Walking down to the training grounds, I had my bow, quiver, and brass knuckles with me, ready for a grueling morning of physical exertion. My talk with Urbosa had lifted my spirits more than I realized. There was something about being with Urbosa that always made me feel at ease. She had always been like an aunt to me, but once my mother had passed, she had stepped forward and become somewhat like a surrogate mother.
"Princess Zelda." Natuma addressed me as I entered the training grounds. "Glad you could join us."
I smiled at the Gerudo captain, "Wouldn't miss it." I fell into line as the rest of the Gerudo warriors came in. Soon we were all in order and Natuma began to divide us into groups. My group began with laps around Gerudo Town, while the other two groups were left in the training ground. I was grateful for the early morning training session for running in the morning felt much more comfortable than during the day. It was actually pleasant right now, although running through the sand made our pace slower than usual.
Eventually Natuma signaled for us to switch with one of the other groups. My group was now alternating between several exercises, such as climbing a rope, running back and forth with heavy sandbags, and lifting weights. By the time my group switched to the last activity, my body was warm and flowing through the motions easily.
Lastly, we partnered up and while one partner was throwing punches and kicks at a bag, the other was holding various positions, such as the plank and squat. Once our warm up was complete, we started the actual training drills. Once more we partnered up; I was with the same girl I had spared yesterday, Otel. For a long while we focused on basic hand-to-hand combat drills but later the Gerudo began to transition to drills with weapons. I put on my black brass knuckles, intent to focus on learning counters to opponents with swords.
Natuma knew my close-range weapon of choice had always been brass knuckles, thus she made sure to give me specific advice. My partner and I practiced for hours, my technique at defending getting much better. In instances like this, I had to rely on my speed, for I needed to be fast if I was going to dodge the initial attack and then swoop in close to throw a punch.
As the day progressed, the sun traveled farther and farther into the sky, until it was above us, beating down on us. Around mid afternoon, Natuma called for a break and the Gerudo warriors and I ate a quick lunch and cooled off in the water troughs around the training grounds. The water hadn't heated up too much by this point, so it felt nice.
Once I was done with this, I bid Natuma and the others farewell, excited for the next part of my day. Walking back inside the palace, I saw Urbosa on her throne. Her eyes found me and she grinned, "How was training?"
"Great." I replied.
"Good." Urbosa winked at me, "Glad you can still keep up with my warriors."
"After years of training with them, it would be embarrassing if I couldn't."
Urbosa laughed, "I suppose so. Also, your sand seals are ready. They should be waiting for you at the east entrance."
"Thank you Urbosa." I narrowed my eyes, "I guess we'll have to sneak Link out of here again..."
"Just bring him here and you two can go out the back." She pointed behind her.
"Thanks Urbosa." I said and quickly went to fetch my knight. Before this, I stopped in my room and retrieved my shield as well as the stack of books I had brought back with me after I had finished with Urbosa last night. I left the one on Desert fauna in my room, but the rest of the stack I picked up and carried over to Link's room. Precariously, I balanced the books and knocked feebly on his door, trying to prevent an avalanche.
A few seconds later, Link opened the door. I peaked my head over the stack of books and said, "Are you ready to learn how to ride a sand seal?" Link nodded, but his eyes fell on the stack of books in my arms. "I also got you some reading material. I'm not sure what you like to read, so I got a variety of books. Hopefully something here seems interesting to you."
A small smile played on Link's lips, "Thanks." He took the heavy pile of books and dropped them on a desk in his room. Then he grabbed his sword and the shield I bought him, and followed me back to the main room.
Urbosa waved at us as we entered. "You two have fun!"
I smiled at Urbosa, "We will!" Waving goodbye, Link and I climbed down the rocks in the back of the castle and made our way to the Eastern entrance. Like Urbosa had said, there were two sand seals waiting for us. The one gave a bark as I walked over to her. I gave her a soft pet on the head and then attached my shield to the saddle and rope already on my sand seal. As I did so I showed Link how to do it and he mirrored me.
When we both had our shields hooked up, I looked at him and said, "Basically, from here all you have to do is step on your shield, give a little whip on the reins, and keep your balance. Since you're pretty athletic, you'll probably pick up on it pretty fast."
I stepped onto my shield and grabbed the reins in my hands. "Ready?" I asked, eager to begin.
