Pre-Twilight Princess. My own take on the incidents that occured in the Twilight World which led to Zant's loss of the throne, in the place of Midna, and the seeds of revenge that were sown in his dememented mind.

Zant's homecoming and character in this one-shot was heavily inspired by the Roman Emperor Caligula's portrayal in the legendary BBC Drama, I Claudius. Seriously it is the best thing the BBC has ever created and John Hurt's Caligula makes in-game Zant look like a plain old run of the mill madman.

Anyway I hope you enjoy and as always reviews are much appreciated.

The atmosphere of the hall was one of anticipation with more than a little dread. The cold smooth stone walls contrasted the stifling heat that clung to the room like a funeral shroud. The shuffling Twili that filled the room were all waiting for their triumphant general to return and they knew the tranquillity of the Twilight Palace would be shattered when he did.

Prince Zant, the first heir to the Twilight throne, was returning from a supposedly successful campaign in the Twilight Wastes against one of the other tribes that inhabited the Twilight Realm. Normally a returning Twili general was greeted with jubilation and much rejoicing as the Twili took the opportunity to relive their past triumphs before their ignoble banishment to the Twilight Realm. Such conquests would also help to assure themselves that while they had long lost the World of Light, they would forever be the masters of the Twilight. Zant however, inspired no such happiness at the news of his return and the assembled Twili Elders were savouring every second they had before the, at best temperamental, at worst berserk man was back in their midst.

It was no secret in that Zant's greatest desire in life was to wield unlimited power and it was also no secret that the current Twilight King, Zant's father, Aurayus was fast dying. While the Elders had done their best to keep this knowledge within the palace, most of the Twili residents had heard a rumour somewhere or other and the kingdom was fraught with concern and fear. Aurayas had ruled for many decades and most Twili struggled to remember a time where he had not been guiding them through the Twilight.

The question of who was to be his successor had inevitably come up. Zant could be seen as the natural choice being as he was the only child of Aurayas and so had the birth right to the crown. The other main choice for successor was Midna a noble who had been adopted by Aurayas following her parent's untimely death. The politically correct course would be to have Zant and Midna rule together as a married couple. However, Aurayas' preferred choice of heir was indisputably Midna and the Council of Elders were doing their utmost to ensure his wishes were met and Zant was ultimately passed over in the succession.

The reason for this contempt towards Zant among the Twili was clear to all who met him. He was incredibly ambitious and it was thought this ambition had long slipped into insanity and wrath. The eyes are the windows to the soul and for Zant this was truer than most for everyone could see the intense desire burning within his sulphurous yellow eyes. Zant more than any other Twili despised his people's imprisonment in the Twilight Realm and while most Twili would deep down prefer to be in the land of their ancestors, their longings were just fantasies and no serious consideration was ever given to trying to return to the World of Light.

Zant had many times attempted to persuade his conservative father to find a way to return but Aurayas would have none of it always intoning "ruin will come to both worlds should we rebel against the Goddesses divine punishment." Zant grew older and this irrational lust spawned a deep, seething resentment of his world and father, who he had never really got along with. This dark brooding, many Twili thought, had pushed Zant's mind into an abyss no one could raise him out of. The elder's established way of dealing with Zant's ferocity was to send him on military conquests where he could vent his wrath in a relatively constructive manner. Zant thrived on the battlefield and was all too happy to oblige.

When at home however, Zant, perhaps fearing for his succession of the throne would do his utmost to put out a cold, calculating facade but even that could not stop him flying into a rage usually following a Council meeting where his demands to venture into the light had been refused yet again. The only person who Zant would ever listen to and could calm his frenzied rants was his best, and arguably only, friend Midna. She would wait for the point in his rants where he would collapse onto the ground sobbing and moaning before she approached and embraced Zant, holding him tightly to her body until he had finished weeping. Then she would lead him away by the hand to his bedroom and he would not be seen until the next day whereupon he would act as if nothing had happened.

The sound of a Twilight Kargaroc sounding its trumpeting cry signalled the return of the Prince to the palace and as the Elder's turned to face the door they could hear footsteps getting ever closer as the triumphant warlord approached. The doors burst open and Zant prowled in. He was followed by his Twili guards who were carrying several weighty chests between them. The Elder's and Midna gathered into a crowd on one side of the room and respectfully bowed their heads while Zant's guards deposited their chests down on the other side.

Zant stalked over to the Elder's nonchalantly and spoke in a soft, almost soothing voice that told them immediately a vicious rage was bubbling away that was about to be vented most dramatically. "Your Prince is amongst you once again," Zant began, "all his wars successfully resolved and his conquering armies brought home once again." He paused and turned away from them before deciding to continue. "He had thought in his sweet innocent youth that the streets might be full of jubilant crowds and that there would be talk of an official celebration to be held in his name seeing as this is his fifth successful campaign."

