Time skip! I promised plot, but if I exp lained every detail of the game this cou ld get very dry in a hurry. I don't own Legend of Zelda.

Makura and Link were resting in a cave on the snowy slopes of the mountain. Even with their fur coats, the blizzard had been too much. The snow had piled up to fill almost the entire entrance of their shelter and helped to insulate the warm th from the small fire they had created.

The boys sat huddled close to the flames. The snow had soaked them to the bone and they were trying to dry off. Makura sneezed and cursed. "I hate this weather. "

Link laughed weakly and said, "Most of Hyrule isn't like this."

Makura closed his eyes, finally giving in to sleep. When he was nearly out, Makura remembered something and asked, "Why were you startled by Ilia's comment earlier?"

He heard Link sigh. "It was nearly identical to what she told me when I started this adventure. What about you?"

Makura sleepily asked, "Hm?"

"You got so angry in the Mirror Chamber. All Midna said was she was worried about her father."

Makura replied, "If this blizzard is still blowing when we wake up, I'll tell you all about the Twilight."


The cave was white. Link was trying to knock the snow out of the entrance. Makur a sat up and stretched. He looked over in time to see the snow at the top of the pile fall to land on Link's head.

Makura laughed at Link's reaction. Link frowned at him and wiped the rapidly melting snow off his face. Link walked over and sat down by their small fire.

"The storm is still too strong?" Makura asked.

Link nodded. They sat in silence for some time before Link asked, "Will you tell me about your home?"

Makura leaned against the wall and looke d at the ceiling. "Are you asking about the Twilight or about my life?"

Link held his hands over the fire. "You have already seen both of my world."

Makura sighed and closed his eyes. "The hour of twilight in Hyrule is one of lin gering sadness. Even if the people of th is realm have forgotten us, the land rem embers. The Twili people were casters of magic. Before we were banished for what those Interlopers did, we used the magic we possessed to heal and help the land produce bountiful harvests.

"Upon exile, my people were grieved deeply, but over time our banishment became a chance to start over. Three tribes wer e ruled by three brothers. The kingship has passed between their descendants over the centuries. Midna's lineage is that of the youngest brother and has been held the longest." Makura sighed again and continued, "Maybe that's why the nobles were so quick to turn against her."

Makura drifted off so Link prompted, "Who are the nobles?"

Makura opened his eyes and stared into the embers of the fire. "The nobles are a council made of the heads of the Tribes that don't hold the throne. They can go against the ruler's decision, but only if they have the support of the people o f the kingdom."

Link asked, "Why have kings at all then? "

Makura said, "Before a kingdom was created, a war pushed our entire population t oward extinction. Mages used their nurturing abilities to scheme and murder. When the council was formed, heavy restrict ions were placed to ensure another war never happened."

"If they were so against another war, why did they fight against Midna? I though t her and her father were favored." Link frowned as he tried to understand.

"They weren't against them so much as their family. Over the last thousand years, power had only shifted three times and not once in the last five centuries." Makura glanced at Link to see if he comprehended the circumstances.

Link said, "They loved the King, but wan ted another family head to rule. Since the people had to agree, what leverage did the council use against Midna and her father?"

Makura met Link's eyes and said, "Me."

Link raised an eyebrow. Makura said, "Th is will be easily explained if I tell you how I met Midna." He glanced again at the ceiling and said, "I don't remember my parents. I was found as a five year old by an elder of a small farming village. He raised me for three years." Makura held a hand in front of his face and continued, "The Twili are a pale people of warm expression. I'm sure you've seen how odd Midna's eyes are compared to the people of Hyrule. My blue eyes are the only cold eyes I'd ever seen before I met Zelda. The village I called home hated me for my eyes, calling them the eyes of a demon. When the man who cared for me died, they tried to kill me."

Link's expression darkened and he said, "How could they kill a child?"

"They wouldn't kill me directly, but there was nowhere else I could have gone. They wished me dead and the result would be the same. By mere coincidence Midna's carriage was passing by and she saved me. She took me into the castle and we be came friends."

"So back in the Mirror Chamber, when you said she gave you your life and blade, you were being literal," Link clarified.

Makura smirked. "It's a little more complicated than that, but yes. Midna wouldn't accept any oath of loyalty as a Knight from me when we were kids. By the time I was fourteen, we were in love, but as we got older, it became harder and hard er to keep our secret. The rumors grew worse and worse as the days went by. When the King heard one particularly crass r umor about his daughter stealing kisses in the moonlight from a blue-eyed demon we thought he'd forbid our friendship. Midna managed to convince him the rumors were false."

Link smirked. "I'm sure it wasn't you mentioned in those rumors."

