The Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ A Ruby Surrounded By Sapphires ❯ The Sacred Child ( Chapter 15 )

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 15

The Sacred Child

 

We arrived in the correct place… four jumps after the first. Together, the two of us had visited years into the future, witnessing the horror of our world on the verge of destruction. We saw our childhood twice after that, the awkward ages of seven and fifteen. What I had had to go through during our first jump reoccurred in the third, but I didn't panic that time and we were on our way more quickly. Then, finally, we reached our goal.

I was surprised when I looked down at myself again. Loose, tan pants fell from low on my hips; a somewhat torn, red shirt hung over my upper half, sleeveless and comfortable.

"…Aridine gave me this clothing," I murmured softly, fingers running lightly over the soft cloth of my shirt. "This was… just after Zelda started visiting. I tore this shirt up only a few months after I got it, fixing Sadin's roof."

His hands took mine gently and I lifted my eyes to meet his. They were solemn, but comforting.

"She'll be there when we get home, Sheik. We're changing our future."

I nodded to him, feeling suddenly very vulnerable without a covering for my face. Pulling away from him, I started out, feeling so suddenly vulnerable in those clothes with no weapon upon me. Of course, I didn't carry weapons in the village. I didn't need to. Kakariko was so very peaceful and I so tired of war.

I was still tired of war.

"Epona should be wandering." he said faintly from behind. My head nodded before I remembered that Evalus wouldn't be waiting for me. The horse didn't know me yet. It almost hurt, but I knew we would be returning to a time when everything was as it should be.

It struck me quite quickly and without warning. If we changed this event, stopped Ganondorf's escape from the Sacred Realm and saved our world, we would be taking away the event that lead us all together. What would happen when we returned after such a pivotal event was changed?

Would we even remember?

A shiver went down my spine. I could not think of this now. I had to save Hyrule, no matter what it cost me. Even if it took the one bit of happiness I had. I owed all of them: Zelda, Link, Star…. Aridine.

I shook these thoughts away just as the sound of a horse's trot came to my ears. Glancing up, I watched the majestic animal walk to him, gently butting her head against his. He mounted her in a smooth motion before reaching down and pulling me up behind him. My arms around his middle, I leaned into him and let his warmth comfort me. We rode until night fall, letting Epona rest before the trek into the desert.

"We'll have to get supplies from the Gerudos," Link said after a drink from his canteen. "Water, food, and the like."

"Nabooru will be curious," I responded. His blue eyes held mine a moment before frowning.

"Should we tell her?"

"I leave that up to you."

His frown deepened as he sat back, a hand running through his blonde bangs. The green bandana, one of the few remnants of the Kokiri-Hylian man's past, lay next to him. Soft strands of cornstalk yellow kissed his neck and ears, too long without a cut. I didn't want to feel my own. I knew it was down below my shoulders as it had been before my first visit to the castle since the first fight with Ganondorf. A simple leather strip held it back.

I could remember Kiris running her fingers through it, her quiet voice murmuring of how soft it was. She never thought much about her own quiet beauty. My heart panged thinking of her. We had not found her in Kakariko, but… We had not found many of the villagers. I worried for them, wondering where they had run and what had become of them.

"We may need her help with the far tribes." His voice brought me back to myself. He had shifted closer without my knowing.

"She will aid us greatly," I responded, looking into his face. His eyes engulfed me.

"Then it's decided." And that was all of our discussion as we fell into one another, kissing, loving, taking... and completing.

When morning came, we were calm and content in each other's arms as we woke. I could hear his heartbeat, strong and even, my head laying upon his chest as his fingers played in my hair.

"I like it long like this," he said absently, a smile in his voice. I shifted up, looking down at him fondly.

"I'll grow it out," I promised. He grinned at me.

It didn't last long, that moment together. We had a duty to perform. Together, we rode to the Gerudo. It surprised Link, how easily we gained passage once they were told my name.

"I grew up here," I explained to him, taking in his shocked face, but Nabooru was running out to us before he could say anything more.

"Sheik! It's good to see you!" she cried, throwing her arms about me. The force of it nearly threw me off my feet. Grinning, she spotted Link and nodded to him. "You as well, Hero."

Link flushed but his smile was amused.

"What are you two doing here, anyway?" The two of us went solemn almost immediately. Nabooru glanced from my face to his, her own losing its jovialness. Without a word, she led us back into the base. There, away from prying eyes, we filled her in one the events that would transpire in only a year. She took it all well and then.

"I'm going with you."

"What?!" Link cried, staring at her. "You can't go!"

"Why not?"

"Because...! Well… because!"

"That's not a reason."

"Well."

