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.

The Voice
Chapter 41 - I Am an Existential Crisis unto Myself

It was their last day in the Domain.

Pleasant as it was to sit back and indulge in some rest and relaxation, Link's thoughts inevitably returned to the quest whenever there wasn't something else to grab his attention. It loomed, and the incident with Sheik's...discovery was the last straw.

"Are you sure?" Sidon asked when Link announced his intentions after a late breakfast (more of a lunch, really), casting a worried look at the slate. Sheik remained silent. "Your stay here is not an imposition, if that is what you're worried about—"

"It's n-not," Link said, smiling weakly at the prince. "T-Time is r-running out. We n-need to g-get g-going."

"Well, surely, one more day wouldn't hurt?" Sidon said, looking anything but thrilled at the idea of their departure. "I mean, all things considered..." he didn't voice it out loud, but Link knew exactly what he was getting at.

"He's right, Sharky," Sheik said, sounding subdued. He'd barely raised his voice since the day before, when he'd discovered the truth about his existence. Relieved as his eardrums might have been about the lack of, well, noise from Sheik, it also felt...wrong. The screen lit up. "The longer we linger here, the more time Ganon and its forces have to discover what you're up to. Half our strategy relies on the element of surprise—if our army is discovered, we can kiss that goodbye."

Sidon took a moment to digest that, but still wasn't satisfied, shaking his head as he spoke, "But surely you will need some time to pack, and plan your route, and—"

"Packing's done in a matter of hours, and I've already marked the quickest route to the Gerudo Desert. We'll have to activate a tower or two to get the full lay of the land and optimise it, but...yeah, already accounted for."

"S-Sorry to s-spring it on y-you," Link said.

Sidon sighed. "You're right, of course...I was just being selfish for a moment. I cannot help but worry—you're heading into enemy territory once more. The Yiga have their headquarters somewhere in the desert, and the idea of them catching you..."

"They won't," Sheik said. "I swear."

"If only I could come with you—"

"It's the desert, Sharky. You'll dry up in minutes."

As much as he appeared to want to argue, Sidon had to concede to that simple, biological truth: he'd be less than useless in that sort of environment. Link hated thinking of Sidon in such a way, but the last thing he wanted was for the prince to hurt himself in an attempt to protect them.

Enough people had gotten hurt for Link's sake - no more.

They'd leave at dawn the next day. That was what Link and Sheik had decided together...once they'd begun speaking again, that is. It had been a tense morning, neither of them willing to broach the subject. Or, Link didn't want to broach it. Sheik seemed happy to ignore it altogether.

At least he wasn't demanding an answer or a promise from Link. That was good, because Link had no intention of even dignifying it with a response. Sheik was just upset—he just needed some time to digest it, and then he would be back to his old self, his wish for the slate's destruction long forgotten.

Link just had to find something with which to distract Sheik—some new absurdity for him to get hung up on. Maybe they'd be lucky and discover a hidden Yiga cache filled with bananas, or something. That'd provide a focus for Sheik's attention, he was sure.

Speaking of focus, Link needed one himself. Sidon was in a meeting with his father, and Sheik was...well, he wasn't entirely sociable at the moment, pleading for some time alone. That seemed a bit counterproductive, in Link's opinion, but if that was what Sheik wanted, that was what he was going to get...at least for a few hours.

And so Link found himself wandering the walkways of the Domain alone, waving hello to the various inhabitants and visitors who greeted him. The hatchlings were all busy with their schooling, and everyone else had their own duties to attend to with preparing for war. Honestly, it was a bit of a relief. For all the hustle and bustle around him, the Domain itself, the views of the lake and rivers it offered, had a calming effect on him.

He looked forward to seeing it in peacetime. A selfish desire had him wondering if King Dorephan would permit him to live here once more, when everything was done. He had as a child, but he couldn't shake the thought that doing so as an adult (or close to one) would be an imposition. An unnecessary complication and drain on precious resources.

Stop it, he told himself, shaking his head slightly, leaning on the railing and gazing into the lake below. Thoughts like that aren't productive. You're wanted here. You're needed here.

Silly, having to tell himself this, but necessary. It was one of the techniques Sheik had suggested way back when, as a way to combat the irrational thoughts that always threatened to overwhelm him. It hadn't been very helpful at first, but Link had found that the effect got stronger with repetition. Didn't help when the anxiety was at its worst, of course, but in low-level situations like this...

