#;impatag

[tenebriism]

@herosway ;; cont. from here -

THE PRECISE MOMENT she had heard the urgent call for help, she'd been on her feet and out into the scalding sands before her right hand guard could even REACT. When it came to her people -- formidable and capable, though they were, even WITHOUT her -- nothing else mattered in the moment. A true leader did not HESITATE when summoned, even should a threat RISE, one day, that could bring an end to Hyrule itself. If Urbosa could save one, two, a COMMUNITY of people, even at the cost of her OWN life, then she WOULD.

Perhaps Impa had sensed her displeasure. Tucked away behind a crumbled structure half swallowed by the sands, a crucial moment seized to catch their breaths and tend to what wounds they could before making the trip back, Urbosa had stepped some distance away with her back purposely turned, and her arms folded over her chest, verdant eyes locked on the sandy horizon.

Deep in thought, but when was a perpetually troubled woman NOT ?

" . . . " She does not answer Impa, at first. Not out of rudeness, not because she hadn't heard her, but simply because Urbosa does not know HOW to feel. Impa is strong, with a natural ability to lead and command, as well; something her and Urbosa have in common. That Urbosa had worried for her was not because she doubted the Sheikah could handle herself, but rather, this was UNKNOWN TERRITORY to the newcomer. Impa was still finding her place here in one of the harshest terrains in all of Hyrule, so to take her out into this deadly territory without the Chief's approval ?

" While I appreciate you attempting to lighten the inevitable consequences of my guardswomen's actions, I do not condone acting without, at least, letting me know first. I do not like not knowing things, Impa. You, as a leader, should understand that I cannot simply brush this under the rug. " Now, she turns to face Impa, and there's a level of vulnerability there that Urbosa does not oft exhibit in front of others. The way her eyes seem to flicker towards different parts of Impa's body, it's obvious she's still looking for wounds . . . making sure, SOLIDIFYING in her mind, that Impa, truly, is okay.

" If something had happened to you, all due to a careless mistake on my people's behalf . . . it's an unforgivable reflection on my ability as Chief. "

[tenebriism]

( herosway Impa to Midna ) "take me"

A Lil Sinday Fun - [ ACCEPTING ] ;;

It's been... weeks. Their last discussion had been nothing less than awkward and tense, causing a terrible RIFT to form and linger betwixt them. She hadn't MEANT to upset or offend Impa--- the arrangement, to Midna, wouldn't have been strictly political and hadn't been posed with such intent, but it is not as if she'd made her feelings KNOWN prior to that beyond playfully teasing remarks. How, then, would Impa have known that the spontaneous offer to be one another's date was not SOLELY to snag the Twilight Princess a swift ticket out of her unwanted obligations?

... but, then, explaining herself would have risked making matters worse, and so, she hadn't. She'd let the rift form, let it widen and fester, and had been the ' good, obedient princess with a kingdom to prioritize ' that the council had wanted her to be all along, even if it meant sitting through so many agonizingly BORING courting traditions.

None of them care about HER. They care about the crown, and ONLY the crown.

She can barely contain her impatience with this recent one. A plump little twili who she could likely squish beneath her heel with ease, feeding his own ego as if HE was above her. As if SHE would be lucky to have HIM. At least she's aware of her own insufferableness--- he, unfortunately, has his head so far up his rear end that Midna wonders if he's even looking at her, or if every thought that consumes him revolves around how GREAT he believes himself to be. The precise moment it comes to an end, she's rising from her throne and making haste for her bedroom, where she cannot be disturbed by anyone save for the ones permitted to enter.

Impa is one of few, as her knight, and even HER company seems like too much to bear right now.

" Enter. " The princess, dramatically draped atop her bed, heaves a sigh, and gestures for Impa to speak her piece. " If you are going to tell me I was rude for putting myself first and ESCAPING from the presence of that pitiful little man, do save it until my headache has gone away. I am not in the mood. " This feels like some sort of PUNISHMENT for hurting Impa's feelings... for toying around with another's heart just to save her own. She's been good, she's left Impa alone and done as she is told; what more do they want?

A beat passes, and no words from the wise come... or, perhaps Midna simply missed them. She's good at unintentionally drowning others out when she's in a bad mood, even if it may be seen as rude. Not once has she claimed to be a perfect, stuffy, mannerly woman, nor will she strive to be, but there's a REASON the crown is on her head and not another's. All must prove themselves, and she has, enough to where her ATTITUDE is hardly a shortcoming in comparison.

" What? You are silent, and I do not like it. Speak, Impa. " A shuffle of fabric, swift movement--- and then, a gasp, when the tinier woman is straddling her with a look Midna has never seen in that sharp, crimson gaze before.

" Take me. " " ... pardon me? "

Not that she's complaining, goodness no; there is much she already wishes to do, simply having Impa so close, but for once, she's putting her own selfish desires aside to see logic and reason. It doesn't keep her from settling her palms on either side of Impa's waist, to keep her steady, nor does it dissuade that look that warns something is STIRRING from meeting Impa's own gaze.

She has roughly 10 seconds to retract that statement before Midna does exactly what she has been told to do.

