Dear Readers...
I must begin this new chapter by once again apologizing for my lack of updates. I have been dealing with some... Family drama, and I didn't want my emotions to effect the story (Mad so I kill everyone off, Sad so I break everyone's hearts...) So now I am feeling Okay enough to bring you this new chapter, I hope all of you enjoy it and please bare with me for a little longer until I can get back into the groove of writing more frequently.
Now, I have a bit of Sheikah language spoken in this chapter... The Sheikah words will be in "ITALICS", while my English.. or Hyrulian translation will be in [BOLD] beside it... I hope there will be no confusion and once again I hope you all will enjoy this chapter. Love you all!
Yours Dray(:
Zelda smiles remembering the last time she had seen Alec. It was two years ago, she had finally had a chance to return to the
Sheikah Village, the village she had called home for seven long years. She had been greeted not as a Queen, but as a fellow Sheikah
returning home. She has always felt more at home there, with the Sheikah, then anywhere else in all of Hyrule. The Sheikah had an energy
about them that could make Zelda feel powerful and full of life. Alec is the best at doing just that. Alec has always been good at bringing
other people great joy and peace of mind. He was both a consul and a dear friend. He has always treated Zelda as his "hadra minela" and
she returned the sibling affection.
"What are you doing here Alec? Why haven't you come to visit? How have you been?" Zelda asked a torrent of questions spewing
forth excitedly. Alec chuckled "Slow down, and tell me who your friend is." Alec grinned at the excited Queen while inclining his head to
the very attractive young man standing behind Zelda. "Oh, where are my manners, Alec this is his Majesty, King Wyatt of Termina." Zelda
said gesturing towards Wyatt. Wyatt smiled warmly and extended his hand. Alec quickly bowed "It is an honor to make your acquaintance
your majesty." Alec said formally. Wyatt chuckled "There is really no need for formalities, I am not so stuffy as to be worried with all of
those foolish titles." Wyatt smiled as he moved his hand outward again. Alec raises his head his back still bowed he grins at Wyatt Zelda
catches the devious glint in his eyes "Behave" Zelda whispers into Alec's minds. His grin grows as he straightens and clasps the young
King's hand, shaking it firmly. "As I am sure you heard my hadra minela say, my name is Alec, well it's technically Alec'lecuoridosheik in the
Sheikah tongue." Alec explained. Wyatt nodded a hint of interest in his eyes "what does that mean, if you don't mind my asking?" He asks
curiously. "Alec Brave Heart of Shadows. All Sheikah names end in "Sheik" which in our language means "Shadows" our names are given to
us by the village elder, they look into our souls three days after birth and use what they see to name us. The beginning name "Alec" in my
case, is decided by our parents." Alec explained, Wyatt listened fascinated. "Wow that is very interesting, thank you so much for sharing
that with me." Wyatt replies grinning. "Of course your Majesty." Alec replies. "Please just call me Wyatt." Alec nodded in response turning
back toward Zelda. "So what are you two doing, shouldn't you have a guard?" Alec asked concerned. "I do now." Zelda grinned grabbing
Alec's arm fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. "Hmmm, well I believe we are doing Wyatt an injustice, I am quite certain he could have
protected you if need be." Alec replies winking to Zelda. "It would be my honor." Wyatt replies smiling warmly. Zelda blushed. "So Alec
what are you doing in Castle Town?" Zelda asked. Alec looked down to Zelda, still holding his arm. "I simply wished to come visit you, Sheik
and Link." Alec replied. Zelda frowned, "I'm sorry but I have sent Link and Sheik on a task to err, perhaps we should speak of it back at the
castle?" Alec's eyes fill with curiosity, "Very well then." Alec replies walking Zelda and Wyatt back to their horses. They are on in an instant,
Alec climbing on behind Zelda they turn and begin trotting towards Hyrule Castle.
The guards quickly open the gates, William, second in command to Link, waiting at the entrance his eyes neutral. Once through the
gates the stablemen quickly raced forward helping the arrivals down from their horses before returning them to the stables. William
slowly approached "Your majesty, while you are free to travel of your own free will, please consult me next time, had something of
happened I would never be able to forgive myself, and neither would Link and Sheik." William turned toward Wyatt "Also your Highness,
while in Hyrule, your safety falls to us, if something happen to you… Well I digress the possibilities of what could happen." Everyone
understood, war would break out should Wyatt die on Hyrule soil. "We understand William, and I apologize for my rash decision, next time
we shall come to you first." Zelda replied smiling. William bowed lowly before leaving the three arrivals. Zelda sighed, "I am quite famished
how about you Wyatt? Alec?" Zelda asked. The two men nod as the three begin walking toward the castle. Zelda senses something, she
glances to the left but see's nothing. She frowns reaching out with her mind, whatever it is feels small and scared. "You two go on ahead
to the kitchen, I will be in behind you, I need to check something." Zelda says smiling to Wyatt and Alec. Wyatt looks surprised while Alec
looks suspicious. "As you wish Zelda, we shall wait for you." Wyatt says warmly as he bows, Alec and Wyatt turn back toward the Castle.
Zelda turns, the energy she senses is nearby, she follows it until she can make out a slight shadow in the fading light of the day, behind one
of the many shrubs that Link had hidden behind all those years ago the first time they had met. "You can come out, it is safe." Zelda says
sweetly placing her hands on her knees. No response. She moves to the edge of the shrub, there crouched down is a small boy, about
seven or eight, his hair looks to be a dirty blonde, his skin is rather pale, he is also very thin, his clothes are ragged and fit him in a way that
shows he has clearly lost weight. Zelda kneels down trying to see the boy's face, but his knees block her. "It's okay I won't hurt you, what is
your name?" Zelda asks gently scooting closer to him. He starts shaking as he slowly raises his head, the side of his face Zelda notes is tear
stained and then he turns to look at her. Purple eyes meet red ones, Zelda is shocked "A SHEIKAH CHILD, BUT HOW, there are no Sheikah
women alive aside from Impa!" Zelda moves closer "Maybe he only speaks Sheikah?" "Con tir chamin'hadrasheik?" [What is your name?]
