Chapter 21- The Calm of the Desert

Once again Link had been left exhausted, sweating and with the looming shame of having lost the Princess yet again. The Gerudo Canyon seemed to go on forever but onwards he pushed his horse.

It seemed like it was just yesterday that he stood on top of Rudania soaking in the view of the Kingdom below and the gleaming pools of lava beneath the Beasts feet. With the past few days being so hectic, time had seemed to move a little faster than normal.

It'd been nice to see Daruk, after only a few minutes alone with the champion Link felt completely comfortable to speak with him. He only really broke the silence barrier with those considered to be his closest of friends, the kind of people whose view of him wouldn't break if he acted a little off kilt to the strong silent type.

It seemed the big guy thought a similar way. Daruk was brave enough to admit that he was, unlike the other champions, having trouble with his guardian. Link wasn't sure what advice he could give, he was great at taming horses not giant mechanical beasts of mass destruction. Still he offered the same advice his father did when Link was learning how to fight in the field.

"Survey your battlefield. If you become one with arena itself then victory will be inevitable."

It had seemed to work. After walking around the beast for a few hours, Daruk was roaming along the jagged peaks with ease.

Strange how the value of his father's words were the only part of his past that Link felt connected to anymore. It was like some far distant boom echoing through some valley in his head.

It had also been a nice break from the yelling Zelda, cold shoulder Zelda or if he was particularly unlucky, the furniture throwing Zelda. He had thought the hatred had died down a little but yet again she had slipped past him after their short stay at the Castle. The King really needed to review the helmet design; those guards were clearly seeing nothing.

Just outside a shrine on the edge of the Hebran border was where they had their worst argument yet. Well… 'argument' might be the wrong word seeing as Link didn't speak.

The whole thing left him feeling a little confused. He didn't know how to make things better. She wanted reassurance that she wasn't useless, that much he knew. Only thing was Link had no way to make it better, that ability was long gone. It was like a program that was missing in his head but one he could still frustratingly see.

He had lost her again just before the Kolomo. To be fair he wasn't paying attention, Link was still having trouble with the sword and it was bothering him, more than anything. He was good at hiding his feelings but it was only a matter of time before word spread that he was incapable of fighting.

There was no need to rush though. Zelda had gotten better at riding and even if she was still slower than him on horseback, it wouldn't matter when she met the desert. He'd be incapable from catching up before Gerudo Town and by then she'd be unreachable. There were no men, or as the Gerudo called them "Voe", allowed in the city and even though his fellow squires said the contrary, Link was clearly a male.

He had sent word ahead for Urbosa to meet him at the oasis at Kara Kara and from there Link would find a way to get back to Zelda. It wasn't like he didn't trust Urbosa to look after the princess but he definitely didn't trust the Zelda to not be her normal impulsive self, especially not in Gerudo.

Few Hylians made this journey and for good reason, Gerudo was almost as uninhabitable as Death Mountain. There were about a thousand ways for you to die out here. Link had travelled here on his trial and didn't yearn to go back into the heat. If it wasn't for the impeding atmosphere, he would feel more comfortable right where he was, rather than wandering around the hot sand.

The canyon was sheer rock either side, with no way of knowing what was lurking above in the platforms and behind the rocks. Worst of all Link didn't even know if he could fight anything off.

Link could feel their very presence in the air, covering everything like a thick impenetrable fog. The walls of the Gerudo Canyon seemed to move in, each falling pebble sending his pulse flying, each movement in the ledges above making him shiver a little. This was Yiga territory.

The sound of footsteps above was the last straw.

"Screw this,"

Link cracked the reigns and sent his horse galloping forwards at a breakneck pace. It was a little too late before he realised his mistake. Boulders hurtled down from above slamming into the ground. One crashed into the ground a few meters in front of Link's horse. It bucked wildly in terror sending the Knight flying.

He slammed into the dry red floor and watched his steed flee back towards central Hyrule. As Link looked up above where the rocks came from dread filled him instantly.

Ten Yiga stood there, bows placed on their backs, single painted eyes staring down eerily. The humming in his head let him know that he wouldn't even be able to fight off one let alone the whole horde.

They turned and walked from view the wall of rocks before him, serving as a silent reminder. Link let out a gasp of air like he was only beginning to appreciate the air in his lungs. Everyone said he was brave but, without the ability to fight Link suddenly felt very small for the first time.

It was a threat.

When he reached the oasis Link was already on verge of collapsing from heat exhaustion. His throat felt as though it had turned to sandpaper and each gulp burned down his throat like strong liquor.

