((This fic now has an official timeline placement, though it will take elements and names from all timelines. This has lore from a lot of games—but on a timeline, it would take place after Twilight Princess—meaning it takes place on the Child Timeline… And, just a reminder—in this timeline, the events of Ocarina of Time never happened, though the tale was told to those who were close to Link. Feel free to ask me anything about the lore of this fic; there's a lot of it in this chapter, and it's essential for setting up the events of later chapters. Also: I hope no one actually wanted a love triangle with Malon, because that will not be her role, though if you wish to interpret it as such, I left it ambiguous in a few areas.
And, more of this at the end, but I just want to thank you all so much. Those of you that wanted faster updates apologized, and there wasn't a single rude or upsetting comment in any of your reviews. You're all so supportive and kind—I don't know what I did to deserve such sweet readers, but I greatly appreciate you. Thank you so much for your support!))
Lunch was served inside the house on top of the hill, fresh and ready after only a few moments' reheating. Though Sheik was relieved to have something decent after so long on the road, her stomach was tied in knots at their sudden halt in progress. Though she knew they couldn't set out till tomorrow anyways, she couldn't help her impatience.
…Impatience among other things, of course. As the three of them sat down at the dining table to eat, Sheik couldn't shake the feeling that she was the only one who didn't want to be there.
Link and Malon seemed to be having the time of their lives, what with Link eating his fill and praising Malon's cooking with every bite. It certainly smelled good, and with Link's constant prompting of, "C'mon, Sheik, try this, it's really good!" she was curious. But no matter how curious or hungry she was, there was no way she was removing her mask near Malon. That knowing smile made her uncomfortable, and after already being addressed several times as 'Mister Sheikah,' Sheik didn't want Malon asking her about any other secrets she might have.
But eventually, to Sheik's relief, Link stopped asking. He and Malon slipped into an easy conversation, and soon he was almost entirely focused on her and the food on his plate. Sheik lost track of how many compliments he paid Malon—mostly for the food, but also for the house itself, and of the surrounding farmland. Sheik couldn't blame him, really. This ranch was a paradise after so long on the road.
Even as she thought it, Link and Malon were carrying on a conversation about the ranch and its history. Sheik hardly paid attention, staring at her food and trying not to feel queasy about the information Malon would ask for later.
"—Malon, huh? Is your name why this place is called Lon Lon Ranch?"
"You know, most people don't pick up on that," Malon said. "But my family has had a long, long history of people sharing this name, and names like it, so we could keep on with the tradition. My momma's name was Ashlon, and my grandpa before her was named Dylon, but I'm named for one of the first people who ever founded this ranch, back when we lived closer to Castle Town—"
Maybe it was good that they were talking so aimlessly. Sheik didn't think she'd be able to follow them if she tried, because her worries were coming to a breaking point. If it built up much further, Sheik was sure it'd overwhelm her, and she definitely didn't want to lose her cool in front of both of them.
Didn't Link realize that Malon could be the key to whether or not they saved girls in Marr? How was he so comfortable around her when she'd be asking for their story later? Every smile, every laugh, every compliment was just putting off the inevitable.
Malon was someone they were depending on. Neither Sheik nor Link knew her, and yet she had the right to decide whether or not they spent the night under the stars or inside, and whether or not they'd get horses to rent on the way to Tal. What if she refused? Sheik's heart beat faster at the very idea, and she could feel her face start to pale from the stress of worrying.
Before she could completely panic, Sheik stood up from the table. "Excuse me," she said, having to take several deep breaths to stay calm on her way out of the room.
Sheik ducked into the nearest powder room, undoing her mask just long enough to look in the mirror.
Her eyes were still red.
She had almost forgotten to check, these past weeks. Every morning she reapplied it more from habit than careful consideration. What if she'd missed one day? It scared her that she might not even realize if she hadn't.
Sheik leaned close to the sink, gripping its edges so hard her knuckles whitened.
What was she doing? She was on the road with a man she hardly knew, and yet already, she was growing so comfortable around him that she'd slipped up. Her heart ached at the lie she'd had to tell, but as she looked up into red eyes, Sheik knew that verbal lies weren't the only ones she told.
And no matter how many deep, slow breaths she took, Sheik's heart refused to slow.
If she stayed much longer, someone might notice something suspicious about her absence. Sheik closed her eyes, forcing a calm that she didn't feel, and prayed that it would be enough to fool the others, even if it would never fool herself.
By the time she returned, the comfortable, cheerful atmosphere had all but vanished.
"Sheik," Link said, smiling up at her as she returned. But there was worry in his eyes, and Sheik had to look away before she felt guilt set in. "Hey—you alright?"
"Fine," Sheik said, taking the place she had before. Her food was still untouched on her plate, and she could practically feel Link's worried stare focusing on it. "So—Malon. I hate to be abrupt, but I'd like to know whether we can stay tonight or not. What do you need to know of our quest?"
Malon considered her, but the shrewd, businesslike look from before was tempered, somewhat. "Let's start with how the two of you—a King's Sheikah, and a knight—started workin' together."
"He was tasked with finding the King's daughter, and I'm a servant of the King. As a servant of the Royal Family, the King's daughter's safety is my utmost priority—especially in these times." Sheik stared at her cup, guilt twisting her stomach as she remembered the lie she had told Link. But though it might add to her story with Malon and make her believe her, after how secretive she'd been with Link, it would have been strange to tell her anything more.
