Chapter Text
“-told you I’d find it,” Legend said in a gloating voice as the horse head topped stable came into view.
Warriors huffed as he stalked past the posturing Legend. “I still say we would have been here two days earlier if we’d taken that one path-”
“We would have had to crawl down three different cliffs-”
“-wouldn’t have had to battle a hinox-”
“Come on, guys, let’s just get inside,” Hyrule said, interrupting both of his brother heroes.
They’d been picking at each other more and more for days and he just wanted to get away from it all. He shoved past them both and began making a bee-line for the waiting stable.
The other two shared a sheepish look before following him, silently agreeing to leave their argument in the foothills behind them.
This was the third time they’d been transported to Wild’s Hyrule since meeting him and, unlike their disastrous second visit, they were prepared this time. Each of them now had a rough map of Wild’s Hyrule in their packs with all the stables and major settlements marked on it. Even more importantly, there was a list of locations, in a set order, for them all to gather at in the event of another separation.
Which was precisely what had happened, just like the last time they’d been here. Wild's Hyrule was just too big for them not to have a plan. If their preparations worked, the others should already be at, or on their way to, the Dueling Peaks Stable up ahead.
"Roolie, Roolie, Roolie!" screamed a voice from up ahead and Hyrule let out a relieved laugh as Wind started sprinting straight at him. The sailor was dressed in casual clothing and looked both well fed and well groomed as he rushed out of the stables. Behind him, Four stepped into view and gave them a wave.
"Wind, I'm glad to see you!" Hyrule exclaimed as he braced himself for Wind's flying tackle. The smaller hero slammed into him and Hyrule staggered backwards. It was only Warriors' quick support that kept him from falling over.
"Me and Four have been waiting for ages," Wind told him. "Time and Sky showed up yesterday and Wild's been jumping all over the place trying to find everyone. I've been helping coordinate it all with him," he added, puffing his chest up in pride. "He had to ride in from Hateno with Twilight and Epona. They got in about an hour ago."
"Glad to hear it," Legend said. "Any other news?"
Wind shrugged. "I dunno. I don't think so? Time'll have the update for you." Despite his words, though, Wind still had plenty to say and chattered freely away at them as they headed for the stable.
As they drew closer, other travelers fell into step with them, all of them heading for the stable and the promise of safety and warm meals.
"Sav’saaba," a tall Gerudo woman said after listening to Wind's chatter. "You are some of the heroes who fight alongside the Hylian hero, Link?"
Legend turned a chuckle into a cough while Warriors gave the tall warrior woman his most charming smile. "We are, indeed, warrior."
The woman gave them all a considering look, which seemed to turn to disappointment. "You are not the one with the… the marks here…" she traced a distinctive shape in the air above her forehead.
Hyrule pursed his lips. That looked like the mark Twilight wore. "No, he's not here with us right now."
"We can ask around for you if you'd like," Warriors offered, then glanced at Wind. "Could you run up and see if he's made it to the stables yet?"
Wind blinked but nodded to show he understood: Deploy subterfuge, check. Without hesitation, he took off running so he could alert the others that someone was looking for Twilight specifically.
"Sarqso," the Gerudo woman said, looking pleased. "My sisters have spoken often about him after his visit to the desert a few months ago."
"Your sisters?" Warriors repeated, trying to draw out more information.
And information he received. The warrior woman's name was Iteosa and she was journeying to explore the world as so many of her people did when they came of age.
"-the hero Twilight's might was proven through great trials. My sisters thought they would never be honored with vehvis, as they have sworn themselves to safeguard our home-" Iteosa was saying when Wind came running up to them. They were nearly at the Stable and Time had emerged from the yurt-style building to watch their approach.
"Twilight's running a message to Impa in Kakariko," Wind announced as he skidded to a stop. "So he's not here right now."
"Kakariko?" Iteosa repeated. She looked down the road with a considering look before nodding. "Sarqso, for the company. I shall continued on. Sav’orq." And with that, she set off, long legs carrying her now towards Kakariko.
