Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. Any and all OCs and original locations belong to me unless specifically stated to belong to someone else.

Soul Secrets

Chapter 35

Sheik fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat by the fireplace. Instead of answering his question directly, Zelda had asked him to join her in her study to, in her words, discuss the issue thoroughly and in private. He couldn't argue against the privacy bit, but discussing the issue thoroughly, though? What was there to discuss?

The nobles were out for blood, and, in a way, it was justified. They had entrusted their young with him, and he'd failed to protect them. Whether it was enough to get him executed was still up in the air, it seemed, given Zelda's reluctance to just tell him if she was going to appease the nobles or not.

He glanced at the clock on the wall. Zelda had claimed that she was going to have someone bring them tea, but she'd been gone for fifteen minutes at this point. He hadn't believed her, of course. She was the princess. She could snap a finger and someone would dive into the room and deliver whatever she required. She was up to something, clearly.

He learned what that was when she returned a few minutes later, indeed carrying a tray with smoking hot tea...but three cups. An ambulant Hero of Time followed her, though he moved a bit slowly. It was impressive that he was out of bed at all with his injuries, but if there was something you could say for the Hero, it was that he was tough.

Sheik already felt his chest tightening. Seeing his husband was filling him with an unwelcome dread, a cold shiver going down his back upon remembering the face of Link at the angriest he had ever seen him. An angry Link was a terrifying sight on its own, but having that anger directed at you? It was a wonder neither Ganondorf nor Feror had given up upon seeing it.

But that look was gone now, and the smile Link gave Sheik upon spotting him was...surprising, to say the least.

"I thought you just wanted to talk to me," the Hero said to the princess and quickly (or as close to quickly as was possible in his current state) moved to Sheik's side, perching on the arm of his chair. Sheik quickly stood so that Link could sit instead.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" he asked neutrally, still wary.

"Got sick of it," Link said cheerfully before looking at Zelda. "So, why are we here?"

"Sheik already knows," Zelda said, handing them each a cup before settling in her own chair. "I figured it would be best to discuss the issue as a group, seeing as it affects the both of you."

"That much is certainly true," Sheik said, aware that he was sounding more than a little rattled. The Hero of Time gave him a weird look, but there was nothing indicating that he knew what was going on—in either context.

"Oh, sounds serious," Link said. "What's going on?"

"No use in tiptoeing around it," Zelda said, shaking her head. "The nobles want Sheik executed for what happened in Kakariko. If I don't comply with their demand, they will withdraw from the city, taking their soldiers with them, and fortify themselves in their lands."

Link remained eerily quiet until she finished, at which point he calmly took a sip of tea and stared into the fire. "Let them go, then. We don't need them."

"Link—"Sheik began.

"No!" the Hero exclaimed. "To hell with the nobles! What happened wasn't your fault, and they know it! They're just trying to use it as an excuse to get rid of you once and for all!" He was breathing heavily, nostrils flaring. "They just can't let it go, can they?! You're a better lord than any of them could ever be, but because you're a Sheikah and apparently so terrible you feast on infants, you're just a damn scapegoat, aren't you?!"

Sheik didn't know how to react. He'd been expecting vitriol, but directed at him, not the nobles. And what was that about it not being his fault? Link had laid the blame squarely at his feet mere hours ago. Of course, he hadn't expected the Hero to support the nobles' demand, but still...

Zelda sighed. "They've made no secret of just how much they hate you, no," she said sadly. "I'd hoped your efforts during the war and the respect a title carries would, if not endear you to them, make them see that they've been wrong about your people all along...but I was wrong."

"Let them crawl away," Link said firmly. "We don't need them."

"We do, though," Sheik said. "Without them, the royal army will lose about half of its strength...which has already been reduced because of desertion to the Sun's side. If it comes to open battle, we will be nearly helpless."

"Then what do you suggest?" Link asked, looking at him with a frustrated expression on his face. "Got a solution?"

"The easiest solution," Sheik said, nodding. "Give them my head."

"Out of the question," Zelda said.

"I swore an oath to protect you against any and all threats," Sheik said. "I'm still bound to that oath, whether you 'released' me from it or not. This war is going to get a lot worse before it gets better, and you will need the nobles and their resources to maintain control of the kingdom long enough to defeat the Sun, and the only way to ensure you keep them is to give them my head."

