Triforce of the Gods

Chapter Seven: Betrayal

Immediately after her period of recovery was over, Zanna was asked to speak to the Hylian Council. She awoke before the dawn on her first day of freedom, watching the sun climb out of its hiding place with an attentiveness she had never given it before. She tried to memorize every detail, savoring the way the light gradually swept out across the trees and awakened the birds, while the earth's creatures remained profoundly silent, shrouded in a thick white fog. The dawn was an unusual glowing red, with none of the peaceful strokes of pink and blue Zanna had been hoping to see and take comfort in. She decided that the crimson canopy was not necessarily a bad thing– perhaps it was unwise to approach this pivotal day with serenity.

And so she stood quietly in front of the barred window, her forehead cooled even through her scarf as she pressed it against the glass, and she gathered her thoughts.

Every argument, every truth, every dignity she refused to give up, Zanna arranged in a clean list of priorities in the back of her mind. More importantly however, as she watched the sun bleed away the night, Zanna meditated on the outrages she had suffered at the hands of the Goddesses... and the mute suffering they imposed upon all people, whether they knew it or not. Zanna ran through the history texts she'd memorized by now, and mentally swathed herself in the knowledge of the systematic betrayal and abandonment of her people by the royal family. A betrayal that resulted in their complete extinction, Zanna reminded herself over and over again, the icy encasement of her grief hardening with every repetition. Her rage swelled– a fierce, churning thing– and she prepared for her "meeting" with the council. Her trial.

Cedra used to say that a red sunrise indicated great bloodshed the night before... and if there had been none, then there was great bloodshed to come. Zanna thought it was hogwash, but in the eery red stillness the superstition suddenly seemed ominous.

She stood by the window until there was a knock at the door, and Resha poked her head in. "Are you ready?" the Gerudo asked gravely, her yellow eyes sharp with what Zanna hoped was not Resha's characteristic, reckless anger. It was important that the day's events were executed smoothly, and that her companions not fight for her when she ultimately accepted her fate.

Zanna nodded slowly. "Yes, I'm ready."

oXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXo

The meeting hall was arranged to make its "visitors" feel as insignificant as possible, Zanna noted as the enormous wooden doors shut behind her and she slowly approached the council. A semi-circle of large steps ascended at the end of the rectangular room, so that the council was raised ten feet above the defendant and as one stepped nearer they felt surrounded by the cold, barren stone. Trapped.

Atop the raised platform, Princess Zelda sat in the center, with three old and sour-looking people on either side. They were all extravagantly clothed, and behind them hung an elaborate array of fine tapestries. The central panel, directly behind the Princess, revolved around a golden, three-tiered relic which Zanna identified as the Triforce in its mythically complete state. Her resolve hardened.

To the right of the council and set some distance apart was Link... although today he did not look so much like Link as he did The Hero. There was a fierceness in his sapphirine eyes that Zanna had never seen, and his posture was so rigid it seemed almost as if he was ready to spring into battle at a moment's notice. He winked at Zanna, and while she could not returned the gesture she felt grateful for it, even in her somber state.

Other than the glow of the wall torches, there was only a single shaft of sunlight coming from a window in the ceiling, creating a perfect circle on the floor directly in front of the judges. As Zanna stepped into it, Rowan and Resha joined her on either side, flanking her. She wished the Princess had not granted them entry... their presence would only make the proceedings more difficult.

Princess Zelda was a sight to behold, dressed in pink silks and minimally but expensively bejeweled. More impressive than even her tiara, her thick hair gleamed as though each individual thread was spun gold. It gave her a glow that seemed almost... sacred, somehow. Perhaps it was true– perhaps the Princess really was blessed by the Goddesses. A twisted part of Zanna genuinely hoped so.

"Impree Zanna, Impree Rowan, Impree Resha," the Princess said, smiling. "I greet you. Welcome to the meeting hall of the Hylian Council."

