They see him off in the morning. It's early but living on a ranch makes you an early riser. The sun up high enough for him to be able to tell how the days heat might be. He hopes it's not too severe. He doesn't know if Luna can take the desert heat so well. It occurs to him that perhaps it would have been wise to travel into the desert at night due to the cooler air.
But he has already set a path.
They make their way through the vastness of Hyrule's fields. Link doesn't have any more time for detours, so he speeds past anything that might be troublesome.
He sees the cliff side's that lead to the desert within half the day's journey. He doesn't want to be afraid. He knows he can do this. They've accepted him once, they can do it again. He worries that maybe they'll think he's a liar. He's worried they'll think he's trying to trick them. They know that Ganondorf has somehow perished. Link is sure they are not expecting him back anytime soon.
So he's wondering how effective a stranger walking in and letting them knew he's actually alive is going to be. Hopefully it'll inspire something in them and they'll be moved to believe them.
The journal might help. If he can show them the magic of the journal, perhaps they could be convinced.
And then his worst fear sets in. What if they do believe him and they don't care? What if they don't want to help? What if they decide they're better off without Ganondorf?
He shakes the thought and trudges on forward, remembering Ganondorfs words.
We cannot afford to think about what if's.
He tries his best.
Link decides to enter on foot. He dismounts Epona and walks through the crevice of the rocky earth with caution. The walls become narrower as he goes on. Luna seems hesitant. Maybe even afraid. The black hair on her back is slightly raised. He kneels down to pet her head gently.
"It's alright." He tells her. "Everything's alright."
He isn't quite sure if everything is actually alright. But he knows she'll only be calm if he is. The same goes for Epona.
He looks down at the sandy ground and watches the rocks tumble out from under his boot as he climbs up the path. He hears the distinct sound of a waterfall and it gets him to look up. He's close now. He crosses the small and narrow bridge, trusting Epona and Luna to follow suit carefully.
There are some tents across the way. It's midday and the sun is at its highest point. If there is anyone living here, they prefer to stay inside. Link doesn't blame them in this scorching heat. Epona is definitely showing her irritation. He wants to go undetected on his way to the fortress. He doesn't really have any more time to waste.
Before he crosses he hears a high pitched scream. It's always been his instinct to run towards such a distressed noise. So much for being in a rush.
He runs toward the sound and he can tell it's coming from over the cliff side down in the ravine of the falls. The water seems to roar louder than he ever remembers it. He pokes his head over the edge and there's a girl there. A Gerudo girl. Not quite a child but younger than him. She's hanging on for dear life. One little slip and she would fall out under her own weight. She looks up, eyes teary and afraid.
"Help me." She yells.
"Hold on!" He tells her urgently, trying to think fast. "Don't move!"
He pulls the rope from Eponas saddle pack and flips it over his shoulder. He braces himself on the edge and tries to secure himself as he swings his body down. He pulls toward the center letting his boots braces themselves on the rocky edge. He slides down, grip shaky, hoping he'll land on the alcove securely.
He lands and looks down. One more climb down. She's slipping slowly and she's scrambling to keep her arms hooked in the rocks. More tears slip down her face. He feels her fear. He's fallen here many times. It was a wonder how he survived each time.
He gathers his strength once more and practically throws himself over to the second tier down. The rocks crumble when he lands and she flinches in alarm.
"It's okay…" He says to her, "Just stay calm," Though he's having trouble staying calm himself.
He gets down low as he feels the rocks begin to whether and turn to ruble. He grabs her arms and hears the definite cracking of stone. The rocks fall out from under her just as her grabs her. By some miracle he still has room to move. She seems to faint right as he retrieves her. He pulls her up quickly and hoists her up over his shoulder. He's never tried to climb like this. But it's now or never.
He gains the proper footing just as the rock crumbles out beneath them. It's difficult. He struggling but it's not impossible. If he can make it up to the first tier he climbed from he might have a chance to pull her up without such a safety risk.
