Dancing Memories – Epilogue

He made a promise and he was intending to keep it.

Entering Gerudo Town, Link always felt at ease there, despite the numerous obstacles in his ways. The traditions there, despite all that he had done, were still clung onto with fierce determination as each and every time he wanted to get inside, he had to take a special outfit to be allowed entrance. Very few men would have the determination, and the body type, to wear the garments that would fool the guards into thinking he was a woman, or a vai in their language. A veil on his mouth, a shawl on his head, a tight top around his chest, a baggy sirwal, long puffy sleeves, tight shoes and a good amount of jewelry made him look like an exotic belly dancer, his androgynous physique doing the rest of the work that was needed in order to pass as a vai. He knew full well that some of the Gerudos weren't fooled by his attire, yet they permitted him to pass and to walk around their town without giving him any trouble for it.

As he walked in the main plaza, he waved to Jewel and Cara, two Gerudos he helped by bringing in materials for their jewelry store. He also nodded as Pokki, a Gerudo he had saved from the harsh heat of the desert, passed by. He could recall the long weeks he had spent there, helping around with their Voe lessons, learning their traditions and much from their culture as he had shared moments with them, danced around their fire and generally connected in many ways to these tough and respectable vai. It was a way to cope with what he had learned, what had happened and how to best honor what Urbosa had taught him. His grief was still there, yet every moments he spent here was, to him, a way to honor her, as he had learned to love her, to cherish her, yet he knew nothing of her ways or her people save for what little the Hylians, Ritos and Zoras told about them. Their music, their dancing, their food, the rituals, their art...There was much to enjoy here and he felt privileged to be a part of it. Yet now his purpose for being there was not merely grief or a desire to relax, but something much more official. Their chieftain, Makeela Riju, had let him borrow their greatest treasure, a helmet that Urbosa once wore like a mighty warrior, a ward against thunderstorms and the crackling energy of lightning: the Thunder Helm.

He approached the small palace in which the chieftain resided, taking in the sights once more as he recalled when he first arrived here, amnesia forbidding him from recalling the truth about how much this place meant for him. Riju had been a progressive and particularly efficient chieftain, one who helped tremendously with the Divine Beast Vah Naboris problem, lending a hand with this very helmet he swore to give back as they dodged thunderbolts together while surfing on the sand thanks to her pet seal. Said like that, it sounded like one crazy adventure after another if he were to ever tell those tales of how Hyrule was saved, but it wasn't time to lose himself in nostalgia and remembrance as he got back toward his goal, going up the stairs to meet Riju in person. Arriving there, she was having a small audience, one that seemed to be making her rather busy.

"Yes, I know. We'll have to re-establish trading routes from the bazaar to other places now that the situation is dealt with," she told one of the merchant told her, a Rito woman whose feathers sparkled with sweat due to the heat. Riju then looked at the others, which included a representative of the Gorons as well as a few Hylians, all being under the scrutiny of Buliara, her bodyguard. "We wish to help you as well, but we have to secure routes first. While the immediate threat is gone, there are still creatures that threatens this land which could severely hamper our efforts if we don't take them seriously."

One of the Hylians, a fat woman who seemed to handle the heat far worse than the Rito and even, curiously enough, the Zora, responded with a certain look or irritance on her face. "But I'd heard that the Gerudos were fierce warriors. Surely a few moblins shouldn't be a problem, yes?"

Just about to respond to this, Riju was interrupted by Buliara, her direct methods and answers forewarned by a large thud on the floor as she hit the ground with the tip of her scimitar before speaking. "Not all Gerudos are warrior, Hylian! We have merchants and artists too in this town... They don't know how to fight and need to be protected not just in this territory, but in yours too!"

A certain malaise settled in, with Buliara being oblivious to it, as Riju tried to regain control of the situation. "What she means is that patrols ought to be placed in every routes to ensure a certain safety. We can rebuild militias in order to protect our roads and I would be very much in accord of you doing the same. That way, our people shall be safeguarded and we'll establish something of a return to form when it comes to our presence in these lands."

