Chapter 4 - Into The Darkness

Lulu, Vincent and Zelda entered the dark city, Zelda getting shivers from the dark walls and crooked buildings. Vincent led the way through the dark streets, which had a strange, thin layer of mist just above their cobblestones, and Zelda stayed close to Lulu, unsure of what to expect.

“We should be at the castle soon,” Vincent said quietly over his shoulder. Lulu nodded, and Zelda just sighed. Everything was so complicated. Just yesterday, everything had been normal, peaceful and quiet. But now, she was in a strange land, following a man that had been sent to kill her. She just wanted to wake up. Then she thought of Link, and didn't know where he was. Was he even alive? What if Maleficient had really gotten to him? A tear trickled down Zelda's cheek, and Lulu, seeing her cousin's distress, placed a comforting arm around her. They stepped onto a wide street, which zig-zagged into a strange jagged shape. Further up the street, Zelda could spy a huge castle looming in the fog.

Its tall towers and parapetts, rising through a thin layer of mist, had structures matching the crooked look of everything else in town. The bricks were black, and looked rather slick, probably from the mists around the castle. A deep-cut moat around the castle edge was flowing with a strange, almost green, water. A drawbridge was stretched across the moat, and as the three crossed over it, Zelda heard the wood creaking under their collective weight. The wood looked old, and seemed to have a case of termites and dry rot, but Lulu explained that it just looked and sounded that way through a spell. The actual castle gates were closed, the bars bent to resemble a bat while the gate was shut. Vincent pushed slightly on the gate and it opened silently, though the hinges looked rusted. They crossed through the gate and into the courtyard. Instead of passing through the main door, though, Vincent led them around to the side. A small door stood in the wall.

“It's a servant's entrance,” Vincent explained, “I don't want to attract attention right now. We need to be as unabtrusive as possible. Maleficient could have spies even here.” By the look of the place, it wouldn't have surprised Zelda one bit.

Vincent knocked twice on the door, then three times. It opened by itself, and he waved the other two inside. They stepped inside the doorway, and into a dim passageway, lit by a few lanterns. The group followed it to a spiral stair, who's steps looked slanted and about to fall off. It made Zelda nervous at first, but then she remebered that the rest of the city was the same way, so they were probably solid. This, however, was not enough reason for her to not grip the handrail tightly while climbing, though.

The top seemd to be a dead end, but Vincent slid the wall away, like a curtain, and stepped through an elevated exit into another hall. When Zelda followed, she turned to see they had come from behind a portrait hanging on the wall. She was startled as it slid back into place on its own, and quickly caught up with Lulu and Vincent.

“Where are we going?” Zelda asked, breaking the long silence.

“To see his majesty. We need to report all that has happened,” Lulu reminded her.

“We also need for you to meet him,” Vincent added, “If we are to overcome this threat, we shall have to work together, both Hyrule and Macabrenon. Therefore, meeting with the king will be key.”

“I see,” Zelda nodded. She was nervous, but also quite curious about what the king of such a dark land would be like. She imagined him being something like Vincent, tall, dark and handsome, though she couldn't be sure of that. He might be just as strange as his capital city, so Zelda only grew more nervous with every step.

“Why are the halls so empty?” she asked, hoping to relieve some of her anxiety.

“It is Hallow's Eve,” Lulu answered, “The day before our biggest holiday. Everyone in the castle is off duty for the next few days in celebration. There are very few in the castle who do not have somewhere to be on Hallow's Day.”

Before Zelda could answer, Vincent stopped in front of a set of large, ornate wooden doors. The doors were carved with bats and spiders, thorns and pumpkins and Zelda thought that it was strangely pleasing. The wood shimmered slightly in the light of the flickering torches, giving the carvings an eerie light. Vincent knocked on the doors, and they opened slowly. As they creaked open, Vincent turned to Zelda.

“Now, the king will need to be informed of Maleficient first, then you should ask for an allegiance. His majesty likes to know the details of things before getting the big picture.”

“I can understand that,” Zelda answered.

“Good,” Vincent nodded.

“Oh,” Lulu added, “When you see him, don't act…surprised.”

