Princess Zelda's coronation was two weeks from the day she sent Impa and Sheik to retrieve Link from Ordon. Link was showing improvement from the day the Sheikah warriors had arrived. His health had been in serious decline, but since that point he had began on the road to recovery. In the first three days Link was able regained consciousness for more than a few hours, he was finally able to sit up, and was even able to eat a broth soup that Ilia made. Uli, Rusl's wife and Link's adoptive mother, came everyday with Colin to care for Link, with the aid of Ilia, during his illness. Link continued to have nightmares regardless, but he was showing remarkable improvement. By the sixth day, Link couldn't stand up yet, but with the help of Rusl and Sheik, he was able to be taken outside onto the front porch of Mayor Bo's house.
By the seventh day Link's fever was completely gone, he was sitting on the front porch of the mayor's house with Sheik while Impa spoke with Mayor Bo, Rusl, and Uli. Impa noted in her own frustration that it was only a week before the princess' coronation and they were long overdue to return. Zelda would need her more than ever now, the female Sheikah warrior had acted as the mother figure for the princess since the queen had passed away before the princess could remember. Impa was also Sheik's mother figure and as so she assigned Sheik with the task of making sure that Link rested and recover enough to travel to Zelda's coronation in a week.
Link sat silently on the mayor's front stoop, watching Sheik bid Impa farewell. The blonde haired woman mounted her dark brown steed, urging the mare into a gallop, it was evident she was ready to return to the castle. Sheik returned to Link's side once his mentor had vanished from the village. Sheik gazed silently at the formerly green clad warrior, wondering what he was thinking about. Link was dressed in his traditional Ordon clothing and was staring at nothing in particular; his eyes were distant and unfocused.
Link didn't notice Sheik staring at him at first. His thoughts were consumed with the realization that Zelda was becoming queen. It was inevitable, yet it seemed so sudden. To Link it seemed like Just yesterday he had met Zelda as a wolf in the castle after Midna aided him in his escape. Images of the princess adorned in her heavy grey cloak, face hidden and facing out the window before turning slowly to the growling wolf Link, not seeming surprised and also seeming strangely familiar. Midna's cold laughter filling the cold, cursed Twilight air. The next memory that surfaced came crashing down with emotion. Link had just returned from the water temple and was in the sacred spring at the edge of Lake Hylia. The cursed stone stabbing into the warrior's body, Zant manipulating the Spirit of Light into attacking Midna. Midna's cries of pain. Her wounded and weak, collapsed on wolf Link's back. Her body pale and weak, Link rushing to Zelda, seeking the aid that only the princess could give, pleading with the goddesses that Midna wouldn't die. The fear and pain came rushing back over Link with a vengeance. He closed his eyes, nearly doubling over with the pain of the memory of Midna's near death. Zelda had given her strength to Midna to keep her alive, vanishing from before Link's eyes. Zelda was a kind and wise leader, always doing what was best for her people. Link closed his eyes, trying to keep the pain at bay, Midna had broken the Twilight Mirror two years ago, he knew he should be over it by now, but the Hero of Time still hadn't come to terms with it. Link tried to suppress the tears, but some still slipped past his defenses and slid down his paled cheek.
"Link?" The questioning voice came, ripping Link from his thoughts. The hero's blue eyes shot open and where greeted by crimson ones. That was when a gut wrenching realization came over him: Sheik had the same eyes as Midna. Both shared crimson eyes that made you feel like you were being sucked into their soul and like they could see straight through you. Oddly, however, was that whenever Link looked at Midna he felt as though he had seen eyes like hers before, but he didn't know where. Red eyes were extremely uncommon among humans and eye Sheik and Impa's eyes were so familiar, as though he had seen them before, he had, but he didn't know where, it was from before he had met Midna, from before he had lost his childhood memories.
"Link," Sheik's voice came again, more forceful this time to get Link's attention. The hero shook off the strange feeling of recognition, looking curiously at Sheik.
