Title: Second Try
Chapter: One: Truth
Warnings: Innuendos, maybe. Not much.
A/N: Finally finished this! It's quiet the shocker! Hope you all like! R&R


Morning chill and bright rays of light were the typical morning traits Link woke to everyday of his life. Not frost and a sky enveloped in stars. Yet, there stood Link, rubbing away the sleep out of his eyes from waking up so early.

Fog cloaked and permeated the forest, leaving the surroundings and lurking predators to the imaginations whim. The branches overhead held no birds, yet the sounds of animals all around could make hairs stand on end. They weren't the soft rustles of deer grazing, or rabbits running from foxes. No, these were owls screeching and bats hunting, toads croaking and snakes hissing.

All these distractions were shrugged off as Sheik tossed a canteen over to Link—full of water and unexpected since he prepared one in his pack.

A questioning look must have been on his face, since Sheik simply said, "You are unfamiliar with travel. You'll wear out faster than you think."

"But, well, isn't this yours?" Silence. In a moment, he noticed something else. "Hey! I'm carrying everything!"

"You don't know the way. If we run into trouble, you'll understand why." Turned away from Link, he started taking the first few steps of their journey northward. "Besides, you could use the extra strength from carrying all those supplies."

Other than some smoked meats and water skins, there was nothing other than his practice sword on his back. All together, it hardly burdened him. So, he let this detail slip as he caught up with Sheik and kept his pace.

Belatedly, he realized Sheik had his face covered, exposing only his eyes. Rarely had he really seen the Sheikah wear the mask. They were practically family, so there was no need for formalities.

An hour past by. Now, the sun glittered over the horizon and caught its rays within the trees. If he didn't know better, Link would have sworn the fog became even thicker. Still the Sheikah pressed onward, moving to some unseen trail only he could sense. It hadn't bothered the younger one before, yet with the environment looking the same no matter how far they traveled, it brought a little worry into his mind.

"Um, Sheik?"

Sheik only looked at Link, the only indication of his attention shifting.

"We're going the right way, right?"

"Yes. This is the way to Ordon Village."

"What time will we get there?"

"Between two to four hours."

Link groaned, slumping over and wishing this trip wasn't so dull. This brought a spark to Sheik's eyes, amusement within them.

"If this is too much, we can always stop for ten minutes so you can rest."

There was a mock glare in Link's eyes. He could handle a little walking! Just, not so far from home. That is, not so far from what he recently called home. "Maybe you should rest! I'm feeling just fine."

With that said, they both walked on.


The farther they got, the farther apart trees were spread. Now, a more obvious path could be seen on the ground. Grass refused to grow on the path, which puzzled Link only to the slightest extent. This journey would be full of different things! Certainly a little dirt shouldn't even grab his thoughts!

With his mind unfocused—and the fog barely rising and fading—he never saw the flame of the monstrous archer pointing the arrow at him. The bolt nearly shot straight into Link, save for one thing the creature didn't count. Sheik.

Either from quick reflexes or luck, it doesn't matter, the Sheikah caught the arrow.

The sight of said weapon blazing only a few inches away from him brought a frozen gaze to Link as surprise caught him dead. That was okay, this time. This time, it's not as though he's surrounded and alone.

Sheik handled this, throwing the arrow back, as well as adding a few throwing needles. Down went the Bulbin Archer, exploding in a small haze of black smoke. The younger blond was speechless.

"Focus! You won't make it long in the real world if you're killed out here," Sheik said in an icy tone. Such a huge mistake couldn't be left off so lightly!

"Ah, I'm sorry! How am I suppose to see anything with all this fog around?"

Sheik walked on, giving no answer to Link's question. They were on a schedule, and dillydallying wasn't going to get them anywhere.

It frustrated Link to be ignored, but the prospect of being shot at again by other archers gave him the means to continue along.

It wasn't long at all for them to see signs of human life. If you squint, you could have seen the colors of the roof shingles. The gates leading into this village were a lot closer, made of wood and metal with the circular horns of a goat prominent. Sadly, they were closed and locked up.

Link felt disheartened. They didn't just travel a few miles just to be locked out. Sheik had continued onward, despite the quizzical look on the teenager's face.

When he reached the gate, Sheik called out, "Could you open the gate for us?"

