Chapter 25: Silent Secrets
AN: Hey everyone. I had to deal with some other things, so I had to step away from writing this story. I know this isn't the best story, but I'm happy I'm writing it and I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read it. Please let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
***I don't own anything in this story, so please don't sue.***
Morning came and Zelda felt someone shrug her shoulder. She stretched and yawned before opening her eyes. She sat up and saw the red haired girl from last night.
"You're up. Kaze is ready whenever you are." She smiled as Zelda sat up.
"You're…Hinoka." She said with a calm voice. The girl gently nodded her head.
"It's nice to meet another member of royalty. I know we're supposed to be all fancy and everything, but…well…I've never been one of those girls." She admitted calmly. "I'm all about the fighting and becoming better at protecting my family and my country." She said with pride in her voice. In Zelda's mind, however, she was focused on her upcoming opponent and the word family echoed through her mind.
'It's all I want…a family…' Zelda was in deep thought as now, images of Samus were crossing into her head; thoughts of the two of them with children…how wonderful parenting would be. It was all Zelda wanted; it was all Zelda needed. But then, Zelda began thinking about her own mother.
'I have no idea how to be a mother…will I be good at it?'
"Zelda…" a voice brought her back to reality.
"Huh? What?" She snapped back her attention. Hinoka smiled and nodded.
"Prepping for training? Yeah, I get lost when I'm focusing too." She admitted as she motioned with her head. "Breakfast should be ready soon if you need time to freshen up." She suggested. Zelda put on a fake smile and nodded as the woman left the room. Zelda went to the bathroom and turned on the water. She pulled out her toothbrush and began brushing teeth. As she did, she thought of what Samus told her; about how people become obsessed when they reach the semi-finals.
'I'm not going to change…am I?' She thought as she continued brushing her teeth. Once she finished, she moved into the shower; it was a bit hot and after a quick adjustment, it was at the right temperature. The water hit Zelda's back and a soothing wave of relaxation washed over her. Zelda dipped her head so the water ran down her face and covered her hair. While Zelda was washing her body, she was worried about Samus' words.
"When competitors get this close to winning it all…they…they become obsessed. They'll say things, and do things that they don't normally say or do." Zelda was scared of the changes.
'Would I even see the changes? What if I say the wrong thing again?' She thought as she finished washing her body. There was no doubt that she was going to fight tooth and nail to beat the bounty hunter, but…it was what she might become that was scaring her. Zelda turned off the water and dried off after she finished. She got dressed and walked downstairs. Hinoka wasn't around and Zelda figured she must have other duties to attend to. Although it would have been nice to sit down and chat with the young woman, Zelda knew she was there to train; she could always return and strike up a conversation another day. Zelda received her breakfast, which consisted of eggs, toast, and bacon. She sat alone and began eating. Zelda looked up to see a woman who was very fit and white hair scoffed at her while looking down at the princess.
"Can I help you?" Zelda asked a little irritated that she was being judged; even before any actual training took place. The woman sat across from her and began eating.
"I thought the princess of Hyrule would be more…intimidating." She said without looking at the princess. Zelda was a bit offended at this woman's comment.
"You are a member of Hoshido?" Zelda asked as she leered at the woman.
"No. I am the daughter of the Flame Tribe's chieftain." The woman replied with pride and honor in her voice.
"Well, looks can be mistaken." She said calmly. "I assure you that I am tougher than I look."
"The only time I saw you fight was when you were on the receiving end of Gannondorf's beat down."
"Well I would have done better if he didn't cheat." The princess hissed under her breath. "Gannon's an asshole anyway." She muttered as she looked up and saw a big smile on the girl's face.
"I never would've guessed you're the kind of girl who curses. I'm Rinkah." She nodded her head in approval. Embarrassed, Zelda attempted to backtrack.
"Well…see, it's not me. I mean, I didn't curse. Well, I did, but…it's Samus' fault. She changed me. I didn't curse before." Zelda weakly defended herself as the warrior laughed.
"I hope Kaze teaches you a thing or two. I'd hate to see you lose so quickly to a much experienced fighter." Zelda was now angry with the chieftain.
"Samus won't win. I'm not the weak willed girl you think I am. I'll show you, and everyone else that I am just as good if not BETTER than her." She picked up her plate and stormed out. With adrenaline flooding her body, Zelda now began searching for Kaze.
"The nerve of her. Who does she think she is? Samus isn't going to win. I'm going to win. I'll show her. I'll show all of them."
