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Description
Official entry for round 1 of HBT. Be warned: there's a lot of text.

Just in time. I hope y'all like it. The flatshaded pics will be replaced with the shaded versions.

Part 1: [link]
Part 2: [link]

Story:

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“Team Green will be assigned to the Lost Woods and Gale Meadow. You will be asked to collect Gale Seeds, a small, blue seed. It is hard to miss, they radiate a soft, white glow, so they cannot be mistaken for other plants. Gale flowers grow in the most harsh of conditions, and bear fruit. If all else fails us, we will have these fruits to feed our children and elderly.”

It took them two days to travel to Gale meadows, partly because it was second farthest from the Castle, but mostly because of the snow. It stretched the journey to more than four times what it ought to have been. In Hyrule field, it was waist deep, which made the going slow and the complaints numerous.

A wagon of supplies and passengers were pulled by two thick, muscle-bound oxen since mules were too short and not hardy enough to plow through the wall of snow. Kanoru chose to ride a mount rather than sit huddled among the tired and cabin-feverish contestants. She sat astride CrazyHorse, Leoni’s speckled gelding that he entrusted to her care while he traveled to and in Zora’s domain. They plunged through snow drifts, carefully picking their way over the deceptive hills with the other mounted tourney-goers, trying to secure the safest and shallowest route to Gale Meadows.

When they made it to the pass, Kanoru, Aji, Mika, Tel and Zyra said goodbye to half their group, who tore across the frozen beach to the South. They would be searching the West side of Gale Meadows while Kanoru and her comrades combed the East. The other ten in their group had left for Koriko Forest to seek sanction from the Great Deku Tree to search the small village and surrounding maze of woods.

They spent several weeks tiredly trudging through snow with nothing to show for their efforts. More than once they had to seek shelter in cliff caves from blizzards, or turn back to a town a day’s journey behind to wait out a storm. Sometimes they had no choice but to burrow behind a snow bank and huddle with the animals to keep warm.

“Do you think these seeds really do what they say they do?” Aji asked one night as they sat around a small fire at the mouth of a cave. Tel and Zyra stayed towards the back of the cave with the oxen and CrazyHorse to dispatch any Keese or rats that might decide to make a meal of their steeds. Mika sat next to her, and Kanoru was sure she was regretting her decision to come to keep an eye on her adopted daughter. Not that she’d ever regret being here with her daughter, but the winter blizzards had a way of bringing down everyone’s spirits.

“Probably,” Kanoru said, bringing her knees up to her chest. Their thick woolen coats kept out most of the cold, but it still crept in through the layers. “I don’t think they’d send us chasing after these things if they weren’t important, and considering what they did with the Fire Temple, we all knew it would be a lot harder than we expected.” The other two women nodded and huddled closer, leaving Kanoru to her thoughts. The taste of stale bread and hard, frozen cheese still left a pungent after-taste in her mouth. She couldn’t help missing the soft beds of the tournament quarters and the warm food served from the kitchens. Most of all she missed Leoni. She was sure he would brighten the dreary, monotonous days with bright conversation and though Kanoru was sure she’d resist taking part in anything he suggested, she knew he’d eventually convince her and they’d all end up having a much better time finding the blasted seeds.

She felt the warmth and sting of tears threatening, so she dropped her head onto her knees to discreetly wipe them away. The Gerudo had become increasingly emotional over the past few weeks, and every time she gave herself time to think about it, a convoluted hurricane of emotions and thoughts swept over her. She was pregnant, of all things that was certain. She’d conceived enough to know the signs. She also knew who the father was. That wasn’t the problem, at least, not as much as wondering how he would react was, as well as the torture of keeping it a secret from her teammates. She’d already decided she would withdraw from the tournament once they got back. There was no reason to hamper them with her condition or the knowledge of it. What would happen after her withdrawal is what bothered her most. If Leoni was less than welcome to the idea of a child, she would return to Kakariko and go back to her life with her mother-in-law and raise her daughter alone, but…

Kanoru didn’t bother to try to stop the small fantasies of raising a family with Leoni, they usually crushed themselves. Every time she imagined telling him about it, his face was replaced with Beiron’s and she felt the same happiness she always did when his look of utter disbelief would work a crooked smile on his face and then… her fantasy would turn to nightmare and the same thing would repeat itself. Something would happen. She would lose the child. She’d fall down the stairs. It would be stillborn. And his crestfallen, disappointed look would cloud the whole house. He’d leave for weeks, not telling her where he’d gone, and come back like nothing had happened. Even though he’d be back, it would be emptier than when he was gone, and she’d feel more secluded, more alone.

Kanoru woke with a start, Tel’s gloved hand gently shaking her shoulder. The winter cold had worked its way to her bones.

“It’s your watch,” he whispered as he relit the fire and tried to stoke it since the wind had died down outside.

“Right.” The red-head got up and stretched, trying to warm her frozen fingers by flexing them to get the blood moving. She moved to the back of the cave where Zyra stood with the oxen and CrazyHorse. “I’m here to relieve you,” she said, tapping the bleary-eyed girl’s arm.

“Thanks,” she mumbled and made her way to the front. Though it was farther from the fire, it was warmer with the animals’ large bodies. The slight warmth made up for the smell.

“Good evening,” she murmured to the horse, rubbing his neck. “What do you think? I’ve already told you about the baby. What do you think Leoni will say?” The gelding gave no response to indicate he heard her. She smiled and rubbed his forelock.

In the town of Chinook, five weeks after arriving at Gale Meadows, Kanoru was walking CrazyHorse around the streets to warm him up before they set out. At least, that’s what she told her teammates. She stole away for a moment to see a midwife and make sure everything was okay. Thankfully, her layers kept the others from noticing that she was starting to show. Much longer in Gale Meadows though, and she’d have to excuse herself and leave without a formal withdrawal.

As they passed by a shivering potions master setting up his wares for the day, a weathered hand stretched out from the shadows and caught hold of Kanoru’s ankle. Her first instinct was to kick away the hand when she saw the old hag’s sagging face and wild eyes, but her words froze the ex-thief in the saddle.

“Seeds,” she wheezed, yellow and brown spittle flying from her mouth, her free hand weaving erratically through the air. “You seek the seeds.”

Kanoru couldn’t speak, glued to her seat and unable to so much as blink as the oracle continued, her heavy robes swaying, dancing almost methodically as she continued to waver her arms and speak.

“If you seek the seeds, then turn north less than an hour’s journey by horse and oxen. Inside a protective throng of Deku Baba lives a field of the seeds. Be careful of the red vapor. One of you will not survive it. You… you will be able to see through the trick when the illusion appears. It’s okay to respect the dead and immortal. A little fear is good sometimes.”

The woman stretched out her hand and rubbed CrazyHorse’s nose, who oddly did not seem to mind the woman’s presence at all. Now that her attention was not holding Kanoru captive, she noticed the crone, though old and wild, had young, vivid bright green eyes and smelled of warm, damp earth.

