Chapter 37: Taboo
Silence stretched between the two of them and the tension in the air was monumental. Link couldn't think of a single time in his whole life where he had felt this personally guilty or irresponsible.
For owning the Triforce of Courage, his nerve failed him now. He could barely look at her.
She had remained quiet since she had seen the memory of him kissing Zelda and telling her he loved her, twice.
He had no idea what was going through her mind as his own started to race wildly at any possible option.
Could he apologise? No, too soon. Maybe he could ask her to shout at him? Little good that would do though. What if… or maybe…but…
No ideas came.
He wanted to fix this. He had to. But exactly did he need to fix? He hadn't technically lied to her. He hadn't betrayed her. And yet… why did it feel so much like he had?
"We…uh…should get out of here" she said quietly. "I think my leg's better"
She shifted them in the pool, and seemed to have her mobility back at least. Confirming it, she stood up quickly.
Her leg looked as normal as it had previously. The pool changed it somehow, as if it had never been broken in the first place. All traces of dirt were gone from her torn flowing dress too.
"Does it…feel any different?" he dared ask.
She flexed her leg back and forth, testing it out.
"No, it's fine. Let's get out of here" she said plainly, waiting for him and his lantern to light the way.
He got to his own feet, withdrawing from the pool. How had it done anything like this? It didn't look like a spring that belonged to any fairy or some divine source of power. It still looked otherworldly.
Looking over it one more time, he shook his head, unable to think of anything rational.
Midna waited at the mouth of the cave, her arms folded as she looked to the floor.
Link sighed to himself. They would need to talk about this together. Now wasn't the time though. They were still lost underground. Steeling himself once more, he checked his lantern.
A tiny measure of oil was left in it. Barely enough to light the way out of the cave.
"Alright" he said, noticing Midna wince.
"Uh...I don't have enough lantern oil left. If we want to be able to get out of here, without waiting for your labourers, then the only thing I can think of is if you use your magic…to ignite your hair and give us a source of light."
She stared at him blankly for a second, as if trying to unwrap what he had said and who he was. Within a moment, she blinked and snapped back awake.
"Right" she said quickly.
She pulled back her hood, letting her long golden hair spill freely down her back—only for it to lift, as if caught in an unseen wind. Power rippled through it, and at her whispered command, the strands blazed to life, shifting between deep amber and molten gold. It moved like a living thing, casting dancing shadows across the cave walls.
Link was surprised she was so willing to break the taboo of her people that she'd gone to great lengths to explain. Then again maybe she just wanted to get out of here at any cost, he realised.
"Let's go"
She didn't look at him, but at least she waited for him to follow before turning toward the exit. Her steps were slow at first. Testing and confirming. Then, satisfied, she moved faster.
The break was completely gone. The bruises and cuts along her leg had vanished too, though the ones on her arms and shoulders remained. Whatever magic lay in that pool had healed her selectively, though by what rule, he couldn't guess.
He followed through the cave for a while, his eyes adjusted to the orange light of her hair showing the way back. The lantern would have worked better, but he was far from complaining.
They made their way back to the giant pile of rubble they had arrived in. Midna stopped at the base, looking around to try and find a solid path back up. She, like him, knew that all the rocks were still loose though. One wrong step could send them tumbling at best or bury them both at worst.
He wished she could at least look at him. Seeing nothing but her back made him feel worse.
The silence between them stretched, thick and unbearable. Link had never been so keenly aware of it before. The cave felt emptier, the flickering glow of Midna's hair casting twisting shadows on the rock walls.
Link exhaled, adjusting his belt. He needed to say something. Anything. But his thoughts circled uselessly, grasping for the right words and finding nothing.
Midna shifted beside him, arms folding tight across her chest. Then, abruptly, she spoke.
"Right. We're not staying down here forever, so we need a plan."
Her voice was level and almost casual, but something in it was off.
"You think you can climb this death trap, or should I just use my presence to command the rocks to move aside?"
Link blinked at her. The sudden shift caught him off guard. But she was talking again and that was something at least.
"I don't think royal authority works on rockslides" he said cautiously.
"A damn shame." She tapped a finger against her arm, scanning the slope of rubble ahead.
The rocks loomed over them, an unstable and jagged mess. Loose debris piled high, shifting with the slightest disturbance. Midna tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she searched for a path up. But she didn't move. Neither did he.
Not an option.
"Alright," Link said, glancing around. "Climbing's out. Maybe the workers up there could do something" Link offered.
He cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Hey! Can anyone hear us?"
His voice echoed, bouncing off the stone walls and debris. For a second, he thought he heard something faint. Then a few loose rocks tumbled down, clicking against the rubble.
Nothing else.
Midna sighed. "Yeah. That's what I thought."
They stood there for a moment, neither speaking. Link stared up at the impossible climb, his mind running in circles. The silence crept in again, pressing against him.
His eyes flicked toward Midna's hair. Still shifting and moving with unknown force.
And then the thought struck him. She had lifted him and blocks of heavy stone with relative ease when they had adventured together.
"You know… your hair's already breaking all the rules. What if you just used it as a… I dunno, an extra limb to climb? I saw you try something like that when we first fell and it almost worked."
Midna turned her head slightly, just enough to glance at him from the corner of her eye. Her expression was unreadable in the firelight.
"Want to elaborate?"
He gestured at the rockslide. "You can lift yourself with it, right? What if you just… lifted both of us?"
She blinked once. Then twice. For a moment, she didn't react at all.
