I had to take a lot of notes on this one simply because I couldn't decide what persons POV I wanted. Then it hit me I genuinely loved all the quest in gerudo town. I loved the people and those that compliment link and changed how they greeted him.
Just a Vai in Gerudo Town
Teake didn't know who this little Hylian vai thought she was. At her stature one would expect little of her. But considering she made it to Gerudo Town alone, no escort to speak of, she must have some minimal skill with the sword. The lizalfos tend to target stragglers.
Either way, Teake would enjoy showing this Hylian her place.
To simply walk into town, charm the chieftess and claim herself to be capable of retrieving the Thunder Helm when Teake's soldiers didn't even have an inkling on where the Yiga Clan were hiding, was insulting.
She was in charge of the investigation, sending scouts to the desert's remains of lost cities, to caverns of the north, to any possible shade in the sea of sand, and yet there was nothing. So for a civilian to claim better than the captain of the guards, who fought tooth and nail (especially of the monster kind) for her position was, yes, insulting.
"Leana, referee."
The other warriors had stepped away from the platform, awaiting for the first blows with smirks behind their mask no doubt. This would not be the first time Teake had to straighten out someone too ambitious for their own good.
When the Hylian storming into the training yard, Teake was to make demands and acct high mighty like a new cadet pinched the wrong nerve. Thus the two stood opposite of each other, on the platform in the training grounds.
"Draw your blades," Leana commanded.
Teake was handed her lance from another soldier, one given to her by the true captain of the guards, Buliara, the Chieftess' personal guard. The lance was double bladed, much like a battle axe of the Hylians, however the curve of its blades gave it away as Gerudo inspired.
The small Hylian had set aside her shield and bow, her choice of sword based from its shape likely Hylian origin. An interesting choice, considering her how was of the Rito and Shield of the Zora. The handle in which she grasped firmly leather bound and surely worn. The blade itself was slender and pointed. She recognized its shape from her youth, when she travelled. A broadsword once dorn by Hylian soldiers. They now rusted in open fields with ancient beast that roamed like wolves.
"You plan to fight with an artifact?"
The smaller vai ignored her question and readied herself. Legs bent and weight on the balls of her feet. Well disciplined. So the unique set of weapons perhaps wasn't just for show.
No matter."I apologize for any injury now."
Leana held her hand above her head. "Ready."
Teake adjusted her grip. While still weak, Teake knew the Hylians were fast with their size. No matter, however, she will be faster, bring the fight to an end quickly.
"Fight!"
Neither moved immediately.
Teake could almost laugh. "It is not too late to withdraw."
At that, the Hylian drove forward, sword held low.
Too easy.
Teake merely swept her lance as a mocking strike and the Hylian stepped back. Teake stepped forward and went to swipe again to push her back. It would be amusing for the little one to only fall off the platform, a show of inexperience, but the Hylian met it with her own blade.
It didn't knock Teake off balance per se, but it showed this little vai wouldn't run away. As she recouped, the Hylian ran straight towards and the Gerudo used the back end of her spear to bash into the Hylian's gut.
Knocking the wind out of the little vai, Teake kicked her back. Teake made a swipe for her legs to knock her down and the Hylian jumped into a backflip.
Vaguely, Teake heard her soldier's coo in awe at the movement.
They Hylian rushed her and her blade met with the center of the spear the Gerudo held with two hands, the blade chipping through the wood.
This was when Teake worried.
With all her strength, Teake shoved at the Hylian but it appeared the Hylian never intended to meet her force as she merely ducked down, blade still stuck in the wood of the spear and a foot wrapped behind the Gerudo's ankle and pulled.
How a little Hylian like that had enough strength to actually bring a Gerudo off balance was beyond Teake, but there she was, trying to keep her balance, her roots gone as one foot left the ground.
Nonetheless, the Gerudo twisted her body, giving up the spear and using her elbow to knock into the Hylian's face who only jumped back several feet.
The rest occurred in only seconds: Teake tried to change her momentum with the same speed, swiping her weapon at the hylian once more, but the Hylian merely ran with the blade, outrunning it with ease and quickly rolling behind the Gerudo.
Then she saw the stone floor nearing her face, having her feet swept from under her, and the wind was knocked from her lungs with the impact. In a daze, before she could even turn, the Hylian's blade was pointed at her nose, gleaming her reflection back at her.
