Prologue
Shurai bent down and picked up Princess Laura. It was her 2nd birthday, and King Harkinian and Queen Nathalie had invited all of Hyrule to the Birthday Party.
Laura blinked, looking around her. "Shurai, why are these people here?"
"Fer yer birthday, silly," Shurai replied, pushing the Princess' black bangs away from her face.
"Shurai! Over here!"
Surprised, the Sheikah looked to her left as Impa and Linkchepto worked their way through the crowd. "The Gerudos just arrived."
"Great," Shurai said sarcastically.
"Twinrova brought her new foster-kid as well as Ganondorf."
Laura looked at Linkchepto. "What's a Ganondorf???"
Impa pinched the Princess' nose. "A Ganondorf is a really bad boy that you might meet today."
"Yay," Laura giggled. Impa and Linkchepto exchanged confused looks.
Shurai slowly shook her head. "Laura likes evil stuff, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Linkchepto scoffed. "Stupid me."
Impa looked around, then her shoulders slumped. "Here comes Twinrova."
Laura jumped out of her attendant's arms, sitting down on the floor.
The Gerudo Queen approached Shurai. "Hey, how's it going?"
"Fine," Shurai murmured.
Laura looked up at the strange newcomer, then at her side. A young boy stood next to her, clutching to her knee. In her arm, a girl about one year younger than Laura sat, glaring down at her.
Twinrova saw Laura looking at the infant, and placed her down next to her.
The little girl growled, backing away from Laura a little bit.
Laura stared at her blankly. "What your name?"
The girl blinked her red eyes. "Dadada."
Twinrova sighed. "Her name's 'Tartara,' but she can't say her name right."
Laura cocked her eyebrow. "Oh."
Tartara grinned, thinking that her adoptive mother was saying something nice about her. "Dadada!"
Linkchepto blinked. "Apparently, it's the only thing she can say..."
The little boy at Twinrova's side walked over and sat next to his sister.
Laura looked at him. "What your name?"
The boy looked down at the floor. "Ganondorf."
Laura blinked. "Oh, so you're a Ganondorf!"
Impa clapped a hand over her face, completely embarrassed about what she had told Laura.
Laura reached out and touched Ganondorf's ear. "You're not a pointy-eared person."
Tartara grabbed Ganondorf's shoulder and pulled him away from Laura. "Dadada!!"
Ganondorf shrugged his sister's hands off of him. "Princess, I got a present for you..." with that, he reached into his pocket.
Twinrova gasped. "Ganondorf, are you really sure you want to give her that now?"
Ganondorf nodded. "I'm sure she's the one, Mother."
"But," Twinrova swallowed, "she's a Hylian! She's not even old enough to understand!"
Ganondorf ignored his Mother, and pulled a small necklace out of his pocket. It had a pendant in the shape of the Gerudo Emblem; a Crescent Moon with a Star.
Laura took the necklace and held it gingerly, then smiled. "Thank you."
After that, she hugged Ganondorf.
Ganondorf staggered back a bit, surprised. But somehow he felt it was right, so he hugged her back.
Tartara punched Ganondorf on the shoulder. "DADADA!!!"
EIGHT YEARS LATER...
1
Guards walked past the dungeon cells, carefully eyeing each chamber.
Pickpocket and murdering Hylians each waited in their cell. Their sentence was either death by starvation, beheading, or hanging. No one could escape the dungeons... No One.
"Viscen!"
Disturbed, the Captain of the Guards rushed to the scene. "What is it?"
The trembling guard pointed to the shattered chains on the floor and the bent cage bars. "The Gerudo got out."
Viscen stepped back. "I...impossible!"
Suddenly, the Guard beside Viscen screamed. The Captain jerked around to see his second-in-command lying dead on the floor.
Then, about a half-second later, Viscen felt himself get knocked to the ground.
The Gerudo Child approached the trembling guard, her eyes glowing red. She then reached down, pulled Viscen up to her level by the collar of his armor...
...then sank her fangs deep into his throat.
******************************************************************
"Laura!!! Laura, where did you go?!" Linkchepto yelled above the roaring of the bubbling lava.
The Hylian Princess had run into Death Mountain Crater -again- and Linkchepto and Impa had been called to get her.
"I donna know why she keeps hidin' out 'ere," Impa sighed, readjusting her Goron Jacket.
"We'll find her," Linkchepto groaned, jumping over a magma-filled crevice, then throwing Impa a rope, "when she gets bored and comes out of hiding."
Impa frowned, swinging across the crevice and landing next to the Hylian Warrior. "Last time, that took 'er nine hours."
Linkchepto wrapped his arm around Impa's waist and kissed her forehead. "Well, she was hiding under the lava last time."
*
Princess Laura poked her head out of a lava pool, looked around, then growled to herself when she saw Linkchepto and Impa about a kilometer away. "How come everyone has to worry about me?"
Reaching the side of the pool, Laura climbed out and shook herself off. She then stammered up the side of a miniature volcano, and looked towards the Hylian and Sheikah warriors. "Hey, you two!! I'm over here!!!"
Linkchepto and Impa both looked towards her, and Laura climbed down the volcano to greet them.
2
"Laura, ye know better than te run away like that..." Shurai sighed.
Laura hung her head low. "I know..."
"Then why did ye do it?"
Looking up at her attendant, Laura frowned. "I'm tired of being locked in the castle."
The Sheikah knelt next to Laura. "Princess, there's a killer on th' loose, an' I canna risk ye."
"Mother and father let my sisters go out, though!"
Shurai sighed. "They've mastered their powers, Laura. They're safe. Ye haven't even shown signs of yer powers. Ye're definitely a target."
"Well... what places are safe for me to go?"
"Th' only places are here, Kakariko, and the Sheikdom. Ye canna go te th' market. More murders 'ave occurred thar than anywhere else. An' if ye intend te go anywhere, ye must have someone go with ye."
"Like who?"
"Impa, Linkchepto... Sprite."
"SPRITE?! NO WAY!!!"
Shurai laughed. "I know ye two donna git along, but she's a good guardian faerie. Remember? Ye two used te be th' best of friends when ye were just a wee lass."
"Yeah, and I was a lot more cuter and stupider. Now I'm uglier and smarter..."
"Auc, Laura," Shurai brushed a strand of Laura's black bangs out of her face, "ye're not ugly. Ye're th' most beautiful maiden in all th' land."
A tear ran down Laura's cheek. "Shurai, why am I so different from my sisters? I mean, Arista made her first energy ball when she was three months old!"
Shurai smiled warmly. "Ye were all born with different genetic make-ups, an' it affects yer powers. Plus, prophecy has it that ye're Din's Chosen One."
Laura cocked her head. "Was that why you named me 'Laura'? After the Gerudo Girl who Din chose as her devoted Sorceress and Follower?"
"Aye. An' I believe ye are reincarnation of that girl, too. Ye have mastered pretty much ev'ry spell in th' book. Only two more te go. Ye're a good sorceress so far."
Laura creaked a smile at the thought.
Shurai gave Laura a hug. "Yer 10th Birthday's tomorrow. Yer father invited some special guests for ye!"
"Really?! WHO?"
"That's fer me te know, an' ye te find out!"
Laura pulled away from her attendant and smiled up at her. "The Gerudos?!"
Shurai smacked herself in the forehead. "Auc, I knew ye'd guess."
******************************************************************
Stars sprinkled the sky like confetti on black silk. Impa and Linkchepto always patrolled Hyrule Field at this time, as Gerudos mostly made their thieving moves at night.
Impa had her hand on the hilt of her sword, her grey eyes flickering back and forth.
"Impa, don't be so nervous. You've always been on your toes at patrol time," Linkchepto said calmly, sprawling out in the grass looking up at the stars.
"I know," Impa sighed, "but Gerudos are quick."
Linkchepto chuckled a bit. "You Sheikahs put out too much adrenaline just thinking about something scary."
Impa glared at the warrior, but the corners of her mouth twitched. "Yeah? Well, ye Hylians have slightly longer ears than us."
"So?" Linkchepto sat up. Impa sat next to him, pushing her white-blue hair behind her shoulder.
The wind suddenly changed course, and Impa's head jolted to the left. Linkchepto laughed. "See what I mean?" He slipped his arm around Impa's waist and pulled her closer to him.
