A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I'm trying to get another few stories out today, but this one was actually written on the tail end of the last chapter. I hope you enjoy!!

Wow, I'm so glad I didn't lose a ton of readers on that last chapter. XD I was afraid a bunch of you would stop reading when Urbosa died, but it makes me smile to know that it's written well enough that you either cried, felt sad, or stuck with the story to seek vengeance against Rhoam. Worry not! Though we've a little under 300 years to get through with Link as a Sword (there WILL be time-skips), and he won't get vengeance right away, there IS time-travel involved in this (these?) story(ies).

So here's a short description of the sequel books, for those of you who are curious/need a little push to keep with the series, because it definitely gets a bit dark in future chapters. But it WILL get better for a while before dipping down a hill again.

Also, you need to know that I felt so bad about killing off Urbosa in the last chapter that I wrote about 2 or 3 other stories where she DIDN'T die. XD one is canon-ish compliant where she survives The Great Calamity. It's actually fun, so look forward to that one being posted eventually.

Soul of Steel: This book! Right here!! It's the story that preludes the three sequels! It's got so many different ways it can turn out that I've created 3 sequels and no less than SIX spinoffs of this.

Blade of the Unbroken: The original sequel to SoS! Link gets sent back in time, but some interference leaves him in the Game-Era, 100 years after a Great Calamity that he doesn't remember happening. He has a body of his own, and relearns how to live while saving the spirits of his dear friends from the Blights of the Divine Beasts.

Blade of the Forsaken: Link travels back in time at the end of his 300 years, overshadowing his younger sword-self and publically denouncing Rhoam as his wielder. Knowing that the people believe him a Divine Sword of Hylia herself, Aetherius chooses Zelda to wield him, cementing her next reign as Queen (while teaching her what she needs to know to rule) and making HER the hero in his place. Meanwhile the Champions and Zelda are all equally horrified about the current state of their friend.

Blade of the Blood Moon: Aetherius, fed up with having been a sword for 300 years, has lost all faith in both hyliankind and the divine. When Ganon attacks once more, he's more than eager to enjoy his front row seat to the destruction of the royal family that has cursed him as a sword, but the Gerudo man standing before him offering him the opportunity to walk among them once more was something he'd never expected. But at this point, he didn't care that this was supposed to be his age-old rival. He would gladly serve Ganondorf as his loyal blade if it got him back his body. After all, Hyrule no longer needed a hero.

~~~Linelinelinelineline~~~

"What do you mean Urbosa's dead?!" Revali fluffed up his feathers in horror as he looked at Zelda. Mipha and Daruk had gone deathly quiet, and the princess gazed at them all through bloodshot eyes, darkened with grief.

"I mean she's dead." Zelda choked out brokenly. She felt like something had slithered inside her stomach and was squeezing the life from her slowly. "I don't know what happened, but she... From what I've gathered, she snuck into the castle in the night... and he killed her." The words came out numbly. She still had trouble believing it, and she'd seen the evidence herself.

Mipha rested her head in her hands, but Zelda could still make out a tremor in her shoulders. "Is this why you wanted to meet in Spire City today?"

"I won't bring anyone else to the castle." She stated firmly. She didn't want to believe her father was a murderer, but she knew Urbosa. She wouldn't have broken into Hyrule Castle—a place she'd traversed hundreds of times—without a damn good reason. Despite that, she couldn't seem to let go of the part of herself that wanted to believe in the man she called father—that wanted to trust the man who had raised her and loved her. "Since I don't know what happened, I want everyone to be careful."

"So she's really gone." Revali finally broke the silence.

"She is."

"Did you... happen to see anything?" He paused for a moment, gaze darting to the other Champions. Zelda felt like there was something they knew about this situation that she herself did not, but Revali's voice broke through her thoughts before she could delve too deeply into them. "Was there anything you noticed? Something she wrote, or maybe had? Urbosa wouldn't go down without a fight, even if that was just to get some kind of message to us. I hate to say it, but it sounds to me like she found something she shouldn't have."

Zelda thought back to that night. There had been so much going on... She recalled hearing raised voices. She remembered hearing Urbosa's voice. While she'd been to far away to hear what she now realized had been her final words, she had clearly heard the utter rage and burning hatred that had soaked them. Even just remembering the tone she'd heard through the stone walls of the castle sent a shiver down her spine.

