I am soo soo sorry for the looong wait! Oh I have no excuse good enough! I am soo sorry! Please forgive me! If you do then please read and leave a review! I made this a long chapter.

The unexpected visitor

Ch. 10

Sheik was escorted to his cell and it was rather nice for a prison cell. The bed actually had a mattress was made of wood and not stone. There was also a small table and a chair. He had heard rumors of the dungeons in Hyrule castle. They were harsh and cold, but this cell wasn't so bad. He sat down on the bed after the guard had untied his hands and locked the door. He hung his head low feeling worried and depressed and he let out a heavy sigh. Not long after though two guards arrived, one was carrying fresh clean blankets and pillows. The other was carrying a tray of food. The one carrying the food set it down on the table and the blankets and pillows were sat on the bed next to Sheik. Sheik only quietly watched them as they placed the things down and left the room.

He then trudged over to the table where the food sat and sat on the chair. Amazingly the food was still hot. It was a stew and fresh bread and a glass of milk. The milk was very refreshing and the stew was delicious and made him feel better for he had not expected to get this kind of treatment even though he was a prisoner.

A few hours had passed and Link had been sleeping very peacefully and suddenly he woke with a start, sweating profusely. He had dreamed that Toft was strangling him to death. He clutched his chest gasping for air. Ganon sat on the bed next to Link. Link did not even know he was there and Link jumped only out of being startled and gave out a small yelp.

"It's ok Link it's just me." Gannon said in a kind soft voice to Link.

Link relaxed some looking around the room remembering that he was safe now. He then looked at Ganon who looked at Link with concern in his eyes. Gannon then lifted his hand to Link's head and gently placed it on the side of his face. Without even thinking Link pushed into his hand. It made him feel better knowing he was safe and not in that horrible dream he was having.

"Think you could eat something Link?" Gannon asked again softly.

Link swallowed hard and only nodded. Gannon then got up and left the room. Link lay back down on the bed looking up at the ceiling. Link lay there like that still when Gannon arrived with a tray of food. It was Stew and fresh bread and a glass of milk. Link scarfed down the food in no time for he had not anything for two days.

After Link finished eating, Ganon removed the tray smiling. He was happy to see that Link enjoyed the food.

"How are you feeling Link?" Gannon asked him softly.

Link felt calmer now and felt like he could talk.

He nodded. "I feel a lot better now, Thank you." Link smiled.

Gannon suddenly appeared uncomfortable. Link could see it in him.

"Link" Gannon paused. "I am going to have to ask you to do something tomorrow. The princess in returning to Hyrule and there will be a trial." He paused again as if finding the words. "I ask that you tell the princess all that had happened while you were their prisoner. I know it will be hard but it will be essential, so the princess knows what happened so she can properly judge them." He then stopped waiting to see what Link's reaction would be.

Link processed his request in his head and thought about it. He really did not like thinking of what happened but as he thought about it, there is no telling who else they could have done that to. Memories of being in that cellar flooded his mind. He remembered every detail, he remembered the cold floor, the itchy straw ad the threats he had receives from Toft when it was only them in the room.

Link let out a heavy sigh and looked into Gannon's eyes with courage in his own. "I'll do it." He nodded.

Ganon smiled at Link and it made Link smile. "Now you know that Sheik helped me to rescue you, how do you feel about him standing trial tomorrow?"

Link's smile faded to a more serious look. "Well….. I think the princess should be lenient on him… he… he…. He was the only one the fed me and gave me water while I was prisoner and well… " Link gulped hard. "Toft and Gloria didn't want that, he risked a lot by feeding me."

Gannon nodded. "I see" He paused and there was silence.

Link was now worried for sheik.

Ganon broke the silence. "I had the guards to take him to the Tower cells. They are used for only royalty but….. I thought that would be best for what he did and he also had the same dinner you had tonight. It was an extra way… "Gannon pinched his nose and closed his eyes. "Of saying thank you. I also had fresh pillows and blankets sent up to him."

Link's eyes started watering as he looked at Gannon in awe. Ganon looked up at Link and was shocked to see Link looking at him like that. Then suddenly Link hugged Ganon, crying.

"Thank you!" Linked gasped between sobs.

Gannon was shocked but then smiled and held the small boy back. To Gannon it was like the heavens. Here he was sitting on the bed and holding link is his arms as he cried on his shoulder. Without thinking Gannon placed his hand gently on Link's head and caressed it. As he held Link for quite some time, Link had fallen asleep in Ganon's arms. Ganon laid Link gently back down on the bed and covered him with the bedspread.

