Chapter Thirteen
Zelda watched from the inside of the Caravan as they drew closer and closer too the Iron Fortress. The men that had come were all here to spy on the Gerudo and to 'rescue' Link, but what they don't know didn't kill them. She eyed her dagger once more, looking at it's purity that would be stained in innocent blood that very night.
She quickly hid from sight when they were stopped by a few guards inside of the door where it was cool and shaded, the poor horses were tired and panting harshly from the long trip and extreme heat. She listened to the men tell the guards that they where there to drop off trade items and to hopefully be 'selected' by one of the Gerudo women before they were due back at the end of the week.
The guards talked in their native tongue, obviously Gerudo, as they looked over the royal documents that Zelda had set up just in case with her seal on it. When she heard them call out something she tensed until the doors to the inner gate opened and they were soon back into the heat and sunlight. She came out of her hiding place, seeing as they didn't bother to check the cargo, and looked through a hole she ripped into the canvas material covering the top of the wagon she was hiding in.
She saw Shiekah and Gerudo alike, going about their daily routines, shopping, mingling, sparing, some were gossiping as others did laundry and others were teaching the children the basics of any school, reading, writing, and math. She sneered at them; barbarians that thought they could act like they were somewhat educated, why it was laughable! The only thing they were good for was being bodyguards and assassins.
She jumped when the cart stopped suddenly and quickly ducked out seeing they were at the Guard post where they were beginning to unload the wagons and take the horses to the ranch to let them cool off and relax before they keeled over in the overwhelming heat. She smirked and quickly hid from sight, she was disguised as a Shiekah, but she still had to be careful. Their eyes could see through any trick, any lie and any illusion. Though she doubted that seeing as they had believed Link to be her, unless they pretended that they didn't know...
Shaking her thoughts of the past she focused on her present mission: Killing the only true friend she ever had. Again a pang of guilt shot through her heart like an arrow, but just as quickly as it pierced her heart it was gone.
Steeling her nerves and her thoughts, she began to trek through the fortress hoping to find Link alone...
Link, on the other hand, was in Ganon's study, the man himself was telling him of the Gerudo history and how they bred their horses. Link was enraptured by this since a few days ago, Ganon had returned with Epona and even brought a few things from Ordon for him. Sheik had watched from the sidelines, smiling at the boy's reaction as he saw the beautiful mare race over the sand dunes toward him.
Ganon even told them that their sister tribe in Great Bay had found the people from Ordona and were taking care of them. Link had been relieved that everyone was safe and sound. This in turn allowed him to learn all he could from the Shiekah and the Gerudo.
Ganon chuckled as he watched Link read through a few books, his innocent face pulled into a light scowl of concentration as he red through the books, a quill in his left hand as he took notes on a spare parchment. Ganon turned from the boy and looked out the window to see the court yard and frowned when he saw the envoy from Hyrule. Snapping his fingers, a Shiekah child appeared from a mist of smoke, Link looking up briefly to see who was there before he went back to his reading.
Over the two weeks he's gotten use to Gerudo and Shiekah popping up like daisies and hardly jumped anymore. He ignored them figuring it was simply either a summons from Sheik or Ganon looking for someone. Ganon shook his head at the young man's reaction and laughed a little as he turned back to the girl who was still waiting.
"What's going on down there?"
"Trade goods have arrived from Princess Zelda with some... men." She made a face when she said it, the crinkling in her red eyes telling him that she was making a face as her cowl hid it from sight.
"And I take it that these... men aren't choice?"
"Not at all... even the Gerudo women are saying they'd rather sleep with a mule than them." she said with a snort.
"Hm..." He glared down at them. "This is not what we agreed too... go inform Impa and Bertha that there may be an assassin or even a spy. Tell them before you tell Grandmother or even Sheik."
She nodded and vanished just as she had appeared and Ganon looked up to see Vaati walking into the room, in his arms was some books as he struggled with the door.
"What are you doing, Minish?"
"Getting materials for Link to study... He's gone through everything else I had planned to teach him over the next few months, in only two weeks."
"Well I was on bed rest and had nothing to do besides reading." Link told him, getting up to help him. His foot had healed, but they still told him to take it ease, they didn't want him hurting himself again.
