Woot! New chapter and the reviews are already high for the amount of chapters I've posted so far.

Llorest: Considering how little you had per chapter in your last fic, I would say this is a miracle.

Hey! What are you doing here again?! Oh, forget it. Anyway people, I'm in need of some beta readers, so if you have a free time and want to colaborate for this history to get better...

Llorest: Do you mean...?

Better in terms of grammar! Anyway, who want the vacancy it's just PM me. Thank you for the attention and let's go back to the fic.

Chapter 10

In a Peaceful, Frozen Scenery

After Midna said the next clue for the next material and the two decided it probably referred to Snowpeak Mountains could mean, Link and she were again in the northeast fields of Hyrule, crossing the Eldin Bridge. The day was windy, forcing the Hero to hold his green hat with his hand, though he heard a commentary coming from his shadow about prefer him to stay without that ridiculous hat.

Since his former shield had been destroyed, Link received Midna's Mirror Shield (the good one) from her, but just after she made he promise he would take good care, since it was practically a treasure of her people's past and all.

Like they would pass by the Zora Village, the green clad swordsman decided to pay a visit to Ralis. When they arrived at Hyrule North Fields, Midna's voice sounded again:

"Why can't we just go and get that material at once?"

"Cause it wouldn't be polite for me to pass by the Zoras without say 'hi' to their Prince. It's part of the courtesy."

"Ok, but if they keep staring at me, we'll have fried fish for dinner"

Link wanted to say a comeback about the bluish tone of her skin making she look a Zora, but decided he liked to live. Epona stopped near the entrance to the village of the fish tribe and Link dismounted while Midna came out of his shadow.

The overwhelming humidity in the air hit them as soon they entered in the fish people's home, making their clothes stick to their skin. To Midna it wasn't a big deal, since she could fix all using magic and didn't use much clothing, but Link could already feel his shirt gluing to his torso and arms. The two went to the Throne Room at the final of the path and there they saw Ralis, talking to some guards and other Zoras.

When the prince saw the Hero arriving he ended the talks and gave some instructions, dismissing the Zoras and going to his swordsman friend. The two hugged each other as Ralis asked how he had been.

Midna leaned to the wall, deciding to look at the flowing water rather than enter in the talk, this is, until Ralis asked to Link who was the "lady in dark robe". She looked to the two while her friend introduced her and shook the young prince's hand:

"Hum, are you from some foreign Zora tribe?"

Link gulped and got severely worried for his young friend's security, for in that moment he swore he saw an electrical spark flicker around Midna's right wrist. Thankfully, Ralis noticed nothing and wasn't affected by that. The Twilight Princess simply put a smile on her face while spoke in a rather sweet tone:

"No, I'm afraid I'm not. I fear you haven't even encountered anyone of my tribe."

The Zora boy simply nodded and asked the two to follow him for them to talk in a more private place. Before do so, Link put a hand on Midna's shoulder and said he was very impressed by her action. The Twili woman put her hand over the swordsman's one and said his name before, without any warning, squeeze it with a strength that didn't match her, almost breaking his hand and making him to knell in pain while he felt his tendons forcing to not snap.

"I would watch my back from now on if I was you.", the princess said, with a sinister smile on her face and releasing her friend's hand, who quickly held it with his good one.

The Twilight Princess simply followed Ralis while her friend stayed knelled in the floor, looking to her back and thinking how he could avoid to go with her to places were his body could easily be hidden.

The Zora prince led the couple to his room, which, like the rest of the village, was sculpted in the rock and was full of furniture that seemed to be made of precious stones and corals, and said for them to sit in two chairs which were also made of corals. Ralis then noticed Link holding his paining hand and asked what happened. The warrior looked to his Twili friend, who shot a death look to him, making him to gulp. He quickly turned to the confused boy, saying it was nothing.

"So, how have you been doing Link?", Ralis asked to his friend.

"Just the usual: fighting monsters off, running errands and going on quests that nobody more can do.", Midna cleared her throat at that comment. "What? Oh c'mon, I helped you back there with that fire demon."

"Fire... demon?"

