Author´s note:

Weekly updates? Shmeekly updates, more like. Honestly though I just had to write this before I forgot how I envisioned parts of this chapter.

At this point, should I warn you of strong language? I guess not, eh?

I´m throwing a bit more mystery to the plot.

I´m not going to give you a complete glossary of all the words that appear on a passage of this chapter, but just know that Vawatai is a way to refer to someone of the highest position, not a name.

Sekkessai is just a very, very crude way of saying 'you'. The rest I think is pretty clear as to what language is being spoken.

That part almost didn´t make it to the final file of this chapter, but I guess this is enough for now to show a bit of what is yet to come.

If you´ve watched that sequel trailer and/or played Zelda series long enough, you may be able to guess a thing or two from this chapter...


Chapter VII

Vawatai


Link had insisted they took their time on their way to Gerudo town, two weeks after she had been stabbed by the Gerudo woman. She had become so bored of days and days of laying on a bed, turning around restlessly every single night and not daring to fall asleep because of the nightmares that usually took place. It was the same she had been having prior to the attack but with some added dialogue.

The somewhat hidden figures of a Goron, a Zora and a Rito were still there, chanting 'You failed us', while seemingly increasing in height and towering over her as they pronounced the words like a profane spell. In the background, thousands of faceless figures mimicked the chant. She couldn´t see them but in her mind she knew they were hylians. The chanting crowd was parted by someone, or something. A hooded figure that spoke in a deep yet sensuous voice.

"We will rebuild our kingdom upon your rotting corpses", the tall Gerudo had said while smiling wickedly at her.

It was at this point that she ended up waking up in a cold sweat. Her wound still hurt, but a scab had started to form just below her bellybutton. An odd feeling kept nagging her on the back of her mind, but she couldn´t place it.

It was as if she was forgetting something. She had stayed up many hours trying to think what it was. She absentmindedly ran her finger through the rugged surface of the scab, feeling the tender skin around it, and then it hit her.

The dagger.

She had ignored the surge of pain that came from almost jumping out of her bed, and paid no attention to the calls of 'Where are you going, Princess?', that came fro Paya. She practically jumped downstairs and could feel her wound bleed a little, she seemed to have regained something she had lost with the passing of time during the battle with Ganon. Her drive.

She leapt two or three steps going down outside Impa´s house and ran as fast as she could, she could hear Paya running behind her and after passing him, Dorian was too. When she arrived at the door she was looking for, she didn´t even bother on knocking. Dorian and Paya were panting by the time the three were inside Dorian´s dinning room.

"Where is it?", she said with a mixture of excitement and fear. Both sheikah stared at her, confused. "The dagger, where are you keeping it?", she said urgently. This seemed to wake the sleeping residents upstairs, Link, and the two sisters had walked downstairs, all three of them wearing the same sleepy expressions. Koko had taken some of Links mannierisms, Cottle seemed to look at them both and did what they did.

"Wazzamatter?", said the knight, still half asleep.

"Link!", she exclaimed, "the dagger, the one the woman had with her, where is it?". The blonde hylian rubbed his eyes groggily.

"It´s-, It-s upth-, upthere", he said yawning profusely, pointing at one of the wooden cupboards in the kitchen. "We didn´t want the kids playing with it after Impa gave it back to me", he said as he disheveled Cottle´s hair in response to her protests.

She hastily opened the door that Link had pointed to, and surely enough, wrapped in a blank cloth were the broken blade and it´s hilt. She folded the cloth back and took the parcel with her.

"What do you think you´re doing?", he said pointedly.

"Do you not find it odd that even though the weapon is of Gerudo manufacture, it isn´t Gerudo? Where is the golden hilt and crossguard, the adorned pomel, or the od shape of the blade?", she said. The dumbfounded expressions of all inside the house exasperated her, how could she have been so blind?

"I need to study the weapon before I keep theorizing, but I´m sure of what I said.", she sat down on the nearest chair and asked to the air if she could borrow some ink, pen and paper. She had stayed up all night. Link had fallen asleep sitting across her. His snoring calmed her somehow as she started to write her mind over the paper.

They had left the next day. She had made sure that the letter she had written and addressed to Matriarch Riju would arrive as soon as possible. Paya had promised to tell the Rito postman to make the letter a priority. Link seemed to hold her in high esteem, maybe even more than that, she thought, amused. She assumed and hoped that the Matriarch could shed some light on her recent discovery.