"I got it, you sit down and stay off that foot or I'm chopping it off." Vaati warned.
"I'm fine, besides you look like you're about to fall over." Link said taking a few books and walking back over to the desk and setting them down as Vaati came up behind him, pouting at him.
"Minish, you are not cute." Ganon laughed as Vaati's red eyes glared at him.
"So says the man that was just telling me I was adorable this very morning." Vaati jibed as Link' face got hot and really fast.
Ganon took one look at the pale Hylian and began to laugh as did Vaati, Link was just too cute for his own health. With all the sexual comments and jokes they made, you'd think the boy would stop blushing by now.
"Anyway, take out the horses, go for a ride. I'm sure that your mare would like that and Vaati gets to play for a while." Ganon said.
Vaati's eyes lit up at the chance to be as free as the wind and Link nodded, he was getting bored sitting in the study all day, but Sheik had his duties to preform and he respected that Sheik looked out for his people first and foremost, Link being one of his people after confirming that his mother had indeed been a Shiekah.
Link put together his notes and the books he was reading before setting them on the side of the desk before bowing to Ganon and heading out of the room. Vaati ran over to his lover and kissed his lips before purring seductively and running out the study before Ganon could register what happened. Said Gerudo growled, smirking as he planned on paying his little lover back later.
Link laughed softly as he walked to the stables, Alice fell into step behind him, as silent as a shadow as Vaati raced passed him laughing hysterically. They shook their heads as the Minish flew out the door.
"He acts like such a child..." Alice said as she nodded to Impa, who was running passed them with what looked like legal papers in her arms. "Come, this is one of the cooler days here in Gerudo Desert."
Link nodded his head and followed her out of the palace and out to the stables. Epona upon seeing her friend and master let out a cry of happiness and raced over to him, a large golden horse right along side her, the stallion reared back, letting out a loud cry as it kicked it's front feet. Alice pulled Link back from the horse until he settled back down and wickered softly, snorting as he shook his mane.
"Ah... Epona, a boyfriend?" Link teased his horse, knowing that the stallion was merely stating his dominance to the beautiful mare.
Epona rolled her eyes and bobbed her head before she nudged Link's hands so he could pet her the way she liked. Link smiled as he did as she wished, petting her nose and behind her ears, tickling the left one as she butted his stomach and whinnied softly. The stallion butted Link's side and Link smiled stroking his long face admiring how well groomed his coat was.
"We're going out for a ride, want to go?" He asked his long time friend as Alice stood stunned.
Link, goddesses bless his obliviousness, was petting Sheik's stallion. The horse was very arrogant and refused to let just ANYONE touch him and yet here he was letting the small Hylian pet him as if they were old friends. Epona bobbed her head to his question, no way was she letting him ride off on another horse! Besides she wanted to run around like a wild horse since she's been kept in the pen since arriving not to mention she was almost dinner for a bunch of Bokublins!
The stallion snorted, nipping Epona's shoulder and she nudged him away from her before getting in front of Link to climb up into her saddle. Smiling, Link grabbed the horn of the saddle and climbed up in a second, holding her reins as she walked proudly with her master on her back. The stallion snorted and butted her neck and then walked back over to his shaded area and laid down.
Alice in that time jumped up on her own horse as Vaati came out riding a huge black stallion with bright red eyes. Link blinked in awe of the large animal as it snorted and shook it's black mane and looked up at him with those red eyes.
"Ready?"
"Yes..."
"This is Ganon's horse... he's strong and fast, hope your little horse will keep up." Vaati teased as Epona glared up at him, snorting at the jibe of her being slow.
Link soothed her softly as Alice led them out the gate and headed off towards one of the oases that wasn't too far to the castle, nor was it too close to... those lands...
Sheik looked up from the reports he was going over and frowned, his red eyes glowing for a moment as Ganon walked in leading a group of Hylians into the room.
"Sorry to disrupt the meeting, but it seems the princess has sent us a gesture of good faith..." Ganon said, sounding like he was in command as Sheik nodded his head, glancing at Isis, who bowed and exited the room.
