Triforce of the Gods
folder
Zelda › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
8
Views:
2,105
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Zelda › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
8
Views:
2,105
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
I do not own any part of The Legend of Zelda, nor do I make any money from these writings.
Chapter 7
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Legend of Zelda, nor do I make any money from these
writings.
Triforce fo the Gods
Chapter Seven: The Betrayal
When Zanna’s period of recovery was finally over, no time was wasted. She woke before the
dawn on her first day of freedom, quickly got dressed, and then watched the sun slowly climb
out of its hiding place. The dawn was an unusual glowing red, with none of the peaceful strokes
of pink and blue Zanna had been hoping to see and take comfort in. She decided that the
crimson canopy was not necessarily a bad thing– perhaps it was unwise to approach this pivotal
day with serenity. So she stood quietly in front of the barred window, her forehead cooled even
through her scarf as she pressed it against the glass, and she gathered her thoughts.
of priorities in the back of her mind. More importantly however, as she watched the sun bleed
away the night, Zanna meditated on the outrages she had suffered at the hands of the
Goddesses... and the mute suffering they imposed upon all people, whether they knew it or not.
Zanna ran through the history texts she’d memorized by now, and mentally swathed herself in
the knowledge of the systematic betrayal and abandonment of her people by the royal family. A
betrayal that resulted in their complete extinction, Zanna thought over and over again, the icy
encasement of her grief hardening with every repetition. Her rage swelled– a fierce, churning
thing– and she prepared for her “meeting” with the council. Her trial.Cedra had always said that a red sunrise always indicated great bloodshed the night before... or
great bloodshed to come. Zanna hoped that it wasn’t the latter.She stood at the window until there was a knock at the door, and Resha poked her head in. “Are
you ready?” the Gerudo asked gravely, her yellow eyes sharp with what Zanna hoped was not
Resha’s characteristic, reckless anger. It was important that the day’s events were executed
smoothly, and that her companions not fight for her when she ultimately accepted her fate.Zanna nodded slowly. “Yes, I’m ready.”
oXoXoXo
The meeting hall was arranged to make its “visitors” feel as insignificant as possible, Zannanoted as the enormous wooden doors shut behind her and she slowly approached the council. A
semi-circle of large steps ascended at the end of the rectangular room, so that the council was
raised ten feet above the defendant and as one stepped nearer they felt surrounded by the cold,
barren stone. Trapped.Atop the raised platform, Princess Zelda sat in the center, with three old and sour-looking people
on either side. They were all extravagantly clothed, and behind them hung an elaborate array of
fine tapestries. The central panel, directly behind the Princess, revolved around a golden, three-tiered relic which Zanna identified as the Triforce in its mythically complete state. Her resolve
hardened.To the right of the council and set some distance apart was Link... although today he did not look
so much like Link as he did The Hero. There was a fierceness in his sapphirine eyes that Zanna
had never seen, and his posture was so rigid it seemed almost as if he was ready to spring into
battle at a moment’s notice. He winked at Zanna, and while she could not returned the gesture
she felt grateful for it, even in her somber state.Other than the glow of the wall torches, there was only a single shaft of sunlight coming from a
window in the ceiling, creating a perfect circle on the floor directly in front of the judges. As
Zanna stepped into it, Rowan and Resha joined her on either side, flanking her. She wished the
Princess had not granted them entry... their presence would only make the proceedings more
difficult.Princess Zelda was a sight to behold, dressed in pink silks and sparsely but expensively
bejeweled. More impressive than even her tiara, her thick hair gleamed as though each
individual thread was spun gold. It gave her a glow that seemed almost... sacred, somehow.
Perhaps it was true– perhaps the Princess really was blessed by the Goddesses. This realization
only stoked the vast and steady fire that Zanna had carried into the hall.“Impree Zanna, Impree Rowan, Impree Resha,” the Princess said, smiling. “I greet you.
Welcome to the meeting hall of the Hylian Council.”Rowan and Resha bowed as was customary, but Zanna remained erect, her gaze unflinching.
