The Gerudo Prince

***I do not own these characters and I do not make any money writing this story.***
The Gerudo Prince
Chapter II
~*~
Epona could not be seen in the darkness that left Hyrule in deep slumber.

With the moon out in it's full glory, casting the enigmatic light over the land, and the darkness causing the entire world to go to sleep, Epona rode out from the path to the Gerudo Fortress. Link was on her back, leading her out, even though she didn't need to be guided.

His ocean eyes searched the darkness warily, stopping Epona for a chance to catch her breath and for Link to examine where they were. Because he had been to this place so many times before, he knew fairly well where everything was.

But in this unusual darkness, nothing familiar was seen to him.

"That's odd," he mumbled to Epona as he gazed the Hyrule field with his ocean eyes and a rather disgruntled look on his face. "It seems darker here, even with the moon out." the prince couldn't understand it. What was making everything so dark all of a sudden?

Within a moment he paid no further mind to it, as in the darkness into the distance he could see a tower shadowed against the dark sky, and then the houses beside it. The one window was alight, as if to guide him through the dark.

Link smiled widely, and turned Epona in the direction of the light. Slowly he began to lead her to a canter, and she rode over the rolling hills. The air smelled of sweet grass and lilac trees as they rode, nearing the light, which soon held to be far over his head. He had to crane his neck to look up and see it.

It looked as though everyone was asleep in the house, except for the one with the window alight. Link grinned widely, and slowly he led Epona around the walls of the ranch, towards the gates.

Lon Lon Ranch, he had been here many times before, and knew the area quite well. He knew for a fact that the owner of the ranch, named Talon, did not lock up the ranch gates at night, and ever since that night at least three months ago when Link had first left the fortress to explore the world beyond, he had been grateful that the ranch gates were left unlocked.

Especially during the night, as no one would see him in the darkness if they were asleep. There was no better plan than to leave in the darkness and return in the full light. Link hopped off Epona and tied her to a nearby tree, and fed her two carrots that he had been saving for her.

He always had to leave her in his good favor when he came here. He couldn't take her into the ranch with him, as she might make too much noise and disturb the owners. But if he was going to leave her outside the gates all night, he had to give her something nice, just to be fair.

Epona munched on her carrots happily, gazing at Link with affection in her black eyes, and Link smoothed out her coat and mane with his hand, and when she had finished, he had told her to be patient and to hush, and that he would be back soon.

Once he knew Epona would give him no further trouble, Link hurried inside the gates and continued on into the ranch.

The Lon Lon Ranch, with it's wide range of open field for their horses to run and thrive, and the stable near to the gates, and the tower in the distance which held their straw, the Lon Lon Ranch was a poor but somewhat formidable place, and Link had longed every day to go and see it during the daytime.

But he knew that Nabooru wouldn't approve of it, neither would any of the other Gerudo. They knew he was curious, but they would want him to be around them during the sunny day, and he wouldn't leave them.

However, he left them during the evening because he knew then they were safe, and what they didn't know didn't hurt them.

What they didn't know was that Link, their prince, had fallen in love.

Link smiled to remember it. It had happened, as he recalled, a little over three months ago, perhaps more, but he knew it had been when Nabooru had gone to the temple. His curiosities, growing since he was a child, and dwelling on stories of the outside world and of Hyrule, had gotten the best of him, and he had snuck out one evening, taking Epona with him, to explore the land of Hyrule, the land outside the fortress.

It had been nothing like he had imagined. It had been a land of spectacular beauty and harmony. Link had tried, in what little time he had, to explore all that this marvellous land had to offer. The lake called Hylia, the village by the mountains, and sometime, if he was able to leave during the day, he would be sure to go to the Village by the castle.

Link hadn't even known of the Lon Lon Ranch on his first time away from the fortress. He had been wary of the house and tower in the center of the field but had failed to go back and explore. It was in the Kirikou Village that he had learned of it.

A woman inside a barn had given him a bottle of milk, and told him to visit her again soon. When he had drank the milk, he felt incredible, refreshed, powerful, and ready to do anything. He had asked her where she had gotten this miracle substance.

