Disclaimer: I hate writing these, and it doesn't feel necessary on fanfiction.net, but I'll do it anyway, so everyone will be happy. I do not own any of the characters in this story, and all of the Zelda characters are property of Nintendo. However, the storyline is mine.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! But  I wasn't happy for the flames I received. Those were my first flames, but even though I knew it probably was going to happen eventually, it was not appreciated. Everybody works hard with their fics, and flames aren't exactly encouraging, as I think everyone knows.

Special thanks to foofbunny: Thank you for the wonderful idea (which I tried to develop as much as possible) and for your encouraging e-mails about this one and How Things Change. I really do appreciate your suggestions, which I can surely use. This chapter will contain the ball, which I wrote about in the previous chapter. It didn't turn out like I expected at all, though. You'll see what I mean when you've read it.

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Chapter thirteen: Eavesdropping and Revelation

Link's POV

With a week left to the ball on the Castle, Zelda was more thrilled than ever. She looked forward to see her former home again, meet her father, brother and the servants, and perhaps meet the Queen as well. During the last three weeks, I had got used to call Zelda Sheik. She liked her new alter ego and thought the Sheikah clothes were way more comfortable than any dress in the world. As a girl, she had never worn pants, and I could never imagine wearing a dress.

Mine and Zelda's relationship grew steadier and I think she really had feelings for me, just like I had for her. I couldn't forget the night on Lon Ranch, and I don't think she could either. Sometimes I wondered what she really thought about me, what was going on beyond those deep blue eyes of hers…

I lived with Zelda and Impa in her old house, which had been empty four about four years. After the attack of Kakariko, all of the houses had been rebuilt, and now the village was as beautiful as ever. I was really happy with Zelda and Impa, but I couldn't imagine living like this forever. My fourteenth birthday grew nearer day by day, and when I was old enough I would try getting a job in the Army. I think the age to be able to be a soldier was seventeen, and with two years left, I could spend my time practicing every day to get better with the weapons.

Not that I thought I needed it, though. I was better with the sword than most men already. The sword was actually my favorite weapon, it was heavy and hard to treat right if you weren't used to it, but once you had learned the basic moves, it was like the sword came to life in your hand. I was a lefty, and had had a hard time before I learned to hold the weapon right. Now, however, I could beat almost everyone that wanted to put up a fight against me.

Just because I fancied fencing and sword fighting so much, Impa would challenge me frequently. Her weapon was a long, sharp dagger of the Sheikah kind, and she always kept it in her right boot, sometimes even when she was asleep. I don't think she could ever relax completely. She was my opposite. I could fall asleep everywhere, and at any time, though I didn't need so much sleep at night.

"Come on, boy, move your feet!" Impa told me. I didn't answer, I knew she was just teasing me, trying to make me lose my control. I didn't, I never did. Impa was a good teacher, and I had learned a lot of things, but she could still beat me.

She lunged at me, I jumped to the side, but she suddenly changed her direction and forced me to use my new shield to protect my face. I could hear the dagger clash against the steel in my Hylian shield with such force that I fell to the ground, clutching my weapons. I held the shield over my face to defend myself while I fought to get up again. When I did, I tried a vertical slash against her, but she parried it easily. With an annoyed snort, I tried a horizontal one this time and aimed for her legs. In battle, the slash was a very forceful and effective attack, but now Impa saw was I was about to do, and locked my sword against her knife with such force that I dropped it. The knife scratched my forearm and ripped the white shirt I wore underneath my green tunic, causing a long, red scratch to appear, from the back of my hand to my elbow. It started bleeding immediately, and I used the hem of my tunic to stop the bleeding.

"That hurt", I stated with a glare at Impa. She was smiling at me. "Watch out, young warrior, or you might get hurt badly", she said. I could only glare at her.

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Sheik's POV

Impa said that we would go to the Castle with magic. Neither Link nor I had ever used magic before… What if something went wrong? On the evening of the ball, however, she simply told us to stand still and  relax while she transported the three of us to the Castle gates.

I had put on my Sheikah clothes again, and they were much more comfortable than the dresses I had worn before. I really liked them, and if I could just remember to talk into the cloth that covered parts of my face and lower my voice, nobody would take me for anything else than a teenage Sheikah boy, Sheik, nephew of Impa Shakin and Link's friend. Not girlfriend.

