They made their way through the forest and out onto Termina Field as the sun began its descent the next day.
With aching feet that told her that, despite what she might have liked to tell herself, flying on a ship, running from soldiers, and competing in the deadly dance that trying to escape from them would sometimes be was really not in any way the same as having to walk the kilometres that separated their base and Clock Town, Midna stepped over to stand next to Zelda. She had paused, almost like she wanted to take in the view, but, as beautiful as the town might be, the clock tower rising up high in the middle of it all, Midna could tell that it was not the case, not really, already before Zelda had turned around to look back over at Cremia. Had it not already been obvious, the expression on her face, the way her eyes reflected the fear of someone who could see their death approaching from far away and still found themselves powerless to stop it, would have told them everything they needed to know as Zelda took a slow, almost unsure, step towards Cremia.
"I believe that this is where you will have to leave us, is it not?" Zelda asked, her voice rising a bit halfway through the question. There was almost nothing of the courage that Midna had seen the previous day left now, no hint of the woman who had sat down to tell Romani fairy tales to bring her hope.
It would appear that Cremia had made the same observation, for she hesitated to tell Zelda what they both knew; that they had agreed from the very moment they had first began to prepare for the journey, that Cremia and Romani would not be able to accompany them all the way into the village, not when there was a risk that they might be recognised, the fact that they had escaped from the guards possibly bringing the entire mission at risk of falling apart. "I think I will have to," Cremia finally said, her voice shaking slightly as she looked over at Zelda, "but…" Midna barely had time to step back before Cremia had rushed forward, bringing Zelda into a tight hug, her sobs already making it difficult to hear what she was saying as Cremia began to speak quicker than before, "goddesses, Zelda, promise me that you will be careful. Promise me that you will be all right." she looked up, finding Midna much faster than it should have been possible to do, considering how she was crying. "And you too, Midna. I know that we never got the chance to get to know each other, but I have not forgot about the fact that I owe my life to you. You saved me and my sister, and I will never be able to thank you enough for that, but maybe, if I just dedicate the rest of my life to attempting to do so, I might be able to give just a little of it back to you. Please, make sure to stay alive so that I will get the chance to do just that."
"You already have thanked me enough. You showed us the way, you volunteered to help, convincing the rest of the council to give this plan a chance despite the fact that, should it fail, it would mean the end for every single one of us," Midna said. As Cremia shook her head, Midna stepped over to her, feeling almost like she was no longer the one controlling her body. It would make sense, after all, for that to be the case. This, actually knowing how to respond, how to act around people trying to express their feelings, it was something Zelda knew how to do, not something Midna had ever been good at, and as she cast a stolen glance at Zelda, Midna did not know what to make of the look she sent her, admiration and something else, almost adoration, but not quite that either, combining in her eyes, Zelda might as well have been the one to reach out for Cremia's hand rather than Midna, with how Midna doubted she would have been able to do it had it not been for the fact that she knew that Zelda would not be able to continue if they did not make sure to say goodbye properly, "Cremia, you have already done more than enough. Now, the only thing I will ask of you, is for you to make sure that you and Romani get back to the base unharmed. Should anything happen to me, I would feel much better knowing that you two at least got the chance to spend the last moments with everyone there."
Cremia nodded. "I understand." and she must really have done that, for she stopped crying, looking back up at Midna with a look of determination in her eyes, making her look so much older than what her age would show.
As Cremia and Romani said their last goodbyes to Zelda, Midna could not help but wonder if that was not the case for all of them. Here they were, two of them ready to continue into Clock Town with nothing other than the hope that this plan might work to make them continue to walk forwards, approaching the uncertain future, the other two having risked their lives to return to the very place where they had almost died in an attempt to flee from the king. And all of it, every single thing that had happened in Midna's life, making her the person she was today, the way she had cried during the first week of being completely alone in a ship so large it felt like she was drowning, her meeting Link, Zelda forcing to look at the world around her and realise that she had to do something—all of it might be about to change. If only Midna could now get the chance to finish it all, she could make sure that it would change to become a better world.
Although Clock Town had seemed small when they had just emerged from the forest, by the time Midna and Zelda were standing at the gates, the walls were practically towering up in front of them, Midna's height not being enough to keep her from having to crane her neck to look up at the top of them.
It was then that Zelda leant over towards her, the way her hand brushed against her arm as she whispered into her ear almost making Midna feel like she had already met her end as Zelda brushed her hair to the side to make it easier to hear her. "Midna? You are certain that they do not know your name, right?"
"Yes." it was only partly a lie, but it was what she had to say. Admitting that, really, she had no idea, that with how the servants had disappeared to never return again, Midna had no way of knowing exactly how much Ganondorf knew about her. "My mother had me after the Twilight Realm had fallen. My name is not in any of the history books, nor would they have been able to find it in any gallery."
"I suppose you must be right. But let us change that now. Once we are finished, once we have achieved everything we can ever dream of, I will make sure that every single person in Hyrule, no, in the entire world, will know your name."
Midna let out a low chuckle. It was such an unnecessarily dramatic thing to say, a promise that was too big for any person to be able keep it, so of course, it was something that Zelda would say, looking up at her with so much honesty in her eyes that, despite knowing better, Midna found herself almost believing it for a moment. But then she found herself faced with reality again, the laugh dying in her throat, the smile instead replaced with a smirk. "As long as you know my name, it will be enough for me."
Zelda did not get the chance to respond as a guard stepped over to them. But, rather than feeling relieved, grateful for the fact that she would now not have to see if Zelda would have drawn back, have stuttered, trying to tell her that she had not meant it like that, the disappointment filled her stomach, making the afternoon seem colder than it had been mere minutes before. Not even the fact that the guard was wielding a spear, the metal tip of it reflecting the orange glow of the sinking sun as he stepped over to them, blocking their entrance into the town as he sent them an inspecting glare, was enough to distract her from that.
"What are you two doing here?" the guard asked. His voice was low, threatening, and though Midna had promised herself that she would not let any harm come to Zelda, in that moment, she was more than willing to step back to let Zelda handle the situation.
And handle the situation, Zelda did. Moving a step closer to the guard, somehow able to make herself seem both smaller and bigger at the same time, pulling her shoulders forwards, assuming a defensive, scared, position, Zelda still sounded and looked like a princess as she repeated the story she had assured both Midna, Renado, and Shad so many times would be enough to get both her and Midna into Hyrule Castle.
"By Nayru, I—" she let her voice tremble slightly, pausing for just a moment to cast a glance back behind her shoulder, feigning the horrible feeling of not being sure that they were not being followed, "I am so glad to see a guard again—it felt like they had all but ceased to exist out there, all kinds of chivalry instead being replaced with—" Midna watched as Zelda shook her head, soon beginning to shake completely.