" I do not follow orders so easily. I am the princess, after all, " she whispers, running an adventurous palm against the vibrant, well loved and well worn blue of Impa's attire, " ... but yours, I might, if you tell me why. Why do you want me to take you? Is this to help ME forget something, or to help YOU forget something? Because if you must hear it from me, then I would choose, and take you, over every person that walks through that throne room door~ "

5 seconds...

" So, I ask again, why? " She likes the way the fabric hugs Impa's muscles... how it feels beneath her palms. Unfortunate that they're still getting past this ridiculous conflict... that THIS must be handled first before she can be given a hands on lesson on how to strip a Sheikah. It may be the first course she ever enjoys... and the first instructor who can keep her attention held all the way through.

2 seconds...

" ... and while you are at it... " She leans up, ghosting painted lips over the pointed tip of Impa's ear, " ... tell me how, too, hm~ ? You have taught me much since arriving. Teach me more, my lovely Sheikah knight~ "

@herosway ;;

[tenebriism]

(herosway Impa)

   “You want to learn to fight a Yiga?” The words are sharp, a bit annoyed, mostly because Urbosa has been more distant lately and she’s hating it. She finally dragged her out into the training grounds, with much effort and forced kidnapping by her own guards. It was an effort. She yanks his Giant Sword off of her bag and tosses it toward the ground, hearing the loud clatter as it hits the ground. She’s back in the Sheikah suit today, the comfort of the blue and her guards. There’s a Vicious Sickle strapped to her waist and against the wall was a Windcleaver against the wall where she had thrown her Giant Sword. 

   Impa hadn’t put on her guards today, her wrists were entirely bare, but her gaze was determined. “I know the magic they use, I know their fighting style, I know how they think and I know what they do. You want to fight one, you want to train, then come at me. But when we're through, if you don’t start talking to me, I’m leaving for Kakariko Village.” She doesn’t take the silence game well, it frustrates her. She expects Impa to talk to her, well, she expects the same. 

   No one understands her frustrations more than she does. Impa has been in her shoes before. 

   Shadow magic is tricky, it’s a complicated mistress much like the desert. Getting it to listen to you is difficult and continued use of it is exhausting. When Urbosa makes the first move, not nearly as strongly as she should, Impa vanishes from sight and reappears above her swinging the Sickle at Urbosa. She swings a kick to her hip, shoves her back and then vanishes from sight once again. 

   It’s an ongoing thing until Impa finally gets a hold of her and swings her down onto the ground. She’s straddling her waist, chest raising and falling quickly, sweat covering her entire body. She has her hands pinning her down, her face close to Urbosa’s own and she stares into her eyes. “You need to try. You need to hurt me. You need to use everything you have. Your lighting, your weapons, your strength.” She squeezes her shoulders slightly, Urbosa is very close and Impa swallows a lump in her throat. 

   “I don’t like when you close me out. It isn’t fair. I know you’re frustrated, I know you’re worried. But I’m right here and I’m more than willing to help you if you let me.” A shake of her head, her fingers curling into fists over top of Urbosa’s skin. “I can’t help you if you don’t let me and do you know how frustrating that is?” 

   She’s not an emotional person. She closes herself off and she knows that frustrates people too. But Urbosa has seen her rage, has seen her frustration, has seen her heart when she talks about Sheik. She’s seen every part of her and to shut her out the moment things get uncomfortable for Urbosa–it isn’t fair. 

   “How much further do I need to let you in before you realize I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to?”

SHE'S DISTRACTED, her head not all there, her focus scattered. It shows in the way she holds back, and how she hardly listens to the crucial lessons Impa is attempting to teach her. Rather backwards, and foolish of a LEADER, when she had been left with no other defenses to fight BACK against the Yiga, yet had been GIFTED the company and generosity of someone who knew how they fought, knew their weaknesses, knew how to salvage Gerudo Town from its downfall. Impa's words have been STATIC for weeks now, but she is the only one who has noticed that Urbosa had been in a slump at all.

To everyone else, the Gerudo Chief had put herself back together in her usual, RECORD time after the brush with death, and appeared ALRIGHT, if not a tad slowed down by her mending wounds. That's how she prefers it to be: for the internal, and eternal war within her head to remain caged and unknown to those around her. Yet, to someone like Impa, who knew how it felt to be addled with wars both internal AND external, it was futile to even attempt to mask it.

--- and now, here she lay on her backside, staring upwards into eyes with a fierceness she's never witnessed before. That Impa had managed to get her into this position speaks volumes of just how OUT OF IT she is--- it is, after all, no small feat to knock a woman of pure height and muscle onto her backside, with enough time to even straddle her before she's back up and retaliating. It's . . . annoying, but satisfying at the same time. Urbosa has only ever been put on her backside for one thing, and one thing only, and it was not during a fight. NEVER during a fight, until now.

She'll have to return the favor later, when Impa isn't scolding her for being an idiot.

" I . . . " How does she put into words what Impa likely already knows ? That ' asking for help ' simply isn't in her nature ? That she's used to simply stepping up and doing everything by herself, even if it means her own downfall ? Lady Urbosa doesn't like appearing anything synonymous with weak, vulnerable, or destructible. It matters little that her body and soul are mortal, and that she will pass away in some dozens of years from old age like many before and after her. She presses onwards and acts as if she IS immortal and indestructible, because it's all she knows.