He's finally somewhere where has steady footing, and he knows he can successfully climb the remaining distance with her over his shoulder. He lays her down gently, checking her pulse. She is unconscious but her heartbeat is steady. He pulls the rope around her waist and loops it over her shoulders and ties it in the back at tight as he can. He fears it might hurt her because her shoulders are bare. But rope burns are better than falling into the ravine. He makes the climb solo, rope tucked neatly in a loop on his belt.
When he gets the top he barely has the strength to pull her up. It's difficult. Even as he tries to maintain balance, he tends to lose his footing. He tries to make sure she doesn't swing too much. He can't have her hitting her head. When she's close enough he pulls hard and scrambles forward to grab her underneath the arms.
He pulls her to safety and he's so tired than all can do is sit there with her in his lap as he tries to catch his breath.
His thoughts haven't quite caught up with the rest of him. He supposes he should take her to the fortress and hope that someone will take responsibility and tend to her.
He lays her across Epona and makes for the path, trying to steady his heartbeat with each step of the way.
He doesn't know what to expect upon his entry but he hopes he's remembered by someone.
There doesn't seem to be anyone outside. Link rounds the hill up the fortress and there's no one in sight. He was expecting a guard at least. He was expecting someone to be looking for this girl atop his horse. He was expecting something.
Just when he's about to pass through to the shooting range, he hears a voice.
"You there!" A booming voice yells. "Halt!"
A woman approaches him, blowing a horn as she trudges toward him aggressively. That didn't sound good to him.
Suddenly they're pouring out of the fortress towards him, spears in hand. He wanted to find someone but this wasn't what he had in mind. He doesn't draw his sword as they surround him. He knows better. Luna barks and growls all through it all and Link cannot move to calm her in fear of being struck. His hands are raised in surrender.
The one with the horn points her spear close to his face in a threatening manner.
"Why does Syrina lie unconscious and bound on this steed? Was it by your hand?" She inquires accusingly.
Link thinks. He must choose his words carefully. But what better than the truth?
"Speak!"
"She had slipped climbing down the ravine. The rocks fell from beneath her. I only offered my help."
She narrows her eyes at him. She sees no lie in his eyes, and then looks to his hands. They are raw and littered with rope-burns, dried blood smeared in fading evidence. Her harsh look falters for a moment and it looks like gratitude but then she quickly covers it up.
"And who are you? What business have you in the desert?" The spear gets closer to his face. He know he doesn't look the most welcoming right off the bat, littered with scars and an eye patch to make him look just as friendly. Even though he means well always, he understands her suspicion.
"I am Link. I've come for many reasons. Firstly I've come to speak with Nabooru."
There are whispers among them. They sound disbelieving.
"For what purpose?" She asks after silencing their chatter. His hands are still raised.
"I fear that what I say may seem farfetched. I have traveled to far off realms. In doing so I came upon you're leader Ganondorf. He is alive and now sits in Hyrule Castle's dungeon, awaiting my return."
"That is farfetched." She seethes.
"It is truth. I come asking for aid. If you care to see it through."
"What is going on?" A deep and somehow feminine voice interrupts them. Its familiar.
"Nabooru!" Link yells in recognition.
She pushes through her way through her armed comrades until she is met with Links shocked expression. It's almost as if he came here to see her without actually expecting to see her.
"Link…" She says in bewilderment. She lowers the spears with her own hands. She turns to her comrades. "Link is an old friend. You would be wise to lower your weapons. Treat him as you would our own."
He smiles. Thank the heavens she remembers him in such a light.
"Come, Link. Let us tend to Syrina. Her mother should be headed back from the colossus any moment now."
The room is filled with very pungent incense. Enough to make Link feel relaxed and even slightly sleepy. He sits across from Nabooru and watches as the smoke swirls around Syrina with purpose. Nabooru places a warm cloth on her head.
"It's wonderful to see you Link. I trust it's not just for a hello."
"Well..." He tells her hesitantly.
"Tell me. You had no qualms with beginning your tale in the courtyard."
