A Link to the Heart Chapter 26

The Gerudo Fortress sat on the western edge of Hyrule, straddling a narrow pass in the mountains that separated the fertile fields from the endless desert. The Fortress loomed over a sharp gorge, filled by a rushing river that was crossed by a narrow wooden bridge. The many windows of the Fortress were black chasms in the cliff wall, bringing light into the endless tunnels and rooms carved from the rockface. It was an imposing fortress, as old as the nation of the Gerudo and one of the few places the fractious race could agree to permanently garrison.

Kinesha looked up at the fortress as her horse crossed the bridge. From here she could count the many windows and arrow slits that looked down upon them but the warren of passages and tunnels beyond were next to impossible to navigate. She knew that for a fact as she had got lost within many times in her younger years. The Gerudo Fortress was not like Hyrule Castle, with its high walls and surrounding town. This outpost was not meant to withstand sieges, it was a staging ground and watchpost more than a bulwark, though thanks to the gorge and narrow road it would certainly be difficult for any attacking army to close unmolested.

Kinesha steered her horse onto a narrow winding road and behind her the ragged remains of her tribe followed. It had taken several days to gather the scattered remnants of the Padwe together, hunting their spoor across the breadth of Hyrule. It hadn't been easy, for the vengeful King had advanced his army, sweeping over the land like a plague of locusts. Places for the Gerudo to run had grown scant and the scattered bands had been given no respite. Kinesha hadn't faltered though; she had kept to her course and had managed to gather the fighting strength of her tribe back together. Barely a third of those she had led to war. A bitter truth but there had been hope too. During her travels she had met other tribes and someone had let slip a rumour that Twinrova had taken up residency at the Fortress. So she had turned her people's heads to the west and not looked back.

Her horse was climbing a steep incline, then crested the peak and emerged onto a broad plateau. It was nestled in between two sweeps of the Fortress's frontage and Kinesha was keenly aware how many arrow slits were facing them. She slid off her horse and her followers did likewise as Gurd moaned, "Thank the Sand Goddesses, my feet feel like they haven't touched ground in days."

Mahee jumped down beside her and snorted, "What's this? A Gerudo complaining of being in the saddle?!"

Gurd retorted, "We don't normally push so hard, I ache all over."

Mahee only snapped, "You know nothing of aches. I'm twice your age and you don't hear me complaining."

"Silence," Kinesha hissed, "We're being watched."

"Let them watch," Gurd scoffed, "All they will see is a band of weary warriors, longing for home."

Mahee looked west, where the endless desert dunes met the foothills of the mountains, "We don't have to stop, we could keep going west. Find our elders and younglings and return to the desert."

"Abandon the war?" Kinesha sneered, "Never."

Gurd looked at her and frowned as she queried, "You are set upon this path, on continuing to fight no matter the cost?"

"I am certain," Kinesha declared, "I will never waiver nor relent. Are you with me or not?"

Gurd sighed, "Naturally, we shall follow you anywhere."

Kinesha gratefully affirmed, "Good, now be silent. Here comes company."

From the dark doorways burrowed into the cliff came a lone woman. She was a Gerudo in white silk trousers and a short blouse. She bore a curved Scimitar at her hip and her ears were bedecked in gold rings. Despite her ceremonial attire she had the bearing of a warrior and her head was held high. This must be the garrison commander, come to challenge the intruders.

Kinesha nodded in respect as she said, "Hail, I am Kinesha, of the Padwe and we…"

"I know who you are," the commander barked, "I watched you every step of the way up the road and had I wanted to I could have rained arrows upon your heads. The only reason I didn't was sheer curiosity as to why you came."

Kinehsa's eyes narrowed as she hissed, "What is your name?"

"Julina," the commander replied, "Now tell me your purpose."

Kinesha saw no reason to prevaricate and answered, "We seek an audience with Twinrova."

Julina snorted in derision, "They are too busy to see the likes of you."

Kinesha grinned in elation as she crowed, "So they are here, good to know. I shall see them at once."

"No you shall not," Julina retorted, "You shall get back on your horse and return to the war, where you should be."

"How dare you!" Gurd spat, "This is the leader of the Padwe, show some respect."

Julina's eyes narrowed but Kinesha held up a hand and said, "No need to fight. Tell them I have important news: I have found that which they desire most. I'm sure Twinrova will be eager to hear my news… and angered by any delays."

Julina went silent at that, then turned on her heel and marched into the fortress. Kinesha followed after her, leaving her warriors behind. Inside the Fortress the rough stone walls burrowed deeply into the cliff face, lit by occasional lamps and random shafts of sunlight. The walls were a far cry from the elegant smoothness of the Spirit Temple, rough and crude in the making and etched with centuries of idle graffiti from generations of bored guards.

Julina swiftly led her through the maze of tunnels to a large room. It was relatively comfortable, with fur rugs on the stone floor, tapestries on the walls and the skull of a Wolfos mounted over the door. A large hole in a wall let in light and granted a sweeping vista of the gorge and Hyrule beyond, but Kinesha's eyes were fixed solely upon the occupants. Sitting cross-legged upon the floor were Koumo and Kotake, Twinrova, in person at last. It seemed odd that they weren't flying about or sparkling with fire and ice. They looked depressingly mundane today, their heads bowed and their eyes closed.

Julina left them here and departed as Kinesha entered and coughed loudly. Twinrova didn't respond so Kinesha crossed her arms and declared, "We are here!"

From the floor Kotake replied without opening her eyes, "We are aware, we have been watching you."

Koume added, "What a naughty girl you've been."

Kinesha was put back by that and replied, "I don't know what you mean."