"Well..." Mipha hesitated, looking at Zelda with an apologetic expression. "Was she not investigating the king?"

Zelda felt anger flare up in her chest, but the image of Urbosa's body flashed in her mind, still trying to stand despite her head... and the way her father was so calm—missing arm aside—bothered her. The only person Urbosa could've been so enraged with in her final moments was her father. Her father, who had pried Aetherius from Urbosa's hand.

"She was holding my father's sword when she died. I think... she may have been right to look into him." The words tasted sour on her tongue, but they rang true. Some part of her steeled itself in that ideal. "She took his left arm with her last breath."

"You mean Aetherius? That holy sword that took down Ganon?" Daruk hummed. "If that has something to do with this..." Another unreadable expression passed between the Champions. This time Zelda noticed, though she decided to keep her mouth shut. It was her arrogance and unwillingness to consider all options before her that had caused Urbosa's death. If the others felt like something shouldn't reach her ears... Well, perhaps they were right to be wary. She was the king's daughter, after all.

"That sword... didn't it appear soon after Link disappeared?" Revali clicked his beak as he thought. "Something about this doesn't feel right. It's not adding up."

"Well, Urbosa obviously thought the same." Mipha worried her lip. "There's no way we can get to that sword without meeting the same fate as Urbosa. I already fear for the Gerudo People."

"My father wouldn't—" Zelda halted her words. A week ago, she would've said the same thing about this situation. She would've shut down anyone who said her father would hurt someone she cared about. But... could she truly say the same thing now? She sighed, letting her half-finished defense die where it hung. "Nobody goes after the sword." Zelda shook her head. "I... I'll look around the castle and see what I can find. My father used to lock himself in his study for hours or days, but he hasn't done that for a while now. Not since Aetherius appeared. There might be something there that'll help explain this situation." She decided.

"You're going to investigate alone?" Revali raised an eyebrow. "I don't see this ending well." Another shared look passed among the three remaining Champions.

Zelda would like to say that her father would never hurt her, but she remembered the horror of that night. The way he'd stood with Aetherius in hand and Urbosa's head on the ground. The way he'd smiled when he thought she wasn't looking, as if he was relieved about her death. It was as if she'd suddenly been made aware that there was a side of him she never knew, and that frightened her. She was afraid of him. Of just how far he could go to achieve his goals... whatever they may be.

She could no longer assure them that he wouldn't hurt her. And that made her heart ache something fierce. She wondered if the man she'd lovingly called father had ever been there in the first place, or if it'd been an act all along. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. "I'll be careful. At the very least, he won't kill off his only heir. Even he can't get away with killing the one who holds Hylia's blood."

"Just be careful, please." Mipha urged. "Since Urbosa cannot say it, I will. If you think it is becoming too dangerous, then let it lay."

"Mipha." Zelda looked her in the eye. "I think I finally understand why you were so relentless in the search for Link." She hadn't been able to let it lie. Mipha and her people were searching harder than anyone else, not because the others necessarily cared less, but because they had something more driving them beyond their Champion—because the Zora considered Link to be one of their own. They were searching for him, not as a hylian or a hero, but as a fellow Zora who had vanished without a trace. "The not knowing is the worst. And I have to know why the only mother I've ever truly known was murdered."

An understanding flitted across the Zora princess' gaze, and she gave her a broken smile. "Then at least come back to us alive."

"I will do all I can." Zelda promised. "I swear it."

"One more thing." Revali spoke up, sharing a significant look with the others. After a tense moment, Daruk and Mipha nodded. "The day Urbosa died, we held a meeting. You weren't available to attend, so you wouldn't know." Something in Zelda froze at that. "Urbosa managed to speak with the Sword that Seals the Darkness. That sword confirmed that Rhoam was behind Link's disappearance." He paused to let his words sink in fully. They echoed in Zelda's ears, reverberating until she could feel them with her entire being. "I'll let you do with that information what you will." Revali stood and folded his wings behind him. "I trust everyone can see themselves out."

Linelinelinelineline

Lyra tightened her grip on her bag, resisting the urge to look behind her. The sun was already low over the horizon as she traversed the canyons. Her heart was heavy with grief and guilt.

Urbosa was dead. She'd died looking into Link's disappearance. It had to be Rhoam. Lyra may only be ten, but she was quite smart. If the king of her country was snipping the loose ends dangling in areas he disliked, then that meant Lyra herself was living on borrowed time. She needed to leave Hyrule before something happened.