From the corner of her eye, though she saw little of the vai's face, the Hylian stared back emotionless, not even panting, no more than she had from the desert's heat.
Her soldier's were speechless. They knew she was losing, they must have, but to see her falter, tricked into falling on her feet?
But as quickly as the blade had been at her face, a hand was just as soon replaced it, outstretched. The Hylian offered her hand and Teake, a Gerudo, the captain of the guards, took it, eyes too wide and jaw hanging a little too low.
Then the group of Gerudo cheered as the Hylian pulled Teake to her feet.
She was still panting when she told the winner, "That was some fancy footwork, little Hylian."
Teake gave the smaller vai her blessing.
The little Hylian showed up with the Thunder Helm tucked under her arm like a sports ball. A sports ball. As if the relic was not passed down for generations, infused with magic similar to the desert's divine beast.
A small part of Teake twitched in frustration, but then she remembered the cold stone of the training ground's platform. A small part of her still doubted the Hylian could find the Helm, and even if she did, how would she take on an entire clan that had eluded an organized militia?
But the Hylian strode up to the Chieftess' throne with a skip in her step.
It was when their meeting finished that Teake asked for the Hylian's attention in the training grounds.
"Would you be interested in teaching my vai? You are obviously skilled, trained in styles we are not used to. We could use you."
The Hylian thought to herself, scratching her head and avoiding eye contact. Teake did not think of her as shy.
"The Chieftess favors you. You brought us the Thunder Helm. You have done much for my people so I understand if you do not wish to, but I ask you to consider." The Hylian surely considered her words, and as the silence continued, Teake added, "My vai tried backflipping in their dodges and now are covered in bruises. If anything, could you at least teach them how to not break their necks?"
They Hylian rolled her eyes but surely smiled as her eyes pinched in the corners, revealing lines of age that should not exist for their age. She nodded.
Muava found this little voe humorous. He wandered around in Gerudo vai garb and his movements smaller. However, anyone should see that the little Hylian is a voe in disguise. He avoided the guards, prefers not to speak, and when asked by passing civilians how he keeps his hair so well kept in such a climate, the voe can only blush and shrug his shoulders, then he would quickly leave the conversation.
How he fooled the captain of the guards is beyond Muava.
Nonetheless, Muava enjoyed the times he visited her. Often, he would bring breads and soup to share with her, and in exchange she told stories of her youth, where weather nor fear could not stop her, not even the moonless nights where one's next step could be off a cliff or on poisonous snake.
And unlike most, the Hylian kept returning.
Muava had considered herself old, bones too brittle and frustration of knowing her time was coming a turn off to the younger generations, as she had once been with her elders. And yet, the voe joined her for meals after working alongside the captain of the guards in the training yard, after weeks of traveling with fish tucked in white chuchu jelly to keep cool. He was patient as she readjusted her stance on aching hipbone and only offered her his smile that was only visible by the pinched eyes. He once offered to help her, but when she spit that she was not weak, he never offered again. Instead, she hoped, he recognize her anguish, her fear of losing autonomy, for she had once been like him, one who traveled far and wide in search of something, anything, that home could not provide.
He accepted her sloth, offered her food with a smile.
And in return she offered him stories of her youth, reminiscing on dishes she missed that the Hylian nodded his head in excitement to. He once even wrote down a recipe. Other times she asked if the mountains still sang in the worst of storms like choirs, Lurelin has been ruined by tourism yet (it hasn't), even asking of the Rito.
"I knew a Rito. He fell ill some time after the fall of the Kingdom. Even after the fall, he insisted on playing music, ballads and poems of mythical treasures and guidance to them for foolish 'heroes.' If I remember he had a pupil. Anyway, I had never seen such a thing before, a guitar, shamisen, banjo, any of that. He said he can't teach the ballads but he can offer advice on the different strings. I used to play pretty well too."
The voe engulfed her words with that curious mind, accepting without scepticism or rolling his eyes. What it must be like to be young and so curious! Between bites, he tilted his head, laughed at her silly jokes and nodded along to her tales like a child listening to his bedtime story. In moments such as those, Muava wondered if this is what it would have been like to have children.
It wasn't until one day that should have been like the rest that she thought the voe was a blessing from Hylia herself.
