The Legend of Zelda:

Dark Link marched proudly up the path to the Gerudo Fortress. His arm was linked with his new creation, Ganondorf’s new servant. The being stood a little shorter then Dark Link, which he liked. He did not want this new servant to outmatch him in any way, including height, and gain Ganondorf’s favour.

That was the whole reason that Ganondorf had ordered him to find a worthy candidate and create a new one. Ganondorf felt as though Dark Link was becoming weaker, having lost a battle to Link in the Water Temple, and was losing interest in being at his side. Ganondorf wanted to be reassured that he would still have someone there, even if Dark Link were to fall. Having now joined the Gerudos and heard about Nabooru’s plan to take over the rest of Hyrule, Dark Link was trying harder then ever to prove himself to Ganondorf again. Dark Link wanted to play a high part in the takeover, to earn back the respect he lost. He would not let this newcomer become closer with their master then he.

That’s why he was listening in on Kat and Rin’s conversation about Dace. He decided to take a shot, and had then wandered down into the basement where him and Kat had fought. There was spilt blood on the floor; he had simply hoped that it was Dace’s. Luckily, it was. He was always lucky.

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“You ready to go Rin?”

“Yup!” Rin grabbed her towel from her bed and skipped out of her room. Kat was waiting in the hallway, her towel in one hand.

“Good, let’s go.”

Bathing was probably the one thing that Kat enjoyed about the fortress. After a long day’s work in the blazing heat, you could just sit down in a cold pool of water as the sun was setting, and just relax. Since the Gerudo Fortress was an all female group, swimwear was not needed and was actually not wanted amongst them since it was so bloody hot. The Gerudos were mature and really did not care about bathing in the nude. They could only imagine how uncomfortable the Neroths must be if they had to do the same.

Kat and Rin stepped out into the shady grounds of the fortress, for once not being blinded by the sun since it was to the west. Rin, being in her usual overly cheery mood, started at a run towards the valley. “I’ll race you there!” she squealed as she laughed and ran ahead.

Kat didn’t bother to run after her, knowing she could easily beat her. “Get your ass back here,” she shouted, walking towards her at a normal pace. “You’re making a fool out of yourself!” Which was true, considering how the Gerudos only resorted to running when there was an emergency on their hands. Kat rolled her eyes and began at a light jog after her.

Rin giggled as she tore across the grounds and coming to the path leading to the valley. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Kat far behind her. She thought she was actually trying to race with her. She laughed, “Come on Kat! I thought you were faster then that!”

Kat shouted something at her, but she didn’t understand it. Rin whirled her head around and, before her mind could make out what was in front of her, she collided into something hard and fell to the ground with a thud.

“Oof!” Rin landed on her behind, but luckily the sand cushioned her fall. “Uhg…” Rin rubbed the back of her head and opened her eyes. Staring down at her was Dark Link, his pale face trusted only an inch away from hers. His red eyes were flaming, his pupils like pinpricks.

“What did I tell you about watching where you’re going?” he grunted, grabbing her by the collar of her uniform.

Rin winced as her upper body was hoisted off the ground. “Uhg… I’m… sorry… I didn’t see you.”

Dark Link spat in her face as he spoke. “HA! What a little wench. You don’t deserve to be standing amongst us.” He tightened his grip on her collar, then trusted her back onto the ground, which was actually more painful then when she had fallen.

“Now, now, Dark Link. That is no way to treat a lady,” said a voice from behind him. Dark Link was pushed aside by a ghostly pale boy with silver hair. “Here,” he said gently, reaching out a hand to her. “Allow me to help you up.” He smiled sweetly, almost eerily.

“Oh… um…” Rin blushed furiously. She had never been talked to like that before. “Okay…” She took his hand and he pulled her up gracefully. He still held her hand.

“Thank you…” Rin said to him quietly, unable to look him in the eyes.

“It was my pleasure,” he whispered, lifting her hand to his face and kissing the back of it. He smiled up at her, his pale blue eyes piercing into hers.

Dark Link stood there, spellbound. He was overcome with rage towards his creation. But for some reason words did not come to his lips. Was he afraid of him?

“Rin.”

She glanced over her shoulder. Kat was standing there with her arms crossed. She had a very stern look on her face. She went to Rin’s side and placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to pull her away slightly. She looked over at the man who still had his lips to Rin’s hand. “Come, Rin. We best be going,” she said, still glaring at him. She then looked to Dark Link, who seemed to be just as enraged as she was. She didn’t trust them.

She didn‘t say anything, still absorbed in the situation, looking across at the most handsome of men she had ever seen, and he was kissing her hand.

“RIN!”

Rin gasped slightly, pulling her hand away from him awkwardly. “I-”
That was enough, Kat decided. She grabbed Rin by the arm and tore her away, heading down the path to the valley.

“Hey! What are you doing, Kat?! Are you crazy or what?!” Rin squealed, trying to pull away from her grasp.