Impa put her arms around Linkchepto's neck and closed her eyes as he kissed her mouth.
The Sheikah soon responded, opening her mouth a little, pressing harder and running her fingers through Linkchepto's dark brown hair, then gently stroking his pointed ears.
Linkchepto pulled her even closer to him, holding Impa tightly in his arms before slowly drawing away from her, gently pressing his forehead against Impa's. "I love you."
"I love ye too," Impa said softly, running the tips of her fingers along Linkchepto's lips.
Linkchepto slowly pulled away from Impa. "We should get back to work."
Impa nodded. "Aye."
Linkchepto stood up, then helped Impa up. "Y'know, rumor has it that this 'killer' is just a kid."
"Really? That's one I haven't heard," Impa admitted.
"Yep. They managed to catch her, but she escaped, and killed every guard in the dungeon. The prisoners were too frightened to say anything. So we might want to watch out."
"Think she's one of Ganon's lackeys?"
"Not Lackey. Probably Daughter."
"Huh?" Impa blinked.
Linkchepto nodded. "Ganon has seven daughters. Two are Undead. His son was born two days before he was bitten."
"Wow."
3
Laura watched as everyone prepared for her birthday party.
"Ohhh... Lauuurrrrraaaaa......"
"Oh, no," Laura groaned, looking up. "Sprite, what in Farore's name are you doing here?"
The Faerie Princess grinned. "I decided to baby sit ya while the preparations are being made."
"I don't need to be baby sat, Sprite. Shoo!" Laura batted her hand at Sprite, knocking the faerie into a wall. "Owww..."
Laura ignored the pest, and walked over to Shurai. "Shurai... Sprite's bothering me again..."
"She decided te stop by. Give 'er a break."
"Okay. I'll give her a break. First I'll break her little arms. Then her little legs, then I'll take a break."
Shurai chuckled from the remark.
"Shurai?"
"Aye?"
"Why does everyone hate the Gerudos? They're not bad..."
"Oh, aye, they are. Ye jest haven't seen 'em."
"Well... how bad can they be?"
******************************************************************
"STOP, THIEF!!!"
Ganondorf jumped on top of a mud-brick building as his two younger sisters raided the rest of the market stands. "All this over a little bit of groceries?"
Quickly glancing around, the Gerudo Prince spotted his four-year old sister scampering over a fallen fruit stand. Jumping off of the building, he picked her up. "Nab, need help?"
Nabooru bared her fangs and hissed at her brother.
"I'll take that as a yes. Tartara, have you found breakfast yet?"
The Gerudo Princess soon came into view, holding a dead corpse in her clawed hand. "Just had it. A Positive. Bitter as I'll get out," Tartara made a face.
Ganondorf smirked. "Well, did ya finish thieving?"
Tartara held up the knapsack full of goods. "You betcha."
"Okay, let's go before they catch you again!"
Ganondorf whistled, summoning his horse. He jumped on her saddle, holding Nabooru in one hand, and helping Tartara up with the other.
"Y'know, Ganondorf, when I was in prison, they had an all-you-can-eat buffet."
"Right..."
"REALLY! I could have eaten the prisoners before I busted out if I wanted!"
Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "Well, don't forget; we got a birthday party to go to in an hour and a half..."
"Great..." Tartara snarled.
Nabooru blinked. "I-i-is D-D-Daddy com-coming?"
"I don't know, sis," Ganondorf admitted.
"Who's the birthday girl?" Tartara asked, knowing that it was one of the Hylian Princesses.
"Not sure. I think Mother said it was umm... Laura, or whatever her name was."
"Umm... Ganondorf?"
"Yeah?"
Tartara pointed straight ahead. "THE DRAWBRIDGE IS CLOSING ON US!!!"
"Crap!" Ganondorf exclaimed. Kicking his horse's flanks harder.
The pony whinnied, charging faster. Ganondorf clenched the reins. "We aren't gonna make it!"
"Oh, yes, we are!" Tartara growled. With that, she leapt out of the saddle, then kicked the guard who was closing the drawbridge square in the jaw, then grabbed the wheel, spun it, and smashed the bridge back down. "HURRY UP!!!"
Ganondorf urged his horse forward, Tartara running right alongside them.
Nabooru looked towards Tartara, then up at Ganondorf. "Gan-Ga-Ganondorf? H-how come Ta-rtara c-can run f-f-fast?"
"Because she just can," Ganondorf replied, suddenly halting his horse.
Stopping in her tracks, Tartara turned towards Ganondorf. "Whatdya do that for?!"
Ganondorf got off the pony, helping Nabooru down. "Just remembered something."
"What's that?"
"Father said for us to wait for him, and to go out of the Market if Guards came after us. We have to wait."
"Wow," Tartara said sarcastically, "You actually remembered his orders. Maybe your back is gonna survive tonight..."
"Just shut up," Ganondorf growled.
Nabooru sat down on the ground and bit the grass, then pulling back. "Eww..."
Tartara picked Nabooru up. "Well, Father should be here any second."
******************************************************************
Laura completely ignored Sprite as the Faerie fluttered aimlessly around, annoying the Princess on purpose.
"Sprite, if you're not careful, I'm gonna rip your wings out again..."
"And I'll just regenerate them..." Sprite finished the sentence.
Suddenly, royal horns sounded, signaling that an important guest had arrived.
Laura rushed to see who it was. When she saw him, she jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly around the neck. "Ali!!!"
Alucard gasped for breath. "Laura, it's good to see you, too! "
Laura loosened her grip. "Thanks for coming!!!"
Alucard smiled. "How old are you today?"
"Ten!"
"Cool. And uh... stop calling me 'Ali.' It makes me sound like I'm a girl," Alucard mumbled.
Laura blinked. "Well... you scream like a girl..."
Alucard's jaw dropped and he stared at Laura, speechless.
Laura blinked again. "Your teeth are longer..."
"Yeah, by about two millimeters," Alucard scoffed, rubbing his fangs with his tongue.
Laura cocked her head. "How big is two millimeters?"
"Very, very short," Alucard said, poking Laura in the nose. Laura's nose twitched like a bunny-rabbit's.
Alucard laughed. "What is it with you Hylians and your nose-twitching and long ears?"
Laura frowned. "'Cause Hylians evolved from Rabbits, your type evolved from kitties, and Gerudos evolved from Apes."
Alucard smirked. "Is that why all Hylians swim funny?"
Laura smacked Alucard after the remark. "Stop making fun of us! Kitty Cats are really, really scared of water!"
"Reow," Alucard hissed.
Laura giggled.
"Laura!!!"
Laura blinked. "Ali, Shurai's calling me. I gotta go."
"Kay," Alucard messed up Laura's hair and put her down.
Laura ran off, turned a corner rather too sharply, and slammed right into Shurai.
"Oof!" Shurai stumbled back from the blow. "Watch where yer goin', Princess!"
"Sorry, Shurai," Laura grimaced. "What did you need me for?"
Shurai straightened out her blue dress. "Ye should be practicin' yer powers."
"On my birthday?!"
"Aye. Ye need te keep tryin' 'til ye make a fireball. Ye share the bloodline with the fire spirits, Laura," Shurai then looked around the corner. "Who were ye talkin' te?"
Laura grinned. "Alucard's here!!!"
Shurai sighed. "Laura, Alucard might hurt ye one of these days. He's a killer."
"I know, but he's one of the only friends I have! He'd never hurt me!"
"How can ye be so sure? That's what Twinrova said befer..." Shurai's voice trailed off.
Laura looked down at the floor. "I know... before she killed your sister and brother-in-law and made Impa and Era orphans..."
"Aye," Shurai said. She remembered exactly how her sister died. It was unexplainable.
Laura shook Shurai by the shoulders. "Shurai, someone's coming!"
Shurai quickly glanced up. "Oh, Linkchepto an' Azreil are 'ere."
Laura ran over to Linkchepto and knocked him on the floor. "HI!"
"Ack!" Linkchepto yelped as his head smacked against the cobblestone floor.
Azreil giggled. "Laura, ya might want to get off before you kill him with your muscle strength!"
Laura got up. "Ha-ha. Very funny, Az..."
"Hey, Azreil, Link," Shurai said, pushing her brown hair out of her face.
