12. The Truth Will Set You Free

"Time passes, people move. Like a river's flow, it never ends..."

"The flow of time is always cruel. Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it..."

"It is something that grows over time, a true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes even stronger over time. The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go..."

Sheik had said some weird things over the years, but they had all stuck in Link's mind. True, most of them had been said in the context of one of the legends he told from time to time, but sometimes he looked right at Link when he said these things.

That meant something, right?

zzz

Time really did pass, and people really did move. For one thing, Ruto left. Link did something to her, and Sheik did something to her, and none of the three of them would ever speak of it.

Though it was likely that Ruto thought they were both gay now.

As his eighteenth birthday approached, Link started getting impatient. Soon, very soon, he would be free.

Freedom!

Sheik too, would be free soon, and though he was excited, he seemed subdued about it. It was kind of weird. As though he didn't want to go home. Which, since Link still knew almost nothing about Sheik's past, was entirely possible.

Of course, as soon as he got out, Sheik had a girl waiting for him.

His "guaranteed lay."

Link had to remind himself not to be bitter about that. He knew now he was jealous of the girl, not Sheik, but...

Still, Link was excited. He couldn't wait to leave. To see the forest again. The absence of it wasn't slowly killing him like it had Mido, but he still missed it.

But soon. Soon...

zzz

Good behavior. The words rang in Link's ears. Good behavior.

That was what the powers-that-be were giving as the reason for Link and Sheik's early release, but the boys both knew the real reason. Mido had been going mad, dying maybe, and Link and Sheik had been responsible for both his release and the capture of the man who'd stolen his fairy, an act that amounted to kidnapping. That was reward-worthy.

And so, both boys were getting out in spring, more than a month early for Link, two months for Sheik.

They left their room together, for the last time, and couldn't help pausing in the doorway and looking back.

Sheik's bed, missing a bedpost and with his name carved into the headboard; he'd re-carved it every time they'd moved into a new room.

Link's bed, much less battle scarred, but still bearing marks of use.

"One thing," Sheik said. "Wait here." He crossed the room, pulled a nail file out of his pocket, and deftly carved Link's name onto his headboard, with the Triforce just beneath it. "Much better," he said with a smile. "We can go now," he started to walk past Link.

"Wait," Link put a hand on Sheik's shoulder. He looked him in the eyes. "What happens now?"

They looked at each other for a moment, but Sheik broke his gaze away first.

"I...don't know."

zzz

Bonanza did the honors, meeting the boys as they walked out the door. She squealed, jumped up and down, kissed them both, and insisted on taking them shopping.

This was a good plan, since Sheik's only clothes were his Sheikah ninja outfit, and all Link had was a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the bin. Of course, Sheik was the only one with any money, but he was more than willing to buy Link some things.

Eventually though, it got late and Bonanza had to go.

"You guys going home?" she asked.

"Eventually," Sheik said uncomfortably.

"Yeah, I guess," Link said. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go."

"Take care," Bonanza said. "And visit often, 'kay?"

"Sure."

"See ya."

The boys stood outside the store for a few moments after she left.

"Well," Link shifted his bags from one hand to the other, "I should get going if I want to get to the forest before dark..." He didn't want to go. He didn't want Sheik to let him go. He would have screamed "Stop me!" if he'd had the power.

"Wait," Sheik said.

Link stopped. "Yes?"

Sheik rubbed his arm. "Link, will you...come with me?"

"Come with you?" Link repeated. "Where?"

"I- I got a hotel room for a couple days since I don't really feel like going home just yet." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Impa doesn't know I got out early so..."

"What about your 'guaranteed lay?'" Link was rather proud that he managed to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"Oh, well, I don't have to do that right away... I just don't want to split up yet, you know?"

"Yeah. Yeah I do know." Link smiled. "Okay, I'll come."

zzz

The motel Sheik had the room at was small and nondescript. Not exactly the type of place for a romantic getaway, but not the kind of place that rents by the hour either. The room itself was small, but clean, and had just the one bed, a queen.

"Nice place," Link said, because he didn't know what else to say.

"It'll do," Sheik said. He walked into the room, and froze as he realized what he'd said. "I mean, um..."

"No, it's okay..." Link shut the door, but stayed near it. "Hey, your lay is why you got this room, right?"

"Sorta..." Sheik rubbed his arm and hunched his shoulders. "Link...there's something I need to tell you."

"Oh?"

"I've been lying to you."

"Yeah, I'd sort of guessed that."

"But...I doubt you've guess just what I've been lying about." Sheik took a deep breath and turned to face Link. "Link...my guaranteed lay...is you."

There was a long silence. Years seemed to pass before Link could remember to breathe, much less form words.

"Sheik..." he said, dreading what would come next, "I'm...I'm not..."

"I'm not either," Sheik interrupted.

"But- but you just said-"

"I'm not gay." Sheik took another deep breath. "I'm a girl."

Sheik raised a hand, the hand he had the Triforce tattooed on, in front of his face. A bright light filled the room, temporarily blinding Link, and when his eyes cleared, instead of the young Sheikah man he had known for so long, he saw...

