Chapter 4 - Mimicry

The slamming of metal bars signaled the loss of Link's freedom.

The only upside was that his jailers had removed the shackles from his wrists before locking him in a cell, though not before he was made to put his sword, shield, bow, and quiver on a table outside.

Letting a low sigh as he regarded the small, slightly dirty space from his spot near the door, he turned his gaze over his shoulder at the sound of rummaging to see Betarro inspecting his weapons.

After lifting his bow with a mild look of interest, the big man placed the item back down to regard his sword with the question, "Where did a murderous bastard like you get a sword like this? Steal it? Perhaps followed by killing the owner?"

Turning around to face him, Link countered by telling the simple truth.

"Found it in the woods."

The response earned him a scrutinizing look, and though Betarro gave the Master Sword one last glance, he thankfully didn't try to lift the weapon. Instead, he walked over to the cell and remarked, "I see you think you're clever. So tell me, if you're so smart, why did you come back here after what you'd done?"

Shaking his head, he walked further into the prison, replying plainly, "Because I was passing through."

"Passing through? Why would you pass through a place where you'd just committed a crime?"

Without immediately responding, Link stopped at the wall in the back of his cell and turned to sit on the floor, drawing one leg up to drape an arm across his knee. Following the movement, he tugged his hat down to cover his eyes and block the light of the torches in the hopes of getting some rest before providing an answer.

"You tell me."

If Betarro had anything to say in response, he must've decided against it because only the sound of the jail's doors opening and closing hit Link's ears a moment later, proving his accuser had departed. In the meantime, Link could only hope his answer would make Betarro consider the situation more thoroughly and question his current prisoner's innocence.

Until then, it was just a waiting game—and sadly, it wasn't entirely peaceful.

Some mild shuffling came from the inmates in the adjacent cell, and while it wasn't wholly bothersome, his hopes that it wouldn't get any worse were dashed when one of the men commented, "Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Goody-Goody."

Chuckling followed the words, and somehow, the voice seemed familiar, prompting Link to lift his hat. Doing so revealed the driver of the wagon he'd rescued the girls from, and two other men were seated with their backs to the bars lining his own cell.

Because their corner of the prison was darker than his own, he hadn't recognized them when he was first escorted inside. Regardless, seeing them behind bars was a relief. It meant Kiama and the rest had arrived in town safely after all, and he briefly wondered if they were doing well.

It also meant mentioning her to Betarro might not be a bad idea. The biggest reason he hadn't done so already was his unwillingness to drag Kiama into this after what she'd been through already. Yet he also had no way of knowing if she'd ever made it to town, and if not, mentioning a missing daughter to Betarro would've made the situation much worse.

But there was no time to consider it before the inmate asked, "So, Mr. Goody-Goody, what are ya in for?"

Sighing, Link tugged his hat back down over his eyes and replied simply, "A few counts of murder and arson. But I turned myself in, which is more than I can say for you deviants."

Taking exception to his insult, Link could hear the man trying to grab him through the bars, but he was just out of reach.

As soon as the inmate realized it, he announced, "If you get closer, I'm going to beat you bloody!"

"Guess I better not get closer then," Link muttered, continuing to rest as the man commenced with sputtering insult after insult.

During his tirade, Nissa landed on the sill of the barred window just above Link's head and looked into the prison without gaining either inmates' notice. But when she didn't spy her friend anywhere, she asked his name, causing the driver to go silent.

"Link?"

Hearing Nissa's voice, Link lifted his hat back again and looked up, asking, "Nissa? What are you doing here?"

Hearing his voice just below her, she looked down to see him sitting against the wall and exclaimed, "Oh! I found the right one on the first try!"

Flying into the room and down to land Link's upraised knee, he smiled at her and remarked, "That's a fairy's luck for you, or so I've heard."

"I'll say," Nissa responded, stopping when the driver made a snide comment to his cellmates.

"Aw, look fellas, he's got a little fairy friend."