Rowan and Resha bowed as was customary, but Zanna remained upright, her gaze unflinching. She felt the wave of the council's shock and anger at her actions, yet the princess herself was unperturbed.

"I will not waste words," she continued gracefully. "You are here today to be examined, in response to a prophecy that I myself received upon your arrival in Castle Town."

"Describe this prophecy, Your Highness," Zanna said evenly.

There was a flurry of motion from the council, and the man on the Princess's right was especially disturbed; the rage that he felt struck Zanna in a clear and concentrated stream– he was like a lighthouse.

"You will speak to the Princess of Hyrule with the respect she is owed, Sheikah," he spat, making the word sound filthy and perverse. Resha clenched her fists, but Zanna immediately sent her a wave of certainty and strength– a warning that she needed to contain herself.

"It is all right, Lyonel," the Princess said, and Zanna could feel her weariness. "Impree Zanna, you are aware that nearly a month ago I had a dream in which the Goddesses warned me of a plague that would descend upon Hyrule. I was told that it could only be stopped by eliminating its cause– a threat that has been reborn to us many times, but would this time take the mantle of an entity called the Winged Sheikah. This was the extent of the knowledge imparted to me.

"With so little information, my only option was to seek out those Sheikah who remained and ask for their assistance. You responded to my entreaty, and for that you have my sincere gratitude."

Zanna nodded, feeling a flicker of regret. The Princess was, she had to admit, a good woman... her kindness and wisdom radiated so brightly that it almost blocked out the dark and swirling passions of the council. The desire to help her was a natural, almost reflexive response– not only for Zanna but everyone who entered Zelda's company. However, Zanna could not give in... not now. She had made her decision, and she refused to allow the Goddesses to dazzle her out of her resolve.

"When you entered Castle Town, however, I received a most disturbing vision– a prophecy, stronger than any I have ever had. Usually the Goddesses speak to me at night in dreams, but this was a warning so dire that I witnessed it with my own waking eyes. I saw your face, Impree Zanna, and I saw the markings on your back. Behind you was a vast shadow, and all around you my country died." Zelda's voice was as graceful and elegant as her appearance, but there was a grave certainty in her words that Zanna could not ignore. The Princess, she realized, was much, much stronger than she seemed... and her dedication to the Goddesses was as steely and uncompromising as Zanna's hatred of them.

"When I regained my senses," the Princess continued, "I went straight to the captain of the guard to declare a heightened state of security. On my way there, however, I was informed by one of my handmaidens that Link and his Sheikah guide had visited while I was out, and that they requested an audience. I knew immediately that this was no coincidence. I proceeded to the captain of the guard and issued a warrant for your immediate arrest." She sighed, studying Zanna with an expression that was difficult to read, and an emotion that was even more obscure. "You matched my description exactly. I was, I confess, badly shaken by what I had seen," Zelda finished, her words teeming with a somber distress that was lost on noone.

There was a heavily weighted silence, as all contemplated the gravity of the situation. Zanna had believed herself to be prepared for whatever was to come, but the utter specificity of the prophecy affected her deeply. She took a quivering breath, afraid of betraying her dismay.

Princess Zelda leaned back against her high-backed chair, examining Zanna with a sad, tired smile. "But once I had captured you, I learned that things were not nearly so simple as I had believed. Or hoped, really." She ran one finger across the bottom of her chin, deep in thought. "Your companions were very honorable," Zelda continued at last, with considerable warmth. "They loved you dearly, and even The Hero of Hyrule, to whom we all owe our lives, was outraged by your arrest. All three of them vehemently protested that it was impossible that you were behind the plague, and that you possessed a strong and honorable character. I see now that they were at least correct about the latter.

"I was, and remain, distraught. I felt strongly that you were the figure in my dreams, but the loyalty of your companions filled me with uncertainty. Further casting doubt on the issue was the fact that you lacked a crucial symbol in my first vision– a mark which for security's sake I will not reveal. I wondered if perhaps my prophecies warned of two different Sheikah, in which case your destruction would not be necessary. And yet, even if that were the case, I still have no doubt that the figure in my second vision– you, Impree Zanna– are directly related to the illness that has already begun to invade the outskirts of my country. So I am sure you can imagine I am left with a critical and disturbing question: What am I to do with you?"

