Tears of a Broken Kingdom

Chapter Six ~ To Disappear

It wasn't that the days got easier, it was that Zelda had gotten used to the pain her grief caused her.

She tried to shove it aside throughout the day, keeping a calm composure. She had convinced Hyrule for the most part she was fine, although there were some that could see through her mask of contentment.

The King for the most part had played along with her falsehood. Zelda assumed he didn't feel like dealing with her grief- or perhaps he didn't know how.

Impa was the opposite.

After the first few days Zelda began to put up the facade the Sheikah sat her down and after some coaxing got out the truth from Zelda.

It made the hard days a little easier to know that someone knew the grief she still felt.

For the most part life continued on, but Zelda and her son both seemed to be  deeper into their grief than before.

Ashton was much quieter now, he hardly spoke, and he'd begun to sneak off and hide, which worried Zelda.

>*<

"Ashton?"

He had snuck off somewhere again, and she hoped he hadn't left the castle like last time.

His hiding spots were getting more elaborate over time, although at first he had hidden under his bed or in a closet.

Last time had been the worst, he had made it all the way out of town and was hiding behind the water grate to the side of the town walls, his clothes all wet from the river. He was racked with shivers, night had already fallen by the time they had found him.

Zelda hoped he hadn't tried to go all the way across the field, she'd have to get out the knights to find him if that was the case. And with the Gerudo beginning to act strange again, it could be dangerous.

She began her search for him, her searches had now developed into a routine. Zelda checked the castle first, but all the hidden spots she had used as a child were empty.

She didn't know why he snuck off like this, it worried her to no end. Zelda didn't know if her son knew how much his new habit made her anxious beyond belief.

As the spots he'd been at before turned up no results, she concluded he had left Castle Town again, although this time he had gone farther than just the river outside.

She returned to the Castle as fast as she could in her customary dress, ordering for her horse to be prepared to ride.

The sun had begun to sink in the sky, and she wanted to find Ashton and take him back home as soon as possible.

She stood at the gate of the castle as she waited for her horse. She fidgeted with her ring as she waited, her anxiety grew as the minutes ticked away.

"Here's your horse, your Highness. ...What's wrong?" said the guard as he sauntered over to her, her horse's bridle in one hand.

"Ashton is missing... again." She said simply, she didn't feel like elaborating, her worried tone was enough to communicate to the guard.

He wished Zelda the best and then returned to his post, his armor clanked with every step.

Zelda took a deep breath as she mounted her horse, she tried to believe everything was fine.