a.n: I would like it known beforehand that I started this chapter right after the last one at 3:21 am on a Wednesday morning when I had to go into work for one. I'm revising it in the morning, so hopefully I don't miss any mistakes. HYRULE
An 2: Well it's Saturday morning and Im going to be working on this during my lunch break. Wow. Just look how dedicated I've become to this story. Let me put this in perspective. I got off work last night at 1130. I got home and started working on it. At the time of writing this, it is 5:31 am and I have work at nine.
Trigger warning for Thalia getting sick.
The other Sages, along with Ganondorf and Link, were behind her, save for Impa who was right by her side.
''Zelda, are you alright?" Impa looked concerned, laying a hand on the queen's shoulder.
Zelda turned to look her dead in the face.
''Of course I'm not. But it is our duty. The Mushroom Kingdom are our allies. If they are under occupation, is it not our duty to rescue them?To free them from oppression and to free Peach?"
Impa nodded approvingly.
"Your father would be proud."
Ruto watched her people, clenching her fists. Her people were being sent to the slaughterhouse. It was not that she didn't TRUST Zelda. In fact, she'd trust her with her life. It was just that her people had suffered enough.
Link, who was just behind Impa, was glaring at Ganondorf with unmistakable rage. He didn't understand why Zelda trusted him. After all the horror this monster had wrought, Link would have liked nothing more than to take his head off.
Ganondorf glanced back, sensing the Hylian staring at him. He threw a dark smile Link's way.
"What's the matter Korori?" He smirked. "Jealous that I'm up here by your Princess?"
Link's hand went to the Master sword, snug against his hip.
''ENOUGH."
The sages jumped in surprise as Nabooru yelled. She sounded angry and exhausted. Militarizing
her entire tribe had been hard work for her.
"You two have been FIGHTING AND ARGUING SINCE HE CAME BACK! We can't fight each other like this, We'll never survive this war if we do!" She looked between the two; The one who had saved her from Twinrova, and the one she had once called ''Best Friend"
''You can't give me-'' Ganondorf began.
Nabooru turned her angry-tired gaze onto him.
"As the new leader of our tribe who had to clean up YOUR MESS WHEN YOUR SORRY ASS SCREWED UP, you'll find I can."
Link muttered a sorry. As much as he hated Ganondorf, Nabooru was terrifying when she was angry.
Ganondorf glared at the two, crossing his arms. He refused to apologize for his actions.
"Ganondorf." Zelda's tired voice cut through the air. "Apologize. Nabooru is already stressed enough without you antagonizing Link."
There was dead silence. Then Ganondorf muttered an apology before stalking off.
The sages stared at Zelda in shock. In response, she gave a secretive little smirk before turning and sauntering off.
Thalia
She had to be hallucinating from lack of food. Or from being down here in this hell pit for so long. As she stared through the bars at Tyrion in complete and utter shock, many questions flew through her mind.
How was he here? She had been told he had been captured years ago. In fact, that was one of the key factors which led her to amass her army.
Tears streamed down her face. Precious water she could barely afford to lose.
"Tyrion…''She rasped. ''Is it really you, or have I gone mad?"
Tyrion's eyes were sad.
"I'm a crystal clone. So yes and no I suppose."
Thalia's heart dropped into her stomach. At the same time , however, her stomach fluttered.
If there was a clone of him, then he had to be alive. That was how it worked, or so she had been told. So somewhere in the seven kingdoms, Tyrion had to be alive.
"Would you like some food Thalia?" He peered into the cell and recoiled.
"Seems likesome of them are eating well already.'' His voice sounded like he was trying hard not to be sick.
Thalia glared at the fake with hatred in her eyes.
"Going to poison it?" She rasped. "Why the fuck would you help?"
His hand came between the bars and gently cupped her cheek. Sincere concern was in his eyes.
"Not all of us want death and destruction. Not all of us are conquerors. Our people are normally very gentle, with a love of the arts. Most of us never wanted this war, nor the first one." His voice was soft. "We didn't even know you were down here , until our leader in this castle mentioned it. All this pain and suffering you've had to go through. Please let me help you."
Thalia's voice was soft and tinged with desperation.
"Please..I can't watch them cannibalize each other anymore.''
Tyrion nodded to someone behind him. Three women stepped forward, laden down with food.
As the doors whirred open, a joyful cry went up through the remaining soldiers.
As one of the women offered Thalia something, she shook her head stubbornly.
"Feed them first, they need it more."
The woman insistently pushed the platter into her hands.
"Eat!" She demanded.
As Thalia glanced down at the food, she saw it was assorted meats and cheeses. As the smell assaulted her nostrils, her hunger took over and she began to scarf down the food.
Only moments later, she was doubled over outside the cell, bringing it back up. As the putrid filth dripped from her mouth, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
The Tyrion clone was holding her hair back.
"Take it easy. You haven't eaten in a while. Your stomach needs to get used to food again." He murmered.
After the others had finished their food,The Tyrion clone spoke again.
"The cell needs to be cleaned. We're just going to move you upstairs while we gather your things up. Then we're going to take you up to the infirmary to get those wounds taken care of. The leader isn't in the castle right now, so you can stay up there as long as you promise not to cause trouble."
As they were herded towards the stairs, Thalia stumbled and almost fell. The Tyrion clone caught her.
"Can you walk?" He asked concerned.
When Thalia shook her head no, he scooped her up and began walking up the stairs.
"You're going to be the first one to get fixed up."
Thalia closed her eyes and pressed her head against his chest.
"Thank you…''Tears cascaded down her face and soon she was sobbing.
Tyrion stopped in his tracks.
"Thalia?"
"I killed them.'' She wept. ''The ones who died…the ones who were eaten…it's my fault. We weren't properly equipped to deal with this.''
Tyrion gently set her on her feet before pulling her into a tight hug.
"If Tyrion were here..he wouldn't want you to be sad. He'd want you to be 're technically related to me now and all."
As Tyrion placed her on one of the tables in the Infirmary, about to be prepped for surgery, one of his guards tapped his shoulder.
"They're all being looked over by our medical officers. They're all suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. Some of them have serious wounds."
Tyrion nodded.
"Make sure they're back to one hundred percent before we let Thalia see them."
The guard nodded and headed off.
The Tyrion clone looked out the window. Good lord he had a lot of work to do.