Blizzaga Saga: Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed so far! Here's this week's update. :)

Is anyone else not receiving email alerts for PM's? Someone told me it was a site-wide issue, but others have since said that they still receive email alerts for private messages, and I can't figure out why I don't. I've looked at the settings on my profile and found no explanation. I've emailed the ffnet admins and received no response. If any of you know what's happening, please let me know. It's frustrating, especially in these times, that this weird barrier to communication exists.

As I mentioned in another story, I set up a Liberapay account for donations. Check my profile for details. None of you owe me anything, and I'm going to write regardless of whether I get anything for it, but any help I get will be appreciated.

Enjoy the chapter!

"Let me help you with that."

"Oh!"

Having stood to leave the wagon, Cremia fell onto her rear in surprise at the unexpected voice. Nevertheless, she loved that Link was the first thing she saw upon her return, and she smiled before realizing her unladylike position: with her hair tossed about from the fall, her hand on her heart, and her skirt hiked up her spread legs, she didn't move at first, wondering if he'd stare at her as he had the other night.

But Link didn't peek up her skirt or even blush. "Sorry," he muttered, helping to pick up the empty bottles she'd dropped.

He held out his hand to help her off the wagon, and the unnecessary gesture reminded her of how he treated her as a goddess the other night, kissing and caressing every part of her. With effort she pushed the provocative thought aside. No matter how excited she was to see him, it was too early in the day to give herself to him and there were too many chores ahead of them for her to be feeling that way.

"Do you want to go to the Carnival of Time?" he asked, and all thoughts of work abruptly vanished.

"Um…that sounds wonderful!" She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, embarrassed at how eager she sounded. "But we don't have money for something like that."

"I can pay for it."

"To keep our ride at the city stable, not to mention the money it would cost for us to enjoy ourselves, we'd need at least fifty rupees," she explained skeptically, and he looked down bashfully.

"Like I said, I can pay for it. I find rupees occasionally in caves and dungeons, and I don't have anything else to spend them on…"

"That's sweet. But we can't just leave Romani here."

"I'm going too." Cremia flinched as she turned and saw that her sister had been present the whole time. "We'll give the animals enough food and water to last without us for a day. No one ever comes here, but we can take our valuables with us just in case."

She didn't think long about it. Traveling alone depressed her, but going with the two people she loved above all else filled her with a strangely youthful joy. "All right, but you two should bathe first. You're wearing the same clothes you had on yesterday."

Link and Romani shared a nervous glance that put Cremia on edge. "We should leave right away," the younger sister replied. "If we don't hurry, it will be evening before we get there."

"It won't take long," Cremia insisted. Accepting defeat, her sister sprinted into the house. Link's eyes darted to the vast space beyond the ranch for a few seconds. "You look tired. Did…something happen last night?"

He didn't answer right away, and her tentative smile fell. Of course something happened last night. She was a fool to think he might choose her over the slender girl his age who was brave enough to be honest with her emotions. But then he shook himself as though he'd fallen asleep on his feet, and he looked to the distance.

"People from Ikana attacked us last night."

In an instant her self-pity was forgotten. "Are either of you hurt?"

"No, but we need to leave. More might come, and I want to talk with the guards in Clock Town about sending someone to investigate."

His deep blue eyes closed for much longer than a blink before snapping open, and Cremia realized the truth. "Oh, Link…you didn't have to stay up all night…thank you for keeping my sister safe."

"I absolutely do have to protect you two. You've shown me nothing but kindness. It's made me happy, and I want to cause as little pain as I can while I'm here."

What did that mean? "You don't cause either of us pain. You've made us very happy. You're good at that."

"Even if I don't have an answer to your question yet?"

No humor or shyness marked his expression, only a need to know he hadn't hurt her. She didn't hesitate to reassure him. "My feelings won't change, but it makes me so happy to know you're giving us a chance. I was afraid I'd come back to find that you and Romani had…" She trailed off. He didn't seem to share her happiness, and when Romani returned he immediately took her place in the house. Cremia smoothed back her sister's hair in worry and touched her for wounds.