Linkchepto got up and brushed himself off. "Uhh... is Impa here? She and I need to... um... discuss... some things."
Shurai bit her lip to hide her smile. "Aye. She's in th' courtyard practicin' with 'er sword."
Laura tugged on Azreil's blouse. "Az? Can I talk to you?"
Azreil blinked. "Sure."
Laura and Azreil went to the front gates and sat down in a patch of flowers.
Laura grinned. "Linkchepto still doesn't know that you know, eh?"
"Nope," Azreil laughed.
Laura cocked an eyebrow. "Aren't you kinda upset that Linkchepto's cheating on you?"
Azreil shook her head. "I don't have anything against it, really. I knew all along that Impa and Link were originally engaged, but the Sheikahs wouldn't let a Hylian and Sheikah marry. I'll let them see each other as often as they like."
"Okay... but just watch out incase one of these days Impa comes up to you and tells you that she's pregnant..."
Azreil glared at Laura. "Don't even mention that."
Laura smirked.
Azreil sighed. "Well, it's almost time for the guests to arrive. You might want to be inside soon."
"Okay."
Laura and Azreil walked inside the castle and waited.
Shurai stood at the door, waiting for the guests to arrive. Laura, meanwhile, kept trying to practice her powers to pass the time.
4
Within three quarters of an hour, everyone had arrived except the Gerudos. Laura, now disappointed, kept waiting. She really liked the Gerudos. She had read about them and their culture and was fascinated.
Suddenly, horns trumpeted the arrival of an important group. Laura jerked her head up. It had to be the Gerudos!
Sure enough, a group of about 25 females and 2 males entered the ballroom. Laura immediately looked at their ears.
"Yes!" Laura exclaimed. They were Gerudos!
The young boy at his father's side looked about Laura's age, maybe slightly older. Laura thought he was kinda cute, too.
Laura instantly recognized the older male Gerudo to be Ganon, King of the Gerudos. The young boy she didn't recognized. In fact, she hadn't even heard of any other Gerudo Males after Ganon.
Shurai came over to Laura. "Princess, I warn ye te stay clear of some of those Gerudos."
"Why?" Laura asked.
"Trust me."
Alucard approached Laura as soon as Shurai left. "Laura, you have to listen to her. Some of those Gerudos aren't just Gerudos."
Laura looked up at her friend, confused. "What do you mean?"
Alucard bent down and picked up Laura. "A few of those Gerudos are like me, only more fierce, and more deadly. They'll hurt you if they get the chance. I don't want to see you hurt."
Laura pushed Alucard's silver hair out of his face. "Don't worry, Ali. I'll be fine. I can scream."
"Sometimes you can't even scream."
Laura's eyes widened. "Uh-oh."
"Uh-oh is right," Alucard murmured.
*
Ganondorf looked around. His mind wandered back eight years when he was here for the first time. He remembered a girl with red and black hair... he gave her a necklace that his mother didn't want him to give.
"Yo, bro, you awake?" Tartara waved her clawed hand in front of her brother's face.
"Huh?" Ganondorf blinked. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Why don't you find someone else to stalk?"
"I'm not stalking you..." Tartara blinked. "I just wanted to tell you that I can smell another Undead here..."
"Really?" Ganondorf blinked. "I thought the only ones were you, Father, Nabooru, and your mother who died giving birth to you?"
"And ReDeads, Gibdo, and a whole lot more creatures that I can't name. And don't bring up my mother... Father never bit her... idiot."
Ganondorf ignored Tartara, walking on, unaware that his idiotic sister, Nabooru, was following closely behind like a lost puppy dog.
Suddenly, he spotted a girl with red and black hair. Was it...?
Nabooru came up behind Ganondorf and tugged on his cape. "Wh-what are y-y-you do-doing?"
Ganondorf's shoulders slumped. "Nothing. Why don't you go bother Dad?"
"He's too b-busy."
"Doing what?"
"F-f-f-finding lunch."
*
Alucard put Laura down. "Just watch yourself, okay?"
"Kay," Laura looked up at Alucard and smiled before walking away.
Suddenly, Laura ran into a little girl about 4 years old. The girl stumbled back and hissed at her. "W-watch where you're g-go-going!"
Laura looked at the girl's mouth; her teeth were just like Alucard's!
All of a sudden, the young boy that Laura had seen come in with Ganon rushed over and grabbed the girl, briefly looking towards Laura. "Sorry, miss. My sister is a little careless."
"AM NOT!!!" The girl declared.
"Shoo," the boy growled, pushing her away.
Laura bowed quickly to the boy. "It's alright, Prince... uh..."
"Ganondorf," the boy replied. "And how come you knew I was a Prince?"
"Well, uh... obviously, I can tell. If you're the Male Gerudo, and your father still lives, you're the Prince."
Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. "But hardly anyone knows that much about us..."
Laura swallowed. "Well, I heard about Gerudos, and I started researching about them. I'm fascinated by their culture."
"You are?" Ganondorf made a face. "We're not that great."
Laura decided to change the subject. "How come your sister stutters?"
Ganondorf blinked. "Oh. She was born an Undead. Undead usually stutter until they're about five. Nabooru is only four, and is starting to talk clearer. It's the fangs. They affect speech."
Laura's eyes widened. "Your vocabulary is... huge."
Ganondorf's face flushed. "I study a lot in school..."
"You must," Laura laughed. "Oops! I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Laura, Princess of Hyrule and heir to the throne."
"Laura... that's not a Hylian name..." Ganondorf observed.
"I was named after Laura, the Gerudo that Din chose as her sorceress that lived two thousand years ago," Laura admitted.
Ganondorf and Laura both exchanged looks, knowing that they had become life-long friends.
5
Laura's birthday party was almost over, and the Gerudos had to leave early.
"Ganondorf, we're leaving soon," Ganondorf's cousin, Maya, said.
Laura sighed heavily. "Ganondorf, where do you live?"
"Desert Colossus. Why?"
"I was wondering if I could visit you sometime."
Ganondorf looked at the Princess, amazed that she wanted to see him again. "You can... but I'd have to teach you the song that leads there."
"I'm listening."
Taking out his pan flute, Ganondorf played the notes of the Requiem of Spirit, the song that led anyone to the Desert.
Laura memorized the notes. "I'll come whenever I can."
"Okay," Ganondorf murmured.
Two hours later, Laura was in her room, reading about Gerudo Courtship, wondering if Ganondorf had a crush on her.
By what the first sign was, if the male had a hard time speaking. Heck, no.
Second sign: The female and male talk for hours on end. Yep.
Third sign: The female sneaks off to see the male often. Uh-oh.
Fourth sign: The male gives the female a Gerudo Proposal Pendant. What the heck was that?
Flipping the page, Laura saw a sketch of a Proposal Pendant. It had a golden crescent moon with a blue diamond star attached to a gold necklace.
"Wow... that's pretty," Laura said to herself.
Well, not good enough information, but Laura decided that Ganondorf might just consider her a friend.
Then, remembering the song Ganondorf had taught her, Laura placed her Ocarina to her lips, softly playing the tune so Shurai didn't hear her. After she played the last note, she immediately disappeared from her room, and about four minutes later, she ended up in Desert Colossus.
Stepping off the small platform and onto the soft sand, Laura narrowed her eyes as the wind blew sharp shards of sand towards her.
Working her way towards the Spirit Temple that she saw in front of her, Laura yelped as a Leever shot out of the sand, and tried to grab her ankle. She quickly kicked it away, and ran into the temple.
Two Gerudo Guards stood in the main hall right in front of a small staircase. As soon as they saw Laura, they both grabbed their spears and pointed them at the Princess. "No Hylians allowed in Gerudo Territory. You have three seconds to leave before we lock you in Prison."
Laura held up her hands. "I have been given permission by Prince Ganondorf to come her whenever I please..."
The Gerudo Guard on the right blinked. "Why would the Great Ganondorf give permission to a rabbit?"
Laura narrowed her eyes. "I'm not a rabbit. I'm a Hylian, and my name's Laura."
"Don't let her pass," a growling voice said. A young Gerudo girl dropped from a hole in the ceiling and walked down the stairs. The Guards bowed to her.