"Well, there's a face I didn't expect to see again so soon," a voice said to his left. "And to think Reno reported that there was nothing special going on here."

Link turned his head, smiling when he saw who the newcomer was. "P-Pikango," he said, shaking the older man's hand. "Wh-What are you d-doing here?"

"Reporting in with fresh intelligence, of course," the Sheikah said, pointing to his pack, from which several rolls of canvas threatened to spill. "Drawings of enemy positions and outposts around Hyrule Castle," he added.

"I s-see."

"And you? Last I heard, you were busy wrangling the flying Beast," Pikango said, looking him over, searching for injuries. "Since you're here, I'm guessing it was a success?"

"It w-was," Link confirmed with a nod. "We've b-been here f-for a b-bit of r-rest."

"Ah, a good idea," the Sheikah said with a thoughtful hum. "Go too hard for too long, and you'll just wear yourself out, make a dumb mistake and get yourself killed..." He narrowed his eyes. "Wasn't your idea, was it?" he asked wryly.

"N-No," the Hero said, blushing a little. "W-Wasn't g-given much of a ch-choice."

"Good man, that Sheik." Pikango shook his head. "Gotten out of his existential slump, then?"

Link groaned. "He d-did...and th-then found another one."

"Oh?"

"L-Long story..."

"I've got time," Pikango shrugged. "And so does she."

"She?"

Pikango nodded towards one of the clusters of Sheikah operatives. It took him a moment, but Link spotted the distinctive hairstyle soon enough. She was dressed in the same armour as the others, though she had an additional deep-red sash tied around her waist. A curved short sword was sheathed on her back, and a pouch of daggers hung on her hip. With half her face hidden by a mask, there was little about her other than said hairstyle that made her recognisable as Paya.

"Paya!" Pikango called out, waving her over. She finished her conversation with the other Sheikah and hurried over to them, pausing slightly when she realised who Pikango was with.

"L-Link!" she exclaimed and, after a moment's hesitation, drew him into a tight hug. "H-how are you?!"

"I'm g-good," Link lied, surprised by the girl's sudden forwardness, but not complaining at all. It was good to know she'd shed a little bit of her crippling shyness. "And y-you?"

"I'm g-good too," she said, pulling her mask down to give him a red-cheeked grin. "G-Grandmother sends h-her regards."

"Paya's been made Impa's representative in the Domain," Pikango explained. "She really wasn't up for the journey, the old bag, so—"

"Sh-Shush, you," Paya said, slapping Pikango's shoulder. Surprisingly, the man winced and stepped back, rubbing the spot, and it took Link a moment to realise why.

Back in Kakariko, Paya had been wearing loose-fitting Sheikah clothing, which hid her frame quite efficiently. The armour, however, left little to the imagination. Her arms and legs bulged with muscles, the sort acquired through hard labour and a strict training regime, her middle firm and unyielding. Link had no doubt that she could easily pick him up and break his back over her knee, like a dry twig. For a moment, he felt an urge to poke her thigh, to see if there was any give whatsoever, but he quickly thought better of it for the sake of his own health.

"B-But yes," she said, still blushing. "G-Grandmother sent me h-here in her s-stead. I'm t-to lead our f-forces here."

"And we couldn't be in better hands," Pikango said, still rubbing his shoulder. "She'll rip apart anyone who stands in our way."

Formidable as she looked, Paya still couldn't take compliments, it seemed, judging by the way her face grew redder and redder with each word. She cleared her throat, focusing on Link's belt...or rather on what wasn't there.

"Wh-Where is Sh-Sheik?" she asked.

"Link was just about to say, actually," the older Sheikah said, raising an eyebrow. "So?"

Link, momentarily distracted by the joy of seeing old friends, sighed. "W-Well, he d-discovered s-something yesterday..."

At the end of the story, the smiles were gone from Pikango and Paya's faces. Paya actually looked close to crying, which was how Link felt himself. He just couldn't fathom the sheer cruelty the ancient Sheikah had been capable of, and what Sheik had been forced to endure.

"I had no idea," Pikango said, grimacing. "I mean, I knew our ancestors weren't all...good, but this? Taking people's minds? Against their will? And their own clansmen, at that..." He tugged at his topknot, fingers twitching, groaning. "And to think I believed the Guardians were the worst thing to come from their tinkering."

