ATTENTION! - Sheik is a girl (period) for a great article on this fact check out .

Disclaimer—I do not own Zelda or the characters created by the person that does own it. Thank you.

If you know the backstory to Ocarina of Time, you can skip this first chapter if you want, this is just a view of Zelda's POV for the first little bit.

This is a long story; it will take a while for the romance to actually start.

If you want to know what you are getting in to, there is a list of info about the story at the bottom.

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Chapter 1: The Settling Darkness

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—Sheik's POV—

Growing up in the castle, as royalty, was something many of the townspeople and even nobles dreamt of. The boys wishing to be a prince learning to battle and be swooned after by all the ladies in the kingdom as he walks by. Or the girls dreaming of being pampered as a single child, the princess, and waiting for her knight in shining armor to come in and sweep her off her feet so she could live happily ever after. That is what the fairytales read to children in Castle Town makes it seem like at least.

I had realized just how wonderful and…perfect, the fairytales sounded compared to true life, and the rest of Hyrule had learned with me. For the past six and a half years we experienced firsthand what the stories meant by the world being covered by a shroud of evil. The evil that makes the days dark and the nights darker; unfriendly even, and experiencing firsthand the feeling of living in fear; and the experiences only became worse and far-spread every day.

How could I have known, all those years ago, when I turned around, the person I saw standing before me would be the one to seal the fate of Hyrule away for seven years. That, because of this one person, Hyrule would be in the depths of evil and darkness, with no hope of light for almost an entire decade. But no, it was not enitrely his fault; I was the initiator.

How could I have even begun to fathom, the few simple words I spoke would be the ones to set in motion things of a cataclysmic nature, things that could only be taken back by reversing the hands of time. It could have been prevented had I called the breath back into my foolish throat before it could begin to form words and then sentences. How simple it would have been to prevent the deaths of innumerable amounts of people, including the death of the King and Queen of Hyrule.

But no, I thought that being the princess of Hyrule, it gave me the right to go behind my parents and ask a boy, not a man, but a boy, of eleven years of age, someone my age, to go and try to prevent what I knew was coming.

Since the start of the years of terror, tales of the Hero could be heard whispered behind closed doors, as a half-hearted hope for rescue and relief, but those stories did not fit with the genre of fairytales. They were true stories of the past, albeit they were made much prettier than how the events would have actually played out in real life.

The stories of the Hero were being relived once again by the once peaceful lands of Hyrule all because of Ganondorf...but even those were beginning to fade and die, just as the hope did across Hyrule. Years of waiting and hoping left most people broken, content to curl up and die, but there are a few of us, a very few granted, who will still stand up and work to protect the little peace still left in Hyrule, the small amount of normality. I have no hope of rescue, nor entertain the thought of a person rising from the smoke and ruble to right the wrongs. That naivety had left me shortly after the King and Queen died.

This line of thinking is always intense for me, I do not just remember my memories when I think about Ganondorf; I relive them. You see, it did not always used to be like this, there was a time, even as early as seven and a half years ago that there was only clear skies, beautiful weather, and a peace reigned all throughout Hyrule. My father and mother, King and Queen of Hyrule, ruled justly, as their parents before them.

Though I was an only child, I was not spoiled; I had been raised with love… I was not given chores and duties like cooking or making my bed but I had a decent grasp on politics and an impressive understanding of the inner workings of the kingdom by the age of eight. My mother saw to that, and my father (unbeknownst to my mother) made sure I had a small amount of training in the skills of bow and sword. Loved, skilled, and involved in many things, but usually still very much alone usually. Oh how simple and insignificant my "troubles" at that age now seem…

—Zelda's POV—

"No matter where I go, there is always someone there to say 'Your Highness' or 'milady' or 'Princess Zelda' or some other form of title. For the love of Naryu, is there no one who will treat me like a normal person? No one I can just talk to regularly and they not try to tread carefully with the words they say or the things they mention? The nobles always seem to think they can hide the shift in attitude when I am around, their children always act jealous or try to impress me to be their friend."

I knew the boys had bets on who could become "my best friend" first and the girls, well; they were as shallow as a Kokiri is short

Letting a humorless smile cross her face she thought "and that's putting it nicely."

