gerudo valley part 3
Zelda instinctively took a few steps back until she felt the warmth of Link's body behind her. He reached up, his fingertips lightly grazing her shoulder before he pulled her to his side protectively. Nabooru glanced between the four of them cautiously, her eyes lingering on Lana long enough for everyone to notice.
Ganondorf was much more composed than his companion, and stood in front of them with his arms folded. His expression was unreadable, and it only served to make the pair even more nervous. He heard an intake of breath, and knew Nabooru was about to speak again, but he decided to step forward and say something before she had the chance.
"You two must be Hilda and Ravio, the only attendees who weren't on the guest list. We've heard so much about you two tonight." He said, smiling lightly.
Meanwhile Nabooru was piecing together everything Link and Zelda had done mentally, the fury within her building up more and more as things became clearer.
Zelda opened her mouth then closed it again. That entire night she had been putting on the perfect act to allow them to blend into the gala with ease, but now that their worst fears had come true, she wasn't sure of what to say or do.
"Erm, yes." Link cleared his throat, nodding politely. "A technical error really… But your guys' presentation was riveting."
"You think so?"
"It's certainly a bold request, but you've done a good job of convincing everyone. Maybe we can help HU get its act together once we get Naboris University on its feet."
Nabooru's eyes widened and she looked to Lana again. Lana looked away.
"I hope you will consider our plans… and act accordingly." Ganondorf responded, a hint of warning in his tone.
Ashei, Lana, and Zelda watched the exchange with bated breaths.
The bodyguard, oblivious to what was happening, regarded Link and Zelda favorably.
"Hilda's contribution would be great to our cause. Her father owns the Fleet-Lotus hotels. In addition to a donation, we could get them to open one here!"
"We don't need Hylian owned businesses in our desert. We have Oasis, which is more than enough." Ganondorf waved the request off.
This struck a nerve within Zelda, and it showed. Link couldn't stop her from speaking up.
"Oh, but you have no problem taking Hylian owned rupees to fund your little school?" She asked.
Ganondorf raised an eyebrow.
"You can speak now? How interesting."
"How long do you plan on entertaining this? Lana is standing right there." Nabooru hissed in a low tone, watching the blue-haired girl worriedly.
"Ashei is there too. Or is she not as important?" Ganondorf growled.
"Jealousy isn't a good look on you, you know."
"I'm not jealous. But you're being ridiculous. Our cover has…"
"…been blown." Link whispered to Zelda. "We need to leave." He glanced over to Ashei and Lana. Lana still had a clueless look on her face, as if she was unsure of where her loyalties truly lied. Ashei caught Link's gaze and nodded imperceptibly.
"We can't just book it though." Zelda replied.
"I hate to tell you this princess, but that may be exactly what we need to do…"
Ganondorf addressed them again.
"You know, we truly went all out for this gala… We got the best chefs to cook the best food. We hired the best entertainment. We furnished the venue with the best furniture. We invited only the best entrepreneurs, kingpins, industrialists…"
"Yes. Those are all synonyms…" Zelda murmured.
Link snickered in spite of the seriousness of the moment.
"We also hired the best security for the event. Or so I thought." His eyes narrowed at the guard behind them. "Buliara. I expected better from you."
She looked taken aback.
"…Pardon?"
"A simple web search would tell you that the founder of the Fleet-Lotus hotels only fathered sons." He held his phone up, narrowing his eyes at Zelda.
"I… I was adopted…" Zelda stammered, clearly unprepared for the confrontation that was unraveling.
"What is going on, sir?" Buliara asked, looking at Zelda and Link suspiciously.
"I thought Riju and I made it very clear to only allow guests that are on the guest list inside. As much as I would like to continue this charade, these two are not gala attendees. They're students from HU who lied about their identities to get in."
"I…" Buliara's voice trailed off as she turned back to Link and Zelda.
"Is it me, or does the already tall and muscular lady look even more tall and muscular?" Zelda asked Link fearfully, noting the way she towered over both her and Link.
"Ganondorf, please forgive me. I had no idea."
"It doesn't matter. Just make sure they don't disturb anyone else for the duration of the night. I'll figure out what to do with them in the morning…" He said.
"Okay, that sounds like our cue…" Zelda whispered, grabbing Link's hand. He felt her trembling wildly and didn't waste any time. He followed her lead as she ducked beneath Buliara's arm and started running. Fortunately for them, they were already close to the door since Link wanted to step out for some air.
Buliara cursed, turning to follow them.
"I NEED BACKUP!" She yelled.
As soon as her back was turned, Ashei ran to the tables and grabbed a chair, slamming it against one of the tables with a surprising amount of force. It shattered instantly and she grabbed one of the chair legs, sprinting towards Buliara and swinging it beneath her legs.
Buliara let out a pained cry as she fell to the ground with a thud. She turned back to look at the student in surprise.
"Ashei!" Lana gasped, "What are you doing!?"
"The right thing." She said, gracefully swinging the chair leg in her hand. "I know whose side I'm on." She added, giving Nabooru a dirty look.
"Please. Spare me the lecture later. You're going to get yourself hurt!"
