Twilight-Dipped Dreams
Chapter 11
"Forgive me for my boldness, Lady Kohana." The master of the brutes voiced, walking beside her as he lead her to her new accommodations, opening the door to a magnificent and spacious room, "I was so entranced by you I forgot myself. I am Kelik, current Leader of the Kakami Clan." Kohana was gently lead to sit down on a couch by his brutes and she pulled the furs closer about her person, while Kelik sat across from her in a single chair, staring at her. After a while he fidgeted and bade, "Forgive me once more, I just can't help but be enthralled by your beauty. It's just so rare to meet another of our kind and a female as well. You're just so ravishingly lovely."
"Complimenting me so much won't get you anywhere." She said sharply and Kelik laughed, removing his cloak,
"I see that dolt didn't give as many compliments as he should have to an immortal, especially you. Then again, he can't be fully held for blame; He's far too stupid to be able to think up compliments towards the gentler race." Kelik continued, fixing his white and red hair, while Kohana glanced at him, "I've met him in person. Much more dense than people think he is. Seems he doesn't understand riddles either, poor thing. So uneducated!"
"Its obvious your dislike of him, but even I have trouble grasping your meaning when you speak in riddles." Kohana said simply and Kelik twitched at her tone.
"Indeed, but it was how I was raised, and that was ever so long ago, my lady." He said and stared at her, "It's so fascinating…meeting the last female of my clan…Never in my wildest dreams had I though you would be half as gorgeous as you are before me." Kelik purred and she felt strange about the compliments which left a bad taste in her mouth. "You're a bit frosty towards me, but no matter. You'll warm up to me in time, I'm sure. We will need to repopulate, after all." Kohana braced herself against a shiver of disgust.
"Where have you taken Zelda and Midna?" Kohana demanded and the guards about her eyed her suspiciously, as Kelik got to his feet and walked opposite of where they were sitting to a grand fire place. He threw some logs onto the metal rack for the fireplace before blasting them with a spell and they quickly lit the room with a bright blue glow, and when that fireplace lit, it set off a chain reaction. Kohana watched in confusion as all of the torches came to life with flickering gold flames, two by two, to illuminate the room fully. It looked like something befitting royalty with it's red and gold color scheme, it's gigantic canopy bed with red and gold draping, the curtain-covered arch ways that led to a balcony that gazed into the dark night, and the thick rugs and furs that adorned the slick black floors. Kohana then looked at Kelik's back defiantly to let him know she would not be bought into compliance and he caught her gaze with his own, "Where are my friends?"
"They're here." He assured and turned from the fire, sitting across from her once more, "Probably being groomed to a better state. They looked awful, honestly." Kelik tutted and glanced at her before he smiled at her, "Even in your slightly rugged state, you're hauntingly beautiful. You look like something wild." Kohana's furs fell from her shoulders as she adjusted in her seat and he smiled,
"And what will you do with me now that you have me?" Kohana questioned as Kelik got up once more and looked into the fire,
"Well, given the fact of the matter that you've run from Ganondorf's grasp again must indicate that…you being here means you wish to side with me, instead." Kelik voiced and Kohana was quiet. So He believed Midna and Zelda when they said that she had run off. It didn't seem so good, but at least he was leaving Ganondorf alone. "There's no need to meddle with that oaf- so I might as well kill him off while I have the chance." Kohana blinked in surprise as he looked at her, "I'm sorry, did you think that you being here meant he'd be safe?"
"There's no point-" Kohana started before he interjected, "WRONG! There is a point, Lady Kohana, there is." Kohana was quiet as he came over to circle around the couch she sat on in a predator-like manner, "Your presence here is only half the battle. Now, I have the upper hand, and I can strike down your Dark Knight-In-Shining armor. It won't be easy but I can do it if I have faith in myself…and in you." He voiced as he stopped before her and she shot to her feet,
"You leave him alone." Kohana snapped and he frowned, "He won't bother you." If Kelik knew that Kohana's life and Ganondorf's were linked by the hex, he'd surely use her against the King of Hyrule and in the end, one of them would die- and she had a sinking feeling that it would be herself to take that blow. "You said that you had to show him the way here, didn't you? Put up something to deter him and he obviously won't find his way in." Kelik took a step closer to Kohana and she glared up at him, not budging from her spot. "You can do it, can't you?"
After a long moment he answered simply, "…I can't." He voiced as he looked away before his eyes flickered back to her, "But you can." At her confused gaze, he continued, "The position of leader is merely temporary for me and my powers are…limited. The position is mean only for the clan's High Priestess- you were the next in line. Once that Oaf killed the previous leaders, you were next. You are the heir of this clan."
