Not sure how many of you know of the minor character from Twilight of Danger, Dina, the Gerudo receptionist for the captain of the Clock Town guard. She had a small role, but I think her backstory was rather interesting. So, here it is! Also, yes, some of the names of the guards are references to other Zelda games. Enjoy!
-Joost
Life In Termina
Chapter 4: No Mountain High Enough
Romani made her rounds with little effort. The fall seemed to be unnaturally calm, as it was the year prior. Not many assignments to take on, not many problems, not that it was a bad thing. The spring, primarily the weeks leading up to the Carnival of Time, that's when things got crazy. Perhaps it was just normal, since two years ago, around the same time, Link arrived in Termina.
The ranch girl wasn't the only one who thought about how madness used to almost follow Link wherever he went, or rather, how he seemed to be drawn in when chaos began to spread. Personally, Romani thought of Link as the antithesis to all the bad things going on, and that's what made her look up to him. When stuff got bad, Link appeared out of nowhere and did his best to fix it, which he did, except for the few stragglers looking to cause more problems when everything settled down. The best example was the dilemma dealing with the rising Garo after the moon was sent back into the sky.
Of course, Link was more than just the mysterious hero who came when the going got tough. Beyond his staggering feats, he was still a boy, and for Romani, he was her best friend. Lately, he had been even more. Even at fourteen years of age, Link and Romani were closer together than any other pair of kids in town. When she wasn't on guard duty or tending to things at the ranch with her sister, she was with Link. When Link wasn't busy helping out around the Stock Pot Inn, or working as Mutoh's apprentice with the carpenter group, he was with Romani. They were inseparable, and even then, together they hung out with Jim, leader of the Bomber's Secret Society of Justice and Skull Kid, forming a group that was better known around town than the mayor at some points.
However, some part of Romani still felt a little lonely. Back before she became the youngest member of the Clock Town Guard, before she left the ranch almost every day, before Link came into her life, she was alone. There were others living on the ranch besides her and Cremia, of course, but they were all adults. Adults that just saw Romani as a little girl and not much more. They interacted, for sure, but there wasn't much to do. Link was her first proper friend, then Tatl, Jim, Skull Kid, and so on.
But there was still something missing. A friend that wasn't so stoic as Link, all hyper like Jim, or admirably odd like Skull Kid. A friend who was a girl, liked her. Except for Tatl, who herself was actually in her higher teen years than anyone had expected for a fairy, Romani was surrounded by boys. She didn't mind that fact, because she held feelings for Link, became one of the Bombers because of Jim, and appreciated Skull Kid for his kookiness, but it still felt strange. Like she was the odd one out of the group.
Sighing, Romani tried not to think about her inner worries. When she was little, or, little-er, Cremia always told her to be thankful for what she had. After loosing father, the only family she had was her big sister, whom Romani was always grateful for. Life was difficult for the pair, Cremia becoming owner of the ranch when she was only sixteen, but they made it by.
Looking up at the sky, seeing that the sky was darkening into a more orange hue and the sun was hovering only twenty degrees above the ridge that lined the valley that opened up into the coast of Great Bay, Romani's shift was almost over. Although, with the changing time of the fall, checking the clock wouldn't harm anyone. Walking away from the entrance to West Clock Town, she descended down the ramp leading towards the sand and tried to see the tower.
"Ugh, too short…" Romani grumbled to herself, unable to see what time it was. She didn't even think that the side with the clock was visible at this side, but before she could give up, she heard something from across the sand plain.
It was the sound of someone grunting, obviously struggling to do something. Then there was a rough thud, sand flying into the air and raining down in a mess. Looking over, Romani saw somebody lying in a heap in front of the main fence that blocked off Great Bay from any threats. Normally, someone would need a horse to leap over to enter the bay, or it'd need to be opened by a complex method only the Zoras knew of.
"Hey!" Romani called out, holding her spear defensively, cautiously approaching the figure who was still slumped over in a mess in the sand. It was hard to discern who or what it was, their clothes in tatters and seemingly bruised.
Then, Romani spotted blood.
The person was marked up, injured and bleeding. A large, red stain appeared beneath them in the sand, Romani getting close enough to see that they were not only bruised, but cut, burned, and still breathing! Training instincts kicked in, Romani lowering her spear and breaking out into a jog, heading over to help the mysterious person.