"Th-They used th-the t-troublemakers," Link added bitterly. "Th-The ones who d-didn't fit in."

"H-horrible," Paya whimpered. "H-How c-could they?"

"Desperation makes monsters of us all, it seems." Pikango paced back and forth for a bit. "And Sheik said...he wanted to die?"

"He asked m-me to d-destroy the slate," Link confirmed. "Once G-Ganon is d-defeated."

Paya did shed a tear at that, her fists clenched at her sides in a mix of anger and sorrow. She hadn't gotten along well with Sheik when they'd met, but she wouldn't wish something like this on him. On anyone.

"And what did you say?" Pikango asked. "You didn't agree, did you?"

"I d-didn't answer," the Hero admitted. "I c-couldn't."

"I don't blame you—it was probably for the best. He was probably in shock...possibly still is. He might change his mind." The older Sheikah squeezed Link's shoulder. "Where is he now?"

"He w-wanted t-to be alone," Link answered, pointing in the direction of the royal apartments. "P-Prince Sidon's ch-chambers."

"The prince's?" Pikango asked, blinking confusedly before a shit-eating grin came to his face. "Someone's been busy, haven't they?"

"Sh-Shut up," Link said, shrugging his hand off, wishing he had a mask of his own to hide his blush. He'd have to ask a tailor to attach one to the Champion's Tunic. "It's n-not what y-you think!"

"If you say so," the old man said, looking altogether too amused. "Impa will be excited to learn of this, I bet."

"If you t-tell her, I s-swear..."

"I d-don't understand?" Paya said, confused.

Link stared at her, wondering if she was pulling their legs. No one could be that innocent. No one.

Right?

"Never mind," Pikango said, shaking his head, chuckling. "Well, I'm sure the two of you have a lot to catch up on, so I'm gonna go hand these sketches over to our reconnaissance guys so they can add 'em to the intelligence pool. This is Paya's first visit to the Domain, so why don't you show her around, Link?" He gave them a wave over his shoulder. "See you later."

And that was how Link found himself standing awkwardly alone with Paya, who was giving him a hopeful and expectant look, as if Link was anything that could be called a good guide to the Domain, especially since his knowledge of the place was mostly limited to the calm, quiet places where nothing of real importance happened. Places where he could relax.

Still, it was a distraction, he supposed, and he didn't want to disappoint Paya, so he nodded his head towards the stairs. "L-Let's go," he said.

The way her face lit up made the awkwardness worth it.

It was all about distraction. That was the key. If Sheik didn't think about it, it didn't happen. If it didn't happen, he didn't have to feel the crushing disappointment, anger, and hopelessness that had permeated his every thought since the moment he'd read those logs. And that way, he could get some actual work done.

Thanks to the encryption key, he could access the entirety of the data cluster that had previously been refused to yield its contents. Some of the information had been unpleasant, but he was ignoring those bits for now, but a lot of it was more or less useful. Of particular interest was geographical data—anything that could be of help on their trek to the desert.

Being so old, the data probably wasn't a good representation of how the region looked today, but it was a starting point, and better than the complete blank spot that was all the network had to show at the moment. The more they knew about the place they were heading to, the better, and the less of a chance of him leading Link into danger.

Hah, as if herding the poor thing towards a Divine Beast wasn't dangerous enough. All the more reason for him to go away after all this. Sidon could keep Link out of trouble, no sweat.

His proximity alert went off, and his attention was directed to the balcony, where someone with a very familiar topknot was climbing over the railing with the grace of a man twenty years younger. Sheikah longevity was a collective thing, apparently, and not just limited to the pair of idiot scientists and terrifying matriarch.

"There is a door, you know," Sheik said drily as Pikango adjusted his pack after the climb. "It even opens."

"The guards didn't seem too keen on letting me inside the royal apartments," Pikango replied with a shrug, heading for the desk on which Sheik had been placed. "Besides, I need the exercise—I foresee a lot of climbing in my immediate future, if the current battle plans are anything to go by."

"Yeah, well, someone's got to sneak in behind the lines and blow shit up."

"A favourite activity of mine, actually."

"I thought you were an artist."

"I am—and my medium is explosions!"

Sheik couldn't suppress the amused snort. Pikango was...an odd man, but he liked him well enough. Their shared love for explosions was always something Sheik would appreciate. Pikango had helped Link (and Sheik, really) when they were in need, and didn't seem to have any ulterior motives. He still couldn't help the twinge of discomfort when he saw the Sheikah eye embroidered on his clothing, however. Every time he saw it now, he was reminded of...of...