"I'm fine," the shorter girl spat, shocking Cremia with her hostility. She dismissed it as a product of sleep deprivation and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're not hurt…I wouldn't have made you bathe if I knew we were still in danger." Sniffling and making sure for the fifth time that the red on Romani's head was hair and not blood, she pulled back before scolding her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She lowered her head, and Cremia wondered if she had rested at all. "I didn't want you to worry…"

"It's my job to worry about you!" Even if she wanted to, she couldn't stay mad. Romani, however, crossed her arms and continued to scowl, so Cremia attempted to return her to her usual smiling self. "At least we'll finally get to see the festival Anju always talks about."

"Yeah, and you'll get to see that guy in Clock Town you like so much," she replied coolly. Cremia blinked and fell silent just as Link returned in a fresh tunic, his eyes barely open.

Informing them he'd placed most of their belongings into his magic pouch, he squeezed into the wagon with the sisters and the goods they still needed to unload, but when he equipped his bow and moved to guard them from the front, Romani pulled him back.

"Please, you have to rest!" she cried desperately, somehow keeping him stationary with her small body. "You stayed up all night taking care of me! Now you have to take care of yourself."

Despite his protests, Link fell asleep within minutes as the horses pulled them into Termina Field, his hat on the floorboard and his blonde hair spilling over his caretaker's lap. Familiar with the terrain, Cremia looked away from the reigns she held to make sure one more time that her family was okay and sighed with relief. While Romani still looked horribly upset as she fretted over him, the little girl who was Cremia's entire life remained unharmed, and she whispered a prayer to the four giants to grant them speed so the girl could rest.

She'd never be able to adequately thank Link for protecting her family, but then Romani might prefer to thank him herself. As the younger ranch sister lovingly touched her hand to the face in her lap, Cremia crossed an arm over her uncomfortably large stomach and lamented that she wouldn't be able to see Link's head in her own lap past her oversized chest.

"Did he really not sleep last night?" she whispered, watching how the bumps shaking the carriage did nothing to stir him. "He's always pushing himself when he doesn't have to. I'm afraid he'll keep doing it regardless of how much rest he's had."

Romani's gaze softened. "Link was terrified of something happening to me. He told me to go to sleep. I wish I hadn't listened."

Something in her eyes told Cremia that her sister was suffering more than she let on. "Is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," she replied unconvincingly, her stare becoming cold again.

"You haven't said the words 'sister', 'Romani', or 'Grasshopper' today. You must really be tired."

The teenager forced her eyes away from their guest's face to level an icy glare at Cremia. "Well, I've been busy doing things behind your back."

Cremia nearly dropped the reigns as she understood what the angry redhead meant. "You know."

"Link told me, unlike you."

She couldn't believe she didn't see this coming. Link loved Romani, so of course he would have told her about their indiscretion. "Oh, sweet little sister…"

Romani exploded, and it was a miracle Link didn't awaken. "I'm not little and I'm not sweet! I'm an adult and I'm pissed off!" Cremia recoiled, shocked by the rare use of profanity. "You lied to me! You like Link, and you paraded around in tight clothes for him yesterday like my feelings didn't matter!" Romani glared with every scrap of hatred she could muster. "You ruined everything! Link finally opened up about his past yesterday, but because of you he thinks he's hurt us and he'll never open up to us again. He'll leave and keep fighting monsters until…until he…"

Romani always expressed herself to the greatest extent life allowed, and the intensity of her crying, the way she had to hold her hand below her cheek to keep from splashing Link with her tears, negated every positive feeling Cremia ever had about herself. She'd failed to keep her sister happy on top of failing to give her the childhood which was taken from both of them when their father died.

The younger sister didn't slap away Cremia's arms when they circled her, but once the hug started Romani elbowed her viciously. The surprisingly powerful blow to Cremia's stomach separated them, and Cremia focused on steering again. She couldn't make it up to her, she realized. She couldn't fix it, so all that remained was to come clean.

"You're right. I like him. I felt brave after he complimented me the other night, so I made a move. But I also told him I'd be happy even if he chose to be with you instead of me."

"You made a move, even though you knew how I feel about him! You could have given me a warning, or—"

"I gave you time. I thought you would have gone after him years ago. And I left yesterday to give you time together."

Unable to argue anymore, Romani looked down. "Why did you have to get involved?" she sobbed, and Cremia was shocked by how quiet, how utterly defeated, her voice was. She couldn't remember ever seeing her strong sister look this small and frail. "Link is my best friend and more…but no one would ever choose someone who looks like me over someone who looks like you."

