Twenty-Nine:
The Only Moment We Were Alone
A/n: This story has been giving me a wonderful amount of trouble, which is why I haven't updated. Even after consulting my friend on it, I realized that I just have to write what feels right and go with the flow. I still promise that this will be finished before the end of the year. I give it two months. Anyway, enjoy the chapter… It's doesn't have a whole lot in it, but it's something!
An excellent amount of sunlight was filtering through the window of the room by the time Link awoke, alerting him to the fact that he had done quite well at sleeping in. The sheets on the bed had been thrown into disarray, and there was only the faintest of outlines in the mattress. Glenna had left some time ago, and he instantly felt nervousness clench his stomach. 'What if she's left?'
The thought was driven from his mind once he descended the stairs and little Luda approached him. "Link, good morning!" There was a certain air of excitement to the girl, which did not go unnoticed by him. "My father told me to send you to the Sanctuary once you awoke. A friend of Telma's is waiting for you in the cellar."
Link nodded his head, thanking the little girl as he set off for the sanctuary. The building was surprisingly empty. In fact, he realized, he had not seen much of anybody outside, but he supposed that might have had something to do with the ugly grey clouds hanging over the village. He dropped down into the cellar and reached the circular chamber. There were two rooms on his left, one of which housed the slumbering Avon, and an owl statue to his right. Hovering before it was Shad, who gave a little jump when Link tapped him on the shoulder.
"Link, old boy, you gave me quite a start there!" Upon the adjustment of his glasses, he continued, "But I am pleased to see you. I do not believe I ever was able to tell you what I was researching, hm? By now you must know that I am researching the heavens. It was the life's work of my father, who painfully researched a race known as the Oocca, who were said to live somewhere in the heavens above. Alas, he was never able to discover this place, but he left his work to me… And I think I am getting close, Link, I really do! Do you see this statue?" Link nodded as they turned toward the Owl statue, which seemed to have some sort of strange writing on it. "And the writing… According to my father's manuscripts, that is known as Sky Writing, I am sure of it. 'Awaken us with the word that breaks the seal.' That is what it says. You see, many of the statues are strewn across Hyrule, but most of them have a void where the belly is. Strange, hm? But perhaps not as strange as your own tragic problem. Your friend, Ilia's lost memory is quite saddening, really. Yes, yes, very sad indeed…"
Link had been hoping for more from Shad somehow. He was still no more closer to discovering the true location of the final mirror shard than he had before falling asleep. "Thanks, Shad. I hope that I can help you, somehow."
"Yes, yes, old boy… Statues, a word that breaks the seal, a heavenly rod…" Shad was mumbling to himself, giving Link the perfect opportunity to exit. As he passed the room housing Avon, he could not help but glance into it, not that he expected to see anything amazing. Or, maybe, he was hoping to see her miraculously sitting up. She remained laying in the bed with her eyes shut, feigning sleep. He nearly shot out of his skin when he realized there was a second person in that room, fixing her blue eyes into a stare.
Glenna pushed her chair away from the bed, patted Avon's pale hand, and exited the room. "Owl statues, huh?" she mused as she started out of the basement. "I think I've seen a few of those a handful of times. I can show you where they are if you want."
"You should make sure you know all of the locations, however," remarked Shad, who seemed to have broken away from his muttering, at least for a moment. "I know that there is one in the desert, near the mesa. There is also supposed to be one in Lake Hylia."
"And a bunch of others are scattered around the provinces, often in different parts of Hyrule Field," added Glenna with a nod as she pulled a worn map out of the pouch at her hip. "If you could mark down the ones you named, we should be good to go."
XxX
Fortunately for them, there was only one statue in all of the Gerudo Desert, and it proved extremely simple to find though not, perhaps, as easy to find as something else… "Is that the Bridge of Eldin?" asked Glenna, dumbfounded, as she stared up at a hulking mass at the very top of a plateau.
Midna jumped out of Link's shadow and floated to the very top to get a better look. Sure enough, the Twilight Beasts had, for one reason or another, placed the bridge in the center of the desert. "Isn't that just convenient?" cackled Midna while Glenna grumbled beneath her breath. They had already been to most of the statues, grabbing torn pieces of parchment once Link animated them with his fully-functioning rod, and, as such, they'd seen the owl statue in Eldin. To get to the statue, they'd had to hurl themselves across the gap in the bridge. Turning toward Link (because the only time she directly faced Glenna was when they were hurling arguments at one another), she prompted, "We should bring this back, right? Nothing else you feel like doing?" He shook his head, and the three of them, along with the bridge, disappeared into Twilight Fragments.
The bridge landed in its place before either hylian did, so they collapsed onto the stone once it was replaced. "What's left?" asked Link, glancing at Glenna as she pulled out the map.
