Disclaimer: I, Huntress in the Dark, Don't own a darned thing.

Link's vision tunneled forward as he regained control once more. Leaning against the Master sword briefly as he caught his breath, he saw Bongo-Bong's body disintegrate into black nothingness. Was that really what was in that vicious cloud before?

His breath back under control, he realized that for the first time he hadn't gotten what he came into a temple for. Lady Impa wasn't in here. He didn't know if he should be happy for that or not.

"Are you ready to go?"

"I guess…"

Link stepped into the familiar blue light, and was warped off to the Chamber of Sages.

Apparently Badge was bothered by how calm Link was about the whole ordeal. Such a sense of nervousness seemed strange coming from someone who lived for one hundred and thirty seven years. Link knew this, and yet, Badge looked like he was only a couple years older than him. The light dimmed down to the point where Link could see easier. He slowly raised his eyes, to see someone he thought he lost.

"Lady Impa!!"

"Helo Link,"

"If you're here then…"

"Yes, I have been named the Sage of Shadow."

"… That's great news…" He said glumly.

Impa smiled mysteriously, and then:

"You're worried about the princess aren't you."

"….yes"

"Well you shouldn't be. She's alive and well. I've taken care of her. Ganon never got to her." Link's face lit up at the news.

"You should go see her." Impa advised tossing him the medallion of shadows."

Before he could ask her where to even look, he found he was back by the Shadow Temple entrance.

"#$&!! Leaving out useful information once again!!" he yelled to no one who could hear.

"Link! We need to go to the west next!" Navi informed.

"But what about going to see Princess Zelda?!"

"We don't have any idea where to look for her. In the mean time, we still have one medallion left before we can reach Ganon's castle."

"I'd rather look for Zelda…."

"Link!!"

"Yeah, I know. I guess that means it's off to the dessert then."

Link glanced at the sky. The sun was going down.

"I suppose I can't convince you that it would be better to wait till tomorrow morning?"

("No. your best bet is to get in at early dawn. It'll take you that long to cross the field even if you left now".)Badge advised.

"Ok, fine."

It took most of the night to travel Hyrule field, as predicted. It didn't help that Link was feeling the exhaustion from the day's previous events. Was that really all one day? It didn't feel like it. He would drift off to a light sleep, as he moved with the motions of Epona's own footsteps. This helped him slightly. By the time the path to the famed thieves hide out, dawn was breaking across the sky in beautiful shades of pink.

He felt Badge's excitement as they approached the bridge; or rather, the place where the bridge was supposed to be.

("What happened? It was here before!") Badge protested.

"Someone must have cut the rope somewhere in the seven year time span… hmm. Well I guess there's only one way to solve this." Link said, oh so calmly, as he backed Epona up a few feet.

"What do you mean? Wait! Where are you going?" Navi asked nervously

("That idea might work, I like your style!") Badge said, having already figured out what Link was thinking.

"Link?"

Link was now one step away from outside the valley. A dare devil grin graced his face two seconds before he charged. Kicking Epona in the side, he had her bolt at full force.

The horse's hooves soon left the ground and were air borne. They then, landed on the other side as though they had done this a million times. Navi floated there for a moment staring at him from the opposite end, wings drooping. She flew at a lazy pace across the gorge, muttering to herself about the 'lunatic elf' she had to work with. Link laughed to himself, feeling quite proud of the stunt.

He dismounted Epona, figuring she could use a break, and walked a piece further. It wasn't long before he came across a white tent, with an older man grumbling about how his employees were nothing but a bunch of 'lazy ingrates'.

"Something wrong sir?" he asked, mildly concerned

"Harrumph! It's my team! They said that working as carpenters isn't cool and they went to the Gerudo fortress to become thieves. They haven't returned in three days!"

Link grinned weakly and said he would go find them for him, though, at that moment, Link's and Badge's thoughts for once seemed to be exactly the same.

((Idiots))

Link left Epona tied to next to the tent, and headed for the Gerudo hide out.

("'Will you ladies let us become thieves please?' Pfft, if my memories serve me right, hell would freeze over first.")

"Your memory serves you just fine. I don't know what they were like when you were last here, but I wouldn't want to cross paths with them. Ever since Ganon, they've grown more sexist than ever."

("Oh joy. I guess that means they have them locked up and only let them out for procre-")

"Stop talking please." Link pleaded, his face growing hot.

The fortress lay just behind them. Link peeked over the cliff he was hiding behind, to see just what they were going up against. At least three guards marched in front of the fortress, each carrying long spears, thirsty for impalement.

"Oh good, and I thought this would be boring."

Link reached into his large quiver of arrows and pulled out a few arrows. He then took out a smaller blade and cut off each of the arrow heads, so as not to kill them in either of his shots. Systematically firing the arrows, he knocked each of the guards out before even thinking of breaking into the fortress. Once he deemed it safe to cross, he made his way to the entrance.

Before his eye's had a chance to adjust, he heard someone call out to him.

"Hey! HEY!! Over here!!"

Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw it was one of the carpenters.

"Scratch one down…" he muttered to himself.

"Are you here to save me?! I don't know who you are, but you must have a lot of guts to make it past all the guards around here. The Gerudos aren't willing to take on any new thieves. "

("Anyone on the face of the planet could have told you that!")

"Woo! Look out behind you!!"

Link whipped around to see a Gerudo thief drop through the ceiling, swords drawn.

"Another friggin' intruder?! Die!"

Link ripped the sword out of its sheath, just in time to catch the scimitar. The thief bounced back, then, charged for another attack.

"I will NOT allow another man live once they have seen this place!!" she screamed

The sheer anger in her voice sent chills down Link's spine. She swung her own sword in attempt cut his head, but missed as Link ducked and spun out behind her. Seeing his opportunity, he knocked his shield behind her head. Unfortunately this didn't keep her down. It didn't even seem to affect her at all.

