Chapter 26
Flickering torchlight spilled out from the small, round houses, pooling onto the paved streets below as Zelda and Malon threaded in and out of the throng of people, busy in their errands this night in the city of Lon Lon. In the distance, inky black against the starlit sky, Death Mountain Crater stood silently. As though it were waiting for me, Zelda thought. Try as she might, she couldn't stop her gaze returning again and again to the shattered mountain, dread curling around her heart like a vice. Her head swam, the blood tingling in her veins, the bile rising in her throat. Trembling, Zelda tried to still the fear she felt, the knowledge that what was to come would surely mean the end of her life. She failed.
"What is it, missy?" Malon asked, her voice soft. She followed Zelda's gaze, saw the mountain, the crescent moon hovering above where its tip once pierced the sky, and then turned back to her. "You haven't been very forthcoming, if you'll be pardoning my prying, as to why you have to go there." There was a pause, as though the banditwoman expected Zelda to answer instantly. "Especially how its having such an effect. Look at you, missy! You're all pale and your skin looks stretched. The sooner we find a place to stay the night, the better you'll feel, if you'll be catching my meaning."
Zelda shook her head. "We don't have any money," she said, ignoring the first question. She had to keep her footing steady as the people around her, absorbed in their own worlds, barged into her without thought or apology. It was as though she didn't even exist. At least, she thought, her ankle had healed from falling off the boulder, and so it wasn't too difficult to keep her balance."Better we find a place to sleep in the streets...somewhere we won't be noticed."
The banditwoman chuckled. "You don't have any money, missy," she said, her voice irritatingly smug. "But I do." They stopped outside a large building, water spraying out of a broken drain on one wall, the intricately carved sign above the door proclaiming, in curved letters, that they'd reached the local Treasury. "Wait here. I'll only be a moment."
Zelda tightened her shawl around her shoulders, watching the people pass by, and stepping away from the puddle of water now congealing by her feet; the tiny drops, flashing with flame as they caught the light of nearby lanterns, drumming rhythmically to the ground. She'd fashioned a makeshift scarf to wrap around her ears, but it seemed that no-one would have noticed her anyway, so wrapped up they were in their own selves. Despite the quiet hum of voices and the bustle of activity, Zelda felt utterly alone, disconnected from all around her, a still island of calm in the centre of the chaos around her.
They'd parted from the slaves a few nights ago, each one of them deciding, after much heartfelt thanks, to tread their own paths in the world. Galen had been the most enthusiastic, stubbornly sticking to the conviction that the Hero was coming to bring light back into the world. Zelda had been touched by his sincerity, though not swayed by his beliefs.
Malon had wanted him to come with them, for her own reasons no doubt, but he'd refused with a smile. The banditwoman, probably feeling indebted to Zelda for helping her escape, agreed to aid her in her trek to Death Mountain. At first, Zelda had protested, not wishing to trust the Bandit Queen. She'd be nothing more than a liability. But now, after a few days of travel, Zelda was glad that she was here.
Death Mountain. Her eyes flicked back to its hulking form once more. It was an aptly named place, considering that it would be there that her fate would be decided. Death. An image flashed across her mind, the image of the slave camp guard, his eyes bulging as blood fountained from his ruined heart. He deserved it, she told herself again, though now it was starting to sound hollow even to her. She wouldn't allow her thoughts to prod at the memory though, frightened at where that would lead.
Zelda felt dirty. Not just in her heart, but from wearing the same clothes for too long. Scratching at her wrist, she felt her skin crawl. Her tunic, now torn in various places, still felt stiff, its colour faded.
Still. There were worse places she could have found herself in. The City of Lon Lon was a work of art in itself, exquisitely patterned arches carved from smooth marble curving over the streets, themselves paved with slabs of different colours, also with myriad spiral patterns etched on to them. Lanterns were placed in key positions, giving just the right amount of shadow and light, illuminating the marble surfaces and making the whole city glow with a dreamlike quality. It was, she mused, almost breathtaking, and yet it hurt. It hurt that she'd denied herself all this, fighting her family's neverending battle, and it hurt that she'd probably never really get to soak in this sort of craftmanship or beauty ever again.
Malon emerged from the Treasury, her face bright with a smile, a bag of coin nestling in the palm of one hand.
Zelda frowned. "Where did you...?"