They all listened, some being wary not of what she spoke of, but exactly who said those words instead. Riju was respected in Gerudo Town, she was a known quantity, yet outside the desert she mostly just looked like a young woman in her teenage years. No matter how wise she was, her appearance could only give her unneeded troubles. Still, most of them saw truth in her statements as Riju scribbled down a few indicatives and personal notes for each of them. Those, after all, were amabassadors or rich merchants that came in with demands and they would expect an answer or at least the hints of one, which Riju obliged them to a certain degree. All while this was going on, Link had remained behind near the entrance, listening as he realized that this shift in Hyrule, a massive one, could create new problems that needed solving, some that no weapon could truly vanquish even if it was the Master Sword.

"It is customary to announce your presence in these halls when you enter! It goes for you, even if you are the Hy-" Buliara began to speak loudly, looking at Link from afar as she had spotted him.

"It's quite alright. Please do remember that we're keeping their identity a secret around here, Buliara," Riju said, interrupting Buliara this time as she looked at Link with a genuine smile on her face, seeming happy to see someone who would surely have much less demands than all those ambassadors and envoys. "You can come in any time you like. As an ally to the Gerudo and a personal friend of mine, you'll always be welcome here."

She meant it, of course, her tone being sincere and warm as Link had assuredly helped Riju tremendously over the last few weeks and months. With a smile under his veil, he approached her throne and then took his Sheikah Slate to pick up the Thunder Helm from storage, ready to give it back. With the ambassadors and merchants going their way, they met him and exchanged glances as they never saw any outsider receive such a warm welcome from the Gerudo chieftain in the time they were here. Rumors would spread of this strange Hylian woman, of course, but Link could not stop this from happening, nor would he truly have to as they were free to gossip any way they wished. He wasn't there for them anyway.

"It seems like we should be thankful to you for one more thing, " Riju said, adjusting her sitting position to better look at Link as she had waited a few moments for her previous entourage to leave to speak frankly and with enthusiasm. "With Calamity Ganon now gone, we're much closer to rebuilding everything and to truly prosper instead of working hard just to survive. You have the thanks of the Gerudos for that."

"And we appreciate you keeping to our traditions, champion!" Buliara added, always so full of energy even though she was always so focused on her task. "You wear the garments of the Gerudos very well, it seems. Eagerly too!"

Many were fooled by this outfit, especially outside these walls. The number of men who swooned while seeing him, never realizing he was a voe, was a comical sight to behold, yet there were also many Gerudos who never realized it either. Some knew, of course, wise and observant vais that could tell with a mere glance, yet nobody had given him any trouble for that either. Perhaps the traditions themselves were divisive these days, which meant that he'd probably have no obligation to wear this to enter some day...But then again he truly did enjoy these clothes for sentimental reasons. Still lost in his head, a luxury he could afford now that Calamity Ganon was gone, he snapped out of it and presented the Thunder Helm before approaching Riju, handing it over ceremoniously.

"You lent me this artifact of yours, an important relic from the Gerudo tribe, in my quest to vanquish our common foe. I've done the deed and so, like I promised, I am returning it to you," Link said, stating his intent right there and then as he gave back this important and powerful piece of equipment. "It has been very useful, but its rightful place is here."

Riju picked it up and rose to put it back on the pedestal close to her throne, taking great care to present it in the best of ways. "You have defeated Divine Beast Vah Naboris, saved the life of my people, helped them through ordeals, be they colossal or minor...It actually was my honor to let you borrow this, Link," Riju said, turning around to look at him as she was a little smaller than him, with this accentuated by her stance that showed a certain amount of self-doubt. Her youth and the fact that she had relied on him so often made her feel uneasy about her leadership, something they had spoken about in the past. "If it helped you in your quest, then it was entirely worth it. It's almost as if I participated in some way by letting you have it."

"And now, do return the armaments of Lady Urbosa, champion," Buliara said solemnely, herself towering over both Riju and Link as the dead-serious look in her eyes told that she was not kidding. "They belong here along with the helmet."

"No," Riju said, taking Link's defense before he could even speak up. "He was her friend and ally and those weapons could still prove to be useful to him. There are still monsters in Hyrule and I'd actually feel better knowing that the Scimitar of the Seven and her shield, Daybreaker, are in the hands of one of the best fighters in all the land."

