A/N: I'm late. I'm late. I know that I'm late on this update, compared to my promise due to the review a song campaign. I have made this one longer as apology. This one also just took a long ass time to sort out.

Too much is happening now, so let's put the campaign on hold. Thank you all for your responses though.


Triangle 29

_ of Courage.

"Sword of Courage?" The little fairy asks. "What's that?"

Princess Lillian blinks. "Why, it's that thing. Sir Link told me about it just now."

"Oh. That thing." The fairy repeats. "Wait, that thing? Or that thing? Surely not that thing."

Princess Lillian 'hmm'ed. "I'm unsure, but I think it must be one of those."

"I see."

Do you really?! From this conversation, either one of you could be talking about literally anything!

Are you actually following this conversation, little fairy?! Aren't you just trying to sound as if you're well informed?!

"So…" The pink healer begins. "…what's a sword then?"

I see. I understand.

This is a complete non-conversation. It all makes sense now.

"Oh!" The fairy exclaimed. "You don't mean the Wings of Courage do you?" She asked. "The greatest freedom in the world, and the most easily misplaced?"

"That sounds very like it." Princess Lillian agreed. "Except more sword-like, please."

"Well, what's a sword then?" The fairy asked in exhasperation.

"It's a swing-y thing?"

Why do you sound confused Princess Lillian?!

"Tree branch?" The fairy hazarded. "Of Courage?"

I've had enough of this.

"It hurts." I explain. "That is its basic function. The kokkiri might carry them."

"Oh! The nimble stingers! Those are called swords then." The fairy exclaimed. "I will tell you then about the Sword of Courage."

I wonder if this fairy simply likes sounding all-knowing, and whether she really knows anything at all?

"In this forest, there are many things that are dangerous and vile." The fairy explains, coughing twice in an apparent need to seem as if she's composing herself for a speech. "There are frogs with sticky long tongues and bats sailing about at the speed of sound. There are snails with venom and snakes with three arms. Above all, our home is a place where things grow. Tomorrow the snail will find something better than venom. Tommorow the Toad will learn black magic. The cats hunt the dogs, until the dogs learn some new techniques. It's that kind of topsy-turvy fun place."

That doesn't sound awfully fun to me.

"Of course like this the food chain is a total mess. No one really knows where it starts and where the middle is, but one thing is clear, it ends with Marno. It ends with Marno and her great Fangs of Courage."

Marno. There is something interesting. Marno was discussed in passing several times between Sir Link and Navi. Miss Navi wrote a section about her in the little handbook created for our scouts. Marno was a great mother Wolfos and it was her trail we were using to transit two armies, and an assortment of materials and heavy artillery.

I assume she was quite large, but more information seemed to be beyond both Sir Link and Navi.

"In this forest, everything changes." The little fairy explained. "But for the sake of the hunt, Marno is unchallenged. She is the undisputed number two hunter in the whole entire world." The fairy said gravely.

That's not right. "I thought you said she was undisputed?" I inquired. "Why, then, is she second place?"

"Because number one has not disputed her." The fairy answers immediately.

I see. That makes perfect sense.

"Number one is the Million Fang, who has never been seen or known. But every year we ask Marno if she is still number two. Every year she repeats that she can feel the presence of a predator around her. Something that would eat her. She says that she can feel it, always there, in every tree and every rock. A nameless threat on all life. Presumably, the Million Fang simply stalks too well. The rest of us can't feel it, because we are not the hunters that Marno is. That's why Marno's trail is so broad. She covers it religiously because she has become nomadic. She won't stop. She will never, ever stop."

"You mean she is running away?" Princess Lillian asked in clarification.

I tried to imagine it. A great, big, terrible wolfos that itself lived constantly afraid.

"No." The fairy replied. "That is why Marno's Fangs of Courage are so terrible. She has been trying, for hundreds and hundreds of years, to out-maneuver her predator. She has trampled this path, and warded off all unsolicited forms of life, to create a battleground most maneuverable for her enormous girth. She lives seeking constant conflict with whatever new danger our forest spawns. Putting her size aside, she has lived facing her fear head on for enough time to become a legend. In the face of that willpower, no one in this forest would dare go after her neck. If you dare to evolve in a way that can kill her, Marno will surely come running at you, thinking that you might be Million Fang. In that way, she has become the undisputed apex predator of this world."

