The Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ A Ruby Surrounded By Sapphires ❯ Rivers of Hardship ( Chapter 7 )

A Ruby Surrounded By Sapphires

 

Warnings: Um...Angst, yaoi, angst, cute little girls, angst, inner monologues..Oh, did I mention angst?

Disclaimer: Not mine. Don't sue. No more places to hide bodies.

 

Chapter 7

Rivers of Hardship

 

I didn't meet him at the check point, nor the next afterward. He seemed to understand that I wanted nothing to do with him. At least, not then. The rest of the maze was rather uneventful. I got lost towards the fifth check point but found my way eventually. There were only smaller monsters from then on, keese and such. They were just annoying and easily dealt with. I wondered how he was doing but didn't allow myself to look for him. Still, I listened in resting periods for his footsteps, damning myself the entire time.

He wanted her. That was natural. Not that it made me hurt any less. I wanted to go on a killing rage, actually. Thankfully, I had quite a bit or restraint.

I entered the seventh and final check point. It was twice as big as the others with a spring that led to a pool large enough to swim within. I sniffed my shoulder. It was decided that I could definitely use at least a dip. I put my pack down beside the pool and stooped down to run my fingers through the water. It was cool, but not freezing. I stripped out of my clothes and left them in a pile near my pack. Slowly, I strode into the water, it's cool temperature causing goose bumps to rise on my warm skin. The pool swiftly became deeper until I couldn't touch the bottom. I swam languidly simply enjoying the feeling as I could.

There was something shining below me. I dove for it through the cool water. A few rubees had been scattered about the ground. I collected them until my breath ran out, then resurfaced. I took a breath and went back down to get the rest. Who knew when I might need them? When I came up again, it was close enough to the shore to stand in the water. I flung my long hair back to get it out of my face, a hand idly raking through it. I don't know how I missed his gasp, but I did. Stepping out of the water, I shivered at the air hitting it.

"Sheik..." murmured a soft voice in...amazement? A small groan of escaped my lips as I turned my head to stare at him. His face was red, eyes wide with innocence. I narrowed my eyes but could feel the flush rise to my own cheeks with embarrassment.

"It isn't like you haven't seen a male body before," I snapped at him in annoyance. Dropping down to sit next to my pack, I dragged out the blanket with me and draped it over myself. I had no want to wear wet clothing. Completely ignoring Link, I wrung my hair out, idly noticing that it needed to be cut.

My eyes snapped upward to glare as Link came near. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it just as quickly. Guilt was coloring his cheeks. Was he about to apologize? I didn't want that. All I wanted was for him to leave me alone. I glared at him harshly, as if daring him to speak. He merely sighed and plopped down a little ways from me.

I was dry later and dressed, though my hair still dripped unpleasantly. The tie in back barely kept the errant strands away from my neck. We both ate in silence and filled out canteens. It seemed we would never speak to each other again. At least, it did to me. Apparently, he wanted it differently.

"Sheik?"

I wondered why the sound of my name from his lips made me shiver every single time.

"What is it?"

"Will you play the lyre?"

I arched a brow high but brought out my instrument never the less. My fingers plucked a few notes lovingly, getting the feel for it once more. I could never play right off. My lyre deserved more than fumbling idiocy. Once I was ready, I glanced towards him only to find his rapt attention was locked onto me. I felt my cheers redden and was grateful for my cowl.

"What should I play?" I asked. He thought a moment.

"Anything," he said finally. I nodded and let a song flow. It wasn't of any importance, simply one that came. My fingers flowed across the strings easily, like a forgotten love. I sometimes forgot how much I loved playing the lyre. I nearly faltered in note when an ocarina joined. My eyes trailed over Link's face before centering on the small instrument. It wasn't the Ocarina of Time, but a normal one of brown. Still, it was no less noble. I allowed a small smile as we played into the hours.

When we finally decided to stop, I was content inside. I tucked my lyre away and he did the same with his ocarina.

