Hey guys! I am continuing after all. First off, I'd like to thank those who reviewed and offered me support.
Second, in case you haven't realized, I am making the relationship between Link and Zelda romantic. Sorry if you don't like it or had something different in mind relationship wise. There are plenty of other great fics that I'm sure will meet your expectations.
Thirdly, enjoy the next chapter!
(~0~)
I wasn't expecting it to hurt so much. I wasn't expecting her to pull away or to hit me or to glare at me furiously as she trudged back to the tent or…to see her cry. All I wanted to do a few seconds ago was to kiss her and to hold her until I couldn't hear the lightning anymore and the world just went away. The world didn't go away, it got darker.
I picked myself up from where I still sat awestruck in the mud, rain pouring around me and the lightening banishing the silence I desperately craved. I could still feel the fresh sting from where Zelda struck me across the face.
My sword lay a few feet away and I dejectedly made my way toward it, hoping its familiarity would comfort me but when I took its hilt in my palm, all I felt was numb. 'Why would she be so angry with me? I thought, in that moment, that she felt the same way.'
I make my way towards the tent. I can hear her crying through the thin layer of waterproof tarp that separates her from me, from warmth and the bitter shock of rain. I'm about to pull back the tarp and enter but something stops me and I step back. 'I'm her protection, nothing more. I should perform my duties to her as the hero, not indulge in such selfish desire for love.' I decide I'm going to sleep outside.
Water clings to my clothes, soaks my hair, and chills my bones. I've been shivering for almost two hours already and it only gets harsher, the cold wracking my nerves with pain. Zelda still hasn't stopped crying, though it's gotten quieter, she might even be sleeping. I cringe; I caused her to feel this way. Memories snap at the back of my mind, the dream and my weakness. 'Heroes don't make princesses cry, they get to ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after, right?'
"Snap!" I quickly launch my gaze to the black distance beyond. I can't see anything with the blanket of rain and the darkness shrouding everything within a few feet of me, 'can hypothermia cause hallucinations?' I force myself to sit up taller; my fingers creep around the hilt of my sword out of habit. Breath and focus, you can't fail Zelda again.
But in the next instant there came that infamous Bulblin shriek behind me and the newest sting of something hard striking the back of my head. Finally I could feel something as warmth began to spread from the back of my head and my eyes surrendered to the beckoning darkness.
(~0~)
Heat still trickled off of me in waves of white anger at the memory of what happened to Shaylyn and of what befell her husband. Nobody deserved to be treated like that.
I sat down quietly on my bed though my mind was loud with thoughts and desire to get revenge for my people. Link is probably on his way, I know he's alive, Gannon was just trying to steal my hope but I wouldn't surrender. It had almost been four days since I was taken and Link rescued Zelda, 'what if he is dead?' I mentally scolded myself. I should focus on more important matters like…
How am I going to kill Ganondorf?
I will plan my escape starting today, its time to take matters into my own hands. If Link is dead then I need to find a way out of here, I can't just always rely on Link.
Then the door opened and in walked Ganondorf. "Ganon? Feeling a bit lonely in such a big castle all on your lonesome?" I pouted sarcastically, "Maybe you shouldn't have killed or imprisoned my people. Its not too late to let them go you know."
"Ah, Midna, always the clever dagger aren't you?" he sneered, "I just came to bring you a new dinner, I heard that bitch Shyla made a mess out of your other one."
I couldn't help myself; I flung myself at him, clawing and scraping at his face with as much savagery as I could muster. "Her name is Shaylyn! What did you do to her? I know what you did to her husband; if you hurt her I will kill you!" I kept swiping at him but not getting very far as he forced me back roughly so I hit the floor.
Looking very annoyed Gannon sighed deeply, "why do you even bother? I am more powerful than you and a better ruler for this kingdom than you ever were. Once your people accept me, we will become all mighty and neither your hero nor your goddesses will be able to save you!" His tone softened to a dangerous growl "If you really must know, that Sheila or whatever you call her is in punishment and for now on, the Bokoblins will be your servant. Nighty, night Midna, sweet dreams." I watched him turn to leave.
"You bastard! I told you not to touch her!" I made my way back over to him but was dismissed with a backhand to the side of the face. I stumbled back into the bedroom.
