I keep wishing things were different. I suppose part of me will always long for the light, for that young man whose bravery would be tested time and time again, each new trial more bitter and difficult than the last. And while I sit here, on my throne of Twilight, I wonder how that blue-eyed, blonde haired, angel of a man is doing.
It's been a little over a year since I shattered the mirror, forever breaking the bond I had with the Hero. Today is one of my bad days, a day where I would give anything just to see Link again. I regret never speaking my love to him, confessing my undying feelings that weigh my heart down now.
Then I remember how sensitive he was to the darkness of my kingdom. He could never have survived here, and the more I think on this subject, the worse I feel. I could have been a creature of the light, but instead I chose to come back, rule as the queen, and attempt to shove Link as far from my mind as possible.
Midna
It was well after what would have been midnight in the Twilight Realm before Midna fell asleep. Her dreams were wrought with fitful nightmares of Zant, of moblins invading her castle, of blood pouring out of the one she loved most. She tossed and turned, groaning and mumbling in her sleep. Suddenly, she bolted upright.
Tears streamed down the Twili Queen's face at the thought of Link dying. She shook violently as she willed herself to realize it was a dream, nothing more. But the horror of remembering what happened only last year was burnt into her mind. She and Link had nearly been killed by the Dark King. It was close, too close.
Ganondorf had knocked Link across the battlefield with one singular, powerful blow to his head. As the Hero lie unconscious, Princess Zelda broke the barrier between the two warriors and the rest of the world. Her pleading cries of mercy to the Dark Lord stopped him before dealing what surely would have been the final wound inflicted on the nearly mortally injured Hylian. She raced over to Ganondorf, pulling him back, for she knew his only weakness was his love for her.
Mercy was dealt to Link, as it was to Midna. Her close encounter with death was similar to Link's, lying unconscious on Hyrule Field while the war raged on. Princess Zelda had saved them both, stopping Ganondorf's tirade of physical violence before he took an innocent's life. In that moment, he had shown what Zant could not, the ability to love and listen.
Midna had fled the world of light, waving goodbye to the new Queen of Hyrule and her dearest Link. Ganondorf stayed at the castle, for fear of encountering Midna's wrath if he tagged along behind his new wife.
"I never thought a single tear drop could destroy my entire world" Midna murmured into the darkness of her room, reminiscing about that final moment with Link. She had not told him she loved him, she had only alluded to a deeper feeling, uttering "See you later" with some glimmer of hope to someday meet up with her one true love again.
But that day never came. For a year Midna pined for him, crying herself to sleep nearly every night of what would be the full moon, remembering the calming howl of the wolf boy in the dead darkness. She slept little, and the marks of love ripped apart began to appear on the fair Twili. This night was hardly different, though something she could not place her finger on tugged on her heart.
Just as she was about to doze off for the second time that night, a sudden, unexpected rapping noise rung out through her room. Who would be calling at this time of night?
"Who is it?"
A voice from the other side of the door spoke. It was her attendant.
"M'Lady, you have a visitor."
Midna quickly threw on her robe and went to the door. She opened it, searching her attendant's eyes as to the identity of the one calling on her, but the attendant merely pointed out of the palace to the steps on the northern side. Midna's brow furrowed as she glided out of the room, her black robe flowing behind her. When she reached the door, a strange tingling sensation shot through her left hand, something she had not felt since she left the light world. She shook her head, willing herself to stop dreaming, and slowly pushed open the palace door.
Midna felt her heart skip a beat as the person's form became clear. He had on a black tunic, dark boots, and a hat that looked strikingly familiar. His silvery locks sparkled in the darkness, and as he turned to face her, her breathing stopped. His face…could it be? But how?
"L…Link?"
The man's face broke into a broad grin, his crimson eyes twinkling in the sparse light.
"My dear, I can be anyone you want me to be."
Midna could not believe her eyes. This man bore an uncanny resemblance to her hero, and yet, something was very different. His eyes, for starters, were bright red and impish, nearly mirroring Midna's own.
"Who…who are you?" The Twili felt her face grow hot as the man continued to study her.
"My name is Link, though I am not who you first suspected." He bowed low, glancing up at the woman with a Cheshire grin. She clutched her robe, fearing fainting if she had nothing to hold on to. The man stepped closer, smiling as she fumbled with a lone button. He took her hand from where it was and kissed the back of it.