It starts with a lump in her own throat. One that signals what is to come, unwanted though it may be. Then, then, her gaze blurs, and all that has burdened her shoulders for years upon years comes trickling down her sunkissed cheeks in the form of tears, descending atop the hot sands and fizzling away near immediately as if they'd never even existed. Wet, hot, but yet, with no sound to accompany them; though, they oft say that the silent cries are the heaviest and most needed.

Instead of hiding or running away this time, though, she simply curls her arms around Impa's body, and pulls the Sheikah down, holding her snug against her chest with a palm against the back of her head. Mayhap that is a lie--- it IS a means of hiding herself away, to some degree, so Impa cannot see the way her resolve gradually crumbles until her body trembles, naught more than the occasional sniffle heard over the background murmurs of an unaware town of Gerudo, but the way she holds Impa, tightly with no intentions of letting her go unless asked, it is telling of her desperation even without the Sheikah needing to see her face.

Help me . . . as the one thing holding me afloat, please help me . . .

[tenebriism]

(Herosway: Impa discovers Yiga & Angry Impa.)

“I am going to go kill them!”

“Lady Impa you are hurt!”

“Did someone fetch the chief from her meeting!?”

When Urbosa had said the Sheikah had changed, no one had told her what came with that. Which, apart from a repeat of her own history, was apparently what she just encountered today. Red suits, a reverse of their sacred tribe crest, a misuse and abuse of the magic they wield, an insult to everything she held sacred and she’s incredibly pissed off. It’s an anger no one has seen from her yet, a burning hatred that only gets worse because they caught her off guard.

She hadn’t expected an innocent traveler to be whatever that was, hadn’t expected them to be quick either. The gash in her hip is medable. What isn’t right now is the rage that crashes through her and the desire to gut every single one of them with her own blade. Make them beg for forgiveness. It was the mindset of a woman whose lived through several wars and was fiercely passionate about her Tribe. See—that, it makes her hate whatever Urbosa had meant when she warned her that the Sheikah are different.

The healers can’t keep their hands on her, it took effort to drag her back to Gerudo Town. They’re lucky she doesn’t know where exactly their hideout is, because nothing short of trapping her in a room would keep her from storming that place and laying waste to the entire thing. She knows the magic they use, she’s a master of it, better than they could ever be.

The door to the room opens and the hands grabbing at her are finally gone. She doesn’t need to look up to know why, and a bit of the fight does leave her. A second, the pass of a heartbeat, and they’re alone. They yanked this woman from a meeting, possibly an important one, and a bit of the anger settled. But not in a good way; into a crushing sadness. Torn between two very separate things.

Why is it always them. No matter how much they give, why do her people always suffer?

“I don’t understand.” What she saw, what happened, why it continues to happen. It does, genuinely, make her worried about what Kakariko Village is like. What the Sheikah are like now. Her heart aches for her people in a way it never had before. And she’s tired, very tired, from the stress and the emotional pain seeing that has put her through. It’s definitely for the best they hadn’t tried to explain it to her, she might not have believed them.

Impa breathed out harshly and leaned forward, pressing her forehead against Urbosa’s chest. Comfort, the steady beat of her heart. Her presence seems to be enough to quell the rest of the rage in her, and she feels a little ridiculous for her anger. She’s not usually the one to get worked up so heatedly, to get so emotional. Her hand reaches up and gently grasps Urbosa’s wrist, her thumb stroking along her pulse point in her grasp.

One breath in, two out. “I can’t believe I let them trick me.” Using their real form and changing into those ridiculous suits, it’s an annoying way around her eyes. Then to actually hurt her? The next one won’t escape with its life.

“At least tell me your meeting was boring.”

THIS WAS WHY Urbosa hadn't wanted Impa to EVER come across the Yiga, and why she had urged the Sheikah warrior to remain back in Gerudo Town whenever the scent of an impending attack became too thick upon the air to ignore. Yet, stubbornness and stubbornness oft but heads, and it was INEVITABLE that Impa, soon enough, would come across the one thing that might just ruin her swifter than the blazing sun. To know these are Impa's people they are forced to slaughter makes every victory to follow a bittersweet one, but at least Impa had not been there to bear WITNESS to the ongoing conflict . . . not until now.

When she is summoned from her meeting to handle a ' personal issue, ' she politely excuses herself and hastens to where they had escorted Impa. When she asks if Impa had been INJURED, and she's told it hadn't been anymore than usual, Urbosa is, admittedly, confused; why, then, had she been pulled if not to oversee Impa's recovery, as she had done before ? Have they not gotten PAST the mistrust ? Has Urbosa not made it CLEAR that Impa is to be seen, and treated, as one of their OWN now ? They're both too prideful to call upon the other for a couple minor scratches and scrapes.

" The Yiga . . . an ambush ? " That's all she needs to hear to understand, all she needs to brush on ahead so she's the first one in the room, even ahead of her guardswomen. Trusting them to keep each other safe, Urbosa's women pull the curtain closed to leave them in their desired privacy, and for once, instead of playful jabs and well meaning reprimands, there is sadness. Impa, for how CORRUPT her people have become in this era, and Urbosa, for how fiercely her heart ACHES to see Impa like this.

