The New Chronicles of Hyrule: Shadows Joined

The Zora Princess broke the stillness, her shrill voice grating on everyone's ears.

"It's about time! I thought you three were going to keep us waiting forever." Link rolled his eyes and released the two women on his arms, guiding them to their respective seats before he took his own, between Zelda and Elenna. Nabooru sat next to Elenna, with Ruto on her other side; this was partly because that was where the image of the Spirit Medallion was embossed on the table, but mainly because Elenna and Ruto didn't get along at all. Given the chance, they would probably try and kill each other. Around the table, the others situated themselves, with Darunia between Ruto and Saria, Rauru next to the Forest Sage, and Zelda completing the circle.

"Princess Ruto, there is no need to be disrespectful. Remember, we are all equals here." Zelda gave Ruto a reprimanding look, and the Zora slumped in her chair, sulking. Zelda had fully come into her position as Queen, and she fit the part amazingly well, sitting regally even in the simple chair. Her stern expression disappeared, and she turned a dazzling smile on the others present, leaning back in her chair and relaxing. "Now, what is the purpose of this meeting? All I know is that Saria said there were several important somethings I needed to know."

Saria pointed at Elenna, and all eyes turned to the Sheikah girl. She blinked in bewilderment, before frowning at the stares. "Don't make me do it again, I'm still tired from last time."

"Out of context, that sounds... Er, nevermind." Darunia coughed, looking down at the table as he earned a reprimanding look from Saria.

"In all seriousness, Elenna, what do you have to tell us? And what are you still tired from doing?" Zelda leaned forward, peering intently at her sister.

Elenna sighed, looking at her hands as she contemplated how best to answer. Well, simple was best. "The creatures in the Temples are increasing in number, as well as becoming more active. Someone has also been tending the Graveyard." Then she went on to explain what she had demonstrated for Saria and Kaepora, going into as much detail as she could. It was surprisingly easy for her to recollect what she did, for when she did these things, she said it was like watching from outside her body.

When she finished her description, Saria and Kaepora voiced their agreement, supporting Elenna's explanation. Everyone fell silent, for the most part looking thoughtful. Except for Ruto. She just looked bored, and fully displayed her ignorance when she piped up moments later. "So the kid's getting a few skills. So what? As for the monsters, she seems more than adept at killing them, let her go on doing it. I don't see how this concerns any of us."

Zelda arched a brow, and looked at Rauru, who had remained silent throughout the meeting. He cleared his throat and spoke up, the surprisingly strong baritone fully grasping everyone, even Ruto's, attention. "Princess Ruto, the uprising of the monsters could mean an uprising of evil in general in Hyrule. This is a concern for all of us, since Hyrule is our home, and it is our duty to protect it. As for Elenna's powers awakening, this is likely a response to an upwelling of evil. She should be monitored closely, and trained if at all possible."

"None of us got trained." Ruto snapped irritably, crossing her arms and glaring at the young Sheikah. Elenna in turned flashed the Zora a venomously sweet smile, twirling a blade in her hand that vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Ruto blanched visibly, looking away and focusing her gaze on the table.

"Didn't you? What do you think we've all been doing these past eleven years?" When Link spoke, everyone paid attention, for it was seldom the young Hero did so, and usually only when he had something important or of particular merit to say. Grudgingly, Ruto nodded, admitting he had a point. Since Hyrule had been returned to normal, the Sages had been training vigorously, Link included. Usually Link and Elenna trained together, since she hadn't had any magical abilities and depended solely on her fighting. But that had changed now.

"The only problem I see, is who is going to train Elenna?" Nabooru leaned forward slightly, gesturing to the girl as she spoke. "Shadow is a tricky force to deal with, since it hovers between the balance. None of us know how to deal with it, and trying to teach Elenna to use it properly would be suicide. It would undoubtedly prove harmful not only to us, but to her."

Everyone fell silent, considering not only their dilemma, but the possible consequences it held. This was truly a problem. Without the sixth Sage, their hold on Ganondorf's Seal would not simply weaken, it would shatter, releasing his wrath onto the land once again. The situation seemed hopeless. And then a deep voice echoed from the shadows of the room, effectively breaking the silence.

"Stop holding them in suspense, Zelda. You are just wasting time."

The Queen laughed, turning to look towards the source of the voice. "You never were one for the theatrical aspects of things." As she spoke, the individual moved into sight, drawing a variety of reactions from those assembled; mainly grins and chuckles, though Ruto snorted in disdain, while Elenna just looked extremely confused. A muscular body was clad in a tight-fitting bodysuit that was patterned in two shades of blue; bandages were wrapped around several of the fingers on each hand, as well as a portion of each forearm; frayed white material with the Sheikah Eye on it lay atop the bodysuit, covering the chest, and the lower half of the face; bandages were wrapped around the top of the head, and long dirty blonde bangs covered the left side, leaving one crimson eye to peer out from the right.

