A/N: This chapter was revised as of 7/2/2020 - Polished, minor errors and typos fixed.
When Heroes Fall
By: Selphie Kinneas 175
Chapter 22: The Best Laid Plans
.:.
Snow soaked them.
Their feet, their clothes, their skin.
Ice clung to them.
Their hair, their extremities, their core.
Teeth clanked against each other behind blue lips. Bones rattled amongst muscle beneath frozen flesh. Breath shown on the wind like bright clouds of smoke. Lungs fought with all their might to take oxygen into constricted chests. Eyes struggled to see through fog and snow. Water drenched through shoes to feet that long since lost feeling. Fingers grew so numb they feared they might lose them.
Link instructed Midna to keep constant motion from her head to her toes. Clenching and unclenching their fists, curling and uncurling their toes, wiggling fingers, noses, and rubbing their ears. The frozen climate threatened to steal away any part of them that it could – maintaining blood flow became their top priority as they climbed. That, and not slipping, falling, losing their breath, or passing out from the altitude and exhaustion.
Midna did not have the appropriate protection. Link knew it, but her stubbornness became her. Despite her protest, Link wrapped his cloak over her. She held it tight under her chin with one hand and maintained the brightest fire she could in the other. Periodically they stopped to warm themselves on the portable flame, the only thing that made the trek survivable.
Frost covered their hair, clumped to their eyelashes, and flecked the stubble on Link's chin. Yeto's roars never let up. The beast couldn't see far enough down the mountain to know whether or not the Hylian soldiers still threatened to fire upon his home, so he did not stop his defense. He stomped and kicked and threw up snow by the fistful. He shook the tallest trees and seemed to bring on the blizzard of his own sheer will. He was one with the mountain, Link thought, perhaps it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume Yeto did directly affect it.
Midna stumbled to her knees on several occasions. Without a word, Link always picked her up and they continued on. The snow was thick, and it took all the strength they had to keep climbing. Legs turned to jelly and hearts pumped hard to keep their bodies going. He wished, more than anything, that Midna hadn't followed him here. He knew it would be dangerous, life-threatening, terrifying... but she wouldn't listen. Now he feared more for keeping her alive than himself.
The top seemed so close, but always still so far away. It felt like they could climb for hours and make no visible progress. But Link knew progress was being made. The wind whipped around him like a hurricane, and he squinted to see through the snowflakes pummeling his skin. At last, he could make out the shadowed form of the beast near the summit.
Link smiled and shouted over his shoulder, "We're nearly there!"
But he got no reply.
He heard a thud and turned on a dime.
Midna toppled over into the snow, the fire in her hand extinguished. Link ran to her side.
"Midna," he called calmly, knowing if he were to display his panic that her own would not be far behind, "You're okay. We're almost there."
She blinked at him deliriously, "Almost... t-there?"
He nodded, "Yes. Can you make yourself another fire?"
She looked confused before shaking her head, "No."
"Try," he urged, clasping his hands underneath hers and lifting them, "Try."
She looked at their hands, looked at Link, and then closed her eyes.
Link opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of the yeti stopped him short.
"Humans!" Yeto bellowed down the slope at the indistinguishable forms, "Humans leave snows! Now!"
"Yeto! Wait, it's-" Link tried, but Yeto's rampage was unrelenting.
Yeto raised his monstrous fists high before plummeting them into the peak at his side. His strike rattled the summit and created a domino effect cascading down the entirety of the mountain. Link heard the ground shake far above him, then it got closer and closer, and then he felt it like an earthquake beneath his feet. What color was left drained from his face as he anticipated the mountain's reaction. Snow tumbled down from the peak in blankets. Those blankets piled on top of blankets and quickly formed a tidal wave stampeding down the slope towards them.
Link glanced back at Midna, eyes closed and shivering. He saw no trees around them, no rocks or precipices for cover. The avalanche did not care. It was coming, nothing around them offered protection, and outrunning it was out of the question. Link stared it down, powdery snow like a rushing wave threatening to swallow them whole. Link took a wide stance, narrowed his eyes in determination, and hunkered down in front of Midna with his shield poised before him. He clutched it with all his might, and his muscles tensed as he braced for impact.
