As Link drew away from the narrow walls of the canyon entrance out into the breadth of Gerudo Valley, he saw the depth of turmoil that had befallen the childhood home of Ganondorf. Treading slowly, aimlessly, so as not to attract attention, he glimpsed the river's new lows - significantly lower than when he had left. The bridge had signs of partial construction on either side, with several Kakariko carpenters working in a disjointed manner while Gerudo women, likely the wives, looked on and tried to direct the project themselves. He couldn't help but notice the gaunt look on both the Kakariko and Gerudo faces. Ganondorf's hopes to bring biological wealth to the area had amounted to nothing in the face of environmental catastrophe. Link knew he wouldn't have placed the blame squarely on Ganondorf's shoulders, but he wondered if those on either side of the burned bridge would. How would they react to the news that Ganondorf was still alive and leading the Abandoners to Hyrule Castle while those who remained toiled to reestablish the bridge and communication with the rest of Hyrule?
As Link approached the fallen bridge, he noticed the small zip line connecting both sides. A few people passed one-at-a-time in one direction, then a few would grow impatient and line up on the other side. The whole environment hung heavy with an aura of frustration. He got in the line to cross and made it swiftly to not hold up the line or give people enough time to question who this Hylian was going into Gerudo Valley, rather than out of it. Despite trying to hide his strength, one Gerudo woman noticed him and came over to talk.
"Hey young Hylian! I saw you cross the channel. You seem strong and brave. We need ones like you. Would you consider joining the carpenters' guild? Or maybe farming on the Valley floor? We don't see many Hylians coming across to our side. I wonder if you have come back for your wife or if you have yet to find one? If you are looking to make a home here, maybe we can spend some time together."
There was no flirtation in her eyes or speech, just desperation. It was most obvious in her eyes. In the times of great struggle, even the proud Gerudo women saw matching up as their best chance at a better life. Maybe she wanted to leave Gerudo Valley, or maybe she truly just wanted a partner to contribute to her family. He could see two kids hanging nearby, looking and calling out to her. While desperation darkened everyone's days in Hyrule, the Gerudo policy of isolationism had been especially brutal.
Then a spot of good luck fell upon him. He overheard a group farther up towards the carpenters' tent talking about Koume, Kotake, and Nabooru. "You know they are pushing to reopen the bridge soon, right? Why else would everyone be working on it? I heard that Koume and Kotake aren't ready for the isolation to end though, they think it's too dangerous to allow outsiders back in when we are so fragile ourselves."
Another chimed in, "We've been waiting for 3 years now. It's time we open up. What good can come from continuing to seal ourselves off? We've sealed our own tomb! Can't you see how low the water has gotten? We don't have enough food for those on this side of the bridge, and the bridge being down only traps us here, it is not protecting us from the other side! The limited parties we send out can barely bring back enough rations to supplement our deficit. But notice that they do indeed bring something back! That means there is more out there than in here."
A third voice, an older Gerudo woman, spoke up. "I have always trusted the Matriarchs in the past, it is not our place to question them. Well, that was in the past. I don't know if they have enough tenacity anymore to greet these challenging times with thoughtful risk. I'm glad Nabooru is there to balance out the old heads. Honestly, I think it's time she became the leader and we began anew with fresh blood and fresh ideas."
Several others nodded in agreement at this, especially the younger Gerudo women. It seemed that Koume and Kotake were in a dangerous position as the old players in the new game. Link made a note of this, and walked away while some muttered about the leadership retreat occurring in the Spirit Temple in the Desert Colossus. He began wandering his way back to the Colossus, hoping to catch some of the Gerudo leadership and share the message Princess Zelda so desperately wanted to bring to Hyrule.
—
It was almost nightfall as Link reached the Colossus, and the creatures of the desert began to stir. He wandered around the lizards and other reptiles and watched out for hawks and other birds of prey. As he approached the entrance to the Colossus, he noticed two of the guards who had accompanied Ganondorf the day that he met them in Castle Town market. Link and the guards greeted each other cautiously, but warmly.
