((Sorry for this being late. There are a lot of scenes I had a lot of trouble writing this particular chapter, so I constantly debated about what scenes to even include.))

As Sheik was discovering, travelling wasn't nearly as fun with so many extra people. Happy as she was to be helping the girls, she would be happier once they were dropped off at Malon's. Then she and Link could get back on the road, and they wouldn't have to move so frustratingly slowly.

With so many people, she and Link were doomed to move at a walking pace for the time being. Though it was almost relaxing not to move so quickly, Sheik was on edge. After all, because they walked so slow, they were at a higher risk for being followed and unable to make a clean getaway. It didn't help matters that the land around Marr was flat, either. Though they could potentially see enemies from a mile away, they were even more visible because they were such a large, slow-moving party.

Not to mention many of the girls had been confined to a cell for the last several weeks. Even the ones that had only been there for a few days were feeling the effects. It was difficult, after all, to go from stagnant to spending all day on foot.

Because of that, Sheik and Link set up camp not long after sunset.

Though they could have easily spent the rest of the night walking, most of the girls looked downright exhausted.

The majority of the girls fell asleep within minutes of setting up for camp. Not that there was much camp to set up; there were only two sleeping mats, and since there weren't enough for everyone, Sheik and Link had elected not to use them at all.

At least most of the girls weren't shy about sharing body heat. Sheik supposed it was only natural after living in such close quarters for so long; they seemed to know each other quite well by now, or at least well enough not to sleep so close together. Though the night wasn't too cold to bear—and Sheik thanked the goddesses for that—it certainly wasn't warm, either.

Because they were the only two still fully awake, Link and Sheik set themselves up a short distance away so they could talk and wouldn't be overheard.

"So," Link said once they were sure everyone else had fallen asleep. "You're sure Malon will take them?"

Sheik didn't answer at first, instead just watching over the small group in front of them. "You know her as well as I do," she said. "You tell me."

"I think she will," Link said. "But I still don't feel right about just…"

"Just going up to her door and dropping off fifteen strangers?" Sheik sighed, leaning forward and resting her arms on her knees. "I don't feel good about it, either, but… She has plenty of room, and more supplies and food than Tal could give them. I say we at least give her a chance. And if she says yes, then…"

"Then?"

Sheik hesitated. "…Then maybe some of the other girls we save will have a safe place there, too."

"Sheik…" Sheik didn't look at him. "We haven't even been to Ise or Sarin yet. Maybe—"

"There are hardly any Hylian villages that far north, Link. However many there are, I doubt they're all from nearby towns. Not to mention you have to cross the Zoras to even get to Ise."

"I've been wondering about that, actually." Link leaned back, resting on his palms. "In Hyrule's history, the Zora are sometimes the first to be hit… Do you think something happened to them? It'd make sense, if someone's crossing their domain…"

Sheik closed her eyes, processing the information as best as she could. "It might be one of the first links to connecting all of this if it's true," she said, voice slow and hesitant. "I just wish I knew what the other cities had to do with it—aside from just an easier way to force people into smaller areas so they can search for girls more efficiently."

Link nodded. "Hopefully Sarin won't be too weird, huh?"

"Ravio said it was a 'strange jungle,'" Sheik said. "So… I suppose it might actually be more normal than other cities. Hard to get stranger than a city raised into the air."

"A jungle all the way up in Lanayru, though…" Link cracked a smile. "It's freezing up in those northern parts, then suddenly it's a jungle. At least it'll probably be warm in Sarin, huh?"

Sheik hummed, leaning back on her palms and trying not to shiver as wind stirred around them. "Yeah. Warm…"

Now that the sun had set, it was definitely starting to get chilly—but Sheik wasn't about to break out blankets. So instead, she just ignored the chill in the air. Or tried to, anyways—eventually, she involuntarily shivered. As soon as she did, Link sat closer, pulling her to his side.

The warmth was appreciated, and though Sheik's pride wasn't fond of the idea of someone else trying to protect her (even just from the cold), she knew Link was probably cold, too. She wrapped an arm around him soon after, if just to keep him warmer, too.

As they sat in silence, Sheik watched the group of girls, a slight frown on her face. Some of them looked the tiniest bit cold, even with the way they were piled on top of each other. But all the blankets they had with them wouldn't be enough to cover even half of them. She wished they had enough for everyone, but…

"You worried about them?" Link asked, distracting her from her thoughts. "I'm sure they'll be fine. Just another day on the road, yeah?"

Sheik thought back to Malon, and how caring she'd seemed while they were at the ranch. Though they'd gotten off to a rocky start, she knew instinctively that she had to take them to the ranch. It was almost something deeper than just her mind; similar to the half tangible voice she'd heard when Link had gone to the forest in the middle of the night.

"Yeah," she finally said. "Just another day on the road."

As they watched the group of girls in front of them, Link let out a slow yawn. It was definitely relaxing out here in the plains, especially with so many stars in the sky above them. She couldn't blame him for feeling tired, even though they'd taken it easy today compared to the last few weeks.

"You should sleep," Sheik found herself saying. "I'll take the first watch."

"We're taking watches now?" Link asked, raising a brow. "You need sleep too, don't you?"

Sheik shook her head. "With this many people, I don't think it's a good idea to have everyone asleep all at once. Get some rest—I'll wake you about half through the night, okay?"

