The New Chronicles of Hyrule: Shadows Joined

Dawn came and went, with Elenna still fast asleep in bed. Sheik was an impatient man naturally, but he decided to give Elenna the benefit of the doubt; maybe she was meditating or something. As the day passed by with no sign of the young Sage, Sheik realized what was going on. The sun was high in the sky when he finally ventured into the Shadow Temple, and to Elenna's chamber. Sure enough, there she was, curled up in her nest of a bed, tangled in a silken sheet. He did a double-take at the sight of pale flesh peeking between gaps of the cloth. Was he hallucinating, or was Elenna.. naked?

Crimson eyes widened as Elenna shifted, the sheet sliding lower on her petite form. Black silk draped across the slope of her breasts, almost fully baring one milk-white globe; the sheet wrapped tightly around her waist and dipped dangerously low on her hips, her legs entirely exposed along with the curve of her hipbone. For some reason, the sight of her hand draped so innocently across her hip captivated him; his eyes remained riveted there, until the feeling of being watched became almost painfully strong.

Reluctantly, wary of what he would see, Sheik let his gaze wander up Elenna's body until it landed on her face. Sure enough, she was staring at him, with a look of pure fury. There seemed to be flames dancing in her eyes. He was ever so thankful for the cloth that covered the lower half of his face; it hid the blush of embarrassment that filled his cheeks. But of course, in an effort to try and circumvent her wrath, he went into lecture mode.

"You are lucky I was not a minion of evil. I could have killed you easily."

This, it turned out, was not the best thing to say.

Elenna's already pale face became several shades lighter, her lips pressing into a thin line as her hands gripped the bit of sheet that covered her bosom. Sheik, believing that he had managed to scare her, took a step forward, thinking that now she would apologize and seek some kind of comfort from him. Imagine his surprise when he found a heavy silver candlestick being hurled at his head. It was followed swiftly by several more, as well as a multitude of other objects; books, pillows, small statues, everything. From all corners of the room they came, accompanied by the shrill voice of Elenna.

"I'm not sure what's worse, that you were watching me while I was half-naked and asleep, or that you would try to pretend you weren't by making some lame excuse and starting to lecture me! Some teacher you are! You're just a dirty pervert! Out! Get out of my room! OUT!!"

Each emphasized word was marked by something smacking into Sheik's body. Had he not been fearing for his life, he would have marveled at the ease with which Elenna exercised the telekinetic powers he hadn't even known she possessed. As it was, he found himself covering his head with his arms to protect it from the missiles as he bolted out of Elenna's room. He barely passed through the opening when he heard the stone door slam shut behind him.

For several minutes, Sheik sat in the corridor outside Elenna's room, assessing the damage he'd sustained and mentally wondering at this talent his pupil had unintentionally discovered. He also made sure to remember that she got pale when angry.. not scared. That was something he felt sure he would need to keep in mind.

Eventually, he decided to try approaching her again. Inching closer to the door, he placed his ear against it and listened intently. There were sounds coming from within, what sounded like rustling cloth and the familiar voice of Elenna. It seemed that she was talking to herself. The only words he really caught were a few expletives and what sounded like his name. That made him wince; he really had made her mad. His only choice now was to try and mend the situation. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the verbal beating he was undoubtedly about to receive.

"Elenna.. I apologize for startling you, and observing you while you slept. Had I known you were in such a state, I would not have gone into your room. As it is, I can make no excuses as to why I stared at you, for I am unsure why I did. ..But you really should be more careful. Had I been an enemy, you would undoubtedly be dead by now."

The last word had hardly left his lips when the door swung open. Unprepared for the sturdy surface against which he had been leaning to move, Sheik tumbled into the room and only just managed to catch his balance. When he turned to look at Elenna, his jaw dropped; once again, he was thankful for the cloth that hid the lower half of his face.

She looked nothing like the sensual young girl he had seen less than an hour before. Her long hair was braided tightly against her scalp, circling around her head; her garb was almost identical to that of the Hero of Time, with a dark grey under-tunic and breeches, black boots, and a black over-tunic. Combined with the blank look on her face and the smoldering fire of anger in her eyes, she looked somehow older and undeniably formidable. Had Sheik been a stranger, or an enemy, he would have feared her.

