Hello again everybody! Its been some time, hasn't it?

To those who don't know, this story is a sequel to my fanfic, "Healing the Moon." If you haven't read Healing the Moon, that's okay! It's not super important that you have read that story first, but it is definitely recommended! This story has literally been years in the making. Even before I finished HtM, I was planning out this story and already had major plot points figured out. It's so exciting to finally have the first chapter posted, and to continue the story of Zelda and the Fierce Deity.

Please enjoy this first chapter of "The Dying of the Light," and as always...

Happy Reading :)

Zelda

The vision came to her in sleep, as it always did. Zelda stood on the Gerudo Mesa, looking out over the abandoned desert. She could see the Arbiter's Grounds in the distance, and beyond that, mountains guarding the eastern horizon.

The sky above her was thick with low hanging, ominous clouds. Zelda looked closer and saw that they were tinged with a strange color. Her gaze followed the clouds back to the east, where they grew black above the mountains.

She took a deep breath and jumped off the Mesa and down into the sandy ground below. Her feet hit the sand with a muffled thud, but when she looked up again, Zelda was seeing an entirely new scene.

The mountains were much closer, but the world had somehow shifted and they were now on her left. She was still standing in sand, but to her right was an ocean. That had not been there before. The steel colored waves were thrashing around, high in the air, and rain was angrily pelting the surface of the water and making the sand around her feet soft and unstable. Lighting was violently striking all around her; on the beach, on the ocean, on the mountains, and on a city that she suddenly noticed was right in front of her.

The buildings were a painted a dazzling white, decorated with blue and red marking that were exotic, yet familiar. It was a beautiful city, but it was being utterly destroyed by the lightning.

Great chunks of white stone were flying in the air after every strike of brilliant lightning. The entire city was shrinking before Zelda's very eyes. There was no mercy from the heavens. The storm was relentless.

Then, with a roar that shook the ground, an enormous wave rose out of the ocean and crashed over the buildings. In one huge bite, like a mouth devouring a meal, the city was swallowed whole. As the frothing foam of the waves receded, not a single trace of the white city was left.

Zelda ran, through the rain, lighting, and waves that were crashing on the beach where the city once stood. Every time the billowing water met the sand, it traveled further up than the wave before. It was like the ocean was trying to reach the mountains and drown the shore beneath it.

Zelda blinked her eyes once, and suddenly she found herself facing the ocean, looking east once more. Zelda felt a chill run up her spine and she lifted her eyes from the tempestuous waters to the storm raging above her.

In the sky, right in the middle of the squall, was a wild looking woman. The howling wind was flailing strands of her long, bright red hair around her like whips and they were slapping her deeply tanned skin without mercy. Her fierce face was formed into a terrible grimace. Golden eyes blazed from her skull like two balls of fire, and she seemed immune to the stinging rain and lighting all around her.

She had her arms stretched out wide, like she was ready to embrace the sky, and her fingers were splayed out. The woman raised her head and began to scream words to the heavens, but her voice was drowned out by a booming clap of thunder. A bright, blinding flash of lightning struck right behind the woman and the whole sky was illuminated from the bolt.

Suddenly, the woman caught sight of her. The grimace turned into a triumphant, hideous smile. Zelda's heart leapt into her throat and she turned around and ran for her life.

She made the mistake of looking back. Behind her, the woman pursued with relentless fervor. Zelda could even hear her screaming indiscernible words at her. Her feet carried her faster. She did not want to know what the woman was saying.

Through the ruined remains of the city she ran. As if she had been to this place a hundred times before, Zelda followed a path that wound up to the side of a jagged cliff. There, she knew that she would find a tunnel. Reaching that tunnel would be her salvation from her pursuer.

Her breathing came in ragged gasps as the path became steeper and steeper. She dared not look behind her again. Soon, the entrance to the tunnel was in her sight. Zelda was almost there. She splashed through a puddle on the ground, but a flash of something white made her stop.

Curious, Zelda waited for the water to settle. She could hear the sounds of her pursuer getting closer, but something about that whiteness made her nervous.

Her reflection became clearer as the surface of the water smoothed out. That flash of white…it had been her hair she had seen. That did not make sense. Her hair was not white.

Zelda blinked her eyes and looked again. The screams of the woman were so close, but Zelda was gripped with a fear far beyond that of her enemy.

The face that was looking back at her was not her own.

It was her daughter's.

It was Selene's.

Hands, cold and strong, grabbed her shoulders with a vicious grip. Zelda screamed out of fear and confusion.

With a jolt, the vision ended as suddenly as it had begun. Zelda sat up in bed, her heart racing and her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Her left hand stung as her Triforce burned her skin. She looked out her window and saw that it was nearly dawn. Thick rainclouds choked out the gentle colors of the sunset. Zelda felt her heart pounding in her chest and she hastily laid a hand on her throbbing forehead.

