To the west of Hyrule lies a deserted land where the sun scorches the earth and endless waves of sand stretch as far as the eye can see. It is a barren waste with little food and even less water. For most it is a dry world where no life could possibly exit.
Yet there is a handful of life there. Nomads, called the Gerudo, have learned to survive such a harsh environment. Since the land was formed by the Goddess Din, they have wandered across its dunes relying upon her fiery spirit to lead them and it is by her will that Gerudo tribe will only have one male born to them once every hundred years. This male is said to be chosen by Din herself, and is called to be a King and leader to the women of the tribe.
It has been twenty years since the previous king, Karnik, passed into the next world. The Gerudo now wait for a new leader to be born.
Madib, head priestess to the Spirit Temple, stared into the setting sun, reading whatever signs were there. Her feathery brows wrinkled together as she pursed her lips at what she saw. The sun burned golden across the dunes on the horizon, casting long shadows across the valley. "A good beginning," Madib muttered to herself. "A strong ruler from birth." As time passed the shadows drew farther along and the sky burned from gold to orange, the sun a bright orb balancing on the dunes. A smile wrinkled Madib's old face. "A hope to our people, and a blessing. He will bring us a new way of life."
As the sun continued to set Madib was satisfied that the babe being born to Shakti would indeed be the next king of the Gerudo. She had seen the child in a vision at the Spirit Temple, but she hadn't been sure when exactly he would arrive. Her visions these days weren't as clear. Perhaps it was her old age.
The sun slipped over the horizon and Madib sighed. "A good king," she muttered. "A strong king. Just what our people need." She started to walk back towards the village when something on the horizon caught her eye. She turned to face it and gasped.
The setting of the sun told the life of the king. Once set, his life was ended, but looking back on the horizon Madib saw the sun had returned to balance on the dunes. The sky had changed to a fierce red that shook her to the bone. "Death," she whispered. "Many deaths. A reign of blood that will pass beyond his life." She glanced at the sun again, puzzled. "But why won't his sun set? What will keep him?"
Many other such questions crowded her mind as Nadia, her apprentice, walked across the sand to stand next to her. She was still engrossed in her visions when she barely heard her say, "It is as you said, Lady Madib. Shakti has given us a son."
Madib nodded. "Take me to him, Nadia. There is something I must see." Nadia nodded and led the way to the handful of tents that was their village. Gerudo gathered at the entrance of their tents to show respect to Madib as she passed. Some followed behind her to see what the priestess had to say about the child born to Shakti.
Nadia stopped in front of a small tent with a drawn flap. She opened the flap for Madib to slip past and enter alone. The rest of the Gerudo waited patiently outside, curious about what was going on. Nadia turned her back on the tent to face the crowd. Her mistress would not want any interference.
Inside the tent, Shakti lay under a blanket next to a single oil lamp. She was propped up for comfort and in her arms she held a sleeping male child with a head already fuzzy with flaming red hair common to the Gerudo tribe. "Lady Madib!" Shakti exclaimed in delight. "I have a son!" She looked down at the child warmly and gently kissed his forehead. "Truly Din has blessed me this day."
Madib nodded. "A blessing indeed." She sat on the floor next to the lamp in order to get a better look at the child. "May I see him, Shakti?" she asked holding out her arms to receive the babe. Shakti handed him over, careful not to disturb the child from his slumber. He whimpered slightly between them but settled down once Madib held him to her. She studied him carefully, looking for any sign that what she had seen in the sunset would truly come to pass through him, but there was nothing there; just a child sleeping soundly in her arms. "Have you given him a name, Shakti?"
Shakti shook her head. "I was so sure he would be a daughter. I don't have any names for a son."
"Then I will name him," said Madib. "This child will be a king to our people. He will lead us forward, and bring a new future." The child stirred and looked up into Madib's eyes. She looked back, determined that she could change the future of this child. "You will be called Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo."
When Madib passed Ganon back to his mother she took him with reverence. After twenty long years a king had been born to the Gerudo tribe. Madib then stood and passed back through the flap of the tent. Nadia stepped aside for her to address the crowd of women that had gathered. "Shakti has given us a son! Hail, Ganondorf! King of the Gerudo!"
There was a jubilant echo from the crowd as they chorused, "Hail, Ganondorf! King of the Gerudo!" Without another word Madib and Nadia walked off towards the direction of the temple. The gathered women set off to celebrate and spread the word of the new king. Among the crowd, a pair of twins in particular were muttering excitedly to each other about the news.
"Did you hear that, Kotake?" one of them asked the other. "A new king is born!"
"I most certainly did, Koume," Kotake replied. "What a treat! I wonder when he can come out and play?"
"Not yet, Kotake," said Koume. "King Karnik has only been dead twenty years and already you're after another sweetheart? Shame."
Kotake pouted. "It's only been that long? Felt like longer. I miss him."
"Not to worry, Kotake," said Koume gently, "I'm sure Ganny will be just as nice." They looked at each other mischievously before bursting out into cackling laughter. They continued laughing as they walked away, holding onto each other for support.
Inside the tent Shakti held Ganondorf close to her. "My king," she whispered. "My son." She looked towards the flame beside her. "Din, I accept the responsibility that you have given me. I will do my best to raise him well. He will be a benevolent king, taught in your ways. I'll ask Madib to help him learn what it means to lead the Gerudo."
