The Gerudo and the Hylians had once again gathered within the fortress of Taafei. Just as before, Queen Urballa sat on one side of the table, joined by Prince Harun and Elder Kobami. On the other side sat Governor Vapith, accompanied by Princess Zelda and Sage Aurun, with Zelda's Sheikah bodyguard, Impa, lurking behind her. However, this time, the two younger princesses had joined them as well. Princess Sabah and Princess Seraphina sat beside each other, in between the Gerudo and Hylian parties. They were watched over by Commander Bularis and Dame Jeanne, who stood at the head of their respective guard details.
"Are we ready to begin?" Governor Vapith asked, smoothing out a pile of papers on the table in front of her.
"By all means," Queen Urballa confirmed, gesturing invitingly with her hand.
"Very well." The governor nodded before proceeding. "When we last spoke, we reviewed the agreement made between the royal families of Hyrule and Gerudo. There were several concerns, including a lack of progress towards eliminating demon worship, as well as questionable handling of the situation revolving around the Gerudo Voe."
"I have some thoughts on that matter," Harun spoke up, shooting a glare at the Sage of Light.
"Perhaps it would be best not to interrupt, Prince Harun," Urballa warned politely.
"No," Princess Zelda disagreed. "He may speak. I wish to hear what the prince has to say."
"Thank you, your highness," Harun said. "Allow me to explain. Only a few short moments ago, your sage came to me with an idea," he said, shooting another glance at Aurun.
"It was merely a thought," the sage interrupted. "A matter to be explored at a later time."
Harun still could not comprehend why the sage considered this matter to be something that could wait. "With respect, Sage, the dark forces that seek to control me do not operate by your schedule."
Princess Seraphina giggled at Harun's remark. Everyone turned their attention to her, which caused Princess Sabah to look embarrassed. Seraphina, however, simply smiled, apparently glad to be receiving so much attention. Dame Jeanne placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder and leaned down to whisper something into her ear. Seraphina nodded and ceased her laughter.
The elder Hylian princess turned back to Harun. "Please, continue. What was this idea?"
Harun cleared his throat. "The Sage of Light wisely pointed out a possible solution to the Curse of Demise," he explained. "The curse cannot be undone by the gods, but long ago, the goddess Hylia devised a method of overcoming such a limitation when she sought to make use of the Triforce."
Princess Zelda's steely gaze seemed to harden, and for a moment Harun was worried that perhaps he had upset her by invoking Hylia's name so lightly. However, she may have simply been working it out in her head. "You speak of Her Grace's reincarnation - when she came to this realm in the form of my great ancestor, Zelda the First."
"That is correct, your highness," the Gerudo prince agreed. "Her blood flows through you. Perhaps you are able to do what the gods cannot, just as your ancestor did."
Zelda steepled her hands for a moment, thinking. Then she turned to Sage Aurun. "That was clever thinking indeed, wise sage," she said to him.
"Thank you, your highness."
The younger Hylian princess gasped excitedly. "You mean we can help him?" she asked her elder sister. Harun had not thought of it before, but with two descendants of Hylia present, perhaps the chances of them being able to break the curse would be even higher. "Yay! Let's do it!" Seraphina turned to Harun. "What do you need us to do?"
"I suppose it is a possibility worth exploring," Zelda concluded. "But it is not a matter to be taken lightly. If the curse we are dealing with is as old and powerful as we suspect, then we must approach it with the utmost care."
The Voe was beginning to feel hopeful again. "So you will do it, your highness?"
"Yes, in time," the elder princess confirmed. "I would like to do some research first, and consult the gods for guidance. We can begin as soon as our own matters have been resolved here."
"Yay!" Princess Seraphina cheered.
Harun would have preferred to receive their help immediately, so this solution was not ideal. However, he conceded that it was not something that could be done expediently, so he was willing to be patient so long as he knew they would be working towards it in the meantime.
Perhaps the sage had a point. I will see to it that these negotiations are quick, then.
"I am against this," Elder Kobami said plainly. Harun glared at her, but she did not notice him, instead turning to Urballa. "My queen, we cannot allow this blasphemy. If the Curse of Demise is broken, the next step will be to exorcise the spirit of Lord Ganon."
"It is Harun's decision," Urballa said, denying her concerns immediately. "I am in agreement. We shall work together with the Hylian princesses in order to cleanse my ward's spirit."
Harun felt a deep appreciation for his queen upon hearing that. "Thank you," he said to both her and Princess Zelda.
"Excellent," Governor Vapith said, moving her quill across the page. "That settles that matter."
"I should hope this has alleviated any concerns you might have had about the matter of demon worship in Gerudo," Urballa pointed out. "Surely the action we wish to take against the demon lords is proof enough that I will not allow them to gain control of my kingdom again."
The governor nodded, conceding the point. "That sounds agreeable as well," she said, taking down another note. "Any objections, your highness? Sage Aurun?"
"No, Governor."
"None."
"Good," Queen Urballa said. "Which means, as I have expressed previously, I have remained true to the terms of our agreement."
"That may require a more thorough review, but I am satisfied at the moment," Governor Vapith agreed.
Queen Urballa smiled pridefully, sitting upright in her chair. "Splendid. In that case, what of my petition for the governorship?"
"There are still other factors to be considered." The governor passed a set of papers to Princess Zelda, then set another one in front of herself.
