The Legend of Zelda: Prince of the Sea

Chapter Eleven: Letters

Climbing the sandstone steps that were illuminated only by the light of the waning gibbous moon, Link came to the top of the Gerudo Fortress right behind Nabila. They joined the sentries who were fixated upon the western darkness of the desert. Link and Nabila followed with their eyes to where the women pointed. It took a moment or two for Link's eyes to better adjust to the night. However, soon enough he could vaguely spot the black spots on the horizon against the slightly lighter dunes, which confirmed the arrival of strangers to Hyrule.

"What are you thoughts, Valqo?" Nabila said evenly, handing him the spyglass one of the sentries had been using.

Taking the instrument, Link stepped closer to the wall parapet and raised the spyglass to his eye. After he was able to relocate the figures through the magnification, the figures were momentarily obscured as they descended a dune. Once they had reappeared, Link was able to make out four or five riders who looked to be moving at a quick pace. Theur speed could be so that they could make it across the desert's expanse during the cool of the night rather than the heat of the day.

"I can see perhaps five riders... but can't discern any real details with this light."

Lowering the spyglass, Link creased his brow. He continued to look on towards where the riders were in the distance and the Hylian took a deep breath before finally glancing up at Nabila.

"They could be from one of the tribes of the mountains, for there are many if you know where to look for them. Though... that would be unusual for them to come here," the Gerudo admitted, clearly knowing more about the world outside of Hyrule than Link ever did. "Or," she continued after a pause, "they could be from the other kingdom beyond the mountains that rules over the lands bordering the Great Water. That is where we Gerudo had taken shelter during our years of banishment, but only on the fringe of their kingdom. We were not welcome anywhere but we managed there."

The note of sadness and regret in the chief's voice caused Link's mouth to harden. He felt a twinge of pity for the tribe of women. He only allowed himself to feel this for a moment before he shoved it aside. He instead focused on his lessons of geography and of the extent he knew of the lands beyond Hyrule.

"Great Water? You mean the ocean?" Link asked, though the thought of such a huge body of water was very much a foreign thought to him. So much water... the very idea was terrifying.

"Correct," Nabila said with a nod, looking to him, "a desert in its own right, one not of sand but of salt and water. Never our water desert. The people of the kingdom defend those waters fearlessly, with their giant boats to rule the waves. There were more races beneath the waves. We left five years ago when war broke out between them, a fight that we had no stake in. That is how we learned of the fall of our Cursed King. So, we journeyed back through the savage mountains, losing all of our younglings in the trek. We finally returned to the bosom of the Goddess of the Sand, to here our home, and are at peace."

Link felt his eyes widen. He realized then that he actually knew nothing of what the Gerudo had gone through beyond the borders of Hyrule and what really lay out there. He did, however, know the name of the kingdom of which the woman spoke of.

"You were in Noruidia?"

Nabila only nodded but it looked that she wouldn't say more. As he was about to ask a secondary question, Link saw the deep sadness in her eyes, probably with having to bring up the fact that... oh. The hero instantly felt stupid when his brain finally connected the dots. That's why Mahila was one of the youngest members of the Gerudo and why there weren't any Gerudo children who had arrived into Hyrule. It was because they had all died on the journey to return to their homeland.

Seeing as how Nabila had turned her gaze to look out at the forms of the approaching riders, who were coming closer by the minute, Link looked on as well as he collected his emotions. This was not the time to be mourning the dead and pitying the living, for there was a possible threat to Hyrule coming across the sands. As a Hyrulean Knight, Link needed to act now. His tactical brain ignited and plans four steps in advance began to unfold.