"Well, if you're sure…"

Link hesitated, though, pulling away from her as if unsure where to lie down. Once he pulled away, Sheik realized just how cold it was—and she realized what he might have been hesitating for.

Sheik's lips twitched into a smile, hidden behind her mask. "Cold?" she asked, leaning back till she could rest on her elbows. "I don't think there'd be any shame in following their example, you know."

He looked up at her, expression still cautious, as if he wasn't quite sure if he could trust her. Sheik supposed he couldn't fully remember last night, when they'd shared a booth at Marr—especially since she'd left before he woke. "And you're… alright with that?"

"It's not like we have to make it a habit," she said. "But you'll make a nice wind block 'til we get our blankets back."

Link bit the inside of his cheek, but a smile stretched across his lips soon after. Without waiting for another invitation, he sidled up next to her, leaning on her from the side. If he realized his head was resting on her chest, he gave no sign of it, and she didn't move him away.

As Sheik tilted her head up and looked at the stars above, she felt Link slowly fall asleep against her, his breaths deep, slow, and steady.

Honestly, with how peaceful he looked, Sheik wasn't sure if she'd have the heart to wake him later.

He deserved a good night's sleep, and so long Sheik was awake to keep everyone safe, then surely it'd be alright?

Cremia came to her mind, unbidden, and Sheik quickly blocked out the thought before she could obsess over it too much. Still, it was persistent, and Sheik felt guilt starting to settle in. She needed to be more careful in the future, she decided. They should have counted the guards ahead of time… Should have thought that at least one of the guards would have been a coward and hidden.

If one of the girls died because she wasn't fast enough to save them, could she really live with herself?

…And, even when they didn't have the girls around…

Would she be able to live with herself if Link got hurt?

It was Link, in the end, who prompted her to switch their positions. Though he'd stayed asleep for well over half the night, his sleep had turned less peaceful as the night went on. Sheik could only watch as his face shifted into a grimace, his muscles tensing as if to fight.

Morning would be in a few hours through, so Sheik supposed it was only fair to wake him—especially if his dreams were turning sour. Having had some experience with nightmares, she knew it was often better to get less sleep than to suffer from the panic nightmares brought on.

So Sheik sat up, gently moving Link off of her and shaking his shoulder. "Hey," she said softly, not wanting to wake any of the girls. "It's your turn to take watch."

Though Link startled upon first waking, he quickly relaxed. Sheik hoped he wouldn't even remember his dreams—though she knew it was probably a vain hope.

"My… turn?" he finally said, slowly blinking his eyes open. Now that he was awake and upright, the cold was settling against him—and it was definitely colder now that the sun's heat had dissipated hours ago. Link quickly became more awake from the cold, looking around their camp with concern. "Are the girls—?"

"They're fine," Sheik said. "The night's just half over, that's all. I'd rather not fall asleep while trying to keep watch."

Link looked around at the placement of the moon, raising a brow. "Looks like more than halfway through the night, Sheik…"

"Wasn't tired till now," she said. "Figured if I wasn't even tired, there wasn't any point to switching."

Though Link didn't look fully mollified, he seemed to decide not to argue with her, if only not to waste time arguing. Instead, he moved back till he was propped up against some of the saddle bags. "C'mon," he said. "I know it's cold. Might as well get comfortable."

To Sheik's surprise, a yawn passed her lips. Though the cold had kept her awake for a while, now that Link was awake, her body didn't seem half as intent on staying awake. "Right," she said, trying not to look too obviously tired as she moved over to him.

She took a somewhat conservative position, sitting by his side and laying her head against his chest. It didn't do much to keep either of them warm, but she supposed it was better than being too affectionate. The last thing she wanted was to make him uncomfortable after how hesitant he'd looked earlier.

Tired as she was, Sheik fell asleep quickly, the steady rhythm of Link's heartbeat and breathing putting her to sleep.

However, to her surprise, she found herself half-awake only a few minutes later, roused by motion around her.

Sheik didn't even bother to open her eyes. The motion would die down soon, she knew, and she doubted he'd intended to wake her in the first place. As Link shifted behind her, she decided he was just trying to get comfortable. Not surprising; she knew the saddle-bags weren't very comfortable.

But, as he settled back down, Sheik became gradually aware of a few things.

One, that the fabric her ear was pressed against wasn't the sturdy material of his outer tunic, but of his undershirt. Two, that something warm and solid was draped over her. And three, that he'd changed the way she was lying down. Now, she was curled up on her side, resting between his legs with her head against his middle, not his chest.

Being only half awake, Sheik didn't have the energy to protest. And, more importantly, she wasn't sure she would have even if she was awake. He must have only moved her because he was cold, she decided, a bit too drowsy to think about why he'd removed his tunic and put it over her.

As long as he'd only moved her because he was cold, she didn't mind.

Sheik fell asleep once more, significantly more relaxed this time. And if, in her half-asleep state, her arms wrapped around Link's middle, she certainly wasn't to blame for it.

With the next day came the same routine, till finally (finally) they approached Malon's around the evening. Because they were so close, everyone had elected to continue walking till they arrived, despite the girls' obvious exhaustion.

And, when they arrived, Sheik had to force her worry deep, deep within her, lest she ruin it all by tripping over her words or being too forceful.