Nissa's wings chimed angrily as she folded her arms over her chest, yelling, "Show some respect! I'm tiny, but I won't let anyone push me around!"

Unfazed by her bluster, the men started snickering incessantly—and Nissa wasn't having it.

Swiftly, she lifted up and flew toward the driver's hand still clutching the bar after his attempts to reach Link. Making contact with his fingers, a loud snap was heard as the result of a magical shock similar to static electricity, causing the man to yelp and jerk back with a shake of his hand.

Returning to her spot on Link's knee, she stuck her tongue out at them.

Unable to help his amusement, Link smirked, though he didn't focus on the matter for long. Instead, he was too concerned over Zelda's safety not to inquire about her immediately.

"Nissa, is Zelda okay?"

"Zelda? Oh!" Nissa started giggling, admitting, "I'm still used to Mira, but yes, she's fine. They have her in an abandoned home on house arrest, and she's being watched by a few men patrolling the area. Also, she told Olnor about your dark half in vague terms, and he promised to keep his eyes open for anything strange, so I think he suspects your innocence."

"At least someone does," Link replied. "And it's good to hear he's being vigilant because there's no telling what my shadow might do when he comes back."

"After everything you and Zelda told me, I don't doubt it! He sounds nasty," Nissa remarked with a grumble.

Listening in on their conversation, one of the inmates in the next cell asked, "Wait … what are you talking about?"

Nissa glared at them in response, ready to yell that it was none of their business. But Link stopped her by providing an actual explanation.

"It probably doesn't come as a surprise to you guys, but someone's out there who's been trying to kill me for a few weeks now. He's the one who set me up to be thrown in this prison from the start, and once he finds out I'm locked in this cell, there's a good chance he'll set this prison on fire."

In response, each of the inmates stared at him with wide eyes, then shared a look before immediately rushing to the door of their cell. There, they grabbed the bars to bang it against the frames while yelling for the guards to let them out.

Snickering softly as she moved to sit on Link's shoulder, Nissa remarked, "Well, that should shut them up."

"Or at least get them to leave me alone for a while." Shaking his head, he used the time their distraction provided to address a more important concern. "Nissa, would you go stay with Zelda? I don't want her to be alone out there with everything going on."

"Are you sure? What if those prisoners try to hurt you?"

"I'll be fine, Nissa, don't worry. They can't even reach me, and besides, her safety is more important. So I'd feel better if you kept her company."

Nissa sighed before obliging his request. "Alright, but I don't agree with you about that importance thing. Still, she was worried about you and sent me here to see if you were okay. So I'll go let her know you're fine, but if anything happens, I'm coming back here to let you know."

Link nodded, watching as the fairy rose through the air and out the window. Once she vanished, he exhaled low and tugged his hat back down over his eyes, getting as comfortable as possible in his wait for absolution while hoping it didn't take too long to arrive.

Not that he was too concerned for Zelda's safety, his thoughts turning to the silver gauntlets on his hands.

With them in place, nothing in this jail cell could truly hold him back. So if he had the slightest suspicion of foul play or heard any talk from the people outside that indicated his shadow was nearby, the wall he was currently sitting against would come down.

One way or the other, he'd protect Zelda and everyone else in town from that twisted bastard.

Wolves howled in the distance, the sound directed up at the full moon rising over Engleton.

As during the day, the town remained quiet, still in mourning after the tragic events of the night before. The silence was deafening to Zelda as she sat on the floor of the home she'd been assigned to. With her legs drawn up, she'd buried her face in her arms which were draped over her knees, and with Nissa sitting on her shoulder, they both waited patiently for Olnor to return.

Two hours had passed since the councilman departed, and she couldn't leave to find him without looking suspicious. Even insisting to see Olnor to the men stationed outside could cause a problem, and she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize what Link had tried so hard to protect—her.