She said that the milk she had given him was from her own cow in the village, but she informed him that the best milk in the land was distributed from the Lon Lon Ranch, and that if he had the time, he should go and ask them for milk.

Of course Link had done this, but once he arrived, right at midnight when the night was it's darkest and the moon it's fullest, he found that everything had been shut up from him. He was rather disappointed. If they closed at sundown, that meant that he could never meet and talk to these people.

When he had turned to leave, that was when he heard something, and he turned back to see what it was.

It was singing, coming from the center of the large open area deeper within the ranch. The music was mystifying, and Link was drawn to the beauty of the notes and the sounds, and he approached it slowly. He wondered what could be possibly be making such a beautiful sound in the dead of the night?

Link had found out. It was a young woman.

Link was immediately drawn to her when he saw her in the center of the field, almost directly under the moonlight, with her hands pressed to her chest, her lips open to let the notes free. She seemed to catch him in a trance, one that could not be avoided. He had gone closer towards her to see her.

The woman was about his age, perhaps a year or two younger than him, and shorter than him. She had an incredible river of flowing flame hair that reached her waist, the colour of the heart of the fire. Her pearly skin glistening in the moonlight. Her dress and shoes showed she was a commoner, the daughter of a farmer, a milkman, but he was drawn to her impecciable beauty nevertheless.

Absent-mindedly, Link had reached to touch her, grazing her shoulder, and in horror she let out a scream and spun around to face him. Her eyes were wide, curious and blue, and when they set upon him, they lit up with interest, and a spark of attraction grew.

Immediately she demanded who he was, and what he was doing disturbing people in the middle of the night. She had gone pink in the cheeks. She was embarrassed that he had caught her singing in the middle of the night. But the truth hid in her eyes, she was rather embarrassed to be approached by such a handsome young man.

Not many words were exchanged between them that first night, only the pass of affection they held for each other. They sat in the center of the field, they shared kisses of sweetness and youth, and exchanged thoughts that promised they would never see each other again. And Link had left.

But he found himself there again the next night, and she was there waiting for him, as though she knew he would come back. She had told him not to stay, and to leave before her father found out, but then she begged him to stay with her a little longer.

Link was so madly in love with her, that he had been going to see her almost every night since he had met her. He had to be careful about it too. He couldn't let the Gerudo women know about it, and she couldn't let her father know about it.

They kept their love a secret. That was how it had worked from the beginning.

Link smiled to remember their first encounter. He turned and smiled at Epona, who was watching him intently, and he gave her a silent good-night before he walked into the ranch.

It was dead silent, as he had expected it to be. The crickets, in fear of the hooves of the horses, had fled the ranch and not come back to share their music. No matter, they were not gravely missed. Link walked inward. The stable to his right was shut up tight, and he could hear the cows mooing. The tower in the distance was a looming dark shadow. The house to his left stood still and calm.

The light in the window was a signal to him. It told him to go to the tower. The house was full of sleeping souls, except the one that awaited him. Link started in the direction towards the tower. Even though it was dark, he knew that was where she would meet him.

And sure enough, once he was close enough, he saw a tiny torch lit just outside the door. With a smile he gripped the handle on the door and opened the door.

Most of the time the tower was where the family kept the hay, but it was also, in an odd way, a hiding place. Few boxes were piled up to cover an entrance that Link had seen once before, when the girl brought him here the first time. Behind the boxes he could hear her sweet voice.

Easily Link moved the boxes, and found the tiny passageway that led into the tiny room. It fascinated him how he was able to crawl in successfully. He crawled through the small opening, and came into the tiny hiding place.

She was waiting for him. She saw in a little pile of hay, with a small flower in her hands. When she saw him coming, she smiled at him.

Link got up and smiled down at her, and then he sat next to her, smiling at her. She smiled back at him, studying his form with her wide eyes.

"Why the tower?" he suddenly asked, and then secretly scorned himself for asking such a rude question. The first thing she would have wanted to hear from him was a hello or something nice.

She didn't mind. She shook her head and giggled. "My father has guests over, and they're staying in my bedroom." she told him softly. "We couldn't be together with them there."

