Chapter 6—Risk Taker

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Upon seeing Midna, Link's initial response was to be angry. This woman had broken his leg! She didn't deserve to be treated with kindness—not from him.

However, despite these thoughts flowing through almost every fiber of his being, there was a portion that asked a simple question: can't we forgive her? Link cringed at the thought; it didn't seem like a logical thing to do. Yet, in all ways, it was the right thing to do.

When someone such as Midna is put in a bad temper, it is only expected that her actions would be so rash. After knowing her for so long, Link all but knew that she was one for revenge.

Regardless of the fact that it was the correct choice to forgive her and live his happy life, Link was haltered in his decision by something he was well-known for looking straight in the eye: fear.

The largest, most ruthless monsters have snarled at the green-garbed hero, but not once did he turn away. Physical torture and images of death did not hamper Link's determination; the brute forces of evil could not stand in his way.

It was not these things that grabbed his legs and tripped him; it was not Ganondorf who had stopped him from breathing. No, the evils of the world stood no chance. There was only one thing that forced Link to his knees: love.

But what is there of love to fear? Love fills the saddest of people with joy, making the poorest of people to feel rich. It is a generous gift to that of man.

But everything so useful to life has a high cost.

The love to another, friend or family, is a powerful one. What happens, then, when it is lost? Many people require both legs to stand; if one is lost, they will fall. When the base of life stands upon friendship, what happens to everything it holds when it collapses?

Truly, love is an expensive necessity of life. The prices and risks are so high that Link did not know if he was willing to pay. He had already experienced a sample of love's cruel powers.

Out of love, Link stopped a friend from leaving; it was also love that broke his leg and filled the air with hateful words. It was not this that was the most painful, however. The pain was that of excruciation; to invest so much time and affection upon one person and then lose it all in one night, that is the damage inflicted. And so, Link was posed with a question: though it is the just choice to forgive, is it the smart choice to invest in the one that caused so much dread? It is the question that he fears to face.

Link had already pondered this subject earlier, but he didn't look into it with so much depth as he did now. What was the choice to make? He had been faced with many spur-of-the-moment times when he had to make one of two decisions, but this one seemed far more urgent.

Finally returning his attention back to the present, Link stared at Midna. It was only the second time he had seen her in her original form, and the only word that Link could use to describe her with was… incredible. Maybe she looked a little creepy to some, but for him, it was bewildering.

Shaking his head, Link ignored his eyes; now was not the time to be sight seeing. He had to make a choice, and it had to be now.

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Midna stood silently in front of Link, whom was equal in noise level. When she was at a loss for words when he asked her what she was doing at his house, she simply stared at the floor. She expected Link to say something in response, but he did not; he looked as though he were in deep thought.

Was he preparing to say something? If so, what was it going to be? Midna squirmed under the pressure. She was already feeling dreadful for what she'd done to him, and she was fully prepared to apologize to him, yet now she had to deal with the intense silence? She sighed.

It's all worth it, and I know it will all work out in the end. I just can't stand long silences. During their adventure, Midna could never stay quiet for longer than five minutes. She often wondered if she drove Link insane during their time together, but he never seemed to be bothered. So, the real question was whether or not she drove other people mad.

That was, if there was anybody to annoy. Midna had never been good at making friends, as many people took her sarcastic comments literally. Also, as royalty, everyone that ever tried to get close to her were power hungry nobles. In the end, Midna just learned to ignore everyone and live a solitary life.

That was before she met Link.

She continued with her guidelines of loneliness when she first met him, although she let him in on a few details about the Twilight, but nothing personal. However, as time progressed, she realized that Link didn't even know that she was royalty, meaning he looked at her as the true Midna. He wasn't going to stab her in the back to steal her position of power or act like she was made of gold. This suddenly caused her to open up to him. Naturally, she was still cautious about talking to him: she started with small talk, commenting on him as they went through the temples. Thankfully, Link was excessively friendly, and he accepted the invitation to talk. Despite the fact that she was particularly rude to him at first, he seemed to shrug it off.

Their chitchats remained brief for the first half of the adventure; after Link and Zelda had saved Midna's life, however, she looked at life from a whole new perspective. She felt like everything that had happened before that event was utterly pointless and dull. Before, people would protect her and do what she told them to because they had to. Now, though, there were two individuals who did it because they cared.

It was different than being followed around by your own personal bodyguard. No, this was far from that. The feeling that someone helped you because they wanted to was incredibly… heart warming. Not only that, but the urge to help them and repay a non-existent debt also felt just as good.

It was unlike that of a hole that needed to be filled, and you would feel great pain if you did not. Rather, helping them when they were in a time of need almost felt like it was second nature.

And so, Midna felt that she could put as much trust as she felt necessary into Link's hands. Anyone that saved her life deserved no less. In just a few days' time, she began starting elaborate conversations with him, and they went over any topic that went through their minds. The need to say "penny for your thoughts" was lost, for everything that was on their mind was already revealed.

Interestingly enough, Link loved every second of their conversations. He laughed and thought hard about the questions that she would sometimes ask. He took everything that she said to heart, as though they were precious. It made her feel as though someone actually wanted to be with her, to be her friend.

It was strange for her to think back on. How could one small event cause her to change the outlook of her entire life? How did she create such a close friend, when she herself did nothing? In all actuality, it was him who changed everything. Were it not for his stubbornness to give up on her, they would not have joked the way they did. In fact, she would not be here at all were it not for him.

So, in that case, would it also not be obvious that there was no point in being in this world without him? It was not the entire world that had brought her here—it was one man. If he disappeared, there was absolutely no reason to be here anymore.

Midna shivered. It was a dreadful realization, and gave her a mixed reaction. For one, it made her realize just how important Link was to her. Not only for her survival, but most likely her sanity! The thought also gave her a spark of determination. If he was such a key element in her life, it was all the more reason to regain his trust.

How had Link done it? When someone you don't even know spits in your face, you would never want to speak to them again, right? Yet… he continued to talk to me.

It was a determination that she could most likely never compare to. Even now, the person that she actually knew was starting to lose his grasp on her, yet she was having troubles; Link had done the same with someone he didn't know.

While it was an attribute of human quality she could never fully attain, she could come very close to it. In her adventures with Link, Midna had learned the importance of honor and trust. She learned that you needed friends to live and prosper in life. It was a necessity to build upon their support, all the while helping them out at the same time.

Midna sighed in approval. I have learned much.

At that moment, she realized that Link had looked at her. Her heart skipped, her body tensing. This was the moment of truth; what he said now was going to be important.

Gripping onto her courage, Midna braced herself.

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It was now or never! What in the world was he supposed to think? The surge of thoughts flooded his mind, clouding his judgment. What was just, what was logic, what was reason? He didn't know anymore; he didn't know what he would normally do in that situation.

I don't want it anymore… the pain, the betrayal...

All he ever fought for was his friends and their loyalty, but a thought filled him up: what if they all do the same?

No… I can't allow that. Never, I won't let them take away my sanity. I am my own person…

And so, he decided.

Nobody will ever influence my life again. I live a life of solitude.

There was no reasoning.