"How is it you aren't her?"

It came out of the blue and completely blindsided me. I knew my eyes were wide but couldn't bring myself to really care that much. I turned away from him finally and leaned back against the smooth wall.

"Why does it matter?" I asked quietly.

"I want to know," he answered insistently. I let my eyes close and began telling him the story. I told him about when Zelda had come to me and about the symbiotic relationship we had. I told him of the seven years she used my body and of the days afterward when we helped him. And then I told him how I had ended up in Kakariko after it all. He was silent when I finished. I was grateful. Sleep was trying to overtake me and I let myself succumb.

A beast's scream woke me. I opened my eyes to be greeted with the sight of a huge dragon. With a cry, I jumped to my feet and grabbed my blades from their scabbards. Link ran from the other side, notching an arrow. He didn't notice the beast's tail until it swiped out and caught him, throwing the shot. I raced forward and leaped, listening to the sing of my blades through the air. They sliced through the dragon's flesh with a splay of black liquid. It swung around and knocked me away, but I recovered and landed on my feet. Arrows sang past me as Link kept his distance, letting me handle myself. The dragon reared back, sucking in a lungful of air. I recognized it and quickly screamed at Link.

"INTO THE POOL!" I roared as I ran. He hadn't moved when I got to him and I knocked him into the water before ducking down myself. Flames burst past, missing us just barely. The heat of them burned at my back but didn't injure me. Link recovered faster than I did and fired an arrow into the dragon's mouth. It screamed in pain. Together, we rushed towards it, he with a cry and I silent. I spotted a sudden gleam in the dragon's onyx eyes. It knew what was happening. I skidded to a halt and backed off quickly, but Link did not. I didn't have time to warn him before the strike came. Whipping about, the dragon's clawed arm slashed across Link's unknowing form. I saw the splatter of crimson blood and my heart clinched.

"LINK!" I screamed, running to him. He raised his wide eyes to me as he began to fall. I caught him just as the dragon began to suck breath for another blast of fire. I threw Link's arm over my shoulder and dragged him to the pool, panic starting to rise. I managed to throw him within the water but didn't have enough time to save myself. The fire licked and ripped at my back as it hit, pain blinding me. I barely noticed myself hitting the water. And then...Then the pain suddenly faded. My panic disappeared until I was just...there. I knew what I had to go. I spotted Link and dragged him back to the surface to breath. His blood was turning the water red. I left him at the edge of the pool and stood to take the monster myself.

It's eyes glittered at me as if it were laughing. I didn't care. My blades had tasted it's blood already and wanted more. I ran for it, watching as it threw back an arm to slash at me. However, I was ready. I leaped up, using the still arm as a stepping stone to it's head. It roared and thrashed but I got a firm hold on it's head and held tight. The dragon fell onto it's four legs and ran towards one of the walls. I drew back one blade before dropping all my weight onto it as it came back down. It sliced through the skin, through bone, and into the brain with a spray of blackish blood. The dragon jerked. I leaped off it and watched it's momentum carry it on into the wall. The stone cracked but didn't give.

Without a care, I watched the dragon get up and start towards me again. It seemed to know that it was already dead but didn't want to go down alone. Falling into a defensive stance, I waited for it to suck breath a third time before I raced towards it. My blade went through the roof of it's mouth. It jerked again and I knew it was over. With a savage twist, I ripped the blade out. The dragon collapsed, it's lifeless eyes gazing outward until it burned to ashes.

The pain didn't come back then, nor did any of my fear. I went back to Link and looked him over. His eyes were open, but the blood stained clothes were enough to tell me that blood loss was quickly weakening him. I went to his pack and searched through it. There was a bottle of a reddish potion. A sniff found it to be what he had used on my before. I went back to him and peeled the old green tunic off. It was useless anyway. The white top was harder to deal with. I finally just grabbed my smallest knife and cut the blasted thing away. The wounds were deep, much deeper than my own had been. His potion wouldn't be able to mend them completely but it would help until I got him to a healer. I opened the bottle and poured some onto my fingers. Then, I rubbed it into the slashes. He hissed in pain, eyes falling tightly shut as he turned away. I ignored his reactions and continued until there was little of it left. Propping his head up, I had him drink the rest. After that, I used the ruined tunic to wrap his chest.