The Hero started to tell Ralis what they have faced in the Death Mountain Crater, leaving aside the part that the monster was a cursed Twili, and that they were passing by to get to Snowpeak. The Prince got absolutely surprised by hearing such tale. He never heard about this kind of place on the Goron's home.

Midna stayed quiet during all the tale and made just some confirming sounds when the young Zora occasionally asked her if she really could cast those powerful spells, he even asked her to make some kind of magic now. The Twilight Princess sighted and pointed to Link's chair, which started to promptly float with the swordsman on it. She then made circular gestures with her hand and the chair followed. Luckily (for Link) the object didn't turn upside down. The Hero had a terrified look on his face while clutching the borders of the seat for his dear life, like a fall from it could kill him. His stomach decided it really didn't like to fly around by magic.

The Twilight Princess then retrieved her arm and the chair fell on its back, making Link roll to the side. Ralis, who had been watching mouth agape, let out a laugh at seeing his friend crawling to get up. The hero chosen by the goddesses shot Midna a look of "you enjoyed to do this, don't you?", which the sarcastic princess replied with a look of "you bet". While she used magic to fix up the chair, Ralis let out:

"It seems your girlfriend is upset with you, Link.", the Zora boy said, still laughing.

"She's not my girlfriend!", a very embarrassed Hero said.

Something inside the spell caster Twili ached painfully by hearing that simple statement, but she ignored it and told Link that they needed to keep going. The Hylian then dusted his tunic and Ralis got up, thanking them both for the visit.

"Could you keep this thing about her magic in secret? Midna doesn't like much attention.", Link asked, when the Princess opened the door of Ralis' room. The prince nodded.

As the two got some distance of the Throne Room and waved to the ruler of the fish people, Midna crossed her arms. The two descended some stairs that were recently built and arrived at the cave that gave entrance to Snowpeak Mountains.

"That was pointless.", Midna stated, out of blue.

"What? Can't we go and visit some old friends?"

"Your friends, not mine. They never saw me before in the case you have forgotten. And who gave you permission to talk about my powers. I'm not a trophy you acquired and can show around.", the princess' tone was a very irritated one, but Link didn't understand why she was so upset about that. When the Hero asked, she said. "In my realm, it's very impolite for one to ask a person to show his powers or to talk about them without the person's agreement."

"Sorry, I didn't know...", Link started, but got cut by Midna.

"Then next, ask before you open your big mouth."

With a huff, Midna walked faster while casting a spell on herself to resist the low temperatures of the mountains, leaving a very confused Link behind. He could tell something more was making her upset, aside of he talking about her powers, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Women..., the Hero thought, thinking it should probably be one of those mood swings.

- - - - -

There wasn't many who knew how to navigate on the greatest heights of Hyrule and it was difficult to really find a motive to do so, since there were many alternative routes for one to avoid them. The constant snow storms and strong winds could throw any unaware person on the ground and made them to get lost in this snowy isolation.

Link and Midna were going up the slope that stayed after the frozen lake, they thought it would be a good idea to ask Yeto about the crystal, since the Yeti should know these mountains better than no one, considering he had found a mansion here. The now freezing swordsman surprisingly found that his otherworldly companion wasn't even flinching in the cold weather.

Magic protection this, magic barrier that... man, she really know how to make me look ridiculous., the green clad swordsman thought while rubbing his sides to warm himself. Thankfully there wasn't any winds today to bury them under snow.

Midna was walking in the front when she suddenly stopped and looked skywards, like trying to find something. Link noticed that and asked what was wrong. The Twilight Princess looked around, scanning the scenery, before answer:

"Did you hear that?", Link arched his eyebrow, wondering what she was talking about. He hadn't heard anything.

Before the Hero could ask, though, a big, sky blue blur passed whizzing the top of the mountain, creating strong gusts of wind, which forced the couple below to put their hands at the front of them and incline their bodies to maintain balance. Link swore he heard something that resembled a chirp, but his ears were soon flooded with the sound of rumbling and snow moving snow. Whatever that thing was, it had caused an avalanche that was coming towards them.

