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Art by Logancure

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The journey back to Gerudo City was a solemn one, but it was luckily rather short. We'd gained what we'd set out to find... but we'd lost something we'd never expected to lose. I couldn't simply leave him behind. We walked in silence for a bit as I carried his body back with us, finding a good spot to teleport back to the city using the Sheikah Slate. We weren't given much more trouble as we escaped from the Yiga hideout. Despite the length of the journey, I couldn't bear to look at the boy in my arms. I'd replaced his mask once more, flipping it upside down to resemble the Sheikah rather than the Yiga. It was only fair, seeing as he'd risked it all for our cause in the end.

When we returned, we held a small ceremony for him. We informed the Gerudo people of the tragedy and found a place to lay him to rest. There was an oasis nearby where we buried him under the fading light of the desert sunset. At first, I moved to bury the brooch with him, but Link stopped me with a shake of his head, not uttering a word. I understood what he meant. Kahli had wanted me to speak with his mother and keep the brooch at my side. If I were to leave this protection behind, his sacrifice would be in vain. I curled my fingers around the shimmering diamond, still stained with a dry, brownish red, and looked to Link in distress. He glanced away, not wanting to meet my (e/c) eyes. Link and I dared not discuss the events of the day until we entered the city.

Link stood just outside the gate, hidden from the sight of the Gerudo guards, and changed into his disguise. I waited patiently, playing with the (f/c) fabric of my Gerudo garb. In a minute or so, he was at my side again. He took a seat next to me. I watched him carefully, then told him what I'd been meaning to say. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Link asked. I crossed my arms, still avoiding his gaze. "For crying. I've done quite enough of that already." Link sighed and took my hand in his. "You're not the only one. You really think I could keep it together back in Zora's Domain?" I laughed dryly. "I guess not." Link smiled, his eyes full of worry. I thought back to the kiss I'd shared with the Yiga boy. Sooner or later, we'd have to address that situation. I knew it must've been heartbreaking for him... but I didn't regret it. "I didn't mean to hurt you, you know. When I kissed him." Link ran his thumb over the back of my hand, examining the thin fabric atop it. "Then why did you do it?"

I sighed. "Look, I really don't know. But... I wouldn't take it back. He deserved some sort of happiness." Link nodded slowly. "Yeah... I guess so." We sat there in silence for a bit longer until Link finally spoke. "It's... alright," he said, searching for the correct words. "I'm just... I'm really glad you're okay." Link tightened his grip on my hand and placed a chaste kiss to the back of it. I smiled softly and allowed him to pull me to my feet.

Link seized the Thunderhelm from nearby and gestured for me to follow him. I tucked away my broach and entered the city. We received quite a few looks as we strode through town, holding their greatest treasure. I caught Isha's eye as we passed by her stall. She pursed her lips and looked away immediately. When we'd first arrived with news of Kahli's death, she'd locked herself away within her store. I wasn't so much surprised as I was upset. I should've gone to her immediately. Word traveled too fast for me to reach her before she began to wallow in guilt. I took a deep breath and followed Link up the steps of the Gerudo palace.

Riju wasn't seated in her typical spot. We looked to Buliara for guidance. She eyed us with a worried scowl. We seemed to be getting this look a lot, now that we'd spread the news of Kahli's death. "Where can we find-"

"The chief is in her bedroom. You're permitted to enter, for now." Link nodded and thanked her as he led me up the stairs. We ascended the final steps to find Riju, standing atop her balcony. She glanced down at the heirloom in Link's arms and allowed a small smile to grace her features. "I see you've found it..." I watched her in silence, fiddling with the diamond on my chest. I hadn't felt the need to speak to anyone but Link. Riju took notice and frowned, remembering what had transpired. "I am sorry to hear about your friend... This news came as a shock. To most of us, that is," she said, glancing at the silver handiwork pinned to my clothing. "A male Gerudo..." Riju raised a hand to her chin in thought as she mumbled to herself. "It's no doubt a shame he couldn't be here today... surely my people would trust an older ruler..." My heart fell as she mused about her dilemma. Though she tried her hardest, she was still but a child. It was likely that many of the Gerudo people still saw her that way. 'It's not fair,' I thought. 'She inherited the throne at such a young age... only to endure these disasters.' It was unfortunate that her childhood was taken away from her so quickly.

