Disclaimer: Don't own Zelda, not making money, yada yada yada...
A/N: Again, thank you all for the awesome feedback! If I didn't get a chance to send you a 'thank you' message, no offense was intended! I try to write to everyone, but being the doofus that I can be, I forget who I have and have not written too. x)
Also, my apologies for such a delay in this chapter. I was rather busy with school and work this past week, so I just recently got the time to write again. Here's hoping this chapter (one of my favorites, thus far) will make up for the delay!
This chapter, in my opinion, is where the fun begins. :D Fasten your seatbelts!
EDIT: I raised the rating from T to M, just to be safe. Also edited a line or two because I was annoyed with the flow.
EDIT 2/22/2007: Okay, still tinkering with this chapter...there are lines that tend to make me twitch. I swear this is the last edit...maybe shifty glance
Chapter Five: Blood at Dusk
In the world of Twilight, time seemed motionless. With no sun or moon to lapse the sky, a foreigner would assume time didn't flow as it did in other realms; and they would be incorrect. Time was a gentle breeze, unseen but felt by any and all who would simply stop to sense it.
No one knew this more than Midna.
While two months would have been an ample supply of time to the average individual, it had been a lesson in torture for Midna. If she was not in a crowded courtroom defending her innocence to a biased council, she was locked away in the dungeons of the palace. Being locked in her cell, however, had offered her an abundant amount of time to consider her predicament.
Throughout her trial, Midna had seen first hand who controlled the court. Senka, by threats or promises of greatness, had won over her fellow councilors. Their votes, opinions and ultimate sentence of death were not their own; but it was enough to put Midna in danger.
What Senka had clearly underestimated were the people themselves. Commoners rarely supported the royalty of any culture, but to Midna's delight the citizens of Twilight found the Princess's trial unnecessary and immoral. So much so, that when Midna's execution was announced to the courtroom, there was an outrageous cry of petulance from those allowed to witness the trial. The outrage turned violent, and Senka had summoned a multitude of guards to defend the council from the furious rabble. She had also demanded that Midna be locked away so that her presence would not further the rebellion.
That had been three days prior and Midna had been abandoned in the palace dungeons from that moment on. Assuming she had been sentenced to a lifetime of boredom and not death, Midna began reevaluating her ploys to escape. Her previous attempts had been unsuccessful, and she had the bruises and cuts to testify to her failure. If there was anything she would concede to Senka, it was the fact that she had not underestimated the Princess's abilities.
Three days of scheming turned out to be useless. Hours before nightfall on the third day, Midna's cell door burst open and to reveal a cohort of guards. Without a word (or gentle coercing, Midna noted) they bound her arms and brutishly dragged her from the cell.
Midna was led through the bowels of the palace to the back courtyards of the castle. The circular regions of the courtyard were filled with soldiers, peasants and members of her treacherous council. Although such a sight was far from normal, something was amiss. Midna observed the people's faces; they were down cast, their faces filled with grief. How could that be? Was this not the same mob that had so vehenomously defended her innocence? What had transformed them from brave supporters to silent patrons?
Upon entering the center of the courtyard, Midna received her gruesome answer.
In the heart of the courtyard sat a block that Midna was all too familiar with, but she had never witnessed it's horrid job. The massive, onyx stone was the purest form of irony in the Twilight: its ebony surface was adorned with beautiful patterns that shimmered in the dusky light. For anyone who did not realize it's purpose, it could have been considered a work of art...But art was never to shine with fresh blood. Crimson liquid slid down the edges of the executioners stone and receded into the dark, damp earth. Midna gasped in horror and her mind reeled at the thought of what had transpired throughout that calamitous day.
It seemed that an eternity passed before the guards handed Midna to the executioner, who dragged her through the blood soaked soil and pressed her head firmly against the wet stone. She hardly noticed the ropes that were fixed around her body, firmly binding her to the chopping block.
Nor had she noticed that Senka had left the council members and was standing beside her. As the executioner read the standard proclamation of capitol punishment, Senka leaned towards Midna and began whispering indignantly.
"Royal or peasant blood," she sneered, "It doesn't matter whose it is when it's spilt."
"It's me you wanted, and you've had me in custody since the beginning! What did my people ever do?!" Midna growled.
"Their little ruckus in the courtroom the day you were sentenced was very disruptive. Examples had to be made." Senka answered with a sneer.
Midna began to tremble with fury -- and with her fury came her salvation. Power crackled at the ends of her fingertips, desperately seeking to escape its master. Her magic, though greatly diminished with the loss of the Fused Shadows, was still a force to be reckoned with. All along, the executioner read the proclamation and Senka smirked victoriously.