Just when the flood of snow threatened to drown them both, Midna stood before Link in a flash and held both arms out in front of her. A purplish shield twice their length and width manifested before them. The wall of loose snow crashed against her hard, but she dug her feet in harder.
"Yeto!"
Over the roaring storm Midna's voice was heard. Midna's voice became the storm.
"Stop this at once!"
Link stared at the back of her head in bewilderment. All around them snow growled and devoured everything like a pack of wild animals. He watched it pass right beside him in a blinding wall of white, and the wind that blew past was the most deafening, chilling blast he'd ever felt.
Yeto howled his furious reply. He could not see them through the powdery blanket, only their forms, and he suspected they were threatening him.
He pounded again, and another sheet fell.
Midna's anger rose to meet his. The banner of protection she held up before her turned red hot, and it grew ten times in size.
"Yeto!" she screamed again, "I command you to stop!"
"Humans leave snows!" Yeto yelled back, "Humans leave now!"
Midna grunted as her frustration fueled her feet and gave her strength. She took a labored step forward, as if she was pushing back the very storm itself. To Link, it appeared she was. Each step she took gained ground, and it parted the snow like an ocean before them.
"This..." she breathed hard in exertion, "Is..." she stepped, and stepped, and each one grew heavier than the one before it, "Link!"
Link stood and hung close beside her. She pushed the snow back as it roared and clawed and threatened to mow them both down like ants in a flooded gutter.
"The..." her voice strained, and Link saw her tremble before her strength at last reached its pinnacle, "Hero!"
She pushed back as hard as she could. The barrier before her shot straight ahead and carved through the snow, reaching Yeto at the peak and knocking him on his back. The twilight queen stood, breathing hard, watching the mountain before her. Link did the same, unsure of what would come in just the next second. It was but a momentary respite, a raging river held back by a dam made of paper. Gravity was stronger than any force of man, magic, or nature – it always won out. Once the barrier flew out and was gone, nothing was there to stop the avalanche from resuming its course.
Midna closed her eyes and breathed deep. Her head grew light and fuzzy and she did not know if she could save them again. Link saw her grow weak. They exchanged knowing looks, and Link retook his place before her with his shield poised in front of him. Midna knew it would not be enough. It was as fruitless as holding onto a stick in a tornado and expecting it to keep you grounded. Link knew it, too, but he still had to try. He dug in his feet, hunkered down strong, and tensed up his every muscle.
The avalanche still did not care.
Midna closed her eyes in fear, and her fear sparked her power faintly. She held her arms in front of her face and a protective field procured itself around her, but only her. Link was swept away.
She called his name in terror, but the rushing snow masked her voice from even herself. Her mind went blank. Her eyes wide, her heart pounded against her chest like a prisoner desperate to break free. Her jaw hung slack in utter shock and her eyes forgot to blink. She could do naught but stand her ground and wait for the onslaught to pass. The rushing storm was deafening, and in those moments of thinking the worst she heard nothing but harsh ringing in her ears. Her arms trembled before her, and she feared moving even an inch would dissipate her guard and cause her to be swept away just the same. So, she held her ground. She held it until her muscles screamed at her to stop. To sit down. To relax. It sounded so nice, after all...
The rushing snows continued for what felt like so long that she lost all concept of time. Her mind grew delirious, and she just wanted to lay down and sleep. Her heart told her she had to keep standing, and keep standing she did. When the suffocating blanket piled up to her knees and the air grew too thick to breathe, it stopped. The last sheets of snow tumbled down the slope and her arms at last gave out. Her eyes closed fast and her body hit the snow.
Yeto did not know much of humans, he knew even less of Hylian soldiers. He did, however, have the smart assumption that no ordinary soldier could produce a magical blast the likes of which he just witnessed. He knew then that these people ascending his mountain were different than what he thought. Having been unable to really see them, he didn't know who they were or what business they had with his mountain, but he couldn't deny that he was intrigued. When the avalanche at last settled, Yeto made his way down to them.
He spotted Midna right away, only partially buried under the new-fallen snow. Yeto picked her up like a plaything and shook her.
"Small human! What human doing in snows, uh? You not bad guys."
Midna's eyes weakly blinked open as he shook her back and forth in his palm. She wasn't fully cognizant, but she knew Link was missing.
