Disclaimer: Again. I'll let you know if we come across anyone that's mine…although, coming across anything that's mine, the mirror is…Mf.

Woken from a slumber
Of a dark and distant year
Hero, awake!
Earth, quake!
Bring a light of evermore
To banish away my tears.

Brought forth from dark
Of insanity and cries
Villain, take!
Earth, shake!
Force away his darkness
Bring truth from all his lies.

Bound to the past
Trying to run, to hide
Princess, shake!
Earth, break!
Bring back the light of love
Make it so I've never cried.

The journey through the scrublands was not a pleasant one. Zelda had, essentially, two moods as they moved through the dust and dirt: a tight, silent sort of depression, or an extreme happiness that really only came about as she discussed the engagements of her friends.

"Tell me about the engagement!" Zelda prodded early one morning as they set out again. "What happened?

Lindsay smiled. "Well, it was actually at last year's Tourney," she said, relishing in the look of shock she got from Zelda. "Rowrun and I had just finished a match against each other. I'd goofed up—"

"Flames, you lost, fair and square," Rowrun snorted.

"I'd goofed up," Lindsay repeated, as though she hadn't heard Rowrun. He began to talk and she clamped a hand over his mouth. Zelda got the strange feeling that Rowrun was licking the palm of her hand, like one does as a small child to get a hand off one's mouth. Zelda got the even stranger feeling that Lindsay was enjoying it. "And so I was flat on my back in the dust. Rowrun comes over and sits beside me—"

Rowrun pushed away Lindsay's hand (she then wiped it on his shirt) and said, "I was sitting on you!"

Lindsay thought about. "He was, actually. He comes over and sits on my legs and says, 'Listen, Flames, this can go two ways. Either I can sit on you 'til kingdom come, or you can marry me.'"

"My goddesses, it was great," Rowrun said happily. "The color just drained from her cheeks, her eyes got so wide, and her jaw just dropped. And then she stammers, 'Well, hell, chicken-boy, what's taken you this long?'"

"That's so romantic," Zelda said thoughtfully. "In a completely frightening, please-don't-hurt-me sort of way."

"We're not even at the best part," Rowrun said. "We told André, Zyuiu, and Rhia, and Rhia thought she should send up fireworks."

"And?"

"And, the fireworks were shaped like chickens," Lindsay sighed. "Huge, gigantic chickens in the sky!"

The night in the scrubs was cool and silent, hushed and muted under the slice of moon above. The others slept peacefully in the silver darkness, but Zelda was up, sitting somewhat away from the group. A small, brief breeze blew across her, drying the single tear that fell down her cheek.

Zelda couldn't understand it. Her life, for a very long time, had been normal. With breaks in the middle only for Ganondorf and Damion, it had stayed that way. Why was it happening again? Why wouldn't life, or fate, or the goddesses, or whatever was pulling on her fragile puppet strings, just leave her alone?

But Zelda knew the answer already. She had always known the answer and she always would. She would never have a normal life because she, as a human being, was not normal. She had dreams of terrible futures; she had hidden for seven years as a Sheikah from the Great King of Evil. She was in love with the Hero of Time; and even though he'd loved her, he'd tried to kill her several times. A dark wizard had blamed her own 'death' on her, and she'd run to the Tourney as that same Sheikah, the one no one should have hated. She had nearly died there, impaled on a sword made as much of hate as it was of steel; and she had touched the goddesses in the land of ever-present shadows and rain. She had nearly succumbed to a dark insanity, and had nearly died again while in its final throes.

No. Zelda knew she was not normal. Normal princesses dreamed only of the husband they would one day have; they did not allow their kingdoms to be overcome by the Bane of Hyrule—they ordered their army to stop it. Normal princesses were saved by the Sheikah—they did not have to become one in order to live. Normal princesses never had anything quite so wild and free and fierce (and green) as the Hero of Time—they were lucky to find a hero at all. Normal princesses were not nearly murdered by their true lovers. Normal princesses did not have one half of their being fake-killed and have the other half blamed for it. In fact, normal princesses did not have two halves. Normal princesses never even went to the Tourney. If they did they only watched, never participated in a bloody show of equality and worthiness. Normal princesses, when they nearly died, never went to the land of ever-present shadows and rain—Zelda was quite sure she and Rhia were the only ones ever there, along with Din, Farore, and Nayru. And even if they did…normal princesses did not come back. They did not have to succumb to a dark insanity because they did not carry its burden.

