The snow crunched beneath my bare feet as I ran frantically through the forest. Desperation building up at not wanting to go back to the men that had taken me from my home some time ago.

The light of a lantern lit up the forest a few feet in front of me and before I knew it, I was slamming into a muscled chest.

Piercing blue orbs stared down at me from within a handsome face, golden hair blowing in the slight winter wind. "Hey, calm down." I panicked and pushed on the man's chest, not understanding the tongue he spoke in.

"Let go!" I screamed and his eyebrows drew down.

"I... don't understand. What language is that?" He looked to another man that was standing a couple feet away and I glanced as well. I took in the freckles that ran across the man's nose, his soft brown hair, and the sure way he held himself even though he was shorter then the other male. But what captivated and calmed me was his deep blue eyes.

"I am not sure, Your Highness. Perhaps it would be best to take the boy back with us. Surely, the royal interpreter with be able to speak with him." The male in yellow smiled softly at me as he undid his cloak, offering it to me to hide my naked form.

I could see that he meant no harm, so I reached out to take the cloth and wrap it around myself. "Thank you."

He nodded, obviously hearing the thanks in my voice, and then shivered. I suddenly felt bad for taking it even though I was warmer then I remember being in a while.

The taller male helped me to pull the hood up and tucked my hair behind my ear, gently taking in my face. "Where do you think he came from? I can see marks on his neck, no doubt from a collar, and his nakedness..." I shivered at the fingers on my neck.

"A sex slave, I suppose, you highness." I looked away with a blush as the freckle-faced man gazed at me. "Though, he is surprisingly trusting of us."

The golden-haired man snorted and I caught the teasing tone in his voice. "No, Pip. This boy is trusting of you. I'm simply part of the package."

"Then why is he in your arms." The brunette male smirked as he crossed his arms, his expression haughty.

"Eh..." The man sighed. "Whatever."

"Shall we be heading back to the castle then?"

"I suppose." They glanced at me at the same time and I flinched.

The brunette lowered himself and was now looking up at me. "We are going somewhere safe. Don't be afraid." He gestured to himself and then to the other man before backing up, now standing again. His arms are wide and I feel he is trying to tell me that they won't hurt me.

I nod and walk up to him, placing my hand on his chest and almost collapsing into him as my strength leaves me. A frantic voice comes from the blond. "What happened?!"

A calming motion lulls me closer to sleep. "I suspect his adrenaline is gone. He must be exhausted and beyond cold."

Silk sheets are around me and a muscle arm is across my abdomen when I wake up. Immediately, my heart starts to race and a million questions go through my head. But most of all I wonder: Who's bed am I in? I try to tug the blankets down, but they are tucked all around me and I can't get away. Tears stream down my face and I prepare for the worst when the man shifts.

"Huh?" His tired voice suddenly becomes alert. "Hey, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. Shh."

A gentle hand runs up and down my side and I cry out in my panic. "Please no!"

"Quiet, quiet. It's okay. You're safe here." Blue eyes gaze upon me from inches away and I gasped in recognition before clinging to the golden-haired man. His fingers card through my hair as he whispers words I don't understand to me. "They can't get to you. I won't let them hurt you. Everything is fine. You're safe now."

A door slams open and I flinch away from the sound. "What's wrong?!"

The other man, the one with freckles, steps closer to the bed and sighs. "I thought someone was hurting him. Fucking hell. I think I just lost ten years of my life."

A deep chuckle rumbles out of the golden-haired man. "You need a little excitement every now and then."

"Not like this. Gods." The other sits down on the bed and takes off a ridiculously long cap on his head to run his fingers through his hair.

I blush as two sets of blue eyes stare at me as my stomach growls. The closer laughs. "I guess we should feed him now that he is awake."

Blankets slid away as the golden-haired man gets out of the bed. I shiver as my bare skin is uncovered. The man with freckles suddenly has his hand over his eyes, his cheeks red. "Uh... your highness... He still needs clothes."

The taller turns to look at me and I try not to cringe as he looks at me. "Sure does. Get him some while I go get breakfast."

He walks over and opens the door, ready to leave, but then the other is at his side. "Where do you expect me to get clothing small enough to not drown him."

"Ask Zelda. She likes to dress like a guy every now and then." The golden-haired man waves the other off as he shuts the door.

I watch the man sigh and kick at the floor. "Guess I have no choice. He's such an arse."

It's second nature to shrink away when the freckle-face man walks over to me. He notices and stops a few feet from the bed. "Look... I'm going to go get you something to wear."