"Link," she whispered, "Find Link."
"Link... uh?" Yeto scratched at his chin, "Small human come to snows with another small human?"
"He's the hero," Midna coughed, "You remember him, right?"
Yeto looked no less confused.
"Small green human who saved your wife years ago."
Yeto's face lit up and he squeezed Midna tighter in excitement, "Small green human! He save wife years ago, uh!"
"Yes," Midna choked out, "He got swept away in that stupid storm you caused. Can you find him?"
"Yes, uh!" Yeto tossed Midna aside, "Yeto find small green human!"
Midna huffed hard against the thin air and was too weak to join him, "He's likely buried and can't breathe. Do it fast!"
Yeto smiled, "Yeto good at finding buried things! But... usually buried things dead, uh."
"Yeah, thanks for that," Midna mumbled, "I wasn't concerned enough..."
"What you say, uh?" Yeto called back, "Little human speak so quiet, Yeto could not-"
"Just find him, please."
Yeto nodded and muttered to himself, "Humans strange, uh..."
Yeto gazed around at the straight slope before them. Yeto knew the mountain well, and knew snow and avalanches even better. The avalanche likely would not have carried Link far, but rather, would have buried him near where he was first swept away, only deeper and deeper as it went on. Yeto dug his massive hands into the snow, several strides outright in each direction from where they had stood to withstand the onslaught. He searched and searched and dug and dug. It went on long enough to seem futile.
"Uh... Yeto not find small human..."
Midna gathered her strength and stood to meet him, "Keep looking! He can't have just... He can't! He's too stubborn to die."
"Avalanche nasty thing, uh..." Yeto said somberly, "Snows consume bigger things than humans all the time. It, uh... mostly why humans no come to snows."
"Shut up and keep looking," Midna spat, dropping to her hands and knees and digging wildly at the snow all around her.
She dug like a frantic dog, her fingers quickly losing feeling as the snow and ice froze her flesh. She dug and spun in all directions, desperate to cover the most ground. In her frenzy, she realized Yeto was doing naught but standing and watching.
"Help me!" Midna shouted.
Yeto scratched at his furry head, "Small human dead, uh..."
"He's not!" Midna spat in anger, "Now stop standing there and help me!"
Then they both heard the tiniest crunch of snow. Midna's gaze snapped toward the sound, and she saw fingertips wriggling just at the blanket's surface. She gasped and hastened toward that spot. She dug free the rest of the hero's hand and clasped it firmly in her own.
"We're here! Hold on!" Midna said in exasperation.
Without much thought, she started excavating what she could, frenzy heavy in her every movement. Every hole of snow she dug out quickly filled back up by the surrounding layers. She huffed in agitation to see Yeto still not helping.
"Yeto, please," Midna's words came out as indistinct as the puff of white at her lips – she was losing steam.
All she could think about was failing him. She had been adamant about joining him this time because she couldn't live with how she'd nearly let him die last time. She had never been able to forget the look of death on his face. His pale skin, his frozen, handsome face… She had let him down, and she promised him she wouldn't do it again. She did. She failed. She couldn't protect him like she promised she would.
Tears welled up behind her eyes as she begged Yeto, "Please…"
Link could not hear her, but he could feel her. He kept his mind calm, as he knew the enemy of survival was panic, but his heart betrayed him. First it beat hard in frantic alarm, but as the cold seeped through his bones it started to slow down. His breathing followed the same pattern. With each exhale the snow around him melted to a puddle of water, but only a second later it would refreeze to a block of ice. He was losing oxygen to breathe and the space in which to breathe it. Buried deep beneath inches of snow, there was no man alive with the strength to free himself without assistance. It reminded him very bitterly of the time he nearly drowned in quicksand – he supposed he could add snow to the list of things that have attempted to smother the life from him.
Each minute he endured beneath the mountain was an anchor to the hero's consciousness, dragging him further away. He forced himself to stay awake with everything he had in him. He wiggled his fingers again when he no longer felt Midna's touch, and she reached out and let him know she was still there.
