Disclaimer: The rights to the Legend of Zelda series, Breath of the Wild, the characters and some of the dialogue used in this story don't belong to me - surprise, surprise.
This takes place throughout Breath of the Wild, including the second DLC pack - so, though I wouldn't personally consider it that spoilery, there probably are spoilers.
It's just a little idea I had after hearing the extra dialogue that Urbosa has if you beat Thunder Blight Ganon again and again in the DLC - if you don't fancy doing that, there are clips of this dialogue on Youtube. I love Urbosa, between Mipha and Revali, neither her nor Daruk really get talked about enough - in my opinion. So consider this a story about her love for her dear friend the former Queen of Hyrule and her little bird, Princess Zelda.
If you like this, please review, like, follow, what have you, come chat with me on Twitter too, if you like - same username, minus the 's' on the end. I'm considering doing one of these for all of the Champions, but I'll have to see how it goes because I don't really have many ideas for the others yet. Let me know if you'd be interested in reading ones for the other Champions too, if you want.
Also, if you like this, check out my other, ongoing Zelda piece The Legend of Link: The Bastard Prince. It's halfway through now, getting a lot better writing style wise so, if you fancy it, do take a look.
Anyway, enjoy!
~WWQ
Our Little Bird
Sometimes, when she was alive, she forgot herself and got lost in her past.
Now, as the sun rose again after another Blood Moon, some 100 years after her death, Urbosa found it impossible to get lost in her thoughts.
Nowadays, her past was all she had. Her memories of a better time – not perfect, admittedly, but who's past was? – were all she had to cling to as she watched Vah Naboris wonder around the desert aimlessly under that damned Blight's control.
No one could see her, even the other Champions couldn't hear her as she called silently to their wondering Beasts. She didn't know if they were alive. She didn't know if the King was dead. She couldn't even know if Link or the Princess were alive.
The idea that her little bird could be dead was one that Urbosa resolutely turned her back to.
Zelda wasn't dead, she was sure. Ganon would have gained control of everything by now if she was. There would be no Hyrule for her to watch over for a century if it had broken completely free of its confines.
Yet still, Urbosa was in a state of purgatory; dead and unable to move on. Her part in this was yet to come.
And as she watched the sun rise yet again, Urbosa found herself unable to even think that she could have a part to play after all this. She found it impossible to get lost in her past again when she knew her future would be so bleak and samey.
Then it happened.
A tremor shook her very wondering spirit and the Beast that confined it. She could hear the Blight that had killed her shriek in the heart of the Beast.
Suspicious, she ran to stand on Naboris' head, straining herself to see over the desert ridge and out into Hyrule, to see what could have caused a tremor to her spirit and not the earth beneath her. To the north of her, high above Hebra, Urbosa saw Medoh stop its circling and face south east.
She let herself believe that the faint blue fire she saw at it's beak wasn't a trick of a light. She let herself believe that Revali was looking for the source of the tremor as she was.
Urbosa dared to dream that, somewhere north east of her and south east of Medoh, Link had awakened.
For the first time in a century, Urbosa held hope for the future of Hyrule, for the end of the Calamity.
And, some few hours later, when the earth shock beneath Naboris' feet and towers started to rise out of the ground again, bringing with them those small Sheikah Shrines that Zelda had never managed to open, Urbosa smiled to herself.
"Well, well, well… It's about time you woke up."
Making her way to the heart of Vah Naboris, Urbosa smiled at the raging Thunder Blight.
"Well, monster," she addressed the Blight, crossing her arms as it turned its unholy eye to face her. "You might have brought me to a warrior's death some 100 years ago, but you're not going to take him quite so easily. I look forward to watching him turn you into a pile of ash, it's about time justice was served."
The Blight screeched at her, unable to do anything more as she laughed, moving to sit atop Naboris' head and watch for Link's arrival.
"Hold on, Princess, it's nearly over."
It was several weeks later when she saw a lone Voe approach Gerudo Town.
In that time, Urbosa had witnessed more Blood Moons than ever, had seen Death Mountain erupt twice and – just last week – watched Vah Medoh stop its circling and settle down, training a laser on Hyrule Castle.
In that time, Urbosa had let herself get lost in the past one more time before her spirit was finally free.
She let herself remember the first time she had witnessed unconditional love on her dear friend's face some 117 years ago. A look so profoundly blissful and suited to a Queen of Hyrule. A look Urbosa had never seen before and spent the next two decades striving to emulate.
The heartbreak and tears that came with losing so dear and important a friend flooded her memories for a few days. But along with these tears came the thought that, sooner than ever before, she would be able to leave her Divine Beast prison and see her old friend yet again.
Soon she'd be able to tell her what an amazing woman her daughter had become.
