Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. OCs and original locations belong to me (I'm not going to start listing OCs again!)


Soul Remnants

Chapter 7


It took them quite a while to get to the inn, even with the amazing tram. The streets towards the upper portion of the city, especially the ones close to the castle, were packed with people already enjoying the beginning stages of the festival or celebration or whatever synonym the horrendous writer had settled on. Sheik lost count of the times the tram driver had to ring his bell, shouting for people to get out of the way. Link was amused at this and had to stifle a laugh. Seeing this made Sheik want to laugh as well, but he was a foreign dignitary in this city—they both were, actually, but Sheik didn't want to be seen bickering with his fellow diplomat—and he had to be on his best behaviour. He looked over at Jeryd, who was sitting with his eyes closed peacefully. He had been describing monuments and important buildings and their significance in Lumina's history on their way up here, but he had suddenly gone silent, claiming that the buildings here were newer and not so important, which Sheik found slightly strange.

He didn't tell Jeryd, however, that he had accidentally looked inside one of the buildings when a door was opened, and he had seen what appeared to be the treasury inside. It had looked somewhat empty, but that was not exactly news, was it? The people of the city didn't seem to know about the economic and social troubles outside their gates, though, almost as if they were simply not acknowledging the problem—or maybe they weren't told about it.

Sheik took a moment to study Jeryd. He wasn't asleep, Sheik could easily see that. He seemed to be meditating, his hands clasped together in his lap, his legs spread a little apart and his back firmly against the bench of the tram (he had chased away a few commoners so that the diplomats and he could sit, which Sheik didn't approve of, but it was nice to be able to sit down and rest, even for a little while). By the way he was expertly and carefully regulating his breath, Sheik also realised that he had been doing this for years and, if his combat training was comparable, then Jeryd could possibly be a formidable opponent. But this was all speculation, of course, and Sheik wasn't in any hurry to find out if Jeryd was good at fighting. Besides, Jeryd seemed like a peaceful man anyway. There was not a scar in his youthful, handsome face, and he didn't seem all that bulky—but that could easily be hidden by robes like ones he was wearing, Sheik noted—and the young man just seemed to extrude serenity around him. Sheik was about to look away when he noticed that Jeryd's lips were unusually red, almost as if—

"Is there something wrong?" Jeryd asked, his eyes open and looking right back at Sheik and with a quizzical expression on his face.

Blushing at being caught staring, Sheik looked away. "No, nothing, I apologise. My mind wanders easily and I forget what I am looking at before descending into my thoughts." He shot Link a look, warning the Hero against vocalising whatever comment he had on his tongue.

"Oh, I see," said Jeryd and smiled, showing off his suspiciously white teeth. "I understand. I am very much the same way. Just now I began to meditate without informing you, which was very rude of me, and I apologise for that."

"Lot of apologising going on," said Link quietly, hiding a grin behind his hand. Sheik glared at him.

Just then the tram turned around a corner, and the diplomats were greeted with the full splendour and glory of the castle. It was smaller than Zelda's—or what had been Zelda's castle before Ganondorf had destroyed and reconfigured it to his own purposes—but the architecture was quite different. While there were the common turrets and ramparts that a standard castle was so famous for, this one also had the addition of several columns—both decorative and practical, it seemed—placed at even intervals all around the building. Two mighty towers rose from each wing, at the top of which flew the king's banners—a purple eagle accompanied by, of all things, an equally purple rat on a yellow background—flew high and tall in the wind. They discovered that The Chimera was floating almost directly above it.

"It does not look very big from the front," said Jeryd apologetically as the tram came to a halt and he had two waiting servants begin unloading Sheik and Link's luggage, much to their discomfort. "But I can assure you that the castle grounds are quite extensive, and the garden is, if I may so, quite massive. It is such a shame that you should arrive on the occasion that much of the castle is blocked off by reconstruction efforts after the landing platform for the airship was built, and I'm sure His Majesty feels the same way."

