The Legend of Zelda and its characters are property of nintendo, blah, blah, blah. I've only warped and distorted it for my own evil purposes and do not seek to profit from it. This Story and its visualizations are based on the Gamecube version of the game, you know, the real game, as opposed to its copied and mirrored port to the Wii.
1 – First Reminiscence
The Twilight sky shown through the bars over the window of her room. The magic that held the perpetual mantle of twilight in place was plainly visible as darker specks against the already darkened sky. Her particular, or peculiar, talent for using, and sensing, magic was an inheritance from her bloodline. Sometimes this sense for magic would seem like light or darkness, or even colors. She could feel, or sometimes see, small magics that were usually invisible to most people. Greater magics had effects other than their intended purpose, usually temperature, sound, and luminescence, while Great Works, though none had been performed in ages, had even greater "side-effects." The wielders of such works took precautions to shield themselves and others when spell-casting, if they wanted to live long enough to enjoy the benefits of such workings, or so the history texts told.
This, most definitely, was a Great Working, and anyone, not just the gifted, could have plainly seen the magic in the air. If there was anyone to see it but her, for the rest of the inhabitants of this land were, quite literally, everything but dead. They were like wayward, lost spirits that hadn't realized their fate, or denied it, she couldn't be certain which. For a few moments she had seen them as wisps of spirit and, with her magic-sight, shadows of their former bodies. However, she only saw them for those few moments, before her imprisonment.
The bars on the window were really only an ornamentation rather than a barrier. She was a prisoner of her own decisions. She had made a choice between life and death, with the firm belief that with life there is always hope. She hadn't considered that choosing life could mean a fate that some would think worse than death. She was horrified when she discovered the agonizing truth, and spent the first day in her dank cell on her musty mattress, weeping. Not for herself, but for her people. That was why she wore the traditional mourning cloak of the Royal Family. It was a sad, and fitting, coincidence that this room was where she had previously mourned the death of her father, and where the cloak had been left.
Though generally used to more lavish accommodations, it wasn't the first time that she had needed to accept austere conditions. This, however, was a step below spartan. Even when she did not have stone walls or any solid construction sheltering her, usually during the nighttime rests of her traveling, a canvas pavilion was provided for her. A well supplied pavilion at that. Warmth and provisions were never left wanting, because it was a pavilion fit for a princess. A fact that was all too true since she was a Crown Princess, or used to be, up until her dethronement. She had been Princess Zelda of Hyrule, a prosperous land until its invasion by a darkness long forgotten, and now a desolate wasteland.
So she was left there, though occasionally checked by a guard, to mourn in solitude… or so they thought. She was about to have one most peculiar visitor. One who's origin and purpose would long remain a mystery to the Princess. Now, shortly after her imprisonment, she would meet the strange, little, black and white colored creature with orange hair for the first time.
She was once again standing by the window when she sensed a presence approaching, and not through the only doorway, as was customary of the guard. The creature simply melted through one of the outer walls of the room, and glared at Zelda when it realized that it had been noticed. It put a finger to its lips as a sign to keep silent. If the ease with which the creature had entered, by such obviously magical means, were any indication, it would have attempted to harm her already if it was truly malicious. So she thought it best to follow along for the time being. Also, she could sense the magical power coiled within the creature, and it was a formidable power indeed.
Oddly, it felt like two powers, and they both felt like a shadow. Some magics had an elemental feel, or "taste." It could be fire, water, earth, or air depending on the magic, but some were more exotic, like light, or in this instance, shadow. It wasn't an evil power within the creature, it just held the essence of shadow. Much like bats were at home in the darkness, so this magic was akin to shadow. The other power was like a darker shadow on the first, compressed or fused into something almost tangible. While the darker shadow wasn't malevolent in itself, it craved power and dominance. It held the promise that it could be warped for the purpose of evil very easily. It was almost sentient, and it had superiority issues.
If the creature's intentions were less than friendly, Zelda knew enough defensive and shielding magics against physical and magical attacks. Enough that it may be more difficult to harm her than the creature would think. So she simply watched it look around until its gaze finally settled on the fireplace. It floated across the room until it was directly in front of the flames and looked thoughtful for a moment. The creature made a slight motion with its hand and the fire responded by amplifying three-fold, which the hearth still easily contained, but was enough to conceal the creature when it drifted into the fire itself and sat there. It waited, its eyes glittering from the firelight as it watched the doorway. Zelda turned back to the window and waited as well, knowing that it wouldn't do well to be watching the door rather suspiciously when the inevitable search came.
