Chapter 1

Midna lay on her favourite chair in the Palace of Twilight, with Link sprawled across her lap. The pair was both naked and Midna's stomach was swollen with pregnancy. Midna placed one hand on her ever expanding belly and used the other hand to stroke one of Link's pointed ears, causing the Hylian to purr with delight.

"Oh how I long to her our child's heartbeat" she sighed.

"Well, how about I book an appointment to do just that" asked her husband, Link. As he talked, his eyes began to droop and he suddenly felt very tired.

"Would you?!" she squealed. The Hero nodded, and, placing a hand on Midna's belly, he pecked her on the lips, gave her breasts one last, loving squeeze and fell asleep in her arms.

Link's dreams were troubled that night. He dreamed that he was back in Morpheel's chamber and he was not wearing the Zora Armour. Almost immediately, his lungs began to burn, and there was no way out. A dark shape kicked its way out of the shadows and when he saw the glowing red orbs that served as its eyes, he knew that Dark Link had come back to fight for a second time. It seemed that he wanted revenge for his first defeat. Drawing his blade, Link slashed at him, and when the enchanted blade made contact, he shrieked and danced away, as if the steel had burned him. Backing Dark Link into a corner, the Hero raised his blade to deliver the final blow, when his lungs burst and water flooded into his mouth…

"Link! Link!" someone was calling his name. He opened his eyes to see his wife, Midna, and their daughter, Kaiya standing over him, worried looks etched onto their faces. He sat up and realized that Midna must have carried him to their room and put him to bed. "Are you alright?" asked Midna.

Groaning, Link replied "Yes dear, I'm fine". The worried looks on Midna and Kaiya's faces vanished instantly. Snapping back into reality, Midna glanced at the clock and shrieked.

"Ah! Link! We're going to be late!" Throwing his clothes at him and seizing his weapons from where they lay, she yelled at him to get dressed.

"What's all the rush about?" asked Link. "Today's the day!" said Midna. "The day for what?" asked Link. "We're going to hear our baby's heartbeat!" she squealed. Immediately, Link sped up. "Oh, by the Goddesses!" he yelled. "I'd completely forgotten!" Pulling on the last of his clothes and strapping his sword and shield to his back, he seized his daughters hand and raced out of the room, dragging her after him. Midna followed closely behind.

Once they were outside, Link mounted Epona and helped Midna up after him. Glancing down at his daughter, who still stood next to the horse, he said "Go to the castle. Princess Zelda will meet you there. She knows who you are." Nodding at her father, the little girl raced off towards the portal that led from the Twilight Realm to Hyrule, kicking up a shower of dust in her wake.

"Now then, my princess. Shall we get going?" he asked

Glancing back at Link, she said "We shall"

Digging his heels into Epona's sides, he urged her on towards the newly built hospital that lay on the east side of the Twilight Realm.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived outside the building. Leaping off his horse, and helping Midna off after him, he raced into the hospital and skidded to a stop next to the front desk, just as their appointment was due to finish.

"Hello, we booked a prenatal appointment for my wife, but we are a bit late. Do you think you could squeeze us in?" said Link.

The nurse behind the counter smiled and said "Sure! I'll see if we can fit you in." She turned away and tapped a few keys on her computer, before turning back to the pair and saying "Looks like you just made it. There is one last empty spot and you just got it."

Sighing with relief, Midna said "Oh thank the Goddesses"

The nurse behind the counter got up and led them to a door with 'Doctor Malon Lon' emblazoned upon it in gold lettering. Rapping on the door with his knuckles, Link waited. Eventually, a woman with long fiery red hair answered. "Hi! I'm Doctor Lon, but you can call me Malon." Leading the pair into her room, which had whitewashed walls and little besides a bed surrounded by a curtain and a silver trolley with an array of various items assembled on it. Taking the pair behind the curtain, she drew it over them and turned to face them.

"Right, Midna, I'm going to need you to take off your shirt". Midna did as she was told, and, no sooner than she had done so, the wall exploded, showering the trio with plaster and dust. Leaping from his chair, drawing his blade, the sword he'd been given by his father before he died, and sliding his shield onto his arm, Link turned to face the wall, waiting for the dust to clear, and for his adversary to show himself. As the dust cleared, he lunged forward with his sword. But the figure was too fast. He dodged out of the way of the sword's blade and slammed his fist into the Hero's ribs. Gasping, he stumbled back, and as the dust cleared, he saw his foe for the first time.

"ZANT!" he roared.