Legal blurb – Here we are again, you all know the drill, not mine. Wish it was, but it ain't. That's life folks.

Well here we go, the revised chapter two, complete with grammar and spelling corrections as well as whatever else I felt like doing to it ;)

Not much to say this time, so enjoy the story.

Oh and please review, it makes me happy, and I tend to get discouraged if I don't think anyone reading my story.

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Chapter two

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. M. Kathleen Casey

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"Impa!!" I cry as I walk into Arias meeting room. The Sheikah leader smiles at me and nods.

"It's good to see you Sheik," she says calmly.

That's it?

This woman practically raised me, it's been at least a month or two since I've seen her, and she's giving me the cold shoulder? If she's gonna be that way about it, fine, so can I.

I regard her with a cool stare. "Good to see you too." I half growl. "What brings you back to the caverns?"

Impa stands and walks to close the door, much to the irritation of Rin who's standing outside listening intently. "Business," she says simply, impassively. "Now what's this I hear about your blatant disrespect of authority?"

I frown, my eyes narrow.

"Well," I begin. "I'm not a real Sheikah for starters, and unlike you people I can only take walking around in the dark for so long before I need some fresh air and sunlight,"

Impa gives me that look, the one that just says 'what else?'

Why should I tell her? She won't be around long enough to make a difference anyway.

"I just feel like rebelling," I say easily as I shrug, and that little voice in the back of mind tells me to stop being stupid and selfish. I, as per usual, ignore it.

She raises an eyebrow at me but doesn't chase the subject any further.

Thank Din.

"I won't be able to stay here for long," she starts.

Surprise, surprise. She never does.

"How long this time?" I ask, my voice kept a careful neutral.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

What!

"That soon! But you just got here!" I exclaim.

"Yes, and Ganondorf is getting more persistent, the longer I stay here, the more danger I'll be putting you into." Impa gives me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Sheik, but that's the way things are."

I don't care in the least little bit about the way things are, and if she thinks I'm just going to let her pull that on me again she's wrong.

"Impa, take me with you," I demand, plead would probably be closer actually. "Because that river flows both ways, the longer I'm here the longer your people are in danger, and there's already talk about a traitor amongst the Sheikah."

"We've been through this Sheik, You cannot go with me. It's too dangerous and besides Ganondorf has someone tailing me at least sixty percent of the time, If I have you with me he'll get suspicious and make a try for you even without knowing who you really are, and that rumour is groundless and you know it. There are no turn coats among the Sheikah."

"And who am I Impa?" I demand, furious, ignoring her comment about the rumour. "I'm certainly not a princess of Hyrule, Ganondorf has seen to that, and I'm defiantly not a young boy of the Sheikah, so what am I besides a cross dresser?"

"Sheik, please. I,"

"No!" I shout. "Don't 'Sheik, please' me! I'm tired of it Impa! I'm tired of everything, if Ganondorf wants me so badly why don't you just give me to him. Then you won't have to worry anymore and neither will the rest of the Sheikah, and neither will I for that matter! It's no less then I deserve anyway!"

I don't wait for an answer. I'm angry and frustrated and a whole lot of other common-sense destroying things. I storm out of the room and turn down a random tunnel praying it leads me to the grave door at Kakariko. The walls are just feeling to close right now.

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"Well," Impa comments to herself. "That could have gone better."

"Much better," Aria agreed as she walked into the room. "Care to tell what happened?"

Impa ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "I think the pressure is finally getting to her," she said absently.

"You mean him right? She is Sheik right now after all,"

Impa looked at her friend seriously. "I'm beginning to doubt my actions where that girl is concerned. This is just too much for her to deal with, she's still so young Aria."

Aria nodded. "I'm a mother too Impa, I understand your feelings, but trust me, you've done the best you can with what you had to work with and it is working." She regarded her friend comfortingly, "You wouldn't happen to have any other ideas that can help resolve this, do you?"

"None at all,"

"I thought that'd be your answer."

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I sit on top of the watch tower in Kakariko, still incredible angry (mostly at myself), staring up at the moon without really thinking or seeing anything in particular.

I shouldn't have snapped like that at Impa.

I know she's been working really hard, keeping Ganondorf's hounds from scenting Kakariko.

But I couldn't help myself.

I'm just to weak for this.

"Hey up there!"

Goddess! Can I never find peace!

"I said, HEY!"

"I heard you Rin," I shout, my voice hard. "Now go away, if Aria wants me tell her to find me herself."

I hear her begin to climb the ladder.

"What makes you assume my mother sent me? I came on my own, we are friends after all, and you left the caverns in a hurry. So my first thought was that your either angry, or depressed," she pulls herself up onto the platform and sits down next to me. "Curiosity forced me out here to find out which and why," she looks at me critically, ice blue eyes unmerciful and demanding.

I ignore her and continue to stare at the moon.

She shrugs and looks around, "Your obsession with heights is just downright unnatural," she comments suddenly, causing me to look at her.

"What?" I ask, caught off guard.

"Your obsession with heights," she repeats grinning. "It's unnatural."

