Chapter 7: Confrontation

Chapter 7: Raids

Me: Okay, guys, Chapter 7! And I would like to thank everybody that's reviewed so far, especially the extra-special Seldavia! You rock!
Talim: Yeah, yeah, get on with it.
Me: Anyway, I gotta admit guys; this is the farthest I've ever gotten in a story. Usually what I end up doing is writing a chapter, and then giving GerudoGirl89 the rest in a summary over email. She's actually been writing most of the last two chapters herself, with my consent. This chapter's also hers, I just write the author notes. Review, you awesome people!
Talim: Wow . . . five lines on Microsoft Word. Stop taking up space and finish the chapter!
(This one's on me! GerudoGirl89)


"Oh, look, Enari's complaining again," commented Seva. She was leaning against the outside wall, spear forgotten in the corner, watching Enari with Nabooru. They seemed to be having a discussion, one Nabooru did not like. Of course, that was hardly a rare occurrence, Enari complained all the time about something, the lack of clothing material, the lack of makeup, dinner, weaponry, other people, everything she could think of.

Maria was scrubbing a dagger with an old rag she found, and upon the mention of Enari, the dagger slipped, cutting her finger. She scowled and used another corner of the rag to wipe the blood away. She put the knife off to the side, and then attempted to heal her hand, without success. "Working with Larra on healing skills?" Seva inquired.

Maria nodded grimly. "She says I'm doing fine, but I have the feeling I'm not doing as well as I should."

"It just takes practice," Seva encouraged. "You'll be fine." She tried to smile. "Maria, is something wrong?"

"Why would there be something wrong?" she said shortly. Seva shrugged.

"Because, you didn't eat at dinner last night, didn't talk to anyone, and from the looks of things, didn't sleep either."

She was quietly stunned. Seva could tell that from looking at her? Nevertheless, she hid her thoughts behind a blank face. She muttered, "I'm fine."

"Hmm . . ." Seva looked unconvinced. "Does it have something to do with Enari?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you almost chopped off your hand when I mentioned her."

Maria scowled deeply. "First of all, it was just a small cut, and second of all . . ." she sighed. "Yes, it does concern Enari. Happy?"

"What is it?"

Reluctantly the girl gave in and explained what Enari had said. Seva scowled. She growled something under her breath, and it didn't much intelligence to know that she was swearing.

"The problem is," she said sadly, "Ganondorf did say that. After his wife left, Nabooru asked him if he was going to remarry, she even halfheartedly suggested Lyre. He stared at her for a moment with a blank look on his face and said, 'One's enough for me.' Nabooru took it as a sign that he could never love anyone again. No one mentioned it after that." Maria looked down at the sand. "But still, that doesn't mean he doesn't love you, you're his daughter," Seva offered. It didn't cheer the girl up in the least. Seva grew upset when she saw the depressed look on her face. "Look, I know that doesn't really help, but he'll accept you, you'll see."

"If I'm extremely lucky," she muttered.

Seva frowned. "Don't worry about it." Desperate to cheer the girl up, she added, "Anyway, there's a group going on raids later, why don't you come along?"

Maria looked up. "You'd seriously consider having me along?" Seva could hear the slight tone of eagerness in her voice, and grinned to herself. At least she was distracted from worse thoughts.

"Why not?" she asked. "You're welcome to come along."

-
Hyrule Castle:
"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"I have it." The soldier handed him a thick sheaf of papers. He looked through them absently, smirking to himself.

"All is in order?"

"Yessir."

"The soldiers have been trained properly this time?"

"Yessir."

"And perhaps, this time, it will be successful?"

"Yessir."

"Send me one of the soldiers that failed last time."

". . . Yessir."

The nervous soldier walked out, and the shadow leaned back in his chair, chuckling to himself. Ah, perhaps, this time . . .

Another soldier walked in, bandages wrapped around his head. "Yes, My Lord?"

His smirk widened, and the soldier began to sweat. "You failed last time." He leaned back farther, lacing his fingers behind his head. "But I have decided to let the rest of your filthy demon-spawn company live. Eighteen soldiers left, am I correct?"

The bandaged soldier swallowed hard. "N-nineteen, My Lord."

"Ah." The shadow grinned, displaying disturbingly sharp, pointed teeth. "Tell the King, two weeks from today, we will have our victory."

The soldier was relieved. "Yes, My Lord." He left, his Master's words repeatedly echoing in his head.

Two weeks from today, we will have our victory.

