Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Zelda Franchise... I wish I did.
Chapter 34 - Bloody Tears
Glancing left and right at the large empty hallway outside the room, Sheik took a hesitant step forward. In the eerie silence in the wake of his last action, the blond felt like the walls themselves have eyes and each one of them is staring with a fixated glare toward him; always watching, and waiting as if the small pockets of shadows in the corners could turn into an imminent threat at any moment.
Wearing his experience around himself like a blanket, Sheik just allowed his cold-hearted indifference toward the disgusting bastard he just slew to wash away from his expression. Instead, he took a meek semblance to his face, bracing his hands onto his arms, as if he was a scared and hurt child, feeling from the cold air brushing onto him.
Pushing his legs in a hurry, the lean blond quickly crossed the tiles of the floor, making his way toward the set of stairs, hoping that he could count on luck to pass by the guards onto the entrance of the dungeons.
As in an unexpected blessing, Sheik managed to run down the stairs without getting even a glimpse of a guard or a soldier. A sense of eerie strangeness began to graze onto the Sheikah's consciousness.
In days long past, those halls have never felt this empty. At the time, one or two guards would always sneer or growl at him for running around the place, showing their distaste for the Sheikah that he was. As much as it annoyed him to be called out by those people, he still felt a little sense of right, even if lacking, the castle felt defended.
And for that, Sheik can't help himself but feel off about the state of this place. Would Ganondorf ever allow his fortress to feel this abandoned, this vulnerable?
This line of thought is almost enough to make the blond stop and reconsider his actions at the moment. To reach for the darkest corner of the walls and hide within the shadows to see for himself what is truly expecting to meet his steps ahead.
Yet, despite all of this, despite his years of experience telling him that something is clearly very wrong, Sheik kept pressing forward. Guided by the need to complete his mission, his need to see for himself if the deepest feeling in his heart is right; to see if he can save even a piece of goodness that may live inside that person.
Rushing off the second set of stairs, Sheik felt his eyes glued to the unguarded door leading to the level below. His worries and attention were completely ignored at the sight of those heavy double doors.
"You!" Someone shouted from the side. Their voice was loud and straight; powerful enough to make Sheik flinch and stop on his steps. "Who the hell are you?" Growled a heavily armored soldier, a man clad in iron from head to toe, with only the heated glint of his eyes getting past the small visor of his helmet.
The blond gave a small glance to the door on the back, biting his lower lip at the annoyance presented in front of him.
"Are you deaf? Or just daft?!" The man bellowed, clenching the hold on his spear as he leaned menacingly toward the blond in front of him.
Running his hand down to his right leg in an unconscious spasm of his muscles, Sheik expected to feel the hard texture of one of his daggers, only to silently curse at himself and his luck after getting a reminder of his overly revealing state of clothing.
Glancing left and right, he debated with himself what to do. Should he display himself as a meek and confused boy; play the scared little bird to try to dissuade the man. But then, the man's boorish tone of voice conveyed a very different disposition from the late chancellor, perhaps leaning in that direction would simply escalate things into a worse state.
Taking one small step back, Sheik almost considered making a dash around the man, hoping that he could evade the reach of the soldier's spear and evade his grasp altogether.
However, before he could elevate the man's suspicion even more, a second soldier came from around the corner. He didn't look surprised or confused by the sight before him, instead, this soldier marched directly toward them and stopped right by their side.
"Captain, you are requested to lead the second patrol at the front gardens." The soldier, a raven-haired man that has only a breastplate and leg guards of his armor, relayed with not a stutter in his voice.
The taller man, dressed in full heavy iron turned to the side with a loud clank of his armor. "Who you might be?" He said in the same condescending voice he has previously tossed at Sheik. "The last I remember; no captain takes order from a mere foot soldier." He finished with a pompous huff.
Bowing respectfully, the raven-haired soldier sighed. "Captain." He started again, this time he raised one hand and tapped the silver-colored insignia in the shape of a bleeding rose nailed at his breastplate. "You are required to lead the second patrol at the front gardens. With post haste." He finished, his expression almost daring the other man to protest again.
A few distressed and very annoyed grunts and snorts escaped the taller man, his helmet-covered head turned from the soldier to the blond a few times before he cursed quietly to himself and marched away with his heavy steps making quite a lot of sounds across the floor.
The other soldier turned to face Sheik and gave him a short angry look. "I bid you a goodnight, sir." Then he turned on his heels to leave.
