Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Legend of Zelda—characters, locations, plot, etc. It is all property of Nintendo. I am only writing a story based off of the game. This story is in the romance genre because of the romance between Link and Sheik

Chapter thirty-seven

A Lone-Wolf Thief

The Gerudo woman ran her hand slowly down the warm stone, her golden eyes flicking side to side while she read the inscriptions, fingertips tracing and dipping in between the letters' engravings. She had read the stone slabs on the chests of the two gigantic snake statues time and time again, and she had finally solved the riddles. The answers were obvious, and she'd never admit to the two weeks she spent trying to figure them out.

The first one read: O, foolish traveler who dares enter the temple, hear us as we warn thee: The might of a thousand thieves cannot better the forces of we. A power lost to the sands of time cannot reveal the way to where we witches hide. The strength of silver we will melt, for behold, we are all powerful, our magic richer than the purest gold.

The second: O, worthless challenger who dares seek us, know that our own magic is our only weakness. If you are foolish enough to object, we offer these three words as one final clue: Deflect, reflect, protect.

Obviously these inscriptions weren't just threats. The witches who dwell here in the temple must be getting bored, and so they gave clues to any challenger smart enough to understand them. Nabooru had explored the temple for a month now, searching for those clues to destroy the witches who threatened to destroy her home and all that she had built here in the desert. As the leader of the Gerudo tribe, it was her duty to protect her people. The strong and ruthless Nabooru was exalted at such a young age that leading was in her very blood. Nabooru was named the lone-wolf amongst her people, and true to that name she took on this mission alone. It was unadulterated determination and pure adrenaline that kept Nabooru on her feet, never once ceasing her search. Her stubbornness fueled her determination, where the source of her adrenaline came from her underlining instinct to protect. Her people, the kingdom she had built up from the ashes, and to protect her young daughter. Not only was she a lone-wolf, but an alpha wolf. Now that she had decoded the messages and uncovered the clues of the Spirit Temple, her search was over, and her hunt began.

—

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and the gust of wind that blew in from the arched doorway behind seemed to tap her on the shoulder. She whipped around, glaring at the doorway as if daring it to allow someone access. Light as a feather, she cleared the steps in one graceful leap and bounded to the entrance. Slinking against the warm stone, she unsheathed her great scrimitars from the cross they made on her back. Footsteps neared and Nabooru launched herself at their source.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

There was a high pitched yelp, and the intruder dropped to the ground and hid under the far too large shield on his back like some weird turtle. Nabooru's blade crashed against the dark blue shield, sending sparks in every direction before the image of the intruder registered. It was just a boy, old enough to know better but too young to be a threat, huddled on the floor. Nabooru relaxed her stance, holding tight to one scrimitar, but sheathing the one in her left hand. She surveyed the shield, turning her nose up at the crest of the Hylian royal family. "Hylian," she growled, toeing the boy under the shield. Most likely this boy only spoke Hylian, and so she barked, "Get up!" in her second language.

The shield was lifted to reveal wide blue eyes staring up at her under a shock of blond hair. He did as he was told and Nabooru eyed the short dagger clutched in his left hand. Before either could speak, a bright blue light flew out of the boy's rather long, absurd green hat that matched the tunic he wore. The blue light let out a squeal when Nabooru slashed her scrimitar at it, and that's when she realized the blue light was actually a fairy.

"Please!" said the boy, his voice laced with nerves. He held out his cupped hands, and the bright blue fairy took refuge in them. He faced Nabooru, but back farther away. "We mean you no harm."

Nabooru searched the boy's innocent eyes. He was an odd figure, this one; long tunic and brown boots up to his bare knees. His blond hair was untidy and hung in his clearuen eyes. He most certainly came very far to even reach Gerudo Valley, so how in the hell did this boy make it through the desert?

"You startled me, boy," Nabooru said, shelthing her other blade. "Who are you? Where did you come from?" She paused, perplexed. "Why are you here? How did you even get here?"

