My left hand burned, in excruciating pain. It felt like someone was tracing with a dull rusty knife, painful and slow. Finally, the pain subsided. I looked at my hand, and inscribed on it was the triforce.
...
"Hmm, maybe a little more-oh! You're awake!" Dull light filtered through my eyes, and focused upon an old man with a huge white beard. He wore a long brown robe that covered all his body, with the exception of his head.
"I took the liberty of giving you some new clothes. Your other ones were too small, and don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your little obsession with brassieres." He winked at me. Then I realized... He stripped me of my clothes! What a pervert!
I sprang up. "Who in Demises name-" Wait a minute, that's not my voice; this was way too deep! No no no no no, this is not happening. THIS is not happening! Calm down Sheikah, just calm down.
He gave me a weird look. "What, did I catch you off guard?"
I took hold of my surroundings. I was in a hut of fabric, filled with herbs and potions. In the corner lay a full length mirror, reflecting an image of the most handsome guy I had ever seen. He had bright blonde hair, and piercing red eyes. I waved my hand, and he followed in unison.
"You were found in the middle of Faron woods just close to here, unconscious. Do you not remember what had happened before then?"
"No... I don't." I looked down at myself. My chest no longer curved; instead they were replaced by some very manly pecs.
"Do you have any recollection of where you live?"
"No..." I lied. My hands were no longer slim, so much as large and bony. And the space between my legs felt a little more than odd. Ew.
"Hmmm," The old man rubbed his beard. "This is quite the predicament. Do you have a name lad?"
It came to me by instinct. "Sheik."
"Well Sheik, the person who found you is waiting outside. She wanted to make sure that you were doing alright." I packed up my sac, containing all my supplies and started to leave when the old man interrupted me.
"It's dangerous to go alone, take this." He handed me a jar.
"But I already have one."
He winked again. "Trust me, they're more useful than they seem."
A girl around my age poked her head in. "Has he - Oh! You're awake!" Her smile combined with her orange hair just seemed to radiate happiness. Her dress had a long purple skirt, and a white blouse with a yellow bandana.
She looked towards me. "By the way, my name's Malon. Pleased to meet you. What's your name?"
"Sheik."
"So Sheik, would you like to join me and my dad for supper tonight? You may as well stay for the night too since its getting late."
At first I was going to decline, then I realized she was right. If I was close to Faron woods, I wouldn't even be able to find my way home. After all, I had no map. How does that fairy think I'm going to guide, plus find this supposed Hero of Time? "Yes, that would be great, thanks!"
"Well, let's get going!" She grabbed hold of my wrist, and pulled me outside. It was summertime, so even though it was around dinner it was still bright out.
Basically, she pretty much dragged me to her house, never letting go of me. Why was she so excited?
A few moments later, we arrived. "Welcome to Lon Lon ranch Sheik! Home of the best milk in all of Hyrule."
The ranch was circular, with a couple of barns around the outside. At the moment some cows were outside, grazing to their hearts content.
She led me to one of the stables. "And these are our beloved horses. That one's charcoal, (a black stallion) the one over there is streak (a white mare) and, oh."
She paused. A guy was there, combing the most beautiful horse that was there. He noticed Malon, then me. "Sheik, this is Link our stable boy," She turned towards him. "He'll be staying with us for the night." He gave me the most deathly stare that ever existed.
Awkwardly, we exited. "Don't worry about him, he gets grumpy sometimes. Sorry about that." She seemed a little dejected.
I felt bad, and tried to think of something to say. "We'll, at least you more than balance it out! I mean, you've been really cheerful and stuff to me!" Because of my loneliness, I was a bit socially awkward. And stuff? What is that supposed to mean?! Boy do I sound stupid...
But she laughed, she actually laughed! And she wasn't mocking me, she actually thought I was being genuinely funny! Do I finally have someone that I can call... a friend? (Kalvar doesn't count by the way.)
"Thanks Sheik, you're..." She paused. "Really great, I mean cool. Yes, you are really cool." Malon beamed.
I smiled back. "Umm, thanks I guess?" For the first time she let go of my wrist.
Momentarily she looked the other way, thinking probably, then said "Alright, let's see if dinner's ready!"
She led me to a wooden building near the entrance, and opened the door. "Daddy, I'm home!"
A somewhat portly man with a moustache was stirring a giant pot over the fire. "Malon! My little darling! And this must be the stranger you found?"
"Yup! His name's Sheik."
"So Malon, would you go get Link? Supper's about ready."
"Alright dad. You might as well stay here Sheik, cuz you know Link might just bite your head off."
"Feh," I flexed my hands. "Tell him he can challenge me any day!"
"Sure thing!" She left, grinning from side to side. I think I had someone that I could finally call my friend. (And Kalvar doesn't count!) The door closed with a thump, then it was just me and her dad.
The room was furnished with the essentials; a wooden table with four chairs, a fire stove, and some cupboards for storage. It was sparse, yet quaint at the same time.
He shook my hand, "The name's Talon by the way!"
Malon's dad gave me a knowing smile. "So, looks like my little daughter has finally grown up! I remember when she was just a young baby as if it were yesterday..." He sighed. "Well, looks like she finally found herself a boyfriend!"
WAIT, WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?! I stood stone still, speechless.
"Well, what do you say m'boy? Would you like to marry my daughter Malon?"
LOOK dude! I'm as straight as straight can be! Just because I'm a tomboy doesn't mean I like girls! Then I realized that I'm a guy. A very handsome guy. I couldn't just tell him that I was cursed to take this form, he wouldn't believe me, he'd just think I was in denial. So I kept my mouth shut.
