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For someone with such a thirst for power, Fletcher wondered how he ever went without it. What was only supposed to be a few months away from his kingdom turned out to be a year of pure devotion and practice. Before long, he gained enough experience and skill to heal his father of his ailments.

That morning, Fletcher leapt off his stallion in the front courtyard of his castle and shot through the corridors like an arrow, straight to his father's bedchambers. Servants beckoned him as he passed, their hands up to catch his attention, but he rushed by them without hesitation.

When he threw open the doors to his father's bedchambers, his brows furrowed in confusion. The bed was made and empty. Panting heavily, he raked a hand through his hair and waved over the nearest servant, a young woman who'd been skirting through the hallway with folded sheets in her hands.

"Miss, miss," he said, grabbing her by the shoulder. She halted in her step and looked at the prince who was frantic and sweating.

"Your Highness," she said carefully. "Welcome back."

"My father, where is he?"

Her mouth parted and her eyes darted around in confusion. "Your Highness, did…did you not get the news?"

"What news?"

Her fingers grasped the sheets the slightest bit tighter. "Your father passed, Your Highness. Earlier this month."

Fletcher's hand slipped from her shoulder and fell to his side. All too quickly, he lost feeling in his body.

It was too late. No one in the castle was able to reach out to the prince and warn him that his father was at his last days. All that time he'd spent in the desert had been for naught.

He fell to his knees with eyes wide and distant. The servant knelt in front of him, trying to bring him back to earth, but he couldn't hear her voice. Everything was garbled and distant.

From that point, he was never the same again.

The queen of light awoke in a place of darkness. Her body was sprawled onto the ground right at the edge of nothingness.

Skies were violet in colour and dappled with specks of black snowflakes rising upwards. Though there was no sun or stars, there was a sort of calm, dim light emanating from the distance. The space around her looked just as Hyrule did outside her window when Zant usurped her throne. For a brief, fleeting moment, she wondered if it was possible that – no, it couldn't be. There was no way.

Zelda must've been dead. As the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom, she'd given a lot of thought to what might happen after death. She always thought it might look like the beautiful green pastures of Hyrule or like floating on a surface of water so clear that it reflected the sky.

She never imagined anything like this. It reminded her so much of the worst time in her life: the sky in shades of amber; the wall of clouds around her violet and dark. Perhaps that was what the goddesses deemed appropriate for her afterlife: to wither away in the twilight she succumbed to for all eternity.

With shaky legs, she pushed herself up, a wind picking up beneath her and blowing her brilliant emerald skirts behind her. She levelled her hands by her side to gain some balance before turning around and finally laying her eyes on the towering black buildings behind her. Before she could even decide which of the two doors to enter, however, one of them zipped open and two people emerged.

They were remarkably different than any species she'd seen, one thin and tall while the other was short and stout. Their skin was jet black with blue markings, and though she hesitated to believe it, she couldn't deny they resembled Midna that way.

She straightened her shoulders and took a breath as they caught sight of her as though she was a bright, green beacon. Standing just as stiff and stunned as she was, they examined her as if they were trying to gauge whether she was some sort of threat. She was unassuming, especially in her ballgown of all things, but she must've looked as alien to them as they did to her.

Carefully, she said, "I need help."

Long curtains of deep red, so deep almost as though they'd been dipped in blood, were pulled aside and lightening flashed outside the windows - what light the kingdom had left.

The beauty and mystery that Holodrum was known for was blotted out since the late king, Fletcher's father, passed away earlier that year. A certain darkness loomed over the kingdom, like grim, leaden clouds in the distance forecasting a heavy downpour.

King Fletcher, the sole heir to the throne, spent his time in mourning paying back his debt to the witches. Fortunately, as the captain at the helm, he was able to use whatever means necessary.

His hand crumpled the parchment in his leather glove. "They're on their way," the king said. "You know what to do."

A large figure in armor grunted, his golden armor ringing like a steel drum as his fist hit his chest and he bowed down in obedience. Before the soldier was dismissed, a hum resounded from the alcove beneath the window.

The king turned to the only other person in the room, sitting on an old, tattered rug behind a deep purple orb, the stone catching and harnessing the lightening flashes that flared outside the window. The old seer's dark green hair swirled around her pale cheeks and her wrinkled and freckled hands hovered over the ball carefully.