The boy drew a deep breath and took another step back. "My name is Link," he started, sounding quiet at first, but his voice grew in strength. "I am the legendary Hero from the seven-year future."

Nabooru made a face. "Excuse me?" What an odd excuse. Now she had certainly heard them all. She had heard the bedtime stories of the legend of the goddess-sent hero coming to rescue Hyrule in its time of need and all that bullshit, of course, but if this was their Hero, they must have really given up on Hyrule. Nonetheless, she knew full well of the impending doom looming over Hyrule, this is why she was in the Spirit Temple. Maybe this boy did have some connection to the prophecy.

"He's telling the truth!" the ball of blue light squeaked. Nabooru glared at the fairy and it hid behind the boy calling himself Link. Link—what kind of name was that?

The boy tentatively reached for the pouch on his hip and caught Nabooru keenly watching him. "If you would let me— I can prove it! We really do mean you no harm," Link assured.

Nabooru gestured to the pouch, curiosity getting the better of her. "By all means." What could this boy possibly do to her anyway?

He reached slowly into the pouch, never taking his eyes off Nabooru. At least this boy had some kind of brain. He drew his hand out as slowly as it entered, and held it out for Nabooru to see. His small hands were cupped around a single golden medallion that bore the emblem of the Triforce. Nabooru knew that medallion—she had been taught all the stories about the Hero of the gods and what his purpose would be. She knew that was a medallion from a sage, and that sage was from none other than the Sacred Realm.

"Ah... so the prophecy's true, then?" she asked. She then nodded her head toward the blue light. "And that's really a fairy?"

Link glanced back at the ball of light, then nodded as he turned back to Nabooru. "Her name is Navi." The fairy called Navi flew forward and under the boy's absurd hat.

Nabooru leaned down and took the medallion from Link's hands, surprised the boy did not protest. He did, in fact, speak up when Nabooru tested the medallion to see if it was gold by biting it.

"I'm not sure if you should—"

"Not gold," Nabooru's puzzled voice cut him off. She offered the medallion back to Link—she wasn't going to take it, she just wanted to know. "What do you think it is, then?"

"No clue..." He shrugged, turning it over in his hands before returning it to the pouch at his hip.

To Nabooru's surprise, the strange boy before her bowed slightly.

"Miss Nabooru, I have come because I need your help," he said in earnest.

Ignoring that he was so well spoken for a child, Nabooru crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. She was impressed that the little Hero held his ground. "My help?"

He nodded once. "I need to defeat the witches here in the temple so I can awaken the sage of the desert."

Nabooru smirked. Sage of the desert, he had said. He even talked like the Hero. "Well, lucky for you, that was just where I was headed!"

The boy looked relieved. "Great!"

"I didn't say I was taking you with me," she said bluntly.

A look of desperation crossed the boy's face, but as he opened his mouth to protest the look morphed into determination. "I'm sorry, but I have to."

At that, Nabooru's cold eyes melted due to her warm smile. "That's what I like to hear."

The boy grinned. She had to correct herself. This was no ordinary boy. This boy was the acclaimed goddess-sent hero. Nabooru wasn't stupid; she knew what this meant. Link had stumbled into her life mere minutes ago and Nabooru was already preparing for the future. This boy's utter existence was like a scroll, and written upon it was Hyrule's fate. She knew there was more to coming here than to just save her homeland. Coming here to overthrow the witches was going to save her entire country.

Nabooru held up a hand."Hang on. Don't think just because you're the Hero I'm going to trust you. You're from the seven year future and you're stupid enough to enter the Spirit Temple as a child? The temple is no place for kids!" She scoffed. "And plus, you're only armed with a dagger? Aren't you supposed to bear a special blade?"

Link opened his mouth once more, but Nabooru cut him off. Most likely it'd be a long explanation, and she wasn't quite in the mood to listen to any more lecturing on the "sages" or whatever the hell he would go on about this time. "Never mind. Let's just go."

She got the boy by the shoulder and turned him around toward the entrance of the temple. He took the hint and followed her outside.

