The Yiga's strike on Vah Naboris is that night, and Link spends a few hours in the morning with Riju and several of the guards, devising their defense strategy while Zelda sits on the windowsill and half listens. It's mostly troop movement and close-quarters combat, and if there's not a large, ancient weapon requiring a great deal of fiddling, she's too out of her element to contribute. The Gerudo have already set up some defenses around the Divine Beast after their first report that the Yiga had boarded her. Vah Naboris is now at the center of an encampment of spikes and explosives.

Zelda wishes she had been involved in devising the barricades. That would have been fun. She would have made counterweight traps and maybe mixed some tar. Something they could light on fire. Perhaps they could arm Vah Naboris with trebuchets until her own defenses come back online. Zelda has been too disconnected from her research goals since they moved into town.

At least Vah Medoh is due back soon, and Zelda will have a chance to work on repairs for the flying fortress' shields, which thanks to Link are in ruins.

Link catches her staring into space and smirks at her. She raises an eyebrow and pulls out a journal to jot down her trebuchet idea while he answers some question from Captain Teake.

"What's that?"

Zelda jumps. Clinging to the side of the palace and leaning over Zelda's shoulder from out the window is Barta.

Zelda looks back towards the meeting, where no one has noticed Barta's presence, then back out at the Gerudo. "What are you doing there?" she whispers.

"I'm trying to listen in on whatever meeting they're having." Barta says this like it's obvious and she doesn't feel guilty at all or worried she might be caught.

"Do you eavesdrop like this often?"

"No. Not often."

Zelda's not quite sure how to continue. "This...seems like a security breach. That someone would be able to listen in on the chief's planning meetings."

"Oh, for sure. That's why I'm here. If I'm sneaking around out here, I'd bump into any Yiga who are also sneaking around out here."

"Have you brought these concerns to the Captain?"

"Heightened security wouldn't let me listen in, now would it?"

Barta's logic eludes her.

The Gerudo jerks her chin. "What's that?"

"A trebuchet." She flicks through her sketches pointing out the mechanics and targeting.

"For Vah Naboris?" Barta asks.

"I was thinking about it, but there's really no reason for it."

Barta shrugs. "It'd still be fun. We could put them up on the town walls. Do you think you could throw a person?"

"You could. Throwing them isn't the hard part. It's the landing that wouldn't go well."

"What if they land on a big pile of hay? That'd be easier than walking out to the bazaar."

Zelda says she'll think on it.

Riju stands from the meeting table, and Barta ducks in to look, before ducking back behind the windowsill and climbing down. She curses and whisper-shouts, "I'm going to be late. Wish me luck at the trial."

"Good luck at the trial!" shouts Captain Teake, who doesn't even look up from sweeping all the delicately carved troop markers off the map spread over the table.

They have to rush from the palace to the sand-seal course for the second Gerudo trial. With the race closer to town and the massive popularity of sand-seal racing, the stands are packed with both locals and tourists. There are several sets of stands along the course, and the town has rippled with debate over which one is the second-best place to sit. The best place, of course is at the beginning of the track, which also happens to be the end as the course goes in a loop, but Riju's pavilion takes up a fair portion of those stands, and seating is limited.

As they're all going to the pavilion, Zelda and Link head in with a handful of guards from the meeting. As they get close, Link squeezes her arm and murmurs close to her ear so she can hear over the crowd. "I'm going to change clothes."

"Be back soon."

He nods and ducks off, and Zelda turns to keep walking, only to discover that the rest of her escort has vanished ahead of her into the crowd. She's jostled by an elbow, and shakes herself, pushing onward towards the pavilion. She can see it over people's heads. The crowd presses in, and her lungs contract, and everywhere she looks, there's a merchant who refuses to take off a bulky backpack or someone with a spear that's not tucked away correctly. The forward movement halts, then she's pushed backward by the tide, and she's sweating and hot, and it wasn't this hot a moment ago. She blinks rapidly and shakes her head to clear it. She swallows. She needs to keep her head. She can't embarrass herself here.

Something tugs sharp at her belt, and she spins and grabs a wrist that drops a leather purse before slipping out of her grasp and vanishing. It's not her purse and all her pouches and the slate are still firmly attached, but she ducks down to grab the purse and is hit by a knee that almost sends her sprawling.

"Did someone drop this?" she asks. She holds it up. She can speak to have her voice carry, but for some reason it doesn't work. Maybe it's her barely controlled panic, maybe it's because no one here cares.