The yeti observed the scene before him in confusion. He had never had much interaction with other creatures, let alone humans. He could recognize distress, however, and the memory of the human who saved his wife all those years ago was prominent in his mind. Yeto said nothing, instead he approached them. With all the calm grace Midna remembered of the beast-man, Yeto plunged his massive hand down into the snow, grasped Link firmly by the waist, and hoisted him out in a flurry of white. Link's raucous gasping and coughing sent a shiver not from the cold down Midna's spine. He was safe... Adrenaline left her and she let her exhaustion win out. The last thing she remembered was feeling Yeto lift her up just the same, and she felt each heavy step he took ascending the mountain.
Just before consciousness fully left her, she saw the orange glow of fire, and the sweet warmth it provided. They were safe… They were safe…
Seemingly at the opposite edge of the world from the hero and his companion, Hyrule Castle Town found much warmer weather than the mountain of Snowpeak. No physical means sought to challenge Ren here, but the internal made no promises. He had no companion to keep him company, no guiding figure to help him, he was entirely alone in his endeavor. Though he felt all-consuming fear creep up and tighten his throat, he preferred it this way. His anger fueled him, the thought of his selfish father driving his feet. There was no one to tell him no, to tell him it wasn't logical or safe, to tell him he couldn't do it. No one was saying he wasn't brave enough, strong enough, good enough. He had only himself to prove to, and he would do what he had wanted to do since the beginning that no one else had been brave, strong, or good enough to act on.
He would save Emeline, and he would put an end to the evil king's ways.
Daytime provided him the luxury of blending in within the throngs of crowds. People bustling to work, to the market, to their homes. He utilized the heavy concentration of citizens to make his way through town without looking suspicious or out of place. Not to mention, he had no idea if the Hylian soldiers were looking for him or any of his friends – he decided to remain undetected just in case he was wanted after the events that took place last time he was here.
He came to the castle gates and stared up at the soldiers who stood guard. Not only did four tall, strong looking men stand before the massive doors, but they were barred as well. There was no getting in this way, Ren thought, he would have to look for another way in. He was not sure if the dungeons he knew so well connected to the interior of the castle, and that wasn't a place he wanted to get lost in, so he would need to search for an alternate entrance. He followed along the exterior of the castle until he came to where the moat met a small grate, seemingly leading where he needed to go. Only a half circle above the water's surface and a half circle below, it did not offer much room to squeeze through. Despite this, Ren felt confident, and he decided to try.
He hopped into the water with a shiver. It was deep enough that his feet could not find the bottom. The current pushed against him, and he had to use all his strength to reach the gate against the powerful stream. Once he reached it, he saw no opportunity of slipping through. The bars were made of iron and were just close enough together that his body could not fit between them. He took in a deep breath and dove beneath the surface. The water stung a bit as he opened his eyes, but he noticed to his delight that one bar near the bottom had been broken off by some measure of extreme force. He swam for the opening, pushing as hard as he could against the flow of water. He reached out and grabbed the bars, using them to pull himself closer. He finally made it inside the grate, but the current was stronger, and it pushed him against what was now his cage.
Panic set in. His foggy surroundings disoriented him and the air in his lungs dwindled fast. He told himself to think like his father but then his mind only went hazy with anger toward him. He shook his head, 'now's not the time, now's not the time!'
He looked up and saw the outcropping of the building above him, and the surface was not far. He noticed a craggy spot on the wall and used it to leverage himself forward and out of the current. He fought hard against the water coupled with his darkening vision, but at last he broke the surface with a resounding gulp of air. Two guards heard the sound and rushed to investigate. Ren quickly dove back down.
"You hear that?"
"Yeah."
They both looked around, fear plain on their faces.
"Y-You think it was that water monster the other guys were talking about?"
"Don't be stupid. That's just a ghost story they tell the guys stationed down here to make them look like pansies."
The more frightened one took a tentative step back, pointing toward the water, "B-Bubbles..."
The other followed his line of sight, "Bubbles?"
Ren's heart pounded in fear of being caught when he had to break the surface for air, but the guards yelped and fled in terror before even waiting to see what emerged from the water. Ren sighed, both in relief and disbelief in the Hylian soldiers' utter uselessness.
Ren made his way to dry land and pulled himself up onto it. He wiped his hands down his dripping face and attempted to wring dry what he could of his clothing. He breathed deep and looked around him – he appeared to be directly beneath the castle. Very little light illuminated the underground, but he could just make out the stone ceiling. He noticed behind him the doorway the soldiers had been guarding, and it had light filtering through its cracks. He shook out his hair and noticed he was missing a sandal. He sighed and removed the other one as well – they would have made too much noise anyway, he told himself.
