Chapter 4

Zelda's eyes flew open and she quickly sat up in a cold sweat. It was that dream. That same dream that haunted her the night she was in her cell. She could feel herself starting to panic but it all came to a quick halt as her eyes focused on Ike. His concerned eyes met hers and instantly her fear melted away. It was the strangest sensation she had ever felt. Never in her life had her fear just completely disappeared, not even with Link. Ike looked at her, his eyebrows raised slightly in surprise.

"Hey are you OK?" He asked, his voice filled with concern. Zelda could only nod in reply as he bent down next to the bed. "I'm just curious," he started, "why were you out in that alley at that time of night anyway?

Zelda swallowed hard and then took a deep breath and sighed. "I was just lost," she explained as she tried her hardest to look sincere. He raised a single eyebrow and gave her a look of disbelief.

"Are you sure about that?" He stood from beside the bed and grabbed his sword from the back of the chair before continuing. "I'm pretty sure I would notice when I'm walking into the bad part of town."

"Well why were you there if it's the bad part of town?" She asked trying to divert his question.

"I was trying to find information. Something weird has been going on in this town lately, especially now that the sea is parted and magically there's a mile wide stretch of land spanning all the way from this port to Crimea."

Her stomach twisted in knots at his words. "What?" Had the goddesses... no, not the goddesses. It was much too easy for Aldrich to get troops to Crimea now. There was definitely some powerful magic at work and it was on his side.

"Not only that," he continued, "they've supposedly charged their ruler with treason for conspiring with Crimea, and I for a fact know Crimea has no part in this."
Her eyebrows furrowed at his words, "how do you know this?"
"I came from Crimea on Queen Elincia's request to see what the hell's going on over here."

"You're Crimean?"

He nodded and her heart fluttered at his words. Now she knew why the goddesses wanted them to meet. He knew the queen and it was her ticket to getting to Queen Elincia. But if Ike knew about the charges against her, would he help her or would he give her to Aldrich. She didn't want to know, but there just had to be a way to get Crimea to help. Then she remembered there was a way to get Crimea's help. She could go with Ike back to Crimea and warn them of Aldrich's plans and still keep her identity hidden.

"Ike," she started nervously, "can you take me with you back to Crimea?"

He gave her a funny look, but she brushed it off and asked the question again. The second time he merely shook his head.

"Crimea's keeping a really close eye on the border. I doubt they'll just let me start bringing people over."

"But I have important information for the Queen," she explained.

"Like what?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, "like what I heard the soldiers say last night."

He looked at her suspiciously, "and that would be?"

She turned her nose up to him and looked away and she could feel his agitated eyes on her. "I'm not telling you," she stated firmly. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye and smiled at him, "I'm not telling you unless you agree to bring me."

He sighed heavily and rolled his eyes giving in to her request and that made her grin.

"Fine," she started to smile again, but he shot that down, "but I need to know who I'm bringing to Crimea."

"I'm..." She paused at his words wondering what to say. She can't tell him she's the princess that's wanted. "My name is Sheik," she stated after a moment. In a way it was true, Sheik was her alter ego, so it was still technically her.
He raised an eyebrow, "Sheik?" She nodded and merely shrugged his shoulders. "Alright then, let's get to Crimea."

Just under two days was how long it took to walk the span of land between their now joining continents. Along the way she and Ike had talked about many things, but it was mostly her asking different questions about Crimea and the continent of Tellius. He told her all kinds of stories, like the one where he and his friends defeated a goddess that was trying to destroy the world. Whenever he made the comment that it was her turn to talk, she would tell him stories about Hyrule. The first story she told him was about the creation of Hyrule and the three goddesses that they worship. Despite the both of them having completely different beliefs, she was very interested in all of his tales and he listened to hers intently as well. However he still didn't know much about her at all, only her homeland. She didn't want to say too much for fear of giving herself away. In fact, she hoped that she wouldn't have to tell him at all about who she really was. She truly hoped that after she warned the queen that they would find out about the things going on in the council and defeat Aldrich. After that she hoped that she would be able to sneak off and return to Hyrule, finding a way to make the sea swallow that stretch of land back. But she knew that it's never that easy.

They arrived at the border of Crimea where multiple soldiers were stationed to watch. No one was allowed to enter Crimea or leave except those with a pass from the queen herself. Luckily since it was Ike the soldiers allowed him and Zelda to pass but she still went by the name Sheik. The trip to the castle took another day but it wasn't as long as it took to cross the stretch of land. They arrived right before dusk, and Zelda was shown a room in the castle to stay during her visit, but she was to be watched and escorted throughout the castle. She was to meet with Elincia the next morning. That night she slept maybe a few hours but woke up from another nightmare. Ever since that night, she wondered if it was a bad dream. She had seen nothing more of those monsters since then. How was she supposed to know if it was real or her imagination? However, she felt that she knew it was real but yet her mind still tried to convince her that she was just dreaming.

