Roe blinked her eyes open, and pushed off the wall. She had fallen asleep staring out the window. She sighed, realizing she'd been asleep for no longer than four hours, she estimated, judging from the position of the rising sun. Lips pressed into a thin line, she glanced over at a sleeping Link. She let her eyes trail over to the soft blue, glowing fairy.

With a slight 'thump' Roe let her head fall onto the glass again. It was tempting to go outside to explore solo, like she was more used to, but… her lack of language skills completely killed that idea. Instead, she opted to watch the city wake in the early, wee hours of… six or seven AM, she figured. She glanced around the room, searching for a clock, but saw none. Blinkingly, she realized she probably couldn't figure out how to translate it into her own time, anyway.

Letting her eyesight drift for a bit, it finally rested on the sleeping form of Link. She drew her legs up toward her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She shivered, unused to the colder temperatures in this land, wherever she was. It was doubtful her thin, formfitting, sleeveless black top helped much, as well. Link stirred slightly, making Roe blink and watch with mild interest. He didn't wake.

Roe sighed, continuing to look him over while he slept. He was tall, well built, and seemed to not only be well-mannered, but she got the feeling he was truly good natured. She'd never met anyone like him. In fact, everyone here looked so… foreign. She'd only ever seen a few blondes and redheads. Yesterday, walking around town, she'd had a sort of… overdose. And his eyes. She'd never imagined it was possible for eyes to be that bright of a blue.

Every time she looked at them, she had to resist the urge to jump. Or melt… She shook off the thought. It was ridiculous to find herself attracted to this boy already. She chalked it off to just curiosity. She found him so interesting and attractive because he was new, that's all… yeah. She was failing to convince herself that was all it was. Closing her eyes, she let out a frustrated sigh.

Hearing movement, she peeked her right eye open. Link was stirring again. He groaned softly, making the appropriate morning noises that told her he was in the process of waking up. She opened both eyes, turning them back to the window to watch people as they began to open their shops and such.

Vaguely, she wondered if she should pretend to still be asleep or something… she settled to pretending to not notice he had woken up. Link yawned, stretching some as he stood up. He ran a hand through his blonde hair a few times, combing out most of the knots.

He turned, glancing behind him to check on Navi and Roe. Navi was sleeping lightly. He blinked, surprised Roe was awake already. He would have figured after yesterday's events, she would still be sound asleep. How strange... He shrugged it off and watched her look out the window. Had she noticed he was awake? He coughed a little to alert her and stepped around his bed to see what she was looking at, his sleepy mind curious. He stopped at the edge of the bed, craning his neck and leaning over her a little to get a better look as people sleepily bumbled about in their morning rituals.

Roe blinked, he was awfully… close. As he leaned over her, he placed a hand on the wall for support, his chest only a few inches from her slowly flushing face. Link's sleepy brain didn't register his position as he stared out the window, recognizing everyone he spotted. She bit her lip and looked up him, what was he doing?

Link blinked slowly, looking down at her. For a moment, he wondered why she looked a little flustered. Then, as his brain finally began to wake up a little, he realized how awkward this was as he was leaning heavily over her on her bed. He flushed red and took a step back, raising both hands, "s-sorry!"

Roe flushed red a little more and bit her lip, before resting her forehead on her drawn-up knees, effectively hiding her face. After a few minutes, she lifted her head, looking up at him. She smiled weakly, waving a little. Link waved back, matching her equally weak grin. Well… this was awkward. She sighed and let her arms fall to her side, glancing out the window. Her eyes widened as she heard a snicker.

Both her and Link spun to face Navi, who had both hands over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her giggles. Slowly, Link flushed red and Roe cover her eyes with a hand, both embarrassed that their earlier little fiasco had been witnessed. Navi laughed for a few more seconds before wiping away a tear of laughter and asking, "so, you two lovebirds done yet, or should I come back later when your done?"

Link flushed crimson, "it wasn't like that, it was an accident!!" Roe opened her fingers to peek out, and closed them again, seeing the boy and fairy begin to argue. "I swear, we'd never- I don't- we didn't do anything!!" he wailed, gripping his head a little.

