My apologies if this story starts out kinda slow. It will speed up after my OC gets introduced. Sheik is his own character, and a guy! I hope you enjoy...this is my first Zelda fanfic.
It was a heart wrenching sight, seeing the blonde princess crying over the form of her former caretaker. She was cradling the fallen woman's head delicately in her small pale hands, not daring to lift them to wipe away a single tear. A young man no older than sixteen hovered over them, a grim expression on his normally light face. Link looked down at the mortally wounded caretaker, and wasn't surprised by her calm expression. Impa had always been a strong woman, and even in her final hour, she did not crack.
"I feel blessed to have seen you grow into such a fine young lady." Impa managed to speak, astonishing Link.
Zelda's lips struggled to smile at her words, but they quivered terribly, and Link was afraid the girl would lose it at any second. He knelt down beside her, and she didn't hesitate to lean against his sturdy frame for support. He knew she had loved Impa like her own mother, but at the same time like a friend. And now out on the castle's steps, that woman's blood was seeping down, staining the marble.
"I'm glad it was you that raised me." Zelda whispered, but even in that whisper, her voice cracked.
Impa smiled at her, but then turned her muted red eyes to Link, the young blonde hero. "Link, it'll be up to you to look after this girl from now on."
The attractive blonde teen nodded his head, biting his lip to keep from crying himself. He had a sensitive soul though, and any much more of Impa's words would surely knock him over the edge.
"I-Impa, are you sure there's nothing we can do?" Zelda pleaded, wanting some sort of plan, some sort of action that could save her friend and caretaker.
"Shh, child. It's okay, everyone moves on eventually, though I must admit, this wasn't the way I had in mind." She let out a strained chuckle, that filled the hollow air surrounding them.
Impa suddenly looked away, her face growing serious. "There's something you two must know before I move on."
The two youth's tensed in surprise, and leaned in closer to the dying woman, determined to remember everything she was about to say.
Impa let out a sigh, and then began, "You are not aware of this, but I am not an only child. In fact, I'm only a half Sheikah."
The teens gasped in unison, but went silent quickly for her to continue.
"Now Link, you journeyed into the future six years ago, correct?" The boy nodded. "You also said that you encountered a young man by the name of Sheik, who had been Zelda in disguise. I being the one that had given Zelda that power, could not have been able to create such a complicated person without someone to base it after. That future Sheik that was actually Zelda, was really based off of my half brother, the real Sheik."
Zelda and Link's eyes widened, and they exchanged astonished glances.
"I assume in that future, the real Sheik had died, so there would have been no identity problems. But now, thanks to you Link, he is still alive, somewhere out in the desert southeast of here. I need you to bring him here, out of his exile. He's the last pure blooded Sheikah alive, which unfortunately makes him the only one that can seal away the Ebony Locket that the twins Castor and Pollux have unleashed."
"So that's why you snuck out on your own. Only a Sheikah can seal it away." Zelda murmured as she realized why Impa had taken off so rashly.
"Yes my child, but I'm afraid, my efforts to end this swiftly had been in vain, for only a pure blooded Sheikah can undo the harm those twins have brought forth." She managed another weak smile, almost like she were embarrassed to admit it.
Link furrowed his brow, his blue eyes casting a worried glow. "Impa, this other Sheik, your brother, what will he be like?"
Impa smiled knowingly. "When you bring him here, you will see. He's hardened himself with his years in solitary out in that desert, but deep down, he's kind and true, just be patient."
"Why was he exiled?" Zelda asked confused, though still crying.
"He exiled himself deary. Why though, I don't have the right to say. All I ask of you is to try to understand what he's been through. Maybe with your sunny personality Link, he'll finally open back up." Impa threw the young hero a look of praise.
"We'll do our best Impa, you have my word." Link assured, his voice unnaturally steady despite the grief welling up inside him.
"I know you will, hero. Both of you will." She moved her dull red eyes up to Zelda once more, and offered her a brief smile.
The lights in her eyes faded slowly, but even in death, her peaceful smile remained. Zelda's tears turned to bitter weeping, and she gently lowered her former caretaker's eyelids, her muted eyes never to look upon the living again. Link wrapped a comforting arm over the princess's should, and she turned and buried her face deep into his chest, wetting the forest green tunic he wore.
Link's blue eyes drifted back towards Impa's broken and still bleeding body, and couldn't help but wonder how such wounds could befall the skilled woman. Whoever these twins called Castor and Pollux were, they seemed like quite a force to reckon with. Maybe the real reason why Impa took no backup with her, was she already suspected she'd die anyways, and wanted to spare as many lives as possible. He would never know for certain though.