Then, without a word, she tilted her head back slightly. The glow from her hair flared a little brighter, her fingers flexing at her sides
Link wasn't sure if she was considering the idea or dreading it. Finally, she let out a slow breath and rubbed her temple.
"You're really pushing how much I want to ignore my ancestors today."
"So that's a yes?"
"That's a 'shut up while I figure this out.'"
She rolled her shoulders, cracking her knuckles like she was getting ready for a fight. Her hair rippled, shifting in the air as the flame in it grew brighter, deeper.
"Fine" she muttered. "If I fall, at least I'll land on you, feet first."
Link smirked, stepping closer. "Glad to know I'll be useful for something."
She shot him a glare but didn't argue.
Taking a deep breath, she raised her hands. Her hair coiled and stretched, the fiery glow along its length turned brighter as the strands twisted and grew.
Link braced himself.
Midna inhaled deeply, her hair shifting like a living thing in response. The fiery strands coiled outward, stretching into the empty space between them and the rockslide.
"Hold still," she muttered, lifting one hand, her fingers twitching as if directing each strand by instinct.
Link barely had time to react before something gripped him firmly around the waist. Midna's hair curled beneath his arms. Its warm, ember-like glow casting flickering light on rubble slope. It held him steady, not tight enough to constrict, but firm enough that there was no mistaking her control.
The rest of her hair extended toward the rockslide. When it made contact with the rubble, it didn't just grab hold, it spread.
Strands of deep orange fanned outward like delicate roots, seeking secure anchor points. But Midna didn't stop there. Bit by bit, she separated the strands, letting them filter up the slope, pressing carefully against looser rocks without shifting them.
Link watched in quiet fascination as she wove her magic, each motion precise. She wasn't just climbing, she was engineering her way up.
The first testing pull came slow. A few pebbles tumbled loose, but the weight spread evenly, keeping the larger debris undisturbed.
"You doing alright?" Link asked, his voice low.
Midna didn't answer. Her jaw was set in concentration, her golden eyes tracking every movement of her conjured limbs. The next pull lifted them higher, the strands splitting and reforming to find new anchor points. Slowly but surely, they ascended.
As they climbed, Link kept his eyes on the rockslide above. The flickering light of Midna's hair was the only thing illuminating their path. Until something else caught his eye.
Up ahead, he saw a faint glow.
He frowned, blinking against the dim haze of dust and rock. The light wasn't coming from Midna. Then he saw movement.
Specks of lantern light bobbed through the darkness above them, small but unmistakable. It was the workers.
"Midna-"
"I see it" she muttered before he could finish.
Their rescuers were coming down, abseiling over the debris.
Link felt the moment she made the decision.
The tension in the air shifted. The grip around his waist eased, and instead of pulling them higher, Midna redirected her magic, her hair unwinding from the rock face then carefully placing them both onto the slope below.
As soon as his feet touched rock, Link instinctively crouched low, testing his footing. It was still unstable, but not as bad as he expected.
Midna's hair curled down her back, its fiery glow dimming. The magic was gone.
"We climb the rest of the way" she murmured, shaking out her shoulders. Her exhaustion was creeping in.
Link looked up. The workers were still descending, but now, they could see them.
He caught sight of one of them stopping mid-rope, raising a lantern and shouting something.
"There! We found them!"
Another flicker of movement, and more figures appeared. Relief flooded Link's chest as he exhaled.
Standing beside him, she rolled her shoulders as she steadied herself for the climb. Link held his hand up, just visible from the faint light.
"No, wait. They're almost here and they have ropes. We just have our feet" Link asked.
She let out a breath, finally meeting his eyes.
"Alright."
"...Thank you too" he whispered.
Her eyes widened a little, caught off-guard. Still, she managed a small smile that quickly disappeared.
The labourers rappelled down the rockslide with care. Once they landed, they quickly brought fresh water and some dense bread. They both drank and ate in record time as their hunger and thirst demanded
Within a few moments and assuring them that they were both alright, they were given an improvised harness each and a sturdy rope threaded through it.
In a short amount of time, the labourers began to help them both back on the ascent. Nobody spoke, save for the occasional warning of loose rubble patches or to make readjustments.
Eventually, they saw the devastated entrance they had blasted through, with the slope of rubble ending just underneath it.
The air outside was cooler than expected, fresh compared to the dust-choked ageless cave. The second they stepped out, a cluster of workers rushed over, a mix of relief and urgency on their faces.
"Your Majesty! By the goddesses, we thought you were both buried!"
Link barely had time to breathe before hands were on him, steadying him, checking his arms for wounds. Someone reached for Midna's shoulder, but she shifted just slightly, and they hesitated.
"I'm fine" she muttered, though it lacked its usual sharpness.
Link rolled his shoulder, testing his muscles. Now that the rush had worn off, everything hurt. The bruises and cuts, they'd all settle in soon and he wasn't looking forward to it.
A Twili medic stepped forward, older than the rest, his robes trimmed with silver thread.
"You both need to be checked for injuries."
Midna's fingers twitched. Link could tell she wanted to refuse. So he beat her to it.
"Please do."
Midna shot him a brief glance, something unreadable passing behind her eyes before she sighed and gave a short nod.
"Fine."
They were led to a shaded seating area, with a tray of food and water placed in front of them before either had the chance to argue.
Link reached for the water first, drinking deep, barely paying attention to the stew and bread set out beside him. He only stopped when he needed to take a breath. Midna didn't speak, just reached for her own drink with hands that were steady, but not quite relaxed.
A worker cleared his throat.
"Your Majesty, about the path."