More than slightly confused at the exchange, Sheik felt that same feeling that something is very much wrong with this castle today. And yet again, his need far out weighted his caution. So, he turned his attention back to the door and ran without caring if people saw him.
The faster he can get in and out, the better it will be for him.
Or so, the Sheikah thought.
The echoing sound of heavy doors slamming against the wall came crashing onto Link's senses. It made him jolt awake, his limbs twitching and pulling in shock, instantly making his body tremble in pain.
It hurts; everything in him hurts. Even the act of raising his head feels like torture.
He tried to open his eyes and got dazed by the wave of blurry images in front of him. Giving a lazy shake of his head, he tried to fix his sight, but opening both eyes again almost made him sick.
Pressing his cracked lips together, he felt the subtle taste of iron on his tongue. The taste of dried blood was still present in the corner of his mouth. When one almost unbearable itch manifested itself on his right eye, he tried to quell the insufferable feeling, only to feel the heavy restrains of chains still holding his arms up in the air.
Opening his mouth to growl in frustration, only a soft and weak sigh escaped him. Then, feeling annoyed at the darkness of his closed eyelids, he mustered his courage to open his eyes again; this once, one at a time.
First, he opened his itching right eye and felt that sickening urge again, the blurriness making him dizzy. However, as he tried with the left one, he felt his sight adjusting to the barely lighten room around him.
It was enough to make him sigh again and sag tiredly onto his bonds.
Looking up with a bit of effort, he saw the heavy binds clutching at the base of his hands, holding his upper members onto the ceiling. With a gaze downwards, he noticed the same amount of restrictiveness, but the chains are a lot longer on the floor, allowing him the privilege to stay on his knees, rather than hanging up in the air like an animal ready to be cut open.
Once again his ears twitched as a loud sound came from outside, echoing like a ghostly chamber, spreading the eerie sound of steps like people are coming from everywhere.
In a reflex, Link pulled at his right arm, reaching for the ghost form of his weapon, only to feel a hot streak of pain at his skin where the chain is so tightly connected. He felt his breathing getting uneven the closer the steps became.
He felt dreading anticipation of what has happened before, of what can still happen now.
The small recollection of his daring words to Ganondorf made itself known to him, forcing a broken laugh paired out with a coughing fit.
"T-They… are… good." He whispered, acknowledging the skill of the Tyrant's inquisitors, and their great cruelty.
The doors to his cell clanked forcibly, the sound of the latch sliding in a rusty grind made the blond suck a sharp breath in.
As someone stepped into the room, Link felt himself recoil back. He still refused to let his gaze drift away, refused to show weakness to his tormentors. But as himself has admitted, Ganondorf's inquisitors are very good in their torment and even crueler in their creativity.
His left eye stared at the face of his nightmare's beholder, instantly a set of panic grew into Link.
He remembers that face. Despite the very large gap and failures of his memory, he very much remembers that face. He loves that face; he has grown to fear so much as a glimpse at those beautiful features.
"S-Stay… back…" He softly growled, averting his gaze to the ground or the side; anywhere but into those eyes. "P-Please… please… don't… use his face... not again."
"L-Link?!" Sheik's voice echoed against the constant whispers of Link.
Hearing the voice made Link stop and glance back at the blonde-haired person. This is his voice, it felt like his voice, Sheikh's voice. All the others, when they had come here, it was never his voice coming from them, it was always the voice of someone else. Always asking, demanding, gleefully taunting him as they poked and stabbed, rejoicing in each pain-filled scream escaping him.
Link flinched as he felt the soft touch of Sheik's fingers grazing his chin. Against his own experience regarding fooling himself on hope, he glanced upwards onto those glinting red eyes. "S-Sheik?" He asked, fearing that the person in front of him would rage in a fit of laughter, mocking his naivety once again.
"Yes, Link… It's me." Sheik replied his voice soft and caring, with a small edge of pained hesitation in it.
Breathing out a very timid sob, Link allowed his head to hang forward, leaning in against the Sheikah's hand.
"Goddesses… what did they do to you." Sheik's shock slipped out in quiet words.
Carefully he brought his hand over Link's bruised face, checking each bump and swollen spot. His attention then moved over to the closed right eye and the horrible livid scar running down from Link's forehead, down onto his eye, and onto his cheek.
"Link, let me look at you." Sheik pleaded softly, his request making the other blonde-haired man relax under his touch. He tried to study the more prominent bruises on the blonde's handsome face, but his attention was too preoccupied with the right eye to do anything properly. "Love, can you open your eye? Did they blind you?"