Ah so she had heard the beginnings of it then. Why was this suddenly so difficult for him? He knew what he had come to do, so why was he suddenly at a loss for words. This felt different. This felt like she was the only hope and he felt like the possibility of ruining it was very real.
"Ganondorf has returned to Hyrule."
"And he has found a way to harness the Triforce of power once more?" She asks him forebodingly. She doesn't seem to understand. Link isn't being specific enough. She thinks he is warning her of a threat.
"Well… I don't know but-"
"How did you come by this knowledge?" She asks with urgency.
"No. You don't understand. I brought him here." He tells her exasperated.
She is quiet. She stands up and gestures for the guard to come sit with Syrina.
"Let us carry on with this conversation elsewhere."
Link followers her into a chamber that looks much like a kitchen. There is a square table in the center of the room. They sit across from each other. She takes deep breath as if she's dreading the conversation.
He starts in wanting to get it out altogether. He doesn't want to give her a chance to interrupt him and tell him how ridiculous he sounds because he's had enough of that.
"I came upon him in a far off realm. He had been through so much that at times he even questioned his own identity. He is a different person than the man that you all gathered to cast out. I know to take only my word is difficult but I have no reason to lie about such a thing."
"You think this was something I wanted?!" She practically hisses at him. "I never wanted to see him turned away and banished. He brought it on himself."
"I'm not here to accuse you Nabooru. I come to ask for your help. You are of your own volition and I would never try to cause you any further pain with such slander." His voice shakes slightly with his own determination. He is quite desperate to have her understand.
"What would you have me do?" She asks incredulously. Like there isn't anything to be done. Like whatever he request of her is an impossible feat. "You say he sits in The Princesses dungeon. I can conclude he isn't there without purpose. Would you have me move against her?"
"No I would have him freed." Link stresses. "He is paying for the crimes of his former self. He sits in a cell because princess Zelda refused to hear me out as you do now. His sentence is for that of crimes that had never even come to fruition."
She is quiet once more. Pensive. He doesn't know what else he can say to convince her. There's no way he could tell her everything. There was too much to tell. There wasn't enough time.
"Link…" She starts curiously, "I've neglected to ask why this is of such importance to you… of all people?"
He debates with himself whether he should show her or not. It may be a violation of Ganondorfs privacy. Not that he heeded that much himself.
He pulls the journal from his bag. He opens it to the same page where Ganondorf had wished him a goodnight. He waits silently hoping that Ganondorf senses his need for guidance.
The ink begins slowly, almost hesitantly across the page. It's slightly angled and letters seem sloppier than usual. It worries link as he watches. Perhaps he's hurt. There isn't much he can do from here other than carry on with his request.
Show her. The words form. Let her read.
He hands he the journal. She takes it with confused eyes.
"What is this?" She asks quietly, fingertips grazing over the leather cover where the Gerudo crest is stitched into the craftsmanship.
"It's Ganondorfs journal. He wishes for you to read it."
Link knows what's in there. Some pages bound, some lose. They're all about his time in Termina from the point of his memory loss to his time with Link, to the very last entry that explains to Link how he should see him freed. Link is sure there are entries about herself as well. His regret, his failures, his confused discrepancies of who he is verses who he used to be. His hurt, his affection, his very motivation for continuing on living. It's all there is the handwriting that she could never make herself forget.
Link watches he face as she reads. They sit for almost an hour, her eyes scanning his words. He sees her change as she reads it, emotions that she left repressed rising up the surface once more. Several people come for her. She sends them all away. She can't be bothered as she reads the story of her long lost friend.
Link sees her eyes become wet with regret. She breathes in deep and turns the page. She's read up to the point of blank pages.
"What is this?" She asks Link, "The words, they write themselves."
"He's writing to you as we speak. It's his only way. What does it say?"
She places the journal on the table.
I am sorry, my friend.
She looks up to Link. Her eyes have somehow changed from the time before she read. She speaks clearly and with conviction.
"We need a plan."