Fan Fiction Friday: The Queen’s Tale – Chapter 3

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Chapter Three

It had been just over four days since the queen’s party had set out from Hyrule Castle, and the roads had only become more perilous as they journeyed.  Bokoblins and Lizalfos stalked their trail, and so the Captain of the Royal Guard had pushed his men to journey through the night, unwilling to allow the monsters to catch up with them.  Queen Serena was grateful to finally reach Gerudo Town and set foot inside the safety of its high walls.  As they stepped into the hustle and bustle of the lively market square, she sighed with satisfaction.  Serena felt at home in this place, having spent most of her life there before she had married King Rhoam.

“Mother, look!” exclaimed Zelda, excitedly.

Serena followed Zelda’s gaze towards Gerudo Palace.  It stood proudly against the lower buildings of the town, where tourists and tribeswomen alike admired it.  Then she spotted her dearest friend, looking into the crowd, seemingly searching for someone.  “Urbosa!” she gasped, her face beaming.  Taking Zelda’s tiny hand, the queen lead her daughter through the throng and up the steps of the palace.

Urbosa finally spotted the pair as they reached the foot of the steps, and winked playfully as they came closer.  “Your Majesties, welcome to Gerudo Town.”

“Thank you, Lady Urbosa,” Serena replied formally.  “It is a pleasure to visit your wonderful town.”

Urbosa lead them into the palace, signalling to the guards that her guests and their handmaidens were free to come and go as they pleased.  Then they retired to Urbosa’s private chambers, where all formality was forgotten.  Urbosa hugged Serena as though they were sisters, exclaiming that it had been too long since their last meeting.  Then she turned her attention to Zelda.  Crouching down, she reached out and tilted Zelda’s chin up.  “And you must be Princess Zelda!”

Zelda smiled politely but didn’t reply.  Serena could see that her daughter was in awe of Urbosa, and she understood why.  She had talked often about her dear friend, telling her daughter the stories of growing up with Urbosa in Gerudo Town.  But none of her tales could have prepared Zelda for how beautiful and charismatic Urbosa actually was.  She stood tall — much taller than any normal Hylian.  Her fiery, red hair fell voluminously at her back, and her vibrant, green eyes sparkled like emeralds.  Urbosa radiated a strict authority and yet she emanated a wildness as well.

“I think my daughter is feeling shy, Urbosa.”

“Ha!” Urbosa laughed, standing up.  “I think she simply pretends to be shy.  I’m sure she will be the loudest and proudest voice in the room, once she settles in.  Just like you were, Serena!”

“Mother was loud?” piped up Zelda.  She looked at her mother with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yes,” Urbosa answered with a grin.  “She was loud and proud.  And brave and selfless.  And always falling into some trouble or other!”  Urbosa turned to the queen, “Remember when you met the king?”

Zelda looked eagerly at Urbosa and then to her mother.  “What happened when you met Father?”

Serena smiled indulgently and Urbosa gestured for them to sit at a low table, weighed down with wine and food.  Zelda made herself comfortable as her mother opened her mouth to speak.

“Well, I was only a young woman at the time, and Lady Urbosa was in waiting to become the leader of the Gerudo people.  She had a lot more time to spare back then, and we were out on an expedition in the desert.  We had found so many ruins to be explored, and pieces of history to fit together!  We happened to be on our journey back to Gerudo Town, as Urbosa needed to prepare for a diplomatic meeting with a very important person.  While we were waiting on the Sand Seals to arrive and take us home, we were attacked by an enormous Molduga!”

Zelda gasped and Urbosa’s eyes sparkled.

“It was unheard of to see a Molduga in those parts of the desert, and the Gerudo warriors in our party were no match for such a monster!  The only thing that we could do was run and take cover!

The Gerudo guards formed a circle around both Urbosa and myself, and in formation we ran for a huge mountain of rock nearby.  The Molduga was diving in and out of the sand, getting closer and closer to our party!  Our circle broke and everybody began to climb… except me.  I had twisted my ankle in the panic, and couldn’t hold my own weight.  I was terrified, but I didn’t want to call attention to myself and risk the lives of the others. So I limped as fast as I could to a little chunk of rock that jutted out from the sand nearby.”

“Oh, Mother!” whispered Zelda, her eyes wide.  “Then what happened?”

