This story is after Ocarina and after Majora's Mask. So no one gets confused, this is when Link is back to adult Link because this is several years after both. If you're offended by yaoi, do not read. SheikXLink, read and review please.
Link had never gone back to Termina. Hyrule seemed like the best place to return to, though he didn't know what would've happened to it or if anyone remembered that he had saved it so many years ago. Of course, Ganondorf had managed to get loose from the Sacred Realm, though no one it seemed knew much about it. He sat on his new horse, Epona having been killed about a year before by a wolfos. This one looked similar to Epona, except with a black mane, for this he named the mare Aisling, dream, since it seemed like a dream when him and Epona would run everywhere together. He gazed up to each side of the mountains he had lived in. To the east was Hyrule and west was Termina, though they were not adjacent. He had been living in a small cave for the past few years, and before that he had stayed with anyone who recognized him as the prophesied hero. Everyone else just slammed the door or threw small rupees at him. Everything in the cave was packed into saddlebags that were slunk over Aisling's chocolate back.
Link finished looking at the old cave in the gully of some mountains and rode Aisling off into the direction of his home; Hyrule. There, he would probably have nothing. If the people, who jeered at outsiders, would not allow him to live there, he could simply talk to Zelda who would surely be ruling the land by now and get her to vouch for him. He knew he couldn't stay with her, however.
After a week of drinking stale and slimy water, and eating moudly bread, Link finally saw the mountains that bordered the glistening Lake Hylia. He rode Aisling to the edge and jumped off, slurping in the cool, pure water. At last he lifted his dripping head from the cool water, catching eyes with a Zora who gawked at him.
"What?" Link demanded. Though he was only nineteen, he had matured far more in his years, having seen the purity of the world gone.
"You... you're!" the Zora started, laughing in a rapid squeeking. Link winced as his ears seemed to bleed. "The Hero of Time!" the Zora squeeked. The Zora eyed Link; torn green tunic, broken boots, blond stubble and messy hair of the same color.
"You're a mess!" the Zora exclaimed.
"So?" Link prodded.
"I could take you to King Zora to get cleaned up," the Zora blushed. Link stared for a moment pondering, finally agreeing. The Zora laughed gleefully, and swam off. Link ran to Aisling and led her into the water, the horse seeming grateful for the water. He led her to the opening of Zora's Domain, where another Zora tied it up without question. He followed the friendly one into the gap, swimming through the underground tunnels and finally floating up to the surface of Zora's Domain. All the Zoras stopped and looked, though only the older ones recognized him. The younger, more disagreeable ones criticized the stranger and were therefore subject to the elders tales. No one really bothered him, and for this Link was appreciative.
The Zora, who finally introduced herself as Virva, led Link up the winding passageways to where the much older King Zora still sat on the altar of Lord Jabu Jabu. The king looked as elitist as ever, glaring down on Link.
"Your majesty," Virva greeted the King. "This man is Link and-"
"Link?!" the king interrupted Virva and nearly jumped form the altar. "THE Link?!"
"Yes sir-"
"Link! You simply must stay here!"
"Thank you-"
"Virva, take Link to the fountain to get cleaned up and then take him to the hideout."
"Yes, your majesty."
"The hideout?" Link questioned him.
"It's a new addition beyond the fountain. Remember that passage beside the fairy fountain?" Virva asked. The king smiled gleefully.
"Yes, but-" Link started.
"We built into it after the ice melted." Link smiled, remembering the thick ice covering the water and the ghostly zoran figures floating in between gaps under the ice. Link shivered with the mere thought.
"Now Virva, what were you going to say?" King Zora asked as the two headed up the slope to go past the king. Link rolled his eyes.
"Uh-just that we love you," Virva lied. King Zora smiled and blushed.
"Well I am a just, honorable, handsome-" the king continued as the two left for the fountain. Again, Link swam after Virva to the other side of the pond where the fairy fountain entrance was engraved into the sides of the rocky crater walls. In front of it, four large poles bearing the image of the Zora's Sapphire sat dug into the ground and tied by gold chains on three sides. Virva waited for Link to come ashore, the dirty water dripping from his body making him slightly cleaner, and then ushered Link to follow her down the hole.