I knew he had to get back to Zelda as quickly as possible. Grabbing both packs and slinging them across my back, I dragged his arm over my shoulder and placed mine about his waist. He mumbled something, but I didn't have the time to listen to him. We moved slowly, but I let my instincts show me the way out. I didn't know how long it took us to get out. My mind was on automatic, making sure what needed to be done got done. I didn't remember the trip to the castle, nor getting into it. My last memory before blacking out was Zelda's concerned eyes and the guard's amazed stares.

When I awoke, I was laying in a bed on my stomach. There was only a thin sheet over me, soft white satin. Shifting, I nearly screamed as pain raced from my back.

"Don't move."

I carefully turned my head and stared towards the speaker. She was sitting next to the bed, her hands folded in her lap and a frown on her lovely face. She wasn't in the normal royal clothing, but the simple, long sundress flattered her more than the other had ever done. She looked more like her Thea persona, hair pulled back into a simple half tail.

"Your back was badly burned," Zelda murmured softly. "It will take time to heal, even with potions."

"Link?" I questioned. She smiled softly.

"He's fine now. The healers did well. He's almost as good as new," she reassured me. "He's been bouncing off the walls though, wanting to see you."

"He wanted to see me?"

"Yes, very much."

I felt a strangely warm feeling in my chest. Zelda got up and walked to a small table beside the bed. I watched her as she took up a white cloth and dipped it into a bowel of reddish liquid. Then, she reached over and pulled the sheet back. I winced at the scratch against my burned skin, despite her attempt at gentleness. A lightly as she could, she dabbed the potion onto my back. I shut my eyes tightly and was proud not to utter a sound until she was finished. She put the cloth down and sat again, her faced covered in guilt.

"We have to apply it every few hours," she explained. "The healer said it wouldn't leave a scar if we treat it right."

"Scars don't matter," I told her. "All that matters is that I heal fast enough to protect Hyrule."

She sighed softly and reached over to brush my hair behind my ear. "Don't worry about Hyrule right now, Sheik. Just heal."

She left me to my own then. It took me only a few days to heal enough to walk about without wincing at every movement. Link seemed to be avoiding me, despite Zelda's mentions of him wanting to see me. I didn't mind it, really. It was almost a relief.

A week after our arrival at the castle, there were other visitors, ones Zelda had been waiting for months in advanced. The castle was ablaze with excitement. I found it difficult to stay out of everyone's way. Cooks were preparing a feast, maids were cleaning every inch of the castle, guards were checking every crevice for anything that might impede security. To get away from them all, I fled to the gardens often.

Finally, the day arrived. Zelda came to my room with formal clothing. I was surprised at this, but didn't question her. She looked like she had enough to deal with as it was. I figured the clothes would be odd and of no use for battle, but I didn't mention it. She left me to dress.

First was a pair of black tights. I thought they would be uncomfortable, but they weren't too bad. With it when a baggy black shirt with huge sleeves that were tapered at the hands. Over that, a sleeveless tunic hung to my knees, the front v'd to the belt about my waist. It was trimmed in black and had the Sheikah symbol at the bottom. Black boots and gloves finished it. After adjusting, I found it to be not as bad as I thought. However, as soon as I had finished dressing, a woman I didn't know bounded into my room.

"Sit, child!" said the cheerful woman as she set a bag down on the beside table. "It's time to groom!"