She pulls the warrior into an embrace, letting her tuck herself against the warmth and security of her body as much as Impa needs in this moment. " I know . . . " She whispers, running a palm against Impa's backside, hoping it offers even a small degree of comfort. As hard on herself and her guardswomen as she is, there is an unrivaled warmth to Urbosa that had earned her the trust of both her people, and most of Hyrule. She has no children to call her own, yet can guide and nurture just as a mother would when the moment calls for it. " To hear it by word . . . it is not enough to cement it as a belief. You had to see it for your own eyes. I only wish I had been there with you . . . "

Perhaps then, the trek back to town may have been less tense. Urbosa had heard Impa had been near inconsolable, understandably, going from the cool, collected Sheikah they had grown used to in her time here, to an explosion of ire strong enough to set the already blazing sands completely aflame.

" They have used faces of loved ones before . . . trusted companions, innocent people asking for help and taking advantage of the bleeding hearts of many here. It is cowardly and shameful, no matter the injustices they faced from the royal family. " That, in and of itself, was a different beast to tackle. There were rumors the Yiga were even looking into methods of bringing back a certain threat to Hyrule, but that, Urbosa would wisely keep to herself, for now. She needn't add more to Impa's plate.

She's been through enough wars; this one, should it happen, shouldn't hers to fight, even if Urbosa suspects she will thrust herself to the frontlines without hesitation regardless.

" . . . but, Impa . . . look at me. " Urbosa cups the Sheikah's chin, gently urging her to meet her gaze. " Do not let them serve as a reflection of the Sheikah clan as a whole. Though the royal family may have turned their backs on them, despite all they had done to help, there are many who remember and appreciate the amazing discoveries and advancements the Sheikah have made possible here in Hyrule. I want you to see the greatness they have manifested with your own eyes soon. " A smile, small yet genuine, before she pulls Impa back into her arms and against her chest. " And, yes, my meeting was boring, but even were it the most important meeting in all my years, I still would have left to come to your aid. Understand ? So worry not about my obligations; I am here, and will be, as long as you desire. "

[tenebriism]

(herosway Impa)

   “I wish you wouldn’t be so reckless.” There’s a phrase for that, the cat calling the kettle or something, since Impa was just as reckless as Urbosa was. Still though, she had gone out there with the Guardswomen and had gotten herself hurt. Impa, having heard that, had rushed out into the desert to drag her ass back to the Palace, even by her hair if she had to. Everything turned into a bit of a mess, as it tends to do with their reckless Chief, but now that they were in her room it seemed to have settled a little bit. 

   She had Urbosa settled down on the edge of her own bed, a pair of clothes had been picked out from her closet and were gently laid down beside her. Worry, a lot of worry, she can never seem to help it and that worry grew even more when seeing Urbosa get hurt. Impa was the best out of any of them when it came to ignoring an injury, brushing it off and doing whatever she had to in order to keep going, but she doesn’t like seeing Urbosa do it. Hypocritical, but she never claimed to not be.

   She moved a bit closer to Urbosa’s side and reached her hands up, gently brushing some hair from her face and pushing it behind her ear. She gives a small sigh as she plucks a stone from the thick locks, shaking her head slightly. “You are a mess, I never thought I would see the day where you let a single strand of hair fall out of place.” As teasing as it sounds she was quite serious too. But, Impa knew personally, that the strongest of warriors were not unshakable rocks. They were all people in the end, and people could be hurt, broken, torn down and ripped apart. 

   They could bleed, and they could die. 

   The healers had already looked her over, have patched and given her a potion. Still, Impa worries and she would rather see for her own eyes that Urbosa really was alright. “You should take a bath and get cleaned up.” 

SHE DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT that her pride had been harmed far more than her actual body. Physical wounds would heal with time, skin would mend itself with medicines and bandages, but the KNOWLEDGE that she had failed in battle . . . that she had ended up having to RELY on others just to drag her out of a situation she THOUGHT she had handled, is far more gruesome than a blade to the waist could ever be. Urbosa hates the looks of concern, the hovering, the whispers. The way she can HEAR her guards outside the door, whispering amongst themselves, because her ears are far too tuned into her surroundings to drown them out . . . it makes her feel nauseous. Makes her internally seethe, to the point her head begins to ache more from her own poor mood than the injuries themselves.

" If it's something even Lady Urbosa cannot handle--- " " Should we lay low ? Plan to SHELTER, should things worsen ? " " I am not sure. We should await Lady Urbosa's guidance, once she recovers. "

She doesn't want them to think that . . . to FEAR there is something she cannot handle. There is a REASON she had been chosen to lead the strongest group of warriors in all of Hyrule, and as it stands, she had done a terrible job of justifying it on this occasion.

" . . . tell me, Impa . . . " She starts, after several moments of silence even after the Sheikah had addressed her, " What could I have done differently in that moment ? The Yiga . . . they are learning. Evolving. Tactics that once guaranteed a victory now no longer work, and there is only so much training even my finest can suffer through. " She won't say the words . . . not explicitly, but it's reflected in the way she bows her head, ASHAMED, and curls her fingers into trembling fists atop her legs. She is, for once . . . at a complete loss.

And, goddesses, so tired. So very tired . . .

Her body protests with every little movement, but she refuses to sit here, stagnant. It's as if she must punish herself for this grave error, agitating her freshly patched wounds amidst her rise from the bed. Every foolish shift, every tiny steps, urges forth a hitch in breath or displeased groan, but still, she presses onwards until she's standing in front of her mirror, swaying. Staring. Noting the dirt in her hair, the broken jewelry . . . the look of a woman who had been chewed up and spit right back out. This isn't her . . . and she HATES it.