If the Princess expected Zanna to make any propositions, she quickly realized that Zanna refused to indulge her. The Sheikah was as still and silent as the grave, her large dark eyes cold and empty voids as she gazed up at the Council.

Zelda sighed. "I now open this matter to discussion."

Immediately the man to her right– the notorious Lyonel that kept cropping up as a thorn in Zanna's side– sprung to his feet. "Your Majesty," he said with a twitching, humorless smile, "You know my passionate views on this matter. It is absurd to me that the Council is split on the issue– surely one life is not worth sacrificing the entire country? Let us execute her and be done with it."

Zanna felt a spike of fear from Rowan and two sudden blazes of outrage– one from Link and one from Resha... but for the moment all of them held their peace.

Lyonel was the youngest of the council and could not possibly have been older than 50. His hair was an appealing mixture of black and grey, and he had a matching goatee. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a strong, dark brow and piercing green eyes. Under different circumstances he could have been wildly attractive– however, his personality laid waste to everything nature had given him. There was something undeniably rodent-like in the way he moved, his eyes darting about erratically as he constantly fidgeted with his hands. His words came out too quickly, and in a high tenor voice not at all proportionate to his sizeable frame. Zanna had never in her life seen a person who seemed so out of place in his body. And his insides, she realized with a little prodding, were just as revolting as his outward personality suggested.

All the same, it seemed that there were many among the Council who agreed with him.

"He is right, Your Highness," said a squat, balding man on the far left. He had soft brown eyes and cheerfully blossoming cheeks. Zanna could feel his regret. "It is not a choice that any of us would take pleasure in making–" he shot a dirty look in Lyonel's direction– "but too much is at stake."

Zelda leaned back in her chair, listening pensively to all that was said. "With no physical evidence against her? You would risk sacrificing justice, Henri?" she asked the short man in a quiet voice.

Henri's face fell. "Your Majesty, as I said, it is not ideal– in fact, it saddens me greatly. But you have already done much for justice. You have established this Council, giving your people an unprecedented amount of power and freedom. However, you remain a monarch. It is your right and, forgive me Highness, I believe it is your duty to protect your people by acting on this matter."

"If I may," said a dark man on Zelda's left, thinning and crippled by age. He suffered from rather severe cataracts, which seemed surreal to Zanna– one touch from she or Rowan could have eliminated them completely. "It seems inappropriate that we not look upon this young woman's face. In fact, it directly opposes our established proceedings. We must be able to identify her fully if we are to judge her." The irony, Zanna thought dryly. He wouldn't be able to see her even if she did take her scarf off.

"I agree, Your Majesty," Lyonel interjected immediately, entirely too eager. "This matter surely extends beyond cultural courtesy."

Zelda was thoughtlessly running her fingers across a jewel that rested upon her heart, her gaze distant as she considered the Council's words. "Yes, we must uphold the Council's regulations. Impree Zanna, please remove your scarf so that we may look upon your face."

"Your Highness–" Resha blurted out, no longer able to remain quiet. Zanna silenced her with a simple wave of her hand.

"Leave it," she whispered sharply. Rowan was startled by her tone, and studied her warily. He was beginning to realize that he didn't know what Zanna's intentions were, and she was sorry he had caught on so early. But there was nothing to be done about that now.

In complete silence, Zanna slowly unwrapped her scarf. Her raven hair spilled out in long, ebony sheets, instantly stripping her of her neutral appearance. She was now unapologetically striking– for better or for worse– her high cheekbones and defiant black gaze seeming almost severe against the snowy pallor of her skin. The Council became utterly silent, and she could feel their judgements passing over her like a cloud. Many were unsettled, one of the old men found her to be exotically attractive, and all instantly felt more threatened by her wild appearance than they had before. Zelda had a curious response– she seemed almost amused... And Link's was more curious still. Zanna felt a sudden pang from his direction, sharp and resonant. It was a sort of longing, almost like thirst, although that couldn't have been right. She wondered if he was feeling sorry for her. She hoped not.

