Seven Years Part 23.5 and 24

Sorry about the long delay... but major computer problems held back production.

“Of course Impa… See you around!”
Turning Shiek jogged happily out of the village. She desperately wanted to get some alone time to clear her mind, so Shiek pulled out her harp to warp to Lake Hylia.

The evening was beautiful. The air was cool, the setting sun shone like red gold over the cliffs on the western side of the lake, shining on the water and causing Lake Hylia to look as though it burned with fire. Shiek sighed, feeling something almost akin to content run through her. Hyrule was a beautiful land, and it was her land. She could feel evil’s grip slipping, and that was cause for much comfort. With every sage that Link awakened Shiek felt strength growing in her. Gannondorf was big, dark, and terrible, but right now he seemed far away and weaker then ever. Sighing happily, Shiek smiled again, continuing to stare out over the reddened, still waters of Lake Hylia.

She was just staring to feel relaxed when the air in front of her shimmered slightly, and Link formed in front of her. He was looking out the same way she had been, his back to her, staring out at the sinking sun. She was about to say something, when Link began talking to Navi, who had just zipped out from under his hat.
“Wow. I mean fricken wow.”
“LINK, JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT SHE HAD SAID WHEN YOU FIRST MET HER… IT WAS ALMOST PREDICTABLE…”
“Well, she might have implied something, but were did she get that I said yes?”
“JUST BE GLAD YOU HAVE A FIANCEE,” Navi sniggered, “I HONESTLY SURPRISED THAT ANY ONE WOULD WANT YOU THAT BAD…”
Shiek felt an arrow thunk into her heart. Link had a fiancée? How the heck did that work?
“Whatever Navi, I personally have no desire to marry a psychopath… Zora or otherwise…”
Marry? Shiek decided she needed to get a clearer picture of what was going on.
“Hey Link, beautiful night, huh?”
He glance surprised over his shoulder, but it was clear the relaxing night was mellowing out even the uptight hero.
“Oh yeah, it is… you have no idea how much I’ve missed seeing things like this over the years.”
“I thought you were asleep?”
“Oh yeah… guess I didn’t miss it all that much after all…”

The two laughed a quiet chuckle that trailed off into sighs.
“So what’s this about you getting married?” she was finally able to bring herself to ask.
“Oh that,” Link started laughing again, “apparently when Princess Ruto gave me the lake sapphire to give to Princess Zelda she thought it was engagement promise.”
“But you’re not?” Shiek tried to keep a hint of worry voice but from Link’s odd glance, she must have let it slip.
“Um, Shiek, I hate to bring back up a touchy subject, and I really don’t care if you’re gay, but I hope you aren’t like getting jealous, because I really, uh,”
“Oh no… nothing like that!” Shiek lied desperately, hoping to cover her tracts, “it’s just I’ve met her, and I know what a psycho she can be.”
“You have no idea,” Link sighed, rolling his eyes skyward in a gesture of patience, “but actually it’s ME that should be jealous. She mentioned you twice by name… you two get close while I slept?” he ended, smirking.
“Not. At. All.” Shiek replied, shuddering involuntarily in response.
“Dang, that’s almost a shame…” Link laughed, stretching expansively. Pausing he sighed again, looking out over the lake.
“Hyrule is so beautiful, Shiek… we have to take it back. We owe it to everyone to give them a batter life then the ones we had to lead… we have to-”
Shiek suddenly found Link’s voice drowned out by a voice shouting telepathically in her brain.

“So, you actually ARE still alive… more’s the pity. Don’t think that this redeems the Hylian race in my mind. You still are the ruler of an empire built by totally disrespecting good Zoras like my father.”
Shiek sighed. Having Ruto as a sage was going to get old fast.
“Look, Ruto, could we forget about how you and I hate each other and deal with larger enemies for a moment?”
“Well, I suppose for the sake of killing that-”
I forgot the cursing, Shiek thought in a back corner of her mind.
“-I could temporarily forget what a total-”
WHAT? What did she just call me?
“-you are and join forces… but this doesn’t change anything.”
“I’ll keep that in mind…”
“Oh and I used a spell to free the Zoras and thaw the fountain. Most of them should have lived through the ordeal… they were only under for about a day, and under the icy conditions most of them could have lived a few weeks.”
“Good… I’ll have to check it out.”
“Oh, yeah, and slut… stay the hell away from my boyfriend…”
Shiek was left so flabbergasted, that she couldn’t think up a single thing to say.