" Nevermind, I needn't an answer right this very moment. If you will excuse me, I believe a bath, and a few hours to myself, are just what I need to clear my head. " She doesn't want Impa to see her like this anymore than she already has, and Urbosa, too set in her ways, does not leave the window open to debate. It's slammed closed, clasped shut, and once more, Urbosa closes herself off, swallowing a cry for HELP that still felt like it was SUFFOCATING her.

[tenebriism]

(Herosway: Impa)

“I’m okay. I’m alright.” Her words don’t sound as convincing when she’s laying in Urbosa’s bed, but she’s making an effort while also trying to sit up. They’d had a bit of a spar, in the courtyard, and she had not been drinking enough water that day. Urbosa had been incredibly busy, with a lot of tasks, and when she’s away Impa does whatever menial tasks someone doesn’t want to do themselves. Just to keep herself busy. When Urbosa came back, wound up and needing to work off some stress, she had offered to spar.

They had made it several rounds in the training field before the sun had finally reached its peak against her and caught up with her. It was a single moment, a waver in her steps, and Urbosa’s scimitar had cut right along her right forearm and shoulder. She had hardly felt it, didn’t feel a bit of pain, and passed out.

Dehydration, to much sun exposure, things she had been doing good at avoiding. Better when Urbosa is around to remind her. Waking up in the woman’s bed with her sitting at her side was—not that comforting. Because she felt had, for adding more stress to her shoulders simply because the sun had been a bit to intense that day. Her shoulder had already been clean and bandaged, it didn’t even hurt but moving it definitely tugged at the wrapping.

Still, she gets herself sitting up and pushes her hair from her face. Urbosa had taken the bun out then, her hair was brushing along her shoulder blades. She doesn’t usually ever let it down, not unless she was bathing. Turning to face the woman she sighs softly.

“I’m sorry.” For passing out, for causing more stress, they all knew it was coming eventually. She’s held her own well in the desert, but eventually her recklessness and the sun would work together to take her out. She’s sure she gave Urbosa a fright.

SHE HAD BEEN CARELESS, and it would be some time yet before she managed to forgive herself. She should have been watching, should have been able to catch the signs BEFORE it had happened, or at the very least, should have STOPPED herself before the blade had met flesh. Yet, the moment felt like it had happened in slow motion, and verdant eyes had widened, seeing CRIMSON trickle from Impa's skin.

The icing on the cake ? She hadn't been quick enough to CATCH the Sheikah, either, before she'd fallen to the ground.

Urbosa doesn't ever remember sounding so panicked before, but her voice CRACKS as she calls for the guards and a healer. They're at Impa's side before Urbosa even has a chance to explain all that had occurred, and with caution and urgency, the unconscious woman is carried to Urbosa's sacred chambers, where she is certain to be kept safe and watched over for as long as necessary.

" Lady Urbosa, the wound is not fatal. You needn't stay by her side if--- " " I am choosing to of my own accord. Do not try to convince me to move, that is not what I summoned you for. Focus on Impa. "

Her tone is sharp, perhaps unnecessarily, and she is swift to apologize the next time the healer enters to check on Impa. The Gerudo are not known to be calm and collected--- they are guarded, AGGRESSIVE, and when they DO show emotion, it's as heated and intense as the sands they trek upon. Urbosa's ire is a flaw in moments it is fed and unleashed, and oft she scolds herself when she unfairly thrusts it upon someone undeserving. Emotions were better left for the battlefield, where they could be poured into it and used as a catalyst. Not here, where nerves and emotions would only WORSEN an already tense situation.

At some point, a hand had reached out, nearly settling upon Impa's forehead to brush a few stray strands of silken starlight from her brow, but in a moment of hesitation, Urbosa changes her mind and retracts it. She has unintentionally harmed many people amidst innocent sparing matches before, her own strength and capabilities oft forgotten when the adrenaline rush kicks in and she gets over excited at the prospect of a good challenge, but with Impa, it had felt . . . DIFFERENT. She'd felt more panicked, more on edge, even despite the wound itself not being fatal. The heat and harsh climate of the desert made any injury ten times worse, and for someone who wasn't USED to it . . .

" Impa. " The Sheikah awakens, and Urbosa leans forward, makes herself known and VISIBLE, so her companion knows she is not by her lonesome. " Why are you sitting up ? You passed out before, and your wound is still fresh. You should not be rising so soon. " She presses a palm flat to Impa's chest -- the steady thrum there, yet again, calming her for a moment -- and gently urges her back down atop the bed. " Do not apologize. It should be me apologizing to you. I--- "

Her voice catches in her throat, and for a moment, she refuses to speak any further, lest that weakness exhibit itself further like an ugly painting. The Gerudo Chief shakes her head, looking off towards the wall, before rising from the chair she'd been sitting in from the moment Impa had been rushed in. " I will go fetch the healer to check your bindings. Do not move. "

[tenebriism]

( herosway Impa)

Impa has decided she wants to touch the Princess anyway, and she practically had permission right? Right. So she reaches her arms up, wraps them around Princess Midna's neck, and pulls her in for a hug. Body pressed against her own. This seems better than just groping her.

