CHAPTER SIX
Heyo Heyo, my lovely readers! I'm glad that I got more reviews this time… and a happy writer means another chappie!
I would like to thank my beta, Total Romance Fan, who helped me fight my Writer's Block with her great ideas and edited this chapter.
I would also like to thank one of my readers, Daisy Bokoblin, who I can always count on to encourage me to continue.
Go check out their stories! All of 'em are awesome!
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"You idiot!" Link mentally scolded himself, narrowly navigating his way through the dense forest by dodging branches from every which way. "You've never given away your position before!"
A flash of blue caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Quickly turning his head to face whatever he had seen, his sky blue eyes met crimson red ones glaring back.
Something shone in the sunlight as it abruptly whizzed straight at him. He jumped backwards to avoid the blade, barely dodging another one that flew past his chest.
Suddenly, the Sheikah was in front of him, one hand on his tunic and the other one holding a long dagger inches from his throat. "Who are you and why were you spying on me!?" She growled.
Link struggled to think of an excuse that would buy him enough time to grab his sword. "I was... taking a healthy stroll," He lied, keeping his voice steady.
"What kind of idiot does he think I am?" She thought as she scanned over his features. "Although, he does look familiar in a way. Golden blonde hair... green clothes... sky blue eyes..." Her eyes widened and her grip loosened a little. "Who are you?" She asked quietly, her eyes still on him.
"Link," He replied, oblivious to what was happening to the woman holding the dagger to his throat.
Sheik could feel the oxygen leave her system as his name reached her ears.
This was the same boy who was Zelda's best friend. The same one whom she had hoped would return to Hyrule and to her ever since she was sixteen.
They used to write, using carrier pigeons to get the messages to each other, but one day... he didn't reply back. Everyday Zelda would look out her window, hoping to see Link riding on the back of Epona out on the fields.
She waited... and waited… and waited. For three years she waited, but he never showed.
So she went on with her life, preparing to be crowned the queen of Hyrule, but she never forgot about Link. No, there was not one day that went by that he wasn't on her mind.
"If I could trust anyone, it would be Link," Sheik thought, carefully lowering her weapon and pocketing it in her sheath. "He might have just gotten back from Termina, which means that there is a good possibility that he doesn't know that I'm an outlaw. I could tell him the truth… that I'm not the fugitive everyone thinks I am!"
"I am-" She started, but then realized that she couldn't tell him.
It was too risky.
Revealing her secret would mean that Link would want to help her out. If he was like anything she remembered him to be, he'd put himself in danger to keep her safe, just like how did with Mary... only difference was that Mary was a seven year old girl who couldn't fight back if she tried, while Sheik on the other hand could definitely defend herself.
That also meant that he couldn't find out who she really was... not yet.
Thunder abruptly cut through the skies, and lightning flashed behind dark rain clouds as rain drizzled down around them, bringing Sheik back to the present. She cleared her throat subtly, shoving her emotions in the deepest, darkest corner of her mind. "I am quite sure that was not what you were doing. You wouldn't have ran otherwise."
Link stared at her like she had suddenly grown three heads, "Who wouldn't run away after some mad women throws knives at them?!" He grimaced when his finger grazed the fresh cut on his cheek.
Sheik winced, "Alright. I'll give you that one."
"What kind of person throws knives at people anyways?" He scoffed.
"One who likes her privacy," Her crimson eyes narrowed when he snorted as his left hand started reaching for his sword.
"What's your name?" Link decided to pretend as if he didn't know her name. Now it was her turn to snort as she crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes at him.
"What? It's a normal question! Besides, you know my name, it's only fair if you told me yours," He laughed at her behavior, carefully brushing the wet blonde strands from his eyes.
"...Sheik" She sighed in annoyance.
"Sheik, huh? I once knew a Sheikah back when I was a kid..." He trailed off with an almost painful expression on his face, before it disappeared and his features eased into a smirk. "Anyways," he cleared his throat, "I was just wondering who that redhead was back at the creek. Her name was Mary, right?"
Sheik's crimson eyes flared to life, portraying anger and a little uncertainty. "Why do you care?" She hissed, instinctively going into a defensive stance.
Link almost patted himself on the back at her reaction.
He had to persuade Sheik into fighting him or else all this time hunting her down would have gone to waste.
"Oh nothing... I was just wondering why a little girl would be around a masked Sheikah?" Link started casually before raising a brow at her, "Did you kidnap her?"
"How dare you accuse me of such a cruel deed!" She snapped angrily, quickly reaching for her dagger.
'Just a little more...' Link thought, smiling internally, "Did you brainwash her? Steal her away from her family? ... Threaten her perhaps?"
He was barely able to dodge the dagger she threw at his head. The next thing he knew, he was up against the tree with Sheik standing in front of him, her eyes blazing with anger and... sadness?
He flashed her a lopsided smile before forcing her off of him. Even though Sheik was strong, Link was a great deal stronger.
"Well, well!" He chuckled as he sidestepped Sheik's long dagger, reaching over his back and unsheathing his own sword, "You're pretty good... for a women, anyways."
Blades clashed as they both glared at each other.
