CHAPTER TEN.
I. AM. SO. HYPED.
ARE YOU HYPED? 'CAUSE I AM.
Now then, before we continue into Chapter Ten, I hereby dedicate this chapter to
Daisy Bokoblin and Gary The Goomba!
These two gals have had my back since the very beginning of Wanted Dead or Alive, and they also read my other stories as well! Daisy and Gary are some of the most supportive readers I know, and I love the fact that I can always count on seeing their reviews minutes after posting a chapter.
Thank you girls so much!
I also realized I never thanked all of my readers for following and favoriting. I would love to thank the readers below for favoriting...
AubreyJ, Batch03, Daisy Bokoblin, OrangeStreakedStar, RandomObserver42, Redead Knight, Saphhira, Total Romance Fan, Gary The Goomba, Xajenn8, .03, tank7063
… And these readers below for following!
AnimeAngel111, AubreyJ, Batch03, ChaoticSwordOfCrimson, CheeseMonkeys, Daisy Bokoblin, EmpurataCon, Gary The Goomba, Generala, GlamAngel3766, KPGirl1227, LooneyCat55, OrangeStreakedStar, Purplecoco1, RAF-Fire, RandomObserver42, RedLion14, Redead Knight, Saphhira, Stylin80, Total Romance Fan, Xajenn8, Your Name Goes Here, Zelda D. Wrede, .03, iranda20, sadiegirl, tank7063, thebasementdweller, tyoro2075
Phew, now that's all done and over with… LET THE READING COMMENCE!
P.S., I found out that you can change the page's wideness. That way, the story will look longer than FanFiction makes it.
(If I missed anyone, I am truly sorry!)
"Now that I've found you again, you're gonna answer a few questions for me," Link growled, tightening his grip around the woman's neck.
Struggling to take a breath in, Sheik tried pulling on Link's wrist to release the hold on her windpipe, but it was like moving a brick wall. "I can't answer anything... if I can't… breathe…" Sheik choked.
After what seemed like an eternity, Link's tight grasp lessened, but still held her against the rugged tree.
Sheik let out the breath she had been holding back, trying to gain a normal breathing pattern again before speaking. "What is it you want this time?" She sighed.
"Answers."
"... I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific."
Link sighed in frustration at the teasing twinkle in Sheik's eyes. "You said that Zelda was right about me before I blacked out in our duel. I'd like to know just what you meant by that, and how you even know her."
Sheik closed her eyes and furrowed her brows in a grimace, almost regretting saying those exact words to him. "I will give you the answers you seek… if you release me," She sighed.
Without hesitating, the knight dropped her to the ground and stepped back as she muttered, "You didn't have to drop me like that." Sheik scowled and stood so she could look him in the eye, showing that she wasn't afraid to defy him.
"I'm too impatient to give a crap right now, woman, so spill."
"My name is Sheik, not woman. Either call me by my name, or do not call me anything."
"Alright, Sheik, but first things first," Link crossed his arms, scrutinizing her every move. "How do you know Zelda?" The Sheikah rose her brow and chuckled slightly, "Do commoners not use her proper title?"
Link narrowed his eyes at her complacent tone. "Well, of course they do!" He scoffed. "Only close family and friends call her Zelda!" The fact that he hadn't noticed how she avoided the question nearly made the woman laugh.
"And you are family?" Sheik began to gather firewood, assuming that the conversation would become a longer one than expected and preferred to sitting by warmth rather than standing.
"Well, not exactly. She..." Link trailed off as he began to pick up dry sticks as well. He crouched, his bangs hiding his face and softly sighed, "... She was my best friend."
Sheik paused her actions at the strained tone in Link's voice.
"I'm very sorry to hear that."
Link whipped his now angry gaze towards the surprised Sheikah, clenching his fists on either side of his body. "Oh, you are, huh?" He snapped, his long blonde bangs covering his face again. "I find that kinda hard to believe."
Raising her brow once again, Sheik fixed the rocks and sticks she had gathered into a firepit, taking a seat next to it. "Yes, Link," She sighed, staring blankly at the flames. "I am truly sorry."
