Blood Moon: A Story Before the Calamity

Chapter 15

     "You'll want to marry eventually, Princess." His words were soft, almost inaudible. "Everyone finds love sometime in their lives."

     "Oh really?" Spite and bitterness laced her voice. "You'd think monthly balls ever since I was fourteen would have amounted to something at least! But every man I've met loved not me, but the title before my name! And with my seventeenth birthday so near..."

     "You need to keep faith, Princess." Surprisingly, there was a light hint of sadness in his eyes. "It is out of my power to ease this for you. I cannot help you in such matters."

     Zelda sighed, looking away. "I don't expect you to. After all, I need time to find someone. However, time is the one thing I don't have."

     Watching Link gently stroke the bird who was fast asleep, Zelda was suddenly struck by how safe she felt, considering what happened to her last night, to be in a room alone with a boy. Maybe it was the shining sun flooding the room with warm radiance, maybe it was the quiet atmosphere, or maybe it was just Link's presence, the one who saved her life and her dignity.

     She ended up staying in his room for a while, watching him softly smile at the little bird snoozing in the comfort of his hand.

     That night, after another day of praying at the Statue right outside Hyrule Castle Town, Zelda was lying on her bed, mulling over her thoughts. 

****

     Sheik looked around the corners of the Castle Hall before sneaking on with the silence only a Sheikah can achieve. Heading down to the Knight's Training Room without being noticed normally was easy, but tonight there were more servants around than normal. Nevertheless, she made it safely to her night-time practice room and looked around.

     It didn't seem to have been in use for a while. The straw dummies were neatly piled away in a row, and the blades were shiny and flawless. Pulling out a long hunting knife, she set up a dummy and practiced her basic moves, cursing how rusty she was at blades. She was just closing off a finisher when a sword stopped her blade mid-air. The clang of metal and metal echoed around the room.

     Sheik gasped. She wasn't alone.

     A hooded figure whose face was thrown in darkness was facing her, a blade outstretched, blocking hers. 

     "Well well... who have we here?"

     There was something familiar about his voice, but Sheik couldn't think about that now. Assassin? Monster? At least her disguise should work, she hoped. The mask covered her lower face, and the particular way her hair was done hanged into her eyes, blocking their distinctive green tint. The Sheikah clothes masked her body shape that defined her as a girl. 

     A hand was stretching out from underneath the robes of the stranger. When they met hers, her breathing hitched. Gently, softly, they adjusted her fingers, turning her grasp into a stronger, more suppled position. 

     "Who are you?"

     The stranger didn't answer. He was holding out his blade to her, in an obvious invitation to duel. Swallowing nervously, Sheik touched her knife to his, crossing them.

     Then the duel began. He didn't look it from his size, but he was fast. Sheik spun away from the offensive and counterattacked, but she didn't have the advantage of experience that the stranger had. He ducked and swung his blade, timing it perfectly, and stopped his attack a hair's width from her neck. 

     The light of battle was lighting up Sheik's eyes. She twirled away and attempted an attack on his back, but then he turned just before she could manage to land it, and parried her attack effortlessly. Twisting out of the way, Sheik darted forwards while the stranger was still recovering from the shock and attacked, jumping to the side as he blocked and, in a defensive position, met his attack with her blade, and thrust it back at the stranger so the impact would stun him for a few seconds. However, he wasn't at all fazed and saw her move coming a moment before it did and counterattack swiftly. His blade, once again, ended up at her throat.

     "Good..." His voice, that familiarity again. "So you've improved over all these years."

     Sheik's eyes widened. It can't be. Not possible. But then...

     The stranger was reaching up, slowly pulling down his hood. His face was down, still masking his identity, but when he raised his eyes to meet Sheik's, she let out an audible gasp.

     "Ty-Tyander?"

A/N: Okay. So. How many of you have I fooled into thinking it was Link 🤣?