Zelda asks gently. The boy's eyes widen in surprise." " Ta Nol hoalcux charmin dis nascitex, hanalo charminra 'lesurrosheik." [I have no
birth name, but the elders named me 'Whispering Shadow.] Zelda is surprised by how well he speaks and by what he was he is saying
"Hanalo tulti martis?" [Where is your family?] "Ta fanara… anel tulti martis, ta swaro…" [My family… they are all dead, I'm all alone…]
Zelda gasps in shock and pulls the boy into her arms hugging him as he begins to cry, clutching to her weakly, she gently whispers, "Siste
andando tutonen benqu, tir sicana adehra…"[It is going to be okay, you're safe here…] to him again and again. After a few moments the boy calms enough that Zelda is able to use her magic to teleport herself and the boy to her quarters.
There she warms water over the fire and pours it into a large bath for the boy, she tells him to enjoy a bath while she goes to find him
some clothes. He waits till she leaves before slipping out of his ragged dirty clothes and slips into the warm bath sighing as the dirt and
grime washes away from his very thin body. Zelda rushes to the room Link uses to store some of his old equipment, his own armory one
may say. In a chest at the back where a few green tunics, she grabs one set of clothes and a pair of boots, she returns to her room and
grabs a few pieces of a grey candle using her powers she uses the color of the candle to change the color of the tunic turning it a light grey.
She see's the boy's old clothing outside of the bathing room, she uses them to check, the tunic should be just about the right size, the
boots too. She sighs and sets the new clothes down and pours more water into a cauldron placing the old clothes into the water watching
as the clear water quickly turns grey and cloudy from the dirt, sweat and grime. After stirring the clothes and changing out the water
multiple times, they are finally clean. Zelda looks over the clothes, simple garbs, but not a design recognizable to Zelda, she turns the shirt
right side out and is surprised to find stitched into the garbs is an inverted Triforce. She frowns never having seen anything like this before,
remembering her task she grabs the drying racks and lays the clothes inside placing them over the cauldron on the fire. Zelda glances in to
see the boy scrubbing at his hair, using some of the many cleansers along the bath sides. She sets the new clothes down on a chair and the
boots in front of it.
Slipping back outside of the bathroom, she begins to pace thinking to herself. "I can't reveal him to anyone, even Sheik, Link or
Alec. He would be placed under harsh scrutiny… Nobody will allow him a chance to recover from whatever tragedy has befallen him. I can't
keep him in a room though, how can he be free to move about the Castle, but not be noticed…" That's when Zelda remembers, "The rings!"
She says aloud excitedly rushing to her office and opening the bottom drawer. In the bottom drawer is a fake back board. Behind it is a
small sword and other safety necessities as well as a silver box containing two rings Impa had gifted to Zelda years ago. "These rings were
crafted by the first elders of our tribe, and have been handed down from one elder to the next. They allow the wearer to become invisible to
the eye when separate, together they allow the wearer to be invisible both physically and magically as well. Use these wisely Zelda, for your
protection and to aid you in any way they can." Zelda removed one ring from the box before returning it to the secret compartment and
shutting the drawer. The boy had a small bit of power, but nothing that anyone aside from her should be able to sense. With this he would
be free to move about the castle, Zelda just needed to add one little thing. She plucked a single strand of her hair and wrapped it around
the ring murmuring a spell over it. The ring turned purple for a brief moment and then returned to silver, the hair gone. The spell will
prevent the wearer of the ring, in this case the boy, from leaving the castle, and will make him visible to Zelda. She turns in time to see the
boy stepping out of the bathroom clean and dressed in the grey tunic and boots. Zelda is surprised to find that his hair is actually a very
pale blonde, the dirt and grime must have just made it look darker. She smiles at him and sits on the sofa motioning for him to come sit
beside her. He looks at her nervously, but he slowly begins to walk forward until he is seated on the sofa beside her. She turns to him and
holds up the ring, "Hal et rezao tir, oen nestre itedo quequ ario, nawqut tulti tranxe ta. Devi rimanr nesil casteme, esra sarenek rael sicrra
fala." [Here is a present for you, this ring will let you travel around the castle and keep you hidden from everyone, except me. Now you
need to stay in the castle, because here you will be safe and happy.] Zelda whispers to him kindly as she hands him the ring. He stares at
it for a moment and then looks up to meet her eyes, "Peste sies cosena genami yanr ta?" [Why are you so nice to me?] The boy asks
quietly Zelda is surprised but responds quickly "Penre tir seinir givof menvo intre." [Because you are a very special young man] The boy's
eyes widen in surprise at this, Zelda smiles and continues "Onre tir pian clandas?" [Do you like pastries?] Zelda asks as she lifts a lid on a
platter near the sofa revealing an array of pastries. The boy's eyes widen even more and his lets out a dazzling smile "Ayna, erm…" [yes,
umm] The boy trails off not knowing her name "Ta charmin Zelda." [My name is Zelda.] Zelda informs him having forgotten to share her
own name with him (since everybody in the world knows of Queen Zelda of Hyrule). He smiles "Ayna Zel..da" [yes Zel..da]The boy forces
the foreign word out as best as possible. Zelda smiles to him as she hands him a large Hyliaberry strudel, he bites into it enthusiastically,
quickly covering his face in the purple berry jam. Zelda giggles as she enjoys dessert with her new, nameless little friend.