I did not mind too much at the time, I was young and naïve, I noticed, but I did not care, they were nice enough and though my guards usually would not let me play with them, I had fun hearing them laugh and run around town. The times I was allowed to play with them was when they were playing a card game or board game, hopscotch was even fun if you had other people; I found out quickly just how fun it was by yourself later that week when I had nothing else to do at home. "Not fun at all"

The closest thing I had to a friend growing up was Impa. Impa is a Sheikah, a race sworn to protect the Hylian Royal Family. "Sheikah" stands for "shadow people" and they are called such because of their ability to appear and disappear, their tendency to not say much or show much emotion except around others in the Sheikah tribe. She is my guardian. If there is not a guard or servant around "and sometimes even if there is" Impa is around, watching and protecting me whether I see her or not. I have grown up with Impa around me all my life and I have never seen her cry, and I get lucky if I see her smile let alone laugh. This is not to suggest she does not feel or understand emotion, she just conceals it and does not let it affect her actions unless it is during one of the few times we are alone and she is lets herself slip into more of a friend role rather than a guardian role. Every few weeks she would slip away and be more of a friend because she knew how lonely I could get, she would hold me if I cried, and laugh if I told her of something silly that I did that day.

Her eyes, however, were constantly flowing with emotion. Though her face shows none, her eyes can tell you almost anything you need to know, as long as you can interpret it. And I've come to find that many people express more emotion in their eyes than on their face, especially if they are people like the Sheikah or nobles trying to impress or whatever the case may be. If the emotion doesn't reach the eyes, then a lot of times, it is not a genuine emotion.

Impa is very caring, towards me at least, and she is always willing to listen or tell me stories about her people. The same way my parents made sure I knew about politics, she made sure I knew most of Hyrule's history, well, anything that I did not learn already during my classes. Often times she even corrected what I had learned because it was changed to make the Hylians sound better. I learned all about the Zoras, Gorons, Gerudo and Kokiri as well as any general traditions or character traits each race had. I learned about the different plants and their properties or dangers and the creatures throughout Hyrule, friendly and some of the more dangerous. It may seem like a lot for a nine year old to contain but really if you think about it, if you had nothing else to do except sit in a castle "or prison, that better describes it sometimes" learning about the outside world almost makes up for not being able to go and see it. Almost. And on top of that I apparently caught on and understood things easily.

My favorite place to go on the castle grounds was a small garden, my favorite flowers, a few birds came a went through the seasons, but it was mine, only my parents, Impa and I were allowed in there. There was a small birdbath and three windows that looked into various parts of the castle. One looked into the main court where my father and mother would sit on their thrones and greet nobles or foreign dignitaries or who ever came into the castle to meet with the King. It was here I spent most of my free time. I would play my Ocarina or lie back enjoying the sun or go insane because I had already done the other two so much that they became boring.

My throat always gets tighter after I run through all the memories up to this point, because I know what happens next, but my mind keeps right on pulling up the memories, its like stepping into water with a strong current, once you're in it, it carries you where it wants to until it releases you from its grip.

It was a normal evening; I had just gotten ready for bed and was making sure my bedroom door was locked before climbing into bed. Once comfortable I blew out the candle and lay down. The day today had started a little earlier than usual but I was thankful because it made me that much happier to be going to sleep finally, I knew I would be out in a matter of minutes. Had I known what was about to occur, I may have put off sleep for a day or so.

-it was dark, it was a dream but it was dark, from this simple fact, I knew it would be a nightmare. I usually did not have them, but this stood out as something more than a normal dream. All of Hyrule was dark, the castle, Castle Town, and everything as far as the eye could see laid beneath a blanket of clouds. It was not just a rainstorm though, the clouds had a presence to them, it was unkind, and oppressive. It did not just hang over Hyrule, it suppressed it, all the beauty and glory that could usually be seen across Hyrule Field looked as though someone had taken a rag and wiped all the color off the trees and grass. The clouds were evil. I was terrified but no matter what I tried, I could not look away, and I could not wake up.

Out of nowhere, a shaft of blue right erupted skyward from the direction of the forest where the Kokiri live. As I watched, a boy, no more than seven years old, dressed in all green with a long curved hat that reached the small of his back, walked out of he beam of light with a small bouncing ball of light over his shoulder-a small fairy, I realized after a closer look. However, even though he was young, I could see there was a certain look about him, not cocky or smug as many of the boys from noble families are, but very confident, very bold, but humble about it. As I watched, the darkness slowly began to recede until…

I woke up… Impa was standing near my head by the side of my bed looking over me with concern. I could not remember much anything about the dream except the dark, evil cloud over Hyrule and the small boy with the fairy on his shoulder. I told Impa everything I could remember and my worries…

"I feel like something very bad is about to happen, I do not think this was a normal dream," I told her.

