Chapter 14
Far to Go
Tilting his head, Pipit gaured at Link's vacant expression. Midna alternated her gaze between the two young men, studying them both. After asking the question more than once, Pipit began to think that his friend in green was never going to talk. He waited silently, wondering what was causing Link's sudden absentmindedness.
The Skyview Spring, a quiet, serene rift in the Deep Woods, was bustling with the activity of innumerable small creatures. Standing along the rounded edge of the platform that connected the spring to the temple, Link stared straight ahead. Two marble columns stood at his sides. A series of linear, circular steps led to the stone statue of the Goddess. Modest in size, it was situated at the end of the ravine.
With nothing but the insouciant chirping of dozens of birds to accompany him, Link began making his way to the statue. Stepping beyond his friends and into the spring, he hopped nimbly from one steppingstone to another. Pipit and Midna turned to look at each other, wondering what Link was up to. Making an unwitting face, Pipit shrugged.
As his feet touched down upon the sturdy surface before the statue, he dropped to his knees. His inquiring eyes coursed the intricate monument. The image of the Goddess stood atop its rostrum, proud and true. It watched calmly yet imperiously over the spring as the forest's distant streams brought forth cascades of water. Filtered by the coarse rock above the ravine, it flowed down, transforming into sacred water as it mixed with the purified pool. He lowered his head, shut his eyes and removed his protective cap.
Link recalled the dream that had come to him two nights ago. The first part, in all of its travesty, had very nearly overshadowed the splendor of the latter half. During his trials in the woods and his captivity in the demon realm, he had been given no opportunity to explore the awe-inspiring scene which had played out before him.
He had seen her…The Goddess, exuding undeniable magnificence as she stood before him. She had been glorious. So glorious, in fact, that he hadn't the ability to look upon her. He simply saw light; a light so blindingly radiant and bright that all he could do was stare at her feet. With downcast but hopeful eyes he had bowed down, overcome by the power of her presence. She had visited him, of all people, in his lowly dreams…
He didn't understand it then, nor could he comprehend it now. The vision, as bemusing as it was, had left him more comforted than confused. For that, he was grateful.
He had immersed himself in the moment. In his compunction, he had practically begged her for an explanation as to what he had just witnessed. He pleaded with her for information, trying his hardest to make sense of what Fi had told him, both in Skyloft, and in the forest. Everything had been so obscure; it still was. Countless unanswered questions swirled in his mind.
Now, in the spring, he offered up another prayer of supplication. Answers were something that he needed right now, more than anything. Especially after the evening that he had just travailed. He had felt more pain, suffered more humiliation and been left to wallow in more disorder than he ever had in all of his twenty-one years.
Chosen by you…to do what? To suffer at the hands of some deplorable murderer, and left feeling…used? And empty? For what purpose? Please… Link rubbed his face and shook his head. He took a deep breath. Please, just tell me…
Resting his hands in his lap, he sat on his heels, motionless. The glistening, rippling pool below, as blue as the sky which it reflected, captured his sight. His eyelids came down as his ears were filled with the enchanting sounds of rushing water and wildlife. These woods had been his home for days. Its sights, sounds and fragrances had been greatly missed during his short time in the demon realm.
You have far to go, dear one.
His head slowly came up. He gawked at the statue. His jaw dropped.
It will be well with you. Remain steadfast, and you will enjoy the fruit of your deeds.
Link's eyes grew wide with wonder. Leaning forward, he placed his hands onto the stone.
"What-" He started to reach his hand out.
As something brushed against his left shoulder, he lunged the other way with a loud gasp. After gaping for a moment, he resiled, giving a harsh shove to the person beside him.
"Pipit, get away!" he shouted as his friend careened to the side, nearly falling into the water. With his yellow hat clutched in his hand, he caught himself with his arms, just barely avoiding a wet landing. He glared at Link, more surprised than angry. Link stared back with a look of shock. His face softened a bit.
"Pipit…" he said, stretching his arm toward him to help him up. "I'm sorry…" Exasperated by Link's reaction, Pipit sat up.