As usually he brought her food, something tomato based she hadn't had in years. The voe had just come back to Gerudo town after weeks of travel. His pack was always neatly neatly secured, all buckles set and zippers zipped, everything neatly organized to ensure efficiency. But today something protruded the pack, wrapped in paper and twine.
"What's in the bag, Mr. Cute Voe?"
The voe smiled as he does, pulling it carefully from his pack and setting it in front of her. He held his hands out for her bowls of soup.
"Wait, is it for me?"
He nodded.
"A gift?"
Again a nod. He nudged closer to her and sat up straighter, almost saying hurry up.
And a good thing Muava isn't patient either. She made quick work of the twine, but her thoughts had already puzzled together the likely contents. The shape, the care in packing it, her stories.
Three strings made of silk stretched from the base to the top of the neck, the base being a block, an imperfect square that was hollow. How could she ever forget.
"A shamisen. Is it," She cleared her throat. "It's of the Rito region, I presume?"
He nodded.
"Sarqso, Mr. Voe."
The first time Isha had heard of the blonde Hylian who demanded to meet with the Chieftess, the Hylian had collapsed from the beginnings of heat-stroke. Not a very inspiring entrance. So why the Chieftess agreed was beyond her. But then she met the Hylian in the worst of times that turned her entire perspective of Hylian vai.
Isha's shop was going out of business.
Theft could do that to you. And as travelers became few and far in between, jewels were hard to come by unless isha wished to leave the desert herself. That would mean leaving the shop, leaving home and the craftsmanship to Cara. In that time, her shop could be forcibly closed, stolen from.
And then the little Hylian vai walks into her shop seeking something to soothe the desert's heat at midday. And yet Isha had nothing to offer.
And then the hylian offered to support her business, asking for nothing in return.
It was after her return that Isha admired the little Hylian and her thoughts began to wander. Such physique, arms thin yet lean, skin blushed from the sun's intensity, and eyes as blue as the purest sapphire, clean and welcoming as the oceans of Lurelin village's bay.
Business had fallen from the recent theft leading to closing the shop. Customers were still wary. What she needed was to jumpstart her business, something more than just fliers and shouting in the street for attention. She needed help, a way to prove her business worthy, show off the merchandise in such a way no one could resist. Thus, Isha had an idea.
"I got it!"
The Hylian certainly wasn't expecting the job she was offered but she didn't refuse either.
Which is why the small pale vai was standing outside the shop beside Cara who shouted, "The finest jewels from the deepest caverns and tallest mountains, molded from Dinraal's fire, crafted in the finest's Gerudo's hands."
Beside Cara, the Little Hylian stood with jewelers all across herself. From her ears dangled the same shade of blue as her eyes, glimmering like tears. A pure diamond decorated her forehead and golden leaves reaching around her head, like a crown for a goddess. Her ankles and wrist shown in lightning, orange embers, lush greens. Necklaces hung like weights down her chest.
Trading out the pants for a wrapped skirt, chains of silver and gold decorated sporadically with diamond, purply hues and greens between the folds.
Overall, the little Hylian was smothered in shimmering light that surely would attract the eye.
"Rubies for the chilliest of nights and sapphires for the peak of day. Protect yourself from Naboris' storms through the repelling magic of topaz. Only at Starlight Memories."
It was a glorious plan, if Isha may say. The colors accented the Hylian's skin, emphasizing their brightness. No one could pass without seeing the beauty of craftsmanship.
But no one stopped.
Isha didn't understand. Cara offered passersby fliers yet none took the simple slips of paper. This wasn't good. Isha didn't want to go out of business. She worked too hard to get where she is, worked from night until the early hours of morning cutting, chiselling, polishing, perfecting her craft to perfection for it to be thrown back at her face.
"It's not working, Isha," Cara noted watching the passing crowd. It's getting late."
Indeed it was. The sun had turned the sky a deep orange painting the sands orange and red.
The Hylian looked to the two Gerudo then pointed out into the street. At first the Gerudo didn't understand until the Hylian started to running still wearing all the jewelry.
"Hey, wait!"
Cara chased after her as the Hylian turned the corner.
And this is what happens when you trust outsiders, putting your confidence in people with nice smiles. No better than a snake in the sand. That was hundred of rupees gone in only seconds. Would she sell them? Wear them to show off to her pals in inner Hyrule? If only she-
But the Hylian came into view once more and not just with Cara. The Hylian offered her hand to someone who lightly lent on her.