Midna lifted her head, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.
"Yes?"
The man hesitated, adjusting his gloves.
"The damage was worse than expected. The path itself is completely destroyed."
No one looked surprised.
He continued quickly. "But the new rock formations, the ones created by the slide, they actually make it easier to put in a footbridge."
Midna frowned, processing.
"How, exactly?"
The worker explained how a new wall of rock had descended during the initial collapse. Thanks to how the explosives had cleared the old rock, a v-shaped length of rock wall had settle in to place. Placing stone slabs across them would keep the slabs held in place. No matter what walked over it
"If you approve it, we can begin immediately. It won't take long" he said confidently.
She tapped a finger against the rim of her cup, mulling it over for a moment.
"Do it."
The worker bowed quickly before hurrying off.
Neither Link nor Midna said anything for a long while. They just ate in silence, the sounds of construction starting up again in the distance.
After they had been checked over, their wounds cleaned and dressed, the medical expert dismissed them after insisting they go and get some rest. Link felt asif he had never heard such a good suggestion in his life. He and Midna were given some blankets to sit on as a driver started the journey home on a withered and used supply cart.
It didn't have great suspension like any royal carriage, but both were too exhausted to care about the occasional jarring bumps.
Blankly, they stared in different directions, sitting opposite each other as the city came into view.
Neither spoke. Link wasn't sure what he would even say.
The city gates loomed closer. Midna shifted slightly, fingers curling against the fabric of her sleeves, but she never once looked at him.
For now, neither of them had an answer for how to fix this.
By the time the gates closed behind them, both of them could barely keep their eyes open. Arriving at the front of the palace, they were greeted by a cadre of her staff, Leynth was amongst them too.
They were a fine butler. Prim, proper and flawlessly efficient. Link couldn't help but compare him to Rayla though, the Zora attendant he had fond memories of. It had been some weeks since had met her, but the impression was far better. Something about Rayla was just more charming than Leynth's cold efficiency.
Still, he wouldn't complain about their service. The staff fussed over Midna as she sleepily got off of the cart. She stood still for a moment.
Link climbed down from the cart as Leynth came to him. He was about to speak, but Midna spoke first.
"Rest well, Link. See you for breakfast tomorrow."
And without a further pause, she walked back to her room somewhere in the castle.
The palace halls were quiet, the usual hum of Twili activity subdued at this late hour. The occasional flickering lantern cast long, twisting shadows across the walls as Link followed Leynth down the corridor.
His limbs felt like stone, exhaustion almost pressing down on him physically. He wondered if he'd be asleep before he hit the mattress.
Leynth, ever the picture of efficiency, led him to his guest chamber. The butler stopped at the door, turning to face him.
"Do you require anything before you rest, Link?"
He ran a hand down his face, exhaling.
"Just… wake me in time for breakfast please."
Leynth nodded. "As you wish."
Link didn't waste another second. The moment the door clicked shut behind him, he was already pulling off his boots, tossing them aside without care. His tunic followed, discarded near the bedside.
He didn't even bother pulling the blankets back.
He flopped onto the bed face-first, and the world went dark.
Blissfully, he dreamt nothing as his body focused on relaxing and recovering.
True to his word, Leynth came by the next morning to wake him and take him to the dining room for breakfast.
The dining hall was quiet, save for the faint clink of cutlery and the occasional rustle of movement.
Link sat at one end of the long obsidian table, idly tearing off a piece of bread. Across from him, Midna sat with one hand wrapped around her cup, stirring her tea.
The day before, they had so much to say to each other. He didn't want to leave things this strained.
Before he could think of anything, Midna spoke first.
"Did you sleep well?"
Her voice was even and casual.
He blinked, caught a little off guard.
He rubbed a hand over his face. "I was out before I hit the bed. Haven't slept that deep in a long time.
Something almost like a smile flicked across her face.
"That sounds about right."
The moment passed too quickly, leaving them adrift in silence again.
"Yourself?" he asked carefully.
"Pretty much the same" she replied mildly.
Then, the silence came again. So, they ate their food quietly and finished their tea. For some reason, it became awkward to even look at each other.
Midna broke the silence, putting her teacup down a little too hard.
"I don't like this, Link." she said firmly. "I want to be able to talk to you again…and you with me. It feels wrong that neither of us can think of anything to say"
Link felt as if he'd been slapped. She was feeling exactly the same way he was. Of course she would. Though they still needed to talk about what had happened, it suddenly felt easier to deal with.
"Yeah, it's the same here. Just yesterday I heard your natural language for the first time. It was amazing. Then the day before that we were insulting each other for fun" he said eagerly.
"I'm surprised at how much I miss it."
Then, finally, she smiled widely. It was as if they both knew they felt the same way.
"Look…I won't pretend I'm alright…I'm not. But I don't want things to be so taut between us. So, how about this?"
She leaned back in her chair, arms folded loosely.
"There's work we both need to do. I need to get the people of the town ready to evacuate. You need to train the new soldiers. Let's focus on that. I think a bit of sweat will help clear both of our heads."
Link raised his eyebrows in surprise. She was far sharper than he realised, coming up with a good idea as if it was as simple as breathing.
"I like it. Gives it time to settle. There's a lot I need to do with them after all." he admitted.
Then, he realised something else. He had only mentioned Ghirahim's name to her, not what he was or what he was capable of.
"Look, before we break, there's some other things you should know. About this Ghirahim."
Her eyes sharpened, then she leaned forwards, eager to listen.