“Hey man? Yo, you still there?”
“What?” Shiek shook her head to clear it, returning to the people and places at hand, “Oh, sorry… I just was, uh, thinking…”
Link cocked his head to the side, blue eyes displaying skepticism. Turning back to look at the sinking sun, Link stared out over the lake. A stiff breeze had started, and pulled through his yellow hair, blowing the strands in front of his face around. The near constant evening winds had always been Shiek’s favorite part of Lake Hylia, and this was definitely reminding her why.
“Zora Fountain will soon thaw,” she intoned, stepping next to him, “The Hyrule River will flow again, and Lake Hylia will swell with water once again. The Zora nation will awaken, and Gannondorf’s regime is just that much closer to destruction.”
“How much more do you think there is?” Link asked, barely audible, “how long before things get better…”
“Soon I guess… but not all of that is in our hands.”
“Yeah, guess so…”
Shiek glanced over at him, surprised at the melancholy she heard in his voice. The blue eyes that stared out over the lake held a faraway look that held a strange look of longing. He looked so heroic, noble, and strong. But he also looked very tired.
“Link,” Shiek began, placing a hand on his shoulder, “when was the last time you slept?”
Link glanced down at her, a flash of anger in his eyes.
“No, seriously,” she quickly went on, realizing it probably sounded like she was jabbing at Link’s sore spot, “you look absolutely exhausted… have you rested even once since you started this quest?”
Link shook his head, a blush actually creeping across his face.
“Link! You’ve been awake for over three days? You seriously need to get some rest!”
Link turned and glared stubbornly out over the lake, crossing his arms and absently tapping his foot.
“I don’t have time for that! I need to fight Gannondorf and-”
“-and if you fall asleep while fighting him, he’s going to end up killing you! Seriously Link, for everyone’s good, I think you need find a place to lay low and sleep, or at least chill!”
“Guess you might be right… it’s just I’m so worried about Princess Zelda. I need to get this all done so I can see her.”
Oh, Narue… he’s talking about me! Please, please, please Link, I’m here waiting!
“I could never forgive myself if something happened to her… I mean, yeah, she can be annoying, but she’s really the only friend from the past that I haven’t seen yet,” Link punctuated the thought with a frustrated sigh.
Goddess, if I don’t get out of here I’m gonna end up saying something I’ll seriously regret.
“And hey, wouldn’t mind rubbing her nose in it a bit… I told her the whole Temple of Time thing was bad idea.”
Shiek sighed. Link really had a way of killing the mood. Sighing, she pulled out a Daku Nut.

“Get some rest, Link. You’ll need it soon.”

Throwing down the nut, Shiek quickly scaled the tree. Link revived and glanced around. Grunting in frustration, Link turned to the bridge.
“Goddess Navi… why the bloody heck does he do that? Couldn’t he ever just say ‘so long,’ ‘see you later,’ or heaven forbid ‘goodbye’…”
Shiek watched Link leave and sighed. As soon as the hero reached the shore, he swung up onto the large horse he had apparently picked up somewhere and struck off north across Hyrule Plains.