"Like I said, out of the question," the princess repeated. "And regardless of what you think about that oath, I did release you from it. No, we will find another solution. Perhaps some economic incentive—"

"You want to give them money?" Link asked. "They threaten to abandon you, and you want to pay them?"

"Not necessarily money," the princess replied. "I'm thinking...more land, less taxation, that sort of thing."

"No." Sheik crossed his arms. "Absolutely not. Giving into them like that will simply convince them that you can be controlled. It's supposed to be the opposite—you control them. If they get out of line, you rein them in."

"What, by giving them your head?" Zelda said, giving him an incredulous look. "How is that not giving in?"

"Because the public will view my execution as some form of justice, as opposed to what you have in mind. To them, it'll just be the rich and powerful getting richer and more power. Perhaps you'll get the nobles back on your side, but you will lose the common people...and they are arguably more important than the lords and ladies." Sheik frowned. "That's my opinion, though...and perhaps it is not particularly valid, given that I hold a title of my own."

"Of course it's invalid," Link said. "You don't get a say in this." He gave Zelda the most serious look Sheik had ever seen. "Zelda, you can't go along with it."

"I won't, Link, I swear."

"And even if you did, who's to say they won't leave anyway?" the Hero continued. "You remember the nobles in Lumina, right? Rial had to fight them almost every step of the way to keep them on his side...or just to stay in command. Hell, he even killed one in a duel! They're all out to save their own skins, and the second they see an opportunity to do so, they will."

"They stood with me against Ganondorf—"

"Because he was going to come for them once he was finished with you." Link was refusing to back down on this, which Sheik appreciated immensely...he was just so confused about the Hero coming to his defence after the vicious argument from before. "You know that."

"I can't afford to lose their support, Link. Not now."

Sheik cleared his throat. He'd had an idea, but he wasn't sure how well it would go over with the others. He wasn't all that fond of it himself. "They've made threats," he said. "It's time to make some of your own."

"What do you mean?"

"So far, you've managed to rule through respect and kindness, which works excellently in times of peace," Sheik elaborated. "In times of war, however, it is fear that will keep someone in line."

"You want me to rule through fear?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"By threatening to take away what the nobles hold most dear." Sheik raised an eyebrow. "And what is it that the great houses hold in higher esteem than themselves?"

"Their lands?" Link asked.

"No, their names, their legacies," Sheik continued. "The powerful families are all ancient. There is nothing they fear more than their lines coming to an end on their watch. And where do their lines currently end?"

"With their heirs," Zelda answered. "You want me to threaten their children? Sheik, that's—"

"I'm not saying that you should threaten them overtly," Sheik said, raising his hands. "It's normal for the children of nobles to be fostered elsewhere, correct? Ask for the nobles to send their heirs to be fostered with you, here, at the castle."

"The nobles would see right through the ruse," Zelda said, clearly not fond of the idea. "Their heirs would be hostages."

"To be fostered," Sheik insisted. "With their heirs here in the city, the nobles have no choice but to remain in order to ensure their safety. And they cannot deny your request—it is your right as the ruler of this kingdom. Traditionally, it is an honour for a house's heir to be housed and trained at the castle."

"And if they refuse? What do I do then?"

Sheik steeled himself. "Make an example. If a house refuses to fall in line...well, your father was once forced to put a few down."

Zelda's brows knitted in worry. "Attack my own countrymen? Sheik, I'm not sure if I have my father's strength..."

"You do," Sheik said. "In fact, you're stronger. And with the way things are developing...you will need to show that you're not afraid of doing what is necessary, or you will lose everyone." He paused. "On the other hand, I will still gladly kneel by the chopping block if—"

The Hero of Time's glare was enough to choke the words on their way out. Link's eyebrow was twitching. He was in pain. Sheik tried not to look guiltily at the bandages covering his eye.

"I need some time to think about this," Zelda said. "Alone."

"Of course," Sheik said as he and Link rose to their feet, though the Hero was quite shaky in his stance. "I will take him back to bed."

"I can walk on my own, you know," Link protested.

"Yes, but I doubt it will be pleasant when you fall over," Sheik countered smoothly.

"One more thing," Zelda said as they opened the door. "What happened to the Master Sword?"

"Stolen," Link said bitterly. "That Gerudo, Zendine, took it from me...and did this." He pointed at his bandaged eye.

Zelda nodded slowly. "I see..."