Navi clutched her sides, laughing as she fell back on the desk, legs kicking a little. After a few more seconds, she calmed and sat up, "uh-huh. Sounds like that's what happened to me… you'd neeevver try annyything…." Navi giggled, making Link flushed even more. Roe hid her face again, forehead resting on her knees. For once, she was thankful she didn't understand them.

Greatt… Link coughed and straightened up a little crossing his arms, "we didn't do anything, Navi." He managed to sound stern, much to his own surprise.

Navi blinked a few times before nodding. She smirked, "mhmmm…"

Link sighed, giving her his best meaningful glare(that he could muster at the moment), "yes, that's all."

Roe looked up hopefully. Had the humiliation stopped yet? Navi grinned, " c'mon, let's go eat breakfast. All that laughing got me hungry." Link sighed and nodded, beginning to pull on his boots. Roe watched for a bit before she copied him, pulling on her own boots and lacing them up.

Link finished first and pulled on his hat, glancing around. He slung his pack over his shoulders. "We should visit the Gerudo's today. We need to check out the rumors about the Spirit Temple."

Navi nodded, "good idea. They might know about where Roe's from, as well. They have had experience with overseas… stuff." She finished awkwardly. "It's at least worth a shot, anyway." Link nodded and glanced at Roe as she stood up, a hand running through her hair. He gestured for her to follow as he exited, and she did; following Link down the stairs and out the door.

He handed the room key back to the grouchy, and now sleepy, lady as he walked past her, heading for a large kitchen-looking room. Well, perhaps not a kitchen, but there was certainly a rather large looking pot of soup being kept warm over a low fire. The three helped themselves to a quick bowl of soup. Or, in Link's case, three bowls. Navi ate her teaspoon of soup quietly, whilst Roe just kind of… watched Link vacuum it up. Where did it all go…?

She shook it off and finished her soup. It was… not so different than the soup she was used to. The flavors tasted a little different, but overall, the sense of hearty, homemade stew was still evident. Some things never seem to change, no matter where you go… She placed her and Navi's dishes in a small bucket that had some already dirty dishes in it. No one objected. Link dumped the soup in his mouth and followed her lead. He slung the pack over his shoulder and headed out of the inn without a word.

Roe followed him quietly, and without any sort of objection until Link retrieved Epona from the city's small stables. She touched his shoulder awkwardly. He turned, blinking slightly in confusion. Roe sighed and looked around, gesturing her hands, as if to say, 'where…?'

Link nodded, pointing to the three of them, then Epona, and pointed to the general direction of Gerudo Valley. "Gerudo Valley" He pointed off into the distance. Roe's eyes widened, and she repeated the name excitedly, a grin growing onto her face. Link's eyebrows creased. Most people didn't get excited about seeing a large band of all-female thieves that were spread nearly world-wide… Apparently, Roe was different. Navi glanced worriedly at him. Was this a bad sign…?

Roe could barely contain her excitement at finally meeting a group of people she had had contact with before… hopefully, at least one of them spoke her language. Or any of the other two that she knew. Link and Navi exchanged surprised glances as he mounted Epona. Turing, he offered her his hand. Roe blinked and took it, wondering what those glances had been about. Perhaps being this excited to see a band of thieves hadn't been a smart move… oh well. Link hoisted her in front of him on Epona.

Link sighed and took the reigns loosely on each side of her, his forearms resting on his thighs. He glanced down and flushed a little. Not only were they kind of awkwardly close, but his arms were almost- but not quite -around her. Greeaat… It would be an all day ride to Gerudo valley, too…

~*~*Several Awkward Hours Later… (4 PM or so)*~*~

Roe was leaning slightly against Link's chest. Only slightly. Her back hurt, as she was unaccustomed to riding a horse- much less for hours on end, but she only allowed herself to lean back a little. It was already plenty awkward…

She blinked as they crossed a wooden bridge and a skinny man ran by, clearly in the lead of a race against a man on horseback. Two large men, carpenters, she realized, waved cheerily at Link, sawing away at some lumber in front of a large tent. He waved back timidly. A third ducked out from under the tent flap and wolf whistled, giving Link a thumbs up and what he meant to be an encouraging wink.

Link could have died of embarrassment. Roe's eyes widened and she turned her head the other way, flushed. Navi snickered, earning her two unappreciative glares. She blinked, "… what?"

