"Very well. You may oversee the ranch's preparations on the condition that you be in the castle from dawn to noon in case you are given a mission."
The ethereal voice of Captain Knuckles boomed through the dark doorway where Sheik stood. He was delighted by his Captain's cooperation, but he felt another catch coming. Sure enough the voice took a more serious tone.
"You will also report in detail regarding Captain Naoku's involvement and actions."
Sheik accepted that but still felt doubt and nervousness twist his stomach. A direct espionage against a captain, it (delete) was risky. He was just glad it was Knuckles asking. He knew it was not a personal vendetta but a direct order from Ganondorf. The skeletal Captain couldn't care less about the living. He saw them as Sheik suspected Ganondorf did: as pawns.
"Of course, sir."
After leaving the area, Sheik felt dark thoughts and the devastating risks he was taking swirl in his mind as he walked down the corridor. He'd gotten used to the dark aura's effect but still had no way to combat it. As he finally stepped into the sunlight, he felt color return to his face.
Now able to think straight, Sheik considered his plans for the week. He would train with Malon every night, practice archery if he could, and when the Horsemaster arrived, he would ask permission to be given the trial. Things were working out well.
He was getting close to his room where he planned to pick up his bow and arrows to practice when he noticed Captain Ruba leaning on the wall by his door, an annoyed look on her face. Uh oh
"Good afternoon, Captain Ruba."
The Gerudo wasted no time with pleasantries. She stuck a finger in Sheik's unflinching face.
"You invited Captain Naoku to the ranch?!"
Sheik noted that unlike Naoku, Ruba used her fellow officer's title.
"I did."
Ruba looked ready to cut Sheik down.
"Do you have any idea what that means?" she hissed.
"That she doesn't trust your or my work. That she's anxious to make a move and that she's hoping to undermine your position," Sheik responded calmly.
Although she was taken aback by his blunt words, the fury doubled in the Captain's face and she moved as if to grab Sheik's tabard. But before she could, he dropped and rolled backwards, returning to his feet a few paces farther away.
"Captain, I have no wish to oppose you. However, as you are well aware, the Lon Lon mission is the foundation of my position here. If I cannot maintain it, I am lost. Did you not hope the same thing when I started the mission? That I would fail and the ranch and I be destroyed?"
Although the anger did not fade from ear eyes, Captain Ruba seemed to regain some restraint.
"You are playing a very dangerous game, boy. Since you have insisted on dragging me into it, I will warn you not to underestimate Captain Naoku. She gained her position in the traditional Gerudo way, through cunning and superior strength in battle. She hates Hyrule and wants nothing more than to slaughter every Hylian here. I doubt she'd ever agree anything Hylian is superior. If your actions cause me any embarrassment, I will personally kill you and hang your head from my door."
Although Sheik would rather not have to fight Ruba, her threats didn't fill him with dread like when he had seen Ganondorf's power.
"I will not fail. A Sheikah's mission is his life. If the Captain gets the better of me I will gladly await the fate you have for me." Sheik's hard eyes met Ruba's and they stared each other down.
Then Ruba's face changed and with a harrumph, she relaxed. She gave him one last look before walking away and Sheik thought he saw approval there.
Whew! The Gerudo are an intense people. He went over their conversation carefully in his mind, dissecting every word and tone. Ruba had told him a lot. Her use of Naoku's title and comment about the Gerudo status told him that Ruba was seen as inferior to Naoku in ability, possibly due only to experience. That meant that although they technically ranked the same, Ruba would constantly be clawing for respect among her own people. But there was something else; her comment about Naoku's hatred of Hylians was interesting. Sheik would have taken that as a given, so why did Ruba feel the need to mention it? It was like there was an unsaid 'unlike me'. Yet Sheik knew Ruba also held a prejudice and hatred for Hylians. So why?
Ahh it wasn't that Naoku had a hatred for Hylians, it was that her hatred was her top priority. So when Ruba made the distinction between herself and Naoku, she meant a difference in priority. What did Ruba hold as most important? Sheik thought about the time he'd spent with her on his mission. Loyalty. From what he'd seen of the Captains, after Knuckles, Ruba had the greatest loyalty towards Ganondorf. He wondered if that's why Ganondorf had sent her with him; he was sure she'd give an honest report. So Ruba was challenging Naoku's loyalty. That explained why she was so bitter. She was socially outranked by someone who she saw as an unfit servant. Interesting...
If Ruba valued loyalty to Ganondorf above all else, maybe she would be the first to accept Sheik. If serving the Dark King was more important than his race, age, or gender, it wouldn't be long before Sheik won her respect. Also, as the one with the most to lose, she would also probably be the easiest to manipulate.
Sheik retrieved the bow and headed to the training ground where Ross's troops were filing away. He chose a target near the edge, and began to shoot. As the arrows grew closer and closer to the bull's eye he allowed himself a hidden smile.
