If you are a continuing reader who jumped here, now terribly (and rightfully) confused as to where the 'new chapter is', please bear with me and jump back to the new installment at the beginning of the story... The next actual chapter is on its way.

Yes; I'm a tool.

"Finally…" his voice was a whisper heard by none.

The sun had long since set and the last of the evening business had emptied from the streets. Taking one more look over the quiet town center, he finally jumped from his hiding place on the rooftops. As it was the only place where he could get any sort of peace, he had spent most of his day above the crowds, waiting and wondering what he would be met with in the solitude of the night.

Indeed, the darkness truly transformed Castletown. In the stillness of nighttime- for the first time he could ever recall- he could actually hear the folds of water falling from the fountain.

The town was almost completely still. His sharp senses caught delicate wafts of soups and meats drifting from some lucky houses, and his own stomach grumbled pleadingly. He could hear the fires crackling lightly on their hearths. Doors were opened then shut every now and then to sweep out the last of the dust and dirt for the day. Windows were closed, expelling the cool breeze from cozy bedrooms. Rejected, it turned to the only inhabitant of the street, soothing his sun drenched skin.

Link let out a content sigh as his fingers grazed over the rippling water in the fountain.

"It's nice, isn't it?" the voice made him jump defensively. There had been no footsteps.

Zelda sat on the ledge of the fountain, her hands also fondling the ripples. She wore a simple blue commoner's dress with a darker blue shawl tossed over her shoulders to keep away the chill. Her long, dark hair lay loose from its usual braids and bonds. All the usual jewelry and pomp were absent, no tiara on her head- nothing to distinguish her as royal.

"Prin- ahh," he coughed. "Isn't this…" he seemed to be looking for the right word. She watched him patiently.

"Risky?" She questioned. He half nodded. "Most people wouldn't recognize me without my normal attire, you know. But, you could be right; so, for the over-observant…" she tossed the dark shawl over her head, a light smirk silently finishing her sentence. Her bangs fell across her shadowed features, making one have to look particularly close to see any resemblance her current façade bore to her royal one.

Still, Link was skeptical. "So, you are the representative then."

Surprised, she could only stare at him till another smile lit her lips. "I am." He gave a hesitant look before she continued. "Link, these people are important. I would like to meet them all myself and the least I can do is convene them where they are abiding. Besides, it's always nice to get out of the castle."

His eyes slit inquisitively.

Her voice was gentle as the soft flowing water. "I know my way around castle security well enough."

He wasn't sure how to feel about that. In fact, he wasn't sure how to feel about any of this. The impression he had formed of the princess was dissolving the longer he listened to the woman beside him, and it unnerved him a little. This was hardly proper for someone of her stature. Or normal, for that matter.

But, he could not deny that it was somewhat admirable.

They had seemed to silently agree to begin walking, for they continued their conversation down the merchant's street. Link tried to keep himself from stealing curious glances at her to gauge the effectiveness of her disguise.

"I do trust these people. If they were a help to you, then I believe they would also benefit our security. When was the last time you saw them?"

"The Resistance?" His brow creased thoughtfully, half stuck to his previous thoughts even as he answered. "Before I returned home. Telma mentioned that Auru and Shad were in town, although I didn't see either last night."

Her steps had remained silent even down the stairs to the bar. Its mystery had both frustrated him and held his attention.

As he reached for the bar's wooden door, she stopped him.

"Wait," Both of their faces were cloaked in the darkness and although he couldn't read her features, a light laugh quickly gave away her mood. "…Your stomach has been growling something terrible, you know. My business can wait for your supper; please eat first. I will keep my identity preserved until the right time."

He nodded, his own smile masked till the warm light from inside illustrated both of them.

"M'boy!" Telma's usual, proud welcome filled the air. At the sound of her voice, less frequent customers looked up to see who the owner would greet in such as personal way. The regulars didn't need to lift their heads to know. The dull hum of chatter and laughter slowly picked back up as she continued. "I was starting to wonder if you were coming back tonight. You must be starving! Come on, have a seat." Grabbing a bowl and plate from her place behind the counter, she quickly began filling them.

