Early chapter today. Gotta put a loan down for a car (!!) during lunch. Hope you enjoy this one!

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"Look at that smile!" Alana cackled, thrusting the newspaper in Sheik's face. She grinned as her best friend hopped around her room. "That was brilliant!"

Midna leaned over, studying the image on the front of the paper with a smile. "He looks like he wants to rip you apart," she commented.

Sheik felt absurdly exhilarated. "I'm sure if we had been alone, he wouldn't have hesitated."

"Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if he does still," Midna assured her.

"Oh, good."

"And then he'll blame it on another 'traitor'. I can see it now: 'Our beloved princess, murdered in her bed.'"

Sheik snickered. "'We will miss her dearly--now, who shall run the empire in her stead?'"

Midna joined her on the last part, and they laughed. It was the day after the ball, and each ruler had been given the morning off at Sheik's order. Except Ganondorf, of course. If he was so set on ruling the empire better than Sheik herself, then he could go right ahead and try, she'd told Rauru. She'd stayed up the night before crafting a list of things needed to be done. Nothing important, of course.

Sheik checked her itinerary. Right about now, Ganondorf would be busy making sure the stables were well stocked with hay and fertilizer--which meant doing it himself, as the stablehands had gone to the city to visit family.

Sheik cackled at herself. The old monks could say what they wanted--revenge felt good. Alana, Midna and Hilda had all joined her for a breakfast-in-bed, and they'd spent the morning doing absolutely nothing, and enjoying every moment. The only one not having a good time was Link, who had paced for so long Sheik could see a path being worn into the carpet.

"Will you relax?" she asked, exasperated. "He's not foolish enough to have me assassinated in my own palace."

"You don't know that. He could very well already have spies in place."

"He's probably had spies here since he's lived here. This is nothing new."

"It is new! You've established yourself as his enemy--now he has real reason to come after you!"

"He's always had that incentive, Link!" Sheik argued, sitting up. "Can you really stand there and tell me he didn't hate me before last night?"

"I can tell you he wasn't going to outright threaten you!" Link snapped, facing her. He gestured at the paper. "Look at him! Even the most innocent child can see the intent in his eyes. But because you antagonized him, he's going to haunt your every step, question your every decision until you either crack, or slip up."

"I would rather have an outright enemy than one that schemes behind my back. I would rather face him square on the battlefield than have him plot assassination attempts! I would rather die looking in his eyes than seeing a stranger!"

Link recoiled, but Sheik didn't care. She was sick of people telling her she had no idea what she was getting into. She had every idea of what she was dealing with--she had ever since Ganondorf had shot her that very first smile. Last night was a test, and he'd given her exactly what she wanted.

Now she knew for sure what he wanted: her dead, at his hands.

She glared at Link. He matched it, eyes dancing with fury. The others quietly excused themselves, the jubilant mood suddenly dissipated. The door shut behind them with a soft click.

"I don't understand," Link finally said quietly. "I don't understand you."

"You don't need to," Sheik snapped, and Link flinched. A tiny flare of guilt flickered deep inside her, but she tamped it out. She whirled away, headed for the screen. She threw on the outfit laid out on the form without even stopping to look at it, embroiled in her thoughts. She unbraided her hair, running her fingers through the blonde waves, and stepped out, refusing to let Link see the growing guilt in her eyes.

As soon as she was in the hall, she breathed in deep through her nose. Now that she thought about it, she realized she wasn't wearing a dress this time. Mia had laid out a white blouse that just exposed a sliver of stomach, and a light, pastel pink suit. It was loose, the sleeves of the jacket rolled up to her forearms, and the pants allowed airflow.

The lack of constriction that even her loosest gowns had lacked was . . . Sheik took another deep breath, just to savor it.

The door opened behind her. Neither she nor Link spoke on their way to the meeting; the halls were quiet in the lazy warmth of the Sunday afternoon, with just the clicks of her heels and Link's boots breaking the near-silence.