She tried to gather her thoughts. That wasn't the first time she had seen the cloudy sky over the Gerudo Desert. Neither was she unfamiliar to the sight of the stormy ocean destroying the white city and she always saw that woman in her dreams. Always.

Those eyes, so full of madness and malice, haunted Zelda in her waking moments. Who was she, Zelda would ask herself in brief moments of reprise from her daily activities. What was she? That red hair and her golden eyes…something about her echoed of the lost Gerudo tribe. It was something she had been meaning to ask Shad about. Without revealing her vision, she wanted to know if there had been a way, any way at all, that any Gerudo were still alive today.

For a brief moment, she smiled. It had been many years since she last asked Shad for information without telling him the whole story of why. Last time she did, a fierce white giant had stood at her side and insulted the only man who might have been able to help them.

Still, she needed to know if her vision was symbolic or if it was a glimpse of events yet to come. The burning sensation of her Triforce was another cause for concern. It had never done that before and she did not think that it bode well. Also, the storm destroying the city and the mysterious woman struck dread into her heart. Yet none of those things frightened her as much as seeing herself as her own daughter. What were the goddesses trying to say? They were warning her, obviously, but about what? Was Selene in danger? Why, why did she live those dreams not as Zelda, but as Selene?

This had been going on for weeks. The visions, the warnings had been coming to her in dreams for almost as long as the rains had been pouring from the sky. Frustrated, Zelda threw off her sheets and began to pace back and forth in her room.

After the winter snow had melted away, the rainy spring began. It started off just as any other season would. The rain fell and Hyrule became lush and green. Then, after weeks of relentless rain, she had noticed a change. The rains would refuse to go away. There were days when the skies would stay cloudy and only a few scant drops would fall here and there, but then the lapse would end. The storms would begin again.

The nature of the rain itself was strange. It was not cool and refreshing, as rain should be. It was a tepid, humid drizzle. The clouds themselves had a sickly tint to them. To Zelda, it seemed unnatural and ominous. This was not nature's doing.

To the rest of Hyrule, the rain was no longer a blessing, but a nightmare. The constant storms were wreaking havoc on her kingdom. Hyrule was nearly on the brink of disaster. Zelda and her eldest son, Silas, had been working long, arduous hours to keep things under control. This night had been the first night in too many that she had hardly more than four hours of sleep.

Realizing how exhausted she truly was, Zelda sat back down in her bed and contemplated on the dream. In her vision, she kept facing east. Nothing of interest lay beyond the mountains east of the Desert. It was uninhabitable land, however. The desert was too large and too dangerous to cross, and the mountains of the east were jagged and hostile. The journey to there was long and there was not much to show for the effort. Beyond, there was only more desert and barren mountains and ocean.

She thought of the white city by the sea. There had not been any known civilizations on the ocean in hundreds of years, so she had no idea what it could be, or who could live there. Yet there was something beyond the mountains that called to her, but maybe the call was not to her entirely. Selene was the one in the vision, not her. That something was calling to her daughter.

A soft knock at her door drew Zelda away from her thoughts. There were only a few people who were allowed to call on her so early in the morning. She wondered which one it would be today.

"Come in," Zelda called out to her visitor as she pulled a blue shawl around her nightclothes. The door opened with hardly a sound and a tall, willowy figure stepped gracefully into the room. Zelda's youngest child, and only daughter shut the door behind her and looked at her mother with somber, ocean blue eyes.

After seeing her only moments before in a vision, looking at her daughter now was a little jarring for Zelda. She fought the urge to run to her and throw her arms around Selene and never let go. Instead, Zelda took note of her daughter's expression; something was troubling her.

"Did I wake you?" Selene asked quietly. Her pale brows furrowed ever so slightly.

"No, no, I was already awake," Zelda replied. "Come sit," she said, patting a space at the foot of her bed. Selene nodded and made her way across the room.

"Is everything alright?" Zelda inquired as Selene took a place beside her mother. "You seem troubled about something." She reached out and brushed a lock of Selene's pure white hair behind her ear. Out of all their children, Selene was the only one to inherit Astraeus' pale locks.

"There is something," she answered, brushing her hair from behind her ear and letting it fall back in front of her face. "I should have come to you sooner but…" Selene paused and turned her face to look out of the window. Zelda waited as Selene watched the growing storm pound sheets of rain against the glass.

"I was afraid," she continued. "I didn't know what it meant and I thought that it would go away if I just ignored it." Selene shook her head. "Foolish, I know, but I was more afraid of the answers than the actual thing itself. Ever since the rains came in the beginning of the spring, I've been having these…visions I guess you could say."

Zelda's stomach wrenched at the word 'vision.' "What do you mean by vision?" She asked, keeping her voice calm and steady.

