Chapter 5

In Which Zelda Does a Runner (Again)

Sand blew into my face and eyes, blinding me. The punishing sun felt like it sapped the life from me. The nights, cold as any in Hebra, brought no relief.

I was hunted as I struggled across the dunes. Hunted by monsters that appeared and disappeared over the sand, like fish leaping in and out of the sea. Hunted by laughing spirits, that would just as likely lead me to an oasis as lead me to my death. Hunted by sinister mages of fire and ice, and by the memories of friends I couldn't save.

"I envied the wind that blew across Hyrule, I suppose," boomed a deep, menacing voice. "The wind that blows from the desert brings only death."

I woke in the grey, pre-dawn light at the Gerudo Canyon Inn, rubbing my eyes. It had been an exhausting trip. Zelda was still furious. Tian, while certainly better behaved than he had been, picked up on her mood and started acting out again. Selene, not a fan of other horses in general, had very little tolerance for him specifically. We ended the trip with Zelda leading Selene on foot, pushed as far to the right side of the canyon wall as possible, while I tried to fly the kite formerly known as Tian on my left. She had stomped off to her room as soon as the innkeeper handed her the key, and frankly, I was glad to see the back of her.

But today was a new day. I hoped it would be better. I got some breakfast for myself, as well as a tray for Zelda. I carried the tray up to her room and knocked on the door. She flung it open, looking at me stonily.

I passed her the tray, and suggested we leave as soon as possible to avoid the worst of the heat. She nodded curtly, took the tray, and slammed the door.

Twenty minutes later she marched out of the stable and towards the desert without so much as a backwards glance.

"What happened to your hand?" Zelda asked, as we approached the Kara Kara bazaar. Other than her typical stream-of-consciousness musing, It was the first time she had said a word directly to me in two days.

I looked down at my hand. Cold-cocking Revali had done some damage. The sturdy leather gloves I usually wore made my fingers throb, so I had had taken the right one off. The skin around my third and fourth knuckles was turning various angry shades of red and purple.

I muttered an excuse about being over-enthusiastic with sparring. It wasn't technically a lie. Was she hoping to clear the air? Maybe I could try to get her to see things from my perspective. I cleared my throat, searching for the right words.

"Your Highness…" I started. She stopped in her tracks, turning to me. It was so rare that I spoke to her directly, she seemed a little surprised. "I understand that you're unhappy with my appointment."

She gave a short, derisive laugh and started walking again. "You don't say."

I sighed inwardly. Couldn't she see how difficult she was being? "Your Highness! Wait! It's just that… I hope you can sympathize with my position somewhat–"

She wheeled back on me. "Your position? What position is that? Your position as the Hero of Hyrule, lauded by all as the most fearsome warrior in the land, hand-chosen by the Goddess herself? Tell me, sir knight, am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

Again, I felt hurt and confused, unprepared for this level of venom. I wondered for a moment why I was taking it so personally. I thought about her as I had imagined her at the age of six, wind-whipped and regal at the base of Mount Lanayru. I had armored myself with that same stoicism, built her up in my mind as someone to emulate. I realized, what I was feeling was disappointment– that she was just as human, just as flawed, as the rest of us.

I tried to find a response, but I was cut off.

"Little bird! You're here already!" called Urbosa from the other side of the spring. "I had hoped to meet you at the stable, but it looks like your winsome knight roused you early."

Zelda's expression relaxed, and she ran into Urbosa's arms.

"Link, I've booked you a room here at the Inn. I'll see the Princess the rest of the way. There's no reason for you to walk all the way to Gerudo town and then all the way back."

I replied that I had no intention of leaving Zelda's side at any point. This made Urbosa and her retinue laugh.

One of the warriors stamped the butt end of her spear into the sand. "No voe shall cross the gates of Gerudo Town while I still draw breath!"

I objected that surely an exception could be made, after all, I was the Princess' own appointed knight.

"No exceptions!" insisted the warrior, stamping the spear again for emphasis.

"I'm afraid that is the law, good sir, and even the Chief is powerless to change it," said Urbosa. "But don't worry, I swear she will be safe with me."

I eyed the retinue, wondering how many I could take on. They were tall, and the spears gave them quite a reach. And there was Urbosa's lightning magic to contend with. I had already punched the Rito champion in the face this week, perhaps I'd better not do anything else to spark an international incident. I closed my eyes and nodded my head in silent assent.

"Excellent!" said Urbosa. "I will send word to you tomorrow when we leave for Vah Naboris. Until then, get yourself some hydromelon juice, sit back, and relax!"

After seeing them off, I tried to do as she said. I took a walk around the bazaar. I bought some arrows. I climbed to the top of the irregularly shaped inn, getting a good view of the surrounding desert, and floated down on the paraglider. I had a huge dinner of roasted kebab at one of the stalls. At one of the other stalls, I bought a round, spiky fruit from Faron. The withered old Gerudo behind the counter assured me that it would give me untold vim and vigor. I cracked it open. The smell was so revolting, I vomited most of my dinner onto the sand. I hurled the fruit as far into the desert as I could, and I went to bed.

The next day, I had a breakfast of palm fruit and fried bananas – nothing unfamiliar– while I waited for news from Urbosa.

I took a walk around the bazaar. I wondered whether I should also buy a few bomb arrows, just in case. I paid twenty rupees to rent a sand seal, and mushed it in a wide circle around the bazaar, just to get a feel for it. I went for a swim, languidly backstroking around the spring, and realized I had gathered a bit of an audience. Gerudos. Incorrigible as always. I tried again at the kebab stall, but gave the fruit vendor a wide berth.