"You seemed stressed." Zelda heard a voice, but as she looked around, she couldn't see him.
"Kaze? I…I'm here for training." She said while looking for him. He was nowhere to be seen.
"Lady Zelda, you're letting your emotions get the best of you. Your anger towards Rinkah is blinding you. Calm down, and find me." He instructed. Zelda took a few deep breaths and after her nerves settled, she began looking around again. Her head then looked up and though there were no trees around, she was taking in her surroundings. She remembered her training with Krystal about finding people without seeing them. She closed her eyes and tried to listen. She heard quick, quiet footsteps approaching rapidly. She brought up a hand and a spark of magic knocked someone down. She opened her eyes and Kaze was lying on the ground. Zelda offered a hand to help him up.
"Your reflexes are good. Samus may be aware of your training with Krystal, but I believe I can help you even more." Kaze said as they began walking away from the castle.
"Rinkah is a lot like Samus." Kaze said as they were walking.
"I'm not seeing it." Zelda said with a bit of hate behind her words.
"You are only saying that because you are intimate with Samus. Rinkah is a fighter that hates to lose. She fights to the best of her abilities and refuses to accept any loss. Tell me, does that sound like Samus?" He asked and even though Zelda wanted to say no, he was right; she didn't say anything which also gave him his answer.
"At least that's what I believe. We're here." He said as they stopped in an area that looked like a spring. Trees surrounded the area and there were some stones around that looked like they could be used as a place to sit.
"So, what kind of training will I be doing? Perhaps some defense techniques? Or maybe some agility tests?"
"You'll be pouring tea." Kaze said calmly. Zelda couldn't believe what was just said.
"I'm sorry…pouring tea?" She asked with confusion in her voice and on her face.
"Correct." Kaze responded as he sat cross-legged on one of the flat stones nearby.
"That doesn't seem like training." Zelda said as she folded her arms.
"You'll be pouring tea into these cups…" He motioned towards some tea cups that were rather small. "…using that teapot." He motioned towards a teapot that was partially out of site from her. Zelda turned her head and her jaw dropped. The teapot Kaze was referring to was abnormally large and it looked rather heavy. Though Zelda was certain of the answer, she had to ask.
"Is it heavy?"
"Very. It's filled with boiling hot water. Your goal is to pour the water into these cups without spilling a drop.
"That's…that's impossible." Zelda claimed as she shook her head.
"Some people might say the same thing about your chances of beating your opponent." As Kaze's words were sinking in, Zelda now realized what point he was making. Reluctantly, she walked over and picked up the teapot. Though it was very heavy, Zelda could manage to pick it up; pouring it, however, was a different story. Before she started she was certain she couldn't do this.
"If I may ask, what is this achieving?" She asked with concern in her voice.
"You need to find your center; find your balance. Here, let me show you." Kaze stood up and motioned for Zelda to stand in front of him.
"I want you to try and hit my cheek like this." He moved his hand to Zelda's face and barely tapped Zelda's cheek. It didn't hurt at all, but she felt his hand against her cheek.
"Ok. I can do that." She said with a smile on her face.
"We'll see." He said as he got into a fighting stance. "Whenever you're ready." Zelda moved one hand and was quickly blocked. She continued her offensive attacks by walking forward while trying to win the duel. Kaze managed to push her hand to one side and step around her. As Zelda tried to turn around, she felt Kaze's hand against her face.
"If you learn to keep your center of gravity, you're less likely to be overtaken."
"So, in this little example, how would I keep my center?" Zelda asked.
"Your focus was on attacking me. You need to look into their eyes. I assume you have heard the expression: the eyes are the windows to the soul?" Zelda nodded. "If you are looking into your opponent's eyes, they will tell you all you need to know. Let's try again." Kaze got into a fighting position and Zelda did the same. "When you are ready, but this time, just look at my eyes to guide you." Zelda once again moved and as she looked into Kaze's eyes, the answers seemed much simpler. Right arm, left arm, left arm again, then right. Every move, Zelda could block, and just for a moment, she glanced down to make sure she wasn't going to fall, then she felt a hard shove and Zelda was flat on her back.
"Never take your eyes off your opponent. Samus can, and will, capitalize on small mistakes like that. That could be the difference between winning and losing the next match." Zelda sat up and rubbed her head. She wasn't mad at Kaze for knocking her down; she was upset with herself for screwing up again.
