Zelda shouted, " Help! Help! Somebody please help!" She struggled to get away, and her cloak pushed aside revealing her satin blue dress, with a décor of roses on it. The frightening man caught sight of it and his eyes filled with greedy longing.

"How much does the lovely lady have on her indeed, eh" Zelda reached for her purse and spilled into the man's hand.

"Here, take the money, but please, please just leave me be."

"Hum, you even know your manners, but I wonder how much you'd be worth in ransom…" His eyes dazed for a bit as he began dreaming on the sum of his large profit, and he loosened his hold on Zelda's arm. She saw her chance, and wriggled free, slapped him, and attempted to run. "O no you don't, I'm not letting this chance slip through my fingers. Zelda sped up, but the man was too fast, she tripped over her gown and tumbled to the floor, the man coming down on her, He stood standing over her, smiling, then his eyes bulged, and he fell on top of her, lifeless.

Zelda screamed and wriggled from under the dead man. Screaming, he had an arrow stuck in his back

"Worthless brat didn't deserve to live" A voice said from on top of one of the poor shacks.

Zelda's eyes trailed up the building to see a man, about six feet and with strange clothes on. "Please don't hurt me." She whispered with fresh tears pouring from her eyes. After all, this man, unlike the other had a weapon.

"Hurt you, if I was going to hurt you, I wouldn't have saved you, now would I.

He said with a crooked grin, his though was a little more reassuring and playful than the other man's toothless one, but still… a man isn't safe just because he has a nice smile. The man jumped down, and stood face to face with Zelda. As he was close, she could also see that the he was also very handsome, dirty, but…but that was beside the point…

"Nice dress." He remarked. Zelda blushed and quickly covered it up with he cloak again. "So… where are you from" He said, trying to make friendly conversation, but as he gazed up at the palace looming up above the city, she knew he knew, but still she remarked with an automatic 'around here' "There is a nice place around here that I sometimes stay at… if you don't want to go back you can stay the night there… if you want…"

"I'd love that" Zelda replied. They started on their way.

"What's your name" Link asked.

"Well, umm, uh… it's umm…" Zelda was caught unaware what should she say, Monique, Elizabeth, Mary…

"Please don't lie to me." Zelda was startled; it was as if he had read her mind.

"Well… Zelda"

"Princess Zelda," he said and smirked. Zelda looked away and let her long hair hide her blushing face. People called her 'princess Zelda' all the time, but never had it made her feel as special as this stranger who had saved her life.

"So… what's… umm… yours…?"

"Link."

"Oh, that's a… umm… a lovely name."

"Thanks, I guess. We're nearly there, it's a lovely little farm with cheery owners and great horses." He said and smiled again at her. He just kept smiling at her, but every time he smiled it made her heart do flips, and go flying all through her chest before dropping in a knot into her stomach. O my Zelda thought, I think I'm beginning to actually like this man. No! That can't be, he isn't even of royal blood, well she had never cared for that sort of thing anyways, but the public would be outraged… no. she couldn't even dream of thinking about having any feelings besides friendship and gratitude towards this man…

"Here we are." Link started, slicing through Zelda's thoughts like a blade. Zelda looked up, it was a nice little farm. It looked cozy and warm, a perfect shelter against the late fall's chill. From inside she could here a soothing, pleasant voice, singing a pretty tune… she recognized it as the same tune that nice girl in the market place, had skipped away singing."Melody, I've brought a guest"

"Guest! Bring em' in, bring em' in." They walked inside and saw the strange girl humming and cutting up the vegetables that Zelda had knocked over in market place. Melody's fiery red hair was pulled back with a kerchief, with pieces sticking out from under it. She was completely absorbed in her work, stopping only to tuck in a strand of hair that had strayed in front of her eyes. Link took a seat on a bench, and Zelda just stood there waiting awkwardly. Link motioned him to sit next to him, and did, she told herself, out of politeness. They stayed there like that for a couple of minutes, before Melody finally poured the carrots into a pot of boiling water, turned around, and wiping her hands on her apron, started over to examine them. "Link, you dare come into a lady's home like that, go wash up this instant!" Link trudged himself to the bathroom, and Melody turned her attention to Zelda. Zelda blushed, remembering the incident that had happened earlier that evening. "Well… we should get you into some sleeping clothes, nothing as fancy as what you wearing… you are sleeping over right?"

"Well, if it's alright with you…" Zelda had no intention on returning to the palace, she knew that she wouldn't be noticed gone this late, and the guards get increased, as it gets darker…

"Why of course!" You can sleep in the extra room, Link usually stays there when he's in town, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch.

"Well, if you're sure it's okay… I am a little tired…"

"Here, have a cup of tea, it'll soothe you down; you seem to be so uptight."

"Thank you, you're so kind!"

"Well, I haven't heard that in a while, I tell you, people just don't appreciate common manners nowadays… Oh no, I completely forgot about the broth!" She ran and took the pot of the fire. And set it on the counter. She poured it into three chipped plates and got three wooden spoons, from a threadbare cabinet. She tasted it from her bowl, and sighed, "Just perfect" She set the bowls on the table. "Here enjoy." Zelda tried to taste the broth as Melody had done, but burned her tongue in the process.

"Hot, hot, hot!" She yelled. Just then Link walked in with only a towel on.

"Yes I know I am," he joked about. Zelda blushed and looked away. My he had a six pack.

"Link, ho rude!" Melody chastised.

"Yes, but I can't find my sleeping clothes, and I'd rather not sleep without it." "They're in the drawer in the guest bedroom, where they always are!"

"Oh yeah…"

"Well, hurry down for dinner before it gets cold."

"Yes Ma'am!" Link saluted to Melody.

"Hardy har har, Link, I swear I'll get you back one of these days just you wait," and she began muttering under her breath.

Zelda quickly finished her supper, it was the most simple, yet delicious, dish she had ever had. She then allowed Melody to take her upstairs and help her get washed up. There was a soft, cotton nightgown lying on the bed for her when she got out. Zelda dressed and fell fast asleep.