Chapter 37 - Astra Departs Gerudo Town
Summary: Astra concludes her visit to Gerudo Town and returns home to discuss her visit with Zelda.
Astra awoke the following day to the sound of indistinct female voices. Then it took her a moment to realize they were from conversations in the Gerudo marketplace just outside the Hotel Oasis where she had bedded down for the night. Her Hylian hearing was excellent, but the words were too faint to make out, save for the occasional loud Sav'otta, Vasaaq, Sarqso, or Sav'orq.
Astra had slept well but awoke with a mild headache, no doubt the lingering effect of last night's Noble Pursuit. Thank Hylia that she had the sense to stop drinking when she had! And as she sat up and stretched her arms overhead with a yawn, she heard a much clearer voice in her head in a tone that sounded like a mild scolding.
"I detect a distinct deterioration in your mental acuity and reflexes, Mistress. Therefore, I recommend you initiate restorative measures."
"Yes, Fi, I know, and good morning to you, too," said Astra as she stretched her arms overhead with interlaced fingers. "That's my plan. It's called having breakfast and clearing one's head."
"Clearing one's head? I am familiar with cleaving a head, Mistress, but you cannot mean that."
Astra covered her mouth with both hands and tried to suppress her laughter, not wanting to hurt Fi's feelings. But in the end, she couldn't contain herself and burst out laughing.
"No, I definitely cannot mean that and what a pleasant thought to start the day!" laughed Astra. "But being a sword with a long history of battling evil, I suppose you would be familiar with cleaving heads. Clearing your head, in this case, means recovering from the ill effects of too much strong drink. And thanks for looking out for me."
"Looking out for you? I am bound to you spiritually, Mistress, and do not need visual affirmation of our relationship."
"I'm not sure this conversation is helping my headache, Fi," Astra said as she yawned again. "But don't sulk - I always enjoy our little talks. Looking out for me means being protective and trying to make sure that I am well. Anyway, I'm getting up now to initiate restorative measures, as you put it."
Astra's first stop was a visit to the fruit stand for a Hearty Durian and a Hydromelon, followed by a trip to a pot next to the royal palace to cook a simmered fruit dish. After preparing her meal, she carried it a short distance past a mushroom shop and then under two archways to the alley along the town's southeastern wall. She stopped at the small Goddess statue there to say a brief prayer to Hylia, then sat down in the shade, her back against the inner wall.
It was a quiet spot, no passersby to interrupt her as she ate or loud shopkeepers to aggravate her headache. And the guard at the nearby gate stayed at her post and kept out of sight as well. Astra chose this location because she recalled a conversation with her father about this very spot when they had discussed Gerudo Town during one of his visits.
"The Gerudo respect women who excel at combat, so you'll get along fine with them," said Link as he and Astra strolled along one of the castle paths. "And you won't have to disguise yourself as a Vai to get into town as I did. It was a real nuisance! Once inside, I didn't want to keep going in and out of town too much for fear of looking suspicious and the guards noticing. But with all the people coming and going, finding someplace to eat in town where I could lift my veil without being seen was a challenge. I remember I thought I had found a quiet spot near the Goddess statue, but an elderly Gerudo woman named Muava was sitting there. And not only that, far from avoiding detection, she flat out told me she knew I was a Voe before I did a thing!"
"She figured that out so quickly when nobody else could?"
"Well, as she went on to tell me, she had traveled extensively throughout Hyrule in her youth looking for Lover's Pond and the perfect Voe to settle down with. She never found the pond or the Voe of her dreams but had no doubt met quite a few men along the way in her travels. Thus she was more experienced dealing with men, unlike so many of the women in town. She was not so easily fooled and saw right through my disguise as she told me. Luckily, she had no desire to report me to the guards but was happy just to chat. We parted on good terms, with her advising me to live my life to the fullest, not to let time slip away as she had. It was good advice, though little did she know that 'time slipping away' held such a special meaning for me."
"That's for sure, Dad!" laughed Astra."
Anyway, Link's visit with Mauva took place over twenty-five years ago, and neither Mauva nor anyone else was here now. So Astra had the spot to herself and enjoyed the meal as she thought about Gerudo Town. It was interesting how so little had changed here since her father's time. People clung to the old ways and preserved their traditions. And not just in Gerudo Town but throughout Hyrule. It seemed primitive compared to the Hyrule she grew up in.
