Chapter Four

The struggle ceased as Melody found herself hauled up into the air by the back of her shirt. She looked over her shoulder to see the face of a man, a brown hood over his head. He seemed to be old and yet young at the same time. He seemed to be wearing brown all over himself, and he smelled somewhat of grease. Steven hung in the formidable grip of the man's other hand, struggling and cursing.

"What is going on here?" The man asked.

"She started it," Steven said, pointing at Melody.

"I don't start fights, I finish them!" Melody exclaimed as she struggled, trying to kick Steven.

The man held them farther apart. "Why did you attack her?" He asked Steven.

"Because she's a peasant and she's getting everything half off in Tedrick's Tasty Treats just because Tedrick feels sorry for her."

The man nodded his head at Melody. "Why are you trying to attack him now?"

"He keeps calling me a peasant! My father is a noble warrior, not a peasant!"

"Tedrick, why does she get everything half off?" The man asked as he looked up. It was then Melody realized they had attracted a crowd.

Tedrick stepped forward. "She works for me."

The man set Melody and Steven down. "Shake hands." They shook hands, glaring at each other in distrust. "I don't want anymore of this nonsense. Now go home."

Steven walked away, holding his head up in an arrogant fashion. Melody started to walk away, holding her head low in shame, but the man called her back.

"What?" Melody asked.

He knelt down next to her. "Walk with pride. Not with arrogance, but with pride. Real warriors never show shame." Melody nodded. "Wait here a sec."

He walked over to Tedrick and spoke to him for a few seconds. Tedrick disappeared into his shop and came out a minute later with two chocolate peppermint twists, which he handed to the man.

"I believe Steven ruined your candy." The man handed the twists to Melody.

"Yes, but I only had one."

"Go home," He commanded gently.

Melody nodded and held her head up as she walked to the inn, a chocolate peppermint twist in each hand. Once in the inn she climbed up the stairs to her room, placed the twists on a desk and climbed into bed. In seconds she was asleep.

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"I'm exhausted," Annie said as she sat down in a wooden chair at the small table.

"We all are," Zelda said as she sat down across from Annie. Melody sat next to her.

"And we still haven't found anyone to teach me," Melody said. "It's been three days."

"We'll find someone," Link said as he patted her head. "I promise. After all, we got really close to getting you a teacher today."

"Yeah," Annie said. "Until he learned that his new student was a girl. Why won't anyone teach girls how to fight?"

"Because it has never been done," Melody said. "Most people don't like change."

"That's right," Link said. "But sometimes change can be good." He smiled as he looked down at Melody. "Warriors must always be prepared for change, good and bad. If you cannot cope with change, you are not worthy to be a warrior."

"Then none of the so-called teachers should be teaching. You can't teach what you don't know."

Everyone chuckled at Zelda's comment.

Melody climbed onto the table and stood. "I will find someone to teach me, and, if I can't, I will teach myself. I will travel the land destroying evil, and helping those in need of help. After my traveling days are over I will open a school for anyone who wants to be a warrior, male and female." Her family applauded and Zelda whistled. "Thank you everyone. I would like to thank my family for coming here tonight. I'd also like to thank all the little people, mostly the Minish, who have helped me get to where I am today," Melody said in sarcasm as she bowed. "You have been a great audience tonight. My next show will be tomorrow, same time."

"Where are the tomatoes?" Link asked as he glanced at his older daughters.

"We can go buy some tomorrow, before her next show," Annie said.

"I know where to find some rotten apples," Zelda chimed in.

"Perfect!" Link and Annie exclaimed in unison.

Melody glared at them. "I'll have you all know, I worked very hard on that speech. I don't like it being made fun off, especially by incoherent baboons."

"If we're baboons," Zelda asked, "what does that make you?"

"Dead meat!" Link grabbed Melody by the waist, and hauled her, potato sack style, into the bedroom.

"No!" Melody screeched as she tried to free herself.

"Yes!" He dumped her in the middle of his bed and proceeded to tickle her. Annie and Zelda joined in.

"Stop it!" Melody shouted as she thrashed around wildly, tears running down her face from laughing so hard. "Stop! Please stop!"

"Are you going to do another show?" Link asked.

"No! Just stop!"

Annie and Zelda stepped back as Link pushed Melody off of the bed. She sat up, breathing heavily with flushed cheeks and frizzed hair. She pulled out her ponytail and combed her hair with her fingers before pulling it back up.

"Alright," Link said with a sigh. "I think it's time for bed."

"Nooooooooooooo!" the girls said in unison.

"Yeeeeeeeeessss!"

"Alright," Zelda sighed. "But that means that you have to let us sleep in."

"Nope. Go to bed with after the sun and…"

"Wake before the sun," the girls finished. They sighed in defeat and walked to their room.

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Melody carefully made her way down the stairs, making sure she didn't step on any that squeaked. After hours of tossing and turning in bed she had realized she wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. She was going out to get some fresh air. She crept towards the door, knowing if Jerry caught her up he would send her back to bed. She pulled out small wire and picked the lock to the inn door. She jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Jerry asked her.

"Out to get fresh air," Melody said as her shoulders slumped.

"I'll let you go on one condition."

"What is it?"

"Visit Fangs and Glory."

"But that's a bar! My father would kill me if he knew I was there."