She looked at me silently for a moment before responding, "Do not think on it any tonight, you need to rest, tomorrow will be a full day. Do not forget what you feel though, this may be more important than you know in the near future"

"So you do not think I am going crazy?" I shyly smirked

Her eyes sparkled for a moment as her mouth twitched a small bit before she answered me that she did not, her eyes showing the humor she found in that simple question but the honesty of her answer all the same. Something else I have found while being around Impa as much as I am, is that along with her eyes, she will sometime have slight shifts of her mouth. It doesn't affect her face overall, but its slight enough to get just one more glimpse into how she is responding.

I would have to say she slowly became a weird mixture of a mother, sister, and friend to me. She cared and protected like a mother, listened like a sister, and conspired like a friend – yes conspired, she had a prankster side that was enhanced by her talents and training as a Sheikah, giving her access to different substances that had strange reactions to different things, her ability to sneak around undetected, and, Deku Nuts, something that became a favorite of mine. Easy enough to get "Well, for anyone who got to go outside the castle grounds" and they are a great amount of fun. They would explode on contact with anything solid. It would not hurt so much as it would blind anyone who was looking in its general direction for a short time.

The days I was really bored she would sometimes sit with me for an hour or so and we would plan something elaborate for a prank on some of the more uptight guards around the palace and then sneak off and put it in action. I only got caught twice, unfortunately both times were by my mother. Those were both long days of lectures and a few following days of extra lessons…

Anyways, a couple weeks after I had the dream, there was a meeting scheduled between the King and the new leader for the Gerudos. The Gerudos are a race of people with dark skin and fiery red hair that is usually pulled back in a ponytail and left to grow long. The Gerudos are an all female race with a single male born once every hundred years and this male is their King. The Gerudos are a proud race, and very skilled fighters, skilled to a point of holding respect among all races in Hyrule. However they are also greatly regarded as thieves by all the other races also.

I was in my garden during the time my father was supposed to meet this new leader. This is where the memories get better and worse…

I peer through the window every couple minutes to see if the man is there yet, its been such a long time since we have had a foreign visitor at the palace, and definitely the first time I will have seen a Gerudo in person. Impa is in with my father and mother, I have not had hardly any time to talk with her about my dream. I am quite certain it will happen soon, but I still do not remember much about it, just that it will be bad when it does.

I check the window again and then hear soft footsteps behind me. My mind quickly registers the fact that it could not be either of my parents and definitely not Impa, because she would not make a sound at all so that leaves the simple fact that someone is in my garden that is not supposed to. Even the guards know not to come in here unless the castle comes under attack while I am here.

By this time a gasp has formed in my mouth and I spin around ready for anything…except the young boy dressed all in green with a fairy over his shoulder…odd, he seems familiar, but he still shouldn't be—

"Who-who are you?" I ask, and without giving him time to respond I ask "And how did you get past the guards?"

He remains silent but looks down slightly embarrassed I guessed

"Is that…a fairy? Then are you… Are you from the forest?"

As he nods, more of my dream comes back to me that I had not remembered before, an image of a green, shining stone slowly forms in my head and the words Spiritual Stone of the Forest are shout out unbidden in my head. Pulling me back to some of my talks with Impa

"Then you wouldn't happen to have the Spiritual Stone of the Forest would you?" I ask with a soft smile on my face, he seems shy, but I remember the strong, brave face he wore in my dream

He pauses for a second and then nods.

"Just as I thought" bringing my hands together in a show of excitement, and then I go on to explain the dream I had. Once I finished, he was looking at me with a hint of wonder and confusion; I then realized I never introduced myself

I do and then ask his name, as soon as I hear his name, something deep within me awakens, something recognizes it, or him, strange… I decide its best to push the feeling away for now.

As we have been standing there, I have been able to watch him slowly relax, I smile more freely and he begins returning them, I feel at ease around him, there are no false pretenses, no masks or hidden agendas, he is here, listening and talking more now. For the first time, I feel like I have an actual friend, even though we have just met.

