if i die tomorrow - permanent hiatus

laugh

     I eventually found my pouch, thrown carelessly aside in a room not so far away from the cell where I was being kept. 

     I felt immense satisfaction as I looped the belt around my waist. Just having the weight there was comforting. 

     Once again, my mind wandered to Sadie's guitar. Sadie herself had not said a word about what had just taken place in one of the doors that had flashed away to a blur in the hundreds that we had passed, not explained why she would grieved. 

     Did she miss its weight?

     I stuffed a random tunic into it, although there was no time to change. The royal blue tunic was suffocating on my skin. 

     Well, in a few hours I would either be dead or Hyrule would be saved. Either way, I wouldn't need to worry about it anymore.

     "They broke your sword, by the way." Sadie said, as we made our way to the exit of the Yiga clan hideout. "I watched it. They were laughing about how easy it was."

     I was silent for a while. "So they still don't know. Either way, it wouldn't be an efficient weapon with my left hand. I wasn't planning on going back for it."

     We walked in silence. 

     A swirl of snow and bitterly cold wind swamped me as we emerged out of the tunnels. I fought a shiver, the snow underfoot stirring like the sands of the desert nearby as the wind howled. The light of the blood moon bathed Sadie's face in red. 

      I was just about to ask how we were going to get to the Dueling Peaks stable when a sharp, clear whistle split the air. 

     "A horse?" I asked, dubious. "At this distance?"

     She just smiled. "A stable girl's whistle can be heard from any distance, novice. Watch and learn."

     A few moments later, the whinny of a horse rang throughout the snow field. Sadie grinned. 

     With an expert leap she mounted the horse. In that moment, standing tall atop her steed, there was no hint of her pain, no hint of the tortures she had endured for days. She looked like a warrior, her hair blowing in the snow-tossed wind, her eyes fixed on the smudge of horizon.

     We are equals.

     I smiled too. I accepted her hand and she pulled me onto the back of the chestnut horse. He gave a snort as my weight shifted. 

     Through the swirl of snow, I could just barely make out the silhouette of the twin peaks, standing tall against the shadows of the world below.

     Sadie snapped the reins, squinting against the snowstorm. The horse reared up, then raced across the field, the wind whistling in my ears. My teeth chattered as the freezing air sliced through my tunic.

     I raised a hand as we took off. "Do you mind if I... assess the damage?"

     She jerked her head. "Go ahead."

     I held my breath. As gently and respectfully as possible, I ran my fingers along her side, watching carefully for her reactions. She said nothing as I felt for the breaks. Then I reached over and assessed the other side.

     "Five broken ribs." I reported softly. "Two fractures. You really think--"

     "I don't think anything." She replied sharply. "There's only one option at this point. Or are you having second thoughts?"

     I heard the challenge loud and clear. I had to bite my lip to keep from grinning in such an inappropriate time.

     "Surely not. The beautiful damsel awaits my rescue."