"Ah, the young boy has become the young man! Look at how you grew. You would make a fine husband for a Gerudo. I'm guessing that's not why you've come to the Colossus though." It was the older, wiser head guard. She nodded to Link, and approached him slowly. "Have you come to talk to your old friends? Or try to convince the Matriarchs to open Gerudo Valley back up? I warn you, Koume, Kotake, and Nabooru are at an impasse and have been for some time. Days at this point. The whole negotiation is likely to destabilize at any moment. But maybe you, the Hylian outsider, can bring us news and sense for their troubled minds."
Link nodded gravely. "I hope to, but we will see. Princess Zelda has stayed in Hyrule, but few know of it. She attempts to establish a Council of Sages to rule Hyrule, one leader from each of the populated areas to steward the resources of the Kingdom more equitably. Well, what remains of the Kingdom. There is no king here, so whatever we would call this system that remains."
The older guard nodded with a look of tentative approval. "I think this idea has merit. We Gerudo have always resented the Hylians and especially the Royal Family for their ways of cultural supremacy. They always imposed and took, through political gaming or force when politics failed. If Princess Zelda holds true to her word and shares political power amongst a wider group, then this leadership structure could truly benefit us all. Greater equality in the relations between different races of Hyrule would be a more stable configuration than the Royal Family's efforts to continuously put down rebellions and uprisings. Plus, I see no better alternative emerging in these unstable times. Come, enter and see if you can convince the Gerudo leadership of this plan. The fate of Hyrule may rest on your shoulders, young warrior."
The older guard showed Link through the maze-like corridors of the Desert Colossus, past ornate statues celebrating the Goddesses of the Gerudo and the desert culture. As they wound deeper into the complex, he remembered his previous time here. He had stuck to the shadows and had not been noticed. This time, he needed to step out bravely and share what he knew, for the sake of not just Princess Zelda but of all Hyrule. During his journey, he had slowly convinced himself that Princess Zelda's plan held the most promise for salvaging the situation of the desperate kingdom. He had also convinced himself to no longer refer to it as the 'kingdom'. There is no kingdom if there is no king, no Royal Family to assume the throne heir after heir after heir. It wasn't clear how new Sages would be welcomed into the Council. But he hoped that for the lifetime of these founding members, more voices at the table would mean a more careful consideration of the diverse environments, people, and perspectives of Hyrule. The question was if the diversity could stay unified enough to present a singular vision for Hyrule without fracturing into factions and bands competing against each other for grabbing a majority of political power.
At last, they reached the main chamber. A small candle-lit stone table had three small, dark figures sitting around it. Although he could not make them out visually, he could sense the Matriarchs and Nabooru through their presence. Their voices, speaking in hushed tones, trickled out into silence as Link and the guard approached. His time to shine - or fail - had arrived. He sensed the anxiety emanating from the Matriarchs, while Nabooru appeared to remain aloof and unperturbed. He had been unable to determine what they were discussing prior to their arrival in order to gauge group sentiment. The head guard nodded to Link, as he needed no introduction to the group sitting at the stone table in front of him.
"Dear leaders, Koume, Kotake, Nabooru. You may remember me as Link, the Hylian who grew up among the Kokiri. I traveled from Kakariko Village on behalf of the newly established Council of Sages. We are a group of leaders representing the different people of Hyrule. We would not be complete without the Gerudo, which is why I stand before you today. May I sit?" Koume motioned to the small stone chair next to her, and he took a seat silently. Gathering himself for a few moments, he began calmly and kindly. "I have not been back to the Valley for at least two years now, if my memory serves me right. When you all decided to isolate, I traveled with Ganondorf to see if I might lend my assistance to him in establishing the Abandoners in Castle Town. Given that I was unmistakably Hylian, I figured that was my best opportunity to blend in with others and approach Ganondorf when the time was right. At that point, I was still following the inklings left to me by the Great Deku Tree as she died: that with Ganondorf lay opportunities for renewing Hyrule."
