Chapter 7: Sheik's got a secret…

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Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing…*sigh*…how depressing…

Sorry again for how long it took to update this, it's just that I've been busy…with a GUY!!!

* Reads back what she typed *

Whoa…that sounds pretty naughty, doesn't it? Well, it's not like that…but you want to read the story, and not my life…

Read on!!

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Sheik sat in the window, idly strumming his harp, and for the first time, Rae noticed that she was staring him directly in the face, his whole face. His gaze flickered over to match hers, and something wavered behind his eyes. "It seems – to me – that since you've told me your story…I should tell you mine."

Rae shook her head. "You don't have to do that."

"But I…" He hesitated a moment. "…I want you to know." Sheik set the harp aside, coming to sit across from Rae. "The truth is, you weren't so far off on your assumption that Zelda is using me as a façade, something to hide behind. Your thinking that I was really her…threw me off balance."

"To say the least." Rae said.

Sheik rubbed his neck. "Yeah…you see, Zelda is hiding, where, I cannot tell you. Because of our unique connection, she is able to keep tabs on the world through me. She and I have a physic link to one another."

"Unique connection?" Rae asked.

Sheik nodded. Leaning to talk into her ear, he whispered, "Zelda…is my sister."

Heart racing, Rae stared at him. "You're what – twins?"

"Yes."

"But what about your eyes?"

Sheik absently ran a finger under his eyes. "When Zelda and I were born, her eyes stayed the blue of a newborn baby. Mine, however, quickly darkened to the crimson of the Sheikah. There is Sheikah blood in Hyrule's royal family, and the slight chance that the next born will inherit a Sheikah's responsibility is always there." He fingered his white over shirt. "To be born with the eyes of the Sheikah is to be destined to see with eyes of truth." He indicated the red symbol on his shirt.

"Eyes of truth?" Rae asked, curious in spite of herself.

"To see into the shadows and know what is real…to see into the darkness and recognize the light." Sheik explained. "The Sheikah are the people of the shadows. This does not mean that we serve the darkness; it means that we are light that lives in the darkness. We do not cast away all shadow, for it lives in each of us. Instead, we strive to accept it and learn to recognize it so that we aren't tainted by it."

"You learn to live with every aspect of yourselves – whether it be good or bad?"

Sheik smiled. "Exactly."

~*~*~*~

"Urg…" Link grunted through gritted teeth, fingers clawing at the unyielding tiles on the arena floor. If it he were told, seven years ago, that water could wrap around his waist and tow him into a larger body of the liquid, then he would have laughed. Now, it was all too real. Determined not to be almost drowned a second time that day, Link fiercely pulled himself onto the platform, kicking the water creature off of him.

"Behind you!" Navi screamed, flittering about. Link spun on wobbly legs, sword slashing out in front of him.

The blob of rainbow-colored flesh bobbed out of the way, suspended in the air by a tentacle of water. It's image rippled in the liquid, making it considerably harder for Link to actually hit the creature.

After a few swipes at it with his sword, Link growled in frustration.

"It's not working Link!" Navi yelled. "Try something else!"

With a fierce hiss, Link, unable to think of anything else, thrust his hand into the watery being. It shrieked, suddenly throwing droplets everywhere. The rainbow – colored creature wriggled in Link's fierce grasp, a low whining issuing from a non-existent mouth. Link's eyes narrowed to thin slits, and he wrenched his hand out of the floating stream of water.

"Link…" Navi, a bit shocked at this new savageness, hovered back a bit.

Pulling out an arrow, Link shoved the arrowhead through the center of the creature's body. With a pitiful squeal the creature wriggled in Link's iron grip and died. Link let the creature drop to the ground. The water that had been controlled by the beast had splashed onto the floor. A blue warp aura appeared, and Link walked over to it, an almost absent expression on his face. "Coming Navi?"

"Uh…yeah…" She hestitantly followed him, unnerved by the eariler display of ruthlessness. It was completely out of character for the Hylian.

"Navi? I want to go back to Kakariko Village."

"Coming…"

~*~*~*~

Rae carefully walked down the stairs, one hand one the railing, the other on Sheik's arm.

"Steady…" Sheik said. "Don't overreach yourself." He deposited her at the kitchen table, pulling out a chair for her.

Rae grinned at him. "Would I do that?"

"Yes."

Anju watched them banter back and forth, a smile on her face. The cucco lady stirred the stew on the stove. She was used to having Sheik around…ever since her was a little boy; he had always visited her, even when he was studying the Sheikah ways or goofing off with the rest of the village children. But these where dark times, and the crimson-eyed boy had lost much of his child-like innocence.

"I have to leave."

"What?" Rae exclaimed, her green eyes showing how she was surprised by the sudden announcement. "Now?"

Sheik nodded, tossing a fruit from one hand to another. "I will be back in a short time…and I'll have Link with me. He has freed Lake Hylia from its curse."

"How do you know?"

"My physic connection with…" He coughed pointedly. "Allows me to keep in contact with the sages. Ruto has awoken."

~*~*~*~

Link stood patiently on the Triforce symbol, waiting for the sage of water to appear. To his amazement, Ruto rose out of the Water symbol, beaming at him.

"Just as I thought, beloved…you did defeat Morphia!" Ruto laughed aloud.

Link fidgeted uncomfortably. "Yeah…uh, Ruto, about that engagement thing…"

Ruto waved a fin at him. "I know what you're going to say, but don't worry about it. It can't happen."

"It can't?" Link said, confused. Did he miss something?

Ruto nodded. "Yes, I mean, I'm a sage and I have to protect the temple." She played with one of her earrings. "You understand, don't you?"

Link agreed, inwardly cheering. No more engagement! "Of course."

Ruto sighed. "Oh, well. Here, I'll give you this." A blue medallion appeared in her hand. "Take it respectfully!"

Link pocketed the treasure, inclining his head to Ruto. "Thank you." The blue warp crystal appeared and he was lifted into the air.

"It's too bad, really…I would have liked being your wife…"

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This is really short, yes I know, but that's all right, because I've posted two chapters at the same time.

*OracleVortex*

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