Author's Notes:

There be lemons in this part, so be warned.

Happy trails. Stay dry. Don't forget to comment or review if you like it (or don't.)

Part 5: Change

Throughout recorded history and even early than that, no human race had been more misunderstood and mysterious than that of the Sheikah.

While historically they had often times referred to themselves as a tribe most outsiders called them a race. Little more is known about this shadowy group other than they typically have a leader, they serve the royal family of Hyrule, and while they all have specific physical characteristics that differ from other Hylians, they are technically genetically Hylian. The birthplace of the Sheikah tribe and current home to the elusive people has been and would likely always be Kakariko Village, the town cast in a mountain's shadow.

Even their leader, and the captain of the Hyrulian army and advisor to the future Queen of Hyrule, Lady Impa was born, raised, and trained in Kakariko.

Born into the Sheikah tribe, lore and legend followed her name like the shadow of royalty. She was said to be the direct descendant of the Sage of Shadows from ancient times, and even today lived by the legend. She was as silent as the shadows following behind her prey, and her timing was impeccable, relying on feeling instead of vision.

She did not, however, need feeling to figure out what was happening with Hyrule's Hero.

She'd deciphered that puzzle rather quickly. A few weeks prior she'd seen the young man stroll into the camp with a look to him that seemed to glow right off the blue of his eyes. He'd been sly about it, and rather quiet. Then he's glanced around everyone waiting for her to make her speech, his eyes had settled on the mysterious Sheik only a second before he'd glanced away about a second too quick.

She knew that look immediately. She'd seen it in the princess the morning after she'd snuck one of her visiting "friends" out of her bedroom and then spotted him at the breakfast table with her father or in the hall in front of her caretakers.

The Hero was sleeping with Sheik.

Hmm. Impa wanted to be annoyed. Link had the courage that far surpassed anyone else she'd ever met in her life. But he was still dangerously young. She knew what war did to men - particularly kind hearted men who were thrown into it much too young. It destroyed them from the inside out, blackened their hearts and poisoned their souls. She'd seen too many young knights throw themselves off the castle roof or tie their necks with rope. There was little in the world more horrifying than seeing a young spirit die long before the body that housed it.

But Link had been doing remarkably well. In fact, it was like he had a drive in him no one else could see that fueled his strength. He had something in his heart that pushed him forward and despite his quiet nature, she could feel the peace in his heart still. She'd seen it darker at the beginning of their journey when the young knight became reckless with shallow success and cocky in his attempts to hold on to his humanity.

But then he'd lightened. Something happened those two days they were locked in their campsite from the unplanned torrential downpour and ever since he'd seemed to awaken with a new light from within. Even when half their army turned against them and the blood shed soaked the bones of all their remaining...the next morning this young man rose like he'd become a new person.

Because he found someone to warm his bed.

Impa scoffed but she wasn't sure if the sound she made was soaked with disapproval or thanks to the Goddess. She was no prude. She wasn't his mother. If it helped him to find a woman — or man — he enjoyed to spend his evenings with, so be it. Impa turned a blind eye and gave Hyrule's Hero a little more space and privacy because if it helped him hold on to his humanity, then that was as good of a reason as any.

Impa frowned now looking down at the young Hero amidst their army. He didn't look to have the same headstrong determination or bottomless hunger that he had before. There was something different about his aura that had shifted in the past few days and only worsened each morning. He seemed….distracted.

She jumped to the ground and landed soundlessly on her feet in front of the young Hylian the moment he was alone. She half expected the young man to be surprised, but instead his wide eyes diminished as if he'd been hoping for someone else.

"Link, can I have a word with you?" She didn't wait for his response nor did she anticipate to hear one and instead headed towards the far off edge of camp with the footsteps of the young man behind her.

"You're distracted this morning." She didn't phrase it as a question and upon turning around to face him realized he wasn't denying it either. "I'm not sure what's going on between you and Sheik…"

Impa watched him swallow at the mention of the young woman's name.

"...but if it interferes with your focus, it may be a wise choice to keep her behind."

This time Link did respond. "It won't."

Impa narrowed her piercing gaze unconvinced. "I don't have much confidence in that response."