"What clan?" She yelled, gesturing to the creatures guarding every entrance and exit out of the room, "These- these THINGS!? Is this the clan you speak of?" She demanded of Kelik, "You're trying to make up some bullshit story to keep me here and you cast me as the lead role? I'm not some stupid little girl! I'm a grown woman for god's sake-" Kelik grabbed her face and glared down at her,
"Just because Ganondorf has blinded you with his lies, clipped your wings with his false promises, and kept you in the dark does not mean it's a fairytale! You are our Leader. These things? They're your subjects! We're all like this because of you!" Kelik pushed her back and she fell onto the couch, the demons snarling, "Don't snarl at me!" He snapped at them in fury and frustration, "It's a hibernation cycle! You've not tapped into your magic and we suffer!" Kelik snapped at Kohana who glared up at him, "You may be our link, but I'll be damned-"
"Enough!" She snapped and he flinched, "That's enough! Get out and leave me alone, I won't hear this anymore!" Kohana choked, covering her mouth and face with an edge of the furs, "Get out of here and leave me alone."
As soon as Kelik opened his mouth, the demons pounced him and pulled him from the room as he protested and Kohana covered her face, a few demons remaining. The doors opened as Kohana was on the verge of crying and she was enveloped in warmth, looking up. Midna and Zelda were hugging her and she let out a little sob and hugged them close to her, too frustrated and emotionally distraught to fight.
~x~ ~x~ ~x~
A plate smashed against the stone floor as the minions that Kelik kept near him cowered a bit, "That absolute wretch has ruined her!" Kelik snarled angrily and flipped the stone table before his fire place, the maids whimpering and hiding behind the stronger demons who shielded them without a moment's hesitation. "Did you see the way she looked at me when I told her of our past? HUH?! That cur hasn't told her anything!" Kelik yelled in frustration before moving towards the doors that the maids ran out of. The demons shut them firmly and Kelik glared up at them, "Release me, I must speak with her."
"You heard the Priestess, Lord Kelik. She doesn't wish to hear from you." One of the demons said, Kelik's temper flared higher as it gave him a dark sneer, "You are not longer the advocate for her. The Priestess's orders are to be followed more than yours." Kelik calmed down enough to hiss,
"Without any powers, I'm still advocate of this Clan." He told them, "Until she has awakened, I still call the shots." The demons stood their ground and did not let him pass, "Move, I say!"
"The Priestess's word will always hold more sway than yours. You will stay here for the night." "Or at least until you calm down," The second guard piped in, "Right, but you must be completely calm. You will not bring any sort of harm to the Priestess any longer. And in your state of mind now, you will hurt her." Kelik took a few rugged breaths before composing himself before turning on his heels and going to the deeper part of his chambers to attempt to relax, opting for a bath to start with. The steaming water was awaiting him and he slipped in, his clothes neatly folded on a rack where he put them and his hair floated on the surface. Red and white, his hair was in his reflection against his pale skin and he sulked as he slipped deeper into the bath and sighed.
"Hmmm...I need to help her awaken her powers...but how?" He closed his eyes for a few long minutes before looking at the array of candles that illuminated the bathroom. He moved his hand towards them and slowly lowered his hand. After a few long moments, the candle flames shrunk and the light dimmed. "Even now I am losing these powers."And then he sat up,
~X~ ~X~ ~X~
Midna and Zelda were accepted as the 'Head Hand-maidens' to Kohana, who stood on the balcony against the chilling night. "That bastard Kelik, how could he say that to you?!" Midna fumed as Kohana looked at her, turning her back to the night and the railing, listening to Midna. "This was a terrible idea, Kohana." She said as the windows tugged at the curtains that floated over the balcony, hiding a shadowed figure as they pulled themselves onto the balcony's edge, "You staying here didn't stop him."
"At least it bought Ganondorf time to get his things together." Kohana voiced and the figure watched as she adjusted her wrappings to cover her more against the thin nightgown she wore, turning her back partially to the figure. "Saying how I could stop him- there's no way. I...I don't know any spells or anything but he keeps telling me everything he can do is actually some sort of 'strength on loan'...from me? That's not possible, I'm just plain." She said, looking at her hands, "I...I'm just someone who blends in and tethers Ganondorf here. There's nothing special about me."