I figure it will be best for me to explain things, apparently he has something to do with my dream, and that was a big deal, and he brought a stone that is of great importance to the Temple of Time. And so, I start in on explaining the secrets of the Secret Realm that have been passed down through the generations of Hyrule Kings and Queens…

Once I finish retelling the story I learned growing up, I glanced behind me, the King of the Gerudo has finally arrived and is kneeling before my father, I look back to Link and tell him to look at the man and my thoughts on him being what the dark clouds represented. From his eyes alone I can tell, this man, though his intentions seem pure and respectful, his heart is corrupted and twisted.

I'm brought back from my thoughts as link jumps back in surprise, he tells me the man saw him watching. I tell him not to worry, he can't know what we are planning

I continue and tell him Ganondorf is probably after the Triforce that is hidden away in the Sacred Realm. My parents did not believe me when I told them my fears about Ganondorf, in fact, my father has stopped listening to me on the subject, our close relationship is slightly hurting from this, he sees nothing wrong with Ganondorf and plans to make a treaty with him. The only two people who know anything past that is Link and myself, so it must fall to us two.

My fears must have shown on my face because Link softly lays a hand on my shoulder in a comforting way and rubs his thumb some soothingly. Something about him just sets me at ease…

I turn to Link and ask him to help me protect Hyrule.

He smiles reassuringly and nods, in his soft but firm voice he answers "Of course, Zelda."

The simple fact that he called me only Zelda, not princess, or your highness, or any other title helps me know, I have just made a friend I can trust above anyone else, that I can talk to and be me around and not worry about looking and acting like a princess, I can be normal and he will be fine with it.

I explain where the other stones are supposed to be and tell him I will keep the ocarina safe until he finishes that task and then we will get the Triforce before he does and then defeat him. Of course the fact that he's seven and I'm six while Ganondorf is well into his adult life doesn't cross my mind as a potential problem.

Impa arrived a short time later and walked out with Link, before they left the garden though, she taught him my favorite song, when my mother used to rock me before laying me down to sleep, she would hum a melody over me, it is a song passed down each generation through the Royal Family, it has magical powers and holds much sway over any who have had connection with the family, those close and loyal know the sound of it and will respond to it. This melody and the letter I wrote with my signature one it are two of the most helpful things we can give him before he leaves on his mission.

As the two walk out of the garden, Impa glances over her shoulder with a look on her face that tells me I need to wait for her so we can talk once she escorts Link out of the Castle grounds. I start walking back to my room humming a melody that is different than anything I've heard before.

I waited in my room, sitting on the edge of my bed after slowly walking back from my garden. Impa had yet to return after walking with Link to the front gates of the castle so I was not sure what to be expecting when she came in. Finally, I hear a soft knock on my door before she pushes it open slightly and slips in. I had made sure a while ago she got past the idea of thinking she needed to wait for my permission to enter.

As she stepped in I could see a thoughtful expression stretched across her face, one of concentration on details that looked as though they were troubling her. She came and sat on the bed beside me, laying an arm around my shoulders and pulling me near, it wasn't the warm hug of a mother, but it was a comforting feeling all the same.

She turned to me and stated, "Your new friend seems as though he isn't given to talking much. As we walked out, he did not say hardly anything, mostly just nodded or laughed a little"

Laughing lightly I shook my head "I noticed that too, but I think after a little while he may warm up and start talking a bit more. Maybe you just scared him, he started smiling close to the end of our talk, what did you do to him?" Leaning into her a bit harder for a second to show I was making a bit of fun at her.

She ignored the playful jab, "Well, he should know that if he plans on being your friend, he better be careful, you have some very protective guardians that do not allow much room for mistakes" she replied with an amused glint in her eyes for a second before she brought her face back under her emotional mask.

"I think things are coming to a point that we need to get a bag ready for you and set in a certain location that will help us be ready…" her voice trailing off, face set back into a look of deep concentration

"Ready for what Impa?" worry settling in around the edges of my voice causing it to waiver for a second, I knew what she was talking about but I wasn't sure I believed it had come to that yet.

She looked at me for a second, looked away and stood up. She walked over to my closet and with her back to me answered, "Whatever comes next. I am not sure that your dream was as far off as I thought it was at first, I saw the eyes of Ganondorf, his words were smooth and calming, his actions were refined and humble, but his eyes…" She let those words hang for a moment or two before continuing, "He is hiding at least some of his thoughts and plans, but it looked to be much more than just that. We must be ready. Whether it is him or someone else, now or later, we must be ready for anything."

