Thank you: Waffleface, Bloodspire, DracoDraco, and Pikachu used Thunderbolt for reviewing!
Thank you Waffleface for bringing those errors to my attention. I have replaced twilight assassins with twilight messengers, and iron knuckles with darknuts (although I'll still keep them in the story for now). Thanks! ^^
Chapter 3: Terror
Zelda writhed and moaned on her bed, twisting the covers this way and that. She snapped awake, an awful feeling dwelling in the pit of her stomach. The vision took her suddenly.
Zelda opened her eyes.
A monstrous three-headed parasite rose before her, jaws gaping and tongues lolling. The center head shot forward and roared, displaying a rack of impressive teeth and a bulbous tongue. It flayed side-to-side then reared up.
The room resembled the interior of a tree, the parasite rooted in a bed of thick purple sludge that steamed and bubbled. It was a rendition of one's worst nightmare.
And in the middle of it all was Link.
Zelda watched horrified as he battled the parasite Diababa.
The first thing she felt from him was tremendous fear. He was exhausted and that exhaustion made him weak and afraid. She sensed his emotions and worries. He'd never done this before. The monster was too difficult, a massive thing that desired nothing less than to consume him.
One of the side heads, a larger and more ghastly version of a deku baba, chomped its teeth and flayed its blue tongue then flung itself forward. Link avoided it just as it clamped down on the air where he'd been standing moments ago. He tightened his grip on a white boomerang, eyes searching anxiously and sweat beading on his forehead.
She was incorporeal and so could not do anything to assist him and she did not know whether she was more glad or disappointed at it. Glad because then she'd not have to live this nightmare herself, and disappointed because Link was alone in this battle with no other to depend on. It made her frustrated, if only she could in some way lend her assistance.
Putting his boomerang aside, he dodged and then ran at the next head to attack, catching it while it lagged. His sword bounced harmlessly off its armored shell and he jolted back, cursing with frustration. He was overwhelmed. He couldn't do it. He wasn't strong enough to face it.
Her spirit cried out to him.
No. Don't give up! Hero, don't give in!
He ran as a blast of revolting purple liquid hurled from the monster's mouth. His legs ached, muscles working to keep ahead of the spray of acid. He reached the wall of the cavern, out of the beast's range. He leaned against it for a short respite, panting heavily. He fancied leaving this all behind, the door was not five feet away, so tempting.
Zelda held her breath, watching fearfully. She could feel his pain and could deduce what he was thinking by his emotions and body language and from them she read regret. Regret that he'd ever taken on such an impossible enterprise. What foolishness had compelled him to take up such a massive mantle? He wanted to leave and forget about this, not come back to face alone the perils that would require a military division to fell.
You can't turn back! Hyrule needs you!
He covered his mouth as another spray of acidic regurgitation was expelled from the monster's bowels. He shrank against the wall, waiting for it to desist, eyes trailing once again longingly to the wooden door.
Zelda despaired. He was slowly giving in. No! He could not abandon his duty so soon!
What about your friends? What about me?
But as much as he desired to simply give up, to cast his fate aside, he couldn't do it. His mind and heart raged within him, split in two, adhering to his personal wants and overall well-being, and care for the lives he had to protect, the people from Ordon and his fealty to Hyrule. He'd been charged with protecting the lives of its citizens. In order to prevent darkness from taking over the land, they depended on him to save it. Between the two he had little choice.
He kept his legs moving at a jog. He was afraid they'd seize up if he stopped.
Faith, hero! Defeat this beast of evil and free the land of its putrid taint.
He raised up his sword. Above all he must endure!
A cry from above momentarily distracted him as a monkey emerged from an opening. It turned its back on him and when it once again faced him it revealed an insect clutched by its legs. The monkey then began to swing across the room, dangling the insect under it.
Zelda saw a spark alight in the hero's eyes, his spirit renewed. The significance of the monkey's presence eluded her, but it appeared to bolster the hero as he sheathed his sword and withdrew his boomerang, holding it aloft. A swirling wind energy flowed around it and Zelda was mesmerized as she watched him aim then release. It snatched the insect from the monkey's feet then flew directly into the parasite. The parasite automatically chomped down on it. It trembled then a bang filled the chamber and smoke emitted from its mouth. The two deku baba heads fell into the water as the main body dropped forward, mouth splayed wide open and vulnerable.
