Two weeks passed in a blur. Link adhered to his duties, spending his days with Thoria, and reporting to Zelda at the end of the day. He found with each report, he had less and less to say. Their days were much the same, spent exploring the castle or its grounds, in the library, or at the training grounds. True to her word, Thoria insisted that they go every day, come rain or shine, to train. His back was healed, with little more than pink stripes on his skin that would, in time, fade into nothing more than silver lines. Five more to join the countless others he had earned over the years.

They had yet to return to Castle Town. Following Navi's shocking outburst, Link had grown weary of the stares of the people around him, who grew bolder with each passing moment, pressing in on him, circling him and Thoria like wolfos. Thoria had been enraptured by the sights around her, staring openly at the townspeople as they stared at her, the eyes of some of the women openly hostile. Thoria hadn't seemed to care, but when Link suggested quietly that they head back, she hadn't argued.

"One more time," he said, as Thoria circled him, her spear held steady in her hands. "Forward!"

Thoria sprang toward him, jabbing the blunted spear out as she went. She landed elegantly, her weight on her forefoot, using her back leg for balance as she swung the spear to the side in a powerful arc. Link jumped forward himself, jabbing a spear of his own towards her face. She jerked back, swinging her weapon around to deflect his blow.

He prodded her shoulder with the spear and she swore, violently.

"Motherfucking fuck, fuck! I almost had it!"

"You're still swinging too wide to begin with," Link said, jamming his spear in the ground and approaching. "Here."

He took Thoria's hand, closing her fingers around the shaft of the spear. He angled it, so that it began the arc she had performed before.

"You're swinging all the way out here," he said, guiding her arm. She watched, dipping into the half-crouch she had used before. Her head level with his chest, she glanced up, her eyes hard and emerald.

"You need to stop your arc here," Link continued, focusing on his task. "This way, you have less air to move through, and more time to block an attack. You're leaving yourself too open." He moved her arm closer to her body.

Thoria nodded, and he glanced at her face. There was a thin line of colour along her cheekbones, her eyes bright. The freckles across her nose stood out against the paleness of her face, and he found his breath suddenly caught in his throat.

"Right," Thoria said, rising. Link marvelled at her control. Most men would struggle to balance on a half-bent leg for as long as she had, let alone rise with the grace that she did. Her command over the spear and the bow had improved drastically over the last fortnight, and she showed no sign of slowing her progression. "Like this."

She stepped back and swung the spear, stopping where Link had shown her. He nodded.

"Good," he said. "You'll be better protected if you keep everything close."

"That's a good philosophy to live by," Thoria said. She upended her spear and drove it into the dirt. She offered Link a playful smile. "Spar?"

Link chuckled. "Alright."

They faced each other, raising their fists. Thoria rolled her neck from side to side, the clicking of her joints sharp on the air. She grinned, hunching over, making herself a smaller target.

Her skill with her fists rivalled only that of her skill with a sword. She was far more talented with a spear and a bow than a sword, and Link brought to mind an image of her, standing tall and confident, the muscled of her back contracting as she drew her bowstring, loosing an arrow into the centre of the target, again and again and again, grouping her arrows perfectly. He saw her spinning her spear, the shaft almost a part of her body. She was improving almost unbelievably quickly in all her weaponry, but she still had much to learn of the sword, the art of which still escaped her.

Link turned slightly sideways, angling his arms so that his torso was covered. Thoria tried a few testing jabs, which he easily batted away. Suddenly, with an explosion of movement, Thoria darted forward, feinting left and right, dancing with her feet to fake kicks at his ankles. Link deflected, dodged and otherwise avoided the onslaught. Seeing an opening, he flicked out a hand and lightly tapped the side of her head. She growled.

"Git."

"You rely too much on your strength," he said. "You're fast, but not fast enough," he said, tapping her shoulder. Too late, she leant out the way, raising her hands to defend. She left her other side exposed as she turned, and Link rewarded the movement with a gentle pat to her arm. "You're impatient. You anticipate moves before they happen when they're not going to."

Thoria bared her teeth in a tight smile.

"One of these days, I'm going to have you," she said.

"I'm sure you'll try," Link said, grinning. Thoria feinted again, two quick jabs to his chest.

"Your eyes tell me where you're going," he said, as he knocked her fists aside. "Focus on me. All of me."

Thoria danced away as he made a grab for her wrist. "Okay."

She came at him again. She was tiring. She stared ahead, careful not to let her eyes lead him to where she planned to strike. But still, they flickered, preparing him for her next blows. Smiling broadly, Link deflected a flurry of jabs and slaps before she leant to the side, trying to slip his guard.

Laughing openly, Link caught her wrist, aiming to push her to the ground. In one fluid motion, Thoria bent her knee and exploded upward, leaving the ground as she spun, her other hand grabbing for his shoulder. Using his body as leverage, she spun behind him and pulled him back, his arm pulled across his chest.

They fell to the ground with a grunt, Thoria beneath him. On his back, he was prone, and Thoria hooked her legs around his middle.

"Gotcha," she said.

