-A/N In my defense, I did finish the chapter on time but weekend things delayed my 4th round of proofreading and the upload. Enjoy!
Zelda hardly slept that evening, both the discomforts of the cell and the events of the day weighed heavily on her mind. She refused to eat any food, although she managed to at least convince Impa to take nourishment. Her guardian hadn't been pleased, but she yielded to the logic of maintaining her strength, particularly when the princess wasn't doing so herself. The following morning yielded the same routine, with Zelda abstaining from their rations and feeding the older woman.
Impa watched the princess with both pain and compassion. She seemed utterly broken, emotionally defeated by what had occurred. Things got worse that afternoon as the princess developed a fever. Despite her groans and visible discomfort, the guards refused to consider releasing Impa's restraints. Neither of them got much sleep that night as the guardian hummed various songs and lullabies, giving the princess what comfort that she could.
On the second day after the prince's visit, Zelda took a turn for the worse. Impa could see her visibly shivering despite the oppressive heat from the desert. Several strands of her traditionally-perfect hair dangled in front of her face, weakly swinging back and forth as the princes breathed. Aside from the guards delivering their rations, they had had no further contact with their captors.
With a sudden exertion of effort, the princess pushed herself up off her mat and slowly crawled her way to the door. Impa eyed her curiously. "Miss..." She whispered, to the guard on the other side of the bars. "I know you have your orders, and cannot release my assistant. Could you please get a message to your brother? I... I believe that he would not want this."
The guard scoffed, but did turn her head into the cell to regard the princess. "Your breakfast will arrive in a few minutes, I'll send word then."
"Thank you." The princess turned and slumped herself against the bars, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. It broke Impa's heart to see her like this. Even in the face of their mistreatment, she still wanted to believe in the prince's nobility.
"Zelda?" The princess opened one eye and looked over at her guardian, a weak smile coming over her lips. "Do you remember that day when you and Ganondorf snuck into the kitchen and sprinkled magic powder into one of the dishes being prepared?"
The princess' grin grew a bit wider, oh she remembered all right. "... that prince was being a ... jerk anyways." A moment passed, before the princess' eyes opened wide. "But wait, you... knew it was us?"
Impa permitted herself to chuckle. "Zelda, who else would it have been? Who else in the castle was always getting into that much mischief? I will admit he was a little bit of a bully to Ganondorf, but that still doesn't change the fact that it could have caused a diplomatic incident."
Now she could see Zelda's teeth, her wide grin betraying her utter lack of shame. The princess' skin was nearly as white... "He got such bad indigestion, we didn't see him for the rest of the week. Everybody just blamed it on his inability to adapt to the cuisine."
"I think he ruined more than one set of clothing in that trip." Impa agreed, followed by a weak chuckle from Zelda. In the hallway, she could hear the guard speaking softly to another Gerudo, before the latter took off in a brisk jog down the hallway. The guard unlatched the gate.
"Here." She set the plate down inside the doorway, "She's going to inform our brother of your condition." Her amber eyes betrayed a slight hint of potential compassion.
"Thank you," Impa replied, trying her hardest to keep the edge out of her voice. She turned her head back towards Zelda as the guard shut the door again. "You had better eat something, an empty stomach won't help you in your recovery." She inclined her head towards the plate, which contained a few plain rolls as well as more steamed cactus. "You think they ever get tired of the stuff?"
"I'll... have to ask them later." Zelda took one of the rolls and broke off a piece, putting it in her mouth. Impa let a small sigh of relief out, after two days she would have been happy if the princess was eating deserts- anything to ensure she had some nourishment.
"Impa... why did they try to kill Link?"
Letting the question hang in the air for a minute, Impa closed her eyes and took out a deep breath. Zelda deserved the truth... she deserved it a long time ago. "Many of the sages believe the time of Calamity is approaching us once more." She opened her eyes and looked at the princess, quickly realizing that further words would be unnecessary. Zelda's eyes were rapidly moving, subtly twitching as she put the pieces together in her mind.