Link took this opportunity to slice at the bulb on its tongue and it jerked and howled with every slice. With one last stab it keened. It reared up, crying in pain, flaying its thick body side to side then seized. It shriveled, its body turning black and thinning as if all the water had been wrenched from it. With one last whine it stilled then burst into a cloud of smoke.
At Diababa's death the water cleared and turned a pure blue, the air became fresh and light filled the chamber.
Something fell from above and the imp, Midna, emerged from Link's shadow to retrieve it.
Link however was preoccupied. He gazed around in search of something.
"Princess?"
Had he heard her? Did he feel her presence now?
Her questions were answered as he stared directly at her, expression riddled with unsuspecting surprise. He saw her as a faint outline, but enough to tell who she was.
The bridge between them had grown stronger.
She smiled at him.
Confidence, hero. You are stronger than you believe.
Jaw dropping in wonder, he reached out toward her just as the scene began to fade away.
In her tower, Zelda pulled back the covers and drew her legs up, winding her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees.
That had been close. Link was Hyrule's only hope, she could not afford to lose him now. And he'd been so frighteningly close to renouncing his title and the duties that came with it. She couldn't allow that to happen. She'd have to constantly remind him what was at stake and the penalties that came with losing.
Sufficiently spooked, she closed her eyes and awaited the dawn with growing trepidation.
He called on her again.
So soon?
If this were any ordinary circumstance she'd feign being flattered. She'd never be truly flattered of course. Flattery was for others whenever she deigned even the remotest bit of attention on them, her time and consideration were precious, people fought for it. It had never been the other way around. Suitors especially could be quite the hassle. A single word which lacked her regular tint of disdain and they thought they were well on their way to courtship.
Eighteen had been the year that traditionally young men and women were allowed to begin the courting process, but that had been too early for her. Even at nineteen and now twenty she considered herself too young to bond with another in the chains of matrimony. Twenty-five. If she had found no interest by then, then that was the year she'd force herself to procure an interest, or at least give the best stock of the males some due cogitation.
Goddesses, it was like picking out a stud for breeding, although she'd never admit to thinking of them in such terms. Her suitors envisioned a life happily married to the future queen, reveling in their status of consort – a king? What would she have the need for of the liability? Someone of equal status to question her decisions and orders would only hinder her reign – but to her their only necessity was to help her conceive proper heirs. She had no preference as to the gender of her heir, as long as the child was in good health and she could trust that they'd have a strong rule after her.
Back to present, for the second time the twilight messengers barged into her room and bound her securely in chains and rope. She followed on her leash as they descended the stairs, past the rigid darknut foursome that stood guard before her stairway, immobile as statues as they walked by.
She was yanked forward as she fell too far behind, the rope constricting around her neck. She pulled at it to loosen it up. There'd be bruises and burn marks for sure.
She was shoved unceremoniously in the throne room and harshly met the end of the length of rope. Her eyes teared from the lack of air. She was grateful when she was given some slack.
Zant was upon her then, swooping down like an omniscient shadow. The twilight messenger's grips were too tight on her as they forced her down, her knees hitting the marble hard and sending dull pangs of pain through her.
She ignored it and stared resolutely ahead.
"Ah, princess. Could not wait to see me again? Our previous rendezvous had entranced you, I'm sure," said Zant, his voice like the hissing of a snake.
Zelda did not bother to correct him, that it was by force that she was brought before him and made to endure his repulsive presence.
She remained silent as he paced around her like a predator, emphasizing how helpless and cornered she was.
"No remark? You have nothing to say to me? How rude. If I were less understanding, I'd have the mind to be insulted."
She felt the hairs on the back of her head standing on end as he paced behind her. It bothered her that she could not see him, and she wouldn't twist around to do so, that would only confirm her wariness of him.
He came around into her vision and stopped before her. Her eyes were met with the dark layers of his robes.
"Look at me!"
She fought not to frown and stayed as she was, nonchalant and unaffected by his increasingly threatening tone.
Her chin was grabbed, cheeks squished between pale fingers as her head was jerked up.
"I demand you to look at me!"
The pressure of his fingers brought pain to her still tender jaw, his thumb digging into the bruise she had sustained from the bell. Slowly she met his gaze unwaveringly.
"That's better," he said, letting go of her chin. "I never knew that the Hylian royalty could have such an attitude."