" --- what is this? " Somehow, the topic of NUDITY had been easier than this. What was it Impa had claimed before?

Princess Midna is very confusing?

Well, now, Princess Midna is very CONFUSED.

" Do... am I to pick you up instead? Is that what you would like, my Sheikah knight? "

[tenebriism]

( slaps this down from Impa to Midna) "Are you single by any chance?"

Are You Single? Meme - [ ACCEPTING ] ;;

" Answer me this, my adorable Sheikah knight: At my side, you are, day in and day out... have you seen me with another? The attention of a princess is not so easily gained... my bed is empty and so are my arms. However... " She turns to face her valiant knight, smirk criminally wide and mischief coloring her gaze, " Someone HAS been on a steady trail towards conquering the impossible... I wonder if she knows? I'm so very shy~ What if she turns me down? Why, I would never recover, ahaha!~ "

[tenebriism]

(Herosway: Impa)

   She’s been here a while, enough to realize that she should repay a lot of what Urbosa had been doing for her. The woman seemed fond of a handful of things, training, sand seals, and gold. Or at least, things that are shiny. Sure, she has so much jewelry that it would be hard to contend with such things, but Impa figured it was better than getting her flowers or something. She wasn’t a flower person, she doubted Urbosa was too. So, gold, jewels, shiny things. She figured it would mean more if she did it herself–which meant riskily sneaking out of Gerudo Town. 

   As a Sheikah, it’s not entirely hard to do. She’s sure it caused a bit of a fuss though when her every move has been carefully monitored and guarded since the moment she walked through that entrance and Urbosa essentially claimed her. 

   There’s a settlement south of Gerudo Town, apparently called Kara Kara Bazaar, which was the weirdest name she ever heard. Getting out there had been rough in the heat, but once inside one of their buildings things got a bit easier. She talked with a traveler there, who told her where she could forage for some nice gems in the mountain cliffside. From there, it was just a matter of finding where she needed to be, finding the stone she liked, getting it and then getting back to Gerudo Town. Of course, not even halfway back to the Town, the Guardswomen finally find her. 

   She’s a bit surprised yet relieved that Urbosa hadn’t been with them. 

   They don’t get information out of her on what she was doing, which seems to cause them a bit of alarm and distrust but she doesn’t want the information getting back to Urbosa. When they do finally leave her alone in town she heads over toward Starlight Memories and gives the gem she had harvested to Isha. She didn’t want her to make it herself though, she wanted her to show Impa how to make it. Which reached an entirely different level of discussion. Isha didn’t even charge her in the end, but Impa lost hours of her life in that store that she’ll never get back. Making jewelry is apparently a lot harder than Impa actually knew. To the point her fingers actually hurt and in a way that they hadn’t since she first learned to use her Naginatas. 

   What she got in the end was a bracelet, with a red gem on the top that she had carefully carved with Isha’s help into the shape of the Eye of Truth. Isha was very happy with the outcome, and Impa was satisfied with it. For her first attempt, she doesn’t think it’s bad. She grips the box tightly and makes her way back up to the Palace, finding Urbosa apparently waiting at the entrance for her. 

   “Busy day?” She asks, mostly because when she had escaped she had actually thought the Gerudo Chief would come find her herself. She knows personally that such a thing isn’t always possible when you have so much to deal with. A rogue Sheikah passing out in the desert possibly due to stupidity comes near the bottom in terms of worries. At least in her opinion. 

   She brushes into Urbosa gently and then reaches down to take her hand. “I didn’t run off to be a pain, come here for a moment.” She coaxes, gently, trying to ease whatever anger, upset or worry was going through the woman’s head. She gets her at least off to the side before placing the box Isha had given her in Urbosa’s hand. “Here.” She would prefer a different mood, even a different room, but she’ll take what she can get. 

--- WHERE IS IMPA ?

It's a question that dawns upon her after some time of not seeing the Sheikah. She isn't a CHILD; Urbosa needn't follow her every move like an overprotective mother, but a woman who matched the Gerudo Chief in both independence and stubbornness was also a magnet for TROUBLE. Perhaps Impa has simply grown TIRED of Urbosa hovering over her, which is expected of a woman who is more used to HELPING than BEING helped. Urbosa swears it's simply because she doesn't want the poor Sheikah falling victim to the harsh desert terrain in a place Urbosa cannot GET to her; they've had a couple of close calls ALREADY, and each occasion shifts right to the forefront of her memory each time she hears of someone, somewhere, passing out in or around Gerudo Town.

Mayhap it is best she back off, then. Give Impa room to breathe, to finally break away from the teasing title of ' Urbosa's new favorite vai friend ' that had been passed around the settlement. The chief endeavors to do just that, hours upon hours upon HOURS passing as she tended to her duties to distract herself, but the longer she goes without seeing, hearing from, or hearing ABOUT Impa from one of the guards, the more she begins to worry.

Which leaves Impa with a VERY displeased Urbosa by the time the Sheikah returns, red as a bed of rubies from the hot, boiling sun yet again. " What gave away the fact that your absence has troubled me ? " Urbosa asks, as if the stiff fold of her arms across her chest, and the QUESTIONING tilt of her head aren't evidence enough. Had Impa returned injured or ill, the Chief's reaction would have been FAR more intense, but at least the Sheikah was alright. " If not to cause me premature grey hairs, why DID you suddenly disappear ? "

--- and, thankfully, return so long after ? The thought HAD crossed Urbosa's mind that Impa may have grown tired of being here. That she had dashed off in search of somewhere EASIER to live in Hyrule, for there WERE a great many locations outside of the Gerudo territory with far better, more comfortable accommodations in comparison. Urbosa wouldn't have blamed her, but it would have hurt . . . not that she would have told IMPA that.