Zelda didn't have to wait much longer before she heard the heavy steps make their way up the stairs and approach the door. A shadow beast swung the door open without any pause or consideration for the room's usually solitary occupant. Zelda turned and looked at the shadow beast. She didn't make any movement towards it, yet she didn't flinch away from it either when it walked up to her and examined her closely. It looked about the room, making one complete circuit before stopping in the middle of the room and looking at Zelda again. She knew better than to be intimidated or to glance in any other direction than where it was standing, especially not towards the fireplace. So she simply looked at it with the same expression as any other time one of the shadow beasts came to check in on her, bring food, or search the room it as this one was doing now.
Apparently having not found what it was looking for, the shadow beast turned and walked out the same door it had opened, not bothering to close it. Zelda waited until she heard the heavy steps fade down the stairway, and the thick main door at the bottom of the stairs close. The bolt on the outside of the tower door shot home, locking her in. She waited for a few more minutes to pass before she calmly walked over to the door to the room and closed it, somewhat relieved that the shadow beast hadn't made its less-than-polite entrance while she was changing or otherwise indisposed towards a visitor. That was a coincidence that had, mercifully, rarely occurred.
The first time that she had been visited during an inopportune moment, she had stared at the shadow beast in the doorway, and it stared at her stupidly in return. Her only dress was half-washed in her hands in the washing tub, so the only thing that she was wearing was the blush rising to her cheeks. The color only deepened as her embarrassment changed to anger, and with a sparkling flash, the shadow beast was blasted out the door to roll the rest of the way down the stairs. She had only meant to magically push the shadow beast out the door, but the strength of her emotion had given the spell an extra potency that she hadn't intended. She momentarily feared a reprimand from her keeper until she heard a hissing laugh echo through the towers of the castle, an echo that had to have been magically enhanced to carry so far. Obviously, the Usurper who had taken her place in the Throne Room could see through the eyes of the shadow beasts, and was announcing that he found her defiant response for the rude visit at least somewhat entertaining. Apparently she wouldn't be punished, this time at least.
Distracted by her reminiscence, she was somewhat startled when she turned around from the door to see the black and white creature floating high enough to look at her face to face, though she schooled her expression not to give away the fact that she had been surprised. The creature stared at her for a few moments, presumably contemplating its next move, and leaned forward to look at Zelda eye to eye for a few seconds. It then promptly turned in place to sit cross-legged in mid-air with its back to Zelda.
"I suppose you're not completely useless, since you were level-headed enough not to draw any attention to me," it announced to the room.
"You're very welcome," Zelda replied, quite diplomatically she thought.
"I suppose you'll want some kind of reward now. That's too bad because I don't have anything to give you. Trying to free you would just attract the attention of the shadow beasts, and neither of us would want that," the creature teased as it smirked at her, looking over its shoulder. "If I did something and they found out that I was here, I wouldn't owe you anything since that would be drawing attention to me after all."
"I suppose that is true," Zelda mused.
The creature turned back to face her with a triumphant grin, reclining on its airy sitting space with hands folded behind its head.
Zelda continued, "Perhaps, then, you could tell me your name? That would seem harmless enough, and then you wouldn't have to feel that you still owed me anything."
The grin instantly vanished from the creature's expression, replaced by a glare and a look of thoughtful consideration. Zelda knew that knowledge of the right name was not at all "harmless enough" and she suspected that this creature knew it as well. A name was a valuable form of information, and possibly a valuable tool for the magically inclined. For a few more moments, it contemplated the ramifications of telling its name to Zelda before contemptuously turning its back on her and sitting in mid-air once again, arms crossed. She thought that it might be finished with her so she walked back to the window and its bleak view, waiting to see if the odd visitor decided to continue the conversation or take its leave of her.
"Midna."
"Excuse me?"
"My name. Midna."
Well at least it hadn't left. Zelda was somewhat interested to find out why this "Midna" was so sought after by the shadow beasts, though she wouldn't dare ask such a sensitive question so early in their still shaky relationship.
"Well then, I suppose a proper introduction is called for. I am Zelda," she announced with a formal bow.
"Oh, I know very well who you are, Princess," Midna replied. The creature made it impossible for Zelda to miss the sarcasm dripping from the formal title. Apparently Midna already knew about her, and Zelda was slightly irritated to be at an informational disadvantage to the odd entity, though she didn't dare show it.
"It seems I'm at somewhat of a deficit then, since I only know your name, and that you have some rather unorthodox ways of entering rooms and hiding in them," Zelda admitted.
Midna smirked once again, and Zelda decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to bolster the creature's ego. It believed that it held the upper hand, if simply because of a sense of mystery. Zelda also had the forethought not to mention that Midna was pursued by the shadow beasts and therefore imply that they might be in an equal predicament.