That's. That's the old vai who hides in the backstreets. And on her back -
Oh.
A Hylian's resourcefulness is rather unique to their race. Isha assumed it had to do with being the smallest and weakest race. No fangs or claws, no strength compared to the other races. Therefore, they must find other ways to match to the other races which is why they excel in wit, cunningness, problem-solving, making allies with anyone and everyone.
Even the old vai with no house.
"You can't run off like that," Isha told the Hylian. "What is she doing here?"
The Hylian ignored her, helping the vai take a seat with - is that a guitar? The sun will still setting, and the light caught the bracelets on the Hylian's wrist that almost seemed to glow.
The Hylian nodded to the older vai and she strummed her instrument.
She had never heard such a sound in all her time of Gerudo Town. The vai strummed, plucked the strings, smoothed her fingers over the strings, creating a melody. And the Hylian, who had stepped back closed her yes and taking a stance, one leg in front of the other, slowly rose her hands over her had. She cast one hand to the side, side stepping with it. The bracelets and anklets jostled into the sounds of wind she spun with one foot planted.
She was dancing.
Her feet were light with the skill of a warrior, movements like water. She brought her hands above her and mimicked a wave across her body, the bracelets, jangling like chains in spite of how free she appeared. The Hylian swayed her hips to one side as she clapped, rolling her shoulders, her chest, then hips into a step, movements into little pops then becoming fluid.
Then people looked.
The Hylian spun and brought her hands above her to mimic the sun, then as the melody picked up she was swept away, movements soft yet sharp, calculated and free. Their hips shook side to side with the beat, hands mimicking the wind and spun once more.
A Gerudo child ran to the Hylian side, mimicking the movement's though less disciplined. The Hylian must have laughed because her eyes pinched. She stomped her feet with the music.
Isha hadn't even seen the Goron pat her stomach to a beat until a Gerudo handed her two clay pots with canvas tied down where the top of the pot is. Drums.
Then a Rito pulled from her pack something like a pipe and when blown into, it produced a noise a higher pitch than the guitar.
The Hylian jumped in her spin and the crowd cheered. She eyed a child who bounced on her feet while still in the crowd. With her hand, she waved the child to come to her.
And another child joined the mix, another Gerudo vai, pulling her mother behind her to dance.
And more broke into dance or picked up an instrument, stomping their feet, tapping glass bottles, conducting wind through pipe-like instruments.
Torches were lit around the shop's edge as the sun's final rays touched the jewels adorning the dancing Hylian. And then the song came to a close and the Hylian spun into a bow, arms wide and chest heaving and the people cheered.
And as they cheered the Hylian looked over her shoulder at Isha and held out her hand. Isha took it standing beside her.
"Thank you for enjoying our performance brought to you by Starlight Memories. Please stop by. We will be open late tonight. Thank you!"
Isha looked to the old woman, her name escaping her. "Would you play another song?"
The older vai blinked, but then tuned the guitar before leading into another simple melody. The Hylian led two little gerudo vai and spun them, letting them lead her through the song.
Isha stood aside observing. She had only just met the little vai, seen her collapse from heat stroke to guiding the town in a dance. She had heard in whispers only that she had taken on the captain of the guards and won, brought back the Helm that had been passed down from chieftess to chieftess while the organized militia still stumbled over themselves. Who knew such a hero of such skill would help her and her little failing shop.
"Isha." Cara tapped on her shoulder, pulling her out of her wandering thoughts. "I have someone who wants to buy the sapphire earrings."
Then the Rito wanted the pendant around the Hylian's throat, another the topaz bracelets that still seemed to glow even after the sun had long been engulfed by the desert's sands.
Internally, Isha was dancing herself.
Now, none would say they were angry with Link. Okay, maybe a little- but how could you blame them!? The little Hylian vai who had won the hearts of not only the public through a charmed dance, but the captain of the guard who had even brought her- him to train the troops. She - he - charmed the people with his kind smile and crystal eyes and the people were trapped in his gaze as if he were a cobra, but a nice cobra, Isha guessed. And like a child, he had the city wrapped around his finger.
But whatever, Isha simply crossed her arms and pouted, wondering what possible signs she could have missed.
Muava, as Isha had come to learn when she asked the older Gerudo to play at her shop only grinned ear to ear as if all had gone according to plan.