I see.

"The Sword of Courage is exactly the same thing as the Fang of Courage, isn't it?" I ask rhetorically. "In fact, it's the same thing as the Wings of Courage you mentioned briefly." Then upon musing, I discover something. "I shall go so far as to say that the most significant force you believe in is not any of the three Goddesses but simply," I gesture a blank space with a wave of my hand, "_ of Courage." Saying this, it is then that I am struck with the notion that I may be talking to a master philosopher. It also occurs to me that if all this is true, then we might be in quite a bit of unexpected trouble, and while Sir Link is away as well. "I'm sorry." I say simply. "You've given me a lot to think about. In fact, there's much I must now do. Could you perhaps support your belief of why the _ of Courage is so important? Please explain why, in theory, a metaphorical sword should be more powerful than a physical one that has allegedly been thrown by Farore herself, and slain an enormous dragon in a single blow. If at all possible, do so directly and concisely, and in a manner that is very easy to understand."

"Ok." The fairy agrees. "But I hope you understand that such a thing is absolutely no fun at all."

"I really am busy so it can't be helped." I explain sorrowfully. "Perhaps next time."

I get the distinct impression, even though I can't see anything through her shrouding pink fairyglow, that she's just shrugged at me. "It will work out. It is going to be all right. Din did not craft the world out of anything but simple rock. Nayru did not add any laws to the universe that would play favorite against you. The world is not complicated. We are complicated. Surely, if you shed what is bogging you down, there is something around you that will resolve everything neatly. Be brave and do so."

I stare at this little pink ball of magic, and I realize something.

This entire expedition was not worth it, because the people here are all too dangerous. Intellectual and commercial trade with Termina could not justify it. The matter of defending our borders and citizens against enormous monsters summoned by an evil sorcerer supreme should be a matter put aside for now.

There exists an entire nation of magical creatures that firmly believe nothing more highly than 'if there is a will, there is a way.'

They could rip Hyrule apart. They could sow it together. We could go to war. My general populous may transform into a collection of naturalists and liberals. There is no telling what they could possibly do were their attention to turn our way. It is total chaos and utterly impossible to predict. Our people were better off when our world had been mutually separate from this place and now we've already trampled halfway through this territory – it's too late to undo.

How does one arrange a meeting with 'Lost' or the Great Deku Tree…

I sigh. I straighten my skirt.

Whoever said that princesses had it easy wasn't named 'Zelda'.

Lets put this and that aside. Let us put to work this theory of courage over all. Decisive action and such. Maybe Link will look at me more if –

Put that aside as well.

"General." I address as I stand. "Tell the men to unpack the Ballistae. Tell the scouts to review pages eighteen to twenty-two of Miss Navi's forestry manual. Wake the mages. Then, get me four glasses of water."

My general frowns. "Excuse me Your Highness, what in the world –"

In response to what I'm certain is a very viable train of thought, I make the effort to reach into my droor and produce my little ceremonial tiara. With this piece of embroidered, thin metal, I brain my general across the face. His head dutifully snaps to the side as he grunts in pain, before he returns to look at me with an expression that is quite amazed. "I have no time. Do as I say without question, for I have much more to tell you to do."

And then, as daintily as possible, I place my tiara upon my head.

"Y-Yes, your Highness!" The man snaps to attention. Then, filled with a sense of urgency, he storms off.

Establishment of authority complete.

"Your majesty." Impa kneels before me.

I shall conduct operations from here. This bed shall be my throne. This frilly nightgown shall by my robes of office.

Tsk.

I should start going to bed in my livery.

"Your Shiekan stand ready… and confused." Impa repots helpfully.

"I don't have time for soft politics." I explain. "I need you to coerce the Terminan General with a convincing bluff that I can have his princess killed with a snap of my fingers. Then, repeat the orders I give to my own General."

Impa's expression undergoes a wonderful slacking. Her mouth hangs open a full inch. Another time, another place, I would have been publicly delighted.

"Can't you do it?" I ask.

