Chapter Text
Five years earlier...
She had no right to stand on this hallowed ground.
Not a girl from a small ranch in a distant corner of Hyrule, far from the more refined settlements of the kingdom. Not a girl who still wore clothes stitched together from scraps of fabric her mother cobbled together. Not a girl whose hands still bore the callouses from hours in the field, helping to plant the crops for the next season. Certainly not the girl who cowered and hid and survived because of that cowardice.
Yet she stood there all the same, a farm girl of thirteen without a title nor a drop of noble blood in her veins, staring into the heart of a legend.
"It's lovely, isn't it?"
Even dressed in a simple blouse and black trousers, the woman radiated the sort of poise and elegance that such a place deserved. She'd tied her blond hair laced with white into a messy braid that trailed down her back. The retainers fretted over such a simple outfit, but she'd waved off their concerns.
"Tromping about Hyrule in royal finery will draw just as much attention as an entire battalion," she had said as she dismissed them. "I wish to take only one trusted knight, lest the location becomes known to too many."
And her, Marina thought. A choice even more unpopular than the lack of a traditional company of guards. But Queen Zelda brooked no argument, not even from her husband. The two women and their guard had traveled past Hateno Village and climbed Mount Lanayru, leading to their current location.
When the Queen led her into Hyrule Castle, she'd thought it the most magnificent sight she would ever lay eyes on. Compared to the spring in front of them, even the seat of power in Hyrule lost some of its luster. It wasn't as large nor as splendorous as the castle, but it made up the difference in a presence all its own. Some scholars suggested it dated back to the Great Dawn when Hylia walked the kingdom in human form.
She ran her hand across some of the brickwork. The stones bore scars of conflict that long ago passed into the realm of legend. How many generations of the royal family had stood on this very spot and gazed into that same fountain? The weight of history threatened to push against Marina until it threatened to suffocate her.
The Queen took her hand and tugged her forward.
"Come, my child. Nayru is the goddess of wisdom, not patience. We'd be fools to keep her waiting."
"I don't--"
"What, you don't belong? You aren't worthy?" The Queen regarded her with a smile as radiant as the Golden Power itself, warm enough to melt away her fear. "I'm hardly worthy myself, as my parents would have gladly attested to. Oh, there are stories about my exploits that I should probably order suppressed for the good of Hyrule."
Despite the situation, Marina grinned and let a soft chuckle slip out.
"The point is, if a reformed hellion such as myself is welcome here, then the presence of a wonderful young lady such as yourself with brighten the day of the goddesses themselves."
"But why bring me here?" Marina asked. "Me, of all people?"
"I shall give you two options." She held a finger in the air. "First, you can assume that the Golden Power has given me the gift of foresight and it has told me it would be prudent to teach you the ways of my family."
"A-And the second?"
"I could not make the trek alone, and I would prefer your company than any of the High Sisters of the Order. Pick whichever version suits you, my dear."
Queen Zelda, it must be said, was not at all what Marina imagined her to be.
"Wouldn't the High Sisters be better for this task?"
"Perhaps, but they would nag me the entire trip for one thing or another. You, mercifully, have no such predilections." Her smile softened at the edges, and her voice lost some of its sarcastic edge. "The next generation must learn too, you know. And I must admit, it's a wonderful thing to see the world through your eyes. The way you marvel at the things I've grown all too accustomed to. And if anyone deserves to see such wonders, it's you."
Such statements were the closest the Queen ever came to speaking on what had happened to bring her into the Order. The mere hint made her blood run cold. She remembered the crunch of a stone axe against the front door, the horrible sounds the creatures made--
"Come. There is more to see here."
The Queen's hand on her shoulder held the memories at bay, and Marina followed close behind her.
She made her way to the water's edge. Despite the brisk winds that whipped through the mountains, the pool remained still. It reflected the statue behind it, a massive idol of the Goddess, immaculately carved in the classical style. Catching sight of it, Marina could not help but fall to her knees.
"There are fanciful stories of these shrines, beyond even what the Order speaks of. Do you know some scholars believe this whole fountain complex once floated above the very clouds? Can you imagine such a thing?"
"I can," Marina whispered. "Do you think it's real?"
"You are fortunate that you still have the imagination of youth, my dear Marina. Fanciful tales of floating islands, windfish, and great oceans. It's hard to believe in those stories when the needs of the kingdom are foisted upon you."