Upon hearing those words, Link thought his guardian was talking directly to him. It was puzzling. By the time he was close enough to make out more details, the image of a tall man with tanned skin, dark hair, and neutral colored clothing was in view.

The man seemed nice enough from his cheery tone. "Sure, young man! Just one moment!"

Link beamed. Now they wouldn't have to wait or anything. "Thanks so much, sir!"

"Ah, no problem. The gate's just to keep the monsters out. Most of those damn soldiers get in from the gate on the other side." By the end of his sentence, the lock gave way with a loud clicking sound.

The word 'soldiers' brought a cold look into Sheik's eyes.

"There we go! If you need anything, talk to Rosa. She's the unofficial innkeeper around here, as well as the chief's wife."

The warrior nodded. Making his way down the path, he never checked to make sure Link was in tow.

Link muttered a few last kind words before catching up again to Sheik, unaware of the man watching them leave, a curious look in his eyes.


Down the path, they were assaulted with colors of all kinds. Fences marked off people's properties, with their homes well built and sturdy; the tiles on the roofs either a rich, earthy color, or a bright pink. Plants grew everywhere, yet not as they did in the forest—instead of towering trees everywhere, there was only one tree with height—with many flowers and crop plants such as pumpkins growing in any given direction. The scent of such a place was soothing, though not the extra parts of the scene.

Like soldiers in dark armor, who gave off a deadly aura.

The blond teen wouldn't have liked them no matter if the man before hadn't said anything. They just seemed too ominous to be there for safety measures.

With Sheik leading the way, there was no way to pause and take in the scene of the village. That didn't mean the village couldn't take a look at them; many eyes followed their path, seemingly out of curiosity.

Sheik stopped dead in front of a woman, asking, "Are you, by chance, Rosa?"

She gave him a thorough look up and down, something sparking in her eyes. Warily she replied, "Yes. What is it you want?" She was a plump woman with auburn hair placed in a bun.

"We have been traveling all day. Do you have any extra—ah!"

Link had walked right into Sheik, blissfully unaware for a moment too long. Sheik merely shoved him back with his left arm.

"Would you happen to have any rooms to rent for a few days?"

Rosa's attention switched between the two of them, a look in her eyes Link couldn't quite place.

From first glance, Link couldn't guess how old she was. With nothing to compare to but Sheik, he'd have guessed she was ancient. Though, now that he thought about it, Sheik didn't seem a day older than the first memory he had of the warrior. Strange...

It was a hesitant gesture, but she did soften her gaze.

"We've no rooms for those brutes took most of them, but," Again, her eyes rested on Link. "Arrangements can be made for a couple of tired boys. I'll see what I can do. Why don't you rest up while I settle you two in for the night?"

"Thanks so much!" Link nodded, a smile forming. People on the outside world were really nice, save for the knights in dark armor, anyway.

Sheik nodded as well before walking off to, as Link suspected, find supplies. Link was about to follow again, though Sheik turned around and said in his usual tone, "I'm going to be busy for a while. Make friends with the other villagers and do not talk to the soldiers." He even emphasized the 'do not' part, meaning it wasn't just some friendly advice, but an order. Not that he would disobey that one.

"Okay!" Link had said cheerily, though he didn't know how to greet people, exactly. As long as they were staying, it would be nice not to start off on the wrong foot or anything.

At first he merely looked around, unsure of what to do. Before he knew it, a few of the village kids gathered around him to figure him out.

"Wow, you must be from very far off!" One of the younger ones shouted, gazing at the green clothes.

"Introduce yourself first!" The eldest boy said. He couldn't be any older than twelve with dark red hair and brown eyes. "Excuse him. My name's Jace."

"Fine!" The kid had replied. "The name's Aden. Pleased to meet'cha sir!" This one had strawberry blond hair with green eyes.

Another with blue eyes and brown hair curtsied, a small smile on their face. "And I am Aaliyah. My little brother—Zion—he's sick, but you should visit him since you've come from so far." Judging by the absolute different appearance of Aaliyah, she was a girl. Not that anything was wrong with that, but Link didn't have much to go by from living in the forest with Sheik for so long.

"Ah, okay." Link chuckled lightly, knowing he couldn't be from too far away. Though, these clothes probably told a different story. "My name's Link. Pleased to meet you all."

"What brings ya here, Link?" Aden asked, looking up at Link with wide eyes. He looked to be about six or eight years old.