Nabooru smirked as she pictured the little Hero's bewildered face she caught a glimpse of before scaling a particularly steep rock. She had made her camp atop a bridge-like rock formation in front of the temple's entrance in order to keep animals and things alike away from what she was storing inside her camp. She crossed over the wide red rock to her many bags. Rummaging inside one of them, she found what she needed with an, "aha!"

Without warning Nabooru ran and leapt over the side of the bridge. She landed with a thud in the sand in front of the little Hero and his blue fairy. She stood up and brushed herself off with her free hand, smirk returning in full when seeing Link's wide eyes.

"These," she held up the gauntlets clutched in her hand, flourishing them for dramatic effect and the silver on the back of them glinted brilliantly in the setting sunlight, "are known as the silver gauntlets. Clever name if you ask me," she added sarcastically, examining them.

Nabooru went to continue when Link's snort interrupted her. "What?" she questioned sharply.

"Nothing!" he assured, waving his hand. "You just sounded like someone I know. Go on."

The lone-wolf thief rolled her beautiful golden eyes. "Anyway... have any thoughts on what they do?"

Link grinned, shaking his head. "No idea..."

Nabooru spoke slowly so the Hero could understand just how important these gauntlets were. "These give you an incredible amount of strength."

Link cocked his eyebrows in perfect sync with his head.

"Do you need proof? Because there are many ways I can prove it. Maybe the most efficient way would be a hands-on experience, hm?"

"No, I believe you!" Link said quickly, taking a step back and Nabooru's smirk turned a bit triumphant. "It's just I can't figure out how those are gonna help take down witches."

"Well, it isn't like we're going to go in there swinging at them! No, these gauntlets are going to help us find them. See, they think they've hidden their lair so well, when actually it's the simplest thing in the world to figure out! They've blocked the path with heavy boulders. That's a dead giveaway. Along the path to their lair is what we're gonna use to destroy them."

"I still don't understand," said the boy, his fairy swaying lazily next to his ear and listening with just as much rapt attention as the little Hero.

"You know these witches are powerful, right? Dark magic and all that?"

Link nodded.

"Well, you see, we are never gonna best that, but we don't have to. All we have to do is outwit them."

"How will we do that?"

"By playing their game, and turning it against them!" Nabooru gestured for Link to follow her and they began to head back towards the temple. "I've figured out that deep inside the temple there is a shield with a face like a mirror."

"Really?"

"Mhm. It'll turn the witches' dark magic back on themselves! But I need your help to get it. Are you prepared?" She stopped and turned to Link about a yard from the short staircase.

"Lead the way," said the Hero.

Nabooru pointed at him. "That's what I like to hear!"

Taking a step toward the temple, Nabooru stopped again. The wind that had just blown through had a chilly bite to it. Considering they were out in the middle of the desert, one might question the cold temperature of the wind. Link seemed to have taken no notice, holding his blue fairy in his hands and stepping up onto the platform. Once he noticed Nabooru was not with him, he turned.

"What's wrong?"

Before Nabooru could answer, a noise colder than the icy wind broke the air. It was a high-pitched, echoing cackle—one that raised the hairs on both of the adventurer's necks.

"Go," Nabooru managed through the mixture of anger and fear now creeping into her chest. That laugh was no stranger to her.

"What was—?"

"I said GO!"

"But Nabooru—"

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

And then Nabooru screamed.

The sand around her appeared to be spinning in tight circles, growing wider and wider, darker and darker until she was standing inside a dark purple vortex of swirling sand.

"NOW!" she screeched at Link. The boy looked completely at a loss of what to do. Nabooru could see him fighting himself with every fiber in his being not to jump down the stairs and into the vortex and try to save her, but it was too late for her. This was a result of both learning the secrets of the witches' temple and being at the top of Ganon's hit list. The bastard.

Nabooru reared back the gauntlets in her hand and threw them with all her remaining strength as the black magic was quickly draining it from her. Link didn't see exactly where they landed, but knew it had to be far away.

