Chapter 4

Train

"It takes about a day's travel to Hyrule so make yourselves at home." Lilith said sitting in a red and orange loveseat.

"Are we the last kingdom to send tributes?" Rusl asked looking at the food table covered in deserts, fruits and nuts.

"Those are for you all to snack on and yes you are which is why training starts in two days. You'll train for four days then we'll introduce you to the Hylians and someone will win by next week."

"What are the rules?" Zelda heard herself ask.

"Well the games take place in area inside the Lost Woods but each tribute is allowed to bring at the most two weapons of their choice. Game keepers will put many more weapons inside the arena but this area is only at least two miles wide so really there are no rules. Just kill and survive."

"Can we make groups?"

"Well yes… but why would that help? You'll be killing everyone as soon as find the Triforce." Lilith asked looking at her nails.

"How about some advice?" Rusl asked sitting back down with a plate full of cakes and nuts.

"Hm… don't die." Lilith said.

"Thanks for the advice." Zelda muttered and got up from her chair walking to the door to what look like a bedroom.

"That is your room." Lilith said as she started filing her nails. Zelda pushed open the door and closed it behind her looking around the place. It was small but livable for the night since it would only take until tomorrow morning for them to reach Hyrule. Zelda looked at the small ticking clock on the wall. It was only a little bit past noon and her stomach grumbled. She ignored her stomach and flopped onto her bed breathing in the Gerudo smoke that stuck to the sheets. It smelled of molten lava but she could smell a hint of fire berries and dragon nuts as she stuffed her face into her pillow. She was leaving behind Zefa, her family, Ilia and the whole kingdom to play Lilith's stupid game of who will be the next ruler of Hyrule. Why couldn't they draw sticks… or let Cole become king? It made no sense to Zelda as to why even Lilith was involved in this when she wasn't even a part of Hyrule. The door opened and closed behind her and someone sat on her bed.

"You know… that was some brave thing you did there." Link said looking out the window.

"I did it to protect Ilia." Zelda said into her pillow.

"You surprised Lilith did you know that? She was expecting two easy tributes to kill and you stepped in. Now her son has compotation."

"She has a son…?" Zelda asked sitting upright and Link handed her a plate that had a sandwich, an apple and nuts.

"Yeah… his name is Bryce but he looks nothing like his mother. He must've taken after his father I guess."

"Link… I don't think I can make it through the games…"

"Sure you can! You have the best archery skills I know and you know how to hunt. Just hide in the trees and shoot people below."

"That's the problem… I can kill a animal but another person…?"

"Pretend it's an animal… I really can't give you advice on that…"

"If you could… Would you switch places with Rusl?"

"I would love to… but what would your dad say?"

"My dad would want you to protect me."

"Hey…" Link said grabbing Zelda and hugging her. "I'll protect you until the day I die. A swordsman promise. Now what did Zefa give you?" Zelda took out the medallion and handed it to Link. "Hey… this is a sage medallion. It's supposed to bring the carrier protection and good luck. If you find all six medallions it opens something… Ilia's dad didn't know what but he remembers a kid carrying the forest medallion." Zelda looked at the medallion and flipped it over to see the triforce symbol on the other side.

"How did Zefa get a hold of this?" Zelda asked herself.

"Maybe she found it or someone gave it to her. They're passed down from families sometimes since the Sages haven't been seen in years." The door opened and Rusl stood there.

"Lilith is asking for you two to return so we can talk about what we're going to wear for the parade." Rusl said.

Zelda walked back into her room after dinner and looked out the window as they were close to the Great Sea. The sea sparkled from the moon's light as it bounced on the waves. Only twelve more hours until they would arrive into Hyrule and Zelda still hasn't given a thought about her death wish she was going to ask the Goddesses for when she was dying from a wound some stranger would give her. Something banged into the window and Zelda opened the window and looked out. The wind whipped her hair and she squinted her eyes from the dust the train was giving off.

"Must've been a rock." Zelda said to herself but left the window open and walked over to the small vanity and found a brush and started to brush her hair.

"La Lala lalala lala la lala lala lalala." Zelda sang. A soft flutter of wings were heard and a whistle repeated her song back to her. Zelda turned and saw a small pink little monster sitting near the window. The thing smiled at her, little white teeth overlapped each other in his mouth.

"Hm… you must be a… Sea Fairy huh?" Zelda said putting her brush down and holding out her hand to him. The fairy jumped into her palm and repeated her melody in a soft baby whistle. "Do you have a name?" The fairy shook his head and hugged his pink wings around him. His eyes grew big and sad as he looked up at Zelda. "Aw poor thing… you must've just been born and lost your mother. Alright from now on I'll take care of you." The fairy smiled. "I'll call you…" The fairy jumped onto the bed and started looking at Zelda's outfit for tomorrow and her tiara she put on the bed. He started to nibble on Zefa's medallion and Zelda's laugh echoed the room. "I'll call you Leech since you like to bite and leeches bite everything in sight." Zelda said patting the fairy's head with her pinky finger. She took her clothes and tiara and set them on the vanity chair and got into bed after getting Leech a small piece of fabric as a blanket and something as a pillow and look at Zefa's gift.

"You know… my sister is mysterious in many ways, Leech. She has this stuff dragon she calls Puff and demanded to make a lullaby for him. She loves that lullaby more than anything but… who will sing it to her?" Zelda asked looking up at the ceiling above her.

" Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.Little Princess Zefa loved that rascal Puff,and brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff." Zelda sang softly. Leech listened attentively as Zelda sang Puff's lullaby. "Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sails,Zefa kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail.Noble kings and princes would bow whenever they came,Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee." Zelda sang before falling asleep and dropped the coin onto her lap. Leech yawned and whistled Puff's lullaby before covering himself with the fabric and dozed off dreaming of Puff.