Warning: I am rating this chapter M just to be sure.


XXV – Under The Desert Sky


Link leaned his head against the cool stone behind him, his body temperature having lowered to a more normal level. He had gotten rid of his warm doublet and opened a few buttons of his linen shirt underneath, putting the waterskin to his still dry lips. Sheik was sitting beside him, wearing a long robe similar to the one Urbosa had chosen for herself, his eyes closed. Link watched the sand whirl up with every step Naboris took, the rocking motion of her movements making him sleepy.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm feeling a little rough," Sheik answered, "but nothing major. A cracked rib, but otherwise no broken bones, no damaged organs."

"What happened?"

Sheik moved into a more upright position and opened his eyes. "That creature was almost identical, yet somehow very different from the others we encountered. It was impossibly fast. So fast that I was barely able to see it move. It completely caught me off guard and hurled me against a stone pillar. And it...almost killed Urbosa. Actually, I am sure it killed her."

"What do you mean?" Link asked, wearing an uneasy look on his face.

"She got electrocuted. She was dead, Link. No pulse, no heartbeat, no breath. And then, somehow, she's back on her feet and conjures a lightning attack."

"How is that even possible," Link mumbled, "I should have been there to protect you."

"It would have gotten to you, too. I couldn't have done it without Urbosa. She finished it off. I've never seen a more formidable woman in my life, but I can't get what I saw out of my head. And I know I wasn't mistaken."

"Yeah, she is quite something," Link mumbled. "Where are we headed? She said she still had another score to settle?"

Sheik nodded. "Gerudo Town. They were exiled after it had been taken over by two witches. Now, with Naboris under her control, she is going to take it back. Link, why are you here? What about the princess?"

"Impa asked me to take her to the Great Deku Tree. She will be safe there and he promised to help awaken her powers. I...well I decided to resign my position."

Sheik's eyes widened. "Why?"

"You were right about the king. I no longer want to serve a ruler whose selfish interest is motivated by his hate towards other nations. Impa has recognised the threat too and is now openly rebelling against him, defying his orders here and there. He instrumentalised Ruta and Sidon to keep the enemy off his back while refusing to send some of his men for aid."

Sheik smiled tiredly. "Thank you."

Naboris suddenly stopped and Link heard a commotion in the outer galleries surrounding the two main towers of the beast and the clanging of weapons and shields.

"I think we've arrived," Sheik said and stood up, following Link to the edge of the tower. He could see movement in the city below, women running either inside their houses or assembling in the main marketplace. The camel bent its legs and brought down the rest of its body, the ramp of the main entrance lowering to the sandy ground below. Urbosa stepped out, lifting her sword in the air, bellowing something in the Gerudo language that neither Sheik nor Link could understand. And then she walked down the ramp, a proud chief leading her warriors into battle to free their hometown.

"Let's go," Link said and unsheathed his sword. "This time, let me do the fighting."


"Lower your weapons!" Urbosa shouted upon seeing the women and children who had gathered in the marketplace kneel down and bow their heads. She walked up to a woman, knelt down beside her and lifted her chin with her forefinger. "Where are the witches hiding?"

"Lady Urbosa," the woman whimpered, "the witches left the city this afternoon."

"Is this true? Where did they go?"

"I d..don't know," she stammered, "as soon as they noticed that the beast had stopped stomping around the desert and creating electric storms, they fled."

"Then you have nothing to fear anymore." Urbosa stood up and raised her arms to the sky. "My people! Get up! Stand tall and proud. This city is ours. From now on, we will defend it with our lives!"

A murmur went through the crowd and one by one lifted their heads and hesitantly got up. A woman in the middle raised her fist and screamed "Freedom to our people. All hail the lady Urbosa!" and many more followed. Before long, the whole marketplace was shouting, laughing, crying and raising their hands to the sky.

"I don't understand a word but...I certainly didn't expect that," Link said, putting his sword away.

The crowd then parted and made way, clearing a path to the palace. Urbosa turned around and waved at Sheik, beckoning them to join her side. Another murmur went through the crowd when they saw a Sheikah and a Hylian in their midst, but soon they were cheering them on as they walked behind the Gerudo chief into the palace.

"We'll have a feast tonight," Urbosa said, "I'll have the maids prepare a bath in our Hammam for you. Please take a rest until then. There are things I have to take care of first."


The royal Hammam was located in the heart of the palace and comprised a big pool surrounded by six smaller ones. Steam was emanating from the hot water and the room was dimly lit by a few lanterns, making it hard to see through the mist. The salts used to infuse the water were perfumed and gave forth a pleasant, yet slightly intoxicating fragrance. Sheik sunk into the pool and stretched his legs in the hot water, resting his head against the edge of the pool. The warmth eased his back pain a little and he let out a loud moan.