But, of course, she had to remind herself that this kingdom of Hyrule had suffered a great defeat. It had been destroyed by Calamity Ganon 125 years ago, and countless lives had been lost. Then it languished without a ruler for 100 years as monsters and malice-infected guardians terrorized the population. After Ganon was finally defeated 25 years ago, people felt fortunate just to have peace and a chance to rebuild the lives their ancestors once had. They did not yet have the time or resources for technological advancements, even if they wanted them. In any case, the Gerudo probably saw no reason to change their habits since they had worked for them for centuries.
"Feeling much better already after my restorative measures," said Astra to herself after finishing her healthy fruit breakfast.
Fi was silent, probably sulking after being laughed at, but Astra knew she would get over it. Fi had told her she was the most talkative of all her former masters and appreciated the language lessons.
Astra planned to stroll around Gerudo Town next, visit each stall, and chat with the shopkeepers. Starting a conversation was easy, as vendors were quite aggressive, and even merely stopping to look at their wares would elicit a sales pitch.
Her first stop was the Fashion Passion clothing store just past the Sand seal rental area.
"Sav'otta! Come, try on one of our latest outfits! I guarantee it will look charming on a cute Hylian Vai like you. Besides, it will keep you cooler in the sweltering desert heat," said the vendor, Saiga, when Astra stopped there to look.
"Sav'otta! I might just do that and change into it at once," said Astra as she examined the outfit on display. "This long sleeve outfit I'm wearing is feeling too warm now. Maybe afterward, we could talk for a moment about how things are here in town."
It was common knowledge that shopkeepers were friendlier and more open to chatting with paying customers. Astra completed the purchase and changed into the Gerudo outfit inside the shop. She imagined now she looked even more like her father when he snuck into town. But she had to admit her new apparel was definitely more comfortable in the warm daytime air.
"It looks perfect on you!" said Saiga after Astra emerged from changing. "But you haven't lived unless you have several outfits of different colors! Here, try on this other one."
"Thanks, I'll stick to just this one outfit for now," said Astra.
"Well, if you get that far, I suppose you can always have it dyed a different color in Hateno Village," said Saiga. "We are looking to offer a dyeing service here soon if only we can get permission for such heavy water use."
"How do you like running a shop here?"
"It's quite lucrative, and I enjoy the work, though I don't mind sneaking off for a cold drink now and then," said Saiga. "Shops here or at the Kara Kara Bazaar are usually passed down from mother to daughter, kept in the family if possible. For example, I inherited this shop from my mother, Saula. It's not uncommon to even see grandmothers tending a store or watching grandchildren to help keep the shop running."
"I see," said Astra.
Then Saiga leaned closer and whispered.
"Is there a special Voe in your life? If so, we have a secret club where you can purchase Gerudo made outfits for a Voe that will keep away the desert heat. Your Voe will love it and look quite handsome in it too. If you're interested, I can let you join the club."
"Nobody yet, Saiga, but I'll keep it in mind for the future," said Astra. "Sarqso!"
Astra then made her way from shop to shop, purchasing something from each and storing her purchases in the Sheikah Slate. Its ability to transform between matter and ancient energy was quite phenomenal and convenient, second only to her Tab in that respect.
Speaking of her Tab, she had loaned it to Purah for study, but only after securing the most solemn of promises from Purah that she wouldn't damage it. Her Tab contained many family pictures she would not want to lose.
At the mushroom shop, the shopkeeper explained how mushrooms were good for your complexion and helped to cure headaches.
"I should have stopped here first," laughed Astra after purchasing some of each mushroom.
As she wandered through town, Astra sought to become more familiar with the town's people and mood. Most Gerudo women here were young, but that was not surprising when you thought about it. It was common for Gerudo Vai to leave town to find Hylian husbands and then stay with them. Some women returned here every day to work, especially those who owned shops and even brought their children with them. But most didn't, so quite a few Vai here were young and unmarried.
Her last stop was the jewelry store where, after some expected haggling, she picked up a bracelet for Zelda's chief of staff, Myra. Not wearing her royal outfit might well have been an advantage in haggling, as with her veil on, the shopkeeper didn't recognize her.
"You drive a hard bargain, little Hylian Vai," said the shopkeeper, shaking her head as she wrapped the bracelet. "But yours is my first sale of the day, so I could not see you leave empty-handed."
"Thank you, but I know from some Goron gem suppliers that you are still making a handsome profit, even allowing for the cost of workmanship," said Astra.
"Shh! Please lower your voice!" said the owner as she anxiously glanced back at the work area of her shop. "If my artisan hears you, she will ask for a raise!"
After spending the morning exploring the town and meeting its people, Astra felt it was time to return home, as she knew her mother would be eager to learn about Naboris. But first, she needed to say farewell to Riju.
