To Save An Idiot

Zelda struggled to get up as she kept slipping in her own blood. She gritted her teeth as she tried to reach into her pocket. In her pocket she found a wrap in case of injury which was what she and Prince Link desperately needed.

Before she could apply the wrap to herself, the Prince had to come first since the Prince's life was always put before a guard. She crawled over, aching in pain, as she saw Link passed out on the floor in a scary pool of blood.

Pulling out the wrap, stopping the bleeding was the main priority. Zelda bit her tongue as she stared at the wound on the back of Link's head. The blood showed no signs of stopping. His face looked incredibly pain stricken.

The rag was soaked up in blood and a still steady stream kept coming. She ripped off a piece of her pant leg because the wrap would not be enough and held it to his head applying pressure.

(It's not stopping I should get him to the castle hospital)

She grimaced at the thought. Zelda didn't like hospitals ever since her mother died. None of them could save her.

(At least you could save him, you can at least save someone.)

Then a nasty voice whispered in the back of her mind.

(But you couldn't save your mother)

This situation seemed all too familiar as the memories flooded her. Zelda remembered that day like yesterday, the day her mother died.

("Mother!" a little girl yelled.

A young woman came into view. Her light blonde hair fell over her shoulders like a waterfall. The young women turned as she saw the little girl running to her. Bending down, holding out her arms. The little girl ran into them giggling as she looked up at the woman's face. Her grey eyes looked down at the girl as her face spilt into a smile.

"Zelda, my dear what's gotten into you?" the women laughed.

Zelda just giggled louder and broke into laughter.

"It's the festival don't you know," Zelda giggled.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Why are you so excited my dear?" her mother chuckled "Is it perhaps because you get to dance with someone at the festival?" her mother teased.

"No! Of course, not Mother. How could you think such a horrible thing!" Zelda pretended to gag but really her face was becoming flustered.

Her mother rolled her eyes, "Just what I thought. Where is your father?" her mother asked.

"He's putting up the big banner, you know for the Hero of Twilight festival. You know I just told you a minute ago about it!" Zelda told her.

"Yes of course he would be doing that. Come with me." Her mother extended her hand.

Zelda took it and skipped along as they walked through Castle Town. It was vibrant and colorful as everyone prepared for the festival. Banners and shops lined the main road.

The familiar cobblestones made their shoes click underneath their feet. Everyone was laughing and joyful as they hung up flags and brought out grand meals.

In the distance Zelda's father came into view. They could see he was talking with a few other men. As her father turned around to look at them. He sensed their presence.

He walked away from the men and pecked Zelda's mother on the cheek. Her mother started to giggle as Zelda had been giggling before as she embraced Zelda's father. Zelda could see how much love was in their eyes. She wished she could have that someday.

It took no words for them to express their love.

Zelda cleared her throat breaking up the moment.

"When is the festival gonna start?" Zelda chirped happily.

"Soon my dear, soon" Zelda's mother replied. She didn't break away from her husband's embrace.

"Come on, I don't have all day" Zelda mumbled as she grew uncomfortable around her parents.

Her father chuckled "Alright Zelda, I should go get my mother," he mumbled.

As they broke away her father glanced back at her mother and smiled.

Zelda rolled her eyes "Come on mother!"

Her mother turned back to Zelda. She smiled and took her daughters hand again. They started putting up the flags of Hyrule. The King and the Queen would be arriving soon with their young son.

After about an hour or two Zelda looked at the castle and in the distance, she could dimly see the royal carriage making there way towards them.

Zelda jumped up and down "They're here! They're here!"

Her mother turned around to look at where her daughter was pointing. Quickly everyone finished up and stood at the edges of the main street as the royal carriage quickly approached. They would have a parade, then a banquet, and then a grand dance.

Suddenly without warning 4 men in crimson appeared under a blanket of red smoke. They had an inverted eye painted on their pure white mask that hid their face. People started to scream as they realized who they were. Yiga.

The royal carriage stopped, turned around, and the royal family started to retreat. The little prince looked back as a guard tugged him along. The little prince glanced over at Zelda in horror as he saw the Yiga making their way towards Zelda and her mother.

The Yiga searched the area, pushing people out of the way. People were screaming and running wildly to escape these terrorists. Zelda looked in horror as the Yiga grew close. Their eyes were hidden under their mask.

All Zelda could imagine under that mask was a threatening gaze. The Yiga caught sight of Zelda and her mother. People were falling all over themselves fleeing. The Yiga were carelessly stabbing them and shoving them out of the way.

