Inspiration: Regret and consequences.

Shout Out: GlycosidicLinktothePast thank you for reading and sorry for not shouting you out sooner.

Author Note: We're in the endgame now guys lol. No but seriously, book one in winding down to the end, thanks for reading.

Word Count: 4,795

Chapter 21

The next day, Hyrule Castle: Link's POV

My mind was elsewhere. I couldn't focus on anything this morning. I attempted contact with Saria several times to no avail. She simply would not answer me. I figured as much. I assumed she wouldn't due to how she reacted yesterday when she woke up. That was very strange considering her overt behavior beforehand, but I digress. For a certainty, there was no doubt in my mind now that Saria hadn't acted like herself the day before. Even so, I had to let her be for now. There was no use attempting to contact someone who had no desire to talk to me.

I'll give it a few days and try again, I thought.

Currently, I was looking through some correspondence that arrived this morning. It was the same pomp and circumstance that was written egregiously for royal favors: 'Your Excellency, good tidings, I would like to request...' or 'Sire, the sun is more magnificent with you on the throne, as such, I have a request...' or 'The Goddesses will bless you forever your majesty, so it should be no surprise that...'. On and on it went. I really found certain aspects of the nobility pathetic. They were no different than the 'rabble' they so despised. They all wanted something essentially for nothing and then explained why it would 'benefit' Hyrule. They had to know it was cumbersome, but I didn't think they cared to delve that deeply.

I might need to enact a new rule for protocol, I thought, this bidden bribery is nauseating.

I was halfway through my sixth letter, when suddenly the door to the bedroom chamber opened. From the other side, Zelda walked in with a stoic expression on her lovely face. Ever since I got back yesterday I had been avoiding her. Not necessarily because of guilt, but I had this feeling in my gut that she already knew what had taken place. In fact, something rather strange occurred last night that hadn't occurred in years. The symbol of the Triforce appeared on the back of my hand as if branded by fire. That only happened years ago after Ganondorf revealed himself to Zelda and me with the same emblematic connotation in his presence. Zelda was actually the first initiate, but Ganondorf established the coup for the specific reason of garnering all three pieces of the Triforce. The point was it wasn't an incidental occurrence. It happened for a reason, and I assumed last night it was the same reason. I could never hide anything from Zelda without her already knowing. She was the Sage of Time for a reason. She had impeccable insight.

The goddess be damned if I ever wanted to keep a secret, I thought with a hint of frustration.

Even so, I didn't look up when she walked over to the table where I was sitting, which wasn't a good start. She didn't bother to greet me either. She got right to the point.

"We need to talk," she said quietly.

I didn't look up from my papers.

"I'm busy," I replied.

She took a step forward.

"You need to make time for this," she said, "it's important."

I took in a deep sigh.

"What is it?" I asked.

She raised a brow.

"Can you put down your letters for a moment?" she asked. "I suppose it wouldn't be too much to ask to have your undivided attention your majesty."

I then cut my eyes to her. This was not going to go well.

"What do you want?" I asked poignantly.

She groaned softly. She shook her as she looked at me.

"I can hear the disgust in your voice," she said, "you can't even pretend any longer."

I rolled my eyes and looked away.

"Is this what you plan on doing?" I demanded. "I don't feel like hearing you complain today," I said rather insensitively, "if that is your desire, then I have no time for it."

Zelda got miffed when she heard my rebuttal and decided not to let that slide.

"Your attitude is despicable," she said outright, "you have the nerve to talk to me this way when you-"

She stopped herself, and that was when she got my full attention she so desired. I stared her straight in her eyes, challenging her to go on.

"I what?" I continued for her. "Don't stop, you were doing so well."

I then got up from the table.

Her breathing increased when she looked me over.

"Is this how you really feel towards me?" she asked quietly. "There's so much contempt in your eyes."

I wanted her to get to the point.

"I look like this every day," I replied, then asked again, "now, what do you want?"

Her eyes searched my face and a sadness engulfed her features that I couldn't begin to describe. She was probably shocked at how crass my attitude was when I probably should have garnered more sensitivity. I was the guilty party here. I could have attempted some sort of valor to this very serious marital problem, but I was feeling too defensive to care right now. I always believed in honor and forthrightness, but my own selfishness was too important to allay that right now. I was acting as the contrarian I so hated.

