Winter Fun
 

Sheik yawned as he walked through the cold stone halls of Hyrule Castle. He pauses when he 
hears Link and Kage moving around in their rooms, wondering how they could endure their now 
cold rooms. 

"I really dislike cold weather." Sheik muttered, shivering a little bit, as he continued on his way to 
the warmest place in the castle; the kitchen.

"Up early again, I see. Don't you ever sleep in?" the cook asked, as she waved a sticky, yet sweet 
smelling ladle in front of Sheik.

"I haven't slept in since I came under the care of Aunt Impa. She'd dump me in the river if I ever 
slept in." Sheik said, jokingly, as Link and Kage came into the kitchen, obviously looking for 
warmth, like he was.

"'Mornin' Sheik." Kage said, as he sat on a stool near the fire.

"Good morning, Kage. I take it you slept well in that frozen waste of a room you've got?" Sheik 
asked, getting an unreadable look from Kage in the process. 

"You've been hangin' around Navi and Mizuu, haven't you?" Kage asked, as the cook gave the 
three of them some hot chocolate in order to warm up. Sheik only smiled, knowing that no 
answer at all drove Kage crazy.

"I think you'd better take that as a yes, Kage, since you won't get a yea or nay from him." Link 
said, with a grin. Kage didn't say anything more, but merely resigned himself to watching the 
cook prepare breakfast.

"If you boys are quite warmed up now, please go down to the dining hall! I don't like people 
watching me when I cook!" the cook said, as she ushered the three men out.

"Link! Sheik! Kage! Come here! Quick!" Zelda shouted, sounding excited.

"Let's go! A little running will keep us warm!" Link said, as he led the charge, with Kage and 
Sheik on his heels. They arrived in the library where Zelda and Malon waited, their eyes shining 
with excitement.

"What's all the excitement about?" Link asked, as he stood with his two friends.

"Look outside, Link!" Zelda said, as she showed the three men to a window. All around, as far as 
the eye could see, Hyrule was covered in a layer of powdery white.

"Snow! By Din! It snowed last night! I haven't seen snow since before I joined the Kokiri!" Kage 
exclaimed, happily.

"I wonder if we could build snowmen with that snow?" Link said, speaking his thoughts aloud.

"Great. More cold stuff." Sheik grumbled, obviously not thrilled about the whole idea of snow. 

"Why are you so sour? It's only snow, Sheik!" Malon teased, as the male Sheikah made a face 
about the cold white stuff.

"He just doesn't like getting cold. He and Impa are a lot alike as far as likes and dislikes." Zelda 
said, giggling when Sheik gave her an unreadable look.

"Then let's find some warm clothes and get out there before it melts!" Kage said, as Zelda 
ushered some servants in, those of whom had bundles of clothing for the five of them.

"Already taken care of, Kage." Zelda said, as a surprised Kage received some of the warm clothes 
from a servant.

Moments later, they were all outside. Before Sheik could go somewhere to sulk, Kage threw a 
snowball at his back.

"You've got a death wish, Shadow Elf!" Sheik shouted, as he rolled some snowballs of his own 
and started throwing them. Within seconds of getting outside, a snowball war began between 
Sheikah and Shadow Elf. Link and Zelda split up and joined sides; Link with Kage and Zelda 
with Sheik. Malon joined with Link and Kage, after she had seen that Zelda was the only female 
on the field. Although he didn't like to admit it, Sheik was actually having fun! A few of the Six 
Sages, who had been staying in Hyrule for a visit, came out to see what all the commotion was 
about.

"Oooh! A snowball fight! I want to get in on it!" Ruto shouted, gleefully, as she went to join in on 
the fun.

"Hmm. This could prove to be interesting! I have never played in this stuff before." Nabooru said, 
as she joined Sheik's group. Impa merely shook her head and went back inside, having had 
enough cold weather for her tastes.

"What's goin' on out he.........?!??" Mizuu asked, before being carried off in a 
snowball. That of which only seconds later landed with a `splat' in Kage's face.

"Heheh. I win." Sheik said, with a smile, as Kage and Mizuu started grumbling expletives under 
their breaths. 

"Good work, Sheikah Warrior." Nabooru said, then added, "You've got a good throwing arm."

"Thank you. Now, who wants to start another snowball war with me?" Sheik asked, just daring 
someone to say something. No one said a word, but they could hear some barely contained 
giggles from Ruto as Link took off his white scarf and waved it in the air, signaling that he 
wanted to surrender. Sheik raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and went to see what else he could 
get into.

