Neither spoke a word for a long moment, simply moving to the crowd like they were walking to their execution. And then Sheik spoke up again, hasty words tripping over themselves - he had to make her understand, had to make her see that these fears were baseless.
[You survived - you needed to survive to ensure the safety of everyone. Zelda, think! What could you have done? If you had revealed yourself, Ganondorf would have sensed you. Nowhere in Hyrule would have been safe. You would have died if you hadn't hidden, Zelda, and then these people - all of them - would have been condemned.]
They had reached the edge of the crowd, now - jeers and harsh words on one side, Sheik and Zelda on the other. Sheik's expression was drawn, his face white, his hands curled into fists, but there was no outward sign of the frantic words he was telling his princess.
[Zelda, I know you. I know that if you had been able to, you would have done everything you could to help. But sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good - you couldn't help them for seven years so you could save them all. If you had helped them, it would have been worse for them. They would have no hope, then. Zelda, you did what you could.]
Sheik swallowed, and for a moment the dream allowed both to show, Zelda shining through Sheik like his skin was glass. Blue eyes in a tan face, the crest of the Triforce on their right hand, Zelda's soft soprano from Sheik's lips.
"I did what I could," she repeated to the crowd, head bowed. What could she have done? She trusted Sheik - his words rang true. "I could do no more, and I will make things right. I promise."
And the crowd was gone like it had never been there, and Sheik was himself again. He exhaled shakily, then glanced back at Aeneas. "Thank you," he said quietly, although his expression was still drawn.
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[You survived - you needed to survive to ensure the safety of everyone. Zelda, think! What could you have done? If you had revealed yourself, Ganondorf would have sensed you. Nowhere in Hyrule would have been safe. You would have died if you hadn't hidden, Zelda, and then these people - all of them - would have been condemned.]
They had reached the edge of the crowd, now - jeers and harsh words on one side, Sheik and Zelda on the other. Sheik's expression was drawn, his face white, his hands curled into fists, but there was no outward sign of the frantic words he was telling his princess.
[Zelda, I know you. I know that if you had been able to, you would have done everything you could to help. But sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good - you couldn't help them for seven years so you could save them all. If you had helped them, it would have been worse for them. They would have no hope, then. Zelda, you did what you could.]
Sheik swallowed, and for a moment the dream allowed both to show, Zelda shining through Sheik like his skin was glass. Blue eyes in a tan face, the crest of the Triforce on their right hand, Zelda's soft soprano from Sheik's lips.
"I did what I could," she repeated to the crowd, head bowed. What could she have done? She trusted Sheik - his words rang true. "I could do no more, and I will make things right. I promise."
And the crowd was gone like it had never been there, and Sheik was himself again. He exhaled shakily, then glanced back at Aeneas. "Thank you," he said quietly, although his expression was still drawn.
Zelda had faced her demons - but what about his?