Vaati was content. Wrapped up in a thick, fuzzy blanket, he sat in front of his roaring fire sipping a glass of red wine. In his other hand was an open book. That silly apprentice of his had left this morning, seeking to beseech the favor of the gods. To ask for help or some sort of ridiculous thing.

Didn't she realize the goddesses hated him? He was Vaati, terror of Hyrule, not Zelda or some sage. It wouldn't take much to provoke their active wrath against him. It amazed him that one of the Golden Three hadn't acted already. He had wrought terrible things upon Hyrule and its people in the past. His memories had faded or fogged over, but the figures in green, blue, red, and purple tunics were clear. Certainly he had done more than to earn a pint-sized brat for an eternal foe.

And one of the goddesses would acknowledge it, one day in the near future.

It probably wouldn't end well.

A sudden gust of wind howled outside, rattling the shutters. Damn. It seemed like yet another snowstorm had come. If this weather didn't quiet soon, Windfall would literally be felled by the wind and cold.

The wind pushed the shutter beside him slightly ajar. Vaati slammed it close with an angry humph.

Gods! Vaati thought, sitting back down and going back to his book. Can't I read in peace?

Since those very gods had a terrible sense of timing, someone knocked on the door. Vaati glanced in the direction of the door, but ignored it, focusing on his book. A dragon had been located at last, and attempts were being made to chip off part of its horn. Unfortunately, the adventurer was having a difficult time dodging the dragon's ice magic, which fell from the sky as chunks of ice and hail. Vaati imagined this champion, just for a moment, as wearing a green tunic when a piece of hail struck true, freezing the hero in place.

The involuntary grin on his face was wiped off as the knock came again, this time followed by an all too familiar, and grating, voice. "If you don't open up, Vaati," it said, the tone brooking no argument, "I'll reveal your secret to this whole damn village!"

Vaati cursed. What in hell was she doing here? He glanced towards the door and sneered. He would not be at that damnable woman's beck and call. He was the Dark Lord, she the minion. Alysse needed to get that through her thick skull for once.

Quietly, and not without a little vindictiveness, he read another three pages of his novel. The narrative was a little dry, and the main character was a little on the foolish side, but it was entertaining nonetheless.

Something in the atmosphere shifted. It would be subtle to most who were sensitive, but to Vaati it was like a torch in the darkness. A radiating presence that did not dissipate. Vaati frowned.

It was magic.

Vaati got to his feet abruptly, tossing blanket and book aside in alarm. Even as he withdrew the knife from between armrest and seat cushion, possibilities flooded his head of who and why. A stranger, a threat, a would-be assassin. Nobody in the village knew magic save for his apprentice, and she could barely make potions. He strode out of his study and crossed the foyer. Taking his blade out of its sheath and holding it at the ready, Vaati threw open the front door.

Alysse stood there, a ball of Din's Fire floating above her gloved hands, lighting up the night. The small flame cast an orange glow on the snow as it fell, making it appear as though embers were falling from the darkened sky. This was the simplest of spells, but the fact that she had learned it was concerning. Vaati frowned. Why was the fool throwing so much power into this minute spell?

"Who taught you that?" he demanded, glaring at the flame.

"I thought that might catch your attention," she said, a smirk touching her lips. Goddesses, he hated this woman. Why couldn't she provide straight answers like a normal person? "Unless you think your fireplace can warm the whole outdoors and chase away the cold, let's step inside."

"No," he said immediately. The meddlesome woman wasn't worth his time. Vaati quickly shoved his door closed, anticipating a satisfying slam. Instead, it hit something with a bang, rattling back open. Puzzled, he looked down. Between the door and frame was a walking stick, slightly dented. Alysse pushed it back open. In silence, she raised her eyebrows, an expression he had seen on her daughter on several occasions. Stubborn woman wouldn't leave until she had done whatever she had come over for.

Not that Vaati would do anything less himself.

"First," he said, "tell me where you learned that spell."

"I found it in Flow's notes," she answered, shrugging a shoulder. "Along with some others."

"Really now?" he asked. "Hmmph. She wasn't as scatterbrained as I thought."

That didn't tell him when Alysse had gotten them from the Dark World or how or why. Hadn't Ruuya claimed the woman didn't even know she had magic? Who had revealed it to her?