As the sun reached it´s cenith, she turned the hilt on everyway possible, letting the sunlight uncover any possible clues as to what the Gerudo-non-gerudo dagger was. She could hear Link talking to her about pumpkins or something, while patting Sonne on the neck.

She only had eyes for this now. It had been like a new mystery was thrown at her and she jumped to it almost hungrily, grateful to be doing something other than sleeping and having nightmares every other day.

The handle had been wrapped with a very old linen-like ribbon. It´s wooden pommel had golden inscriptions in what she asumed was some form Gerudo she couldn´t read. The cloth around the handle had practically fallen off completely, revealing gold and wood with more inscriptions and strange angled square-like patterns, unlike anything she had seen before. Yet it all screamed Gerudo to her. The cross guard was very simple, it seemed to be brass-made, with three small rubies incrustated just under it.

As for the blade itself, it was indeed very curved, it was almost semi-circular, though not quite as the Yiga Clan´s weapon of choice. She noticed how sharp it still was. A weapon this old would have had a very dull blade, if it still had one at all. This dagger had been recently sharpened.

"Princess?", asked her Appointed Knight, somewhere to her right. She glanced upwards at him, they had barely passed the Dueling Peaks ranch.

"Hmm?", she asked absently.

"I was saying that I think it´s best if you put that thing back on your satchel. We don´t know if anyone is following us, we must assume the worst now", this worried expression of his´ reminded her of their past journeys. He was right.

"I guess you´re right", she conceded.

The ancient dagger was now neatly hidden among the various trinkets and pots she had packed for their journey to the desert.

"Stay sharp now", Link told her ominously as they entered the narrow passageway between safety and their adventure. She was as excited as she was afraid, but this new mystery kept her head from straying to far into the future.


"Vawatai, let us assist you," said a deep voice.

"You are not yet strong enough", said another voice, the slightest trace of fear could be heard on both of their voices. A third figure had appeared seconds ago in the dimly lit room with a loud crack and a flash of green light.

The third figure was panting and breathing heavily. The two others motioned to help.

"Sovvai!", bellowed the third one in a deep voice that made the wet walls rumble. Even the pair of torches across the room flickered at her outburst. The first two figures knelt with both knees to the ground.

"Goh, Vawatai", both figures whispered, not daring to look up at their master. The one they called Vawatai walked across them, to where the torches were. With strides long and confident, the one they called Vawatai walked up three wooden steps and sat on a carved wooden throne.

"Vowota, sokkar vai", the voice called from the throne. The two servants stood up, but kept their heads down. They took their right fists to their chest and pronounced in unison: "Sahku, Vawatai".

"What news do you bring me?"

Both guards looked at eachother before the tallest of the two spoke timidly. None had walked closer to the throne, the light of the torches only barely revealing the features of the voice that sat across the room.

"K- Vawatai, " stuttered the tall guard, "it was not there, our party searched for days, there is nothing but rock and dirt", the voice in the throne scoffed loudly, making both guards flinch. "We only found some carvings on a wall, but they had no meaning, it was just gibberish".

"Did you record this 'gibberish'?", the voice said coldly. Silence was all the reply that followed. "Remind me, Kaheru, did I send you, you worthless Sekkessai to decide what is gibberish and what is not? Or did I send you to be of some use given your knowledge", the voice spat with contempt. The tall guard fell to the ground just as the last words parted their master´s lips, writhing in pain, screaming and pleading, only to be met with a cruel laugh. The guard stopped squirming, breathing heavily, seconds later. Kaheru vomited profusely, but did not dare to move a muscle. She stayed cowering on the wet cobblestone floor.

"And you, Dehneru, I trust you bring me good news, yes?", said the third voice, a dark grin creeping across it´s features. Kaheru was still gasping for breath, Dehneru looked at her sister, she could not hide the fear she felt. She bowed her head slowly nonetheless, addressing the figure at the throne.

"Vawatai, it is just as you said. They have moved it, but we were able to retrieve what little was let behind.", Dehneru only dared to glance sideways to her sister, she could hear her breathing evening. The voice across the room spoke again.

"They are nothing but ignorant fools, they have learn´t nothing", the voice said amusedly.

"Yes, Vawatai", replied Dehneru.

"I trust you met no opposition?", the question carried another one in itself.

