A Link to the Heart Chapter 18
The smell of death hung over the town, its acrid stench lingering everywhere. A malodorous aroma of burnt wood, spoiled grain, dead flesh and opened bowels. It came from the flaming wreckage of homes, it arose from the piles of slaughtered Hylians and rotting foodstuffs laying on the cobbles. In the market square overturned carts had been smashed by galloping hooves, in the smithy fires blazed out of control. The town hall was a scene of murder, where flashing scimitars had cut down the pleading, fat fools who thought themselves safe. And the streets were strewn with bodies.
Kinesha swallowed nervously as she entered the town, seeing the work of other clans. She did not know the name of this town, nor did she care to learn it, but it had been big enough to think itself safe. Far larger than any village or farmstead her clan had raided, this town had boasted a defensive wall and dedicated guards. The inhabitants had believed themselves protected from the rampaging Gerudo and so had not thought to flee to the protection of their king, a mistake they had paid dearly for in blood.
Kinesha could see piles of Gerudo bodies stacked up around the gatehouse. A ferocious struggle must have occurred here but it had not availed the defenders. Gerudo warriors had stormed the gate in a mad rush and opened it to allow their sisters to enter almost unopposed, then they had run wild. Kinesha could see where horses had galloped through the streets, riders hacking down all they had encountered. None had been spared, young or old, male or female, it made no difference. This town must have boasted a population of two or three thousand souls, now it was only a house for the dead.
The sight disturbed Kinesha, this was not the Gerudo way. Typically they raided and stole, taking what they could with as little death as possible. True they had no qualms cutting down those who strayed into their path but that was never the point. Rampant slaughter was inefficient, it was foolish to kill one you could rob again next season. But she hardened her heart. She had pushed for this campaign of terror, she had argued for it and could not turn back now. To lift the curse no deed was too vile, no slaughter too dishonourable. Future generations would not remember the acts needed to liberate them, they would only know that their bane had been thwarted. And Kinesha would finally be free of the fear that stalked her night and day.
Her horse picked its way over the corpse of a small boy and Gurd sniffed, "This was no battle, it was a massacre."
Lissc retorted, "Don't be so weak, it is what we committed ourselves to."
But Mahee countered, "This is the desire of Twinrova, they wanted slaughter and they have got it."
The trio had followed Kinesha into the burnt ruin of the town, leaving the bulk of their clans outside the walls. The Gerudo had ridden hard for several days and nights, gathering the scattered pieces of their tribes into one whole. Kinesha had been concerned that they would break into fractious fighting but thankfully the prospect of war had focused their minds and kept the feuding to a minimum. Combined their two tribes boasted almost five hundred riders but it wasn't enough, not nearly enough for what was to come next. If they were to escalate the war they needed more, many more.
"Hush," Kinesha urged, "We do not want to risk offending Old Hanne."
Lissc snorted, "The Midnight Hag can kiss my rear!"
Winces arose and Mahee snapped, "Do not insult her, she is a powerful sorceress, perhaps a match for Twinrova on her own. To offend her is to taste the thunder and the lightning."
Gurd added, "Plus she has amassed the biggest horde of all. Thousands of Gerudo folk to her banner. None can match the number of tribes who fight at her side."
Lissc sniffed, "If she is so powerful then why isn't she leading our nation, instead of those two conniving wenches?"
Mahee allowed, "A good question, one perhaps worth exploring further. Twinrova have done little so far, perhaps Old Hanne would make a better leader."
"Whatever works," Kinesha pondered them, "Our goal is not conquest but liberation. Capturing the Triforce is all that matters, I don't care who does it."
"And afterwards?" Gurd ventured.
Kinesha scowled as she replied, "A question for another day."
Their path had brought them to the market square of the town and their way was barred by sisters bearing long glaives. However the spears were parted as she rode imperiously forward, her station as leader denoted by the wealth of her horse's bridle. Together the party swept into the square, only to find it filled with leaders. Kinesha saw a half-dozen tribal leaders, from clans she knew well and others she had never crossed blades with. All of them were milling about, enjoying the spoils of victory. Wine jugs were drained, bread and meat devoured hungrily and the sound of laughter and revelry was everywhere. Some seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves, others laughed a little too loudly, as if trying to drown out the sights they had seen.
Kinesha drew her horse to a halt and dismounted, as did her comrades. As she did so she spied her objective, Old Hanne, standing proud among the various chiefs, her black robes a dignified mark among the dusty shawls of the other leaders. Kinesha straightened her own robes and adjusted her Scimitars, then set off with a confident step. The other leaders looked surprised to see her but they made way so she could pass and in moments she found herself face to face with the Midnight Hag.
Hanne looked down her nose at the newcomers and said, "Kinesha, Lissc, how nice of you to join us."