Leaning in closer, the banditwoman's voice dropped to a whisper. "Hikirem wasn't a fool, you know," she snickered. "He kept his money safe." She cocked her head back at the building. "Outside of New Hyrule, this is the biggest Treasury in Greater Calatia. And, of course, me being the Bandit King's wife meant that I could draw as much as I wanted." A laugh floated from her lips.
Zelda smiled in response. It felt strange to think of Malon as a wife since the banditwoman cared not for the sacredness of marriage. Still...who could blame her, with a husband like Hikirem Rusthammer? Zelda's heart tugged as she realised that she would never share in any such bond. A sudden thought blazed into her mind, making her stop short.
Malon turned, confused. "What is it now?"
Zelda stared at her, eyes wide. "You had all of Hikirem's money at your fingertips?"
The banditwoman nodded in response. "That's right, missy."
Anger soared into Zelda's heart. "Then why did you want to sell me as a slave?!"
There was a moment of silence as the two women held each other's gazes. "Because I could," Malon replied, her voice cold. "And, besides, Lon Lon was too far away. If Hikirem got here first, I would have been left with nothing."
Zelda could feel the colour drain from her face. Her chest heaved as she tried to control the bubbling emotions within. All she wanted to do was wrap her hands around Malon's neck and shake and shake and shake. She deserved it.
The banditwoman turned on her heel. "Now, come on, missy," she said sharply. "Let's find us a place to sleep and some food to eat."
She hadn't even apologised! Worse, Malon was now acting as though the whole situation was Zelda's fault.
The young Harkinian, her feet dragging, followed in the banditwoman's trail. Her gaze fell across the passers-by, and she looked at them now with angry eyes. She saw one woman slap a child across his face, a red welt blistering on his cheek. Turning her face away, Zelda saw a man, stick in hand, drive away a group of beggars, their cowering bodies frail. Behind her, she caught sight of a young couple, voices raised, their eyes thin like daggers. With a shove, the man pushed the woman to the ground, then sneered down at her.
Were these the people that she had to sacrifice herself for? Were these the people who would continue with their lives, as though asleep in their heedlessness, while she would be buried deep in the ground? Again, the question that had clutched at her mind came again - why should they live, while she didn't? It felt like so long ago now when she wouldn't have hesitated to fight to her last, dying gasp so that all around her could survive...now she wondered why she had even bothered.
"Are you coming, missy?" Malon called, her words sharp with irritation.
"Yes, I'm coming," Zelda mumbled, matching the banditwoman's tone. "Look at me, I'm a naive little lamb...take me to my slaughter please. Really. I beg you. Make me look foolish a few times, too. I'd love that. After all, meat is all I am...either for money or for some ridiculous sacrifice that I never asked to be a part of."
Malon shook her head, frowning as she turned away. "No need to be like that," she said quietly. "We'd all be getting along nice like if we all co-operate."
To her credit, Malon did manage to secure a pair of well-furnished, relatively clean rooms at a nearby inn. A pail of hot water, steam rising from it in trails, was delivered to Zelda and she finally had a chance to bathe, basking in the sensation, her eyes closed, her aching muscles relaxing. Later a rap on her door revealed that the banditwoman had bought her a package, within which was a fresh tunic, the scent of rose clinging to every thread. Zelda held it close to her, not sure whether to feel touched or resentful.
Feeling all sense of weariness evaporate from her, the young Harkinian made her way to the dining hall, batting away the smoke that stung her eyes. Laughing patrons tucked into their meals, while others cheered on a game of chance. Zelda found Malon, also dressed in fresh attire, sitting by herself at one table in the corner. She had a travelpack full of supplies by her feet.
Zelda joined the banditwoman, and soon a meal was placed before them, the young Harkinian wolfing the food down, delighting in the smooth flavour of the smoked meat, and then the sweet tang of the fresh fruits. They indulged in a little idle conversation, a few words that were merely comments on their surroundings.
Leaning back in her chair, her stomach heavy and content, Zelda still felt the dull throb of pain from what Malon had planned to do with her. "So," she said. "If you think so little of me, why are you helping me now?" She gestured at the remains of their meal. "Why all this?"
Malon, seemingly pondering on her words as Zelda waited in silence, prodded the inside of her cheek with her tongue. "Missy," she said finally. "I didn't always live at the bandit camp with Hikirem. I used to be just an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life, happy with the pets that my father brought home for me."
