Chapter Twenty
The Queen's Regret

Rael and Ralis ail'Resh walked side by side in along a narrow, white walled corridor close to the outside of the Palace. Ahead of them, Sergeant Vern muttered angrily to himself about being Rael's personal messenger boy but kept his verbal thoughts quiet for the most part.

"I have a very bad feeling about this, little brother," said Ralis quietly. He kept his gaze forwards at Sergeant Vern's back, not turning to face him. Rael wondered if Ralis had lost the will to look him in the eye.

"You and I both." Rael turned to look at the side of Ralis' face. "Ralis, must you still insist on calling me little brother?"

"Does that bother you?" Ralis asked flatly.

Rael shrugged his shoulders, "Yes, it does somewhat. It seems like you are looking down on me."

"I do not look down on you, Rael."

"Then please stop the superiority act, at least with me."

"Superiority act? What do you mean?"

"Oh please," muttered Rael, "you know what I mean. Just don't give that to me any more. I am your equal. What are a few years between two people? We are both past twenty. We are both men."

"Fine," replied Ralis bitterly, "we are equals. Light, Rael, what has gotten into you?"

Rael fell silent. He wanted to tell Ralis everything, to pour out his heart to the one person who had always been there for him; the ever sheltering hand in the darkness of the night. But his brother was no longer someone he could feel safe with, no longer someone he could turn to and be reminded that everything was all right, really.

Rael al'Resh, a simple boy who had wanted nothing more from life than to tend sheep, had now killed men. He had killed so many men. How many? He had lost count. Fifteen, twenty? It was just too horrible to think about.

Twenty men… twenty men who had once been young babes in a mother's arms; once little boys who played with their brothers and sisters and friends in the streets and gardens of their homes. Twenty wives now widowed, and now the Light knew how many children who would live their lives without a father. Fifty, sixty children?

He knew what it was like to lose a father, but at least he was at an age when he could deal with it. He could see the face of a little girl, told her Da would not be coming home from the war overseas, because he was dead. Dead at the hands of a savage Hylian dog. And oh how that little girl did weep tears of sorrow and fear and loss.

"All my fault," muttered Rael, "they're dead. They weren't really evil men, just soldiers, just like us Ralis."

Ralis bowed his head, acknowledging. Before the battle Ralis had pleaded with him not to go, that he could not understand the horrors of war. He wished he had listened.

"You must remind yourself, brother, this is war. War always has casualties; it is the way of things. I am sorry you had to experience it yourself, and I'm sorry there are no words that can comfort you."

"I just want out of it all, Ralis. But here I am, about to take the leap from the pond to the ocean, foothill to mountain. There is no way out for me."

Sergeant Vern stopped abruptly outside a familiar door. The Queen's study. Did she spend all her time here? Rael had once had visions of kings and queens spending all their time in throne rooms, and places of royal assembly.

The door was opened, and Rael followed Vern through. Ralis stopped outside the door though, and said a few words a soldier with two very blackened eyes. He made several respectful head bows to the man, in between hasty hushed words, and finished by handing him a fistful of coins. Rael caught the last few words, and Ralis followed into the study, "… and may the grace oft eh gods shine upon you."

Ralis fell into step next to Rael, and Rael whispered, "What was that about?"

"You remember I said the study was unguarded?" asked Ralis, wearily.

"Yes?"

"Well, it wasn't totally unguarded." He had no chance to say any more on the subject, for they were ushered by a collection of soldiers in highly polished plate-mail into two seats in front of the Queen's desk.

"Wait here," one said gruffly. The soldiers then resumed their position at the walls, standing stiff as statues. Sergeant Vern had made a quick exit once again.

Almost as soon, as the two brothers were settled into their ladder-backed chairs of deep mahogany, they had to rise again. That door at the back of the room that looked like a panel of wall swept open, and Queen Zelda swept through with such graceful elegance that Rael nearly fell down in shock.

Her dress was a flowing gown of shimmering white silk, slashed with violet and gold. Very little jewellery adorned her today, no necklace or bracelets, just a single silver hair fastening, holding her naturally straight golden hair behind her beautiful pale face. Her eyes were frosty this morning, icy blue. Not the familiar mother-like warmth.

She looked out of the tall arch windows for a second, and then turned to face Rael and Ralis, holding bother pairs of eyes in a single stare. "Guards," she intoned, her voice as cold as her frosty eyes, "leave us."

Without question, the guards in their gold-plated armour walked to the centre of the room, paired off, and filed out of the door. Rael only heard them leaving, for he could not turn his head to observe.

Simultaneously, he and Ralis swept low bows, and knelt on their left knees, hands resting on their right knees, head bowed. "Your Majesty," they said together, "Queen Zelda el'Zelda Nohansen Hyrule; we come in the light of the gods, by their blessing shall we serve thee."

