Chapter 36 – Revisiting Riju

Summary: As promised, Astra visits Gerudo Chief Riju in Gerudo Town to celebrate their victory over the Yiga Clan and as part of Astra's tour of Hyrule. Riju has a secret of her own to share, and Queen Zelda has an assignment for Astra while there.

It was late morning at Hyrule Castle, and Astra had just finished changing into travel clothes for her trip to Gerudo Town. She was wearing one of the outfits her mother had ordered made for her, the same style of clothing that her mother used to wear on field trips when she was a princess. It included a royal blue and gold vest worn over a white blouse and brown leather pants.

"Well, Fi, how do I look?" Astra asked as she checked herself in her bedroom mirror.

"You look through your eyes, Mistress," said Fi. "Though I am certain that is not what you meant to ask."

"We didn't discuss that expression yet?" laughed Astra. "It means what do you think of my appearance, particularly now that I am wearing a new outfit?"

"I think you look more like a Princess and less like a warrior, Mistress. Is that your intent?"

"I suppose so," said Astra. "There is probably less need for me to be a warrior now. But I still intend to keep my combat skills sharp and for us to travel together Fi. I was taught to be wary and never assume there is no danger. Besides, I enjoy your company and our delightful conversations. Now I need to say goodbye to Mother and discuss what she wanted to see me about."

Astra took the Sheikah Slate, then left her room and climbed the stairway to Zelda's office at the top of one of the castle towers. Zelda's assistant, Myra, was sitting at her desk outside Zelda's office.

"Good morning, Myra," said Astra. "Is Her Majesty available? I want to say goodbye before departing."

"Good morning, Your Highness," said Myra as she rose. "Yes, Her Majesty is free at the moment. But, please, just knock first. And may I say your new outfit is quite becoming on you!"

"Thank you," said Astra. "I'm still getting used to it, but hearing you say that makes me feel better."

Astra knocked on the door to Zelda's office and entered when she was asked to do so. Then she closed the door behind her.

"I'm just coming to say goodbye and to ask what you wanted to see me about," said Astra as she reached down for a moment to pet Mia after the cat had come over to her and rubbed herself against Astra's leg.

"You're off to Gerudo Town now?"

"Yes, and looking forward to spending time with Chief Riju," Astra said. "I promised her I would visit, and we got along well together."

"I always enjoyed visiting Gerudo Town, especially when I was younger," said Zelda. "By the way, I think you wear those new outfits quite well. I hope you like them."

"I do, and they're quite comfortable, not too restrictive of my movements," said Astra as she flexed her arms.

"Hopefully, you won't need so much freedom of action anymore," laughed Zelda. "You've already eliminated all our enemies."

"Let's hope so," said Astra, who paused to glance out the windows. "But I love the view from here. You can see all across Hyrule in so many directions. I wonder that you can get any work done!"

"I also love the view, but you get used to it. However, the lightning can be a bit unsettling way up here in a thunderstorm. Speaking of lightning, let me discuss what I wanted to speak with you about. Please have a seat. Would you like some of this tea? It's freshly made."

"No, thank you," said Astra. "I'm still quite full from breakfast."

Astra sat in one of the chairs in front of Zelda's desk.

"While you are in the Gerudo area, I would like you to check on Divine Beast Vah Naboris," said Zelda. "You can use the Sheikah Slate to travel there easily."

"Of course," said Astra. "But is there any special reason you wish me to check on Naboris? Do you suspect something is wrong?"

"No, I don't suspect anything is wrong, and there are no indications that there is. But we've, or perhaps I should say I've been rather neglectful of the Divine Beasts since becoming Queen. I suppose that may surprise you, given my interest in Sheikah technology. And Purah used to urge me to continue investigating them until she gave up on me. But there were reasons for my neglect. First, as Queen, I grew busy directing Hyrule's reconstruction, and with the threat of Ganon gone, there was less urgency to deal with the Divine Beasts. This lack of urgency made it difficult to motivate anyone to undertake all the training needed to become a Divine Beast pilot."