A silent nod, a little glimpse of disapproval and then a return to her stoic stance was all that Buliara would "say" in reaction to this as Link looked at Riju, happy to see that she could be as determined as her position required her to be. Besides, he did want to keep those weapons as Urbosa's scimitar was perfectly balanced, always sharp and it just looked beautifully-crafted, a true example of Gerudo craftmanship at its peak. It was an inferior weapon to vanquish evil when compared to the Master Sword, yet it held a deep amount of value to him nevertheless.

"If you do not have any other business, then you're required to leave," Buliara said, cutting this moment off by being her usual self. "Lady Riju has plenty on her plate and she does not need any distractions now. We still have more visitors and envoys to-"

"Actually, there is something vital that I need to ask of Link. There is plenty missing in our history of Lady Urbosa, our champion and one of my predecessors and since he actually fought with her, interacted with her in the past, I think it's only fair to ask him for additional information," Riju explained, her suggestion making Buliara's eyebrow lift in doubt, a fair indicative that she did not exactly buy that reasoning. "Our history is precious and must be preserved, though it must also be completed."

"Very well then. It shall be done as you wish, Lady Riju," Buliara acquiesced, knowing her place well enough to understand that she could only suggest, not command her chieftain. "Do please answer her to the best of your abilities, champion."

"Actually, there are tomes in my room that I wish he would take a look at. She wrote some journals and some context, should he be able to provide it, would really help," Riju said, walking toward the stairs leading to her chambers above the throne room. "Come along Link, if you please."

About to oblige her, Link was stopped by Buliara who merely took a step in his way, her gaze fiercely placed on him. "Do not misunderstand my intentions or my behaviour for disrespect, champion. I admire you a great deal, both for your strength and your courage, but do be mindful of this..." she began to say in whispers, only for his ears to hear. "Lady Riju had tremendous affection and respect for you...And it would be very, very bad for you to take advantage of that. I will not forgive it should you use your privileged position for something unsavory..."

A touch insulted by this remark, Link carried on as Buliara returned to her initial position as she acted like nothing happened. While he could certainly comprehend that it was her duty to protect her at all cost, to advise her and to see to Riju's well-being and safety, she simply had to know that she was much too young for him. Besides the fact that he was more than a hundred years old, she was still a growing woman. Putting these threats behind him, he advanced toward the steps and walked behind Riju as they got to her chambers, which included shelves full of books, small pools of water, a large bed and some sand seal plushes, a little reminded that Riju still possessed some childlike qualities deep in her heart. He approached her as she opened up a tome, a small one that looked more like a journal than anything else when it came to its writing, though its size could still imply a more traditional book.

"She wrote many things and kept a lot of information in these entries. This is but one of the tomes as she was meticulous in her own way, a hard-working Gerudo that I can see why we look at her with pride when talking about her achievments," Riju said, her tone full of passion when talking about Urbosa as it was clear that this was one of her heroine she was talking about. "I've made her a subject of my research as I want to be just like her: fierce, strong, yet compassionate and respected. It seems like she's everything anyone could ever hope to be."

"She was passionate and did not let many obstacles stay in her way," Link responded, remembering how she got him in this outfit at first and how she had manipulated him into learning how to dance...and how to spend some quality time with her. He looked at the room and recalled how they had spared and then expressed their love and affection afterward, with this place being used quite often for these activities. Those pools once saw the reflection of their dancing form, how he learned through her the subtle use of new steps and twirls to use in the arts of combat and seduction.

"It's true. It says here that she had learned a great many things. Swordsmanship, dancing, diplomacy, the use of magic...It even says here that she took the time to learn about more sordid things like hypnosis or even cooking at some point," Riju said, her own enthusiasm being sparked to life as she flipped through the pages almost as if she forgot that Link was even there. "Even when she was assigned as the Gerudo champion, she never stopped writing, though her entries are much more scarce and short, most probably due to the fact that she couldn't always return here and put them on her shelves. Who knows what kind of knowledge was lost and what kind of adventures she got herself into when she was away from Gerudo Town?"

Link, of course, was privileged in that regard as he knew just what Urbosa had been doing, besides testing her abilities with Divine Beast Vah Naboris. She took special care of Zelda, protecting her in her own way and eventually that brought her close to him, with those memories both pleasant to reminisce about, yet painful to bear even after all this time. Riju, though, driven by her own curiosity, did not yet ask most of any questions directly toward the Hylian champion as she continued, getting to the last few pages of one of Urbosa's journal.