Urballa's expression hardened, clearly becoming somewhat frustrated once again. "I gave you all other pertinent information yesterday. Aside from the issues which we have all agreed are being handled already, the desert and the highlands have been thriving under my administration."
"That may be true," Princess Zelda said coldly. "But there is something very important that I wish to know."
"And what, exactly, is that?"
"Do you understand the importance of a united Hyrule?" Zelda asked.
Urballa narrowed her eyes, but did not respond immediately.
Elder Kobami scoffed and banged her staff against the ground. "What is this drivel, now?" the witch demanded.
"To be the governor means to be an arm of the Royal Family," Princess Zelda elaborated. "The Kingdom of Hyrule may be made up of nine different provinces, but it is all one kingdom under one rule. A governor must view their province not as a separate realm, but as a portion of Hyrule that they oversee in the name of the king."
"We are not entirely convinced you view the Gerudo Province as anything other than the Gerudo Kingdom," Governor Vapith added.
"It is the Gerudo Kingdom," Elder Kobami stated firmly. "Urballa is its queen, and one day, Harun shall be its king, with Princess Sabah at his side."
Sabah flinched at the mention of her name, but she said nothing. Harun considered whether or not to join the debate, but he was conflicted. Gerudo was his home, and his people were so different from the Hylians. It seemed strange to treat Gerudo and Hyrule as one in the same. On the other hand, the Hylian princesses were offering him aid, and despite their differences, he had seen that their peoples could get along.
Are we truly better off remaining one kingdom?
"I have a question about that as well," Princess Zelda stated.
"About what?" Kobami asked.
The Hylian princess turned to Sabah. "You are betrothed to Prince Harun, correct?"
Sabah's eyes opened wide at being addressed directly in front of everyone like that. "Um. Y-Yes, I am, your highness."
"How do you feel about this arrangement?" Zelda inquired.
The Gerudo princess stared at Zelda for a moment, then turned to her mother. Harun could tell Sabah had reservations, but was worried about expressing them. Queen Urballa seemed confused, as if she'd been expecting Sabah to answer the question easily. "Go ahead, my dear," the queen urged her.
Princess Seraphina scooted her chair closer to Sabah. "It's okay," she said with an encouraging smile. "Tell us how you feel."
"Um… Well," Sabah began, sitting up straight. "I suppose I don't… particularly… understand it?"
"What do you mean, your highness?" Elder Kobami asked. "You and the prince are to be married. You shall be his queen."
"But Gerudo do not marry. Not usually," Sabah pointed out. "And, well, I know marriage is something Hylians do, and something other peoples do as well. You're supposed to marry someone who… who…"
"Someone you love!" Seraphina said cheerfully.
"Right," Sabah said. She turned her head to Harun, looking at him apologetically. "And… Well… I don't think…"
She did not finish her sentence, but Harun knew what she was saying. In a way, he felt relieved. His arranged marriage with her was something he had never felt comfortable with, but he had never been able to properly express his reservations to Queen Urballa. Perhaps now that Urballa's daughter was expressing her own concerns, it might be easier to talk her into reconsidering.
"I think we've heard enough," Sage Aurun said. "Queen Urballa, do you truly intend to force your own daughter into a marriage she does not want?"
"The princess is a child," Elder Kobami interrupted. "She simply doesn't understand the importance of this tradition. When she is of age-"
"Enough," Urballa said, holding up her hand for silence. Kobami looked angry, but did as she was commanded. The queen scanned the room silently, paying special attention to her daughter and to Harun. "It has long been the tradition of the Gerudo for the Voe to marry into the royal family," she explained to everyone. "I have taken it as a given that the same would occur with Prince Harun and my daughter. But…" She gave Harun another appraising look, as if she could tell he was worried about the prospective marriage as well. "It appears the situation is more… complicated than I'd come to understand. Rest assured, no marriage will take place unless both my daughter and the prince consent to it."
Harun breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank you, my queen.
Strangely, the Hylians at the other end of the table exchanged conspiratorial looks. Governor Vapith even smiled slightly as she noted something down.
What is the meaning of this? Were they hoping to prevent our marriage?
Harun was not sure why the Hylians would even care about such a matter, but it did not concern him either way. He did not want the marriage to take place either, so if the Hylians felt the same way, that would only make things easier for him.
"That's okay," Princess Seraphina said, putting her arm around Sabah. "I know lots of boys. You can marry someone from Hyrule!"
Sabah smiled, chuckling lightly. "My thanks, Sera. I shall consider it."
Princess Zelda cleared her throat. "Splendid. I am pleased to have this matter settled so amicably. However, this does raise an additional question. Queen Urballa, who shall be your successor?"
The Gerudo queen narrowed her eyes. "My successor? Why do you ask?"
"If we are to plan for the future, we must know who is to take your place as king or queen, and possibly governor," Vapith explained.
Harun was surprised to hear the current governor even mention the possibility of relinquishing her position to someone else. Urballa seemed just as surprised. "I see. Well, it had always been my plan for my daughter and Harun to rule Gerudo together. However, if my daughter is to take no husband, I suppose that will not be the case."
"That being so, your daughter would be Queen of Gerudo, would she not?" Sage Aurun asked. Although Harun was older than Sabah, he had no blood relation to the queen, so Sabah was technically first in the line of succession.