"What do you see, witch?" He looked down at the ball. All he could see was a murky oversized bead; he didn't have the time to learn fortune-telling while studying in the desert. But he trusted the seer when she shared her prophecies.

"The letter speaks true to the sources knowledge but omits a fact. A prince with ginger locks shall arrive with the hero."

Fletcher laughed. "Percival? That coward actually left the safety and comfort of Termina's castle?" He shook his head and waved a hand dismissively. "No matter. He's of no consequence. It's the hero that worries me." Proudly, his dark eyes scanned his large display case of bottles, some tall and thin, others small and stout. "But that's what I have you for."

The witch was unsure whether that last comment was for her or for the potions. They lined the shelves neatly and shimmered in an array of colours. He grabbed a bottle and rolled it in his hand, watching with amazement as the hues shifted from crimson to violet as the liquid swirled in the bowl. "These potions will weaken him."

"I suspect the hero has learned about your use of magic. If he's cautious, he can easily evade your concoctions," the witch warned. Fletcher looked down at her with a scowl, placed the bottle back and shut the glass door carefully. "You may not be able to overpower the hero, but you may bend his will."

That caught his attention. "What do you mean?"

"He's distraught from the disappearance of the queen. Use that to your advantage."

Fletcher eyed the witch for a moment before looking into the window behind her, to the torrent of rain washing down on the fields. And as the lightening split the sky, a new idea struck him. The perfect way to take the hero down.

His arms and legs pumped in rhythm, his muscles and lungs well acquainted for such long and far journeys. That was, after all, why he was the best postman around. Who else could provide quick service? He'd been offered carriages and horses by the royal family, but he liked to consider himself a running man. He was lucky to not have to cross any oceans, at least.

His feet crunched in the leaves of Faron Woods as he headed towards the central kingdom. On his way, he dropped off a delivery to the man sitting before a campfire – a weird man, that one, with birds fluttering in his hair. It wasn't too far from here, he thought, and hummed a little ditty to keep his mind busy. It wasn't long before the birds began to mimic his little tune as he journeyed deeper into the dense forest.

The Castle Town of Termina was far different than Hyrule's. He enjoyed travelling there for the lively music and bustling people that moved at a speed almost equal to his own. However, on such a gloomy, blustery night, there hadn't been the usual hustle and bustle on the cobblestone streets.

The postman followed a worn path through the towering trees – he knew all the shortcuts to make the fastest delivery as possible. He finally reached a wall of shrubbery and brushed it aside, stumbling into Hyrule Field. Ah yes, there's the gate. Tall, stone walls covered the capital city, much like the ones in Termina. He raced toward the eastern entrance and only slowed down when he approached the gate.

"Stop right there!" the man in the silver suit shouted. "What's your business in the Kingdom of Hyrule?"

"You don't need to worry about me, sir," he replied cheerfully - perhaps too cheerful for such late hours - just as he skidded to a halt. "I've come to deliver a letter. A letter from the Prince of Termina."

As the postman stumbled to a stop in front of him, a look of remembrance swept over the knight, a relieved smile on his lips. "Ah, it's you, is it?" He tapped his lance on the ground and nodded. "Very well. I'll take this letter to the council. Thank you."

"Yes, yes, but I must relay a message too: the prince has requested this letter to be delivered as soon as possible."

The knight cleared his throat, but not before the smile fell crookedly on his lips. "Of course." The knight watched warily as the postman began running down the same path he'd come up, not moving from his post until he was far past the shrubbery he'd stumbled through.

Thunder roared as the horses' hooves pounded against the ground; dust settled around their legs as they kicked dirt up behind them. The horizon was lit up by the fiery dusk sun and the grey clouds surrounding it waned into a blend of warm violet and orange.

They spent the entire day traversing through the deep forests of Termina before passing Hyrule and finally arriving in Holodrum. There was a stark contrast from the bustling streets in Termina last night to the abandoned square the two princes cut through that dawn.

Flags that hung above the streets were sagging, the fabric laden and darkened. Rivulets of rain created a haze that settled over the cobblestones. Puddles sealed the cracks of the street and Epona splashed through them without care, similar to the way he paid no attention to the way his hair and clothes were drenched from the rain.

Link half expected Holodrum to be full of beasts and demons, tearing the land apart and setting buildings ablaze. But upon arrival to the northern kingdom, he remembered how – despite their similarities – Fletcher wasn't quite the same type of enemy as Lord Ganondorf.

