"Halse?"
In a single week the Gerudo had been adressed by that name twice... both times by Hylians, to make matters even stranger. His memories wandered to the brawl he'd had with the Hylian Meathos in the trench. At first it seemed as if it'd been a fight to the death, then... what exactly HAD happened? Seemingly going insane for the moment, Meathos had immediately halted the fight and called him by that damned name.
Halse. Jedam reached over towards his sword, his gaze not leaving the sky far above him.
Then there was that newcomer... Albert, was it? In this instance Jedam didn't notice any changes in personality or objective. A casual, "Halse, was it?"
He sat up as his hand reached the sword which he'd nearly lost back in the camp. Pulling it out of its scabbard he admired the flawless craftsmenship and intricate symbols engraved in it. It had been supposedly created nearly 300 years ago from the melted down blades of the supposed "Guardian" Halse. His ancestor.
Though he'd never go into a battle without it, that damn blade had caused him trouble... too much trouble for his liking. He was honored among at least half the Gerudos: the half who held true to their hearts the 'myth' of the Hero of Time and the great efforts of the Guardian Halse to save Hyrule near 300 years ago. Among the other half he was worth less than the sand which sunk under their pounding boots day after day. To those to whom the Hero was a simple 'myth', Jedam was but a pampered fool worthy of nothing.
Jedam's gaze shifted slowly away from the blade he held toward Ayame, the only other Gerudo in their pack of renegades.
"Figures," he said to himself. "The only other Gerudo here and she doesn't know of my lineage."
He hadn't heard her refer to him as 'that' Jedam and he hoped it would stay that way.
"No need for her to know then, at least for now... As for those other two, " he began, then stopped. Lying back on the ground to gain some well earned rest, he knew the time would come to ask what needed to be.
One hundred miles back in the direction of the former prison Kakariko, several soldiers on horseback had come upon the wreckage left courtesy of the escapees. As one soldier walked cautiously among the bodies, he stopped suddenly and, with a face of utmost disgust on his face, turned back toward the others.
"Sir, " he began, voice shaking. "I believe General Gano should see this... though it may not suit him as positive." The squad's captain walked over to the soldier and, after seeing it for himself, sent word for the general to arrive at once. Nearly fourty minutes later a figure clad in black, untarnished armor had entered the site and dismounted his horse.
The lowly soldiers mentally cowered and near threw themselves out of the way as General Gano swept by them, his heavy boots composing a dull monotonous clank as they met the blood soaked ground.
"Here, General, " the captain said, unsure if the irritable General's temper would allow him to leave his spot unharmed.
As the towering Gano's eyes fell upon the wreckage, a rage like none other he'd felt before exploded within him. Before his very eyes lay the grotesque form of nine mangled soldiers, their bodies tampered with and laid in the shape of a Triforce. Unlike the Triforce Gano had shoved into the faces of all of Hyrule over the years of his reign, this one lay pointing upwards as it had 300 years ago.
Nostrils flaring, Gano averted his gaze to the large 'monument' left just under the bodies. The number 1337 formed with both bloody weapons and ligaments engraved itself into his mind. Nearby the numbers were 13, 33 and 337's 'gifts' to the General.
Leather straps of the Shiekah used to designate their assassinations were attached to a few of the dead soldiers. Five, he counted. Nearby the stripe of a former Hellrider had been violently set into a body. To the right of the stripe: a basic Gerudo symbol written in the blood of another nearby fallen soldier.
Gnisal, Meathos and Jedam hoped deep down that the general would appreciate their presents.
As the General fumed and clenched his fists, the captain built up the courage to utter a syllable.
"Gen-"
The captain was cut off by the abrupt spinning around of Gano, followed by a heavy spiked gaunlet to the face. Gano stepped over the man, now clutching his bloodied mug.
"Those bastards wished to make themselves known to me, eh?" Gano's angered voice rose, frightening the men around him. "Their wish has been granted. All available men will now pursure these curs. Any Gerudo, Shiekah or former soldiers are to be captured and brought personally to me. If they are wounded, the attacker's life will be wasted away in the prison."
The soldiers scrambled away from the fuming general, readying to give chase to the caravan.
"Oh yes, I'll be needing a new captain as well."
