War of the Fairies

by Split Infinitive

Link leads a motley crew of miscreants on a search for a cure for his wife, the fallen Princess Zelda. The cure,though,happens to be slap bang in the middle of a warzone.

8. It's Dark

8– It's Dark

Link flipped the crystal into his hand as the carriage rocked and shuddered its way through the forest. Night was falling, the rain had returned, and the dim light was smudged and inconstant, as though the world had become enshrouded in an eerie ghostly mist. The Shadow Lord's eyes narrowed as he noted that the floating clock in the crystal had not changed one jot – the second hand was still past eight and approaching nine.

"Time has no meaning here." It was Saria, gazing at him intently. They'd all been squeezed into the small carriage, their limbs jammed up against each other's. Hood lay in one corner, her chest rising and falling as she slept, the three Fairies hovering above her. The other Kokiris were, Link had been told, going to follow them on foot.

"But," the Shadow Lord said. "The sun rises and it sets, love. Must be some semblance of time, no?"

The carriage lurched over the uneven ground, jolting them all for a moment. Saria held his gaze, then said, "I can't explain it," before looking away.

Opening the window, frosted with rainwater as it was, the Shadow Lord of Castleton peered outside. The ghostly sensation he'd felt within was even pronounced outside. The trees seemed faint, as though they were not quite rooted in reality, and solid objects seemed too fragile, as though they would swirl away in the moaning wind. Small, glittering eyes stared out from the gloom, blinked, then vanished. The path they travelled upon, broken and hole-ridden as it was, was illuminated by lamps, themselves hanging from curved branches knitted into each other to form an archway over the road.

Link leaned back, the sharp air outside stinging in its chill, and let the pleasant scent of pine float in to mix with the heavy stench of leather. No time here. It was what he'd wanted; at least Zelda would be safe, but stuck here with the Kokiri was not helping him one jot in his task. Something clutched at his heart for a moment as memories swirled around his head – the annoyed frown the Princess would give him whenever he left their chambers in a state, the myriad arguments they had, often ending them just teasing one another mercilessly, the almost bewildering way she managed to both infuriate him with her lack of foresight when dealing with the gray wasteland of other people's disputes and dramas and, at the same time, move him to the core deep down, because all her insane schemes were motivated by a kindness that he didn't think he himself possessed. An impartial observer may have noted that all he was dwelling on was the negative, but to the Shadow Lord of Castleton, it was these very things that he missed so much. Above all, what he missed the most was, as he'd said to Navi in the Grand Library, the fact that they were a team, almost a force of nature that swept through Hyrule and did what had to be done.

No time. He'd agreed to go along with the Kokiri because they were his old friends, Saria the oldest friend of all, but now he wondered if he hadn't actually made a rather uncharacteristic lapse in judgement. His eyes fell upon Hood – he still didn't know her name – and her forlorn cry of 'Don't let her get me!' rang around his head.

Someone fidgeted next to him. "I was wondering." It was Simon DeLance. "Miss Hawthorne, you're a...ah...a Hair Fairy, right?"

Hawthorne glanced up. "That's what I am, no doubt. What of it?"

Link noticed that Saria was paying rapt attention to all three Fairies now. DeLance cleared his throat and went on. "I was just wondering, what exactly is that you do with all that hair?"

"What's it to you, sucka?" Mr C glared at Simon, arms folded across his tiny chest. "That's Fairy business. Fool like you wouldn't understand."

Both Hawthorne and Navi looked suitably shocked, as though Mr C was the last person in the world that they expected to stand up for them. "It's, um, it's alright," Hawthorne said. "I'll tell him."

"Well, praise be," Saria muttered under her breath, her bitterness clear. "The Fairies are working together."

Hawthorne gave the Kokiri an odd look before she turned her attention to Simon. "I do with the hair what the Tooth Fairy does with the teeth she pinches."

"And what exactly is that?" Simon asked, leaning forward, the leather seats squeaking as a result.

A hint of a smile danced on Hawthorne's lips. "I give the hair to someone who doesn't have any."

Simon paused, the rumble of the carriage filling the silence, and looked as though he wasn't sure if he was being teased or not. "You what?"

"You heard me, no doubt." Hawthorne fluttered her wings, Fairy Dust sprinkling into the air. "That's what we Service Fairies do. We serve." She gave Cupid a sideways glance. "And proud of it we are, too, no doubt."