Instead, his kingdom was the pinnacle of peace. At the foot of the mountains was Holodrum's very own capital, which was empty at present due to the terrible storm ravaging the land. The castle stood magnificently at the most northern point, past a long, stone bridge that hung above a canyon. Tall, thin waterfalls poured over the mountain side, pooling into the depths of the chasm below.

Admiring the landscape, the duo crossed the bridge to the gates of Holodrum. The prince exchanged a quick word with the guards at the gates, who easily recognized Percival's familiar face and let them in without trouble. The guards barked orders to the knights at the higher posts, who undoubtedly ran off to send word to Fletcher of their arrival. The horses were handed off to the attendants as the knights entered the courtyard.

Autumn leaves spun in the wind around the sodden and barren trees of the courtyard. The bushes that were aligned along the paths were picked and pruned for the season, leaving just their skeletons behind. Saturated stone statues stood around the garden, so lifelike that it was almost as if they were people frozen in place.

After a turn around the maze of briar, Percival shifted to the side and Link pressed his back against the thorns. With no one in sight, he slipped into a nearby nook. According to Percival, there was a secret entrance to the dungeons under one of the towers. All Link had to do was stay out of sight and keep an eye out for the bulkhead doors hidden away in the bristle.

Though he knew little to nothing of Holodrum's castle or its gardens, he'd explore it the same way he had with dungeons. Though he never knew what lied behind a door, it was a risk he'd have to take to move forward.

It was an intricate garden with many curving stairs and bounding bridges, but Link tried to stay as close to the castle wall as he scoped out the perimeter. By doing so, he was able to find the spot where the vines creeping up the wall were trimmed a little shorter and the bramble was sticking out further from the base.

He avidly listened and looked for the patrolling guards. With no one in sight, he sifted through the thorns and branches. They nipped at his fingers in protest, but he finally found the wooden door with iron handles hidden underneath. He pulled it open and peered into the obscurity. Without a doubt, he'd found the secret entrance to the dungeon.

The tunnel was similar to ones he'd crept through before, dark and hollow, besides the distant scurry of rats and spiders. Torches along the walls lit up just enough space to see where his next step would land and it was probably far safer than the depths of Hyrule he'd explored before.

When the tunnel fanned outwards, Link was able to see more clearly. Along each wall were cell doors, each of them dirty and dingy, even more so than Hyrule Castle's. He could see the chains hooked along the far wall and the hay spread about haphazardly.

Part of him wanted to find Zelda here and bring her home as quickly as possible. He wouldn't know where to look next if he didn't find her here. And yet another part of him dreaded knowing that she'd been locked up in such horrendous conditions. He held his breath, fully aware that there was no way he could prepare for the possibility of seeing her hurt - or even worse.

His sharp ears caught the sound of footsteps in the distance and he sidled against a wall. It was a warden, he was sure, by the clatter of the armor and the languid pacing. Still, he snuck a peek at the guard just in case. When he passed, Link continued with his search, feeling more and more dejected with each empty cell he looked through.

After scouring every dingy corner of the dungeon, Link conceded to the fact that Zelda wasn't there and knew any more time spent there would be a waste. Just as he reached the tunnel, a sharp tug on his shirt jerked him back and he landed roughly on his bottom with a grunt.

He didn't take long to recover and immediately jumped to his feet. It was the same guard that had passed earlier; he held a large round shield with the royal crest and a long halberd that's sharp, steel edges gleamed in the torchlight.

"Look what got caught in my net," he jeered. "Are ya lost?" Link scowled at the condescending tone but kept his guard up, deftly observing every small movement the guard made. "I'd be mighty pleased to redirect ya."

With that, the guard stepped forward and in one quick movement, Link drew his sword and sliced his shoulder. The guard stumbled from the shock and the pain, before his face scrunched up with anger and he threw the halberd down with a loud clang. Link leapt to the side with a roll before expertly slashing his thigh.

The guard hissed in pain and reached for the wound. The hero then held his blade to the guard's neck, barely brushing his skin, and yet they both knew it would take one quick movement to end the fight. The prison guard held his hands up in surrender, never suspecting such a quick and embarrassing defeat. Perhaps he was far too comfortable fighting people who had no means to defend themselves.

"I'm looking for someone," Link said, his voice levelled. "The queen of Hyrule. Brown hair and blue eyes. Have you seen her?"