While she had been planning Ganondorf's morning, she'd also figured out how to handle the rest of the Summit. Because yesterday had been so chaotic, going from an early meeting that lasted until the evening, and then straight to a ball, she'd sent word that today's events would be much more relaxed.

They'd all gather for a meeting in one of the sunrooms, comfy couches and lots of pillows replacing the hard chairs of the council room. She hoped the more casual location would induce more brainstorming to fix their problems, and less arguing. She'd also arranged for food to be brought in, and notepads and paper for them all to take notes with. They would start with another discussion, but this time they would combine ideas in a way that would be the most cost-efficient and provide more solutions than additional problems. She wanted to see the rulers discuss amongst themselves how each of their own issues affected the other, and how they would react to a solution. She kept in mind Midna's words when formulating this idea, and had decided that to even hope to solve these concerns, they needed trust. If they could become comfortable enough discussing the internal workings of their nations, that would be the best start.

Then, until the end of the Summit, she would meet with each ruler, sometimes combining more depending on whether it concerned them directly, and try to establish a sense of loyalty and trust between them and herself by actively involving herself in the discussions. Hopefully, by the end of it, they would have come up with any number of solutions.

Sheik crossed a short hall and entered the sunroom--the largest the castle had to offer. It was in one of the towers: the circular walls were crafted of smooth, pale gray stone, with swaying white curtains. Subtle blue stitching glowed in the sunlight streaming in, and the breeze cooled its inhabitants from the heat of the day. Even though it was early afternoon, it was already fiercely hot in the city below. Summer was clinging on tightly.

Around the room, wicker couches lined the walls, piled with thick white cushions and pillows. Several tables littered the middle, their glass tops already scattered with notepads. A few of the rulers were already there.

Valoo, for one, hunched over one of the tables. Sheik swallowed a smirk as she inclined her head to him. He smiled and went back to studying his notes, brows furrowed in thought. For all he joked about punctuality, he was always there before Sheik herself.

Beside him, Laruto was curled in one of the wicker armchairs, somehow managing to make a simple sky-blue pantsuit and bun look elegant. She didn't look up, but Sheik preferred it that way. She didn't want to distract, and she was happy to see her hunch about the more relaxing location was right.

As she crawled into an armchair beside Valoo, pulling a notepad towards her, the King of Waker raised his head. "Who are we waiting on, then?" he asked distractedly.

"Most everyone, I believe," Laruto murmured, not taking her attention from her work. She squinted at her notepad, made a face, and jotted something else down.

"Hilda and Midna will be joining us shortly," Sheik added, half-absorbed in her own work. She'd pulled out her notes from the first meeting. "I don't know if Dotour will bring his wife, but--"

"I hope not," Valoo muttered. Laruto snorted.

Sheik was too surprised to even complete her sentence. She stared at the two rulers. Valoo had just cut her off, and Laruto had snorted, Goddesses above, but--but were they already comfortable enough around each other, so quickly?

Sheik pursed her lips, hiding a smile. "Will your heirs be joining us today?" she asked.

Valoo and Laruto shook their heads. "I've given Komali and Medli the day," the king said. Laruto nodded absently. "I want them to familiarize themselves with the court and establish closer relations with the other heirs. I believe that was the point of this meeting?"

He accentuated the last sentence with a raised brow in Sheik's direction, which she acknowledged with a smile. "Indeed."

They worked in silence until gradually, the others began to file in. All had left their advisors and partners behind, as Valoo and Laruto had done. Sheik was thankful Yuga had been left out; she didn't think she wanted another row with him. Plus, this way she could discuss internal matters of Lorule with Hilda, without fear of being derailed by Yuga's insults.

The queen herself walked in, and, upon finding the quiet atmosphere, settled herself onto a love seat. Midna settled beside her, wearing a long black skirt with a slit up the side, and a one-sleeved black shirt. The dark colors exposed her pale skin, Sheik thought. And it contrasted well with Hilda's lavender-and-white pantsuit. Small birds and flowers were stitched into the jacket, her deep black hair slung over a shoulder.