I cock my head to one side and the man pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to get you clothes." As he says the last word, he grabs his shirt and I nod slowly, telling him I understand.

The door shuts behind him moments later and I glance around the room. Greens, gold, and wood. Interesting taste for someone that obviously has money. I would have expected priceless jewels and silk, but it makes me a little less weary. The less fancy, the better. Rich men are cruel.

I yelp and can feel my heart beating quickly as the door slams against the wall for the second time. "Where is he?"

My instinct is to slide off the bed and hide under, but then a beautiful woman has me in her arms. "Oh, he is precious! He'll need a bath and that hair needs brushed and then some adorable clothes and-"

"Princess, please! You're obviously scaring him!" The freckle-faced man takes me and gently rubs my back as I cling to him.

"Pip! Give him ba-" I don't see the way the woman looks at the scars along my back or how wide her eyes become, but then I am in a motherly embrace, something I've never experienced, and tears are raining down on my head. "Will you run the bath? I'd like a moment with him."

"Of course." The man leaves through a smaller door in the far wall and I am placed back on the bed, under the covers.

"Hey, sweetheart." I whimper as yet another set of blue eyes look up at me as the woman crouches by the bed. "Do you not speak Hylian?"

I shake my head, not understanding.

"I see." She purses her lips and then smiles lightly. "Do speak Sheikah?"

My eyes widen. "You know how to speak Sheikah?"

Her brow furrows. "Not... uh... good. Caregiver listen me little."

I laugh at how broken and wrong it sounds, but it is nice to know she can understand somewhat. "Is she Sheikah?"

The woman holds her hands together and seems to be looking for a word. "Half, me think."

The freckle-face man walks back in. "The bath is ready, M'Lady."

She nods to him. "Thank you, Pipit."

I glance at the man. "Is his name Pipit?"

The woman smiles. "Yes."

"And you?" I point to her so she understands further.

"Zelda." I faintly remember that name, but disregard the feeling. "You are?"

I sit up a little straighter. "Sheik."

"Sheik?" Zelda pats my hand. "Is lovely name."

The golden-haired man burst through the door suddenly. "Breakfast is served!"

Zelda sighs. "Way to make an entrance, Link."

He wheels a cart into the room and grins wide. "I can't help that I'm fabulous, Zel."

I tug on Zelda's sleeve and she looks at me. "What is his name?"

Her eyes land on the man for a moment. "He is me family, Link."

I look between them and understand what she is trying to say. They are siblings, most likely twins. "Link."

The name rolls off my tongue like water and the man, Link, is now looking right at me. "That's my name."

"He is Sheikah, by the way." Zelda says this like it should be perfectly clear to him. "And his name is Sheik."

"Sheik... the Sheikah. Were his parents that unorigi-" Yet again, the door opens. But this time it is gently.

A servant walks in. "Your highness, you left the silverware in the kitchen."

"Oh. Thanks." Link hurries over to the servant girl and takes the small bundle from her arms.

"Sheik?" I look back to the woman, Zelda. She smiles and holds out a plate to me. "Forgive. Clothes be gotten after eating?"

Not like it would be any different than what I'm used to. I nod and pull the blanket up around me as I tuck into my food. It has been a long time since I've had anything warm, least of all any sort of meat, and I scarf it down. The other seem to notice because all of them give me theirs.

I ignore the conversation, not that I can understand it, as I clean my plate and then Pipit's when he offers it.

"He must really like bacon." Another strip of the meat is offered to me by Link and I make sure to smile at him.

Zelda pats down my hair as she speaks. "While that may be true, I believe it is more the fact that he hasn't had meat in a while."

Silence permits the room for a bit too long and I look around at my saviors. They each share a look of hatred and for a moment I'm frightened, but then Link pulls me into a hug. "Let's find those sick fuckers and end them."

"I second that." I blink slowly up at her as Zelda kisses my forehead. "Bath?"

Another nod. "Mhmm."

I gasp at the tub before me. Steam is rising off the heated water and I wipe tears away from my eyes. How can these people be so nice to me? The water is perfect as I slip down into it and whimper as my sore muscles start to relax. A cup is dunked under the water next to me and I look back to see Zelda smiling at me. She gestured for me to turn around and when I do the water is dumped over my head. I can see her grabbing a bottle from the side of the tub and it disappears behind me. A cool substance is dropped on my head and I suspect it is a sort of soap. Soon, bubbles appear around me in the water and Zelda is pouring more cupfuls of water on my hair to rinse it. Then another bottle is grabbed and the process is repeated.

"You calm now. Be back." The door opens and closes behind me but I pay it no mind as I sink down in the water.