Link spoke very rarely in this time, Sheik knew. It was completely different from the chatty smiley Link of the other timeline, but those blue eyes, those blue eyes that were like staring into the depths of pools you could drown in an instant, were the same eyes with the same heart behind them. That heart that could understand almost any person he met. The younger of the two held Sheik's gaze, his own intense and pinning, searching the other's eyes. It was strange for both of them, it was like they knew the other, but didn't really. Link couldn't place where he knew Sheik from and suddenly had the intense desire to remember, yet something told him he didn't have his memories for a reason, as if something terrible had happened and his memories had been wiped to protect him from whatever it was. For Sheik, Sheik knew the Link from the other timeline, but this Link, in reality, was a different person, a person who didn't remember him, and Sheik wanted to know why. Stubbornly holding the other's gaze, it was suddenly broken when Link and Sheik both realized that Sheik was leaning close enough to Link for the hero to feel the Sheikah warrior's breath on his face. Both jumping back, blush crossing both of their cheeks, Sheik stood up at quickly as he could, both turning away from the other so fast it was a miracle neither of them got whiplash.
"Wh-what were you asking?" Link managed to get out, casting Sheik a sidelong glance, his blue eyes hidden by his honey colored hair.
Recovering as quickly as he could, Sheik stared as emotionlessly as he could at a tree across the village, blushing heavily under his cowl. "W-we have a week before we have to be back at the castle, we should get started on your recovery," he stammered, trying to cover up his embarrassment. A Sheikah warrior must be constantly vigil, aware of their surroundings and devoid of emotion, both of which he wasn't at the moment. Link nodded in agreement, he may have lost his will to keep going, but now something about Sheik was telling him to pull himself together and move forwards. He didn't know what it was about Sheik, but something told him that form the familiar stranger's sake he had to hold on and get stronger again. He was the Hero Chosen by the Gods; he couldn't just give up, lie down, and die. He also had to do this for Zelda, they had become as close as sibling over the past two years, since Ganondorf's defeat, and, like Sheik, she seemed to know him and was strangely familiar. Once again, he didn't why, but had the feeling that the answers lay hidden in his forgotten memories.
Seven days until Princess Zelda's coronation, Sheik noted. They had approximately five days until they had to ride to Castle Town, which meant five days for Link to recover enough to ride Epona through the Faron Wood, across Hyrule Field, and still be able to walk through Castle Town to the castle, all the while giving off the impression that he was in perfect health and had just been caught up somewhere, that being the excuse given the nobility and commoners alike for his late arrival.
Impa took her leave back to the castle on the morning of the seventh day before the princess' coronation. Over the course of the day, Link was able to stand back up with Sheiks help and he was able to walk down the path in front of the mayor's house. The effort was visible in Link's body language, he was exhausted by sunset of the day Impa left. He and Sheik had been spending the entire day working on retuning Link to his feet and getting him to walk, with aid, down to the foot bridge connecting the mayor's large house to the rest of Ordon Village. Trembling, Link had dropped off into sleep almost immediately after he lay down in his bed in the back room of Mayor Bo's house. Sheik tried to remain awake all night and keep a watchful eye on Link, but ended up falling asleep on the bed next to Link.
Sunlight filtered into the small room the next morning, rousing both Link and Sheik. Link had always been a morning person and woke much to his surprise; with Sheik lying pressed against Link's left side. Sheik was on his side, curled up with an arm across Link's chest and the other arm pillowing his head. Link was on his back when he woke up with his felt arm cradling Sheik close to himself. It had been the first night Link had free of nightmares in months, it was strange, but it felt so right to Link. It was as if they had been in this position before.
Even though Link was surprised at their waking position, he didn't feel the urge to push Sheik away; instead he could barely resist pulling the other closer, wondering why it felt so natural. Sheik's reaction wasn't exceptionally different; except for when he came to, at first he thought he was back with Link before Zelda had revealed herself. His red eyes opened slowly, taking in the sight of what looked to be a sleeping Link, but they were in, at first what was, a room Sheik didn't recognize. When Link turned his head to look at him, Sheik was struck with the instant realization that this was not the Link he remembered and they couldn't be like this, at least not yet. The sound of someone heavy getting up in a room upstairs made both of them jump and separate before Ilia could come in to check on Link and see them looking like the lovers they had once been, yet hadn't been in this timeline.
