Disclaimer: I will tell you all that is mine which is worth talking about: a rather nice turquoise Gameboy Color, a black Labrador named Plum, a one-eyed ginger tom cat named Tom, a chestnut mare named Chance, four click-together Gundam models (very proud of those), one copy of the Fellowship of the Ring, in which Orlando Bloom's facial features are slightly prominent (drool) and one copy each of Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening and Oracle of Ages. The rights to Legend of Zelda do not belong to me. There, I said it. Happy now?
A.N. I really enjoyed that last lot of reviews; I'm making everybody so confused! Yay! Well, I guess you want to know the answer to the question that's been bugging you since Chapter 2, so here it is…
Chapter 3: Sheik
Olaran sat at a table set up in his tent with Aidyn and Calamar sitting opposite him.
"Well gentlemen, can you tell me what you've learnt about the enemy so far?"
Calamar nodded, holding about him an air of serenity. Somewhere in his line there had been a Gerudo, for he had inherited the yellow eyes of their race and appeared to have had his cunning derived from those origins as well.
"They are serpent men, Olaran."
Aidyn nodded in agreement.
"I've never seen anything like them. They're evil, I mean really evil. Just looking at them gave me the creeps."
Olaran nodded and stroked his beard.
"I might have guessed. With a name like Serpius I should have expected they'd be serpents. Well, at least we'll feel no guilt about turning these monsters to dust."
"I don't think it will be that easy, Olaran." Calamar said quietly. "Serpius himself wears a belt of skulls around his waist, men's skulls. I think we can safely say this is the same warlord who wiped out the Playans."
Olaran's eyes narrowed, recalling the harrowing tales that he'd been told as a boy by his father about the deadly warrior tribe on an island named Playa. They had been invincible, until the day that they had vanished without a trace. To that day the Hylians had no idea what their fate had been.
"So, we're dealing with experienced warriors here." He said distantly. "And an army of serpent men at that."
"And they couldn't have timed it better." A voice said grimly. "High summer, just when the weather's at its hottest. The serpents have the upper hand here."
Aidyn and Calamar spun around to see a figure standing half hidden in the shadows by the door flap. Only Olaran failed to react to the arrival of the newcomer.
"Who are you?" Aidyn asked warily.
"I am Sheik, the last born of the Sheikah." Sheik replied quietly, moving out of the shadows and into the light. "I am here on General Olaran's request."
Aidyn and Calamar turned to their superior, who shrugged as a matter of explanation.
"Don't tell me you don't know of the Shadow-folk gentlemen," he said simply. "For centuries they've protected our kingdom, and I consider it good luck that we have one fighting on our side for this war. Besides, their judgement is unparalleled."
Sheik said nothing in response to this compliment and stood with arms folded beside the general.
"If you are to attack, then it would be wisest to do so when the weather is coldest. The serpents will be at their most placid then, and they will not be such a hassle."
"Easier said then done." Aidyn said dejectedly, privately wondering how the lithe, catlike figure beside his father could possibly be of any use as a fighter. "How are we expected to fight what we cannot see?"
None could see the smile that crept to the Sheikah's lips under the cloth that covered his mouth.
"Hyrule is a land of magic. Do not underestimate your greatest advantage. Utilise it to its full potential."
He turned and bowed to Olaran.
"Might I also suggest, that no direct challenge is made to Serpius himself until a warrior worthy enough can be found to dispatch him."
Calamar stood up abruptly, knocking his chair back.
"Are you saying that Olaran is not a worthy enough warrior? How dare you!"
Sheik calmly stared into the blazing eyes of the older man and coolly held his gaze.
"Olaran has the worth of two dozen good men," Sheik said calmly. "But his force alone cannot compare with Serpius. No man is to challenge him until the Master Sword has been drawn."
Aidyn looked up at the Sheikah in surprise.
"The Master Sword? But that's absolutely impossible, how can the Master Sword be drawn? Whoever did that would have to be…"
"The Hero of Time." Olaran finished. "We all know the myth, Sheik, but what truth is there to it?"
Sheik's eyes seemed to bore into the souls of every man in the room.
"He lives, and he will come to our aid. His might alone is enough to crush even the mightiest of warlords. Not even you, General Olaran, can compare to him."
Calamar looked surprised, and Sheik picked up on that. The aid of an inherited ability enabled the Sheikah to probe the general's mind.
How can Olaran not be the Hero of Time?
"He is not." Sheik responded, looking straight into Calamar's eyes. "Do not question me on this. You will know him when he comes. Trust me, you shall."
Sheik bowed to the generals and stole away on silent feet.
"How can you be sure he's trustworthy Olaran?" Calamar questioned. "He seems too enigmatic to be of any use."
"He can be trusted alright." Olaran said. "That is the one thing I am certain of."
"And why's that?" Aidyn challenged.
Olaran looked his son squarely in the eyes.
"Because it was Princess Zelda who recommended we do so."
