Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. All original characters and locations belong to me.
Chapter II: The Mage and the Rogue
Outside was indoors, but there were multiple sources of light to see from. The walls held torches and had worn out holes in them, where the sunlight shone through. The damage was not extensive enough to risk building collapse. They were in the corner of a narrow hallway, split at a right angle. The floor was clear enough to show sandstone tiles, less than ten of them broken by time. The old and decrepit building told a story of its earlier inhabitants abandoning it and being vacant until recently. The sunlight and visibility of her surroundings lifted her hopes and loosened the grip of dreadful fear, which had held her all this time.
She didn't know where she was, and if she ran, she might not get far because of that. Instead, she would memorize her surroundings and try to obtain more information from her captor. She hadn't found any weaknesses she could exploit, other than his plain kindness.
He turned a knob on the lantern that lowered the wick and reduced the flame. Then he pulled a lever that lifted the glass and blew it out. He set the lantern down next to the door.
They both stood in the light, and she saw that he was an inch taller than her. She was taller than over half the people she had met, which might have meant he was above average height. He removed his hood, making his face visible. His skin was a shade lighter than her own, and his features soft enough to give him a gentle aura. His short hair was pure white despite his youthful skin and his irises were a crimson red, making him look mysterious. He had pointed ears. She had to admit she found his appearance and personality attractive thus far, but certain actions of his made that irrelevant.
"We are inside a ruin that has been repurposed as a Hyrule military hideout, northwest of the Gerudo Fortress," he said, as if he had read her mind. "The Spirit Temple is south of here."
"You have my waterskin. Do you have the rest of my belongings?" she asked, trying not to sound resentful.
"I hid them in this ruin. Since I considered the knife to be a weapon, I left it behind in the desert," he said like an apology, and she forced back a grimace. She might have found what was here before escaping. What she couldn't figure out was why he gave away useful information. Was he not smart enough to withhold or were there factors about which she didn't know? She was leaning toward the latter.
She might have had a chance to look around because nature was calling. "I hate to ask, but is there a place I may relieve myself in private?" She held her dignity by not showing a hint of the embarrassment she felt.
"Yes, I was just about to show you outside for that reason. This way." She followed him down the right hallway. Outside was better than expected.
From her knowledge of the desert's geography, she knew the ruin didn't extend much farther north than the Gerudo Fortress. If he was telling the truth about their location, the Spirit Temple was not close enough to go without water at midday, but the Gerudo Fortress was. She had no doubt Gerudos would welcome her, as they never turned away their own, even if the person weren't there to stay.
Like his oversharing, his action puzzled her. Was he really taking her outside? How would he find her when she snuck away out in the open? She wondered how he would react when she tested him.
A short walk down was a cased opening on the right side. He stopped and said, "I'll wait here. Go out and pick wherever you please. You can try to run away, but you won't be difficult to find."
"Thanks," she said, moving past him through the doorway.
Outside, the heat and sunshine assured that the world was still open to her. The sun neared its summit, casting the shadows of the dunes slightly northwest. The building's exterior did appear to be some kind of small ruin. She remembered exploring ruins back in her Gerudo childhood. Sand obscured parts of it, and all that surrounded was desert as far as the eye could made sure no one was watching before taking care of her business.
Azalia looked over at the desert ruin's entrance again, to check if the Hyrulean was watching her. She couldn't see anyone through the opening. Her eyes scanned the outside to make sure he was not there. The coast was clear.
The heat was intense, and she didn't have water, but it would be easy to run a short distance out of view. In reference to the sun's position, her shadow was almost opposing south, so she started to run fast away from her shadow.
Ten seconds later, a tall, dark cloud appeared about five meters in front of her. The anomaly dismayed her, but she didn't stop and tried to run past it, keeping the same distance apart. She turned her head to the side and watched as she passed.
She saw the cloud dissipate to reveal her captor. His cloak was absent, revealing the outfit he wore. He took on the characteristic attire of a mage. He wore a long, navy robe with a blue waist belt and black leather sandals. A red eye-and-tear-drop symbol was over his chest. His outfit gave him a dark, reserved appearance, similar to his cloak.
