"Na-Naburoo?" Nayru choked, "Yes," said Zarij, looking a bit bewildered. "Why do you ask?" She said, "did you know my mother?" Nayru and Karzad looked at each other. "Um, Zarij, do you know what happened to Ganondorf when he was away in the Sacred Realm? I mean do you know who did it?" "Why surely!" Said Zarij, her eyes alight. "The valiant Hero of Time! My mother told me all about he brave defeat of King Ganon in his evil reign of power." "She-she did?" Asked Karzad, "Why of course, and how he used the sages powers combined with his own to have enough strength to seal him away for eternity… Well at least that's what we thought." Zarij added. "Then, do—do you know what—who your mother is?" Asked Nayru slowly. "What do you mean?" She said, confused. "Zarij," Said Karzad, "Your mother is the Sage of the Spirit."
***
"I hate it when this happens," Said Nayru, fanning Zarij's face while Karzad searched for his smelling salts. "Stupid guards," He grumbled. "They mixed everything up… Oh, here it is!" He pulled out the little packet of powder and then put a bit under Zarij's nose. Her eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright. "Zarij, are you okay?" Asked Nayru concernedly. "Where am I?" she said bewilderedly, looking wildly into Nayru's face. "Your in the underground cave, and I'm Nayru, remember, and Karzad?" Zarij shook her head. "I'm sorry, of course I remember, it's just all blurry, she blinked her eyes several times, shaking her head. "So, you were saying that my—my mother is—she is the Sage of the Spirit?" Asked Zarij slowly after a moment. Nayru and Karzad nodded solemnly. "And my father, is Link, the Hero of Time," Said Nayru softly. Zarij's eyes widened even further. "Your father—is—is the Link? The Hero of Time?!" Nayru nodded. "That's why we're here in the first place, my father and mother, they were kidnapped, by Ganondorf… We don't know where he is… We—we think he's dead…" Nayru looked down. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry." Said Zarij. "You say you think they were brought here?" She asked. Nayru nodded. "Well… I'm trying to remember. Let me think. Almost a month ago, come to think of it, there were three high security prisoners brought in, I can't remember, they were not allowed to be seen or spoken to by anyone but Ganoldaz and Ganondorf." She said pensively. "Well, that would be the same time frame as my parent's abduction, but three, that doesn't make any sense." Said Nayru, Zarij agreed. "Wait," Said Karzad, "Maybe it doesn't! Zarij, when did you say that the letter from your mother stopped?" "Um, about four or five weeks ago," Said Zarij slowly. "And when did the three prisoners get brought in?" Said Karzad sounding excited, "About—well actually, about the same time!" Cried Zarij sounding excited too. "My guess is," Said Karzad. "That Ganondorf captured Link and Ruto, and at the same time something happened with your mother. Did she say anything to you about trying to escape?" Zarij pondered for a moment. "Well speaking of which her last letter was rather forlorn. She was talking about being trapped, like a caged bird. She talked of an escape, but only briefly. Maybe—maybe she did try to escape!" "And in that case, she probably would be brought in at the same time for punishment, or questioning." They all looked at each other. "So the question remains, if they were brought into the fortress, where are they now?" said Nayru. They sunk into thought. "Well," asked Zarij, "Did the sages have any kinds of powers?" Asked Zarij. "Why, of course," Said Karzad, "All sorts. Some had healing powers, others had telepathy, and all had the power to magically teleport anywhere." "Well then I think I know exactly where they are."
*****
"Where?" cried Nayru. "Well, I'm not sure if they'll be there, but there's a secret dungeon that only a few know of. It's used for the imprisonment of those who have magical powers, but it will be terribly hard to get there, and will be even harder to escape. I just want to be sure that there's no way we could ever be wrong about them being there..." Zarij drifted off, "But I suppose there's no real way to know for sure," Said Nayru slowly. "I suppose," Relented Zarij. "But let's get some rest for now, it's rather late and I don't know about you, but I am terribly exhausted." Karzad and Nayru agreed, and cuddled together under a small blanket that Zarij provided. "I have to go up now, and sleep on my palette, if I don't and someone comes to check on me they will suspect that something is awry." She disappeared up the hole and covered it back up with the rug. Karzad drew out some bread, a lump of cheese and a canteen, and they ate in silence. They curled up together on the hard, rocky floor and fell into deep, restful sleep.