He folded his hands behind his back and gazed at her sullenly. "Do you know why I have brought you here?"
At her silence he reached for her again, his hand aimed halfheartedly stretched towards her face.
"No," she answered too quickly for her liking, revealing her panic. But it was too late to take back now. Luckily it seemed he didn't notice.
"Well then," he started, bringing out the same golden bell from within his sleeve. "I don't suppose you have new information you'd like to release regarding this little trinket?"
At her deadpan looked he tutted. "I thought not." With a flick of his wrist the bell vanished back into his sleeve and he once again looked pensive.
"You know, I've heard rumors… about a knight, a boy really, in green clothes," he paused as if waiting for some reaction on her part. "They say he set the woods free of Twilight. Not all too improbable, I suppose, although it is a commendable accomplishment, but what does surprise me is that he's full Hylian. He'd have to be a Twili to return the light. Or… maybe he has the assistance of a Twili being? Now where do you suppose he'd acquire the help?"
He knew about Link! No! Not yet! Link wasn't ready for him!
Did he suspect that his Twili helper was Midna as well? He must. Why else would he bring it up to her in such a fashion other than to provoke a response? He wanted to see what she knew about them. If she denied any knowledge then it would only confirm that she possessed valuable information, but she couldn't give him away either.
"It is said," she voiced as steadily as possible. "That in times of peril a hero will arise to vanquish the evil."
Zant chuckled lowly. "A Hylian superstition? Foolishness. Don't tell me you place credence in such nonsense?"
She looked at him steely and Zant seemed to grow more amused. "You do, don't you? Oh, this is too much. You acknowledge the helplessness of your own situation so place unwarranted trust on another to do your job for you. Well, as long as you're less of a hassle because of it, then it doesn't matter. This hero of yours is probably some no account peasant who thinks there's some worth to him. We'll see how cocky he is once he's killed by one of my minions."
The panicky thoughts that swirled in her mind all at once faded. He was underestimating him. To Zant, Link was simply a pesky flea, bothersome but not entirely deserving of any attention. That would be his folly. The more Zant ignored Link the more time Link would have to grow stronger until he became a big problem.
Zant suddenly bent down and grasped her chin, gently this time. She could see this becoming a nasty habit of his. Slowly he leaned forward and whispered in her ear.
"And why should you have to depend on another?" he said sweetly, and Zelda tensed. "Why should you have to fight at all? Serve me and you can walk free. Better yet, you can keep your title. Your people will go unharmed. I heard that you are a powerful sorceress. I can make you a general at my side, you'd have privileges that no other would have. Anyone who stands against you, who dares to even look at you with nothing less than reverence, will answer to me, this I promise."
He was bargaining with her. His voice had a sugared tone, perfect for coercion, but evil was temptation and all things tempting. No matter how enticing his offers were they were all rooted in lies. She'd be no more than a slave to do as he willed whenever he willed it, and her people would be drawn into that slavery as well. Worse yet she'd not be in a position to rule.
"I refuse," she said monotonously.
Zant stilled, then he pulled back and faced her with his nightmarish mask and headdress. "But don't you see? This will be the only way for you and your people to escape the tortures that I will soon unleash upon the world. Your people will become citizens of the Twilight and therefore protected, and then we shall spread out and conquer all the surrounding nations."
Of course. What else would a tyrant's greatest desire be but to conquer the world?
He was deluding himself. Not even with a hundred thousand men would he succeed. His forces would be spread too thin and then easily picked off little by little.
"I still refuse," she said with a trace of finality to her voice.
Zant was anything but pleased. This she could tell by his terse silence and the way he abruptly drew back from her. He shot to his feet and seemed to tremble as if trying to force down some repressed emotion.
And then he snapped.
"Well fine!" he shot shrilly. "I see my generosity is unwarranted from a selfish little witch like you! You could have been great! You could have been revered! Instead you spit in my face! Your rudeness does appall me! You shall regret this! And when your people are in chains and made to serve me and the Twili, you shall be the lowest of the low, made to serve me personally like the dog you are!"
He snapped his fingers and the twilight messengers hauled her to her feet and dragged her away.
The doors to the throne room shut behind her and she could still hear Zant's screeching through the walls as he threw a mad fit of anger.
