"Hurry! To the domain!" Sidon barked. He was not a ruthless cold leader. He was kind and gentle. His voice was a mere urgency in that stead. So when his gang of guards and his spouse hurriedly ran frantically out the tunnels and out sooner than midnight, Sidon was owing explanations to everyone.

Hylia forgive the causer of image I had to bare this night. I plea...

The traditional shortened prayer to the goddess Hylia echoed through two men's minds that night. Both witness and accused. But witness and accomplice were technically the same by logic of the goddesses. Thus the plea was on deaf ears. Neither forgiven. One leaving the mountain unpunished. While the other perhaps damned. The zora in question offering to even out a more reasonable trade and to never speak of the crime he saw. The Goron accepting.

So now Sidon was running with a secret, or slithering rather; pretending to be more scared then he was.

Outside of lava crusted mountains the night felt colder then what it was. The potions cooling them still also, making the night's chill all present among them. But their awaiting horses stood patiently as they chewed grass around the entryway. "Link! On the way out push a wooden pillar down!" Sidon pleaded from ahead of the group. As ordered Link shoved a remaining pillar down upon departure of the heated brown soot of death mountain's former trade tunnel system.

By the time Link was out the whole cave was rubble and a few splinters. His breathing was hitched and gritty. Perhaps it were the dust or he smoked too often. But these moments were why he found himself so addicted to herbs and ale. Because he could die that night knowing he could've been happy-in-the-mind the night before. Or drunk as a skunk and act as a pert young hussey to his beloved. Regardless of the thought, he slowly regained composure to tend to Sidon who was huffing and panting as much as anyone, but for him more harshly as he had to slither the fastest out of all of them.

"Love wha' 'appened back t'ere?!" Link spurted after heavy and hard attempts at meeting his breath again. Sidon's tail bent to let him set himself in the grass, hands on his knees as he panted with sweat glistening in the moon, soon to be dried by how cold this particular night was.
"Bludo was dead when I saw him, the disease drove him mad and he ended his own anguish!" Sidon revealed.
"Suicide?" Ledo asked surprised. "He was indeed mad but was he that mad?" Sidon shrugged, popped his neck and said "Simply put, Hylia may be the only one to know,"

That's a lie Sidon. Hylia is not lonely in her understanding of the situation.

"Regardless, a war ended before it began on this night!" Link pointed out. I can raise my son. Raise him in peace to bring him to his crown! Link was far more joyous then he need be. Considering a former comrade died. Link wanted to kick himself for having such joy. But his son was saved. He had to think of Hyrule as a whole, and had Bludo continued on, he would destroy it much like Ganondorf had almost done previously. Plan two didn't need to be of any concern to him.

"Wait...where is Muzu...?" Sidon asked suddenly. His heart stopped. If Muzu were investigating for himself in search of him in Goron city, he could find the truth or be caught or-"He returned home to rest. Weaker bodies get less potion times. But ah will he not be thrilled to hear the news?!" A guard explained. Sidon let his shoulders ease downwards. "I must find Minima. We have to set for the domain as though we were not here at all. If we get captured we may never get the chance to celebrate eh?" He asked.

The King's men agreed. With him on his horse and tail coiled around a piece of the saddle built for him he rode as his lover had his white horse to ride as well. Soon finding an inn. Sure enough opened as usual, and the group checked in with a tab on Sidon and a round purchased to cheers to. Making Link of course the heaviest of chuggers that night. As well as the loudest singer in the pub. As well as the most rowdy dancer. As well as the most raunchiest of jokesters.
Link was laughing and clinging to Sidon when a second ago he seemed lost in thought.
"What makes you laugh this hard pearl?"

Sidon asked in a sophisticated manner.
"Everbody gather! I got a good joke to tell ya!"
The crowd gathered around. Mostly it was the zora guards. Yet he cared not either way. An audience huddled and he cleared his liquor flavored throat.

"What's a korok got in common with a Yiga?" Link asked.

A pause in the crowd.

"They're always giving me shit!"