“Your friend will be your most important asset to secure your return. Listen to what he says,” she breathed, letting go of Kanoru’s boot, as if releasing whatever spell she’d thrown on her.

“Who-” Kanoru began, but a sudden wind struck up, throwing dirt into her eyes. When she’d rubbed and blinked the debris away, the woman was gone. The street was empty, save the potions master and other ware-sellers setting up their displays. The Gerudo twisted in the saddle to look around, but the woman was nowhere to be seen. As they continued their way back to the inn where their group was staying, the woman reflected on what the oracle said. There was a whole field of these seeds, apparently inside a nest of Deku Baba. Kanoru furrowed her brow as she thought about that part. Deku Baba hibernated in the winter like all perennial plants. She supposed that it meant the seeds could only be reached in the winter while the carnivorous plants slept, which would make finding the nest difficult. The rest of the words didn’t make much sense to her, other than the foreboding words that one of them would not be returning alive. She carefully reviewed all the old woman’s words, full well knowing what could happen when the warnings of future-seers were dismissed. She winced a bit, remembering a particular blunder on her account that resulted in a huge embarrassment to herself and some of her guildmates that could have easily been avoided if she’d listened to a seer. Though, she’d never had one disappear so suddenly or offer advice without asking for payment. The Gerudo had a sneaking suspicion the woman was layered in heavy magic.

At the rendezvous, Kanoru related the incident to the others. They agreed it was worth checking out, especially since they had no other tips to go on, and they set out North, deciding to leave Mika and Zyra with the supplies when they came to the nest.

Within the hour, they noticed the going was easier. Snow covered the ground less and less until only a light frost dusted the tall stalks of grass. When Kanoru and CrazyHorse came across the first Deku Baba, it sprang out of the grass so suddenly Kanoru was unseated when the gelding reared. The horse soundly thrashed the plant which withered away into the ground in a spray of red mist. He immediately bounded away from it and back to the cart.

Kanoru stood and dusted herself off, she was winded and her hip was sore from where she landed, but otherwise unhurt. Unsheathing her scimitars, she cautiously stepped forward and tested the ground. Plants sprouted from all sides, gnashing their “mouths” and spitting foul-smelling juices from their shell lips. They were unlike any other Deku Baba she’d ever encountered, large and strangely colored. She slew five in sprays of red before returning to the cart. The vapors clung to her skin and clothes, stinging slightly in a way that unsettled her.

“The nest,” Tel affirmed from his seat on the cart. Tel, Aji and Kanoru shouldered small packs and headed back into the fray.

“I think this is the red vapors,” Aji commented and she jumped back from a red spray of mist. They avoided it as best as they could, but with all that hung in the air like a foul-tasting ash, even Mika and Zyra who sat at a distance felt the sting. The fight to the center was long only because of the number of Deku Baba they had to kill to clear a wide path. Inside the ring of plants it was much warmer and strong gusts of scented heat emanated from the boulders. As they walked closer, Kanoru noticed the gelding prancing along an invisible perimeter, whinnying and snorting. He tossed his head and pawed the ground, refusing to get any closer. Kanoru had never seen him be so clear in his communication, she motioned for the others to stop.

“What is it?” Aji asked, eyes darting about as if she expected another enemy to appear.

“I think we should wait,” the Gerudo cautioned, but even as she said the words, she could feel her anxiety and adrenaline ebbing away.

“I agree,” Tel said hesitatingly, as if he really wanted to keep going towards the boulders nestled at the center of the waves of heat. Why are we so worried? Kanoru thought, it was only a few rocks.

“Let me just get CrazyHorse. He seems nervous,” she said and walked back to the animal. “C’mon you.” She took his reins and began walking back to the other two. The speckled gray tossed his head again and backed up. The colder air slowly cleared Kanoru’s senses, as if her mind has been smothered by a thick quilt. The hair of the back of her neck raised up and her adrenaline came rushing back as she realized what happened.

“Tel! Aji!” she called, but when she turned, the two had disappeared. Her own swords lay discarded in the grass with Aji’s spear where they’d been standing. How did that happen? Kanoru turned back to CrazyHorse and patted his neck. “Thanks,” she whispered before pulling off her winter layers and stuffing them into saddle bags. She shivered, but it helped her think. She took out half her supplies, leaving herself a handful of potions, her quiver and bow, a lantern, and wax that she wadded and stuffed into her nostrils. Wasting no time, the ex-thief ran for the boulders, scooping up her scimitars on the way. Between the hulking gray rocks lay an opening that led into the earth. She didn’t hesitate as she jumped down, screaming her companions’ names.

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Her feet hit moss. She bent her knees to absorb the impact and fell forward onto her hands. The growth was deep, spongy and wet. The air swirled around in wafts and even with her nose stuffed up, she could still smell the strong scent. Fragments of skull and bone lay amid decaying cloth and rusted metal. That should worry her… right? Kanoru shook her head violently and looked around the room she’d landed in, lighting her lantern. It was circular, with no tunnels leading out. Bodies lay strewn about, covered in moss that ever so slowly moved over them. Or was that just the heat? Aji and Tel lay some ten feet ahead of her. The redheaded woman rushed to their side and checked for a pulse. They breathed shallowly with tendrils of roots weakly clutching their skin and hair. Tiny pods unfurled and puffed out clouds of golden, scented pollen. All at once Kanoru felt herself reeling. She fell forward on the moss and closed her heavy eyelids.

“Ow!” she winced and bolted back up, her head groggy and muffled, but a small twinge of pain kept her awake. Her scimitar, clumsily left blade up as she fell forward had cut through her shirt and bit into her right side. “Pain…” the solution was quickly slipping from her as she closed her eyes again. Using all her willpower, Kanoru pressed the sword to her side again, the cut rooting her mind to her body. She extracted an arrow from her quiver and cut into her shoulder. She looked around wildly while the pain lasted. A large mother pod sat nestled at the center of the room, slowly belching huge amounts of the pollen into the thick air. She struggled to her feet and stumbled to the plant, her boots growing heavier with every step she took. She kneeled, sword in hand as she prepared to spear the plant. Just as she began lifting the hilt above her head, the pores of the plant blew a cloud of pollen in the air. She blinked, a fog descending on her sight and covering her senses in cotton. The warm air buffeted her, soaking her clothes in humidity and sweat. She blinked again, letting her eyes close a second longer to rest them and fell into darkness.

Kanoru woke up, or rather materialized, in a hazy cloud. She stood in a grassy field of wheat. The afternoon sun was hot and comfortably warming her skin. The woman sighed and smiled in the sunlight, her palms lightly brushing against the plump wheat. The feel of them woke a tiny nagging thought in the back of her mind, but she pushed it away and sat down to smell the rich earth. She smelled nothing and then realized she still had wax in her nose.

Why did she put wax in her nose in the first place?

“Kanoru!” Thick, muscular arms clad in rough cotton wrapped around her from behind and pulled her into an embrace. The deep baritone of the voice made her heart throb with surprise and longing.