The place still had the smell of wet earth and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. The passageway sloped up until it got to a ladder, but instead they went down into another tunnel that Virva said was underwater in rock so Ganondorf couldn't do the Zoras any harm if he came back to Hyrule. This hall had a stone door at the end, which Virva opened with a small sapphire-shaped key. It gave way to a large room filled with tapestries and pictures of various zoran articles, including a small statue of Princess Ruto. Link stared at this. Virva, noticing Link's curiosity walked over.
"She went back to the Water Temple," Virva said. Link reminisced about the many confusing twists of the temple.
"What about her father?" he asked, turning to face Virva.
"You know, you're not as bitter as you made yourself out to be," Virva said, making the concerned look drop from Link's face. "Sorry," she apologized. Link nodded and went back to his gaze at the small statue. "Princess Ruto gave up her title and went to live at the temple. Rumour is that she'll be coming back, now that she's sure that she can secure the temple for good."
"Her father seems to be getting pretty old," Link said, looking then at the pedestal with more engravings.
"He is. I'll get one of the others to bringin a small bed. There are water falls if you go that way, seeing as how you'll want to clean up a bit," Virva pointed at a small opening in the far-wall and eyed Link. "I'll get him to tie up your horse as well," Virva left back down the tunnel. Link watched her walk away and then undressed, running to the feeling of clean water he could bathe in at last.
The water was surprisingly warm and ran over Link like a blanket. He ran his fingers through dripping hair and used scented soaps that adorned the rocks. Oddly enough, there was even glass that he, with difficulty, shaved with. Feeling clean, he got out of the small springs and watched the gentle rhythm of the waterfalls stir and churn the soap bubbles, before they finally separated. Realizing that his other clothes were in Aisling's bags, he grudgingly put on the dirty material, the stuck wrinkles sticking to his skin. He walked out into the main room, where a discolored Zora knealt, unrolling something similar to a futon. He could hear the braying of Aisling and guessed they had brought her to the fairy fountain. The saddlebags sat in another corner. The other Zora didn't say much, though seemed quite pleased to be in the same room as the legendary Hero of Time. Link didn't bother to check on the horse, instead changing into some other clothes from the bags and crawling into the futon. He was led to sleep by the gentle sounds of water hitting the shore and the muted braying of Aisling.
It was already 1:00 PM when Link awoke. He had changed again and talked to King Zora about Hyrule. Apparently, Kakariko still had many shops, though was not the main one. Therefore, Link set out on Aisling toward the village. The Zora's animusly, due to the amount of work to it, put up ramps to connect the waterfall entrance and the eroded land bridges to the main potion. Link offered them a few rupees, from the ones thrown at him, but they politely refused. Link shrugged at the generous attitude and headed out towards Kakariko for supplies.
The village was not exactly bustling, though it probably took some of the strain off the revived castle town market. The skulltula house had been converted into a motel owned by the former cursed family; the well had been covered and converted into a fountain, and there were a few more buildings on where would have been the gate for Death Mountain. Those looked like more houses to Link. There was a baby-faced man who offered to tie Aisling up for him; and now that he looked harder, the man seemed to be the boy who had always played in the cemetery. The air sizzled with the smell of food from the motel but he needed supplies too much and the Zoras would probably fish for him if he needed. Personally, he hated fishing after the gruelling hours at the Fishing Pond. People walked with baskets in hand and children played with cuckos that waddled around. Walking out of the skulltula motel was a young man. He wore a turban hat, blue and black suit, a face cover and had red eyes and blond hair protruding from the only exposed skin on his face. Link gawked at him or her...
"Zelda!" Link ran over. The man, no outside didn't even look. "Why are you still wearing your disguise?" Link asked surprised.
"I am not wearing a disguise," the other said.
"Zelda, cut it out," Link teased.
"How dare you suggest I am a girl?!" he threw a punch that Link narrowly dodged. Link grabbed the face covering and pulled. The face was definitely male.
"I am Sheik, Link." Link stared.