Sheik.

"But.. I thought Zelda was Sheik?" Elenna's confused voice broke through the controlled chaos caused by the Sheikah male's appearance. Everyone looked at her, Saria and Nabooru hiding ashamed expressions. Ruto laughed, looking at Elenna with a superior expression.

"Of course not, girl. Are you really that thick?" The words had barely even left her mouth before they were followed by a piercing squeak. With all the speed of a trained warrior, Elenna had bounded across the table and tackled the Zora, knocking her and the chair she was in backwards. Now she sat straddling the terrified princess, holding a dagger to her throat as she hissed.

"Watch who you're calling thick, you annoying fish. Or I'll gut you and feed you to the Wolfos, Sage or no." Elenna hissed the words at her captive, and just to emphasize her point, she pressed down on the slick skin with the edge of her dagger, drawing a bit of blue-green blood. Had Link and Nabooru not pulled Elenna off the Zora woman, there was no telling what she would've done.

Ruto stood, spluttering and wiping blood from her neck. Glancing at the liquid on her fingers, she pointed menacingly at Elenna, shrieking at the top of her voice. "You will pay for what you've done, you mutt of a Sheikah! You're a disgrace to your mother's people!"

With those final words, a puff of blue mist enveloped Ruto, fading away and revealing only air where she had once stood. Elenna glared balefully at the spot, mentally cursing that arrogant Zora. Zelda tried to smooth the situation over, standing and moving over to Sheik as she explained.

"Sheik has been around for centuries, Elenna. He has always been a silent watcher, protecting his people from afar. Now that your mother is dead, he is the last full-blooded Sheikah." Standing next to the man, Zelda lifted a hand and placed it on his shoulder. Sheik looked at her, nodding his head slightly. "He allowed me to masquerade as him during Link's quest to awaken the Sages, and left the land for a time. This was what fooled Ganondorf, and kept him vastly unaware of my whereabouts, until I revealed myself."

Elenna pondered this information, gazing thoughtfully at Sheik's face. Or what of it she could see, anyway. Something about him tugged at her, tickling the back of her mind, but she couldn't place it. Only time would tell. "So this means.. Sheik is going to train me?"

"Only if he wishes to." Zelda turned to her old friend, giving him a somewhat pleading look. Sheik's visible eyebrow furrowed, likely mimicking the other, and he crossed his arms across his broad chest as he nodded.

"I will train you, Elenna Lilith Demhri."

--

The meeting was adjourned as the sun began to sink into the west, after several more matters were settled. Ruto's insolence would be dealt with by Zelda, who fought not to look too pleased with the notion of putting the uppity Zora Princess in her place. Link, as Prince and general of Hyrule's army, would see to it that the forces were called up for training, just in case. Nabooru would begin training her Gerudo again, to prepare them. Darunia would set the Gorons to harvesting more bombs, and doing whatever was possible to aid the Hylians. Once Ruto was straightened out, the Zoras would do much the same as the Gorons, only they would be staunchly protecting the land's water source in Zora's Domain. Saria would enlist the aid of the Kokiri, to shore up the forest's defenses and provide what items they could.

Link and Nabooru announced their engagement as well, and it was well received by everyone. Even Sheik voiced his congratulations. Zelda was more than thrilled, seeing it as a great political alliance, uniting the Hylians and the Gerudo. But Elenna, as inexperienced in these things as she was, could see that the Spirit Sage and the Hero of Time were deeply in love. She was genuinely happy for them.

Only one thing hadn't been explained to her, and it plagued her all the way home as she rode to the base of Kakariko Village, through the town, and to the Graveyard, Sheik following silently just behind her. It was only when they got to the Graveyard that he moved away from her, and towards the gravekeeper's shack. Elenna watched in bewilderment, before finally finding her voice.

"You're welcome to stay in the Temple. The rooms off of the antechamber are safe."

Sheik paused, and looked at Elenna. He stood there in silence, staring at her. The girl was so much like Impa when she was younger, he thought. Though the appearance was different, with Elenna being fairer and having a more delicate bone structure, her eyes darker. But the way she carried herself, and even her temperament, was much like her mother's. It tore at Sheik's soul, to see one of his numerous unrequited loves so reincarnated. After a few tense minutes, he shook his head. "I live here."