Tons of snow came down the mountain. Midna knew the only way for them to escape was to pass the frozen lake, but they were in ankle deep snow, which would considerately slow them. There was just one left option for them to survive...

"Link, get down!", the powerful magician commanded. Link immediately obeyed and Midna went to him, throwing herself on him and creating a barrier at the last second.

With the two pressed against the ground, the powerful woman could create a barrier with the less of contact surface, sufficient to just cover their bodies and let the snow pass. If they were standing, she would need to create a bigger one, which would receive a much stronger impact from the avalanche and she knew even her haven't that much power to resist against the amount of snow which would try to bury them alive.

When the rumbling and the sound of dislocations of tons of snow stopped, Midna used her power to expand the barrier upwards and create a hole in the snow layer, revealing the skies again. She sighed in relief and then looked to her companion, but once she did she noted something. In her hurry to reach Link and create the barrier, she had undone the enchantments she used to maintain her robe closed. Result: she had her uncovered mid section against her swordsman friend's back, whowas blushing red beet once he took notice of the warm contact.

Midna's face joined Link's as the two looked to each other and finally decided to to stand. The spell caster Twili looked to the side and the hero chosen by the goddesses did likewise, both embarrassed at the situation, though, deep inside, they kinda enjoyed the sensation of the warm of each other's body. A cry of joy called their attention back to the real world and the two got out of the hole to see a big Yeti sliding the newly formed slope in what seemed to be a great, frozen leaf.

The furred, mountain man skidded to a stop once he saw the two and recognized the green cap and clothes. He gave a loud laughter and greeted Link with a tap on his back, which had the same effect that Darbus' one, the only difference was this time the Hero had the snow to soft his fall.

"Good see Link on mountain again, uh!", Yeto said. He then looked to Midna and was about to speak when the princess interrupted.

"Before you speak, let me say to you that I and Link are just friends. Not mate, not girlfriend, not lover, no nothing! Just friends!", Midna spoke, raising her voice a little. Yeto seemed unaffected by her tone and just let out another laugh which sounded like some kind of roar.

"Alright, Yeto understand. Link and pretty woman just friends, uh."

Midna sighed while mumbling something that sounded like "at least he recognizes it". Link got up and asked what was that which caused the avalanche, since he didn't remember seeing anything like that in the first time he visited the mountains.

"Yeto don't know. Appeared three days ago and started to cause avalanche over all mountain, uh.", the Yeti answered. "But after avalanches, good for sliding, uh.", he said again, now with a smile on his beastly face. "Link came to say hello and slide, uh?"

"Unfortunately, not this time. You see, we're here searching for something...", Link then started to tell the Yeti what they came to take. Midna helped to explain, since the green clad swordsman didn't remember all the details of Faron's clue.

The two didn't see the need to give the full version of the story to the furred, mountain man, since he also seemed like couldn't get too complicated explanations, they just said they needed it to help Midna on something important. Yeto didn't ask what this important think was, just started to scratch his furred chin, in a thoughtful fashion.

After some thinking the Yeti finally spoke:

"Yeto know place were shiny rocks are, uh. But need to go house to get something to reach it."

"Why?", Midna and Like asked at the same time.

"Place is cavern in end of frozen river.", Link and Midna then remembered that there was an opening in the mountain wall in the lake behind them and that it let a river flows down the mountain.

Midna doubted she could maintain they floating enough time to reach this cavern Yeto spoke off and without directions they could stay wandering through the mountains for months. Deciding to accept the mountain dweller's offer, the two friends nodded and followed him to Snowpeak Mansion.

- - - - -

The mansion still the same from their last visit: warm in the living room and kitchen and cold in the rest of the rooms. Link and Midna found Yeta sat at the front of the fireplace, seeming to enjoy the fire. She turned when heard the door opening and smiled at seeing her husband and their friends. Getting up, the mountain woman walked to them in her almost clumsy way.

"Link, good see you, uh.", she said as the green clad swordsman bowed to greet her. "Oh, you brought friend."

Midna was ready to protest when she heard that Yeta had actually guessed their relationship right. The Twilight Princess just sighed while Yeto spoke to his wife:

"Link and friend Midna came to get boat, uh. They go to cavern where shining rocks, uh."