"I'm actually quite impressed already," said Sheik, studying the castle walls. They were smooth and polished. Climbing them would be difficult if he was forced to take that route. Every now and then a stone was replaced by a block of what appeared to be black marble, which made for an interesting appearance. "Black marble is quite a rarity in these parts; I have been led to believe."

"Oh, indeed," said Jeryd. "Those marble blocks were imported here over a hundred years ago by the king's great-great grandfather, and they did not come cheap, I can tell you."

"Sheik, turn around, please," said Link slowly. Sheik did so, and blinked in confusion. Ise had said that their inn would be directly across the street from the castle, and that usually meant that it would be of higher quality than most other lodgings, but this… Someone had painstakingly tried to make an impressive, albeit inferior, copy of the castle's front, almost creating a mirror image. This inn lacked the armed guards and heavy gates that blocked off the real castle from the general public, but if Sheik hadn't known any better…

"Welcome to the Grand Hotel," said Jeryd proudly. "Built eighty-six years ago, it is the oldest still-operational hotel in the city. For decades this has been the chosen and preferred place for visiting dignitaries and nobles to stay, and I can also tell you that this is the single most luxurious place in the city with the exception of the castle. Booking a room here is practically impossible unless you know people in high places, and I must say that you are quite lucky to be able to stay here." Jeryd drew another breath, undoubtedly preparing to embark on another history lesson, but Link interrupted him with a raised hand.

Like a child, Sheik thought fondly.

"Yes, my lord?" asked Jeryd.

"First of all, call me Link, not 'my lord'," said Link, distaste for the way of being addressed rolling off him in waves, "and second, what did you call this place? A hotel?"

"Yes, my lor—"Link bit his lip—"Yes, Link," said Jeryd, almost biting his own lip in return in distaste at using a diplomat's given name. The lack of respect in it had to be gnawing at him, Sheik knew. He had been much the same way when Link had tried to get him to use his real name rather than simply refer to him as The Hero. The young man quickly recovered, however, and nodded. "Yes, a hotel. It is just a more…dignified word for inn, to be honest. That, and they tend to be of a higher quality, but other than that…"

"I see," said Link, nodding.

"Anyway, shall we go in?" asked Jeryd, directing the servants to carry the bags inside. "I'm sure you would like some time to rest before this evening's ball."

Something bothered Sheik about that sentence, but he couldn't put a finger on what it was, so he let it go for now and followed Jeryd inside the…what was it now…hotel. Instead of a main gate, there was instead a set of gigantic glass doors that were opened by a pair of well-dressed men standing on either side of the doorway. The immediate area inside—called the lobby by Jeryd—was a large, empty room with the exception of a small reception desk at the other end. Jeryd quickly took care of payment and other details and then handed them both a key each.

"These are your room keys," he explained as they walked up the stairs to the rooms. "Please take good care of them as this is the only set. Unfortunately, we have been forced to book you into a double room, which means that you will have to share it. I hope that does not cause any inconvenience…"

"Not at all," said Link. "Sheik and I are used to sharing living quarters."

That was…surprisingly diplomatic, Sheik thought, having expected Link to blurt out the nature of their relationship immediately. Five flights of stairs later and they were standing outside a large double door. Jeryd had Sheik unlock it, and the servants immediately went inside with their luggage and quickly disappeared without a trace soon after. Jeryd waited outside while Link and Sheik inspected the room.

It was not proper to describe this as "a room" in singular form. While there was only a single bedroom with a pair of separated beds, the living quarters themselves were spread across several other rooms, including a washroom, a living room, a small kitchen area and a large balcony.

"Is the room to your liking?" Jeryd asked, appearing in the doorway. "I'm afraid we don't have anything bigger—"

"This will do just fine," Link said. "It's way bigger than I thought it'd be."

