The Legend of Zelda: Blood and Spirit

Chapter 27: Worth Fighting For

Chapter 27: Worth Fighting For

Zelda took in a deep breath of fresh air as she stepped out of the Healing House back in Kakariko Village and into the dusk outside. Despite the fact that the sun had been shining bright most of the day, dark clouds were appearing on the horizon, most likely bringing a storm with them. The girl cast her worried gaze in that direction as a million thoughts flooded her mind at once. Just inside the Healing House was her hero, who had been unconscious for the past several hours as the Sheikah healers, under Sheik's direction, rushed to treat his many wounds. They were bewildered at the fact that he was still even alive after all of the abuse his body had gone through at the hands of the Interlopers, but the Sheikah leader only gave them a brief, vague explanation as to how he survived. As the physicians worked on cleaning and stitching Link's wounds up, Fi had solemnly reported to Zelda and Sheik that, during his captivity in the Interlopers' fortress, his corruption levels had risen to 70% and she estimated that he only had a little over a week or two left before he succumbed to it completely. Neither of them gave much of a reaction to this grim news, but they were both largely thinking the same thing when they heard it: the hero had so little time left and neither of them could bear to lose him. Zelda was admittedly too worn out from the events of the past two days to outpour her emotions in tears like she normally would have, so she simply decided to leave Link in the capable care of the Sheikah healers while she stepped outside to clear her head.

As she was musing over all of this, Zelda hardly noticed as Sheik stepped out of the Healing House and joined her in watching the setting sun. The two girls exchanged a brief glance before entering in a prolonged, somewhat awkward silence. Not surprisingly, Sheik was the first one to speak up.

"He'll be fine, you know," she said encouragingly as she looked towards the girl. "Our physicians are the best around. They know what they're doing. They say that once they fix him up, all he'll need is to get his rest so he can fully recover."

Zelda sighed, lowering her head and closing her eyes. "You and I both know that he'll never really be fine again," she said quietly, her tone calm, yet saddened. "You heard Fi: he only has a few days left to live and then he'll be gone forever… All we did was save him from more torture…"

Sheik tried to think of something to reassure the girl, but she ultimately found truth in her bitter words. Despite the fact that they had freed the hero from the Interlopers' grasp, there was still nothing they could do to free him from corruption. And so, she sighed as well as she leaned against the side of the Healing House and fiddled with the tip of her braid as the two girls resumed their silence once more.

As the two of them stood side by side however, Zelda was suddenly reminded of the conversation she had heard that morning and her curiosity was immediately aroused. "Is it true?" she asked Sheik, breaking through the silence without thinking about how she planned on addressing this touchy subject.

"Is what true?" the Sheikah leader asked, looking over at her in confusion.

"I heard you and Fi talking this morning," the girl said somewhat hesitantly. "Is it true that you… you love him too?"

Sheik's eyes grew wide upon hearing this as a sudden unnamable fear ran through her. The last thing she wanted was for the goddess to be angry with her because she admired her hero from afar. She had half a mind to deny it, but since she had basically confessed it to the sword spirit earlier, she sighed and lowered herself to the ground in a humble bow before the girl, inclining her head in respect before she began. Zelda started to protest to this, feeling uncomfortable about this show of reverence towards her, but Sheik interrupted her before she could.

"Your grace, I… I am truly sorry…" the Sheikah leader said with regret. "I have wronged you and for that, I have great shame. I will not lie to you. It is true that I… I harbor a hidden… affection for your hero, even though I know that he does not reciprocate it and even though I know the two of you are married. I realize that in my misguided affections, I have not only desecrated the sacred traditions of my tribe, but I have also proved disloyal to the goddess that I vowed to serve. You may punish me as you see fit, your grace. I deserve it."