She was small, but curvy, with Sheik's soft straight blond hair, ocean blue eyes, and a pale oval madonna face. Sheik was beautiful.

"Damn," Link muttered. "Wow. You- you're... Wow."

"What?" Sheik looked down at herself. "It's been awhile since I've seen myself like this, do I look all right?"

"All right?" Link repeated. "You look better than all right. You look damn!"

She laughed and blushed prettily. "You really think so?"

"I really really do."

And then there was nothing more to say. Sheik rubbed her arm again and Link shuffled his feet. They both looked up at the same time, then looked away quickly after their eyes met.

Finally, Link had to speak. "So...so what did you mean when you said I was your guaranteed lay?"

"Oh, well," she laughed nervously and looked at the floor. "I thought that was kind of obvious. I- I know it might seem strange, since we've been friends for so long, but I just figured you'd be so horny that I'd have no trouble talking you into it, even if you didn't really want to."

Link slowly began to walk toward her. "Sheik...I can say honestly that there is nothing I have ever wanted more in my life, excepting one."

"One? What one?"

"Look at me," Link said.

She did.

"I've been wanting to tell you this for years." He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I love you. More than as a friend, I love you as a woman. I consider the fact that you are a woman a bonus."

Sheik laughed, that same laugh Link had always adored, if a bit higher pitched. "I really confused you didn't I?"

"You have no idea." He leaned his head toward her, closer, closer, until their breaths mingled. "But I forgive you," he murmured.

Sheik's lips were trembling, but she managed to whisper, "I love you too. So much. And...I'm so sorry for everything."

"I already told you," Link smiled. "I forgive you, for everything, ever."

Then he kissed her.

He'd been waiting for this for so long, and it was everything he could have imagined.

Somehow they wound up on the bed, exploring one another's bodies with lips and hands and tongues.

"Mm, ah, Sheik..."

"Mm, call me by my real name."

"What is it?"

"Zelda."

"Mm, ah, Zelda... Wait, Zelda?" Link sat up. "Your name is Zelda? As in, Zelda? As in Princess Zelda!"

"Well, yes."

Link stared at her. The princess rubbed her arm. That little gesture, the same thing Sheik did whenever he was uncomfortable, reminded Link of what was important.

"Oh hell," he muttered. "I don't really care about that, but doesn't this mean... Well, you're the princess."

"Yeah..." Zelda turned away from him. "I- I've got to go back to that...eventually. But not right now..." she took his hand and placed it on her body. "Not tonight..."

"But Sh- I mean, Zelda, I love you. I want to be with you." He looked down. "Forever..."

"Forever?"

He nodded.

"Oh Link... I want that too. So much... Oh god, I love you too!" She clung to him, near tears. "I just want to be with you until we both grow old and die... But..."

Link looked down at her, clinging ot his chest. She was so beautiful, and so sad, and he loved her so much...

Link wrapped his arms around her small trembling body. "It's okay Zel... Can I call you Zel?"

"Please do." Zelda sniffed and smiled up at him. "I've never had a real nickname before. I like it."

Link smiled back. "I'm glad." He squeezed her tighter. "It's all gonna be okay Zel. Even if you do have to go back to being a princess, it's not for a while right?"

"Right." She sat up, brightening. "Hell, Impa doesn't even know I got out early. She won't come looking for me for a couple weeks at least."

"We can spend all that time together!" Link grabbed her hand. "I can show you my old home, we can visit Bonanza, and we can..." With his free hand he trailed his fingers up her thigh.

Zelda grinned.

zzz

They stayed up late, talking and...doing other things, and throughout the course of the night, Link found out Zelda's story.

She had gone into hiding, just like it said in the newspaper, but the paper didn't know that she had gone into hiding as a boy. She and Impa had gone to a small town and Impa had told the neighbors that "Sheik" was her nephew.

But despite the impeccable disguise, Impa rarely let Zelda outside, and Zelda wanted to go outside. Now that she was a boy, she thought she'd be able to have fun and be normal. But no, she had to keep up with her lessons and stay inside.

So after only a few days, Zelda ran away.

Impa caught her fairly quickly, but she felt the need to write the King and Queen about it and recommend that the princess hide somewhere else.

Not as a boy.

And with much less freedom.

So she ran away again and broke into the post office to steal the letter.

And that's when the police caught her, or rather, him.

"I forgot about the security camera," Zelda said sheepishly. "I didn't even think a post office would have one."

"So if it hadn't been for one dumb mistake on your part," Link hugged Zelda to him, "we never would have met."

"I've never been happier to have made a mistake."

Some time later, Link asked a question. "So this is why you knew how to fight and do magic?"

"Yup. You know the stories, princesses get kidnapped a lot. I need to be able to protect myself."

"And this is why you were glad to be a natural leader."

Zel laughed. "I can't believe you remember that. But yes."