“Beiron?” she gasped, barely daring to believe it, but there he was, smiling widely at her with his naively innocent grin. “How are you-? What’s going on? Aren’t you dead? Am I dead?”

He laughed and rubbed his nose against hers, holding her close. “Does it matter?” he asked, “I’ve been looking for you forever. Where’d you disappear to?”

“I…” She had no answer. Kanoru knew she must’ve been doing something important, but the thought eluded her. “I don’t know.”

He grinned wider. “Ah well, doesn’t matter. I’m just glad I found you again.”

“Beiron…” Tears welled up involuntarily. She looked past him to the wheat and felt unsettled again. She whipped her head around and looked out onto the landscape, realizing how it was completely unfamiliar, but eerily recognizable. “Are you sure we aren’t dead?”

“What? No,” he laughed out loud, filling the air with deep, barking tones. “We’re not dead yet, my flower of the desert.”

“But-!” Kanoru was interrupted by small hands grasping her tunic. She turned to see large golden eyes staring up at her. Her breath caught in her chest as the toddle crawled into her lap. “N… Nieru?”

“There. Is that proof enough that we’re not dead?”

“I… something isn’t right,” she said, shaking her head.

“Kanoru, relax,” he said soothingly, pulling her back into his arms as the girl settled into her lap. She closed her eyes and felt his chest rise and fall underneath her, but something was still nagging at her in the pit of her stomach.

“Something’s wrong. I just know it.”

“Kanoru, isn’t this what you wanted.”

“What?”

“Isn’t this what you want? To be together? To be happy, to not be alone?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Then just relax and enjoy it.” He squeezed her shoulder and kissed her jaw. “You’re worrying me with this crazy talk about dying and not being right. This is just right.

Crazy? CrazyHorse! Kanoru sat up straight and felt like throwing up.

“Kanoru?”

She turned and looked at the man next to her and her heart nearly broke to think he wasn’t real.

“Beiron…”

“Yes?”

She took a deep breath and steeled herself. “You’re not real.”

“What are you talking about? Of course I am!”

“No… no you’re not. You’re dead. You’ve been dead for a while.” She tore her eyes away and looked out to the blue horizon. “This isn’t real either. It’s from my mind, though, isn’t it? And you,” she said, bending her head down to look at Nieru, “You’re not real. And you’re not mine. You belong to the Sand Goddess and I have no claim over you.” Kanoru stood, letting the toddler tumble to the ground.

“What are you doing?” Beiron stood and grabbed her shoulders.

“You really want to prove to me that you’re real?” Her voice shook, her strength crumbling.

“Yes! Anything!”

“What would you do if I lost another child? What would you do if we failed to have a child?”

He was silent for a few moments, the pleasant breeze flowing between them growing more annoying and seemingly more fake as the seconds passed.

“I would be sad, but I would make sure I took care of you. I wouldn’t leave you.”

“No,” Kanoru shook her head and buried her face in her hands. “No you wouldn’t. That’s what I want you to do. But you would leave me, just like every other time. You’ll disappear to Goddesses know where and leave me alone to deal with everything. You’re as real as my desire for you to be real.”

“No! I’m real! Listen to me! Stop this!” Beiron shook her, but even then, she didn’t really feel it as much as she knew she should.

“Even though you’re not the real Beiron, I feel I should tell you this.” Kanoru sighed and kept her eyes closed. “I used to think about you every day. I used to wish we’d never gone to the field that day. But… I’ve moved on, as I’m sure your spirit has. I have a great responsibility now, something more important than our happy, though weak, marriage was. And if you were really Beiron, you’d be telling me to get back to saving Hyrule instead of sitting around here with you.”

The illusion shattered around her like glass against stone. Kanoru opened her eyes to see darkness and the mother pod. She looked around and saw a crowd of people standing with her. Spirits with vacant expressions of false joy flickered in and out of view, even Aji and Tel stood among them. Looking down, the redhead saw her own body on the floor, slowly being consumed by the moss.

“NO!” she screamed and in rage, moved forward to kill the plant. All heads turned toward her, the anger of the plant reflected in their faces as they drifted closer. Her arms passed right through the pod as she tried to deal damage. Spirit arms grasped her and pulled her back, restraining her movements. The pod slowly unfurled its thick petals, the center where a stamen normally would be was a mouth that emitted darkness. It sucked in light and consumed the flickering souls unlucky enough to be in range.

Fear seized Kanoru as she was brought closer to the dark mouth. In a desperate lashing, she freed herself from the controlled ghosts and reached for her body. In a sickening heave like vomiting upside down and backwards, Kanoru woke, the air suffocating and thick with pollen. She heaved and her meager stomach contents stung her nose and throat as she vomited. Coughing and doing her best to hold her breath, she grabbed her scimitar and felt her way to the plant, cutting her legs and clothes free of the moss. She could no longer see the gaping mouth that ate souls, but the petals were unfurled, spewing more pollen than ever. She felt her head getting fuzzier from not breathing and in a last summation of her remaining strength, Kanoru drove her sword through the center of the pod to the hilt. Blue hissing juices spurted out and washed over her arms, spraying into the air. It burned, searing her skin painfully, but Kanoru didn’t care. She fell back and let herself fall asleep to escape the pain.

“Kanoru, Kanoru! Wake up!” Aji and Tel were kneeling over her, lightly shaking her and slapping her face.

“Nnnnngh..” she groaned and struggled to get up. She hissed and curled up, falling back down to the ground. Pain exploded over her body and seemed to cut deep into her bones.

“Drink this,” a hand lifted her head and she felt cool glass pushed against her lips. She coughed as warm liquid rushed down her throat, instantly soothing the pain and stinging as it repaired her injuries. Her vision cleared and she shakily sat up.

“Thanks,” she said, shuddering. They both looked relieved and Kanoru could only guess at what she must have looked liked as she watched the burns on her hands mend. The light from the lantern cheerily flickered in the room, now covered in burnt, shriveled plant carcass. White bone and metal poked out occasionally from underneath the remains. The remnants of the mother pod sat in a black and brown heap, still hissing as it died. “Are you two alright?” she asked, only able to guess at what the plant must have showed them when they fell under its spell. They nodded and looked back to the room.

“What a waste,” Aji commented, rubbing at her eyes. “Another dead end.”

Kanoru stood and walked over to the plant where she retrieved her swords. She looked down at the corpse before kicking it in anger. The black husk crumbled and folded in on itself, revealing a hole in the floor.

“What’s this?” Tel asked, coming up behind her. A soft glow radiated up into the chamber. “I’ll go down first,” he offered, swinging his legs over the ledge and grasping the thick roots weaving in and out of the hard earth.

Before either could object, he disappeared down the hole, landing what Kanoru guessed to be some 40ft down by the sound of his landing. Silence stilled the air as they waited, the woman and girl ready to take action if there proved to be danger.