"What is that thing marring your face?" Lyonel asked derisively, slicing through the quietude.

"It is the oldest symbol of my people," Zanna said without anger. "At one time such markings were used so that the Sheikah could identify one another while still maintaining their extreme secrecy. In the beginning, you see, the Shadow Folk did not even have names. They used this eye to symbolize their watchfulness and protection of the Royal Family. The teardrop that extends from it was added shortly after a war in which the Family brutally betrayed their guardians." She locked eyes with Zelda, carefully keeping her expression unreadable. "It was the first incident of many."

"Stories," snorted a heavily-bearded man in the middle-left, waving one dismissive hand. "Tribal lore."

"No, these are facts," Zanna countered, not raising her voice, but emphasizing the consonants in the words. She could feel Resha growing restless beside her and even Link was starting to feel angry on her behalf. "I have an entire library of official documents all bearing the royal seal, from which I have salvaged much information pertaining to the Sheikah. It is the largest collection on the topic anywhere in the country and I am scrupulously selective."

"You are a historian?" Lyonel chuckled with a sneer. "How quaint."

"Enough, Lyonel," Zelda murmured, and instantly Lyonel closed his mouth. "Impree Zanna, what do you think of the charges that have been brought against you?"

Zanna smiled grimly. "I have reason to suspect that they are all true."

There was a tremendous flurry from the Council– not just in sound and motion, but in a massive emotional wave that disoriented Zanna for a moment. Rowan was beginning to feel a sort of irritated panic and he clutched her arm tightly. "Don't be stupid Zanna!" he hissed.

Resha could not speak– she looked so angry that if she opened her mouth she might explode. And Link merely watched Zanna with silent dread, his blue eyes unreadable.

Zelda frowned, leaning forward. "This is most surprising, even to me. What are these reasons?"

"Your Highness, I have had a vision of my own." Another outburst of activity– the Princess raised her hand and it stopped. Zanna pressed on. "A male Gerudo warrior in terrible black armor visited me in my cell, and told me I was chosen to wage war on the Goddesses."

For the first time, Zelda's calm expression cracked– she even seemed to be genuinely frightened. There was a general gasp from the Council and Rowan and Resha were both panicking now.

"Outrageous!" the oldest of the Council said, jabbing a bony finger in Zanna's direction. "Treason and heresy in your own castle, Your Highness– surely this is evidence enough to condemn her!"

Zelda frowned, her conflicting emotions tangible to Zanna and to anyone who could see her face. "What did you say to this apparition in return?" she asked gravely.

"I told him that he frightened me, and ordered him to leave. That was the last I saw of him." Zanna's peaceful appearance was irking Link, she could feel it coming off him in waves. It was odd– it was almost like she was getting in his way. He felt she was obstructing him somehow...

Princess Zelda folded her gloved hands on the table, her gaze piercing Zanna with a new intensity. It was clear that the time for debate was over– Zelda would now take whatever actions were necessary. "Did the apparition say anything else?"

"No. However I have been experiencing a reoccurring vision in my dreams," Zanna said rather candidly.

That did it– the room was now so abuzz with confusion, irritation, and– above all– fear, that Zanna was beginning to feel dizzily exhilarated. She was not comfortable blinding herself to the room's emotions at such a critical moment, so she anchored herself the old fashioned way– by remembering her thirst for vengeance.

"You see, Your Highness," Zanna continued cooly, taking full advantage of the fact the Princess was now on her guard. "I had a prophecy of my own. Similar to yours, in many ways. I saw the shadow sweep across this country, and I saw the sickness it created in your people. And then I came to a mountain peak, where the Goddesses awaited me. They told me to save the children of Hyrule... and then they left. They abandoned their creatures in the hour of their greatest need."