Instead, he felt his heart stop beating. How was it possible for her to look even more beautiful than normal?

Sheik realized he was staring again when he heard Elenna clear her throat, obviously annoyed. Assuming his usual stance with arms crossed over his chest, he arched his visible eyebrow and waited for her to speak. Would she accept his apology? If not, it would make training her a bit harder.

"Let's just get something straight here. This Temple recognizes me as its protector. So, in its own way, it protects me. Old magic. You of all people should know this, Mister Never-Aging-Never-Dying-Sheikah-Man. It keeps out the baddies when it knows I'm vulnerable, and if I feel threatened by you, it'll keep you out too, Sheikah blood or not. So just refrain from being a voyeur again, and we'll get along fine, got it?"

Silence reigned after Elenna finished speaking. Inwardly, she was patting herself on the back for managing to keep her voice calm. Not only was she still quite mad at Sheik, but remembering the look she'd seen in his visible eye when he was staring at her and unaware she was watching him.. it made her feel funny inside. It wasn't exactly a feeling she liked, mainly because in some way, she did like it. The promise that look held... She shivered, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at Sheik in an effort to hide it. Was he just going to stand there, or what?

"..I think we need to find a way for you to control that telekinetic ability without having to be angry. It could be a formidable weapon." Elenna's temper flared at the calmly spoken words from her teacher, before she let her hands fall to her sides and her head drop. So it was back to business.

Maybe she'd just imagined that light of desire in his eye.

--

By sunset, Elenna was levitating everything in her room without even the slightest bit of strain. This included Sheik, who was looking noticeably displeased by the fact that he was hovering upside-down and surrounded by revolving objects. In short, it looked like a very odd model of a solar system, with Sheik as the sun. Although, considering the waves of irritation that were practically rolling off the Sheikah male, it was more like a solar system with a black sun. Or so Elenna mused.

"Are you quite finished wreaking vengeance upon me for this morning?" One pointed ear flickered as she turned to look at him, an innocent smile on her lips. A little too innocent, Sheik thought. And how right he was. Before he could blink, he was thrown out of her room, the door again slamming shut behind him.

"Sure am. And you know what? I say we're done training for today! Come back in a couple of days. I'm going riding with Link, Zelda, and Nabooru tomorrow." Stifling giggles behind her hand, Elenna tiptoed up to the door to listen for Sheik's departure. When she heard no footsteps, she frowned a bit and drew back, placing her hands on her hips with a frown. "He must've done that shadow disappear-y thingy he does."

"Correct." Whirling around, Elenna was just in time to see Sheik step out of the shadows on the far side of her room. His one visible eye blazed angrily, fixated on her, and she instinctively moved away. Her back met with the cold stone door, and that was when she knew she was trapped. Strong hands gripped her upper arms tightly, making her whimper; she was obviously afraid, even as she stared defiantly up at him from her meager height. "Let us make a deal, young Sage. I will refrain from antagonizing you, in exchange for you doing the same."

"Hmm..." Though still tense in his grasp, Elenna tilted her head, as though pondering his offer. A mischievous gleam leapt into her eyes, even as she smiled sweetly at him. "I would agree to that, except for one small problem."

Sheik should've known immediately that he was in trouble. But instead he decided to trust her, and relinquished his hold on her, arching his brow as he crossed his arms. "And what might that problem be?"

"I enjoy antagonizing you, and have no intention of stopping." Even as she spoke, Elenna was preparing herself for the strike; the last word passed her lips, and her booted foot impacted his left shin. Slipping away from him as she flung the door open, she ran full-tilt out of her room and the Temple, into the graveyard where rain pelted down on her. She was nearly to the first row of tombstones when a figure hurtled out of the darkness in front of her, colliding roughly with the petite female.