Kat grunted, tightening her grip on her arm. “I wouldn’t trust them if I were you. Dark Link is a servant of Ganondorf, and who knows who that other kid was. He was obviously sucking up to you, trying to make you believe that he’s really a sweet guy.”

“But he is a sweet guy! Didn‘t you see how polite he was being?!”

“Why in the hell would he be interested in you?! He’s not! He’s playing a game with us all and you’re buying it. Just stay away from them.”

Rin frowned, not accepting her defeat and walking alongside Kat. “Why do you care about me anyways?”

Kat paused, contemplating Rin’s question. ‘Why do I care?’ Her trust in Rin had plummeted over the last few weeks that she had known her for, yet still she stands by her side, and even took the time to drag her away from Dark Link. Not for one second had she believed her story about having forgotten everything before she had been “attacked” outside of the fortress, but here she stood, clutching this Hylian girl’s arm, like a frustrated mother keeping her daughter away from boys. Why?

Kat threw Rin’s arm away from her, a disgusted look on her face. “I have no idea. Go ahead, do what you wish. But don‘t come crawling back to me when you‘re in trouble.” She stormed on ahead of her, entering the open canyon.

Rin stopped and watched her for a moment, grinning with content. That was the exact kind of a reaction she was hoping for. She paused in thought, then started after her. “Kat! Wait up!”

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“A servant of Ganondorf’s, you say?” Nabooru’s lips curled in delight.

Dark Link nodded. “Yes. Ganondorf had me create another to assist him more efficiently.”

Nabooru’s orange eyes scanned the boy up and down. “He looks almost like that leader of the Neroths, Dace. Is he the one you used to create him?”

Dark Link nodded. “Indeed. His name is Seth, and he will be a magnificent addition to this fortress, as I have been.”

“Hm…” Nabooru curled a finger around her chin. “Well, if he is connected to Ganondorf in any way then I shall not hesitate to take him in with us.”

“A fine decision,” Dark Link said proudly.

The servant known as Seth took Nabooru’s hand and kissed the back of it tenderly. “A fine decision, my queen.”

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Kat and Rin returned to the fortress as the sun finally slipped down behind the horizon, their hair still matted and moist from the water, towels draped around their necks.

Kat was immediately on alert when shouts and orders came from all directions, everyone’s attention suddenly shifting towards the desert. Panic quickly shot across the fortress. Rin slid behind Kat’s tall stature.

“…What’s going on?!”

She barely heard her over everyone’s shouts. Ignoring her, Kat watched a group of Gerudo’s heading out of one of the fortress’s lower doors, swords in their hands. They marched briskly in a line towards the gate to the desert.

“Rin, stay here.“

Automatically, Kat bolted for the gate, joining the flow of the dozens of other Gerudos. “What the hell is going on?” she yelled aloud to a nearby Gerudo running beside her.

“The Neroths,” she gasped between breaths. “They’ve come to get their leader back.”

Kat nodded at her, although you could not tell since her head bobbed as she ran. She reached the gate which was closed shut for once. A crowd of at least a hundred Gerudos were packed closely together, looking to the desert between the poles. Nearly all of them had their weapons raised high above their heads, ready to attack like a pack of vicious creatures.

Kat shoved through, trying to see what was going on. “Move!!” The Gerudos listened, looking up to the elites. Finally she was able to reach the front of the pack, the Gerudos more rabid then before. She looked out towards the desert.

Kat’s heart leapt into her throat and stayed there, pounding like a thundering drum. An enormous group of men, the Neroths, were storming across the desert at an incredible rate, heading directly for the gate. They were mounted atop their sabers, an animal the Gerudos had seen them riding many times before.

She cursed out loud, her body starting to shake violently. The Neroth tribe was much stronger then they were, and they had at least a hundred more men then they had women. “This is not good!” she shouted, but the wild Gerudos failed to listen, let alone care. These were their rivals and they were going to take them down.

Kat whipped around, glancing around madly. “Where in the hell is Nabooru?”

For one time in her life, Kat’s prayers were answered. Nabooru came thundering towards the group on horseback, another horse behind her with Dace tied up to it, with another Gerudo driving his horse in front. She rode into the crowd, everyone quickly parting to let her through. She stopped beside Kat directly in front of the gate. The Neroth tribe was getting closer.

“Listen up, everyone!” she shouted. She didn’t bother waiting for everyone to quiet down, she was in a hurry. “This gate will not be raised and we will not attack. Let me deal with them and we will all be able to have a glass of wine later tonight.”

Everyone glanced around, confused as to what she was talking about. But if wine was involved then they would do whatever she said without any further question.

“This is madness,” Kat said, looking up at Nabooru. “You don’t honestly expect them to listen to you? Even if they do they will not keep their word!”

Nabooru grinned, looking out to the desert, dismissing her from her thoughts, watching as the Neroth tribe reached the gate to the fortress.

