(A/N) I like Sheik. I honestly do. I even like the fact he's actually Zelda… sometimes. Unfortunately, Zelda being Sheik does not go well with a yaoi fan girl such as I. So, here I go, torturing the poor Sheikah on Random's behalf. This has traces of shotakon, since both are under the age of eighteen, just letting you know.

This is a one-shot. It was meant to be read all at once, but due policy regarding length, it had to be broken down in pieces.

The wonderful Jadedsilk was kind enough to beta this monster, all by herself. It's thanks to her you won't try to claw your eyes out because the spelling or grammar are so horrible. You can find her Zelda story at the title is "Somewhere I belong" and the penname "Lady Jade".

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda, in any of its different versions. I own, however, Navi's horrible bad timing, Lady Luck's absolute hatred for the boys, Sheik's Pro-Poe sentiment, Amy's mischievous stalking and any other remain of a plot you find here.


Maktub.

"They will not understand, because they weren't born in the desert, living on its whim. To understand, they would need to be born again, and see that everything has been written already, in the shifting sands and the fallen stars."


"What is past is prologue."


In the heart of the desert, far away from Hyrule, where not even the Gerudo would dare venture into, there existed a small white tent, where a woman took care of a child. A boy with blond hair and bright red eyes. A Sheikah.

Once, in the time that was but shouldn't have been, the Great White Shadow had reached the small tent, carrying with her a shy and scared girl. And the girl and the boy had become friends. He showed her the magic behind the music, and she told him stories of a world he would never see. And the Great White Shadow and the boy's Guardian would train together, growing stronger. Preparing for a battle the children shouldn't have to fight.

And it happened, in that time that was but shouldn't have been, that the boy had to die to save the girl, because she was important. He knew, so he gave his life willingly, only asking her one last request. Asking her to take good care of the golden harp his father had once made for him.

So the Princess made a vow, a vow made of tears and broken friendship, to make her friend's legacy live on, to make his magic help save the world. And she took his name and his garb, and left her protector when the Door of Time was opened, following the Hero that would save the world, aiding him with the secrets that the desert and a red eyed boy had taught her.

But in the end, the time that was but shouldn't have been, never was, and the land was safe, Hyrule was peaceful, and though the red eyed boy would never meet the golden haired Princess, he would live.

And he would meet the Hero instead.


"No cause has he to say his doom is harsh, who's made the master of his destiny."


"Sheik."

Crimson eyes looked up from the whispering sands, lips turning into a small smile. Walking at a leisure pace, the young man slid into the tent, looking at the resting woman, even as her broken body slowly withered to nothing, the aura of muted power and fallen glory still clung to her, her dignity untouched.

"You called, Mohair," He bowed respectfully, because even if she had no kingdom, no court and no allies left, she was a Queen, and worthy of respect.

"I will not last the night," Dark red eyes, almost purple, sharp and dim at the same time, fixed unblinkingly on the blonde child. The voice did not quiver, nor did it break over the news. It was a mere statement of fact, "You may leave to wherever you see fit, once I'm gone."

"Is there really anywhere I should go?" The Sheikah Musician wondered out loud, arching a golden eyebrow as his lips twitched upwards, hinting of an ill humored smile.

"The world is vast, you should see it for yourself, not only through your songs," The Fading Queen smirked, "Beautiful as they might be, they will never outdo what they were created to represent," Sheik frowned at her words, "And there's someone you should meet," Her eyes slid closed, as she shifted in the small cot, "Someone who has been missing you, who has been waiting a lifetime to see you again."

"No one but Impa knows we are here," Sheik mused out loud, surprised, "Who would want to see someone who doesn't exist?"

"Do as I say," The woman ordered, irritably, because as wise as he was, the blonde was annoyingly stubborn sometimes, "Humor the Dying Queen's last wish."

"Alright," The Musician gave a shrug, "It does not mean I will enjoy it, however."

"Never said you had to," The Queen gave him a mean smirk, "Now go, I need to silence myself."

Leaving with a barely perceptible roll of his eyes, the Shadow Child sat in front of the small fire, watching the stars, playing songs as old as time itself and wondering what he would find in the land of Hylians. Someone who has been waiting a lifetime to see you again. Sheik snorted.

"A forgotten Sheikah hidden in the farthest corner of the desert, yes, I'm sure Hylians are lining up to meet me."

He forced himself not to shudder when wind struck the tent and the spirit of the last Sheikah Queen left it. He forced himself not to cry at the weight of loneliness. He forced himself to walk away from the funeral pyre. He forced himself to not look back.

He wondered if Impa still remembered him.


"Such as we are made of, such we be."


Link smiled at the Princess and the King as he bowed respectfully. He was older, not as old as he had once been in the time that was but should have never been, but close enough. Almost six years searching, six years of adventures, quests and heroic deeds… but Navi was still gone. He refused to give up, but Zelda knew he needed rest. He needed to be home. The King gave a long winded speech about home and family, his voice echoing through the walls, and it was through sheer iron will that the young Hero did not fall asleep on his feet listening to him. Zelda hid a grin behind her hand.

"A word with you, Hero," The Princess said after the audience with the King had ended and only the hall's guards remained.

"Sure, Princess," He called back, arching an eyebrow almost sardonically.

He knew she knew he hated when she called him that.

"Fine Link," Zelda gave him a fondly exasperated grin, "C'mon, it's been so long since you've been home, I want details on all those journeys!"

Impa watched from a balcony, as both teens sat on the courtyard, Link retelling the highlights of his past journeys while Zelda spiced the conversation with comments on boring court life, annoying the living daylights out of Impa and the guards with pranks and learning to control her magic and certain aspects of the Triforce as well.

They laughed and played, and the Shadow Sage felt her lip curl slightly.

It was time.


"A consistent soul believes in destiny, a capricious one in chance."


The Sheikah crossed the desert at a leisure pace, not particularly enjoying the biting winds and the needle sharp sting of sand, but not so eager to see the world beyond his childhood land. Sleeping in the sands without a tend proved to be trying to his patience, and the Din damned Poe that decided to stalk him was driving him insane, but he managed. He easily passed the fence to the Gerudo Fortress, yet some instinct told him it was best to stay hidden from the fierce warriors. They did not frighten him, but he didn't like what he saw. As a Shadow, he crossed their land, making no sound, leaving no trace behind.

He was almost out of their territory, having avoided their fortress-city successfully, and he prepared to cross the broken bridge that was supposed to take him… somewhere. The waterfall's noise bounced on the stone walls and created a booming echo that left the Sheikah's well trained ears buzzing.