"I can understand that," said Astra.

"And, well, I had other reasons too. The Divine Beasts will always be special in a very personal way to me. To almost everyone alive today, they are simply ancient machines that ran amok for a time but were eventually subdued and used to defeat our enemy. But to me, they're memorials to four dear people I worked with and grew close to. I recall enlisting each one of them to aid us in our quest. And I remember how heartbroken I felt when everything went so wrong and each of them died inside those machines."

Zelda paused to take a deep breath, and a sip of tea, then continued.

"After one hundred years had gone by since those terrible events and finally sealing Ganon away, you would think I had gotten over my grief. And I thought so, too, at least at first. So, after a brief stay in Kakariko Village, your father and I headed off to Zora's Domain to investigate why Divine Beast Vah Ruta stopped working. But after arriving there, seeing Mipha's statue in person for the first time, and speaking with Mipha's father and brother, it became too emotional for me. Trying to comfort them for their loss only brought back the pain for me. I knew they didn't blame me for Mipha's death, but I felt guilty nevertheless. I was the one who recruited her, and I was the one who failed her by not finding my power soon enough when Mipha herself was on the verge of telling me what I needed to know."

Zelda paused to take another sip of tea.

"After we left our meeting, Link could see how shaken I was. He tried his best to comfort me, telling me over and over again it wasn't my fault and I needed to move on for my and Hyrule's sake. Anyway, I did my best, and the next day, Link and I made our way up the Zodobon Highlands to investigate what was wrong with Ruta. I found what the problem was and managed to fix it. One of the terminals had gone offline for some reason. But I couldn't visit another Divine Beast after that, and especially not Naboris. I knew it would be too painful for me."

Zelda paused for a moment and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Astra. "I know how hard it must be for you to recall and speak about this."

"Thank you, I'll be okay in a moment," said Zelda as she took another sip of tea. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand. When you enter the Divine Beast, just place the Sheikah Slate against the main control unit, and it should generate a status report to show if everything is well. I think it would be well if you, as Princess, started to become familiar with the Divine Beasts."

"Very well, I will do as you say," said Astra.

Then they both rose and embraced goodbye.

"Are you okay now, Mother?"

"Yes, fine. Say hello to Riju for me," said Zelda.

"I will," said Astra.

Then Astra stepped back and activated the Sheikah Slate, disappearing from view.

"Isn't Sheikah technology marvelous?" Astra said to herself a moment later when she materialized out of shimmering strands of blue Ancient Energy at the Daqo Chisay Shrine next to the north side of Gerudo Town. "Though I might enjoy traveling by road other times, today it saved me a long journey that would have ended with a tiring trek across a scorching hot desert."

The midday air was indeed stiflingly hot under a relentless sun as Astra at once made her way toward the entrance into town. The two guards there acknowledged that she was a Vai and permitted her to enter.

The first thing you noticed upon entering the Gerudo Town plaza was the noise of conversation and the cool, flowing water that moderated the temperature within the city walls. Small groups of people were chatting among themselves or strolling from shop to shop. And every so often, you could hear the shrill cry of a shopkeeper calling a passerby's attention to her wares.

Astra had already made some inquiries about the current state of Gerudo Town before this visit. One afternoon she spotted a middle-aged Gerudo scholar named Rotana doing some research in the Hyrule Castle library. She had struck up a conversation with Rotana and then invited her for some light refreshment. Astra recalled the conversation now.

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy research to speak with me," Astra said as they sat down at a cafe in Castle Town. "I'm planning to visit Gerudo Town and wondered what you can tell me about how it is faring now."

"I will be happy to do so, Princess, and don't mind at all," said Rotana. "I could use a break for refreshment. But I must confess I was never a nightlife person, so I cannot tell you much about evening social activities if that interests you. Ironically, I was cursed to live right next to the evening hotspot, the Noble Canteen, and often disturbed by the late-night revelry there. I'm sure my research suffered from a frequent lack of sound sleep."