"No… I don't think so…" Link replied, slowly opening his right eye again, fighting the urge to close it again. "It's just blurry… makes me dizzy."
Sheik leaned closer, gently closing Link's right eye. "Keep it closed, it'll feel better. We first need to take you out of here, and then we can look at it, okay?" In an act that very much baffled Link, the Sheikah pulled him closer and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
The contact stung quite a bit, probably because of the open wounds on his skin. But the act in itself, made Link breathe such a sigh of relief that he never felt possible before. For the first time in a very long while, it felt to him as if his existence was not just a horrible mistake by fate.
"S-Sword…" Link said before coughing with his dry throat. "Use my sword." He nodded towards the large bloodstained wooden table at the back-right side of the room.
With a swift nod, Sheik stood up and moved over to the table. Link watched quietly as the blond Sheikah stared in horror at the many blades and instruments of torture laying there very much covered in blood, the dark blade included.
Slowly reaching for the handle of the Dark Master Sword, Sheik slowly began to drift away from his shock and horror. Biting his lip in frustration and anger one last time before taking his eyes away from the table, the Sheikah took the darkened weapon with him and made way to break those chains.
At this first attempt, he tried to give a few soft blows, trying to find a weak link in the biddings so he could free the other blond without hurting him. However, the first tug at the chain made Link let out a muffled scream as he bit his lips to contain his pain.
Opening his mouth to gasp one pain-filled gust of air, Link glanced at him and nodded. "Just, break them. I can take it."
Studying Link's expression for just a spare moment, Sheik gave him a nod and swiftly brought the Master Sword down in a powerful swoop. An ugly sound exploded in the room, a mixture of steel clashing against cold iron and Link's cry of anguish. With sparking flying everywhere, the darkened blade made quick work of the old metallic chains, the action making Link's body swing back and forward as his left arm dangled free from its bounds.
Kneeling over the battered blond, Sheik made sure that he had not hurt Link all over again. Seeing the Sheikah fret over him, made Link smile, even if weakly. That reaction assured the worried blond enough for him to stand up and work on the rest of the chains.
As Link wobbled forward, Sheik let go of the sword, letting it fall with a loud thud on the floor as his arms wrapped around the battered blonde's form.
"Hey… hey… It's okay. I got you. We will get out of here." Sheik tried to assure his companion, pressing light and comforting pats on the blond's back.
"S-Sheik… You need to…" Link breathed out, slightly pushing Sheik away from him.
The blond Sheikah gave him a small nod, his attention turning toward the ghost sound of steps coming from the hallway outside the cell. "It felt too easy to get here…" Sheik sighed as he stood up and pulled two daggers from within their hiding spots. "Link… I don't know if I can transport you out like I planned to." Sheik glanced over the horrendous scars and open wounds on Link's body, shuddering at the thought of putting too much strain on him. "Stay here, I will clear our way out."
Link raised his gaze just to watch as Sheik stalked out of the room with both daggers at the ready.
Taking one trembling hand up, Link tried to reach for Sheik, trying to stop the other blond. Yet, at the first movement pushing him forward, he fell on his chest, gasping painfully for air.
"Drop your weapons and surrender!" A voice boomed from the other side of the wall, more than a few sets of footsteps stomping into the hallway.
Not very long after this, the sounds of hurried steps became anew, this time paired together with the gritting sound of steel clashing against steel.
"Sheik…" Link coughed loudly, his lungs begging him to stop and rest. However, the tall blond refused to listen to his battered body.
Pressing both of his fists against the damp cold floor, Link began to push himself up, biting his lips furiously to withstand the pain wrecking every fiber of his being.
Letting out a muffled scream into his closed mouth, Link shoved heavily against the floor, forcing him onto his knees. Pushing his nerves to the limit, he unconsciously opened his right eye, bringing head-splitting dizziness onto him; forcing his body to buckle and fall on his back like a derailed piece of wet cloth.
"F-Fuuuck…" Link growled, mostly in annoyance despite the unbearable amount of pain crushing him. Wobbly raising his right arm, he stared at the back of his hand, glaring at the faint golden symbol on the pale skin. "Y-You left me here to rot… You let them do this… I don't care… I don't fucking care… But if you let him die… if you let Sheik die… I swear, I will grind the Sacred Realm into dust. Do you hear me!" He tried to scream, but his voice came out like a hoarse grunt, making his throat ache and itch.