"Why not?" Cremia asked, not understanding. Did the teen truly think she wasn't attractive? Did she think Cremia was?

In a flash the sadness was gone, replaced by anger. "Don't talk down to me, Cremia!"

Cremia's eyes narrowed. The stern mother in her came out, even though she knew it would only make Romani more defiant. "Don't take that tone with me."

"Stop acting like my mom! You're not—"

"Ugh…" Link groaned, and Romani froze mid-yell as he rose from her lap and put his cap back on. "How long was I out?"

"We're almost there," Romani answered hoarsely.

"I didn't mean to sleep for so long."

"After everything you did, you should get more rest than that," Cremia commented worriedly.

"Thank you, but I'm fine." To her horror, he actually looked refreshed. What awful lifestyle had accustomed him to needing so little sleep? His sharp blue eyes, bright with purpose, scanned Termina Field, but eventually he noticed how she stared straight ahead and how Romani refused to look at her sister. Sighing and at once looking more fatigued, he spoke again. "Romani, about the other night..."

"I don't blame you, Link," she assured him, sending another glare in her guardian's direction.

"I'd rather you blame me than her," he snapped, and Romani's eyes widened at his harshness. "You've always been happy around each other. Don't let that change because of…" He didn't know how to finish, and Cremia wondered whether any of them knew what to call this tangled web. "Can't we just enjoy the festival? I want you to be happy."

Romani's frown dissipated. "…Romani wants to be happy too." Cremia said nothing in her relief, afraid that speaking would ruin everything again. Romani looked at her and forced the anger from her face. "Can we see Anju and Kafei?"

"Of course. They'll be surprised to see us after I just visited them yesterday, especially you two."

Romani wiped the wet trails from her cheeks and swallowed a few times to soothe her raw throat. "Maybe they'll ask to adopt Grasshopper again. Just think, you could pay for us to go to the festival whenever you want." Link rolled his eyes at Romani's teasing, and she smiled slightly for the first time since they left.

"And I could sleep in this comfortable wagon whenever I wanted," he joked weakly. Romani's expression perked up further and she talked excitedly, but Cremia found it difficult to add her own joke to the conversation. Thinking back to how she could only talk about milk when Link showed up at the ranch the other day, she wondered if she was only capable of working. Her pang of jealousy toward Romani for being able to converse so freely with Link dissipated, though, as she realized that he'd eased the tensions in the group. This wouldn't be their last fight, but for now they could enjoy themselves, all thanks to him.

At the stables outside the town gate, he paid a red rupee for the space their horse and carriage occupied. Romani gawked at the throngs of horses and people before they even entered the city wall. "Come on!" she shouted excitedly and ran through the gate, only to immediately stop at a small tent. "Ooh, what's this?"

A woman who looked to be about Link's age sat behind a table with a deck of cards. She looked at the group with piercing red eyes above a white scarf covering her mouth. "Welcome to the Carnival of Time. Would you like a free tarot reading?"

She spoke with a hard masculine edge that caused Cremia to reevaluate her. Her hair was short for a woman, but her face was smooth and her hair clean and golden. Tight blue clothes showed off a slightly muscular body, but her chest stuck out a bit more than a male's should have. On top of all that, she seemed to have eyes only for Link as she addressed the group. In short, her cross-dressing couldn't possibly fool anyone.

"I'd love one! What can you tell me about my future? Will I have a family? What will I be doing? I can't wait to find out!"

"You know it's not real, right? It's just a game."

Romani put her hands on her hips and glared at Cremia. "Romani knows it's not real, but that doesn't make it a waste of time."

"I'm afraid I can only give fortunes to the adults in the group, little lady. Due to popular demand, my readings now have sexual connotations inappropriate for anyone under fifteen."

Cremia tensed in anticipation of an angry tirade, but Link swiftly intervened. "We're all adults."

"I'm sixteen," the youngest-looking one said through gritted teeth.

"My apologies." To their alarm, the masked woman's eyes glowed briefly, and Cremia got the uncomfortable feeling that she was peering into their souls. The gypsy motioned to Romani and flipped a card to reveal a picture of a golden fox. "The Keaton: spirited and playful, you possess a deeper wisdom and personality that only those close to you can see, and you have the energy and passion to accomplish any goal. In bed you are wild and unpredictable, doing whatever it takes to bring maximum pleasure to you and your partner."