The Gerudo stood in front of Laura. "I've been put in charge of this Temple, and I say you can't enter unless you have proof that Ganondorf invited you."
"Ask him for yourself," Laura replied.
"Very well... Laura."
The girl clapped her hands which signaled some kind of bell in the temple, and Ganondorf soon came into view. "What is it?"
The Gerudo pointed a clawed finger towards Laura. "This Hylian claims you invited her to the Temple."
Ganondorf sighed. "Tartara, let her pass."
The Gerudo growled. "Why should I? Father put me in charge. I go by his orders."
Ganondorf narrowed his eyes and folded his arms over his chest.
Tartara growled again. "Fine. But I'm telling Father..."
Laura passed Tartara, then noticed something slightly bulging out of her shirt. "What's that?"
Tartara narrowed her red eyes, then reached into her shirt and pulled out the object. "See?" Laura swallowed; Tartara was wearing a Gerudo Proposal Pendant.
Ganondorf led Laura into the main hall of the temple where both of them sat down on a small altar.
Laura laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "Why was Tartara wearing a Proposal Pendant?"
"Huh?" Ganondorf blinked, "Oh, my Father is forcing me to marry her. I have no choice."
"Why don't you just say 'no'?"
Ganondorf bit his lip. "My father is an Undead. I can't remember if I told you earlier, but he whips me if I do anything that angers him. Usually with a leather whip with a bladed tip."
"Ouch..."
"He's whipped me ever since I was a little kid. After we came to Hyrule."
"You weren't born in Hyrule?"
Ganondorf shook his head. "Desert Colossus isn't a part of Hyrule. It's the outside borders. Gerudo Valley is a part of Hyrule, though. I wasn't born in Hyrule. My father was. Every other male must be born inside Hyrule. I was born outside."
"Oh. Ganondorf?"
"Hmm?"
"Is Tartara...?"
Ganondorf nodded. "She was born an Undead. I'm trying to find a way to cure Vampirism among our people. My Father has infected many other Gerudos."
Laura made a disgusted face. "So Tartara's only half Undead?"
"No, not really. My father, who was bitten and made into a fully fledged Undead, fed Tartara his own blood when she was a baby. His Undead blood made her a fully fledged Undead as well. Tartara is my Father's favorite child. He's never hurt her. She was half Undead, because my Father never bit her mother."
"Oh."
Ganondorf blushed. "Gerudos have a lot of history..."
"Obviously," Laura snorted. "Who is Tartara's mother?"
"I don't remember," Ganondorf admitted. "She died giving birth to Tartara. I don't know why. Twinrova adopted her, so now she's my legal sister instead of my half sister."
"Twinrova... your mother?"
"Yep."
"Dang... you Gerudos have weird names. Nabooru, Twinrova, Tartara, Ganondorf... Laura..."
Ganondorf laughed. "Your name isn't strange. It's a common Gerudo name, but only the Gerudos outside... way outside of Hyrule only use that name."
"Why?"
Ganondorf shrugged.
Laura blinked. "Ganondorf?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's try and make a cure for Nabooru! Then she can be a real human!"
Ganondorf stared blankly at Laura. "You sure we can do that?"
Laura nodded. "I've memorized every spell in the book. One of the spells says that we need to take the leaves of the Aconite plant and make it into a wine, then make a monster drink it to cure it."
Ganondorf reached into his back pocket. "That's funny. I got Aconite plants right here!"
Laura laughed, then took them into her hand. Ganondorf gave her a small bowl.
Chanting a small spell, Laura transformed the leaves into wine. "Let's get Nab!"
Ganondorf shrugged. "That's easy. NABOORU!!!!!"
Nabooru soon came into view. "Hi!"
"C'mere! We got something for ya."
Nabooru grinned, then sat down next to Ganondorf.
Laura sighed. "Open your mouth and close your eyes."
Nabooru did as she was told. Laura took the wine, and Ganondorf restrained his sister. Laura quickly poured the wine into Nabooru's throat, then held her mouth shut, and plugged her nose, forcing the Gerudo to swallow.
Nabooru coughed after she swallowed the liquid. "That stuff tastes bad."
Ganondorf gasped. "She didn't stutter!"
"Huh?" Nabooru felt her teeth. They were like Laura and Ganondorf's!
"Hey, I don't feel like eating blood anymore..." Nabooru murmured. Ganondorf and Laura laughed.
6
About two hours passed, and Laura had lost track of the time. Ganondorf and she had talked about their personal lives, their hobbies... basically everything. Laura had even learned that Ganondorf was 76 years old! Male Gerudos aged much slower than normal people, and that's why he looked Laura's age.
Laura sighed. "Ganondorf, I think it's time for me to go... it's late."
Ganondorf's shoulders slumped. "Will I see you again?'
"Probably," Laura shrugged. "It depends if my mother and father will let me..."
"Okay," Ganondorf stood, and helped Laura up. He then took her hand and kissed it. Laura stared at Ganondorf, confusion mixing with disbelief.
Ganondorf grimaced. Oh, great, Ganondorf. You just blew everything out the window...
Laura jumped onto her balcony from a tree, then went inside her room, where Shurai was waiting. "Where were ye?"
Laura gasped. "Uh-um..."
Shurai took Laura's hand. "Yer parents want te speak with ye."
Groaning, the Princess complied, walking down to where her parents were, along with Alucard, who the King and Queen also wanted to speak to.
Alucard briefly glanced at Laura. "Guess you're in trouble, too, eh?"
Laura nodded, but remained silent.
Queen Nathalie eyed Laura. "Laura, where were you?"
Laura stared down at the floor. "Desert Colossus," she murmured.
"With the Gerudos?!" King Harkinian exclaimed. Laura nodded.
"And why were you there?" Queen Nathalie asked calmly, trying to keep Laura from bursting into tears. Laura was approaching that special time for girls, which meant breaking down and crying if any kind of tone was raised.
Laura looked down at the floor. "Prince Ganondorf said I could go and visit..."
"And you went without permission?" Harkinian asked harshly. Nathalie elbowed him.
"Dear, you don't know PMS... you're not a girl," Nathalie whispered to him.
Harkinian sighed heavily. "Laura, as much as we know you love the Gerudos as if you were one of them, we are hereby forbidding you to leave the Hyrulian Grounds until further notice. And no going to Gerudo Valley, either."
Laura wanted to protest, but didn't. "Very well, sir."
"Now, as for you, Alucard," Queen Nathalie directed her attention to Laura's Vampire friend, "We noticed at this party that there were other Undead here."
Alucard's eyes widened, and he was about to say something, but Nathalie held up her hand to silence him, "We know you have never attacked anyone living in Hyrule, but you do attack people outside of Hyrule, and one of those people could have come to Hyrule and started the Undead crisis among the Gerudos."
Laura's face was stricken with terror. "Mother, please--!"
Nathalie ignored her. "So, Alucard, I am very sorry to announce that you are no longer allowed to come to Hyrule, or anywhere near it."
Laura's eyes widened. "NO!!!!"
Alucard bowed quickly to the King and Queen, and headed for the door.
"No, Alucard!" Laura ran over to her friend just before he opened the large doors. "Don't go!"
Alucard bent down next to her, "Laura, your parents are right. Maybe I did start this whole epidemic. It's for the best that I leave."
"No! I won't let you!" Laura exclaimed.
Alucard pressed a finger against Laura's lips. "Shh..."
Laura's eyes blurred, and she threw her arms around Alucard's neck, hugging him tightly. "I don't want you to go!"
Alucard pulled her away, and stood up. "I'm sorry."
Laura watched, helplessly, as her best friend walked out of the castle. Out of Hyrule. Forever.
Laura turned, her eyes burning with anger, towards her mother. "I hate you!!!!!! One of these days, I swear, you are going to pay dearly for what you just did!!!!!!!"
After that, Laura's hands glowed, and two fireballs appeared in her hands. She thrusted them at her parents' feet, letting them burned.
Nathalie stood, extended her hand towards the flames, and shot a blast of magic at the floor, extinguishing the flames. "Shurai? Take Laura up to her room and beat her."
Shurai gasped in horror. "But, Milady--!"
"No Buts," Nathalie said calmly. "Take her to her room now."
Shurai bent down next to Laura. "Come, Princess."