"Auuuugh…" The person groaned loudly. It was a girl from the sound of their voice, but also the recognizable complexion. The ginger hair, purple clothing, and dark, tanned skin told Romani that it was one of the Gerudo pirates! But how?
"Hey! Don't worry, Romani's here!" Romani called out, kneeling down before the injured girl and picking her up. Like how Link would hold her bridal style, Romani scooped the lady up and slowly carried over away from the fence. "Can you hear me? Hello?"
The girl had passed out, unable to get a single word through. She was young, but older than Romani. It was likely she was fifteen or sixteen, her muscles toned with broad shoulders than rivaled a few adults in town. Regardless, Romani was able to hold her, her training regimen giving her an almost equally toned body. By the time she trudged through the sand and made it to the entrance to West Clock Town, the guard posted on the other side noticed his coworker in need.
"Keo! Don't just stand there, come on!" Romani shouted, getting the guard out of his confused state. She delivered the unconscious girl into the arms of the older fellow. "I found her in the sand by the farthest fence leading to the bay. She's injured, but still breathing!"
"Got it!" Keo and Romani rushed off into town in search of anyone to help. The two headed towards the mayor's office where Captain Viscen was having his own place constructed.
"Go, I'll be there in a minute!" Romani said, breaking off from Keo and stopping at the front door to the Stock Pot Inn. She knew that Link would be able to help, she just hoped he was home and not too busy at the moment.
Opening the door, seeing the blonde boy in beige working at the reception desk caused a wave of relief to blanket her face.
"R-Romani!" Link greeted his girlfriend with a wider smile than he did with normal clients. He was always happy to see Romani, but once he got a glimpse at her panting form, desperate but determined eyes, and perturbed body language, he realized something serious was going on. "Wh-What's wrong? Do you need something, Romani?"
"There was a pirate injured by the fence near Great Bay, Romani needs Grasshopper!" Romani rushed over and held Link's hand, tugging his arm twice to encourage him to come along. He didn't need any more persuasion, vaulting over the desk in a hurry.
Bursting through the door to the inn, Link and Romani ran over to the mayor's office. It was a little odd, as Link had already spent a lot of his day there earlier helping the carpenters work on the new rooms for Captain Viscen.
The arrangement was simple. Since Kafei no longer lived with his parents, Madame Aroma and the mayor were moving out, allowing for a new office for the captain to operate from. It was being built from the bedroom that Kafei and his family once used, the area being split in half, one side for Viscen's office and the other being reserved for a reception desk. The meeting room where Madame Aroma worked was being converted to an armory for the guards, lockers at the furthest end to hold their supplies, racks for their assigned spears, and a waiting area.
Sawdust, spare lumber, and a noticeable draft were present in the mayor's office as Romani and Link entered. Such problems would be fixed soon, the carpenters only having started work on the renovations three days ago. At maximum, it'd take five days, but signs of work were still scattered around the place, making it all seem quite unprofessional.
"Keo!" Romani shouted. The door to the armory was open, three guards already inside. Stepping through, Romani spotted Keo, the sixth guard, Shiro, the fifth, and Scorpis, the fourth. They were gathered around the bench, the girl sprawled out along the cushion, still asleep.
"There you are, Romani," Keo said, "Any ideas on what to do?" He crossed his arms and looked down at the Gerudo lady, inspecting her wounds. They looked terrible, but they didn't have their supplies to treat any of them yet.
"Okay, Shiro," Romani turned to the guard that most often forgot about. He saluted, happy that he was acknowledged by his fellow guard. "Go get a red potion from the shop in West Clock Town! Romani brought Grasshopper here to help out in the meantime."
"Alright, you got it," Shiro said, running off.
"Grasshopper, do your thing!" Romani smiled and glanced at her boyfriend, gesturing towards the woman lying beneath them.
"Wha- I- uh…" Link blushed, just now figuring out what Romani needed him. He fumbled with his words, knowing that he had to use the Ocarina of Time to help. It had been a while since he played the Song of Healing, but he figured that it wouldn't hurt to try. "O-Okay…" He knelt down and reached into his bag.
Normally, Link didn't have his bag on him, wanting to forget about most of the items he used to employ during his adventures. Today, since he was working with Mutoh and the carpenters, it was strapped to his belt, and thankfully, he forgot to remove it when he got home. Pulling out the Ocarina of Time, he wiped some stray dust off of it and played a single note to blow out any that was stuck inside the instrument. Once he was ready, he played the Song of Healing, using magic for the first time in months.
