Chapter Ten
In my sleep I roll onto the floor with a loud thud and I wake with a start. A scared fairy sits up from the shell chair and cackles rather obnoxiously. I start to pick myself up when she speaks. "Did you.. did you just fall off that couch?" She can barely manage her sentence through laughter. I pick up the pillow and chuck it at her, but she zings out-of-the-way.
"Shut up." I murmur, rubbing my head. The annoying smirk never leaves her face as she zooms up beside me and rests on my shoulder. I glance to the bed to see that it's neatly made without a Princess under its covers. "Where's Zelda?" I ask.
Fior shrugs. "Beats me. i was sleeping soundly until you hit the floor." She giggles again. I look around for something else to hit her with. "Hey, what was that she showed you last night when you guys did the hand touchy thing?" Fior inquires, obviously having held onto the question all night. I completely forgot Fior was in the room with us.
"Uh, she was showing me one of her dreams." I explain coolly, sitting on the couch to slip on my boots.
"Oooh. Seemed pretty important, huh?" Fior presses, nudging me. I shake my head and ignore her as I start for the door. I stop before opening it and turn. Right, I have to carry a sword with me now.
Entering Princess Ruto's hall, I find the two sitting side by side on a ledge near a low waterfall. They turn to me. "Oh, Link. Good, you're awake." Ruto comments, obviously changing the subject of their conversation before. I wonder if they were talking about me.
I glance at Zelda who now wears a simple white dress with pink trim. With Ruto, Zelda stands, and the dress flows just beneath her knees. Her shoes are different as well. Rather than the moccasin shoes of the Gerudo, she wore white boots similar to my own brown ones.
"Oh, you're probably wondering about my dress." She half laughed, realizing I was looking at her. "Ruto had one of her Zora's that patrol the moat outside the castle pick it up for me. We also have another tunic for you Link."
"If Zora's can travel all the way to the castle in a night to pick something up, why can't they bring us to Lon Lon Ranch, or close to?" I question obviously.
"Zelda asked the same question. My Zora's, however strong they may be, find it very difficult to drag someone along with them while they swim. They to swim different than they're used to and the extra body weight slows them down a lot. It makes more sense the two of you rest here while the Sages find a way out of the desert. I have my Zora's ready to deliver a message to the sages if they happen to pass by that you are here, safe with me."
I sigh. I wonder if it would be practical to walk there at this point. It might take too long and be too exhausting; the monsters trapped on the other side of the bridge must have turned back on Hyrule. I decide it's not wise to chance another run in with the army.
"How are you this morning Link?" Zelda finally speaks, eyeing me. I wonder if she is making an attempt to ignore what happened last night, so I go along with it. Better in the past...
"I'm alright." I mumble and Fior buts in.
"He fell off the couch!" She exclaims laughing, and I catch Zelda and Ruto's lips curve into smiles as they hold back laughter. I flick Fior off my shoulder in the direction of the waterfall, but she catches herself mid-air. "Oh pfft.. I see how it is." She glares, crossing her arms. I return the dirty look and the little fairy sticks her tongue out at me.
"Hungry Link?" Ruto interrupts. I turn and see Zelda covering her mouth as she tires to compose herself from the laughter she'd just let loose.
"Starving actually." I grin, thinking of how long it's been since I last ate. Ruto walks down the hall and Zelda makes eye contact with me before following Ruto. I cock my head in thought. What is going through her head? I follow, Fior shouts for me to wait then catches up and slips beneath my hat.
A Brief Interlude
The sun reflects off the Gerudo's dark skin as she stands, arms crossed in front of her chest watching over her women as they work on the new bridge. It is nearly finished. Working through the night paid off. A new group of women will be coming soon to finish the job, relieving the ones working now from the scalding rays of the desert sun.
When the Gerudo came to work on the bridge, the creatures had long vanished, and even now, there remains no sign of them. Darunia steps up beside Nabooru, looking out on the bridge under construction. "How's it coming?" He questions.
"Should be finished by twilight." Nabooru responds. She turns to Darunia whose face is somber as he watches the Gerudo's work. Nabooru turns her gaze back to them as well. "I know you're concerned about the Gorons. Maybe it's best, after the bridge is finished, you all return to your homes to watch over your people. We can find others to look after the Hero and the Princess, it's not safe to leave the lands of Hyrule without protection. It's unfair to keep you all here in the desert, when the climate isn't your friend."
Darunia looks to her. "You've been disconnected from the Sages lately. Is it because of Nimyia?" The Gerudo sighs and places her fingers to her temple.
I feel as though I've failed. All of this was going on right beneath my nose and I hadn't caught on. It makes me wonder whether or not more of my women remain loyal to Ganondorf. He is, after all, our King."
"Was." Darunia says gravely. "They remain loyal to you Nabooru. They understand he is evil, and only wants harm for the land. You are their leader now and they pledged their allegiance to the rest of Hyrule. Ganondorf sends evil to harm them. He is their enemy now. Only the Gerudo with tainted hearts can be subject to his corruption. I have faith in your women Nabooru, don't you? You saw what that young girl did with the bridge. They are good people." She blinks at the Goron and wondered why she is even concerned. Gerudo women do not need comfort.. they are stronger than that.