Link and Sheik spent the majority of the day walking around the village, Link didn't need Sheik's constant support, in fact, he didn't want Sheik helping him around today, he was determined to get back on the road. Now, Link couldn't walk far without becoming winded, his breathing was still labored and he began sweating profusely fairly early on in the day, but the morning was cool and mist, allowing for a more comfortable start. The two warriors spent their time down by the creek that ran through the village to the lake at the edge of the town. It was relaxing, but it allowed too much time for both of their thoughts to wander.
Five days before Zelda's coronation, Link only had three more days before he had to be riding Epona well. It was hot that day and the village kids were playing at the ranch up on the hill past the mayor's house.
Relief washed over Link when he made it up the hill to the ranch with little trouble. Talo, a brown haired village boy and once bully, and Colin were play fighting with sticks, pretending they were swords and using the lighting moves that Colin's father, Rusl, and Link had shown them. The goats gave the two boys a wide birth, grazing on the far side of the field. Watching Talo and Colin was the only village child that was a girl, other than Ilia. Beth was sitting on the fence, kicking her feet as she watched the boys. Malo, Talo's little brother, was standing by the fence, looking bored and seemed to be criticizing the older boys on their form and skill. On the far side of the field, set a short ways from the goats, was Ilia, grooming Epona. A wave of affection towards the eighteen year old girl washed over Link. Everyone in the village had thought that the two of them would end up getting together and having a family, but things didn't work that way. Ilia loved Link, but knew things wouldn't work out between them, Link had seen and been through too much and had changed drastically for the days of their childhood.
Link was greeted by Fado, his best friend from the village since they had both been young teenagers. Fado wasn't sure about Sheik, but he let it go. Link and Sheik seemed to know each other, after all.
Epona whinnied at the sight of Link and galloped across the field to him, drawing the children's attention. The kids ran to him, their excited babble that he was okay was a jumble of noise as each one tried to take over the rest. Link threw his head back and actually laughed at the commotion. His blue eyes were warm like they had been before and he smiled, kneeling down in front of the kids. Colin, with his big blue eyes that were brimming with tears, told him that on one thought he was going to make it, but the parents had made their kids go up to the ranch and leave Link in peace. Link's gaze softened towards the boy, apologizing for making the children worry. When Link had come to the village Rusl and Uli had taken him in. Colin, their son, had become his little brother, he would do almost anything for these children, he knew.
On the day Link and Sheik walked up the Ranch, they also walked Epona and Sheik's dappled grey mare to the Ordon Spring, a spring with a waterfall in the forest, just outside village. They groomed the horses and talked, not really about anything, but also about bits of everything. Sheik got Link to tell him about his journey with a woman named Midna. Once Link started talking to Sheik, he felt strangely at ease, and told the Sheikah warrior everything. Track of time was lost, and the two warriors ended up talking at the spring until a fiery sunset and they headed back to the village, but Link still hadn't asked Sheik about where they knew each other from.
On the fourth day before Zelda's coronation, two days before Link and Sheik had to be ready to leave, they went back up to the ranch, but spend the day with Link ride Epona at a slow trot abound the field. They didn't talk much, as Sheik and Link were under the watchful eye of Rusl and they couldn't comfortably in front of Link's adoptive father.
Three days before the coronation of Hyrule's new queen. Link and Sheik were both up early. Link was walking with ease now and he was once more confident in his riding. He and Sheik went up to the ranch at sunrise took Epona and the grey mare out of the barn. The two warriors spent the morning riding at the ranch, and in the afternoon they took their horses for a ride in Faron Wood. Rusl made the boys promise not to go far and for Sheik not to allow Link to do anything beyond a trot or a slow canter with Epona.
Sunlight slanted through the branches of the trees surrounding Ordon Spring, glistening on the water as it lapped at the feet of the Hero of Time and the Sheikah warrior. Link ran his hand across Epona's neck, her velvety muzzle pushed against his shoulder. His blue eyes were half-closed in concentration and lost in thought as he worked on washing the sweat from his mare's shoulders and withers. He and the crimson eyed Sheikah had gone for a long ride with little conversation between them, each lost in their own thoughts.