He blinked but didn't say anything.

Traditional knight training at its finest.

"Just remember that the Princess chose you as her Hero and she should be your primary focus. Bringing Princess Zelda back to safety is our only goal today."

Link nodded, holding his chin up high. Feeling the conversation was over, the Sheikah woman turned to leave before she heard the young man's voice again.

"Do you really think it's the Princess?"

Impa stopped midstep.

Did she?

"I'm not certain." Her voice was quiet and she didn't turn back to face him. "I want to believe it's her, if for nothing else just so I know she's safe and to have her back under my watch."

Link was the one to continue the announcement. "But…"

Impa inhaled long and slow from her nose. "We won't know for sure until I can see it with my own two eyes." She turned to leave after that final world but took three steps and paused. For a moment she was quiet and didn't even turn to Link as if second guessing what she wanted to disclose. "I've been in charge of watching over the princess since before she learned to walk. In many ways, it felt like raising a child and I've thought of her as the closest thing to a daughter that I'll ever have in this lifetime." Link could hear the Sheikah take a deep breath, steady and strong like she always was. "I can't see her betraying her people. Not even if the Goddesses themselves told her to."

They found the princess just short of the outskirts of Lake Hylia. The day had been long and the sun had set. Light was fading fast into the darkness of twilight and a rising full moon. She'd been there only a moment with a large hoard of monsters in her wake like loyal servants. Then there was a wave of magic that rang through the air and she vanished with all that followed.

At first the Hyrulean army had thought they had imagined it.

It couldn't be Princess Zelda.

The Princess wouldn't….

Surely their eyes were deceiving them.

It was a play of magic!

But it didn't matter what the soldiers thought. Impa had seen it, the Hero had seen it. They'd all seen the royal princess in flesh and blood before the black magic of an untold evil swallowed her whole and left nothing in its trace. The army had searched the vicinity of the lake for hours after, but to no avail. Even long after the last few soldiers gave in on the endeavour Hyrule's Hero still paced with a fiery determination and burning rage in his chest so strong, his eyes almost turned red as a Sheikah's.

Impa made the executive decision to call it a night at that point. It was late, everyone was tired, and she just had the feeling something was amiss with the whole princess sighting. She sent the Hero to get cleaned up for the night hoping it would calm him in his aggravates state and bid him a good evening as he disappeared towards a more secluded alcove of the Great Lake.

Link trudged begrudgingly towards the water with the weight of his shortcomings pressing down on his spine. He should have moved quicker. He should have been there first to catch the princess and bring her home.

He should have done a lot of things, if he was truly being honest with himself.

The water was peaceful so late at night. His blue eyes skimmed over the dark surface of the lake that glittered with the swollen moon's reflection. The sun would probably rise in a few hours. He may as well attempt to bathe and rest a bit before trying again tomorrow.

Some Hero.

Silent in the darkness and unperceived, a pair of red eyes watched him from above. Sheik sat silent on a large tree branch taking in the lake and casually eyeing the man undressing at its shore. She'd watched him approaching the waters edge from camp and knew she probably should have left. But she could almost feel the tension and anger radiating off his skin, and before she even forced herself to move he was removing clothes and skin was coming into the light and she was much more mesmerized by the smooth lines of lean muscle and hard flesh than her own bed.

Unless he was in that bed with her.

He had just removed the last of his garments — now thrown haphazardly on a rock — and making his way into the cool water when he glanced up and spotted her. Sheik didn't freeze out of fear of being caught watching him naked. After all the times she'd been intimate with him, she knew every line and scar on his body well enough that she didn't need to see it in the light at all.

She froze because he knew she was there and she hadn't made a sound.

"I thought you were avoiding me." His back turned against her, but she knew he was still keeping tabs on her. The moonlight reflected off the toned skin of his back and Sheik winced seeing the harsh texture of scars littering his flesh.

She should go to her own tent. Hot pink.

She should go to bed.

Yes, she knew really well that the wise decision would be to leave now and go lay down in her own bed before she ended up naked in his again.

But…

Her feet hit the floor with cat-like precision before she'd even registered what she wanted.

