Sorry for the wait- I haven't really wanted to look at Microsoft Word since classes ended. It's also been done for a while- I proofread like a madwoman.
The sun was rising when Impa and Sheikora rode into Lon Lon Ranch. For some reason, Sheikora's eyes had not changed back into the pleasant blue they once were, but remained an angry red. She looked around, uncertain.
"Get changed," Impa said, thrusting the peasant clothes at the girl. "We have to burn your royal things. No one can know you are here."
"Obviously," Sheikora muttered, going into the stables to change. Why was this happening? How much longer until Link gets the Triforce?
"Oh my- princess!" Malon was feeding a pony, but she dropped everything she was doing to curtsy. "I- I didn't know you were comin' today!"
"Malon?" Sheikora asked tiredly. The redhead's eyes widened.
"How do ya know my name?" she asked, daring to look up. Her eyes widened. "Sheikora? Sheikora's eyes got like that sometimes… and Sheikora's face… and… oh no!" Malon backed up toward the pony, who nuzzled her. "You be Sheikora, ain't ya?"
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Sheikora replied, looking down. "I wanted friends who didn't care if I was a princess."
"You'd always be my friend!" Malon insisted, though obviously looked confused and intimidated. This was a princess, but she was also the peasant that she spent her time with. How should she be treated? Courageously, Malon added, "Everyone thought you were strange 'bout the whole Sheikah thing, but I knew you were still good ole' Sheik."
Sheikora was touched by the words. "Thank you," she said simply. She paused. "Malon… Ganondorf took over the castle. If it isn't too much… could me and my attendant stay here for a little while?"
"No problem at all!" Malon said firmly, trying to get used to this sudden news. "What happened?"
"He took over last night… he killed so many people. I don't know what happened to my father…" Sheikora bit her lip, trying to avoid what she knew probably had happened. "Impa – my attendant – and I escaped just barely. She's the Sheikah woman from the market."
"Oooh!" Malon said, understanding. "So you were tryin' to avoid her that day… you were sneakin' out, I wager?"
"Yes," Sheikora admitted. "Can you help me burn my gown? I may have to be Sheikora for a while."
"Of course!" Malon nodded. Sheikora smiled faintly as Impa knocked on the door and let herself in.
"Are you- oh!" Impa raised her eyebrows at Malon.
"It's all right!" Sheikora explained. "She's one of my friends. Malon, this is Impa. But call her 'Iora'."
"Nice to meet ya," Malon said awkwardly. Impa nodded back to her.
"You take care of horses?" Impa asked. Malon nodded.
"That's my job. This horsey here," she gestured to the horse she was feeding. "This is Epona."
"I've heard about her!" Sheikora put in. "She's beautiful!"
"Epona says 'Thanks!'" Malon beamed.
"Anyway…" Impa gave Sheikora an annoyed look. "Would you be able to sell our horse?"
"What!" Sheikora's red eyes widened. A horse could be needed if they were on the run! "Why?"
"If Ganondorf were to come here, he would recognize a white horse of the Royal Family," Impa replied patiently. Sheikora sighed.
"I could do that," Malon said hesitantly. "You don't mind, do ya Sheik?"
Reluctantly, the blonde girl shook her head. "I guess not."
"What happened to my father?" Sheikora asked Impa when Malon went to tell her father a horse needed selling.
"Let's sit down," the Sheikah said gently. There was something wrong.
"He's dead, isn't he?" Sheikora asked.
Impa didn't reply, but rather pulled the girl into a hug. Sheikora, stunned, allowed herself into this action, not believing the only parent she had left was now gone. But he couldn't be gone… He had so much to do, especially if he was to restore order to the castle.
She broke away from Impa, looking at her intensely with those frightening red eyes. Impa could have sworn that they weren't as vibrantly red a moment ago. It was then that she vowed to discover the secret to those eyes, even if it meant angering the Sheikah Council.
Sheikora closed her eyes. "Stop looking at my eyes, Impa. I know that they haven't changed back." With that, she turned and ran back to the stables.
So, she was right. The King of Hyrule was dead. However, she felt distant from this fact, like he wasn't even her father any more. It had dawned on the young girl that the passing time erased people, and perhaps even memories, from the mind and heart.
"He's dead, Malon," Sheikora told her friend upon arriving in the stables.
"What? Who is?" The redheaded girl stood up.
