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The six year old Princess Zelda didn’t shed a single tear in front of everyone else. Yet in her bedchambers later that night, with her little robot Terrako nearby, she cried deeply into her pillow.
Mama…
It had happened so suddenly. She contracted an illness, and before they had time to treat it, it was too late. She scarcely had time to say goodbye. Zelda could only remember how swift it was, and the horrid smell that wafted from her as she exhaled her last breath.
Terrako scuttled up next to her. As a guardian with some of the most advanced AI Sheikah science has ever known, it knew how Zelda felt. It saw her tears, and wanted nothing more than to soothe them.
Some music began playing. A comforting tune that Zelda always liked to listen to, that had eventually grown into a lullaby in her young age. Terrako played it next to her.
The young princess looked up.
“Terrako…” she said.
Terrako beeped. Zelda didn’t laugh, but she did stop crying.
“Thank you…” she said.
The little Guardian made a beeping sound next to her. Zelda understood what it meant.
“I’ll be okay…” she said. “Let’s just go to sleep.”
Terrako scuttled next to her pillow, then entered sleep mode. Its blue eye darkened, and it retracted its legs.
Zelda didn’t just need the sleep, she wanted it. She didn’t want to be awake…she hoped that maybe, somehow, sleeping would awaken her from this horrible nightmare.
She waited, and waited, but it never came. She tossed and turned, but her blankets felt too hot. The warm night felt so much balmier than it actually was. Zelda only became increasingly frustrated and angry.
She wanted to cry out loudly!
She wanted to break something!
She wanted to scream and pound her fists on the floor!
She wanted to say a bad word!
She wanted to push over her bookcase!
She wanted…
She wanted a hug…
She wanted a kiss goodnight…
She wanted a bedtime story.…
She wanted to hear her soft melodic humming…
She wanted to hear her comforting voice again…
She wanted to wake up.
But…
Zelda sat back up, sniffling quietly. She looked across her bedroom floor, looking for her stuffed animals. She wanted them all in her bed tonight. She wanted to hold them all.
She scooted out of bed, and started picking up her toys. She gave Rosa Rabbit a hug as she walked her back to her bed. Then she picked up Pickles the Pig and placed him right next to Terrako. She felt Byrne the Bear’s arms around her as she picked him up and carried him to her bed. She pulled Fado Fishie from behind a bookcase and placed him next to Oren Octopus, who was already in bed.
She was almost done, but then she saw one was missing…her absolute favorite stuffed toy, Saria the Sand Seal.
That was the one she wanted most. The one she wanted to curl up with and hug. Her mama had gotten it for her when she was in Gerudo Town to visit Urbosa.
But where was it? She couldn’t find it!
Zelda almost freaked out and let loose the tears building in her eyes, when she remembered.
I left Saria outside!
Zelda was even more scared now. What if someone took her? What if she never saw her again? She needed her!
She needed her now!
Zelda wasted no time, and ran. She ran into the darkness of the castle toward the courtyard. She was playing with her there, and then left her when she got the devastating news earlier that day.
She descended toward the first floor, running as fast as her little legs could carry her. The darkness was thick, but Zelda knew this place like the back of her hand. She could find her way.
She was almost there. That’s when she heard it.
“Hahaha…”
Zelda stopped in place.
“Hahahahahaha…”
She didn’t recognize that voice. She was certain no soldier in the castle had one like it. It sounded so dry, so brittle, like someone who’d never taken a drink of water.
“Hahahahaha…”
It was coming from the courtyard.
The little princess froze in place, quivering. Was there a stranger in the castle? A thief? A Yiga Clansman?
She gasped.
What if they steal Saria!?
Zelda wanted to cry. She wanted to cry as much as she did at the funeral.
I don’t wanna lose her!!!
The bold princess, eyes awash in tears, forced herself to move forward into the courtyard. She ducked near the wall, not wanting to be seen by whoever was there with her sand seal toy.