Avoiding the knowing glance of the shrouded princess behind him, Link kept his smirk in check.

"Oh…" Telma stopped, finally noticing the stranger behind him. "Well, who do we have here?"

Zelda cringed as she stepped from behind Link. A table of off-duty guards sat within earshot, a few already eyeing her playfully. Most of them were loud and silly, a few too drunk to know who they were anymore. But still, she didn't want to take chances.

"Just a friend," he covered seamlessly.

Telma somehow understood not to press; he would fill her in when the timing was right. Her smile was sugary and genuine as she temporarily waved away the mystery. "Well, is she hungry, too?"

Zelda had taken a seat beside him and gratefully accepted whatever was she was served. Everything smelt delicious, and tasted even more so. But while they ate and Telma talked about her week, Zelda's attention was elsewhere. One of the guards had been murmuring about her jokingly since she had walked in and it annoyed her hearing his sly whistles over her shoulder continue. Following Link's unimpressed glances behind them, Telma scoffed.

"Men." The forthright bar owner was now leaning on the counter, visibly displeased. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder if pinning shiny steel and a title on those tunas is a good idea at all. They have no honor even before they drink their senses away." She turned her voice to Link's mysterious companion with a smile. "But this friend of yours here, he's a different story; he's unlike any man I've ever met. He risked his life to help me and that sweet girl move the Zora boy to Kakariko safe and sound, and I'm sure that's only the half of what he's been up to. A real hero, this one is."

Watching Link's cheeks darken, Zelda couldn't help but smile proudly. He deserved it. "Yes," she agreed, "he is indeed."

Telma's long lashes winked at her. "That makes you one lucky lady, you know."

Unseen, her eyes shifted away from him in shame at the accuracy of her playful comment. "How right you are..." It caused an awkward silence between them until the sound of heavy feet regrettably turned her attention back to the guard's table. Seeing that saucy guard meandering towards her, a whelp of panic rose in her chest.

"Hey 'ere." Calmly unresponsive, not daring to look him in the eye or even glance his direction, she took up her spoon and returned her attention to her soup. Not receiving the response he had hoped for, he slid into the neighboring seat, thoroughly ignoring Telma's unmovingly fixed glare.

"What's yer name? Or should I just call ya stunning?"

Link's fingers tapped on the counter, his shoulders shifting to the shameless drunk. He didn't seem to notice, for he carried on.

"Not from around here, eh?" He nodded to the shawl hiding her features. "How about you let me buy you a welcoming drink 'en, doll? This town can be a real fun place when you're with the right people."

"Ah, you refer to the trusted and respectable armed forces of Hyrule?" Telma deadpanned. "Leave the girl alone, you good for nothing turkey."

An angry finger rose from his wobbling hand. "EH? You… you jus' mind you own business, woman! I talk to whoever I feel like!" This earned a few snickers and hollers from the other guards, making him a little bolder. "And I feel like I like 'er, damnit!"

Zelda cleared her throat, holding nothing regal or powerful in her tone. "Thank you, but I'm not one to indulge."

"Oh c'mon, why not? Scared? Too heavy for ya?" He laughed, fingering the material of her shawl flirtatiously.

Link was standing between them before Zelda had a chance to ploy her answer.

The man scowled.

"Boy, you an' this mouthy woman over 'ere need to mind yer own business."

Link didn't move.

The man's neck and shoulders began rolling.

"I'll be kind and warn ya once: I'm a trained to fight, and I don't want no one getting' hurt."

Link's voice was cold. "Me either. Leave."

The soldier only laughed. "Ho, ho… If that's how you wanna play it." Each finger cracked slowly, trying to scare the unbendable boy away. Seeing this being equally unproductive, he stood, leering over the defiant boy blocking his path, each of his pearly teeth bared in his sharp snarl. "Ya' only ever get what ya ask for; you jus' remember that."

Before the man had even finished speaking, a vicious fist flew inches from Link's jaw, his expectant reflexes throwing his upper body backwards just in time. His own fists were up before the next swing was thrown at him, but this time, an intruding hand grabbed the wild shot and forcefully suspended it mid-air.