"Well, Sheik said we were gonna travel, so we're traveling." It wasn't an exciting story by far, but it was the truth.

"Who's this 'Sheik'?" Aaliyah asked, brushing a few strands from her face.

"My guardian. He was with me a while ago, though he's getting stuff right now for the big trip."

"Aw, you're not staying long?" Aden looked dejected, the idea of losing a friend already not the best of luck.

"Well, we should be here for the night..."

"Make sure to visit Zion, then! He'd be so mad if he doesn't get to meet some one new who's not one of those big bullies!" Aaliyah was most likely talking about those soldiers.

"Certainly, meeting a new person should cheer up Zion and help him get better faster," Jace interjected.

It was settled. They all walked to Zion and Aaliyah's house, intent on helping Zion. Their house had brown shingles, with a pretty flower garden growing in front. From what Link could tell, the flowers were all the same white color. It was a very nice house, with the same circular goat horns hanging on the door. Without even a knock, they all walked inside, enveloped instantly by the warmth of a fire and the smell of something Link couldn't recognize. It smelled good though, like cooked chickens with a few other ingredients.

"Close that door! Zion shouldn't be exposed to the cold!" A man with black hair shouted from the other side of the home. As soon as he turned around, a smile formed on his lips. "Didn't know we had guests! Name's Amund. Zion just woke up, so y'all can go ahead and talk to him."

"C'mon! Let's go see him!" Aaliyah grabbed onto Link's hand, dragging him to the next room. Aden and Jace followed.

Zion, a brunet with hazel eyes, was still laying down, wrapped up in some soft blankets. He noticed Link before anything else. "Oh, hello."

"See brother, I told you other people come here too!"

"My name is Link. Pleased to meet you!"

"My name's Zion. I wish I wasn't so si—" He couldn't finish before a small fit of coughs came up. "Sick. Mother said the bullies won't give me any medicine yet, so I won't get better for a while."

"That's awful..." Another reason to not like those soldiers.

"It's not that bad. I should get better soon," Zion replied, trying to sit up.

"Just rest. Aden and I will go and find some herbs to help you," Jace said softly.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes," Jace replied, elbowing Aden in the ribs.

"Fine! But if Link leaves before we get back, I'll be so mad...!"

"Don't worry. I'll still be here," Link said softly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good. Okay, I'll go help get plants for you Zion."

Link smiled, amused at how expressive kids could be. He wondered if he was like that at Aden's age until Zion started coughing again.

"Where are you from, Link?"

"Deep in the forest, from the South."

"Oh? Are there other people who dress in green?"

"Not that I've met... It was always just me and Sheik until now."

"Oh. How long are you staying?"

"A night or two. It's not very long..."

"Will you ever come back?" Zion seemed like the inquisitive type.

"I don't know..."

"Oh..." Zion looked dejected, and more worn out than before.

"I'm sure we'll meet again one day. I just know it!" That wasn't exactly a lie, though he felt more comfortable saying that than having the kid look so bad.

"Really? I'll bet I'll be as good as new by then, and then we can do lots of fun stuff!"

All three of them were smiling, and were about talk about all the fun things they could do until they heard screaming outside.

He didn't miss a beat. The teen tried to run out of the house, though Aaliyah placed a death grip on his arm. He was able to escape easily, slipping away and out into the open to see an older woman with light brown hair down on the ground, a soldier hovering over her with Amund trying to defend her. If the scene weren't so critical, he would have taken the time to consciously notice the pale haze forming around them.

"If we've told you once, we've told you a thousand times, we won't give you medicine for your snot-nosed brat!" The man in armor said, his voice vicious.

"He's just a child! Isn't there anything we could give you for that medicine?" She was screaming, nearly on the verge of tears.

"There are a few things, though I don't yer husband will like any of those choices." There was laughing not only from him, but the soldiers watching, their minds all thinking of the same thing.

Amund gritted his teeth, ready to rip off that supposed man's head from his body.

"Amund, help me up," She pleaded.

Naturally, he did as she asked, though he didn't let his eyes stay away from his enemy for long. She whispered something in his ear, which made him less angry and more cold.

"Let's go, Amund..."

No matter how much it would have felt good to teach that soldier a lesson, they were outmatched. With a sneer, he retreated with the sound of laughing in his ears.

