I just wanted to say thanks very much to those of you who have continued to leave reviews or message me privately. I've been feeling a bit uninspired these last few chapters, dragging my way to the end (can you tell? I feel like the quality of my writing had gone downhill). Your reviews and messages really to keep me motivated. To those of you who have been reviewing from the very first chapters especially, thank you so much for sticking around.
They rode hard through mainland Hyrule the first day and half of the next, and by mid morning the pair had reached the dusty walls of the canyon.
If they were unsettled by the silence the first time through, then this second pass could be classified as downright disturbing. They saw no one, animal or human, and no sign of the guards Alrich mentioned. When they approached the inn, the windows and doors were sealed up, the building a patchwork of hastily placed boards.
Link hopped from their horse, approaching a piece of parchment nailed to the front door. He studied it for a moment before turning back to Zelda.
"What does it say?" She said, hopping into the dust after him.
He seemed hesitant to tell her at first, but after a moment he shook his head. "It doesn't quite make sense. It says there are no valuables inside. Then is says 'will return when the dead rest.'"
There was a creeping sense of dread within Zelda, but she pushed it away, changing the topic. "What should we do with the horse?"
Link walked over to the animal, undoing its saddle and removing the bridle. He stroked its mane, ushering it back towards the canyon behind them. "Sa ra'av." He set the horse free, bidding it to find its way home. The horse ran off, rounding a bend and vanishing from sight. They were left alone in the dead canyon once more.
"Let's do the same. I get the sense we are being watched." Links eyes scanned the cliffs above.
They neared the city as the late afternoon heat bore down on them, and Zelda was surprised to see the iron spikes Tauma had spoken of earlier pulled from the sand. They jutted from the earth and surrounded the city walls. Two guards stationed by the gates met them on the other side of the dark metal spikes.
"Welcome home." One said, while the other fiddled with a contraption behind her. There was a click, and then a thud as one small section of the spikes fell into the sand. The space was only wide enough for one person. Link and Zelda tiptoed their way over the hot metal, careful to avoid the sharp points. Once they had crossed over the guard lifted them again, leaving the city secured once more.
Zelda pushed aside the odd, isolating feeling that lingered behind her.
"I see you were successful on your mission, Qu'vosa." Tauma was striding out of the gates towards them.
"Luckily. How have things been while we were away?"
The woman's eyes scanned the desert, narrowing. "The desert feels off. Something isn't right, though I cannot say what. It has been quiet, and we've shut the city to all outsiders. Any vendors from Kara Kara are within the walls. We only wait now."
"The inn is abandoned, and we saw no one on the way here. Not one person or animal."
Tauma frowned, but nodded. "Come. Your mother has been anxiously awaiting your return."
Saula rose to her feet as the pair entered the throne room. She met them halfway, wrapping her arms around them both in an awkward, sloped hug.
"I'm glad to see you have returned." Her emerald eyes shifted to see over Link's shoulder. "And successful, at that. Congratulations." She seemed to relax a little, overjoyed her son had returned safe.
"Have you seen anyone from the castle approach the gates? We were told a few men were sent this way to check on the city, but we didn't cross their path." Zelda said, eyes darting between Saula and Tauma.
Both women shook their heads. "The desert has been still since you left. Unnervingly so, if you ask me." Tauma grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Lets not dwell on the unknown." Saula said. "How about you tell us all about your journey to get the sword? Did we miss anything good?" She perked a brow, placing a bejeweled wrist on her hip.
"Only the complete overthrow of a king." Link said, almost laughing, descending into the madness of their journey.
Zelda signed the bottom of the letter, handing it to the guard at the door. She bowed, slipping past Link as he entered their private chambers.
"What was that?" He asked, motioning to the now closed door.
"I wrote to my sisters. I thought it would be best to tell them we saw no sign of any castle soldiers on our way here. Perhaps they had to turn around at some point and we missed them somehow…" She sat herself on the couch, trying to let her mind slip from their fates. It had been tugging at the back of her memory all day, that and the unsettling stillness of the sands.
Link seated himself on the table in front of her. He had a strange, sheepish look about him, as if he was about to confess a bit of mischief he'd gotten into. He took her hand in his, laying it flat and examining her palm as he had done to many times before.
