Chapter 10 the outside world part 2

I had known that there would be consequences for my actions.

I had known, and yet it still hurt.

Daddy always said- my first dad used to say I was too sensitive.

My mind was in a contradictory state of slow molasses sadness and vibrating lightning anxiety.

I knew I shouldn't have made myself stand out. I was so dumb. I'm a giant idiot who has no control over her impulses and can't think her way out of a paper bag.

Why did I have to be so stupid and go do some thing dumb like read way before most children could string a full story together.

God why did I think this was a good idea I should have just-

"Little bird? What are you doing down there?" A lyrical voice broke through my thoughts as my mother crouched down to look at me.

I scrambled to sit up straight and wipe my face, accidentally bumping my head on the stone above me and sending a fresh wave of pain induced tears.

Shortly after I turned two, I was moved out of my first nursery by my parents' rooms into a suite of my own, it was almost identical in structure to the original game Zelda's room, which in retrospect was to be expected but at the time surprised me. But more importantly, the suite had a spiral staircase leading up to the second level the underside of which made the perfect hiding spot for someone as small as me. I just had to crawl to the back where it was so small that no adult could reasonably reach. I had gathered up my blankets and hidden back here when Dottie had set me down for a nap, not expecting anyone to be able to bother me.

Yet here, only a few feet in front of me, was my mother. She had somehow managed to shimmy her way around until she could almost reach me.

"H- h- how did you f- find me?" I hiccuped through my tears, trying to compose myself. It wasn't that big of a deal. I had just been stupid and hadn't thought things through. I was being stupid, and I knew there were going to be consequence.

I furiously swiped at my tears, stupid toddler body! Couldn't withstand the slightest pain or emotion without crying.

My mother scooted herself a few inches closer before reaching out for me. "Dottie told me you had a rough day today," she soothed sympathetically. I sniffed pathetically trying to pull myself together, "It's nothing." I mumbled petulantly, still sounding far too weepy. "I'm being dumb."

My mother had finally gotten close enough to reach me and grabbed me to pull me into as much of a hug as she could give me laying flat on her stomach trying to avoid hitting her head on the stairs.

"Oh baby, you're not being stupid at all! It's perfectly normal to be upset when someone says something mean about you!" she snuggled me further, pulling me closer. "Besides what do those stupid solders know! They're just jealous that they're not as smart as my little genius!" Her voice went up in pitch and she rubbed her nose against mine making me give a little hiccuping giggle.

"You dont think I'm weird?" I slapped my hands up to cover my mouth. I hadn't meant to say that. I shouldn't have-

"No!" she replied firmly. "And if any one says differently, Mommy will break their faces!"

I couldn't help but laugh at that, my new mom always had a way to calm me down. A silly little grin came to my face at the idea of my beautiful delicate mother beating up the two bulky soldiers from before. "Really?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Of course! If someone messes with my baby, I'll bite them" she snapped her teeth playfully at me, before standing up with me in her arms.

I squeaked in surprise, at some point during the conversation she had managed to squirm from underneath the stairs with me caught in her grasp.

"I know just what will cheer you up! How about you go with mommy and daddy on a little adventure?"

"An adventure?" I couldn't help but ask, curious despite myself. "Yup!" she popped the P, sounding excited.

"Your father and I have been working too hard lately. I think a little excursion out of the castle is just what this family needs."

"Outside!" I gasped, I had never really been outside the castle before. It had been too dangerous to take the baby princess outside the safety of the castle walls. Besides what reason would I have for going outside?

"Yes little bird! Outside! How about we have a little picnic?" mother hummed striding out of my room and down the hall toward her office.

Again i rushed to straighten myself up, my face was probably puffy and red and my clothes were all rumpled from how i was curled up "Mommy i don't look…" What's the word for presentable in Hylian "...nice?" Darn toddler vocabulary.

