"You must be exaggerating," Dark said, with a hint of teasing. "I understand it's normal for mothers."

Shaiya shot him a very motherly glare that telegraphed pretty effectively that she didn't appreciate his doubts. "It's true, you look just like him. Even your expressions are the same."

"Really? Like what?"

She smiled. "The one you're making now. A mirror image. The same furrowed brow, the consternated mouth."

Dark smoothed his expression, feeling the muscles around his mouth relax. He idly wondered what other quirks he inherited from his late father.

"It is!" Shaiya insisted, as if he still didn't believe her. "Trust me."

He would take her word for it. At least until he was in front of a mirror and could judge for himself. Although, he didn't have any pictographs of his father to compare to. A pang of sorrow hit him when he realized that truth. His mother likely didn't have any pictographs of her family at all. He immediately started mentally cataloguing the pictographs he and Link had at the house he could make copies of or give to her.

"What's that new look for?" his mother asked.

"I was thinking—"

"Dark!"

Lymira's voice reverberated in the tunnel. They'd been walking back through the zora haven to Ruto's rooms, where Shaiya was still staying. Lym appeared around a bend, her smile widening when she saw the two of them together. Silas was right on her heels, his own happiness for Dark clear on his face.

"I see you found him," Lymira said when she reached them. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better." Shaiya's answering smile was blinding. She placed a hand on Dark's arm and squeezed gently. "Although I am a little tired."

"You should get some rest," he said, noting the shadows under her eyes, the thinness of her hands where she held him. "Ruto said you were welcome to stay in her chambers until you've recovered."

"I am well, Kai, don't worry—sorry, Dark—I won't break."

"You've been through a lot. You need to eat something and recover your strength." He swallowed. "Mom."

Shaiya beamed at the name, releasing his arm. "A bite to eat sounds delicious. But you don't need to worry about me now. I will be well, and we can return home."

Dark picked up her hand from where it rested on his arm. "Let me escort you to the dining hall, at least."

Shaiya relented, allowing him to tuck her hand in his elbow and escort her properly. She only protested a little that she wasn't quite ancient enough to need a formal escort everywhere, but she allowed it. She turned at the entrance to the dining hall to give him a last smile in farewell. Dark felt a rush of pride at seeing her, whole and happy, walking with her head high.

Then another feeling flooded him, overwhelming everything else. He glanced back at Silas and Lymira, who were watching with barely contained glee and amusement. Crossing to Lym in two strides, he leaned down and cupped her face between his palms. He pressed his lips to hers, the feeling overfilling him and pouring into her.

"What was that for?" Lym asked, when he drew back.

"That was a thank you."

"Oh, is that so? My second favourite words to hear from a man."

"What's first?" Silas asked.

"'I surrender'."

"Lymira," Dark's tone was all seriousness.

She met his unwavering stare and shifted, uneasy. "What is it?"

Reaching out, Dark gently cupped her face, strumming his thumbs over the curve of her cheeks. "I wouldn't have my mother back if not for your help, and I don't take that lightly. Thank you isn't enough." He kissed her again, brief and heartfelt. "I love you." His words brushed over her lips.

Lym's eyes widened. He didn't need to hear her say the words back. She'd already shouted the words in her heart in a hundred different ways. He'd listened.

But she deserved to hear them from him a thousand times over.

"I love you," he murmured again, claiming her mouth. His hands slid around her waist, crushing her against him.

Lym's arms snaked around his neck, her thighs shackled around his waist. She returned his kiss eagerly.

"Erm, sorry to interrupt," Silas cut in. "Maybe you shouldn't do that in the hallway."

Lymira laughed, pulled away. "Our room," she commanded, patting Dark on the top of his shoulders. He turned, unable and uncaring about the smile stretching his face. She reached over him to grab the front of Silas' shirt and tug him along beside them.

Dark carried her through the tunnel and right towards the bedchambers. He stopped outside their door and waited for Silas to fit the key in the lock.

"I love you," he said again, pressing a kiss under Lym's ear. She sighed but said nothing. He felt the tension in her hands on his shoulders. "You don't need to say it back," he reassured her. "I know."

Lymira squeezed his shoulder. Silas swung open the door, and the three of them stumbled all trying to get in the door at once. Tripping over Silas, Dark nearly dropped Lymira on her ass and cursed, righting himself by slamming into the wall with a grunt. Lym shimmied down from his arms, turning to yank his shirt up over his head. He helped her, letting it fall to the ground without care.

Dark slid his hands into her hair, and he claimed her mouth while she pressed him into the wall with her body. He felt frantic; undressing completely also seemed like a waste of time. But he also wanted to savour, to take his time in this moment. The dilemma was solved for him when Silas crowded in behind her, his large hands cupping her waist, caressing her sides. He pressed soft kisses to her shoulder, her neck. His warm breath tickled her ear, before his tongue traced a tantalizingly line from her lobe to the spot where her neck met her shoulder.

She continued to return Dark's kiss, attacking his mouth at the same time she tore at the laces of his pants. Silas's hands slipped under the fabric of her shirt, and he pinched her nipples between his fingers. She gasped and bit Dark's lip out of reflex. His fingers clenched tighter in her hair, and she moaned. He snaked an arm around her waist, locking her closer to him. Fire surged through his blood, desire flooding his veins like his magic, waiting for him to release it.

