Author's note: So I had an idea, not sure where it came from, but probably from all the fanfics I've been reading. But whatever. Please tell me what you think, enjoy, and thanks for reading.

Sick Days

"Link..." Navi looked at her companion as he leaned against the wall in the Shadow Temple. They were in the entrance of the temple – in a cave of sorts – having just survived the deadly skeletons and zombies, the creepy voices, the dark and dank atmosphere, not to mention the boss of the dungeon – a freaky half-invisible monster than tormented Link and Navi by having them fight on a giant drum surrounded by poison.

But it wasn't the minor battle wounds that made Navi worry about Link. He had survived much worse. He had survived the electric shocks from the parasite in Jabu Jabu seven years ago. He had survived when Morpha, the boss of the Water Temple, had picked him up and chucked him across the room into a wall. He had survived Dark Link and Phantom Ganon, stalfos and skultulas and all manner of monsters whipped up from the Dark World by Ganondorf.

No, Navi wasn't worried a bit right now about the wounds Link had acquired during the boss fight in the Shadow Temple.

It was how pale he looked, how ill he seemed: that's what worried the blue fairy. What had started out as an occasional shallow cough in the Water Temple – a simple common cold, really – turned into a deep, almost persistent cough, and a definite fatigue in the Hero's movements by the time the pair reached Bongo Bongo. Link had insisted he was fine, pressing forward with determination. Navi had let it slide. But now she wouldn't. She was going to get him to rest, even if it meant tying him down.

She hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Link?" Navi spoke up again. This time, the Hero responded. He opened his eyes and a weak smile crossed his face.

"I'm fine, Navi, just tired."

"I don't believe you. You can barely stand."

Link rolled his eyes. "Come on, don't wo-" He was cut off by another bout of coughing, his face contorting in pain. When he finally stopped coughing, he swore under his breath, looking at his hands. Navi floated over to his shoulder and saw what he saw. Blood.

"You're sick, Link," Navi persisted. "You're really ill. You can't go on. As your guardian fairy, I won't let you."

"You're a ball of light with wings, you can't stop me from doing anything." Link's voice was raw as he spoke. He cleared his throat, but had no success. "Besides, Hyrule needs me. I can't let the kingdom down."

"You're no good to Hyrule when you can barely stand."

"Navi..."

"I'm serious."

Link sighed. "I just needed to catch my breath. I'm fine. Let's go." He stood up straight and took a few steps toward the exit of the cavern that opened up to the ledge above the graveyard in Kakariko, but he didn't get very far when he staggered, one hand covering his face to stop the dizziness, the other going out to the wall in an attempt to support himself. He sunk to his knees as Navi flew over to him.

"This might not be the best place to collapse..." she said, glancing back at the tunnel that lead to the main temple.

"...Just need to sleep. Good night's rest and I'll be fine..." Link muttered, sitting on the ground and leaning against the wall.

"You're not fooling anyone," Navi said, but got no reply. She listened to her friend's labored breathing and noticed that he shivered in the relative warmth of the cavern. He needed help, and fast. "Link, where's your cloak? Put it on."

Link groggily obeyed, and Navi made sure the edges were tucked around him securely before she hovered right in front of his face. "Link, listen to me, just for a moment. Then you can sleep." She waited for him to nod, and when he did, she continued. "I'm going to find help. Don't leave. I'll be back as soon as I can. Got it?"

"Yeah. Hurry."

Navi zipped off. Link watched her go wearily. His head felt heavy, and all he wanted to do was sleep. He fought back a cough and closed his eyes, hoping some monster wouldn't find him here. He shivered and the next thing he knew, he was asleep.

Soft music coming from a harp floated across the Hyrule Field, coming from a pine tree next to Lon Lon Ranch. Perched on one of the branches about half way up the tree was a warrior, delicately strumming a golden harp. This was Sheik, the last survivor of the Sheikah clan, a high-caliber warrior with a talent for music. But secretly, this warrior was more.

In truth, Sheik was actually Crown Princess Zelda of Hyrule, excellently disguised as a male warrior. No one even guessed that the Princess was right in front of them. All they saw was a secretive young man in a blue and white jumpsuit with red eyes and blond hair. No one asked any questions, and Zelda didn't talk, for fear her voice would give her away not only as a woman, but also as the Princess.

She sighed, and breathed in the smell of pine. If things hadn't been the way they were now, if she was still living in the castle with her father and bodyguard, she wouldn't have to be dressed up like a man. Closing her eyes – which she had magically changed from their deep blue to crimson red – she recalled the day she had decided on her disguise, still strumming the beautiful harp.

She had been eleven, surviving the torment of being on the run for a whole year with her bodyguard Impa, a Sheikah. Day after day, month after month, the two traveled, trying to find a safe location. If they thought things weren't going well and their safety could be compromised, they packed up and fled without a trace. They scrounged together food and sparse clothing, for Zelda could no longer be dressed as the Princess.

"There's not many places left that we could go to, Princess," Impa had said as she looked around the cave that was their most recent shelter. "All of Hyrule is affected by Ganondorf's tyranny and black magic. Even the Lost Woods are no longer safe."

Zelda sighed, and turned her gaze to the fire. Her hope dwindled to nothing. There was no Hero to save Hyrule, no savior to drive away the evil that infested the land. That Hero, she knew was asleep in the Temple of Time, and had been so for a year. Who knew how much longer he would be asleep?

Impa sighed from where she stood closer to the mouth of the cave. "We may have to flee the kingdom."

"No." Zelda looked up at her bodyguard. The Sheikah had been with her since she was a baby, not only as her bodyguard but also as her nursemaid. She was like a mother to the Princess, the Queen having died soon after Zelda's birth. Impa's red eyes widened with surprise at the tone of Zelda's voice.