Zelda was shaken. Not by the anger he'd displayed, but his resounding promise to her. Her people would become slaves to the Twili…
Oh, Link, please be safe.
He had triumphed at the first dungeon, but how much longer until Zant turned his full attention to the hero?
She was dragged along a hallway with double rows of high pillars bordering each side and a red carpet under her feet. The left wall had arches that opened up to the outdoors and Zelda wished for a fresh breeze of air to rush over her. She prevented herself from staring beyond those arches. The thought of such openness being so close to her but unattainable was torturous.
She shivered in the cold air. Her dress had an open back and despite her long hair covering most of it her lower back remained exposed and vulnerable to chill. She wished fervently for her cloak right now.
A gasp emitted from behind one of the pillars, as well as a shuffling of feet.
Zelda snapped her head around and widened her eyes horrified at the sight of one of her servants, a young girl named Lilly, as she stared equally wide eyed at Zelda.
A massive black body shot past her making headway towards Lilly.
"No! Wait!" Zelda was tugged back by her noose and she struggled against it, desperately.
Lilly screamed as the twilight messenger drew near. Zelda forced a hand between the noose and her neck, her eyes taking on a determined glare. Pooling her magic she shattered the chains around her wrists and burnt away the rope. She sent a wave of light magic against the twilight messenger still guarding her and it flew backwards into the wall.
Knowing she had very little time – who knew what they'd do to Lilly – she thrust out her hands and caught the other twilight messenger at a standstill, freezing it in its tracks. With another wave of power she switched places with the beast, stationing herself between the twilight messenger and her servant.
"Your highness!" Lilly cried out, and Zelda's focus was brought to the twilight messenger she had thrown as it hurled towards her.
Her Triforce shone brightly, the energy heating up on the back of her hand as she threw it out at the beast and decimated it completely. Her legs shook as she panted. Her body was still mostly drained and she had just wasted what valuable little mana she had been building up in her reserves. There'd be no possible way she could defeat the last one. But she could allay it.
She blinked, forcing her vision to clear as she brought both her arms up in an X and sent out a defensive barrier. The twilight messenger thudded into it and the barrier wavered. It then proceeded to pound on it with its fists, howling madly.
Zelda shook with every blow, her energy nearly spent.
Finally with one last hit she could no longer hold it up. It dropped, and her along with it.
"No! Your highness!"
Lilly's voice sounded like a muffled drawl as Zelda lay there dizzy on the floor. She couldn't move, she could barely breathe. Each inhale and exhale became a challenge and slowly her vision spotted.
The last thing that registered before she was swept into the folds of unconsciousness was a frightened scream and the sight of two familiar boots as Zant came to stand before her.
As was fast becoming commonplace, she woke with a pounding headache under the covers of her bed. She'd been stripped and placed in a white slip that clung to her comfortably. It didn't take her long to realize that she was wearing nothing beneath the slip and in panic she thought about who could have dressed her. She hoped to the Goddesses that it was a servant, even a male one would do over who she suspected.
"Awake I see."
Goddesses, he was here!
Slowly, almost hesitant, she trailed her gaze to the person seated crossed legged at the foot of her bed, head resting in his palm as if he'd been in deep thought.
Zelda tried to get up but the attempt made her feel ill.
"Lie back down. You aren't well enough to be moving about," said Zant almost patronizingly.
She obeyed, but only because her body refused to do anything otherwise.
"Why are you here?" she asked hoarsely, her throat dry and thirsty.
But Zant ignored her, having no consideration for either her question nor her bodily needs.
"I was a little disappointed when first we met that I didn't get to witness your powers at work, but I was elated to do so now. And I must say, all that light, all that glorious warmth and brightness… is sickening. No, the Twilight would serve you much better. Or it would have had you accepted my proposal. But I don't give second chances. You were stupid to refuse me, foolish girl."
Her mind slowly reached clarity and all of a sudden the events that had rendered her unconscious came back to her. Lilly! What happened to Lilly?
"Where is Lilly? I wish to speak with her."
Zant sat unmoving.
"That pathetic little servant girl who was wandering about the halls after hours?" he intoned cruelly. "It's illegal, you know. No Hylian is allowed outside their rooms after dark. Lilly has been detained. She's awaiting the penalty for her disobedience."
Zelda grew panicked. "She's young, she's a minor, not yet sixteen!"
