A/N Chapter Six! Hope it's good!
The trip back to Link's was slow, and a quiet one. They walked beside Epona, shuffling the leaves that had fallen off trees. Link didn't look at Midna the entire way back, too busy frowning, clearly deep in thought.
Midna wished her entire being to be able to grab him by the tunic and engulf him in a long-waited kiss. But she couldn't. Midna was intending to honour the promise she made to herself. If she could keep her guard up, she wouldn't have a problem with keeping her emotions locked away.
Besides, Link deserved a girl who could take care of him, and love him without having to worry if she would be gone the next day. He deserved a woman like Princess Zelda, where he could become the king of Hyrule, and live the fairytale story of a perfect life.
Midna couldn't give him any of those things. She was never required to genuinely love a man, only to find one who could properly represent the twilight realm. She didn't know how to give her heart out and trust someone to always take care of it. She would never be able to make Link happy.
Midna was so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed Link was finally looking at her. His gaze always made her skin crawl, like he could see straight through Midna's facade.
"Are you okay?" Link asked, eyebrows knitted.
"Yes." Midna answered. "Why?"
"You look a little upset," he admitted.
Midna forced her face to harden. "I'm fine."
Link didn't answer, choosing instead to turn to Epona and stroke her head. Midna was first to climb up the ladder, pulling the door open hastily.
"I only have one bed," Link called from while climbing, "You can sleep up there. I'll find somewhere else."
He grabbed a colourful blanket from a brown chest, and handed it to Midna.
"We should probably get some rest," Link continued, glancing out the window at the now setting sun, "We have to be up early tomorrow."
"Okay," Midna agreed, slinging the blanket over her shoulder and climbing into Link's bed.
She leaned over the edge of the wooden railing and saw Link creating a makeshift bed out of mismatching quilts. Midna watched in silence, not knowing if she should speak or not. After a few minutes without noise, Link spoke.
"Midna?" he asked, "Do you have any idea why the mirror is working again?"
She was taken back slightly.
"No," Midna answered, "Why, do you?"
"Not at all," he admitted. "I want to know why, though."
"So do I," she said quietly.
"Do you want to be here?" Link asked.
Well that was out of the blue.
"I want to know why all of this is happening again," Midna said, dodging the question.
Link frowned, but didn't push the subject.
"Goodnight, Midna."
"Goodnight."
Midna sighed, leaning her head onto the surprisingly plush pillow, smelling Link's woodsy scent. She wrapped the colourful blanket around her, watching dusk fall.
Even though Link was two levels beneath her, she could hear his shallow breathing and occasional shifts under the quilts. She closed her eyes, listening until Link's breaths became heavier and evenly paced. It wasn't until Midna heard his light snoring that she fell asleep.
Midna was aware she was dreaming, considering the floating feeling that was tingling in her feet. She was in an enclosed room with familiar circular mirrors, ones that she recognized as the Mirror of Twilight. They were rotating agonizingly slow. So slow, it was beginning to make Midna uncomfortable.
She felt a sudden urge to touch the mirror. Extending her long arm, she grazed one of the mirrors with her index finger. Suddenly, all the circles began swirling at a pace so fast it was beginning to make Midna dizzy. Midna couldn't close her eyes for some reason, nor could she reach her hands up to cover them.
She spun around, trying to find an escape from all the twirling mirrors when they suddenly stopped. Midna looked over her shoulders for any sign of life.
A low growl snapped her attention back in front of her. Midna recognized this wolf. Blue eyes, black fur, faint glowing triforce. It was Link, and his teeth were bared at her as if he was ready to attack.
"Link?" Midna asked, "Link, it's me. Midna."
He growled once again, eyeing her suspiciously.
Her attention was diverted when all the mirrors cracked simaltaneously, breaking into millions of pieces.
When she looked back, the wolf was gone, and there were two strong hands running up Midna's shoulders.
"You are going to pay," she heard human Link whisper in her left ear, "You chose to be selfish, Midna."
He switched to her right ear.
"Why would I love you after everything you've done?" Link chuckled, "You deserve to be alone."
Midna felt her lower lip trembling, but remained still.
Link released her shoulders. He circled Midna so he was facing her.
There was a fierce, wild look in his blue orbs that Midna had never seen before. "I'm sorry," she heard herself choke out.
Midna watched Link's eyes soften into a buttery, lovesick look, a small smile perched on his lips.
He leaned into her slowly. Assuming Link was going to kiss her, Midna let her eyes close. He stopped an inch away from Midna's lips, and she could feel his cool breath tingling on her skin.
"You broke my heart," Link whispered.
Midna snapped her eyes open, only to find Link gone. Her feet were knocked out from under her, and Midna was falling into a deep hole of darkness.
Midna woke with a start, a cold sweat clinging to the back of her neck. She reached a hand up to her face, surprised when it came away damp from tears.
Glancing out the window, she saw the sky was a murky black covered in clouds. Midna could hear Link's heavy breathing, and she slowly descended from the ladder, side stepping where Link's sleeping figure was. She quietly opened the door and stepped into the cool night air.
Sitting on the wooden boards, Midna let her long legs dangle off the edge. Her heartbeat was finally beginning to slow down, the lingering sweat leaving her skin entirely.
What was with that dream? Midna didn't know if Link loved her or not, or if she had broken his heart. It could've just been part of Midna's fantasies that Link was in love with her, and actually had missed her for the past year. It may have been conceited of her to think so, but Midna had a feeling that Link wanted her to be more than just his best friend, and honestly, that was the only thing Midna wanted right now. She would throw everything away, her crown, the twilight realm, and anything else to be with Link forever. But Midna couldn't forget about the promise she made to herself, and subconciously to Link.
Midna sat outside for what seemed like hours, watching the sky lighten and the sun peek out from the horizon. As if sensing the sudden burst of light, she heard Link open the door and his not-so-quiet footsteps on the wooden boards.
"Oh," he said, looking surprised she was outside, "How long have you been up?"
"A few hours," she answered.
"Oh," he repeated. "Why?"
"Bad dream," Midna admitted.
"About what?" Link asked.
"It was nothing," she said quietly.
He frowned.
"We should probably get going. I'll grab everything we need," Link said.
Midna grabbed her black robe from the table, slipping into it as she ran her fingers through her bright orange hair.
Link quickly shoved a few tunics, water, and some red, gooey looking substance into a beat up bag. He grabbed his sword and shield off of a weathered hook, and jumped off the ladder. Midna followed, watching as he strapped the bag to Epona. Without warning, he grabbed Midna by the waist and hoisted her onto the horse, following afterwards.
"I could've done that myself," she mumbled.
"We're supposed to be there today, Midna, not in a week," Link joked.
Midna rolled her eyes. "Let's go, then," she said.
"I need to make a stop in Castle Town before we go to see Zelda," Link explained.
"For what?" Midna asked.
"It's a surprise," he said mysteriously, leaving Midna confused. "Let's go, Zelda's waiting."
Link pushed Epona to a trot, and they started their journey to Hyrule Castle.