"So, my mark is-"
"Real." Impa responded, "Not tattooed on at birth. That is a tradition among the royal house, but for you it was unnecessary."
"And you think that Link is... oh goddesses." Zelda murmured, a hand going to her mouth. "He can't be, he wouldn't ever … do anything like that!"
"We are on the verge of it as we speak." Impa retorted, "I know you want to believe in him. Truly, I wanted to believe in him too, but look where we are."
"We pushed him to this: Sahasar, my father... None of this needed to happen."
"You believe that would subvert destiny?" Impa countered. She loved Zelda, she really did, but the princess had to see. "He was given a push, but it was a push down the path which he already walked. For whatever cursed reason, this is the pattern which fate has decreed."
"Then what about Ganondorf, what about... the hero?" Zelda countered sarcastically. Impa started to get concerned, the princess was becoming short of breath- this was not a good time to be having this conversation. "That's why you guys kept him around, why you... lavished all of that special training on him. You felt that it was his destiny to be a royal hitman, to hand out judgment on those who have... not yet earned it. Ganondorf... oh Goddess, you guys forced him to-" Her voice cut out, a slight sob escaping from her throat. Taking a pause, she leaned her head back against the bars, trying to steady her breathing.
"I was acting on orders from your father." Impa countered, the hard edge vanishing from her voice. "I did not want this for the boy, wherever he now rests. With that all said, maybe you are right- maybe we acted in error- but we need to focus on where we are now. Please princess, try to conserve your strength. I promise that, once this crisis is over, I'll let you berate me as much as you wish."
Zelda didn't seem to hear her, her eyes staring up blankly towards the ceiling. A few minutes of silence went by, minutes where Impa focused intently on the princess's figure, ensuring that her chest was still rising and falling as she drew breath. Finally, she could hear hurried steps coming down the corridor.
"Brother," The guard outside began, "They insisted that you be-"
"Yes, yes, do not worry yourself about it." Link responded, waving for her to open up the door and allow him in. He wasted no time upon entering, kneeling beside Zelda and placing one hand behind her head. The violet-haired, Gerudo elder followed him, peering intently at the princess.
"Just like the Labrynnian prisoners you brought me." She observed, "Though it seems to have taken her longer to develop symptoms."
"She first showed signs of her ailment early yesterday," Impa retorted, fighting down the urge to tell the prince to take his hands off the princess. Now was not the time to aggravate him, even if she hated the way he was holding her.
"Oh really?" The woman countered, looking back at the Shekkai. "She is exceedingly strong then, much to be admired. It's better to start treatment earlier on in the process."
"But she'll be okay Kotake?" Link responded as Impa sneered internally. She may have been less disgusted if she could tell he was acting, but his concern appeared genuine.
"Yes, just treat her normally and she should recover. You may want to give her the second dose a day earlier though." The elder, Kotake, turned and walked back through the cell door. "I trust that I may get back to the preparations then?"
Link nodded, his attention still focused on the princess. Her normal glow was gone, and her hair disheveled. Reaching into a pouch at his waist, he withdrew a thin vial with clear-blue liquid. "Zelda, how are you feeling?"
The princess focused her eyes on him, a slight smile coming over her face despite her condition. "Not the greatest."
"Don't worry, this will make you feel better." He popped the cork stopper of the top of the vial, bringing it up to Zelda's mouth.
"And what is that?" Impa countered, not liking this turn of events one bit.
"Something Kotake has prepared, it should do the trick." He began to tip Zelda's head forward, but before Impa could shout her objections the princess made an unpleasant gurgling sound, followed by her lurching forward and retching on the prince's tunic. Her eyes opened in horror as she realized what had just occurred, though Impa failed to hide her smirk.
"I'm sorry, I didn't-"
"Just drink," he responded, ignoring the smell. Obediently, Zelda reached up with a weak hand and took the vial, raising it to her lips and sipping down the contents. He chuckled, "You know princess, even with vomit running down your chin you still look like true royalty."