"And this is why you were reading those puberty books. And why you overcompensated when it came to girls. And why you were always so loyal to the royal family."

Zel laughed again. "Yes, yes, and yes. I guess I really wasn't that good at hiding it."

Link sat up a little and leaned over her. "What about Smith and Wesson?"

Zelda avoided his gaze. "What about them?"

"Did they know?"

"They knew..."

Link's eyes narrowed.

"But I didn't tell them! They just...knew."

"You didn't tell them?" he asked seriously.

"Come on Link! If I didn't tell you, do you honestly think I would have told anyone else? Besides, they didn't even tell me they knew until their last day. Those little..."

Link smiled, leaned down and kissed her. "Little what?" he murmured.

"Who cares?" she replied.

Later still, Link asked about the pneumonia. "That was you who broke into the castle that night, wasn't it?"

"Uh-huh. My mother wanted to tell me something on my sixteenth birthday, but the only way to see her was to break out. And then when I was coming back I had to hide from the guards and the reporters and I wound up standing in the rain for hours. Another stupid mistake, and not one I'm so grateful for."

"I am."

"You are?"

"If I hadn't been so afraid of losing you, I don't know if I would have realized I loved you."

"You've known you loved me since then!"

"Yeah."

"But...you still thought I was a guy!"

"Yeah."

"And you're sure you're not gay? Or at least bi?"

"Yes."

"Wow, I really did mess with your head."

"Yeah," Link laughed.

zzz

Much later, Zelda snuggled up against Link, not knowing and not caring whether or not he was awake. "My hero..." she murmured, then drifted off.

zzz

At 7:24 the next morning, the door to the hotel room rented under the name Sheik Nohansen creaked open. An imposing woman with silver hair and piercing red eyes stepped into the room and cast her blood-colored gaze on the happy young couple in the bed.

After a moment, the girl stirred. She opened her eyes. She swore.

"Good morning your highness," Impa said.

"Hi Impa," she said flatly.

"It's time to go home."

"Hell no."

Link blinked and sat up. It took him several moments to register where he was and who else was into the room. Then he swore too.

"Um, sorry Miss Impa," he said afterward, pulling the sheets up over his bare chest. "It's early."

"Yes. It is. And I'm assuming 'Sheik' told you who she really is."

"Well, yes."

"Then you know it's time for her to go."

Link looked down. "Yeah..."

"What?" Zelda exclaimed. "No! No way! We only just-"

Link grabbed Zelda's hand. "You have a duty."

"But-"

"You can't run away."

"No..."

"I love you Zel."

"I love you too."

"Remember me?"

"Always."

Impa turned her back to them. "Get dressed your highness. We need to leave."

Zelda nodded slowly. "All right."

She got up and dressed, and Link pulled on his pants to fit in.

"I'm ready," the princess said sadly.

"Good," Impa turned and looked at her. She frowned. "That's what you're wearing?"

She had on jeans and a t-shirt with the slogan: 'you suck worse than the suckiest suck that ever sucked.' "I don't have anything else," she said.

"It'll do then." She frowned at Zelda's tattoo. "The first thing we have to do is get you some gloves."

"Aww..."

"Come on," she started toward the door.

"Wait, I...need to say goodbye."

Link stood up as Zelda came toward him. They looked at each other for a moment. And suddenly Zelda was in his arms and they were squeezing each other as though they never wanted to let go.

Link knew he didn't.

Impa cleared her throat, and they reluctantly pulled apart.

"Just a second," Link said. He dashed over to a corer of the room and scooped something up, then dashed back and pressed it into Zelda's hand. "Here."

Zelda looked at the object. "Your hat? But- but you love this thing."

"I love you more." Link smiled and pretended that wasn't as corny as it had sounded. "I want you to have it. To remember me."

"I..." she looked down at the hat, then hugged it to her chest. "Okay, but..." She dug pulled something out of a bag and gave it to Link. "Then you keep this."

"Your vest?" Link stared at her. "But...this is...like, your most prized possetion..."

She smiled. "I love you more."

"Your highness..." Impa tapped her foot.

"Just one last thing, I promise." She took a breath. "Link, there's something I want to tell you. Something I never told you before. You remember that time you, Ice, and Darmani were arguing about the Hero of Time and the Hero of Winds? And I said they were the same person?"

"Yeah."

"And I said his name will be remembered?"

"Yeah."

"I lied. That's not how it goes."

"Then how does it go?"

"Whenever the world is in danger a hero will be born and his name will be..." Zelda took his left hand and held it up, with the Triforce tattoo toward him, "Link."

"Link?" Link repeated, stunned.

"Link." She kissed his palm. "Promise me something?"

"Anything."

"If there's a way...if you ever think of a way... Come to me?"

"Of course."

"I'll wait for you."

She smiled, her eyes wet with tears.

And then they were gone.

Link sunk down on the bed, staring at the door.

She was gone. She was really gone.

Link looked at the back of his left hand, at the Triforce.

A juvenile delinquent is not worthy of a princess, he thought, and clenched his fist. But a hero is.