"My father," she replied. "My father was killed."
"No!" Malon gasped. She quickly embraced her friend, who stood still.
"I'm all right," Sheikora said quietly. She paused. "I want to cut my hair."
"Why?"
"I'm not Zelda anymore. I'm not a princess. Until- until Ganon falls and we can save Hyrule, I'm not a princess, and Ganon is after me. He would know to look for a girl with long blonde hair, so we'll cut it. No more long hair. I'm going to learn martial arts, too, and hair cannot be in the way!"
Malon looked at Sheikora, thinking of a nice cut. "I'd think like how some of them boys do it'd look good, as long as you don't care 'bout lookin' like a boy!" Malon told her friend. "Let's go- I have some shears in my room."
"Mara. Get out here now and stop following me, you Sheikah ass!" Impa yelled out hoarsely. How dare Impa be followed after she told the princess of Hyrule that her father was dead! But she did mean to ask Mara something.
"Watch the language, girl!" an amused voice rang out. A young-looking, slender figure leaped down from above. She wore a tight white shirt with a blue Eye, with long, shredded strips of fabric for sleeves. Four long, red scars ran diagonally and symmetrically along her arms, one for each part of her arm. Her slim midriff was visible, flashing out a blue piercing driven through her belly button. She wore light blue leggings, and no shoes. Her face was heart-shaped, with curly brown hair falling to just above her shoulders, pushed back to reveal multiple earrings. Her eyes were gray, above a nose with a ring through her left nostril. She was the youngest of the original Sheikah Council. "I knew you wanted me."
"You always think someone wants you!" Impa glared at the Sheikah woman, who smirked.
"True this time, wasn't it?" she asked lazily, stretching her long arms above her head. Impa couldn't argue with that. Impa stared at the Sheikah's arms that were showing a little blood. "I know, I know, I'm bleeding. Been tested again for some spell. Gotta love magic spells that could result in death for me, eh?"
"You're insane," Impa shook her head.
"Well, that makes it difficult for me, somtimes. You see, I don't really trust people who aren't insane," Mara shrugged. "So, why did you want me?"
"Get me into the Council!" Impa snapped.
"We've already been through this," Mara replied in a bored tone. "'The Sheikah Council sends their regrets, but we must reject your request to meet with a certain Swan of the Old Gerudo Valley Tribe. Your reason to meet with her does not currently concern the Sheikahs.'"
"That is-" Impa started.
"Language," Mara replied, bored.
"Ridiculous!" Impa finished.
"I apologize for the Council," Mara replied. "But then again, everyone is ashamed of their own government."
"Mara!" Impa said, stunned. "Very open today, aren't we?"
"No- I'm the only one being open," she shrugged. "Oh my, time to get back to the Council Hole of Death by boredom. Oops! I mean the Sheikah Council."
With that, Mara stepped back, and disappeared with a crack, leaving Impa to ponder her words.
"You look nice, Sheik!" Malon was glowing at the lovely work she had done on her friend's hair.
Sheikora looked into the mirror her friend was holding up. She silently agreed with her friend, but looked at her reflection with hard red eyes. Her large eyes stuck out on her pale face, with a tuft of blonde hair hanging over one, with the rest of it just about at ear-length, rounding around her head. It stuck up a little bit, but she liked this messy look. She lifted a hand and tucked a strand behind a pointy ear.
"Thank you," she replied, giving Malon a small smile.
"Iora won't mind, right?"
"She wouldn't stop me anyway."
The two girls stared at each other for a moment as a cucco crowed. Malon heaved a heavy sigh, and yelled downstairs, "Dad! Get up, you lazy man!" she giggled nervously. "My dad likes t'sleep. Prob'ly still is- I'll be right back!" With that, she ran downstairs.
Sheikora sat on Malon's bed, unable to resist touching her hair. It was very nice, actually. Her head felt so light now!
Suddenly, she was blinded by a bright light. In her mind's eye, she saw three large, golden triangles in the shape of a larger triangle: the Triforce. The three triangles split, each going separate directions. Her first reaction was excitement. Did Link get the Triforce?
The light faded, and she leapt up, looking around for some sign. Her red eyes caught a glimmer on her hand, and she looked down at it, bewildered. The sign of the Triforce shone on the back of her left hand, and it dimmed to look like a scar. Her red eyes widened. Something was wrong.