"Alright, you've had your charming spell, what is going on?" Impa stated sternly, the pieces already clicking together in her mind. She hoped that she was wrong, but it just all lined up too perfectly.
Link sighed, leaning Zelda back to rest once more against the wall. "The two sisters whom I sent to the western tribes appear to have been claimed by a sudden sandstorm. This delayed us for a few days, but our armies will be ready to depart the day after tomorrow."
"Don't dodge my question." Impa countered. Link eyed her warily before continuing, the guardian suddenly realizing how exhausted he looked.
Exhausted... and upset. "We can't properly secure you throughout the campaign, nor have I enjoyed keeping Zelda in such unbecoming surroundings."
"You had a remedy prepared, Kotake- that was her name- didn't even have to examine her." Impa's voice dropped a tone lower. She also noticed the princess sit up a little straighter against the wall. Good, let her see him.
Link also noticed her motion. Leaning against the opposite wall, he let out a breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "I am sorry, but princess, you have been poisoned."
He was lucky that Afya knew her restraints properly. Had she been given the chance, Impa would have leapt forward and clawed his pretty blue eyes out then and there. Despite the futility of the gesture, she still thrashed against her restraints, the sudden clanging jumping him. "You will die for this!"
"How?" The princess's weak voice cut through the noise, causing Impa to cease her struggle. "When?"
Link sighed, "When I first met you in this cell we all drank the poison. I took the antidote shortly afterwards and we slipped some in the food for Impa when it was clear you weren't eating."
"Why?" There were no tears in Zelda's eyes, just a genuine disbelief mixed with... curiosity?
"What I have given you is a temporary antidote, it will suppress the symptoms for a few days but they will return in full-force if you are not continuously treated. So long as the two of you cooperate, your guardian not trying anything foolish, we'll continue to treat you." Link kept his gaze lowered, fixating on his tunic's vomit-stain. He reached one hand out and stretched the nearby fabric. "I guess I've earned this..."
"I guess you have." Impa sneered. "Now what?"
"Well, the first thing is to get you out of those restraints- so long as your fury is all out of your system." He looked at Impa, who replied with a blank stare. Sensing her permission, he walked forward, pulling out a key and systematically her cuffs. Afya had been thorough, and he had to undo six separate locks before she was finally free, drawing herself to her full height and looking down at the prince. She took a moment to savor the sensation of her sore joints straightening, before pulling back a hand and slapping him right across the face. The force of the blow caught Link completely off guard, spinning him around and sending him to all fours.
"There, now it is out." She stated dryly, before walking over to the princess and kneeling. She could already see a small amount of color bleeding back into her skin, though she was still severely malnourished.
Link rubbed his face, "The elixir should also help to restore your appetite, as well as stop any more... regurgitation. Perhaps it would be best to wait until you had a proper meal before discussing things further? Don't get up." he added, as he saw her reach over to Impa and push herself upwards "You don't want to exhaust yourself-"
"You are going to unleash war." Zelda responded, keeping her grip on Impa and forcing herself unsteadily to her feet. "I don't have time to just sit by and relax, my people..." she trailed off as she swerved, Impa grabbing her arm and helping to steady her. Link looked on with genuine remorse.
"This is the only path left forward for my people. The royal family has betrayed us, but if you cooperate with me then we can end this with minimal bloodshed." His eyes were pleading.
"Minimal bloodshed!?" Zelda scoffed, "War never ends up being clean."
"Maybe not, but I can do my best." He retorted. "With you as my prisoner, the Hylian military won't dare to move against us. Even more, I can take the castle without an arrow ever being fired."
"Now you are... suffering under a delusion and a fantasy." Zelda responded, her legs slowly finding their strength. "My father isn't going to just hand over Hyrule to you on account of me."
Link hesitated, but after a moment the conviction returned to his eyes. "No, I think he will. Hyrule has an ailing liege and a single heir. The Gerudo can wait, we are a patient people, but do you remember what happened the last time that Hyrule had a succession crisis?"