No matter how much she tried to convince her mother to come along, the woman held steadfast to the family home. She had argued that Link may come home one day, and Lyra had to bite her tongue.

It was time she faced the facts. Her brother—whether he was alive or dead—was not coming home on his own. The moment Urbosa had found a lead, she'd ended up dead. The blonde girl gripped her pack just a little tighter. Held within was her brother's precious journal. On her hip was the iron sword Link had used before pulling the Sword that Seals the Darkness. It was a bit heavy for her, but her brother had shown her how to use it.

She wasn't nearly as good as her brother, but it was better than most of the boys in the village. It was enough for her to take care of any wandering monsters that the knights hadn't taken down yet.

Lyra startled when the ground beneath her shoes changed from stone to sand. She had to let out a breath of relief and awe when she saw it. As a child of only ten, she had never explored the vast land of Hyrule. She'd hardly been to Castletown more than twice. This was the first time she'd ever seen the infamous Gerudo Desert—a place so barren and harsh that the people who called the place home were the fiercest of warriors.

"Hey there! Are you a traveler?" A voice called out, and Lyra turned to find two Gerudo manning a shop. Gerudo Desert Guides—Link had mentioned them once. For a fee, they would guide people across the sands safely.

"I... I am." She took a breath and stepped up to the shop window. "I... had a good friend who told me to come to Gerudo City if I... needed a place to stay."

Urbosa had told her once that should trouble ever come knocking on her door she could find solace with the Gerudo People. It was rare for the warriors to adopt foreigners into their culture—even other women—but not unheard of.

"I'm Ishari." The first one nodded with a small smile.

"And I'm Yevari!" The second woman grinned exuberantly. They were twins, Lyra realized abruptly. Though Yevari had shorter hair—cropped only a few inches from her scalp—and Ishari had shoulder-length hair, they shared the same face.

"And we welcome you to Gerudo Desert Guides! Where, for a fee, you can have a native Gerudo guide you through the turbulent sands of the desert safely to your destination." The two spoke in sync.

Yevari picked back up what Lyra realized was a very practiced script. "Included in the fee is a protection cost! If you're accosted by monsters or Yiga, we'll defend your life with our own. We swear it on our honor."

"So, how can we help you today?" Ishari smiled softly.

"How much to get to Gerudo City?" She tilted her head at the two women.

"Are you traveling by yourself?" Yevari frowned, eyeing Lyra a little more closely. "A little vehvi like you?"

Lyra assumed that 'vehvi' meant child or kid. "And if I am?" She narrowed her gaze at the two. Gerudo or not, every race had their share of bad eggs and crooks. Though the Gerudo warriors held honor above all else, that didn't mean there weren't outliers. It never hurt to be wary.

"Relax, vehvi." The first woman spoke back up, sensing her unrest. "We're worried because kids don't usually travel alone."

"I have my reasons. There's someone in the city that I need to see. How much?"

The two shared a look. "Fifty rupees."

Lyra had never used their services before, but she was fairly sure that fifty rupees was a massive discount. Of course, she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She was tight enough on rupees as it was. She'd tried saving by camping out during her travels, but she was only ten. She didn't have a bow, nor did she have the strength to reliably hunt her own food. Most of her cash went towards keeping her belly full.

She carefully picked out the fee and set it on the counter. Ishari shouted something in her native tongue over her shoulder and another woman stepped forth. She was tall—as all Gerudo were, but she had height on even Ishari and Yevari. Her mid-length crimson hair fell in elegant waves, framing vibrant ruby eyes. "Sav'saaba. I am Rav'aara, and I will be your guide to Gerudo City."

"I am Lyra." She smiled. "I'll be in your care."

"Did you wish to set out tonight, or wait until dawn?" Rav'aara looked her over with a mild concern. She supposed it'd be more unusual for the Gerudo to not be concerned over a young hylian girl traveling the Gerudo Desert alone.

"The sooner the better." Lyra winced.

"Are you being pursued?" Ishari narrowed her gaze while Yevari watched the trail Lyra had come from as if expecting someone to come rushing out with weapons at the ready. They didn't seem angry or put off by the prospect that she might be on the run from someone, if anything they seemed concerned for her wellbeing.