Feelings of serenity poured from the song as he played, warmth and comfort washing over Romani and the other guards as the magic surrounded them. The healing factor of the overture was weak, due to the lack of use on Link's part, but it still worked. A number of the Gerudo's wounds shrank, a few even closed up, and most of her bruises vanished. It wasn't enough, though, but Shiro finally returned with a bottle of red liquid in hand. Lifting her head up on a pillow gently, Romani fed the lady the potion, holding her jaw to make sure she swallowed.
"Good…" Romani didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she was done feeding the Gerudo the drink. She set the injured woman back down on the bench and let her rest, Shiro, Keo, and Scorpis congratulating her.
Now it was only a matter of time before the potion could fully take its course, the Gerudo's wounds gradually healed, her burn marks softening, and breathing becoming less labored. Nightfall crept along Termina, the stars twinkling in the sky, Romani and Link staying by with the resting Gerudo. Jim had came by as well, hearing about what his friends had been up to.
"Hey, you're Link, right?" Scorpis came up to Link, hands on his hips.
"Y-Yes, I am," Link said meekly, fearing he was in trouble.
Scanning the young boy up and down, Scorpis got a read on him. Then, he put his hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Romani speaks about you often, so I'm glad we got the time to see just what kind of a man you are."
"Oh… Thank you, sir," Link shook Scorpis's hand firmly, further surprising the guard at how strong he was for his age. Knowing that he could use magic, was once a skilled swordsman, and could give a good handshake, Scorpis made a mental note to recommend Link to Captain Viscen. He'd be a great guard if he was up to it.
"Anyways, Shiro, Keo, and I are going to clock in for the night. Are…" Scorpis got a look at Jim, who was reading in the corner, not paying much attention. He was well aware of the Bombers from around town, their incessant need to 'help' everyone occasionally getting in the way of work. "Are you three going to be alright here?"
"Yeah, we'll be fine. Romani wanted to make sure the girl isn't alone when she wakes up, whenever that may be," Link explained.
"Ah, got it. Well, great work today," Scorpis left without another word, silence wrapping its fingers around the trio as Link sat back down. Romani was half asleep, rather tired from carrying the Gerudo woman from the fence all the way to the entrance to Clock Town.
Suddenly, it dawned on Link that Ms. Cremia didn't know about the whole Gerudo matter. Romani was always supposed to get home by sundown, and now it was almost an hour after the fact. Hopefully the mailman was still on the job, as Link quickly wrote up a letter explaining the situation, and he left the building to head to the post office across town. Once he returned, Jim was sound asleep in the corner, his drool dribbling down his cheek and hitting a page in the opened book that was in his lap. Link saved the book from the drool attack and put it next to the lockers by the window, sitting down and resting his eyes.
"Mmmmeh…" The Gerudo smacked her lips together, sensing the light hitting her eyelids. Sitting up slowly and using her hand to shield her eyes, she winced, trying to see. It was far too blurry to bare, so she scooted back to relieve her other arm from holding her steady and rubbed her eyes. "Ugh, Goddesses, what the hell happened…?"
Blinking twice, the first thing the Gerudo saw was Romani looming over her.
"WAH! Who- Who the hell?!" The Gerudo backed away, startled by the sight of Romani's gear and the spears behind her. She thought she was still under attack, but when he went to stand up and take a fighting stance, a soreness in her hips stopped her.
"Don't worry!" Romani chuckled, raising her hands to show that she wasn't armed. "Romani isn't here to fight. Romani saved you! You're safe!"
"Huh? Who are you? Where am I?!" The Gerudo looked around, seeing Link and Jim across from the strange 'Romani' that apparently saved her. While Link didn't have any weapons on him, Jim did, and it caused the woman to bare her teeth like a wild animal, reeling back and swiping her hands into the air to defend herself.
Link and Jim looked at each other wildly, unsure why this lady was being so aggressive. Then, the blonde boy figured it out.
"Jim," Link whispered sharply, "Take off your gear, it's scaring her!"
"Why'd it be scaring her?" Jim, like Link before, wore his gear wherever he went. Link was a huge role model for the leader of the Bombers, so Jim wanted to, quote, 'kick ass like he did'. He had been training with the Swordsman Teacher in the western part of town for over a year now, homing in his skills to be just like his idol.