Thinking about seeing her dear friend again, thinking about all the memories she had to share with her, Urbosa let herself get lost in all the vivid memories of watching Zelda grow – something her mother would have loved to do.
Atop Vah Naboris' head, Urbosa recalled the day when she had seen Zelda again, a year after her mother's death. The eight-year-old was dedicated to unlocking her Goddess given powers even then, spending a whole day praying in freezing waters until she passed out and the Gerudo Chief had to drag her to her bed.
She remembered the complete and utter vulnerability in the young girl's voice as she asked Urbosa what was wrong with her, why she couldn't unlock her power. There and then, with her arms around the crying Princess of Hyrule, Urbosa had vowed to her dear friend that she would take care of and nurture her daughter in her place.
And for the next almost decade, Urbosa spent her time half in Gerudo half in Hyrule Castle, taking care of the Princess as a friend and mother figure. In her purgatorial prison, she remembered every time she had held Zelda after another failed prayer session, every time they had laughed together, had cooked together, had spent time together.
With a prideful smile on her lips, Urbosa recalled every memory she had of Zelda growing into a beautiful, intelligent young princess. She remembered the Princess' lack of confidence only fleetingly, her fear of being unworthy only a blemish on her character.
And as Urbosa watched the Voe run up the desert path to a town he couldn't enter, killing any and all of the Lizalfos that got too near, she remembered all the times in the last few months of her life that Zelda had come to her with boy troubles.
A wicked grin tugging at her lips, Urbosa recalled Zelda exploiting Gerudo Town's 'no Voe' rule time and time again in the early days of her partnership with Link. She remembered the night she had invited Link up onto Naboris after the Princess had fallen asleep, a final effort to bridge the gap between them.
With a small smile, she let herself remember the first time Zelda smiled when saying Link's name. There wasn't an obvious positive impact on her training after then, but he provided her with a confidant her own age, something she had been sorely missing.
And, as she watched the Voe approach Naboris on sand seal next to a young Gerudo carrying the Thunder Helm, Urbosa remembered every time she had called the Princess 'little bird'.
"This is my daughter, my little bird, Zelda, Princess of Hyrule."
It had been so many years ago now, but Urbosa could still remember it clearly. The first time she had met the new born Zelda, the first time she had heard her friend call her little bird.
The first time she had seen unconditional love.
And now, as she watched the new, young Gerudo Chief put the Thunder Helm on and pray to her ancestors, Urbosa realised she had held unconditional love for but a few things in her life.
Her people, the Gerudo themselves; her dear friend whom she couldn't wait to see again; and her little bird.
With a snap of her fingers she answered the young chief's – Riju's – prayer and provided her protection from Vah Naboris' thunder as she and the Voe approached to take it down.
Urbosa watched with a look of support and challenge as Link took down each of Naboris' feet and entered the Beast.
"Well, well, well… You sure do know how to keep a woman waiting."
With words of encouragement from her spiritual realm, Urbosa teased and supported Link through his battle to take back the Beast. And when the time came for the last Champion to take on Thunder Blight Ganon, what more could she do but watch and pray for the best – offering words of wisdom and support as he took on the monster that had bested her all those years before.
And when he won, when he defeated the evil that kept her imprisoned, she could only thank him with a smile as he took back control of the Beast with the old Sheikah Slate – an item that the Princess had always carried with her, one that she took a true to life picture of the two of them on long ago.
It was in the moment that he finally released her that Urbosa realised she held unconditional love for one more person – the young-looking man before her who had vowed to protect her little bird so long ago.
Giving him her power was the least she could do to thank him.
And, smiling down on him, she told him what none of the other champions did – that their death was a necessary evil in this battle against the Calamity. And she told him what she wanted the Princess to hear, after everything she had been through to keep Ganon sealed all these years.
She knew Zelda was watching him closely, her Hero of Hyrule. So, she said it to her, her voice thick with emotion as she smiled.
"Let her know… I couldn't be more proud of her."
With a wink, she sent him on his way. Between him and the Princess, Hyrule would be in safe hands.
Slowly and ponderously, she piloted Vah Naboris up to Spectacle Rock to overlook the Castle from the south east, shining the Beast's laser onto Ganon like the others were.
For the first time in a century, Urbosa no longer felt alone.
To her north, she could see Revali's figure hovering over Vah Medoh; to her east she could see Mipha gazing down on Zora's Domain with love and pain in her eyes atop Vah Ruta. And to her north east, their leader and moral support, Daruk lounged on Vah Rudania.
"Hey! Urbosa!" He called, causing the other two Champions to turn and face her. She could see them so clearly, hear them as though they were stood next to her.
It was with a sad smile that she realised they were all in a purgatorial realm like her.
But they were together again, the four Champions of Hyrule.
"Daruk." Urbosa inclined her head in his direction, crossing her arms. "Mipha and Ravioli."
Revali glared and turned his back on her as Mipha laughed daintily.