"No. You don't get to tell me what to do." He reached for the doorknob and stopped, "by the way Midna, I'm growing tired of your defiance towards your new king. From now on you will be punished as such for your actions."
Feeling humiliated and irate I watched him finally shut the door, the lock resounding loudly throughout the quiet room. I would get my revenge and I would remain strong, though I really wouldn't mind having Link show up and save the day.
(~0~)
'Oh goddess, my head.' I woke up with a moan and rapid jabs of pain in the back of my skull. Something was pressed roughly against my back and light shined down from a crack in the roof of what seemed to be the rocky surface of a cave, the light danced tauntingly behind my eyes triggering flashes of pain in my head. I winced and sucked in breath.
I tried to lift my hand to feel the back of my head where the Bulblin whacked me with a stick or something but I was met with the mere rattling of chains. I looked up to see my hands chained and shackled above my head, I realized my arms were quaking. Panic then surged through me, Zelda!
I looked around me frantically trying to see if Zelda had also been taken captive. To my relief, she wasn't with me but that didn't mean she wasn't taken, I'd have to find out for sure when my captors reveal themselves. I looked up through the crack in the roof again, it must be early in the morning, the sky still has a pinkish hue and the sun hasn't fully risen, I'm wasting time.
Small, clumsy footsteps could be heard making their way down the tunnel into the cave. I made sure to put on my best look of defiance though my head is throbbing and I feel faint. My hands twitched for my weapon but those had been likely left at the tent.
The first thing I noticed as the Bulblin entered was that it seemed familiar, not in the way it looked, all Bulblins look the same, but because of the bandaged shoulder and resentful glare it was giving me. It was the same Bulblin from before on the ridge, the one I let escape, I silently scolded myself.
It, along with five others, walked into the cave. I was beginning to feel like a cornered animal. One of the Bulblins walked up to me muttering to the others then grabbed a fistful of my hair and twisted my head to the side to show the others my wound. I gasped and tried feebly to brush him away resulting in the clinking of chains and the scrapping of shackles on skin.
The Bulblin shrieked a series of high pitched yelps at the Bulblin I shot then released my hair and walked back to the Bulblin I shot, which seemed to be the leader, with a triumphant smile on its face. The leader snarled gratefully and signaled the others to leave, not a good sign.
Once the others left, it turned back on me with a sinister smile and began advancing on me with a sharp, curvy dagger. I backed up as far as I could in chains but found myself helpless in this situation. I tried to think rationally, I couldn't break free of the chains, I couldn't run, but my legs were free.
I lashed ungracefully out with my legs hoping to be able to knock him down as to the hope that I could then wrestle the key from him with my feet somehow. I managed to kick him square in the chest but it did little but anger him even more and a kick to the ribs soon ended my little charade. It then grabbed my hair and slammed the back of my head into the wall. By now I am not seeing much but stars, black swamps my vision for a while and when it clears I wish it wouldn't because the Bulblin has the dagger raised above its head, poised directly over my heart.
It begins to lunge forward and I close my eyes in defeat, I knew I couldn't be the hero- the dagger falls out of its hands and its eyes glaze over as it falls to its knees then lays dead at my feet revealing Zelda standing behind it, sword quivering in her arms.
"Zelda, you came for me?" I asked my voice sounded slurred. But she didn't seem to hear me; she was still standing over the Bulblin with the bloodied sword hanging limply at her side. "Zelda?"
"I-I", she stuttered, "I killed it." Her eyes grew wide, "it almost killed you, I don't know what to do, I don't know what I'd do if you'd-", I stopped her mid panic.
"Zelda look at me", she turned her head slowly toward me, her gaze distant, "focus, can you hear me?" Her eyes then focused on mine before she quickly turned away.
"I can hear you, sorry."
I nodded weakly, "it's alright, now you need to listen to me. I need you to grab the key on Bulblin's belt and undo the cuffs around my wrists, okay?" she nodded before stepping over the corpse and hesitantly rummaging around for the keys. When she grabbed them she stepped over to me and began undoing the shackles. Then she gasped with terror.
"Oh my, Link there's a lot of blood on the wall behind your head, are you-", she began.
"I'm fine", I said lamely, "but I need you to get me free. How did you get here?"