Zelda gave no response, tapping her fingers gently against the table. A roar from the other side of the room made them jump, but seeing it as nothing more than the antics of a group of rowdy young men, they turned back to face one another.
"Used to tell me stories, my papa did," the banditwoman continued, sadness simmering in her voice. "There was one I'd always ask him to repeat. I loved it, I did."
Disquiet murmured in Zelda's heart as she guessed what was coming. "What was it about?"
"About a Princess," Malon replied. "About her Knight. About how they had to protect the world from evil." She blushed slightly, as though embarrassed by her own words. "That sort of thing. But, you know what was different about this story, missy? You know what made me fall in love with it?"
"Tell me."
"My papa used to insist that the story was true. He was so adamant about it, it used to scare me as a little girl." She shook her head, lost in her memories. "But it captured my imagination, it did. I used to wonder...what if it was true? And then, papa would say that story would repeat itself...over and over, until...well, I don't know. Until the end of time, I suppose."
Her gaze level, Zelda asked, "And the Princess...she had a name?"
Malon sighed. "We both know the answer to that, missy," she said. "In the scroll that my papa used to read from, they even had pictures." Here, the banditwoman's stare grew more intense. "You are her, aren't you?"
Quickly letting her eyes drop to the floor, Zelda pushed against the table, ready to get up and walk away. "I don't know what you mean."
"Don't go, missy," the banditwoman said, reaching out to gently touch Zelda's hand. "I'm wondering why you need to go to Death Mountain. But maybe I shouldn't ask. Maybe the answer will frighten me."
Once again, Zelda found her heart softening towards the other woman, despite what she'd tried to do to her. "But you're going to help me get there?"
Malon's eyes shone with resolve. "Yes," she replied. "But it seems to me that you're not quite keen on going, if you'll be catching my meaning, missy."
For a brief moment, Zelda considered telling the banditwoman everything - the Cycle, Link, what was demanded of her, but she stopped herself in time. There was nothing Malon could do to ease her burden, and Zelda would only end up sounding like a child trapped in a pool of her own self-pity.
"So," Malon continued, her eyes now sparkling with mischief. "Are you promised to someone?"
"Promised?" Zelda was genuinely confused.
"Misssyyyy," the banditwoman teased, her grin growing wider. "Don't you have a beau waiting for you...a fiance pining away back home?" She planted her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "Tell me everything."
Zelda's mind drifted back to her time in the Harkinian safehouse, using all the hours of the day and night to plot, plan and train. "No," she said. "No one like that. I never...I never had the time."
Her mouth dropping open in mock-surprise, Malon gasped, saying, "You're teasing me!" Her gaze danced around the room, searching, searching - then stopped, her eyes narrowing. She tapped Zelda's arm. "What about him?" she said, winking.
"What?" the Hylian replied with a frown.
Malon started gesturing with her head. "Him!" Zelda stared back blankly. "Missy!" Each jerk of the banditwoman's neck was getting wilder and wilder now, and the Harkinian almost thought she'd do some damage to herself.
Finally understanding, Zelda followed Malon's gaze, and saw that she was referring to a somewhat comely young man, brown hair cut short, a well-muscled form outlined under his tunic. The man, sensing their stares, glanced at them, and flashed a wide grin.
Zelda snapped her eyes away quickly, her heart lurching. "Stop it!" she hissed. "You're drawing attention to us!"
A lop-sided smile spread on Malon's face. "That's the idea, missy."
"No," Zelda said, her teeth clenched. "Malon...it wouldn't be good for any man to get attached to me."
"Oh, it's like that, missy?" the Bandit Queen replied, not catching the warning in the Harkinian's tone. "A little heartbreaker, are you?"
"No..." Zelda said, her voice faltering. "Yes. Just...just trust me on this."
They lapsed into silence, the banditwoman still letting her eyes traverse the room, before she turned and said, "You miss the fairy boy, don't you?"
A heated denial sprang to Zelda's lips, but then she paused, considering. It was true, she realised. In the brief time that she and Link had spent travelling, she'd grown to depend on his infectious, if misguided, optimism. His determination that there was a way for to be saved had sparked a foolish hope within her own heart, too. It had given her a reason to keep on going.
