A/N: I'm sad to say that this story is nearing the end. Only a couple more chapters left.


Zepher tilted his face skyward and allowed the cold rain to fall on to his skin. It felt good to be out of bed. He rolled his shoulders and rolled his head from side to side, stretching the sore muscles in his neck. Over the wind and rain, he heard the sound of galloping horses. Zepher looked up and saw a small group approach the village.

"Captain!" one of the travellers called.

"Itzal?" Zepher called back.

"Captain! You're alive," Itzal cheered.

Someone looked over the guard's shoulder. Zepher felt his heart race.

"Oh, praise the goddesses. Queen Midna!"

Zepher ran over to the mare and lifted Midna down off the horse's back.

"Zepher, it's so good to see you alive and well," Midna said as she embraced the captain in a friendly hug.

"Milady, I beg for your forgiveness," Zepher said.

Midna frowned. "Whatever for?" she asked.

"I betrayed our tribe," Zepher confessed.

"What?" Itzal exclaimed as he got off the horse.

"I gave Ganondorf the portal medallion. I gave the enemy the power to of our people."

Midna's eyes wandered to the marks around Zepher's throat. "He made you do it," she said softly. "You didn't betray anyone. You need not worry."

"Yes, your grace," Zepher replied.

The bundle in Midna's arms stirred.

"Milady?"

"Oh, yes. Introductions are in order. But, once we're out of the rain," Midna said.

She headed off to Renado's sanctuary. The shaman opened the door and allowed the small group inside. The horses were put in the cavern beside the Spirit Spring.

Luda handed everyone a blanket. She gave an extra one to Midna.

"Thank you," Midna said.

She sat down and began to unwrap the wet blanket. Zepher's eyes widened slightly when he saw the small infant. The baby looked up at him with sunset blue eyes.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Itzal whispered. "And, they say light and shadow could never mix."

Midna wrapped the warm, dry blanket around her daughter's small frame. Zepher saw the queen's eyes drift close. He knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"My queen, you must rest," he said.

Renado and Luda began preparing extra pallets. Some of the Ordonians had to make the quick trek to the hotel. That was also where Midna would stay with the baby. Zepher and Itzal argued on who would look after the queen. In the end, Itzal won. Zepher had not yet returned to full strength and needed rest himself.

Colin, Micah, Beth and their parents would stay with Renado. Ilia and her father, Talo, Malo and their parents, and Fado, along with Midna and Itzal would stay in the hotel. Raban and Gavin promised Midna that they would keep Zepher out of trouble.

And, so, Kakariko once again played home away from home and settled into a night that would never be forgotten.


Zelda woke up to the sound of the rolling thunder. Rain beat against her bedroom window as if it were trying to get in. The glass shook from the wind.

Chaos had arrived.

The queen pushed herself up, got out of bed and pulled on her robe. She slipped into her slippers and headed out of her room. The halls were unnaturally quiet. No guards patrolled the halls, no servants heading to bed after a long day's work. Besides the wandering queen, the castle seemed to be dead.

I'm getting a bad feeling.

Zelda felt a familiar presence. She spun around, only to run into a broad chest. The Hylian queen stumbled back.

"Did I startle you?"

Zelda looked up. "You," she growled.

"Such a tone is not becoming of a queen," Ganondorf said, taking a step forward.

"You deserve no pleasantries or respect," Zelda spat.

"Maybe not," Ganondorf agreed. "However, I do deserve one thing."

"And what's that?" Zelda asked.

The Gerudo bent forward and whispered in her ear. "The hero."

He stepped back. Zelda tried to keep herself calm.

"You will never him," she hissed.

"I will have him," Ganondorf disagreed. "And, once again, dear Zelda, you are going to help me."


Itzal paced outside Midna's bedroom door. He had one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other holding the hem of his tunic. He heard footsteps on the stairs and slid the sword halfway out of the hilt.

"Who goes there?" he whispered.