"I mean that when I sleep, most nights I see myself standing in the desert on this mesa. I'm looking to the east and when I jump down, suddenly I'm standing in front of an ocean…" Selene continued her story, each detail exactly as Zelda had seen it from her own visions. Zelda felt her apprehension of the visions grow. Something was not right. Selene went on with her story until the part came when the woman was chasing her up the cliff's path.

"When I am almost to the entrance of the tunnel, I run through a puddle and I see the reflection of my hair in the water. For some reason, I stop to look at myself. When I do…" Selene stopped there and her face grew fearful.

"…and when you do, you feel her hands grab your shoulders and you wake up screaming?" Zelda dared herself to say. Selene's eyes widened in surprise and she let her mouth hang open. Zelda wanted to laugh. She looked so much like the little girl that once chased her brothers through the hallways of the castle, wanting to play with them.

"Yes…then I wake up," she replied slowly. Her face suddenly looked skeptical. "How did you know?"

"I have to be honest with you. Ever since the rains started, I too have been having visions; the exact same ones as yours. Every thing that you see, I have seen as well. The woman, the ocean, the storms and the desert, I know them all."

Confusion showed on Selene's face. "Yet when you look at your reflection, do you see yourself or do you see me?" Zelda hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I see you."

"Well, since you have these visions too, do you know what they mean?" Zelda shook her head. "Selene, I'm afraid that I have no answers for you. It frightens me that you are the one featured in these visions."

"It frightens me too." Selene agreed. "Whatever this may mean, I don't want to have any part of it."

"You may have no choice, unfortunately." Selene fell silent and Zelda could tell that her daughter was afraid. "Is it a sign of the future, do you think?" She asked in a quiet voice that made her sound so much like the child she had been just a few short years before.

Zelda sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her honey colored locks. "I cannot say if it is a premonition or just something symbolic. I want to ask Shad if there is any evidence of Gerudo living elsewhere in the world, since I believe that the woman we see looks so much like one, but as for the answers to why we are having these visions…I do not yet know."

The two sat there in silence and Zelda wondered exactly what her daughter was thinking. She was so often closed and private. It was hard to know her true feelings sometimes. Zelda ventured one last question. "Is there anything else you see? Do you have any other visions?"

Selene looked down at her fingers trailing over the silken sheets. White hair fell over her face as she looked down.

"Selene?"

Her head snapped back up and her face was serious and grim. "No, I don't," she answered blankly. "I only see the one you see. I'm sorry."

"That's alright." Zelda patted her daughter's arm. Selene smiled weakly. "We will figure this out together. I might as well start now. I suppose Silas is already up and working away?"

Selene rose to her feet, standing above her mother. She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I don't think he even slept at all, to be quite honest with you."

Zelda also stood up and tightened her shawl around her shoulders. She couldn't help but laugh. "Of course hasn't…and Soren? Where is he in all this mess?"

For the first time that morning, Selene smiled a true smile. She let out a bright laugh and shook her head. "Oh you know where he is! That lazy lug won't even wake unless the sun's been up for a few hours."

Midna

Sharp scarlet eyes peered out through a misty window as Midna tried to catch a glimpse of her wolf boy through the pouring morning rain. He had gone out earlier in the morning to help the villagers dam up the small creek that had turned into a raging river. The storms that had been here four weeks ago, on her last visit, were still raging their way over Hyrule. To Midna, the world had a different feel to it than it had before. When she was here last, everyone feared ruined crops, flooded rivers and lakes, and the muddy, inaccessible roads that could take them to safer locations if worse came to worse. She could imagine that it was ten times worse now. Already, many of the Ordon villagers had packed their bags and moved to inns in Castle town. Only the Mayor and a few other families remained, but after this morning, Midna wondered how long it would be before they too packed up and headed for higher ground.

Not only was the fear palpable, but the very atmosphere had a sinister feel to it, as though the rains were purposefully trying to drown the citizens of Hyrule. Link had spent the past month in Hyrule and had not come to visit her once. Midna wondered if he was staying to help the villagers, or if the threat of something more dangerous than bad weather was holding him to the world of Light. It wasn't like him to stay away for so long.

In her pale blue hands, she held a letter from him. He expected her back early this morning, but he had to leave…he had to help Ordon. Midna sighed and smoothed out the brown, crinkly paper. She did not know how long he had been gone or how much longer he would be. It wasn't that she was afraid for his safety. Link could handle himself and she knew it. She was just more than anxious to see him, to hold him. A month had been far too long for her to be apart from her love.

As if hearing her thoughts call to him, Midna suddenly saw a figure darting through the downpour. She flew from her seat at the window and rushed to the door. Midna yanked against the handle, just in time for a sodden, soaking wet Link to come running through the entryway. As he caught sight of her standing in the living room of his humble home, Link's face broke into a smile. Even after nearly two decades, Link still had a boyish Link on his manly face when he saw her.

