Her hair lay loosely on her back, drying in the sun. Her long bangs created an almost curtain on the sides of her face, the gaps in her bangs showed her ruby eyes. She sat on the dry sand beside the Goddess's Spring, hugging her knees in front of her. The dark fabric of the borrowed dress soaked up the sunlight, warming her. The natural breeze along with the sunlight kept her in perfect warmth. The light that peered through the trees reflected off the water, adding beauty to the spring. She stared at the pure water, she looked deep in thought, but in reality she just let her mind go blank.
Link stopped at the entrance gate to the spring, noticing her. He leaned against the gate, looking down at the girl with no memories. He held an item wrapped in cloth in his arms.
"Sheik?" He asked, the girl jumped a bit and looked back at him.
"Oh, it's you." She said, turning around slightly in her seat.
Link blinked at the major difference. Even though he only saw her in her Sheikah outfit a few times, he got a completely different look from her in Uli's old dress. Her hair was no longer in a braid; it freely lay on her back, showing that her hair was slightly layered. Her pointed ears showed out more, before it seemed she hid them behind her braid and bangs, now he could see the tips of her ears. Her face wasn't completely hidden anymore without the scarf around her neck, her bangs still attempted to hide it though. The lack of skin-tight clothing changed her appearance as well. Before, he noticed a layer of bandages over her chest under the material where the Sheikah symbol was, but he never really thought about its purpose. Now with the regular dress, her chest showed slightly more than in her Sheikah outfit.
Link blushed slightly when that difference entered his mind. He casually brushed his bangs out of his eyes as he spoke.
"Umm...so, what are you doing out here anyway?"
"Nothing really." Sheik said, facing the water again and shrugging.
Link sat beside her on the sand, glad to be able to relax after caring for the goats. He suddenly remembered why he was looking for her.
"Oh right, I found this on you when I found you in the field." Link said, handing the item wrapped in cloth to her. "Uli reminded me about it when I went by there earlier."
Sheik straightened her legs out and placed the item on her lap and took the cloth wrapped around it off. The silver rim shone in the sunlight as it was revealed, the strings almost invisible. She held up the harp, feeling the tight strings with her fingers.
"Go on, play it." Link urged. "Maybe you'll remember something."
"I don't know any songs."
Link thought for a moment. It was true that she wouldn't remember any songs, but he hoped she would at least remember one. He glanced around and smiled before picking something from the ground. He held up a unique piece of grass, the bud was a brown horse shoe shape with a pattern of holes in it.
"Try this song." Link said before holding the bud to his lips, cupping his hand on the other side and blowing through one of the open holes. A soft song played, he tried to play it as silently as possible. Playing the song twice, he looked over at her and waited for her to mimic the song. Sheik sighed and held the harp up with one arm and strummed the first note, followed by the second and third. She played the song perfectly and clearly, the sounds seemed to echo through the forest. Link smiled as she played; amazed that she mimicked every note perfectly. Sheik soon felt something press against her back and she stopped playing. She soon heard a snort behind her; the breath from the animal hit her instantly. It was extremely close. She quickly spun around and stood, facing the creature that snuck up on her.
The brown horse snorted again and took a step back. Link laughed slightly and also stood up. Sheik looked at him questionably.
"She really loves that song." Link explained, walking up to the horse and petting her soft neck. "I call that Epona's Song."
"Epona?"
"Yea, that's her name." Link said, smiling at his horse. "I guess hearing it from a harp instead of a whistle confused her a bit, she's usually faster."
Epona looked at Sheik and snorted again before taking a small step toward her, but still keeping a small distance.
"She's pretty timid around strangers." Link explained, petting the white streak on her muzzle. "So it might take her a while to get used to you. But now she knows you're not an enemy."
Epona moved her head toward Link, nearly shoving him to the ground with her strength. Link smiled and continued petting his friend. Sheik smiled behind her bangs at the farm boy and his horse. Link smiled at her while securing Epona's saddle.
"So did you give yourself a tour of the village?" Link asked.
"I just familiarized myself." Sheik said, shrugging.
"Did you go by the ranch?"
"Umm no, I assumed you were working."
"Well then, how about I show you the ranch?"
"Didn't you just come from there?"
Link smiled slightly, his eyebrows arched.
"Well yea, but I didn't put up the goats yet. And Fado is bound to come and ask for help sooner or later." Link paused to adjust Epona's bridle. "So how about it? You can ride Epona there if you want to."
Sheik sighed, unsure if he'll let her say no.
"I guess I could check out the ranch then." She said, taking a step forward. "But I'm not sure Epona will like me riding her if she doesn't take well to strangers."
Link shrugged as he grabbed the reigns.
"Have it your way."
Link moved aside for Sheik and led Epona through the woods, walking beside Sheik. Sheik glanced around, noticing something was missing.
"Where's Navi?" She asked.
"Oh, at home. She usually stays there when I help with the goats." Link explained.
"Why's that?"
"Well, one time a goat tried to eat her and she's been skittish about them ever since."
Sheik laughed slightly at the story, understanding why Navi would be scared of them after that.
She kept the silver harp close to her as she watched Link and Epona chase the goats running around the pasture. She stood leaning on the closed gate, the skirt of her dress blew slightly in the wind along with her golden hair. Link was down to the last few goats and hoped to herd them quickly. Epona's coat shone in the light as she ran, her mane and tail blowing in the wind as she chased the goat into the barn. A man wearing a white muscle shirt and an apron skirt thing stood by the barn, watching last goat run in and quickly locked it up. Link slowed Epona to a trot and commanded her toward the girl waiting by the gate.
"Like the show?" Link joked, petting Epona.
"HEEEYY!" A voice called followed by the man by the barn running to them. "I didn't notice the lady here! I'm Fado, the head rancher of this place!"
"Nice observation skills..." Link said sarcastically. "This is Sheik. She'll be staying here for a while."
"Oh right, Uli came by and said something bout ya. Nice to meet ya." Fado said, turning to Link. "So I assume ya don't wanna jump fences?"
"No, Epona's probably tired, so I'm just ganna tie her up when we get home so she can rest."
"Alright." Fado said, unlocking the gate and letting them pass. Link got off Epona as Fado locked the gate behind him and looked over at Sheik.
"Are you sure you don't want a ride?" Link asked again, petting Epona.
"Didn't you just say that she was tired?" Sheik asked, arching an eyebrow at him.
"I guess." Link said, looking over at her. He froze for a few moments, seeing her eyes for the first time. Sheik looked at him, confused.
"Well Navi was right about your eyes. They're pretty cool." Link complemented as Sheik quickly hid herself again. He tilted his head slightly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I should probably return to Uli's house now though." Sheik said before nearly running ahead, leaving Link and Epona behind. Link watched her leave, unsure why she was in a hurry.
Alright, Finally I am getting somewhat past the begining of this! And I realized something...I've been tramatising Navi. She's been flung off a horse and ended up in the middle of nowhere, and now she's been almost eaten by a goat. I should be nicer to her for once...
Anyway, Enjoy and feel free to review.