“Tel?” Aji called down, cupping her hands around her mouth as she called. “What’s going on?”

A faint, indistinguishable shout echoed up. They both grabbed a root and started climbing when they realized the shouting was triumphant, not alarmed.

“They’re here!” His voice brokenly floated up. “The seeds are down here!”

Kanoru tapped Aji’s shoulder as she continued climbing down. “Go back to the cart, let your mother know what happened. Or not…” She shrugged. “That’s up to you. Get red potions for yourself and Tel. And don’t forget the seed bags. I’ll go down and help him gather them.”

The young hylian nodded and went back to the entrance. The Gerudo finished climbing down and landed on the rock face that protruded from soft, marshy earth. The gentler glow of blue flowers lit the cavern. Tell had already jumped down and was sifting through a patch for the seeds.

“Looks like your oracle was right, though I wish she could have directed us somewhere less dangerous,” he joked, pulling closed a small drawstring back already filled with the small grains.

“Yeah,” Kanoru replied and looked up to the hole where Aji could be seen climbing down. A chill climbed her spine despite the warmth. Someone still was going to die. The idea put her on edge. “I think the Deku Baba and that… plant were either put here on purpose to guard the place, or they were attracted to the warmth and good soil. It’s unusually warm for winter in here.” She sheathed her scimitar and took the empty bags from Aji as the girl came down. Mika and Zyra followed, not to miss the sight.

“Mm,” Tel grunted his agreement. “Someone obviously didn’t want this place disturbed.”

They were all silent, contemplating the heaviness of the words as they gathered seeds. Kanoru volunteered to carry bags up to the cart first. She thanked CrazyHorse while she was up there and gave him an apple from one of the saddlebags. When she came back down to the cavern, she was amazed with how deep the field ran, disappearing from sight as it curved out of sight.

“I’ll take the next one up,” Tel volunteered, taking the bag Mika was tying up. Kanoru stepped down and removed her gloves to gather the seeds. By the end of the task they’d gathered to fill seven large bags and still not get very far in the cave.

“That should be enough to feed Hyrule during a famine,” Aji said brightly, “If these things are as great as those nobles say they are.”

Kanoru remained quiet until the seeds were loaded into the cart, secured and they started back, making a straight line for the pass to Hyrule field. The air soon chilled and everyone was once again huddled into their coats and scarves.

“I think,” she said slowly as she rode CrazyHorse alongside the oxen, “we shouldn’t let anyone know where we found the seeds. At least until we know what’s really going on here. I just… I can’t shake this feeling…”

“Sounds good,” Tel said, gently guiding the oxen with the reins. “Are we all agreed to keep this a secret?” Aji, Mika and Zyra nodded solemnly. The next few hours were spent in silence as they traveled. The snow had melted for the most part, making the trip significantly faster, but no one felt like talking even though the going was easier. To Kanoru, they seemed to be making less progress with every half hour ticking away. The group had just made it past Lon Lon Ranch when Zyra and Aji both collapsed. When they were examined, red scarring was discovered under their clothes.

“What is this?” Mika asked, growing worried. One of the oxen let out a pitiful moan and laid down in the snow. Red rashes were discovered everywhere. Kanoru felt her heart sink to her toes as she checked CrazyHorse for any kind of similar affliction. Only he seemed unaffected.

“Red vapor,” Kanoru murmured. “We’ve been poisoned! I’ll get help!” She turned CrazyHorse and urged him into a gallop, letting him have his head as they flew over snow to Castletown. She chastised herself for not noticing sooner. She could feel her heart thrumming in her ears as she encouraged the horse to go faster. She could feel the effect pressing in on her, sweat and puss stinging underneath the friction of her clothes.

The Castletown gates soared into view, and by the time they passed over the moat and into the middle of the market, Kanoru was burning with heat and shaking all over. She couldn’t see or comprehend where she was, but she knew there were people.

“Please!” she screamed, sliding to the ground and collapsing on her weak legs. “Cart. Hyrule Fields. Poison. Please…” she could hear voices around her and prayed to the goddesses that they would make it despite how long the vapors had been killing them. She smelled warm, damp earth as a cool hand laid on her forehead and a voice light and kind cut through the jumbled confusion of her mind.

“I told you to be careful,” it said, more like a chorus of three voices in her mind, though she was sure she only heard a singular voice speaking to her. “The red vapor is deadly, but you will survive. You’re still needed.”

Then there was black.

The days spent healing were slow and agonizing. She was aware of her team being somewhere in the same ward, but they left much sooner than she did. The little that she was able to remember was incredible thirst, searing pain, and the uncomfortable heat of blankets piled on top of her, making her sweat and everything stick to her so that on many occasions she felt she was in a straitjacket as she struggled to pull free. Every night, she remembered a woman sitting at her side, the nurses passing by as if they couldn’t see her. She patted the top quilt sympathetically before standing to leave and saying, “Don’t worry daughter of Sand and Fire, your purpose has not yet been fulfilled.” Her voice was full of life and had the force of a gale. Even as she questioned her sanity, she did not question the woman’s authority or the powerful aura she felt when she visited.

“How are you feeling today?”

Kanoru cracked an eye open to see a physician sitting at her side, hands weakly clasped in his lap. He had a sad smile on and looked as if he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Am I dying?” she asked, wanting the bad news right away.

“Uh, well no. Thankfully. We were able to remove most of the poison the day you got here. You’ve been poison free for a couple days now.”

“Then why am I still here?”

He looked down at his feet and rocked in the chair.

“Truth be told, you’re recovering from something else. We had to perform a bit of… surgery on you. It went well, you should be back to full health by the end of the week, in time for the Winter Solstice in fact.”

“Doctor,” she interrupted, staring at the ceiling, hands clenched under the blanket. “Just tell me.”

“I, uh. Ma’am, did you know you were pregnant?”

“Yes.” The word was choked out.

“Well, the good news is that the infant absorbed the poison in your body and allowed you to survive. The bad news is that obviously, it couldn’t survive through the ordeal. It died in the womb and we had to remove it before it started killing you from the inside out.”

After a few moments of silence, the doctor reached out to touch her shoulder.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she raged, jerking back and slapping his hand away. She glared at him, needing a person to be angry at. “Get out of my sight!” she growled, voice cutting through the air like the edge of her blade. “I want my daughter’s ashes brought here to me as soon as possible! If I don’t have them by the end of the day I will kill you! NOW GO!” She screamed and as the doctor rushed from the room, her wails filled the room and burst through any seams it could find into the hall and rooms beyond. She screamed in mourning for hours until her voice was lost and exhaustion took over. Kanoru refused to eat, and only did so when the woman that visited her during the night chided her for acting so childish and demanded that she get well.

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So there ya go. Internet cookies if you actually read through all that. I'm sorry it's so long, but I couldn't resist giving a full narrative to the entry.

Hopefully the flowers actually look like flowers this time

Well, enjoy!

Description
Official entry for round 1 of HBT. Be warned: there's a lot of text.

