Disclaimer: Trust me, if I owned the company that made the Zelda games, Shiek would be a character of his own and Link would wear pants.
Artemis: Awe, fun fun. I apologize for any possible screwing up of Aryll's personality but oh well. This is my story. Nah nah, get your own. =P lol. By the way, I'm writing this story with anime like visuals in my mind, not the cartoony looks of Wind Waker.
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Chapter Three: Something About You...
It was already an hour before nightfall when Aryll and Grandma finished bandaging Link's bruises and tending to the strange man. Grandma retreated to the stove to finish stirring up the soup for all of them. Aryll sat with her hands in her lap, grinning at her elder brother in complete amusement. Subjected to her ever watching eyes and taunting grin, Link forced himself to not look at the other man no matter what.
Aryll giggled, causing Link to pout at her, It's not funny.
Yes it is, Aryll insisted with a cheerful grin.
Yeah, you can say it is. You're not the one who tumbled down a mile deep cliff.
Aryll shook her head, her eyes dancing in the fading light outside, It wasn't a mile deep cliff, Link. It was a hill...and a small hill at that. If you hadn't been ogling at our visitor, you would have noticed the rock right in front of you.
Link huffed and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms with a scowl, It wasn't a rock. It was a boulder. And I wasn't ogling' him. That isn't even a word.
Yes it is, Aryll singsonged, continuing to torture her brother with a knowing smile. You were ogling him big time!
Was not... Link grumbled, glancing at the still man. He cursed when he caught himself staring and looked away, catching his sister's smile and blushing faintly from having been caught ogling'. Aryll broke into another fit of giggles, making Link blush even harder and Grandma look up curiously at her two grandchildren. Desperate to escape the both of them, Link retreated his gaze to the window, spotting Rose looking in curiously. Her eyes widened when she realized she had been caught and then her face vanished from the window completely.
Sighing irritably, Link pushed himself to his feet and stormed outside with Aryll tagging along curiously. Sure enough, the whole island had turned up on their porch to take curious peeks inside.
ZILL! JOEL!!
Zill and Joel poked their heads nervously out from behind their mom's dress, smiling innocently up at Link.
Link scowled and crossed his arms, I thought I told you two to keep your mouths shut about the man.
Zill hopped out from behind his mom and pointed at Joel with a wild look, He did it! Not me! I didn't say anything.
Joel stepped out and scolded his younger brother, That's a lie! You ratted and you know it. Don't blame it on me!!
But he's a pirate!! Zill insisted and waved his hands around dramatically. The adults all started gasping and chattering, acting as if they had never seen a pirate before. Which was sad, since six years ago a pirate ship had docked right on the shores of little old Outset Island. Link rubbed the temples of his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. He loved his home to death, but sometimes living in such a small and secluded place did hell for one's privacy.
I'm glad you're all interested about the man, Aryll suddenly spoke up, stepping out from behind her brother, It turns out he's actually Grandma's best friend's grandson. He was on his way here to deliver a note to Grandma but a few submarines attacked him and blasted his boat into pieces. But don't worry, he's all right.
Link looked down at his sister curiously. The islanders stopped their excited chattering and let out disappointed sighs. They had been hoping for something interesting to happen, but a family friend visiting wasn't interesting at all. Put out, they all turned and started home.
But he's a pirate! Zill continued to insist, but Rose just apologized and hushed him along back to their house.
Link watched in shock, then again looked at his sister with a mixture of respect and amusement. Aryll just smiled up at him, You got to know how to detour their interest, big brother.
Yeah, I noticed, Link shook his head and turned, heading back inside with a whole new perspective of his little sister.
Inside they both stopped, shocked to find the bed where the stranger had been sleeping empty. Aryll walked over and looked under the covers as if to make sure he wasn't hiding and Link walked over to where Grandma was sitting, stitching the holes in the strange man's shirt. The white clothe with the strange sun-like pattern that had covered half the man's face was hanging over the back of her chair along with a good length of gauze that had served as bandages for the man's chest.
Oh, back already Link-dear? Grandma cooed up at him and smiled, never halting her rocking or stitching, That nice man woke up a few minutes ago. He ate his soup and was very polite. He wanted to look around but there was so much commotion out in the front that I told him to go out the back door instead.
Thanks Grandma, Link smiled and dipped down, kissing her on the cheek.
Taking a deep breath, Link headed out the back door onto the back porch after the man. Outside it had darkened into early night, but he was still able to spot the stranger. He was standing close to the wooden rail with his back to Link, head tilted back as he stared up at the sky. Link stopped and blinked in shock. A stream of blue light was coming down from the sky, washing over the strange man and making him glow. The wind from the sea blew against both of them lightly, making the man's shoulder length, platinum-blonde hair dance about him. What Link had taken for the man's pants turned out to be an actual armored body suit. All together, the man took Link's breath away.
He cautiously stepped forward, immediately seeming to alert him with even the softest step of his leather boots. The man turned and fixed Link with a ruby red eye, his left eye covered by his hair...if he had a left eye. The light that had been around him vanished and the wind stopped suddenly, surrounding them both with an eerie silence. It was almost as if time itself had frozen right then, and he had a creepy feeling that it probably had.