Shurai bent down and picked up Princess Laura. It was her 2nd birthday, and King Harkinian and Queen Nathalie had invited all of Hyrule to the Birthday Party.
Laura blinked, looking around her. "Shurai, why are these people here?"
"Fer yer birthday, silly," Shurai replied, pushing the Princess' black bangs away from her face.
"Shurai! Over here!"
Surprised, the Sheikah looked to her left as Impa and Linkchepto worked their way through the crowd. "The Gerudos just arrived."
"Great," Shurai said sarcastically.
"Twinrova brought her new foster-kid as well as Ganondorf."
Laura looked at Linkchepto. "What's a Ganondorf???"
Impa pinched the Princess' nose. "A Ganondorf is a really bad boy that you might meet today."
"Yay," Laura giggled. Impa and Linkchepto exchanged confused looks.
Shurai slowly shook her head. "Laura likes evil stuff, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Linkchepto scoffed. "Stupid me."
Impa looked around, then her shoulders slumped. "Here comes Twinrova."
Laura jumped out of her attendant's arms, sitting down on the floor.
The Gerudo Queen approached Shurai. "Hey, how's it going?"
"Fine," Shurai murmured.
Laura looked up at the strange newcomer, then at her side. A young boy stood next to her, clutching to her knee. In her arm, a girl about one year younger than Laura sat, glaring down at her.
Twinrova saw Laura looking at the infant, and placed her down next to her.
The little girl growled, backing away from Laura a little bit.
Laura stared at her blankly. "What your name?"
The girl blinked her red eyes. "Dadada."
Twinrova sighed. "Her name's 'Tartara,' but she can't say her name right."
Laura cocked her eyebrow. "Oh."
Tartara grinned, thinking that her adoptive mother was saying something nice about her. "Dadada!"
Linkchepto blinked. "Apparently, it's the only thing she can say..."
The little boy at Twinrova's side walked over and sat next to his sister.
Laura looked at him. "What your name?"
The boy looked down at the floor. "Ganondorf."
Laura blinked. "Oh, so you're a Ganondorf!"
Impa clapped a hand over her face, completely embarrassed about what she had told Laura.
Laura reached out and touched Ganondorf's ear. "You're not a pointy-eared person."
Tartara grabbed Ganondorf's shoulder and pulled him away from Laura. "Dadada!!"
Ganondorf shrugged his sister's hands off of him. "Princess, I got a present for you..." with that, he reached into his pocket.
Twinrova gasped. "Ganondorf, are you really sure you want to give her that now?"
Ganondorf nodded. "I'm sure she's the one, Mother."
"But," Twinrova swallowed, "she's a Hylian! She's not even old enough to understand!"
Ganondorf ignored his Mother, and pulled a small necklace out of his pocket. It had a pendant in the shape of the Gerudo Emblem; a Crescent Moon with a Star.
Laura took the necklace and held it gingerly, then smiled. "Thank you."
After that, she hugged Ganondorf.
Ganondorf staggered back a bit, surprised. But somehow he felt it was right, so he hugged her back.
Tartara punched Ganondorf on the shoulder. "DADADA!!!"
EIGHT YEARS LATER...
1
Guards walked past the dungeon cells, carefully eyeing each chamber.
Pickpocket and murdering Hylians each waited in their cell. Their sentence was either death by starvation, beheading, or hanging. No one could escape the dungeons... No One.
"Viscen!"
Disturbed, the Captain of the Guards rushed to the scene. "What is it?"
The trembling guard pointed to the shattered chains on the floor and the bent cage bars. "The Gerudo got out."
Viscen stepped back. "I...impossible!"
Suddenly, the Guard beside Viscen screamed. The Captain jerked around to see his second-in-command lying dead on the floor.
Then, about a half-second later, Viscen felt himself get knocked to the ground.
The Gerudo Child approached the trembling guard, her eyes glowing red. She then reached down, pulled Viscen up to her level by the collar of his armor...
...then sank her fangs deep into his throat.
******************************************************************
"Laura!!! Laura, where did you go?!" Linkchepto yelled above the roaring of the bubbling lava.
The Hylian Princess had run into Death Mountain Crater -again- and Linkchepto and Impa had been called to get her.
"I donna know why she keeps hidin' out 'ere," Impa sighed, readjusting her Goron Jacket.
"We'll find her," Linkchepto groaned, jumping over a magma-filled crevice, then throwing Impa a rope, "when she gets bored and comes out of hiding."
Impa frowned, swinging across the crevice and landing next to the Hylian Warrior. "Last time, that took 'er nine hours."
Linkchepto wrapped his arm around Impa's waist and kissed her forehead. "Well, she was hiding under the lava last time."
*
Princess Laura poked her head out of a lava pool, looked around, then growled to herself when she saw Linkchepto and Impa about a kilometer away. "How come everyone has to worry about me?"
Reaching the side of the pool, Laura climbed out and shook herself off. She then stammered up the side of a miniature volcano, and looked towards the Hylian and Sheikah warriors. "Hey, you two!! I'm over here!!!"
Linkchepto and Impa both looked towards her, and Laura climbed down the volcano to greet them.
2
"Laura, ye know better than te run away like that..." Shurai sighed.
Laura hung her head low. "I know..."
"Then why did ye do it?"
Looking up at her attendant, Laura frowned. "I'm tired of being locked in the castle."
The Sheikah knelt next to Laura. "Princess, there's a killer on th' loose, an' I canna risk ye."
"Mother and father let my sisters go out, though!"
Shurai sighed. "They've mastered their powers, Laura. They're safe. Ye haven't even shown signs of yer powers. Ye're definitely a target."
"Well... what places are safe for me to go?"
"Th' only places are here, Kakariko, and the Sheikdom. Ye canna go te th' market. More murders 'ave occurred thar than anywhere else. An' if ye intend te go anywhere, ye must have someone go with ye."
"Like who?"
"Impa, Linkchepto... Sprite."
"SPRITE?! NO WAY!!!"
Shurai laughed. "I know ye two donna git along, but she's a good guardian faerie. Remember? Ye two used te be th' best of friends when ye were just a wee lass."
"Yeah, and I was a lot more cuter and stupider. Now I'm uglier and smarter..."
"Auc, Laura," Shurai brushed a strand of Laura's black bangs out of her face, "ye're not ugly. Ye're th' most beautiful maiden in all th' land."
A tear ran down Laura's cheek. "Shurai, why am I so different from my sisters? I mean, Arista made her first energy ball when she was three months old!"
Shurai smiled warmly. "Ye were all born with different genetic make-ups, an' it affects yer powers. Plus, prophecy has it that ye're Din's Chosen One."
Laura cocked her head. "Was that why you named me 'Laura'? After the Gerudo Girl who Din chose as her devoted Sorceress and Follower?"
"Aye. An' I believe ye are reincarnation of that girl, too. Ye have mastered pretty much ev'ry spell in th' book. Only two more te go. Ye're a good sorceress so far."
Laura creaked a smile at the thought.
Shurai gave Laura a hug. "Yer 10th Birthday's tomorrow. Yer father invited some special guests for ye!"
"Really?! WHO?"
"That's fer me te know, an' ye te find out!"
Laura pulled away from her attendant and smiled up at her. "The Gerudos?!"
Shurai smacked herself in the forehead. "Auc, I knew ye'd guess."
******************************************************************
Stars sprinkled the sky like confetti on black silk. Impa and Linkchepto always patrolled Hyrule Field at this time, as Gerudos mostly made their thieving moves at night.
Impa had her hand on the hilt of her sword, her grey eyes flickering back and forth.
"Impa, don't be so nervous. You've always been on your toes at patrol time," Linkchepto said calmly, sprawling out in the grass looking up at the stars.
"I know," Impa sighed, "but Gerudos are quick."
Linkchepto chuckled a bit. "You Sheikahs put out too much adrenaline just thinking about something scary."
Impa glared at the warrior, but the corners of her mouth twitched. "Yeah? Well, ye Hylians have slightly longer ears than us."
"So?" Linkchepto sat up. Impa sat next to him, pushing her white-blue hair behind her shoulder.
The wind suddenly changed course, and Impa's head jolted to the left. Linkchepto laughed. "See what I mean?" He slipped his arm around Impa's waist and pulled her closer to him.
