Treacherous Intentions

By: dontwaitupxx


Chapter Eight


As Link and the Princess passed through the Gerudo Desert Gateway, Link sighed, a small smile gracing his lips.

It was good to be home.

It had not taken long for the bodies of the Yiga Clansman and the Jailer to be discovered in the early hours of the morning. Though Hyrule Castle was on high alert, the Royal Guard did well to keep the incident confidential. It was clear to the Crown that the Princess's life was in danger, and it was not long at all for Link to be summoned directly to the King. Looking back on the incident, it was a wonder how his path did not cross with that of the Commander's.

Should the Commander have found him first in light of the traitor's body being found, he would have been hard pressed to get himself out of the castle.

The King had summoned him to his private study, adjacent to the library. It was hidden away, tucked behind a bookshelf on door hinges, and as it opened, it groaned, the sound of the hinges echoing throughout the massive library. It was imperative to the King that discretion and caution be used, and that no one in the castle overheard their conversation. Every other part of the castle was too populated, and the Sanctum was too obvious. They were not sure where that second Yiga brother was hiding, and he had to make sure his next order did not fall on his ears.

If only the King realized that the second Yiga brother was hiding in plain sight.

It was a small, quaint study, Link had noted, as the King shut the bookcase behind them, the sounds of the castle muting immediately. There was an exquisite desk tucked against the wall, with various texts and papers strewn about. Link noted that with this study not exactly being of public knowledge, he was staring at, no doubt, confidential documents that could house secrets to the Hyrulean Royal Army, or even that of the ancient Sheikah technology and the Divine Beasts. Should the Yiga Clan get their hands on these documents, it would change the course of history forever.

Link made a mental note to sneak back to the study whenever he got the chance.

The King motioned for him to have a seat in the small chair tucked away in the corner of the room. The King sat in his chair at his desk, turning the chair slightly to face him, while cradling his head in his hand.

The silence stretched between the two, as the King formulated what words to use, though Link knew already what he would disclose. He was, however, the perfect actor, and kept his face blank, neutral, awaiting the reasoning behind his King's summons with patience and gratitude.

The King sighed, lowering his hand and licking his lips, meeting Link's with weary eyes, "I am afraid that the safety of Hyrule Castle has been compromised. I can no longer rest easy knowing that my daughter is safe within its walls."

"I don't understand," Link lied easily, his eyes flickering cautiously to meet his King's.

"Last night, there was a break in to the Lockup, and the Yiga Clansman that had infiltrated the castle had been murdered in the night," the King declared, rubbing his face with his hand, "Commander Impa had been able to discern that there was a second member of the clan within the castle, and now we have reason to believe that clansman killed his brother in order to ensure his silence. He is still undiscovered within the castle, at large, and I fear for my daughter's safety."

"What should you have me do?" Link implored, "I can create a rotation of my most trusted of the Royal Guard to keep watch over her. I can personally see to her safety, keeping watch over her twenty-four hours a day."

"That won't be necessary," the King waved off, a slight glint in his eye, "You are but one man, and yet, the only man that I trust with my daughter's life. Therefore, effective immediately, I want for you to take my daughter to the west, to the safety of the Gerudo Desert. There, I have already arranged lodgings for her within Gerudo Town, with the Chief of the Gerudo, Champion Urbosa. The second you two leave the castle grounds, Hyrule Castle will be on lockdown. No one will go in or out of the castle until we find this traitor. I will send a missive for you once it is safe to return."

"It shall be done," Link breathed, bowing his head.

From there, Link had been dismissed, and in the early hours of the morning, he went up the Princess's quarters and fetched her, leading her down deep into the castle to the docks, where a small boat was waiting for them. At first, the Princess protested, upset at being woken before the sun had risen over the horizon, but at the stark look Link threw back towards her, her protests diminished. He ensured her that he would explain once they were away from the castle, but due to the severity of the situation, they had to keep moving.

He maneuvered the boat, propelling it towards the east side of the moat, their destination being the Hyrule Forest Park. From there, it was only a quick journey to the ranch, where a stable hand had already been tipped to prepare both of their horses. From there, they rode hard, galloping towards the west, to the land of the Gerudo, and unbeknownst to the King, of the Yiga Clan.

Aye, it was good to be home.