"So, what are you doing here? I assume you've talked to Link, or you wouldn't know where to find me."

"I have," the older man confirmed. "Left him with Paya, asked him to show her around. Want to bet on how long it takes for one of them to develop a nosebleed?"

"Paya, without a doubt," Sheik said with no hesitation. "Girl can't even look at Link without turning into a stuttering mess."

"That's young'uns for you," Pikango said with a grave nod. "It's a pity Link's already taken—they'd have made a cute couple." He winced. "Then again, if Impa found out about her granddaughter being corrupted..."

"There'd be nowhere for Link to hide," Sheik finished, shuddering inwardly. "Just as well, then. Hopefully Link can let her down gently."

"I think she's already made her peace with it, honestly—it'll just take some time for her to get over it."

"I notice you didn't answer my question," Sheik said after a moment of silence. "Why are you here?"

"How rude," the older Sheikah said. "A man can't visit a friend?"

"Not when said friend is a slate, no."

"I fail to see your point," Pikango said with a sniff, removing his pack and seating himself in the chair in front of the desk. It was built for someone of Sidon's size, so the man was dwarfed by the whole thing—it was hilarious. "Though I will admit I didn't come just for a social call."

"Oh, I am all atwitter!"

"Still hiding behind sarcasm, I see," Pikango noted. "Well, I'll just get right to the point then, shall I?"

"Please."

"Got yourself into another existential crisis, I hear."

If there was a way to kill a conversation stone dead, that was it. Sheik had enjoyed the conversation up until then—it had been the exact sort of distraction he'd wanted, but Pikango's sentence had brought it all screaming back to him.

"And?" he said. "I am an existential crisis all unto myself, in case you haven't noticed."

"True, but in the past all it took was a figurative knock to the head to bring you out of it, but this time is different, I hear," Pikango crossed his arms, nodding. "I hear you've asked Link to help you commit suicide when all this is over."

"It's a legitimate request," Sheik said. He'd hated how sad it had made Link and Sidon, but...that was his right, was it not? "It's my life—I can do whatever I want with it."

"And asking Link to help you do it is...necessary?" Pikango asked.

"Unfortunately," Sheik admitted. "I'm assuming he told you about the fantastic ideas the people who put me in this thing had for the functions I could perform? Well, they also stripped me of all self-control, meaning I have no power over my own functions, my own data. I literally cannot self-terminate. All of my vital processes are locked away behind an access control system I have absolutely no power over whatsoever—and they made damn sure I wouldn't be able to break through it, either."

He paused, letting it all sink in. It was the first time he'd actually voiced the worrying things he'd been slowly discovering about himself over the past few weeks, ever since he'd started poking and prodding at his more...vital parts. He didn't like it. At all.

"So, I cannot do it myself," he continued. "Link is the only one I trust to actually do it. I hate that I had to ask him, but..."

Pikango watched him quietly for a moment before speaking: "And why do you have to ask him at all?"

"Why?"

"Yes, why? Not to diminish the horror of what you've discovered—because it is one of the most horrid things I have ever heard about—but why does this mean you have to die? What made this the last drop? Surely, knowing that you were once a real person should be something of a relief, unlike what you believed in Akkala? That you weren't a real person at all, but a mere echo of someone long dead?"

"It's not..." Sheik trailed off, gathering his thoughts. It was hard to explain, even to himself. "Everything just feels...hopeless. I could make peace with being an echo, because it meant I could simply find a new purpose here. Knowing what I know now...that I was someone real, but everything I had was taken from me—even my memories—it just...hurts. I was betrayed by my own people, and...I just can't take it. I'm weak, I'll admit that. Too weak. I'll see things through with Link, but after that I'll consider my purpose finished."

"And you cannot find a new purpose?" Pikango asked. "You cannot simply be content to exist without being...useful, as you put it? It is simply not enough to be Link's friend?"

"No," Sheik said simply. "I can't."

"And why is—"

"Because there is no future in this!" he screamed. "I don't want to be stuck in this fucking slate anymore! I want a body! I want to able to see, feel, and touch things! I want to feel the ground beneath my feet, the wind on my face! I want to see Link, I want to touch him! I...I want...I want to be alive, Pikango. This...what I am now...it's not living, it's just...existing. If I can't live, then I don't want to exist..."