"That was… odd," Hyrule murmured as they watched her go.
"You're telling me," Wind whispered as they continued on towards the stable. "Twilight isn't really going to Kakariko. He went white, then red when I said there was a Gerudo lady asking after him, and while Wild was laughing at him, Time decided we would pretend he wasn't here anymore."
"Do you think this has to do with our last trip here?" Hyrule wondered.
"It has to," Legend said. "Twilight and Wild got dropped right outside Gerudo Town, right? It took weeks for us to find each other and get all in the same place."
"Everyone alright?" Time asked as they approached.
"No injuries or significant issues while we made our way here," Warriors said, reporting to their defacto leader in a crisp voice.
"Is Twilight okay?" Hyrule asked.
Time let out a thoughtful hum. "I'm honestly not sure. He's… well, come see for yourself."
"He's being weird," Four added from his position at Time's side.
Hyrule, Legend, and Warriors all let out sighs of relief once they'd stepped up into the stable proper. The other travelers who'd fallen in with them paused at the counter to see about lodgings while Time led them to one of the beds set in the very back.
Sky was sitting on the bed with a piece of wood and a carving knife in his hand. His sailcloth was draped over the bed in a suspicious fashion to those who knew him. Wild stopped fiddling with his slate and rolled onto his stomach on the bed. Sliding forward, he let his upper body hang down so he could look under the bed.
Legend and Hyrule exchanged incredulous glances while Warriors' eyebrows shot straight up to his hairline.
"You can come out now," Wild said in a cheerful voice. "The scary Gerudo lady isn't here anymore."
"He went straight under there the moment Wind took off," Sky said, putting his knife away. He started brushing wood shavings off his lap onto the floor.
Wild straightened up and dragged his hair back in order as a scuffing sound came from under the bed. Moments later, Twilight's head peeked up and his eyes peered cautiously around the rest area before he rose to his feet.
"I don't want to talk about it," he said in a stiff voice. Without another word, he strode out of the stables.
"He's fine," Wild said in a cheerful voice. Nonetheless, he jumped off the bed as well and followed after him.
"Right. We'll jump him after dinner," Legend announced. It was a sign of how worried the others were that no one argued.
It was Warriors who brought the topic up once night had fallen and they'd all eaten a satisfying meal. They'd gathered out behind the stables with their bowls and snacks, sprawling out comfortably in the grass and leaving the area closest to the goats open for Twilight to claim as his own. Now that the meal was done, they'd made a half-hearted effort to corral their dishes so they could be cleaned and put away.
"So, Wild, mind if I ask you a language question?" Warriors asked, looking directly at Wild and not the somewhat twitchy rancher sitting beside him.
"Sure, what is it?" Wild asked.
"It's a Gerudo word," Warriors said. "Vehvis. What does it mean?"
Wild stared at him for a few moments before throwing his head back and cackling. Beside him, Twilight let out a groan and let his head sink into his hands. Even with just a campfire illuminating everything for them, it was clear his face had gone bright red. Sucking in a desperate breath, then another, Wild started trying to get his laughter under control. He leaned into Twilight, bumping his shoulder to the taller man's even as small giggles continued to slip free.
"Vehvis," Wild said, still grinning, "means daughters."
Warriors stared at him, then slowly shifted his gaze to Twilight. "Iteosa's sisters have been honored with daughters?"
Legend started laughing while Hyrule's hand flew to his mouth in shock.
"Pup, is there something you need to tell us?" Time asked, somehow managing to sound equally worried and amused.
Twilight grabbed the hood of his fur and dragged it over his head, hiding away like Wild often had at the beginning of all this.
"Twilight was very popular around Kara Kara Bazaar last time we were here," Wild began, only for the man beside him to let out a groan.
"You don't need to tell the story," Twilight mumbled.
Wild just patted his hand. "There was a tiny little accident in the General Store involving bombs that was definitely not the fault of anyone here-"
That got Twilight to peek out and glare at Wild. "You are a menace to society at large," he said in an icy voice.
