The Heroine: War of Shadow

Backside of the Medal

The face of Sheik rolled over and over in Link's mind as she dashed down the stairs that led up to the castle. How could she had been so cruel and left him?

She reached the city and continued her mad dash, but she had no idea where to go. She was afraid. Afraid of her own feelings. How could she feel so strongly for someone? How could she be capable of loving so much? Was she capable of loving so much? No, she knew. It would only come around and hurt her.

As she finally reached the field outside the city she slowed down, only to get her foot caught in a root. She toppled over, landed in a set of bushes, where she lay for a few minutes, calming down, panting. Then the tears started running down her cheeks, and she sobbed.

---

'Sheik…' Zelda's voice was distant. Sheik was still staring at the spot were Link had been standing a few moments before.

Suddenly Zelda appeared in front of him, bringing his gaze towards her. His eyes were red; filled with tears. Somehow, it shattered Zelda's heart to see.

Then he turned and walked away.

A few gardens away, where he was alone, he stopped. He walked to the window, leaned on his hands, letting his head drop, as a single tear dropped to the stone.

He felt immensely sad to see her as different as she was now. But still so incredibly happy that she was back. Every limb in his body yearned for her. He loved her.

Two years of suffering had led to this point. But what was going to happen now?

---

Link did not know how long she had been lying in the bushes, watching the sun set. Pulling herself together, she scrambled to her feet. She had no idea where Epone was, who had all her packing.

Then her eyes fell upon the Lon Lon Ranch.

Ah, of course.

She adjusted her green big shirt before beginning her walk up to the ranch. She truly had no idea what to do now. Right, the whole help-Hyrule-out-thing. Only question was, how? How could she help Hyrule right now? That General Chase seemed to have things pretty much under control. But why should she help Hyrule? Could she help Hyrule in the first place? She knew nothing of wars…Why did they need her?

As she reached the gates to the ranch she suddenly felt angry. They had brought her back for nothing.

Then she suddenly heard a whinny, which she recognized as Epone's. Burying her anger deep down she walked through the gates and into the ranch. She spotted Epone who pranced around freely around the ranch, but no Gimel. The stallion saw her, and with a few leaps he was at her side, snorting happily.

'How'd you get here? I thought I left you at the castle,' she said. The horse buffed on her.

'I guess you're glad to be back, though, aren't you?' she cooed, running her hand down his forehead as he neighed softly. Then she suddenly heard another soft whinny. She looked up, and spotted Tzadek trotting towards them, with arched neck.

The mare trotted up to Link and sniffed on her hair. 'Hello, Tzadek,' Link said, fingering on the horse's long, slightly curled, mane. Sadly, Link remembered the time when she and Sheik had traveled all over Hyrule in search for the Master Sword. Sheik had ridden on Tzadek, and they'd made a beautiful couple. And she also knew that the mare and Epone had taken liking to each other.

'Tzadek! Where'd you gone off to?'

It was Gimel's voice. Tzadek rose her head and gave a happy neigh, trotting a few yards away. Suddenly Gimel appeared around the corner, carrying a halter over his shoulder. He stopped as he saw Link.

'Oh,' he said, his expression turning into something Link couldn't read. 'Hi.'

'Hi,' Link replied. Suddenly she realized Gimel was angry.

'What are you doing here?' he asked shortly, pulling the halter on Tzadek's head and fastening a rope to it. 'I thought you were eager to leave again.'

'Gimel,' Link pleaded to his back as he turned around to walk away. 'I'm sorry.'

He stopped. Slowly he turned, to look at the face he'd loved two years ago. And now he realized, he still did.

'What do you want, anyway?' he asked, but now he was grinning.

---

'So why did you come back?'

The sun was on the brink of the horizon, clinging on to its last rays. Link and Gimel sat on the porch that headed out over the field, eating dinner.

Link shrugged, fingering on her spoon. Gimel noticed she hadn't eaten much. 'I'm not sure.'