"Feeling better?" Link asked from the other side of the room, startling him slightly. Sheik hadn't heard nor seen him enter the room and hadn't been aware that he wasn't alone.

"Much," he answered, hearing the water splash as Link dived under, soaking his dirty and sweaty hair in the pool. Link's presence made him nervous. Although he couldn't see him, he knew that they were both naked and alone, and Sheik dearly hoped that Link didn't come up with the idea of joining him in his tub. He contented himself with imagining how the water dripped off the knight's muscular shoulders, running down his chest and allowed himself to be aroused by the image.

"I could stay in here forever," Link said, running his hands down his sides before grabbing the soap and essential oils that had been put next to his tub, scrubbing his hair and body clean. "And this stuff smells really nice."

"Link?"

"Hm?"

"Can you please shut up?"

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry."

The knight eventually became silent and the only thing that Sheik now heard was the soft splashing of water whenever one of them moved, and Sheik felt himself nod off for a short while. When he woke by someone's hand on his shoulder, he couldn't remember falling asleep, but the Hammam now seemed empty. The maid held out a large towel for him and turned around to give him some privacy. Sheik painstakingly got out of the tub and wrapped his body in the soft towel, scanning the room for Link, but could no longer find him. The maid then led him out of the Hammam and into a cabin where he could dry himself and get dressed. She pointed at a stool on which someone had put fresh clothes for him, bowed and then left, closing the door behind her. Sheik dried his body and hair with the towel and then picked up the outfit, letting out a loud sigh when he unfolded it. "Are you kidding me?" he murmured, but there was nothing else he could cover his body with, so he proceeded to put on the loose black trousers, fastened at the waist by a large black and gold band, and the tight black and dark red shirt, that revealed more of his chest than it covered. Whoever has sewn this has clearly run out of fabric, he thought as he fastened the buckles that ran over his chest like an X and were the only thing that held the cropped shirt together. Other than that, only his arms and back were fully covered. When he stepped out of the cabin, the maid was already waiting for him and brought him to another room where she made him sit down on a chair and started to comb his hair and treat it with essential oils, leaving it smooth and smelling nicely. When she was done, she pointed at the mirror and invited him to take a look at himself. Sheik hesitantly walked over to the mirror and immediately wanted to switch his outfit for something less revealing. He had to admit that it didn't, in fact, look bad, but it made him feel way too conscious about his own body. All his life, he had been hiding away, and this outfit made him feel like he was about to walk out into the spotlight.

The maid then beckoned him to follow her, and she led him out of the bathhouse and back to the inner palace. Sheik could feel curious eyes on him and heard whispers and giggles as he walked past a group of Gerudo who had assembled in the inner courtyard, so he kept his eyes lowered to the ground until they had reached the inner palace garden.

"Sheik! There you are!" Urbosa exclaimed and put a hand on his shoulder. "Wow, you look like a prince! Someone will be very thrilled to see you." She winked and gave him a little shove towards the main table where he could spot Link seated among a group of young Gerudo women who looked very interested in him, and Sheik couldn't blame them. The Hylian was wearing a skintight black sleeveless top with emerald embroideries that showed off his muscular shoulders, arms and chest, a pair of loose black trousers similar to the ones he was wearing, and emerald earrings, and Sheik couldn't help but notice that his hair, now clean and silky, had become quite long since their first encounter. The sight made his heart flutter and he suddenly was very aware of his feelings.

He pulled the chair next to Link's out, drawing the Hylian's attention to himself. "May I sit here?"

Link's jaw dropped and his eyes became rounder. "You look...gorgeous," he said as he looked him over, his eyes coming to rest on Sheik's exposed torso. "Sit."

"It's very revealing," Sheik muttered as he sat down, feeling uneasy all of a sudden.

"It definitely is," Link laughed, "but you look like a fairytale prince – but the adult version."

Sheik blushed. "A disfigured prince, huh."

Link rolled his eyes and poured him some wine. "Stop cheapening yourself. You are way more beautiful than you give yourself credit. So, let's have a drink and forget about all our problems just for tonight."

They clinked glasses and Sheik gulped down the wine, hoping it would help ease his embarrassment and anxiety. Urbosa then proposed a toast, and all the Gerudo in the room were cheering and drinking. A few young women tried to strike a conversation with the two male guests, but their knowledge of the Hylian language was very limited, so they gave up after a while and became content with just smiling at them and asking Link for a dance – which he couldn't refuse. They dragged him to the middle of the garden and taught him traditional Gerudo moves, and Sheik thought that he looked like he enjoyed it.