The guard gulped and then slowly shook his head. "No, I haven't seen her." Link pressed the blade a touch closer and the man started. "I swear, I swear! I don't know anything!"

During his time in the castle, he'd gotten some idea as to whether people were lying and learned how to read their cues. That's how he knew the man was telling the truth. Link held the blade, his face stern and frown set, before he huffed and withdrew.

At that, the hero kicked away the man's halberd and sheathed his sword. "Don't follow me," he ordered before running out the tunnel, and the prison guard fell to his knees.

The queen's most trusted advisor sat at his chair in the early morning, overlooking his paperwork tiredly and rubbing his forehead with his fingers. He'd gotten too old for this. Day in and day out, he worked endlessly at his desk in devotion to his kingdom.

But it was for the kingdom that he remained ever dutiful. As a friend of the late king, Cole felt a responsibility to look after his land in his absence and moreover to look after his daughter. Zelda, as strong a leader as she was, was still young. As long as she was the monarch of the land, Cole would stand behind her, guiding her when needed and ensuring that she had someone to lean on.

With a tired sigh, his soft but aging fingers grasped the gold ornamented knife from its holder and sliced the first letter open with one swift movement. He folded it open and recognized the unique emblem of the Hylian kingdom. At the letterhead, he noticed it was addressed to himself from the knights of Hyrule.

Cole wiped his eyes behind his spectacles, thinking perhaps it was an older letter that got mixed up in the delivery, until he realized the date written was just the day prior. Cole pressed on and immediately threw the letter onto the desk, pushed himself off the desk, and called to his attendant outside the door.

The young man strode in smartly and stood at attention. "Yes, Chancellor Cole?"

"Bring the commander in immediately."

When the commander was summoned, he dropped everything with a huff and headed through the upper halls. Eagus would admit that everything went smoothly since the hero and queen wed years ago. The hero had been doing a better job than ever before.

He feared that once he became involved with the queen, the boy got too caught up with the nobility, the court, and all the unnecessary drivel that came from those hotheads. He always had a soft spot for the young man, but he didn't like how wrapped he got in all the court drama - one that had no place in his army.

Despite his distaste for the noblemen, the commander managed to nod politely as he passed by the odd councillor that morning as he followed the attendant. Pleasantries certainly weren't high on Eagus's list of strengths, but even he knew flat out ignoring the men would cause them to gossip and complain about it later.

They found their way to the wooden door of Chancellor Cole's study and the young man knocked on it quietly. Behind the door, he heard the soft, muffled voice of the man in question before the attendant opened it politely for the commander, who's large physique took up nearly the entire doorframe, and excused himself.

"Be seated." Following his direction, he lumbered into the well-lit room, adorned with a finely crafted wooden desk and shelves, dark curtains and tapestries embroidered with delicate detail. The chancellor wasted little time seating himself behind the desk, much more graceful than Eagus's attempt to sit in the small and stiff seat across the desk with both hands resting on the armrests.

"So, what's all this about?" He tried to be polite, at least to the queen's advisor, but he wasn't exactly used to the aristocrats' pretences.

"Has the prince or any of your knights returned to their duties since their trip to Termina?"

The commander was taken back by the sudden urgency in the chancellor's voice. "No…? I haven't heard a thing yet. Thought they were running behind or somethin'." He shifted. "Why?"

"That's what I believed as well," he said, frustration laced in his otherwise cool voice. "The queen informed me that the group would remain in Termina for a day after the wedding for business purposes and they'd set out before nightfall. Now it's been two full days since the wedding and I haven't heard a word. That is, until I received this." Cole slapped a letter on the desk with exasperation.

Eagus rubbed his chin as he glanced the letter over. It was short but the message was clear: the queen was taken and the knights, Link especially, were all searching for her.

Admittedly, Eagus felt a little queasy reading the message. Losing the queen was perhaps the worst thing that could happen on a trip to another kingdom. His knights' job was to protect her at all costs. Still, Cole was obviously stressed by the letter and the commander didn't really want to let the chancellor get any more frazzled than he already appeared to be.

"I see," he started. "Well, I'll send out troops to help the search in Termina and send out more around Hyrule. I'm sure she couldn't have gone too far."

Cole huffed a breath. "Yes, that'd be a suitable start. No matter what the development is, I want you to report back to me personally and immediately." Eagus nodded firmly and Chancellor Cole drew the letter back in front of him. "Meanwhile, I'll write back to the knights to see if they could provide any more information."

