The desert is beautiful tonight.
Do you see the cold moonlight, shining down, making the sand glow? The way the free wind creates ripples in the oasis waters? The puffs of sand, like some great being lies breathing under the dunes?
There's a certain peace you can find here, wandering on patrol. If you're still close to the city, you can hear distant laughter and the night bargaining in more languages than some will ever know even exist, smell the rich smoke and spices of the bazaar. Farther away, it's just you and your thoughts, the shush-shsh of the wind, the chill of the air. Sometimes you'll see another guard, exchange news, sightings, and then you pass in opposite directions and you are alone again.
It's a rare guard who will freely give up night patrol. The day is beautiful, yes, but there's something here at night that you will never find under that glorious sun.
Sometimes, if you're lucky, you'll see a Rova witch practicing their magic out on the dunes, perhaps shouting words that create cracks of flame and geometric pattern barriers, perhaps dancing, swirls of power following the movement of their limbs and skirts, perhaps running weapon forms, light burning on the sharp edges of their swords and spears. Of course, if you're less lucky, you'll have to run to grab that same Rova out of a bad situation. Maybe their magic got away from them, or too many lizalfos attack, or they simply used more magic than their body could handle.
Those ones are rare, and nearly always apprentices. They don't tend to last long.
Look! There, over the dunes to the east!
Did you see? A falling star. Look at the light shining from it. Isn't it incredible? They are blessings from Din, and bring fortune to those who are lucky enough to reach them before then vanish in the sun's light.
I found one, once, when I was a child. It was beautiful, glowing and smooth. I had snuck out of the city, away from mâmân, because I saw it fall when I was standing on the roof. It landed close enough to the city I was sure no one would notice if I went to get it.
Heh. They did, of course. One of the guards brought me back under xir arm, the star clutched in my hands. I was too full of wonder to be annoyed at getting caught, and xir was amazed that I had been given such a gift from Din.
My family was unhappy with me for sneaking out, but they were kind about it, because of what I had found. Mâmân made me promise that next time I would ask one of the older family to go with me if I saw something like that again.
I kept that promise, too, though I never saw a star fall so close to the city again. Not that it hasn't happened, mind. But I've already gotten a blessing. That's plenty.
You know, I don't think I'll ever get tired of riding these dunes on a shield. It's like flying, going so fast you can outpace lizalfos. Walking the desert at night is freedom. Slicing down the dunes, knees bent to keep your balance, headscarf threatening to fly away if it's not wrapped well? That's something more.
The star? I still have it. You don't give away blessings from Din lightly. I… have someone in mind I may give it to though, someday soon. She is wonderful as the desert at night, and I love her dearly. She is power, and grace, and I would be honored to spend my life with her.
Ah, see there, on the horizon? Sun's coming up. Means it's time for me to head back. You should, too. Better to come into the city early when you're tired, then you don't have to worry as much about running into people.
Once I'm back, I might go up on the walls to watch the sunrise. Have you seen one in the desert yet? They, too, are beautiful. It's different from the beauty of night, just as that is different from the beauty of the day. You can never judge one by another, not truly. Even as they are similar, they are each their own thing.
Here, you're dead on your feet. Go to the inn, tell the innkeeper I sent you, she'll give you a better price than she would otherwise. Not that she overcharges in the first place, but… heh. I like you.
Rest well, traveller. Thank you for sharing the night with me, and Din's blessings upon you. May you walk in her favour on the moonlit dunes.
Originally posted on ao3 under ShadowedWings. Wasn't going to post it here too, but I though I may as well.
Personally, I like to think of the Gerudo as wearing various forms of the Firaq partug (https: double slash dot org/wiki/Firaq_partug). I'm not entirely sure it would be good to wear in a desert, but I figure it can't be any worse than what the game designers put the Gerudo in. And it's actually pretty.
Seriously. If anyone tried to wear what the Gerudo wear in game in the actual desert? I'd be surprised if they lasted a day. Between sunburn, dehydration, and heat stroke? yikes. Good luck at night too, frankly.
Mâmân should be Persian for mother, unless the phrasebook I found has led me astray.
Thank you for reading :)