CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
"The Invitation"
Link sighed. He'd never seen Zelda so upset before. As he sat beside of her, stroking her hair, her eyes remained focused on the sleeping face of Impa. The princess had a death grip on her nursemaid's plump hand, as if she were afraid that the older woman's spirit would slip away should she let go. Even though Ezlo and Vaati had managed to heal the majority of the damage, Impa had still lost quite a bit of blood. Sleep, he knew, would do the noblewoman good, but Zelda was still in shock from nearly losing the closest person she had ever had to a mother.
Footsteps resounded out it the hall. Link snapped his head up just as a flurry of indigo and purple came into the room.
"Any news?"
"Nothing!" panted the harried Minish. "It's been HOURS, Link! HOURS since she went after that thing!" Vaati stomped over to the open window and looked out toward the mountain. "She doesn't even know a proper stance...what if...what if?"
"Vaati, please, sit down," called Ezlo, whom had currently taken up position on Link's shoulder. "You are liable to run a rut in the floor if you keep darting about the way you've been doing."
The imp remained at the window, gazing fearfully out onto the street below. Link might not have been an Empath like Brittany, but even he could tell how worried Vaati was. They had not been able to stop the girl from going after the Helmaroc. Link had been too preoccupied with helping Zelda hold it together and, with the princess out of sorts, the mage and his master were the only two capable of healing their fallen companion. Nevertheless, he knew Vaati blamed himself.
"Vaati, you're a swordsman," he tried to break the tension in the room. "You should know that combat against a beast is far different than that of two knights."
"If anything's happened to her, I shall never forgive myself..."
"Vaati, as your mentor and surrogate father, I command you to sit down!" barked Ezlo. "That kid will be fine-she's too stubborn to die."
Of course, the Picori sage's words had little effect on his frightened apprentice. He kept his vigil by the window, all the while nervously picking at the edge of his cloak. He let his hood fall from his head (even though they were in a tiny village in an isolated portion of Holodrum, the mage had been taking no chances with his identity). He crossed his arms over the sill and rested his head against them.
Poor guy has to be exhausted, thought Link. He remembered Ezlo telling him that magic drains a person's energy as much as physical activity-if not more since it was more of a mental process. What probably amazed Link the most was Vaati's behavior. Obviously, he was not the same maniacal warlock that had trapped his best friend in stone, but there was more to it than that. From what he garnered from talking to the mage on the trail, he had learned just how close he felt to Brittany already. Not that he couldn't understand why-with the exception of his mentor Ezlo, the Empath was probably the first real friend Vaati had ever had.
And now, she was missing. No wonder he's so freaked out, Link thought. Suddenly, Impa let out a small groan and they all turned toward the woman.
"Impa...Impa!" Zelda lightly shook the woman's hand.
"Pr-princess...?"
"Yes, Impa," she placed a hand on her servant's head, "I'm here!"
Slowly, the rotund woman opened her eyes. She groggily stared into space at first, but she finally turned to her charge once her vision cleared. Zelda had tears brimming afresh in the corners of her eyes.
"My dear Princess Zelda...what makes you so sad?"
"Sweet Impa, these are tears of joy!" Zelda hiccupped.
"Yeah, we thought we lost you," Link joined in. The noblewoman groaned as she tried to sit up. The hero put a hand on her uninjured shoulder and gently pushed her back onto the pillow. "No, lie still. You're injured."
Impa groaned. "What happened to me?" she hissed as a pain ran through her chest. "I feel like a couple of Dark Knuts played catch with me."
"You were hit by the Helmaroc's quills. Ezlo warned us, but I guess you didn't hear him since he's still a Minish. You're lucky to be alive...he and Vaati saved you."
Impa turned her head toward the mage, who was now kneeling on the opposite side of the bed. "Is this true, young man?"
Vaati said nothing, but nodded slightly.
"Well, then," the nursemaid managed a weak smile, "you are not as bad as I thought. I see so many welcome faces that I feared I might not ever see again. But where, I wonder, is Miss Brittany? Off sneaking a honey sandwich again?" she chuckled. Then she noticed the downcast expressions of her companions. "Zelda, dear, whatever is the matter?"
"Brittany...went after the Helmaroc," the royal replied. "She has been gone for hours."
"Oh, dear Goddesses..." gasped the invalid woman. She let out another pained hiss. "That foolish child..."
Link noticed Vaati leave the window and march over to the door. "Where are you going?" the hero asked. Vaati pulled open the door.
"I refuse to wait any longer!" jeered the mage. "I have to find her...to make sure she's alright."
"But, Vaati, you can't-"
Link stopped short as he noticed Vaati's head turned back to the window. The mage's eyes grew wide and his mouth fell agape. Suddenly, he jerked his hood back over his head and race out of the door, letting it bang into the wall from how quickly he threw it open. A few moments later, Link heard excited chatter and a stampede of footsteps downstairs. He jumped up and darted over to the window.
"There's a light in the distance...a torch! Hey, Zelda, I think it's Brittany!"
