Chapter 4

Sheik stood and watched Link from the Shadows that the courtyard provided. Zelda had been pulled into a meeting the moment they had gotten back and he'd been charged with looking after him.

He could tell the Hylian boy was uncomfortable in these new surroundings. He was also nervous because even though he had asked Zelda not to announce who he was to the people, she had to tell the council. From there it would be decided what was going to happen with him and whether or not there old marriage commitment would be put back into effect…something Link didn't know about still.

Sheik hoped she would for-go any claims that their fathers had made to each other and dissolve their arranged marriage. He also hoped Link would be spared the expense of having to be trained, rather quickly, to lead the guard. It wasn't fair to throw that all at him, especially because he knew nothing of it. Sheik wanted to spare Link from being paraded around the country as the long lost surviving son, Hero of the Great Knight.

However, the game of politics was a different story and they tended not to care about anyone's feelings, just their own gain.

"Are you ever going to come out?" Link called. Sheik stayed perfectly still and silent, but Link turned around and looked straight at him. "I know you are there and have been watching me." Well hiding was pointless now.

"Maybe I wanted to get caught." He replied, stepping out from the shadows.

"Seeing as you were thinking so loud I could imagine." Sheik watched as Links sapphire eyes travelled up and down his body, sending a wave of heat through him. "You look different when you aren't wearing your uniform. I like it. I can see you more clearly without that cowl covering half your face." Sheik forced himself not to blush by Links bold statement. Even if old feelings were stirring up, there was no need to push them on Link. It wasn't the time or place for that…assuming there ever would be.

"…Thanks," he said at last.

"So what is there to do here? It seems kinda boring."

"It is most of the time." Link frowned, "I could show you around if you'd like?"

"Nah." Sheiks heart fell. He wanted to spend time with this new Link, getting to know him all over again. Even if he knew he should be keeping his distance "I'd like to go out into the city and check out the market. I have never been there. Will you come with me?"

"Of course," Sheik walked alongside Link and led him through the maze that was the castle. "Wait here I have to go change."

"Why?" Link asked, clearly confused.

"Cause its protocol?" he said back unsure.

"Well you don't have to wear it, it you don't have to. Especially around me. Impa doesn't wear hers around the castle, why do you?"

"I…I just always have." Link gave him a look. Knowing that he'd forgotten he told Link the story once again. "Well, when I was younger I was very shy. I believed that people were always looking and judging me because I wasn't your average Sheikah male. I was a lot tinier and more slender than anyone else I had ever met. I would hardly ever come out of my house to train or interact with anyone. So they gave me the cowl as part of my uniform to shield away my identity that way no one could tell who I was…although that really only worked outside of my village. Still, it enabled me to get over my fears of being ridiculed and looked down upon. It strengthened me to be able to handle my emotions and reaction of self-doubt around other people."

"Hn," Link cocked his head slightly to the side and stared at him, "You've never seemed to be shy around me."

'I've always been at ease with you…I've never been sure why," he lied. He knew why. He'd always known why.

"Well then come. I promise I won't let anyone do anything to you." Link outstretched his hand and Sheik took it, with slight hesitation. The second his fingers came into contact with Links, the boy gripped his fingers and pulled him along.

They walked down from the palace and into the market place. Sheik watched as Links eyes darted all over the place, excitedly. He kept pointing and dragging Sheik all over. Watching Link play games, listen to the music, talking with all sorts of people. He defiantly was a lot more personable that he'd once been. It made Sheik smile softly, Link seemed so at peace in his life, and it couldn't have made him happier; knowing what had happened.

After all the years Sheik had been tormented with what had happened Link had been at peace. He felt some of the guilt lifted from him in the sense that he hadn't died, like he and so many others thought, all those years ago. He, however, would still carry the guilt of failing to protect Link in the fight and in-

No. Don't think about it.

"Here."

Hn?" Sheik broke from his train of thought to see Link shoving a brand new set of throwing knives in front of him. "Where did you get these?"

"A nice lady over there." Link waved over his shoulder. Sheik saw the girl staring at the two of them. She had short brown hair along with brown eyes. He guessed her was a few years younger than them and clearly in love with Link, although it seemed the boy remained impervious to it.

"Did you pay for them?"

"Of course I did. Talked her down to what I believed was a reasonable price" Link smiled, mischievously. Sheik eyed him suspiciously and shrugged his shoulders. Who was Sheik to judge, Link didn't even seem to be aware the girl was still starting at them so clearly he wasn't aware she probably only lowered the price because he was super handsome…which was something he was not going to think about.

"Thank you for the gift." Link turned around saying he was welcome over his shoulders. They walked past the girl to wherever Link was leading them next, Link didn't spare a glance at her and Sheik saw her face fall. Poor Girl, she'd been pinning after him for a week before she realized he wasn't interested or going to come back to see her.

Link led them into the Target house and paid the large fat man behind the counter 20 rupees. The man pasted Link a bow, Sheik watched as he weighed it in both hands tentatively. It amazed Sheik that Link started to feel the wood with his hands and pull the string back. Link frowned at the bow.

"This bow isn't very good." He commented.

"If you have a problem with it bring your own," the man grumbled.