"Just do it!" Link ordered.
Jim undid the strap for his sword and shield and put it on the ground. When that wasn't enough, he kicked them away to be out of reach of anyone. Finally, the Gerudo calmed down, able to see that none of the onlookers were any threat. Taking a deep breath, she looked around, the environment completely foreign to her.
"You're in Clock Town, the mayor's office! You've been asleep for over ten hours now," Link explained, taking a similar pose as Romani while stepping closer. The Gerudo reacted to his movements slightly, but eased up when she saw his opened palms and welcoming expression. "What's your name?"
"It's Dina…" said the Gerudo.
"Dina? That's nice. My name is Link," Link looked over to his girlfriend, "This is Romani, as she said, she's the one that saved you."
"You really did?" Dina asked, perplexed.
"Yes, Romani found you after you climbed over the fence leading to the bay. You were in pretty bad shape…" Romani went through the events thoroughly, helping the displaced Gerudo understand why she was surrounded by strangers. After the ranch girl was done, Dina adjusted herself on the bench, looking down at her worn-out clothing.
"Did… Did any of you take any peeks…?" Dina proved herself to still be young, as any teenager would be worried about such a thing. Link and Jim shook their heads profusely, affirming that they didn't invade anyone's privacy. Dina even learned that Link and Romani were an item, though Jim remained single, which made her a little suspicious of the bandana-wearing boy.
Trust was something Dina would need to form over a longer time than she had currently spent with the trio. Over the next hour, she was given a meal and some time to herself, the silence appreciated as she got her bearings. Since she woke up late into the morning, noon struck the town, yet she still hadn't left the comfort of the bench. She was even given a blanket to cover up, something she wished she had during the night, her feet feeling like icicles.
Cremia had arrived by lunch, unhappy with Romani's absence from the ranch, but equally worried about the Gerudo. Being older than Dina's rescuers, she quickly began theorizing why the girl was even out beyond the bay and so gravely injured.
"What has she told you?" Cremia asked.
"Nothing much, Grasshopper thought it best to give Dina privacy for a little while," Romani said. She and her older sister were at the Inn, Link having gone to his surrogate mother to get Dina breakfast. Kafei was reluctant at first, knowing that Anju's cooking wasn't the best, but it was definitely better than nothing.
"How old is she?" Cremia questioned as she put her hand to her chin.
"We don't know, but she's at least older than Romani! Maybe around sixteen?" Romani could only guess Dina's age, but she knew for a fact that she wasn't quite an adult. The Gerudo pirates were known for their physique and raw strength, that being the main reason why they weren't messed with. It didn't stop them from messing with others, though.
"Hm… When can I see her? I might be able to help her out if she's around your age, Romani," Cremia said, putting a hopeful eye on the situation. When her father passed, she took up the mantle of the head of both the ranch and the family, becoming a cross between an older sister and a mother to Romani. "Poor girl… I can't help but wonder why she was all battered and bruised like how you said."
"What matters is that she's alright," Kafei entered the conversation from the stairs, coming down with a box of supplies for the kitchen. Rounding the corner and continuing from the doorway that allowed him to be heard from the back hall, he said, "It'd be best to help her settle in. The pirates rarely leave the bay, so if she was so desperate to get out, she might not have a place to go to."
"Aha! You're right! She could be a runaway!" Cremia gasped, the idea of Dina possibly being deserter of some type explaining a few things.
"Well, let's not assume anything yet," Kafei warned, only the adults knowing the proverb about assuming and what it made out of you and me. Taking things slow would be in everyone's best interest. "Visit her in an hour or so, that'd give her more time to relax if she's still as jittery as Link said she was."
"Alright…" Romani said, thinking to herself as she sat down. It was hard to fight the urge to check on the girl, but she always aimed to be mature, so she complied.
About twenty minutes later, Skull Kid arrived, staff in hand and confusion across his beak. Tatl and Tael were with him, the fairy siblings too intrigued by what little they heard to resist coming along. Jim and Link filled them in on the details, and Romani gave them the plan, saying that they would wait a little longer before going to speak with Dina again. She also made sure that Skull Kid left his staff at the inn, not wanting a problem with any weapons they might carry without realizing it.
