Vah Rudania Conquest

!Zelda                                      Death Mountain

It is to my surprise that I approach Death Mountain to find Y/N and the deity trekking up the mountain toward Vah Rudania.

I am not sure how she managed to appease the deity and bring him away from his obsession with Termina, but I can rightfully say I lack astonishment.

The historian within me is slightly discouraged, as I was truly hoping maybe the deity would point us to this alternate universe in which he is rumored to hail. Perhaps more so, I secretly hoped I would encounter a proxy that could handle the troubles of my kingdom in my stead.

But there is no alternative queen from a parallel universe; there is just me.

Yes, just me, myself, and I, who remembers at times like these why I preferred to dabble in science and history rather than the despotic domain of politics and government.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Chief Riju's copper skin only served to absorb the savage luminosity of the blood moon's rays.

Whereas for the queen, she felt her flesh looked quite garish.

"Well, the good thing for us is that we are near Eldin's province, the blistering lava and volcanic residue will surely lessen this horrendous glare." Riju's dark eyes remained wide, unlike the queen's green marbles that seemed to roll everywhere to avoid the vicious blitz of the blood moon's glow. Riju threw the queen a victorious smile as she navigated the path ahead of her.

Vah Naboris once again proved itself a worthy ally as it continued to trudge over mounds of guardians that had maddened from Majora's unwavering grip.

Queen Zelda kept her hand balled into a fist, resting it over her heart. She finally caved and shut her eyes, warding out the blood moon and listening to the sound of iron and metal crunching beneath Vah Naboris's feet as it shredded through her.

Perhaps her father was right. The guardians had once again proven themselves not to be an asset but a liability. Why was it that all the things she loved so easily turned against her?

The Divine Beasts.

The Guardians.

Link.

She felt her lips tremble; a sharp inhale of breath helped her to control them, puckering them inward and not giving away her impulse to sob. After all, she had a kingdom to defend.

When all was said and done, she would properly grieve her rejection from Link.

"Queen?" Zelda looked over to see Riju's eyes still on the road ahead. Her cobalt pout began to move, signaling that she had spoken. "Are you alright?" Her eyes began to narrow in what Zelda realized wasn't a squint from the glare of the blood moon, but of suspicion.

"I am alright. Just a tad congested." She hoped her lie would help her save face. But Zelda knew, Riju well enough by now. She possessed an overwhelming amount of wisdom for someone her age. Her savant mind, paired with her bold personality, is what kept the Gerudo in check and would undoubtedly have made Lady Urbosa proud should she not have perished during the calamity.

Lady Urbosa. How Zelda missed her. She often found her mind wandering to the chilly desert air and the warm and muscled lap of Urbosa, who would stroke her hair as if she were her own child. Urbosa and Zelda had a mutual understanding; she was her daughter, which Hylia never gave her, and Urbosa, her mother, whom she never had the pleasure of experiencing. If she were alive today, Zelda would ask her how she could nurse her broken heart and face this peril while remaining confident.

As if she could read her thoughts, Riju whispered softly. "Queen, I know that I am not Lady Urbosa; I could never fill her heels, but I would like to think of myself as your friend." Riju looked over at Zelda with a sympathetic stare.

"Is it about that vai that was with Link?"

Zelda stifled a sigh. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. "You know, Riju, before I put him in the Shrine of Resurrection, it was all so different. The way he looked at me, it was as no one had before. And now," Zelda's head fell slightly limp, pointing toward her aching chest. "Now, he regards me almost as if I were but a mere commoner. A stranger. But with Y/N, the flicker of recognition I had hoped to see after a long one hundred years was aimed at her and not me. I had cursed Hylia for letting my power take so long to awaken, and now I curse her because it cost me the love of my life. If it had awakened sooner, would Link have been mine? Would he-"

"Queen!" Riju cut her off. "You mustn't travel down such a disparaging path. It is not in the Gerudo way for me to feed you lies, as lying will do you no good. I witnessed him with Y/N, and I could see what you have mentioned. His gaze is that of a voe who is in love. But is it our place to know if he and Y/N have known each other from another time, much like you have known the hero's soul before as well?"

A hurdle of uneven land lay ahead, and a few wizzrobes flitted about some trenches in the ground. Riju's gold bangles shimmied down her delicate arms as she pulled a few levers, commanding Vah Naboris to begin to store electricity for an attack. She carried on speaking. "We, Gerudo, believe love is a currency. We love our land, our culture, and each other. Love is not simply a romantic affair; the love you give will always return, but not always how we expect it. You can curse Hylia and Rati all you must, but that love has returned to you in the form of a loyal nation. Many leaders do not receive the adoration of their people the way you do." Riju placed a hand on the queen's shoulder.

