Chapter 14

Minish Village

The group stared at the exit to the arena looking out seeing pure green trees and grass. A small dirt path was welcoming them to follow the path it was going to take them too as the sun glittered its rays on them. Bryce was the first to make a move as he grabbed Zelda and Midna's hands and took a step forward. Zelda grabbed Link's hand while Midna took Vaati's and together the five of them left behind the fear of never escaping the arena, the fear of death in the air. They were free from the games and only the triforce was ahead of them. They each vowed to not kill each other or themselves as they came closer to the end.

Midna grabbed a leaf from the ground after letting go of the two boy's hands and let the air guide it through the forest. Her breath was still as she kept her eyes forward and quickly dropped to the ground crying. As soon as she left the cave a few days ago she was almost killed by a beast made of only bones. She had a debt with Vaati since he not only saved her once but twice the same night. She was the only one in the group that did not kill a single tribute but merely hid in a small cave in the waterfall using an invisibility charm to keep greedy eyes from finding her. She wasn't carrying blood stain hands but she felt her heart was pure black. How could she return home to her father without the Hyrule crown on her head? How could she even return home if this wasn't the end of Lilith's evil games? Could she handle the torture of killing one of her friends at this point or would taking her own life be much simpler?

Zelda knelt down and hugged Midna, her sword pressing into her side painfully. The boys watched them, each carrying a knife and sword after the bloody night was officially over. Vaati even found a trident and made a carrying case out of the vampires' clothes to keep the weapon behind his back. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead.

"We need to move out before the sun sets. I believe Minish Village is up ahead." Vaati said before walking forward and ignoring the two girls.

"Mama?" Zefa whispered as her mother held onto her hand. Her mother was in bed once again and unable to move the lower half of her body. She stone cold and her breathing was becoming quicker.

"Now now, Zefa…" The Queen replied to her before coughing. Zefa placed Puff on her mother's side before sitting down again.

"Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee." Zefa sang. Her mother smiled and closed her eyes. The world would always fall silent when her daughters were singing. "Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail. Zefa kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail. Noble kings and princes would bow whenever they came, pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name." Her mother was slipping away, her grip on her daughter's hand was failing with every note Zefa was singing. Zefa stopped singing and grasped her mother's hand with both of hers and started crying.

"Don't leave me, Mama!" Zefa cried.

"Oh baby I'll never leave you or your sisters. I will always be here in there." Her mother said slowly pointing at her chest where her heart was slowly beating. Thump thump… thump… thump…. Thump…

Zefa wailed as death took her mother away. She was now without a mother and her sisters to comfort her and tell her everything was all right.

"Be brave, Zefa… Be brave…" Zelda's words rang through her mind. Zelda… Zefa grabbed Puff and stared at him. How could she be brave if there was nothing left to fight for? Her entire family was in the line of death ever since the rebellion started.

"A dragon lives forever but not so little girls. Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened Princess Zefa came no more and Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar." Zefa softly sang and set Puff on the windowsill looking out at the sun that was vanishing from the sky and leaving the kingdom in mourning of their beloved Queen.

"Are you sure Minish Village is just up ahead?" Zelda asked Vaati as they climbed rocky hills for hours only stopping for water and berries where they felt it was safe too. Zelda was losing her patience and felt Vaati was wasting their time and had no clue where in the hell he was going. They traveled for another hour before they smelled burnt wood and a smell that only Bryce could recognize.

"Burnt skin…" Bryce whispered before they took off in a run up the small hill and came to what was a small village but now piles of rubble. Vaati's eyes grew wide before he took off running down the pavement road.

"VAATI!" Link shouted and quickly an arrow was shot and hit Vaati's left arm, slamming him onto the road. Zelda took out her bow and fired the kill shot at the solider who brought down Vaati. They rushed towards Vaati who was cursing to himself for not noticing an enemy around. Who would shoot Vaati? Link wrapped Vaati with extra cloth he carried after taking the arrow out. He was too lucky the arrow didn't hit an artery. Vaati's lips trembled as he looked at the ruins of the village. They helped him up and walked him down the road before he told them to turn left on a dirt road. He dropped to his knees as he looked at one remaining pile of ash. Vaati's house.

"Vaati…" Midna pointed out something and Vaati looked over and screamed out in pain. Hanging by a rope on a tree was a man, his face making a silent scream, his hands and feet tied by ropes. A women laid against the tree, her throat sliced and a little girl sitting beside her, an arrow stuck in her chest. The word: Four was carved into the tree above their heads. Vaati was weeping as Link held him down. Bryce got up and noticed a red jewel glittering near the fallen girl. Bryce picked it up, his face turning into stone.

"What is it?" Zelda asked.

"An ember… My mother's favorite jewel. She was here. She killed these three by her own hand and left this as a reminder of how dangerous she really is. We need to get Vaati out of here before more of her guards find us."

The sounds of horse hooves and cries of relief were heard as the five of them turned and saw a few Hylians dressed in battle gear. Zelda raised her bow at the leader.