"I thought you would never come," Startled by the mischievous voice behind him, he whirled around, blade at hand.

The Gerudo Queen looked at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Who are you?" Sheik narrowed his eyes; the woman had the aura of power that whispered about the infinite.

"One of those who waits," Her amber colored eyes glinted with amusement, and the Sheikah frowned slightly. He did not enjoy being laughed at when he didn't know why, "You should find the fairy, it would make things clearer for you."

"Why would I do that?" Tilting his head to the side, his bangs hid half of his face, the single eye visible glinting slightly.

"Because the Sage of Spirit, who gave you shelter in her desert, commands you so," Nabooru made an explaining movement with her hand that contradicted the peevish tone she spoke in. The red eyes narrowed and she grinned impishly, "That, and because I'm asking nicely."

"…This is insane," Crossing his arms over the crest painted on his stole, the Sheikah looked mildly annoyed as both of his eyebrows rose.

"Of course," The Gerudo gave him a smile that carried as much compassion as it did pity, "When Time is tampered with, nothing makes sense anymore."

"But a fairy?" He asked doubtfully, looking over at the fierce woman with something that bordered closely on disdain, "What fairy?"

"One fairy," Nabooru smiled as her eyes narrowed, "The fairy. Be creative."

And before he could ask further, she threw one of his own tricks at him; a flashing Deku nut, and she was gone.

Sheik wondered if all Hyrule was so insane… and where exactly would one find a fairy.


"The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule..."


"Oh, Epona!" Malon threw her arms around the mare's neck, hearing it snort softly, "It's been so long!"

Link watched as the redhead spoke quietly to his horse, the same way he did, and smiled. He didn't want to admit it, but being back to familiar lands was good. Being back home, as an official member of the Royal Family Guard was even better, since it meant he didn't have to deal with nosy soldiers, asking about this and that and whatnot. He went to sit under a tree, watching as Malon rode Epona, humming in delight.

He wanted to rest. Needed to rest. His search for Navi had resulted in trips to various strange worlds, similar and yet so different to his own in many ways. He had given light and hope to many, and he had made many friends that would remain in his heart and memory forever.

But he couldn't find his first Guardian. His lonesome companion in the time that shouldn't have been but had. The worried ball of light that screamed in delight every time he made a suicide jump in a Temple, who cried out when danger came his way, who nagged him to eat and sleep when he was too deep into his journey to care, the one that summoned her friends to heal him. The one he could talk to and not feel ashamed.

"You always knew how to hide well," He mused with a wry smile as he looked at the sky, the sun was high in the sky, and the heat was lulling him into a drowsy state of mind.

"Link, Mr. Ingo made cheese, want-" Malon's eyes softened at the image before her.

The Hero looked like any other sixteen year old boy, sitting with his back against a tree, sleeping peacefully in the midday sun, his hair glinting under the warm light. Sword held in a loose grip, but close even in sleep, he finally allowed himself the comfort of feeling safe.

The redhead smiled.


"Culture: the cry of men in face of their destiny."


Perched on a fence, placed Din only knew why in front of the entrance to Gerudo Valley, a lone Sheikah registered the traveling bag that had been left behind by the strange woman. A map, a bow and a few arrows, some bread – at that, Sheik's mood lightened up considerably – and a note. "Lie low until you figure things out. You are not who many think you are, but you are who you should be."

"Is it a requirement to live in this lands to be completely raving mad?" The red eyed teen asked no one in particular, his mask balancing precariously on a knee as he took a bite of the bread.

It was at least two days old and leaning heavily on the spicy side.

Compared to months-old, rancid salted-meat and the occasional dried vegetable that had been his meals all his youth, Sheik was delighted. Eating little, however, as life in the desert had taught him to be moderated with meals and drinks, the blonde musician wondered where to go next. Before him, Hyrule Field spread and, according to the map the Gerudo had given him, he could visit the Hyrule Castle, or Kakariko Village, or the Kokiri Forest, or Lon-Lon Ranch, or Lake Hylia. Lie low, the note said, and all but the last one were discarded. Sheik wanted to find Impa, knowing she would help him, but he wasn't sure heading into the main Hylian town would be wise. No, it would be better to gather information from afar, form a good plan and then try to contact her. She wasn't going anywhere, either, her duty bounded her to the Princess, and where the Princess was, Impa was sure to be.

Carefully wrapping the rest of the bread again, and placing it with the weapons in the small travel bag, the Sheikah slung it over his shoulder and began walking the path towards the lake, the grass whispering as his feet barely touched it. He moved gracefully, with the same elegance of the Shadows. That, however, was in his veins. The rocky land felt solid under his feet, so unlike the changing sands he was used to. It made him feel strange, home but not. An odd sensation brought a shiver to his spine, and the Sheikah frowned. Pausing for a moment, under the shade of a rock formation, he fixed his gaze on the field, and a memory that was his but wasn't his own overlapped the landscape.

The grass was tainted red with blood, and Queen Mohair's corpse was lying unmoving in the distance. The Stalfos were closing in on them, with their rusted old swords and their macabre grins. The Princess screamed when her magic failed, her concentration broken by the horror of seeing one of her Guardians die. He didn't know what possessed him to do it, he only knew it was the right thing to do. He ran to her, wrapping his arms around her whirling them. When the blade came, all he could do was let out a small hiss of breath, tears pooling in his eyes as he arched back. The point of the sword had pierced the Sheikah crest on his clothes, and for some reason, the image struck with him. Zelda's tearful blue eyes pleaded him not to leave her alone. But darkness was warm and welcoming, and there would be no more suffering there… only peace.

With a soft hiss, the young Sheikah stumbled against the rock wall, shivering. That had been so real, so vivid, he could almost feel the burn of the sword, the soothing embrace of death…

"Get a grip of yourself," He muttered out loud as he easily jumped the fences guarding lake Hylia from monsters – which surprisingly, had left him alone, but knowing his luck, he was sure it wouldn't last – and landing at the other side, he secured the bag over his shoulder again; "Not even a full week away from the desert and you're already acting like an insane Hylian. So much for Sheikah pride."

Further complaint was silenced as he took in the sheer beauty of the lake. The deep hue of the sky was easily rivaled by the flawless blue of the tranquil waters. They swung quietly, picturing exactly what serenity looked like. Sheik gave a mindless step forward, trying to get a better look at the waters-

And fell on the ground when he tripped over a suspicious looking torch holder.

"Amy," Hissing under his mask, the Sheikah sat and glared daggers at the torch, as it floated and ignited with green fire.

