Chapter Seven
"Hear anything of interest?" Nabooru asks as we trek along the path to the stables.
"I-"
"I know you were listening in yesterday." She says, glancing at me. "I won't tell. I think you have just as much right to hear what we're talking about as any of us. It's Impa you have to watch out for; she's strictly business and has everything planned out."
"I just want to know why everyone's being so secretive all the time." I admit. She stops and looks me in the eyes.
"Listen kid, I know this is tough for you. Impa's just trying to control things and make everything go according to plan. But the thing is, plans are meaningless. Never worked in the past, and they won't work now. The second something goes wrong you start doing things your way. Until then, give her respect and abide by her rules." Her gaze was honest and I nodded in agreement.
"I understand. It's just stressful, you know?" We resume our pace. "It's still hard to believe I saved everything. It's weird that I was close with all of you before, and now we're back to meeting for the first time like strangers." Nabooru half smiles as we reach the stables, pulling from a barrel the sword from the day before. I take note Ashia is nowhere in sight.
"You're a lot like you were back then you know. Not as skilled quite yet, but it's your personality."
"What about my personality?" I question, taking the sword from her, feeling a bit more comfortable with it.
"Your defiance, determination and attitude haven't changed." I blink, relieved I am able to have a conversation with someone. Up until now, conversations with the sages have seemed extremely one-sided. My muscles tense, and I shout, attacking Nabooru as she unsheathes her scimitars. I can tell she is beginning to put up more of a fight as she knocks my sword from my hand a moment later.
A Brief Interlude
The two girls stride in sync toward the entrance of Gerudo Valley. The Princess of the Zoras and Princess of Hyrule find themselves close to the stream that runs under a wooden plank, leading up to the valley. There's a long silence before Ruto speaks.
"Why are you so glum Zelda? You're usually out and about the fortress, you love it here and get along with the Gerudo women well." The two cross over the plank, one behind the other.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind." The Princess lies mindlessly.
"It's Link, isn't it?" Ruto presses as she steps into the stream, splashing water over her exhausted, warm body. She misses the water; she hates be so far from home.
"It is." Zelda admits, watching the Zora. "I don't know what it is.. I just want to protect him. After all he did for me in the past, I owe it to him. I get flashbacks from then; the way I felt about him. i guess it makes me feel that way again.. even though I hardly know him. I just wish I knew what was going through my mind then.. and why nothing happened between us when I felt so strongly."
Ruto nods. "I understand, I used to think I was engaged to him." She giggles. "How silly, right? I wish you could have gotten to keep your memory like the rest of us, I wish he did too. But considering the two of you make up two-thirds of the Triforce- that little mark on your hand separates you from the rest of us."
"I suppose it has worked out for the best."
"Thanks for coming with me" Ruto adds after a moment, stepping toward Zelda now, water droplets cascading over her body. "I just really needed to refresh, and figured you could use a nice walk to clear your thoughts. But really, you shouldn't dwell on this. It'll work out in the end. It always does. If you can find a way to prove to Impa you won't tamper with her plans, I'm sure you can get close to him.. like you were." She says childishly hopeful, realizing Zelda is staring at something in the distance.
"Ruto." She says shaky. "What is that?" The Princess gestures to a sea of red creatures peaking over the edge of a hill in Hyrule field. Ruto tilts her head and looks for a moment, then tenses up.
"That.." She speaks slowly. "Looks like an army." A whistle rings through the air coming from the fortress. Zelda grabs ruto by the arm and the two dart back to the fortress.
Chapter Seven Continued
"You make it sound so easy!" I accuse. Impa had switched off with Nabooru, and started teaching me special attack techniques. Some of them seem nearly impossible. How in the name of Din can a person move so fast swinging a hunk of metal is beyond me. I'm frustrated from failing so badly.
"In time you'll catch on." She encouraged. "Until then, try again." I prefer Nabooru over Impa as a mentor. She is more understanding, probably because she trains Gerudo for a living. I find it hard to believe Nabooru is so strict with her guards now after seeing her train with me. Impa basically spends her time watching over the Princess and guarding the Shadow Temple alone, she has awful people skills.
I ready myself and almost try a spin attack when a loud whistle rings outside. The sparing room we stand in muffles the sound, and I freeze mid swing, listening. Impa looks to me. "Something's wrong." She shuffles out into the open and I follow, dropping the blunted blade in the room.
