Link was riding Epona through the heart of Hyrule Field when he saw her.
He reined in his horse, squinting in the dying sunlight as someone blocked his path.
"What, no 'hello'? Is there no taming the feral beast?"
As they moved forward, becoming more visible, Link stared into red and yellow eyes he hadn't seen for two long years.
"I missed you, Wolf Boy."
She was tall, as tall as he remembered her being when he last saw her. Like then, her orange hair was long and luxurious, not the matted ponytail he was used to. Her smile, instead of a sarcastic sneer, was radiant.
Even when she began to smirk playfully, it was beautiful.
"Why so surprised, Link?" Midna asked softly. "I said I'd see you later."
Like two years ago, his voice left him at the sight of his best friend's true form.
So he responded by vaulting from Epona and knocking her over with the force of his hug.
Link was tending to his flock in the pasture at the north end of Ordon Village when she told him the news.
He had just gotten off Epona to pet a goat that was grazing. He was wiping the grime and sweat from his forehead when Midna came up the dirt path and swung the gate open.
"Shoo! Shoo!" She waved at a goat who bleated and scampered off.
Even after years of living in Ordon, she had never taken a liking to the animals.
She flashed Link her trademark tough-guy grin uncertainly as though she were saying We can take on the world together…right?
"So…um…Link…remember when I said we, uh, probably weren't having any brats of our own?"
Link nodded.
Midna grimaced.
"Well…uh…oops."
Link gaped.
"But…you said… you said we couldn't!"
Midna rolled her eyes.
"I said I didn't think we could. It's not like matches like us happen every day."
"When…?"
"Not for a while yet, Wolfie."
"A while" turned out to be five months.
"You are coming to Castletown to have the baby and that is absolutely final." Zelda had declared firmly, gripping Midna's hand.
Midna's eyes just rolled in exasperation.
She had been doing a lot of that lately.
"That's probably best." Link put in, setting a cup of tea for their guest on Rusl's table.
For the last few months, Midna had not been able to get up and down from Link's tree house so Rusl had let the couple stay with him and his family.
Midna glared at Link witheringly.
"Don't take her side."
He put up his hands placatingly.
"No side-taking has occurred. I'm just saying, the castletown has the best doctors."
"I just don't like the idea of my daughter being born where that blight sat."
"I sit there now." Zelda said. "It is not blighted any longer."
But Link was fixated on another issue.
"You're sure it's a girl? It could be a boy." He pointed out.
"Uh, is the little monster in you because I didn't think so."
"The sex of the child is not determined." Zelda agreed. "But I am. You two will be guests in my home until he or she arrives."
"Nothing's determined!" Midna groused.
But it was two against one.
After Zelda had fallen asleep, Midna was sitting on Rusl's front step, enjoying the warm summer night air. Link joined her, putting his arm around her.
She leaned in.
"You shouldn't call him a monster, you know."
Midna laughed bitterly, grabbing Link's hand.
"With us as parents? Link, this child is…is a little piece of light in darkness. What else would you call that?"
"I don't know. But not a bad thing, that's for sure."
Midna sniffed.
"Link, it's a mix of light and dark, our two worlds. That's not supposed to happen. It's…wrong."
"Are you saying we're wrong?"
Midna chuckled.
"I don't think so. But I think the universe sure does."
"We've proven the universe wrong before, old friend."
Midna grinned and for a second he saw the mischievous imp he saved the world with.
"So you're saying let's do it again, huh?"
Link smiled.
Link was waiting behind the ornate oak door to the castle's hospital wing when it was over.
Zelda opened the door excitedly, beaming.
"Link come quickly! Oh, he's such a healthy boy, you won't believe."
"Woah!"
She pulled him by the sleeve. He skittered on the white marble floor as she marched him to a bedroom at the far corner of the wing, past the rows and rows of hospital beds.
In the middle of the purple velvet carpet, in a large four-poster bed with a red canopy, sat Midna holding a squirming bundle.
Through an army of nurses fussing over her and giving her instructions she smiled at Link as though she were saying The universe has been called into questioned, my friend.
"Come hold your son, Wolf Boy." She ordered giddily.
He held his breath as he walked up to inspect the little thing sucking his thumb in his mother's arms.
Until now he hadn't known what to expect his child to be like but he couldn't help thinking the outcome was perfect.
He had pale grey skin and the pointed ears of the ancient Hylian race. A thick bramble of bright orange hair covered his head. His beady eyes opened to reveal his mother's red and yellow color.
There were rumors around the castle. The boy was an abomination. Grotesque. He didn't look human. He didn't fully look Twili either. He was unnatural.
"He's beautiful." Zelda breathed, cradling him by the fire in her study.
"Well, you two." she said, handing him over to Midna. "Time to come clean. He goes home tomorrow. Does his aunt get to know what she will call him tonight?"
"We were thinking Daphnes." Link told her.
"You were thinking Daphnes."
"I was thinking Daphnes."
"It's a good, strong name." Zelda said approvingly. "A king's name. It was my father's."
Link nodded, his expression determined.
"It's a name that commands respect. And that's what people will do. Respect him."
He took the baby from his mother and looked at him. The child burped and nestled closer to his father.
He didn't see a monster. He saw his baby son. He would prove the universe wrong.
A/N: To be continued. I just really love the idea of a half-twili and how the world would react to one looking different and the powers they would probably develop as they got older. This will basically be Link and Midna fighting for acceptance for their son while teaching him to control his abilities along with the usual challenges and joys of family. Thank you for reading!I hope you enjoyed it and please tell me what you think!