The conference room doors were kicked open. Two guards began walking out briskly, breaking into a run when they saw Buliara on the floor.
"Ignore me. Get those two who are trying to escape!" Buliara pointed out to where Zelda and Link were running.
The guards complied with her request, running off at full speed.
Buliara bounced back to her feet.
"Young lady, I did not appreciate that." She glowered at Ashei, but Ashei stood tall.
"I don't care. I won't let you get my friends."
"You think you can take me on?" She asked, raising her spear menacingly.
"I don't care about you." She replied, unfazed, running toward the guards who were chasing Link and Zelda.
Meanwhile, Link and Zelda were running as fast as they could.
"Where exactly are we going, princess?" Link asked.
"To… the hotel… to get our stuff. They don't know… that we're frauds. Yet. I think?" She panted, nearly tripping over herself while they ran.
Link glanced down and noticed that she was running with her high heels on. He raised an eyebrow, slightly impressed, but mostly concerned.
"You need to take those off."
"You're… crazy… These… cost… a fortune!" She said in between ragged breaths.
"Zelda." He said sternly.
"Oh for Din's sake…" She stopped, bending down and slipping out of her stilettos. "You know, I don't want to sound pessimistic but I'm surprised they haven't caught up to us already… Oh goddesses." Her jaw dropped when she glanced over her shoulder.
Link looked back and saw Ashei fighting off two guards singlehandedly with a broken chair leg. He smirked.
"Being the daughter of a soldier and president of our Kendo Club has its perks. We can't let her diversion be in vain. Let's go."
Zelda nodded, and they turned and continued sprinting to the hotel.
As soon as they got to Hotel Oasis, Zelda surveyed the room worriedly. The lobby was fairly empty, there were a few employees milling around the room, everyone else was presumably at the gala or around the town plaza.
"What are you waiting for? We need to get our stuff and slip out of here." Link urged her. They ran up the stairs and into their hotel room. Zelda started grabbing all of their things and stuffing them into their suitcases. For a moment, things were quiet, but then they heard footsteps and voices approaching their door.
"It's this room! This is where they're staying."
"Shit…" Link cursed, running over to lock the door. Just as he did, the guards from outside gave the door a swift kick, nearly knocking it off of its hinges.
Zelda ceased her packing, looking to Link despairingly.
"Oh no…" She murmured. "We're screwed."
"No." Link replied stubbornly, "We're getting out of here." He walked over and packed the last of their things up, pushing Zelda's suitcase toward her then nodding at the window.
"Link, what are you…" Zelda gasped as he opened the window. "No way!"
He looked down for a few seconds, body relaxing for just a moment before tensing when he heard another resounding kick, the door to their hotel room becoming even more unstable.
"The coast is clear." He said, hoisting his suitcase up and throwing it out the window.
"Link you can't be serious…"
"Do you want to be arrested? Do you want to be stuck here Zelda?"
"Link that is a long drop. I'm not going to hurt myself to get out of here."
"We can make it if we scale this tree! It's right next to our window."
"Link I can't –"
"Yes, you can. You have to." He crossed over to her, pulling her urgently towards the window, a fierce look on his face. "Because I'm not leaving here without you." He launched her suitcase out of the window, then jumped out himself, grasping onto a large branch and shimmying his way over to the trunk.
Zelda stepped back worriedly, her gaze focused on the ground below.
Third time was the charm, after one more kick the door burst open, the force so strong that it flew across the room.
Zelda shrieked, ducking and looking back in shock at the guards who stood in the now completely open doorway.
"Freeze! We don't want to hurt you." One of them prefaced, slowly inching her way into the room.
Zelda backed away until she felt the windowsill against her lower back.
"Zelda! Come on." Link shouted.
She turned to him, her eyes etched with fear.
"Link…"
"Don't look down. And don't look behind you. Just look at me. Please."
Zelda took a deep breath.
"Oh, fuck it all…" She murmured, jumping out and grabbing the branch near the window. She barely grasped it, but carefully swung her arms across to the trunk where Link was waiting patiently.
"Damn it! They're on the tree. Get Buliara here pronto!" The guards exited the room, presumably heading down the stairs to go around to the back of the hotel.
"They won't follow us down here if it means we'll fall." Link remarked, "They want us alive."
"You mean there's a chance we can die while we're up here!?" Zelda exclaimed, her gaze falling once again to the ground, which seemed even farther away than before.
"…No, of course not." Link said dryly.
Once Zelda was safely on the large trunk Link started moving downwards.
"Wrap your legs around the trunk. Dig your fingers into the crevices of the bark and inch yourself down."
Zelda nodded.
"Okay…"
They slowly but surely made their descent.
"So you've never learned how to climb a tree before?" He asked.
"Is this really the time for conversation?"
"Well excuse me, princess. I was just trying to keep your mind off the fact that one misstep could send both of us crashing down."
"I wasn't even thinking about that!" Zelda huffed.
"Yes you were."
Zelda clenched her teeth, deciding to answer his initial question.
"…No. I never did. And I certainly didn't want to learn to do it like this."
