Chapter Thirteen
Words of War

The six other council members settled into their seats around the table, some with confidence, and some with nervous expressions. Daran stood quietly on the balcony looking out over the gardens. Seated to Zelda's left was the Zora General Vellaro Valetta, and around from him the image of Mido of the Kokiri child, and then the empty Sheikah seat. To her right was the general of her own race, the Hylian General Dragan. Along from him was the Goron General Brold, and then the Gerudo General Jevilla. Next to Jevilla, directly opposite Zelda, was Link in his black attire.

"May I first express my gratitude that you have answered the summons to council. General Dragan has done well to arrange this meeting, in anticipation of my arrival back in the city." There was a heavy sting of sarcasm for Dragan there, who had summoned the council entirely on his own initiative in her absence. There was no need to let anyone else know that though. "Indeed, General Dragan has done well in maintaining the city of Hylia and fortifying our defences whilst I have been otherwise engaged."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," said Brold in his rumbling Goron voice, "permit me to ask where you have been, if indeed you have been absent from the city as you say."

It was not bad etiquette for Brold to interrupt, at least not in terms of power and status, though perhaps in general manners. There was no hierarchy at the table, and they were reminded of this by the round shape of the table that reminded them no-one was the head, and the plainness of all the seats was supposed to represent humility. Nonetheless there was a natural deference towards herself as the Queen of Hyrule, and if she were to stand they would also have to stand, and then she would be able to give them orders. Perhaps then the idea of equality was just a farce.

"I shall come to that matter soon, General Brold," said Zelda politely, "however there are some other issues I must address first. Firstly, it will no doubt to surprise you to learn that I have a son." All faces were indeed surprised. Zelda continued, saying words now deliberately to try and evoke a response. "He is to the age of twenty years. As blood of my blood, he and no other will inherit my crown when the last embrace of the grave takes me." Vellaro's fist hit the table.

However no-one was more surprised than Dragan who's eyes widened in complete horror. Zelda knew that with no proclaimed heir there would be a succession in the event of her death, in which the ambitions Dragan would surely take power. On numerous occasions she had suspected him of plotting against her, and his recent boldness in proclaiming himself Governor during her absence had confirmed her suspicions. However she needed him to lead her armies, for no-one was a better commander. She was safe so long as she had Link keeping an eye on him.

Dragan became very quiet, and Zelda turned her attention to Vellaro, who had clearly hoped she hadn't noticed his violent action upon the table. "You might well slam your fists, General Vellaro." Said Zelda with accusation. The Zora leaned back and took on a worried expression. "When you return to King Ralato you can tell him that I am quite well, and quite capable of defending my city from any attack he may throw at me."

Vellaro shook his head, suddenly professing innocence for whatever crime he may be being accused of. "Your Majesty," he said, with the famous watery Zora accent, "I know not of what you speak, I-"

"My quarrel is not with you, Vellaro, but do not lie to me. I have many spies, even among your own people. Do not look so surprised, for I know Ralato is waiting for the opportune moment to take the Crown of Hyrule from me." Zelda leaned back so that he could see the shining crown clearly on her head, then she turned to face Brold. "And do not think he is the only one, for I know that Chief Brother Link has also turned his attention to the rule of Hyrule in recent days." She made a concerted effort not to look at Dragan as she said, "There is no rebellion you could mount against me that would not result in defeat and exile. I know that both of you have come with the instruction to assess the strength of my rule. Believe me when I say that the Queen of Hylia is the Queen of Hyrule, and her son shall rule thereafter her."

"Here, here," said Dragan loudly.

Link gave Dragan a sharp look and he was instantly quiet once more. Brold appeared to be slowly contemplating what he had just been told. Vellaro had changed from worry to an outward display of irritation.

"Your Majesty," said Jevilla, "may I just say on behalf of Queen Lana that the Shaylin Gerudos remain ever loyal to Hylia."

Zelda smiled, "Yet if the Gerudos were a united people as they should be then I cannot help but feel that Lana's stance would be different."