"I'm glad Mr. Voe is happy," Muava remarked fondly. "He's a traveling voe, you should know. Knows the deserts as much as he knows the mountains and valleys."
"That explains why he refused the 'You and Voe' courses. He was already two steps ahead of us- a lady in wait of his return."
"And the princess of all people!" Cara chimed. "A lucky voe indeed."
When the princess had returned and announced her wedding with her knight, whispers of his identity didn't show up until weeks after. Rhondson, a friend of Isha's came into town with the Hylian princess at her side, who spoke animatedly about their husbands, that it came to light that the little Hylian vai was not so vai as they thought.
"Don't get me wrong, Hudson is my beloved, but when he disappears for hours for me to find him fishing with nothing to show for it, I can't help it!"
The princess smiled at her side. "Link, too. He got so absorbed in rebuilding in Castle Town he ignored my calls for hours! The man nearly collapsed from exhaustion."
"Speaking of Link, where is he? Never thought he would leave your side."
"An hour behind. He wished to visit a friend in Rito Village. Something about music sheets."
Isha had heard them outside her shop, recognizing Rhondson's voice and hustling out to meet with her. "Is that my Rhondson?"
"Isha!"
The first inkling of suspicion sprouted. Isha had only seen one Hylian interested in music. As they caught up, eventually a knock on the clay entrance announced another arrival, the little Hylian vai. Muava who sat in the corner tuning what Isha learnt was called a shamisen, and the Hylian pulled from her pack pieces of parchment with well worn creases.
Rhondson finally noticed their arrival.
"Ah Li- Hey, hun, how was the trip?"
"She's Link?" Isha exclaimed.
"Wait, Link's there name?" Cara asked. "Does that mean-"
"Uh-oh, better find your love, Mr. Voe," Muava hummed as she read through the sheets. "Sarqso, Mr. Voe. Zelda's with the Chieftess."
"Hey, wait!" Isha tried to call for the little traitor but Link waved an apology and dashed in the direction of his wife.
"I knew it!" Cara shouted. "There's no way he beat the captain of the guards if he was just a seasoned traveler."
And that's how they ended outside the shop, pouting except for Muava as the princess and the Hylian vai paraded the town talking to the locals in hopes of workers for the rebuilding of castletown and shopkeepers to fill it. Isha huffed and readjusted her skirt.
"Stop moping."
"Easy for you to say, Muava, you knew this whole time!"
"The fact you didn't truly humors me."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Why would I? Beside, he brought me food. Have you ever had fish pie? Drizzle it with honey and it's as if Hylia had fed you herself."
"So food is the way to your heart?" Cara joked.
"Mr. Voe can cook."
The three sat outside the shop in silence, observing as the princess shook hands with Ashai who coordinated the You and Voe classes. Perhaps she said something along the line of her girls should take notes from the princess to have the hero of Hyrule as a husband.
"It's funny. He did all that travelling," Muava commented as she plucked a string. Her voice was softer, sobered up from her usual joking. "Mountains to valleys, meeting so many people. I did the same years ago and yet we ended up so different."
Cara asked, "How so?"
"In all my travels, i found gems worth hundreds, music that leaves you breathless, and foods that fill your belly for days. But stupid youthful me never realized I missed something until I was too old and bitter, too vain to realize what I would regret."
"And that thing?"
Muava smiled at the couple. Link didn't hold her hand, but he walked just behind her, admiring her as she spoke gently to others. A smile was noticeable only by the pinching around his eyes that would one day mark his skin with laughter lines. After each person thanked the princess and stepped away, the princess looked back at her knight, her husband with a sparkle in her eye Muava knew from the friends she once had who married while she wandered Hyrule. If things were different, perhaps Muava could have had such a shine.
"Unconditional love."
There's a lot I want to say but I decided to clean it up
1) I wanted more fights. I wanted to fight all the races as little side challengs. Let me fight Teake and Sidon, you cowards!
2) I loved all the characters in Gerudo Town and couldn't decide which I liked better! Maybe I'll come back and write on the other characters, too.
3) A big theme of the Gerudo is love. You see it in how they talk to each other and also how they "leave the nest" to find a man, even ending up in Akkala at the Heart Lake. Thus, I wanted Link to get along with the Gerudo sisterly, kinly, then to his love to Zelda.
4) If you want to watch some crazy belly dancing, look up Jasirah Poland on youtube