He waited, looking at the symbol, expecting an answer or even a small miracle to descend from the heaven, a boon from the Goddesses for the one supposed to be their chosen one.
Yet, nothing came. Link kept staring at the back of his hand, and not even a fickle glint of light appeared on the holy symbol.
Growling furiously, he tossed his hand to the side, growing ever more desperate as the sounds coming from the open door became more and more agitated.
As Link tried to shuffle against his weight to try and stand up again, he felt the cold surface of his weapon against his hand. This unexpected feeling made him jerk his head to the side, instantly gazing at the bloodied darkened sword lying right next to him.
Twirling his upper body, Link turned to face his weapon, cautiously taking hold of it with his right hand. With the dark sword properly in his grip, its blade shone with a darker light, the same promise of bloodlust that has for so long tormented his nightmares and sometimes waking moments.
"Fine…" Link growled coldly, pressing the tip of the sword against the floor and forcing his weight against it. "I'll do it myself."
Fiery sparks flared in the air as Sheik's dagger clashed with a soldier's incoming sword. Spinning back in a swift twirl, the Sheikah made space between him and his attacker, to them push his left foot against the floor and spring his form forward; plunging his short weapon into the soldier's side.
The dagger screamed a metallic sound as it penetrated the hardened plate, sinking itself onto the flesh of the man's abdomen. With a roar of pain, the soldier fell to the side, clutching his freshly open wound, joining the other four soldiers lying either injured or dead on the ground.
Stepping back, Sheik wiped the sweat off his forehead, making a mess of his blond bangs. Breathing out at a slightly rapid pace, he glared at the two new soldiers running into the hallway from the entrance quite a few meters back on the other side.
Clutching the handle of his daggers in a tight grip, Sheik prepared himself for another assault, cursing his inability of clearing these enemies in a fast enough manner to give him a chance to break out with Link from this Goddesses-forsaken dungeon.
Reacting with a flinch as the soldiers ahead made a move to sprint toward him, the young Sheikah felt himself break a cold sweat when a larger figure stepped into the hallway, calling the soldiers' attention with only a small grunt.
"Why does your kind never learn, master Sheikah?!" The intimidating man said, stepping past the soldiers. "I allowed you to kill that pest and leave. I allowed you the time and space to finish your duty and… leave." Raising his right hand toward his back, the blue-eyed blond man undid the hold of his large greatsword, sliding the massive blade onto the floor as he pulled it to his side. "One warning, remember? Why ever did you not listen?"
Sheik stared at the giant sword, feeling himself gulp quietly in the apprehension of fighting against such a weapon. His gaze slowly drifted to those cold-expressionless blue eyes, getting as startled as he did the first time gazing at that familiar face.
His tongue held firm inside his mouth, he has nothing to say to such a man. Instead, he took a small step forward, firming his footing in a preemptive stance, announcing his only answer to his enemies.
"So be it, Sheikah." The blond General said with a sigh. "The horrors of war are always never-ending." His expression shifted only slightly, growing a little hardened to display the smallest hint of emotion. "Killing a child is always a tragedy, no matter how trained they deem themselves to be." His right arm swung forward, forming a powerful gust of wind as his massive greatsword propelled into position, pointing directly at the Sheikah. "Enough talk… may the Goddesses forgive your sins."
Disbelieving the audacity of the man's words, Sheik let out a furious growl and launched himself into battle.
He leaped forward and began to slide against the floor, meaning to move past the tall body of his enemy and strike from behind. However, as he got into position to slip past the General's side, the man's massive sword came crashing like a flying boulder, threatening to split the Sheikah's body in two with a single strike.
Eyes widened in surprise, Sheik raised both hands and tried to block the weapon on its path. But the difference in their strength became instantly shown to him, as his movements only made his arms pull back forcibly, almost bending and breaking his back at the horrible way his body got pushed into.
Yet, his act was not completely in vain. Instead of getting cleaved or crushed under the greatsword, he got pushed away, rolling back even if his arms almost broke from the intensity of the blow.
Whining quietly in pain, the blond Sheikah rolled to the left just at the moment to see the General almost upon him, the greatsword moments before swooping down onto him again.
Jumping to his feet, Sheik dodged to the side and leaped to try and sink his daggers into the man's exposed neck.
His movements were fast, and yet not fast enough. Before his thin weapons could get even close to the range of striking, the massive slab of steel that is the General's sword, came swinging upwards in a wind-cutting swing, this blow connecting directly onto the daggers; completely breaking one of them while sending the other flying from the Skeikah's hand.