When he stood up and headed for the door, a serpent-like creature leapt up from the water. With razor-sharp teeth it snatched Ren's sandal, gave a vicious snarl, and dove back down. Ren stared in shock.
"Guess you're the monster that tore open that hole in the grate... thanks for that," he chuckled nervously. Uneasiness fluttered in his heart when he realized he had just been in that thing's home with it. He shivered and shrugged the thought aside.
At last he opened the door before him with caution. He peered inside and saw no one, so he entered. He dripped water onto the floor that only seemed to echo and increase in volume with each step, and so he took even more caution. The hall led to a stairwell, and he took it up, and up, and up, until at last he came to another hall. He heard people rounding the corner before him, and he quickly ducked back to the stair to hide. They made their way past without a word, and he resumed his trek.
He would be lying if he told himself he remembered how to reach the princess' chambers. He would be lying if he even tried to tell himself he had the slightest clue where he was. Hyrule Castle was massive, and its seemingly never-ending corridors, hallways, chambers, and stairwells led him to dead ends and circles more times than he would admit to anyone. Now reaching the end of the day, the rounds of handmaidens, butlers, and troops began to lessen, making sneaking around much easier. At one point, he heard one woman talking to another about assisting the princess to undress and retire for the evening. Ren knew if he followed her that he would eventually reach Emeline, so he did.
The woman ascended several flights of stairs before coming to the wing Ren at last recognized, except, a different voice caught him off guard.
"Do ensure the princess does not leave her chambers under any circumstances," Viscen ordered.
The handmaiden bowed, "Of course, Your Majesty," and she ducked into the room before them.
Ren watched her go, and he knew he could make it into Emeline's room if he tried, but... Viscen was easily accessible. He was unguarded, alone, and everyone nearby was retiring for the evening. He would never again get presented with such a perfect opportunity – he had to take it.
Viscen left the double doors to his quarters just slightly ajar as he was expecting another visit from his chamberlain. Ren peered through the slit as the king removed his long cloak, draped it over the back of a chair, and took a seat at a lavish desk. Once Viscen began scribbling away on some parchment and he seemed to be settled in, Ren snuck inside.
Ren stepped as slowly and silently as he could. He made not a sound; he even held his breath as he got closer. He could smell the king's cologne, could hear the breaths in his lungs and the scratching of his quill. He was so close. Now he just needed to unsheathe his sword and plunge it through his heart. He stopped, now close enough to touch his target. He withdrew his blade, and just as he pulled it back, the king's voice stopped him short.
"Dear boy, what in heaven's name are you doing here at this hour?"
Ren froze. Viscen sneered to himself before turning around.
He feigned shock as he pointed at Ren's sword, "What are you doing with that? You weren't... going to harm me, were you?"
"N-No..." Ren whispered, but he couldn't remember how to move.
Viscen's demeanor was far too calm, far too endearing. Ren's heart beat hard and he felt nervous fear set in.
Viscen gently took Ren's sword from him and placed it on a nearby table, "We'll just leave that there. Now, my boy, what is it you're doing here? You know you could get in quite a lot of trouble for sneaking into the castle."
Ren looked up at the king just as the king stared down at him. Viscen's eyes were kind and imploring. Ren's were terrified and anxious.
"Don't be afraid, now. I won't allow you to get in trouble," Viscen smiled eerily, "Come, sit with me."
The king sat on a large, cushy sofa at the end of the bed and patted the spot beside him. Ren trembled, but felt a greater fear for disobeying the king than otherwise. He did as he was asked.
"Tell me," Viscen leaned forward, "What urged you to sneak into Hyrule Castle tonight?"
Ren gulped, "I... I-I wanted to rescue Emmy."
"Emmy?" Viscen parroted, squinting in disgust, "I do assume you mean Emeline? Why, Emmy is not at all a name for a future queen."
Ren's skin crawled. This was all wrong. He shouldn't be here. He never should have come on his own. Viscen acting nice was like a shark asking you to dinner. This was all wrong.
"Y-Yes... Emeline," Ren mumbled.