All the knuckles the guard though he had cracked the first time cracked again. Painfully.

"You can leave." Auru stood next to Link, effortlessly clenching the fist in his grip while the drunk glared and staggered at him. "Or, I can escort you out. Consider yourself lucky having a choice in the matter."

Ripping his hand back from the older man, he turned for the door with jumbled curses in his mouth. "What kind 'o right minded woman wouldn't drink, anyway?" Seeing the suspicious glares sent at them, the rest of the guards quickly followed his jumbled parade into the streets.

"One with the wisdom of responsibility," Auru answered, turning back with a sly smile to the princess in the chair, who turned with a masked look of surprise. How could he possibly know…?

"Link," the older man clapped his friend on the back, his grin contagious. "Would you care to introduce me to your honorable friend here?"

-.-

The bar had long since emptied out. Auru sat around a table with the two as they watched him intently scratch a beard presently not in existence. "So you are looking for some extra eyes, your highness?"

She nodded. "I understand your field of expertise lies in the Gerudo mesa. You spotted a disturbance there after Link pulled the Master Sword from its sleep." She pulled out a map from the bag at her side and laid it on the table before them. "Have you been through the desert before, sir?"

"Not I, but my grandfather- before the void formed, that is. He has told me much about it; but much has changed with time. I study it from afar with the research he collected." He pulled out his own map and pointed to a spot he had marked. "I have a watch post here, and," his finger drew an imaginary line as it moved along the paper, "I have built myself a small refuge up in the cliffs to stay close."

Zelda's eyebrows dipped. "Do you feel there is reason to remain there?"

He shrugged. "You never know with that desert. There are some peculiar stories surrounding it, and I've seen my fair share of its wiles. Regardless," he laughed a little, "I enjoy the vast lake view and decided it would be nice to settle there for a time."

The princess smiled. "I agree. Lake Hylia is stunning in the spring. How long do you intend on staying?"

"I haven't planned, really; a few months, perhaps. Save for Shad and I, the rest of the Resistance have returned home, but I'm in no particular rush."

Link, who had been staring at the ceiling and recalling his horrendous time sneaking along the thin ropes, startled at mention of the others. "Shad?"

"Shad has decided to move to Kakariko Village for a while- mostly to help out in whatever ways he can, but he is consumed more and more in the historic culture with the more time he spends there. I believe he intends to dig around and begin research."

Link grinned knowingly. He would have to stop by and see if Shad had pulled up anything new or helpful.

"I am glad to hear the ambitions of the group are still active," Zelda's voice held some relief in it. "It may be harder to track the rest of them down, but I will have letters mailed out."

"Oh, Ashei and Shad keep in contact fairly often so you can mail the letter to him. It'll save our daredevil of a postman the run over snow covered mountains."

She looked taken aback at his comment. "Goddesses, would he?"

Auru's smirk and Link's not-so-subtle laugh were more than enough of an answer.

"As for Rusl, he lives in the same village as our hero here, so I'm sure he can take care of that." Auru rolled up his map, working to conceal his yawn. "Your majesty, it has been an honor to meet with you and to know that I am still of some use to this kingdom. If you will excuse me, though, for I'm afraid it is terribly late and I must take my leave home."

Telma, who had remained thoughtfully silent the whole time, jolted up from her spot behind the counter. "Oh no you don't, mister! You're not as young as you use to be, and those fields aren't so friendly at night. There's a spare room here with your name on it."

The older man frowned. "Telma, really-"

But she wouldn't hear it. She threw him the key and quickly went about grabbing the extra blankets in the next room.

"Stubborn woman…"

Her voice wafted through the walls. "One to talk, aren't we?"

Watching this all with a soft gaze, Zelda couldn't help but smile. She liked these people already.

Containing his grumbles for his own good, Auru turned back to the two. "I am often back and forth often over the land, but if I find anything concerning you can trust that it will be readily reported to your capable attention."

Thump THUMP! T-Thump!