"I just wanted to see if you were okay," Pipit explained, viewing the trees that rose from the floor of the spring. "You hadn't said a word since stepping outside." With his face turned away, Link ran his hand across the back of his neck.
"Sorry," he said again. "I just thought I'd heard…" He paused for a time. "I'm really on edge…I'm just…" Lowering his hand, he looked down and sighed. Pipit looked to his right, deeply concerned. "I'm not myself…" Pipit's gaze dropped as he observed Link twisting his hat in his hands. The metal links of the chainmail coif within the thick material crunched as they grated against one another. Inching forward, Pipit looked into his face. He seemed forlorn, and was barely able to concentrate on anything. He certainly was not himself at the moment.
"Well, I won't push it," Pipit told him, enjoying the spring's peacefulness along with his friend. "But I wish you'd tell us what was wrong." Keeping still, Link's eyes shifted. Not one to lie, he was unsure of how best to answer his friend's question.
Where to begin? Link wondered. How could I explain such a thing to him, or anybody? How could I possibly describe the indescribable? He fidgeted and jittered, drawing Pipit's attention without knowing it. Being dragged around all night…Discovering what it means to be led around on a leash…Having every last one of my flaws thrown in my face…Nonstop mental scourging…Being slapped in the face…Tormented with my own sword…Terrorized and threatened on practically every level…Infringed upon, over, and over…Link squeezed his eyes shut and held back a shiver. Being killed…His mouth fell as he recalled the horror. The feeling as his own sword was driven through his body, not once, but twice, was unspeakable.
Coupled by endless mortification, Link's uncertainty about the future left him more unsettled than he had ever been. He could scarcely stomach the idea of anyone dying because of him, let alone hundreds, or perhaps thousands of individuals…
Now more than ever, for he had tasted death…
He couldn't seem to push it out of his head. The memory clung to him. To feel his very life slip from his body had been the most cumbersome, the most overwhelming, and the most humbling experience he had ever had. Never had anything taken command of him so rapidly. Never had anything left him so hopeless. Never before had the most meaningful antecedent events of his life surged through his mind so quickly. It had been vague yet vivid. Everything, and everyone, that had ever meant something to him made an appearance in his mind before the end…Before he had felt the unstoppable force wash over him, and weigh him down like a millstone drags a person to the bottom of a river.
The raw emotion that had soared through his mind as he considered everything that had been left unfinished…As he thought about his friends…As he thought about her…
With all of the claims that the demon had made, Link couldn't help but wonder…He sighed again. Should he have just sacrificed himself…Had he made the right decision…?
"Sorry I've been a royal, bungling jackass of a friend lately," Pipit said, pulling Link from his introspection.
"A what? Why?" he asked.
"'Cause of everything that happened before you left," Pipit said.
"What, in the sparring ring? Pipit, I was horrible to you, as well…You're the one who left with a concussion, remember?"
"It's not just that, although I did get way too angry that day," Pipit said. "No, I mean at the Lumpy Pumpkin. I got way too angry when you pissed off those knights, and I got way too angry later on-"
"Pipit, don't start, please," Link said glumly. "Slugging Groose was a bad idea, even if he did say something disrespectful about Zelda. It was stupid, and I shouldn't have done it. I almost got you in trouble 'cause of my rash decision. And I certainly didn't need to humiliate you on the dance floor or insinuate that you were…" He paused to form air quotes. "…'of easy virtue'." Link looked down, sighed and shook his head. "Don't feel too bad. I took part in my fair share of misdeeds. If you failed as a friend, then I did as well." Not sure how to respond, Pipit pondered for a moment.
"Okay, well…I'm sorry for calling this a sanctified wild goose chase," he said. Link turned to view Pipit's drab face. "I'm sorry I said that you were walking into failure. In fact, just consider me sorry in general," Pipit said with a shrug, "for every crappy thing I spouted before you left home. It all sucked. I'm sorry."
"Pipit," Link interrupted, closing his eyes tightly, "just…don't. You said that even though I don't like to admit it, you're usually right. And, truth is, you are." Link twiddled his thumbs in silence for a few seconds. "Maybe Henya was right about me." His felt his eyes gravitate toward the statue again. "Maybe he was right…" As he chewed his lip, Pipit gaped.