"You have good taste in men, I have to give you that," Urbosa said, sitting down beside him, "your Hylian's a very handsome one. And very much in love with you I'd say."

"What do you mean?" Sheik asked.

"The way he looks at you. He's practically undressing you with his eyes."

"Whose fault is that? Couldn't you have chosen something less revealing?"

Urbosa grinned. "I think these clothes serve their purpose pretty well though."

"Where did you even get those?"

"Do you think we never invite men into town? You still have a lot to learn about us Gerudo. By the way, I reserved a room for you in the west wing with a nice big bed and a private tub."

"Urbosa..."

The Gerudo chief laughed. "Sheik, why don't you just enjoy tonight? Push your fears aside and give him a chance."

"I have no experience..."

"So what? I think he has plenty. Just be open and let yourself get carried away. You won't regret it, I promise."

"So all of this was your plan?"

Urbosa laughed and took a sip of the sweet wine. "I just want you to be happy and I think you need a little shove. Oh hey, he's coming back. Enjoy tonight!" She planted a kiss on his cheek and stood up, walked towards Link and slipped something into his hand as she passed him by. He saw Link look at the small item in his hand, then put it away in the pocket of his trousers, smiling. He let out a loud sigh as he plopped down on the chair beside Sheik and gave him a smile. "The dancing made me tired." He yawned and reached out for a glass of water.

"Do you want to leave?" Sheik asked.

"Do you want to leave?"

"Actually, I'm a bit tired, too. My chest and my back are hurting, and I kinda wish to lay down."

Link smiled and nodded. "And I promised to take care of you tonight, so let's go." He stood up and held out his hand for Sheik, interlacing their fingers as the latter got up. When they left the garden, Sheik saw Urbosa wink at him from the corner of his eye and he slowly shook his head. That woman...


Their room was spacious and beautifully decorated, the bed freshly made and the fire under the metal cauldron was burning, keeping the water for the tub heated. Sheik nervously sat down on the large bed, not really knowing how to handle the situation.

"Why do you look so tense? Are you unwell?" Link asked, "is it your back? Do you want a massage?"

"Link, it's fine...really."

Link sighed and shook his head. "Don't be so stubborn. I know you are hurting. Let me help you ease the pain at least a little. Don't worry, I'll be gentle." He squatted before Sheik, opening the buckles that held his shirt together, and let it slide down his shoulders, pulling at the sleeves to make it come off completely. His eyes roamed over his now fully exposed upper body. "Can you lie down on your stomach?"

Sheik complied and lay down on the bed, resting his head on his crossed arms. He felt Link move on top of him, sitting down on his thighs, knees spread beside his sides. His warm hands then glided over his back, starting at the shoulders to massage all the knots he could find, then moved lower, putting a bit of pressure on the muscles running along the spine before finding a sore spot on his lower back. Sheik winced when Link's thumb pushed a little too hard into it.

"I'm sorry. Does it hurt?"

"Yeah..." Sheik said between pressed teeth, "be gentle."

"I'm sorry, but it's kinda hard to navigate between all these bruises on your back," he mumbled and Sheik noticed that he shifted his weight, taking it off his thighs. And then he felt Link's soft, warm lips on his lower back, gently kissing the sore area. The touch sent little jolts of pleasure through Sheik's body and he took a sharp breath. Link ran his warm hands along his sides, caressing his skin rather than massaging it and continued to kiss his way up his spine.

"Link," he gasped when Link's teeth sank into the side of his neck and gently nibbled at the tender skin. Sheik turned around underneath him, changing his position to lie on his back instead. Link was bent over him, looking down at him with dark eyes. "Do you want me to stop?"

Their eyes met and Sheik slowly shook his head, reaching out to place his hand behind Link's neck instead. He pulled him down, his heart threatening to burst inside his chest. He could feel Link's breath on his face and he smelled like sweet wine, not unpleasant, but a little intoxicating. The kiss sent a tingling sensation down his abdomen, intensifying when Link's tongue demanded entrance, and he let himself get carried away, responding to Link's kisses and touches with soft moans. His hands found the hem of the black top and he pulled at it, eager to get it off. Link sat up, allowing Sheik to pull it over his head and to roam his hands over his toned torso, then pushed him back onto the mattress, lying carefully down on top of him so as not to crush his damaged rib. He kissed him again, pressing their lower bodies together. His hand then slid down his abdomen and came to rest just above the waistband of his trousers. "Will you allow me to touch you?" he asked huskily, looking into Sheik's crimson eyes.

