Link

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Once Epona was rested, I jumped back on. Zelda had mentioned something along the lines of a shrine, though shrines littered a lot of Hyrule. One by ancient ruins...

That was it!

I rushed Epona towards the ancient columns near Tabantha Frontier, where I remember Zelda mentioning that shrine was the one they currently knew the most about. It took a while to reach the top, but I soon saw Storm and then Zelda behind him.

Dismounting Epona, I ran over to Zelda. As I was about to ask what in Hylia she was thinking, she immediately started to stop me. "The idea was I didn't want to be followed."

Okay but it's my literal job to do so...

"I can see that I'm the only one with a mind of my own. I no longer want an escort. Now return to the castle and tell that to my father, please." She stomped past me.

She didn't want an escort anymore, or didn't want me? How did I manage to mess this up within the matter of a couple weeks? I had really thought we were getting past this.

"And stop following me!" She shouted, climbing on top of Storm and running off once again.

As I watched her go, I knew I couldn't do as she had asked. I had been tasked with making sure she stayed alive, so I was going to do just that.

Perhaps doing so from afar?

I jumped onto Epona and started towards the nearest stable. Along the way, I managed to find mushrooms and prime meat, so I cooked that up for dinner. It wasn't the same as a meal at the castle, but I'd believe that would be hard to find out in the wild.

Where the princess would go, though if she didn't want to be bothered?

She was close with Impa and Urbosa, though she wouldn't have gone to Kakariko Village as I could have just followed her there.

She wouldn't. She wouldn't go to Gerudo Town, the women-only town, now would she?

Of course she would. That would be a brilliant place to go if you're tired of looking at men.

Sighing to myself, I walked over to the stable hand. "May I have a bed, wake time in the morning?"

"Sure thing, bud. Want us to house the steed too?"

"Sure, thanks."

They took Epona to the feeding stalls while I crashed into a bed. The sun only just began to go down, but if I was going to catch her when she leaves Gerudo Town I needed to be ready.

I woke up to being splashed via a large bucket of super cold water. "Rise and shine bud!" The stable hand shouted.

I glared at him. "There was no other way to wake me?"

"No funnier way, at least." The stable hand picked up another full bucket and walked over to another unfortunate soul to drown them in water as well.

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed my things and shook off what water I could.

Whatever, I'm heading to the desert. At least I'll be well hydrated.

They got Epona ready for me, and I thanked them with extra rupees. I didn't give any extra to the bucket stable hand, I figured other people would tip him with what he's got coming to him one day.

Signaling Epona into action, we raced off in the direction of the desert. After about half the day, we started to see the landscape change from green to brown, and the grass grew patchier and harder to come by. The stable near the entrance to the desert was as far as Epona would be able to go. I would have to do the rest on foot given I could find an elixir to cut the heat.

I checked Epona into the stable and asked if Storm was checked in at the same stable. After asking extensive questions about why I wanted to know, the stable hand finally told me yes. Storm had been checked in earlier that morning.

So I'm not far behind...

Thanking the stable hand, I looked around for a merchant. There was one who only sold bugs, but with those and some of the many monster parts I had from the journey I was able to cook a small heat resistance elixir. I sold some of the extra parts I had and managed to make one more elixir. That way if Zelda needed one, she could have one on the journey back.

Thankfully I didn't have any run-ins with monsters on the way here, Epona had been running too fast for any monsters to catch up to us.

The sun was high in the sky, so right now a trip through the scorching desert might be postponed. I sat next to the campfire, and a young stable hand chatted with me about horses for a while. Growing up in Hateno allowed for lots of farming and raising of horses, so I was able to give to and take advice from him. After a couple hours, the heat with the elixir combined became bearable, and I set out for the Bazaar. This bazaar was halfway across the desert from the edge to Gerudo Town. Since I was a male, or what they call a voe, I wasn't getting into the gates of Gerudo Town. I simply had to wait for the princess to come to me this time.

She should be mostly protected in that city anyway.

After a while I finally reached it. My calves burned from running through the deep sand, but the refreshing breeze blowing off the oasis was nice. The vendors at the bazaar were selling nice things, but at steep prices.

"60 rupees for one hearty durian?" I asked the vendor in surprise.

"Hey, getting these ain't easy darlin'." She retorted.

Customer service isn't your best talent, is it?

I continued to browse around when someone tapped my shoulder. Turning to see who it was, I found a Gerudo guard looking down at me with a note in her hand.

"Are you Link?" The guard asked.

"Yes...why?"

"This is from our chief, Urbosa. Please take it and I'll take your response."

Awkwardly, I took the note.

Dear Link,

The princess is here, in Gerudo Town. It seems she wanted to escape you, but I know you were only trying to follow your duty. There is a way for you to sneak into Gerudo Town, though I can probably get her out of here easier than getting you in. Meet us on divine beast Vah Naboris after the sun sets.

-Chief Urbosa

"Alright, tell her that I will do so." I told the guard.

The guard nodded and started off back towards Gerudo Town.

That was...odd. I didn't think Urbosa liked me.

Night fall wasn't too far off, so I started to head out into the heart of the desert, where Vah Naboris resided. The elixir was almost enough, but I had to tie my tunic as a scarf on my head to keep more heat out. It didn't help that I continually ran into electric lizalfos, who seemed to be out for more blood than usual.

After finishing off many of them, I started to see the entrance to the divine beast. I looked up at the sky, to find the sun had almost completely set. The moment the sun disappeared a chill ran over the desert. I threw my tunic back on and started to run in order to keep warm.

Zelda

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"So why did you run from the boy this time?" Urbosa prompted.

We were gazing out at the desert night from inside the divine beast after inspecting it for most of the day. It was a beautiful and calm night, but I could tell the conversation was about to get deep.

"Because I was tired of being around his constant silence and disappointment. If I wanted to be around that I would have stayed at the castle. Last night didn't help any. Then yesterday I tried talking to Link, though it's always like talking to a brick wall." I vented.

Urbosa seemed to understand. "So you're jealous that he has accomplished much, and you feel that you haven't done so still?"

"He seems to have everything under control, and I can't help but dislike him for it." I said honestly.

Urbosa stayed silent for a moment. "The thing is, he is your teammate. He is pulling his weight on your team. There's no competition here. If there is, it's because you are putting that pressure on yourself."

"Are you saying I'm not pulling my weight?"

"Not at all. You and all the things you've done over the years to access your power shows the opposite of not pulling your weight. Remember the time you almost drowned because you were focusing so hard? You can't tell me you're not pulling your end."

"Yeah I suppose."

"I can't convince you to love yourself where you're at and to trust your process. In the end, that's on you to believe. But I encourage you to find that for yourself. You are more powerful than you know." Urbosa insisted. "And that boy only wants to see you succeed, little bird. Making his job harder doesn't make yours any easier."

Wow. Perhaps Link doesn't hate me like I think he does. And I've been quite the pain in his side through my actions, and he never once complained about it.

Perhaps...I've been too hard on him.

"I see your point, Urbosa. I've only made his job harder. He probably dislikes me at this point, being rude to him and then running away from him."

Urbosa laughed. "I don't think you could ever make him dislike you, even with running away."

What is that supposed to mean?

Suddenly, my eyelids started to feel heavy.

"Feel free to rest a bit, little bird."

I didn't need more encouragement than that in order to drift off to sleep.