The guard might not have looked like he had been chosen for his brain, but he did notice that much, looking almost torn between the urge to clutch his spear a bit closer to him and the instinct to reach out to try to place a hand on Zelda's shoulder to stop her from trembling. "Miss?" he said, his glance flickering back and forth between Zelda and Midna, Midna barely remembering how she had to act her part as well, trying her best to imitate Zelda's scared demeanour. From the way the guard did not waste another glance at her, she was confident that he had not noticed anything, or maybe he had just decided that Zelda was more important right then. Considering the fact that he finally let go of the spear with one hand to get the chance to reach out to place a hand on Zelda's shoulder, that did seem to be the more likely of the two options, even before he continued, his voice sounding much more considerate than before. "Miss, will you tell me what has happened? I can assure you that you are safe here—I will make sure of that."
Midna looked at the spear, then back at the guard. For some reason, she truly doubted that he would have been able to do much more than simply wave it around like a stick and hope for the best if they would really be attacked.
But, much like Midna, Zelda must have realised that they had chosen the perfect guard to tell their story, for she did not waste any time, already looking up at him, her eyes lined with tears, as she put on the expression of someone who had just found her saviour and was now realising that she might be safe. "Why, thank you! Goddesses, after all that time, the feeling of knowing that you can finally trust someone again—it is indescribable."
The guard could not keep the self-satisfied smile off his face, not even as he was clearly trying to do so, looking down at Zelda in a way that was surely meant to be chivalrous, but simply came across as smug. "Well, in that case, I am happy to have been the one you met. But, Miss, I will have to ask you once again if there is any particular reason as to why you are this afraid. For I assure you that if it turns out that another person is responsible for you and your friend's tears, I will personally make sure that they regret that they were ever born."
If anyone would ever look at her and try to claim that she was not a good—or, if nothing else, decent—actress, Midna would simply point them towards the fact that she did not roll her eyes at that, despite how it felt like it would have been the only appropriate response to the way the guard was already standing up a bit straighter, clearly letting down his guard as he pushed the spear even further away from himself. Maybe they had worried about something that would never happen, for if all the soldiers would be as gullible as this guy, Midna doubted that there was any risk of their plan not working out in the end. But seeing as Zelda was so close to achieving their goal, she forced herself not to laugh, not to let out a loud snort and give away their cover.
Midna might have considered herself a good actress, but in that moment, Zelda was far better than her in every way that counted. Tilting her head to the side, sending a side-glance towards Midna that, together with the tiny, hopeful smile, so clearly conveyed the fact that she could not believe that they might really be safe, Zelda began to tell the lie they had agreed on, talking slowly, hesitating for a moment every few seconds, almost like she had to find the strength to continue. "I—I need to get back to Hyrule Castle. If you could help me do that, I would be so very grateful."
"Hyrule Castle?" the guard echoed, and to what little credit he might still possess, he did draw his brows together, looking between Midna and Zelda, clearly hesitating to agree to help them just yet. "May I ask why you want to go there? I mean, the guards here are perfectly capable of handling this."
"I don't doubt that, but seeing as it has been months since I last got the chance to talk with my father, I would prefer to talk with him as soon as possible. I know that he must have been worried sick about me, so I have to go home to assure him that I am all right."
"Your father?" Midna could almost see the gears turning inside the guard's brain, see how he slowly connected what he was being told with what he knew about the castle. "You don't mean…?"
"Yes, I am indeed Princess Zelda. Not that I can blame you for not recognising me—with how much time I spent aboard that horrible ship, I doubt that my own father would have been able to tell who I was." Zelda let out a little, melodic laugh, making it so that Midna had to focus on remaining still, keeping up the terrified expression even as she wanted to walk over to stand closer to her. "I—" Zelda shook her head, "I don't believe I will have to tell you about how difficult it was for me to escape, because goddesses knows, it was not easy. Had it not been for Midna here, I am sure that I would still be back on the ship, trying my best to give myself the chance to escape. But now that we are here, I have to go home, Midna as well. I am sure my father would want to reward the person who saved his daughter—as well as those who helped get her home, of course."
"I, uhm." The guard looked over at Midna, then back at Zelda, clearly torn between the wish to do exactly as Zelda told him to, help them get home and then hope that he would really get a wonderful reward like Zelda said, and doing his job properly. "Not that I doubt you, You Royal Highness, but you have to understand that I cannot just send anyone back to Hyrule Castle, even if they are the princess. You see, during these last couple of years, well, we have had quite the problem with pirates, and although I know that you are perfectly capable of figuring out whom you should trust," his gaze landed on Midna, scrutinising her, "I will have to make sure that they have not forced you to say all of this. Forgive me, princess."
"No, it is quite all right. Truth to be told, I had expected for you to tell me that. Really, where would we be if it was not for the fact that we could trust the Hyrulean army? But, if you would let me make a suggestion, why don't we find someone who would know me? Then, they would not only be able to tell you if I was acting because I had received orders to do so, but I am sure that I would also feel much better if I could be in the company of someone I knew after all these months—or, well, as safe as you can feel when you don't have a guard next to you at all times."
"It does sound like a good idea. Did you have any particular person in mind?"
Zelda smiled, and for a moment, the façade slipped, letting the danger make her face look a little sharper as she nodded. "Yes, Mayor Dotour. I visited him a couple of times when I was younger, so I am certain he would be able to tell you whether I have been threatened into doing this."
The trap closed around the guard's leg the second he looked over at Midna, only hesitating for a moment before he nodded. Now, it was only a matter of time before they would be at the castle, Zelda and Midna searching for an opportunity to finally bring an end to all of this. And once they had done it, Midna would be sure to send this guard a grateful thought. For although he was no doubt congratulating himself for having singlehandedly saved the monarchy as he escorted them through the streets of Clock Town, clearly thinking that he was doing a great job of being discreet as he yelled at the playing children to move aside to let them through, truth was that had it not been for the fact that all it had taken to get him to abandon his post had been a few smiles from Zelda and a promise of a reward, their plan would have fallen apart back at the gate. Now, however, Midna soon found herself looking up at what felt like it might have been among the most massive structures she would ever get the chance to see, a house in multiple storeys that sat there, at the end of the road, almost like a promise to anyone who might happen to pass by that Clock Town was a grand town, that it was rich and prosperous. To think that, if only Midna made sure to stay focused, she might be able to make the Twilight Realm look the same in just a few years. It was almost too much for her to take in.