"It isn't that bad… You're handling yourself pretty well right now."
"It's the adrenaline." She replied.
"We're almost to the bottom. Come on."
They hastily made their way down, and Zelda let out a relieved sigh when they finally reached the bottom.
"Let's go, the parking lot is around the corner and the guards are going to be looking for us here. Where are my keys?"
"I… I think they're in your suitcase…"
"What!? Zelda, why would you put it in there?"
"I was panicking!"
He sighed, unzipping the suitcase and rummaging through the contents.
"Take your heels and place them over there." He pointed across to a patch of land in the opposite direction. "We need to create a diversion."
Zelda sighed, throwing her heels as far off as possible. Once Link got his keys out, they zipped up their suitcases and headed for the parking lot. Unfortunately for them, a few guards were surveying the scene.
"Shit…" Zelda cursed.
"I see my car." Link whispered pointing it out in the distance, "But I have to unlock it manually if we want to stay under the radar."
"Of course. We can't just catch a break tonight, can we?"
"Come on, they aren't looking this way. Let's go."
They stepped forward, lowering themselves and using the night's shade to move without being seen.
"Your dress is too vibrant. You'll need to hide in between the cars."
"What about you?"
"I'll zoom around and grab you. I'm leaving the suitcases here. Be prepared to throw them into the backseat."
Zelda looked around, rolling the suitcases with her as quietly as possible and sandwiching herself in between two dark colored cars. From her crouched position she took a peek at Link, who slowly inched his way to his car, ducking and jumping out of view whenever the guards turned in his direction as they rotated.
From behind, Zelda could hear the whispers of the guards in the lot she and Link just ran from.
"She dropped her shoes over here! They headed this way!" The footsteps moved in the other direction.
Okay Link, good call… Zelda thought to herself.
"Anche! Calisa! Come over here." A voice from the other side ordered.
The two guards who were in the parking lot turned to the back. They started walking towards the other end of the building.
Zelda held her breath, sinking as low as she possibly could and using the suitcases for additional coverage.
One of the Gerudos slowed down near the cars Zelda was hiding by. She was dressed differently from the other guards Zelda had seen. She didn't wear a veil over the lower half of her face like the others, nor did she wield a spear. She looked like a regular civilian who had been called to duty.
Zelda's breathing came to a stop when their eyes met.
She glanced at Zelda for only a split second, looking away discreetly as if she hadn't seen anything. Zelda watched incredulously, slowly coming to her feet once the guards were gone.
Link drove to her, and she quickly opened the backdoor and shoved the suitcases in, then hopped into the passenger seat. As soon as the door was closed Link sped off, keeping his headlights off and trying to get away from the plaza. He drove through dark alleys and pathways not meant for cars.
"Do you know where you're going?"
"Yes." He responded confidently. "There's only one way to exit this town that isn't flanked with security. And it's right… here." He pointed to a dusty stone archway that opened up to vast, empty desert.
He sped to it and out of the town, his tires blazing through the soft sand. When he was certain they were far away enough, he turned the headlights on.
Zelda sank back into her seat, adjusting the seat so she could lay down.
"You owe me a new pair of stilettos." She murmured.
"Is that really where your mind is at right now?"
"My mind is everywhere…"
"Yeah, mine too." Link replied.
"One of them saw me."
"What?"
"One of those guards… Anche? Calisa? I don't know who she was, but she saw me."
"Are you sure?"
"She looked right into my eyes. It all happened ridiculously fast, but I know she did. The question is… why wouldn't she rat me out?"
Link squinted, focusing on the horizon before him but also considering what Zelda just told him.
"Maybe she didn't want you to get caught."
»°«
"…Engineering, mathematics, media…" Ganondorf's voice sounded out, booming throughout the immaculate room.
In one ear…
"…The women of Gerudo Valley are talented, intelligent, and ambitious. They deserve a school in their own homeland. Now with a raise of hands, how many of you are from different provinces and cities other than Lake Hylia, Ordon Village, or Castle Town?"
Tons of hands shot up.
"Now keep your hands raised if you have at least one university in your hometown."
Everyone kept their hands raised.
"Very interesting." Ganondorf smiled.
Nabooru blinked, staring at the crowd blankly.
…Out the other.
She glanced over at Ganondorf, a smile twitching on her face at the sight of him. He never looked more alive than when he was in their home desert. He spoke with a vigor and zeal that seemed lost whenever they were in Castle Town. She tilted her head, deciding to focus on him instead of the crowd. The words were a blur, becoming absolute nonsense as she studied him. She admired the outline of his head, his dark green skin, his twinkling amber eyes, and his red hair.
And as she watched him, dark green slowly turned into milky white. Amber became violet. And red gradually transformed into blue.
She let out a tiny gasp and straightened up, shaking her head but the image wouldn't cease. She couldn't see Ganondorf anymore. Only Lana.
She focused on the floor instead, not daring to look at anybody else lest her mind continued playing games with her.
"…What the hell is happening to me…" She whispered to herself, placing a hand to her temple.