If nothing else, sitting alone waiting for someone to check on her had provided plenty of time for thought over his actions, and it was driving her crazy. Link constantly sacrificed for her benefit, including his physical well being when he fought, his safety, and now his very freedom.

She couldn't ignore that, nor did she intend to. Somehow, once this mess was concluded, she would find a way to express her gratitude for everything he'd done—and she wouldn't let him brush it off with some claim that his hard work was nothing.

Even the thought of his modesty was frustrating, and all things considered, it was no wonder she'd become so infatuated. I should've kissed him when I had the chance.

As she considered their interrupted moment in the woods and found herself wishing it'd gone a bit differently, the sound of traveling horses hit her ears. Coming from somewhere just outside the home, it was the first sign of life she'd detected all evening.

With the front window just behind her head, she sat up and turned to look outside as Nissa took to the air. Sadly, it was too dark to see anything clearly, which made her wish she'd thought to bring her lantern in earlier. But it was on Frost's saddle, leaving the interior of the home darker than it was outside.

Yet she could hear a few villagers talking, one of them mentioning how they'd spotted movement heading west before another directed the rest to come on.

As they departed, Nissa asked, "Should I go find out what has them all stirred up?"

"Yes," Zelda returned. "It might be that shadow, and if so, you should warn Link."

"You got it," Nissa replied, taking off swiftly to exit the home via the missing window panel in the back of the house.

Zelda watched the fairy's glowing body disappear, leaving her in almost total darkness. Once alone, she exhaled a soft sigh of breath and turned to sit back against the wall again. Without Nissa around, the waiting seemed even harder to endure, though Zelda got the feeling that Olnor would be returning soon now, probably once the townsfolk had finished conducting their current search for whatever it was they'd spotted.

Could it really be Link's mimicry? As she considered it, she thought about her friend again, hoping he was safe and that this mess would be cleared up soon, otherwise they might be forced to escape.

All because of that damned shadow and his malicious trickery.

He'd killed an entire family just to entrap Link and make him an easy target. The mere thought of it had her ready to head outside and do something, anything to help instead of just sitting and waiting.

Perhaps the townspeople outside could be reasoned with, but even if they couldn't, she had to try, sitting forward just as a hand came through the darkness and gently clamped down over her mouth.

Gasping against the palm, she looked up with wide eyes as soon as Link whispered, "Shush, it's just me."

Removing his hand from her mouth, Zelda exhaled low, though her brows narrowed with the question, "What are you doing here?"

He shook his head, the movement just visible through the darkness as he explained, "I heard them talking outside my cell about sighting someone near town, and I couldn't just sit there knowing you were here alone with that mockery of me running around. So I broke out to come check on you."

That certainly sounded like the Link she knew, and yet her instincts were clamoring with warnings telling her to beware. The notion that she could very well be sitting with his shadow instead of her closest friend didn't provide an ounce of relief.

Yet, before she had a chance to question him on his method of escape, he took her hand and placed it on one of his silver gauntlets, explaining, "I used these to bend the bars without attracting anyone's attention."

Realizing he had the silver gauntlets, she released a low, relieved sigh. Those tools were gained at the Temple of Fire after Dark Link's creation, meaning it was truly her friend sitting next to her now.

Still, she chided, "Link, you really shouldn't have come out here. It'll only cause more–"

Her comment stopped when he touched her cheek, his fingers tracing down along her jaw and to her chin, lifting her face up to his. She could perceive his lips right next to hers, his breath warm against her mouth, reminding her of their interrupted kiss earlier that day.

This was the first time they'd been alone since, making her wonder if he was about to continue where they left off.

At the thought, her heart decided to make its home in the back of her throat as she clutched his arm. The hard muscle beneath her fingers intensified her stupor, making it difficult to focus when he took in a breath and whispered the word, "Flowers."

With a little effort, she managed to rasp the question, "Flowers?"

"You always smell like flowers," he answered, his voice so low and sultry she grew dizzy with his next comment. "You always look so soft and helpless, but I know how strong you are, too. I just can't figure it out."

