I am soo sorry for the long wait on this chapter. Last night I finally forced myself to sit down and type this. I actually have most of the next chapter done too, so it won't be long till till the next one's up.

Wow! All you reviewers are so awesome out there! Link's Hardships has over 15,000 hits! As well as 228 reviews, 44 favorites and 49 alerts! Thank you all so much!

Also, I was wondering if anyone would be intersting in helping me with one or two of my stories. I mostly need some idea help, but I would like it if someone would read the chapters before I post them and tell me what they think, wheither they like or dislike and so one. I especially need this help with Impossible Miracle.

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"Is that-" Zelda started, Link nodded. Tearing his gaze away from the castle and heading down the long hill in front of him, suddenly feeling depressed.

Zelda and Sheik glanced at each other before running after him, jogging to keep up with his fast pace.

"You know it's starting to get late… maybe we should camp for the night." Zelda suggested innocently. Sheik glanced at Zelda.

"Why? The castle's right there- Ow!" He was cut off as Zelda stepped on his paw, smiling sweetly while Sheik whimpered in pain and glared at her.

Link turned to face them, completely oblivious as to what just happened. "Sheik's right, there's really no need to make camp, the castle is only an hour or two's walk from here." Zelda glanced down at Sheik.

"I know, but I'm… I'm worried about Sheik! He doesn't look so good." Link looked confused, as did Sheik. "What are you talking about? I feel fine." Zelda knelt down.

"That's what they always say, but then look what happens." Sheik still didn't look convinced. Zelda rolled her eyes. "You die."

Sheik's eyes widened, "I don't wanna die!" Zelda stood up, her hands on her hips. "Didn't you say your paw was hurting earlier?"

"Well actually you-" He was cut off by Zelda,
"Well did you?" Sheik nodded, "actually, my paw has been hurting…" Zelda turned to Link.

"See? He's not well at all." Link's face was a mixture of confused and disbelieving. He shrugged.

"Alright, you win princess. We'll make camp. I'll go catch us some dinner." He headed towards the woods.

"I'll fetch the firewood." Zelda offered, following him. Sheik sat there, watching them go.

"Why do I get the feeling I've just been used?"

-0-

Half an hour later, the trio had a fire and dinner going.

"So what is this again?" Zelda asked, taking a bite of the meat in her hands.

"Cucco meat, roasted style." Link said, taking a bite of his own meat. Zelda nodded.

"No kidding, well this is great." Link blushed slightly. "Thanks. They also make good soup. Cucco soup is probably one of the few meals I can cook. I'm not that great of a chief."

Zelda giggled, and the three were quiet for a minute until Zelda spoke.

"Have you ever considered leaving Hyrule?" Link shook his head.

"No, I was born and raised in Hyrule. I may be the last Hylian in Hyrule, but I don't ever plan on leaving."

Zelda's heart felt warm at his words. She took another bite of her cucco. "Why not?"

"Well, like I said before, I was born and raised in Hyrule. It's all I've ever known my whole life. I know my way around Hyrule better than anyone." Zelda smiled.

"Sounds wonderful, being so free… able to go and do whatever you want…" she trailed off, smiling.

"Yeah, I suppose." Link muttered, Zelda turned to stare at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Link shrugged. "It's not really as great as you think it is." Zelda frowned. "I don't understand." Link sighed.

"I've been alone my whole life. I'm the only Hylian in Hyrule, and humans are too afraid of me to try and come near me. And when they gather up the courage to do so, it's only to try and kill me." He glanced at Zelda.

"You're the first human I've ever had a friendly conversation with." Zelda gasped,

"That's awful! Always being hunted… I can't imagine living like that." She sighed, "But I do understand what it's like to be alone." Link glanced at her, Zelda continued.

"I've been locked away in that tower since I was 13. My parents told me that when I was old enough my prince would come and rescue me from the tower, and I've been in there ever since." Zelda sighed.

"It's not a life I would ever wish on someone else." Link nodded. "Yeah,"

The two sat in silence for a moment, each thinking of their own past. Zelda glanced at Link, a frown on her face.

"Hey Link? What will you do after… you know, you take me to the castle." Link shrugged.

"Go back home I suppose, go back to living the way I always have." Zelda smiled softly.

"I'll miss you." Link's eyes widened, and he glanced at Zelda. "You'll miss me?" Zelda nodded.

"Maybe… I can come visit you sometime?" Link nodded. "Sure, It'll be nice to have someone come see me once and a while. I'll miss you too." Subconsciously, the two were leaning closer, as if some kind of force was pulling them together. Or maybe it was just destiny… (Or it could be the authoress…)

"Isn't that sunset beautiful?" Link and Zelda both jumped, pulling back. Zelda jumped to her feet.

"Sunset! Oh no," Link stood up quickly. "Is something wrong?" Zelda shook her head.

"No no, I mean, it's really late, I should be turning in." Sheik's eyes narrowed. "I see what's going on here." Zelda's eyes widened.

"You're afraid of the dark!" Sheik said, Zelda nodded.

"Yes, that's it. I'm terrified. You know I'd better go inside." She turned and started walking towards the small rundown windmill sitting at the top of the hill.

"Goodnight." Zelda turned to see Link standing behind her, and for the first time, Zelda saw his blue eyes were filled with life. She smiled, then ran over and threw her arms around him in a hug.