***
Zarij came down at about eleven o' clock the next day. She woke Karzad and Nayru. "I've been working for some time, I came as soon as I could to tell you a plan I've worked out. Alright, well, everyone that knew you were here thinks you," Zarij looked at Nayru "Are dead. And they think you," She looked at Karzad, "Have been moved to a more solitary confinement area. Now I have a plan, there are new girls coming to work here every day from the camps. We can hardly keep track of who is who anymore. So I'm going to disguise you, Nayru, as a new guard, and I'll pretend to be teaching you the ropes. And we'll chain up you, Karzad, and say we're moving you to a higher security area, because you tried to escape. No one will question it, especially since the whole castle is in a complete uproar over Ganoldaz's mystery murder. We'll take you through the dungeons, I'll bring you to the magically sealed area, and I suppose we'll have to go from there…" Zarij looked at them expectantly. Karzad and Nayru looked at each other quickly and then back to Zarij. "We'll do it," Said Karzad.
****
Zarij left soon after and returned a few hours later with an armful of supplies. Nayru looked at the parcels questioningly. "Well I have to make you look like a Gerudo, don't I?" Zarij smiled. She unwrapped the same basic outfit as hers. A small rather skimpy beaded top, a pair of baggy silk pants, and soft beaded leather slippers. From the next she pulled out a saber and the next a large pewter bowl, a little silver box, a small bag, a canteen of water, and a large jeweled comb. "First change into these," she said motioning to the clothes. Nayru changed into the quickly and then sat back down. "Now, about your appearance. You are much too pale to be a Gerudo girl…hmm, let's see." Zarij rummaged in the silver box and drew out a small bag of brownish powder and a little sponge. She put a small piece of thick yellowish parchment down and emptied the contents onto it. She then dribbled a bit of water onto it, mixing it into a creamy sort of paste. She took the sponge and proceeded to cover every inch of Nayru's visible skin with it. "The powder is extracted from a very thick tree root called Baratua root. We use it normally to die clothing, but while working with it in garment dying I found it bronzes the skin as well." She soon had covered her with the paste and said. "Now we must let it set for a while, and I will work on your hair." Now, Nayru loved her blue locks, and under normal circumstances would have not parted with them it her very life was dependent on it. But these were most certainly not normal circumstances, so Nayru simply watched in restrained agony as Zarij explained how she would dye Nayru's hair. "I will create a wash that will turn your hair very orangy-red, much like my own hair." She said. Nayru watched in excruciating inner pain while Zarij prepared it. She winced, cringing as Zarij began to lather the dye through her hair.
*****
An hour so later Nayru was undistinguishable from any Gerudo guard out there. "Okay, well first we must take off all the dried skin paste," Said Zarij. So, together, Nayru, Zarij, and Karzad began to chip away at the hardened paste. Soon it was all gone and Nayru looked as though she had been subject to years of harsh Gerudo sun in less than and hour. "Perfect!" said Zarij, admiring her handiwork. "Now to rinse out the die." Nayru's hair had been sitting in a thick pastey lather for quite a while. Zarij first combed out the hair, leaving it hanging in sticky plastery strings. She then emptied the contents of the canteen into a bowl and then had Nayru lie back and put her hair in the water. She slowly rinsed it until all of the dye's residue had come off. Nayru sat back up and Zarij gave her a towel to dry her hair with. Then Zarij pulled Nayru's hair up into a high ponytail on top of her head like all the other guards did. Nayru brushed off her clothes and then stood up. She sheathed the long, curved saber that Zarij gave her. "And for a few embellishments." Said Zarij, pulling out some jewelry. She gave her a thick jeweled choker and some golden cuff bracelets. She also brushed her lips with gold paint and gave her thick purple eye shadow. "Unrecognizable." Said Karzad in awe. "Why, thank you," said Zarij. "Well I want to know what it looks like too!" said Nayru unable to hold back her own impatience and curiosity. "Well okay, Nayru, hold those baggy pants on for a moment while I go get a mirror." Zarij disappeared up the hole and came back a moment later with a looking glass. "Well, take a look…" Nayru held up the mirror and gasped. She was unrecognizable. Her skin was as bronzed and tan as Zarij's would ever be, her hair was as bright orange as the red clay of the rocks in this valley. Her lips now looked wide and thick with the golden paint, and her eyes looked dark and hooded, much like Zarij's. "Oh my goddesses." Nayru said, looking herself up and down. Unrecognizable.
