Blind
Chapter Ten
"Are you sure it's not some sort of trickey?" Tanis questioned as he lazily stared up at the sky. Across from his lying form, Zelda and Lhara sat before him, hands folded carefully over their flowered dresses. Zelda glanced over at her advisor, waiting to see her response as Alhara bit into a strawberry and offered the remainder to the Princess.
"They look so much in love when I see them together," she said as Zelda took the offered berry into her mouth.
Tanis looked to the two women with a raised eyebrow before saying "Really. Well, I'm sure Sheik hasn't lost any of his skills in the time being here, seeing as how he seems to string the two of you along perfectly." He narrowed his critical, midnight blue eyes at Zelda before asking "What do you think, Lady Zelda?"
"I wondered at first," she admitted as Alhara offered another strawberry. "But I think I was wrong, but still. Their relationship seems strained or careful about their words."
"I would bet anything that they are both in love in the only way two soldiers could be, and anyone should be happy for their companionship," Alhara said as she spied Zelda's cousin creeping through the tall grass, who was hunting little grass-hoppers and pretty butterflies.
"And I," Tanis spoke as he sat himself up and began a search through the picnic basket in front of Alhara, "Would say they have both pulled the wool quite neatly over your eyes." Finding a branch of plump, swelling, purple grapes, Tanis settled back onto the ground to stare at the shapes of the clouds and nibble at his newly found treat. Plucking them one-by-one, he sometimes raised his hand to offer either lady one.
"Shall we ask them to join us?" Zelda suggested. "Then you might be able to observe them yourself and draw a conclusion from that."
Againa, Tanis sat up and spied what Zelda was carefully watching from the corner of her eye. The pair of their conversation came around a corner, slowly walking around the bend as if they were merely relaxing in the gardens. "Ah, yes. That would seem suitable to my curiousity," the Prince said before popping another grape into his mouth. Standing, he handed the now sparse branch to Zelda while saying "I shall go and ask them."
"Thank you ever so, Prince," Zelda teased as she dumped the grapes into the basket. With a smile, Tanis, who had begun to stand up, sat back down and raised Zelda's hand to his lips. Motioning for Alhara to come forward, he delicately kissed her cheek while Zelda watched with a perfectly arched, raised eyebrow. When legolas finally stood and began to walk away, both female's watched with feigned disinterest as he approuched the two General's.
"Sheik, Tanis is coming this way."
A snort was his reply.
"Oh, right. You heard them, didn't you?"
"I heard him and everything they were saying," Sheik whispered quietly as Link took them to a slow stop, Sheik leaning on his walking stick. "Prince Tanis, it is always a pleasure to be reunited after a lengthy time away from each other," Sheik stated in a clear voice as Tanis stopped in front of the pair.
"Sheik, I have missed your songs in the halls of my father just as much as I missed you," Tanis replied. "You have long been a stranger to Termina. I do hope you'll at least visit us soon. And General Link." Tanis extended his hand to the Hylian, who had been looking at Sheik with new interest with the mentioning of 'songs'. "I want to personally thank you for alleviating my dear friend's grief." Tanis took a bolder move and walked into a hug with Sheik, who readily wrapped his arms around the torso of the Prince.
"Prince Tanis, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," Link gritted his teeth as Tanis released Sheik from his hold but exchanged it for holding the Sheikah's hand. Link was about to narrow his eyes when Tanis took the other hand and began to lead Sheik towards their picnic. "Umm..."
"Oh, by the way. Link, this is me inviting the two of you to our picnic lunch," Tanis said as he stopped in his tracks, causing Sheik to turn his head in the general direction of Link. Link looked towards the two seated Ladies, where Alhara spotted Link looking and lazily waved a hand to him.
Waving back before gently holding onto Sheik's shoulder, Link quietly said "Do you want to join them? It's-"
"The Lady Zelda, her advisor Alhara and the little Princess Ari," Sheik answered, a little annoyed as Link smiled sheepishly. "Yes, I would like to join them." Shrugging off Link's hand, Sheik fell into step with Tanis and allowed the foreign prince to wrap an arm around his slim waist. The two spoke of Termina while Link hung back, hands shoved into his pockets as he followed them. Once they had settled themselves, Tanis with his head resting on Sheik's folded legs -- the picnic basket was passed to Link and Sheik. Assortments of cheese, fruits and wine had been packed, Alhara passing them the wine. As Ari chased the butterflies, the conversation turned to more serious matters.