With the girls staying with Link beside the house, it was up to Sheik to knock and explain the situation first. So, with a careful hand, she knocked.

When Malon answered the door, Sheik hated that the first words she said to her were, "Are you alone?"

Malon looked up at her with a quizzical expression. Sheik couldn't blame her. "…Yes," Malon said, looking around. "Where's Link? And the horses? Is everythin' alright?"

"Yes," Sheik said quickly. "Better than alright. We…" She took a deep breath, not wanting to rush the news. "We succeeded at Marr. Link's with the horses right now, if you want to speak with him."

"Oh! That's wonderful news," Malon said, her worried frown changing to a smile. However, she still looked a bit confused, and added, "But why ask me if I'm alone? Did something happen?"

"Because…" Sheik bit her lip, hoping she wouldn't sound too desperate. "Because we, ah. Brought a few people with us."

Malon's eyes widened. "…Some of the kidnapped girls?"

"Most of them, actually," she said. "I know you said you didn't want to endanger your barn—and I understand that. And I understand if you have to turn us away, but…"

Malon's face was completely unreadable, which didn't help matters.

"…But we need your help," Sheik finally managed. "Please. We can't get them all home right now. We assumed most of them were from Marr when we rescued them—but they're from all over Hyrule. We don't have the money or the resources to send them anywhere else, and some of them live all the way to the western borders of Hyrule. You're the only person I know who has the space and resources to accommodate so many people, Malon."

Sheik almost wanted to close her eyes, if just so she didn't have to watch as Malon decided these girls' fate. But she stood fast, unwilling to back down from a challenge.

Her heart nearly stopped when Malon's mouth finally opened again.

"I'll take them all for tonight," Malon finally said. Already knowing that it wasn't an automatic yes, Sheik pressed her lips into a thin line behind her mask, braced for the worst. But before she could even fully prepare herself, the rancher continued, "And we'll see about the future afterwards."

"So you'll take them?"

"We'll see," Malon repeated. "I want to check for myself if any of them are spies. Those monsters would stoop to any low, Sheik. If there's a rat among 'em, I don't want that girl in my house."

"But you'll take the rest?" Sheik's heart sped up, relief already filling her up. Malon nodded, however hesitantly, and Sheik couldn't help the smile that split her face. "Malon—thank you, thank you so much."

Malon stepped backwards, a hesitant smile on her lips. "Well," she finally said, wiping her hands on the apron that adorned the front of her dress. "Let's see them, yeah? I assume they're with Link and the horses?"

At the mention of his name, Link came around the edge of the house, all sixteen girls in tow. "We, um, already put the horses back in the corral," he said, hefting a huge load of supplies onto his back. "Hope that's alright."

"Better than alright," Malon said with a smile, opening the door wider and letting everyone come inside.

Sheik lingered, though, waiting till everyone was in before slipping out and grabbing the rest of the supplies so they wouldn't sit outside all night. Once she came back in, everyone was already in the process of introducing themselves. Probably useful, since Sheik assumed the majority of them (if not all of them) would be living with Malon for the foreseeable future.

As for her, though, the less she knew about any of the girls, the better.

It was all well and fine for Malon to get attached to them—and even Link—but as much as Sheik cared about their well-being, she couldn't allow herself to get too close.

Not to Peatrice, the one who worked with Groose and had led them to a safe place for the next few days. Or to Nabooru, the one who'd held the guard back in the cell and allowed Sheik to give him the finishing blow. And especially not to Cremia.

They were mixed up in this enough. The last thing Sheik wanted to do was to involve them more than they already were.

Not to mention the guilt. Ever since last night, she couldn't get that weight off of her chest.

Had she been any slower, Cremia might have been killed. All because she hadn't noticed that guard sooner. And Link… what if he'd been the one at the tail end of the procession? What if he'd gotten hurt?

So as the girls were getting introduced to Malon, Sheik pulled herself away, instead propping herself up against the back door. Someone had to keep on lookout, she decided—especially now that there were so many of them staying here.

She was, perhaps, an hour into her watch before she felt someone tap her shoulder.

Sheik whirled around, tense enough to throw a fist, but Link put his hands up into a pacifying gesture the moment she turned.

"Easy," he said. "Just wanted to let you know that everyone worked together to make some soup. Figured you might like some."

Between the gesture and his calming words, Sheik felt herself relax. However, despite that, she knew she had to refuse. "Maybe later," she said, glancing back to the open door. "I think I should probably stay here."

Link furrowed his brow. "Are you… keeping watch?"

"Someone has to," Sheik said. "If someone comes, I want to have enough warning to do something about it."

Though Sheik knew her words were perfectly rational, somehow, the look on Link's face was almost disappointed. He didn't say anything for a while, seemingly uncertain about something. But when he did speak up again, it was with that same, gentle voice he'd used earlier. "Well," he said, "I can take over for you later, if you want. But we can probably get Malon and the girls to organize themselves into their own watches, you know."

Sheik shrugged. "While I'm here I might as well be useful."

"And you didn't think you were being useful before?" Link took a step closer, leaning against the wall next to the door. "C'mon, Sheik…"

"There's always something to do," she said firmly. "And after all they've been through, they deserve a night or two of peace."