Sending one last glance back at Zelda, the guard walked up to the door, knocking once. The sound resonated through the street, speaking of how the guard was trying his best to appear to be in control, acting like he was the one to guard the entire town rather than how he had just left his spot at the gates to get them over here.
After a few moments, a woman opened up the door, leaning out, still keeping a tight grip on the door handle.
Midna could not hear what the guard told her, but, given how the woman's eyes widened as she stepped back, only turning back to tell them to please wait for a moment before she all but sprinted through the hallway on the other side of the door, she knew that he must have told them about how Zelda was the princess, maybe with a few changes to the story where he had decided that he might really have done more than what the truth would imply to be the case. At least Midna did not find it too difficult to imagine him having decided that he might also have been the person to rescue them, or at least give them the courage to ask for help, simply by having been the one to guard that particular gate that day.
The woman returned just as Zelda had reached out to take Midna's hand, the contact making Midna feel almost like the story could have been real with how fast her heart was beating, but this time, she was not alone. A small man who looked like he mostly just wanted to be left alone with how he did not step out from behind the woman, walked over to the doorway. Then he froze, his gaze landing on Zelda as his mouth opened.
"Princess?"
His voice was nothing like Midna would have imagined, but then again, neither was anything about him really. When Zelda had first mentioned the mayor of Clock Town, Midna had expected to meet someone tall, imposing, and intimidating, someone who looked like a person Ganondorf would have trusted enough to let them be in charge of one of the towns closest to the border. This man, however, looked almost like the only reason that he was still there had to be that he either was much smarter than his scared expression would imply, or that he had simply been able to refrain from attracting the king's attentions, that the only reason he was standing in front of them was simply the fact that Ganondorf had not yet looked at Clock Town and realised who the mayor was. But, maybe they could use that to their advantage, the fact that the man seemed like he was doing his best not to look up at the guard as he continued. "Is it really you?"
The guard, looking almost like he was enjoying the attention a little too much, did not give Zelda the chance to respond, already stepping to the side to keep the mayor from being able to look directly at her, a gesture that made the young woman next to the mayor frown slightly, the way her red hair moved slightly being the only thing to give away the fact that she was shaking her head at him. "It is indeed. The princess has finally escaped the pirates and now, she had requested to be sent back to Hyrule Castle along with her… friend." the way the guard glanced over at Midna, his gaze coming to rest on her dirty clothes, made it apparent that, had it not been for all the other people around them, he would have used another word entirely. "But, seeing as we all know about what these pirates are capable of, I thought it wisest to lead them to you so that you could decide whether or not the princess was acting of her own free will, or if she might have been forced to say all of this."
At that, the woman stepped in front of the mayor, and although she was smiling, Midna could see in her eyes that she really wanted to do the exact opposite thing. "Thank you, Sir. I am sure that the king will be grateful for that. Now, if the princess and her saviour would please come inside, I am sure that my father-in-law will be more than happy to let them stay here for the night to give us the chance of determining whether the princess has been forced to come here—"
"But—" the guard moved forwards, already trying to protest, but the woman did not give him the chance.
"—should we find that that is not the case, the mayor will make sure to organise their return to the castle." and with that, the woman turned to face Zelda and Midna. "Now, please do come inside."
Casting one last glance back at the guard, barely keeping herself from sending him a sarcastic smile, enjoying the way he looked almost lost as they moved away from him, Midna followed along after Zelda. They had barely made it across the threshold, before the woman closed the door after them.
It was not until the closed door was there, making sure that the guard could no longer hear them that the mayor finally began to speak again. Letting out a low sigh, he almost looked like the short conversation had aged him multiple years as he looked up at them. "Thank you, Anju." then, perhaps realising that, no matter what, he was now in the presence of royalty, he looked over at Zelda, doing a short, awkward movement that might have been supposed to be an attempt at bowing, but looked more like he was just trying to wave at someone. "I am sorry, Your Royal Highness, but I fear that, well, that speaking with the guards has a habit of making me a little nervous—not that I don't appreciate everything they do for us, for I truly am aware of how they risk their lives to keep us safe." he was sweating, Midna could see that much, his head shining as he seemed to catch a glimpse of something in front of them, the sight clearly making him relax a bit, enough to let him smile. "Uh, as my daughter-in-law told you, I will organise for you to be brought back to the castle—"
"But what about whether or not the princess has been forced to come here?" the young woman—Anju—interrupted, glancing back and forth between the mayor and Zelda.
"Oh, yes, that." the way the mayor hesitated for only a moment, barely enough to even look at Zelda, let Midna know that they had wasted their time when they had worried about whether or not Zelda would be able to be calm enough to not give away the truth, a thought that was only confirmed as the mayor continued. "Well, she looks perfectly fine to me; I don't think she has been forced to come here. Now, I will have to leave you—I am afraid that I have a lot of things I have to take care of, and seeing as it is getting dark, you will not be able to leave until tomorrow, not unless you want to arrive in the castle without having even got the chance to sleep in a real bed. Also, I am sure my wife would be disappointed if I did not let her at least get the chance to talk with you, so just… I am leaving you two with her." the mayor turned around on his heel, leaving before any of them would have got the chance to protest.
"I…" Anju looked over at them, hesitating for a moment before she shook her head, "you will have to excuse him, we have been under quite a lot of pressure lately. With how the pirates have been increasingly active in the area, he has had a lot of work to do. I am not really sure about when the last time he got the chance to relax for even a moment was."
Before any of them were able to respond, Midna heard a door being slammed shut, the loud noise making her look up, eyes searching for the source of the sound. With how the woman who had seemingly just left one of the rooms located next to the hallway was walking towards them, almost, but not quite, running, it was not too difficult to do just that.
"Anju, dearest, who are our guests?" she asked as she reached them, the giant hairstyle on top of her head continuing to move for a moment after she had stopped. Then, her eyes landed on Zelda, and Midna could see that, despite how they had not been able to get rid of all the ash and coal dust that covered everything back at the base, not noticing the little layer of dirt until they were in the presence of people who looked like they had never touched a piece of coal in their life, Zelda still looked like the princess, especially as she responded to the woman's gaze by standing up a little straighter, leaving the woman with nothing to do except for looking almost like she was caught between amazement and surprise as she let out a little gasp. "You—" and then she woke up, sinking down into an exaggerated curtsey, "Your Royal Highness!"
"Please, there is no need for you to do that." Zelda's words might have been meant for the woman in front of them, but Midna did not miss the way she looked over at her as she said them, almost like she wanted to apologise for the woman's reaction. "We are just grateful for the fact that your husband was kind enough to let us stay here, volunteering to take care of the task that making sure that we will be flown back to Hyrule Castle tomorrow will no doubt be."