"I-" started Jevilla.

"It matters not," said Zelda. "I am Queen of Hyrule by the combined consent of all the peoples of Hyrule, and if sufficient force should present itself before me I should have no choice but to abdicate my power. I have said my piece on this matter, and we shall here no more of it." She sat up straight and shared her gaze around the room as she said, "Alas, I have digressed. I did mean to speak of this but now was not to be the time. Now I have said it though I will make this clear to you. The threat posed by the Kairin is greater than you could possibly know. If Hyrule is divided then we will all be defeated, and King Tadian shall have dominion over this entire kingdom."

There was quiet for a while. Vellaro had bowed his head with shame; Brold was looking up at the ceiling grumbling almost inaudibly. "Your Majesty has a son?" asked Dragan at length. He glanced across the hall to Daran, who was walking amongst the columns on the balcony. "Surely you cannot mean this man? I recognise him as one of the young men from Taran Kaey who brought news of the invasion to us."

"No, this is not my son," said Zelda, "though it shall no doubt disturb you to learn who that man is. Perhaps I shall let him tell you himself." Zelda looked to Link, who was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently. "No, my son is another. His name is Prince Rael Nohansen, though you may remember him as Rael al'Resh. He was also one of our guests from Taran Kaey."

"Surely not!" exclaimed Dragan, "A peasant farmhand? Your Majesty I do not understand how this has come to pass."

"You do not need to," Zelda said, "for the story is long and I shall not waste your most valuable time with it here. In short, I bore Rael as my child twenty years ago. However due to the words of a wise and trusted friend I committed him into the care of your predecessor General Brash al'Aals. He took him to Taran Kaey and raised him as his own under the name Resh al'Shael. When my son came to me here he learned the truth of his heritage." Zelda laughed wearily. "He took much persuading."

"Who is his father, Your Majesty?" asked Jevilla.

Zelda looked across to Link, who stared back at her expressionlessly. They had debated whether to tell the truth or not, and still had come to no decision. "The father is not important," said Zelda flatly.

"But surely," said Dragan, "if Your Majesty is to proclaim him as your son," he said the word 'son' with scepticism, "then the people will ask for a father." Perhaps Dragan had decided that this was a sign of his queens erratic behaviour increasing. Zelda had long thought Dragan held her to be mad.

"I am the father," said Link suddenly, with a voice like iron. "He is my son."

"What!" Dragan shouted, standing up in his place. "This is foolishness." He quickly heard the brashness of his words. However rather than apologising he said, "Hang me, I do not care. I cannot abide this game any longer."

"Sit. Down." Said Link, with such force that Zelda thought the sky itself might do as he commanded.

Dragan sniffed, straightened his robes, and sat down once more, placing white knuckled hands on the table. "Forgive me," he muttered, "I am old and such excitement heats my blood."

Zelda forgave Dragan, and relaxed her manner. "Yes, Ivarl is his father. But please do not let this distract us from the important matter. My son ties into the very reason that you are gathered here. You all know of the threat of the Kairin invasion, but you do not know the full truth. This war is the prophesied War of Twilight, the war to end all wars, when all existence itself may perish." Zelda sighed deeply, feeling the weight of her own words. She resented that the responsibility was hers. No amount of riches and power could ease the burden of her governance. This was her private pain that no-one could understand.

"The Great Deku Tree has spoken to me of the War of Twilight," said Mido. "He said that a Hero with deep roots would stretch out his branches to defend Hyrule, but it would be his seed that is to be our salvation, should it fall in good soil."