She would have to keep her mind on what lies she told to who.
Malon seemed to accept that story, and she nodded at Sheik. "So. You're searching for the Princess. Who all knows that you're searching for her? Have you—have you run into any higher-up enemies? Ones that would follow you, or try to set monsters on you while you rest?"
The very thought made Sheik's blood pressure rise. Was it possible…?
Fortunately, Link answered for her before Sheik could dwell too deeply on it. "We haven't had a problem with that," he said. "We sleep outside every night, with no guards or fortifications or anything. No monsters have attacked us in our sleep even when we were unprotected, so even if we were followed—and I haven't seen any monsters for weeks, and the terrain here is so flat we would've noticed anyone behind us—they definitely wouldn't attack your farm."
"Well, damn," Malon said. "Guess you're not to blame for the ones that keep gettin' onto this property, then."
"How often do those attacks happen, anyways?" Link asked. "Your farm's in the middle of nowhere…"
"I'm a twenty year old young woman who lives mostly alone," Malon said. "And I haven't been kidnapped yet. You do the math."
"So you've been defending yourself all this time?" Link's eyes widened. "How long have they been going after you?"
"Ever since the kidnappings started getting more and more common," Malon said. She ran a hand through her hair, a confident smile on her face. "Almost took me by surprise the first day, but I had a pitchfork in my hand, and I've been workin' with it since I could hold it steady. The monsters didn't have a chance."
Link's face reddened, and Sheik had to resist rolling her eyes. But after all the tension and anxiety still lingering in her, a crush was the least of her worries.
"Are we allowed to stay for the night, then?" Sheik asked. "I'd like to bring the saddle bags in, if I may."
Link looked up at her, embarrassed for a different reason, now. "Did we—did we leave them out on the hills?"
"They're by the barn," Sheik said. "I brought them up when I took Epona."
"Oh. I… Sorry about that, Sheik. I hadn't realized…"
Had he really been so distracted? Sheik tried to shake off her irritation. It didn't matter now—the bags were already back. But hopefully next time Link would remember that she was still here.
"You can bring them up to the spare rooms," Malon said, cutting through the tense silence. "One for each of you, 'less you're planning on sharing?"
There was an underlying question to that, Sheik knew, but despite Link's red cheeks and uncomfortable silence, Sheik had no trouble answering. "We'll be separate, thanks."
Sheik glanced up the stairs, spotting the rooms she assumed Malon was referring to. "I'll start bringing our things in. Thank you for your hospitality," she said, dipping her head in a bow. "I greatly appreciate it."
Malon smiled at her and shook her head. "No need for thanks. Your business is more 'n enough, considering how slow it's been around here recently."
"All the same. Thank you," Sheik said, bowing her head again before heading out the door.
She could hear Link's hurried "Wait—" along with a muffled, hasty "Thank you, Malon, I'll be right back," before he ran out the door and caught up to her.
Sheik didn't protest as he tried to walk alongside her—difficult, considering her rapid pace and his shorter legs—but when he finally grabbed hold of her arm and tried to stop her, Sheik jerked back in irritation. "What do you need, Link?"
"Just slow down for a minute, would you? I want to talk to you." Link frowned slightly, though it was worry underneath it. Though Sheik stopped and allowed him to speak, she averted her eyes, unwilling to look Link in the eye. "What was that back there?"
"What was what?"
"You didn't try to be friendly, didn't say a word to either of us about anything but business… You didn't even eat." He furrowed his brows. "Sheik… I know I've been kind of a lousy partner since we got here, and I know I've been a bit spacey, but—"
"You think?" Sheik said. The bite in her tone surprised even her, and she was quick to turn away, crossing her arms over her chest. "You've been doing nothing but staring at her since we got here."
"What else am I supposed to do? I'm being polite!"
"Polite."
"She's being kind to us, and she's…" Link ran a hand through the back of his hair, nearly undoing the low ponytail it was done up in. "…She's pretty amazing, living out here on her own. Even if we hadn't helped her, she could've easily taken on the rest of the monsters. A girl like that…"
"You have a crush," Sheik said, matter-of-fact. "I don't care what you feel for her, Link—but just remember that we're leaving tomorrow morning for Tal, alright? Don't get too attached."
Link pressed his lips into a thin line, and he was quiet for a moment before answering. "That's what you do, right? You just don't get attached to people?"
"Don't," Sheik said, leaving no room for argument. "I'm going to bring the saddle bags up. We can divide our things up if you'd like—or not. I don't care where we keep the extras."
"Why did you choose separate rooms in the first place?" When Sheik didn't answer him, Link sighed. "Look, I get it, you're mad at me. Fine. But you're letting it get in the way of our system, aren't you?"
"You looked uncomfortable when she asked if we were sharing a room, so I chose separate. If it bothers you so much, you should have spoken up about it earlier," Sheik said flippantly. She started walking towards the barn, trying to focus only on the saddle-bags no matter how much Link was vying for her thoughts. "Let's just… get the saddle bags and be done with today, alright?"
Link followed beside her, an unreadable expression on his face. But by the goddesses' blessing, he didn't say another word till they had grabbed and equipped the saddle bags and were well on their way to the rooms.
