The rest of the tour continued uneventfully, other than the sheer number of stops that Zelda had in store for them. Eventually, the pair left the confines of the garden to roam the upper levels of the castle. Of course, everyone they passed stopped and bowed their head toward the Princess and a few even spared a confused look Liesl’s way. However, no one directed any questions at the girl that Princess Zelda was leading around by the hand.

The library was their next destination and Liesl could hardly believe that so many books were kept in one place. And besides that wonder was a budding excitement at all the new stories she would get to read! The girls visited many more nooks, crannies, and secret spots thereafter. Including the top of one turret that provided a stunning view of the city, as well as the whole of the castle. Especially as the sun was setting. However, the chill in the air that persisted despite the warm spring days quickly drove the two inside. Besides, the hour was getting late and Impa had said to not be late for dinner.

So, their ultimate destination ended up being a dining room. A much smaller one than the grand hall Liesl passed through earlier, but one just as nicely decorated. In the middle sat a long table with plenty of chairs. However, only two places looked prepared. One at the head of the table and one catty-corner to the right.

“Here we are!” Zelda said before finally dropping Liesl’s hand and beckoning her to follow instead. “This is where I eat all my meals. Well, unless there is a big event or something. Then I eat with Father and all the guests.”

“What about when there isn’t a big event?” Liesl asked. Were they the only two that would be eating here tonight?

“Then it’s usually just me,” Zelda admitted with a shrug. “Father is too busy and eats his food in his study. Sometimes Impa comes, but she gets busy too.”

“Oh,” Liesl hummed before her eyebrows creased in displeasure. She and her parents had always eaten together, as well as frequent guests from both near and far. Didn’t Zelda want to eat with the King? “Do you get lonely eating by yourself?”

“Sometimes.” Zelda followed the answer by pulling out her chair and then plopping down in it. Whereupon she gestured at the one next to her that had silverware and a napkin placed in front of it. “But I don’t have to be anymore because you’ll eat with me every day!”

Oh, she was right, wasn’t she? Liesl was going to be with the Princess for all their meals now. And after everything that happened, that didn’t seem so bad. Much better than eating alone, right? This afternoon had been fun and Liesl even found herself smiling once or twice during their little adventure. “Yeah,” she said before doing the same with her chair and sitting down. “Is the food good?”

“It’s really good, you’ll see.”

Just then, a woman appeared from a different door than the one they’d come through. A plethora of mouthwatering smells followed her, and she smiled when she arrived between the two girls a moment later.

“Ah, you must be our new guest,” she said while looking down at Liesl with bright eyes, despite the woman’s obvious age.

“She’s my new friend,” Zelda corrected.

“Oh, I see. Well, that’s wonderful news. What’s your name, young lady?”

“Liesl.”

“Ah, such a pretty name. So, Princess, Liesl, are you ready for dinner?”

“Yes, please,” Zelda said before putting her hands up, interlacing her fingers, and leaning forward on the table. “What do we have tonight?”

“Let’s see, we have a nice roast cooking along with vegetables, a fresh loaf of bread with butter, and a hearty soup.””

“Do you have dessert today?” Zelda asked, with a seemingly one-track mind.

Soft laughter made the wrinkles at the corners of the woman’s eyes more pronounced as she nodded. “Yes, of course. We can’t forget that now, can we?”

“Nope!” But then Zelda turned her attention to Liesl and the smile on the Princess’s face faded to something more serious. “Does that sound good? Do you want something else?”

The question surprised Liesl somewhat, but she quickly shook her head. “No, that’s alright,” she answered before looking up at the kind old woman. “Thank you.” The last thing she wanted was to make all those people cook something else just for her!

“You’re welcome, dear. Alright, I’ll have some soup and water out in a moment.”

Then she was gone, headed back to the kitchen, leaving the two girls alone once more.

“I wonder what dessert they have…” Zelda mused as they waited. “I hope it’s cake.”

“Do you get dessert every night?” Liesl asked.

“Mm, not every night. Father says it’s not good for me, but usually the cooks let me have something. Especially when Impa isn’t here and it’s just me.”

Oh, well, that was nice. And if Impa wasn’t here usually, then that meant they got dessert often, right? Or…now that *she* was here with Zelda for dinner, did that mean they wouldn’t get it as much? Hmm, a worrying development. However, before there was time to ponder it, the servant woman returned with two bowls and two cups.