"What? Who was right about what?" Link looked at him. The conscious-stricken vibe that Pipit was getting from his friend left him baffled.
"Overconfidence…" Link mumbled under his breath. Blinking, Pipit looked down.
"Well…" he said with a slight stutter. Link brought his eyes up.
"See, even you think so," Link said, bringing his shoulders up. Pipit gave a light sigh.
"Well, I did," he said in response. "Doesn't mean I think that now."
"Pipit, don't pity me just because of what happened."
"How can I? If I don't know what happened?" Pipit asked, trying again. Hopeful, he waited for a different sort of reply. Link looked away.
"I dunno how much I can really say," Link said uneasily.
"How much you can admit to, you mean," Pipit corrected. Apprehensive, Link glanced at him. "First of all, don't forget who you're talking to. This is me," Pipit emphasized. "I'm not gonna judge you. I mean, in light of what I talked to you about a couple weeks ago…"
"I know," Link said. "I'm not saying that-"
"If you don't tell us, I'm just gonna assume the worst," Pipit said. "And I don't want to assume the worst, unless there's a reason to assume the worst, know what I mean?" He raised an eyebrow as he locked eyes with his friend.
"Yeah, Pipit, I know…" Link said anxiously, scratching the back of his head. Pipit watched him, endeavoring to derive the truth from his body language. "…It's just that…right now, I think I'm more concerned about you…and what happened to you in there…"
"Me?" Pipit asked, stiffening. "I wasn't the one laid out on the floor for some unknown reason. I'm not the one limping around like I just got the crap beat out of me." Pipit looked up, recalling his recent collision with the chamber wall. He tapered his eyes and looked at Link again, pointing toward the temple. "I wasn't with this guy for hours or days or however long you've been here." Link leaned away a bit. Pipit's glare was starting to dig into him. "I mean, you don't need to tell her," he said, gesturing toward Midna, who was dangling her feet over the water. Link turned to see her playfully swinging her legs. "But if there's anyone that you can tell, it's your buddy who knows about this stuff."
"I know, Pipit, I know," Link said, holding his hands up. "I appreciate your solicitude. I really do. But honestly, I don't wanna talk about any of this. All I want to do is push it out of my mind as quickly as possible."
"Not gonna make it go away," Pipit quipped. "Believe me, I've tried."
"Pipit, why are you presuming that that…happened? What happened to you in there? While I was out of it?" He took a moment to examine Pipit. He was slowly becoming less relaxed. He froze in thought before speaking.
"Nothing…I fought the guy, got knocked around a little bit. I mean, you saw some of it," Pipit said.
"Is that all that happened?" Link asked, fishing for an honest answer.
"Why? Did you see…or hear anything before you finally came to?" Giving Pipit a blank but very firm stare, Link didn't respond. Pipit's face dropped. He had no clue what his friend was going to say. He swallowed, trying not to allow his true feelings to show.
Eventually, Link very gradually shook his head. Pipit couldn't decipher whether his friend's answer was genuine or not.
"Okay, well…I'm just going by what I saw in there; while brief, it was pretty horrible." Pipit furrowed his eyebrows and intensified his stare once more. "I can't imagine what it would be like to spend an extended period of time with the 'nightmare on two legs' in there." Link broke their eye contact and turned to the statue. He chewed his tongue nervously.
"I'll be fine, Pip," Link said in a low voice. "Anything that you need to know, I'll tell you. At some point." He brought his beseeching eyes back to his companion. "So don't worry, okay?" Slumping down, Pipit loosened, trying to accept that evasive answers were the best that he was going to get.
"Is that your final answer?" Pipit asked soberly. Link almost grinned.
"For now," he said.
"What if I dive into this water, fully clothed, will you tell me then?" Link shook his head and laughed.
"Nice try. But no," he said.
"Give you ten rupees?"
"No, Pipit."
"Well, it was worth a shot." Maundering to himself, Pipit pulled his knight's cap back on and jumped to his feet. Link craned his neck to look at him. Bringing himself to the edge of the platform, he hopped toward the temple.