"Link!" Cried Midna as she threw her arms around him, not caring that he felt like he had just jumped into a lake. Link returned her embrace with a gentle, if not wet, hug. "I'm sorry that its been so long," she heard him murmur into her bright orange hair.

"It's alright," she replied, pulling away from him. Link beamed down at her. Time had aged his face some, but he would always be the handsome, sweet boy she had met years ago during their quest. "Just don't make me wait that long again," she playfully demanded as she smoothed strands of damp blonde hair away from his blue eyes.

"I read your letter," she said, gesturing to the now forgotten piece of paper sitting on the chair. "You said that most everyone had left Ordon for Castle town. Has the rain really been this bad the whole time that I've been away?" Link's face grew serious and he frowned. Shrugging off his wet shirt, he nodded yes. "It hasn't let up for weeks. We haven't been able to farm or herd the goats since the end of winter. There aren't many who stuck around." Link grabbed a shirt that was hanging to dry by the fireplace and he pulled it on. Midna handed him a towel from the kitchen and watched as he rubbed it over his head to dry his hair. When he was done he handed the towel back to her. His hair stuck out every which way and Midna couldn't help but smile at how adorable he always was without him even knowing it. No, time and age had not changed him at all.

"Shad and Ilia are letting people stay at their house in the town," he continued, his stern face clashing with his wild hair. "Rusl and Uli are with them. I made them go."

Midna nodded. Of course their safety would be his top priority. Rusl and his sweet wife Uli were Link's parents, for all intents and purposes. They had raised him since he was a small child. "That's good," she replied. "I'm surprised you were able to get Rusl to leave his home. What about their kids and grandkids?"

"It wasn't easy to make him leave, but I couldn't let them stay," Link answered. "And for the rest of his family, well, I made them go too. Zelda made sure that everyone from Ordon had some place to stay."

Midna sat down at the table in Link's small kitchen and rested her chin on her slender hands. "I bet Castle town is overflowing with people trying to find someplace safe. Have you been to see Queen Zelda at all?" Link shook his head no. "I haven't been able to get away. Besides, if I was going to leave Ordon right now, it would have been to see you." He said with a smile. Midna smiled back at him. Link turned around and began to rummage through his pantry.

"Are you hungry?" He called out, momentarily distracted by the desire for food. "Always thinking with your stomach," she teased. Link only grinned sheepishly and began to rustle around in his cabinets for pots and pans.

Midna waited in silence for a few moments before she decided to ask another question. "Does it seem strange to you, this rain? I can't put my finger on it, but something about it doesn't seem right."

Link turned around and set a pot down on the fire. "I know what you mean. My Triforce has been stinging lately."

Stinging? Midna had never heard of his Triforce doing that before. That ancient relic was capable of doing a lot of things, but stinging didn't seem to be something that was a sign of good news. "That isn't normal, Link. When was the last time that happened?"

The pot on the fire was forgotten as Link turned to Midna and took a place at the table, opposite of her. "This is the first…" he admitted quietly.

Despite herself, Midna couldn't help but feel a tendril of fear creep into her heart. When she didn't respond, Link continued. "Plus…I don't know what this means, but I've been having these dreams. Every night when I sleep, it's the same thing."

This was another strange thing. "What happens in these dreams?" She asked, trying not to be afraid. There was nothing to be afraid of, she told herself. No matter what it could mean, Link could always prevail. He proved that when he defeated Ganondorf and he proved it again when he was possessed by the Fierce Deity Mask.

Link ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up even more. "Remember when we went to the desert? To the Arbiter's Grounds? Well, I'm there again, and I'm dressed in my green tunic, except I'm not there with you like before. I'm standing on the mesa and the sky is red. When I look up, the sun is completely black, like it's in a shadow. It makes the entire world look red. When I look down, I see this…this army. They look like Hylian soldiers. There are thousands of them, and they are all following me. When I turn around and face the east, I see another army standing before me. They don't look like anything that I've ever seen before. I can't tell if they're human or not, but I know that we are there to fight them. Just as a hear a trumpet call, I wake up."

Thunder rumbled in the air and lighting lit up the hazy world outside. Link's face was almost confused as he told her his dream. Midna herself was confused. "You were leading the Hylian Army? Zelda's Army" Midna questioned. "And you see this every night?"

He nodded yes. "Every night since the rains started, and since my Triforce started burning."

Suddenly, Midna could not hold back her tongue. She stood to her feet, fear uncharacteristically overtaking her. "Link, this dream might be a warning of some kind. Maybe your goddesses are trying to communicate with you and tell you about something that is going to happen!" She paced back and forth in the kitchen, trying to keep her voice low despite her rising emotions. "What if Hyrule is going to be under attack soon? You haven't had anything happen in twenty-four years and last time you were invaded, you weren't prepared at all and look at what happened. It took us nearly a year to fight our way to freedom!"

