Couple of the Wild (ZeLink)

Chapter 70: Jules in the Rough

Jules's skull felt as if it would shatter at any moment and the pounding increased with every slight movement. The girl slowly turned to her side on the soft cushions under her, feeling her hair fall against her closed eyes as she tried to avoid the blinding morning light. However, while she could avoid the light, the sound of someone calling her name could unfortunately not be blocked out.

"Come on, girl," an older, rough-sounding woman called out to her. "You've been sleeping all night and almost all morning. I should have woken you up ages ago. Now up."

The girl groaned as she slowly pushed herself up, an empty glass falling off the couch cushion as she looked around the bright establishment. The tan sandstone walls seemed to glow in the morning sun, blinding her as she raised her hand to shield her deep oceanic eyes. With another hand, she brushed the purple strands of messy hair to their usual right side of her face before blinking to adjust to the light in the room.

"Good to see you can at least sit normally again," the voice called out. After another few moments of blinking, the girl looked over to see an older, dark-skinned woman standing next to her and the couch she sat on.

"Furosa?" the girl called out, rubbing the eye that wasn't covered by her purple bangs. The old Gerudo sighed.

"Yes, girl," the woman said, her hands behind her back as she shook her head. "I feel we do this far too often, but last night was much worse than before. You should be happy I even let you sleep there peacefully."

"What happened last night?" Jules asked, placing a hand on her pounding forehead. "Last I remember... Oh."

"'Oh' is right," Furosa said with a frown. "I'm deeply disappointed in you, Jules. You've been here enough times to know the rules. Not only was that blonde little Hylian far too young to be drinking, but you, as well as her, drank way too much. You should be happy I stopped serving you the moment I realized what was happening."

"Sorry, sorry," Jules said with an apologetic smile, clapping her hands together. "In my defense, she said she was at least a hundred years old-"

"Now, Jules," the elder woman said, cutting the girl off. "You know just as well as I do even if that was true, a Hylian shouldn't have that many Noble Pursuits! It was bad enough I thought they were all for you. I figured your tolerance had gone up, seeing how often you're here. I believe Link has warned you about this as well in the past. I swear, that little voe does his hardest to ensure everyone in this city is okay. Goddess forbid what he does for the rest of these lands."

Jules' smile faded, furrowing her eyes as she stared up at the older woman.

"You know Link is a boy?" she asked. The old woman sighed as she nodded her head, the oversized red hair knot on the top of her head shaking a bit.

"I've been alive long enough to know a voe when I see one young lady," Furosa said with a small chuckle. "Most of the older Gerudo in this town know. Once you become our age, worrying about such old meaningless traditions becomes trivial. Plus, for all that young warrior has done, he has earned his place in this town whether tradition says so or not."

"He is pretty amazing like that, isn't he?" Jules asked as she looked down at her hands, sitting correctly on the couch now. The bar owner stared down at the girl in a moment of silence before sighing once again.

"As much as I like showing my appreciation for that little Hylian, I am more focused on the troublesome one in front of me," Furosa said sternly. "Jules, I need you to stay away from the Noble Canteen for a few days."

Jules's eyes grew wide as she looked back up into the old Gerudo's tired green ones.

"W-Wait, why?" she asked loudly, receiving a larger frown from the owner.