"Just stop talking," Sheik murmured embarrassed and watched how his trousers came off, discarded on the floor. He was scared, but he trusted Link, and Urbosa's words replayed in his head. She was right, the war was on and who knew if they'd live to see another day. And Link made him feel good, made him feel valuable and loved, and took away some of his insecurities. Closing his eyes, he allowed the Hylian to take control and himself to enjoy the pleasure.

"Can you turn around?" Link asked after a little while, reaching out for a small item on the night stand.

"What's that?"

"A little gift from Urbosa." He opened the cork of the bottle and poured some of its content on his hand.

"Is that...oil?"

Link chuckled. "Love oil, yes. Sheik, are you okay? You sound scared."

"Link...I..."

"I promise I'll be careful." He kissed him and then rolled him over, spreading wet kisses all over his lower back. Sheik closed his eyes, an old fear suddenly taking over as a bad memory played before his eyes. He tensed up, waiting for the pain, fingers digging into the blanket. Link stopped touching him, sighed and lay down on his side, rolling Sheik over to his side, pulling him against his body and placing gentle kisses on his neck.

"I am sorry," Sheik muttered.

"What for? It's not your fault."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess I got too excited," Link chuckled, "I have been wanting this for such a long time that my body couldn't handle the excitement."

"Oh." Sheik turned around to look at him, running his finger over Link's lower lip. "You know...you looked very handsome tonight."

Link smiled and leaned in to steal another kiss. He took Sheik's hand and guided it between their bodies and down his abdomen. They lay like that for a short while, kissing and touching each other, until Link broke their kiss. "Sheik...are you scared?"

"A little," he confessed.

"If you don't want to, it's okay. I can wait until you are ready."

Sheik shook his head. "I want to."

"Then trust me," he said and grabbed Sheik's hips, turning him around.

Sheik closed his eyes, his fingers digging once more into the bedsheets, and he eventually gave in to the pleasure.

When Link pulled away, legs wobbly, he lay down beside him, calming his breath and enjoying the night air that came in through the window to cool his heated body.

"You know," Link said after a long while, "I have been planning on confessing to you so many times, but every time I tried to say it, someone came and ruined the moment."

Sheik laughed softly. "Yes, I've noticed."

Link turned his head to the side to look at him. "Now, unless you plan to ruin my moment, can I finally say it?"

"No."

"What? Why not?" Link moaned.

"I know how you feel about me, even though I still don't understand why."

"Is it so hard to accept that there are people who appreciate you?"

"Yes."

Link sighed and ran his fingers through Sheik's long, loose hair. "I've fallen for you long ago."

Sheik blushed and turned his face away, feeling uneasy all of a sudden. What if he couldn't return Link's affection? What if he could never say to him how he felt? What if he ended up hurting him? Link deserved so much more than what he had to offer. Someone better. He rolled over, put his feet on the floor and got out of bed.

"Hey? Where are you going?" Link asked, confused.

"To take a bath," Sheik answered and disappeared into the bathroom.


Link woke to the first rays of the sun tickling him awake, letting his lazy eyes wander over the decorated walls and colourful stained glass windows. The bed beside him was empty and he sighed. He knew that Sheik was an early riser, but he had expected him to stay with him after their first night together. A shiver ran down his spine as he recalled feeling Sheik's naked body so close to his, his hot kisses and...

"Dammit Sheik," he groaned as he lifted the bed covers to look down between his legs. "Look what you've done to me."


When Link left the palace an hour later to take a stroll through the beautiful Gerudo capital, he got almost knocked over by a group of children chasing each other. He recognised the sassy young Gerudo princess and she flashed him a big smile, then stormed off. The town didn't seem to have suffered under the short reign of the witches, for each building was intact and the merchants had pitched their tents, displaying their goods on silver plates placed directly on the cobblestones. He walked past shops and bars and eventually reached a square at the far end of the eastern district where a large group of warriors had gathered. He spotted a smaller figure in their midst and then Urbosa's loud voice called her soldiers to order.

Link walked over to the corner where Sheik had sat down and flung his arms around him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Good morning, Sheik."

The Sheikah tensed up and awkwardly tried to get out of the embrace. Link dropped his arms and gave him a questioning look.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Please don't do that in public," Sheik said and averted his eyes, feeling embarrassed.

The blond Hylian shrugged. "Alright then. What's going on here?"

"They are preparing for war."

"What do you mean?"

Sheik took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Link. "This morning, while you were still asleep, a messenger hawk arrived."

Link took the paper and unfolded it. The note was written in Hylian and not longer than four lines, but the content was urgent. "So it begins?"

Sheik nodded. "Ruta, Medoh and Rudania are marching out as we speak."

"And Naboris will follow," Urbosa, who had suddenly joined them, said. "Get ready boys, we will leave at noon. I have one last score to settle."