Your Just Deserts

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The desert wasn’t exactly the most… hospitable place to live.[break][break]

High heats during the day, dropping temperatures during the night hours. A severe lack of water and long travel for trade… Klara knew that the desert was no one's first choice to live and probably not even their second. [break][break]

But, the desert certainly had its pluses. The Gerudo people had defied logic in the sense that they lived there for centuries. They collected and traded the plethora of desert-only flora and fauna that lived there, providing it in unique methods throughout their trade. Their jewelry was nothing to scoff at either, some even saying it had magical properties. But Klara had yet to see it. And with their people going back and forth between many kingdoms, it was a hub of products and devices all in one place.[break][break]

What did that mean? Well, that typically meant a good amount of trade. And with it came it’s own struggle: bandits.[break][break]

It was through the connections and an unfortunate experience that Klara had gotten word of the bandits coming through. With the autumn gradually closing, the slightly lowered heat brought in more trade. More people were traveling during the later hours, staying for the night, and then heading out in early hours before the sun rose again.[break][break]

No matter the season, however, the desert wasn’t exactly forgiving in its heat. This made Klara both especially grateful and especially worried… it gave her a chance to ensure the water around the settlement was purified and kept safe. But it also was a special type of hell for her, given her own natural distaste for her place of living. Whichever goddess gave her an affinity for water when she lived in a waterless region - she wanted to have a word.[break][break]

At least it gave her an understanding for how at least the people who visited felt. With the rise in bandit trouble, Klara had the self-proclaimed duty of making sure the assisting knights and day-time workers didn’t die of heatstroke. That meant wandering around with a thing of water and a careful usage of her internalized mana. Thankfully, most of them had a variety of canteens so gathering their water was mostly simple.[break][break]

“Do you have enough water?”[break][break]

The basin was probably as big as she was and about half full, but it wasn’t anything she would take for granted. Neither would any of the Gerudo around, some with canteens dripping from the fresh intake of water and others carefully ensuring their things were set up for the later hours of the day.[break][break]

“The night should be coming soon, but it’ll be bad if heatstroke sets in before.”

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Truthfully, Klara had little idea what to do with the fact that only one knight came when she came in expecting more. Or rather, expected more coming in. But she supposed that sparing several knights for one gang of bandits, that she knew of, was more of a matter of perspective than anything else. She wondered just what kind of process knight heads and all did for stuff like this. [break][break]

When he admitted to looking for water, she chuckled a bit. Water was a precious resource, something that coming to the desert made quite clear. That was why she would always be thankful for things like visits to oasis and the juicy fruits that came from their trade. “Please, by all means.” She removed the lid, careful with the edges that locked to ensure no sand made its way in. The young woman settled it carefully so it would be easy to fill his canteen and give him some space. [break][break]

“You talk like we wouldn’t let you take some more for your trip back.” Klara chuckled. “Or like we’d let you wander the desert alone. You’re helping us out with this issue, giving you water would be the least we could do.” And it would be - in her eyes - kind of an asshole move to let him go off on his own when he came all the way here.
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She looked him over for a moment, her nails tapping lightly against each other. His gear was certainly prepped for the desert, but the pale skin and bright blonde hair very easily identified him as someone who didn’t often make his way through the scorching sun of the Gerudo desert.
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“I imagine where you're from is quite far, even from the edge of the desert.” Truth be told she rarely had a chance to go beyond the desert's edge, let alone farther into Hyrules lands. But she remained curious of the places filled with water, dripping with magma, and with air so fresh it almost froze one's lungs. Or at least… that was what she was told. The stories and pictures were something she almost couldn’t resist asking about - nor the question that came with it. “Can I ask where you’re from?”