"Lies!" the bearded man spat again, this time with a furious venom. His face was startlingly red. "She attempts to poison you, Your Highness– can you not see that?" There was a burst of agreement from the other members.

But Zelda was not listening. She had become very still, and the gaze she fixed upon Zanna had a new light behind it. The Princess was beginning to understand. "And what do you make of these visions, Impree Zanna?" she asked tersely, her voice slicing through the commotion like a knife. All became still again.

"I do not know, Princess," Zanna said simply. "All I can gather is that, for unfathomable reasons, the Goddesses have given me a task. Naturally, there is some evil trying to force me to defy that task... and worse. But I am not satisfied, Your Highness." There was an acidic edge to Zanna's voice, and she felt herself absorbing the attention of everyone in the room. She used it to her advantage, and paused for so long that when she spoke again the Councilmen were literally leaning forward in their seats.

"The Goddesses have not been kind to me, or my now-extinct race. Their cruelty toward the Sheikah is perhaps rivaled only by the cruelty of the Royal Family. I am not inclined to aid the unjust Goddesses or the hypocritical rulers of their country. Nor do I feel obliged to take orders from the ghost of a Gerudo tyrant.

"I am not consciously aware of being able to cause or cure this plague, and I will not take any further steps toward discovering the truth either way. I am not a pawn," she said with a cold ferocity, biting into the words. "If the sick come to me I will heal them if I can, but I will not participate in the large-scale fate of this country. I refuse."

There was a hateful, uncertain silence from the Council and a pregnant pause from Zanna. "I do not believe my execution will change anything for you, however I will not put up a fight. Kill me if you will, but under no circumstances will I serve you."

Her last sentence was met with thunderous silence– the Council was so shocked that none could find the words to speak. Fear and loathing were thick enough in the air that even a non-empath could sense it... Zanna was practically suffocating. "I must meditate on this," Zelda said quietly, suddenly looking much older than her years.

"Your Highness," Henri said, still so alarmed that he fumbled for the right words. "I am sorry, but this is treason of the highest degree. If you do not make a judgement I will be forced to call a vote. I cannot let this woman go free without endangering the Hylians I represent– and my conscience will not allow that."

"Nor mine!" said the oldest.

"Nor mine." The blind.

"Nor mine!" The bearded.

"Nor mine," Lyonel said, barely able to contain his glee. His eyes were shining upon Zanna as if he were a child gazing into the window of a sweet shop. "And that makes a majority. Surely we can arrest her now?"

There was a rowdy babble of consent from the Council, but before Zelda could answer their request Link was on his feet. "Your Highness, I will not stand by that decision," he said, much to the surprise of everyone in the room, except– it appeared– Princess Zelda.

"Even under these circumstances?" she asked wearily.

"Yes."

"You do realize that I now have perfectly legal reasons to hold her captive?" the Princess asked, looking at Link almost sadly.

"I... yes," he replied, slowly nodding. "I do. But I can't abide it. None of this would have ever happened if you hadn't enlisted her help, which she gladly gave without a single mention of compensation." He descended the steps now, coming to stand in front of Zanna. "If you hadn't sent me to her village, she would still be there, and perhaps her family would still be alive. She had no idea that she was coming here to be tried for crimes no one can prove. I retrieved her for you; the responsibility is partly mine. I will do whatever has to be done to protect her."

Zanna couldn't believe it. All her resolve, all her ferocity– she was thoroughly prepared to look death in the eye... and now Link was protecting her?! Even after she confessed her visions and her treasonous refusal to recognize the Royal Family? Outrageous! This simply would not do.

"I don't need your protection!" Zanna said angrily, although it was less effective because Link's back was to her.

He spun around, eyes blazing. "Will you stop already?" he whispered. "Why are you being so reckless? Let me do this for you!"

"I. Don't. Need. Your. Protection," she shot back heatedly. "I know what I'm doing!"