"My little bird always looks nice." "Moooommmyyyy," i whined trying to rub the tears from my eyes. "hush baby no ones going to care if you look a little messy and if they do I'll set them straight." I harrumphed grumpily. People already think I'm weird, I don't need them thinking I'm messy too. "It'll be fine little one, you worry too much."

"Illa!" Mother slammed the door to her office open. "Yes my queen" granny didn't even glance at my mom. "We are going to go out today."

granny finally looked up from her paperwork, her clever eyes quickly darting first to assess my mother then myself. before smoothly sorting her papers and rising to her feet. "Yes my lady, where would you be wanting to go?" mother glanced out the window, "Today's weather would be perfect for a picnic in hyrule fields." Granny hummed, "I will have the kitchens make you a basket, and alert the appropriate people of the change of schedule, might I suggest the area just south of the sacred grounds? The view of the plateau is lovely."

Granny paused in her preparations. "Will your husband be joining us?" "yes could you send him an invitation to join us?" Granny nodded sharply. "Of course my queen, I will have everything sorted shortly, would you like me to call Dahlia to change Zelda into some more appropriate clothing?"

Dahlia? Oh wait, that's Dottie's real name right?

"It's ok, you can have her collect the basket from the kitchen. I'll change Zelda."


Everything was happening way too fast. Before I knew it, everything was collected and a party my mom, my dad, dottie, granny, and at least 5 guards had all gathered at the stables to set off for our picnic.

Now the thing people don't get about horses is how big they are. Conceptually, people are aware that horses are big, sure, but there is a big difference between knowing horses are big, and seeing this 840-2200 pound monstrosity and having the top of your head barely line up with the lowest point of their back. Now imagine that for a three year old.

I eyed the creature warily.

I'm barely 31 pounds soaking wet and 2 feet at my tallest. this thing is 3 times my size.

Now I like horses. I had even taken a few riding lessons in my last life, but right now?

I am far too squishy and small to get within stepping range. it could squish me like an ant.

I tugged on my mom's skirts, never taking my eyes of the monster casually munching on some hay. (it was the same colour as my hair would it be tempted to eat me?!) "Mama can walk to the pic- pic-" Ugh, words. "Outside food instead."

"Aww is my little bird scared of the nice horsey?" I tried to give her a deadpan look. it didn't work from the way my dad was attempting to hide his smile, curse my cute chubby baby cheeks! "it could fit my entire arm in its mouth." dottie muffled a snicker from somewhere behind me. I generously decided to ignore her.

"Don't worry little bird! carrot is a nice horsey! do you want to feed him!" "didn't i just say he could eat my entire arm? why would i put it anywhere near him?" my voice was rising toward the shrill range but that wasn't important.

Ignoring my protests, Mother scooped me up and held me out toward the horse like some sort of sacrificial offering. Do horses eat hylians in zelda? "why don't you give him a pat!" so this is how i die again isn't it? death by getting eaten by a herbivore, at least ill get the hylian equivalent of the darwin award.

Hesitantly I raised my pudgy baby fist, (it was packed fat and would be very nutritious) and gently, GENTLY, patted the top of his head before quickly drawing my hand bracing for a snap of teeth. the animal's ear barely flinched as he continued eating regardless of the weird creatures around him.

Well now I feel silly.

"He's not bad… i guess." I allowed graciously. I was a big girl, I could admit when I was wrong.

"Great let's get going then!"

Wait what!

I squeaked in alarm as suddenly I was on top of the horse with my mother's arms holding me steady.

I tried to hold myself as still as possible while mentally hyperventilating.

What I wouldn't give for a seat belt! The only thing keeping me from falling to my humiliating death where my mother's thighs and the single hand that held me to her stomach.

I could finally look the rest of the contingent in the eye at my height but that wasn't worth the danger I was facing. My estimation for hylian parenting is steadily sinking as no one offers any protest to my mothers actions beyond mounting their own horses.

Mother was going to have to seriously bribe me to make up for this travesty to responsible adult behaviour.


As I stared, open-mouthed, at the cheerful colourful fantasy medieval city surrounding my home, I magnanimously decided to forgive my mother for her lacklustre care of my person.