Link nodded. "I understand." he said to her, and he sighed softly.

"Link..." she trailed out. "Are you okay?"

He nodded softly. "Nabooru's come back." he told her. "A few days ago, and Hasina is gone. Things have returned to normal at the fortress."

Sweetly she nodded. then her wide eyes examined the rather distraught look on his face. She reached over and touched his hand lightly. He looked down at their hands touching, and then he smiled at her.

"Malon..." he said to her softly.

"Link, tell me. What is the matter?" she asked him.

Link breathed in, and then shook his head softly. He reached over and touched her face with his hand, smiling at her beauty, feeling wonderful being with her. He loved her so.

"Nothing's the matter." Link told her sincerely. "Not anymore."

Malon smiled, and was a little bit surprised when Link's lips brushed against hers. Of course it didn't take her long to return the kiss softly, and closing her eyes very slowly, she felt the heat of the kiss grow, and the passion deepen.

Blushing, she felt his tongue gliding over her lower lip. She knew that if anyone were to find out about this, she would be in big trouble, and Link would be too. But no one would find them there in this secret room, the secret little area where Malon had come so many times when she was a girl.

Soon it was a good thing that the light of the candle had dimmed. The little room was very dark, and Malon was grateful. She didn't want Link to see her blush.

~*~

Nabooru walked very quietly along the corridors. She didn't want to awaken anyone tonight. She was certain that the entire fortress was quiet and dead with sleep. No one must see her tonight. Tonight she was doing something forbidding, something that was against all laws of the Gerudo.

She tiptoed from her chambers, wearing her purple cloak and hood, her eyes wide and looking for anyone who may be out at night. Silent as a shadow she was as she hurried to the nearest exit.

Tightly she held a satin bag to her stomach. This bag above all other things could not be seen tonight more than anything. Her feet were already beginning to ache a little from walking so silently and swiftly.

Turning a corner she could feel the cool breeze of the desert wind on her skin. She was delighted to meet it on her way out. Holding the bag even closer to her she hurried out of the doorway and into the showering dark.

On the sand she hurried past the Gerudo Training Ground and up the path that lead her to the entrance of the second story of the fortress. She could easily reach her destination from here. She hurried, the bag still pressed to her stomach, as she reached an entrance. This was not a chamber floor, it was a floor for training and keeping prisoners. No one would see her here, so she ran through the corridors on the cold stone.

She found the ladder at the end of the hall and while holding the bag she climbed up it. She was panting softly as she went, but she saw the trap door above her and flung it open with force. She pulled herself up from the ladder.

Nabooru stood on the roof of the Gerudo fortress. She looked over the desert. It was endless. The view from here was incredible, as she had witnessed many times before. Up here no one would see nor hear her.

Closing the trap door and locking it securely with a piece of wood, she unfastened her cloak and fell to her knees. She opened the satin bag and with the desert sand blowing at her long flaming hair, she reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of sparkling dust.

This was Sacred Dust, given only to those who held the power to speak to the spirits. It was used as a sort of summoning magic. Out of breath and trying to calm herself down, Nabooru closed her eyes and sprinkled the dust, while with her left hand she quickly drew the symbol of the Gerudo on the stone.

"O spirts, speak to me. Let me listen to your words!" she murmured to the wind, letting the dust fall free and the symbol take shape. "Tell me! Let me know what is happening. I need to know."

The dust, when laid upon the symbol, started to spark and glitter. It shimmered for a long time and Nabooru watched it hopefully with her hands clutching her knees. For a moment she was frightened it wouldn't work.

But the wind picked up and then the dust was caught with the wind. It connected with the magic of the symbol, and instantly the tornardo of sand took the shape of figures with long flowing robes, their faces covered. The glittering dust were their eyes, which shimmered with a piercing glow.

Nabooru looked up. She was breathless for a moment. But then she bowed before them in courtesy. "O great spirits, tell me of your woes. Tell me what has happened."

