~Chapter 4~

"Ganondorf?"

"Yes," Shinda nodded, her white hair falling in front of her face as she did. "I want to know a little more, about the story you where telling me. Tell me a little more about Ganondorf." She rubbed her chained ankle, and pulled herself up into a sitting position. After seeing the strange man in black, she had come to the conclusion that it was a ghost. She was determined to discover a little more about this strange man, this strange male of her species.

The servant sighed. "What? You ask this now, now of all times? There is no time today, Shinda, you are going to meet Princess Zelda." Shinda stopped rubbing her ankle to stare at the servant. Her ruby eyes grew large with surprise, with one staring out at the girl and the other hidden behind a curtain of pure white hair.

"Are… are you saying that I'm going to be released?" Shinda asked, the sound of hope could not be masked in her voice. The servant smiled, her pearly teeth shone in the faded light, and she unlocked the cell door to step inside.

"Yes. Isn't this great? What till you see the castle, it's beautiful! Of course, it barely holds a candle to Princess Zelda. She's a little beauty." The servant stopped as she bent over to unlock Shinda's chain. "Of course," she continued, "you shine yourself. If you would improve your manners, that poor guard from the other day is still out of commission you know, then you may be a little beauty yourself!"

Shinda frowned at the praising words. "Why is that important?" Shinda did not understand why beauty seemed so important to the servant. The servant said nothing as the sound of Shinda's unlocking chain echoed off the walls.

"There! All done!" the servant said, pulling back to give Shinda space. "Now, don't try to run away, ok? I'm afraid you'll have a hard time doing so. You'll never find your way home, no doubt that you won't even get far, with the way you look." The servant looked Shinda up and down. Shinda's brown rags of clothing hung loose around her body, torn and wet from the slime and mold that dripped from the ever-dripping ceiling. Her feet were cut and black from the soot from the ground, along with her face and hands. It was a surprise to the servant that Shinda's hair remained clean.

"I wish I could give you a bath and new clothes, but Princess Zelda insisted on seeing you now," the servant shook her head. "I need to work my cleaning magic, though. You need to at least look ready for a royal court."

"Does it matter what I wear?" Shinda asked, wondering about the strange traditions that these people performed. There were so many things, Shinda was realizing, that she was going to have to learn, until she can escape, that is.

The servant gasped at Shinda's words. "Of course! You are about to see the royal family! The highest ranked people in the land! They are more important than anyone else in Hyrule! You have to respect them, and that means holding that fiery tongue of yours."

Shinda glared, her red eyes gleamed with anger as she started to speak, but was stopped as the servant wiped out a pair of shoes from behind her back. The shoes were the most beautiful shoes Shinda had ever seen. She remembered her mother having shoes a long time ago, before wear decayed the leather soles. They were black and brown with dust and dirt, but protected Shinda's mother's feet till the last of their days.

These shoes were a faded red, with padded soles on each shoe. Tiny, fawn-brown stitches ran through the bottom edge of the shoe, creating tiny patterns of circles and spirals. Shinda could see the shoes were soft on the inside, looking as if there was some sort of animal skin with thin fur that laid at rest. Where heels once sat was a small patch of missing fur, proof of its use.

"These are for you," the servant said, smiling a little at Shinda's awed expression. "These were once mine. I grew out of them a while ago. I'm afraid they are a little old, but they should fit your tiny feet." The servant put the amazing shoes into Shinda's hands, and Shinda just looked at them. They were made from materials Shinda had never seen before. She traced the brown stitches with her fingers, speechless.

The servant laughed, her bell-like voice bringing Shinda back from her world. "I'm glad to see that they will be in loving hands. They are good shoes."

"What are they made of? I have never seen such cloths as these," Shinda asked, but the servant shook her head, her short brown hair flew about her head.

"There is no time now, Princess Zelda awaits." The servant motioned Shinda to put on the shoes, and turned to leave the cell.

"Wait! What about Ganondorf? Please, I must know!" Shinda asked, feeling desperate. Leaving the cell would mean she would probably cross paths with the dead man; she wanted to be prepared.

The servant waved her away. "Not now! Hurry, let's go!"