So the woman was the wife of the scared mayor. Midna supposed she should not really have been surprised, not after everything she had already seen, but still, she would have lied if she said that she did not have to force herself to refrain from commenting on how little sense it all made to her, biting her lip to force herself to remain in the background. Right now, she was not Midna, the person who had always been the first to speak up, not when that would risk ruining their plans. For the next couple of days, just until she could spot a chance to end it all, she would have to play along, playing her part, the role of the scared girl who had just barely been able to summon the courage that had been necessary to help the princess escape, perfectly.
"Tomorrow?" the mayor's wife repeated, and, though she might have tried to sound like she was horrified at the thought of the princess having to wait for another day until she was able to return home, Midna could hear how the excitement shone through, revealing the fact that she could not have been happier about the fact that the princess of Hyrule would now have to stay in her home for an entire day. "In that case, princess, will you please come with me? I am sure that we will have plenty of things to discuss. Oh, and I almost forgot my manners! I am Madame Aroma."
Zelda barely had time to even open her mouth, Madame Aroma having already halfway reached out towards her, clearly intent on dragging her away with her if that was what it would take, but at the last moment, she was able to nod towards Midna. "What about Midna?"
It seemed almost like Madame Aroma had already managed to forget everything about Midna, about the woman standing next to the princess, for she simply did a vague gesture towards her, barely able to keep the hint of how she really could not have cared less about her out of her voice as she answered. "Anju, will you please take care of our guest? I am sure that she would be more than happy to get a chance to wash the dirt off her face. Now, princess, if you would please come this way…"
Maybe she should have felt insulted, but as Madame Aroma disappeared along with Zelda, Midna had to fight to keep herself from smiling. After having met the mayor and the guard, it was almost impressive to see how Madame Aroma had been able to at once look at Midna and decide that she was clearly in desperate need of a bath while still reaching out to drag Zelda along with her, seemingly able to miss the fact that Zelda was covered in a layer of dirt just as Midna was.
As the door closed behind Zelda and Madame Aroma, Anju turned towards Midna. "Well, we should probably get going then. Come, this way."
The house had looked massive from the outside, but as Anju began to lead her through a corridor to the right, the two of them moving further and further away from where both Zelda, Madame Aroma, and Mayor Dotour had gone with every step, Midna had to admit that the house was even bigger than she had imagined, the two of them passing by more than a dozen doors and other hallways before Anju began to speak again, bringing an end to the silence that Midna had just begun to enjoy.
"So…" Anju sent her a stolen glance, the fact that it only lasted for a fraction of a second making it clear that she did not want for Midna to notice it, "is it true? Were you really captured by the pirates?"
"Yes." only the attempts at reminding herself that she was doing this to ensure that she would never have to lie like this again kept Midna from admitting the truth, instead swallowing the bitter taste of spreading the king's lies. "I—I came from a little village in the forest, and, one day, while I was out in the forest, they just… arrived. None of us were able to do anything, and the next thing I knew, I had been taken onto the ship."
It was lucky for her that Anju did not seem to focus too much on the story, instead lost in her own thoughts, for Midna could almost hear how mechanical she sounded as she repeated the story they had rehearsed at home.
"Midna," Anju looked back up at her, and, although Midna had thought that she would be prepared for anything, she found herself surprised at the fact that Anju looked almost like she was about to cry as she continued, "I know… I know that you have been through a lot and that you would most likely prefer to just forget about all of this, but… I am so sorry for asking about this, but I have this… friend. She disappeared a while ago, both her and her sister, and I haven't heard anything from her since then, and, well, I was just wondering if you might have seen her. I… goddesses, I have been so worried about her, even just knowing where she is—it would be such a relief. Her name is Cremia, Cremia and Romani of Romani Ranch, did you see them? Where they with the pirates as well?"
Cremia. Cremia and Romani. Why had it taken her mind so long to connect the dots? Midna was barely able to keep herself from glancing back in the direction of where Zelda had left. Had she realised why the name had sounded familiar?
It was only when Anju stopped walking that Midna realised that she had been silent for too long. Hoping that she might be able to pretend that she simply had not known how to tell her the answer, that it was the reason for why she had completely lost the ability to speak for a moment, Midna cleared her throat. "Uh, no." it was the logical thing to say, that way, she would not have to also make up lies about how Cremia and Romani were doing. Now, Midna would just have to hope that Zelda would say the same thing if Madame Aroma were to ask her. "I am sorry, Anju, but I didn't see them. Of course, they might still have been aboard the ship, but if they were, I don't know where exactly they were held. I am sorry."
"No, don't apologise. It is all right." but the way Anju looked down at the floor, blinking quickly, still not able to hide the fact that she was close to tears, said something else entirely. "It is not your fault. If anything, it is the pirates who took you and the princess I should blame for all of this."
Sending a mental apology back to the base, Midna nodded. "Indeed. The sooner I get back to the castle and get the chance to tell the king about just how evil they are, convincing him to send more soldiers out to protect us, the sooner I will be able to feel safe again."
For a moment, Midna was almost certain that Anju had realised how she was lying, or at least she looked up at her, a look in her eyes that made Midna's heart beat just a little bit faster, already preparing her body for the escape she might have to make if anything went wrong.
But, thankfully, Anju did not comment on her poor acting, simply frowning slightly as she broke the silence between them once more. "I didn't want to ask you about this while the princess was still with you, but… how did you manage to escape?"
At last, a question Midna and Zelda had already agreed on the answer to. Dropping her voice to a whisper, pretending that she was brought back to a horrible point in her life, Midna tried her best to look frightened. "I won't lie to you, it was not easy. But these pirates, they were not exactly the smartest people in this world, nothing like the guards outside the town. So, although it took ages, at last, I was able to figure out when they would all be asleep, when someone would walk by my cell, where the keys were. After that, it was a matter of waiting until a night were the guard was drunk enough to not notice how I took the keys from him. Once I had the keys, it was easy to unlock the door to my cell; I just had to be careful not to make any noise."
"And the princess?"
"She was in the cell next to mine. During the months we had spent in there, she had been the only person I had been able to talk to, so I knew that I would not be able to leave without her, not without at least trying. Of course, I did not realise that she was the princess until I was looking at her. Can you imagine my surprise? I was so sure that she was just some girl from a poor village just like myself, but then I unlocked the door to her cell and found myself face to face with an actual princess."