"Please don't do this Miss; I rather not fight women…"

His request did not sound pleading. Rather it came out in a low warning sort of voice.

She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "A man who still abides to the ways of chivalry, are you? What a nice change of pace. I like you, but not enough to just let you go free. No, you will die now!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way. I rather not have to kill you."

"Enough! Have at me!" she commanded, brandishing her sword menacingly.

Link noticed how she let the swords slip slightly.

(They're too heavy for her…. If I just wait till she drops her guard a bit, I could strike then.)

Her attacks were fast at first, but they would slow down more than once in a while.

The one in her left hand in particular, looked like it was going to be dropped any moment. He sprinted for her and knocked the sword aside, injuring her hand in the process.

She let out a small cry of pain then glared at him with mad fury.

"Are we done? Your hand needs medical attention. I would cease this fight right now if I were you" he advised.

Still, the Gerudo guard was beyond reason. She held out the sword in her right hand, showing no sign of backing down. Her speed must have doubled through an adrenaline rush because she was now right up next to him, when a moment ago a good three feet separated the two combatants.

Link felt the cold steel sink into his side. With the sudden shock, his grip around the hilt of the Master Sword loosened. The blade clattered to the floor, and lay useless.

"AAAGHH!!!"

"Heh, heh, not so cocky now ...are you boy!"

For a moment, Link lost himself. He took out the blade out with unnatural ease and threw it into a corner. He launched his knee into her stomach, causing her to fall to the stone flooring quite hard. He swooped down and reclaimed the Master Sword with every intention to kill the thief.

("STOP!!!")

The sound of Badge's scream felt so unfamiliar, it stunned Link in his place.

("Stop Link! …don't kill her!")

"What's wrong, Chivalry? You won. Kill me! Or can't you do that because I'm a lady!"

Link twitched at her biting words, as he sheathed his sword.

"Don't flatter yourself. You're no lady."

He knocked the sheath against her head, knocking her out.

"Uh sir? She still has the key with her."

He had completely forgotten he had an audience. The carpenter had been so quiet.

He turned around and acknowledged his presence before bending down to search the female fighter for the cell key.

For the second time that day, his face grew hot as he patted down the sides of her delicate legs for a pocket or some place she might have put the key in. He found it on her left side, clipped near her waist. He was grateful he didn't have to go digging through any pockets.

He unlocked the cell door and opened it in one almighty swing.

"Thank you sir! Thank you so much for saving me! Don't forget, there are still three of my buddies locked up in here. I can't wait to say goodbye to this place!"

"Yeah that's nice, now get out."

"Yes sir!" and with that the newly freed man, skipped off, arms swinging at his sides.

("Was that man skipping?")

"Yeah, he was."

("I take it back. Even if the Gerudos were on the verge of extinction...")

It was at this moment when everything was settling back into a relative calm did he notice; his side didn't hurt anymore. His tunic was not stained dark scarlet around the wound. There was no wound in his side what-so-ever.

("I healed that for you. Don't kill them Link.")

The tone of his voice worried him. It sounded tired but there was anger in it as well.

"She would have killed me….how did you heal me?"

("I don't know I just did!") Badge snapped.

Link rolled his eyes and walked toward the door. Once again he found himself outside. A fresh set a guards roamed the grounds. They were ready for him this time. Leaning against a brick wall, we avoided being seen long enough to think of a way to get around without getting caught. Knocking them out like before was out of the question. He didn't think Badge would let him anyway. Badge had been helping him out so much he forgot he was a Gerudo as well. It must have bothered him to see one of his own about to get killed. With no other option coming to mind, he resorted to old fashioned sneaking, and hoped to Nayru that they were as unobservant as the castle guards earlier. (The security in the castle was so lax a ten year old could break in. He could even attest this).

He waited till there was a mile or so between each of the guards and himself, before running to the next room in the fortress.

Admittedly, sneaking through the fortress was ten times harder at least. He had freed most of the carpenters by midday, astoundingly without killing any of the thieves that guarded them. However by this time the security had grown so tight he could barely move two steps without risking capture.

It was here, the Grappling hook came in quite handy, allowing him to shoot up to the ceiling, and out of view.

He dropped into a hall, utterly amazed he hadn't been caught yet. Peeking around the wall, he saw a guard passing. He knocked his gauntlet-covered hand behind her head and carefully set her down, moving through the hallway once more.

Turning right then left, He heard another cry for help.

"Hey, psst! Over here!"

"Shh ! Keep it down! I'm gonna get caught then we'll both be in trouble!"

No sooner did he say this, did he hear the door slam.

"Hello dead man."

Link closed his eyes, making a silent prayer to Nayru. Turning around he saw yet another Thief.

"Hi there, madam" Link replied with a grimace. "I suppose you want to fight as well?"

"I won't have to"

Link stood surprised at the answer unaware of the company he had behind him.

"You're already gone." The thief said flashing a cruel smile.

He barely had time to blink before he felt a small knife pressed up against his throat, and an arm twisted behind his back.

"CALL THE SECOND IN COMAND! WE CAUGHT HIM."

His attacker forced him to kneel with her foot.

"Lady Nabooru's still at the Spirit Temple captain. Can't we just kill him here?"

Link for the first time in weeks feared for his life. They would kill him here and he would never see the princess again.

The first Gerudo stood silent for a moment, then, sauntered up to their new captive.

She knelt down so she could see his face. He tried his best to hide his face behind his bangs. She pulled his hair up with a hard tug so she could see every inch of him.

"No, he'll be left alive."

There was a collective moan heard through out the room.

"Oh quit whining! Take him to the high tower; no food no water."