When Astra approached the guards at the palace entrance, there was a brief delay while Riju finished a meeting. But then Astra was ushered into the palace, and Riju rose to greet her.
"I'm heading home now and came to say goodbye," said Astra.
"Wow! You look quite attractive in one of our outfits, Astra! I said you would fit in well here, and it shows! I hope you're prepared to fend off all the eager Voe you encounter who won't be able to take their eyes off you!"
"I'll manage, thank you," laughed Astra. "But I think it would be wise for me to change back into my normal attire when I arrive home. I would not want Her Majesty to lecture me about attire unbecoming a Hyrule Princess. Speaking of which, she asked me to say hello."
"Well, I hope you enjoyed your brief visit," said Riju.
"I did enjoy it. I met quite a few people and had fun with some guards last night at the Noble Canteen. At least what I remember of last night was fun," said Astra.
"Our drinks are on the strong side for Hylians, but that's good," laughed Riju. "And you found no problems with Divine Beast Vah Naboris?"
"Nothing significant, just a report about the lack of a registered pilot and years of disuse. I suppose none of that should be surprising. Anyway, Sarqso to you and your people for their kind hospitality."
"Of course, Astra! You are welcome here anytime," said Riju. "Next time, stay longer and tour the desert on a Sand seal. But if you are leaving now, I will say Sav'orq!"
"Sav'orq! And you and any of your family are always welcome at Hyrule Castle. Give my good wishes to your lovely daughter, Kalema. I hope to spend more time with her in the future."
"I will. I'm sure Kalema would enjoy showing you some of the desert next time you return here, and I know she will be eager to visit you at the castle," said Riju.
Astra stepped back, took out the Sheikah Slate, opened the map, and selected the Saas Ko'sah Shrine overlooking the Hyrule Castle docks. Then she pressed the symbol and vanished, reappearing at the shrine's travel gate.
The Hyrule Castle docks were situated well below the shrine location, and nobody was nearby, so Astra used the shelter of the shrine to change back into her travel outfit. The air was cool and damp, and a peal of thunder as she changed signaled that another storm was passing through central Hyrule. After changing, she made her way up the passageway and through the door at the end that led into the castle library.
There were three people in the library, all busy reading, and Astra didn't recognize any of them. Zelda had made the library available to anyone researching Hyrule's history or other topics, so it was not uncommon to see strangers there. In her former timeline, Astra might have expected to see her half-sister Mila working there on Hyrule's history. Anyway, as she expected, heavy rain was beating against the windows.
It was about lunchtime, and Astra at once headed for Zelda's office. Myra was eating at her desk outside Zelda's office when she arrived.
"Oh, Highness, you are safely back from your trip?" said Myra as she stood.
"Yes, and I brought you something," said Astra as she handed Myra the gift box. "I hope you like it and will accept it."
Myra unwrapped and opened the box to find a ruby and gold bracelet.
"Oh, Your Highness! It's so beautiful! But this is much too expensive a gift!"
"Please accept it, Myra," said Astra. "It was hard to know what to get you, and you deserve it."
"I will, thank you," said Myra, as she admired the bracelet. "Or should I say Sarqso? I picked up a little Gerudo over the years."
"You're very welcome," laughed Astra. "Is Her Majesty available?"
"Yes, she's eating lunch in her office. Just knock first," said Myra. "Shall I order lunch for you? The kitchen is serving Salmon Risotto today, and it's delicious."
"Yes, thanks, that does sound delicious."
Astra's knock on the door elicited a welcome to enter, and Astra did so, closing the door behind her. As Myra said, Zelda was eating lunch at her desk, and her cat, Mia, was eating from her bowl near the fireplace. Mia looked up at Astra as she entered, then returned to her food bowl.
"Welcome home!" said Zelda as they embraced. "Shall I order some lunch for you?"
"Myra is already doing that, thanks," said Astra.
"So, then please sit down and tell me everything," said Zelda. "And try not to let the storm bother you."
Astra sat down and glanced at the raindrops spattering against the windows.
"The trip went well," said Astra. "I met quite a few people there, including Riju's teenage daughter, Kalema. Did you know about her, by the way?"
"I did," said Zelda as she nodded. "But neither Riju nor Kalema's father knew I knew, and I wished to preserve her secret. I wanted you to learn about her daughter from Riju herself, letting her tell you when she was ready."
"May I ask how you found out?"