He told her of when he had first met him, at the temple of time, buried deep in the Faron Woods. No detail was spared. He told her of the forest fire he had set and how he had come across Ordon Village, frozen in time.
She listened to every syllable.
He hesitated for a moment. Ilia and his child were part of this too. She had already found out about Zelda.
He swallowed, trying to summon the nerve.
"If I tell you about Ghirahim, I need to tell you everything about it…"
She saw his hesitation.
"Link. After seeing that memory, I don't think I'm able to be surprised right now. Get it out" Minda said sternly. As if she was bracing for another shock.
"Alright…" he eked out.
Then, he took a long slow breath.
"I… have a child."
Midna's eyes shot open wide, her mouth fell open a little too.
"I…might have been optimistic." she stammered.
She wrapped an arm around herself firmly and covered her mouth with the other.
"About a week after you destroyed the mirror, I couldn't stop thinking about what happened. I turned to alcohol. Developed a taste for whisky."
It was an effort to even hold his head up. But he couldn't back out. She deserved to know.
"One night, after having an entire bottle, I ended up…conceiving a child with Ilia, from my village." he explained.
It took every ounce of strength to even breathe now.
"I didn't even know I had a child until a few weeks ago. She kept the fact from me because she didn't want to get in the way of me finding my way back to you."
Midna trembled a little. Somewhere between amazed and shocked to her core.
"I…uh…you…" she started, then stopped. "Link. That's a lot."
Looking at her, he realised something strange. She didn't seem hurt by what he'd told her. More surprised than anything. He stayed quiet for a moment, hoping she'd find her voice again soon.
"You. A child. I don't even know where to start with that…" she said, shaking her head gently. "I always kind of thought you were the one who needed parenting."
She laughed dryly, then she looked to him again.
"Can I…ask about it? And them? I feel like I have a tonne of questions" she admitted.
Link just felt grateful that she hadn't taken it as another twist of a knife.
"Ask me anything you want" he offered.
"Alright. I want to know the basics first. What's their name, boy or girl and where are they now?"
"Lilia. She's a girl and with Ilia in Castle Town. All of the villagers from Ordon are there right now."
Midna nodded slowly as she stared at the table, letting the information sink in.
"So. Did you think you'd ever have a child?" she asked, raising one finger.
"How did it feel when you found out?" she raised a second finger.
"And…do you love her?" she asked meekly, raising the third finger.
Link shifted in his seat, feeling a little vulnerable. Still, Midna deserved the truth.
"I honestly never really thought about it before. I knew it'd probably be an option one day, but with how busy we were and what happened after you shattered the mirror? The thought was never there" he explained, holding his first finger up in return.
"It was a hell of a shock! I still wonder why Ilia kept her a secret from me. But as I saw her and held her for the first time? I told myself I would do anything for her. I think I would for any child I had" he said with his cheeks burning a little, then he held up a second finger.
"Without a doubt, yes. I looked at her one day recently and saw unlimited potential. An artist, an author, a farmer… it's weirdly mesmerising. I've held babies before, you know, to help out. But holding my own child? There's nothing that can prepare you for it."
He finished, holding up a third finger, before returning his hand to the table.
Midna sat still, staring at the table as she let the thoughts run through her mind. He felt like it was a good time to unbottle any other questions she might have been holding on to.
Before he could ask her, she looked up to him again and spoke.
"One more question?" she asked, more guarded than a moment ago.
He nodded to her.
"Would you have told me, even if we hadn't seen that memory?"
"Yes. I had planned to tell you when we got back here. About Zelda and Lilia."
She looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Why not just tell me earlier?"
"I was too caught up in seeing you again. I honestly never thought I would be able to. Then, we started talking and having fun together. I…was happy just seeing you and being able to talk to you again" he said honestly. He hadn't hesitated with his answers once.
Midna looked away for a second, then back at him. "That's… annoyingly sweet of you."
She didn't look as shocked as she had a few minutes ago. Now, she looked like she was thinking more clearly. A bit of burden lifted from her shoulders.
"I…have a lot I want to say to you too" she said, a little more quiet now.
Link looked to her, eager to hear what was on her mind.
"Link, I…"
She lost her nerve. Taking a quick breath, she tried again.
"I…"
Her shoulders slumped, taking the sudden burst of bravery away.
"No. I can't right now. That was a lot to learn all at once" she said with a sigh at the end.
"There are things we still need to do here. But can we talk again? Just you and me. Maybe in another day or so? Once I've, you know, had some time"
Her eyes looked tired, but also apologetic. He couldn't help but smile at her. Of course she couldn't just apologise. There was a lot to process.
"You can talk to me, one on one, any time you want. But you're right. Let's get some big problems solved. Might clear the head a bit, like you said earlier"
Finally, she wore a real smile.
"Deal!"
"Alright, then I look forward to it."
Link returned the smile, happier they both had a plan to talk rather than having no idea at all. Now, he needed to tell her about Ghirahim. He leaned forward and took a breath.
"So, the reason I needed to tell you about Ilia and Lilia is because of what Ghirahim did."
He paused as he recalled every time he had met him. Just thinking about him was a headache waiting to happen. He didn't feel like reliving every detail, despite how important it was to tell Midna.
"Honestly, it would actually have been a lot easier to show you in the memory pool" he said.
Midna nodded.
"You know, we can still do that. Quickly too" she said.
"What?"
"Well, remember when we travelled together when I was in Hyrule?"
How could he forget?
"Of course…"
"Well, then you'll remember I was able to move us around with Twilight portals that Zant used to invade. As long as we do it privately, we can both move between places we've both been to and then back again."
