Navi was on Link's shoulder as the inn's owner and her daughter carried Link upstairs to his room. The smell of ale was strong, Link made a mistake trying out the local's favorite drink.
"He's heavy!" The girl complained. She was sixteen, but since school was out for the season, she was working at the inn to pay for school, or she would if Hyrule Castle Town wasn't in ruins.
"He wouldn't be if you didn't keep skipping training!" Her mom scolded.
"Training?" She blew a raspberry. "Why bother, Ganonorf won. We don't have to hide out here anymore! We can conquer Kakariko!"
"It would be no point." She grunted as they turned a corner, Link was passed out cold. "It wouldn't be long before Kakariko falls. Then us."
"Us?" Noar scoffed. "Ganonorf is our leader! He wouldn't dare." Once they reached Link's room, her mother fumbled with the key.
"Don't be a fool girl." She wasn't stupid, unlike the others, she didn't care for Ganondorf growing up. "He's ruthless and cruel, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy the world once he's done with Hyrule." She pushed the door open and both placed Link on the bed. She took off his boots, but didn't undress him. But she did turn him over, so he won't choke on his vomit.
"Huh?" She saw her mother's expression.
"Noar, don't trust in blind loyalty. Unlike our last leaders, Ganondorf is cold and evil." She looked at her daughter who was looking at her in disbelief. "There is a reason Nabooru disappeared all those years ago." Seven years. None of the geruldos could figure out what happened to her. Most agreed she was lost in the never ending desert, while her advisor, Amira says she was living the high life in the Desert Colossus. "Come help me clean up." The pub was connected to the inn, and since it was closed for the night, it needed to be cleaned and ready for the morning.
"Okay." Before she left, she takes a quick glance at the room. Her mother forbade her from stealing from the guests, she wanted to have returning customers. But she figured she could take a few rupees as a courtesy.
Two hours later, she sneaks upstairs. Her mom was taking a bath, and their employee was working the night shift. Knowing Link was the only customer, she sneaks quietly to his room, and listens to the door. Hearing nothing but snores, she uses her mother's spare key to quietly open the door.
Seeing both the customer and his fairie friend deep asleep, the fairie snoring quietly, she takes a look to see where his valuables could be.
'Twenty six rupees. Not bad.' She was tempted to take more, but she wasn't stupid. She figured he would think he spent a few extra rupees in the pub downstairs. Before she left, she accidentally tripped over his open satchel.
"Ow!" She called out, and immediately put her hand over her mouth. She looked up, willing to make a excuse that she was checking up on him. Luckily, neither woke up. She slowly and painfully gets up, but before she left, she saw a book laying open on the floor. Just as she was about to leave, she saw a drawing of a symbol.
'This is the Twin Symbol of the Desert.' She picked up the diary, and seeing the name inside, her eyes widened. 'Where did you get this?' She went to school as a small child, and learned everything about history. The ancient language of the Sheikah, she was so glad her paternal aunt was a historian. But the name Alyva was never written in any history books. Curious, she skims the pages. Once she got to the part of the desert, she looks back at Link. 'Can I borrow this? Thanks.' She figured she'll be safe for a few hours. She knew how that ale worked, the young man there and his fairie would be out of commission for hours.
Once she returned to her room, she went to make some late night snacks. Once she returned to her room, she lights up a lantern sitting on her nightstand and opens up the book.
"Wow." She was fascinated on the contents. When she got to the part about the Poe murders, she used a tissue to wipe her eyes. Poor women. She cried hard at the tragic love story of the Sheikah and the Zora. Then when she reached the part about the Hero of the Gorons, she smiled at the history. All the stories she heard, they paled in comparison to the real thing. This diary, it was told by Alyva's companion. "Whoever you are, thanks for the story."
Alyva, before she left the city, she asked Burchard about the Knight's Training School. She was interested about joining the order. Unfortunately, she was held back by the sexist code.
"What do you mean, women can't join!" She was staring at Burchard in disbelief. "I saw a woman guard guarding the gate to Hyrule Castle!" She was at the Knight's Academy, she was asking about enrolment. Luckily Burchard was working the desk this week.
"It's outta my hands!" He was shaking his head regretfully at her. "We do employ women, but only for the Princess."