"Go to Fangs and Glory. Order a glass of root beer. Sit in the very back."

"But why?"

"Just do it." He shoved her out the door and closed behind her. Melody turned and tried to open the door, but it was locked. She sighed, knowing he wasn't going to let her back in till she visited the bar. She headed in the direction of Tedrick's shop. The bar was right across from it.

She inhaled deeply. It was a cool clear night. Stars dotted the sky and the moon hung low and bright in the sky. A slight wind blew from the east. She took her time walking to the bar, taking almost twenty minutes. As she pushed the door open, the low murmur of voices greeted her.

Someone let a whistle out. "Looks like a cutie has just walked in!"

Melody blushed, realizing she was still in her green nightgown. She quickly walked over to the bartender, ignoring their other comments.

"Why is someone as young as you doing in here?"

"Can I have a root beer?" she asked quietly.

He studied her face for a few seconds. "Jerry sent ya over, didn't he?" he said as he grabbed a glass. He pulled out a small keg of root beer and poured it in her glass. Her eyes widened as she took it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't bring any…" She drifted off when he held up his finger.

"You will pay me back later, but not in the form of money. Go. Sit." He gestured at the back of the room, where an empty table sat.

"Thank you," she said as she turned to leave.

"No, thank you."

She walked over to the table and sat down. She could feel everyone staring at her back as she slowly sipped her root beer.

"A round on the house!" the bartender shouted. Everyone forgot about her as they rushed over to him.

She sat there for close to ten minutes, wondering why Jerry had told her to come here.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

She turned to see the stranger that had stopped the fight. He still wore his cloak, hood and all.

"Go ahead."

He sat across from her, a glass of root beer in his hand. The stranger slowly drained his cup as he stared at her. She squirmed uncomfortably as the minutes of silence grew into an hour. During that time she pondered several things. She wondered why Jerry had sent her here, wondered whom the stranger was, and wondered what was so significant about the root beer, but she could find no answers.

"Melody, do you have any idea why you're here?" he finally asked her.

The sudden sound startled her out of her thoughts. "No."

"Why are you visiting the city?"

"To find someone who will teach me," she answered, wondering where this was going.

"Teach you what?"

"How to be a hero."

He smiled. "You don't have to be taught how to be a hero to be one." He looked up at her. "Real heroes are just normal people doing great things. Yes, Link had some training, but that was after he started becoming a hero."

Melody nodded. "That's true. But he had to save the world, so he didn't have time to train. I don't have to save the world, so I've got time for training."

"Why do you want to be a hero?"

The question caught her off guard. "Wha…?"

"Why do you want to be a hero?"

"I- I don't know. I mean, I've always wanted too."

"Dig deeper."

I want… I don't know."

"Deeper."

"I want to help people, make their lives better."

"Now we're getting somewhere. But there are more reasons."

Melody slowly traced circles on the table with her finger.

His eyebrows rose. "Well?"

"I want to prove everyone wrong, especially Steven. They all think that I can't become a hero just because I'm a girl."

He nodded. "If you are to become a true hero your intent must be pure." He finished the last of his root beer and stood up. "It's late. You'd better get some rest."

Melody fought back a yawn. "But I'm not tired."

"I'll carry you back if I have to."

She finished off her root beer. "Where…?"

"Just leave the glass on the table."

She stood and took the hand he offered. They walked out of the bar and back to the inn, in silence. Once they were inside the inn he stopped. "Room 37. Seven sharp. Got that?"

She repeated his instructions perfectly.

"Good." He headed towards the stairs. "Conleeho."

"Conleeho," she replied. Conleeho was one of the few words of the Old Language that she knew. It meant 'Bless you with a thousand good dreams.'

As she watched him disappear from view she realized she didn't know his name. She yawned again. 'I'll just have to ask him tomorrow.' She started up the stairs.

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"Wake up, sleepyhead! Wake up!"

Melody groaned as she rolled over. "Let me sleep."

"The sun has been up for hours."

"Wha…?" Melody bolted upright. "What time is it!"

"Eightish. Why?" Annie answered.

"Crap!" She jumped out of bed, threw her clothes on, and ran for the door. "Tell Dad I'll be in Room 37!" She ran out of their room and down the stairs. She reached Room 37 less than a minute later, out of breath. Before she could regain her composure, the door opened.

"You're late," he said.

"I'm… sorry…"

He held the door open for her. "Come in."

"First, I would like you to answer a question."

"Yes?"

"What is your name?"

"Just call me Zale."

She entered the simple room. A bed sat in one corner with a large oak dresser resting next to it. In another corner a small table stood, surrounded by two chairs. Zale closed the door behind her and gestured at a chair. "Sit."

She sat down. "I have a few questions I would like answered, if you don't mind?"

"There will be time for questions later." He started to pace, ten steps in each direction. "You need training. Now. You've already wasted time, and there wasn't a whole lot to begin with."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't explain it, not yet." He turned to face her. "Let me see your sword."

She unclipped it and handed it to him. He fingered the hilt for several seconds before drawing it. He looked up at her. "What sword is this?"

"The Master Sword. It's been handed down in my family for generations."

His voice was grim. "It's a fake."

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Author's Note: I know it's been awhile, but my computer crashed several weeks ago and we just got a new one.