“The Molduga was almost upon me now, and Urbosa had realized that I hadn’t made the climb!  She and her clanswomen began to shout as loudly as they could, and they threw rocks and branches and other things down, into the sand in an effort to distract the Molduga from where I crouched.  The Molduga was fooled into thinking that better prey was within it’s reach and it turned swiftly in another direction!  But that didn’t mean I could relax, because eventually the beast would circle back to me.  I looked around, praying to the Goddess that I would find somewhere to hide.  Then I seen the dust of the Sand Seals on the horizon!  I thought that perhaps I was saved.

As the Gerudo rode with their Sand Seals across the desert, I didn’t stop to think that they wouldn’t notice me.  I didn’t realize that Urbosa and her clanswomen were making such a racket that I was practically unseen and unheard!  Urbosa and the others met with our unintended rescue party without detection from the Molduga.  I could see Urbosa in the distance, demanding my rescue.  At once the whole party combined and made in my direction…

But the Molduga had other plans!  It had circled around and was coming at my rescuers from the side.  They had no choice but to veer off in another direction to avoid their own demise.  As they done so, I noticed one Sand Seal break rank and turn back for me.  I was convinced that it would be Urbosa, but how her guards would have allowed that to happen was beyond comprehension!

As my savior neared, I noticed that it wasn’t Urbosa that had come to my aid at all.  It was a man.  And he was so valiant!  His thick, raven hair was tied back, and his cheeks were tanned and weathered in the handsome way of an adventurer.  His steely eyes were glinting and as he came to a stop beside me, he held his large hand out for mine.

I grasped his hand, and he pulled me close to him, just as we heard the roar of the Molduga at our heels!  With a snap of the reins, the Sand Seal took off, and we were fleeing for our lives!  The Molduga gave chase and it was a miracle that our Sand Seal was able to outstrip it.  We followed the trail that Urbosa and the other Gerudo had left, and eventually made it to safety.  I was shaking with fear and quite disheveled as we came to a stop, and I collapsed against my rescuer at once.  He caught me and I looked up, into his handsome face, and it was as though I was struck by lightening.  I was in love!

I thanked the man for his courageous deed as I steadied myself against his arms. Then, I don’t know what came over me, but I kissed him!  I heard such gasps in the air, and when I looked up, I seen that we were surrounded by both Gerudo and Hylian soldiers alike.  I stepped back, just as Urbosa came to my side.  She asked if I was okay, and then proceeded to greet my rescuer –”

“Sav’aaq, King Rhoam of Hyrule.” Urbosa interjected, smiling at the memory.

The queen smiled back. “I stood, stiff as a board, as I realized that I just kissed my king, right on the lips!  I glanced up at King Rhoam, hoping that I wasn’t in too much trouble.  But he was grinning from ear to ear, and still hadn’t taken his eyes off me.  I looked back to Urbosa, which seemed to snap your father back to reality.  He greeted us, and explained that he had wanted to explore our archaeological discovery, which was why he had rode out on the Sand Seals.  That night, he invited me to dine with him.  Then, we were married within the year!”

Zelda clapped enthusiastically, and Urbosa drained her goblet of wine. “I couldn’t believe it when you kissed him!” she laughed.  “The look on his face was priceless; I knew it was the beginning of something!  And then he stole you away to be his queen!”

Zelda insisted on more stories about her mother’s time in Gerudo Town, and Urbosa was happy to oblige.  She and Serena lost themselves in happy memories until Zelda fell asleep at the low table.

“I’d better get her to bed,” Serena whispered, standing up.

Urbosa nodded, “She will have an exciting day, tomorrow.”

“I hope she is ready for it.  She’s still very young.”

“You were riding Sand Seals before you could walk, Serena.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true.”

Urbosa insisted that they share her quarters, so the queen woke Zelda, and encouraged her into bed.  “You have a big day tomorrow, Little Bird.  So sleep well.”

Zelda smiled contentedly and fell sound asleep once more.

 

Artwork by hylianknight246.  See more of their work here.

Judy Calder is an Original Content Editor for Zelda Dungeon.  She enjoys lengthy debates about the Zelda timeline and thinks that we need to see more of the Queen of Hyrule.  Follow her on Twitter.