Zelda paused, not liking the look he gave her at all. His time spent in the library, studying our history... Of course she knew, but she didn't say anything.
"I don't want to patronize you, but let me restate it for emphasis. The Zora: a noble, ancient race- completely wiped out." He snapped his fingers for emphasis before crossing his arms. "The Gorons, once proud allies of the Royal family, driven into reclusion in their ancestral mountains. Scores of Hylian villages, razed to the ground. It's funny, your people dare to call us barbarians in light of your bloody past. " He tilted his head towards Impa. "That's why she still hasn't killed me in here, she knows that she could cut of the head of the snake but that in so doing Hyrule would also die. That's also why your father is going to step down, rather than putting you in danger. Zelda... don't believe that this doesn't hurt me too, but this is the best way."
Zelda just stared at him, not wanting to admit that he had the upper hand here. "Before you can even negotiate with my father, you have to make it there. The contingent of troops I brought are not going to just allow you to waltz into Hyrule, me as your prisoner."
Link sighed, "I have a plan for them as well. If I manage to enter Hyrule without a single casualty, then will you believe my intentions?"
"It isn't a matter of believing you think you can retain some moral standing here." She countered, "It's just facing the reality of war, and what you are planning. It's cooperating to overthrow my own people."
"It doesn't have to be that way." Link countered, "I just want to protect my own. Once I control the castle, we can try to find a way to coexist."
"Pretty-sounding ideals mean little when you have a sword to your throat." She could see though that she wasn't going to get through to him today.
Link looked down, tugging at his left-gauntlet. "What I am trying to do here is to ensure that history does not repeat itself." The leather had come loose, and he slowly pulled it off of his forearm. She realized that she had never seen him without them. "But at the end of the day, I will do what I have to save my people. I beg for your cooperation, but if I do not get it then I will do things the old fashioned way."
Her heart dropped as he pulled his hand out. Just like with her own birthmark, the symbol of the Triforce shown against his tan skin.
...
Five days; for five days they had rested her under the watchful eye of the surrounding cliffs. The rushing current thundered below them, be aside from that, nothing seemed to change in the canyon. Jackson withdrew a water pouch, taking a sip and then splashing twice that amount on his face. He had shed his helmet several days ago, it wasn't like it could help protect him at all from the sun. Around him, the other soldiers also shuffled in discomfort. A few adventurous ones explored, or "scouted," the surrounding cliffs, but the novelty of their surroundings had quickly worn thin.
At least the Princess was scheduled to return in three days. Three simple days, then they could be on their way back to the castle. Their time here was over half-up, so why did he have such a dreadful feeling about the whole situation? He looked over as a pair of Gerudo crossed the bridge to their location, yet another changing of the guards. Even though their "hosts" constantly rotated, he could never tell if they were ones he had seen before- their veils, clothes, and hair all being perfectly identical.
Things took a strange turn, however, when the Gerudo reached their sisters who flanked the bridge on the near side. The relieved soldiers placed their spears at their shoulders and marched back, as normal, but the two new Gerudo moved to follow. He watched them cross over to the other side, perplexed by their action. "Hey Jon, what do you think-"
His words were cut off as the bridge suddenly became engulfed by fire, several small explosions sounding out from it's base and causing the structure to collapse almost immediately. The entirety of the camp turned towards the gorge, jumped by the sudden sound...
… and then the real explosions began. All at once, the ridge behind them erupted into a massive inferno of rock and flame. Jackson fell on his face, both hands clasped to either side of his head as he tried to shut out the storm. He could hear screams from some of the other men still wearing their helmets, the metal amplifying the sound of the blast. Small fragments of rock pinged against his armor, steadily tapering off until they ceased altogether.
Ears ringing, he pushed himself to his knees and turned around, surveying the results of the carnage. Their camp remained largely intact, but a big cloud of dust and soot obscured much of the sun as it slowly settled back down into the surrounding cliffs. The canyon path which had brought them to the valley was now completely gone, buried under tons of soil.