"We'll get it back," Sheik assured here. "Its enchantments may have faded after it wasn't returned to the Temple of Time, but it is still an important symbol. If people see her wielding it..."

"We'll get it back," Link reaffirmed. "Good night, Zelda."

"Good night, Link, Sheik."

The walk to their chambers took longer than usual due to Link's pace, but Sheik was happy to offer his silent support to Link's slightly shuffling steps. They said nothing to each other, just enjoying each other's presence. Or, Link was, at any rate. Sheik was waiting for another explosion of anger. Perhaps it was unfair, but he had no idea what to expect from the Hero of Time anymore.

He opened the door for Link and helped him lie down so his back wounds wouldn't be aggravated.

"All right?" he asked.

"Yeah," Link said, smiling. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He turned and made to leave. "Good night—"

Link's hand on his stopped him.

"Stay?"

"Link—"

"You've been acting weird all day," the Hero said. "I know you're devastated about Kakariko...but you can't deal with it on your own. Please talk to me."

"I would," Sheik said, gently prying Link's hand off. "But the last time I tried, you said everything was my fault and told me to get out. I'm not really keen on repeating the experience."

Link looked nonplussed. "What?"

Sheik mirrored his expression. "You don't remember?"

"No," Link said. "I remember you coming into the room, lying down next to me...we talked, then you said what happened at Kakariko..." He grimaced. "Can't remember anything afterwards. I thought we'd fallen asleep and you'd left at some point to grieve..."

Sheik remained silent.

"But I yelled at you?" Link continued, getting more and more confused by the second. "I...why would I do that? You weren't there, there wasn't anything you could do, there...I..."

Sheik sighed. "Link, calm down."

"No, I can't believe that I would do something like that!" His grimace grew more severe, and he clutched his temples. "I can't..."

Sheik crouched by the bed, worried. "Link, what's wrong?"

"Headache's back," Link moaned. "Getting worse...Goddesses, why can't I remember it?"

Sheik didn't know what to say.

What the hell is going on?

Zelda nearly jumped at the knock on her study door, but quickly recovered and let Prince Leonthal inside. The prince looked a bit confused—he'd probably been woken up by her summons. It was after midnight, after all. Still, he'd made an effort to make himself presentable...even though his hair looked a bit dishevelled.

"I came as fast as I could," he said. "Is something the matter?"

"A situation is developing, and I'm not sure how to handle it," Zelda explained, motioning the prince towards the chair occupied by her brothers mere minutes before. "I may have a revolt on my hands."

"Revolt? By whom?" Leonthal asked.

"The nobles," Zelda said, and explained what had happened during the last council meeting, and her meeting with Link and Sheik. By the end, Leonthal had sunk deep into his chair and a look of concentration was on his face.

"Their demand is unreasonable," he concluded. "If anything, they should be clamouring for the blood of those who carried out the attack, rather than that of Lord Sheik, who wasn't even present when it happened."

Zelda nodded. "Agreed. However, I have no idea what will happen if I deny them, not to mention Sheik's suggestion. I might be triggering a civil war, and that cannot happen. Further division at this point will leave the Sun with enough elbowroom to destroy us all." She looked to the prince. "What would you do, in my place?"

He was surprised by that...just as surprised he'd probably been when he was summoned, unless it was for a formal eviction from Hyrule. That would have been a token response to their kiss in the gazebo. It had lasted for several minutes, and by the end both participants had been blushing like teenagers and fled in opposite directions...after which they had not spoken. He had not been anticipating a strategy meeting.

"Personally, I would go with Lord Sheik's suggestion," he said. "It is a middle ground between letting the nobles abandon you and using force to make them stay. This way, everyone wins. After all, show me a safer place than the castle for their heirs right now." He twiddled his thumbs. "Some of them will probably consider it a hostage situation and an insult, but if they fail to comply...well, you are their ruler, it is their duty to obey."

"Until they decide to rebel and put someone else in charge," Zelda pointed out. "And your father? What would he do?"

Leonthal couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Father is a man of justice...but he will not tolerate insubordination from anyone. At the first hint of a great house disobeying his commands, he would have it eradicated and every family member executed or imprisoned. In extreme cases, I can imagine he would destroy it root and branch, leaving no one alive."

Zelda's eyes widened at the description. "That is an...extreme response, isn't it?"