Once they started to part ways though, Link stopped her. "Make sure to get something to eat, would you?" he said. "You didn't even touch lunch."
Sheik let out a 'tch' and turned away. It was neither a yes nor a no, but at least he knew she'd heard him. With that, she went to her guest room and shut the door, locking it behind her.
What did Link know about her health, about her well-being? And besides that, what did he care?
Sheik flopped backwards onto the guest bed, staring up at the ceiling. All she wanted was a hot bath and a long, long rest. With how achy and sore she was, she knew the bath would probably do her more good. But the bed was soft, and she hadn't touched anything soft in what felt like ages, let alone laid against it.
Sheik fell into a daze, eyes unable to focus on the ceiling.
Her eye glamour felt like too much of a hassle, so she pulled it back, relieved that her body no longer had to spend the energy supporting it. But now that it was off, it would be more of a hassle to put it back on…
While she was still contemplating the merits of getting up and bathing or finding something to eat, Sheik's daze turned into sleep.
Her last half-coherent thought before falling asleep was whether or not Link, too, was getting some rest. Somehow, she doubted it.
When Sheik woke, she could not remember her dream. But, much like her last nightmare, she woke to the sensation of falling and startled awake with a gasp.
Having been woken so abruptly, Sheik was shaken, and it took her a moment to compose herself once more. Her muscles were sore, and her aching body was desperate now more than ever for either a hot bath or more sleep.
But her head felt light when she stood to her feet, and Sheik realized all too late that, after not having lunch, it was now so dark outside that she was certain she'd missed dinner, too. At least they had plenty of rations…
Sheik pressed her hand against her forehead, reapplying her glamour in the same pained motion. Though she didn't want to get up, it was the only way to get something to eat, and she had never been fond of waiting till morning to eat. She'd spent far too many nights of her youth going hungry, and if she could avoid it, she preferred it. So she stood, wincing as she felt her sore muscles pull, and checked through the bags she'd brought to her room.
But when she went through the bags, Sheik realized all too late that she hadn't been the one to bring in the rations. Sheik swore, but there was nothing to be done about it. She wouldn't wake Link for something like this, and she wasn't overly fond of seeing him right then anyways.
Sheik sighed. Hopefully there would be something left out for her, but if not… Well. She couldn't remember the last time she'd even been able to cook for herself, so actually heating food up wouldn't be wise. She'd just have to find something cold.
That in mind, she stretched her sore muscles, wincing as every movement agitated them, and made her way out of the room.
Only moments after she gently clicked her door shut and started down the stairs, Sheik heard Malon's voice.
"I was wonderin' when you were gonna come down here," she said softly. "Gave your boy quite a scare, you know. Thinks you're angry with him."
"It's none of your business if I am or not," Sheik said. She spoke before she meant to, and she glanced back to Link's door, praying she hadn't woken him if he was asleep. Not wanting him to overhear if they continued to speak, she hurried downstairs and approached Malon, who was sitting against the big sofa in the living area. "Why are you still awake?"
"You're the guest here, not me," Malon said. "If anything, I oughta be asking you."
Sheik pressed her lips into a frown. "I fell asleep. I'm awake now, so I don't intend to keep on sleeping if I don't need to. So I came down."
Malon scrutinized her, looking her up and down as if questioning something. "Well. If you're up, I might as well stay up. Have to keep my guests entertained, yeah?"
The thought of not being left alone nearly sent Sheik back to the guest room, food be damned. But she forced herself to stay calm, lest she irritate her host. "It's not necessary. I can entertain myself well enough."
"You can, can you?" Malon's smile spread into a grin. "And how might a lady like you entertain yourself alone?"
Being addressed as her true gender after being called 'Mister' all day caught Sheik off-guard. She bristled instantly, hands tightening into fists by her side, though she still didn't come forward or move backwards. "It's none of your—"
"It happens to be my farm, hon," Malon said, cutting her off. "So I would like to know what you're gonna be up to if you stay down here. There are…" She hesitated, glancing towards a small bookshelf across the room. "…Certain family artifacts that I'd rather stay intact."
Sheik followed her line of sight, agitation piqued somewhat more than her curiosity. "Artifacts," she said. "Why would I be looking through your artifacts?"
"There are a few books I've been asked to look after," Malon said, waving it off as if it were nothing. "When my parents moved out here to this farmhouse, they only brought a few family things. And, well. Now it's my responsibility, I suppose."
"It's not like I'm going to touch them," Sheik said. "I wouldn't have known about them if you hadn't mentioned them."
Malon looked her over, a contemplative frown on her face. "…Maybe I had you all wrong, then."
"We've hardly said five words to each other before tonight," Sheik said. "What is it you were trying to figure out about me?" As little as she'd said to Malon, and as much about her identity that she'd kept secret, she couldn't help her spiked heart-rate. Perhaps those knowing smiles Malon had been sending her all day were something far different than what she'd expected—
"I suppose if you aren't her it's nothing to worry about, then," Malon said. "It's just, I've only ever heard of a Sheikah named Sheik in one story, and no one else seems to know it… and she was the Princess in disguise. But maybe it's a pretty common story for Sheikahs."
Sheik's pulse quickened.
