Link didn't want to meet back up with the sun. And frankly, who would?
So he lingered as long as he dared. Lucky for him the physician was under contract with the royal crown, making him the best of the land, so the rare, expensive balm he had used on Link's burns was working miracles. After a day and a night his burns were already most of the way healed, and as the red faded he grew closer and closer to looking like a baked potato. He wondered if even a life-time of being a cave savage would bring him back to any normal color of skin. Sure girls like men who were tanned, but this was just ridiculous.
He had breakfast with Zelda the next morning in her study. She remained rather quiet, and Link was beginning to realize that the Princess of Hyrule might just be a rather introverted, introspective person. She read a book as she elegantly scooped scrambled eggs into her mouth.
She looked up at him as though awaking from a dream when he asked her a question.
"What was that?"
"I asked 'what are you reading?'" he said.
"Oh, it's research. I'm trying to read up all I can on the guardians of the border, the sky spirits, and the history of Hyrule in general."
"Anything good so far?"
"Not entirely. Most of the information we have is based mostly on mythology and legends, and those are unreliable and warped at best. I guess it's good to know them in case there is some small truth in them."
She looked back to her book and took up another mouthful of scrambled eggs. He nibbled on his sausage, wondering if that was it to Zelda's wisdom concerning the situation. About ten minutes later, right as he was considering getting up after finishing breakfast, she spoke up.
"There's just this one thing that keeps repeating itself that I just don't get."
"What is it?" he asked.
"They keep repeating how mortality is a gift given by the gods and that immortality is like...a sort of natural occurrence." she lifted her head and gazed out of the window, eyebrows furrowed. "If that is the case...was it really Midna who gave up something? And then once she gave up her gift she returned to her natural state of immortality? But that just doesn't make any sense. How is the suffering and sickness that comes from mortality a gift?"
"Luna said something along the lines of that."
For the first time that morning Zelda was all attention.
"What did she say?"
"That mortality was a gift, and that although she suffered because of it she was able to experience the good even better because of them, or something like that. Maybe that's why Jasmeen and the sun are so careless of the romantic feelings of Luna and Midna and keep believing them to be stupid. Maybe romantic love is one of those things that you can only appreciate through suffering. It doesn't make much sense to me, though, anyways, the whole gift part. There are lots of things I'd rather live without. Maybe something different happens to us when we die."
"Perhaps." The Princess looked back out the window, eyebrows still furrowed. "Which brings up another thing. I found an old legend about an immortal being killed off by another. It was very...cryptic. It sounded more like a children's story. But the immortal was killed because he was trying to destroy all that the goddesses had created out of jealousy."
To Link, it sounded more than familiar.
"There were even talking animals in it, though, so...I don't know whether to put much stock into it. Besides, I'd hate to think of us having to do something as ghastly as kill Midna. Surely there's a way to break the curse or whatever is over her."
He turned towards the door. "She isn't under a curse."
"Isn't that what the Fused Shadows did? Besides, there's no way Midna would ever do something like this. I mean, after all, she fought to save this land too."
"It's called 'justification,' princess. It's how evil men get where they are. She didn't just change overnight. She was worn down, day by day, justifying every thought to help herself feel better and to justify her bitterness, her loneliness, and her hatred of the way things were, and in turn, the goddesses. The Fused Shadows, by not giving them the wariness they deserved, only influence her even more by making her think she had the power to change her suffering. Power makes people...prideful." he sighed and made his way over to the door. "I talked to her, Zelda. She thinks she's above the goddesses now. She thinks she knows better. How do you persuade someone they don't?"
"Tell her the truth?"
"She lives by her own truth. It use to be a strength of hers, I think."
He was almost out the door now.
"Link?"
He paused and looked back. Zelda was biting her lip nervously. The book was folded in her lap.
"Don't lose hope." she said.
But he felt rather hopeless as he returned to his room to pack. Stuffing supplies into saddle bags, he wished fervently to be back home in his tree house. He missed the smell of goats, he missed the trees rustling in the wind, and he missed Ilia, Collin, and the rest of the villagers (excluding the perverted Sorens boys). In the back of his mind he wondered what would have happened if everything had gone according to Luna's plan and Midna hadn't let twilight through the border. He knew Luna and him would have become fast friends. In fact, Luna's sweet spirit would have attracted all the villagers to her and he knew she would not have been like the Sorens, but would have done all she could to help out, even serve. Of course, Ilia and her rubbed wrong from the get go, but only because Ilia was so bossy and temperamental. They would have gotten use to each other, for Luna would have eventually charmed Ilia as well, just as she had so easily charmed him...
Would he have fallen in love with her?
