Zelda laid in the giant ornate four post bed, snuggled under the blankets, wide awake. She was sick to her stomach as she continued to rack her brain for an idea. Her last plan had failed miserably, and she obviously hadn't had the stomach to go through with it. There had to be something...anything to buy Impa and Link more time. She was certain she would have to injure herself in order to make that happen. But how without Ghirahim finding out? He had been checking on her more frequently now, peeking his head in just to make sure his prize was still there. Like she could even escape if she tried...

But honestly, she hadn't even tried...it could be worth a shot...

She stayed in bed acting as if she was fast asleep until the next time the demon lord came to check on her. As soon as he closed the door and she heard his footsteps walk away, she sprang from the bed and immediately tried the door handle. It of course was locked from the outside. She looked at the keyhole. She could certainly pick it, she had done it numerous times back at the academy to sneak out when she was younger...

She looked through the drawers praying to the goddess to help her find something to help her escape. The drawers were all obviously empty...but she thought for a moment and developed a plan in her mind.

She grabbed the chair from the vanity, turned it on its side, and very quickly stepped on a leg of it to break it off. It splintered loudly off. She stayed still listening for any sign that Ghirahim had heard that. She heard nothing, so she quickly went over to the bed, pulled the blankets down, and stabbed the wood into the mattress, ripping the material with all the energy she could muster. She used the piece of wood the help her pry a spring out of the matress. It took a good minute to do so and she was growing more and more paranoid and anxious the longer this took. She ran to the door, dropped to her knees, and stuck an end of the metal into the keyhole. She played around with it, moving it different ways, until she heard that wonderful click that meant freedom. She very quietly pushed the door open. She looked both ways and seeing that the coast was clear, she tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind her and carrying the splintered wood with her as a small form of defense.

This place was huge, dark, and confusing. She tried to make her way down several hallways, but she could never seem to find an exit. She was afraid to open any doors because she had no idea which one Ghirahim could be behind. She finally turned a corner and found she was on the floor above the main entrance. There was a balcony overlooking the giant entrance room and she could see the towering oak front doors. She was so close to freedom she could feel it...she began to run towards the great staircase that would take her down to the first floor and get her out of here...

Ghirahim sat in his study grinning to himself. In no time at all his master would be back and he would be marked as a hero. He would be rewarded greatly and the first thing he would do was request he keep that young sky child Link as his slave and make him bend at his every will. Yes, surely nothing would make him happier than to see that boy crying everyday over his beloved's hollow body than make him go fetch him a cup of tea. He nearly laughed out loud at this thought. Speaking of the little goddess he figured he should go check up on her again. It had been about half an hour.

He stood and made his way to her door a few hallways away. He pushed the door open but knew immediately something wasn't as it should be. He stormed in and pulled the blankets back to see the mattress torn. He looked around angrily and saw the broken chair and a spring on the floor. Why that little brat...she had escaped the room! He was positively livid! How dare she! He simply couldn't allow her escape from his castle! He wouldn't! Seething, he quietly walked out and began looking for the blonde. It didn't take long. He watched as she started to run for the stairs.

"Going somewhere?" He said loudly.

Zelda froze, fear tingling up her spine. She spun around every way trying to find where the voice had come from, gripping the chair leg tightly.

"What on earth do you plan on doing with that?" Ghirahim said disgustedly. She felt the wood being yanked from her hand and she spun to find the demon lord right behind her. He tossed the leg away from them and stepped towards Zelda.

"You know...I tried to take it easy on you, I really did. I gave you a comfortable place to stay, in my own house even, so you could enjoy your final moments of consciousness, and this is the thanks I get. You trying to escape."

Zelda wasted no time, as soon as he finished speaking she darted faster than she had ever run back towards the stairs. Ghirahim rolled his eyes, annoyed at this weak escape attempt. But as she grew closer to the top of the stairs, she glanced back at him and he didn't like the glint he saw in her eyes. He furrowed his brow in curiosity as he simply watched her. She ran straight for the stairs then without warning, sharply turned and jumped right over the balcony without even hesitating.