Link turned at the sound of her landing and locked eyes with her. For a moment there was silence between them, the void of nothing being filled with crickets and wind and the occasional hoot of an owl.

"You have been avoiding me." It was unlike Link to divulge so many words and accusations without prompt, but Sheik remained stoney silent this time.

Figuring she wasn't going to say anything else, he turned his back to her and moved further into the water until it reached mid-stomach.

"Can I join you?" Sheik's voice was uncharacteristically soft, so much so that Link barely recognized it at all.

"I never took you for a woman who asked permission." His eyes were cold as stone but Sheik could hear the almost playful challenge in his voice.

She smirked. He was right about that.

She began to undo the red ties on her armor as she moved closer to the water's edge. One arm piece fell unceremoniously to the floor first, then the other, and just as she reached the water's edge she dropped to her knees to untie the remaining armor around her legs. Link watched her undress with a sense of wonder. He was just beginning to think how he'd never truly seen her in the light when a dark cloud moved overhead to obscure the moonlight, casting their space in almost total darkness.

Of course.

Link reverted to listening to the rest of her undressing process and let his sore bones sink into the cool water the further in he ventured. He heard her approaching, the soft splash of feet then unmistakable sound of a body wading into the water and his eyes were closed as he felt the cool water ease scrapes and cuts and sores on his skin when two arms slid under his arms and wrapped around his chest like silk.

Sheik didn't say anything, but the weight of her body against his and feel of pert nipples pressed against his chest spoke volumes. Link let her hold him and touch him. He half expected her to kiss him or give him some form of sexual response or touch. Instead she simply kept thin arms wrapped tightly around him, bodies pressed close, and head against resting against his shoulder.

Her breath was warm against his skin, but again she remained silent. He didn't move or make any motion to touch her or ask anything of her. Sheik made the decision for him by unwrapping an arm from around his back, sliding it down his arm until reaching a wide, well calloused hand and brought it to her waist.

Hold me.

He followed suit, pulling his other arm around her middle until she was perfectly cradled in his hold. Sheik seemed to melt into his arms — arms built of strong muscle and bone and thousands of hours of training and preparation for battle and war.

They weren't battle arms right now, however.

Link ran his fingers of his left hand slowly up her spine, drawing smooth shapes and swirls against her skin in a surprisingly warm manner.

"Mmm," Sheik seemed to purr at the tender touch. She shifted in his hold and Link's breath thickened in throat when he felt her lips press against his skin.

Sheik kissed his collar and shoulder, moving slowly over invisible skin in the dark until she made her way up the column of throat and could feel him swallowing thickly at her teasing touch.

"Am I making you hard?" Her voice was hot and sultry but there was something indecipherable acidic in its undertone that he caught immediately.

Link pushed her away just enough that she felt his resistance but didn't actually fully dislodge from his hold. He wished more than ever he could see better in the dark. Bright blue eyes searched the dark space in front of him but he could barely make out her shape more less any facial details.

"What's wrong with you?" His voice held more a tone of worry than accusation.

"Nothing," she tried to say quickly, pressing herself back against him. Her hands met his chest and traveled down his flesh. Her fingers were halfway down deliciously toned stomach before his much larger hands caught hers and held her firmly still.

"Don't fuck with me right now." Link's voice was harsh and sharp like a well sharpened blade. When Sheik didn't say anything or make any motion to escape his grasp he prodded her again. "What's bothering you so much that you're in such a hurry? Or did you just come here hoping you could get a good fuck out of me and then disappear again like you did the last time?"

Her swallow was clearly audible even if her face was hidden. Once again she didn't make any move to speak or pull away and it was bringing the Hylian hero to a new height of impatience he rarely showed.

"I understand the Sheikah are supposed to be mysterious and have certain laws of governing their indiscretions, but this is ridiculous.'"

Sheik finally moved. She pulled her hands away and took a step back to create distance from Link and though he could see her, he had a feeling she was turning away to leave the water when he called out again.

"Is it because I'm in love with you?"

The sound of a moving body in water fell silent and he knew he'd stopped her retreat.

"Given the circumstances, it wasn't something I planned for and it definitely wasn't intended to be heard aloud like it was." He paused for a deep breath to regain his bearings. "But it doesn't make it any less true."