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“With the sun setting, the temperature should drop to something more reasonable.” She offered a smile as he filled his canteen with water. Some said they needed almost no clothing to beat the heat during the day and layers of it to survive the night… but maybe Klara had just gotten too accustomed to it with her share of blankets and years in the desert. “But it also means that we’re gonna be moving here soon.”[break][break]

Which then meant that she needed to make one more round in order to ensure everyone knew that the plans were going to get set into motion. It was simple enough - this one had been spoken of to hold greater elements for trade, more valuable things to steal. And while on a certain level it was true, it wasn’t true in the same sense. It was shipping some water and retrieving some ice for their storage facilities, along with their traditional goods. Those fighters who could spare the time along with their knights… erm, knight requested? Would make the journey as well. Ensuring knives and swords were sharpened and shields were hidden away. [break][break]

But for now, she wanted to check in and build at least a little trust with the knight, dubbed strong enough to fight their problem on his own. Klara looked up for a moment as she tried to figure out if she remembered it or not. Ordon didn’t sound particularly familiar but the faron region seemed more familiar to her. [break][break]

“You’re quite a far way from home.” Klara noted. She debated for a moment asking him for the reason that he left his home, and it showed in her features. The question shining in her eyes then a brief shake as she decided against it. “We don’t get to farm much out here, but we do get some gatherings occasionally. The palm fruit and electric safflina are the best to get out here, and wildberries if you can find ‘em. It’s like a game of hide and seek.”[break][break]

“I’m Klara, by the way. I’ll be joining you on the trip to help fight.” She wasn’t that strong, but she was fast and had experience moving in the sand. “It’s nice to meet you - sorry it was under these circumstances.”

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“We have a vague idea of where they go, since there aren’t many places in the desert where people can survive for long periods of time without proper preparations.” Klara nodded to him, holding the basin carefully. “And most of the settlements out here have been primarily built by the Gerudo over the years.”
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Of course there were possibilities of keeping them out of sight. Some kind of magic, a system beneath the sands they weren’t aware of, or even people who had wandered the desert far before the Gerudo - they had been nomads, after all. But to her knowledge, that was all incredibly unlikely.
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The young woman shook off the thoughts. "See you in a bit!" A smile was offered to him before grabbing the basin and heading back to store it. Klara had been adamant about coming along, so she needed to prepare as well. As the night began to fall, the few who sought to join them prepared for the cooling temperatures and hid weapons on their forms.
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When it was time to go, the faux travelers readied to head out. Their bags were packed with nothing but fabrics and expendables, not willing to let valuables fall into bandits hands if they failed this way. The young woman would have preferred to actually go to the bandits headquarters if they could, but she wasn’t fully aware of that location or their number. But at least they would let whatever number know that they weren’t screwing around.
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The group waited by the path for their escort. Their lanterns shone in the dark, reflecting off the metallic of their accessories and the thin layer of sweat from work and sun. Klara stood among them, shorter than the rest, but with a small cart of faux goods instead of a plethora of bags.
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Once the blonde made his appearance, the group would begin their trek in the desert.

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The group began to make their way into the desert once all were accounted for. Klara could only hope their small group would be at least somewhat enticing enough for the bandits: Josh, Klara, two adults, and one other teenager were the entirety of their party. From those who had returned safely, the victims had all come in smaller groups or had been widely known for their wares. And while they had nothing of the latter, they had the former. [break][break]

As they distanced themselves from the settlement, Klara was wary. Farther from help and longer until they could find safety at the edge of the desert. And regrettably, it was not without reason. Especially as the quiet of a desert night began to no longer be so quiet. [break][break]

Ripping through the sand came a small group atop sand seals. The desert parting like water, creating a faint sand-fog around them with only the light of the moon to light their way. Had it not been for the sound nor the searching eyes of their party, they might have been late to react. [break][break]

Klara aided the teen in pushing the faux wares together while the other two adults readying shields and scimitars. From beneath the coverage of their cart, Klara removed a light bow and threw a quiver over her shoulder. If it hadn’t been for the bandits seals, they might have taken off running. But the bandits used their speed to begin a path to circle the group of travelers and their guard. [break][break]

“Four, five?” It was hard to tell with the dust and low lights - at least for Klara. Three moved towards the travelers, brandishing stolen scimitars and even a spear. Two bandits remaining to upkeep their circling had brandished weapons of similar style. The young Gerudo used their lantern to light her first arrow, sending a shot not to those encircling but towards the path of one of the three approaching. [break][break]

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