"I suppose calling it a double room is a faulty description," said Jeryd. "Suite is a more proper word, I believe." He walked over to a small desk in the living room and pulled out a large piece of paper. "This is a map of the city, if you wish to explore it further, though I daresay you should wait until after the ball. Food can be ordered up to your room from downstairs, just provide the receptionist with your room number. Do you have any questions, my lords?"

Link shook his head, still taking in the suite. The furniture and carpets were expensive, as were the decorations that littered the walls and every other space that was not occupied by anything else. The beds were positively huge—so huge that Sheik was sure he'd get lost in the sheets if they were dropped over his head—and…this was simply not a standard of living he was used to. It felt far too luxurious for the likes of him. Link didn't have any qualms, obviously, but he also knew that the Hero was just as comfortable wherever he stayed, whether it was this place or a small, dingy tavern in a tiny little village no one had ever heard of where everyone was each other's cousin or something like that.

Jeryd nodded amiably. "Well, then I shall take my leave of you for now. I am sure you would like to rest in peace while you—oh, I apologise," he blushed heavily as he realised what he had just said. "I am so sorry; I did not mean to say that!"

"It's okay," said Link, laughing. Sheik smiled as well. It was a very amusing slip of tongue, if somewhat ominous…

Jeryd continued blushing, especially at Sheik's smile, but nodded gratefully. "Thank you for understanding, my lords. In truth, you are the first diplomats I have ever served on my own, and I am quit nervous." He took a few seconds to recompose himself. "Now, I am sure that you would to rest up a little before the ball, so I shall take my leave."

Just then Sheik realised what he had been bothered by earlier, and stopped him. "You said that the ball is tonight?" he asked.

"Yes."

Sheik shot Link a look. "I'm afraid we do not have clothes that would be considered…fitting for the occasion. I am afraid to say that this diplomatic visit caught us by surprise." Showing up at a royal ball wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts didn't seem proper, and Sheik still wasn't very happy about the way the exoskeleton he had taken over from Zelda drooped around his chest. And Link's usual attire just wasn't appropriate for any occasion other than adventuring.

Jeryd grinned. "Councillor Ise said something about such a possibility, and I have already taken the liberty of coming up with a remedy for that, if you will permit me, my lords."

"What is it?" asked Link.

Jeryd looked proud of himself. "I have made a reservation at the city's finest tailor, and he has assured me that as long as I can get your measurements and general design choices to him within…an hour or so, the outfits will be ready for tonight." Out of nowhere, he produced a measuring tape. "If it is your liking, of course," he added.

"Measurements, sure," Sheik said, "but design choices…I know little of such things."

"Me too," said Link. "I mean, look at me."

Now a grin so wide that it threatened to rip his face spread on Jeryd's mouth, and he looked ready to burst into fits of giggling. "I was almost hoping that you would say so, my lords," he said. "As it happens, I happen to think myself as quite skilled when it comes to style and fashion. If I may, I already have some ideas that I would like to suggest…"

What could they do? They accepted Jeryd's help, though he preferred to keep the designs a secret for now, and the human disappeared after taking their measurements, practically cackling with delight.

"What a strange guy," Link said as he stared after Jeryd running down the hallway. "I can't help thinking we just made a mistake…" he added.

Sheik found that he felt the exact same way.

They decided to stay in the suite for the rest of the day. They were still tired from travelling, and they just wanted some time alone without any prying eyes looking at them strangely. Hylians were apparently a rarity here judging by the way the humans stared at Link, and Sheik was just a plain anomaly, a thing no one thought could exist and therefore had to be stared at until there was nothing left of him.


Sheik was standing at the window, staring out at the city, wearing nothing but a pair of slacks. He had just taken a bath, and it was pleasant to just let his skin breathe for a while. Their room faced away from the castle, which was just as well. Instead, they were treated to a fabulous view of the city itself, and from this height it was easy to see why the people here were so proud of it. Dazzling, golden roofs filled his eyes, and he still could not see how some of those buildings could stand without toppling over or sinking into the ground.

