Just Like Old Times: A Legend of Zelda AU

On the Road

Zelda burst out of the cave. "We have to go. Now!"

"Woah, Zelda! Are you okay? We heard a lot of loud noises," I said, my face showing worry.

Zelda noticed but easily shrugged it off. "I'm fine, we just need to go now!"

I noticed that the Great Fairy had provided two horses in addition to Epona. This would greatly increase our speed across the landscape.

"Okay, where are we going, Zelda?" Sheik asked.

"To the Zora Domain! Lead the way, Sheik!"

Sheik nodded and mounted his steed. We followed suit and mounted as well. We bid the fairies goodbye and rode off quickly.

"How far is it to the Zora's Domain, Sheik?" I asked as we set out.

"About a day's worth of hard riding. We should get there by tomorrow night. We will need to stop, though, to let the horses rest and sleep ourselves as well."

"Okay," I said. "You're the boss."

I thought about what Zelda had said. It was a relief that she liked me as well. But what did that mean? We were still too young to get married, so I guess we'd just have to continue our friendship. Best friends, that would work for now.

About an hour into our journey, I asked, "Hey, Sheik. What's it like being a Sheikah Magic Guard?"

"It's pretty great. I was chosen when I was 5, and trained and raised for it. When I was 20, I was elite enough to be assigned to a magic wielder, your mother. In becoming elite, I was granted the ability to not age, a sort of immortality, although I can still be killed in battle."

He paused, "I'm sorry, Link. In my first few years I was cocky, and your mother paid the price for it. Jamie, her name was. She was a Hylian with tremendous skill in magic, specializing in healing magic." I looked into his eyes, and I noticed a tear falling.

"Times like those are what the Great Fairy talked about. Times where I was too weak, too cowardly. There was no excuse for my behavior, and I still carry the weight of that decision to run away to this day."

He sighed, the topic obviously bringing many painful memories to mind. I looked at him with gratitude. "Thank you for telling me, Sheik. I know it was difficult for you."

"Thank you, Link. Telling you the truth lifts a little of the burden I've carried these past years."

I looked over at Zelda. She was silent, contemplating all the things Sheik had said. She was obviously troubled by it, some tears crawling down her face. I leaned over in my saddle and wiped them away. As I drew back my hand, she grabbed it, lacing her fingers through mine.

We rode side by side in near silence, fingers intertwined. It felt so good. I never would have had the guts to tell her, I would've been way too afraid of being rejected.

Eventually, just after night fell, we stopped next to a cliff for the night. We tied up the horses next to a flowing stream, allowing them to drink and eat. I rooted around in my magic bag for food and the tent for Zelda.

I set up a small campfire, and we sat and laughed around it. It was nice to be in their company. Zelda fell asleep on my shoulder long before Sheik and I did. She had had a long, exhausting day. Just before we retired for the night, Sheik asked me a question.

"What's it like having siblings? Being chosen at 5 was an honor, but it also isolated me from all my family."

That sounded awful. How would I have gotten by without Ryan and Aryll?

"Well, I love it. I've been isolated from others, like Zelda, for 4 years. Living in solitude would have been unbearable without them. Don't get me wrong, they get on my nerves sometimes, but they are the best friends I could ask for, besides Zelda."

I looked down at her. She was sleeping soundly, even snoring softly.

"That sounds amazing. Being a Sheikah Magic Guard is cool, but I missed out on so much of my childhood. I often wonder what it would be like."

"Well, I can tell you more in the morning if you'd like. But I need to get Zelda, and myself, to bed."

He nodded and I picked Zelda up and laid her in the tent. I proceeded to unroll my sleeping bag and I bid Sheik goodnight.