Just in time. I hope y'all like it. The flatshaded pics will be replaced with the shaded versions.

Part 1: [link]
Part 2: [link]

Story:

*-*-*-*-*

“Team Green will be assigned to the Lost Woods and Gale Meadow. You will be asked to collect Gale Seeds, a small, blue seed. It is hard to miss, they radiate a soft, white glow, so they cannot be mistaken for other plants. Gale flowers grow in the most harsh of conditions, and bear fruit. If all else fails us, we will have these fruits to feed our children and elderly.”

It took them two days to travel to Gale meadows, partly because it was second farthest from the Castle, but mostly because of the snow. It stretched the journey to more than four times what it ought to have been. In Hyrule field, it was waist deep, which made the going slow and the complaints numerous.

A wagon of supplies and passengers were pulled by two thick, muscle-bound oxen since mules were too short and not hardy enough to plow through the wall of snow. Kanoru chose to ride a mount rather than sit huddled among the tired and cabin-feverish contestants. She sat astride CrazyHorse, Leoni’s speckled gelding that he entrusted to her care while he traveled to and in Zora’s domain. They plunged through snow drifts, carefully picking their way over the deceptive hills with the other mounted tourney-goers, trying to secure the safest and shallowest route to Gale Meadows.

When they made it to the pass, Kanoru, Aji, Mika, Tel and Zyra said goodbye to half their group, who tore across the frozen beach to the South. They would be searching the West side of Gale Meadows while Kanoru and her comrades combed the East. The other ten in their group had left for Koriko Forest to seek sanction from the Great Deku Tree to search the small village and surrounding maze of woods.

They spent several weeks tiredly trudging through snow with nothing to show for their efforts. More than once they had to seek shelter in cliff caves from blizzards, or turn back to a town a day’s journey behind to wait out a storm. Sometimes they had no choice but to burrow behind a snow bank and huddle with the animals to keep warm.

“Do you think these seeds really do what they say they do?” Aji asked one night as they sat around a small fire at the mouth of a cave. Tel and Zyra stayed towards the back of the cave with the oxen and CrazyHorse to dispatch any Keese or rats that might decide to make a meal of their steeds. Mika sat next to her, and Kanoru was sure she was regretting her decision to come to keep an eye on her adopted daughter. Not that she’d ever regret being here with her daughter, but the winter blizzards had a way of bringing down everyone’s spirits.

“Probably,” Kanoru said, bringing her knees up to her chest. Their thick woolen coats kept out most of the cold, but it still crept in through the layers. “I don’t think they’d send us chasing after these things if they weren’t important, and considering what they did with the Fire Temple, we all knew it would be a lot harder than we expected.” The other two women nodded and huddled closer, leaving Kanoru to her thoughts. The taste of stale bread and hard, frozen cheese still left a pungent after-taste in her mouth. She couldn’t help missing the soft beds of the tournament quarters and the warm food served from the kitchens. Most of all she missed Leoni. She was sure he would brighten the dreary, monotonous days with bright conversation and though Kanoru was sure she’d resist taking part in anything he suggested, she knew he’d eventually convince her and they’d all end up having a much better time finding the blasted seeds.

She felt the warmth and sting of tears threatening, so she dropped her head onto her knees to discreetly wipe them away. The Gerudo had become increasingly emotional over the past few weeks, and every time she gave herself time to think about it, a convoluted hurricane of emotions and thoughts swept over her. She was pregnant, of all things that was certain. She’d conceived enough to know the signs. She also knew who the father was. That wasn’t the problem, at least, not as much as wondering how he would react was, as well as the torture of keeping it a secret from her teammates. She’d already decided she would withdraw from the tournament once they got back. There was no reason to hamper them with her condition or the knowledge of it. What would happen after her withdrawal is what bothered her most. If Leoni was less than welcome to the idea of a child, she would return to Kakariko and go back to her life with her mother-in-law and raise her daughter alone, but…

Kanoru didn’t bother to try to stop the small fantasies of raising a family with Leoni, they usually crushed themselves. Every time she imagined telling him about it, his face was replaced with Beiron’s and she felt the same happiness she always did when his look of utter disbelief would work a crooked smile on his face and then… her fantasy would turn to nightmare and the same thing would repeat itself. Something would happen. She would lose the child. She’d fall down the stairs. It would be stillborn. And his crestfallen, disappointed look would cloud the whole house. He’d leave for weeks, not telling her where he’d gone, and come back like nothing had happened. Even though he’d be back, it would be emptier than when he was gone, and she’d feel more secluded, more alone.

Kanoru woke with a start, Tel’s gloved hand gently shaking her shoulder. The winter cold had worked its way to her bones.

“It’s your watch,” he whispered as he relit the fire and tried to stoke it since the wind had died down outside.

“Right.” The red-head got up and stretched, trying to warm her frozen fingers by flexing them to get the blood moving. She moved to the back of the cave where Zyra stood with the oxen and CrazyHorse. “I’m here to relieve you,” she said, tapping the bleary-eyed girl’s arm.

“Thanks,” she mumbled and made her way to the front. Though it was farther from the fire, it was warmer with the animals’ large bodies. The slight warmth made up for the smell.

“Good evening,” she murmured to the horse, rubbing his neck. “What do you think? I’ve already told you about the baby. What do you think Leoni will say?” The gelding gave no response to indicate he heard her. She smiled and rubbed his forelock.

In the town of Chinook, five weeks after arriving at Gale Meadows, Kanoru was walking CrazyHorse around the streets to warm him up before they set out. At least, that’s what she told her teammates. She stole away for a moment to see a midwife and make sure everything was okay. Thankfully, her layers kept the others from noticing that she was starting to show. Much longer in Gale Meadows though, and she’d have to excuse herself and leave without a formal withdrawal.

As they passed by a shivering potions master setting up his wares for the day, a weathered hand stretched out from the shadows and caught hold of Kanoru’s ankle. Her first instinct was to kick away the hand when she saw the old hag’s sagging face and wild eyes, but her words froze the ex-thief in the saddle.

“Seeds,” she wheezed, yellow and brown spittle flying from her mouth, her free hand weaving erratically through the air. “You seek the seeds.”

Kanoru couldn’t speak, glued to her seat and unable to so much as blink as the oracle continued, her heavy robes swaying, dancing almost methodically as she continued to waver her arms and speak.

“If you seek the seeds, then turn north less than an hour’s journey by horse and oxen. Inside a protective throng of Deku Baba lives a field of the seeds. Be careful of the red vapor. One of you will not survive it. You… you will be able to see through the trick when the illusion appears. It’s okay to respect the dead and immortal. A little fear is good sometimes.”

The woman stretched out her hand and rubbed CrazyHorse’s nose, who oddly did not seem to mind the woman’s presence at all. Now that her attention was not holding Kanoru captive, she noticed the crone, though old and wild, had young, vivid bright green eyes and smelled of warm, damp earth.