A furious pounding on the door startled the previously tranquil room. Outside, garbled voices yelled angry words, demanding to be let in, complaining about unfair treatment and rematches. Telma growled, angrily clenching the blanket she had returned with.

"Don't those mutts have families? Or at least beds? They've ruffled enough of my feathers for one night." She was muttering under her breath, ready to charge the door with her own fists. Auru quickly held her back.

"No Telma; imagine the trouble it would cause if they found out who they were in the presence of." He nodded to the princess at the table. "She has an identity to protect."

Telma groaned, shaking her head. "Well we better be ready to camp out here for the night then, because they're not going anywhere. I know these fools."

Zelda couldn't help but feel that twinge of panic return. If she wasn't back in the castle before dawn, there would be serious trouble. "As much as I would love the visit, I'm afraid its one I can't afford. Are there no other ways out?"

Link, who as usual had remained quiet, took a deep breath and looked back to the rope walkways above them. "Well…" he began.

-.-

"Are you sure this is the only other way out?"

They stood in Jovani's house, looking down the treasure chest hole in the ground. Upon his mock throne, Jovani loudly snored.

The princess looked behind her anxiously, her whisper even more faint. "How about the door?"

Link shook his head, a little embarrassed. Truthfully, he had forgotten a few Poes here and there, and thus Jovani remained in a golden, half transfixed state, unmoved from his throne. Only now, he was deeply sleeping- probably the only peace he ever got. He kept the doors locked these days, worried someone would walk in and see him.

He made a mental note to hunt down the last of the little jerks. "It's locked."

"From the inside?"

He bit his lip. "Yes. It'll be a rough trip down... are you sure you want to do this?"

"We don't have much of a choice."

He watched her for a moment. "Alright. Come down when you hear me call up."

She nodded slowly and he disappeared down the chute. Alone in the eerie room of gold, she shifted from foot to foot nervously, trying to keep herself from over thinking the situation. But the more she looking around the room, the more it gave her a worried feeling- the feeling that some sort of evil had been here and still lingered. It made her skin crawl. She looked down the hole anxiously. How long had he been down there?

To her horror, a terrible scratching began outside. It started at the locked door, slowly moving along the walls to the floor, growing louder and louder. Something was trying to get in!

Her fear tripled as the golden man began rubbing his eyes and mumbling, roused by the noise.

"Mhhm-huh?" Jovani grumbled to himself, still half asleep. "What?"

Looking around the empty room, his eyes caught the soft, moving patch of mud in the corner. His beloved cat poked its head through the mud and mewed a happy greeting.

"Gengle," he sighed. "How many times have I told you not to- huh?" Noticing the open treasure chest passage, he scratched his head. "Weird… I thought I closed that."

-.-

With her hand held firmly over her mouth to keep from screaming, Zelda was almost vertically sliding down the cold stone, moving faster than she ever had in her life. Link hadn't called- she just couldn't afford to be seen by anyone.

She didn't even have enough time to wonder if Link was ready before she flew into said unprepared hero. She took out his legs with her vicious momentum and he came toppling onto her like a tree cut down.

"S-Sorry," she sputtered, dizzily trying to untangle herself from his legs although she wasn't achieving much. Embarrassed, she realized she was grabbing her own legs.

Link hadn't noticed. He uncomplainingly pressed his pounding temples, feeling as though he had been hit by a train. Realizing that he was smothering the princess, he quickly stood.

"Are you okay? What happened?" he asked as he clumsily extended a hand to her.

"I'm fine," she shook her head, clarity slowly returning. "Something was trying to get into the house, and the owner was waking."

"That was probably Gengle," Link smirked.

"Gengle… not a typical fierce name for a demon."

Noting her perplexed expression, he laughed. "His cat."

"Oh..." she blushed, finally taking his hand and following his lead.

Dark drops of water fell onto their heads as they walked through the castle's underground waterway. The ominous liquid was up to their ankles, forcing the princess to hold her skirt up. She walked behind Link, trying to keep track of which paths they had come from, but after a while it all looked the same. It was a terrible maze she could not direct herself through, for nothing was distinguishable until a dead end sat before them.