Though he couldn't see it in the dark, Sheik was now staring at him with a whole new weight in her chest.

"I tried really hard to keep it purely physical, but there's something about you that I can't quite seem to escape. You've got me pulled in your direction like gravity and no matter how far I jump, I just fall back down each time."

Sheik didn't move, remaining frozen in her spot like a statue cast in stone. But Link wouldn't let her run again. Whether they were in the middle of a war or a time of peace, the following morning was never guaranteed and he needed to tell her things before he lost the chance. He took three long strides forward until his chest collided with hers with enough force that she gasped sharply as he pressed a hungry, desperate kiss against her that seemed to suck all the energy out of her body until she was breathless and lightheaded. Even then, his hands stayed against her face, holding her close against him and her forehead resting against his.

"I love you."

Sheik.

He kissed her again this time softer and longer and when he pulled away she followed him as if wanting to drag out the flavor of his kiss.

"I love you," he told her again against her lips and he felt her tremble in his hands before she reached up to cover his fingers with hers.

"I can't tell you the same thing." When her voice finally broke her stoney silence he had expected — hoped even — to hear something else. Either way, he knew he didn't have a choice but to accept it.

"I can live with that for now." He was on her all once. Link's hands dropped from her face to her waist the same instant his mouth collided with hers. He pulled her tightly against him and Sheik reacted by wrapping her legs around his waist and arms tightly around his neck until she couldn't possibly feel more of him against her if she tried.

And she wanted more.

His kiss was hungry, mouth against hers with a fiery fervor. He bit down on her bottom lip with enough strength to make her gasp loudly without actually hurting her. Link's response was to invade her mouth with his tongue, an exploration fit for the Hero adventurer that he was.

Sheik buzzed with energy in his arms, and the tighter she dug her nails into the scarred flesh of his shoulders and back, the tighter Link pulled her against him until it was almost difficult to breathe.

But the burn in her lung fueled her too.

She detached from his kiss with a violent gasp but Link didn't lessen his hold on her, taking the chance to kiss hungrily along her neck and throat. Sheik could hear her heart thundering in her chest, and the thought crossed her mind that they were still out in the open. Link bit down roughly against her collar and Sheik cried out a moan from the delicious sting of his teeth.

"Did I hurt you?" She wasn't sure if he asked as a challenge or fear but the sting of his bite left her delirious with lust and burned a fiery heat deep in her core that seemed to start in her chest and radiate towards her fingers and toes until she thought she'd burst with the light of the Goddess within.

More.

She wasn't sure if she asked out loud, but a moment later she was being hoisted onto a rocky ledge at the edge of the lake at that sinful mouth on her collar moved down towards her chest.

Link flattened his tongue and ran it over her nipple in one languid lick hat made her hiss when the cold air hardened it in his wake.

"Fuck," a feminine voice gasped low into the darkness as he licked it again and then closed his teeth around the tight bud, pulling lightly.

Sheik's back arched against him and she trembled with the feel of his rough grip mixing with the tender touches in between.

"Link," she moaned much more loudly as the tight bud popped from between his lips. He smirked against her skin, and scraped his teeth against the bone between her breasts

For good measure which only made the sensitive Sheikah curl against his further and pull roughly at his hair.

Sheik tugged him up roughly by the hair, and Link followed suit to kiss her hungrily. His free left hand pulled her remained ignored nipple between thumb and forefinger, rolling the sensitive bud harshly. Sheik hissed into his mouth and she could feel him chuckle into her kiss.

"Goddess," she prayed with heavy breath and he left her mouth to kiss her neck and collar again, too low to reach her ear. Sheik expected him to gravitate towards her breasts again, perhaps with tongue or teeth or maybe even just hands. When he seemed to fall in front of her and his searing mouth pressed fiery kisses to her stomach, she almost squealed in surprise.

"Link, no," she told him in shock as the muscles of her stomach shook and twitched under the heat of his mouth.

"Yes," he kissed into her skin. He moved further down and Sheik's heart hammered in her ears with deafening volume. Strong, chiseled arms wrapped tightly under and around her thighs and the woman involuntary clutched at his hair.