Zant turned and faced the now extremely uneasy crowd of Elder's who had gradually pressed back against the wall leaving Midna between them and Zant. When Zant spoke again his voice was even softer forcing the crowd to advance in order to hear him.

"But what did he find? This conqueror of the Wastes, this champion over the mighty Oregrak," this declaration provoked much confusion among the Elder's as Oregrak was the Twili god of the ground and there was no possible way Zant could have gone to war against a god. "The streets empty of people, the populace in silence and no talk of celebration" A growling noise began to emanate from Zant and his eyes grew wild and almost bestial.

Midna mentally prepared herself for what was inevitably about to happen. The sudden jump in volume and the razor sharp tone of Zant's voice signalled that he was ready to erupt with rage. "Instead he is greeted at the gates by three, dribbling, stay at home ex-Elders; who spend all their pathetic lives at the theatre or at the baths, whilst he has spent six months living no better than a savage in the barren expanses of the Wastes!" Zant's bellowing tirade had shattered the silence of the room causing all present to jump in fear and shock.

Zant now began jumping up and down on the spot while babbling out the next part of his speech sending huge globules of spit across the room, "Yes, yes, yes your Prince has returned," he stopped and reached for his scabbards, "But with these in his hands!" he intoned ferociously whilst brandishing his pair of spiked cleaver blades.

There was silence in the room as no one dared utter a word in response. Finally one Elder spoke up, "But my Prince you must understand with your father as ill as he is there is little cause for celebration among the populace and we need to devote all our time to ensuring the kingdom is well run and will continue to prosper after your father passes away."

Zant advanced on the Elder and glared at him with his bulging yellow eyes, "and when my 'beloved' father should pass away who then shall be your king hmm? You should all be trying to impress your future monarch not push his shining glory under the carpet of your own mediocrity!"

Zant walked past the Elder and began making his way through the crowd, fixating each person in turn with his lustful eyes, then stopping; he gazed up at the ceiling. "You say you had no time?" He uttered, sounding genuinely intrigued and interested with all trace of malice gone. "But," his head snapped back down, "you ordered celebrations to commemorate the anniversary of our exile to this loathsome place. You all revelled in our shameful ignoble defeat whilst I myself did battle with the God of the Earth!" Zant turned to face his guards, "show them the loot that we pillaged from old Oregrak." At his command the guards emptied the contents of one of the chests disgorging an enormous pile of rocks and pebbles onto the ground.

The look of absolute bewilderment on each Elder's face could be described as comedic if it did not hide such horror. Midna sensing the paralysis that now gripped the Elder's decided to speak for them all, "stones, my Prince?" she enquired, doing her utmost to hide her own dumbstruck shock.

"Yes my dear," Zant replied softly, "swiped from Oregrak himself by my royal hands." A giggling laugh emanated from Zant, "he won't take me on again in a hurry!" he chortled falling to his knees by the pile of unremarkable rocks which he ran his hands through.

While Zant had his back to them and was seemingly immersed in his fictional battle with Oregrak the Elders engaged each other in whispered conversation. One approached Midna, took her aside and spoke pleadingly with her. "Don't you see your majesty? He has completely lost control of his senses. How can he rule the kingdom if he can't even rule his own mind!"

Midna immediately saw where the conversation was going. Time and time again since even before Aurayas fell ill, some Twili Elder or another would entreat her to support their efforts to remove Zant from the succession. Assassination had been ruled out due to the members of the royal family being sacrosanct and, even if that were not the case, Zant was far too paranoid to go anywhere undefended. Ultimately they and Aurayas settled on the king changing his will to name Midna sole heir. Therefore any action Zant took against her would be a direct violation of the dead king's wishes and so he would lose any last support among the population and might even be banished. The main problem in their plot was that Midna was reluctant to rule alone for several reasons. One element was that she still had a deep friendship with Zant from their childhood. Most crucially however, she was afraid: afraid of making poor decisions as monarch; afraid of hurting Zant and the lengths she might drive him to and ultimately afraid she was not the ruler the Twili people deserved or needed.

"I have said all I will on the matter," she replied curtly, "Zant and I will rule as joint monarchs it is for the best…"

"For the best!" The elder barked, perhaps he had forgotten that Zant knelt only a few metres from them, "For whom exactly is it for the best? For Aurayas? You know he prefers you infinitely to his own son. Do you mean the best for Zant? He can't be saved Midna you know that. The best we can do for him is to arrange a quiet existence out in the country away from power."

Midna replied "Best for the Twili peole who deserve-" she was cut off again.

"-a ruler who is not a madman." The elder dryly finished. "Please Midna," he entreated again "Think of you in all this? You will be married to that monster! You think he won't dispose of you the first moment he gets and rule unopposed?"