"One particularly interesting subject that she brought up was that of a special being that she got to meet and interact with. Her journals about this person, a voe nonetheless, are much more precise and downright fascinating," Riju continued, showing a few passages to Link to illustrate what she meant. Taking it from her, Link began to read some of those pages, rather intrigued about just what she wrote about him...If those few paragraphs were indeed about their relationship to begin with. "From what I can gather, this was probably the start of a romance...Or at least a very special tryst with someone that she deemed worthy of her..."

Link was only half-listening at this point, as he went on to check up on those writings, finding some specific sections that did seem to heavily suggest that she was actually talking about him...

There are many valiant voes outside the desert, it seems, much more than those who gravitates around our walls in the hope of meeting the many vais that resides within the walls of Gerudo Town. Some of them have been sent to be champions much like me. I suppose they must be worthy individuals if they are here to safekeep Hyrule from threats...There is a particular voe that intrigues me, though. This one bears a heavy responsibility and does not seem to get the respect he ought to get as someone of his exploits should. In silence, he bears it all and accomplish his duty. That is admirable, yet sad all the same as I'm sure he must have expected something a little better than constant ridicule from others, including the important person he has to protect.

Link did recall at first that Urbosa had been rather dismissive of him, much like Revali albeit not as openly as the Rito champion. It seems like she was more angered about the situation than toward him as Zelda did give him a hard time and she had the princess' well-being at heart about as much as he did. This changed things a little, albeit this did not really mean much in the grand scheme of things. He read on, fascinated by the inner thoughts of the woman he was to marry.

I invited him to spar, if only to see if he had the stones to properly accomplish his task. With my little bird being in Gerudo Town, he had to follow and I wanted him to join us...So I devised a plan. He'll have to agree to it and he'll owe me for that, which means I'll be able to request a duel with him should I desire it...And I very much want to test this voe to see his worth.

Link chuckled a little at that, as he thought that Urbosa only wanted him to wear this outfit solely to make him look cute and womanly, to break his concentration and to teach him some humility in her own way. Perhaps there was an afterthought of that in the end, but it seemed like she did just want to fight against him, to test his mettle so to speak. Reading on, he did not quite know if Riju was still speaking or of she had grown silent, his focus entirely set upon Urbosa's journal at this point.

Things took a sudden turn with this voe. Not only his skills were superb with his splendid weapon, but he adjusted his stance and style very well with the outfit I gave him...And he filled those clothes wonderfully, might I add. On the spur of the moment, an agreement we made about what the winner would gain made me want to request something of him...Something that even I did not expect coming from me. His beauty, his humble nature and his earnest desire to carry on his duty seemed to have an effect on me as I asked him to dance...To try and seduce me. The fact that he agreed even though he had no skills in this art made it special and, having taught him some basic moves, he tried his best. It looked a little awkward, yet he has potential...And the glimmer in his eyes tells me that he's make a wonderful dancer if he was to learn and to have a good teacher besides him. I think I'll challenge him again soon."

So she was telling the truth when she said that she did not really mean for things to happen this way, Link thought. It was really an impulse she had right there and then, which led of course to a much more sensual moment between the two and the start of their relationship. It was also the first time he ever had sex, with Urbosa being particularly caring and gentle after knowing that fact, even though she did have that passion fuelling her actions as well. Too curious to stop there, the paragraphs flew by as Link wanted desperately to understand more the woman he loved.

He came back and I'm secretly glad about it. I told him this was to be an unique opportunity...But I must confess that I wanted more after we were done. As such, we went on to spar in many ways to enhance our stance and to practice our hand and then I teached him to dance. His eagerness and openness, which only grew each time, is palpable, yet I feel that he is also a little distant, a little pent-up about certain things. I will help him with this as there are some skills I've obtained that very few know about. I will try it upon him soon and see if he might be open about that."

This must have been about that one time where she had put him into a trance, which had been a common practice after a few sessions. They had started it during the session when she had given him a belly ring, a little gift that left in confused in the past, but which he understood the gravitas behind now that his memories were mostly back.

