Chapter Two
What's wrong with me? I should have killed him! He's one of them!
These thoughts circled over and over in the girl's mind, like hungry buzzards over a carcass. her Wyvern-skin cloak flew out behind her as her brother Tyr glided over Hyrule Field towards the Gerudo Hills.
The girl had many names, only one of which was true. The Zoras and Gorons knew her as Titania, the Hylians had no name for her at all, but only the Gerudos and the remaining Sheikah knew her true name: Kielke Chiba, leader of the Wyvern race and scourge of the Hylians.
She was brought back to reality by Avis, her second brother. Even though the Wyverns only communicated among themselves in series of chirps, shrieks, and strange low clicking sounds, Kielke had a direct telepathic link with them, an end result of her spending her entire life with them.
You know, you could have at least killed the one that froze up my wing, Avis complained. That hurt. Why did you let the scrapper live?
"A frozen wing isn't going to kill you," Kielke answered out loud. "It thawed out, didn't it?"
It did. Avis glanced at her dejectedly. But still, you could have given him something as a reminder not to mess with us.
Kielke laughed. "I did. Let's just say that he won't be getting out of bed for a few days."
Well, enough about Avis' problems, Tyr broke in. What are we going to tell Ganondorf about this botched raid?
Kielke paused. Ganondorf was dangerous if angered, but maybe he would understand her situation. "We're going to tell him the truth, no matter what. Our integrity is more important than keeping our alliance."
Hope you're right, Avis mumbled.
It was gray dawn when the threesome reached the Gerudos' main fortress. Kielke was fast asleep on Tyr's neck when he shook it to awaken her. She raised her head groggily and noted the sunrise.
"Ganondorf should be up and around by now," she said through a yawn. "His schedule is easy to memorize:
"At five o'clock he gets up, and then he spends
"From five to six daydreaming.
"From six to seven-thirty he takes his early midmorning nap.
"From seven-thirty to eight-thirty he dawdles and delays.
"From eight-thirty to ten-thirty he takes his late early midmorning nap.
"From ten-thirty to twelve he bides his time and then eats lunch.
"From twelve to one he lingers and loiters.
"From one to two-thirty he takes his early afternoon nap.
"From two-thirty to three-thirty he puts off for tomorrow what he could have done today.
"From three-thirty to four he takes his early late afternoon nap.
"From four to five he loafs and lounges until dinner.
"From six to seven he dillydallies.
"From seven to eight he takes his early evening nap, and then for two hours before he goes to bed at ten he wastes time."
Nice schedule, Avis scoffed. Does he actually know how much work we haul in all day?
'We'? Tyr shot him a glance. What do you mean, 'we'? Your own schedule is exactly like his. After we do our raids you just slack off all day while everyone else is working.
Avis turned from emerald green to bright red, and Tyr descended to the ground with Kielke. She clambered down her brother's wing to the ground. "Keep a lookout for me, okay?" she said to him. Tyr nodded and rushed back into the air.
Kielke immediately set her sights on finding Ganondorf. Which wasn't so hard as expected, even with the bustle of early morning activity, for two reasons: one, he was the only male in a society completely composed of females. And two, he was headed toward Kielke at the moment, with a firm snarl on his face and a scrawny second in command being his shadow.
Kielke waited patiently as he approached, then took a deep breath and said cautiously, "Good morning. I trust you slept well?"
Ganondorf replied with an unamused stare. "So, where's our supplies? You were supposed to bring them this morning. You've missed the deadline, Kielke."
That was when the scrawny Gerudo in back of Ganondorf piped up. "Yeah, you were supposed to bring the supplies this morning and you missed the deadline. Dead girl walking."
Both Kielke and Ganondorf glared at her. "You mind if I talk to my ally--and friend--alone?" Kielke snapped.
"Whatever you can say in front of me, you can say in front of Teria," Ganondorf replied.
Kielke thought for a moment and grinned. "Okay, I think the reason why your people are starving is because Teria's using all the food to feed her own fat butt."
"What?!" Ganondorf thundered.
Teria looked downcast. "I knew since I was so skinny this outfit would make me look fat."
Kielke put her hand on Ganondorf's arm and led him toward the main compound. "No, Teria," she called back over her shoulder. "Your fat butt makes you look fat."
Once inside, Kielke told Ganondorf everything. The botched raid, her near capture, her encounter with the strange young man who dressed like a Kokiri.
The last description sparked Ganondorf's interest. "His name wouldn't happen to be Link, would it?"
Kielke shook her head. "I don't know."
"Did you kill him?"