"Zant loves me," Midna retaliated "I can use that to control him."

"You cannot control a force of nature!" the Elder snapped, "Sure he loves you now but what about when you disagree on policy or if you fall pregnant? You think Zant won't see any potential child as a possible future opponent? He would slaughter you both. Please I beg of you! Support us and we can help continue the golden age of Aurayas under your rule. You have a choice Midna save our people from ruin or, you can help Zant light our nation's funeral pyre and throw yourself upon it with the rest of us." Midna stood still unable to reply. She glanced sadly over to the kneeling madman and then with a heavy sigh nodded. "Thank you Princess, you will be the one to save us all" the Elder whispered warmly.

There was a sudden violent movement from Zant as he spun his body into an impossibly contorted shape before whirling to his feet and glowering at the crowd. Apparently someone had just asked if they could leave. "You think that will save you?" Zant snarled, "You think making a quick sneaky exit will sate my fury and pardon your disgraceful treatment of your sovereign prince?"

"Well I have other plans. Kneel, dogs, whilst I remove your heads one by one and feast on the wisdom held within." The crowd were unsure how to react to this blatant death threat, confusion turned to real fear when Zant began advancing with his dual blades. Midna sensing an imminent bloodbath sprinted forward, embraced Zant round the waist and began trying to calm him down.

"Oh mighty champion of Twilight must you tarnish the day of your glorious return with the blood of these ignorant fools who wronged you in their stupidity? Worms such as these are hardly worth it. Think my lord of when we have children and when they hear the account of your homecoming must they also hear of the terrible anger these idiots drove you to? Come let's go to your quarters where I can treat you with as much reverence as the gods you did battle with."

Zant bent down and tilted her chin so she gazed into his sulphurous yellow eyes, "So it is true", he whispered, "Love can melt the hearts of warriors." He ran his hands over her body, "such exquisite beauty must not be marred with worry for me. Come then my Midna we shall retire to a paradise free of these ignorant insects." As the couple began walking away Midna glanced over her shoulder at the noticeably relieved group of Elders. The one she had conversed with nodded and bowed to her before he and all the others withdrew from the room in complete silence save for their heavy, fearful breathing as if fearing Zant might somehow be waiting in the corridor to slay them all like cattle.

Over the next few days, Midna, the Council and the bedridden Aurayas regularly met to discuss the plan they were to put into action. Aurayas was relieved by the knowledge Midna would succeed him and already looked as though he was at peace. One day he asked to see Midna alone and spoke to her in the privacy of his bedroom. "I know you are reluctant about the plan," he spoke, his voice still holding the same power and majesty that had helped him to rule as the Twili's greatest monarch. "I too wish there were a way for you and Zant to rule together and for the kingdom to advance to further prosperity but those two wishes are strictly incompatible."

"I know." Midna replied, "But Zant and I have been friends since we were children and I am afraid of what he'll do when I take the throne and he is left with nothing."

Aurayas grunted and propped himself up in the bed, "There will be nothing he can do. You have the support of the Council, the army and most of all the people. Everyone can see the ambition in his eyes Midna, he tries to conceal it but it sears through like an inferno and I assure you, we will all burn if he is our king."

Midna turned on her king and addressed him coldly, "how can you speak of your own child like that?"

Aurayas let out a long sigh before continuing, "Because Midna it does not feel like he is my child. He was always so close to his mother and I was too wrapped up in the apparatus of power to spend any time with him. When she died I tried to reconnect with him but it was too late and we could never fill the void between us. I still wonder if I had been there for him during those years I could have stopped him turning into the beast he is today. No; the only thing I can do for him now is try to see he lives a normal way of life away from the power that has consumed many years of my life."

There was silence in the room save for Aurayas' wheezing breath. Then at last Midna spoke. "Why did you choose me to be your heir?"

Aurayas' answer was simple, "guilt Midna. Guilt that I neglected my own son and guilt I did nothing to help your parents due to my own foolish pride. So I took you in as my own and I loved you like I could never find it in myself to love my own son. You, Midna, have helped ease my soul more than you know and thanks to your affection I shall die as content as I deserve. So it is now that shamefully I must ask you one last favour and that is to lead our people through the twilight and to a better future."

Midna walked over to Aurayas and the two embraced each other in a tearful hug. Aurayas eventually broke away and taking Midna by the shoulders gazed into her eyes, "Now go, for you know what you and the Council must do. The time has come Midna for me to move into the afterlife. I welcome the end but first there is one last task I must perform. For that I need you to say goodbye and leave me here for we shall not see each other again in this life."

Midna nodded and arose. She paused at the door and faced the ruler of the twilight one last time. "goodbye… father… and thank you for everything."

"No." Aurayas replied, "thank you Midna, my little Twilight Princess, for you are to be our salvation."