I lifted a hand to silence them. "Link, her help would be valuable, but we may be in danger."

"Danger's no problem," she grinned. There was an excited glint to her eyes. Link sighed as he realized he was defeated. Happily, Nabooru gathered a few supplies for our journey, as well as new clothes. Mine weren't suited to the heat and his stood out far too much. In the end, Link allowed for a large cloak but nothing more. I, on the other hand, was much more outfitted; a black undershirt, tight against me and to the mid-forearm; a sleeveless tan shirt over this, the collar wide and high enough to cover my nose and mouth; and baggy tan pants. I kept my boots, tucking the legs of cloth into them. The upper shirt relieved my need to keep hidden, so ingrained in my psyche.

Nabooru was another thing entirely. Her rich, crimson hair was taken down from the high tail, instead gathered once behind her skull and then at the nape, the rest held together by metal wraps four times. That in itself made it harder to recognize her. The clothes stayed in the same style for the most part, tan like mind with red and black striping at the hip. Over this went a cloak that hung around her like a blanket.

"Wear this when we get into down, Link," Nabooru instructed, holding out a ruby head jewel. Link took it, a look of confusion over his face. "Just put it to the skin. The magic will hold it, like mine."

He did so and pulled his hand away, letting the jewel alone. I had to admit that it looked strange there, clashing with the cool blue of his eyes.

"That signals you as a noble," Nabooru explained, folding her arms with a satisfied smirk.

"What about Sheik?"

"He'll act as a servant, if anyone asks." At Link's incredulous look, one of her brows arched. "Link, no self respecting noble of the Sands would travel without a servant. Having only one between us is still suspicious, but not unheard of. The only reason you aren't being asked to be one as well is because you can't lie to save your life."

He went pink and I had to smile, though it was only a moment before my eyes were caught by my childhood friend.

"Are you alright with that, Sheik?"

"Yes. It has been my occupation most of my life. There is little trouble in going back to servitude for a few hours." I was a little surprised at the tone of my voice. It had gone just the least bitter and flat, but too little for anyone else to notice.

We left the that afternoon for the Desert Clans' head, a small community called Mirabile, a two day trek on horseback. I almost dreaded going there. After all, wouldn't Slade be in his home, with his people? I wondered just how far back it was that Ganondorf's spirit inhabited the body of his son.

The trip was uneventful, riddled with only illusions of the Sands. The three of us had far more pressing matters than hallucinations. By the second afternoon, we had run out of water and were more desperate in our search for the town. It was Link that finally spotted it. Nightfall came at our arrival.

"How many rooms do you wish to take?" the innkeeper asked respectfully, eyeing the red stones upon my companion's foreheads. Nabooru lifted a pouch from her side and dropped it in front of him.

"Two."

The innkeeper was happy to oblige, respecting our wishes of privacy. We boarded there for the night, Nabooru on her own, Link and I in the second room. I fell onto the soft mattress, limbs almost shaking with exhaustion. Sleep came easily that night. When the morning came, the three of us made our way through the streets. Link looked at everything with the wide eyes of a child, almost destroying our cover. Though I didn't blame him. Link wasn't used to the architecture there or the clothing of people. This was an entirely new world for him. It was entertaining to watch his awed _expression.

The largest building in the city was home to ruling family and meeting place of the Council of the Sands. The smooth walls were the same tan as the ground, as were most buildings, with designs carved around the doorway and windows. Inside, it was a strangely cool area, the lower floor open and inviting.

It took some shrewd negotiations on Nabooru's part to gain and audience with the leader, a woman called Nephrite. They finally caved when Nabooru told of her Gerudo status, without revealing herself as their leader. A servant led us to a smaller conference room to wait. We sat in silence as the moments drew on. Finally, the woman came.

I could tell right off that she was Slade's mother. Her hair was the same shade of purple and eyes the same emerald. She was much darker than her son, skin bronzed beautifully. Nephrite stood tall and regal, her posture straight. Her limbs were long and graceful, body clothed in sweeping fabrics that fit her well. The long strands of violet were drawn up into a long braid that ended at her mid thigh, a length of hair left out before each elegant ear. Upon her cheek was a circle tattoo with three curving spikes arching from one side.

"You called for me," she murmured, her deep voice soothing but confident. Link stood and bowed his head to her in respect.

"We have to speak to Riaru," he said. Nephrite gave him a look over before speaking again.

"You are from beyond the Field," she said with a small smile. Link's eyes grew large and his mouth opened to sputter an excuse, but she lifted a hand and silenced him. "You do not move or talk as a Noble does. Take the ridiculous jewel off. Nabooru, I expected better of you. As for Riaru… You will find him in a small Temple in the outskirts. Whether he tells you what you want to know or not is entirely up to him."