Rotana paused to take a drink, shook her head, then continued.

"Anyway, after Divine Beast Vah Naboris quieted down and Ganon was finally destroyed about twenty-five years ago, Gerudo Town tourism began to revive. We Gerudo encouraged this, of course, and made sure we kept the road into town clear of danger, often patrolling it with guards disguised as travelers to keep visitors safe. Slowly but surely, as word spread throughout Hyrule, more and more visitors made the journey to our town without fear. Gerudo Town is now a very popular destination, especially for young Hylian Vai."

"What makes people so eager to visit the Gerudo area?" said Astra.

"Quite a few reasons," said Rotana after taking another sip of her drink. "For some older visitors with joint aches and pains, or those with breathing problems, the dry desert air is felt to be healthful, and perhaps a visit was recommended by their doctor. For those more active, Sand Seal racing or renting a Sand Seal to tour the desert is popular. By the way, anyone is welcome to try their hand at breaking the current Sand Seal race record and even encouraged to do so - for a fee, of course. For those with historical interests or who seek the blessing of the seven heroines, there are pilgrimages to the colossal statues that stand in their honor at the East Gerudo Ruins. And there is also a Sand Seal tour to the site of the Great Fairy Fountain far to the southwest of town. Finally, for the very active, there are some limited excursions to visit Divine Beast Vah Naboris on Spectacle Rock for a close-up look. But I think the most popular destinations for Vai are the Starlight Memories jewelry store and the Hotel Oasis."

Rotana paused to take another drink, then continued.

"As you may know, Gerudo-made jewelry is considered the finest in all of Hyrule. It is known for the quality of its gems, the purity of its gold, and its exquisitely crafted workmanship. The Starlight Memories jewelry store makes beautiful earrings, circlets, necklaces, and bracelets. Wearing Gerudo-made jewelry is highly fashionable these days. So, a stop at the jewelry store is a must for any visiting Vai, both to shop for something for themselves as well as look for gifts for relatives or friends."

"I have heard of that shop and its fine reputation," agreed Astra.

"The second popular location is the Hotel Oasis," continued Rotana. "Its spa treatment is world-renowned now, making it a must-stop for visiting Vai. Reservations are almost always required, though hotel guests are given priority. The spa experience is said to smooth and moisturize your skin, enhance your beauty, restore your youthful appearance, and fill you with vitality as well."

"I'm sure the treatment is beneficial," said Astra.

"My younger sister Pearle told me there are stories of Vai who had trouble meeting a Voe or who felt their Voe love interest did not return their feelings strongly enough or was too slow to propose marriage, for example. The spa offers a week-long package that includes daily beauty treatments and evening lessons at the 'The Voe and You' relationship class. Stories tell of Vai, who would travel to Gerudo Town for this special treatment, and when they returned home, they would meet the Voe of their dreams, or their beauty would so strike their current Voe love interest that he would do whatever they wanted. Well, anyway, that's what Pearle told me. For all I know, the spa itself started these rumors to increase demand for its services."

"Very possibly," laughed Astra.

After they finished, Astra thanked Rotana and wished her good luck with her research.

Astra chuckled at the memory as she watched some small children playing near the Royal Palace at the far end of town. That was her destination, and when she reached the palace, the royal guards recognized her and bade her welcome. Astra's reputation as a warrior had made her well known among the royal guards.

"We are honored to see you again and understand that you are also Hyrule's Princess," said Ploka. "Please go right in, Princess. Lady Riju is expecting you."

Astra saw Riju sitting on the throne and Buliara by her side, but there was another young Gerudo girl standing along with them. Riju stood as Astra approached.

"Princess of Hyrule, welcome," said Riju.

"Please call me Astra or Zelda," said Astra. "I hope you consider us friends."

"I certainly do," said Riju. "And battle-worn comrades in arms, as well! But now we all learned you are a Princess. I must say, your royal position was a well-guarded secret."

"Yes, and a necessary one," said Astra.