Castle Town, (yes that was its name- silly i know.) was a bustling trade centre filled with diverse peoples. And I do mean diverse; there were the elf-like hylians, the exaggeratedly feminine Gerudo, a bird-like race I was guessing were the Rito, the rock-like Gorons, and the aquatic fish people I think were the Zora.

I was honestly stunned stupid by all these differing peoples who lived and worked in castle town, quite a few of which had gathered along the side of the road to watch the mini parade that was following my family. I had known, theoretically, that the Hylians and Gerudo weren't the only peoples in hyrule but I wasn't prepared for how inhuman these other races looked. I wasn't human now. I knew that, but Hylians had still looked human ENOUGH for me to ignore it most of the time. besides the ears, eyes, cemetery, and clear skin Hylians looked human. Gerudo were similar in that they were mostly human looking beside the features they shared with hylians and their exaggeratedly feminine physique.

But the other races?

I could not pretend the Rito, the Zora, or the Gorons were human.

The Rito were the most human in the end, looking like what a human would look like if we had evolved from birds instead of apes. beaks instead of lips or noses, wings in place of arms, claws instead of feet, an odd mixture of feathers covering the majority of their body and hair on the back of their head.

The Zora were equally if not more odd, their torsos were longer then their legs, gills along their ribs, a embarrassing lack of covering clothing and a more confounding lack of lower anatomy. odd fish/shark looking things on top of their heads with fins and tails falling on the sides and back of their heads the base of which replaced their noses. as one Zora called out a cheerful greeting to the small royal precession i caught a glimpse of startlingly sharp teeth.

The Gorons didn't even look vaguely human. they were literally living borders with heads and limbs!

Toto, i don't think we're in Kansas anymore.

"Having fun little bird?" My mother chuckled, still holding me firm to her.

I nodded dumbly, eyes caught on a particularly colourful Rito who had jumped to fly over a trio of baby Gorons who were rolling away from their frustrated caretaker.

"There are so many different peoples." I breathed, stunned by the sheer diversity of my new home.

"Isn't it beautiful?" My mother murmured in my ear, swinging a soft gaze from a laughing hylian couple to a pair of Rito and Gerudo furiously arguing over the price of fish. "Zelda this is what I- what WE work for." And as I looked up from her shade, she seemed to be illuminated by the noontime sun. "My little princess, one day your going to be queen, and you're going to be responsible for all of this." She gestured outward with one hand the other holding me firm. "for all of them."

And as the corona of light illuminated her face, I was spellbound. So this is what charisma looks like. so this is what a leader- a QUEEN looked like. new resolution bubbled in my soul, coursing through my very bones like lightning and warming my spirit with the blazing fires of resolve.

I WAS going to help my mother.

I WAS going to learn sealing magic.

I WAS going to save my people.


By the time the burning vigour had faded from my veins we had arrived at our destination, and were in the process of unloading and setting up for the single fanciest picnic I had ever seen. While the location- a large field at the edge of a small forested glen with a platform in the middle- was pretty and semi appropriate for a picnic, the picnic itself was in simple terms, ridiculous.

Dottie had laid down a ridiculously expensive looking blanket made out of what looked like silk with beautifully embroidered birds and flowers. Granny had placed the fanciest looking basket down and pulled out a tiered silver serving platter with tiny fancy little sandwiches and desserts. Three of the soldiers had set off to clear the perimeter, another was handling the horses and the last soldier was standing alert next to the far too fancy set up weary eyes scanning for threats.

This was… was this even a picnic even more? I thought picnics were supposed to be simple?

Hmm yea no I don't want to be looking at this any more.

"Mama can I go play in the… trees? I've never been in trees before!" Is there a hylian word for forest?

"The forest sweetie?"

"Yea that."

"I don't know…" Mother glanced worriedly at granny and father "Aren't you hungry little bird?"

