This story was written for the Writer's Anonymous' "Comfort Zone" challenge. Though this was finished after the challenge was closed... well, at least I finished it.

Nothing was ever simple with my people. Every day was a struggle for survival, and every night we hoped we would wake to see the next day. And the next day, we would struggle, again. The cycle would continue; over and over again, every day, my people fought a losing battle against nature and the Hylians. I looked over the Kingdom I had inherited at birth. I saw the trepidation we faced. We needed resources. We needed wealth. But what wealth could be found in the dessert? Unless sand became a currency, none. We needed to gain the things necessary for living one way or the other. That is why we turned to theft. I was raised to steal what I wanted from those who had it. I was taught that anything I wanted could be mine. I just needed to take it.

My command over the Gerudos was fierce. I needed loyalty. Anything less would be insubordination, and I could not tolerate it, lest my power be undermined, and the Gerudo race be wiped from history's slate. So I was ruthless. I trained my femme fatales to be merciless. Seduce the enemy, and slit their throats when they looked away. This was the only way we could survive.

So why did one person's subtle objection cause such a stir within me? I can still recall her face as I first laid my eyes upon her, all those years ago. Before I was crowned the King of the Gerudo, before I had these royal responsibilities, I was just a boy. A young adult, perhaps, by age, but my naivety got the best of me too often.

She was beautiful and graceful; a true Gerudo woman. Her long, deep red hair seemed like fire as she rode a Gerudo Stallion, guided only by the moonlight. Though her face was only faintly visible, but I was still stunned. That determined smirk she wore as she rode into battle. She was a skilled warrior, but she lacked the killer instinct of the other women. She merely knocked those she looted unconscious while others lopped off body parts. There was something alluring, I suppose, about this defiance.

I needed to approach her.

After this particular raiding, there were several Gerudos wounded. It appeared that the Hylians put up a tough defense against us. With all Hylians either slaughtered or escaping, we set up base in this small town. We spread out, looking for things we could find use of. Some tinder- desperately needed for the desert's chilly nights- some spare weaponry that was left behind, and a bountiful feast. We knew not to indulge ourselves on all this food, as it was known by all Gerudos that we had to share with all. We packed it quickly, and ate as little as we could. We would spend the night and rest. This was the time I needed to speak to her.

In the center of the town, we built several small fires where a small group ate the small supply of food we brought with us, and tended to the wounded. Searching among them, I looked all around for that girl. Then, I saw her. She sat close to the flames of a fire with her hands over them. As I neared, she stood. She seemed hesitant to look at me. The likely answer was that she was apprehensive about speaking to her king. Few people actually spoke to royalty. This would be an honor. I didn't plan to wait for her to speak, but even so, she spoke before I had the chance:

"Why do you look at me so?" she asked. She seemed timid, almost fearful to ask this question. I quickly tried to form a tactful answer. What came out was:

"I see something different about you-" her right eyebrow raised- "I'm not sure what it is. There's a physical eloquence about you. You present yourself in a manner that other Gerudo woman can't compare to." At the end of this, I felt short of breath, and my heart seemed to race. I wasn't sure how she would respond, and I was unsure if what I said would appease her.

She covered her mouth as she let out a small giggle. I was addled as to why she was giggling. "That's very kind of you, Sire." she responded, grinning. I felt a tad more comfortable, now.

As with most Gerudo victories, we celebrated heartily. While there were no dances where I could particularly ask this girl to dance with me, the feeling was there, all the same. We danced for hours on end, and when our legs became sore, we danced some more, until the cuckoos sang their first morning songs. We still were not tired. We felt invigorated. And we were eager to return to our home and tell of our victorious journey.

I didn't see much of the woman I talked to that night on the journey home. I led the warriors on through the Hylian Plains and into our desert without seeing her once. Part of me filled with sorrow at not seeing that face, but I persevered, and knew that I could search for her when we returned home.

The next time I saw this woman was, in fact, when we returned. As we rode our horses into the Gerudo Fortress, my fellow Gerudos whooped and yelled in excitement to see our return. We swiftly made our way to the main building, and unpacked. As I helped the others put away food into the coffers, I saw her again, standing maybe ten feet away.