"My Emeline?" Viscen placed a hand to his chest, "Why, I assure you, my Emeline does not need rescuing! She is safe in her home with her father who loves her."
He smiled, and the uneasiness of it forced Ren to look away. Viscen felt Ren's disquiet and altered his approach.
"I understand you care for my daughter," Viscen draped his arm over Ren's shoulders, "I am truly grateful, as her father, that you have had a hand in keeping her safe while she was away from home. Thank you."
Ren's heart wanted to jump out of his skin. His discomfort was palpable, the sensation akin to insects crawling beneath his flesh. His brain was telling him to leave, leave now, and never return. His body heard none of it – he was paralyzed.
When Ren said nothing, Viscen removed his arm and repositioned himself so that he could face him head on.
"Ren, I understand you've had it rough," Viscen said, sounding somehow... like he cared.
Ren stared at him but remained silent.
"You grew up never knowing your father, then you lost your mother..." Viscen sighed and shook his head in empathy, "How difficult it must be for you."
Ren's stone expression started to soften, and his tense muscles started to relax. He forgot the insects' presence.
"You have longed to have a relationship with your father, but he only seems to reject you. You feel outcast by your own loved ones. The only one whom you ever felt unconditional love from is gone from this world, and without her you feel lost."
The king's words hit home, and Ren felt his heart start to swell. His anger for his father surfaced, and he replayed his last interaction with him over, and over, and over again. He wanted to scream at him. He wanted to tell his mother how mad he was – he wanted her to fix everything. His lashes grew wet from the truths he was facing, but he was still too uncomfortable to openly cry.
"I understand how you feel, for I've felt all the same things."
Ren looked up at him, and his stonewall exterior began to melt, "You have?"
Viscen nodded, "My father and mother always loved my brother far more than me. He was their first-born, you see, so I was always second best. I never truly minded, for I loved him just as much. But, well..."
He had Ren intrigued, "What happened?"
"My brother died," Viscen frowned, "My parents were heartbroken, and they had no interest in only having me for a son. They saw me as a fraction of the man my brother was. They did not allow me the throne of my home kingdom. They forced me to leave."
Ren frowned just the same, "That's awful..."
Viscen nodded, "Yes, well... It is a pain we both share."
Ren seemed contemplative. The king's words got him thinking, and Viscen knew it.
Viscen smiled to himself but quickly wiped it away, "We are not so different, you and I. I think, perhaps we could help each other."
At that, Ren snapped from his stupor and leapt to his feet. His flesh crawled again.
"No," he said, "You're trying to manipulate me. Why? I'm of no use to you."
"Ah, well, actually..." Viscen stood to meet him, "You know the location of something I want."
Ren's face blanched, "No... No, I-"
"Why do you defend people who would not defend you?" Viscen asked, stepping closer while Ren stepped back, "Why do you care so much about people who do not care about you?"
"They do care about me," Ren rebutted, "They do."
Viscen clicked his tongue, "What a pity... Do you see how you are not even sure of it yourself? You have to convince yourself that they care."
Ren's brow furrowed, "I..." the doubt flickered in his mind before he shook it away, "No! They do care... They do."
Viscen ceased his approach just as a knock came to his door. The shocked face of the king's chamberlain met Ren's anxious expression.
"Your Majesty," he bowed, "I deeply apologize for the intrusion... I was not aware you were expecting company this evening."
"Nor was I," Viscen said, clasping his hands behind his back.
The man looked confused, "Shall I remove him, sir?"
Viscen glanced at Ren who looked petrified. Ren knew he could have him thrown in the dungeon, or tortured, or killed, or whatever else he wanted done with him. He felt like a fly caught in a web, and the spider was ever approaching.
Viscen turned back to his servant, "No, he is welcome here. I will call for you if I require your duties."
The chamberlain bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty," and saw himself out with a click of the closing door.
Viscen stroked his dark beard and gazed at the roaring fire in the hearth. He unfastened the buttons of his blouse cuffs and rolled up his sleeves. He approached the fireplace and sat in one of the cushioned chairs before it. Ren watched him in confusion. As his mind wandered, so did his eyes. From the fireplace, to the red, cushy chairs and sofas, to the massive poster bed, to the thick drapes and back again. It was the most luxury he had ever seen in one place, but all he could think about was Viscen's uncharacteristically friendly behavior. He seemed… human.