"Not for a king," Leonthal said. "Examples must be made, any rebellions nipped in the bud before it can put down roots and grow. A strong ruler shows love and compassion whenever possible...and extreme force when necessary. Otherwise, they will not stay in power for long." He smiled a little. "So far, he has not been forced to do the latter. None of the nobles of the Ashlands came with us when we left—we had to raise our own, and there is a world of difference between a noble who was born into it and one who was raised to it."

"I can imagine," Zelda said, thinking of Sheik. He had never acted like a noble...but then, he'd never wanted to be one, so perhaps he'd achieved some sort of balance? He had been doing a brilliant job of it so far, though...but the attack on Kakariko pretty much put an end to it all. "So...I really only have one choice, don't I?"

"Two," Leonthal said. "Hostages, or weeding."

"I never was one for gardening," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I can only hope that the nobles will consider the fostering an honour, like they should."

"If not, you have an army. They can talk tough all they want, but I imagine their guts would quickly turn to water when faced with your banners."

"I have half an army," the princess said bitterly. "And they have the other half."

"Ah...well, you also have me. I brought half an army myself, so I imagine we would have a pretty sizable advantage anyway."

"You would involve yourself in this?" Zelda asked, surprised.

"Of course," Leonthal said, grinning. "I'm not particularly popular around here, especially not among the highborn. I'd love to give you a hand in showing them just who's in charge." He paused. "I apologise for the kiss, by the way. It was inappropriate, especially given the what had just...happened."

The silence that ensued seemed to last for an eternity. For a minute, the prince wondered if Zelda had fallen asleep with her eyes open, but the blush that was slowly appearing on her face debunked that. Undoubtedly, she was going through it in her head, just like he was.

"Er...that is...I apologise as well," the princess finally said, bowing her head. "It was just an inappropriate of me, I think."

Leonthal laughed. "No, I think I have you beat, Your Grace. I'm surprised you haven't told me to pack up and get the hell out of your kingdom already. Or exiled me to a distant wing of your castle until the trouble dies down so it's safe to travel again."

Zelda didn't laugh, but she smiled, at least. "I was grieving...yes, it was quite inappropriate, but I didn't cry for the rest of that night. Tira was always a practical woman—she's probably shaking her head in disapproval, wherever she is, at me losing my cool like that."

It was strange. Even thinking about Tira in the last few days had brought her low, and she'd wallowed in grief and, to her horror, self-pity for hours on end. But now, here, in her study and with Leonthal, it wasn't so difficult to talk about her. When she'd thought of Tira alone, she'd imagined her body lying bloody and beaten deep underground somewhere, where it would rot. Here, though, she only imagined Tira as the person she'd been. Tall, strong, fierce, loving, beautiful... It was selfish of her, but she could imagine Tira approving of the kiss, if only it made her stop "blubbering like a child with a skinned knee", in the warrior's own words.

And her attraction to Leonthal was undeniable, as guilty as it made her feel. She'd been surprised at first. So far in her life, she had yet to meet a single man who had made her feel the same way Aveil and Tira had...and, to a lesser extent, she supposed, Link and Sheik...but considering the fact that she thought of them as brothers now made that thought very unpleasant. Anyway, Leonthal was different...and not unpleasant.

"Well, I do not wish to upset you further," Leonthal said, still smiling. "So...my purpose here was originally to court you, but I highly suggest that we leave all such things aside until this situation has settled down. I will offer you any assistance I can provide. As of right now, Princess Zelda, I am yours to command, as are my men."

It was a wonderful show of support in a time of need, and Zelda felt oddly elated when she went to bed later that night. Maybe, just maybe, things could work out!

Link had never thought of how eerie the halls of the castle became in the dead of night, when most of the lights were dimmed and the guards moved to the outer perimeter and left only a minimal presence within the halls themselves, and only on the ground floor. Maybe it was because, in the dark, the castle reminded him of what Ganondorf had reduced the original Hyrule Castle to after running the kingdom into the ground for seven years. He could even hear that haunting organ echoing through the hallways.

The headache certainly didn't help, nor the frustration he felt at having realised several chunks of his memories were gone, like they had never happened, such as the argument he'd supposedly had with Sheik about who to blame for Kakariko. He couldn't blame his husband for having acted so nervously when seeing him again after that. He couldn't imagine how Sheik had felt in the aftermath of that...and now Sheik had clammed up, like he so often did when Link hadn't been around to coax things out of him, and at that point it was too late. He would carry those feelings to his grave, probably...