"Well… yes." She agrees. They are forbidden from saying no to me. The Shiekan order do not actually teach their young the word 'no'. It is a vocabulary they learn in happenstance. They only teach 'yes' and 'kill'. 'Yes' for princesses deigned with the name 'Zelda' and as for the other it is not often worth mentioning. "Of course, Your Majesty." Impa affirms more strongly. She opens her mouth, most likely to ask me if I'm sure I would like her to personally launch this covert operation in the middle of a crowded caravan on high-alert status. But her gaze drifts briefly above my head and she seems to think better of it. Thank you. "By your will." She answers.

And in a moment she is mysteriously gone from my sight.

"Whoah." A little voice exclaimed. "You were a badass?" I turned to see the little healer fairy still resting upon Princess Lillian's lap. The princess herself holds both hands over her mouth with a truly wide-eyed expression. I apologize for the rough treatment of your General, Your Highness, but I can't be expected to rely on you to exert command over him... and the man himself is an intolerant idiot that I cannot trust with control over any delicate matters.

"No." I explain. "I'm just busy."

Busy, busy, busy. Be busy. Don't think. Be busy. This is the opposite of courage. This is clever running away. Run away from thinking about your fears by mechanical organizing elimination of the source of fear. No heart, and a clever approximation, but not courage.

No match for a Fang of Courage, but then I do not place faith in this absolute power of that Fang.

I am a Nayrunite. Courage may move mountains. But love moves nations. And my business is with the latter.

I really must work myself into my proper clothes. I ask Princess Lillian for help with this.

For her part, she doesn't seem to wish to get in my way, nor does she volunteer to help me control the troops. She seems content to trust me and be passive. Well, trust and passivity have always been her modus operandi. Well, she has probably received no training in this. I only have because my name is 'Zelda'. All 'Zelda's receive a different sort of teaching.

However, she is still a princess and understands basically what I am doing, probably better than my general or my Shiekan would, and wonders if I should be using the royal plurality. In this case I would, but for now I am attempting to be empathetic to this forest's individualistic thinking. I am trying to understand my potential… visitor.

It has recently come to my attention that there is a very dangerous wolfos that lives it's entire life chasing down that which it considers even more dangerous, and the unknown.

We are unknown.

Furthermore, this mysterious title of 'Million Fang' is ringing bells. It worries me because, honestly, what are we if not legion? That is the core of military power. I have ten thousand soldiers here with me. If each is one fang, then we will be called Ten-Thousand Fang. If counting all of our civilian populations, then indeed we really could be called Million-Fang. Rather, make it at least Fifty-Million Fang please.

And Marno must neither notice nor think that, or we will be in a great deal of trouble. I have no time to fool around. This is very serious territory right now.

Also, it was never too clear just what the terms were, that negotiated use of this trail. It had been handled on the kokkiri side, through the Deku tree and a medium named 'Saria.'

And it seems to me, that if this little fairy found her way here because she felt a disturbance within the ambient magic around us, then certainly this mystery hunter wolfos shall come knocking.

Because one thing was clear. There is no law here, but there is order. There is survival of the fittest and the rule of lethality. The fairy says that Marno is the second hunter, and Million Fang is the first.

Let us also note that 'Lost' was not a hunter. Lost did not really kill, nor eat.

Or if one was of the view that she did, it was not at all like an animal did.

Therefore, the true picture of force in this forest likely looked as:

'Lost' Deku Tree Million Fang Marno.

Surely Lost is the most significant and cowing being for the people here.

Now, 'Lost' was preoccupied with Sir Link. And Sir Link was away, preoccupied with 'Lost'.

If I were a wolf, or any hunter in general at all, it would certainly be best to approach while the big and strong complication was preoccupied.

It was not a proud way to go about things, but then outside of organizing masses of people, pride had a limited utility.

In this forest, utility was pride. Pride was utility.

"Highness!" My general salutes. "Your orders have been conveyed."

"The water?" I ask.

"My men are bringing it."

"I'll meet them outside." Clothes almost done. Not done, done of course.

Done, done would take three handmaidens and two hours. Normal done.


An army is a large thing. Of course, two armies would be an even larger thing. When contemplating things on the scale of an army, it takes a bit of broad-mindedness. For instance, a single soldier may create a bit of a clamour when they move. When that is multiplied by a thousand, or even a few hundred, the clamour can even be noticed transferred through the ground. I recall that we had attempted to enact an early-warning system based on seismology a few years ago. The earth around an army… is always shaking.