"I can't just leave!" he shouted back, descending the stairs. Nabooru was ever so slowing sinking down into the vortex

"There's nothing you can do for me," she cried, bracing her hands in the sand and struggling to stay above ground. "It's black magic from the witches that dwell here! They're Ganondorf's minions! You have to go or they'll kill you!"

Link took another step forward, extending his hand even though he was too far away.

Nabooru laughed a little hysterically at that. "It's up to you now, Little Hero!" she called, her arms now trapped beneath the sand. "Don't you dare step in here!" she barked as Link took another step towards her. "Now hide! Don't let them see you!" The sand was up to her chin now and she tilted her head back. "Help us, Hero—" she gasped out, and then was submerged under the sand.

Her last thoughts were of her daughter before all went black.

The familiar great wave of heat washed over the Hero of Time as he cracked open his eyes only to slam them shut. It was so bright here at morning in the desert; much brighter than the morning had been in Castle Town... seven years ago. With one hand Link shielded his eyes, and the other put the Ocarina away. He had warped to the desert using the mournful song Sheik taught him, and along with the forlorn feelings the tune gave Link, it also re-established the longing feeling lodged deep in his chest. He missed his Guide terribly—more than ever before. Link was no stranger to missing someone, or something. He missed his friends, Saria, his home, the Great Deku Tree, the smell of the Forest after the rain... the list went on. He missed Sheik before, sure, but now he craved his Guide's presence. Link thought maybe he was going mad. and voicing this and his concern to Navi proved to be less than helpful, for she only smiled and replied, "You've got it bad," whatever it was. Link sighed. He was even sounding like Sheik, what with not understanding remarks and simple references. Like Neema the Gerudo had said, Sheik was very literal.

Link cautiously opened his eyes once more, looking down at his feet and finding a sizable wooden basket there. He frowned, bending down to examine what looked to be a burn on the lid. It was, in fact, a burn in the shape of the Sheikah Eye. Link's heart leapt into his throat—he couldn't believe it. Sheik had actually left Link this basket like he said he would. Link knew he shouldn't be surprised—his Guide was merely taking care of the Hero of Time, but even so, Link was touched. He opened the basket and gasped. Laying at the top was the ugliest mask he'd seen. It was white with red markings, but the most noticeable feature was the great yellow eye set on the front.

"Ew!" came Navi's squeal as she flew from Link's hat. "That's disturbing. Where did that basket come from?"

"Sheik," Link answered absentmindedly as he went through the rest of the basket's contents. It was notably cold in the basket and Link found why after uncovering fruits and vegetables inside under wrapped up bread, cheese and other sorts of food. "He's a genius," he added, more to himself, bottles full of water, potion, and what looked to be soup clinking as he reached the bottom. Folded neatly there was Link's heat resistant tunic. "I love him," Link sighed accompanied by a silly grin as he pulled the tunic out and held it up. His mood had been improved so much that he actually ignored Navi's tinkling laugh.

Link stood up, unhooked his bandolier and belt, then started to change tunics.

"Better?" Navi asked.

"Much."

Link bent down again and picked up the mask. "This is the mask Sheik said I could use to communicate with him..." He looked up at his fairy, "wanna try it out?"

Navi nodded eagerly, soaring off towards the temple and around to the Gossip Stone. Link ran after her after rolling his eyes.

"Hey! Come on, Link. You need to tell Sheik how much you love him!" she heckled as he drew near.

"Shut it," he grumbled, locating the Stone Sheik had uncovered in the shade of the temple.

The Hero dropped to his knees in front of it, removing his bandolier once more, then he looked to Navi. "What do you suppose I do?"

It was Navi's turn to roll her eyes. "You put the mask on and talk to the stone!" The silent duh was a given.

Link scowled at her before holding the strap of the mask out and hooking it around his face. Once Navi got a good look at him, the force of her laugh almost knocked her out of the air.

"Ha ha," Link sneered, which only made Navi's giggles grow louder. He huffed and turned away.