"It's just a day for lies, isn't it…" Pipit murmured to himself as he slid next to Midna beside the entryway. Rotating to look at Link one last time, he shouted,
"Hey! Fill in the blank!" Link's ears perked as he turned his head. "The limit of a quotient is equal to the quotient of the limits, provided what?"
"Provided the limit of the denominator is not zero," Link answered over his shoulder.
"True or false! A countable set is always compact!"
"False," Link stated. "'N' is countable but not bounded and thus not compact." He looked back at the water. Pipit peered down at the woman at his feet.
"Well, his brain's working okay," he told her. "I'm sure he'll be fine. He's all yours." Stretching his arms above his head and yawning, he surveyed the spring's perimeter. "I'm not going back in there for anything," Pipit insisted, pointing to the chamber. It appeared even darker when contrasted with the tranquility of the spring. "Not no way, not no how. In fact, as lovely as this wilderness expedition has been, I can't wait to get the heck out of here. I think I'll mosey around the temple grounds for a few. You seen a way out?"
"Yessir," Midna said, pointing to her left with her head down. "There's a walkway along the wall here. Looks like it brings you to a path that leads back into the forest. You have to climb up and out through the dirt, though."
"Well, good thing I brought my hiking boots," Pipit replied, cracking his knuckles.
"Don't wander too far," Midna warned. "We should stick together. Safety in numbers, especially with these violent woodland creatures bounding around."
"Oh, no worries. I got the sword which I begged for, remember?" he replied, aiming a thumb at his scabbard. "I won't go far. This spring is nice but I'm getting claustrophobic." Without wasting another minute, Pipit approached the stone wall of the building. He slithered against it, inching along the narrow footpath. "Don't expect him to talk too much," he added, keeping his eyes down. Midna turned, watching him quietly as he edged out of sight. She glanced back at the young man in the emerald tunic. To her surprise, he appeared alarmed about something.
"Fi!" Link exclaimed. "Oh my gods, he must still have her…" Dismally, Link began unbuckling the straps which fastened his scabbard over his chest and shoulder. Sliding the leather from the buckle, he removed it from his back. Despondent, he shook his head...Utterly empty.
"Yes, Master?" a muffled voice called. Gasping, Link's head darted from side to side. He looked into the air.
"Fi!" he said excitedly. "You're here? Where are you?" After a frantic search of the area, his hands wandered his torso. They halted in place. With a determined look in his eye, his hands flew to his waist where he began undoing his belt. Fumbling noisily with the straps, he whipped it off of himself, allowing his two pouches to fall to the stone behind him. Reaching around, he snatched the larger of the two bags and dumped it on the ground before him. Away from his body, it felt uncharacteristically heavy…
Breathing heavily, he slowly unsnapped the top of the bag. Looking inside, his breath caught in his throat. Aghast, he reached a hand inside the bag. As always, it was much deeper than it appeared. His fingers hit the chill of metal. He shut his eyes as he lifted the foreign object.
But the object was not foreign at all. In fact, it was painfully familiar. Taking the shiny item into both hands, he gazed into it. His reflection stared back at him from the glossy metal. He tilted it back and forth, careful not to cut his palms. He knew how excruciating that could be…
Still cradling the jagged piece of metal, he reached into his pouch again. Discovering another object with a similar feel, he pulled his hand out. Holding the items side by side, he confirmed that they were both part of the same whole. He heaved a shaky sigh. The previous night's events had now been established as truth; not only from the demon's mouth, but by cold, hard iron.
In the quiet of the spring, Link placed both fragments down beside him. The first piece, erosed and uneven, made up the bottom of the blade, as well as one-third of the blade's left side. The second piece, long and thin, represented a large portion of the right side. With a bit of maneuvering, the pieces fit together seamlessly.
With another deep breath, Link plunged his hand into the bag again, and, as expected, came upon a third chunk of metal. Approximately one-quarter of the blade, the third fragment fit above the other two.