Riju addressed us once more. "I'm sure you've noticed this as well. Despite my age, my people have been quite good to me. But... I know that they're worried. It pains me to think of it. Try as I may to be worthy of their love... to be worthy as chief..." She sighed and looked to Link. "I could do nothing when our heirloom was stolen."

My eyes scanned the ground. I was unsure of what to say to the young chief. "I am convinced that your arrival is the work of Lady Urbosa. This must be a sign... our time to take back Vah Naboris has come. Now please, give me the helm." Link nodded and held the glimmering headpiece aloft. My eyes scanned the object, wondering how something so small could cause so much trouble. Riju lifted it gingerly and placed it on her head. It slipped down a bit, as it was much too big for her. "How do I look?"

Link stopped in his tracks and took a step back. I recognized this stance. He must be remembering something from his past. I held him tight as he reminisced. Riju looked to me in confusion. "Is... something wrong?"

"He thinks you look wonderful.... He's never been great with women," I said, feeling my personality spark back to life for a moment. Riju hummed. "Really? I think it's a bit big on me." Link took a deep breath and stumbled back into my arms. I held him up, glancing downwards at his veiled face. He blinked few times, focusing in on his surroundings. Riju adjusted the helm and stared out into the desert. Vah Naboris was making its rounds, raising a violent cloud of dust with each step it took. Lightning struck from the sky, adding to the danger of the threatening figure.

Riju sighed as she watched the machine. "It seems that the Divine Beast has only grown more dangerous as we've searched for the heirloom. I fear that Gerudo town will be in peril if this continues. As chief, I must find a way to stop this." Riju turned, holding tight to the loose helm on her head. "I know you two have already worked to aid us. You've lost something I cannot hope to replace... But please. Would you help us reclaim Vah Naboris?"

"Of course," Link said without hesitation. Riju smiled. "Somehow, hearing that is enough to put my mind at ease." She adjusted her helm once more. "I'm going to head out to the town square. There's a particular type of arrow we'll be needing for this venture, and I'm afraid I've run out. You two have seen a lot today..." she began, her head tilted towards the stained brooch on my chest. "I suggest you rest up and restock while you can. I will meet you back here. Do what you can to reinvigorate yourselves. You'll need it for the trip ahead. There's only one way to get close to the Divine Beast. We're going to need a few sand seals. She began walking away. "Are those the things that were just outside the city?" Link called. Riju nodded. "My prized seal, Patricia, is just to the left of the throne room. You may speak to her for knowledge regarding sand-seals or guidance." Link and I shared a look. It's possible that the stress of ruling was driving her a bit mad. "Just... don't have us wait too long." Link and I nodded and watched as she made her way down the staircases and out into the city. "So... would you like to visit Patricia first?" Link asked. I bit my lip. Something about that name seemed familiar. "I don't see why not." He smiled brightly. "Perhaps she'll teach us something." I laughed half heartedly. "Maybe she will."

Link and I followed in Riju's footsteps until we reached the lower level of the palace. We entered the outside courtyard just to the left of the throne room. We glanced around. There was a Gerudo woman standing guard over the area. The courtyard was rather empty, except for a lavish resting area for the precious sand-seal. I caught sight of the creature lounging in the corner. The guard called out to us. "That's the chief's prized seal! She's a bit of prophet as well. Feed her fruit, and she may have something important to tell you." Link hummed and pulled an apple from his bag, handing it to me. "Let's see if she has anything to say. Riju seemed pretty adamant about her abilities." I took the fruit in my hands and knelt down beside the large grey creature. The pink bow atop its head bounced around as it turned to us. I examined the creature with a gasp, feeling a long forgotten memory resurfacing.