It was then that Midna knew what she would have to do.
"Kill me quickly," Midna feigned a whimper, "I don't want to know what horrors await my people."
"The people have nothing to fear, so long as they obey the Royal Court...so long as they obey me." Senka answered, "It is your Devine Beast who should be afraid."
Midna's plan had worked; Senka was distracted, caught up in her own brilliance.
"Don't hurt him," Midna begged miserably, "He's just a boy."
"Not much younger than you, I heard. But that boy, that farmer left Zant a sniveling mass of flesh," Senka seemed on the verge of laughter, "I will not be so easily conquered."
"He never wronged you--" Midna began, but was interrupted.
"No, but his predecessors did. They wronged us all, and they will soon pay the price," Senka stepped closer to Midna, "He will pay most of all. When I find him -- and I will find him, Midna -- I will see that he continues his farming chores. He can grind wheat; I'll gouge out his eyes and strap him to a millstone. A blind wolf could pull a grinding stone, yes?"
More power seemed to pool in Midna's hands at the mention of the farmhand turned hero, "You will never get the chance: he will tear you to shreds."
"I eagerly await the day he tries," Senka stepped back, "Pity you won't be there to watch him fall."
The executioner had finished reading the proclamation and was approaching the stone block; a great, bloody ax was held firmly in his grasp. Midna braced herself, she would wait for the moment before the ax would fall. While the guards were preoccupied with controlling the people, while Senka would be too busy wallowing in her victory and while the executioner would be concentrating on delivering a flawless blow, Midna would strike.
She could snap the ropes before the ax could fall. She could rise to her feet before the guards or the executioner could react. She could snap Senka's neck before the traitor would ever know what had gone wrong.
Midna smirked.
In the slowest of motions, the executioner raised the ax above his head and steadied the weapon. Midna tensed and waited, watched his arms twitch with practiced skill and precession. One second more, and she could--
The air became electric and an unholy hum broke the thickened silence. Midna and all who were present looked to the east, to the source of the gathering power.
The portal to the World of Light spiraled open and a young man landed gracefully on to the soft earth.
-----------------------------
Link had been harboring concerns of just how and where he would land within the Realm of Twilight. He was uncertain as to how the reconstructed Mirror would function. Would the new Mirror transport him to another section of Twilight? And what would he do if he was in an unknown location, with no one to guide him through this odd realm?
When the portal closed he had a new crop of concerns. Upon entering the shadowed, gloriously strange Twilight, Link realized just how difficult his new mission would be.
The once sparsely populated courtyard, where Link had freed some of the feeble Twili from Zant's curse, was now packed with hundreds of citizens. And hundreds of strange, amber eyes were focused on him. Even for the chosen hero, it was unnerving.
Link scanned the scene before him, attempting to make sense of just what he had stumbled into. There were commoners, that was clear enough, but there seemed to be other Twili present: soldiers, Link assumed. He could fight them if they were to attack, but their numbers were so great that he would be at a severe disadvantage. There were other Twili present, but they couldn't be commoners. What had he stumbled upon?
Then he saw her. A young woman was kneeling before-- no! She was tied to a large, black stone in the center of the courtyard. A large, muscular Twili stood beside her and he held a large ax high above his head.
Link panicked. He placed his hand on the hilt of the Master Sword and began moving towards the thick crowd.
A shrill voice called out to him, "Who in the hell are you?"
The Twili peasants were violently pushed aside by the guards, and a rather un-imposing creature approached Link. He blinked and cocked his head ever so slightly, intrigued by the short Twili that had appeared. Was this the source of Midna's troubles?
"Midna..." Link whispered and looked beyond the stubby Twili. The executioner had lowered the ax and backed away from his charge. Link gave a muffled gasp as he received a better glimpse of his long lost companion.
The Princess that had greeted Link after Ganon's defeat was in a miserable state. Her golden adornments were missing, the black robes she had worn were replaced by ragged burlap and (Link felt pure gall rise in his chest) her skin was marred by the all too frequent bruise or cut.
"Gods...Midna..." Link murmured as he continued to move forward.
"Stop right there!" the piercing voice of the short Twili called, "How dare you--"
"Release her." Link demanded.
"Who do you think you--"
"Release her." Link's hand returned to the hilt of his sword.
Midna was trying to recall if she had been bashed in the head as she was dragged from her cell, for Link's presence in the Twilight Realm was impossible.
"How did you?..." Midna asked, her voice filled with absolute curiosity.