Ren approached and stood beside him, "Why are you being nice to me?"
Viscen leaned back in his seat and motioned to the empty chair. Ren did not budge, so Viscen spoke.
"I am a nice man," he tried, but Ren cut him off.
"That couldn't be farther from the truth. Do you think I'm dumb? I know all the horrible stuff you've done."
"Like what?" Viscen asked, nothing more than flat curiosity in his deep voice.
Ren scoffed, "Um, the first time I saw you you ordered to have me thrown in the gutter."
Viscen chuckled, "Dear boy... You must understand what it is like to be royalty. We have crazed men chase us down in the streets on a daily basis. I was only keeping myself safe."
Ren didn't buy a word of it but went on anyway, "You dropped both Emeline and Zelda from a poisoned waterfall."
Viscen's face turned red as he raised his voice, "They are the queen and princess and you will address them as such!"
Ren flinched. Viscen cleared his throat and regained his composure.
"I needed to prove a point."
"And imprisoning my dad? Letting him almost die? Was that also to prove a point?"
"Yes," Viscen nodded, "Though you should not care for your father, as he has never cared for you."
Ren's heart skipped a beat, feeling as if it had been physically struck. The scene with his father surfaced again, and so did the resulting anger. He shook it away; he knew Viscen was trying to get in his head.
Ren's brows drew together in frustration, "That's not an excuse. You don't just..." he shook his head in disbelief, "You don't just do that to prove a point. That's not... That's not a thing."
Viscen laughed, "My, what a way with words. Perhaps I was wrong about you being fit to be king one day."
Ren's jaw fell slack, "What?"
"Ah, nothing, nothing," Viscen shrugged it off, "You don't believe a word I say, so I imagine I should stop trying. I suppose I should just send you on your way and be off to bed myself."
Viscen started to stand up, but Ren took the seat beside him.
"What do you mean?"
Viscen smiled as he sat back in his chair, "Ah, well... I only thought you may make a fine king of Hyrule one day. You do fancy the princess, do you not?"
Ren's cheeks flushed, "N-No, I-"
Viscen laughed, "There is no shame in it, boy! My daughter is a lovely young lady – any man would be lucky to have her. But... I would not give out my blessing so lightly."
Ren shook his head, "No, I don't want it like this."
"No, of course not," Viscen agreed, "You two are still young! It is merely a thought for when you both come of age. After all, how fine would it be to be king?"
Ren's mind ran rampant. Was he being played like a fiddle? Or was this conversation coming from some form of truth on the king's part? He didn't know what to believe. All he felt was utter confusion. But… being king did sound intriguing. He did not idolize the power in it, but the title. Perhaps king might trump hero.
Ren shook his head, "I... I could never be king."
"And why not?"
"I wouldn't be any good at it."
Viscen sighed, "Your loved ones truly never have instilled any faith in you, have they?"
Ren looked at him, eager to deny it, but he found he was unable to.
Viscen nodded, "I understand, my boy. None of them think you're good enough, do they? They wouldn't allow you to do what you wanted, they thought you couldn't handle it. That's why you're here tonight."
Ren was silent at first, but as the shock dissolved, he simply nodded in agreement.
"Yes... None of them believe in you. But I do."
Ren furrowed his brow, "You do? Why?"
"Because you remind me of myself. The boy never quite good enough to stand out, but never bad enough to notice. Always second best, always in someone else's shadow."
Ren gazed down at the floor, trails of water still trickling down his leg from his damp trousers. He then looked back up at the king, "My dad. I've always been in his shadow... compared to him, never as good as him."
Viscen nodded, "Yes, and I with my brother. We understand one another, and that is why I believe in you."
Ren's heart, once so sure that this was all wrong, began to question it. This was the most attention or care anyone had shown him since the loss of his mother. He knew Viscen had done bad things, but now... He wasn't sure what he believed the true cause was. Maybe he simply didn't know the whole story. After all, no one is just inherently bad, right? They have to be pushed to it...
Or persuaded to it.