"Yes, she would be," Urballa confirmed. "I have been training her to be a wise ruler since she was young. I am certain she shall make a fine queen."
"Your Grace, this is nonsense," Elder Kobami said, voicing her complaint. "The Voe must be king. That is the way of the Gerudo."
"He shall be king if Sabah chooses to marry him," Urballa reiterated. "Until then, he shall continue to serve the kingdom in whatever capacity he is most suited for. Have you any objections, Prince Harun?"
Thinking about it, Harun figured most people would be upset to have their chance at obtaining the throne pulled out of their grasp so suddenly. However, he had observed his queen for years, and it was clear to him what a terrible burden it was to sit upon that throne. "I do not wish for Princess Sabah to suffer alone with the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders," he said, "but if she wishes to take it upon herself, she shall have my support."
Sabah seemed worried by what he had said, but she was not expected to become queen for many years. She was already wise for one so young, so Harun had no doubt she would grow up to be a good ruler.
"Splendid. We are aligned then, for the time being," Queen Urballa stated. "However, Governor Vapith, if you are speaking of my successor becoming the governor of Gerudo, am I to take that as meaning you are once again rejecting my petition for the governorship?"
Governor Vapith steepled her fingers. "I have reviewed your proposal. Many times. I may be willing to concede to some of your requests, which we shall continue to discuss going forward. But, so long as your inner circle is composed of so many Gerudo separatists," she said, eying Elder Kobami in particular, "we feel you cannot be trusted to help keep the kingdom unified."
"That is not fair," Urballa insisted, raising her voice. "Half of Gerudo holds some measure of Ganonite views. If I were to take only Hylianite advisors, I would deprive too many citizens of a voice in my court."
"Do not bother, my queen," Elder Kobami said. "This entire gathering is a meaningless farce. They will never give you any real power so long as you remain under their thumb. A revolution is inevitable, but none of you-"
"That is enough out of you, witch," Sage Aurun demanded.
Princess Zelda held up her hand for silence, and the sage complied. "Perhaps we should end here for today. We can discuss Queen Urballa's proposal in further detail tomorrow, including reexamining the possibility of the governorship if it is deemed a worthy consideration."
After the Gerudo party left the council chambers to allow the Hylians to discuss matters amongst themselves, Urballa and her retinue were taken to the mess hall for a midday meal. Once they were finished, like the previous day, they were allowed to roam the grounds under the supervision of the Hylian guards.
Harun chose to return to their guest quarters, where he sat and spoke with his own guards in the common area for a while. However, he soon grew weary of their usual attempts to gain favor with him. As expected, his supporters were against the decision for Princess Sabah to be the queen's heir, saying he should be king instead. None of them seemed to understand his feelings on the matter, and being in the company of Gerudo his own age only caused him to think of Katta once again. So, the Gerudo prince retired to his bed chambers to read.
The sun was much lower in the sky when he heard a knock on his door. "Um, Prince Harun?" came Emri's voice. "Princess Sabah and Princess Seraphina are here to see you."
Both princesses?
Harun stood up. "You may send them in."
"Yes, your highness."
The door opened. Sabah stood there, with Seraphina beside her and the guards behind them. However, they did not come into the room right away. Instead, the Hylian princess tapped the Gerudo princess on the shoulder, then whispered something into her ear when she bent down. Sabah nodded, standing up straight again, then stepped into Harun's room.
"I'll be down the hall, Sabah," Seraphina said.
"Alright. Thank you, Sera," Sabah replied.
Seraphina's bodyguard shut the door as they left. Harun was left confused by that exchange, but now Princess Sabah was alone in the room with him. "Greeting, Princess," he said to her. Sabah's gaze was down on the floor. She looked nervous; even guilty. "Sabah?"
"I apologize for what I did today," the princess said, finally looking him in the eyes. She appeared to be on the verge of tears. "I, I, I was asked some very difficult questions in front of so many important people. I had no choice but to answer with all honesty."
Harun was confused. She had said many things at the negotiations, but none of them had offended him. "Sabah, what are you saying?"
"I did not mean to call off our wedding so suddenly and so publicly. And I have no desire to usurp your throne," she confessed. "I am so sorry. Please forgive me." Pressing her hands together in an apologetic gesture, she closed her eyes as she began to weep.
"Sabah!" Harun embraced her, unsure what else to do. He held her against him as she cried and tried to think of what to say to calm her down. "Sabah, you mustn't worry," he told her. "I promise you, I have not taken anything you have said today as a slight against me."
"How can that be?" Sabah asked, likely assuming he was merely trying to spare her feelings. "Mother has always said you would be king. She has always said I would be your wife. You… You must think…"
"Sabah, please, sit down," Harun insisted, seeing she was close to crying again. Sniffling, she nodded her head and complied, taking a seat in one of the chairs by the desk while Harun sat down across from her.
To the prince, it was bizarre seeing Sabah like this. She was usually so calm and collected, acting very mature for her age, like a proper lady of the queen's court. Seeing her cry reminded him that she was truly only twelve years of age, despite what wisdom she had been known to show.
"My princess," Harun began, trying to sound as formal as possible. "I have always believed that I would be king one day - by obligation. My mother figures have been telling me from a young age what was to be expected of the Voe, and I have always been prepared to accept that responsibility. But even so, it was not something I desired for my own sake."
Sabah dried her eyes with a handkerchief. "Is that true, Harun?"
