- To KPGirl1227: Yep, drama has wormed its way between our oblivious heroes to cause chaos lol. I totally didn't even connect the dots with King Leonard's title! A silly thing really, because the Lion King was one of my favorite movies growing up. Oh well, It seems the imposing king from a faraway land is now going to have the 'Circle of Life' as his own background music for the rest of the story lol.
- I also was not planning on having so much time in between these updates. But, life just keeps kicking me when I'm down…I'll try to have the next chapter up soon though! Promise!
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Artemis clutched a book to his chest as he skidded around another corner, almost tripping over himself, in his haste to reach his shorter friend in the center of the huge library. Ever since the Hooded Man returned from his trip and found the hidden library more or less swept up, he had given them both a, what Vivi calls, his 'appreciation hum' before he disappeared into his room without another word.
That didn't last too long. Vivi was not going to stand having his magic sealed longer then he had too. So, he marched angrily up those several floors, mostly just to prove a point and hide that he still had some access to his magic, while storming past every useless dusty old room until he stood outside of the Hooded Mans bedroom. He then proceeded to yell through the closed door until the man threw it open in fury at the disturbance.
The red eyed man returned to the hidden library soon afterward, cloths and hair slightly charred and sizzling from the fight that had occurred but the satisfied grin on his face was proof enough for Artemis that his friend was back to his old magical self. The giant stack of papers, scrolls and broken bookshelves disappeared soon after that but neither of them knew how or why. As long as the Hooded Man didn't blame him for their disappearance, Vivi didn't care though.
That changed once Artemis inspired the idea to resurrect the remains of the monsters created by Ganondorf years before the grand relocation of Hyrule. It would save tremendous amounts of energy and time considering that the bearer of power had done most of the work anyway and he would even throw some of his own twists into the monstrosities to make them even more of a threat.
The problem with this though, is that kind of knowledge wasn't a form of Necromancy that he used that often. So, he wasn't certain how to go about doing it. Not to mention that if the ritual was done wrong he might be dealing with a threat to himself, if he even managed to not destroy the whole area, or himself, first.
Then there is also the minor details that are buzzing elusively around his developing plan, like a persistent fly that is just out of his reach so he remains in a constant state of irritation. One of those irritable flies that remains a constant pain in the rear is the fact the remains of these monsters he is trying to resurrect laid in the temples scattered around old Hyrule but not only did he need to get his hands on those remains in order to enchant them, he had to make sure each one housed a stable core of power or they wouldn't be able to stay active on their own without him nearby to pump more power into them when necessary.
Luckily, they were stranded in an ocean of ancient and valuable knowledge. There had to be some useful books on Necromancy in this insufferable place.
Vivi sighed irritably and then slammed the book he was reading closed. If only the headache inducing problems stopped there! But of course not! He had no idea where each temple was located. He had only found the old Forest Temple because the Hooded Man was there to do most of the scouting. Why didn't the fool have servants for rubbish like that?! He couldn't go out and look for them because there's no way the uptight fool would let him wander around on his own that long. Not to mention that he learned that he wasn't able to enter the temples to begin with! How was he going to enchant the remains of these monsters if he couldn't reach them?!
This knowledge led Vivi and Artemis on a wild goose chase through the hidden library for the next three weeks, hoping to find at least one book that covered enough of the broad subject of Necromancy but it seemed like it would be easier to find a needle in an ocean!
Artemis had commented that maybe the kind of books they needed may have been in the pile of torn pages and scrolls that had disappeared. The red eyed man had scowled at that and sent the boy away to search in the far corner of the library. He should know better than to say stupid things like that! Especially if the odds were stacked against them! Meaning this entire search was a giant waste of time!
He rubbed at his eyes but then paused when he heard Artemis yelling at him from across the room. The shorter man glanced up just in time to see the white haired boy come barreling around the corner of a bookshelf, waving a thin book around like a flag. Really, did the boy not know how to handle a book with proper care?
"Vivi! I found one!" exclaimed Artemis excitedly as he dropped to the floor close to him. He gasped for breath before aiming a smirk at him.
"Oh? What does the title say?" asked Vivi curiously. Artemis slid the book over to him as he continued to catch his breath.
"No idea," muttered Artemis tiredly. Vivi paused as he reached down for the book and shot a glare at the boy.
"You don't know? You came running over here, waving this thing around like it was the bloody Triforce! What if this thing is just a useless cook book?!" exclaimed Vivi irritably. He may have grown somewhat attached to the boy, but if he was pulling some kind of prank on him then his hair is not going to be the only thing on him that ends up white.
Artemis rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. He understood though. It has been a long three weeks.
"What kind of cook book has a cover made of flesh? If that wasn't a sign for Necromancy then maybe I have the wrong impression of the subject," said Artemis as he ran a hand through his wild spikey hair.
Vivi blinked before trailing a finger over the cover and grinned when he felt the texture of skin. Finally! Something was working in their favor! He took a moment to feel the surge of pride that this boy seemed to not be bothered by the book bound with flesh. Something that most other twelve year olds would have run away in fright at the sight of. In fact, what would normally frightens boys his age Artemis seems to embrace with childish wonder. Like he just can't get enough of the ghastly side of the world.
The boy has really come a long way. This new side of him felt natural though, making Vivi believe that the boy had always had it within him to be this way but didn't have the right encouragement.
A smug grin slowly spread across his face. And people used to say he never had it in him to be a role model? Ha!
Vivi opened the book and skimmed through the pages, scanning over the words that he now realized were written in what looked like blood. It was written in the old tongue as well. A good sign. The knowledge must be old then, during a time where necrotic experiments were practiced more regularly then they were now. Artemis could even read certain words now after the lessons he had eventually been pestered into giving him.
Vivi glanced up, about to gesture for the boy to come closer so he could point out a few words but he paused when he noticed the boy peering to the side like he was searching for something.
"There's no book in this miserable place that is going to get up and walk over to you," drawled Vivi as he watched the boy closely. Artemis had been acting strange from the moment they had started searching this entire goddess forsaken library for so much as a shred of information on any branch of Necromancy.
Sometimes, the boy would pause in middle of the aisle and look around suspiciously like someone was following him or he would just be wandering aimlessly, lost for a reason that he could never recall. Other times he would ask questions aloud, claiming that he heard someone speaking to him despite the fact that Vivi knew they were the only ones in the library at the time. There were even a few times when the little brat had startled him so badly that he had nearly flown out of his boots when the boy had been sitting calmly next to him before shouting out suddenly and demanding silence from a room that had been silent before his shout.
Vivi had chalked it up to frustration and stress but now he was getting quite fed up with it.
"What in the blazes is wrong with you now?! There is no one in here and if you even think of shouting out randomly again-"
"You don't hear them?" asked Artemis urgently. Vivi scowled as the boy turned around, like he expected someone to be walking up the aisle at any moment.