"Oh!" he exclaimed. "But wait, what about the taboo? You were pretty adamant you didn't want to risk scrutiny of your Custodians just yesterday."
"Yes, I have a working brain Link, thank you" she said firmly, shooting him a reproachful look.
"I also recall you making a good point to them. 'Then I hope we all survive this invasion', you said. If I sit by and let my people suffer because of this then that would be far worse than breaking the taboo."
She looked blankly for a second, then sighed.
"I didn't mean to be so harsh. Sorry" she said quickly.
Link hadn't even registered that she had been, she always spoke her mind and he was already used to it again.
"It's alright. I get it. If you're alright with using your power, great. I imagine you'd still like to try and use it quietly though, right?"
"Yes. No point in making things harder for us" she said, standing from her seat as she started to pace. "We'll need to tell the staff that we're going to our separate rooms for a while and to not disturb us. That should buy enough time to go to the memory pool, see what you want to show me, then head back. Hopefully in under an hour"
"Let's do it. Lead the way" he said eagerly. It felt good to have a plan ready.
Link finished his tea a little too fast. The last gulp scalded his throat on the way down, and he winced slightly, coughing once behind his hand. Midna gave him a sidelong glance but said nothing
She rose from her seat with quiet purpose and he followed her out of the dining hall, both of them falling into step through the dim, polished corridors.
They turned down a side passage toward the upper wing. It was quieter here, staff presence lighter and the air more still.
Outside a branching hallway stood a tall Twili woman in stately robes. Her hair knotted in smooth silver braids, posture like carved obsidian. Link recognized her but hadn't caught her name.
"Sasza" Midna greeted.
The woman bowed her head slightly. "Your Majesty."
"I am not to be disturbed" Midna said. "And neither is our guest. We both have work to attend to. Clear?"
Sasza's eyes lingered. Not long, but long enough.
Her gaze shifted just slightly toward Link. Maybe curious. Then she gave a firm nod.
"Of course. I will inform Leynth and the others."
"Good."
As Sasza turned and moved off, Midna sighed faintly. "Let's go before someone gets creative."
They made their way to her personal quarters. Past gilded archways and heavy banners lined with shifting geometric patterns. The hall narrowed as they neared the far end of the wing.
Then the doors appeared.
Two immense panels of dark stone trimmed in burnished platinum, etched with curling silver sigils that pulsed faintly. Midna placed her palm to the center. The doors parted with a gentle hiss.
And Link stepped into a world built in decadence.
The air inside was soft, warm, almost perfumed—faintly floral, laced with something heavier like sandalwood. The floors were obsidian, overlaid with layered rugs stitched in deep purples and indigos. Drapes of silk and sheer woven twilight hung from the vaulted ceiling like clouds caught in stasis.
Low couches with plush cushions were arranged around a sunken hearth. The bed dominated the center of the space. Broad, luxurious, surrounded by translucent veils that shifted at the edges with every movement. Carved lanterns of black crystal glowed from the walls, casting soft violet light across gold-accented furniture.
It wasn't a bedroom. It was a sanctum.
He stood there for a moment, trying to process it all.
"Wow…" he uttered, mesmerised by the place. "You spared no expense."
She looked at him curiously.
"I work hard. I deserve to treat myself" she said confidently. But she couldn't hide the faint blush on her cheeks.
She brushed past him, already unpinning the coil of her hair as she walked to the open floor near the center.
"This way" she said simply as he followed.
Midna knelt at the space between two circular inlays on the floor. She took a breath, lowered her eyes, and let her hair fall fully behind her.
Then, silently, it began to rise.
Strands of it twisted upward unnaturally, defying gravity and curling with a faint heat. The tips shimmered with power. She closed her eyes and whispered something he couldn't understand.
The temperature shifted. A ring of distortion bloomed at the base of the inlay, warping the air, bending the light around it like water through glass. Slowly, it resolved into a circular portal, swirling with dim golden and black light as the familiar twirling black squares emanated from it.
"Let's not waste time" she said softly, not looking back at him.
Link stepped up beside her, careful not to touch the edge of the forming magic. It pulsed with forbidden power.
He glanced at her. She was calm, composed and focused. But he could tell this cost her something. Not in power, but in principle.
And he knew better than to say it out loud.
Instead, he stepped into the portal at her side, shoulder brushing against the curtain of her hair as they both disappeared into the dark.
Disorientation threw Link's senses off entirely. It had always felt this strange whenever Midna had done this before. It was one of the few things he didn't miss.
The upside was that it was at least brief. The glowing cave materialised in front of him quickly as Midna's portal finished its work.
Taking a quick breath, the saw the cave exactly as they had left it, with the dusty footprints still there.
Midna looked apprehensive, but she did her best to bury it. She wanted to see his memories of Ghirahim and he had some idea of how to control what memories would come to the front.
"Thank you. Though I don't think I could ever get used to that" he admitted.
"Okay. Then let's get this over with" she replied quickly, stepping towards the pool.
Nodding, Link sat at the edge of the pool again and dipped his legs into the strange liquid once more.
Immediately, the wisps in the room bloomed into colour once more. This time, Midna stayed out of the pool, looking elsewhere in case the memory of Zelda came back again.
Following his instincts from the last time, he searched his mind for the time he had first met him. Thankfully, it didn't take him long.
A single wisp floated forward, heavier than the rest. It pulsed with power and then spilled wide across the pool.
Midna stepped closer. She kept her arms loosely folded and narrowed her eyes.
