Well, I finally got another chapter out. Sorry it's been taking me so long, but my family's been going through a move, so I'm as busy as ever.

And also, as I forgot to mention in the last chapter, Ruimte is Dutch. I went to a translation site and they said "Ruimte" was Dutch for "Space". Thanks to Aztek for pointing that out, I was curious to see whether anyone would know.

I also wanted to say that the story is coming to an end. I think that another six or seven chapters will do it.

Enjoy!

Sometimes, Midna wondered what life would be like if she hadn't been wrapped up into all of this. Most likely she'd already be betrothed in order to give her kingdom a clear future. Maybe she'd even have kids. The possibilities were endless, but hard to imagine. She could hardly even envision her life any other way than this constant chaos. Life...without Link.

Her stomach ached as painful thoughts ran through her. She loved him. She wouldn't doubt that for a minute. But the Twilight Realm...even if it wasn't hers anymore, could her love for her kingdom override her love for Link? She knew she would have to choose eventually, and the choice would be final, again. The connection between the realms must be broken. For the safety of everyone.

Soft footsteps on the dry grass interrupted her thoughts. She sighed and slipped into the shadow of the shady oak tree that overlooked the Ordona Spring

Uli's soft humming became more audible as she treaded into the spring water, ankle deep. She filled a small pail with water and walked back into the village, her gait elated and carefree. Midna came out of the shadows and smiled at her optimism.

Rusl would be just fine. The doctor had arrived on horseback from Castle Town and had treated his wounds and prescribed medicine. The Chu jelly that Link had instructed Midna to leave for him had done wonders. The spring water, which had healing properties, had increased the speed of his recovery.

Midna had heard all of this while completing the task given to her by Sheik. She'd discovered how to get rid the purple fire, and had even stopped it's spread. Of course the process was a bit lengthy, but Midna had gotten used to taking the long way out of things. She compared the task to the Owl Statue hunt. Every now and then she snuck into the village for food (she had to eat something), and picked up bits of news.

She rose and stretched. Time to get back to work.

After a short walk(or in her case, float) into to Hyrule Field, she started where she left off, almost near Kakariko Village. The air should have been dry and dusty, as was normal for this area, but it was unusually humid and cool. Midna looked up at the dark clouds in the short distance.

"I'd better hurry..."

Stopping at the edge of the cruel fire, she slowly waved her arm across the area in front of her, as if she were wiping fog off a window. A transparent ray followed her arm, in shape of a paper fan. The fire froze, in the exact place it had danced moments ago, and morphed into black stone, with glowing red cracks, like burning charcoal. The statues crumbled, and then, faster than lightning,condensed together into a chunk of rock with intricate lines and details. Midna held it in her hand and looked down upon it, and then fitted it to a similar, larger piece of stone, where it fit perfectly. She had finally gathered enough pieces to form a headpiece that fit ideally on her flat imp head. She adjusted her Fused Shadow Crown, just like old times, and continued.

Sheik, after jumping out of the portal she had created, dashed through Eldin Province, Link in her arms as if he weighed less than a child. She was positive that Midna had been through here, due to the lack of flames. Thunder pounded in the vague distance, increasing her worry. As she ran through the fields raindrops as large as hail and just as heavy started to fall, loudly tapping on her armor. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Midna, where are you?

Sheik finally spotted a small form in the distance, floating over the edge of the purple flames. Water, grass, and mud splashed around her feet as she quickened her pace.

"Midna!"

Midna turned, and to Sheik it almost seemed to go in slow motion. Her eyes lit up and she lifted her head just slightly in pride and interest, and then her eyes slid down to Link's unconscious form. They widened as the worst kind of pain filled them. All this in mere seconds.

Sheik came to a rough stop and staggered, inches away from Midna, who floated down a few inches. Her mouth hung open, too scared to speak.

"He's not dead."

The slightest tinge of relief was visible in Midna's tensed shoulders.

"But he's not okay, either. He's been cursed by Twili magic. You can remove the curse, and we have to do that before we treat his leg or anything else. He's lost a fair amount of blood, but with a little bit of doctoring he should be fine. Just-"

Sheik's eyes froze and dilated, and Midna had the vaguest feeling that Sheik was seeing something Midna couldn't see.

"I have to leave now." She said, in a sort of strange, choked up voice.

"What? No, you need to help me, I can't-"

"No, I have to go." Sheik cut her off. Her voice was foreign and strained. Her pupils were frozen and dilated. She gently set Link on the ground.

"You can handle this. I know you can." And she turned, and with a flash of light, was gone.

Zelda re-appeared back in Space, in the palace that Ruimte had created for himself, and, after checking the area for witnesses, hurried back into her dungeon cell down a hallway. After shutting herself back behind the steel bars she sighed with relief.

After meeting up with Midna in Hyrule Field she'd had a vision. She saw a brief flash of Ruimte walking down the long dark hallway to the dungeons, undoubtedly to check up on her. She'd made a quick getaway, and had beaten him back. It was a close call.

But it wasn't enough.

She sat herself on the block of wood and thin blanket that served as her bed when Ruimte himself appeared from the shadows.

"I have to admit, you have a knack for stealth, my princess." His gray skin glowed in the dim light. With every step he took forward Zelda took two back, until she hit a wall. He ran an unnaturally smooth hand down her jaw and chin, and along her collarbone.

"It really is too bad. Such a pretty girl. But I can't have you running off now, can I?" He gave a shrug, and with a flick of his fingers Zelda collapsed onto the floor.

She gave a single, piercing shriek. But there was no one around to hear her.