Sighing again, Shiek climbed out of the tree and started toward the bridge. She had crossed the bridge and was wandering towards the gated entrance of the lake it when the old telepathic ticking started back up.
“Zel? This is Saria. Can you hear me?”
“Sure can Saria, what’s up?”
“Link called on the Ocarina…He was asking about you and I was wondering if I was supposed to tell him about the whole Shiek thing. He’s really worried about you.”
“Maybe so, but Rauru doesn’t think it will be wise for Link to know my identity. Not yet at any rate.”
“Well, he is probably right. He is very wise and old after all. But I thought I should ask you… you are the princess after all. Well, I guess I will just have to avoid answering then. Thank you for talking Zel.”
“Oh, Saria,” Shiek mentally called before the forest sage cut out, “one thing… did Link mention where he was going to be tonight?”
“Oh, he mentioned he would probably ‘crash’ at Lon Lon Ranch. His old friend Malon told him he could use the barn anytime… I think that is very nice of her.”
Yeah, or something… Shiek thought, hiding the rather cynical thought from the innocent Kohria girl.
“Thanks Saria… I hope I can see you soon when his is all over…”
“Oh me too,” her thoughts were almost too excited, “When all this is over we will be able to have such fun… and Darundia will be around too; he’s so big and fuzzy like a giant teddy bear! I hope the rest of the sages are nice like him…”
“And Princess Ruto?”
“Oh,” Saria tone took on an odd sound, as though she were trying not as much to convince herself of something as Shiek, “She is kind of rough, but I think she means well under it all. She is, uh, very, well, important, so I guess she has had to be really tough on people over the years.”
“I was really important too,” Shiek replied, wondering how the polite girl would back out of this one.
“Oh, yes…” Saria’s tone burst back up to its overly happy ring, “and you are ever so nice. I hope that when we get your palace back I can come and spend the night, and you can come and visit my tree house as well!”
Shiek felt a wry grin tug at her mouth as she said goodbye.

It was time to visit Lon Lon.




Impa glanced with concern at the sky. Hyrule was known to have some prettying nasty storms, and tonight looked like things might get ugly. The evening had been clear, but even as the sun had been slipping away dark clouds had gathered, with almost unnatural quickness in the northwest. A steadily increasing breeze added to the feeling of impending doom, and Impa was will to bet at its current rate, the wind would be gale strength before long at all. Impa felt an uneasy shiver run through her body. Hyrule had storms yes, but something was wrong with it all; this weather didn’t seem natural.

The fact that the major landmark in the northwest was Gannondorf’s Tower didn’t help.

Nodding to the Gorshii brother as they ran for cover in the houses, Impa turned to see to the readiness of her own dwelling. Sighing, Impa walked up the stairs to her house wondering where Shiek could have gotten to. Storms and rain had always made the princess a bit wild and reckless, and that was not what she wanted to deal with right now. The sooner her ward showed up back in the village the better.

It was then she felt the first attack.

It was a grating sensation in her mind, as though a savage beast trapped inside her head was clawing to get out. It was so sudden, so vivid, so strong, that Impa nearly screamed. Taking in a gasping breath, Impa’s hands flew to her temples. She stumbled once, and sank to her knees, a small trickle of blood beginning to seep from her nose.
What in Din’s name, she wondered, letting a hand drop to the ground to steady herself. It had felt like some sort of mental attack, or perhaps something spiritual. To her knowledge Gannondorf didn’t have the power to do either of these things, and certainly not over such a distance. But the sensation returned, this time accompanied by a screeching howl ringing through her mind. If this wasn’t an attack on her, then it was undoubtedly an attack on something, or someone, very close to her.
Princess, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?
This time the onslaught wasn’t slowing. Impa sat back on her ankles, hunching down, her hands pressed hard against her temples. This time she could almost make out a howling voice, screaming in a mixture of pain and triumph.
“Did you really think you could hold me, mind-witch? I shattered the seal of your elders and betters! Your pathetic barrier is a joke! Even without Gannondorf’s aid, it is only a matter of time before I batter it to pieces!”

Drawling on reserves of strength even she had not been aware of, Impa pushed herself up and staggered toward the village well.
Shadow Phantom? Is he breaking the barrier? But why am I feeling the attack and not Jethro? He’s the shadow sage, not I…
Reaching the well, Impa felt the gnawing in her brain intensify. Shaking her head to try and clear it, the shiekah elder peered over the top of the well, down into its dark shaft. A chilling gust of wind seemed to shoot up at her from the well, coinciding with yet another stab of pain inside her head. There was no doubt about it; the Shadow Phantom was attacking her barrier.

Must get back to the shadow Temple, Impa thought, turning and staggering toward its entrance in the cliff behind the village graveyard. If she could make it to the temple, through the endless darkness and danger of the vile monument of death down to the incantation room, she might be able to strengthen the barrier again and keep the phantom at bay. But the Shadow Temple was a dark and foreboding place under the best of circumstances, and in her current state, bleeding freely from her nose and a disturbing trickle coming from her ears, there was little chance she would make it to the inner sanctum of the temple. But that little chance had to be taken… there was nothing for it.