"That Sheikah of yours is quite the character, Princess." Nabooru said, as she watched the 
Sheikah go into the stable.

"Yes, he is. But he has been a close friend of mine since we were children." Zelda said, looking 
confused when Sheik came out of the stable with Tama and something slung over his shoulder.

"I think he's going to Lake Hylia! He might be going to see if the ice is thick enough to skate 
on!" Ruto said, as the Sheikah mounted and rode off, the horse's hooves sending the snow around 
rise in a fine powder.

"Then let's follow him! I wouldn't mind getting some skating in myself!" Link said, with a grin 
as memories from his days in the Kokiri Forest came to him. 

"Link, do you know how to ice skate?" Zelda asked, as she and the rest of the `snowball warriors' 
went into the stable to get their horses.

"I used to go ice skating when I lived in the Kokiri Village. There was a small lake just beyond 
the village's boundary and when it froze solid enough, we would go skate. I may be a little rusty, 
after not doing it for so long, though." Link said, as they led their horses out of the stable and into 
Hyrule Castletown. 

"Well, at least you have some experience! I have never even seen snow until today, much less 
skated on ice!" Nabooru said, as they went into a shop that specialized in snow gear and bought 
some ice skates.

Sheik sighed as he fitted the skates onto his feet. How long had it been since he had done this? He 
swallowed the lump in his throat when he thought of the last time; it had been with his family, 
before Ganondorf had appeared and killed them. With some resolve, he got up and skated around 
on the surface of the cleared ice. The Zoras had worked hard to get the ice clear before the people 
of Hyrule came to enjoy some ice-skating. Hiding his sorrow beneath a mask of serene calm, 
Sheik started into a graceful routine, his lean body making it easy to execute the most difficult 
moves. He was so caught up in what he was doing, that he wasn't aware that someone had joined 
him on the ice until he stopped.

"That was wonderful! You've got a lot of skill!" a female voice said, as its owner skated over to 
the startled Sheikah.

"I....erm..uh....thank you...." Sheik stuttered, when he saw what the woman 
looked like. She wore the simple leathers of a gypsy merchant, but they suited her delicate grace. 
Her long, copper hair was tied back with a colorful piece of ribbon and her rust colored eyes 
hinted at a mixed bloodline.

"She's part Sheikah!" Sheik thought, as the gypsy got closer to him, analyzing him as closely as 
he was analyzing her.

"My, you've got the loveliest eyes! What's your name?" the gypsy asked, catching Sheik off 
guard.

"My name is Sheik." Sheik replied, surprised that he had actually found his voice in order to 
speak to her.

"My name is Akisame, but I go by Aki for short. My parents tell me that my name means 
`autumn rain'. Sorta depressing name, don't you think?" the gypsy woman asked, already treating 
Sheik like an old friend. 

"I think it rather suits you, since your hair and eyes are the colors of fall leaves before they depart 
from the trees." Sheik said, surprising himself yet again by the tone he had just taken.

"You know, you're very sweet. Nobody's ever said anything like that to me. Guess it's because 
I'm a gypsy." Akisame said, as she looked down and shuffled her feet, ashamed of what she was.

"That doesn't give anyone the right to bring you down. It doesn't matter what group you belong 
to, all that matters is how you go about life." Sheik said, knowing all too well what it felt like to 
be hated because of what he was. 

"Hey, before we get depressed, how's about a skate dance?" Akisame asked, brightening her 
mood a little bit. Sheik nodded.

"But I have never skated with a partner before. I have always skated alone." Sheik said, as 
Akisame led him to the center of the ice.

"You'll learn! C'mon! Let's get started!" Akisame said, as she took his hands in hers and started 
skating backwards. Slowly, Sheik started to learn how to skate with a partner. Akisame was a 
patient and enthusiastic teacher, encouraging him with her words and cheerful disposition. 
Suddenly, Sheik came upon a startling realization; he was falling in love with the gypsy! 

"But love at first sight doesn't happen!.........Or does it?" Sheik wondered, as 
Akisame came back into his arms, her eyes aglow with joy. Little did he realize that the girl was 
also thinking about him!

"He has got the sweetest disposition about him! But he also has sadness about him too. I know 
how he feels. I lost my entire clan because of Ganondorf. Oh Nayru! Could this be the answer to 
my sorrow? Could we both help each other to heal? Could this possibly be love?" Akisame 
wondered, as she turned around and looked at the Sheikah, her statement searching. For a 
moment, the two stared at each other, their gazes looking deep into the other's soul. Then 
Akisame reached up, gently pulled down the scarf that covered Sheik's mouth, and kissed him. 
This move surprised Sheik, but then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, not 
wanting to let go of her or the moment. When they broke off the kiss, Sheik continued to hold 
her, secure in the warmth he now shared with another living being.