"Yes." Link answered and in response I yanked on the reins and my sand seal let out a bark and then darted into motion. My shield instantly began to glide on top of the sand behind the seal, zigzagging from side to side.
I looked off to my side to see Link's sand seal next to me. Turning, I saw the knight riding on his shield, his shield swaying back and forth just as mine was. Link himself seemed utterly at ease.
"Are you sure you haven't done this before?" I called back to him. Link gave a little flicker of the reins and pulled up alongside me.
"No." He replied, a smile on his face, "But this is a lot like shield surfing."
I crinkled my eyebrows. "Shield surfing?"
"Yeah. You need a lot of snow to be able to do it, but once you find the perfect snow-covered hill you ride on your shield and slide down."
"That sounds like a lot of fun! I'm surprised I've never heard of it."
"If you want, when we're in Hebra, I can teach you." Link offered.
I gave the knight a big grin, "I'd really like that."
We rode for a while in silence, Link quickly getting the hang of steering as well as balancing on his shield. Glancing over at Link, I gave him a mischievous smile. He arched an eyebrow at me, curious but hesitant.
"How about we pick up the pace?" I asked, a challenging note in my voice.
Link gave me an uncertain look, "Are you asking for a race?"
My grin widened, "Try and keep up!" With that I gave a swift tug on the reins and my sand seal was spurred into motion, swimming faster across the sand. I gave several more quick flicks of the reins and my sand seal darted over the sea of sand. I kept my knees relaxed and moved along with the shield, keeping my balance easily. My braided hair flew out behind me, the wind refreshing on my face.
As my sand seal rushed over a small sand dune, my shield was lifted into the air. I beamed in joy, feeling so free and wild. My shield descended and I easily landed back on the sand, hardly jostled at all. I glanced back at Link, who was keeping up with me fairly well. I was slightly surprised, but I probably should have expected it. He was the best knight in generations and at the peak of fitness. Riding a sand seal came naturally for him.
Deciding to test his skill, I turned towards a large sand dune. My sand seal raced towards it. I saw Link's sand seal pull up close to me, but before he could pull ahead, our sand seals reached the top of the dune and then dove down it. Both of us were propelled into the air, getting far more airborne than on the previous dune.
We flew through the air, and all too soon our shields glided downwards. My shield had picked up a lot of speed on the descent and because of this, I hit the ground a lot faster than normal. Not expecting this, I became slightly off balance and before I could regain my balance, my shield was pulled in a different direction than my body's momentum. The reins were yanked from my hand and then I was falling.
I hit the sand and rolled down the dune, finally coming to a stop, my hands sprawled out around me. Hearing the rustle of sand, I turned to my side, and saw Link rolling down the dune as well, clearly as unsuccessful as I had been at sticking the landing.
Link came to a stop next to me and my green eyes met his. Unable to contain myself I began to laugh. Next to me, Link gave a slight chuckle too.
Once I had gained control over my laughter, I said, "You're really good. It normally takes people a while to master riding a sand seal."
Link shrugged, "Like I said, it's very similar to shield surfing. I probably have an unfair advantage."
I raised an eyebrow, "Well if that's so, then I should be great at shield surfing!"
"You probably will be." Link replied.
I grinned in response, looking forward to learning how to shield surf. Sitting up, I began to dust the sand off me. "Ugh." I said, shaking my hair out. "The one bad thing about the desert is that sand gets literally everywhere."
Link laughed, "That's the only bad thing?"
I shrugged, "Sometimes the climate is a bit bipolar." I looked over at our seals, both of them had stopped and were patiently waiting for us to hop on our shields again. They had been well trained.
I stood up and walked over to my seal. Link followed and we both got back on our seals. "Well you should be ready for our desert exploration after this." I told Link.
"Is knowing how to ride a sand seal the only prerequisite?"
"Well no." I said, "But I'm taking care of the rest."
"I should have expected that answer." Link said, grinning at me.
I smiled back, captivated by his brilliant blue eyes. His smile was so nice. And suddenly that feeling came over me again: the feeling that Link and I were just two ordinary Hylians enjoying an afternoon riding sand seals. Why did he always make me feel like this?
"How about we head to the Kara Kara Bazaar?" I offered, "We can get some shaved ice there and maybe around evening we'll head back. So it's a little cooler."
"Let's go." Link replied and the two of us began to head to the Bazaar. It wasn't too far away as we had been heading Northwards beforehand. Once there we left the sand seals to play in the sand, which they were happy to do after the journey to the Bazaar.