The Yiga seemed to focus on getting to Zelda and her mother. They seemed as if they were killing machines. Zelda's mother grabbed her daughter's hand and tried to run into a nearby alley to flee the danger.

But it was all too late as Yiga surrounded them. Slowly creeping up at Zelda and her mother, the Yiga had their sickles drawn. Zelda's mother backed away into the main street again. The royal guards were running towards them trying to save them.

Zelda's mother yelled "Zelda! Get out of here!" as the Yiga grew closer as if they were a pack of wild wolves.

"No!" Zelda screamed as tears streamed down her face.

Zelda's mother pushed her away harshly as Zelda stumbled out of the circle that surrounded her mother. The Yiga payed no mind to her, their eyes trained on her mother.

A pair of arms scooped Zelda up. Zelda wasn't sure who it was. Everything was happening so fast. She didn't dare take her eyes off her mother.

"Please look away child" a voice spoke from above her. Zelda refused to turn her head. A hand covered her eyes.

She screamed and cried as she heard a squelching sound and a body drop to the ground. Her eyes flew open and saw her mother in a heap on the street. The familiar cobblestone seemed alien as the stones were stained in her mother's blood.

Zelda started to scream hysterically as she leapt from the arms of her savior. She rushed over to her mother's side as the Yiga disappeared cackling horribly.

Zelda heard a yell from behind her "RILA!".

She turned around to see her father running towards them.

Her grandmother stood rooted to the spot where her father had once been. "RILA!" he screamed out again.

For the first time, Zelda saw her father cry as he ran to his wife. He dropped on his knees taking both of her cold hands. Tears streamed down his face as he clutched her hands.

"Rila! Rila everything is gonna be okay just hold on" he cried to her.

Zelda saw her mother's eyes move sightly to her father and pain brimmed in her eyes. Zelda looked back and saw Impa, the royal advisor, behind them as well as a few hospital workers running to them with supplies. Impa bowed her head.

Zelda screamed out "No stop it. She's not dead! STOP IT!".

The hospital workers neared them. She buried her face in her mother's bleeding chest. Zelda screamed out like a wounded animal. She wanted her mother to hold her, not to be bleeding out like this!

(Why would they do this!)

As the hospital workers lifted her mother up. Zelda screamed "Don't take her! Stop it!".

She felt the same arms that scooped her up when she had been saved by the Yiga. This time Zelda looked up seeing Impa's face full of sadness and worry as she looked down at Zelda. Zelda kicked and screamed as her mother was taken away.

Eventually she gave up and cried in Impa's chest. Her father stood where his wife had been. His eyes were bloodshot as emotion began to flee from his face. People have different kinds of grief. Some don't show emotion. Some just die on the inside.

Zelda leapt from Impa's arms screaming "Mother!")

Zelda's eyes snapped open in the dungeon. Her eyes searched for her mother. Half of her mind was in the past and half in the present. As she looked down at Prince Link, she was thrown back into the horrible present.

Though the past and present were both horrible, she didn't know which was worse. She pushed the thoughts of her mother from her mind. She also had to push out thoughts of the strange man she had just faced moments earlier. She would figure out his identity later. For now, one step at a time.

Zelda had to face the task at hand, saving this idiot. Her hands trembled as she continued to wrap the bandage around his head. She then proceeded to attend to her own wound as she wrapped another section of her pants as a bandage around herself. Zelda knew she would hold out much longer than Prince Link since he had lost more blood.

(Why had I listened to him! I wouldn't be in this sticky situation if it weren't for my foolishness in following him.)

She huffed angrily. The room was still dark, and she wondered who that man was. Zelda pushed that thought from her mind as she had done before. No, she had to get Link and herself to a hospital before pondering over the late events.

Zelda knew this had been a bad idea, but she still went along with him! This whole place seemed eerily familiar. Zelda looked down at Link and sighed.

(How the in Hyrule am I going to get him out of here!)

As she shifted around, she tried to figure out how to get him out. He looked thin so she tried to pick him up. At first, she was able to stand holding his weight but within seconds fell to the floor. Link let out a groan as the cold pavement hit his head.

(Oh god he is so heavy! What did you eat!?)

Link's bandages were not holding much blood and she trying to help but was failing. Zelda gritted her teeth as she lifted him gingerly to rest his arm on her shoulder. After a while she was able to hold his side with her right arm and grip the wall with her left.

Her left hand was looking crooked and her skin had some black specks in it She wouldn't dare let anyone touch that hand since she didn't know what it would do. Zelda didn't imagine how heavy another Hylian could be until she had one depending on her. Her groans echoed through the halls.