Princess Zelda sat in the carriage as they traveled back to Hyrule Castle, and smiled as she looked out the window at the beautiful grass thinking of how beautiful Hyrule really was. She had had a very good vacation and was glad to be coming back home. The carriage drove along not too much longer and Ganon was at the castle entrance waiting on her. He bowed to her.

"Good to have you back Princess" He then rose and helped her out of the carriage.

She gave him a smile "Thank you Ganon"

Zelda then Took Ganon's hand and practically drug him onto her room she used for signing proclamations and things. Zelda Shut the door behind them and locked it and she blushed.

"So, how are things with you and Link?" She said looking shyly but dreamily.

Ganon sort of blushed. "ummm well I think it's going well….. He… fell asleep in my arms just before you arrived."

Princess Zelda's cheeks were scarlet red now and she clasped both her cheeks with her hands and rushed over to Ganon letting out a squeal of delight. "ooooooohhhh I am soo happy for you!" she then got a look of shock on her face. "Does he know yet about everything?"

Ganon shook his head. "No not yet, but I will have to tell him since you are back and he'll want the truth. I just hope he won't hate me after knowing the truth." He had a worried look on his face.

She took his hand. "awe don't worry I'm sure he will be ok once he knows, maybe confused but ok because he has never had anyone to care about him."

Ganon nodded. "Yeah but I really worry about you doing the trial tomorrow."

Zelda laughed and hugged him. "Oh Ganon! That is soo like you, always worrying about your best friend!" She laughed again.

She sighed and sat at her desk "I am used to trials… it's my duty."

Ganon smiled and sat in the chair on the other side across from her. "I know but you're such a sweet girl and I worry, that's all."

Zelda blushed a little. "oh I am flattered but really Ganon I'll be fine! Besides it's you and Link I worry about. Now…" she said adjusting herself and looking at the papers on her desk that Gannon had written up for Zelda.

She pursed her lips. "AH I see you have already interrogated the prisoners, except for Sheik." She looked up at Ganon.

He nodded. "Yes It took a few hours to interrogate Toft and Gloria but then I went to check on Link and he had a bad dream so I wasn't able to do so."

She nodded. "I see well we could do it now if you like, though of course they will be asked the same things tomorrow, as procedure."

"That sounds good." He rose from his Chair "I'll fetch him."

Ganon had fetched Sheik and brought him to Zelda's office. This was not the interrogation room used for Toft and Gloria but since sheik had helped and seemed willing then they figured this room would suffice.

As Sheik was led into the room he was very nervous and sleepy, it was getting late, very late. He saw the princess and he hung his head low and bowed not saying anything.

Zelda smiled. "Rise and please be seated." motioning her hand to the chair in front of her.

He saw her warm smile and he didn't feel so scared anymore. Sheik told them everything he knew, down to the last detail that he knew of.

When he finished he pleaded. "Please your highness, have mercy, I feel bad about what happened."

She had been writing down everything he said and she put her quill down and looked at him. "My dear boy I can see for myself you are sorry, and I have not yet decided my verdict but I can assure you that your sentence will not be as harsh as Toft and Gloria's. Also I need to remind you that regardless of my verdict tomorrow that you will have to pay the consequences of your actions. However some punishments are very less severe so please sleep well. I will need you to recount everything you have said to me tomorrow."

Sheik lowered his head. "Yes your highness."

The next day was very hectic. Lots of people came to the trial to see the verdicts. The 1st ones up on the stand was Gloria and Toft and they basically gave the same story as they told Ganon, that it was all sheik's doing and they wanted no part of it.

Then came Link with his testimony. Link and Sheik both were surprised. They had both thought that Sheik would be next but little did they know that Zelda had it worked out. Link went up on the stand next to Zelda. She kept a straight face as she watched him. He was scared and embarrassed about the whole thing but he had to be strong and tell them what happened. Link looked to Zelda after making the vow not to lie.

Zelda smiled at him warmly. "Hello Link! I am very sorry that you, the victim must recount the terrible ordeal for me but please tell me as much as you can of what happened and do so at your own pace. You may begin when you are ready." She said smiling at him.

The smile was encouraging to Link knowing they would not think ill of him.

He thought back on the terrible ordeal for a bit then looked up to Zelda. Her face became serious then.