"Shut up!" Senka snarled at Midna, "Who are you, boy?! How in the hell did you--"
"I've finally lost my mind." Midna seemed amused at such a possibility.
"Shut up!" Senka yelled, "Answer me, boy!"
"That can't really be you, Link." Midna stated rather plainly.
"I said shut up, you pathetic girl!" Senka began to stomp forward, but stopped rather suddenly, "Link?"
"Of all the times for you to talk too much, Midna." Link muttered, for he was certain that his true identity would not help the situation.
"I don't talk too much, you were just far too quiet." Midna answered the assumably invisible Link.
"Did you call him Link?" Senka asked Midna as she attempted to hide a thrilled smile.
Midna blinked, then gasped nervously as she came to a horrific realization, "Oh gods...Link, you are here."
Link stood still, gaping at the scene before him -- it concerned him all the more that the least of his issues was the possibility that Midna had lost her mind. Link was certain things could not become more difficult.
"Why are you imbeciles just standing there?! Arrest him!!" Senka screamed to the sedentary guards.
Link had been erroneous about his situation becoming worse, for the guards that surrounded him turned their weapons is his direction. They approached slowly, as if conflicted about the orders they had received. Some of them, Link assured himself, had surely seen him free the innocent people from Zant's curse or witnessed him leave the Palace of Twilight after defeating Zant. Nevertheless, relying on the inner goodness of his attackers was a last resort.
"And you! Do your job and kill her!" Senka cried as she jabbed an accusing finger at the executioner.
The executioner, who had retreated when Link approached, hesitated only an instant before raising the mammoth ax for a second time. Midna, whose attention had been focused on Link and Senka, was not prepared for the sight of the massive Twili bringing her doom. In the confusion she had experienced, Midna's chance of escape had alluded her and she winced as the executioner reeled the ax towards her neck.
A resounding CLANG shook the courtyard. Link had braced himself above Midna and caught the executioner's deadly blow with his shield. Link's legs buckled at the weight and force of the blow, but he held fast. With a roar, Link forced the ax to graze off his shield and unsheathed his sword. The executioner, thrown off balance, stumbled forward and impaled himself on the Master Sword. Link kicked the Twili in the center of his chest, releasing his torso from the end of the sword. The executioner fell with a heavy thud and lay motionless on the bloody earth.
Link sliced the ropes binding Midna to the block and lifted her to her feet.
"Are you alright?" he asked gently.
"We have bigger issues than my well being." Midna gestured behind Link.
Some time during Link's scuffle with the executioner, the Twili citizens had rebelled against the guards. Pure chaos reigned in the courtyard as unarmed civilians fought a loosing battle against merciless guards. Cries of anger and pain rose from the scrambled, tumultuous crowd. Somewhere, lost amongst the swarm, Senka was screaming furiously to the soldiers and council members.
"This is madness! Find them! It's not as though they're difficult to see!" Senka was yelling.
Link scanned the chaotic scene, "We need to reach the portal."
"No! We need to stop this! Between the two of us--" Midna snapped.
"We're greatly outnumbered! If we try to stop this they will kill us both! Then what good are you to your people?" Link growled in reply.
Midna grasped Link's shoulders, "I will not leave them again!"
Link grabbed Midna's arm and began to race between the members of the panicked crowd, "I'm not giving you a choice!"
With his sword drawn, Link sliced down guards and soldiers as he dragged Midna through the crowd. As quickly as he could, he cut a bloody path to the portal. When he reached their only means of escape, Midna dug her heels into the ground.
"I will not run away again!" Midna said adamently, before wrenching her arm from Link's grasp and slapping him across the face.
Link blinked, unsure whether to laugh at her assault or feel the utmost offense.
"This time, Midna, you will do as I say" Link called above the uproar.
In a movement nearly too fast to see, Link wrapped his arms around Midna's waist and pulled her into the portal.
A/N: I loved and hated this chapter. Again, I'm afraid I may have butchered this. Chaos is very difficult to write. It's easy to see the events in my head, but getting them down on paper AND getting them to make sense to others is rather hard.
Something I wanted to note... First off, I do not think Midna is powerless. I realize she seems rather useless here, but keep in mind she has: 1) had the Fused Shadows taken from her 2) she's spent the past two months locked in a prison cell and 3) have you ever been tied to anything against your will? It's traumatizing. Midna will have a chance to hand people their collective asses, never you fear!
Let me know if you guys enjoyed this! I may go back and edit it, depending on the reaction it gets.
I promise the next chapter will be coming along sooner than later! As always, thanks for reading:D