"She doesn't even want to be spared, Your Highness!" Lyonel said, laughing cruelly. "Can't we just be done with this?"

"Oh get over yourself, you pompous swamp rat!" Link snapped at the advisor over his shoulder.

"Unbelievable!" huffed the bearded Councilor.

"I don't care what you think you need," Link said, glaring at Zanna. "You're being protected. Deal with it."

"I say we just kill them both," rattled the oldest and apparently somewhat senile Councilor. "This is all far too exhausting. In the days of the King we would just take them out back and run them through... none of this babbling on."

"I like the sound of that," Lyonel nodded appreciatively.

"There will be no impalements so long as I'm on this Council!" the blind man barked, slamming his fist.

"Who's being impaled?!" Henri exclaimed. "I didn't agree to that!"

"All of you be silent!" cried an aged but sonorous voice, with a dry shrewdness that snapped like a whip. The Councilor farthest right stood up for the first time, and Zanna could see now that she was the only woman on the board. The fact that she had gone unnoticed until this point disturbed Zanna– not only had the woman been silent, but she hadn't given off a single emotion. Which either meant she didn't have them, (unlikely) or she was using some sort of shield (even more unlikely.) Both options were also very bad news.

Though her robes were plain black and there was nothing beautiful or colorful about her face, the grey-haired woman had a cloud of authority that was almost palpable. Her posture was rod-straight, and the many lines on her face were fixed in a grim mask of utter certainty. She was the sort of woman who appeared to never stumble; she was flawlessly self-contained.

"Did you ever stop and think," she said in a voice frosted over by scorn, "that perhaps this girl is being manipulated?" There was a shocked and humbled pause. "No. Of course you didn't," she chastised. "We are in uncharted territory, Councilors. This girl has received conflicting visions– does that not strike you as odd? What if they are illusions spun by the real culprit, so that he can use her as a distraction?" She glared at the men beside her like a school teacher watching her students flunk a test. "What if her instinct to stop, to serve no one, and take no further action is a defensive reflex? That would make her actions the true will of the Goddesses. Would you condemn her, and let the real criminal go free?"

The other Councilors were stunned into silence– even Lyonel was gaping like a fish out of water, his twitching hands momentarily at rest.

"I really don't think that's it–" Zanna started to say, but Link clamped his hand over her mouth.

"I propose," continued the old woman harshly, "that we keep her here as a guest until we can clearly determine what in the three hells is preying upon our country. We cannot be too careful– this girl may be our biggest asset to understanding and stopping this disease. If she is ultimately found guilty, then we will proceed from there."

Zelda sighed, smiling radiantly at the woman. "Well-spoken, Melinda." She leaned back in her chair with all the imperiousness she possessed and addressed the entire table. "What do you say, Councilors?"

Most of them looked away, fiddling in various ways to avoid being specifically asked to admit defeat. Henri was the first one to pipe up. "I think it is a splendid idea, Your Highness," he said with relief in his voice. "We should all thank the Goddesses for Melinda's insight– a grave error could have been made today."

There were grunts and grumbling around the table, as the men gave their consent. Even Lyonel sat down slowly, glaring at Zanna's forehead as if he wished he could make her burst into flames.

"And I agree, Henri," the Princess said briskly. "Impree Zanna, you will remain in the guest quarters until more information is gathered. Please believe me when I say that your cooperation is not unappreciated– I am profoundly grateful for the civilized dialogue you have offered." Lyonel gave a horrified gasp, but Zelda ignored him. "It is distasteful but necessary for me to warn you that any attempt to leave the castle grounds will result in your imprisonment. However, within the castle you are welcome to go wherever you please. I warmly invite you to visit the library on the third floor– I think you will find it much to your liking." She smiled, relief rolling off of her in great waves. "The Council is dismissed."

One by one they filed out of a door behind the main tapestry, many of the men glowering at Zanna over their shoulders and muttering heatedly amongst themselves. The female Councilor was the last to leave, yet she did not look at Zanna even once as she removed herself from the room– a choice that made the young Sheikah immensely uneasy. However, there were more pressing concerns.