"Not yet, I hope." It would do no good to purposefully hide the fact that someone was after her, but to outright say it was the king of Hyrule would be far too much. She didn't know these women. She couldn't trust them with something like that, nor would she wish to.

The three Gerudo shared a look. "I'll be honest with you vehvi," Yevari bent down so she was at eye level with Lyra, "times are turbulent right now. It hasn't even been a month since our chieftess was called to run with the Ancestors. If you're looking for protection... I'm not sure how much we can offer to someone who isn't of our clan."

Lyra held her gaze firmly. "I was told by someone I trust to come to Gerudo City should trouble arise. While I acknowledge and appreciate your concern, it is not needed nor is it wanted. My troubles are mine to handle. Should my enemies find me during the journey, I will not hold you accountable for my safety." She was no longer a child. She couldn't be a child anymore. The moment she decided to leave home and strike it out on her own, she'd declared her own independence in this world. And that meant that she couldn't let other people treat her as a child either.

The three were silent for a moment before Rav'aara let out a barking laugh. "She's got you there Yevari! I like you, vehvi. You've got the spirit of a warrior, and I don't say that lightly. You want to cross the desert, then I'll be glad to guide you."

Lyra beamed. "Sarqso."

"Just one question." Rav'aara asked with a smirk. "Have you ever ridden a camel?"

Linelinelinelineline

Link mentally tilted his head as he watched Zelda interacting with her father at the dinner table. He'd been keeping a close eye on her for the last few weeks—since Urbosa's death. She'd changed. Well, it wasn't much of a surprise. Zelda and Urbosa had always been very close, he was certain that seeing her body would be more than a shock.

Rhoam's arm was unable to be healed—much to Link's delight. Wounds caused by Divinity or Malice were always exceptionally slow and difficult to heal. And while Malice was prone to horrible infections, Divinity was prone to lifelong, radiating, burning pain. Because chances are, if you've been hurt by Divinity, then you have pissed off some higher power, and that pain is your penance.

Link held a special vindictive pleasure whenever Rhoam's stump started to burn. The best part was that there really wasn't much the healers could do for even the pain. He liked to think that Urbosa's Curse was also starting to take root, but he really wasn't sure how to check on that.

All this aside, Zelda had become noticeably more wary around her father. She had taken to avoiding him and going on long excursions to different dig sites whenever possible. Though her softly muttered apologies and idle chatter about Guardians and machines seemed to placate Rhoam, Link had always been good at hearing the things that people left unsaid.

To him, it was painfully clear that Zelda had lost a lot of trust for her father. It was also clear that she was warring with these new emotions within her—likely feelings of betrayal and disgust for a man she once held so dear. But there was also a trace of fear—something he hadn't expected her to feel for the king, even after everything she'd seen. And then there were the odd looks of contemplation she'd give Link whenever she thought people weren't looking.

If he could, he would warn her to be more careful. Rhoam may have been cruel, but he was no fool. Zelda would be better off directing her attention elsewhere. Link didn't want to be responsible for another friend's death.

A gentle hum at the edge of his awareness told him someone was approaching. Link had realized that he could sense people's presences. It'd been useful to Urbosa in battle, so he had spent his free time—something he had far too much of—trying to develop that skill. In doing so, he'd started to get a feel for how each individual person's presence differed. Some people felt warm, others cold. And everyone had a specific... flavor, he supposed it could be called.

Zelda's was uniquely complex. It was like the golden warmth of a summer's day mixed with a softness like a kitten's fur and the gentle whisper of flowers through a field. Link wasn't entirely sure how something could 'feel' in such a manner, but it was the only way he could describe it.

If anything, it was probably a sixth sense that he had developed as a blade. Regardless of what it was, it allowed him to follow peoples' presences throughout the castle. If an ally got ahold of him again, he wouldn't allow someone to sneak up on them like Rhoam and Death had to Urbosa.

That night would haunt him for a very long time. Though he could no longer sleep—and thusly no longer suffer from nightmares—he still felt echoes of the shattered connection he'd had with her. Felt the way her hand had tightened around him even in death. Her rage and fury and helplessness at her own situation, and—perhaps worst of all—her dying regrets. That he, Link, would once again fall into the hands of the king.

In light of this, Link had decided to abandon any thought of escaping Rhoam. It was painfully clear that the man would stop at nothing to retrieve him should he be taken or lost, and with these Horsemen that Rhoam commanded—shadow soldiers that were specifically created to hunt down anyone Rhoam considered a threat—there really was no realistic way for him to outrun the king.

