Sunrise did not greet her as she expected; the warmth came creeping in first, but the flicker of light of her companion leaving the tent was something she barely noticed. It seemed she was undo for some good sleep, plowing through the creeping daylight as she found herself slowly roused not by the flickers of sunlight through the tent flap, but by the quiet movement around her. Preparation, of Epona's gentle stomps, of the wildlife skittering by. It was a slow wake, but eventually, she drew herself from the bedding, looking a little mroe ruffled.
There was no mirror to groom herself in; and she quietly, albeit sheepishly used one of the bowls she had packed away before daring to crawl from the tent. It wasn't the prim and proper perfection expected of her at home-- but she was hardly home. Stretching a little she leaned from side to side, allowing herself to take the situation in; they needed to be mobile no doubt. "Ah..." A moment or two passed as she finger combed a few wild strands. "Good morning, Link."
Link was fixing up Epona's tack when Peach emerged from the tent. The early-morning sun shone down on the campsite and lit up his dirty golden hair, a mess from how he'd slept on it, but still in the vague shape he usually wore it in. If something was always a mess, could it be messed up further?
He smiled at his companion as she stretched, admiring the way her hair caught the light, at how the few misplaced strands gave her a more "everyday" look. He was getting a sense that all this, her in traveling gear and with her hair done well but not perfectly, was a side of her that not many--or maybe no one--ever got to see. It was a pleasant thought.
"Good morning, princess! I hope you slept well?" He finished cinching up a strap and patted Epona's flank, eliciting a quiet whinny. "With how deep I slept I was almost expecting you to rise first, but I guess we both needed some rest." He stood easily despite the weight of the gear he carried, sword and shield included, like it fit naturally on him. Like it was his natural state to be a hero and anything else was a departure from it, not the other way around. "I packed a little breakfast for us, but I figured we could eat on the road. That alright?"
"Of course." How could she refuse, really? Though her tired mind would need a few moments to catch up-- she had no issue with getting on the road with him. Allowing herself to be lead along as needed. She'd help pack, too, of course. No doubt the reason the tent hadn't already been tucked away was because she had been sleeping in it.
She did her best to help where she could, allowing them to get on the road sooner, occasionally prompting him for instruction. "I'm glad you slept well, you deserved it." A little titer of a laugh from her as she helped tuck a few things away. Not so casually sidling up to his horse, watching the animal as it waited with an unusual sort of patience. A beautiful creature no doubt, and Peach held enough respect not to fuss with the animal much. Instead offering a polite little bow of her head, offering a slight smile and a thanks for all her work. Perhaps the animal wouldn't understand, which she was aware of, but at home, it had been something offered to most beasts. Though most could also talk where she was from. Still, there was never any harm in kindness, was there?
Carefully she tugged at a band lacing one knee of her pants clothes, dragging it upward to wind it around her fluffy, golden hair. Tying it high on her head to keep it out of the way as she pulled the thin tan strands into a decorative little bow. "On your lead." She hummed, peering at the heavy pack he wore, worrying for the man though he seemed not at all fettered by the weight of it.
The two of them worked in tandem getting the rest of the camp packed up. There wasn't much left besides the tent, but everything eventually was packed up into Epona's saddlebags, one of which was actually Link's backpack just strapped down. "Don't worry," he grinned at her. "I only wear this huge thing when Epona isn't around. And she's been good about accompanying me pretty regularly, haven't you girl?" He patted Epona's head and she shook it, whinnying in a way that perhaps could be interpreted as fondness. No trace of wariness was visible now in the way she acted around Peach: the princess had clearly won her completely over with the natural animal magnetism Peach possessed. And if she understand the thanks given, maybe it would explain why Epona bowed her own head in response.
"Then on we go," he announced, and hopped onto the horse with a practiced, graceful movement. "You next!" He reached down a hand to pull her onto the back of the horse, just behind him.
When she was firmly situated, they started off on a trot that became a gallop, and soon the landscape was passing by them in a rush as they neared the desert.