Shinda had never seen a dwelling such as the castle before. When she stepped out from the darkness of the dungeon into the rainbow stain-glass rays of light that illuminated the cheerful room, Shinda couldn't move at first. It was nothing like her small, filthy well that stunk of the dead and was crawling with poisonous creatures. The ceilings were clear of dripping slime; the floors dusted and washed to shine. Pottery lined the white walls, glittering and creating patterns of light on the floors. Servants in the nicest clothes Shinda had ever seen whipped about, laughing and exchanging conversations with each other as they worked. Birds chirped outside, a noise Shinda had only heard when she first stepped out of her home.

The servant noticed Shinda's shock, and took her hand. "Isn't beautiful? Much better than that well, I bet." Shinda did not say a word. Her face fell into one of sadness as the memories of her beloved home washed over her. Though this place was like a heaven within itself, Shinda missed talking to the floor masters and the green bubble that roomed the main hallway. Shinda was so close to befriending a Redead, though she was taken before this was made possible.

Recognizing the sadness, the servant lead Shinda to a large doorway, a doubled wonder that was decorated with elegant patterns that stretched up to the tall ceiling. Shinda looked up, beholding this gigantic doorway, a size she had never seen in such a place. As she stood in her silence, overwhelmed and even a little frightened, the guard saluted the servant.

"General, sir! Pleasure to see you here. Escorting the prisoner?" he asked, his heavy armor clanked as his arm rose to his forehead.

"She is no prisoner, soldier. Only a child with no collection of her race's traditions," the servant said, looking into the guard's dark brown eyes. The guard began to sweat under the fierce glare of his superior, and coughing into his hand, he asked for pardon.

"Forgive me, I was mistaken, sir."

"Sir?" Shinda questioned, confused. This man was talking to the servant, calling her a him and treating her as a superior. "Why do you call this little girl a man? She looks nothing like you strange creatures."

The guard looked at Shinda for a moment, surprise clearing written on his face. There was a strange silence, followed by a series of uncontrollable laughter.

"Kid, you crack me up! Who knew that Sheikah's had a sense of humor, being the race of shadows and all. Little lass, this man is a great soldier, not a little female child." Laughing, the guard saluted again, and walked off, the sound of metal clanking as his whole body shook with laughter.

Shinda was frozen for a moment as she realized what she had just heard. The guard, she came to know, saw another man, a soldier escorting her, while Shinda saw a pleasant little girl whose laugh was like soft bells and whose eyes shone with innocence.

Shinda turned to the girl, who put a finger up to her lips, indicating silence. "Shhh. It's our secret, ok?" she said, winking at Shinda happily. Smiling a white, toothy smile, she pointed behind Shinda. "Better go in, little one. The princess awaits you."

"Who are you?" Shinda asked, reaching out to the girl, but she had turned on her heal and ran off, waving good-bye to her new friend.

When Shinda entered the royal court, she nearly fainted. She thought the rest of the castle was beautiful, and that the servant wore elaborate dresses with lively colors that sang and danced as the servants walked. But seeing this room made Shinda reconsider.

A think, plush carpet cushioned Shinda's feet was she walked in, and Shinda was greeted by the hanging tapestries that shone in the light, thin and yet soft. Large columns, ones that Shinda had only seen in books, supported the high ceiling, where crystal chandeliers hung. At the end of the long hallway, a golden throne sat, decorated with a red cushion, where a figure sat, wearing clothes that shone like the tapestries and was stitched with gold.

Princess Zelda, Shinda thought, at last.

The princess lifted a gloved hand, and beckoned the Sheikah forward. Her long, golden hair was wrapped into a complicated fashion, and her blue eyes were brighter than her clothes.

Shinda took a few steps forward, unsure of what to do. Should she run? There were not guards around, and Princess Zelda would be unable to stop her. It was true she was pretty, Shinda thought, but would she let me go.

"Come here, I won't bite," the princess called softly her voice similar to that of the servant. She smiled at the Sheikah, but the Sheikah could not return the favor. Her breathing changed into hollow gulps as she looked behind the princess.

It was him. Ganondorf. Standing behind the princess, looming over her with her oblivious to his existence. He growled at her, his fists tight with rage. And as he talked Shinda saw spit fly outwards, and his voice shook with anger.

"Get out of my chair, you useless wrench."

Wow, boring chapter! I was going to make it longer, but I figured it would be too much. Anyway, I hope future chapters will be more interesting.

Thanks for reading! Please, as I always ask, please review, and please don't be very evil about it. I work hard, you know.

Thanks again!

~Maannga