"And you don't?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you're not giving yourself one." Link looked closer at her, lips pulling into a contemplative frown. "…At least promise me that you'll actually get a good night's sleep tonight."

Sheik glanced at him, raising a brow. "Should I be planning on it?"

"Considering you only got a few hours of sleep last night? Yes."

Though she knew he had a point, Sheik couldn't help but think of all the nights he'd foregone sleep after Ecchar. Those dark circles had lingered well into their journey to Marr; Sheik remembered them too well to let him talk to her about the importance of a good night's sleep. "You've managed for longer on less. All we're going to be doing is traveling, Link. I doubt we'll run into anything important."

"And if we do?" When Sheik didn't answer, Link sighed and shook his head. "All I'm saying is that I'm not the one who has magic that runs on life energy."

"You don't even know how it works," Sheik said, trying not to visibly bristle. "I'll be fine."

"I know enough to be worried."

"Do you really?" Sheik crossed her arms, sizing him up as if for a fight. "What do you know about it?"

For a moment, anger flashed in his eyes, and even when he forced himself to calm, Sheik could see him physically bite his tongue. Whatever he was restraining himself from saying, it had to be important. It occurred to her, briefly, that he was getting almost too involved in talking about magic. Why was he so worried now of all times? "I know that when you overuse your magic, the first thing you do is either need to take a long break or, at worst, you pass out," he finally said, voice far more calm than before. "That's enough of an answer for me."

"I hardly use magic when we're fighting monsters, Link," she snapped. "I only use it if there's no other way out of a fight, or for keeping quiet, or for using glamours to disguise myself."

Recognition flashed in Link's eyes. "Glamours," he said, then hesitated before speaking again. "Like… the one you used in Ecchar?"

"Obviously," she said. "Appearances don't just change on their own."

"…Right," he said, suddenly looking away. "Of course not."

Sheik narrowed her eyes, looking him over once more. He certainly was acting strange… He'd never been so focused on her glamours before. Her heartrate spiked, just for a moment as she considered the possibilities. Perhaps he'd seen something?

She knew she'd been less careful about her glamour while traveling with him, but she couldn't recall ever losing her glamour in his presence… Though, then again, things had been hectic enough at times that she wasn't sure she would have even noticed if her glamour faded. Especially in the aftermath of Marr.

…But, surely she would have noticed?

Her stomach plummeted to sit between her hips, but she showed no trace of it on her face. Instead, she went back to looking out the door.

He couldn't already know, she decided. If he knew her secret, then surely he would have said something about it already. That in mind, she rested a bit easier, but she knew she'd have to be more careful in the future. She couldn't let him know the truth.

Not even just because it would put both of them at risk.

After all, it would mean he knew she'd lied to him. And, judging from the look on his face—as sure and steady as ever—he didn't look hurt, or betrayed. Nothing like how he'd looked on their way away from Solen, when he'd asked her outright about the lies she'd told.

Surely, she decided, he'd look angrier if he suspected.

And so, even when he spoke again, Sheik forced herself to stay calm. "Well," he said, "If you ever do need your magic when we're out on the road, it just seems like a good idea to have enough energy to actually use it. That's all."

When Sheik didn't answer, Link sighed, finally pushing up off the wall. He hesitated before going any further, though, as if waiting for something. Sheik furrowed her brows as his boots lingered near her, indecisive, before finally they picked back up again.

As he turned and walked away, Sheik wondered why he was acting so strange.

Still, she kept her focus on the open door, unable to relax till finally the footsteps faded out of earshot and he rejoined the others.

Link was acting… not just strange, she decided. Overly cautious would be more accurate—suspicious, even. But then, she supposed she wasn't one to talk—and it was hardly anything new for him to act so secretive. Of all the people she'd met, he was second only to her in secrets.

Between the two of them, they had more secrets than she knew what to do with.

And even though he seemed to have told her most things—or rather, she'd found them out, one way or another—she knew he hadn't told her everything. She still didn't know why he had such trouble sleeping, still didn't know what had happened with Ravio and Hilda, still didn't know much about his childhood, his time at the castle, his friendships, his dreams.

But then, he didn't know half as much about her as she knew about him.

It pained her that she wanted to know, though—and, worse, that she wanted him to know about her.

This was why Sheik had chosen to shut so many people out. Her younger self had been more careful, she knew; her younger self had been smarter about people. Standoffish as she had been, at least her secret had never been so close to being exposed. She'd been safe. Yes, she'd been a thief and alone without a friend to call her own, but at least she'd kept herself hidden.

Sheik pressed her forehead against the doorframe.

Once, emotions hadn't mattered. Sheik hadn't gotten close enough to anyone for them to be anything more than an afterthought, or wishful thinking. She'd been a scared little girl, and fear had guided every single one of her choices. But interpersonal feelings? After Impa had died, she hadn't had feelings to spare for anyone.

And yet here Link was, forcing himself into her life as her partner, then slowly wheedling his way into something else. Something more.

Partner didn't explain how much she trusted him. Not just with her life, but with conversation, with half-truths rather than lies. With the mere mention of Impa.

If she was being honest with herself, friend was more suitable than partner.

But then, friend didn't explain the way she'd felt when they'd sparred all those nights ago.

