The Chief of the Gerudo

The Stranger

TWO YEARS LATER

What was a Hylian doing in the mountains? She wondered. There was no doubt he was Hylian. His pointed eyes stuck out clearly from his dirty blond hair. He wore a blue tunic and some kind of ruby circlet poked through his hair. What was he doing all the way out here? Better question, how was he not freezing to death?

His blue eyes caught sight of her hut and moved for it.

Guess she'll be having visitors.

There was a knock at the door before long and the Hylian stood there.

She stared him down for a long while, "Come on in," she said after several moments had passed.

He graciously came in and shook the snow off over her wood floors.

Now that he was closer (and not being snowed on) it was obvious he was still a kid, 17 years old at most. His blue eyes shone with a ferocity like a beast, strong and courageous. His blue tunic showed the emblem of the sword that seals the darkness.

"You must be the famed knight of legend," she said offhandedly

He looked shocked and confused that she knew who he was.

"It's on your shirt, kid," she explained, "And besides, I have a gift for reading people. The name's Sora."

Sora was the name she gave strangers. Only her acquaintances knew her as Saiota anymore, and she only had two acquaintances. Even then, barely anyone even knew her name, Saiota or Sora. Most of the people around here knew her as "the Hermit of Mount Lanayru".

Saiota drew a chair at her table and sat, "Well someone doesn't talk a lot," she snarked, "Take a seat,"

The kid sat down at the table, watching her.

So this was the legendary hero.

"Why are you here?" She asked,

"I need to get to Gerudo Desert," he said, finally speaking

"And you want my help with that?"

He nodded.

She leaned back and cursed, "Did Zelda send you here?"

The kid nodded again.

"I keep telling her to leave me alone," she leaned back forward again, "I'm not gonna help you, kid. Gerudo Desert is a fortress. You're not getting there, even if I helped,"

"Zelda mentioned that you did it before," the kid said,

"Yeah, but I was getting out. It's completely different than trying to get in,"

The kid looked down at the table. The two of them sat there for a long while before anyone talked.

"What's your name, kid?" She asked.

"Link,"

Just like the past heroes of legend.

There was another long moment of silence.

"I'll let you spend the night, but when morning comes, you better go home,"

Link nodded solemnly.

"You can have my bed,"

He sighed and got out of his seat, crossing the room. She could tell the kid fell asleep in minutes. If only it was like that when she tried to sleep.

Finally, she sighed and started taking off her several coats and layers. She glanced in the mirror when they were all off.

She'd lost almost all of her Gerudo things in the years that past since she left, mostly for rupees. She wore a black sleeveless shirt, the neckline ending just below her jaw, and black trousers. Cloth was wrapped over both of her hands all of the time, she didn't want anyone to see her mark. The only jewelry she had left was a gold and ruby arm cuff, which she wore over her left bicep day and night. Her hair had grown considerably since her time in the desert, now being held back in a long braid tracing her back, her bangs still covering her forehead. Her eyes had never been the same ever since that last encounter with Ganondorf, her irises remained gold, just like his were.

She glanced over at the kid. Zelda had sent him. Why?

Once she had climbed through the mountains, she made her way to Hyrule Castle, hoping they would help. The King had definitely been concerned at the time, but never did any immediate action. Zelda was the only one who tried to do anything, leading her to find Impa in Kakariko Village. All Impa did was tell her some stupid legend about the triforce and defeating some evil power. Saiota rejected her warnings and headed to the mountains and built the hut she lived in now, making her way to Hateno Village from time to time for the occasional food and supplies.

Saiota guesses that legend Impa talked about was finally coming true. The courageous hero with the sword to seal the darkness, the princess with sealing power, and the beast from the desert. And for some reason, she had a part in the story.

The kid wanted to get to Gerudo Desert. If the legend was true, maybe by helping him, she could return to her home, free it from the evil that had corrupted it.

That was a topic for another day, she thought to herself, forming a makeshift bed out of her coats on the floor, for now, she needed sleep.

She woke up the next morning before Link. He looked like he was having a good sleep, completely passed out on her bed. She laughed softly. She hadn't slept like that ever since she was a child.

His arm hung over the side of the bed, sticking out. Saiota smiled a bit more, and then she saw the mark on his hand. The Triforce. So he was like her. He'd been blessed with power, just like her. In the corner next to her bed lay the rest of Link's stuff including—

"Oh my god," she muttered.

It was the sword. The Sword. The one of legend. She could tell by the purple hilt and the wing-like shape of the cross guard. What did the kid go through in order to get the sword? She'd only heard stories of the tests. There was always some kind of test of courage before the wielder could truly take the sword.

Obviously, the kid had gone through a lot already.

She shook her head, turning her thoughts to food.

When Link finally woke up, she was sitting at the table again, eating an omelet.

"Sav'otta," she said in between bites. He looked at her confused, "It means Good Morning," she explained, "I made omelets if you want one,"

She knew he'd want one. Sure enough, he took two and sat down across from her and started eating.

"So I thought about it last night," Saiota started, still eating her own omelet, "And I've decided to help you after all,"

Link looked up at her excitedly.

"It won't be easy, and I'm not doing it to help you," she explained, "But I figured I've been away from home far too long,"

The kid paused for a moment and then continued wolfing down the food. Only a couple bites were left of his first omelet.

"I think we should head down to Hateno Village, load up on supplies before going," Saiota said, brainstorming, "We need to get horses — or at least I need a horse — and then head for Lake Hylia, cross the bridge and head west from there. As for getting into the Gerudo Desert, we're gonna have to climb. Its surrounded by mountains. The only rideable path through is through the canyons and you can bet it's swarming with voe."

Link finished his second omelet and nodded.

"No doubt there'll also be voe in the mountains, but there won't be as many of them," She continued, "Crossing the desert won't be easy, and getting into Gerudo Town definitely will be difficult, hell, it's probably a suicide mission,"

Across from her, Link got out of his seat and dusted off his hands.

"Let's go," he said.

Truly a voe of few words.

The two of them finished on breakfast and geared up, Saiota shrugging in layers upon layers of coats, Link putting on that ruby circlet of his and strapping his sword to his back.

Saiota looked around her little hut. She was finally leaving. Probably never to see this place ever again. She'd lived here for little more than a year and now she was leaving. It almost felt bittersweet. But after a year of being "The Hermit of Mount Lanayru", she was ready to go home.

She didn't bother to lock the door when she left.