Chapter Six

It wasn't until a week later when Link, Nellie, and Matt were all more or less recovered from the battle. On the second day home, Link had sent Traavis to Matthew to let the Hylian King know where they were and that they were safe. Traavis had returned the day after, reporting Matthew's gladness that they were alive.

It was also a week of recovery for Nico, who had finally turned a corner in his illness and steadily grew stronger and healthier. Midna, Link, and Doctor Otis were able to confirm that the boy's emotions had played a part in the illnesses that he had been getting over the past three months. Midna was, with the help of her mother, going to train him on controlling his emotions. With this, he would hopefully be getting less and less ill, and more able to get out and be a normal child.

As the week came to a close, it was decided that Link, Nellie, and Matt would return to the battle field. The dark Twilight before they were to leave, Midna found Link standing on the balcony outside their room. "You need to rest," she said, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "You're still injured."

Link sighed, but allowed his wife to bring him inside. He laid down on the bed, grimacing slightly from his wound. Midna sat down next to him and Link took her hand. "I wish I didn't have to leave. One week does not make up for all the time I've been without you."

"I wish you could stay as well." Her voice wavered ever so slightly.

Link studied her face, and noted the tears in her eyes. He pushed himself up. "Ekki graata, aastin miin," he murmured in Soolsetur, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Allt verouour ii lagi."

"If I could stop, Little Wolf, I would," she replied in Hylian. Link smiled sadly and wiped her tears away. She leaned her head on his shoulder. And for a while, they were quiet in each other's arms. Then Link pulled away slightly, pain written in his features. He pressed a hand to his side, and his eyes widened. Pulling his hand away, he saw it was red from his blood. Quickly, and gingerly, he pulled off his shirt, only to swear at the sight of his now blood-soaked bandages. Midna hurried into their private washroom, where she had stockpiled fresh bandages in an event like this. She returned supplied and began to unwrap the soiled bandage. Link flinched, gritting his teeth. "Hold still," Midna muttered.

Link obeyed, pushing away every animal instinct of his wolf half that managed to stick with his human form. He sat as still as he could while Midna wrapped the bandages tightly around him. Still, every now and then, he would flinch. Finally, Midna finished. "Goddesses, Link," she muttered.

"What?"

"I don't want you going into battle with such a wound. You'd get killed right away!"

"I have to get back, though," Link replied reluctantly, "as much as I'd rather stay here and heal." He watched her stand and go into the washroom, the soiled bandages bunched in her hands. She came out a few moments later and fetched a clean shirt for her husband.

"We could get you some red potion," she stated as she helped him into the shirt.

"We could," Link agreed, his voice muffled by the fabric. He pulled the shirt over his head and looked at Midna. "Or I could just abstain from fighting until I can actually wield a sword."

"I know you: you wouldn't stop, no matter what, Hero-boy."

Link sighed. He knew she was right. She had fought by his side too many times to think otherwise. He recalled the time in the City in the Sky where he had been beaten up badly by two flying lizalfos and then continued on to the homicidal dragon that was the boss of the dungeon. The entire way up the large, cylindrical room connected to the boss arena, Midna was shouting at him to rest. But he continued anyway, despite his wounds.

He remembered, after beating the dragon, lying on the grass in the arena, looking at the sky above and attempting to catch his breath, only to have Midna appear out of his shadow and reprimand him for his recklessness in her imp voice.

He grinned slightly at the memory, and laid down. He could sense his wife watching him carefully.

"I won't let you," she said eventually.

"Let me what?" Link replied.

"Go back to camp with that injury."

"Midna, I have to get back."

"Exactly. So, tomorrow when we go to the Light World, we'll stop by Castle Town and get you some red potion. That way, you can get back to camp all content, and I don't have to worry that you'll get killed before you can raise your sword."

Link sighed. "I love how you have so much confidence in me," he said sarcastically. "Can't we just..." He trailed off, glanced at her, and knew there was no arguing. That was one thing he had learned about her from the beginning: once she made up her mind, she wouldn't change it. After returning her stubborn gaze for a minute or so, he gave up, finding himself too tired to argue. He looked away and closed his eyes. "Fine, whatever," he said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Good. Now go to sleep."

The next day, they gathered once more by the portal into the Light World. Only Andrew and Nico would stay behind in the care of Midna's mother, Marietta.

Andrew, however, didn't want to stay behind. "Can I come? Please?" he begged.

"No, Andrew. Remember what I told you," Midna said.

"I do. I don't wanna fight. I just wanna see the camp and all that! And then I can come back with you! Please?"

Midna exchanged a glance with Link. It was dangerous, but Midna wasn't planning on staying too long. Link realized this as well and sighed. "You can come," Andrew," he said, returning his gaze to the fourteen-year-old. "But if anything happens you are to find either your mother or I and stay with us unless we tell you otherwise."

Andrew nodded excitedly. And, after the goodbyes were said, Midna warped the group through the portal. They had only a few moments before Midna warped them away once more, and the group found themselves in the grand shadow of Hyrule Castle.

"I thought we were going to the camp," Nellie said.

"We are," Midna replied as she lead the way toward town. She quickly explained their errand, ignoring the pointed sighs Link made. The small group entered the town, and immediately noticed the change in mood. No longer was there laughter in the streets. People – mostly elderly, women, and children – hurried quietly along in their business, keeping their heads down. Only a few soldiers marched through the streets, assigned not to the war front but the protection of the Royal Family that remained in town.