"Rael al'Brash," she said softly, "I receive you." She turned to look directly at Ralis, and her brow lowered a hair, "Ralis, I receive you."

What? How dare she say Brash instead of Resh! Their father was Resh al'Shael! Not Brash al'Aals! That name was long dead, that was not their father's name. And… why did she not give Ralis his father-name at all? The nerve of her.

"You are come here on my request once again, and this time, I believe I owe you both the answers that you deserve. Too long have you been lost and confused, pawns to the affairs of greater powers. Now comes the end of this foolish secrecy, and the truth shall be known to you at last."

Rael and Ralis were silent.

"Rael, I see you standing there with that sword at your waist. Unsheathe it now, and let me see you hold it."

Rael's hand trembled, he could only barely manage a firm fist long enough to draw out the slender blade. He took it in both hands and held it horizontally, watching as the sunlight danced upon the inscription.

Zelda sighed, smiling. A slight tremor passed through her body, but whether it was of joy, fear, anger, or sorrow, Rael could not determine. "Blessed is the Halisarin Blade Master," she said, reverently, "Prince of Hyrule."

"No," said Rael simply. Flatly. Ralis did not know what to make of this exchange. "No, no, no. It is not true, your majesty. And I will never, ever, accept it."

Zelda glided around the desk to stand in front of Rael. He lowered the sword to his side, respectfully, and met her gaze. Eyes like the winter sky, met Rael's ocean blue, and as her hand curved downward she ran a hand through his red-brown hair and stroked his cheek. A single tear ran down her cheek, "My son, my beloved child." That too-beautiful face peered up lovingly, "you are returned to me now, after so long. So very long…"

Something finally snapped within Rael, "No! No, no, no! Get away from me! My mother is Yvene el'Yvanna! You cannot say these things to me!"

Another tear rolled down Zelda's cheek, "the Prophecy does not lie. 'The father blade heralds twilight's fall'. The third sign has been fulfilled."

"My Queen," said Ralis, doing little to hide his astonishment, "my brother and I are sons of simple folk, forgive me but you are mistaken."

Zelda simply shook her head, "I am sorry to force this upon you Rael, and you too Ralis, I know this is shocking. Please, sit down."

She walked around her desk again and sat down calmly in her chair. All signs of emotion seemed to have subsided. "Please sit."

Rael hesitated, as did Ralis, but eventually they just gave up and took their places before the desk.

"May I offer you a drink?" she asked, politely.

She received nothing but blank stares. At this, he frosty eyes seemed to return for a moment. "Very well. Shall we… ah… begin, then?"

"I suppose," muttered Rael.

Zelda straightened in her chair, assuming a regal air about herself. "May I remind you, that regardless of the topic of speech, I am the Queen of Hyrule. I will not tolerate disrespect for either of you."

"Yes, majesty," the two brothers said in unison, sitting up straight and laying their hands straight on the narrow arms of the chairs. Rael's knuckles tightened.

"I must take you back to a time you will not remember. This began about twenty one years ago. It started when I was spoken to in a dream. A voice called to me, naming himself the 'Illivartan', and said that he had just been born into the world, and that I must now know of events to come. He spoke a prophecy, some parts I could understand, and others I could not. But the first three signs I can still recall clearly."

She closed her eyes, and dropped her voice to a near whisper. "The chosen beget a father of light. The sea rages and lightning breaks the waves. The father blade heralds twilight's fall."

Rael shook his head, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I did not understand it myself either, at the time. But soon thereafter, I became pregnant with a child. You, Rael. The circumstances of your conception are not important, but what followed is what leads me to know that you are indeed the one. I am a 'chosen' person, as I have told you before, and I begot you. The first sign of the prophecy was fulfilled.

"I was advised by a close councillor, a friend we shall say, who had an ability to see events in the future. She told me that she sensed great things about my baby, but if I did not take drastic measure, then the world would fall into darkness."

"You have told me this before, majesty," said Rael, "you sent your son away to the South. And you expected him to come back one day with this sword." Rael raised the weapon to make the point.

"Yes, exactly," she balanced her elbows on the table, and made a steeple with her hands. "Rael, do you think I would entrust my child to just anybody? Do you think that I would surrender the Prince of Hyrule to the care of some common fool? No, if I had to give up my child then he would have the best protection that I could possibly provide. I entrusted my child into the care of the General of Hylia, Brash al'Aals."

"The man you name our father." said Ralis, slowly.

"Your father was a close friend, and the woman you knew as your mother even more so. I was deeply bereaved when I realised they were both no more. I know Yvene died long ago, but your father, well."

"Resh al'Shael was no General," said Rael stubbornly, "he was a carpenter."