"Why, thank you, Kind Sir," She bit out, emphasizing each word through gritted teeth as she struggled to push him back. Catching him off guard, she side stepped and landed a sharp kick on his side, efficiently knocking the wind out of him before he came back up, brushing the hit off like it was nothing.
Her eyes narrowed in determination as she met his attack head on and tried to hit him with her own attacks, only to have them parried by his sword. "I'll admit... I thought you'd give up by now!" He grunted as their blades clashing again.
"I was about to say the same," The woman growled in frustration, trying not to be pushed over when he pushed harder. The knight pulled away and quickly spun out with his sword, nicking Sheik's arm.
Sheik jumped back and hissed in pain, grabbing her wound protectively. She glared at Link, who was trying to catch his breath.
Thunder rang out in the background and lightning flashed around them, annoying the Sheikah even more.
"How could I have forgotten that Link is an exceptional swordsman?" She thought bitterly, looking down at her palm as her blood and the rainwater mixing together.
She was surprised beyond words when her dagger was suddenly knocked out of her hand, gasping as she stared at the man who had thrown her weapon into the wet soil.
"I was hoping for more of a challenge," Link sighed, although the woman could tell he was tired out from their duel. They stared at each other for a few moments before Sheik gave a sad laugh.
"Princess Zelda was right about you, Link."
Immediately, Link blanched as a sharp pain stabbed his chest at the mention of his princess's name. "What do you mea-"
A sudden force knocked him off his feet and he landed with a painful thud as his head collided with the ground. Black spots swam in his vision as Sheik stood over him.
"Zel... da..." He whispered before everything was swallowed up in the dark.
The Sheikah quickly turned Link's unconscious body over, placing two fingers over his throat as she searched for a pulse. She sighed in relief as she felt the strong beating of his pulse.
Sheik carefully leaned him against a nearby tree and she knelt down in front of him, brushing his bangs out of his face. She gently placed a hand on his cheek, releasing a shaky sigh.
"You've waited too long for your Princess, Link."
With those words said, the red-eyed woman quickly escaped through the woods, not wanting to be there when he woke up.
Navi's head poked out from under Link's hat, having heard everything, and watched the running figure until it disappeared. "What just happened?"
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An old wooden door swung open, slamming against the wall as a fuming Sheikah stormed in.
"He just had to come back NOW!" She yelled furiously as she threw her muddy dagger across the room, which embedded itself in the wall. "Of all the times... it just had to be NOW, when I'm a wanted fugitive!"
She stared outside of a nearby window as thunder rolled through the dark skies. "Why couldn't he have come three years ago? Before Zelda was murdered? Before all of this chaos? Before I became who I am today?!"
She took in a deep breath, releasing it shakily.
"And just when... w-when I... actually began to f-forget... a-about him..."
The tears that she had desperately tried to hold back started cascading down her cheeks as her legs collapsed underneath her. Sobs racked her shoulders as she covered her face with her hands, "Why me!?" She shouted in misery. "I never asked for this!"
All the feelings she'd been holding back suddenly became too much to handle.
Her parents... the loneliness... the traumatic near-death experience... Ganondorf... Impa... the people...
Link.
The Sheikah stayed there crying for several minutes until she felt small hands grab the sides of her face, forcing her to look up at person.
Sorrowful, tear-stained crimson eyes met warm, comforting emerald ones. A soft smile spread across Mary's face as she slowly wrapped her arms around Sheik's neck.
Sheik sat there in shock as Mary continued to silently comfort her, tears slowly running down her face and into Mary's red hair.
Finally finding her voice, the Sheikah whispered with her cracking voice, "M-Mary? W-what are you doing h-here?"
Mary gently wiped her best friend's tears, embracing her again, "I've been here the whole entire time."
"... I told you to go back to the village."
"I couldn't."
Confused and concerned, Sheik gently pried Mary's arms off of her neck and asked, "What do you mean? You know the way back-"
"I didn't know if you'd come back." Mary interrupted quietly.
Sheik stared down at the little girl, not knowing what to say. She'd never been seen like this before, so she didn't know what to expect.
"I'd never leave you," Sheik smiled.
"That's also what Mommy said. She lied."
Sheik froze, her eyes widening a bit. "You've never told me that before."
Mary shrugged and then smiled, "I know. I'm happy you got all your sad feelings out, Sheik."
Sheik pulled her into a tight embrace, tucking Mary's head beneath her chin. "So you heard all of that, huh?" She sighed when Mary nodded her head.
"Don't worry, Sheik!" Mary laughed. "It's okay to shout and cry when your upset, 'cause it's bad to keep all of your feelings inside for a long time. Mommy said so!"
"Well, Mother does know best."
"You feel better now, right?"
"Actually, I do. Thank you," She embraced the little girl, who returned the hug. "You know what?"
"What?" Mary asked, looking up at Sheik.
Sheik smiled at the innocent little girl, "I'd say that you are wiser than most elders in Kakariko." The little girl beamed, "Really?" She giggled when her best friend nodded, "Cool!"
The atmosphere of the tree house was filled with laughter again as the pair lit up old lanterns.
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