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The Neroth tribe was a group of brutally vicious men. Their heads were decorated with the skulls of various animals, tribal marks painted onto their faces. Their bodies were filled with scars and bruises. Their clothes were loose fitting and baggy, most ripped and torn, not having been washed for weeks, even months. In their hands they swung swords and massive hammers, and beneath each of them was the renowned saber, a ferocious tiger-like animal with piercing, jagged fangs. The men screamed and howled deeply, a few bashing enormous drums which thundered through the air.

It was this that was standing outside of the Gerudo Fortress.

Without hesitation the tribe charged for the gate to the fortress, eager to start killing. They roared towards the gate, wailing insanely. The sabers began swiping between the gate bars. Kat and dozens of other Gerudos shrieked and leapt backwards before they were clawed, now aggravated and more eager then before to attack themselves.

“STOP!!!” Nabooru screamed over the insanely loud commotion. She wasn’t heard by the Neroths, but most of the Gerudos heard her and quieted down so they could hear her. It was a funny site, Kat decided, watching the men freaking out and trying to get through the gate while the women stood there, almost peacefully, watching them casually.

The Neroths were surprised by their unwillingness to fight, and slowly calmed down as well. Eventually, the desert became gravely silent, and a representative of the Neroths rode up to the gate. “What in the hell are you trying to pull here?” he bellowed, looking to Nabooru, whose horse stood taller then his saber by far.

Nabooru became very serious, her game face taking form. “We are not trying to pull anything… What is your name, sir?” All an act, of course.

“Ruat, of the Neroth tribe,” he grunted, steadying his anxious saber beneath him.

A few Gerudos chuckled. Gee, that was obvious.

Nabooru ignored them. “Ah, Ruat. A pleasure. I am Nabooru, leader of the Gerudos.” She stretched an arm out, gesturing to her fine group of women.

“Cut the crap, lady. Where is our leader, Dace? We have come to get him back, if you have not already killed him. If you have killed him, then we’ll just kill all of you instead, and take all of your treasure as an addition.” He was on to her game easily.

“Oh, Dace is not dead.” She paused, allowing the tension to build as the Neroths raised their eyebrows and cocked their heads to the side. She then whistled sharply with her finger, and a second horse rode up beside her by another Gerudo. Tied-up behind her was Dace.

“DACE!!” The Neroths cheered and raised their weapons to him in praise, completely shocked that he was still alive. A piece of cloth was stretched over his mouth, but his eyes stared sternly at his tribe, as if telling them not to trust them.

Ruat knew there was more to it then that. There was no way they would simply hand their leader back without asking for something in return. “What do you want for him?” he asked directly, cutting to the chase. “Rupees? Gold? Weapons?”

Nabooru normally would have grinned at this point in the dispute, but she knew better. She wanted to stay in control. “No. None of that will be necessary, Ruat.” She let a small grin curl across her lips, only slightly. “We want you, the Neroth tribe, to fight, and live, alongside with us, the Gerudos.”

She gave them a moment to think, to let it sink in. She knew only bad things were going through their heads, but she would change that soon enough.

“Do you not see? We have been foolish to let this have gone on for so long. If our tribes were to become one… if we were to combine our strengths, treasure, weapons and supplies, we would become more powerful then either one of our tribes could ever be on their own!” She paused again, watching their minds shifting the other way now. “Ganondorf is planning to lead us to take over the rest of Hyrule in only a few months. If you were to fight alongside us, we could share the entire land of Hyrule and we would all be more happy and wealthy then any of us could have ever imagined!” She now let her famous grin shine, eyes cringing with delight. “Plus, aren’t we what all of you men need? Doesn’t it sound appealing to live amongst an entire tribe of women?” Her eyebrow twitched.

The Neroths were overwhelmed with possibilities now, many of them turning to one another and whispering about how marvellous it sounded. Maybe the Gerudos weren’t so bad after all. Why hadn’t they thought of this before?

Ruat’s mind was running wildly, but still he managed to maintain his cautious wits. “And if you betray us?”

Nabooru took a moment to look around at the size of the Gerudos, which had slowly been diminishing over time. It would be fantastic to have a tribe of men around to make their tribe even larger and stronger. They would obviously help repopulate as well, even if they were not forced to. They would become more powerful and feared then ever. The Sheikahs would not stand a chance now.

Her attention shifted back to the Neroths. “Do you really think your three hundred, strong, muscular men could overpower my two hundred, weaker women?”

Ruat paused for a long moment, looking at the tribe of women. He then lifted his gaze to Dace, still glaring down at him sternly. He knew the decision was in his hands. He then rotated slightly atop the saber, looking to his group of mighty men. Is this what they wanted? More importantly, is this really the right decision?

He turned back to Nabooru, who was patiently awaiting his answer.

“All right Nabooru, you’ve got a deal.”