Here's the next chappy. For those cruel, twisted, fiendish, and generally unpleasent people that have been reading without reviewing, I give you this next chappy for free.
It _ain't_ happening again.
Disclaimer: Look back a few chapters, stupid
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As the sun rose fully, a cloud of dust marked the imminent arrival of the Hylian army. It was five-score strong, half of which was on foot. Link squinted. There were the leaders.
A man in armor, and two women. One was a Sheikah. Link remembered her name was Impa.
The other was Zelda without question. Her golden hair glinted in the sunlight. Link hesitated as a dozen memories surged forth.
Zelda was beautiful, and she was nice, but Link knew in his heart that he didn't really like her the way she liked him.
That settled, he sat back and watched as she rode to the base of the hill.
"Ganondorf!" she yelled.
Ganondorf rode to the edge of the hill, covered by every single archer present.
"Yes, Princess?" He called back in his best 'good little schoolboy' voice.
"You and your robbing band of thieves must surrender! We promise immunity for every Gerudo that surrenders now!"
Ganondorf seemed to consider her offer.
"Tempting, Princess! I'll have to ask. Do any of you want to surrender?" He addressed the assembled warriors.
"NO!" They shouted back, purposely mocking.
"They don't want to. So sorry, Princess, I can't take them anywhere!"
Everyone on the hill laughed at this.
"Then they shall fall beside you!" Zelda yelled before riding back to her army in a huff.
"She always did have a temper," Link whispered to Neela as she rode by.
"Okay, split into four groups!" Ganondorf roared his orders. "Hannaval, take the middle archers, Neela half the reserves, Link the front! I'll be with the other reserves!"
Link rode to the front.
"Ready, ladies?"
His warriors laughed at the term. Meanwhile, the Hylian forces were moving out. Three-score stayed in reserve while one score advanced, covered by the remaining twenty.
"'Ware arrows!"
The Gerudo caught the long range assault with the shields they carried.
"Pair up! One shoots, one shields! Rotate every three arrows! Aim for the infantry!"
Obediently, Link's ten paired up. As one shot, the other used her shield to protect both of them. Link made himself a moving target, shooting whenever he could. Every arrow counted.
As Hannaval's longbow archers took out the Hylian archers, their task became easier. The infantry had just reached the bottom of hill, and from the sound of it had just discovered the trap pits.
Designed by Neela, the pits were too large for the heavily armored Hylian cavalry to jump. The only way across were tiny bridges that didn't hold armored passengers too well.
A good bareback rider was the only thing that could cross those bridges, and the Gerudo were nothing if not good bareback riders. The cavalry that was advancing discovered that part the hard way, and those who tried to go around the pits either got shot or discovered another pit.
The Gerudo had only lost one fighter and two horses. Link's archers were yanking the Hylian arrows out of their shields to save on arrow supplies. It was only after receiving massive losses that the Hylian army got even halfway up the hill.
The Gerudo forces retreated to the very crest. By midday, an unofficial break was in effect.
"Well, we seem to be holding our own," Link said.
The four commanders had begun a quick update session.
"True, but they'll come at us even harder after this." Ganondorf turned to Neela. "Your pits were wonderful, my dear. Is the escape route as good?"
Neela laughed. "It's even better. There's a humongous gorge we cross, and I rigged the bridge. One shot of a fire arrow in the part of the supports marked with Skulltula web, and that bridge goes beyond repair."
"I can take care of that," Link said.
"Okay, time to begin withdrawal. Hannaval, you and Neela will take your forces out now. We'll have the fighting retreat."
The Gerudo women rode off.
"They think you're taking all the fun parts," Link said offhandedly.
"They wouldn't be Gerudo if they didn't. I'll cover the right side," Ganondorf gave Link a feral grin before going to order his troops.
"Okay, fighting retreat time! When I give the word, break off and follow the others!"
They prepared themselves as the Hylian cavalry charged. Instead of meeting them with arrows, the Gerudo charged with blades. Another three warriors and their horses fell, as opposed to a 50% loss on the part of the Hylian troops.
"NOW!" Link yelled over the sounds of battle. "BREAK NOW!"
Instantly, the Gerudo retreated. Juniper screamed as a knight's lance stabbed into his saddle. After taking out the knight, Link pulled his horse over.
"Easy Ju, easy!"
Link ripped off the saddle and tossed it.
"No cuts. C'mon!"
Link took off on Juniper bareback. Down the hill they plunged, the Gerudo forces well ahead of the surprised Hylian troops.