Frowning, DeLance asked, "Are you trying to tell me," he said slowly, "that people wake up one day with new teeth and hair?"

Hawthorne chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Well, yes," she said, a little uncertain. "But you have to remember that it's usually the young uns who get the teeth and, erm, not all the hair has to appear on someone's head." She coughed politely. "It's done with Fairy Dust, just in case you were thinking of asking."

"I say, very efficient, what?" Mr Red said, his round face beaming as he gazed from side to side. "It's jolly good, don't you think, old chap?" He nudged the ReDead.

"I wish I could get new hair and teeth," the ReDead said mournfully. "Mine always tend to fall out. I put them back in, of course, but it's just not the same. In fact, I wish I could get a new body." He pondered this, then added, "Actually, come to think of it, I need to get a life."

"And I thank you for your honesty, mate," Link said, a wicked grin on his face.

"Still," Mr Red went on, undeterred. "It's a splendid little service, what?"

"It's a shame, then," Saria added, her voice a dam of ice. "That they've stopped being so helpful, isn't it?"

Link met her with a level gaze. "Is this what this is all about, love?" the Shadow Lord asked. "The Fairy War?"

Before Saria could reply, the carriage came to a shuddering halt. The little Kokiri flung the door open and jumped out, beckoning for the others to follow. Outside, Link found himself in a Kokiri village not unlike the one he'd grown up in so long ago. Straw-roofed huts sat upon towering platforms, a homely glow of a fire smudging the windows, a rope ladder dangling from side, gently pushed to and fro by the breeze. The Kokiris were hard at work; hammering here and sawing there, but when the three Fairies floated out of the carriage, they all stopped, nudging and winking at one another, some whispering under their breath.

The rain had stopped now and the air was fresh, the ground beneath their boots slimy and wet. The Shadow Lord followed Saria deeper into the village, his cloak trailing behind him, scattering the withered remains of dead leaves in his wake. He stopped short as Saria spun around all of a sudden.

"It is about the war, Link, yes," she said. "We had to leave our old home, our home for centuries, the one we both we grew up in, and had to hide here." She blinked, but her face betrayed no emotion. "They were destroying everything just trying to kill each other. I've never seen them act like that before – I mean, what would the Great Deku Tree have said?" She gave the Fairies a sour look before she went on, "We knew about this place. Killyjanmaro – it was secret, hidden, but the Know-it-all-Brothers naturally knew where it was. So, here we are, safe and sound." A liquid sheen fell across her eyes, a pleading look on her face. "Don't you remember, Link? The way we were?"

"We got on splendidly, I recall, love." It was, Link hoped, a subtle reminder that things had now changed. She didn't catch it.

"Yes." Desperation needled her voice. "Don't you miss it? Now look what's happened to us. Our home is gone." Her eyes flashed in the starlight. "It's all the Fairies fault."

And he did remember – not only that but he recalled his own promise to bring Zelda to the Forest once all this was over, so she, too, could taste the simple life that he'd had. She so would have loved it; they'd have had a simply splendid time. There was a spark of anger in his heart, the briefest striking of a flint that threatened to erupt – and then he stilled himself, listening to the froth of his churning emotions, but not giving in to them. Trust. He saw, with trepidation, the rage fighting its way under Saria's face and knew that he didn't want any part of it. He'd grown out of all that, too – the tantrums, the pettiness. Well, alright, if I'm brutally honest, he admitted, I've mostly grown out of it.

Another notion came to him: What would Zelda do?

"Aren't you going to-" Saria paused as a pair of Kokiri rushed past her, poked their heads into the carriage, and then pulled Hood out. "She is the key," Saria said, pointing at Hood.

"The girl?" Link asked. "Hood?"

"Her name is Chrysania," his old friend replied. "She's the reason why they're fighting."

The Shadow Lord wrapped his cloak around himself to protect against the chill, and then raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Who told you that, love?"

Saria looked him straight in the eye. "The Queen of the Fairies."

"Hey!" Navi said, fluttering into the air. "The Fairy Queen?"

"She's here?" Hawthorne added, shedding Dust as she began to ponder.

Navi turned to the Shadow Lord. "She's bad news, Link. Don't listen to her!"