"I'm sorry." Zelda said as she stood up.
"Do not apologize. It's in the past and we learn from our mistakes. I suggest you return to your training." He pointed back at the teapot. Zelda was anxious to continue fighting; she knew she needed to complete the goal first.
"Yes, of course." She turned back to pour the hot water. She lifted it once again.
"Find your center…find your center…find your center…" Zelda said as she began pouring the water. As she did, she felt something hit her head. She finished pouring in the first cup and looked up at Kaze.
"What are you doing?" He threw another pebble at her and it hit her forehead.
"Drown out all distractions. No matter how annoying they may be." He threw another pebble and it hit her shoulder. Zelda was getting annoyed and it showed as the teapot was getting harder to lift.
"Kaze…I….I…can't…" Zelda couldn't hold on as the teapot fell to the ground. It didn't shatter since it was already so close to the ground.
"Can't? Or won't? If you believe you can't, you are setting limitations for yourself. If you won't, you're refusing to push yourself to reach that limit. You can do this, Lady Zelda. But you must believe you can. Otherwise, you won't." Zelda pouted and shook her head.
"But why were you throwing pebbles?"
"Was it distracting?"
"Yes."
"Did it annoy you?"
"Yes."
"Samus will try anything to get under your skin. You mustn't let her do that." Kaze said. Zelda was about to defend her girlfriend, but she remembered Samus' words.
"When competitors get this close to winning it all…they…they become obsessed." Zelda nodded as she picked up the teapot again. She spent the entire afternoon perfecting this technique and finding her center. After multiple successful attempts, Kaze and Zelda finally stopped. Kaze and Zelda sat down under a tree. Kaze had poured a cup of hot water into a larger cup and placed it on a saucer.
"It's green tea with a touch of lemon." He said with a smile. Zelda inhaled the aroma coming from the cup.
"It smells delicious." She said as she took a sip and could feel the warmth flowing down her throat. Her training was difficult, but she knew it was necessary.
"Why do you want to win? I'm certain you may be getting tired or hearing that, at this point. But I'm genuinely curious. What is your main goal?" Zelda smiled as she took another sip from her cup.
"I want to prove that I am just as strong as Samus."
"And then?" Zelda was confused at the ninja's question.
"I'm sorry?"
"Let's say you've beaten Samus. You've proven to the world that you are just as strong, if not better, than Samus. Is that where your goal ends, or is there something else you're fighting for?" Zelda knew the answer and responded without skipping a beat.
"I'm fighting for marriage. Samus and I made a wager and that can only happen if I win." She paused for a moment. "When I win." She corrected herself while looking Kaze straight in the eye. Kaze closed his eyes and smiled.
"Your passion is strong, Lady Zelda. If you fight with passion, you can overcome any fight. Fight for what you believe in; fight for what you think is true. Samus may try to play games, or mess with your head, but always remember you goal. Always remember who you are and why you're there." Kaze said as he drank more of his tea. Zelda smiled as she sipped her tea. But her smile faded quickly.
"But…we are talking about children…" Zelda said with a worried expression.
"Children are wonderful. You and Samus would make excellent mothers."
"That's just it. My mother…" Zelda's voice grew a bit quieter. "She was never around when I was growing up."
"If I may ask, where was she?" Kaze asked; realizing that Zelda was talking about something very personal to her. Zelda was getting a bit uncomfortable, so she attempted to change the subject casually.
"I've met your daughter. She is very wonderful." Zelda complimented him. Kaze soon realized that the previous topic was too sensitive to share. He sipped his tea and smiled at the changed topic.
"Midori has a heart of gold. I am blessed that she is in my life. I could not ask for a better daughter." Kaze chuckled. "She talks about her days with such excitement and joy. She is very proud of her work and wants to help people. She is also a big fan of yours." He said as he gently gestured his cup towards her. His words took the princess by surprise.
"I would think she'd adore Link more than me. He is a true warrior and fights with so much strength." Kaze shook his head.
"Link is a fierce warrior, but Midori likes to root for the underdog; the ones who are told they can't win. She enjoys watching them beat the odds and defy the rules." His words warmed Zelda's heart. "We should probably get back." Kaze said as he finished his tea and helped Zelda up to her feet. Zelda quickly finished the tea and the two walked back to Hoshido. Upon her arrival, Zelda wasn't sure what to do next. The sun was still out, and she wasn't tired yet.