"ZELDA!" Someone screamed and jumped off her horse rushing towards her. She pulled off her helmet and Zelda dropped her bow.

"Zaira?" Zelda asked before hugging her older sister. The leader took off his helmet and tossed his sword to one of the soldiers behind him and stepped off his horse. "Alfonso." Zelda cried happily and hugged him too.

"Many of the kingdoms were outraged about the games and started to rebel, Minish Village being one of them because Lilith sent a suitor here saying Vaati died. The night you beat the girl, Lilith took over Hyrule and every kingdom that is ally to Hyrule is part of the Gerudo Empire. Cole fled days ago to hide and now we're thrown into war against the Queen. Minish Village was destroyed the same night your battle was taking place. Lilith was even here killing off rebels and saving Vaati's family for last… to suffer and know their son was alive and well but she would kill him in the most crucial way… Breaking him completely by seeing his entire family and his village destroyed so only four tributes were left." Zaira explained.

"We only arrived the morning after to take out the Gerudo forces and save the few rebel soldiers that were still fighting on." Alfonso said.

"This was all part of her plan… She wants to take down the last five tributes by killing their families and destroying the only thing they had left to run to. If she takes that away we have nothing left." Midna said. They looked at Vaati who was silent and staring at the ground, blinking every so often. Lilith broke through his mind and destroyed every bit of hope and courage he had left. He walked out of that arena barely holding on to the little bit of hope and for what? To find out his whole life was completely destroyed in one little night to a Queen who had no business in this land what so ever? He was broken… and could never again be mended not even by the slightest touch of kindness.

The soldiers built a small fire and an assortment of tents a mile away from the burnt village to keep Vaati from getting worse. Zelda and Link hunted with Alfonso and caught a few rabbits and one deer while Midna and Zaira filled everyone's canteens with water. Vaati sat against a tree stabbing the ground with the knife he took from the blue skin girl back at the arena. His mind was floating away as he thought about everything he could think of about his family. The bubbly laugh his sister made when he teased the dog, his father's stories of when he was training with his teacher to become a sorcerer, the way his mother would scowl his neighbors when they threw rocks at the chickens. He would never hear any of that because everyone was dead. Everyone he grew up and learned to love was dead and gone.

"Vaati?" Someone said, Vaati's mind ignoring the process of trying to remember who the voice belong too. Zelda appeared in his line of sight and took a seat next to him, pushing aside his cloak. "You know we'll always be here for you." Vaati ignored her and kept stabbing the ground. Zelda's heart was breaking. Her own friend was wallowing in pain silently and she couldn't understand the feeling of losing someone dearly. "You know… when I was little my mother told me the trees sing your lullaby when the wind was blowing. If you listen closely the trees sing it to you." Vaati looked up. Sure the wind was blowing but was this girl really starting to get crazy? Trees couldn't sing, they just stood there and kept animals safe from predators. He stopped stabbing the ground and looked up as the tree branches above him shook. The wind blew his hair away from his face and brushed up against the trees creating a strange noise he never heard of before. It was low but beautifully pitched. He recognized the tune right away, his heart skipping beats. His mother would whistle it when he couldn't sleep. His eyes closed and he took off his hat to let the wind blow his hair.

"It's not the trees who sing you your lullaby… it's the dead who want to keep you moving forward." Vaati said looking over at Zelda who was busy writing something down in a book. She looked at him and handed him the book. The notes of his lullaby written down with lyrics underneath.

"Soft blue bird fly, fly to the east. Let the winds try to carry you north but your heart set on east. Let your wings flap with strength, your heart filled with glee for your ole' family live in the east. Little blue birdy never give up on hope. The mountains in the east are calling for you. Let your heart be won, love give you courage because little blue bird, true love is in store for you. Little blue bird don't let the wind take you north, but give you a push to the east. Let it guide you back home to where your home is at peace." Zelda sang, the tune matching his lullaby. Her voice silenced the world, her words filling his soul with light. Every note she sang his spirits were lifted higher until a small smile appeared on his face. He sang along with her a second time, the lyrics burning into his mind. He was never treated with such kindness from anyone outside of his family. Zelda grabbed his hand and hugged him tightly. He felt a weird burning in his heart. What was this feeling? He couldn't place it since he never felt it before. He wanted to hug her for ages and never let go but why? She kissed his cheek and slowly got up.

"I have to help the others with dinner but you can keep the book if you like." Zelda said and walked away leaving him alone once again buried in his thoughts. He looked at her writing and back up at the trees before touching his face. What was this feeling? The kiss was tickling his cheek, leaving his heart thumping uneasy. He had felt love before towards a girl he met many years ago in the village but she turned him down because he looked different from all the other boys. Zelda wasn't the type to reject someone based on looks was she? Vaati looked at his hair, the lilac strands falling in his vision. Was he feeling love again towards this girl he hardly knew? A smile was creeping on his face. Yes… yes he was again falling for another girl but this time kindness was sent both ways and he was gifted with a friend he never had. A friend… who brought him back into the world as a new person. A Hylian.