"Okay," Eagus replied. Before leaving, he added, "I'm sure they'll find her and return soon. After all, they have the hero after all and he wouldn't let anything happen to the queen."

The chancellor looked down somberly before taking a deep breath. "Yes, perhaps you're right." Cole knew the commander was right: if anyone were able and driven to protect the queen, it was the hero himself. Still, Cole couldn't shake the ominous feeling that hung over him since receiving the letter. Sending a quick prayer out to the goddesses, he began writing his own.

It was unlike any place she'd ever been before. In the more recent years, she was finally able to travel on tours and trips to distant kingdoms. But even then, she never saw a place so modern and clean. Walls were sleek and black with thin teal wires fashioned in complex lines. Doors zipped open without a hinge and blue cubicles transported her to the higher levels, unreachable by stairs.

When they arrived at the huge black door, clearly more intricate than the rest, the two people waved it open and stepped through. And despite all her doubts, sitting on her throne like it was made just for her was someone Zelda thought she'd never see again.

There were multiple other Twili around the throne on the landing, some at the royal's side while others were lined up on the stairs, clearly in petition. But her crimson eyes shot up to the door where Zelda stood stock-still, lips parted and eyes wide.

Despite the hustle and bustle, Midna rose to her feet and instantly commanded the attention of the court. With a swift wave of her hand and a dismissal, the people in the room grudgingly dispersed, shooting Zelda keen looks as they passed by.

The Twili's eyes were narrowed and her head tilted just the slightest as she took careful steps down the stairs. Zelda swallowed, clenching and unclenching her fingers by her sides.

Standing just before her, Midna looked just as Zelda remembered. A charcoal-black cloak wrapped her head and cascaded to her bare feet, rippling with every step as though there was a gentle wind in the windowless room. Her waist was swathed by a skirt with distinct Twili patterns and her ginger hair fell off her shoulders, tied against her chest with a golden band.

"Zelda?" Midna said. Her voice was steady, but Hylian could feel her stress, as some sort of signal rippled between them. Zelda held her breath as the Twili's hand reached out warily and landed on the queen's cheek.

"Midna."

The sound of Zelda's voice broke whatever barrier was between them and the Twili wrapped her arms around the Hylian. Zelda's eyes watered as she scrunched them closed, wrapped her arms around Midna's back, and clasped her cloak like a vice.

There was a still silent moment as they held each other. The embrace made all of it real: the smell of Zelda's soft skin, the tight grasp of Midna's strong hands, and the warmth between them. Without it, they might've both thought they were dreaming.

Midna was the first to draw back, though her hands lingered on her arms. "How are you here?"

Zelda blinked with tear-soaked lashes. "I was sent here. Ganondorf had mothers in the desert, sorcerers of some sort, and they used their magic on me."

Midna's face hardened. She remembered Ganondorf all too well. He was more hateful than any man she ever knew, Zant included, and held power unlike any she'd ever harnessed. Even with the dark power of the Fused Shadow on her side, he easily bested her. Though it was obvious that the Triforce imbued him with limitless power, she imagined whatever tribe he came from must've taught him some serious sorcery to work with.

"Did they use another mirror or something?"

Zelda's eyes lowered as she recalled the memory - the strange feeling that pervaded the room as they harnessed their power and sent her away. It was a dark power, like a sounder, more fierce form of Zant's sorcery. If Zelda could describe casting magic, it was sort of like weaving a blanket. Zant's magic had a loose, open weave made with a thicker yarn to compensate for the space. But the witches' was twill: tight and sealed with delicate thread.

At last, she shook her head. "There was a thick smoke that carried me here."

"Where exactly?"

"It was outside your palace - on a landing overlooking the sky. But I'm unsure where it was exactly."

"That's okay. I know what mean," Midna said. It was the place she was first cursed by Zant; she'd never forget it. "Let's check it out together."

Admittedly, Ashei wasn't thrilled when Link asked her to take up a job in the army. While she would benevolently fight for Hyrule with all her being, she preferred to do it her way and on her own. Since the death of her father, who'd been a mentor and trainer to her from childhood, she worked better alone.

But Link was a dear friend to her and the rest of the resistance, and she admired him for the strength and perseverance he'd shown time and time again. Even before anyone knew what was going on or who he was, he was putting his life on the line in ways that no one might ever know to save the people of the kingdom. It was what all the knights should've been doing all along.

