Chapter 22: Desperate Measures
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Notes: Some desert fruit is described here. Breath of the Wild foods definitely seem to be based on real life; if you've ever seen a coconut growing on a tree you'll know it looks just like Palm Fruit. This leads me to believe that if Link were to cut open a palm fruit, he'd find what we generally think of as a coconut inside. Additionally, voltfruit looks an awful lot like dragonfruit, which really does exist and grows on a certain species of cactus.
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After leaving strict instructions regarding the treatment of their horses, Link and the Princess started the long hike to Gerudo City early in the morning. Without horses, Link kept himself much closer behind the Princess than she probably wanted, but in an area where Yiga activity had reportedly been on the rise, he didn't dare take any chances with her safety.
His heart clenched. Why can't they just let men into the city? he thought, feeling frustrated. Or, at the very least, they could make an exception for me, couldn't they? I mean, I'm the Princess' guard - I won't be doing anything but watching out for her!
If only I were a better person. Better at being a friend. Then maybe she wouldn't hate my presence so much so that she comes out here to get away from me.
Discomfort squeezed his limbs as they emerged from the Gerudo Desert Gateway into the sea of sands stretching on as far as he could see. Already the pale color of the sand was enough to strain his eyes, even though the sun had not yet emerged from behind the Gerudo Highlands. The temperature was pleasant, which worried him - it was early in the morning, and if it was already this warm outside, in the shade of the cliffs of Gerudo Canyon, there was no telling how hot it would be later in the day.
Another thing to ask Urbosa about.
The shadows cast by the towering canyon at their backs sheltered them for much longer than Link had anticipated, for which he was incredibly relieved. They had been walking for a few hours already - in tense silence broken only when they passed the sparse groups of travellers on the trail - when they finally emerged into the bright sun.
The difference was almost instantly noticeable. All at once Link's tunic and undershirt felt uncomfortably tight and warm around his chest, and his feet felt as if they were suffocating in his stockings and boots. He and the Princess both still wore their cloaks to protect their fair skin from burning under the sun's wrath, but those only added to the discomfort. The Bazaar was still probably an hour and a half away, although Link could see the tall stone pillar forming the inn already.
As they continued beneath the stifling sun, Link noticed the Princess pull something from the satchel containing her diary and research notes - a silvery metal circlet with a sapphire set into the middle. After placing it on her head, she continued at a faster pace with a faint sigh of relief.
Link frowned, slightly confused. Odd. Why was she carrying around something like that? She had never struck him as someone who wanted everyone she met to know her status, as wearing a circlet of such value would do.
The last stretch before they reached the Bazaar seemed to take an eternity to him. With each step he took, more sweat coursed down his spine and beneath his arms, and he received the distinct impression that he was drowning. The air seemed thicker than before - breathing in felt more difficult. His toes, he realized after some time, actually felt as if they were burning up within his stockings.
"A knight is always prepared for anything and everything," he could remember Captain Janin telling him, and he scowled.
I wasn't prepared for travel in the desert. Not at all.
"Princess, how are you holding up?" he asked, jogging forward to fall into step with her, when they'd crossed about half of the remaining distance.
He was stunned as, when he drew near, a cold breeze seemed to wash over him, providing relief from the unrelenting heat.
She turned to look at him with a feeble glare. It was evident that she was trying to be angry while instead feeling depressed; he could see it in the redness of her eyes and the slump of her shoulders. "I'm fine, as usual," she told him, not sounding or looking the least bit fazed by the burning sun. Link glanced up to the sapphire circlet just barely visible beneath the hood of her cloak, and when he met her gaze again she was smirking faintly.
I'm missing something here, he thought uneasily, looking over her again. It seemed she wasn't even sweating, which was utterly baffling. That could be a bad sign, though - if she has heatstroke, of course she wouldn't be sweating… But she didn't seem to be suffering any other signs of heatstroke. "Are you sure?" he asked more hesitantly.
This time there was a genuine spark of anger in her voice. "Yes," she repeated, her voice clear and not at all muddled the way he would expect if she had heatstroke. "Why don't you worry about yourself? It seems I've finally found where you fall short, hero." She smirked, but the scorn didn't reach her eyes. "First Death Mountain, now Gerudo Desert. It would appear that you cannot handle the heat."