"Yes," he assured her. "All I've ever wanted is to do my duty for my people. If my duty is not to be the king or to be your husband, then, as I said, I am willing to aid you in whatever way I can once you become queen."
Sabah nodded her head, but she appeared deep in thought, almost hazy as she processed everything. "So… you did not wish to marry me either?"
Harun grimaced, scratching his forehead nervously. "In truth, it is not a concept I fully understand either," he admitted. "I have read much literature from Hyrule and from the lands to the east. Husbands and wives are often mentioned. It is often the end goal of those who are romantically involved. But we Gerudo do not marry. And…"
"And the only one you've been romantically involved with was Katta," Sabah finished for him.
Harun nodded slowly, feeling the guilt gnawing at him.
"I'm… sorry. About what happened to her," the princess went on. "I knew you were with her. I never knew what to say about it. I… I felt horrible, knowing I would one day have to take you away from her."
The prince had not been expecting that. He'd had no idea that she felt that way, and from the sound of it, she had been silent on the matter of their marriage for as long as he had been. "None of this was your fault," he assured her. "And it does not matter that we are not to be married. You have helped me in so many ways. You talked sense into me after what I was forced to do to Lady Averla. And for as long as you have been alive, you have been a part of my family."
Sabah looked touched. She stared at him for a moment, then smiled. "Yes," she said, a bit of happiness returning to her at last. "This… I think it is better this way."
They sat in silence for a brief moment, both clearly relieved that their arranged marriage had been called off at last. Sabah stood up, and Harun assumed she meant to leave, so he stood to walk her out. But first, she embraced him once more. "Thank you, Harun."
"And thank you, Sabah."
She let go of him and headed for the door. "I will speak to Mother and make sure she is clear on the matter," she said. "And I will see you at dinner."
"Of course. Enjoy your time with Princess Seraphina," Harun said before she left.
Finding himself once again alone in his quarters, Harun lay down on the bed. He felt exhausted, but content. With so many things having gone wrong in his life lately, he was glad to finally have a stroke of good fortune.
Perhaps the gods smile upon me after all.
The next morning, Harun decided to visit the gate that led from Taafei out into the Gerudo Desert. He was curious what the view was like from atop it. His elders had told him many stories about King Ganondorf. According to legend, he had been staring out across the desolate landscape when he had his grand revelation that led to his desire to conquer Hyrule. That would have been back before his first failed rebellion, so perhaps he had been somewhat premature.
As the prince stood atop the highest tower, the view was certainly expansive. But, as expected, there was not much to see. The desert was truly a wasteland, with the only habitable places in view being Kara Kara and a barely visible Naboris in the distance. With the sun beating down on him, he could imagine how difficult life must be for the nomads wandering the desert. No rain, no crops, frequent storms, and an abundance of monsters. Hyrule had to have been better, because it certainly couldn't be worse.
How do you feel, Elder One? Was this your line of thinking two hundred years ago?
Harun closed his eyes, attempting to commune with the spirit of Ganondorf. He felt nothing for a moment, so he tried some of the meditation techniques Sage Nashorla had taught him. He steadied his breathing and pushed his idle thoughts to the back of his mind, trying to picture the man he wished to speak with. Soon, he could feel that familiar surge of power growing within him.
When he opened his eyes, he looked around. He was in the same place, but something was different. The Hylians that had been patrolling the walls were gone, and in their place, there were Gerudo women wielding glaives and wearing rather old-fashioned violet uniforms.
"Look, my lord. Look and see," said a voice from beside him. Floating over the edge of the tower atop a broomstick was the flaming-haired sorceress, Koume. "A burning wind punishes our lands, searing the world."
"And when the moon climbs into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierces our homes," came a voice from his other side. The nearly identical ice sorceress Kotake continued what her sister had been saying. "The people of Hyrule do not suffer as we do."
"They live amongst lush, green lands."
"Lands bountiful with crops."
"They live amongst flowing rivers."
"And sparkling lakes."
"The gods bless them with wealth and fortune."
"While not allowing us to even bear sons."
After switching off numerous times, they both spoke in unison. "My lord, how long must this go on?"
"Hmm…" Harun leaned onto the parapet, musing at the twins' words. "How long indeed…"
"Your highness."
Harun felt himself being pulled back to reality. He stepped away from the edge of the tower, and saw that the witches were gone. Instead, there was an armored Hylian woman standing atop the tower with him. "An alarm was sounded at the fortress," Knight Commander Moza told him.
The prince could hear loud bells sounding in the distance, but he could not focus on them right away. Instead, he stared at Dame Moza. He did not understand why, but he felt a strong, seething hatred for her at that moment. He clenched his jaw and took a step away from her, worried he would strike her if he didn't restrain himself.
Dammit, Elder One. She is not my enemy.
"Your highness?" Dame Moza asked, sounding confused by his odd behavior.
Harun shook his head, trying to overcome the irrational hatred for the Hylians that Ganondorf was infecting him with. That was when the sound of the bells finally sunk in. "Alarm?" he asked, looking down at the short woman. "What is wrong? Has something happened?" he asked worriedly.
"I do not know, your highness," Moza replied. "But it would be best if you returned to the fortress with me immediately."
You do not command me, Hylian.
"Of course," Harun replied, fighting his inner voice.