It was admittedly impressive to her, watching the way he bounced up off of the ground and onto the horse. Something she was sure took a lot of practice and skill. Of course it helped that Epona seemed fond of him and didn't wriggle like she had seen some do. Though her own mount was far less practiced, but at least she managed to do it with her usual grace. Using his strength as an assist to pull her up behind him. She shifted, just a little, not quite used to sitting like this-- after all, Princess were always side saddle.
It wasn't too hard to settle, that set, tucking into her spot behind him, gentle fingers lightly gripping at him to keep her balanced as the horse began to speed through the desert with a skill she had to admire. "She's quite strong." Peach commented, a little breathless as they skimmed the landscape. It wasn't startling; she had learned to trust the man and the horse, but it was still overwhelming-- impressive. The two seemed to work in a unison she envied in some respects.
"How far-- is the desert castle from here?" She didn't know, for sure, it was a castle; but how would they have a princess without one?
The landscape changed gradually, bit by bit until it had shifted completely from plains to desert. If either of them had looked down for half an hour and then back up, they might have thought they were in a completely different country: only by looking back at the receding grass could they be certain of where they'd come from. But slowly but surely, sand began to be kicked up by Epona's hooves and the land in front of them was replaced by rolling sand dunes.
Link relaxed into the feeling of the gallop, although the new and slightly distracting feeling of Peach's arms holding onto him was still a little hard to get used to. Not that he didn't enjoy it.
"It's not so far," he called back to the princess. "Maybe another couple hours? But it'll be worth the ride. The Desert Palace is a very big, and very impressive place. I'm sure your castle puts it to shame, but it's still a very interesting sight. You--" but he quieted suddenly, silenced by a whinny from Epona, who was slowing down all of a sudden. She cantered, then trotted, then slowed to a walk. And as Link glanced carefully around them, the sand began to shake.
"I'm sure it's beautiful." Perhaps her castle was more to her taste, perhaps not. She didn't really think of things that way. In truth, she liked the idea of seeing other places, and homes, and castles. Seeing other PRincesses was an excitement she rarely got. She saw Daisy on occasion, but that was really it. Never any people so different from her own.
"What is it?" She asked, distracted from the thought of the long line. The idea of her thighs being more sore than they already were was an impressive one; but she wasn't going to fight it. They needed to make good time and she knew that. WAnted to make sure that she wasn't causing any other princesses to go through the same anguish she had-- if they could help it.
The horse and man both seemed bothered, which was enough for Peach to worriedly glance around. But the sand was shifting, like the tide, pulling this way and that and she didn't know how to react. Her arms tightened, worriedly gripping him as she pressed into his back and tried to remain alert. She didn't know what to expect in such a strange land, and could only hope it wasn't dangerous. Though she knew that was unlikely.
Epona stepped lightly, traveling in no singular direction. She seemed like she was avoiding something, as if there was an invisible something threatening them, but if there was, Link couldn't see it. He reached behind him and drew his sword and shield, ready to defend against what would come next. "I don't know," he murmured. "But whatever it is--"
And then it struck. Bursting up through the place Epona had just been standing, a gigantic worm rocketed into the sky. Its ridges kept going and going and going as it charged upwards, defying gravity until its cherry red tail broke free of the sand. It left a huge hole that rapidly filled in with sand, large enough to easily swallow the horse and both its riders.
"Yah!" Link spurred Epona on. "Hold tight, princess!" The horse needed no urging: she was off like a crack, righting her footing from where she'd leapt away to. She galloped in the direction they'd been going, faster than she'd been traveling before, yet miraculously jostling her passengers only a little. And behind them the roar of the worm echoed, followed by the crash of its huge maw into the sand.
"Looks like this desert isn't as friendly as it used to be," Link called back to Peach. "I think we'd better get to the city fast."
"GOODNESS!" And it was probably as close to an expletive as anyone had ever heard from the Princess' mouth. Gasping behind him as the great worm sailed toward the sky, like a castle tower suddenly sprouting from nothing. She was glad he was ready to defend himself, and even happier that Epona held such a swift speed. Carrying them across the sand, her hooves hitting in such precise, practiced ways that it was almost like they were floating.