Between the three of them, a chain reaction of sensation was set off. Burning from one to the other and back, again and again. When Silas moved his hands to the waist of her pants, he brushed the bared skin of Dark's abdomen and his hips jerked against Lymira in a teasing friction. When Lymira reached her hands back to grab Silas and pull him down for a deep kiss, her stiffened nipples raked and rubbed against Dark's chest. There was no space between them. There was barely room for their fast, heated breaths. But they didn't move apart.

Their hands fumbled to free of them of their clothes, both their own and each other's. When they were naked, Lym wound her arms around Silas's neck, devouring him with her kisses. Hoisting her up, he wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her to the bed, following her down to the mattress to keep their connection.

The bed dipped with Dark's weight when he lay down beside them, his hand reaching out to stroke over Lymira's stomach, his knuckles brushing Silas's skin. Silas rained kisses across her collarbone and chest, stopping to tease her nipples with light licks he knew damn well weren't enough. He continued his trail down her body, peppering ticklish kisses.

"Silas," Lymira sighed.

Reaching for Dark's hand, she wove their fingers together. Dark raised their joined hands to his mouth and planted a kiss on her knuckles. She smiled faintly, then cried out when Silas left a kiss over her centre. He watched as her eyes grew darker with desire as Silas slid from the bed and onto his knees on the floor. She squeezed his hand tightly, her lips parting on a quiet moan, then a sharper cry as Silas shifted his grip on her legs and moved in closer.

Dark kept his gaze on Lymira's, even as Silas's sensual torment caused her hips to buck off the bed. Looping his arms under and around her hips, Silas kept her still for his onslaught, his eyes, hazy but intense, settled on her face. She gripped Silas's shorter hair in her fist, clenching Dark's fingers with her other hand so tightly he thought they'd break. A moment later she shattered, crying out Silas's name.

Dark leaned down to capture another kiss. Relaxed and sated, Lym returned it, slow and sweet as honey. Silas climbed back onto the bed on her other side, and she turned her head to kiss him, too, her hand caressing his jaw. Melting into her touch, he murmured that he loved her, turning his chin to kiss her palm.

They were such a contrast together. Lymira was lithe and strong, but compared to Silas's immense size and strength, she was small and sweet. Even her touch was gentle and soft wherever she touched him, telling him without words how she cherished him.

Lymira couldn't tell them the words yet, but he and Silas could speak this language with her. They could show her with their bodies how much they both loved her. They could revere her. Worship her.

When she turned her head back, eyes bright with emotion, his heart glowed. Slowly, he and Silas crowded in closer, until their heads both rested against hers. Between them, his and her hand were still intertwined. Her other hand played with the hair at Silas's nape.

After that, there was no more need for words.

After night had fallen and the three of them lay in bed, Lymira traced her fingertips along Dark's jaw, sweeping it up across his cheekbone, over his brow. His eyes fluttered closed. His breathing deepened. His hands shifted on her hip, idly stroking.

"I trust you," she whispered.

She'd wanted to say the other words earlier. They just didn't seem to want to come. This was as close as she could come for now.

Dark's eyes opened and met hers. Their haunting crimson colour was subdued in this light. More like two smoldering embers in a fading fire. Not for the first time, it was as though he could read her thoughts without her having to voice them. There was something comforting in seeing the surprise, then understanding, then quiet tenderness flicker through his eyes. There was something nice about not needing to say everything out loud. To know that he understood what she was saying anyway.

Slowly, she leaned closer to kiss him, wanting to seal the quiet moment with that simple connection. Dark's hand slid under her chin, cradling her neck. She sighed, breaking away to tuck her head against his shoulder. His hand moved to hold her head against him, stroking her hair.

Lymira settled against him, reaching back to grasp for Silas's hand. Even in his half-asleep state, he squeezed her fingers, interlacing them together behind her. Nestled together, she soon fell asleep.

The next evening, Ruto and Sato invited the three of them and Shaiya to have a private dinner. Lymira dressed herself behind the screen in their room. Not because she was particularly modest, but because she wanted to surprise them. Ruto's attendants had dropped off quite a few different outfits for her to try, and it had become a little game.

"Come on, let's have a look," Silas called from the other side of the screen.

"Patience," she chastised, awkwardly tying the knot behind her back so the top would stay put. She liked this outfit, although it was impractical for dinner. With a giggle, she stepped out from behind the screen, wondering what sort of reaction she'd get.

Her jaw dropped when she saw how Silas and Dark were dressed. A long piece of forest green fabric was draped over Silas's lower half, tied at his waist. Covering the upper part of his chest was a wide, thin silver plate with two leather straps looping over his shoulders to tie around his neck. The chest piece was decorated, of course, with a beautiful swirling Zora design, subtle but flashing when the light hit it at just the right angle.

The outfit left his entire abdomen, shoulders and arms bare, which was in no way a problem. It showed off some of his best assets, in her opinion. She briefly wondered who had the forethought to leave this particular outfit for him.