(Stupid Prince)

Link's wound was bleeding onto her shoulder as she glided them through the halls. She winced as she felt it stain her beautiful royal guard outfit. Looking over at him occasionally to check his condition, she hoped they would get to the hospital in time.

The gloom overshadowed them as they walked through the dimly lit halls. Finally, she saw another royal guard up ahead and her eyes lit up. She restrained herself from running up to them to help her carry this idiot. The guard ahead was looking around as he stood still.

Zelda caught up to him. The torchlight danced on her face. When the guard heard her, he turned around. Zelda skidded to stop almost causing Link to fall to the ground. She stared at the guard with great surprise but then it converted to anger.

Those crystal blue eyes were too familiar. The man put on a winning smile and tried to walk away. But Zelda grabbed his shoulder harshly and pinned him against the hall with her forearm. Link's arm was around her shoulder barely holding on.

"You!" Zelda spat in the man's face.

"Whatever do you mean?" the man replied.

"Arnen what are doing? You little-" Zelda began.

Arnen struck a ridiculous pose and held his hand over his chest as if he were offended.

"Language!"

"Shut up, where is the guard that you took those clothes from!" Zelda yelled.

"Oh, wow I didn't even realize I had these clothes on..." Arnen lied.

"Uh huh... yeah right come with me," Zelda demanded as she rolled her eyes.

"Whoa what are you doing with a dying Prince?"

She rolled her eyes "Long story, help me"

Zelda grabbed his arm with her left hand.

"Ow!" Arnen shrieked in pain.

Zelda let go of his arm and stared at her hand.

(Well, at least I know it hurts people)

"Dear Hylia! What the in Hyrule did you do to your hand. Spikes or some crazy things like that?!" Arnen yelled.

"Come on" Zelda rolled her eyes ignoring his question.

"Why should I?" Arnen questioned.

"Why shouldn't you?" Zelda turned around and glared.

Arnen narrowed his eyes and seemed to be thinking to himself. He sighed.

"I'll go with you, fine. Its not like I am getting out of here anyways." He mumbled.

Zelda smirked back. But then she looked down at Link and her smirk faded.

"We should get the Prince to the hospital. Help me." Zelda commanded.

"Whoa, whoa I didn't agree to carry that bag of rocks." Arnen pointed at Link and shook his head in disgust.

"Well, you are going to if you like it or not" Zelda looked up at Arnen and made a mocking face.

"I am not at your mercy, Miss Hero" Arnen scowled and attempted to walk away. As Arnen placed his foot down a grip appeared around his left wrist. He looked down and saw a tight rope wrapped around it.

"Hey! Where did you get that from!" Arnen questioned in surprise as he examined the tight rope totally forgetting about escaping...again.

"Magic!" Zelda said in a mocking tone.

"Sure..." Arnen replied crossing his arms and glaring at her.

Zelda placed Link's left arm around Arnen's shoulder and Link's right arm around her shoulder.

"Oh god his so heavy. Why am I doing this again" Arnen moaned.

"He's a twig. He's not that heavy" Zelda lied just to show off.

Surprising a hylian twig like person was much heavier than either of them expected.

The patch of Link's blood on Zelda's shoulder only expanded. Arnen gagged at the smell of blood. Zelda and Arnen didn't speak for the rest of the way.

Though Arnen didn't like Prince Link very much, it was a disgrace if you didn't help a royal in need. Zelda practically had no choice since it was protocol and she had been a loyal person in general.

She wasn't sure why, but she had felt this pull towards Link, like a feeling to help him beyond mere duty...she wasn't sure why. Zelda decided that it was simply her loyalty to the royal family and Hyrule, nothing more or was it more?

As they moved farther up in the castle, they received stares from the nearby maids and guard. Arnen looked nervous. His breathing quickened. He stared around him as if he were doing something illegal. It was a surprise to Zelda since he had done so many illegal things but carrying the Prince to safety wasn't illegal...right?

Now Zelda was the one sweating. She wasn't sure if it was illegal or not anymore. She hoped it wasn't. Zelda wanted to crawl under a table and never be seen again. As she thought about it more, it was illegal to even touch a royal. Did this count?

(Wait but I had already broken this rule by grabbing him several times...oh Hylia)

But no one was there. No one could call her out, except Prince Link.

(Maybe he'll forget. I have broken so many of those laws. Well, it was a difficult situation. The Queen will understand, maybe. Or I do not even have to tell her I broke any rules.

But maybe Prince Link will remember. They will always believe a royal over a guard.

He got a pretty hard blow to the head maybe he won't. I will be technically held responsible for his injuries since I participated in his injury. I practically let him into that room!