She began telling me slowly as she worked at the shackles, "I heard the Bulblin attack you so I stayed quiet and then grabbed our stuff and followed you on Epona. She's waiting over by the hill behind a tree, I snuck past the other guards and had to stop this one when I saw him about to…" she cleared her throat as the last shackled fell free.
I rubbed my wrists where the shackles had rubbed them raw then noticed the distressed look on Zelda's face. "Are you okay? Is it because of what happened last night-" she interrupted me half way.
"No, I just don't want to have to…" she trailed off looking at the bloodied sword which lay on the ground net to the corpse of the Bulblin.
"Oh", I muttered awkwardly, "uh, give it here then."
She shook her head, "I don't want you to have to do everything all the time, I-I can do it." She stepped toward the sword but I blocked her path with my arm.
"No, I'll do it because it's my duty." I reached for the sword and then headed for the door, Zelda still standing loosely by the Bulblin. "Let's go."
As we made it to the exit of the cave, the four other Bulblins were already waiting. I signaled for Zelda to keep going while I engaged in combat with the first. They are easy enough to kill but given their tendency towards numbers, it makes it a little harder, I kicked the first in the stomach and stabbed my sword through his chest then swiveled around to slash the second in the chest then kick him into their camp fire.
The other two decided to use distance to their advantage and pulled out bows. I easily knocked the first volley of arrows away and then dashed to the right rolling behind him then rocketing forward, stabbing him through the spine. The last was still notching his next arrow so I knock him back with my elbow then pressed the sword firmly into his heart.
I was panting hard and by the time I ripped the blade free from the last Bulblin's chest, I felt near collapse. Luckily Zelda was already there leading Epona swiftly next to her. As I sank to my knees Zelda opened a bottle with a fairy in it and let it spread its healing magic on my wound, I immediately felt better.
"Here, drink this." She handed me another bottle with a red liquid inside, "don't worry, it will help you feel stronger."
I drank it in one gulp then handed her the bottle back. "So where are we anyway?"
"Actually", Zelda began, "they kind of did us a favor. We're in Eldin only a couple miles from Kakoriko Village."
I shook my head puzzled, "that helps us how?"
"Because of the next riddle, it was quite simple, really." She took out the riddles from her pouch and began reading the next one of power. "Mighty and resounding, well attuned to the harsh flame that death can bribe, although it is a fierce companion to only few who can thrive." She smiled for what seemed like the first time in a while, "so you see it is definitely at the Eldin Volcano."
"I agree." I stood up feeling about a million times better. "Hey, Zelda?"
She turned expectantly, "thank you, for coming after me."
She blushed before turning back to Epona and climbing on her beck, "well, I wasn't going to let them take you. Come on we're losing daylight."
Not feeling satisfied, I climbed onto the horse in front of her. I wondered if things would ever be the same between us and what was the cause of all this confusion?
(~0~)
You would never believe I was the same person. After Ganon left I cried and cried. Not because I was sad but because I was so relieved. He was alive. I could tell by the tone of Ganon's voice and the fear he had in his eyes at the mere mention of him. Not the harsh treatment by Ganon, the confined space I am in, or the fact that my kingdom is in danger could stop the over-powering feeling of relief. I knew Ganon was lying, Link is on the way and he will help me take my revenge.
It is strange though, how long it feels since I'd last seen him. It's only been a few days but already it feels like months. I smiled at the memories we had together back when he was forced into being a wolf. Even though I wont admit it to him personally, I enjoyed being with him, I enjoyed his company, his bravery, and his lopsided grin and shaggy hair. I paused. 'Why was I thinking of these things right now? Is it because I'm alone and helpless and Link has always been there to rescue us all? No. You promised yourself that you wouldn't think like that anymore. We agreed that it would never work anyway. But just once did I wish I could feel what I really felt or one day tell him what I've been meaning to tell him…I love him.
(~0~)
Okay so that's that. Sorry if this chapter just seemed like a whole lot of drama because it sort of was…Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.
And just to clarify, I sort of added some suspense in there as Midna has now just revealed a secret attraction to Link. I tried looking up how old Midna is and couldn't find an answer so maybe let's just assume that she's Zelda's age and not some creepy age?
More coolness in the next chapters, I love reviews so please leave one, please! Unless it's mean…then just don't.