Princess, I never was able to say goodbye… to tell you how proud I was. You grew up to be a lady your mother would have loved, and that I loved. If I could have saw you one last time, I could have told you how blessed I was to have cared for you, how much I wanted everything to work out for you, how much I wanted to see you with your children playing in the palace… mostly to tell you how much I loved you… more then you could even know Princess Zelda. If I had not such a great love for your mother, I could find it within me to call you my daughter…

She stood before the dark tunnel that led to the temple entrance. The pain caused by the phantom hurtling himself at her barrier was becoming more constant; a sure sign the wall was weakening. Even had she been in her physical prime, there would be little time. A dank chill seemed to emanate from the doorway, a warning sign to temple bandits that there were better places to scour for rupees.

I am sorry Princess… I cannot guard you any more...

Steeling herself, Impa, last of the shiekah, stepped into the blackness.





While she had been waiting for Toran to return from the cave, Shiek had left a temporary magic warp point in the barn at Lon Lon. At the time it seemed likely that it might be becoming the team’s headquarters, but of course the events of the next few days had thrashed that idea.
A few days… Shiek thought as she reformed in the dark barn, is that all it’s been? Guess so… it just seems as though so much has happened since then…
Draq and Scela, Toran’s new absence, Link’s arrival, Keef’s treachery, the sack and restoration of Gordon City, Link’s relentless progress in his quest… the highlights of the past week alone were enough to fill several diaries, let alone the details and her feelings; Shiek feared her last green book might not make it to Gannondorf’s fall.

Glancing around the room, the princess let her eyes adjust to the darkness, searching for something. After a moment she was able to discern an old heavy chest in far corner. Shiek had been giving what Impa would probably call “a rash idea” some very heavy thought. It had been started by Saria, though the Forest Sage probably had no idea of the seed she had planted.

“I thought I should ask you… you are the princess after all…”
Damn right I am, she thought walking over to the chest, and it’s time I started thinking for myself…

Digging through the chest, she came out with her thin golden crown and the red dress Malon had loaned her.
Link is risking his life for my cause; he at least deserves to know I am alive, Shiek thought as she shucked off her weather stained shiekah costume and pulled on the dress. She was trying to keep her ulterior out of her mind, but she knew full well that part of her wanted to reveal her secret to Link so that he would realize she was still alive… that she loved him… that he loved her… that he didn’t need Malon to fill the void that she was supposed to be filling…

It took quite awhile to fix the dress properly by herself. Before it was over Shiek had thanked all three goddesses repeatedly for blessing her with a great deal of flexibility. She shook out her long yellow hair, combing out the long single braid she normally kept it in to let it fall down her back. She didn’t have anyone to help her, so Shiek decided to keep to simple. After pulling back most of the hair from sides to reveal her long pointed Hylian ears, she carefully braided the excess in a single braid down the middle of her back. She had left a few locks falling straight down the side of her head to frame her face. Looking at herself in the mirror Malon had left in the barn, Shiek decided she had done the best she could without help. The one thing she couldn’t decide was whither she should go with red eyes or blue. Blue was her natural color, and melded beautifully with her hair, but the red eyes matched her dress and ruby studded crow slightly better. After shifting from one to the other countless times, Shiek finally came to rest on blue. She wanted Link to see her tonight for who she really was, and the eyes were part of that.

Stealing out into the dark barnyard, Shiek felt a sharp breeze pull at the hem of her dress. A storm looked to be brewing, and Shiek was grateful for the fact. Revealing herself to Link would actually take a good deal of courage, and stormy weather had always helped boost her more (as Impa termed it) “reckless” behavior. The barnyard was dark, but the moon was full enough to allow her eyes to adjust to the night quickly. She saw the shape of a figure standing in the middle of the corral and started towards it, but she had not even reached the round-up’s fence before she realize the dark silhouette wasn’t Link. The sound of a feminine voice humming Malon’s trademark song was also a nice tip off. Shiek leaned on the fence and looked at the young ranch maid, who was staring forlornly off at the moon. The princess could actually feel a twinge of pity for her. Link might be hers, but Malon had loved him too, and Shiek knew how much her and Link’s relationship would hurt the girl.