The air in her lungs vanished, and all the wetness of her throat went with it.
"How do you know of that story," Sheik finally managed, words far slower and more difficult than they should have been. "I've only ever heard it from my—from my mentor."
Malon looked closer at her. But, after careful contemplation, she seemed to have pity on her. Instead of asking her anything else, she stood and started for the kitchen. "How about we get you some water first? I need some coffee if we're gonna be staying up much later."
From the sounds of it, they'd be settling in for a long night with far more conversation than Sheik wanted to participate in. But if it meant finding out who else knew of this tale, and how she could protect herself, Sheik knew she had to stay.
She couldn't find her voice yet, so she merely nodded, watching as Malon got up and started for the kitchen.
To her surprise, Malon's voice was sweet when she spoke to her again. "You know, thinking about it, you never did come down for lunch or dinner. How 'bout we fix you something, hm?"
Sheik didn't have the voice to refuse, and though she was feeling a bit too anxious to stomach anything now, she knew she probably ought to eat before she lost the ability entirely.
Malon was quick to hand her a glass of water, then pulled out what Sheik assumed were leftovers from dinner. Sheik sipped slowly at the water while Malon cooked, finally pulling her mask off.
It was nice to breathe freely again, but Sheik felt overly exposed—and for more reasons than just the mask.
Whatever Malon knew, it was too much. Sheik couldn't relax knowing that she had been recognized, however mildly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, finding that even with her mask off and silence in the room, she couldn't feel at ease.
At least it would give her time to come up with an excuse, a story—time she didn't have when Link asked her.
Sheik knew that Malon had heard the same story she had. Was it possible she knew more of the story? Or less than Sheik?
And how did she learn it in the first place? Sheik had been to most of Hyrule and seen more libraries in her youth than most had in their lives. She had scoured each of them for all their tales of the heroes of old, and the story of the Hero of Time wasn't mentioned anywhere. When she got older, she assumed it had just been a myth—that it was just a story Impa had made up and presented as a real story. It felt real to her, so she had no qualms telling Link, but…
For someone else to know it…
…Was it possible that the Hero of Time had actually existed?
And why would a farm girl on a ranch in the middle of nowhere have the story?
Sheik glanced back to the books in the library, feeling a strange intuition guiding her. Even as she spoke, she was half certain of the answer. "Who wrote those books—the ones your family has?"
"You know, he didn't sign his name," Malon said, not even turning to look at her while she cooked. "But it's written from the perspective of a great hero who was forgotten."
"From his perspective?"
"Everything from growing up in the Kokiri forest to being sent back through time," Malon said. "Talks about how he was close friends with one of the first owners of this place, you know—the daughter of the original founder. I share her name."
"Malon," Sheik said, testing the name on her tongue. "…The Sheikah story I was taught doesn't mention a farm, or any Malons."
"I reckon there's a lot your record leaves out, then, considering how close he was with my ancestor." Malon finally turned to look at her, lips pulled to a smile. "He was very discreet 'bout his private affairs, so he never mentions who it was he settled down with. I like to think he married my ancestor, of course, but he never does mention his family life, 'sides from having a kid with someone."
"I was never told what he did after being sent back through time," Sheik said. "It must have been lost to Sheikah records. …Yours might be the only complete written record."
Malon nodded and turned back to cooking. "Likely. Didn't seem the talkative sort, you know. He had a few diaries with more private stuff in 'em, but I think it was mostly a dream journal. Terrifying stuff in that one—never much liked it, but my family kept the collection together all the same."
"You mentioned that you knew of… the person who I was named after," Sheik said. "Aside from her identity, what else does your record have of her?"
Sheik prayed that it was nothing too descriptive. But coming from the hero's own writings, Sheik dreaded what she might hear against her own secrets. …Yet, Sheik was curious. Though Impa told her much of the story, there were never many details since it was mostly spoken, and from a record that was missing many pieces of the tale.
Malon didn't turn back to look at her, but her posture was quite still as she hesitated to answer. "He spoke of her a lot," she finally said. "More than most people from his original time. Her and Navi, mostly, though he was homesick for the Kokiri forest and Saria." Sheik frowned, the names distant from her memory, though she was sure Impa had mentioned them occasionally. "She never stuck around much for him, but showed up often enough that he… he really did want her to stick around, y'know?"
Sheik stayed quiet. This was a part of the tale she hadn't heard before. Had the original Sheik not stayed with him as much the Sheikah record implied?
"Eventually, I s'pose he fell in love with her, even though he hardly knew her. Didn't mention it much in the book, but he wrote about how heartbroken he felt when she sent him back. He didn't mind that she was Zelda—he just hated that she hadn't let him stay."
"But surely… he would have wanted to go back?" Sheik furrowed her brows. "Hyrule was greatly damaged by that point. It would have been simpler to just—"
"When she sent him back, he lost everything," Malon said, a sharp edge cutting into her voice. Even generations forward, it seemed that the Lon family wasn't fond of minimizing what the Hero of Time had gone through. "His fairy, all of his friends, all of his things, and the girl he loved."
Sheik stared down into her water, feeling somewhat sick. "…How could he have lost it all?"
"She messed around with Time," Malon said. "Permanently. He was the only one to remember his quest once he got back to his original era. And no one was the same as he knew them, either. The princess never… This time's Zelda never went through what his Zelda had gone through, so she never became like the one he loved."