She couldn't think about what he was doing, having to concentrate all her energy on getting far enough away from him. After another ten seconds, her right foot struck a cold bed of sand that shot a chill up her spine. That same instance, it made her immobile, her momentum canceled all at once. The dark cloud she had seen enveloped her, obscuring her vision until it was all she could see.
The darkness that suffocated her while he had trapped her in the abhorrent chamber pulled her back into its clutches. The dreadful fear attacked, seizing her in its grip. Yet, the pitch black held for a moment, before fading into the dissipating cloud. Her surroundings transitioned to the exit of the ruin, where she had left the mage waiting. She was vaguely surprised to see him standing there awaiting her unwilling return.
Her face was pale, from her horrific encounter with what had become a recurring nightmare. He stared at her with an uncanny mixture of curiosity and discomfort. Able to move, she hugged her arms to her chest and tried to compose herself. She didn't want to show any weakness because he could take advantage of that.
She thought about what had thwarted her escape to disconnect from her emotions. He must have seen her running and used one of his portals to appear in the desert and return here, and she must have stepped on a different one. How many did he have hidden out there, and had he strategically placed them beforehand? If he had traveled both ways through the same portal, did that mean she could go back through the one she stood on now? She looked down but there was nothing there. There weren't any portals around him either.
The color had returned to her, and she let go of herself. He said, "I think you understand what happened, because you're observant and smart like me." He didn't say it like a compliment, just a fact. She would have to decide whether he meant it or not. If he was trying to get into her good graces, it wasn't obvious. All that mattered was she already knew that she was what he said.
"Where is the portal that took me here?" she asked.
He opened his mouth to reply but the sound of someone approaching them from down the hallway they had come from before interrupted him. She retreated backward toward the opening, prepared to flee if necessary. His calm demeanor was undisturbed, and he turned in their direction to wait.
They were a tall, young man, despite being a bit shorter than her and Shamir. His frame was close to feminine, but his build was lithe and muscular. He wore a full body, fitted suit made up of navy, blue and white sections. White bandages wrapped around his head, chest, forearms, and fingers. Short, blond hair protruded on his head. He had attached a sheathed dagger to the back of his waist, and she tensed as she saw this.
His sharp eyes were the same shade of red as the mage's. His skin color was similar as well and he also had pointed ears. They could have been of the same kin. A white tabard covered the lower half of his face and neck like a scarf and bore the same red eye-and-tear-drop shaped symbol over his chest. She found his appearance to be as attractive as the mage, but once again, that was irrelevant.
He stood in front of the mage, hands on his hips and eyebrows furrowed in anger. This aspect was the mirror opposite of the other's quietude. It made her nervous because she didn't know what to expect.
"Please tell me you didn't wait until she stopped screaming for help to show yourself?" said the stranger, his voice seething. He almost didn't sound masculine enough to be a man, but that didn't stop him from sounding intimidating.
"Letting a captive tire their self out first makes them more cooperative," said the mage in all seriousness. If that had been what he was doing at the time, he wasn't as nice as he seemed, but it would have been worse if he were careless. He was nervous too, unlike his earlier confidence. Whoever this was knew how to have his way with him.
The stranger stepped in closer, bringing their faces inches apart. He said in a softer voice, "I swear...tomorrow you're going to wake up in the same position as your poor captive did and then I'm going to tickle you to death." Tickle? Did she hear that right? After receiving no response, he continued in amusement, "You're blushing."
It seemed like he was in her defense, but also like he knew the mage personally and was collaborating with him. Also, their relationship was unpredictable. She had better tread carefully.
He glanced sideways at her and teased, "I'm not going to harm you, Miss Gerudo." He left the mage's personal space and turned to her, relaxing his arms at his sides. His temper subsided, making his expression pleasant. "My name is Sheik. I apologize for my friend's blatant disrespect. He's challenging to keep an eye on. I knew he would try to implement our plan without my knowledge, in the most insolent way possible."
"What do you want from me?" she asked, repeating the same question she had first asked the mage.