As soon as the room was empty, Link rubbed his hand and frowned at her. "I can't believe you bit me," he grumbled.

"I can't believe you just completely took over my trial!" Zanna exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"You have a lot to answer for, Zanna," Resha interjected sharply, her voice tight with annoyance.

Rowan opened his mouth to contribute but Zanna raised a hand to stop him. "Rowan. Resha. I will explain later. Stay out of this."

"I'm sorry I crashed your suicide party," Link said sarcastically. "I didn't realize you were trying to die."

"I wasn't," Zanna snapped. "Not especially. But I was trying to get out of this mess without betraying what I know is right. You ruined that!"

"I didn't ruin it!" Link shot back, incredulous. "Everyone knows how you feel– you made sure of that! But I let you do it; I said nothing. And when you were finally done incriminating yourself, I politely stepped in to try and keep your head from rolling before lunchtime. I don't understand why you wouldn't let me do even that much for you!"

"Because I have to do this on my own! My defiance means nothing if I know I'm not really at risk," Zanna said bitingly.

"Were we just in the same meeting? You were at risk. Your wonderful way with words put you a heartbeat away from being executed on the spot."

"Gods, why do you even care?!" Zanna exploded, her hands reflexively balling into fists and crackling with dormant magic. "What is it to you?!"

"What is it to me? What is an innocent life to me, is that what you're asking?" he asked with blazing irony.

"You don't know I'm innocent!" Zanna insisted, prodding him forcefully in the chest and glaring up at him. "So why did you insist on defending me?"

Link held her gaze, furious and unyielding, but a long time passed as he struggled to come up with an answer. Scowling and with grit teeth, he finally said: "I don't know."

They glared at each other, both too stubborn to give in even though neither of them had anything else to say. Zanna suddenly realized how close they'd gotten: in an attempt to intimidate each other they'd unconsciously moved in until their noses were mere inches apart, eyes locked in a shared gaze that was now proving exceedingly difficult to break. Link's eyes seemed darker than Zanna remembered, nearly violet, and his closeness made every nerve ending in her body spark to attention. She could actually feel his breath on her lips...

"Well that's not really helpful," she said finally, unable to control the fact that her voice had lowered to a breathless murmur.

"No, I guess it isn't." His voice had weakened as well, and the nearness of his body made the deep sound vibrations almost palpable. They were nearly touching, and she was so angry with him that the closeness made her want to either punch him in the face or kiss him senseless, she wasn't sure which. Uninvited, the latter option flashed through her mind again, sending a wash of heat over her body.

Fortunately her pride returned with a kick, and Zanna pulled back abruptly, turning her back to him so he wouldn't see the redness that had crept into her cheeks.

"I look forward to your apology," she seethed. With that, she turned on heel and proceeded to storm toward the main doors.

"Yeah and I look forward to the hells freezing over," Link muttered angrily after her. He stomped up the stairs and exited behind the tapestry, slamming the door behind him with a loud crack that echoed through the hall, causing Zanna to wheel around in frustration.

"Jerk!!" She yelled at the swinging tapestry before flinging open the double doors and bowling past the alarmed guards on the other side.

Rowan and Resha were left alone in the hall, staring blankly back at the guards who were now peeking their heads in, half-curious and half-scared.

"What the hell just happened?" Resha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Clearly they were arguing," Rowan said automatically. "Hey– OW!" he cried as Resha punched him hard in the arm and sent him reeling. "What is your problem?!"

"Gods that felt good," she gasped, flexing her hand. "There just aren't enough things to hit around here."

"I have a feeling Zanna's going to put that statement to the test," Rowan muttered as he watched their friend disappear around the corner.

Resha nodded apprehensively. "I have a feeling you're right."

There was a loud smashing sound followed by an exclamation of, "Hey, you can't throw that!!" from the outer hall.

"Yep... you're definitely right."