Gimel regarded her for a moment, and ripped a bit of his bread but didn't eat it. 'Okay. So why did you leave in the first place?'

Link knew she deserved this behavior from Gimel. And everyone else. But what was the answer? She just couldn't tell him it was because she was afraid of losing the ones she loved. Should she tell him the same thing she'd told Kratos? But then… no. He deserved to know the truth. It didn't matter what she'd told Kratos. He didn't know her. Not like Gimel did. And she needed a friend right now.

Just as she thought that, the person in question, Kratos, returned from the city. He lived at the castle, as Zelda had requested it, as she often valued his opinion on different things. The only hard thing was receiving the dirty looks from the guards. Well, who could blame them? To them, he looked like a common thief. He had ridden to the ranch to leave his horse Zelon on the ranch's field over night, as his stallion hated to be locked in a stable. And there wasn't a field at the castle were he could graze. As he was on his was to say good night to Gimel he suddenly heard voices. When he heard what they were talking about, though, he stopped, and hid in the shadows.

'Well,' Link said, looking out over the field again, 'I guess I left because I had this… responsibility. I realized I was going to face dangers, and many of them would include the people I love. Zelda… you…' her voice trailed off.

'Sheik,' Gimel finished for her. She shot him a look, but continued. 'And I just couldn't do it. Have you ever lost a person you loved?' she asked him, not really expecting him to say yes. His life seemed so much more simple than hers. But he surprised her.

'Yes,' he said. She looked back at him, slightly surprised. 'I lost you. We all did.'

Link looked down in the ground.

'I'm sorry, Gimel. I really am.'

He smiled. 'I know.'

Kratos frowned. So that's how it is, he thought. He regarded Link for a moment. It was funny, before he'd met her, he'd always imagined the Heroine to be dark haired, shadowy and strong-looking. But Link… she was slim, blond, blue eyed and… beautiful. Almost everything a common warrior wasn't. And now… she seemed fragile as well.

Suddenly Gimel broke the silence with a very quiet voice.

'You haven't… met Sheik yet, have you?'

Link shifted ever so slightly, but Kratos noticed how her entire figure changed to look sad.

'I did.'

There were no more words exchanged between them, but in the two words Link had uttered, Gimel seemed to understand everything.

And suddenly Kratos understood. The sad one, the Sheikah, and Link…were in love. Or at least, had been, by the sound of it. Kratos sighed. He'd sensed something when he'd met her. And he understood that this was why she seemed so sad and angry.

Pondering for a while as the two started talking about other things, he finally decided to leave them alone. She knew Link wouldn't really like him being there, as she was still suspicious of him. He chuckled to himself and then left for the castle again.

---

Deep in the Sacred Realm, there was a chamber which no one may open. The chamber was sealed with the powers of the sages, and as long as they lived, the chamber would never open.

Inside this chamber, some said, was evil itself. And it probably was true. Inside the chamber, was the King of Evil, the Gerudo man known as Ganondorf. Well, at least Ganondorf's spirit, since his body had been destroyed by Link two years ago.

This day, though, the grey platform before the great chamber and the sealed door before it, was not empty. A man, hooded and cloaked, stood in the middle of it, resting his shadowed eyes upon the door.

Silence ruled the great hall, when suddenly, what seemed like a breath, seemed to escape the Sealed Chamber. It seemed to be speaking to the hooded man.

'Yes, my Lord' he replied. 'the plan is going as planned. We are only a few weeks from full forces, and attacking Hyrule.'

An angry breath now escaped the sealed chamber.

'I know, my lord,' the man said calmly, 'we are a bit late, but something unexpected has happened.'

The chamber was silent again, when a new breath escaped the sealed chamber.

'Yes, it is true,' the man said. 'The Queen found the Heroine.'

The man paused, before continuing. 'This does not change the plan. We will bring the Queen up here to release the Seal, and free you. Then you may triumph in the battle.'