Probably the girl, Vaati thought. Who else?

He would have to have a talk with that unruly thief once she got back.

"So…" Alysse trailed off.

"Fine," he said, turning around, his cape swirling slightly at the sudden movement. Vaati glanced back at her over his shoulder. "Quench that flame, woman. No need to burn the house down because you couldn't control your own magic."

Alysse rolled her eyes but followed him inside, shutting the door behind her. Bundled up in her long fur coat, she looked even larger than usual. She was only four months pregnant, not six. Unless she was actually lying and just getting fat.

"Don't bother hanging up your coat," he said as she drew back her hood, revealing that her bright orange hair was pulled back into a messy bun. "I'll give you fifteen minutes, then I want you out."

Alysse glared. "Your apprentice is missing."

He raised an eyebrow. What that idiot Gerudo did on her own time was no concern of his. He wasn't her keeper. Did Alysse think he actually cared about the girl?

"And so is my daughter," the woman added, voice tempered with anger.

Vaati turned to face her, head tilted. "And I should care...why?" he asked, narrowing his one visible eye."You left your daughter in the hands of a simple thief who can barely read, never mind mix potions correctly. She has a habit of wandering off for too long when fetching ingredients. Did you really expect her to return on time, woman?"

She rekindled the flame. Vaati snorted derisively. Was Din's Fire the only spell the old sow knew? "My magic may be restrained," he said, letting out a sinister snicker. "But threatening me with that mundane spell won't get you anywhere. It's barely powerful enough to kill an Ice Chu, let alone a man."

He smiled, showing off his canines a tad. She rolled her hand into fist, the flame glowing slightly larger at her command. "Unless I burn this house down," Alysse said tersely.

"Ha! Like you could do it, fool," he said. "You're not the type to wrought such things on your enemies, and if this house burned down, what would the villagers say? You killed their god. You and your husband would lose whatever power you hold…"

Vaati's grin never wavered. He reveled in the complete control he held over the situation. Bringing another under his heel gave him a rush like nothing else could. Sure, it was more satisfying than toying with the desert woman, but then, that was more of a game than anything else.

"Your parlor spells and threats are nothing," he said. "Put it away. If you want to buy-"

Another knock came at the door. By Din, couldn't he just enjoy being evil for once?

Despite that Vaati didn't want another guest, the woman opened the door herself. In the darkened doorway stood Nan dressed for the weather and covered in snow. Her large brown eyes shifted from Alysse, to Vaati, then back again, shock stealing the normally talkative girl's voice.

"Nan!" Alysse cried. She wrapped her arms around the girl and held her tight. "I was so worried!"

"There," said Vaati, "Your daughter has returned, and there is no reason for you to linger. As for that foolish girl -"

"Where's Ruuya?" Alysse asked.

"Maa, she's in trouble!" Nan said, tongue freed. "We got trapped by the sudden snowstorm and got lost in the woodsandtherewerekeeseandchusandmon-"

"Naneth," her mother began, placing a calming hand on the girl's arm. "Take a few deep breaths."

The girl nodded, doing so. Slowly, she regained her composure. If one could ever call a girl like Nan composed.

Alysse gently ushered Nan away from the door, and closed it shut once again. When her breathing had evened out, her mother quietly queried again: "Where is Ruuya?"

Nan sniffled. "She fell in a hole and couldn't get out," she said, making a sloping gesture downwards. "She sent me to get help. I came here because I figured Lord Vaati's an all powerful sorcerer, so he can save her! And the other guards and Captain Bazz are probably inside in weather like this and already sleeping and..."

She looked at him. Expectant. Vaati felt a sudden burst of panic. He did not have access to his magic yet, and if he couldn't fake it, he would lose all his followers because of that fact. Ordinary humans or not, they gave him a base of power to work from. Before, he hadn't need to worry; he could use potions to fake a few spells to a limited degree. He had plausible reasons for not openly using his power, and the former outcasts had ate up every last one. He was studying; he didn't see reason to mess with nature; some abilities had lost their novelty. Now though, he had to convince the village's leading chatterbox he had the ability and willpower to save a foolish woman from a fate she had brought upon herself.