"Imagine how your loved ones would eat their words when you were to become king," Viscen sat forward, using his hands to paint the image in Ren's mind, "Imagine how they would praise you. They would at last see you as more than good enough. You would finally be out of your father's shadow. You could at last prove yourself to be more than just the hero's son. You could be so much more."
Ren contemplated it. He watched that picture unfold as the king painted it. He could see it all so clear, so attainable. He could see his family adoring him, taking pride in him, believing in him. He could see his mother smiling down on him. He could see his father laden with regret, apologizing to him, making up for his years of neglect. What revenge that would be on a father who was never there for him, who cared more for the rock beneath his shoe than his own son. That anger in his soul turned to twisted delight. It was a pretty picture...
"You really think I could prove myself? I could be more?"
Viscen smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Yes, I do."
Ren eerily beamed from the inside out, but then his mind reminded him who it was he was talking to, "But... I don't understand what you want me to do."
"Take me to the portal. Show me how to enter the Twilight."
Ren shirked his touch, "Why? Why do you want to go there so bad?"
"There is a power there that will give us everything we've ever wanted. It can even give back life that has been lost."
Ren stared in bewilderment, "You mean it can..."
"Bring back those who have died, yes."
Ren looked away. There was no way that could be true… right? His stomach started doing somersaults, "I..."
"Imagine seeing your mother again," Viscen said, "Telling her that you love her. Getting to show her all that you've become and accomplished."
Ren looked at him again. There was so much sincerity in the king's deep, brown eyes that shook him to the core. All this time he had spent with his loved ones trying to figure out how to take Viscen down, watching his evil tactics and utterly fearing him. He could never understand how a whole populace of people couldn't see his evil ways, how they could possibly think he was a good, righteous man and leader. Now... he understood, because he was so confused. He knew the things he had seen this man do were horrible, vile things, but, as he spoke he was seduced. It was like the sirens that lured sailors out to sea only to drag them under to their inevitable doom. Was that what was happening? Or had they been wrong about him all along? His heart and mind were at discord, neither knew the answer, and so neither did he.
Besides… could such a power really be true? To bring back the dead? Surely it had to be made up, a fairytale, a fantasy by which to bait foolish men to their demise. There was just no way such a power existed. And yet… what if it did? What if it was real, and he gave up the chance to pursue it? If it turned out he had the opportunity to see his mother again and he passed it up… He had to try. He had to see for himself.
"If we go... You won't harm the people who live there," Ren said.
"Of course not," Viscen replied.
"And... if we come back with this power..." Ren thought as he spoke, "You will not use it for bad."
"Of course not. I only wish to use it to see my brother again. After that, he and I will return to our home kingdom."
Ren stared at him, searching every inch of the man's unwavering expression for any hint of deception. He found none.
"If I show you... I want you to return to your home and never come back to Hyrule."
Viscen was silent a moment, but he still did not falter, "Deal."
The room fell quiet. A million thoughts flashed through Ren's mind. He could be making a huge mistake, but he also could be setting up his future. He could be ruining everything his friends were planning, but he also could be ending the war for them. He could give Viscen what he wanted, and potentially end all of Hyrule's suffering at his hands. The queen could go back to the castle and resume her rule, and the princess could be free from the fear of the king. Despite his anger with his father, Ren could finally allow the hero a respite from war, and he could see his mother again.
"This power..." Ren finally broke the silence, "Does it really work?"
"I believe it does," Viscen said, "But we can only find out for sure if we try."
The idea of seeing his mother again... it was all Ren needed. And if it meant Viscen would leave Hyrule as well... He could be not only helping himself, but helping everyone in Hyrule, saving everyone in Hyrule. He figured he was striking gold. His family would at last be proud of him.
"Okay," Ren nodded, "I'll show you."
Viscen smiled, "Excellent."
Often go awry.
A big thank you to the following for helping me get this chapter out there!
Big Jake, Taki23, Lee Glerum, Jared Thomason, Moonfairy, Jacob Peachey, Owen Reilly, Anonymouse, Ivalee, Lotus Eater, Ethan Carney Fesler, Silvia Delgado, Emily Zuber, Sabine, wingdesire, Brandan Saldaña, Rob Walters, Yami No Nokutan, Mandelbrot, Jessie, Gabby-J, Claudia, Chloe Rose, SonadowKokoro100
You guys are amazing!