“Hahahaha…!”
She was getting closer. She quivered more as she got out into the open.
The courtyard was perfectly square. It had an artificial pond off to the corner, some bushes growing from the sides where the grass met the surrounding structure, and a gazebo in the center. She and her mama and papa always picnicked there when no one was busy. A table was in it.
And there she was. Saria lay on the ground near the pond, untouched and undisturbed. Her golden fleece was easy to spot in the dark.
But she saw no sign of the owner of the laughter.
Zelda looked left and right, uncertain where they might’ve gone. She stayed and waited for a while.
Then she looked back at Saria. Zelda broke out into a run, heading for the toy animal. She scooped her up and held her tightly in her arms.
“I’m sorry, Saria…” Zelda said. “I didn’t mean to leave you…I hope you didn’t feel lonely…”
Zelda was letting her tears roll down her face, cradling the fluffy toy. She swayed it back and forth, humming Terrako’s lullaby to herself and sniffling.
“Why…?” Zelda wasn’t sure why she was asking the question, but it was all she could think of. And the question hurt so much.
“Why? Why!? Why!?!?”
Zelda buried her face into the toy. She remembered how happy she was when she got it. She hugged her mama tightly that day. The scent of her perfume that day was something from Gerudo town. Some of it had gotten on the toy, and since then, it had smelled that way too.
Even thinking of that smell…
“Hahahahahaha!!”
Zelda jolted. The sound had come from behind her, and it was close.
“Such a somber night…” The voice was raspy and rough, coming out like a growling drawl. “It’s as though the castle itself is mourning…”
Zelda fearfully turned around, clutching Saria as close as she could.
Standing in the gazebo was the figure of a man. Zelda felt he had to be the world’s oldest person. His skin was saggy and leathery, almost clinging to his bones for dear life. He was unbelievably thin, like he hadn’t eaten or drank in millennia.
But what Zelda truly saw was his glowing eyes. They gazed down at her, fixated, never shifting away.
“Zelda…” he growled.
Zelda gasped, fearfully looking upon the man’s visage.
“…So much pain that you must bear, all by yourself,” he said. “You’re strong for a child, aren’t you? You’re not even crying.”
Zelda nodded, quaking at the sight of the strange man. He just stood there, unmoving, like he was a statue.
“I’m impressed,” he said. “Then surely, you know…this happens to everyone, sooner or later. It’s a fate you can’t escape.”
Zelda didn’t like the tone in the man’s voice. It reminded her of the tone she took with the other children at the castle whenever she beat them in a game. She hugged Saria tighter.
“Don’t be scared of it,” he said. “One day, you’ll be where your mama is, too.”
Zelda wanted to run, but she couldn’t. The terror had caused her to freeze. All she could do was stare at the man.
“I can answer your questions,” he said. “If you are up to asking, of course. They may bring you solace.”
“Why should I trust you?” Zelda asked.
“You don’t have to,” he said. “You could always go ask your papa. I’m sure he’s a marvelous source of comfort to you.”
Zelda hesitated for a moment. She could ask her papa. He was a smart man, but on subjects like this…
“Well…”
“Go on.”
“Give me a second!” Zelda said.
The man remained as still as he had always been, gazing at her from the gazebo with those scary glowing eyes.
“Um…” Zelda began. “Does…it hurt?”
“Hahahaha…” the man said. “It hurts…and then it doesn’t.”
“O…kay…” Zelda mumbled.
“Next question.”
“Is she sad? Is she scared? Is she suffering?”
“No, she isn’t,” the man said.
Zelda wasn’t sure why, but something about it comforted her. “Is she happy? Is she looking down on me and papa?”
“Hahahaha…hahahaha!!”
Zelda jolted from the laughter.
“No…she isn’t happy.”
Zelda scowled at the man. “But you said she isn’t sad!” she yelled.