A crowd had formed around them now, all eyes on the Fairies, hate lining the Kokiris faces as they let their tools dangle from their hands. Saria glanced up at Navi, knew a moment of hesitation, then steeled herself once more. "Chrysania has to die, and the war will end and we can all go home." Misery fought with weariness in her voice. Her next words were so blunt that Link almost flinched. "She just has to die."

The Shadow Lord gazed down at his old friend. "Why?"

"She's a…" Saria frowned, searching for the right words. "She's a seer. She sees things other people can't." She sniffed. "The future, people's thoughts, that sort of thing. The Queen of the Fairies told us that it was unnatural magic, one that had to be put out, one that had bewitched the Fairies to start killing each other."

"And," said Link, "have you had this connection between the little love and the Fairy War verified?"

Saria ignored him, a knife suddenly in her hand, the glint at its sharp tip just as bright as the spark in her eyes. "I'll kill her myself just so things could go back to the way they were!" She was growling now, and Link almost had to take a step back. "She knew she was guilty and ran away! She should just die!"

Faster than liquid lightning the Shadow Lord's hand snaked out and grabbed Saria's wrist. With a twist, the knife fell from her hand. Again, Link repeated the question: "But tell me why? Really why."

"Because I wish it, that's why!" The voice came from an obese blob of light that buzzed into view, all eight wings struggling to keep the massive bulk in the air. "And whatever I wish," the shrill voice continued, "must be done!"

"Who's this sucka?" Mr C said, his face wearing an expression that showed that he was clearly not impressed.

"The Fairy Queen, I gather," Simon added. The breeze played havoc with his silver hair as he spoke. His eyes found Hawthorne and Navi – both hugging the other in fright – and he asked, "Mind filling us in?"

"A Queen she's not, no doubt," Hawthorne said, fixing the other Fairy with a heated stare. "She ran a…a…an organisation – she used to have a small gang that used to pick on Fairies like me, ones with the gold coins. She'd set her goons on us and steal our money."

"But the Self-Righteous Posse finally took her gang out," Navi said, sniffing. "Did something useful for a change."

Link saw the Queen, saw her looking down her nose, saw her heavily painted face, heard Hawthorne and Navi's words, and sized her up instantly. "And, of course," he said. "The pathetic little love now has no-one to boss around anymore. So here she comes, duping the Kokiris." The crowd bristled at this; even Saria gave him an icy look. "There's no need to kill Chysania is there? Find the Kokiris desperate and feed them any old story to get them to obey you, isn't it? It just appeals to your vanity, doesn't it?"

The Queen bared her rotted teeth. "Do you dare to presume arrogance to me?"

"Don't listen to them, Link," Saria said, nodding at the two Fairies. "They're not to be trusted, not anymore."

The Shadow Lord drew himself up to his full height, his face darkening, his cloak billowing. "Oh, and why is that, love?"

Saria stood firm as the other Kokiri shrank back. "You didn't see what they did to our village. The pain that they caused."

"Love," the Shadow Lord went on, his cloak flapping around his boots. "'They' didn't do anything. And it's hardly right to blame the lot of them for the actions of a few. What happened to all those years the Kokiri and the Fairies worked together? You're going to forget that, sunshine? You're going to kill this one Kokiri on her word? She's a Fairy, too, in case you haven't noticed."

"We can trust her. She helped us."

Link's eyes blazed in the dark. "That's the thing about help, isn't it, love? Some people do it because they want something in return." He gazed up at the Queen. "She just wants her pathetic little hubris stroked, that's all it is, love. I can't believe you're going to kill one of your own just because you haven't yet grown out of the fact that when someone hurts you, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to hurt them back – and especially doesn't mean you hurt people who had nothing to do with your misfortune in the first place."

Saria reeled, as though she'd been slapped. "You're the one who's always telling me to do what's right!" She pressed her arms against her sides, her hands curled into fists. "To make the difficult decision!"

"No, love," Link replied, cutting in. "To make the right decision, even if it's difficult. Not the easy – let's- all- feel –better- about- ourselves- even- though- we've -accomplished -nothing – decision."

"You don't-"

"Silence!" They all looked up at the sound of the Fairy Queen's voice. "I tire of this bickering." She snapped her fingers. "If none of you are willing to kill the wench, then my champion will do it for me!"