Brushing his thumb across her bottom lip, he added, "I only know you're beautiful, and if I get in trouble for coming to check on you, it's worth it."

The deep tone of his voice rattled her senses so thoroughly she barely felt capable of whispering, "Link, you're … really embarrassing me."

He was silent for only a moment before asking hesitantly, "Because of how we both feel?"

"Because of … ," she trailed, trying to think, or at least see the emotion in his eyes through the dark to gain some hint of what he could've been thinking. But even if the room had been lit, he was too close to truly gauge his expression.

So she settled on telling the simple truth.

"Everything."

"Everything?" he asked, leaning in until his lips brushed over hers in the faintest of kisses, adding, "Or is it really nothing at all?"

A shiver spread through her body, the feelings she'd been trying to suppress coming to the surface with a vengeance. Was this really happening? It seemed surreal as she clutched her arms around his sides, fingers curling into the back of his jerkin.

Still, at the center of it all was a vast amount of uncertainty. She needed to know his feelings, or at least the way he viewed this, her voice barely a rasp of sound as she asked, "I-is that all this is? Nothing at all? I-I just need to know why you're—mmf!"

Before she could finish her question, his mouth descended upon hers in a kiss filled with longing, making her skin tingle in a way it never had before, the sensation as delightful as it was maddening. His arms tightened around her until their bodies were nearly flush, her subsequent gasp caught in his mouth as his tongue traced her lips, his fingers threading through her hair.

When she moaned in response, he took advantage, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, dazing her to the point of forgetting her own name. Perhaps she lacked the necessary experience to tell, but he seemed to be incredibly skilled, her entire body tingling as their tongues met and stroked together.

The sensation only redoubled when his lips broke from hers to trail kisses across her cheek and down her neck.

"L-Link … !"

She barely recognized her own voice, and it must've sounded strange to him as well because he paused as she tightened her grip around him. Yet she barely noticed, the whole world spinning, and it only turned faster when his lips traveled up to her ear where he uttered, "It's much more than nothing, Zelda. You feel the same way, too, I think."

She panted, her eyes cracking open at the sensation of his hand traveling up her side to cup her breast.

Jerking, her entire body responded positively to the touch while her mind scrambled to make sense of his sudden intimacy. Her immense trust in him was all that kept her from instantly knocking his hand away, but it didn't stop her from clutching his wrist—just as his thumb traced the outline of her nipple, causing it to harden.

"Link, s-stop it!" she gasped, a shudder rolling through her even as she tore his hand away with a blush so hot it was surprising the room wasn't as bright as day. "W-what are you doing?"

Exhaling a low sigh, he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry, Zelda. I just … I can't stop thinking about you, and the more time we spend together, the harder it gets. In the jail, I kept worrying something would happen while I was locked up, and I felt foolish for letting the townspeople arrest me. It even scared me."

She couldn't tear her gaze away from the darkened silhouettes of his face, exhaling a breath she hadn't realized she'd held before asking, "Then you … you have feelings for me?"

"Of course I do," he confirmed with a gentle brush of her cheek. "I don't want to ever lose you, Zelda. You mean too much to me, and I guess I just thought we might not get another chance with everything going on."

His words rendered her breathless yet again, and perhaps he was right. The challenge of restoring Hyrule was a daunting one, and who knew if they'd ever have a chance to simply explore their feelings? Even if they survived, there was no way of knowing how their lives might go, and the thought had her clutching him more tightly as her heart swelled with a mix of sorrow and fear.

Yet those weren't the only feelings churning to the surface—knowing he truly harbored affection for her helped her to recognize a third emotion she could only describe as love.

Of course, she'd always loved him, but this was different. It seemed raw, more intense perhaps, and the most surprising part was that she'd experienced the same sensation several times over the past few weeks, she just hadn't allowed herself to really examine what it meant, chalking it up to a silly infatuation.