He couldn't...Goddess help, he wasn't really…?

His lips kissed the tender flesh of her inner thighs and she almost squeaked with a leap out of her seated position.

"Relax," he admonished her gently, and just to counter the thought, his teeth bit down hard on the sensitive flesh until the insides of her eyes burst in white starts with the sting of his teeth.

Sheik felt him nudge her legs further open, and her eyes involuntarily closed tightly and she opened for him.

Sheik didn't even know she was holding her breath until she felt his tongue slide into her warmth. Her body shook, and the loud, inhuman sound that escaped her mouth carried the immeasurable sensation in the air like a deep black magic she could only dream of.

And he did it again.

Hot, velvety tongue burned a fiery wet trail up the entirety of her slit as if lapping up a sacred nectar she fueled him with.

"Goddess," her thoughts were incoherent. "Fuck."

Link smirked against her heat, but she didn't feel it nor see it, lost instead with the sensation of his tongue beginning to draw circles against the engorged bud at its peak. Two fingers slid effortlessly into her warm channel, and she wasn't even sure when it had all started, but she was already teetering on the forsaken sacred peak of oblivion.

Her breath was ragged and thunderous, drowned in the sound of his name, and 'Goddess Hylia', and a variety of obscenities that would make even a professional blush crimson red.

His lips closed completely around her sensitive clit and he sucked lightly in a manner that left her delirious in sensation.

She was close.

So dangerously close, she didn't even know when it had started or when it had ended.

Link curled his fingers and pulled lightly and Sheik's world shattered instantly.

Her mouth fell open and spine arched back so violently even her scream of bliss died silently in her throat. She shook with tremors of unrivaled release and squeezed her eyes so tightly closed her eyes burned blue and red with the force of her release.

Link held her tightly, never releasing his ironclad grip on her hip or the movement of his fingers pulling her release from her body.

And then she stilled. He felt her walls fluttering around his fingers and knew she'd finished completely. Above him, her chest rose and fell with dangerous thrusts and breaths of her exertion. Link gave the oversensitive bud one last slow lick and felt her clench and hiss of the oversensitivity such a powerful finale left lingering on her nerves.

He kissed her inner thigh, and loosened his grip on her leg and hip just as Sheik's fingers started to massage the golden strands she'd pulled so roughly only a moment prior.

His lips skimmed up her stomach, tongue dipping teasingly into her navel a second before he finished his treck up her sternum to the sweaty, salty skin of her neck.

Sheik opened her mouth to speak - to say something that even skimmed the surface of such an experience - but fell short of any vocabulary that sufficed. It resulted in a half open mouth searching for words that made Link smile in triumph as he kissed the corner of her swollen lips before speaking.

"Have I left you speechless?" he teased her with kisses at her lips, her nose, her chin and back to her throat. Sheik's flesh puffed where he'd bit down previously, the tender flesh beginning to purple and bruise even though such coloring remained invisible in the darkness.

"Link," she finally breathed when she found a voice as worn down and roughened as her body. Link paused his kisses to try and meet her eyes. The red were barely visible in the dark lighting.

She tried to tell him exactly what she wanted, with detail that left nothing to the imagination or presumption of the fully capable hero. What escaped her mouth instead was a single syllable.

"You."

The single word alone registered in Link's mind like a well phrased request. He understood it immediately. Without so much as another sound spoken or moment to ponder the request, Link kissed her fully on the mouth and slid one arm around her waist and the other under her ass.

He hoisted her up and off her rough perch without the faintest sign of struggle and a moment later laid her gently down on the soft grass and tiny blossoms that lined the bank of the lake.

"Goddess," he whispered breathlessly into her mouth as he adjusted his position hovering above her. His arm hooked beneath her knee, and she let him pull her leg gently up until the muscle of her calve rested over his shoulder and her toes curled behind his head. He felt her fingers dig into the sweaty, wet half curls at the base of his skull and for a moment just paused.

"I love you," he told her softly without opening his eyes.

And then he sank slowly into her warmth and let her body accept him fully until his hips came flush to hers.

He nearly came undone before they even started.