Link glanced around, noting the despondent tone. A wave of sadness filled him. This is what the war had done to Hyrule. Every citizen felt the terror inflicted by the fighting, yet they could do nothing about it. They stood by and waited for news from the front, praying that when it did come in, there was no announcement that their sons, their husbands, their brothers, their fathers, their loved ones, were dead. But the Hero perked up slightly when he saw where they were headed: the shop of an old friend of theirs.

The shop had once been one of a chain of shops called Malo Mart, previously owned by a friend from Link's home village of Ordon. But Malo had shown his real character and had been one of the two masterminds behind the kidnappings during the Time of the Stolen. He had been banished from Hyrule, and his employee, Malver, had gained ownership of the Castle Town Malo Mart, now called Malver Mart.

Midna and Link entered the shop, while Nellie, Matt, and Andrew stayed outside the shop on the simple porch, waiting. Matt settled down on the top step, watching the few people walk by. None of them bothered to look up or even notice that their Prince was there watching them.

"It's so different," he said.

"What is?" Nellie asked, sitting next to him.

"The town. There were always minstrels singing in that corner over there," Matt replied, pointing toward an area near the entrance to the castle. "The cafe and a lot of the shops are closed. And the people...there's no laughter, Nel. This was once a place of joy. Now it's the opposite. And it's sad, so very sad, to see it this way."

He glanced at Nellie before rubbing his face with his hands, attempting to shake off the remains of the concussion he got a week ago. And then he heard it.

"MATT!"

The voice caused heads to raise, and the next thing Matt knew, he was being bombarded with hugs from his sisters, Natasha and Eve.

"I missed you so much!" Eve, the younger of his sisters, exclaimed, hugging him tightly as Natasha agreed enthusiastically. Matt could only hug his sisters back, great joy on his face. He looked up at the sound of more footsteps and saw his mother and a Sheikah bodyguard approaching. His sisters let him go as he stood, and Zelda wrapped her arms around her son, joyful tears shining in her dark blue eyes.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise."

Matt let go of his mother and turned to see Midna and Link coming out of Malver Mart. Link was attempting to slip a half-empty bottle of red potion into the pouch on his belt, but Midna shot him a look before smiling sweetly at her best friend.

"It's nice to see you, too," Zelda replied, smiling. "What brings you here?"

Midna explained in as few sentences as possible what had happened and why they had come, not wanting to cause Zelda extra worry over her son and husband.

After Midna had finished, Zelda smiled slightly. "I want to come with you," she said.

"I thought you'd say that," Midna replied. "We'll wait for you by the south gate." Zelda nodded and, with the help of the Sheikah bodyguard, began to usher Eve and Natasha toward the castle. Midna, Link, Andrew, Nellie, and Matt started back toward the southern gate.

Midna looked at her husband. "If you don't finish that potion right now, so help me goddesses I will personally force it down your throat."

Link sighed, trying to repress a grin at his wife's teasing tone, and pulled out the half-empty bottle of the red potion. He noted the slightly amused looks of the children around them, and grinned. "You, my dear Midna, sound like that irritating imp I met on my first quest," Link commented as he pulled the cork off the bottle. "Except much more nice and more concerned."

Midna mock glared at him. She hated thinking that she had once been a rather powerless imp. She narrowed her eyes. "Just drink your potion," she said.

Link grin widened and he raised he bottled slightly in acknowledgment before downing the contents. He shuddered, making a face, but said nothing as the pain in his side dulled even more as the potion healed the wound. They arrived at the southern gate, and Link leaned back against the railing of the drawbridge. "So, that was nice of Malver," he commented as he stuck the now-empty bottle back into the pouches on his belt.

"What?" Nellie asked.

"He's offered to donate supplies to the armies. Within a week he'll be personally driving out the the battlefield with three carts full of red potion, arrows, food, medical supplies, and more. He's been running a fund and supply raiser for the past month, and has more than enough to give us supplies for a few months."

"Wow, that's a lot," Matt commented.

"It is." Link sighed, and glanced at Midna. She was leaning against the railing next to him, her eyes closed as she basked in the sun. "What's this? A Twili enjoying the sun?"

"Oh, shut up, you," Midna replied teasingly, not bothering to open her eyes. "I'm allowed to do what I want when I'm in the sun, and if that means enjoying it, then I will."

Link laughed. "Oh, what would I do with out you?" he teased lovingly.

"You would still be a wolf, chained to the floor of that cell."

"Indeed."

The two were silent for a while, watching Nellie and Matt talking in low voices at the end of the drawbridge. Andrew was watching the clouds roll by. Link gave a sigh of content, and wrapped his arm around Midna's shoulders. "It's times like these when I think how good life is. I can only pray that it will remain good."

"Goddesses willing," Midna replied.

A few minutes later, Zelda joined them, and they were finally ready to be on their way. Link would be warping them since he knew exactly where the camp was, but immediately he knew he wouldn't be able to take everyone. He glanced at Midna. "Help me out," he said quietly.

Midna nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder, transferring her power to him. He closed his eyes in concentration and warped the group away.

Author's note: Big things are a-comin'. I hope you're ready, 'cause the next chapter's got a HUUUGE plot twist. Like, the size of Morpheel (the giant eel Link fought in the Lakebed Temple). Huge. Giant. Ginormous (if that's even a word). It'll shake you like seeing Zant curse Midna and Link for the first time. It's to die for.

I'm gonna shut up now before I give it away. I hope you enjoyed this fluffy chapter. You may or may not see as much fluff fo a while in this story for a long while. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can get it up (seeing as I only just finished it). Don't forget to review!