Chapter 8- True feelings let known
Impa had instructed Zelda and Link not to ask where Sheik and Raven had been. Zelda was curious, but obeyed Impa, since Impa always knew what was best for her. When they had walked in Zelda looked up at Raven. She looked as though she had been crying for ages.
“Hey.” Zelda said. “You hungry?”
“Not really, no.”
Zelda didn’t ask Sheik, as she knew he never ate around people, since he couldn’t remove his mask.
“Raven, dear, you look tired. If you want, I can show you your room?” Impa asked. Raven nodded and Impa beckoned her over. They walked away up a staircase. Sheik sat down on a chair and sighed.
“Something wrong?” Link asked.
“Yes, but I’m sworn to secrecy. So all I can say is that yes, there is something wrong.”
Zelda looked troubled, but decided not to push him. Once Sheik made a decision, he kept with it. He also took promises very seriously. Sheik stood.
“Where’re you going?” asked Zelda.
“I need some time to gather my thoughts.” Was all he said, as he left the room.
“So what do wanna do, guys?” Link asked Fado and Makar
“Well, I was hoping you could take us to the Kokiri forest.” He said, shyly.
“Yeah! Us Koroks have heard LOADS about the Kokiri!” Makar piped. Link smiled.
“Sure!” Link said. “You wanna come Zel?”
Zelda shook her head. “I think I’ll give it a miss this time, boys.”
“Fair enough.” And Link walked out followed by Fado and Makar.
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Just as they were out of Zelda’s sight, Link turned around and grabbed Fado, swinging him onto his shoulders. Fado laughed.
“So, what’ve you heard about us Kokiri, eh?” he asked. “Because, no offence, I’ve never heard of the Koroks.”
“We’ve learnt how you are protected by a tree, how you can never leave the woods for long and how the Hero of time came from them.” Makar managed to say in one breath. Link smiled.
“Yeah and how the bully, Mido thinks he’s all that!” Piped Fado. Link was slightly surprised at his outburst, but decided not to look it. He didn’t want a shy Fado with him.
“Yeah, but I bet you could take him out if he caused you trouble!” Link joked. They reached Epona and Link got on, Fado still on his shoulders. Makar whispered something in Epona’s ear and she whinnied. He hovered up and settled between her eyes, facing forwards. Link shrugged and nudged her flanks. They galloped through the gates and into the field. He felt Fado hold onto his head as they whizzed past Lon Lon Ranch. The forest appeared on the horizon and he heard Makar gasp as they got to the tunnel. He dismounted and walked towards it, and heard Makar flying next to him. They entered.
“WOW!!!!!” Link heard Fado cry. It was actually a sight to see. Small fairies hung in the air and people came out of their houses as Link entered.
“LINK!” A girl screamed as she ran up to him. She looked up at him and beamed. She had short green hair and a round, but not chubby, face.
“Hey Saria!” Link said. She looked at Fado.
“Who’s that?”
“This.” He said. “Is Fado. He’s the brother of a girl Sheik and I rescued from a prison. He wanted to see the forest. He comes from the Forest Haven.”
“The Forest Haven? Wow! What are the Koroks like?”
“We are well manned spirits who respect the Kokiri.” Said Makar appearing behind Link’s back.
“Oh and this is Makar.” Link sighed
“Awwwww! He’s soooooooo cute!!!!!!” she shrieked grabbing Makar under the arms. Link laughed. She was always like this when she saw something cute.
“Ahem.”
Link turned to see Mido. Even after Link had saved Hyrule, Mido was still bitter.
“What have I told you about bringing non-forest creatures and humans into the forest?”
“Yes I know. Not to bring them in.” Link said, rolling his eyes. “But these are Forest creatures. Forest Haven creatures, to be precise.” Fado jumped off Link’s shoulders and looked at Mido.
“Why’re you so mean to Link?” he asked.
“Because he’s not a proper Kokiri. He’s a Hylian. He’s not one of us.”
“Well, Raven and I weren’t from the Forest Haven originally, but the Korok’s still accepted us.”
“Yeah well, we’re different.”
“No we’re not.” Makar said matter-of-factly. “We are actually Kokiris, but we decided to take this form, to make us different from you.”
Mido turned red and walked away into his house. Link and Saria laughed.
“The only time I’ve seen Mido that mad, was when you got the Kokiri sword and shield and was summoned to the Great Deku tree!!!!!!” she managed to say through the waves of laughter. She calmed her self down. “So I guess you guys are staying here tonight then?”
Link thought about this. By the time they would reach the Castle town walls, the sun would have set. The drawbridge would be up and Stalchildren would be around. Staying here was their only option.
“Yeah. Then we can see more of the Woods.” Link said. Makar cheered, but Fado wasn’t so happy. Link noticed this and said, “What’s wrong, Fado?”
“What about Raven? She’ll be wondering where I am and also I’ve never slept without her.” He said as tears came to his eyes.