Link cast a glance over his shoulder at Sheik who was standing barefoot in the water, washing the dappled grey's side. With the sunlight dancing off the water, shining on the other's longer hair, turning it to gold. Sheik's red eyes looked gentle and subdued at the moment, relaxed even. Smiling to himself, Link turned back to Epona and moved onto a different patch to wash her, and to get a better view of the Sheikah warrior. Water slashing and rippling around his ankles as he circled Epona to her other side, Sheik's gaze followed the unsuspecting hero. Glancing up, neither said anything, but held the others gaze.
"Sheik?" Link finally asked, looking back down at the side of Epona that he was washing. "We know each other, don't we?" His voice was soft and his expression unreadable, but emotions swam through him.
Sheik was silent for a long time before answering with a slight nod, as though he didn't know whether to actually tell the other or not.
"It was before… wasn't it?" Link pressed, not looking up at Sheik this time, pain ebbed into, filling him with cold grief. He would have remembered someone like Sheik if he had met him after coming to Ordon. Once more Sheik only gave a reluctant nod of confirmation. He knew Link had to remember on his own, but a part of him yearned to tell the hero everything about what had happened before Link had been sent back, everything about them.
Clenching his fist against Epona's side, Link looked up at Sheik, cold determination in his eye. He was going to remember, he'd find a way. "After Zelda's coronation," Link ventured, "will you come with me?" I need to know where we met before. Link added the last part silently. He had no way of knowing how deep the bond between the two of them really was. And, to Link's surprise, Sheik agreed to go with him. Sheik new the truth and Sheik was perhaps the only one who could help Link remember. Link, lost in his thoughts, suddenly looked up in surprise. Sheik was standing right next to him. He hadn't heard the other warrior approach, not had he realized that the other had even moved.
Sheik and Link were roughly the same height, Link was a bit taller and more muscular, even after his illness, but that didn't seem to matter at the moment. What did matter was that sheik was standing right next to Link, staring at him with unwavering crimson eyes that searched his own blue eyes. In what felt like an instant, but at the same time feeling like it took forever, Sheik pulled down his cowl and only after a heartbeat's hesitation, pressed his lips against Link's. It only lasted an instant, but it was enough. Recovering from the shock of Sheik's sudden gesture, the green clad hero closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Sheik's neck and deepening the kiss. Sheik's own eyes were closed and he couldn't have hoped for a better reaction from the other. It was just as he remembered it, the feeling of it being so right. Drawing back, Sheik pulled Link into a fierce hug, burying his face in the other's shoulder, his eyes squeezed shut against the rising emotion of desperation. Link didn't remember him and it was breaking him. Link held Sheik close, his own eyes closed as he ducked his head slightly, opening his eyes partway again. A realization was coming over him. He and Sheik had been close, whatever their bond had been something was telling him they had been close. "I promise," Link breathed into sheik's ear, "I will remember."
The following morning, Link and Sheik readied for their journey across Hyrule Field and to Castle Town, neither saying a word of what had happened the evening before. Nothing was said about the kiss of the embrace, no one was to know but them.
Link saddled up Epona, securing the saddlebags he always rode with and securing her reins. Sheik was preparing the dappled grey while obviously lost in his own thoughts. The Sheikah warrior didn't notice Link staring at him, waves of emotion radiating from the hero, now dressed in the same clothes he had worn when going and saving Hyrule from Ganondorf. Sheik was dressed in his usual blue skin tight outfit with the cowl and wrappings.
Rusl came down to the center of town where the two were preparing their horses and handed Link his Ordon sword and Hyrule shield. Link had returned the Master Sword to its resting place after Ganondorf had been defeated, using the sword that had originally been made to be given to Princess Zelda and also the sword that he had used before retrieving the Master Sword to break the curse of the Twilight that sealed him in the form of a wolf.
Thanking Rusl with a curt nod, Link gave the sword and shield a long look before securing them on his back and mounting Epona, he was well enough to ride her to Hyrule Castle; he would be fine he knew. Thoughts resting on his sword as well as on Sheik the green clad warrior led the way out of town with Sheik riding the dappled grey at his side.