A Cherry Blossom - The Feather

Chapter 6

I picked a juicy apple and orange from the small pile of fruit, and took in the warmth of the fire. It was now getting very cold because of the endless blizzard on the mountain; I could see my breath from it being below freezing. I started to shiver, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Here." Syaoran stood up from his seat across from me and took off his cape. He gently laid it on my shoulders. "This should keep you warm."

I blushed in embarrassment, but took the cape to cover my body. "Uh..thank you." I said.

"Of course." I looked back into his brown eyes. He was such a gentleman that he reminded me so much of Link.

"Okay, listen." I raised my head more to have him pay attention. "You have to understand that I have no intention of getting very close to you. I really appreciate your help, but all I want is for us to be friends and nothing more than that."

He took it in for a second, then smiled. "I was thinking the same thing. I'm just here to make sure you're safe from whatever is out there."

The way he said it made me believe him, and I smiled back. "Good. I'm sorry I said that so suddenly."

"Don't worry about it." He then leaned forward. "What I want to know is what Hyrule is like. How did you come to love it so much?"

I smiled wider. "Because of its beauty." I closed my eyes to imagine myself back home. "There is a huge field with the greenest grass you could ever see, and the brightest sun that feeds the pretty flowers that bloom. It has a forest, a mountain, a lake, a river with a waterfall at the source, and a desert full of sand. They all have their own qualities that could never be copied or replaced."

"Sounds wonderful," Syaoran commented.

I nodded. "But the real reason why I love Hyrule so much is because of people. There was barely any trouble with crimes and thefts, and everyone loved their home. Especially Zelda, the princess of Hyrule."

"What's she like?"

"She's the most gorgeous girl in the kingdom, with blonde hair and the bluest eyes. She loves her kingdom with all her heart, and would do anything to keep it safe. I've been her servant for a while, actually."

"You are? That's quite ironic."

I gave him a look, but continued. "Yes, but I wasn't her servant before four months ago, when I was living on the streets. It was like that for me for about a year and a half, and I almost died of starvation before she came and took me in." Syaoran's face was in shock, but I kept going. "My parents and baby sister were killed by Ganondorf two years ago. Ever since then I had to survive on my own, and I really thought I would never make it. That's why I need to get back; to repay the debt I owe Zelda for saving me. Also because she's one of my best friends." I shrugged.

"Hold on," Syaoran interrupted. "You mean to tell me that you were living on the streets for almost two years?" He shook in head in an attempt to believe what he heard.

"Yes! You don't believe me?" I mocked.

That made him straighten up immediately. "No, I do, it's just..."

"It's hard to believe because I'm a princess to you." I said it so smoothly, and he nodded in agreement. "I can see how that would be. You can thank Ganondorf for taking my family from me. I'm pretty sure he was the one who attacked Clow all those years ago. I'm not sure why, though." I lowered my eyes in thought, but then looked back up. "Anyway, enough about Hyrule. What is Clow like?"

He grinned then. "I'm surprised you don't remember anything about it. It's placed in the middle of a desert, where the sun brings the hottest days and the moon brings the coldest nights. The kingdom is not very big, but that does not mean the people don't love living there, as you've said for Hyrule. The king-your father-passed away a few years ago, when he was trying to find your location with dark magic. It was too much for him, and he..."