A faint voice slowly made itself heard, cutting through the ringing in his head and drawing his attention back to the present. Turning his head, he saw his captain standing at an arm's length away, shouting something indecipherable. Forcing himself unsteadily to his feet, Jackson shot off a sloppy salute and nodded. The soldier, apparently satisfied with his response, took off running to locate the other members of his squad.
What in the Goddesses name just happened? He wondered, as he looked back across the valley. The Gerudo had all disappeared, retreating into the hills and leaving the impassable gorge between them. Whatever they were planning, it didn't involve their regiment... for now. He just hoped that the princess was safe.
...
"We are much obliged to your allowing us to pass through." Link offered, extending his hand to the man seated on the opposing horse.
Ambassador Felix smiled, taking the prince's hand. "Think nothing of it, I hope that my actions make it clear that Labrynnia wishes to not get involved in this conflict." It had been two days since the Gerudo departed the fortress, one for them to make it through the harsh, desert sands and a second for them to skirt alongside the northern portion of Labrynnian territory, permitting them to enter into southern Hyrule. It may have been the long way to stage an invasion, but it allowed them to circumvent the canyon route.
Kalila looked on, her back straight and chin held high as she sported the bright-green garb of her outfit. While most of their people wore white or purple garments, the King's personal guard sported bright, vibrant shades from across the color spectrum. No two members had the exact same pallet- each chosen by their brother when he came of age. She smiled, recalling her brother's words.
Kalila, due to your adventurous spirit and boundless optimism I bestow upon you the color of grass, the image of the fields which will secure our people's future. Her heart glowed with pride; she had made it into the honor guard. Of course, her appointment had been nearly inevitable, considering how the elder sisters had regularly assigned her to accompany Link on his training, but having it be official made all the difference. She urged her mount slowly forward as the ambassador turned away, the Gerudo beginning their northern march towards the plains of Hyrule. Now, if only she could prove herself by the time the rest of the guard was chosen and they needed to assign a captain...
"The color really suits you." Nasira mentioned, seemingly peering into Kalila's thoughts. A faint hint of longing could be heard in her voice.
Kalila turned to her younger sister, "The selection isn't over yet, you have time to prove yourself."
Nasira scoffed. "Thanks for the thought, but you and I both know that I am not good enough."
Shrugging, Kalila responded, "Focus on your training and sparring, and you just might be surprised what you can accomplish. Remember, I was actually defeated by bandits once and yet here I am."
"True." Nasira echoed, her mouth held open for a moment as though she desired to say something else. After thinking a moment longer, she remained silent and turned to face forward. Up ahead of them stood a Hylian border-town, it's wooden walls built to an impressive height but nothing when compared to a true castle. Nudging her horse forward, Kalila closed the distance between herself and Link, leaving the other Gerudo to her contemplation.
"My lord," She called out, her tongue hesitating a moment with the unfamiliar title. Despite the fact that it was a foreign label for her to use on him, it somehow felt right. The other two guards turned in their saddles, one wearing orange and the other yellow. Kalila didn't know either of them personally, both were from tribes which resided deeper in the desert. "It's strange, if tensions are so high between Hyrule and Labbrynia, why isn't the border more heavily fortified?"
Link kept his gaze forward, watching the gates intently. "They have several, more formidable castles deeper into the country's territory. I guess they would rather write off these remote towns rather than face the logistical task of supplying them in the case of a war."
"Disgusting," The orange one spat, her lips curling in disgust. Kalila remembered meeting Hadica a few times throughout the years, the sister being one who never failed to leave an impression. Though she hailed from the western tribes, she would often show off her skill with a spear when at the fortress, followed by a comparable viciousness of the tongue. "They would abandon their own people to their mortal foe. The Hylians pretend to have morals but at their core they lack honor."
"I cannot deny your assessment," Link responded, somberly looking over his shoulder at the carriage nestled in the center of their caravan. "It is, after all, why we are here."