Another breath came from the chamber, and the man nodded. 'Understood, my Lord. I will come as soon as I can, bringing further news. It will be harder, though, the Queen is suspecting there is someone near her is a traitor.'

The sealed chamber did not respond, and the man moved to turn around and walk away. Then there was suddenly a breath from the chamber again, and the man stopped in his tracks.

'…Understood, my Lord.'

'I will bring the Heroine here, for you to kill.'

---

Link went to the castle the next day, feeling quite miserable. She was at least with speaking terms with Gimel again, but she felt awful the way she had run away from Sheik. But she was mad at Zelda.

Why did she bring her back? It was the Heroine's task to destroy evil, not fight a war that had nothing to do with her. So what if evil forces wanted to attack Hyrule? The land had plenty of protection! Link had done her duty two years ago, sealing Ganondorf away for good, and that was it! She was done with being a hero.

And that was why she was going up to the castle. To say good bye. Again.

She hadn't bothered taking Epone to the castle, he would only run away again. She jogged up the last steps to the summit. Silently she prayed that Sheik was not there. Having another encounter with him was something she couldn't face. She ran a hand through the strands of hair that had come out of her lose plait and sighed tiredly. She hadn't been ready to return. Yet. Things had just gone so wrong. She didn't want to be here anymore.

This wasn't her home anymore.

Swinging up the big doors to the castle, she stalked in, pulling the big grey sweater she wore up over her shoulder, as it tended to fall off. She went through the corridors, until she found Zelda, sitting in the gardens, clad in a light purple dress, reading.

Oh, how peaceful, Link thought, before Zelda noticed her in the archway. She lit up.

'Oh, Link! I didn't hear you.'

Link put on a smile. 'Good morning.'

Zelda rose from the bench, smoothing her dress, walking to the doors that led to the castle. 'Good morning! Did you have breakfast already? I'm sure we have some food if you want-'

'Why did you bring me back here, Zelda?'

The Queen stopped in mid-sentence, stopping in her tracks. She turned back to Link, who stood rooted on the spot in the gardens, looking at her with a stern look. What was this? Zelda suddenly felt afraid. It suddenly struck her that she didn't know Link anymore.

'Why wouldn't I bring you back?' she asked with an uncertain smile.

Link folded her arms. 'I don't know. You give me a reason.'

Zelda regarded her. 'Because… Hyrule is in danger again-'

'Is it really?' Link cut her off, her temper rising. 'Is it really something your precious General Chase can't handle? He seems to have things under control. The fact is, you don't need me at all, do you?'

Zelda brought her hand to her chest, slightly shocked by Link's sudden rage. 'Of course we need you, Link!'

'No, you don't! This war has nothing to do with me!' Link burst out.

'Link…what's wrong?' Zelda asked faintly.

'What's wrong is that… I don't belong here anymore. This is no longer my home. Good-bye, Zelda.'

And with that, Link turned and stormed out.

Zelda, shocked, hurried after her, trying to run as fast as she could with her long skirts. As she emerged from the castle, she spotted Link on her way down the stairs to the city.

'Link! You cannot leave! Not for us, but for Hyrule!'

Link stormed on, reaching the foot of the stairs and marched through the streets. Zelda ran after her, bouncing of the steps of the stairs.

'Don't leave! Why leave, when you're finally home?'

At her words, Link suddenly turned, her face contorted in anger.

'Home!?' she snapped. 'Home! I was at home! But thanks to you, it's now destroyed!'

Zelda looked at her, taken aback by her shouting. 'What are you talking about?' she asked quietly.

'…Creel Village,' Link said darkly, looking at the Queen in anger, finally letting her true grudge out.

Zelda sighed. 'Oh, Link, I'm so sorry, the village is destroyed…'

Link snorted and stormed off again.

'…but not it's people.'

She stopped dead at Zelda's words. She slowly turned. '…what?'