Elenna stared dazedly up at the figure on top of her, gasping for breath. A crimson eye glared down at her, filled with fury, and much to her surprise, a pupil ringed with gold and a crimson iris peered out from behind a curtain of dirty-blond bangs. Panting due to his sudden tackle and his weight atop her slender form, Elenna made to rise and was startled back into full awareness by the feel of strong hands grasping her wrists, as well as Sheik's body straddling hers, pinning her effectively against the ground. A mixture of fear and anger welled up within her, urging her struggling to increase in intensity. The growl in his voice made her become immediately still, though her lips twisted into a snarl.

"I am not your enemy, Elenna Lilith Demhri. But that can easily change. I could be your worst fucking nightmare." Lowering his face till their noses nearly touched, Sheik stared into Elenna's eyes and waited for her to submit to him. Still, she stared back, not letting her fear show.. only the anger that bubbled just beneath the surface. It made him growl in frustration, not only at her, but at himself for finding her strong spirit so appealing. "Damnit, you stubborn girl! When will you understand I am the only one who can help you? If you do not let me do what I came here for, you and all your friends are going to die."

That got her attention. All the fight drained out of her, replaced by disbelief and a vaguely horrified look. Her voice was shaking when she whispered angrily, her hands curling into fists. "You're lying. There's no way the lives of everyone can depend on me."

"You just proved your ignorance. You are the Sage of Shadow, whether you want to be or not. Without a Sage, the power of the Shadow Medallion has no way to hold the Seal that imprisons Ganondorf. If there is no one of Sheikah blood to watch the Temple, and to keep that channel between the Medallion and the Seal open, Ganondorf will be able to escape his imprisonment and wreak havoc on these lands once again." Reluctantly, Elenna realized Sheik was telling the truth. Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes hardening with determination. He sighed in relief, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "Now, you understand the burden you bear. Will you stop fighting me?"

Elenna said nothing. Moments passed until Sheik opened his eyes and looked down at her again, surprised to find her gazing at him with a sort of sadness that tugged at his heartstrings. What was it about this girl that made his heart more alive than it had been in millennia? The sound of her voice snapped him out of his musings, the softly spoken words barely heard above the pitter-patter of the rain.

"Will you stop treating me like a child?"

Considering her request, Sheik released his hold on her wrists and placed his hands on either side of her head. "What would have me treat you as?"

"An adult. That's what I am, after all." His low chuckle had her grimacing, furrowing her brow in annoyance. "What's funny?"

"When you start acting like an adult, I will treat you like one." Expecting angry words, Sheik was taken entirely off guard by Elenna's hands weaving into his hair as she arched her back, purposefully pressing herself against him. He could feel the curves of her shapely body even through the two tunics, his eyes going wide with shock as they met hers, the dark violet hues peeking seductively through thick eyelashes, matching the tone of her voice.. honey sweet and laced with a promise he hadn't contemplated in eons.

"I'm more adult than you're willing to admit, Sheik. What do I have to do to convince you?"

In a flash, Sheik pushed himself off of and away from her entirely. Elenna blinked, confused by his sudden absence, and propped herself up on her elbows, looking around to see where he'd gone. He stood not far away, his back to her, tugging the white material up around the lower half of his face again.

"Childish tricks will have the opposite effect of what you desire. Refrain from such idiocy and let me do my job." Without a backward glance, he strolled off into the shadows and disappeared. Elenna couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes, and even indulged in them when she was settled comfortably in her bed once more.

--

When Sheik went to Elenna's chambers the next day, she was nowhere to be found. Her room was cold and everything was in its place; even her nest was tidy, which told him she hadn't slept there that night. And despite the fact that he was highly attuned to her aura, he couldn't feel her anywhere. He was entirely unaware of where she had gone, and standing in the cold stone of her room, he panicked.

Unsure of where else he could go, he melded into the shadows of the Temple antechamber, to reappear in the Castle.. specifically, in Zelda's study. The young queen, bent over a stack of papers, was oblivious to his presence until he stepped forward and spoke. "Queen Zelda, I require your assistance."

"Eek!" Dropping her quill, Zelda turned wide eyes to Sheik, placing a gloved hand across her rapidly beating heart. Taking a deep breath, she laughed nervously, slumping back in her chair. "By the Goddesses, Sheik! You scared me half to death."

