I took a deep breath and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. The worst was over…I hoped. The inside of the fortress was dark. I could barely make out the sloping walls of the steep valley cradling the huge stone fortress. I walked towards the flickering lights of the torches lighting up the cavernous door to the stone monolith. I wished I could feel my bow at my back. I stepped through the door to the interior. It was a long hallway. I could hear girlish laughter from one end where lights streamed out from between the curtains that covered the door. I walked slowly towards it and pulled aside the heavy gauze. Inside it was decorated with rugs and pillows of every color. Everywhere you looked there was something soft and cushy. Could this really be the woman warriors everyone so feared? Surrounding the room lounged Gerudo women and girls, they all sported attire like my own. When I came in all the music and noise stopped. Some of the Gerudos fingered the hilts of their scimitar. I stood gaping, looking around the room in awe. With a clinking of beads one of the Gerudos stood up. She was young but already had the sharp nose and dark shrewd eyes of the Gerudo race.

"Mala!" she exclaimed, walking to my side. "Were where you?" I told her my story about the migrants and the cuccos.

"We will attack at dawn." Said one of the tallest of the group of women standing. "None shall attack one of our clan and live to gloat about it." What had I done?

"Oh no, I chased them off, there's no need to attack them." I said hurriedly to cover my mistake.

"Mala?" the younger Gerudo who had greeted me earlier asked quietly, "what's their sign?" I wracked my brain trying to think of something that would be an unlikely sign for an innocent clan.

"Um…. it was the seagull clan." I said. Who would name a clan after a bird of the sea, here in the middle of the desert? But the name I gave brought looks of hatred to the eyes of the women.

"Those outsiders have brought pain to our tribe for the last time!" growled the tall women. "They will pay!" with the last of the words her voice grew to a yell, she drew her curved sword and brandished in the air. The rest of the women copied the woman's pose and gave thoroughly battle yells. Suddenly I recognized the leader as the woman on the wanted poster. My eyes grew wide as I recalled the words on the sign.

"Beware; Ilea is known to have led a war party against anyone who tries to bring information against her. She is dangerous and bloodthirsty." I read aloud to link. "You really expect me to go among those people?" I asked skeptically.

"You'll be fine Lili, she's not gonna kill you."

But now I wasn't too sure. If she found out that I wasn't their 'Mala' I was going to be in a heap of trouble. Terror clutched my heart; I was putting myself in a dangerous situation

"Mala?" the young Gerudo turned to me, her voice brought me from my reverie. "Where is your sword? You are the finest of all our warriors with the rapier, you have not lost it?"

"The migrants who jumped me took it." I explained before thinking. I inwardly cringed. Those poor people. What was I doing to them? The girl gestured at the door behind me and two swords where produced. I regretfully attached them to my sash. I'd never used a sword in my life! Swords hadn't even been allowed on our island. How was I supposed to me 'Mala' who was the best of the best?

"Ayah, take Mala to your room. You both need sleep." Ilea commanded. The girl took my hand and led me through the beaded door. Golden lanterns that spluttered as we past them lighted the corridor. On the walls where skulls of animals, hunting trophies I hoped. The floor had a light dusting of sand that had seeped through the door. Ayah led me down a series of halls then came into a brighter hall that had large gems scattered on the walls. One more left turn and we entered a room. The inside was bright and soft. There where silks and pillows and everything that could possibly used to be luxurious. Ayah flopped down on a cot and I sank onto another one. These thieves had it good I thought as I sunk on another cot.

"Mala!" Ayah screeched, "What are you doing? That's kelam's cot! She'll kill you if she found out you touched it let alone sat on it!" I hurriedly stood up.

"I'm sorry" I apologized and gave a huge fake yawn. "Im just so tired." Ayah stood up and steered me to another cot.

"There. Go to sleep. We've got a big battle in the morning." She grinned happily. These people got a sick pleasure about killing and it made me queasy.

"Goodnight blue eyes." blue eyes? Oh my goodness. I have blue eyes. I looked at ayahs reddish brown ones. Did she know? Could she tell? How could link and I overlooked my eye color? Laughter broke into my anxiety attack and I watched as three other girls filed into the room gossiping and giggling. Kelam, the girl whose cot I had sat upon earlier seemed to be their leader.

"So blue eyes. What kept you away from us so long this time?" she asked.

"I bet she's got a man out there. Here blue eyes are sooo irresistible. another girl rolled on her back and batted her eyes upside down at me.