It seemed the food had finished cooking, because Malon quickly pulled it off the stove and put it on a plate, passing it towards Sheik. "Well, go on," Malon said, passing her a fork. "Eat up. I'm sure you're hungry, and if you're that interested, I could tell you a bit more—just so long as you don't touch the books."
Sheik nodded, trying not to betray her underlying motives. Curious or not, she still needed to know how much Malon might suspect. As she ate, Malon sat down next to her, a coffee cup in hand.
"Let's see," she said, sitting back and taking a long sip of her coffee. "What is it you were askin' again? About Sheik?"
"Our legends don't talk much about what she was actually like. She was regarded as a great heroine and an honorary Sheikah," Sheik said between bites. "But I'd like to know what she might have actually been like. It's no use respecting the memory of someone if they… If they don't deserve it."
Malon nodded, offering her a sympathetic smile. "It's alright, hon, I understand. I still refuse to believe those nasty wolf rumors about the Hero of Twilight, but I suppose there's power in the truth."
Sheik nodded, lips pulling into a contemplative frown.
"Don't look so glum," Malon said, smiling up at her. Sheik remembered all too late that her mask was down to eat. Would she have to hide her expressions, or could she manage this conversation? As it was, it hardly felt like Malon was even trying to figure her out anymore. Had she already convinced her? "There's plenty of good things he wrote about her, too, y'know."
Without waiting for further prompting—especially since Sheik was now eating in earnest—Malon started to speak once more.
"She was mysterious at first—very distant and reserved, talking almost exclusively about Sheikah history, and how he truly looked like the legendary Hero of Time. Never explained that one, really—but I suppose you'd know more about Sheikah prophecies than I would." Malon took a sip of her coffee, a smile tugging on her lips as she remembered a detail. "The Hero of Time always talked about how she'd vanish without a trace after giving him a warp song."
"Warp song?" Sheik asked. "Did he write any of those down, perchance?"
"They're pretty simple melodies, so of course he wrote down the notes—but they'll only work with the right magical items… And even then, they probably require a part of the Triforce, for all I know." At Sheik's disappointment, Malon couldn't help but laugh. "It's a good thing for me, really—I'd be out of business if everyone could warp to new areas instead of having to rent a horse. Not to mention some of those areas might be in ruins by now…" She shook her head, getting back on track after a moment. "Come to think of it, she might have just been warping out every time she disappeared in a flash. He always described her as pretty powerful for her size."
Sheik tried to think of any Sheikah magic that would give her that power, but Impa had never mentioned it. Hopefully she didn't look as disappointed as she felt; though the Triforce of Wisdom would certainly do more harm than good if she was caught with it, she couldn't deny that it'd be useful if it gave her such a power.
Still, though the powers were interesting, Sheik had a guilty fascination with her namesake herself.
"You said he'd fallen in love with her," Sheik said, avoiding eye contact. "How?" How could he love someone like that?
Malon looked at her as if she'd just asked something ridiculous. "You can't just ask how someone falls in love with someone else, hon—it just happens." At Sheik's subdued silence, Malon cracked a smile and shook her head. "But… I think it might have had something to do with how she helped him and how lonely he was. She was one of the few familiar faces he saw. Most the people he saw ended up becoming sages," she said, "So to have someone who not only helped him, but appeared over and over and over again… She was a lot more stable than most of the others he met. Not to mention she was always just out of his grasp… I guess he couldn't help loving her a little."
"…I see," Sheik said, though she didn't understand. "For his sake, I wish he had been able to stay in his own time."
As Sheik finished the last of her food, Malon rested her arm against the counter and looked at Sheik. Not snooping, or staring, either—she just looked her over, as if deciding something.
"I have to admit, it's kind of suspicious to meet a Sheikah named Sheik when the princess is missing—especially since the tale is so rare." Sheik prayed that it wasn't too obvious that she was holding her breath. "But even if you were her, I probably wouldn't turn you in."
The statement caught Sheik so off-guard that she stared up at her, incredulous. "And why is that?"
"For one, the entire time you've been here, you've been focused on getting to another town so you can help some of the girls that have been hunted down. And for another, the first time I saw you, it was when you'd just thrown a knife at a monster that was trying to hurt me." Malon grinned at her. "Kind of hard to hate someone for that. All I'm saying is, if the princess is still out there, I hope she's doing as much good as you are."
Sheik looked down, more than a little embarrassed at so much praise. "I hope she is, too," she finally managed. Remembering herself, and remembering that Malon, despite her words, could not know the truth, added, "Though more than anything, I hope she's safe."
Malon nodded, then finished the rest of her coffee. "Definitely." She glanced at the empty cup in her hands then laughed, looking a little sheepish. "Well, now that I've just finished my coffee, I'm gonna try to get some shut-eye till morning. You oughta do the same, though I understand if you can't fall back asleep after sleeping most the day away."
"I doubt it," Sheik said. Remembering her sore muscles, she glanced hopefully back at the staircase, biting the inside of her cheek. "Do you happen to have a bath I could use?"
"Right next to Link's guest room," Malon said. "Just try not to wake him—he came down not long before you, looked like he hadn't slept a wink. I gave him an old family recipe almost guaranteed to put 'im to sleep… So don't you waste my hard work, alright?"