"Well…. It all started when… I had awoken a week ago and I was curious and… I felt I wanted to have a look around the castle so I did, I looked around a bit but when I reached the kitchen….. That's when it happened." Link paused a moment. "See before I reached the kitchen I had a feeling I was being followed but then I thought I was being paranoid." Link shook his head. "Anyways as I was leaving the kitchen, I saw a man standing on the other side of the door and I really wasn't expecting what happened next. He brought a club over his head and swung it down and everything went black." Link paused.

Zelda had a sad look on her face. "Link, can you point out the man that hit you over the head for the court please."

Link nodded. "Yes your highness, he is sitting over there." He then pointed at Toft sitting with the other two. "The one called Toft."

Everyone in the court room looked right at Toft. Toft had a vacant expression and seemed to have no remorse.

Zelda then looked back at Link. "Now please tell us what happened next."

Link nodded nervously.

He used his hand and pushed a stray hair behind his ear.

He looked down at his hands and began. "I awoke some time later and I was gagged and tied and I heard voices. I recognized the woman but not the two men. I could tell that Toft, that's what they called him, was the leader of the group." Link looked up at Zelda who was nodding and listening intently. "Then sometime later, I'm guessing the next day because there were no windows but it felt like 2 days, Gloria and Toft left to go to the market. That's when Sheik gave me some food and drink. It wasn't much but it helped. He risked a lot by feeding me. Then at one point, Toft talked about taking care of me so to speak." Link looked upset by this.

Zelda nodded. "I see. So they were talking about disposing of you?"

Link nodded. "Yes your highness. That same night Sheik left the cellar and came back drunk later. Then he left again the same time I was rescued, it was because of him that I am safe now."

Zelda motioned for Ganon to come to her. She whispered in his ear and he left the court room.

Zelda smiled warmly at Link. "Now Link, would you be so kind as to tell me what the place you were being held looked like? Take your time. Any details are a big help and if you can think of any details that may have been left out, please tell us that too. Take your time though for all information no matter how small is very important."

Link nodded. He then told them every detail he could think of, including the conversations that he heard from Gloria, Toft and Sheik. He even told them about what happened between Sheik and himself and the details of the food.

Sometime during Link's explanations, Ganon had returned to the court room, with Sheik by his side. Sheik was not bound in any way.

After Link was finished, Zelda smiled warmly at him. "Thank you Link, you have been a big help. You may step down and return to the bench." She then motioned to the bench where he once sat.

Link nodded. "Thank you your highness." He stepped down and was escorted back to his seat by a guard.

Zelda then nodded to Ganon. He escorted Sheik to the stand. She then had him swear to tell the truth. She then asked the nervous boy many questions. Before finishing, Zelda had made her decision so she decided not to prolong the trial anymore for they had been there for hours now. However Sheik's story matched with the details in Link's.

Zelda then straightened her papers in front of her. "Thank you Sheik. You may step down, and stand by Ganon.

Sheik bowed to the princess. "Thank you your highness." Then he stepped down from the stand.

Ganon took him over to the other side of the room, away from Toft and Gloria.

Zelda looked up from her papers. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I have come to my decision." She looked down at Gloria and Toft. "Toft, I sentence you to life in prison for the kidnapping and conspiring to murder Link. You will stay there until the end of your life. Then at that time, we will take care of your burial arrangements. You will serve this sentence right away."

Toft looked at her with a vacant expression, but in his eyes you could see the fear and anger and sadness. Three guards then escorted him to the dungeons.

Zelda then looked down at Gloria. "Gloria, I sentence you to 15 years in prison." As she said this, Gloria looked shocked.

Zelda saw this and explained. "The reason Miss Gloria in which I did not sentence your life in prison, is because I took into consideration that you had taken care of Link for a time when he was sick. However, you did take part in kidnapping him so for that you got 10 years. However I also had to consider another crime you had committed. You stole 1,000 rupees from Link and used it on yourself." Zelda paused.

Gloria looked up at Zelda in shock.

Zelda continued. "Normally I give 7 years for stealing but as I said before, you did care for Link. You fed him and cared for him some, even when you thought all hope was lost. If that had not been the case, your sentence would have been 17 years, but for taking care of him, I have removed 2 years of your sentence." She sighed when she saw Gloria begin to cry. "However, you could have a chance to get out before your sentence is up, If and I mean if you can be good, and if you can repay a debt to society. We will discuss the details later." She motioned to the guards and they escorted her to her cell.

Zelda then nodded to Ganon and he escorted Sheik up to stand before the princess. She could tell he was upset and scared. Zelda folded her fingers together on her desk and smiled at him warmly. "Hello Sheik."