The two horses were stabled in the Gerudo Canyon Stable, as the alternating climates of the Gerudo Valley were unsuitable for Hylian horses. The days were sweltering and the nights were frigid. The only times of day habitable for the horses were for about an hour at dawn and an hour at dusk. Anything else proved to be far too hostile to the animals, and so it was on foot from there they went.

A missive had been left for the Princess at the stable, sealed with the Gerudo Chief's symbol. Its contents explained that the Gerudo Champion would meet the two of them at the Kara Kara Bazaar, to provide passage for the Princess into Gerudo Town. As it was, they left the next morning at dawn, the weather being comfortable, but only for a short time, yet. Link, similar to his preparations into the Eldin region, had prepared some chilly elixirs for the journey.

As they ventured into the desert, the Princess looked off to the southwest and gasped, pointing towards the horizon. There, in the far off distant, was a massive animal, moving slowly throughout the desert.

"There," the Princess breathed, "That's Vah Naboris. Ancient Sheikah texts refer to her as being based off a long extinct animal called a 'camel'. She's absolutely fascinating."

Link nodded once, unsure of how to respond. Truth be told, he was taken a bit aback by how social the Princess was being with him, given her attitude towards him just a day prior at the Ancient Columns. Had it really only been a day? He supposed her mood must have had something to do with being back in the land of the Gerudo, so near to where her close friend resided.

They arrived in the Kara Kara Bazaar by midday, the heat sweltering and the sweat dripping down his back. He had passed the Princess a chilly elixir about an hour prior and had downed one himself, though it didn't do much to combat the dry air of the Gerudo Desert. The Bazaar, however, seemed cooler than the rest of the desert, the palm trees providing shade. The outpost surrounded a small oasis, where fresh water bubbled up from a small underground spring. Here, the temperature was tolerable, a welcome break from the sweltering heat.

The Bazaar was busy at this time of day, with various merchants of different races yelling out to anyone who would listen about their wares. Link kept the Princess close, a hand on her elbow and one on her back as he weaved them through the crowd towards where the path continued on towards Gerudo Town. Link did not miss this part of the Gerudo Desert. The Bazaar was home to some of the shadiest business in all of Hyrule.

Granted, that meant a lot, coming from Link.

Finally, they made their way towards the inn, where two Gerudo warriors stood wearing the crest of the Gerudo Chief. Nearby, three sand seals were stabled, ready to go at a moment's notice.

"Sav'aaq, Princess," the first of the warriors bowed curtly, "It is good to see you safely arrived. We had heard news from the castle, and acted with haste."

The Princess waved them off, a small smile gracing her face, "Yes, but nevertheless, it was about time for me to make a trip out here to Gerudo Town to see my dear friend, and her Divine Beast. The incident just made it much easier for me to get away."

The way she brushed off the incident at the castle almost made Link bark with laughter. It was trivial to her, the Yiga Clan. It was almost like she, herself, felt the Yiga Clan to not be a threat to her safety.

The eve of Calamity Ganon's return could not come soon enough.

Her warriors were here, but where was Urbosa? It was strange for her to not be immediately present, especially when she knew the Princess was arriving, and was expecting her.

The second of the warriors nodded slightly, "Chief Urbosa will meet you at the palace later this evening. There were some unseen complications with Divine Beast Vah Naboris she had to attend to. She sends her regards."

The Princess nodded primly, "It is of no consequence," before gesturing towards the sand seals, "Well, shall we be off?"

The two Gerudo warriors nodded once, before leading the way over to where the three sand seals were stabled. Link followed behind, his footsteps soft on the sand, before one of the Gerudo warriors looked over her shoulder slightly, her face unreadable.

"Princess," the Gerudo warrior began, "If I may, has your knight been briefed on the customs and laws of Gerudo Town?"

"I'm well aware," Link answered before the Princess could speak. Every man from the Karusa Valley all the way to the Lanayru Sea had heard of the mystical Gerudo Town, a tribe of only women with one strict rule: no men allowed. Quite a few of his male peers in the clan took the rare afternoon off from training to don their Hylian tunics to try and catch a glimpse into the Forbidden City. It wasn't for need of intelligence; the female Yiga did well to blend in with the locals to extract sensitive information from the chief. No, the men would try to break into the city for far more shrewd and selfish intentions.

Link never had an interest in joining the men on their fruitless plots. They were ill thought out, and ill planned. The Gerudo were sharp; sharper than some of the men gave them credit for, and most of the women towered over the members of the Yiga Clan, with the strength to match it. While the Yiga Clan was known for their sharp, sleek moves, the Gerudo Warriors were known for their merciless blunt force.