"I won't." Sheik stood, wincing as her sore body had to support her yet again. It must have been more obvious than she thought, because Malon was quick to offer an arm of support. "I'm fine," Sheik said, pulling away in an instant. "I just need take a hot bath before it get worse."
Malon gave her a sympathetic look, but she stepped away nonetheless. "Red potion?"
It was too tempting to pass up. Sheik nodded, leaning against the counter so she didn't have to support her full weight. Malon rummaged in the cupboard a moment, then pulled out a jar full of red potion. She poured it into a smaller cup for her, more mindful of recommended doses than Sheik had ever been.
Sheik downed it in an instant, closing her eyes in relief as the potion started to set in.
With Sheik set to go, Malon smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Have a nice bath," she said, flirtatious smile back in place. "I'll be in my room if you or Link needs me, alright?"
Sheik nodded and bid her goodnight, keeping her footsteps quiet as she headed up to the bath-room.
She had a lot to think about before they set out on the road to Tal. And yet, as she started the water and settled in for a long, long soak, all Sheik could think about was the Sheik she was named after.
Despite her helpfulness, she sounded cold, and distant, and aloof. Would Link have found that Sheik as incapable of love as he found Nayru?
And did he think his own partner as incapable of love as the both of them combined?
Sheik grit her teeth at the very thought. No. She wouldn't dwell on this. She couldn't. There was too much at stake for her to waste time thinking about something so trivial—something so meaningless.
She'd been alone for most of her life. There was no reason for her to question it now.
When morning came, Sheik had had plenty of time to rest, to pack, and—most unfortunately—to think. But Malon got up early enough to make breakfast for them and assign them horses they could rent for a fair price.
It was more than Sheik wanted to pay, but Malon wouldn't rent them just one horse, lest they push it as hard as they'd pushed Epona. And after getting a free night's lodging and not having her secret blown, Sheik was in a better mood than usual.
And maybe, just maybe, Sheik was feeling a little amiable towards her host.
So she ate breakfast with Malon and Link both—hardly minding her visible face—and felt, at least somewhat, at peace as she allowed her new horse to get acquainted with her.
Just as they were getting ready to board, though, Malon approached them, a small few packages in her arms.
"I know you've gotta get on the road soon," she said, looking at Link, "But—you mentioned you were running a little low on a few things. People haven't been comin' 'round here as much so I figure I probably oughta be nice to what customers I do get."
She held out a bundle and Link took it, surprise obvious on his face. "Malon… you didn't—"
"I wanted to," she said. The smile on her face was much more kind than flirtatious, and Sheik couldn't help but feel as though she'd missed something crucial while she'd slept. But then, so had Link. "Take care of yourself, y'hear? And of your partner. She might be a Sheikah but she's still a lady."
Link laughed and accepted the bundle, but not before pulling Malon into a quick hug. "I will."
For some reason, though this was more contact between them than she'd seen them share before, Sheik felt more at ease than yesterday, when Link was merely staring at Malon.
The hug ended soon enough, and when they parted, Sheik realized that Malon still had a small bundle in her hands.
"Now, I know I said not to touch 'em, but this is one of the copies someone wrote out, not the original. It skips a couple of areas, an' doesn't mention a lot of the later things in his life, but…" Malon smiled a little lopsidedly, handing her a small brown parcel, the size and shape of a journal. "I figure you oughta know the whole story if it fascinates you so much."
Sheik was speechless for a moment. But finally she accepted the bundle under one arm, and offered her hand to Malon, who took it with some surprise. "I… appreciate this. Very much." She bowed her head in gratitude, words catching in her throat. "Thank you."
"Not much of a story if no one else knows it," Malon said. She reached up with her other hand, lightly patting the back of Sheik's hand. "Try to fill in the records for the Sheikah, will you?"
Sheik's mind flashed to Kakariko, and guilt welled up within her. "As soon as I can."
Malon smiled brighter, then released her hand. "I'm counting on you," she said. With that, she took a few steps back, leaving them to the horses. "I'll see you when you return the horses—don't run them into the ground, y'hear?"
"I'll make sure of it," Link said, putting the bundle inside one of the saddle bags. He hopped up onto his designated horse (called 'Bashful' for her disposition), gently patting her neck to reassure her. "Thanks, Malon—for everything."
"Anytime, hero." There was almost a joke in her voice, and Link laughed right along with her. Again, Sheik wondered what she'd missed, but if it was important, she supposed she'd find out eventually.
Sheik gently tucked the journal into a saddle-bag, knowing she likely wouldn't have time to read it for a while. Like Link, she hopped up onto her horse—affectionately dubbed 'Blossom'—and led her towards the exit.
"Have a safe trip!"
Though Sheik certainly couldn't promise anything, she did manage a small, reassuring smile as she glanced back one more time at Malon. Without another word, though, she started off, south-east, finally back on track to Tal.
"So, what was that about?" Link asked, voice almost lost to the wind as their horses trotted together. "The—the thing she gave you. Was that a book?"
"Yes," Sheik said. "Just a book."