"No. He was too fast. But I did get him good enough that he'll be bedridden for a few days."
Ganondorf paused. "With him around, I understand why you couldn't get anything. But since he's fighting you, I guess Princess Zelda still hasn't told him the truth."
Kielke nodded. "It'll all come clear someday. It's hard for even a princess to keep a secret, especially one like this."
"Hope you're right."
Soon Kielke was on Tyr's back again, with Avis at their side, and gliding lazily toward the mountains where the Wyverns made their homes. She knew that something was clearly wrong since that botched raid, and she had a feeling of approaching disaster.
The cave-pocked cliffs of northern Hyrule came into sight, and the five hundred other Wyverns in the clan were basking in the sun, playing aerial games of chase, and attending Criya, Kielke's adoptive mother. Criya had been shot with a hunter's arrow four days before, and was still recovering from the wound.
The three siblings landed on the rock outcropping where Criya lay, her blue body glistening in the early morning sunlight. Kielke ran to her and greeted her in the Wyvern fashion, rubbing her own cheek across Criya's scaly one. Criya lifted her massive head and smiled delicately.
Good morning, my daughter. Is something troubling you?
Kielke smiled. "It's like you read my mind."
Criya shifted so that Kielke could scramble up onto her neck. Then tell me. What is it?
Kielke curled up on the flat of Criya's forehead, and the aged Wyvern lowered her head again. "I have a strange feeling that something terrible is about to happen. I can't explain it, but it's coming close. And I'm afraid that it's going to happen to us, to this clan."
Criya was silent for a long time. Our ways have touched you deeply, Kielke. Now you, too, can feel the changes in the winds and the tiny shifts in the balance of nature. These developments will allow you to predict the future, but it may be a while before the prediction will become clear.
Kielke nodded. Then another question struck her mind. "Criya, did you ever know who my true parents were?"
They came here wanting a safe haven for their child, and I accepted. They fled and were never seen again.
Kielke sighed and fingered her dragon-tooth necklace, teeth pulled from the Fire-Dragon, Volvagia. "I wish I could have met them."
Don't worry about it, Criya replied. You have a peaceful and loving family right here. Tyr and Avis are your brothers, and I am your mother. And my mate, the goddesses rest his soul, is your father.
Kielke giggled to herself, then fell asleep as her mother crooned a lullaby.
What's wrong with me? I should have killed him! He's one of them!
These thoughts circled over and over in the girl's mind, like hungry buzzards over a carcass. her Wyvern-skin cloak flew out behind her as her brother Tyr glided over Hyrule Field towards the Gerudo Hills.
The girl had many names, only one of which was true. The Zoras and Gorons knew her as Titania, the Hylians had no name for her at all, but only the Gerudos and the remaining Sheikah knew her true name: Kielke Chiba, leader of the Wyvern race and scourge of the Hylians.
She was brought back to reality by Avis, her second brother. Even though the Wyverns only communicated among themselves in series of chirps, shrieks, and strange low clicking sounds, Kielke had a direct telepathic link with them, an end result of her spending her entire life with them.
You know, you could have at least killed the one that froze up my wing, Avis complained. That hurt. Why did you let the scrapper live?
"A frozen wing isn't going to kill you," Kielke answered out loud. "It thawed out, didn't it?"
It did. Avis glanced at her dejectedly. But still, you could have given him something as a reminder not to mess with us.
Kielke laughed. "I did. Let's just say that he won't be getting out of bed for a few days."
Well, enough about Avis' problems, Tyr broke in. What are we going to tell Ganondorf about this botched raid?
Kielke paused. Ganondorf was dangerous if angered, but maybe he would understand her situation. "We're going to tell him the truth, no matter what. Our integrity is more important than keeping our alliance."
Hope you're right, Avis mumbled.
It was gray dawn when the threesome reached the Gerudos' main fortress. Kielke was fast asleep on Tyr's neck when he shook it to awaken her. She raised her head groggily and noted the sunrise.
"Ganondorf should be up and around by now," she said through a yawn. "His schedule is easy to memorize:
"At five o'clock he gets up, and then he spends
"From five to six daydreaming.
"From six to seven-thirty he takes his early midmorning nap.
"From seven-thirty to eight-thirty he dawdles and delays.
"From eight-thirty to ten-thirty he takes his late early midmorning nap.
"From ten-thirty to twelve he bides his time and then eats lunch.
"From twelve to one he lingers and loiters.
"From one to two-thirty he takes his early afternoon nap.
"From two-thirty to three-thirty he puts off for tomorrow what he could have done today.
"From three-thirty to four he takes his early late afternoon nap.