"No, you idiot boy! I don't hear anything because there's nothing to hear! Are you not sleeping well? Is that gluttonous pig of a master of yours not feeding you again? Why are you acting so weird?!" exclaimed Vivi frustratingly.
Artemis frowned as he stared off to the side, watching intently until he finally turned to look at his scowling companion. The white haired boy looked so lost and scared, that for a moment Vivi started to wonder that maybe…this wasn't all in the boys head.
Vivi growled angrily as he dropped the book and grabbed a hold of the boy's shirt and dragged him closer.
"T-their getting…louder…" muttered Artemis fearfully. He started to tremble as Vivi placed his index and middle finger to the boy's temple. He pulled forth his dark magic and pierced the boys mind to try and see if it had been tampered with. A jinx or even a curse could have slipped past his notice since he had been so distracted over the last three weeks but he flinched back in surprise when a cacophony of voices suddenly assaulted his senses.
There wasn't even any way he could describe them. They were filled with anger, fear, and despair. Some yelled violently and threateningly in words he couldn't even make out while some spoke in a tone that was slow but slurred together to make nonsense. The boy was right. They were getting louder.
He was startled in his confused search when the boy whimpered fearfully and then crawled into his lap, clinging to his robes. He quickly pulled out of the boys mind and tried to shake his head to clear his jumbled thoughts.
His first instinct was to push the boy away since he wasn't used to such close contact with anyone but he froze when the trembling form curling against his chest let out a sob. He had never seen or heard this boy shed so much as a tear the entire time he had known him. Even after starvation and abuse, whether it was directed at him or those around him, he had always been stubbornly strong and independent.
Something snapped in the wing mage. A powerful protective instinct he didn't know he possessed rose up and compelled a surge of magic to ignite the air around him. It swirled with his dark magic and he took a deep breath as he drew in the magic from the air within himself.
He placed both his hands on either side of the boys head and raised it to face him. Eye contact would make this so much easier but he almost lost control of his channeled magic at the sight of Artemis's tear stricken face.
His eyes narrowed into slits as he pierced the boys again. The cacophony of voices was now so loud that, under normal circumstances, he would wouldn't have been able to hear himself think but his mind was fueled by such rage that it seemed to spear through the waves of chaos. He called on every ounce of his shadow magic, the kind that felt the closest to his soul, and continually wrapped it around the boys mind until he heard the voices begin to fade.
After Vivi felt certain that he had added enough force to his magic's illusionary walls around the boy's mind, he closed his eyes and murmured several words in the old tongue that sealed the walls shut.
Artemis's sobbing slowly morphed into the occasional sniffle until finally he pulled away from the wind mage, an embarrassed but grateful look on his face. Now that the stressful event had past, Vivi didn't know how to deal with the situation. The boy didn't say anything as he continued to sit in his lap and Vivi just sat there with both hands braced on the ground to keep him in an upright position while Artemis seemed to gather his thoughts.
Artemis crawled away to sit in front of Vivi and raised an arm to wipe his tears away with the back of his hand. They sat in awkward silence until Artemis suddenly wore an inquisitive expression on his face as he turned to glance at his friend.
"It feels like there's…mist surrounding my mind. It's strange but comforting, considering what I would be hearing otherwise. I kinda expected something solid though, you know?" muttered Artemis thoughtfully. Vivi let out a long relieved sigh. This he could handle.
"Of course it's not solid. I used shadow magic to shield your mind. Something like dark or earth magic would have created something solid around your mind. That is because they are barricading it while shadow magic is hiding it," said Vivi.
Artemis was about to reply but they jumped when bright golden diagrams suddenly appeared nearby. Vivi calmed once he recognized the patterns, but that didn't change the fact that he was still going to complain about rudeness once the Hooded Man finished warping.
He never got the chance. The Hooded Man was flying out of his already fading warping magic and headed straight for him.
"What did I do now?" exclaimed Vivi irritably as the taller man grabbed a fist full of his robes and hulled him to his feet. The man didn't seem to hear him though.
"She's finally, finally left herself vulnerable!" muttered the Hooded Man excitedly and then turned his attention to the shorter man that he was half dragging, half carrying away, "You'd best pull forth every trick in that measly decrepit brain of yours! If you don't keep up and make yourself useful then you will be a hindrance and I will leave no trace of you for anyone to find!"
Then the bright diagrams reappeared and warped them away before Artemis heard what Vivi said in return.
The boy sat there in shock, staring at the place where they disappeared. The Hooded Man had sounded a bit frantic but mostly excited. It wasn't very often he let his composure slip like that. The white haired boy frowned as he turned away.
Who was 'she'? It had to be someone important in order to send the Hooded Man into hysterics like that. Not to mention the threat that followed his friend in their departure. He wasn't that worried. Vivi may be full of himself but he knew how to survive. The wind mage did seem to have a talent at getting under his 'boss's' skin but he still broke Vivi free of the Four Sword for a reason and it wasn't to destroy him in some random place while chasing after some girl. There really wasn't any other explanation when comparing everything that he had seen over the months that he had been serving under the Hooded Man and at times Vivi.
Artemis glanced up toward the heavens.
"I hope you guys are prepared for what is coming your way…"
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Link stormed through the sewers with Abby trailing behind him, giving the hero a little space. She had woken up soon after Sheik had calmed Link down and healed the wounds on his hand after the Sheikah had cleared away the glass and cleaned them.
The hero then left Sheik and Zelda behind so the Sheikah could explain what they had experienced over the last few days and the sudden knowledge that there was more to their deities than even they believed.
He also needed some time to himself to cool down. For more reasons than one.
Link had found that his homeland was being more or less bullied while he was gone. By a man that had already laid low many other kingdoms already and seemed itching to do the same here. His family had disappeared and his home town was one step away from becoming a ghost town. That's only if those damn monsters weren't using it as a base or if they just decided to burn the entire town to the ground.
Let's not forget that the wolf is becoming more of a separate entity instead of a part of me that I need to keep a close eye on.
He really tried to believe what Sheik had told him. That he should try to work with the wolf instead of trying to cage it deep inside him all the time. He really did. Especially when it seemed to work so well when he had encountered Salrune and even back when it had helped Farore save Woody through him. But then there was other times….like when he had passed by that Calatian solider intimidating that merchant. It just slipped past him and was already interacting with the world before he even realized that it was in control. That was unnerving but the time he had been honesty scared that the wolf would rip free of its restraints and hurt people was when he had first found Sheik.
The Sheikah had been hurt so badly. Of course he learned later that those Calatian soldiers hadn't even caused most of the damage to Sheiks body but he didn't know that at the time. He didn't think that it would have mattered if he did.