"True. But now that the Yiga Clan is no longer a threat, I can share a well-kept secret of my own that we only recently revealed to everyone here. Let me introduce you to my sixteen-year-old daughter, Kalema."

Kalema looked very much like a younger version of her mother, as was most common for Gerudo marriages.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess," said Kalema with a bow. "Mother has spoken highly of you. I hope you will enjoy your visit here and come to better know our people and the beauty of the desert."

"Vasaaq, Kalema," said Astra. "It is a pleasure to meet you too, and indeed a wonderful surprise. I hope to achieve all those things, and thank you."

"Now, if you will excuse me, I will take my leave," said Buliara. "I am scheduled to inspect the guards this afternoon. Please enjoy your stay in Gerudo Town, Princess."

"Thank you," said Astra.

After Buliara left, Riju spoke up.

"Let us sit down for a meal together and some conversation. They have set a table for us along the far wall," said Riju.

Astra, Riju, and Kalema sat down and helped themselves to the food and drink laid out there.

"I should explain about Kalema," said Riju. "Kalema's father, my husband, is named Larson, and he's a Captain in the Hyrule army, currently stationed at the Akkala Citadel. It was Buliara who introduced him to me. We married about eighteen years ago and had to keep everything secret for fear of the Yiga Clan. As you can imagine, that was very hard on all of us."

"Indeed, it must have been hard to maintain such a secret while raising a young child here," Astra said.

"Yes. We pretended Kalema was an orphan, that her dying Gerudo mother handed her over to a Hylian soldier who brought her to Gerudo Town. Kalema was raised here, and the truth was kept from her until she was old enough to understand the need for secrecy. Larson visited us whenever he could, of course. We would meet secretly at the Kara Kara Bazaar or the Lookout Post. Very few people here knew the truth."

"But now happily Father can visit us openly," said Kalema. "And I can visit him too."

"Yes, it would be good for you to spend more time with your father and to see more of Hyrule as well, Kalema," said Riju. "Just remember you are only sixteen."

"Next year, when I turn seventeen, I can take the 'Voe and You' class," laughed Kalema. "I think Mother is worried."

"You need to be sure that whoever you fall in love with truly loves you too, Kalema, and not just your position," said Riju. "You can already get a taste of that from the attitude of any suddenly newfound friends. But there is time enough to speak of that."

"Trust me, Mother, I will do nothing reckless," said Kalema.

The rest of the meal was uneventful, and Kalema excused herself to join her friends when they finished.

"Your daughter is gorgeous and quite intelligent," said Astra.

"She is very bright, but I still worry about her," sighed Riju. "I have striven to ensure Kalema's training and education will prepare her to rule when the time comes, or should something happen to me. I imagine you must think it strange how we live: that Gerudo Vai must venture out into the world to find husbands and start families. But that has been our people's way for many centuries."

"And I respect that," said Astra.

"Of course, as ruler, I was required to remain here, so our family could not live openly together for fear Kalema would come to harm," said Riju. "That was yet another reason I hated the Yiga Clan so much."

"We all had plenty of reasons to hate them," said Astra. "Some of us more than others."

"Some more water?" asked Riju. "Or would you prefer something stronger, like a Noble Pursuit?"

"Water is fine, thank you," said Astra as Riju refilled her glass from the pitcher.

"Oh, on a lighter note, just last week, one of our guards set a new Sand Seal Race record of just under one minute fifteen seconds. The racing technique has improved over the years since your father's time here when he set the record of one minute eighteen seconds. That's not considered a competitive time anymore."

"Very impressive," laughed Astra. "My father told me he felt bad taking the champion title away from Tali back then, but it was the only way to enter the shrine there."

"He won the award fair and square," laughed Riju. "But your father left quite a mystery behind when he left. People wondered who this mysterious Hylian Vai was, with an unquenchable thirst for arrows and combat skills no one could match. I would have been happy to honor him publicly for his brave deeds. But sadly, Buliara and I could never reveal we broke the law by allowing him to enter the town."