Peach, for her part, just held tight as was asked of her. Crushing herself into his back and ducking her head to avoid the spilling, whirling sand that threatened to shower them. It wasn't until they had made some distance-- safe or otherwise, that she squeaked out another few words. "What an awful creature." Not that it was to be hated, animals were animals after all, but it was terrifyingly large and could probably swallow the lot of them whole; and while she had empathy for such things, she also wanted to make it home. Wanted to be safe-- her companions included.
"I've never---" she began, catching a bit of sand and trying to, politely, sputter it into her elbow. "Oh my word." A huff sounded, the breath heavy and ruffling some of the hairs at the back of his neck.
"Ever seen one of those before?" he called to her, a smile on his face. His blood was pumping and the excitement of the chase--no matter how dangerous--was clearly something that he enjoyed. Epona galloped across the dunes, her hooves clapping on the soft sand but never missing a step. Even as she charged up rolling dunes and across slowly shifting sand she held her footing. It was something that Link had come to expect of her, but it was no less exceptional.
"You're telling me," he agreed. "I knew creatures like this one were supposed to exist below the desert but they're usually peaceful." He didn't have to guess at the reason: "Ganondorf," he said without any further explanation. Did he need any? The ground rumbled again and Epona dashed forward: this time the creature burst out of the sand right behind them, showering both riders and horse. He tore free from Epona's saddle a fluttering cloth and handed it to her. "Here! Use this to cover your mouth, like a scarf."
Again came the roar of the giant beast, starving for the riders. Or enraged at something he couldn't imagine.
"Ah!" She jolted, gripping him tighter, if briefly before he offered her the cloth and she did her best to tie it under her eyes. Knotting it behind her head and making sure to tuck it down over her mouth. She was glad for that, at least. The feeling of sand in her teeth had never, ever, been an appealing one. Swallowing back any words she allowed herself to ease back, if only because he may have need of more movement than a Princess strapped to his back would allow.
"He just likes to be awful, doesn't he?" Even her ill words of the man were poised, tinged with that polite kindness that she was raised to express. "These poor creatures." It only served to make her feel sorry for them; should they want to be docile, being riled up only to hurt others, or themselves? It seemed cruel, but fitting of the man who had captured her and brought her here. The darkness in his gaze was something she had never seen before.
Bowser was a monster, in literal terms, but he did not scare her like that man had.
"Oh-- oh.." A little panic rose up as again a roar shook the sands, sucking it down like a whirlpool. "What do we do?"
"He does," Link agreed, looking back at Peach to find that she'd--somehow--made the scrap of cloth look attractive. He shook his head in wonder and turned to face forward again. "He's done worse than this worm," he said grimly, his mind flashing back to cities afire and hundreds dead. War was always, always awful. And anyone who willingly perpetrated it was doubly so.
"I've got an idea," the hero grinned. "Fish around in my pack behind you. Take out something big and round, alright?
There were several items that came close to that description. A shield, perhaps, a gem, even a seed--but the only one that matched it exactly fit in about two hands, was blue at the bottom and gray at the top, and with a small rope leading from the very tip of it. A bomb.
Behind them the worm crashed into the sand and, as if knowing exactly what her master wanted, Epona came to a grinding halt. The rumbling continued all around them, moving erratically, as if it was searching for something to home onto.
She did as asked, finding the sphere with a bit of trouble-- though that was probably, at least partially, due to her nervously. Finding the bomb she stared at it, then him, then it before she reaffirmed her grip. She had no experience with these kinds of things-- that was always Mario's element. Plumber he might be. She squeezed her eyes closed thinking about it-- but she had to trust Link. He had gotten her this far, had he not?
Though when Epona began to slow, it made her heart pick up. Seeing the sand shift, and thrash, as the massive worm seemed to be hunting still. It made her afraid, admittedly, but she forced herself to put her trust in him.