He paused a second, allowing himself to gather his thoughts. "However, as our group reached the broken castle drawbridge, I noticed Princess Zelda and Impa fleeing from Castle Town. It was clear they were alone. This seemed very dangerous for a member of the Royal Family and having met them previously I needed to understand what this meant. This being a few years ago, there was not as much sentiment against the Royal Family as there is now, yet it still seemed quite odd for those two to be traveling alone. Princess Zelda informed me that she had escaped the Royal Family caravan heading for distant lands because she couldn't bear to see Hyrule left in such a state of anarchy and collapse. She and Impa had decided that the safest place for them was with Impa's family in Kakariko Village. I knew that Ganondorf and the Abandoners had committed to Castle Town and could be found again if needed, so I felt my skills could be best used protecting Princess Zelda. As we established ourselves in Kakariko Village, Impa took on a role as a facilitator in the rebuilding process to mend the Hylian-Goron relations in the aftermath of the eruption of Death Mountain. It was during this year that we developed the idea of the Council of Sages. Princess Zelda believes in it with all of her energy, and I know she will invest herself to the point of death trying to implement this Council. She has convinced me as well, which is why I have come to seek a representative of the Gerudo isolationists. Ganondorf is still our final Sage, but given the split of the Gerudo Tribe it felt appropriate to request a representative from you all as well."
The three Gerudo leaders looked from the table to each other, to Link, back to each other, to the table again. Koume and Kotake were beginning to show their age. Out of deference to her elders, Nabooru remained quiet to give the Matriarchs the time they needed to offer the first words.
"Two years ago when we demanded the expulsion of the Abandoners and consigned the Gerudo remaining to fend for ourselves, I did not truly appreciate the depth of struggle we would go through. All of Ganondorf's work came to nothing, and I'm sure he would be appalled at the difficulty and poverty that we went through. While we lost few, our hold on the Gerudo Tribe who remain is tenuous. Nabooru, you are the new hope. If you would accept, you should go and become the Gerudo representative on the Council of Sages, for those of us who stayed. Koume and I need to stand for the decisions we made, and remain behind to tend to the lands we have known for so many generations. My twin sister and I cannot bear to separate from Gerudo Valley at our advanced age." Kotake smiled fondly at her sister, and they reached out knobby hands to hold each other in the show of reassurance that they were each desperately seeking.
Nabooru nodded. "I dared not say such a thing, but I feel you are right. The Gerudo here still respect your word, but assuredly the Abandoners who left would not because they see you as the reason for their departure. I accept, and will travel with Link to Kakariko Village and then to Hyrule Castle. This plan is a necessary step in the consolidation of the struggles of the various races of Hyrule into one joint struggle, and I believe Princess Zelda when she says that she means for there to be a legitimate sharing of political power. In the morning, we can depart back to Kakariko Village and begin the work of solidifying the policies of the Council."
All rose and began to retire back to their respective sleeping quarters. Nabooru wandered close to Link, brushing against his hand. "I can't help but notice that you don't seem to be married yet. Hylian, do you think we would make a good pair? We are not yet colleagues, as I have not been given the official blessing of Princess Zelda. I can sense your strength, and know I can match it with my own. Would you spend the night with me?" Link looked down shyly, and thought about this proposal. He had not let himself relax for several years, really since he had left Kokiri forest. He looked Nabooru in the eye, and said, "I believe you, but I still want to see it. Let's spend the night together."
They went off to the personal rooms reserved for the Gerudo elite, and had relatively uneventful sex. Both were tired with aching bodies. Nabooru had some desert aphrodisiacs that stirred Link more than he'd ever felt before, but deadened the overall sensations and he had trouble finishing. They cuddled more from the cold of the desert night than from feelings of closeness, and in the morning were still not sure if this relationship of theirs would ever amount to anything.