“But why-?” but she couldn't finish her question. Vincent led the group through the doors and into the throne room.

The throne room was rather small, with one set of double door to the left of the throne. A square table, with nine chairs around it, sat in the middle of the room. The group approached the table, and as they did, the doors slammed shut behind them. Zelda jumped and turned around, her breath leaping out of her. Vincent and Lulu kept walking, but threw knowing smiles to one another. Zelda followed hesistantly, the hairs standing up on the back of her neck. She was about to reach Lulu when the lights suddenly went out. She stumbled about in the dark, looking for her cousin, but succeeded in only stubbing her foot against the table. She placed her hand on the table, then used it to lead herself around. She had just reached a corner when a hand grabbed her's. It grasped tightly, and Zelda realized from the feel of the hand that it was skeletal. She jerked away in revulsion, then felt another boney hand on her shoulder. She turned around slowly, but saw nothing but black behind her. Suddenly, a ghastly white skull appeared out of thin air, then whispered one word.

“Boo.”

Zelda screamed, not loud or long, but a scream of fright none the less. The face disappeared, as well as the hand, and the lights came back up.

Standing before her was a tall thin man, or more precisely, a skeleton. He was dressed in a long pinstripe suit and pants with a bat bowtie. His skull wasn't as scary now, and though there were no eyes in his sockets, they still seemed kind. He had a huge grin on his skull, and behind her, she heard Lulu and Vincent sharing a chuckle.

“So, do I still have it?” the skeleton asked Vincent, approaching him and shaking his hand.

“Yes, your majesty,” he answered. “You still have it.”

“Thank you, thank you,” the skeleton replied, bowing graciously. He walked up to the throne and sat down. “So, who is this young lady?” he asked.

“I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule,” Zelda answered, remembering her manners. She wanted to make a comment about him scaring her, but decided to restrain herself.

“And I am Jack,” the skeleton replied, “Jack, the Pumpkin King. A pleasure to make your aquaintence. Please, call me Jack.”

“Likewise, and thank you Jack,” Zelda said. She knew what it was like to want to be referred to by first name.

Vincent stepped forward, next to Zelda. “Your majesty, I hate to interrupt, but I bear grave news,” he said. He paused for continuing, and Zelda couldn't help but wonder if the news was hard to say or if Vincent was just being dramatic, “ Maleficient has returned.”

Jack sat quietly, his cheerful face suddenly taking on a serious and contemplative set. “Are you sure of this?” he asked, looking up at Vincent.

“Indeed, your majesty, I have spoken with her myself. She had captured Lulu, and used her to force me into following her plans.”

“It's good to see you both safe,” Jack answered, “But how does she play into this?” he asked, indicating Zelda.

“Maleficient was going to try to conquer the land of Hyrule through Zelda, and threatened to kill her love if she didn't.”

“Was he saved?”

“It was not really him,” Vincent answered, “We believe that he is still alive.”

“Good,” Jack nodded, though Zelda still wasn't sure. She still had no idea where he was, let alone if he was alive. “I don't want to see anyone hurt.” Jack sighed, then rested his elbow on the arm of the throne and his skull in his hand, tapping his boney finger on his chin. It made a quiet clicking sound that filled the the small throne room. After a few moments, he snapped his fingers, which sounded more like cracking knuckles then a finger snap. It gave Zelda chills.

“I will call a meeting of the Hallow Knights. We shall decide what to do then.”

“Very well,” Vincent said, bowing slightly. “But, when?”

“Well, I think we shall have to wait. The situation is dire, but remember that today is Hallow's Eve. I am required at the celebrations tonight and tomorrow, and no one likes to discuss such heavy matters on a holiday,” the Pumpkin King reasoned. “It would be easier to focus if the holidays were over.”

“But, your majesty, this situation is dire. We need to lay plans now,” Vincent said, sounding almost exhasperated.

“I understand Vincent, but I also know you. You can be too serious sometimes. You just got back, your fiance was kidnapped and her highness has been through a great ordeal as well. I think it would be best for you all to rest, at least for a little while.”