It would probably be helpful if I don't wound it's pride, she thought, I get the feeling that it would be more cooperative that way, if still unconscionably arrogant. On the inside, Zelda smirked at her unvoiced jab about the creature's lack of manners, but only inside.
"Maybe you are at a disadvantage, hmm?" Midna lectured, "That's probably something that you're not very used to, living a life of luxury and all. I know that you chose to make things the way that they are right now. This was your short-sighted decision after all, wasn't it? Too much comfort and not enough responsibility, how does that make a good ruler who can make good decisions?"
Zelda chose not to respond. Even before the onset of Twilight, her life hadn't been nearly as effortless as Midna implied. Apparently the creature's information wasn't as accurate or limitless as it would like her to believe.
Midna grinned at her again before drifting over to the window and commenting, "The cloud of Twilight looks so lovely today. I think enough time has passed that I can go back outside and manage not to attract any notice while I finish my search." Another imp-like grin, "Oh yes, the shadow beasts might be looking for me, but I'm looking for something myself. It's a secret, though. You don't really need to know what I'm looking for, but if I find out anything else that's interesting, I might come back and tell you about it. Until then, you can stay here and enjoy your new, simple life." With that, Midna floated through the barred window and off into the distance, leaving Zelda to reflect on the creature's words.
"I can remember when my life was simpler, I was still learning about my responsibility to the Kingdom in those days, but at least they were uncomplicated," and as Zelda stared out the window and its desolate view, her memories turned back to a warm summer day.
***
Most people would think that a Crown Princess wouldn't know the feeling of a slap to the face, but during her fourteenth year, when she was old enough to hold a full-sized rapier without difficulty, the King demanded that His daughter learn how to protect herself. Therefore, the Royal Master-at-Arms was the only person allowed to ever strike the Princess in any way without fear of retribution, to a certain extent. However, it wouldn't do for the masses to ever see their Princess with a bruised face, so it was suggested to the Master-at-Arms that it might be improper to leave any marks that could cause worry or gossip among any commoners that might see her. This was a suggestion that the Master begrudgingly accepted, although when a particularly potent reminder about a hole in her defense was needed, a solid swat with the practice sword to the bottom, midsection, or thigh might leave a bruise, but wouldn't be seen under her dress. While this was a rare occurrence, it was sometimes necessary to drive a lesson home, and a slap to the face when her guard was down might redden her cheek, but wouldn't leave a bruise, and served as an excellent lesson to always maintain her guard when in combat, even when in practice.
The first time it happened, she cried to her father, frustrated and upset, but His grim response was, "In a real situation where you might be required to defend yourself, the consequences would be much more dire. You should be grateful that you will able to practice your lesson and improve for the next time, because there are some that won't be inclined to allow you another chance." This was a harsh reality to being a member of Royal Family, and the Heir at that. While most all of the subjects of the Kingdom loved the Royal Family dearly, there were a few people, both from within and without the Kingdom, who might seek to do her harm, either for personal profit or political gain. It was an unfortunate fact of humanity that greed existed in the dark hearts of some people, and to deny this would be an amazing delusion, one that a King couldn't be permitted to entertain. To soften his reprimand, the King smiled warmly at His daughter and continued, "Now is the time for you to dry your tears and show that you will face adversity with a determined and defiant face, as is the proper response from a future Ruler of our good Kingdom. Remember your lessons and practice, and you will show everyone, especially the Master-at-Arms, that you will strive to surmount any challenge."
Zelda was now seventeen, and as she sat down to lunch with her father, she barely contained a wince as she aggravated a fresh bruise. She wasn't able to completely conceal her discomfort from Him, and He hid a small smile of pride. She didn't complain about her treatment from the Master-at-Arms, she only trained harder so that, with any luck, it wouldn't happen again. As the appetizer was being cleared from the table, the King spoke to Zelda, "I would like for you to sit with me in Court today."
Zelda usually sat in Court, so she wondered why today would warrant a special request over their meal. "Are we expecting any foreign emissaries or special representatives?"
"Nothing quite so exotic, my dear," He replied, "We will be taking reports on the well-being of some of the outlying provinces. I would like for you to see some of the different peoples that inhabit our Kingdom, such as the envoy from Ordona. They haven't made the voyage to the Castle for some time. I trust you remember Rusl?"
Zelda wouldn't soon forget Rusl. He had saved the King from mortal injury on one occasion, and Zelda had deemed it necessary to personally thank him. She knew that he had retired from the Crown Guard shortly afterwards, but not that he now resided in Ordona.
