Chapter 3

Adah's Lullaby

"Daddy, Mommy?… Can I sleep with you?" That was the frequent question that Adah had been asking for many nights, leaving a tired Link and Zelda in the morning. Her tosses and turns could keep them up all night.

Zelda had tried to have Impa come to her room so she wouldn't get scared, but Adah would refuse not to see her parents after a bad dream. Impa, being used to it when Zelda was little, was not at all affected by this.

"It is simply normal for a child to have bad dreams when they are young. Eventually, she will grow out of it.", Impa reassured an exhausted Zelda.

She responded with a small groan. Her head pounded with a migraine. "Is there anything to stop these bad dreams?", she mumbled.

"Warm milk?", suggested Impa. "That's what I used for you." Zelda remembered the late nights when Impa would give her Lon Lon milk. She immediately feel asleep afterward.

Zelda smiled weakly. "I will do that tonight." Me and Link haven't been getting sleep for weeks now. Impa grinned.

"So I'm guessing your not on track either." , she said, sipping her tea that the servant had just brought.

"Impa!", she exclaimed. "How can you think like that?" Her eye brows furrowed trying to make it look she was mad, but she was just too tired to even do that. Zelda rose from the table, leaving Impa with her tea. "I'll be with Link."

Walking out of the library, she could hear the pitter patter of tiny feet running up and down the stairs. Each little stomp made Zelda's brain pound with pain, adding to the head ache. She moaned as the sound echoed through the large, open room.

Looking down to see what exactly Adah was doing to entertain herself, she saw her throwing a small sized ball up the stairs and trying to catch it on its way down. The girl, being so young and having horrible hand-eye coordination, failed to catch the ball every time it bounced down, which made her scatter for it before it could fall down another flight of steps.

Zelda called down to her. "Adah, would you be so kind as to play with that in your room or maybe in the courtyards?", she asked, holding a hand to the side of her head.

Adah's head shot up in surprise. She didn't know she was being watched. "But Mommy…"

Zelda closed her eyes not wanting to, but having no choice. "Now is quiet time. Play outside or don't play at all.", she said with a stern voice.

Adah angrily stomped down the stairs, not realizing that this was making her mother flinch with every sharp noise. Zelda sighed. "She will be as stubborn as I was when she grows up."

She turned and headed to her chambers in hope to find Link, knowing he was obviously doing nothing he was supposed to take care of. She was not very surprised to see Link sleeping in their bed when she opened the door. Normally she would yell at him for this, but Zelda had been thinking the same thing all the way to her room.

Slowly she crept across the room, snuggled herself in bed next to him, and fell into a wonderful sleep. The two slept for hours until Impa had to come in and announce dinner.

Not fully rested, but much better than earlier, the two descended down the halls, ending up in the dinning room. As they ate in silence, even Adah, due to still being mad at her mother from the morning, Zelda came to a remedy for Adah's sleeping problems.

"Why didn't I think of that before?", she blurted happily. Both Adah and Link were confused. She smiled brightly and went back to her meal. All the while, Link and her daughter staring at her like there was no tomorrow.

After finishing dinner, it was Adah's bedtime. Zelda assured Link that she would be fine putting Adah to bed herself. Adah was reluctant to leave with her, still in a bitter mood.

When they entered her room, Adah jumped into her bed hiding herself under the covers. Zelda sighed.

"Adah, why must you be so cross like this?", she questioned her young daughter. Zelda sat herself on Adah's bed. "Come on, get out from the covers."

"I don't want to.", she muttered beneath them. "I can say goodnight to myself. Go away!" Zelda laughed lightly at her comment.

"That would be rather hard now wouldn't it.", she said softly. "Adah, how would you like to get sleep without ever having another bad dream?"

The back of Adah's head popped out from under the covers. She still wouldn't look at her. "How?"

"Here drink this.", Zelda handed her a bottle of warm Lon Lon Milk. As milk being Adah's favorite drink, she willingly accepted it, turning around this time. Quickly forgetting she was mad at her mother, she smiled at the wonderful taste it brought.