She startles as a loud whistle pierces the air. The crowd stills around her, then parts, everyone shuffling quickly to the sides to make a clear path. Their attention is over Zelda's head, and she turns to see Tali, her sunglasses in place, her lips pulled in a disinterested frown, her hands on her hips. She says nothing, simply plucks the purse from Zelda's hand, and lifts it up for all to see. Someone squeaks, then a Hylian voe darts forward with his cheeks bright red. Tali drops the purse into his hand, and he bows deeply to both Zelda and Tali before hurrying away in embarrassment

Tali walks past Zelda and through the quivering, reverent crowd. Taking advantage of the cleared path, Zelda hurries after her. Over her shoulder, the crowd flows back onto itself, chatter rebuilding as everyone whispers that they saw Tali and how well she'll do in this challenge.

Tali walks straight to the readying area where the contestants have gathered with their sand-seals and a team of support staff. The women adjust harnesses and stretch out their shoulders. Tali walks up to her partner, who launches into a report of the wind conditions and the crowds and the temperature. She already has a chestnut brown sand-seal harnessed and ready, and Tali drops down in front of the creature to take its face in her hands and stare deeply into its eyes.

The space is blessedly open, and Zelda presses her hands to her stomach and breathes.

Barta winks at her as she rubs down a delighted gray seal with a bristly brush. The seal's eyes are closed, the tip of its tongue sticking out. Barta reaches a spot that makes the seal's leg flap reflexively, then it flops onto its side with a deep huff to give her better access. Barta chides the creature for being lazy, but the seal just twitches and she doesn't seem to mean it.

Deltan is going through a series of stretches, so focused on her task that she doesn't notice Zelda or Tali's arrival at all.

Lashley and a few of the vai from the sand-seal rental are trying to coax a large, tan creature into sitting still, but it's rolling out of their reach and dragging itself heavily on its belly, seeming to take impish pleasure in the Gerudo's irritation. The rental vai are quickly losing patience with it, chiding and shouting. More than anything, they look embarrassed, and keep shooting panicked looks at Lashley, who looks too skittish of the beast to notice. She tentatively holds out a fruit, which it gobbles from her hands as she jerks back, nearly taking the fruit with her.

The seal does a hopping, spinning shuffle, as boisterous as could be expected from a creature of such heft, then it rolls suddenly into Lashley, knocking her down. Zelda hurries forward and gives her a hand up. The Gerudo gives the seal a betrayed look and rubs her rear.

"He's a stubborn monster, but he's fast," one of the rental ladies assures, a desperate tone to her voice. The seal's tail beats awkwardly against her legs, and her knees threaten to buckle. "As soon as you get him moving, I swear he'll follow your directions, no problem."

Lashley frowns.

"Are you...renting a sand-seal?" Zelda asks.

"We don't all own sand-seals," Lashley says.

Or apparently have much experience riding them. It seems an unfair disadvantage.

"It's not necessary to own your own!" the rental vai says. "He's the fastest thing on two flippers. My hand to the Sisters."

Their anxiety is palpable, and the now dirty seal can most definitely sense it.

Zelda drops to her knees in front of the beast, who is now upside down, and rubs at his chin, which pauses his rolling as the chin scratch is far more interesting. "Does he have a name?" she asks softly.

"Brutus."

"Brutus." She smiles down at the creature and adds a second hand, digging her fingers into his thin fur as if he were a dog. "Big tough Brutus," she coos. "Are you being naughty?"

The rental ladies relax slightly that Brutus seems less rambunctious, but now they're shooting looks at Lashley again. Maybe they're worried she'll be offended that the creature has taken such a shine to someone else, or perhaps they're worried that Lashley is too fearful to control the seal.

Zelda smiles up at the contestant and tilts her head in invitation. Lashley hesitates, then squats beside her. Zelda takes her hand and presses it to the seal's chin. "You have to soothe your mount," she recites. "Soothing him will calm you, and he will sense your calmness and come to heel. You are calm. You are not afraid."

The seal calms under their hands. He huffs and flecks of spittle dot their knees. Lashley sighs and darts a glance at the other contestants. "How can I not be anxious? These trials aren't made for me."

"And yet, you're doing well."

Lashley rolls her eyes.

Zelda nods down at the seal, who has nearly fallen asleep under Lashley's hands while Zelda's hands are tucked neatly in her lap. "See? Everyone knows these aren't your strong suits. From my experience, when expectations are low and failure is expected, even minor successes are viewed as major triumphs."

Lashley frowns. "I don't believe you."

"Well. That's because it's a lie. But I thought it sounded inspiring."

Lashley stares at her.

Then snorts so hard hat Brutus startles. She throws her head back and laughs, the tension falling from her shoulders.

A horn sounds, and an usher appears to guide the contestants to the starting line. With some nudging, they get Brutus onto his belly, and the ladies from the rental place are right: he's excited to go once there's actually something to do.

"Good luck," Zelda shouts, and waves to them all. Lashley and Barta wave back.