-
A light breeze rustled the dry grass by Gerudo Valley Entrance, carrying the sound of horses from the path to Lake Hylia. Five women crouched on the hill overlooking the path, weapons at their sides, waiting, watching.

Or, in the case of two, arguing. Despite Seva and Belle's best efforts to silence them, Hakkai and Rupee snapped back and forth, insulting each other's clothes, appearance, family, and abilities, anything they could think of.

"You worthless idiot!" Hakkai growled.

"Shut up about me!" squealed Rupee, loud voice carrying across the field. Hakkai punched her in the arm; Rupee smacked her in the face. "You fat, clumsy excuse for a thief!"

"Oh yeah?" retorted Hakkai. "You probably weigh twice what I do!"

"At least I don't have a belly easy to see through a tunic!" Rupee screeched.

"Die!" the pair leaped on each other; Rupee landed a punch on Hakkai's cheek, and Hakkai kicked her in the stomach.

Finally, Belle had enough. She and Seva separated the two forcibly, both still screaming curses. Maria winced at the noise and adjusted the eagle-painted Hawkeye over her face. Belle clamped a hand over both women's mouths. "Shut up, fools!" she hissed. "We're trying to sneak up on something, not scare it away!"

"Girls, quiet!" They all fell silent at Kuza's exclamation. "I see them!"

They listened hard. Through the slight morning mist came four horses, brown with white and gray markings. They hauled three small carts that bumped and rattled over holes in the Lake Hylia path. Two of the five people controlling the carts were blonde, good-looking young men dressed in brown and green tunics, leggings, and white shirts. The third was dark-haired and young, dressed in varying shades of gray. The fourth was the same age, though his hair was completely white, ice-blue eyes shifting from the ridge overlooking the path, to the sky, to the path itself. He was dressed in black. The fifth had hair like a raven's wings, wearing pale gray-blue robes over a white tunic. None of the men was armed.

Kuza smirked. "Great. Ready yourselves, girls." Each of them wordlessly took up arms; Maria removed the Hawkeye and
gathered her sword.

-
"Vaki, are we almost there? The horses need a rest."

Vaki, the white-haired man, was sitting on a crate looking out the cart window. He glanced down at blonde Kalin, whose eyes were impatient as he walked beside the cart. Of course, Kalin was always edgy. No matter how many times they made this trek to Hylia Lake from Termina, it never differed. Kalin would complain, his brother Seba would yell at him, and Setka and Ferez, the two black-haired, gray men, would sit quietly and patiently, unlike headstrong Kalin.

"Yes, Kalin," retorted Vaki, annoyance creeping into his tone. "Soon. We've done this thrice and you've no idea how long it takes . . ."

"Vaki!" it was Setka, and he sounded worried. "You'd better see this."

Vaki heaved himself upward and jumped out, glaring in the direction Setka gestured. "What?" he growled. Then, his words withered and died.

Five veiled women wearing Gerudo garments had leaped off the ridge and now circled their prey, holding bows and swords at the ready. The sixth was a girl dressed in black, wearing a similar black veil. However, Vaki discerned the memorable hair . . .

"Setka, it's Maria!"

-
Belle grinned wolfishly, approaching the lead cart. The blonde boy, Seba, was desperately attempting to control the rearing horses. She wrenched the reins out of his hand, climbed up, and knocked him over the head with her spear. He dropped without a sound.

Everywhere, there was complete pandemonium. The Gerudo and Terminans yelled and screamed at each other, different languages a cacophony easy to hear half a mile away. Seva, Maria, and Hakkai searched for anything valuable in the Terminan supplies, Kuza, Rupee, and Belle rounded up the five men. Rupee brought ropes to bind the five securely with Seva's help. Belle snatched up everything useful and loaded it onto the six horses, two she'd stolen from the men and four Gerudo horses they'd brought.

"Found some material!" yelled Seva. She was rifling through the crates in the back cart, finding silks, cotton, food supplies, weaponry, and everything she needed. Vaki came to his senses. He silently drew a knife from his boot, climbing into the cart, raising it slowly . . . .

Maria saw the impending attack and reacted, smashing her sword hilt into his skull. He dropped, dazed, and she kicked the knife away. Seva turned at the noise, spotted Vaki, and grinned. "Thanks!"

All five men were tied close together in the shadow of their carts. No one had been injured so far, and both sides hoped it would stay that way.

-
Half an hour in, Maria slipped away when no one was watching, pulling off the veil, and kneeling close to Vaki. "Sorry," she whispered.

"What the hell are you doing?" Seba demanded in an undertone. Maria glanced in Kuza's direction hastily, and then bent closer.