Dark was also wearing a long waist wrap, a deep teal, paired with a form-fitting, sleeveless and collarless top that hugged him like a waterproof second skin. Encircling his arms were silver-rimmed armbands decorated with some pearlescent stone. He'd left his long hair loose around his shoulders, but tucked back so she could see the silver earrings in his pointed ears, each loop connected by a silver chain in an intricate tangle.

Silas actually gasped and slapped a hand over his mouth. "You can't wear that to dinner!"

Lymira looked down at herself. Her skirt was significantly shorter, tied at the waist also, but flirting with her thighs instead of her ankles, baring a slice of skin all the way up to her hip. The top was simple; just two large seashells holding her breasts and silver chains holding them onto her body.

"You don't like it?" she teased, grinning at Silas's scandalized expression. Her grin widened when she saw Dark, still silent, was perusing her head to toe with open appreciation.

Silas recovered from some of his shock. "No. I mean, yes! I like it—you look beautiful. But Mira…" he trailed off, apparently out of arguments.

"You might get cold," Dark pointed out, ever practical. Silas almost deflated with relief at someone else coming up with a suitable counterpoint.

Lym snickered. "Relax. I wasn't going to wear it. Although I can't say I don't appreciate Ruto's sense of fashion."

Ducking back behind the screen, she heard Silas mutter, "This better be Ruto's idea, or I'll have to kick whoever's ass it was that brought her those clothes."

"Zoras rarely wear any clothes at all," Dark remarked, drawing a groan from Silas. "It would have been socially acceptable here to arrive to dinner naked."

"Then I would have had to kick Ruto's ass for ogling you," Silas said. "And Jeim's," he added after a thoughtful pause. A snort was Dark's only answer.

Finished dressing, Lym stepped back into the room in her second outfit. This one garnered a less scandalous reaction, but an encouraging one nonetheless.

The form-fitting, cropped top had short, capped sleeves and a V-shaped neckline. It flattered without sacrificing support. The skirt was semi-sheer and floated around her legs like underwater plants. Whenever she turned, the layers of fabric twisted, teasing with the hints of skin they revealed. Both the skirt and top were a lovely coral colour that popped against her golden skin and dark hair.

"Your ears are turning red," Silas said, flicking one of Dark's earrings playfully.

"Shut up," Dark muttered, his ears turning a deeper shade of red.

With a giggle, Lym sauntered up to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then stood on her tiptoes and flicked the tip of her tongue across the pointed ridge of his ear. When Dark made a strangled noise, Silas's eyebrows shot up.

"His ears are very sensitive," Lymira offered.

"Really?" Silas asked, drawing out the word, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Stop," Dark growled, covering his ear with a hand when Silas reached for it. "If we don't want to be late, we need to leave."

"I can't believe you never told me about your ears," Silas complained. Before Dark could stop him, he darted to his other side and landed a peck on the side of his neck, lingering to let his nose brush the bottom edge of his ear. "To be continued," he breathed, causing a fresh flush to rise in Dark's face.

Lymira grinned at Dark, unrepentant when he glared, silently promising revenge.

"Come, dearest," she said to Silas, holding out her arm in an exaggerated gesture. "I've been told we're going to be late."

Laughing, Silas took her hand and tucked it into his elbow, reaching to open the door for her. The trio walked the short distance through the underground tunnels until they reached Ruto's private rooms.

Waiting outside was Jeim, who'd secured an honorary invitation as a friend of Dark's. He was dressed in a teal waist-wrap that left a thigh-high slit, especially since he leaned against the tunnel wall, one leg crossed over the other while he waited.

Lifting his head, he took one look at the three of them and shot off the wall.

"I fucking knew it," he muttered, his seafoam green eyes bouncing from Dark, to Lymira, to Silas.

"Don't start," Dark grumbled, pushing past Jeim to knock on the door.

The zora's grin was pure glee. "I mean, I suspected on the beach the other day, but this is definite confirmation."

Lym rolled her eyes, but Silas looked perplexed. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Jeim shot a grin over his shoulder at Silas. "I can't say I'm not jealous."

"Jeim has a special type of clairvoyance," Dark said.

Jeim turned back as a zora guard opened the door for them. "It's not clairvoyance, it's an uncanny sense. A superpower, if you will."

"For detecting relationship shifts?" Lym asked, following Dark's lead and stepping past him into the zora queen's chambers.

"Is that what we're calling it now?" Jeim sniggered.

"How can you tell?" Silas asked, catching on but genuinely curious now.

Jeim shot him an incredulous look. "Oh, please, my sweet mountain man. It's obvious."

"Mountain man? I'm from Ordon…"

"Trust me, it still fits."

They were saved from more of Jeim's comments by the zora attendants announcing their arrival. Ruto's private dining room had been set for a feast. A long stone table was laid with dozens of platters of colourful fish and vegetables, tureens of mussels and clams, and pitchers of clear water. At each chair, silver plates and goblets that shone brilliantly under the gently pulsing light. When they looked up, they could see the ceiling was glass instead of stone. Through it they could see water, filled with bubbles of light that swayed with the unseen currents, providing the room with a soothing ambience.

"Wow," Lymira mouthed. She had to admit, the zoras knew how to set a mood.