She felt the wave of the council’s shock and anger at her actions, yet the princess herself was
unperturbed.“I will not waste words,” she continued gracefully. “You are here today to be examined, in
response to a prophecy that I myself received upon your arrival in Castle Town.”“Describe this prophecy, Your Highness,” Zanna said evenly.There was a flurry of motion from the council, and the man on the Princess’s right was
especially disturbed; the rage that he felt struck Zanna in a clear and concentrated stream– so
intense that it was almost like being kicked in the stomach.“You will speak to the Princess of Hyrule with the respect she is owed, Sheikah,” he spat,
making the word sound filthy and perverse. Resha clenched her fists, but Zanna immediately
sent her a wave of certainty and strength– a warning that she needed to contain herself.“It is all right, Lyonel,” the Princess said, and Zanna could feel her weariness. “Impree Zanna,
you are aware that nearly a month ago I had a dream in which the Goddesses warned me of a
plague that would descend upon Hyrule. I was told that it could only be stopped by eliminating
its cause– a threat that has been reborn to us many times, but would this time take the mantle of
an entity called the Winged Sheikah. This was the extent of the knowledge imparted to me.“With so little information, my only option was to seek out those Sheikah who remained and ask
for their assistance. You responded to my entreaty, and for that you have my sincere gratitude.”Zanna nodded, feeling a flicker of anguish at the Princess’s words. She was, by all accounts, a
good woman... her kindness and wisdom radiated so brightly that it almost blocked out the dark
and swirling passions of the council. The desire to help her was a natural, almost reflexive
response– not only for Zanna but everyone who entered Zelda’s company. However, Zanna
could not give in... not now. She had made her decision, and she refused to allow the Goddesses
to dazzle her out of her resolve.“When you entered Castle Town, however, I received a most disturbing vision– a prophecy,
stronger than any I have ever had. Usually the Goddesses speak to me at night in dreams, but
this was a warning so dire that I fainted cold while strolling the grounds. I saw your face,
Impree Zanna, and I saw the markings on your back. Behind you was a vast shadow, and all
around you my country died.” Zelda’s voice was as graceful and elegant as her appearance, but
there was a grave certainty in her words that Zanna could not ignore. The Princess, she realized,
was much, much stronger than she seemed... and her dedication to the Goddesses was as steely
and uncompromising as Zanna’s hatred of them.“When I regained my senses,” the Princess continued, “I went straight to the captain of the guard
to declare a heightened state of security. On my way there, however, I was informed by one of
my handmaidens that Link and his Sheikah guide had visited while I was out, and that they
requested an audience. I knew immediately that this was no coincidence. I proceeded to the
captain of the guard and issued a warrant for your immediate arrest.” She sighed, studying
Zanna with an expression that was difficult to read, and an emotion that was even more obscure.
“You matched my description exactly. I was, I confess, badly shaken by what I had seen,” Zelda
finished, her words teeming with a somber distress that was lost on noone.There was a heavily weighted silence, as all contemplated the gravity of the Princess’ words.
Zanna had thought she was prepared for whatever was to come, but the utter specificity of the
prophecy affected her deeply. She took a quivering breath, afraid of betraying her dismay.Princess Zelda leaned back against her high-backed chair, examining Zanna with a sad, tired
smile. “But once I had captured you, I learned that things were not nearly so simple as I had
believed. Or hoped, really.” She ran one finger across the bottom of her chin, deep in thought.
“Your companions were very honorable,” Zelda continued at last, with considerable warmth.
