Hey guys! Thanks to everyone that has read, favorite, followed, and reviewed so far. So excited to present to you Chapter II of Scars of the Caged Bird…

"Prepare to be demolished," I stated teasingly, a grin spreading across my face.

The Princess smiled back. "I'd like to see you try." She accepted my extended hand and stood up gracefully, pushing her chair back into its proper place.

We left the dining lounge hand in hand – Wow, great job, Link. We're making some progress here. I led her to the Fortress Armory where all of our weapons were stored. I picked my handy crossbow, while the Princess grabbed a longbow hanging on the wall.

"Are you sure you want a longbow?" I questioned, raising my brow at the sight of the bow. "Longbows are one of the hardest bows to use in archery."

"I appreciate your concern – But, trust me, I'm pretty sure that I'll be alright," the Princess scoffed prettily. "Oh – And call me Zelda. This whole 'Princess' thing is getting rather redundant."

"Your wish is my command," I joked, grin intact.

"As it should be," the Princess joked back, accompanied by her silvery laugh.

We exited the Armory, both carrying a quiver of arrows each. We then headed to the target range area. This target range had been here for as long as I could remember with archery targets of various levels of difficulty. It was an area that Nabs had marked off as an area only for archery after a series of accidents had occurred as a result of not having a set area for the sport.

Zelda stood at the waiting line and watched me expectantly. Sensing her eagerness, I nodded. "Go ahead – Ladies first."

She broke into another smile before proceeding to the shooting line. She took an arrow from her quiver and loaded her bow. I still couldn't believe that she was using a longbow. She expertly raised her bow and slit her left eye slightly, not fully closing it.

She pulled the bowstring back, before letting the arrow fly. I watched it travel through the air, landing in the target with a thud. I squinted my eyes, attempting to see where it had landed – It had landed in the X ring – a bull's eye.

How did she do that? – and with a longbow! She prepared her bow again and pulled the bowstring back once more, following the same procedure. After slitting her left eye, she released the bowstring, allowing the arrow to fly. It soared through the air with the same whizzing sound the first one had, and I watched in awe as it split the first arrow clean in half – Another shot in the X ring – another bull's eye – with a longbow!

The same happened with her other three arrows – Each shot made it into the same spot in the X ring – But wasn't that impossible? She couldn't possibly have done that.

She aimed her unloaded bow at the ground and walked back to the waiting line. "Got anything to say about that, Link?" she teased.

I glared at her playfully before stepping to the shooting line myself. I would show her. I loaded my crossbow while glancing back at her. "What's it like in Castle Town?" I asked. I had always wanted to go there – It was the largest city in all Hyrule, which was one of the reasons why it was our capital.

"I wouldn't really know – I never really got to see it – at least beyond the Castle windows," Zelda replied. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and offered a shy smile.

I aimed at the target, completely closing my right eye. "Why?"

"My home life wasn't exactly the best," Zelda shrugged, though I didn't miss the sad look in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" I questioned, letting the arrow loose. It landed near Zelda's arrows – or her last remaining arrow. As I said before, all her other arrows had been split in half and were lying in pieces in the sand. It was a good hit – a ten-pointer – but not good enough compared to Zelda's standards.

"I have two older brothers," she stated softly.

Ah ha! She did have brothers! But would they really come all the way here to the Fortress in an attempt to rescue their sister? And I only heard one masculine voice that one night. I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off as she began speaking again.

"My mother passed away from child birth, and I just barely survived as a premature baby. My birth was a miracle, though my father didn't exactly view it that way. He was struck with grief and couldn't even look at me because I was just another cruel reminder that my mother had died. He immersed himself in his work and taught my brothers everything about politics and ruling a kingdom. He would never speak to me, and neither did my eldest brother, Arvid. They would both just ignore me.

"My other brother was the only one that truly cared about me. He was my everything – still is. He taught me everything I know now, including archery, and resented Father and Arvid. We learned to rely on each other greatly. He would teach me things, take time out of his day to help me with anything I was having trouble with, and would tuck me into bed at night. I miss him so much!" she exclaimed.

My crossbow dropped to the floor, forgotten. I made my way back to Zelda and sat down with her in the sand, beyond the waiting line.

"I knew that my father and Arvid didn't love me, but it still hurt," she stated softly. A tear rolled down her cheek.

I brushed it away with my hand. "What still hurt?"

"Arvid had been betrothed since birth, and we first met her in person last year. Her name's Katrin, and she's a duchess from the House of Marlin. My father loved her, saying that she was going to be the daughter he never had," her voice quivered with both anger and sadness. "And Arvid loved her as well, saying that it was love at first sight."