Link laughed. "Well done. Now what?"

"I…" Thoria paused. "What do you mean?"

"What will you do now? If you have slain your foe, you're stuck under a dead weight." To prove a point, Link let himself go limp, and Thoria huffed.

"Okay, okay! Jesus, you're heavy."

"I'll try not to be offended," Link said, allowing her some respite.

"Well, muscle's heavier than fat and you're nothing but muscle."

Link allowed himself a smile.

"So, if I'm not dead, what do you do?"

"Um."

Thoria reached over and hooked an arm around his throat, applying no pressure.

"Good idea," Link said. "But." He pulled her arm away with ease. "It won't work."

"If I had a dagger, I could stab you," she said.

"You could. But you don't. You're stuck."

"Stalemate," she replied, shrugging. "You can't get me either."

In response, Link shoved Thoria's legs off him and flipped over, rolling in the air to face the dark-haired woman. She laughed in surprise as he planted his hands to either side of her face.

"Yeah, well doing that, I can, I don't know. Headbutt you?" She reached to grasp the sides of his head.

"I'm in a better position to do so," Link said, taking her wrists and pinning her to the ground.

"I'll crush you, then," Thoria said, looping her legs around his middle. She began to squeeze, gently at first, then harder. Link felt his breath leave him in a rush.

"You could," he panted. "But I'd just choke you." He raised a gentle hand to her throat. Thoria smiled at him, her eyes half-lidded. Her legs around him, one of his hands pinioning her wrist, the other gently at her long, pale neck. She shifted under him. Link felt his mouth go dry, and he found himself at a loss for words.

Thoria tilted her head, her eyes curious. She bit her lip, and Link found his head lowering.

Suddenly, the dark alter flashed into his mind, and he launched himself up, and away. Thoria exclaimed as she was dragged across the ground, loosening her legs and sitting up.

"You okay?" she asked, clambering to her feet. Link stood a few paces away, his heart racing.

"Fine," he said, too quickly. He forced a smile. "Just…"

"Old battle wound." Thoria said, gently.

"Yeah."

She nodded, and patted his arm. "Then let's call it here for today. I'm starving, anyway."

They replaced their weapons in the storage shed, leaning them carefully in their holds. Together, they began the walk back to the castle, taking their time. As they went, Link glanced at the sky.

"Navi still not back?" Thoria asked.

Link shook his head. "Can you read my mind or something?"

Thoria grinned and waggled her fingers mysteriously. "If only you knew!"

Link forced a laugh. "No. I've not seen her."

"I hope she's okay," Thoria said, her smile fading.

Link glanced at her. "After…?"

"I don't care about the market," Thoria said, her tone suddenly sharp. "She's your friend. A friend of yours is a friend of mine, even if I have to work at it a little."

"She's probably just sulking somewhere," Link said. "It's not the first time she's gone off for a while."

He didn't look at Thoria as he said this. In truth, he was very worried. Navi had rarely left his side, and when they were apart, it was never for more than a few hours at a time. Though often he had longed for a break from her shrill voice, her nagging, her insistence at being with him wherever he went, now she had gone, he missed her. He offered a quick prayer to Hylia that, wherever she was, she was safe, and on her way back.

"Sure," Thoria said. "If I may…" she gave him a cheeky smile. "Forgive me, but it must be nice to have a break from all that nosiness."

Link couldn't stop himself from smiling. As concerned for the fairy as he was, he had to admit, the last few weeks had been very peaceful indeed.

They passed through the kitchens, Link swiping a steaming cucco from off a counter and onto a pilfered tea towel, Thoria scooping a bowl of roast potatoes from the table. Link snagged a jug of gravy and they sauntered on, exiting the kitchen just as a confused shout began as the door shut behind them. Thoria sniggered.

"You'd have thought they'd suspect us by now," she said, plucking one of the potatoes from the bowl and tossing it in the air. She sidestepped and caught it in her teeth. "Mm. Crunchy."

"It's amazing what people don't notice," Link agreed, his mouth watering at the scent of roast cucco and rosemary wafting from under the towel. "None of them noticed the twilight had covered Hyrule until it was too late."

"That's people for you," Thoria shrugged. "It's easier to ignore something odd than to confront it and accept that something's not right. It was the same at home."

Link slowed as they entered a smaller corridor. "Do you remember more?"

"Nothing about me," Thoria said. "But I'm remembering bits of history. Old history, mind, from like, several hundred years ago. I think I learned about it as a child."

Link remained quiet. Pressing Thoria never yielded an answer, and sometimes, his probing had caused her to forget again. Reaching a large, dusty old tapestry depicting the Great War, Thoria used her free hand to pull it away from the wall, revealing an alcove set a few metres deep into the stone. An arrow slit let light into the hidden space, enough to see by. Link ducked under the tapestry and Thoria followed, sitting cross-legged on the floor and placing the potatoes in front of them. Link spread the towel and pulled out his knife, carving the cucco as Thoria halved the potatoes into two piles.

