The early morning quiet of Gerudo Valley is shattered by a woman's scream of pain. Even before the echoes began to fade another scream was torn from the lungs of the young woman. Kasima is lying on her back in the Gerudo birthing house with her spread legs covered by a bloodstained sheet. Even though the hut is cool in the semi-darkness of early morning sweat pours down her tan face and sticks her jet-black hair to her cheeks and forehead. Tears of pain well in the corners of her mahogany eyes and join the sweat rolling down her cheeks as another contraction grips her body.
A slender red haired woman crouches between Kasima's legs. Zewaro, one of the midwives in the valley as well as Kasima's sister, takes another look beneath the sheet and grips one the Gerudo queen's hands in her own. Kasima's grip is rough, frantic, and seemingly on the edge of absolute panic. Her nails dig painfully into Zewaro's palm and draw small beads blood.
"I can see the head. It won't be much longer now sister." Zewaro isn't able hide the excitement and anticipation in her voice. Of all the children she had delivered this one was different. This child could be the heir that the tribe has been waiting for. "I think one more push should do it." With considerable difficulty Zewaro frees her hand from the iron grip of her sister and quickly wipes her bleeding palm on her trousers before reaching beneath the sheet.
Neither woman noticed the hut's door opening or the tall broad-shouldered figure that entered the room. The closing of the door and the figure's subsequent footsteps also were unnoticed as the cries of a baby fill the room.
"Please, tell me Zewaro is it a boy?" Kasima shouts the words in desperation as her eyes meet those of the figure standing at the door.
Zewaro gently hands the newborn, now wrapped in a blanket and washed clean of blood, to Kasima and smiles at her sister. "Voe. It is a boy."
"Not just a boy. A king."
Zewaro turns in the direction of the voice to see an unexpected guest had joined them. Kasima automatically bows her head and clutches the baby closer to her chest as her husband, Gorotdorf, approaches. The Gerudo King.
Gorotdorf was seventy-five but had the appearance of a man less than half his age. It wasn't hard to see why his name meant 'Burning King'. His prominent cheekbones, long nose, deep-set orange eyes and flaming red hair and beard made him handsome in a savage way. He wore no crown, instead a yellow gem sat just below his hairline on a fine golden chain.
"He certainly has a howl like a wild beast," Gorotdorf said as the baby continued to cry. "In time I will see that he becomes just as ferocious." Gorotdorf took a moment to think before continuing. "What could be a more fitting name for him than the ancient word for beast? His name shall be Ganon. When he finally takes the throne he shall be known as Ganondorf, the Beast King." Gorotdorf moves to his wife's bedside in three long strides and extends his arms as if he is about to embrace Kasima. "Give me the child."
Kasima turns her upper body away from Gorotdorf's clutching hands in a vain attempt to shield the baby. She lifts her head and finally meets his gaze with her dark red-brown eyes. An ember of defiance burns in her eyes.
Gorotdorf's face twists into a vicious snarl and for just a moment the fingertips of his right hand flare with black fire. He waves his other hand at Zewaro, silently commanding her to leave. Without bothering to check if they are actually alone Gorotdorf turns his full attention back to Kasima.
"Give him to me or I will leave both of you in the desert for the wolves."
"No." Her voice is soft but firm and her gaze never wavers from his.
Gorotdorf slaps her across the face hard enough to rock her head back, leaving a livid red handprint on her right cheek and jarring the baby into renewed cries.
"I ought to burn you until there's nothing but ashes." His fingers ignite with black fire once again.
"I saved your life." Kasima speaks so quietly she can barely be heard over the screaming baby but her voice is like iron.
The rage drains out of Gorotdorf at her words. His eyes leave hers to settle on the red handprint on her dark face. He notices a small trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth. She didn't even flinch when he slapped her. Guilt and regret begin to fill the place where anger had been just seconds ago.
"Five years," he says. "Five years, but not a day more. Then my debt is repaid."
Without another word Gorotdorf sits at her bedside and takes her hand in his.
She lets him.
Silence falls between them as fragile as glass.
'I wonder if anyone heard the screaming this time.' Not wanting to be the one to break the quiet Kasima carefully raises her free hand to where he struck her and a hiss of pain escapes her lips. The skin on her cheek is hot, tender to the touch and already starting to swell. It wouldn't be long until she has a proper bruise.
"I'm sorry." The words cut through the silence the way they have a thousand times before.
"I know." She can't bring herself to look at him anymore.
Gorotdorf's hand rises to the handprint on her face. His touch is gentle but she pulls away from him and takes her hand from his.
A curtain of her black hair falls to conceal her face and her shoulders begin to shake with quiet sobs. He brushes the hair from her face and begins gently wiping away her tears. She lets him.
"Kasima?"
"Yes?"
"I love you. I really do."
"I know." A long pause and then, "I love you too."
A/N: It's been a long time since I've posted anything on the site and I want to say I'm sorry. I am going to try and update this story more consistently. Part of why I finally decided to come back to this story was the release Breath of the Wild and I want to see if I can find a way to add a few elements from the game to this story, specifically something involving the Yiga Clan. And for anyone wondering about Kasima's hair being black instead of red that will be explained in a future chapter.
As always reviews are appreciated and if anyone is interested in being a Beta Reader/Editor feel free to send me a message.