Chapter 3: Company

Volga did not understand why Zelda was so secretive about getting out of Hyrule Castle, but it was not difficult to tell she had done this before. She had more escape routes memorized than a vast maze had paths. Moreover was the point that she had thrown an olive cloak over her dress, and pulled up the hood to cover her head. Did she not want to be seen or noticed among her people? He could definitely relate if that was so, but he did not understand why. What did she have to hide, when she was…

The word did not immediately come to his mind, but the unfamiliar connotation was similar to what he had experienced when he first stumbled upon her garden. As he tried to connect his thoughts, he was interrupted by the sounds of her guards marching, doing a watch on the castle grounds. Zelda made a motion with her hand to hide behind the nearby royal stable.

"Zelda," said Volga, slightly amused at how quickly she moved. "Why are you trying to sneak away from them? Couldn't you just go through the doors normally, since you're well… a princess?"

She shook her head. "It's not as easy as you think," she whispered peering through a small opening on a haystack. "Father throws a fit whenever he finds out I'm not in the castle, and in his overprotectiveness, he has Impa watching me like a hawk. And being able to escape Impa's eyesight is no easy feat, either. Come, the guards have their backs to us now. We're almost out."

When they left the barn and castle grounds, they found themselves in a town bustling with activity. Volga had never seen so many humans in one place. Vendors were stationed in nearly every direction he looked, some with stalls, selling smaller and cheaper items - while others sold more expensive goods inside an actual shop. Customers would stop by, or quickly walk away if they weren't interested in buying anything, since the stall vendors were particularly pushy when they refused.

Bakeries, restaurants, and a shop with sweets highlighted the center of the town. The shop with sweets was especially crowded, many children clutching hands with adults- presumably their parents, while they begged them to buy them candy.

He felt disconcerted in such a crowded place, knowing he would be talked about from countless eyes upon him. Regretting that he had left his helmet back at the castle, Volga cast his gaze downwards as he walked behind Zelda, watching the cobbled street beneath him, and the back of Zelda's heels disappearing and reappearing into the hem of her cloak and dress. He watched their intertwined hands, and wondered why he hadn't let go yet. Why she had reached out to him to start with.

Zelda lowered her hood and unlike him, she mingled with the crowd - only with seemingly more energy than that of an ordinary citizen here. Volga had never seen anyone so delighted to be in a market place. Everything appeared to fascinate her; from the broken down book store across the street, to the parrot squabbling from the pet shop, to the magician attempting to make a compass disappear within his hat. Volga occasionally raised his head to observe in silent awe, before an on-looker would notice him, and he would turn his attention away.

Her footsteps paused in front of one of the stalls, and there were so many humans in the line, in front of them and behind, that Volga did not even bother to look up to see what she was going to buy. All he could hear was the loud chatter of the humans around him, and the scent of oven-baked pastries that tantalized his taste buds.

"Try this," she said eagerly, handing him one of the pastries that she had purchased. "I know we're about to eat anyway, and I'd get scolded for days for eating this before lunch, but you have to try a bite, at least."

Volga glanced at the caramel colored pastry inside a napkin, his eyes growing wide. "I promise it's good," she said, taking a bite from her own pastry. She held out the other pastry for him.

"Are… are you sure?" he said uncertainly. I never had anyone give me anything like this before…

Zelda nodded, and he hesitantly took the pastry. Bringing the treat to his lips, he took a bite from the edge. Flakes of sweetened, baked dough filled his mouth, and traces of something even sweeter, rich and smooth. He took another bite, trying to taste more of that mysterious sweetness that seemed to melt in his mouth.

"What is this stuff that's inside?" he asked, licking his lips. "It's good."

She grinned. "That's the best part, it's the fudge. If only they served these in the castle. Father says it's commoner food, but that never really stopped me from slipping away into town, even if just to buy them."