My hands clenched into fists. How could they do this to her? It wasn't right – She hadn't done anything wrong. "Zelda – I –"

She shook her head. "There's nothing more I can do. This is home now. Even if I'm a hostage here, you've all treated me better than I was treated in my own home, where I was supposed to be 'Princess'. I'm on my own now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm going to make it; I'm brave enough to take this road."

"You won't have to take it alone. You're not on your own. You have me, Zelda. You don't deserve this," I stated, taking her hand in mine. Hers were smooth and soft from no work in the Castle, while mine were rough and calloused from hard labor at the Fortress.

"I don't know why this is happening, but I have to keep my chin up – And I don't have you – I can't get close to anyone! Do you see these scars?" she asked, holding up her uncovered arms. Nasty scars ran up and down her beautiful porcelain skin. "These aren't just from the dungeon – Some of these are from my father! My own father! My brother – Arvid! I can't afford to get close to anyone, Link! I'm not going to allow myself become vulnerable again!

"I can't! My father, Arvid, Katrin – I allowed myself to become even a little close to them, and they just took that closeness and gave me scars in exchange! Katrin took the place I would have had if my mother hadn't died while giving birth to me. Can't you see, Link? This whole mess is my fault! I shouldn't have been born – If I hadn't been, maybe my mother would still be alive, and my father would be happy.

"Arvid would finally not have to look at me – a painful reminder of the loss of his mother – the reason he lost his mother! Maybe my other brother would be able to look me in the face without breaking down into tears! Maybe I'm nothing more than a problem! Maybe everyone would be better off without me," Zelda finished her emotional tirade with tears streaming down her face. She got up from our spot in the sand and ran off.

I stood up as well, about to go after her, but a hand stopped me. "Link," someone stated.

I turned to face Nabooru. "Nabs – I gotta go after her."

"Wait – I don't think that's what she needs right now. She needs to be on her own for a bit. Then you can go after her. She just needs a chance to cool down and think. She's been through so much, the poor girl, and has lived through such a hard life – She deserves better," Nabooru replied.

"I know – Did you hear our conversation?" I questioned.

"No," Nabooru stooped to pick up my crossbow and the longbow. "She told me herself. She's a very brave girl. She's so determined to be cheerful and joyful, even amidst all the pain she's had to endure. She's been keeping everything bottled up inside, aside from telling her brother."

"I wonder what her brother thinks of the situation," I answered.

"From what Zelda told me, he hates it. He wants to get her out of there, but because of the situation, he can't. He sounds like a very kind young man. Zelda said that he was extremely protective of her, for obvious reasons, and he is the perfect gentleman. He is much more honest compared to his brother, Arvid, and is conscientious of Zelda's every need. It sounds as though they've had to depend on each other in order to survive in the Castle.

"He's had to attend many stressful lessons taught by his father on how to rule a kingdom, and Zelda says that she's had to help him debrief on many a taxing night. Zelda also had to deal with the emotional trauma of feeling responsible for her mother's death every day, and he would respond by helping her remember that she had him. They've both had to deal with pressure from their father and Arvid. I know that Zelda has also been verbally abused by her father, Arvid, and Katrin, as well as physically abused by her father and Arvid," Nabooru continued.

I felt my blood boil at the thought of anyone laying a hand on Zelda.

"Her brother had to defend her but wasn't always able to be around, which is partially why he taught her self-defense. They've both had extremely hard lives, trying to withstand the many pressures their so-called family placed on them," Nabooru finished as we walked back to the Armory.

We placed the weapons back where they belonged and returned the quivers to their spots on the wall, where they would wait to be restocked.

"How has she been doing now that she's here in the Fortress?" I asked.

"She's been adapting well. She's been a huge help to many of the women and men in the gardens, the stores, and anywhere she's requested. She's an expert when it comes to archery, as I'm sure she showed you today, and I've put her in charge of teaching some of the little kids around here, especially since I don't have the patience for that – She does. Overall, she's been a pleasure to have around here, and I think that she's started to think of the Fortress as 'home'," Nabs answered.

"I'm glad. I was worried that she wouldn't be able to take the change, especially since she'd technically here as a 'hostage'," I responded as we walked down a corridor of the Fortress.

"As I said before, she's a cheerful girl already by nature and seems to adapt well. She's rather timid, though, unless the situation calls for it," Nabs replied.

My mind then wandered back to her first real day at the Fortress, when I rescued her from my father's wrath. She hadn't seemed timid then – instead, she showed a brave confidence and stubbornness. I suppose that situation had called for some gut, though. I knew that, deep down, there was another Zelda that I hadn't yet uncovered. She was there, somewhere, and I could tell that I was just barely scratching the surface. "Has she shown you her scars yet?" I asked, cringing at the memory of her scarred skin.