Even though she wasn't the type of person to wear her heart on her sleeve, Nabooru wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of love. After all, she'd felt it for Ganondorf. Everyone else was merely a playful distraction. Just someone to have fun with. Some of her conquests were easier than others, some were more difficult, but those made it all the more enticing. Most of the men she came across were down for a casual and harmless lay, while women typically used her as an experiment to satiate their sexual curiosities. It didn't matter to Nabooru. Because her heart only yearned for him.
And then she saw Lana.
So vibrant and colorful, both in appearance and personality, she knew right away that she wanted one night with her. Just one. That was all she wanted.
…At first.
If the feeling hadn't been so daunting and frustrating to Nabooru, she would have been impressed. Impressed at how quickly Lana was able to snake her way into the notorious temptress's heart.
Ganondorf was her roots. He understood her plights more than anyone else. He was her protector and her guidance.
But Lana… Lana was different. She brought about warmth and comfort, an unsettling but welcoming sensation inside of Nabooru's heart. It was something the Gerudo had never desired until she finally felt it. Unlike the people she took advantage of for her personal gain, Nabooru truly cared for Lana. Because the blue-haired beauty saw Nabooru as more than just someone to sleep with. She treated her as a friend…
Nabooru looked over to Ganondorf once more. Sure, Ganondorf had been insistent time and time again that there could be nothing romantic between them – though the activities they partook in the night before would suggest otherwise – and Nabooru had slept with plenty of other people despite being in love with him. But until now, nobody else had actually mattered to her. It made her feel… guilty.
Ganondorf wrapped up his speech and Riju took the stage, expanding upon the points he made and adding onto them with her own experiences.
Ganondorf strode over to her, a light smile on his face.
"Things are going well. I have a good feeling about this."
Nabooru nodded expressionlessly.
"…Yeah…"
He tilted his head.
"Nabooru? Are you okay?"
"I don't know."
"You're graduating this year. This isn't going to affect you, Nabooru."
"It isn't about me. It's about everyone who comes after me and my graduating class who is going to be screwed over by this." Nabooru snapped.
"Keep your voice down. What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with you?" She retorted. She felt her cheeks become damp, eyes widening when she realized she was crying.
"Nabooru… Are you crying?" The anger vanished from his tone and was replaced with concern as he reached out for her cheek. Normally, she would have welcomed and relished the action. Instead, she pushed his hand away and walked off the stage quietly, rushing toward the door.
"Hey… Hey!" Ganondorf whispered, grabbing her gently. He pulled her back over. "We're getting closer to our goal. The future you've always wanted… maybe we can finally have it." He glanced behind him quickly, making sure no one was looking. Then leaned towards Nabooru intent on giving her a kiss.
Again, she pushed him away.
"Maybe we can finally have it? Maybe? I don't want a 'maybe.' Especially if it means constantly looking over your shoulder because you're ashamed of me."
"Nabooru, where is this coming from? I thought this was what you wanted."
"I… I don't know what I want anymore." Nabooru responded despairingly. Before he could stop her once more she left the conference room, her eyes focusing on the tables where Lana was. Or at least, where she should have been. She wiped her tears, masking her face so that she no longer showed any sign of vulnerability.
"Where are you going?" Ganondorf asked, following her confusedly.
"I knew this was a mistake…" She responded, coming to a complete stop when she saw Lana and Ashei, accompanied by two other HU students who were not supposed to be there. Her stomach churned nervously, twisting into knots. She tried to keep her eyes from dwelling on Lana for too long, but it was difficult.
"What's going on here?" She asked.
And then the trouble commenced.
"Nabooru? …Nabooru!"
Nabooru snapped back to the present, looking over at the blue-haired girl that had been pervading her thoughts.
"…Yes dear?" She asked.
"I asked you a question." Lana responded, clearly upset with Nabooru's lack of response.
"Oh… Uh…"
"Where did they take Ashei?!"
"Oh… Lana –"
"Just tell me. Where is she?"
"In our locking quarters. She'll have to stay there overnight."
"Locking quarters? You mean… jail?" Lana gasped.
"She attacked our guards in an attempt to aid your friends' escape."
"She doesn't deserve to go to jail."
"Actions have consequences, Lana. Do you really think they were going to let her off easy for that?"
Lana pouted.
"It isn't fair…"
"Link and Zelda shouldn't have been here."
"Why not? They're students just like us."
"You guys were invited, they snuck in under aliases and pretended to be something that they aren't. They lied." Nabooru scolded her.
Lana's mind flashed back to Link's words just a few hours prior.
"We all know you're in love with Nabooru, and that she brought you here so that you could go back to Castle Town and tell everyone how hard she and Ganondorf are working to bring money to HU. Even if that is a complete lie."
She shifted uncomfortably at the word, not wanting to believe or even acknowledge the possibility of Nabooru being dishonest with her.
"…Were… were they the only ones?" She asked hesitantly.
Nabooru was taken back by the question.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Lana thought carefully about her next words, not wanting to jeopardize the friendship and blossoming romance with the young Gerudo beauty. But then she also thought about her friend who had come all this way just to look after her, as well as Link and Zelda who were insistent on Ganondorf and Nabooru's malicious intentions. Even though she wasn't nearly as close to them as she was to Ashei, the time they spent volunteering together was still worthy of consideration. She already felt guilty for shutting them down to defend Nabooru. Perhaps it would be worth the risk to just put the question out there…
"Nabooru, are you really trying to raise rupees for HU?"