And Link was not about to go and pick that battle.

So instead, he relied on his wit, "I'm certain that Chief Urbosa will make an exception for me."

The desert was silent, as his words sunk in.

The two Gerudo soldiers burst out laughing, doubling over themselves, "Oh, you must excuse us," the first of them said, wiping an imaginary tear, "We just cannot help but laugh at the audacity."

"Truly," the second of them said, "As though our great Chief would make an exception for a puny Hylian voe like you!"

Puny? Did this towering bitch just call him puny? Just because he wasn't at a raging eight feet tall did not mean that he was puny. However, he was not about to let his guard down, so he steeled his face, keeping his emotions neutral.

It was the Princess that spoke next, "Sir Link, when father sent me out here to the Gerudo Desert, he knew what the implication would be. Gerudo Town is not about to dismantle a tradition that has been upheld for centuries. You've done your part; the Gerudo warriors can take it from here."

"Your father," Link said, pointedly, "entrusted me with your safe arrival to the Gerudo Desert, and after what happened in the castle, I'm not sure who I can trust with your safety."

"Are you telling me that you don't trust Chief Urbosa, Champion Urbosa, and her people, to keep me safe? She was inducted as a champion for a reason, and she is on our side."

"I'm coming with you," Link said, with a tone of finality, his voice clipped.

The Princess smiled, though it did not quite reach her eyes, "Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?"

With that, the Princess turned around and grabbed the reins of a sand seal, with a practiced ease Link had not anticipated coming from her. Master Kohga had said that she had been in the Gerudo Valley prior to him giving him his mission. Did she make frequent trips out to the desert to see the Gerudo Chief? Just how close was she with Urbosa?

The two Gerudo Warriors looked back at Link noncommittally, and with a shrug, turned back around. They grabbed their sand seals and followed behind the Princess, who was already making her way across the desert, a flurry of sand being uprooted in her wake.

And Link was left in the bazaar, with no sand seal for transportation.

It would seem a little persuasion would have to go a long way. Until then, he was to make the path on foot.

The sun was high in the sky, and was proving to be treacherous as he made his way on foot towards the town on the horizon. Once outside of the bazaar, the desert became ominously quiet, with only the sound of the wind gently blowing on the sand. His shoes dug deep into the sand beneath him, making it more and more difficult to walk quickly through the desert.

How he longed for his Yiga Clan armor now. The armor was made not only to help combat the heat and icy temperatures of the bipolar desert, but it also did well to keep his feet light against the sand, making attacks and maneuvers a breeze on any terrain. He took a glance off towards the northwest of the path, where the unassuming valley lay of the Yiga Clan. It was just beyond the icehouse, a place frequented by many a Gerudo. By all accounts, it was a wonder that the Gerudo had not noticed where their hideout lay, as unsuspecting Hylians in simple garb came to and fro from the canyon.

By the time Link had made it to the walls of Gerudo Town, he had downed two chilly elixirs, but still had sweat cascading down his neck and back. The sun was nearly blinding him, as it began its descent into the west.

Well, at least the Gerudo could be useful at blocking the sun.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in!"

Speaking of which.

"I'm here to gain access to the city," Link said, holding himself as tall as he could muster despite the heat of the sun weighing him down, "My charge, Princess Zelda, is within the walls of Gerudo Town, and I have been tasked by the King of Hyrule to keep her safe at all times."

"And you are doing a fine job of it, kid," The Gerudo standing guard said, "Now beat it: no voe allowed."

"It wasn't a request," Link said, dangerously, as he walked forward in a fit of rage to shoulder his way past the two warriors standing guard.

A sharp pain in his gut, and the desert was swirling around him, before he fell clumsily onto his backside, staring back up at the guards. The first of them, the one he had conversed with, was now standing in a defensive position, the end of her staff pointing down towards him, before it twirled around, and he was face to face with the blade.

"I said beat it, kid," the Gerudo said, her words harsh and clipped, "Unless you are so keen on meeting your end with the tip of my blade."

Link glared at the guard, picking himself up and taking a step back from the blade, his eyes narrowing as his mind calculated, "I would like to request an audience with the chief, then; as soon as possible."

"I'll pass along the message," the Gerudo guard said, though her tone sounded deceitful, "Though it will be on her terms, not yours. It is a privilege to speak with our great chief."