Then, suddenly -
"Ambush!"
It _ain't_ happening again.
Disclaimer: Look back a few chapters, stupid
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
As the sun rose fully, a cloud of dust marked the imminent arrival of the Hylian army. It was five-score strong, half of which was on foot. Link squinted. There were the leaders.
A man in armor, and two women. One was a Sheikah. Link remembered her name was Impa.
The other was Zelda without question. Her golden hair glinted in the sunlight. Link hesitated as a dozen memories surged forth.
Zelda was beautiful, and she was nice, but Link knew in his heart that he didn't really like her the way she liked him.
That settled, he sat back and watched as she rode to the base of the hill.
"Ganondorf!" she yelled.
Ganondorf rode to the edge of the hill, covered by every single archer present.
"Yes, Princess?" He called back in his best 'good little schoolboy' voice.
"You and your robbing band of thieves must surrender! We promise immunity for every Gerudo that surrenders now!"
Ganondorf seemed to consider her offer.
"Tempting, Princess! I'll have to ask. Do any of you want to surrender?" He addressed the assembled warriors.
"NO!" They shouted back, purposely mocking.
"They don't want to. So sorry, Princess, I can't take them anywhere!"
Everyone on the hill laughed at this.
"Then they shall fall beside you!" Zelda yelled before riding back to her army in a huff.
"She always did have a temper," Link whispered to Neela as she rode by.
"Okay, split into four groups!" Ganondorf roared his orders. "Hannaval, take the middle archers, Neela half the reserves, Link the front! I'll be with the other reserves!"
Link rode to the front.
"Ready, ladies?"
His warriors laughed at the term. Meanwhile, the Hylian forces were moving out. Three-score stayed in reserve while one score advanced, covered by the remaining twenty.
"'Ware arrows!"
The Gerudo caught the long range assault with the shields they carried.
"Pair up! One shoots, one shields! Rotate every three arrows! Aim for the infantry!"
Obediently, Link's ten paired up. As one shot, the other used her shield to protect both of them. Link made himself a moving target, shooting whenever he could. Every arrow counted.
As Hannaval's longbow archers took out the Hylian archers, their task became easier. The infantry had just reached the bottom of hill, and from the sound of it had just discovered the trap pits.
Designed by Neela, the pits were too large for the heavily armored Hylian cavalry to jump. The only way across were tiny bridges that didn't hold armored passengers too well.
A good bareback rider was the only thing that could cross those bridges, and the Gerudo were nothing if not good bareback riders. The cavalry that was advancing discovered that part the hard way, and those who tried to go around the pits either got shot or discovered another pit.
The Gerudo had only lost one fighter and two horses. Link's archers were yanking the Hylian arrows out of their shields to save on arrow supplies. It was only after receiving massive losses that the Hylian army got even halfway up the hill.
The Gerudo forces retreated to the very crest. By midday, an unofficial break was in effect.
"Well, we seem to be holding our own," Link said.
The four commanders had begun a quick update session.
"True, but they'll come at us even harder after this." Ganondorf turned to Neela. "Your pits were wonderful, my dear. Is the escape route as good?"
Neela laughed. "It's even better. There's a humongous gorge we cross, and I rigged the bridge. One shot of a fire arrow in the part of the supports marked with Skulltula web, and that bridge goes beyond repair."
"I can take care of that," Link said.
"Okay, time to begin withdrawal. Hannaval, you and Neela will take your forces out now. We'll have the fighting retreat."
The Gerudo women rode off.
"They think you're taking all the fun parts," Link said offhandedly.
"They wouldn't be Gerudo if they didn't. I'll cover the right side," Ganondorf gave Link a feral grin before going to order his troops.
"Okay, fighting retreat time! When I give the word, break off and follow the others!"
They prepared themselves as the Hylian cavalry charged. Instead of meeting them with arrows, the Gerudo charged with blades. Another three warriors and their horses fell, as opposed to a 50% loss on the part of the Hylian troops.
"NOW!" Link yelled over the sounds of battle. "BREAK NOW!"
Instantly, the Gerudo retreated. Juniper screamed as a knight's lance stabbed into his saddle. After taking out the knight, Link pulled his horse over.
"Easy Ju, easy!"
Link ripped off the saddle and tossed it.
"No cuts. C'mon!"
Link took off on Juniper bareback. Down the hill they plunged, the Gerudo forces well ahead of the surprised Hylian troops.
Then, suddenly -
"Ambush!"