Yet, before she could even think along that line, invasive thoughts clouded her mind. Friends wouldn't be so careless with their friends' lives, she thought, guilt making her feel hollow. What if that guard had attacked Link, instead? What if there'd been a guard outside? Would Sheik have been fast enough to save him from inside?

She pushed the thought out of her head before it could do any more damage than it'd already done, but the seeds had already been planted. She knew she wouldn't be able to get it out of her head. Just as with last night, she knew she'd spend much of the day thinking about it, and dwelling on it till it felt like poison to her mind.

Staring determinedly outside, Sheik forced herself to watch out for any monsters instead. Though she was sure she could watch out for monsters even while distracted with deep thinking, she didn't want to dwell on the topic any longer.

After all, what if she came to an actual conclusion?

It was better, for now, to stay solidly within the realm of indecision. She'd pull back the affection they'd worked up to, and she wouldn't try to get any closer with him.

As much as it pained her, she'd have to distance herself again. It wasn't just her secret that depended on it, either. Link had the Triforce of Courage, and if he was right about the King's Daughter not even knowing she had the Triforce of Wisdom, then between the two of them, they had two thirds of the keys to sacred power.

No one could know that she was the King's Daughter. Not the King, not the one who'd conquered the castle, not Malon, not any of the girls they'd saved. Link was no exception.

It was just the way it had to be.

When night finally came, the stars over Lon Lon Ranch were beautiful. Sheik, having hardly moved from her position, was caught between making constellations and keeping an eye on the world around her. There was no movement around the house, though, and at this point, it was getting too dark to make out anything past a mile of the house.

It was flat land, sure, but with how dark it was, it was impossible to make out shapes in the distance… especially when she was standing near the relative light of the house.

"You're still up?"

Sheik turned to see Malon standing some distance away. She looked tired, Sheik noted, but there was a smile on her face despite the worry to her brows. Was she really so cheerful even after getting blindsided with so many girls to worry about?

"I wanted to keep watch," Sheik said. "Thought it might be good to make sure we hadn't been followed. Just in case."

Malon hummed, pulling out a chair to sit down. "So you think you were followed?"

Sheik looked back out at the night, biting the inside of her cheek. "…Not exactly, no," she said. "Just thought it might be better to be safe than sorry."

"So you're risking falling asleep outside and makin' yourself an easy target for them if they do come?"

Malon's words made Sheik bristle, but she kept it hidden. "Someone's got to keep a lookout."

"And you think it's gotta be you." Malon smiled somewhat softer at her, and Sheik tensed in preparation for what she might say. "How about you sit down and get some dinner, hm? Link told me it's been a rough few days for you."

"I'm already recovered from it," Sheik said. "And I'm not all that hungry."

That soft smile didn't leave Malon's face. Whatever she was playing at, she was good. Two could play at that game, though, and Sheik decided not to let her win. So she looked away, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched.

"Well," Malon said, "I've got nothing else to do tonight. Would it be alright if I kept watch instead for a bit?"

Sheik clicked her teeth together. "I'll be fine, Malon. I don't need anyone else taking over for me."

"What if I wanted to keep watch for my own selfish reasons, hm?" Though Sheik was avoiding looking at her now, she could practically see the teasing smile on her face. "What if I just want the security of knowing that I'm watchin' out for everyone under my roof?"

Then I'd say to get in line, Sheik wanted to say. Instead, she just let out a slow exhale, trying to stay calm. "You'll be the only one fully capable of protecting them after Link and I leave tomorrow," Sheik said. "You need your rest."

"And you don't need any to protect the two of you while you're on the road?"

"Hylia, you're just as bad as Link," Sheik muttered. "I'll be fine."

Malon looked her up and down, her eyes more shrewd than Sheik remembered. "I can't figure you out, Miss Sheikah," she finally said. "Do you like not getting enough sleep?"

"No," Sheik said, finally turning fully towards her. "But someone has to keep watch."

"Both Link and I offered," Malon said. "And you refused both of us, hon. I'm just tryin' to get a good picture of what's goin' through your head, Sheik, that's all."

Sheik curled her hand into a fist. "I don't need anyone trying to figure me out," she said. "I just… I just need to keep watch."

Malon watched her for a while, indecision clear on her features. Finally, though, she stood, pushing the chair back where it went. "I'll get you some soup," she decided. "…Close the door, would you? You can sit by the window and watch from there, but you're letting in a draft, and a few of the girls complained about being cold earlier."

Sheik clicked the door shut, but immediately moved to stand by the window, opening the curtains and staring out. "You don't actually have to get me soup," she started, but when she turned back, Malon was already headed for the kitchen.

"If you're going to stay up all night worrying, then the least I can do is make sure you get something to eat." Malon sighed, shaking her head. "I just hope you know you're gonna worry your partner sick if you keep on like this. But far be it from me to talk sense into either of you."

It didn't sound like Malon was happy about her choice—and Sheik wondered if she hadn't been meant to overhear that last bit at all—but Sheik supposed it could have gone worse. At least, she supposed, Malon hadn't sent Link after her.

The night passed slowly, without a trace of trouble, but Sheik stayed vigilant. It wasn't until half through the night that she heard any disturbance, and it was only the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

Still, after so many hours of silence—after all, most everyone had gone to sleep hours ago—Sheik startled.