Now she knew the truth. This is too intense to be a simple infatuation.

The thought stole her breath, as did the way he slowly leaned in to press another kiss to her throat. Still sensitive from his previous attention, her head swam, pulse racing. Why did it feel so good to be so close to him? Whatever the answer, she didn't want that feeling to stop, her body alive in a way she'd never experienced.

Yet a nagging sensation in the pit of her stomach spoke volumes of the fact that she simply wasn't ready for the type of intimacy he'd tried to engage in a moment ago. So when he sat back on his knees and reached his hands around her to pull her up against him, she rasped the word, "Wait, Li—mm … ."

His mouth covered hers once again, effectively cutting her off, and she almost forgot why she'd protested from the start. But the memory came rushing back when his hands moved down to grip her backside, holding her against him with a tight squeeze.

Knock knock! "My lady, are you up?"

Olnor's question combined with his knock at the door jolted her back to reality so harshly she tore herself away from Link like they'd just been doused with cold water. In turn, his groan sounded through the darkness as she struggled to catch her breath and respond as plainly as possible.

"I'm coming."

Proving he had no intentions of allowing anyone to see him, Link ducked toward the wall where he'd be out of sight, and she thought she heard him letting a grumble beneath his breath in the process. But, with no time to question it, Zelda got up and straightened her clothing before answering the door.

Finding Olnor waiting on the other side, the man immediately lifted her lantern with the words, "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to return, but I found this attached to your horse's saddle and thought to bring it to you."

"Thank you," she replied sincerely, taking the lantern without hesitation.

Olnor watched with interest as she opened the door and reached inside to ignite the wick between her fingers, the sight of it prompting him to ask, "You know magic?"

"Yes," she confirmed, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light while inquiring, "but if I may ask, why did it take so long? I heard horses earlier, and it sounded as if you were searching for someone."

"Yes, some of our people spotted movement on the outskirts of town, but the individual disappeared before we could confirm it. Still, they're searching to be completely certain no one's out there, and I have to go help them. But I wanted to make sure you didn't need anything before I did."

Unwilling to allow Olnor to find out Link was with her, she shook her head and replied, "No, I'm fine for now. So please, continue your search."

"Very well, and I'll be sure to update you if we find anything important."

"I'd be appreciative," she returned, bidding him luck as he turned to leave the home once more.

Watching him go before shutting the door, Zelda realized she'd forgotten to ask how Kiama and the girls were doing, but it was probably for the best. Link needed to return to the jail as soon as possible, and with her lantern in hand, she prepared to face the embarrassment of looking at him in clear light after what they'd just shared and turned to say he should go before he was missed.

But he was no longer there—he was right behind her, reaching out to clasp a large hand around her throat.

Gasping, Zelda's air supply was cut off before she could make a sound, her back hitting the door as the lantern clattered against the floor and rolled away. As a result, the light inside flickered, casting erratic shadows across the room until it stopped moving, leaving the surrounding area dimmer.

But it wasn't enough to hide the fact that she was staring into a pair of red eyes.

"You know, for someone who holds the Triforce of Wisdom, you're awfully easy to fool."

Struggling for breath, Zelda shoved her free hand against his shoulder after he'd pinned the other to the wall, trying to push him away with all her might as she choked out, "Get … off of me!"

"Aw, what's wrong, don't you like me anymore?" Dark Link asked, snickering almost immaturely—and no amount of pushing had any impact on his closeness.

He was simply too strong for her in a physical sense, but … what about a magical one? I knocked him backwards once before, I can do it again.

Sadly, there wasn't enough time to summon the amount of force it would take to launch him through the air, but she could do the next best thing. As the mimicry leaned in closer, a fire formed in her palm that erupted against his shoulder in a scalding burst. Thankfully, the shadow wasn't fireproof because he immediately jerked back with a grunt of pain and lost his grip, allowing her to finally shove him away.

Yet it didn't buy quite enough time to get the door open.

