Lost in Time- A Zelink Story

Chapter Eleven

The next day, I am able to walk on my own, although I still feel weaker than usual. It's strange to me just how much having my secret stone on me helps to strengthen not just my powers of time, but also my general health. I'm able to eat lunch in the gardens again, although the healer and Queen Sonia still won't let me out on a ride with Dolly.

Mineru holds on to the seven secret stones as she figures out how to work them, but she eventually deduces that they are supposed to be kept with the user at all times, worn in a place of significance.

"I'm not entirely sure what 'a place of significance' means," she tells us that afternoon, "but I've commissioned some jewelry so we can at least wear them with us, like the book says. I believe that using them may be more spiritual than technical, but I don't know as of yet how you would achieve a connection with your stone."

Mineru, Rauru, Sonia, and I are standing in the grand library, over a table piled high with ancient texts. The sun hangs high and bright above our heads, and I hold back a few yawns as she talks, not wanting to worry them further with my persistent fatigue. The three of them have stones of their own to experiment with, but the king and queen decided that it would be best to hold off on giving them to any of the other sages until we know more about them. Their stones, after having been effectively claimed by them, have each developed unique colors, just like mine. They have also, inexplicably, been engraved with the curving, Zonai writing that depicts which power they correspond to.

"I think the best method, for now, is just to try things out as much as we can," Rauru says, "we should use our powers as much as we can with them on us, and see what happens. Er- not you, though, Zelda. Sonia tells me you still need a few more days to recover."

I frown, but nod solemnly.

And that is how I end up, two hours later, sneaking out of the castle on my own. I think about telling Link where I'm going, but decide against it. He'd probably lecture me on how I need to focus on healing before I try anything new. I'll be fine though, I know, and it's no use fighting with him. Besides, things are still a little off between us, even though we're on speaking terms now. I don't know if things will ever go back to normal between us, if they ever were.

I feel much better than I did when I first woke up, and it's only been a few days. Not to mention how much my secret stone helps with my strength, even when it's tucked safely in a leather satchel hanging from my shoulder.

I slip quietly out of the infirmary, the healer shooting me a sharp glare, although she's promised not to tell the king and queen about this. I make my way to the stables, finding Dolly, who's been suffering from a severe lack of loving attention these past few days. She nuzzles my hand accusingly, as if asking how I could possibly be so horrible as to not take her out for our daily rides.

Once I have her saddle on, I clamber up- with more difficulty than usual- and head out of the castle grounds. It's a nice day, the fluffy white clouds hanging calmly over the landscape and providing shade from the sun. I don't think about where I'm going, really, but I eventually end up in the clearing by the creek where I first (purposefully) used my time powers a few weeks ago. It's late afternoon, and the day is warm and sticky, a prelude to the summer that's almost arrived. The creek still gurgles softly, and birds still chirp happily in the swaying branches overhead.

I let Dolly graze in the tall, green grasses that line the clearing and sit down in front of the creek, picking up a small stone and tossing it into the water, just like I did before, watching small fish dart away from the sudden disturbance. I pull my secret stone out of my satchel, feeling it's warm and comforting weight in my palm. I start to focus, trying to coax my powers into the secret stone in my hand, like I'm pouring water into a funnel. It's hard, much harder than using my powers on their own. I'm trying to visualize the stone, leaving the ground, my hand, when I hear a sudden noise nearby.