Link was regretting attempting this on his own. Everything had been so much easier with Midna as his guide, and his lack of sight in the thick darkness was only adding to his problem. Rats scurried on the walk ways overhead, threatening to leap at them. In vain, he longed for his wolf form.

Finding himself hitting another wall, he let out an annoyed grunt, and as he turned on his heels he walked right into the princess, almost knocking her over.

"I-I'm sorry," he steadied her, amazed at how fragile she was now compared to when they collided earlier.

"I shouldn't have followed so close," she mumbled mostly to herself. They stood awkwardly in the dark, trying to step around the other before Zelda finally slid to the wall so Link could get by. As he brushed by, she enjoyed the only pleasant scent she had smelt so far in the passageways.

When they finally found themselves standing before large iron bars, Link grew only more frustrated. He looked to the spot he had crawled through the first time with a grimace. There was no way he could take a princess through there.

Zelda watched him with the little light given. "How do we get past?"

His voice was mumbled as his hands held the thick iron bars, shaking them. "If Midna were here-" he sighed. Moving to stand along the wall, he took on a look of deep thought.

Inspecting the bars herself, she looked back to where Link stood silently brainstorming.

CLANG!

With a dark flash, Zelda had warped two of the bars form their place. It left a space large enough for one to squeeze through, which she didn't hesitate doing. She was more than glad to be out of the pure darkness of the waterway.

On the other side, Link was speechless.

"There we are," she contained her subtle smile.

After thoroughly examining the distorted bars, he looked back to her. "How…?"

But she was already walking up the enormous, spiraling stairs with her head cranked upward at the height of the tower. He crammed through the bars with less ease than Zelda and ran after her.

"How did you do that?"

"Magic." She tried to hide her smirk at his blank expression. No further answer came.

The monotonous stairs came to abrupt halt where parts of the staircase had collapsed. It had created a gap there was no hope simply jumping over, leaving the two eyeing the room for another way up.

Link began rummaging through his pouches, pulling out his clawshot, not quite sure if it would help their situation.

"What about this?" Zelda plucked at the rope connecting to the adjacent staircase. It seemed sturdy enough to her.

He was hesitant at the thought, but she was already stepping onto the tightrope and slowly moving across. Biting his bottom lip, he watched her gracefully balance herself all the way across. As his nerves subsided, it was replaced by another bout of surprise.

"How…?"

Again, he wondered why he was bothering to question.

-.-

"You miss Midna." She hopped over the gap in the castle top pathways, the wind smashing against her. It was terribly cold, and her voice had been head to hear through it.

Link followed in pace, a "yes," being his simple answer. That hadn't really been a question, had it?

"I admire her. She risked everything to do what she did." Her voice softened considerably, and he almost didn't hear her. "I'm sorry she's gone."

Even as he worked to force it away, the lonely reminder overpowered his heart. He grit his eyes, working to sooth the struck nerve. "She doesn't understand. She doesn't-"

His thought were cut short when he was suddenly pulled downward.

"The guards," she whispered, pointing over the ledge. Sure enough, a large solider blocked the path before them.

The princess looked thoughtfully into the distance, and Link worriedly followed her glance to where a wooden ladder waved in the wind. Her eyes flickered as she watched it.

"Do you still have that clawshot?"

He couldn't help but look baffled at her brashness. "You have the strangest sense of humor."

But she had already pulled it from his pouch and moved back to the door they had walked through, out of sight of the patrolling eyes. Looking over his shoulder at the guard, he ran after her silently, taking the mechanism from her eager hands as he caught up.

"You're joking," he eyed her seriously now. But seeing that all too familiar flash in her eye, he know she wasn't. Looking back to where the makeshift bridge waved in the wind, he guaged that his clawshot could indeed make the distance. But it was dangerous.

"There's no other way," she reasoned.

Link's palm met his forehead for a moment, mostly to conceal the red tones in his cheek. "Hold on."

She stood looking at him, waiting for something to happen. "Yes?"