"Indeed," Link muttered, quelling the anger threatening to burst from within, "When should I expect to hear from her?"

"Whenever she decides it's most convenient for her," the Gerudo guard said, waving her hand noncommittally, "Now if I were you, I would head back to the Bazaar before the sun sets. The desert is known to get awfully cold in the nighttime, and a scrawny Hylian like you won't last an hour in the cold of the night. The chief will know where to find you if she wants to. Now scram."

With that, Link was sent back the way he came, on the nearly invisible footpath leading back to the Kara Kara Bazaar. Truth be told, Link could not even give a rat's ass about being by the Princess's side. He actually preferred to not be within her presence, the insufferable thing. However, it would not look good on his part to be separated from her by a couple of die-hard feminists, and it only made his task of gaining her trust that much more difficult.

Link needed a drink.

Once Link arrived in the Bazaar, he barged into the inn, slamming down a purple rupee onto the counter for a bed and the strongest drink they had in house. With that, he turned on his heel, making his way towards a small table in the corner, keeping his back to the wall and his eyes on the door.

Within a few moments, a small key was placed on his table for his room, as well as an icy, blue drink. Link knew this drink well. It was a Gerudo specialty: called Noble Pursuit. Link had heard legends of Gerudo women travelling across the desert in sweltering heat and freezing cold just to taste the sweet, potent drink on their tongue. It was not for the faint of heart, however: as they were mixed with the eight foot tall Gerudo in mind.

And though Link wasn't quite that tall, he took a large swig, swallowing before he even had a chance to truly taste it.

The effect was nearly instantaneous. Warmth travelled from his core to his extremities, and instantly, his mind was numbed. The drink was popular for a reason. There must be some secret ingredient to it, as during their off hours, some members of the Yiga Clan would attempt to recreate this drink, but to no avail. It could never be made as good as it was when mixed in the Bazaar or the Forbidden City.

Before long, his drink was downed, and a second one was replaced in its stead. Link, despite his slightly inebriated state, did not fail to miss the wary look the proprietor gave him upon setting down the second drink. Whether it was fear for giving a Hylian a second drink, or astonishment at a Hylian even making it to a second drink, he was not sure. With the second drink in hand, he tilted it back towards his lips.

As he brought the glass back down, he found himself face to face with the Chief of the Gerudo.

"Sav'saaba. Drinking on the job, are you?"

Setting the glass down on the table with more force than he had intended, Link sighed, "I wouldn't say that I'm drinking on the job, since I don't exactly have a job to do in the first place."

Urbosa pursed her lips, reaching out with one hand to move the glass away from him, "Regardless, you are still the Princess's appointed knight, and given what just transpired in Hyrule Castle, I would say that this is entirely irresponsible."

"So then you'll let me into Gerudo Town to keep watch over my charge?"

"Voe are forbidden from entry into Gerudo Town."

Link reached over and grabbed his drink, taking another swig. Urbosa sighed.

"You asked my guard for an audience with me, and to be fair, I am surprised that they even told me. To what do I owe the pleasure? Or did you just want a babysitter for when you can't hold your liquor?"

"You know as well as I do why I requested an audience with you," Link muttered, meeting her eyes, "The Princess exploited the law that restricts men from entering Gerudo Town so she could slip away from me. I am ordered by the High King of Hyrule to keep her safe at all times, and by his orders, I demand entrance to your city."

"I do not appreciate you pulling rank on me," Urbosa said, her gaze narrowing dangerously, "While the King of Hyrule rules over all of the providences of Hyrule, I am still the chief of my land, and you are but a guest here in the desert. Furthermore, I do not appreciate the way that you spoke earlier with my guards. This is their land, not yours. The King knew of the implications of sending his daughter to my lands. I am granting a favor to him by protecting his daughter. You would do well not to pick a war with me."

"Then let me through the city gates."

"Voe are forbidden from entry into Gerudo Town."

"You keep saying that."

"And yet, you are not listening to what I am telling you. Now listen closely," Urbosa leaned in, and said in a slow tone, "Voe are forbidden from entry into Gerudo Town."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"This is your Champion?" Urbosa asked, her tone exasperated, as she tilted her head up towards the ceiling of the inn. She locked eyes with him again, "Must I spell this out for you? Let's put it this way: all members of the Goron race are allowed entry into Gerudo Town. Do you know why this is?"

Link was silent, and chose to take another swig of his Noble Pursuit in response. Urbosa sighed.