The man spoke, his voice deep and smooth.
Link gapped at the pretty face in stunned awe, Um...sorry if I was interrupting something just now.
The man's eye widened in slight surprise then returned to normal and he smiled, the whole action taking place flawlessly. Link had a sudden thought. Whoever this guy was, he was perfect. It was as if the goddesses themselves had taken great care when molding him.
That's ok, you weren't really interrupting anyone, He assured Link. So, I guess you saw that just now? You won't tell anyone about it, will you?
Link shook his head vigorously, looking as if the idea was appalling to him. The man seemed pleased by the silent promise, crossing his arms and openly looking Link over. Link blushed at the scrutiny, unconsciously running a hand through his hair. He was aware that he must look pretty plane to this man, not at all as stunning or perfect. In face, for a teenager he was pretty much awkward looking and clumsy.
The man stopped after a moment and fixed Link in his stare again, There's something about you...no. Never mind. I'm sorry, here you saved me from drowning and I haven't even had the courtesy to introduce myself. I am Shiek of the Shiekah people.
Link blinked, realizing he had received a name and should probably give this man, Shiek, his, Oh...I'm Link. I don't know what people I am of, sorry. And you don't need to be thankful, I didn't save you. Zill, Joel, and Aryll found you washed up on shore this morning...they should be the one's receiving thanks.
Shiek blinked, stepping towards Link, You're name is Link? Could you be...you do look a lot like him...but that was so long ago. No, you'd be dead if you were him. Oh well, it's nice to meet you Link. I am touched by your modesty. I see I've landed myself in the company of good people.
Link stood there for a moment, slightly confused by what Shiek had said to him so far. First of all, what was a shiekah? And who did he remind Shiek of? Before he could say something to embarrass himself, Aryll came out and smiled up at the shiekah man. As if on some strange clue, a few cicadas started their chirping and a light wind picked up, blowing everything slightly eastward. The silent spell had vanished and Link felt as if he had been rudely pulled from a dream back to reality.
Oh, hello. I see you're awake like Grandma said, Aryll offered her hand at Shiek, I'm Aryll, his little sister.
Shiek released Link from his gaze and smiled at Aryll, shaking her hand, I'm Shiek. Link has told me you were the one, along with two others, who saved me. I am thankful.
Oh, it was no biggy, Aryll laughed and crossed her arms behind her back, By the way, Shiek. While you're here on the island, you're my Grandma's old friend's grandson who has come to pay us a friendly visit.
Of course I am. Who else would I be, Shiek asked, obviously understanding Aryll's gist.
Aryll laughed and nodded approvingly, turning to Link and jabbing a thumb towards the shiekah, Link, this guy's a keeper so you'd better not let him run off.
Link voiced and just stared at his sister with a blank expression. Shiek laughed, a very soothing and harmonious laugh, and crossed his arms with an accusing smile, Are you implying what I think your implying, little Aryll?
Hey, my brother has never had a girlfriend. He had a good chance with that Tetra girl, but he chose to stay here on the island, Aryll defended herself. You try and argue with that.
Shiek declared and raised his arms in the air submissively.
Link watched this exchange, completely lost. All he knew was that Aryll was obviously embarrassing him again without him realizing it. But her and Shiek seemed to be on the same page while he was still lost in chapter one, so Link chose to stay out of the conversation and not further damage his impression on Shiek by saying something stupid. Sighing, Link scratched his head and gave up trying to understand either of the two people in front of him. A random rock came flying past him but Link shrugged it off, then realized that rocks do not fly on their own.
Shiek yelped as another flying' rock collided with his head.
PIRATE!! TAKE THAT!
Shiek, Link, and Aryll all turned towards the voice. Zill yelped and turned, bolting out of there before either three could retaliate. Furious at the kid for harming Shiek, Link shouted angrily at Zill and hopped over the rail to chase the little brat down. Aryll sighed at shook her head as the screams from both boys woke half the village up. Shiek just stood there and watched, rubbing his head where the rock had hit him.
I'm sorry about that. Zill is convinced your an evil pirate, Aryll tried to explain.
Shiek watched as Link tackled his assailant and gave him what looked like a rather painful wedgie, This place and these people are strange. I do not understand your culture at all. I only hope that my companion will soon show herself so that I may carry out what I have come here to do.
Aryll looked up at him, Oh...you have a friend? You were the only one I saw on the beach this morning.
Shiek nodded as what Aryll had just said confirmed his suspicions, Either she is somewhere around here or has gotten herself eaten by a fish. I personally hope it is the latter of the two.
Aryll covered her mouth to stifle her laughs at his comment, taking the man by the hand once she controlled her amusement.
Come on, Grandma has probably finished with the rest of your clothes and it's getting real dark.
Shiek nodded and followed her inside, stopping at the door to glance back at Link curiously, Will he be joining us sometime tonight?
Aryll poked her head back outside and shook her head, quirking her lips in mock disbelief at her brother's actions, Yeah, he'll be inside as soon as Zill manages to escape from him. Until then, I'm sure he'll take this opportunity to exact some long-term revenge on the poor twerp.