"The statue in Lake Hylia and the other one… which is in a different part of Lanayru." With a theatrical sigh, Midna transported them to the lake, just outside of the light spirit's spring.
Link looked over Glenna's shoulder, but it was nigh impossible for him to tell where the statue was supposed to be; to him, it looked like Shad had randomly marked an area on the map. "Where is it?"
"It looks like it's inside of the cliff wall, which must mean there's a cave somewhere… Did you ever get any bombs?"
"Yes, Glenna, I finally bought them."
With an approving nod, she started up a bridge. At first, he thought she was going to lead him to the tall tower where Auru like to hang out, but she beelined for a rocky pillar jutting from the water. He raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing as she took a few steps backward and took a running start. She landed on the pillar with ease and, from there, climbed onto a higher part of the land. Glenna did not direct him, but she did not seem to be in the mood to say much since the previous night.
The only time she had spoke was to give out directions or answer a question, or warn him about a monster. Though things were understandably different given the past few days, Link did not think things should have felt so different. Nonetheless, he followed her in silence as she walked toward the cliff wall. She nodded at him, gestured to the wall, and took a few steps backward. Link inwardly sighed, but, again, said nothing as he lit a bomb and placed it beside the wall; Midna was probably saying enough in his head for the three of them.
The entryway was so secret and man-made that Link was more than a little surprised when he realized there was an actual cave beyond the opening. He led the way with his lantern, and they walked in silence for only a moment. "Seems like the perfect place for Chus and other creepy-crawlies to hang out," mumbled Glenna as her eyes darted around. "I've become a little picky about the places I go ever since we started this… adventure. At one point, I wouldn't have cared about eating rats, and now I'm afraid that one might come near me."
Her jokes made it easy for him to relax, at least a little. "You eating a rat. There's something I never thought I would picture."
"As a wolf, I can't imagine eating them as a person."
Link opened his mouth to tell her there was really no difference then closed it. There was no point. Being the first time she was speaking normally, he was unsure of what to say, though there was plenty on his mind. He wanted to shake her for what she had done, but he was quickly reminded of what Zant had done to her. It was Zant he wanted to shake, not Glenna; though, perhaps, he wanted to do more than shake the twili… So engrossed in his thoughts was Link that he jumped when Midna spoke. He jumped again when he realized that Glenna and Midna were holding a civil conversation.
"Zant, you mentioned he usurped the throne, and that he wasn't the rightful ruler, but what was he? For that matter, what are slash were you?" Glenna's voice held little more than curiosity.
Midna sighed, though it was not out of impatience. She sounded like she was worn. "Zant always waited hand and foot on the royal family. He thought he was sure to be given the crown, but it was no secret that Zant wanted revenge for our people. There was little doubt in anyone's mind that the moment he was named ruler, he would declare an all out war on your realm. There was eve more to it. He was just power hungry. Not the type of person who should be expected to rule fairly.
"I was nothing… really. Zant and I were both distant parts of the royal family, and I suppose that I expected to be named ruler, though I was still surprised when it happened. Zant was jealous, so jealous, all he wanted to do was kill me, it was obvious. But he held his tongue and congratulated me, staying far away for the first week or so that I ruled. One day, I noticed he was following me around the courtyard, and when I turned around to see what he wanted, he struck me."
Midna's face screwed up into an ugly snarl. "At the same time, I was transformed into some… Some… This," she gestured to herself with great distaste. "I was ashamed of what I had become and I fled, but, as luck would happen, I found a Fused Shadow before I left. I took it with me just as I was sent out of my home, and I think you can guess the rest." She turned on Glenna, the snarl still on her face. "So, what now? Are you planning on mocking me?"
"No," answered Glenna with no heat. "I was going to make a remark about how sad that was and what a bastard Zant is, and how I'm even sorrier that I ever helped him." Midna made a noise of surprise, but Glenna continued, "That doesn't sound like any ordinary magic that Zant would know… It makes sense that he and Ganondorf are sharing power. Your form is a result of a curse, huh?" Midna could only nodded. "How familiar."
After a moment of silence, Midna spoke again. "Is that it?"
"I guess." And Midna slipped into Link's shadow once again.
More silence carried on until Link told Glenna to duck beneath the low ceiling. The cave seemed to be more like a path that carried on and on and on. Nervousness was beginning to set in as he wondered whether or not he had enough oil to last them. Instead of voicing his concerns, he said, "I never realized it."
"Realized what?" asked Glenna as she squeezed onto the path beside him.
"How similar you and Midna are." She began to choke, and he rolled his eyes. "Honestly. Aside from your nearly identical attitudes, you were both cursed and were both ashamed."