They ate in silence, Link keeping an ear out for approaching footsteps. Thoria had found this hidden place a week ago. It had almost seemed like she could see right through the woven cloth and into the space beyond, the way she had homed in on it. She had paused, her head to one side, green eyes roving over the stitched scene, before she had stuck out a hand and tugged.

Link had leapt forward, his heart in his throat, terrified of what wrath would befall them both if such an ancient piece was damaged. But the heavy material had come away from the wall, revealing the secret area, and Thoria had grinned like a child.

Now, after every training session, they had stolen food from the kitchens and come here to eat in peace, away from the nosy nobles and staring servants. This thievery had been Thoria's idea, too.

"Oh, come on, it'll be fun!" she had said. "It's all going to be eaten anyway."

"We'll get caught," Link had warned.

"Not if we act like we're meant to be doing it," she had insisted. "It's a cool psychological trick. Act like you're meant to be there, meant to take stuff, and no one questions you. Besides, this is for people living here. Technically, it's ours, we're just having it a bit early."

Link had refused the first time, following two steps behind as they crossed the huge kitchen. Thoria had brazenly reached out and pinched a couple of apples, a jug of milk, and a joint of cold ham, balancing them in her arms, before she reached out and stole a steaming cherry pie that had been set on the counter not a minute before. Link hung back, his mouth opening, as she sauntered on, the eyes of the servants and staff passing over her as if she wasn't there.

Mallory had turned to the counter and blinked. She looked at the counter, at the floor, and at Link.

"Did you see a pie here?" she asked.

Dumbly, Link shook his head and hurried after Thoria, heading to the tapestry, marvelling at her.

He came back to himself as they continued to eat, the cucco succulent and hot, the potatoes crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They took turns dipping into the gravy, careful not to spill any.

As they finished, Thoria sat back with a sigh, stretching, and reached inside her blouse, causing Link to freeze and stare, wide eyed. Her hand came out, long fingers holding a small jonquil flower.

"For you," she said, passing it over. Link's heart slowed as he took the flower, a bemused smile pulling his lips.

"Thanks?" he said. "What for?"

"All flowers have a meaning," Thoria said.

"What does this one mean?"

She smiled, knowingly. "What do you think?"

"I have no idea. You're the one who knows." Link twirled the little flower, the petals soft and yellow.

"I do. But I'm not going to tell you everything I know," she laughed. "Some secrets I have to keep for myself."

"So, what was the point in giving it me then?" Link asked, playfully. "If you're not going to tell me what it means?"

Thoria shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

She began to tidy the debris of their supper, wrapping the remnants of the food in the towel.

"Does it mean 'I'm going to kick your arse in training?'" Link asked. Thoria chuckled.

"You're a good guesser. But not quite. It's…" she hesitated. "It's got a few meanings. I know you've been struggling a bit and…" she looked away, ducking her head. "What with Navi not being here, and whatever else it is you don't want to talk about. It means sympathy, among other things."

Link nodded, his neck prickling. He hadn't realised he had been so obvious. His nightmares had evolved into night terrors, ejecting him from sleep with violent intensity, covering him in cold sweat and sapping the little energy he had garnered from his brief rest. Sometimes, he had awoken to find himself out of bed, standing against the wall, in the bathroom, and once, hauntingly, on the balcony, his hands resting on the marble railing. The alter rose in his mind each night, and Link dreaded the coming of the darkness.

It was only with the rising sun that he had finally been able to chase away the fear, where no blackness coiled, ready to attack. But even in the day, shadows were cast, and his exhausted mind conjured things in the corner of his eye that left him flinching.

He realised Thoria was staring curiously at him. He had been silent for almost a full minute.

"Thank you," he said. "Really."

"You can talk about it, you know," she said, her voice soft. "I'll listen."

Link let out a bark of humourless laughter.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just tired. I don't sleep much."

Thoria looked unconvinced. "If you say so." She rose, lifting the debris of their meal. "I'm going to go back to the library if that's alright with you. I want to look over those blueprints of the castle again. I'm convinced there are secret passages somewhere."

Link tried to untense his shoulders as he followed her out. No one would ever know what was in his mind. He was safest with his secrets held close to his chest, where no one could use them to hurt him. It was best for Thoria not to know what nightmares drove him to the brink of madness each night.

He imagined the look on her face if he told her and went cold all over. The commons could look at him with eyes of all kinds. Adoration, respect, even worship. That, he could stomach. The nobles could view him with their own lenses. Boredom, tolerance, and detachment. This, he could endure. None of them yet would look at him for what he really was. A coward with a sword, a pretender in knight's clothes. A broken man held together with string.

Even Midna had grown to speak to him with some reverence after he had saved her life. But despite her knowing his past lives, Thoria was the only person left who didn't treat him like anything other than a man. Who teased him with a casual grace, who was unafraid to speak her mind in front of him. Who spoke to him like she did any other. Who did not treat him any differently. It was almost addicting, this casual conversation, the relaxed atmosphere, the naturalness of it, as refreshing as cool water in an autumn stream.

Link pushed the darkness down within himself. If it meant that he could cling to the façade of normality, she would never know the secrets he kept.