Link was standing beside me, holding my hand in his. He hadn't changed clothes for the ball, because he liked his Kokiri attires so much, and I couldn't imagine him wearing anything else. This time, however, he wasn't carrying a heavy sword and shield on his back, and the fact made him look taller and he could also straighten his back. It suddenly hit me how much taller than me he was!

"Ready?" I heard Impa's voice. Both Link and I nodded firmly. My Aunt – I had to call her that now – stood behind us, placing one hand on my shoulder, and one on Link's. She mumbled some inaudible Sheikah words, and I felt like someone had placed a huge hook in the pit of my stomach and dragged me along, in a higher speed than I could ever imagine. It took three seconds, and then we were standing outside the grey stone walls of my former home. I couldn't recollect whether we had been flying or not, but it wasn't important. Important was the fact that the drawbridge was down and I would enter the Castle – but not as a Princess this time.

"Come on, let's hurry", Impa said and pushed us in the direction of the drawbridge. "The ball has already begun, and I want you to meet the crown Prince. Come on!"

When we entered the biggest Hall in the Castle, it was crowded with hundreds of people in pretty clothing. It was dresses like that I had worn once, with lace frills, pink ribbons, gems and beautiful jewellery… I hadn't much time to think about that now, however, because Impa called for me. She and Link were standing beside a tall, young man with teal hair and heavenly blue eyes. He was dressed as the noble Prince he was, with a golden crown in his hair and a long, deep blue mantle. Of course I recognized him.

"Sheik, let me introduce you to His Highness, Prince Marth", Impa said with a smile, but her stern eyes told me exactly what to do. I bowed slightly.

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Your Highness", I said, and made sure to lower my voice.

"This is my nephew, Sheik, and his friend, Link", Impa explained to Marth. I watched my brother's face with my crimson eyes, and I wondered what he was thinking.

If you knew who I was, what would you say?

Marth's eyes caught my gaze and he smiled at me. I responded his polite smile, but then it hit me that my mouth was covered behind the cloth anyway. It surely hurt. It hurt so much! To see my brother, one of the few people I had loved in my early childhood, standing here without recognizing me. He had no idea who Sheik really was, and he would never find out.

Impa and Marth were talking, and though I couldn't catch all the words, I understood that the King had arranged the ball as a great opportunity for the soon twenty year old Prince to find a woman that would become the future Queen of Hyrule. It was also clear that Marth didn't like the idea at all. I felt sorry for him. It sure was hard to be Royal and marry a complete stranger. If I had still lived in the Castle, that destiny would be mine…

"I have to go now", I heard the Prince say. "It was nice to meet you. Enjoy yourselves." A brief bow, a polite smile, and my brother had disappeared in the crowd. My thoughts were interrupted by something else, a shrill, unpleasant voice… I turned to the sound, and understood that the woman before me had to be Queen Rose. It could be nobody else. She was talking to a soldier, a tall man in shining armor. He had no helmet, and his face was just as evil as the Queen's, if that was even possible.

How could my Father have married that woman? She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen, I admitted that, but there was an evil look in her hazel eyes, and I saw it. She had a sly smile on her lips, and her light brown hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, leaving two strands of hair to fall down on each side of her face. She wore a light purple velvet gown, which was sleeveless and had a broad, dark ribbon around the waist. Her forearms were covered by white silk gloves. She lowered her voice and said something to the soldier, but I caught a few words.

"… I asked him, so I think about midnight would be a good time… Nobody will suspect anything… How much did we agree about?"

I was confused. What were they planning to do? If I was right about the Queen, it wasn't something too nice. I had an anxious feeling, and I also felt that I should keep an eye on the Queen, just to make sure that she didn't do anything. I told Link about it.

"You think she's up to something?" he asked.

"Yes, that's right. I haven't got a clue what they're planning, though. I have an uneasy feeling that someone's going to be sorry for this."

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The evening went by so quickly, and I was having a very good time. The ball, the people, the music – it all reminded me of so much, things that I would rather forget… Link and I watched Queen Rose, but she didn't even leave the room. But I had this feeling, that she would do something… She seemed to be the type of person who would do almost anything, after all.