He felt Link approach him from behind and smiled as the Hero wrapped his arms around him, pressing the Sheikah to his warm chest. He too had just come out of the bath. The Hero's fingers immediately found a scar near Sheik's ribs and began to gently rub it.

"Amazing city, huh?" Link asked, breathing hot air onto Sheik's ear. Whether it was intentional or not, it nevertheless set the Sheikah quivering with pleasure. "So huge and rich…"

"Yes," he replied woodenly, determined not to let Link win this. "I wonder how they are able to afford to keep it running…" As much as he'd like to show his appreciation for the Hero right now, he didn't want to take the chance on Jeryd suddenly appearing while they were…in the middle of things. That would be embarrassing, not to mention uncomfortable for all parties involved.

"They can't, remember?" Link said.

"Right…"

Link understood that Sheik wasn't interested in doing that just now and stopped blowing into his ear, but continued embracing him. "You know, if the Deku Tree had told me seven years ago that I would someday be standing like this with you and in a city like this…I'd be sure he was lying to me."

"Let's be glad he didn't, then," said Sheik.

"And let's be glad you and I met, eh?"

Sheik didn't answer, for he knew that his smile and the way he relaxed into Link's arms would be all the proof the Hero needed.

"Link?" he said after a few seconds.

"Yeah?"

"Why aren't you wearing pants?"

Whatever Link was going to say was interrupted by a sharp series of knocks on their door. Sheik practically jumped out of Link's arms in panic, hoping to the Goddesses that whoever it was wouldn't just enter without permission. Link gave him a weird look and, without a sound, ducked back into the bathroom (surely to put on the ever-elusive and clever pants that outsmarted him from time to time) while Sheik threw on a shirt from his pack, wondering what the look had been about. Jeryd stood on the other side of the door, smiling like there was no tomorrow. He was carrying a heavy-looking bag in one hand and a small chest in the other.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asked, noticing the remnants of the blush on Sheik's face from Link's ear-blowing. "You look a little bothered..."

"Just came out of the bath," Sheik explained hurriedly, indicating his hair which was still wet.

"Of course, how silly of me," said Jeryd. "Your outfits are ready—I just picked them up from the tailor."

"That was...quick," said Sheik incredulous as he let Jeryd inside the suite.

"That particular one prides himself on the speed of his work," said Jeryd, carefully putting the bag and chest on a commode. "Also, he's got a small army of apprentices and journeymen working for him, so minor things are always completed at record pace. Not that these outfits were minor things, but then again I've had him on the standby since last week..."

"Last week?" asked Sheik. "You've been preparing our outfits for a week?" That can't be right...

"Hm?" Jeryd looked confused. "The letter from your princess said that you would need proper clothes once you got here, including ballroom outfits, and the task of preparing them was delegated to me. I thought you already knew..."

Zelda thinks of everything, it seems...except for telling us about her plans, Sheik thought. "I see," he said. "Well, she said no such thing to us, but I guess it slipped her mind to mention it when she told us to go here."

"Oh...well, I'm sure she didn't mean to," said Jeryd and opened the bag. "Now, I came up with the designs based on physical descriptions of you, but I never had anything visual to work with, so I'm not entirely sure of how it will look..." He looked through the contents of the bag, clicked his tongue and finally began tugging at something in it. "Now, there are certain restrictions for finery at the king's ball, so I was not able to play around with decorations all that much, but colours were optional, and I thought that since your eyes are such a deep shade of red..." He pulled something out.

"Now, the style is modelled after the uniform that the men of the royal family and the higher-ups in the military wear at formal occasions such as these, but the collar isn't as high, and since you do not have any medals for decoration, I did some research and had the tailor stitch the symbol of your people in red on the left breast instead. I apologise for any historical inaccuracies that may have turned up in the process—let me know about them and I shall have them fixed immediately. The off-white colour of the uniform itself will accentuate your, if I may say so, beautiful eyes and really make them come forward."