"And your obsession with graves isn't?" I retort.

"There's the Sheik I know," she says, punching me (harder then needed I think) on the shoulder. "Now what's the problem?"

Well lets see, to start with I roped a kid named Link into going on a horribly dangerous quest, which through some miracle he completed, and then I gave him what he needed to open the sacred realm and through my stupidity Ganondorf broke into said realm and split the Triforce.

Now he has the Triforce of power and is currently ripping the land apart and killing its people looking for me, Link was sealed away into the sacred realm because he's actually the hero of time, Impa is forced to live life on the run all in the attempt to keep me away from Ganondorf, I'm stupid and weak and confused, I either get everyone I meet dead, or into some kind of danger, everything I do seems to turn out wrong, and just to add insult to injury I have to live as a boy for Din knows how long!

"Nothing," I answer after a long pause, my voice sullen.

"Of course its nothing," Rin agrees, nodding sagely. "Because you, my friend, overreact to everything, and seem to have this whole pessimistic everything-is-my-fault mind set that you can't seem to get over."

I stare at her in open confusion.

Everything is my fault. What's she on about?

She looks at me hopelessly. "Come on Sheik, you've probably at some point in time decided that it's because of your lack of effort that things die in the winter."

I give her a look that says, 'huh?'

"Farore Sheik!" She shouts, throwing her hands into the air. "Next to you Ganondorf looks like a happy and well adjusted individual! Smarten up, get over it, and get on with your life! Quit moping around like a lost puppy dog and do something about it! This whole 'poor me' act you keep playing to yourself is starting to get on my nerves. If you don't like the way things are going then bloody change them, or at least do something!"

Well that's a little blunt.

"Not that I've had my friendly advice moment, if you wish to seek my company I'll be teases Anju's cuckoos."

Friendly advice? Whatever.

Rin stands up when I don't say anything and goes back down the ladder.

She wont actually teach the cuckoos, knowing her she'll probably collect them for Anju again.

I turn back to the moon. My silent comfort. Maybe she's right. . .

Maybe it's time to take things into my own hands. . .

But that still doesn't change the fact that Hyrule is in this mess because of me.

It's still my fault.

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I'm standing on a stairway, suspended in a starry sky. Black polished stone beneath my feet the only firm thing I can see.

I'm Zelda, now, not Sheik, I know this because I'm wearing a pink dress with the Triforce on it, and a coronet around my forehead.

But . . . this isn't real. Is it?

It can't be.

Where am I?

With no other obvious course of action I look at the steps in front of me and walk up them, up to a large dark object suspended high above me in the starry nothingness.

The steps disappear one by one behind me as I walk. No where to go but up now.

So I guess I go up.

Suspicious, and careful, I walk slowly up the ebony steps towards the object in the sky. I squint as I get closer, trying to get a clearer sight of it, or figure out what it is exactly.It's a building!?

I get closer.

It's a temple!

A huge set of double doors tower over me as I take the final step and stand before them. The doors and the walls, everything, is black. Embedded with every colour of jewel I've ever seen, decorating it with symbols and designs that I could never hope to understand.

It's beautiful.

You know, in an ominous, mysterious. 'I'm going to eat you now' way.

I stare at it in, what must look like, stupidity. Head tilted back, mouth slightly open, eyes blank and uncomprehending.

Shaking myself I gather my scattered thoughts back to me.

Here goes nothing.

I lean forward and push on the huge doors.

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"I should leave now," Impa said warily to herself.

"But what about Zelda?" Khaz, a middle aged Sheikah man asked. He had dark hair with a few grey streaks and bright blue eyes, wearing the traditional Sheikah uniform. Blue and white.

"She not going to be happy about you leaving now rather then tomorrow," Aria added.

Impa waved it off, "she'll get over it. Besides, she's probably more stubborn then even your daughter, Aria. She won't speak to me again until the next time I make my way back here."

Aria smiled, "Stop pretending Impa, we both know how fond you are of the girl. Hellfire, you could practically consider her to be your own daughter."

"She acts enough like you," Khaz muttered.

"What was that," Impa asked dangerously.

"Nothing Impa, just making an observation." He answered, grinning at her.

Impa glowered at him.

"Say goodbye." Aria repeated, her tone commanding and final, "you'll regret it if you don't,"

Impa sighed in defeat, "Fine! I'll say goodbye! But then I'm gone. And remember Khaz, she's yours now, keep her out of trouble and within sight of the Sheikah."

He rolled his eyes. "I know Impa, you can stop preaching to me now."

"Shut up, I am not preaching. Aria, if ordinary life doesn't suit you can always come back here and work for me again. . ."

"I'll keep it in mind,"

"Back to the business of your replacement, Aria. Which of us is most qualified for the position?"

Aria thought long a hard for a moment. "Most qualified would be either Dune or a fellow named Detsu. I don't know him that well, he keeps to himself a lot."

"Dune Is at Summer-Fell," Impa commented, "Didn't want to be an active Sheikah anymore. And what do you mean you don't know Detsu to well?" She questioned, come to think of it, Impa herself wasn't too familiar with the name, and she knew every Sheikah by name and personal history.

