Chapter 9

A/N: So this time I actually have a good excuse for not getting this done. School suddenly just decided to pile it all on me at once and then of course I've got my new job taking up all my time (The only good news about that is that I finally had enough money to order all the Twilight Princess manga volumes)

But this past week was my spring break so I no longer had an excuse to not get this done. I won't lie, I don't really like how this chapter came out-and that was after I changed a few things, but this was definitely more along the lines of a filler and me just preparing the scene for all the exciting stuff yet to come.

Spending a week almost entirely in the company of one person can teach you a lot about them. True there were other masked Sheikah hanging around the various safehouses she passed through, but Agent Shields was pretty much the only person that acknowledged her like a normal human being (the bowing was starting to get on her nerves).

Agent Hope Shields was one of the only people she knew besides Eliza and Link that she could call her friend. Her bright and amiable demeanor had Zelda warming up to her quickly and that wasn't the only thing she liked about Hope.

For one, she never made her presence known unless it was absolutely necessary (until Zelda finally convinced her that friends could visit anytime they wanted to). Two, Hope knew her boundaries and addressed her charge respectfully, and three, she was skilled in many different kinds of combat. The irony of the situation was not lost on her.

Not for the first time this week, Zelda wondered about Link. Well, more like agonized but she kept that little detail to herself. She couldn't decide the pain she was feeling in her chest was due to heartburn or the thought that Link might be in trouble because of her.

Somewhere along the way she and Link had become friends. Though she denied it for a long time because she didn't want to admit that maybe, just maybe, she had mistreated him. Friends didn't threaten friends to have them arrested. Especially after said friend had saved your life. Twice.

Just then Hope poked her head through the bedroom door. "Are you ready to go? Got everything packed?"

At her quick nod, her bodyguard went over to pick up her suitcase. Hope eyed her nervously for a moment before speaking up. "You know . . . you don't have to be afraid of us. I know there's been some bad blood between you and the Sheikah Corps, but I promise you've got nothing to worry about, our job is to protect you."

Zelda turned away. "But why do you protect me? You, the Yiga, Ganondorf, you all want me for something. I'm guessing for the same reason. So until I know why, to me you're just as suspicious as the Yiga."

"Impa will tell you everything when we get there," Hope promised.

And with that she headed downstairs, Zelda's suitcase in hand.

Her train ride to the Sheikah base was quickly becoming a frustrating experience. All too easily she would find herself lulled to sleep by the movement of the train- only to wake up a short time later with an urgent need to use the restroom for varying reasons.

As she got up and headed into the tiny bathroom for the ninth time in a row she wondered if she should just spare herself the embarrassment and take up a permanent residence there.

She frowned at the ever-growing bump on her stomach, which was growing increasingly difficult to hide even with loose shirts. The possibilities for being in this condition were endless. A tumor? An allergic reaction? A lack of lactose enzymes? A passing thought caught her attention. Could I be . . . preg- No. Surely she'd remember that happening. Perhaps she'd been exposed to something by the Yiga that was made to encumber her? Unlikely, but possible now that she knew that they'd had a hand in her upbringing.

She started as she heard Hope's voice call through the door. "We're here at Dueling Peaks Station and you should probably get some tougher shoes on because we're walking the rest of the way."

Great. Here comes the heartburn. Sighing, she headed out of the bathroom and passed Hope as she made her way back to her own booth and dug through her luggage, and pulled out sneakers to exchange for her flats.

She was thankful as she stepped out of the train and into the train station that the Sheikah accompanying her were undercover. The Sheikah rarely ever showed their faces in public and having three people decked out in Sheikah stealth suits guarding one woman just begged for people to notice.

Her companions moved quickly though, picking up the luggage and leaving out the back of the station to begin the long hike Northeast toward two mountains whose peaks leaned toward each other.

"Dueling Peaks." Said Kai, one of her bodyguards. "That's our destination. Well, not there specifically but-"

" -Underneath it." Hope finished. Seeing her apprehensive look, Hope reassured her, "Don't worry, the Sheikah caverns aren't as dark and gloomy as they sound. We can keep you safe there."

And by safe you mean held hostage. Not for the first time that week, she wished that she knew why her existence was such a big deal to all of the most significant people in Hyrule.

They continued their hike towards the base of the mountain, Zelda's breasts starting to ache with each step they took. By the time they reached the stream running between the bases of both mountains, she felt like her lungs had disappeared entirely.

She swallowed her pride as Hope offered her an arm and the four crossed the stream to the left side where a seven-foot tall ledge jutted out from the inside of the mountain.

"Be ready for when I jump," Hope says.

Before she had any time to process this, Hope crouched slightly then gracefully leaped up into the air and touched down on the ledge in an instant. Though it went quicker than a blink of an eye, Zelda's churning stomach reminded her why she didn't like sudden movements.