"Two children had seen us", Dehneru said. She saw the one they called Vawatai shuffle on the throne. "One of my warriors wanted to dispose of them, I deemed it would not be necessary. To them we were nothing but passing travellers". The hands of her master interlocked themselves in apparent satisfaction.

"It was a smart decision. You have done well, child. You shall bring your findings to me, along with the head of the one that wanted those children dead." Vawatai had pronounced the last order with glee. Dehneru nodded.

"Do not waste my time anymore. Leave ". Dehneru bowed at her master and made to help her sister up. "I said, leave", the voice said coldly. Both sisters shared a worried look. Dehneru could see tears running down her sister´s face. She dared to caress her face one last time, before taking a bow at the throne and left at once.

"Now, Kaheru. What should we do with you? I confess watching you squirm is a very pleasurable sight". Before the last word left the voice´s mouth, Kaheru fell to the ground again, seizing and pleading, trying to slither towards the throne. She was drooling profusely, so her voice was blurry and unintelegible. The voice seemed to find it amusing as a high cold laugh echoed in the chamber.

"Pl-please, Vawatai", Kaheru pleaded, still seizing, but managing to look up at the feet of the throne. She had managed to slither to where the voice was sitting. A grimace of disgust crossed Kaheru´s master´s face.

"You dare bring your foul stench to the throne upon we shall rule all, Sekkessai", stated the voice. "Where is your honor, you worthless worm?". Kaheru started to wail and sob, the seizures had stopped, she fought hard against the gagging reflex that ensued, not daring to open her mouth. She outstretched her arms to her master.

"You will not fail me again, vai. I will make sure of that". With a flash of green light, Kaheru let out a soul-wrenching scream that could be heard in every corridor and room. When the light faded, her left arm was gone. It had burned to a crisp and a long mound of ash lay where her arm had been moments earlier. She let out whimpers and cries of pain, as greenish tufts of smoke flew from her shoulder. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room.

"G-gah, Vawatai, Gah, Gah", pleaded Kahoru.

"Stop whimpering, whore. And get up!", her master ordered. She fell on her face twice, forgetting that her left arm had been turned to ash. The one she revered as Vawatai laughed at her. Even now, as her master had taken away her honor as a warrior, and would most likely kill her, she felt a blind and almost insane fervor when she looked at the one they all called Vawatai.

"There are worse things than death, wouldn´t you agree?", the voice said when she finally stood up awkwardly. She was still sobbing and crying, but made no sound in reply.

"You aren´t a waste of air... yet. ", a wicked grin lit by the torches made the Gerudo guard shiver.

"We shall find other uses for you, Sekkessai".

Kaheru swallowed, knowing the fate that awaited her as her master approached her.

She closed her eyes and thought hard of her sister.


Zelda had been very withdrawn the first couple of days, often scribbling furiously and often getting ink in her mouth, her chin and once even on her ear. When she wasn´t making annotations she was looking at the dagger intently, examining it from all possible angles, as she had done whenever they were alone, or when she thought he wasn´t looking.

She´d glance upwards every now and then, as if looking for something, but after a few minutes she resumed her research. They had barely spoken to each other, not that she had been angry or snappy at him. It just seemed like he had been traveling alone for all they had interacted.

He was used to silence, but he had also gotten used to talking with her. He had come every day to talk to her when she was still bed-ridden, mostly about the little demons, as they now secretly called them. It had become a habit of sorts.

Now their conversations were reduced to distant 'aha's and the ocasional 'That is very interesting. Link did you notice how the blade has the same inscriptions as the handle?'s, the only time she actually listened to him was when he stated that they should make camp, which had only happened twice.

They were almost halfway to Gerudo Town, Link thought. Having just stopped near Lake Kolomo for the third night. Twilight was barely upon them when he heard a sound that made him take out his sword and jump in front of Zelda so quick she barely had time to say "What's going on?"

"Princess Zelda?", an agitated voice called from above. It was a Rito.

He felt her hand squeeze his shoulder to let him know everything was fine. He still felt on edge as he sheathed the Sword. His hand never left the pomel.

"Yes, hello", she said politely. To say the feathered postman looked surprised was an understatement. She was beaming at him, obviously expecting him to talk, but he didn´t.

"Maybe you have a letter for... us? uh... ", she motioned between herself and Link.

"Wha- Oh Yes! The name´s Gitai. I actually have come to deliver two letters, one for you, My Lady", the Rito handed her a roll of parchment sealed with the Gerudo crest embeded in wax. The king cobra symbol shone against the full moonlight.

