A/N:
I apologize for the delay! I actually have been busy this week. (that's a first) Finals and all that school crap. :P Not to mention I've been just flat out procrastinating… Anyway, thanks so much for the review! 21 for just one chapter! You guys are the best!
Disclaimer: Does it say ANYWHERE that I have to write this? Whatever. I don't own Zelda. Bleh
A New Home
Jade earrings blinked in the wavering firelight as their petite mistress moved about her home. Jingling against her jaw, she batted them away absentmindedly as she began to boil milk in a tiny pot. Another woman who held a sleeping babe in her arms sat silently nearby, a silver fairy hovering by her head.
"So you've brought a child with you, Triana?" Saria inquired softly, settling the pot above the orange flames flickering inside the fireplace. She moved her emerald gaze to the addressed woman. "Might I ask why?"
Triana shifted the infant in her arms slightly before answering defensively, "It was for her safety. The king and his queen specifically requested me to hide their daughter within the confines of the forest. Do you object?" The fairy woman flicked a piece of scarlet hair away from her narrow jaw, her eyes smoldering in the dim light. The little fairy, Navi, fluttered closer to Saria in apprehension, knowing full well Triana's sharp temper.
"It was not an accusation, merely an inquiry," Saria replied neutrally before settling herself across from Triana, Navi transferring her fairy-self to the tiny woman's shoulder.
Triana sighed deeply in what seemed to be sheer exhaustion. "I apologize," she murmured, although her eyes had not lost their smolder, "It has been quite a day."
"I can imagine. How did you manage traveling the entire distance in such a short time with an infant?"
"I gave her a bit of sleepleaf when Navi and I left early this morning." The fairy woman shifted her gaze from Saria to the babe in her arms. Touching the infant's brow tenderly, Triana said softly, "She's but newly born, poor dear. Taken away from her mother so soon. 'Tis a shame."
"'Tis a shame, indeed." Saria paused a moment before continuing. "What is her name?"
Triana replied, "Zelda. She has the namesake of her great great grandmother, or so I've heard."
"Might I hold her a moment?"
"Of course. But first –." Triana looked over Saria's shoulder and pointed. "You might want to attend to your pot of milk."
Both the tiny woman and Navi glanced behind themselves to see the white liquid about to boil over the rim of the pot. With a curse Saria rose and grabbed a wadded rag and lifted it away from the flames, just in time. Then she set it on the wooden table to cool. "That was close," Navi remarked absentmindedly.
Saria smiled ruefully at the fariy. "And you are as helpful as ever, Navi. What would I do without you?"
"It is not as if I could have lifted it myself. And I would have gotten my wings singed!" Navi retorted.
With a laugh, Saria went to her Triana and gently lifted the infant from her arms and cradled her against herself. Sitting down, she said softly, almost to herself, "She is a beautiful child. And sweet-tempered. She will be stunning as she grows older."
Triana nodded in acquiescence but did not deem a reply; Navi simply hovered nearby. The two women and fairy waited for a time as the milk cooled in the pot. Eventually testing its temperature, Triana dipped a starched cloth in the milk and aided Saria in feeding the infant. At first she refused the cloth, desiring her mother's breast, but in time grudgingly took it into her mouth and suckled. The two women continued dipping and feeding until the infant was full. Navi buzzed around the pair, wanting to help but not knowing how. Zelda, after feeding, began to cry.
Saria patted the child's back tenderly, attempting to burp her. "She's had such a hard day, poor dear. She must be exhausted."
"We all are," Triana muttered, slightly annoyed. "And if she doesn't desist in her cries she will wake up -."
The fairy woman looked to the nearby hallway and saw a little boy, about three years of age, standing there, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Eventually going to Saria, he noticed the infant and remarked, "What's that? She's loud." Navi fluttered over to him and he giggled as her feathery wings brushed his cheek.
"That is Zelda. She is going to be living with you and Saria for a while," Triana replied. "You must be nice to her, Link."
The little boy frowned and eyed the infant Zelda once again. "Why's she crying, Auntie Saria?"
"She's tired, love. She came a long way today."
"Where?"
"Far away."
"How far?"
"Very far."
Link gave up his questioning and stared at the infant who now had stopped crying. He wrinkled his nose and eventually said, "It's ugly. Why'd you get it?"
Triana suddenly picked up the toddler and slung him over her shoulder with a rueful sigh. "Enough questions, little one. You need to go back to bed. You can see Zelda in the morning."
"Auntie Tri! I no sleepy anymore! Let me go!"
Unfortunately, Link was forced back into bed, where he fell asleep instantly, proving to his fairy aunt that he was, indeed, quite sleepy. She left him with a kiss on the temple and made her good-byes with Saria. "I will be seeing you in the morning, Saria."
