An eerie, tomb-like silence hung over the large, circular room. Its foreboding atmosphere further enhanced by the dim lighting that it possessed. The room was ringed by highly polished candelabras, the soft candle light causing the ornate metal structures to seem to strobe, the flickering lights causing the silver surfaces to alternate between gleaming proudly and melting into the shadows. The dim glow wasn't able to carry far though, the light seemingly being absorbed by the black marble surfaces that were the room's sole construction materials. Because of this, attention was immediately drawn to a slightly raised dais that dominated the center of the room, it being bathed in pale light streaming in through a skylight carved into the roof of the room. Beyond the opening, a sea of dark, roiling clouds pulsated in the skies above, a soft, golden light filtering down through the infrequent cracks between the puffy masses. The only sound to be heard in the room was a slight whistling as the wind rushed past the skylight. However, that began to change as a slow but steadily increasing golden glow appeared over the geometric patterns of the squat bas relief carving that made up the floor of the dais. The rise in the power of the unseen light source stopped long before becoming irritating to the eyes, the final shaft of light appearing no brighter than the glow of the surrounding candles.
A series of small black globs began filtering down the glowing path at a leisurely pace, the points of pure darkness pooling together on the ground before separating into two smaller puddles and gradually reaching skyward. As the material stacked higher and higher, the liquidly mass coalesced into a vaguely humanoid form, the shape further refining into that of an athletically built woman with a slightly taller than average height. The shaft of light reached a crescendo before retreating back into the skies above, the dark figure replaced with that of a woman that irradiated elegance. The woman held a perfect posture that belied an unmistakable regal grace, her toned body kept rigid to draw herself up to her full height. Despite the air about her that smacked of noble origins, her appearance seemed remarkably muted in comparison. She was clothed in wisps of a black silk garment that kept her left leg completely exposed and covered little more on her torso other than her well toned arms and pleasantly sized breasts. The sole garment that actually comprised of ample amounts of fabric was the hooded cloak that cascaded down her ectomorphic shoulders. Even her skin refused to reveal anything other than a darkened scheme, her ashen skin, blemished only by a series of glyphs tattooed onto her flesh that were faintly glowing with a pale blue light, furthering her bland palette. In fact the sole points of noticeable color on her figure were her fiery red hair and eyes, though most of her locks were concealed behind the hood of her cloak, which was pinned into her hair with an ornately crafted headpiece of dull silver.
She moved forward with a well practiced grace, her bare feet raising a faint echo as she stepped down from the short height of the dais. She moved in the direction that she knew by heart as the path to the room's doorway, not startled in the slightest when a loud metal bang was heard reverberating through the room.
"Your highness!" A pair of gruff voices sounded out in unison, the woman's eyes being drawn towards the sight of the two guards that flanked the sole passage from the room.
"Please," The woman stated with a smile that warmed the crimson rings of her irises. "Stand easy gentlemen." She stated in a friendly tone as she placed one of her slender hands to her chest and bowed her head slight in the direction of the sentries.
"By your leave!' They responded as one, removing their clenched, gauntleted fists from the black armor on their chests. Their hands quickly return to their sides, resuming the stiff position of attention.
The woman could not help but notice as she neared the pair of guards that they were no longer in the sparse, ceremonial armor that she so often associated with the palace guard. Nor did they wield the dainty halberds that she'd remembered seeing them carrying throughout her years at the castle. They now stood in full battle regalia, their bodies completed covered by thick armor suits and their hands clasping the thick wooden poles of pikes that bore a vicious looking spearhead. The woman's thoughts began to turn unpleasant as she pressed on the heavy wooden door before her, the darkened material moving with a deceptive ease as it glided outwards with only a moderate push from her hand. What lie beyond though, erased all but the most joyous memories.