"I know what you did yesterday," she whispered in a broken voice, "I know you were with… her."

I didn't flinch, but I was silent for a moment.

"How do you know?" I challenged afterward. "Were you having me watched again?"

Her eyes stung with tears at my tone.

"No," she whispered, "no, it's much worse than that. You see, when Saria was healed by you marrying me and us consummating the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage, a bond was created… a bond that can't be severed unless one of the three of us dies."

I looked at her veritably stunned at her utterance.

"What?" I replied.

She gave me a hard stare.

"Yes," she said, "so, when you make love to me she knows it, but the same is also true if vice versa were ever to happen. If you made love to her I would know it because the bond protecting the country would weaken. So guess what?"

I didn't have to guess, I knew what was coming. I did not bother to reply.

She must have felt the flow of energy from us, I thought.

Her tears spilled over.

"I just want you to know I've been expecting it," she whispered, "I knew how much you still loved her. I wasn't expecting it so soon, but I've been expecting it."

I felt frustrated at hearing all this and still didn't speak. Zelda gave me a long once over and looked at me in open disgust now.

"I love you so much Link, but I feel I could hate you too," she whispered with a slight growl, "why am I not enough for you?"

I had no reply to that.

"Is a princess who becomes queen no longer a viable prize for a hero of the world?" she went on. "It plays for a very good story book."

I still had nothing to say.

"You courted me for nine years before we got married Link," she continued. "You honestly think I don't deserve a part of your heart? Nine years! How can you possibly say you love her more than me?"

I had nothing to say on that either. She was completely justified in what she felt, but she simply didn't understand. I didn't expect her to.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" she demanded suddenly. "What does the King of Hyrule have to say?"

The vitriol in her voice was all but personified.

Finally, I just shook my head.

"Nothing," I said quietly, "you caught me, what do you want me to say?"

Zelda sucked in a breath in pure frustration when she took another step towards me.

"You could start with an apology you ungrateful bastard!" she whispered. "You could start by pretending you give a damn about the feelings of your wife!"

I wasn't going to let that go unchallenged.

"An apology would constitute guilt, and I have none," I said, "after what you've done to me, you better be glad this is the only time I've stepped out on you. You make it seem like you're the innocent party here when you aren't. This situation is the way it is because of you. I've had plenty of opportunities to make this happen sooner."

She was rightly angry at my words.

"This is your reply to me?" she asked stunned. "This is what you have to say?"

I didn't care at this point.

"Yes Zelda," I said, "yes, this is my reply. This is how I truly feel. I am sick of living this lie with you!"

More tears came and she couldn't control the flow.

"I'm not surprised," she replied, "but as usual, you lack the insight to your heinous actions, and it's up to me to set the matter straight for you!"

I paused when I heard her utter that.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

Zelda wiped the tears from her cheeks and kept her head erect. She wasn't going to let her dignity go to the wayside because of her feelings for me.

"I was hoping you would see the gravity for yourself, but you allowed your disdain for me to cloud your better judgment," she started. "The truth of the matter is this: since you have now acted with your heart instead of your head, there are things set in motions that cannot be undone."

There was a brief silence between us, where I froze when I heard her say that.

"What?" I whispered.

She nodded and then went on.

"I was not able to tell you the meaning of the vision in its entirety because it was ambiguous for a reason," she went on. "The goddesses were hoping you see the fallacy of your ways before you acted upon them, thus the warning. But now, my love, the warning is too late. The reckoning is now upon us if Saria is captured and sacrificed on the night of the Moonlight Crucible."

I looked at her suddenly taken aback.

"What reckoning?" I asked.

Zelda continued.

"You see Link, King of Hyrule, your role as the Sun Prince has always satisfied the carnality of the love between Hylia and her First Knight, the hero; essentially you and me," she explained. "A perversion of that would be for you as the Sun Prince satisfying the carnality of the Moon Goddess as her hero. The Moon Goddess's earthly representative used to be Hilda, but Hilda was a byproduct of manipulation throughout the centuries and she finally broke free of the goddess's hold. Hilda was never evil or a retainer for the Moon Goddess the way she wanted her to be. Rather, she became an antagonist of the dark goddess for the right reasons, so she chose another. It makes since that the goddess of darkness wanted to find a vessel to satisfy darkness… a maiden of the dark if you will."