"Oh hush kelam. You know that her eyes are a special sign. Blue eyes are as rare as a male's birth." Ayah chided. "When mala was born Ganondorf himself told her that she would lead our people to great victory. And her swordsmanship has brought us great things. Now go to sleep, we have a fight in the morning." One of the other girls blew out the lanterns and we where blanketed in darkness. My eyes where drawn to the blue moon outside my window. Link was somewhere out there. Maybe he was looking at the moon too. I missed him. After I was sure the other girls had gone to sleep I crept to the window and looked out it. The long valley stretched on as far as I could see. But up there on the cliff…could that be a cave? Or a temple? I crept to the door and tried to quietly move the beads aside but ayah turned over fit fully. There was no way I was going to be able to investigate tonight. I returned to the cot and slid between the coverlets and let sleep overtake me.

I was awoken by a blood-chilling wail. All the other girls sat up in their beds too. But where my face registered fear and anxiety, the girl's faces, pale in the pre-morning light where happy and excited. A lantern was lit and they all scrambled around in their chests and pulled out clothing.

"Hurry mala!" ayah urged. "I'll wait for you." I noticed a trunk at the end of my own cot and found clothing similar to what I was wearing. Out of the corner of my eye I could see ayahs armful of red clothing. The girls who had already also had red clothing. I took a lucky guess and grabbed the red clothing. Ayah giggled and I had to trot to keep up with her as we walked into a big room. Everywhere Gerudos where preparing for battle, dressing in their identical red costumes. I changed into my own and ayah helped me secure my face scarf that was made of a gauzy material. It draped across my face obscuring my features. All that could be seen where my eyes. I pulled up my own hair. I was afraid someone would pull too hard and the wig would come off. I made sure that that my ears where carefully covered and strapped on my twin swords. I was ready. I hoped. At the sound of a gong everyone was silent. All heads turned to the door where the tall leader ilea stood. She spun on her heel and we followed her out of the fortress and into the courtyard. Outside the sun hadn't even crested the lip of the valley. A few horses had been produced and ilea swung up in the saddle. We started quietly out the gates. The only sound was the horses' hooves plodding over the bridge. Sand started seeping into my shoes but I didn't complain. I just followed ayah. My blade slapped against my thigh as I walked. Just as the sun peaked into the sky our troops stopped at the crest of a sand dune. Below was a cluster of tents. No one was yet awake. I felt sick. How could I have done this to innocent people? But then behind me I heard a scream. A man dressed in blacks and browns yanked his sword out of the back of one of the Gerudo warriors. Ilea's horse reared up. Suddenly more migrants rose up from behind tents, swords drawn. The Gerudo drew their own swords and began to fight the invaders. I crossed my arms across my body and gripped the handles of my swords. They felt oddly familiar. I drew both and they made a swishing noise as they swung in front of me. How could I fight when I had never touched a sword? I wondered. But no one had apparently told that to my hands. They swung the swords with ease. I didn't want to kill, only stay alive. I stood my ground and a vagrant spotted me and charged. I easily blocked his swipes at my body and cut off his hand. He sank bleeding into the sad. Who's side was I on? My thoughts raced. I didn't focus on what I was doing. Suddenly with a whinny and a thumping of boots hitting sand I was faced by another enemy. This time he was clothed in green. He already had his shield on his arm and drew his sword in a flash. Link. I wanted to scream 'link! Get me out of here!" but doing that would only bring everything crashing down around us. He must know it was me. I let my guard down. And he lunged at my bare stomach, the tip of his saber almost puncturing my gut. I suddenly realized that link couldn't tell me from any other Gerudo. I couldn't tell him or I was going to be found out by the other women. And then killed. I brought up my swords to block my face and twisted around behind him. He whirled to face me. Link was the best swordsman I know. And I had to survive this fight. Somehow. We scuffled back and forth I was vaguely aware of screams of dying people but all that mattered to me was the next step I took, the next place I parried my sword. I didn't want to kill link, but I didn't want to die. Link took a vicious swipe and I ducked but the tip of his sword gouged into my flesh on my shoulder, hitting home. I screamed and dropped my sword on my left side. Clutching my bleeding shoulder I stumbled back. Link stuck out his foot and tripped me. I collapsed on my back in the burning sand. The tip of his saber rested on my cheek next to my ear. But at the sound of a wild scream he turned sideways just as ayah flew through the air. The motion of his spin slit my face cloth. As link ducked putting up his shield in defense he turned his head to the side and his face registered recognition when he saw my exposed face.