Ruto graciously welcomed them all, a stunning beauty in a backless silver dress, sapphires wreathing her neck and dangling from her ears. Beside her, Sato's black and white colouring was striking paired with a storm-grey waist wrap and an opal, collar-like creation that covered his shoulders and upper chest, the elegant lines creating a spiderweb effect over his skin. Also waiting for them with a bright smile was Shaiya, wearing a more modest version of Lymira's dress in a pleasant green.

Ruto urged them all to take a seat, and then called for her servants. A dozen zoras immediately appeared from a hidden alcove, carrying even more serving plates of steaming fish and pitchers of wine, ready to be served.

Lymira took a seat between Silas and Sato, who pushed in Ruto's chair and brushed a kiss over the top of her hand before taking a seat to her left. Across the table, Shaiya took the seat to Ruto's right as the guest of honour and Dark sat across from Lym, with Jeim on his other side.

A plate of fresh silverfin on a bed of rice and greens was placed in front of her, and Lymira's stomach growled in anticipation. Zora food was spectacular so far, too.

Ruto stood from her chair, raising her silver goblet. She shone like sunken treasure under the dancing lights in the water above, her dress glittering like gemstones. Her smile was broad as she spoke.

"It is my honour as queen to have our friends here with us tonight," she began. "And it is with a full heart that we see Shaiya on her way to healing. It is a shame that you must leave us all soon, but in the way of us zora, let this parting be memorable." She paused, her expression turning solemn. "We have lost our home, but thanks to your efforts our people are still here. And we will return to our home once more. You have my gratitude." Ruto nodded to Lymira, Silas and Dark in turn, bowing her head in a formal display of thanks.

Lym returned the gesture with a slight bow of her own, catching Shaiya's curious look at Dark. Together, they all raised their glasses in a toast.

"To going home," Ruto said, the words echoed by the others at the table.

As everyone lowered their goblets and turned to the feast before them, Lym couldn't ignore the squeeze of her heart in her chest. It wasn't from sadness but more the realization that Ruto's words stirred. Talus would always be her homeland, the place where she was from. But recently she'd come to think of her home as something else entirely. Something more permanent and indestructible than an underwater cavern.

Under the table, she rested her hand on Silas's thigh, feeling the warmth, the solidness of him. His hand covered hers, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into her skin. Across the table, Dark and Shaiya were talking. Dark smiled at something his mother said. Lymira squeezed Silas's hand, a smile curving her own mouth when he squeezed back. Silently, she sent a prayer of thanks to the goddesses.

To being home.

"They'll be married in mid-spring if everything goes according to plan," Dark told his mother, taking a bite of fish. Whoever Ruto's chef was, they deserved a raise.

Shaiya hummed happily. "A springtime wedding would be wonderful. I always loved how the Temple of Time looked surrounded by spring flowers. It was such a beautiful sight to see its gardens blooming."

Dark raised a brow. "How did you know they'd be married at the Temple of Time?"

"That's where all members of the Royal family get married, isn't it?"

"Ah."

"Has Hylian society changed much since I've been gone?" she asked, curious, then waved a dismissive hand. "I suppose you don't know."

Dark chuckled. "No, I don't spend much time in high-society circles. But I wouldn't say that too much has changed."

"It certainly doesn't," she agreed with a wry smile. She lifted her goblet for a sip, then asked, more seriously. "Is he happy?"

Dark chewed a bite of fish. He hadn't spent much time in Link and Zelda's company as a couple, if he were honest, but considering everything they'd been through together, seeing how they were together, he couldn't imagine his brother with anyone else. He knew Link felt the same.

"Yes," he told his mother. "He's very happy."

Shaiya smiled, lowering her silver goblet. "And my other son?" She arched an eyebrow. "Have you found anyone special?"

Dark resisted the urge to glance at Silas and Lym across the table. They were still engrossed in their conversation with Ruto and Sato. He'd introduced them as his friends and traveling companions at first, for simplicity's sake. Now that Shaiya had recovered some of her memories, it would be only natural to tell her. Still, something stopped him. Their relationship was still so new.

He would tell her eventually, but now wasn't the right time.

"There was a woman. Sienna," he offered with a slight smile. "I loved her very much."

Shaiya's eyes glowed. "And she you?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

Despite the challenges of their relationship, the fact they'd never truly had the chance to build a life together, he knew Sienna had loved him. Even now, after seeing how her spirit was twisted by Alatar and his apprentice, filled with pain and anger. He knew her true spirit was still inside somewhere. And he would find a way to free her again.

Picking up on the notes in his voice, Shaiya asked gently, "What happened?"

Dark's fingers tightened around his goblet. "She died," he muttered, realizing there was much more he couldn't burden his mother with than he thought. "Of sickness. Years ago."

Shaiya's gaze softened with empathy. "I'm so sorry. That's so young to have lost someone."

He was about to respond that he hadn't been that young, when he realized the incongruence. He was no longer the same age as he felt inside. In his original timeline, he'd been twenty years old when Sienna was killed in the war with Ganondorf. In his current timeline, after the reversal of time to its original state, he'd been only 13 when Sienna, miraculously revived, had then sickened with a mysterious illness and died once again. So, in fact his mother had a point. He'd lost everyone he loved at a very young age.

