Hello all again…glad you like it so far…here's the next chapter…it should be a little longer…here you go! (To clear things up, Sheik is not Zelda in this fic)
Chapter 3
(A chance to take)
Sheik watched the girl shiver. He had done everything he possibly could for her…he had nothing else to give…he had covered her up with a blanket and set her up in his bed, below deck…she had raspy breathing and her long, blonde hair lay limp around her face…her eyes slowly opened. He immediately motioned for her to be quiet.
"Be quiet…rest now. You must rest…you are lucky to be alive…" He was deathly afraid of what would happen if the captain were to find out what happened…if he knew that he had broken the code and rescued the girl…The girl squinted and coughed a few times.
"Where…am I?" she choked out, unable to hold her voice stable…Sheik made a motion for her not to talk unless he told her she could…
"You're on Captain Link's ship, the White Wolfos…I rescued you from the water…my name is Sheik…are you feeling alright? You survived the water, you are lucky…who are you? Where did you come from?" he leaned forward so she wouldn't have to talk so loud…
"Yes…I'm feeling fine now…just a little waterlogged…" she sat up in the bed, facing him with a somewhat regal attitude. "I am Zelda, daughter of the head Commissioner of Trade…I assure you, my father will pay you handsomely for my return…thank you for saving me." Sheik just gaped…of course; no one could see his expressions through the bandages he wore for clothes anyway.
"Hold on a second…did you say your father is head of trade?" he felt a sinking sensation in his gut.
"Yes, that's right…he travels with the merchant ships along this route every few days…oh!" she exclaimed, looking around. "But I am forgetting my manners…where is your Captain? Captain Link, wasn't it? I must thank him for saving me as well…" she smiled.
"No!" Sheik exclaimed…he paused. What should he tell her?..."I hope you will find your room accommodating…I would rather that you did not leave until I say you can…is that acceptable for you?" Sheik was trying desperately to sound as respectable as he could…
"Yes, that's fine…but I must get news to my father…please, will you tell him of my safety? I beg of you, I need him to know…he must be near…" she pleaded, grabbing his arm. He slunk away from her grip, pulling her glove off in the process.
"Very well…I will tell your father of your safety." He held back tears from his eyes. He dropped her glove on the ground. "For now, please rest…I don't want you to become any sicklier than you are now…" she nodded, and sank back down into the bed, giving a little sigh as her head hit the pillow.
Sheik staggered up to the deck, anyone who saw him in the market would have thought he was drunk…everyone was still asleep. But not for long…soon Captain Link would wake up and they would be on their way…
He sat down with a piece of paper and a quill pen, scribbling the note on the deck floor…it was difficult for him to see, for tears were blurring his vision. So she was the merchant's daughter…well, he would do as she wished, and send her father a message. He blinked back the tears and jotted down final things to the note, picking it up to read it once…
Dear Sir, your daughter is well…she will come to no harm…I will protect her as long as I can…I am sorry…for everything. I hope you will rest in peace with the sea…forever. Sincerely, Sheik…first mate of the White Wolfos.
He didn't have time to correct it, the day was growing nearer…he grabbed an empty whiskey bottle from the mass of ropes nearby and shoved the note inside, holding his breath so he wouldn't have to smell the awful stench of the brew. He crammed the cork into the top and threw it over the side, watching it float off into the distance…he nodded, the deed was done.
"What are you doing?" Sheik whirled around to come face to face with Link. His eyes were piercing into him; he wasn't in a good mood…as usual.
"Nothing…just listening to the ocean." Sheik knew he sounded dumb, but he couldn't tell the Captain about the girl…not yet.
"Let's get moving…maybe you should rest, you're not sounding like yourself…too much sea air." Sheik nodded dumbly, and took off the bottom deck to check on Zelda. He glanced in her direction; almost falling over himself with surprise…she was alive and well, walking around, and poking around all of his things.
"What are you doing!" he exclaimed. "You should be resting…you were in freezing water!" she laughed.
"Oh, phooey…I feel fine! Stop worrying! I don't want to sit around all day! Tell me…are we set on a course for finding my father? Did you give him my message?" Sheik was lost in thought…she was a beautiful girl…and she looked about the Captain's age…which just happened to be his age as well…
"Yes, I gave your father your message…how old are you, Zelda?" he asked, watching her carefully to make sure she wouldn't get into anything dangerous.