"Oh really?" Link asked somewhat mockingly before sitting across from his enemy. "Well, you still haven't answered my question."
"What question was that?"
"How do you know Zelda?"
"A lot of people knew Princess Zelda."
"Would ya just answer the stupid question already?!" Link yanked off his green hat in frustration and ran his fingers through his bangs.
Sheik blinked at the sight of the wide eyed blue fairy sitting cross-legged on the knight's blonde head. "Has she been there the entire time?"
Navi nodded vigorously, "Yeah! I heard all of your conversation… but it's not like I'm eavesdropping or anything! I honestly can't help it, y'know? It's totally not on purpose! I mean, I could go away, but I don't know if I'd be able to find you guys ag-"
A muffled "Hey!" was called out after the green cap flew back onto Link's skull.
He sighed at the woman through the small crackling fire. "How do you know Zelda?"
"... She was a companion of mine. I'm sure that you were closer, considering how she called you her best friend."
"Yeah," Link laughed almost sadly. "We've known each other for nine years now." Sheik looked away before asking, "That include the five years that you were away?"
"Yes," Link nodded softly. "We kept in touch with letters…" Suddenly, the young man leapt up and pointed a finger at Sheik. "Wait a minute!" He exclaimed, glaring down at her for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. "How did you know I was gone for five years?"
"I told you, the princess and I were companions," Sheik stared at Link as if he was wearing a court jester's outfit, but Link only stared right back at her. The woman stood and crossed her arms as a sign of defiance against his gaze, which only frustrated him even more.
"If you were such a great friend of Zelda's, how come I never heard of you?"
"Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice, Link?"
"No way, now don't avoid the question!"
"I met her after you left Hyrule."
"I said don't av-" Link paused mid-sentence and confusion swept over his features. "Wait, did you just say you met her after I left?"
The Sheikah woman nodded.
"What? How?"
"She was lonely, and we happened to bump into each other one day."
Link continued to scoff, signaling that he didn't believe her. "Oh sure, 'cause that sounds very likely."
"Fine, allow me to rephrase then; I was there with Princess Zelda when you weren't."
Link stiffened at the harsh words.
"Yes, I was there," Sheik lowered her head and watched the flickering fire with the most heart-wrenching feeling in her chest. "I was there after you said goodbye to the girl. I was with her when she would talk about you to Impa and the maids. I was there with her when you gradually ceased communication with her. I was there with her when she would watch Hyrule Field awaiting your return. I was there with the heartbroken princess after the king's death. I was there with her when the people of Hyrule were in need and she felt helpless."
The Sheikah looked up at Link before looking away once more, "Where were you?"
Link's heart trembled at Sheik's haunting words. "I was still in Termina. I always planned on coming back, I just… I... " He trailed off.
"Exactly."
The knight looked towards said Sheikah in surprise. He was certain that he had just heard her voice crack.
Unbeknownst to him, a single tear slid down the red eyed woman's cheek before absorbing into the cloth around her face. "Don't look at him," Sheik convinced herself. "You can't show weakness."
Link sighed, his shock from the speech subsiding and becoming replaced with curiosity, "Next question then."
Said woman sighed deeply, "This had best be the last one, Link."
"This was one of my first questions, but we got off topic," The knight slid his sword out of its sheath and began to clean it with a cloth he kept with him. "What did you mean by "Zelda was right about me?"'
Sheik let out a short laugh before shaking her head, "I meant exactly what I said; Zelda was right about you." Holding up her hand to stop Link from interrupting, she continued. "Her Highness said many things about you, Link. She spoke of how kind you are, and how you would never turn down a challenge. She also told me how you are very brave, but when flustered, you charge into battle instead of using strategy… which is exactly what happened last night."
"... Zelda said all those things about me?" Link asked hesitantly, scratching his neck with a small smile.
"And many more."
"Huh, I never knew she thought I was that great of a guy."
"Her Highness not only thought you were a 'great guy.' She saw you as handsome, caring, clever, reliable, and never letting the helpless go unnoticed."
Link's smile slowly began to falter, and red eyes saw the hurt on his features. "What is wrong? Are those not good qualities?" Sheik asked, turning her head to look at his reaction. The knight grinned sadly, "One of them isn't really true."