He is vulnerable to hypnosis...Because he trusts me enough to let me be in control. I have placed him under a trance and he was very receptive to my words and suggestions. I wanted to understand him, to learn from him and I've received all that I wished in terms of information...and more. He's a gem of a voe, unique and downright fascinating. I made him dance, made him be honest with himself and his desires are simply amazing, his honesty about his feelings and his analytical mind downright incredible as I do believe that I'll keep up with the lessons, adding hypnosis to the mix. He is a mixture between honorable, yet insecure and I wish to see him grow...Or to see him just a little more often now.

He recalled that first session, how she made him feel at peace, tranquil and content as he moved so alluringly. She made him confess to so many things, to so many truths that were hidden even from him and it made them grow quite close. Afterwards, he had been hypnotized so many times that he could not recall them all...Or perhaps Urbosa made it so he couldn't remember them all.

While he practices his dancing under my supervision, I do have to admit that I see this opportunity to train my skills with hypnosis. I make him tell me of how he analyzes our fights, to see if there are flaws with my techniques and stance. I make him open himself up as to what he likes best in our special duels, what he enjoys the most about me and how he feels about himself. He is surprisingly deep and his reactions to my suggestions, to my questions, have caught my attention like nothing else before. He is keen about opening up to me, growing more and more comfortable even without the help of a trance and he learns his lessons well. Soon, he'd be a match for any other dancers in Gerudo Town. He went from a simple curiosity...To a full-on project...To something more to me. I fear a little what this might turn into, but all that aside I feel quite close to him, more than I expected to. This simple fun we have is becoming something more..."

He could remember how even Urbosa couldn't quite keep up with him and with her feelings at some point, how even she was starting to get confused about where this was going. It seemed, however, that the next entry was the last and he almost feared what would be written within, yet he had to find out as he read on, determined to come to an understanding.

I have to stop fooling myself. I will forever feel remorse and shame if I don't start being honest with my feelings, with what my heart tells me. I love him. We've grown impossibly close and I want him to be in my life. His dancing has superbly improved, his focus is better and his valiance knows no bound. He is sweet, he is beautiful, he's honest with his emotions and his vulnerability has made him particularly endearing to me. I could have stopped anytime and yet I chose to constantly train with him, to spend more time in his company. I will ask him to marry me after all this is done. I know we're aware that Calamity Ganon might strike soon and this shall be the best opportunity to be open to him. After all of this is done, I do have to think of my future and I want it to be with him. For now, I will call him for one last duel, for what could possibly be our final night together if things turn sour...Though I have a feeling that they won't. We've trained too hard for this to fail now."

Thus, Link closed the journal and went on to feel conflicting emotions. He was happy to see how genuine, how wonderful Urbosa was and how her interactions with him shaped her up...Yet this all but opened up his wounds all over again as he thought he had moved on from his grief. It seemed that he did not as he was trembling a little...Until Riju came close to him and whispered something in his ear.

"Voesotta."

Link's eyes opened up wide as rings of black and white replaced his irises, placing him under a trance as his stance relaxed itself progressively. The word rung into his head as something was activated inside his mind, giving him sweet peace as he couldn't help himself but fall into the deep relaxation that this word gave to him.

"My suspicions are proven, then. I had my doubts about it, but this is proof enough," Riju said, looking at Link as he waited there, as if oblivious to what was happening around him. With a smaller book in her hand, Riju looked at it and then back at Link as her expression was one of triumph, of discovery. "You were Urbosa's lover, weren't you?"

"Yes," Link immediately responded, unable to say anything but the truth as he was compelled by something within his mead to reply to what Riju said.

This confirmation gave way to many thoughts and new observations to Riju. The fact that Link had been staying in Gerudo Town for quite a while, how he wore that outfit without any shame, his dancing skills, which were unusual for a voe, his reactions to Urbosa's pendant after the fall of Naboris...It all added up as it explained so many things about him. Deep down she knew, yet this pretty much made her right in her assumption as she looked through the secret little booklet that Urbosa had written, one that had been hidden for the longest time until Riju found it. A part of her wanted to keep asking him questions, to let his trance carry on all the answers she wished to know and more...There was a certain appeal, a particular allure to seeing the Hylian champion like this, at her mercy, yet he had been too honorable, too kind and such a great help to her and to her people that he deserved much more than that. As such, she brought her hand up and...