"I would suggest you clean yourself and then relax for the day. You'll be moving to Nohr tomorrow morning." Zelda nodded and went back to her room. As she was walking back, there was a young man shooting arrows at a target, but failing miserably. His arrow landed a few feet in front of him. He walked forward, picked it up, and walked back. Once again, he lined the shot, and again, his shot fell just a few feet in front of him. Zelda walked over to the boy.
"I'll never get it right…" He muttered as he looked up and Zelda was looking at his bow.
"May I see your bow, please?" Zelda asked as she held out her hand. The boy placed his bow in her hands and Zelda began to examine it.
"M-My name's Kiragi." He said with nervousness in his voice. Zelda looked at the boy and smiled.
"My name's Zelda." Kiragi showed a small smile before Zelda looked at the bow again.
"Ok, I think I see the problem." Zelda gently tugged on the bow string; it was flimsy and loose. "You need to tighten the string in order to shoot a straight arrow." Zelda untied the string and retied the string; she plucked it to ensure it was tight.
"I think that solves that. So let's try it again." Zelda handed the bow to Kiragi and he aimed at the target. He fired, but the arrow went right and missed the board. He sighed and shook his head.
"I'll never be as good as my father." He said with an upsetting sigh. Zelda walked towards the arrow and brought it back.
"I think I can help you, if you'd like." Zelda suggested and the boy's eyes lit up.
"You mean it? Seriously? That'd be great! Thanks so much!" Kiragi said with a great big smile on his face. Zelda also smiled and stood behind the boy.
"Just shoot towards the target. I think I can help you, but I'd like to see you shoot again." Zelda said as he turned, with newfound determination. He pulled the arrow back, lined up his shot and let go…his arrow flew right of the target and hit the ground. His head sank as Zelda retrieved the arrow again.
"Let's start over. But this time, don't fire." Zelda said as he nodded. He took the arrow and pulled the string back, but he didn't let go.
"First…" Zelda said as she knelt behind the boy. "Look straight down the arrow so you know exactly what you're going to shoot." Kiragi did exactly as told, but he didn't fire.
"Next…" Zelda said as she began moving his feet. "Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart." He slowly let the arrow reset and moved his feet. He then, pulled back and aimed, but again, he didn't shoot.
"Finally…" She said as she gently turned him towards the left of the target. "You are moving right of the target, so aim left. The arrow will move right, but it should hit the target this time." Kiragi aimed like he usually did and let go. The arrow flew in the same pattern, but it hit the board. Although it wasn't near the target, it was an improvement from his original shots.
"There! Look at that!" Zelda said as the boy turned and smiled at the princess. "With a little more practice, I'm sure you'll be as good as your father."
"Kiragi, how is the practice coming along?" A man walked up and asked the boy. His attention turned to the princess.
"Zelda." He said with a slight nod in his head.
"Takumi." She replied with a slight smile on her face.
"I'm doing much better! Princess Zelda's helping me! She's really good!" He said with a huge smile across his face and excitement in his voice. Takumi raised an eyebrow and a smirk appeared on his face.
"Really? You know how to shoot?" He asked Zelda.
"Well…yes." She replied in a timid voice.
"Let's see." He tossed a bow towards her and she caught it. He also handed her a set of arrows as he walked back to grab another bow and more arrows. When he returned, Takumi glanced at the target and his eyes narrowed. "Let's see how well you can shoot." He moved to face the target, pulled and arrow and with no hesitation, shot at the target. It landed directly in the center.
"Zelda stepped up, took an arrow, and fired. Her shot landed next to Takumi's. He walked towards the target, removed the arrows and walked back.
"Alright. Let's try it a bit harder." He took a few steps back. "Twenty five meters." He took another arrow and fired. Once again, his shot landed in the center of the board. Zelda took an arrow and fired, and her shot landed next to Takumi's again. He retrieved the arrows and returned.
"Fifty meters." He shot his arrow and once again, he hit the center of the target. Zelda did the same and she could sense frustration from Takumi. She looked over at Kiragi; who now had a look of confusion. She knew that he had always believed that his dad was the best archer in the world, but now, he was being shown up by a newcomer.
"One hundred meters." Takumi took a shot and it landed dead center. Zelda looked at Takumi's son; who was rooting for her father and she made a decision.
'I'm going to miss.' She said to herself as she lined the shot. Her reputation didn't matter, especially since she was competing against Kiragi's hero. She aimed ever so slightly to the left and fired. Her shot landed left of center.