“Thank you,” both girls said in unison and then giggled at the coincidence.

“You’re welcome, girls. Now, eat up so you both grow big and strong.”

Luckily, such a prospect was easy when the food was so delicious. All it took was one bite and Liesl’s eyes lit up before her spoon plunged back into the soup. She had no idea what was in it beyond beans, some herbs, and maybe…ham? Well, it didn’t matter much, and she happily set about eating the whole bowl just in time for the main course to come out.

“I’ll be back out to check on you both in a few minutes to see if you want more.”

Both girls only nodded in response now that they were happily eating. However, when they got to the main course, Liesl and Zelda fell into simple conversation. Mostly about what it was like to grow up in a castle. In the end, Liesl finished most of her dinner but knowingly left some room in her stomach for the anticipated dessert. Which ended up being chocolate cake, just like the Princess hoped. How fortuitous for the both of them!

For a day that started so terribly, it sure felt better now. Or that’s what Liesl thought by the time the meal had come to an end. Once dinner and dessert were done, Zelda showed her new friend the way back to their rooms. Which ended up being a short distance down the hall. Apparently, the Princess had almost this entire wing to herself. Which consisted of the dining hall, the rooms she took her lessons in, and her bedroom.

When Liesl finally stepped that last one, her eyes went wide once more. “It’s so big in here!” She said in shock. It felt like you could’ve fit multiple of Liesl’s old rooms in this one, and the giant bed that sat in the middle of one wall may as well have been made for a dragon it was so large. Its four posts supported a canopy above it and each side held up sheer fabric that no doubt gave the Princess at least a little privacy.

She also had her own bookshelf stocked full, a large dresser, and not one but two armoires. One on either side that no doubt contained all those pink dresses she mentioned. A desk sat on another wall with books, papers, and even an area designated for toys. All of which happened to be tidied away.

“This is amazing…” Liesl said in disbelief as she came to stand in the middle, slowly turning as she took it all in.

“That’s not even the best part,” Zelda said before moving toward a door on the far side.

“It isn’t?”

“Nope!”

Of course, Liesl’s curiosity got the better of her, and she immediately moved to follow. What was in there? A closet? Even more dresses? Toys? Once Zelda opened the door, Liesl saw another room that sat undisturbed and plain. Not only was the room smaller, but nearly everything in it was as well. There was still a desk and a bookshelf, but only one armoire with a dresser. And to her surprise, when she opened it, she found herself face to face with some of her dresses from home.

“How?” She wondered aloud as Zelda stepped up beside her.

“Impa told me some people brought things from your house. Not everything, though. Sorry.”

Strangers were in her house? Touching her things? Hmm, Liesl didn’t know how to feel about that, so she tried not to focus on it. Instead, she turned to Zelda with a puzzled look on her face. “This is…my room?”

“It is,” Zelda confirmed with a nod. “We’ll be right next to each other!”

“That’s right,” came a voice back in the direction of Zelda’s room. One that Liesl was quickly coming to recognize. A moment later, Impa stepped through the door and began to look around Liesl’s new room.

“Well, what do you think, Liesl? Do you like it?”

“It’s okay,” she admitted with a shrug. It was nice, but it didn’t feel like her room at home.

“I suppose it’s a little boring,” Impa admitted. “But over time, I’m sure you’ll add your personality to it. And don’t worry, we still have a few more things coming from your home.”

Oh, hopefully, her toys and favorite books! However, before she could get any specifics, Impa was turning and beckoning them both to follow her.

“Come now, girls. It’s time to get ready for bed.” Of course, Liesl didn’t question the request, especially when Zelda moved to follow. And in the following minutes, the pair went through a nighttime routine that consisted of washing their faces, brushing their teeth, and getting changed into nightgowns. Then it was time for them all to sit on Zelda’s bed.

First Impa sat behind Liesl, brush running through her long, blonde hair over and over to get the tangles out. Just like her mother had once done. Which meant that Liesl was quiet throughout and, if it weren’t for the happier half of the day, she may teared up again. Instead, she was simply feeling…bad. Just bad.