"I serve in Hyrule's army. I work with him and we're both looking for a Gerudo that will help us complete a certain task. We're also extracting all the information we can in the process from those we capture." A sly smile had formed in his eyes, as if he intended to evoke suspicion with his choice of words. "I presume he found out everything he could from you about Gerudos. Has he decided you will be of further help or not?"
So, there had been others before her? She wondered what lengths they went to in extracting information and what became of them if they were not of further help. Taking the same path didn't sound like the safest way to find out. "He said I will be of help."
His eyes widened and he said, "Is that so, Shamir?"
The mage, who he addressed as Shamir, replied, "She hasn't been a part of the Gerudo Tribe in years. They wouldn't trust her if she told them about us, but she is not helping us willingly."
"An outsider... That's unexpected," said Sheik. She didn't know how Shamir had trusted her words. She didn't dress like a Gerudo anymore but that wasn't enough to prove anything.
Sheik's teasing smile returned, and he said to her, "We were hoping for a traitor, but beggars can't be choosers. If Shamir trusts you, so do I. I bet you're wondering why."
This roguish character might have been fun to be around if she was in a different situation. "That does concern me," she said.
"You haven't said much, but you're cautious in an intelligent way. I like you already." Was that a compliment? Her shoulders relaxed a little.
"Anyway, I'm starving," said Sheik. "I'm going to get something to eat. I'll leave you in Shamir's custody. I'm sure you can escape if you use your charms on him. That always works for me." He had to be kidding. With a wink, he threw down something that snapped and released a blinding flash of light. Before it had faded, he must have disappeared or run off.
His behavior had been spontaneous and unrestricted. Shamir looked at her with a troubled expression and said, "I'm going to give you food from your supplies if you want. It's in the room where Sheik went."
"Okay," she said. She would take anything he returned to her. What else was on his mind?
"Good. We don't use the two biggest rooms in this ruin, and there are seven rooms, so you'll know your way around soon enough. Come with me." Whatever was bothering him, he didn't let it waste his time.
They went further down the hallway, the same distance to the opposite end. Behind a door left open, there was a small room with a simple kitchen and a table with four chairs. A paneless window provided lighting. It was in a finer state than the hallway, showing signs of repair. Sheik casually waved from his seat. It looked like he had finished eating something from the paper wrapping in front of him, but the mask covered his face. Why did he hide it, and had he been quick on purpose because he expected them to follow?
"Have a seat," said Shamir, gesturing to the chair across from Sheik. She accepted the invitation. He brought her food, a small parcel of nuts and dried fruit, from a pantry and her waterskin. He set them before her on the table.
Even though they were hers and she didn't want to thank him, she wanted to get on his good side for her own benefit and was going to, when he said, "Please don't thank me. I understand that you're trying to play nice, but it isn't necessary. It won't convince me to let you go and I don't deserve it."
That was disappointing, but she didn't believe he cared about that, after overhearing him coldly reveal his twisted attempt of manipulation to Sheik. Was this just another method?
"You just had to get her hopes down because you're such a buzzkill," said Sheik.
Shamir ignored this and went to make himself food. She started to eat, and Sheik said, "I've introduced myself, but you haven't told me your name yet. Shamir hasn't because he thinks of you as his slave."
He tossed another joking insult at Shamir, but she thought it was right. He hadn't shown any interest in getting to know her personally. She didn't want them to know her name, but if she were nice to Sheik, she might sway him in her favor. "My name is Dalia," she lied.
"Hm, really?" He scratched his chin that he had covered by the mask. "Shamir, is her name Dalia?" Why was he asking him? She stopped eating in confusion.
Shamir was in front of the window, cooking food on the fire. He replied, "Is that what she said?"
"Yes, but I can't imagine why she would tell me her name. She's so careful, after all."
"She's lying," he said without reproach. He had believed everything she said until now. What changed?
Sheik smiled at her and said, "I have an idea for a little game we can play. You give me a list of five names, including yours, and Shamir will tell me which one it is."
"Why don't you guess?"
"I'll tell you if you tell me your name."
As curious as she was, she'd rather not. She sensed he expected her to give him nothing but the wrong names, so she would. "Okay. These are the names: Ashai, Makure, Kyra, Sumati, and Tali."