Not granting the bleeding man another glance, Gano mounted his great horse and set off at a rush back towards 'his' castle.
Ayame had unsheathed her katana, quietly for she did not want to alarm anyone, and was now finishing cleaning it with a cloth she had found in the wagon. But that's wasn't all she was doing.
She was also thinking about Naoto, and all the other Gerudos that were fighting at the present moment. This image of his dead body, lying in a massive grave somewhere with so many others made her even angrier at her enemies. She wondered if Jedam was thinking about them too.
He must have known Naoto. He was a great leader, very well respected. She turned away, and quickly wiped the tear from her eye. She still hadn't managed to think about him without having the urge to cry.
She turned back, making it seem as if she had only glanced at something. She finished cleaning her katana, and sheathed it. Hylian blood was so disgusting.
Suddenly, Ayame took off her black cloak, exposing her scars. She didn't bother to look up at anyone, to see if there were any reactions. She detached the sheaths holding her daggers and placed them beside her. She also took the poison out of her cloak, and placed it in the pouch on her belt. She left the matches and the glass cutter inside the cloak.
She tossed the cloak over to Gnisal, and it landed beside him.
Whether he had realized it or not, she had been watching everyone closely out of the corner of her eyes. She had quickly noticed Gnisal's discomfort.
"Put it on if you like, I don't care. It will block the sun for you. Don't worry, you don't have to say anything." she said, waving a hand at him when he looked like he was going to speak. She didn't smile at him or anything. Her face remained emotionless.
She found room in the wagon, and laid down on her back, putting her feet up on a small box. She put her hands behind her head and stared up at the sky. For there is nothing a Gerudo enjoys more than the sunlight. She figured she might as well claim her sleeping spot before anyone else got comfortable, especially the Gorons.
She didn't really want to have a conversation with anyone, besides Jedam, but she figured she might as well earn the trust of the others, considering she just fought side by side with them, and will do the same thing once again.
"Sirithe…how's your head?"
This took everyone by surprise, except for Jedam. To him, she didn't seem so quiet. Some even wondered who had spoken.
Sirithe responded, still surprised. "Oh…um, I'm fine, just a bump."
"That's good…" Ayame then closed her eyes. That was enough conversation for one day.
Cahir saw Darmani talking to Meathos. He thought about going to see what they were talking about, but decided to rest instead.
"Cahir, we are leaving."
"Where to, Darmani, the Mountain Village in Termina?"
"Yes, we will settle there for now, maybe find a perminent home later."
"Wait," Meathos said coming to Cahir and Darmani. "Before you go, maybe he could stay with us, we could use the strength of a Goron where we're going. And don't worry, we'll take good care of him."
"Only if Cahir wants to."
"Yes, I'll go."
"Well make sure you say good-bye for sister, I'm sure she'll miss you."
"Yeah, I'll go see her." Cahir walked over to her, telling her bye. They hugged and Cahir came back to Darmani and Meathos. "She's pretty sad, but I need to help these people, plus I hate the Hyrulians just as much as them."
"Yes, well, good-bye Cahir, for now."
"Bye."
Malon looked at the group of people she was now traveling with. There were 2 Gerudos, a lot of Gorons, a Sheikah covered in blood, a Hylian with a very odd accent, a man that was like a Hylian but wasn't, and Meathos. She knew that another Hylian was in the wagon. She looked over at the female Gerudo. No one seemed to care about her except the other Gerudo and neither did she about the rest. She was practically in her own world. It didn't seem like she'd respond to her if she said something. Malon sighed as she walked away. She could possibly have a friend if the female Gerudo would open up to her. Her black eyes scanned the group and she saw the foreigner as one of the people put it. She walked over to him and said,
"I didn't catch your name."
The foreigner looked up and said,
"Jack. My name is Jack."
Malon tried not to laugh. Jack, what an odd name among this group.
"Well, Jack, what's that guys name over there?"
she pointed at the Sheikah man.
"Lassie, that'd be Gnisal."
Malon suppressed laughter once more. Now Jack sounded even more out of place.
"And the Gerudos?"
"Jedam and Ayame."
"That strange man?"
"Albert."
"That other Hylian?"
"Sirithe."
"Thanks, Jack."
Malon walked over to the WarWagon. She looked over at Meathos. He was a born worker. She walked over to him and asked
"So, uh, where are we going again?"