"Sheik?" he called to the Stone's eye. "Navi, you sure I just talk into it?" Link looked up skeptically at his fairy who was wiping her eyes.

Before the smirking fairy could answer, the stone in front of the Hero gave a loud yelp. Link started. "What was that!?" he exclaimed before he realizing he recognized the voice. Could it really be, or was he just imagining things? "Sheik? Is that you? Are you okay!?"

"I'm sorry, Link. You just scared me." Sheik's silvery voice was issuing from the stone as if he were sitting right next to Link. He had been right; they could communicate through means of this absurd looking mask. It worked.

Link closed his eyes, feeling calm at the sound of his Guide's voice. "Oh... Sheik... It works."

"Hello, Link."

Link grinned and rested his hand against the stone which was oddly cool considering the climate. "Hi..."

Navi snickered again, but the Hero ignored her.

"Am I right to guess you feel a bit ridiculous speaking to a stone too?"

Link laughed, imaging how his ever-self-conscious Guide felt hunched over a strange stone and speaking with the Hero of Time through it. Mostly likely no Hylians were aware of the magical properties the Gossip Stones possessed, and so the embarrassment Sheik must be feeling was limitless.

"Yeah, a bit. But I'm guessing you don't have to wear a mask like this. Navi won't stop giggling," he said to try and lighten the mood, shooting his fairy a nasty look through the mask that caused her to fold in another bout of peeling laughter.

"I'm sure it's a sight to see." Oh, Sheik was laughing. Link hadn't even realized how much he had missed that sound.

The Hero scooted closer to the stone, wanting to get as close as possible to the only accessable part of his Guide provided at the moment. "How are you, Sheik? You doing okay?"

There was a slight pause. "I— I'm fine, Link."

Concern made Link's eyebrows knit together. "You sure? You stuttered."

"I nodded to answer your question, then realized you could not see it."

Link snorted. "Well, I'm glad you have to actually talk to answer my questions. It's so good to hear your voice, Sheik. I missed you."

"We haven't been apart for that long, Hero." Oh, there it was: Sheik's signature blush—the one he fought so hard to conceal, but it always won out in the end. Link could hear it clearly through Sheik's voice, and his grin grew wider.

"I know, but I got used to you being here," he said.

"In a way I'm there."

Link's excitement took the place of his amusement. "Yep. You're safe in Kakariko, and talking to me in the desert! This is incredible!"

"I could— I could... come and see you?"

Fear made Link's smile disappear. "No!" he shouted suddenly, regretting it as soon as it left his mouth. "I mean— Sheik, yeah, I want you here, but... I'll meet you in Kakariko. I promise, I'll come find you. Sweetheart, you went through so much out here, you just need to rest and recover."

"I understand, Link," came Sheik's small voice.

Link sighed, his hands going up under the mask and rubbing his eyes. He hadn't meant what he said to sound so abrupt and thankless toward his Guide, but he knew Sheik would do anything for Link, even come to visit him in the very last place the recovering Sheikah needed to be. Besides, the whole point of organizing this new way of communication was to keep Sheik safe. "So... this basket's from you, too, right?" the Hero asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, Hero. Fresh water, and food from the market here in the village. Also a few potions a brewed myself... just in case."

A warm smile spread over Link's face, his eyes going soft. He was thankful for the mask that covered his expression, because if Navi could see him she would tease him for just how in love her friend was with his Sheikah Guide. That really would never be the end of it, either. "You're a goddess-send, Sheik."

Link heard Sheik scoff lightly, "I would hardly say that."

"But I would. I should know, don't you think?"

"I am your Guide. It is my duty to protect you."

"Well, thank you." Yep, head over heels.

There was a pause, and when Sheik broke it his tone had changed to a more serious one. "Link?"

"Hmm?" the Hero hummed absentmindedly, digging a small trench in the sand with a finger.

"I need you to tell me everything."

Link sat up straight again, his boots dragging in the sand. "Oh, right... Um..."