"My eyes...?" Sheik said, briefly touching the one he'd lost the use of. What Jeryd had said to him struck him as odd. Not odd in bad way, just...overly intimate.

"The details, such as buttons, stitching and folds are black, which looks good with the white, but the motives on the buttons themselves are gold, just to bring a little more colour into the mix," continued Jeryd, apparently not noticing Sheik's apprehension. His face was glowing with enthusiasm as he pointed out various features.

Sheik studied the outfit. It was definitely military in nature, all straight lines and handy pockets, but the colour, the red Sheikah eye on the left breast and all the other details that made it up turned out quite...handsome, if he could use such a way. It consisted of a jacket with five buttons that went diagonally up from left to right. There were clasps for optional epaulettes, but Sheik abhorred those things and was glad they were not included. There was a plain, white shirt to wear underneath. The trousers were in the same colour as the jacket, with a thick, black line going up each leg on the outside, but were otherwise quite devoid of artistry. All in all, it didn't look too bad, though Sheik missed some dark blue in all of it.

"What do you think?" Jeryd asked, looking expectantly at Sheik with such hopeful eyes that the very idea of saying anything negative about the outfit nearly broke Sheik's heart. The Sheikah smiled and nodded.

"It looks excellent, Jeryd, thank you."

Jeryd looked relieved, carefully folded the outfit—uniform, more like—and put it on the commode, next to the bag. Then he opened the chest and pulled out a pair of black riding boots. "These are standard, I'm afraid," he said apologetically, "but I've made sure that they're a little more comfortable than the usual ones."

"I think they will do fine," said Sheik, wondering what he would look like in it all. He noticed that the human was staring at him. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Aren't you going to try it on?" Jeryd asked. "If there is something you wish to be modified, we need to find out as soon as possible so we have the time to fix it before the ball."

"Oh, right. Certainly," said Sheik, feeling ridiculous. Warily he picked up the outfit, including the boots and headed for the bedroom. Where was Link when you needed him? There was a mirror in the bedroom, and he looked at himself as he slowly dressed himself in the uniform. It fit him perfectly, but that was only to be expected since it had been sown for him just a little while ago. The jacket, when buttoned up, clung rather tightly to his frame, but not uncomfortably so. The trousers did the same, and his figure was heavily accentuated by it all. He had to agree with Link; he was getting on the thin side of things. The boots also fit perfectly, and they were definitely the kind that wouldn't be uncomfortable to walk around in for hours on end, unlike other decorative footwear. Jeryd had been right, too—his eyes really did appear more vivid and noticeable now, if such a thing was even possible. The Sheikah eye on his breast blazed, and Sheik had to admit that Jeryd had done a very good job with the research on it, but he would have taken his hat off (if he had one) to the one who had sewn it.

He liked it. It wasn't something he was going to wear every day, of course, but he wouldn't hate showing up at the ball in it...unlike another certain outfit he had been given for a similar occasion by a certain group of desert thieves. No skirts in sight, and Sheik thanked the Goddesses for that.

He emerged from the bedroom to find Link being back into the bathroom by an exuberant Jeryd, barely catching a glimpse of something black in the Hero's arms. Jeryd wheeled around and spotted Sheik. His face went serious, and Sheik suddenly got a feeling that he had done something wrong as the human began walking around him, hm-ing and ha-ing as he took in every detail of Sheik's outfit.

"Well?" Sheik asked.

"Perfect," said Jeryd, grinning. "How about you? Do you like it?"

"I do," said Sheik, smiling as he straightened the collar, which stopped just short of his Adam's apple. "I like it a lot, actually. I only wish there was some dark blue in it, but I cannot imagine where it would go." It wasn't often Sheik indulged himself in fashion like this, but when would he get such a chance again?

"Hm, I think one more colour would have made it very crowded," said Jeryd, "at least in this style."

