Well chapter four is proving to be a bit of a slower write then I had planned, so whilst i'm trying to reign that into some sort of order I've decided to give you a little present. I needed to check in with Midna as it is a little while before she and Link reunite again so instead of shoving this little bit of Midna-esqu charecter development and backstory in with chapter four I'm giving our dear Twilight Princess an interlude of her very own :)

Prehaps I'll do interchanging Princess interludes every few chapters to keep and eye on both princesses and maybe illistrate their differences.

It's rather short, I hope you forgive me for that. But it does give the background of Midna's family, hints at a few Twili secrets and introduces a "new" charecter... heehee who I hope you'll enjoy...

By the way i'm thinking of maybe changing the title, "Through Bars" is the what I came up with when I thought this was going to be a one shot... hmm what do you all think?

A HUGE thank you to all my readers!

And a special thankyou to; kindigo, Nena Firewind, Silver Volken Raven, Anzer'ke, Dephanie, tandm, Sanosuke Hidane and all my other reviewers!

WARNING: Mopey Midna and the slightest mention of Slash (it could be deciphered otherwise but Slash is how I intened it), the rating my be jacked up for later chapters. Also this story is un-beta'd. A BETA IS WANTED FOR THIS STORY!!!!! Anyone interested please contace me.

DISCLAIMER: The only thing I own around here is the plot (and Midna's family)

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Interlude in Twilight

Princess Midna was pacing in her cavernous study. Since the day of her return to the Twilight Realm six months prior she could hardly be found anywhere else. The great black fortress was finally as a live and whole as it had been during her father's rule. Her people had returned to their original forms and those driven into hiding re-emerged, welcoming her home.

Midna, however, felt far from content with life.

For weeks and weeks after the portal closed Midna had spent every waking moment trying to convince herself that what she had done was for the best. In truth, it was safer to segregate the two realms; no need to have another Zant fiasco. But for the best? She was not so sure.

Darkness and Light after all… one could not exist without the other. But how had this been beneficial to either world when Ganondorf and his Twili puppet decided to conquer both?

From the very moment that the Twilight realm was created, that mirror had existed to uphold the connection between the two worlds. After all they were one in the same, Hyrule's darkness had merely been moved through the portal and into Twilight. Now Midna had destroyed that link, whether through a selfless wish or a deep seated fear on her part; but for the first time Hyrule and her world stood independently from each other. This didn't necessarily mean that disaster would strike both their worlds but it was disconcerting.

Nightmares plagued Midna on the rare occurrences that she found sleep. Over and over again she saw the great turrets of Hyrule Castle crumble, Ordon as deserted and ruined as the Hidden Village or Kakariko engulfed in flame from the very mountain that protected it.

Yet these were just dreams. Midna once again reminded herself to visit the Palace's Potion Master for something to help her sleep. Her Aunt Nyah had begun to inquire after her health; apparently she was beginning to appear sickly. Midna stopped her relentless pacing and sank down in an armchair beside a large peaked window. It would not do to look anything less that invincible and unwavering in the face of the council. They were skeptical at best at her competence; not because she was female, but because she was so young and her past depicted a young woman who was often selfish and devious.

The quest to rid Zant and Ganondorf from both lands had done much to mature Midna, mentally emotionally and ethically. Now she just need to show the council what she was capable of. It was hard, however, to appear sure and unwavering when she was so very disheartened inside.

Her father was dead. Though she had suspected as much when she had been initially expelled from the Twilight realm, the news was a difficult blow to take. Zant's rampage had cost the lives of nearly all the royal clan; her brothers, Nyx and Nox had swiftly met the same fate as their father, as did her five male cousins and her three uncles. The two Sol Spheres had been taken by shadow beasts who had once been their guardians and her family was slain, unaware and unarmed, in an impenetrable darkness.

Perhaps what angered Midna most about this vile dismantling of her clan, was that Zant and his errant God hadn't thought the women capable of becoming a threat. Her mother had been killed in passing, as she attempted to protect her subjects from Zant's curse, but Midna's six female cousins and her four aunts were not even deemed worthy of the great usurper king. He turned them into shadow beasts like the rest and cast them from the palace, the only reason he bothered with Midna was because, with her brothers dead, she was next in line for the crown and even then he did not see her as a threat. He manipulated her body, turning her into the imp and cast her out of the realm. Perhaps hoping that a display of his power would eventually draw her to his side, but never even considering that she might seek revenge.

Those of the royal clan had not been the only Twili to loose their lives in the invasion, the entire Twilight population had been cut in half. The populace was never that expansive to begin with, but so many had been killed for their defiance and still so more had been destroyed (and even now guilt consumed Midna) in Hyrule during her quest with Link.