“Your friend will be your most important asset to secure your return. Listen to what he says,” she breathed, letting go of Kanoru’s boot, as if releasing whatever spell she’d thrown on her.

“Who-” Kanoru began, but a sudden wind struck up, throwing dirt into her eyes. When she’d rubbed and blinked the debris away, the woman was gone. The street was empty, save the potions master and other ware-sellers setting up their displays. The Gerudo twisted in the saddle to look around, but the woman was nowhere to be seen. As they continued their way back to the inn where their group was staying, the woman reflected on what the oracle said. There was a whole field of these seeds, apparently inside a nest of Deku Baba. Kanoru furrowed her brow as she thought about that part. Deku Baba hibernated in the winter like all perennial plants. She supposed that it meant the seeds could only be reached in the winter while the carnivorous plants slept, which would make finding the nest difficult. The rest of the words didn’t make much sense to her, other than the foreboding words that one of them would not be returning alive. She carefully reviewed all the old woman’s words, full well knowing what could happen when the warnings of future-seers were dismissed. She winced a bit, remembering a particular blunder on her account that resulted in a huge embarrassment to herself and some of her guildmates that could have easily been avoided if she’d listened to a seer. Though, she’d never had one disappear so suddenly or offer advice without asking for payment. The Gerudo had a sneaking suspicion the woman was layered in heavy magic.

At the rendezvous, Kanoru related the incident to the others. They agreed it was worth checking out, especially since they had no other tips to go on, and they set out North, deciding to leave Mika and Zyra with the supplies when they came to the nest.

Within the hour, they noticed the going was easier. Snow covered the ground less and less until only a light frost dusted the tall stalks of grass. When Kanoru and CrazyHorse came across the first Deku Baba, it sprang out of the grass so suddenly Kanoru was unseated when the gelding reared. The horse soundly thrashed the plant which withered away into the ground in a spray of red mist. He immediately bounded away from it and back to the cart.

Kanoru stood and dusted herself off, she was winded and her hip was sore from where she landed, but otherwise unhurt. Unsheathing her scimitars, she cautiously stepped forward and tested the ground. Plants sprouted from all sides, gnashing their “mouths” and spitting foul-smelling juices from their shell lips. They were unlike any other Deku Baba she’d ever encountered, large and strangely colored. She slew five in sprays of red before returning to the cart. The vapors clung to her skin and clothes, stinging slightly in a way that unsettled her.

“The nest,” Tel affirmed from his seat on the cart. Tel, Aji and Kanoru shouldered small packs and headed back into the fray.

“I think this is the red vapors,” Aji commented and she jumped back from a red spray of mist. They avoided it as best as they could, but with all that hung in the air like a foul-tasting ash, even Mika and Zyra who sat at a distance felt the sting. The fight to the center was long only because of the number of Deku Baba they had to kill to clear a wide path. Inside the ring of plants it was much warmer and strong gusts of scented heat emanated from the boulders. As they walked closer, Kanoru noticed the gelding prancing along an invisible perimeter, whinnying and snorting. He tossed his head and pawed the ground, refusing to get any closer. Kanoru had never seen him be so clear in his communication, she motioned for the others to stop.

“What is it?” Aji asked, eyes darting about as if she expected another enemy to appear.

“I think we should wait,” the Gerudo cautioned, but even as she said the words, she could feel her anxiety and adrenaline ebbing away.

“I agree,” Tel said hesitatingly, as if he really wanted to keep going towards the boulders nestled at the center of the waves of heat. Why are we so worried? Kanoru thought, it was only a few rocks.

“Let me just get CrazyHorse. He seems nervous,” she said and walked back to the animal. “C’mon you.” She took his reins and began walking back to the other two. The speckled gray tossed his head again and backed up. The colder air slowly cleared Kanoru’s senses, as if her mind has been smothered by a thick quilt. The hair of the back of her neck raised up and her adrenaline came rushing back as she realized what happened.

“Tel! Aji!” she called, but when she turned, the two had disappeared. Her own swords lay discarded in the grass with Aji’s spear where they’d been standing. How did that happen? Kanoru turned back to CrazyHorse and patted his neck. “Thanks,” she whispered before pulling off her winter layers and stuffing them into saddle bags. She shivered, but it helped her think. She took out half her supplies, leaving herself a handful of potions, her quiver and bow, a lantern, and wax that she wadded and stuffed into her nostrils. Wasting no time, the ex-thief ran for the boulders, scooping up her scimitars on the way. Between the hulking gray rocks lay an opening that led into the earth. She didn’t hesitate as she jumped down, screaming her companions’ names.

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Her feet hit moss. She bent her knees to absorb the impact and fell forward onto her hands. The growth was deep, spongy and wet. The air swirled around in wafts and even with her nose stuffed up, she could still smell the strong scent. Fragments of skull and bone lay amid decaying cloth and rusted metal. That should worry her… right? Kanoru shook her head violently and looked around the room she’d landed in, lighting her lantern. It was circular, with no tunnels leading out. Bodies lay strewn about, covered in moss that ever so slowly moved over them. Or was that just the heat? Aji and Tel lay some ten feet ahead of her. The redheaded woman rushed to their side and checked for a pulse. They breathed shallowly with tendrils of roots weakly clutching their skin and hair. Tiny pods unfurled and puffed out clouds of golden, scented pollen. All at once Kanoru felt herself reeling. She fell forward on the moss and closed her heavy eyelids.

“Ow!” she winced and bolted back up, her head groggy and muffled, but a small twinge of pain kept her awake. Her scimitar, clumsily left blade up as she fell forward had cut through her shirt and bit into her right side. “Pain…” the solution was quickly slipping from her as she closed her eyes again. Using all her willpower, Kanoru pressed the sword to her side again, the cut rooting her mind to her body. She extracted an arrow from her quiver and cut into her shoulder. She looked around wildly while the pain lasted. A large mother pod sat nestled at the center of the room, slowly belching huge amounts of the pollen into the thick air. She struggled to her feet and stumbled to the plant, her boots growing heavier with every step she took. She kneeled, sword in hand as she prepared to spear the plant. Just as she began lifting the hilt above her head, the pores of the plant blew a cloud of pollen in the air. She blinked, a fog descending on her sight and covering her senses in cotton. The warm air buffeted her, soaking her clothes in humidity and sweat. She blinked again, letting her eyes close a second longer to rest them and fell into darkness.

Kanoru woke up, or rather materialized, in a hazy cloud. She stood in a grassy field of wheat. The afternoon sun was hot and comfortably warming her skin. The woman sighed and smiled in the sunlight, her palms lightly brushing against the plump wheat. The feel of them woke a tiny nagging thought in the back of her mind, but she pushed it away and sat down to smell the rich earth. She smelled nothing and then realized she still had wax in her nose.

Why did she put wax in her nose in the first place?

“Kanoru!” Thick, muscular arms clad in rough cotton wrapped around her from behind and pulled her into an embrace. The deep baritone of the voice made her heart throb with surprise and longing.