"Wow, I got a fun one! You go next, Link!" His brow furrowed in confusion at her eagerness, but Cremia knew she wanted to see if they were sexually compatible.

The next card revealed a snarling beast. "The guardian wolf: introverted, gentle, and kind, you are also a fierce protector, and those who mistake you for a docile pup quickly come to see the truth when they cross your loved ones. During moments of intimacy your bestial nature comes out to play, and your preferred sexual position is doggystyle."

"What's doggystyle?" he asked. Romani looked to Cremia, who shrugged.

The woman seemed flustered by Link's attention. "None of you know? Are you sure you're all adults?" Link stared unflinchingly at her, and Cremia saw the color of her cheeks begin to match her eyes. "Well, goodness, it's…" The sisters shared a look. No peasant, not even ones like them who lived far from the profanity of the city, used the word 'goodness' like that. "It's when a woman is bent over or on all fours, and a man, um…does her from behind like a dog," she stammered, refusing to look at him.

Romani tapped her chin thoughtfully, but Cremia didn't have to imagine it; the memory of the event lingered in her still-sore hips and the aching of her insides, which begged for Link's touch again. Seeing his blush mirror her own, Cremia squeezed his hand lightly while Romani focused on the stranger.

A fair blue-haired maiden appeared on Cremia's card. "The goddess Nayru: though you aren't the most physically capable person, your love is boundless and your beauty envied by many. Upon finding love, you give your entire self to your soulmate. This truth carries into the bedroom, where you love to be dominated."

Cremia couldn't help smiling, but she withdrew her hand shyly, clasping it in front of her dress. "I've never heard of Nayru. Who is she?"

Link's eyes narrowed. "What are you really doing here?"

At his accusatory tone, Cremia reevaluated the stranger once more. Did he know her? The gypsy pointed to a box with a hole in the top. "I tell fortunes, but really I'm here to make sure everyone makes the required ten-rupee donation to fund future festivals. I'm not looking for someone, if that's what you're asking," she insisted awkwardly. Link dropped six blue rupees into the box and walked away.

"What was that about?" Romani asked when they caught up to him.

Instead of answering, he said, "Let's see Anju. I want to enjoy my time here."

The massive dial on the clock looking over South Clock Town shifted as they arrived, and a crowd cheered as the countdown to the growing season dropped by an hour. Romani turned every which way to look at the masks people wore—couples' masks like Anju and Kafei had, masks of the four giants, and even cow masks—but Cremia could only wonder how much effort and resources had gone into the preparation for today. How even a whole town could afford such an extravagant display confounded her.

"Y-You don't have to do that," Link stammered, and Cremia saw that Romani hooked her arm through his.

"But look at everything!" she exclaimed, pointing out individual decorations with her free hand. Seeing the effect her clinging had on him, she giggled and hugged him more tightly. "If you had a mask, you wouldn't have to worry about blushing."

Cremia felt herself retreating further into her shell as they walked. Why couldn't she speak? Why couldn't she touch him, or laugh with her sister?

"Welcome to the Stock Pot—Cremia!" Kafei said with a smile as she walked through the front door. "And Link and Romani too. The whole family's here!"

"Hello, Link. Hello, Romani. You're growing into handsome young adults," Anju greeted, smiling serenely from her chair near the front desk.

"Happy anniversary," Cremia offered, finding her enthusiasm.

"It is, isn't it? Most people are too busy celebrating to stay at the inn, so we usually have this day to ourselves for the most part. Today is special for another reason, though."

She sighed contentedly. Recognizing it as the same dreamy sigh she'd made yesterday while wearing tight clothes for Link, Cremia stared in wonder at Anju's stomach, bulging slightly against her sweater.

Romani gasped. "You're pregnant? That's wonderful!"

"Congratulations!" Cremia echoed, knowing they'd been trying for years to have a child.

"We already have a name," Kafei announced proudly. "It's a good thing you decided to enjoy the festival this year, because we wanted to know what you thought about our decision."

"Don't you have to know if it's a boy or a girl first?"

"This name will work for either. But we hope it's a boy, because we've decided to name our first child Link."

"…Me?"