“They loved you dearly, and even The Hero of Hyrule, to whom we all owe our lives, was
outraged by your arrest. They vehemently protested that it was impossible that you were behind
the plague, and that you possessed a strong and honorable character. I see now that they were at
least correct about the latter.“I was, and remain, distraught. I felt strongly that you were the figure in my dreams, but the
loyalty of your companions filled me with uncertainty. Further casting doubt on the issue was
the fact that you lacked a crucial symbol in my first vision– a mark which for security’s sake I
cannot reveal. I wondered if perhaps my prophecies warned of two different Sheikah, in which
case your destruction would not be necessary. And yet, even if that were the case, I have no
doubt that the figure in my second vision– you, Impree Zanna– are directly related to the illness
that has already begun to invade the outskirts of my country. So I am sure you can imagine I am
left with a critical and disturbing question. What am I to do with you?”If the Princess expected Zanna to make any propositions, she quickly realized that Zanna refused
to indulge her. The Sheikah was as still and silent as the grave, her large dark eyes cold and
empty voids as she gazed up at the Council.Zelda sighed. “I now open this matter to discussion.”Immediately the man to her right– the notorious Lyonel that kept cropping up as a thorn in
Zanna’s side– sprung to his feet. “Your Majesty,” he said with a twitching, humorless smile,
“You know my passionate views on this matter. It is absurd to me that the Council is split on the
issue– surely one life is not worth sacrificing the country? Let us execute her and be done with
it.”Zanna felt a spike of fear from Rowan and two sudden blazes of outrage– one from Link and one
from Resha... but for the moment all of them held their peace.Lyonel was the youngest of the council and could not have been older than 50. His hair was an
appealing mixture of black and grey, and he had a matching goatee. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a strong, dark brow and piercing green eyes. Under different circumstances he
could have been wildly attractive– however, his personality laid waste to everything nature had
given him. There was something undeniably rodent-like in the way he moved, his eyes darting
about erratically as he constantly fidgeted with his hands. His words came out too quickly, and
in a high tenor voice not at all proportionate to his sizeable frame. Zanna had never in her life
seen a person who seemed so out of place in his body. And his insides, she realized with a little
prodding, were just as revolting as his personality suggested.All the same, it seemed that there were many among the Council who agreed with him.“He is right, Your Highness,” said a squat, balding man on the far left. He had soft brown eyes
and cheerfully blossoming cheeks. Zanna could feel his regret. “It is not a choice that any of us
would take pleasure in making–“ he shot a dirty look in Lyonel’s direction– “but too much is at
stake.”Zelda leaned back in her chair, listening pensively to all that was said. “With no physical
evidence against her? You would risk sacrificing justice, Henri?” she asked the short man in a
quiet voice.Henri’s face fell. “Your Majesty, as I said, it is not ideal– in fact, it saddens me greatly. But you
have already done much for justice. You have established this Council, giving your people an
unprecedented amount of power and liberty. However, you remain a monarch. It is your right
and, forgive me Highness, I believe it is your duty to protect your people by acting on this
matter.”“If I may,” said a dark man on Zelda’s left, thinning and crippled by age. He suffered from
rather severe cataracts, which seemed surreal to Zanna– one touch from she or Rowan could
have eliminated them completely. “It seems inappropriate that we not look upon this young
woman’s face. In fact, it directly opposes our established proceedings. We must be able to
identify her fully if we are to judge her.” The irony, Zanna thought dryly. He wouldn’t be able
to see her even if she did take her scarf off.“I agree, Your Majesty,” Lyonel interjected immediately, entirely too eager. “This matter surely
extends beyond cultural courtesy.”Zelda was thoughtlessly running her fingers across a jewel that rested upon her heart, her gaze
distant as she considered the Council’s words. “Yes, we must uphold Council’s regulations.
Impree Zanna, please remove your scarf so that we may look upon your face.”“Your Highness–“ Resha blurted out, no longer able to remain quiet. Zanna silenced her with a
simple wave of her hand.“Leave it,” she whispered sharply. Rowan was startled by her tone, and studied her warily. He
was beginning to realize that he didn’t know what Zanna’s intentions were, and she was sorry he
had caught on so early. But there was nothing to be done now.In complete silence, Zanna slowly unwrapped her scarf. Her raven hair spilled out in long,
ebony sheets, instantly stripping her of her neutral appearance. She was now unapologetically
striking– for better or for worse– her high cheekbones and defiant black gaze seeming almost
harsh against the snowy pallor of her skin. The Council became utterly silent, and she could feel
their judgements passing over her like a cloud of locusts. Many were unsettled, one of the old
men found her to be exotically attractive, and all instantly felt more threatened by her wild
appearance than they had before. Zelda had a curious response– she seemed almost amused...