"You are right Darunia, but I cannot help but worry and feel guilt for what has happened. Had Impa not been there, Nimyia might have taken the boy right from our grasp. He was weak enough then. We hadn't been prepared for any endangerment. She nearly cost us our Hero. It did work out rather nicely, I must admit."
"Agreed." Darunia states as a dozen Gerudo women appear from the direction of the fortress.
"You are relieved for your work for now. Thank you all. You may head back to the fortress and rest for the night." Nabooru addresses the group of working women. The dozen resume where the others leave off.
"I think I will head back to the fortress as well." Darunia informs Nabooru. She nods.
"Be well, I think I will stay here a while longer. I'll report when the bridge is finished so you all may make your journeys out of the desert." She turns her back on Darunia, who makes his way back to the fortress.
Chapter Ten Continued
After breakfast, I receive a blue tunic from Ruto. It is much like my green one, but much more water proof. I fold my green tunic and place it in my large pouch. I begin wandering through the domain. After a short time I find the domain boring as long as I don't want to swim, and long for the desert. At least there, I could train.
I wonder where the Princess's have gone. They took their leave after Ruto presented me with my tunic after. I haven't seen either one since. After looking for them for a while I give up and make my way back to the center of the domain, to the landing I arrived on. They were most likely back in Princess Ruto's room. I'm too lazy to look, and I don't have a reason to disturb them anyway.
I dangle my boots above the edge of the water, listening to the waterfall empty into the domain. I contently watch the Zoras dance beneath the water. I notice a Zora swim from the door that leads to lake Hylia and surface fanatically looking around. I stand, recognizing the Zora. "Hey!" I shout. The Zora who brought Zelda and I here looks to me as my voice echoes off the domain's walls.
"Oh Hero!" The Zora swims for me. "I have news. Where is Princess Ruto and Princess Zelda?" She asks, glancing behind me, then spinning to examine the rest of the domain.
"Oh uh, I think they're in Ruto's room." The Zora pulls herself onto the landing.
"Come then!" She exclaims padding along the stony path to the waterfall. I fill with anxiety. News of what? Good- bad? Of the Sages? The desert?
After the Zora with the key opens the door, Zelda and Ruto stand from the couch the moment we enter in confusion.
"What is it Mira?" Ruto asks, looking puzzled at the Zora as she approaches.
"News my Princess. Nerida, who patrols the rivers around the Market, reported to me this morning of a new face in town. Although, face isn't the correct word. The person she describes is cloaked heavily in black and wears a mask preventing any further identification. Nerida also explains when the guard asked what business this person has in the Market, there was a dark cackle and the guard simply stepped aside, not saying another word. Nerida believes the person used some kind of dark magic to control the guard."
"Was it Ganondorf?" I ask, thinking back to Impa referring to Ganondorf using his mind to control the Gerudo. I realize it is a stupid question.
"Couldn't have been." Zelda answers for the Zora. "I would have felt the seal break. He's still confined in the Sacred Realm.."
"The person seemed feminine, but Nerida could not tell because of the mask and cloak." Mira adds. "But she makes it clear she felt suddenly discontent when the person appeared. She hadn't seen exactly where it was the person came from.. it was almost like they appeared in the center of Hyrule field without a trace. After informing me I sent Nerida back to watch for any more signs of the mysterious masked person."
"This is news indeed. We need to inform the other Sages as soon as possible." Ruto replies. "Go back to the lake Mira. Wait for word from Nerida of the person appears again. Thank you for the information. It is quite helpful." Mira nods and paces out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Do you think the person has any connection to Ganon?" I ask the two. Zelda shakes her head.
"I don't know. It would be another Gerudo under Ganons control like the incident in Kakariko, but that can't be if this person can use dark magic and mind control.. That's not normal." Zelda's expression is thoughtful and she seems to be racking her brain, trying to find reason.
"Oh I really do hope the Sages leave the desert soon. They need to know of this." Ruto complains. "I may just head back to the desert myself if they don't show up soon."
"I'll go with you." I chime in and Zelda shoots me a look.
"No, Link. I know you want to help as soon as possible but we believe Ganon is still in the dark about you finding out about your past. We want to keep it that way as long as we can. He'll be less prepared to face you when the time comes. For now, you need to stay here." Ruto says, sounding almost sorry for me. I clinch my fists and feel my face heat up.
"You all go on about how I'm the Hero and you need me and I'm so important, but when there's fighting to be done you shut me away. I don't want to be helpless all the time. I'm supposed to be the Hero of time! I'm not as weak as you think.. You saw me in the desert with the Bokoblins." I point out, speaking to Zelda. "You know the connection this sword and I have. I can actually fight. I shouldn't be hidden away like this. I should be out there in the open actually fighting something. It will prepare me for when I actually do face Ganon. Sitting, locked away like this won't make me a better Hero."
The two stare at me in disbelief. Up until this point I have yet to raise my voice around them. I am about to apologize for blowing up like this, but Zelda speaks first. She turns to Ruto, her voice sincere. "He is right, you know."