"You've fallen in with a group of rough types!" hissed Setka.

"Gerudo thieves!" added Kalin, groggy from the blow delivered to his face by Rupee. "Damn it, that stings!"

"Keep your voice down!" she urged him. "Look, no one's going to get hurt, we're not going to take everything. I'll leave you guys enough money to stay at the Inn in Castle Town; they'll make sure you have enough food to make it to Hylia Lake. Just shut up and be good."

"Why the hell are you doing this to us?" inquired Ferez quietly. "I thought we were friends."

Maria hesitated, avoiding his eyes. "We are. No one else can know that. Promise me."

"Why are you with Gerudos?" demanded Kalin.

"Isn't it obvious?" Vaki had finally spoken. Everyone looked at him curiously. "I am glad you have finally found your family."

Maria sighed. "It's . . . it's not what I thought, Vaki. Not at all."

He nodded gravely and gazed at the sky. "I am sorry."

She nodded and placed Vaki's knife close to him. "Cut yourselves free when we're gone, not before. Got it?" All five nodded. "Good. And, Kalin? Stop complaining about the long ride. Okay?"

He scowled. "Fine."

She grinned and put her veil back on. "See you guys sometime; maybe I can get away for the Festival of Time."

Quiet parting words like, "Bye, Maria," "See yuh," "So long," "Farewell, Maria," followed her on the way back to the horses. The girl approached Seva, who told her to mount behind her. She did so, with a last wistful glance at the three carts and her friends.

-
"You did good, girls," Nabooru leaned back in her chair, eyes sparkling. "We've collected enough food to last us a month, material for clothing, supplies for the horses . . . even three new horses total. Eight raids, two of them featuring you," she indicated Seva and Belle, who bowed respectfully, "have earned you all two days off."

The girls cheered, and even Maria couldn't stifle a smile. A day off was a rarity in Gerudo Valley, a day to go to Castle Town (If they could make it in time), or just goof off. Maria was looking forward to exploring the Fortress, even in three weeks she hadn't seen much.

"You're dismissed." The six left the room, chatting happily. When they were mostly gone, Seva turned on Maria.

"What do you plan on doing with your two days off?" she inquired. Kuza and Yenna told her about their plan, and she liked it. This was another wonderful opportunity to bring the girl and her rather distant family together.

"Well, I was going to explore a little," she admitted. Kuza came up and met Seva's eyes swiftly. Perfect.

"Well, you could check out the Library," suggested Seva innocently. Maria's eyes lit with interest, making both women confident this would work out.

"Library?"

"Yep," replied Kuza, "large place, really. Everyone's permitted in, even if you're in trouble they don't take away your right to read and learn. Most of the books were stolen from rich old Hylians and Terminans, but our Pirate cousins deal with them. We trade books back and forth, always looking for a rare novel or nonfiction about ancient races. My cousin, Emai, she just found one on the Parallel Time theory, sent it just the other day."

"Maybe I should look it over," the girl murmured. Her mind was clearly elsewhere.

"Sure, I'll take you," Kuza said eagerly. "Ganondorf's usually in the Library if he's not working. He knows his way around better than any of us."

That took the light right out of Maria's expression. "No, thanks," she said bluntly. "I'd rather not."

"Why not?"

Maria scowled. "I'd hate to prove a distraction."

And she turned and left. Kuza and Seva stood there, frozen and confused. "She must really hate him," Kuza confided to Seva, watching the girl's receding back. The older woman nodded grimly. "But she has reason; he completely ignores her and treats her like . . . I don't even have a clue what to say."

"Like a common Hylian."

"Sure, that'll work. He really needs to talk with her or something," Kuza went on, "Maria's obviously lonely, despite our attempts to befriend her, and there was something funny about the way she interacted with those Terminans."

"I noticed," replied Seva dryly. "There was something between them . . ." she shrugged. "What are we going to do about it?"

"Ask Nabooru to talk to Ganondorf for us?"

"That's the stupidest . . ." Seva stopped. "Actually, not a bad idea."
They turned around and entered Nabooru's office, preparing to tell her everything they'd seen and to ask what they could do.

-
"Hey, Kid." Maria turned wearily. It was Enari, flanked by two of her friends.

"Enari," she replied through gritted teeth. Enari smirked. "What do you want?"

The young woman circled her, hands on her hips, strutting about in a state of self-satisfaction. "Heard you went on a raid today," she said. "Did you cry when your victims threatened you with a knife?"

"No."