"You have Magic, obviously." Zelda voiced, Kohana looking at the woman, "It's a hex, but how much of it is really the Hex and how much of it is really you?" Kohana blinked in surprise, "If Ganondorf did the hex, it wouldn't last so long- if someone else did then it could last longer, but if it died out- what if you've been keeping the hex in place all along? I read in some of the books that some hexes take root to a person's will in rare cases." The figure grabbed the railing columns and pulled them self up more.
"There's no magic in me, Zelda. Kelik is a liar and a bastard for keeping me here- I thought me coming here would help! That it would stop him from going to Hyrule but it won't! He's going to go anyway and I can't fight him. He has those beasts armed and I have no sword of my own. I couldn't fight him if I wanted to in my condition...I'm weak in this cold, look at me! I'm pathetic, wrapped up in these blankets and furs but I can't handle the cold, I've tried." Kohana protested.
"But you killed Zant." Midna reminded her, "You killed him when he was about to kill Ganondorf. You saved Ganondorf and yourself." Kohana shook her head,
"No, I saved myself! Had he been killed, I'd fall asleep again- I won't go back to waiting for him." Kohana exclaimed before she started coughing and grasped the railing, panting as she regained her composure and gulping in air. "I want to be someone who can save myself and the people I care about, even on my borrowed time. I want to stand up for myself."
"That's so cool." Zelda breathed and they all started laughing, the girls vanishing as a hand clapped down on the railing and Kohana blinked and looked over. It was black in appearance. She went over to the railing as an arm appeared- with black and gold armor.
"Ganondorf?!" She gasped as the culprit lifted his torso onto the railing grinning cockily up at her, sword slung on his back, "What the hell are you doing here, honestly!?" She gasped and he answered,
"I came to see you." She blushed and he followed it up with, "To make sure that bastard didn't hurt you- are you hurt?" She shook her head, pulling the furs up more,
"No, I'm fine. Come up-" She said and glanced over the railing, seeing a few of the things that guarded her doors, clinging to his legs. She chuckled, "Brought some friends?" She asked, Ganondorf grunting and nodded. He grabbed a handful of her furs and pulled her over to him, "Hey-!" She huffed and he grabbed the back of her neck, pushing her head down and kissed her as she blushed darkly,
"For good luck." He said, releasing her and grabbing his sword with the same hand before he let go of the railing and Kohana leaned over to watch him fall on his ass.
Instead, in a swift movement, he pulled his sword from it's sheath and butchered the things in mid-air, rolling to his feet on the ground as the bodies fell around him, dead, and he glanced up at her. Ganondorf waved a little before vanishing into the darkness as she fumed after him, "You bastard, you stole my first kiss!" as the girls came in and Kohana stood up, "Ganondorf was just here a few seconds ago." Kohana muttered, pulling her shawl about her more, coughing a bit as she went back inside.
"If he's here, surely he's here to help- right?" Zelda whispered and Midna nodded, leading her to the large bed with thick curtains about the canopy. "He'll help you."
"No, Zelda." Kohana said slowly, taking deep, labored breaths, "I have to...save myself. I...need to think of something to distract Kelik again...something that will make him draw in all his forced to here-" Kohana blinked as she looked at the girls. "A wedding." She breathed and the girl;s recoiled in shock. "I think...I think it might be the only way."
"A wedding? To Kelik? Do you hear yourself right now?" Midna demanded in a harsh whisper, "You've been fighting him and now you want to give in?" Kohanah shook her head,
"No, listen to me- Kelik thinks I'm some sort of etheral power here, right? Some sort of priestess? He wanted me here all along, so I'm here and he wants me to be the leader, right?" The girls nodded as Kohana spoke, "If I were to fall sick, only whatever forced he has here would be around to help- we need all of them here, somewhere- a wedding will get them all in one spot. If I tell Kelik that I want this rubble cleaned up before I marry him, then he'll call everyone back from the front lines- Hyrule will be safe for a while-" The girls looked at each other then at Kohana who pursed her lips and continued, "If they're all focusing on festivities, it will be the perfect time for you guys to go around and pick off these things one by one- Ganondorf too. Kelik will be busy cleaning up, he won't notice- or busy here, courting me if I want him too."
"But- what if we don't kill him in time before you guys are married?" Zelda asked and Kohana gritted her furs,
"Then we will need to deal with it then- but for now, we need to distract Kelik as much as possible- until he's weak enough ot get killed. He said he's using 'borrowed powers'- my powers, I guess. But now that I'm here, he's going to run out of juice some time. If I keep him distracted then he'll get weak enough to kill." Kohana said and sneered as she added, "And I want to deal the final blow."