Therefore, let us assume that Marno would have an even greater as a greater concentration of weight.

Lets take the water and place them a good distance from each other in the cardinal directions.

It's cheap and dirty, and generally impossible in practice, but if Marno is really as fantastically big as they say, then she should shake the earth. Of course, she is a hunter of the mythical level, and for a hunter there is always the stalk. Even if she stalks well, she is still very heavy.

"General." I address. "Assume defensive formation, facing…"

The water shudders constantly, of course, because as mentioned I am in the middle of two armies.

But there should be something noticeable. A single rippling trend that is different from the uniform hum of soldiers shuffling. What I seek is a singular source.

Ah. "…3 o-clock. Hold fire. Hold heavy fire. Hold cavalry. Hold assault. Hold heavy assault. Hold casting. Brace for surprise."

"Brace for… aye mam."

The ground shakes mightily as my orders are carried out by the Generals. My glasses tip over. Lances and bows at the ready. Everyone waits, eyes upon the treeline, in silence. It seems a phantasmal place, with the radiant moon casting long and haunting shadows upon great trees the likes of which could easily top Hyrule Castle with room to spare. It is a void beyond there. It is a mystery. It is alien.

A dry chuckle shakes the leaves about us.

"Finally you notice. I wasn't even stalking." The voice rumbles. She seems amused. And from the treeline emerges an enormous visage, easily two stories tall, of a magically gigantic elk.

It hangs limply, with surprisingly little blood, from the fangs of Great Mother Wolfos Marno. She makes it look meaninglessly small.

The beasts jaws open and the great elk falls limply to the floor. That is when the blood seems able to flow, and a large pool of it expands from that point past the feet of my soldiers.

The beast bares its great fangs and growls briefly. Men fall over. Men scramble away.

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

"Have the second lines hold, for Din's sake." I tell my General.

The Terminan General almost issues command for full open-fire, immediately damning us all. Or possibly amusing our visitor. It isn't worth the risk.

I hold up my index and thumb together, ready to snap, with a swallow of rage and a little subterfuge I have I saved all of Termina.

That growl was not a threat. That was a hello. Our defensive stance is also a greeting. It is in Miss Navi's manual. When you meet Marno, it's simple:

She intimidates prepare to defend yourself (try). The extent of this denotes the extent of respect you do you do. So nice to see you. How nice your coat of fur looks today.

Pleasant forest politics in three easy steps. Thank you very much miss Navi.

We did drills for this. I swear we did. I get the impression now that they all thought it was a joke.

I straighten my pleated skirt. I check my Tiara nervously. I attempt to calm my racing heart and keep my eyes open.

This is Link's world. I trust him. I trust Miss Navi. This is Link's world.

Okay.

"Come for me, if I am in trouble." I tell Impa. Where she is currently, I haven't a clue, but I trust she hears me faithfully. "Not before."

The reason I have been brief with Impa and the general, and not told them who I was expecting to arrive, was rather simple. Indeed, I had been short on time, but more than that, I required their current surprise. Because they thought too much. I am too young.

You do not need to understand. Just obey me. That is what they needed to be thinking.

Because, here and now, they have to not meddle and think they have any right to stop me for my own good.

I walk forwards, my soldiers parting obediently before me. Then I walk where no soldiers walk. An interesting privacy screen is laid out on the floor.

The blood is not so obedient as the soldiers. It, of course, does not part. It is gross. It is warm. It is, I notice distantly, ruining my dress.

"Hmmmm." Marno rumbled. "I am, of course, familiar with having the greatest instincts within this forest. But your senses of threat seem truly pathetic. If this is 'man' then I hardly see what the big commotion was about. You haven't really evolved since last I saw you." And then she took a great sniff that threatened to drag my nearest knights towards her. Of course, they were very disinclined to that so they fought hard to hold their positions. "I came with a little gift, for the Forest's child." Marno said. "I felt the Forest to be preoccupied and so I thought I would come along. She does not appreciate me meddling with her children, so jealously she keeps them. But by the scent he or she is gone."

It wasn't instinct. It was a rough parody of it though science. If we relied on what instinct we had we'd still be looking for avian enemies right now.

I won't tell her that. I am grateful if she will underestimate us that much. She hunts down that she holds in high esteem.