"It's good to see you all again, as much as I wish it could be under other circumstances." Far opposite her, Daruk scratched the back of his head as they all realised this would probably be their last time all together in any form again.
The air over Hyrule became sombre as they realised they would all be leaving it behind within the next month or so. As they realised how much it had moved on without them. As they realised no one remembered them, apart from the Zora.
So, Urbosa smiled at them, understanding that she also held a pure and unconditional love for the land before them. The one they were protecting from Ganon.
"I'd say we've got a little while before Link needs our help incinerating Ganon…"
"That's if he ever gets there," Revali butted in cynically. "It took him several months just to come and release me from my Beast."
"The little guy had a long way to go, you know." Said Daruk. "He took a while to get to me, too."
"Oh? Who did he save first?" Urbosa asked, looking around.
"T-that would be… me…" Mipha said in a quiet voice as they all turned to face her. A moment later, Daruk and Urbosa were laughing. "IT! It wasn't like that! He couldn't remember anything, anyway!"
"Yet another reason why he isn't up to the task of taking Ganon down." Revali said.
"In this state, you're not up for taking him down either." Urbosa pointed out, watching as he tsked again – she had always been the one to ruffle his feathers the most.
As the four of them continued to talk between themselves, telling each other the stories of how Link had saved them, and teasing Revali about how he had been saved by him too, the sombre air seemed to dissipate.
Link was finishing his preparations to take down Ganon and the four of them would be there to support him when he did, along with Princess Zelda herself.
Urbosa smiled down on the Castle, at the small golden sparkle she was almost sure she could see.
"Hold on, Princess. Our moment is nearly here."
It was a week or so later when Link came back to Naboris, taking on the trial Urbosa herself had gone through when she had been preparing herself to pilot it. She could see his strength and power growing yet again as he challenged the Blight again a good half a dozen times.
And every time he finished, she muttered words of encouragement to him, just as the other Champions had when he had done their trials in the last week.
She told him the Princess' life was in his hands, reminisced with him about the time he had wore Vai armour just to enter Gerudo Town – something Mipha hadn't know and had made her blush upon hearing.
And finally, she told him what she intended to do after he beat Ganon:
"I intend to share my cherished memories of the Princess with her mother. I'll tell her not to worry, as her daughter is in good hands."
At Naboris' feet, she could see Link smile a saddened smile up at her, tears in his eyes at hearing that. To the east, Mipha was crying again, wishing she could do the same with her father and brother. To the north, Revali was looking at her with surprised, tear studded eyes and to the north east Daruk was silently weeping.
None of them had known her when she had known the Queen. None of them knew just how much her dear friend had meant to her. None of them had ever understood why she went to such pains to take care of the Princess until now.
And all of them were crying upon hearing the emotion in her voice as she told them she couldn't wait to see her friend, to tell her everything that had happened after her death.
They all had someone they were doing this for – Mipha had her father, Daruk his descendent, Revali himself and Link the Princess. Everyone had always thought Urbosa was doing it for Zelda – her little bird – too. No one had known the truth.
It wasn't her little bird, it was their little bird.
And at the end of the day, weren't they all doing it for her and her future as leader of Hyrule?
Then came the day Link took on Ganon, less than a week later.
He was a shadow of the knight they had once known, now he was a hero in his own right.
And it was up to them to help him by damaging Ganon with their Beasts.
"Hold on Princess, out moment has finally arrived!"
They watched in awe as Link took on the Calamity and then its Beast form itself. They listened closely as Zelda told him that true courage is never forgotten.
They felt their souls come free as Zelda finally used her power to confine the beast.
That was the power Urbosa always knew she had within her, the power she hadn't been able to harness until Link was in danger. That was the power of the Goddess.
And now they said their final goodbyes to each other as they watched Zelda and Link leave the Castle. Even the King himself said goodbye to them as their spirits were finally allowed to cross over to the other realm.
As they were finally allowed to leave their purgatory.
"How is she?"
It was the first question Urbosa heard as her eyes opened onto a distorted Hyrule, one she was clearly looking over from a great distance.
One where the Silent Princess blossomed everywhere.
Around her, just coming into her vision in this land of the dead, she could see Daruk smiling as he chatted to his son; Revali in tears as he hugged his parents, telling them he was the legend they always thought he could be; and Mipha stood watching over the distorted Hyrule's Zora's Domain, looking at her father and younger brother with her mother's arm around her shoulders.
The former Gerudo Champion smiled as she turned to face her dear friend, tears in her eyes as she saw her yet again – as beautiful as ever and far too young. They took each other in their arms before turning and facing Hyrule.
Looking on at their little bird as she stood in the field of Silent Princess, hugging Link as she cried tears of happiness.
"Our little bird is doing well. She, and Hyrule, are in good hands."