Unable to take his eyes off of the fractional artifact next to him, Link dipped his hand into the brown bag a fourth time. His hand was met by emptiness, however. Exploring the void with his fingers just to make sure, he talked softly to himself. Quickly moving on to the smaller of the pouches, Link made one more attempt. But, the only objects contained within the bag were three small glass bottles, an oaken boomerang, a razor wrapped in linen, and something light, textured and silky…
Grasping the balled up item, Link's hand freed the material. Burying his hands into its softness, he came face to face with Zelda's beautiful, white sailcloth. It opened into its elongated, rectangular shape. He fingered the tiny gems and pearls which had been painstakingly hand-sewn onto the fabric. Every time he looked at the sailcloth he discovered an additional detail which was worthy of being adored. Kind of like its creator. He held the cloth to his face, inhaling through his nose. It still smelled nice, even after being held hostage in the demon lord's pocket for hours. Link shook and closed his eyes.
His hands dropped into his lap. His half-shut eyes plummeted to the jigsaw puzzle which comprised the Goddess Sword; or, what remained of it, at least. The fourth shard, a large piece which included the tip, was missing.
"Fi…?" Link asked softly. Her response was delayed. "Fi?"
"Yes, Master," she said again. Link breathed a sigh of relief at the lovely sound of her voice.
"Fi, thank the Goddess," he said, resting his eyes as he sat and twisted his fingers into the sailcloth. "Are you okay? After what happened, I mean…?"
"Yes, I am," Fi answered.
"Even though the sword's been damaged like this?" Link asked worriedly.
"Yes, Master. At this point in time, as long as even a sliver of the Goddess' sword exists, I will have a place in which to reside."
"Mmm. You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Fi," he told her, lifting one of the shards to his face. It began to glow under his touch. He studied it curiously. "So this really happened, didn't it…?"
"Yes," Fi stated. Link nodded, pursing his lips awkwardly.
"Do me a favor, Fi? Don't mention anything about last night while anyone else is around?" He waited.
"Master, there is a ninety percent chance that your companions will discover the truth over time."
"Well, I'm rooting for that ten percent," Link told her. "And...I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of this. What does this mean, anyway? Now that the Goddess Sword's been destroyed? What needs to be done?"
"The sword has not been destroyed, Master," Fi corrected. "It has merely been split into four parts." Link looked into the distance.
"Okay, four parts, so…where's the fourth? 'Cause I certainly don't have it."
"No, you do not," Fi affirmed. "The fourth section of the blade is no longer within this vicinity."
"No longer?" Link asked, confused. "Was it taken? Do you know where it is now?"
"Yes. I am able to pinpoint its current location with one-hundred percent accuracy," she said. Link's eyes opened up.
"You are?" he asked enthusiastically, sitting up straighter. "Where is it? Who has it?"
"Ghirahim, Master," Fi answered. Link's expression turned rigid the second that she spoke the demon's name. A warm, fleeting pulsation ran up his back. He took his time in responding.
"Uh, he has it?" he asked, viewing his reflection.
"Yes, Master."
"Um, where is he?" Link asked, looking around distrustfully.
"His current location is the sealed grounds," Fi informed him.
"The sealed grounds…You mean the place I visited when I first came here six days ago? The Sealed Temple, and all that?"
"Correct, Master." Link exhaled, comforted by the fact that the demon was a good distance away.
"So, how does this work, Fi? Are you able to inhabit each fragment? Or are you only able to use the one that I'm holding right now?"
"I have the ability to transfer my voice, as well as my form, to each section, if necessary."
"Oh…" Link answered, his mind spinning with questions. He drew the shard inward. "So, what happens now that the sword is broken? This weapon is special. It's unique, and one of a kind…and I…broke it."
"It was not your fault, Master," Fi declared. Link started to roll his eyes.
"That's what you told me after the tornado incident," Link said. "And I'm still trying to get over that. And now the sword that I was entrusted with…this relic...I took it somewhere one time and it was rendered useless!" He glared into the sky. "That…demon," Link snarled, almost growling the words. He ran a hand down his face. "He's the catalyst." Lowering his head, he looked at the shards again.