She pulled another lever, and Zelda could see sparks beginning to whip the ground before them. "I have faith that Lady Urbosa would tell you that you are never a fool for loving someone. But you must understand that love goes deeper, and your choices reflect that depth. And-" Riju grinned. "A vai should never mess up her makeup over a voe. Even if that voe is Link."

"Riju, sarqso, thank you. Your wisdom never ceases to leave me speechless." Zelda began to chuckle. "Well, I also must say that sometimes, when I feel particularly heartbroken, I think of how I have seen Link's home and the questionable decorating choices within it. I certainly would not put up with a man who cannot even be bothered to put a table in his home."

Both ladies began to bubble with laughter louder than that of the fizzing hot springs.

"Sa'oten!" Riju exclaimed. "Queen, look at Death Mountain! What is that?"

Zelda covered her mouth, studying the scene before her in disbelief. "Oh, the deity, and Y/N? Why are they approaching Vah Rudania in such a reckless manner?"

"Riju," she ordered, "quickly, we must apprehend them. Something is wrong."

"As you command my queen, but if I may ask, what do you mean when you say "deity?"

Zelda's eyes tapered into observing slits. "The deity is just another name for Link."

❤️❤️❤️

"Do you recall me saying I don't take orders?"

The deity's burly arm held your waist as you kept yourself anchored to him with your arms around his neck. You ignored his grumbling, admiring the view of Goron City beneath your feet.

You were relieved that Link had assisted you in conquering your fear of heights before the pain in the ass holding you snatched you up.

You both were floating upward toward Vah Rudania, who occupied the very tip of Death Mountain. The higher you both ascended, the higher the volume of fallen cinders seemed to infiltrate the air.

"Remind me again why your diary is beneficial to me?"

"It isn't a diary! It's like this." You licked your lips, your throat dry from explaining the story to the deity for the umpteenth time. "The man who put your mask on, whose soul is the soul of the hero of legend, well, of legend in our world, anyway—one of those heroes has been to your world, and in that "diary" are pages from an excerpt of how he landed there and what he encountered. It will guide us as a roadmap to return you to your universe."

When he didn't follow up with any more remarks or questions, you knew your answer had satisfied him. You made sure to reiterate, "As long as you free Link and help Kilton."

The deity snapped, "I already told you; the four giants are the only ones who can stop Majora and save your pathetic friend. And you better be telling me the truth; I will not lie dormant in a safe for another millennium." His tone was menacing, like a cool blade to your throat. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be locked away for so long? Should you fail to help me, perhaps I will show you what it's like and lock you away as none other than my slave."

"What? How dare you! I'm the one trying to help you, and for Hylia's sake, you were the one that dragged me into this!"

His breath managed to seep through your Flame Breaker mask, causing the eye piece to become slightly foggy. With a husky response, he murmured, "Who says being my slave is all punishment?"

You banged your fist against his breastplate. "Why are you so crude? Are you not a god?"

Spotting a secure ledge that protruded from the mountain, he transported you both among it, dropping you down on your rump with a hard thud. "Hey!" You winced as you rubbed your rear. He started to snicker, and you could tell something disgusting was about to come out of his mouth. "Please, there's enough meat there to throw you off this mountain and cushion your landing."

You stood up, tired of dealing with a pervert masquerading as a deity. "If you are all the people in Termina combined into one, then I surmise everyone in Termina is a horny Neanderthal!" You folded your arms defiantly toward him.

He levitated before you, the lava ropes shooting out of the surrounding mountains illuminating the opulence of his silver hair. He glowered, "Don't insult my people, and do not forget your place. I am only helping you so as to help myself. "

His warning did little to perturb you. But his next statement would make your body swelter with a heat that could scald all of Eldin.

It was as his lips twirled upward in their usual haughty grin that he divulged, "And for the record, this so-called 'horniness' isn't coming from me; it's some of the remaining consciousness of your sissy boyfriend."

He stuck his tongue out, flicking it up and down and forming a hook-like shape with the tip. The gesture, combined with the connotation of Link, made you squirm.

But not with discomfort.

Before you could inquire more, the deity was off to challenge Vah Rudania, leaving you in a hot, sticky pile of need.

Edited:2/23/24

Chapter artist 👩‍🎨  👇🏻
https://www.deviantart.com/blkmary/art/Zelda-and-Urbosa-855713887