And Link’s was more curious still. Zanna felt a sudden pang from his direction, sharp and
resonant. It was a sort of longing, almost like thirst, although that couldn’t have been right. She
wondered if he was feeling sorry for her. She hoped not.“What is that thing marring your face?” Lyonel asked derisively, slicing through the quietude.“It is the oldest symbol of my people,” Zanna said without anger. “At one time such markings
were used so that the Sheikah could identify one another even in their extreme secrecy– in the
beginning, they did not even have names. The eye symbolized their watchfulness and protection
of the Royal Family. The teardrop that extends from it was added shortly after a war in which
the Family brutally betrayed their guardians.” She locked eyes with Zelda, carefully keeping her
expression unreadable. “It was the first incident of many.”“Stories,” snorted a heavily-bearded man in the middle-left, waving one dismissive hand.
“Tribal lore.”“Fact,” Zanna countered, not raising her voice, but emphasizing the consonants in the word. She
could feel Resha growing restless beside her and even Link was starting to feel angry on her
behalf. “I have an entire library of official documents bearing the royal seal, from which I have
salvaged much information pertaining to the Sheikah. It is the largest collection on the topic
anywhere in the country and I am scrupulously selective.”“You are a historian?” Lyonel chuckled with a sneer. “How quaint.”“Enough, Lyonel,” Zelda murmured, and instantly Lyonel closed his mouth. “Impree Zanna,
what do you think of the charges that have been brought against you?”Zanna smiled grimly. “I have reason to suspect that they are all true.”There was a tremendous flurry from the Council– not just in sound and motion, but in a massive
emotional wave that disoriented Zanna for a moment. Rowan was beginning to feel a sort of
irritated panic and he clutched her arm tightly. “Don’t be stupid Zanna!” he hissed.Resha could not speak– she looked so angry that if she opened her mouth she might explode.
And Link merely watched Zanna with silent dread, his blue eyes unreadable.Zelda frowned, leaning forward. “This is most surprising, even to me. What are these reasons?”“Your Highness, I have had a vision of my own.” Another outburst of activity– the Princess
raised her hand and it stopped. Zanna pressed on. “A male Gerudo warrior in terrible black
armor visited me in my cell, and told me I was chosen to wage war on the Goddesses.”For the first time, Zelda’s calm expression was cracked. She even seemed to be genuinely
frightened, but she recovered quickly. There was a general gasp from the Council and Rowan
and Resha were both panicking now.“Outrageous!” the oldest of the Council said, jabbing a bony finger in Zanna’s direction.
“Treason and heresy in your own castle, Your Highness– surely this is evidence enough to
condemn her!”Zelda frowned, her conflicting emotions tangible to Zanna and to anyone who could see her face.
“What did you say to this apparition in return?” she asked gravely.“I told him that he frightened me, and ordered him to leave. That was the last I saw of him.”
Zanna’s peaceful appearance was irking Link, she could feel it coming off him in waves. It was
odd– it was almost like she was getting in his way. He felt she was obstructing him somehow...Princess Zelda folded her gloved hands on the table, her gaze piercing Zanna with a new
intensity. It was clear that the time for debate was over– Zelda would now take whatever actions
were necessary. “Did the apparition say anything else?”“No. However I have been experiencing a reoccurring vision in my dreams,” Zanna said rather
candidly.That did it– the room was now so abuzz with confusion, irritation, and– above all– fear, that
Zanna felt slightly lightheaded. She was not comfortable blinding herself to the room’s
emotions, so she bolstered herself the old fashioned way– by remembering her thirst for
vengeance.“You see, Your Highness,” Zanna continued cooly, taking full advantage of the fact the Princess
was now on her guard. “I had a prophecy of my own. Similar to yours, in many ways. I saw the
shadow sweep across this country, and I saw the sickness it created in your people. And then I
came to a mountain peak, where the Goddesses awaited me. They told me to save the children
of Hyrule... and then they left. They abandoned their creatures.”“Lies!” the bearded man spat again, this time with a furious venom. His face was startlingly red.
