Zelda had refused to lay down after Nabooru transported her back to the castle. She was too on edge to lay down.
Link was gone.
Link had been replaced by a shadow being.
And Ganondorf was crashing his way closer with every minute that passed.
"Zelda, please," whispered Nabooru, pressing a hand to her shoulder.
Zelda jerked away from her. "Has nobody found Sheik? He couldn't have disappeared. I had patrols all over the kingdom, and they can´t find a blonde Sheikah?" she asked, rubbing at her eyes. She refused to accept the fact that she was seeing her kingdom fall apart before her eyes. And after she had used all her power to seal away Ganondorf. After Link had sacrificed years of his life. After Zelda had sealed away Sheik herself. After she had erased him from existence. After she had sacrificed everything. Even that which she had no right to sacrifice.
"If Link is gone, I think we can safely pinpoint to Ganondorf as the cause for all of this," said Nabooru.
"Ganondorf might as well have sent his minions to break the seal and kidnap Sheik," said Saria
"Kidnapping is such a loaded word," said a sarcastic voice from behind the throne, and Link's shadow stepped through one of the hidden emergency passages.
"I told you to stay back," said Link, jogging in after him. He gave Zelda an apologetic look. "Sorry, I had to sneak in."
Zelda stepped back, and Saria and Nabooru stood between her and the two Links.
"What is this? Who are you?" asked Zelda.
Link sighed and lifted his hands in a pacifying motion. "Don't attack, please. It's me. For real this time," he said. When none of the sages moved, he took off his left glove to show the glow of the triforce of courage. "See? Now, can we all calm down?"
Zelda gritted her teeth. That was one of the things she hated about him. Ganondorf was about to crush the barrier of the dark world, the timelines were about to crash into one another, Link's evil shadow had tried to attack her; and here he was, wanting everybody to calm down and chat.
"What is that thing Link?" she asked, fighting to keep all her patience about her.
Link lifted an eyebrow at that. "That is me, Zelda," he said, pointing to the shadow.
That didn't sound like him. What if he was another shadow? What if there were many copies of him around? What if Ganondorf's darkness had already infiltrated the world?
"Why don't we all stop talking about me?" said the shadow. "And instead talk about how Ganondorf, the crack in the sky, and Sheik suddenly being an actual person that exists, are all related things."
"A crack in the-," started Zelda, but stopped herself and ran to the window. The sun was coming up, and the clear light shining over the castle showed cracks all over the clear blue sky, as if a glass barrier over the world could start falling apart all over them at any moment. "No. No, no, no…"
"It was me," said Link. "The one who got Sheik out of the shield. I was at the temple for…something else, and when I saw him, I thought it was you. I thought you had been attacked by something. So I set him free, and he's been with me during these days. Well, with me and Dark here, who is my shadow. It's a long story, but don't worry about him for now."
"Of course. No one else could have done it," said Zelda, feeling suddenly very tired. "And I don't suppose it was your shadow's idea to go to the temple for whatever you needed to do?"
"It was not, Zelda. I did it all on my own. He has been with me for a long while," said Link.
"How long?"
"Not nearly as long as you've lied to me about Sheik."
"I had to!" yelled Zelda, at her wits end. "I had to do something to seal Ganondorf away! Link, you knew we couldn't win against him! It was the only way."
"But you didn't have to lie to me. Zelda, now I can't trust you!"
Zelda laughed. "You can't trust me? After you open the way for Ganondorf. After you show up saying that you have kept a shadow with you for who knows how long? After you caused that, and have put all of us in danger?" she asked, pointing at the crack in the sky. "Link, I know you loved Sheik. I did so too. He was my strength for all the years when you were gone. But the world is not only us. The world is all those people that died during Ganondorf's rule. All those people who now have another chance at life. I had to use him to create the trap that would seal Ganondorf, and I would do it again."
Link lowered his eyes. "I understand Zelda. I really do, but…It still feels like betrayal."
Zelda pointed up at the sky. "That is the alternative Link. The world crashing down, the events of the first timeline crashing with the events of this one, and all the people who died during Ganondorf's reign dying again. I've hurt you. I've hurt Sheik, and I will never be forgiven for that, but…" she said, tears falling down her cheeks. "Link I need to know where Sheik is. We need to rebuild the shield, and we need to do it now."
Link clenched his fists, and refused to meet Zelda's stare. "No," he said.
"What?! What do you mean no? Don't you understand the danger we are in?" cried Zelda.
"I know, and I understand it. But I can't. I can't tell you were he is. I can't let you do this again," said Link, turning his back on her. "I will fix this."
"Link you can't fix this alone! You're being unreasonable," said Saria, standing in front of Link. "I hated that Zelda had to do that, and I hate that we have to do this to Sheik, but you can't let your love for him blind you to the fact that if the timelines connect, we won't be able to stop the chaos that will unfold."
"Saria, I can't…I really can't," said Link.
"Link, please don't make me go and get him myself. Because I will," warned Zelda.
Link shook his head. "Zelda, please don't. If you do…Zelda, please trust me. If you go and try to get him, I will have to fight you. There must be another way to fix this, and I'm going to find it."
"Link, please understand that there is no other way," said Zelda, stepping forward. "The shield has to be sustained by royal blood. But because I need to be the one to create it, I can't also be the one to sustain it. It is physically impossible. I've tried it countless times. I would sacrifice myself before I sacrifice anyone else, but I can't now!"
Link raised his eyebrows. "Royal…blood. Then Sheik is…but Impa is his mother. He told me himself," he said.
Zelda shrugged, and avoided his gaze. "It's…a long story. I see you didn't ask for his father. But either way…I don't want to talk about it. Whatever happens, we will need Sheik."
Link nodded. "I see. But please Zelda, trust me."
"Link, there is nothing to trust. There are no options here," said Zelda, lifting a hand at him.
A pale purple glass case covered him and Dark.
"What the hell is this?!" cried Dark. He banged on the glass, but it burned his hands.
"Zelda stop!" yelled Link.
"Link, I don't want to fight you, but I also have to stop this chaos. My people need to be protected. I'm sorry. I know you will never be able to forgive me," said Zelda.
"This is ridiculous. Let's get out of here!" yelled Dark, and held on to Link. His form enveloped Link completely in shadows, and a moment later, they both disappeared within the shield.