"Of course," Kafei said easily. "If it weren't for you, our wedding might not have happened." When the sisters asked what that meant, he grinned. "He never told you? He helped me get my wedding mask back from a thief in Ikana Valley during the three days before our wedding. If I'd gone into the hideout alone, the monsters inside surely would have killed me."

"Not to mention the whole time I thought Kafei had disappeared, Link delivered his messages to me and kept my faith in him alive. Any way you look at it, he kept us together during our time apart."

"Why didn't you tell us about any of this?" Cremia didn't know whether she was asking the happy couple or Link, who scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"What for?" Anju laughed. "So we could remember all the awful things that happened before our wedding? No, we prefer to think about the good. Any child conceived during the Festival of Time is destined to have a bright future. Our baby will be special. And finding out that I'm pregnant on the day of our wedding anniversary…" Looking up from her stomach, she smiled beautifully. "Is Link finally courting you?"

Cremia froze before realizing they meant Romani, who still hugged Link's arm. Link looked down, but to everyone's surprise Romani didn't tease him. "No." Despite her answer, she grinned. "I'm courting him."

The expecting parents laughed, but Cremia knew Romani wasn't joking. The rest of the world fell away as the unexpected declaration provoked her into taking action at last. She wouldn't oppose Link being with Romani if he loved her, but she couldn't let it happen without first letting him know she still wanted him. She'd sacrificed her happiness once by not fighting for Kafei, but literally fucking Link into a coma made her realize she wasn't as worthless as she often believed, and she would never disrespect herself by ignoring her feelings again.

"So am I," Cremia asserted, taking his other arm before whispering sweetly into his ear. "Besides, you're paying to take us out, so it's only proper that I take your arm."

Link's face looked like it might burst into flames. The couple continued to chuckle, which to her shame relieved her, for laughter meant they thought this was all a joke. Laughter meant they didn't realize she looked at Link the way she used to look at Kafei. Romani glared at her, but as she touched his bicep Cremia could only think about how she wanted his rugged chest pressed against her bare breasts again. Remembering his big hands squeezing her and his glistening semen warming her nude body, she knew she was starting to like her cumbersome bust a lot more.

With humiliating dignity, the nervous young man untangled himself from their grips. "I'm happy for both of you, but we didn't come here under happy circumstances. Swordsmen attacked Romani and me last night, so we left as soon as Cremia came back this morning. Since you rent rooms to all the carnival's customers, you two probably know better than most if something is going on."

Disappointed at the subject change, Cremia still beamed affectionately, resisting the urge to clasp her hands over her heart at how he was taking charge of their safety. He had always been so kind, so dependable…

After making sure no one was hurt, the blue-haired man sobered. "I don't know of any recent incidents involving bandits or cut-throats. No one has been hurt coming here as far as we know, but there are some strange men patrolling the city dressed like you, Link."

"Like me?" he asked, voicing everyone's disbelief.

"Green shirts, pointed hats, and everything. They call themselves the Legion of the Green Tunic and say they're the heroes who saved Termina from the moon five years ago. Supposedly they're here to help Ikana's royal heir search for another of their members."

"Grasshopper, didn't you say the people who attacked us were from Ikana?" He nodded seriously. "Hm… Romani thought it was the four giants who saved us."

"That's what we thought too," Anju explained, "but apparently there's more to the story. The giants were in trouble, and a group of heroes had to rescue them before they could stop the moon from falling."

"Who's powerful enough to rescue a giant?" Cremia asked Link, who didn't respond.

"The Gorons who come here claim that a Goron named Darmani saved their people from eternal winter and freed one of the giants by cleansing a mountain temple of evil spirits. Some Deku Scrubs say one of their own cleansed their swamp of poison and freed another giant. A Zora named Mikau restored order to Termina Bay and freed the third, and the people from Ikana are looking for the one who made their region livable again by freeing the fourth. What links these wild stories together is that the hero in each region wore a green hat and tunic. Link, I don't know if you know anything about all this, but you should check the poster the Legion of the Green Tunic left outside." Link promised he would, and Kafei smirked. "By the way, Tingle of all people stepped forward claiming to be one of the heroes."

Link blinked, Romani laughed, and Cremia didn't know how to react. "That man will do anything for money," Anju muttered sadly.

"You have to admit, though: he does wear a lot of green."

"Okay…" Link replied, carefully masking his amusement. "Since it's not safe to go back to the ranch, are there any rooms we can rent?"