Dotour entered soon after, followed by Ambi and Ruul. Once they were all settled, Sheik allowed time for them to get their supplies, waiting until they had all looked up at her.

"I believe we are ready, Your Highness," Ambi supplied. Sheik cleared her throat, inspecting one last small detail on her pad. "Very well. I think we should start with the drought in Holodrum. Mayor Ruul, since the first meeting, I've had a minor plan in mind. You have said that the heat in the Samasa Desert has been growing, and there is nothing I can do about climate change, unfortunately."

"But," she met the Mayor's tired eyes, "the Hyrule Railroad crosses through every nation, expansively, with the exception of Waker. In conjunction with Zora's Domain," she glanced at Laruto, who'd raised her head, "we could railroad fresh water from the Lake Hylia Domain, across Twilight, and straight into a reservoir north of Holodrum Plains."

"This would, however, only be a temporary fix," she continued, trying to bypass the way Ruul's shoulders had slumped slightly. She hoped he would find favor with this part. "While the trains deliver water to stem the drought, we would begin construction on an aqueduct from the Goron Mountains. As I understand it, there is always an abundant amount of snowmelt, correct?"

Ruul nodded. "Year-round."

Sheik smiled. "Wonderful. Would this work, Mayor?"

The small man took a few moments to answer, but Sheik knew what it would be before he opened his mouth. The growing light in his eyes was no trick of the sun. He inclined his head low. "I could not have hoped for better, Your Highness. Thank you."

Sheik watched his shoulders tremble faintly. I was right to start with Holodrum, she thought, feeling her throat tighten. Even the other rulers watched with soft eyes, giving the mayor time to recollect himself.

When he had raised his head, some of the stress lines already gone, Sheik took a deep breath and, nodding to him, turned to Valoo and Laruto. "As Mipha inferenced earlier, the poisoned waters of the Zora River flow directly into the Waker Sea at several points. With that said, having poisoned water being ferried into Holodrum would be an . . . issue, to say the least."

Laruto offered a tiny smile. Sheik took that as a good sign. "So before the water makes it onto the train, it will go through several filtration systems along the river. Not only does this ensure that Holodrum will get the cleanest water we can manage, it will also help us deduce where the poisoning is originating from."

"You have told me that the cause of the poison is the ash from the Goron Mining Company's bombs," Sheik said to Laruto. "I disagreed. But whatever the cause is, this will help keep the water clear and find out exactly what is happening to the river."

Laruto scribbled several lines on her notepad, then cocked her head at Sheik. "What form would this filtration take?"

"Screens," Sheik said. "And strainers. Smaller, the closer it gets to the Sea. The further up the river, where it runs past mountain territory, a large screen will span the river, fine enough that the ash will be caught against the metal, allowing the water to pass through clean."

"How would those dynamics work? The river is strong upstream; it may just wear through the screen, or rip it from the banks completely."

"That's where I'm involving the Mining Company. I'll require their help to construct the concrete fastenings along the banks, and to metalwork the screen to a fine enough mold that it will be efficient."

Laruto's face was contemplative. "What about the ash? How will you remove it from the river? Stopping it is one thing, but it will simply collect at the screen."

Sheik had thought of that. "That is the Company's responsibility. I will have a team made up of Hylian Domain members and Company members to regularly monitor the ash build-up and remove it using nets of the same material as the screens. From there, they will dispose of the ash as toxic waste."

Laruto seemed satisfied, though from her silence, Sheik knew the queen wasn't completely placated. She knew as well as Sheik did that this was only a temporary fix. Then Valoo spoke up.

"With all due respect, this is not a solution," he said. Sheik had known it was coming, and appreciated it. This was what she'd wanted, after all: people to talk to her without fear, but not lack of respect. "They will simply continue to throw their ash into the river. And as far as I see it, what will stop the screens from wearing away--both from the water pressure and the toxicity of the ash?"