"Kokiri Forest."
"Thanks, Meathos."
Malon continued walking around. There was just one thought that kept coming. Kokiri Forest? Isn't that the seclusion area of the Kokiri people? Why are we going there? She didn't ask anybody seeing as they probably thought she was just a pathetic kid. She looked over at the Gorons. What hilarious creatures they were! They were huge with rocks growing out of their backs. She noticed one of them doing a punch. She turned the other way and looked at Gnisal. He now had a cloak! She turned to Ayame and saw a load of scars on her as she climbed into the WarWagon. She then heard a voice talking to Sirithe. She didn't know who that was until finally she figured out it was Ayame. Wow, and I thought she had a vow of silence. She turned back towards Meathos and saw a Goron talking with him. The Goron walked over to another one and began talking. She walked closer and heard them talking.
"Cahir, we are leaving."
"Where to, Darmani, the Mountain Village in Termina?"
"Yes, we'll settle there for now, maybe find a permanent home later."
She felt a little, unsafe now knowing the group was losing all this protection. Meathos walked up to the Gorons and said to Cahir and Darmani
"Wait, Before you go, maybe he could stay with us, we could use the strength of a Goron where we're going. And don't worry, we'll take good care of him."
"Only if Cahir wants to."
"Yes, I'll go."
Malon walked off, knowing that the group had some protection now. She looked over at Gnisal, he seemed, calmer now but she wouldn't risk saying anything to him for a while. Malon walked over to Albert quietly. He seemed so funny and strange.
"Whatcha doin?"
Albert jumped with a start to see Malon standing over him.
"Oh. Hello there...uh...Malon is it? I was just reflecting on my past."
"Oh. I see. Well, I guess you want to be alone now, so-"
"Wait. Stay, and tell me a little about yourself. I have a feeling that all of us could grow if we know about each other."
Malon sat next to Albert,
"Well, you see, my family, my foster family that is, have told me nothing but lies all my life. I can never forgive them. That's why I stole these Gold Bow and Arrows from them."
Malon pulled out her Gold Bow and a few Golden arrows. Albert looked at them and smiled.
"Hmm...you sound as if you...genuinely hated those people."
"Well, what else could I do? They had told me that the Hellriders were evil, and Meathos surely isn't evil. They said that Greudos and Sheikahs never got along, yet Jedam and Gnisal are good pals. They had told lies to my face, and I can never forgive them."
"I see what you mean."
"But enough about me. Tell me about yourself. How did you get so good at fighting?"
"Well, it started about 9 years ago...from what I can remember. I was enlisted in the Hyrulian Army. Mind you, back then it was a time of peace. 3 years later, my company was shipped off to war, and we endured many hardships, eventually meeting our goal, but losing good soldiers as well. When I had returned home, my village called me a hero for saving not only them, but all of Hyrule. Apparently, the rest of my company was also. then, 6 years later, I awoke to find a statue of me in the central plaza of the village. I was captured for trying to touch it. To make a long story short, I escaped, taking my weapons," he drew the Grayswandir and Fenrir, "And putting the man in charge out of commission for a few days. And now I'm here. But from what I can remember, there weren't any Hellriders around when I returned. So I'm traveling with Meathos to find out what's happened these past 6 years. I didn't recognize anyone when I woke up. What was worse, I couldn't find any of my family or friends. When I asked, they started calling me crazy."
"That's so sad."
"Yes, but its good to talk it out. Even if it brings...pain. But I always remember what my father would tell me, 'Even if we're apart, our hearts will be together.'"
"Well, I'm gonna go mingle some more. Nice to meet you!"
What a poor man. I really feel sorry for him.
She looked around and saw Gnisal. She sided up to him and looked up at him. He was staring at Meathos moving the WarWagon. The heat seemed to bother him.
"Hey, whatcha doing?"
She touched his arm and he seemed to grow tense. He glared down at her, beads of sweat dripping off his face, and growled,
"Get away from me!"
Malon jumped back and went into the other direction. Great, this is what's it's going to be like from now on? Grumpy old people acting like 5-year-olds. She ran her fingers through her auburn hair. She then laid down on the ground. A little nap wouldn't hurt. She let out one last sigh and closed her eyes.