Children waiting for the day they feel good

[start_a_rumpus]

It's not often that Max is quiet. He has his moments when he's sad, or he's thinking or when he's absolutely so happy he can't stand it but those times are few and far between.

But then Jason crawled out of his grave and Max pretty much shut up.  He still doesn't really understand. Why he was in there and why that gravestone says he was dead. All he

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[hylianqueen]

Zelda hadn't had much experience with children before coming to the island, too busy to spend time with the few left in the villages during the years of the war and a child herself when she did have time for such things. It was a new experience, though, and she relished new experiences.

She didn't always understand children, however, and Max was no exception. She found him throwing rocks against a tree, splintering the bark.

"What did the tree do that has you so angry at it, Max?"

[start_a_rumpus]

"It's this whole place," he growls, quickly blinking away tears. He doesn't want a Princess to see him cry. Especially not a grown up one.

"The whole place is bad. And it hurts people for no reason. And...and it lies."

[hylianqueen]

Zelda pressed her lips together, unsure of what to do to comfort him. In many ways, Max was still a little boy, and in some important ones he was a growing young man. Zelda didn't want to stifle one for the sake of the other.

"The world can be that way, full of perils. It's the place of good men to try and make it as best they can. Would you like to talk to me about it? We could go have a cup of tea in the kitchens while we do."

[start_a_rumpus]

Max doesn't like tea, but he likes her. She's pretty and even though she's not old like his mom, she's still kind of like that. In a good way.

"Okay," he grumbles, throwing one last rock. "But this place is worse than the rest of the world. It does things just to be mean. On purpose."

[hylianqueen]

"It does," Zelda conceded, holding her hand out for Max if he wanted to take it. She didn't want to be condescending but she suspected he might want a little comfort.

"You can change the world, though, Max. I know it may seem like you can't, because you're very small, but even the very small can have a big effect on the world around us."

[start_a_rumpus]

"No I can't," he suddenly cries. "I can't! I tried and I messed it up and I made my friend sad and he got buried in a grave and I didn't even help."

[hylianqueen]

"Who? Which friend is this?" Zelda asked, trying to keep the concern from her voice. "If you told me his name, perhaps I can help with your friend. I wouldn't mind helping, not at all."

[start_a_rumpus]

"Jason," he sobs, letting go to angrily wipe at his face. "He died and he had to get out of his grave and I thought he was a monster."

[hylianqueen]

"I don't know him," Zelda confessed, wishing she had. Perhaps she could soothe the boy's conscience if she had a little more information about the situation at hand. "I'm sure he wasn't upset with you for being frightened, though. I would have been frightened too, seeing that."