The wolf seemed to always become nearly uncontrollable whenever Sheik was in danger. Fighting his control at every turn. There wasn't much that Link wouldn't do to keep his partner safe, but slaughtering innocent people wasn't one of them. He wholly believed that Sheik wouldn't want him to either. The wolf didn't think like that. If you were a threat, then you would be eliminated.
But why was the wolf like this only when it concerned Sheik? It wasn't even that hard to handle when his own life was in danger. Which was ridiculous! If it was truly a part of him then why would it consider Sheik more important than himself?!
I suppose I can't really think like that. If given the choice…I would give my life in a heartbeat if it was the only way to save Sheik.
The hero paused at that thought. Was that why the wolf was like this? He hadn't really stopped to think what the Sheikah truly meant to him. He had decided that he wanted something more than companionship from his partner when he was in Kokiri Forest but perhaps his feelings went deeper then he even realized. He cared dearly for Sheik and the thought of losing him was not something he could even fathom.
Suddenly the wolf's behavior when regarding Sheik didn't seem so strange.
The hero started walking again, heading back to the others but at a slower pace. Even the last piece of information he learned from Sheik that had ultimately made him storm away to try and gather his wits now made more sense.
It seemed that among the few things that Sheik had received from those brutes, besides the bruises a public display of painful humiliation, was a broken leg. All because they wanted to make sure he couldn't get away.
What kind of heartless soul intentionally harms another person to the point of becoming a cripple?!
Link angrily kicked a loose stone as he passed by, watching it fly across the room and bounce off the wall. The sound echoed slightly through the sewers. He paused again when the air began to gleam with fairy dust, and then took a deep breath. He glanced up to see Abby circling soundlessly above him, her fairy dust settling on his form and calming some of his anger and anxiety.
It hadn't been more than a day since the red fairy had joined them and she has already proven herself to be an invaluable part of the team. She didn't even need that long to recover either, saying while pretending to swim through his blonde hair that Link was like a 'portable sauna of energy for fairies'. A statement that his comrades had gotten a good laugh out of.
He sighed as he turned a corner and heard the voice of his partner. Time to get back to the real world.
"Thanks Abby. I don't know what we would done without you," said Link with a small smile. The red fairy giggled as she zipped in front of his face and then flew backwards.
"You guys would have been totally lost without me! Don't worry though! I'm here to stay," exclaimed Abby gleefully. She then giggled again before playfully flying in circles around his body. Link chuckled at her cheerful nature. She would definitely be helpful in the future and not just because of her healing abilities.
I bet she could bring happiness to the most depressed mind in existence.
Sheik paused in his speech and turned to look at the hero as he approached them.
"Are you feeling better now Link?" asked Sheik softly. The hero was caught with the urge to scoop the Sheikah off the ground and hug him to his chest fiercely. He blinked, startled by the sudden feeling. He has always been affectionate with those he was close too but it was normally fleeting. An occasional warm hug from Ilia or ruffling the hair of one of the children when they sought his attention through a successful wooden sword fight or a poem that they didn't want anyone else to know about.
Then Sheik tilted his head worriedly when the hero didn't respond right away, making his red eyes reflect the light from a nearby torch. The hero felt the wolf stir as a new feeling rose from within. A feeling that went far beyond a friendly snuggle and Link could feel heat rise from his cheeks from a rapidly forming blush.
Goddesses, I love those eyes.
The hero suddenly would much rather have his partner laying on the floor. Preferably with himself on top of him while he-
"Link?" asked Sheik worriedly. Link shook his head and laughed nervously.
"Ah, sorry. Was sorta in my own world there for a minute….what did you say?" asked Link as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. He had a fleeting thought of the fact that this was the first time that he could think of where the wolf had responded to something that wasn't dangerous or upsetting to him.
"I asked if you were alright but you obviously are not," said Sheik with a frown and then turned to face Zelda, "He isn't in any shape to be talking to an egotistical, not to mention unstable, man right now Zelda. Especially if so much is riding on the impression he's supposed to make,"
Link snorted but then grinned as he caught a glance of the red fairy before she disappeared around his back again.
"I'm fine Sheik. I don't think it's even possible to feel anything but deliriously happy when I have my own emotional stabilizer in the form of a darling little red fairy," snickered Link. Abby giggled shyly before the hero's vision was obscured with red light. He felt a feather light kiss on his brow and then the fairy whizzed away and started to chat animatedly with Zelda, who was startled at the sudden conversation but smiled and listened closely so she didn't get lost in the fairies happy but rapid friendly speech.
The Sheikah rose to his feet and approached the hero with narrowed eyes.
"You don't seem fine," muttered Sheik as he peered closer at the hero's face. Link ducked his head as his blush deepened. He then turned to face the wall, trying to distract himself.
"Were you able to tell Zelda everything she needs to know?" asked Link, trying to change the subject.
He was startled to feel the soft skin of the back of Sheik's hand press gently against the side of his face.
"You look flustered. Are you still upset? If you need to talk-" but the Sheikah paused when he noticed the sudden feral gaze in the hero's eyes as he turned his face and nuzzled it against Sheik's hand.
His red eyes widened when the wolf nipped playfully at his hand but then Link blinked, returning to his senses. The hero's expression went from confusion to utter shock and then finally settled on horrified within seconds.
Link shot away from him, almost tumbling over the edge where the nasty water full off unmentionable things flowed. He felt that his skin might just melt off his face if his blush burned any brighter.
"Goddesses! I-I'm so sorry! I don't know why the wolf did that! It's becoming so unpredictable now-!
"Link, it's alright-" but the hero shot away from Sheik again when he tried to reach out to him.
"No! I-I just need some space! Sorry, I just need to…sort some things out. Reconnect with the wolf, I think," said Link nervously as he continued to back away.
Goddesses….the last thing I need is to have you so near me when all I want to do is push you up against that wall and claim you. Damnit, I can't let the wolf out at all when he's near or its going to ruin any amount of trust he has in me!
Link pivoted around and walked briskly away, taking deep breathes to try and calm his mounting desire for his ruby eyed partner that the wolf in him was stubbornly holding tightly on too.
If he had looked back, he would have seen the hurt look in his partners red eyes as he watched the hero hurry away from him. The Sheikah lowered his head to stare at the floor. Any doubts that he had about his feelings for the hero vanished when he felt Link's teeth graze against his skin, sending little jolts of lightning racing through his hand and down his arm.
The hero obviously didn't return these feelings. In fact, Link seemed to feel quite the opposite. Rushing away from a situation that was overly awkward if not repulsive to him. Sheik guessed that the wolf must have acted out in attempts to release the stress building around the hero's mind and he just happened to be the one nearby when it came out.
A nip like that meant nothing to a wolf. Just a playful burst of energy towards another that it trusted. People certainly didn't act like that. At least not people that weren't involved romantically with each other. Such an act would be…erotic. No wonder the hero had been so uncomfortable.