Who would have known that being clean would make someone so happy? But I guess you don't know until you can't recall what clean is anymore. The door opens once more, but doesn't close this time.

"Back, Sheik." I turn and see Zelda holding out two shirts. One is red and the other is blue and they both look like simple tunics. "Pick?"

My eyes widen. Is she really giving me the choice. A soft smile comes over my face and I point over to the blue one. "Blue is my favorite color."

Zelda chuckles. "Good." She sets them both down an the counter and walks over with a soft looking towel.

I climb out, missing the bath's warmth already, and allow her to dry me off. In a few minutes, I'm dressed in the blue shirt and a plain pair of tan pants. Zelda sighs and speaks slowly, like she is trying to come up with words. She probably is. "Pipit not allow me... pick things... too..." She can't seem to find the last word, so she throws her hands up and makes a crazy gesture.

I laugh, understanding her, and mentally thanking Pipit for not letting Zelda pick clothing that is over the top.

"I have heard word that the royal translator will arrive shortly."

...

I lifted my head as a woman walked into the room.

It felt like my heart was going to burst from my chest with how fast it was going. My knees felt weak and threatened to buckle under me. That long orange hair and pale skin. Those lips pulled up in an impish smile. "M-Midna?"

Her eyes caught mine and within seconds, I was in her embrace. "Oh, gods! Sheik!"

I clung to her and cried. "Y-Yeah."

We stayed like that for a few minutes, me crying into her chest and Midna soothing me. "How did you get away?"

"Link and Pipit found me in the woods near the manor of the man I was sold to." Her arms tightened at the mention of me being sold to someone.

"Did he..." I nodded into her and she clutched me closer. "I'm so sorry. Triad above, Sheik. You didn't deserve that. And to think your own kin... Bastards. All of them. I was outraged when Impa sent word to me. I almost had Zelda ready to send the Royal Guard out on a manhunt for the men that had you."

I froze. "R-Royal Guard?" Everything clicked into place.

Unbeknownst to me, I had been staying in the castle with the prince and princess. The same princess I had been training to protect and serve in my aunt's place. Aunt Impa. Zelda's Sheikah caretaker. And Midna had been sent off to a job in the castle. The castle I was in right now. Hyrule Castle. I pulled away from Midna and got down on my knees to pay my respects to the country's royalty.

Zelda looked quite uncomfortable at my actions and Link ran a hand through his hair as he spoke. "Shit. He found out, huh."

"Please make him get up." I winced at the princess's tone. They must be mad at me.

Midna easily lifted my small frame up and made me stand once more. "Sheik, stop doing that. You've been living in Link's room for a week, as far as I know. If they wanted you to bow to them, why would they have kept you from finding out in the first place." My mind brought up a scene where Link had barred his door to keep me in his room. Or when Zelda drew the curtains on the courtyard.

I frowned, tears in my eyes. I was beyond confused. "But why?"

My cousin smiled warmly at me before turning to the prince and princess. "He wants to know why you have kept his being at the castle from him."

Zelda crossed her arms and snorted. "We knew he would start to treat us differently."

Link shuffled from side to side awkwardly. "I have to say, I enjoy having someone around that isn't my family or a servant. No offence, Pip."

"None taken." Pipit nodded his head in Link's direction.

"They don't want you to treat them like royalty, Sheik. Link and Zelda just want a friend in you." Zelda seemed to understand some of what Midna was saying because she nodded when I glanced at her.

"B-But-"

"We love you, Sheik!" I gasped and turned to the royal twins that had just spoken in perfect harmony. In my native tongue.

Surely my eyes were red-rimmed from crying so much, but that didn't seem to matter as more tears streamed down my face. "I... don't know what to say."

Midna ruffled my hair and chuckled. "He's speechless."

The princess took a step forward. "Stay with us."

The prince took a step forward. "Yeah, please."

"They want you to stay, Sheik." Two pairs of shining blue orbs stared over at me with equal anticipation.

"Of course I will. My duty is-"

"Fuck duty!" My eyes widened. Did Hyrule's princess just curse?!

"What she said, I think." Link grinned wide as he threw his arm over his sister's shoulders. "As long as it means Sheik won't leave and we can still be together."

"It does, Link." Zelda elbow Link and cause his arm to fall.

He didn't seem to care as he pumped his fist towards the ceiling. "Oh, good!"

Finally, I laughed and accepted my new fate. "I suppose I cannot say no after that."

"He's staying." Within moments of Midna's words, I was swarmed by Link, Zelda, and Pipit.