Chapter 26 - Gerudo Desert Trip - Part Five

                                    

                                          
Summary: Mipha, Link, Raypha, Tidon, Gaddison, and Rivan continue their trip to the Gerudo Desert.
Link groaned and turned in his sleep as he relived an event in his dreams.
The sun had just risen over the Gerudo desert, and tall palm trees cast long shadows across the dry sand. Link stood up and yawned, stretched, then stamped out the remaining embers of the small campfire he had lit to keep warm. He had been forced to camp behind the Kara Kara Bazaar inn, leaning against the wall, and though the oasis moderated the temperature somewhat, the desert night was cold. He was serving as Princess Zelda's appointed knight on this trip, though much against her wishes. Zelda made no secret that she resented his company wherever they went. "Not in need of an escort," she had told him by the Ancient Columns. And keeping track of her when he could not follow her into Gerudo Town made his job harder. So, he tried to keep an eye on her without getting in her way and thus avoiding another confrontation.
As he waited for Princess Zelda to wake, despite her ill-treatment, he couldn't help but admire her. She was a smart and self-reliant individual with a deep passion for science. The discovery of ancient Sheikah technology had seized her imagination, and she could not get enough of it. She carried her beloved Sheikah Slate everywhere and was constantly snapping pictures. And like him, she was tenacious, someone who worked hard and never gave up.
But he also had to admit that guarding Her Highness was no easy task. His appointment as her knight companion was different from what people may have expected, including himself. He remembered his fellow guards congratulating him and doing a little teasing, too, after he ran into them a short time after his appointment.
"Nice going on the promotion, Link! Now you get to rub shoulders with royalty!" said Logan as he patted him on the back. "You made a lot of us jealous, didn't he, Hadon?"
"Maybe Link can literally rub shoulders with Her Highness soon now," laughed Hadon. "She's beautiful and about the same age. Perhaps he will invite us to a royal wedding before long, where we will see him become prince Link, right Logan?"
"Are you guys kidding?" said Link. "From the little I've dealt with Her Highness so far, it seems she can't stand the sight of me and would rather be on her own. I'm caught between my duty to His Majesty and pleasing his daughter."
Link finished stamping out the campfire and was about to sit down again and resume waiting for Zelda to emerge from the inn when something caught his eye.
"For the love of Hylia!" Link exclaimed in alarm and instantly berated himself for not keeping better watch.
He could see Zelda making her way across the desert, apparently having snuck out of the inn without him seeing her. And he could also make out something else she hadn't seen yet: three Yiga Clan warriors were pursuing her, one from behind and two moving to outflank her on either side. All three held Vicious Sickle weapons, ready to draw royal blood. Link began to run as fast as he could. And as he did so, he could see that Zelda finally also noticed the danger behind her and began running too.
Link put every ounce of energy into reaching Zelda in time. And fortunately, the Yiga Clan's own cruelty worked to his advantage. They enjoyed seeing the terror in their victim's eyes before ending their life and would sometimes even announce their intent to kill before striking. Rather than attack the Princess at once, their enemy approached slowly with his sickle weapon in hand, enjoying the sight of his victim lying helpless between the three of them. Barely in time, he caught up with the Yiga warrior behind her and finished him off as he was about to strike. Then he confronted the other two. They could read the menace in his eyes, perhaps sensed the power of his legendary blade, and saw what became of their comrade. They thought better of attacking him and fled. Then he put away his sword and turned to Zelda. And for the first time, he saw some admiration and appreciation in her eyes.