"I realized today that your birthday has come and gone. Along with the date of our wedding. It was pushed aside and neglected because you had to save me." His smiled for a moment, thinking himself funny, though he quickly returned to seriousness. "It has been forgotten for over a week, and I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry for putting you in the position you were in, for letting an important milestone pass. For, perhaps, making you feel like you weren't important. What were you doing on your birthday? Fighting a molduga?" He seemed pained to think about it, and he was unable to meet her eyes, focusing instead of something unseen.
Zelda surprised at herself. She hadn't even thought about it. Before they had rescued Link, all she did was wait and think. She had waited six days for him, imagining all of the situations that could have been, picturing him returning home. It seemed that so much of her life was spent leading up to a moment that simply passed without notice. She had forgotten her birthday when she had focused on rescuing him instead. Even more so when Ganondorf had returned. Her thoughts had been pulled from the trivial, focusing instead on the necessary.
"I can't even say where I was. These last few weeks…" she paused, considering the weight of time that had passed. "It feels like it has been both the lonest time of my life, and the shortest. In the span of only a few weeks I've mourned the loss of you, rescued you, fought a molduga, and traversed half way across Hyrule and back. We've seen the return of an evil king, and the dethroning of another. In honesty, even I forgot."
"I have put you through hell."
Zelda shook her head. "I did not go through a single moment of it alone." She smiled at him, feeling a bit of optimism rise within her. "I had my sisters, your mother, and Liana. I had you, too, for a part of it. I think it's safe to say we've both been through our fair share these last few weeks. No part of me holds you at fault for forgetting."
He smiled a little easier, though the stress of the last few weeks didn't quite fade from his features. She wondered if it ever would, or if he would live with the weight of it for forever. "I had a gift made for you before I left. It was supposed to be a birthday gift, but I only now had the chance to pick it up."
He held out a small satchel, tied at the top with a thin gold ribbon. He placed the item in Zelda's palm, and she fumbled with the fine ribbon. Receiving gifts always made her nervous, and this was the first item she had ever received from him.
Eventually, she was able to open the bag and pull out the tiny necklace within. It was a long golden chain, and at the end a delicate flower, no bigger than her thumb, sparkled. Soft strokes the colour of light pink partially covered the shining gold underneath.
"This flower is like the ones on the tree in the castle garden." She said aloud to herself, running her fingers over the tiny details of the petals.
He nodded. "I'm happy you could tell. Do you know how hard it is to describe a tiny pink blossom to a Gerudo?"
She laughed. "Well, it is incredibly accurate." She slipped the long chain over her head. The flower dangled low, hanging a few inches above her navel. "It is beautiful. You really didn't have to, but I appreciate it very much."
"I can't give you a flower garden here, and I'm sorry. I hope this reminds you of your home…"
Zelda leaned forward, closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug.
"It reminds me of you more."
It was late that night, well after dinner, when Link, Zelda and Saula paid Reeza a visit. Tauma had refused to come inside, citing her extreme distaste for the seer.
Reeza was perched on a cushion, looking at the sword in Link's hands.
"I'm impressed." She said, willow-y fingers running over the sheath. "You will need this. That is a certainty."
"Can you see what Ganondorf plans?" Saula said, hovering behind Link. "Which direction he intends to strike in?"
The old woman shook her head. "I cannot see his movements at all. Those witches of his…they must know others are watching. Everything is out of my reach."
"Can you see anything?" Zelda asked.
"Fire and the dead."
"Are you sure that you're not leaning towards the melodramatic here?" Saula said, frowning a little. It was unlike her to question Reeza, but Zelda had to admit that the statement did seem a little over the top.
Reeza squawked in surprise. "You asked, I answered. I cannot see if we will win this war, or what the demon king plans, but I can smell the stench of death hanging in the air, and I feel the heat of fire within my bones."
Link sighed, rising to his feet and placing the sword on his back. "Thank you for your time, Reeza."
The old woman nodded, though she seemed wholly unsatisfied. Zelda imagined that it was a frustrating thing being barred from seeing what you have always been able to see. If they could destroy Koume and Kotake, she was sure they would not only be able to see his movements clearer, but also lessen his strength.
As if sensing her thoughts, Reeza's eyes locked with hers as she left the old woman's home. She mouthed something, though Zelda could not hear it or read the words that crossed her lips. Saula shut the door to the house, cutting the moment short and leaving Zelda to puzzle over what had happened on her own.
Outside, there was a clamouring in the streets and Tauma had unsheathed her massive sword. Liana was jogging down the street towards them.