"You are too hard on yourself," Sheik shook her head, and even though Link couldn't see it, a smile fell upon her lips.
"I'd like to know something else."
"Link, I really must be going now…"
"Zelda's death."
Silence enveloped the atmosphere as soon as those words left Link's mouth.
Sheik slowly looked up into his eyes after gaining control of her once hidden emotions and spoke in the most monotone voice she could muster. "She died a slow and painful death," She whispered.
"Who killed her?"
Looking down at her feet, Sheik decided it was best to remain quiet, yet her mind was anything but silent. 'I can't say anything. Link would go after the killer, and I cannot have his blood on my hands because it was I who told him the truth. It's only best that he is kept in the dark about this.'
Sheik was yanked out of her thoughts when someone suddenly grasped her biceps and pulled her up from the dirt. The woman saw gentle sky blue eyes turned stormy grey staring into her red ones with such a raw emotion, making her heart jump unexpectedly. She didn't even know what to make of it.
"Who was it!?" Link shook Sheik slightly, gritting his teeth when she just continued to hold a blank expression. "Answer me!" He shouted, shaking her a bit more roughly this time, causing her to shut her eyes and pull her head back.
"... It was you then, wasn't it?"
The Sheikah blinked up at him, her mind still processing his words, but Link took her silence as an answer. "So it was you!" He yelled, gripping her arms even tighter, causing Sheik to feel uncomfortable with the faint pain. "No," Sheik replied calmly. "You are misunderstood, Link. I did not kill Her Highness."
"Well, if it wasn't you, who was it?"
"I simply cannot give your question an answer this time, for it is one even I do not know."
"You're lying."
"... I can honestly say that I cannot tell you," Sheik sighed. 'Well, it's not a complete lie. I can't tell him… yet I have to lie about many things.'
"Well, you seriously can't expect me to believe you, right?" Link glowered darkly, and Sheik wondered if it were possible for his grip to tighten even more than it already was. "I told her I'd come back, and what do I find when I get home? I find that my best friend and the woman I love is dead!"
Sheik gasped in shock, but not from his deafening shout.
"... You were in love with Zelda?"
"Don't you dare say that as if it was a thing in the past, because I still do, and that'll never change."
Sheik gaped at the obvious pain in his eyes, her heart nearly shattering even after all of the effort she'd put into repairing it during those two lonely years. "Her Highness is never coming back, Link."
Link laughed, his body shaking as he whispered, "... You really think I don't know that? Of course I do. She waited on my late return for five years, so it's only fair that I deserve to wait my entire life for her's."
The forest was silent. Not even the crickets were chirping anymore.
Deciding that now was her chance to flee while she could, the Sheikah jumped out of his grasp and threw a deku nut at Link's feet with lighting fast speed.
"No!" Link cried out, coughing as the smoke surrounded him like a furious cloud. "Get… back… here!"
Rushing as fast as she could handle, Sheik jumped from tree to tree as though her life depended on it. 'Why?!' She mentally screamed, throwing herself onto another tree branch. 'This cannot be happening!'
Then suddenly, the Sheikah's foot slipped from a skinny branch and sent her flying down to the ground. Sheik let out out a small gasp of pain from the slight sting in her hands and feet when she landed. "I'm not sure how much longer I can do this," The woman panted, laying on the cold dirt to catch her breath. "I don't think I can handle anymore much longer without telling someone…"
Little did she know that her thoughts would soon become reality.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAS, CHAPTER TEN IS FINISHED! I am so proud of myself!
… But if I find a mistake somewhere later on, I'm going to cry. This one seemed like it took forever! It's over two thousand words!
Okay, so I hope this chapter cleared up a few things with Link, y'know? Like, some might be thinking, "Link, you're so dumb! Just figure it out already and don't hurt her!" but don't worry. He's a pretty smart guy, even if it takes him a while to figure out the puzzle. Wink wink.
And yes, of course I'm going to ask you to review! When you review, it lets me know that I'm not wasting my time hoping that people will love my story. If you review and tell me just what you think of WDA, I know my effort will not be in vain! XD