"From four to five he loafs and lounges until dinner.
"From six to seven he dillydallies.
"From seven to eight he takes his early evening nap, and then for two hours before he goes to bed at ten he wastes time."
Nice schedule, Avis scoffed. Does he actually know how much work we haul in all day?
'We'? Tyr shot him a glance. What do you mean, 'we'? Your own schedule is exactly like his. After we do our raids you just slack off all day while everyone else is working.
Avis turned from emerald green to bright red, and Tyr descended to the ground with Kielke. She clambered down her brother's wing to the ground. "Keep a lookout for me, okay?" she said to him. Tyr nodded and rushed back into the air.
Kielke immediately set her sights on finding Ganondorf. Which wasn't so hard as expected, even with the bustle of early morning activity, for two reasons: one, he was the only male in a society completely composed of females. And two, he was headed toward Kielke at the moment, with a firm snarl on his face and a scrawny second in command being his shadow.
Kielke waited patiently as he approached, then took a deep breath and said cautiously, "Good morning. I trust you slept well?"
Ganondorf replied with an unamused stare. "So, where's our supplies? You were supposed to bring them this morning. You've missed the deadline, Kielke."
That was when the scrawny Gerudo in back of Ganondorf piped up. "Yeah, you were supposed to bring the supplies this morning and you missed the deadline. Dead girl walking."
Both Kielke and Ganondorf glared at her. "You mind if I talk to my ally--and friend--alone?" Kielke snapped.
"Whatever you can say in front of me, you can say in front of Teria," Ganondorf replied.
Kielke thought for a moment and grinned. "Okay, I think the reason why your people are starving is because Teria's using all the food to feed her own fat butt."
"What?!" Ganondorf thundered.
Teria looked downcast. "I knew since I was so skinny this outfit would make me look fat."
Kielke put her hand on Ganondorf's arm and led him toward the main compound. "No, Teria," she called back over her shoulder. "Your fat butt makes you look fat."
Once inside, Kielke told Ganondorf everything. The botched raid, her near capture, her encounter with the strange young man who dressed like a Kokiri.
The last description sparked Ganondorf's interest. "His name wouldn't happen to be Link, would it?"
Kielke shook her head. "I don't know."
"Did you kill him?"
"No. He was too fast. But I did get him good enough that he'll be bedridden for a few days."
Ganondorf paused. "With him around, I understand why you couldn't get anything. But since he's fighting you, I guess Princess Zelda still hasn't told him the truth."
Kielke nodded. "It'll all come clear someday. It's hard for even a princess to keep a secret, especially one like this."
"Hope you're right."
Soon Kielke was on Tyr's back again, with Avis at their side, and gliding lazily toward the mountains where the Wyverns made their homes. She knew that something was clearly wrong since that botched raid, and she had a feeling of approaching disaster.
The cave-pocked cliffs of northern Hyrule came into sight, and the five hundred other Wyverns in the clan were basking in the sun, playing aerial games of chase, and attending Criya, Kielke's adoptive mother. Criya had been shot with a hunter's arrow four days before, and was still recovering from the wound.
The three siblings landed on the rock outcropping where Criya lay, her blue body glistening in the early morning sunlight. Kielke ran to her and greeted her in the Wyvern fashion, rubbing her own cheek across Criya's scaly one. Criya lifted her massive head and smiled delicately.
Good morning, my daughter. Is something troubling you?
Kielke smiled. "It's like you read my mind."
Criya shifted so that Kielke could scramble up onto her neck. Then tell me. What is it?
Kielke curled up on the flat of Criya's forehead, and the aged Wyvern lowered her head again. "I have a strange feeling that something terrible is about to happen. I can't explain it, but it's coming close. And I'm afraid that it's going to happen to us, to this clan."
Criya was silent for a long time. Our ways have touched you deeply, Kielke. Now you, too, can feel the changes in the winds and the tiny shifts in the balance of nature. These developments will allow you to predict the future, but it may be a while before the prediction will become clear.
Kielke nodded. Then another question struck her mind. "Criya, did you ever know who my true parents were?"
They came here wanting a safe haven for their child, and I accepted. They fled and were never seen again.
Kielke sighed and fingered her dragon-tooth necklace, teeth pulled from the Fire-Dragon, Volvagia. "I wish I could have met them."
Don't worry about it, Criya replied. You have a peaceful and loving family right here. Tyr and Avis are your brothers, and I am your mother. And my mate, the goddesses rest his soul, is your father.
Kielke giggled to herself, then fell asleep as her mother crooned a lullaby.