*****
"Right now it is about five o' clock. At eight o' clock the night shifts come in. At night the security is actually rather lax, and it will be easy to get around without much questioning. Until then I would suggest you get some rest." Zarij said. "I must go finish my own shift now, but I will return soon." "Alright, we'll rest until your return." Said Nayru, and Zarij disappeared up the hole. "It's still amazing, each time I look at you I, I just can't believe who I'm seeing." "Well believe it buster…it's who you'll be seeing for a while until this dye comes out." "Yeah, I know." Said Karzad. They sat in silence for a while, simply listening to the soft trickle of water dripping from ceiling to floor. Suddenly Nayru scooted closer to Karzad. "I—I want you to know Karzad… If anything happens tonight… I want you to know that I love you… I love you very much." Karzad looked at her. "Oh, don't talk like that Nayru! We'll be fine!" "You don't know that," Nayru said. "And it anything were to happen… I just would want you to know, that's all… I love you." "Well." Said Karzad, "I love you too… but you'll be fine… I'll be fine… I promise." And then they kissed tenderly and fell into a brief, restful sleep.
*****
About and hour and a half-later Nayru awoke to a voice in her ear. "Nayru! Nayru I've found you, wake up!" Nayru opened her eyes sleepily and then was awakened the rest of the way by the fact that a bobbing ball of blue light shimmered overhead. "Novur!" Nayru cried. "Novur! Oh, you're okay! I was so worried!" She pulled the little blue ball into a hug. "Mmf! Lemee go!" she said in a muffled voice. Nayru let go and Novur shook herself and then flew up above her. "My goodness, what have they done to you?" She said looking down at her. "what do you mean? Oh, this? Well I needed a disguise." "Good disguise," Novur said, "how'd you get it? And how'd you get this lovely little prison cell all to yourself in a guard's room?" "Oh, well let me tell you all about it!" Said Nayru. She told Novur all about her imprisonment with Ganoldaz, her rescue, and Zarij's bravery. Novur let out a low whistle. "So her mother is the Sage of the Spirit?" Nayru nodded. "Man, you guys have all the fun!" Novur said, "Fun?" said Nayru. "I hardly call all of this FUN!" she said. "I know I know, but I was locked in a cage the whole time. Well anyway when I finally was able to escape I had to search the whole fortress 'till I found you here!" "Well I'm just glad you're back!" said Nayru. "Glad who's back?" said Karzad sleepily rubbing his eyes. "Novur!" cried Nayru happily. "Oh, hi Novur!" said Karzad. "Hello!" she said. At that moment the carpet opening was pulled aside and Zarij dropped down. She pulled the carpet back and turned around, "I'm glad to see you're awake and—" She stopped suddenly seeing Novur. "You—you have a—a fairy?" she said. "Yes," Said Nayru. "She was sent by the Deku sprout, guardian of the Kokiri forest, to come and protect me." Nayru explained. "Wow!" Zarij said. "A real forest fairy! I thought they were mere legends!" "Well you thought wrong," Novur chirped. Zarij jumped. "It speaks!" she said. "Yeah, don't all of them?" Nayru said. "Yes, all of us do," Novur said shrilly, "Man Zarij, you don't get out much, do you?" "Novur!" Nayru scolded, but Zarij laughed, "Yes, that is true," she chuckled, "I am not used to being a guest to two strange Hyrulian fugitives, after witnessing them shoot our ruling lord through the head with an arrow. Then finding out my mother is a magic sage and the Hero of Time is imprisoned in this very fortress with her, and being insulted by a forest fairy all in the space of two days." They all laughed quietly, "Sorry," Novur muttered, embarrassed, hiding in one of Nayru's deep pockets. "That's quite alright considering it was probably one of my friends who had caged you, but enough chatter," She said, then looking at Nayru and Karzad, "It is time."