He needed to take a moment to remember every detail that he planned to share with Sheik, but before all of them could come flooding back, concern took their place.

"Sheik?"

"Yes, Hero?" Sheik sounded alarmed.

"Are you sure no one can hear us?"

"What?" came Sheik's blunt reply.

"Do you think someone could be listening in?"

"Link, I assure you, I would not allow you to tell such a story if I thought anyone could be eavesdropping. Sheikah do not eavesdrop. Even so; there are no more Sheikah in Hyrule other than Lady Impa and myself."

"Well, um... that's good then," Link said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. That statement may have been assuring, but Sheik bluntly tacking on that there were only two Sheikahs left in Hyrule was cringe worthy. Link had never officially known there were only two Sheikahs left in Hyrule, but considering the importance of a Sheikah and how he had never met another, Link sort of just figured.

The Hero took a deep breath, putting that out of his mind to focus on what Sheik wanted to hear. "Sheik, I know how to kill the witches, and I've got everything I need to do it."

"Please... tell me," came Sheik's eager whisper.

"I met with Nabooru like you said I should."

"How did you find her?"

"I just had to walk through the entrance of the temple. She was standing in front of a snake statue. After proving who I was—"

"How did you do that?"

Link smiled. "The same way we proved who I am to the Zora King."

"Brilliant," Sheik breathed. "I'm sorry. Please continue."

"You're fine, Sheik, don't worry." For some reason Navi giggled from behind Link again.

—

Link recounted the rest of the story. Of how Nabooru had believed his explanation and had shown him the silver gauntlets. Then of Nabooru's fate.

"It just... all happened so fast. And there wasn't anything I could do, because..." Link didn't want to point the blame at Sheik, but it had been his Guide who told the Hero to not warn Nabooru.

"You could not meddle too much," Sheik finished.

"Yeah... It's just really strange it happened the day Ganondorf attacked Castle Town," Link remarked.

"Oh, Link, there were countless attacks from Ganon's minions over the land on that day."

Link hung his head. "I guess I didn't think about that."

Sheik was silent and so Link picked his story back up.

"But before that happened to Nabooru, she told me about another weapon. It's a shield, Sheik!"

"A shield..?" Sheik sounded beyond perplexed.

"The surface of the shield is a mirror!" Link paused, waiting for it to click for Sheik, but the Sheikah was silent once more. "Don't you see, Sheik? It all makes sense! The shield will reflect their magic back at them. I don't have to best them at magic, I just need to outwit them!"

"Those are Nabooru's words, aren't they?" Sheik did not sound even close to excited as Link was. In fact, he might even be doubting.

"Well, yeah, but she's honorable—"

"She told you that too, didn't she?"

"Well, no, but—" Link cut himself off, his eyebrows raising. "Why are you being so skeptical all the sudden? I thought you wanted me to talk to her."

Sheik's reply was surprisingly calm if it fell upon anyone else's ears, but Link could hear it was laced with anger. "She's a Gerudo, Link. Doesn't this seem at all to you a bit implausible? A shield made from a mirror protecting you and besting two witches of dark magic?"

"It's... their magic is their only weakness?"

"Link, I'm just trying to be logical here—!"

"Not everything has to be solved with logic, Sheik," Link gritted out through his teeth, temper boiling. Was it not Sheik who told Link to risk his life coming to the Spirit Temple in the seven-year past to speak with the sage? "Nothing that's happened to me has been 'logical'," Link spat, mocking Sheik's tone. "Why should this be any different?"

The pause that followed that outburst was long enough for Link to think Sheik had gotten up and walked away from the stone.

"I'm sorry," Link whispered, half-wishing Sheik had indeed left before hearing the Hero's lame apology, half-hoping Sheik would forgive him easily. Link shouldn't even have to be apologizing because he shouldn't have gotten upset like he did. "I didn't mean to shout at you."

"No..." Sheik muttered. Link was expecting him to continue, to try and take half the blame like he always did when they fought, but Sheik did not.