“She attempts to poison you, Your Highness– can you not see that?” There was a burst of
agreement from the other members.But Zelda was not listening. She had become very still, and the gaze she fixed upon Zanna had a
new light behind it. The Princess was beginning to understand. “And what do you make of
these visions, Impree Zanna?” she asked tersely, her voice slicing through the commotion like a
knife. All became still again.“I do not know, Princess,” Zanna said simply. “All I can gather is that, for some unfathomable
reason, the Goddesses have given me a task. There is some great evil– perhaps even destiny–
driving me to defy that task... and worse. But I am not satisfied, Your Highness.” There was an
acidic edge to Zanna’s voice, and she felt herself absorbing the attention of everyone in the
room. She used it to her advantage, allowing for a tense and ominous pause.“The Goddesses have not been kind to me, or my now-extinct race. Their cruelty toward the
Sheikah is perhaps rivaled only by the cruelty of the Royal Family. I am not inclined to aid the
unjust Goddesses or the hypocritical rulers of their country. Nor do I feel obliged to take orders
from the ghost of a Gerudo tyrant. “I am not consciously aware of being able to cause or cure this plague, and I will not take any
further steps toward discovering the truth either way. I am not a pawn,” she said with a cold
ferocity, biting into the words. “If the sick come to me I will heal them if I can, but I will not
participate in the large-scale fate of this country. I refuse.” There was a hateful, uncertain silence from the Council and a pregnant pause from Zanna. “I do
not believe my execution will change anything for you, however I will not put up a fight. Kill
me if you will, but under no circumstances will I serve you.”Her last sentence was met with thunderous silence– the Council was so shocked that none could
find the words to speak. Fear and loathing were so thick in the air that Zanna doubted it took an
empath to sense it. “I must meditate on this,” Zelda said quietly, suddenly looking much older
than her years.“Your Highness,” Henri said, still so alarmed that he fumbled for the right words. “I am sorry,
but this is treason of the highest degree. If you do not make a judgement I will be forced to call
a vote. I cannot let this woman walk without endangering the Hylians I represent– and my
conscience will not allow that.”“Nor mine!” said the oldest.“Nor mine.” The blind.“Nor mine!” The bearded.“Nor mine,” Lyonel said, barely able to contain his glee. His eyes were shining upon Zanna like
a child looking in the window of a sweet shop. “And that makes a majority. Surely we can
arrest her now?”A rowdy babble of consent from the Council, but before Zelda could answer their request Link
was on his feet. “Your Highness, I will not stand by that decision,” he said, much to the surprise
of everyone in the room except– it appeared– Princess Zelda.“Even under these circumstances?” she asked wearily.“Yes.”“You do realize that I now have perfectly legal reasons to hold her captive?” the Princess asked,
looking at Link almost sadly.“I... yes,” he replied, slowly nodding. “I do. But I can’t abide it. None of this would have ever
happened if you hadn’t enlisted her help, which she gladly gave without a single mention of
compensation.” He descended the steps now, coming to stand in front of Zanna. “If you hadn’t
sent me to her village, she would still be there, and perhaps her family would still be alive. She
had no idea that she was coming here to be tried for crimes no one can prove. I retrieved her for
you; the responsibility is partly mine. I will do whatever has to be done to protect her.”Zanna couldn’t believe it. All her resolve, all her ferocity– she was thoroughly prepared to look
death in the eye... and now Link was protecting her?! Even after she confessed her visions and
her treasonous refusal to recognize the Royal Family? Outrageous! This simply would not do.“I don’t need your protection!” Zanna said angrily, although it was less effective because Link’s
back was to her.He spun around, eyes blazing. “Will you just stop already?” he hissed. “Why are you being so
difficult?! Let me do this for you!”“I. Don’t. Need. Your. Protection,” she shot back heatedly. “I know what I’m doing!”“She doesn’t even want to be spared, Your Highness!” Lyonel said, laughing cruelly. “Can’t we
just be done with this?”“Oh, get over yourself you pompous swamp rat!” Link snapped at the advisor over his shoulder.“Unbelievable!” huffed the bearded Councilor.“I don’t care what you think you need,” Link said, glaring at Zanna. “You’re being protected.