Now, at 24, but feeling a decade older in the soul, he experienced the strangest reality of not knowing how long he'd been grieving Sienna. Was it 10 years? 20? Yet the grief still felt fresh.

When she laid a comforting hand on his arm, he clenched his jaw. Yet another piece of his life he couldn't share with her. Another secret to withhold. It wasn't fair to burden her with all this talk of magic and the flow of time reversing and Alatar and darkness. But she was missing so much more than the awful memories of the night his entire family had been ripped away. She needed to be told everything, eventually. Maybe almost everything.

It occurred to him that he assumed Link would handle that for him. He was much more sympathetic. Understanding.

Dark sighed. He couldn't rely on his brother to do it alone. He should tell her some things. Prepare her for the world they would walk into once they left this place and returned home.

Glancing sideways at her, seeing her heart breaking for him, he made the decision to wait. Let her have this one night to eat, and drink, and share happy memories. Not be drowned by the storms of his past.

Reaching out, he took her hand and forced a smile on his face. "Tell me how you met my father," he said. "I'm sure it's a much happier story than any of mine."

Shaiya's eyes searched his, seeming to peel away all the layers of protection to see the old scars he would never be free of. It pained him that she couldn't have a son who was free of suffering. That she couldn't have back the carefree boy he'd been, on their family's farm in Tellura. He was all she was left with, and a sharp stab of shame pricked his throat at the thought.

Time could not be turned back for just anything.

When he looked away, she squeezed his hand. She didn't offer him any words of assurance; she simply began to tell him the story of how she and his father met.

Dark listened, smiling and chuckling at the story, but even he could tell his smile didn't always reach his eyes. His mother continued to tell him stories of happier days, but her smile fell short of her gaze, too.

"My queen!"

A zora servant came into the room with hurried steps, his voice pitched low but urgent. He went right to Ruto's chair and bowed. "A messenger from the Hylian Royal family is here to speak with you."

Ruto's indigo eyes widened. "Who is the messenger?"

"It is Lady Impa, my queen."

Ruto stood from her chair, her silver gown rippling like scales. "Please, excuse me," she said to the table. As she turned for the door, the servant following her, she caught Dark's concerned look. She shook her head ever so slightly, asking him to stay put for now.

He didn't like it, but he supposed Ruto and Impa wanted to talk Sage to Sage, before inviting anyone else in on the problem. Because whatever reason Impa had for coming here, it wasn't good.

"Is something wrong?" Shaiya asked, her brow drawn in a concerned frown.

"I'm not sure," Dark answered honestly. "Lady Impa is Princess Zelda's closest advisor. She may have been sent to deliver an important message to Ruto is all."

Shaiya didn't know about the attack on Zora's Domain, and that it was the reason the entire zora clan was temporarily housed here. Across the table, Lymira and Silas wore twin expressions of concern. Even so, the servants continued to serve dinner.

When the same zora servant bustled back into the dining hall after the next course, this time headed for Dark's chair, he set down his goblet with a sigh. Following the zora back across the entrance hall, he entered another private room where Ruto and Impa waited.

Impa wore a heavy traveling cloak lined with fur, mud-splattered boots, and her usual stern expression.

"What's happened?" Dark asked, right to the point.

"Castle Town has been attacked," Impa replied in kind. It was one thing they could appreciate about one another.

Dark held his breath. Dread settled in his throat. "Alatar?"

Impa's gaze was unblinking. "Your mysterious shadow."

"Fuck." Dark gripped the back of his neck, tugging on the hair at his nape.

If Ruto had eyebrows, they would have knitted together. Instead, her smooth brow furrowed in concern. "Was anyone injured?"

"Several," Impa replied. "No deaths reported. But many witnesses reported seeing you, Dark. They believe you are responsible. There's been calls for your arrest."

This news was less upsetting than the fact that Alatar once again attacked Castle Town, but Dark decided not to dwell on that too much.

"Are you here to arrest me?" he asked instead.

Impa nodded. "In my official capacity as Princess Zelda's advisor, yes. I've been sent to find you."

Ruto clutched Dark's arm in a surprisingly protective move, halfway shielding him from her friend and fellow Sage. "You can't arrest him!" she cried. "Dark has been here with us for a week. He can't be held responsible for this!"

Impa raised a placating hand. "Dark is not officially under arrest in this moment. And you should know that the princess does not truly suspect you are behind this," she added, glancing at him. "However, in the face of such public backlash, her hands are tied. I am here to ask you to return to Castle Town with me and surrender peacefully until we can prove who is really behind all this."

"Dark should stay here," Ruto argued, still holding onto his arm. "No one knows where he is—"

"No," Dark cut her off. "I'm not going to hide here or run away and make myself look more guilty. I'll go with you," he said to Impa. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as possible," she said. "I'm afraid Link did not react well to the order for your arrest, and it has caused some friction at court."

Dark groaned. "We'll leave tomorrow morning, then. I'll talk to him and remind him that he can't afford to make new enemies at the moment. Not even for me."