"I'm glad, Lord Ganondorf is pleased..." Sheik said smirking as he noted how pale the hylians had been before they came in and even now they were paler than before, almost sickly now.
The room was suddenly shrouded in darkness as the doors slammed shut and bolted themselves, locking the group inside. Ganon bowed as he vanished into the darkness of the room while Sheik calmly removed his cowl.
"... Now then... let's see the truth..."
Screams were heard only to suddenly be followed by an eerie silence that could scare even the dead...
Vaati laughed as he and Link raced across the blazing sands, Epona leaving Ganon's horse in the dust as Alice tried to keep up with them. The race ended after the fifth sand dune and all three horses walked lazily, while panting from the mad dash they just preformed. Alice took the lead as Vaati smiled and chatted with Link about how fast Epona was. He was rather amazed really the only other horse that could keep up with the black stallion was the golden one that had stated his dominance over Epona.
"I'm amazed! I've never seen a horse that could even keep up with Fear! Well besides, Twilight. And for such a small horse she's rather strong too."
"Well I've had her since I was a child and she was a filly. Epona's my best friend and a sister to me. She's stubborn too!" Link said getting a snort from Epona as Alice laughed a bit.
"I believe she feels insulted. We're here."
Alice said as she looked over the sands that shifted lazily before them and there in a bowl like formation there was a grand oasis and sitting in the heart of it was a perfect lagoon. Link smiled softly as he took in the breathtaking sight.
"It's so pretty... Are you sure we can come here?"
"This is Sheik's little retreat when he wishes to be away from the duties of our people. Even Lord Ganondorf comes here." Alice said as she leads them down the slope of the dune they were on and heading into the forest like woods and towards the lagoon where a heart stopping waterfall stood feeding the lagoon and coating the surrounding area in a light misting. "Come let's rest here for a while..."
They nodded in agreement with the woman, Vaati letting Fear wander around, the large stallion took to gaining Epona's attention as said mare rolled her eyes as Link took off her saddle and blankets, leaving her reins on so he could lead her. He walked into the water up to his knees, his pants having been rolled up and out of the way as he guided Epona into the water.
She began to drink as Link began to trickle water all over her back, tail and mane as she continued to drink her fill. Link walked over to a saddle bag and pulled out her brush and began to groom her down, splashing water over her whenever he needed to. She wickered softly as he did so, always loving how he carefully groomed her down.
Fear walked over and began drinking as well, though he was curious of the small Hylian that was talking with Epona as he groomed her coat to perfection. He was wondering what it would feel like to have him groom down his coat like that. Epona seemed to like it a lot. Finally having enough of debating he walked over, nudging the small Hylian to get his attention. Link looked up from petting Epona's neck to see what was nudging him to see Fear, but the horse was looking at him expectantly.
When the horse saw that the Hylian wasn't understanding, he lowered his head to bump his hand that held the brush and looked back at him expectantly.
"You want me to groom you down?" Link asked, just to make sure that he understood the horse.
When he got a whinny with a bob of the head, he smiled at the horse and began removing the saddle and other things, moving them to sit on the bank as Alice came and moved them into the shade. Vaati during all this had taken perch up in a tree and was enjoying the wind that blew by. They watched him groom down Fear, calmly working from back to front.
Fear liked this, it was relaxing and the boy knew what he was doing. He let out a purr like sound as Link splashed water on him and then brushed down his coat, cooling him off as well as removing any dirt or sand as he brushed his black hide to a silky smoothness.
"It's very rare to see Fear so calm or relaxed with anyone besides the Minish or Lord Ganondorf... even Sheik can touch him. It seems horses have a natural liking to you, boy." Alice said from her place on the bank, her own horse was laying in the cool water, lazily bathing and cooling off.
"I've always liked animals, horses especially since we us them for such large parts of our lives. It's only fair to show them our respect by taking care of them, feeding them, getting them water or a doctor, sheltering them from the harsh elements." He listed. "Besides that, Epona's family to me. She's like my sister, overprotective, but loving and loyal."
Said mare wickered and reared up with a loud cry, splashing Link from head to toe. Link jumped and gave his horse a mock glare as she pranced about, sounding like she was laughing at the soaking wet Hylian.