"Hehehehe!" The green Poe grinned cheekily at him, before giving a fast swirl, her torch leaving a trail of green light behind her. With one last laugh and a wink, the wicked Poe sister flashed away in a green flame.

Sheik was pretty sure a dignified Sheikah would never scoop so low as to childishly call after the damned ghost. So he didn't. Nevertheless, he snarled quietly at the empty space.

Huffing, and not even wanting to think of the mean things he was going to do to the wicked prankster next time he got a hold of her, the Sheikah stood up and dusted himself. Surveying the lake, he saw the various islands and the larger house by the shore. Arching an eyebrow at the structure of the chimney – because he wasn't entirely sure a thing could support itself like that on any world under Nayru's laws – he headed towards the door. Inside, the room was dim and there were strange fumes coming out from various jars and random strange, disturbing utensils in the table. At the far end of the room, there was sort of a pool and an old man was looking down at it. Shaking his head periodically, he seemed busy and irritated.

"Excuse me," His soft voice got lost under the rumbling of the equipment and the encapsulated waves in the pool at the back. Sheik cleared his throat and tried again, "Excuse me!"

Startled, the old man whirled around at Sheik and slowly walked to him.

"Ah, you're back, did you get it? Of course you got it," The old man grabbed his wrist, then pulled him towards the pool.

"What?"

"The golden scale! Can you see how they're getting rusted? Get them back! Quick, what are you waiting for!"

A slap in the back was the last thing the Sheikah was expecting.

Surfacing with a gasp, he glared daggers at the old man. He was oblivious.

"The keys, you incompetent brat! Get the keys!"

Diving more on reflex than anything else, Sheik lost a decade of his life when he saw the gigantic shark caged in a constricting niche at the wall of the pool. The bloodthirsty beast bared its teeth at him, in warning. He desperately tried not to think about the torn cloth stuck in them.

STUPID Hylians!

Seeing the copper keys in their ring exactly in the middle of the pool, he retrieved them and swam upwards in relief. The shark gave him the evil eye from the depths of its cage. Sheik was glad of having inherited his father's mask, the golden scale within it allowing him to breath underwater for short periods.

"Ah, good," The old man snatched the keys before the Sheikah had a chance to complaint.

Getting out of the water and not feeling particularly inclined to go in again, possibly ever, he opened his mouth to speak, and got hit in the face by a towel.

"Dry off! You're soaking the floor!" The old man gave him a mean glare, then returned to whatever he was doing.

Sheik's left eyebrow twitched.


"Ill Fortune never crushed that man whom good fortune deceived not."


Ruto sighed adoringly, making Link cringe inwardly, through he hid it well. He was playing the Ballad of the Wind Fish, upon the request of the King after hearing the story of their far relatives, the Oceanic Zoras and the tragic lovers, Mikau and Lulu.

"Delightful! Simply delightful!" The chubby royal squeaked as he clapped excitedly. A similar reaction spread like wild fire through the Zoras, and suddenly Link was assaulted with the memories of Termina.

Lulu had been heart broken when she learned Mikau was dead, but she had politely requested him to pose as him in the Carnival's concert. And he had agreed, to give the Zora guitarist a farewell ceremony with the songs he had loved the most. He had been so concentrated that he got lost in the music, but he was quickly brought back when the crowd went wild and started to cheer them.

It was still a frighteningly exciting experience.

Enjoying the feast with the Zora people, Link tried to forget about responsibility for a while. He knew, however, that the warm glow of glory always left a bitter taste afterwards, and he didn't indulge in it.

Navi had taught him that, at the very least.


"Whatever limits us we call fate."


Sheik learned that the old man didn't listen, simply ordered. While this had ticked him off at first, eventually, he figured out the man liked to talk. And much of what he said was useful in someway. He knew the legends, the old stories, as any decent Sheikah should, but he hadn't had the chance to look at Hyrule directly, to see the land itself and apply the knowledge. The old scientist had been a field researcher once, and in old age, he spoke of the world beyond the lake, the secrets he had discovered, some of the adventures he had, had.

So Sheik stayed.

He did the small chores, avoiding the bad temper and occasional complaint. Learned that stealth tactics worked magic on fishing, developed a life long aversion to octoroks, got thrown into the lake by Amy at least six times the first week, made friends with the owner of the fishing pond. He figured out the meaning of Mohair's tales, the songs he had been taught since birth, the legacy of his family; they were the hymns to the Spirits in the Temples, the Guardians of the land.

By playing his harp, he could almost hear the call of the other Temples, those beyond the field, in the heart of the forest, atop a mountain, in the land of death, back within the sands of the desert, at the stairs of time and in the very bottom of the lake. But he refused to go, because among the things he had learned, was the story of the unfortunate Allen, the rightful apprentice to the old man who gave him food and shelter, and whose tombstone sat alone in between the bridges.

After two weeks, the Sheikah didn't flinch anymore when the old man called him with an angry 'Allen!' nor did he get thrown into the lake so easily. It seemed his life had discarded one routine, the desert, for another one, the lake. Still, the woman's words bothered him. Find the fairy, it would make things clearer for you. Something was nagging in the edge of his consciousness and the previously idyllic lake had begun to feel constrictive. At least, the damn Poe had found something else to do, or someone else to torture, since it had been days since the mischievous laughter or the torch had been seen in the lake. And he had certainly mastered the bow technique, keeping the damn blue tektites in line.

One day, as he set order to a stack of parchments that had been sitting in absolute disarray on the old man's desk. They were notes, letters, documents, relics of his journeys, valuable pieces of information the Sheikah had read carefully. As he walked to the chest that would keep them safe from the humid atmosphere of the lab, the old man turned to him, a strange glint in his eyes. Recognition.

"I know you're not him. You can go when you feel ready."

Sheik did something very un-Sheikah then. Let the whole armful of papers he was holding fall to the ground. For a moment, his pride stung at being so easily surprised by the man. A second later, he tried to understand what he was saying, but he had moved on another topic already.

And he was being yelled at for being the most incompetent creature the Triad had ever allowed to live.

For the first time since he set foot into the strange house, the Sheikah didn't try to talk back.


"Tempted fate will leave the loftiest star."


Nabooru was, in Link's opinion, the second roughest Sage of them all. Right after Darunia, of course. He gave a slight squeak as the air was forcefully knocked from his lungs and he was easily lifted a foot off the ground.

"Kid! It's been so long!" Her delighted voice made him grin weakly, and as she let him down, she patted both of his shoulders a bit too hard.