Ruto reluctantly released him, seeing his decision was made. "We'll arrange for some horses, then. And some food to take with you for the journey."

"Thank you, Ruto," Dark said.

Ruto sighed, her lovely indigo eyes searching his. She placed a pale blue hand on his shoulder. "It's what he wants, you know. For you to sacrifice yourself. Don't let him."

He reached up and squeezed her fingers gently. "He won't win this time."

"There is more to tell you," Impa said quietly. "Queen Anvi is coming to Hyrule. I believe Alatar may be responsible for both this latest attack and Queen Anvi's unexpected arrival. Or perhaps Anvi was motivated by her spy failing to check in."

"Lymira is not a spy," Dark growled.

Impa's eyes narrowed, which for her was intense disapproval. "She was exchanging secret messages with Queen Anvi. Is that not spycraft? Or am I mistaken?" she challenged.

Ruto's surprise was palpable. Dark frowned at Impa. "She revealed nothing of value. Something you know since you intercepted all her messages."

"What I know is that Lymira lacks true allegiance to anyone but herself. Whether she is a true spy or not, she is a potential threat."

Dark hissed. "She is not—"

"Dark." Ruto stepped in front of him, placing a hand on his chest. "Perhaps we should focus on what is most important for now. Impa has come a long way to bring you and the others back."

Dark glared at the two women. "How did she know we were here?"

"I told her," Ruto explained. "The Sages have been keeping in close contact."

"I was happy to hear you found your mother," Impa added, setting aside their disagreement for now.

Dark blew out a breath, accepting the olive branch. "So was I. Why is the queen of Labrynna coming here?"

"As I said, whatever is motivating Anvi to come to Hyrule, I suspect Alatar is involved somehow." Impa crossed her arms over her chest. "Either by manipulating the situation or simply taking advantage of Anvi's paranoia regarding Hyrule."

"How do you know?" Dark asked. "Alatar hasn't shown himself again, has he?"

"No. I've been keeping watch on Anvi and the situation in Labrynna for some time. And once Lymira came to Hyrule, I investigated further. Anvi's relationship with Hyrule has been strained, and I wanted to know what was happening, so I went to Labrynna myself."

"To spy?" Dark asked, arching a brow.

Impa shrugged. "I never said spying wasn't useful. Anvi's situation was worse than I expected. One of her advisors has been manipulating her. Encouraging her fears that Hyrule intends to annex Labrynna. I wasn't able to prove it, but I believe he may be Alatar in disguise. Or perhaps another ally of his."

Dark growled in frustration. "Now he's meddling in Labrynna, too. How are we supposed to know where he'll pop up next?"

"He does seem awfully busy," Ruto muttered, her mouth twisting.

"I hope that a thorough investigation into this latest attack will yield some clues," Impa remarked. "And perhaps further observation of Queen Anvi when she arrives." She arched a brow. "Perhaps Lymira would agree to put her spying to use for us in this regard."

Dark glared at her, but said, "We'll see."

Unfazed, Impa said, "I'll see to our travel arrangements. Please, return to your dinner. I'll see you in the morning on the north bank."

He nodded, watching the Sheikah woman bid Ruto goodbye and depart, escorted by a zora guard. He stared after them until Ruto cleared her throat, lifting her elegant chin.

"Well, let's not let the rest of this evening go to waste," she said.

Dark offered his arm when she extended her hand, leading her back into the dining hall, feeling a strange mix of relief and apprehension. In craving some way to end this fragile stasis they were in, he was glad in a way Alatar was making a move, something they could exploit. But he couldn't deny that a sliver of dread remained, itchy and insistent like a healing cut. Whatever Alatar was instigating now, it was reaching its culmination.

A final confrontation with the dark sorcerer was coming. And Dark still didn't know what he would do when the moment came.

West Hyrule Field

Breath crystallizing in the air, Dark rubbed his hands together. Even for him, the weather was chilly today. It didn't help that their progress was slow on horseback. Traveling out of the steep ridges surrounding Lake Hylia, then skirting through the edge of Gerudo lands added time to their journey, but it was necessary.

Before they left that morning, he and Impa agreed to avoid the villages that dotted south-central Hyrule so they wouldn't attract attention. At least the high canyon walls had cut the wind. Now, in the open expanse of Hyrule Field, it sliced any piece of exposed skin.

The five of them were bundled in heavy cloaks, boots and gloves, riding close together to conserve warmth. Dark considered using a bit of magic to keep them all warmer, but he knew it was better to conserve it for when they made camp.

Impa, in the lead, was taking them close to the Hylia River, away from larger roads while shaving off as much time from their journey as possible. So Dark was surprised when she called for a halt and announced they would make camp in a small, sheltered clearing at the edge of a forest.

Dismounting, he spun towards Shaiya, who slid down from the saddle with a noblewoman's grace. She started to untie the saddlebags when he stopped her.

"You should rest," he said. "I'll make a fire."

Shaiya shot him a look he could only describe as motherly censure. "I won't expire from hard work, Kai."

"Of course not," he murmured, watching her pull out a metal kettle and flintstone. She walked down to the river to fill it with fresh water.