"You still didn't say," Marina said, then instantly cursed herself. Despite her kind nature, Zelda was the Queen of Hyrule. She was a peasant farm girl. But if the regent took any offense at her impertinence, it didn't show on her face.
"There are things in this world we know to be true. The seasons change, and the sun rises and sets in the same direction each day. Beyond that? If such things are real to you, then cling to that. Each of us must find our truth."
The Queen looked back at her, her expression stone serious now. "Sister Marina, what you see here today must not be shared with anyone. Not your closest friends in the Order, not your mentors. Anyone. Do you understand?"
The words washed over Marina like a fanciful dream. Why would Queen Zelda deign to share such things with her? Once she'd never expected to so much as see Castle Hyrule, let alone walk its halls with the Queen herself. And now, to stand at the most sacred of shrines?
She wanted to protest, to tell the Queen she'd made a mistake. She wanted to scream she wasn't worthy.
"Yes, your Highness," is what came out instead.
"Very good then." She turned back to the fountain. "The Order will tell you that the ceremony is important. The right words or the right movements or even the right clothes. But none of that matters if you don't believe. Your heart is the purest I have ever met, Marina. In time, I have faith that purity will serve all of Hyrule."
With that, the Queen knelt at the water's edge and extended a finger to brush against the surface. Small ripples radiated out from her touch, but they carried with them a hint of golden light that didn't come from the afternoon sun. As the ripples reached the statue on the opposite shore, a loud thump echoed across the spring. Marina didn't so much hear it as she felt it, both in her chest and deep within her soul.
"Stay out of the water," the Queen said as she slipped off her boots and started to wade in. "And try not to make any sudden movements. He's a little nervous around strangers."
"He?"
The answer came not from Zelda, but with a sudden burst of frigid wind that careened down from above and swept through the shrine's enclosure. The wind grew stronger the deeper the Queen waded into the water. As she reached the middle, a massive form seemed to uncurl from the very mountain itself. Its entire body, bigger than anything Marina had ever seen before, looked to be made entirely of crystal.
The Queen bowed until her forehead touched the surface of the water. She then lifted herself back up and met the eyes of the dragon in front of her.
"Naydra," she whispered. "It has been too long, old friend."
#
Sister Marina never practiced the art of meditation, at least not the way other Sisters in her cloister did. When asked, she attributed it to a natural calm learned from communing with the Goddess herself. This didn't sit well with the older members of the sect and contributed to a poor reputation. The truth was that she found it difficult to feel annoyance with daily chores or the brusque manner of the palace staff when she'd experienced far worse in her eighteen years. Either way, she'd never learned the art of stress reduction.
Over the last hour, she realized it had been a serious omission.
She drummed her fingers against the tabletop, despite lingering fears of what kind of germs might be living on it. She fought to keep her scowl at bay, to mask her irritation at the Gerudo across the table from her. They'd gone to the market straight from the throne room, and Urbosa made it a point to explain each item and its uses to her as if she was a child. She'd let that go, along with the knowing looks and stifled chuckles of the Gerudo working the stalls. They carried it back to her overnight quarters, with her guide making a pointed remark about it perhaps not being as comfortable as home.
A noble pursuit. She kept that in mind the entire time. She longed to see more of Gerudo culture for herself. The Sisters who had been to Gerudo Town plied the very sort of rumor and innuendo that Chief Kukase mentioned earlier. They claimed the Gerudo descended from thieves. They lived for nothing more than combat. They spawned the original form of the Calamity itself.
But Marina knew all too well that rumors rarely had a basis in fact, and she wanted to learn for herself. After she saw the reality of the Golden Power five years earlier, she wanted to know the truth about the women of the desert. When Urbosa mentioned a noble pursuit, she wondered what it might mean. A sacred library? A temple of some sort?
And then Urbosa took her here.
The Gerudo took a long, final swig from her glass and followed it up with an exaggerated sigh of contentment. She pushed the glass away from her. For a few precious seconds, Marina felt as though it might finally be over.
That was when Urbosa lifted her hand shakily into the air. "Another!"
Urbosa smiled as the bartender traded her empty mug for a full one. With that, the dam holding back Marina's annoyance finally broke.
"Lady Urbosa--"
"Urbosa."
"Urbosa." Marina's tongue caressed the name with thorns. "Why are we in this... this... this den of inequity?"
"This is a reputable establishment, Lady Marina. A veritable pillar of the community, even."
"But you mentioned a noble pursuit. Please don't tell me visiting a bar is what you meant."