"Good night," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. Link just hugged Zelda back, a small smiled on his face. Zelda finally pulled away and smiled before jogging towards the windmill, waving before she disappeared inside. Sheik glanced between the windmill and Link, a grin on his face.

"Now I really see what's going on here." He said, Link blushed, turning back towards the fire.

"I don't know what you're talking about, she and I are just friends. Besides, she's marrying Ganondorf." Sheik rolled his eyes.

"Sure… Whatever you say Link…" Link glared at Sheik before stomping off towards the woods.

"Hey, where you going?" Sheik asked. Link hesitated.

"To get… more firewood." He finally said, continuing towards the woods. Sheik glanced over towards the fire, where a neat pile of wood sat waiting to be burned.

"More firewood my butt…" he muttered.

-0-

Sheik pushed the door of the windmill open slowly, peering into its dark depths.

"Princess?" he said quietly, creeping inside.

"Princess Zelda… where are you….?" He crept closer, oblivious to the shadow that was tiptoeing quietly above him.

"Princess… it's very spooky in here I don't wanna to play games…"

"Ahh!" The floorboards above Sheik collapsed, sending the shadow sprawling on the floor next to him.

"Ow…" the figure slowly stood up, revealing a very Hylian princess Zelda.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!" Sheik began shouting at the top of his lungs. "Liiiiiink!! Help!!!"

"Shhh!" Zelda held a figure to her lips, glancing franticly towards the door. "Shh Sheik it's me!" Sheik wasn't paying much attention.

"Link! Link!!!!!" Zelda took hold of Sheik by the muzzle and clamped his mouth shut, frequently throwing worried glances towards the door.

"Sheik it's me! Princess Zelda, in this body. It's really me." Sheik began to calm down as Zelda gently rubbed his ears and stroked his muzzle.

"Princess? What happened to you? You look different." Zelda sighed, letting go of Sheik.

"I know I know." She said, sitting on one of the crates next to them.

"Was it something you ate? Cause' I told Link those Cuccos were a bad idea 'you are what you eat' I said." Sheik said as he sat next to Zelda. She shook her head.

"No! I've been this way since I was very little. I don't ever remember not being like this." Sheik looked confused.

"What are you talking about? I've never seen you like this before." Zelda sighed.

"It only happens when the sun goes down." She glanced out the window, where the sun was just disappearing.

"By night one way, by day another, this is how it shall be, until you receive true love's first kiss, then take love's true form." (A/N, sorry if this is a bit off. I couldn't remember how it goes and I can't find our movie anywhere)

"Wow, I didn't know you were a poet Zelda." Sheik said, Zelda rolled her eyes. "It's a spell. When I was very little, a sage cast a spell on me. Every night I turn into this. A creature despised by my own people!" Zelda sat on a box.

"I was placed in a tower to await the day my true love would rescue me. That's why I have to marry Ganondorf tomorrow before the sun goes down and he sees me." Sheik leapt up next to her and watched her sympathetically.

"Oh come on Zelda, its not all that bad. You're only like this at night, Link's Hylian 24-7."

"But Sheik, I'm a princess, and a princess is not suppost to be hated by her people!" Zelda buried her face in her hands and started to cry.

"Princess, maybe you shouldn't marry Ganondorf."

"I have to," Zelda said, lifting her head and pushing back a lock of her hair.

"Only my true love's kiss can break the spell." Sheik looked thoughtful.

"You know… you're kind of a Hylian, an Link, well you two are a lot alike.

"Link?" Zelda said.

-0-

Meanwhile, outside…

"Princess… I, uh. Well, how are you first of all? Good? Um, good for me two. I'm fine." Link stood outside the windmill, holding a sunflower in his hands.

"I saw this flower and thought of you because it's pretty, and well, I'm not a big flower fan, but I though you might like it because your pretty. But I think you're beautiful anyway, I- uh." Link paused, running his fingers through his hair. He sighed.

"I'm doomed." He stood up a bit straighter. "Here I go." He walked up the steps and raised his fist to knock, pausing when he heard Zelda's voice.

"-Who could ever learn to love a Hylian? 'Princess' and 'Hylian' don't go well together. That's why I can't stay with Link. My only chance to live happily is to marry my true love."

Link's face fell, he leaned against the door, glancing at the flower.

"-Can't you see Sheik? This is how it has to be." Link threw the flower down and stomped down the steps.

"-It's the only way to break the spell."

"You have to at least tell Link the truth." Sheik jumped off the barrels as he said, this. Zelda jumped to her feet.

"No! You can't say anything! No one can ever know!" Sheik stomped his foot.

"What's good about being able to talk if you have to keep secrets?"

"Promise me you won't tell. Promise me!" Zelda said frantically, Sheik sighed.

"All right all right I won't say anything. But you should." He headed for the door as he said this.

"I'm gonna need some serious therapy after this. See my eye twitching?" Zelda poked her head out of the door after him, glancing down and seeing the flower in front of the door. She glanced around, but didn't see anyone. So she took the flower inside with her and closed the door. Sheik settled himself in the grass and fell asleep.

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I apologize for how short this chapter is, but combining it with the next chapter made it too long, so I split em' up. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews!

Anime Wildfire

P.S. I am officially 17! Yay!