“Don’t worry. She probably figure out where you are, and plus, you’ll be fine here. You’ve got me, Saria and Makar!” he added. Fado smiled and they walked to Saria’s house.
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Raven’s dreams were full of bad omens. Huge black dogs circled her and laughter sounded. The same cold laughter she knew only too well.
I told you I’d be back, didn’t I? The voice said. Now you and your friends will pay!
She awoke. Her covers were off her body and she was shaking. Not from coldness, because it was sweltering hot in Hyrule, but from fear. She tried to calm herself down, but failed. The dream was too real.
‘No, not a dream. A nightmare.’ She thought. She needed some air, but also privacy. ‘The secret courtyard.’
She got up and slipped a jacket over her small, silk nightdress that Zelda had given her. She had bought it especially for her. She walked out of her room, and shut the door quietly. She crept past the guards and out into the night. A light breeze played across her body, which slowed her heart rate. She tiptoed to the ivy-concealed door, which lead to the other courtyard. The water fountain slowly gushed out water, into the marble clam. She walked over to it and sat on the side. She put her hand in the cold water and moved it about. She was totally calm now. Above her the stars twinkled and a full moon hung in the night sky. She stared at it’s reflection, letting her thoughts wonder to Sheik.
‘Do I have feelings for him?’
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Sheik awoke to find his mind tense. He felt something was wrong. Somehow. He got up a dressed in simple garb, but kept his mask on. Eh didn’t bother with his turban, so he tied his medium-length hair back. He walked out of his room and made his way to Raven’s. But as he got nearer, he sensed she wasn’t there. He concentrated his powers and located her in the secret courtyard. He simply walked past all the guards; keeping to the shadows, mind. It wasn’t very hard. He made his way over to the hidden doorway, and quietly entered. He saw her straight away. She was sitting on the fountain’s edge staring into the water. She almost glowed in the moon’s light. Her hair was down, which made her more radiant. It was about the same length as his, and shaped her face at the front. She was wearing a simple, but small, nightdress under a jacket. He silently walked up to her.
“Raven?” he asked. She jumped and turned to look at him.
“Oh. Hello Sheik. You scared me. What are you doing down here?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
She blushed. “Couldn’t sleep. Bad dream.”
“Wanna talk?” he asked. He sat opposite her, his only seen red eye pierced into her yellow one.
She sighed. “He’s back. My father’s back.”
“What? Are you sure?”
“Yes. But he’s weak. He won’t be reaching Hyrule soon.”
Sheik relaxed himself. If she wasn’t worried, then he shouldn’t be.
“Sheik? I’ve been meaning to ask you. Do you… Do you have feelings for me?”
That caught Sheik so off guard that he almost fell in the fountain. He regained his balance.
“Well… well… yes and no. I have feelings for you, but friendly feelings.”
‘WHAT??????????????? THAT WAS YOUR ONLY CHANCE TO TELL HER!!!!!! YOU MIGHT AS WELL SIGN HER OFF NOW!!!!!!’ He screamed in his head.
“Oh.” Raven stared down, looking disappointed. “Because, well… I have feelings for you Sheik. I have since you rescued me from that tower.”
“Hey.” Sheik said. He reached out his hand, put it under her chin and pulled it up so it was a few centimetres from his face. “If you feel that way about me, then I return those feelings.”
“You’re just saying that to comfort me.” She said, almost angrily, as she pulled herself away from him. She stood and walked a few paces away from him, into the shadow of the wall and with her back turned. If Sheik wasn’t Sheikah, he wouldn’t have seen her. What? Do you think a Sheikah’s red eyes are just for show?! “I don’t want your pity.”
“I’m not giving you my pity.” He said. He stood up also and walked up to her. “I’m telling the truth. I do have feelings for you. Those type of feelings. I just couldn’t admit it. I thought it would ruin our friendship.” She turned round.
“Y…you do?” she stuttered. She smiled and he put his arms around her.
“Yes. And if you must know, I felt a connection between us, the first time I laid my eyes on you.” She looked at him and he brushed a stray hair from her face. He thanked the goddesses they were in shadow, because just then, she reached up, to the top of his mask. She was about to pull it down, but hesitated. He brought his hands up to hers and pulled his mask off. In the shadows, she couldn’t see his face, so Sheik wasn’t breaking any rules. He leaned his face forward and placed his lips on hers. He felt her surprise, but then she relaxed.
‘Wow. My first kiss. This is magical.’ She thought. He placed his strong arms on her waist and pulled her closer, still with his lips on hers. She placed her hands on his chest, rolling them around, feeling the dips and bumps of his muscles, through the thin cloth. She moved them up, and placed them on his neck. He broke off the lip-lock and smiled. He knew she couldn’t see it, but he did it all the same. He replaced his mask and they walked back into the light. They sat down on the grass and he pulled her close, as they lay down. She placed her head on his chest, her hand resting on his other pectoral. Sheik rested one hand on her hip and the other behind his head. He saw her smile, in the corner of his eye. They had totally forgotten about Abu…
