Well here we are with chapter 4 huzzah. Not my best work but whatever. Seems like I a mostly criticized for my grammar not my content, so I'll take that as a win. Honestly that last chapter I finished at 4 in the morning so I was too tired to revise…so their! Aside from that I got a mysterious comment that implied I was sexist 0.o Fortunately I am not, and there will be females that are not damsels, there are probably more strong woman then men in the Zelda universe. Anyways you are probably tired of hearing me blather on, so enjoy!
Chapter 4- Memories of the Lost
Minutes after the events of the Arbiter's Grounds
The black squares slowly formed the shape of a tall woman in the realm of Twilight. As the last of the squares of shadow magic fell into place the figure turned to look one last time into the swirling symbols that were the Twilight Realm's version of the mirror. The faintly glowing outside edge of the ancient magic slowly faded and died giving way to the perpetual Twilight that gave the realm its name. Finally the symbols that formed and held the magic of the mirror together followed suit until only the Triforce in the center remained.
The Twilight Princess stared into the center of the Triforce for one last glimpse at the green clad hero before the Triforce disappeared. The last link between the realm of Light and Shadow had been closed forever. Midna dropped her head and let her tears fall to the barren ground beneath her bare feet. Tears that she had barely contained as she had given Link the false hope that they may meet again.
"I…see you later…"
It wasn't fair to him, but she could not bring herself to tell him farewell. She knew that she loved the hero. He was kind, brave, and loyal…even to one such as her. No matter how often she had jabbed and hurt the man he had simply shrugged it off. Oh how it had infuriated her that she couldn't get a single rise out of him. Despite everything she had forced Link to do, he had saved her when the Light Spirit Lanayru had almost destroyed her with its light. Link deserved better than her anyways, selfish and hurtful creature that she was. Of course it could be argued that she had been upset and angry over the form Zant had forced upon her along with the usurpation of her throne. This was partially true, but part of her own nature had driven her to needle the hero.
"Princess!" She heard a voice shout out. The words sounded dull and far away to her. Midna continued into her own thoughts and regrets. Link had friends and that girl Ilia to turn to. The farm girl had seemed nice enough to her when she had observed the her from Link's shadow. She was sure that in time Link would forget about her. After all, the feelings she had for him weren't mutual. Were they?
She was shaken out of her thoughts when a cold hand placed itself upon her shoulder. Quickly she wiped away the tears that had dripped down her face. It wouldn't hide the fact that she had been crying to a close observation, but it wouldn't do to return to her kingdom with a face full of tears.
"Princess, it is you. We feared the worst when Zant took the throne. There were a few of us that were not turned into Shadow Beasts by Zant." The captain of the guard looked away as Midna turned around to face him. "He kept us close to him so that we would see what our failure had wrought. I do not know about the others your highness, but I offer you my life, for my failure to protect you and the rest nobles."
The captain of the guard had noble blood in his veins which gave his features those like Midna's. The pale blue skin and height were roughly the same, but he lacked the symbols of office and the ruby red eyes that Midna possessed. He had been born from one of the less powerful families which explained his status as a guard rather than a haughty nobleman. As the captain started to draw his sword from the scabbard at his belt, Midna placed a hand on his preventing him from drawing the black blade.
"The failure to protect our kingdom from Zant was not yours. There was nothing any of us could have done to stop him." Midna smiled down at the bowed captain's head as she considered her next words. Emril was a loyal soldier who had never given her cause to doubt him, but still. Zant had been loyal as well, if only for a time. If she didn't trust anyone though, no one would ever understand why things had happened. The people in the Light realm may have been blissfully unaware of most of the events of the past year, but her own people were not so lucky.
A few other Twili had gathered in palace courtyard, but it seemed they were unwilling to approach the nobles on the barren hill. She owed her people answers, and they would get them within time.
"I could have stopped him my lady, the second the council declared him unfit for rule I should have had him detained! The council saw him for what he was, that is why they elected you."