Riju paused for a moment, then continued.

"Is there anything special you wish to do while here?" Riju asked. "I know there is a small celebration tonight with the royal guards at the Noble Canteen. Unfortunately, I cannot attend, but I know the guards would love to celebrate with you and toast a Noble Pursuit or two to your success."

"I might enjoy that tonight if they can convince the bartender to serve me," laughed Astra. "In the meantime, Her Majesty wants me to pay a visit to Vah Naboris, and I should do that once we finish here."

"I hope nothing is wrong with Naboris."

"No, there is no indication of any problems," said Astra. "But I gather nobody has physically checked on the Divine Beasts in some time. Queen Zelda still feels too emotional about visiting them and was happy that I could do so in her place."

"I can understand that, and probably particularly so for Naboris," said Riju as she nodded. "Lady Urbosa's diary shows how close Queen Zelda was to Lady Urbosa. I gather you can travel to Naboris directly using the Sheikah Slate. Otherwise, you have a long climb ahead."

"Yes, the Naboris Travel Gate still shows as being operational on the map," said Astra. "But I imagine it can get a bit cold on top of Spectacle Rock, so I'll just take another bite or two of this delicious spicy fruit and Sunshroom dish, thanks."

"By all means," laughed Riju. "You have an excellent appetite."

"I'm good now, thanks," said Astra after swallowing her food and taking a final drink.

"Then I will bid you goodbye so you can return all the sooner for some celebrating this evening," said Riju.

They both rose from the table, then Astra stepped back, opened the map on the Sheikah Slate, and pressed the blue image of Naboris that appeared there. She vanished in a shimmer of ancient energy strands and then materialized at the entrance to Naboris.

The air was indeed on the chilly side, but not unbearably so, and the effects of her meal kept her comfortable. The Travel Gate's location was underneath the belly of the Divine Beast, so you needed to peek under the overhang to see the surrounding area. Wasteland Tower was not too far to the northwest, and directly below to the west lay the statues of the seven heroines. The only sound was that of the steady breeze that blew across the summit.

"Time to investigate," said Astra to herself as she approached the guidance stone next to the Travel Gate, which glowed blue.

She pressed the Sheikah Slate against the face of the device, but nothing happened. Then she realized the Divine Beast must still recognize that this Sheikah Slate had already been registered with it by her father. She confirmed this when the map option revealed a schematic of Naboris and a summary of its motion controls.

"Sweet," said Astra as she proceeded along the passageway and then turned up a ramp and on into the lower level of Naboris.

The interior was vast, with a high ceiling overhead. There were some small clumps of sand on the floor in places, no doubt blown there from those infrequent sandstorms strong enough to blow desert sand even as high as Spectacle Rock. But what immediately drew your attention was the large overhead structure that housed the main control unit. The top of the structure glowed a bright blue, and just below it hung a vessel of some sort that pulsed with green electrical energy. The electricity flowed from the vessel along some conduits on the floor and sides.

It was not immediately apparent how to reach the control unit, but the ramps just behind her were scalable. And after climbing up one of them, she could paraglide over to the structure holding the main control unit.

"Well, here goes," said Astra as she pressed the Sheikah Slate against the guidance stone.

There was a beeping noise from the Sheikah Slate, then a pause, and finally, a list of items appeared on the screen. Astra had to scroll down to read all of them.

Divine Beast Vah Naboris Summary Status Report

Status as of 10243-272

(Dates are Years-Days since Naboris construction completion)

**WARNING: NO REGISTERED PILOT**

Ancient Energy Level - Nominal

Electrical Power Level - Nominal

Terminal 1 - Activated

Terminal 2 - Activated

Terminal 3 - Activated

Terminal 4 - Activated

Targeting Beam - Nominal - Last used 10218-158

Energy Beam - Nominal - Last used 10218-158

Lightning Defense - Nominal - Last used 10218-149

Mobility - Unknown - Last movement 10218-149

Overall Status: Divine Beast appears operational, but maneuverability is unknown, and testing is overdue.