No, Zelda knew she was not normal. She had friends who loved her and a life that seemed good—but the darker sides would not leave her alone. In front of her eyes danced the threat of a looming shadow, bearing both the evils of the world and the evils that still lurked inside of her; the evils of a dark, hushed Triforce, the evils that even the goddesses could not quite contain.

They arrived in Odnetnin the next day. Odnetnin itself had only two great landmarks: the city of Odnetnin, and the Tourney. The city itself was a burst of life and laughter and color, especially after the scrublands. Outside the city walls were small armies of gaily-colored tents, belonging to various performers and merchants and what-have-you.

Though the group tried to pass unnoticed through the bustling crowd, everyone recognized Prince André, Lord Rowrun, and the soon-to-be-Lady Lindsay. Most people recognized Rhia (the chicken farmers were thrilled to see her) and Zyuiu. And when they began to recognize Princess Zelda and Link, the crowd would whisper and point, wondering if that was—if it could really be—Hyrule's Princess and the Hero of Time.

Despite all this, and barring one chicken explosion, they made it to the castle of Odnetnin unscathed. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" André said proudly as they approached the castle gates.

It was made of a light sandstone and looked, to Zelda and Link's eyes, something very akin to the Gerudo Fortress in the western deserts. It looked very little like a castle and in most respects could never compare to Hyrule Castle. But as it rose out of the dusty scrublands, surrounded by a little oasis of streams and rich grass, it was something very beautiful, something almost unreal against the faded sky. Zelda felt herself smiling, something she'd been doing surprisingly often since arriving in the midst of the tents outside the city.

"It's more than beautiful," Zelda said breathlessly.

"It's home!" Rowrun exclaimed. He seemed barely able to contain himself.

"Down, boy!" Lindsay laughed.

The gates were opened and the group welcomed in. The castle of Odnetnin bustled and flowed as much as the city surrounding it. Rowrun and André expertly led the way through the crowd, weaving through and occasionally under groups of people. Soon, they could hear the music of flutes and tambourines. André pushed open two wide doors. The scene in front of them was another display of color and sound. A path led up to the throne of the King of Odnetnin. The little path was lined with musicians and young women, dancing with bold, bright scarves in hand. The King smiled when he saw the group. The music quieted and the dancing stopped.

"Welcome home, welcome home!" he said. He looked at Rhia and Zyuiu and said, "Welcome in, darling girls! No chicken parts today, eh, archseer?" Rhia made a face but smiled. The King then looked at Zelda and Link. After a pause, he said, "You're not currently trying to claim Odnetnin as part of Hyrule, are you?"

Zelda shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Err…Not this year, no, sir."

The King chuckled and bowed to the princess. "Then welcome, Princess Zelda, and welcome, Hero of Time!" He turned back to André and Rowrun. "What brings you back? I thought you would have gone to wait out the shadow in Hyrule!"

André flushed a spectacular crimson as Zyuiu jabbed him in the ribs. "You didn't tell him what it is we mean to do?" she hissed.

"What?" asked the King.

"Er," André coughed. "No?"

"Why not?" Zyuiu demanded quietly.

"Remember Zelda's parents?" André said, tugging at his collar.

Leaning forward in his throne, the King asked good-naturedly, "And may I ask just what is going on?"

The companions looked at one another for a moment with no one moving forward. Zelda took a step forward, but Link waved a hand in front of her and stepped up towards the King. He drew the Master Sword solemnly from its sheath. The guards standing behind the throne tensed. The King only watched, interested. Link turned the sword and stood it point-down, kneeling behind it. "Your Grand Majesty of Odnetnin," he began. "Prince André and the others have brought the news of the shadow to Hyrule. Prince André has also said that your best soldiers were driven insane by the very dark of the thing. I am here to offer my sword to fight this thing."

There was a pause, then Zyuiu, lance in hand, bowed deeply before the King. "And I, my lance." She looked steadily and proudly at Link, then stole a glance towards the others.

"I, my magic," Rhia said, pausing, then followed with, "Or my chickens. My magic and my chickens!"

Lindsay bowed, the battered Sword of Healing in hand. "My sword and its healing magic, Majesty!"

Rowrun patted his belt, searching for a weapon. The closest he could come was his feather duster, sticking out of his back pocket. He whipped it out and held it in front of him like a fencing sword and bowed. "And I whatever is on hand!"

André drew the Sword of Power and kneeled before his father as Link did. "I will offer Odnetnin's strongest magic to fight this thing, Father."