But that didn't mean he'd given up hope. If Urbosa's actions had done anything, it'd lit an inferno within the once-hero. Link wasn't sure how, nor when, but he would get his revenge one day. And to do that, he needed to better himself. This odd power he possessed was eerily similar to Fi's, and going off the divinity that Rhoam still carried in what was left of his arm, it wasn't magic. Link had been called a Divine Blade for a while now, but it seemed he'd actually become one. Somehow.

But that didn't mean anything if he couldn't control it.

"You've been awfully quiet, Aetherius." Rhoam mused as he walked down the hall. He stumbled every now and again, still adjusting to the loss of an arm.

"What do you want me to say, Swine?" Link bit back.

"Watch it." Rhoam growled in warning. "I am still your king. And your family's king."

Something in Link snapped. "You cannot hold that over my head forever. You have already struck down a person I called family. I have no doubt you are more than willing to strike down the rest. No matter what I do or say, you'll do what you wish." Urbosa was the kind of woman to always plan ahead. He prayed that she'd visited his family and realized they were in danger. Prayed to whatever goddess would listen that she had put countermeasures in place. But it remained that even Link had a limit to what he could take. Personally, he thought he should be awarded for lasting so long without losing something. And today was the day he finally broke; and it was violent. "I may be a sword, but I am NOT your property." Furious chimes echoed in the stone hall, drawing looks from the nearby guards.

Rhoam quickly assured them that Link was merely angry on his behalf due to his injury, but a few stray sparks kept the king's remaining hand far from his grip. "Watch yourself." Rhoam snarled as he swung a sharp left into his private study.

"Fucking bite me, you powermad pebblecrushing, featherplucking, demon-dealing turncoat swine of a scalethief." Never had Link used such abhorrent language in all his life. Each curse was the worst of their culture, and Link positively reveled in the way the king flinched back and paled rapidly.

Link raged with all the fury caged within him. His chimes screamed in the empty room and Rhoam was forced to hold him by the straps to prevent himself from being shocked. As it was, Link was fairly sure the king's remaining hand sported more than a few new divine burns.

"If you insist on being this way, then I will be forced to take... more creative measures." Rhoam warned him.

"Take whatever dindamned measures you please! No longer will I allow myself to be wielded by a horror like you! Even Calamity Ganon would be abhorred by your cruelty and dishonor! Hell, I'd rather be wielded by HIM!"

Rhoam's face settled into something hard and stony, but Link's rage was too hot to be cooled by something so insignificant. "Very well then."

Still carrying him by the straps, Rhoam entered the hidden tunnel in the study. The entire way, Link chimed in curses that had no translation into a known tongue. He was sure even Urbosa would be horrified by the words coming out of his non-existent mouth.

"Perhaps a few days in isolation will stay that sharp tongue of yours. Not that you have one anymore." He threw Link roughly into the room that had been his cell for months. "And when I come to retrieve you... I dearly hope that you will have cooled your temper."

With that, the door slammed shut, enshrouding him in the familiar darkness. Link continued cursing for what must've been hours. Eventually, though he no longer felt physical exhaustion, Link had succeeded in exhausting his extensive vocabulary—and even expanding it in creative ways.

The shadows were all that was around him. He was so far beneath the castle that he couldn't even track the presences of those who lived within its walls. But... it was still nicer than being strapped to a sweaty king's hip. It was better than being forced to spend his every waking moment with the man who had tortured him and murdered one of his friends.

The darkness was boring, but it gave Link time to think in peace. It was the first semblance of peace he'd had since becoming a sword. "You know..." He spoke to the air around him, words coming out in transcendent chimes. "If the goddess really does exist, then she must be quite cruel."

"I was meant to be your hero. I was your Chosen One, wasn't I? There's no way a mortal like Rhoam could fool a goddess... So why was I abandoned?"

It didn't make sense. Surely, the gods had to have seen his plight? Heard his prayers? And if not his, then they had to have seen the situation in Hyrule! Suddenly, Link wasn't sure if the gods existed at all.

The only real evidence they had was the Sacred Powers of the princess and the Sword that Seals the Darkness. But Zelda's powers were never awoken, and Link himself had become a Divine Blade through the hands of a corrupted king. Who's to say the original Sword that Seals the Darkness wasn't made the same way? That Fi wasn't some poor innocent soul like him that'd been tortured and forced into a prison of steel? What proof was there that the stories of gods and demons were even real?