The Sheikah took a shaky breath. It didn't change how he felt toward Link though. He didn't know how he was going to handle dealing with his growing feelings, especially now that he knew that they were unrequited.
He glanced up when he heard Abby calling out for Link to wait up. His gaze shifted when he noticed the sad blue eyes of the princess watching him. He sighed. Of course she would figure it out. She always could read him like an open book.
Sheik shook his head with a huff. He was glad this happened. It meant that he wouldn't be wishing for something that might or might not happen. No hope was better than false hope. At least as far as he was concerned.
"Sheik?" said Zelda quietly. She knew better then to push him during times like this. He would just shut down. So, she had to wait until he came to her about the problem. He always did in the end.
"We should return to the castle. The Lion King shouldn't be kept waiting any longer," said Sheik stiffly as he passed by her.
Zelda sighed impatiently as she followed her closest friend. Honesty, how could these two be so oblivious? She would give them some space to try and sort out their problems but if they didn't pull their heads out of their asses soon then she would have to get involved.
They both deserve to be happy and it seemed painfully obvious that they could find that happiness in each other.
Zelda sighed again as she watched the Sheikah slow his pace now that he had caught up to Link. He seemed unsure about how close he should be, his red eyes looking hesitatingly at the hero's back as if he expected Link to turn and demand more space at any moment.
They continued like this while Abby circled around the hero, attempting to help calm him. Now Link walked awkwardly ahead of everyone, unsure of what to say. He wanted to apologize properly to Sheik but that might bring up the question of why such a problem had risen between them in the first place. What was he going to say?
'I'm sorry that I'm lusting after you. I know that must make you uncomfortable but you know me. An inconsiderate ass inside and out, right?'
Link didn't know what he was going to do. This part of himself was starting to frighten him. His wolf form may have made it harder to control his emotions but it never acted independently from him before. He wasn't even sure what had caused it. Was he the one changing? Or had something happened to cause the wolf to change?
Then there was the fact that the wolf seemed able to take control without him even realizing it. First he had blacked out when this happened. Then something changed and he was suddenly in the backseat, watching while the wolf was parading around in his body. It never lasted long. So far, Link had always been able to take back control the moment he put up any resistance but how long was that going to last?
Especially when now, it seemed like he was reverting back to the old system of things. As soon as he felt his partner touching the side of his face, he felt the wolf stir and then he blacked out. The next thing he knew, he was staring into those ruby eyes that he loved so much but they were wide with shock.
Memories of what the wolf had done flashed before his eyes. Something he had only experienced with his ancestors memories but never his own.
Confusion is what he felt first. The feeling of the wolf attempting to interact with him after he had blacked out was strange because the first time, he had to sort of guess what he had missed. Now, it was almost like the beast was trying to share the experience after it already happened.
Shock came next as he pieced together what the wolf had done without his consent. His inner most thoughts were not meant to be put on display, especially when it involved very embarrassing and inappropriate material.
Horror had then overridden his mind as he realized that this wasn't all in his head. He could still see the image of his partner as he stood frozen in front of him, his eyes wide with shock at the action. He shuddered at the memory of the feel of Sheik's hand pressed against his face but that was obviously because the shock hadn't worn off yet.
The hero grinded his teeth tighter in frustration and tightened his focus on keeping the wolf from restarting this battle of wanting to swing around and pounce on the Sheikah following behind them.
Link sighed, exasperated. Was this how it was going to work from now on? Was the wolf was going to make every interaction with his partner an inner battle where Link must practically go to war with it in order to keep any semblance of friendship between the Sheikah and himself?
The thought sent waves of despair through him. Having to face the Sheikah's reaction to the desire the wolf had let him catch a glimpse of was so frightening to the hero that he panicked and blamed it on his inability to control the wolf.
Which isn't really a lie! It just isn't the whole truth! But I can't risk it...Sheik hasn't shown any kind of interest in me like that. What if he got disgusted? Or angry? It would never be the same between us after that!
He huffed and shook his head. He would have to sort that particular problem out later. Now he had to meet the Lion King. He paused as he neared the stairs that led up toward the tower that he and Zelda had first entered the sewers from.
Then he realized that Zelda had been trailing behind him this whole time. How had he known where to go? The wolf suddenly reached out to sniff the air, the act feeling strangely familiar. The hero growled once he realized that the wolf must have taken advantage of his narrow minded focus to keep it away from his partner that he didn't notice it reaching out to lead them toward the exit. A helpful act but again, without his notice or more importantly, his permission!
That's it. I know that I owe you so much but you've been changing too much lately. I just can't trust you anymore.
Link closed his eyes and focused on locking the wolf as deep as he could within himself. The beast snarled at the act, fighting him every step of the way but eventually Link was able to shove it to the familiar cage that used to be where it dwelled before he had decided to trust it a bit more.
There is where it would stay. He just couldn't afford to have it come out anymore. Especially when in the presence of the Lion King.
Zelda paused as they gathered near the foot of the stairs and rolled her eyes as Sheik went to step on the other side of her and kept his gaze firmly on anything but the hero standing a few feet away. She caught Link shooting brief nervous glances at him, looking like he wanted to say something but it never made it past his hesitant lips.
She closed her eyes for a moment, preying to Nayru to give her guidance. She sighed quietly once she heard the familiar sound of Link scratching the back of his head, like he always did when he was embarrassed or uncomfortable.
These two blockheads obviously needed Nayru's guidance much more than she did.
Zelda pursed her lips and then decided to play to their strengths. Link was always the hero and Sheik was always dutiful.
"Alright. First things first. No one but Victor and Xiggy can know that I've lost my magic. Therefore, Sheik," said Zelda as she turned to face the Sheikah that raised his head to lock sight with her at the mention of his name, "You need to go straight to my bedchambers and pretend that you are still gravely injured-" but Abby zoomed up to her face suddenly.
"Hey! I wouldn't have let that happen! I'm part of this team too!" exclaimed Abby irritably. Zelda blinked, taken aback for a moment but then nodded.
"Right. Of course Abby! You would have healed Sheik but are you sure he would have been this healthy," said Zelda as she gestured toward Sheik, who raised an eyebrow at her tone, "With the injuries that he had before? His leg looked broken in more than one place as well,"
"What?!" exclaimed Link angrily before he swung to glare at Sheik, "You didn't tell me that!"
Sheik looked hesitant, trying to think of what to say but Abby zipped away from the princess to bonk Link on the forehead. The hero flinched and stared the red fairy that hovered inches away from his face, illuminating it with her red light.
"Hey! Don't get mad at Sheiky! His soul is still recovering! The mind handles complicated things so he might not have remembered it right away!" exclaimed Abby defensively. Link huffed as he looked between the fairy and the Sheikah in confusion.
"I thought you said it was his magical core that was ruptured?" asked Link.