I bought us some shaved ice upon arrival, which felt great after riding in the hot heat of the day. We sat on the rock once more and dipped our feet in the water. The Bazaar was quieter during the afternoon, most people taking shelter from the heat. Yet it looked so pretty, the blue water sparkling in the sun light, the palm trees gently swaying in the breeze, and the colorful banners of the stalls. Grabbing the Sheikah Slate from my belt, I snapped a quick picture of the Bazaar. I looked down at the picture, still amazed at its ability to capture images in time.
"Link?" I called as I put the slate away. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why did you become a knight?" My eyes looked at him with curiosity.
Link shrugged, "My father was a knight. He trained me to follow in his footsteps since I was a child."
"It wasn't something you decided on your own?" I inquired.
"I guess not." Link replied, not too concerned. "I just always figured I'd become a knight like my father."
I looked out over the water, contemplating Link's words. Being a knight was not something he had chosen, however he seemed to have no qualms about it. He had dedicated his entire life to becoming a knight, which was admirable. Still... if the choice had been up to him, what would he have chosen? I know I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be a Princess...
"Do you ever wonder if it had been up to you, what you would have chosen?" I asked softly.
Link didn't reply right away, making me think he didn't hear me. But then he answered, "Not really." My eyes fluttered over to his form. "I like being a knight. It's what I'm best at, so I don't really know what else I'd do."
I searched his face, which was calm and thoughtful. "Isn't it a lot of pressure, though?" I asked, recalling the conversation I had with Purah not too long ago.
Again Link shrugged, "It wasn't until I obtained the Master Sword." Link replied truthfully. His blue eyes met mine. "In fact, that's when I started to grow silent, feeling as if I needed to quietly carry this burden and remain impassive."
So that's why he never talked to me before. I thought.
And suddenly my mind began to imagine how hard everything must have been for him after he claimed the legendary blade. Everyone must have had such high expectations for him. And then he was assigned as my personal knight, increasing the responsibilities he had to shoulder.
And it wasn't like I had been much help in lessening his duties. I had been uncooperative from the beginning and furthermore, I hadn't been able to awaken my powers, leaving more of the burden on his shoulders in terms of fighting Calamity Ganon. It was no wonder he had grown silent, trying to remain a pillar of strength to quell everyone's worries.
I swallowed, then hesitantly reached my hand out to him, placing it lightly over his hand. His eyes widened and glanced down at my hand on top of his, while mine remained fixed on his face. "I'm sorry, Link." I started, "You shouldn't have to bear that burden on your own. I know I haven't been much help at all... and have only added to your responsibilities. But I promise, I will do whatever I can to help you."
His eyes locked with mine once more, a surprised look to them. "Zelda..." His voice trailed off as we stared at each other. It felt like we were lost in our own private world for a moment.
Then the shouting of children running through the sand behind us snapped us out of our stupor. We looked away from each other and I retracted my hand from his, bringing it close to my chest. I blushed at my boldness, hoping I hadn't made him uncomfortable.
"Thank you." Link voiced, causing me to turn towards him. "I appreciate that, Zelda." He gave me a sweet smile, and I felt my heart flutter. "But that goes both ways, Zelda. I want to do whatever I can to help you too."
"Thanks Link." I smiled back at him, warmth filling my heart. For the first time in a while, it felt like I wasn't truly alone anymore.
We finished eating our shaved ice and then walked around the bizarre, stopping every now and then to look at certain shops. Link bought a little trinket made of colorful beads in the shape of a lizard which he told me was for his sister. It was then I realized it never occurred to me that this knight must have a family beyond his father. Perhaps I would ask about them sometime.
I moved on to the next stand, marveling at the beautiful patterns on the thin desert garments. Turning away, I was jostled to the side as someone bumped into me.
"I'm sorry." I instantly said, my eyes finding a person wearing a brown cloak, his face in shadows.
"It's alright." He responded, his voice low. "I should have been watching where I was going." I studied the mysterious figure, slightly unnerved by him. He wore red gloves as well as sturdy red boots, however the rest of him was disguised behind the brown cloak. Even his face was hard to see behind the hood, only a devious smirk was visible.
"Forgive me." The man said. "But you look an awful lot like Princess Zelda."
The uneasiness in my gut only began to grow. "Is that so?" I replied and then gave a big smile, "I get that a lot. Although I can assure you I am no Princess." I kept my voice light and friendly to keep the lie more believable.