Recommendations:

1. **Urgent: Registered Pilot is needed**

2. Mobility testing is overdue after a long period of inactivity (exceeds 25 years)

3. Targeting Beam testing is overdue after a long period of disuse (exceeds 25 years)

4. Energy Beam testing is overdue after a long period of disuse (exceeds 25 years)

5. Lightning Defense testing is overdue after a long period of disuse (exceeds 25 years)

End of Summary Status Report

"Hm," thought Astra. "No surprises here, I suppose. Not sure what Mother expected."

Astra took a few moments to explore the Divine Beast to the extent she could without engaging its motion controls. She did not want to tamper with Naboris without consulting her mother first. But there were still many areas to see. She walked outside around both sides of Naboris, both of which afforded spectacular views of the area. The structure was eerily quiet wherever she went and felt just like it was - empty and abandoned. But far from the air being stale after years of neglect, it was quite fresh from so many openings.

There was not much else of interest to see. Some open chests lay here and there, the contents presumably taken by her father. And there was a discarded Guardian sword on the floor outside one of the circular doorways, all that remained from a victorious battle with a malice-infected Guardian Scout. By the time Astra completed her limited inspection, it was getting dark, and she decided to leave.

"Remaining here in the dark would feel even creepier," she muttered to herself.

Astra made her way back to the Travel Gate, then called up the Sheikah Slate map and chose to exit the Divine Beast. A moment later, she materialized outside the entrance to Gerudo Town.

"I could definitely use a drink," said Astra as she headed for the Noble Canteen. "All that dry air makes you thirsty."

As she approached the Noble Canteen, Astra could see it was full of people, and loud conversation along with laughter filled the air. She could sympathize with poor Rotana living next door.

"Ah! Here's the Princess!" one guard shouted when Astra entered. "Furosa! A Noble Pursuit for the Princess! And let us toast our victory once more, as well as the Princess's success."

Somebody handed Astra a drink.

"Here's to our victory and the new Princess of Hyrule!" shouted someone, and everyone raised their glass, then took a drink.

Astra took a sip, and the drink was ice cold and very refreshing. But it clearly felt on the strong side, and Astra guessed that was not surprising since Gerudo women were almost twice her size.

After the toast, there were more cheers and congratulations, along with compliments on her combat skills.

"Seeing you fight gave me new respect for Hylian Vai, Princess," said one of the guards named Fanda. "I always thought of Hylian Vai as weak and timid. I often wondered how they could ever find husbands."

"Haven't you learned most Voe look for traits other than combat skills in their Vai, Fanda?" laughed another guard named Minda. "We should send you back to the Voe and You class for a refresher!"

"Speaking of a refresher, how about another round of Noble Pursuits?" someone shouted.

That drew laughs from everyone, as the mood was quite festive, and it was clear the drinking had started well before Astra arrived.

"Speaking of that, is there any special Voe in your life yet, Princess?" asked someone.

"No, not yet," laughed Astra. "But I feel I still have plenty of time."

The conversation moved from topic to topic. Some spoke about their combat experiences. Others already with families talked about their spouses or children. But the most popular topic among the younger guards was about how to meet the right Voe. Astra realized that was probably to be expected since they all grew up with no Voe contact at all. Some took an interest in Astra and offered her advice, including recommending she take their relationship class. Others were more interested in talking about how to meet a Voe for themselves and asked her about life in Central Hyrule. Still others spoke of their travel plans during their next leave from duty. After finishing the one drink, Astra felt it was enough.

"Forgive me, but I need to rest, or I will fall asleep here," said Astra. "Thank you for your well wishes and congratulations on a battle well fought against the Yiga Clan."

Some urged her to stay longer, but Astra knew her limitations. So, with a final farewell, she made her way to the Hotel Oasis, booked a standard bed for the night, and fell asleep. Tomorrow she could speak with more Gerudo Town residents before returning home.