With a primal instinct he threw a few rupees at a vendor and quickly guzzled down a whole hydromelon. The saleswoman regarded him with a bored look, it seemed that a foreigner dying of thirst wasn't uncommon around here.

Grabbing a length of fabric from a pile where no one would miss it, Link fashioned himself a headscarf to help keep off the sun. Around the cool waters of the oasis the heat seemed a little more tolerable but the sun had to be bearing down on him like an overbearing wave of death. A little protection would stop Link's light skin from turning a shade of red similar to Urbosa's hair.

Link began to look around Kara Kara for any signs of the champion. There were various empty stalls littered around the central pool each manned by a variety of bored looking Gerudo. All over the place on carpets, leant against posts and walls sat rather hot and frustrated looking hylian men. If Urbosa wasn't going to turn up there would be a high chance Link would join them.

With no sign of the desert warrior Link decided to make his way to the one largest building in the settlement, welcoming a cool blast of air as he entered the opening.

It was a shop filled with arrows and an assortment of rich garbs and exotic spices. Link became captivated by a green gem not unlike the one on his charm and reached out to touch it.

"Hands off Voe!" a grinding voice called with that same huskiness present in most of the older Gerudo. "That gem is worth more than five times your life."

Link walked up to the counter where the woman who called him out sat with her legs up on the side. She studied her nails and paid Link no attention.

Before Link could even clear his throat she spoke up, "The chief was here a moment ago, dropped off a package and a note."

"There must be some mistake," Link said. "Urbosa was supposed to get me into Gerudo Town."

The woman looked up slowly, a sly grin forming on her cracked lips, "You've never been here before, have you?"

There was little point in answering that. Link grimaced at her and then turned tail defeated, grabbing the package. He opened the note.

"Link,
I hope this finds you in good health, the desert can be hard on those who are not prepared for it. I received your letter and I would be more than happy to host you at the palace."

Link grinned.

"There is a small problem… If I was to bring you into the Town myself there would be uproar amongst my people and with Yiga activity growing further and further I cannot afford any mishap. As such there will be no chance you will make it into the city in your current state."

Already the regret and an impeding sense of dread were setting into Link's mind. There was no way this was leading in a positive direction.

"Take a look in the package, there should be a secluded area to change on top of the shop. I'll look forward to seeing the new you! ~Urbosa"

Protruding from the shop sprouted a tall rock that flattened into a natural platform at the top. It would make for an isolated location. Link climbed the stairs of the shop and began to step up on to the ladder.

Urbosa must have given him some ingenious disguise or some ancient stealth tech or even a garb like the Shieka warriors in the castle, something that would allow him to sneak into the Town, blending into the gentle night.

As he reached the top Link felt the cool evening air on his face. He closed his eyes as it pushed across his face and rustled gently through a stray strand of hair. In the far distance the lights of Gerudo Town were beginning to turn on. In the last remaining heat from the desert they shimmered slightly over the dunes.

The calmness of the desert did little to show the danger all around but Link couldn't help but feel at ease up here. Sometimes he would forget just how beautiful the Kingdom could be.

He unpacked the paper package to reveal the garment beneath.

"You've got to be kidding me…" he groaned aloud.

In his hands lay a rather elegant, albeit revealing, Gerudo vai clothing, all complete with a face mask. Urbosa had to be pulling his leg, there'd be no way any guard would fall for that and the minute a single person saw him, word would spread like wildfire. "Breaking news, you won't believe what the chosen hero likes to do in his spare time!"

Still there could be worse things to wear. The clothes were silky and luxuriously soft, they would be far more comfortable than the thick tunic he wore. Surely he'd even look quite beautiful in it.

"Damn Hylia…" Link moaned as he began to undress and change into his new look.

In the last remnants of the sun, the Gerudo Desert fell silent, save for the gentle whistle of wind and the rustle of the sand it carried with it. However the silence was soon cut through by a grumbling Hylian, who wore a nice set of Vai clothing that suited him a little too well.

The guards tensed up visibly as Link approached, holding their spears in a ready stance. He mirrored their unease as he approached the light, soon he would be in full view and he wasn't sure whether to expect anger or laughter from the two tall guards.

"Halt traveller, if you have nothing to fear step into the light," the one on the left growled.

Link obeyed even though he was starting to regret this whole thing.

Both guards stared at Link in shock, looked to each over with the same gaping expression and then back to Link again. He had thought his disguise was a little better than that. It had only taken them milliseconds to figure it out.