"No!" Ghirahim shouted as he watched her figure hit the ground below with a sickening crack. He instantly appeared down beside her body. She laid there unconscious, not moving a muscle. He rolled her over and found she was still breathing but she was bleeding from her head and there were a few obvious broken bones.

"Argh!" He yelled into the air. Why hadn't he expected her to do something like that! He was so angry at himself!

He picked up her broken body and walked back upstairs into the room she had been kept in. He roughly put her on the ripped bed and summoned a fairy to heal some of her wounds. He knew the broken bones would take longer to heal than anything else, but at least she would survive. He would have finished her off himself if he didn't need her to bring his master back.

Ghirahim chained her wrists to the bed as she slept, he would make sure something like this would never happen again. He was beyond livid as he closed the door behind himself, now he would have to wait another entire month for the next full moon! No way her body would be strong enough to bring his master back by tomorrow night! He was fuming as he walked back to his own room.

Zelda tried to open her eyes. It was a huge effort, she found her head hurt extremely bad. She tried to remember what had happened and realized that she was in the same room she had escaped from some time ago. Goddess, what had happened? She tried to scratch her face and realized she couldn't move her arms, they were chained to the bed very tightly. She tried to make her thoughts clearer. She moved her legs but groaned instantly when she moved the left one. Something was obviously very wrong with it. Pain shot up it like lightning when she moved. Then she remembered why. She had jumped off the balcony when she realized she wasn't making it out of this damn place.

Yes! That meant she had succeeded in getting Link and Impa more time! She nearly smiled despite the pain. She breathed a sigh of relief and simply relaxed into the bed.

Link realized he was growing rather tired of this hide and seek game that seemingly never ended with Ghirahim. He was at his wits end and seeing the demon lord show up so boldly in Skyloft was the final straw. He was done playing. He was going to Zelda back and kill him once and for all, his mind was set on it. He had been thinking all day...coming up with a plan instead of running carelessly into a battle he probably wouldn't win right now with how weak he was. He couldn't use his strength to defeat Ghirahim, he would have to rely on his brain this time. He sat on the side of his bed lost in thought when Impa opened his door and walked slowly in. He had talked the plan over with her and they had both agreed this may be the only way to get Zelda back and make things right in the world.

If anything happened to him in the process...well, he would just have to face the consequences. Zelda was the priority.

He looked up at Impa, she gave him a small grin.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" She said to the young blonde.

"Surely there is another way..."

"No. I have to go...it's the only way." He said, trying to convince himself along with Impa.

"You know...I was wrong about you when we first met. Your much braver than I thought. You show so much resiliency...I admit. I'm jealous." She grinned. Link grinned back but then looked at the ground.

"I'm not gonna lie, Impa...I'm scared. That...demon. He just...did such horrible things. And I couldn't do a single thing to stop him. Nothing. And now the thought of having to face him again...well..."

Impa laid a hand on the hero's shoulder.

"It's okay, Link. I'm gonna be near by this time. I won't abandon you. Either of you." She said gently. Link nodded slowly.

"Just make sure Zelda makes it out safely. That's all I ask." He said quietly. Impa's heart broke for the boy. She had wanted to try something else, but Link had come up with this plan and insisted it was the best way to get Zelda back. She knew he was exhausted and couldn't physically take him on right now. She swore if they all pulled through and made it out of this alive she would never force these two apart ever again. If they wanted to hug when they met so be it. If she needed to purify Zelda again and again...she would do it. But they had earned her respect and she didn't have the heart to separate them again.

Zelda laid in bed, her leg, head, and ribs absolutely aching, her arms begging to move but simply couldn't. She didn't know how long she laid there half conscious, but the door creaking open made her look over to see Ghirahim stepping in.

She sighed and looked back in the other direction.

"I bet you think your clever don't you child." He said walking over to the bed, hands behind his back. She hardly glanced at him, choosing instead to remain silent.

"One month. I have to wait an entire month before I can sacrifice you...do you even know how infuriated...how frustrated that makes me feel?"

She didn't care. She simply stared at the wall.

"Not going to talk hmm? Suit yourself. But you better get comfortable, you're not going anywhere until the next full moon." And he simply stormed out slamming the door behind himself.