Link had never felt so angry in his life. He was about to jump in where Amund left off when a hand rested on his shoulder. It was Sheik.

"There are twenty soldiers in this village. You wouldn't be able to fight them all off," Sheik whispered, his eyes glaring at those men as well.

"So what are you saying? That I let them get away with it? You're the one who said never show your enemy you're afraid!"

"Their worse than you know. If they can't take you down, they'll go after the villagers—the children. You must know when to strike. Now is not the time."

"When is?" His anger was not doused, but he knew that every word the Sheikah said made more sense than listening to his rage.

"When there are no more options. Go inside. The children are scared and worried." Just like that, Sheik disappeared. Link was use to that. It wasn't the first time, of course. With clenched fists, he returned inside with a sniffling Aaliyah holding her youngest brother tightly to keep him from going too.

"Is everything okay?" She whispered, trying not to cry.

"Things should be fine now," The woman replied from behind Link. "I'm sorry for all the trouble you've seen, young man. Things aren't usually so... dramatic. I am called Hestia. Certainly, would you stay for dinner...?" Judging by her tone, it seemed she was trying to ease the tension enough for people to move away from the prior moment.

"My name's Link. And yeah, I'd like to stay." The blond didn't think he'd ever had food cooked like what was making that delicious scent from the fire place.

"I'm glad," Hestia said softly. She walked over to the kitchen, preparing the meal.

"You'll love it! Momma makes the best soup!"

"Soup?"

Aaliyah looked at Link quizzically. "You do know what soup is, right?"

"I don't think I've ever had any..."

"You better try it, then!" In a huff, she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the kitchen sitting him down. Off she was again to tell her mother the startling news. Instantly, a bowl was set before him with yellow water and chunks of what looked like meat and vegetables. It didn't look as good as it smelled, exactly.

"Taste it!"

He looked up and gave the girl a look that said, 'people eat this?', though she was more serious than he had seen her before. Couldn't be that bad if other people eat it, maybe. Lifting the spoon up to his mouth, he was shocked. It tasted mostly of chicken, though traces of herbs laced it, as well as a strong, salty taste. Instantly he was beaming. It wasn't something he was used to, but he knew he would love to eat this much more often.

"See? It's good!"

Link nodded, finding the word 'good' as an understatement. Before he knew it, the bowl was empty.

"I see you enjoy my cooking," Hestia said, hiding a chuckle.

"Who couldn't, my dear?" Amund interjected, finishing his own bowl. Though he wasn't eating wholeheartedly. It seemed the earlier event was still on his mind.

"Thank you so much! I should probably get going. Sheik must be worried about me."

"That Sheikah? Well, you take care then. Make sure you come back tomorrow. Zion could always use some good company like you."

Before Link could leave, Hestia handed him something. "Here. It's a bottle of my soup, in case you would like to share with this Sheik of yours." She ended her sentence with a wink, making him blush. Women are very pretty...

Once outside, he realized how different the place looked with the sun down. Things weren't as scary as the woods. In fact, it seemed very peaceful. Standing on the bridge over the small stream, he could hear footsteps behind himself. "Hello?"

"Ah, hello," A young girl responded. She had black hair, though her eyes were hard to make out. "Mister, can you give this to Zion?" It was another bottle, yet the liquid inside was more green. "It's medicine. It should make him feel better."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Imani. Don't tell anyone I gave it to you, please! If you do, I'll get in trouble."

"Um, okay. But, why me?"

"The other kids don't like me. If you give this to Zion, they'll be happy."

"Okay..."

"Thank you mister!"

He was about to introduce himself, but she ran off before he had the chance. That was weird.

Walking over to where they had met Rosa, he saw Sheik leaning against the wall of the house, waiting for him. Guess he stayed out a bit too long. Wordlessly, the Sheikah knocked on the door. Huh, the kids didn't need to knock before they entered. Then again, they lived there.

"Yes?" A huge man answered, a shocked expression clear on his face. He was bald, with a bit of white hair showing at the sides.

"May we come in?" Sheik asked politely.

Rosa pushed past his shoulder, her face beaming. "Of course, darlings! There's tea and biscuits in case you'd like something light to snack on." Was it him, or was she more cheery than earlier?

Sheik didn't seem freaked out or anything as he entered, so Link tried to copy his mannerisms for now. This was something a little more complex than answering questions younger kids kept asking him.