"You'll have to excuse us, we rarely get hylian vai here. We thought ourselves to lucky to see the beauty of the princess for ourselves but now this..."The guard's stern voice had now softened and she was looking at Link like he was a slab of gourmet meat.

The right guard grinned at her friend, "What she is saying is it is rare for us to see such beauty in a vai."

Link's face probably matched a confused dog. He closed his dropped jaw with his hand before he dribbled in front of them. It would be best not to test his luck.

Smiling at them both he entered into the town trying his best to not walk in his usual rigid way. The palace was just ahead, where a soft bed and hearty meal waited.

The guards let him through, no questions asked, in fact they actually offered him refreshments. Link couldn't lie he was already enjoying the princess treatment.

"The chief is waiting for you upstairs," a guard said gesturing away from the throne room, with a strange smile on her face.

Link had to stop himself from belting up the stairs and tried to walk as elegantly as possible. When he arrived on the landing, the full stretch of town and village was in view. That was when the thought hit him. This was it, he had now visited each of the big settlements of Hyrule, gone to each of the corners of the kingdom. Not bad for growing up in a small village on the outskirts of everything. He had come a long way and lost a lot but now was not the time for reflection.

As he turned into the champion's room he was met with the completely shocked face of Urbosa. Link had never seen the chief actually surprised before, she always seemed to have everything under control without even breaking a sweat, which in this climate was an achievement. Yet now she stood with her jaw nearly sinking into the rich carpets of the palace.

Without warning Urbosa threw her head back and began her slow but violent death from laughter. Tears ran down the warrior chief's face as she desperately flailed out for the support of her bed posts.

"Alright…" Link muttered. So this was what it took to break down the great chief Urbosa.

"I wasn't expecting to laugh but I'm just surprised how well you wear it…" Urbosa wiped the tears as she regained control of her body. "At least we know if the whole 'hero' thing doesn't work out, you still have other career options."

"That's enough…" Link said in a bored manner as he removed the veil and scarf from his head. "Don't tell me I have to wear this thing while I'm protecting her."

"The princess left Gerudo Town this morning without a word and without an escort. She may have returned home," Urbosa purred.

"Great so all this was for nothing…" Link motioned to the vai clothing and started to feel the humiliation set in.

"Something tells me you're enjoying playing dress up," Urbosa purred. "Perhaps the disguise was just a little morbid curiosity but I needed to speak with you hero, away from any prying ears."

Urbosa's face had turned to stone a far cry from the animated wreck it was a few moments ago. It felt like any moment of joy was soon caught up with a despair that followed Link wherever he went.

"I need you to be honest with me or this is pointless," she said clearly, each word rolling of her tongue like it was born there.

Link nodded firmly.

"I'm worried about her Link," Urbosa walked past Link and looked into the desert which was now a cool dark blue in the night air. "She's breaking, I can feel it day by day and it all leads back to the fact everyone doubts her power. All of them did back at that damned castle, all except you."

Link felt his chest twist a little. It was strange for him to feel guilt. It had been a feeling foreign to him since he first pulled the sword. He had thought it lost there.

"But now she doesn't even have that…" She trailed off, words being carried into the night wind. "I'm not going to quiz you on what happened back at Death Mountain or how you've been acting ever since that godforsaken sword came into our lives. I know not exactly what the sword did to you but I do know how you were and how you are now."

She turned back taking a steely glare. "Answer me now. Do you hate her for it… how she cannot find the power?"

"No." The word came out in an instant like it was something ingrained into his very being. The champion across from him looked immediately satisfied, brow creasing back into relaxed position and she raised an eyebrow inviting Link to elaborate further.

"It's hard to explain why I act this way," Link murmured. "Hard to put it into words, you know?"

It was Urbosa's turn to nod firmly.

"It's like I lost part of myself but not just to the sword, it's been draining from me ever since I entered Castletown for the first time. It all ended with the blade or at least that's what I thought for a while but... I feel as though I'm trapped in a plain between my past self and what I'm expected to become…"

He was stuttering through the words, discovering them for himself for the first time, the thoughts only finally formulating after he had studied them for so long.

"So I'm stuck in this limbo, and I don't know if I should hold on or let that part of me die forever."

Urbosa's face looked grim. "Your whole life has been absent of choice but this is your decision I cannot make it for you."

Link made his way to the window but froze at the champions last words.

"I made my choice long ago and I don't have any regrets to this day. I'll ask one last thing of you, what is it that you're really fighting for?"

Link climbed up and jumped down into the cool desert sand, Urbosa's words still floating around in his head.