Leaping three times away from the man, Sheik glared at the General. The man that before was already menacing and imposing, is now looking like a monolithic wall. His slightly trembling eyes grazed over the still intact dagger resting on the floor, but his first hint of movement toward it was enough to propel the General to put his sword over it and drag the weapon away.
A vivid sense of dread began to fill the Sheikah. He always felt himself superior to his opposition, only feeling threatened by the vastly superior numbers of the Ganondorf's Legion when fighting the usurper's forces. But this man, this monster in front of him feels like an impossible avalanche to stand against.
Sheik quivered even if slightly as the General took a step forward toward him, the greatsword already poised to strike at its target. The looming sight of danger made the smaller blond spike his breathing, his gaze dancing everywhere for a chance to escape, to change the turn of this fight, despite how impossible it feels.
He glanced back at the man as another loud step came closer toward him, he raised both hands in a stance to fight back even without his weapons.
Then one single step sounded from the open door to their right, it was followed by the disconcerting sounds of something dripping onto the floor. A second step came through, this time revealing the wobbly stance of Link's figure.
Pressing his left hand at the corner of the stone frame of the door, he shifted into the hallway with his head hanging low, a faint but constant flow of blood coming from the corner of his lips onto his chin that then drips at the cold masonry next to his feet.
The eerie sight of Link made everyone stop, the soldiers flinched back as if the blond man was a ghost fresh out from the grave, Sheik felt the sting of tears prickling at his eyes; the only one apparently unfazed is the General himself, whom quickly shifted his attention onto him.
"Go back into your cell, prisoner. This is not your time to die yet." He ordered with an emotionless tone, his cold blue eyes piercing Link's form.
Slowly and mechanically Link raised his head, his bruise-covered face getting only more twisted and terrifying by the flaming red glow in his eyes, both left and right, glaring furiously at the taller blond man.
Forcing his right leg forward, Link limped one step into the hallway, his upper body almost diving onto the floor. But, with a weird jerk back, his back shot straight up. Opening his mouth, a low growl escaped the pale warrior, a bulkier line of blood sliding onto his left cheek, making a small pool on his chin before falling like a large red tear onto the floor.
As soon as the crimson liquid splashed on the cracked tile, Link's feet moved like a feather. The tattered form of his grey tunic came apart as he moved like a blur onto the General, leaving only his blood-covered white shirt covering his chest. Singing the choir of a hundred horrific birds, the Dark Master Sword glide against the wall, flying straight down in a leftward slash.
Raising his arm, the General blocked the blow, his eyes clenched at the pure brute force clashing onto his weapon; his feet sliding a few inches back.
Link moved from left to right, dishing a flurry of strikes like a tempestuous sky ragging lightning everywhere.
At each strike, the General lost more and more of his footing in their fight. With every blow his greatsword blocked the more he felt himself getting pushed back.
His blue eyes traveled together with the pale blur that ducked in front of him and came flying like a feral animal lashing out with a furious lunge.
Twisting the handle of his greatsword, the General spun his weapon like a helix. Its first contact served to parry the darkened sword back, then came the second movement, as the handle settled firmly onto the palm of the man's hands, he stepped forward and pushed his arms forward, thrusting the tip of the large weapon onto his opponent.
Link twirled around in the air, slashing angrily at the incoming slab of pure steel flying his way. However, the force of the General's blow was enough to shoot Link back in the recoil of it, making the pale blond scream loudly in pain as he fell and slid right beside Sheik.
Spinning his sword to his side, the General stared at both blondes, marching forward with cold intent in his eyes. "Such a formidable force. What an unbridled fury and power." He said, pushing his weapon in their direction. "Too dangerous to be left alive." He announced as he lifted his arm for the next blow.
Groaning in pain, Link shifted in his position. He tried to stand up, but his legs buckled and he fell to his knees. He tried to raise his sword-bearing arm, but the strength put into it made him curl and cough blood into the floor.
"Link!" Sheik cried out, jumping onto his companion, wrapping one arm around the pale blond quivering back.
"L-Link?" The voice that followed was the General's, it came broken and shocked; holding too much emotion for someone that appears so cold-hearted.
This reaction made Sheik change his gaze onto the man, and shock filled him when he saw the man not only hesitate but take more than two steps back.