"Champion?" DeLance asked. "Who-?"

The Shadow Lord's eyes widened as the 'champion' made his appearance. "Oh for the love of Tingle, not him!" he cried. "Where did you dig that sap up from!"

The champion strolled into the village, his frilly lace shirt – as black as coal - buffeted by the breeze. He stopped, then gazed around at each and every one of them, his eyes lingering on every face. Simon, Mr Red and the ReDead gasped. "Why," Mr Red said, "he looks just like-"

"Ah," the champion cut in, smiling cheerily. "What a wonderful night it is! It's just so..." He began to sniff. "...so beautiful...that..." Tears streamed down his cheek. "...that it makes me want to...to..." He sobbed, his lip blubbering as he began to cry.

Link closed his eyes, put one hand over his brow, and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," the champion said. He stumbled over an ill-placed boulder "Oh!" he gasped. "You poor rock! You poor, poor, rock!" He patted the offended item, then began sniffling once again. "I know what can make you feel better – a poem!"

Saria cleared her throat. "Put the sword away, Link."

"I'm terribly sorry, I do apologise."

The champion looked up. "And – oh!" he said. "Look at you all! Standing there so angry! You're just –you're just in so much obvious pain that I really wish...I could just..." He threw back his head and wept some more.

As he did so, a wiry imp -like creature pulled itself out of the corner of his tunic, his long ears unfurling. The creature looked around. "What's going on here, then?" it said. "Oh, I see." Its voice dropped to a whisper edged with a quiet hint of a threat. "You all want to fight, don't you? You want a whupping that'll you'll remember all the way to your death bed, don't you?"

"Now, now," the champion said. "I'm sure it'd all go fine, if we just learned to love each other and share and – oh! I stepped on a flower! The poor flower! Oh, someone just sacrifice me to the powers above just to remove this stain of burden from my soul!"

"How about an arrow?" the Shadow Lord's said, leaning in towards Saria. "I'll just use an arrow instead, shall I? It'll hurt more and cause a much more lingering death." He shook his head. "I can't believe this! First you throw in with that bad egg of a Queen and now them." Link stared at the small wiry creature. "One of the Antagonistic Imps of Hostilia," he turned to the frilly-silk wearing sap, "and Dark Link himself!"

2

"I'm so sorry, patch of grass," Dark Link said. "I'm about to sit on you now. I say, good sir, that you may perish in the endeavour." He began sniffling. "I really really really share your pain and hope your fellow blades of grass can forgive me as I'm sure I'll never forgive myself."

The Shadow Lord, his earlier thoughts of self-control now completely evaporated, made a face behind Dark's back. Simon nudged him in the ribs in response. They sat around an ethereal fire, its flames whispering and calm, giving heat but no smoke. Around them the new Kokiri village was alert, brightly lit lamps swinging from vines tied to the high platforms, the Kokiris watching them, some leaning over balconies in their new huts, some on the ground, resting upon each others' shoulders.

"Alas, poor grass," Dark said, wiping away a tear as he sat, "I bid thee a fond farewell."

"And this," the Shadow Lord said, "is who you're going to use to murder a child? He's useless!"

Dark Link sat up, his stiff upper lip quivering. "I say, good sir, there's no need to be so personal. It hurts my feelings, don't you know?"

The Imp scrabbled up to Dark's shoulder. "And you don't need him to do the dirty, let me assure you," it croaked. "We got all the weapons we need…riiiighht…heeere." He held up two tiny wiry fists. Link gaped at him in disbelief.

"Besides," Dark added. "That child is a demon spawn with evil magical powers –"

" –oh, I don't believe this. Evil magical powers? –"

"I," said the Imp, "have got your evil magical powers riiiiiighhht heeeereee." He thrust out his hips. Link's face crumpled in utter bewilderment.

"- magical powers," Dark Link cut in. "And so she clearly deserves to die."

The Shadow Lord resisted the urge to make a slightly more ruder gesture. "And how did you reach that particular conclusion, mate?"

The wind tugged at the pure white flames, pulling them this way and that as Dark Link gazed up at the Fairy Queen, his eyelashes fluttering. "Why, this fair maiden, this picture of beauty itself told me. And so it must be true."