My heart began to pound as to what the implications truly were.

"Are you saying... are you saying Saria was the maiden of the dark yesterday?" I whispered.

Zelda looked vindicated, but tears still engulfed her eyes.

"Yes," she whispered with a broken voice, "you couldn't see because you were so blinded by your own selfish desires. Saria was not the Saria you knew yesterday. She was different. I knew because the energy channeling from her was absent for awhile then became dark. I only felt her essence again when she came to at some point."

I remained silent as she went on.

"Saria is that maiden of the dark because of the energy used to make her Hylian, the Shadow Crystal," she continued. "The Shadow Crystal is from the world of twilight and there are factions there that are sympathetic to the Moon Goddess. Dr. Seaside and his colleagues should have taken more discretion when using technology they were unfamiliar with, but I digress. I allowed them to experiment for Saria's sake. She had been a loyal servant to Hyrule, but her feelings for you were causing an instability in the Sacred Realm, so I granted her her wish. However, the only way for the dark energy inside of Saria to be kept at bay was to maintain the seal, the same seal that is keeping the Interlopers from taking over Hyrule. That dark energy has been at war with Saria's soul for over a year now. It hasn't been able to escape because of the unification of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage, but now the energy has found a way around the seal. The energy has found a way to integrate with Saria's personality and at times take over. She has at times become Saria."

I knew much of what she was telling me already, but I had a feeling I was going to be thrown for a loop in a moment.

"Are you saying my actions with Saria yesterday satisfied the prerequisites for the carnality?" I whispered. "Are you saying I indirectly helped the moon goddess?"

She nodded slowly.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," she replied. "In order for the perversion to have real meaning, the maiden must carry a seed of light and darkness… a child."

Apprehension suddenly swelled within my gut. I ran a hand through my hair and closed my eyes.

Saria might be pregnant with my child, but instead of happiness this could mean tragedy for everyone, I thought.

"Dear goddesses," I whispered to myself.

Zelda took another step towards me.

"That child will have the energy needed to break the barrier because it is a contradiction, it was never supposed to exist," she went on. "However, in order for the contradiction to be fully manifest the child will also be sacrificed. It will not live."

I felt soul punched at hearing that.

"What?" I whispered.

Zelda shook her head in disappointment.

"Our only hope is that Saria is not pregnant by you," she whispered, "you better hope and pray if she is pregnant it belongs to her husband, and even then if she is attempted at a sacrifice the child will still die, but the barrier will not be broken."

That seemed even more horrifying to me. An innocent child could possibly die because of my actions? I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I couldn't believe I was so shortsighted.

"Zelda I…" I trailed, but then stopped myself and asked, "how can I warn her?"

Zelda shook her head.

"You can't," she whispered, "she will not listen to you after what happened between the two of you yesterday. Her guilt is enormous. She will try to reconcile things with her husband. She will try to act as if the events that took place yesterday never happened. She is going to do everything in her power to try to and right the wrong she caused against her husband. More importantly, she is not going to listen to you, even with you playing her song to summon her. She may be in love with you Link, but she is not going to cooperate right now after what happened."

I then cut my eyes to her in how she said that.

"How do you know all this?" I asked. "What am I supposed to do?"

She looked away as more tears filled her eyes.

"I've always known Link," she whispered, "I've always felt you slipping away from me when your thoughts went to her, but it's as I've disclosed to you before, I'm linked to her. I literally feel her energy throughout the day."

I studied her face.

"You feel her energy..." I repeated, "so, does that mean you are aware of everything she does?"

Zelda nodded, but added a caveat.

"Not everything, just certain things pertaining to you," she divulged. "It's part of my own curse. I was told by the goddesses that there would be a full recompense expected from me if I took the actions I did several years ago. I was aware of the consequences and went through with it anyway. I knew when we were courting you still loved her. I knew if you knew who she truly was you would leave me for her and I couldn't have that. More than anything else in the world, I love Hyrule. I would even give up Daphnes to protect my country. Unfortunately, I am living with my consequences now: your disdain and lack of love, but I had to ensure Hyrule's safety. I know you think I'm a monster for keeping you away from her, but trust me when I say you haven't been suffering alone. Every time you played her song, I knew. Every time you went off and no one could account for you, I knew. Every time you made love to me and said her name, I knew. Every time you daydreamed about her, I knew. I've always known Link."

