Couple of the Wild (ZeLink)

Chapter 50: Link and Riju Enter Vah Naboris

"You already want to head to Divine Beast Vah Naboris?" Buliara asked, currently bandaging her wounds as she sat on the steps of the Gerudo warriors' meeting room. Link nodded, looking up to stare at at the ever-brightening blue color of the sky as the sun began to rise before turning back to watch the large, red haired woman wrap white bandages around her arm. "Do you not believe you should rest, Hylian Champion? I know Teake and them said something about 'magic bubbles', but you were impaled and burned. I believe you should take it easy these next few days."

"Those magic bubbles basically bring me back to full strength and rejuvenate me," Link said with a smile as he looked down at his hand. "I don't even need to sleep once it's activated. Plus, something tells me you won't be resting either."

"I have a duty to the chief, I mustn't grant myself the luxury of rest," Buliara said as she tightened the bandages on her arms. She flexed her muscles a bit before reaching for the gold claymore that sat leaned against the wall of the stairs. However-

"Allow me to grant you that rest, Buliara," a young voice came from up the steps. Link and Buliara turned towards the side entrance of the sandstone palace, watching as Riju stepped out into the dim morning sunlight.

"No, my chief," Buliara said as she stood on the steps, wincing in pain just a bit. "We may have secured the Yiga, but someone must be here to guard you-"

"Then Link can guard me," Riju said with a smile. Link furrowed his eyebrows before looking between Riju and Buliara.

"Um, I need to get to the Divine Beast..." Link said, slightly confused as to how Riju came to this sudden decision. Buliara too seemed just as confused. She looked around a moment before focusing yet again on the little chief.

"Riju," she started. "I believe even you see the list of problems with having Link guard you here at the palace."

"I do," Riju said, her smile remaining bright. "That's why Link won't be guarding me here at the palace. I shall be tagging along with Link to Vah Naboris."

"Riju, you can't leave the palace. You need to remain here, where it's safe," Buliara said strongly, grabbing her claymore as she began walking up the steps. "We don't know why the Yiga had the power to control Malice as of yet. We also don't know if we secured all of the Yiga escapees or where Kohga is. There's too many outliers. I need to be here, guarding you."

"But Buliara, you need to rest!" Riju said stubbornly. "This is a chance for me to leave the palace with protection. Buliara, you are incredibly strong. You have proven this during the battle, however you must rest!"

Buliara and Riju continued to go back and forth as Link watched on silently. Riju wanted Buliara to be well, while also wanting to leave the palace. He observed as Riju's eyes became increasingly desperate, wanting nothing more to experience anything else than just sitting on a throne. He couldn't help but remember Riju's words only hours prior to the raid of the Yiga's hideout:

You're the only one I can really be a kid around...

Link couldn't help but feel those words were similar to words Zelda had spoken a hundred years ago about being a normal girl around him. Now that he thought about it, Zelda and Riju were oddly...

"Buliara," Link suddenly spoke out. The large woman turned towards the Hylian Champion, her sharp green eyes staring down into Links bright blue. "There are Gerudo guards watching over the hideout, yeah?"

"That is correct, however-" Buliara began, however Link interjected.

"So the Yiga are secure from what we know. All of them had been unconscious ever since the malice was removed from their body after I defeated the Malice eyeball. And Kohga has once again fallen down the hole, and last time he was out for months. Combine that with Malice leaving his body; he won't be active any time soon,"