I look at my hands folded in my lap; I noticed I had been fidgeting slightly without realizing it. I took a few quiet but deep breaths and calmed myself and Impa walked back and forth from my closet to my bed to a dresser and chest and then back to my bed until she had a large sized pile of clothes, first aid supplies, cloaks, and other random items and one small bag, about the size of a person's head.

"Surely we cannot carry that much stuff at once! I may be a princess but I don't need all that, especially if this is to be a quick get away plan, how many trunks is this going to take?"

Impa shook her head with a small smile and a look on her face that she gets when she is about to share a secret with me that she thinks I will enjoy hearing.

"This small bag here is special, It has the ability to hold more items than you think it can, also, things that look like they are to big to actually fit in here will still fit. Only a few Sheikah have them nowadays, I have a couple though, it also makes it so that no matter how much stuff you have in here, it still feels considerably light."

As if to prove her point, she began stuffing the pile on the bed into the bag, folding clothes, organizing things that are similar into different areas but in the end, the bag lived up to her praise, everything fit inside the bag, and when she told me to come look inside, I was surprised to see that there was still a considerable amount of space left.

Over the next few days, Impa began having me spend more time with her working on my archery and swordsmanship skills. She also introduced me to throwing stars, throwing knives and taught me how to teleport using Sheikah methods.

I was picking up everything decently well, but I knew if I met any other Sheikah, I would still only be a beginner compared to them. The thing I enjoyed the most was transporting, mostly because if there were people around I was supposed (was allowed to) to use a Deku Nut. I'm a girl, it makes me giggle, so sue me! Though after the first few times of me throwing one, giggling, and then transporting, Impa called that lesson to an end. She walked off muttering something about "can't let her keep that up or it could ruin…" and then she was too far out of hearing range. Ruin what? I thought to myself.

During this time, Impa also began working with me on my magical abilities. I knew I had them, but I had never tried to actually do anything with them. I knew I was the bearer of the piece of the Triforce of Wisdom, but I never explored it. I knew I had visions, but I found that deeper in that, I could use telepathy, mostly, from what Impa told me, with Link, but with practice I could communicate to others. Starting out however, it took a large amount of concentration and even then I couldn't sustain it or truly hold a conversation with Link, I could only get emotions from him.

I worked on it whenever I had free time or was doing something that didn't take much focus to complete the task. The few times I was able to establish any kind of connection with Link, I could feel some of his pain and weariness in the background. He was working hard though and usually there was a determination and strength that flowed strongly through our connection. He was only a seven year old kid but he seemed more like a young man who had fought and won many wars and knew he could do anything set before him. There was a fierceness and resolve that was almost terrifying. He was making good time and had already retrieved the Spiritual Stone of Fire and was at the Zora's domain working to find something or someone.

Training continued as usual for another two days until the day Ganondorf was scheduled to return to the castle to speak with father and his advisors again about the treaty. Impa and I were on edge all morning, he showed up shortly after lunch, instead of only coming alone though, he brought a large group of the women under his rule. All had fiery red hair, darker skin, and dark clothing. They had twin scimitars on either hip and though they stayed near the front door of the castle with their faces set in a neutral expression, there was a level of intimidation they gave off by the way they were standing in a readiness stance.

From my garden, I watch as Ganondorf comes into the main court and kneels before my father, Impa left shortly before he arrived to check on our packs and be sure all was ready "Just in case" she said as she walked away. Ganondorf has now stood up and is shaking hands with my father, then turns and takes my mother's hand and kisses it in a show of respect. The three of them turn and walk towards a room where Father usually meets with his advisors and noblemen. Ganondorf glances around the room and meets my eyes for a few short seconds before following behind my parents. A dark smirk has come over his face as he closes the doors behind him. I hear someone walking up behind me but it's not the footfalls that Impa has. I turn around quickly enough to see a flash of red and then darkness overtakes my eyes.