Not even Anju's smile was enough to hide the fact that she would have preferred to receive news about the fate of her friend to finding out about how she had been able to escape, only keeping up the pretence of caring about the story because the princess was there. "I am sure that the king will be grateful that you were able to save his daughter," she mumbled, walking a lot faster than she had done before, "as are we. If it had not been for you, we might never have got our princess back, so I am sure that the king will be reward you once he is once again able to rest assured that his daughter is truly safe. But if you have to go to Hyrule Castle, you might want to make yourself look a bit more…" at least Anju was able to make it a little less obvious that, compared with her surroundings, Midna looked like she had just spent years in a forest without ever stopping for a moment to even attempt to wash the dirt off her face, "well, presentable. So here," Anju stopped to instead point at the door to their left, "if you wash the dirt off, I will go find you something to wear. You can take care of yourself, can't you?"
"Of course," Midna said. But it appeared that, no matter what her answer had been, Anju would still have sent her the same short nod before turning around to head in the opposite direction, acting almost like she could not wait to get away from Midna and everything she represented with how she had been able to return to the town after having supposedly been kidnapped by pirates.
Midna could not blame her for that. Even though she was able to comfort herself with the knowledge of how Cremia and Romani had been saved, that there was nothing for them to fear back at the base, she could easily imagine the pain of not knowing where two of her friends were, only knowing that they had disappeared one day to never return again. So she did not even make an attempt at stopping Anju as she walked away from her. She had a right to grieve alone if that was what she wanted, to not be watched as she cried. Hopefully, one day soon, Midna would be able to see her reunite with her friends, allowing her to meet Cremia and Romani again. Then, once she had revealed why she had not been able to tell them about how Cremia and Romani had been perfectly safe, or at least that they would be once they made it back to the base, maybe Anju would forgive her for the lie. But for now, Midna turned her attention towards the door, willing herself not to worry about anything. There was nothing she could achieve by doing so, only making herself even more upset, so, despite the fact that it felt almost wrong to think it, she decided that would not worry about anyone anymore.
She pushed the door open and immediately found herself in the most extravagant room she had ever seen, the sight that met her eyes immediately making it almost easy to forget about Zelda, Anju, Cremia—everyone really.
Rationally, with how many houses she had entered in the middle of the night to search through their pantries for food, she must have stumbled across rooms even more luxurious that the bathroom, but there was something about the fact that she could see the daylight coming in through the stained-glass window on the wall across from her, illuminating the room in brilliant blues, that, along with the fact that Midna did not have to remain alert every single second, made the room feel almost like it was welcoming her, urging her to step forwards.
And that was exactly what Midna did. Feeling like she did not really belong there with her dirty clothes and hair that smelt of smoke, Midna moved forwards, barely pausing to close the door behind her. There, right in front of her, she could see the bathtub, the feet lifting it off the floor.
Perhaps she should have felt scared, out of place in such a fancy room, but the moment Midna looked down at the water and saw how the steam was rising from it, promising her that this would be something completely unlike the cold water she would sometimes bathe in back at the base once the water in the pipes around the ship had to be replaced, making it necessary for them to carry bucket after bucket of water from the lake and back to the base, she already knew that she would drink up the experience and try to find as much comfort in it as she could.
Without really thinking about it, Midna threw her clothes onto the ground. Anju had said that she would bring her something else, and even if she had wanted to keep the old blouse, Midna doubted that she would be allowed to bring it with her to the castle. Besides, the aroma of something flowery, almost like the fragrance that had surrounded Zelda the first time they had met, was pulling her forwards, closer to the bathtub, and given how the seconds she would have spent trying to find a place to put her clothes would have meant another moment of her not being in the water, Midna could not have cared less about what happened to any of it.
As the water closed around her, Midna could almost understand those who claimed that flying through the air would never be the same as sailing on the ocean. If being aboard a ship felt even a little bit like this, the warm water that rose up around her as she fiddled with the tap in front of her, maybe they had been right about the sky never being able to compete with the sea.
It all came to an end far too soon, Anju knocking on the door after what felt like barely a minute.
"Midna?" she called. "I have found something for you to wear. Do you want me to leave it out here?"
"Uh." casting a glance towards the towel on the stool next to the tub, Midna decided that, with how she was not exactly in a hurry to leave the water to put on her old clothes just to be able to let Anju into the room, it might be the only choice she had. "Yes, just do that. Thank you."
Anju did not answer, but from the sound of retreating footsteps, Midna could tell that she had done exactly as she had suggested. Later, Midna would have to think of a way to try to give Anju a subtle sign that Cremia and Romani were all right—she owed her that much after how Anju had shown her all of this—but for now, she would be more than happy to play along with her role of a poor girl from a village who had just found herself surrounded by all of this luxury. It didn't even mean that she had to lie, not much at least. For as the water began to grow colder, Midna deciding that she would not be able to stay in there any longer, not without people beginning to wonder where she was, only to find out that the towel was softer than anything she had ever felt before, so different from how she had used to just put on her clothes, letting the water seep into the fabric and then waiting next to the firebox for it to dry, Midna found herself continuing to send amazed glances at the things around her even though she was alone in the room.
And then, just as she had wrapped the towel around her, almost like a switch had been flipped, Midna could feel the tears gather in the corners of her eyes. Would this have been her life if things had been different? Looking around her, it felt almost like this was something from another world, but the truth was that if the Twilight Realm still existed as more than just a memory, if her mother had still been alive, if Midna had been raised as a princess, she might have looked at all of this and seen nothing more than what she was used to seeing each and every day. It was a strange thought really, that someone could ever not be amazed at all of this, but nevertheless, Midna knew that it was the truth. The only reason she found herself at a loss for words as she opened the door a little, allowing her to pull the pile of clothes Anju had left for her into the room was an event that had taken place years before she had been born.
As much as she tried to control her thoughts, already aware of how she was nearing dangerous territory, Midna knew that it was pointless. There was nothing she could do to stop the images from appearing, how this might have been her life once. She would have been a princess, the heir to the Twili throne. Of course, she would never have had a reason to be aboard the ship, to search for a hidden door, but even then, Midna was certain that she would still have met Zelda. They had to; she could not imagine a scenario where they would not have met each other. Only, if she had been a princess as well, maybe they would have grown up together. Perhaps their parents would have tried to make them spend time with one another, to strengthen the ties between their kingdoms. The idea that there might have been a world where Ganondorf, rather than simply seizing control of the Twilight realm, had attempted to gain more influence through diplomacy was very much a fantasy, Midna knew that, but as she stood there, trying her best to figure out how Zelda had been able to look so regal in her blue gown, knowing that the dress Anju had let her borrow was far simpler than it had been, that she should be able to figure out how it was supposed to be worn, it was tempting to try to convince herself that it was reality, ignoring the way she knew that it was not and would never be the case. Despite everything, despite the way she wanted for it to be different, the truth was that she was here with Zelda, trying their best to get Midna to the castle to give her the chance to kill the two people standing between Zelda and the throne. That was all there was to it, and Midna had to make sure that she would not forget about that. But as she remembered how Zelda had looked back at her while being dragged away by Madame Aroma, it was difficult to keep reminding herself of that.