"Heh... I suppose that if you are real... you just truly do not care." He decided as he let his awareness relax.

In the frigid darkness of the underground cellar, he could almost delude himself into thinking he had a body again. That his eyes were closed and he had just forgotten a blanket on a cold winter's day. He shuddered, imagining that his limbs had fallen asleep, and that was why he couldn't feel them. If he imagined hard enough, he swore he could feel the air filling his lungs and his hot breath passing through chapped lips in moist puffs of mist.

He could forget... for just that little while, that he was no longer hylian. That the sunlight did nothing more than make him shimmer, and even the simple joy of breathing was but a distant memory.

Rhoam had intended this to be a punishment, and it probably would've been if he could feel the rough icy walls that surrounded him, or the gouges that his own nails had carved into the stone. If he could smell the stale air and the distant scent of rotting flesh. It might've been a punishment, had that been the case. But here, for now, it was his sanctuary. For now, this was okay.

And on the very edge of his awareness—as he fell into a state of meditation that was nearly sleep—a soft voice whispered.

"Hang in there, kid... We haven't given up on you."

Link decided it was a nice daydream.

Linelinelinelinelineline

Lyra squinted in the early morning sunlight, a small smile crossing her lips as the silhouette of Gerudo City greeted her. "Is that it?" She asked as she repositioned herself on the camel.

"It sure is vehvi." Rav'aara beamed.

They'd been traveling for the last ten days on camelback. The Gerudo Camels were very different from horses. The carnivores stood nineteen hands tall and had straight sharp antlers that grew out of the backs of their heads. Their hooves separated into claws that could hold monsters or prey, and they were shockingly intelligent.

Lyra thought she'd like to have one of her own. Her mother would be quite displeased, and Link would probably groan. She decided she'd like to see that one day.

"You never did tell me who it is you're searching for." Rav'aara hummed, casting her gaze towards the hylian.

"The person I'm searching for is a palace guard." Lyra informed. "I doubt I'll get lost on my way there."

"The roads are more complex than you probably expect." Rav'aara shook her head as they passed through the gates to the City. "I'll guide you to the guardpost by the palace, but outsiders are not allowed further than that."

"I have my ways." She answered softly as she took in the bustling city. It was huge. The streets were a writhing mass of color and energy. Even the early hour did not deter the great throngs of people from all corners of Hyrule that made their way through what Lyra realized was a marketplace.

Sounds, sights, smells and colors that she'd never imagined greeted her at every turn, and if she wasn't still firmly seated upon her very well trained camel, she might've been swept away in the great mass of early morning shoppers and commuters.

Rav'aara chuckled softly. "You see? It's too easy for a little vai like you to get lost." She gave a low whistle and Lyra's camel trotted to match pace with the Gerudo's. "The palace is over there."

Lyra's gaze settled upon a grand building that rose high above the rest. Three stone structures poured precious water from high in the air, forming grand waterfalls. The water then seemed to run across the rooftops of many buildings and down into the wells that were scattered around the city.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Her guide spoke back up with a proud grin. "That water is protected from the heat with the magic of the palace mages and some very well-placed sapphires. The spray also helps keep the City cool enough to be comfortable."

"It's incredible." Lyra breathed. Even as her gaze traveled downwards and studied the palace that Urbosa had once called home, she couldn't find anything to prove her own words false. The city was magnificent. She could see now why Urbosa had spoken so fondly of it.

"This is it." Rav'aara gracefully leapt down from her camel before helping Lyra from hers. She grabbed her pack and set her sights on the two guards that stood closest to them. They watched the hylian girl and her Gerudo guide with wary eyes. Lyra did not recognize them. "No outsiders are allowed beyond this point without special permission."

"Don't worry about that." Lyra grinned as she reached into her pocket. Cool metal graced her fingertips as she stepped closer to the palace guards.

"Halt! No one is permitted past this point." The guard spoke sternly. "State your business."

"Sav'otta." Lyra greeted. "I'm here to see Ruja, Typhir or Linae."

Even Rav'aara startled as she listed off three of the most well-known names in the City—one of which was currently the acting Chieftess.

"And... your business?" The second guard narrowed her eyes.