"I know," He shrugged apologically, "Sorry."

"Nonsense," The Gerudo Queen waved dismissively, "I know you're busy working to save the world and whatnot. But really, stay the night, we'll have a feast for you!"

"But I don't want to be a bother!"

His slight protest fell on deaf ears.

"Oh, you're not a bother," Nabooru smiled widely, "You rarely come to visit us anymore…"

And before the Hylian could protest, the whole fortress knew about the idea, his stay and the banquet.

Link was suddenly remained that Gerudos were female first, everything else last.


"The thirst for adventure is the vent which Destiny offers; a war, a crusade, a gold mine, a new country, speak to the imagination and offer swing and play to the confined powers."


Sheik had left the lake, its lab and its eccentric scientist. He played all his songs, and for the first time, he allowed the magic in the notes to drag him away, to become one with the breeze and cross the world within the whisper of a melody. He admired the wild beauty of the forest, the scorching heat of the volcano, the soothing waters of the lake that had housed him for a while, the quiet whispers of the graveyard, the glory of the desert as he had never seen and finally, the sheer holiness of time itself.

He knew countless other songs, but he dared not to play them, because something told him they were not of his world. And after he admired beauty and danger slumbering in the sacred Temples, as he felt the pulsing of power in them, he wondered again, where to find a fairy: not just any fairy, the one the Gerudo had told him about.

Sitting on the wood fence that separated the entrance to the Shadow Temple from the Graveyard in Kakariko, Sheik watched the sunset as he weighed his options. As the sun sank into the horizon, he noticed two finely decorated lanterns placed on the tombs at each side of the Royal Family's. The other lanterns around glowed and the Poes appeared and started to wreack havoc, laughing and gliding around. Sheik watched them. They were considerably smaller and less powerful than his – dare he called her that? – friend, Amy. Harmless really, if one kept to himself and didn't disturb their nightly dance.

But he was sure people were scared of the ghosts, like they were scared of anything they didn't understand, like the Sheikah. Mohair had never said it out loud, but she knew her people were feared, not respected. Because who was going to respect the tribe that hid in the Shadows and never came out freely? It was in their blood, to hide, to be secretive. Even away from his own, Sheik felt the strange need to hide, to stalk from a safe distance and observe, rather than to participate. Although he had felt safe at the lake, he didn't spend much time in the open, rather perched on the roof of the lab or on the tree, or somewhere he could get an advantage it attack became a necessity.

"Die!" A haughty yell broke his musings as a Poe flew towards him.

Dodging the attack was instinctual. Despite Amy's tries to discredit him, he was agile and accurate from birth, the damn green menace just had luck at catching him off guard. The Poe in front of him wasn't normal, it held a strange sharp wand, and was currently trying to stab him with it. Sheik dodged it almost absently, not interested in harming the spirit. After a while, the attack slowed until it finally stopped and the ghost hovered up, ending face to face with him. Sheik raised an eyebrow.

"Why don't you attack back?" The strange Poe asked after a moment, curious.

"It'd be pointless to," The red eyed male answered truthfully, "I have nothing to gain, I'm a musician, not a warrior. I don't look for fights if I can help it."

"Musician!" The Poe seemed content, but why, Sheik didn't know. He arched his eyebrows, "Perfect, simply perfect! Let me introduce myself! I'm Flat, of the Composer Brothers!"

"Sheik, of the Sheikah," The masked musician had never formally presented himself, much less to a Poe.

"My brother and I wrote beautiful songs for the Royal Family while we were alive, and at times of our deaths, we decided to stay back to guard them and the Tomb," The glowing eyes of the ghost seemed to brighten as he spoke, "However, it has been so long… tell me, Sheik of the Sheikah, do you have an instrument with which you could play a song for these ghostly ears?" Sheik awkwardly pulled out his harp, he felt slightly uncomfortable, since during the little attack, he had ended up perched atop the Royal Family Tomb. The Poe, Flat, looked delighted, "Play! Play for me! Play for the night!"

Shrugging at the odd request, but considering it less disturbing than the fact he had a Poe stalker, the Sheikah began an ancient hymn to Shadows, to the Sheikah lost deities and their way of life. It wasn't precisely a sad tune, but it had the lingering taste of a well orchestrated tragedy. As he played, Sheik thought of his home in the desert, of the late Queen he had been guarding, of the old man he had left behind in the lake, of a life he had to live, without a real purpose. The Gerudo's request was the only real obligation he had to the world, and it was slightly distressing to find he had nothing else to do. No other reason to live.

"A truly astounding artist, don't you believe, brother?"

Sheik blinked. He hadn't even realized he had finished the song, or that a new Poe, twin to Flat, had appeared.

"Indeed, his talents know no boundary," The new Poe made a bowing notion with his wand, and the glowing eyes light up strangely, "I am Sharp, one of the Composer Brothers, and your beautiful music has lured me out of sleep. Congratulations are in order I believe."

"Thank you," The Sheikah shrugged.

The Poes huddled together to speak of something Sheik didn't care about. He continued to absently play the harp, looking at the stars and the full moon, wondering about his purpose in life.

"You're an honorable creature," Flat-or-Sharp said with a flourish bow, "It would make us content to know someone like you shares our legacy."

He blinked, slightly taken aback by the strange praise.

"Will you listen and learn our song?" Sharp-or-Flat asked as the two ghosts floated in front of him, their lanterns glowing slightly.

"I'd be honored to," Sheik replied after a moment, figuring learning a new song was always good.

"Then listen carefully!"

"This is the secret melody of the Composing Brothers, The Song of Dusk!"

The made a strange whistling noise, but Sheik's well trained ears could pick up the notes with ease. It was truly a melancholic song, sad and heartbreaking, but incredibly beautiful. After listening to it the first time, he made two attempts until he was successful in repeating it.

The Poes seemed pleased.

"This is our lesser known work, it will be useful in your travels, you who are kind to the dead," Flat-or-Sharp said solemnly.

"When you play this song, Poes nearby will aid your quest, accepting simple orders and polite requests," Sharp-or-Flat explained with a wave of his wand, "Do not abuse the power of the song, though, because the undead are resentful and have good memory to hold grudges."

"When you find the time, come by and play some more for us."

And they were gone.


"It is the awareness of unfulfilled desires which gives the individual the feeling that it has a mission and a destiny."


"You should go back to the castle," Nabooru said suddenly, looking at the rolling dunes thoughtfully.

"What? Is something wrong?" Link turned to her seriously, face stern. She waved dismissively.

