Disclaimer: "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" and all related characters, scenarios of the game, and music belong to Nintendo. I own nothing and receive no monetary benefit from this work.

Author's Note: Finally! I've gotten the chance to update! Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and put this on their alerts, etc. It means so much!

As always, feedback in the form of reviews would be much appreciated.

As random note, remember to keep in mind that bold-print conversations are actually spoken in Japanese.


"Mother...?" she called out tentatively.

Midna turned around, allowing an impish grin to illuminate her beautiful face.

"Okaerinasai, Kaiya-chan." she said warmly, embracing her daughter.

Kaiya promptly began to sob, overwhelmed with joy. Midna patted her head.

"Easy, now." the woman muttered, "Don't get all weepy on me, 'kay?"

Kaiya laughed weakly.

"I'm just so happy...!" she choked out. Midna smiled sadly, then abruptly patted her daughter on the back, hard.

"Al-alright now! Suck it up, kiddo!" she said loudly, not wanting to deal with sad people.

Link stared at the floor, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Link," Midna said warmly, taking a step toward him as Kaiya released her hold on her.

"Hey." Link muttered back, putting his hand up in welcoming. "Long time, no see, huh?"

Midna nodded. "Too long." she agreed.

Kaiya beamed at her parents.

"Hey, Kaiya-chan." her mother said, "Why don't you go in the room next door and get changed...? There's a dress laid out on the bed that might fit you."

"Okay!" the teen chirped, going through the door and closing it gently.

Before Midna could get another word out, Link had his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry... I didn't know..." he said into her hair.

Midna sighed. "It's okay. If I had known you wouldn't freak out on me, I would've come back." she confessed.

They stood like that for a moment, taking it all in, until Midna spoke.

"Link... why were you missing for almost fifteen years...?"


Kaiya tugged at the dress. It was beautiful, sure- it just... showed too much, in her opinion. The front was cut like her tunic, but the back came all the way down to just above her hips, and the skirt was slit up the sides to Kaiya's fingertips. The sleeves were long, and fluffy- they billowed out around her, not clinging to her arms at all. However, they stopped about three-fourths of the way down her arm, and beneath that was a set of fingerless gloves that left her palms exposed and came up to hook around her middle fingers. She noted the pearly white trim around all the edges of the dress and the gloves, and sighed, pushing her hair out of her eyes before taking the ribbon out, allowing it to hang loose around her back and shoulders before leaving the room.


Link and Midna's heads shot up as Kaiya entered.

"So... is this okay...?" she asked, twisting around so they could see the back.

Link whistled, and Midna smiled.

"Beautiful," she said soothingly.

Kaiya took a seat next to her mother, who picked up a comb from the table next to her.

"For your hair," she explained, pinning the parted side back behind Kaiya's ear. "You don't have to wear this one all the time."

Kaiya exhaled a sigh of relief.

"There's a bigger, more elaborate one you have to wear to meetings and dinners."

Kaiya's head drooped.

"Dammit." she muttered.

"So, Link... you were saying?" Midna changed the subject.

"Right."

And he began his tale.

"After you left, I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt so lost... so lonely... more than ever before..."

He sighed sadly.

"So I transformed, and went to Snow Peak. I stayed there for most of the time, venturing out to Hyrule Field if the weather got too bad, but never in a human form.

"Then, one day about three years ago, I saw Zelda herself sitting in the old Theatron with Kaiya, though I didn't know it was her at the time. So, I hid out and watched them, struck by the strange color of her hair, and what it reminded me of. When Kaiya finally left, I approached Zelda. I didn't transform back, and she didn't say anything. She didn't need to- her eyes told me everything. So, I curled up next to her, and let her pet me till the sun went down. Then, when the soldiers came to fetch her, I took off.

"It took me three long years to work up the strength to transform back, and then return to Castle Town. Everything else happened so fast..."

"And now we're here." Kaiya finished for him.

"Yes." he said breathlessly.

Midna stared at her lap.

"... You had no right to leave... without telling anyone where you were going..." she said slowly.

"You had no right to just run off, either, but you did." Link retorted.

Midna closed her eyes and rested her head on her hand.

"You're right." she said after a moment. "But, the question remains... what happens to Kaiya-chan?"

Link and Kaiya looked at each other before turning back to Midna.

"There is a meeting tonight of the Council of Thirteen, all of whom are make up the Royal Court- in other words, the government officials directly below me. If they vote against Kaiya-chan's staying here and eventually taking over for me as the Twilight Princess, they can have us all excuted unless she returns to the World of Light. I say I take her to the meeting with me, and let them decide tonight."

Kaiya gulped anxiously.

"Don't worry about it." Midna told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "All you have to do is standing beside me and look cute."

Kaiya smiled nervously. "When does the meeting start?"

Midna glanced at the clock.

"... Can you get in to a ceremonial robe in fifteen minutes?"


The two women stood before the massive oak doors, waiting on the Council to get ready.

"Don't worry." Midna told Kaiya again out the corner of her mouth. "They're all in these outfits, too. Ours just have the most decoration."

Kaiya nodded, then pushed her hair back from her face. For once, it hung loose around her, falling just below her waist.

"Are you ready, Midna-sama?" the attendant asked.

"Yes." she responded coldly.

The large doors creaked open as Midna entered, Kaiya flanking her.

"My dear members of the Council." she greeted them warmly.

"Midna-sama." They all replied at once, rising from their chairs and bowing in respect.

"I hope you will not mind a special guest at tonight's meeting." Midna commanded rather than asked.

"Of course not, Midna-sama." the Council responded together.

Midna nodded in acknowledgement.

"You may be seated." she told them. They all took their seats, while Midna and Kaiya remained standing at the front of the room.

For the next hour, Kaiya listened patiently as they discussed upcoming elections for potential new Council members, punishment for some the criminals in their prison, until finally, Midna brought up the topic of interest.

"As many of you are probably aware, almost sixteen years ago, I helped Link, the blue-eyed beast, save the World of Light as well as our own." she began. "Shortly after, I returned here, then went back to the World of Light due to some... complications with my health. Today, I inform you that that complication would be that I had a child. And she is here with us tonight." Midna gestured for Kaiya to step forward, and she did.

"My-my name is Kaiya." Kaiya stammered nervously.

A woman in the first seat to Midna's right raised an eyebrow.

"Midna-sama, begging your pardon, but that story is much too incredible. There is no way that this is your child."

Midna glared dangerously at the woman. "First Seat Councilwoman. It would be most wise of you to remember your place."

The woman sat back, slightly subdued.

A man sitting towards the other end of the table spoke up this time.

"Midna-sama, I appreciate your informing us that you do indeed have an heir, and thus when you pass, we will not have to choose amongst ourselves a new leader, but... surely the child is not pure Twili, correct? She is much too... not like us."

"Thank you for your input, Tenth Seat Councilman. In fact, you have helped bring the topic at hand to the table." Midna turned her gaze on the rest of the Council. "We are now taking a vote: Should Kaiya-san be allowed to remain here, and participate in elections, our meetings, and take my place as the Twilight Princess once I am gone?"

The Council began to look at each other.

"All in favor, please raise your right hand."

After a brief awkward silence, five members raised their hands, all of whom were sitting near Midna's Tenth Seat.

"All opposed...?"

The remaining members raised their hands. Midna sighed.

"Then... I suppose Kaiya-san must be sent home. This meeting is adjurned."