"Of course not!" Urbosa looked offended, then lifted the glass. "This is a Noble Pursuit. Finest drink in all of Hyrule. A secret recipe passed down through generations of the bartender's family. There's nothing better to drink."
"Hylia provided the lakes and rivers for her children to drink from."
"And we," Urbosa replied, "Turn that water into ice that goes into the drink."
"Along with alcohol."
"Seven Heroines, I hope so. Otherwise, I've been ripped off."
"But alcohol--"
"Is proof the gods love us and want us to be happy."
Marina lowered her head, partially out of piety and partially to avoid the looks of annoyance that the other patrons aimed at her. "Alcohol is a swift river that leads you to Demise."
"I've had a great many drinks, priestess--"
"Three," Marina groaned. "Four now, actually."
"Exactly. And I haven't met the Demon King yet."
"He bides his time. But mark my words--"
"They are marked, filed away, and ignored."
Marina's shoulders slumped. A second later, her entire body slunk back into the chair. She took a sip of her water (a choice that earned her no shortage of scornful looks) and then trailed her finger around the rim of the glass. She peered at Urbosa, in the middle of another sip.
"Forgive my ignorance," she said, trying another tactic, "But is it wise to indulge so much before an expedition?"
"A good drink is like a good sword. You can never have too many."
"I would argue there are too many of both in this world."
"Then tell me, what do servants of the Goddess do for fun? Transcribe passages from ancient manuscripts? Polish the statues of the Goddess around Hyrule?" She took another drink, then wiped the foam from her mouth with one arm. "Or do you prefer to sit around in judgment of others?"
Marina bristled. "The transcription of ancient texts is a valuable service. And the statues should remain pristine to honor Hylia. We spend our time in devotion to her, in any way we can."
"Conveniently vague. Must make life easy for you."
Easy. The word sent waves of fury throughout the priestess's body. Under the table, she scooped up handfuls of her robe and held them like a vice. Beneath the anger, however, it felt like a punch directly to the gut. She'd managed to both infuriate and strike her with a comment that cut deeper than any sword could have.
The prospect of an entire journey filled with that kind of condemnation was more than she could handle.
"Perhaps--"
"Do my eyes deceive me, or is there a servant of the heathen goddess sullying our lovely tavern? Surely the Noble Canteen isn't that desperate for business."
Urbosa clenched her jaw and went ramrod straight in her chair.
The figure that stood in the entrance was tall, even by Gerudo standards, and powerfully built. Despite her size, she moved with the grace of a cat as she sauntered into the tavern. A headband pulled most of her long hair away from her face, though bangs of pure white curled around one cheek. Pale blue eyes met Marina's and narrowed, then shifted to her companion.
"Ah, that's right. I heard Chief Kukase assigned one of our most esteemed students to hold the sah'ikhab's leash." The Gerudo spoke the words with such venom that the compliment seemed more like an insult. "Or do I have it the wrong way around?"
"Tevat." Urbosa gripped the edge of the table, fingers threatening to bite into the wood itself. "I believe Furana has made it clear how she feels about conflict in the Noble Canteen."
"And what conflict would that be, Urbosa." Tevat sidled up to the bar and glanced over her shoulder at the pair. "I came in for a drink and was startled to see a Hylian priestess in our midst. I can see why she needs a nursemaid. What an utterly appropriate task for you."
"It is an honor to be chosen by Chief Kukase."
"Of course, of course." Tevat shrugged. "That assumes you were chosen, of course. It's entirely possible you volunteered to escape other obligations."
"As I recall, you were the one who hadn't shown up at the agreed-upon time." Urbosa's voice took on an edge that Marina hadn't heard before, even in the jabs she took. "We will settle our business in due time."
"One hopes," Tevat said. "But one never knows what they might encounter in the desert."
The comment seemed innocent to Marina... until she saw the flames of white-hot anger spread across Urbosa's face. Her muscles tensed as though she might pounce at any moment.
"Words," she whispered. "Just words."
Then, after she gathered herself, she replied to the other Gerudo once more. "I can handle anything the desert throws at us."
"So you say." Tevat held the drink the bartender handed her up to the torches that lit the room, then drank it down in one gulp. "But promise me you'll remember your honor if... I mean, when the time comes."
She sat the glass on the bar, then smirked at Urbosa. "It would be a shame to find another hovuk in the dunes, with wounds only in her back."
Marina shrieked as Urbosa upended the table, her glass smashing against the ground. Taking a few heavy steps toward Tevat, Urbosa placed a shaky hand on her scimitar.