It was then that Shiek noticed the second figure.

Link’s unmistakable half-jogging gate, a bobbing blue fair desperately trying to keep up, massive sword slung over the shoulder; if the Hero of Time ever had to travel incognito, Hyrule would surely be lost…

Shiek tried to get closer without been seen, which given her current apparel was much harder then normal. She didn’t have to get too close though, as the increasing breeze brought the word to her across the corral.
“Hey Malon…”
“Fairy Boy!” the ranch girl practically gushed, “you’re back!”
“Yeah, I am… hey, you’re dad get back in?”
“Yes, he did… and he said you were the one that got him back on his feet in the bar… and Indigo is back to normal. He must have been under some kind of mind control spell or something… he doesn’t remember anything since about five years ago, just before he took over the ranch… thank you ever so much Link, I owe you so much!”
“You don’t owe me anything Malon; in fact, I owe you a great deal.”

They were standing WAY to close… this wasn’t right at all. Navi had zipped inconspicuously back under Link’s cap, apparently realizing she wasn’t needed for this conversation. Malon took a step closer, and not ever the stiffening wind could chill the fire that burned on Shiek’s face.

“Why is that, Fairy Boy?” every time Shiek heard the pet name float over the corral she died a little more.
“Without you, I would have had nothing to dream of for seven long years…”

The words hit Shirk like an arrow to the chest. She wanted to scream, but her throat was too dry to even whisper.

“Fairy Boy,” Malon wasn’t practicing her slower pace with Link anymore. The ranch girl practically threw herself into Link’s chest, and Shiek could only watch in horror as her hero’s arms folded around the small red-haired beauty clinging to him.
“Saria told me tonight that Princess Zelda is alive, so everything is on track. Soon all this darkness will be over and then you’ll be safe. I’ve loved you so much Malon… I still remember the first time I met you outside of Hyrule Palace all those years ago. Remember how I’d come and show you all the Spiritual Stone I won before I’d take them to Princess Zelda back at the palace? You always thought they were so pretty, and your laugh was the most musical thing I have ever heard. I knew even then that I wanted to save Hyrule so it could be a place where you and I could be together.”

Shiek could watch any longer. Turning slightly, she stuffed a fist at her mouth, biting hard on her middle knuckle to keep from screaming. Link loved Malon. Link loved Malon. Link loved Malon. Link loved Malon. Worst of all, Link had ALWAYS loved Malon. When he had spoken of missing someone for seven years, he hadn’t been speaking of her at all… Link, Hero of Time, loved Malon, Girl of the Ranch.

They were kissing now. Why had she glanced back over her shoulder? Why?
“It’s getting cold, Malon,” the voice was clear, yet it seemed miles away, “you should get inside…”
“Would you… would you like to come with me?”

Shiek’s heart froze.
NO! Her mind screamed, NO! NO! NO! NO! THIS CAN NOT BE!
For a few seconds that seemed to tick off an eternity, there was silence.

“Oh Narue, yes…” Malon and Link pressed into another embrace, and Shiek felt her knees give totally out. Sinking down, she curled into a ball, fists grabbing handfuls of the grass as she shook uncontrollably.

This had to be the worst night of her entire life…

Seven Years part 23

Here is the next section. Please read and comment!


Link was headed to Zora Fountain, but he would need to follow Ruto to Water Temple in order awaken the Water Sage and unfreeze the Zora nation. As much as she might like to give him some room right now, Shiek needed to give Link the hunt down Link in the iced over caves and give him the Water Temple warp song. Pulling out her harp, she pulled the first few cords of the Forest Minuet to whisk herself to the Lost Woods and its warp point to Zora Fountain.

As Shiek entered King Zola’s throne room, she heard Navi’s voice echoing out from the back of the room in the hall that led to the caves that surrounded the lake where she rescued Princess Ruto. She had figured he would beat her here, but that would make it easier to locate him anyway. She darted after the sound, trying to stay close without actually entering view; and, given what she knew about Link’s combat ability, that meant not staying close at all. She walked out on the dock that jutted out into the lake just in time to see Link leap from a large chunk of ice floating in the lake to the entrance of the caves. Leaping to the first ice block, Shiek made to follow. When her feet hit the ice, Shiek felt herself begin to slide. Cursing, she flailed desperately, seeking something to grab, but there was nothing to grab and the ice began to slip down on her side under the added weight.