Together, they climbed down the ladder. Harun's guards and a group of Hylian guards were waiting for them at the bottom. With Dame Moza leading the way, they all hurried up the road leading back to the fortress of Taafei.
Harun was expecting a monster attack, or perhaps a fire. However, as they approached the main fortress complex, he saw only humans fighting. On several levels, there were Gerudo clashing weapons with Hylians, and the ground floor was already littered with the fallen.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Harun demanded. His guards fell in around him, readying their spears as if preparing for their Hylian escorts to attack them.
The Hylians drew their swords as well, but Dame Moza held up her hand. "Halt! Stand down, soldiers," she ordered her own guards. "Your highness," she said, addressing Harun. "I have no idea what is going on in the fortress, but I recommend we return to the guest quarters until-"
"Are you mad?" Harun gestured to the ongoing battle up ahead. "I will not be stashed away while my people are being slaughtered."
"From where I'm standing, it looks as though your queen is attempting a coup," Dame Moza replied. "If you truly had no prior knowledge of this, it would be best if we kept you somewhere safe so you do not end up punished for another's crimes."
"You do not speak of my queen like that!" Harun shouted. "Guards, follow me. We're going to find Urballa and get to the bottom of this."
"Yes, my prince." Many of the Gerudo voiced their agreement as they began moving towards the fortress again.
"Prince Harun, please!" Dame Moza followed, leading her troops with her. "This area is not safe. We cannot-"
Harun glimpsed an arrow flying over his head, and heard the guttural sounds Dame Moza made when it hit her. He stopped and turned around, looking on in horror as she fell to her knees, blood flowing from her neck where the arrow had pierced her. The Hylian guards rushed to her aid, trying to keep her steady.
Oh gods, no.
Turning back around, he saw several Gerudo with bows higher up on the walls, but he could not tell which of them had taken the shot. "Stop!" he shouted up to them, hoping the shooter would listen. "In the name of your prince, cease your attack!"
"You bastards!" one of Moza's soldiers cried. Before Harun could react, the man ran towards them with his sword drawn, only to end up impaled by Laine's spear.
"No! Don't!" Harun ordered, but it was too late. The rest of the Hylians joined in, and the prince's guards had no choice but to retaliate. Harun stepped backward, watching powerlessly as they killed each other in front of his eyes.
The fight was over quickly. The Hylians had the advantage of numbers, but each Gerudo was much larger and more formidable. In the end, Kyra, Emrie, Laine, and two more of his guards remained, while several had fallen along with the Hylians.
"Prince Harun," Emri said hurriedly as she came to his side. "Are you hurt?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. He stared at the bodies of the Hylians, unable to process the fact that they had not been his enemies just moments ago. The spirit of Ganondorf had certainly wanted them dead, but Harun had not.
They were merely soldiers doing their duty. They did not deserve to die.
"What are your orders, your highness?" Kyra asked.
Harun stood still for a moment, trying to clear his head. "We… We press on. Find Queen Urballa and discover the cause of this conflict." He turned to move, then stopped. "But do not engage the Hylians," he ordered. "Fight only if we are attacked."
"Yes, my prince."
The six of them continued into the fortress. In the entrance hall, they found the aftermath of a battle, with both Hylian and Gerudo corpses strewn about. However, up the stairs, they found a contingent of Gerudo troops keeping watch over the area, which meant the Gerudo had been the victors of this particular fight.
"Prince Harun." The leader of the troops, an Iron Knuckle, removed her helmet when she saw the prince. "Thank Nephysis you are safe."
"What the hell is happening?" Harun demanded. "Why has Taafei become a warzone?" The Iron Knuckle looked surprised, but her expression quickly became crestfallen. "What is it?" Harun asked.
"Prince Harun… Princess Sabah is dead."
"...What?"
Impossible.
"How? When?" Harun asked, his breathing becoming rapid as panic set in.
"She was found in her bed. Her throat had been cut," the Iron Knuckle explained.
"What?" Harun took a step back, suddenly losing his balance. Kyra and Emri caught him in their arms and tried to steady him.
What is happening? This is madness! Everything was going so well…
"My prince, perhaps you should lie down," Laine suggested.
"No." Harun shook his head in refusal. "Where is the queen?" he asked the Iron Knuckle.
"She is taking the main force to the governor's throne room," she replied.
Without another word, Harun rushed past her.
Luckily, the way to the throne room was mostly a straight path, although they had to climb some stairs and double back. They only encountered one other group of soldiers, but they were Gerudo as well, and Harun was able to pass by them without having to explain himself. Along the way, he racked his brain trying to figure out what was happening.
Why would the Hylians kill Sabah? They had no reason to. But who else would?
He briefly considered the possibility of monsters, but they were not known for their stealth, and even if they were, that wouldn't explain why Sabah had been targeted.
A threat? To Urballa? But why?
When he and his guards arrived in the throne room, Harun saw the doors had been knocked down. There were some Gerudo soldiers standing outside, but they did not attempt to stop him as he entered.
"Why? Why did you do it? I demand to know!" Queen Urballa shouted. She was standing in the center of the room, with a veritable army a few meters behind her.
Harun forced his way through the crowd so he could have a view. Elder Kobami stood at the front of the crowd, grinning with wicked glee at the events unfolding. Off to the right side of the room, Governor Vapith was being held captive, forced to kneel while soldiers gripped her shoulders. Commander Bularis stood next to her, holding her battleaxe above the captive like an executioner waiting for the signal. Up the short set of stairs on the other end of the room, Princess Zelda stood in front of the governor's throne. She had her own army of Hylians with her, along with her Sheikah bodyguard and the Sage of Light.