“All done,” Impa announced before turning Liesl slightly. “Would you like to try with Zelda’s hair? I usually do it every night, but one day that will be your job.”

Her job? Oh, that’s right. She was to be Zelda’s Hilda. Still, it felt like a lot of responsibility. However, that didn’t mean she was going to shy away. The Princess had been kind to her, so it was the least she could do, right?

“Okay,” Liesl said before taking the brush and moving behind Zelda. The first few passes went smoothly enough, but soon she caught a knot and jerked the Princess’s head back suddenly.

“Ow!”

“Sorry!”

“That’s okay,” Zelda said before turning and smiling. “It happens.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Impa added a moment later before extending her hand to take the brush back. Which Liesl happily did to not cause her new friend any more pain. “Why don’t you go hop in bed and I’ll be in shortly to say goodnight.”

Liesl nodded her understanding and then hopped off the bed; however, before she ran off to her room, she turned to face Zelda and offered her another awkward bow. “Thank you, Princess. I had fun.”

“Me too,” Zelda said. “But you can just call me Zelda.”

“In private,” Impa corrected. “But Liesl should refer to you by your title when others are around.”

“Alright,” Liesl said with a nod before returning her attention to Zelda. “Goodnight, Zelda.”

“Goodnight, Liesl!”

Then Liesl turned and walked slowly off toward her room. She left the door cracked and then scampered off to bed to get beneath the covers. It was comfortable, but not even a soft mattress and fluffy pillows could keep the loneliness from creeping back.

Thankfully, Impa wasn’t long in showing up and Liesl sat up in her bed once the woman knocked on her door and stepped in. “Are you settled?” She asked before coming up to stand next to her bed.

“Yes,” Liesl said before laying back down.

“Good,” Impa said with a nod. “And did you have fun with Princess Zelda?”

Liesl nodded before looking toward the door. “It was a good tour and dinner was delicious.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Now, get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow.”

Another big day? Liesl was really getting tired of those, but she didn’t voice any concern. Instead, she sank deeper into the blankets and nodded her understanding.

Impa smiled a moment later and then turned to leave the room. One last “goodnight” preceded her disappearance through the door, and then Liesl was alone. Really alone. With no one coming. And in that loneliness, her mind wandered to places that were…uncomfortable.

So, she tossed and turned and tried to think about cake or the fun she had instead of her parents’ funeral. It wasn’t until a light appeared underneath the door that separated her room from Zelda’s that Liesl was finally distracted enough to think about something else. And once that curiosity took hold, it was all she could think about. Considering it was much more appealing than her previous line of thought, Liesl decided to indulge it.

She threw back the blankets and then tiptoed up to the door to turn and place her ear to it. When no discernable sound came to her, she decided to go one step further and open the door as silently as she could. However, since Zelda was very much awake, she must’ve caught the movement in her eye and started to scramble with the book she was reading in her bed and the candle she was using to see. At least until she realized who it was that had caught her.

“Oh, Liesl,” she said before tilting her head in curiosity. “What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted before stepping more into the room. “What are you doing?”

“Reading. But don’t tell Impa, okay? She gets upset when I stay up late and don’t get enough sleep.”

The secret caused a little smile to kick up on Liesl’s lips and she nodded quickly in agreement. “I won’t tell, I promise.”

“Thanks.” But then Zelda paused and looked as if she were thinking something over. “Do you want to come lay in my bed? I can read out loud.”

Was that allowed? Would she get in trouble if they were both caught up when they weren’t supposed to? But even with those questions in the back of her mind, Liesl nodded and then took hasty steps across the room before practically jumping into the bed. Honestly, they probably could’ve fit ten of them comfortably. So, she wasn’t really worried about taking up too much space.

“Here,” Zelda said before shifting a few pillows Liesl’s way. “I have a lot so take as many as you want.”

“Thanks.”

“Uh-huh.” As soon as Liesl was comfortable, Zelda cleared her throat and settled back in with the book. “Do you want me to start over?”

“No, that’s okay.” The story really didn’t matter, in the end. Though it sounded interesting, it was really Zelda’s voice that Liesl wanted. The comfort of knowing someone else was there. And with that comfort laying over her like the blanket she burrowed beneath, Liesl was finally, mercifully, able to drift off to sleep…