The bridge was gone.

The Gerudo had curled in on themselves, they had retreated back into the fortress and cut off the outside world. Aeris stood looking down into the ravine, the Zora River flowed smoothly through the crack in the earth.

"I think I can get us both across with the hookshot," Link called over to her from the remains of the bridge. "Or you can go across then toss the hookshot back to me,"

Aeris squatted down trying to gauge the distance across the gorge. "Hey Link how fast can you get Epona to top speed?"

"Why?" Link watched Aeris stride over to Starlight and swing herself up into the saddle.

Aeris whirled Starlight around and trotted to the far side of the valley. "Move," Link barely had time to dodge out of the way before she was barreling toward him with a look of pure determination on her face.

Starlight easily built up enough speed to make it over the gorge. For the moment that they were in the air she felt weightless, invincible. The wind whipping through her hair made her feel alive for the first time in ages.

She jolted in the saddle when Starlight's hooves hit the ground again. Link was right behind her Epona effortlessly made it across the gap. "Well that was fun," Navi was bouncing around Link's head yelling about him being reckless.

Men… were… stupid.

Aeris groaned as the boss of the carpenters explained that his men had run off to try to catch a glimpse of the Gerudo. She knew them from Kakariko and they weren't the smartest of men, but seriously who thinks it's a good idea to sneak into a fortress of warrior women.

"Look we'll try to save your guys," She knew that they would likely be attacked as soon as they set foot into the fortress, so finding the men would be easy enough. But getting them out would be another story.

Aeris pulled Link to the side when he started toward the Fortress gates. "Link," He looked back at her with those impossibly blue eyes. "The Gerudo they," She sighed. "Don't blame them for what's happening,"

He furrowed his brow. "I don't," He put his hand on her shoulder. "It isn't their fault," He turned away from her and started for the fortress gates.

"Wait, Link," She grabbed his arm. "Do you always just run straight into things?"

He shrugged. "It's what I've been doing?" Navi let out an exasperated gasp from her perch on Links shoulder.

How was this kid still alive? "You really must have Hylia's favor," She rubbed her forehead. "Look I promise you there are too many guards for you to just waltz in there,"

He tilted his head making his hat flop to the side. "So what do we do?"

"I have a plan but," It was risky, maybe to risky, but it was their only shot. "You're going to have to trust me,"

Aeris tightened to rope around Link's chest and he grunted. "I'm sorry," He glared at her, unable to speak through the cloth tied around his mouth. "It has to be believable?"

She tied the rope to Epona's saddle and swung herself up onto the mare's back. The chestnut mare was thicker and sturdier than Starlight. She shifted uneasily under the unfamiliar rider.

Link mumbled something through the gag and touched his forehead to Epona's. The mare calmed and Aeris patted her neck. "Don't worry Link I'll take good care of her," He grunted in response.

Aeris felt bad for the boy as she wrapped a scarf around her mouth and nose, it was hard to see him as a hero of legend bound and gagged like this.

She pulled the hood of her cloak up. "You ready?"

Link gave a curt nod and Aeris nudged Epona into motion. The ride to the fortress was short but she was sure to move at a pace that was easy for Link to keep up with. Her mind was racing as fast as her heart as they approached the gates. If even one of the Gerudo figured out who she was the whole plan would go sideways.

If Link found out. She didn't want to think of what would happen if Link found out before she was ready for him to. She didn't like keeping things from him, he deserved better than that, but her true identity was a touchy subject.

She stiffened her shoulders and raised her chin as they passed through the gates. Seeing the limestone fortress again after so long made her heart ache, but she had a job to do.

"Halt!" A harsh feminine voice called out. "Trespassers!"

A guard rushed forward her spear brandished. Aeris kicked Link between his shoulders sending him stumbling forward. "I have a gift for you," She lowered her voice slightly, and extra precaution. "Hylia's chosen hero!"

The guards eyes widened behind her veil. "The Hero?" Several more guards were gathering around them.

"I hear he's been a thorn in the King's side," Link strained against his bindings, muffled shouts filled the air. "I would have delivered him straight to the castle, but the King has sealed it off,"

Several of the Gerudo were murmuring among themselves. "How do we know It's really him?" One of the older guards stepped forward.