"You're making a mistake," Princess Zelda spoke plainly, looking down at Urballa with her cold, steely eyes. "If Princess Sabah was killed, it was not by my command, nor those of Governor Vapith."
"You lie!" Urballa raised her hand and pointed an accusatory finger at the Hylian princess. "That's all you've done since the moment you summoned me here. You never had any intention of heeding my request. Your only goal was to set an example. To keep me in line. You made me name my heir so you could take her from me - to let me know you could do the same to me whenever you wished!"
"That is quite enough," Princess Zelda told her. "I assure you, your daughter's death shall be thoroughly investigated and the culprit will be summarily punished. But before that, you will release Governor Vapith and tell your women to stand down. Now."
"My queen, please do as she says," Harun pleaded, wishing to prevent further bloodshed. He was completely clueless as to whether or not the Hylian princess was lying, but if they killed her now, perhaps they would never learn the truth.
"Do not listen to him, my queen," Elder Kobami said, stepping closer to Urballa. "We control the fortress now. This is your kingdom once again, and no one orders you to do anything."
"Tell me who killed her," Urballa demanded. "Was it your Sheikah snake? Who gave the order? Was it you, or Vapith? Tell me now, or I shall have both your heads!"
Zelda's Sheikah bodyguard attempted to step in front of her, but the princess waved her off. "Make no attempt to harm me or my governor," Zelda ordered. "Release Vapith at once. Touching even a single hair on her head would be an act of war."
Elder Kobami smiled. "Good." She stepped closer to Urballa again, hobbling with her walking stick. "It is as I have always told you, my queen. War is upon us. We cannot delay it any longer."
Queen Urballa narrowed her eyes, not taking them off of Zelda for a second. "You're right," she declared. Turning her gaze to Bularis, Urballa raised her sword arm, then swiftly brought it downwards in a chopping motion.
"No!" Vapith shouted as her captors roughly shoved her, forcing her to bend forward. Before anyone else had the chance to object, Bularis swung her axe, chopping the governor's head clean off.
Princess Zelda was the first to react. She drew her rapier, and a second one rose into the air, hovering beside her. With lightning speed, she glided across the room towards Queen Urballa. The Gerudo Queen drew her own shield and scimitar, which crackled with lightning as she raised the weapon in front of her. The sound and force of their swords clashing hit the room like a shockwave, instantly informing them all that it was time for battle.
"Attack!" Elder Kobami ordered.
"Defend the princess!" Impa shouted, already rushing forward to join Zelda in combat.
While Urballa and Zelda continued to battle in the center of the throne room, the Gerudo and Hylian forces circled around them and clashed with one another in a flurry of swords and spears. Just as it had been with the fight against Dame Moza's guards, the battle was size versus numbers, with the Hylians outnumbering the Gerudo at least two to one. However, these Hylians all appeared to be well-trained, well-armed, veteran knights in the Hylian crown princess's honor guard, so they were not to be underestimated despite their short stature.
Commander Bularis and a couple of her Iron Knuckles cleaved their way through the enemy forces, swinging their colossal axes at anyone in their path. Princess Zelda's Sheikah bodyguard proved to be an impossibly agile fighter, dodging every blow aimed at her while cutting down women nearly twice her size with her oddly-shaped spear. Elder Kobami took to the air, striking down Hylians with bolts of lightning and blasts of fire. Sage Aurun stood in the back of the room, summoning shields of light to block Kobami's magic or rapidly heal his wounded allies.
At first, Harun simply stood back and watched, unable to decide what to do. But, as the fight proceeded in front of him, his mind became clouded. The Taafei fortress throne room disappeared from view, replaced with visions of other battles he had never witnessed. He saw Hylians and Gerudo fighting in Gerudo Valley and at the Arbiter's Grounds, the forces of Twilight tearing down the gates of Hyrule Castle and slaughtering the Hylians within, and a group of Hylians led by a young Hylian man clad in green retaking the castle from an army of monsters.
Nothing has changed. Nothing ever changes.
"Harun! Harun! Prince Harun!"
When the scene shifted back to the present, Harun found himself on his knees with his hands to his head. The battle was still ongoing, and Emri was kneeling beside him, shaking him as she tried to snap him out of it.
"What's wrong with him?" Kyra asked, standing over the two of them.
"Nothing," Harun said, moving to stand up. Kyra and Laine each grabbed one of his arms and helped him to his feet.
"Your highness, you are in no condition to fight. We must get you somewhere safe at once," Laine suggested.
"No!" Harun refused, shaking his head. However, he still had no idea what he wanted to do. He did not wish to fight the Hylians, but his people were dying. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing.
If only Sabah could…
As he thought about the princess, his mind drifted to Sabah's friend, the younger Hylian princess. She was not in the throne room with her sister, and from what Harun had seen, the entire fortress had become a warzone.
She is only a child, even younger than Sabah.
"Fine," Harun said to his guards. "We are leaving."
"We'll escort you back to your quarters," Laine said as they led him through the entryway to exit the throne room.
"No," Harun refused. "We are not going to our guest quarters. We are going to the Hylians' guest quarters."