And with that she jogged ahead a couple paces, leaving him trailing behind her again, baffled. Especially when, with the distance between them restored, an intense wave of heat washed over him, stealing his breath for a moment as he panted heavily.
Determined not to let the heat get the better of him, he kept himself as hydrated as possible, knowing that he would be able to refill his canteen at the Bazaar. But it wasn't enough, and he didn't know if his body could handle much more. Wearing two layers of clothing - three including his cloak - on his torso probably wasn't the best strategy, but it wasn't as if he could change right then and there in front of the Princess. I could get beheaded, he reminded himself.
I'll just have to push through it.
As they continued, his breaths began to more and more resemble the panting of a dog, and sharp cramps occasionally shot through his legs. Focusing on the environment was an increasingly difficult task, with the gentle rushing sound of shifting sands and the low sigh of hot, dry wind seeming to fill his ears with cotton as sweat and heat trapped his head in a stuffy vise. Each sip of water he took helped him feel better for a little while, but before long he began to feel slightly nauseous.
There was a strange ache in his knees, a feeling he knew meant a growing weakness in his limbs. Rolling his shoulders back and wiping the sweat from his brow, he blinked rapidly, refocusing on the endless desert around them.
"Enough of the theatrics," the Princess demanded, turning to face him when they reached the edge of the Bazaar. "You had better not lose consciousness on me again, or -"
"Princess Zelda," a stern, yet amused, voice interrupted. Link and the Princess turned, almost in unison, to see the Gerudo Chief Urbosa hurrying towards them with a broad grim. "It is wonderful to see you again."
Link bowed deeply in respect, and the Princess rushed to embrace the Gerudo. "I can't believe you're here - and at the same time!" she exclaimed in delight. "What - what brought you to the Bazaar?"
Link winced. Urbosa nodded in his direction. "Actually, you have your Appointed Knight to thank for that," she explained with a smile. "He wished to meet with me to discuss security during your… stay."
Zelda's face fell, but she quickly regained her excitement. "Well… whatever the reason, I'm happy to see you," she said. "Will you travel the rest of the way with us?"
Urbosa offered a rueful grin. "Unfortunately I can't. Not this time. There are a few things that need to be taken care of first - and you're probably exhausted from your travels; I'd like to at least prepare a room for you before you arrive."
"Thank you," Zelda smiled. "But… can we share a meal before you leave? I… it's been a long time since I've seen a friendly face."
"Of course, little bird - I had planned on that, actually, and it's being prepared over by the inn," Urbosa put a comforting hand on Zelda's shoulder and led her through the busy mess of tents scattered across the little oasis. Link had never been more relieved that the Princess seemed to have forgotten he was even there in the first place.
The temperature was more bearable here, in part due to the palm trees casting long shadows wherever they grew, but Link still felt as if he were slowly being suffocated. As they walked by the pond right in the middle of the Bazaar, he wanted nothing more than to jump in and cool himself off.
Instead he removed his cloak and, glancing at the Princess continuing with Urbosa, dipped it in the refreshingly cool water before fastening it once again around his shoulders, gasping at the cold drops of water that spilled down his face and back. All at once the temperature seemed perfectly fine, not scorching hot as it had been just moments before.
Relieved, feeling clarity return to his mind, he jogged after Urbosa (she was so tall, even for a Gerudo, that it was impossible to lose track of her even in the crowd) and caught up with them just as they reached a small canopy that had been set up over a small rug just outside of the inn.
He stopped short, his eyes widening as his mouth began to water. A massive fruit platter had been set up with slices of hydromelons, a bowl of the white flesh at the core of palm fruits, shredded, and voltfruit halves (much to his surprise, the inside of a voltfruit was white, with tiny black seeds). There were also bowls of rice, and a stack of flatbread.
"Hungry?" Urbosa asked him with a teasing smile, and Link blinked rapidly, straightening, his cheeks burning with slight embarrassment. I didn't realize I was staring.
The Gerudo seat sat down cross-legged on the rug and patted the spaces beside her. "I've heard that Sir Link is skilled in the culinary arts," she grinned, reaching for a slice of hydromelon. "I thought I'd give him a little competition with our own traditional desert cuisine."