"I am seventeen…that's wonderful that you got my message through! And we are on a course for my father's ship? I assure you, it will be worth your while…Tell me Sheik, what sort of business do you run with your ship? Are you merchants? Or explorers?" she was very friendly…
"I suppose you could say we are explorers in a way..." he was glad she was the same age as the Captain and himself…
"Oh!" she suddenly looked frightened. "Tell your Captain to be very careful! My father and I were attacked by pirates last night! You must be careful!" Sheik felt a sinking sensation…
"Don't worry, we are completely safe from any pirates here…" he felt his mouth dry up.
"That's good…I'm glad. Do I have to stay down here? Couldn't I go up to the top deck? I really don't like it down here very much…" she dusted off her dress, and wrinkled her nose as she picked off a piece of seaweed from her blanket.
"I don't think so…not yet. Wait for my signal…maybe tomorrow…" Zelda sighed, and nodded.
"Very well…" she seemed unhappy. Sheik looked around, and spotted his treasured possession…a large chest next to his bed full of treasure. He walked over to it, and pointed down at it.
"Whatever you do, don't open this, am I understood?" he looked so serious that Zelda simply nodded.
"Alright…" she winced, lying back down…she pretended to be asleep and waited for him to leave…then she sat back up. Yeah right…no one would tell her what to do…she would wait, and then she would go…she wouldn't be contained…
Link swung over the side of the ship, letting the breeze lift his spirits a little. He was feeling better…he sat along the side of the ship, letting the rays of the sun engulf his face in their warmth. He began to hum a light tune in his head before letting it carry to his lips in a whistle. The whole crew was happy for the Captain…it wasn't often he was in a good mood like this.
Sheik was stationed at the crow's nest. He looked out over the horizon. Normally this was his favorite position, but the guilt feeling overwhelmed him…her father, her crew, her friends…they were all most likely dead…he felt as if a dark hole could just swallow him up…he sighed.
Link watched Sheik with growing interest…something was up. He knew that something was wrong, but what? He thought back…of course…the thing that he had left for dead…so that was what was wrong. He yelled out for Sheik to come there…Sheik immediately reported.
"What is it Captain?" he saluted.
"Listen Sheik…I know why you are so down lately…" Sheik interrupted.
"Captain, I can explain…" he looked scared to death.
"Sheik, please, don't interrupt. I know why you are so down lately…it's because of that thing that we left in the water…" Sheik looked surprised, but successfully covered it.
"Yes…that's it Captain." Link shifted uncomfortably.
"You know we're pirates, Sheik. It's what we do. We have no choice. You know that." He stated flatly.
"You are absolutely correct Captain. I will never question you again…" he nodded, then his eyes widened in fear. Link turned, and almost had a heart attack. A girl…a girl was standing on his deck…on his ship!
Zelda gasped in shock…this wasn't a merchant ship…this was…something else…she didn't know what to do or say…the entire crew was speechless.
"What are you doing on my ship?" Link roared, causing everyone to recoil in frightened stances.
Well, that's all for now…heh…I will leave you with this terrible cliffie…Well, until the next update! Oh! Guess what! I just got the dvd of the new Zelda preview for free in the mail…(laughs maniacally) I got two now…poor Link…but cool!
Zekoi: Yeah, I guess he is…heh. I'll keep going!
Huanir: Okies, here's your update! I hope you are getting a little bit of the gist of it…
Krazieshadowninja: ( hands Link the toothpaste) Anywho, that sounds cool. Glad you have a new friend…and yes, you were right, the girl was Zelda…
Sweetwater-Rhapsody: Well welcome to you, new reviewer! So happy to see a new face! It makes me glad! ( gives you gift basket of puppies)…if you don't like them or are allergic, you can pawn them for cash…(rubs hands together greedily)
Sapphirethewindwolf: Well, now you know how Sheik got away with it…he didn't.lol…and as for the ring…well you'll just have to wait…(smacks Link, who was in the Gollum pose stroking the ring and whispering "My precious…")…he'll snap out of it…
Goldensungeek: Oh yeah…Link is definitely evil in this one…hmmm…What's Ooc, by the way? (I have a feeling I should know, but I don't…I don't think…)Hold on…Out of character? Is that it? Hmmmm…maybe…maybe not…
Chipsdip: Thank you very much! I am happy you like it!