There was another silence between us where I didn't know what to say to her. This was all so shocking. I had no idea she was so in tune to Saria's essence. I could see how it was a kind of torture.

"You…" I started, but then trailed off.

She wiped her tears from her face and got her bearings together.

"You better prepare yourself for the night of the Moonlight Crucible," she said suddenly. "She is not safe in any capacity. I fear for her life and I believe the Interloper sect will come and claim her before long."

My eyes widened at the abrupt shift in conversation.

"Zelda I…" I still didn't know what to say.

My tone made her eyes refill with tears.

"I just want Daphnes to have his father," she whispered suddenly, "you don't have to love me, but it would kill me if you didn't love him."

I looked at her taken aback, and I shook my head immediately.

"Zelda I would give me life for Daphnes," I promised, "he is my world."

She swallowed hard and nodded.

"Remember that when you go out in the future," she whispered, "remember that you have a son who needs you."

In that moment, I felt my heart sink a little because it was the first time I felt a measure of remorse… real remorse for behaving in such a disrespectful manner towards her. I had no words in how to approach her right now. My words had escaped me. Surprisingly, Zelda curtsied out of respect for me, then turned and headed for the exit. I believe she was too hurt to face me any longer. I stared after her, wishing I hadn't been so idiotic, wishing I had been more prudent than I was. The door closed behind her and the sobering reality of my actions finally hit me. If this Moon Goddess did awaken, I would be partially responsible. If lives were lost, that would be my doing. If Saria died… that would partly be my fault too.

I couldn't believe it.

What was I thinking? I wondered.

I had no answers.

"What have I done?" I whispered to myself. "What have I done?"

~SSS~

Mount Hebra: Bathory's POV

The time was near. This was a moment for rejoicing. I knew my task and it was possible that in a mere few weeks the Moon Goddess would be upon us… she would actually be upon us. Currently, I was in conference with my compatriots Filgore and Rue Morgue. They had a renewed interest in the plans that were shortly to take place after I informed them of my venture in the canyon. I told them who I spoke with and why she was so significant. I was giddy, and it seemed my enthusiasm had worn off on them too. They too were looking forward to the upcoming events.

"Let's go over it again," Filgore said, "I am eager to hear the plans once more."

I grinned.

"I'm surprised at this attitude, but I'm grateful just the same," I replied.

Rue Morgue then chimed in.

"I too am surprised at your enthusiasm Dinivane," he said, "you are the biggest cynic among us."

He raised his hands in surrender.

"A cynic I may be, but I am a man of reason as well," he said, "I have no problem admitting when I am wrong or subjecting myself to the ideals of the cause."

I giggled.

"You are born again," I teased, "bravo."

Rue Morgue chuckled.

"I have to say, you have restored my faith Elvira," he said, "I was wavering in how this would be done, but now I wonder no longer."

That was reassuring.

"Fantastic," I replied, then added, "there was a time I began to doubt myself, but after seeing the things I saw, I doubt no longer."

Filgore leaned forward in his chair and stared eagerly at me.

"Tell us again Elvira about your moment of enlightenment," he whispered, "tell us again about when you saw her."

I smiled and aptly obliged.

"She was beautiful," I whispered, "dark and clandestine all at the same time. She lives alone at the bottom of a long crypt with hair as black as night and eyes that glow a reddish brown. She was obviously a woman of war; of sorrow and pain. There was a staff in her hand with an inverted Triforce. This told me that she was an agent of darkness, though she would not admit it. She stood, looking regal and perfect like the goddess divine she was."

Filgore's eyes searched my face.

"But she didn't tell you she was the goddess did she?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"No," I admitted, "she did not, but she harbored more than enough clues. She needs the seal to be broken to unleash her majesty on the world, and a key to that seal is the dark maiden… that beautiful girl with the green hair."

Rue Morgue narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Could a peasant girl really be so significant to the goddess?" he asked. "It almost seems sacrilegious to give such an unworthy person to the goddess divine."