And so, she'd do just about anything for him if he needed it – though she'd deny it if asked. Honestly, if the knights learned a thing or two under her tutelage, then she figured it was worth it.

There was a lot of grumbling and moaning that morning as she stood, cross-armed, as they lugged bags of flour from one end of the yard to the other. She was surprised by how skinny the knights were when she first arrived; her father built up her muscle by making her lug blocks of ice home from the harvest and bulked her up with hearty suppers. She couldn't understand how any of them were able to lift a sword without building up their muscle first.

Commander Eagus strode over to her side and mirrored her, folding his bulky arms over his chest and observing the men. "Creative exercise, Ashei," he complimented in an effort to break the ice. The warrior nodded sternly, though she smiled inwardly at the praise. Eagus reminded her a little of her father, a strong and strict man with a soft heart. "I-uh, I've been meaning to ask – have you heard from Link at all? I know the two of ya friends and all."

Ashei turned to look at the commander then, her brows furrowed. "Whaddya mean? Aren't they at some party or something?"

He took a sharp breath, the cold air chilling him even with the many layers of armor. "Well, yeah, but something…came up. The queen's missing."

Ashei's head whipped towards the commander. "What?"

"Look, I don't want everyone to panic or anythin'. I need everyone acting rational. We're gonna send out troops looking for her now and I need you to help divide the troops by province. But I just thought maybe you mighta heard somethin'."

"No, I haven't heard a thing but I'll let you know if I do. And I'll get to work on that right away, yeah?"

Eagus nodded. "Thanks." Then awkwardly he added, "I'm sure they'll be fine." Ashei's eyes searched the commander's before she swallowed and stepped out into the yard to get to work.

Standing on the edge of the beyond, Midna held her hand out before them. "Hm." She stroked her hand in a crescentlike motion, as if she were waving to someone on the other side, and felt for something intangible. Zelda stood a few steps behind her and kept her hands folded against her chest, waiting for something to happen.

"The air here is definitely thinner. But there's no portal that I can see."

History often spoke of other realms adjacent to Hyrule. The parallel realms weren't all too far; in fact, they overlapped right above another. Using just the right amount of magic and space, they weren't so difficult to access. An old legend spoke of Termina once being on a separate plane of existence, but the worlds slowly intersected to a point that the hero was able to access it through the Lost Woods, and eventually the planes aligned.

But Zelda never imagined that she'd be able to see the Twilight Realm after Midna destroyed the mirror. She thought she'd lost her friend forever.

"I'm sure there's some way we can bring you back, but it'll take some time. Are you in a rush to return home?"

Zelda opened her mouth but hesitated. She was a queen and she was always needed in the kingdom, but Midna already knew that. She needed to know whether there was any life-or-death business, though even then she couldn't exactly return Zelda any quicker.

And of course, Link must've been worried sick but she didn't exactly know how to breach that with her friend just yet.

At last, she lowered her head to a side. "No, not anymore so than usual."

"All right," Midna said with a stern nod of her own. "Well, we'll give you somewhere to stay and in the meantime I'll see if I can get you some comfortable clothes." Her eyes swept over the queen, not so subtly pointing out that her emerald gown - now tarnished and torn - was hanging off her body.

She led the queen through the sable halls of her palace, forthright and confident. People gave the Hylian strange looks as they passed but didn't dare question their leader for leading the stranger into their home.

Zelda remembered the judgement that Link got when she first escorted him through the castle, even though there wasn't anything quite so distinct about his appearance. Was it Midna's air of confidence that intimidated them or were the Hylian nobles really so critical that they judged anyone who looked the slightest bit different than themselves?

Midna found a room that suited her and swiped the door open with a wave of her hand. Unlike the decorated and embellished rooms in Hyrule's castle, there wasn't much to it. It was large, without a doubt, but not any more than it needed to be. The Twili excused herself to get some help from her staff while Zelda looked around.

Consistent with the rest of the palace, the room had steel walls and floors embedded with veins of blue light. A wide bed stood on a landing, outfitted with black sheets and duvets tucked into the bed without a crease. There was a simple wardrobe for storing clothes, a mirror, a vanity table, and a smaller door, likely leading to a bath chamber. There was no hearth, but the room wasn't too cold for comfort as it was during Hyrule's winter.