"You're right." Sheik nodded. "It's not a solution. And I'm working on meeting with the Company to make sure they understand that this does not give them free reign over the river. But there will be experts on site 24/7 to make sure regulations are being met. In addition, to prevent the ash from falling to the riverbed, the screen will be fastened all the way down."

"In regards to the lack of fish, I'm hoping that the Zora representatives' theory is correct, but if it's not, it's not the end of the world," She offered a smile to soften her words. The other rulers tittered a bit, and Valoo conceded a small grin. "I'm told you have several storage warehouses for cases like these?"

Valoo nodded. "I'd like to refrain from using those too much--which I know you know," Sheik added hastily. "But I wanted to ask about the storms. How long have they been going on?"

It was obviously hard for the king to talk about such a weakness; storms were savage on the seas, and if it was affecting both trade and fishing, it would be even harder. Sheik could see the struggle in Valoo's gray eyes, and hoped he would confide in her.

Her shoulders lost their stiffness when he seemed to come to a decision and smiled uncertainly. "Not long. Only about a month, but often and harsh enough that trade ships avoid Dragon Roost and Windfall, especially, like the plague."

"Have they expanded? Where did they originate?"

"At first they were just squalls in the middle of the seas. We didn't worry about it--squalls are common this time of year, and we have seen larger. But then it turned into a lightning storm and destroyed a carrier in Lanayru Bay. From there, they have only grown worse."

"Why Dragon Roost and Windfall? What about the outlying islands?"

"We've received no word about the border islands. But the storms seem attracted to large settlements, and the middle islands--Tower of the Gods, and the three Triangle Islands in particular--have clouds above them constantly."

"Is that the extent of the storms? To your knowledge?"

Valoo hesitated, his normally kind, calm face grave. "There was . . ."

He trailed off, immediately putting up a red flag in Sheik's mind. "Yes?"

He cleared his throat, unwillingness to divulge this in every muscle, and as he opened his mouth, Sheik noticed new lines of stress carved into the king's face. "Fire Mountain has erupted."

/

Sheik jerked awake, a loud knocking close by. Lifting her head, she blinked blearily at the door. The knocking sounded again.

"Sheik? It's me. Can I come in?"

Link. She tried to clear her throat, but it only resulted in coughing.

The door burst open and suddenly Link was there, rubbing her back, pressing down on her sides. His hands were warm through her blouse. When the coughing subsided, he stepped back, and she shivered. She looked up, rubbing her eyes clear, and found him staring at her, eyes wide, chest heaving.

"I--I thought you were . . ." he trailed off, swallowing.

"Being assassinated?" Sheik rasped, rubbing her sore throat. She didn't see the way Link's gaze fell to her collarbone, exposed by her shirt. He looked away quickly.

"Yes."

Sheik was tempted to say, 'Well, I'm not,' just to be an ass, but . . . this was the first time they hadn't snapped at each other all day. They'd hardly spoken since their argument, which left her feeling alone and miserable. She wanted to talk to him again, like they'd done for months now.

So she swallowed her nastiness and sat back in her chair. "Thank you. For . . . for coming."

Awkward to be sure, but it was enough to make the uncertainty fade from his eyes. He came closer, till he was standing at her desk, where she'd fallen asleep. He took in all her notes, pages and pages of scribbles, scattered haphazardly across the tabletop, lit by the lamp on the corner. The meeting had gone on for hours, but the rulers had hardly noticed. The discussions had gotten heated from time to time, but no one had let it get so out of hand that insults were thrown. At one point, they had even gotten off track, exchanging playful blows.

So much was accomplished, Sheik thought. They had only had one meeting with just the rulers so far, but they were already comfortable enough that they had divulged stories--somewhat hesitantly--of the more hilarious court dilemmas.