"I will not leave my people to suffer. There must be another way for me the hide."

Impa thought for a moment. "There is one way," she said finally. "But it is too foolhardy. Not to mention inappropriate for a Princess."

"That doesn't matter. What is it?"

Impa sighed. "I could train you as a Sheikah, and you could disguise yourself as one of us. Red eyes and all."

"Or better yet," Zelda replied enthusiastically, "be a boy."

"Princess! That's outrageous! If your father-" Impa cut herself short, regretting mentioning the King. The change of expression on the Princess' face was sudden and harsh. Tears filled her blue eyes. The King had murdered by Ganondorf. Luckily, Zelda hadn't seen it. But Impa had.

But when she spoke, her voice was not that of a child, but of one with immense wisdom. "I will do anything to keep my people safe. If that means dressing as a boy for my own safety, then so be it."

"Very well, Princess."

"SHEIK!"

Zelda was startled from the memory by the shrill voice. She opened her eyes and saw the blur of blue light flying toward her, but she recognized the voice.

"Hello, Navi," Zelda greeted, remembering to drop her voice so that she sounded more like a guy. She glanced around, looking for the Hero that she was always with. She never left Link's side. "Where's Link?"

"He collapsed," Navi replied breathlessly. Zelda nearly fell out of the tree at the words, but she managed to grab another branch to steady herself. "He's exhausted himself and he's gotten sick," Navi continued. "I had to find help. No one in Kakariko listened, and if they did, they didn't want to get near the graveyard."

"Why is Link in the graveyard?"

"We just got through the Shadow Temple."

"Ah."

"Please, Sheik, can you help him?"

"I can. And I will." She jumped down from the branch, stowing the harp. "Lead the way."

Navi nodded and flew off, Zelda following behind. For perhaps the hundredth time, Zelda smiled at the feeling of the warm sun beating down on her. For so long, the dark clouds from Ganondorf's black magic blocked the sun. But because of Link's efforts, things were beginning to brighten up. This was especially true when they entered Kakariko. The cursed temple had brought rain and fire to the town. Sure there was still damage, but things already seemed brighter and better for the people of the town. And if the town was free and the temple cleansed, that meant that Impa was awakened as a Sage.

Oh, how great it would be to see Impa again! Zelda hadn't seen her bodyguard in over a year. Impa had gone to Kakariko to seal away a monster, revealing to Zelda the she knew she had a special duty in service to Hyrule. She knew, some how, that she was going to play a role in aiding the Hero, perhaps even as sage.

"This way!" Navi called as she flew toward the back of the town toward the graveyard. Zelda shook herself free of the memory and followed. The pair entered the solemn and depressing graveyard, and Navi flew up to a ledge high above ground, but still reachable if one tried hard enough. Zelda took a running start at the wall and used her momentum to take a few steps up before grabbing the top of the ledge. She hoisted herself up and over the fence that was there for a pointless reason (though she figured there was some purpose to it). She entered the shady cavern and looked around. There, to the side, was Link.

He looked deathly pale, but Zelda could tell he had a fever just by looking at him. He shivered despite the cloak wrapped around him and his cheeks and the tips of his ears were slightly flushed – the only color on his face. Every so often he coughed lightly in his sleep.

"How long has he been sick?" Zelda asked, stepping over to the unconscious Hero of Time.

"I think it was the Ice Cavern that got him. He's been coughing ever since." Navi fluttered over to her companion and tried to wake him, but proved unsuccessful. Zelda knelt next to him, placing a hand on his forehead. She recoiled quickly, however. He was burning up. Putting her ear to his chest, she listened to his breathing, which didn't sound good.

Finally, she sighed. "You're right. It probably was the Ice Cavern. He's got a bad cold, or maybe something worse than that. If he had taken a long rest, he wouldn't be in this situation."

"I try to make him rest," Navi said mournfully. "But he refuses. He's so focused on trying to save Hyrule."

Zelda nodded, but didn't reply. She watched Link, concern filling her. Deep down, she had a huge affection for the Hero. Ever since she met him in her garden when she was ten, she had loved him. Although she couldn't admit to him that she loved him while disguised as Sheik, she could do all she could to help him recover.

Navi attempted to wake him again, and this time proved successful. Link stirred and opened his eyes. "Oh..." he rasped, seeing Zelda. "Sheik."

"Goddesses, Link, you sound horrible." Despite the teasing tone in her voice, Zelda was incredibly concerned.

Link started to reply but a deep, hacking cough stopped him. For a moment or so, he continued to cough, but finally he stopped.

"Other than your cough and fever, how do you feel?" Zelda asked, almost not wanting to hear the answer.

"Really tired," Link rasped. "Ache all over. Hard to breathe – almost hurts to. Headache. Coughed up some blood."

Zelda eye's widened and she looked at Navi for confirmation on the last one. "He did," the fairy agreed. "He hasn't eaten much either."

"What has he eaten?" Zelda asked.

"Recently? Nothing. Just some potions when he was fighting Bongo Bongo."

"And some milk," Link added.

"Milk counts for nothing, Link," Navi retorted. "Sheik asked what you ate. He didn't ask you what you drank."

"Whatever."

For the first time, Zelda heard the fatigue in her Hero's voice, before she could say anything, Link spoke up again. "I haven't been hungry anyway," he rasped, his eyes half closed.

Zelda sighed. She knew she was correct. The Hero of Time, Hyrule's savior, had pneumonia.

Author's note: this isn't the end. There's going to be a few more chapters. Once again, tell me what you think and thanks for reading!