Deal with it.”“I say we just kill them both,” rattled the oldest and apparently somewhat deranged Councilor.
“This is all far too exhausting. In the days of the King we would just take them out back and run
them through... none of this babbling on.”“I like the sound of that,” Lyonel nodded appreciatively.“There will be no impalements so long as I’m on this Council!” the blind man barked, slamming
his fist.“Who’s being impaled?!” Henri exclaimed. “I didn’t agree to that!”“All of you be silent!” cried an aged but sonorous voice, with a dry shrewdness that snapped like
a whip. The Councilor farthest right stood up for the first time, and Zanna could see now that
she was the only woman on the board. How she had gone unnoticed until this point disturbed
Zanna– not only had the woman been silent, but she hadn’t given off a single emotion. Which
either meant she didn’t have them– unlikely, or she was using some sort of shield– even more
unlikely. Both options were also very bad news.Though her robes were plain black and there was nothing beautiful or colorful about her face, the
grey-haired woman had a cloud of authority that was almost palpable. Her posture was rod-straight, and the many lines on her face were fixed in a grim mask of utter certainty. She was the
sort of woman who appeared to never stumble; she was flawlessly self-contained.“Did you ever stop and think,” she said in a voice frosted over by scorn, “that perhaps this girl is
being manipulated?” There was a shocked and humbled pause. “No. Of course you didn’t,” she
chastised. “We are in uncharted territory, Councilors. This girl has received conflicting visions–
does that not strike you as odd? What if they are illusions spun by the real culprit, so that he can
use her as a distraction?” She glared at the men beside her like a school teacher watching her
students flunk a test. “What if her instinct to stop, to serve no one, and take no further action is a
reflex against the manipulation because her mind is strong? That would make her actions the
true will of the Goddesses. Would you condemn her, and let the actual criminal go free?”The other Councilors were stunned into silence– even Lyonel was gaping like a fish out of water,
his twitching hands momentarily at rest.“I really don’t think that’s it–“ Zanna started to say, but Link clamped his hand over her mouth.“I propose,” continued the old woman, “that we keep her here, as a guest, until we can clearly
determine what in the three hells is preying upon our country. We cannot be too careful– this
girl may be our biggest asset to understanding and stopping this disease. If she is ultimately
found guilty, then we will proceed from there.”Zelda sighed, smiling radiantly at the woman. “Well-spoken, Melinda.” She leaned back in her
chair with all the imperiousness she possessed and addressed the entire table. “What do you say,
Councilors?”Most of them looked away, fiddling in various ways to avoid being specifically asked to admit
defeat. Henri was the first one to pipe up. “I think it is a splendid idea, Your Highness,” he said
with relief in his voice. “We should all thank the Goddesses for Melinda’s insight– this is
indeed the wisest way to proceed.”There were grunts and grumbling around the table, as the men gave their consent. Even Lyonel
sat down slowly, glaring at Zanna’s forehead as if he wished he could make her burst into
flames.“And I agree, Henri,” the Princess said briskly. “Impree Zanna, you will remain in the guest
quarters until more information is gathered. Please believe me when I say that your cooperation
is not unappreciated– I am profoundly grateful for the civilized dialogue you presented today.”
Lyonel gave a horrified gasp, but Zelda ignored him. “It is distasteful but necessary for me to
warn you that any attempt to leave the castle grounds will result in your imprisonment.