She was growing more and more hopeful; the longer this kept up, the more easily they could work out international tangles. A lot of the issues in the empire were of that nature to begin with: everything connected. It was the downside of being part of an empire, Sheik supposed.

Some things were obviously going to remain unsaid. Sheik wouldn't expect anything less. She didn't want them to spill their whole plans anyway--that was asking too much.

But they were getting there. Slowly.

Sheik sat back in her chair, rolling her neck. She knew Link was watching her, and waited for him to speak. "You were right to begin with Holodrum."

The acknowledgement gratified her. "Out of all of them, Holodrum was probably under the most stress," she shrugged, trying to keep it humble. "It's not home to many people, but it is the breadbasket of the empire. If Holodrum falls, a lot of the other nations will suffer."

"Waker is fortunate enough to have large stores along the main coastline," Link added, rubbing his chin. "But Valoo said the storms have been going on for a month, especially along that coast."

"And then there's Fire Mountain," Sheik murmured, staring at the map of Waker, a fist supporting her cheek.

Nestled south of Dragon Roost and northeast of Tower of the Gods, it was caught between two of the largest storm spots, according to Valoo. It was no wonder it had erupted, but the scale . . .

The volcano had been there for so long, with eruptions just often enough that they had created several islands around the hotspot. Bridges connected the further islands, and soon a city had sprouted. The heat from the volcano had steamed, and even roasted, the fish that dared swim close enough, providing the people living there with a steady diet. Trade ships had obviously stopped by, but then . . .

The volcano erupted. The town had been utterly destroyed. Sunk to the bottom of the ocean, broken bits of ships and houses charred black around the wreckage. A thousand people dead. Fire Mountain City had been enormous, widely spread, tightly packed and circling the mountain. There were even bridges leading up to the actual crater to check for eruptions. Now, it was a lump of black in the distance, avoided and spoken of like a curse. A husk of what once was.

Sheik covered half of her face with a hand, recalling Valoo's face. No wonder the king hadn't wanted to say it--this was a disaster. A national tragedy.

"When do you leave?" Link asked quietly, blue eyes searching her face.

"As soon as I can. After the coronation."

"Are you sure that's wise? The newly-crowned queen leaving for the Islands?"

Sheik resisted the urge to snap. "I think it's a rather good idea. The newly-crowned queen, attending a memorial for a thousand of her people, dead, as her first act in office. But I honestly don't care how it will help my personal image."

Link cocked his head. "I want to help them," Sheik murmured, staring at the wall ahead of her. Defeat circled like a beast in her gut, waiting for her to give in. "I told them I would--I said I would help them. I want them to know I meant it."

Link knelt at her chair. "How is putting yourself in a vulnerable position helping them?" he asked. His voice was soft, but she could hear the note of desperation. She struggled against the rising irritation.

"I'm constantly in a vulnerable position," she answered vehemently. "More so now than I will be after the coronation. An as-yet empty throne is easier to fill than a stolen one."

Link's face tightened, but he didn't argue. He stood and resumed his post by her desk. "And when you get back? By the time you return, even if the storms allow it, you'll be leaving again in four months for the tour. Is that enough time?"

Sheik didn't know. She might refuse to give him the satisfaction of telling him that, but she knew he was right. Leaving for a few days was risky enough. But the tour would take several months. And given the success of the Summit, she wondered if a tour was even necessary.

She was broken out of her thoughts by Link's question. "The rest of the meeting was . . . dull."

She had to agree. Hilda had still beaten around the bush, which worried Sheik, but Dotour didn't seem to have any complaints, Twilight was at peace after Midna's official coronation three weeks previous, and Ambi's troubles appeared to revolve around political rivals.

That's a problem we all share, Sheik thought darkly. Some people just didn't seem to know when they were beaten.

Zant was dead, Ganondorf was threatening her, Veran was persistent, and though he was just an advisor, Yuga was constantly in Hilda's ear.

