Year of the Great Kingdom 597
Despite her every desire to escape, Telma's life became trapped within Agnes' dusty tavern. "Lord" Ganondorf's war had pushed far into Hylian territory and now easily controlled both ends of the Gerudo Pass. From what she could gather from the inn's guests, the desert folk had managed to take the Faron Grasslands, the Regencia Plains, Dalite, Safula, and nearly overwhelmed the Satori Garrison (Northwest of the Twin Rivers), but had finally been stopped by the Hylian Army. A turn Eastward saw a fierce and bloody battle at the bridge over the Hylian River -not far from the entrance to Lake Hylia- but, again, the Hylians were able to halt the Gerudo advance.
Though his army was now stalled, Ganondorf had managed to achieve what no other Gerudo leader had. In the span of a few weeks, he had doubled the size of the Gerudo Domain – absorbing hundreds of square miles of fertile farmland and lush, ample forests. Holding the Hylians at the Satori and Regencia Bridges, he quickly diverted the majority of his forces away from the front and began taking advantage of their new land. Warriors were now sent to occupy the abandoned farms or village workshops. The chieftain was determined to provide a better life for his people and to better solidify their confidence in the risks that he had taken.
If Telma made any attempt to escape, it would mean traveling for weeks overland, on foot, and attempting to cross two armies' lines – if she ever made it that far. Furthermore, she still had no idea how she would interact with the Hylians once she got there. Without a Hylian to vouch for her, any story she told would be dismissed as a lie and she might even be killed for spying. So, she was forced to remain where she was.
For the most part, her new "sisters" were kind and understanding with her. Safflina was near-constantly checking in on her and eagerly giving little words of encouragement. Nightshade, Lavender, and Violet were willing to help her practice her Gerudo -when they were not working or tired. Lavender seemed particularly interested in talking with her more as she assumed Telma had also come from a wealthy family. But Rose remained short-tempered and aloof. She did not trust the Hylian-speaking newcomer and felt threatened by her appearance. Where Rose was tall and strong, Telma was soft and beautiful. The warrioress knew that if "business" ever returned to normal… this young woman could easily displace them all.
"Ivy" as the girls now called her, steadily gained a grasp over the layout of the inn, the village, and how both worked. After her first three days with Agnes, the old crone agreed to keep her on and negotiated a very meager salary for her to live on. She was allowed free movement throughout the establishment – except for Agnes and Audra's room of course – and she was allowed to take small meals from the kitchen, as long as it was "not too much." The one strange thing that Telma noticed was that she was not invited to move into a room upstairs like the other girls. The owner continued to keep her in room number "3" on the main floor. After thinking it over, Telma decided that it was for the best. If she had a private room, far away from the others, then there was less chance of her ears being seen (which she was still very careful to conceal within her hair or under a bit of cloth.
The Gerudo customers hardly seemed to notice "Ivy" at all. Most would just enter the inn and immediately turn – heading to the bar- without speaking to her. The few that did want a room or personal services would simply approach the counter and say "room" or whatever service they needed. The lack of 'conversation' was a little disconcerting at first, but Telma grew to appreciate it – the more quickly she could move her customers along, the less likely they would notice anything about her.
On her fifth day working for Agnes, the inn's suppliers arrived to deliver the establishment's shipment of food, alcohol, and other necessities, and to negotiate the prices for the next month. This presented a small problem as the caravan leaders from Karusa were used to finding Audra at the front desk… not 'one of the comfort vai.' These Gerudo were rather different from the warriors that had been passing through the village. They were shorter, far less muscled, and had a much greater variety in nose shapes and eye colors. Their clothing was also different, with long cloaks and hoods – to shield them from the desert sun.
The caravanner approached the desk and eyed Telma suspiciously. "Who are you?" she asked. The shy clerk did not understand her question, but quickly bowed and recited, "Food, drink, or room?" in her limited Gerudo. The trading master did not like her question being ignored and angrily asked once again, "Who are you?!" The young woman still did not understand the words, but she recognized the same question being repeated. Terror grabbed at her stomach as the irritated Gerudo now began to narrow her eyes and study her face carefully. "A-Agnes?" she tried to offer – pointing toward the bar, but the visitor only became angrier and began shouting at her.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and grabbed Telma's arm from behind. With a small shriek, she turned to find Safflina quickly sliding up beside her and smiling brightly at the caravanner. For several seconds, she spoke in rapid Gerudo with the trading master until she made a small fist with her right hand and lightly tapped "Ivy" on the head. Utterly bewildered, and still terrified that she might be discovered, the clerk just glanced from her friend, to the newcomer, and back again – with her mouth hanging slightly open.
The traders seemed satisfied and relaxed their fierce expressions. Safflina quickly bounded around the side of the desk and led them toward the bar without another word. Telma continued to bow her head to each merchant as they passed, until the entire throng had left her behind. Moments later, when her friend returned, she frantically whispered, "What did you tell them?!" The ever-energetic woman cart-wheeled to the front of her desk, landing with her elbows propped on its top and leaning in toward her. "I told them you recently got knocked on the head, and lost most of your speech! We need to get your Gerudo cleaned up Ivy! And quickly!"