"What? Why are we going there?" Kyra asked.
"Princess Seraphina," Harun said simply, unsure if he should express his desire to keep an enemy safe.
However, from the look in Emri's eyes, she seemed to understand him. "Yes," she said, smiling weakly. "Good idea, my prince. I believe she and her sister were being housed in the east end of the fortress, one floor down."
"Then that's where we're headed," Harun declared, hoping she would still be there and that she had managed to remain safe throughout the chaos.
He and his guards ran back down the stairs, then turned down the hall and entered the dormitories. They passed by several open bedroom doors, many of which revealed knocked over furniture and other signs of struggle. Harun was beginning to fear for the worst when he turned another corner. There was a hallway with a line of closed wooden doors. Several Gerudo were standing guard in the area, as if to keep watch over the rooms.
"Prince Harun," one of the guards said when he approached. "What news of the battle?"
Harun did not answer her. "What are you all doing here?" he asked.
"Us?" the soldier asked. "We're keeping watch over the prisoners, your highness. Those were our orders."
"What prisoners?"
"The younger princess. And some diplomats, and a priestess. We have them here in these rooms."
"Which room is the princess in?"
"That one," the soldier replied, pointing to the door with two guards standing in front of it. "But be careful, my lord. Her bodyguard is in there with her, and she is still armed. They locked themselves in there to escape the battle. We are merely making sure they do not back come out."
Harun thought for a moment, then decided this would be easier without any other Gerudo around. "Are you in charge here?" he asked the woman who was speaking with him.
"I am, your highness. In the absence of my captain."
"Take your troops and head to the throne room immediately," Harun ordered. "The queen is doing battle with Princess Zelda as we speak. We need backup."
The soldier looked conflicted, glancing over her shoulder at the locked doors. "But, your highness, what about the prisoners?"
"They will mean nothing if the queen falls," Harun replied quickly. "Now move!"
"Yes, my prince." The soldier turned and called to her troops, ordering them to follow her. Harun watched as she led them back the way he had come until they were out of sight.
"What are we doing?" Kyra asked. "If we needed more troops, we could have found some who weren't busy."
Harun did not answer. "Wait here," he ordered his three guards, then walked over to the door which supposedly had the younger Hylian princess behind it. Hoping not to startle them, he knocked on the door three times. "Princess Seraphina?"
"Begone!" came the voice of Dame Jeanne. "If you come through that door, I promise you, I will cut you down!"
Harun tried the handle, but it was locked from the inside. "Dame Jeanne, it is I, Harun," he said, speaking loudly in hopes that she would hear him clearly. "I mean you no harm. If Princess Seraphina is to make it safely out of Taafei, it must be done now while the battle is elsewhere."
"It's Harun," came Seraphina's voice. "Is Sabah with him?"
"Shh. Hush, child. Wait here." A moment later, the door opened a crack and the white helmet of Dame Jeanne poked through. "What is the meaning of this?" the knight demanded. "Are you in some way responsible for this treachery?"
They do not know what has happened either.
Harun shook his head. "There's no time to explain," he insisted. "Please. This area is dangerous. It is no place for a child. You must get Seraphina out of here while you still can."
Dame Jeanne looked at him skeptically, then spotted his guards. "Stand over there with them. Do not come any closer."
Harun nodded and backed up, returning to his guards. Jeanne cautiously crept outside of the room and looked around once more. She had one of those Hylian light magic barriers surrounding her, as if expecting an ambush. When she was apparently satisfied, she looked over her shoulder and waved to Seraphina. "Come, child. Hurry now." The young princess ran over and grabbed onto her, hugging her close. Jeanne put one arm around her, still holding her halberd with the other hand. "Attention, my people," she called out. "The Gerudo are releasing us. Please step outside and join me."
Slowly, the other prisoners' doors began to open. Frightened Hylian civilians stepped out into the hall, gathering around Seraphina's bodyguard.
"Dame knight, what are we going to do?"
"Are we safe?"
"What the hell is going on?"
"There is no time," Dame Jeanne said hurriedly. "Follow me. We are leaving. We'll get out through one of the secret exits. This way." Pointing with her halberd, she began herding her allies down the hall. Before she left, she turned to Harun. "Thank you, Prince Harun. You are a man of honor."
Harun did not know how to respond to that, so he simply nodded. "I wish you luck. Keep your princess safe."
"Bye, Harun," Seraphina said, waving to him with a worried look on her face. "Tell Sabah I'll see her again next time."
Harun felt his heart sink, but he did his best not to let any emotion show on his face. "Goodbye, Princess." He stood and watched them leave, waiting until they were out of sight before addressing his guards. "Never speak of this to anyone," he quietly ordered. "Not even the queen." The words felt treasonous before he'd even said them, but he had no choice. Thankfully, all three of these women were unnaturally loyal to him, so they all nodded their agreement.
"Yes, my prince."
"Aye. Whatever you say, Harun."
"I will not. You have my word."
Harun put his hand to his chin contemplatively as he tried to figure out what to do next. He couldn't put a stop to the battle in the throne room, but perhaps there were smaller battles throughout the complex that he could break up, or other civilians he could rescue. With any luck, the bloodshed could be minimized, which may make a ceasefire easier to negotiate later.
"What now, my prince?" Laine asked.
"Follow me," Harun ordered. "I have work to do."