His voice was softer when he spoke again—so soft she really couldn't hear him. Sheik found herself wishing, inexplicably, that they were sharing a horse again. But with sharing a horse came touching, and… Sheik knew she probably shouldn't wish to be in a position where she had to wrap her arms around someone just to stay on. But it did make conversation easier. She stared at him blankly, brows furrowed in confusion before he repeated himself. "—I said, what is it about?"
"Just the story I was telling you yesterday, before we arrived." Probably best not to mention just how rare the story was. "She had one of the original copies."
Link nodded, looking a bit mollified. "I take it that was what you were talking about last night?"
"You were awake?" Sheik's heart-rate spiked. Trying not to look as panicked as she felt, she added, "If you were awake, why didn't you join us?"
"No—I just… You were acting civil with her yesterday, so I figured something must have happened while I was sleeping."
"You and I both," Sheik muttered, inaudible over the wind. At least she wasn't alone in wondering what had happened when she hadn't been present. It felt nice to not be the only one out of the loop. Sheik spoke again, this time loud enough to be heard. "I… apologize for my hostility yesterday. It was… Unwarranted."
Link shook his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "Don't be sorry—I was just…" He looked away, obviously searching for more innocent words than he would have otherwise used. "I was just a little overwhelmed, I guess."
"Overwhelmed?" Sheik rode a bit closer to hear him easier, though not close enough to jeopardize their horses' safety. "How?"
"She's the second girl I've met in the last few weeks that introduced herself by," Link made a vague hand gesture, and Sheik could see just a hint of a blush creeping onto his face. "By… By fighting like that. Taking down monsters, or people who were acting like monsters. Kind of hard not to be impressed."
"Impressed, huh." Sheik stared straight ahead, doing her best to focus on navigating instead of Link's words. It didn't stop her curiosity, though, and she turned back towards him with a contemplative frown. "Do you behave like that around every girl that impresses you? Or just the pretty ones?"
Somehow, his face turned pinker. "I try not to behave like that at all."
"You ought to try harder, then," Sheik said. "If we ever fight a skilled warrior who's pretty, too, I'd prefer it if you could keep your eyes on her weapons."
Link let out a loud laugh. "Hey, I'm competent fighting against you, aren't I?"
"And what's that supposed to mean?" When Link didn't answer her, Sheik huffed and looked straight ahead. "Tonight we'll practice extra. I might not be as distracting as Malon, but I fully expect you to be competent if we have to fight against anyone like her."
With that, she steered her horse away, Link's answer lost to the wind.
When they finally settled down for camp—late, late at night so they wouldn't have to travel as far tomorrow to get to Tal—Sheik first started with practicing her magic. If Tal was anything like Oxon, she'd need all the magic she could get.
But she didn't want to wear herself out, either. Since they'd camped so late, she was quite tired, and magic took even more out of her—not to mention she wouldn't have as much sleep to replenish her energy. But she meant it when she said they'd spar tonight, and after sitting for so much of the day, she was practically aching to move around.
It was Link, though, that first approached her. "You were being serious, right?" he asked, already stripped down to his sparring gear. "'Cause it's pretty dark, you know. Not much distraction if I can't even see you—"
Sheik grinned. "I've always wanted to try this in the dark."
She moved back into a clearing, motioning for Link to join her. The ground was blessedly flat, with few rocks or roots to trip them with. Link followed at a distance, matching her stance once she'd turned to face him.
It was a fairer fight than most of their physical sparring was. This time, Link wasn't exhausted or at a clear disadvantage with agility. Not to mention Sheik was worn out from practicing magic. But her night vision was better, balancing the scales for each punch.
Having become so familiar with each other's fighting styles, Sheik wasn't afraid to pull bolder moves, though her execution was slower than usual. Every too-quick dodge, every time she slid just under his arm and out of his grasp, every close call and hard hit was dangerous.
And because it was dark, and because they'd become so attuned to each other, Sheik was becoming more comfortable with more dangerous maneuvers.
So when Link caught hold of her wrist as she tried to evade him and failed, Sheik changed her direction in an instant. She used his grasp as leverage, forcing it back so she could spring up and off of his shoulder, using gravity to bring the both of them back down.
Link, caught by surprise by the attack, couldn't shake her off. But because Sheik wasn't trying to hurt him, she let go last minute so that the only weight driving Link to the ground was his own. Still, it was a hard landing, and Sheik winced in sympathy as he hit the ground.
She supposed her own landing was fair, then, as she'd nearly twisted her ankle when she misjudged her angle. But neither of them were worse for the wear, and when they met in the middle, the spirit of competition had only gotten stronger.
Link, a bit beat up but no slower because of it, lunged at her with an uppercut Sheik was quick to dodge. But all too late, she realized that it was his plan, because at the last moment, he pulled his hand back and instead used it to grab hold of her.
Because Link's attacks had been so focused on grabbing, their sparring was turning into an elaborate game of keep away—one that Sheik was sure she'd lose eventually.
But for now, she grinned, dodging too slow to avoid him touching her, but just fast enough that he couldn't get a grip. It was still far too close of a call, and Sheik's getaway was clumsier than usual. She ended up further away than she wanted, but not far enough that she was out of his range. Sheik had to kick upwards, twisting her body mid-air so she could land properly on her feet.
Her landing wasn't quite as solid as she'd hoped, though, and she had to take a moment to steady herself.