“She isn’t sad,” the man affirmed. “She isn’t scared. She isn’t angry. She isn’t hurting. She isn’t happy. She isn’t suffering. She isn’t at peace. She isn’t even aware.
“She’s gone .”
The man let out another cackle, gazing at the princess’s shocked expression.
“You’re lying!” Zelda yelled.
“I haven’t lied to you once, child,” he said. “I’m telling you all I know…and you could ask me so much more.”
“I’m leaving!” Zelda cried.
The little princess began stomping away, concealing her fear and anguish, when the man called out.
“Don’t you want to know what happened?”
Zelda paused as a chill wriggled up her spine. She turned around, facing the man.
“You…” she said. “You know?”
“I know more than you may think.”
Zelda stared wide eyed. Her lip quivered, trying to respond. Yet, she didn’t know if she wanted to hear it.
But it was the one question the man gladly wanted to answer. He gave another small cackle, staring the princess directly in the eyes, and answered in a gleeful gloat.
“I did it.”
Zelda gasped. For a moment, her mind stopped. Everything felt like it froze around her. All she could do was stare helplessly at the terrible, terrible old man.
“And I’ll do it to everyone you know, eventually,” he said. “One day…”
The man laughed. He laughed loudly, the sound echoing throughout the castle. The tones carried nothing but joy—with no remorse.
“Get away!!”
Zelda turned and ran back into the castle, holding Saria. She ran even faster than her legs allowed, at a speed which her body wasn’t used to, as the sound of the man’s horrid laughter assaulted her little eardrums.
Zelda tripped on her own foot, and fell to the ground.
There were footsteps behind her, approaching her quickly. Zelda struggled to get back up, but the footsteps were faster.
She felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Aaaahhhh!” Zelda screamed. “GET OFF OF ME!”
“Princess!”
Zelda whipped around.
It was a guard, one of the night patrolmen. He held a lantern in his hand. He stared down at the princess with a concerned look, taken aback by her tone.
“I’m so sorry, Princess,” he said. “I didn’t mean—huh?”
Zelda ran and hugged the guard’s legs. “Th-there’s a scary man in the courtyard!”
“What!?”
Zelda nodded, quivering.
Then her eyes went wide as she looked behind the patrolman.
Looming behind him was the man, standing as close as physically possible. He gazed down at Zelda with his terrible eyes.
Zelda pointed and screamed.
The patrolman spun around, hand on his sword hilt.
There was no one there.
“Huh?” the soldier said.
Zelda was dumbfounded. “But…he was…”
The guard turned to look at her. “Who was?”
“A man with evil eyes,” Zelda said. “I was just talking to him…”
“Is that why you were yelling outside?”
Zelda nodded. “But he was there…he said he made mama sick…”
Zelda hugged Saria tighter, then, for the first time ever, started tearing up in front of someone else.
“I hate him…! He did that to mama! He…he…he was right there!” She pointed again, choking up.
Zelda’s emotions were swirling around, switching from scared, to angry, to sad, to scared again. She wasn’t sure what to do, and she felt like she was about to shatter like a glass.
The guard saw how distressed the young princess looked. Surely an ordinary man couldn’t have done that to the queen. And surely, he would’ve felt someone standing so close to him. But there had been no presence at all. No one was there.
But the young princess seemed to believe it. For that reason, he did not want to dismiss this. It would be cruel.
He knelt down to Zelda’s height. Zelda met his eyes.
“I’ll take you back to your room,” he said. “I’ll inform the other guards on the way to search the castle for this man. Did you see what he looked like?”
Zelda paused to think. “He…he was really old,” she said. “Really old. He had scary glowing eyes, and…”
“Is that it?”
“No, no,” Zelda said, trying to remember. “He…he had long hair.”
“What color?”
“I think it was red…”
The patrolman nodded. “Alright,” he said. “Thank you. I’ll pass that information to the other guards.”
“Okay,” Zelda said. “But I’m still scared.”
