Alone. Sheik was all alone. The realization came one day, while riding across Hyrule field at a gallop,
determined to reach Kakariko by nightfall.
It was as it should be, Sheik though, nobody should be near her. Nobody should be allowed to get
close. She unconsciously reached up and touched the small pouch hanging around her neck. Emril had
given it to her, right before he died. He had known. He had known she was going to kill him and he had
done nothing. Sheik's normally stony expression shifted into a glare. How could someone just lay down
their life like that? He should have killed her as soon as he found out. The world would have been
better off without her. She remembered what he'd said before she left his tent that last night. He'd told
her to be careful, and to live. To consider her choices carefully. Then he'd told her that he knew that
she was going to kill him. He'd known from the start. Then he had wished her good luck. It left Sheik
feeling confused and angry. She knew what she was doing wasn't right, but what was she supposed
to do? Disobeying Ganondorf was even worse. Why couldn't he have cursed her instead? Or killed her
on the spot? He could have, he had the skill. Why did Ganondorf have to give her a second chance? It
would be so much easier if people stopped giving her second chances. She had already made too many
bad choices for her to be fixed.
Sheik crushed her chaotic emotions, forcing herself to be calm. None of that mattered. As long as Zelda
and the Hero lived, there would still be hope. Maybe not for her, but for the remainder of Hyrule. If she
protected the Hero and Zelda, it would all work out. So nothing else matters.
In the distance Sheik could see the entrance to Kakariko, it's long staircase winding up into the
mountain. Beyond that, she could see the rooftops of Kakariko Village. The person manning the watch
tower had no doubt already seen her. He has probably alerted the guards as to her arrival. Zelda has
probably been put inside her tent and surrounded by guards, just in case.
Sheik reached the stairway about an hour and a half later. She dismounted her horse before leading it
slowly up the steep stairs.
The first set of guards she sees are posted at the first level area on the stairs. It is the only flat part
until the top and provides weary travelers and less fit people a place to rest in relative safety.
Sheik stops in front of them when they cross their spears and yell, "Halt!"
"State your business, Sheikah," the guard on the left says. Sheik recognizes his voice. He is named Jarl,
he used to own a store selling fish alongside his father until they both joined the Royal Army three
years ago.
"I am returning from a mission," Sheik tells them. They don't need to know more than that.
"Name?" Jarl asks. Sheik frowns beneath her cowl. It is unusual for them to ask for a name. It is
unusual for her to be stopped at all. Sheikah can usually get by with just being Sheikah.
"Sheik, of the Sheikah. Impa's apprentice, and Princess Zelda's personal guard." Sheik decides to give
them her full title to avoid further questions. The guards hastily uncross their spears and apologize,
saluting her as she walks past.
The town itself hasn't changed much since Sheik left ten months ago. There are people going about
their business, shopping and running around delivering things, store owners hawking their wares, and
soldiers wandering around or standing at their positions, guarding the exits and entrances of the town
and certain houses as well. Sheik is stopped again at the new gate leading into the town. The gate is
open, but there are soldiers ready to close it at a moments notice.
"What is your business?" asks the guard, another person Sheik recognizes.
"I am returning from my mission," Sheik repeats.
"Identity?"
"Sheik, of the Sheikah," Sheik says, forgoing the rest of her title this time in the hope that they will
recognize her. They do, and the guard she was speaking to apologizes for not recognizing her and lets
her through. Inside, she brings her horse to the stables and hands a few rupees and her horse's reins
to the stable hand, then heads for Impa's house. At the door she is once again stopped by guards, and
Sheik tells them that she is there to report to the princess, and that her name is Sheik, and they let her
through.
Before entering, Sheik closes her eyes and takes a moment to prepare herself for the long story she
will no doubt have to tell. Zelda will want to know every little detail. Not to mention it will be difficult to
explain Emril's death.
Barely a second after knocking, the door is flung open and a blue and blond blob barrels into her.
"Sheik! Your back!" Zelda exclaims, hugging the Sheikah tight. Sheik stiffens, then awkwardly hugs her
back.
"Hello Princess," Sheik says. Zelda finally releases her and takes her hand, leading her into the house.
"I want to hear all about your trip!" Zelda says, pulling Sheik into the kitchen with her and setting a
kettle onto the stove. Sheik opens her mouth to say that she will make the tea, but Zelda shushes her
before she can say a word and shoves her onto one of the wooden chairs beside the small table. Impa
walks in a moment later and leans against the wall, nodding a greeting to Sheik.
Once Zelda has sat down, three cups of tea placed on the table in front of it's three chairs, she puts
her elbows on the table and twines her fingers together, resting her chin on top.
"Well?" she prompts, leaning forward a bit. Sheik closes her eyes for a moment, gathers her thoughts,
then begins retelling tale of the Sheikah's journey.
-0-0-0-
By the time Sheik has finished, the sun is already beginning to set, and Impa has left the table to make
dinner.
"So Raven left with the Garo?" Zelda asked for the third time.
"Yes," Sheik answered. Zelda was very intrigued with the Garo and Termina. She had never known that
another country existed beyond Hyrule's borders. She was slightly ashamed to admit that she had
never thought about it.