Link.

Midna's pride had never before cost her so much.

Why hadn't she told him the truth? The easy answer, the selfless answer, was because she was about to leave him forever. She couldn't bear that look in his eyes, whether or not he had felt the same (and even now she couldn't convince herself that he did) she couldn't leave him like that, with just a few words that would slowly grow empty over time.

The real reason however…well that was a bit more complicated and far less noble.

Zelda had convinced her that this was the proper way to ensure safety in both worlds. As Zant had clearly stated, Light and Dark cannot mix. Should not mix. Midna had quickly embraced this in her desperation, clinging to Zelda's words in the darkened ruins of the Arbiters fortress, Link sleeping not five feet away. And while Zelda spoke of barricading the two kingdoms against another disaster of this caliber Midna only thought of running away.

She could not bear it if he did not return her sentiments, but in all rationality, why on in the name of the Three would he? She had treated him as no more then a slave when they had first began their partnership, she manipulated him, she used him as a tool for her won quest… Even if Link loved her with the same desperate intensity that she loved him they could never be together. He would never leave his golden kingdom for this labyrinth of Twilight and Shadow and as long as the Twilight Palace stood Midna was sworn to govern it.

No it was better that she left him unhindered; without spreading her burdens onto his shoulders. He would grow, find love and perhaps even forget about the mirror and Zant and the imp that had fought beside him. Perhaps he would even marry the princess one day…

For the first time six the mirror had shattered six months ago Midna let her tears fall. It was all she could do not to betray the promise she had made to Zelda, who knew the secrets of the Twili as well as herself. It was all she could do to go against the other Princesses wishes and do something that was perhaps irreversible… Just to see him one last time…

She blindly groped on the end table for something to dry her tears with and leapt to her feet in a panic when her fingers brushed against warm flesh.

"Did I frighten you Milady?" A voice asked.

Not at all!" Midna snapped, hurriedly scrubbed at her eyes and turned to face the red-eyed boy. "Boy" was a loose term however, the immortal creature before her had not been a boy for at least a century. Not after he was gifted to the first Twili ruler by Princess Zelda's ancestor, to act as an envoy between worlds… a guardian of the final gate and of the Twili ruler.

Midna almost laughed at the irony, this was perhaps the last person that she wished to see right now. Although he was in the habit of being drawn to her side at the worst of times. Guardian be damned, he was doing nothing to guard her from herself.

He was a glowing slightly, rather as Link had done in the Twilight Realm, though his eyes were as red as her own. Where he was not covered by the traditional garb or cowl of his warrior ancestors long past, he resembled those of the light far more then Midna's people but only royalty ever saw him. It had surprised Midna when he appeared in Hyrule as the golden Spirit Wolf, apparently he was no longer counted among the light dwellers.

Midna often pitied this poor creature. Forced into eternal servitude after he had given everything to his princess… but that was the way of his people…

"Milady? Are you alright?"

Midna turned to face the window. "No." she answered immediately, it was nice not to have to pretend, he would not fault her for her emotions. "I'm rather far from it actually…"

He stepped silently and suddenly he was next to her, gazing out into the swirling abyss.

"Do you wish to return?" he asked softly. She did not need him to clarify where and did not answer for fear of what she might say.

"Do you?" she asked instead.

"Every day, my princess." He whispered. "Although it is not my Hyrule anymore… and your Link is not my Hero of Time…"

Midna took his hand, as she had done when she was a child and he spoke of the past.

"I'm so sorry Sheik…"

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Ahahahahah! Oh dear, how could I not give Sheik a bit of limelight?

Well oviously he and Zelda are two different charecters in my story. PLEASE DO NOT FEEL THE NEED TO INFORM ME THAT THEY ARE THE SAME PERSON IN THE GAME! I AM PERFECTLY AWARE OF THIS! And yes i'm taking liberties and making the Spirit Wolf/Hero's Shade actually Sheik. The red eyes induced a plot bunny! It's not my fault! ;)

I apologize if anyone who is unhappy that I suddenly included Slash in this story (for there will be a bit more, nothing explicit is planned so far though) but the idea was there so I just had to go with it.

So you will hear more in later chapters about just how Sheik was turned in to this immortal Gaurdian of the Twilight realm and his past relationship with the Hero of Time. And we will hear more about this gateway that he's gaurding and just why Midna doesn't want him around when she all vaunerable and missing Link.

Oh just a P.S; I had to spend five minues going through and writing "Twilight Realm" where I had accidently written "Twilight Zone" hehe it amused me so I thought i'd share.

Review! Review! Review! Maybe Midna and Sheik'll stop being mopey if you do!