"Detsu's an odd one," Khaz said, his voice even and slow. "I know its strange, what with the whole Sheikah community being more or less one big family, but this guy keeps to himself mostly."

Her eyes narrowed, "Is he trustworthy?" Generally speaking, there were no secrets between Sheikah, the complete lack of knowledge about this man unnerved her.

Aria shrugged. "I would think so, he's never done anything that would target him for treason, and I feel as though he'd be an excellent replacement."

"Who else has good qualifications?" Impa asked, praying to the three goddesses there be someone else. "You said earlier you had a few names for me?"

Aria fidgeted. "Well, yes," she began hesitantly. "But the last one is more or less Detsu's puppy. Follows him around and caters to his orders."

"What," Impa demanded, her voice taking a steely tone. Another general unspoken way of the Sheikah was the nonexistence of cliques. There were friends, certainly, but no exclusive groups, no lackeys and leaders. "Has no one found this odd, has no investigated this!"

"Of course we've investigated, Impa," Khaz sighed. "But it ended empty handed, he's clean, and so is his friend. It's hard spying on spies."

"Aria, is there anyone else?"

"I'm sorry Impa, it never occurred to me that you'd reject Detsu. I didn't think you'd react to him this way."

"Aria, I'm gonna ask you to take back your resignation. Just until the next time I find my way back here," Impa said apologetically.

Aria looked cheated. "What!? Why me! Can't you just put Khaz in charge!"

"Don't be stupid Aria! No offence Khaz," Impa began.

"None taken,"

"Khaz is a fighter, he's not a tactician, he's not a diplomat, and he has very little in the way of prime leadership traits, you know as well as I do what we look for in a leader."

"Then why don't you stay!" Aria demanded, "You the true leader for Dins sake! I'm just a substitute!"

"You know why I can't stay, and I know this isn't what you want but these are hardly the days where we can be picky in what we do. We are on the brink of war, every day Ganondorf's hounds nip closer to our heels, and you are right, I am the leader of the Sheikah. And in my absence you will act as my second. Do you understand,"

Aria lowered her gaze, "yes, Impa," she hissed between her teeth. "perfectly,"

"Khaz, you will still be Sheiks new care-taker, and keep an eye on Detsu,"

"Yes, Impa,"

Impa gritted her teeth at Arias smoldering expression. "If you can convince Dune to take over the position, then you have my blessing to leave the caverns. But only Dune, if she won't replace you then you remain here. Understood?"

"Yes Impa." Aria said, her expression softening.

"Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to find Sheik and say goodbye," Impa turned her steely gaze on both of them one last time before turning away and leaving the room.

Aria sagged and fell against the desk in the corner. "Farore, that could have gone better," she muttered angrily. "But I don't see why she has such a problem with Detsu taking command, it's not like he'll be her replacement,"

Khaz only grunted in reply. The truth was, he didn't trust Detsu, and if it didn't violate everything he'd been taught from birth, he would seriously consider putting a dagger between that mans ribs one dark night.

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The ebony stone surface of the doors is cold and smooth against the flesh of my palm, but it swings open surprisingly easy. I stand a moment without moving as I take in the interior of the temple.

It looks like . . .

The temple of time. . .

I step inside, the polished white stone seeming unnaturally bright when compared to the stone used for the walls outside.

I look at the altar, where the three stones go, and the secret door behind it.

It's different, it's not the temple of time, I'm not sure what it is, but it is similar the one in Hyrule, very similar.

I walk up to the smooth stone altar and look down at it.

There's nothing there. No holes for the stones, no patterns or inscriptions.

I look at the walls, and the floor, and ceiling. . .

It's all the same white stone, and nothing else, no details, no decoration, no creases. Just plain, smooth, white stone.

I growl inwardly at the temple.

What kind of joke is this? What kind of temple is this? Why would my dreams take me here, and not somewhere more imaginative?

Stupid temple.

I sigh and fall roughly onto the floor, my skirts flowing around me. It's nice to be a girl again.

I lean my back against the cool marble of the altar.

Then I promptly begin to hit the back of my head against it, only just hard enough for it to hurt.

And why not, there was nothing else here, I don't feel like I'm gonna wake up any time soon, and I'm tired of thinking about my twisted little life.

"This is just a suggestion, but I don't think hitting your head like that is gonna do anything good for you,"

Farore!

I leap lightly to my feet, courtesy of Sheikah training, and spin on the voice, which came from behind the altar. A hundred questions and accusations roll through my mind and sit on the tip of my tongue, and my body instinctively goes into a fighting stance, ready to evade or attack instantly as I needed it.

And then everything freezes.

Time stops.

I take in the green forest wear, and hat, the blue eyes, the blond hair, his head cocked curiously to the side, his mouth turned up in a mischievous grin.

My stance loosens.

My mind becomes devoid of all thought.

It's Link.

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A/N – Chapter two done. Hope it was good, review and let me know what you thought. See ya next chapter.

Ciao