Enari laughed. "Sure ya didn't. Belle mentioned in passing that you seemed to know the men. Did you have . . . a relationship or two?"

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Maria inquired coldly. Four passing Gerudo stopped to watch, apprehensive looks on their faces. Enari's unpleasant smile grew.

"I don't think Ganondorf would like it if his 'precious daughter' was involved with a Hylian or Terminan. Wait," she stopped to laugh, "you're half-Hylian scum anyway, defiled a perfectly Gerudian bloodline with a Hylian mother. They should kill you just to keep the line clean, it's a mercy killing. You don't deserve life anyway. It's not like anyone here cares, especially Ganondorf. He'd rather watch you die, bleeding filthy Hylian-'pure' Gerudian blood all over the floor."

The girl's hands balled into fists, and one of the watching Gerudo slipped away to alert Seva, Nabooru, and Ganondorf if she had to, just to make sure this didn't escalate.

"Why don't you just leave me alone," growled Maria.

"Hah!" Enari said scornfully. "No one will, it's not a good idea to ignore you, kid, if we do we'll probably wake up with our throats slashed. You're a traitor and a worthless waste of humanity."

Seva had arrived by then, Kuza, Yenna, and Rupee in tow. They watched the scene anxiously, waiting for one or the other to react. Finally, Maria turned away.

"Look at me, wretch!" screamed Enari; she seized Maria's arm and wrenched her around, then delivered a sharp slap to her face. Maria broke free, but Enari tackled her, punching her in the jaw. Maria hissed angrily and smacked the older woman's cheek; Enari's hand wrapped around her throat. "Die," she hissed. Maria kicked her in the stomach. She squirmed free of her chokehold. Enari thrust her fist into Maria's face. Dimly, the girl heard something snap. She retaliated by punching Enari, blackening her eye.

Seva and Rupee had been pinned to the wall by Enari's friends, others that supported Enari had done likewise to anyone remaining that dared take Maria's side. Enari pulled a knife from her waistband. She jabbed it into Maria's upper arm. Hot blood blossomed; she was blind with the pain. Another crack; her fingers were broken. And strangely, the pain felt good. Familiar . . . .

The weight lifted, someone had wrenched Enari off of her. A second pair of arms pulled Maria to her feet. Nabooru was the one that restrained Enari, Seva had broken free of her opponent; she was the one that helped Maria now.

Things became worse in an instant. Ganondorf stepped in.

-
He observed everything with irritation and poorly-concealed anger. There was dead silence: they waited for him to speak.

"What," he said at last, "the hell is going on here?"

"It's her fault, Milord," Enari gestured toward Maria, the skin around her eye now a spectacular purple color. "She attacked me, sir, said that I have to follow her every order because she's Royalty. When I refused, she attacked me."

"Liar!" Maria snapped.

"Silence!" She closed her mouth, seething inside. Injustice, her mind hissed.

"But she really isn't telling the truth, sir," said Seva in her politest voice. Maria flashed her a quick smile. "Enari attacked Maria, not the other way around."

"Seva's the liar!" yelled Nafeer. Everyone started to yell and scream at each other, Enari's friends against Maria's.

"Enough!" yelled Ganondorf and Nabooru simultaneously. They fell quiet. "Now. Six hours extra work for everyone." There was a storm of protests. He raised his voice over the shouts, "Anyone that has a day off loses it."

"WHAT?!" Kuza, Rupee, Seva, Hakkai, Nafeer, Enari, Maria, and anyone that remained glared at him angrily.

"Sir," began Seva.

"That's the way it goes," Ganondorf interrupted shortly. "Six hours for being in this fight . . ." he glared at Maria, "Eight for starting it."

If they expected her to protest, they were all surprised. Instead, a grin spread across her face, but not of joy, a strange, maniacal grin that made even Kuza shudder. Maria began to laugh quietly, dangerously and evilly. The blood on her face and crippled fingers made her look deranged. Her hair and clothes were also bloodstained, disheveled, torn in multiple places. She still gripped Enari's knife, splattered with her own ruby-red blood. Her eyes held a certain spark as she looked at first Nabooru, then Ganondorf, then Enari. Even the Desert Woman paled. This was not normal at all.

"Maria?" Seva asked concernedly. Maria merely turned and walked down the corridor, still-soft laughter echoing off the walls.


Me: Yep, pretty disturbing, huh?
Talim: Undoubtedly.
GerudoGirl89: Yeah, I think so too. You're a maniac, Wave.
Me: Maria is, not me!
GerudoGirl89: Whatever. Review!