The hero bolted down the tavern stairs and out onto the street with the others. A growing crowd had formed in the road. Link noticed the parents of the missing boy clinging to each other as though they were about to fall apart. His eyes then landed on the desert women, whose leader was boldly holding her head high. Link forced his way through the crowd and joined Vaati. The Hylian heard the youth's breath hitch.
The tiny orb of light bobbed around in the distance, gradually growing larger as it came closer. Pretty soon, the flames illuminated the face of a young woman and the horse behind her. As they came near the light that poured from the town windows, Link heard Vaati breath a heavy sigh of relief. It was Brittany-and she was not alone. Her companions raced to her side.
"Are you okay?" Vaati grabbed her shoulder and frantically looked her over. "D-did you get hurt?"
"I'm fine," she assured the youth. "How's Impa?"
"She's weak, but she'll live. Zelda's with her now," Link told her. "So, did you find the Helmaroc?"
The Earthling nodded. "That feathered bastard won't be bothering anyone ever again," she proclaimed, "but I'm afraid I lost the sword you gave me."
"That's okay! As long as you're still in one piece," the hero said.
"I'm in one piece, alright...and so are they," she said, raising the torch to illuminate Altair.
Atop the warhorse sat a young Gerudo maiden. In front of her, wrapped in Brittany's coat, was the little boy. The families and companions of the riders hurried toward the party as the horse lowered himself to the ground. The desert girl slid off the beast with the child in her arms. Within moments, the boy, now crying loudly, was pulled into a crushing hug by his nearly hysterical mother.
The Gerudo strolled up to their newfound companion with stoic faces.
"Yubira, you foolish girl," the leader scolded the maiden. "What have you to say for yourself?"
The girl produced the feathers and held them up for the women to see. "But I got them! I have the 'Roc's feathers!" The two younger Gerudo cheered.
"Yubira..." The merchants' leader threw her arms around the girl. "Do you have any idea how you frightened me?" scolded the older woman. "I've half a notion to have you flogged for that little stunt!"
"Mother...forgive me," Subira said. Brittany's eyes widened.
"She's your mother?" The Gerudo nodded. Once their hug ended, the leader walked over to Brittany, placed her arms over her chest, and bowed to one knee.
"Thank you, Little Heroine," said the merchant. "Thank you for bringing my daughter back safely."
Brittany half-bowed to the woman. "No problem. In fact," Brittany looked to Yubira, "without her, the little boy would not have survived for as long as he did."
"You were the hero, Brittany!" Yubira piped up. "After all, it was your blade that pierced the liver of that monster!" The townspeople, Gerudo, and the Empath's companion all turned to Brittany. "You should have seen it, Mother-how she bounded onto the creature's back and drove in her sword-"
"Vhy don't ve all head back into ze tavern and you two can give us ze entire story?" suggested the elder.
Shouts of agreement rang out from the crowd, so Brittany and the others were hustled into the little building. Within minutes, Brittany found herself standing by Yubira in front of the roaring fireplace as the crowd looked on. Her Gerudo ally drew the townsfolk into the story by picking up from where she and the boy were captured, how she used a well-aimed skull to the bird's head to let her and the boy escape to the crevice, then how 'Little Heroine' (as she called Brittany) crept into the cavern to defeat the bird. Pretty soon, Brittany wound up reenacting half of the battle as Yubira continued her epic.
"...Then, as the wicked Helmaroc turned to slice us open with its wicked talons, it fell upon Little Heroine's sword. Her righteous blade thrust up and tore through the monster's liver-sending its lifeblood pouring onto the rock below. The creature gave a last, dying screech before collapsing into the crimson pool."
The townspeople cheered and the Gerudo women let out war whoops. Brittany felt a little embarrassed by the whole thing, but the overwhelming sense of victory that sprang from the audience gave reenergized her weary body. She caught sight of the little boy she had rescued and smiled. He shyly waved his tiny hand and buried his face into his mother's chest.
"Weren't you scared?" a little girl asked the Empath.
"Little Heroine, afraid?" boasted Yubira as she crossed her arms. "Bah, that is to laugh! Her iron will staved off fear before it ever had a chance to frighten her."
"Actually," Brittany corrected the merchant-turned-bard, "that monster hurt one of my dear friends, so I was too angry to be afraid."
Scattered 'oohs' and 'ahhs' came from the crowd. After a series of other questions, Brittany noticed Link and Vaati had snuck back to the stairway. The boys waved to her. Excusing herself-well, actually, she pawned the attention off on Yubira by reminding her of her part in the fight-she snuck away from the crowd and up the stairs. She followed her friends into the room where Impa lay.
"That was quite a story, Miss Brittany," Impa turned to Brittany. "I could hear that desert girl from up here-"
"Impa! You're alright!" she darted over to the woman's side.
"Thanks to your little Minish friend, I am." Brittany turned to Vaati, who was idly standing by the door, and smiled. She mouthed a silent 'thank you' and he nodded. A few moments later, they heard a knock on the door. "Whomever could that be?" Link pulled open the door to reveal the Gerudo leader standing on the other side.
"I hope I am not interrupting," said the woman. Impa smiled.
"Not at all, dearie."