Somehow, Midna was able to pull herself somewhat together by the time she had left the room, Anju showing her through another corridor that seemed to continue on for far longer than what the size of the house should have allowed for. Or, at least, she was able to sit down at the dinner table without immediately bursting into tears again at the way Zelda smiled at her when she sat down next to her, looking almost like she had been waiting for her as she sat there. Which, in a way, as neither Zelda, nor Mayor Dotour, Madame Aroma, or the young man Midna assumed was Kafei had anything on their plates yet despite the delicious smell coming from the various dishes that decorated the table, Midna supposed could be the case. But still, as Zelda let her hand brush against hers under the table, the touch lasting for a fraction of a moment, hidden by the heavy fabric of Zelda's lilac gown, Midna was almost able to convince herself that it could mean more than just that she was grateful to see that she had arrived, saving her from having to get through the dinner alone.
For the dinner was something they had to get through. Not even the sheer amount of food she was presented with was enough to distract Midna from the fact that Madame Aroma was determined to get them to tell her more about what had happened, constantly looking over at Zelda after even the slightest pause, almost like she was simply waiting for Zelda to continue. With how it was going, Midna did not have to even ponder the question of whether they would find themselves running out of stories to tell her. If Madame Aroma continued to ask her questions at the same rate as she was doing in that moment, it was simply a question of time before they would no longer have the comfort of knowing that they had coordinated their lies. In other words, Midna had to do something, the conclusion only becoming more apparent as Zelda began to stutter, trying to hide the fact that her ears were becoming red as she struggled to make up the lies quicker than Madame Aroma could think of her next questions.
"I am sorry," Midna said, interrupting Zelda's story of how they had had to run away from wolves in the forest, a fact that made Madame Aroma send her a stare that, while not completely out of the realms of politeness, was undoubtedly much sharper than it had been when she had looked at Zelda, "but if you would please excuse her. You see, Zelda had quite a hard time with the pirates. Where I was able to make them somewhat forget about me, seeing as Zelda was—is the princess, they were obviously a lot more interested in her. So if we could refrain from having to discuss her experiences, I think that it would be for the best."
It was not until it was already too late, everyone staring at her, that Midna realised her mistake.
"You…" Kafei pointed at her with his fork, his gaze flickering back towards Zelda before he turned towards Anju, looking almost like he wanted to confirm that he had heard correctly, that he was not simply making things up, "you must have meant—"
"Please, it is nothing." Zelda was at her side a moment later, fighting to take care of the mess Midna had just created by forgetting her title. "Back when we were both kept prisoner, I came to realise that me reminding them that I was the princess of Hyrule did not achieve anything other than making the pirates angry, so after we escaped, I asked, no, I might actually have ordered Midna here to not use my title when referring to me. Really," Zelda sent her a smile, and as she took her hand, Midna could almost make herself believe that she would still have done that even if they had not been sitting there, Zelda now having to try to figure out a way to explain why she had just made such a blunder, "with how much time we spent together, I would never be able to feel insulted for something like that, not when she has saved my life so many times."
Across the table, Anju began to cry. At first, the sound of her sobs was low enough for Midna to think that she was making it up, but then she saw how Kafei moved, trying his best to whisper something to Anju, both Mayor Dotour and Madame Aroma caught between the two couples, looking back and forth between them as Anju pushed her chair back. It slid across the wooden floor, producing a shrill whine.
"I am sorry, but I—I will not be able to finish this meal with you. Now, if you will please excuse me." Anju did not wait for an answer, having already halfway turned around to leave the room, and although she kept her steps even, controlled, it was clear from the ways her shoulders were shaking that she was crying, the only thing keeping her from outright sprinting out of the room being the fact that the princess of Hyrule was there.
Kafei followed after her only a moment later, though he was able to appear a little calmer as he looked back at them. "Princess, please excuse me, but I have to—I have to make sure that she will be all right. You have to understand that her friend—well, our friend, really—"
But Zelda cut in, simply nodding at him. "I understand; there is no need to explain. After all, it would be quite hypocritical of me not to share your pain after everything that has happened, would it not?"
The relief in Kafei's eyes could not have been more obvious if he had tried. With a look that told them that, despite how he had been able to get out more words than her, Kafei was no less affected by Cremia's disappearance than Anju was, only better at hiding it, he turned around as well, hurrying out of the room through the same set of double doors as Anju had pushed open moments before.
That left Midna and Zelda alone with his parents, and although neither Anju nor Kafei had said much, it only took a few moments for Midna to begin to miss their presence. Of course, she knew that she could not blame the entirety of the awkward atmosphere on the fact that Anju and Kafei were no longer there, for with how Madame Aroma was clearly trying her best not to look embarrassed, the red dots that spread across her cheeks had been brought on by the way her son and daughter-in-law had left rather than the fact that they were no longer there.
But she did manage to keep it somewhat together for longer than what Midna would have expected, clasping her hands together as her voice got a little louder, rising to a level that was a bit shriller as she gestured towards them. "Well, after that, frankly… awkward scene, I am sure that the two of you would like to get a chance to sleep in a proper bed for a change. I am sure that those pirates did not exactly give you that luxury, so why don't I call for the maid and instruct her to prepare two guest bedrooms?"
The fate of the kingdom and, more importantly, everyone back at the base depended on whether or not she would be able to make it through this masquerade, and yet, the only thing that kept Midna from revealing her true identity in that moment by telling Madame Aroma that they had got real beds to sleep in back at the base was the fact that Zelda tightened her grip on her hand, a silent warning for her to stay quiet as she sent Madame Aroma a brilliant smile.
"It is very generous of you, Madame Aroma," she said, and Midna could see how the fact that the princess was giving her her full attention was enough to finally make Madame Aroma look a little more at ease, the red spots disappearing as Zelda continued, "but, after all the time we spent with the pirates, after the months of only being able to trust each other… well, I know that I would feel much safer if we could stay closer to each other." a little laugh, Zelda clearly trying her best to sound relaxed was enough to make the doubtful expression disappear, the little crease that had appeared between Madame Aroma's eyebrows becoming smooth again. "I know, I know. It is irrational, we are perfectly safe in here, but still. I know that it is a big thing to ask for, but—"
It worked, Madame Aroma brushing all of Zelda's doubts aside with a single, exaggerated wave. "Not at all, Your Royal Highness. If you really want that, I will just tell the maid to prepare one of the bedrooms to house two people. It really is not any problem."