Later, the group made their way over to the mayor's office to check in on Dina. The carpenters, most of the guards, and even Captain Viscen were given a day of leave, allocating time for things to calm down. Romani didn't have her gear on, sporting her robin-egg blue shirt, purple skirt, and golden-yellow scarf. They all appeared casual, hoping to instill comfort in the weary Gerudo once that introduced Skull Kid, Tatl, and Tael.
"I don't like how I had to leave my sword and shield…" Jim grumbled, a little cross.
"It's for the best, bud, don't worry," Link said, opening the door to the mayor's office, letting the smell of sawdust to again hit his nostrils. Romani went in first, followed by Jim, but the Bomber bumped into the ranch girl instead.
"Romani? Why're you blocking the way?" Jim asked.
"Look," Romani said sternly, stepping out of the way and pointing to the door leading to the armory. It was slightly open, not how they had left it when they had gone back to the inn two hours before.
"I… I don't get it…" Skull Kid admitted, tilting his head in confusion.
"Romani doubts Dina would've left the room…" Romani said, sneaking into the office, Jim following her lead. Even though it was possible Dina had opened the door at some point in the time that the others had been gone, her reluctance and even inability to leave the bench made it seem unlikely.
Romani placed her steps carefully, testing each floorboard to see if it creaked. If one did, she'd move to another and do the same, repeating this meticulous process until she reached the door. Link was the only one who managed to be as quiet as Romani, the blonde boy used to tactics of stealth like this. It felt weird though, as it was almost like he had been placed back in the green tunic with his sword and shield somehow in hand. That was something Link refused to return to.
Pushing the door open slightly, Romani peeked inside. She stifled at gasp at the scene. Dina was gone, there were a few spots of dried blood along the floor, shards of glass, and a broken window. Running in, Romani checked the area beyond the entry point of the break-in, seeing that there were a few signs of a struggle along the grass and spots of blood forming a trail out of town.
"No!" Romani shouted, leaping out the window and rolling into the grass. Thankfully, it hadn't been long since Dina was taken, as far off in the distance, she saw her being manhandled by a pair of pirates.
"Grasshopper! A spear! Quickly!" Romani called out the window. Link grabbed a spear from the rack and chucked it down to Romani. Jim and Skull Kid had already rushed back to the inn to grab their weapons, but Link joined Romani outside without anything.
"Where is she?!" Link asked once he emerged from his tactical roll after hitting the ground.
"Over there!" Romani pointed to Dina and her captors, Link recognizing them as Aveil's, the leader of the pirates, underlings. He was astonished that they were bold enough to sneak into town, but break into the mayor's office. It'd certainly diminish official relations with them, but that didn't matter right now.
A few grunts were heard from above, Jim jumping out the window, sword and shield in hand, joining his friends. Skull Kid was far more careful about the drop, slowly climbing out the window and still being too afraid to drop more than a few feet. He held onto the ledge for dear life, whimpering until Tatl just pinched his fingers, causing him to fall.
"Oh… I-I'm alright…" Skull Kid felt a little foolish for being so terrified of a drop that ultimately didn't even leave a scratch, but he quickly wised up to the problem at hand and ran over to his companions as they rushed to intercept the pirates.
"Hey! Let her go!" Romani barked as they reached within earshot of the two older women. They turned around to see who was yelling, and at first, they ignored Romani. It wasn't until the ranch girl and her friends got closer did the pirates go on alert, hearing multiple pairs of feet and seeing that three out of the four were armed.
"Kyra…" said the pirate on Dina's left, "Are those children challenging us?"
"Yes, it seems like they are," Kyra replied. At first she rolled her eyes, but something about the blonde one and the Skull Kid caught her attention. Dina tried to break free from the iron grip of the more experienced fighters, but failed, her legs still rather unsteady and her breathing all out of whack. "Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Kyra squinted, inspecting Link and Skull Kid further. "Nanoa, that boy… He's the one that-!"
"Huh?" Jim left his defensive stance and looked on with bewilderment. "Link, what're they yapping about?"
"Th-The pirates… I've encountered them before. Back when I was helping out the Zoras," Link's cheeks flushed as he elucidated his friends on why the pirates were giving him such dirty looks. Their stares were burning a hole in his head, making him sweat.
"Ah, gotcha…" Jim said.