Her muscles tensed, ready to attack, but she stayed her hand just long enough to get a good view of the intruder. To her relief, it was only Link. Her heart slowly calmed back down, but she remained frozen in place as she watched him descend the stairs.

"Why are you awake?" Sheik asked once he was further down, keeping her voice low so as not to wake anyone.

Link looked a little startled to hear someone talking, but he, too, calmed, then hurried down the stairs to talk more quietly with her. "I could ask you the same thing," he said softly, furrowing his brows. "I thought you'd go to bed after it was obvious no one followed us."

"We already talked about this," Sheik said. "Go back to bed, Link."

To her surprise, though, Link just shook his head. "I, uh, actually came down for some water," he said, but he wouldn't look her in the eye; Sheik could only assume he was lying.

"Then get your water and go back to sleep," she said. "I've got this."

Link let out a slow, steady exhale, finally just pulling up a chair to sit next to her. "Sheik. Maybe I just wanna sit with you for a while, you know?"

"And why—"

"I have as much right to be here as you, Sheik," Link said. For the first time, Sheik realized just how tired he sounded. Yet as she looked at his eyes—wide awake, no trace of sleep in them—she wondered if he'd ever fallen asleep at all. "Can we not argue this time?" He reached for her hand, his warm, calloused palm comfortable against her own.

Sheik closed her eyes, resting them just for a moment to compose herself for what she knew she had to do.

He'd gotten too close to the truth before. She couldn't afford to have him get so close again.

If that meant pushing him away to keep her identity a secret, and, more than that, to keep Link safe, then…

"Who's arguing?" Sheik said, voice cold and distant as she pulled her hand away. "I'm just keeping my post, Link. There's no point for you to be here when you could be getting some sleep. You'll be useless on the road if you're exhausted."

Part of her had expected him to be stubborn, to argue back, to at least show some fire in his eyes. But instead, he just looked hurt.

"I… I'll leave you to it, then," he said, standing once more. "Wouldn't want to be useless."

It seemed the word had struck a nerve, but for the life of her, Sheik couldn't figure out why he seemed so upset. He had enough mysteries to him that she made a mental note of it anyways, though—and, moreover, made a note not to say it again.

As Sheik was debating whether or not to apologize for upsetting him—those hurt eyes would follow her through the night, she knew—Link caught her attention once more.

No matter how upset he seemed, or how wounded he'd looked, he hesitated before heading upstairs, a kind tone to his voice. Even if he seemed unsure of his words, he spoke them nonetheless. "Whatever I did to make you so angry," he said, "I'm sorry. Can we make up now?"

There was nothing more in the world Sheik wanted than to say yes. But her heart didn't control her—her brain did. And her brain reminded her of her secret, and of her carelessness, and of her plans to distance herself back to a simple partner. Link would be safer, that way—he wouldn't be so willing to sacrifice his safety for hers.

And partners, she bitterly reminded herself, didn't care about making up.

When Sheik didn't answer him, Link just let out a soft sigh and continued up the stairs.

In the morning, it didn't take long at all to pack up Epona.

Initially, Sheik had tried to pack extra for the girl that had insisted on going back to Solen with them. But as they got ready to go that morning, the girl, Fado, looked skittish.

Because Sheik had never been the best with kids—and this girl looked a few years younger than the rest—she left the talking to Link. As it turned out, she wasn't 'ready' to get back on the road. At first, she tried to ask that they wait another day before setting off, but one look at Sheik—more temperamental and closed-off than ever—and Fado nearly started crying.

In the end, it was Malon that calmed things down.

"You can always stay here, sweetheart," she said, taking the girl's hand. (Sheik avoided both Link and Malon's critical stares as Malon comforted the girl.) "We'll take good care of you, I promise."

After a few minutes, Fado agreed. Sheik wasted no more time on her. Instead, she turned and walked back to the horses, unloading the extra supplies.

Past that, they were on the road in just a matter of minutes, their goodbyes harshly abbreviated by Sheik's haste.

"You know," Link said, voice soft and almost soothing as he sat behind her on Epona. "We could have waited another day, Sheik. Might have even been good for us."

"No," Sheik said, not even turning to look at him. "It would have wasted more time. This way, we're on the road and we can go as fast as we want without having to go slower for another person."

"Yeah, but… She's been away from her family for weeks, Sheik. We should have agreed to bring her, even if it would slow us down—and besides, I'm sure Malon could have rented us another horse. We'd probably go even faster if we had a second horse to split the luggage between, even if we did bring her along."

"We don't have the money for that, Link. Goddesses only know how we're going to pay for the trip to Ise, let alone coming back." Sheik tightened her jaw and stared forward, trying to suppress her worries over funding before she dwelled on it for too long. "Anyways, we came to save them from the warehouse, and we did. It's better that we leave them at Malon's till it's safe for them to travel."

"…That might be true, but…. Don't they get a choice?"

"We told them that if they wanted to set out for their homes, they could," Sheik said. "If they want to, they're free to go."

"But we won't help them," Link interjected, a frown in his voice. "Sheik…"

"We don't have time to help them any more than we already have. We have to stay on the road and… and look for Zelda, Link. You know that."

Link sighed. "Zelda," he said, voice almost flat. "Right."

Sheik refused to ask what his tone meant. Instead, she focused on just riding forwards, back to Solen. She'd shut him out and been cold to him for the first few weeks she'd known him, after all. Surely it wouldn't be so hard to go back to that?