The Queen, her cheeks actually tinted with a blush, patted him on the shoulder. "I know my champion will fight to the death for me."

"And your wings!" Dark Link began to sniffle. "I could…I could just…write an ode just about them…if I wasn't so overwhelmed by their beauty."

The Shadow Lord leaned in close to his friends. "Hold on. Which one of these is the Queen of the Fairies again?"

The Queen and Dark glared at him. The Imp growled. "I don't know what world you come from, but anyone who insults the man here" – it pointed at Dark – "will be seeing the business end of these lethal weapons riiiiight heeeereeee." He waved his fists some more.

"Pardon me while I laugh hysterically like a hyena on a Red Potion diet, mate." The Shadow Lord looked at Simon. "It's not these two you met in your many adventures, is it? If it is, then I can finally understand why you want to do away with yourself. Here, use my sword."

"Good sir, I beg you hold your tongue and stay your hand," Dark replied, rigid pride carved upon his face. "We are, after all, just two sides of the same coin."

The Shadow Lord almost choked, his eyes bulging. "Look at you, mate! You look like Tingle on a girls night out at Gerudo Fortress! Where's your Green Hat, boy? You're a disgrace to the name 'Link!'"

Saria stood nearby, the shadows of the fire dancing on her face, the Fairy Queen now at her shoulder. "Please," she said. "Let's all discuss this like the intelligent people that we are."

The Imp snorted. "There's no brains in fairy boy over there."

"I'm terribly sorry," the Shadow Lord replied. "Were you, perchance, referring to your erstwhile employer over who, as I speak, is now desperately trying to talk to his stomach apologising to the food he's digested for daring to put it in his mouth without his permission?"

"You keep that up," the Imp said, "and you'll be having one-on-one personal meeting with my very own fairy boy riiiiiight heeeere." He swivelled around and stuck out his rear end.

The Shadow Lord just stared, open-mouthed. "What…the…"

"Stop," Saria snapped. "Just stop."

"Fairy boy and his boy wonder," the Shadow Lord muttered under his breath. "Laugh? Not since I dropped Kaepora Gaebora into a cauldron of high-grade Red Potion itself.

Saria's eyes blazed. "Just leave it, Link!"

"Yes, sure, love," he muttered. "I give up trying to talk to these great pair of fairy boys."

"Ah ha!" the Imp jumped up. "So you admit defeat, eh, fairy boy?"

"Stop saying fairy boy, both of you! Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Saria stood in the centre, her chest heaving as all eyes set upon her. Clearing her throat, she composed herself and went on. "It has to be done, Link, I'm sorry," the Kokiri said. "I brought you here because I thought you'd see sense – that you'd see how much we hurt and how much work we've done – and so you'd do the deed yourself. I guess I was wrong."

"I don't know what's got into you, love," the Shadow Lord replied, genuine sadness lacing his voice. "I never though that you, of all people, would become blinded by hate." Pushing aside his uneasiness, deep inside Link again wondered exactly how Princess Zelda would have handled this.

As the others talked, Navi flew in close to Dark, her curiosity getting the better of her. Drops of twinkling Fairy Dust flew off of her as she looked closely at the man who resembled Link so much. The Dark One spotted her, and his face crumpled with sympathy. "Oh, you poor thing!" he said, patting her on the head. "Imagine being a slave to that fiend."

Navi folded her arms, her face wearing an expression of pure irritation. "Stop touching me."

"It must be so hard for you," Dark went on. "My heart bleeds. Truly, it does." He patted her some more.

"Stop that."

"I imagine he makes you do the most ghastly things." He stroked her head.

"Stop it now."

"Truly, I will weep for you. You poor poor little thing." He stroked some more.

"Stop patting me on the head or I'll bite your fingers off."

"Ah! Here's an idea! Why don't you run away with me? We'll have such a grand adventure!"

"Oh, yes? And why don't you just kiss my tiny Fairy-Dust-stained-"

"Assume for a moment, love," the Shadow Lord was saying, his eyes on Saria. "That she's not telling the truth, and the war goes on. Do you think you could live with that?"

Saria's face remained blank. "If she's lying, I'll make her pay, then make all Fairies pay."

