Neighboring Lands

I'm Scared

"Wake up," a warm and familiar voice speaks softly to me, a gentle hand placed on my shoulder shaking me from the warm cocoon I currently reside in. Slowly my eyes peel open, as I sit up; silk sheets slide off of my head and pooling around my body. Groggily I peer up at the man when he retracts his tan hand, his deep gray eyes crinkled at the corners due to his wide bright smile. His black hair is peeking out from under his helm, the sparkling light metal complemented his handsome features; his body is clad in armor as well, resembling the knights of Hyrule from before the Calamity, a sword strapped to his hip. Weary eyes peer around the room, my brain itching at its appearance. The room is large, with a fireplace at the head of the room near a large redwood door, a small table, and furniture set up near it; a large glass door with light curtains sits to my right. The bed I am laid in has dark blue silk sheets, a thick comforter above that; a mountain of pillows resting where my head once was. The bed is large enough for six people, with the perfect amount of softness and firmness; the bed frame has four posts that rise up high, a draping of mesh over to provide some sort of privacy without hindering my vision.

My confused eyes meet the man before me, the joy and familiarity in his eyes leave me clueless; "Uh...good morning. Where am I?"

The man raises a brow as he stands to his full height, "in your room? Man, how hard did you sleep?"

"I'm not...sure...who are you?"

His teasing expression shits into worry as his eyes search my face, "are you okay? It's me, Damian."

It feels as if the world around me stops, my mind freezing, eyes wide as I stare at the man before me; the fuzzy face from my memories now taking shape into him. I quickly move to my knees as my arms wrap around him in a tight embrace; a river of apologies spilling from my lips as I explain where I have been for the past one hundred years. "I've missed you so much!"

His arms hesitantly wrap around me, "what are you talking about? You've never left to Hyrule, there's no calamity going on."

My body stiffens as I slowly pull back, "what?"

"Did you read those books before you fell asleep?"

"I-I," my eyes travel to the small table stacked with books, slipping off the bed my feet meet the cool plush fur of the rug beneath the bed; my nightgown tickles my ankles as I stagger my way to the small pile of books. My hands tremble as I inspect each cover; The Hero of Time, A Boy Lost And The Man That Was Found. The Hero of Winds, A World Buried Underwater. My mouth goes dry as I look at the other titles, all written accounts of the Legendary Heros, their quests, and their companions. "But it was all so real." I flip through the pages of Twilight's Legend, scanning for any indication that I was there; mentions of a reincarnated Goddess from a faraway land pop up throughout the text. Speaking of the aid she rendered, and the adventure she embarked on with the hero; however, there are no details on if it was me or another incarnation.

"Hey," Damian crosses the room and turns me to face him; my horror-stricken face must have caused worry to shoot through him as he quickly places a hand against my forehead. "You're burning up, get dressed and I will go get a doctor. Do you need my help? I can stay with you and call for a maid."

I shake my head, "no. I'll be okay, get a doctor...something is not right here." I look around my room missing how Damiam's face sets in with more worry at my insistence to be alone. My missing memories fill in the blanks of what door leads to where in the large room. With quick feet, I rush to my wardrobe, grabbing a dress and cloak before searching for my circlet and veil. Damian grabs it from a bedside table and places it on top of the bundle of clothing in my arms; before he rushes from the room. Heading to the restroom I look at myself in the mirror, the injury I received during the Vah Noboris battle gone; dropping my clothing on the counter, I strip and inspect my body. All the scars and muscle definition I have received throughout my adventures are gone, nowhere to be seen, with no trace remaining. My eyes burn as I twist and turn in place, looking at every angle to catch even a small glimpse of something that would confirm my time spent with the heroes. My frantic eyes take in my own unfamiliar face as I grip the brush from the counter, before roughly yanking it through the knots in my hair, tossing it aside after little is accomplished I brush my teeth, then dress. All those years I have spent...wait no, the dream of the years I spent with them, has left me unrecognizable to my own mind. My hair, skin, body definition, scars, all of it; is so different from what I became used to seeing in the reflective surface around me.

Placing the circlet in place I raise my hood, feeling as if I have been shoved into a cage once more as my concealed reflection stands before me. But at least the unfathomable horror of seeing a face that should be me, yet is no longer; is no longer staring into my own frightened eyes. With a shaky breath, I leave the bathroom and sit on my bed, my body stiff and shaking. As the seconds pass, I stand once more and go to the books, grabbing Legend's tale and inspecting it from all angles; looking for hidden pages, a hidden message, anything that would prove that what I went through was real. Yet, unsurprisingly, it all comes up as insignificant nothingness. The heavy creaking of my door startles me as a maid rushes in with a bucket of cool water and some cloth; behind her is Damian and an older man dressed in a white lab coat.

"I heard you woke with delusions and fever, have a seat so that I may inspect you; Your Highness." His voice is scratchy and worn due to age, wrinkles decorate his face, thick gray eyebrows, and a bushy beard and mustache that matches frames his face. He is about my height, yet appears shorter due to his hunched-over form, a leather bag is grasped in one hand while a light wooden cane is in the other. The clacking of the wood against the stone flooring informs me that it is time for me to move and follow his instructions.

Slowly I make my way over to the bed, my bare feet making a pattering noise as I move; once to the bed I sit and lift my veil when instructed to. "I...I am not sure what is going on. The dream...it felt so real."

The doctor shushes me as he reaches into his bag, pulling a thermometer from within and placing it under my tongue; he then instructs the maid and Damian to hold the skirt of my dress up while he checks my reflexes. From there he checks my pulse, my heart, my lungs, and finally my temperature. Farrowing his brows he shakes his head, "I'll need to take some blood and run some tests. Until I return stay in bed and eat light foods; nothing that could upset your stomach."

"Yes sir," I reply and receive weird looks from both the maid and doctor. "I mean...of course." My long sleeve is raised as a small needle is pushed into the junction of my elbow. Normally I would look away from the act of drawing blood; the stinging sensation would cause me to wince or flench away, yet I stare at my blood filling the syringe, the pain not affecting me. The doctor puts his material away before being escorted out by Damian. The maid instructs me to disrobe into my night clothes to say cool, and once done she places a cool wet rag against my forehead.

"I will leave Damian in charge while I make preparations. I hope you feel better soon." She sounds worried as she tucks me into bed.

"Thank you..." Settling into the warm embrace of my bed my eyes struggle to stay open. The maid leaves the room as my mind wanders. 'I'm happy to see Damian again, to remember the face that has meant so much to me...but I miss the heroes. Is this real? Were my adventures a dream? Or is this a dream?' Soon I drift into a dreamless sleep.