It was cruelty—sheer cruelty. They'd taken his memories, but they had still left him the ability to feel the gut-wrenching agony that knowing what he'd once had had been stolen from him. It wasn't fair—all he wanted was...was the things Link and Sidon could do. They were free to touch and feel each other, to kiss each other...Sheik wanted that. He wanted more than just the phantom sensations of touch that his sensors informed him were being registered. He wanted to fall asleep with them, wake up entangled with them...

"If I could take away my ability to feel, then maybe I could power through it," he said quietly. "Force myself to bear it. But I can't. Just like I can't kill myself...probably because my creators knew that was the first thing I'd try."

"...was it?" Pikango asked, his face grim.

"No, I was too busy making sure Link wasn't taken advantage of," he replied. "But after Akkala...I did start probing, trying to find out what I could do. They really did not want their precious artificial intelligence to kill itself when it found it wasn't artificial at all..."

Neither of them said anything for a while. Sheik wondered what Pikango had hoped to achieve with his visit. Had he hoped to talk Sheik out of it, perhaps? He'd be disappointed, then. This wasn't something that could be talked out. It was all easy for them to say there was more to live for, but then they weren't robbed of everything life had to offer, were they?

"I'm sorry, Sheik," the older man said after a while.

"For what?"

"For everything that was done to you. For what the Sheikah—what we did to you." Pikango bowed his head. "I do not know what Impa will do once she learns of this, but I can imagine quite a few honoured ancestors will be...re-examined. I can only hope you will forgive us—"

"Old man, I'm not blaming any of you for this," Sheik interrupted. "It's the ancient Sheikah—my Sheikah—that I hate. You took me into your clan when all I had to my name was...well, my name, and being able to speak our language. That is something I will appreciate always...but don't tell Impa that."

"Of course not," the older man said, lips quirking into a small smile. "You have a reputation to uphold, right?"

"Biggest asshole in the clan," Sheik replied somewhat proudly.

"Biggest hero, more like, for aiding Link as you have."

"Stop ruining the moment, old man. I was just about to offer you a tactical goldmine."

Pikango perked up. "Oh?"

"Take a look," Sheik said, activating his projector, showing Pikango the schematics for a Guardian. "This'll give you a good overview of the Guardians—should provide some tactical insight."

"That is stupendous," Pikango announced, excitedly retrieving his art supplies and a blank piece of paper. "If they have a weakness—any sort of weakness—these plans will be of immense help!"

"I've got blueprints and schematics for most of the tech Ganon managed to turn against us," Sheik continued. "Not the Divine Beasts, annoyingly enough, but Link will be taking care of that issue."

"With your help," Pikango said, not looking up from the sketch he had begun to work on.

"Well, someone needs to yell his enemies into submission..."

"Look at this, Linky!"

Link really could not keep up with Purah's energy. The way she ran around their improvised laboratory, showing him this and that, excitedly explaining the various gear, doodads, and thingamajigs she and Robbie were working on.

"If we can figure out just this one little snag, we'll be able to mass-produce the ancient arrows, and then Ganon's forces'll be gone in a snappity-snap!"

The scientist struck a dramatic pose before hurrying to the next bench, eager to show off the next item.

Next to Link, Paya could only watch in mute horror at what her great aunt had become.

"L-Last I saw h-her, sh-she was j-just like Impa," she whispered. "And R-Robbie..."

Robbie wasn't really a good comparison, being almost as energetic as Purah when his interest was caught by something. Still, at least he had the creaking joints and withered appearance that someone their age should have. It was almost comical, watching a six-year-old Sheikah practically running circles around the ancient one.

"Using myself as a test subject was the smartest thing I've ever done!" Purah said, pointing her finger accusingly at Paya. "Eternal youth, dear niece, is what we're all striving for!" She snapped her fingers.

"Dumbest, Purah," Robbie grumbled from where he was hunched over his desk, a magnifying glass with a number of additional lenses attached to the main one in one hand and a complicated-looking tool in the other. He poked and prodded at a brass cylinder, inside of which were numerous wires and complicated-looking electronics. "The word you're looking for is dumbest. As for eternal youth...bah! Who'd want to live forever, anyway?"

"Are th-they always like th-this?" Paya asked.

"P-Pretty much," Link confirmed, regretting finishing his tour of the Domain with the Sheikah lab. He'd thought the two of them were tiring to be around when alone. As a duo, they were downright exhausting.