Mido glanced to Link, who had resumed drumming his fingers on the table. "Indeed," Link said, drawing a deep breath. "I am sure there is not a soul here who does not know that I am, or was at least, the Hero of Time." The generals nodded, letting him know that they were indeed aware. "And it is for precisely that reason that you must come to understand the severity of the danger we now face. The Kairin-"

"The Kairin are not the enemy," interrupted Zelda, "at least not the true enemy." Link did not look to appreciate being interrupted but he conceded to her, and Zelda continued. "King Tadian of Kaira is a greedy and corrupt man, and his actions in starting the Kaira-Hyrule have begun a sequence of events that have caused a man named Ralis to awaken as the prophesied Lord of Dusk. Soon I fear he will rule Kaira in Tadian's stead, and then he will wage a war of a different nature. I can only presume Tadian came to capture our lands for his own empire, but Ralis will come to destroy us. The Lord of Dusk is the embodiment of all evil. He may become so powerful that no army can stand against him. If he ever becomes so powerful, make no mistake we are doomed."

As Brold spoke up, Zelda could feel his voice vibrating in her own chest. "You speak of magic, Your Majesty. All I know of is the sword and the spear, and I cannot imagine that such a war of spiritual power could occur. It is the stuff of legends."

Zelda held out her right hand, and a ball of fire flared up above her palms. Vellaro shifted back in his seat to get as far away form her as he could. "You think this is stuff of legends, General Brold?" Zelda focussed her mind and the flame grew, becoming hotter so that Dragan beside her had to shield his eyes. Vellaro stood up from his chair to get away form the heat. Brold and Jevilla looked on in amazement. Mido was too accustomed to living in a world of fairy magic to be bothered with Zelda's small display. Link laughed quietly to himself.

Zelda raised her left hand and channelled a cold icy breeze into the flame. The flame solidified into solid ice before them and Zelda grasped it in her right hand. "The Lord of Dusk will burn the world and turn it to a dead wasteland. Then, he will break it." She dropped the heavy ice block onto the table and it splintered into a hundred pieces which went sliding across the stone, some onto the floor. "Unless we stop him."

With a wave of her hand the shards of ice melted and then evaporated, leaving the table dry and looks of awe on the faces of the Generals. "I have some magic power, but I fear I cannot match the potential of the Lord of Dusk. Even if I could destroy him now, I regret that I do not know where he is now, save that he is Kaira. He has disappeared beyond my sight. I fear that this war will be fought with swords and upon the blood of all races."

"The Kairin war is against Hylia," said Brold, "this is not the war of the Goron people."

"Nor the Zora," said Vellaro confidently. He seemed to have resumed the composure he had lost in his earlier reprimand.

"The Kairin war is against all Hyrule," said Link strongly, "do not think that the Kairin will be content with just the grasslands." He looked to Brold, "They come to claim it's mountains," he looked to Vellaro, "they come to claim it's waters," he looked at Jevilla and Mido as he said, "and the deserts and forests and every other bit of this vast kingdom. If you think you will be safe when King Tadian or Ralis the Lord of Dusk sits upon the throne of Hylia, you are wrong."

"And," said Zelda quickly, "even if it were so, do you think I should just let you lay down as the Kairin kill us? No! I will have you stand side by side with your Hylian brothers and defend your Queen! Have you no honour?" Zelda drew a deep breath and said fiercely, "Hylian, Zora, Goron and Gerudo alike shall stand side by side against the darkness. Have you already forgotten what I have told you about the Lord of Dusk? He comes to destroy us all!"

Silence fell, and nobody made eye contact with anyone else. The air was cold and still, the wind having stilled beyond the archways. Zelda was so angry. Why could they not understand the danger that they faced? Every race was looking out for itself, though she conceded that she too had Hylia's own best interests at heart.

"There is but one hope," said Daran, suddenly beside the table. "Rael."

Heads turned to look at him, standing quietly by the table with his arms folded under his white robes. "Zelda's alleged son?" asked Dragan. "And why is this? And what would you know of such matters? Who are you anyway?"

Daran smiled, "I am a messenger from the gods. A light for you in the darkness to light your path until it merges with that of the Rael." Daran laughed. "This war is unavoidable, and you must fight with every fibre in your being, though I fear you may not have victory for yourselves. Yet without your every effort, Rael will surely die; and if Rael dies, this world will surely be shattered into dust."

"And why Rael?" asked Mido.