Before her stretched the lush gardens of the main plaza of the Twilight Palace, its long rows of flowering shrubbery laid out in geometric shapes extended from one high, stoutly built wall of the courtyard to the other, the imagine caused her smile to extend into a full on grin. She couldn't help but quicken her pace as she hurried down the black marble steps leading from the Gateway Chamber. Her ears began to notice the calling of songbirds and the rush of water bubbling through the dozens of fountains scattered around the gardens, the sound intensifying in the direction of the Grand Fountain located in the center of the courtyard. The gentle fragrances of the flowers in full bloom of the summer wafted up into her nostrils, causing a girlish giggle to escape her lips. A quick blush colored her cheeks and she shot a hand to her mouth in reflex of the embarrassing outburst. She quickly removed her hand and shook her head slight. Even royalty had a right to be silly on occasion. She just couldn't dispel the joy at being back Twili soil. Of course the Fane of the Winds, magically suspended high above the castle grounds was truly a wonder to behold, but she now cared not for an enigma of faith, but rather desired nothing more than being among the lush gardens she knew so well. She stopped as soon as she cleared the steps, her feet making contact with the cobblestone path, and directed her attention to the nearest bush. She reached her hand out and plucked one of the Warrior's Crown flowers from the shrub, before pulling it close to her upturned nose and closing her eyes before drawing in a deep breath. The pleasant scent warmed her heart further, the woman holding it to her nose for a long moment before opening her eyes and examining the flower as she twirled the stem in between her thumb and forefinger. The pale red flower with which she was so familiar with reminded her so much of a more colorful flower she remembered seeing in Hyrule, a 'coral lily' Link had called it. The thought robbed the smile from the woman's face and the brightness from her eyes.
She still couldn't bring herself to think of Hyrule or especially Link without her mood turning melancholy. She slowly resumed her approach along the path that would lead her to the Grand Fountain then onto the palace proper, though she chose instead to stay off the cobblestone and instead stuck to the edge of the path. The feeling of the blades of grass passing along her feet with each step was lost on her, sticking one of her hands out to lightly run it through the soft leaves of the bushes that lined the walkway as her thoughts wandered back to when she'd first met the man that would eventually become her greatest friend.
She remembered seeing not a courageous young man at first, but rather a beast that seemed hell bent on revenge, though she was far from a beautiful young woman at the time as well. Two people trapped in twisted mockeries of who they were, whose only concern was the betterment of their people. She remembered when she'd first saw him; a snarling canine chained to the floor of a cell in Hyrule castle, her only thought was how she could use him to her advantage. She was still wounded emotionally from the events that betrayed her, stole her parents from her, cursed her people, and left her form perversely altered. It was because of that she'd mistreated him, hurling insults, withholding information, and mocking his plight. She could tell every time he glanced at her, the anger in his eyes that was a sign of him barely containing the urge to kill her. He didn't even refer to her by name at first, simply referring to her as a 'thrice damned goblin'. It hurt her inside every time he'd said that, but she refused to show any weakness and just laughed it off as if it was the most ridiculous attempt at an insult she'd ever heard, all the while knowing it was one of the most hateful curses a light dweller would muster.
Though as time passed, the venom between the two slowly tapered off. It was only to be expected with them spending every moment of their lives together over the course of a few months. She still remembered the first time he'd actually called her by her name, Midna. Her heart had soared when he had referred to her by name, the small gesture being an act that began to bury the hatchet between them. More time passed and they became increasingly closer as they dodged death and journeyed across the light realm trying to break the curse placed upon both their worlds. The time finally came when they'd both happily counted each other as friends. When it was finally over and Ganondorf lay slain, the curse had lifted, restoring Midna to her true form and if Link and the light realm's Princess Zelda were to be believed, restoring her life as well. She remembered blacking out from the pain of the injuries inflicted on her by Ganondorf, but she didn't remember a light or seeing long dead relatives or anything else that you were supposed to see when you died. She just remembered waking up as herself for the first time in many months, blushing like child just entering puberty as she saw the astonished way that Link was gawking at her. She had tried to play it off with a humorous comment but the heat she felt irradiating from her gray skin told her that she was only fooling herself.
