A/N: Don't own Zelda, No money, Spoiler Alert, yada yada yada...

Chapter Three: Answering a Chimera's Call

The sun had barely begun its ascent into the eastern sky when Link found himself at one of the many gates of Castle Town. If the situation not been (what Link considered) a dire emergency, he would have released Epona to go wherever and do whatever she pleased. This time, however, he barged through the wooden gates like a conquering tyrant. Link praised the goddesses for his early arrival, for the streets were deserted sans for the occasional yawning shop owner. Had he arrived any later, he was certain that innocent people would have been trampled beneath Epona's hooves.

The palace guards were shaken from their stupor when Link, with utter grace, burst through the gates. At first he was greeted as any madman breaking into the castle grounds would be welcomed: at spear point and with threats of dismemberment.

Link slid from Epona's back, "Gentlemen, I am here at her majesty's request. My name is Link and I hail from the village of Ordon"

Realization swept over the guards, and they talked amongst themselves, "Aye, the one she sent messengers for?" "Perhaps." "Wasn't he the lad that saved the Zora child?" "Aye, he was!" "Heard he has some skill at that STAR game as well!"

Link saw his opportunity and slipped away from the guards, leaving Epona in his place. He was certain it would be awhile before they would notice his absence. Swiftly, Link sprinted up the palaces front steps and let himself into the main entrance hall.

The palace had changed greatly since Link had last seen it. His first impressions had been crude, to say the least; but, he assumed, monsters didn't typically wander Hyrule Castle's halls at will. And, his first time in Hyrule Castle, Link had to scale the chandeliers to reach his destinations. That seemed unnecessary now, for there were doors and staircases where there had previously been none.

"I heard you enter the courtyard." a gentle voice said behind him, "You made quite an entrance"

Link turned and bowed, "Forgive me, highness."

"Not necessary. Come, please." Zelda gestured for Link to follow. She led him through the labyrinth that was Hyrule Castle, and Link obediently followed her through the twisting staircases and wide hallways. After what seemed like an eternity, Zelda opened a door that led to a grand library. Thousands, if not millions, of books lined wooden shelves that had to be as tall as oak trees. Link spared a moment to awe at them; he had never seen so many books in one place. In Ordon, he had always purchased books from travelling salesmen that had passed through village. It was at that moment that Link decided he missed the little things in life...

"You're welcome to come here, should you ever feel the need." Zelda said, noting Link's fascination.

"Someday, perhaps." Link fingered one of the wooden shelves, "But there seem to be more pressing issues at hand."

"I believe there are, yes." Zelda answered.

"You believe, highness?" Link asked, "I was under the impression that something urgent had occurred."

"I believe something urgent has happened, yes, that is why I called you to me..." Zelda sighed softly, "But it's rather complicated."

"As of late, complicated seems to be a theme in my life, highness." Link replied, "I beg of you, tell me these problems."

"I believe Midna is in danger." Zelda stated bluntly. At her words, Link seemed to travel to a distant place; he took a rather keen interest in the bindings of one large book. Zelda remained silent as her young hero contemplated the news he had received.

"Again," Link took a deep breath, controlling the waver in his voice, "You believe she is in danger?"

"I have seen her, Link. When she returned to the Twilight Realm she was captured by her own Royal Court. As of late, I have seen her being tried before this Court, before her own citizens. There is one traitor -- Senka, I believe I heard Midna call her. An older member of the Court...Zant seems to have convinced her to betray her Princess."

Link closed his eyes and considered his new dilemma, but something occurred to him, "How have you seen her, highness?"

Zelda sighed once more, "Our hearts were one, Link, you knew this. I have seen these things in my dreams; but they are far from average dreams. I have witnessed these things through Midna's eyes. I've felt her--"

"Highness, forgive me, but at times...dreams are just dreams." Link interrupted; frustrated that he had been summoned for dreams and visions, "If you are simply speculating--"

"She was found guilty, Link." Zelda quickly stopped him, "And she has been sentenced to death."

Link's mind seemed too cluttered to comprehend the Princesses words. Slowly, he turned away from Zelda and gazed out one of the grand windows. Midna was to be executed? The air in the library seemed to strangle him as this thought passed through his mind. Was it possible for his world to fall apart a second time?

"Link?..." Zelda's voice seemed distant to him.

"What would you have me do, highness?" Link's voice was still strong, still calm, "The Mirror..."

"Is broken, yes. But there are some who know a way back to the Twilight World." Zelda replied.

This news hit Link like a blow to the head. Had his answers been here all along? Had he wasted a month of blood and sweat (and tears, but he confessed that only to himself) searching for a way back to his companion? He felt like a fool for failing to realize that the Princess of Hyrule, with all of her knowledge and her grand library of information, had been at his disposal throughout his entire search.

"Tell me all that I need to know, highness." Link kneeled before Zelda, "Tell me and I will leave this very morning."

"The answers are simple, Link." Zelda smiled warmly, "Your answers lie in the heavens."

Link paused for an instant, then felt a hint of fury, "The heavens, highness? No, that is not where my answers lie. Prayer and supplication, loyalty and sacrifice -- they mean nothing to the deities of this world. I have walked the path of the goddesses, assisted the Spirits and done the bidding of the Great Sages -- my deeds were never repaid, my cries never answered. If our solution is to call out to the gods, then highness, it is not I who will help you."

Zelda was shocked by Link's demeanor; the great hero of the gods...speaking ill of the deities? Blasphemy in it's highest form, she knew so...His rant, however, had been in vain.

"Though your...thoughts...Towards our gods concerns me, Link, they are not the ones to help you now. Your answers lie in the heavens -- in the sky." Zelda's voice became a whisper.

"The sky?..." Link muttered. Then the truth struck him, "Oh, highness, you cannot possibly mean--"

"Take this to them, it should be all you need." Zelda held out a leather bond scroll, similar to the one Link had received. Link took it reverently and turned to leave the library.

"Highness," Link stopped at the grand door, "Pardon my thoughts, but...if you are wrong about these dreams--"

"If I am correct in assuming these dreams are truth, could you live with yourself if you did not heed her call?" Zelda asked.

Link knew the answer but left it unsaid. With a quick bow, he turned and exited the palace and began the journey to Lake Hylia.

Link departed, but Zelda's knowledge of her hero's secret desires struck her as rather humorous, and she laughed gently, "And, if I am wrong, would that really stop you?"

A/N: I really struggled with this chapter, and I have no idea why it was so difficult to write. My theory is that, since Zelda barely played a part in Twilight Princess, writing her was a challenge. So, to rectify my issue, I simply wrote her as I would write the Zelda of Ocarina of Time -- quiet, kind, helpful but in the end really, really useless. x)

Yes, another short chapter, I really am sorry! No matter how hard I try, it's difficult to write beyond my original ideas. Any advice in that area?

Oh, and as a last note, I would like to state that the hardest thing in the world for me to do is to not refer to the Twilight Realm as the Twilight Zone...

Comments, questions, critiques are always welcome:D Thanks again for all the support you guys are giving me!