"Lili?" he murmured, stunned just as ayah brought her sword crashing down on his shield. He crumpled under the impact. Ayah took the opportunity to race around him and stand between him and me. She let out a guttural growl. I scooted backwards away from link who was just rising back up. Ayah grabbed my un-injured arm and hauled me to my feet. She rushed me to where horses where milling, trying to decide if they should run or stay. Ayah grabbed one by the bridle and boosted me up.

"Ride back!" she shouted. "Your too valuable to loose here!"

"What about you?" this girl was risking her life for me. And I wasn't even one of them.

"Just go, I'll be fine." she slapped my horses on the rump and the startled horse took off in the direction of the fortress. I bit my bottom lip until I tasted blood. My shoulder hurt so much. Everything started to get dark and blurry around the edges of my vision. "No" I told myself. "I have to find the chamber with the Triforce. This is my only chance to do so." I managed to keep myself in the saddle as far as the Gerudo gates. They where unguarded and my horse stopped in the courtyard. I half slid half fell off of its side. I shook my head and looked around. There. On the high part of the canyon the little cave. I picked myself up. Clenching my teeth I started resolutely forward. I looked out of the corner of my eye at my shoulder. Quickly I diverted my gaze. So much blood. I felt light headed. The ground was rocky and I had to carefully pick my way up the hill. I was almost there. I could make it. I stumbled into the mouth of the cave. I stood for a second and let my eyes adjust to the darkness. The cave was empty. I sagged. How could this be? I was sure that this had to be the cave that held Ganon's power. I was about to leave when I noticed something. In the wall was a darkly colored scrap of cloth. I t was stuck in a crack that ran to the ceiling. A secret door. It had to be. I searched around for a lever or anything that could possibly trip the mechanism to open it. I spotted something in the corner. Going to investigate I tripped over a rock in the dark. I fell and a large pebble skittered forward onto a smooth large stone. The panel came to a rest. The rock clicked and dropped down a few inches into the floor. The huge door grated open. I pulled myself to my feet with great difficulty and walked towards the door. A soft golden glow radiated from the room and I was unexplainably drawn to it. I stepped slowly through the doorway. In the center of the room a gold triangular wedge spun, suspended in air. I stood gaping at it. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Slow and deliberately I drew my sword. I intended to slash it cleanly down the center. But just as I raised my sword with my good arm a voice startled me.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I jumped and spun, moving my sword to a defensive position. A silhouette stood blocking the door. With a deep chuckle that made me shiver he said,

"Put down the sword. Your no match for me. What do you think your doing, pretending to be one of us?"

"Who are you?" I asked and the man stepped into the light. I gasped and shrunk back. It was the man from my dreams. Suddenly it all clicked into place. "Ganon." I growled. He laughed again.

"You have the advantage my dear. I don't know your name but you know mine."

"Lets keep it that way?" I snarled. He took as step towards me and I circled to my right. I intended to keep the same distance from him as long as I could.

"Did you really think you could invade my harem and I wouldn't know about it?" he asked. "You thought that your half-grown hero could really cared about you? Why else would he send you here? He just wants you die."

"That's not true!" I screamed. But I began to doubt my own words. Why had he sent me here? Did he really not know it was me? Or did try to kill me today? No. It couldn't be. He was my best friend. Ganon was just playing with my mind. "I don't know who your talking about!" I shrieked. I couldn't control my voice. I thought I was going to cry.

"The same person," Ganon began, I knew he was going to try to get me to acknowledge if I knew link or not. "That is currently dead. Or more of bleeding to death, killed by one of my warriors." He made a cup out of his hand like he was holding a ball or a sphere and turned it upside down. An image seemed to fall out of his palm. It was hazy but I could tell it was link. He lay on his back, gasping for breath. A fatal wound bled profusely from his chest.

"Link." I self-consciously whispered, the breath barely was loud enough for me to hear but it was enough for Ganon. He enjoyed the look of fear and sorry on my face. He threw back his head and laughed. His first mistake. I lunged forward with my sword. But he knew I was coming. He reached out with fast reflexes and gripped my wounded shoulder with his thumb and forefinger.