"Not yet mommy but if i play then I'll be hungry. I'm always hungry after I play!" I looked pleadingly at her before she sighed and gave in. "Ok little one, but stay within the trees and don't wander too far." she fretted looking nervous. i mentally rolled my eyes, moms can be so overprotective.

"Anderson." my father barked, startling me and catching the attention of the soldier tending to the horses.

"Yes sir." He snapped to attention, poster perfect. "You guard the princess. Zelda, stay within eyesight of the guard alright." my mother sighed relieved, smiling at father while the soldier answered in an affirmative. I take that back, dads can be so overprotective.

"Yes Daddy. Come on Mr. Soldier Man, the forest isn't going to explore itself!" I commanded eyes firmly set on getting away from my overbearing parents.


The forest was beautiful.

The air was clean, the birds were singing, and the only disturbance in my serenity was the clanking of the solder trailing behind me scaring off all of the little creatures.

I glanced back and hummed, he did look pretty menacing, hmmmmm.

I plopped myself down in the grass and started picking small wild flowers. perhaps a daisy chain will soften his menace?

"Princess?" The soldier queried worriedly. "Are you tired? Do you want me to carry you back to your parents?"

I shook my head in the negative "Nope! Im gonna play in the flowers? You want to join me?" I aimed my puppy dog eyes in his direction. Hopefully he would sit and stop clanking so the birds would come back.

"Ummm, princess i don't know if-" i ignored his hesitism turning up my pout. "Pleeeeeaaaaaasssssseeeeeee?" I whined. Please sit so I don't have to listen to you creak like a rusty door hinge.

He let out a helpless sigh before flopping onto the ground metal clanking and clanging, scaring the few remaining birds away and crushing some of the flowers she was planning on using. Ugh, thanks for that.

"I'm going to go pick some more flowers, hold my work for me." I dumped my half way finished flower crown in his lap. "Princess?"

"Stay here I'll be right back."

"Princess!" he yelped trying to straighten himself out caught in his own armor.

"Don't ruin my work!" I called as I hurried off in search of more flowers.

Now usually this would be a dumb move. A small important child wandering away from their caretaker in the middle of the woods! Sounds like the start of a horror story right?

But these woods were about the size of two soccer fields and thin enough that i can still easily see my parents laughing and chatting in the distance.

Flowers, flowers, flowers-... flowers? Flowers! There! Sitting in the roots of a large tree were some pretty bluebell looking flowers. Perfect! As I rushed toward the blue blooms, I noticed something odd out of the corner of my eye. Was that a… rock?

Huh. That was a large grey rock on the top of the trunk of a tree beside the one in which the large flowers were growing. Huh.

It kinda reminds me of...

KOROKS! Those are a thing here!

I spun on my heel to face my new far more interesting quarry. I wonder if I can see koroks?

In the game link was the first to be able to see koroks in over a hundred years. I'm not actually the Zelda but maybe I could see them because I know they exist? Maybe they work by fairy rules? You need to believe to see? I am still a child.

Eh, I'll never know unless i try.

I rolled up my sleeves, kicked off my fancy little toddler shoes and tied my skirt back. Let's see if I can climb this tree.

Huh this actually isn't all that hard. I managed to monkey scramble my way up into the branches and stare curiously at the strangely placed rock ignoring the frantic but hushed calls of the soldier who was supposed to be watching over me. Well I guess…

I huffed, shrugged and heaved to flip the rock over, and in a small explosion of leaves and sparkles suddenly a giggling creature was there.

"You found me!"


I started in bemused awe at the adorable little leaf creature in front of me.

"You can see me! Most people can't see me!" the little creature verbally beamed from behind its little leaf mask.

Huh.

"Well here's a reward for finding me!" The little creature dropped a lightly glowing seed in my lap.

"Usually I would expand the inside of something by a little bit but you don't have any bags or pockets, next time you find a korok make sure to have a bag or pockets ok!" the little leaf continued ignorant of my stunned shock. I did not expect there to actually be a korok.