Her feelings, turning cold and black, withered and died as she remembered what exactly Link was. A Royal Assassin. Sworn to hunt down the King's enemies - her family their most obsessive priority. Tears welled up in her eyes. What did it matter how committed he was to save her? How could someone so devoid of compassion hold her in such high regard? And still...still, in terms of truly sincere people in her lives, he was all she had.
Malon, of course, misinterpreted her actions. "Don't worry, missy," she said, patting Zelda's hand. "I'm sure you'll see him again. He seemed rather...ah...insistent that Hikirem release you. I'm sure he's out searching for you right this minute."
Zelda was drawn from her thoughts by the sight of a young girl, dressed in white and pasty in complexion, staring intently at their table as she stood unnoticed in the middle of the room. She nudged Malon. "Who's that?" she whispered.
Turning, the banditwoman frowned. "Don't know, missy," she replied. "Don't like the way she's looking at us, either."
"Do you think she recognises us?"
Malon shook her head. "Who even knows we're here?"
The little girl slowly raised a hand, beckoning as she smiled.
Zelda, feeling somehow compelled, rose to her feet, the legs of her chair scraping noisily against the floor.
"Missy," Malon said, concern lacing her voice. "Do you think this is wise?"
Her eyes feeling heavy, Zelda replied in a dreamlike voice, "It's just a little girl, Malon. What harm could she do?"
The Harkinian pushed past the patrons, some spilling their drinks and throwing curses, as she made her way to the girl. She sensed Malon following behind her, but couldn't turn to make sure. She felt tired, so very tired. It must be all the travelling she had done, she decided. That, coupled with her lack of sleep.
The girl turned and left via the door. Zelda and Malon followed, stepping back into the street outside. Scanning the area, Zelda saw the girl run here and there, her dark-haired head bobbing up and down in the crowd.
"Hey, little girl," Zelda called, quickly gaining pace. Iron resolve tightened in her heart. She didn't know why, but she had to find that child. "Come back!"
They began to run, dodging the people on the streets, and found themselves moving away from the main hub of the city. Blood pumped in her chest, her head beginning to spin as Zelda ran on, a creeping sense of desperation crawling over her soul. The wind gently pushed at her face, but she ignored it, peering ahead, trying to keep her eyes on the little girl.
And then the child was gone, lost in the throng. Zelda stood, downcast, a vein in her temple throbbing as she tried to regain her breath. Frustration irritated her heart.
"Just...just..." Malon gasped, between deep breaths. "Just...a baby, missy. She was...probably playing a game. We should have... ignored her."
"I don't know," Zelda whispered, her eyes frantically searching the faces of every passer-by. "She wanted something. I think she needs help."
"How'd you figure that?" the banditwoman asked.
Zelda shrugged. "It's just that-" A flash of dark hair framing a ghostly face appeared some way ahead of them. "Look! There she is!"
The girl, surprisingly light on her feet, continued to evade them, leading them through the last few districts, then out into the meadows outside. The two women pursued, dust puffing up from under their boots. Still chasing, Zelda and Malon entered a large field of crops; thick, green stalks scratching at their fresh clothes.
Then, in a sudden motion, the child came to a stop, spinning around and facing them. Insects chirped from amongst the undergrowth, and the moon's pale glow painted the girl's already ethereal features an extra shade of silver. It was Malon, eventually, who decided to make the first movement, cautiously stepping over to the child.
Zelda stayed where she was, a frown slowly creasing her face. Behind the little girl, dark shapes stood, silent....trees, she thought...or maybe some sort of strange plant that grew to unnatural heights.
Malon crouched down by the child. "Are you alright, little missy?" she cooed. "Why were you running from us?"
Ice gripped Zelda's heart. A strange sensation floated over her, a sensation that spoke of danger to come. She jumped. She could have sworn she saw one of the dark shadows move. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
The girl, crimson light flooding its eyes, suddenly snapped her head towards Zelda. The demon's voice, so long trapped in her own mind, rang out. "So very easy, Princess."
"No!" she gasped.
The shadows moved, revealing themselves to be Hylian soldiers, their crossbows buzzing.
"Malon!" It was too late. The image of the child shattered into a million crystal shards as the arrows, flame pushing them onwards, screamed through the air.
