A Shadows Lover
By: Love3Lies
Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda OoT, any of its characters, places, items etc.
A/N: Welcome to another wonderful story that has no plot what so ever. Enjoy and as always R & R.
Arista woke up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. It was about an hour before dawn, the time when she always woke up whether she wanted to or not. Not that she ever did want to wake up that early, but as the daughter of Impa it was expected for her to follow in her mother's footsteps. Mainly that met taking care of the princess Zelda, something she despised. It wasn't that the princess was mean, in fact she was often sweet to Arista, but her pity hurt more than any cruelty could. Impa paid more attention to Zelda then her own daughter, something the princess didn't fail to notice. At first when they were little, Zelda would make Impa include her in any games they played or meals they ate together, but as time went on and Arista grew more and more sullen, Zelda began to stop asking for her company. She still greeted the older girl kindly when Arista woke her each morning, but over the years their conversations turned nonexistent and their contact was restricted to Zelda's waking and her bed time.
Dumping a pot of still cold water over her head she shakes the sleep out of her body. She pulls her long white hair into a ponytail with a ribbon and drags on the plain black clothes that she always wore. Ignoring the fact that her mother was still sleeping she walks into the hallway and slams the door behind her. She makes a quick stop to the kitchens to get the Princess's breakfast and then makes her way to the younger girl's room. She puts the food down on the table and then starts to gather up the various books and knickknacks that litter the floor. Almost every night the princess could be found reading multiple books and trying out various things she had read about and normally she made a mess of her room that Arista had to clean up. By the time she is done cleaning and has Zelda's bath water hot enough for her, the sun has risen and she pushes the heavy curtains open to let in the light.
"Good morning Princess Zelda"
Zelda rubs the sleep from her eyes and sits up in her bed.
"Good morning Arista, how are you?"
Arista shrugs and helps her undress for her bath. After as the Princess is eating Arista pulls a comb through her long blond hair until its silky smooth and then dusts it with a shimmering powder so that it will sparkle in the sunlight. After Zelda is done eating Arista helps her to dress in her usual pink gown and begins to clean up her breakfast. Her mother comes in the room just as she puts the dome back on the serving platter.
"Princess Zelda good morning to you"
She nods at her daughter who nods back and then leaves the room to return the platter to the kitchen. The one advantage to being the daughter of Impa was that she could go anywhere during her free time, including the castle dungeons, and no one questioned her. She grabs an extra roll and a hunk of cheese from off of a table and tucks them in her pocket. Picking up a flask of water she makes her way to the dungeons and nods a greeting to the guard before disappearing into the darkness. Most peopled needed a lantern but being half sheikah Arista was able to see fine in the darkness. Her eyes not unlike a cat could draw in the tiniest bit of light letting her see in almost total darkness.
Towards the back of the dungeon was a single cell that very few people dared to visit. Even her mother who claimed to be afraid of nothing came down here only if she absolutely had to. Arista sits herself on the ground and pulled the bread and cheese out of her pocket
"I brought you food"
She reaches through the bars and holds out the food, even with her enhanced vision Arista almost misses the hand that darts out and grabs it.
"Thank you"
Arista waits while the voices outline becomes clearer. With his dark gray skin and jet black hair he was almost impossible to see, only his glowing red eyes so like her own made him distinguishable from the darkness. She waits while he eats and hands him the flask of water which he quickly drains.
"Thank you Arista"
He reaches his hand out to touch her but as soon as he nears the bars the heavy manacles around his arms and legs glow bright gold and he screams. Arista shields her eyes
"Krad!"
She reaches blindly forward and pushes him back away from the bars. The golden glow fades but with its retreat the sharp tang of blood fills the air. Arista grows panicked
"Krad… Krad? Krad!"
"I'm alright"
Arista sighs in relief
"Don't do that Krad, you know you can't go near the bars, not until I find a way to break the spell on the manacles"
"I know Arista…"
Arista can hear the sorrow in his voice and it pierces her heart
"Just hang in there a few more days Krad, I found another part of the spell today in Zelda's room see…"
She pulls out a bottle of blue liquid from her pocket and hands it to him through the bars. Because no one ever came back here it was safe for them to keep the ingredients for the spell in Krad's cell.
"We only need a key and some of Zelda's hair now Krad and I can finely get you out of here."