The postman searched for another parcel, a slightly smaller roll with the same wax seal. "These are letters sent to you most urgently by Matriarch Riju of the Gerudo.", Zelda nodded politely earning her a deep bow from the postman. He noticed she didn´t stop him, and rather took the deference with grace, nodding again ever so slightly.

"I´ll be on my way now, it is good to see the rumors were true about your return, Your Highness.", and with that he leaped off of the ground and flew away somewhere due north of them.

"Well, I guess it can´t be helped now... ", she said to the moon. Smiling.

"What do you mean?", the roll of parchment still in his hand. She turned to him and spoke directly to him for the first time since they had left Kakariko.

"Ruling", she said simply.

The Princess brandished a very sad smile at him. Her eyes drifted towards his letter, "I´ll tell if you do", pointing her letter to him. She sat under the tree that stood nearest the lake where they were making camp. Link decided to give her some privacy and dared to go near the limits of the Forest of Time with the pretext of searching for firewood. He was, of course not so stupid as to not bring some in advance, but she didn´t say anything.

He sat under another tree near the edge of the Forest of Time, from where he could keep watch of the camp and easily run to her in no time. He slid slowly to the ground and broke the gerudo crest seal.

Dearest Link,

I hope this letter finds you well and rested. Goddess knows you deserve it.

Words are not enough to thank you in the name of every soul in this land for the immense feat you have achieved. As you well know, Princess Zelda and you are most welcome to visit.

I´m personally seeing to it that the proper arrangements are made to make your stay more comfortable. We are preparing a little banquet in your honor, I hope you don´t mind, I know you´re not fond of crowds, but I assure you, everyone here is thrilled to have you back, though they merely know you as ´The little brave Vai'. I find it very amusing.

Buliara keeps saying that even though you saved us from Naboris, you shouldn´t be allowed in; but you know how she is. I´m sure we will have a hard time stopping her from talking about how strong and skilled you are in comparisson to some of the members of our tribe. Ever since I told her you were coming she won´t stop talking about you. I think she wishes more of our warriors were like you.

May I suggest you bring the same attire you wore last time we saw you? Things haven´t changed that much. Buliara may turn her eyes the other way, but I´m not sure about everyone else. I´ve thought of telling them you are the most honorable Voe I have met, that Urbosa cared for you deeply, but saddly our ways are too ingrained inside our thick skulls. Besides I think you look quite dashing in vai clothing, I´ve heard you broke many hearts whenever you lay foot on our city.

May the Serpent Goddess smile upon you.

Always,

Riju

He felt his face blushing at that last part, and smiled awkwardly, he was about to get up when he noticed one last line had been written at the very edge of the paper in a very small and rushed letter, almost as an afterthought.

PS: Buliara says she´s never seen,

Seen what? 'That´s odd', he thought.

He made his way back to the camp. Zelda was petting Mond as he approached her.

"Any news?", she asked nodding towards the letter on his hand. He gave her the piece of paper.

"Strangely, no", he paused, "and yes. But I think you should just read it, I have a feeling we should not discuss the matter of... previous events out loud", she laughed unceremoniously at his remark, even when making fun of him her laugh was really something. He still raised a brow.

"Link we´re in the middle of nowhere, there isn´t a soul for miles werever you look at", she said still laughing. He didn´t share the fun on her remark.

"May I remind you of the Yiga Clan?", he said seriously,"...Your Highness", he emphasized the last two words. She stopped laughing at once. Looking at him straight in the eye, making him a little nervous, but he did not break away.

"You are right, I forgot... You´re right", she said, "you´re right, you´re right", she said in a sing-song voice. A heavy sigh followed her words. She glanced towards the lake, he did too. The moon reflected upon ithe lakes´s silver surface. "I forgot... there´s still evil in the world. I guess I wanted to live in my delusion a bit more. I guess... I have to act like a Princess now, or rather a Queen", she turned and looked at him again. "If I´m allowed to say this one bit though," she said teasingly at first, he rolled his eyes and smiled, "I think the last line on your letter and mine are clues, or rather a code", he looked at her quizically, "Here", she said handing him her letter as she read his´.

The letter was more or less written in the same warm tone as the one he had received. the post statement was placed in the same place, at the edge of the paper:

but she has heard about it.