The Temple of Time appeared. The scene played from Link's view, initially hidden behind a collapsed wall, watching as the two stone guardians advanced on a lone figure in the courtyard.
And then, without warning, a wave of dark diamonds ripped through the air.
The guardians shattered instantly. Stone limbs and dust exploded outward, and through it all, the slender figure at the center didn't so much as flinch.
Midna stiffened beside him.
"…That must have been two tonnes of stone" she said flatly.
Link just nodded.
Then came Ghirahim's voice dripping with mock courtesy.
"Ah! So the descendant of the hero comes for me."
Link heard himself reply in the memory:
"Because no one else could, right?"
She said nothing else as the exchange continued, but Link could feel her focus shift as Ghirahim turned around for the first time. Her eyes narrowed. Her silence grew heavy.
"Lord Ghirahim, agent of Ganon."
"Link. Ganon's foil."
Midna gave a quiet, mirthless snort. "Alright, that was sharp."
The battle began soon after. Their swords clashed in a violent blur. Link felt his own pulse quicken watching it again, even knowing how it ended.
In the memory, he took hit after hit, parried, rolled and barely kept his footing. Then came the black diamonds. He watched himself spin through the first wave, disintegrating most of them with the Master Sword.
Not all of them though. Two slipped through. One slashed his shield. The other sliced through his arm.
Midna's breath caught. "That looked bad..."
"I couldn't raise it properly after that." Link murmured. "Didn't matter though."
They watched as Ghirahim mocked him, gesturing to his damaged shield and limp arm.
"Your shield arm is useless! It won't be long before the rest of you is…"
And then Link's voice came through, sharp and defiant:
"Come closer. I didn't hear you."
Midna turned her head just slightly. A wry smile crept across her face.
"…You arrogant idiot" she said softly with a strange, amused fondness.
Then came the escalation.
The face wound. The scream. The diamonds flooding the arena again. Link felt himself tense as he watched his memory-self fumble for the ball and chain. Then, he felt her flinch.
Midna's voice came again, low and almost afraid. "This is where he—"
"Yeah." Link said quietly.
The moment unfolded. Ghirahim's blade plunged into his stomach. Midna's hand lifted unconsciously, as if to reach for something. Her voice broke.
"…Link."
He didn't look at her. Just kept watching as the chain looped around Ghirahim's arm, and the ball slammed into it with a sickening crunch. The scream Ghirahim made echoed around them again. Midna winced. She stared at the shattered arm, silent now.
"You were still thinking. Even with a sword in you?"
"I had to" Link replied. "If I didn't end it there, he would've."
As Ghirahim vanished, the mist lifted. The Triforce appeared in radiant gold and shattered into three glowing shards. Midna stared at it, jaw tight.
The memory faded, then the silence in the cavern returned. Midna exhaled slowly, before she turned her head slightly.
"You nearly died, Link...again."
"I know."
"…He smiled while you screamed."
Link finally looked at her.
"This is why I wanted to show you the memory. So you have a clear idea of the kind of threat he is" he explained.
She stared at him for a long moment.
"He's not like Zant. He's worse."
Link didn't argue. The image of Ghirahim twisting the sword in his gut was still burned into his nerves. And Midna, she was quieter now. Not shaken, but simmering.
"I will make him regret entering my world."
He couldn't help but smile at her declaration. But there was still more to tell.
"I'm glad you hate him, but that was just how he is in combat. Also why I wanted the Twili to be able to use their own magic. Because those black diamond things are no joke."
Midna nodded firmly.
"I'm not sure what I can do about the general Twili. But I will be enough to counter them."
Link felt proud of her, yet again. She didn't not make idle threats or boasts. She said exactly what she meant.
"I have no doubt" he said with a gentle nod.
There was still more to show however, to give her the complete picture of him.
"Here's the next time I met him. When I found out he had kidnapped Ilia and Lilia."
Midna moved beside him without a word. She knelt, hands resting in her lap, eyes fixed on the wisps. Link focused, trying to summon the memory.
From the other side of the pool, a wisp swelled in size and colour. It drifted towards them both, pushing errant ones out of the way. As it settled in front of them, the memory began.
The ruined remains of Ordon Village. Trees scorched black, ashes drifting in the wind. The bones of Link's childhood laid bare, and through his own eyes they watched him walk through it all.
Midna said nothing, but Link saw her breath catch at the sight of the devastation.
Soon, the memory version of himself arrived in Bo's ruined home. The cellar.
Ghirahim appeared without fanfare. Just standing there, in the middle of it all, as if he belonged. Midna flinched when Ilia came into view. Her baby rested in her arms, and Ghirahim pointed a blade at her heart like it was the most casual thing in the world.
Midna's voice was low. "This is what he and his master deems acceptable... I'm sorry we couldn't kill Ganondorf twice."
She watched silently as Ghirahim mocked, toyed, even licked Ilia's cheek. Her lips tightened and her hands curled into fists.
"He… wanted me to retrieve the Triforce pieces for him," Link murmured, barely able to speak as his own voice echoed from the memory.
Midna shook her head, her tone sharp now. "He was taunting you with your child. That's not leverage, it's unrestrained sadism."
When Ghirahim called him a brute, questioned how he could be a good father, Link saw the moment Midna's jaw clenched. But she didn't interrupt.
And then Ghirahim mentioned the Red Vipers. Sabbah.
Midna narrowed her eyes. "That's how he got them on his side…"
They both watched the blade flash near Ilia's throat. The ten-day ultimatum. The exit with no comfort. Just Ilia's wide eyes and the promise of punishment if Link spoke to her again.