That said, we can't have too low of an esteem either.

Ah, the lovely tightrope of foreign politics, we meet again. You're as useless and unfortunate an existence as ever.

Thankfully, Marno seems to see fit to grab the giant prey by the neck, and drag it backwards into the void of the dark of the forest. Then she returns to stand before me, but the blood still matts the fur around her mouth.

"How… How do you do." I greet. I would like to curtsey but I can't. I am stiff as a board. It is here that my ruse falls apart. Clever running away is not courage, because clever running away cannot help you when the source of your fear is right before your eyes. I cannot busy myself. I am preoccupied with being afraid. "S-So nice to see you. How nice your coat of fur looks today."

"It is rather nice." Marno agreed. She seemed remarkably used to receiving that compliment. "I cleaned it this morning because I thought I might die today."

"How…" I say in wonder, because it is something I cannot comprehend readily. "Why…"

"The last time I saw a forest child, it was more than a thousand seasons ago."

Seasonal time... 1000/4 = 250+ years.

Ah. The Fairy War.

"I had met a little pup, and at the time I hadn't been interested, but it left and came back a truly bloody wolf that anyone would have been proud to have borne." Marno mused. "And I remember thinking, what an evolution. Lately, I have been wondering… I wonder if the reason I never could find Million Fang was because the Forest was hiding it. I wonder. It has been some time. Could it kill me now? Could I still kill it? I want to kill it. I want to try. Hey…. Where did it go?"

This chill… is running down my spine. I had thought we were within this cordial conversation, and in a way we still were. And yet I can feel this thing called killing intent, and I feel it heavy in the air like a heavy wraith. And on hearing that she wants to hunt Sir Link, and most likely kill even him, something takes hold in me. A familiar and burning emotion that rudely bullies everything else into a corner. It serves a great use here tonight. "He's gone to see his mother. Was that your plan? You didn't let us in here for us, but for the kokkiri accompanying us?"

She even brought a present! How easily is she taking this endeavor of hers?!

And slowly, Marno lowered herself until she was resting in a crouch, staring at me with her glaring yellow eyes. And, though they say wolfos are totally incapable of smiling – that they lack the necessary facial muscles for it – I felt certain that she was doing so. "It is the greatest joy for a hunter, when pray wanders voluntarily into its hunting ground."

"Do you realize… what it is you're talking about?" I ask.

I thought she was a terror. She's worse.

She's mad. She's insane.

"To hunt a kokkiri, purposefully like that?!" I ask, my voice rising. "When you know so well this forest? Such a betrayal?! You would make 'Lost' your enemy! It's the forest! You're a wolf!" I protest. That's insane. "It's not something you can win against! Even if you won, you'd loose!" I implored. "You can't just go around killing your own ecosystem!"

"Yes." She seems to ignore me. "Perhaps… it's her. Perhaps… the forest is Million Fang." Marno said. "I have thought this as well."

"Why are you doing this? Even if Million Fang exists, all it's doing is existing! If so after all this time, then you're simply not to its taste! It's not after you! Are you engaging for pride?!"

"I am doing this for fear!" Marno roared. "I am doing this, for this ceaseless itch! This damn threat. This aching, sore, heart – weary! Weary of wondering! Weary of waiting! Weary of this preserved state, which has never changed! This state of mortality! I, too, want to know what it's like! I, too, want to feel that thing called 'rest'! Something... Something has to change."

I stare at her. She's really mad. She's been driven mad by this relentless fear. No, by frustration. She wants Link now. Too many women want Link! Lillian's trouble enough. This one wants to kill him, or eat him, or possibly have him kill her. I am unclear. Either way, he is too popular. But she's so big. We can't match her, I'm sure of it. With raw firepower, we may be able to do some damage, but when placed in front of her I can understand something else. The Sword of Courage, or the Fang in this case, really is supreme in combat. I am cowed. My army is cowed. She is alert. She will dodge all the salvos. She will flank, or kite, or engage us with invincible hit-and-run tactics. I feel that we will not hit her. I know that we will not hit her. Battle is not about numbers, or armaments. Battle, at the core of what it really is, is a verb. We will take action, and she will take action, but we alone will stumble about it and we will all die.

I can taste defeat before we begin. Somehow, somewhere, we will lose. It would be unnatural for us to win.