Stupid, so stupid, he thought.

He clenched his jaw. His ear gave a twinge of pain from being pulled at. Why had Zendine even done that, cutting the tip off? It hadn't produced the agonising pain she'd clearly been after. Maybe it was a pride thing? Or maybe she collected Hylian ear tips...

Nah, she wasn't that insane, surely?

He paused, noticing that someone was coming towards from the opposite direction. Their footsteps were a bit shuffling as well, and small grunts of pain could be heard for every one that was taken. Link waited by a lantern until they emerged from the darkness, not anticipating an enemy here, naturally, but still wary. He hadn't expected a Hylian woman around his age, probably a bit older, clutching her stomach, to come forward. She wore the colours of the military, and the insignias of a captain.

She noticed him as well, and stopped.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to be up," she said, giving him a strange smile. "Good evening, Hero."

"Good evening," Link replied evenly, not sure if he knew the woman or not. She looked so familiar... "Have we met?"

"Uh, no, not yet. Not officially, anyway," she said, shaking her head. "Captain Rinir," she introduced herself and saluted. "Akia Rinir."

"I'm Link...though you probably didn't need to be told that," he said. "Everyone seems to know who I am anyway, so...but you said we haven't met officially?"

"Not as such," she confirmed. "I was with the group who came to Blackbrook to save you. I don't blame you for not remembering me, you were pretty out of it, unsurprisingly."

The name finally clicked into place, and Link frowned. "You were at Kakariko?"

"In command," she corrected. "Or so I thought, until my soldiers turned on us, and my second-in-command gave me this." She lifted her shirt and showed her bandaged middle. "Bastard shot me with an arrow."

"I'm sorry," Link said. According to Sheik, most of her men had betrayed her and left her for dead after an overwhelming surprise-attack. She was the only surviving witness, and because of that, he felt the need to ask. "Did they suffer?"

She didn't need to be told whom he was referring to. "Not to my knowledge...most I saw were given quick, clean deaths. The enemy wasn't interested in the usual rape and pillage."

"Good...thank you for telling me."

"I'm sorry," she said, surprising him. "I was sent there to protect them, and I failed at my task so utterly I'm surprised I'm still alive...but I suppose the Goddesses has decided that I am to live with the shame." She bowed as deeply as she could without upsetting her wound. "Please forgive me."

Even her hair was familiar to him, but he had no idea from where. He had a strange feeling in his gut, one he couldn't really recall having felt before. "I...there is nothing to forgive, captain. Betrayal is impossible to predict. You tried to protect them during the attack, and that's all we could've asked of you in that event."

"Thank you, Hero." She had rearranged her face into an odd, blank slate. There was a smile, but it was very...vague, if such a word could be applied to a facial expression. "I needed to hear that. From you."

"Why?"

She hesitated. "Because...because you cared about them greatly, and...well..."

Link hissed as his head throbbed again. Rinir looked concerned, but he waved her off. "It's nothing, just a headache. I should probably be getting back to bed..."

"I'll walk you—"

"No, that's not necessary, but thank you, captain. Good night."

He quickly hurried away from the captain, undoubtedly leaving her very confused, but he just couldn't stand to be around her any longer. Her face...

Sheik didn't even stir as Link practically slammed the door shut behind him, leaning against it with his heart thundering in his chest.

As he calmed down, he watched his husband sleep for a minute in the dim light of the lantern on the vanity table. How long had Sheik been awake at this point? Clearly for too long given how deep he was sleeping now, all sprawled out on the bed. How much of it was because of Link and his inability to protect himself? And the argument? When his heart had finally stilled in his chest, he felt the need for sleep creeping up on him, at the same time as his headache began to lessen.

He went to blow out the lantern on the vanity table, and happened to glance at the mirror just as he blew.

He practically jumped back as the room was plunged into complete darkness, staring at the spot where his face had been in the mirror. Something had just slotted into place in his mind, and he didn't like it.

It can't be, he thought. Impossible.

He crawled into bed and settled on his stomach, groping for Sheik's hand beneath the covers. He found it, and was instantly calmed by the way the Sheikah's hold immediately tightened. The night had been rattling in more than one way, and he could only hope that tomorrow would be less so...

...but a cynical voice in the back of his head told him that it would only get worse.

To be continued…

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