The sun was low in the sky when a Rito touched down with a letter for me. The wax seal had an impression of the ornate kanzashi worn by the Gerudo chiefs.

The little minx gave me the slip. I think the Sheikah trained her too well. Meet me at Naboris, three leagues SSE of the sand seal starting gate. – U

I headed back to the sand seal stable, and paid another twenty rupees. With a flick of the tow cable, I was off into the dunes, sun setting at my back.

A few hours later, I found myself below the giant desert beast. A rope ladder hung down, trailing along the sand and leading up one hundred feet or more to the entrance. At least I was good at climbing.

I found Urbosa and Zelda on a porch overlooking the desert. The pair rested on an ornate carpet, surrounded by sumptuous cushions. The soft light from a lantern glinted off of Urbosa's ornate helm, and made the whole tableau look quite cozy, despite the odd location. Zelda murmured and readjusted herself against Urbosa, sound asleep.

"Well you certainly got here fast," Urbosa called over her shoulder when she heard me approach. "I should have expected as much from the Princess' own appointed knight. She's been out on a survey all day today. Still as the sands, now.

"So…spill it, boy: have the two of you been getting along alright?"

Give me a break, I wanted to say. If we had been getting along, would she have had to summon me here right under Zelda's nose?

"It's ok. I know. Your silence speaks volumes. She gets frustrated every time she looks up and sees you carrying that sword on your back. It's unfortunate. She's put in more than enough time. Ever since she was a young girl, she's gone through rigorous daily routines to prove her dedication. She once passed out in the freezing waters trying to access this…'sealing power.' And she has nothing to show for it. It's the motivation driving her research. I'd be doing the same thing." Urbosa tenderly pushed back a lock of Zelda's hair. "She really is quite special. You be sure to guard her with your life. It's quite the honor!"

She looked at me over her shoulder with a knowing expression. She must be aware of how little I wanted the position to begin with, and how hard Zelda was making things for me.

"The night brings a chill. It's probably time we bring her in. Or…" Urbosa stroked her chin, a little deviously. She extended her right hand, a popping charge building up between her thumb and forefinger. With a snap, she called down a crack of lightning and thunder onto the sands.

Zelda bolted awake, confused. "Urbosa! What was that? Did you feel that?" Her eyes narrowed when she saw me. "Wait, what? What are you doing here?"

Urbosa threw her head back, releasing a hearty, full-throated laugh.

"What?" Zelda demanded, while Urbosa cackled. "What's so funny?"

Urbosa wiped the tears from her eyes, still chuckling. "I'm sorry, little bird, I couldn't help myself. Come on, let's get up. I have a bed made for you on the uppermost level."

"But what is he doing here? Urbosa, can't you send him away? I can't get a moment's peace, all I want–"

"I called him here, Zelda. I must return to town; there are matters I must see to. The desert is no safe place for a vai alone, especially these days. I don't want you wandering off on your own again."

Zelda scoffed and stormed off inside. Urbosa made to follow, but Zelda waved her off. "I don't need you to come with me! Unless you think I'm such an incapable child I can't even put myself to bed?"

"Little bird–" Urbosa started, but Zelda had already taken the moving platform up and out of earshot. Urbosa let out a colorful string of Gerudo curse words. "Farore help me should I ever have a daughter half as stubborn." She rubbed her forehead, just above her nose.

"Link – listen. I didn't want Zelda to worry, but a large party of Yiga was spotted in the Karusa valley yesterday. When I arrive back at Gerudo town, I will set out at once in search of them with a group of my finest warriors. We shall have it out, one way or another. But stay vigilant."

I suggested that perhaps, Zelda would be less prone to run off at every turn if she knew about the bloodthirsty band of mages on the loose.

"The Princess has enough cares as it is, I won't add to the pile. She needs to stay focused on her training, and her research. It's the job of the people who protect her to worry about the Yiga. What, you disagree?" she asked, interpreting my frown. "Do what you want, you answer to no one but the Princess. But just think first, if it will be worth upsetting her."

I didn't want to argue with Urbosa, but I still thought it was infantilizing. Zelda might be infuriating at times, but she wasn't stupid. She deserved to make an informed decision, with all the facts in front of her. But I realized I was also guilty of hiding many things from the Princess. I had my reasons as Urbosa must have had hers. I swallowed hard as Link the Hero remembered nuzzling her neck in the Shrine of Resurrection.

"Well, I really must be off." She bumped her hip against mine and gave me a mischievous grin. "What do you say, little voe? One more time before I go, you and me, for old time's sake?"

I must not have been able to hide my shocked expression, because she laughed as uproariously at me as she had at Zelda's fright.

"I'm joking, Link, just joking. Such behavior just wouldn't be befitting of a Champion and the Princess' Knight, now would it? Besides, there's a reason I seek out my fun in the taverns of Hyrule. I'm not one for any…entangling…complications. And skies above, boy, are you ever complicated these days." She let out a long sigh. "I suppose you must think me wanton. My advisors have been saying I need to get down to the business of producing an heir. But I do have a younger sister." She ran her hand over the carved walls of the Divine Beast, then tipped her head to look up at the room where Zelda slept. "And I have other concerns."

Urbosa made her way down, and I pulled up the rope ladder behind her. I fell into a troubled sleep, dreams haunted by the ghosts of the desert.

The next morning, Zelda packed up in a sullen silence. We pointed our sand seals back towards the bazaar, and I found myself unexpectedly glad to be going back to the Castle. Things might be boring there, but at least they were somewhat predictable.

I caught a flash of yellow out of the corner of my eye. Was that…a banana peel? All the way out here? I slowed the sand seal to get a better look, when the seal's body exploded in a spray of blood and red paper.