But she can't have Link. She can't have him. No one can have him. Burn, burn, burn. Burn the fear. Burn the indecision. It will work out. It is going to be all right. Din did not craft the world out of anything but simple rock. Nayru did not add any laws to the universe that would play favorite against you. The world is not complicated. We are complicated. Surely, if you consume what is bogging you down, if you feed it to the embers of desperation and longing, there is something around you that will resolve everything neatly. Be desperately besotted, and do so. "By the way, do you know why we enter your forest?"

"Excuse me?"

Yes. I have it. I have grasped it just now. Something more terrible than all the fangs in the world. A clever idea. "Marno the Huntress, I hear you are undisputed amongst the whole world, but there is a fallacy in that statement. There is a gap."

"Explain."

I curtsied obediently. "We have come to pass through your territory to do battle with one who threatens our own territories. There is another entire world, very like this one, and a wizard stands there wielding great and terrible power. This Wizard has brought several foul beings into creation. Large monsters that were crafted according to his tastes and needs."

"There was a flying snake some time ago." The wolfos agreed. "It flew above my head before I could catch it. Indeed it was large. Another whole world?"

Volvagia? No, if it came through this forest then from Termina. We never did confirm its identity.

Perhaps it had been Termina's Volvagia, awoken and bound, or simply a creation by Avernus after all.

"I am certain that with your keen nose, you must some hidden scent not native to our reality on some of the men here. Now you know the cause. Let us posit that you could not find Million Fang for the same reason he never found and hunted you." I explain. "You were separated by the fabric of space itself."

"I see." Marno said, her tail swaying once. I have her. "I see. Even when I felt weak, he never came for me. I see."

"Maybe he was looking for you, but he couldn't find you." I explain. "Maybe he's looking for you now. Maybe that's why he's sending things to Hyrule."

Nonsense. Utter foolishness. To begin with, Avernus was born too late. Marno felt Million Fang's prescence from hundreds of years ago. At least 250+. Probably in the thousands. Million Fang, probably, would be either humanity or the great ender of things, that which cannot be objected to, time itself.

But either explanation would not serve me, and certainly it would not appease Marno either.

I feel strongly that… this is what she wants to hear.

I think… she couldn't bear it if the one she was so terrified of was not equally preoccupied with her in one way or another.

She has a deep relationship with someone she's never met. I couldn't imagine…

There is pride in her. Even though she's a feral beast that embraces nature, there is pride. Whatever she might say, there is pride. She's too old, therefore there is pride where they oughtn't be. Inconvenient pride.

"Take me to him."

"We must have an agreement, Miss Marno." I explain. "We must swear before the goddesses."

"No."

"We shall take you to Avernus, as best we can. Quite happy for you, since for all your years in this forest you have never once found a path to the other world. We offer you this valuable service, but you must promise not to eat us or harm us, or otherwise impede any of our party. You must bind yourself to this."

"I shall do no such thing."

"And when Sir Link, the Kokkiri with us," I clarify, "returns, you must not harm him. You must certainly not harm him. For the rest of his life, you must exempt him from your sight, in particular. That is the cost of this transaction, I will accept no other."

"Let me make this clear. Even though I have been speaking to you plainly, I am bigger than you." Marno spoke. "I am stronger. I am better in the art of death. I do not need to make any bargains with anyone but the Forest. You, I will force to do my will."

"You cannot." I disagree. "Your attempt will not hold."

"You are weak. You are afraid. You shiver as a leaf in a great storm, and I can smell the terror coating your furless skin. Do you think, that I, Marno, will be unable to strike your heart clean through with terror?"

"Indeed you may. As your nose faithfully reports, I am already struck right through with terror. Furthermore, I'm not very brave. I have not followed the concept of bravery as profoundly as I'm sure you have. But that is because I am a Nayrunite. I hold that a force greater than fear or courage exists, has always existed, and will exist tomorrow as well."

"Insolence! None exists to rival fear! Fear commands all life, even I!" Marno stomps a paw. The world shakes.