The Great Sorcerer Vaati was not a charitable man. He did not do favors, he did not help the elderly, and he did not save idiots lost in storms. But between losing what little influence he had and wounding his pride, he knew which had to take a hit.

"Fetch a Red Potion and some Spicy Elixir from the shop," he said, glancing over at Nan.

"But couldn't you just use a warming spell to do it?" she asked, lifting her eyebrows.

Sometimes he hated how perceptive the girl was.

"For one person, yes," he lied. She didn't need to know that, of course. At the height of his power, he could've kept all three of them warm, though such a spell was still a waste of magic and wouldn't last for more than twenty minutes before draining his magical reserves. Now, however… "It's better to use potions than to waste magic on such cantrip spells. I will need my magic for other things than keeping you warm!"

She blinked, but nodded, jogging past him and into the shop proper. Thankfully, she remembered to close the door.

"Did she write down any light spells?" he asked immediately, keeping his voice low even though Nan was out of earshot by now. One never knew with that girl how fast she'd get back, and he had to put his plan into action quickly if he wanted it to work.

Alysse frowned. "Not that I've found," she replied. "What does that matter?"

"Keeping up appearances," he answered. His stomach flipped at the admittance. A slew of curses went through his head, none of them actually magical. "A simple spell. Rauru's Lamp. First speak the incantation "light the way" then take an empty bottle or, better, an oil lamp, fill it with light, and trap it inside. A simple trick, but one that should work for our purposes."

Alysse opened her mouth as though to protest, but Vaati raised his hand, halting it.

"Is it really the time for this?" he asked, exasperated. "You would be a fool to go out in this weather, woman, considering how pregnant you are. More of a fool, I should say, and I will not be responsible for encouraging your reckless stubbornness. This way, we both get what we want. I get to solidify the image that I am an all-powerful sorcerer who cares for his minions...and you get to protect your friend." He practically spat the last word. "Is it a deal?"

She shot him another glare but nodded, finally convinced. Excellent. She was learning to be a better follower. Soon, she spoke the spell, summoning a ball of white light between thumb and forefingers then shoved it into an empty oil lamp he had grabbed from the cupboard in the kitchen. They sealed it shut with a handkerchief and a hair-tie. Almost as soon as they had finished, Nan returned, not only bearing several bottles of the orange elixir he had told her to fetch, but also his warm furred cloak, his walking staff, and a rope.

Fairly savvy, this girl. Perhaps he could wring some usefulness out of her later.

Vaati took the cloak and staff from Nan. "This will do," he said, wrapping the cloak around his shoulders. He shoved his feet into a pair of spare boots by the door. "We have little time. You," he pointedly stared at the girl, "drink an elixir, and lead me to wherever my petulant apprentice fell."

Nan straightened up, and saluted. "Right!" she said.

"And you," Vaati glanced at Alysse. "Keep my fire going. I want to come back to a warm home, not an icicle." The old woman snorted, but nodded her assent.

"Fine by me," she replied, "Naneth, you be careful."

"I will!"

"Then let's be off. This storm won't become any better if we dawdle."

Nan downed her potion, and stuffed the bottle into her bag. Vaati did the same, and the two of them stepped out into the storm. As soon as they did, a burst of cold wind greeted them, blasting snow and cold air past their ears. Vaati felt the force of the wind, but not its icy touch. The elixir worked well, an investment of time and resources he was glad to have spent. In his head he began counting down the minutes until the chill would finally bite through and they would need to drink another. When the enchantment wore off, he hoped he would not still be in this mess.

He shut the door behind him, and looked at Nan expectantly. She nodded and took off through the snow. It was blowing sideways.

"Come on! This way!" called Nan. Vaati snorted and followed after at a quick pace. The sooner the trip took, the sooner he could return to The Tales of the Water Mage of Lanayru and his place by the fire.

Through the village she led him, keeping within sight. The blizzard was thick, the lamp hanging from Nan's hand barely cutting through the time or two she wandered a little too far ahead. Her voice guided when sight did not. When the wind howled and stole away her voice, she came back and led him on. The village and its lights were left behind and soon all they had were bare trees in a swirling world of white.