Again, he comes back to that again. Kalila nudged her horse forward once more. "Then shall we proceed with the task at hand?" Now wasn't the time for their brother to hesitate. Kotake had instructed her well: it was when their brother was tempted to falter that the honor guard was most important.
"Indeed," Link replied, nodding to the yellow rider beside him. "Racisa, would you please retrieve her highness?"
The Gerudo smiled back before slowing her steed, allowing the carriage behind them to catch up to her. Though she came from the remote, western tribes like Hadica, her past and skillset remained and utter mystery to Kalila. Their ages seemed almost identical and she had never before set eyes on the girl until the tribes were summoned for the campaign.
"Now, it shouldn't take long before-" A ringing bell rang out from the town, interrupting Link's train of thought. They could make out the sounds of shouting in the distance, as the people scrambled in the face of the coming invasion. A few archers took to the wall as they approached, yet Kalila could tell that they were far from being prepared for a battle. The faces of the defenders slowly came into view, and she could read the shock plastered on them. They had prepared for, and feared, the day when the Labrrynnians would march north, but they never expected to see the desert tribe approach- much less with the royal carriage as part of their band. Their confusion compounded further when the Gerudo advance halted, permitting the carriage and four escorts to continue towards the town without the army.
"Well princess, now everything rests on your shoulders." Link commented as he road beside the open window. Kalila saw the muscles on Zelda's face contract, the tension seeming out of place on her youthful complexion. As the carriage approached, the gate creaked slowly open on hinges which were far too old. They stopped almost as soon as they begun, permitting only a small gap through which a well dressed man squeezed though. With a slightly overweight frame and wide glasses, most of his features would have been unremarkable- were it not for the fact that both his hair and mustache were a deep forest green.
"I must say, this is an unexpected pleasure." He slowly pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, taking advantage of the moment to survey the party as his gaze settled on the prince. Link's red cape rolled down behind him, framing his black armor in a bloody aura. "Please forgive our rudeness sir Gerudo, but we are caught completely off guard by your unexpected approach- oh did I say that already?" He chuckled nervously, failing to win a smile from the prince. "I'm Mayor Ruul, how may I help you?"
Zelda took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and addressing the man in her most formal of tones as she stepped down from the carriage. "I'm afraid, sir Ruul, that we are witnessing a Gerudo invasion. I am currently a prisoner, and it is my hope that by appearing here I may be able to convince your citizens to lay down their arms. The crown will deal with the Gerudo, but I would prefer that none of my subjects be hurt until we can resolve this dispute."
"An... invasion!?" What little color the man possessed immediately drained from his face. Link rolled his eyes.
"Yes, and due to the nature of our campaign we need to supply ourselves as we move." He interjected, earning an annoyed look from the princess. "Either your town complies peacefully or we will take what we need at the edge of the sword. As of right now, we have no intention of running an occupation." The poor Mayor looked like he was going to faint on the spot, his body swaying backwards and resting on the gate.
"Please," Zelda added, with all the sincerity she could muster, "allow me to meet with the town elders and make my case. The people do not need to suffer for our mistakes."
"I... well indeed. I shall summon them and then we shall decide on how we will respond." The man backed back through the narrow opening and moved to shut it.
"Do not take long," Link interjected, "If these gates do not swing open within the hour then we will begin our assault." He gestured back to the Gerudo line, where the sisters were already setting up flaming braziers. They heard a gasp as the mayor stuttered out a few more intelligible words, followed by the door creaking slowly shut before him.
...
On the forty-second day of Autumn, the southern township of Midora surrendered to the Gerudo forces. Though she understood what it meant for her country (Hyrule proper had not been invaded since the great three-way war with the Gorons and Zora) Zelda had felt relief when the town had opened its gates. The Gerudo swept through the town, loading up on food and supplies as they ransacked the shops and warehouses. They didn't take more than was necessary, but she wondered how long it would take the town to recover from such a sudden drain on their resources. At least, She reflected, none of my people had to die this day. How long will it last?
