Written in Blood

XXXV . Fratricide

~ Nabooru ~

The morning air still holds onto the coolness of the night, which bites at my cheeks and nose as I feel the coarse rope burn against my hands.

This is a suicide mission but this may be the only chance we get.

The majority of our sisters, as far as I know, are leaving the Fortress. It's prime time to try and get at least the small amount of territory under our control.

There is a large amount of risk involved though, Gini didn't have much time to relay the specifics, and I didn't want her to be missing too long. She's holding her neck out enough for the three of us. And the whole of the Hylians too, I suppose.

I can understand what Gini wanted us to accomplish, even though she never said it outright. Not only would it give us along with the Hylians a strategical position of defense against any attacks, but it's the last place the Gerudos were ever expect Hylians to be.

Throughout this whole war, the Hylians have been solely defensive for the most part, and they have also avoided even the entrance to our valley. I doubt the thought that the Fortress could be breached and then help to protect the Hylians never would've even crossed any of my sisters' minds. The mere idea of it is so beyond what they'd even consider. The Gerudo know they're winning this war right now, and our tyrannical king's blinding want for power is a plight to my sisters. They're too busy trying to take the world I doubt they'd notice Hylians taking cover here, at least not at first.

The Hylians have made themselves scarce from what Gini's told me after the duo of attacks launched upon them, which only gave our sisters our king more land in their grasp. They're dying to wrap this all up and I know that for a fact. We Gerudo have no tolerance for unfinished business, after all.

Even though it's just dawn, I can already feel the sun's rays start to carve down into the canyon, lighting up the red rock with a golden glow. It's going to be a hot day.

There's beads of sweat on my forehead as I get up closer to the edge, feeling the burn in my muscles, but my mind's already focused on the insurmountable task to come. Taking the Fortress.

My back feels like it's being cooked alive by the sun when I finally reach the final stretch, the cliff side completely vertical. The rope is right up against the wall, so I'm essentially pressed up against the wall, which is warm to the touch. It's a good thing I'm right up against the rock. The heat seems to sear through my clothes, but I'm so close I can make out the sudden and drastic end of the seemingly endless upward grind, leading up towards the home of the Gerudo.

Even though the whole of the desert is hot, it's an arid heat. This climb isn't anything I haven't done before. I've done worse. The warmth of the rock wall and the sun are familiar. Except for the frequent sandstorms, the desert is always burning and dry as a bone. Just the way we Gerudo like it.

The rope seems to give a little when I finally get my hands onto the edge of the canyon wall and start to hoist myself up. I swing a leg up and then pull the other half of my body with it, feeling solid, rocky ground beneath me. It's dusty and craggy against my hands as I sit myself up, looking back down towards the river.

Ared and Fesire are on the stone platform near the waterfall, tiny from way up here. I can barely make out their terse nods, which I return with one of my own. The coast is clear. They can come up too.

———

While I wait for the others to make their way up, I relay what we're supposed to do.

There's bound to at least be a few Gerudos still here, but I'm hoping there aren't much. I doubt it'll be a large number, the Gerudo are already way ahead of the Hylians in their sheer numbers and in the land they hold. Will they have overlooked the security of our desert?