Marien woke with the sunrise in her bed at the University. A mug of steaming cocoa and a note were lying on a bedside table. Yawning, she reached out and fumbled for the note, managing to spill half the cocoa on it. She muttered a few curses (the Kokiri version, of course, meaning words like "Nuthead" and "Deku-foot") and picked up the now-sopping parchment. It read:
Marien-
Meet me in Hyrule Field at 10:00 today. I've got a few things I need to show you. Bring your extra clothing and some provisions. Take the brown horse with the black tail and mane tied by the door. Her name's Kora, and she doesn't respond without hearing that name. Please don't be late.
-Thomas
Sighing, Marien rolled out of bed and threw on some clothes. She put her extra clothing in a large knapsack with some cheese and bread wrapped in a rag. About to walk out the door, she noticed that her hair was quite disheveled. Normally she wouldn't've minded so much, but for some reason today felt different. Running a brush through it hurriedly, she found it was altogether more tangled than she might have thought. Soon, the brush was stuck and she spent almost half a painful hour trying to loosen it. Finally, doing what she knew she must, she picked up a knife and resolutely cut her hair short, yet even, around her chin.
Once more gathering her belongings and her wits, she headed out the door. Sparing a glance at the sun, she realized it was later in the morning than previously presumed.
"Must be after 10 by now," she mumbled, untying this rather short horse Kora and saddling her quickly. This was a skill she had picked up quite easily, to Thomas's astonishment. The girl knew more about horses than he would have expected.
Marien spent the next few minutes weaving her way through the usual crowds in the city she had explored the day before. People moved out of her way now that she had a horse, she concluded smugly. Finally, she crossed the drawbridge and galloped out a little way into the field, searching for Thomas.
A little waving figure flagged her down as she rode. Coming to a halt, she dismounted before Thomas, who was holding a pair of curved swords in his hands. A pile of clothes lay at his feet.
"Thomas!" Marien gasped. "I'm sorry I'm so late, it's just I-"
"Marien!" Thomas cut her off. "You're early. And what happened to your hair?"
Marien grinned sheepishly. "Well, I tried brushing it, but it was worse than I thought."
Tom chuckled. "Not a bad look for you." He held out the sheathed swords he carried. "Take these."
Marien hesitated. "Swords?" she managed to squeak.
"Yes. Swords," Tom stated. "Now take it. You've got only a few hours to learn how to use them."
Marien's tan hand reached out for a hilt. Once she grasped the weapon, she gracefully unsheathed it. She swung it about her head a few times, threw it lightly in the air and caught it with her other hand, then let it rest at her side, picking up the other sword Thomas offered and took it out of its sheath less boastfully.
"Marien…?"
Marien stopped staring at the metal in her hands and looked up at Tom. "Yes?" she asked innocently.
"Marien…when did you learn how to use a sword?"
"I don't know how to use a sword. That's why you're teaching me." Her face showed puzzlement. "And I'm sure I won't make the greatest swordswoman, either. I grew up Kokiri. That's not exactly the most warlike culture."
"You don't know how to use a-" Tom broke off, spluttering. "Look at what you just did! I don't think I could unsheathe a sword that skillfully, let alone demonstrate that level of handling skill. I don't think this crash course is going to take long if you continue to show that kind of Gerudo swordsmanship. Now…show me what you can do."
Thomas brandished a broadsword and held it at the ready. "I understand we're using real swords here, but I think we're both at the level where we can handle it. Block me," he said, swinging his sword gently at Marien. She parried skillfully and knocked his blow to the side. He swung again, harder, and again she blocked his sword. This time, Tom struck quickly thrice, and each blow Marien deflected more masterfully than the last.
"You are a Gerudo," Thomas said, panting. "Have you ever picked up a sword in your life?"
"Never."
Thomas whistled. "You're good, do you know that?" He paused to wipe his brow. "A duel, then. I know it's a bit early to subject you to something like this, but it's not as if we have a lot of time. To first blood?"
Marien gave him a blank look. "First blood?"
Tom grinned. "I'd forgotten you were raised as a child. Well, I'll put it this way: do you like pain?"
"Not exactly, no."
"Well, then, you'd better not lose."
He deftly struck at Marien's left side, then right, back left, right, and Marien blocked each again with surprising skill. She struck at him for the first time and he barely deflected it, moving slowly with his large sword. Marien twirled her twin blades swiftly, gracefully, lunging at Thomas with ever-increasing speed. Tom was having difficulty holding his ground. He leaped to the side in an effort to evade Marien's wrath and cold steel grazed his cheek. A trickle of blood dripped down his face. He put his hand to it, amazed.
"I win?" Marien asked innocently.
"Yes," Thomas replied, still in awe. "You win."
Marien sheathed the swords and held them out for Tom. "No, no," he said, "you keep those. They're the weapons of choice for most Gerudos. Speaking of Gerudo gear, here." He tossed the pile of clothes at his feet in Marien's direction.
She unfolded them, studying them closely. "There's not a lot of actual clothing here, is there?" she asked.
"Enough," Tom replied. "It's what they wear. Trust me. Try it on, go on."
Marien looked uneasy, but she slipped behind a ledge and managed to figure out how to put the unusual (to her) outfit on. Double-checking to make sure she was covered, she cautiously stepped out into Thomas's view.
"Wow. Just...wow." Thomas said.
"What?"
"You look exactly like a Gerudo. In every way."
Marien walked up to Kora. "How are you supposed to do anything in this?" She tugged at the baggy Gerudo-style pants. "Riding a horse in these?"
"Here, just-" Thomas held out a hand to help her. "-like this." Marien now sat astride the mare, fastening the sheathed swords to her back. Thomas strapped a rather large pack to the horse. "Ready to go," he said.
"Wait – go? Now?"
"Well, not quite." Thomas stroked his chin. "You need a name."
"But I-" Marien protested.
"No, a Gerudo name," Thomas said. "'Marien' doesn't exactly convey what we want it to convey. I've got it! Sararu."
"What's a Sararu?"
Tom laughed. "You are!" he replied. "It's your name from now on, and I suggest you get used to it. Always introduce yourself as Sararu. Sararu from…hmm…from the plains. I guess that'll do. It's vague enough, anyway…"
Thomas trailed off to Marien's blank look. "Nevermind. You're Sararu from the plains. That's all there is to it. Now," he said, "you should get going soon."
Marien hesitated. "Uh, I have to go…alone?" she asked.
"Well…yes! It's the only way you'll convince the Gerudos. I could never go – I'm a man. But don't worry; I'll be a mile or so behind you on horseback the whole way. If you need anything, just turn around and get me. Of course, not while you are in the company of others. Got it, Sararu?"
"I'm not Sararu! I'm Marien!" Marien said heatedly.
"Not anymore. From this moment forward, you are Sararu. That is, until you get back from your 'quest.'" Thomas patted Kora's back. "Your horse is ready. Are you?"
"No," Sararu stated. "I'm not. I don't know anything about-"
Thomas cut her off. "You'll do fine. Now, time is of the essence. I'll be behind you. Get going! Oh, and…good luck." He reached up to put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't get yourself killed."
"It's not really my goal, don't worry."
And with that, Sararu kicked the horse hard and galloped off west, the sun high above her.
Thomas stood for a few seconds, gazing after the departed girl. What was he thinking, sending her off so unprepared? But for some reason, he felt that she would do even better than fine. She was a true Gerudo, no doubt about it now.