"Resh was a carpenter, but Brash wasn't. As Brash, he was the finest general this country has ever known. Since losing him, Hyrule has become steadily unrestful, and the other races begin to question my authority over them. General Dragan is a great man, but he is failing as a leader."

"Am I to suppose then that you claim Brash was not even my father then? If he adopted me?" asked Rael.

Zelda nodded.

"I don't believe it. I won't believe it."

Zelda sighed, and bowed her head.

Ralis, who looked as though his tongue had been burning with a question for the last few moments, cocked an eyebrow at Zelda, "Let us suppose for a minute that this is all true. This still means that I really am the son of Resh al'Shael, or Brash al'Aals, doesn't it? I mean, perhaps he was a general, but I am his son aren't I? You are saying he adopted Rael as his second son?"

Zelda shook her head again.

"What?" snapped Ralis, "I don't understand."

"Brash and Yvene were childless when they adopted Rael, my son. You Ralis, do not fit into my knowledge, and that is why I did not give you a father name when I addressed you. I am sorry to be so blunt, but truly you are not the son of Brash and Yvene, and most certainly not a son of mine. You and Rael are not blood brothers, and that much has always been clear just by looking at you. You are most dissimilar in appearance."

"Then you lie! If Resh and Yvene are not my mother and father then where am I from? This is preposterous! You have misread the signs, my lady. Me and Rael are the sons of Resh al'Shael and Yvene el'Yvanna, and that is that."

"And yet Rael has fulfilled a sign of the prophecy," Zelda's frosty eyes made daggers, "Sit down master Ralis," she said smoothly and coldly.

Ralis appeased to no have noticed he had risen to his feet in anger.

"I fear that I may not be able to convince you after all," said Zelda serenely, "I rather hoped that I would be able to."

The brothers were resolute in their stance against her. She was a crazy old queen with no heir, who would make up nonsense just to satisfy herself, so long as there was reasonable evidence.

Silence fell upon the cold stone walled room, not a breeze stirred the veils, not a sound echoed through the halls of the palace. Unbroken calm and unspoken fears filled the emptiness.

It was then that Rael remembered his dreams, and his heart fell to the pit of his stomach. He would have to tell her. "My lady, I have been having visions in my dreams."

Zelda nodded, "A trait inherited from myself no doubt, go on."

"I thought nothing of the dreams until they seemed to match to something a wild heretic announced in the streets of Hylia. All I can really put together is that… the Marshal of Hyrule is not who he appears to be, and he has been controlling you, or using you as his puppet. The heretic said you bend knee to him." Zelda just smiled, knowledgeably, slyly, "He has also been entitled the Lord of Dusk, the true threat to Hyrule, that is lying hidden. And I have heard such things in my dreams too. The Lord of Dusk, who repeatedly tells me that he is coming for me, to kill me! And he hunts me even in my dreams! Yes, well I… I don't know what to make of that…" Rael trailed off.

"Rael," said Ralis softly, "I have heard voices also."

"You have?" exclaimed Rael, accenting the 'have'.

"You have?" exclaimed Zelda at the same time, accenting the 'You'. "Wait, Marshal Ivarl, the 'Lord of Dusk'? Surely not-"

"Last night," said Ralis, even more softly, "when I saw the Marshal attack the Kairin with that lightning storm, I heard a voice in my head. It must have been him. Just repeating, I am coming, I am coming, I'm so close now. The light born one will die."

"No, no, this is not right at all," said Zelda.

"It's true!" said Ralis.

"Yes, this is true," said Rael.

"Now who is doubting truths, your majesty?" mocked Ralis.

"Are you trying to tell me, that Marshal of Hyrule Ivarl al'Arantos is this 'Lord of Dusk'? That he wants to kill Rael? That is absurd!"

"Why!" demanded Rael, standing up sharply, "Why should that be absurd? When to you, the notion that a simple farm boy is the Prince of Hyrule seems perfectly feasible?"

"Because!" shouted Zelda, standing tall and slamming her fists down hard on her desk, "Marshal Ivarl is your father!"

The word 'father' echoed in the room for what seemed hours, and then empty silence befell the room again. Rael fell back into his chair, and Zelda lost all her grand composure, and just remained standing there weakly. "He is your father…" she said again, weakly.

"Why…" breather Rael, utterly exhausted.

"I am sorry, Rael. I am sorry, my child. I am sorry I ever sent you away from me. My only regret in this life is that I could not raise you myself as a mother should, but now you are returned to me, I want to make you feel loved again."

Ralis sat silently in his chair, saying nothing.

Rael looked up at Zelda through teary eyes, "Take me to him," he whispered. "Take me to the Marshal, now."

"I-"

"Take me to him, now!

"Rael, I-"

"NOW!"