******
Sister Petranella looked up from her tapestry as the priestess Griselda had spoken to earlier entered the room.
"I take it by your expression of defeat that you found out about Athios."
The priestess nodded.
"Mother says we should not tell Marisa."
"She's right." Petranella said, returning to her stitching. "It would destroy her."
"But the man was her father!" The priestess protested.
"She doesn't need to know that. You know as well as I do what it would do to her reputation if anyone found out that she was illegitimate. Think of her and hold your tongue. You'll thank yourself later, no matter how harsh it may seem now. Besides, what good would your going be? Everyone thinks you're dead."
The priestess took up a tapestry hoop and began to stitch furiously. After a few moments she threw down the hoop in anger.
"Can nobody see how this is wrong? Gods be questioned, surely anything is better than lying to her all her life!"
Petranella looked at her younger sister through angry, hooded eyes.
"Since when did you develop a conscience? How long did you lie to your husband for?"
The grey eyes narrowed, but their lips said nothing.
"I thought so. You are in no position to preach to me about right and wrong my sister." Petranella said icily.
"I know that what I say may be considered as hypocritical but you must believe me. I would hate it if our mother failed to tell me of something that affected my life." Her sister responded.
Petranella took up her tapestry again and did not looked at her sister.
"Your words have no meaning behind them. You should practice what you preach. It is alright for you to break the rules but it's not for everyone else. You're not the lady of this place, so stop acting as though nothing has changed. If you want to boss us around then go back to your family."
Her sister was at a loss for words and Petranella knew that. But she didn't care. Even though she had once had more love and respect for her younger sister than anyone else, she was ashamed of her now. There was no other way for her to react to her.
There was a knock on their chamber door and some of the younger initiates entered respectfully.
"Begging your pardons, but Lady Griselda wishes to speak with you both."
"We shall be with her presently." Petranella replied, smiling at the girls. "Is that all?"
The girls nodded and backed out of the room. Petranella laughed.
"They're still scared of us after all these years."
"Why shouldn't they be? I'm the living ghost, remember." Her sister said scornfully.
Petranella smiled and stood up, drawing herself to her full height. She was similar to her mother in most attributes, save for the fact that her build was thin and wiry. The three daughters of Griselda were as different to one another as winter was to summer was to spring. Marisa, now a highly respected noblewoman, was small and dark with her mother's dark eyes and Athios' cunning, but her beauty came nowhere close to that of her elder sister. The appearance of Griselda's second was beyond compare by any of her day. Her deep grey eyes held an expression of haughtiness and deep rooted perception that made them a wonder to behold, as was the rest of her appearance. No woman in the Royal Court had the slight figure of the young woman, nor had they the river of golden hair or the rosy complexion that had caused her to become the object of a great man's affection. Vanity had been her downfall, as it had left her unhappy and unsatisfied with her life. Even in these days, she still had an austere sense of pride that left an impression of awe on all of the younger priestesses.
But even with all these attributes she had still never been able to have what she truly wanted.
******
Unknown to anyone else, Sheik's heart was racing as he returned to his one-man tent. He closed the flaps and fell onto the bedroll, glad to pull away the stifling cloth covering over his mouth.
This is easily the most reckless thing you've ever done in your whole life.
You go girl.
With a sigh, the Sheikah's body faded away and was replaced with the curves and clothing of a young and beautiful Hylian woman. Princess Zelda sighed again and was glad to settle down under her blankets. It had been a long, tiring day. After eight and a half hours in the saddle, she felt numb all over and tired out. She wasn't used to this sort of living.
Well it's about time you did. Link can do it, so can you.
It had been the most logical thing in the whole world to disguise herself as her old alias, and it had been remarkably easy too. Getting rid of Impa and Catrine had been hard, emotionally and practically. Catrine had not been having an easy time, the baby was very trying and she missed Aidyn terribly. Impa had been wonderful, of course, and before long the four of them were doing quite nicely living at the seaside castle together. It wasn't long before Zelda had become restless and worried about things, and she realised that the only way she'd become less worried was by going to the front line herself, albeit in the guise of Sheik. Getting rid of Catrine and Impa could have been tough, but then one of the servants in the castle had fallen ill, and Zelda had suggested that Catrine and the baby went back to their home in case the baby became ill, taking Impa with them for company. It had worked like a charm, although Zelda knew instantly that Impa had guessed her plans. The Sheikah had taken the princess to one side the night before they had left and spoken to her harshly.
"I know why you're so keen to get us out Zelda, but I beg you not to do anything foolish."
"You know me Impa, I can't be foolish. It's not physically possible." Zelda had joked, flashing the Triforce of Wisdom for good measure.
Impa had not been amused.
"I mean it Princess. If you get killed then Hyrule will be in big trouble."
"I'm only going because I had a premonition about it." Zelda had retaliated. "I've been having the same dream for a while now, and I know what I must do."
"Oh? And what sort of dream was it?"