"... Meanie." He splashed her back and she reared up again, splashing him on the way down.
Fear didn't take kindly to being splashed or ignored so he darted at Epona, but veered off to the left, splashing her in his wake. Soon all three horses where racing about in the ankle deep water, splashing one another as they went. Link shook his head as he walked out of the water, completely soaked and sat down in the warm grass as the sun beat down on him, slowly but surely drying him off.
Vaati jumped down from his perch, floating down to Link's side and turning into a small dragon, curling up in his lap.
"So you want to be petted too? Alright..." Link laughed as he began to stroke Vaati's head, humming softly as the wind blew coolly over them. He loved moments like these where time seemed to fade away into nothing but background noise, all thought stopped and the world was at peace. But he felt it deep down that something wasn't right...
It was hours later that Alice decided that they should head back to the fortress, Link was looking tired and Vaati agreed. Though Link wouldn't tell them, he was feeling tired, his body sore and he had a sinking feeling that something was going to happen. Vaati frowned, Link wasn't looking good at all. Worrying his lip he nodded to Alice who came up to his side and whispered something to her before he vanished in the wind.
Fear immediately took off for home as Alice got Link up onto Epona, the strong mare holding both their weights as Alice's horse took off after Fear. The Gerudo woman let the mare take off for the fortress, her eyes wild and her breathing heavy, sensing something was ailing her friend and master...
Zelda opened her eyes, smirking. She would have Link in her clutches soon enough. She had spent the day looking for the little Hylian, but he seemed to slip away like water through cracks. Finally she had, had enough and took a piece of cloth from one of his old tunics and began concentrating ill thoughts on it, enough to make the owner or former owner ill and unwell.
And seeing as everyone knew of Link and liked the boy so much, word would spread like wild fire and she would know where he is. And then... she looked at the blade in her hand, her fist shaking as those doubts and fears crept back up, but she stubbornly shook them away. She would not allow someone who knew so much to live. She would end his life.
"You there... what are you doing?" A deep and cold voice asked.
She paled and spun around, her eyes widening as the looming figure of Ganondorf stood be for her. Her eyes felt as if they would fall from their sockets, this was impossible! She was staring into the eyes of a dead man!
"Girl, what's wrong with you?" Ganon demanded, looking at the girl as if she were insane.
"N-nothing, my lord... I- you startled me from my daydream is all." She told him and he glared down at her, his piercing golden eyes picking her apart, but he simply nodded and told her that she was to help clean out the bath house with the other for their guests to be able to use that evening.
She bowed and waited for him to leave, as soon as he was gone she breathed a bit easier. Her heart nearly jumping out of her chest when she thought he wouldn't believe her. She fanned herself quickly, feeling dizzy with all the blood rushing through her body, even causing her a headache with the rapid pumps.
Finally she got herself under control and headed for the bath house, knowing Link, he liked to take a bath when he wasn't feeling well. She had just walked into the bath house when a Gerudo woman walked in, her long silver hair a mess as she looked around them and looked at her.
"Girl, get over here this instant!" The woman bellowed.
Zelda had to remind herself that she was in disguise or she would have let the woman have it. Walking up to the Gerudo woman, seeing that it was Isis, and bowed to her.
"Yes, my lady?"
"Come! It seems our guest pushed himself and has come down with sun fever!" she said and pulled her down the many halls and stairs until they got to a room full of herbs, plants, weeds, roots, liquid potions, solid medicines and liquid medicines.
Zelda blinked, the room smelt horrible, but at the same time sweet and airy. Isis rushed about gathering things and handing them to Zelda. Once the Gerudo had all she needed she gathered up some glasses, all empty and varying in shape and sizes. They headed down to the kitchen next, Bertha was shouting and cursing most foully as she stood over a pot making stew as servants and cooks dashed about in a tizzy.
"Bertha! I've got all we need to make the medicines for Sun Fever!" Isis yelled over the din.
"Good... Girl! Set those items down here and fetch me a few buckets of water from the well! And be quick about it!" Bertha ordered Zelda as she set everything down on the counter and then took a long pole that had four buckets tied to it, two at each end.