"I guess you're the better archer. Not that there was any doubt." Zelda said as she turned to see Takumi's eyes narrow towards her. Kiragi ran towards his dad.
"See? I told you he was the best. Come on dad, it's almost time to eat."
"I'll catch up in a minute, Kiragi. Go on, I'll be there soon." The boy ran towards the main tent.
"You did that intentionally." Takumi said to Zelda.
"What? No…I have no idea what you're talking about." Zelda said in defense; hoping that Takumi will buy it.
"Don't lie. I know what I saw. You intentionally missed. I'm willing to bet you could hit that target from two hundred meters out, but why did you miss?" Takumi asked. Realizing the jig was up, Zelda sighed.
"Your son was watching. He idolizes you and I wasn't going to continue battling, even if I must lose, I won't crush anyone's dream."
"The same could be said for the fans of Samus. Will you bow out and lose if it comes to that?"
That's different." Zelda said as she folded her arms.
"How so?" Takumi asked. Zelda tried to think of an answer, but she couldn't come up with one. Takumi walked towards the tent. "Someday, you'll need to put that kind hearted princess away. In times like this, you will need to be ruthless, aggressive. You can't hesitate…even at the expense of embarrassing someone's hero." Zelda nodded and began walking with Takumi. As they began walking back, Zelda looked up and saw a large, red apple at the top of a tree.
"Hey, Takumi." Zelda called out. He turned around and she pointed upwards. "Do you see the apple at the very top?" He looked up and shielded his eyes from the sun.
"That might be two hundred meters up. Are you going to hit the apple?" He asked as Zelda walked towards him, pulled an arrow, and set it in her bow.
"No. I'm going to hit the branch." She closed one eye and aimed. She took a deep breath and let go. The arrow soared and nicked the branch; causing the apple to fall. She took a couple steps forward and caught the apple in her hand while the arrow hit the ground a few feet away. She tossed the apple to Takumi and walked towards the arrow. When she came back, Takumi looked up and smiled.
"You barely grazed the stem. But that's me being picky. That was a great shot." He complimented as the two walked back. When they arrived, Zelda put the arrows and bow away before walking back to her room. When she returned, she got into the shower and allowed the water to run down her body. There were a lot of lessons she had learned since the start and to think that she was so close to the end; it was a bit frightening for her. So many emotions were running through her mind. Once she finished, Zelda put on some clothes and decided to lay down for a bit. When Zelda awoke, it was night and unfortunately, she was now hungry. She walked outside in hopes to find someone that might give her a small dinner. There wasn't a sound, nor a body anywhere to be seen. Zelda then left the gates of Hoshido and not twenty feet from leaving; she felt something against her neck.
"Please, don't hurt me." Zelda quietly said to whomever was behind her.
"Why should I spare your life, you thief?" The person asked from behind the princess.
"I'm not a thief. I am Zelda of Hyrule. I was looking for someone to maybe help me get something to eat since I missed dinner." The princess felt whatever was on her neck; leave and the person stepped around to face her. It was a woman with dark colored hair; it looked black, but might've been dark brown. She held a lantern and had a serious look on her face.
"You shouldn't be out here. Follow me." The woman led Zelda to a small camp just outside of Hoshido. There was a small fire with a pot above it. The woman handed Zelda a plate, lifted the lid and placed a form of meat on her plate.
"It's rabbit." She said. As she sat across from the princess.
"…Are there…utensils or something?" Zelda asked as the woman handed her some.
"Sorry." She said as Zelda began cutting into the cooked rabbit. "It's Kagero. My name. I didn't introduce myself before. But I apologize for my actions. We've had a few thieves stealing food from us. At night, it can be quite dangerous out here."
"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble." Kagero shook her head.
"It's no trouble. I'm going to head out on patrol soon, if you'd like you can stay here until the others get back. I wouldn't recommend wandering off this time. Stay close to the fire and don't give anyone, anything." She stood up and went back to work. Zelda continued eating the rabbit, which was very well cooked. It may have been a bit dry, but other than that, it was delicious. A few minutes later, she saw two figures approaching her. She set her plate down and raised one hand; it began to glow bright red as she was armed to attack, but she quickly noticed Kaze was one of them.
"Lady Zelda? Might I ask what you are doing here?" Kaze asked as he approached her.