"And the Garo come from Termina, which is a country beyond the desert and the Lost Woods?" Sheik
nods. The Garo had said that the country of Termina extended all along Hyrule's western, eastern, and
southern borders. It made Zelda feel slightly trapped. If Termina decided to attack them, it would be
really bad. Although, Zelda had once read that there was a barrier surrounding all of Hyrule, the
Goddesses had placed it there long ago to protect their country. Zelda once again felt slightly ashamed
for never learning much about the land near the border, she had always only studied Hyrule's citizens
and the other races. But if there was a barrier, then how did the Garo get through?
"Dinner is ready," Impa said, interrupting Zelda's thoughts and bringing her back to the present.
"Thank you, Impa!" Zelda stood and took the plates Impa was holding, setting one in front of Sheik,
and taking the other for herself. Impa joined them a moment later.
It was nice, being all together again. Zelda had missed Sheik greatly, and she thought of them as a
family. Having a piece of her family missing made Zelda sad.
"Oh! That reminds me!" Zelda snapped her fingers and grinned, "We were going to throw a party!"
Sheik looked up, and Impa smiled.
"Can we, Impa?" Zelda asked excitedly.
"Yes, Princess." Impa smiled at Zelda's childish actions. "I will tell the town to prepare a celebration in
honor of Sheik's return immediately. Shall I inform them that you want to host an archery competition
as well?" Impa asked, remembering what Zelda had said during archery practice all of those days ago.
Zelda nodded.
"Arrange it for tomorrow, please," Zelda said, resettling in her chair and enthusiastically continuing her
dinner. Sheik sighed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. And here she was hoping that she could
just sleep.
-0-0-0-
The villagers had really outdone themselves this time. The entire village was covered with colored
paper lanterns that would be lit when it got dark, and there was a massive pile of logs beside a
scorched circle of grass where they would light a bonfire. Chairs were set out for people, and a long
table had been set beside the inn for food. Despite the villager's foul moods and low hopes, they were
pleased to have something to celebrate. Sheik suspected Impa had not told them that the party was in
Sheik's honor, but it did not matter.
Zelda was grinning and talking to the villagers, relieved to see them smiling again. Her hair was done
up in an elaborate pattern of braids, and she was wearing her favorite pink dress. Sheik was by her
side, as Zelda had forbidden her from leaving, half listening to the princess's conversations while
partially lost in her own thoughts. She absently tugged on the turban she was wearing. It had become
part of her daily attire in the desert, and had stuck when she returned to the much greener part of
Hyrule, and Sheik could find no reason to bother removing it. They arrived at the grounds for the
archery tournament a few minutes later.
"It will be fun!" Zelda said, handing Sheik her bow and stringing her own. Sheik strung her own bow
and checked her arrows. Satisfied that they were all in good shape, she slung the quiver over her back
and followed Zelda out of the tent and into the afternoon sun outside. They joined the end of a rather
long line of people, all were contestants.
"Welcome!" the announcer yelled. Everyone looked up to see a soldier standing atop a pile of crates
with a megaphone.
"I will now introduce the contestants!" he looked down at the contestants to check who was first in
line, he knew nearly everyone by name, before repositioning the megaphone and taking a deep breath.
"Our first contestant is Keith! A soldier of the Royal Army and a good friend to us all." Keith stepped
forward and the crowd erupted in cheers.
"Next, we have Anju! The cucco lady!" Anju stepped up and waved, the crowd cheered again, and
Zelda smiled.
"See?" she said to Sheik, "All kinds of people are competing! I heard even lazy old Talon is competing!"
"It is impolite to call Talon lazy, or old," Sheik replied. Zelda sighed dramatically and shook her head.
"Lighten up, Sheik. Today is a celebration, be happy, smile, wear a dress," Sheik gave her an
exasperated look, raising an eyebrow at the last one. Zelda laughed.
"I'm kidding Sheik! I would like to keep my life, thank you." Sheik resisted the urge to roll her eyes,
settling instead on listening to the announcer introduce the next person. It was the beggar man who
begged everyone to sell him things. He would pay a lot of money for fish, an odd bit of information
Sheik had picked up with Zelda when they were little children, trying to sell him flowers. Zelda was
right, all sorts of people were shooting today.
More people were introduced, Talon among them, and then it was Sheik's turn.
"And almost at the end, we have..." he paused to check, "Uh... I don't know your name..." he said, his
slightly quieter voice carrying across the space with the help of the megaphone. Sheik stepped
forwards and looked up at the announcer, trying to figure out who he was. He had not been a resident
of Kakariko before Zelda had moved most of the army here, so she had trouble identifying him.
"I am Sheik," Sheik said. Her voice carried easily over the mostly silent crowd and to the announcer.
Sheik was surprised she could speak that loudly without yelling. She guessed it was a skill she had
developed from talking over sandstorms, explosions, and the sounds of combat.