The Princess frowned. "I had not heard that, actually," she said, raising an eyebrow at Link.
Link's excitement at seeing so much food laid out - more than enough for the three of them - faded. "It's… not really like that," he explained hesitantly, folding his hands in his lap. "I haven't done anything with food for… a while."
The Princess was glaring without restraint by then. "Really, you're not half as perfect as you make yourself out to be," she growled. "I do hope you plan on being more honest with us from now on."
Link's jaw tightened in frustration, but yet again her words were more cutting than he anticipated. That's exactly what I'm dreading - everyone, the King and everyone else, finding out how bad I am at all of this.
"Zelda, how are your archeological projects coming along?" Urbosa asked with a slight cough, breaking the thick silence that had followed the Princess' words.
Zelda's features softened, and she took one of the halves of voltfruit and a spoon and began scooping out the insides. "They're… going alright," she answered hesitantly. Link quickly took a bowl of rice while she wasn't looking. "We learned recently that the Sheikah Slate has a way to access the ancient shrines across the kingdom, but we haven't figured out how. We did manage to access one shrine, but that one was a healing facility, not a training module, as the others are said to be."
Link winced even as he wolfed down a mouthful of the delicious rice. Of course she had to talk about shrines. Thank Farore for all of this food - I'm starving…
Urbosa patted her knee in a motherly way. "I'm certain you can figure it out," she smiled.
The Princess' eyes were narrowed in concentration. "I've tried to get into… ten of them by now," she admitted. "But they seem almost… dead. Like the guardians, and the Divine Beasts, before we found out how to activate them. Now I'm wondering if, perhaps, there's something that needs to be done to activate the shrines as well. The old tapestries depict towers of some sort, but we haven't found any sign of those yet… perhaps that's what we're missing…"
"Well, in the meantime, our own archaeologists have discovered some interesting ruins southwest of the city," she said. "They're working on excavations at this very moment. While you're here, you might want to visit the site, see if there's any ancient Sheikah activity in the area."
The Princess brightened, her features splitting into a wide smile. "Really, Urbosa? That would be fantastic! Except…" Her gaze darted to Link, and her smile faded. "I… I believe it would be more responsible to… to stay in the city."
Link stopped chewing, lowering his gaze in shame. Great job, he scolded himself bitterly. Now she feels like she can't do what she loves because I'll be there, too.
"Hmm…" Urbosa tapped her chin. "I see. Yes, the area is certainly dangerous. A Molduga has been terrorizing the southern oasis very close to the site. As a matter of fact, that's something I had hoped I could convince your knight to take care of while he's here."
Link looked up to meet her gaze, quickly painfully swallowing the rather large bite of voltfruit he'd just shoved into his mouth. "Oh - yes, I can do that." I have nothing else to do, anyway, while the Princess is in the city.
"They tend to move quickly through the sand," Urbosa mused, studying him carefully. "We wouldn't want it to move closer to the ruins while Zelda is still here." She turned her gaze to the Princess. "What if I had your knight take care of the Molduga while you go out to the site we've found? It would be perfectly safe - it's too hot down there for Yiga assassins to survive, but you have that sapphire circlet I gave you - you'll be just as safe as any other Gerudo in the heat."
Link's eyes widened. So… it's the sapphire that made it so much cooler around her?
Zelda chewed her lip thoughtfully before smiling again. "Alright, then - that would be fantastic! Thank you!"
"Of course, little bird," the Gerudo Chief chuckled, winking at Link.
Clever, he thought. She can tell that the Princess doesn't want me around but also wants to see those ruins. So she has me fight a Mol… Molgera?
…What's a Molgera?
"So, Sir Link," Urbosa said as the meal seemed to be winding to a close. "You wanted to discuss the protection of the Princess while she is in my city, correct?"
Link nodded, straightening. "I…" he hesitated, glancing his charge and realizing that she would not like his suggestion at all, "I'd like to request at least two or three of your best warriors to watch over her in the city. They… wouldn't have to shadow her every move, but they should be close enough to thwart any assassination attempt that may be made."