…Why did this keep happening? Roe asked the question over and over in her mind. She got no answer, giving up as they rounded a corner and began heading up a hill, marked with a wooden sigh hanging off a thick rope that was attached at either side of the cliff walls that bordered the path.

She studied the mark, a moon and star. She smiled a little and rubbed her face, trying to get rid of any evidence of the blush. They would be arriving shortly, after all, and she didn't want to give the wrong impression. She'd done enough of that today… She leaned off his chest.

Link closed his eyes, breathing a silent sigh of relieve. Finally. He wasn't sure how much more of that he could handle. Her, leaning back just barely- just enough to tease him -against his chest, her hair occasionally brushing him a little… her soft, wonderful scent of… of… oh Fayore, he didn't even know what she smelled like. Something cool, refreshing… wet grass? Green tea? A meadow covered in fresh dew? He didn't think he cared. All he knew was that for the last two hours of so, he'd been unfairly tempted to just sit there and burry his nose into her neck and be content to have her scent relax him all day long.

He swallowed, shoving all of his romantic notions out of his head. That wasn't the mindset he knew he should have –especially around the Gerudos. And especially since last year, when a group of the younger ones, all in their early twenties, had sort of… jumped him, tied him to the bed, and then they'd tried…tried to… he shivered violently. Luckily, Nabooru had found out and come to the rescue before the pants had come off.

Opening his eyes, he gave a slightly pained smile to a Gerudo guard who nodded to him. A few more nodded to him, and a few even seemed to recognize Roe, as they would nod to him, and then give her a short salute. After a few instances of this, Link began to notice that it was only the older, more experienced Gerudos that saluted to her. The ones in their thirties. Or older, he figured, would probably salute her, too. Blinkingly, he wondered. He had never seen any Gerudo members that were in their forties or older. Strange…

"Link…" He snapped out of his mental meanderings to look up to a familiar Gerudo, Sitara. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Nabooru waits for you in her chambers…" she trailed off, suddenly getting a good look at Roe. She straightened up and saluted her, slipping into a language Link didn't know. "What brings you here? The Gerudo's have made no contract, nor a qualm with the Vert clan."

Roe nodded, "I have woken and found myself in a land I do not know. I simply travel here to seek communication, and perhaps a way back to my homeland." Sitara's eyebrow's furrowed slightly, but she nodded.

Quietly, Link and Navi watched the two converse. It sounded official. (it was) Navi leaned over to Link's ear, "what d'you think they're saying, Link…?" Link shrugged as they finished up their conversation.

Sitara jerked her head toward the direction of Nabooru's chambers, "you know the way." Link nodded and dismounted, offering a hand to help Roe down with. She glanced at it, but remembered she was in front of people who could become her clients one day. Gently, she pushed his hand back toward his chest and dismounted without his help. It wasn't that she minded being offered help, but… not in front of a potential client.

Link led the way to Nabooru's chambers, passing by a few more Gerudos on the way. One or two of the younger ones blew kisses or winked at him. Link repressed a shiver. Roe had yet to decide how she should feel about the Gerudo's obviously flirtatious actions. She glanced at Link from the corner of her eye. He certainly didn't seem to revel in their attention. He looked a bit… distressed, actually.

Roe was trailing behind Link, hidden, as he entered Nabooru's incense-ridden chambers, stopping at the door. He glanced and smiled at the guards stationed at both sides of the inside of her door, spears erect and unwavering. They nodded back. Nabooru poured some tea for herself, then, an extra cup. "Link," she said, "glad you cold come. The infestation in the Light Temple… has become severe." She paused, her eyebrows creasing. "Link, who's with you?"

She glanced up, "and I'm not referring to Navi." Roe stepped out from behind Link, about to address Nabooru. She was interrupted by the blades of the guard's spears being pressed against her throat. Roe raised her hands up by her head, feeling that cooperation was probably a good idea at this point. Link took a step back, his hand on the Master sword. He trusted the Gerudo fairly well, but Roe had given him no reason not to trust her… He glanced at Nabooru for an explanation.

~*~*Cliffy!*~*~

Now aren't you happy I didn't cut it off after the two guards nearly sliced off Roe's head like I originally planned to? That would've been one meaannn cliffy. Oh wait… I did. :D

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