I also met my Father for the very first time in four years. He looked all the same to me, with a short, light beard that had begun to turn grey, a heavy crone on his head and the familiar look in the big, blue eyes, the same blue eyes that everyone in the Royal family had – except the Queen.

Impa introduced me and Link to King Harkinian. I even recognized his way to greet people, a brief smile, a slight nod… If you knew who I was, what would you say?

I was used to be called Sheik by now, but I felt… I felt trapped inside the body of a fourteen year old boy, the body of someone else, a body that wasn't mine. I liked my new alter ego, but it wasn't me, though. I had really started to think of who I really was, and what I really wanted to be. And Goddesses, that wasn't an easy question!

As Link and I were standing by one of the tables to get something to drink, something suddenly hit me: what had Impa told us when we met her at the Windmill Inn? Of course! I slapped my forehead in frustration. Of course. The Queen had been utterly disappointed when Marth returned from Termina alive. What she wanted, more than anything, was an heir to the throne, an heir of her own blood, who would rule Hyrule after her! But there was an obstacle in her evil plans – my brother, the crown Prince, the one who would become the next King…

"Oh Goddesses!" I interjected, immediately turning pale.

"Is something the matter?" Link asked me, a tone of concern in his voice.

"Yes! What's the time? Come on!" I seized his arm and dragged him with me through the crowd. The orchestra was playing an ancient song of the Goron people, The Bolero of Fire, a happy melody, quite the opposite of my mood.

"Sheik! Tell me what's going on!" I heard Link's voice. I didn't respond. I couldn't think at all. It took us a couple of minutes to run upstairs, to the hallway where the bedrooms were. I caught a glimpse of a clock on a wall along the way, and it was a quarter to midnight already. I indeed hoped that I was wrong. For the very first time in my life, I hoped that I would be wrong!

My hopes were destroyed abruptly when I saw one of the servants, a young woman, approaching us. Her face was horror-struck and she was obviously crying. "Thank Goddesses that you're here!" she managed to say. "Please, go and get someone…"

"What has happened here?" I asked, fighting hard to keep my voice steady.

Her voice wasn't more than a whisper when she told me. "Murder."

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Late evening, in the medical wing

Marth's POV

"How is he? Will he be okay?"

Someone hushed the eager voice. "You can't see him now. We are not certain if he will recover yet."

"It's been over two days! Will you please let me in?"

"No, I can't do that, I have my orders. Now, will you please leave? We would prefer a little silence here."

Footsteps. Eventually they ceased and everything was silent again. That damn silence… wait… Hadn't I heard that voice somewhere before? Eager, childish, girlish? It wasn't Romani. Who was it?

It hurt to move. It hurt to think, even. The pain gushed up into the pit of my stomach every time I moved a muscle. I hadn't opened my eyes in a while, because I didn't want to. Didn't want to see what had happened to me. Didn't want to see the bandages that were wrapped around my chest and stomach. Didn't want to think about whom had caused the wounds…

It was good to sleep, because I didn't have to bother about anything when I slept. I could relax and let my dreams guide me. I sighed, a gesture that send waves of pain through my body, and then slowly drifted off to sleep…

When I woke up a few hours later, it was in the middle of the night, and when I slowly opened my eyes, I saw someone sitting on a chair next to my bed. The room was dark, but a single candle was burning on the bedside table, allowing me to see who my visitor was. It was the peculiar Sheikah boy I had met during the ball… I couldn't remember his name, and I couldn't understand why he would want to visit me.

"How are you feeling?" the muffled voice made me wince. Was he really concerned about me?

"Not that good", I mumbled. Silence. "What happened?" I asked. Silence.

"Someone tried to kill you", he eventually answered.

"Kill me? Who would possibly do that?" I asked, bewildered.

"I have no idea. But I somehow felt that you were in trouble, and it saved your life. You were terribly badly injured when one of the servants found you. I think you should be glad that you're alive."

Is he pulling my leg? No, he seems completely serious… But it doesn't make any sense.

"You were there?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Sheik."

"I know. But I want to know more about you than just your name. Where are you from?"

"I can't tell you. But I lived in a place that was similar to this once. But in that Castle, there was a Princess, too."