Impa put her arms around Linkchepto's neck and closed her eyes as he kissed her mouth.
The Sheikah soon responded, opening her mouth a little, pressing harder and running her fingers through Linkchepto's dark brown hair, then gently stroking his pointed ears.
Linkchepto pulled her even closer to him, holding Impa tightly in his arms before slowly drawing away from her, gently pressing his forehead against Impa's. "I love you."
"I love ye too," Impa said softly, running the tips of her fingers along Linkchepto's lips.
Linkchepto slowly pulled away from Impa. "We should get back to work."
Impa nodded. "Aye."
Linkchepto stood up, then helped Impa up. "Y'know, rumor has it that this 'killer' is just a kid."
"Really? That's one I haven't heard," Impa admitted.
"Yep. They managed to catch her, but she escaped, and killed every guard in the dungeon. The prisoners were too frightened to say anything. So we might want to watch out."
"Think she's one of Ganon's lackeys?"
"Not Lackey. Probably Daughter."
"Huh?" Impa blinked.
Linkchepto nodded. "Ganon has seven daughters. Two are Undead. His son was born two days before he was bitten."
"Wow."
3
Laura watched as everyone prepared for her birthday party.
"Ohhh... Lauuurrrrraaaaa......"
"Oh, no," Laura groaned, looking up. "Sprite, what in Farore's name are you doing here?"
The Faerie Princess grinned. "I decided to baby sit ya while the preparations are being made."
"I don't need to be baby sat, Sprite. Shoo!" Laura batted her hand at Sprite, knocking the faerie into a wall. "Owww..."
Laura ignored the pest, and walked over to Shurai. "Shurai... Sprite's bothering me again..."
"She decided te stop by. Give 'er a break."
"Okay. I'll give her a break. First I'll break her little arms. Then her little legs, then I'll take a break."
Shurai chuckled from the remark.
"Shurai?"
"Aye?"
"Why does everyone hate the Gerudos? They're not bad..."
"Oh, aye, they are. Ye jest haven't seen 'em."
"Well... how bad can they be?"
******************************************************************
"STOP, THIEF!!!"
Ganondorf jumped on top of a mud-brick building as his two younger sisters raided the rest of the market stands. "All this over a little bit of groceries?"
Quickly glancing around, the Gerudo Prince spotted his four-year old sister scampering over a fallen fruit stand. Jumping off of the building, he picked her up. "Nab, need help?"
Nabooru bared her fangs and hissed at her brother.
"I'll take that as a yes. Tartara, have you found breakfast yet?"
The Gerudo Princess soon came into view, holding a dead corpse in her clawed hand. "Just had it. A Positive. Bitter as I'll get out," Tartara made a face.
Ganondorf smirked. "Well, did ya finish thieving?"
Tartara held up the knapsack full of goods. "You betcha."
"Okay, let's go before they catch you again!"
Ganondorf whistled, summoning his horse. He jumped on her saddle, holding Nabooru in one hand, and helping Tartara up with the other.
"Y'know, Ganondorf, when I was in prison, they had an all-you-can-eat buffet."
"Right..."
"REALLY! I could have eaten the prisoners before I busted out if I wanted!"
Ganondorf rolled his eyes. "Well, don't forget; we got a birthday party to go to in an hour and a half..."
"Great..." Tartara snarled.
Nabooru blinked. "I-i-is D-D-Daddy com-coming?"
"I don't know, sis," Ganondorf admitted.
"Who's the birthday girl?" Tartara asked, knowing that it was one of the Hylian Princesses.
"Not sure. I think Mother said it was umm... Laura, or whatever her name was."
"Umm... Ganondorf?"
"Yeah?"
Tartara pointed straight ahead. "THE DRAWBRIDGE IS CLOSING ON US!!!"
"Crap!" Ganondorf exclaimed. Kicking his horse's flanks harder.
The pony whinnied, charging faster. Ganondorf clenched the reins. "We aren't gonna make it!"
"Oh, yes, we are!" Tartara growled. With that, she leapt out of the saddle, then kicked the guard who was closing the drawbridge square in the jaw, then grabbed the wheel, spun it, and smashed the bridge back down. "HURRY UP!!!"
Ganondorf urged his horse forward, Tartara running right alongside them.
Nabooru looked towards Tartara, then up at Ganondorf. "Gan-Ga-Ganondorf? H-how come Ta-rtara c-can run f-f-fast?"
"Because she just can," Ganondorf replied, suddenly halting his horse.
Stopping in her tracks, Tartara turned towards Ganondorf. "Whatdya do that for?!"
Ganondorf got off the pony, helping Nabooru down. "Just remembered something."
"What's that?"
"Father said for us to wait for him, and to go out of the Market if Guards came after us. We have to wait."
"Wow," Tartara said sarcastically, "You actually remembered his orders. Maybe your back is gonna survive tonight..."
"Just shut up," Ganondorf growled.
Nabooru sat down on the ground and bit the grass, then pulling back. "Eww..."
Tartara picked Nabooru up. "Well, Father should be here any second."
******************************************************************
Laura completely ignored Sprite as the Faerie fluttered aimlessly around, annoying the Princess on purpose.
"Sprite, if you're not careful, I'm gonna rip your wings out again..."
"And I'll just regenerate them..." Sprite finished the sentence.
Suddenly, royal horns sounded, signaling that an important guest had arrived.
Laura rushed to see who it was. When she saw him, she jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly around the neck. "Ali!!!"
Alucard gasped for breath. "Laura, it's good to see you, too! "
Laura loosened her grip. "Thanks for coming!!!"
Alucard smiled. "How old are you today?"
"Ten!"
"Cool. And uh... stop calling me 'Ali.' It makes me sound like I'm a girl," Alucard mumbled.
Laura blinked. "Well... you scream like a girl..."
Alucard's jaw dropped and he stared at Laura, speechless.
Laura blinked again. "Your teeth are longer..."
"Yeah, by about two millimeters," Alucard scoffed, rubbing his fangs with his tongue.
Laura cocked her head. "How big is two millimeters?"
"Very, very short," Alucard said, poking Laura in the nose. Laura's nose twitched like a bunny-rabbit's.
Alucard laughed. "What is it with you Hylians and your nose-twitching and long ears?"
Laura frowned. "'Cause Hylians evolved from Rabbits, your type evolved from kitties, and Gerudos evolved from Apes."
Alucard smirked. "Is that why all Hylians swim funny?"
Laura smacked Alucard after the remark. "Stop making fun of us! Kitty Cats are really, really scared of water!"
"Reow," Alucard hissed.
Laura giggled.
"Laura!!!"
Laura blinked. "Ali, Shurai's calling me. I gotta go."
"Kay," Alucard messed up Laura's hair and put her down.
Laura ran off, turned a corner rather too sharply, and slammed right into Shurai.
"Oof!" Shurai stumbled back from the blow. "Watch where yer goin', Princess!"
"Sorry, Shurai," Laura grimaced. "What did you need me for?"
Shurai straightened out her blue dress. "Ye should be practicin' yer powers."
"On my birthday?!"
"Aye. Ye need te keep tryin' 'til ye make a fireball. Ye share the bloodline with the fire spirits, Laura," Shurai then looked around the corner. "Who were ye talkin' te?"
Laura grinned. "Alucard's here!!!"
Shurai sighed. "Laura, Alucard might hurt ye one of these days. He's a killer."
"I know, but he's one of the only friends I have! He'd never hurt me!"
"How can ye be so sure? That's what Twinrova said befer..." Shurai's voice trailed off.
Laura looked down at the floor. "I know... before she killed your sister and brother-in-law and made Impa and Era orphans..."
"Aye," Shurai said. She remembered exactly how her sister died. It was unexplainable.
Laura shook Shurai by the shoulders. "Shurai, someone's coming!"
Shurai quickly glanced up. "Oh, Linkchepto an' Azreil are 'ere."
Laura ran over to Linkchepto and knocked him on the floor. "HI!"
"Ack!" Linkchepto yelped as his head smacked against the cobblestone floor.
Azreil giggled. "Laura, ya might want to get off before you kill him with your muscle strength!"
Laura got up. "Ha-ha. Very funny, Az..."