The drunker and more slurred the individual the harder they laughed. Sidon smiled awkwardly, and had Link paid attention he'd take notice and ask him what was the issue. But Link was incapable of noticing in this state despite all that was happening. He was as giddy and gleeful as a child. Which in a way he kind of was.

"What was the difference between champion Revali and a cuckoo? I could tolerate a cuckoo way easier!"

"Daruk once told me that he thought rocks were delicious even looking at em and I agreed. Wanna know why? Death mountain looks like its made of fried cuckoo!"

So on, so forth. The night was long. Long and cheery. Especially for Link, who didn't sleep till Sidon found him passed out and sleeping on a table. Sidon lead him to bed and embraced him tightly. Despite Link being a father and royal consort to King Sidon, the man was still a twenty something who'd been through hell. This life was not too last surely. He'd leave behind booze and hemp someday, but till then Sidon found that Link was quite cute as a sleeping Irish drunkard. What's more is somehow he was dreaming. Which was strange, because when you sleep drunk you tend not to dream. But perhaps Link was exactly that strong?

"Sid....n" he mumbled. A curl spread on Sidons lips in the form of a smile. This war was evaded and Link was able to live as Sidon's husband. Sidon was soothed admittedly. In bliss to watch the man he loved sleeping soundly, joyous about that day. Despite being unaware to what transpired. Sidon could never forget. He wouldn't allow himself to. Seeing that body there was stunning to him. Even if they were enemies.
All I can think of is that small boulder where his head should be...the stains on the gravel...Yunobo's face remaining still as a river despite everything. Holy hell...
Why is it all I could say was 'I won't tell and I'll ease up on prices. It's why I came here anyway'?
Why didn't I scre-
"Ahhhh...~"Link yawned. His foot twitched and Sidon looked at him once more. Perhaps...perhaps He was more in control then he was believeing. It was Sidon who evaded death and solved the issues at hand no? Had he not had ingenious blackmail if this backfires?
So now came the question if he should inform Link. Judging by that innocent expression as he slept and his oh so false sense of security it would be better if this were left unsaid. Yet this is my husband after all. He should know if I saw...no...by not telling I may as well have done it. I did help... so he should know...

The sun's rays stretched out to Sidon's pale face and dark eyes as he laid by his spouse. The night has met it's end so soon? Or is the morning light early? As if on cue a cuckoo nearby crowed out to the sunrise and Link sprung up and lost last night's dinner in a chamber pot near the bed. Giving Sidon the honor of holding back his lover's hair as he hacked up his stomach contents for what felt like ages before Link shakingly wiped his mouth with a cloth.
"Any better?" The zora asked. Link held up a finger, got out of bed and got to his bag before brushing his teeth and sipping some water he kept in a jar. "Oodles better my darling, oodles."
Sidon couldn't decide if it were sarcasm or not. But given he knew Link better then to be harsh to anyone who didn't honestly deserve it he took it as a joke.

"Shall we have you wash up my love?" Sidon asked in a once again sophisticated manner. "I know of a hot spring not to far from here. We can go enjoy it for a bit before we head off for Kakariko Village." He added. In case it didn't make sense, Arthur has always been left with Impa after the fiasco with the attempted robbing of the domain. Even if people were there it didn't matter to Link, "Because Dorephan's death still occurred under everyone's noses anyhow didn't it?" He'd say. To which Sidon always admitted Link had a point.

"Of course I'm in. Just allow me to go dress myself alright?" Link asked before pecking Sidon's cheek and taking the chamber pot with him to empty on his way out. However Link still was being quite forgetful. Sidon's laughter made it apparent as Link looked down only to see he had forgotten something valuable. "Where'd I leave my undergarments last night?!" Link asked clearly pink in the cheeks despite knowing he'd have a sense of humor about it later. The king found them under the wooden bed frame on the floor, chucked them towards Link, and Link headed on his merry way. Leaving Sidon alone to his thoughts.