Yeta nodded at that and her husband went inside the mansion to get the said boat. The mountain woman then invited to Link and Midna to sit near the fire, what the swordsman gladly did immediately, rubbing his hands at the front of the warming flames. Midna sat in an armchair.

"You two saw great bird, uh?", Yeta asked, attracting the attention of the two friends, who casted a confused look to her.

"'Great bird'?", Link repeated, trying to remember if he saw something like that around the mountains. Then he remembered about what he saw before Midna had to save him from the avalanche. "Are you talking about that bird which caused the avalanche sooner?"

"Yes. Bird have appeared not much time ago and started to cause many avalanches, uh. Lucky nobody comes to mountains or people could get hurt. Husband saw him, but since places get good to slide and nobody got hurt he don't mind. But bird make me feel uneasy. Make me remember mirror we had, uh."

Midna shot a worried look to Link, who retributed. If this bird was remembering Yeta from the Twilight Mirror, could it be one of the cursed Twili generals who were guarding the material they needed? Link talked to the Yeti woman, saying she shouldn't worry, while his Twili companion was looking to the fireplace, thinking:

If that is really one of the Feral Generals, why is he flying around freely? Is the enchantment that binds them weakening since we defeated Tharse?, the spell caster woman thought.

On one hand, she was glad that one of her ancestors was free from his torment. On another, she was worried if he still bearing grudge against the light dwellers and would take this opening to go to some city and kill Hylians as revenge.

Midna was also tired of have to fight against her own brethren. It didn't matter if they were of a time before they got sent to the Twilight Realm where it was common to hate other Hylians, they were her people and they shouldn't suffer anymore. Why had the goddesses to be so vengeful with them? Didn't the Hylians do things equally or more wrong? The Twili ruler then looked back to her friend, who now had changed the subject with Yeta.

Why couldn't the Hylians of the past be nice like him?, Midna questioned.

Yeto then came back, carrying on his shoulder what seemed to be a wooden canoe and paddles. Link got up and thanked Yeta for the hospitality. Midna did the same.

"You're welcome anytime, uh.", Yeta said companying them to the door of the room. She looked to Midna while spoke the next phrase. "And you can bring your friends or your girlfriend anytime you want too."

Midna stopped abruptly at hearing that again, but before she could turn and protest, Yeto closed the door to the living room...

- - - - -

They arrived at the frozen lake and Yeto put the canoe where the water wasn't frozen. Link and Midna boarded the small boat, taking the paddles and preparing to leave. Their Yeti friend said that descending the river there was another lake, bigger than the one they were now and at the other side of the lake was the cavern with the crystals.

Link and Midna thanked the furred, mountain man and departed. After enter in the opening between the two great walls, the Twilight Princess looked to the paddle at her hand and shrugged, putting it in the water and casting a spell on the wooden instrument to make it row on its own. The Hero saw that and mumbled something about spells.

The female magician heard her friend's mumbling. She then asked what was bothering him and received the answer:

"Nothing.", Link lied, concentrating on row.

The Twili woman looked at him with a straight gaze, an action that left Link extremely uncomfortable. Just Ilia had looked to him like that and it often was because she would scold him by pushing Epona too hard. The Hylian then tried to contain the blush that threatened to color his face, when Midna smiled a playful smile.

"Oh, I get it. It's one of that middle age crisis, isn't it?", Link almost fell from the canoe at that and shot a look of utter disbelief at her. Middle age crisis? C'mon, he just made twenty one this year. "No... then maybe it's one of that 'manly proud' things. You're feeling inferior just because I can use magic and fight better than you, isn't it?", Midna asked, with a smile on her face which accentuated her exotic features.

"'Fight better than me'?! Ha, that's a laugh! Should I remind you just who kicked Ganondorf's ass and saved your back several times?", Link asked aloud.