"Don't worry, there won't be a problem." Link stepped up onto the wooden block and knocked an arrow in the bow. He took a deep breath and waited for the bell.

Sheik watched in amazement as Link hit every target perfectly, even though they were flashing up and down faster than almost even Sheiks eyes could track. Not to mention the bow obviously looked like it was in horrible condition; it didn't even appear to faze Link. Sheik eyed the store keeper as he rose up, shocked was written all over his features, which soon turned into anger. Confrontation was about to happen.

As the final target popped up Link shot his arrow square in the center, then a bunch of bells went off, acknowledging that he had hit all the targets perfectly with no misses.

"How did you do that boy?" He asked. Clearly not impressed that Link had won in the first place.

"Beats me, I've always been good with a bow," he shrugged.

"No one has ever hit all the targets before, especially using that old thing." He remarked.

"It's because they nock the arrow in the center of the bow. You have to raise it just an inch above because the bow is slightly crooked, therefore making your shots off target. Anyone who knows how to properly use a bow would be able to see that."

"Hmph," Link handed the bow back over to the grumpy man and stood in front of him patiently waiting. Then man glowered at him, "You want something, boy?"

"Yes, my prize please."

"Sorry. I don't give prizes out to cheaters."

"Excuse me?"

"No one has ever hit the targets. Even when they bring in their own bow and you expect me to believe you just can hit each one perfectly? You were probably using some type of magic to trick me." His eyes darted over to meet Sheiks own. Link must have failed to notice.

"I've been trained to use a boy since the day I was strong enough to lift one. I never cheated, now please give me my prize," Link spoke through clenched teeth.

"Or what boy? You're a no body in this town"

"He is under the protection of Princess Zelda, or did you fail to notice I, Sheik her guardian, was accompanying him? You will give him the prize or I will get it for him. Your choice." The shop keeper looked Sheik up and down as if he finally noticed who he was, not just some other Sheikah in the market, guess he looked like everyone else without his royal attire on. His stare got darker.

"Fine," The man reached under the counter and handed Link the quiver case. It was made of the finest leather, stitched together with golden threads and ringed with gold at the top. Sheik could see why the shop keeper didn't want to give it up.

"Also, make a note to fix your game. I noticed while Link was playing you set the boards to half-second intervals so that it makes it harder for people to notice where they are by the time they get their arrow ready to shoot. If you continue to cheat patrons out of their money ill make sure that your establishment is shut down and any money you have will be given away to charity." Sheik smirked over at him. The man grumbled something under his breathe and scowled at him, like it mattered.

"Fine," Sheik nodded and grabbed Links arm, leading him towards the exit of the shop. Sheik heard the shop-keeper mumble something again but missed it. He didn't really care what the man decided to call him, he had the influence to kick him out of town if he saw fit. However, Link must have.

"What did you just call him?" Link tore his arm out of Sheiks grasp and turned back towards the counter. The store keeper just gave him a confused look, like he was innocent.

"I don't know-" Sheik watched in an amazed horrified shock as Link took his new quiver and smashed it into the shop keepers face. It hit him square in the nose with the solid gold ring, blood started to gush from the wound.

"I hope that the Goddess unleash their fury upon you and your establishment, you condescending pig!" Sheik felt Link grab his arm this time and pull him towards the door. Link stopped abruptly and turned around once more "Here," Link threw the quiver back, managing to hit him in the face once again, "Keep your bloody quiver!" Sheik burst out in laughter as the shop keeper stumbled back against the wall and fell over.

Letting himself get dragged along, it amused Sheik to see Link act in his old temperamental manner. He had always been short tempered and it was clear that even if he was less of a hot head he still had that old spark buried inside him.

"Can you believe the nerve of that guy?" He's lucky I don't go back there and beat his face in!" Sheik arched an eyebrow at the thought of Link doing something on his behalf. Especially since the boy didn't really know anything about combat.

"Link its ok,"

"No. No it is not. He had no right to say what he did. People like him shouldn't be allowed to speak. Or live in Hyrule. Sheik placed a hand on Links shoulder and gently turned him so that they were facing each other. He stared into his beautiful eyes, seeing his frustrations there.

"Link, please, calm down. Please don't let this ruin the rest of our day together. I know that I am respected among my people and the Hyrule guard. Zelda loves me for me and I don't care what people like him think, it's not worth my time to care. So please, just drop it." Sheik continued to look into his eyes and saw that the anger that was there was slowly starting to fade. It was strange for Link to get so worked up over such a small thing, especially since they only knew each other for 'two days'.

"You're right," Link placed his hand on the arm that was rested on his shoulder still. "I shouldnt have reacted like that. I don't know what came over me. I just don't think anyone should be picked on because of their differences or race. We all live in this country together. No person is better than the next; people need to see that if they ever want to bring peace back to the nation."

Astonishment broke out across his features. As a child Link had never thought so clearly or open minded about this issue. He always believed that peoples problems were their own and they should solve it by themselves. While he never discriminated against any race, he never really cared about them or their problem either. It was fascinating to see how his mind had changed over the past eight years.

"What?" Link gave him a puzzled look.

"Nothing," Sheik dropped his hand from the boys shoulder and looked away "Come on; let's go get something to eat."