"To me," his voice was low, shy.

"Oh…" That part of her plan hadn't quite occurred to her. "Right." Ineptly, she stepped behind him and he bent down so she could crawl onto his back, but her restricting dress wasn't helping.

Link seemed to clue into this faster than she did. Stopping her awkward attempts, he stood and took her wrist, drawing her to his side. The fabric of his tunic brushed against her face as his arm shifted, wrapping around her waist. For a moment, neither of them moved, seemingly forgetting what they were doing as Zelda's nervous arms wrapped around his body.

His breathing grew sharp at her touch. She swallowed hard.

A strong gust of wind blew them back to the task at hand. Link cleared his throat, trying to brush clarity back to his wits. This could be serious trouble if they were seen- as if it weren't already enough trouble to his mind.

After that, everything was blurry. He hardly remembered shooting across the sky with her in his arms. Memory of running along the gutters to avoid guard's roaming eyes was vague. Climbing up the slope of the roofs only hazily stuck out to him.

He did remember watching her walk along the rooftops with perfect balance, unhindered by the spontaneous gales.

"Who are you?" his eyes slit unintentionally.

"Pardon?" she asked over the wind.

"Who are you?" he breathed louder, turning around to face her. Not dazed, not amazed- just louder.

Although confused, she met his challenging expression. "I haven't changed identity as of late, Link."

Unusual boldness over took him, and he pressed, intending for a proper answer for once. "How? You blast away iron bars, sneak just perfectly out of view from the guards, walk ropes and rooftops- How?"

"Practice," was her simply reply. She was surprised at his sudden outburst; it seemed morally out of his nature from what she knew of him. "I like to keep busy, so I learn."

Though lacking depth, Link turned and continued walking. Slower this time, as they approached the huge entrance of her tower.

Tapping her fingers thoughtfully along the cold shingles and still pondering him silently, she spoke. "It would not be proper to have you walk from my tower alone- especially at such an hour, and I am afraid there are no faster routes then the path we traveled. Unless…"

It was a clear night. The stars hung low in the high altitude. Below them, the surrounding waters glistened, faithfully reflecting the moonlight in contrast to the palace's walled gardens.

Unless…? Link wasn't completely sure he wanted to know.

"Unless you feel brave, that is." Taking the shawl from around her shoulders, she placed the strange fabric in his hands. "Here," she pointed down the slope of the roof, gesturing for him to follow. Reaching the edge of the gutter, he looked into the grounds below where a few trees and a small pond were all barely visible features. He fingered the dark cloth anxiously.

"The wind is in your favor. If you can land between that wall and the row of trees, the guards won't see you."

With everything he had, he wanted to assume that she was jesting, but he was slowly learning better. He backed away a little and she laughed.

"It's your choice, Link. I'm not going to push you." The smile dropped from her lips as they blinked at each other, a mutual déjà vu deluging them both. Slapping the feeling away, Zelda continued. "I'm truly sorry there isn't a more convenient route."

Link continuing to feel the soft shawl, inspecting it carefully, but his mind was elsewhere. "Now what will you do? After meeting with Auru?"

Her eyes moved to the dark horizon. "I plan to travel to Kakariko Village tomorrow to bring supplies and meet with this Shad. I hope he will have some positive progress to report." She replied. "Perhaps you would join, if you have no previous engagements?"

Link frowned thoughtfully, wondering how in the world he would get down in time to escort her in the morning.

Perhaps this sailcloth was worth a try...

LONG! My goodness, why do these always turn out so much longer than I want them to? But, its all important to the plot.. THANK YOU if you're reading this far, and to everyone who had reviewed!

Annnnyway, I have a confession: I need help. I really feel that this story could be so much better. I've got the majority of it planned out, but I'm just not happy how I'm orchestrating it. If anyone is reading this, nodding their head in agreement, then would you be interested in lending me a hand? Or suggesting a good Beta reader who'd like this type of story? I'm new to that concept... *shudder*

I would seriously appreciate ANY advice. I feel like strangling this story. Lovingly. Strangling.