Nabooru pursed her lips, her stomach churning with fear. Link and Zelda had already known too much just from having the security tape. If they spread what they knew around to everyone, it could ruin everything. She didn't want to tell Lana the truth, but at the same time she didn't want to lie. She studied Lana's face, noting the way the younger girl was looking at her. She looked conflicted, much like Nabooru, but she could also see the desire in her violet eyes.
Despite her better judgment, Nabooru sauntered forward. Seduction was her forte, and she knew she had Lana wrapped around her finger. She placed a hand on Lana's arm, eyes scanning over her body. She held her gaze long enough for Lana to notice.
"Lana, would I bring you out all the way out here if I weren't?"
"I… Uh…" Lana stammered at Nabooru's touch. "… I don't know."
Nabooru put on her most charming smile, a guaranteed clothes-dropper for men and women alike.
"I'm looking out for you, I promise." Her insides twisted and turned at the words coming out of her mouth. She had done this so many times before. Played with and manipulated people in order to achieve her own selfish goals. It was wrong. Horribly wrong. But it never felt that way until now.
"I-It's just that Link and Zelda said…"
"Shhh." Nabooru put a finger to Lana's lips, using her free hand to reach back and untie her signature ponytail, allowing her long red hair to fall down and drape across her back.
Lana watched her in awe, admiring her beauty. Timidly, she brought a hand up and cupped Nabooru's cheek.
"Lana, I know you're worried right now… But everything will be fine. Ganondorf is going to talk to Riju. Ashei will be back soon." That much was actually true. Ganondorf had brought Lana and Ashei as guests using HU funds. He had an obligation to return them both home safely.
Lana let out a sigh of relief.
"…Okay." She smiled.
The smile quickly vanished when she thought of her other question. Nabooru hadn't given her a direct answer.
Nabooru noted the change in expression and was quick to use her wiles.
"You're stressed, Lana. Please relax." She trailed her hands delicately along Lana's body, pulling her in close till she held her in a gentle embrace.
Lana leaned into her touch, feeling her resolve weaken. She hugged Nabooru back tightly, keeping her hands at a respectable position. Nabooru smiled at her innocence.
Lana rested her head on Nabooru's chest.
"I shouldn't be doubting you." She murmured affectionately. "I just don't know what to believe right now. But there's one thing I'm sure of. I like you… a lot."
Nabooru closed her eyes, a bittersweet feeling washing over her. She opened her eyes to see Lana's face only inches from her own. Lana leaned in boldly, closing the distance between them.
She'd done it. It wasn't a particularly difficult feat, but Nabooru had managed to distract Lana from what was actually going on. This was the part where she would have her fun. Where Lana would be marked as a successful target and filed away indefinitely…
But she couldn't let that happen.
Just as Lana's lips brushed against hers, Nabooru pulled away from her touch.
Lana opened her eyes, cocking her head in confusion.
"…Nabooru?"
"Damn it." She whispered.
"Do… do you not feel the same way?" Lana asked sadly.
"It isn't like that."
"I know you don't really do relationships and all, but I figured you'd at least want to… Well, maybe…"
Nabooru shook her head, finding it hard to look Lana in the eyes.
"I'm sorry my dear. It isn't that I don't want to. I do. I really do. But… not like this." She said.
Lana let go of Nabooru, bringing her hands back to herself.
"I respect your decision, but I don't understand. You sleep with everyone. Why not sleep with me? Am I not good enough for you?"
No… Nabooru thought to herself solemnly, you're too good for me.
»°«
Ashei blew the dust around in the cell she was being held in. She'd acquired a few bruises from her scuffle with the guards, but it was worth it so long as Link and Zelda were able to make a clean escape. The room was dark, lit only by the light that filtered in through the window. She studied her surroundings carefully, contemplating whether or not she should try to make an escape of her own.
She heard heavy footsteps heading toward her, and her eyes narrowed when she saw the tall silhouette of the school dean. She crossed her arms defiantly.
Holding a lantern to light his path, Ganondorf made his way over to Ashei. He held his same poise and air of professionalism that he possessed on campus.
"Good evening Ashei."
There was no response.
"What you did was highly inappropriate, but after talking to Riju, I convinced her to release you tonight instead of tomorrow morning. You'll be confined to your room and accompanied by guards until we fly back to Castle Town."
"Whatever." She said, glaring at the stone floor.
"If you insist on behaving that way, then fine. Just know you brought this upon yourself. Link and Zelda should be the ones in your place."
"No. You and Nabooru are the ones who should be in my place." Ashei corrected sharply.
Ganondorf's lip quirked up.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me. You aren't going to get away with this."
"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about."
"You can shove it. When I get out of here, I swear I'll –"
She was cut off by the sound of high heels. She looked over to see the chieftain walking over to Ganondorf.
"They got away. We found tire tracks near one of the exits. It looks like they headed for the highlands."