Elenna looked even more confused, wondering what he meant. Hadn't Zelda said Sheik watched from the shadows, as their people had done for all their existence? The Sheikah weren't called the Shadow People for no reason. Then it dawned on her. "..You're the one who's been tending the Graveyard these past weeks."

"Yes." Sheik nodded, and turned away from her, moving towards the shack. Just as he reached it, he stopped again, moving his attention to Elenna once more. "..You wish to know more of our people, of these gifts which have passed on to you."

Yet again that day, Elenna was astounded. How had he known? Could he read minds? She'd heard the townspeople say that the Sheikah had such powers, but she'd never displayed any potential for them, and the only other Sheikah she'd known was her mother, who had never shown any such talents either. She didn't voice any of these thoughts though, and simply nodded in response. "Please. I hardly know anything, and I feel.. I feel like I should know these things. Like it will someday be important."

Sheik narrowed his eyes as he walked back to Elenna, studying her intensely. Did the girl perhaps have the rarest of all gifts? Seeing into the minds of others had been commong enough among the Sheikah before they all left or simply faded away, but very few throughout history had been given the ability to truly See. The idea that Elenna could perhaps be able to divine the future was one to give serious consideration to, and he would be watching her closely, as well as trying to develop this talent, if it existed, without letting her know what he was doing. "Very well. I will tell you what you want to know."

--

Settled in Elenna's room, the two stayed up late into the night, talking until the sun began to peek over the eastern horizon. Sheik told her many things; about the origin of the Sheikah, and their long history. Their people were the product of a union of the minds of Nayru and Farore, a pure melding of Wisdom and Courage. Many of them had given their lives in the wars that had raged through Hyrule in the past, and yet others simply faded away into history when they became tired of living.

Elenna wondered why Sheik hadn't done this, but he wasn't very forthcoming on that subject, simply saying that he hadn't yet become tired of living. Of course, she couldn't have known how far from the truth that was; Sheik had become tired of living after the first five lifetimes or so, but he just didn't have that option. When Elenna asked about her mother, how she came into the job of protecting Zelda, and why she was the chosen Sage of Shadow, Sheik became somewhat silent. Elenna, going on a hunch, peered intently at him as she leaned closer.

"..You loved my mother, didn't you?"

Sheik arched his visible eyebrow, giving Elenna a disbelieving look. Though on the inside, he was reeling from the shock. How had she known? Was he slipping that much? Or was she just incredibly perceptive? He decided to, in answering her, just under-exaggerate. "No. I was fond of your mother, as a friend. She was an admirable person."

Though skeptical of his explanation, she decided not to push the matter. It wouldn't do to anger her new teacher so early into their tentative relationship. So she leaned back, curling up comfortably with her arms around her legs, knees tucked beneath her chin. "So I've heard. I still don't understand why she was chosen for everything she was, though. Maybe if she hadn't been, she wouldn't..."

"Would not have died?" Sheik finished the sentence, and sighed when Elenna nodded. Did the girl just not grasp it, or did she not want to? Having an explanation for why both her parents died didn't make anything easier, especially if it wasn't something that could conceivably have ever been different. "The Sheikah have always protected the royal family. Your mother was the last remaining, so she took on the duty of protecting Zelda. Had she not, had there been someone else to do it, you likely would not have come into being. Which option is more reassuring?"

Elenna had to admit, though somewhat grudgingly, that he had a point. She thought about it, and nodded, conceding defeat. "Point taken. Still, I wish they hadn't died. All this..." She motioned around the barren stone walls, then ran her hand through her loose hair with a sigh. "I wasn't ready. I don't know if I'll ever be ready, really."

"You will be. I am here to see to that." On impulse, Sheik leaned closer and reassuringly laid his hand on Elenna's shoulder. As his dark skin touched her own pale flesh, it seemed as though a jolt of energy ran up his arm and straight to the pit of his stomach. She jumped back, staring at him with those wide violet eyes; it appeared the same had happened to her, judging by the way she had unfolded herself and was rubbing at her abdomen.

Then something happened that Sheik never would have thought he would do in a million years. He panicked. Rising swiftly to his feet, he walked towards the doorway of her room, calling over his shoulder as he beat a hasty retreat from the Shadow Temple. "It is time you slept. I will come to get you when I have gathered the needed tools for our training."

Elenna stared in abject, bewildered silence as Sheik left her view. Had she done something wrong? Or had he perhaps felt that same little shock of awareness as she did? She rubbed at her stomach again as she remembered it, and the way that tickling in the back of her mind had increased in intensity. What did it all mean? Not knowing things frustrated her, and she huffed in irritation as she made her way to the pile of pillows, blankets, and furs that made up the nest she called her bed.

It was going to be a long, sleepless day for the both of them.