"You're probably right," said Sheik.

"Hey, is this looking okay, or am I...wow..." Link's voice trailed off behind them.

Sheik turned around and nearly gasped. Link had already put on his own outfit, which was in the same style as Sheik's, but nearly reversed in the colour scheme. His jacket and trousers were predominantly black with white stitching, buttons and folds. Instead of a Sheikah eye, however, Link had a golden image of the Triforce stitched on his left breast. While Sheik thought he looked dignified in his uniform, Link looked positively regal in his. The boyish grin on his face, his hair and the ring in his ear made him look far less severe than he would without them, of course, but that was a good thing.

"I...uh...wow," the Hero tried again, letting his eyes roam all over Sheik, who was doing the same to Link. "You look...great..."

"As do you," Sheik managed to say; afraid of what would come out if he didn't concentrate.

"So you both like them?" Jeryd said hopefully. At their confirmation he looked ready to jump up and down with joy. "I'm so glad! I wasn't entirely sure if taking a chance on mirroring you with each other was a good idea, but I certainly don't regret the idea now! I just hope no one will confuse the Hero of Time with the prince, hehe, since his uniform is black also."

Link shifted a bit, uncomfortable under the intense gaze Sheik was sending him. There was just something so...irresistible about him right then. While Sheik looked lithe in his outfit, Link looked every bit the Hero he was supposed to be—strapping, but not burly. Strong, yet graceful.

"Now," continued Jeryd, "I believe that the Hero does not need to do anything else with his appearance, but I was wondering, my lord Sheikah, what you are planning to do with your hair?"

"What do you mean?" Sheik asked.

"Well, your hair looks gorgeous as it is, but I believe that it is of the proper length to put it up a bit, either with ribbons or clips—"

"No ribbons," Sheik said immediately. There were some things he would not do, no matter what people thought. Briefly, he regretted letting his hair grow out a little again.

"Very well," said Jeryd and nodded. "And I agree, ribbons would not flatter you, however..." he trailed off and began rummaging around in the bag, which was still not quite empty. "I think these will be quite lovely." He handed Sheik a pair of black hairclips. "Try these out when your hair dries, and decide then."

It occurred to Sheik right then that Jeryd was behaving improperly towards them. While he still called them lords and such, he talked to them as if they were his friends. Sheik didn't mind it, actually, as being a lord was probably the last thing he wanted, but he just hoped that they were a special case and that Jeryd didn't act like this around other foreign diplomats and dignitaries.

"Oh, and I almost forgot the most important things of all," said the human and pulled two pieces of paper out of his pocket. "You will need these invitations to get into the ball. How embarrassing it would be if I'd forgotten to give them to you, eh?" He gathered his things and headed for the door. "Now, if you will excuse me, my lords, I must go to Councillor Ise's side and help her prepare for the ball. An assistant's job never ends, hehe. Remember, the ball starts at seven, and you get in through the main gates, which is directly across the street from the hotel entrance."

"Hey, are you going to be there?" Link asked right before Jeryd closed the door. The human smiled and nodded.

"I will, but only in the background. Enjoy yourselves tonight, my lords."

The door was closed, and Link and Sheik were left alone to stare at each other's clothes.

"Sheik," Link said slowly, "that outfit..."

"I could say the same about yours," Sheik replied. He looked at the hairclips in his hand. "I'm going to need your help with these later," he said.

Link only grinned happily.

To be continued...


A very gay chapter today, I realise, but I really, really wanted to get their outfits ready and described before all hell breaks loose. What? I like uniforms, okay? Sorry about the delay, but we all know how life's a bitch sometimes, right?

Thanks for the reviews, everyone, and I'm really sorry for not replying to the ones I got for the last chapter—I have been distracted a lot, but I promise it won't happen again. I still need to figure out a way to reply to the ones from people who aren't logged in, though. I'd appreciate any ideas about that! Please leave a review if you like the story!