"-and as heroes, we generously volunteered to help with the clean up-"
"Shaillu threatened to stake you out in the desert for molduga to feast on if you didn't fix your mess and Kachoo was ready to help her."
Wild was unphased by Twilight's additions and plowed on. "In the process of clearing away the rubble, the Gerudo stationed in town were all very impressed with how easily Twilight was lifting and toting everything. Riju was visiting the bazaar, too, so there were extra guards around. And that's how we met Irosa, Ivere, Imura, and Ilaefa." Twilight hid his face again while Wild's grin stretched even wider. "I volunteered to sleep outside so Riju and her guards could sleep in the inn."
"You weren't allowed back inside," Twilight muttered. His voice was muffled by his hands.
"Twilight, however, was allowed inside. And he was very tired the next day," Wild finished.
Wind squinted at him. "I don't get it," he said after the silence stretched on. "Of course he'd be tired if he was moving rocks all day the day before."
"You're not old enough to get it," Warriors immediately said. He was looking at Twilight with obvious shock.
"I don’t know if I'm old enough to be hearing this," Sky said. His cheeks had also gone pink and he quickly hauled Wind up onto his feet. "Come on, let's go clean the bowls."
"What? No, I wanna hear the story-"
"No, we're going now," Sky said in a firm voice. Despite Wind's protests, he had the young hero loaded up with bowls and spoons in moments before marching him around the yurt.
"Pup?" Time repeated.
Twilight let out a low groan. He was so extraordinarily still that it was obvious that he was physically preventing himself from squirming.
"So - four sisters?" Legend asked with interest. "Did they take turns or was it all at once?"
"Do we really have to talk about this?" Twilight asked in a pleading voice.
"I think we do," Time said, "thought not for salacious reasons." He gave the others warning look, his gaze lingering briefly on Legend and Warriors.
"How did you even- I mean, not how but-" Hyrule found himself stymied in how to even ask the biggest question weighing on all their minds.
"So, as you know, the Gerudo don't allow men in Gerudo Town," Wild said, taking some degree of pity on his brother. "So Gerudo who want to have daughters have to go out into the world to find husbands, boyfriends," he made a dismissive gesture, "whatever. It's not a requirement, though, and those who get sworn into service as guards do so knowing they're not going to have an opportunity to travel until their time of service is done.
"Irosa, Ivere, Imura, and Ilaefa are guards," Wild continued. "Super dedicated guards who really didn't want to bother taking the time off to find a husband, bring them back to the bazaar, make arrangements, and all that. So then Twilight shows up and he's strolling around shirtless, flexing, and has the spirit of the hero…" His voice trailed off and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"They caught me by surpri- I wasn't expecting-" Twilight fumbled for the right words, still not meeting anyone's eyes. "They had robes on, then they didn't, and it was really distracting."
"Not too distracting, apparently," Legend chortled.
"You feel okay with all this, Pup?" Time asked. He, at least, was keeping himself focused to the most important part of this - how Twilight was being affected.
Twilight did squirm, then, and shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it?" he said, sounding sheepish. "Or, not about- I mean-" He coughed, looking embarrassed enough that it was clear what parts of that night he had thought about. "Gerudo law is pretty clear about this sort of thing."
"We'll tell Flora," Wild said. "Just in case something weird comes up. She can talk to Riju about it."
Time nodded in agreement, then looked back at Twilight. "Alright, Pup… four in one night?"
"Not you, too!"
The mood lightened from there as Time let himself get in on some gentle teasing. Even Twilight's embarrassment faded some as no one scolded the young rancher. Honestly, Twilight would likely never have learned of the results of that one night without the random encounter with Iteosa.
It was just another strange side effect of their mysterious quest, a small moment that Twilight had clearly been looking back on with fondness and a bit of embarrassment.
Wind returned with a yell and a demand for answers, which no one would give him. Sky got a whispered update on the matter and the knight just gave Twilight a look of bemusement.
And really, when put up against everything else, this really wasn't the strangest thing to have happened to them.