“Beiron?” she gasped, barely daring to believe it, but there he was, smiling widely at her with his naively innocent grin. “How are you-? What’s going on? Aren’t you dead? Am I dead?”

He laughed and rubbed his nose against hers, holding her close. “Does it matter?” he asked, “I’ve been looking for you forever. Where’d you disappear to?”

“I…” She had no answer. Kanoru knew she must’ve been doing something important, but the thought eluded her. “I don’t know.”

He grinned wider. “Ah well, doesn’t matter. I’m just glad I found you again.”

“Beiron…” Tears welled up involuntarily. She looked past him to the wheat and felt unsettled again. She whipped her head around and looked out onto the landscape, realizing how it was completely unfamiliar, but eerily recognizable. “Are you sure we aren’t dead?”

“What? No,” he laughed out loud, filling the air with deep, barking tones. “We’re not dead yet, my flower of the desert.”

“But-!” Kanoru was interrupted by small hands grasping her tunic. She turned to see large golden eyes staring up at her. Her breath caught in her chest as the toddle crawled into her lap. “N… Nieru?”

“There. Is that proof enough that we’re not dead?”

“I… something isn’t right,” she said, shaking her head.

“Kanoru, relax,” he said soothingly, pulling her back into his arms as the girl settled into her lap. She closed her eyes and felt his chest rise and fall underneath her, but something was still nagging at her in the pit of her stomach.

“Something’s wrong. I just know it.”

“Kanoru, isn’t this what you wanted.”

“What?”

“Isn’t this what you want? To be together? To be happy, to not be alone?”

“Well, yes, but-”

“Then just relax and enjoy it.” He squeezed her shoulder and kissed her jaw. “You’re worrying me with this crazy talk about dying and not being right. This is just right.

Crazy? CrazyHorse! Kanoru sat up straight and felt like throwing up.

“Kanoru?”

She turned and looked at the man next to her and her heart nearly broke to think he wasn’t real.

“Beiron…”

“Yes?”

She took a deep breath and steeled herself. “You’re not real.”

“What are you talking about? Of course I am!”

“No… no you’re not. You’re dead. You’ve been dead for a while.” She tore her eyes away and looked out to the blue horizon. “This isn’t real either. It’s from my mind, though, isn’t it? And you,” she said, bending her head down to look at Nieru, “You’re not real. And you’re not mine. You belong to the Sand Goddess and I have no claim over you.” Kanoru stood, letting the toddler tumble to the ground.

“What are you doing?” Beiron stood and grabbed her shoulders.

“You really want to prove to me that you’re real?” Her voice shook, her strength crumbling.

“Yes! Anything!”

“What would you do if I lost another child? What would you do if we failed to have a child?”

He was silent for a few moments, the pleasant breeze flowing between them growing more annoying and seemingly more fake as the seconds passed.

“I would be sad, but I would make sure I took care of you. I wouldn’t leave you.”

“No,” Kanoru shook her head and buried her face in her hands. “No you wouldn’t. That’s what I want you to do. But you would leave me, just like every other time. You’ll disappear to Goddesses know where and leave me alone to deal with everything. You’re as real as my desire for you to be real.”

“No! I’m real! Listen to me! Stop this!” Beiron shook her, but even then, she didn’t really feel it as much as she knew she should.

“Even though you’re not the real Beiron, I feel I should tell you this.” Kanoru sighed and kept her eyes closed. “I used to think about you every day. I used to wish we’d never gone to the field that day. But… I’ve moved on, as I’m sure your spirit has. I have a great responsibility now, something more important than our happy, though weak, marriage was. And if you were really Beiron, you’d be telling me to get back to saving Hyrule instead of sitting around here with you.”

The illusion shattered around her like glass against stone. Kanoru opened her eyes to see darkness and the mother pod. She looked around and saw a crowd of people standing with her. Spirits with vacant expressions of false joy flickered in and out of view, even Aji and Tel stood among them. Looking down, the redhead saw her own body on the floor, slowly being consumed by the moss.

“NO!” she screamed and in rage, moved forward to kill the plant. All heads turned toward her, the anger of the plant reflected in their faces as they drifted closer. Her arms passed right through the pod as she tried to deal damage. Spirit arms grasped her and pulled her back, restraining her movements. The pod slowly unfurled its thick petals, the center where a stamen normally would be was a mouth that emitted darkness. It sucked in light and consumed the flickering souls unlucky enough to be in range.

Fear seized Kanoru as she was brought closer to the dark mouth. In a desperate lashing, she freed herself from the controlled ghosts and reached for her body. In a sickening heave like vomiting upside down and backwards, Kanoru woke, the air suffocating and thick with pollen. She heaved and her meager stomach contents stung her nose and throat as she vomited. Coughing and doing her best to hold her breath, she grabbed her scimitar and felt her way to the plant, cutting her legs and clothes free of the moss. She could no longer see the gaping mouth that ate souls, but the petals were unfurled, spewing more pollen than ever. She felt her head getting fuzzier from not breathing and in a last summation of her remaining strength, Kanoru drove her sword through the center of the pod to the hilt. Blue hissing juices spurted out and washed over her arms, spraying into the air. It burned, searing her skin painfully, but Kanoru didn’t care. She fell back and let herself fall asleep to escape the pain.

“Kanoru, Kanoru! Wake up!” Aji and Tel were kneeling over her, lightly shaking her and slapping her face.

“Nnnnngh..” she groaned and struggled to get up. She hissed and curled up, falling back down to the ground. Pain exploded over her body and seemed to cut deep into her bones.

“Drink this,” a hand lifted her head and she felt cool glass pushed against her lips. She coughed as warm liquid rushed down her throat, instantly soothing the pain and stinging as it repaired her injuries. Her vision cleared and she shakily sat up.

“Thanks,” she said, shuddering. They both looked relieved and Kanoru could only guess at what she must have looked liked as she watched the burns on her hands mend. The light from the lantern cheerily flickered in the room, now covered in burnt, shriveled plant carcass. White bone and metal poked out occasionally from underneath the remains. The remnants of the mother pod sat in a black and brown heap, still hissing as it died. “Are you two alright?” she asked, only able to guess at what the plant must have showed them when they fell under its spell. They nodded and looked back to the room.

“What a waste,” Aji commented, rubbing at her eyes. “Another dead end.”

Kanoru stood and walked over to the plant where she retrieved her swords. She looked down at the corpse before kicking it in anger. The black husk crumbled and folded in on itself, revealing a hole in the floor.

“What’s this?” Tel asked, coming up behind her. A soft glow radiated up into the chamber. “I’ll go down first,” he offered, swinging his legs over the ledge and grasping the thick roots weaving in and out of the hard earth.

Before either could object, he disappeared down the hole, landing what Kanoru guessed to be some 40ft down by the sound of his landing. Silence stilled the air as they waited, the woman and girl ready to take action if there proved to be danger.