Though it was plain, it had everything that Zelda truly needed and it was spacious. On the opposite wall, there appeared to be a handle of some sort and so Zelda tugged on it. With that, the panels folded into one another and revealed a blue-tinted window and the vast Twilight sky. In the distance were silhouettes of islands floating in the sea of violet clouds.

While admiring the sky, Zelda lost herself in thought. Over the years, she wondered what the Twilight Realm looked like and honestly, it didn't look far off from what she imagined. But she never imagined it to be so peaceful. Maybe it was because of the way the Twili came into her life, forceful and angry, but this was nothing like that at all. If anything, it was the complete opposite. It felt safe.

Holodrum had a beautiful castle, with grandiose stone staircases and crescent balconies along the mezzanine. A dome window was at the ceiling, bringing in natural light to cascade through the entrance hall. Greeting Percival at the foyer, a servant proceeded to guide him up the stairs and through the corridors. The halls were pristine and white, with glossy tiles. Along the walls were tapestries with depictions of different elements, such as fire, water, and ice.

After many twists and turns, the servant stopped before a large arched doorway. Cold wind rattled the windows that made up the left wall. In the chilly room, the tiled floors felt like ice, ready to collapse with one wrong step. Percival steeled himself as he stared at the ice king himself.

"Ah, hello Percival," Fletcher's cool voice rang. "I was surprised when I heard you've come to visit me. Did you miss Holodrum so badly?" The king propped his head up with his fist under his chin and looked off to the windows. "It's awfully cold this time of year. Should've come in the summer."

"I'm here on business, Fletcher."

"Ah, is that so? Well, what business are we discussing?"

Percival's took a shaky breath then set his jaw. "I've heard Queen Zelda is missing."

The king narrowed his eyes for a moment, examining Percival's every move, as a predator observes it's prey. He then rose from his throne and descended from the landing, each step slow, steady, and forceful. "You think I've taken her."

"No," he argued. "I know you've taken her."

The king chuckled and placed a hand on his chest as though he'd taken offense. "That's quite the accusation, Percival. You ought to be careful, coming onto another man's land and making such claims. I thought you a better prince than that, at least."

"I don't know what your plan is," he looked around the empty chamber, "but I want in."

Fletcher really did look surprised then, his mouth falling open and his brows furrowing. "What's this? I thought you were pals with that hero."

"There's no room for friends in politics. Tell me what the bounty is."

It was hard to believe Percival in the slightest. The man had no backbone and would hardly go up against someone accomplished and strong like the hero. But it didn't matter whether Percival was loyal to him or not so long as he did his bidding. He just wouldn't reveal the one advantage he kept secret the whole time, the one thing that he had over the hero: his sorcery.

The king stopped for a minute and then walked back to his throne, the clicks of his heels slow and steady until he sat. His chin in his fist, he regarded Percival carefully.

"Yes, Edmund and I have been planning this for months. Hyrule is bountiful in farmland and jewels. Its military wasn't able to fight off the invasion and even now their kingdom is still recovering from the war. If there's any chance to strike, it's now."

"Is that why you took Queen Zelda?"

He paused and looked out the window. "'Her Majesty's not fit to rule. She's risked our alliances for some foolish boy and she failed to protect her kingdom from the last war. If timed right, we could easily take her kingdom, split the land and share it's riches."

Percival took a steady breath. Of course the king was so cocky he thought he could pull another land under his rule. As if Holodrum wasn't already one of the most abundant and bountiful kingdoms, he needed Hyrule too. "What about the hero? Isn't he a threat?"

Fletcher clicked his tongue and turned away with a scowl. "That hero. He just won't quit. His only weakness is his kingdom and the queen." He clenched his fist. "If the hero were to find out that I kept his queen locked up in Hyrule's desert, he'd certainly have my head for it. But it was the only way to get her out of my hair."

Percival took a sharp breath. "Hyrule's desert? Where?"

"It's this secret fortress in the southern edges. It was easy to hide her there because no one would think to look behind those old, rusted gates."

It was hard for Percival to hide his excitement and pride for finding out where the queen was so easily. It was almost too easy. But he knew Fletcher for a long time: he was always quite stupid and cocky. It didn't seem so farfetched for him to reveal a plan this quickly.

All that mattered was that he found a way forward - a place to start looking - and the hero certainly would be grateful for it.