These figures, who had been the great spirits of the Gerudo, who had taken inhabitance at the graveyard by the Colosseus Temple, knew Nabooru and her power to speak to the spirits. They knew her to have a heart of gold. They knew they could trust her, and they had to, if the race of the Gerudo would live on.

"Nabooru, speaker of the Spirits, guider of the Gerudo, listen to our plea." the mythical enchanting voices of the spirits came clear to Nabooru. She listened, and looked up to them.

"Something disturbing has happened in the land of Hyrule." the spirits spoke.

Nabooru nodded. "I have felt it. I felt the disturbance. Please tell me, what is causing this horror?"

The spirits were quiet for a moment as the wind died down. Nabooru was grateful. Now she could hear them better, now she could concentrate on their words. She sat completely still and looked up at them.

"A great evil is spreading throughout the land," came the voice of the spirits, sounding sad and remorseful. "Threatening the innocent, terrorizing the weak, and killing the helpless. Those pitiful servants of the Hyrulian King, he who has been betrayed, by the man of the desert."

Nabooru sucked in her breath, and one name came to her mind. She clenched her teeth together as suddenly she knew the one person responsible for what was going wrong there in the land of Hyrule.

She growled detestfully, with anger and harshness, that of which to loathe the name. "Ganondorf."
And what was worse she knew, oh she knew...that because Ganondorf had left her in charge of the fortress, she would be expected to grant the Dark King the most lavish hospitality there in the Gerudo fortress, him and whatever army he may bring with him. And terror took her, because she knew that when Ganondorf saw their prince, their Hyrulian Prince Link...
Oh, only horrors would follow this long night. Only horrors.

~*~

Dawn was approaching, swiftly, as the sky turned to a soft pastel purple, Link looked out and knew that morning was upon them. He didn't hesitate to gather all his things and hurry towards the entrance of the Lon Lon Ranch, where he was sure Epona was waiting rather impatiently for him.

Malon went with him to the entrance of the Lon Lon Ranch. She was very reluctant to see him go, but she knew that he would come back that night. She wished and prayed through her soft lips, gentle as a tulip bud, that the day would go swifty and so Link may come quicker than she could imagine.

Hurriedly the sky was turning to a mix of soft watercolour lavenders and oranges. Link and Malon both knew that the sun was on the rise. They stood at the gate. Link turned around, just as Malon handed him his hat, and he kissed her on her lips gently, but then with a certain desperation. He wanted to stay just as much as she wanted him to stay.

Malon suckered into the kiss, kissing him back, running her hands over his chest and then up his shoulders, neck, and then to cup his face in her hands, even as he towered over her. He leaned into her, kissing her romantically, never wanting to let go.

The rooster crowed. The sun had rose.

Shaking her head, Malon gently pushed Link from her. His lips cried out in protest as did hers, but she knew he had to away now before he was seen here.

"Go." she said to him softly. "Will you return tonight?"

Link nodded and grazed her cheek with his hand. He was so sad to see her go.

Malon smiled up at him, and then she went white when she heard her father's voice calling from inside the house. "Malon?"

"Coming father!" she called back, and then she looked up at Link, who kissed her once again goodbye. She kissed him back, murmuring good bye. Oh, how she wanted him to stay.

With a smile he ran from her sight, and was gone through the ranch entrance. All Malon could do was watch him disappear around the corner, and then wave to him as though he were still there. Then she hurried into the house.

Outside Link raced to untie Epona. He had stayed far too long tonight, and he was beginning to panic. He knew for sure this time he would be caught by the guards, and then Nabooru would question him. He was in trouble, and he told himself this as he kicked Epona into a fast run. He was only lucky that the canyon was not very far from the ranch.

All that could buzz in his head was Malon. He felt heartsick having to leave her every morning but then he was happy thinking of returning in the evening. He hated having to do all this in secret, seeing her in secret, but she was worried about her father, as he was worried about the Gerudo.

But he sighed softly and smiled. Even though he was in grave trouble as of now, and risking his position and perhaps life every day by going to see her, he felt nothing but happiness in his heart.

He was in love with her.

~*~

Next chapter: Nabooru makes preparations for news of Ganondorf.