Imagine how SILLY she feels, then, when the box is placed into the palm of her hand, and within it, a gift she presumed was for her. The light hits the bracelet right where the red ruby had been carved into what Urbosa knew was a very important symbol to the Sheikah clan, which was the first hint that this was handmade and not purchased at one of the many vending stalls in the market. The second ? Impa's lengthy ABSENCE. Urbosa, understandably, is stunned. She doesn't receive gifts like this often--- many offerings, yes, of rupees, gems, fabrics, and even weapons, but nothing like THIS that required an unfathomable amount of time, effort, and energy.

Verdant eyes glide over each, individual detail of the bracelet as she pulls it, slowly and carefully, from the box, dangling it afront her with a WARM grin, before it finds its rightful place around her dominant wrist. What she does next surprises even herself, for the Gerudo warrior has not felt compelled to do something like this in ages. She leans down, hovering her lips just overtop Impa's . . . almost, a l m o s t . . . before shifting to, instead, press a kiss to Impa's cheek.

Casting the line . . . she's interested . . . but only casting. It was up to Impa to bite.

" Thank you. " She straightens herself again, and raises her arm to admire the newest piece to her impressive jewelry collection. " I suppose this is . . . suitable compensation for making me worry sick about you again, Snow Ruby. To think, you learned how to make me simmer down and melt in so short a time . . . my, aren't you dangerous ~ "

[tenebriism]

SO THEN, SHE UNDERSTANDS. Thank goodness. The one thing Urbosa did not want to be was an unfair leader. Perhaps one of the toughest things about serving as Chief of a race of very strong, PRIDEFUL women was finding that appropriate balance between not being too strict, and not being too lenient. This wasn't Hyrule Castle Town; they did not have the luxury of stepping out their front doors and NOT having to survive seemingly every second of everyday. If the sands were not threatening to take someone out, then the things that lurked WITHIN them were.

" It is nice to know my concerns are not unfounded, " Urbosa finally responds, after considering Impa's words. Perhaps she should be both surprised and worried at how much she had come to VALUE Impa's stance on many things since the Sheikah warrior had stumbled into their community, but right now, in a moment where her nerves were, immediately, quite frayed, and her anxiousness higher than she would have liked to admit, Impa's calmness was a valuable asset.

Deep breath, Urbosa . . . Impa's fine. Impa is fine, and so is everyone else.

" I will relent, and admit that you are correct. Sudra would have perished had you not been there, and likely the others, as well. Thank you for protecting them. " Even the Gerudo are not immune to being SHAKEN UP when one of them is injured or, worse, taken out completely in battle. One goes down, and then, it can turn into two, three, four--- her mind is drawn from the thoughts of PAST occasions where she has witnessed her own fall in battle, as her palm is guided, flat, to Impa's chest. No wounds, and the beat of Impa's heart, too, is an additional means of calming the Gerudo Chief.

She looks over to her guardswomen, observing them, briefly, before her attention fully returns to Impa. " Contrary to how it may appear, there are not many that I can consider close. As Chief, the title of ' friend, ' or anything more, is not something I can hand out so freely. " She hopes Impa can understand what she is attempting to convey without going beyond the level of vulnerability she was ALREADY showing. To be weak, especially physically, was like a death sentence to the Gerudo, but Urbosa is not so out of touch with her own emotions that she cannot admit when something has made her gravely unhappy.

" I would much prefer if those select few would be more careful, and take better care of themselves. Sand born and bred adversaries like pretty, shiny things . . . " A playful jab at Impa's armor that she seemed so very attached to, but at least Urbosa is smiling finally. " Don't go tempting fate, precious Snow Ruby. "

   “I do understand. Without a single bit of hesitation.” Impa replied instantly, taking a step closer toward the Gerudo Chief. “Had it been Sheik who had dragged Princess Zelda off without telling me, and she had gotten hurt–I would have yelled at him to the point the entirety of Hyrule could hear me.” In her time, there had not been many Sheikah to lead. Their Tribe had been slaughtered and that death had left few for her to lead. But as the Queensguard, as the head of the Royal Army at one point, as the mother of a Sheikah Warrior–she led with a fierceness that shook the Castle Grounds. And she knows what Urbosa is thinking and feeling in the moment. 

   They took a stranger who was easily weakened in the desert and threw her into combat. However–”They had asked if I would go, they did not make me. It was my choice to follow them. You can’t blame them without blaming me too.” Which was just another fact of the matter, Impa had chosen to stand out here beside them, to put her life in danger, to help fight. “And I am glad I did, because–” she doesn’t remember the woman’s name, “that one would have lost her life.” 

   In the moment, the anger is justified, but once the facts are laid down this outcome was actually better. Had Impa not been here, those two would have tried to save their friends and possibly been eaten too. Then they would have lost four lives today, they were lucky.