Sheik hit the water with a splash, and felt it instantly soaked her with its chilling rush. Gasping in a sharp breath, Shiek nearly struck out for the far wall where Link had disappeared. She had only gone about half way when she realized that there was no way she could scale the wall up to the cave… she was going to have to swim back to the dock and try jumping from one frozen chunk of ice to another again.

The processes of reaching the cave eventually took three soakings and a good thirty minutes. Shiek was sopping and cold by the time she entered the cave, teeth chattering in the near artic chill. She walked cautiously through the cave, glancing at her strange disfigured reflection in the ice-covered walls. Shiek had never been in the caves before, and it was a bit unnerving to venture into one of the only places in Hyrule she had yet to explore; especially with the ice distorting everything. After following several twisting passages, and completely losing all sense of direction, Shiek happed upon a large cavern that looked like it housed what must have been a sizable pond before the freezing. At the far side of cavern stood Link, pulling something out of a large chest. Swallowing hard, Shiek stepped closer, wondering how things would go this time.

“Hey Link,” Shiek said, voice catching slightly; given the circumstances it seemed better that she refrain from her usual entrance.
He turned and gave a half-smile, as though his mind were really on something else.
“Yeah, hey…”
He was wearing a Zora Tunic, a magical cloth that gave a regular Hylian the ability to breath under water. It was pretty much the same deal as a Gordon Tunic: vastly useful, vastly rare, and vastly overpriced. Shiek was glad Link had found one somewhere, because he’d be needing it for the next temple. And besides, its dark blue coloring set off his sapphire eyes quite vividly.
“These boots have iron on them. Any idea why I was supposed to come get them?”
“HEY LINK,” Navi broke in “WASN’T THERE SOMETHING YOU WERE GOING TO SAY?”
Link sighed, and nodded.
“Yeah, I remember Navi… I was going to wait for a more opportune moment, but since you ruined it; Shiek, I’m sorry about the whole fight thing, you didn’t deserve it. As you said, you’ve lost a lot too, and I don’t really have the right to come back after seven years of absence and say the things I said. I told Navi as we were riding over here that I feel horrible for all the things that happened to people like you while I was gone. See, Princess Zelda and I started messing with things we really didn’t understand… we caused all this, and then neither of us were around to help clean it up. I mean, she probably has a good reason, she’s the last of the royal line and needs to be alive when Gannondorf dies after all, Impa’s probably got her under lock and key. But me, I just slept through it all. Damn, I’ve been such a loser, and then I try to make up for it by ridiculing good people like you who’ve had to live through this hell. I really blew it man… sorry.”

Shiek was taken aback. Maybe Navi was right; maybe Link wasn’t that horrid. After all, it couldn’t be easy to go through the guilt Link was obviously feeling. Moreover, going to sleep at thirteen and waking to find yourself twenty had to be a shock to the system, on a hormonal level alone…

“It’s ok Link… just forget about it, ok? You wanted to know about the boots? They’ll help you in a lot of ways. For starters they will pull you to the bottom of Lake Hylia which, in conjunction with your Zora Tunic, will allow you to enter the Water Temple.”
“Is that around here?” Link asked, gesturing back towards the cave entrance.
“No, but-”
“But you have a ga- uh- a song to get me there…”
“Right,” Shiek smiled slightly. He might suck at being less sarcastic, but at least he was trying.

“Time flows on unendingly. Fate is like a vast lake, yet even-”
“Goddess! Shiek look out!”

Shiek ducked under Link’s blade as it slashed above her in a level sweep. She heard bone snap behind her, and realize Link must have just decapitated a Skultoid. Whirling in her crouched position, Shiek watched two more of the skeletons drop to the floor, brandishing heavy weaponry and armor.
“You want to take the ugly one?” Link asked, holding the large Biggeron out in an open fighting stance.
“Uh, neither of them seem overly pretty-”
“Good, let’s go!”