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I was walking through the throne room of Gerudo town. A small girl was holding my hand tightly, guiding me to the room next door in excitement. "Come on!" she announced happily, leading me into the courtyard. A grey sand-seal was rolling around in the sand happily, barking at us when we entered. The girl knelt down beside it. Her eyes met mine and I recognized her immediately. A young Riju was staring back at me, running her fingers through the mane of the seal.

"This," she said, reaching into her pocket, "Is Patricia." She pulled a small bow out and got to work, securing it tightly to the creature's fur and ensuring that her eyes were free of hair. "Mother said that Patricia is rather special. Guess why!" I smiled and asked her why. "She's an or-a-cle!" she responding, sounding out the word as though she'd practiced beforehand. Patricia barked happily upon hearing her proper title. Riju giggled and pet the seal. It was strange to see her acting like a true child. This innocent glee had been all but eradicated when we'd met in the future.

I sat by Riju as she told me stories about Patricia, going into great detail while sharing her sand-seal facts. As she spoke, I heard someone approach from behind. A great shadow was cast on the ground around us as the figure loomed over our crouching forms. I reached for my spear, hoping to protect Riju had the figure been a threat. I turned to identify the figure and breathed a sigh of relief.

Riju's mother stood behind us, holding a bit of palm fruit in her hand. She knelt down beside us gracefully and laid the fruit down in front of Patricia. She placed a hand on each of our shoulders and smiled in a tired manner. I looked up and examined her face. She was rather beautiful. She retained the same red hair and green eyes as Riju did, even having a lighter strip of hair towards the center of her intricate updo. I wondered for a moment if this streak had come from stress. It looped together with a series of intricate braids, which rested atop her head in a hairband and came together to form a single braid that typically ran down her back. She'd chosen to pin it up today in a sort of bun. A few strands of this lighter hair mixed with her bangs, which hung low around her face but never obscured her eyes.

Her crown sparkled in the sunlight as she gestured towards the animal, urging us to watch. "If offered a piece of fruit, she may share her wisdom with us." Riju clapped her hands excitedly as Patricia neared the food. Riju's mother chuckled and silenced her daughter. "Shh. Let's listen." Patricia pressed her snout to the fruit and scarfed it down as soon as she deemed it worthy. Once it was gone, she leaned back and barked, clapping her fins together. Riju's mother placed a hand to her chin thoughtfully, a motion Riju often copied. "Ah. She says we should 'Seal our fortune by offering more fruit!'" Riju laughed and doted on her prized pet. "Thank you for your wisdom, Patricia!" Riju's mother gazed upon her child happily, her tiny wrinkles visible just around her lips. I took notice of a scar that crossed her mouth, disrupting her blue lipstick. I knew that the Gerudo had been struggling with the Yiga clan for a while now. I wondered if one of them had given her the wound.

I smiled softly at the loving scene until I heard someone calling from afar. "Chief! Chief!" A tall, pale Gerudo in a burgundy uniform approached. She stood at attention as she addressed the chief. "Becalm yourself, Captain Teake. What is the matter?" The captain clenched her fist in anger. "I'm afraid the Yiga Clan is causing a disturbance nearby." Riju's mother stood and walked towards the captain, allowing her to speak in hushed tones. I caught only bits of what they were saying. "They know the hero's Guardian is here... They will not go quietly..." Riju's mother pondered her situation and responded in a hushed tone. The captain nodded. "Be safe, Chief," she said as she left to rally the troops.