Vaati hadn't left the village very often since his transition to the Light World. He had maps, he had gossips, he had offerings, and he had Ruuya to make up for it. A time or two he had gone scavenging with her to ensure she brought back exactly what he needed, but otherwise, she would report where an ingredient was and how plentiful it was in that location. They were going around Lake Hylia, he knew that much. He huffed in annoyance. He hadn't thought Ruuya foolish enough to wander away from such an obvious path. He clearly underestimated her idiocy.

He nearly tripped over a thick stick sticking straight up out of the snow. It wasn't much higher than a foot or so out in the air, but the suddenness of its appearance put him off balance. He side-stepped it and made a mental note to avoid it on the way back.

After a short while, a second one collided with his shoe.

"Nan!" he called out. She obediently came back to his side, breathing hard, though not as nearly as he was. Vaati pointed a finger at the offending stick. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Markers," she replied. "I didn't want to get lost coming back for Ruuya, so I stabbed a bunch into the ground. Did you trip over it or something?" Vaati shook his head and stabbed the end of his staff into the snow.

"No. Don't be a fool," he said. "I am Lord Vaati! The most powerful sorcerer to have ever lived! A mere stick will not stop me." He gestured forward with his staff. "Now, carry on. I wish to end this quickly before the elixir wears off."

The girl nodded eagerly. "Okay!" she said, hurrying forward to pick up the lead again. The sticks were sporadic at best, but he couldn't deny the resourcefulness of using such common things.

The makeshift trail went up and down a few inclines in a wobbly, zig-zagging path. Once or twice Nan had to double check where another stick was, and stop Vaati where he was for a moment before continuing. The trip was already beginning to tire him, and the delays needled Vaati's already paper-thin patience. Once his foolhardy apprentice was dragged back to the village, he was going to give her a chore list as long as Death Mountain was tall. Whatever tiny, petty thing or ridiculous job he could think of was going to be written down and given to that pathetic excuse of a sorceress in-training. Re-organizing his bookshelves, fetching some ingredient or other from the Faron region, gathering something or other from Mount Hylia, bug-hunting fireflies in the evening...

Well. Perhaps not written. Din knew he wouldn't be able to procure that much paper in time. He would have to settle for an on-going mental list. And if he forgot something? Oh well. Things could always be shuffled around.

He had counted a little over three-quarters of the estimated time for the potion to wear off when Nan began frantically waving. He marched forward, passing through a small ruin, barely noticing the shadow of columns and colonnade in the dark and snow.

She pointed at the end of the steep incline they had arrived at."This is it!" she said. Her voice was a little too loud, even in the den the wind was creating. "She's down there!" Vaati took a few steps forward, squinting. Here, yet another stick was planted in the ground. On top Nan had tied a green sash, which served as a simple flag in this awful wind. The light of Rauru's Lamp caught on a deep hole in the earth at the base of the flag. He could see no bottom. It was amazing that it was still visible despite all this snow.

Nan got on her hands and knees, and peeked into the hole. "Ruu! I'm back!" she called out. "And I brought back Lord Vaati!" She waited a moment, kneeling there, as if expecting something. Vaati waited for some snide, backhanded reply. Perhaps an exasperated response on why Nan couldn't have gotten somebody else. Or maybe a groan and a resigned sigh.

He gripped his cloak tighter to his body as the winds briefly picked up. Goddesses, he hated this weather. The misery of winter wasn't as amusing when he was stuck in the middle of a storm. One day soon he would have the curse binding his magic broken, and he would never again have to suffer through another storm. Nor would he ever have to suffer obstinate humans, and their ridiculous demands. Social niceties were a sham, and he would be damned before he would ever treat a measly human as an equal.

"Ruuya?" Nan asked.

Vaati sighed, folding his arms and tapping his foot, his patience already tried.

"Ruu?" She waited again. An echo of her voice came back, but nothing answered beside the harsh winter wind.

"Are you certain this is the right spot?" Vaati asked. "There must have been twenty other holes or so that we passed on the way here."

Nan rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Do you think I left this here just for show?" She pointed at the marker, then with the same movement, snatched the oil lamp filled with light from his hands, shining it down into the hole below. "Is there a way to like...shine this down like a ray of sunlight or something?"