The man stared at me for a minute and then he shook his head. "My apologies. The resemblance is uncanny."
"Is it?" I laughed. The mysterious man gave me one last look and then he turned away, disappearing into the crowd. After he left, I went to find Link, who was at a stand further down. Pulling him aside, I quickly told him about what happened.
"I'm not sure if he meant any harm." I finished, "But I felt very uneasy around him."
"It's probably best that you didn't tell him the truth." Link said, his eyes diligently scanning the crowd. "But stick close to me for now."
I folded my arms and gave Link a stern look. Noticing this, he gave a nervous grin, his hand coming back to scratch the back of his head. "I know you are very capable. But if something does happen, two is better odds than one."
I pursed my lips, contemplating what he said. Finally, I rolled my eyes, "Well you aren't wrong." I agreed reluctantly, although I was happy he saw me as more than just a princess in need of protection. If anything were to happen, he made it clear we would fight together.
We continued to browse until the sun began to lower in the sky, long shadows appeared over the sand. Returning to our sand seals, we headed back to Gerudo town, the cooler air feeling wonderful as we raced over the sand.
It was dark out when we arrived at Gerudo town, the tall walls an intimidating fortress. We came to a stop at the eastern entrance and I motioned for Link to return to the palace without me. He disappeared around the corner, while I went inside Gerudo town, finding the woman in charge of the sand seals. She thanked me and I continued on my way to the palace, observing the crowd of Gerudo women in the courtyard. After the sunset, the center of Gerudo Town became a lively place, filled with musicians playing lively, upbeat music and jovial people dancing along. The courtyard was lit by torches and several stands were up that sold food and beverages. Beyond the music, there was a constant stream of chatter, everyone laughing and conversing pleasantly with one another.
Unnoticed, I slipped back into the palace, the noise dying down. Urbosa was already there, along with Link. Both of them turned to me as I walked towards them. "I take it your day went well?" Urbosa smiled at me.
"It was quite nice." I replied.
"Excellent." Urbosa's joyful expression fell slightly as concern took its place. "However Link told me you ran into an odd stranger."
"Oh." I said, having forgotten about the mysterious cloaked figure from the Bazaar. "Yes, I did..." I thought for a moment. "He didn't do anything threatening, but he gave me a very uneasy feeling."
Urbosa nodded, "Trust your gut, Little Bird." Urbosa folded her hands underneath her chin, a contemplative look creeping over her countenance.
"Is something wrong, Urbosa?" I asked.
"I'm not sure." Urbosa murmured and then sighed. "Just like there have been rumors spreading about the return of Calamity Ganon, there have been rumors about the Yiga Clan. Several people have sworn they saw Yiga Clan members, however there is no solid proof."
My thoughts went back to Kakariko Village, where the Sheikah leader had warned me about the Yiga Clan. "Vorel mentioned the Yiga Clan."
Urbosa furrowed her brows, "Did he?" She frowned, "Be careful, Little Bird. If the Yiga are still alive and well, then they will most certainly come after you."
"You think that man was a part of the Yiga?" I asked.
"I do not know, but the fact that he was disguised and inquired if you were the Princess can not be a good thing. If they find out you are the Princess, they will come after you with the intent to kill."
"I will be vigilant, Urbosa." I assured her.
Urbosa turned to Link. "You as well, knight."
Link gave a firm nod in response, his eyes stern.
"I think I'll retire for tonight." I spoke, "What time do you want to leave tomorrow?"
"Let's get up at dawn and leave soon after. We'll have to travel through a good portion of desert before we hit the highlands." Urbosa responded.
"Very well. I shall see you then, Urbosa. Goodnight." Then I turned away and began to head back to my room.
I heard Link follow me, his footstep falling behind me until he appeared next to me. "Are you sure it's wise to go off on your own?" Link asked, worry in his voice.
"I won't be alone." I reassured him, mildly surprised by his concern. "Urbosa will be with me." Yet that did not seem to satisfy him.
"It is my job to keep you safe." Link said.
We had reached our rooms and I stopped in front of mine, crossing my arms. "Link, Urbosa is a seasoned warrior. I will be safe with her. Besides, take this time to relax and train a little. You can take a little break from me."
Link frowned, yet he said nothing.
"Goodnight Link." I told him as I entered my room. Without further ado, I changed, grabbed the borrowed book, and began to read on my bed.