"Dark clouds again." Zelda had stated simply. "But they were swarming over a tented city, until a pale blue light enshrouded the tents. Then, a dazzling green light destroyed the clouds, and the tented city remained."
"And…" Impa prompted, not being able to interpret the dream.
"The clouds represent evil, the serpent warriors. Blue is the colour of Nayru and green is the colour of Farore. Nayru protected the city while Farore smote the clouds."
"Ah, so as it's Nayru you believe you should got to protect the soldiers…"
"Until Link returns to destroy the serpent army. I have no choice, I must protect those soldiers."
Impa had looked alarmed at the Princess' determination.
"Then so be it. Just don't go getting yourself killed."
Zelda sighed at the memory and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be her first day of fighting, and the knowledge that she wouldn't be killing any men during this campaign was a comfort to her. However, it didn't help to untie the knot of fear that had placed itself within her stomach. She secretly wished that she had the courage to go out onto the battlefield and slay more serpent men than any other Hylian, but she knew that it would be impossible.
"Hey Sheik, are you turning in already?" Hathan's voice called.
Instantly alert, Zelda recast the spell that transformed her into her alias. She emerged from the tent with the same indifference painted on her face as earlier.
"I was just reading the shadows with my mind. What do you need me for?"
Hathan smiled and gestured at a campfire nearby.
"Well, me an' some of the boys are gonna tell some stories with a mug of ale. You wanna join in?"
She nodded.
"I will join you."
The pair made their way to the small campfire where at least six men were sat around it's warmth.
"Hey guys, this is Sheik." Hathan said.
The men grunted in acknowledgement.
"Bit small ain't he?" One of them muttered.
He was a great bear of a man, with huge fists and an ugly face. Zelda suspected he was related to the man who ran the shooting gallery in the Market Town, but also thought that she had seen him somewhere before.
"Don't mind Yorich Sheik. He has the impression that bigger is better." A ginger haired man said. "I'm Tristian."
Yorich grunted.
"Don't you go giving me that crap about brains ahead of brawn. I'd choose brawn any day."
Zelda realised she could get a cheap shot in and thought to hell with the consequences.
"Correct me if I am mistaken, but are you not the fighter who was defeated by a ten year old in the Junior Tournament seven years ago?"
The rest of the company laughed while Yorich went beet red. Without warning, he lunged out and grabbed hold of Sheik's collar.
"You make fun of me again pipsqueak and I'll punch yer lights out! You hear me?"
Sheik's eyes narrowed and the others were surprised to see how cold the Sheikah's glare could be.
"Unless you take your hands off me this moment, I will make you sorry that you were ever born."
"Yoric, put 'im down." Hathan said. "He's a Sheikah."
It was as though a magic word had been spoken and the bigger man released his grip on the Princess, still eyeing him disdainfully. She kept her gaze even and seated herself by the fire, her eyes closed.
"I believe that we are here to tell tales." She said; keen to bring up a subject that she excelled at rather than having to fight someone who could easily snap her in half.
"Yeah, I guess we are." One of the group said.
"And we might as well make good use of this beer here before we're all slain tomorrow." A man identical to him said cheerfully.
Zelda recognised these two as the infamous Voren and Forn, the twins from the Tournament.
"Yeah, I got a story to tell." Yoric said coarsely. "Once upon a time there was a little brat who somehow cheated to win the Tournament. From that day on, everyone thought he was a miracle and something really special. But the brat ran away and no one saw him again. The end."
Zelda clenched her fists but said nothing.
"I know of a tale that bears some familiarity to yours." She said slowly. "Only this is one you are unlikely to believe although it is true."
"Go on, we're up for stories like that." Voren said.
Zelda later learnt that the only difference between the twins was that one had a freckle below his left eye while the other had one below his right.
"Yeah," Forn agreed. "Just make sure there's a beautiful woman in it."
He and his brother laughed and hi-fived one another. Tristian rolled his eyes.
"If you guys want beautiful women and sex then go and see the Gerudo."
Zelda didn't quite know how to react to this and shot a sidelong glance at the Gerudo tents.
"Is that all you gentlemen take the Gerudo for?" She asked quietly.
"What better way to take a Gerudo?" Forn asked, chuckling to himself. "C'mon Sheik, they love it as much as we do! Why else would they come on these long campaigns?"
Zelda said nothing.
"If you wish to hear my legend then I shall begin."
Hathan swigged from a tankard of beer while the others got comfortable. Sheik took up a story telling voice and began.
"There was a time that is either past or present, that a young boy set out on a quest to free the people of his land from atrocities too numerable to mention. Though they had not yet been, it had been prophesised that this boy was to be the end of them. And so, after many nights of restless dreaming, he began his journey that would lead him through forests, over mountains, under water, into shadows and deserts and even through time itself. It was this boy's destiny to align himself with the Seven Sages and to do battle with the greatest foe there could be; the mighty King of Evil…"
As she continued with her tale, she was unaware of how her audience grew and failed to notice that even the three generals were listening, though none more intently than the father of the legend himself.
******