Glenna raised her index finger. "That's where you're wrong. I was never ashamed of what I had become, my family was."
"Then, why don't you tell anyone about it? Why were you stressing out about Renado knowing?"
"Because I'm not sure that I totally trust Renado with that type of information and, besides, how could I tell anyone? Remember how Rusl spoke of you back in Ordon? What do you think he and the others would think of me?" Her voice was becoming progressively dryer. "Even if I can remain human most of the time, they'll only ever think of me as a beast. They'll always be worried that I'll transform and eat their children."
He had no decent response to that and silence set back in. Afraid that he had offended her, he opened his mouth, but she spoke first, "Since I'm always the favorite subject of you and Midna, what about you, hm? What about your past, your parents? Anything?" Her voice was still dry, though it held an edge of interest.
Link realized he probably should have expected as much. "I really don't know anything about my parents. Before I was old enough to form a memory of them, they were gone. Rusl and Uli told me they're dead, and I tend to believe them. There's no reason not to. You know everything else about me, Glenna."
"Illia."
He started. "What?"
"I know she wasn't really fond of me before…" She hesitated, perhaps feeling badly speaking of a girl who had amnesia. "You've known her for your entire life."
"What's your point?" he heard an edge to his voice and was not sure how much he cared. 'What nerve she has…'
A sigh hissed out of her lips as she pushed some hanging vines out of her way. The path seemed to be sloping downward, revealing a distant glow. "Do I really have to spell it out for you? Are the two of you…?"
"What?" His voice sounded more nervous than it did angry, and he mentally cursed. "Glenna, that's none- It doesn't matter. Can we just drop this?"
She raised her hands in surrender. "Sure, consider the subject dropp-" Her words turned into a scream, and Link froze in his tracks as she disappeared from his side.
Link lowered the lantern. The path had opened up into a small chamber with a great hole in the center. "Glenn, you alright?"
"I think I found the statue," she called up to him in a breathy voice. "Throw me the rod."
XxX
Following the excitement in the small cave at the lake, they relapsed into silence as they headed for the final statue. "Who would put an owl statue in a fishing pond?" wondered Link as they stepped through an oddly-placed door by the Zora's river. "What kind of fishing pond is this?"
The area was enclosed by a circle of cliffs and featured most prominently a decently-sized lake with small bridges. The only thing that could be found in the area, with the exception of hordes of cherry blossom trees and the pond was a small shack. Glenna carefully kept away from the building, as there was a hive hanging from it, while Link tried to get a closer look. The hive was silent, as it should have been considering it was sunset, and there was no light filtering through the windows.
Glenna shrugged a little as she stopped beneath one of the trees. She had not had much to say since they had left the cave. "Who would put an owl statue anywhere? I guess the Oocca wanted to keep the statues hidden so only those who really wanted to find them would? Something about loyalty, I don't know."
She heard a snarky voice mutter, in the back of her mind, "Isn't that the truth?"
"How do you know it's here?" questioned Link as he turned away from the shack and faced her, apparently unaware of Midna's input.
Glenna shook her hair a little, scattering the petals that had fallen into it and turned on her heel. "This is my second favorite place, I used to hang out here when I had free time." Clearing her throat, she sat down on the grass and lowered herself into the water. "Anyway, it's above the waterfall." Link elected not to ask how exactly she knew that as he joined her. He supposed the two of them had done enough prying.
As she swam ahead, Link shivered violently and treaded the water. "This is freezing," he said through chattering teeth. "How can you stand this?"
She only shrugged meekly and continued to swim. "All part of the job."
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Midna materialize beside him, over the water. She gave a great yawn and stretched. "I'll just leave you two to this, I'm exhausted."
"Exhausted?" snorted Glenna. "Link and I have been doing all of the walking, running, climbing, falling… What do you have to be exhausted about?"
Midna gave her a devilish grin. "Your presence. Besides," she added in a more serious voice, "I haven't been resting all that much since the desert." Her eyes glittered dangerously. "Which I'm sure you would know much about, wouldn't you? We can go back to Kakariko Village in the morning."
"Are we really going to sleep here?" Link asked incredulously.
Both females' eyebrows shot up. "And you're not used to this, why? Better here where we're protected from monsters than anywhere else." Midna remarked before she drifted near the shack, curled up, and fell asleep.
Glenna climbed out onto the other side of the bank and shook her head a little. "That Midna can fall asleep anywhere, apparently, now that she can stand to be in the light." Gazing up at the cliff, the top of the waterfall, she remarked, "Does that look like the others?"
Link hurried himself as he stared, too. Sure enough, there seemed to be another owl statue, their last statue, oddly placed atop the cliff. "I thought the placement was strange before, now…"
"It's insane," agreed Glenna as she kicked a the cliff wall and grabbed at it. "But it looks like we can climb, come on." Aside from the soft quacking of the ducks and distant chirps of bird, the only sound they could truly hear was Midna's delicate snores and their own raggedy breathing.