"S-Sheik…" Link called out with a quiet ache filled voice. "Go…"
Sheik glanced at Link, a mixture of anger and exasperation on his face. "I'm not leaving you, not again." He then shifted his hand onto one of his hidden pockets, taking out a Deku Nut onto his hand. "I don't want to do this… you are too weak, this might…"
"Do it…" Link leaned onto him, pressing his blood-stained lips onto the Sheikah's shoulder. "I… can… take it."
Biting his lips, Sheik shook his head. He desperately wanted another way out, he felt like this might hurt Link even more. But seeing the look of recollection shine in the General's eyes was all that it took for the young Sheikah to make a decision.
With one swift swing of his arm, he tossed his tool onto the wall and a bright flash of light consumed the hallway, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.
Whirled around with a powerful gust of wind, Sheik felt himself warp and be tossed into a hardwood frame; a second thud sound followed indicating that Link followed him.
Blinking furiously to adjust his eyes, Sheik noticed the small confines of a room on the second floor of Astra's shop.
"Link!" He cried, hurrying to the other blonde's side. "Link, can you hear me? Please say something."
Link coughed violently, another wave of blood escaping his lips as he groaned. "I-I'm here… Gah… I think I broke… my arm…"
"Thank the Goddesses… thank the heavens you are alive." Sheik quivered, resting his forehead on Link's chest. "You'll get better, I'll get help."
Link replied with a lazy nod, grimacing at the action. "I'm tired… so tired… of everything…" He breathed the words out and then drifted out into unconsciousness, his right hand still tightly gripping the hold of his dark blade.
Holding a steaming mug of hot tea, Sheik sat at the corner of the room, positioned just behind the curtains allowing him to watch the commotion outside the window without being seen.
From time to time, his gaze would shift to the stairs leading to the second floor, biting his lips in impatience as he waited for Astra to get down.
As soldiers ran left and right at the street outside, Sheik wondered with a worried pang in his chest how long it will take for them to start searching every house for them? How long it will take for anyone to come here?
This line of thought got interrupted when he heard Astra's wobbly steps coming down the stairs; his gaze promptly shifted to her.
Whining about the 'bloody stairs' the old woman walked toward him and pulled a chair for herself. "Those sodding rats did a number on the boy, hm?" She said with a long sigh. "Some of those wounds were very precise. Made specifically to bring pain without bleeding him like a pig. Nasty little buggers those inquisitors."
Sheik shifted uncomfortable on his seat, replying only with a low grunt.
Astra leaned over to the small table and poured tea for herself. She took a small sniff of the steam and sighed contently. "Did you know they drugged the boy?" Her question made Sheik quirk an eyebrow at her. "He was given something that alters his senses, well, mostly his sight. He woke up a few times as I worked on him, and kept confounding me with you. When I spoke, he got angry and kept telling me to get away." Astra took a long sip of her tea and shook her head. "Got a good hunch that they tortured him while he saw your face on theirs."
"How…?" Sheik growled quietly but very much angry. "How did they know to use my likeness?"
"Don't think they were aiming at you specifically." She shrugged. "Can't say I know much about their mumble-jumble crap, but they probably forced him to see someone he cared for; hence, your face."
"Goddesses-thrice-damned monsters." The Sheikah growled, setting his mug down to not throw it at the wall in a fit of anger.
"Quite right… and noisy monsters at that," Astra said softly, perking at the young man at her side. "It won't take long for them to come to ferret their way in here."
"I know… we won't stay long. Just need to arrange some way to slip out of the city without getting caught." Sheik sighed, pushing the chair back as he stood up. "I'll check on him."
"You do that, kiddo." The old alchemist nodded softly, sipping on her tea a bit more.
"Astra…"
"Hm?"
"Thank you, for taking care of Link." Sheik gave her a small bow of his head, his hardened red eye shining with a grateful light.
"Bah, don't paint me in a saint's light." She chuckled. "Like I said before, if our supposed hero were to die here and now… well, we are all fucked."
A small smile played on Sheik's lips, he gave Astra another grateful nod before leaving to the other floor, the aged woman's eyes followed his steps, her expression shifting into a troubled one when the youngster couldn't see her anymore.
"Link…" She sighed, setting her cup down on the small table. "What a sodding cruel world we live in…"
"Link?" Sheik called out as he entered the room, his eyes going to the pale blond man lying on the small couch next to the closed window.
"I'm awake…" Link said, turning to look at Sheik. A thin smile appeared on his lips as he saw the blond Sheikah. "It's really you this time, right?"
"Yes, I am… me." Sheik replied with a small smile of his own.