"Don't you dare think about attacking Grasshopper next! Let Dina go, or else!" Romani held her spear firmly, a dark determination filling her eyes with the desire to protect her friend and fend off the unruly attackers.
The pirates normally would scoff at such a childish threat, thinking that protecting someone as low as Dina proved to show how weak a person's fortitude might be. However, the resolve in Romani's tone and strength of will in her eyes said otherwise. It almost spooked Kyra and Nanoa, stepping back slightly but tightening their grip on Dina's arms. For a moment they pondered the idea that Romani, and by extension, the boy in the bandana and that oddly familiar imp were just as worthy of adversaries as Link was.
"You truly think the life of this pathetic waste of daughter is comparable to yours?" Kyra asked, genuinely curious despite her harsh wording. Nanoa let go of Dina's other arm, letting Kyra thrust the young Gerudo to the ground. With her hands free, Kyra held her own spear with both hands, as did Nanoa.
"Of course!" Jim said, swinging his sword through the air in a meager display of strength. It didn't do much to help quell the standoff, but Romani smiled at her friend's effort.
"Imagine if someone close to you rejected everything you stood for, hm? Nanoa posed, snarling underneath her veil. "This brat couldn't stomach what we do, so she's no longer one of us!"
"She's a disgrace!" Kyra added.
"Then why are you taking her back?" Link asked.
Both women went silent, their stances softening as they glanced to each other and then back at the group. Dina grunted, struggling to get up, a few new cuts along her arms, hair somewhat cut along the bangs, making it crooked, and her nose bloody.
"A moment ago, you described Dina as a 'daughter'," Link said, pointing to Kyra, "Is she your daughter?"
"Sh-She…!" Kyra stammered.
"Why make the effort to bring her back, breaking into Clock Town, and causing trouble for the town guard and the mayor, just to take back someone you don't consider one of you?" Link argued, stepping forward to take the lead, his friends behind him, still holding their weapons proudly.
"Who said we were taking her back?!" Nanoa countered.
"If you aren't, then why bother kidnapping her in the first place?" Link almost, almost wished he had his sword and shield to point at the pirates. The gesture would help accentuate his words, but he pushed those annoying thoughts away and focused on getting Dina back.
"I-I…" Kyra was at a loss. Stubbornly, she turned around and walked to her companion. "We're leaving," that was all she said, going past.
"But, K-Kyra, you-"
"We're leaving," Kyra repeated sternly, Nanoa shutting down and obeying without any objection. The pair of pirates left, and Romani threw her spear to the ground to help Dina.
"Dina! Are you alright? Say something!" Romani pleaded, crouching down and hoisting Dina into her lap. She inspected the girl's face, checked her pulse, and listened for breathing. Overall, Dina was fine, just a little scuffed up, but it was nothing another potion couldn't fix. "Grasshopper, help Romani get Dina back to the mayor's office!"
Link did as his girlfriend asked, scooping Dina into his arms and carrying her back into town.
Dusk was about to settle down on Clock Town, a bit of chilliness swooping through with the help of the autumn wind. The armory was quiet when Dina finally awoke, only accompanied by the faint sound of the wooden clock turning in the main waiting room of the office.
"Mmph…" Dina grunted as she sat up, putting her hand to her face to feel any scars. Nothing, not even the slickness of blood trickling down her face. How? Staring at the floor, there wasn't a hint of broken glass, only the familiar scent of fresh lumber and scattered dust. The stillness of the room was haunting, but also comforting in a way.
One conclusion came to mind as to why, but when she looked around, she found that she was alone in the armory again. Throwing the blanket off herself, she placed her feet on the floor and stretched her arms. Cautiously, she prepared to stand up. Counting down in her head, once she reached 'one', she stood, her legs a little off balance, but she corrected that after a second. She took a step, surprised that she was coordinated enough.
Opening the door a crack and peering through, she saw Romani, Link, Jim, and… someone, sitting against the wall on the other side of the waiting area. There were even two fairies with them, Dina initially not believing in fairies for the longest time. Pushing the door open further, Romani was the first to acknowledge Dina's presence.
"H-Hey…" Dina said.
"Dina! You're awake!" Romani gasped, coming to her feet and approaching the Gerudo carefully. Jim, Link, and Skull Kid were the next ones up, the three boys keeping still and letting Romani speak with Dina first. "Is… Is Dina feeling better? You're able to stand!"