"I wonder how my friends will react to seeing us?" Sheik said, speaking his thoughts aloud.

"Let them react the way they want to. Nayru led us together, that's all there is to it." Akisame 
said, matter-of-factly.

"You are right about that, Aki." Sheik said, as they started skating again. Just then Link and his 
group arrived on the scene.

"By Din! Look at that! Sheik's skatin' with a girl! Is this the reason why you left and didn't tell 
us where you were going?" Kage asked, before being shoved out of his saddle into a snowdrift, 
while Link snickered and moved out of the way.

"You could say that, Kage!" Sheik said, with a laugh, as Kage rose out of the snowdrift, with a 
pile of snow on top of his head and ears.

"Serves you right, Shadow Elf!" Nabooru said, laughing as Kage stomped over to where he could 
get his ice skates on.

"What's your name?" Zelda asked, gently, as she skated over to them.

"M-my name is Akisame, your Highness." Akisame replied, realizing that this was the Crowned 
Princess of Hyrule herself. Zelda smiled at her and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"It is all right. There is no need to be nervous or afraid. Any friend of Sheik's is a friend of mine. 
You have my word on that." Zelda said, turning as Link skated over to her.

"Then that means these men here are the Legendary Heroes of Time and Memories! The ones that 
saved us all!" Akisame said, with awe in her voice as Link dipped a polite bow.

"But Kage and I would not have survived if it had not been for Sheik going and getting the 
Biggoran Swords for us and then helping us retrieve our sacred blades. He was wounded for that 
move." Link said, expressing his gratitude for what had taken place only a few months before. 
Akisame looked from Link to Sheik with an awestruck look on her face. She didn't know that this 
was the same Sheikah that had risked his life to help the Heroes win their climatic battle!

"But I'm not a hero." Sheik said, humbly.

"You are to me." Akisame said, as she took his hand in hers. 

"To us as well, Sheik. If it hadn't been for you, Ganon would have killed us and Hyrule would 
have perished. You may not be a Legendary Hero, but you are our hero, the Heroes hero!" Kage 
said, as he joined the group in the center of the ice, bringing Malon along with him. Nabooru and 
Ruto watched from a distance, knowing that a strong bond was forming between the three 
couples.

"Sheik, the reason I had you remain out of the meetings with the Sages is because they want to 
not only honor Link and Kage because of their heroic deeds, but also they wanted to honor you. 
Sheik, out of all of those who had sacrificed during the battle, you sacrificed the most. You put 
yourself on the line and did your duty to the letter. You even went beyond your duty and entered 
a battle that was not your own and shed blood when you didn't have to. I have discussed this with 
Link and Kage, and they agree with me. You have heard them say so yourself. If it weren't for 
you, there would be no Hyrule. You are the true hero of us all." Zelda said, ending her impromptu 
yet emotion filled speech with that. Sheik was speechless. Then he did something that seemed 
natural for the moment; he kneeled before all of them.

"My friends, my princess, you have done me a great honor, and words cannot express the feeling 
I have that you feel so highly of me. But know this, heavens forbid that a battle such as what 
happened only a few months prior should ever happen again in any lifetime, but I would gladly 
live through the pain again, if I were fighting alongside you." Sheik said, in all honesty.

"Then it is settled. Now, let's skate!" Zelda said, getting an agreement from the other two couples 
and Link. The rest of the time spent on the ice was joyful and filled with laughter. Nabooru 
learned that ice skating wasn't as easy as it looked, but also learned that it was just as much fun 
watching Link and Kage try to outdo one another at skating on the ice. When the time came to 
return to the castle, Sheik put Akisame on the horse first, then he got on, happy that this time he 
wasn't going home alone. Impa was waiting for them at the castle gate when they rode up. She 
was surprised to see Sheik riding in with a strange girl riding with him, but was forbidden from 
saying anything to him about it when she saw the look Zelda gave her as she and Link rode in (on 
separate horses, of course). When they were all inside and huddled near the fireplace in the Great 
Hall, Sheik explained how he'd met Akisame to Impa and Akisame explained what had happened 
to her family during the war. To Sheik's surprise, Impa hugged him and gave him a look that only 
spoke volumes of how proud she truly was of him. Even though that day had started out cold, 
Sheik found that even snow days could end up to be the warmest of all.

~Owari~