"Should I remind you just who saved you from being roasted or turned into a pet forever?", Midna replied. Link opened his mouth to talk, but none sound came. He closed it, crossing his arms on his chest and looked to the side, in a pout fashion. "Ok, then let's do the following: once we end our job here, we'll spar and see who's the best. If I win, you'll have to calm your humor and stop pouting!", she said that specific part aloud for him to notice what he was just doing. Link uncrossed his arms, sighing and looked to her. "If you win, I'll give you the honor to take me to dinner."

The Hero raised his eyebrow at the last part. Was she just saying she wanted to have a date with him? The idea made Link's mind picture a romantic scenery with just him and Midna sat on a table and sharing a meal. Then his mind started to work on its own and altered the image to show him and Midna approaching each other, with their faces almost touching...

The green clad swordsman shook his head quickly to get rid of the mental image. He shouldn't be thinking this. She was a princess, from other world it was true, but a princess notwithstanding. What would she ever want with a... what was the term they used? "Country boy"? Yeah, something like that. Anyway, she was a noble and probably would prefer to marry another noble...

Wait, did I just think about marriage?! I never thought about it!, Link exclaimed to himself mentally. It was better stop now before his mind start to create more fantasies without his approval.

There was rumble and the scenery around them changed from two great rock walls to a vast lake under the nocturne sky. The day had turned night since they exited Snowpeak Mansion, but none of them had noticed until now. Link looked around and saw there wasn't a shore nearby, just more rock walls and some other openings in the middle of them. This lake probably turned into rivers that descended the peaks until its base.

Link then looked to the skies and was greeted with the vision of a stars and strange colored lights which seemed to emanate from the peaks around them. All in all, it was very beautiful sight and there was nothing in miles to obstruct this.

"It's really peaceful here, don't you think?", Midna's voice came, awaking Link from his reflection. He almost jumped at seeing she had got closer to him without he notice. The princess' arm was almost brushing his. "No battles around, no enemies to worry about, just the two of us and the stars.", the female spell caster said, not taking her eyes from the skies.

"Ye... yeah... I suppose...", Link said, the bulb on his throat had returned, bigger than ever. But this time there was also another one blocking the connections between his brain cells, effectively making his reasoning and reactions slow.

Midna then looked to Link and for one moment he saw the stars shine inside her eyes. Her face then started to approach his and in that moment his brain got completely struck between the present moment and the image that anticipated what was about to happen. The green clad swordsman could already feel his exotic looking friend's warm breathing when the two heard a loud chirp, coming from up the river they had just came from.

The Twilight Princess and the hero chosen by the goddesses turned and saw a great, sky blue bird soaring above the lake. The bird kinda resembled the two the picture of a phoenix, but blue and white instead of ruby-red and golden yellow, and was the same size of Tharse. When the bird soared above them, it looked to them by the corner of its eyes and Link and Midna could saw they had an intense dark blue tonality, almost black. They felt a cold, different from the one of the environment around them, creeping inside their bodies at the bird's gaze.

Without make a single turn from its current route or acknowledge it had really saw them, the great flying creature entered a big cavern in a wall at the other side of the lake, which Midna and Link were now close. The bird disappeared inside the hole, which almost reached the edge of the great icy, rock wall and the two friends stayed looking at the salience, until Link commented:

"That probably was one of those cursed generals. The crystal must be in that cavern.", with that conclusion, Link grabbed the paddle and started to move the canoe to the cavern.

Midna crossed her arms and laid on her back on the other side of their wooden boat, humping and extremely angry by having the almost special moment between she and Link interrupted by an over sized, blue canary.

That's it, I'm going to eat chicken tonight!

I know Midna was angry with Link when they entered the mountains, but think about it: she just had to save their lives from an avanlanche and then they strolled around a calm, mountain scenery. Certainly you all found Snowpeak Mountains a kinda relaxing view without that snow storm.

Llorest: Yeah, but you still have commited a mistake.

Uh? Where?

Llorest: Midna doesn't like chicken. Well, at least I think, I have never seen she eating it. Not that it isn't tasty, with all those different sauces and tasty fillings, mainly in Thanksgiving and in Christmas, but I honestly...

Argh! Stop, you're making me hungry!

Anyway, review people... before I decide to kill the jester.