Struggling against the arms that hold me, I begin screaming, until my breath is knocked out of my lungs by a fist to my stomach. I gather my wits and try to discern where I am by which way I think they are walking. I hear shouts from the corridor, screams of pain, grunts of exertion and the clangs and whacks echoing as blade strikes blade or shield or body. I hear a door open in front of us and then close again a second later behind, all noise muffled until I hear a soft pop and then two grunts followed quickly by an unintelligible shout and then a painful groan. The arms around me had released me but I still felt a presence nearby. A person moves closer to me and pulls the fabric off my head allowing me to see I am just outside a side door of the castle. Three Gerudos are cast around on the ground near my feet, one bleeding, two seemingly unconscious. In front of me stood three Sheikah, and a fourth one was walking up from behind them, it was Impa! Thank goodness she is safe! I breathe a sigh of relief.

Impa has our bags in hand, hands them to me and tells two to accompany me to the stables just down the hillside from where we are now; she pulls the third off to the side and begins whispering to him. Before I turn I see his face begin to fall before he sets it back to its neutral expression all Sheikahs wear.

Impa catches up to us before we reach the stables and as I climb up and Impa gets on behind me, she tells the three to go back to the castle to help get wounded out. At this I give a start, my parents! I whip my head around to the side to address Impa,

"Where are my parents?" I ask breathlessly, still somewhat recovering from being partially kidnapped and then rushing to the stables.

She glances down at me with a firm expression and softly says "You are my highest charge, I must insure that you are protected over all else." But I get an underlying feeling that there is more she is not telling me. She then tells me to hold on and digs her heel into the horse's side with a yell. We make it around to the main gate that has been busted in and are through before we are spotted. Yells are heard back at the castle and a barrage of arrows fall just short of where our horse had been running a matter of seconds ago.

We go flying down through the main square of Castle Town and turn and head east out of the city. The drawbridge begins lowering as the guards see us coming, we reach it just as it settles onto the stonework on the other side of the river. But there is a figure standing there, a small boy-why is a boy outside and alone at a time like this? But then I realize that it is Link, he has apparently finished getting all three Spiritual Stones and is coming to meet back up with me. What terrible timing! I curse our bad luck. We are now drawing even with him and it hits me; I probably won't see him again for a while, I have to get him the Ocarina of Time so he can stop Ganondorf! I reach into my pack in front of me, grab it and throw it wildly towards him.

It sails way over his head and into the river, but as I see it fall, I also see that Ganondorf is following us on horseback. He pulls up and stops near Link, looks down and it looks like he starts talking to him. By now we are too far away for me to see or for us to be seen and we ride off into the darkness. I pray to the Goddesses Link is alright, that Ganondorf leaves him alone and begins searching after us. We are only kids, stupid kids at that to think we could stop Ganondorf from anything. I scoff at myself "And I'm supposed to be the bearer of the Triforce piece of Wisdom." I shake my head in disgust.

Impa and I ride nonstop for the remainder of the night. By dawn we had put a fair amount of distance between Castle Town and us, but I could still see the smoke…all night. If I looked back, I could see a faint glow rising from where Hyrule Castle sits. My home has been destroyed. Once we stop, Impa helps me get down off the horse, and then once she gets down pulls me into a hug. Its one of the tightest embraces she has given me and, at that, my emotions rush to the surface and I break down and start crying. Before she even says the words, I know, I don't want to believe it, but I know.

"Dear…my dear, dear Zelda. I am so sorry….you're parents are dead…" she whispers into me ear as she pulls me, somehow, closer.

I cry until my body gives in to the call for sleep and even then it continues.

—Sheik's POV—

Yeah, I had no clue what I had started, even hearing those words, there was no way I could understand how much worse things could get in a matter of weeks, let alone years as one bad thing followed another. My parents had lost their lives, but all things considered, they were the lucky ones…

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1. Once more on this fact, Link is going to think Sheik is a boy. She looks like one, she will act like one, and she will tell Link she is, but she is not. Just so I am sure that matter is clear.

2. I will integrate in an idea that is not canon but was taken from another FF story by Rose Zemlya. I really enjoyed this idea so I am going to pull from it a little. I promise, I'm not making any mistakes out of ignorance. ;) at least none that I know of...

3. I will say this once and then leave you alone about it: If you don't like the way I write, something annoys you about what I've written or it's not canon, feel free to review or PM me. I feel like part of my job in posting these up is making sure you are enjoying reading them. If you don't review, I will continue as I am and take it as you being okay with how it is going and while you letting me know you like it is nice to hear and makes me feel good, I will not beg for reviews or punish you for not reviewing. ;)