I look at her right in her large golden eyes. I step forwards, reach up, and grasp her bloodsoaked fur. "Listen to me, Marno the Huntress, for it is my turn to complain now, and I shall be candid only with you, for I know that you don't really care. I am in love. I'm in love with a boy I barely know and it's driving me crazy, an itch I can't scratch. An ache I can't sate, deep in the least sensible part of my heart. When he laughs I feel like I might die. When he sighs I feel like I might kill something. My head is full of him. He un-monarchs me. My honor, my pride, my responsibilities, all have been corroded, and I can't bring myself to want to stop it. I am increasingly certain that he is a great hero more than capable of resolving my country's worries, and I try my best to ignore that fact. To edge that train of thought from my mind, for no reason save I don't think he'd appreciate it. I am doing wrong by millions of people who count on me. He reduces me to a woman. An angry, violent, jealous, scorned woman. But I love him, I love him, I love him, and fuck the world."

I wonder what I just said. I wonder who said the words that have spilt out of my mouth.

I wonder if I can take them, any of them, back.

I know that I cannot.

"You're in heat." Marno attempted to summarise.

I grit my teeth. What a thing to say! What a-! "Something like that." I ground out.

"Very in heat."

Shut up!

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

"If that makes it easier to understand." I force myself to say.

Link must never hear of this.

Scratch that. Everyone here, who I'm sure is able to make out Marno's half of our conversation due to that booming voice… Everyone gets a Shiekan memory wipe. I swear there will be memory wipes!

"Damn." Marno muttered. She reared back, onto her haunches, bringing her above the abnormally massive treeline and making her seem even more intimidating. She reached up with a hind leg and briefly scratched behind her great ear. Then she came to rest and seemed to weigh her chances at forcing me into her bidding. In the end she looked dissatisfied. "… I swear…" It was a profound relief to hear her say this. "…upon the name of our Great Mother. I swear upon all that she has given to me. I swear upon the beating of my heart. I swear upon the water that quenches my thirst. I swear upon the wind that lulls my tortured mind to sleep. I swear upon the noble sacrifice of the prey I consume. Lead me to this man, that I may kill him, or I may be killed by him, and I shall turn my hunter's gaze from your clan and your guest, the Forest Child in particular, as required."

"I also swear." I agree. "I swear upon the name of the Great Founder of Harmony. Upon all that she has given to me. I swear upon the justice that allows me to live day by day. I swear by the five statutes of Hyrule and the six paths of enlightenment. I swear by the crown on my head. I swear by the order of law that calms me and the chaos of love that excites me. I shall lead you to Avernus, and bring you back home. Let this agreement be known and witnessed. Let it be sealed in faith and trust. Let whosoever breaks this solemn pact never again take comfort or claim right to any of the gifts listed."

Yes. Indeed, I really have just bartered with a giant, ancient wolf for something that I want, by offering to help her in a task that I ought to pay her to do. And all it will really cost me is a ruined dress that I never really liked anyway, and the necessary ingredients for a some Shiekan Mind-wipes..

Yes, I have secured a foothold in relations with this nebulous place by bartering in alignment with the interests of 'Lost', an approximate Queen of this region. I have secured a working relationship with the more military power of the forest, Marno. I have secured a promise that Marno shall not come after us if she ever suspects humanity of being her 'Million Fang'. I have potentially solved Termina's Wizard problem completely, without the need for any Hero or Goddess at all - which is helpful since I never did figure out that holy golden sword, or the legend. And I have saved my... you know. I saved him. At least I saved him from a lot of trouble. I know how disdainful he is about trouble.

Ahem.

Yes, thank you very much.

Yes, my name is indeed Zelda and yes, I know, I really am that good.


A/N: Zelda's chapters might all be like that... as in: needlessly wordy and philosophical. Maybe it seems like I'm on a philosophy hike right now. I'm not, really, as an individual. This stuff was always there, in the background of the setting in my head, for a long-ass time. I put it to paper why? Because originally Lillian was going to throw her Deku-nut and call Link, he'd be pissed, and I'd do another fight scene. Taking a fight-scene break. Marno's more interesting alive than dead.

Also, Zelda needed some love. I was going to awaken her triforce powers here as well, but forget that. It only sounds cool in my head. In reality, if I were to put it on paper, it would be corny and contrived, and make relationships 100% less interesting.

So now it feels like all the problems are solved, except really they've just been moved around a bit. And of course this was never a story where Avernus was really that big of a deal, anyways.

Reviewsors.