Vincent was about to say something, when Zelda jumped in. “I agree,” she said, “We cannot be of any help if we are tired, Sir Valentine.” It was strange saying it, for she had never really referred to him by his name before, “Besides, you would be giving Maleficient one more victory by letting her interrupt your most important holiday.” She didn't like saying that, and to a certain extent, she was lying. She didn't feel a rest was truly necessary, but she also knew about people lke Vincent. Steiner was the same way, and would work himself to exhaustion sometimes.

“Excellent,” Jack said jovially, “I'll expect to see you at the celebrations tonight, then! Lulu, could you please help her dress appropiately, though?” he asked, looking the princess up and down. “I'm afraid, even dressed as you are, you will stand out in a crowd here in Hallow Bastion.” Zelda looked down at her clothes and remebered she was still in her sheikah clothes. She grinned sheepishly at the king. “Perhaps you should see Sally,” he suggested. “Yes, that's an excellent idea! She fix you up in no time.”

Lulu nodded in agreement, “Indeed, there is no better seamstress in all of Macabrenon.”

“Be sure and tell her when you see her,” Jack said. Lulu walked to the doors behind the throne, and Zelda followed behind, giving her farewell to Jack. She turned back to see Vincent walking out the main doors, a dark look on his face. As they walked down the hallway, Zelda couldn't help but ask, “So, will Vincent be alright?”

“Yes,” Lulu sighed fondly, “He just pouts like that when he is ordered to stop working. He also doesn't like being referred to as Sir Valentine, so you may want to refrain from saying that.”

“Alright,” Zelda agreed. “Now, who is this Sally?”

“Oh,” Lulu said, seemingly at a loss of words, “She's the king's wife.”

“Is she…you know, a skeleton as well?”

“No, she's not. She's a..a,” Lulu said, searching for the right word, “She's a doll.”

“A what?”

“She's a rag doll,” Lulu said, giving up on finding a better word. “She was made and brought to life by a scientist named Doctor Finklestein. He stitched her together and stuffed her with leaves, then gave her life.”

Zelda listened to the description, and it seemed a bit repulsive. How could someone make a person by stitching together cloth? And how did she move if she was filled with leaves?

“She has a heart and brain,” Lulu added, guessing at Zelda's confusion, “And speaks just like anyone else. It's just that she was made instead of born. She is an excellent seamtress, partly because she is very creative, and partly because she's had a lot of practice. You see, because she's stitched together, there are times when she can…come apart. So, she just stitches herself back together and keeps going.”

It all sounded rather gruesome to Zelda, even more so by the way Lulu explained it so easily, like it was nothing really extraordinary, but it seemed to fit in with the rest of the strange land, who had a skeleton for a king, and purposly looked creepy and twisted. Yes, it all seemed very normal in this world.

The two reached a door, behind which they could hear the whirring sounds of a sewing machine. Lulu knocked on the door, then opened it gently. Inside was a long room with clothing racks along the walls. In the center sat a woman hard at work at a sewing machine. The woman had long, red hair, but instead of falling down in strands, like normal hair, it was like long strips of red cloth. The dress she was wearing was just a conglomeration of different colored and patterned scraps of cloth, sewn together with large, visible stitches. The woman looked up to see her two guests and smiled. As she rose from her seat, Zelda saw that her skin was almost a dark blue-green and there were stitched circles around her wrists, elbows, ankles, neck and the corners of her mouth.

“Oh, Lulu, how are you?” the woman asked quietly.

“Fine, Sally,” she answered, “I can see you're busy, but I'm afraid I have a request for you.”

“It's quite alright,” Sally replied, pushing the dress she was working on aside. “Now, how can I help you?”

“I need you to make two dresses for my cousin here,” she explained, motioning to Zelda, “She needs one for Hallow's Eve and Hallow's Day.”

“No problem,” Sally smiled, “Could you come stand here?” she asked, leading Zelda to a stool. Zelda stepped up, and Sally took measurements. After she wrote down the numbers, she turned back to Zelda. “Now, was there something in particular you had in mind?”

“She needs something for the party tonight and the ball tomorrow,” Lulu reminded.