One of the rental ladies sighs. "He's going to embarrass us, isn't he?"

The other lady nods. "We should have given her Hester."

"Hester couldn't beat Varth."

"But Hester doesn't come with way too much personality."

"Thanks for your help, by the way," she says to Zelda. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"If you could walk me to the pavilion—"

"I've got it."

She turns to see Link walk up to her.

"I leave for five minutes, you make friends with a seal."

"I also foiled a pick-pocket."

"Atta girl."

He slips an arm around her waist, and she waves at the rental ladies as they walk away.

They take their seats in the pavilion just as the contestants skid to the starting line. Captain Teake checks the time, and at first Zelda thinks she's anxious for the race to start. Then Zelda realizes she's worried about making it to Vah Naboris in time. Riju stands, just forward enough to be out of the shade, the center of attention. She gives the contestants a moment to settle themselves, to get in position. Zelda keeps a close eye on Brutus, who looks around as if he's already bored. Riju lifts her arm, and the wind takes hold of a scarf in her hand like the ones the contestants are wearing. When she drops it, the horn sounds again, and the race begins.

Tali gets the best start, and she's out in front before the others even begin to scramble. Barta and Deltan clamber for position, urging on their seals to pull into second place before the first turn. Neither wants the outside track, and their shields bump and crash against each other, and they're swinging so widely that Zelda worries for their footing. But then Brutus is there, barreling straight between them, knocking them both aside and hitting Barta in the back of the knee, sending her off balance, from which she thankfully recovers. Lashley careens past them, her knees bent so she's as low as can be. "Sorry!" she shouts, and she's past them, in second place into the first turn, holding on as the other two pull into position behind her.

The turn is a switchback, and Zelda can see them turn left and then right, rising up the sides of the banked curves. Then they vanish, only to reappear for just a second as the crest the first jump over a sand dune. Then they're gone for a full three minutes. The onlookers in the pavilion can hear the cheering from the distributed crowd, sets of stands erupting one after another. Waves of hoots as each contestant passes. Which contestant? Zelda can only tell from the flash of color from waved pennants, but that don't seem the most accurate indicator. From the timing of the cheers, Tali seems to be pulling farther into the lead.

There's a distinct, sympathetic "Oo!" from the crowd at the fourth set of stands, and Zelda has an urge to bounce in her seat. Did someone crash? Is everyone okay? She tries to tell how many cheers arise from the fifth set of stands, but it seems that once Tali appears, the crowd cheers until the last person is out of sight.

Then the racers reappear around a bend, heading to the finish line. It's a long, downhill stretch of jumps and curves, and full half mile visible from the pavilion. Tali's in first, but she's lost the lead Zelda expected. Barta is hot behind her, darting around dunes, zigging and zagging to get as little air as possible and maintain her momentum. She slips up the side of banks the same way she rode the wake of the molduga. Tali is tensed, her body lowered in a way it wasn't at the start of the race. Barta is making her work for it.

Lashley and Deltan appear next over the ridge, neck and neck, although their race is much more haphazard. Neither of them are trying to find the slickest, smoothest way down. Lashley is trying to hold on as Brutus hurls himself down the slope. She hits every jump that Tali and Barta avoided, and from the way she's leaned back, she's actively trying to slow the creature. Deltan is trying to get ahead while also trying to get out of the way. Every time she has a smooth opening, Brutus swerves and cuts her off.

"Deltan's actually doing some pretty impressive driving," Link says. He's grinning, his eyes bright. His knee jiggles ever so slightly.

"So much control," Riju agrees, as Brutus knocks over the sand dune Deltan is about to leap.

But then Link grabs Zelda's arm in excitement. He squeezes and jostles her as if he hasn't already gained her attention. He points as if she's not already looking, already cheering and grabbing for his arm with her free hand, needing something to squeeze. Barta's seal has pulled ahead of Tali, even if it has yet to pull even with the lead seal. Tali shouts and shoots forward, trying to swerve into the inside track and block the pass, just a split second before Barta shouts as well, cutting off Tali's maneuver. Barta has the inside on the final turn, and the crowd screams as she pulls almost even. Almost...Almost... They sail over the finish line with Tali still ahead by a foot and a half.

But it's as good as a win for Barta.

Meanwhile, Deltan finally pulls ahead, and the crowd's cheering shifts into a gasp as Brutus hits a high sand dune at breakneck speed, and suddenly he and Lashley are airborne, sailing over Deltan's head at an angle and landing hard beside her. Deltan pushes, shouting her seal to move and hunkering down to pick up speed. Lashley sails over her head again from the other direction, managing a twist in the air that would be considered showing off if it wasn't clear that she has gotten tangled in the reins and is trying to straighten herself out. She sticks the landing anyway, and people cheer. Knowing there's nothing else to do, she throws a hand in the air, as if to say, "Ta dah!" Link rubs his mouth, trying not to laugh.