"Sheik! The Sheikah!" the announcer yelled, a little less enthusiastically than before. Sheik sighed and
walked across the cleared space to the shooting line at the other end, not even bothering to
acknowledge the cheering crowd. They were probably cheering out of politeness, anyway.
"Last, but not least," the announcer continued behind her, enthusiasm back full force, "Her Majesty,
Princess Zelda!" The crowd cheered louder than it had for anyone else as Zelda walked across the field,
waving and smiling.
"That's everyone! So without further ado, let the competition begin!"
The archers stepped up to the line of painted grass and lifted their bows. They each drew an arrow and
set it on their string, then waited for the announcers shout of, "Go!"
Arrows whistled through the air, the dull thunk! of them hitting the targets following soon after. Sheik
tuned out the noise and drew her bow, aimed for the yellow center of the target, and released. She
held her position for a few seconds after, then lowered her bow. She glanced to her right at Zelda, who
was also just lowering her bow, a determined look on her face.
"Archers, please step back while our judges check the results!" the announcer yelled. Sheik stepped
back and watched as three judges hurried towards the targets, scrolls in hand.
They returned a few minutes later and handed the results of the first round to the announcer. He read
it, then raised the megaphone to his mouth.
"I will now announce the top ten, who will proceed to the next round!" Everyone turned expectantly to
him and waited.
"In tenth place, the, um, the Beggar!" Sheik wondered if the guy even had a name, and how he had
any archery skills at all. The crowd cheered, and the beggar guy waved his arms around and walked to
the next line, which was placed further back.
"In ninth place, Anju! In eighth place, Jarl!" It continued on like this for awhile until he reached three.
"And our top three!" It was as though the entire crowd leaned forward, "In third place, Aaron!" the
crowd cheered with deafening volume. Aaron was apparently quite popular.
"In second place," Here the announcer paused for effect, "Princess Zelda!" If possible, the crowds
cheering increased.
"And in first, Sheik!" Sheik walked silently over to the other nine. She was pretty confident she would
win. Very few other people had spent their lives since they were six relentlessly training in all sorts of
weaponry, or even in a single weapon.
Zelda hugged her and congratulated her.
"I knew you would win!" she said. Sheik extracted herself from the princess's grasp and took a step
back.
"I have not won yet, Princess," she reminded her. There were still two rounds.
"I know, but you will! And do not call me princess! My name is Zelda! How many times have I told you
that?" she asked, mocking anger. The announcer interrupted whatever Zelda would have said next by
announcing the next round.
Two rounds later, Sheik was crowned champion. The judges were supposed to award her a hundred
rupees and give her a trophy, an elegantly carved miniature archer with a number one engraved at the
bottom, but Sheik disappeared before they could, and Zelda, who had come in second, claimed the
prize instead.
-0-0-0-
The day wore on, and soon it was nighttime. There was a large fire burning in the center of Kakariko
where people were singing, dancing, and playing various instruments. There was also a large number
of people eating and drinking ale from the massive casks set next to the inn. Sheik was once again
beside Zelda, escorting her around as she mingled with the people. Sheik silently wished that she could
be wherever Impa was, away from all of this noise.
Zelda led the way to the fire, intent on dancing alongside the other towns folk. Once again, she told
Sheik it would be fun, then dragged her into the semi clear space near the fire where the dancers
were, and led her in. Sheik had never danced before, but at Zelda's demand and some threats, she
agreed to try. Sheik learned quickly, and soon she and Zelda were spinning around the small dance
floor, Zelda grinning with delight and Sheik glaring at the world.
"Princess, it is improper to dance with your guard," Sheik reminded her for the umpteenth time.
"It's fine, Sheik!" she said, twirling around her partner. Sheik took her hands again and continued the
rather fast dance.
"Besides, this is fun!" Zelda said. Sheik was about to say otherwise when suddenly, there was a bright
flash of golden-white light. Sheik yanked her hand away from Zelda's as though she had been burned
and shielded her eyes. Around them, the villagers had stopped moving and the musicians had stopped
playing, all gawking at their princess. After about a minute, the light died down enough for Sheik to look
back.
Zelda had her arm extended in front of her, eyes wide and staring at the brilliantly glowing triangle on
the back of her hand.
Suddenly, Impa was there. She took the princess's not glowing hand and led her away, gesturing for
Sheik to follow.
They entered Impa's house and Impa led Zelda into her room, sitting her down on the bed before
stepping back and waiting for the princess to speak.
"It's just like when Ganondorf split the Triforce," Zelda said, still watching her hand. When Ganondorf
had touched the Triforce in the Sacred Realm, it had split into three parts due to Ganondorf's
unbalanced heart. Each piece had chosen a host. Ganondorf had gotten power, Courage had chosen
the Hero of Time, Link, and Wisdom had chosen Zelda. At that time her hand had glowed much like this.
Zelda looked up from her hand and met Impa's questioning gaze.
"The Hero of Time is waking..." Zelda whispered.
A/N
Sorry for the errors that no doubt are contained in this chapter. Please tell me what to fix if you find them.
Not much happened, and this chapter was shorter than I had hoped, but oh well. I think here is a pretty good place to stop.
Thank you to all who read!