Link also stood to his feet and he walked over to Midna. His blue eyes were calm and he placed his arms around her waist. Midna fell into his touch and rested her head against his. "I know, Midna. I know," he murmured. "I don't want anything to happen to Hyrule again, but I also have to make sure that my people are safe now from this rain."

At his gentle, easy tone, Midna felt herself relax. Link was right. "Do you think that this rain and your dreams are connected somehow," she inquired as she pulled away from him.

Link shrugged. "They might be. There is only one person we could ask."

Midna knew what that meant. She would be paying a visit to her dear friend soon.

Taking her place at the table again, Midna thought that Link was on to something. Zelda would surely have an answer. "It'll be nice to see Zelda again. I wonder if she's finally let Silas be King yet. How's that food coming?"

"Working on it! As for Silas…not sure when that will be." Link walked back over to the pot and began to pour in a hearty amount of oatmeal. He reached for a few eggs that were sitting on the rough, wooden counter and cracked them into a skillet. "I know that he wanted to be King when he was twenty."

Midna sighed. She didn't think that Zelda would ever let him rule on his own. She had been twenty-three when she was crowned Queen. Silas had was the same age and his crown was nowhere in sight. "Honestly, I don't think she's ready to relinquish her throne just yet. He's ready though. I know that he's proved that he is more than capable to rule this kingdom."

Sausage was added to the eggs. Soon, the small kitchen was filled with the smells of breakfast. Midna's stomach growled and she realized how hungry she actually was. Link didn't answer her right away. "True," he eventually replied as he turned back to Midna. "He would be a great king, but it might be hard for her to let go of her position and let her child rule."

That reminded her…"Speaking of child, I have someone here to see you…"

Link's face lit up and his eyes grew soft. Midna took his hand and led him up the narrow stairs to where he kept an extra bed. Together, they sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the sleeping child beneath the covers.

Their young son slept soundly, the drum of the rain lulling him into a deep sleep. His skin was pale and in some lights, it looked blue. His hair was vibrantly colored just like his mother's and his ears stuck out in the same way hers did. Midna knew that beneath those precious, pale lids were two scarlet eyes. Despite having her coloring, their son looked so much like his father.

Midna watched as Link brushed a finger over his son's cheek. The impending rains and the disturbing visions seemed so far away when she was in this warm, happy place with her family.

Silas

The late afternoon brought a lapse in the rain. Gloomy clouds still hovered in the sky, threatening to bring back the storms at any moment. Thunder growled ominously in the humid air. Silas turned to the wide windows and watched as a bolt of lightning struck in the distance. The bright light made his head ache and he rubbed his tired, sore eyes. He had not rested in days. The past week had been spent in this study, working furiously to try and solve the mountain of problems that these constant storms were causing. Castle town was bursting at the seams with refugees from all over Hyrule. Silas was just discussing with his mother, the Queen, the possibility of opening the doors of the castle and letting people stay in the many extra rooms they had to spare.

Then there was the problem of the rivers and lakes destroying valuable farming land, which the farmers had not sowed because the rains only washed away the seeds that were planted. The scarcity of food forced them to dip into their stores. If the rain did not let up soon, then their precious resources would dwindle and then where would they be? Already, their stores were getting lower with each passing week.

With the state of the roads, traveling became nearly impossible for anyone to enter or exit Hyrule. The Termanian Ambassador, Kael the Mayor of Clocktown, had already agreed to aide Hyrule in their time of need, but Silas did not know how much they could ask of Termina before they began to drain their resources as well.

In the midst of his busy thoughts, Silas reached over and absentmindedly reached for the mug of ale on his desk and took a sip. It was cold, he noticed. Hadn't he ordered warm ale? Silas took another sip and realized that he had in fact ordered ale…yesterday morning…and that this was the same stuff from before. He pushed the mug away and felt his stomach growl. The last time he ate was early this morning when his mother had come to check on him. She was worried that he had not slept that night and had tried to relieve him of his busy work.

"I won't rest yet," he had replied, not even looking up from his work. "I've got more to do before I can, mother. How can I rest when Hyrule needs me?"

She had sighed and crossed her arms. "Silas, that is ridiculous. You cannot work yourself to death. Your health and well-being are just as important to the people of Hyrule. Someday they'll need you, but you aren't King just yet. Please, rest."

At this, Silas had looked up at her with grim determination. His mother had looked at him, frustrated and tired, before shaking her head and leaving the study. Because of this, he had not moved from his desk since they talked. He was determined to prove her wrong. Silas was not King yet because she did not think he was ready, she claimed.

