Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda.

Aubrey: And so we reach part two in my second Zelda Sheik/Link chronicle. Perhaps one day in the future, when publishing fanfiction in hard back is legal there will be a box set in titled "The Link/Sheik Chronicles." And in it shall be the Link/Sheik Saga, Mirror Image and any others to come. *Sighs* I can dream, can't I? Anyway…welcome to A Brighter Morning, my peeps. Enjoy!

A Brighter Morning

(Part two of Mirror Image)

Link groaned in light pain. This abuse from his Sheik was all but unheard of. Except that this was not his Sheik. This Sheik was the prince of the Sheikah Tribe, a cold-hearted leader. Even so, one would think that he could have been gentler when it came to carelessly tossing prisoners into the dungeons. These Sheikah were far worse to their prisoners than even the Gerudos had been. Not only had they taken his freedom away, but they had robbed him of his weapons as well. This was too much for a Hero of Time to take.

"Hey!" He yelled from where he was shackled to the wall, at the guard. "Let me talk to Sheik again!"

The guard just laughed and tossed a pebble at him, saying, "Prisoners have no right to demand such things, Hylian."

Link felt stunned. While far from being spoiled, he had gotten used to being treated with at least some respect. These Sheikah were treating him like old cheese: an annoyance to be disposed of. There had to be some way to get in contact with Sheik. Oh, Farore, let there be some way to convince Sheik that he was sincere, not just some crazed little blonde Hylian with a death wish. Tears started welling up in his eyes. The anger he had felt for Zelda being replaced by bitter resentment. Not only was he to be executed by his only love, but also then Sheik would die in the massacre. Oh…goddesses, why was such misfortune befallen him?

"Please let me talk to him?" He begged, gazing pleadingly at the guard. "Please?"

The guard gave a small snort of laughter when he saw the utter despair in the young Hylian's eyes. For a moment, as he turned to leave, Link thought that he was to be left alone. But the guard turned back to him and gazed at him through green eyes and black hair, his mouth covered by a battle mask. "I'll see what I can do for ye, lad." He laughed and exited the room.

"At least someone in this bloody village is on my side." Link grumbled, shifting uncomfortably on the tile stone floor. "Of course, he has no idea what I wish to speak to Sheik about…"

*

"No." Sheik replied coldly to the guard's request. "No, I shall not go converse with that lowly Hylian."

"But your majesty," The guard protested imploringly. "The boy was on the verge of tears."

"That's his problem, isn't it?" Sheik met the guard's eyes and groaned. "Adrian, do I have to?" The Sheikah prince looked like talking with this Hylian was his death sentence.

Adrian laughed lightly and shook his head. Watching his prince and child hood friend panic was almost as much fun as archery. Sheik glared lightly for a moment, but then went back to the task of getting Adrian off his back.

"I think it would mean much to the young Hylian if you would grant his last request, my lord." He snickered. "Would you not do this before you kill him?"

Sheik groaned again, but nodded reluctantly. He followed Adrian out of the throne room and down to the dungeons. Sheik shivered lightly, he had never liked being in the dungeons, and being in the dungeons with a Hylian who proclaimed love for him was not high on his things-to-do list.

"Hylian!" Adrian called to Link. "I have found and brought the prince as per request."

"What is this? Let's-be-kind-to-the-evil-Hylian-boy day?" Sheik spat at the guard. "All right, Hylian." He continued, turning to face Link. "What do you want with me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sheik…?" Link blinked up at the Sheikah prince. "Sheik! You…you came…oh, thank Nayru, you came!"

"For what better thing than to talk to you, Hylian?" Sheik snarled.

Link blinked and stared at the prince for a moment. No…it couldn't be true. He had accepted the fact that Sheik didn't know him. He refused to admit that the young Sheikah hated him. Gazing into the prince's ruby eyes Link saw nothing but hatred and contempt for him in their fiery abysses. Why? What had he done to deserve such a cold stare?

"Why do you hate me so?" He questioned softly. He would find out why. He had to find out why. "Why do you hate me when I have crossed time and space to find you?"

