Chapter 3
(A.N. I know that this story seems confusing now, maybe even sounding really bad, but I'm working on it! (This message is going to out to the person who believes that encouragement isn't part of life- I will not name you, but I'm sure that the other reviewers will read your messages and will agree with me. So what if this story sucks? I'm not making you read it; it's your own free will.) It just has a slow beginning, then you'll be able to read the good stuff.)
Disclaimer (once again): I don't own anything that is in this story- only the plot. Nintendo owns these wonderful characters.
Zelda hardly slept that night, the message still etched into her mind. She so badly wanted to figure out the mystery of the book and where it came from. Her son hadn't said anything about where he had gotten the book- let alone who gave it to him.
Zelda rose from her bed, dressing in a pale peach dress that was specially made for her by the palace's tailor. She picked up the book and put it into her dresser drawer, which, fortunately, could be locked by a key. Just as she was putting the key away into it's secret place, there was a knock at her door.
Zelda opened the door to find her son's favourite nurse Sonia.
"Yes Sonia?" asked Zelda, surprised. "Is there something I can do for you?"
Sonia nodded her head. "Your son calls for you my Queen," she said, curtseying slightly. "Do you wish to see him?"
Zelda walked out of her room and closed her door, locking it. "If my son wants to see me, then he shall."
Sonia nodded again and, with her head low, lead the way to Derek's room.
After entering her son's room, Zelda could clearly see that her son was upset. Sitting down on the freshly made bed, she beckoned her son to sit beside her. When he had sat down, Zelda hugged him and asked him what was wrong.
Derek looked up at his mother, tears coming out of his eyes. "Mama, I've lost my book that the Sandman gave me," he said, gulping. "The book you were reading me with Hero Time."
Zelda was confused for a second, then she remembered. "I'm so sorry darling," she said, brushing his tears away from his cheeks. "I took the book to read for myself after you fell asleep. Do you want me to go get it?"
Derek cheered up immediately. "Yes Mama! Thank you Mama!" he said, hugging his mother around the stomach.
Zelda smiled and got to her feet. She turned to the two nurses in the room: Sonia and a middle-aged woman named Colleen. "I won't be long, I will be back in a few minutes." Zelda informed them before stepping out into the hall.
Just as she was closing her room's door when exiting, she came face-to-face with someone that she didn't want to see at the moment: Jonah. Zelda quickly hid the book behind her back.
"Good morning dear wife," he said, offering his arm to her. "Shall we?"
"What?" Zelda blurted out, before correcting herself. "Where are we supposed to be going husband by my side?"
Jonah smiled slightly, still holding out his arm. "Does my wife wish to not eat? For breakfast is ready."
Zelda shook her head. "I'm sorry dear husband, not right now, I just have to see our son before I go with you to breakfast."
Jonah's smile grew slightly bigger. "See our son? What a good idea. I haven't seen our son in so long."
Zelda was getting good at not rolling her eyes when required, for she resisted at that very moment. More like almost a year since you had seen our son face-to-face husband.
Zelda walked ahead of her husband to Derek's room. She opened the door to shrieks of laughter and a shout of thanks from her son.
When Jonah entered the room, Derek fell silent. He looked up at the King, wondering who he was. Zelda felt horrible that the only father that her son had ever known was a stranger to him.
Jonah knelt down and ruffled Derek's hair, who in return moved slightly away from the man. Jonah laughed. "Hello there son, how are you?" he asked kindly, something that Zelda had never heard before.
Derek timidly walked up to Jonah, looking at him curiously, but cautiously. "Good…" he said quietly, then turned away and looked up at Zelda, with an expression of helplessness.
Zelda gave her son a reassuring smile, which he returned. Derek looked back at Jonah and moved closer to the man.
"How old are you son?" asked Jonah, in the kind voice, but to Zelda's surprise, the kindness showed in his eyes. Could it be possible that Jonah has a kind heart towards children?
Derek returned the smile. "I'm five!" he said happily, holding up a hand with five fingers to prove his answer.
"Really?" Jonah said, leaning back, looking surprised. "My, you're becoming a big boy. Soon, you'll be a big and strong man. What do you think of that?"
Derek looked surprised at that piece of information. Then his face split into a large smile once again. "I can't wait!" he said, jumping up.
Jonah ruffled Derek's hair once again and stood up. "It's good to see you again son," he said before beckoning Zelda to take his arm so that they could go the breakfast.
Zelda sighed. Before taking Jonah's arm, she knelt down and hugged her son, telling him to be a good boy.
Zelda straightened up and took Jonah's arm. "Shall we?" she said.
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A cloaked figure stepped up to the palace's gate steps, taking in what he saw.
Hmmm, the palace hasn't changed at all, he thought, adjusting the cloak's hood so that he would be able to have a better look at the view beyond the gate. The hood slipped to one side, revealing a lock of blonde hair and a pointed ear with a silver earring. He quickly covered that part of his face. He took one last look at the palace before making his way back to his horse, who was starting to get impatient. He soothed it by humming a melody before getting up onto the saddle. He urged his horse into a fast gallop, without a backwards glance towards his former home.
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During breakfast, Zelda felt something stir in her. It wasn't the baby, but, to her, it felt like a feeling that something was near. She glanced at her husband, who was in deep discussion with a visiting Duke, who had joined them for breakfast.
She looked out of the window. She saw something- or someone- moving across the vast landscape of Hyrule Field. She stood up, bidding excuse from breakfast and walked to the door that lead out of the dining hall and onto a balcony.
She strained her vision at the moving figure. It looked, to her, vaguely like a person on horseback.
She shook her head. Probably a huntsman going out to hunt game. She thought. But why did I feel like someone I know- or knew- was near?
(A.N. I'm an evil person! See, I'm on to the good stuff. Thanks for your patience in waiting for this chapter. I promise you, this story does have a happy ending! Thank you for your reviews- NOT including that horrible person who just likes to criticise me and not tell me why they're criticising me.)