"You're just jealous you can't keep up with me, Robbie!" Purah shot back. "Just let me know, and I'll whip up another batch of the potion!"

"Pass!"

"Anyway, m-moving on..." Link said, trying to usher Paya outside, but the sound of snapping fingers stopped him dead in his tracks. Bad things happened when he heard that sound.

"Wait, Link! Robbie's just putting the finishing touches on something for you! Robbie, hurry your ass up!"

"Do you want me to short things thing out?" Robbie asked. "Because this is how things end up shorting out. Just a moment..."

"Euuuugghhhh, you're so slow, Robbie!"

"Do you want to try attaching micrometre-thin wires to even smaller transistors without breaking them?!" Robbie barked. "This work requires precision! Unless you want the damn thing to blow up the first time he turns it on!"

"Come ooooonnnn!"

Link groaned, rubbing his temples. Next to him, Paya was doing the same thing. She seemed like a kindred soul, and all Link wanted to right then was to commiserate about the insane people they were surrounded by.

"There," Robbie said after a few minutes, closing the cylinder, giving it a shake before nodding and throwing it to Link, who barely managed to catch it. "Give it a try. Might want to stand back, Paya."

The cylinder was quite heavy, a little thicker than a sword handle. There were grooves for his fingers, improving his grip, and right under his thumb was a button, which Robbie told him to press.

There was a flash of blue light, and a loud WHOOM, and Link was suddenly holding a shield made entirely of light. It was about the length of his torso, and wide enough to cover his chest. The shield shimmered, much like the projected arrowheads of the ancient arrows.

"Th-This is..." he began.

"Adapted from the smaller Guardians," Robbie explained. "Modified with a more efficient power source, and less prone to failure. Here." Without warning, he threw a heavy-looking metal gear the size of Link's fist at the shield. It bounced off the light with another, more subdued whoom and clattered onto the floor. "Success!" the scientist announced.

"It's so pretty," Purah said, poking the shield with her finger. "And doesn't electrocute you, even!"

"W-Wait, electrocute...?"

"Anyway, should serve you well in future battles," Robbie said, waving them away, as if dismissing them. "Let it charge in the sun every now and then, and it should be fine."

Link studied the shield for a moment, surprised at how light it was. Shields were usually a trade-off when it came strength versus weight. The stronger the shield, the heavier it was. This thing, however, was very light and easily manoeuvrable, and definitely not weak based on the impact of the gear.

"A-Are you m-making these for everyone?" Paya asked, just as fascinated with the shield as Link. There was something almost hypnotic about the light—the same blue glow that all Sheikah tech seemed to emit.

"Unfortunately, no," Purah said, frowning. "We haven't been able to recover enough broken units to fix them up, and even then we wouldn't have the necessary raw materials or delicate tools to make them. This is a one-of-a-kind shield, Linky, so you'd better take care of it!"

"B-But the arrows—"Link began.

"Are far less complex than the shield," Robbie interrupted. "All the arrows need is a small battery—the sort there's hundreds of in a single Guardian—rigged to explode on impact. That shield requires a specific type of battery powering transistors that directs the energy through a series of special focusing lenses and...well, it's a pain in the ass to work on, frankly. And yes, please take care of it."

And with that, Robbie ushered them outside, leaving them back in the square where Mipha's statue stood vigil.

"Th-That was...interesting," Link said, releasing the button. The shield powered down with the weakest-sounding whoom so far. It really was quite an amazing thing, especially since he could store it in his pocket for easy access.

"Th-That's what G-Grandmother calls aunt P-Purah in general," Paya said, giggling a little.

"Ah, Link, there you are," Sidon's voice spoke as a shadow fell over them. Link smiled and turned to look up at the prince, while Paya's mouth simply fell open, staring in amazement at the wonder that was the Prince of the Zora. "And who is this? I do not believe we've had the pleasure," Sidon asked, smiling down at Paya.

"Th-This is P-Paya," Link introduced her. "Sh-Sheik's cousin."

"It is an honour to meet you, Mistress Paya," Sidon said, dipping into a deep, proper bow. "Any friend of Link and Sheik's is a friend of mine. I hope you have found our Domain a welcoming place so far?"

"..."

Link blinked, noticing that Paya had frozen completely, an even bigger blush on her face now.

Oh no, he thought. Not another one.