"How dare you!" Her voice thundered across the room, sending all the patrons searching for cover.
"How the truth offends you, sister." The smile on her face grew, even as she caught sight of Urbosa's hand on her weapon's hilt. "Is that how you wish to fight me, then? With sharpened weapons?"
Urbosa said nothing but took another step forward.
"You just said Furana didn't want fights, but now you're gone and damaged a table and shattered a perfectly good tankard." Tevat clicked her tongue. "Settle down, before I'm forced to deprive our forces of an allegedly skilled recruit."
Before Urbosa could close the distance between them, Marina ran over and put a hand on her shoulder. The Gerudo rounded on her, and Marina's throat felt dry. Never in her life had she seen a look with such smoldering anger, of unrestrained fury mere seconds away from unleashing itself on another person.
That look terrified her, but she spoke anyway.
"You're giving her what she wants."
"You know what--" Urbosa snarled.
"I know that Chief Kukase wouldn't want two of her charges fighting within the walls of the town."
Urbosa stared at her for a few seconds before jerking her shoulder away and picking up the table.
"Guess that answers the question about who is holding whose leash," Tevat sneered. "But don't get the wrong idea, priestess of the heathen god. You'll soon find that not all Gerudo are as... compliant as Urbosa."
Urbosa tensed once more, and for a moment Marina feared she might charge once more. She stalked closer to the bar, never taking her eyes off Tevat. Soon only a few inches separated them, and Tevat jutted her chin forward in a silent dare.
Without breaking eye contact, Urbosa slammed a handful of rupees on the counter.
"For the damages. My apologies to the rest of my sisters here." With a deep breath, she added, "When I return? We will finish this."
Tevat smiled. "I look forward to it."
With that, Urbosa spun around and stomped out of the Noble Canteen, leaving Marina to follow on her heels.
#
Stupid stupid stupid.
The words rang through Urbosa's mind as she stomped through the main courtyard of Gerudo Town. She swayed with each step, rage battling against the effect of the four drinks with her uncertain who was winning. She didn't know where she was going, other than away from the tavern. Perhaps to work out the fury on a training dummy. Perhaps even beyond the town's walls, to battle the monsters that called the dunes home.
A few seconds later, she heard the frantic footsteps behind her. Too light to be Gerudo. That was the only reason she didn't respond to the hand that wrapped around her forearm with a punch.
"Urbosa, wait."
She stopped, though it proved how unsteady she felt on her feet.
"She was trying to provoke you."
Naive as anything else that slipped out of the priestess's mouth.
"Clearly, she succeeded."
"Listen, I understand--"
"What do you understand, Priestess?" Urbosa's voice cracked as she tried to contain the anger, even as she fought against the welling in her eyes. "Don't make the mistake that you or your so-called goddess hold any authority over me. Just because the cult of Hylia believes in nonviolence and running away from problems, that is not the way of the Gerudo."
"Excuse me?"
For the first time, the priestess's voice lacked its usual prim formality. Had it not been for the potent combination of roiling rage and drink, she might have been surprised. Even a little impressed. But anger won the day, and though Urbosa wouldn't dare lash out physically, she knew other ways to land a blow against an opponent.
Especially in light of the example Tevat had just given her.
"There are a few here who practice your faith, but they are often considered outsiders. None of them are terribly well regarded. Even so, they have been hardened by the desert. They earn some respect. But to one who has spent her entire life behind the comfortable walls of the monastery and the castle? I won't afford any such respect. You have no idea what life in the real world is like.
"I know that giving a belligerent rival a sense of victory is foolish. She only seeks to diminish you in the eyes of Chief Kukase and your peers."
"What, has reading old scrolls given you those insights?" Urbosa snarled, leaning down forward the shorter woman. "Tevat disparaged my mother. Perhaps the teachers of Hylia gave you no respect for those who raised you, but--"
The rest of the response was cut off by a loud crack that thundered across the alley.
Her eyes wide, Marina's hand had frozen where it stopped, inches from Urbosa's face after the slap. Urbosa likewise remained motionless, save for cradling her cheek where the strike landed. It hadn't hurt. Not physically. She, like every other Gerudo, bore scars from their intense battles. But the slap pulled her back into the moment, a momentary sobering that made her aware of just how cruel her words had been.
A handful of breaths later, Marina shrunk away as though she expected a return strike. Yet, despite the differences in their heights and physiques, it was Urbosa who felt small in the shadow of the priestess.