He hunched over again, a sign he was thinking. Just months ago he'd been so reliant on Link just to help him get dressed and move about. Yet here he was helping Link from vomitting to dressing himself, and hopefully bathing him too. Sidon even wished to brush Link's hair too and maybe even play with it a bit before he would style it and then may-
"I'm back!" Link cheered. All he wore was his underwear and some socks, plus two studded opal earrings Sidon gave him. His blue hair ribbon was lost somewhere and probably in the twighlight realm for all anyone knew. Since his time as a knight Link truly had eased quite a bit. In fact he was becoming older in face as well as he looked more relaxed. His hair long and to his shoulder blades now as his chin was decorated in stubble. Just the way Sidon liked it. "Ready to head to the hotspring?" Sidon asked as he carefully got out of bed. He left his armor behind for a change.

Link took notice to this as Sidon stuck the landing and slithered to him. "Your eyepatch and crown? Aren't you going to wear it? Or even your armor? Won't we be vulnerable?" Link asked. "Ain't nothing but chuchus and dirt. Besides I want to make it quick anyways." Sidon explained as he took Link's hand and the two went outside.

Foothill stable was close to the hotspring of Death Mountain. A hop skip and jump and you would be splashing around in hot water. So with soaps in hand Link did a fast run across the path to undress as he ran and dove into the water cannonball style. His efforts only outmatched by Sidon, who weighed more making a bigger splash and drenching a few birds flying past. Making Link cackle in childish glee. Which pleased the king despite the cartilage in his back protesting that he never do that kind of shit again. But Sidon was far more satisfied that Link was happy. Besides, the hot and bubbling water was kissing his wounds better anyways.
"You're such a kid," Sidon pointed out. Link smiled up innocently. "I can show you why I'm way more mature then that,~" he teased. Apparently despite the hangover Link was still in a positive point of view. Sidon found it contagious. So he threw Link a bone and flirted back. "I can believe it when I see it," he said. "That won't be hard for you to see at all...oh wait," he gested. Sidon mimicked shock. "How dare you-! I shall retaliate!" The king chirped as he splashed Link and dodged before Link could splash back. He dove deep and snuck up on Link, then threw him across the hotspring making him laugh loudly as he fell in. Sidon dashed over to him as Link perched himself on a nearby rock.

Sidon slithered to his side. Gently planting a kiss on Link's forehead. Link in turn grinned and pressed his lips to Sidon's jaw. The shark in turn blushed a delicate rose on his white face. "Not in the mood?" Link asked. Sidon shook his head. "It's not that at all, I want to touch you don't doubt that for a second." He solemnly uttered. His voice delicate yet firm. "It's just I...have something to share..." Sidon explained. "Go on." Link assured.

"About Bludo. He was dealt with but not by anything natural..." Sidon paused. For a second his eyes glazed as he envisioned the gruesome image. Where a rock was, a head should've been. Where an unhinged jaw was broken open on the floor, a regular or cranky expression should've been. Where the gravel should be, blood had been splattered. His cold back shivered a bit. His gills gurgled.

A hand warmly met his knuckles, tracing them gently. "It's alright, you can tell me..." Link whispered. Sidon opened his eyes and looked to his lover. He put him at such ease with his large blue eyes, long blonde hair, and light stubble decorating his chin. That face of innocent curiosity was about to be ruined knowing a friend of his killed a man.

"Yunobo had already killed him by the time I got there," Sidon let out. Link looked at the distant map towers in thought. No words came loose. Not a expression change either. "I fear what he's capable of...if he plans to revolt against us I will have no choice but t-"
A hand went up midway .
"He won't."
Link lowered his hand on Sidon's, turned to him and spoke sincerely.
"He hadn't any quarell with you, Bludo was pushing him is all, don't worry about him alright?"
Sidon went silent. How is Link so certain? Sidon asked himself. Link in truth, was not. "He snapped, or maybe it had been an accident. Who knows? Who cares? I just.... I don't care. I just want this fighting to stop. I want that so....so fucking bad," Link claimed as if praying to Hylia herself. "I don't care what it takes, but we can end this feud, Sidon. Do whatever it takes..." Link met his eyes. Standing up full nude and in his most vulnerable form.

"I believe in you,"