“Tel?” Aji called down, cupping her hands around her mouth as she called. “What’s going on?”

A faint, indistinguishable shout echoed up. They both grabbed a root and started climbing when they realized the shouting was triumphant, not alarmed.

“They’re here!” His voice brokenly floated up. “The seeds are down here!”

Kanoru tapped Aji’s shoulder as she continued climbing down. “Go back to the cart, let your mother know what happened. Or not…” She shrugged. “That’s up to you. Get red potions for yourself and Tel. And don’t forget the seed bags. I’ll go down and help him gather them.”

The young hylian nodded and went back to the entrance. The Gerudo finished climbing down and landed on the rock face that protruded from soft, marshy earth. The gentler glow of blue flowers lit the cavern. Tell had already jumped down and was sifting through a patch for the seeds.

“Looks like your oracle was right, though I wish she could have directed us somewhere less dangerous,” he joked, pulling closed a small drawstring back already filled with the small grains.

“Yeah,” Kanoru replied and looked up to the hole where Aji could be seen climbing down. A chill climbed her spine despite the warmth. Someone still was going to die. The idea put her on edge. “I think the Deku Baba and that… plant were either put here on purpose to guard the place, or they were attracted to the warmth and good soil. It’s unusually warm for winter in here.” She sheathed her scimitar and took the empty bags from Aji as the girl came down. Mika and Zyra followed, not to miss the sight.

“Mm,” Tel grunted his agreement. “Someone obviously didn’t want this place disturbed.”

They were all silent, contemplating the heaviness of the words as they gathered seeds. Kanoru volunteered to carry bags up to the cart first. She thanked CrazyHorse while she was up there and gave him an apple from one of the saddlebags. When she came back down to the cavern, she was amazed with how deep the field ran, disappearing from sight as it curved out of sight.

“I’ll take the next one up,” Tel volunteered, taking the bag Mika was tying up. Kanoru stepped down and removed her gloves to gather the seeds. By the end of the task they’d gathered to fill seven large bags and still not get very far in the cave.

“That should be enough to feed Hyrule during a famine,” Aji said brightly, “If these things are as great as those nobles say they are.”

Kanoru remained quiet until the seeds were loaded into the cart, secured and they started back, making a straight line for the pass to Hyrule field. The air soon chilled and everyone was once again huddled into their coats and scarves.

“I think,” she said slowly as she rode CrazyHorse alongside the oxen, “we shouldn’t let anyone know where we found the seeds. At least until we know what’s really going on here. I just… I can’t shake this feeling…”

“Sounds good,” Tel said, gently guiding the oxen with the reins. “Are we all agreed to keep this a secret?” Aji, Mika and Zyra nodded solemnly. The next few hours were spent in silence as they traveled. The snow had melted for the most part, making the trip significantly faster, but no one felt like talking even though the going was easier. To Kanoru, they seemed to be making less progress with every half hour ticking away. The group had just made it past Lon Lon Ranch when Zyra and Aji both collapsed. When they were examined, red scarring was discovered under their clothes.

“What is this?” Mika asked, growing worried. One of the oxen let out a pitiful moan and laid down in the snow. Red rashes were discovered everywhere. Kanoru felt her heart sink to her toes as she checked CrazyHorse for any kind of similar affliction. Only he seemed unaffected.

“Red vapor,” Kanoru murmured. “We’ve been poisoned! I’ll get help!” She turned CrazyHorse and urged him into a gallop, letting him have his head as they flew over snow to Castletown. She chastised herself for not noticing sooner. She could feel her heart thrumming in her ears as she encouraged the horse to go faster. She could feel the effect pressing in on her, sweat and puss stinging underneath the friction of her clothes.

The Castletown gates soared into view, and by the time they passed over the moat and into the middle of the market, Kanoru was burning with heat and shaking all over. She couldn’t see or comprehend where she was, but she knew there were people.

“Please!” she screamed, sliding to the ground and collapsing on her weak legs. “Cart. Hyrule Fields. Poison. Please…” she could hear voices around her and prayed to the goddesses that they would make it despite how long the vapors had been killing them. She smelled warm, damp earth as a cool hand laid on her forehead and a voice light and kind cut through the jumbled confusion of her mind.

“I told you to be careful,” it said, more like a chorus of three voices in her mind, though she was sure she only heard a singular voice speaking to her. “The red vapor is deadly, but you will survive. You’re still needed.”

Then there was black.

The days spent healing were slow and agonizing. She was aware of her team being somewhere in the same ward, but they left much sooner than she did. The little that she was able to remember was incredible thirst, searing pain, and the uncomfortable heat of blankets piled on top of her, making her sweat and everything stick to her so that on many occasions she felt she was in a straitjacket as she struggled to pull free. Every night, she remembered a woman sitting at her side, the nurses passing by as if they couldn’t see her. She patted the top quilt sympathetically before standing to leave and saying, “Don’t worry daughter of Sand and Fire, your purpose has not yet been fulfilled.” Her voice was full of life and had the force of a gale. Even as she questioned her sanity, she did not question the woman’s authority or the powerful aura she felt when she visited.

“How are you feeling today?”

Kanoru cracked an eye open to see a physician sitting at her side, hands weakly clasped in his lap. He had a sad smile on and looked as if he’d rather be anywhere else.

“Am I dying?” she asked, wanting the bad news right away.

“Uh, well no. Thankfully. We were able to remove most of the poison the day you got here. You’ve been poison free for a couple days now.”

“Then why am I still here?”

He looked down at his feet and rocked in the chair.

“Truth be told, you’re recovering from something else. We had to perform a bit of… surgery on you. It went well, you should be back to full health by the end of the week, in time for the Winter Solstice in fact.”

“Doctor,” she interrupted, staring at the ceiling, hands clenched under the blanket. “Just tell me.”

“I, uh. Ma’am, did you know you were pregnant?”

“Yes.” The word was choked out.

“Well, the good news is that the infant absorbed the poison in your body and allowed you to survive. The bad news is that obviously, it couldn’t survive through the ordeal. It died in the womb and we had to remove it before it started killing you from the inside out.”

After a few moments of silence, the doctor reached out to touch her shoulder.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she raged, jerking back and slapping his hand away. She glared at him, needing a person to be angry at. “Get out of my sight!” she growled, voice cutting through the air like the edge of her blade. “I want my daughter’s ashes brought here to me as soon as possible! If I don’t have them by the end of the day I will kill you! NOW GO!” She screamed and as the doctor rushed from the room, her wails filled the room and burst through any seams it could find into the hall and rooms beyond. She screamed in mourning for hours until her voice was lost and exhaustion took over. Kanoru refused to eat, and only did so when the woman that visited her during the night chided her for acting so childish and demanded that she get well.

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So there ya go. Internet cookies if you actually read through all that. I'm sorry it's so long, but I couldn't resist giving a full narrative to the entry.

Hopefully the flowers actually look like flowers this time

Well, enjoy!