"So, what is it that I need to do, Fi?" Link asked, muffling his words with his hand. "What do I do with this damaged sword? Does it need to be repaired? Who-"
"Should I leave you two alone?" an unforgettable voice called behind him. Startled, Link jumped. Midna brushed her fingers along his shoulder and plopped down next to him. Looking to his right, he saw two bare feet. With a small grin, he watched her shimmy to the platform's edge and dip her toes into the water.
"Well, should I?" Midna asked dryly, eying the flickering scrap. Link peered down to see that he had been hugging the fragment to his chest. "'Cause I can go." Her eyes slowly came up to meet his. They were piercing, even when she didn't mean them to be. Link brought his hand down.
"Actually, I was about to propose to this metallic slab. Do you mind?" Giggling quietly, she kicked her feet lightly about, creating small waves in the undisturbed surface.
"Well now, it seems even hell isn't enough to overturn your sarcastic sense of humor," she remarked. "Perhaps you're even more special than I thought."
"Hell?" Link asked, verbally and mentally questioning her. "Why do you say that? Do you know what happened?" She gazed sternly into his eyes, educing uncertainty from him.
"Not at all," she said, her unreadable face obscuring her intent. "I'm simply stating what I've inferred. Comparing the way you look now to how you looked before you left Skyloft…" She quickly glanced him over. "…I'd say you've been through the wringer-physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically…" She looked him over a second time. "As well as other ways." She gave him a tight-lipped stare. He tilted to the left.
"Other ways?" he asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know, you tell me," she said. Still holding the sword fragment in his lap, he ran his fingers across it.
"Well, focusing on myself, and talking about myself is going to be a bit difficult at the moment, I'm afraid."
"Oh? Why?" she asked, lifting her feet and watching the water drip from her skin.
"Because, tragically, I have too many questions about you," he told her. Concentrating on her feet for a moment, she smiled, enjoying the sounds and sensations as she swung them in and out of the spring. Contented, she hummed softly to herself. Link observed as she swished about in the water.
"Maybe I should leave you two alone," Link retorted, slightly annoyed. She giggled again, keeping her eyes down.
"This water is special, silly," she said. "It has healing properties. It's actually turning the dull ache in my feet into a rather pleasant tingle." She looked at him slyly, admiring the look on his face. "You should try it. You look like you need it."
"Oh? And I suppose you know what I need?" he asked skeptically. Still grinning, she rolled her head to her other shoulder.
"Maybe I do," she replied. "I'll tell you what. If you show me yours, I'll show you mine." Link looked at her strangely for a few moments. "We can even reverse it. I'll tell you what you wanna hear, and after, you can share a little bit with me." Allowing for the silence to hang in the air, Midna waited, enjoying the coolness on her skin.
"You're not gonna tell me what happened in there unless I tell you everything that happened to me?"
"More or less. I'll talk first. Then, you tell me what you're comfortable with. Okay?" The auburn in her irises jumped out at him. He deliberated in his mind for a minute, trying to decide how badly he wanted to hear her explanation. Unfortunately, he wanted it pretty desperately. What he had just witnessed between her and the demon had turned his perception of her upside down.
"Alright," he finally said, hesitantly. Pleased, she reached her hand toward him.
"Knight's honor?" she asked. He lifted his hand and wrapped his fingers around her palm. Stopping, he felt her suppleness through his gauntlet. His gaze dropped. They hadn't touched since before he had set off on his journey. "Well this won't do," she said, looking him in the eye. Snapping back to reality, he looked up.
"Huh?" he asked.
"This," she repeated. Pulling her feet from the water, she turned toward him, folded her legs beneath her and brought her other hand around his wrist. She sank her fingers underneath the leather covering his right hand. Feeling her nails rub against his palm, he looked up. With a swift yank, she peeled the glove away, freeing everything below his knuckles. His body rocked forward as she pulled, ruffling him a bit. "Much better." She towed him closer, joining her bare hand with his. "Knight's honor?" Her lips curved ever so slightly.
"Knight's honor," he said. Stationary, they studied each other. Link was so fixated on her that the sounds of the forest became unnoticeable. Their hands remained together.
