Days turned into a week, which melted into more as Zelda fell back into stride serving the Three in the temple. She remembered nothing more during the day as she worked, praying over the sick, feeding the homeless and hungry stew she woke up early to make everyday. Something about making the stew stirred a memory in the back recesses her brain, especially when it came time to chop the carrots. The little orange colored vegetable wasn't necessarily funny, so why did it trigger a smile every time she diced them?

Days were exhausting, leaving her ready to collapse on her thin mattress stuffed with moldy straw and a blanket that smelled like it had never been washed. Something about fur bedding tickled the back of her mind, but she always shoved the thoughts aside. She was no longer the woman she was, whoever that was. She had eyed her ripped and torn dress, admiring the beauty it held with awe before she had to toss it on the fire. No possessions, not for a priestess. She had noted the attention to detail on it, how someone had spent a good bit of gold on it if she had to guess, but who that someone was was beyond her.

She sighed as she collapsed on her bed for the night. One month. It had been one long month of nothing but service. No one had come looking for her, no one had recognized her... she was now Zelda the Priestess, whatever she was before as long gone as the dress that was now nothing more than ashes. Her eyelids were heavy as sleep crept up on her, her body aching as she tried to ignore the smell of the blanket covering her.

XxX

Blue light...

The wind whipping her hair...

A smile on an unknown man's face...

Blue eyes...

Blue... light?

His throaty moan as he was between her thighs...

"I love you Zelda... Goodbye."

She jolted awake with a gasp, her mind reeling. "I love you," she breathed the words the deep voice had said, wanting to hear him say it again. Who was he?

"Sister Zelda?" a young girl popped her head in the door.

"Yes Nana?" she smiled at the round face framed by dark hair.

"The High Priestess wants to see you," she said and Zelda nodded.

"I'll be right there, thank you Nana," she stood up and stretched, slipping her feet into her thin sandals with a wince. A tiny blister ached on her left big toe, a minor annoyance but every step she took that day would remind her of it.

XxX

She roamed the streets of Castletown with the other young sisters, offering prayers for those that were too sick to make it to the temple. She felt as if she were watched as she moved, a feeling she just brushed off as one of paranoia. Her toe ached, and she silently reminded herself to pop the offensive thing later that night before she went to bed.

"Blessings upon you," she said soothingly to an old man hobbling along on one good leg, a crutch supporting his right side. He gave her a curt nod as he moved along, eyes foggy with age.

"We should head back dear Sisters," one of them spoke up. "It shall be time to serve the evening meal soon."

XxX

Zelda stared at the people she had just served some chicken stew, watched their world weary faces as they dug down deep into the meager bowls. She wished she could do more... She could if they had more money to give. These were people of the Goddesses, they deserved homes and newer clothes, a bath, some purpose to life. They deserved so much more than she could ever give...

"Sister?" one man looked up at her, blue eyes ashamed to meet hers.

"Yes?" she asked with a warm smile. He was a handsome young man, his youthful face framed by feathery soft looking brown hair.

"Could I possibly have some more stew?" he asked and she nodded.

"A growing young man needs his meals," she said and took his bowl in her delicate hands. She ladled the stew carefully, aware of his eyes on her.

"Th-thank you," he stammered out as she turned back to him with a full bowl.

"It's my duty," she said with a nod. "May the Three bless you tonight, it seems as if it will grow cold out there so make sure you stay by the fires."

XxX

Her toe hurt so bad, as did her back as she laid down on her cot for the night. A whimper escaped her lips lightly as she pulled off her sandals. This was ridiculous. She was a priestess, some such trivial pain would not stop her from performing her duties to the best of her abilities. She vowed to Din that tomorrow she wouldn't let any amount of pain distract her.

Her legs spasmed and she yelped in shock, adrenaline making her feel wide awake even as her eyes threatened to droop... She needed to sleep before she had to make her rounds again the next day, then the next after that... Such was her life now. Whatever it was before, now it was this, and she should be grateful for what she had. She was grateful for what the high priestess had done, but she wanted to know who she was before.

Soon sleep moved over her, a shadow pausing outside her door unnoticed by her as she shut her eyes.

XxX

Zelda woke up, feeling refreshed as if she had slept on the finest mattress under the softest blankets. The feeling was odd, she hadn't been sleeping well at all since she arrived at the temple. She sat up and stretched lightly, wiggling her toes under the blanket. Her toe. Zelda tossed the blanket aside and looked at it, amazed to see the blister that she had forgotten to take care of completely gone. "How?" she mused aloud as she swung her legs over the side of her tiny cot to put on her sandals. One foot all the way in she paused; her back didn't hurt. She really felt amazing, like a new woman.

"Curious," she mumbled as she finished putting on her sandals. Perhaps her prayers had been heard and she was blessed? She shook her head of the thoughts. The Three had much more important things to worry about. Her toe and back were nothing in the long run.

"Zelda?" a light knock on her door pulled her from musings of her lost pain and she ran a hand through her long hair.

"Yes?"

"Breakfast is served, and after that we have to make our rounds."

"I'll be right there," Zelda said with a glance around her room. Something caught her eye, something that shouldn't be there. A tiny purple flower, sitting on the tiny altar in her room. Who put that there? She hadn't picked any flowers in a very long time, if her fractured memories were anything to go by. As if in a trance she moved towards it, a cautious hand reaching for the soft petals.

'Beautiful'

'Deadly'

'Reminded me of you'

Zelda blushed as she remembered words spoken from her unknown man, the memory shocking her. Had... had he been in there? What kind of a man could come and go as he pleased? It dawned on her that she was just being ridiculous. The unknown man wouldn't just leave her here surely... no it was probably one of the younger girls, possibly Nana. She nodded to herself. Yes, it was just Nana.

'...my mountain... reminded me of you...'

Zelda blushed and shook away the thoughts. She was a priestess now, whatever she was before be damned.

XXX

Ike's gone to visit her? Aww... he's a softie. Thank you concisponci for reviewing last chapter! Let me know what you think! Much Love, Leigh