She paced the room, finding her nerves getting the better of her. There were so many details she had to remember and keep straight. So she went over it in her head again for the fifth time. Her name was sheik. She was a commoner from a small town in Hyrule. If they gave her the opportunity to join their ranks she would. Apparently on Tellius, The only magic was either from a divine figure or spells from tomes. Everything here was much different from Hyrule, and it made her feel out of place. She just hoped she didn't somehow screw this up. At least she had Ike to back her up that something strange was happening to Hyrule. When she first told him of how some of the people seemed brainwashed, he instantly believed her. He had explained to her that he was getting multiple versions of stories of what was going on. Some were still with the princess and some talked about how there never was a princess. Some sort of power was at work, and they both agreed that it was seriously messing with the people.

Sighing heavily, she walked over to the double doors of her room's balcony. She felt quite comfortable that the room she was staying in reminded her of her own room back home. It was very different but the concepts were the same. Both of the rooms have balconies and glass double doors. Both of the rooms have their own bathroom with a porcelain tub and large mirror. And the best of all both of the rooms had very comfortable mattresses and satin sheets. It was almost as if she was home but in a way that worried her. The last time she was in her room she had soldiers attack her. How was she supposed to feel comfortable knowing she could blink and the soldiers could be there? She instead pushed the thoughts aside and pushed open the glass doors feeling the cool breeze wrap around her. It was very comforting and she looked up at the moon glad it was the same moon she'd always seen back home. It was so serene she felt like she could stare at it forever but something caught her eye. A blush crawled onto her cheeks as she looked down at a different balcony and saw that same mop of blue hair. She didn't know why she felt nervous with him looking at her in a nightgown. After all he had saved her from something that he could've seen more if he hadn't gotten there in time. Their eyes met and she felt her cheeks grow even hotter. She could even feel the heat in her neck. It was a good thing it was night time otherwise she might've looked as red as a tomato. Zelda gave him a small way and he returned the wave with a small motion of two fingers. She spared a look back at the moon and took a deep breath to calm herself. She never let herself get so flushed over a man. Not even her suitors.

Looking back down to Ike's balcony, her eyebrows furrowed as she noticed he was gone. She felt her heart drop slightly in disappointment and turned to head back into her room. There was just something about him that was different than everyone else he was so easy to talk to and she would never admit it to anyone but he was rather charming. She hadn't really seen him around anyone else to know how he acted but despite those cold eyes he had when they first met, he was never cold to her. She moved back over to her bed but was startled at the light knock on her door. Quickly, she hurried to answer it but felt her face grow hot again as Ike stood before her.

"Ike," she sighed as she put a hand on her chest, "you startled me."

"I'm sorry," he ran a hand through his hair, "are you having trouble sleeping?"

She gave him a sheepish grin, "is it that obvious?" He nodded.

For a moment she debated in her head whether or not to invite him in. As a princess it would be very inappropriate. But as a commoner, like he believes she is, would it be? Despite her brain telling her no, she opened the door and invited him in shutting the door behind him quietly. She moved to her bed, taking a seat and watching as he moved to sit in a plush armchair at the foot. She still felt flushed in her cheeks knowing this way the first man to be in her room at such a late hour, even if it wasn't for the same reason others had. After a moment of silence and him relaxing in the chair, he picked his head up from leaning it back on the chair and studied her expression.

"You know," he started with a small grin, "I still don't know that much about you and you won't tell me about your life."

She blushed as he leaned forward and closer to her. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well," he touched a finger to his chin in thought. "We could start small. For instance, what's your favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Favorite thing to do?"

"Well, that one's kind of hard," she took a deep breath deciding and smiled, "I like to paint the scenery."

"Really? So did my mother."

"Does your mother paint often?" She asked, but she was met with somber eyes and instantly regretted asking.

"My mother passed away when I was little and my father as well when I was a teenager. It's just been me and my sister Mist."

Zelda's heart ached at his words. "I'm sorry I didn't-"

"No, it's alright," he cut her off and raised his eyes to hers, "I actually haven't really talked about this to anyone. Everyone knows, just no one brings it up." He sighed heavily and his somber expression was slowly turning into a smile. "You're just so easy to talk to. I feel like I can trust you with anything."

Zelda smiled softly back at him, "I feel that way too." Yet as she said those words she felt guilt swelling up in her chest. She hated how that just came out. After all she was lying about who she was. He believes her to be a down to earth commoner, yet she was the complete opposite. She was a princess who as soon as all of this was resolved would just leave and return home without ever seeing him again. She couldn't play with him like that.

She must have let her thoughts change her expression for he took a seat next to her and placed a hand over hers. She flinched at the contact, pulling her hand out from under it without even thinking. She cursed herself the second she realized what she did, and watched as his soft eyes hardened. It was the first time they made any contact since he carried her to that abandoned building, and even though she really wanted that contact she had already messed it up.

Internally she groaned as he stood quickly from his seat next to her. "I'm sorry I-" his voice was soft at first but then hardened, "I overstepped."

"Ike-"

"I apologize, sheik," he stated firmly as he made his way back to the door, her stomach twisting in knots at the false name.

He shut the door swiftly behind him and she felt her heart aching. She knew it was what needed to happen, but at the same time her heart wanted otherwise. Quietly she climbed underneath the covers curling up into a ball in the center of the mattress and pulled one of the pillows down underneath her. She clutched the soft pillow tightly and shut her eyes hating herself for what she was doing. Her heart wanted more, but her brain just wasn't going to let that happen.