Harun dreaded returning to the throne room, knowing what would come next, but he couldn't avoid it forever. After what had transpired, they were at war with Hyrule, the only superpower on the continent. The path forward would not be an easy one, especially since he knew the others would never accept surrender as an option. However, there was a silver lining to the situation. At least Queen Urballa was still alive. That also meant her forces had won the battle, which meant many more had survived with her.
Much of the throne room still lay in ruin. The doors, many of the benches, the tapestries, parts of the wall and ceiling - pretty much everything had been destroyed in the battle. However, Queen Urballa sat upon the governor's throne all the same. Although, Harun supposed it was no longer the governor's throne. It was the queen's throne now. Despite it being much more modest than her own throne back in Naboris, it carried with it a much greater meaning.
"Prince Harun," Urballa called down to him when he entered through the open doorway. "I am relieved to find you in good health. Please, join me," she said invitingly, gesturing to the smaller throne to her right.
"Thank you, my queen," Harun replied with a bow. "I, too, am glad to see you." As he climbed the steps, he saw Elder Kobami and Commander Bularis had also lived. They stood by her throne, along with several of her guards. When Harun took his seat, he looked down at the queen's other surviving advisors and generals who had been gathered among the rubble in the gallery. Their presence meant that Urballa wished to discuss matters before making an official proclamation to the people. Whatever happened now would determine the course of Gerudo history for the foreseeable future.
She is angry, but she can be reasoned with. I must not allow her to go down the same path as Ganondorf.
"My people," Urballa said, speaking so her voice carried across the desolated room. "A grave tragedy has befallen us. My only daughter, Sabah, a girl of a mere twelve years, was murdered in her sleep last night." There were gasps and murmurs amongst the room from those who, amidst the chaos, had been left unaware of the reason behind the recent battle. "In retaliation for this most heinous of crimes, Tauma Vapith, former Lady of Taafei and former Governor of Gerudo, has been executed. I now claim her throne by all natural rights. This fortress, our people's ancestral seat of power, is ours once again." Those in the gallery cheered, thrilled by this news. If there were any Hylianites among them, they did not show it, or perhaps their belief that the Hylians had murdered the young princess had swayed their opinions.
"I will send a message to the Sage of Spirit," Queen Urballa continued. "I wish for her to perform the sending ceremony for my daughter and all the others who have fallen. We are to stay here and hold this fortress until this is done. In the meantime, we must prepare for the future. I will now hear your thoughts on how to deal with the Kingdom of Hyrule going forward."
This is it.
"What of Princess Zelda?" Harun asked, wishing to gather information about their situation. "Was she defeated in the battle?" He had not been present for the conclusion of the conflict in the throne room, and he was unaware of whether or not the crown princess had been killed or captured.
"She retreated," Commander Bularis answered. "Once it became clear to them that they were fighting a losing battle, both the princess and the sage fled."
"And what of the younger princess?" Elder Kobami asked. Harun did not like her tone. He got the feeling she was going to suggest they execute Seraphina in retaliation for Sabah's death.
Thank the gods I got her out of here safely.
"She was being held, but we lost track of her during the battle. She likely escaped with her sister," one of the generals in the gallery explained.
"A pity," Kobami said, disappointment clear in her voice. "She would have made a useful hostage."
"Perhaps," Urballa said, seemingly perturbed by the witch's words. "However, before deciding what to do with our prisoners, we must decide on what is to be done with our territory. Am I to be Queen of the Gerudo Kingdom, or Governor of the Gerudo Province?"
"How could that possibly still be in question?" Elder Kobami asked with venom in her voice. "After what those monsters did to your own daughter, are you truly willing to bow to them once again?"
"Here, here!" Several of the others expressed their agreement with the elder's line of thinking.
"We do not yet know who the culprit is," Harun reminded everyone. "It would be a hasty decision to act on this matter before we have all the facts."
"Nonsense," Kobami argued. "What difference does it make who held the knife? Or whether it was the princess, the governor, or the sage who gave the order? The Hylians killed her one way or the other." Harun believed the answers to those questions mattered greatly, but it was clear from the clapping and the voices of agreement that he was in the minority opinion.
Queen Urballa sat with her eyes closed while she considered things for a moment. She took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and gazed across the throne room. "The wise Elder Kobami speaks the truth," she conceded. "Infanticide cannot be tolerated, and I cannot allow my people to live under the rule of a kingdom that would allow for an injustice such as this to take place."
A darkly satisfied smile spread across Elder Kobami's face. "Good, my queen. Justice at last."
"Send a message to every city and every known nomad settlement throughout the desert and the highlands," Queen Urballa continued. "Tell them what has transpired here today. I want every last warrior that can be spared to assemble here in Taafei. I will send my declaration of independence to the King of Hyrule and demand that he pull his forces out of my kingdom. The day after my daughter is laid to rest, our armies will begin our march through Gerudo Canyon. Our lands shall be ours once again, and we shall have our freedom at last."
As the crowd cheered, Harun felt woozy. A deep-voiced laughter echoed in his head, slowly drowning out the noise in the throne room until it was all he could hear.
Nothing ever changes.
Author's note:
I am posting this chapter on February 19, 2022. This marks the one-year anniversary of when I first began posting this story. I know there still aren't that many people reading it, but thanks for sticking around this long, and I hope you've been enjoying the story so far!
-Gojaimas