"Hey, Azreil, Link," Shurai said, pushing her brown hair out of her face.
Linkchepto got up and brushed himself off. "Uhh... is Impa here? She and I need to... um... discuss... some things."
Shurai bit her lip to hide her smile. "Aye. She's in th' courtyard practicin' with 'er sword."
Laura tugged on Azreil's blouse. "Az? Can I talk to you?"
Azreil blinked. "Sure."
Laura and Azreil went to the front gates and sat down in a patch of flowers.
Laura grinned. "Linkchepto still doesn't know that you know, eh?"
"Nope," Azreil laughed.
Laura cocked an eyebrow. "Aren't you kinda upset that Linkchepto's cheating on you?"
Azreil shook her head. "I don't have anything against it, really. I knew all along that Impa and Link were originally engaged, but the Sheikahs wouldn't let a Hylian and Sheikah marry. I'll let them see each other as often as they like."
"Okay... but just watch out incase one of these days Impa comes up to you and tells you that she's pregnant..."
Azreil glared at Laura. "Don't even mention that."
Laura smirked.
Azreil sighed. "Well, it's almost time for the guests to arrive. You might want to be inside soon."
"Okay."
Laura and Azreil walked inside the castle and waited.
Shurai stood at the door, waiting for the guests to arrive. Laura, meanwhile, kept trying to practice her powers to pass the time.
4
Within three quarters of an hour, everyone had arrived except the Gerudos. Laura, now disappointed, kept waiting. She really liked the Gerudos. She had read about them and their culture and was fascinated.
Suddenly, horns trumpeted the arrival of an important group. Laura jerked her head up. It had to be the Gerudos!
Sure enough, a group of about 25 females and 2 males entered the ballroom. Laura immediately looked at their ears.
"Yes!" Laura exclaimed. They were Gerudos!
The young boy at his father's side looked about Laura's age, maybe slightly older. Laura thought he was kinda cute, too.
Laura instantly recognized the older male Gerudo to be Ganon, King of the Gerudos. The young boy she didn't recognized. In fact, she hadn't even heard of any other Gerudo Males after Ganon.
Shurai came over to Laura. "Princess, I warn ye te stay clear of some of those Gerudos."
"Why?" Laura asked.
"Trust me."
Alucard approached Laura as soon as Shurai left. "Laura, you have to listen to her. Some of those Gerudos aren't just Gerudos."
Laura looked up at her friend, confused. "What do you mean?"
Alucard bent down and picked up Laura. "A few of those Gerudos are like me, only more fierce, and more deadly. They'll hurt you if they get the chance. I don't want to see you hurt."
Laura pushed Alucard's silver hair out of his face. "Don't worry, Ali. I'll be fine. I can scream."
"Sometimes you can't even scream."
Laura's eyes widened. "Uh-oh."
"Uh-oh is right," Alucard murmured.
*
Ganondorf looked around. His mind wandered back eight years when he was here for the first time. He remembered a girl with red and black hair... he gave her a necklace that his mother didn't want him to give.
"Yo, bro, you awake?" Tartara waved her clawed hand in front of her brother's face.
"Huh?" Ganondorf blinked. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Why don't you find someone else to stalk?"
"I'm not stalking you..." Tartara blinked. "I just wanted to tell you that I can smell another Undead here..."
"Really?" Ganondorf blinked. "I thought the only ones were you, Father, Nabooru, and your mother who died giving birth to you?"
"And ReDeads, Gibdo, and a whole lot more creatures that I can't name. And don't bring up my mother... Father never bit her... idiot."
Ganondorf ignored Tartara, walking on, unaware that his idiotic sister, Nabooru, was following closely behind like a lost puppy dog.
Suddenly, he spotted a girl with red and black hair. Was it...?
Nabooru came up behind Ganondorf and tugged on his cape. "Wh-what are y-y-you do-doing?"
Ganondorf's shoulders slumped. "Nothing. Why don't you go bother Dad?"
"He's too b-busy."
"Doing what?"
"F-f-f-finding lunch."
*
Alucard put Laura down. "Just watch yourself, okay?"
"Kay," Laura looked up at Alucard and smiled before walking away.
Suddenly, Laura ran into a little girl about 4 years old. The girl stumbled back and hissed at her. "W-watch where you're g-go-going!"
Laura looked at the girl's mouth; her teeth were just like Alucard's!
All of a sudden, the young boy that Laura had seen come in with Ganon rushed over and grabbed the girl, briefly looking towards Laura. "Sorry, miss. My sister is a little careless."
"AM NOT!!!" The girl declared.
"Shoo," the boy growled, pushing her away.
Laura bowed quickly to the boy. "It's alright, Prince... uh..."
"Ganondorf," the boy replied. "And how come you knew I was a Prince?"
"Well, uh... obviously, I can tell. If you're the Male Gerudo, and your father still lives, you're the Prince."
Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. "But hardly anyone knows that much about us..."
Laura swallowed. "Well, I heard about Gerudos, and I started researching about them. I'm fascinated by their culture."
"You are?" Ganondorf made a face. "We're not that great."
Laura decided to change the subject. "How come your sister stutters?"
Ganondorf blinked. "Oh. She was born an Undead. Undead usually stutter until they're about five. Nabooru is only four, and is starting to talk clearer. It's the fangs. They affect speech."
Laura's eyes widened. "Your vocabulary is... huge."
Ganondorf's face flushed. "I study a lot in school..."
"You must," Laura laughed. "Oops! I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Laura, Princess of Hyrule and heir to the throne."
"Laura... that's not a Hylian name..." Ganondorf observed.
"I was named after Laura, the Gerudo that Din chose as her sorceress that lived two thousand years ago," Laura admitted.
Ganondorf and Laura both exchanged looks, knowing that they had become life-long friends.
5
Laura's birthday party was almost over, and the Gerudos had to leave early.
"Ganondorf, we're leaving soon," Ganondorf's cousin, Maya, said.
Laura sighed heavily. "Ganondorf, where do you live?"
"Desert Colossus. Why?"
"I was wondering if I could visit you sometime."
Ganondorf looked at the Princess, amazed that she wanted to see him again. "You can... but I'd have to teach you the song that leads there."
"I'm listening."
Taking out his pan flute, Ganondorf played the notes of the Requiem of Spirit, the song that led anyone to the Desert.
Laura memorized the notes. "I'll come whenever I can."
"Okay," Ganondorf murmured.
Two hours later, Laura was in her room, reading about Gerudo Courtship, wondering if Ganondorf had a crush on her.
By what the first sign was, if the male had a hard time speaking. Heck, no.
Second sign: The female and male talk for hours on end. Yep.
Third sign: The female sneaks off to see the male often. Uh-oh.
Fourth sign: The male gives the female a Gerudo Proposal Pendant. What the heck was that?
Flipping the page, Laura saw a sketch of a Proposal Pendant. It had a golden crescent moon with a blue diamond star attached to a gold necklace.
"Wow... that's pretty," Laura said to herself.
Well, not good enough information, but Laura decided that Ganondorf might just consider her a friend.
Then, remembering the song Ganondorf had taught her, Laura placed her Ocarina to her lips, softly playing the tune so Shurai didn't hear her. After she played the last note, she immediately disappeared from her room, and about four minutes later, she ended up in Desert Colossus.
Stepping off the small platform and onto the soft sand, Laura narrowed her eyes as the wind blew sharp shards of sand towards her.
Working her way towards the Spirit Temple that she saw in front of her, Laura yelped as a Leever shot out of the sand, and tried to grab her ankle. She quickly kicked it away, and ran into the temple.
Two Gerudo Guards stood in the main hall right in front of a small staircase. As soon as they saw Laura, they both grabbed their spears and pointed them at the Princess. "No Hylians allowed in Gerudo Territory. You have three seconds to leave before we lock you in Prison."
Laura held up her hands. "I have been given permission by Prince Ganondorf to come her whenever I please..."
The Gerudo Guard on the right blinked. "Why would the Great Ganondorf give permission to a rabbit?"
Laura narrowed her eyes. "I'm not a rabbit. I'm a Hylian, and my name's Laura."
"Don't let her pass," a growling voice said. A young Gerudo girl dropped from a hole in the ceiling and walked down the stairs. The Guards bowed to her.