Heart bursting with fear, Zelda dived into the undergrowth, the green stems snapping, their remains clawing into her skin. "Malon," she breathed as she lay flat on the ground, feeling the soft, crumbling soil beneath her. She could hear the soldiers searching for her, their voices cruel, drained of emotion.
Watching the blurry shadows hover above her, Zelda dug her fingers into the earth, seething inside. Malon had bought plenty of supplies with her money, but she hadn't bothered to buy any weapons. Zelda longed for her knives, so much so that she could almost feel the cold steel in her hands. Her fists clenched and unclenched, frustration making them tremble.
She crawled through the undergrowth, feeling the urgent thud of her heart in her ears. She froze. Another shape was heading towards her, scrabbling through the dirt. Zelda's mouth dropped open, knowing that she had little time to escape. They were going to catch her! They were -
"Missy!" Malon hissed, her face pale with shock as she reached Zelda.
It took a moment for Zelda's mind to register the message her eyes were telling her. "Malon!" she whispered as joy fought with the fear in her heart. "You're alive!"
A wry smile crossed the banditwoman's face. "Living with Hikirem taught me a few tricks, if you be catching my meaning," she said.
Zelda threw a furtive glance behind her, then turned back to the banditwoman -
- to find that Malon had disappeared. A gust of wind blew, a sigh carrying the hint of laughter. She saw the shadowy forms of the soldiers nearby...then a flash, the world fading to grey, and the shadows, too, vanished. No...not vanished...they'd just somehow shifted position.
Gazing back towards Lon Lon, Zelda saw the burning lights of the city shine. A crack rang out, like the snap of a whip, then images spun across her mind - the Harkinian safehouse, Kafei, the Elders, Link, the Deku Tree. Malon reappeared, but her form was fractured, as though she were a mirror cracked in the centre.
Zelda closed her eyes. "Stop it," she hissed. "Whoever and whatever you are, just stop." It was the first time that she ever really addressed the demon. No reply came, so she tried again, forcing the heat of her emotions into her words. "You're a coward. Face me...let me see who you are." A stab of anger spiked her heart. "So I can know who it is that I'm about to kill."
"Your life is mine to do with as I please." The demon's dull tones echoed around her head. She sensed the irritation lacing its voice. Good! "I hate you. I hate everything about you. Soon...soon, you'll be dead, the Demon will be dead, and the world will be mine again. And still I won't be rid of you. Why? Because you'll haunt my mind till the day the stars fade and die...and this is why I hate you so much. I hate you because you remind me of her so much. "
Zelda's eyes snapped open, the world setting itself aright once more. Her mind spun for a heartbeat, then the disorientation left her. She saw Malon beside her, where she'd seen her last, and it was clear that no one else but Zelda had experienced the vision.
Malon glanced up. "What do we do now?"
Zelda's eyes darted left and right as she quickly refocused on their situation. There was no way they could escape, their movements sure to be noticed eventually. The soldiers probably had reinforcements posted ahead and behind anyway. She looked up, noticing that they still had the cover of darkness. If only they had one of those crossbows, too. Cold determination washed over her heart. "We fight."
Without waiting to see Malon's response, Zelda leapt from the ground, barely a whisper revealing her movements. It wasn't enough. One soldier, his keen hearing catching her, spun around, and fired off two shots. Zelda lurched, surprised. The two arrows, burning the air with their momentum, zipped past either side of her and, not waiting to give him another chance, she threw herself at him, colliding with a grunt.
They rolled on the ground, each trying desperately to get an advantage. He was too strong, though, and threw her off with a sharp tug.
Zelda rolled again, then sprung up, her heels slipping, then digging into the earth. Again, she felt that touch of disquieting doubt, that sense that something wasn't quite right. It came to her as the soldier fired again, the spinning arrows this time flying past her legs.
He could have killed her if he'd wanted with the very first shot. She'd been stupid to make herself such an open and easy target, but the fact that he hadn't told Zelda something - that the soldiers were shooting to wound. They wanted her alive.
Emboldened by that nugget of knowledge, the young Harikinian leapt in closer, knowing that he wouldn't dare fire at such a close range. She was right. The soldier hesitated, confused. That briefest of pauses was enough for her, and she threw a kick straight into his bow, shattering it, but also sending shooting pain reverberating around her foot.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Had her situation dulled her skills so easily? Zelda hissed, trying to shake off the pain. The soldier dropped his ruined weapon, bringing his fists up to bear. They watched each other, their eyes cautious. The man feinted to the left, to the right, then to the left again, and then swung, throwing his whole body behind the punch.