Three days later, another town by the name of Paira fell, as did Kiaru two days after that. The populace seethed at seeing the western people pass through their lands like locusts, but they heeded the voice of their princess. There were a few close calls, and once Link had drawn his weapon to intimidate an unruly peasant, but Zelda was able to diffuse the situation.
That all changed when they reached Ordonna. A thriving rural township in the southern plains of Hyrule, the residents of Ordonna never even built a wall around their homes. The community was constantly expanding due to a thriving trade in livestock, and it seemed that every year they needed to construct another ring of homes.
"You can't be serious!" Shouted Jorash, the patriarch of one of the more established families. "If we allow these brigands to drive off our animals then our town is finished. We have no fewer than ten-thousand head grazing in the planes, how do you expect us to replace that?"
"Once this crisis is over, the Royal family will do everything in it's power to return things to normal." Zelda countered, her quiet voice forcing the surrounding farmers to quiet down so that they could hear their words. Even if they were upset, none of them wanted to miss the opportunity to hear the princess speak. "But I do not doubt the hardships which will result. The most important thing right now, however, is to protect your lives and the lives of your families."
"Our lives? Take away our cattle and we no longer have any life!" The man countered. Zelda began to get worried as she watched the men around him nod their agreement. She had already consumed three-fourths of the time Link had given her. At the moment, the prince stood motionlessly behind her and a little off to her side, the ranks of marauders fanned out behind him.
"Perhaps an agreement could be made? The Gerudo don't want to risk their own people for no reason. Maybe if they would be willing to take only half of your cattle?" She turned to look at Link, his arms crossed before him and expression motionless. He didn't have a chance to answer before the villagers piped up again.
"Even a quarter wouldn't be tolerable! We've poured our sweat and our tears into our animals. For these desert... savages to think they can just waltz in here and take them from us!" The man waved around a primitive javelin in his hand for emphasis.
"But the Gerudo hold the advantage here!" Zelda countered, her frustration beginning to seep into her voice. "Don't you understand? You are staring death in the face! I need you all to trust me for now, to trust that we can bring about a peaceful resolution to this." She could see the look of fear on several of the other men. If she could just push a little further...
"Trust you?" Jorash chuckled. "Trust the princess who has been kissing the Gerudo's boots for the past two years? Maybe this is all what you want, isn't it? Sell out your kingdom and, in return, get yourself a big hunk of Gerudo-"
"Enough!" Zelda shouted, taking a moment to regain her composure before she responded. Her temper would not help matters here. "All I want, all I have ever wanted, is to protect my people. Surrender is the only way to save your families. Several towns have already-"
"Enough? I've already heard enough!" Jorash took a menacing step forward, to which Link immediately reacted to in the corner of her vision. Zelda stuck her hand out to the side, urging him to hold. "You expect us to sacrifice our pride on your assurances- to hand over our livelihood to these... barbarians. We will not however, give up our very existence without a fight, especially not for a princess who is in bed with the Gerudo, maybe literally as well as figuratively!" With a sudden snap, he drew his javelin back and made to throw it. Zelda gasped as Impa appeared before her- hands extended and ready to block the thrown projectile.
A sudden cracking noise cut through the commotion, a snap that seemed to pierce the tension of the scene and render the whole stage motionless. Jorash still stood but the javelin tumbled out of his hands, now forgotten in favor of the arrow which had sprouted from his neck. Everything stood still for another half-second, until his legs gave out underneath him and his body crumpled to the ground, catching up with the fallen weapon. The men on either side of him backed up, a deadly silence having passed through them. In a moment, she could see a roulette of emotions pass through their eyes: shock, disbelief, sorrow, fear... but coming to rest on fury. The princess turned to see Link, the latter putting his bow away with an exaggerated care. Lifting his chin as the men assembled against them, he posed a question: "Do you really want to turn this into a bloodbath?"