Gerudos on guard are no longer frozen, no longer pacing. They stare toward the entrance of the Valley. Nabooru finds us immediately. "It's Bokoblins- thousands of them. They're coming for the desert. Given, not much of a threat alone, but the numbers.. we have to move Link now. He can't fight quite yet and there's a chance we will be over run. Our only sure opportunity to move him from the desert is now, or we'll be stuck here for a long while fighting them off." Impa nods and Nabooru faces her women who have gathered around, waiting for orders. "Guard the entrance. Kill off as many as you can- drive them into the sands if you must but protect the fortress!"
The tan women hustle toward the entrance and Nabooru speeds away in a different direction. Impa turns to me. "Gather your things. You must get to Lon Lon Ranch. We have a route through the mountains that will lead us to Kakariko. From there we travel by foot to the ranch. It may take a bit longer, but it's our only choice now. Meet me on the roof after you gather your things- I trust you know the way."
I dart off to my room. I have only recently figured out the twists and turns of the fortress. I slam open my door, startling Fior, who jolts up from my pillow. "Good Goddess! i was dead asleep and here-"
"There's an army of Bokoblins about to invade this place. Shut it and help me gather my things." Fior falls quiet almost instantly, and I make a mental note to remember how I made that happen. She tells me of all the things I need to gather, doing the thinking for me. My pouch, which Impa returned to me in the night. I throw my tunic on over the white turtle neck and leggings I've been wearing to train. Fastening my pouch to my belt as I wrap it around my hips, I grab my hat off my bed. I glance around the room one last time and slip out, Fior beside me.
Outside, the desert is chaos. Women dressed in red, purple and yellow uniforms run every which way. Dozens more suddenly appear from inside the Fortress and run for the army of Bokoblins who have advanced and even now I can see them. Distracted by all the chaos, a flaming arrow zings past me and hits a stand in front of me.
Looking to the mountains towering over the fortress, hundreds of Archer Bulbins aligne themselves and rain fire on the desert. Impa appears at the edge of the mountains, attacking the bulbins with her white blade. My eyes shoot around the desert to see the Princess running for the stables. Without thinking, I run after her.
Contemplating the stables, I catch a glimpse of movement in one of the tents. I run over to it and inside I find the Princess kneeling before an open chest cursing. "Link, it's gone!" She cries, not even turning around to see me.
"Looking for this?" We both startle and turn to Ashia, standing at the entrance of the tent, wielding a powerful looking dirk in a blue sheath. She hands it to me, and Zelda quickly comes behind me and fastens it around me.
"Thank you so much." Zelda says relieved to Ashia.
"Come. We have to leave now." Outside the Tent, Epona stands ready to mount. I climb on and help Zelda. Ashia assumes a position behind her. It's difficult fitting the three of us on Epona, but we manage. She is a strong horse. Ashia pulls a bow and plucks one of the arrows out of the quiver on her back, loading the weapon. "Link we're going to have to fight our way through the Bokoblins and go through Hyrule field. I don't know how well you are at fighting, but I pray you learned something."
I don't allow myself time to think- thinking weakens me. All I'm concerned about is getting the three of us to Lon Lon Ranch alive. I guide Epona on a quick gallop to the army of Bokoblins pouring in. Gerudo's were holding them back, and as they came into sight I felt Zelda hold my waist tighter as we zoom through the crowd of confused Gerudo's.
When we come to the barrier of Bokoblins, I unsheathe my sword, and my left arm tenses. The blade feels perfect in my hand, almost as though it's part of my arm, and I swing. Ashia takes fire at the Bokoblins ahead, clearing a path. I swing at the ones trying to take down Epona, while keeping her steady. I am unsteady, but I pull through. We get to the bridge, and the crowd has thinned dramatically.
"Moblins." Ashia points out, firing at one of the Bokoblins knocking it back into several others. Moblins come closer to the bridge, larger and more menacing than the Bokoblins. Ashia curses and I stare at the giants approaching us. "Change of plans. I'm closing off this bridge and taking Epona back to the Fortress.
"What about us?" Zelda asks frantically. Ashia looks around then down at the raging river below the bridge.
"Dive." She states, pushing me and Zelda into the dust, off Epona and tugging at the reigns as Epona rears, then calms. "I'll explain to the Sages. Go! Now!" Ashia fires arrows at Bokoblins headed for Zelda and I, then speeds to the end of the bridge, where she saws at the ropes with her own scabbard.
The Princess glances over to me on the ground then pushes herself up. I stand quickly and sheath my sword as she backs up, and I do the same. She takes off on a run toward the edge of the cliff and dives in a perfect formation to the raging river below. Hesitant, I start off and a run and jump clumsily, leaving the burning desert and invasion of dark creatures behind.