Zelda, speed her ally, dodged, then brought her knee cracking into his face. Again splintering pain spread through her leg. She cursed herself inwardly. She'd let herself get too out of practice.
Her breath left her in an instant as something heavy careened into her back, bringing her to the ground. Soil flew into her mouth, almost choking her. The crescent moon and stars spun slowly above her, and her ears still rang from the impact. She felt a boot rest on her chest, pinning her down.
All she could see were shadowed shapes above her, indistinct, and yet they moved and spoke, though the words were not registering in her mind. Zelda heard a shriek, and she knew that they'd caught Malon. The sharp taste of anger rose in her throat. She'd made a terrible mistake - it must have been oh-so-easy for them to pick the two of them off like this.
Her eyelids heavy, Zelda watched the mass of shadow grow in her vision. She was beaten - but by who? And why?
As she continued to watch, she noticed another shadow approach; slower, as though it wanted to remain unnoticed. Yet another soldier, no doubt. Then, as though it were liquid night itself, it moved, a blurry wind that passed through the assembled group in the twinkling of an eye. A heartbeat passed, then the soldiers fell to the ground in a heap, their crossbows clattering, some of them moaning, others curling in pain.
Frowning, Zelda pulled herself up, staring up at the newcomer. He stood silently, waiting. "Forgotten me already, have you?"
Zelda peered at his face. Yes...she had seen him before. But he'd looked younger than, with rage smouldering in his eyes, not this sheen of perfect serenity. He'd been a boy then...the person standing before her was clearly a man.
Gasping as recognition hit her, Zelda scrambled to her feet, the blissful relief coursing through her soul blunting the pain of her body. One word, a name, rolled off her tongue and, to her, it sounded like the most sweetest thing in the world: "Link!"
A/N: A number of questions in your reviews...
Jewel asked: "I thought the Hylian race believed in only one triune divinity, the three goddesses. If this is true, however, who is this "One, the Unseen" that Link draws his power from?"
This is just me playing with canon. 'Official' Zelda lore tells us that Link is the spotlessly pure willing hero, Zelda is royalty living in her castle, Ganondorf is always evil, and the Hylians believe in three goddesses. What I wanted to do with this story was just invert everything, and also to show how things had changed in five hundred years. Plus, I wanted to have a 'hook' that would make my story a little bit different than your usual story...and the spiritual/mysticism thing is that hook. It was mentioned in an earlier chapter that the one Divinity was the same for everybody, but described and interpreted by different people in different ways. If you take that, then you can see that it's just a matter of interpretation.
Jewel (and ayachan) also suggested: "Can you try to spice things up a bit with some romance? I love LZ, and I wonder if, eventually, this will be one."
There was a Link/Zelda romance in my previous story, and I really, really did not like it. It worked in the context of the story, and some reviewers liked it, while others said it wasn't enough (wOOt! They were literally in each other's heads!). I wanted to do something different with this story...there are emotional bonds between the characters, but they're understated. It's clear that certain characters do care about each other, and this affects their actions - actions, after all, speak louder than words.
I hope that's more interesting than just going on a mush overdrive. Link and Zelda will be having a heart-to-heart in a later chapter (which I'm currently working on)...whether that will satisfy the romantics amongst you, I don't know. I don't think a story needs to have a romance in order to have emotional impact. All I ask is that you wait till the story is over, then go back and read it all again and see what kind of emotional crescendo (for lack of a better term) I was trying to build towards (unless I fail completely, that is). It's a bit more subtle than in my last story. Sorry to disappoint you.
If you are looking for an old-fashioned well-written LoZ romance, then you should, if you haven't already done so, check out 'Quill and Ink' by LauraCeleste.
Thank you all for your comments, suggestions and intelligent points. I appreciate it. I can't mention everyone here...you know who you are.
Last, but not least:
Phantwo: who didn't ask me any questions, but who I'd like to single out for unceasing support and reviews, and just to remind myself, and everyone else, that if not for her, I'd have given up on this story a long time ago. Please do read her very well-written fic 'In My Hands'. Thank you, Phantwo.
Peace.