"So, you're a little shy eh? Well, I can already tell by the colour in your cheeks." He winked. Oh no, don't tell me that I was blushing out of embarrassment, not because it was true but because this was really, really awkward...
At that moment (Thank Din!) the door creaked open. Malon and Link had arrived. For the first time I got a good look at him; he had ocean blue eyes and honey blonde hair. To be honest, he was actually pretty good looking, but his looks were sure far from his personality. He stared at me, and I stared back. The tension was palpable.
Talon cleared his throat. "Well let's get seated then folks! I made a special chowder with the fish I traded for."
Malon nudged me. "Sheik?"
"Oh, sorry. Just thinking." I sat down with Malon beside me, while Link sat directly across. What a dodongo butt. He clasped his hands together, then I noticed the marking inscribed on his left hand. The Triforce. Why oh why did it have to be him?
I shoved the thick soup down my throat, never breaking eye contact till I finally realized that there was nothing left in my spoon. How in Demises name was I going to convince him that we were supposed to go on some grand adventure and conquer evil?
I stood up, "May I excuse myself?"
"Sure," Talon replied. "Malon will show you your room once she's done."
I left, and found a silo at the far end. I climbed till the top, secluded within my thoughts and sat along the edge of the window. I took out my lyre, and stared at it for a moment before I tried it out. Even though he could be over the top sometimes, I still had a soft spot for Kal. After all, he was my only friend, except for maybe Malon. Can you call someone a friend, even if you've just met them? I sat, brooding for a while, till I heard a song from somewhere on the ranch. I plucked the strings, and even though I've never played an instrument before somehow my fingers found the way. The two melodies harmonized, creating the perfect dance...
The other instrument intensified, coming closer and closer until it stopped. Then I realized; it wasn't an instrument, it was a human voice.
"I call that Epona's song."
"Huh?!" Malon had caught me completely off guard.
"Remember the horse that Link was grooming? That's Epona, our prized horse. By the way, I didn't know you played musical instruments! That's pretty neat."
"Haha, I didn't know either!" I chuckled, she chuckled, and somehow that laughter became even more contagious. Eventually it subsided, and then there was an awkward silence.
Malon cleared her throat. "So... I guess you leave tomorrow?"
"Yeah." And somehow in the process get Link to go off on an epic journey with me, and I had the great luck of not knowing how or where to go. Some great guide I am.
A sad, melancholy look came across her eyes as she stared outside the window. "Will you visit sometimes? If you're passing through I mean?" The breeze blew back her red hair a bit, and I suddenly noticed how soft, how shiny it looked. In an instant, I realized 'Why couldn't my hair be like that?!' My stupid brown hair, well the hair that I used to have that is. After that moment of superficiality, I snapped back and weighed her words seriously in my head.
"I don't see why not! I mean, you're the first person besides my aunt that really treated me with any kindness." (Besides Kal, but he doesn't count).
"Thanks Sheik!" Suddenly, she pulled me into a hug, her faced buried into my loose shirt, and at first I froze, not knowing what to do. After that, I realized I might as well hug her back too, since that's what not socially awkward people would do.
She pulled away, and looked down almost as if she was nervous. "Umm, well, I'll show you to your room. The room that you'll have to share with Link."
Malon quickly went down the narrow stairs, with me in tow. When we exited, she led me towards one of the buildings on the outside. She opened the door, and within the room sat Link at an old wooden desk, painting a delicate, blue ocarina.
"Hey Link," Malon started. "You're going to have to share your room with Sheik for tonight. You don't mind, do you?"
"Hmph." He grunted in reply without even turning his head.
She turned towards me. "Well, goodnight Sheik!" She smiled, once again at me, then leaned towards me and before I knew it she gave me a peck on the cheek then left. WAIT WHAT?
"WHO in Demise's name do you think you are?!" Link dropped his work on his desk, stood up and glared at me with his furious burning blue eyes. "She barely even knows you!"
"Huh? What do you mean I-"
"DUDE! She gave you a kiss on the cheek! She doesn't do it to just anyone you know, what is wrong with you?!"
Oh no... Did I accidentally seduce a girl?! I thought back to when she first met me and held my wrist, to when she hugged me at the silo and now this... How did I not notice this before? Was I that oblivious?!This situation was getting worse and worse by the minute, as not only did I have to worry about fulfilling this whole destiny business, but I also had to get caught in such trivial, awkward matters as this.
I was literally tongue-tied.
Link pushed me towards a bed with such force that I knocked my head on the wall. "I'm keeping my eye on you, and don't you dare to try to mess with her 'cuz you're going to have to go through with me first."
He glared at me for a moment longer, then went back to fiddling with his ocarina. I decided to put my scruffy sheets over me, and fell into a deep deep sleep.
...
The meadow was stunning, with long grass up to the knees which swirled in the wind, giving it the illusion of looking like the great vast Lake Hylia. Her orange hair glistened in the sunlight, beckoning me, wanting me. Her arms were opened wide.
"Sheik!"
"Malon?"
"I really like you! Do you like me?"
"As friends?"
"I mean as more than friends..."
I told her the truth. "No. I'm cursed. I'm not supposed to be a man."
"So you mean you... are a girl?"
"Yes."
Her face was shocked. "But," Then a multitude of grotesque Bokoblin hands rose from the ground and started swallowing her, all while the sky was turning a deep dark bloody red.
"SHEIK!"
"MALON!"
...
"MALON" Beads of sweat shivered on my forehead. My eyes darted to the right, and at that moment I realized that Link wasn't there. Where was he? I thought he said he was going to keep an eye on me?... Just as I was about to open the door, it almost got slammed on my face as Link stormed in.
He stood stone still, staring at me with his ice cold eyes sending daggers straight at me. He muttered darkly "Malon's gone. And you're coming with me."