Those scarlet eyes gave me an uneasy feeling. Why did he have to remind me of Zelda now? That was a thing I would rather forget. As I gazed at Sheik's face, his right eye hidden behind his blonde hair, and as I watched his left scarlet eye, I thought I had seen that gaze somewhere else. But where? I couldn't recall it… Wait… A ten year old girl appeared before me when I shut my eyes. She was laughing gleefully, holding a bouquet of neat white lilies, which matched her white dress. Her blue eyes met mine, she smiled, and I imagined those eyes with a red color instead… They were the same. The same courage, same determination, same obstinacy in them…

"Zelda?" I whispered. Sheik winced at the sound of my voice and his eyes widened. I could see fear in them, but I couldn't understand what he would possibly be afraid of.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, but I better leave now. Get some rest, and I'm sure you will recover soon."

Sheik bowed slightly and left the room. I stared at the doorway. Sheik's voice had been lighter, almost shrill, when he finished the sentence. If my suspects were correct, this day was the happiest in my life so far.

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Link's POV

I was settled in one of the comfortable leather sofas in the Royal library, reading a book with Hylian tales and enjoying the warmth from the fireplace. It was late in the evening, and I was waiting for Sheik to come back from the medical wing. He had visited the Prince, who was starting to recover from the incident two days ago. I had heard he was badly wounded, apparently stabbed a few times with a knife. Who would do such a thing? If they did catch the culprit, he would get a harsh sentence, no doubt about it.

"Link, there you are! I really need to talk to you!"

"What is it, Sheik?" I asked, looking up from the book I had been reading.

"You should call me Zelda. Marth knows!"

"What? How is that possible?" I put the book away and watched Sheik anxiously.

"I don't know." He sighed helplessly and took a seat in one of the armchairs by the fireplace, leaning his head against the armrest. His eyes were full of concern and fear.

"Tell me what happened. You went to visit Marth in the medical wing, did you not?"

"That's right", said Sheik heavily. "I talked to him and told him that someone had tried to kill him. Someone had to tell him eventually, after all. He stared at me, and then he closed his eyes, and when he looked at me again, he said 'Zelda'… How does he know?"

"You didn't tell him anything, did you?" I asked.

"Of course not! I'm not stupid."

"Sorry, I didn't mean that. I know you'd never tell anything", I said softly. Sheik shook his head.

"Don't be. It doesn't matter anymore. This whole disguise thing is just ridiculous now, anyway. I can't stay here anymore, Link. I have to get back to Kakariko. Why does this happen to me?"

"No idea", I said and shook my head. "You want to talk?"

"Yes, or something like that." Sheik walked over to me and sat down beside me on the couch. I placed my arm around his shoulders, feeling him shiver. He began unwrapping the cloth that covered his face, and when he was done, I saw Zelda again, that familiar face that I fancied so much. Her skin, though tanned with magic, was pale and her eyes looked red as blood in the flickering light from the fire. She pulled loose her blonde hair, which she had pulled back into a tight bun while she was disguised as Sheik, and let it fall down over her shoulders.

I gave her a peck on the cheek, and received a warm smile from her. That smile could really melt a guy's heart! She leaned up to me and gave me a kiss on the lips, her tongue pressing against my teeth. I opened my mouth to let it in. Zelda leaned closer to me, placing one arm around my neck to draw me closer to her. The feelings of her fingers against the soft skin of my nape made me shiver with delight. Eventually, we broke apart, Zelda's cheeks slight pink, my heart throbbing in my chest.

"Maybe we should get some rest", I suggested. "It's late."

"Yeah, I know. I think I'll stay here for a while, though. I really need to think things over."

"Okay, see you tomorrow, then?"

"Oh, yes, see you tomorrow."

I mumbled a soft 'Good night' and walked away, leaving Zelda huddled up in the couch, staring into the crackling flames, lost in her own thoughts. I smiled a fond smile. Did she know how much she meant to me? I really did care about her, and I hoped that things would be all right.

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A/N: New chapter done! I hope it was all right, though the ball thing didn't turn out like I had expected. Isn't it strange? I had no idea how this story would turn out when I wrote chapter 1 of this fic! But I hadn't been able to write this story at all if I hadn't received so many reviews! Thank you, reviewers! ^_^ If you liked this chapter, I'd be glad if you sent me a review!

..::Hylian Heroine::..