The wife smiled sympathetically. "Every room is booked for the carnival several weeks ahead of time, but maybe some customers won't mind sharing. Otherwise, we can make some room for you in the lobby."

"Thank you. It's great to see you again, and I'm happy for your new family."

"Be safe, Link. I know we never managed to keep you here and adopt you, but we think of you as our son. Take care of Romani and Cremia while you're here."

Anju hugged him tightly, and the trio left. The setting sun threw just enough light to make the signs in East Clock Town legible, and Link walked purposefully down an empty alley to a poster at the end. Cremia noticed that he didn't speak or move as his eyes bore into the print, so she read as well:

The princess of Ikana wishes to award the title of Holy Knight to the one who brought light to her kingdom five years ago. Her highness's knights, the Legion of the Green Tunic, will be waiting in West Clock Town for the duration of the carnival. We will pay for any information which assists in finding him.

"Let's go," Link said at length, and Cremia's mind raced to form an explanation for his depressed state. She met him around the time of the moon incident, he was always armed, and he kept his past secret even from her. Could he be part of this somehow?

"Why? Are you going to join them?" Romani joked.

His response carried an undertone of bitterness that surprised them. "No one offers a reward unless they want something. Let Tingle trap himself in her service."

"You there! Your name is Link, correct?" someone barked out, and they turned to find a bulky, green-clad man blocking the alley exit.

Link observed him calmly, not letting on whether the rough tone bothered him. "Yes."

The man smirked, and while Cremia was at first struck by how similar his outfit was to Link's, the next moment she realized they were completely different. Link's was dulled by battle and frequent wear, but the other man's clothes showed strength and pride. His emerald tunic had gold sewn in, looking more ceremonial than practical, and his smirk and size contributed to his blatant presence.

"Several citizens reported that you were in town during the moon crisis and that you were wearing a green tunic at the time. Is this true?"

"Yes. Do you need something?"

"Watch your mouth, boy. You will show the Legion more respect than that."

Link's voice never lost its neutral tone. "I meant no offense."

"Please don't be so rough with him. He only wishes to know why he's being interrogated."

The gentle female voice commanded everyone's attention, and the confrontational man stepped aside to allow a blond woman in an elegant pink dress through. The sisters stared at her pale face, unmarred by age or hardship, but Link merely looked at her, the same way he looked at the soldier.

"Forgive our intrusion, Sir Link. There is a duplicate in Termina for every person you knew from your homeland, so perhaps it's no surprise to you that Princess Zelda's double is also royalty. I am Ikaros, princess and soon to be queen of Ikana. I had hoped to recognize and recruit the hero who saved Termina some time ago. I know for a fact that a young boy named Link brought rest to the dead in my kingdom." Romani turned to him in shock, no doubt trying to put the pieces together like Cremia, but he didn't visibly react. "I take it these women don't know who you really are. I admire your humility in pretending to be an ordinary person."

The guard sneered. "I keep telling you that there are multiple heroes, your highness, but you never listen. This whelp doesn't even carry a weapon when he's escorting a lovely lady." His disregard for the princess's opinion—like no one could stop him from doing what he wanted—and the way he gazed hungrily at Cremia made her take a step back.

Romani seemed about to tell them about the weapons Link kept in his magic pouch, but Link spoke first. "I admit it: I'm not a warrior. We'll be going now."

"Please, Sir Link… As a descendent of Ikana's royal family, I can communicate with the dead. The spirits who were laid to rest in Ikana five years ago have been cursed once more, and the ghost of my ancestor, the late king Igos Du Ikana, tells me that only the hero who already saved him once can save him again. I offer you anything within my power to grant in exchange for bringing peace to the dead again. You can have all the land you want, any title, even my hand in marriage and the throne of my kingdom if you ask for it."

Cremia's eyes widened—whether from the thought of Link marrying or the idea of Link being royalty, she wasn't sure—and the guard showed equal surprise, apparently not aware she intended to offer so much.

Link was less impressed. "There's nothing you can offer that I would want."

"If nothing material I offer would matter, then what about compassion and understanding? I know who you really are. The dead see through the living, and the cursed spirits have told me everything about you. You are an unsung hero from the parallel world of Hyrule, the champion of a goddess Termina has never heard of. The symbol of Courage leads you always to new lands to fight evil, and you have not been able to live in peace for five years."