The Princess scowled at him, but Urbosa nodded slowly, fingers tapping at her chin. "Three is a good number," she said thoughtfully. "However, the Princess will either be in the palace by my side or in her guest room - which will certainly be guarded - or out in the market. I suggest having four of my best archers positioned on rooftops overlooking the square, to take down anyone who so much as tries to threaten her with a well-placed arrow."
Link's brow furrowed. "I - I would feel much more comfortable if she were to have a personal guard assigned to accompany her at closer quarters…"
"Then I will think on it before your arrival this evening," Urbosa said, in a tone that demanded acquiescence.
Link bit his tongue and nodded reluctantly; he could see the Princess grinning smugly out of the corner of his eye.
Urbosa got to her feet, stretching her arms out. "Well, that was a fantastic meal. I will see you, Zelda, this evening. Sir Link, I will pay for the Princess' stay; you may keep your own rupees. I left supplies for you with Casila at the front desk at the inn; it'll be a long wait for you, and… you don't quite seem accustomed to the desert just yet. These supplies should help you."
Link nodded glumly, getting to his feet himself and bowing respectfully. "Thank you."
Urbosa dipped her head in acknowledgement before giving a start, as if remembering something. She dug a hand into her pocket and pulled out a vial of cloudy blue liquid. "This should help with the heat for now," she said, pressing it into his hands. "Safe travels, the both of you."
And she left Link with a mischievous wink that, for some reason he could not name, sent chills snaking down his spine.
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The journey from the Bazaar to Gerudo City was made far easier by the elixir Urbosa had given him. Although it had a foul taste, very herbal and tangy, it made him feel pleasantly cool on the inside even while the air around him burned. He might even have enjoyed the walk, if not for the fact that the walls of Gerudo City became clearer and larger every time he looked in that direction.
Which was quite often.
The sunlight was almost entirely gone by the time the Princess all but ran into the city walls, leaving him standing awkwardly by himself in the sands. His heart ached; watching her leave, he felt as if he was watching Choice leaving, too, along with every other part of his life at the castle. With a heavy soul, he inhaled deeply and made his way to the small canopy set up a little ways further along the city wall. Leaning his head back against the crates, grateful that, at least tonight, he was the only other person around, he pulled his cloak tighter around himself and set down the satchel of supplies Urbosa had left for him.
I hope there's a tent or something, he thought, absently lifting a small, rather heavy parcel of what felt like some sort of armor. Desert nights are said to be cold…
He pulled out several pieces of what, indeed, appeared to be armor. There were two armbands, tassets, a pauldron, and some sort of sleeve. With a blush, Link realized that it was some sort of desert armor meant to be worn while shirtless. Yeah, right. I'd rather buy elixirs.
There was also a pair of trousers and strange boots with thick soles. Setting those aside, he continued on to the second parcel. This one was much softer; hoping for a tent, he pulled out the contents.
And dropped them immediately, his heart suddenly hammering as heat stole across his cheeks. Wh-what?
His throat dry, he quickly searched the satchel, finding a scroll of parchment at the bottom. Dreading what he would find, he unrolled the scroll and read what Urbosa had written.
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Sir Link,
I am not about to intrude on the duties assigned to you by the sovereign of this kingdom to protect his daughter. However, neither can I break the traditions my people have held sacred for thousands of years. As such, here is the solution I propose to you.
You will find enclosed two sets of clothing. One is armor that my people have crafted for men travelling the desert. It contains sapphire, which harnesses the power of ice to keep the wearer cool even in the hottest parts of the desert. I think of Zelda as my own daughter or perhaps a niece, and she has visited me often. I expect she will continue to do so, which requires extended travel in the desert. This armor should make such travel much easier for you.
The second set of clothing is the only way I can think of for you to fulfill your duty as Zelda's protector while she resides in my city. You are fortunately a very small man, so these should fit well enough to achieve the desired effect. I've included a veil to hide your face along with a top and a sirwal, both of which I've altered to help you more successfully disguise yourself as female. Wearing these, you will be able to enter my city and continue your watch over the Princess. Don't speak, relieve yourself within the city, or raise your arms too much, or you might be discovered.
I expect I shall be seeing you again shortly.