"Really?" Zelda let the smile grow as she looked back and forth between Madame Aroma and the mayor, not letting go of Midna's hand for even a moment as she did so.
"Yes, of course, it is not a problem, You Royal Highness."
"Still, let me thank you. It—" Midna could not tell how much the way Zelda's voice trembled was due to her trying to keep up the pretence and how much of it was acting, and, for some reason, the thought that there might be more to it than just Zelda trying her best to make it so that they could stay together made her stomach feel like it was falling through the clouds, making it difficult for her to pay attention as Zelda wiped a few tears away from the corners of her eyes before looking over at Madame Aroma, "it means a lot to me. Truly, thank you."
Madame Aroma might have spent the entire journey over to the guest bedroom where they would stay—for that was what it was, a journey, based on the sheer scale of the house—apologising for how it really was not a room fit for a princess, repeating over and over again that, if she had known about the fact that Zelda would give them the honour of staying with them, she would have ordered the servants to prepare the entire house for her, but as she opened the door, acting almost like she was expecting for them to turn around and demand something better, Midna still found herself without the words necessary to describe what she saw.
The room was undoubtedly smaller than most of what she had seen so far in the house, but still, that was the only thing Midna could see that would be able to explain why Madame Aroma continued to act like it was a great embarrassment to her to have to show Zelda the bedroom.
"The maid should have left a couple of nightgowns for you," Madame Aroma said, pointing towards where the two dresses had been placed on each of the bed, the fabric looking as white as snow, the colour of the fabric instantly making Midna suspect that neither the dresses nor anyone in the house other than her and Zelda had ever been within a hundred metres of a steam engine, much less ever tried to shovel coal into the firebox to keep the engine going, "and if there is anything else you might need, don't hesitate to call, and then the servants will make sure that you have what you might ask for."
Zelda bowed her head, and although Midna knew that it would have happened, knew that they had went over the fact that this was their only hope of ever making it to the castle, it was still strange to see her with the perfectly rehearsed smile, the voice that only rose when it was supposed to, perfectly even and controlled as she thanked their host. "Thank you. I know that I must have said it before, but I really cannot thank you enough for letting us stay here. After the pirates, it is so nice to see a friendly face, something I am sure my father will agree with me on once I get home to the castle."
"Oh," Madame Aroma blushed as she brushed Zelda's gratitude aside with a flick of her wrist, "it really is not anything to talk about. I am just grateful for the fact that we were able to help. Goddesses knows that after everything the two of you have been through, the least we could do was to provide you with a place to stay while making the preparations for you to be flown home. Speaking of which, I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive my son and daughter-in-law. I understand that it must feel horrible to have to think about what has happened to you again, but they… after their friend disappeared, I began to almost fear that they would be the next to be taken from us with how much time they spent at her abandoned farm, trying to look for her and her sister."
"Of course." Zelda nodded. "I can understand that feeling perfectly, it really is nothing to apologise for." as the silence between them grew, Madame Aroma not moving at all, Zelda faked a yawn, the fact that it was not exactly real only given away by how it was much more regal than what Midna had seen back at the base. But it appeared to do the job, Madame Aroma having already got the message before Zelda had even closed her mouth again to send her a tiny smile. "I am sorry, but, considering everything that has happened lately, would you excuse my friend and me if we go to bed now?"
"I—" for a moment, Madame Aroma glanced over at Midna, looking almost like she really saw her and not just the girl she had been forced to let into her home because her princess had insisted on bringing her along, but, while Midna would have been glad to see that at any other moment, right then, with how the entire mission depended on her not being recognised, the glance simply made her step back, hoping that by putting enough distance between herself and Madame Aroma, she might be able to avoid her becoming suspicious of just how she had happened to save the princess, what a simple girl from a village had done to get the cell next to a princess. But the moment passed just as quickly as it had arrived, Madame Aroma finally nodding at Zelda, "you don't have to ask for my permission, princess, we are simply here to help."
"Thank you." Zelda's smile was perfectly pleasant, and had it not been for the fact that she was standing behind her, Midna doubted she would have noticed how she clenched her fist behind her back, her knuckles becoming white as she dug her nails into her palms. "I am thankful for your help."
Finally, Madame Aroma left them, though she did pause in the door, hesitating for just enough time to make Midna begin to fear that she would not leave them yet, instead finding another excuse for staying with them. But, at last, she closed the door behind her.
The moment they were alone, her reasons for keeping up the pretence having left, Zelda instantly dropped the cheery façade, simply walking over to fall down onto the bed, the lilac silk of her gown moving along with her as she let out a groan.
She should have stayed where she was. If Midna had known what would be best for her, if she had been able to ignore the fact that her heart was practically begging her to go over to make sure that Zelda was all right, she would have stayed where she was, waiting for Zelda to regain her composure, waiting for her to be able to tell her how to act. But, and maybe that was what hurt the most, she could not fool herself into thinking that the only reasons she cared about how Zelda was feeling, why she moved over to touch her shoulder, was that, without Zelda, Midna would be doomed.
"Zelda?" Midna whispered, feeling how Zelda responded to her touch by letting out a deep sigh. "Zelda, you did great back there."
That made Zelda push herself off the bed, standing back up so quickly that it forced Midna to move her hand away. By all means, it should have made her happy, but a single glance at Zelda's face was enough to tell Midna that it was not something to celebrate, already before Zelda shook her head, an utterly defeated look making the smile Midna had been so used to seeing on her face look like it was something she had made up all those times.
"I know." Zelda's voice was barely more than a whisper, and yet, as Midna stood there, she knew that she would have been able to hear her no matter what. In that moment, even though the fate of her entire world was still uncertain, hanging from a thread, Midna would have been content to just stay in those few seconds for forever, pausing time if that was what it would take to allow them to stay like this for the rest of eternity. But, of course, that could not happen, not as Zelda continued. "I know, I was good at it, I was good at pretending, at remembering the etiquette, but, goddesses, Midna, I wish I didn't have to!" Zelda barely had to raise her voice, the edge of pure desperation that had found its way into her words was enough for Midna to know that, had it not been for the fact that they could not afford any of the other inhabitants of the house finding out about their plan, Zelda would have yelled as loudly as she possibly could.
"Zelda, I—" she didn't know what to say. All this time, she had been so used to how it had always been her who was the one to lash out, to yell and scream when life became difficult, only for Zelda to appear at her side, ready to try her best to assure her that everything would be all right in the end. And maybe she should have learnt something from that, perhaps Midna should have looked at her during all the times where Zelda had reached out to put an arm around her, whispering to her how there was still hope, and tried to learn what Zelda did to cheer her up, storing those snippets of information for later. In hindsight, Midna could say that it was absolutely what she should have done, she should have prepared herself for the moment when she would find herself in this exact situation. But she hadn't, a truth that left her trying her best to come up with something to say and already knowing that she would fail.