Silas was already rolling several large snow-dusted rocks from the riverbank up to the clearing for them to sit on. Lymira held an armful of dry firewood wrapped in a waterproof tarp the zoras gave them. Clearing a spot in the snow, she waited until Silas laid a layer of stones on the damp ground before arranging the kindling. Impa was already gone, presumably scouting the woods, so Dark took the saddles off the horses, hanging them over sturdy tree branches, and rubbed them down. After a long day of traveling, sweating from exertion in the cold, they needed a good rest. He led them down to the river, letting them all have a long drink. The water was cold, but he dipped a hand in, allowing some of his magic to flow out and warm the area upstream from where the horses were drinking. Pulling out the heavy horse blankets, he covered each horse securely, then tied them off close to the campsite.

Lymira and Shaiya crouched by the stack of firewood. Lym was stuffing bits of dry moss between the sticks, then snapped the flintstone against the smooth gray rock in her hand, blowing on the resulting sparks to try and encourage them to light.

Dark reached out a hand, letting a small spark of magic dance across his fingertips. It landed on the wood and moss, catching and blooming into a flame. The fledgling flame burst with magic, growing and devouring the wood until it was a respectable campfire.

Lym shoved the stones in her pocket, plopping the full kettle on a rock right next to the flames to warm up. Then she stood, dusting off her pants, and went to help Silas unpack the tents, shooting him a meaningful glance as she did. Across the fire, Shaiya was staring at him in surprise.

"You have magic."

Dark blinked. Her tone betrayed merely surprise, not fear or disgust. Many in Hyrule, and outside of it, had magic. But some people distrusted it.

"Yes," he said. "I've been told Fire is a strong element of mine."

The corners of Shaiya's eyes creased. "So it seems. I suppose I thought any trace of magic was gone from our family tree. I certainly never had a gift for it." She hummed softly, stretching out her hands to warm them. "Does your brother have any magic?"

"Yes. Much stronger than mine," Dark admitted with a smirk. "He has an affinity for Light, naturally."

Shaiya regarded him with that shrewd-eyed look he was quickly coming to think of as her "mothering" face. "You always speak highly of him."

Dark shrugged. "He's the best man I know. You'll be proud when you meet him."

Shaiya made another humming sound but said nothing.

"I think I'll go find us something for dinner," he announced, rising and stalking back towards the horses. Retrieving his bow from his saddle, he waved to Silas and walked off into the woods.

Earlier in the day, it'd snowed, so the ground was soft and damp, the forest quiet and peaceful. Once he was some distance from the campsite, some of the tension bled out from his shoulders. He accepted that part of having his mother back in his life meant letting her into his life. Being open with her. Somehow he'd deluded himself that he could have a relationship with her without letting her see the scars he still bore inside. And the closer they came to Castle Town, the closer Shaiya came to meeting her other long-lost son, the more Dark wanted to hide the scarred parts of himself. Maybe then Link's brightness wouldn't cast him in such long shadows.

Dark huffed out a breath. He knew how stupid it was to feel this way. His pain, his grief, his trauma festered inside him, a little more every year. He'd hidden it away and pushed it aside. Silas tried, many times, to coax him to unburden himself, and he never could. He couldn't bear for Silas to see his darkest parts. For anyone to see them.

The desire never left, though. The longing to be known, to be strong enough to unburden himself as Silas wanted. As Lymira deserved. As his mother would want.

There were so many things Silas and Lymira didn't know yet. Things about him they should know. And Shaiya—before leaving Lake Hylia, Ruto confided in Dark her suspicions about her memory loss. With Ganon's defeat, time flowed backwards, turning back the years to a time before Ganondorf seized the Triforce from the Sacred Realm. Ruto's fear was that this strange occurrence was what stole Shaiya's memories in the first place.

Perhaps it wasn't something Shaiya needed to know, but he planned to tell her anyways. She needed to be told about this situation with Alatar at any rate. The question was when. Should he tell her now, on the road? Give her time to come to grips with everything? Or wait until they were safely back at Hyrule Castle, where Link and Zelda and Impa could explain everything far better?

The considerations caused a throbbing ache in his temples. Dark resolved to put aside the matter of burdening Shaiya until later. As far as unburdening himself, it would be difficult to find a private moment now.

He was contemplating what to say, exactly, when a snorting sound pricked his ears. Slowing to a stop, he glanced right. A chestnut boar passed through the bare trees just ahead, its nose buried in the snow. Shifting as quietly as possible, Dark pulled an arrow from the quiver.

Dark raised his arm, flexing his grip on the bow as he sighted his prey. The boar was rooting in the dirt, searching for food. It hadn't yet caught his scent, unaware of his presence. It was almost second nature to tap into his magic and pull the shadows close to his skin, cloaking him from sight and sound. His fingers tightened, drawing back the bowstring. He exhaled. Released the arrow.

The boar barely even squealed before it dropped with a grunt, dead before it fell. Dark released his magic, the unnatural shadows covering his hiding place whooshing away. He walked over and knelt down next to the animal, checking to be sure its heart had stopped before removing the arrow. The boar would feed all of them without an issue for the few days on the road. Sato had provided them with some food, but Dark had refused to take more. The zora had little enough to spare right now, and the forests of central Hyrule were plentiful in both flora and fauna.