Midna was startled by the normally level headed mans outburst. "Under what charge captain? Ambition and lust for power. If I could use that charge against my own council I could imprison more than half of the fools." She spoke frankly.
Emril subsided and scowled at the ground. "Still…" The captain muttered.
Midna growled at the startled captain. "Still nothing. There was nothing any of us could do and I will tell you exactly why when we are not bickering in front of half the people in the capital." The crowd had grown steadily larger and it was only a matter of time before someone worked up the courage to approach their ruler. "Come Emril, we will speak more when we are in my throne room and free from the inspection of my people. I am not yet ready to face them alone."
She gestured for the captain to follow her as she made her way to the square where the Twili moved smoothly aside to allow her passage between the two sols. The Palace of Twilight had cleared upon Ganondorf's death. The shadow crystals that had once formed glittering waterfalls of shadow magic had disappeared. The symbols of the Twili on the palace and its two sister buildings had changed back from the foul tainted red to the glowing cerulean that pervaded the Twili culture. The air was refreshingly free of Shadow Kargaroc which was a pleasant improvement from when she had watched Link fight the nimble beasts. In fact, the halls were surprisingly empty of any life. Midna's and Emril's footsteps echoed loudly through the halls. When Midna looked back to Emril, his head was bowed lower than before.
When the pair reached the throne room and the doors slid silently shut she rounded on the guard captain who flinched back. "Where is everyone?" She hissed at the captain. Upon speaking the captain fell to his knees and let loose a soft moan like those of the commoners Link had transformed with the sols. The sound was a keening of pain and sorrow that was uttered only in the most tragic events. At the time when Link had freed her people, she had assumed they had grieved for themselves. Suddenly the realization hit her. "The Shadow Beasts." She whispered.
Emril nodded and cast an agonized glance at the princess. "When Zant came to the palace again he unleashed his terrible power. Almost every Twili in the palace was changed into a Shadow Beasts, his own personal army. He called it his vengeance against those that had denied him the throne. The entire council was his first targets. They were also the first to die in the invasion of the Light realm, the first wave against the Hylian army. The only ones who were spared the transformation in the palace were the Senior Councilor Alana, Chairman of the Court Wasari, and I." Emril finished choking out the last words. Two Twili nobles entered the throne room and approached the throne. They were the two others who had been spared Zant's perversion of her people.
The woman Alana had a flowing brown mane of hair that extended down to her waist. Despite being the senior councilor she was the youngest member of the council that now only consisted of her alone. The Chairman of the Courts was her stark opposite in age and demeanor. One of the oldest living Twili he was an old man who still managed to retain dignity and poise in every pore of his being while Alana portrayed the qualities of a ravishingly beautiful woman.
Again though appearances could be deceiving. While being able to play off her good looks, Alana was the most dedicated and witty members of her court which had earned her a place as the Senior Councilor. The trying events of the invasion had worn her thin, her bedraggled appearance and loose strands of hair further showed how worn down she was.
Wasari was easily the most likeable man in her former court as long as you were not on the wrong end of justice. His cool appraising eyes could strip the truth from any man or woman just as well as they could show kindness and a rather amusing light that would sparkle within his yellow eyes. His wicked sense of humor was a shock for anyone who didn't know him.
These two people had been the one mostly responsible for denying Zant the throne and were Midna's closest friends and allies. All three Twili fell to their knees as Midna sank into the lumpy seat of the throne. There was a saying about thrones that roughly went, a throne is always hard and uncomfortable, this is to remind the one who sits on it of the burden that they carry. To always remind the wielder of power that ruling was a privilege and honor, not a right. Of course the original statement was much more eloquent, but her thoughts were in a confused jumble.