Link let out a breath. It was...a tad disconcerting...to hear his old friend speak in such a manner. He opened his mouth to tell her to pull herself together, but realised that, in her current state, it would just be a waste of words. He doubted, too, that if he did tell Saria about whys and wherefores of the war, that she would even believe him.

The Imp made his presence felt yet again. "I'll make all the Fairies pay, don't you worry," he cackled. "I got the goods riiiiighhtt herrrreeeee." He slapped the tiny excuses for muscles that dangled from his arms.

The Shadow Lord pierced him with a withering look. "I've just about had my fill of you, sunshine."

"Please." Saria said, exasperated. "Calm. Down."

The Imp, however, wouldn't be cowed. "I can see the only way I can get through to fairy boy is by giving him the world-class beating that he so richly deserves."

Link bristled. "Oh, yes?"

"Stop!" Saria cried, holding her head. "Just stop!"

"Yes, indeed," the Imp replied, yellow teeth grinning. "You want the crown jewels do you? I got the crown jewels riiiiigghhht heeeereee. You want to walk out of here with your arms, legs and neck broken? I wouldn't normally roll out the heavy goods, but you just say the word and it's a whole world of pain for you, fairy boy."

The Shadow Lord rolled his eyes. "I don't see how-"

"Right! The crown jewels it is then!"

"Oh, it's on now, mate!"

"Listen!" Mr Red sat with hand aloft.

"Yes, mate?" Link asked as the others tried to hold him back. "You got something to add to our less-than-productive dialogue?"

Mr Red grinned. "I say, old chaps, I am quite the connoisseur in Fairy lore, what? And I do believe that there is a precedent for such a situation such as this."

Link narrowed his eyes, interested. He could practically feel the Queen squirming in the air. "Do tell all, mate."

"When one set of people wishes one of two groups of Fairies to leave them – until a reconciliation can be made – then proper manners is to have a competition." Mr Red beamed happily, not noticing the Kokiris leaning in close. "The Queen on one side, the Fairies on the other. Except – the loser of the contest will be exiled forever; a little bit of bewitched Fairy Dust will make sure of that, what? While the winner will choose to leave voluntarily, if the Kokiri so wish – this time sprinkling warning Dust that tells other Fairies to beware of the area. Except that the winners can be invited back by the people – in this case, the Kokiri – any time they wish. Either way," Mr Red said with a happy shrug, "the Fairies leave. Or, in this case, they simply don't come back."

Saria glanced at the Queen. "Is this true?"

"Well, technically, yes-"

"And," the Shadow Lord said, quickly jumping in, his grin in place. "No one dies. Either way, Chrysania goes free." He paused, his mind racing as the vaporous flames licked the air. His eyes fell upon Dark Link. The Shadow Lord of Castleton's grin grew just that notch wider. "Here's a canny proposal; gets rid of two birds with the same stone. I say we have a duel."

The Fairy Queen took in a deep breath, her chest jutting out. "Well, I don't think-"

"A duel?" Saria interrupted, catching on. "So, Dark Link for the Queen." There was a ghost of a smile on her face, a trace of her old self resurfacing. "And I assume, the Shadow Lord for the Fairies?"

Link winked. "Got it in one, love"

Teeth bared in anger once more, the Fairy Queen spat out her words. "No! No, no,no!"

Saria raised an eyebrow. "I think it's up to us to decide, not you." The Kokiris responded with a flutter, murmurs of agreement rushing through the village like a wave.

The Fairy Queen hissed. "I know about this pathetic ruffian." She stared at the Shadow Lord's ever-grinning face. "He's an interfering no-good twit. And I'm not having him stick his nose in here, where it's not wanted. Him and his ugly, scarfaced Princess of his."

The temperature dropped as the Shadow Lord's face darkened once again. A sudden ice-cold gust of wind flew through the village, fluttering the fire and making the lamps swing wildly. The watching Kokiri backed away slowly, fear on their faces. Link's eyes narrowed. "You can say what you want about me, love," he said quietly, "but if your besmirch the honour of my good lady – well, that's just plain rude. This duel is on. And now I'm not just fighting for the little Kokiri girl. I'm fighting for Zelda."

Saria brought her hands together. "It's settled then!" she said, loud enough for all to hear. "As soon as the sun rises, Dark Link and the Shadow Lord will duel – for the life of one girl, and the honour of another!"