Instead, as she grabbed the knob to turn it, Dark Link gripped her arm and spun her around before backhanding her with a force that sent her down to the floor.

Landing on her stomach with a pained grunt, the blow against her cheek dazed her to the point of being only vaguely aware of the shadow's footfalls as he drew in closer. Leaning down, his fingers trailed through her hair before he gripped it in a fist and pulled back.

Cringing as she was forced up from the floor, the ache in her cheek redoubled at the tight pull on her scalp just as a coppery tang filled her mouth. But he didn't stop, jerking her back against the wall and kneeling before her with a strange type of concern in his red eyes.

Spying the line of blood trailing from the corner of her mouth, he scowled and reached up to wipe it away with a surprisingly gentle touch. Yet the command he issued with the gesture spoke volumes about his twisted way of thinking.

"Don't ever force me to hurt you again."

Glaring, she had nothing to say in response except to demand, "Where's Link?"

With a low scoff, the shadow smirked. "Never fear, I haven't killed him, or even hurt him if that's what you're thinking. He's still rotting in jail, precisely where I wanted him to be."

At the last, he snickered as if amused, and Zelda shook her head. "If you know he's in jail, why didn't you go after him? Wasn't the point of your crimes to entrap him and make him an easy target?"

Canting his head, Dark Link regarded her with a type of interest in his crimson gaze that made her skin crawl. The sensation was intensified by the thought of their earlier exchange, the realization that she'd been kissing this twisted mock up making her sick on her stomach.

He'd touched her in ways no one ever had, and if that wasn't bad enough, his response made everything worse.

"Who said I did this to get to him?" Shaking his head, he lifted a hand to her cheek and added, "I did this to have you all alone to myself."

Zelda jerked away from his fingers as much as she could, staring at the mimicry in disgusted disbelief.

"Me?"

Seeing her derision, he thankfully lowered his hand, but it didn't wipe the smirk from his face as he responded, "Now, now, don't get arrogant on me, Zelda, but believe it or not … ."

Trailing, he leaned in closer as if to kiss her, and she abruptly turned her head away, refusing to give him the chance if she could help it. Yet the movement put her ear at his mouth, and he finished his statement against it.

"I feel everything he feels, and he's grown quite fond of you. So, needless to say I was pretty curious when I saw you for the first time. There was something about your beautiful face that drew me in, even after you hit me with that magic spell. So I wanted to know why I was feeling this way toward you and … ."

Chuckling, he crudely concluded, "After how you were writhing against me a few minutes ago, I get it."

"You're disgusting!" Zelda yelled, shoving him back as hard as she could while desperately trying not to cry in front of him. Yet she felt violated and humiliated, not to mention foolish.

Had she desired Link's affection so strongly it blinded her? Granted, this mockery of her lifelong friend was convincing in looks and devious enough to play the part well, but she should've known the difference.

… Unless she hadn't wanted to know it.

Before she could examine the thought further, the mimicry allowed her to push him back with a laugh and related, "Oh come on, I'm just teasing you!"

Steadying himself, he regarded her with a grin she wanted to slap from his face and observed, "You're feisty. No wonder he likes you so much … maybe even loves you, not really sure. But I did number on you though, didn't I?"

With a few snickers, he mockingly repeated the words he'd spoken earlier. "I don't ever want to lose you, Zelda. You mean too much to me."

"I hate you so much," Zelda all but hissed through clenched teeth, sending him the coldest glare she could muster. But rather than allow him to make some excuse about teasing, she asked, "So now what are you going to do? Hold me here until Link comes so you can fight him?"

"Maybe," he drew out thoughtfully, qualifying, "or perhaps I'll just take you with me to a place where he'll never find you, and keep you there until you warm up to me."

The prospect sent a shiver of revulsion through her, one she forced herself to hide. No matter how angry, disgusted, or fearful she was, she had no intentions of allowing him to see her discomfort. Perhaps his interest in her was genuine—twisted as it was—but she knew that ultimately, everything he did was meant to harm his light half, and she had no intentions of providing him the satisfaction of knowing how hurt she was.