At this rate, Link would have to be the one to lock Sidon away in his chambers—everyone just kept falling in love with him.

He nudged Paya with his elbow, and the blushing girl finally managed to speak again, though her stutter was even worse now.

"I-It's a-an h-h-honour t-to meet y-you t-too, Y-Your M-M-M-Majesty!" she all but shouted in his face, halfway into a bow before deciding for a curtsy instead, changing her mind once more halfway through and...and it was the most painful thing Link had seen ever.

Was this how I acted with everyone I've met lately? he wondered.

Had Sheik been there, he had a feeling the answer would be a screeched "Oh my gods, yes!"

The night was an awkward one. Link and Sidon had eaten dinner with Paya, who had opened up after a bit more coaxing (and a little wine). Sheik had been present too, but his participation in the conversations was...subdued. He'd spent the afternoon talking to Pikango, apparently, but it was difficult to tell if it had been a positive meeting or not. The man himself was tight-lipped, and had disappeared soon after, presumably to report in with the intelligence he'd gathered.

They'd seen Paya to her quarters with the other Sheikah before retiring to Sidon's chambers, where the rest of the night had been spent in silence before they'd climbed into bed.

Sidon had kissed Link then, desperately, his fingers tracing Link's face, his ears, his neck, shoulders...as if trying to memorise them. He didn't do anything else, however, and had eventually settled for simply holding Link close until they fell asleep.

Sheik had been silent.

Dawn came, and with it the melancholy feeling of knowing they were about to leave the comforts of home behind...and yet the anticipation of what lay ahead drummed steadily in the back of his head. This was the last stretch to tame the Divine Beasts, and the second-to-last step in defeating Ganon. The worst was likely yet to come, but they could make it through.

They would make it through.

And Link would find a way to help Sheik—no matter what.

"I still wish I could come with you," Sidon said as he reverently ensured that the various straps that held Link's Sheikah armour in place were secured, that his pack was securely fastened and not about to spill its contents, that the Master Sword's handle was well-within grasp (after being told very carefully not to touch the actual handle, for his own safety). "It feels wrong, to send you two off on your own like this."

"The thought's appreciated, Sharky," Sheik said. "But I like you the way you are now, instead of a dried-out husk in the desert."

"How...romantic?" Sidon said, showing off his teeth in a confused grin.

"It sounded better in my head."

"H-How?" Link asked, wishing they could be like this all the time, trading quips and just being...happy with each other. Knowing how unhappy Sheik really was just made it...bitter.

"I don't know!" Sheik said. "Stop questioning my flattery!"

"Hush now, you two," Sidon said, bopping Link's nose and tapping the slate's screen. "I...I'm going to miss you. Be careful, all right? Don't take unnecessary risks, and make sure to look after each other."

"Right back at you, Sharky," Sheik replied. "Don't burn the Domain down while we're gone."

"The place is practically made of water, I'm sure that'd be quite a feat."

"Y-You'd find a w-way," Link said, smiling. "B-Because you're th-that amazing."

"Oh, you two..." Sidon said, crouching down and kissing Link soundly on the lips, and then reaching for the slate.

"What? No, no, no—"

Sidon kissed the screen.

"Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is for the both of us?" he asked when Sidon put the slate back on Link's belt.

"Not nearly enough to make me stop," the prince said with a haughty sniff. "I'm a prince—I do what I want."

They were stalling, now. Link knew that. He wanted nothing more than to stay, but duty beckoned...and threatened to drag him out the door, at that. Hyrule was waiting to be liberated, and ridiculously enough only he could do that.

"W-We have t-to go," he said quietly, reaching up to touch Sidon's chest. "L-Look after P-Paya and th-the others?"

"Of course," Sidon promised, stepping back. "I'll be right here, waiting."

"Ready?" Sheik asked, not even waiting for Link's confirmation before initiating the teleport procedure. Blue light began to dance around Link, and an odd, cold feeling began to sink into his toes, and then his feet. He refused to look down, didn't want to see them disappear into thin air.

"I'm n-not g-going to f-fall over again, am I?" he asked. "Or b-be sick?"

"Din above, I hope not," Sheik said. "Otherwise all the work I put into the maths will have been for nothing. Only one way to find out, huh?"

"I g-guess," Link said, meeting Sidon's eyes and exchanging one final smile with the prince before he was hurled all the way across Hyrule.

One more Beast. Just one more.