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Link had felt a rising sense of panic with each word he read. Now at the end of Urbosa's letter, his heart had accelerated to dangerous speeds, and despite the cooling air around him, he could feel sweat breaking out on his brow and dripping down his spine. Nausea coiled in his stomach.
And he felt a bit offended, too, that Urbosa thought he could successfully masquerade as a woman. He was quite alright with being a man, thank you very much, and he had thought that his appearance was definitely masculine.
Now, he felt as if someone were chiselling away at his self-esteem, shaving off bit by bit.
I can't do this. No. Absolutely not. If anyone found out…
But it might help me stay at the castle. If I don't do this, each day the Princess stays in the city is another mark against me. But if I go through with it… there's still a chance.
He furtively examined his surroundings. He couldn't see anyone on the path to the city, and the crates beneath the canopy hid him from the guards at the city gate. Struggling to swallow down his fears, he quickly undressed, shivering in the cold air, and pulled on the female clothing Urbosa had left for him. His cheeks burned with the fires of Death Mountain as he worked, trying in vain to adjust the Gerudo top into a more comfortable position, struggling to pull the sirwal higher up his hips, feeling a breeze on his stomach that was more uncomfortable than anything else he'd ever experienced.
When he was finished, he shakily took a roll of cloth for bandaging from his own satchel of supplies and wrapped the Master Sword's recognizable hilt and scabbard before pulling his baldric on over his chest.
The last thing he put on was the veil. He pulled his hair free of the band he'd used to tie it back and it fell down to his bare shoulders, tickling them slightly. Wiping his sweaty hands on the sirwal, he quickly pulled the veil over his face, cringing at the way it fluttered when he breathed.
Trembling from fear and anxiety he stuffed his regular clothes along with the armor Urbosa had given him into his own satchel before slinging it over his shoulders. Nayru, Din, Farore… please, help me!
His mouth dry, he got to his feet and walked forward, his knees wobbling. He'd never been this nervous before, not before any battle or tournament or… or anything. Which made sense, he supposed, since this was arguably more important to him than anything else he'd ever done. I have to stay at the castle. There's nowhere else for me to go! And I can't leave Choice!
If this is what it takes to give me a chance, then I'll do it.
Squaring his shoulders, he inhaled deeply and tried to control his nerves. Carefully he walked back to the gate and, with a nervous glance at the two guards, walked inside.
And the guards didn't stop him, or throw him out, or jab their spears at his face or raise an alarm.
Urbosa said the Princess would be at the palace, he reminded himself, heart leaping up into his throat and pounding as if it wanted out. Even though the market was nearly empty because of the swiftly-falling night, he felt as if there were eyes on him at every turn, and sweat dripped down his spine. Is this how the Princess feels when I'm guarding her? he wondered, feeling a sudden surge of empathy.
But when he tried to walk through the archway to enter the palace, the guards on either side levelled their spears at his chest. "The chief is no longer receiving visitors at this hour," one of them growled, her voice stern but not hostile.
Link opened his mouth to speak and sudden panic flashed through him. No! I can't speak - I still very much sound like a man!
But… the Princess… and Choice…
What could I even say? They'll probably just think I'm a Yiga and arrest me!
He gulped, nodded respectfully at the two guards, and hurried back down the long set of stairs to the market. I'll come up with a plan and return tomorrow. For now…
His spirits lifted as he realized that, for the first time in he didn't remember how long, he would have an entire night to sleep. Well, that'll be nice…
Guilt twisted his innards at the thought of being so selfish, but unless he broke into the palace somehow - which would also most likely result in his arrest and extremely unwanted attention - there was nothing more for him to do tonight. With a deep sigh he hurried to the crescent-moon symbol of the inn, emphatically shaking his head to refuse a massage, and bought himself a room for the night by pointing to a sign over the front desk.
He didn't dare take off his clothes to change into something more comfortable for the night, not in this place where danger - for him alone - lurked at every turn, so he removed only his shoes before crawling beneath the blankets. Incredibly uncomfortable, it took him much longer to fall asleep than it usually did, and his dreams were full of furious Gerudo guards with spears chasing him as he fled naked through the desert.
Strangely, it was almost worse than his usual nightmares about the dark forest of death and blood.
Updated 7/8