Inside, it was really warm from the fire inside. The adults weren't worried about it, so Link let the little fear of the home burning fade away. Other than that, there were places to sit covered in cloth, and a table made of what looked like wood. The walls were covered in square papers with images of what looked like different versions of the couple, as well as the village and many other things.

The woman sat them all down on the couches, ready to serve them all their tea.

"So tell me, what're you boys doing traveling by yourselves?" Although the wife was cheery, this man seemed really distrustful of them. Well, maybe not distrustful, but he didn't seem to act right. Yet what did Link know? It wasn't as though he knew the difference between this man's moods.

"We couldn't stay locked away forever. Some times a person has to see the world," Sheik replied, giving very little away of the truth. Yet, Sheik isn't a kid—not like Link. Certainly this man could tell easily.

"Oh?" Rosa interrupted, placing the tray down on the table. "Certainly your parents must be worried for the two of you?"

Link just stared at her, a little confused. Parents? Is that what Sheik is? A 'Parent'?

"We're old enough to make our own decisions." Again, it seemed as though Sheik was avoiding giving an exact answer.

The younger blond wanted to answer their questions too, yet he was unsure with what. More importantly, he felt as though something much bigger was going on here. Something he didn't know about.

"That's not what you're curious about, is it?" After those words were said, it seemed as though everything changed.

"Seems the people of your tribe are always to the point," The man said, really talking since the first time they got there. "So tell me, do you know what had happened about fifteen years ago?" Although the man looked peaceful, his eyes seemed to show such a seriousness. Had the atmosphere not been so heavy, Link might have laughed and said they were almost as serious and Sheik's.

"The Gerudo King started to use his power to enslave towns and villages in the search of the legendary hero's reincarnation. In a last attempt for hope, a Sheikah warrior took the young hero away into the forest so the soldiers wouldn't destroy him."

"Wait, but..." Link was in shock, but how could he not be? The whole time he lived deep in the forest, learning how to live off the land and fight. Certainly there was a mistake. How could he be the hero? He was only fifteen!

"Boy, what's your name?" This time, the question was for Link. Not that the story didn't already reveal his identity.

"Uh, Link."

"You are my wee child!" Rosa walked over to link, grabbing him by the arms to hoist him up to hug him after so long. "Oh, lemme have a look at'cha!" She stepped back at arm's length, looking over her child. This was just about the happiest day of her life!

The grizzly man even stood near him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Seems my promise has been fulfilled."

"He may be your child, but he's also the Legendary Hero." Sheik had been forgotten over the chaos of this reunion. He certainly wasn't now. The couple seemed almost glare at the warrior.

"Are you kidding me? He's much too young to go against even those brutes! Do you expect him to fight against the most powerful man in the lands?" Her anger was almost tangible, though for a good cause. Just about everything she said was true, give or take.

"Which is why he'll stay here for the time being. It's in his blood to fight the darkness. A few years of training and the blessings from the temples of the Great Goddesses should give him the power to win this war."

She was about to protest, but her husband nudged her, trying to calm her down. "You know he's right."

"But..."

"Link is the only one who can do it. It pains me too, but... If he can end this tyranny, he'll never have to leave again."

Rosa was on the verge of tears, yet she nodded, comprehending how dire it was for not just the village, but Hyrule as well.

"You boys should go to bed now. Go upstairs. The open door is your room. Rest well, son."

Sheik was the first up, while Link followed him mechanically, still dazed from the previous events. He wasn't even sure how to feel about all that has happened. Maybe a nights rest would clear up his mind.

In their room were two simple beds set up for what should have been a night or two and a window shining over the village. Sheik was laying in one of them, yet it didn't look natural. From the years of living with him, Link could tell he probably would leave as soon as Link fell asleep. He took off his boots and lied down in his bed. It all was plain, but it would be his new home for now.

"Sheik...?"

"Yes?"

"Was that all... true?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" He started to feel upset, yet he couldn't understand why.

"You weren't strong enough and too young before. If you knew, you would have tried to go alone and would have gotten yourself killed. You're no help to anyone if you're dead."

They were both quiet now, listening to each other's breathing and hearing the night life from outside. It really was peaceful. The most noise they heard were crickets and whatever noises came from the couple downstairs.

"That story you told me about the Heroes death, that was my death, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

Finally knowing the truth, Link thought over things until he fell asleep.