"No, no, I just have a feeling you're needed there," She winked playfully at him, "Call it feminine intuition."

"You're not just trying to get rid of me, right?"

"Link, Link, Link…" Nabooru laughed, "If I wanted to get rid of you, vultures would already be enjoying your carcass."

"Comforting," He shuddered at the mental image and received a snicker in answer.

"Don't be idle, if you hurry, you'll reach the castle tomorrow's evening."


"Men at sometime are the masters of their fate."


He had seen the Kokiri, and the fairy each child had, but realizing he couldn't just go and take one just like that, he understood the need to know which was just the one the Gerudo had referred to. There was a meadow in the forest, where a gigantic tree rested. It was dead, its trunk blackened and its leaves brown, but the aura of power still lingered in it. And the spirits of the forest gathered around the corpse of the tree more than anywhere else. He was careful to avoid the children as he went to the meadow and sat in front of the great tree. He wondered what to do.

"I'm a musician, not a warrior," He mused out loud, "Perhaps music will help me just this once?"

Taking out the golden harp carefully, he let his fingers trail over the strings, softly, the lulling song of Farore, the one that called to the spirits of life. Sheik looked at the fallen Guardian thoughtfully, his fingers playing deftly as the melody changed slowly. The trails of light, the small life forms that inhabited the forest, started glowing in tune with his music, and Sheik let a small smile appear as they sung along with him. Following their lead, he ended up playing an old folk song, the one the spirits in the forest liked the most.

The chorus of creatures grew higher, louder and suddenly, there was a flash of light pushing through the trunk of the dead tree.

"Link!"

The music stopped abruptly, and the birds and other living beings fled the clearing at the cry for help. Sitting back, Sheik tried to clear his mind from the sudden alien touch, the touch of a forest sprite. Perhaps even a fairy. Red eyes narrowed, the Sheikah stood up and turned towards the Kokiri village.

At least now he had a name for his search.


"Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny."


Link never really enjoyed staying at the castle, and when he did, much to Zelda's annoyance, he stayed in the stables. He hated the caging feeling of sleeping in a richly furnished room, of waking up to darkness, because the windows were closed and the sun didn't manage to enter completely. He hated the feeling he was missing the fresh morning air, or the first breeze, because he was stuck in a tower high above others.

It was something he was well aware the Princess would never understand, simply because she had never seen anything else. And when she had, in that horrible time that shouldn't have been but had, it had started to fade under the excitement of her life, her father, the love of her people.

That did not mean, however, that he enjoyed being woken by an insistent tugging at his hat.

"Come on," With a particularly strong tug, the green cloth was wrenched away from his head completely, causing him to fall back on the hay stack he had been sleeping, "Li-ink!"

Blinking as the light pink sprite stood up on his nose, Link arched an eyebrow.

"Morning Sien," He smiled lightly as the fairy crossed her tiny arms and flew back, annoyed.

"Morning? The sun was up ages ago!" Circling him, she left a trail of pink dust behind her as her wings glowed, "Saria sent me to fetch you, c'mon! You're needed at the forest!"

The pink sprite was bossy, hyper and impatient. Pretty much like her guarded child. Grinning a bit, Link, having just recently reached sixteen, pulled over his tunics and leggings, and began dressing himself with ease until he felt the comfortable weight of his Gilded Sword and the Hylian Shield on his back.

At first, it had been awkward, left without the Master Sword and with just a Hylian Shield, but after the disaster in Termina, he had grown comfortable enough with them. And surprisingly, the magic in the sword enlarged it to fit him as he grew. Which meant he didn't have to go running around, getting a better sword. Which was always a plus.

"You're not going to yell at me too, are you?" Link mused with a grin as he patted Epona's powerful neck, and the mare simply neighed in reply, her hooves striking the ground in a rhythmic greeting.

"Link!"

"Going, going…"


"We make our fortunes and we call them fate."


"Maybe," Perching atop a bridge, and looking down at the curious children, Sheik arched an eyebrow, playing the start of a melody on his harp, "I find I like the graveyard and the forest best."

"Graveyard!" The girls squealed in fright, and the boys looked intrigued.

"Mhm, there are Poes and spiders there…" The red eyes were alight with amusement as he was mercilessly interrogated by the horde of children, "I like the desert too, miles and miles around of sand, sun and wind. I like this forest too, it's peaceful here."

"And you didn't get lost?" One of the twins asked, and both tilted their heads to the side.

"A Sheikah is never lost," He replied with just the faintest hint of a smirk, "Because a Sheikah is always lost."

That seemed to confuse them, so instead, he played a song for them. He played and they sang and danced, and Sheik felt good. Not lonely. He found he liked that. He enjoyed watching the children dance with their fairy companions swirling next to them, creating an image of true happiness, of innocent delight. He figured it was the Sheikah sense of duty in him that called fiercely to protect the friendly children and their peaceful way of life.

The music stopped when he heard the sound of hooves approaching. The children paused, then grew excited as the sound grew closer. From his perch, Sheik kept his harp and waited.

"Are you nervous?" Saria asked with a grin, balancing on her heels, "He is the Hero of Time, after all!"

She had been polite and helpful, offering to find Link for him, once he had revealed his presence to the Kokiri, but there was a certain amusement in her voice, similar to the one in the Gerudo's as she spoke to him. As if she knew something he didn't.

"All will be as it's supposed to be," He replied with a shrug, his left thumb playing with the bandages of his ring finger, a habit he had picked since he was a child, "It's best to not expect anything, and be prepared for everything."

"Always the poet, ne?" Green eyes amused, the small girl smiled with a strange wisdom.

But further reply was silenced by the arrival of the so called Hero of Time.

Sheik admitted he was impressed by the mare, a pureblooded beast that echoed the power of her owner perfectly. A horse worthy of a Hero, or perhaps a King. Red eyes narrowed on the Hero himself, and he felt himself torn at the impression. There was a familiar tugging to the boy and something else, some sort of harmony between them that he couldn't really put a finger on. Shrugging, he easily jumped from his perch, and by the slight change in the breeze, he knew the strange child had jumped with him.

He did not expect the reaction he got from the Hero, though.

"What are you doing here?" Sliding off the horse with an ease born from practice, the blond Hylian walked up to Saria and her Sheikah companion, brow furrowed, "Zelda, your father, no Impa's going to kill when she finds out you snuck out of the castle," His voice flattened, "Again."