"Yeah, I feel a bit better… How long was I out?" Dina's vision was still a bit blurry, hardly able to read the time.
"Just a few hours, don't worry. Grasshopper got you another potion, and we let you rest up!" Romani explained. Her body language was minimal, unsure about how dazed and confused Dina might be. She kept her hands clasped in front of her, and the others were without their weapons just to instill a sense of safety for the Gerudo.
"Okay… Heh, I bet you all are curious then, right?" Dina presumed.
"A little, if you don't mind me saying," Link commented.
"Don't blame you, it all must be pretty strange," Dina chuckled, trying to show a little bit of humor after being filled with fear for so long. Even though Skull Kid was a new arrival to this bizarre group that happened to help her, Dina had some trust in them now. They were willing to fight just for her, a pirate, so they might not be all that bad.
"We get strange all the time, I mean, look at me!" Skull Kid chirped, showing off his bark-like body and glowing, yellow eyes. Immediately, Dina softened towards Skull Kid, the way he worded himself showing that he was remarkably innocent compared to Romani and Link.
"Well, if you really want to know, then fine," Dina took a deep breath, "That woman, Kyra, is my mom."
The reaction Dina got wasn't quite what she expected. Her onlookers just nodded, figuring as much from what had happened earlier.
"I'm a coward. My family, everyone, they're pirates, I'm sure you know. They plunder, they steal, they fight, all that. But I-" Dina sighed, "I couldn't do it. A month ago, I turned seventeen, and was sent on my first assignment, alone. It was to hunt down a Zora named Japas and question him about the treasure of Great Bay Temple."
"Wait, wait," Link hated that he had to interrupt, but the statement about the temple worried him. "Do they still think there's something in the temple? That was just a lie told by Majora, there is no treasure there."
"There isn't?!" Dina's eyes went wide, and a lick of fury appeared in her voice.
"No, Skull Kid- er, well, Majora, was just messing around. Great Bay Temple, from what I could see, was just a place that dealt with water," Link said. Skull Kid quickly backed away from the others, ashamed that he had been such a problem.
"Hang on, you're-?!" Dina closed in on Link, her face just inches away from his. "You're the demon my mom spoke about!"
"D-Demon?!" Romani blurted.
"Yeah, a few years ago, someone broke into our fortress. Mom said it was a little, green demon with the power to shapeshift. I never saw it, but I thought it was just a rumor!" Upon hearing of the new 'myth' Link was tied, it made the former hero retreat into his shell, something he hadn't done in a while. Dina was astonished. "B-But it's you…"
"Grasshopper, don't worry, that's all in the past," Romani consoled her partner before turning back to Dina, "Please, continue."
"R-Right, well, I was given orders to do whatever was necessary to get the Zora to talk, but I…" Dina was overcome with shame. "I held my scimitar close to his face, and I-I just couldn't do it. I couldn't do what I was born to do. The fear in that poor man's eyes told me that it was wrong," the Gerudo didn't look at the others, only staring at the floor. Her memory of the event was so vivid, yet fleeting. "I went home empty handed and was punished for it. After weeks of mockery, I just ran."
"Right to us," Romani said, putting her hand on Dina's shoulder. The ladies shared one look, and Dina immediately went in for a hug. It was sudden, but no one objected.
"I didn't think mom would try and get me back… I-I'm so sorry for all this trouble, truly, I am," Dina mumbled, Romani's hair smothering her face. She had to refrain from crying, the feeling of uselessness telling her that she was a coward. "It's all just because I couldn't do what my mom had me for…"
"Hey, hey," Link stepped in, "I'll tell you from experience, your parents don't decide who you are. That's up to you." For Link, if such a thing was true, he'd either still be in Kokiri Forest, or he'd be dead. One thing was certain, he definitely wouldn't be in Termina.
"Romani promises that it'll be alright," Romani asserted, the confidence in which she spoke with bringing Dina hope. "Things are different now! We'll help you!"
"Yeah, I wouldn't have gone up against a pirate if I didn't wanna help," Jim said, smirking. Skull Kid nodded as well, Tatl and Tael perfectly aware that the imp didn't have the guts to just do what he did for nothing.
Dina looked around at the group, placing her trust in each of them. Finally, some welcome happiness filled her heart, her grip on Romani tightening as they hugged. Maybe being a deserter wasn't all that bad, and maybe this was what she needed.