"I was told to come find them should I need them." Lyra held her head high and retracted her hand from her pocket, Urbosa's words echoing in her mind.

"If you ever find yourself in need of aid, you can come find me or my girls. We will help you."

"In Gerudo City?" Lyra looked at the Chieftess with a perplexed expression. "How? Don't you live in a palace or something?"

"Well, you might have some trouble getting in, that's true." Urbosa laughed.

"That's no problem!" Linae gestured with her spoon before scooping up another bite of her mother's stew. "She just has to find one of us and we'll bring her right to you!"

"And we are usually in said palace." Ruja pinched the bridge of her nose as she shot Linae a look. "A place Lyra wouldn't be able to reach without one of us."

"Oh... right." Linae frowned.

"Not to worry." Urbosa reached into her pocket and pulled out a small golden plate. It was roughly the size of Lyra's palm and had the symbol of the Gerudo on one side mirrored by a scimitar and shield on the other. A pretty red tassel hung from the top. "This is your ticket in."

"Milady!" Typhir's eyes went wide, but Urbosa sent her a calm smile.

"This plaque is very special, Lyra. You must never lose it. If you show this to any Gerudo Warrior, they will know that you are under my protection. They will guide you straight to me or one of my girls."

Lyra's eyes went wide. She may not have known as much about Gerudo culture as her brother, but she knew when something far too important was being entrusted to her. "I... I don't think I can take this..." She tried to hand it back, but the Gerudo Chieftess gently wrapped Lyra's fingers around it. "Please, it's too precious."

"You're right that it's precious." Urbosa smiled wistfully. "The last person who held one of these was the Queen of Hyrule, a very dear friend of mine."

"Then why would you...?"

"Because I also consider you a precious friend, Lyra. I like to think... that if I had a daughter of my own, she would be quite a bit like you." She rested a hand on Lyra's head, causing the girl to blink in mystification.

"That plaque marks you as someone under the direct protection of the Gerudo Chieftess. It's the same as temporarily making you a member of her family." Ruja explained with a sigh. "Even a voe could gain access with that, so please don't tell anyone you have it. Only use it when you absolutely must. And never lose it."

The guards nearly dropped their spears in shock when they saw the emblem sitting innocently in her palm. "This was given to me by Lady Urbosa."

The first guard shakily took the emblem, verifying its authenticity before handing it back with a deep bow. "My apologies, little Lady. I am Ivara, and I shall guide you to Lady Ruja, our acting Chieftess."

Lyra smiled as she put the emblem back in her pocket and glanced at Rav'aara, who still stared at her in no small amount of surprise. "Thank you for guiding me."

"The honor is mine." Rav'aara bowed as Lyra was led inside. She ended up in some kind of waiting area with a glass of cold water while someone went to retrieve Ruja.

"Lyra!?" A familiar voice had her head whipping up to see Linae. She was quickly followed by Typhir and Ruja. Before she could say anything, Linae had her wrapped in a tight embrace. For the first time since she heard the news about Urbosa, Lyra finally felt safe. She gripped the guard tightly.

"Linae..." She whispered before pulling all the strength she had to the surface and letting go. "It's good to see you."

"Where's your mother?" Typhir frowned as she looked around.

"She didn't want to leave the house in case my brother returned." Lyra noted that they didn't need to ask why she came. "I'm here alone."

There was a beat of silence. "Don't tell me you traveled all the way from Rayju Village to Gerudo City alone?" Linae's concern was mirrored by the other two warriors.

"I didn't exactly have anyone to come with me." She shrugged, but her eyes darted to the five guards that manned the entrances and exits of the room.

"No warrior would betray the chieftess—even if it's just the acting one like me." Ruja spoke up.

"There's a three month window after the passing of a chieftess. The position naturally goes to her personal guard or next of kin if she has no children, and if nobody contests the new chieftess, then she is crowned." Typhir explained softly.

"And if someone does contest it, then it's fine as long as Ruja wins the fight." Linae gave a small smirk.

Though the three of them were jovial, there was a shared current of grief shared between them. Lyra took a breath. "Was it... him?"

The three traded looks. "Perhaps this is a conversation best held elsewhere." Ruja relented. "Come along..." She guided them towards a rather comfortable sitting room.

"How much do you know about what happened to Lady Urbosa?" Ruja finally broached the topic.