"What's happening?" Saula's voice was low, as if she already knew the answer.
"There's movement beyond the spikes. A few Yiga, but not many. Maybe a dozen or so."
A terrible fear clawed at Zelda's insides as they wound their way through the streets. People were coming out of their homes, spears and scimitars in hand. They didn't seem panicked, only hyper-aware of their surroundings. They nodded to them as they passed, waiting for orders to defend the city.
Zelda followed Saula, Link, Liana and Tauma to the top of the city walls, approaching a guard near the gate. She pointed into the distance, and a few shapes could be seen standing among the dunes.
Zelda counted 10 Yiga, their sickles catching the moonlight. There was another movement though, and Zelda strained her eyes in the dark to see that lingered just on the edge of their group.
"What's that?"
"One of the witches." Link replied, and Zelda could hear the anger in his voice.
"They just walked up? They weren't even trying to be sly about it?" Liana asked the night guard beside her, almost laughing.
The woman just shrugged. "Who knows what they're thinking."
"Draw your bow. Take out the smallest one on the far right." Link said, nodding at the guard.
Zelda could feel the fear moving its way up her spine, tensing her muscles, quickening her breath. It was obvious they had more up their sleeve, and she had never been in a battle. She didn't even think one had occurred at all since her father had taken the throne.
"I hate to state the obvious, but something here is not right." Tauma said, turning to Saula. She only nodded, trying to make sense of the situation.
Beside them, the guard nocked an arrow. Her gaze shifted to Saula, waiting for the command. She only nodded in response, though Zelda could see the hesitation in her eyes. It was entirely probable that the arrow would provoke the witch and her Yiga into action.
The arrow whistled through the air, on course for the hunched figure of the witch. Zelda saw outline of her figure move, almost imperceptibly, and the tip of the arrow flashed in the moon. A moment later it combusted mid air, dissolving into ash a few feet in front of the witch. It was unsurprising, really. It seemed unlikely that the witch would meet her end in such a simple manner.
The woman moved again, and this time a strange wind picked up around them. It was hot, despite the frigid night air, and putrid. Zelda covered her nose and mouth in an attempt to block out the stench. Beside her Liana gagged. The air became sticky and humid; it was almost hard to breathe under the weight of the rancid humidity.
The wind swirled along the dunes, shifting the sand and kicking up dust. Zelda's blood ran cold then, watching the scene unfold in front of her.
The sand bubbled, small circular shapes rising up from beneath it. The spheres grew, widening before narrowing off and widening once more. Grains of sand cascaded downwards in an endless waterfall as the shapes rose from the ground, and Zelda realized with horror that the spheres were heads, giving way to shoulders, arms, hips. The forms continued to rise, taking shape as they gained height. They lifted a knee, rising to their feet. As they reached their full height the last of the sand cascaded away, uncovering skin and hair and cloth. Even in the dark, Zelda could recognize the forms. Flaming red hair tied high on their heads; the sharp features that were distinctly Gerudo.
Dozens of shapes continued to rise from the sand, forming a small army that grew with each passing moment. Saula and Link stood silent around her, frozen in fear and horror as they watched their beloved desert turn against them.
"Isha." Link's voice was barely audible, and Zelda wasn't sure he had even spoken at all until he raised a hand and pointed to a figure among the crowd of faces. Zelda recognised the woman looking up at her with dead white eyes. She had fought Link and Liana during the Skill celebration. "She died. The Yiga murdered her when they ambushed us." His voice was devoid of emotion, but when Zelda looked up there was the unmistakable look of horror in his eyes.
"So that is how they plan to operate. They will use our dead sisters against us." Saula hissed. She turned to Tauma. "Get as many archers up here as we have. Give the signal that the battle is about to begin."
Tauma hurled herself over the edge of the wall. Despite her massive size, she landed with a surprisingly light thud in the sand below. A whistle left her lips, and somewhere else in the city it was picked up, over and over until Zelda swore it had extended through the entire city itself.
Link turned his eyes to her and opened his mouth to speak, but she had already cut him off. "I know what you are going to say, and no I am not going to hide in the palace. I will stay here with the archers." He closed his mouth, pondered something, and opened it to speak again. "I know that taking a life is not something that is easy, though I don't think this counts since none of these women are alive."