"Do you remember what I told you about my old boss, and how he sustained a slight injury after he put his hands on me?"
"How could I forget?" Link asked, not taking his eyes off of her. "'Slight injury' is an understatement, though."
"Okay," Midna said, running her teeth along her top lip. "Well, what I didn't tell you was how that injury came about." Blinking a few times, he explored her face. She broke her gaze with him to look down. He watched her mouth move as she spoke. "Well, something…happened," she explained, cocking her head. "Something that I didn't understand at the time." Her glowing eyes came up as she watched a pair of bluebirds flitter about in a nearby tree. "It was similar to what happened in there." She looked toward the open door of the temple. "But to a lesser extent. This demon is far more powerful than any man."
"How do you know anything about him?" Link asked, his eyes lighting up. Midna shook her head lightly for a few seconds.
"When it happened the first time, I had no idea where it had come from, or what had triggered it. It was…unexpected." Link's jaw started to fall. "Not knowing what I was dealing with, I kept it to myself for months…Until I found someone who I could talk to about it-"
"Who? Where were they from?" Link asked, coming forward. Amused by the way that he was unintentionally crowding her, she placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"Let's not agonize over details," Midna said in a soothing voice, playing with the crisscrossed stitches at the center of his beige collar. "After all, I know you're not planning on filling me in completely, right?" He held back his questioning, knowing she was right.
"Anyways," she continued, "I visited this person, regularly, for almost a year." She stopped to think. "I never tell anyone this. Most people wouldn't understand…" She gave him such a serious look that he instantly knew how important this subject was to her. He nodded, showing her that he understood. "She helped me to grasp it, what it meant, where it originated from…why it was there…I suppose you could say that I developed this skill. But…" She shrugged once more. "It's lain dormant for years. At least, until…"
"Today?" Link asked, his voice full of wonder. She nodded, stretching her hand out on his chest. He squeezed her other hand.
"Is that all you're gonna tell me?" he asked, wanting more.
"What else do you want to know?" she asked, her eyes on his tunic.
"What else do I want to know? Plenty, Midna. There's plenty I want to know." His commanding tone drew her eyes up, as well as her eyebrows. "How did you do what you just did? So effortlessly?" He shook his head. "I can hardly believe what you just managed to do in one short minute. This man, this…demon," he snapped disdainfully, causing her to flinch, "who practically…" Not giving himself the opportunity to stumble over his words, he shook his head. "Look what he did to the Goddess Sword." Midna's eyes trailed his arm down toward the fragmented blade. "I can't even tell you what he did with it. You wouldn't believe me anyway." Midna's eyes grew marginally larger as she reacted to his voice.
"I swear to the gods, Midna," he said as his chin dropped, "I've never felt so…" His tongue stopped moving as his ability to express how he was feeling began to slip out of his reach.
"Castrated?" Midna asked. Link gave her an intense stare. He squeezed her hand again as she stroked his chest. It expanded and contracted erratically. Her word choice had struck a nerve.
"Well," he began, "the thought of using that word wouldn't have even crossed my mind, but…yeah, I guess that describes it pretty well." He gaped at the water below them. "Especially when my last memory was my own weapon being demolished."
"Link," Midna said, turning his face with her fingertip. "Whatever happened, it's not your fault. Really." She leaned forward and followed his eyes, forcing him to listen. "I was able to do what I did because I happened to have the element of surprise on my side. He was so preoccupied with the two of you that he had no way of anticipating my approach, or what sort of attack was coming his way. Truthfully, I didn't even plan on doing what I did. I came with my bow and arrows, which I dropped in the hall outside the chamber. I saw what was happening, and I snapped. I felt that same, familiar anger rise up…"
Midna stared into his blue eyes, picking apart the emotions which were displayed within them. This normally immovable young man was far more troubled than she had ever seen him. Something was definitely off.
"What did he do to you?" she asked, practically demanding an answer from him. Part of him wanted to give her one. Part of him wanted to come clean about everything, to confess to her all of the reasons why he felt so inadequate; so beaten down and conflicted. He took a cleansing breath.