When the memory faded, the pool dimmed.
Link sat in silence. The air around him felt heavy.
Midna finally spoke, her voice low and restrained. "He had your child. And your—" She stopped. "You still walked away."
"I had to" Link said softly. "If I tried anything, he likely would've killed them both. I couldn't live with myself if that had happened"
Midna looked away for a moment, shaking her head. Then, she looked back.
"…That was brave," she said at last. "And horrible. But… you did the only thing you could."
There was a long pause.
"…Link?" she asked gently. "You said you've only known about Lilia for a few weeks?"
He nodded. "Ilia kept it from me. Said she didn't want to make it harder."
Link rolled a shoulder and took a breath. There was a little more to show her.
"There's one more. The big one"
Focusing on the memory again, he soon found a wisp drifting towards him. The one had had hoped to bury away in some dark corner of his mind.
The image moved forward, flickering through his arrival in Ordon once again, after retrieving the first piece of the Triforce of power. This time, Zelda had been with him in a bid to speak to the Gerudo.
He only glanced at Midna when the memory version of himself had stepped into the building. It was where he had seen Ghirahim holding Lilia in his arms.
Midna's brow furrowed at the sight. She didn't look away. She took in every detail.
"That's her?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," Link said. "Lilia."
The moment Ghirahim called him "father," Link heard Midna inhale. Her gaze cut straight through the illusion, even though she didn't speak. She absorbed everything. Ghirahim's gloating, his calculated torment, his flirtations with cruelty.
"He knew from the start that he wanted to unsettle you…" she muttered.
Link nodded tightly.
When Zelda spoke, tried to stop him from cutting off his hand, Midna watched her closely. And when Ghirahim shot her down with arrogant misogyny, Midna's expression darkened.
Then came the cards with the sudden burst of magic. Worst of all, the scream too.
Midna didn't flinch. Her shoulders locked into place. But her breath caught sharply.
Zelda collapsed in the memory, clutching her ruined arm as blood sprayed. Link could still hear the sound in his own skull.
Midna stared at the image. Her voice came quiet, but controlled.
"He couldn't even handle words. Gods…"
She trailed off. The room within the memory erupted into chaos.
And then came Link's fury. The blue glow in his vision, then unrestrained roar.
He watched it all unfold again, not as memory, but as a spectator to his own collapse. He remembered the feel of bone breaking, the fathomless strength, the certainty that nothing else mattered but destruction.
Midna watched in silence.
Ghirahim crumpled. Link struck again. And again.
Zelda's scream still rang in the background. The Gerudo were frozen in fear.
When the bloodied, broken Ghirahim began to laugh on the floor, that was when he gurgled his final taunt.
"I didn't even have to do anything to you."
Midna flinched for the first time.
Her voice was raw. "Wait…that's what he wanted all along... to ruin you."
Link looked to her. "Right after this was when I learned her name. Lilia."
Midna glanced at him sharply, eyes softening just slightly. "He never even said it."
"No" Link murmured. "Ilia did. Right when she told me she never wanted me near her or Lilia again."
The memory ended with a fading swirl of gold. The cave was silent again.
Midna's voice came again, measured.
"You're no monster."
Link looked at her. "Really?"
"No." She turned fully to him now. "You were cornered. You were pushed. And you broke."
He said nothing. The guilt of it still weighed heavily.
Midna stepped forward again. This time, she didn't stop.
"Next time," she said, "we don't let him have the advantage. Next time, we plan the fight."
Link gave a tired breath of laughter. "Yeah."
Midna looked back at the now-still memory pool.
"That child deserves to know her father's a hero. Not just the man who tore a monster apart."
Link looked away, jaw clenched.
"And you…" she added, quieter now, "deserve to forgive yourself."
Link didn't say anything right away, but the words sank in. Not enough to wash the guilt completely, but enough to let him relax a little. He gave her a quiet nod.
"Thank you."
Midna didn't reply, but the way she glanced at him kindly felt like a reply on its own.
He looked at the pool, then back to her.
"We could come back here again, couldn't we?" he asked. "Any time, as long as we set it up first."
Midna gave a short nod. "Yes. It's not difficult, just... not something we do lightly." She folded her arms. "But if it helps us plan, I'll make it happen."
Link nodded again. He already felt the weight of what came next.
"We should get moving" Midna said. "I need to start setting up evacuation paths. Then I have to figure out how to counter those diamond spells of his."
"I'll take care of the troops" Link replied. "There's potential. I'll drill them hard."
Midna quickly shot her hand to her mouth and turned away, rasping before she started coughing hard.
"Midna? You alright?" he asked, concerned and oblivious.
She took a quick shaky breath, waving her hand over her shoulder. Link walked over, suddenly worried.
"I'm…I'm fine!" she said quickly, waving him away and keeping her back to him.
A moment later, she regained her breath and straightened herself before she turned back to face him. She wore a bright smile, her eyes creasing a little.
"What was that?" Link asked, still worried.
"Just a cough, don't you worry about a thing" she said with just enough composure.
"I look forward to seeing the results of your drilling"
It left him at a loss. He shrugged it off as he shook his head and wondered what he had said.
Without needing to say more, they stepped away from the pool. Midna raised her hand, hair already rising in response to her whispered command. A flicker of golden light opened before them.
They stepped through.
The air shifted sharply. The comfort of her sanctum washed over them again, scented with warm silk. Link hadn't even realised how cold the memory cave had been.