"And still subject to my laws. It was her fault she was snooping around in places she's not supposed to. You want me to be lenient with her just because of her age? That does not excuse her. She knew better, she was well aware of the risks of disobeying. She only has herself to blame."
When she'd seen that twilight messenger charge towards Lilly she'd been afraid for the young girl's life. Yet, now that might have been a mercy compared to what Zant had planned for her.
"What will you do with her?" Her voiced wavered ever so slightly and Zant cocked his head as if reveling in it. The first tinge of fear he'd elicit from the impenetrable princess.
"It's not what I'm going to do with her. It's what you're going to do with her," said Zant lightly.
Zelda felt the buddings of hope for the girl, but she knew there must be a catch. Zant would not let her go so lightly.
"Perhaps if you elaborated then I'd be made aware of the conditions with which I am to work with," she said as civilly as possible. She was not about to risk Lilly's safety by being difficult.
"Very wise of you, yes there are conditions, or rather there's one condition. You get to choose."
Choose? Zelda didn't like the direction this was taking.
Zant went on. "I've been reading about Hyrule, its history, laws, unearthing your countries dirty secrets. I've had a keen interest in the many ways in which Hyrule doled out their punishments to lawbreakers. Most of them have been abolished, unfortunately, but I'd like to bring them back. A new beginning for a new era."
Her mind instantly went to Hyrule's Bloody History, a thick tome written by one of the Sheikahs. It depicted the worst methods of torture and ways to extract information, things that had sickened her to read.
It was evident that Zant spoke of this book, he probably kept it at his bedside table to read late into the night.
"Lucky you, you get to choose which punishment she shall experience. Normally I'd have us both peruse each one together and pick out our favorites, but there were two that really stood out to me and I couldn't decide which one I liked better, so the option falls to you." Zant leaned forward with the eagerness of a child. "Would you have her bear lashes as penance, a traditional method, but I've always had quite a fondness for it, or hung by her wrists. Both will take place in the courtyard either way. I have to make an example of her. So choose."
None! She wanted to choose neither! But Zant made it clear it was either one or the other. Why did he have to let the choice fall to her. She couldn't bear the thought of being the instigator for Lilly's pain.
As if having read her thoughts, Zant added. "And if you don't choose, then I'll simply have to go with both."
Zelda felt bile rise to her throat, but forced herself to think. The lashes would be a more painful ordeal, depending on how many she might not survive. Being hung by her wrists seemed much more tame in comparison. If she had to choose she'd go with the less painful one.
"Hung by her wrists…"
Zant chuckled cruelly, and Zelda began to doubt her decision.
"Very well, she shall be hung on the flagpole by her wrists for a full three days and nights, and weights will be tied to her ankles. Let us hope that the flagpole doesn't break by then, or sometimes I've heard that the wrists become so tenderized that the ropes will cut through them."
Three days!
"You can't be serious! Three days! That's too much for her!"
"Two days then. We are in accordance." Zant hopped off her bed and strode to the single window allotted her in her confinement. "I'll even be generous enough to have her strung up in full view so you can watch and make sure she does not fall. Nothing you can do if she does though. I'm sure you'll enjoy the display, nevertheless."
What had she done? Lashes may be harsh, but at least they'd be over with quickly. But to be hung up for two days straight and with the addition of weights! She'd be stretched and torn! Lilly was just as likely to survive that as she was the lashings. And if she did die by the hanging Zelda had only managed to ensure that it was a prolonged death.
Her heart clenched in fear for the girl and what she would endure. Zant made his way towards the door.
"I'm certain she'll be delighted to hear of this new order from her princess. Do enjoy the show, will you."
It was not until he was long gone that Zelda burst into tears, curling herself into a ball and crying into her pillow. She hadn't cried in years and for her to do so now made her feel weak and vulnerable. But there was a difference between crying for oneself and crying for others. She cried for Lilly now. Cried for her foolishness in placing herself in such a dangerous situation and getting caught, and for her impending punishment and the pain she would bear with it.
Zelda was terrified. Terrified that she had condemned a young girl to her death.
A/N: So I'm following people's typical depictions of TP Zelda's personality. Cold and hard, but also mature and soft-hearted. Isn't that a contrast. Makes her tricky to write. I also give Zant more limelight. I think his fall to madness in the game was a bit sudden. Nothing wrong about it, but here I'm giving hints at his potential mental instability.