“I’ll personally guard your room,” the patrolman said. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t get you.”
Zelda loosened her grip on Saria. “…Thank you.” She swayed her stuffed seal back and forth.
“Alright,” the patrolman said. “Let’s go.”
He started to lead the princess back to her room. He stopped every guard they ran into along the way, where he relayed the information to them, and asked them to do the same to the others. He figured by the time they made it to the princess’s room, the entire patrol would be ready.
Zelda stared down at the floor, still frightened, but with a sorrowful look in her eye.
The patrolman looked at her, and he immediately understood just what she was thinking.
“I’m sad too,” he told her.
She glanced at him.
“I don’t know about you, but hearing the eulogy from the king, it made me cry,” he said. “He delivered it without his voice wavering, too. It was beautiful.”
“Mmm…” Zelda said. Her face turned red, trying to hold it in.
“She must’ve been a great mama,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll look over you from now on.”
“But she can’t…” Zelda whimpered.
“Hm?”
“She’s not happy…she’s not sad…she’s not suffering…she’s not at peace…she’s…she’s…
“She’s…dead…”
Saying it felt so foreign to her, so unreal. But she saw it. She was there in her last moments. Yet, it didn’t feel real. Simply acknowledging it hurt her. She felt so weak, so helpless…
The patrolman gazed at her with sympathy. “I’m sorry, princess. Truly.”
Zelda gazed up at him. “Then what’s the point of all this…? Why are we doing all this when she’s not here anymore! She…she can’t even look over at us…”
The princess sniffled, snuggling her stuffed sand seal.
The patrolman gave her little hand a loving squeeze. “Well…” he said. “I like to think we did it so that everyone knew how great she was.”
“But why?”
“Because she was a life worth celebrating,” he said. “Our sorrow from her loss was once the joy we had knowing her. Sharing that joy is just what we do, to make us less sad in the face of a cruel world. And from the looks of your tears, you have a lot of joyous times to share.”
“Uh…uh huh…” Zelda said, nodding. She sniffed. “I love mama. She made me happy.”
“I know she did, Princess,” he said.
“Is mama…really looking down on me?”
“I don’t know,” the patrolman said. “No one can know. Not even that man you encountered.”
“But what if she isn’t looking down on me?”
“Don’t think too hard about it,” he said. “You’ll feel her, every now and then, in the depths of your heart. That’s how you know she’s there. You’ll often find that’s enough.”
Zelda smiled ever so slightly. “My heart…”
The patrolman and the princess arrived at her room. “Alrighty, here we are,” he said. “And fear not, I’ll guard your room.”
“Thank you,” Zelda said. “What’s your name?”
“My name is Lozorous,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. Lozorous,” Zelda said.
“Don’t mention it,” he said. “Goodnight, then.”
Zelda nodded, and closed the door. She ran with Saria to her bed, and curled up with her—alongside her other stuffed animals.
Mama…
Zelda thought back to some of her favorite moments with her. Like the time she helped her build Terrako. The little princess recalled another time when she’d accidentally hurt her knee chasing after a bunny on the outskirts of town, and her mama cheered her up by making the silliest faces to her. Zelda laughed even now thinking of them.
Then there was the time her mama played tea party with her, and she’d even gotten her papa to join in. Zelda played with them all day, and they all laughed and laughed together. That had always been one of the best days of her life.
She remembered her mama smiling whenever it was a day to them both. Zelda loved those days with her. And looking back, she loved them even more. It made her feel like someone was there who could hold her. In a way, she still felt that warmth.
She remembered a funny time when her mama tried sour food for the first time. Her face was priceless!
Then there was the time they fed the birds in the nearby park together…
Then…the time Zelda and she made a pillow fort…
Then…
The little princess had finally closed her eyes. Her thoughts had slowed down, and her bed felt cozier than usual. She hugged Saria tightly.
And her mama, in the depths of her heart, soothed her to sleep.