He snapped the bags closed. His fingers lingered on the brass clasps. For a moment, standing next to the four poster bed, surrounded by images of the could-have-been, he felt a moment of weakness. Why didn't he see to that the Fused Shadows were returned to the light spirits? Why had Midna—strong, stubborn, deeply noble Midna—allowed this to happen to her? And how were they to fix all this? If she couldn't be persuaded, would they have too...
He buried his face into his hands and fell to his knees besides the bed.
Link, savior of Hyrule, chosen hero of the gods, never before felt so abandoned as he did then. There was no magical weapon left behind by the goddesses to help him this time. There were no useful hints, there were no helpful protectors of Hyrule that could help him, and there wasn't any Midna-like-companion to give him advice and save him when he fell into dark abysses. He felt like he was falling into one of them now.
The next afternoon, when the sun hovered over the horizon, hesitant to leave, Link's burns had healed enough for the physician to let him go and he snapped on his sword and shield, hefted his saddle bags over his shoulder, and made his way to the stable. With Epona carrying his luggage, he rode to the city gates.
By the time he made it there the afternoon had deepened even further. Standing with his long arms folded and still wearing the rectangular shift, Jasmeen waited for him.
"Where's Luna?" he asked instinctually, dismounting.
Jasmeen ignored the question completely. "I'm here to take you to the twilight realm."
"Won't we have to go to the desert first? To get to Midna in her palace, I mean."
"No. I'm sure with her new found powers your queen will find you just fine." At this, Jasmeen gave a wide, unpleasant smirk which gave Link the creeps. Even Epona nickered nervously.
"What about the princess? She has a piece of the Triforce as well. Shouldn't someone, you know, keep guard?"
"What do you think the sun has been doing this whole time?"
"But, if Midna had really wanted to, she could have just walked over to the palace and..."
Jasmeen still had that discomforting smirk. Link gave a small noise of frustration.
"I'm just saying," he said, "that I'm not entirely sure what's going on still. Care to explain?"
"Let it suffice to say that the sun spirit has more barriers to protect the Triforce than just his light."
"Oh, well, um...wouldn't it be a bad thing if I went to Midna then?"
"This is very unlike you, courageous hero. Getting cold feet already?"
"No!" he snapped angrily. "I'm just questioning the soundness of this plan."
"I'd love to hear the oh-so-enlightened plans of a mortal. Now, leave your horse and step up here."
Link hesitated. He had prepared her with the idea he would have to ride to the desert. Hearing this made him feel rather stupid. Epona could manage herself just fine on her own with his saddle bags. She had dozens of times before without allowing herself to be robbed once. But having gone hungry the last time he went to twilight, he wasn't too fond of letting her go after packing so much good food. So he grabbed a thick piece of bread before patting Epona and climbing up the small platform off to the side of the city gates where Jasmeen now stood. His long, silvery-blue hair gleamed in the light of the sun.
"One last thing." said Link.
The star looked down at him, clear annoyance beginning to wrinkle around his eyes.
"Is Luna safe?"
"Yes. Much safer than she ever was with you, I daresay."
Link just nodded to this, feeling relieved.
"Good. Thank you."
"I don't know why you'd bother thanking me. I achieved what I intended from the beginning of this disaster. I did nothing for you."
"I know, just..." but as was becoming common when it came to Luna, he didn't know what to say.
Jasmeen lifted his hands and clapped above his head. A whirl of light bled through the air before them, creating a great, round window. Through it could be seen the rippling contrast of ocher, black, and faded shades of the twilight realm. The tall man waited.
"Well?"
Link, steeling himself for the unknown before him, took a steadying breath and stepped through the portal. Jasmeen stepped after him, dissipating the window behind them. The hero was faintly surprised for a moment.
"You're coming with me?"
"Of course," sneered Jasmeen, "how else will the sun know what's going on? He can only see into the land of light. But of course, you already knew that."
"Oh...yeah. But what are you going to do while I, you know..." oh goddesses, this was going to be awkward.
"That is none of your concern."
It was decided then. Link now officially knew this man had a perpetual stick up his butt. Instead of telling him that, he sighed.
"I guess I'll just...start walking, then. Hopefully she'll find me. Am I'm suppose to meet up with you if she agrees or disagrees or whatever?"
"Don't worry. I will find you." The whites of Jasmeen's eyes flashed. For not the first time, Link got the impression he had X-ray vision. Inwardly, he felt a sizzle of anger. Was this jerk going to be watching him the entire time? Had he no right to privacy? But at least it made getting a hold of Jasmeen easier.
Without wasting another word, Link turned and began to walk across the blank expanse of twilight.