Nabs nodded. "Yes – I was amazed that she has begun trusting me so quickly, though I suppose she needs at least one person to trust. I'm just pleased that I'm able to be one of those people."

"What is your take on the situation, Nabs?" I asked.

We continued walking down the same corridor, simply turning back around when we reached one end.

"I'm not entirely sure. I think of her as a little sister, and I want to keep her here forever, where at least we can know that she's safe, but then again, I know that both she and her brother probably miss each other terribly, and I feel guilty about wanting to keep them apart. She seems so insistent in trying to convince me that she wants to stay here, but I'm just not sure," Nabs shook her head.

I thought back to Zelda and how desperately sad and discouraged when she flung her scarred arms in the air. She reminded me of something – But what? It then hit me – "You know what I think, Nabs?"

"What?" she glanced at me with a raised brow.

"She reminds me of a caged bird," I stated, remembering an exotic bird my father had brought home one time. Its feathers were composed of the most brilliant colors: gold, blue, green – all vibrant and beautiful. It had been in a cage, and I always felt bad for it, even while enjoying its beauty.

It had been sad for a long amount of time, always looking out at the blue sky longingly. After trying desperately to escape its cage, it finally accepted its surroundings – and began to sing. I figured that's what Zelda was doing – trying to accept her new environment while figuring out how she was going to sing in her own unique way. I guess that's what we're all trying to do in life – Figure out what our purpose is and how we're going to fulfill it.

"You're thinking of that bird your dad brought to the Fortress one time, aren't you?" Nabs questioned as her eyes lit with recognition.

I nodded. "Do you see the similarity?"

"She's trying to fit in, and she'll eventually learn how she can sing and use her talents and gifts for the good of others," Nabs agreed.

"Has my father told you why he kidnapped her?" I asked.

"He hasn't spoken to me yet, but I believe that he wanted to capture her in order to be able to use her powers – Believe it or not, Link, but she is very powerful; she may seem vulnerable and weak, but she is strong and brave and has powers she just hasn't been able to tap into yet," Nabs stated, fiddling with her hands.

"Were you with my dad during the time of her capture?" I asked.

Nabs nodded reluctantly. "I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen – You know how stubborn he can be. I did try to make her stay in the dungeons as comfortable as possible, but I don't have much of a say in decisions or the power that I used to have. Your father is beginning to question why he has put so much faith into me. He's becoming worried and is preparing to act soon."

"What do you mean – And why are you telling me this?" I questioned, knowing full well that she didn't know whether or not I was loyal to my father. I could be a traitor, ready to tell my father everything she was telling me.

"I trust you, Link. You have never always agreed with what your father has had to say – I know that. You're not going to tell your father; in fact, you know that he isn't your father. As for your first question, I don't fully know myself – I just have this – I don't know – feeling," Nabs stated mysteriously.

Now, my curiosity was peaked, but trust Nabs to beat around the bush for these things. "Nabs – You knew that he wasn't my father?" I asked, choosing to go with the easier question.

Nabooru nodded. "I have known for a long time. I was merely a girl at the time, but I remember. I'm not much older than you are, Link, but I do remember. You've been deceived for all these years."

The wound in my heart reopened against my will, and my breath hitched in the back of my throat. "Yeah – Thanks, Nabs. I guess I'll see you later?"

Nabs nodded again and did her best to smile, even amidst the pain we were both experiencing. We could sympathize with each other because we had gone through nearly the same thing. It was no secret here at the Fortress that Nabooru's parents had been killed in an "accident." After the "accident," Ganondorf had offered to take her in as a daughter, though not as an heir. He instead chose to teach her the ways of the warrior, putting her in charge of Fortress security.

Shortly after, I assumed Ganondorf captured me and took me in as his heir, from what both Zelda and Nabs had revealed to me. I sighed, and Nabs glanced over at me. "What's wrong, Link?" she questioned.

I sighed once more. "I honestly don't know. I just can't rid myself of the feeling that I need to get out of here – we need to get out of here."

Nabs nodded. "I know what you mean; I think we both need to get out of here – with our caged bird. I think we should remain here for a little longer, though. There's so much that we still need to do – like finding out what our 'father' is up to. If we can figure out what's up with him, we might be able to figure out what's our best plan of action because I think we can both agree on this – whatever he's planning cannot be good."

"Agreed," I responded.

We both gave each other a curt nod and parted ways; Nabs was heading back to her guards, and I headed back to my quarters, preparing to search for my caged princess.

Hey again. Thanks once more for reading, and, if you feel so inclined, please drop a review below, and don't forget to favorite and follow if you haven't done so already! *smiles* ;)

Total Word Count (Not including Author's Notes):

3,101