I looked over at him with a hint of warning.

"It is not for us to decide who is worthy and who isn't," I said, "if she is who the moon goddess wants, then she will be the sacrifice she gets."

Filgore nodded.

"Yes," he whispered, "the inductive logic is sound, the moon goddess must see something worthy in her."

I didn't doubt it for a second.

"Of course she does," I reassured, "she sees the darkness in her, but she also sees the guile of the sun prince to her this woman."

Both men looked at me with anticipation.

"It is hard for me to believe the king would be willing to leave the queen's side for a peasant girl," Rue Morgue said.

I raised a brow.

"Now, now," I started, "let's not be too prejudicial gentlemen. We all know that the both of you enjoy the comforts of beautiful peasant girls yourselves. Your wives were never enough for you. If I'm not mistaken the Red Lantern District has a specific wing named after the both of you. Why can't the king have his own particular weaknesses? Why can't the king lust for just one other woman?"

Filgore scoffed, while Rue Morgue only grinned.

"True," the latter replied, "I stand corrected."

I went on.

"Anyway, since you wished it I will go over it again," I continued, "here's the plan: we are going to kidnap that green haired girl and take her to the Catacombs of the Interlopers near my home here in Hebra. Once she is there we will wait for the sun prince. We know he will come after her to her to try and rescue her. During his rescue is when we will start the moonlight crucible. The energy from the moon will reach its highest peak at midnight to three hours past that. The maiden will then be bathed in moonlight on the stone of offering and some celestial event is supposed to take place to give evidence of that. I don't know what is will be, but I'm sure it will be magnificent. Afterwards, her body will be offered and the moon goddess should accept her sacrifice."

At my finishing, both men looked at me excited.

"It can't come soon enough," Filgore said impatiently, "I am looking forward to the overthrow of that cocky peasant king."

I was quiet for a moment before I spoke. I wasn't so sure I agreed with him on that.

"This might sound odd to you Dinivane," I started quietly, "but his… his death might be my only regret in all this."

My words were more to myself than the others.

Rue Morgue raised a brow and looked at me as though I belonged in an asylum.

"Are you quite yourself making that statement?" he asked. "He is our number one enemy. He wants nothing more than to stop us."

I didn't expect either one of them to understand. I never answered his question.

"The king is a great many things," I started, "but he certainly isn't a fool."

Filgore scoffed again.

"Elvira as wonderful as you are, you've been drinking too much honey wine my dear," he half-joked, "the king is nothing more than a man playing dress up. He has no real power. It was the ill regarded decision made by a queen who felt she had to raise his status in order to show his importance to the people. He is a joke."

I understood his disdain for Link, but he didn't understand him in the same way I did. I actually really admired him.

"If only he could be turned to darkness," I said, "what an interloper he would make."

Rue Morgue laughed sarcastically.

"You can't be serious," he said, "that man would never work for the forces of darkness, his heart is too pure."

I shook my head.

"I don't think so," I said, "his purity has been tainted by loving a woman outside his own wife."

"Which I still have a hard time believing," Figlore challenged, "no man in his right mind would reject the affections of Zelda Nohanseen. She is a national treasure and the greatest woman in this country. How could a peasant ever compare to that?"

He had a point, but he was missing the flaw in his own argument.

"Love doesn't see status," I said simply, "not if it's true love."

Filgore fanned me off.

"I think you're wrong on this one Elvira," he said, "romanticism works for stories, but they hardly have any connotation in real life. She probably had an irresistible quim and gave him great sex. No man is going to turn down great sex."

I had to giggle at that.

"True," I replied, relaying my own experience, "I have met plenty of men who enjoy a woman who knows her way around the sack. They say it's a lot more fun than a boring lay."

They both laughed at my jest.

"Don't ever lose that affectation Elvira," Rue Morgue stated, "it will serve your future husband well. You will make him quite happy."

They laughed again and I just grinned.

Do I even need Squallous now? I wondered. Pleading for the life of a forsaken sun prince sounds much more compelling than marrying a useless man.

I didn't let my thoughts be made known.

Perhaps that what I can do, I thought, perhaps I can finally return the chivalry to the King of Hyrule.

The next chapter will be up soon.