Suddenly the pair's eyes opened and they sprang to their feet with a vitality that bellied their ancient forms. Kinesha saw the wide-eyed stares fix upon her, their eyes seemed too large for their faces and the hooked noses presenting a wicked visage. There was madness in those stares but power too, dangerous might that crackled and shimmered. Kinesha felt their incipit wrath building and knew they could obliterate her in a moment if they so chose. But she refused to be cowed, she stood her ground as Kotake snapped, "We saw your aborted attempt to grab our prize!"

Koume sneered, "Your inept attempt to steal a march on us cost many Gerudo lives!"

Kinesha knew she was dicing with death but kept her head high as she retorted, "Yes, I tried to outmanoeuvre you. You were too slow and too untrustworthy. So I made my move."

Kotake sneered, "You are proud of your treachery."

Koume added, "You should choose your next words carefully, lest we destroy you."

Kinesha guts fell but her jaw was stern as she replied, "You knew my price when this started: lifting the curse. You weren't going to do it, so I looked elsewhere. I saw what I wanted and moved to claim it without remorse or apology. Would any Gerudo do any less?"

To her surprise Kotake laughed, "Hehehe, well spoken."

"Hohoho, a Gerudo indeed," Koume chortled, "Right down to her bones."

Kinesha's arms dropped, as did her jaw, and she spluttered, "You're… not angry?"

The laughter abruptly stopped as Kotake sneered, "Oh, we are angry. But your bungling turned out in our favour."

Koume explained, "Your farce of a battle removed Old Hanne. A most powerful witch and rival to our position. We shed no tears for her loss. You did us a boon by getting her killed."

"There's more," Kinesha hastily added, "We saw one of the relics, we have located the Triforce."

Kotake snorted, "We know, we smelt it too. The Sorceress revealed herself too early, we felt her power."

Kouma crowed, "She cannot elude us now, we can follow her every move from here."

"Her?" Kinesha spluttered in shock, "No, the bearer was a man. I saw him slay Old Hanne."

Twinrova paused then and looked at each other in consternation and Kotake said, "Have we made a mistake? No, impossible. The bearer was definitely a woman… unless."

"Could it be?" Koume mused, "Yes… I smell it. Two traces, subtly different, but parts of the same whole."

"Their proximity hid them from us," Kotake stated, "But they separate again. Yes, they are moving apart. But the second one fades, its power is too diffuse to track. I can only pinpoint the woman, the other one vanishes."

Kinesha saw her opening, "I can track him."

"You?!" Kotake sneered.

"How?" Koume probed.

Kinesha shrugged, "Mahee has seen him with her own eyes and can follow him anywhere. If she can get me close I can find him and kill him."

"You are certain?" Kotake asked.

"What power is this you possess?" Koume enquired suspiciously.

Kinesha replied, "I call it: using my eyes. You should try it sometime."

"Hohoho," Kotake chuckled, "A feisty one."

"Lucky for you we find you amusing," Koume added, "Else we would destroy you, hehehe."

Kinesha brushed off their threats and said, "Save your words for someone who cares. I seek to claim the relic. Give me a thousand swords and I shall rip out his heart and claim it from his corpse."

"Trust you?!" Kotake sneered, "After what you pulled?"

"I think not," Koume spat.

Kinesha was incensed, "Do you want the relic or not?!"

Kotake snorted, "Of course we do, but we're not trusting you with more armies, not when you don't need them."

Koume added, "Twenty riders should be enough. If you can't manage with a score then a thousand will avail you not."

Kinesha stamped her foot and cried, "You speak in riddles!"

Yet Kotake mad eyes bored like drill bits as she hissed, "Watch your tone girl."

Koume elaborated, "We speak truth. The relics separate. One remains with the Hylian army, the other moves away into the wilderness, alone and unprotected. It fades from our sight but if you can find it twenty riders will be more than enough. Cunning and speed will serve you better than armies, that must draw unwanted notice. You can move faster and quieter without gangs of Knights on your rear."

Kinesha wasn't happy but saw no alternative but to say, "Very well, I shall take twenty of my finest riders and hunt the bearer down. No matter where he hides I shall find him and kill him. But what of the other one?"

Kotake grinned, "Worry not, we have measured this sorceress's talents and she is no threat to us. A mere slip of a girl, playing with lore she does not understands. The relic has shown her immense vistas of knowledge but she does not comprehend what she beholds. She is blinded by the bright allure of magic and has yet to feel the bitter sting of its darker aspects."

Koume continued, "She thinks to use divination to outmanoeuvre us, but prophecy is never what the observer thinks it is. She is too young to understand the pitfalls of foresight; it will lead her astray without even realising it."

Kinesha frowned as she mused, "So… that's how Hyrule knew we were at Kasuto. But with such power how can anyone resist her, how can one fight an enemy who knows what you will do before you do?"

Kotake laughed, "Hohoho, there are ways girl. There are ways."

Koume chortled, "Hehehe, I wonder if we can trick her into looking at her own death. Such knowledge would drive the strongest mind mad and break the sternest of wills."

Kinesha lowered her head and said, "I leave that to you. I shall be hunting down the warrior in green. Then we shall claim his relic for the Gerudo."

Kotake leaned in and said, "Make sure to bring it to us; we shall know if you stray."

Koume warned, "Do not think to betray us."

Yet Kinesha only answered, "I don't care who lifts the curse, so long as it is lifted. Fulfil your pledge first, then do as you please after. Make yourselves Gods if that is what you desire, I care not." With that affirmation the witches broke out in gales of evil laughter, revelling in the triumph to come. Kinesha left them to their plotting, exiting the room and heading back to her clan. The final confrontation was coming and she was eager for it. No matter where she had to ride, regardless of distance and hardship, she would find the warrior and slay him. Then finally she could be free of her fear.