That left Zelda alone standing back. She took a few steps forward and held her hands out toward the King. "I will offer what my hands can create and the goddesses give me," she said softly.

The King looked over the seven young companions. They were little more than children, by any respects. "What makes you believe you can destroy this thing for me?" he asked. "That you can succeed where my soldiers have died in vain?"

Unconsciously, Zelda covered up her hand. "Because, with all due respect, Your Majesty, I myself have seen insanity that this shadow can only dream of." She took out her hand slowly, looking at the dull symbol etched forever therein. "Every light casts shadows, and every golden dream has its darkness."

"This shadow must be stopped, before it consumes Odnetnin," Link said. He glanced at the dull symbol on his own hand. "And who better than us, Majesty? We've defeated him and his minions so far. What can this shadow be compared to all that?"

The King looked at the companions as he thought things over. "It's a valid point, my boy," he mused quietly. "A valid point to be sure." He nodded. "Very well. You have my permission to conquer this shadow-thing. Rest here tonight and set out in the morning."

Zelda folded one hand over the other. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The night was cool and dry. The moon hung high and silver in the arid night sky. Link and Zelda slept curled together in a great bed in the guest wing of the Odnetnin castle. Link had one arm draped over Zelda, who was nestled tightly against him. Link smiled softly in his sleep, dreaming sweet dreams of peace and the young woman with him. Zelda's dreams were more troubled.

She stirred uncomfortably in her sleep, a frown on her face. Every light in her dreams was casting shadows; every glimmer of gold grew dark in the moonlight.

Stormclouds gathered overhead. The land was barren as ever. Look and look as she might, Zelda could see nothing. The mirror wasn't here, nor was Shiek. But a glance down betrayed that. Both of the princess' halves, Shiek and Zelda, were occupying the same space, fading in and out of visibility as one took control. At least she was safe, then, and whole.

She looked around, desperate to find something, to see something. The sky rumbled distantly, but she only briefly took notice of that. She looked around again and again, a sense of urgency mounting in her mind. This was not just a dream, she knew. Dreams in this place were real somewhere. But unlike when Rhia had healed her three years ago, this was not the present. This was the future. She could sense it; she knew it.

She started forward, opening her mouth to call for the goddesses. But she was stopped before the first step landed. Startled, she pressed her fingers in front of her. She was blocked by a clear, smooth surface. She rapped on it gently and shuddered suddenly. The land behind her rippled. The glass surface was perfectly clear now. In a line straight behind, the background of barrenness and stormclouds remained. But outside of the immediate line of the glass—there was blackness. Frightened, she rapped harder on the glass. There was another ripple and the glass was suddenly framed in ornate silver.

Zelda pressed her face to the glass and looked out. There, the land was whole—barren, but ever whole. Suddenly, a shadow draped itself over the glass. She shrieked and stumbled back. The shadow took on a vaguely female shape and suddenly, Zelda realized. The shape was beginning to take on her form, from what it could tell on its side of the mirror.

She was trapped here.

Trapped inside the mirror.

She rushed back to the glass and pounded frantically on the smooth surface. Soon, though, she found herself forcefully mimicking the shadow.

She was trapped here.

Trapped inside the mirror.

Zelda sat up, gasping for air. She felt her face and hair and decided she was real enough. Several swift, wild looks around told her the dream was over. She found one of Link's hands and clasped it tightly within her own. It had been some time since her last prophecy dream; since the last dream in the land of ever-present shadows and rain. She couldn't stop trembling. Tears coursed quickly down her cheek.

This shadow was something Zelda knew all too well.

Every light has its shadows; every golden dream its darkness.

Lil' Blue Muse: Welcome back to the land of the living, Simi!
Simi: --blinking-- The light is so…bright!
Lil' Blue Muse: Good girl. You're very observant.
Simi: --sigh-- Go away.
Lil' Blue Muse: --sledgehammer--
Simi: For g…Fine. Stay.
Welcome one and all to the newly updated Darkness Falls! Aren't we all excited? I am. Eternal thanks and a million muffins to Winkybunion, who finally got me off my lazy butt and writing! This took me all of two days once I applied myself. --applause--
Can't wait 'til they get to the shadow. I have ideas, I do…yeeeeeeshh…

Well…if you all do show up again, thanks for waiting! You've no idea how much it means to me if any of you continue your reading!
Over and under and sideways and out,

winged one