"At ease," Zepher whispered back as he rounded the corner.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" Itzal asked.

"He's in Hyrule Castle," Zepher said, ignoring the question.

Itzal shook his head. "Pardon?"

Zepher motioned for the young guard to follow him. Itzal obeyed and followed the Captain outside. Two horses waited outside. Without saying anything, Zepher mounted one of the horses and started off towards the North gate of the village. Itzal quickly mounted the other and hurried to catch up. The horses galloped through cold rain and headed through the gate. In the distance, black clouds hung over Castle Town. It was the only place twilight did not occupy.

"It's happened again, hasn't it?" Itzal asked.

"I'm afraid it has, my friend," Zepher answered.

"What should we do?"

"You are to return to Kakariko and watch over the queen and the people who accompanied you here. If the queen asks where I am just tell her I said that she should not worry and to rest."

Zepher commanded his horse to start moving.

"What are you going to do, Captain?" Itzal wanted to know.

"You need not worry about me, Itzal. Worry about your own task," Zepher instructed.

"Yes, sir," Itzal sighed.

Zepher kicked the horse in the sides and it took off at a run. Itzal steered his horse back to Kakariko.

I've been studying under Zepher ever since I was a child. I wish he would stop treating me like an infant and allow me to accompany him. But, he gave me a task I can't ignore it.

The horse bobbed its head as if hearing and understanding its rider's thoughts. Itzal rubbed the horse's neck. He brought the animal down to the cavern and dismounted. The horse nudged his shoulder in a reassuring way.

"Sleep well," Itzal said.

He headed out into the cold rain again and dashed for the hotel. He hurried inside and closed the door.

"Itzal?"

The young guard looked up to see Midna looking down over the rail.

"Itzal, where's Zepher?" the queen asked.

"He told me to tell you not to worry and to rest," Itzal answered.

Midna crossed her arms. "Where is he?" she ordered.

Itzal sighed in defeat. "He's gone to Castle Town. But, please, your highness, get some rest. Zepher knows what he's doing."

I hope, he added to himself.


Zepher arrived in Castle Town to find that it was nothing more than a ghost town.

"You there! Halt!"

Zepher looked around and saw a guard running towards him.

"At ease, sir. I mean you no harm. I am a guard myself and am searching for my land's missing king. I had a feeling this was where I could find him."

"I know nothing of any king," the Hylian guard said. "But, our queen, Zelda, has been taken prisoner."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Zepher asked.

"You can go around checking to make sure everyone is secure in their homes," the human instructed.

"I will do that," Zepher agreed.

"When we know that the civilians are safe we will devise a plan to rescue Queen Zelda," the human said.

"Better to stay back and see what we're up against than to run in unprepared," Zepher voiced.

"I agree," the man replied. "Now, let's go see if everyone is safe."


Midna crept out of the bedroom and glanced around the corner. Itzal was fast asleep in a chair by the wall. Midna quietly made her way down the stairs and to the door. She inched the door opened. When it was opened enough to let her through, Midna hurried outside and quickly closed the door. She made her way over to the Spirit Spring. She picked up a piece of horse grass and put it to her lips. The notes that came out of the grass could barely be heard over the wind. But, something heard it.

Epona charged around the corner and slid to a stop in front of the Twili queen. Midna mounted Epona and tapped her sides. The horse headed for the North gate.

"Let's go faster, Epona. I feel Link's disstress."

Epona picked up the pace and was soon running. Itzal was jerked awake when he heard a horse's winny. He jumped to his feet and ran to the bedroom. The bed was empty. Itzal spun around and dashed down the stairs. He threw the door open just as Epona charged past the hotel.

"Queen Midna!" the guard yelled over the roar of the wind.

"Zepher will understand," Midna called over her shoulder. Epona disappeared around the corner.

Itzal ran his hand over his face. "Zepher is going to kill me."


Let me know what you think.

No flames, please.