She could hear their answer before any of them even opened their mouths. The men snapped to attention, brandishing their primitive weapons (mostly pitchforks and hammers, though she saw a couple of aged swords and spears). The roaring cascade of judgment finally poured out, uncorked as one particularly courageous youth shouted out, "Screw you, sand worm!" A string of profanities and insults followed, the villagers lining up and sneering at the Gerudo.
"Wait!" Zelda screamed, "Don't do this!" as her pleas were drowned out by the crowd. It took only a moment before she heard the answer to their taunts- the chilling chorus of a hundred blades being drawn at once. Turning, she reached out towards the prince, "Link-"
"Get Zelda to the rear!" He interrupted, looking straight at Impa. The guardian made no verbal acknowledgment of his command, one arm already around the princess and pulling her back.
"Come princess, you have done what you can."
"No!" Zelda countered, one again the familiar feel of her magic tingling at her fingers. Perhaps sensing her intention, Impa fixed her with a terrifying stare- one which the princess only recalled once before.
"Zelda, the fools have made their choice. We cannot allow their pride to endanger you."
"They are my people Impa!" Zelda retorted, trying to struggle as the Sheikah dragged her back through the Gerudo ranks. The women were advancing now, moving as one in a synchronized march. "I can't just abandon them."
Impa paused, giving the princess a more compassionate look. "I am sorry Zelda, but this is only the beginning. You are going to have to be strong in the coming days, perhaps even harsh, but it is for the good of Hyrule."
The sound of rushing flame suddenly blew overhead, much like when a blacksmith is heating his forge. Looking up, Zelda saw a volley of burning arrows pass overhead, arcing forward to bring destruction and death. She blinked twice, watching the deadly missiles arc overhead and wondering if her eyes could be trusted, if this was really ocurring. What good could be done for Hyrule now?
...
Khalisah had to give the peasants credit, they kept up a brave face right up until the moment that the first volley landed. Strengthened by the elder's magic, the sisters' fire arrows didn't just come to rest and ignite their target, but instead they flared up in a massive blaze upon contact. Within seconds, the first row of homes and wooden barricades were burning, caught up in the unnatural flames. The militiamen broke ranks immediately after, scrambling to get away from the fire while also keeping their front towards her sisters. Pathetic, she thought to herself, but fitting for ones such as they.
The first line of Gerudo broke into a sprint, weaving around the closest of the scattered villagers and dropping them with minimal effort. She hardly needed to think, her body moving into autopilot and going through the dance which she had been rehearsing for years. It took her only a few seconds to locate a foe, back hunched over and beard whitened with age. Her mind didn't even bother to take in any other details as the man thrust his pitchfork at her, trying to use his longer reach to skewer her before she got in close. Stepping to the side, Khalisah swept her left scimitar outwards and stoically deflected the clumsy strike, exploiting the opening by stepping in and swinging her other weapon at his throat. It only took a moment for him to collapse, and for her to begin searching for her next target.
A bell began to sound within the village, as if the flames curling to the sky were an insufficient warning to the residents. Its fervent chimes quickly became lost as a Gerudo horn sounded out- two deep blasts followed by a quick one. In response, another volley of fire-arrows passed overhead, these ones arced higher so as to penetrate much deeper into the grounds.
Leaning forward, Khalisah broke into a sprint as her sisters dodged through the flaming barricades and into the town proper, the formation slowly disintegrating. From here on out, the battle would be fought as a series of skirmishes. A half-rainbow of color passed into view, as she saw Kalilah leap over a fence with the other two members of the royal guard, following him.
A strange sensation came over Kalilah as she watched her brother charge forward, leading their strike force into battle. She couldn't deny his prowess in battle, nor his ability to lead, and yet she still wished that their leader looked a little less... eastern. The thoughts fled from her head as she moved to the side to dodge a clumsy strike. For now, she needed to focus on the battle. The cacophony of fire and blood raged around her as screams from the village merged with the crackling of flame. As she watched the smoke rise to the sky, illuminated in bright oranges and red, a smile slowly broke out on Kalilah's face. The days of kissing up to the Hylians were no more, now they would deal with them like true Gerudo.