"They returned a few nights ago," Zelda said, refferring to the Gerudo who had come to ask for provisions. "This time they asked for nearly twice as much as what they did last time. I hesitate to give it to them, since this might turn into a habit for them." Tanis nodded as he passed a cherry to Sheik and Link nodding as he ignored the display of affection between the Termina Prince and General.
"Then don't," Sheik said after carefully chewing around the cherry stone. All eyes turned to him. "Tell them they can have half of what asked for the first time. Find out where they live, what they do, and then teach them something else. Fish, hunt, pottery, whatever -- It's pretty obvious now that they don't have any useful trade. It sounds like they need more assistance then mere donations of food and supplies."
"Hmm... Link?"
"I'll find someone to do the task after lunch," Link offered. Zelda's nod of approval made him mimick her movement and lean his weight back onto his arms behind him.
"I think I'll take my leave to my study then," Zelda said as she stood. "I need to make the reply to the Gerudo and the border guards on this matter."
Brushing stray crumbs from her dress, Alhra said "Little Ari needs her nap. I should get her back to the nursery."
"I'll come with you," Tanis offered as he sat up from laying against Sheik. Whipping around so his nose was almost touching his Sheikah General's, Tanis said "Oh Sheik. When my father last spoke to the men of the lake, they told him of a treatment that might give you back your sight. I've already given the instructions to Zelda."
Sheik's solemn demeanor suddenly changed as he threw his arms around the Prince's shoulders. "When can we try it?" he asked, excitement obvious as he hugged his friend tightly.
"Tomorrow if you like," Zelda said as she turned to watch the embrace.
"Tomorrow? Why not now?" Link blurted, leaping to his feet. Noticing only Zelda was standing her quietly sat back down. "The Gerudo on the border's can wait; we should try this new treatment Tanis has brought."
"Link, please," Sheik said quietly as he swiveled from his hug to look in the direction Link's voice was coming from. Link's lips tightened into a grim line as he looked at the white blind-fold that covered Sheik's eyes. "Lady Zelda knows what she's doing. She can't neglect the city or country's running just for my sake. Tomorrow it shall be. What time tomorrow?"
Zelda took a moment to think about it as Alhara called Ari to her. "Tomorrow in the afternoon. Will you both be available?"
"Of course," Link replied while helping Alhra pack up the items from their picnic. "This is wonderful, Tanis. A new possibility -- a new hope. Don't worry about it Zelda, we'll be there in the healing wing after lunch tomorrow."
"After lunch, of course," Zelda smiled. "Though, I'm happy to see your enthusiasm about it." She glanced at Tanis, giving him a confident look about something that the pricne shrugged at.
Uneasily, Sheik patted Link's knee and said "You don't need to be there, Link. I'm sure it'll be more of a fuss with you there."
"Actually, think it would be more helpful if you were there, Link." Motioning for him to come closer, she leaned in to whisper into his pointed ear, "I don't like restraining my friend so. If you were there, maybe you could help hold him and calm him down." Link watched as the princess, her adovisor, and her young cousin walk away to the castle again.
"Link?"
Sittind down beside Sheik, Link waited for the Sheikah to speak again.
"Link, I'm sorry for being harsh with you. But you must understand I don't need you to hold my hand or to cuddle me."
"I didn't think I was cuddling you," Link said adruptly. "I'm sorry for acting this way..."
"Right, and so it begins." Sheik crossed his arms as he laid back and crossed his legs at the ankles. "Do you even know what I mean? Can't you understand? I was fine way before you came along."
"Were you really? I seem to remember something about fake lovers and nasty soldiers," Link snapped as he stood again. Sheik grew silent and turned his head away as he rolled onto his side. Link swore before saying "Sheik, I'm sorry. Damn, I didn't mean to say that," he said as he looked from Sheik to the skies. Slowly, he knelt down beside the Sheikah and wrapped his arms around the General. "I will try not to 'cuddle' you, but only if you don't make me feel like an idiot."
"I know you mean well, Link," Sheik finally said as he turned so he was facing Link. "I you also -- Well, we should be heading back to the castle. It's going to rain sometime tonight or tomorrow, and I don't want to be caught in it."
"Yes, right -- Big day tomorrow!" Link grinned ear to ear as he helped Sheik up from the ground. Handing him his walking stick, he continued "I sure hope Tanis has found something to get you back your sight."
"So do I," Sheik mumbled.