"He is the Lord of Dawn," said Daran. "The Father of the Sun. It is he who must kill the Lord of Dusk. Only he who can end this War of Twilight." Though Daran sounded as though he was being blunt, Zelda knew he was shielding them from the full truth. The grim reality that she had faced ever since Twilight's fall. She kept the dark secret truth to herself for if the Generals knew then they would not fight, and fight they must.

"So what would you have us do?" asked Jevilla.

Link answered the question. "Go back to your homelands and ready your people for war. There is time yet before Gorons and Zoras must fight. Hylia rides for war against the Kairin in the south. Our armies numbers are greater now than when the Kairin first came, and we shall crush them with full force and drive them back beyond the sea."

There followed much talk of battle and war, in between which Zelda told of their journey into the desert and the river of blood. She spoke in greater detail of Rael and Elane and their mission to reunite the Gerudos. As dusk fell Zelda bid Vellaro, Brold and Jevilla safe sleep, telling them to begin the journeys back to their homelands at dawn. Perhaps they would heed her warnings and carry the tidings of war back their King, Chief, and Queen.

……

After Daran had left them, Zelda and Link were the last ones left in the chamber together. Zelda stood out on the balcony, looking out over the palace gardens, all illuminated in the orange glow of evening's twilight. Trees were shedding their leaves, for autumn was full upon them now, and all the brown and gold and yellow foliage glowed warmly in the sunset light. Even the seasons knew that the great twilight at the end of time was upon them. The chill of winter was near.

Link came and stood beside her, laying his hands upon the thick stone rail and leaning upon it tiredly. His hood was down and his gloves had been taken off now that ceremony did not require him to be so dressed. Zelda had likewise removed her crown and placed it upon the great stone table under the ever watchful eyes of the kings and queens of ancient Hyrule. Link hummed deeply to himself, gazing out towards the mountains to the north. "I wonder what Rael is doing right now?" he said thoughtfully.

"Resting," said Zelda, with a smile "if he has any sense. He must be so tired. I hope he does not yet feel the weight of the world upon his shoulders as I do." She turned to look at her son's father, gazing at his side, studying the face of the man she had known so long, yet still felt so close from. It was over forty years since their first fateful meeting that summer day in the courtyard of this very palace. Time had been unkind to Link; he was fifty years of age, but he looked closer to sixty. There were lines around his foggy blue eyes, his red hair evermore becoming iron grey.

Link was her rock in a world fast escaping from her grasp, to which she could anchor her spirit. Their relationship had long been cold and distant, but these last few weeks had drawn them back together in a way that she had never thought would be possible.

Link realised she was staring at him and turned to face her, his expression telling her that he knew what she was thinking. Perhaps he was thinking about the same thing, but perhaps not. Link's old mind was filled with battles and death, and had little time to think about anything else.

"Thank you," said Zelda, softly. She felt she could cry.

Link laid a hand upon her shoulder and spoke gently. "For what?" He asked quietly.

She smiled, wiping a single tear from her eye. "For everything," she said, and then added, "for being you." Link said nothing, continuing to watch her with sympathetic eyes. For a moment, she felt young again. She felt the same rush of warm emotions she had felt twenty one years ago the night Rael was first within her. She felt an urge to lean in towards the man before her… but the feeling passed. "Good night, Ivarl," she said, stepping away from the balcony stone and turning to leave.

"Good night Your Majesty," he said, bowing his head. Zelda gave him one last smile before turning her back on him completely and heading for the doors.

……

Link waited until Zelda was completely gone, and then waited some more. There had been only one thought occupying his mind that entire day, and it had only been interrupted briefly just then by Zelda's uncharacteristically soft and sensitive words. Now his thoughts were back again, he knew what he must do.

"Guard!" he shouted, pulling up his hood to hide his face. In a few short seconds a soldier had come hurrying through the open doors of the council chamber to his side.

"Yes, my lord?" he said quickly.

"Go to the barracks and deliver a message," he said, "Joal al'Aranra is to report to me in me in the Tower of the Marshal at dawn."