"Marina, I..." She trailed off, uncertain of what to say or if she should even speak.
"I respect that you do not heed the voice of Hylia." Marina's voice wavered, laced with emotion. "But you do not need to mock my faith. The Sisterhood took me in when I had nothing left. No one left. And sometimes, I fear they are all I will ever have. But I assure you that I have not had it easy, either before I joined the order or after. And if you cannot manage at least an inkling of respect for my beliefs, then I should ask Chief Kukase to assign me a different escort."
Urbosa struggled to find a reply, fumbling with a few different ones that came out as unintelligible syllables. She could see the disappointment in Kukase's face when Marina spoke of her behavior. The Chief had taken a chance on her, and there were those in Gerudo Town who wanted nothing more than to see the chief proved wrong. Tevat had given her enough rope, and now she'd entrapped herself with it.
Perhaps Marina had seen some sight of that conflict, for the anger drained from her. She wrapped her arms around herself and turned away.
"I understand that alcohol eradicates discretion. And I know this assignment must be... undesirable. While I am not a voe, I am still an outsider. And you are right, I know little of your customers and beliefs. But I know this sort of assignment must be beneath a proud Gerudo warrior such as yourself. But I owe Queen Zelda a debt I can never hope to repay. I must do something to try and keep the darkness at bay a little while longer."
In her eyes, Urbosa saw a maelstrom of emotions. Anger, still. Sadness as well. But the fire of determination shone brightest of all. Even through the haze of drink, she saw the priestess in a different light. Different enough to show her the utmost sign of respect.
"My apologies, Sister Marina. I have shown your great disrespect. I would not blame you if you sought a different escort."
It took her a moment, in part due to her unsteadiness and in part because of the significance of the gesture. But she dropped to one knee and lowered her head.
"I humbly request that you allow me to fulfill my duty and atone for the insults I have aimed at you."
To her surprise, Marina instead dashed forward and tugged on her arm to pull her back up. She swayed, pitched forward, and only the hands of the priestess on her shoulder kept Urbosa on her feet.
"Are you mad?" Marina hissed. "You cannot let Tevat or any in her circle see you like this?"
"Eh?" was all Urbosa could manage as she stumbled and then regained her balance.
"There are Tevats in everyone corner of Hyrule, so I understand her better than you might suspect."
"The Priestesses are--"
"Catty, one might say," Marina replied. "And also, I must apologize for striking you."
"I deserved it."
"Yes. Yes, you did. But that still doesn't make it an appropriate response."
"Had decent form. More power than I'd expect." Without anger, the effects of the four Noble Pursuits had started to set in, and things Urbosa meant only to think played out across her lips. It did not stop her. "With some training, you might have some skills."
"If you say so."
Urbosa tried to take a step forward. She was astounded to see the ground rushing up toward her face. Marina dashed in front of her and caught her before she and the sand were probably introduced, however.
"Perhaps I should escort you back to your home."
"That might be a good idea."
"I must say," Marina said, biting her lip. "This is an auspicious beginning to our partnership."
"It's an exercise in teamwork." Urbosa peered down at her. "By the way, I don't usually destroy the bar."
Marina blinked. "You say it like it's happened before."
"As I said, it doesn't usually happen. I have fallen asleep out by the fountain." Urbosa squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus. "Slept in the fountain once, too."
"Wonderful."
#
At first, Urbosa wasn't entirely sure how she ended up in her bed that morning.
It was hard to focus on anything, truth be told. A headache ground at her temples with the delicate touch of a Goron miner. The morning sun stabbed daggers in her eyes. She remembered... Tevat? Some kind of altercation at the Noble Canteen? She remembered a pretty young woman as well, with stunning eyes and dark hair. She'd met her sometime yesterday, hadn't she?
Sister Marina.
She sat upright in her bed, which came with more pain to her headache and a flash of nausea. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, then got out of bed and did her best to put herself together before she walked outside.
There in the courtyard stood Sister Marina with a broad smile on her face.
"I assume you slept well?" she asked, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"I think so. I'm guessing I woke up late?"
"Not as late as I expected."
"That's good." She tried to blink away the hangover. "Got a nightmare of a headache."
Marina tilted her head to one side. "There's a Hylian proverb that says alcohol is a miserable banker and will charge heavy interest in the morning."
"It sounds like Hylia doesn't like bankers."
"Perhaps not."
They started toward the exit.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Not at all."
Looking back on it, Urbosa wondered if she'd missed a smirk on the priestess's face.