"Stop." He closed his eyes as though unable to confront her words, and for not the first time Cremia wondered if his visits to the ranch were the only moments he allowed himself to relax. "Please…I came here to spend time with my friends."

"I know you desperately seek companionship, but neither of these women can understand you. They can't help with the battles, the nightmares, or the memories of a future which no longer exists. Forgive my forwardness, but I believe that destiny brought us together to help each other. You've never opened up to anyone because you know that no one will believe you. The only one who understood you, your precious Navi, is gone."

"S-Stop," Link choked out. Cremia had never seen him this vulnerable before, and she couldn't help putting her hand on his arm and whispering his name as she wondered if any of that was true. The princess's eyes communicated concern and absolute sincerity.

"I will happily take your fairy's place as your confidante, if you will let me. This constant fighting and traveling is not what Zelda wanted for you when she sent you back to your time to relive your childhood."

Link shed tears for the first time either sister had seen, and Romani erupted. "He told you to stop! Let us through! Link doesn't need some lunatic reopening his old wounds!"

"Watch your mouth," the behemoth guard warned, stepping toward her. Cremia hugged Romani protectively and shrank against the wall at their backs, praying for this to be the one time when Romani didn't speak her mind, but the smaller girl continued yelling and struggled to free herself even as he reached a massive arm forward.

"Touch them and lose a hand," Link growled, standing between him and the sisters and throwing a glance toward the princess. "You should know better than to corner a wolf," he said, referencing the tarot card she'd shown him. "We have a tendency to show our teeth."

"It is no marvel that you saw through my disguise. Only the hero who has seen my counterpart in the parallel world could have known that I was a woman when I was disguised, and that I was waiting at the entrance to Clock Town for him to appear."

Romani scoffed. "I knew you were the fortune teller too. It was obvious that you were a woman, plus your forms have the same blonde hair."

Cremia hesitated, not wanting to worsen the situation, but threw in her agreement. "It…wasn't a very good disguise." The princess's mouth hung in shock, and a Clock Town guard in iron armor appeared at the end of the alley.

"Is everything all right here?"

"Yes," Link replied with a tremor in his voice. "The princess of Ikana was just about to leave. She's looking for someone."

Cremia didn't understand why the woman looked so heartbroken. "I understand. Your soul is weary from your latest journey. My heart is open to you if you want to talk. I will be in the west part of town."

The servant and his princess departed, and the Clock Town guard soon followed their example. Link stood in place, suddenly looking like the oldest one present. Cremia clutched his left hand, vaguely aware that Romani did the same with his right.

"If something's wrong, you can tell us."

For a moment he looked like he would say something, but then he looked down. His long bangs hid any feelings his eyes might have otherwise revealed. Romani humphed and glared beyond the alley. "Can you believe her? Trapping us here and talking about parallel worlds and time travel—"

His hollow laugh shocked her out of her rant. "Right," he agreed emotionlessly. "Who would ever believe that?" He at last looked up, and tears streamed down his face as he stared bleakly into nothing. "I'd hoped I could take a break from fighting. I thought I could forget who I am, just for a few days…but there's no peace, even here." He sighed, resigned to his fate. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't worry about it, and don't follow me."

He shook off their hands and ran, leaving them to look at each other without a trace of their earlier disagreement on their faces. "Sister, every time he leaves us, it's to do something dangerous. We…We can't let him keep risking his life!"

Cremia had no idea what was going on, but she knew she couldn't let him deal with whatever trauma he'd suffered alone. Like her, he'd had to grow up too early, and he had trouble dealing with emotions.

"I know. We'll do whatever it takes to get him to stay. I want you to wait for him with Anju and Kafei. I'm going to see Mr. Barten about getting an advance on our next delivery so we can build a proper bed for Link. I don't know how long working out the details will take, so when he gets back it may be up to you to cheer him up. Help him have fun, and make sure he gets some sleep."

"But…without you?"

Cremia nodded, and both sisters knew they had to set aside their feud for the moment. She still had to show him she was serious about wanting him, about loving him, and leaving him alone with Romani wasn't the way to do it; but Link's well-being was more important. No matter how skilled he was with a weapon, he despised conflict, even the arguments between his two suitors, and she promised to give him the time and love he needed to recover from whatever had made him that way.