"I'm sorry! I don't know why I got so mad," Link tried again.

"I understand—"

"No, you don't. You were just trying to help—"

"I actually do. Considering what has happened to you, logic does not apply to any of the events of your life. I'm sorry, Hero. I should not doubt you judgment. If you feel you are on the right track to defeat the witches, I am in no position to stand in your way."

Link sighed and shook his head, pressing the top of it to the stone and ignoring Navi's questions from behind him. "Don't do this..."

"What, Hero?"

"Get all formal and Guide-like on me."

"But I am—"

"I know that, but you're my friend too."

Link ran a hand through the hair down his neck. "Sheik, this is the only lead we have. I'm going to find them anyway... And if the shield really helps defeat them..."

"Yes, of course," came Sheik's shaky whisper followed by an equally shaky sigh.

"You okay..?" Link asked tentatively.

"Yes, Link, I am..."

The silence now was just as long as the one after Link's outburst, and Link grew more uncomfortable by the second as he struggled to find a subject to change to.

"Hey, Sheik?"

"Yes?"

"What are you wearing?"

There was a pause on the other side of the stone. "I-I beg your pardon?" came Sheik's stutter.

"I mean, you gave me back the Goron tunic in that basket," Link explained, a bit perplexed. "I was just wondering what you're wearing now since they took your clothes in that cell."

It was as though Link felt Sheik's blush burning through the stone.

"I— The princess has allowed me to wear an exoskeleton of hers until a new one has been made for me."

"Well, that's very kind of her," Link said cheerily—complete with a smile. It's not that he took joy or amusement is Sheik sheer awkwardness and pure embarrassment, he just thought it was adorable.

Adorable. Link knew adorable was not something he should characterize Sheik—his strong, fierce Sheikah Guide—as, but now that Link was friends with the real Sheik, it was becoming exceedingly difficult not to think those things. It was also hard not to call him sweetheart, but that's exactly what Sheik was. The Sheikah's exterior was stern and aloof, but thanks to some miracle, he had shown Link his heart of gold. Link might even thank the goddesses for that every day of his life.

"Tell me more about these silver gauntlets," Sheik inquired.

"I... I haven't tried them yet," Link admitted, subconsciously pulling the pair out of his adventure pouch and examining them.

"When are you planning to enter the temple?"

Link sighed. "Soon..."

"Be careful."

"I'll be back here when I get tired. I won't stay in one place for too long inside the temple, I promise."

"Thank you, Link. It will ease my mind a little to know you will be back here."

Link smiled. "And I'll try to contact you, okay?"

Sheik's returning smile sounded through his voice. "Alright."

To be continued...

I can explain why this chapter is so late here, but I have been on my profile. I write updates for the chapters and what's going on in my life that's making them so late. I'm sorry, everyone—I really am. I try, I really do. I try to get them out as quickly as I can. It's finals week, so I'm gonna start studying tomorrow. Thank God this is my last English class. I love to write, but I despise English classes. Like I said on my profile while updating about this chapter—the two past English classes that I've taken have slowed down the publishing of this story so much it's not even remotely funny. Hopefully now I can finish this at a reasonable time like I was doing before. It just really sucks that that happened. I'm sorry.

So the witches didn't actually show up when Nabooru was being captured. Link found the silver gauntlets she threw and warped to the Temple of Time before they showed up. We'll see the witches in not the next chapter but the chapter after. Probably. I know that all happened kind of suddenly. In the game you go through the temple first before Nabooru gets captured, but in this story the day Ganon attacked Castle Town was the day he sent his minions to attack everyone.

Thank you everyone for being so patient and for not giving up on this story. I'm not giving up, and seeing you guys stick around after waiting almost two months is so inspiring. And thank you to the new readers! I hope you're prepared to wait a bit for the next chapter until I get this semester out of the way. Thank you for your reviews and encouragements and I'll talk to you after the next chapter! (Well, on my profile too) I love you!

P.S—if there's any typos and such, I will fix them tomorrow. I just really need to get this chapter published