Chapter Five
Captured

One week since leaving the source of Orre'Aemea, Rael and Elane had moved deep into Gerudo territory, and they were finally coming clear of the mountains. The frequency of downward slopes and lack of any Gerudos this far had lightened their hearts, and they still had the river close by to drink from. The land was less arid here, and though little grass grew, they had found two mountain goats to catch and eat, so their stomachs were no longer complaining.

Rael knew that they were well into autumn now, but the sun was no less cool day by day. He longed to feel the touch of rain once again, a strong longing, as though part of him was missing somehow, and only in rain could he regain it. An absurd thought. Like he, Elane was growing weary of walking, and he had caught her on the edge of collapse several times, and she him once. They talked little, as conversation was hard and conserving energy was more important now. They both knew their goal, and there was small point in talking about it.

Eventually they came to a grand sight at a cliff where the red mountains seemed to end abruptly. After the steep drop, the Gerudo kingdom opened up before them. They could see a vast hilly dry land, encircled by a great mountain range that stretched away far to the west and south before disappearing on the horizon. Under the hot sun, they could see towns and villages and rivers breaking up and twisting through canyons. All the settlements would be no more than forty years old. The nation had been somewhat nomadic until the arrival of men. Rael had the strange impression that the land was somewhat uneven, as though a mighty earthquake had caused many short fissures in an age gone by and the people had adapted to it.

Elane stood upon the brink of the mountain fearlessly, looking down over the sheer edge. She seemed to be contemplating how they would get to the bottom. Rael looked far out again, and something caught his eye in the distance. He had thought it was just part of a mountain, but now he saw that there was a tall city carved into a mountainside far away, in the mountain range the encircled south and west. He blinked. That city was thirty miles away at least but he could see it with sharp clarity. He rubbed his eyes and looked again but his sight had returned to normal again, and the city was but a grey blur.

"Gerud," said Elane, "it is more inhabited than I expected. Look at all those towns…" She turned and raised an eyebrow at him. "So what now?"

Rael pointed towards the speck on the horizon that was the city. "I think that is Shaylin," he said. Elane followed his hand and stood silently contemplating the distance.

Rael felt a sharp pain on the back of his neck. Thinking it was a biting fly he moved his hand behind his head to swat it. Instead he found a blade and a shaft of wood. There was a spear to his head. His body petrified. "Do not move. What is your name, Hylian?" said a quick dry voice.

"I am a Royal ambassador," Rael said quickly, trying to take control of the situation "from Her Majesty Queen Zelda to Her Majesty Queen Lana. You would do well to lower your weapon, I come peacefully." Three Gerudo women hurried past him and took hold of Elane, quickly tying her hands. She did not resist, but only because Rael had advised her not to put up any fight. She gave Rael a desperate glance, one that demanded he do something. Rael felt rough hands grab him by the writs, then thick cord winding around his hands behind his back. His sword was hastily removed from its scabbard.

Rael cursed his foolishness. He should not have allowed them to sneak up on them and catch the two of them off guard. He should have been more damn careful. The sudden reality of their situation hit him, they could be killed at any second. The fact that they were being tied up meant that they were being taken prisoner, or so he reasoned. Unless they were being tied up for execution!

Rael thought of the power he had unleashed in a previous encounter with Gerudos. Then he had made the very earth beneath their feet erupt. He tried to harness that power now, but he could not feel it.

"Rael!" shouted Elane, "Tell them who you are!"

Elane was referring to his title of Prince of Hyrule. That would get him killed for sure. Few people knew that Queen Zelda had ever given birth to a son. Making seemingly wild claims of royalty could be misconstrued as madness, an insult, or treasonous. He thought about the ring on the string around his neck. That would prove his authority. No, that would mean nothing to these mountain rangers; they would steal it from him and sell it at the first opportunity. The ring was for Lana.

"Who is in charge?" asked Rael loudly. He had counted five Gerudos now in total, including the one holding him roughly by the wrists.

"I am," said a sixth voice from high up behind him. He could not see the leader but knew the ledge she was standing on. "What are you doing here, Hylian."

"I am truly an ambassador from Queen Zelda," he said as grandly as he could. "If you harm me, she will have all of your heads when she comes to Shaylin. I must meet with Queen Lana. If you will not release us, at least bring us before her."

The leader laughed. "What ambassador from Queen Zelda would arrive through the northern mountains, with no armed company, dressed in torn desert rags? All you will meet in Shaylin is a hot prison cell, Hylian dog. There is a reward in the city for the capture of strays in the North… fate had me find you."

Rael gave Elane a look that told her to stay quiet and accept the turn of events. He knew there was noting he could say to turn the minds of these stubborn desert people. "Rena, Jesha, you will hold the captives' leashes. We make for Shaylin."

If they were being taken to Shaylin, then they were still on course. Hopefully he would be able to turn this to his advantage, and find a way to get free once they reached the capital. A sackcloth bag was thrown over his head, and everything went dark.