   She sees the way Urbosa’s eyes seem to search her body and Impa gives a small sigh as she moves even closer. This time she takes the Gerudo Chief’s hand and places her palm flat against her chest. The Sheikah Uniform doesn’t hide much of her upper body, and it fits tightly enough that if there was a wound, surely the other would have seen it. “I am fine. Had you been a couple seconds slower with your lightning, that answer might be different. But it isn’t. You did save my life.” And she is grateful for that, dying once had been a rather horrible feeling, and she’s rather content in this odd second life at the moment. 

   Her red gaze meets Urbosa’s own green and she speaks calmly. “Don’t doubt they’re blaming themselves right now, their friend is badly hurt.” Impa might have yanked her from the desert, but that doesn’t fix getting grabbed and chomped on by whatever that sand creature was. Impa definitely won’t ever underestimate those beasts if she runs into another one.

[tenebriism]

URBOSA'S LAUGH has never been something she has attempted to quiet, or mask, in the rare moments something is SO humorous that she cannot hold it back. It is loud, full of energy, and bursts straight from her diaphragm, earning a few shocked looks from her nearby companions. Evidently, it is not something they hear OFTEN, and they're beginning to wonder if the heat has finally gotten to their fearless leader.

" You've got me there, Snow Ruby~ Should you ever catch me without a single gemstone somewhere on my body, consider me ill, or locked away in a dungeon and replaced by those tacky Yiga. " Not counting, of course, when she was bathing, but best believe that heap of jewelry was right beside her, waiting to be picked back up and clasped, tied, or clipped back on right afterwards. " I admire your ability to hold your own, and still somehow not fall victim to the sun and sands. Watching you train and fight is a treat. "

Even if Impa may not realize it in the moment, Urbosa watches her, studies her. Beyond Impa's very different fighting style, it was the way she MOVED that had Urbosa seemingly captivated everytime she caught a glimpse. Fluid, swift . . . it gets Urbosa excited in ways she cannot explain.

The only thing she KNEW was that she would absolutely hate to get on Impa's bad side . . . or, mayhap she WOULD, if it meant a good challenge.

Sudra being conscious and AWARE has Urbosa breathing a visible sigh of relief, and for a moment, all the Chief can do is close her eyes and reflect on their fortune. This could have ended far, FAR worse . . . and with the feeling that something HORRIBLE was on the horizon keeping her awake every night, she truly did not need the loss of one of her finest warriors adding to that. She valued each and every one of those who had sworn themselves to fight at her side; every loss meant a FAILURE on her part as a leader. " A Molduga, " she explains, painted lips twisting downwards into a scowl. " Likely the fiercest threat we have in these parts. Worse, that there were two in the same vicinity. I'll have to send a scouting party out to ensure there isn't a lair of them breeding nearby. "

One, they could handle. Two, they could scrape by . . . but an entire group of them ? Unlikely, considering their territorial nature, but still a frightening possibility all the same.

Urbosa steps closer to Impa, using her impressive stature to somewhat shield the smaller woman from the sun. " Once Sudra is able to walk without stumbling or vomiting, we may return to the town--- and you, Impa, are getting some rest. It is not up for debate. "

   She seems to have finally calmed, and Impa feels she can breathe a little easier now that Urbosa wasn’t about to strangle her own Guardswomen. Those people had been through enough for one day, maybe a few extra exercises would be enough of a punishment but that could be done well later. And Impa would do laps right beside them for her own role in this. At the very least, next time, she will make sure Urbosa is aware of what they’re doing first. That way they can be sure if they do not return on time, backup will be sent and given. 

   For now, a smile does play on her lips at the words, the little jab at her armor, she knows it bothers Urbosa. Her hand releases the other’s and drops down to her side, a soft roll of her own eyes before she waves toward Urbosa herself. “You realize if I am shiny then you are a brilliant sun in your own desert? Not to mention the jewelry you have–gifted me is far more shiny than my own armor.” The most she had taken to wearing were the earrings, and that was only when she wasn’t fighting or training with the Guardswomen. 

   A soft breath of a laugh. “If I am a Snow Ruby then surely that makes you a desert flower of some sorts.” She is still learning their plants, it’s very complicated. Forgetting everything you do know and replacing those words with something else. Not all of their plant life had changed, but some of the names had. She gets strange looks whenever she talks about something someone has no idea what she is referring to.

   She doesn’t like the lost feeling it does cause.

   “I truly do not know how you fight in a skirt. It is rather incredible. The clothes you have given me are difficult to adjust to. I fight better in the suit. And for someone who's already sensitive to your weather, not to mention moving on sand, an advantage I can have I will take.” She was a warrior first and a woman second. Perhaps Urbosa saw them as one in the same as a Gerudo, but that was just how Impa was raised. She had to fight like a man in her time in order to stand amongst them. She doesn’t regret her life at all, but perhaps a lot of the more feminine traits had been lost a bit.

   Those thoughts tied often into her wonder over if that was what made her a terrible mother to Sheik. But those were not thoughts that would benefit her right now. Impa cleared her throat and gently fanned her face as he glanced toward the other women. They seemed to have finally gotten Sudra patched up now, she was coherent at the very least. Her eyes were open and she did seem like she had shed a few tears. Probably in pain. “What was that thing anyway?” She questioned, turning back to Urbosa. “It looked like those Sand Seals you have, but a lot bigger.”