Link took out the rod and waved away the statue while Glenna bent down to pick up the scrap of paper with the final words and tucked it away. "Finally, that's over with," she sighed, seemingly forgetting her resolve to keep her talk business-like. She slipped up farther by fixing him with a quick glance and devious grin as she stepped to the ledge of the cliff. "Glenna," he began with a warning and exhausted note in his voice. He wondered how much of her was doing this simply because of their tedious conversation back at Lake Hylia.
As he had guessed, she took his words as encouragement as she stepped off of the edge and plunged down into the water. Fortunately, it was deep enough that she did not crack or break anything as she submerged herself. She resurfaced quickly, shaking the hair out of his face, and raised her eyebrows. It was odd, he thought, that she did not even have to speak for him to know what she was saying. The look on her face was challenging him to do the same as her and, even to his own surprise, he did. He plunged off of the edge and narrowly avoided hitting his head on the way down. "Wasn't that fun?"
"Why does 'fun' for you mean 'dangerous' to everyone else?" She shrugged meekly as she floated on her back, her eyebrows drawn together. There was clearly something on her mind, but he did not press her. If it was more about him and Ilia - a conversation he definitely did not want to discuss with her of all people - then he probably did not want to know.
"I'm sorry," she blurted out so suddenly that he didn't immediately register what she had said.
"What?" His thoughts immediately returned to the cave where she had poked and prodded him with full knowledge that it would hurt him.
She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. What I did to you and Midna, especially you, was wrong. It was…" She racked her brain for a better, more serious, word. "Despicable."
Link wouldn't have been more surprised if he was named mayor of Ordon than he was by the conversation. "Glenna-"
"No. I understand that what Avon did she did at her own discretion. She knew what she was doing. Even if she hadn't, Zelda would have been responsible for that, not Midna. For goddesses sake, Midna was just about dead, she couldn't have made anyone do anything…" She shook her head, sending her straightening hair, as well as water, flying. "And I realize I should have never gone along with Zant, but I thought he meant it when he said he'd go after everyone…"
Link only raised his chin. "But he didn't. Not until the other day, at least."
"But would he have? I don't even know," she sighed. "I was weak, so weak, I never wanted to believe I could betray anyone the way my family did… What I did was worse than that, so much worse. You and Midna could have…" The words caught in her throat, and she shook her head again. "Zelda said I need to work on my trust issues. I think she's right. Even after what I did, or didn't do, back in Ordon, Rusl still seems to like me. Me, on the other hand-"
Finally, Link raised his hand, effectively cutting her off. "Stop. Please. No more self-pity." She raised her body and treaded the water, fixing him with a stare that was hard to read. "I never truly believed that you were Zant's new… helper, or whatever. I never wanted to believe it."
She could tell perfectly well what he was not saying. "Why? It wasn't so hard for Midna."
"That's… different. Midna is different. Midna is our ally and friend, but let's forget about her for a second. Why do you have to focus on the negative?"
Her eyebrows raised again. "Because of what you just said: Midna is my ally… and friend, I guess. That matters."
"What about what I think?"
She felt her heart miss a beat just for a moment and, caught off guard, she stuttered, "W-what do you mean?"
"Isn't what I think important?"
"Of course. You might even say it's most important, but-"
All of his agitation and anger toward her the past few days faded. "So focus on that." The water splashed a little as he moved closer to her, and she did not, for the first time in a while, move away from him. They were so close that she could see the dark rim around his irises, see how tan he was from herding, and see the way the water clung to his surprisingly thick eyelashes.
When she realized she was staring at him, she averted her eyes and felt her cheeks change their color. "Link?"
"Hm?" He still had not moved away.
"Thanks for saving my life all those times we were apart." She had expected him to wave off her words or come up with some meek response, but he did not. Instead, he reached out and took her face into his hands. Her heartbeat quickened, beating so quickly against her ribcage that she was sure he could hear it, but she did not move away. Taking this as encouragement, he brought his face closer to hers, and she resisted the urge to push his plastered bangs away from his forehead.
As he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, she thought that she heard Midna's snores come to a sudden halt, but it was difficult to tell with all of the blood pounding in her ears. Finally she reached up and tangled her hands in his hair, which is when it hit her: maybe, all along, Link had been feeling the same way as her after all.
A/n: The last scene has been planned for quite some time. Just so you all know, I am fully ready to take opinions on pairings, and, given my trouble with this story, I'm also more than happy to hear what you'd like to see. Of course, there's no guarantee that you'll get what you want, I'd just like to hear from my readers. :D