I am in deep trouble now maybe even worse.)

She looked down at Link again to confirm that he was still breathing. He was still looking as pale as ever but yes, he still was breathing.

Arnen glanced down at Prince Link following Zelda's gaze. He sighed and stopped abruptly.

"What" Zelda scoffed.

"What's up with your attitude?" Arnen asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Nothing you idiot. Let's keep going." Zelda shrugged it off.

(Just stop thinking Zelda. Your emotions are showing on your face)

Zelda gritted her teeth at the thought and trudged along the corridor. She hadn't noticed that Arnen was observing the hall, until now.

"What are you doing?" Zelda turned her head but kept walking and glared at Arnen suspiciously.

"Nothing," Arnen spoke solemnly still observing the windows and dingy halls.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Zelda yelled realizing what he was planning.

"Don't you dare even think about it," Zelda growled.

"No, no of course I was not trying to plan a stealth mission of stealing the Queens gold necklace by sneaking through the west gardens, climbing the ivy and parkour to the balcony to the end table to the right of her bed that's in her third drawer."

"That's oddly specific" Zelda spoke in a low voice that brought chills over Arnen.

Arnen nervously laughed and turned his head down to his feet, intrigued by the carpet.

"Just what I thought," Zelda mumbled loud enough for Arnen to hear.

Arnen didn't answer and continued to walk staring down at the carpet. Zelda preferred silence so she continued. The carpet seemed to become stiff under her feet as they dragged Prince Link along. The windows began to look wider, gentle rain pelted the glass. Zelda glanced over at a lavish courtyard lined with blue flowers. She resisted the urge to stop right there and observe them through the high windows. Instead, she continued but squinted at them more closely.

It was a delicate flower. Beautiful and elegant as the white weaved with the blue. Unsure of where the white and blue met. Sadly, only two of those elegant flowers remain. The rest were dead and drooped over in defeat. Three gardeners were seen shaking their heads as they pulled out the dead flowers.

The rain outside poured on their dead. But two flowers still stood straight, side by side. As if sheltering each other from the storm brewing outside. The flower had been Zelda's favorite, silent princess. The flower was silent but as elegant as a princess.

Not a silent solider, a silent princess. Someone who possessed great beauty and power. Someone who knew the rights and wrongs. It had been a long time since a princess like that had been seen.

Zelda had only touched one once. She remembered it. It had been a week after her mother had died. The day she had hope for herself.

(A young girl was sitting on a bench. It had been the tenth time she had walked around Castle Town. Anywhere but home. To not be at the place her mother would smile at her as the sun came up. The place her mother would dance with her father under the moonlight. The place where they would laugh together when the sun was high.

It had only been a week, but an emptiness had settled in Zelda's heart. As if she would never be happy again. Home only brought more tears. A feeling of grief and incompleteness filled her when she entered that alien place.

Her father's stone-cold face stared back at her when she walked through the door. All her father could do was sit and stare at the place her mother used to sit. Down the kitchen table to the left of his usual chair. Even at dinner they would still leave it empty.

A few days after her mother's death when friends came to comfort them, her father started to scream at the wife of his best friend who attempted to sit in his wife's chair. The wild look in his eyes showed grief and anger as he screamed at her.

Something a wild uncontrolled person would do. Truly grief was uncontrollable. When they finally sat down, they all ate quietly and silently at that visit. Her father's best friend wanted to visit them to give their condolences, but silence had filled the room instead of reassuring words.

When Zelda would come home to her grandmother, her grandmother would mask her tears with a smile. Greeting Zelda as she came home from school and tried to smile her best. The cold and silent room said otherwise.

Nothing was going to be happy until her mother came back, that's what Zelda thought. Another side of her knew she was never coming back. None her prayers and cries in the middle of the night as nightmares would bring her back, nothing would.

One night as Zelda was at her father's door, she leaned her ear and listened. Her eye twitched as she heard her father silently crying.

"Oh Rila, oh Rila. My love just come back".

Expectedly she didn't answer, she never did. An angry whisper followed in response to the silence.

"I'll kill you Yiga. I'll kill you I swear one day I will. You murderers! You took her. You took her! I swear on my life I'll kill you. I'll kill you all!" Zelda heard her father curse under his breath.

A shiver went up her spine and her hair raised on the back of her neck. She silently made her way back to bed. Passing her grandmother's room hearing unsteady breathing and sighs.

Zelda remembered crawling into bed as the cool air brushed against her skin. The open window had shown the bright moon shining down on her. She quickly turned her head, tugging at the sheets and covering her head.