"That other person said the inquisitors drugged me… that they made me see you in everyone's faces." Link sighed uncomfortable, shifting on his spot. "They also said I'll stay like this for at least one more day, until the effect wears off."
"Is it so bad?" Sheik said without thinking. "Seeing me everywhere?"
Link laughed softly, the motion making him hiss in pain. "Well… I won't complain about it now. But before it was… not very fun."
The Sheikah wore a guilty expression, kicking himself mentally for the tactless comment. Carefully moving closer, he crouched next to Link, taking the pale blonde's hand onto his own. "Sorry, my words were very insensitive."
Link shook his head, holding his right eye closed as he gave Sheik one affectionate glance. "I don't mind… I like hearing your voice." As Sheik smiled at him, his own lips parted in a soft grin. "Don't you regret it?" He asked.
Sheik gave him an odd look, tilting his head to the side. "Regret saving you? No, I don't."
Link gave a small shake of his head again. "Not that… you… you called me, love. Maybe it was the wake of the moment, the shock of that horrid place. So, do you regret it?"
Pulling a bit back, the smaller blond looked to the side. He weighted in his head the meaning of his words, and the look on this man's face. He looked deep inside him to search for a proper answer.
After a small moment of silence, he leaned back and shook his head quietly.
The grin on Link's lips grew into a proper smile. "Then, you believe me? You believe that I am Link?" His voice full of hope.
"As… as crazy as this sounds even to me… I think I do." Sheik's expression turned a bit more serious. "You are different in a few ways. There's anger and darkness in you. I saw it, it made me terrified. But there is also that light, the light that makes me… It made me believe in you. I don't know how or why, but you are Link, another half of the same person I…"
A soft chuckled escaped the pale blond. "He won't like it." He glanced at Sheik with another grin. "My other self, he won't like this one bit. Are you going to tell him?"
"You think I should?" Sheik asked, more to weigh his opinion of this Link than a proper request for a piece of advice.
"I think you should." Link sighed, shifting his gaze to the wall. "I… I can't remember a lot of things anymore. They are mostly blurry ghosts inside my mind. However, there are a few things that I can never forget… You are one of them."
Sheik couldn't help but smile at those words.
Link then continued. "Ganondorf is another… But mostly, I cannot forget, myself. We live the same life in such a different way. I see his memories in my dreams, I know how he feels because most of the time I feel the same. Sheik, I hate lies, with a passion. If you don't want to hurt that imbecile, don't ever keep things away from him."
Despite frowning at the name-calling, Sheik nodded at Link's words. "He'll be angry with me. I came here without telling anyone…"
A peal of broken laughter flew from Link, accompanied by a few small cries of pain. "Ohh he is going to be livid. That will be hilarious to watch. Imagine the depth of his words when he starts to cry out like a baby in a tantrum."
"Stop that," Sheik growled, swatting softly at the other blonde's arm. "You two have to stop with this. When you are together, you lose yourselves in this horrible state of trying to harm each other. I can't take you back if you can't promise me that you will behave."
"I… am very tired Sheik. Of him, or this fight." Link sighed. "You don't have to worry about me. Ho-we-ver… keep in my that I still have fangs. If he tries to bite me."
"He won't." Sheik said flatly, doubting his own words but not letting it show. "Love…" He called softly, his words making Link smile like a happy fool. "We have to leave; they are searching for us everywhere. Think you can move?"
Link shrug. "Not much… but I have an idea. Do you have your harp?"
Sheik nodded slowly, with a small frown on his expression. "It doesn't work like that, Link. Only the Ocarina of Time can be used like that."
A bright but tired smile appeared on lips blood-stained lips. "Do you trust me?" The blond Sheikah nodded slowly. "Then go take your harp, I'll help you."
Still unsure of Link's plan, Sheik obliged and stood up to run down and bring back his harp.
Link waited until Sheik walked out of the room to try and get up. He cried harshly in pain, tears sliding down his cheeks as he forced his body to sit up. Hissing and groaning with a coarse voice, he managed to straighten his back and sit properly.
Breathing in and out, Link hung his head down, exhausted by the simple act of sitting. His eyes then trailed to the side, catching the sight of his sword resting against the wall, the darkened blade still very much stained with his own blood.
Leaning to the side, Link reached for it and took the handle in his left hand. Placing the weapon on his lap, he leaned back and waited until Sheik came back into the room.
"I had my harp with my other clothes, but as I told you this will not work like the Ocarina of Time." The blond Sheikah said flatly. Noticing the weird look on Link's face, he tilted his head and frowned. "What?"