Saula tried to suppress a laugh, though it was quickly drowned out in the approach of footsteps. Several soldiers clambered on top of the walls, readying themselves and their arrows. Zelda watched as each one took notice of their foe, a mix of horror, heartbreak, and anger crossing their expressions.
"The man who thinks he can claim right to this land claims right to your dead sisters as well!" Saula yelled looking up and down the line of archers. Their numbers were small, maybe two dozen, and it was blatantly obvious that melee was more the Gerudo style. "He marches on our home, aiming to take it from us!" The solders on the wall, and those preparing themselves on the street below hissed, and Zelda realized that this was the sound of a thousand angry women. "I propose we show this bastard king just how easily his people bend the knee! I say we show him just what we think of his cheap magic!"
The women of the city raised their voices, and the noise reached a howling peak as Saula turned her attention to the army of dead before them. Zelda watched as Saula's eyes scanned the darkness for her target.
"Tell your king of nothing he can try!" She yelled, her gaze resting on the dark figure of the witch. She raised her arm, jeweled scimitar shimmering in the moonlight. "Nock!" Zelda heard the word echoing among a few generals down the line of the wall, and watched as each woman readied an arrow. There was only a moment of silence before Saula commanded them to loose their arrows, and the arrows whistled towards the dead army below.
The corpses took a step forward, lurching towards the line of metal spikes as the rain of arrows fell upon them. It was hard to see under the moonlight, but it appeared as if the arrows shot right through them, darting through the sand and rock that formed their bodies and landing in the sand at their feet.
A wave of surprise moved its way up the line of archers, and Zelda saw a flicker of anger flash over Saula's features.
The army of women continued towards the row of spikes, undeterred by the fall of arrows. Saula leaned over the wall, looking back to where Tauma now waited with her soldiers. "Arrows don't work. Looks like it's all hand to hand."
Tauma nodded, relaying the message to her women.
The fear chilling Zelda's bones turned to a burning frustration, and she motioned to the nearest archer. "Your bow." The woman shrugged, handing her seemingly useless weapon over.
"What are you doing?" Link whispered.
"We need to take out that witch. Maybe I can."
Beneath them, the line of women had reached the row of spikes. They stopped, and one stepped forward, impaling herself. Zelda watched in horror as the spikes moved through her as the arrows had, shifting the sands of her body.
Seemingly undeterred, the rest of the line proceeded, merely walking their way right through the city's best line of defence.
"Mother. The witch."
Saula nodded with understanding. She ordered the archers to take aim for the source, and Zelda nocked her own arrow. She tried to focus on her hand, focus on bringing forward the power she knew lay there. She let loose her arrow with the others, but hers was not streamed by the golden light from before. It joined the others, bursting into flames around the witch and her Yiga companions.
The line of women had reached the walls now, and they dug at the wooden door with their nails. Others drew rusted scimitars and spears, hacking at the wood. Those behind them clamoured up onto the shoulders of those in front, trying to claw their way up the walls of the city.
"They will break through the doors if we don't find something to stop them." Link said, turning to his mother. She watched the crowd of silent women, making slow progress in front of them.
She was quiet for a moment before calling down to Tauma for as many fire arrows as they had.
"Mother. The Sword will be able to defeat them." Link said, impatient.
"I know that. Do you intend to fight this army alone? Are you going to leap from the wall and take down a thousand of your sisters?"
He hesitated. "If it's the only way."
She shook her head, turning to see bundles of fire arrows moving down the line. Zelda readied an arrow, and fired into the crowd on Saula's command. To her surprise, the sand burst into flame, burning up before her eyes. There was a triumphant cry throughout the archers, and Saula gave the signal to fire once more.
Zelda knew there were not enough arrows to hold them back, and she could hear the wood of the gates creaking within the wall.
"Ready your women." Saula called down to Tauma before commanding another wave of arrows to descend, ordering the archers to focus on those hacking at the wood.
It wasn't enough, and the wooden door burst open only a few minutes later. Zelda watched as the dead spilled into the city like a flood, crashing onto the streets behind her. She heard Link move beside her, and watched as he drew his sword. She ceased firing to look up at him.
"Don't." She begged, but he shook his head.
"I can't stand up here with the best weapon we have and let my people die." In his hand, the blade gave off an eerie blue glow. "No matter what, stay with Liana. I will find you, but you must stay safe until I do." He leaned low, pressing a kiss to her forehead before leaping from the wall into the crowd of dead below.