A full week had passed, and Sheik's resolve was crumbling.

Though Link had for the most part given up on making conversation, she could still see hurt in his eyes at the cold, distant way she spoke to him on the rare occasions she did talk.

She'd stopped sparring with him, stopped asking about his well-being, stopped communicating with him for anything other than to give him directions.

And Sheik was miserable because of it.

It wasn't just the loneliness, either. She'd dealt with loneliness for years—she could admit to it, now that she'd seen what it was like to have someone around her that she cared about. But if it was just loneliness, she was sure that she wouldn't have felt so awful.

No; when Sheik was being honest with herself, she knew she was only so miserable because Link was miserable.

He didn't say it, of course. He'd never been a complainer, and Sheik could respect that.

But she could see it in his eyes. Not just in his expression, either. He'd started regaining those circles around his eyes, and Sheik knew he spent much of the night away from his sleeping mat now that he didn't have sparring to wear him out.

The longer time went on, the less her secrets seemed to matter. But after a week of closing herself off from him, would Link even forgive her for it?

It had occurred to her more than once to just break her silence and go back to how things were before. Her heart absolutely ached for it, if just because she couldn't stand seeing her partner—her friend—hurting.

But would Link even allow it?

Her head told her yes and her heart told her no; and though she knew her head was right in that he'd probably be overjoyed if she spoke with him again, her heart was right in that it'd be wrong.

Link deserved better than to be treated like dirt—and he especially deserved better than for her to go back to him the second she needed him. So she couldn't just go back to how it was. Not without an apology.

And, more than that, not without a plan to keep him from getting too close to the truth again. She knew she might have gone overboard in pulling away from him, but that didn't mean it would be okay for him to know her true identity. If she wanted to avoid pulling away again, then she'd have to be much, much more careful.

If it meant fewer conversations about anything important, so be it. But goddesses, she'd give anything to talk with him about something again.

The thought ate away at her for the rest of the day. More than once, she found herself just on the verge of talking to him. But every time she opened her mouth, she couldn't find the words.

Later, she kept promising herself. Later, she'd talk to him.

But when later finally came and they stopped for the night, the words still wouldn't come.

She tried to force them—honestly, she did. But no matter how she tried to speak them, they were frozen in her mind. Hey, she wanted to start, a thousand different times, a thousand different ways. I'm sorry. Can I stop ignoring you now?

But she knew Link would want an explanation.

And Sheik knew that no explanation that she gave would be the full truth. And after what she'd put him through the last week, the truth is what he deserved.

So Sheik fell into an uneasy sleep, the silence between them almost enough to keep her awake.

It was still dark when Sheik woke to twigs snapping only a few feet away from her head.

Her eyes flew open in an instant, and she sat up, poised and ready to strike. But no sooner than she'd sat up did she hear a quiet, fervent apology from Link.

"I'm—I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," he said quickly, hurrying backwards and nearly tripping over his own feet in the dark. "I… I should've been quieter."

It took Sheik a moment to even recognize his voice in the dark, her heart and tense muscles still certain that there was a threat.

But as she looked at Link, his features slowly becoming clearer in the dark, Sheik slowly calmed. Even if he was hard to see, he wasn't a threat—not to her.

It was that thought that finally put things in perspective.

She was never going to tell him her secret, she knew—but he wasn't a threat. He wasn't someone to be feared, or someone that she should be so troubled by. He was her partner, and no amount of fear in the world should have made her push him away.

"It's alright," she said, keeping her voice soft. "Just… get back to sleep. It's late."

Link nodded, already starting to walk around her back to his own bed roll.

However, before he could get too far, Sheik reached out and took hold of his wrist.

"…Sheik?"

Sheik bit her lip. "Wait," she said. "I didn't mean… I didn't mean to make you leave by saying that."

Link didn't turn towards her, but she could feel his pulse in his wrist. She was tempted to let go of his hand, if just to not feel how tense and worked up he was. But she still needed him to stay.

Finally, Link answered her, hesitation clear in his voice. "…What did you mean, then?"

"I… I just meant that you shouldn't worry about it. It's not your fault that I'm a light sleeper. You don't have to apologize for waking me." She closed her eyes, desperate to find some way to continue, no matter her loss for words. "So don't… don't worry, okay?"

"Is that all?" Link still didn't look at her, voice distant and disappointed. "…Thanks, I guess. I, um. I think I should get to bed now."

"Wait, please. I know you're—I know you're probably tired, and angry with me, and—and I deserve it. But," she started. "I… About this last week, Link… I…"

Link was quiet, allowing her to sort through her thoughts. Sheik appreciated it more than he could know.

Finally, she took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment to compose herself, before letting it go in a slow, steady exhale. "I shouldn't have pushed you away," she said. "You… you deserve better than that. Much better."

Link's hand tensed, fingers abruptly curling into a loose fist. Sheik couldn't tell if he was startled, or upset, or trying to tell her to let go of him. She didn't let go, though—not even when she needed an answer so badly.

It seemed her partner had a lot on his mind, though, because he hesitated a long while before speaking. "…Why did you shut me out, then, if I didn't deserve it?"