"Make sure to look for us! We like to be found!" I mean what. Seriously what!

"Bye!" "wait!"

And just like that the little fae was gone.

"Princess where are you!" the solder was sounding a little desperate now, i should probably go back. I carefully stuffed the seed down my shirt and dropped out of the tree straining up.

Now let's give this poor man a break. "Over here! Look at these pretty flowers i found!" I cried, rushed over to the pretty blue flowers I spotted earlier. These flowers would look lovely in my mommy's hair.

"Princess! Don't do that! You scared me nearly half to death!" the solder sighed hurrying to my side. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" he sighed in relief. "And nearly gave your father a reason to sack me." he muttered his breath, my new elf ears clearly making out his murmured sentiments. "Do you still have my flowers?" "huh? Oh yes here!" he replied handing over my lopsided and slightly mangled flower crown.

Picking the large flowers I used one to quickly tie the flower crown closed, "sorry mr. solder man. i made you a flower crown!" I tried to divert his attention away from my little escape act. "Let me put it on you!"

He was clearly struggling over what to do now, hurt the little princesses feelings by refusing her gift or hurt his pride by wearing a flower crown. "You're gonna look really pretty with it on, i promise!" i wheedled, widening my eyes into an expression of cute expectation.

"Ok princess." he sighed kneeling down to accept his new accessory. Mission success!

With my newly decorated soldier, a handful of pretty flowers in hand, and a mysterious seed down my shirt I decided that this excursion so far had been a resounding success! Now to show the fruits of my labor to my mother.

"Come on Mr. Solder man! I want to show my flowers to mommy." I dashed off, ignoring the yelp the soldier let out as he jumped to follow me.


"Mommy mommy look what i found!" the small party of my mother and father and their various employees such as dottie granny and another soldier turned their attention to me. "What did you find baby?" she asked, setting down one of the ridiculously fancy looking little samwichis.

"I got you some flowers!" I cried practically shoving my quarry at her, Ignoring the smirk the other soldier was giving the poor sap I decorated.

"Oh thank you!" she blessed me with a radiant smile "oh! You found some blue nightshade!" wait i think i remember something like that…

Wasn't it that plant that glowed in the dark and made you sneakier? Oh wow! I found my first magic plant! (i'm ignoring the korok and the seed it gave me.)

"I also found a seed!" I enthused, stuffing my hand down my shirt ignoring my fathers sigh and muttering about impropriety. I was three he could deal.

"What is that?" my mother murmured staring in bemusement at the softly glowing pod in my hand. Oh good she can see it, I was worried I was going to have to make up some imaginary game to explain away pretending to have a seed.

"Its a seed mommy! Can i plant it in my room!" "i don't see why not, i'll have Dahlia get you a pot for it when we get home." she scooped me up into her lap, "now why don't you eat your surely hungry by now."

"Ok mommy!" I enthused, messily digging into the snacks in front of me, once again ignoring my fathers indulgent sigh.

I'd say today has been a resounding success!


The next part is finally out! you can thank my new beta changling myth for bugging me into updating! love yha! this is a whopper of a chapter the longest ive posted so far!

Floating Ash thanks for reviewing! i really appreciate it! this is a mostly Zelda centric story so we wont see link for a while but i definitely have plans for his character. also im a huge tease so look out for little cameos or mentions of his character!

Heitor i always love reading your reviews! the fact that anyone will think deeply on my stories makes me ecstatic! i will definitely go into the politics of the realms and tribes. i try to make characters real, people arnt one dimensional, zelda is under a lot of stress right now and she's trying to cope. with all the pressure shes facing, its inevitable that she would crack at least a little. BUT shes not alone! she has others to lean on! even if she cant tell them everything. link wont be here for quite a while but i will go into his character. and this is a bit of a spoiler but there is a reason that zelda incarnated but thats way in the distance.

Lleu:) :) :) ;) no but seriously thanks for reviewing! im giddy that you noticed some of the thought i put into zeldas character. i hope this chapter was to your satisfaction!