Zelda was mentally growling and grumbling about being ordered about, but she really needed to get close to Link if she was going to get away with what she was about to do. She got the water and carried it back, a lot slower than before, the water was heavy and she felt off balance. She teetered and tottered trying to keep from spilling the water. As she went, she bumped into someone and was about to snap at them when she saw that she had bumped right into Sheik.
The male Shiekah looked down at her with cold red eyes and she gulped silently. He said nothing, walking passed her and she quickly hurried into the kitchen. After setting down the buckets, she was sent to get fresh linens and quilts, then she was sent to gather chicken eggs and milk from the cows. From there she was sent to tend to the three horses that had just arrived, after that she was called back to the kitchen to take up the medicines to the Minish in their "guest's" room.
Walking up the long flights of stairs was exhausting with the heat that clung to her her from the constant moving. When she got up to the room Ganon was standing in front of the door, his deep voice sounding like thunder in the hall as he spoke in the Gerudo's native tongue, the woman he was obviously scolding had her head bowed.
She got closer and Ganon looked at her before waving her into the room. She heard him speaking more calmly as the woman finally spoke, both still speaking in their native tongue. She frowned her brow, barely understanding some of the Gerudo's language from what little of the Shiekah's language she knew. But she was pulled from her thoughts when she saw a pale, almost ashen skinned male no taller than herself, with bright red eyes and long violet hair.
"Could you be any slower!" He demanded, grabbing her arm and pulling her to where he needed her. "Stand there and hand me whatever I ask you for!"
She wanted so badly to tell him to respect her, but then she would give herself away. She watched him lean over the figure and she saw Link, he looked really ill, his normally creamy skin was white as bones, he was sweating profusely and she could see the veins, the blue spider web like vessels making him look even more sickly.
"Minish!" Ganon bellowed as he stormed in.
"Not now... This isn't Sun Fever... This is magic." The Minish said, looking the boy over. "He's gotten much worse in so little time. Whoever did this has to be powerful, almost as powerful as myself or even Lady Isis."
Ganon growled, muttering under his breath as Zelda stood, looking at Link's gravely ill form. He looked to be suffering greatly from the spell she had cast. She mentally smirked. As soon as she got away from the room she would finish him off, this way she wouldn't have to stain her hands with his blood and they would still go to war.
"This is terrible. We don't have anyone who could reverse this type of magic... I'm afraid that... that he will die." The Minish said.
The room fell silent, looking at the Minish as he shook his head. Covering Link up with all the quilts they could, they gave him medicine to ease the pain and soup to help him sleep as Ganon ordered that the woman he had been scolding to keep a close watch on the boy before dismissing everyone else from the room. Zelda hurried out of the room after leaving the tray. She would gather up the men from Hyrule and have them come to check on Link to find him dead and they would think it was because of the Gerudo and the Shiekah...
It was late, the moon rose slowly, bathing the Iron Fortress in pale white light. Everyone was in their own room, some in bed, but hardly sleeping a wink. Word had spread like wildfire that someone was trying to kill Link with magic. They knew it couldn't be any of them or the Hylians that had come since the Hylians didn't have any magic and no one of the Gerudo or Shiekah tribes wanted to risk Sheik's wrath.
Sheik stood in Link's room, the boy looked to be suffering greatly, but he had to do something. Sighing he pulled off his cowl and set it down on the night stand. He let the hold he had on the power he was gaining back from constantly kissing and touching Link intimately. His hair paled to a snow white color as blue and red tribal marks began to appear on his face, and naked torso.
He opened his eyes, they were a pale red now and he looked around the room. No one was around so he carefully climbed over Link's unconscious body and sighed, eyes glowing as a silvery wisp of mist floated out of his mouth and into Link's. For a moment nothing but then Link took a deep breath, eyes opening as the markings on Sheik appeared on him and the Tri-Force on his left hand began to glow. And then he collapsed back to the bed, in deep REM sleep as Sheik tilted off to the side and passed out, but his arms were wrapped tightly around Link's body.
This was how Zelda found them, she had intended to finish Link off with magic, but with Ganon interrogating everyone who could use magic she was forced to go with her first plan of action. But to see what she saw, she was shaken, frightened even.
'No...'