"How am I not ready," he muttered bitterly to himself as he sifted through papers, his eyes too bleary to focus on the words. Ever since he was young, he poured his heart and soul into cultivating himself to becoming as great a leader as his mother. His childhood was spent with books and studies and discipline. As a young adult, he did not live a frivolous, carefree life as his younger brother did. His duty always came first and time and time again did he sacrifice his own wants for his position. He had given his life to his duty as a Prince, so how much more did she think he needed to prove before he was ready to be King?

A yawn escaped him and he brushed back his silvery, gray hair. It was high time he stopped working and took care of himself. He admitted, begrudgingly, that his mother was right. A few more days working like this, and Hyrule would have no future King anymore. Unless Silas wanted Soren to take over the job for him, which made him shudder to even consider that possibility, then he had better get some food and some sleep.

Leaving his study for the first time that entire day, Silas walked down the wide corridor of the castle. His muscles protested at being moved after staying dormant for so long. Silas rubbed his aching neck as he made his way past the training courtyard. He heard the sounds of swords clanging and men shouting. Sure enough, he heard his brother's voice booming out over the rest. A light drizzle fell from the sky, but the soldiers would take any chance they could to train and fight. Curious, Silas walked to the balcony over the courtyard and leaned against the railing. A breeze wafted over balcony, with it a few drops of rain. It felt so good to be out of that stuffy office and in the open air. He watched as Soren, dressed in light armor and armed with his favorite sword, sparred with one of the newer recruits. He was just a boy really, and Silas wondered how he managed to scrounge up the guts to face Soren. It did not take long until the young soldier was beaten down, his face in the mud.

In a few moments, the defeated recruit limped away and was replaced with a more experienced soldier. Soren might actually have a fight with this one. Silas looked closer and he recognized this one. His name was Arden and he was the only son of one of the lesser knights in the Army. If Arden was here, then surely…

With his heart thudding a little faster than it had before, Silas quickly checked the other balconies over the courtyard. It didn't take long for him to find what he was looking for. How had he not seen her before?

Opposite from him, practically right front of his eyes, was Arden's twin sister. Her name was Avery. Silas bowed his head and gazed at her from lowered eyes. She had a pretty face and hazel eyes as soft as a doe's. The gentle wind blew her brown hair around her cheeks and Silas felt his heart melt. Every time Arden was here to train, his sister would come to watch. Even now, she did not seem to notice Silas as he watched her. Her eyes intently followed Soren and Arden's every move. He wondered what made fascinated her so much about swordplay. Not that he would ever ask her. Future King and demi-god he may be, but Silas could not work up the courage to speak to her. After three years of trying to gather up the nerve to say something to her, he had little success. Silas glanced down at the training yard and watched his brother successfully take down his opponent. He envied Soren of his audacity and bravery. If Soren liked a girl, he wouldn't hesitate to speak to her. In fact, he would have kissed her by the end of an hour. Looking back up, he watched as Avery shook her head at her brother's defeat.

"Silas," the sound of somebody saying his name interrupted his thoughts. He looked around and saw his mother standing behind him. Annoyed as he was at her, he couldn't help but see the concern written all over her face.

"What is it?" He asked, forgetting all about Avery and his grudge. "Has something happened?"

Zelda shook her head. "No, nothing has happened but we have some visitors."

Silas frowned. "Who?" He couldn't understand why his mother was so upset over some guests.

"Midna has returned from the Twilight Realm. Her and Link are here…" Zelda said, still looking worried. "They said that they have something troubling to share. Come meet with me in the Throne Room."

Soren

Mud and rainwater dripped from his soiled clothes as Soren traipsed down the hallways of the castle, sword slung heavily over his shoulder. The rains had returned with a vengeance and lightning was striking too close for comfort, so the outdoor training for the day had come to an end. Besides, he had seen Silas and his mother hurry away, the both of them looking worried. He intended to find out why.

"What else could possibly go wrong," he muttered to himself as he passed some harried looking servants in the corridor. No doubt they were off to prepare for the refugees that his mother and Silas had decreed could take shelter within the walls of the castle. Soren felt wary about the idea of strangers coming into his home, but who was he to argue against the Queen and the Crown Prince. Honestly, who was he deny the people of Hyrule the shelter that they needed in their time of need.

"You know, the servants are going to hate you for making the floors dirty," a voice suddenly chimed at his side. Soren looked to his left and saw Selene walking next to him. Soren gave a hearty laugh. "They've been cleaning up mud for weeks! What's a little more going to hurt," he joked.

Selene smiled and shook her head. "Still, I'm just warning you. Don't be surprised if your food comes to you a little colder than it should be, or your sheets aren't warmed up at night." A boom of thunder suddenly drowned out the rest of her words. The walls of the castle shook and Selene grabbed Soren's arm.