Arching both eyebrows, the red eyes glinted with a mixed amusement. This young man was certainly impressive. The whisper of power and the blessing of the Triad was in him, and his confident movements denoted he was a consummated and skilled warrior. He was, however, very obviously confusing him with someone else. That wasn't what was amusing. The fact he was claiming him Zelda, Princess of Destiny was.

Sheik wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh at the ridiculous notion, or wince at the blow at his male-ness.

"Impa hasn't seen to me since I was four," He replied, his soft voice carrying over the sudden silence in the forest, "And I can assure you quite honestly, I am not Princess Zelda," He paused for a moment, "Pink does not suit my eyes."

The Hero was silent for a moment, almost taken aback.

"…Sheik?"


"Fates leads the willing, and drags along the unwilling."


"Let me get this straight," Sheik sat on Link's bed, arching an eyebrow and not amused anymore, "You're telling me you met me before, but not before, in fact, in another year, in an alternate time line in which Ganondorf won and you were sealed in the Sacred Realm for seven years. Only that it wasn't me, it was actually Princess Zelda, who was being a tomboy and trying to help by supplanting me?"

"Yes," Link nodded, munching on an apple.

"This is insane," The Sheikah muttered, and Saria laughed, her eyes dancing with mirth.

"Nabooru said you told her exactly that when she sent you here," She explained to the narrowed eyes; Link made a noise in the back of his throat, "You know? Tall, tanned woman? Gerudo?"

"Ah, her name was Nabooru?" Sheik shrugged, "Never had the chance to ask… or thank her."

Saria nodded, and silence stretched for a moment. The early afternoon sun beated down upon the forest outside, bathing everything in a golden glow.

"So," Link finally said, tilting his head to the side, "What now?"

"Go and see the Princess," Saria smiled, holding her hands together against her chest, "We Sages felt the shift in the currents of Destiny. We knew you were coming Sheik, you were expected."

Someone who has been waiting a lifetime to see you.


"Chance generally favors the prudent."


"Want a ride?" Link asked easily as he climbed on Epona's back, Sheik shrugged.

"I have my own," He answered politely, still not quite fully at ease with the so called 'Hero'.

Sure, he was a Hero, he simply didn't act like one. He was too kind, too open and too damn curious about everything to be the Hero everyone said he was. He asked about his clothes, his mask, his turban, his eyes, his favorite food, he asked about him, as a person, an individual, not as a tool in a prophecy he was surely going to fulfill. Sheik figured being such an unconventional Hero helped to keep him alive, and admitted he had little right to comment on it, all things considered.

"You do?" Link blinked, then shrugged.

It was stupid of him to think Sheik didn't have his own horse, or at least hadn't rented one in Lon-Lon Ranch, it was just that he was confusing him with Zelda again. Zelda wasn't overly fond of horses, she was awful at riding them too. He broke from his little daze as Sheik pulled out his harp, playing a tranquil tune, the same one Link remembered from the meetings with Zelda at the entrance of the Temples. The notes echoed far, spreading like a soft whisper, and sure enough, there was neigh in the distance.

"I hadn't brought him into Hyrule Field yet," Red eyes shifted towards Link, "After all, I was merely looking around, now it seems he will be useful."

The black stallion trotted to them with an easy pace. It was adorned with white and blue clothes, the Sheikah crest on them, and it looked upbeat. Certainly more so than it's owner. The young man climbed on it with ease and patted its neck tenderly, he looked up to Link.

"Lead the way?"

His voice was soft as Link remembered, but there was a certain something Zelda didn't have. An edge, sometimes sarcastic, perhaps a bit too acid, but it was pleasant.

In a strange way, it reminded Link of Tatl.

"Um, follow me," And he was off.

A sideways glance proved the Sheikah was keeping up with him, through his style was certainly different from the Hero's. Somehow, Sheik leveled his weight so that the stallion could move freely, faster. Link found himself pondering all the differences while they rode towards the castle. Sheik seemed to like the silence, and he seemed thoughtful too. Probably thinking of all that's going on, Link thought with a light shrug. He could still remember the confusion and slight fear of the unknown of that day, when Navi had met him the first time. How frighteningly exciting that morning had been, awoken by the long awaited for fairy, being summoned by the Forest Guardian.

Navi.


"Not without a shudder may the human hand reach into the mysterious urn of destiny."


"We didn't say anything before," Zelda started as Link and Sheik stood before her, "Because we knew you would rush straight into things, Link, and this time, we need Sheik's assistance too," Sheik bowed slightly and Link nodded, though his brow was furrowed, "The seal on Ganondorf is weakening, we must recast the sealing spell."

"But the Sages are awake and aware this time," Link said as he tilted his head to the side, "It should be easier now, right?"

"Yes," Zelda smiled wryly, "In theory."

"Ganondorf still has the Triforce of Power in his hand, and as the seal weakens, his power leaks into our world, corrupting the land bit by bit," This time it was Impa who spoke, her darker voice coming from behind the Princess and startling Link a bit.

"But the Temples were purged when I first had to awake you," Link protested weakly, not really getting what they meant.

"Yet if I understand correctly," Sheik spoke finally, his voice hinting a shade of realization, "You purged the Temples when you were an adult, but then you closed the gap in time and the Temples, though in control of the Sages, were left untouched."

"Exactly," Zelda beamed at the red eyed Sheikah, although he looked away, not meeting her eyes.

"Then you mean I'm going to go through that mess all over again?" Link echoed with a hint of resignation in his tone.

"No, you and Sheik will go through that mess together," Impa replied with a smirk, to which the younger Sheikah gave her a risen eyebrow, which she pointedly ignored.

"With two people, it should be easer to take down the traps in the Temples, and Sheik knows all the legends about them, he'll be able to help you. You'll need to fetch the spiritual stones from their hiding places, too, so we can open the Door of Time and reseal Ganondorf again," Zelda explained further, "That is, if you both agree to work together."

"Of course, Zelda," Link smiled, not liking the idea of going through the Temples again, but willing to help keeping Ganondorf away.

"It'd be a honor, milady," Sheik bowed respectfully, quietly accepting the mission.

At least it gave him something to do, other than wander aimlessly through the land.

"Good, good," Zelda smiled, pleased, "Now Sheik, what's this of a forest sprite you said you found?"

Link perked up considerably at that.


"Nothing can have as its destination anything other than its origin."


A hand patted his back, and Sheik looked up at Impa, smiling. The face mask and the turban were off, revealing the smooth features and the pierced earlobe.

"You look tense," The Shadow Sage mused as she leaned next to him on the balcony.

"I'm tired," He admitted, looking down at Hyrule Castle Town, the fading lights standing out the dark night, "And I'm worried."

