Nayru would have gasped if it didn't hurt so much—"Queen?" She squeaked "How??" "I'm an old friend of your father's" She said. There was a brief silence. "There's so much I never knew about my father…" Said Nayru quietly, "There are so many questions I have that I want answered, but, I don't know if I'll ever see the man who can really answer them again." Her voice quivered "I wish he had just told me the truth!"
She felt hot tears rising in her eyes, she suddenly felt angry, why hadn't he told her, did he think she was to delicate to understand, what was he hiding from her? She blinked back the tears and rubbed her eyes fiercely. It was all his fault, like he was trying to protect her! He was a liar! She felt anger drowning her sorrow. If he had told her than she could have helped him! She had just tried to help! But now—now it was too late…She began to cry angrily. Zelda looked at her sadly. She slowly stood, and left the room, leaving Nayru to her thoughts. Nayru buried her face in her arms and sobbed half sorrowfully half angrily. She missed her father and mother so much…and now…she didn't know if they were even alive…She was weak and the crying made her feel nauseated and feverish, so she lay down and fell into dreams.
*****
She awoke to someone touching her wounds. "STOP!" she cried, because it hurt so much, and she sat up. There was a startled looking young man sitting beside her bed holding some gauze. She subconsciously acknowledged that he was extremely handsome, but didn't think of it then, because her chest hurt so much. "I'm sorry I startled you," said the young man softly. "My name is Karzad and I am Zelda's castle physician, I was simply trying to put some fresh bandages on your wounds." Nayru fell back into the bed wincing, "Well try to be more gentle, they're still quite sore," "I'm terribly sorry," He said, "I'll be careful," and then he began to lift off her loose night shirt "Whoa! What are you doing!?" Said Nayru, snatching back down her shirt, "Changing, your bandages, like I said, I have to do it every two hours, and you've been asleep for at least four," he said, now trying to lift her shirt back up, "What?" she cried, "You've already done this more than once?" "Yes," said Karzad, with a note of impatience in his voice. There was a short pause where Nayru looked at Karzad uneasily, "Alright," She said, "But I can take it off myself." She lifted off her shirt slowly and then lay back. He leaned over her and began to remove the bandages. She blushed furiously, she felt so ashamed lying her bare-chested while this young man touched her. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes trying to pretend he wasn't there, and ignore the fact of her nakedness. He finished after a moment and left, and she opened her eyes up and then put back on her nightshirt. He was quite handsome, she thought after he had gone, and it was true. He was tall for the age of 16, he was strong, and lean with brownish-red curling hair and deep green-grey eyes. She looked wistfully after him, two hours was much too long.
****
Even though they had gotten off to a bad start, Nayru and Karzad soon became fast friends. Nayru became less ashamed of having him see her naked, and as he got to know her, he became more ashamed to see her. Before long Nayru was up walking, and not too long after, Nayru was healed completely. One day while she and Karzad were sitting in the courtyard talking, a maid rushed up to Nayru, "Nayru," said the maid timidly, "Her majesty has summoned you to her courts," "Oh," Said Nayru, "Lead me to her them," She said goodbye to Karzad, and followed the young maid off. She was led through the winding corridors, and then into the Queen's court. She was led up to the throne, and Zelda stood to greet her. "We need to speak alone," She said, leading Nayru out of the wide chamber into a smaller room off to the side. They went into a small chamber with a polished oak table and two chairs. Nayru came in and Zelda closed the door behind them. Nayru sat down slowly, and Zelda came over and sat too. "What is it?" asked Nayru, for though she still felt bitterness toward her father, she was still terribly worried about him in her heart of hearts, and wished to know of any news of him. "While you have been recovering the sages have been searching Hyrule far and wide for any sign of your father. So far our searches have been unsuccessful, except for one thing. A shadow has crept over the Gerudo Valley, and its doors have been sealed. There is strong dark magic afoot, and we suspect that Ganondorf is to blame. At our last meeting of the sages, Naburoo, sage of the desert, looked extremely shifty to me. I'm beginning to wonder how long she's known of Ganondorf's return." Said Zelda, sinking into thoughts of her own. "I have already told you, I will go, no matter what it takes, I will save my family." Said Nayru after a pause, "Yes," Interjected Zelda, "And you have already proved that you cannot do this alone!" "I'll have Novur to protect me," Nayru protested, "That isn't enough," Zelda said, exasperated, "We were just in time to save you when that wolfo nearly tore your heart out! And that was just getting to you out on Hyrule field! Think how long dead you'll be if the same thing happens miles away, in Gerudo Valley? Who will protect you then?" Zelda and Nayru both fell silent. Then slowly a light came on in Nayru's eyes. "Karzad!" she said softly, getting to her feet, "Excuse me your majesty but I need to speak with someone right away!" And then she rushed out of the room, through the stone halls and back into the flowery courtyard.
*****
Karzad was reading on a bench still, and Nayru rushed over. "Karzad?" she said breathlessly, reaching his side, "Yes Nayru? What is it?" he said politely looking up at her, "I need to ask you something," she said, sitting down beside him. "Karzad, my father is Link, Hyrule's hero of time, that's how Zelda knows him." She said, "The reason I was hurt is because I went out to find my father and mother when that wolfo attacked me, and I was finding them because I woke up one morning and our house was wrecked, and empty. Ganondorf, the evil king, who was sealed away in the sacred realm, well he has escaped, and he is the one who captured my father, and now….He is in the Gerudo Valley, and that is where my father is too, I'll bet my life on it." She paused for a moment to catch her breath, and Karzad simply sat there, stunned. "I told Zelda that I am willing to go and find my father, but she insisted that it is too hard and dangerous to do alone. I need someone to go with me…" She trailed of looking meaningfully into his eyes. There was a long rather awkward pause where they stared into each other's eyes, "Nayru—I—I'm, this is just so…" He trailed off, and looked away in disbelief. Nayru looked at the ground forlornly, "I understand that you don't want to go, it's just I thought maybe that—but it was stupid—I'm sorry…It's just—It's just that—well…you're the only real friend I've ever had…" She trailed off sadly, and a little tear trickled down her cheek, but she brushed it away quickly. "I'm sorry," She said again, standing up, and she began to leave. "Nayru, wait!" said Karzad, when she neared the door, Nayru turned slowly. "Come here," He beckoned. She walked over and sat down beside him. He looked into her eyes, and she could almost see the inner struggle going on behind them. At last he relented and looked to the ground. "I will go with you," He said softly.