"It was, but the soul is the powerhouse! Nothing would work at all if you didn't have a soul! It's complicated but that's why his magical core felt so dead when Zelly touched it! At some point, his mind eventually said 'well, it's taking too much effort to run my damaged magical core like this so I'll just tell the soul to shut it down for now'. Thank goddesses Zelly had such strong light magic or Sheiky would still be laying there in lala land!" shouted Abby as she started to bob up and down in the air.
Then she zipped over to look closely at the startled Sheikah's face once she remembered something else.
"But…I don't know why you were comatose Sheiky! Your inactive magical core shouldn't have affected anything but your magic! The disrupted cycle of energy is what was making you go all crazy when you were first injured but after your magical core was shut down you should have been weakened and probably in a constant state of confusion after all that effort your mind put into trying to keep your magical core active but you wouldn't have been comatose. After all, there are people out there that don't even have a magical core! You're quite the enigma Sheiky but at least you're okay!" exclaimed Abby curiously.
Zelda frowned at that but let it go for now. Her friend was alright and that was all that mattered at the moment. She would have to ask Xiggy soon. He might have an idea what had really happened.
She reached a hand behind Sheik and pushed him forward, making him stumble into Link's chest. He immediately tried to back away but the princess hooked an arm around his neck to keep him close and then shot an arm out to hook around the hero's neck as well, making him lean forward a bit, when he tried to back away instead.
She smiled sweetly as her gaze shot back and forth between her captives. The hero had a slight blush that was spreading across his face as he apparently found the stone floor beneath their feet utterly fascinating. Sheik however, was staring at the princess with a harsh gaze that held so much frustration and embarrassment that had she been anyone else, she probably would have been reduced to a weeping ball of misery that wouldn't feel safe until she was at least several kingdoms away from the Sheikah.
"Now boys. It's time to stop being so childish and get past this little fight you've had. If it can even be called that. You both are obviously friends so just move on," said Zelda as she gave them both a hard look. Sheik immediately backed down from the challenge, turning his head to look at the stone wall instead. That saddened her, making her miss their time as children when he would have met her challenge without hesitation and would roll into the longest staring contest that she was frustratingly never able to win.
Maybe Link could help her bring that side of him back out. The side that was buried once he was old enough to start his 'bodyguard training'. He never did tell her what that really meant, not that it really mattered in the end. She would have much rather had kept the brother she had gained through years of friendship then receive the unfamiliar but strong and quiet protector that his training had produced.
It took nearly a year of mountainous effort and eventually an emotional breakdown from her to chip away enough of that wall he had built around himself. Then she finally saw a glimpse of the brother she used to have in him and had extracted a promise that they would be how they used to be in private but would be how they were supposed to be in public.
Abby suddenly flew in the middle of their circle of faces, making them look like they were all huddling together and discussing the strategic plans of some kind of game.
"Hey! I want to be a part of the plan too!" exclaimed Abby with a pout. Zelda chuckled, thinking the fairy had perfect timing.
"Oh, Abby! Just the girl I was waiting for. You see, I have a plan but I don't think our boys here are going to like all that much. So, you think you could help me with that?" asked Zelda with a smile that looked far too innocent to Link.
Abby squealed and flew in rapid circles in the small space between their faces. The act would have made the hero laugh if her light wasn't giving him fast approaching headache with the strobing effect it was producing on his mind. He immediately closed his eyes and huffed when the red fairy replied with a 'yeahhhhhhh!'.
"Good! Now, we need to get Sheik to my bedchambers. It's one of the few places that not even King Leonard would dare enter without my consent. But, what would be a good way to get him there? He can't go there on his own. The Order of Sol might be nearby. Not only would it be dangerous but he shouldn't be able to walk with a leg that was broken in multiple places. Not even after a fairy healing. It would look suspicious," said Zelda thoughtfully to Abby. The red fairy bobbed up and down in excitement.
"It would be believable if he could stay out of sight until tomorrow! Anyone who knows anything about fairies will realize that red fairies are the strongest healers! Well, expect the Great Fairies, but they don't really meet too many people. There's not one close by either. But hang on…wouldn't they wonder why Sheiky would go to your room and not his own?" asked Abby confusingly.
Link peeked a sapphire eye open and caught his partner looking at the two girls with narrowed eyes. The Sheikah paused when he noticed Link looking at him. Link tilted his head and subtly indicated his confusion of this talk about them that didn't include them for some reason. The hero felt the lingering fear that had been constricting his heart ease when Sheik rolled his eyes amusingly as he shook his head at the antics. He had been scared that there would be nothing but awkwardness between them for a while.
That simple but normal reaction from his partner already had him back to his old self.
"Really? Me and Sheik are still here you know," grumbled Link as he turned to face the girls. He heard an affirmative grunt from Sheik, though he still saw the amusement in his red eyes.
"Sheik and I," corrected Zelda before going back to her conversation with Abby as if Link hadn't said anything, "Sheik is my closest friend but I suppose the Order of Sol wouldn't understand such a relationship between a servant and royalty. Not that he's a servant to me, but I doubt they will see anything else in him. The bastards. Well…what if I said that he had his own section of my bedchambers? A place he would use only when he feels my life is in immediate danger and he needs to be close by in case I need his protection? The maids that normally upkeep my bedchambers have heard him throw a fit when he thought I wasn't taking enough protection with me during the times when he was too injured to protect me himself," Sheik scoffed at that comment and though Link couldn't see his entire face, he was sure he was scowling under that shawl, "I could say that Sheik wanted to be nearby in case I needed him. Especially since, like you said Abby, he should be healed enough to fight again by tomorrow. I could even have Victor push a sofa up against the wall near the entrance to my private gardens. It gives the image of privacy since it will be far enough away from where I sleep but not enough to where he couldn't jump up and defend me if he needed too? I could even throw a blanket and pillow on it to make it look like he sleeps there occasionally,"
"But won't they think it's strange that he sleeps in the same room as royalty? If they are that much of a stickler for what they think is the right image then they might play an endless game of 'twenty questions' with you. Commenting about how Sheik should be sleeping in your private gardens and not in your room or maybe even stuffed in the corner of an open closet somewhere close by with nothing but a pillow and a blanket," said Abby thoughtfully.
Link would have commented on that if he wasn't putting every fiber of his being into not laughing at his partner's reaction to the new topic. Sheik's shawl was slightly moving up and down as he followed the exchange of words. Link could almost imagine his mouth opening and closing several times but seemingly unable to come up with anything to say.
"I guess that's true," Zelda paused momentarily at the quiet moan of disbelief that came out of Sheik before returning her attention to Abby, "I could say that he was a personal servant of mine? Oh, but that would be very improper even among the high class of Hyrule. He would have to be female for me to pass that along believably and I don't think we can pull off a gender switch anyway. Too many people around the castle know he's male,"
Sheik tried to shoot into a standing position in order to glare properly down at them but Zelda just tightened her hold around his neck and hugged him to her side. Link was biting his lip to stop the laughter as the hilarious image of Sheik suddenly wearing a maids outfit came to mind.
