Chapter 10: Grief
Hyrule Castle, Throne Room
"What do you mean Zelda and Midna left with my children in the night?!" Ganondorf yelled at one of his guards.
"They left without a trace. They're all wearing men's and boy's clothes sir. Shall we find them?" The guard asked.
Ganondorf grumbled then sighed, "It's not worth it. None of those girls are my heir anyway. I'll even let the tracking spell on Zelda and Midna die. I have found my queen... and she is alone."
"My lord, shall we...?" The guard couldn't finish his sentence before Ganondorf disappeared.
The Evil King was on his way to find Eshe and bring her to the castle.
Hyrule Field, near the Gerudo Desert
Zelda blinked as she felt something... lift. She gasped, "Midna!"
"I felt it too. The spell. It's gone." Midna said, keeping herself to Zelda's shadow. Anwen and Hilda, being half Gerudo, were lucky and didn't have to hide within shadows in direct light.
Zelda met Midna's eyes, her blue-greens seeming questioning. Midna nodded, looking to Ilia.
"I think we can go from here with the girls instead. Thank you for helping, Ilia." Midna smiled.
"Of course. Stay true and stay safe!" Ilia turned her horse around, back towards the ranch.
Zelda smiled at Midna and nodded, "Let's push on. I'm glad Ilia bred these horses for Desert travel!"
"Me too!" Midna looked at her girls, "Hold on tight. We're gonna go fast."
Callie giggled, "I'm ready, Midna!"
"Us too, Mom. Hilda, hold tight to me." Anwen smiled.
The group took off at a dead run, tearing across the desert. What they didn't know is they soon would be at the cave at this rate.
Gerudo Caves, Inner Depths
Zev, son of Zelda. A soft female voice said.
Zev opened his golden eyes to find himself within a field of marigolds. He sat up slowly, looking around. He locked eyes with a woman who had brown, curly hair and the deepest royal blue eyes he had ever seen. The woman came forward.
"There. You finally responded. I was scared."
"Who are you?" Zev asked softly.
"I am Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom. You, my dear, are hard to wake, unlike your mother." Nayru admonished.
"I'm... sorry?" the Prince inquiried.
"Don't be. Zev, it's time. You are to awaken to a new destiny. One may argue it's more important than your mother's was. I certainty would." Nayru smiled softly.
"What destiny?" Zev whispered.
"The destiny your sister has already taken. You are to ride Naydra, my Sacred Dragon, to defeat the Demon King that resides within Ganondorf with your sister and Eshe." The Goddess of Wisdom said softly.
"That's why I heard roaring. Was it Naydra?" He asked.
"It was. She's ready. And you are too. All you need is to wake up, sweet boy." Nayru smiled.
Zev shot up in his bed and looked around. He was alone, probably with guards posted out front of his room. The prince slowly stood, wobbly on his feet.
"Zev!" Ursa called, coming to steady him.
"Ursa, I'm fine!" The Gerudo boy said.
"No you're not. You need to rest, the child's dark magic affected you!" Ursa admonished.
"The child-Ursa no! They didn't! It was Nayru! Nayru needed to speak to me!" Zev argued, golden eyes wide.
Ursa stopped trying to prevent Zev from standing. She gave Zev and even gaze.
"Then... that means... we need to let Carrot go." The elder said.
"Exactly. And I'll do it. It was my fault." Zev took the key from Ursa and strode through the caves until he made it to the prison burrow. He unlocked it, and the child, Carrot, lunged out.
"Thank the Gods!!!! I am free! See? I didn't hurt your Princey Poo-poo!!" Carrot yelled, one hand on their hip.
"I am truly sorry for the way you were treated. Can you forgive my people?" Zev asked.
"Yeah I can. Because Ursa showed me kidness and nummy carrots!" Carrot grinned.
Zev smiled, "You are Eshe's companion, yes?"
"Yeah and-- Oh no!! Zev! Eshe's all alone and Ganondorf's gonna find her! You have to find her first!!!" The child said worriedly.
"I can do that... I just need Dyaus and--"
"Zev?"
The Gerudo boy paused and looked to the source of the voice. It was Nabooru, and behind her was a very familiar woman. Her light brown hair looked so soft, even pulled back harshly. Her blue-green eyes had the deepest care to them. Beside her was a girl with fiery red hair and blue-green eyes like her mother.
Zev had no doubt to who this was.
"My boy." Zelda whispered.
"Mother..." Zev murmured as his mother strode forward and hugged him close, like she should have the day he was born. Zev didn't cry, just embraced his mother back as the girl, his little sister, joined the hug.
"I found you. I am so sorry." Zelda whispered.
Zev said nothing, just closed his eyes. Carrot just, sat back and watched for a second before piping up.
"Hello? Eshe? Danger of Ganondorf?" The child jumped up.