"When will this end?" She whispered fearfully. Soren put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. Poor Selene. Storms had always frightened her, ever since she was a little girl. Anything that had to do with a lot of water made her nervous, actually. It probably had to do from when she was young and almost drowned in Lake Hylia.

Selene returned his embrace and she looked at him with nervous eyes. "At least we have the Ambassador visit to look forward to," he quipped, trying to cheer Selene up any way that he could. She had been morose these past few weeks and he missed his cheerful sister. Besides, seeing Kael and his family was always entertaining. "Kade will be here, I know that for sure!" Soren teased.

His sister groaned in response and rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me," she replied. "It's been over a year since I've had to see that little devil." Soren laughed and poked her in the arm. "Don't lie to me! I know that you enjoy seeing him more than you'd like to admit. You play this big game about hating him, but you two are inseparable when he's here!" Selene responded with a withering glare, but Soren could see by the twitching of her mouth that she was holding back a smile.

"Shame that we had to cancel the welcome ball because of the weather," Selene finally responded, choosing to ignore Soren's accusation. A few younger soldiers passed them in the corridor and Soren watched as three daring pairs of eyes locked onto Selene as she walked by. "Shame…" he muttered, glowering at the soldiers' audacity to stare at his sister while he was there. They all quickly looked away and hurried from Soren. If Selene had noticed, she didn't make any sign of it.

Not that he could blame the young men entirely…Selene was beautiful. There was no getting around that. She was tall and graceful. Ethereal as an angel, there was no comparison to her stunningly white hair and fair skin, matched with azure eyes. For years, even when she had been young, Soren would watch as boys gaped at her is if she were from another world. Now, even the most confident of men would fall silent in her presence and could not find the words to say. With all the admiration she received, Soren couldn't help but be protective of his sister.

"Did you see where Mum and Silas ran off to?" Soren asked, promising himself to give those boys a fair beating in the next training session. "I'm guessing that they went to the Throne Room. They didn't look too happy, and lately they haven't been very happy when they go there."

Selene turned to him, her eyes wide and full of anticipation. "I was going to ask you the same thing," she said excitedly. "I saw her hurrying past my room, and I tried to follow her. She's surprisingly fast! Then I saw her grab Silas and they ran off in that direction together. No doubt, that's where they are. I heard from some servants that Midna and Link arrived just a few minutes ago. Why she would meet with them in the Throne Room, I don't know."

"Something must have happened," Soren guessed. "They're Mum's closest friends…she wouldn't meet with them so formally if everything was okay."

Selene

"So, two separate visions, both of them coming at the same point in time, but for what purpose? I feel that they're related, but how? What are the goddesses trying to warn us of?" Selene was perched on the plush window seat in her room, watching as her mother anxiously paced back and forth. After hearing Link's vision of the Hylians against an unknown army, Soren and Silas immediately went to work making sure that the Army would be prepared for battle at a moment's notice. Her mother had spent a few hours in her own study before coming to Selene's room.

Selene herself was uneasy. Everything about the vision struck fear into her; fear that her mother could not understand. It was not so much the woman or the storm that scared her…"Do you think that it's more than a premonition," she asked, unable to keep the nerves out of her voice. "Are you saying that it will actually come to pass?"

Zelda shook her head and a few gray strands gleamed in the dim light of her room. "Selene, I just don't know. I think that we should prepare for anything at this point. Silas and Soren are already working to ensure the safety of Hyrule if we were to be invaded by another army."

Her heart thudded. If her brothers were preparing for a war, then surely they thought that the vision was a sign of the future. "How can we prepare for our vision though?"

Zelda was silent for a moment. "We cannot let ourselves be vulnerable," she finally replied, her eyes giving away a deep concern.

Selene wasn't quite sure what that meant. Maybe she was speaking from experience, Selene thought. She recalled a story that her mother told her. When she herself was a young woman and was trying to solve the mystery of the Fierce Deity, she had dreams of her great grandmother giving her a children's book and the Ocarina of Time. The meaning of what Zelda was trying to say was unclear, but her mother had followed what the dreams were saying.

She ended up kidnapped and a prisoner in a madman's tower in Termina.

"Did you tell them about our vision too?" She asked, curious what the Hero might think of them.

"I did, actually. I told them every detail of what we saw."

"Did you tell them that it was me in the vision that both of us saw?"

"No…I did not. I just said that we had the same vision too."

"Why?"

"We don't know for sure why we're seeing the same vision, and why its you that it is so clearly about. I would rather know why before we told everyone."

Selene could see past her mother's weak reason for not telling them. She knew that she was afraid for her and what the vision might mean for her future.

