The heartless wind blew coldly as the sun began its decent to slumber, awakening the bright moon. Warm colors painted across the sky as the world darkened. Blue eyes slightly darker than usual looked into the sunset. Blonde hair danced across his cheek in the wind, not fazing him. He sighed, his mind filled with questions.

All that I've believed, known, and... He stopped his thoughts for a moment, wasn't the truth. It wasn't what I expected.

He tilted his head down, resting it on his arms that lay across his knees.

It just doesn't make any sense...

He envisioned a girl with long blonde bangs that hid her beautiful blood eyes, a mask that hid her equally pretty face. Her head was wrapped in bandage material, a braid sprouted from the back. Her fingers strummed a string instrument, like she always did when she met up with him. Her fingers were bandaged, her body in a tight-fitting blue outfit with a red eye on the front. He remembered how he felt around her, comfortable even though she was a warrior, carefree even though she reminded him of his duty, and...infatuated even though she hid herself. They had a routine, he would walk to the next temple, she would appear from seemingly nowhere, she would say some poetic things about the world and time, and she would teach him a song before disappearing. Only a few times did that routine ever change. She was what he always looked forward to when he got another medallion.

Then, his vision changed, much like she did. Instead of a mysterious, strange warrior harpist, he saw another girl with her long blonde hair brushed neatly out, her perfect blue eyes looking at him with pride. Her skin was the prettiest pale; she wore a crown on her head and a pink royal dress on her body. The princess he saw was beautiful, wise, and perfect. But she wasn't the warrior he knew.

He lifted his head up and looked to the sunset again, laying his back against the tree on the small piece of land surrounded by water. He remembered his slight excitement when he saw his friend waiting for him this time the last time he was here.

"Sheik!" He called out a little too excitedly, walking to the warrior.

She nodded before looking at the now full lake.

"Link, you did it!" She said, showing the most emotion he'd ever heard her express, even though it wasn't much.

But he could no longer have conversations or even see her again. If he wanted to see her, he'd have to go to the Princess Zelda. They were the same, and nothing he could do would change it. The ninja-warrior Sheik was just the Princess of Hyrule Zelda's disguise. But if they were the same, then why are they so different?

He had no clue that the bloody yet beautiful red eyes of his friend was lying to him. He didn't know that she was the princess, and that he shouldn't have fallen for her. It was such a storybook ending near the beginning; the hero would end up with the princess. But then, he was sure that he would break the code of fairytales and end up with his warrior aid. But now, he couldn't.

If Sheik and Zelda are the same...then why do I only love one of them?

His world felt so full of color in that time of darkness when he was around her. The warrior had some way of adding light to the dark hours. But then, in a flash of light, his eyes came to a princess. A princess that had her agenda, and the Sheikah disappeared forever.

Why did you pretend to be real? It was all just a disguise.

And even now, after saving the princess/Sheikah, he still can't get past her disguise. Which was the real disguise, and who really is real? Zelda or Sheik? He sighed, knowing he wouldn't like the answer. If Sheik didn't really exist, then his feelings for her shouldn't either.

Then why is it so painful?

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't throw away his feelings for the nonexistent girl. They would always keep flooding back. She made him feel comfortable to be around, while Zelda made him feel like he needed to be formal all the time. How could one person make someone feel two completely different emotions? Pain once again struck his heart as well as his head. He leaned his head back on his arms, sitting forward.

Sheik, if there is a way, please just put down your world. Appear in front of me again, but this time, don't disappear...

He peeked through his hair at his surroundings. Just a sunset and water. No Sheikah warrior. She was now in the castle as the princess. While the warrior was forever fake, nothing but a dress-up pretend game.

"I can't change anything. Princess Zelda was using a disguise. Sheik doesn't exist. They are the same. But, even with that information, I can't bring myself to love Zelda. I only love her alter ego, who doesn't even exist." He paused. "Nonexistent Sheik, Goddesses, please do me a favor. You and Zelda got to pretend; now it's my turn. Let me pretend that I didn't love Sheik. Please let me free from Sheik. It hurts just thinking that I won't love her anymore, but it hurts even more just knowing she doesn't exist anymore. She was never real in the first place. Just please, let me be free from Zelda. I can't love her real identity. She's beautiful and perfect...but she's not Sheik, even though technically she is..."

He paused again, the heartless wind kept blowing as the sun was now completely gone, little light and color existed in the world. Even less color existed in his world. He took in a breath.

"Please, because..." He paused again, holding his breath.

"I can't face the truth."

Everytime I hear the song "Pretend" by Secondhand Serenade, I get this nagging idea in my head. So I just decided to write it down in a few hours.

Hope you enjoy, review if you feel the need to. If not, then have a nice day!

-MidnightTwi