"I also have something I want to share with you.", she said, pulling out a harp made of gold. Carefully plucking the strings, a wonderful melody sounded through the room. Adah starred in awe at the beautiful music.

Slowly slumping down into bed, Adah listened to the song, her eyes fighting to stay open. Zelda finished and looked down at the sleepy girl.

"It is called Zelda's Lullaby. Impa used to play it to me when I was a little girl and couldn't sleep. The song is of much more importance though than just a lullaby, but that will be a bedtime story for you another day."

Yawning, Adah spoke. "I love that song mommy."

"Then it will be yours from now on. We can call it Adah's Lullaby. What do you think?"

"I think it's perfect…", closing her eyes, the young Adah fell asleep. Zelda smiled.

"Me too.", she bent down to kiss the girl on the forehead. "I love you, goodnight."

Adah's sleeping problem was solved, and for the first time in many weeks, Zelda and Link could sleep soundly without any interruptions. Zelda was now in a much better mood of many restful nights.

Zelda entered the dinning room at breakfast time. Link and Adah were already sitting down. "Good morning Adah, morning Link.", she said, kissing each on the cheek. She was in an extra happy mood today.

"Morning Mommy.", greeted Adah happily. She was bouncing up and down in her seat, which Zelda failed to notice or care. Link smiled at her, but wondered why she was so upbeat in the early morning. Maybe it was just because they actually got some time without Adah having to be there.

"Why don't we spend some time together in the courtyards today.", suggested Zelda. "I've been wanting to plant some roses in my favorite garden". She looked up at Link who was smiling.

"That's a great idea.", said Link. Of course, Adah was delighted, not being able to sit still in her seat any longer.

After breakfast, the family headed down towards the gardens. It was acres and acres of land set aside for breathtaking gardens, some with large pools or fountains. None of the public knew of this place other than close friends. It was a secret place to just relax and enjoy nature.

Adah was in love with the gardens. Her favorite place had to be the well hidden pond that you have to walk through a path to find. It was secluded area surrounded by many trees, giving nice shade for one to rest.

It had not always been there. When Zelda was a young girl, the gardeners had yet to build such a wondrous place.

Zelda had brought some lovely roses to plant with her, and Link had brought a basket of food for them to have lunch. Adah brought one of her prize possessions. A sun hat.

While Adah was playfully running around with Link, Zelda was kept busy with planting her flowers. It was a relaxing thing to do, and she enjoyed it to its full extent.

After what seemed to be a good amount of time, Adah ventured over to her mother to see what she was up to. She looked at the roses with much glory.

"Pretty mommy.", said Adah. She gently reached out to stroke the crimson petals. Zelda smiled. She looked over to a spot in the garden.

"Adah, do you know how important this garden is to me?", she spoke as if she were speaking to an adult. Memories flowed into her mind loving every one of them.

Adah shook her head, wanting to know.

"This is the place your father asked me my hand in marriage", she sighed. There were more things to be told, but they were not for a young one's ears. The most intimate moments of her life had resided here.

"I will never get married mommy.", said Adah sadly. Zelda snapped out of her day dream and looked at Adah.

"What do you mean sweetheart?"

"Boys are icky.", she said. Zelda laughed at this. The only boys who came to the castle were old noblemen. In a way, she was right.

"Well maybe it's because you don't know any your age." , said Zelda. She found herself wondering how could a three year old comprehend such knowledge. She, herself, hadn't spoke like that until she was at least six, but Zelda did have the triforce of wisdom. Maybe she passed down the smarts.

"Someday you will feel different.", she said, looking towards Link who was lying down in the grass, enjoying the sun.

"Noooo…", she said very silly. Adah ran back out to the meadow and jumped on Link. He caught her and started tickling her. Adah's giggles could be heard from a good distance.

Zelda smiled at the scene. Nothing could get more perfect than this…. Or could it?