Riju's mother turned on her heel, a worried look in her eye. She placed a hand on Riju's cheek, and a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I will be back soon, my darling. There's nothing to fear. You stay behind with (y/n) and Patricia." She tapped a rather large guard on the shoulder. "Buliara, make sure they do not follow, and that they are inside if need be." The woman nodded and grasped her weapon in preparation. Riju stood up and tugged on her mother's skirt. "Mother, when will you be back?" She glanced down at the child and sighed. "Soon. You wait here now. I love you very much," she said as she left the premises, her hair and skirt waving regally as she walked. Riju turned to me in concern. "She... she'll be alright. How about we go talk to Patricia?" The young girl nodded and took my hand as we seated ourselves next to the sand-seal.

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Hours passed. There was no sign of Riju's mother. She became more and more fretful as time went on. Riju braided Patricia's hair with nervous, shaky hands. Finally, after what felt like ages, a Gerudo soldier entered the room, looking disheveled and panting. She pulled Buliara aside and whispered something into her ear. Buliara's eyes widened. "No... that can't be..." Another soldier entered the room, clutching the golden crown of the Chief. Droplets of blood clung to the surface, a bleak reminder. I moved to cover Riju's eyes, but it was too late. She recognized the accessory in horror. Tears dripped from her wide eyes as she watched the soldiers from the other end of the courtyard. She stood up, allowing the palm fruit in her arms to tumble to the ground. She raised her hands to her eyes and began to weep, shaking gently as she did so. I rushed forward and held her close, lowering myself to the ground with her as her legs struggled to keep her upright. "W-Where is s-she?" she asked, her sobs choking her as she spoke. I ran my hands along her back, unsure of what to say. "I-I don't know, Riju... But you're going to be okay..." She buried her face in my shoulder as she continued to cry. "H-hey it's alright... it's alright." She shook her head. Buliara's heavy footsteps approached from behind. She knelt down beside us and placed the golden crown down. Riju glanced over. I could practically feel her heart drop as she saw her reflection in the stained metal.

"We are going to continue our search for the Chief. In the meantime, I know she'd want you to have this." Riju took up the crown. With a heavy heart, she stood up and made her way up to her bedroom. I waited there a moment, not knowing how to comfort her. Eventually, I walked up to her bedroom. Riju was nowhere in sight. I panicked and looked out over the balcony. She was jogging through the city below.

I reached for my glider and leapt from the balcony, sailing down into the roads below. The town was quite silent, as the Gerudo people had returned to their homes as the news of the attack spread. Riju caught sight of me and sped up. She was holding a small Gerudo scimitar in her hand and a tiny satchel of food. I was able to easily catch up with her. "Riju stop!" She ignored me and took a sharp turn. I followed her closely and stopped her as she was about to enter the desert. I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her up. She screamed and tried to get away. "No! Let go! I'm going to find her!!" she cried as I held her tight. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled. "She's out there, I know it! She would never leave me behind!" I sighed heavily and held her close. "Riju, please. Listen to me. Your mother is the strongest woman I've ever known. She protects her people, and she rules them when they are lost. I know you're feeling lost yourself, but you need to be strong for your people. For your mother." She relaxed and fell to her knees once more. I held her close as she sobbed.

"S-She said that... if anything were to happen to her... that I would be chief." I nodded silently. "It's going to be okay, Riju. Everything is going to be okay... You've got the Gerudo people at your side. You have me here as well..."

"And my mother?"

I fought back tears as I spoke to the broken girl. "Y-Your mother will be with you too. She'll be watching over you and keeping you safe, every step of the way." Riju sniffed. She'd reached that stage of crying in which she struggled to speak or cease hiccuping. Her body convulsed with each intake of breath as she clung to my neck. "Please p-promise me you'll be at my side. I don't w-want to be forgotten l-like your other friends. I-I don't want to lose a-anyone else!" I ran my hand through her hair and shushed her. "Shh... it's okay. I promise."

I stayed at her side all that night, ensuring that she fell asleep as best she could. She drifted off, her head resting on my chest. Trails of tears and messy makeup lined her cheeks. I didn't dare wipe it away, as I didn't want to risk waking her. I watched her sleeping face in mourning. She was never quite the same after that night, as her chances of a normal childhood disappeared with the setting sun.

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