Sheik closed her eyes, shoulders drooping. "I…" she started, biting her lip. Link deserved the truth—and to know that the King's Daughter was sitting just behind him. But she supposed neither of them really got everything they deserved. A half-truth would be better than nothing, though, and finally she admitted to some of what had been bothering her for the past several days. "…I can't stop thinking about the warehouse," she finally admitted. "I should have seen that guard ahead of time. Cremia could have been killed—all those girls, and you, could've been killed because I didn't notice him till it was too late. What if there had been more of them in hiding? I couldn't… I couldn't live with myself if it was all for nothing. If… if someone had gotten seriously hurt?"

"…And what does that have to do with me?" Link's voice sounded pained, but he didn't give her a chance to answer him before he continued. "If you're blaming yourself for that, then why are you taking it out on me?"

"Because I thought it'd be easier to work together if you stopped thinking of me as anything more than a partner," Sheik blurted out. Realizing that what she'd said still hadn't answered him, she let go of his hand, hanging her head. "One of them almost got hurt because I wasn't smart enough to realize a guard was still hiding. But it's almost always just the two of us. What if I… What if I wasn't paying enough attention when it was just us, and you… what if you got hurt, because I…"

She could hear Link's footsteps, and she knew he was finally turning to look at her. But Sheik couldn't look him in the eye.

"If… I was that careless when there were that many girls to be looking after, then what do I do when it's just us? What would've happened if there was a guard outside of the warehouse? You would've been on your own, and, and," she said, voice growing steadily more panicked as she continued, "And you always go after the bigger guards, and you—after that monster in Oxon, you almost…"

Sheik felt a calloused hand under her chin, prompting her to look up.

"Sheik," Link said softly. "I trust you. You're not going to get me killed."

"You don't know that." Sheik looked away, pain clear on her face—if he could see it in the dark, that was. "One wrong move, and…"

Though Link hesitated, he finally relaxed a little more around her, choosing to sit next to her on her sleeping mat. "I do have the Triforce of Courage, you know," he said. "I don't think I'll be killed so long as I have it."

"And what if you're wrong?!" Sheik tightened her hands into fists, heart aching. "What if it's just been luck?"

"No one lives forever, Sheik."

Sheik drew her knees to her chest, then crossed her arms over them. "We can't think like that, Link. People are depending on us—on you. Whatever's going on, the goddesses wouldn't have sent out the Triforce of Courage into the world unless there was a need."

Despite Sheik's words, Link didn't look too bothered. Instead, he just angled his face towards the sky, a slight smile on his face. "Which is why I'm not worried, Sheik. If there's a plan for me, then I'm gonna live to see it through. I trust Farore to keep me alive, and you're helping out a lot, too, y'know. You're the one who got me red potion in Oxon, remember?"

Link's confidence scared her more than relieved her. But it would do no good to tell him not to trust so blindly—especially since she was so terrible at trusting anyone at all.

As Link watched the stars overhead, Sheik slowly unwound.

"It's a good thing you trust us so much, then," Sheik said, letting out a sigh as she raised her eyes to the sky and searched for her favorite constellations. "Must be nice."

Link stayed quiet, an unreadable expression on his face as Sheik finally looked over at him. But he quickly changed his expression, putting on a reassuring smile once he realized he was being watched. "…It is nice, yeah."

They sat in silence for a while, both absentmindedly searching for constellations. For the first time in a week, Sheik almost felt peaceful. She reveled in it, tense muscles finally, finally relaxing. But a yawn from Link finally broke the stillness, and the moment ended all too soon.

Realizing that how tired he was, Link seemed to decide it was time to go. "We should probably get to sleep," he said, looking at his sleeping mat. "We still have almost a week left on the road."

Sheik let out a deep sigh. "Yeah…"

"I'll get going," Link finally said, slowly standing. As he walked over to his sleeping mat, though, he paused, turning back towards her. "And, Sheik?"

She looked at him, wordlessly waiting for what he had to say.

"Next time, just tell me, okay? If you're that worried about something, I want to help you if I can. Even if I can't help, I… I at least want to know, so I can make sure you're okay."

Sheik looked away, training her gaze on the ground instead. "…I can't make any promises about that, Link."

"At least try to remember that the option is there, then." Link managed a small smile, then sat down on his sleeping mat, pulling the blankets around him.

As they both settled down to sleep, Sheik knew in her heart she might never take him up on that offer. But… he was right about one thing.

It was kind of nice knowing that, if she ever did decide to be honest with him—about her worries and fears, at least—that he'd be there.

Sheik fell into a peaceful sleep for the first time in over a week.

((Again, sorry this was so late! Doubly sorry that this is actually a little shorter than other chapters have been. Triply sorry that Sheik was so awful in this. And quadrupole sorry that this chapter was so awful in general. If I ever go back through and completely reedit or rework these, this chapter will probably get drastically reduced or deleted entirely… But part of why it's so short and late is because I was just like "what am I doing" this entire chapter. Anyways. I'm so sorry this chapter was so awful—but I'm not entirely sure how to fix it without just. Cutting out 80% of it (which would make this even later, since I'd have to add in even more scenes to make it long enough again).

Hopefully some of you enjoyed at least small portions of this, but if not, I understand. Feel free to leave criticism in a review—I'd honestly love to hear how this mess could be cleaned up if I were to re-edit it. Thank you, and have a wonderful day!))