"It made no sense to me when I read it", she said over his shoulder, apparently finished reading his letter. She gave him an odd look, somewhere between a smile and a frown spread across her face. "But as soon as I saw you walking from the edge of the forest; having two letters sent to each of us made sense.

Whoever this Buliara is, we must speak to her and see what she knows...", Link looked nervously around them.

The shadow his own body cast against the ground made him flinch a little. Zelda was lost on her own thoughts again.

"I´ll get the fire started", he said quite suddenly, startling her. The princess merely nodded and they walked back to the tree where their mares were waiting.


Link seemed quite tense the next day, insisting on riding behind her at times, he would agree to ride beside her once she had nagged him long enough and he had ascertained in his mind they were in no danger from a spy tree, or a rock assassin. She did keep her promise and stopped talking about the dagger, the theories she had about it´s origin (the latest had been it was from Zonai origin), or the nature of the attack back in Kakariko.

She had even restrained herself from taking it out every five minutes and look at it.

"You know, we left in such haste that I didn´t think of bringing anything for Lady Riju. We´re going to arrive empty handed", she rubbed her chin hard, thinking of a good enough excuse for their lack of arriving present.

"She won´t mind, she´s different", he stated.

"But isn´t it customary to offer a small token as gratitude for their hospitality?", she asked quite nervous, "I seem to remember Urbosa once told me something about that... "

"That was a hundred years ago, Highness", he said jokingly. "Trust me, 'traditional' is not a word I would use to describe Riju", he said with a smile.

"And what word would you use?", she teased. The familiarity with which he referred to the Gerudo Matriarch made it too obvious to her. Link was smitten with her, then again, every man and many women in Hyrule had been madly in love with a Gerudo at least once.

Her Appointed Knight cleared his throat, coughed even. "I would not presume to use any words to describe Lady Riju", he said suddenly very serious, blushing a little.

Zelda laughed heartily. "I heard she is as wise, brave and beautiful as our old friend". For some very odd reason she enjoyed teasing him about someone who clearly already outmatched her in strength, courage, and many other qualities. Still not an ounce of jealousy stained her heart.

Urbosa was indeed renowned for her prowess in battle, and her beauty was just as legendary. She had heard some of the guards outside her room talk about her. The Gerudo Champion often visited the dreams of many men -and women, that had never even seen her.

"She is indeed wise, and honorable", Link said, "I´m in no place to judge the physical aspects of her". Zelda snorted loudly, Link did look at her this time bewildered.

"'The phisical aspects of her!?'", she said incredulously, quoting him.

Link, I am actually joking!", she said still laughing at his weird phrasing, "but we both know you like her", she jabbed at him.

"I... don´t", he said, defeated. "She is pretty, but we´re just very good friends... ", he looked at her intensely. She felt a sudden change in the air. He opened his mouth several times, but no sound came out of it.

She felt her stomach do a backflip and then turn over four times. He had never looked at her that way. It was as if his eyes could pierce through her and look at her soul. The very same warm feeling she had felt at the bathouse in Kakariko made it´s way from her chest all the way to her toes. When they broke eye contact, she noticed she could hear her own heartbeat.

An amiable silence had fallen between them, Link seemed content just looking ahead, patting Sonne on the neck. Her mind on the other hand was a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings.

Would it be alright if she told him how she felt? What would she say? Would it even work? The list just kept grwoing longer and more complicated. She shook her head and focused on the road ahead.

According to the Sheikah Slate they were now approaching Digdogg bridge.

Who named these?

The sound of hooves on the wood and some birds chirping somewhere to their right were all the sounds that she could hear. She thought if she focused hard enough she could listen to Link´s heartbeat. Her stomach did another backflip at the thought of her Knight.

"You´re quiet again", she pointed out. He had a furrowed brow and seemed to be miles away from there. He nodded quietly, apparently not having hear her. She waved her hand as much as she could in front of his face, their legs brushed against one another, she felt an electric current surge from her stomach. "Are you still with us?", she said playfully.

"Ah- Oh, yeah", he said sheepishly. "I was just thinking... ", he trailed off, his neck turning an angry shade of red.

"We need to get some clothes", he said looking straight ahead.

"Oh", she exclaimed knowingly, suppressing a smile. Suddenly remembering what she had read in the letter addressed to him.


A/N2: Just wanted to thank you, everyone who keeps reading my story. It means the world!