Zelda nodded and replied, "I'll be ready before the start of Court, Father. I'll meet you in the Antechamber so the Herald can announce us both." The King smiled at her reply. She could call him "Father" when there were servants attending them or they were outside in public, and sometimes she even called him "Daddy" when they held there private meals together, but she knew to always refer to him as "Your Majesty" when they were at any official function, including Royal Court. Since the time that she was a small child she been given lessons about how to behave properly during functions of Court: how to speak, how to address Nobles of the Kingdom, what their different Titles meant, and the importance and Order of Precedence of those Titles. She excelled at these lessons and acted very much the prim and proper princess during Court. As with most children, she very much enjoyed play-acting at being grown-up.
At one point in her early youth, Auru, the Royal Tutor, mentioned to the King in a private moment, "Young Princess Zelda is the envy of some of the foreign Ambassadors. Some of the servants have overheard them occasionally gossiping about how they wish that the young Heirs of their own Rulers might act with such grace. I daresay that she will grow to be as fine and lovely a woman as her mother, in fact, the Good Queen would be very proud of Her daughter if She were still here with us." For the Queen of Hyrule, Zelda's mother and the King's ever faithful wife, had passed on immediately after Zelda's troubled birth.
The King had been waiting outside the birthing chamber as midwives hurried in and out, all the while listening to the horrible cries of His wife. This was the King's first child, but He was not a stranger to childbirth. He had stood by His friends and nobles, waiting with them as the heirs to their houses were brought into the world, and He knew the sounds of pain that accompanied childbearing. He also knew from the sounds that, this time, something was very, very wrong. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, He heard the sound of a tiny voice crying, and knew that His Heir had arrived. After a few minutes the Crown Physician came out to Him and said softly, "You have a daughter, but you must go to Her, there may not be much time."
The King knew with a sinking feeling that when the Physician said "Her," he meant the Queen, not the new Princess. He entered the room to see Her holding a bundle to Her chest, but She looked ragged, drained, and pale… and there was blood.
"I can't stop the bleeding," the Physician whispered, "It's beyond my abilities. You must speak with Her now, while She still has the strength."
The King knelt next to His wife and looked at the tiny face inside the bundle and whispered, "She's beautiful."
"Her name is Zelda," the Queen replied, hoarsely, "You'll have to teach her how to be a proper Princess."
"But I don't know how to raise a girl! A boy I could teach how to lead and hunt… command and negotiate, but… a girl? I can't possibly hope to…"
The Queen looked at Him with a smile and said, "With Life, there is always Hope," and She lifted the child up slightly so that the King could hold His daughter, the Crown Princess.
The King gently took the child and stared with wonder at the little face that stared back at him just as intently. He was lost in the glittering tiny eyes for a moment, and then looked back to the Queen, who had just passed during that moment.
It was a bittersweet moment for the entire Kingdom, having gained an Heir but lost a Queen. Zelda was new-born and much too young to remember any of the proceedings that marked a Crown Funeral, or the time that the King spent mourning the loss of His partner to the Throne. The Queen was His partner in fact. She was a very strong-willed woman with wisdom to temper Her fierce character, and the King discussed Matters of State with Her on a regular basis, for He valued Her opinions. More than once She had found elegant solutions to problems troubling the King, and He loved Her all the more for Her graceful cunning. She was also very beautiful. Only Queen Rutella of the Zora rivaled Her in loveliness, and had the two female Monarchs not been good friends and of good moral character, it might have been a pernicious rivalry full of jealousy. One that, for all his splendor and bravery, the King would have been positively terrified of finding Himself involved in.
After His time of mourning passed, with fond memories of His wife in his heart, the King turned to face the present and the future of his Kingdom. He made many appearances to reassure the public that they still had a Ruler and an Heir, usually with His daughter in His arms and all the genuine joy and pride of any new father.
The King responded to Auru's remark, "I believe her mother still watches over her and is very proud of her, I certainly am as her King, and, more importantly, as her father."
He was thinking of this when Zelda approached him in the Antechamber, wearing a blue dress that reminded Him of one that her mother used to wear to Court. Momentarily lost in His memories, He watched her until He was brought back to the present by her question.
"Is something troubling you, Father?"
He rested one hand on her shoulder and blinked the threatening tears from his eyes, "No, you just reminded me of your mother. I think She's very proud of you, you know, both as a Crown Princess and as Her daughter," then He straitened and assumed the serious demeanor of The King holding Court and continued, "Now, let us begin. As I said before, I would like for you to meet some of the peoples of our Kingdom."
Zelda assumed the same expression as her father, and, when the Herald announced them, they entered Court and took their places on the raised Dias. The King sat on His Throne, with the Queen's Throne unoccupied on his left, Her Crown placed neatly on the velvet seat, while Zelda was seated to his right on a chair of ornate woodwork and velvet the same Royal Purple as the Thrones.