"My apologies." Crimson eyes glanced about the room, before he walked over to Zelda's desk and stood before it, arms hanging listlessly at his sides. He was fidgety, shifting his weight constantly from one foot to the other. "I did not mean to startle you, but I have a problem, and I desperately need your help."

For a moment, all Zelda could do was blink in utter bewilderment. Something the ageless Sheikah hero couldn't handle? It must be serious. Frowning, she leaned forward and clasped her hands atop the desk. "I shall do whatever I can to help, Sheik. What is the problem?"

"..Has Elenna come here sometime between last night and this morning?" Behind his facial coverings, he was struggling to control his expression; even though his face was unseen, he must keep his emotions on a tight rein. But he was worried about Elenna. The look of alarm on Zelda's face made his fear all the more potent, and he clenched his hands into fists.

"No. Why? Is she not at the Temple?" Sheik shook his head, and she stood quickly, hiking her skirts up a bit as she made her way around the desk and to the door, motioning for him to follow. "And you cannot sense her anywhere?"

"No. I cannot." It pained him to admit it, but if Zelda was going to help him, he had to tell her all the facts. Following the queen as she nearly ran through the halls, he almost groaned in dismay. Where could Elenna be? "Are you not attuned to her presence?"

"I am, but I cannot feel her if she is a certain distance away. I cannot feel her now." Glancing over her shoulder at Sheik, Zelda frowned and picked up the pace. Though she couldn't see his face, she could feel the tumultuous emotions he was undoubtedly struggling to control. A set of double doors was slammed open by the worried queen, and all the guards in the barracks, Link among them, leapt to their feet.

"Zelda?" Seeing the worry on Zelda's face, and the hovering form of Sheik behind her, Link nearly ran to his sister's side, pulling the barracks door closed behind him. He was all business now. "What's wrong?"

"Elenna is missing, and neither Sheik nor I can sense her anywhere." Now that she was with her brother, Zelda let the strong facade she forced herself to maintain as queen fall away. Biting her lower lip and wringing her hands fearfully, she looked at her brother with pleading eyes. "What should we do?"

"You stay here and see if she shows up. Sheik, you come with me. I think I know where she probably is." Link gave Zelda a reassuring smile and turned away, running out of the Castle and to the stables with Sheik hot on his heels. Grabbing Epona and a roan gelding for Sheik, the Hero of Time pulled himself up onto the mare's back and waited for Sheik to mount up. When the Sheikah male was in the saddle, they both took off at a gallop.

When the got to the Field, Link turned hard to the right, making Sheik quite confused. But, he followed the green-clad man anyway. Soon enough, he realized where they were going.. the Gerudo Fortress. Sure enough, Link skidded to a halt in front of the boxy stack of buildings and, after dismounting, entered. Sheik followed, ignoring the looks the Gerudo sent his way. Link led them through several twisting passages and a few well hidden doors, until they came to a large door engraved with the symbol of the Spirit Medallion. Pausing, he knocked, and waited for a reply with a vaguely amused expression.

Soon enough, the door was pulled open just enough for the room's usual occupant to slip out, pulling the door closed behind her. Nabooru smiled at the sight of her fiance, but it faded as the Hero stepped aside to reveal Sheik, making the expression shift to a highly displeased frown. Placing her hands on her hips, the golden-eyed woman glared at the Sheikah male, though she spoke to Link. "..I understand why you're here, but what is he doing here?"

"Elenna seems to be missing. I thought you might know where she is." Link had to bite back a smile; he knew just by the way Nabooru was acting towards Sheik that the Gerudo leader not only knew where Elenna was, but was hiding his adopted sister in her very quarters. But he could tell his woman was going to be difficult, which made him wonder.. what had happened to make Elenna leave, and to make Nabooru so made at Sheik?

"Maybe I do. Why should I tell him?" Now looking at Link, Nabooru jerked her head in Sheik's direction as she said 'him'. Sheik frowned, resisting the urge to throttle the infuriating Sage.