Ganondorf's brow furrowed. Ashei glanced at him, a victorious glint in her eyes.
He shook off the expression, his mouth moving back into a straight line.
"Very well. If I may make such a request, please send out search teams. See if you can track where they went."
"Ganondorf, you know I want to help you. But sending out a search team? The sand is deep. The desert winds will cover their tracks."
Ganondorf nodded grimly.
Riju gave him a sympathetic look, glancing at Ashei distastefully.
"You have a lot of nerve, you know that?"
Before Ashei could respond, she turned and walked away.
"When you're done with her, come talk to me. The guards will come to escort her back to Oasis." Riju called as she left.
Ganondorf watched her disappear into the darkness, turning back to face Ashei once more.
"You won't be able to find them now." Ashei gloated.
"The highlands are a vast and mostly uninhabited place. I pray for Link and Zelda's safety, despite their actions tonight."
Ashei stared at him, studying his face. He had a questionable reputation, especially given his relationship with Nabooru. But at the same time, he had been an upstanding and forthright dean. And she could tell that his concern for Link and Zelda was genuine.
"Mr. Dragmire…" She dropped the stubborn tone, her voice softening ever-so-slightly. "Why are you doing this?"
Ganondorf didn't respond immediately, he stood there with his arms folded, putting thought into her question.
He walked over so that he was standing directly in front of Ashei, separated by the bars of her cell. He placed a hand along the right side.
"I'm grasping the bars to the right of me. But for you, they're on the left. If I were to say that definitively, these bars are on the right, I would be wrong. But if you were to say that they are definitively on the left, you would be wrong too. There is merit to both of our points, but at the same time, we have our shortcomings. Neither of us are completely in the wrong, we're just on opposite ends."
Ashei considered his words, then shook her head.
"No. That's bullshit. I did nothing wrong. The students at HU did nothing wrong. We're collateral."
Ganondorf shrugged at her rejection.
"I'm sorry Ashei. I really am. You're all excellent students. I hope you thrive after HU. But until then… I advise you to stay mindful of how you act once we return to Castle Town. I'd hate to see what happens if you do otherwise."
"Is that a threat?" Ashei asked, eyeing him warily.
"Merely a suggestion…" He said, retreating as the guards - who were more heavily armed than before - came to her cell with a set of keys.
»°«
The ride out of Gerudo Town was mostly silent. Link had a certain look on his face, the look he got when he was deep within his thoughts. Having spent lots of time with him, Zelda knew he didn't like being bothered when he got like this. He would have to be the one to break the ice.
They had stopped along a clifftop that overlooked the desert. It was cold outside, but Link didn't want to leave the car engine running overnight. To keep warm Zelda made a fire out of flint, stray pieces of wood, and some dry plants. Link sat at the edge of the clifftop, staring out into the sky and at the vast emptiness beneath them. Zelda had changed out of her gala dress and into one of her nightgowns. Of course, being outside, she slipped her robe on to cover herself up. The warmth of the fire wasn't enough to keep her from shivering like crazy.
"Hey." Zelda greeted, standing behind Link cautiously. "Are you cold?"
Link shook his head, tightening his jacket around his body.
Zelda frowned skeptically but shrugged.
"If you change your mind, I started a fire. We can sit together and talk… Or just sit together."
Link turned back to look at her as she walked away, an appreciative twinkle in his eyes. One thing he really liked about Zelda was that she gave him his space. Many people felt offended by his quiet nature, but she never took it personally. It was one of the reasons he actually liked talking to her. He didn't feel obligated to say anything, which ironically made him want to say everything.
"Princess, come back." He called out to her.
Zelda ceased her walk back to the small fire, heeding his request and walking back to him.
"Yes?"
He patted a spot next to him at the edge.
"Sit with me."
She hesitated, looking at the drop below nervously.
"I won't let you fall." He reassured her, his voice stern but gentle.
Zelda sat down carefully, letting out slow breath as Link snaked his arm around her waist, helping her position herself safely.
Once she was seated, he took his hand away, reaching into his jacket pocket and taking a swig of something inside of a silver flask. Zelda's eyes widened when she caught the faintest scent of liquor…
"Is that whiskey? Are you drinking?!" She asked in disbelief.
"Want a sip?" He asked, pushing the flask toward her.
"No!" She pushed it away. "How long have you been drinking that Link? Is it a good idea to get drunk while you're sitting on the edge of a cliff?"
He waved her off dismissively.
"I'm not drunk." He said, "I can handle myself. I needed a drink, that's all."
"But you're going to get drunk eventually."
"That's how it works, yes… But if I feel myself slipping, I'll just stop drinking."
"What's the point of drinking that crap if you don't get drunk?" She shuddered, thinking back to the night they played that drinking game together. "It's disgusting…"
Link ignored her comment, leaning forward as he admired the view around them.
Soon, he started snickering.
Zelda sighed, reaching for the flask.
"I think you've had enough."
"Not even." He pushed her away softly.
"What's so funny then?"
Link couldn't keep the grin off of his face. Not that Zelda minded, his smile was beautiful.