Midna didn't speak at first. She crossed the room to where her veil hung, retying it over her hair with quiet precision.
Link looked at her, uncertain if now was the right time, but the tension between them wasn't heavy anymore. It just felt unfinished. He still wasn't sure what to say. Feeling a little disappointed, he decided to wait.
She finally looked at him, her expression softer now.
"Knowing what you went through, that you never stopped trying? I'm grateful you came back"
There wasn't anything clever to say back. He gave her a small smile, and she returned it.
"We'll talk again. Properly" she added.
"Looking forward to it," Link said.
Midna nodded once. "Go train them. I'll send for you if anything changes."
He turned to go, but paused at the doorway.
"Midna?" he asked.
She looked up.
"It's really good to be back."
Her smile lingered even after he left.
The next two days passed in a haze of sweat, barked orders and bruises.
Link didn't sleep much. Not because he couldn't, but because his mind wouldn't stop. Every hour felt precious, and every failure cost too much. He pushed the squads hard. Drills at sunrise, sparring by midmorning, field movement by noon. They ate standing. Either they learned fast or got knocked flat.
The first day ended with one soldier vomiting behind the barracks and two others helping each other limp back. Link stayed behind, walked the perimeter three times, then collapsed onto his bed without even unbuckling his boots.
By the second day, the rough edges began to sharpen. Shields moved as one as boots fell in sync.
They weren't perfect, but they stopped second-guessing. They started moving like a unit. Link ended up shouting less, corrected with fewer words. They understood what he meant now. By a flick of the hand or a nod, they got it.
When he returned to the palace for dinner, still coated in dust and sweat, he found Midna already seated. She looked just as drained, sipping tea with her feet propped up on a velvet stool. She didn't say anything right away. Just raised a brow and motioned to the seat beside her.
He sat down, exhaled, and offered the first tired smile he'd worn all day.
"Any luck?" he asked.
Midna didn't answer immediately. Instead, she handed him a folded map across the table. An evacuation route, newly inked.
"Some" she said simply.
A moment later, she smirked. "You smell like the stables."
Link snorted. "You've such a way with words."
She smiled faintly into her cup.
Link sat back in his chair with a quiet sigh, stretching his fingers over the rim of his cup.
Midna let her head rest against the back of her seat, eyes half-lidded. "How many did you shout at today?"
"Fewer than yesterday" Link said. "Which I think means we're improving."
"Or you're losing your voice."
He gave a tired smirk. "Possibly both."
She watched him for a moment, then looked down at the map she'd handed him earlier.
"The evacuation route's not perfect. But it'll hold. I sent some of the scouts ahead to test the old tunnel junctions. They're passable."
"You did all that in two days?"
"I didn't sleep much either."
There was a pause, comfortable now, shaped by the weight of shared exhaustion. Neither said much as the quiet of the dining hall stretched around them. The clink of a teacup settling on its saucer was the only sound.
Midna stood first. "Come on. Walk with me."
He didn't ask, he just followed. They walked side by side down the dim corridor, past ornate windows and flickering sconces, through long stretches of silence punctuated by quiet remarks.
"I found one of your recruits trying to clean his sword with lamp oil" Midna said suddenly.
Link groaned. "Amo?"
"Blonde, talks too much?"
"That's the one. He'll make a decent fighter. If he lives that long."
Midna chuckled under her breath. "You've gotten better at this."
He glanced at her. "Better at what?"
"At commanding respect. You've changed, Link."
He didn't quite know what to say to that. So he just nodded and kept walking beside her.
They turned a corner, the hallway opening up toward the outer garden corridor, where the air was faintly scented with night flowers and the sound of wind pushed gently through carved stone latticework.
Midna stopped.
"I… want to talk to you properly" she said, her voice quieter now.
"Everything I've been holding. Both of us."
Link looked at her. She wasn't guarded, not this time. Just tired, and a little unsure.
"I want privacy. Will you come to the gardens with me?"
"Of course," he said.
She started walking again, but just as they stepped into the arched walkway, the air changed. A hum built in the stone beneath their feet.
Five figures emerged from the far end of the corridor. Armored head to toe in ceremonial black, etched with crimson sigils. Their helms bore no faces. Only flat, curved plates of dark steel carved with the seal of the Custodians.
They marched in complete silence.
Midna stopped walking. Link did too.
The lead Custodian raised a scroll. His voice echoed like iron against stone.
"Lady Midna. You are summoned by the Council of Five."
Link stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "For what?"
"Unlawful use of restricted magic. Violation of ancestral law. Conduct unbecoming of the Twilight Throne."
Midna's voice stayed calm. "Who ordered this?"
"The Custodial High Record. Ratified three hours ago."
She folded her arms, unmoved. "Convenient timing."
"You will come with us."
Link tensed. "And if she doesn't?"
The Custodians said nothing. But their gauntlets began to shimmer faintly, magic rising in patterns across the plate.
Midna stepped forward, placing one hand on Link's chest.
"Don't."
"Midna—"
"Don't." Her voice dropped lower.
"They won't kill me. But if you fight, they'll kill you without hesitation."
Link stared at the lead Custodian. His fingers curled, but he didn't reach for his sword.
Midna turned to the masked enforcers.
"I will go. Not because you demand it, but because I know I must face this."
The lead Custodian bowed his head once. The others stepped into formation, surrounding her.
Midna looked back at Link.
Silently, she mouthed "Wait".
Then she turned away and walked between the armoured figures, her silhouette framed by their shadowed forms.
The corridor was quiet again, until the great door at the end slammed shut behind them.