Tears of a Broken Kingdom

Chapter Seven ~ Hiding from Reality

The graveyard was her last place to check, the sun had sunk all the way down, and now the moon rose in the sky.

Kakariko was deserted by now, everyone was in their own homes, and the graveyard wasn't any different.

The grass was overgrown yet patchy at the same time, the yard having gone to ruin under the current grave-keeper.

Zelda looked across the unkept graveyard, panic now evident on her face.

"Ashton?" She asked in a soft voice, not expecting a response.

She heard a sniffle that came from the back of the yard.

Over by where the Royal Tombstone once was, Zelda saw her son huddled behind one of the Royal composer brothers tombs.

She just about ran over to him, tears pricked her eyes but she ignored them, getting down on her knees next to him.

He was huddled into a ball as small as he could manage, his head hung which made his hair stick out in every direction.

Zelda put a hand on his shoulder, she kept silent as she felt him tremble, his face hidden from view.

"Shhh... it's ok sweetheart, Mom's here now," she said in a soft voice.

He turned his head up, his eyes glassy and his face red and tear-stained.

"-Mom... I-" Ashton began, sobs rose in his voice and he made a pained expression.

Zelda picked him up and put her son on her lap, he cried into her shoulder.

Her mind went back to the Spirit Temple, Ashton had been in about the same position there. And then Link... his face had been so determined. Cut up and covered in blood, his eyes ringed with dark circles. He had been so concerned for them.

She bit her lip to stop her tears and pushed her memories away. Her feelings didn't matter.

He cried for a bit longer, and she felt responsible. He was in pain because she hadn't done enough to help him.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Why doesn't Dad have one of these?" he asked, his eyes on the gravestones.

The question took her aback, everything had been such a blur since their return... she hadn't even given thought of having a funeral for her late husband yet.

"... I don't know Ash, I'm sorry. Do you think he should have one?" Zelda said, disappointed in herself for being too concerned about her grief to even give him a proper memorial- since of course his body had been left in the desert.

Ashton nodded, his hand to his face as he wiped his tears away with a sleeve.

"We can do that," she said, her attempt at a smile faltered.

"I miss Dad..." he frowned.

"... Me too sweetheart, it's ok."

Silence pervaded as their voices faded.

Zelda decided against asking Ashton for the reason of his disappearances, she was just glad to have found him. For now, it was all that mattered.

"It's time to go home, I'm so sorry about everything, I'm just glad I found you." She said, picking herself up from the ground.

Zelda extended her hand to Ashton, and he got up too, his hand chilled from the night air.

Together, the two of them made it back to Zelda's horse, which had stayed for the most part stationary, content to munch grass.