"How did you start that fire? I didn't bring any matches." Link asked.
Zelda huffed, clearly offended by the question.
"I don't need matches to start a fire. I'm not completely incompetent, you know."
"I don't think you're incompetent at all," Link clarified, going serious for a moment before his face broke into another silly grin. "I just think it's funny…"
"Why is it funny?"
"You can't climb a tree, but you know how to start a fire from scratch?"
"I… I don't see the correlation." Zelda replied, fumbling with her robe awkwardly as Link laughed even harder.
"You don't see the irony?"
"I grew up near a lake, not a forest."
"There aren't any trees in Lake Hylia? At all?"
"I'm a strong swimmer if that counts for anything."
"Yeah, me too." He shrugged. His smile turned mischievous, "In fact, I bet I'm a better swimmer than you."
"I highly doubt that. Also, you're in a surprisingly good mood after what happened tonight." Zelda commented. She bit her lip when she noticed Link's smile falter a bit.
He cleared his throat, putting the flask away.
"Nature always helps me whenever I need to clear my mind. Even though we're in a different region with a different climate, being out here reminds me of home. I can see all the stars in the sky, and the air smells fresh and pollution-free. It's therapeutic." He looked over to Zelda sadly. "I know you probably want to talk about what happened. And we should. But I wanted a moment where we could escape everything that was weighing us down. And… thinking about it just bums me out."
Zelda placed her hand on Link's arm lightly.
"I get it, Link. But we didn't come here to escape everything. We came here for answers. And even if it helps temporarily…" she patted the spot beneath Link's jacket where he hid his whiskey, "This isn't how we solve our problems. I know that the chieftain's presentation got a little… personal for you. You were thinking about your mom."
Link shook his head, surprising Zelda.
"Actually, I was thinking about my dad." He said lowly, bowing his head down.
"Your dad?"
"He isn't really, uh, in the picture anymore. For the longest time now, my mom has played both roles."
Zelda's mind flashed back to the conversation she had with Pipit when she had just moved in, and she gave him a sympathetic look.
He caught on and sighed knowingly.
"I'm sure Shad and Pipit have told you a little bit about it already. He died a while back."
"Yeah… Link, I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Link said, unbothered by the turn their conversation had taken – or so it seemed. "It happened over a decade ago. I've grieved, processed, and moved on."
"Have you?" Zelda frowned.
Link's eyes crinkled.
"I… I thought I did."
"Talk to me then." Zelda urged.
He looked over to her, studying her eyes that held so much warmth and care.
"He was a good man and a good father. A Hylian warrior. He fought alongside Ashei's father in fact."
"Did… did he die in combat?"
"No, actually." Link said, closing his eyes painfully. "It happened when he came back home."
Zelda wrapped her arm around Link without a thought, pulling him close.
"He was in Kakariko Village. A mother and her daughter were being harassed by some racist heckler. They were Gerudos. He defended them. Told the guy to fuck off. But…" Link stopped, biting his lip.
"You don't have to finish, Link. I think I get it…"
"…He had a gun." Link continued, "He didn't care about my dad… But my dad wouldn't let him hurt them."
Zelda rubbed tiny circles into his back, and Link even found himself leaning into her touch.
"This may sound bad, but if I'm being truthful, I don't really miss him. His death was devastating of course, but I was too young to feel sad about it for long. The entire village was one big family. When my dad passed, I still had Fado and Rusl to help guide me in life and act as father figures."
"Then why do you seem sad about it now?"
Link sighed, his head nestled awkwardly against Zelda's shoulder.
"It wasn't his death itself. It was the aftermath. My mother couldn't handle it. She tried so hard to keep herself together, for me and Aryll. But I could tell it was eating away at her. Her mental and physical health deteriorated. She had lost the love of her life." He felt the weight of Zelda's head against his as she held onto him. She didn't interrupt or scramble to find anything to say; she simply listened.
"I started working right away. Herding goats, doing manual labor, finding any sort of way to provide for our family as best as I could."
"…You were forced to grow up fast." Zelda repeated Riju's words quietly, realization slowly beginning to dawn on her as he vented.
He craned his head to look up at her.
"Yes." He smiled momentarily, but it vanished as he recalled some of the more unpleasant details. "Our neighbors didn't react very well to his passing. They blamed the wrong people. They were angry at the Gerudos he chose to protect, instead of the Hylian man who killed him. It was disappointing. I admired these people and to see how ignorant they were was upsetting. Of course, not every person there was racist. But enough were for me to realize that if I stayed in Ordon for the rest of my life, I'd be doing myself a disservice. The elders were ignorant because they had never stepped out into the real world. They wanted to continue the cycle of hatred that killed my dad. I refuse to be like that. It's one of the reasons I knew I had to leave."
Zelda nodded, focusing on the movement of the sand far below. She thought about what Link had just said to her, and the conversations they'd had before…
"Is that why you chose diplomacy? Because you want to create better relations between the different races here in Hyrule?"
She felt him nod.
"Yeah." He murmured wistfully. "I've always believed the pen is mightier than the sword."
"The sword can be useful sometimes."