"The Princess?!" Alyva was disappointed. "But I seen a female guard in town! Clearly you need more than one. Plus Kakariko and Gerludo Fortress both have females guards and leaders! Can you make a exception?"
"Alyva, I don't disagree with you, there should be more women. But my bosses say women are too distracting." He shook his head regretfully. "That female guard you seen, she was a escort for the Princess who was shopping in town."
"Then how do I apply to work as a royal bodyguard?"
"Only Shiekah are allowed. I'm sorry Alyva."
"Thanks anyways." Dammit. "I'll see you around I guess." Before she left, Burchard calls her back.
"If you are serious about training, the geruldo have a training fortress. They do accept outsiders. But I warn you, I heard their trails are deadly. Not many women pass their tests."
"Really?" She heard rumours there was a school in the fortress, but no one ever entered their lands, without good reason. "Then how do I apply?"
"I don't know. I never heard of anyone outside of the geruldo passing that test. The few that do, they don't talk about it."
"Do you know why?" When Burchard shrugged, Alyva thanks him. "Thanks anyways, see you around."
She left the school and walked home. She wasn't due to work till later that afternoon, so she decided to draw in her sketchpad.
"Not bad." She drew various drawings, but was proud of her latest sketch. She was deciding if she should add her signature to it, when she was introduced by Joan.
"Knock, knock." Joan allowed Alyva to stay at her apartment, once she heard about Alyva's close call, she insisted she live here with her. "How was the Academy?"
"Awful." She told Joan about her automatic rejection.
"I'm sorry Al." Truthfully Joan knew Alyva wouldn't make it. Even if women were allowed, Alyva was too weak. "Maybe you can work somewhere else." She took a peek at her sketchpad. "Nice boots!" She looked critically at it. "Why do they have steel on them? Why not make them entirely out of iron?"
"Because they are meant for another purpose." Alyva didn't know why she drew these, they were ugly and impractical. "I was bored, and decided to try something new." She turned another page. "So how was work?" What can she draw next? She sketched another pair, almost identical, but with a new material. She added wings to the ankles for variety.
"Same old, same old." Joan worked as a maid to a local noble family, she was forced to work a new job when the theatre closed for the season. "Remember Genevieve? She has a new boyfriend."
"May the Goddess have mercy on his soul." Both women laughed, they knew how picky Genevieve was. "I gotta go to work soon, I have to save money for my trip." She still saved money for her future, but for the moment wanted to travel and have adventure. "I'll be seeing you."
Alyva was drawing on her sketchbook when the bell jingled on the door. Putting down her book, she was surprised to see a Zora.
"Good evening! How may I help you?" Zoras being outside of their realms was incredibly rare. They were water creatures, and needed to be out of the sun. Although they did walk around at night when the sun was down and the air was cooler.
"Hello. I was hoping to talk to the owner." Only then Alyva saw his wagon outside.
"Oh! Are you Stavros?" She heard there was a salesman that was coming today to sell his stock at the dress shop. The owner allowed outsiders from both Death Mountain and Zora River to sell their tunics. The only condition was that they had to give a certain percentage to the store. When he nodded, she pointed to the back. "You can place your wares back there, we'll be doing inventory tomorrow." She cleared a space for the Zoras to carry in their crates. Once they finished, she waved goodnight.
Before she closed the store for the night, she looked over at the blue tunic.
"Interesting material." This material was nothing she ever seen. She knew what it was, the Zoras sold these to those who wanted to explore what was underneath the waters. They weren't as popular as the Fire Tunics, but the local fishermen usually bought them whenever they fished. Plus to prevent them from drowning. "Wish I could afford it." They weren't cheap, they were extremely expensive, even used. Once she closed up the shop and locked up, she went home.
The next day, she was playing games at the local archery shop.
"Hit all the targets, and win a prize!" The man running the shop calls. Alyva picks up the bow and aims at the targets.
"Shoot!" She swore. "C'mon, I need to win." She didn't care about the prize, it was the targets she needed to hit. Unfortunately, she missed almost every target. "Damn." There goes her paycheck.
"You did good young lady." The shop owner hands her a small doll. "Here, a participation prize."
"Thanks." She looked at the doll, it was dressed like a goddess. Just when she was about to leave, she got stopped by a woman.