We sat stunned for a moment, broken only when Link reached up to remove the stone. Nephrite watched us with amusement in her eyes. Behind her, the door opened and a familiar head was poked through.

"Mother? Ruby said you needed me..?

He looked like he had when we met him, though I could see were a few changes would happen in the following year. The most astonishing thing I felt was the lack of negativity in his aura. There was no malice, no violence; No Ganondorf. It relieved me to no end.

"Slade, please escort these three to Riaru's temple. They'll need you to get past the three."

"Yes, Mother."

We followed the boy out without words of goodbye. Nephrite neither offered nor wanted them. The walk to the temple was not far, though it seemed to drag on as Slade gabbed on and on about whatever came to mind. I had no idea someone could talk so much in one breath. Truly amazing, if annoying. I can't say I was unhappy to reach the temple.

It, in itself, was not much. Actually, the temple looked much like the rest of the buildings. Inside was a completely different story. The walls were all darkly tinted, half from the little light and half from paint. Silks of purple and black covered the windows, small lanterns hung from the ceiling. And standing guard in front of double doors of dark wood were three young women. I took them in carefully, noting the strange triangular markings on their cheeks and foreheads.

One noticed us immediately, her brown eyes narrowing suspiciously as she straightened her posture. A few crimson bangs fell into her face, the rest pulled into a tight tail that curled at the tips. Her skin was as bronze as Nephrite's, clothing in shades of red. The shirt she wore was tightly fit and sleeveless with a high neck, ending just above the hem of her skirt. It fell to her knees, each side slit up to the top and held together with gold latches. A strange glow came to the girl's hands as I took her in.

The second girl was much less fierce than the first, more fearful than anything. Her long, straight hair was a pale blue that swung about behind her and matched her vivid eyes. She was more shapely, achieving adulthood before her red-haired companion. Her pale blue clothing consisted of a wrap about her bosom and a floor length, wide skirt, accompanied by a wide ring of gold for a choker and a dark blue headband.

Lastly was the supposed oldest of the three. She had regal look to her, straight posture and impassive face. Her green eyes were a deep shade, as opposed to the pale green tint to her long, wavy hair. She was the palest of the three, almost the white of her simple dress. It was clasped at her shoulders with gold and about her waist, the rest left to fall gracefully around her feet. Even without the defensive stance of the first, she intimidated me the most. I sensed a great power in her.

"Why have you come?" the wavy haired girl asked in a quiet, but stern voice.

"My mother wants these three to talk to Lord Riaru," Slade answered, his voice hushed. Glancing over his face, I noted that he sensed her power as well.

"Din shall ask if his lordship wishes your company," she replied, gesturing towards the red-haired girl. I jerked my gaze over the three even as Din disappeared through the doors. Her name was Din, then…? Well, it was not completely uncommon to name a child after the goddesses. Still, something hit me as strange.

Din returned quickly, shutting the door behind her. "He will, Farore."

"Good." Those green eyes flitted over us, a shiver running down my spine when she got to me. There was something ageless in that gaze, something powerful.

Slade bowed before quickly leaving us with the three. Din and the last girl, whom I assumed was Nayru, opened the doors for us, Farore leading through a long, darkened hall. The other two followed behind. I could hear soft strains of melody, words barely recognizable. I strained to hear them, eyes closing to give better concentration. The haunting melody washed over me. It became louder and louder, filling my entire being.

'Mirabile, mirabile... mysterium, mysterium… declaratur hodie… innovantur naturae… Deus homo factus est.'

"What does it mean?"

I opened my eyes, finding Link's upon me. He was curious, those sapphire depths alight from the candlelit passage.

"It is an old language," I responded quietly, letting my eyes fall half closed once more. "Before our peoples. The words. It is singing of a wonderful mystery being revealed. Twin natures being renewed… And the gods becoming man."

He nodded, looking upward as we walked and listening to the beautiful melody.

"Your knowledge of the old language surprises me, Nexus."

I froze at that title, the one Ganondorf had called me by before. My eyes lifted and centered on the figure of a boy, small and frail. His white hair fell over the intricate circlet that adorned him, the messy strands falling back into an upward swoop. Pale, almost sightless eyes stared at us in amusement from under heavy lids. Below them was a stripe of black kohl, following the sharp curve of his cheek. His clothing was long and loose fabric, layers draped over him and dwarfed the boy. In the center of his chest was the Triforce.

"Riaru," I murmured, bowing my head in respect. He didn't move. The three left us, going to stand behind the small boy.

"You have come for something," the child said with a soft smile. "Ask of me what you will."