"All will be as it's supposed to be," Impa said pragmatically, unknowingly repeating the words Sheik himself had told Saria the day before, "What troubles you?"

"I…" He heaved a sigh, letting his chin rest on his folded arms, "I wonder Impa, what can a musician do against the Dark Lord? How am I supposed to help the Hero of Time, if I couldn't even help her?"

"You can trust yourself," She started off with a snort, "And you can certainly try to make your Mother proud."

"She was not my mother," The red eyed male replied testily, back tensing considerably.

"She deserves respect for the sacrifices she made," Impa reasoned quietly, placing a hand on Sheik's shoulder trying to calm him down, "We all lost many things in that war, but we know it's for the best."

"Maybe," The red eyed young man shrugged, "I just hope we survive this whole affair."

"What? With your natural talent to get into trouble, and Link's to get out of it?" Impa smiled a devious smile, making Sheik glare slightly, "It's fate, I tell you."

There was silence.

"Well," He said finally, long after she was gone, "Then at least we know fate hates me."


"Throw a lucky man into the sea, and he will come up with a fish in his mouth."


"Four worlds," Link was muttering as he rode Epona, "Four worlds, and she was here the whole time!"

"Yes, but," Sheik offered with a shrug, "At least you know where she is now, and you did all those amusing things heroes do when they go save the world."

"You're enjoying this far too much," The young Hylian accused with a light glare. Sheik shrugged again.

"A bit of advice, for free," The Sheikah said as he caught up with him, his horse' stride matching Epona's with ease, "Get a sense of humor and stick to it, you'll live longer."

"Is that a fact?" Link wondered doubtfully, giving his companion a side look.

"Yes," Sheik snorted, "And look for the bright side. The Triad made life far too ironic for you to ignore it."

"Somehow," Link admitted as the huge entrance to the forest appeared in the distance, "I'm sure I don't want to know what taught you that particular lesson."

Sheik smiled behind the mask.

"Smart kid."


"Our destiny changes with our thought; we shall become what we wish to become, do what we wish to do, when our habitual thought corresponds with our desire."


"They're still at it?" Saria asked sympathetically as the Sheikah sat down on the grass, looking irritated.

"If I hear her say 'Oh Link! You're so brave!' one more time…" He left the threat hanging as he glared off at the sky. Saria snickered as she sat down next to him.

"Hush you, they haven't seen each other in five years, he was busy saving other dimensions, worlds, whatever, and she was sealed into the trunk of a dead tree, of course they miss one another," She grinned impishly as she poked his arm teasingly, "And you can't kill him, Ganondorf called dibs on that."

"You know," The red eyed male mused with a risen eyebrow, "For someone who claims to be a Sage and his best friend, you have a morbid sense of humor."

"Nabooru's a bad influence," Saria gave as explanation, waving her hand dismissively, "Why, I'm sure her latest lewd joke managed to get Rauru to blush."

"Eh?"

"Wanna hear it? It was about a horse and a Zora, when they-"

"Enough information!" Sheik yelped, eyes widening. Saria snickered as he screwed up his face with a groan, "Din damn it, now the mental image won't leave."

That was enough to have the Forest Sage laughing until she cried, leaving one sour looking Sheikah behind.

"So you're Sheik," A tiny voice asked behind him, and as he looked around, he found himself face to face with… a ball of light.

Although squinting his eyes, he could see the details of a small winged woman within the glow. Navi tilted her wings, giggling, then flew up back to Link, hovering around his head with practiced ease. Sheik arched an eyebrow.

"Isn't it hard to aim a bow with a fairy flying around?" He had been told, quite excitedly by one Princess of Hyrule, that Link was a dexterous archer, and the question seemed to be the first thing he could think of as he saw the pair that had once saved the world.

"I'll have you know I'm a great ally for those situations," Navi huffed indignated, and Link smiled indulgently, "Right Link?"

"She is," He admitted with a shrug, and offering a hand to Sheik as he pulled himself upwards, "She's awesome dodging the stray arrows too."

"Link!" Navi cried in outrage.

Although the mask was covering the smirk, Sheik was quite sure his eyes betrayed him, Link shrugged again.

"Got everything you need?" The Hero turned serious, and nodded to the Sheikah's travel bag, "We're knocking down Forest Temple today."

"Already?" Blinking, Sheik hadn't expect them to move so fast, but figured it was for the best, "I need to buy some arrows and check my blades, then I'm ready when you are."

They climbed down the tree house and went to the small shop across the pound. The children still stopped their games for a moment to look at them, but the initial excitement had faded somewhat. Sheik was grateful for small miracles. After paying from his arrows – the Sheikah actually blushed slightly when Link eyed his well kept bow – and checking his five knives were sharp, he found two that were in high need of maintenance, so they returned to Link's house. Sitting on the small bed, he sharpened them with care, under the scrutiny of the Hero of Time.

"That one is different from the rest," Link pointed out after a while, motioning for the blade in Sheik's hands, "Why?"

It was more of a hand sword than a dagger, with a sawed end and a flat sharp one. The handle was made of black rock, and a thin strap of what seemed cow hide wrapped itself around it, making it easier to grip. The butt of the blade was decorated with a small fossilized seashell. It was a fine piece of weaponry, and also, one of Sheik's most treasured items.

"It was a gift from a friend," He said after a moment, nearing the sawed end to his face to see if it was free from rust, "The rest are family heirloom."

"Ah," Link nodded, noticing the slight softening in the Sheikah's eyes and wondering about this friend, "Most of my items, I got them out of dungeons. Except my masks, those I got them helping people," His face lit up into a content smile, "You wouldn't believe the trouble one little mask can cost you," He patted his belt bag for emphasis, "Anyways, ready to go?"

"Step back," As Link did so, Sheik tried out a few moves with the hand blade, and noticed with satisfaction that it adapted well to him, "Are we walking? Or do you know the song to wrap us there?"

"You taught me it," Link said automatically, then kicked himself mentally at Sheik's risen eyebrow, "I mean, Zelda, she, you know when she was you, I mean-"

"I know," Red eyes rolled on their orbits in mild exasperation. It was still frustrating to be confused with the Princess' alter ego every once in a while, but at least it was slowly fading away, "Let's go, please?"

They played the song together, and as they were whisked away by the music, Sheik took a moment to realize they did sound beautiful together.

It's fate, I tell you.


"If you believe in fate, believe in it, at least, for your own good."