Aeris hopped down off of Epona and grabbed Link's arm roughly twisting it so that his left hand was visible. The mark of the Triforce of Courage shone brightly against his pale skin drawing several surprised gasps from the crowd of Gerudo.

"What could you possibly get out of turning him in?" The older guard regarded Aeris suspiciously.

Aeris shrugged as she settled herself back into Epona's saddle. "Heard there might be a reward for his head,"

The guard barked a laugh. "You're turning in Hylia's golden boy for rupees?"

"Times are hard," Aeris leaned against the saddle horn. "A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do,"

The guard jerked her head and two of the others moved forward to grab the bound hero. He struggled against them but they easily overpowered him. Aeris sighed to herself, their plan was going perfectly. "Make sure you check him, he's a crafty one,"

The older guard moved toward Aeris her scimitar gripped lightly in her hand. As she approached Aeris recognized the woman, the way the bridge of her nose was slightly crooked from being broken one to many times gave away her identity. Kulori, the woman who had trained Aeris was looking at her with such hatred that it could have burned her. "You're only reward is your life Hylian,"

Aeris shifted in the saddle causing her cloak to shift revealing more of her legs. Kulori's eyes widened and she gripped her sword tighter. Aeris followed her gaze and her blood ran cold as she saw her daggers, her very distinctive daggers. The two women traded a single look and Aeris jerked Epona's reins making the horse rear back, knocking Kulori to the ground.

She whirled around and bolted for the gate, cursing herself for being stupid.

"I don't like this,"

Aeris was going to squish this fairy if she didn't stop talking. Navi's constant blabbering was making it difficult to sneak through the darkened halls of the Fortress.

"You sure seem to know where you're going,"

Aeris' hand shot out and grabbed the blue fairy. "If you don't shut up I'm going to shove you in a bottle," The threat was only half empty but seemed to work, Navi said nothing as Aeris let her go.

Aeris was glad that the guard's routes hadn't changed. She had no problem making her way through the halls and to the familiar painted door. The paint was faded and chipped as Aeris ran her fingers over the wood.

The home beyond the door was the place she had called home, dusty and untouched, but still the exact way she remembered it. "Hello!" Navi interrupted her thoughts. "Shouldn't we be rescuing Link?"

Aeris shushed the blue ball of light and pulled the door closed but left it just ajar enough to draw attention to it. She crouched behind the dusty couch with her daggers ready and waited.

It wasn't long before a guard poked her head into the abandoned home. The woman stepped into the room and Aeris vaulted over the couch and grabbed the woman by the back of her neck. "Sorry about this," She slammed the woman's head into the wall, the yellow gem on her forehead cracked easily.

Aeris held to woman steady as she regained her senses. "Aeris?"

"Hello Ralusa,"

The Fortress was in pandemonium as Aeris sprinted to the dungeons, Navi trailed behind her silently. She skidded around a corner and had to duck past two Gerudo with their weapons locked together.

The door to the dungeons was at the end of this hallway, Aeris dove through it and slammed it closed behind her. She leaned against it panting lightly. "Are you going to explain what's going on?" Navi's usual excited demeanor was gone.

"No," Aeris peeled herself away from the door and jogged down the stairs. "Link!" She scanned the room purposefully skipping over a certain cell.

"Here!" His arm waved at her from inside a cell on the far side of the room.

She dashed toward him and quickly unlocked his cell door. He seemed to be unharmed as he exited the cell. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring your gear,"

Navi left Aeris' side and slid easily into Link's hat to sulk as he shook his head. "I understand." Aeris handed him the keys so he could free the carpenters. "The last thing we need is the Master Sword falling into the wrong hands,"

Link freed the other prisoners and the group of them followed Aeris back through the now eerily silent halls, all signs of the earlier fighting and the Gerudo seemed to have vanished. She stopped suddenly before the exit. "Link," The young man stepped forward and smiled at her. "I just want to say that i'm sorry for lying to you," She didn't see his look of confusion as she stepped out into the courtyard.

Kulori stood with every other Gerudo in the courtyard, some of them were battered and bruised but all of them sported a freshly broken gem. They shouted in unison as they crossed their right arm across their chest. "Vasaaq my Queen!"