Link chuckled. "Nothing… It just baffles me how beautiful you are." His smiles grew as Sheik's face turned a little warmer. "The clothes would not be my first choice, but they do a good job of showing your pretty legs."
"Shut up, I'm not dressed like this by choice!" Sheik cried, making the other blond laugh again just to curl in pain. "That serves you well, teaches you to laugh at people."
"How cruel of you, my love." Link grinned, only to get smacked in the leg as Sheik walked over him.
"Here is the damn harp, what do you want it for?" Sheik said angrily, even if his smirk betrays his mood.
After a few more moments of mirth, Link's expression turned serious again. He raised his face, showing his closed right eye and his very open red left eye. "Please, play the Minuet of Forest."
"Link…" Sheik insisted.
"You trust me, remember?" Link smiled. "Just play it." He held on to the handle of his sword with his left hand and reach with his right one to touch Sheik's waist.
Letting out a sigh, Sheik raised his harp and decided to put his trust implicitly in the pale blond.
Brushing his fingers at the cords with care and tenderness, Sheik brought a uniform sound into the room. The harp sang a normal tune as his hand washed back, in a simplistic movement.
Closing his eyes, Sheik allowed his mind to wander on the notes of the song, his heart fluttered at the beautiful melody forming in his mind even before it came to life by his fingers.
Note by note, the Sheikah masterfully performed the melody of the forest spirits, the little balls of mischief and child-like happiness reacting to the song even with the distance, even with the miasma of evil circling this city; the spirits reacted to the call.
As the song reached its peak, the back of Link's hand began to shine with the powerful light of the Triforce.
When the last string of the harp sang its part, the light of the Goddesses began to engulf the two blonds, taking Sheik by surprise when he opened his eyes.
He glanced down and noticed Link smiling at him, with thin lines of tears sliding on his pale cheeks. "That was… beautiful…" He said softly and as the show of light surrounded them completely, he continued before they both vanished. "Thank you."
Hours after the two boys stopped making a ruckus on the second level of her shop, Astra went back behind the counter of her shop.
Having helped where she could, the old healer pushed the thoughts of them to the back of her mind, focusing instead on the very present matters of her potions.
She was separating a batch on the shelf when the bell at the front door rang getting her attention away from her chores.
"Goddesses' tits, here I thought I would have Ganondorf's lapdogs sniffling at my shop. But instead, I see a lion stalking towards me." She chuckled at the frown showing on the blond man's face. "This ought to be interesting, don't you think, cub?"
"Your tongue was always more noxious than the poisons you have on that shelf, Astra." General Eyiah growled at the old woman but continued to walk in without much malice in his steps. "Where are they?"
"Hm? Who are they dear? I'm a very old woman, my memory is not as good anymore." Astra asked with innocent eyes, which look very much sarcastic on the woman's cynic face.
Shaking his head, Eyiah stood in front of the counter, staring impassionedly at her. "Astra, we both know you are as much of an agent of those rebels as the Spymaster herself. Now, please, stop with the façade. Where is the prisoner?"
"Prisoner, heh?" She snorted. "What has that monster done to you, Leo?" Her question came with genuine care. "Have your heart died to such a state that even the boy can't soothe your pain?"
Eyiah just stared at the woman, without much emotion showing on his face. "Sheikahs are masters in the art of subterfuge. Child or not, their lot is an insidious one."
"Hah! Is that your belief? You think that whelp would be able of such a lie?" Astra snorted loudly. "I saw how he cares for the boy, you must too. Blazing hells, Leo, that chit came into the maw of the beast to save him. You must've seen that."
"I take it they are gone?" The General said simply, sighing tiredly.
"Listen to yourself, boy!" Astra exploded with frustration and anger. "Is this your path? Do you care nothing for your own son?"
Finally, a flash of emotion flashed on the man's face, his forehead twisting with a mixture of anger and sadness. "My path is over, Astra. There are no other roads to the side of me."
"And the boy?" She asked.
"It will be another sin to the pile lugging at my back." Leonhardt replied with a voice full of regret. "One day I shall stain my blade with his blood… or my son will be forced to kill his own father. This… is our only path."
With a courteous bow, the General wore his expressionless face once more and turned on his heels. Giving just a small wave of his hand, he left the shop, letting the small bell ring soundly into the quiet room.
"Stubborn cub…" Astra angrily growl. Then her expression softened as he kept looking at the closed door. "How bloody tragic is the fate of our golden lion."
Chapter End.