The thought also gave her an idea. He may know Link like a book, but he doesn't know me.

Canting her head, her expression softened to one of remorse as she looked down at the floor, asking softly, "How long do you think it would take?"

Uncertain, he inquired, "What? For him to find you?"

"No," she drew out. "I mean for me to warm up to you."

She continued to stare at the floor, waiting for him to respond, though the mimicry remained silent for a moment as if her question was unexpected.

Yet he finally answered, "That depends on you. Will you be a good girl and do what I say?"

Brows narrowing over her eyes, she turned a thoughtful look up and held his gaze with a decisive answer.

"No."

His own brows arched in surprise. "No?"

"I don't think you'd like me for long if I was well behaved. Instead, I think you're the type who prefers someone a little more … naughty, right?"

She tried to make the words sound as innocently suggestive as possible, and it must've been convincing, or at least intriguing because Dark Link eyed her curiously, half his mouth curling in a smirk.

"That does sound good," he admitted.

Finally, Zelda allowed herself to give a small smile, reaching up to brush a strand of white hair out of his face while asking, "And you said you feel the same way about me that he does?"

"Do you doubt it? How many other men would make a fool of themselves the way I did to please a woman?"

He scoffed as if the notion of romance and sweet talk was ridiculous, then watched her hand as she pulled it away from his hair, but he didn't let it go far.

"Why?" he asked, snagging her wrist and using it to tug her in until their bodies pressed together. Latching his free arm around her back to lock her in place, he added, "Is there something naughty you're thinking about?"

His aggressive movement had her gasping, her hands flying up to his shoulders as he held her tight. But she didn't hide her surprise, holding his gaze with wide eyes while shyly replying, "I-I … well, yes. I just … you're not Link, and it made me think it might be easier to express the truth of my desires to you because you wouldn't judge me like he would."

"Is that so?" he asked with a lewd grin—and for the first time, she could truly see the difference between this mockery and her dearest friend. For all intents and purposes, they were physically identical. Yet Link's sapphire eyes were filled with warmth and kindness, and gazing into their depths always made her feel better.

But the only thing visible in this mimicry's red orbs was cruelty and disdain, making her stomach churn.

He also seemed to be skeptical of her act, pointing out, "But I thought you said I was disgusting?"

"I thought you said you were only teasing me," she countered to explain her change of heart.

To make it even more convincing, she slipped her arms down low around his sides and forced herself to lean up for a kiss while ignoring the pain still radiating through her cheek. He was right, after all—she did find him disgusting, and had to fight to continue kissing him until he finally relaxed against her.

At the same time, her fingers curled around the handle of the dagger on her belt, the same one Link gave her for protection in Goron City—and the moment the shadow began returning her kiss, she used it.

Swiftly turning the blade, she thrust it forward, his lips tearing away from hers with a pained grunt the moment it stabbed into his gut.

Holding it there in a tight fist, she sneered with the words, "Two can play at this game."

Dark Link turned a glare at her that was truly frightening, but when he tried to move, she jerked the blade in deeper and ripped it back out. As a result, he tensed again, giving her enough time to reach for the lantern to assist with her vision as she made her way to the jail to warn Link.

The mimicry recovered from her assault just as she clasped the lantern's handle, grabbing for her the moment she became transparent and disappeared in a greenish blue blur of light.

Now alone in the home, Dark Link fell to his side, one hand clutching his abdomen as he slammed his opposing fist into the floor with a yell of rage. Ensuing the outburst were several moments of silence as he breathed heavily and finally pulled his hand from his stomach to see the black blood staining it.

Scoffing at the sight, he smirked and worked his way back to his feet, muttering, "Maybe she really does have the Triforce of Wisdom." Indeed, her ploy was clever, but his new wound wouldn't stop him.

It would only delay the inevitable.