I Thought I Lost You
Chapter 4: Funerals and more discoveries
Nothing was the same around the Castle. Just about everybody dragged their feet as they walked. After all, it was a sad time. The King had been killed; and Zelda was coping badly. Whenever Link visited, they stayed in her room. She never took a step outside the door for a while, too afraid to face it. The funeral was planned, so clothiers and organizers were seeing Zelda all the time. She needed a new dress, and a new attitude. What happened had already happened, and there was no changing it.
Now Epona's leg was back it shape, Link could ride her to the Castle. He seemed the only person who seemed to care about Zelda's feelings towards the funeral, everybody else just cared about presentation. There was a graveyard for royalty near the Castle's courtyard, so the funeral would take place there. Zelda had also considered that the courtyard was where her Father had mentioned a portal to Azeroth.
Link knocked on Zelda's door. "Zel! It's Link, can I come it?" he asked, banging the side of his fist on the door. He could here the latch click open, and Zelda opened the door, a smile on her face. "I'm glad you came, I want to show you something" she said as she stepped away so he could go in. "What's that then?" he asked, sitting down on her bed. "I want to show you the portal I usually use to get to Azeroth," she grinned, "It's right in here, too."
"Still not planning to go outside?" he asked with a playful tone. "No, not until I feel safe" she frowned. "I'll come with you?" he asked eagerly. She smiled, "Even it you did, I don't want to quite yet. Maybe soon, we'll so how things go. Anyway, come and look at this." She bent down to her fireplace and knelt on the floor. As Link did the same he noticed his own, rippled and smudgy reflection far back from the wooden logs at the entrance. "This is where you usually get in to Azeroth?" he asked curiously.
"Most of the time, this one used to take me to somewhere in the Castle at Stormwind," she explained, "It was more convenient, instead of having to walk through the city to find the Castle. It's so easy to get lost, it's so big." Link stood back on his feet, "So where do you think it takes you now?". Zelda climbed to her feet as Link had, "I don't know. These things could take you anyway, maybe even Horde territory". Link tapped her shoulder, "Who territory?". Zelda blushed, "Oh, sorry. The Horde are the enemies, basically. We're Alliance, the good."
"Better not go in there, then" his childish smile was amusing. "So...are you gonna...come to the funeral?" Zelda asked after a while. "I guess, only if you go. I'll be with you, at least..." Link stared into her eyes for a while. "...Do you...wanna try it then?" Zelda asked. "Try what?." Zelda moved to the window, "Try going outside?" Zelda asked half-confidently. "Sure..but, where's this language come from? You keep saying things like wanna and gonna" Link chuckled. "I guess I listen to you so often, Mr Hero" she walked to her wardrobe.
"It's cold out there, don't forget-" Link started. "Yeah, I'm putting a cloak on now" she smiled. After she'd put on her long black cloak, she slid her feet into her shoes. "You ready?" he asked as her opened her door and stepped out. Zelda took a deep breath and steadily stepped out into the hallway. Millie jumped up from where she'd sat, "Princess! You're out! Can I get you something, where are you going?." Link had his hand on her shoulder as they began down the hallway, "Just going for a little walk. I thought it'd be good to let her get out for a while" Link told her. Millie smiled, "Such a sweet young lad" she said and rushed off to the hall to give the news.
It didn't take long to get outside, but they had to dodge around the shocked faces. Apparently it's some kind of miracle that Zelda has emerged. They wandered out into the courtyard, which was one of the nicest places in Hyrule. It was quite, hardly anybody was there. There was a wooden canopy over the small space, with vines and leaves growing up the sides and over the canopy. The sunlight shone right through, it looked magical. They sat down on a wooden bench, "See, isn't this better that being cooped up in your room?" Link asked her. "Yes, very much so. All I really needed was the encouragement I guess. Thank you very much for bringing me out here" she smiled and kissed his cheek. He was slowly leaning forward, and nearly fell off the bench. "There's only one problem now..." she trailed, "I'll have to start doing my lessons again" she giggled.
Maybe this chapter is too short too? I'm sorry if it is, I have to fit my tiny slithers of writing times around school and sleep and other stuff. These chapters always look smaller when you upload them, so it puts me down a little ¬_¬ Hope you enjoyed this, anyway! The next chapter will come soon! Soon the fun stuff will start!
~R H M M R H