All of those people dead because of Zant and his god Ganondorf. She remembered when the halls were bustling with life. Everyone going around their appointed duties that made up the schedule of palace life. The cooks, the maids, the servants, the guards, and the nobles were all dead. She had not watched the invasion of Hyrule when she had been sent to that realm. Instead she had been bent on finding the sacred beast that could save them. Never had she realized the toll of the war. The Hylian soldiers she had seen with Link had all been cowards, now she realized why. The real knights had all been killed in a valiant defense of their kingdom. The Shadow Beasts Link had fought off were the shattered remains of the invasion force that Zant had thrown at the overwhelmed Hylian Knights.
Midna felt the overwhelming need to vomit, but she choked down the bile to ask a question. "What remains?"
Wasari raised his wrinkled face and told her of the Twilight realms state. "Aside from the tragedy that was wrought here the realm is actually doing far better than normal. When Zant invaded he changed everyone into those creatures aside from us. In those forms they were quicker and stronger. Insane though he was, Zant realized that the kingdom still needed to run and so he commanded them to work. Without the need for rest or recreation the output tripled that of a normal income. The land actually has a surplus of goods right now." Wasari said in a gravelly voice.
"And fewer mouths to feed." Alana muttered cynically as she stood up. Midna gave Alana a harsh glare which caused the woman to flush and avert her eyes.
Still Midna was surprised at the report of good news though it came at a grave cost. She closed her eyes and tried to sink further into the throne. She would have to replace almost every member of her staff and rebuild the monarchy quickly. Her realm was a body with a head but no limbs. Unlike the realm of Light, the Twilight was united under one ruler, her. This made it extremely difficult to control the entire realm. The governors of each province must still live since none of them had been visiting the palace at the time. At least the realm wouldn't fall apart while she rebuilt the government.
Tiredly she opened her eyes and watched the only inhabitants in the palace as they silently stared into space deep into their own thoughts. She already longed for easy days that she had spent with Link.
Dangerous and tiring ventures as they were, she would rather face that brute King Bulblin than the monstrous task that lay before her. Besides she thought sourly, Link had done most of the work. Quickly she quashed that thought before it could take hold of her. He was gone, and there was nothing she could do about that.
Midna raised her voice to the bowed figures that stood up at her command. She told each of the Twili nobles what had happened and how Zant had gained his awesome power. Their emotions ranged from disbelief to hatred that the Ancient Sages had sent a terrible being like Ganon to their realm. After she finished her speech she commanded each of the members to commence rebuilding the government. They would each take separate areas of the government to rebuild. Emril was put in charge of the Army of Twilight, Alana would rebuild the council from minor nobles that had holdings in the different provinces, and Wasari would be in charge of the court and other servants that made the monarchy run like a well oiled machine. It would take some time, but she had nothing but time left to her.
All that remained was what to tell her people. As the three Twili exited the throne room Midna thought of her people. What would she say? That she was sorry for the loss they had suffered from Zant's insanity. That she would do everything in her power to help the families who had lost so much. How did one go about apologizing for the death of thousands? It wasn't her fault, but as the princess it was her duty to take responsibility. She couldn't even empathize with her people. Her parents had died when she was too young to understand the concept of death. As an only child she was raised by nannies and tutored by the family's advisors who held the families holdings until she was able to claim them.
She now understood death thanks to Link, but the death of a loved one never. She cursed her own foolishness. Losing Link was akin to the death of a loved one, made all the worse because she had done it with her own hands. For her people she would push on though. Link would always remain in her thoughts, but he would remain in farthest reaches of her mind. That was at least until the day was done.
Slowly Midna stood up and faced the empty room. She shivered as she had a thought. This was what it meant to be a ruler, to be alone.
Well there we are with chapter 4. I know there was little (no) action, and Midna was not her usual snarky self, but you try to be sarcastic when you have just heard of tons of deaths 0.o Action appears next chapter and then if you are lucky and review the couple will come together the chapter after that…maybe. I haven't planned this out I'm just writing what comes into my noodle. Anyways I rushed this one since I'm leaving on a beach trip with no internet for 3 days T_T So the next chapter will be better, but a longer wait will be necessary. I know, you're crushed.
P.S. What's the difference between hits and visitors anyways .