"Won't you have a seat, ma'am?" Link motioned to one of the several chairs in the room. The Gerudo bowed slightly but refused the offer. Instead, she walked over and leaned against the foot of the bed opposite Impa's.
"I am here," the woman said, "to speak with Brittany."
The Empath was, to say the least, surprised. "Um...okay...speak away."
The Gerudo woman nodded. "First, I must properly introduce myself. I am Subira, Grand Vizier to the Queen Mother of the Gerudo. I hail from the tribe in the southeastern regions of the Desert Wastes."
"Well, I may not have a fancy title," Brittany replied, "but I'm happy to be of service anyway."
Subira chuckled. "I am afraid you misunderstand, child-it is I who am in your debt."
"Aww, you don't owe me a thing," Brittany waved her off. Subira shook her head.
"You have no choice in the matter. You not only rescued my daughter but also a Gerudo. We may be a shrewd bunch, but we are also extremely loyal to our principles. The highest of these is the blood debt, to which I now owe you."
The desert woman pierced Brittany's gaze with her acidic green eyes.
"I have carefully weighed the facts of the situation, and, according to Yubira's and your retelling of the battle, I see that you are a very intelligent, bold young woman. With careful and abundant training, you could quickly rise in the ranks of the Gerudo tribes."
"But," the brunette replied, "I am no Gerudo."
"Then what of your rounded ears, child? No being in this realm has such a thing except for the Gerudo. While you may be rosy of flesh and chestnut of hair, you have the heartier, stronger build of our kind. Plus, your wit and quick mind would be an invaluable asset to us. What do you say, Brittany-will you join the Gerudo? Of course, I would have to clear it by our sovereign, but I am sure that you would be welcomed with open arms."
Brittany, as well as everyone else in the room, was nothing sort of stunned. She looked over to Zelda and Link, then to Ezlo, Impa, and Vaati. The Empath looked back to Subira and shook her head.
"Thanks for the offer, Grand Vizier Subira," she smiled, "but I cannot accept your offer. We are on a journey at the moment of the utmost importance, and I cannot afford to stray from it."
Subira smirked. "You need not make the decision right away if such a quest you are indeed on. Permit me to ask, but..."
"A young maiden from Hyrule was kidnapped abroad," Zelda chimed in. "Brittany is coming to help us find her."
The Gerudo raised a brow. "Oh, is that so? Well, is there anything that my people can do to help?"
"Actually, there is!" Brittany spoke up. "We've head that you are supposed to keep careful records of whom you have sold certain horses to. Well, our friend was kidnapped by a small group of riders who used Gerudo-bred horses. We were on our way to the Desert Wastes before we were attacked."
Subira narrowed her eyes to sultry slits and increased her smirk. "So, you would be needing a guide, then? Few that travel the sands can find our establishment without succumbing to the scorching sun first. Besides," she added, "this way, you can meet our leader! Perhaps our sovereign can help you make up your mind. Until then," she rose from her seat, "I bid you all good night."
Link opened the door and Subira disappeared through it. The moment he closed it, his and everyone else's eyes fell upon Brittany.
"Well, Brit," the hero said, "it looks like your recklessness has become our ticket to the Desert Wastes! Straight into Gerudo land, no less!"
"My goodness, what a stroke of good fortune!" Zelda clapped her hands together. "We shall find the people who took Farore in no time, now."
Brittany felt a tiny blush creep up onto her face. "To think, they'd actually want ME as a Gerudo!" she smiled and twiddled her shirt tail between her fingers. "Me! This is...wow...this is amazing!"
"Don't be too eager to join them, missy," Impa spoke up. "We know so little about them. I mean, just look at the skimpy clothing they wear!"
Like bellydancers...! Brittany tried to hold back a smile.
"And besides that, there are tales of caravans that have gone into the Desert Wastes and they've been robbed by bandits!"
Sounds like the Gerudo, THAT'S for sure...
"But, Impa," Zelda joined in, "are they also not one of the oldest races on the planet? Their culture must have a prominent heritage. What mysteries they must hold!" she turned to Brittany.
"But they're hussies!"
"They are prolific businesswomen, that's for certain," Ezlo chimed in, "but they are also renown martial artists. The training you could receive there...to be welcome into a Gerudo household, especially one of such high a rank, would practically guarantee you a home with close-knit relations. Being without a family as you are now, would that not seem god sent?"
The Earthling bowed her head and sighed. Ezlo was right-she was alone. Not that she minded being a loner, but having a supportive and loving family was what she always wanted. Because of her unstable mother, neglectful father and gossipy relatives, she had given up hope long ago of that wish ever coming true. But now, here she was being offered the chance to belong somewhere! They had no idea how she had pined away for just that chance...
Suddenly, Vaati stood up from his chair. "Excuse me," he said, a strange sense of urgency in his voice, "but I have to go check on Moosh." Without another word, the mage opened the door and left. Everyone just stared.
"What do you suppose THAT was about?" Ezlo asked. He glanced over at Link and gave the hero a puzzled look. As if by some sort of telepathic link, the boy took the hint and nodded.
"I...think I'll go check on Moosh, too," he fibbed. And with that, the hero departed and left the bewildered group to ponder their friends' strange behavior.