"Relax Sheik. I said we couldn't pull that off. Anyway-"
"Oh! What if we have Linky be the one that wants him in your guy's room after he asked for your hand in marriage?! Those fat stuck up nobles can't get upset about the 'right way of things' if both of them are the same gender! Sheiky could be a guy maid that can help Linky do whatever it is that guys do with themselves when no one is around!" exclaimed Abby excitedly.
The red fairy paused in confusion as the hero sank to his knees, choking on air. The princess released Sheik as she was dragged down with Link and she laughed hysterically as she buried her face into the hero's shoulder. Sheik was torn between embarrassment and amusement. The image of what Link must do when no one is around was enough to make a fierce blush spread across his face but it was hard to not laugh at the sight of the hero trying desperately to regain his composure while a hysterical princess was hugging his head to herself to prevent him from escaping.
"What's so funny?" asked Abby. Zelda finally calmed down enough to release Link, who shot her a glare as he stood to his feet.
"Male servants are typically called butlers Abby. It's a solid reason though. Sheik is known to be respectful and proper. With a wide variety of skills. Link could have easily wanted a servant of the same gender that would do his job without becoming irritable and chatty," said Zelda. Link scowled at that and then raised a hand, like a student asking permission to speak in class.
"Alright. I'm gonna have to insert myself into this conversation now. Anyone that knows me, even remotely, is not gonna believe that. I have always been very independent," Link heard a muttered 'that's for damn sure' from Sheik, "and the thought of getting a servant would never have occurred to me, nor would I welcome it if someone had asked if I needed one," said Link irritably.
"By asking for my hand in marriage, you would have been ready to make compromises since eventually, you were going to be King of Hyrule. You don't think you would have swallowed your pride once you realized that once you wore the crown, you would be responsible for the entire kingdom? One person can't effectively handle that on their own Link. The council is only meant to help you govern the kingdom, especially since they have their own regions that they are responsible for. Regions that they don't even take care of properly. You may be stubborn and prideful but you will always be a hero at heart. With that protective instinct that compels you to save everyone. No matter who they are or what situation they are in," said Zelda as she straightened the strap that held the Master Sword on Link's back. She glanced up at him with a knowing look, making him pout in return.
Sheik chuckled at the exchange. Zelda was already acting like a 'wife' would by straightening Link's clothing like that.
"Link wouldn't be convinced to do anything against his nature without a good fight first. A fight where he would eventually follow as you go crashing to the floor while he tried to explain his side of things while laying on top of you. My, what a compromising position that would be to be found like that with the Princess of Hyrule. Before either of you are even married! Shame on you Link," snickered Sheik as he folded his arms and looked toward the side as if he wasn't that interested in the conversation.
The Sheikah breathed easier when Link laughed nervously and waved off the comment, but not before shooting a quick glare at his partner when the princess wasn't looking. Thank Goddesses things were back to normal between them. He caught the small knowing smile from the princess before she went back to poking fun at Link as he tried to explain that he had no idea what Sheik was talking about.
Sheik sighed as he approached the hero. Link had just needed some space, like he had said and Zelda had provided the right situation to bring them back together without the awkwardness getting in the way.
He would need to remember to thank her later.
"This isn't fair. You guys know me way too well," muttered Link with a pout. Zelda rolled her eyes and then gestured for them to follow as she started climbing the stairs. Abby whizzed around Link's head in excitement as both boys trailed behind the princess.
"I was always the best at theater when I was young! Oh! Can I sit on your head Linky and whisper things for you to say?! I could make you look like a shy noblemen coming into his new life with wide eyes! Or maybe show a mean and stuffy aristocrat that's always been inside just waiting to burst out in the world?! Oh! Oh! Maybe we could pull off a mysterious but noble hero that rose to be a king and suddenly revealed a dark side?! No one would cross a hero with a dark side! Yeah!" exclaimed Abby excitedly as she zoomed around Link's head again. The hero could barely keep up with her rapid speech and Sheik just snickered with a shrug when he glanced over with a look of confusion.
"I don't think I could keep up with any of that Abby. I've never been that good at lying so if I have any chance at pulling this off then I need to be mostly myself. With a little help from my team of course. Especially if it regards politics. Goddess, you and Victor are going to be there when I have to talk to the King of Calatia, right?" asked Link hesitantly to Zelda.
What if I say something stupid?! Or agree to something that seems helpful but dooms all of Hyrule instead?!
She turned to give him a reassuring smile.
"Of course Link. Though you will probably have to rely on Victor for suggestions since it would be improper for a 'women' to do so during an audience with two powerful male figures. It would also make you look meek and easy to manipulate if you took advice from a 'women' anyway," said Zelda somewhat bitterly. Sheik snorted at that.
"Obviously these fools have never reared children while trying to keep some semblance of order in a house overrun by them," grumbled Sheik. Link chuckled as he pushed against Sheik's shoulder playfully.
"I know, right? Rusl may have been the one that chased after me when I was younger when I got into mischief but all it took was a look from Uli to get me inside to do those damn dishes," said Link. He paused in his speech, surprised when the rush of emotion didn't come. He had gotten so upset the last time his family was mentioned but now he couldn't seem to muster up the urge to even feel sad.
That thought was frightening, and it sent a chill though his spine. His family was everything to him.
He yelped in surprise when something tripped him and he feel forward. His knee collided painfully against the hard stone of the stairway. The sensation of falling and finally the pain jarred his concentration enough that the wolf burst out of his cage, bringing with it a flood of emotion that crippled any sense of control that Link tried to keep around himself.
Sheik immediately knelt by the fallen hero's side. He placed a hand on Link's arm and another on his back, trying to sooth him once heard a choked sob. He was startled when Link let out a growl and jerked his hands under himself, near where his feet were at. He almost thought that Link was trying to jerk away from him until he swung his head to face where his hands looked to be grasping at the stone beneath them. He stiffened at the feral gaze. He didn't know what the wolf was doing out when Link was so emotional while the beast just appeared to be angry.
The tears in his eyes felt out of place among the look of fury on his face.
"Help," snarled the hero in a voice that still resembled his own but it was distorted and left the impression of lingering danger in the air. He even seemed to aim the demand at the stone near his feet, like he expected the floor to help in some way.
"L-Link, I don't understand-" but Sheik paused, thinking he'd gone insane when he heard a barely audible response that sounded like the hero but he was watching his face! He wasn't speaking!
"I am helping you damn mutt! Not my fault if he was stupid enough to throw you in the slammer! Now let go before they notice!" whispered the urgent voice of the hero from somewhere near his own feet.