"What do I do now?" She asked, hoping he could tell her what to do-- or that he would take charge, as the princess felt stranded under this kind of unexpected danger. She didn't want to be useless, but all the same she didn't want to mess things up.
Epona stopped quick enough, but it was clear she was nervous. She shifted carefully from side to side, whinnying quietly. Link stroked her mane and patted her head, speaking to her in hushed tones, humming a few bars to a familiar, haunting song. "Don't worry," he whispered to the princess, in as calming a tone as he could. "You're doing well. I want you to snap this stick," he handed her a twig with its end coated in what looked like paint, the surface rough and slightly sticky. "And I want you to touch it to the fuse. Then I want you to throw the bomb back behind us, as far as you can. Do you think you can do that?"
He stroked Epona's neck as she nervously swayed: beneath the ground they could hear the rumblings of the worm burrowing through the ground. At some times it seemed almost like it would go away, but then inevitably the worm would return with a vengeance, uncomfortably close, like it sensed their careful breathing or the thumping of their hearts.
"If you don't think you can throw it, I can," he told Peach after a moment. "But I think you can do it. You throw, and we'll ride."
"Okay, okay." She breathes a heavy sigh, thinking it all over for a long moment-- or it felt long, but really she knew they didn't have much time at all. Allowing herself to snap the stick, she watched the fire ignite, lighting the fuze and listening to the sizzle. It reminded her of the Bob-ombs of home-- though not quite alive.
She threw the torch behind them, watching the ground rumble and waiting a few precious seconds before tossing the bomb with it. She had to trust Link, after all, if she wanted to make it through all of this alive. And sane. He had yet to lead her wrong and she had to put her trust in him. Reeling back she slung an arm around him, holding tight now that the giant worm seemed to be closing in on the area she had thrown the bomb; sensing the movement no doubt.
Link watched the Princess steel herself and then follow his instructions, and a warm glow of pride heated his chest: when they'd started their journey, he hadn't been certain if she would be able to act when things got hairy. But either he had been wrong, or their trip was already beginning to change her: Peach still carried herself with the same grace and elegance, but evidently she could handle herself as well.
Although he hadn't expected her to throw the stick.
Her soft arm wrapped around him and he grinned into the softly blowing wind. He braced himself against Epona, readied his heels-- "Hiyah!"
The horse surged forward with a speed that was shocking given the ground and her previous standstill. And it was a good thing: a rumbling in the ground had begun the second the torch had hit the ground and grown louder, louder, louder! The giant worm exploded outwards from the sandy dunes, grabbing the bomb and scattering sand in all directions. Epona was barely ahead of the thing, just fractions of a second away from her hooves being caught in the shifting sands and dragged into the waiting mouth. The worm charged into the sky and hung there for a single, impossible second... and then began the long fall down, closer to Epona than was comfortable.
And as it came down, a loud explosion echoed across the desert, muffled inside the thing's maw, and was answered by a loud feral keen.
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There was no mirror to groom herself in; and she quietly, albeit sheepishly used one of the bowls she had packed away before daring to crawl from the tent. It wasn't the prim and proper perfection expected of her at home-- but she was hardly home. Stretching a little she leaned from side to side, allowing herself to take the situation in; they needed to be mobile no doubt. "Ah..." A moment or two passed as she finger combed a few wild strands. "Good morning, Link."
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He smiled at his companion as she stretched, admiring the way her hair caught the light, at how the few misplaced strands gave her a more "everyday" look. He was getting a sense that all this, her in traveling gear and with her hair done well but not perfectly, was a side of her that not many--or maybe no one--ever got to see. It was a pleasant thought.
"Good morning, princess! I hope you slept well?" He finished cinching up a strap and patted Epona's flank, eliciting a quiet whinny. "With how deep I slept I was almost expecting you to rise first, but I guess we both needed some rest." He stood easily despite the weight of the gear he carried, sword and shield included, like it fit naturally on him. Like it was his natural state to be a hero and anything else was a departure from it, not the other way around. "I packed a little breakfast for us, but I figured we could eat on the road. That alright?"