"Right..." Zev cleared his throat and looked into his mother's eyes, "I have to go help Eshe. Now. Can you wait? I have so many questions."
"If you're going someplace, it's not going to be alone. I'll come with. Callie can stay here with Ursa and Nabooru." Zelda said strongly.
"Fine, fine, but we gotta go! Now! Ganon will get Eshe if we wait much longer!!!" Carrot ran towards the front of the caves, on all fours, oddly.
Nabooru put a hand on the girl, Callie's, shoulder, "Go on. She's safe."
Zelda gave a big smile to Nabooru and looked to Zev, "I'll follow you. If Ganondorf even tries to hurt you, I'm here."
"Then let's go. We have a friend in need." Zev followed Carrot, and Zelda gave Callie a kiss on the forehead.
"I'll be back soon. I promise." She told Callie as she turned to follow her son.
Hylian Beach
Eshe had taken time to get to know Farosh, and when the sun was high, the two were resting. Eshe kept staring as there was a ship in the distance getting closer.
"All this time, we were so close and yet so far. That's how Link's soul found me." Eshe whispered.
Eshe, you are more than a reincarnation, you know. Farosh admonished.
"I know, but... it helps to know now that I'm never far from home. I even think that may be my mother's boat. What would she say? Would she be proud? She made me leave..." The young Gerudo said softly.
Do you want to try? The dragon asked, his yellow-green eyes inquisitive.
Eshe paused, looking from the boat to her newfound dragon. She slowly nodded, walking toward the water. She could swim, the boat was close enough.
I'll be flying. I will retrieve you should anything go wrong. Farosh took to the clouds, hiding among them. Eshe smiled, taking a deep breath, wading further into the water.
"I found you."
Eshe paused and turned her head, her blue eyes meeting the golden orbs of the Evil King. She snarled, drawing the Master Sword quickly and turning around.
"Ganondorf." She murmured. She felt Farosh's presence, knowing he was coming.
"Now, you will be my bride. You see, you have no choice. You're cornered." The king said.
"Never. I won't just come with you. Are you so arrogant to see that?" The young Gerudo stepped away from the water, and the Master Sword gleamed.
"Arrogant? No. But I will--" Farosh's roar interrupted Ganondorf's sentence as the dragon came hurtling from the sky, landing next to Eshe.
You will not come near her. Farosh growled. Only Eshe could hear him, but she felt herself snarling with him.
"What...?" Ganondorf snapped his fingers and a sword appeared in his hands, "a dragon?"
"The Sacred Wyvern of Farore," Eshe brought the sword up, "and he's on my side."
Ganondorf growled, charging Eshe. The young Gerudo made Farosh stay back, clashing her sword with the Evil King's. Eshe sidestepped, jumping to the side only to have her thrust parried by Ganondorf.
The Gerudo girl grumbled and flipped backward before rushing the king. Ganondorf was surprised by the move, gasping as Eshe cut bits of his armor in such a flurry. The Evil King struck out, barely slashing Eshe's leg.
"You bastard! You've destroyed this land in your quest for power! You've broken down your daughter to the point she follows you!" Eshe snarled.
"She should have always done that. Where is my Carrot, though? The child was to lead you to me!" Ganondorf boomed.
Eshe slid underneath Ganondorf's legs and kicked his bum, hard. He went forward a few steps, stumbling to regain balance. When he turned around, Eshe had Farosh again at her side.
Farosh roared, letting lightning spit a bit out of his mouth. He stared Ganondorf down with angry yellow-green eyes and snarled. Eshe gently twisted the hilt of the Master Sword in her hand.
"This will not end well for you. Leave." Eshe breathed.
"No." Ganondorf grinned as an army of stal-beings surrounded him. Eshe and Farosh looked on with wide eyes.
Eshe! On me! Farosh ordered. Eshe swung onto Farosh as he took to the sky. The girl took a split second to look to the ship, and saw no Gerudo aboard. Her heart sank as she looked to one of the Stalfos and saw her mother's swords.
"Farosh..." She murmured as tears hit her eyes.
I am so sorry. He killed them, all of them, to help create this hoarde.
"No..." Eshe whimpered.
I'll put them out of their misery. Hopefully it will also chase him off. The dragon then roared and with his lightning breath, struck down any stal-being that stood. Eshe clung to her dragon, sobbing, unable to watch.
Luckily, Ganondorf also disappeared as Farosh started his lightning strikes. Once the stal-beings were deceased for good, the dragon landed, and all that could be heard from the beach were Eshe's grieving sobs.
They may not have been all well and good, but they were your family. They will be avenged. Farosh promised his rider.
There we are, Zelda is reunited with Zev, and they are on the way with Carrot to Eshe's side. What they don't know is that Eshe now has lost her Terminian Family, including her mother.
How will Eshe respond to Zelda, Zev, and Carrot seeing her grief? Will Ganondorf try to find Tetra next?
Stay tuned!