Link darted at the Skultoid on the left, sword back for a strike, hands at waist level. Being unarmed, Shiek was less willing to just throw herself at the remaining minion. Skipping in, she tossed a left jab at the Skultoid. Predictably, it jerked up its shield, to guard itself from the blow. Shiek pressed the advantage by ducking in and stamping hard on the skeleton’s ankle, and was rewarded by a terrific snap. Jerking back up with the knee of the same leg she connected solidly with the side of the Skultoid’s knee, fracturing it easily in its off-balanced position. Heedless of the fact that both its legs had just been incapitated, the Skultoid swung out with its scimitar as it sank down to its knees. Shiek quickly rolled out to the way of the stroke and darted behind the big skeleton. Wrapping her arms around the skull, Shiek yanked hard, snapping the neck. The Skultoid’s body crumpled to the floor, and Shiek quickly glanced to see if Link needed help. She gasped in surprise.

“Wha?”
“Nice moves, very cool!”

He was standing in the wreckage of not one, but three Skultoids. A wide grin was on his face, Link was leaning causally on the handle of his sword.
“I take it you fought these kind of things before?”
“Uh, yeah,” Shiek said, still wondering where the other two Skultoids had come from, “you can’t spend much time fighting Gannondorf without meeting bonies sooner then later… where the other two come from?”
“Dropped down from the ceiling just as I killed the first one. Sorry that I didn’t leave you one, but hey, you snooze you loose, right?”
Shiek flushed slightly, and shrugged.
“That’s ok… I’m better when I sneak up on things, so I don’t care.”
“More the assassin ninja type, eh?” Link asked, bending to pick up a few rupies the skeletons had dropped.
“Something like that,” Shiek said, beginning to smile. It was nice that Link was starting to recognize her contributions.
“Well, like I said, I’d love to have you around for the next temple… Obviously you know how to handle yourself in a fight, even if you are a little slow…” he finished with a smirk.
“Sorry, only someone with a Zora Tunic could manage to navigate the Water Temple. And mine was destroyed in a most unfortunate accident about two years ago.”

Shiek taught Link the Serenade of Water and watched as he warped off to the temple. Turning, she walked out of the cave unable to repress a small smile. It was a shame that Scela had unwittingly trashed her Zora Tunic; she would have loved to continue on with Link.

Shiek wondered what she might do while waiting for Link to figure his way through the virtual maze that was the Water Temple. The most pressing thing seemed to be helping the newly liberated Gordons get their city back in order; also, Impa would probably be in that area. Strumming a few strands on her harp, Shiek whisked herself to the Fire temple.

As Shiek entered the throne room of Gordon City through the hidden entrance the sound of quite a hubbub assailed her. Obviously the restoration on Gordon City was already in full swing. Stepping out into the mass confusion that was going on in the main cavern, Shiek couldn’t help but wish that her team was there. This thronging mob was going to be quite a handful, and extra crowd control numbers would be sorely appreciated before the day was out. Gordons were everywhere, pushing, jostling, grabbing; all in all the rioting mob seemed to be doing more damage to the cavern the Gannondorf’s armies. After spending a good twenty minuets worming her way through the crowd, Shiek reached the second level, where things seemed slightly more organized. After walking along the crowded street for a bit she saw why: Impa was shouting directions from on top of a crate.

“I SAID RESIDENTS ONLY ON THE LEVEL AT THIS TIME!”
“MISTRESS IMPA! WE NEED TO GET THROUGH OVER HERE!”
“MISTRESS IMPA! SHOPS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE LEVEL NEED TO REPAIR!”
“RESIDENTS ONLY! SHOPS LATER!”
“MISTRESS IMPA!”
“MISTRESS IMPA!”
“MISTRESS IMPA!”

Shiek skillfully dodged through several hoarding bodies to the box Impa was standing on. Reaching up, she tugged at her guardian’s ankle, realizing that there was no way Impa would hear her over the roar of the crowd. Impa growled, and glared down at her newest tormenter, but her face softened when she saw Shiek grinning back at her.

“Shiek, thanks the goddesses you are here!” she shouted, trying to be heard over the hubbub, “the lower levels are utter chaos right now, we can not do anything about it at this time though; we would need an army of crowd control to stop the riot going on.”
“I know,” Shiek shouted back, having to grab onto the crate to keep from being swept away and trampled in the masses, “I just came from there. I’d give anything to have my team back right now… Plarth’s too, actually.”
“Well, we can not bring back the fallen, but Toran is desperately trying to help the hoards of Gordons flooding into the residential level upstairs. They are coming both up from the lower floors and in through the main city entrance on his level. See if you can help him.”