Saria smiled and pointed to the hearth. "I have some medicines and the alike for you there."
"Thank you." Triana opened the door, parcel in hand and fairy on her shoulder, letting the moonlight come into the darkened room. "Good bye for now. Take care of Zelda for me tonight."
"Good bye, Triana. May the Goddesses bless you this night."
"Good bye, Saria!" Navi chirped in kind.
Saria responded by making the Triforce sign on her chest before Triana closed the door softly behind her with Navi in her wake.
The little woman eventually rose with the infant in her arms and took her to her own room, where a cradle happened to be situated. Thankfully, Link had outgrown it a little while ago, and Zelda was able to use it. Saria set the slumbering child gently within the cradle and covered her with a blanket. Stroking her cheek, she eventually went to bed, her mind full of visions of the future.
Short, I know. But I just can't seem to write anymore at the moment… But that doesn't mean you shouldn't review!
To the reviewers from Chapter One: (I love you guys. hugs)
Azure Raelin: Wow, thanks so much! I'm really excited about this one, and I have some great fluff planned too. YEY!
LaAriella: Actually, I was at first going to do a Cinderella version, but Sleeping Beauty just works better. I love fairy tales for some reason, and I just had to do one. Thank you for the review!
PIRO the unforgiven one: Yey, I love faithful reviewers! Lol I'm so glad you came back. I was worried for a little that no one would review since this is a bit AU-ish. Anyway, thanks again for all of the reviews!
anyone: Well, actually, it's Sleeping Beauty, not Cinderella, but oh well! Lol Thanks for the compliments, too. Only you guys would call someone like me awesome. Haha
sawyerzelda: The movie used to be my fave too! It's one of my fave fairy tales alongside Cinderella and The Twelve Dancing Princesses (have you ever read that one? I love it for some reason). Thank you for all of the reviews!
Perfect Soldier 01: I hope it turns out well. But I do have some fluffy wuffy stuffy in the future, as always. Lol
aslan-chic: I only wanted to do that tone for the beginning b/c if I did it all the way through the fic would be way boring. OO Lol And also, what does Pax mean? Just wondering….
Midnight Starfire: Actually, I was making fun of myself b/c I have a terrible time coming up with plots, and so I have been forced to reuse one instead. I actually started writing fanfics b/c it takes forever for me to come up with ideas, and I was annoyed that I wasn't writing at all during that forever long waiting period. Anyway… thanks again for all of your reviews!
Hikari no Purinsesu: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Lost Reyn: I can't believe I have anyone who would consider themselves a fan of my work! I think it's kinda funny. Thanks so much for the compliments. I love it when people consider me to be a least somewhat talented. It really means a lot.
Nagem: You never sign in, do you? Lol Not that it matters. This fic is kinda AU but not really. I think that AU really applies if it's like "Link and Zelda go to high school" kind of fic. Oh well. Thanks for the review!
Jewel: Yup, I'm definitely back. Writing keeps me entertained. Lol I'm glad you liked The Carnival so much too. It was fun to write.
zeldaqueen: I love fairy tales too, especially Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Thank you so much for the review!
Story Weaver1: I thought about using Gannie for this, but I couldn't really see him cursing someone and then running off. He would have just killed them all. OO And he's not very fairy tale like… Anyway, there will be fluff, I promise. But like I said, you'll have to patient! Hopefully it'll be worth the wait…
ayachan21: I swear in the real story that the villain does get mad b/c of the plate thing. But I'll be adding some more details as to why she got all mad, not just b/c of that. Lol
Greki: Thanks!
magnum326: Thank you! I'm actually quite pleased /w how the beginning turned out. I'll try and review your fic, but I'm not exactly proficient in the area of Sonic the Hedgehog. OO Lol Thanks again!
Berlin'sBrownEyes: I doubt anyone's mother would take the time to read this, except maybe mine. OO I think I'm just going to do the fairy tale tone in the very beginning and the very end – kind of like a prologue and an epilogue. But not. XD I'm glad you came back to FF.net again!
Split Infinitive: Do you think I should rewrite my summary? OO Lol, I guess you shouldn't judge a story by its summary. (haha I'm so not funny…) But I'm glad you liked it! Unfortunately, though, I was not planning on having the fairy tale "tone" the entire time b/c it just wouldn't work… I hope that you'll keep reading, though!
nightwanderer: Yeah, Zelda will definitely have a big part in this! And I have some major fluff planned. Hehehe
Glorfindel Silverleaf: Thanks for the review! I'll definitely be continuing this. I'm just as excited as everyone else!
Note: I changed the age when Zelda will prick her finger from 16 to 18, just b/c I think it'll work better that way. I changed it in the first chapter and the summary. Just to let you know!