Ancient Wisdom

Chapter 3 pt 2. Memories

(TW: This chapter contains depictions of physical and emotional abuse as well as mentions of alcohol consumption. I placed a warning close to when the triggering material starts, so you may read until then. I also left a small summary at the end of the chapter so that those that can't read it won't lose the plot. This part is a bit longer than usual lol)

Sage woke up with an early start. She stretched out her limbs, stood up, and tied her curly hair in a messy bun while she went to the bathroom to freshen up. Once done, she properly moisturized her hair and tied it up in a proper high ponytail, leaving a few strands to hang loosely to frame her face. She put on a special cream the Gerudo had invented which protected their skin from the harsh sun of the desert. They called it "sunblock", straight to the point she guessed.

She also put on some traditional Gerudo makeup and placed her diamond circlet on her forehead. She fetched some spare clothes she had left in the room and opted for wearing traditional pants with her chest plate instead of a usual skirt since she would be traveling on horseback today. She then went down to the mess hall to eat breakfast as she chatted lightly with the other soldiers there. 

Once done, Sage went to the stables at the entrance of the garrison to get her horse. The Hylian army was kind enough to lend horses and extra carriages to the soldiers that couldn't fly, roll, or swim to travel long distances. Only having sand-seal surfed in her life, she had to learn how to ride a horse and gain the horse's trust. She named her horse Neptune. Its hair was a vibrant ebony with a mane as dark as the midnight sky. She understood it was a horse of wild nature that she had tamed, so she had often times let it roam the fields freely under her watchful eye, but the bond Neptune had with Sage was so strong, that Neptune always returns to her whenever she calls or whistles. 

When the stable-hand gave her the reigns, Neptune lovingly leaned its head down for Sage to caress. Sage smiled and caressed Neptune while it neighed softly. She quickly mounted her horse and rode all the way to the Dueling Peaks Stable. There, she boarded Neptune, crossed Kakariko Bridge, and made the hike up to the village. 

As she hiked up the mountainside, she began to feel uneasy as she got lost in her thoughts. She knew she looked almost exactly like any other Sheikah, yet she hadn't been born inside the village nor was she presented to the village chief. She felt that they might doubt her loyalty to the kingdom, believing her to truly be a Yiga spy because of her features. She hoped her stance was confident enough that they would at the very least be somewhat intimidated and not dare ask about her background. 

The sounds of wood clicking took her out of her train of thought as she noticed wood decorations hanging from a rope, signaling her approach to the village. After crossing the small bridge near the entrance of the village, she quickly started to notice the stares she was receiving. Some were simply curious looks, mainly from the kids and the younger population while the elders typically glared, scoffed, or turned around as to avoid crossing gazes with her. Sage avoided their gaze and found comfort in the soft glowing jewelry of her clothes in the dusk. She took a deep breath as she focused on her job.

Approaching the chief's hall, she caught the sound of two familiar voices chatting in the distance, one voice more familiar than the other. Tracking down the location of the voices, certainly enough she found Robbie chatting excitedly with Impa while she struggled to understand his outburst of new information. She smiled as she watched Robbie stomp his feet in excitement. Both Sheikah turned to greet Sage as she approached. 

"Hey, Sage! You're just in time! I wanted to show you our latest discovery!" Robbie exclaimed as he showed off his signature pose. Impa excused herself as she had to return to her duties, leaving them both to their work. Robbie began leading Sage to the hill where the Ta'loh Naeg Shrine rested.