She absent mindedly twirled the flower still her in hand around as she remained lost in thought. She insisted after the battle that they should travel to the Twilight Mirror so that she could return to her realm and ensure the safety of her people. She'd awkwardly told her two friends from the light realm goodbye, giving them both false reassurances that both she and they could come and go from their worlds at will. It was all a lie of course; she knew what had to be done.
She started to feel tears begin to well up in her eyes as she recalled the logic she'd used to convince herself that her actions were the best course of action for all those involved. She had already put both of them through so much pain and heartbreak, Link in particular. When the rebellion in the Twilight Realm spilled over into the light world, it tore the hero from the simple life he was leading in a small peaceful village. It nearly killed many he held dear, including the young woman that she knew he loved with an enormous passion. Even worse, was the fact that he'd had to spent months with the young woman not even knowing the intimacy they'd shared. Not to mention all the blood that was on his hands because of her. She'd taken one of the most important things to a person of any worth. She'd stolen his innocence. And she'd cheered him on the entire way.
Tears flowed freely from her sad, red eyes as she found herself recalling the events of just a few hours ago. Despite her promises she'd shattered the Twilight Mirror the second she'd passed through. She hated herself for doing that. She hated the 'stiff upper lip' royal logic that she'd used to manipulate her own actions. She hated herself for not even giving herself a chance to say what she'd wanted to. She'd choked up when she'd tried to tell him. Even if he had denied her, at least she would've known. The pain would've been immense indeed, but at least she would have know that it was okay to let go. The irony was not lost on her, to spare her pain, she had only created more. Worse, she would always be second guessing herself and would never know the way he'd felt about what she wanted to say. He never know that she---
"Queen Midna!" A man's voice called out in a hearty greeting, his words interrupting her train of thought. She quickly brought her arm up, dropping the Warrior's Crown blossom and using the black silk sleeve of her clothing to wipe away the lines of tears that had been rolling down her cheeks. As she withdrew her arm from her eyes, she realized that she'd been so lost in thought that she'd made her way the entire distance to the Grand Fountain. She mentally scolded her stupidity, seeing the bustle of Twili on the main path that ran between the main gates and the palace itself. It would do them no good after all that had happened for them to see the sole surviving member of the royal family stumbling about and crying like a spoiled child. She spotted the man that had shouted her name, an old, emaciated looking man clothed in a billowing light gray robe that was embroidered with Twili holy symbols. As he'd shouted her name, the people on the thoroughfare stopped dead in their tracks, excited but hushed whispers spreading through the crowd like a wildfire. They faced her direction and dropped to a knee, the sole exception being the elderly man that had called out to her, the man opting instead to lower his head and put his hands together in prayer.
"Thank you for your kindness," Midna offered; her voice cracking slightly as she began. She again mentally berated herself, reminding her that it was time to stop acting like a little girl who'd had her heartbroken and instead begin to act as a leader to her people. She once again adopted her graceful but authoritarian posture as she began to speak. "But I implore you, please rise." She continued, her voice beginning to strengthen in volume and resolved. She was no longer shyly offering thanks; she was now delivering a motivating speech in a booming voice that was able to be heard in the far reaches of the courtyard. "Today and in the long days to come, we cannot hold ourselves to the time consuming pursuit of protocol. We have much work to do in order to rebuild what was destroyed by the Usurper. We will never be able to recoup the losses of our friends and loved ones that so valiantly laid down their lives in the defense of our beloved kingdom. But we can remember their sacrifices, not by hiding in the shadows and undergoing a never ending state of mourning, but by devoting our time to working together to restore our lands to their former glory. By doing that, our actions will echo throughout all the realms. They will seep down to very Underworld itself were the vile Usurper rots away, and he will know that even in the smallest of measures, he was not victorious!"