"It is my duty to train Elenna, you know this as well as any. How am I to accomplish this task if I cannot locate her?" There was a strong ward around the room, so if Elenna was inside, he wouldn't be able to feel her anyway. Crossing his arms, he glowered at Nabooru. Maybe Link could talk some sense into the woman. But it seemed his response just infuriated her further.

"You know what, screw your task. After what you did to her, I'll be damned if I let you come anywhere near her for a long while." Nabooru snapped at the masked man, and nearly leaped on him, but was held back by Link wrapping an arm around her waist. Baring her teeth in a snarl, she reluctantly settled back against her fiance, though her muscles were still tense and prepared for an attack.

"Do? What did Sheik do to Elenna?" Link frowned as he looked from Sheik to Nabooru, quite confused. Sheik made to respond, but before he could, Nabooru interrupted.

"Here. Let her tell you herself." Sliding out of Link's grasp, Nabooru opened the door to her rooms and shoved him inside, then pulled the door shut. Then she stood barring the way as Sheik attempted to enter, glaring daggers at the enigmatic male. "Don't even think about it. You know you can't get in this room if I don't want you in it, so you might as well just give up and go away. I won't let you anywhere near her till she's damn well ready to put up with you again."

"Nabooru--" His plea was cut off as the Sage of Spirit opened the door and went into the room with Link and Elenna, leaving Sheik quite alone in the corridor. Growling in frustration, he turned away and melded into the shadows, reappearing outside the Fortress. There, he mounted the gelding again and took off out of the Valley, heading to the Lake, mentally ranting about stubborn women and how much trouble they were.

--

Night had fallen by the time Elenna finished telling Link what had happened between herself and Sheik. By the end of the tale, she was laying on a thick pile of pillows in Nabooru's chambers, her head on her adopted brother's lap and the older woman stroking her back. Link frowned, pushing some of Elenna's pale hair back from her tearstained face as he pondered what he'd been told, and the overall message that had gone unspoken, but was obvious to him. Glancing at Nabooru, a question in his eyes, her frown and nod of agreement was all that he needed to know that what he perceived was in fact true.. if Nabooru realized it, it was fact. Laying his hand on Elenna's shoulder, Link sighed and spoke softly. "Elenna.. why don't you tell Sheik how you feel?"

"What are you talking about?" Sniffling, Elenna rubbed the tears from her eyes and sat up, tucking her knees beneath her chin and wrapping her arms around her legs. Her red-rimmed gaze turned to Link, lips twisted into a confused frown. "I don't feel anything for that man. He's infuriating, and frustrating, and cold-hearted, and.. and.. unbearable!"

Nabooru shook her head, smiling slightly as she ran her fingers through Elenna's long hair, drawing the young Sage's attention to her. "We can all see it. You just won't admit it to yourself."

Now Elenna was thoroughly befuddled. Tilting her head, she grimaced at Nabooru, then Link, before sighing. "I really don't know what you're talking about."

Smiling, Link shook his head, wrapping one arm around Elenna's shaking shoulders. "Little sister.. you're in love with him."

Silence filled the room. Abruptly, Elenna shrugged out from under the arm of her adopted brother and stood, turning to face him and Nabooru. The anguish they saw clearly expressed on her face made their hearts cry out for her, and Link wanted nothing more than to wipe away her tears. "Am I really so transparent? If you can see how I feel about him, can everyone else? Can he? If so, I might as well die now and relieve myself of the humiliation, knowing that he's laughing behind my back."

"No, Elenna." Nabooru shook her head, extending her hand to the distraught girl. Reluctantly, Elenna took her friend's hand, letting the Gerudo pull her down onto the pillows again and hug her tightly. "Link and I know you so very well.. that's how we can see it. Zelda is probably the only other one that would be able to."

Link nodded in agreement, again pushing Elenna's hair back from her face. "Why do you think he would laugh at you if he knew how you felt?"

Elenna laughed, but there was no amusement in her tone.. just bitterness, choked with unshed tears. "I told you what he said to me.. what he did.. why would he ever love me? I'm just a burden to him..."

As she broke down in tears, Nabooru and Link shared a worried look over her bowed head. This had to be fixed somehow.