Zelda did have an idea, so she cast a spell, changing her clothes from the sheikah outfit into her normal, white gown. “Something like this, if you don't mind.”

“Yes, I can see that,” Sally said thoughtfully. “And for tonight?”

“How about-“ but Zelda stopped herself. She was going to say simple, something plain and conservative. Then, when she thought about it, she realize that now, she had no one to worry about. There was no one to tell her what to wear, no one to decided what was right or not. Now, Zelda would never wear anything inappropriate, but she now saw that she had gained some freedoms by coming here. “I think,” Zelda started again, “I think I want something like that.” She pointed towards a book of dresses lying next to the sewing machine. The dress was actually a black and red corset, but two long straps rose from the top of the corset and wrapped about the neck. There were no sleeves, but instead there were long, fishnet gloves that came up to above the elbow. The bottom of the dress went down to the feet, and the fabric was a dark, blood-red damask with black-work that looked like spiderwebs.

Sally looked up at Zelda, thinking, then turned to one of the clothing racks. She looked through it until she found a dress that looked exactly like the one Zelda wanted. “I made this last year,” Sally explained, “I had made it for another woman, but she never claimed it. I think it might fit you just fine.”

Zelda felt rather strange, wearing a comission from someone else, but at least it was popular.

As she changed, she couldn't help but feel like she was doing wrong. Link was probably worried sick about her, and here she was, trying on dresses and going to parties like nothing was wrong. If only there was some way to contact him, to let him know she was okay.

“Well, there isn't,” she said to herself,”And since there isn't, there's no use in feeling guilty about it. It's not your fault you can't get back and that you're here, so stop worrying.” But no matter how much she reassured herself, she just couldn't dismiss the small pang of guilt in the back of her mind.

Zelda stepped out from behind the changing curtain in her outfit. Lulu nodded in approval, and Sally checked the fit and look. When she was satisfied, Lulu paid her and led Zelda back to her own room. Lulu felt that Zelda needed to do something about her hair, so she fussed with it for a while.

She ended up shortening it, just above neck-length and dyed it red. After that, she used a face paint around her eyes and made it look like there were spider webs edging her now red violet eyes.

Needless to say, when Zelda saw the complete turn around, she was slightly disturbed, but then decided to follow the old saying, “When in Labrynna, do as the Labrynnians do.”

As the two headed back to the main gate, Zelda once again felt the pangs of guilt, but was able to push through it, telling her self that he would probably want her to not worry about him.

Upon returning to the city, Zelda and Lulu found it bustling with life, or rather, death. All the citizens were were walking corpses, and although Zelda was again shocked, she quickly found herself adjusting. Besides, not all of the people were dead. Lulu grabbed Zelda's hand and led the way to a small building with a sign reading, “The Ball and Socket,” explaining that it was the best place to go for a pre-Hallow's Eve party.

Inside, more corpses were at the rough, wooden tables, and a skeleton band was playing up on the stage. Lulu sat down at a table with a skrawny man. His long arms and legs were almost bone thin, and his pale face was even more gaunt then Vincent's. A spiky patch of brown hair with blond roots sat on his head, and two, thin pony tails ran down his back all the way to his hips. Along his left arm was a metallic claw, just like Vincent's. He turned to look at Lulu, and Zelda saw that his eyes were cold, a deadly, sadistic cold. Behind his red eyes, Zelda saw a madness, one that she felt drawn to.

“Zelda,” Lulu said, “I would like you to meet Albel Nox, another knight in the Hallow Knights.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Zelda said politely. Albel didn't respond, and just snorted indignantly. Lulu frowned at the man, then raised her voice.

“Albel, how dare you be so rude!?”

“Easy,” he responded, “By sitting here and ignoring you worms.”

Zelda gasped. Never had she heardd such a rude statement. Before she could stop herself, she slapped the man across the face, leaving a red mark on his cheek. He turned to her, his red eyes burning as hot as the slap on his face.

“That's awful brave of you, worm. Perhaps you aren't as pitiful as I thought.”