They walked onwards from the central square, the two children savoring the rest of their pastry and chatting with one another. The noises of the crowds lessened, as they reached an empty alleyway.

"I still find it odd that you have to sneak away from the castle just to come here," said Volga, puzzled. "I thought a princess could go wherever she wanted."

Zelda did not immediately respond to this, the mysterious girl heading toward what looked like a secluded side yard of an abandoned building. There, stood a stack of crates propped up against a gated wall that stretched as far as his eyes could see. He realized that this must have been the end of the town, the wall that separated it from the rest of Hyrule.

She removed her cloak and climbed upon the crates, until she was at the very top. There was a branch hanging from a tree next to the crate she was on, and she grabbed it, looking as if she was considering climbing the tree too so that she could gain more height. "Let me show you something, Volga."

Curious, but aware of the height she had climbed and the sturdiness of the branch she was holding on to, he started up the crates. He watched as Zelda stood on her tiptoes against the gated wall, presumably to get a better view of what she wanted to show him. Once he reached the top, he stepped on the crate next to hers, and took a glance at the sight before him.

Though the gate bars blocked most of the view, Volga could see the verdant fields of Hyrule, the very ones he had crossed when he had arrived with that villager. Beyond the horizon however, the other landscapes were blurred from this viewpoint. He could make out the faintest formation of a mountain in the distance, and the outline of trees in the forest, but everything else was shrouded in mystery.

"See that drawbridge over there?" Zelda asked, her eyes barely reaching the bars of the gates above the wall. Volga nodded as he caught sight of what she was referring to. "That's the line I can never cross. I'm rarely given permission to visit the town, but to cross that draw bridge, I am forbidden to. Well, as long as I'm a child, anyway."

"But why?"

Zelda sighed. "According to Father, it's because of the wars. He seems to think that whenever I leave the castle, I'm in danger. He keeps talking about an upcoming war, but he doesn't even know when it's going to happen. It's a bit stifling, living in paranoia like that. Leaving the castle now and then gives me a breath of fresh air, and it relaxes me."

She let go of the branch and outstretched her arms, as if she were about to take flight. "Whenever I see birds soaring in the sky, I can't help but admire their freedom. Sometimes I wish I could just fly over this wall to see what it looks like beyond this town. To see all of Hyrule before me, and not just from the highest balcony of the castle. The view is like a painting, something that I cannot reach, but that I long to be a part of."

What an unusual human, he wondered, observing the care-free girl before him. It was not as if he had much to compare to, being that this was the longest anyone had gone in his company. But even when he would watch the other children from the shadows, yearning to be part of their group, to have someone to talk to… he had never seen quite anyone like her.

When she reached out for the branch again to make another attempt to climb, Volga rested his hand on hers, not wishing for her to get hurt just so that she could get a better view. "Here," he said softly, kneeling before her. "Climb my back. I'll lift you up so that you can see more of what's out there. You'll be safer that way too."

Surprise filled her eyes, as a subtle tinge of pink rose to her cheeks. She carefully mounted his back, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Volga slowly rose to his feet until he was standing up, adjusting to her light weight, feeling a need to please her, to somehow respond to the kindness the princess had shown him when no one else ever had.

"Volga, look at that," Zelda gasped, pointing toward the hazy landmarks in the distance. "I wonder what's beyond that mist over there. And I swear I can almost see the the river leading to Lake Hylia too! It must be exactly like it's described in the books, but what if it isn't?"

Perhaps, Volga thought, feeling a familiar, prodding sensation on his back that had nothing to do with her weight. Perhaps when I use these again, I can show you everything you wish to see…

It was a passing thought, an imagery of something that could be, but he could not yet fully comprehend.

The scent of grilled, seasoned meat wafted in the air, as Zelda pushed opened the door to one of her favorite places to have lunch at.