"Why is she eating our food?" The other guy asked with anger in his voice. He approached her to take the food away from her, but she moved it quickly.
"K-Kagero said I could have some. I just wanted something to eat since I missed dinner and-" The man scoffed and shook his head as he walked away. Zelda began to think that she said something wrong.
"Don't mind Saizo." Kaze moved closer to the princess. "There's bad history between Saizo and Kagero. You had no way of knowing that. Please, eat." He motioned to her plate as she sat down again and continued eating. Saizo took a deep breath and sighed.
"Kaze says he worked with you." Saizo said as he grabbed one of the rabbits in the pot. "I don't think you're ready to face someone like Samus." Zelda didn't agree with his statement, but she bit her tongue.
"Saizo, please!" Kaze said. "You're embarrassing Hoshido." Kaze said as he grabbed a plate. "I'm very sorry for his behavior, Lady Zelda."
"Don't apologize." Saizo said as he took a bite of his food. "I'm sure her mother told her the same thing. In fact, I bet your mother is probably disappointed in you for even entering this tournament." That last statement hit a nerve within her.
"My mother…" Zelda said through her teeth. "She…I…" Zelda bottom lip quivered and her eyes were filling with water. She quickly shut them as tears rolled down her face. She threw her food down and stood up. "You are a very rude individual!" She began walking back to her room.
"What? What did I say?" Saizo asked as Kaze shook his head.
"Damn it, Saizo. You can be so inconsiderate. Go and apologize." Kaze told his brother. Saizo took a few more bites before setting his plate down and walking towards Zelda's room. He knocked against the door.
"Please go away." Zelda said behind the door. She sniffled and then the room went quiet. Saizo knocked again, and eventually the door opened. Zelda, whose eyes were a light red, opened it and saw who was standing on the other side. Zelda's eyes were filled with hate as she tried to slam it shut, but Saizo's foot prevented her from shutting it. He stepped inside and shut the door. Zelda had made her way to the bed and was now lying on her chest.
"Before you say anything…" Zelda said as she wiped a few tears away and sniffled. "My mother died when I was a child. I never met her and I had always wanted my parents to be involved in my life. However, my father was too busy running a kingdom, so I was raised by the servants. Everything I learned was from them. Every holiday, every birthday I ever had, was with my servants. I could probably count on one hand the amount of times I have seen my father in person." Zelda took a few deep breaths and collected herself before continuing.
"I have never had a real family, but my dream is to have one. And someday, I hope I will. So if you're here to insult me, please save your breath. I'm leaving in the morning, so just leave me alone, please." She put her face to the pillow in an attempt to hide herself.
"I…wasn't aware of…I'm sorry." He said. Zelda's head lifted from the pillow.
"Are you saying that? Or did Kaze make you?" She asked. "You have no idea what it's like to lose a parent, so don't act like you know." She said with anger in her voice as she was still fighting back tears.
"Actually…I do know. I…Actually…Kaze and I…lost both our parents when we were young." Saizo said. Zelda didn't realize this and immediately felt bad for what she had just said. But Saizo continued. "The former king, Sumeragi, took the two of us in. I managed to track down our father's killer in Mokushu many years later...but I failed to kill him. I was tortured beyond any form of pain you could imagine. Eventually I did manage to escape, but only after they cut my face and gouged out my eye. I managed to find Kotaro again."
"Who?" Zelda asked as she rubbed her eyes again.
"My father's killer. I…avenged him." Saizo said in a stern voice. "If I come off as tough, it's…complicated. I'm not used to speaking to other kingdoms. I…thought you should know. I'm…sorry…about your mother." Saizo turned to leave, but before he could, Zelda called out to him.
"Saizo!" He turned to look at her again. "Thank you. For telling me that. I'm sure it wasn't easy. I'm…sorry for…my previous outburst." Saizo just nodded as he closed the door behind him. Zelda now tucked herself in bed. Tomorrow, she was heading to Nohr. She would train with Leo and then…the pre-match interview. There may not be much time until this comes to an end, there seems to be a long road ahead. For whatever reason, Zelda could feel herself losing it.
'Why am I so nervous? Why am I so scared? I'm just facing Samus, but…what if I lose?' Her thoughts went back to her childhood. She rarely saw her father, and her mother was gone. 'Oh, mother…I wish you could help me.' Zelda thought as tears began to fall onto her pillow. She tried to dream happy dreams and forget all that's troubling her, but even she knew that she would have trouble falling asleep.