The top level was not as chaotic as the lowest one that Shiek had entered, but it was close and looked close to spiraling quickly downward. Toran never had been known for his organizational skills, and the top level was the by far the largest, which lent to the growing confusion. Toran was waving franticly, trying to be heard over the mob.
“Uh, hey guys, uh, could we all calm down a bit?”
Toran’s words bounced off the crowd like water off a rock. Groaning, his arm fell limply to his sides, hazel eyes displaying complete loss and frustration. Shiek thought he actually looked on the verge of tears.
“Toran, for the love of Narue, get the hell off of that box,” Shiek said, jumping up next to him, “do us both a favor and do something you’re actually good at, like getting the Gordon kids out of this mad house and entertained. Or better yet, help move some of these people back into their homes.”
Toran’s arms wrapped around her, a quaver in his voice that belied his near hysterical state.
“Oh Shiek! Oh thank Naria! We so needed someone who knew what they were doing up here. I was about to lose it!”
“Yes, I see that, now we need a plan… is there any system to this?”
“No, they won’t listen… they’re on the verge of rioting and there’s nothing we can do about it!”
Glancing around the chaotic masses, Shiek quickly assessed the situation for what might be the best course of action.
“Toran, find five or six of the larger Gordon who seem to be in control of themselves. Have two of them block off the entrance up from the lower level and two block off the main entrance to the city. We need to deal with the people already here before more come in. Take the other ones and start helping people get in their homes and situated. Tell them once they get there that they are not allowed to leave their homes until an all clear is sounded. We HAVE to get people off the road and into their homes. Go now!”

Toran nodded and darted off. Shiek stood straighter on the box and began to shout out some direction. Sealing off the level might back up Impa a bit, but they could deal with the second level later, and if they didn’t get this crowd under control the job would be impossible.

It took about an hour for Shiek to bring a semblance order to the crowd. Within three hours the level was moving quite efficiently, and Toran’s little moving team was making real headway. Shiek gave the order to slowly let more Gordons trickle in, and before long the upper level was in a reasonable order, its families tucked into their homes.

Shiek, Toran, and a few of the Gordons that were helping move people trekked down to Impa’s level and began the process all over again. With the aid of extra Gordons and Impa, the smaller second level was over relatively quickly. After conferring with Impa, Shiek determined that the lowest level, which was mostly a commercial area, was a lost cause for the day. The mob on the lower level had reduced itself to a riot. Shiek ordered the level sealed off, and left Toran in charge of overseeing the guard. The whole process had been exhausting, and the sun was setting as Impa and Shiek exited Gordon City.
“Goddess!” Shiek half groaned half yawned as she stretched expansively, “That was a job and a half, and it’s gonn’a all happen again in the morning…”
“True,” Impa said, standing in her usual ramrod position, “but Toran will be a massive help with the clean up. He might not be able to bring a crowd to order, but he is always willing to clean and is good enough at leading a small group. A tireless worker too…”
“He sure is,” Shiek nodded, “I could always count on him to keep going when most people dropped… like now, no way would I be able to deal with heading up the guard detail.”
“Speaking of dropping, there are a few things more I must do before I can retire. You will be coming to my house tonight correct?”
“Yeah, but I wanted to go de-stress a bit…”
“Certainly princess, though please return before it gets too late.”
“Uh, ok… why the concern?” Impa generally didn’t generally go out of her way to offer this command.
“Well, we started a chat this morning, and it seems like forever since, well…”
Shiek couldn’t resist a giggle at Impa’s uncharacteristic un-poised and hesitant manner.
“Are you trying to say you miss talking to me?” in all honesty Shiek was missing it too; it had been a good three weeks since they had shared a discussion on anything.
Impa made a show of pulling herself straighter and crossing her arms, putting an unconcerned look on her face.
“I merely think it would be good for us to get on the same page about things that are going on. For tactical purposes of course…”
“Of course Impa… See you around!”
Turning Shiek jogged happily out of the village.