Behind them, the other two Sheikah made the jump effortlessly. Haru, the final member of the group, a quiet, thoughtful woman, walked up to the side of the mountain and used her finger to trace something on the wall.

Considering all she'd seen, Zelda knew she shouldn't be surprised to see the side of the mountain open up in a flash of glowing blue swirls. Hope gestured for her to go inside, taking away her momentary shock and sent her a grateful smile as she and the others followed suit.

Stepping in, she was met with a winding staircase that broke off at some parts and headed in other directions. She noticed they were made of the same material as Link's glider, earth-colored metal inlaid with a mysterious blue light. What . . . . what is this? She thought as the four of them made their way down the stairs.

She was so lost in thought that when Hopeplaced a hand on her shoulder she nearly had a heart attack.

"Stay focused." Her bodyguard informed her, "We're nearly at the heart of the city." She gave Zelda an excited grin. "You'll definitely want to see this."

Heed her advice, Zelda looked ahead and could hardly withhold a gasp at the sight before her. They had walked into a truly epic cavern that stood at least 200 ft high, with enormous stalactites hanging down and the cavern itself seeming to be around 100 miles wide. Green and blue mushrooms and algae, fungi and mosses of every kind were growing everywhere, their bioluminescence giving the cavern an eerie glow.

But what surprised her the most was the city that lay in the midst of it, alight with that same strange blue energy. She looked just across from her and nearly screamed. It was then that she noticed the strange, glowing jellyfish-like creatures floating through the air as if they were underwater.

"They're called Bari," Hope said, noticing her surprise. "They used to be a more common sight around other caves and bodies of water but the expansion of civilization has caused them to go hiding deep underground."

Zelda blinked, recognizing the name, having read about them in the Book of Mudora. "But how did you find them?"

Hope gave her a wry smile. 'We Sheikah have a knack for seeing the unseen. Now c'mon, Chief Impa is waiting for us."

She nodded dumbly, still in awe of the hidden city as she was led to one of many glowing blue platforms encased in thin bars of glowing blue energy. As they began to lower down on the platform she realized it was an elevator of some kind.

As they touched down to the cavern floor she felt as if she had taken a step into both in the past and the future looking at the hidden city. The buildings themselves looking like something out of medieval Japan mixed with the telltale glow of the mysterious blue energy powering the street lights and house to give it a futuristic tint.

She followed Hope and the other Sheikah through the winding streets toward a lone mansion encircled by a moat and backed by waterfalls. She guessed this was probably where Impa was.

They were halted in front of the bridge leading up to the mansion by two guards who, judging by the stony looks they were giving her, took their job very seriously. Haru went up and spoke to them quietly. Zelda couldn't hear what she said to them but the curious look they gave her afterward was enough to make her wonder what Haruhad told them.

Nerves caused her nausea to rear its ugly head as the massive doors of the mansion were opened for them and she forcibly had to swallow back the bile in her throat as they headed up the steps.

The Sheikah they passed by stared with wide eyes and whispered excitedly as Zelda held her head high, determined to make a good impression and not look like she wanted to vomit.

She let out an audible sigh of relief as they finally headed into a low ceiling room where a tall, imposing Sheikah woman with silver hair sat upon a mound of pillows. The Sheikah accompanying her wordlessly sat down on a mat on the floor and Zelda followed suit despite her weary body's complaint.

The silver-haired woman dipped her head slightly at Zelda. "I am Impa Kuros, Chief of the Sheikah. Welcome to the Hidden city, your grace, Hyrule truly is blessed now that you walk among us again."

Your Grace . . . . who am I to these people she thought, recalling that the strange hermit Serhild had called her that too. The Yiga . . . the Sheikah . . . Ganondorf Dragmire . . . they all seemed to want her and this . . . power the Yiga leader seemed to think she had. She wanted answers . . . but deep down she admitted she was afraid of the truth.

Seeming to sense her apprehension, Impa reassured her. "I know this is all very sudden, but let me assure you that we are entirely dedicated to ensuring your safety, Zelda Lorule."

Zelda tried to keep herself from scoffing."I've heard that a million times, what I want to know is why."

She spread her arms in emphasis. "Why does a secret race of elite ninja care what happens to one person. No, why does the entire world care about what happens to me?"

Impa regarded her silently for a moment then said, "Because with your power one could reshape the world."

Zelda stared at her, confusion evident on her face as she tried to piece things together. "The Yiga said that too but . . ."

"To go into depth now would be too overwhelming, but just know that it's what is growing inside you and the power they will one day wield that Ganondorf and his Yiga covet."

Impa gave her a knowing look. "I'm sure you've come to realize what that means by now."

She did, didn't she? She started looking at her health in the past couple of months in a different light, and suddenly the truth she'd been avoiding for so long became clear.

"I'm pregnant, aren't I?"