By the time they reach the finish line, they're moving much faster than Tali and Barta were at the end. Deltan is two seal lengths ahead, mostly because Lashley is now backwards, and showing off by standing on one leg, the other extended out behind her like a dancer to give her some semblance of balance. She blows embarrassed kisses at the crowd.

"Picking one is going to be so hard," Riju says. "They all have souls of true Gerudo. They all have style to spare."

Lashley covers her mouth with a hand to hide a girlish blush and waves at the crowd, relishing her last-place finish. Deltan slows and pulls to circle Lashley before kicking up to speed again and flipping into a handstand on her shield. The crowd roars. Brutus does another jump that seems to surprise Lashley, and Deltan follows, spinning three full rotations in the air before hitting a perfect landing. She throws her arms out at Lashley, and shouts, "That's all you got?"

"Pretty much!" Lashley shouts back. Brutus is now just doing donuts.

Riju nods to herself as the crowd starts to flow onto the track, lifting all the contestants onto their shoulders and parading them around. "Yes, I picked a very good group of champions."

Riju stands, and Captain Teake blows the Horn of Spirit, which calls all active members of the military to follow. Captain Teake walks down and leads a parade back toward town, the contestants behind her, still bobbing atop people's shoulders. All active military at the race grumble as they fall into the parade. They were enjoying themselves and now they need to honor guard? Captain Teake is just lucky that every one of them has a favorite contestant and will support them at all costs, even if it means leaving their friends behind in the stands.

Of course, they are actually marching into an action briefing, then setting out for Vah Naboris immediately. But it wouldn't do to announce this to the crowd. Yiga spies could be anywhere.

And, of course, Riju has decided that the third trial will be a big surprise for the contestants: join the troops and defend Vah Naboris, be stunning and fearsome and deadly. She's split them so each contestant is with a different squad.

Link and Zelda stand as well. The excitement in her throat from the race now shifts into something more anxious. Link gives Riju a floppy looking salute, showing he has no memory of how to do it properly. The chief wishes him luck, and Link and Zelda hurry down under the stands, into the shadows, where anyone who sees them will think they've slipped away to grope each other and where no one will see them warp to the Yiga hideout.

Zelda doesn't let go of him after they land. Not until he kisses her properly and swears he won't be gone long.

"I swear," he breathes. "This will all be over soon."

It's hard to pull her arms from around his neck and take a step back. She clears her throat and straightens her hair before she warps, so he can carry the image of her smiling with him into battle. She leaves him there and heads back to Gerudo Town alone. She'd be little use in the melee, and if the Yiga are trying their best to claim Vah Naboris, it's imperative they not get their hands on the slate. She has to keep it safe.

When Zelda lands back at the shrine outside Gerudo Town, Buliara is waiting for her. Zelda blinks in surprise.

"Come," the woman says, and leads her towards town, towering protectively over Zelda and glaring at anyone who looks at them, her fist clenched around her spear. Zelda is escorted to the top of the palace, where Riju is already seated in a woven lounge chair under an umbrella, a drink with a straw and a miniature version of the umbrella in her hand. There's a second chair and untouched drink beside her.

"Good. You aren't too late. They'll be leaving soon."

Zelda sits, although it's more like a recline. The angle of the chair's back instinctively has her cross her legs at the ankle. It's a forced relaxation, and Zelda takes a sip of her drink through her straw to fortify herself. It's fruity—sour and sweet, and the alcohol hits her like something has whacked her in the nose.

"Will we be able to see the Yiga cross the desert?" Zelda asks.

"Their plan is to travel close to the cliffs. We might catch sight of them, but I can't say for sure."

There's a pair of binoculars on the ground between their chairs, and Zelda plucks them up to check the entrance to Karusa Valley. It's hazy from the sand and the heat, and great pillars of rock obscure the entrance.

"There they are," Riju says.

Four squads of Gerudo warriors take off in a herd of sand-seals, two looping around south while two head north. The groups split, and they almost immediately start running formation drills, looking for all the world as if Captain Teake is ticked at them again, maybe because of Lashley's performance in the trial.

But as they disperse, they drift south and east, heading gradually towards Vah Naboris. They move fast and sure, and soon they're just specks out on the sand.

"Welp. They're off." Riju has finished her drink, and she takes off some of the bangles on her arms before she slips lower in her chair and closes her eyes. "Now all we do is wait until tomorrow, when we'll see what sort of victory our champions bring home with them."

Zelda takes a deep breath. It feels as if her lungs are being squeezed.