Kinesha greeted her as an equal, "Sand Goddess smile upon you Hanne. I see you have enjoyed great success."
Hanne merely shrugged, "There were few who could oppose us in this slum, a single rush, a few lightning bolts and the fight was over. A pathetic display."
Lissc interjected, "A great conquest, one that shall be sung of in the days to come."
The surrounding leaders murmured in agreement but Hanne sniffed, "I doubt it, there were no great spoils to be had here, no worthy warriors to slay. A Gerudo's glory is measured by the quality of her enemies and these wastrels were nothing."
Yet Kinesha argued, "But it is another step on the road to lifting the curse."
Silence fell in the crowd as Hanne crossed her arms and said, "Stop dancing across the hot sand and say what it is you came to say."
Kinesha bit down on a retort and careful said, "We have struck far and wide, surely we must be luring the King out of his stone castle. We must now consider how we are to beat him."
Hanne shrugged, "We scatter and draw his armies across the land, keep him running in circles until winter comes. It is known Hyrule's soldiers do not fight during harvest season, they will desert to gather in their crops."
Yet Kinesha countered, "That is months away, too long to risk. We propose uniting several clans into one and hitting bigger towns, so large he must race to confront us. We must escalate the war."
Hanna sneered, "You seek open battle? A fool's quest. We have seen this before. Hylian shield walls will repulse us, catapults will rain down explosives and their knights ride with heavy armour. You seek death."
Kinesha however lifted her hands and said, "We do not propose riding headlong at his army, but moving swiftly around it. If we can keep him chasing us his army will become strung out and haggard, vulnerable to our strike."
Approving whispers arose at the declaration and Lissc added, "We can reap a great tally of foes, our names will ring across the desert forever!"
That brought many agreeing whispers but Hanne was unmoved and said, "We can do that with smaller bands. To continue to increase our numbers risks our being caught. Why should I risk it?"
Kinesha was stumped by that, she hadn't expected such intransigence. Yet it was then that Mahee spoke up, "So… you are content for Twinrova to claim the Triforce alone?"
A pointed silence fell as Hanne snapped, "What was that?!"
Mahee continued, "We seek to draw out the bearers of the Triforce, but united it becomes a single relic. Only one can hold it, only one can have their wish made reality. Twinrova is a duality but they are united in purpose, it will be their wish that is fulfilled, and their's alone."
Hanne glowered at that and spat, "Those gaudy show-offs, treacherous as a scorpion."
Kinesha saw her unexpected opening and pressed, "What if it wasn't Twinrova who claimed the relics, what if it was Old Hanne?"
Hanne's eyes snapped up and she queried, "What are you saying?"
Kinesha turned her head to the crowd and called, "Who here trusts Twinrova to keep to their word, who thinks they will save the Gerudo? No, I say. They will seize these relics for themselves and fly away, leaving us weeping in the dust."
"Truth!" a voice cried from the crowd and other added, "I never trusted them. Black-hearted knaves. They killed the Great Nabooru, I'm sure of it!"
Hanne looked thoughtful as she rubbed her chin and mused, "I understand, you want to escalate the war not to beat Hyrule but to steal a march on Twinrova. But why me, what do you gain from it?"
Kinesha replied honestly, "Only that our bargain is fulfilled. Use the Triforce, you have the magics to claim it from its bearers and reunite the pieces. Then lift our curse, beyond that I care not."
Old Hanne quietly mused, "To hold such power in my hands, to possess the might of the Gods. I could do it, claim the two pieces, summon Ganondorf and defeat him. I would hold the totality in my hands and anything would be possible. But if Twinrova finds out what we intend…"
Lissc replied, "Where are they in this war? Has anyone seen them? You are here with us, sharing the blood and danger, you deserve the power more than they do."
Hanne chewed on it for a moment then said, "Together we present a mighty force and I can call in yet more clans. Some three thousands riders can be at our side in days. But where shall we strike first?"
"Somewhere big," Kinesha argued, "Somewhere the King must march to save."
"There are a few Hylian towns nearby," Hanne mused, "Junato, Galmory, Kasuto, Kanatobe. Any would suffice."
"Katsuto," Kinesha replied picking one at random, "They will never know we are coming. We will raze the town in a day and be away before the King can catch us."
Hanne nodded in agreement, "So shall it be, in three days we will strike like a desert storm and the path to our liberation shall be revealed!"
The crowd broke out into cheers and Kinesha smiled as the future drew nearer. She didn't care if Twinrova broke the curse or Hanne, so long as it was broken. The Gerudo nation would be freed. They had speed and surprise on their side and the Hylian nation would be taken completely by surprise, by the time the King heard of the attack the Gerudo would already be away. Kinesha smiled as she assured herself Hyrule would never see this coming.