The Gerudo stood in front of Laura. "I've been put in charge of this Temple, and I say you can't enter unless you have proof that Ganondorf invited you."
"Ask him for yourself," Laura replied.
"Very well... Laura."
The girl clapped her hands which signaled some kind of bell in the temple, and Ganondorf soon came into view. "What is it?"
The Gerudo pointed a clawed finger towards Laura. "This Hylian claims you invited her to the Temple."
Ganondorf sighed. "Tartara, let her pass."
The Gerudo growled. "Why should I? Father put me in charge. I go by his orders."
Ganondorf narrowed his eyes and folded his arms over his chest.
Tartara growled again. "Fine. But I'm telling Father..."
Laura passed Tartara, then noticed something slightly bulging out of her shirt. "What's that?"
Tartara narrowed her red eyes, then reached into her shirt and pulled out the object. "See?" Laura swallowed; Tartara was wearing a Gerudo Proposal Pendant.
Ganondorf led Laura into the main hall of the temple where both of them sat down on a small altar.
Laura laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them. "Why was Tartara wearing a Proposal Pendant?"
"Huh?" Ganondorf blinked, "Oh, my Father is forcing me to marry her. I have no choice."
"Why don't you just say 'no'?"
Ganondorf bit his lip. "My father is an Undead. I can't remember if I told you earlier, but he whips me if I do anything that angers him. Usually with a leather whip with a bladed tip."
"Ouch..."
"He's whipped me ever since I was a little kid. After we came to Hyrule."
"You weren't born in Hyrule?"
Ganondorf shook his head. "Desert Colossus isn't a part of Hyrule. It's the outside borders. Gerudo Valley is a part of Hyrule, though. I wasn't born in Hyrule. My father was. Every other male must be born inside Hyrule. I was born outside."
"Oh. Ganondorf?"
"Hmm?"
"Is Tartara...?"
Ganondorf nodded. "She was born an Undead. I'm trying to find a way to cure Vampirism among our people. My Father has infected many other Gerudos."
Laura made a disgusted face. "So Tartara's only half Undead?"
"No, not really. My father, who was bitten and made into a fully fledged Undead, fed Tartara his own blood when she was a baby. His Undead blood made her a fully fledged Undead as well. Tartara is my Father's favorite child. He's never hurt her. She was half Undead, because my Father never bit her mother."
"Oh."
Ganondorf blushed. "Gerudos have a lot of history..."
"Obviously," Laura snorted. "Who is Tartara's mother?"
"I don't remember," Ganondorf admitted. "She died giving birth to Tartara. I don't know why. Twinrova adopted her, so now she's my legal sister instead of my half sister."
"Twinrova... your mother?"
"Yep."
"Dang... you Gerudos have weird names. Nabooru, Twinrova, Tartara, Ganondorf... Laura..."
Ganondorf laughed. "Your name isn't strange. It's a common Gerudo name, but only the Gerudos outside... way outside of Hyrule only use that name."
"Why?"
Ganondorf shrugged.
Laura blinked. "Ganondorf?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's try and make a cure for Nabooru! Then she can be a real human!"
Ganondorf stared blankly at Laura. "You sure we can do that?"
Laura nodded. "I've memorized every spell in the book. One of the spells says that we need to take the leaves of the Aconite plant and make it into a wine, then make a monster drink it to cure it."
Ganondorf reached into his back pocket. "That's funny. I got Aconite plants right here!"
Laura laughed, then took them into her hand. Ganondorf gave her a small bowl.
Chanting a small spell, Laura transformed the leaves into wine. "Let's get Nab!"
Ganondorf shrugged. "That's easy. NABOORU!!!!!"
Nabooru soon came into view. "Hi!"
"C'mere! We got something for ya."
Nabooru grinned, then sat down next to Ganondorf.
Laura sighed. "Open your mouth and close your eyes."
Nabooru did as she was told. Laura took the wine, and Ganondorf restrained his sister. Laura quickly poured the wine into Nabooru's throat, then held her mouth shut, and plugged her nose, forcing the Gerudo to swallow.
Nabooru coughed after she swallowed the liquid. "That stuff tastes bad."
Ganondorf gasped. "She didn't stutter!"
"Huh?" Nabooru felt her teeth. They were like Laura and Ganondorf's!
"Hey, I don't feel like eating blood anymore..." Nabooru murmured. Ganondorf and Laura laughed.
6
About two hours passed, and Laura had lost track of the time. Ganondorf and she had talked about their personal lives, their hobbies... basically everything. Laura had even learned that Ganondorf was 76 years old! Male Gerudos aged much slower than normal people, and that's why he looked Laura's age.
Laura sighed. "Ganondorf, I think it's time for me to go... it's late."
Ganondorf's shoulders slumped. "Will I see you again?'
"Probably," Laura shrugged. "It depends if my mother and father will let me..."
"Okay," Ganondorf stood, and helped Laura up. He then took her hand and kissed it. Laura stared at Ganondorf, confusion mixing with disbelief.
Ganondorf grimaced. Oh, great, Ganondorf. You just blew everything out the window...
Laura jumped onto her balcony from a tree, then went inside her room, where Shurai was waiting. "Where were ye?"
Laura gasped. "Uh-um..."
Shurai took Laura's hand. "Yer parents want te speak with ye."
Groaning, the Princess complied, walking down to where her parents were, along with Alucard, who the King and Queen also wanted to speak to.
Alucard briefly glanced at Laura. "Guess you're in trouble, too, eh?"
Laura nodded, but remained silent.
Queen Nathalie eyed Laura. "Laura, where were you?"
Laura stared down at the floor. "Desert Colossus," she murmured.
"With the Gerudos?!" King Harkinian exclaimed. Laura nodded.
"And why were you there?" Queen Nathalie asked calmly, trying to keep Laura from bursting into tears. Laura was approaching that special time for girls, which meant breaking down and crying if any kind of tone was raised.
Laura looked down at the floor. "Prince Ganondorf said I could go and visit..."
"And you went without permission?" Harkinian asked harshly. Nathalie elbowed him.
"Dear, you don't know PMS... you're not a girl," Nathalie whispered to him.
Harkinian sighed heavily. "Laura, as much as we know you love the Gerudos as if you were one of them, we are hereby forbidding you to leave the Hyrulian Grounds until further notice. And no going to Gerudo Valley, either."
Laura wanted to protest, but didn't. "Very well, sir."
"Now, as for you, Alucard," Queen Nathalie directed her attention to Laura's Vampire friend, "We noticed at this party that there were other Undead here."
Alucard's eyes widened, and he was about to say something, but Nathalie held up her hand to silence him, "We know you have never attacked anyone living in Hyrule, but you do attack people outside of Hyrule, and one of those people could have come to Hyrule and started the Undead crisis among the Gerudos."
Laura's face was stricken with terror. "Mother, please--!"
Nathalie ignored her. "So, Alucard, I am very sorry to announce that you are no longer allowed to come to Hyrule, or anywhere near it."
Laura's eyes widened. "NO!!!!"
Alucard bowed quickly to the King and Queen, and headed for the door.
"No, Alucard!" Laura ran over to her friend just before he opened the large doors. "Don't go!"
Alucard bent down next to her, "Laura, your parents are right. Maybe I did start this whole epidemic. It's for the best that I leave."
"No! I won't let you!" Laura exclaimed.
Alucard pressed a finger against Laura's lips. "Shh..."
Laura's eyes blurred, and she threw her arms around Alucard's neck, hugging him tightly. "I don't want you to go!"
Alucard pulled her away, and stood up. "I'm sorry."
Laura watched, helplessly, as her best friend walked out of the castle. Out of Hyrule. Forever.
Laura turned, her eyes burning with anger, towards her mother. "I hate you!!!!!! One of these days, I swear, you are going to pay dearly for what you just did!!!!!!!"
After that, Laura's hands glowed, and two fireballs appeared in her hands. She thrusted them at her parents' feet, letting them burned.
Nathalie stood, extended her hand towards the flames, and shot a blast of magic at the floor, extinguishing the flames. "Shurai? Take Laura up to her room and beat her."
Shurai gasped in horror. "But, Milady--!"
"No Buts," Nathalie said calmly. "Take her to her room now."
Shurai bent down next to Laura. "Come, Princess."