"Excuse me." Alyva looked up, a geruldo woman was holding up her hand.
"May I help you?" She looked familiar, Alyva swore she seen her before.
"That doll, I was looking for something for my daughter. She is heading to school this year, and is already homesick. May I buy it from you?"
When Alyva looked closer, she instantly recognized her.
"You're the mother of that schoolgirl! Does her uniform fit well?" She hoped so, Alyva sewed it herself.
"Yes. Your leather boots you sold me, they are very comfortable and warm." She looks at the doll. "That doll you are carrying, I was looking for something suitable for my child. That doll, she is modelled after our Goddess."
When Alyva looked at it, she saw it was dressed up as a Geruldo, except it had rhinestones on the chest.
"Sure." She liked the doll, but she was too old for them. "Thanks." Fifty rupees, not bad. "I hope she enjoys her."
She was about to leave when the woman stopped her again.
"Yes?" What did she want? She wasn't working today.
"I heard there was a rumour that a girl was attacked in a alley a few weeks ago."
Alyva looked down, her eyes downcast. She still had trouble sleeping after that night.
"It was unfortunate. Excuse me I have to go." She had to get out of there, she was on a verge of a panic attack.
"We have a training school in town, but it's invitation only." She hands Alyva a small scroll. "Here. It operates only at night, but we have a well trained escort for every student who chooses to enrol."
"Thanks." She mumbled before she rushes out.
Alyva felt ashamed. She was certain her would be attackers were hanging around. Hyrule Castle Town was a big city, anyone could be them. Feeling tears forming, she ran back to Joan's.
She was sewing when she heard a knock. It was after midnight who would knock this late? She was living in a boarding house, Joan rented from a elderly couple. Putting down her needle and cloth, she quietly walks to the door.
"Hello?" She wasn't stupid to open it. She was surprised to see a slim paper slide under the door. Alyva was looking puzzledly at it when she heard footsteps walking downstairs. When she heard a door shut downstairs, she leans against the door to see if there was breathing. Hearing nothing, she cautiously picks up the paper.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR NEW STUDENTS!
For the first ten new customers, we will be waving all enrolment fees, with the first three classes offered for free! We offer everything for self defence, including basic weapon training! Contact Akeem at Building 30 Room 12.
"A training school?" Alyva crumbles up the paper. She lived in town her whole life. If there was a school, she and her friends would have heard of it. Besides, it was just a coincidence. She goes back to the couch to continue sewing.
She didn't believe it was real. Can't blame her, if there was a secret school, we'll be the first to know. Us Sheikah, we can uncover even the deepest of secrets.
Alyva and Joan were buying food at the local market when she saw the woman that handed her that scroll. She taps Joan.
"That's her!" She told Joan about the paper.
"A geruldo? Yeah, I know." She looked unfazed. "Their school down south, it is very hard to get into. You have to master everything, including horse riding."
"And how do you know that?" Alyva had her hands on her hips. Buchard told her about them, but she figured since he was a constable, he most likely heard stories from the Princess' bodyguard.
"It's common knowledge. The Princess, her bodyguard was a graduate at that school. Genevieve's father, he is good friends with the King. Who hired her himself." She looked at Alyva. "If there is a school, maybe you should ask her." She nods towards her.
"What if it's fake?" She saw the hours, it says it was only open at night.
"Then I'll come with you." Joan was curious herself. "To be honest I'm getting bored being a maid. Maybe I can be a guard myself." She had to admit, it was intriguing. "Let me know what she says."
Knock Knock.
Noar quickly takes the diary and places it under her pillow. She then pretends to sleep.
She heard her mother opening the door. Seeing the lamp on, she quietly walks to the nightstand and blows it out. She then tucks her daughter in and kisses her forehead. Once she left, Noar opens the book.
"Wow." These drawings were incredible. Whoever she was, she was a great artist. Those drawings, she seen the real life version of those boots in the room upstairs. "Who are you?" She was debating on staying up, the diary was getting exciting. But she had a early shift at the front desk. "Screw it." She'll tell her mom she wasn't feeling well. Her mom won't be suspicious if she stayed in bed all day. As for the guy upstairs, she'll convince Hala to take him as a student for a day at the training centre. She was thankful there was a full moon, she wanted to see what was next. But first, she wanted a hot bath.