I made my way towards her. She had yet to notice me. Deciding to be sneaky- another trait of youth- I snuck behind her and whispered "Boo" into her ear. She didn't startle. She didn't even move. However, she laughed and turned to me, and she said, "What a welcome surprise." I couldn't help but feel a bit lighter as she said this. It was truly heart-warming. She sounded so personal. She didn't seem to be talking to me as royalty; she spoke to me as Ganondorf.

I spent most of the day helping pack food and tend to the horses, who needed feeding. I felt a bit weary by the end of it all. I never worked so hard before in my life, and that was no easy task. Perhaps her being there spurred me into action?

As we finished up the last of our daily deeds, I realized something. There was a question that I needed answered. As we both loitered around the fortress, I asked her: "What is your name?" I felt foolish for not having asked this when we first spoke.

With a smile and wink, she said, "I'm Nabooru!"

The name echoed through my head for a few moments. That names sounded so... surreal. I felt almost mesmerized by the sound of it. But I snapped out of it as I felt her hand clasp mine.

"Come with me, I want to show you something." There was that smirk again. That confident and sublime smirk.

She led me by the hand, sneaking back past the fortress and into the sandy dunes. This was a familiar path. We were heading into the Haunted Wastelands! Perhaps it was the fact I had not slept in a few days, but I didn't feel so safe going into this territory. Even with my expertise, the wasteland tricked people into being lost for an eternity, becoming one with the sand.

She seemed self-assured that we were going the right way, whatever way that might be. I needed to speak up, though. I had to ask her where we were going. She just said that it was a surprise. I just hoped this surprise wasn't a sandstorm.

And as we moved, I began to feel the bitter cold of the desert night. Cool winds whipped sand into our faces; we could only protect ourselves by covering our faces with our arms. Still, she seemed self-assured.

Soon, she stopped. I was squinting to keep sand out of my eyes, but I opened them involuntarily when I saw what she had brought me to. A large sandstone temple. This was the Dessert Colossus. I stared in awe, my mouth agape. I had always heard of the monolithic temple, with the statue of the Goddess of Sand carved into its front. Carved by our ancestors, hundreds of years ago.

"I knew you would like it," Nabooru commented, obviously seeing my amazement.

I had to shake my head to prove this wasn't some desert illusion. "How," I began slowly, "How did you find this place? I thought it had been lost?"

Nabooru chuckled as she stepped a few feet ahead of me. "It was lost, and I found it. Simple as that."

I wasn't quite sure I could fully believe her answer, but there was little else that could explain it. Instead, I walked up to her, and grabbed her by the shoulders. Being controlled entirely by my emotions, I shoved my face against her's in a short, yet passionate, kiss. I was wholly surprised by my actions. Nabooru, on the other hand, seemed almost satisfied, as if she had just accomplished something.

The rest of the night was spent gazing out at the heavens, and looking upon the temple. We dared not enter, however; only look. Our forefathers closed the temple off for a reason, we thought, so entering would be the death of us. And in this time spent together, I felt a bond. A connection stronger than I ever did with another person. This bond was the reason Nabooru had become my second in command. This bond would prove to be one of my greatest assets in the years to come. Nabooru was fiercely loyal, and a caring and loving person.

She also had strong opinions. While I loved her dearly, I had clear goals, and she clashed with those goals many times.

I shall never forget when we first clashed. Her nonviolent persona told her that we did not need to kill everyone when we raided. My survival instincts told me we did. If they were to live knowing we stole from them, their vengeance would give them strength. She did not see this. She saw it as noble to allow them to live. A sign of a great leader. I know what a great leader is! A great leader will lead his people into prosperity. A great leader would have the power needed to crush those that could harm his people. Anyone that could be an enemy needed to be dealt with. She could not see this.

Several highly respected Gerudos met with Nabooru and I to discuss a raid. It was an important raid, as this village was a key defensive position for the Hylians. If we took this village, then we would have a straight shot to the major cities. Hyrule would practically be in our grasp.