"I hear you are dying noble father," Zant enquired as he paced around the bedroom. "Taking your time though aren't you? As far as I'm concerned this is at least two decades too late."

Aurayas coughed violently before he could get any words out, "Oh rest assured my son this is the end and I have not long now."

"Excellent," Zant answered, "then don't let my presence delay you."

"Zant, do you not think that just for the few minutes I have left that you and I can be friends? I am sorry for what happened to your mother and I am sorry I was never there for you. But please, I beg you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"You want me to forgive you?" Zant spoke softly, "and what makes you think a smelly, miserable cowardly, cheating old cripple like you deserves my forgiveness? How does it feel "father" to know you are dying? My mother knew how it felt when you broke her heart. Oh how I wept for her. I used to scratch at the walls to my room until my hands were slick with blood and then I'd howl until my vocal chords were drained. Oh I wept for my dear mother but for you I shan't shed a single tear."

Zant knelt down next to the bed and glared viciously at his father. "I have dreamt about this day ever since she died. The day you die and I ascend to my rightful place in this forsaken hell. Oh I know you always wanted your precious Midna to rule but don't you see father, she worships me! She loves me and will happily move aside to give me free reign when I ask for it."

"Don't be sure of that son," Aurayas chuckled, "you underestimate her Zant and she may prove your undoing. The rule of the Twili is her destiny not yours."

"Oh is that so?" Zant giggled, "Well then let me tell you just what destiny has in store for us. I went to an augur, Thrysoria, today and he made me a prophecy and he has never been wrong yet. He said a hero will come to power soon that shall carry the fate of not just his own world but the other world in his hands. It is said this hero shall restore both worlds to their rightful place in the universe and overthrow a false monarch. This hero will be revered by both worlds and shall even have the power to undo gods." Aurayas had gone very quiet, "You have heard this prophecy before haven't you? Your silence betrays you know it to be true. And do you know how this hero is father?" Zant lent in right next to Aurayas' ear and growled in a rasping voice, "Me. Me."

"Half-baked prophecies are irrelevant now Zant," Aurayas scoffed, "A ceremony is going on in the Council Chamber to make Midna the sole heir of this kingdom and it will be followed immediately by her coronation as sole monarch. You've lost my son; the power you lust after will never be yours rightfully."

Zant leapt up and screeched, "They can't do that! How can they? You aren't even dead yet you miserable cretin!"

Aurayas reached under his pillow and showed Zant a small empty vial, "No, but I will be by the time you reach the ceremony. This poison is already taking affect and I can feel myself ebbing away. It is quite restful really."

Zant howled and sprinted for the door. Aurayas waved his hand and a magical seal spread across it. "Stay with me son in my time of dying and I beg of you to live a normal life as far away from power as you can."

"Never! I will claim my birth right," Zant bellowed pounding in vain on the door.

"If nothing will change your mind then I leave you a final gift. As I lie dying I see many things pass before me. I can even glimpse the future as it unfolds before my eyes and I shall tell you your place in it." Zant froze and turned to face the dying monarch. "The prophecy is sound Zant and I daresay will come to pass and bring much suffering to Midna and the Twili." Zant's face visibly lit up with a malevolent grin but Aurayas' dying speech had one last sting in the tail. "But you are not the hero my son, you are the false monarch and remember my child no king can rule forever."

"Indeed" the incensed Zant spat through gritted teeth, "As you are about to discover 'noble father'!" with that Zant sprinted to the bed grabbed a pillow and with a murderous mixture of laughter, roaring and sobbing smothered the old king in his bed.

"Then the motion is passed," the speaker barked, "In accordance with the dead King Aurayas' wishes and with full support from the Council, Midna is now the sole ruler of the Twili people and her sovereignty takes effect from this moment onward." As one, the whole room turned and bowed to Midna who sat anxiously on the Council Chamber's throne.

Midna stood up and was about to speak when the doors burst open and Zant stumbled in before collapsing to his knees. "You betrayed me!" He howled at her, his eyes full of unspeakable rage. "What about the things we promised to do each other for when we would be rulers? What about my love for you? You, you will all pay for what you have done!" he screeched an ear splitting cry whilst spinning on the spot before collapsing on his back. Guards moved to drag him from the room and lifted him to his feet. "Midna!" he howled, "you can't do this to me" ,he spluttered, "I defeated a god you know! A pathetic mewling wench like you will be no problem!" He cried her name several more times, each time more pitiful and haunting than the last, before the guards finally flung him from the room. Weeping, Zant lumbered away through the palace the sound of his misery soon fading away. Midna sunk back into her throne. Her reign already seemed cursed and she feared for what lay ahead.

I shall house my power in you… If there is anything you desire then I shall desire it too.

Zant knew just what he desired and now he would have someone to share it with, just like he had planned to do with Midna in what seemed to him like a lifetime ago...