The Chief of the Desert stood still staring as he rushed off and disappeared past a dune in the far distance. All around her the air had calmed significantly. She let out a sigh.

"You can come out, he's gone."

Zelda sheepishly walked out from behind a veil of curtains at the back of the chief's room.

"Thank you," the princess words sounded a little heavy with guilt. "What were you actually talking about? I couldn't hear."

Urbosa kept her gaze on the dune Link had ran over and said firmly, "You both need to talk…"

Zelda immediately tightened up her posture in a display of uncomfortable confidence. "Urbosa I can't, please understand."

Urbosa nodded and finally looked at the princess directly, "Then get whatever supplies you need. We'll board Naboris tonight."

Zelda's face came alive and she quickly rushed off towards her quarters. Drawing out a parchment Urbosa began to write a final note for the hero. It would be her last hope for the two of them.

"Link,

The princess will be up on Vah Naboris tonight.
I'm sure you'll find a way to get yourself up.

~Urbosa"

It was in the dead of night when the note came to Link, all tied up nice and pretty. He had planned to stay at the Oasis, before finally making the long trip back to the castle without his horse. Shifting a little he stared down at the words, half expecting them to leap out and him. Dread was getting to him more and more and he was just getting tired of it all, tired of Zelda especially.

However, there would be no feeling in his actions, now was a time for duty. So Link packed the parchment in his back pocket and made his way towards the Sand Seal vendor.

Sometime had passed since he last tried to Sandseal surf and it certainly didn't go well the first time. Though it seemed all the scrapes and mouthfuls of sand had been worth it as Link flew through dunes of sand, Sand Seal snorting happily ahead as he glided across the waves of grit and dust.

It didn't take long for him to find the massive walking contraption and even less time to get close to it. Wind battered past him with its vicious biting cold and wore into the loose clothes, threatening to rip them from his body.

The Seal snorted as Link cracked the rope again, shooting forwards with another burst of speed. With no obvious route onto Naboris he was going to have to improvise.

Nothing new then

With each foot of the beast landing into the ground, the earth shook slightly and sand sprayed out in puddles. The thing was unclimbable but it was hardly going to stop to let him on, Urbosa would never make things that easy for Link. Only thing he could reach from here were the hammer like feet. Link gulped a little, why did he always find himself in these stupidly dangerous situations.

Suddenly the seal struck rock and the grapple holding Link to the seal snapped free as Link's momentum carried him forwards. He hurtled down a dune as the seal squealed behind. This would be his only chance.

He struggled to keep balance. The shield shuddered and groaned beneath his feet. Naboris' back foot slammed down again. A stick sent the shield off to the right.

Damn the twilight

Link looked at the hoof as he vied off course from it. There was another upwards dune just a few meters ahead. If he stayed on the board there would be no making it. Link twisted the board over to a slight lump in the ground using as much off his momentum to kick up in the air.

Flying through the air time seemed to slow just like he was fighting. The leg of the Beast grew larger and larger. He slammed into the solid shell.

The force of the metallic leg nearly knocked Link out and he tried desperately to keep hold of it's sheer surface in his dazed state. Trailing behind him was the grapple he used to hold onto the seal. Link desperately tugged at it looping every couple of feet by his side. The rope rushed towards him, slithering across the sand. Naboris roared as the leg he stood on began to shudder and lift into the air.

Link yelped as he struggled to keep balance. It was impossible to hold onto the smooth surface of Naboris, Link could almost climb anything, just not this. The grapple dangled uselessly beneath him as the leg began to lift. He pulled up the rope at twice the pace as a platform came into view. There was no way he could keep on the leg if returned to the ground with the same force.

Now or never. The foot reached is height as Link felt the cool metal of the grapple in his hands. The leg began to hurtle down as Link threw the full length of rope up on Naboris and leapt up into the air.

Air rushed around him and with a sudden dread Link felt himself slowly being to plummet. The ground leapt up towards him as he held the useless rope between his hands. There was no time to get the paraglider. Hopefully the sand would cushion the fall.

The floor froze and rope tightened and yanked between his hands. His feet almost brushed the sand as Naboris continued on. Link dangled there for a moment and let out a desperate gush of air.

I really need to find a new profession.

With any remaining energy left the Knight began to hoist himself upwards, curling his foot in the rope to give a leg up.

It was not an easy climb. The legs came at him as he swung precariously from the long length of rope. As he finally came to the last few meters the swing normalised and the rush of the desert came to a gentle stop as he lay down on the hard ground of the platform.

Never before had the ground felt so solid and stable.