"Of course! As you know, when officers take time off, they leave notice about where they will be. The Akkala Citadel commander notified me that Kalema's father, Captain Larson, kept using his time off to visit the Gerudo, and he wondered if there was anything suspicious about that. I asked the Sheikah to investigate Larson's movements and ensure he wasn't doing anything disloyal, such as meeting with the Yiga Clan. The Sheikah followed him undetected and reported that he was secretly meeting regularly with Chief Riju and a young girl. It was easy to figure things out after that."
"I see," said Astra. "Anyway, my meeting with both Riju and Kalema went well. I invited any of Riju's family to visit. Now, shall we discuss my visit to Naboris?"
"Yes, what about Naboris?"
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and then Myra entered carrying Astra's lunch that had been dropped off with her just now.
"Thank you, Myra," said Zelda, as Myra bowed and then left.
"I think you'll enjoy the salmon," said Zelda. "It's very fresh."
"I'm sure I will," said Astra. "I only had a light breakfast of fruit."
"Please eat while the food is hot."
"Thank you. Here is the report," said Astra, handing Zelda the Sheikah Slate. "Basically, Naboris is suffering from lack of use and not having a registered pilot, all of which is not surprising. Everything else seems fine."
While Astra ate her lunch, Zelda took a moment to read through the report.
"I suppose we will get the same report from each of the Divine Beasts," said Zelda. "But I honestly can't say I'm worried about the period of neglect. These machines were buried for ten thousand years and could still work after being activated. Twenty-five years must be like the blink of an eye to such devices. Still, I'll share this information with Dr. Purah."
"I must admit it was creepy being inside Naboris," said Astra. "At times, it was so deathly quiet you could hear your own footsteps echoing against the walls. And other times, all you could hear was the howl of the desert wind as it blew through the many openings of the massive structure. I felt I was inside something haunted and powerful, a sleeping giant only waiting for the right moment to come alive. There were a few opened chests and discarded weapons scattered about, the remnants of my father's visit from 25 years ago. Anyway, you know I'm not timid, but I did not wish to remain inside Naboris after dark."
"I completely understand and don't blame you," said Zelda as she nodded. "We don't really understand these Divine Beasts and their power. There is something literally awesome about them. They somehow form a mental bond with those who train to pilot them. And perhaps they also affect those of us who only enter them using the Sheikah Slate. But thank you for visiting Naboris for me. I know I would surely break down and cry if I went there, thinking of the time I spent there with Urbosa."
"I'm happy to do it," said Astra. "It's what princesses are for. And lunch was delicious! Is there anything you wish me to do now?"
"Oh, that reminded me," said Zelda. "Dr. Purah was hoping you could visit her and spend the night at her lab. She has questions about how that device you loaned her works. What was it called? A Tab?"
"Yes, that's right. I'll head over there after we finish. I'm sure we will have a lot to talk about."
"You'll need this to travel there quickly," said Zelda as she handed the Sheikah Slate back to Astra.
Astra noticed how reverently Zelda handled the device.
"I'll take good care of it, Mother," said Astra quietly as she took it. "I know it's special for you and contains important memories. If Purah can help get my Tab working like a Sheikah Slate in this timeline, then I won't need it anymore."
"Yes, that device in your hands has certainly gone through a lot since we first found it all those years ago," said Zelda with a smile. "But please use it as much as you need to. My days of wandering around Hyrule searching for ancient Sheikah technology are pretty much over, though I'm still very interested in it. There are some pictures on there I would like to keep, but Purah claims they are also stored on a Guidance Stone and can be retrieved if necessary."
"Then I'm off to see Dr. Purah," said Astra as she rose to depart. "She was my first stop after I arrived here, and I regretted that I couldn't tell her more about what I knew back then. But maybe now that the Yiga Clan is gone, it's safe to indulge her curiosity a bit more."
"And don't forget to share the Naboris report with her," said Zelda.
They embraced goodbye, and then Astra activated the Sheikah Slate to travel to the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab travel gate. She knocked on the door, got no answer, then knocked again.
"Go away! I'm busy!" came a gruff voice from within.
"Well, if you insist, Dr. Purah," said Astra through the door.
Astra waited a moment, and after a face peered through the window, the door was flung open.
"Why didn't you say it was you, Your Highness? I have a million questions for you!" Purah exclaimed as she beckoned her inside.
"I'm all ears," Astra laughed as she sat down at the table after pushing aside some papers and was glad to see her Tab lying there and still in one piece.
"Oh, and please have some tea. It does wonders for the memory," said Purah as she poured Astra a cup of tea.
It should be a fun afternoon, thought Astra as she smiled and took a sip of the strong Kakariko Village-made tea. This Hyrule was beginning to grow on her. And maybe that was just what the Goddess intended.