"It is because they identify as neither voe nor vai. When referring to one another, they lean towards the masculine pronouns, but they don't identify as anything other than Goron. The law clearly states that voe are forbidden entry, but it says nothing about vai being its sole inhabitants: thus the Gorons are allowed entry."

"What are you getting at?"

"I don't mean to presume, but you would identify yourself as a voe, correct?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

"And yet," Urbosa ignored his outburst, "for a voe, you have such soft features, and are quite short for a Hylian male. I'm certain that with the right chemise, and the right accessories, we might just be able to accentuate that feminine beauty of yours."

A bad feeling developed in the pit of Link's stomach, and it wasn't from drinking too much of the Noble Pursuit. Gently, he lowered his glass to the table, his eyes locking with Urbosa's.

She grinned, her smile turning devilish, as she strummed her long nails against the table, "Tell me, Hero: just how far are you willing to go to get into Gerudo Town?"

Remind Link to add Urbosa to the list of people he was going to kill after all of this was said and done.

He had been instructed to climb to the top of the inn and reach the top at midnight. Not a minute before; not a minute after. There he had met a merchant dressed in traditional Gerudo silks. To say whether the person was a woman or a man, Link couldn't be sure. But he supposed that didn't matter, in the end. After a game of horrifying flirting, as there was really no other way to get the person to talk, the merchant mentioned the style they wore would look well on Link, helping to accentuate that feminine beauty, as Urbosa had put it.

And six hundred rupees later, Link had been undeniably ripped off, and was the new owner of a set of Gerudo silks.

The silks did not leave much to the imagination, much to Link's dismay, but the veil hid the sharper features of his face, and he was assured that at first glance, he was sure to pass as a Hylian vai.

He arrived to the great city in the night, and was pleased to have been able to walk right past the two Gerudo guards at the eastern entrance to the city. However, he failed to notice that the two of them were snickering behind crumbling facades, like they were privy to a joke that only the two of them knew.

The city was deserted; still sound asleep, save for a Rito or two that rose before the sun. Link made a beeline for the palace, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he was back at the Princess's side. He couldn't wait to see that smug look on her face crumble once it dawned on her that she would no longer be able to give him the slip. There wouldn't be a place in all of Hyrule where she would be able to hide from him. Then, he would be able to perform his role masterfully.

He climbed up the steps into the palace, the guards snickering behind their spears. Only then did he notice their jeering, but he paid them no mind. He was so close to the throne room; so close to the Princess.

…The throne room was empty, save for one massive Gerudo standing empty near the throne. She took a step forward, her spear hitting the stonework sharply.

"Halt: who goes there?"

"I am here to see the Gerudo Chief Urbosa and the Princess of Hyrule."

"I'm afraid you shall not see them."

Link's blood boiled, and he made no attempt to calm it, "I beg your pardon?"

"They left in the night to make their way to the Divine Beast."

To the Divine Beast? The Gerudo wench knew that he would be coming into the city for his charge, and yet she decided to leave in the night, to make his fight to get into the city all for nothing?

Scratch that, waiting to kill her until after all of this was said and done; he had half a mind to show the chief her intestines the next he saw her.

He turned on his heel, moving briskly to exit the palace before he did anything rash.

"One more thing," the guard called out, a small grin formulating on her face, "The Chief did mention that a small Hylian vai may enter the city tonight. She wished to send her regards, and that she hopes you enjoy your access to the city, and all that Gerudo Town has to offer."

That bitch.

Link stormed out of the city, and all but changed directly in front of the guards at the eastern entrance, propriety be damned in that moment. The guards, however, seemed not to care, as they were doubled over on themselves, laughing with no remorse as Link threw his tunic on and adjusted his belts and baldric.

He snuck his way over to a pack of wild sand seals, and with little preamble, commandeered one, and began his trek towards the Divine Beast on the horizon.

No amount of chilly elixirs could tame the wildfire coursing through his blood. As he approached the beast, Divine Beast Vah Naboris lowered herself to the ground, as though she was expecting him. He dismounted from the wild sand seal, taking off into a run for the last few paces. He climbed aboard the beast, as he felt the beast raise higher and higher, the beast preparing to trek through the desert.

He made his way through the heart of the beast, towards where he saw was a large, open balcony. Right before it, he saw, were the Princess's boots.

Aha! He had found her.

He stepped out onto the balcony.

"Ah, well you certainly got here fast."