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She did her best to help where she could, allowing them to get on the road sooner, occasionally prompting him for instruction. "I'm glad you slept well, you deserved it." A little titer of a laugh from her as she helped tuck a few things away. Not so casually sidling up to his horse, watching the animal as it waited with an unusual sort of patience. A beautiful creature no doubt, and Peach held enough respect not to fuss with the animal much. Instead offering a polite little bow of her head, offering a slight smile and a thanks for all her work. Perhaps the animal wouldn't understand, which she was aware of, but at home, it had been something offered to most beasts. Though most could also talk where she was from. Still, there was never any harm in kindness, was there?
Carefully she tugged at a band lacing one knee of her pants clothes, dragging it upward to wind it around her fluffy, golden hair. Tying it high on her head to keep it out of the way as she pulled the thin tan strands into a decorative little bow. "On your lead." She hummed, peering at the heavy pack he wore, worrying for the man though he seemed not at all fettered by the weight of it.
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"Then on we go," he announced, and hopped onto the horse with a practiced, graceful movement. "You next!" He reached down a hand to pull her onto the back of the horse, just behind him.
When she was firmly situated, they started off on a trot that became a gallop, and soon the landscape was passing by them in a rush as they neared the desert.
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It wasn't too hard to settle, that set, tucking into her spot behind him, gentle fingers lightly gripping at him to keep her balanced as the horse began to speed through the desert with a skill she had to admire. "She's quite strong." Peach commented, a little breathless as they skimmed the landscape. It wasn't startling; she had learned to trust the man and the horse, but it was still overwhelming-- impressive. The two seemed to work in a unison she envied in some respects.
"How far-- is the desert castle from here?" She didn't know, for sure, it was a castle; but how would they have a princess without one?
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Link relaxed into the feeling of the gallop, although the new and slightly distracting feeling of Peach's arms holding onto him was still a little hard to get used to. Not that he didn't enjoy it.
"It's not so far," he called back to the princess. "Maybe another couple hours? But it'll be worth the ride. The Desert Palace is a very big, and very impressive place. I'm sure your castle puts it to shame, but it's still a very interesting sight. You--" but he quieted suddenly, silenced by a whinny from Epona, who was slowing down all of a sudden. She cantered, then trotted, then slowed to a walk. And as Link glanced carefully around them, the sand began to shake.
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"What is it?" She asked, distracted from the thought of the long line. The idea of her thighs being more sore than they already were was an impressive one; but she wasn't going to fight it. They needed to make good time and she knew that. WAnted to make sure that she wasn't causing any other princesses to go through the same anguish she had-- if they could help it.
The horse and man both seemed bothered, which was enough for Peach to worriedly glance around. But the sand was shifting, like the tide, pulling this way and that and she didn't know how to react. Her arms tightened, worriedly gripping him as she pressed into his back and tried to remain alert. She didn't know what to expect in such a strange land, and could only hope it wasn't dangerous. Though she knew that was unlikely.
"Link?"
no subject
And then it struck. Bursting up through the place Epona had just been standing, a gigantic worm rocketed into the sky. Its ridges kept going and going and going as it charged upwards, defying gravity until its cherry red tail broke free of the sand. It left a huge hole that rapidly filled in with sand, large enough to easily swallow the horse and both its riders.
"Yah!" Link spurred Epona on. "Hold tight, princess!" The horse needed no urging: she was off like a crack, righting her footing from where she'd leapt away to. She galloped in the direction they'd been going, faster than she'd been traveling before, yet miraculously jostling her passengers only a little. And behind them the roar of the worm echoed, followed by the crash of its huge maw into the sand.
"Looks like this desert isn't as friendly as it used to be," Link called back to Peach. "I think we'd better get to the city fast."
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Peach, for her part, just held tight as was asked of her. Crushing herself into his back and ducking her head to avoid the spilling, whirling sand that threatened to shower them. It wasn't until they had made some distance-- safe or otherwise, that she squeaked out another few words. "What an awful creature." Not that it was to be hated, animals were animals after all, but it was terrifyingly large and could probably swallow the lot of them whole; and while she had empathy for such things, she also wanted to make it home. Wanted to be safe-- her companions included.