A faint rustle drew his attention away from the boar. Dark stilled, reaching for the dagger in a sheath on his belt.

"It's just me."

Lym's voice appeased him. He glanced over his shoulder from where he crouched. She came to a stop, lifting a cloth bag. "I found some mushrooms."

"Poisonous ones?" he asked, shooting her a wry grin.

"I've saved those for your plate," she said airily. "It was a good shot," she added, nodding down at the boar.

"That's a compliment coming from a member of the Talus clan. I've heard you have excellent archers." He raised a brow questioningly. He'd never seen her shoot.

"You want to challenge me after you lost so badly in our last sparring match?" Her smile was a beguiling taunt.

"I didn't lose."

She laughed, the sound muted in the forest. "Let's see, then."

Dark stood up, a smile threatening to break through. "What's the target?"

"That irregular knot in the oak tree to the south."

Dark glanced in the direction and spotted the oddly shaped knot. A difficult shot through the other trees. And far. But not impossible.

"What do you wager?" he asked.

Lym's eyebrows rose, but her eyes glinted with challenge. "We're betting, are we? Very well. If you win. I'll dress this boar and haul it back to camp."

"And if you win?"

"You take the boar back to camp and let Silas cook it. Then you meet me back here for a while."

Dark's blood heated at both the challenge and the sensual promise in her words. He glanced at her outstretched hand, waiting to make it official. He smirked and grasped her hand in his.

"Deal," he agreed.

"Gentlemen first," Lym said with an answering smirk.

"If only you knew any," Dark quipped, reaching for his bow again.

Just as with the boar, he let his focus latch onto his target, until nothing else existed. The forest became still, quiet. His heartbeat was steady in his chest. His breath came in controlled, even draws. His muscles pulled back smoothly, the bowstring a thin, tense connection between his mind and his body.

It only took the slightest relaxation, and the arrow flew free. With a soft thud, it landed in the tree. Just off the centre of the knot.

"Very nice," she said. Then asked, "Did you lose on purpose?"

"How do you know I'm going to lose?" he teased.

Lym nodded at the tree, accepting the bow from him. From her pocket, she pulled a thin blue ribbon that she tied around the arrow's shaft.

"Because I can do better."

As he watched her set up her shot, he knew it wasn't arrogance. So far, there didn't seem to be anything Lym couldn't do well. Except for navigate court events without wanting to assault someone, that is.

Whereas Dark focused on pushing the outside world aside, Lymira let herself sink into it. Instead of quieting the sights and sounds of the forest, Lym drew them into her. Became one with them. The wintry air rustled her hair against her face. The wooden bow creaked in time with the shifting trees around them. The scents of damp earth and decay swirled in the air.

Her hand didn't even twitch. The arrow was an invisible stream of air and a spark of metal. Dark looked towards their target. At the second arrow, marked with a blue ribbon, resting less than an inch above his own arrow. Perfectly centered.

He chuckled. "Looks like I have some work to do."

The smile she tossed over her shoulder was pure victory. Dark felt the pierce of her arrow through his own heart, seeing it.

"Hurry back," she said, eyes glowing.

An hour later, Dark stalked through the forest, finding his way more by instinct than the early evening light. Through the trees filtered a strange mix of sunlight and moonlight, with the latter quickly overtaking the former in the dark and cold season. In this in-between stage of the day, the wintry twilight, the woods took on a timeless mystery.

Dark let the sounds of nocturnal critters stirring, of rustling leaves, wash over him. The smells of frozen earth and moss. There were tracks to follow in the snow and dirt, as well, but there was another sense that guided him back to where Lymira was. Their connection stretched between them like a silver thread, taut with concentration as he let it lead him. She'd retreated deeper into the forest, where it was quieter.

Again, he allowed the shadows to cloak him and mask his approach. Lymira waited in a circle of larch trees. In this light, she was encircled by golden fire, the burning centre of the inferno. Dark waited, watching as she breathed in deeply, her eyes closed. She hummed to herself, stretching out her arms at her side and wiggling her fingers, letting the cool air kiss her fingertips, her pinkened nose and cheeks.

She turned her back, and Dark stepped up behind her.

"Found you," he crooned, sliding his arms around her waist, his lips trailing across her rounded ear.

"I don't have a prize for you," she teased.

Even through her cloak, she was chilled, so Dark dispelled the shadows and tapped into the power of Fire in his blood. His body temperature, normally warmer than others, he shared with her, wrapping her securely in his arms.

"Holding you is victory enough for me."

Lymira sighed, relaxing and leaning against him, her eyes on the golden larches. "It seems strange to be going home. I've gotten used to the road."

Dark brushed his mouth against her temple, saying nothing.

"And it was nice to escape some of our problems. If only for a little while."

"I wish I could give you more of an escape."

Lymira turned in his hold, placing her hands on his chest. She tipped her head back and placed a soft, short kiss on his mouth.

"Stay here with me for a while?"

"Of course."

This time, her smile did more than pierce his heart. Her arms looped around his neck and she pressed closer. She began to sway back in forth to a silent rhythm.

"That's enough for me."