I did what she asked, though she confused me. Immediately, she ripped the tie from my hair and dropped it upon the bed. From her bag, she pulled out a large brush and began running it through my blonde locks. She babbled happily, far too fast for me to understand, as she combed my hair until it shined. Then she pulled out a pair of small scissors. I let her cut my long hair off, leaving it at a more reasonable length all about and short in the back. Still, I stopped her from touching one lock. It was an odd one that had always arched over my right eye. I had grown attached to it. She shrugged and merely trimmed it. When she was finished, she bounded out of the room just as she had come in.

I waited only a few minutes more before leaving my room to find the meeting room. Link and I were to be Zelda's escorts for the evening. Representatives from each race were arriving for the Meeting of the Nations. The Zoras, Gorons, Gerudo, and even Kokiri were sending someone for the talks. She had asked me to speak for the Sheikah, though here were only two of us. Zelda believed that I would be of benefit for the talks.

When I reached the room finally, I found it full of activity. People from all the races crowded it, talking and laughing with one another. Many I knew, some I did not. I let my eyes sweep over until they fell on one person I could not place. He was tall, quite taller than myself, and dressed in crimson with accents of gold. I would have thought him Gerudo if not for his vivid green and dark purple hair. His hair itself was amazing, falling far below his waist even when pulled back in a large band. Long bangs fell over his feminine face, softening the odd sharpness of his gaze. There was a large, red stone set on the chest of his thin armor that made me uneasy. I tried to figure out what people he was from but didn't before all went in silence as Zelda entered on Link's arm.

The two of them were simply...stunning. Zelda was not in her normal formal, but dressed in a form fitting, beautiful blue dress that fell off the shoulders. Her sleeves were wide at the top but brought in above her elbow only to flair once more. The top dipped very low, showing off her cleavage with elegance, a tight white corset keeping her dignity and slimming her waist. The dress fell to the floor in beautiful waves, a long train hanging from the point of her corset. At the bottom of the white train was the Triforce, matching her earrings and necklace. With the necklace was a choker with a light blue stone on the front. Her hair wasn't pulled back as usual. Instead, she had let the blonde curls fall around her face, the rest pulled into an elegant snood. She was utterly stunning.

Link was decked in his normal white and green but without his hat. The familiar white tights and undershirt were there, covered in a long green tunic with short sleeves and a boat neck. The Kokiri symbol decked the front in proud black. Over this was an elegant black cape with silver fastenings. His brown boots and gauntlets were replaced with black to match his cape. I couldn't help but let my eyes fall over his form.

Zelda nodded to the assembled group and we all took our seats, mine at her side.

"We are here for talks between our peoples," Zelda began in a diplomatic voice. "I think we should begin by introducing ourselves. I am Queen Zelda and these are my escorts, Link of the Kokiri and Sheik of the Sheikah."

She gestured towards the Zoras to continue. Ruto smiled softly and glanced about. "I am Princess Ruto. These are Zirrif and Dunere."

Beside her, Darunia glared harshly. "I am Big Brother Darunia. With me are Kairse my son Link."

I blinked at the name and glanced at the young Goron who grinned proudly, then at Link who blushed.

"I'm Saria and this is Mido," said the cheerful little green haired girl. Her companion was flushing brightly.

"My name is Nabooru," said the sensual voice of my childhood friend, finishing the circle. "I've brought Baanir and Saylin to council."

My eyes flickered to the violet haired man a moment before Nabooru got to her feet.

"I have also brought a young man by the name of Slade," she said in a determined tone as she gestured to the man. I knew something was wrong by her voice alone. There was a hint of wariness and protectiveness in it. "He has risen to be leader of the clan that lives farther into the Desert than we Gerudo."

Slade nodded and looked across the group solemnly. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"I am glad you could join us," Zelda said with a smile. I noticed a tenseness in her voice that I doubted anyone else could hear. She had picked up on the odd inflections as well.

"There is one more thing you should know," Slade said softly. He glanced at Nabooru, who had not taken her seat again. With a sigh she lowered her elegant brows over her eyes.

"Slade is the son of Gannondorf."