Sheik worried for her friend. Based on what she'd observed so far, from the various parties--all of which involved alcohol--to Ravio's pinched face whenever the queen of Lorule lifted a glass, Hilda had a drinking problem. But, if things were so hunky-dory in Lorule, what did Hilda have to drink so much about?

A lover's quarrel? Sheik mused, thinking of the way Ravio's green eyes followed his queen, the small smiles he allowed whenever he thought no one was looking. Though, as far as Sheik knew, Hilda had never made any mention of a romance.

Or maybe Yuga was getting to her.

Realizing she hadn't answered Link's comment, she cleared her throat. "It seems like we tackled the worst of the trouble today."

Link nodded, but then Sheik remembered something. "Whatever happened to finding your warrior?" she asked, tilting her head.

Link seemed surprised. "I--I don't know," he admitted. "Didn't we find that hideout in the old Palace of Twilight?"

Sheik chewed on her lower lip, missing the way Link's gaze dropped to her mouth. "Yes, but . . . where did they go after that? Will he even surface again, now that Zant is dead?"

She surprised herself then--speaking of the traitor's death so easily. Now that she considered it, she almost felt like a different person than the girl who had stood on that gallows. So much had changed in such a short time. She'd accepted her role, and the responsibilities that came with it, she'd acknowledged her father, finally. She'd become the princess, despite Ganondorf.

Then she froze.

Ganondorf. Of course--Sheik slapped her forehead, launching out of her chair and into her room. Link followed, calling out, but she didn't answer, not as her mind was racing.

Link burst in after her. "Sheik what is--"

"It's Ganondorf," she interrupted, yanking her pants off. "It's him, Link! Remember? The photos!"

Link's eyes filled with clarity. "When he found Zant," he murmured. "The warrior would have been with Zant when Ganondorf found him to drag him back here--that's what the bloodstains are--!"

"So Ganondorf would have to know what happened to the warrior," Sheik added breathlessly, tugging her stealth suit over her head. She slapped the gauntlets on, fumbling with the straps.

"But would he have killed him?" Link asked, tying the straps. Sheik bounced impatiently. "Unlikely. Did you see those bodies? They were all either too small or too big to be the warrior. Under that armor, we can't know for certain, but--"

"Stay still, will you?" Link hissed, struggling with the ties. "But you're right--whatever Ganondorf did with him, he wasn't among the dead. And even if he was, Ganondorf could have just killed him in the bed."

"But the straps were ripped," Sheik breathed, seeing the images clearly in her mind.

"Meaning he got away."

"But to where?"

"Twilight, maybe?"

Sheik shook her head. "Not there. In Midna's land, even without the armor, he would be an enemy. No, Ganondorf would have--"

"Maybe Ganondorf didn't find him," Link cut her off. His blue eyes were bright and focused as Sheik pulled on her boots. "The straps on the bed were ripped--not cut through, not undone. Some of them were even missing."

"Could he have escaped before the slaughter?" Sheik whispered. "If one of the cuffs was missing, then he might still be wearing it."

She stood, coming face to face with Link. "He could be out there," she breathed. Link raised a hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She'd thrown her hair in a messy bun in her rush.

"He could be out there," he said quietly. Sheik knew that look in his eyes. He was afraid to hope, and Sheik was reminded of how important this was to him. She took his hand, leading him to the window.

"Uh, the door is that way?" he said, pointing behind them. Sheik smirked, hopping onto the window ledge.

"How would you feel about an extra hand?" she asked, voice mischievous.

Ilayen had accepted immediately, of course. His grin was almost as bad as Sheik's as they crept through the halls, heading for Ganondorf's wing. He took the lead, as the most experienced tracker, and Link guarded the rear.

The halls were dark; not even torches lined the walls. They kept their steps silent, despite what they'd found out. Sheik had inquired, as a young Sheikah warrior in training, where Ganondorf was, and had been told he'd left the palace on an urgent errand. Sheik had been curious beyond reason, as she hadn't been notified, but that was all the information they'd needed, so she'd left the staff to their business.