"It creates more problems than it solves."
"If you feel that way, why do you take up kendo?" Zelda asked.
"There's value in being able to wield both."
Zelda nodded.
"Fair enough. We're going to have to be on edge when we get back. Groose is a nightmare of his own. But now we have to worry about our own dean… He's a whole different beast. Knowing how to fight back is likely going to be a necessity."
Link scoffed.
"You think we can save Hyrule University with a sword battle between me and Mr. Dragmire?"
Zelda giggled.
"Probably not. It would be pretty damn entertaining though."
In spite of the situation they'd found themselves in, Link laughed a little too. He felt so relaxed, letting out all of his worries and actually talking about things he was so accustomed to keeping to himself. He then realized he'd been leaning on Zelda's shoulder for the duration of their conversation. He lifted himself off of her immediately, clearing his throat and scooting away to put a little distance between them.
"Thank you for listening to me vent, princess. And I'm sorry for… leaning on you like that. The whiskey really is stronger than I thought."
"It's nothing, Link. That's what friends do, right? And it's okay to lean on other people. You don't have to go through anything alone."
Link sighed.
"You know that's not what I meant…" He mumbled awkwardly.
"I know exactly what you meant. But I still stand by my words. As long as we have each other, this situation can't be that bad." She gave him a kind smile, that smile that caused many conflicting feelings to rise within him. A tinge of guilt flared up inside of him; he felt like he owed it to her to open up about something else that had been festering in his mind…
"Zelda," he took a deep breath. "I've dumped a lot on you already. But there's one more thing I feel like I need to tell you."
Zelda perked up.
"Oh? What is it?"
"It… It kind of goes against what we talked about the other night." He was getting nervous.
"Link, whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it."
Zelda began racking her brain, mentally checking out certain points in their conversation from just last night. They had talked about all sorts of things, between joking about being married and his financial situation. But the only point that really stood out to her was that he finally admitted they were friends. Her eyes widened and she looked to him worriedly. Was he… changing his mind?
"Zelda… This is something I've been thinking about for a long time. I've been trying to think about it with only my mind, but now my heart is getting in the way too. And I can't deny it anymore."
Zelda froze.
"…Oh? What is it?"
"It's messing me up emotionally, and I need to do something about it. So I'm just gonna tell you. Zelda… I'm – "
RRIIIIIIIING!
They both jumped at the sound of Zelda's phone going off.
"Oh! How do I have a signal out here?" Zelda looked down at her phone. "It's Pipit…"
"There are some remote communities in the mesas. They have lines set up to communicate with the main town… But anyway… Uh, you should probably get that." Link stammered.
Zelda placed her phone down and turned to him, giving him her full attention.
"No way. We'll be heading back tomorrow, I'll talk to him then. What did you want to tell me, Link?"
He pursed his lips.
"I think you should talk to Pipit first." He replied stubbornly, and she groaned internally when she realized he was adamant on her answering the phone.
She complied with Link's request and answered on the last ring, greeting him affectionately.
"Hey baby…" She giggled. "I miss you too."
Link's shoulders slumped and he glanced away awkwardly, rethinking whether or not he wanted to tell her. She seemed so happy and this would definitely change things between all of them, Pipit and Shad included.
I have to tell her. She has a right to know.
He looked at her one last time, his eyes focusing on her smile and the blush in her cheeks…
And he couldn't say it. Not yet at least.
When she finally got off the phone she noticed him stand up carefully from the cliff's edge, dusting himself off and heading over to the now dwindling fire.
"Link, where are you going? I thought you wanted to tell me something."
"I'm getting tired." He replied, "We can save it for later." He hid his face from her and Zelda felt a tad of guilt for choosing to talk to Pipit instead of listening to what Link had to say.
"Link, come on. I want to know what it is."
"It can wait. I'll try to keep the fire burning. But there should be extra blankets in the car too."
She got up and followed him back over to the fire, pouting in disappointment at how quickly he closed himself off. It wasn't a surprise to her, but their friendship had been gaining traction and it was annoying that there he was still holding walls up against her. Shouldn't they be past this already?
"Fine…" She muttered bitterly. "Goodnight Link."
He smiled at her but she could see the sadness in his eyes.
"Goodnight Zelda."
A/N: Hello everyone. I'm going to be honest with you, I started this chapter back in December and wrote over 90% of it by February, then got caught in a lull because (of course) I'm never fully satisfied with my work. I'm not a big fan of this chapter and I spent lots of time trying to work out all the kinks since it's the last part to this little arc of the story (I've decided I'm not adding another chapter for Gerudo Valley, there isn't much left to cover now!). I also spent lots of time rewriting my notes because I've figured out how I want to handle certain characters. And of course, the end to all the madness when we get to it!
*dramatic voice* Now it's time for a few questions… Will Ganondorf & Nabooru get caught for their crimes? Where has Groose been lately and what is going on between him & Karane? What does Link want to tell Zelda, and how will their other roomies react when they find out? But most importantly… Will Kiki ever acquire a reasonable and orderly update schedule? All of these questions (except for the last one probably) will be answered eventually… But until next time…