The crowd stood and erupted into thunderous cheers; the smiling faces, clapping hands, and fists being pumped into the air serving to widen what had started as an appreciative smile on the features of Midna's face, into a full grin. She raised her hands and quieted the crowd, waiting for the celebratory din to die down before she thanked the assembled Twili once more, taking hold of the edges of her cloak and deeply curtsying to the masses before waving them along their way.
She and the man that had announced her presence quickly closed the distance between each other, the elderly man kissing the hand that Midna offered to him. She bowed her head lowly in return, wishing instead to embrace the man but knowing that he was far too proper to allow anything other than his current actions for a greeting.
"You seem to have inherited your father's gift for the spoken word my Queen." The elderly man said, his mouth forming into a smile behind a pale blue beard that was shot through with more than a few strands of gray. "He would be proud."
"You are far too kind wise Ezekiel." Midna responded with another deep bow of her head. "Though I would be amazed if in my later years I can even come close to the speaker my father was, let alone surpass him."
"You call me wise yet you question my compliments?" He playfully chided as he raised a bushy eyebrow.
"Forgive me great sage." She replied in a tone that had undercurrents of embarrassment as a blush sprung into existence on her cheeks. "And why do you keep referring to me as 'Queen Midna'?"
"Because it is true." He explained as though the answer was obvious, a wave of his hand indicating that they should proceed into the palace. "While I know that the death of your parents was very tragic and I am sure it is still an open wound on your soul," He began as they walked side by side towards the main doors of the palace. "The fact of the matter is that the people need to be reassured now that it is safe. The mob is a fickle thing my dear Queen, they think not of a 'Princess' as an effective ruler, but as a child still learning the delicate intricacies of state craft."
"But it is a true assumption in my case." Midna interjected in a defeated tone.
"Yes, that is the reality of the matter your Highness," He responded, a sly smile edging its way onto his weathered features as he continued. "But the people do not need to know that. You understand this more than you realize. Your inspiring words moments ago prove that you understand the basic concepts of the art of the good-natured bluff. The people have been through much in the past few months, and right now they are like a wounded animal. They will scurry away at the slightest sign that things are amiss. You have to let them know that they are safe. True security will take years to achieve, but every day there are little actions that you can take that will give the perception that they are safe. And there are times when perception can be just as real as the truth."
"You have no idea how much it gladdens my heart that you survived the turmoil." Midna admitted. If she had to carry on in a world without her parents to ease her into the role of a ruler, at least she had the best possible advisor. "I hope that I can convince you to become my chamberlain while I sit on the throne."
"I must respectfully decline my Queen." Ezekiel admitted with a deep bow of his head. "I am but a humble servant of the Pantheon."
"I see your false modesty survived the chaos well enough." She spoke in a slightly irritated tone. It had always annoyed her that Ezekiel, the High Pontifex of the Fane of the Pantheon, the highest rank a holy man could hold, acted as though he was nothing more than a simple monk toiling away in a secluded monastery. She let the annoyance fade though; she could never risk alienating such a good man that had done so much for her. "Can I at least implore you to stay close to me as a chief advisor?"
"Have I not been 'advising' you since you were freshly out of swaddling clothes my Queen?" He asked with a warm light in his dark gray eyes. "Whether or not my teachings have ever taken root in that fanciful mind of yours is another matter entirely."
"I know I have never been the ideal student," Midna began, the light hearted comment provoking a more somber response from the young Queen. "But I am now more willing to learn from your wisdom than ever."
"Rest your mind child." The holy man spoke in a firm tone stopping and facing Midna as the two stood on the steps leading up to the palace proper. "If it is your wish, it will be so that only death can separate me from your side."
"Thank you old friend." The young Queen spoke in a joyous whisper, ignoring the wishes of Ezekiel and all the trappings of protocol as she threw her arms around his slender shoulders and embraced him tightly.