"Oh," he crooned "looks like your hurt. Let me help you with that." He put unthinkable pressure on it. I was immobile with pain. I let out a silent scream. "Still hurt? Maybe this will make it feel better." He twisted my elbow and arm around to my back. I felt the flesh ripping further and a new wave of blood ran down my arm. Everything slowed down until all I saw where blurry shadows moving together. I crumpled to my knees then onto the cold floor. Ganon let me go. I watched unable to move as he drew his sword. I was going to die. I never got to say goodbye to link. Or my parents. Or anyone I loved. I closed my eyes a single tear slipped out of my eye. I was ready. I opened my eye just as Ganon began his downward swing with the hilt of his sword aimed for my head. My unfocused eyes registered a blur of green and suddenly Ganon was toppling over backwards something picked me up and we moved out the door. I could hear an echoy voice scream, "you'll never win you half-hero!" I looked up and squinted. Trying to bring everything into view. I focused long enough to see links face. Link. Link was alive. Link was alive and safe. Then the blackness closed in.

I could feel Lili go limp in my arms. Oh don't let her die. I need her. I ran as quickly as I dared, sending silt and rocks rolling down the embankment as I slid. Epona was waiting, looking in the direction of the bridge. She know the Gerudos where coming. I looked at Lili she was still breathing. She was alive. I lifted her up onto the saddle and climbed on behind her. She slumped on my chest. I urged Epona forward. The only way out of the basin like canyon was over the bridge that the Gerudo warriors where currently walking to. I squeezed Kaylee's shoulder with one hand trying to stop the blood from flowing so freely. We cantered across the bridge just as the Gerudo spotted us. They where so surprised that they didn't move until we had shot past. But a lone horse and rider spun and charged after us. As the rider grew nearer I recognized the warrior who had attacked me earlier to stop me from killing my best friend. I could easily have cocked an arrow and shot her clean out of the saddle but I owed her thanks. I kicked Epona faster and she gave me more speed. Slowly the red wig Lili had worn started to slip of her head due to the jouncing gait of Epona. Finally it flew off and caught the wind. Kaylee's blonde hair unfurled from the bun she had stuffed up in the wig and blew out to its full length. I whirled Epona to a sudden stop and faced broadside to the oncoming Gerudo. She pulled up sharply and standing in her stirrups plucked Kaylee's wig from the air. She saw Kaylee, unconscious leaning against me with her hair lightly flapping on my shoulder. She looked from the wig to the bleeding girl and back again. We stood staring at teach other then she kicked her horse and whirled away to the Gerudo fort in a cloud of dust. I knew I had to get Kaylee as far away from the Gerudos—and Ganon as I could. To the west was the delta of the Zora River. We would make our way there. Epona trustfully hurried us on as fast as she could. I could feel the life slowly draining out of Kaylee. It was far into the night before I finally felt it was safe enough to stop. The sand started to give way to dry coarse grasses poking up in patches. I collected an armful and lit a fire. Once it was crackling merrily I turned my attention back to Lili. She was sprawled on my bedroll, her shoulder in a crude temporary bandage, but the blood had already seeped through it. Just looking at her brought tears to my eyes. My best friend. I loved her like a sister. She was dying. And I killed her. I would work to save her until the last breath of life left her body. It was going to be a long night. I took my canteen off of Epona's saddle and knelt next to my wounded companion. I wet a cloth and began to dab at the blood that had dried around the wound. She moaned softly and quivered. I rocked back on my heels and watched her face anxiously. After a moment she stopped and her head rolled back onto its side. Franticly I fumbled with her wrist trying to find her pulse. There was none. But a reassuring whoosh of air came as her lungs took another breath, telling me she was still alive. I cleaned and re-bandaged her shoulder, wrapping it tightly so the skin wouldn't rip further. I then trickled some water onto her parched tongue. She didn't respond at all. Again I gave her some water and massaged her throat until she swallowed. I kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered to her. Her hands were freezing. The desert became bitterly cold at night. I wrapped her tightly in the bedroll and lay down facing her back. We lay like spoons and I wrapped my arms around her, willing my warmth to transfer into her body. I closed my eyes and did something I hadn't done since I was little. I cried. I wept into Kaylee's hair. I had compromised the most precious treasure I had ever had for something far less important. Her entire life had been turned upside down because of me. The Helmroc chased her from her home, worry for me sent her into a dangerous place, she witnessed the destruction of the Kokiri village and against her will I had sent her to what could possibly be her death. I would never forgive myself.