“Excuse me!? How dare you?! You nasty person! You are positively vile!” Zelda couldn't believe the things coming out of here mouth. Never would she have said such things when she was home.

“And you have the biggest mouth I've ever seen,” he answered coldly, “At least, for a woman.”

It was all Zelda could do to fight back an explosion of rage. Her face was turning red, and when she caught a glimpse of Albel's smirk, her fist flew forward at his face. Before it got close, his hand flew up and caught her by the wrist.

“I would watch your temper, madam,” he said, twisting her wrist and then releasing it.

Zelda huffed as she stormed off, Lulu following behind with a stunned look on her face. “Zelda, what was that?”

“I don't know,” she answered, “But I must admit that it was quite exciting.”

“Zelda, are you feeling alright?”

“I don't know,” she said, placing a hand on her head. Never had she felt that way. If she had been home, she would have been forced to contain such emotions, but here, far from home, she was able to express herself as she wished. Perhaps this new discovery was something she needed to control, but why should she? If she could be the way she wanted to, without anyone to tell her how to act, as long as she remained a somewhat noble person, why did she have to put up with that sort of behavior? Well, no more. The sweet Zelda was gone, at least for now, and in her place was a tough as nails, cold-shoulder bearing, Zelda, ready to show this world just how dark and cold she could be.

“Oh, I'm terribly sorry,” Zelda apologized as she bumped into a corpse waitress in a wedding dress. Perhaps being rude was tougher then she thought.

Lulu got Zelda to a table, then said that she needed to e excused. She told Zelda to meet her by the water fountain in the town square at thirteen o'clock. Before Zelda could ask what she meant by thirteen o'clock, she walked off, leaving Zelda in a club surrounded by the living dead. She looked around, confused and somewhat frightened, when a cloaked and hooded figure approached. The cowl of the figure's hood was pulled so tight that it completely covered his face. Zelda shrunk back a bit, especially when the figure sat down in the chair across from her. The light above them revealed the lips of the stranger and illuminated his lavender-colored eyes. The man's lips and chin were an ebony color and a few strands of white hair fell out the front of the cowl.

“Can I help you?” Zelda asked, still unsure of her visitor.

“No, not really,” the man said, “I would simply like to enjoy your company. Besides, the other tables are full.”

Zelda chuckled slightly, then decided to be nice. This gentleman seemed to much better then Albel, so she would pursue the conversation.

“Are you from around here?” she asked shyly.

“Yes, but your aren't.”

“How can you tell?”

“Your skin, it's a golden color. People around here are generally pale.”

“Well, if I may say,” Zelda returned, “From what I can see, you aren't exactly pale yourself.”

The man chuckled, then said, “That is true, I suppose,” and with that, the man removed his hood, and when Zelda saw him she gasped. Sitting before her was a dark elf. His face was an ebony color and his eyes a vibrant lavender. A thick mane of white hair framed his face.

“Yes, I am a dark elf. Please, think what you will, but please, don't think ill of me.”

Zelda knew well the stories of dark elves, and their wicked ways. She was about to jump up and leave, but then realized that if he was dangerous, he wouldn't have realized himself in public. Besides, she had only stories to rely on, and she didn't like to judge by appearances anyway. Besides, he was rather dashing. No, what was she thinking? She was practically engaged!

“So, how long have you been here?” the elf asked.

“Several hours,” Zelda answered. She wasn't too sure on what to say, so she just answered honestly.

“Well, welcome to Hallow Bastion.”

“Thank you.”

“If you're new here, why don't you let me show you around town, if that's alright.”

Zelda thought about it. She had wanted to see the city, and would not want to go by herself, but could she trust a dark elf, even if he did seem genuinly chivalrous?

“I would love to,” Zelda decided. She was a big girl, she could take care of herself.

“Excellent,” the drow exclaimed. He rose from his seat and offered his dark hand to her. She grasped it in her's and followed him out of the club.

“May I ask your name?” Zelda said, realizing that she didn't even know the man.

“My name is Drizzt Do'Urden, Third Knight of the Hallow Knights.”

Zelda smiled at her handsome and dashing guide as he led her around the dark city of Hallow Bastion.

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