~SNAP~

Link returned to reality, finding himself a little groggy and dizzy from waking up so suddenly from this trance. He looked at Riju and felt suddenly ashamed, as if he had kept something from her and the entire Gerudo race, something significant from their history. A calming and friendly hand placed on his shoulder reassured him, though.

"You loved her deeply, didn't you?" Riju asked, her voice tinted with sympathy as the wisdom she possessed was carried through her voice, feeling not betrayed but instead filled with compassion. "As it turns out, you're perhaps the one she was the closest to, even moreso than her own people..."

Link hesitated for a little bit, finding himself in the same spot before Urbosa made him open himself up more to others and to her. If he had learned anything from her, it was that keeping things bottled up was no way to live and to coexist with his feelings as he sighed and looked at Riju. "We were friends, then partners, then lovers...And we were to be married. When I arrived here and got the outfit that she gave me from a stranger in the bazaar, it woke something in my memories, with the same happening with my belly ring and with her medallion," Link began to explain, finding it strange to talk about his memory lapse and everything that occurred before and after. "I was mortally wounded 100 years ago and was put in stasis. I woke up a few months back with no memories, no trauma whatsoever. I had to travel to get them all back and so it was here that I finally remembered about Urbosa, about what she meant to me. To know that she's been dead for more than a 100 years and that we'd never get married was immensely painful to me..."

Riju invited Link to sit down, listening to him as she asked questions and he answered as best as he could. She was indeed curious to know more about an epoch that she was not part of, to learn about her heroine and how she behaved, what she did and how well she fought, but she also wanted to be of help to the Hylian champion. For him, all of his grief was dealt by being busy, by keeping it inside as his quest demanded that he focused on nothing else...Yet now he had to confront it and it was better to talk about it, to make sure he'd be able to understand everything that she meant to him and how he could best move on. He spoke and she listened, hearing what he had to say and he felt better for it. To share all of this with someone was just what he needed as he eventually stopped talking as she ceased her questions, the atmosphere being heavy but sincere around those two. A few moments passed by then whereas Riju gave him the book that she had been holding for a little while, letting Link know of its secrets.

"This is where she placed all those triggers she implanted on you. You were an experiment at first, as the implanted commands were nothing more than little tests, such as to make you forget some words or to make you want to duel her," Riju explained, making sure not to say any of the words that she pointed to before placing her finger on the one she used: Voesotta. "This one is the latest she placed. All those words were made-up or anagrams of actual sayings that no one else but her would say, making sure you'd be safe from any outside influence. She wrote them down, but this journal was well-hidden and vague enough that nobody could have truly understood its meaning and the fact that you were the one with all those triggers."

"What would be the anagram of this word, then?" Link asked, curious as he looked at the one word that had rendered him helpless.

"It's a rearrangement of Soevotta, which translates to 'beloved husband'," Riju explained, letting this sink in as she picked the book back to place it in a bonfire. "I'm sorry, but it's too dangerous to still be available in some form. The fact that I know those words means that you could be in danger...So it's better to make sure no one else but us two can truly know all of this."

Link understood and felt a little ache in his heart, yet it was for the best. If an enemy were to be aware of his triggers, which still somehow worked after all this time, then he'd be vulnerable and put everyone in danger. He had been aware of all those little suggestions that Urbosa had implanted in his mind, always telling him about them prior, yet he never knew that she kept track of them in the past.

"She truly was incredible, wasn't she?" Riju said, trying to lighten up the mood as she sat back close to him. "Urbosa, I mean."

"Yes, she was," Link agreed, feeling a little better after talking for so long, much better in fact than when he just kept himself busy to try and forget his woes.

"Do you think I might be able to be like her someday? To be just as strong and respected as she was?" Riju asked, her worries carried on by her voice as her youth and inexperience was something that she was painfully aware of.

"I believe so. You seem to have her passion and her drive. I've seen you work, I've just witnessed your integrity and I think that the years will be kind to you in many respects. You're well on your way," Link replied with sincerity, his own admiration for Riju having grown in the past hour as the way she carried herself through all that pressure and those responsibilities did make him see a touch of Urbosa in her.