But Nabooru protested. She asked us why we were trying to war with Hyrule. The answer that bellowed all around was that the Hylians were deserving of it. They had forced us into the desert and made our lives a living hell. Nabooru didn't seem to believe this. She hoped for peace between our kinds. I knew I had to be stern. As much as I cared for her, I couldn't have her undermining my authority. I needed to stay in power.

I told her sternly that we would raid the town. She still objected, and stormed away. I made haste in following her, but she would not stop to listen to a word I said. I could do nothing but watch as she walked away angrily. I could not coax her into agreement, and I could not placate her when this tempered. I knew better.

When the time for the raid came, I knew she would not be there, and so the raid went without her. It was a long affair. I was gone for nearly a month before returning, for a short time, to my home. What had, at first, been a planned attacked had escalated into a full on war. Preparations needed to be made.

But she was the only thing that occupied my mind. As soon as I rode in, I asked for her whereabouts. When I asked, the only response anyone could give me was that she had run out into the desert. The Colossus flashed across my mind. She had to be there!

I didn't wait a second before rushing into the desert after her. It was an arduous journey, trekking such a distance. Worse to do so in midday with the blaring sun crushing me with its sweltering heat. But I couldn't stop. There was this pang of guilt in the back of my mind. If she was injured, it was my fault!

As I reached the end of the wastelands, and saw the Spirit Temple's silhouette, my worry intensified, and I hustled as fast as I possibly could.

Closing in on the temple, I could see the outline of a female figure. Nabooru, I found you! I could see her pretty face from where I was. She must have heard me coming, as she turned back. She seemed genuinely surprised to see me. Something different. But she also seemed worried- the same feeling I had just felt. Why?

"Ganondorf! Watch out!" I heard her call, but it was too late for me to shield myself as several leevers popped up out of the sand. I felt myself thrown backwards by the bust of sand, but I was lucky enough to land on my feet, though I fell to one knee.

I grimaced in pain, as I felt a sharp pain in my left leg. It seemed one of the leever's sharp points had pierced my armor. I stood, ignoring my injury, and drew one hand back. I may have been caught off guard, but I would not be hurt by these creatures again. A dark blob encompassed my hand, emanating a dark palpable magic. The leevers stampeded towards me, but as I threw my fist forward, the magic dispersed into several bulging bubbles of light, smashing into all the leevers. There was a bright light as they collided, and there was a high-pitched screech. As the light and noise dimmed down, I saw no remains of the monsters.

"Ganon!" Nabooru called out, running at me, "Are you alright? You look hurt." She bent down to look at my wounded leg. "That was completely reckless of you!" This sudden outburst surprised me. She was angry with me when we last saw each other, and now she was worried about me?

"Reckless?" I repeated. I wasn't entirely sure how to respond, "I suppose so... but when I heard you had come out to the dessert, I felt I had to come after you. I couldn't help but think you'd be hurt."

Nabooru looked down. "When you left, I thought to come out here and pray to the goddesses. I didn't know what to do. Whether to go on with this war, or to go on by myself. So I prayed... but they never answered me." Her depressing tone pierced my heart. I bent over, and put my hand to her chin, lifting her face up. Her eyes connected to mine. We said nothing, but our eyes seemed to communicate without us, soothing each others' worries.

"There is no more need for prayer," I said, "The goddesses need not make your decision for you." Then her lips curled into a smile and she nodded. Standing, she took hold of my hand, and we turned our way back home.

My weakness, however little, was exposed in those actions. I knew- very well, in fact- that she held great influence in the tribe. I also knew she would only go against my wishes again and again and again. And I was most certainly right!

And the saddest fact: I honestly felt something for her. When I first felt her skin. When I looked in those beautiful, amber eyes. When I laid my lips upon hers. Was it love that I felt? If I've ever felt it, it was then, with her. It was tragic, how she went against me. But I had to deal with her, especially with that nuisance of a boy, Link, lurking around.

Koume and Kotake kept ranting about how well they have done with their brainwashing spells. Perhaps I could keep Nabooru ever obedient? She would be a nice puppet to use while I conquer Hyrule.

Not gonna lie; the ending was extremely hasty. I really just wanted to get it over with. Still, I am pleased that it was finished at all.