Sheik stared at the hero, not knowing how to react to this. He was not naive enough to overlook another mysterious unseen being speaking in the same voice as the hero. These strange occurrences had to be more than coincidence. They were happening too often. Neither of them seemed to realize that Sheik had heard the exchange though and he would rather it stay that way for now. Who knows what this meant or how dangerous this new being was.
And how long had it been there? Has it been spying on them this whole time?
"Link? Are you alright?" asked Zelda as she approached him cautiously. Sheik could tell she was unsettled by Link's behavior as well. He gasped when he was suddenly wrapped in a tight embrace and then lifted off the floor.
The Sheikah was maneuvered until he was being carried bridal style and then the hero started up the stairs again. Zelda immediately moved out of his way and flattened herself against the wall when she saw that Link hadn't returned to his senses yet, especially when the wolf let a low growl rumble through his body when he approached her. Sheik didn't know what to make of the situation, so surprised by the turn of events that he couldn't even find it in himself to protest.
Sheik couldn't even think of the act as romantic or even friendly really. He was held tightly to the hero's body, to the point where his grip was almost painful. It gave such a presence of desperation that it seemed as if Sheik himself were the only thing keeping the roaring chaos trapped just behind the hero's sapphire eyes from escaping.
He didn't know what to do or what to say so he just stayed silent, listening to the click of the princesses boots as she followed behind them. Abby circled silently around the hero, trying to help calm the negative energy she felt pouring out of him. She couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer willpower of the hero through. Anyone else with a soul this unstable would be a basket case, but it still wasn't healthy.
They definitely needed to have a talk when things simmered down. It was her job to make sure everyone on their 'team' was alright and Link definitely wasn't alright.
Gradually the hero's grip loosened, and the storm that Sheik had seen brewing behind those eyes he had been watching cautiously started to subside. They had almost reached the top and Sheik even saw the dead end up ahead when Link abruptly stopped, swaying on the spot.
"Wha…? My-my head…hurts," muttered Link as he blinked and glanced around confusingly. Sheik felt compelled to reach a hand up and silently trailed a thumb across each of the hero's cheeks, wiping away the stray tears that lingered on his face.
Zelda rushed the rest of the way up and around the hero right when Link seemed to finally comprehend what was happening and who was in his arms. She quickly slid her arms under the Sheikah and gripped the hands that kept him in the hero's arms.
"Good thinking Linky! That will be the quickest way to get Sheiky to Zelly's room without rousing suspicion!" exclaimed Abby as she hovered above Zelda's head.
Link started to back away, looking bewildered but Zelda tightened her grip and pulled back when the hero almost lost his footing and tilted dangerously back toward the stairs. Sheik winced when Link's fingers dug into his side and legs, trying to bring him even closer as he bent his head down and hunched his shoulders as if he was getting ready to curl himself around the Sheikah.
His current position was beginning to grind against his pride but he had to admit. It was a bit flattering that Link's instinct was to shield him as they tumbled down the stairs instead dropping him like yesterday's trash in order to regain his balance.
"I'm sorry Link, but we don't have time for this. King Leonard is probably getting very restless waiting for you and it's going to be that much harder to talk to him if he's upset," said Zelda sternly.
Sheik wanted to demand to be let down so badly. His pride had finally found its voice and was roaring at the image of him sandwiched like a small child cradled between two loving parents.
"Link, please. Don't make this worse. Somebody just tell me which stones to touch so the damn archway can form. Once we reach the inside of the tower, if you please Link, walk as if a damn dragon was chasing you to Zelda's bedchambers," growled Sheik from between them.
They looked down at his glaring red eyes and then immediately went about trying to open the archway, as if they both sensed his mounting irritation. Zelda pointed out the stones that Sheik needed to touch and they were close enough together that Link just held him as Sheik reached out to them.
Once the archway reformed behind them, Zelda ushered Link forward as she led him by the arm. Sheik grumbled at sight of the Hylian soldiers standing at the entrance.
If they even think of spreading rumors about him being carried around like this….
Link was distracted by the strange feeling of unease that permeated the air. It almost made him feel like he was in a haunted graveyard with the withering feeling of decay that attempted to seep into his soul. The back of his right hand suddenly itched like crazy but he barely resisted the urge to scratch it.
The hero didn't see Zelda making any sort of gesture or giving any kind of sign to the soldiers that they kept passing but she seemed to have a system. One of them would look over, away or even make some kind of gesture that would send the princess down a new corridor or another set of stairs.
He'd never seen such a level of cooperation from his kingdoms soldiers before. He was grateful though, especially since it seemed to help them reach Zelda's bedchambers without running into any unwanted company.
Zelda opened the door and glanced nervously around as Link carried Sheik inside.
Link set his partner on the ground, giving him a sheesh look as the Sheikah straightened. He heard a sigh of relief from Zelda as she closed the door behind her. He turned to see Zelda leaning back against the door with her eyes closed. He was about to say something but he stiffened at the sound of footsteps close by. The wolf within growled, sensing the intruder just as Sheik swung around and narrowed his eyes at the sound at well.
The Sheikah crouched into a defensive position and immediately summoned daggers to sit in between each knuckle. Link drew the Master Sword and stumbled up beside him, twitching from the effort of trying to keep the wolf from barreling forward and ripping into whoever dared threaten its pack.
Zelda stepped cautiously up to stand behind Sheik while Link cursed, starting to lose his control and went prowling forward. The patio doors were closed but they rattled as they saw the silhouette of someone through the long narrow strip of glass on the outside apparently stumble into them with a muttered curse.
Sheik gestured for Zelda to stand back while he quickly stepped around the hero and lightly pressed the flat of his blade across the hero's chest to stop him from going any farther. The hero froze, his gaze switching from feral and back again.
Link took advantage of the wolf's surprise at Sheik's forceful action and backed away, knowing he won't be any help in this state. He was honestly starting to worry that he was losing his mind, or more importantly, any control he had over his own actions. The wolf seemed to portray a different side almost every time it came out. First the beast unraveled his self-control and forced him to internalize anything that even remotely upset him or he might fly into a violent rage that didn't last long but was still dangerous. It seemed to sense his attraction to his partner immediately and rolled with it in the most horrifying way. If he didn't regain control so quickly while in the sewers then the damn thing might have started licking Sheik for Goddesses sake!
Now the hero was baffled by the way the wolf was regarding his partner. It was as if the wolf took the Sheikah's attempt to keep him out of harm's way as a challenge. First the damn thing wanted to protect Sheik with Link's own life and now it seemed offended by his independent but protective behavior. The urge to shove the Sheikah to the floor and assert his dominance was staggering.
No! Sheik has the experience to make these kinds of choices damn it! Do not get us killed over this crap!
"The doors are warded with-" but Zelda's whispered warning was interrupted as the slightly audible 'click' of the lock that was apparently not as warded as Zelda had thought caused the doors to swing open.