"I've never---" she began, catching a bit of sand and trying to, politely, sputter it into her elbow. "Oh my word." A huff sounded, the breath heavy and ruffling some of the hairs at the back of his neck.
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"You're telling me," he agreed. "I knew creatures like this one were supposed to exist below the desert but they're usually peaceful." He didn't have to guess at the reason: "Ganondorf," he said without any further explanation. Did he need any? The ground rumbled again and Epona dashed forward: this time the creature burst out of the sand right behind them, showering both riders and horse. He tore free from Epona's saddle a fluttering cloth and handed it to her. "Here! Use this to cover your mouth, like a scarf."
Again came the roar of the giant beast, starving for the riders.
Or enraged at something he couldn't imagine.
no subject
"He just likes to be awful, doesn't he?" Even her ill words of the man were poised, tinged with that polite kindness that she was raised to express. "These poor creatures." It only served to make her feel sorry for them; should they want to be docile, being riled up only to hurt others, or themselves? It seemed cruel, but fitting of the man who had captured her and brought her here. The darkness in his gaze was something she had never seen before.
Bowser was a monster, in literal terms, but he did not scare her like that man had.
"Oh-- oh.." A little panic rose up as again a roar shook the sands, sucking it down like a whirlpool. "What do we do?"
no subject
"I've got an idea," the hero grinned. "Fish around in my pack behind you. Take out something big and round, alright?
There were several items that came close to that description. A shield, perhaps, a gem, even a seed--but the only one that matched it exactly fit in about two hands, was blue at the bottom and gray at the top, and with a small rope leading from the very tip of it.
A bomb.
Behind them the worm crashed into the sand and, as if knowing exactly what her master wanted, Epona came to a grinding halt. The rumbling continued all around them, moving erratically, as if it was searching for something to home onto.
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Though when Epona began to slow, it made her heart pick up. Seeing the sand shift, and thrash, as the massive worm seemed to be hunting still. It made her afraid, admittedly, but she forced herself to put her trust in him.
"What do I do now?" She asked, hoping he could tell her what to do-- or that he would take charge, as the princess felt stranded under this kind of unexpected danger. She didn't want to be useless, but all the same she didn't want to mess things up.
no subject
He stroked Epona's neck as she nervously swayed: beneath the ground they could hear the rumblings of the worm burrowing through the ground. At some times it seemed almost like it would go away, but then inevitably the worm would return with a vengeance, uncomfortably close, like it sensed their careful breathing or the thumping of their hearts.
"If you don't think you can throw it, I can," he told Peach after a moment. "But I think you can do it. You throw, and we'll ride."
no subject
She threw the torch behind them, watching the ground rumble and waiting a few precious seconds before tossing the bomb with it. She had to trust Link, after all, if she wanted to make it through all of this alive. And sane. He had yet to lead her wrong and she had to put her trust in him. Reeling back she slung an arm around him, holding tight now that the giant worm seemed to be closing in on the area she had thrown the bomb; sensing the movement no doubt.
"Go!"
no subject
Although he hadn't expected her to throw the stick.
Her soft arm wrapped around him and he grinned into the softly blowing wind. He braced himself against Epona, readied his heels--
"Hiyah!"
The horse surged forward with a speed that was shocking given the ground and her previous standstill. And it was a good thing: a rumbling in the ground had begun the second the torch had hit the ground and grown louder, louder, louder!
The giant worm exploded outwards from the sandy dunes, grabbing the bomb and scattering sand in all directions. Epona was barely ahead of the thing, just fractions of a second away from her hooves being caught in the shifting sands and dragged into the waiting mouth. The worm charged into the sky and hung there for a single, impossible second... and then began the long fall down, closer to Epona than was comfortable.
And as it came down, a loud explosion echoed across the desert, muffled inside the thing's maw, and was answered by a loud feral keen.