Vaati gritted his teeth. Yes, if I was still able to use my magic. "No," he answered tersely. "However…" He took a quick look around them. The only tree in sight was too thin and further off than his rope could reach while still spilling down into the hole. He held back another sneer. How he loathed having his options restricted. "If we loop the rope around my staff a few times," he said, "and then tie it around my wrist and the lamp's handle, we could make a makeshift pulley. Then I may see to her condition."

Five minutes later Nan had done so following his directions, the simple 'pulley' complete. Slowly and carefully, he lowered the lamp into the hole. With a hand-length of rope to spare, the light finally shined on a bit of orange hair, the glimmer of swords barely visible beyond that. As soon as they saw this, he brought the lamp back up, sighing. Great. That was one deep hole and the rope wasn't nearly long enough to reach the bottom, never mind tie around Ruuya's waist and bring her up. Not that either he or the girl were strong enough to do so anyway.

Someone somewhere was laughing at his predicament, he was sure. Probably Din. She had always been his least favorite goddess.

His pride already damaged, and his reputation and future on the line, Vaati saw only one option. "We need to go back to Windfall Village," he announced, voice flat. "I need another pair of hands to get her out."

Nan puckered at the news, glanced down at the hole, then up at him, then back at the hole again. After a brief moment, she slumped her shoulders in acceptance. Lifting her hands to either side of her mouth, she shouted, "Ruuya! We'll be back in twenty minutes. We need a longer rope, I think!"

Vaati raised an eyebrow. The fool girl was wasting time. There was no way an unconscious-

"Nan?"

Vaati started at the Gerudo's voice, echoing up from the abyss. Not so unconscious after all, he thought, truly shocked for the first time in years. He dug into his bag and withdrew an orange potion with a dim, reddish glow.

"Idiot girl," he muttered, throwing the potion into the hole. A few clanks later, it landed with a clunk. "Drink that," he said, louder. "It will keep you warm until we return."

"Thank you..." said the voice, dim below the roaring wind. "Could… Do you have anything to eat and drink?"

Nan frowned, her eyebrows knitting. She took off her sack, removed a few objects from it, and put them in his bag despite his complaints-

"What? Stop that, you little-!"

- and threw her sack down into the hole. Vaati only got a glimpse, but he saw dried food, a canteen, and flint and wood for kindling flame inside of it. It hit the ground soon after, and Ruuya gave a quiet thanks, her voice only an echo of a whisper.

"I hope ya didn't mind," said Nan. "I took some stuff from your pantry."

He stared in disbelief. His pantry! His food! Was he just surrounded by thieves and fools?

The flame of irritation that Vaati had held since Alysse's intrusion upon his quiet evening, suddenly blazed. He snarled. "How dare-" he began. But his tongue stilled. The fire cooled.

Nan had turned to him, glaring. Cheeks a bright red, eyes rimmed with tears. Hands clenched into fists, white as the snow. Vaati took a step back, uncertain and startled. He hadn't thought the energetic girl capable of anger.

Apparently, he had underestimated her.

Silently, she handed him an orange potion. The spell, he noticed, had gone out. She drink one as well.

"I…" he tried again, but he could get no further. Words failed him.

"C'mon, Vaati," she said, waving him to follow. "Maybe Captain Bazz can help."

In grumbling silence, he followed her back to the village. This trip was not going as he had planned. His apprentice was too weak to be saved. One of his most devote and faithful followers had stolen from him, thought nothing of it, and then rolled over his tirade before it had even begun like a particularly stubborn goron with just a look. He would need to stay in the freezing weather for far longer than he cared for to get that useless girl out of the hole she had fallen into.

And to top the evening off, he needed to pay a visit to old sharkhead. He would also be using up more elixirs than he wanted to, since the captain of the guard would undoubtedly be far more susceptible to the cold than your average human.

Vaati clenched his teeth. Though the most disturbing part of the night was not the cold nor the theft. It was not even the need for a weaker being to complete what he could not. No, it was something far more important than that.

For Nan had dropped the honorific.

Kandragon: Was that the best idea Nan? You might get in trouble...

SmashQ: This chapter ended up being a little too long, so it's been split. Vaati just can't catch a break, can he?