The restaurant was nothing like her castle's dining room, but it was decorated to an antique environment that would suit the upper class as much as the lower class. She liked it this way though, as it gave her a chance to observe people of various backgrounds and cultures that she wouldn't normally get the chance to see within her castle. Her attention today however, wasn't so much on the others, as much as on the boy that was with her.

"Ah welcome back, Princess," greeted the server, a menu under his arm "Oh, it's going to be two today?" he prompted, surveying Volga suspiciously. "Friend of yours?"

Zelda nodded, and the server led them to an open table. She was relieved it wasn't very crowded, since such crowds appeared to make Volga uncomfortable. And after all the looks she had seen people give him today, she was starting to understand why.

"I'll be right back to take your orders," said the server, but before he headed away, he turned to Zelda. "You know I love it when you bring business to our restaurant. But coming to town, unsupervised, can be dangerous. If your father or care taker ever stepped in here asking about you, then you know I would have to tell them that you've been here."

The princess waved a hand in the air. "I know, I know. Don't worry. I'll be heading back to the castle before dark." Though he looked unconvinced, the server disappeared to go take another order.

Zelda handed one of the menus to Volga as he took a seat next to her. As she began to survey her own, Volga merely blinked back at the one in front of him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the blank look on his face. "Did you not see something you like?"

Volga did not take his eyes off the menu. "I… um," he began. "I… don't know how to read."

There was a brief silence at this, and Zelda could hear a certain buzzing in her head. "You don't know how to read?" she repeated. "But… why not? Were there no schools among the people you lived with?"

"There were schools, yes," said Volga. "But I was never accepted in any of them. The professors and the students were terrified of me."

Zelda clenched her fists, clearly outraged. "That's preposterous!" she exclaimed. "Public education is free, and is supposed to admit any student! There's… there's no law stating otherwise, unless the student has gotten into some kind of serious criminal activity. But still! That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of!"

He listened quietly as she raged for a few more minutes, and she only calmed down when the server returned to take their orders. Zelda pointed to what she wanted on the menu, not bothering to speak the order. Volga decided to save them both the trouble by ordering the same meal as she did.

"I'm sorry, Volga," she said, taking a deep breath, and exhaling. "I'm not being very lady-like, I know. But I was - still am, furious."

She could see it in his eyes. The confusion, and the fact that someone had been angry for him. What kind of life had this boy known? Her mind was in turmoil, bombarding with questions, torn between wanting to know more, and fearing what she would find.

"That's alright," he reassured her. "You know, just being in your company, to have someone to talk to… has been the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I may not understand everything, or why you're upset, or why you nodded when that man asked if I was your friend…." He trailed off hopefully. "But I would like to, if you're willing to show me."

How was it that this lonely boy was regarded with so much horror? She had not forgotten that he was supposed to wield the abilities of some beast... a beast that no one wanted to tell her about. A beast that had carried her on his back, so that she would not hurt herself from climbing on the branch.

When the server returned, two steaming plates of melted cheese over potatoes and chunks of beef were laid out before them. Zelda could not explain the satisfaction she felt at seeing Volga's wide eyes gaping at his own plate. He probably never had anything so fulfilling before. That will change now, she thought, surveying the thin frame that his torn, baggy clothing failed to hide.

She started working on her plate, and noticed his difficulty with the eating utensils. After having observed her actions of cutting the beef, he attempted to try to cut a piece, grunting from the awkward angle in which the knife would not slice through the meat. When it finally did though, the small piece flew up in the air upon release.

Zelda laughed, and scooted closer to him so that he would have a side-by-side view of her hands and eating utensils. "Here, try it like this," she said, demonstrating to him the proper way to cut beef.

It took several more attempts before Volga got the hang of it, and sliding the beef across his plate was an improvement from sending it flying. "Like this?" he asked, after successfully cutting a piece.

"Mhm, just like that."

And even as he offered to cut her beef in his excitement at what he learned, Zelda could not help the determined smile that escaped her lips. Sure, it was not the kind of company that was expected for her to have. But she was fine with that.