"There's just so much for me to do and so little time for me to grow into what I want instead of what they need...And I fear that both are incompatible with one another. I want to be a grown warrior like Urbosa, a dancing Gerudo whose will translates to action in the most splendid of ways...Yet my tasks and my responsibilities demand that I set all of this aside. Nobody wants to train me in those things, either because they think they might break me or because they feel it would be a waste of time for someone that holds so many lives in her hands," Riju revealed, her own desires clear as day as she looked at Link with a sad little smile, the result of her own emotions being bottled up as well, the many expectations placed upon her crushing her soul. "I love my people, I want what is best for them...But does that mean my life will be nothing but sacrifice from now on?"

"You should be like Urbosa then and see this as a challenge," Link responded, trying to cheer her up as he rose from his seated position. "When she wanted something, she did all she could to obtain it. She wanted me to dress like this and even today I am wearing this outfit. She wanted to make me learn how to dance and now I can gracefully make any steps I wish. She wanted to protect Zelda, her little bird, and so she did. She was fierce and determined and this gained her the respect of many in the process."

"You're right," Riju said, getting pumped up as she rose, the words of the Hylian champion carrying so much more weight now that she knew him more than before. "I need to use what I have in order to get what I want...So I must ask...Will you teach me?"

Surprised at that, Link saw the logic in what he presumed she was asking about as he gave her a serious look. "You want me to give you lessons?"

"Yes. Since you were the closest to Urbosa, that means you got to see her techniques...So I want you to give me lessons on how to fight and how to dance...If you please," Riju asked, her plea filled with a certain desire and a devotion to her goal that was palpable. "I want to become like her...But also to be who I want to be...And I feel you're the one that will make this possible."

There was something intensely significant for Link at this precise moment. He had grown so much under Urbosa, both emotionally and physically as she had given him lessons while he unwittingly gave her some as well. What he had learned could be passed on and Riju was indeed someone who Urbosa would have taken a liking to without any hesitation. He had dwelt so long in the past during his quest, regaining memories, that he forgot to forge new ones and to cherish what he could build. Perhaps it was time to create new experiences and to let the future speak for itself as this, in one way, would help rebuild Hyrule in its own way as Riju would be instrumental in the development of Gerudo Town and the Kara Kara Bazaar. More than that, his respect and friendship with her demanded that he accept her offer as he used his Sheikah Slate to produce the Scimitar of the Seven, Urbosa's own weapon.

"Very well. I will teach you what I know and we'll make you the chieftain you always wished to be. First, though, we'll make you start with dancing as steps are immensely important in how to dodge and to control the flow of battle," Link said, his own experience speaking through him as he gave Urbosa's sword to Riju. "Now try to hit me."

Riju felt uncertain at first, grabbing the weapon by its hilt as she looked at Link. "But you have no armor...What if I wound you?"

"That will only happen if your weapon connects, Riju," Link said, almost taunting her as he placed himself in an especially vulnerable position. "If it ever occur, that is."

She disliked how cocky he suddenly got as Riju placed another hand on the hilt, the large weapon swinging horizontally in the hopes to showcase what she meant by this being dangerous, yet Link twirled out of the way with surprising ease before doing a hip drop afterward, teasing her in the process. She then tried for a vertical strike from up to down, yet a careful maya done in extremis made it so she only slashed the air as Link was actually dancing in order to prove his point.

"You have no experience and thus your moves are predictable...But this lesson was mostly to show you how dancing can actually help you in fights. To be aware of your body and how it can move is perhaps one of the most vital tool you can master," Link explained, seeing flashes of how Urbosa had given him that kind of lesson in the past. He had been a much better fighter than Riju, though, yet the basis was still the same nevertheless. "Urbosa taught me how to perfect my stance and, with my own experience, I combined her teachings with my own to give way to something that allowed me to fight stronger beings like Lynels...Or even Calamity Ganon itself."