"Was that the only vision you had?" Her mother asked, interrupting her thoughts. Selene felt a stab of annoyance, mingled with guilt. Like she had when asked that same question earlier, Selene looked down and let her hair fall over her face. Internally, she was screaming the truth. Outside, she was struggling to open her mouth and let the words flow.

"Selene, you have to tell me. Was there anything, anything else at all that you could tell me about your vision? Any other piece of information could help us tremendously."

She could just not bring herself to do it. Selene looked up and shook her head. "No. That was it," she said as blankly as she could. Her mother crossed her arms and a frown furrowed on her brow. The faint lines at the corner of her blue eyes deepened as she did so. She could tell that Zelda was doubtful.

"Please…please don't believe me. Ask me again and I'll tell the truth," Selene ached to confess, but the words stuck in her throat. She formed her face into a mask, hoping that she didn't look as guilty as she felt. Zelda considered her for a few more moments before sighing and uncrossing her arms. Selene knew then that she had won. Her lie was believed.

"Well, alright then. Selene, if there's anything else that you can think of, you know that I will listen." Zelda crossed the room and placed kiss on the top of her head. Selene gave a weak smile.

"I know Mum," she whispered, quietly drowning in shame. Zelda looked at her, a little sadly it seemed to Selene, and she left the room. As soon as the latch clicked and the door was closed, Selene groaned and buried her head into her knees. Why was telling her mother the truth so unbelievably difficult? All her life, she had been an honest daughter. Albeit, she might be closed and private at time, but she was at least truthful. This morning, she had come to her mother with every intention of telling her everything, but when Zelda had interrupted her and said that she was having the same vision…how could she tell the truth?

If her mother wasn't so protective of her, it might make things easier. She could already picture what would happen if she told her Mum the truth; lots of crying and worrying and locking Silas in the library until he found some answers. Her mind went back to the incident in the hallway with the young men and of course, Soren being Soren, he had glared daggers at them. No doubt fearing for their lives, they ran away. His protectiveness had been endearing when she was younger, but now it was getting to be a little much. She wasn't a helpless child anymore. Soren and their mother both needed to realize that she was almost an adult and could take care of herself. Even her father could be protective, when he was here. She didn't want to imagine what he would have done if he saw those soldiers looking at her the way they did!

The only person who wasn't worried about her was Silas. He was just distant and distracted most of the time, practically ignoring her existence, but at least he wasn't constantly hovering over her. For that, she appreciated him. Still though, it would be nice if he talked to her more than once a month. He used to be as close to her as Soren, but time had a way of changing things.

Selene raised her head and rested her chin on her knees. She looked to the window and watched as the storm raged outside, paling in comparison to the storm inside of her. She sighed heavily and her vision became watery as the tears began to flow. At least she wanted to think that she could protect herself. For years, she had fought private battles and faced many personal fears. That nagging voice deep inside her head daily told her that she was not the good, sweet child she tried so hard to be. If she could face that, then she could face anything, right? Yet even though the thoughts and fears that plagued her for so long had settled down in the past few years, as soon as the rains and visions came…they were back without mercy.

Her mother's voice came to mind and Selene heard her asking, pleading with her to say if there was anything more she saw. Selene felt a tear trickle down her cheek and she wiped it away. With all her fears and self-doubt, how could she bring herself to tell the truth of what she really saw? Her vision, her true vision, frightened her to the core.

If she admitted what she saw, then that would open up a whole world of questions and she would be forced to finally shed light on the thoughts that kept her awake at night. That enlightenment alone was enough to keep her from telling the truth. Though, she knew that she had to tell somebody what was going on. Being alone in the dark would only make things worse. She was close with Soren, but she couldn't tell him because he would probably ask her too many questions and become emotional and try to kill something. Maybe she could tell Silas. He didn't seem to care enough to worry about what would happen to her, but he would probably go straight to their mother and tell her everything she said when they were done talking.

Rose would understand, she thought to herself with a glimmer of hope. Her closest friend always listened to her without judgment or letting her feelings get in the way. She was calm, even-tempered, and honest. Selene trusted her more than anyone else, besides her mother. Maybe she trusted her even more than her own mother, since Rose knew things about Selene that nobody else did.

Selene blinked back the rest of her tears and a faint sense of relief eased the dark thoughts that were threatening to cast their shadow on her mind. The Ambassador's welcome dinner was taking place tomorrow night. Rose and her family would be there for certain. Selene decided that it had to be done then. No more waiting. She would tell Rose the truth. Her friend would help her sort out her thoughts and then from there, maybe she would find some peace in her stormy soul.

Thank you for reading this first chapter! It's written in a very different style from Healing the Moon, with it being a first person perspective from Zelda, but I feel like this story has so much to tell and not just one person can tell it. If you're new to this series, then thank you for giving it a try :) If you've read the first story, then thank you so much for coming back!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Ginger~