Heart of the Gerudo

Chapter 5: The Task Ahead

Heart of The Gerudo: The Task Ahead

Written by SilkenScribe

Original Story inspired by the Gerudo Link works of  HeartGear

It was surprising just how peaceful he found his rest was. He spent two days, bound and locked away in the little 'bedroom' provided for him. However, it was little more than a comfortable pile of pillows inside a sort of utility closet. A singular stream of light filtering in through the small barred opening at the top. But somehow, this place allowed him a sense of peace.

For the first time in the last month, he wasn't running. He had no enemies at his heels. It brought a strange sense of comfort, even though he was bound and gagged. It was funny how the brain worked sometimes.

The few days following his 'sentence' were fairly peaceful. Once a day, the young Gerudo healer came in to change his bandages and check his shoulder. He'd learned that her name was Isumi, a head healer in the oasis city. Of course, he couldn't converse with her. But she was consistently flanked by guards who definitely knew her. Much of what they spoke about were the comings and goings of the city.

Part of Avery was fascinated with the information that filtered through. Talk of warrior training for the young, of trade being allowed in and out of the city. Even news about the parts of Hyrule that surrounded the desert slipped through. A local village up in the hilly mountains to the north had been raided by Moblin's, the Gerudo had dispatched a small regimen to help re-liberate the village.

Apparently, this wasn't very common as the Gerudo tended to keep to their own according to Isumi's back and forth with the guards.

Of course, this was only speculation based on what Avery could hear. It wasn't like he could respond. It wasn't like he was...allowed to. In some ways, he felt like his voice belonged to them. The gag that he'd been given felt like it was their way of having him silently accept his punishment.

~Or maybe because I'll complain about whatever is to come...?~

He wasn't sure. But for now, he was at peace in a sense. His morals had bought him an opportunity and that opportunity had brought him two of the best nights of sleep he'd had in a long long time.

As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling of his little room his mind wandered.

~I wonder what Riju told the group pursuing me? I wonder if that'll be the end of it?~

He wrinkled his nose slightly at that thought.

~I doubt it. Gerivelt isn't going to give up on me that easily.~

Some debts, never truly went away. And with how far out he'd put Gerivelt's group of thieves, he was pretty sure that bounty would be on his head for the rest of his life. The only reason his village hadn't been burned to the ground was likely because he fled. However part of him worried what may happen if the band couldn't track him down. Would the leader take his pound of flesh out of Avery's home?

Avery resolved to find a way to get information about his home...when he was allowed. Perhaps letting himself be molded into a Vai in this place, would allow him some sort of privileges in the future? Right now he simply felt like a prisoner. Albeit a well-treated and surprisingly well-fed prisoner.

That was another thing. The food was so...vibrantly different than the fare he was used to. Tropical fruits native to the desert, dishes overflowing with unique spices he'd never even smelt before let alone tasted. Of course, some of that enjoyment was dampened by the fact that he had to be bloody spoon-fed by another. But perhaps that was a small price to pay for now, at least it let him rest his jaw a little from the constant thick cord of cloth in his mouth.