Midna was dizzy. Her world continued to spin as this man…this spitting image of Link, grinned at her.
"You…you know the Hero?"
The man smiled again and nodded.
"You might say that. Why don't we go somewhere more private, hmm? I have many things to tell you."
Midna could not stop the tremor that wracked her body, nor could she stop the curiosity brought on by this man whom she knew nothing about, but felt drawn to nonetheless. So she did the only thing she could do; invited him in to the Palace of Twilight.
Midna showed the man into the throne room where all was quiet, offering him anything to make him feel more at home. His only request was that she sit next to him. She did as she was asked. He began to speak.
"I knew Link, in a matter of speaking…I am Link."
Midna's mouth hung open.
"W…What? What do you mean you're Link?" He grasped her hand firmly, his crimson eyes locking with her sunset ones.
"Midna, I'm Link's…other half. His darkness, his shadow, part of him you only saw in the reflection of the moonlight…the part that was watching you while you were in his shadow."
Midna fell silent, listening intently to the dark man's voice.
"At first, I thought he was infatuated with you, lusting after you. I believed this because I felt it too, only much stronger, deeper, darker. I wanted what he wanted, but I could never have it, especially after you were hurt by Zant, enabling you to become part of the light. Only when you were in his shadow could I touch you, be near you, hear your rapid heartbeat as another battle approached." She visibly shivered remembering the times a gust brushed across her face in the windless night.
"So that was you?" Dark Link smiled coyly at the Twili and nodded.
"After a while, though, I realized my lighter half and I were feeling something different than infatuation. It was similar to lust, but not as violent, not as urgent. We both wanted you, especially after you regained your true form, but neither of us would act on it; Link out of fear, me because the light would destroy all that I am. You never realized he had another part of him, a part that could only become….well…human in your realm, did you my dear?" His eyes bore into her. She shook her head.
"So…in the light you don't exist…but you're here…how did you get here?" Midna furrowed her eyebrows.
Dark Link reached toward her, twirling a lock of her flaming waves around his fingers.
"I followed you through the mirror." Midna's mouth dropped.
"But…I was alone…there was….it can't be…you knew I was here all along, mourning my lost love, and you never appeared…never said anything…you let me suffer." Tears streamed down the Twili's face, her body shaking visibly with every sob.
Dark moved closer to her, running a long pale finger along her temple, her cheek, her jaw. He gave her a small smile.
"It wasn't the right time, Midna dear. If I would have revealed myself to you then you would have hated me because I am what you couldn't have. I am your hero, your love, the one you cry yourself to sleep over every night when you think nobody knows. But you forget, you were as much a part of Link as I was. We are part of each other, my dear, bonded by the hero. And you belong to me."
Midna looked at him, her red eyes ceasing their tears. He ran his finger over her lips, moving yet closer to her until they were nose to nose. Before he got closer, though, Midna stood up and turned to leave before he could say another word. As she turned to flee, she realized she was immobilized by his hand consuming hers. She stopped, remembering the one time Link had held her hand in a friendly manner. Dark's touch was so similar, but it held something Link's didn't: longing. Dark held her hand to his cheek.
"Don't leave Midna, not again. I won't follow you this time if you do." She felt him stand up. He was taller than Link, for she had towered over the Hylian. Dark, though, was a few inches taller than her.
"So why did you follow me to begin with?"
He ran his hands down her arms to her waist, touching the soft skin there.
"Because, Midna, you need me. And I need you. You make me real." Midna's heart leapt as Dark brought his mouth down to meet hers. His kiss was so gentle, yet fiery at the same time. She noticed his body was cooler than Link's, closer to her own temperature, for he did not scald her skin as he touched her. Her fingers ran through his hair as his kisses travelled down her neck, following the path of her Twilight tattoos. He smirked against her collarbone.
"So, my dear, how far do these lovely marks go?" Midna quirked an eyebrow at him and gave him an impish grin that had not graced her face in nearly a year.
"You'll have to find out for yourself, my Dark Hero." He grinned up at her before she shoved him lightly and sauntered away, calling over her shoulder as he stood dumbfounded.
"Oh Dark, it seems I've misplaced my nightgown, care to help me find it?" A laugh was in her voice. He grinned to himself before tearing out of the room like a wild animal. After all, what is Twilight without darkness?
The End