"Getting tired?" Link asked, laughter in his voice.
Sheik shook her head, but she couldn't hide her own smile. "Not a chance."
Up in the sky, the moon had been mostly hidden by a cloud for their match. But the cloud started to move, thus shifting the fight slightly out of Sheik's favor as Link was no longer as blind as he had been. She'd have to be quick if she was going to beat him—but then, if all she was doing was trying to evade his capture, they could be at it all night.
Sheik readied her stance. She'd give him a fight, alright—she wasn't going to be the one to call off the match.
The pair continued on into the night, blows getting simultaneously slower and more dangerous from both sides as they tired. Neither was willing to give up tonight. It had turned into more of a game than any of their previous matches, and the thought of losing the game would be too much of a blow to their pride.
It wasn't until the very terrain they were standing on started to shift that they even considered backing down—and even then neither was quite willing to call off the match.
And then, the unthinkable.
Sheik dodged, far too slow, and in one fatal move, Link's hand clasped around her shoulder.
But the slippery terrain propelled him further forward than he'd anticipated, and Sheik was caught too off guard to correct herself.
She was on a collision course with the ground, with Link set to land on top of her.
Honestly, she wasn't too bothered—she'd taken worse landings. And after being so tired out from fighting, she would rather resign to her fate than attempt to change it.
But before she could reach the ground, Link twisted hard to the left. Their legs tangled as he so abruptly turned on his heel, but no matter how badly they got mixed up in each other, Link seemed to get his desired result. (Though why he'd want to land hard on his back with Sheik on top of him, Sheik couldn't know.)
No matter his intentions, heaviness of the landing knocked his breath away. Sheik recovered sooner, propping herself up on her palms—one on either side of Link's head—so she wouldn't keep adding pressure to his already burdened diaphragm. Yet, even as Link caught his breath, he was remarkably still.
And Sheik understood, somewhere deep within her, that his stillness had nothing to do with the heaviness of his landing.
Link stared up at her, either unable or unwilling to look away. And Sheik, for her part, couldn't bring herself to look anywhere but him. She was frozen to her core—ironic only for the heat under cheeks as she stared.
It was the wind that finally prompted them to move, but not in the way Sheik expected. Her hair, already a mess, fell down into her face as the wind picked up. But before she could even think to move it back, Link reached for it. As he gently tucked it behind her ear, Sheik realized that she could no longer remember how to breathe—let alone why it was necessary.
It wasn't until Link opened his mouth to speak that the magic of the moment was broken.
But before he could say a single word, Sheik jerked backwards. She was on her feet before she even realized she was in motion, and if it weren't for instinct, she might have fallen again. But she regained her balance soon enough, and without a word, she reached for Link's hand to help him up.
"You… alright, then?" Link asked as he took her hand. "Sorry for—um. I just—I figured you might not want to land between me and the dirt."
Sheik parted her lips to speak, but no words came out. Instead, she just nodded and pulled him upright, his hand strong and steady in hers. It occurred to her all too late that her heart was beating fast inside her chest. Could he feel it through her hand?
Finally, she managed to speak, but only when she looked away. "We—we ought to get setup for bed. It's late."
"You're probably right." Link kept hold of her hand, not yet willing to let go. He hesitated before he spoke next, but when he finally did, it was with a softness Sheik didn't expect. "Sheik, about our… about our partnership… I—"
"We have a long day tomorrow," Sheik cut in. Her face burned, and her heart was beating too fast to be healthy. She couldn't talk to him about this—not now. "We… we need to get some sleep."
If Link was disappointed or felt rejected, he didn't show it. Instead, he took advantage of her hand still held in his and raised it to his lips. The kiss was barely there, and so light that Sheik could hardly feel it through the bandages around her fingers. But no matter how gentle it was, Sheik could feel his lips' warmth against her skin, and she swore it stopped her heart for a moment.
"Goodnight, then," he said softly, letting go of her hand. "I… I'll see you in the morning."
And without another word, Link started back towards the campsite.
Sheik watched him from afar for much longer than she meant to. But even when he'd laid down on his sleeping mat and closed his eyes, Sheik couldn't bring herself to move. Not till her heart finally slowed.
But the warmth on her fingers, long since physically gone, remained with her even as she laid down on her own sleeping mat and tried to sleep.
((Well. Your first concrete evidence of Shink/Zelink for Valentine's Day. Hope you liked it! I was actually going to add more to this chapter but then I looked at the word count and realized this is already pretty long and you guys have been waiting long enough. Plus, I mean. Leaving off here, on Valentines Day? Kind of perfect. But anyhow!
Thank you so much for your patience, and for your kind reviews. As I mentioned earlier, I want to thank you all for being so sweet with me. Everyone who had wanted faster updates apologized—and in such a sweet, genuine way that I was taken by surprise. Thank you so much for sticking with me and for being so patient and thoughtful, all of you. You're absolutely wonderful.
And I hope you liked this chapter! I know it was rather slow plot-wise, but there are some elements mixed in that will become very important in time, and well. I tried to give you plenty of Shink/Zelink to make up for the slowness. After this, it'll be a lot of plot, which will hopefully take less time to write since it'll move along and jump around faster. Anyhow! If you liked this chapter, and even if you didn't, please review! Thank you all so much for your support!))