"I know that she was killed. The rumors are things I would rather not repeat," she snarled lightly at the things that people were saying against the Chieftess, "but I suspect it was Rhoam."

"You are correct." Ruja nodded gravely. "That night, Lady Urbosa found out the truth of what happened to your brother. But Rhoam was one step ahead of us."

"Ruja was poisoned." Typhir scowled. "With her out of commission, myself and another sister were all that Milady had on hand. And... we weren't enough. I was gravely wounded—the king thought me dead, which was the only reason I survived."

Lyra's heart skipped several hard beats. "You... know what happened to my brother?"

"You must promise me, Lyra." Ruja's voice was cold as stone. "Swear it that you will not go after him. Not until you have the power to survive."

She took a deep breath. Could she make that promise? She wasn't strong like her brother. She wasn't battle-hardened like the Gerudo Warriors before her. She doubted she'd be able to so much as raise her sword against any of the warriors in the city before they had her flat on her back. As she was now, she could not stand up to an enemy like Rhoam.

"I swear it. It may not mean much, coming from a hylian like me, but I swear on my family and honor. I will not challenge Rhoam until I am strong enough to do so."

"Well now... I'm not sure about that hylian bit." Ruja's lips twitched into a smile. "You're looking an awful lot like a young Gerudo right now." The statement hung in the air for a moment before the earlier weight returned. "The divine sword Aetherius."

Lyra jolted at the sudden mention of the sword. For a moment, her mind scrambled to understand why Ruja would bring it up when they'd just been talking about her brother... "No..." Her eyes widened as a horrific possibility bloomed in her mind like a forbidden flower.

"Aetherius is Link." The words echoed in her mind, twisting like a viper until it choked all logic out of existence. "We do not know how, but Lady Urbosa confirmed it with the Sword that Seals the Darkness... a sword we still guard here."

Lyra's head whipped up. "My brother's sword?"

"We cannot hear her, as Lady Urbosa did. But she's allowed us to move her to the Lady's bedchamber." Typhir nodded.

"I... have a favor to ask of you." Lyra looked down. "I know I have no place asking this of you, especially when just staying here and hiding from the king would be enough..." She gathered the courage her brother was so famous for and met the indigo gaze of the acting Chieftess of the Gerudo. "Please let me learn how to fight. Train me as a warrior."

"Are you... asking us to adopt you as a Gerudo?" Ruja asked slowly, as if she'd never expected Lyra to make a move like this.

"The Hylian King took my brother from me, and he also took a dear friend. I know I am young, but I am not helpless. And I refuse to be a weakness to my brother or you. Whether I like it or not, I'm involved because of my family. I have no choice in that. What I can do is choose my role. And I want to fight by your side."

"Well, it's not an easy thing to become a Gerudo." Typhir smirked. "But it's not illegal either. How old are you now?"

"Ten as of February."

"That's young enough." Linae gave a large grin. "I'll take her."

"Are you sure?" Typhir gave her protege a raised eyebrow. "She'll be your first."

"I'm certain." Linae turned her attention back to Lyra. "If you'll have me, I'll take you on as my first apprentice." Lyra's eyes widened at the proclamation. "Normally, a Gerudo apprenticeship doesn't start until thirteen—that's when we have our first Coming of Age Ceremony. You'll pick a monster to fight to prove your battle prowess and show off your skills in the hopes of attracting a mentor. And at seventeen, you'll have your final Coming of Age Ceremony—which varies from one person to the next depending on what kind of apprenticeship you've had."

"Though it's rare, there are apprenticeships that happen before thirteen." Typhir nodded towards Linae. "She was mine. Come to think of it, you were only ten when I found you, weren't you?"

"I was, wasn't I?" Linae laughed. "I guess I'm following tradition then! I'm still the only apprentice you've ever taken. And now, I'm about to take my first apprentice as well."

"If you choose to accept," Ruja interrupted, "then you will be a ward of our tribe. And upon your first Coming of Age Ceremony at thirteen, you will officially be recognized as a Gerudo Warrior. You will lose your hylian citizenship and formally be adopted into our clan."

Lyra couldn't contain her excitement. "I accept."

"Then let it be known that on this day, Lyra of Hyrule has become an official ward of the Gerudo People, and Apprentice to Grand Warrior Linae."

She couldn't help but feel like things were finally starting to settle into motion.