Makura grinned and said, "Even if I was, the king should never have heard about them. The Princess and her lover were always very careful."

"How'd Midna make him believe her?" Link asked.

Makura said, "I became her Keeper, a gua rd chosen to protect the Princess Heir with their life. There's an unwritten taboo that the man, and it's always a man, a Princess chooses to be her Keeper is someone she can never love in such a way that it harms the throne. Usually it's a younger brother or first cousin. She chose me. I was sixteen when I took the oath. Her father believed she would never have let me take on the role of Keeper had she loved me.

"A Keeper is a lifelong title. It ends when the man or the Princess he is bound to dies. If it can be proven that her death is directly related to him disobeying his oath, he is executed. The title of Keeper isn't filled every time a Princess assumes the throne. Midna is the firs t in five generations to have one. It is difficult to justify. You can imagine how upset everyone would be to not only lose the Princess, but to have to execute a member of her family. As such it is viewed as old fashioned. When the man chosen for Keeper takes the oath, his Princess symbolically grants new life and presents the Keeper with a blade of black steel. He then receives a mark so that all who see him know what has passed."

Link said, "The tattoo I saw when you changed your clothes while we were with the Golden Wolf is the mark. No wonder your robes are so showy. What is the oath? You made it seem very binding."

Makura's eyes glazed as he recited, "This man stands before you. The gift you grant shall mark the end of one life and the beginning of one devoted to you. Upon receiving life, he shall be given a sword to act as his soul. They shall be yours to command. This man will in turn do what must be done to protect the life of his Master.

"I swear all this under pain of death that my Master, the Princess Heir, will be defended until I utter my last breath, lest my life be forfeit."

Link asked skeptically, "If that's your oath what did Midna swear?"

Makura said, "The Princess then swears that she will not take another to hold his place as Keeper until death separates them. The Keeper then bends to one knee at his Master's feet and seals their promises with a kiss on the Princess's hand."

Link absorbed what was said. Makura watched for a reaction. Link finally had a look of disbelief and said incredulously, "How could the King fall for that! If you had done the same thing here in Hyrule it would be considered taking your wedding vows!"

Makura laughed at his expression and said, "A Princess needs a Keeper only in times of war. Since we weren't sure the ki ngdom would remain at peace and because it would appease her father, we decided to go with this plan. Having a Keeper is basically only appointing someone to be come her fulltime guard, someone who can be there when the Royal Guard can't. This gives a monarch more time to focus on ruling the people so they don't have to worry about watching their backs all the time. The oaths are merely a formality." He smiled slyly and added, "But I'm sure Midna took her vows as seriously as I took mine."

Link pointed out, "You still didn't say what Midna failed to do back at the Mirror Chamber."

Makura said flatly, "She was thinking of the castle staff and her father when she was upset. She is the Princess Heir and as much as she loves her family, she doesn't have the luxury to worry about such a small part of the Kingdom. I merely reminded her of that. My job is to ensure she only has to concentrate on ruling . In short, I took responsibility for what she was worried about. It may have been fancy words, but I reassured her that what she thought was her fault was in fact mine and that she needed to focus on the big picture."

Link nodded and said, "That makes sense now that I understand. Please continue."

Makura smiled as he said, "To explain how we fooled the king, it didn't last long. Midna continued to let men court her, but she should have been engaged by eighteen at the latest. Though it's not unusual for a princess to be picky, it was suspicious in our situation. The king discovered proof against us the day that Zant took control. Midna wanted to elope, but I knew she couldn't place the kingdom at risk by abandoning the throne. We were returning to the castle that night when Zant caught us. I sacrificed myself to give Midna the chance to escape. It's my understanding that she found you a few days later."

Link asked, "Is that the whole story? I only ask because this is the first time all the parts I've heard were pieced together."

Makura said, "That's the whole truth. I' m sorry we withheld so many secrets."

Link held his hands in defense and said, "It's alright. You couldn't tell me wit hout endangering the Twilight Realm. I completely understand. And for the record, yes, that last secret was definitely a twist, but not unexpected."

Makrua smiled and said, "I'm sure you had plenty of hints."

Link nodded and continued, "When you challenged Midna you were reminding her to think of the kingdom. She was very subdued while you were gone. Do you think she understood you?"

Makura leaned on his elbows and said, "She knew. When I picked up the curse piece, Midna left a message. At the end she said she remembered her oath."

Link said confidently, "Then we have nothing to worry about! Zant is not a benefit to the Kingdom and as the Princess Heir, Midna can't in good conscience give the realm to him."

Makura said quietly, "I hope you're right."

And that's the gist of what I made up to make Makura a legitimate character in t his story. Any questions? Please read an d review.