However, within the castle you are welcome to go wherever you please. I warmly invite you to
visit the library on the third floor– I think you will find it much to your liking.” She smiled,
relief rolling off of her in great waves. “The Council is dismissed.”One by one they filed out of a door behind the main tapestry, many of the men glowering at
Zanna over their shoulders and muttering heatedly amongst themselves. The female Councilor
was the last to leave, yet she did not look at Zanna even once as she removed herself from the
room– a choice that made the young Sheikah immensely uneasy. However, there were more
pressing concerns.As soon as the room was empty, Link rubbed his hand and frowned at her. “I can’t believe you
bit me,” he grumbled.“I can’t believe you just completely took over my trial!” Zanna exclaimed, throwing her hands
up in frustration.“You have a lot to answer for, Zanna,” Resha interjected sharply, her voice raw with emotion.Rowan opened his mouth to contribute but Zanna raised a hand to stop him. “Rowan. Resha. I
will explain later. Stay out of this.”“I’m sorry you’re mad that I interrupted your suicide attempt,” Link said sarcastically. “I didn’t
realize you were trying to die.”“I wasn’t,” Zanna snapped. “Not especially. But I was trying to get out of this mess without
betraying what I know is right! You ruined that!”“I didn’t ruin it!” Link shot back, incredulous. “Everyone knows how you feel! You made sure
of that! But I let you do it; I said nothing. And when you were finally done incriminating
yourself, I politely stepped in to try and keep your head from rolling before lunchtime. I don’t
understand why you wouldn’t let me do even that much for you!”“Because I have to face this on my own! My defiance means nothing if I know I’m not really at
risk,” Zanna said bitingly.“Uh, were we just in the same meeting? You were at risk. Your wonderful way with words put
you a heartbeat away from being executed on the spot.”“Gods, why do you care?!” Zanna exploded, her hands reflexively balling into fists and
crackling with dormant magic. “What is it to you?!”“What is it to me? What is an innocent life to me, is that what you’re asking?” he asked with
blazing irony.“You don’t know I’m innocent!” Zanna insisted, prodding him forcefully in the chest and glaring
up at him. “So why did you insist on defending me?” “I –” Link held her gaze, furious and unyielding, but a long time passed as he struggled to come
up with an answer. Scowling and with grit teeth, he finally said: “I don’t know.” They glared at each other, both too stubborn to give in but both running out of things to say. In
the resulting silence Zanna suddenly realized how close they’d gotten. In an attempt to
intimidate each other they’d unconsciously moved in until their noses were mere inches apart,
eyes locked in a shared gaze that was now proving exceedingly difficult to break. Link’s eyes
seemed darker than Zanna remembered, nearly violet, and his closeness made every nerve
ending in her body spark to attention. She could actually feel his breath on her lips...“Well that’s not really helpful,” she said testily, unable to control the fact that her voice had
lowered to a breathless murmur.“No, I guess it isn’t.” His voice had dropped considerably as well, and the nearness of his body
made the deep sound vibrations almost palpable. They were nearly touching– it would have
been such a tiny motion for Zanna to press her lips to his... Shocked by the thought, she tried to
step away but her heart pinned her to the spot. Uninvited, the thought flashed through her mind
again and again. Each time it sent a wash of heat over her body, and honest to the Gods she was
really considering doing it.Fortunately her pride returned with a kick, and Zanna pulled back abruptly, turning her back to
him so he wouldn’t see the redness that had crept into her cheeks.“I look forward to your apology,” she seethed. With that, she turned on heel and proceeded to
storm toward the main doors.“Don’t hold your breath!” Link cried angrily after her. He stomped up the stairs and exited
behind the tapestry, slamming the door behind him with a loud crack that echoed through the
hall, causing Zanna to wheel around in frustration.“Asshole!!” She yelled at the swinging tapestry before flinging open the double doors and
bowling past the alarmed guards on the other side.Rowan and Resha were left alone in the hall, staring blankly back at the guards who were now
peeking their heads in, half-curious and half-scared.“What the hell just happened?” Resha asked, raising an eyebrow.“Clearly they were arguing,” Rowan said automatically. “Hey– OW!” he cried as Resha
punched him hard in the arm. “What is your problem?!”“Gods that felt good,” she gasped, flexing her hand. “There just aren’t enough things to hit
around here.”“I have a feeling Zanna’s going to put that statement to the test,” Rowan muttered as he watched
their friend disappear around the corner.Resha nodded apprehensively. “I have a feeling you’re right.”There was a loud smashing sound followed by an exclamation of, “Hey, you can’t throw that!!”
from the outer hall.“Yep... you’re definitely right.”