"Because!" Sheik yelled suddenly. Adrian coughed and the younger Sheikah calmed slightly. "Because, you care too much. It's not wise to open up yourself for such a weakness, Hylian. Why would you do so?"

Link met his gaze falteringly. Yet, even as his gaze did so, his resolution never gave way. "Because I love you." He repeated what he felt as though he'd said ten fold already. "How are you not understanding this? I. Love. You. I have for so long, even though, technically, I only met you yesterday…"

"You're a fool, Hylian." Sheik grumbled. "And yet…a convincing one." He admitted grudgingly. "Alright, Hylian. I'm not saying that I feel the same way, but…you can stay in my private chambers until I have reached a decision." Adrian smiled at the Sheikah prince and Link looked as if he were going to cry for joy. "Release him, I'll be waiting at the top of the stairs."

"A wise decision, my prince." Adrian commented, walking into the cell, unlocking Link's Shackles.

Sheik snorted in mild amusement and headed in the general direction of the stairs. "Of course it is, I came up with it." He called back.

*

Link gaped as Sheik led him through the palace and into a small corridor. On the other side of the corridor were two great double doors. In his time this was right under the windmill, so they must have been deep underground. Through the doors they entered a large chamber. The room's floor looked as though it were made of some precious porcelain. High chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Small gems were embedded in the walls. After they had passed the room, another corridor awaited them.

"How big is this place?" Link questioned, gazing around in awe.

"Not much farther now." Sheik shrugged, continuing on.

At the end of the corridor, Sheik opened a wooden door, entering a smaller room. Smaller, but no less lavishly decorated. In the corner stood a large, red comforter covered, cherry-wood four-poster bed. Red velvet high backed, and soft cushioned, chairs were placed at various points around the room.

"This is where you will stay, Hylian." Sheik announced, gesturing around the room. "Stay here. I'll be back at sundown."

Link nodded and examined the room more closely. Slowly, he walked around for a moment, but after a while, he went to the bed and fell fast asleep.

*

When Sheik returned to his chambers, he felt an odd emotion when he saw Link asleep in his bed. Not so much annoyance, anymore, as…comfort? Shrugging, he crawled up into bed. The young Sheikah stiffened as he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and heard a sleepy "Mmm…I love you Sheik…"

Sheik remained silent. Why did this Hylian have to love him? Was he not a good Sheikah? Did he not care for his people, as any good prince should? Why must he be the one who caught the eye of a homosexual Hylian from the future? Especially since, evidently, he was dead in the future…A small sigh escaped him, and an even small smile crept up on him. Somehow, despite his griping, it felt…right to be in bed with this Hylian. So warm…so nice…so…something familiar about it. Good and pure. Something unbreakable. Something unexplainably…good.

*

Link moaned happily the next morning, nuzzling down into Sheik's neck Last night had been incredible. Not because they'd had sex, because they hadn't, but more the feeling of warmth of having another body against his. It was a wonderful, beautiful feeling. Yet, it had not gone unnoticed by him that Sheik had remained silent when he had told him that he loved him. It had hurt, but Link had not minded much. Hyrule was rather closed minded in his time; he could only imagine how much that might have multiplied as the centuries went back. But it did not matter. He had his Sheik back. Back in his arms forever.

"G'morning, beautiful." He yawned, stretching a bit.

"Hylian." Sheik nodded, rising from the bed.

Link blinked and watched him, somewhat sadly as Sheik rose from the bed and started to change into clean clothes. As the Sheikah's skin began to reveal itself, Link wondered briefly why his heart was pounding so. Soon Sheik was clothed once more, his body suit green rather than the purple that the Hero of Time had become accustomed to. Crawling across the plush sheets, to grab a hold of Sheik's hand.

"Let me come with you?" He gazed pleadingly at him.

Sheik waited a moment before replying. "Not today." He murmured. He needed the day off to sort through his raging hormones. He knew it couldn't be love so could it be…lust? Yes, it had to be lust. That was all there was too it. Just hormones. That was all.