Sheik gave a bow. "Y...Y...Your Highness."

"You were brave to help Link and I admire that and I admire that. However you did take some part in the kidnapping but because you also helped Link and also helped in rescuing Link, I will be lenient." She smiled warmly at him. "I sentence you Sheik to 5 years' service in this castle. You will work here for 5 years in which you will be provided a place to sleep and food and will be treated fairly; however, you will not be allowed to leave the castle for short time."

Sheik looked very relieved, So did Link.

She continued. "I do this as a reward and as punishment. We will discuss the details in my chambers." She then hit the Gavel on the wooden piece. "Court Dismissed."

So then everyone left the court room. Ganon escorted Sheik to the princess's chambers where she signed proclamations. Link went back to the bedroom and crawled under the covers. His head was swimming from the trial and what had happened to him. She just wanted to forget.

Meanwhile Gannon knocked on the door of Zelda's chambers.

"Please come in!" she called out.

They came in and Gannon shut the door behind them.

Zelda looked up from the papers she was looking at and writing on and smiled. "Please, have a seat, both of you."

They both took a seat. Sheik was a little nervous but seemed really nice. Gannon sat in his seat and looked calm and relaxed.

Zelda was still smiling and she looked at Sheik. "I am truly sorry Sheik if I ever scared you in court with my sentences on Gloria and Toft. I had to be very strict with them."

Sheik nodded. "It is alright your highness, may I say thank you for being lenient with me. I promise to work hard."

Zelda smiled. "You are very welcome. There is more to your sentence that I wanted to discuss here and not where everyone could hear."

She paused and Sheik gulped. He couldn't help but be afraid that maybe she would be harsh after all.

She saw the look on his face. "It's ok Sheik it's not bad I promise. You see since you'll be serving in the castle like the rest of the servants, I want to pay you since I pay all those who work in the castle."

Sheik looked Shocked. "P..Pay me?"

She smiled. "Why yes, of course you won't be able to leave for a little while, not because I don't trust you but for the kingdom so to speak. It will only be for a few months but you can save some money in that time to buy you something." She let out a sigh. "You will also have everything you need here so you will not need to buy food or any necessities. I will pay you 5 rupees per day to start with and you'll get a raise in a few months, probably up 10 per day, that's 35 rupees per week now and then 70 per week later on. How does that sound?"

At first he was speechless. Then he spoke. "Thank you thank you your highness! This is great! I promise I won't let you down your highness!"

She smiled warmly. "Thank you Sheik! Gannon, would you please escort him to his new living quarters?"

Gannon stood and bowed. "Yes your highness."

They then walked to the servants' quarters silently for a bit then Gannon spoke, breaking the silence. "Thank you Sheik, for everything, I am very grateful to you."

Sheik always felt a bit intimidated and shy around Gannon so he only nodded. "You're welcome."

They arrived and Gannon showed him where he would sleep and gave him some new clothes and told him to report to the kitchen the next day in the morning. With that he left him there sitting on his new bed.

Gannon then headed for the bedroom where Link was, and as he entered he saw Link asleep under the covers. Gannon walked over to the bed and stood by it a moment looking down at him asleep. Then he sat down on the bed gently and gently moved some hair from the boy's face. He looked so peaceful and sweet; it made Gannon's heart ache to see him. It gave him the sudden urge to climb in the bed and snuggle with him but no he could not. He didn't want to frighten him.

Link then stirred a little and opened his eyes. He saw Gannon sitting there. "Oh Gannon, it's you." It felt easier and easier to be around the huge man.

Gannon let out a sigh and smiled. "Yes it is I" He then rubbed Link's back gently as he sat up. "Are you alright? I know it must have been hard for you today."

Link acknowledged Gannon's hand on his back and it felt good to be comforted for he had never been comforted before. The place he grew up in had no adults and all the ones he lived with were all children.

Link nodded. "Yes I am alright. Thank you Gannon for being so kind to me even though we are supposed to be enemies." Then something clicked in his head.

Link looked at him with surprise. "Wait, why is the princess here? I thought she was supposed to be in hiding." Link looked confused.

Gannon let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose I should tell you the truth Link." He took Link's hand into his own and looked into his blue eyes. "Link, I am not your enemy, nor have I ever been your enemy and I never will be your enemy."

Link looked more confused. "What?"

I am working on the next chapter now. Sorry for the delay. Please review!