Riju tried to use a dirty trick this time, going for a stabbing motion by jumping ahead toward him, doing so at a very rapid pace. However, this was purely useless as Link saw her coming a mile away, doing a snake like motion with his arm to disorient Riju's senses, allowing him to grab the blade and then shove it away from her hands with a quick snap of his hand. Disarmed, Link grabbed back the scimitar and got closer to her as she seemed to be rather angry. "You gave me a much bigger weapon on purpose. You tricked me!"

"How do you think I fought some of my foes out there? By using whatever weapons I could find, of course, with some of them being heavy and twice my size...And yet I am still here," Link said, his words cutting deep yet his tone never losing its kindness in the process of teaching her a lesson. "But you're right that I did trick you by giving you a challenge that is much too difficult for you. If you still wish to, we could start the lessons straight away and we'll see to what you need."

Riju felt a little humiliated, yet the openess of Link, how they shared about Urbosa and what he told her about the Gerudo champion gave her the strength to move past those sentiments as she nodded. "We all have to start somewhere, I suppose," Riju said, sighing as she sat down, looking at him with expectations in her eyes. "What shall we start with then?"

"I will give you a demonstration of how you can use the weight of a weapon to better position yourself and how to use it while dancing...That should serve as a nice basis, I believe," Link suggested, taking up the Scimitar of the Seven and lifting it up with one arm only to place the blade's back against his other hand as he lifted it up. "Observe carefully."

It was surreal to her, as seeing Link start to dance felt somewhat bizarre, yet entirely exciting as she had only observed him from afar and only for a few seconds. Her own responsibilities forbid her to take the time needed to participate to events fully, to always be a part of the mundane and the flow of everyone's life. Now, though, the Hylian champion, Urbosa's lover, was dancing solely for her...And he was magnificent up close. His muscles were taut, yet his body was androgynous enough to truly fool anyone who could believe he was a vai. His outfit accentuated his body while the veil on his face added a touch of mystery. The shawl spun along with him as he swayed his hips and used the blade to better shift his weight around, his steps being almost light as feathers due to how he seemed to shift around without any problem.

"The blade can help you redistribute your weight better, which is crucial if you want to be fast and to strike rapidly," Link explained, twirling and the striking the ground before stopping one inch before it actually touched the floor, using another twirl to bring the blade up without so much of an effort. "To understand your weight is crucial in dancing and in a fight, as it is key to mastering your body. It is easier to dodge if you put an emphasis on one side over the other."

Riju half-listened at this point, mesmerized by Link as she could see shades of Urbosa and how legends described her within him. He had inherited a lot from her and it showed as she began to greatly admire him. Still, she did try to focus on her lessons as he eventually produced a small scimitar from the slate he carried with him and he handed it over to her.

"This should be your size. Now we'll try to make your understand how to shift your weight," Link explained, giving her a Gerudo scimitar that he had picked along in his travels. "We'll start with that and make our way up from there."

"I've never danced," Riju admitted freely, her own courage hiding a touch of shame as she felt intimidated that a voe like him could move so gracefully and purposefully. "I never had the time to learn and nobody seemed to offer to teach me...So I don't even know how to really do all of this."

"Then we'll start with that, Riju," Link said, adapting to the situation as he picked up the scimitar and Urbosa's own, storing them inside the Sheikah Slate before he approached Riju. "We'll start with the basics then: hip swaying. I want you to push your hips from one side to the other as far as you can move them."

Following along, Riju tried her best, giving way to awkward results yet she tried nevertheless to do what was required. She was clumsy, slow and somewhat sluggish, yet she tried all the same as it was clear that beside sand-seal surfing, which did give her some basis for shifting weight as Link could see, she did not do much of anything that involved physical efforts as she tired rather easily. There would be a lot of work...Yet it made Link smile. To pass along the lessons Urbosa gave him to someone who was passionate about her, to someone who had been comprehensive, a great friend to him, felt like something entirely worthwhile now. He'd try to come along as much as he could allow himself to in order to give the Gerudo tribe someone with strength, passion and dedication like Urbosa, yet he'd also help her bloom into her own woman in time. He figured that Urbosa would be proud of him for that and that made him happy. With all those memories of dancing involving a certain sorrow in him, he figured it was time to move on and to live for the future now much like Zelda wanted.

It was time to build happy dancing memories now, with Riju, the other Gerudos and all of Hyrule should they wish to share his passion with him.