Zelda was sitting at her throne, blonde head raising as the heavy doors opened unannounced. Her gaze was at first demanding, wanting to know who would be walking in like this, but the moment she identified it as Vio, the saddest of the brothers, it softened.

"Vio, dear," she cooed, standing up and swiftly moving down the steps to stop in front of him- an inch of two shorter than the violet-clad hero.

"Princess Zelda.. we need to talk."

~~~

The drinks had been passed around, nothing more than fruit juice, between the two, now seated across from eachother at a small table. Vio pursed his lips, looking from the drink to the princess. "Well?"

"Vio, are you sure you want to do this? The Sky-High Tower.. for all we know it isn't even standing any longer." She replied, gloved hands resting around her drink as she thought.

"Yes, I'm sure." He snapped abruptly, though his tone wasn't as edgy as it would have been, seeing as he was talking to royalty. Zelda looked up to him, her expression stern.

"Vio.. is he really worth it?" Zelda inquired, watching his eyes closely.

Vio's cold eyes widened, taking it more as an accusation than a simple question. Of course he was worth it; he was worth the world to the hero. He clenched his teeth, knowing any and everything that would want to leave his mouth after such a quiry would be far too innappropriate a thing to say to her.

"He was nothing more than a shadow," the girl insisted, continuing to gauge his response. She'd gotten to know the fifth Link briefly, having had a conversation or two with him in the Sky-High Tower. He'd been rude, but he'd withheld his temper quite nicely and, beneath it, she could see far more going on.

Shadow had known just as well as anyone else that he was nothing more than a puppet- he'd been scrambling to build up something to fall back on when he was cast aside, hence his desperation to shift Vio's alliance. It had nothing to do with Gufuu, nothing to do with the war, nothing to do with anything but his own needs. He needed someone who would be there for him and, apparently, that someone was Vio.

As it seemed, he'd chosen well.

Vio's glass hit the table hard, almost shattering as the juice sloshed over the edge. Shadow had told them during their first encounter that calling him nothing more than a shadow was showing the utmost disdain and hatred towards him, which struck a nerve deep inside the hero.

He stood up, chair clattering to the floor behind him as he turned and left the room; hands fisted tightly and teeth gritting to keep from snarling every word in a sailor's dictionary at the girl. Zelda smiled. She even went so far as to giggle behind a dainty hand, which had an angered Vio leaning against the opposite end of the table in what must have been record time.

"What are you laughing at?" He yelled, restraints cast aside as his heart seemed to be breaking anew. Zelda was the only one of them to actually know about himself and Shadow, and the fact that she'd turn around and laugh about it.. it hit home hard.

"Calm down, Vio!" Zelda ordered, standing up herself and pushing her chair in. "I was simply making sure this is what you wanted. There are.. innumerable things that could go wrong b-"

"Don't you think I know that? I've been thinking about this for almost a year! I can't take it any more, Princess!"

"But," she continued, holding up a finger. "I see there is no swaying you, so.. I suppose I can take you to the tower." The Link exhaled, almost deflated, and brushed a hand through his messy blonde bangs.

He seemed at a loss for words, embarrassed at himself as all his justifications for having snapped at a princess leaving him without an apology in sight. Seeing his problem, the girl gently touched his shoulder. "Come along, Vio, dear. It's okay." She gave him a soft smile, getting a weak ghost of one in return as she lead him through large corridors towards the upper front of the castle.

"Do you want to alert the others first?" Zelda offered, conveying that once they left, there was no coming back.

"No," Vio returned with not an ounce of remorse. They would only critisize him further, maybe even try to convince him to reconsider, which he had no tolerance for. Passive agressive.. they could find out on their own.

Zelda paused, then nodded, showing him to a room where one of the many priestesses stayed. She would be able to send him where he needed to go, hopefully with no questions asked.