Now, as they neared his rooms on the left, Ilayen called for a halt. He went on ahead, leaving Sheik to fidget impatiently. They didn't have time to waste, though she'd have done the same in Ilayen's place.

If information on what happened in the old Palace would be anywhere, it would be in Ganondorf's room. Impa hadn't had any further news, though she had some of her best shadows out there searching for the warrior. For Sheik, it was too slow. If they were going to find the warrior, they needed every bit of intel they could get their hands on.

Ilayen gave the signal, and Sheik had to keep herself from running ahead. As soon as they stepped into Ganondorf's room, however, she couldn't keep herself under control.

She slipped ahead of the two boys behind her, pulling her mask up to hide her face. His bed lay to the left in the grand room, against a wall of windows. Several bookshelves stood at the right end and directly across from the door, with a sitting area between, and the floor was bare of carpet. The tile gleamed in the moonlight. A few of the windows were open, allowing in a breeze to stir the curtains.

Sheik headed for his desk first. It didn't have anything particularly important, but she hadn't expected that, either. Anything of private importance wasn't going to be lying around his room haphazardly.

Still, she opened every drawer, carefully flipped through every sheet, but all she found were pamphlets about the Summit, the coronation, and other upcoming events. There was even a newspaper clipping about the Fire Mountain tragedy.

Heart twanging, she set the papers down exactly where she'd found them and moved on. Link was searching under the bed, using a luminous stone to light his way, and Ilayen was inspecting the bookshelf beside the desk.

Sheik headed for the other bookshelf. It held every title imaginable, from history to cultural documentaries to mythical fables. Sheik raised a brow. The Gerudo: Who They Are and Where They Went. She wouldn't have guessed that Ganondorf was interested in old tales like this. The Gerudo had been nomads for as long as she could remember--all that was left of the mighty desert race was a small bazaar in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by their ruins.

She set the book back and ran her hand across the spines. Her frustration grew. There was nothing here! Maybe he'd put it between the tomes? Or behind? She sighed, and while she wasn't looking where she was going, tripped over her own feet.

She grunted and lurched into the shelf to steady herself, then froze.

The shelf had moved.

Heart pounding, she hissed for Ilayen and Link. They were at her side in an instant. She shoved against the shelf lightly, and indeed, it gave way a bit. She shoved harder.

"Help me," she hissed, and together the three of them threw their weight into the shelf. After several seconds, it finally started to give way, slowly turning to reveal a second room.

"Holy Goddesses," Ilayen breathed. Sheik seized Link's luminous stone and made her way inside, wary of traps. She wouldn't put anything past Ganondorf now.

The room was marked by piles and piles of enormous luminous stone deposits, laying against the walls, in corners. Several tables occupied the center, while tall glass cases took up the walls. At the back was a long desk. But none of that was what made the three of them make the sign of the goddesses.

On top of the tables, inside the glass cases, were huge vials, filled with water. The luminous stones lent an eerie light, illuminating what floated inside them.

"Monsters," Sheik whispered.

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Shadey Ganondorf strikes again!

I don't really have much to say about this one, so I'll leave it to y'all ;)

REVIEW REPLIES

To Oracle of Hylia: lmaooo I wish I'd done that. And Ninja Sheik always!! Haha. I'm just about to write more of her ninja side in chapter 102 :) Playing with fire is her fave hobby, honestly.

To Generala: I knowwwww she's amazing XD That part of her personality was derived from her many personas throughout the games and also some notable anime characters, like Naruto, Natsu, Ichigo for instance (but without the Anime Logic️ lmao). No problem! If you ever have more questions fee free to ask.

To Ultimate blazer: I love writing snarky characters XD and this was a favorite chapter of mine for a while. Zelda is definitely ballsy haha. You're welcome!

You guys know what's up, so I'll look forward to your feedback. Later~