Not even the moon could bring a smile on her face. She found it mocking that it was shining brightly even after her mother's death. Yet she felt like a dying star that screamed for mercy.

Zelda snapped back from the memory as a nearby songbird sung a gentle tune.

(Curse you, you have not a worry in the world.)

"Shut up" Zelda yelled at the bird in the nearby tree "No one wants to hear your happy tune".

The bird kept singing stronger than ever overpowering her words. Zelda had scoffed and dusted off her dress. She glared at the bird as she passed its tree. It sung a lullaby, the one her mother had sung her before she died.

Zelda had no idea how it knew the tune. Her mother called it "Zelda's lullaby" for it was for a princess from long ago that had the same name Zelda had. Her mother had always thought of her as a princess, though she wasn't. The name was rare and was bold of her mother to name her that since they were considered commoners.

Zelda trudged along the path making an eleventh loop around Castle Town. Suddenly a feeling swept over her. She felt a pair of eyes on her, she wasn't sure who it was. Zelda squinted as she looked around stopping in her path.

She has stopped by a nearby window of the castle. Looking up at the window she saw a pair of bright blue eyes. Zelda looked up in curiosity at a boy staring down at her. His honey blonde hair peeked out under the darkness inside the window. He silently looked down at her. The young boy seemed to be around her age. Zelda supposed that he was a servant boy. It was a common job for young poor children.

She had no interest in talking with anyone today though. Just when she was about to step away and continue down the long path. Zelda looked one last time but instead found a lone flower that was gently tossed from the window. She looked up at the boy as he turned away from her. Then he was gone.

Zelda looked down at the flower and slowly inched towards it. She bent down and gently picked up the blossom. A warm feeling touched her hand as she held it. The petals had a soft and beautiful feeling that seemed alien to her.

The flower looked freshly picked and still looked as proud as ever as it was bathed in the warm sunlight. The white and blue mixing together as if it had been sewed together by an everlasting string. The flower brought a feeling of comfort. It was beautiful and Zelda had never seen one before. It was a rare thing, this flower she held. Something precious, like her mother was.

The flower became her favorite one that very moment. It brought her hope. She wasn't sure why it brought hope. Maybe because it reminded her of her mother or herself. Zelda stood up and clutched the flower close to her heart.

She silently thanked the boy for giving her hope.

Though Zelda assumed she would never see him again.

Zelda knew she would never get over over her mother's death, but the flower gave her something to hold on to.

Though it would die in a few weeks, it would live on in her heart like her mother.)

Zelda blinked as she came back to reality. Arnen was snapping his fingers in her face.

"Hey, we are here," Arnen yelled in her face.

Zelda slapped the hand away "Yeah I know."

They heaved Link into the double doors of the hospital room. Gasps were heard all around. The nurses and doctors looked horrified at Prince Link's condition.

An old and strong looking woman snapped her fingers. "What are you all staring at, go help him." She barked.

A few nurses rushed over and took him from them. They hurried him over to a nearby bed.

The women who spoke only seconds earlier turned on them, "Why didn't you get Prince Link here sooner? You are guards for crying out loud. He's in a horrifying condition, you could have tried harder!"

The women scoffed and barked at a young nurse "Inform the Queen please." The young nurse nodded and hurried out.

The women turned to them again "At least you got Prince Link here. The Queen will surely be pleased. There is no need for you two to be here. You are both dismissed," she said in a nicer tone than before.

Zelda hesitated but decided not to speak. It would be better if she handled her own injuries. She wouldn't want them to be asking unwanted questions about her left hand. They might think she's some horrific demon!

Zelda and Arnen nodded and left the room quickly. "Now time to put you back where you belong," Zelda smirked.

"Wait but I just helped you!" Arnen protested.

"Rules are rules now come along," Zelda sassed.

Arnen groaned but went along with her. Zelda smiled, relieved that she had brought Prince Link to the hospital. But a part of her dreaded that the Queen would blame her for his foolishness or worse. She shivered at the thought but still guided Arnen back to the lockup.

As she turned the key to Arnen's cell she wondered if that servant boy from all those years ago still worked at the castle. She had forgotten all about him. How had she forgotten about the boy that gave her hope? Of course, only the flowers in the pouring rain had reminded her of that boy. She sighed as her shoes echoed through the empty halls.

"No, he probably is dead or left the castle. Most likely," Zelda mumbled to herself as she made her way to receive her next assignment.

As a matter of fact, that boy had never left the Castle. Nor is he dead or gone. As a matter of fact she had seen him again in the most unexpected way.