Sheik lunged forward and brought a dagger back, ready to slash at the intruder before they even could place a foot inside. He paused with his blade pressed against the throat of his target while the intruder froze with a hand on either side of the open doors.
"Give me a reason to bury you with the rest of your kin, Sheikah. I beg you," growled Victor with narrowed eyes. Zelda came running forward as Sheik jumped back and lowered his head submissively.
"Forgive me, my prince. I thought you were an intruder," said Sheik stiffly with his eyes lowered to the floor. Victor slammed the doors closed behind him as Zelda reached his side but he still glared furiously at Sheik.
"Who else but me or Xiondar would have known the password to the wards over my sister's bedchambers?! Have you gone daft?!" exclaimed Victor angrily. Zelda stepped in between them and tried to calm him as she wrapped her hands around one of his own while murmuring reassurances. The prince seemed to calm at her efforts and spared the Sheikah peeking up at him through his blonde bangs one last lingering glare before returning his attention to his sister.
Victor gave an exasperated sigh before wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulder's and pulled her into a one armed hug.
"Thank Nayru. Where in the world have you been sister? Did you think that two hours wasn't leaving me dangling in the wind with that giant self-righteous lion of a man?" muttered Victor irritably into her hair. Zelda wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. She knew everything would be fine now. She stepped back with a relieved smile.
"I'm sorry Victor. It's complicated, but Link is up to speed on what he needs to know. I think he needs a few-" Zelda was startled when Link pushed past her and grabbed a fist full of Victor's shirt and shoved him backward.
The force would have slammed the prince against the doors he had just closed but the hero stopped abruptly, with his head bowed low and body trembling with the effort to control the wolf.
"What is the meaning-!" exclaimed the prince but was finally slammed against the doors. Link was heaving, repeatedly punching the wood of the door beside the prince. Victor watched him warily, but the muttered mantra of 'don't do this' had enthralled his attention.
Just who was the Hero of Twilight speaking too? Because it didn't seem directed at anyone around him. Unless he has some internal tick that compels him to occasionally speak to the floor when he is under stress?
Zelda stood frozen on the spot, not knowing how to deal with Link while the wolf became unstable. So, she swung to Sheik since he seemed to have experience in this area but was surprised to find him in a similar state.
The Sheikah was staring at Link in surprise, but his red eyes roamed over the hero's body like he wasn't seeing something that he thought he should. She reached a hand out to touch Sheik's arm and it seemed to snap him out of his daze.
Apparently that was when the wolf had gotten a second wind. Link's body gave one last shudder before he went still and slowly raised his head to look Victor in the eye.
Abby was hovering high above the hero, watching the scene unfold. She was impressed with the bravery and confidence that the prince portrayed. He must have seen that Linky wasn't himself by now. She hovered lower when she heard a growl from the hero, his grip tightening even more on the prince's shirt.
"Why?" Link snarled in that distorted voice that was similar to his own. Abby figured this must be the 'wolf's' voice. She didn't think that part of Linky had a voice of its own! Had it always been like this?
Victor's brow scrunched up in confusion at the question. The wolf snarled angrily, making Zelda whimper fearfully behind them. She reached hesitantly forward, wanting to help her brother but Sheik pulled her back and gave her a firm look to stay put.
The wolf reached over with the hand that had been resting against the cracked wooden surface door to snatch a leaf out of the prince's hair and held it up for him to see. The wolf bared his teeth so Abby bravely flew closer as Victor continued to look confused at the leaf but was tensing like he was readying an attack of his own.
"Leaf? Outside? Why was he outside?" asked Abby. The wolf snorted, but looked expectantly at Victor. The prince glanced at the red fairy and then back at the glaring wolf.
"Jones told me that he spotted Zelda with the two of you. I needed to bring Link….who is apparently indisposed at the moment, the latest update. The Order of Sol has some…history with the Sheikah it seems," said Victor cautiously, causing Sheik to stiffen, "I was tempted to let the Sheikah deal with it himself. But nothing he could have done would have made a difference and that would have hurt my sister in the end. Their hatred of his kind far outstrips Hyrule's. It seems the Sheikah can't help but make enemies everywhere they go,"
The wolf snarled and slammed Victor against the door again. The prince's eyes narrowed but the wolf paused when a hand wrapped around the arm holding the prince against the door. Sheik's grip tightened over Link's arm and slowly pulled while sliding his other hand along the arm he was leaning against.
"This isn't solving anything. Please, step away Link," said Sheik softly to the Hero.
The wolf wouldn't take its eyes off of Victor but the Sheikah could feel the hand he was trying to pull away start to loosen its hold. After a few more whispered reassurances, the Sheikah was able to pull the wolf away from the disheveled prince. Sheik pressed his hands against Link's chest, making him walk backward until he sat on the bed. The wolf snatched a hold of his wrist and pulled down so the Sheikah collapsed at his side. Then the hero's blue eyes watched warily from the bed with an arm curled protectively around the Sheikah's middle. Sheik frowned at that but didn't press the issue. At least he had gotten the beast to calm down but why hadn't Link regained his senses?
Victor straightened his clothing while Zelda fussed over him, making him grin but still shoed her away.
"Anyway, to answer the original question, I was outside because I had to climb out of the window of the third story loo like some kind of criminal in my own home in order to not rouse suspicion. I came to tell Link that he needs to be very convincing with the story that Xiondar and I have spent the last hour covering with several members of the Order of Sol. Including the two Archbishops. In simple terms, if you don't want them demanding the Sheikah's head on a silver platter then you will need to convince them that he is your personal scribe. That exposes him to much information that the Hero of Twilight would naturally not want filtering to the major masses. In fact, several of the members seemed downright disturbing once they realized the Sheikah must have sensitive information regarding the Goddesses and one of their chosen Hero's. Having him be decent in a fight means he could also be added protection for you," said Victor bitterly.
Zelda paused as she let this sink in. She had wanted Sheik out of the spotlight, not shoved into it but if the Order of Sol was even worse than the Hylians with their prejudice toward the Sheikah then Victor and Xiondar's efforts so far may have been the only thing that saved his life.
She looked over at Link and it seemed like he had regained his senses at last. She felt a hand on her shoulder so she turned to see Victor frown down at her.
"I would love to stay and catch up but I need to get back. I'm not known to stay for prolonged periods of time in the loo," muttered Victor. He smiled and then turned to leave through the creaked wooden doors and disappeared to the right of the exit. She sighed and glanced back toward her comrades.
Sheik seemed to be explaining what had happened while Link leaned his head forward and rested his forehead against a closed fist. She could even see Abby's red light filtering through Link's dark blonde locks as she hung onto his bangs. They didn't have any more time to waste but she had faith in Link.
Even if he had none in himself. He would always find a way in the end.