Sheik paused for a moment, making a mental calculation of the jump he would need to do to get into the Temple. However, his musings were shattered when a strong arm wrapped around his waist, and he found himself hurled upwards by the Hero of Time. Eyes widening at the sudden movement, and letting out a small squeak, he glared at Link as they landed with ease.

"Don't do that," He scowled slightly, dusting himself, "Or at least throw a bloody warning!"

"Will do next time," Link gave in easily, holding back the snicker, "C'mon, this Temple isn't so tricky."

Dodging the wolfos, which Sheik killed with two well placed arrows to the head, Link climbed the tree to get the key and then jumped down next to his companion. Except, he landed on his face. Sheik snickered.

"What do you call that?" He mused as he helped the Hero back to his feet, "The Facefault of Time?"

Dodging a half hearted attempt at being elbowed, Sheik snickered again.

"They're still here…" Link said in a whisper, as they entered the main chamber. Looking back at Sheik, he motioned him forward, slowly, "See if you can hit any of them before they run, if not, doesn't matter, we'll get them later."

As they ran forward, Sheik caught sight of the giggling Poes, the four ghosts hovering around the center of the room. He recognized Amy, with her green light and her wide eyes. There was Beth, with her blue flame and bored eyes, and right next to her, Jo, with her red fire and mischievous expression. At the very center, the largest Poe, Meg, with her stylish head set and her bright purple torch. Turning to Link, his eyes widened slightly as he saw the other ready his bow.

"No!" The yell scared the ghosts away, and taking their respective torches, they fled the room. Link spluttered as his arm was roughly pulled aside, making him miss the target completely.

"What's the matter with you?" He retorted angrily, twisting his shoulder back into place, "Never seen a ghost before, or something?"

"You're not supposed to kill those Poes," Sheik answered instead, voice hardened by determination.

"Of course I am! They're the enemy!" Link replied, throwing his arms up in the air, "I know this is new for you, but it's really simple, you come here, clear the enemies, kill the big source of trouble, get the Sage, or in this case, the medallion, move to the next Temple. It's tedious work, but someone has to do it."

"The Poes are the rightful Guardians of the Temple," Sheik replied, crossing his arms over his chest, "You're supposed to purge this place from Ganondorf's influence, not from the spirits that survive on its magic."

"Maybe," Link admitted after a moment, remembering not all Poes were trying to get his head, "But if they attack, what do you expect me to do? Sit back and let them kill me?"

"If you took time to think before throwing head first into things, they wouldn't attack," Sheik replied with a roll of his eyes, "Watch, and keep that damned bow away."

Walking to the center of the room, he looked up at Link, then pulled out his harp, playing the song he had learned at the Graveyard, the Song of Dusk. The notes echoed in the Temple, the voices of the ageless ghosts in it answering to the call of music. Link watched stunned for a moment, as the four sisters returned, glowing softly and singing along the song. They whirled around Sheik, harmlessly.

"My friend and I haven't come to harm you," The Sheikah said quietly, pointing up to Link, who was still standing in the staircase. Four pairs of ghostly eyes turned to him, Beth and Jo floating up towards him, circling him, then giggling like children as they returned to the main floor, "We want to get rid of the Monster that's causing trouble, but we need your lights to do so."

Meg looked at him through narrowed eyes, circled him slowly, then laughed loudly. The three other sisters laughed too, and disappeared, leaving the four torches lit. Meg floated around the elevator, giggling.

"How did you do that?" Link asked after a moment, walking over to Sheik, newborn respect in his eyes.

"Secret of trade, I'm afraid," The Sheikah replied with a small, hidden smile, nodding towards the elevator, "C'mon, if I have it my way, we'll be back with Saria before nightfall."

They fit tightly in the lift, and both tried not to think about it as they squeezed against each other. Once in the basement, Link instructed Sheik which block they had to push to pass through, while he went inside to set the switches and get the keys.

"I'm not sure about this," The blue eyed Hero said after a moment, looking at the chained door in front of them, "I think we might need to get the Boss Key from upstairs."

"Meg?" Sheik turned to the bigger Poe, and she laughed again, waving one of her thin hands over the chains. They dissolved.

The short hallway, lined with the empty frames that decorated all the Forest Temple, was dim lit and somewhat forebodingly Shadowy. They entered the boss room, a wide circular space, with six large paintings hanging from the walls. The battleground was easy marked by the small fence around it. Sheik eyed the whole room distrustfully.

"You know," Link said after a moment, as they entered the underground gallery, and prepared for the battle, "I'm starting to wish you had been around the first time I went through this…"

"If wishes were horses," Sheik didn't get a chance to finish the old saying, as a horse's neigh echoed in the room. Meg whirled around and disappeared, "This isn't good."

Suddenly, a Shadow appeared in two portraits, a black horse and a rider, approaching them. Fast.

"No," Link agreed amiably as the portals opened and the Phantom appeared, "Not at all, ready?"

"Honestly?" The Sheikah called back as he jumped right, dodging a ball of magic, "No."

"Shame!" Link shot at the painting, hitting the horse and irritating the enemy into throwing a rain of attacks on them.

Sheik didn't answer. He was too busy trying to save his life to bother.


"Remember that you are an actor in a drama, of such a part as it may please the master to assign you, for a long time or for a little as he may choose. And if he will you to take the part of a poor man, or a cripple, or a ruler, or a private citizen, then may you act that part with grace! For to act well the part that is allotted to us, that indeed is ours to do, but to choose it is another's."


"You know," Link mused as they looked up at the sky, "That was ridiculously easy."

"I knew you would say that," The Sheikah replied icily, "Considering the Din damned thing was too busy frying me to pay attention to you."

"Exactly!" Link beamed at him, "You're so good dodging the attacks…"

"It's called survival instinct," Sheik glared at the content looking Link, left eyebrow twitching, "And don't fall asleep yet, we still have to finish off the other monsters in the Temple."

"But we already killed the boss!" Blue eyes looked up at him surprised, then he rolled his eyes, "Or are you telling me you decided to let me kill your pets?"

"Point number one, they're not pets," There was a whole ice age hiding in that tone, "And point number two, since the boss is dead, the enemies inside will be weakened considerably."

"Sheik is right, Link," Navi chirped in, flying in front of the unamused Hylian, "Defeating the boss helps us keep the enemies in check and stop them from popping out of nowhere, but we must cleanse their filth from the Temple, it's what Saria would want."

"Fine, fine!" He stood up and dusted himself off, then glared at the placid looking Sheikah, "But you don't have to look so damned smug about it!"

Sheik snickered under his breath, and followed the sulking Hero of Time back into the Temple.