She was not able to think of anything that would have had even the slightest chance of making Zelda feel better before Zelda had retreated back behind the façade of the princess she was supposed to act like in that moment. Shaking her head once, just enough to let her hair fall back, trying to smooth out the creases in her dress that told of how she had been lying on the bed seconds earlier, Zelda looked back up at her. "It is nothing—don't think about it. I just think that I might have been a bit more honest than I had thought when I pretended to yawn, that is all."
It was clear that that was a lie. Really, if Zelda had displayed the same lack of acting back at the dinner table, Midna was certain that the mayor would have figured it all out back then. But she was a coward in the end, and so, she accepted the lie for what it was, a way for them to not have to try to handle the reason for why Zelda turned away from her, patting her tears away. No, rather than trying to understand what was happening, Midna followed Zelda's lead, the two of them retreating to opposite corners of the room to change into the nightgowns Madame Aroma had provided them with. Despite the fact that the dresses were exactly as lavish as everything else she had seen in the house, Midna was not able to enjoy the feeling of the fabric against her skin, not when she could hear how Zelda fought to keep her breathing even, holding back the sobs, just a few metres away from her. And, even then, she still said nothing, climbing up into the bed, barely able to do it in one try due to the countless of blankets, pillows, and quilts that had been stacked on top of the mattress.
"Goodnight." Midna whispered the word to the silent room, not expecting for it to be met with anything more than the deafening silence that had come to rest between her and Zelda.
For a moment, she was almost convinced that she was imagining the hushed response. It really was not until she could feel how the left side of the bed, the side where Zelda's bed was located just a couple of metres away from her own, dipped slightly, that Midna knew it was real.
"Midna?" there was something in Zelda's voice, something Midna had not heard before, something she did not know what to think of. In those few seconds it took before Midna opened her eyes, rolling to the side to watch how Zelda had placed her hands on the mattress, leaning onto it, it sounded almost like Zelda was either going to begin to cry again or laugh.
Maybe it was the fact that she truly could not tell what would happen next that made Midna remain quiet even as she looked into Zelda's eyes and saw the tears, instead letting the task of talking fall upon Zelda's shoulders.
With a glance that did not reveal the reasons for why she accepted the burden, Zelda continued. "I—Midna, would it be all right with you if I slept here?"
It took just a moment too long for Midna to realise that Zelda was not talking about how she had requested for them to be able to stay in the same room for the night, that 'here' did not mean 'in another bed, only a few metres away from you', but rather 'here, right next to you, so close that you will not be able to move without brushing against me', but as she did, she could only whisper a short thankyou to the darkness of the room for making sure to hide the fact that she must be blushing, considering how warm she felt as she looked up at Zelda. "Here?" she let the word hang in the air between them, not quite sure if she was hoping for Zelda to clarify that of course she did not mean in the same bed or if she just wanted to make sure that she had not already fallen asleep, stuck in a nightmare that must have confused itself with a dream. Midna did not know what to think of the way her heart fluttered as Zelda only nodded in response to the question, but it was still not enough to keep her from being so aware of the fact that she had to answer now, that she could almost feel how the blood rushed through her veins as she fought to give a reply. "Well, I mean, yes, of course, but… well, what if Madame Aroma decides that she will have to come back to ask us if we need anything? What will we tell her then?"
"That it was the only way I was able to feel save." Zelda might have meant to smile at her, but the grimace that passed over her face looked completely unlike the smile Midna had come to know. "Just… please, Midna, I can't… not tonight, not when this might be the last time we are able to sleep this close to each other."
And in that moment, it all made sense. All the times Midna had thought that she had been able to hear something else in Zelda's voice, all the times she had felt herself drawn to her, unable to move away despite the fact that she should have known better than to let herself get close to the princess of Hyrule, despite the fact that she knew that she was fighting against everything Zelda and her family represented. The way Link and Ilia had acted when she had mentioned Zelda, why it had felt almost like someone had dug a knife into her heart when she had seen Zelda look over at Cremia with so much warmth in her eyes that it felt like she had to take warmth away from the air around Midna to do so. Everything came together to let Zelda appear a little brighter in Midna's thoughts, and, at the same time, the questions that had been answered in that moment only left her even more confused than before.
But one thing was certain—Midna would not be able to look at Zelda and say no, not now and most likely not ever again. Moving a little to the side, pushing the layers of blankets away, Midna tried her best to regain control over her voice. "Of course."
Zelda did not waste any time, already climbing up to lie down next to her, helping Midna pull up the blanket to cover both of them again.
Maybe Zelda really was only there because this might very well be the last time they would ever be able to let down their guards like this, already anticipating the fact that, in only a few, short hours, they would be aboard a ship from the royal fleet, put on a course that would bring them to Hyrule Castle. Midna knew that she was being a fool by allowing herself to hope that it might ever have been anything more than that, but, as she lay there, feeling how Zelda's breathing soon became more even as she rolled up next to her, she could not see how she was supposed to not allow herself to nurture a hopeless belief that it might be about more than just that.
"Zelda," Midna whispered, waiting for a moment before deciding that the lack of a response had to be enough for her to be certain that Zelda would not be able to hear her, the assurance that she would not one day be confronted with what she might say giving her the strength to continue, "I promise you that I will do everything within my power to make sure that this will not be the last moments of freedom, not for any of us."
As Midna brushed a strand of hair out of Zelda's face, she was almost able to make herself believe that she saw a hint of a smile tucking at Zelda's lips. But it was gone the next moment, leaving Midna to look down at her, wondering what had happened to her for her life to become such as mess. To think that it was only a few months since she had been content to just survive for another day, attacking ships to gather enough food to make it through the winter. Back then, back when she had not even known about Zelda's existence, only known about how the princess of Hyrule was said to be one of the wisest people in the land, always scoffing at the idea of the people around her being so blind that they would idolise a member of the royal family despite the fact that she represented the very thing that had taken everything from them, Midna had been able to convince herself that she hated every little part of the royal family, but now, she could feel that resolve crumbling to the ground.
It should have been terrifying to feel how the walls she had built over the years all began to collapse at the same time, but for some reason, the hollow feeling of all the hate and anger disappearing at once did not appear, something else entirely instead filling the spot in her heart it should have received. That was what truly scared Midna as she lay there next to Zelda, the fact that, despite how she knew that she might still be able to slip out of the window, unseen and unheard, and leave Zelda alone to face the fate that would await her once she had returned to Hyrule Castle, she was more trapped now than any chains would ever have made her become.