"What did he do to me?" he iterated. "Even though I know that he's got to be the father of all lies…" He gritted his teeth. Midna listened as his eyes glossed over a little bit. "…He made me question everything that I could ever possibly question about myself." Sympathetic yet unfulfilled from his lack of straightforward statements, Midna rested her hand on his cheek.
"Your skin is incredibly smooth," she noted, admiring his face. "How do you manage to stay so clean-shaven in the woods, of all places?" Saying nothing, he looked away shamefully. Her question, while innocent, had an answer that he didn't want to divulge. "Um...do you want to go see what Pipit's up to?"
Turning again, he tightened his hand around hers.
"Midna, what else do I not know about you?" Link asked. Her lips parted, but nothing came out. He looked at her pessimistically. After enduring and surviving the past several days, he knew that anything, good or bad, was possible.
"I think we've both got some undisclosed facts about ourselves that we can share," Midna told him. "Can it just wait until we get home?" Link's face remained blank.
"Why not?" he replied.
"You know, for days, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to see you again," she said, caressing his neck. He curled his head down skittishly, unsure of what to think about her touch, or anyone's touch. He thought about the demon, and the imprint that he had left in his mind. He was sullen, and Midna sensed it effortlessly.
"I didn't get the chance to say 'happy birthday' to you yesterday," she said. Link nodded.
"It's okay," he said in response. "It was a pretty disappointing birthday all around."
"Well, I was gonna do something special for you," she said with a gleam in her eye, drawing his interest.
"Oh?" he asked.
"Mmmhmm. But I'll tell you about it when we get home. I hardly think this is the place for it."
"Mid, whatever it is...I'm sure I wouldn't let you do it," he said as a small grin tugged at his mouth. She rubbed his hand with a chuckle.
"I'm just trying to get your mind off your troubles. Is it working?" She smiled broadly as his face turned away.
"A little bit," he admitted.
"I really missed you," she said, urging his eyes to return to her.
"I missed you too," he replied, "a lot, actually." His body became rigid as she leaned unexpectedly inward and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. His eyes widened as she sat back. He breathed in, savoring her fragrance.
In one fluid motion, Link's face gravitated toward hers. Pressing their lips together, they each found relief in the other's embrace.
….
Standing with his arms behind his back, Pipit glanced at the sky, amazed by the appearance of the clouds from such a distance. Hunting through the endless blue, he spotting dozens of cloud varieties and formations. He saw the underside of an island against a backdrop of cerulean. It was but a small-scale model of an exceptionally special place: his home.
He sighed, missing Skyloft with every fiber of his being. He longed to get himself, and his injured best friend, back home where he belonged.
Pipit reached behind and clutched the hilt of his sword with his left hand. The sound of the Knight Commander's blade leaving his scabbard rang through the surrounding vegetation. Several birds flew away, startled by the sound. In an effort to kill time, he whipped the sword in several sharp figure-eights. Leaping about, he frightened even more ground-dwelling creatures.
Circling the blade around, he held it beside his face. Breathing heavily, he paused. Something bright caught the very edge of his peripheral vision. The color was unnatural, and stood out powerfully against the foliage. Rotating slowly, he discovered an odd sight. It was several yards away, and obscured by bushes, flowers and shrubs. It was magenta…
Squinting, Pipit focused through the green blur. When he sensed movement behind a distant tree, he sprung into action.
Walking briskly with his weapon in the lead, he zeroed in on the enemy who he knew stood around the corner.
Antsy, he twirled his sword. He approached the tree which the creature was hiding behind. As he moved closer, a gust of wind sent a long, pink skirt flailing around from behind the trunk. Halting, he gasped. He recognized the color, and the meticulously detailed panel that lay on top of it.
Then, a face peeked out from behind its refuge. Pipit's mouth dropped and his eyes shot open as he looked upon long, pale, unmistakable hair. Stepping away from the tree trunk, the person revealed herself to him. Pipit's sword slipped from his hand.
"Zelda…?" he called cautiously. He could have sworn he was seeing a ghost, or an illusion. She couldn't possibly be real.
"Pipit…?"
Well, she certainly sounded real.
