My first Legend of Zelda fanfiction! Hopefully it turns out okay.
"Urbosa, I fully understand the meaning of tradition, but this is wrong. He has been in this world for not even a day and yet you…"
"I know you mean well, my little bird, yet in accordance with the ways of my people I cannot allow this potential catastrophe to play out. The root has to be choked before it even has a chance to grow."
"Urbosa! You're talking about…"
"Enough. Forgive me, princess, but this is one issue we are not going to see eye to eye on."
Zelda woke up to find her face and pillow covered in tears. The dreams she'd been having as of late seemed to be windows into her past; specifically a time where she and Lady Urbosa had disagreed on a rather serious issue. She couldn't bare to think about it yet every night for the past week her subconscious threw the unpleasant situation directly back in her face. She needed some fresh air.
Since Hyrule Castle was in such a state of ruin, Link courteously made his house in Hateno Village work for two people. Even though she missed her old bedroom, Zelda found the cottage to be quite cozy. While there was only one bed, Link let the princess occupy it and he slept on the floor (much to Zelda's protest).
The princess wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood up. She tiptoed around Link and down the stairs then crept out the door and made her way to the pond outside. Staring into the crystal clear water Zelda tried to figure out why these dreams had plagued her sleep for the last week.
While memories of fighting Calamity Ganon for a century plagued her dreams months after its defeat they eventually began to dissipate. However, dreams of a different unpleasant origin had been on the rise for the past week and Zelda couldn't decipher why. Perhaps in the morning, after getting back to sleep, she could get to the bottom of her nightmares. She splashed her face with some of the cool water and then returned to her bed to try and get some decent sleep.
"Please consider what you're doing. You can't decide their fate at such an age."
"Perhaps not… but I can decide the fate of my people... and I'm deciding to not have our name be tarnished again by such an unspeakable being. I'm deciding to protect the name of the Gerudo."
"Urbosa! You need to swallow your pride and acknowledge that he IS…"
"Guards! See the princess out. Link should be waiting for you just outside the city gates, your highness."
Zelda shot awake and was almost blinded by the light pouring through the window. Dear Hylia, it was bright! How long had she slept?! Her mixture of emotions were soon muted though when she began to smell the delicious aroma of Link's cooking from the floor below her. Maybe after a decent breakfast she could begin to decipher her dreams.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs Link looked up with a smile while continuing to stir his meal in the frying pan over the stove. He placed some of the food onto a plate and handed it to Zelda along with the Sheikah Slate.
"Good morning, Link." Zelda said with a yawn. Upon glancing at the Sheikah Slate though she discovered her greeting was a bit in accurate. It turned out it was 1:30 in the afternoon. Zelda, while feeling slightly embarrassed for having slept so long, corrected herself and wished Link a good afternoon instead. Link chuckled a little and then sat down across from her with a large plate of food. As he began to scarf it down, Zelda wondered if Link would be able to help her figure out why some of her most frightful and angering memories from over 100 years ago were plaguing her night after night.
"Link… forgive me if this is too intrusive, but after you woke in the Shrine of Resurrection did you have nightmares or night terrors when you went to sleep? Specifically of events that happened before you were placed in the shrine?"
Link slowed his monstrous assault on his meal and slowly set his fork down. His gaze became distant and for a few moments he did not respond. But eventually he slowly nodded his head. While Zelda sympathized with him she closed her eyes and felt a sense of delight; it was not just her who was a victim of the century old memory nightmares!
When she opened her eyes and looked back at Link his expression had changed from distant to concerned. He knew she wouldn't ask a question like that randomly; the same issue had to be affecting her too. Link tilted his head as if trying to get her to tell him specifically what was wrong. With a sigh, Zelda began to explain:
"I've been having vivid dreams of conversations/an argument I had with Lady Urbosa about 100 years ago. It happened just before the events of Calamity Ganon. We were the only two involved in this argument so none of the other champions were a part of it…" Zelda trailed off and looked down at the floor deciding how to go about explaining the conflict between her and the late Gerudo chief. Link waited patiently across the table with his hands interlocked while supporting his head. Zelda took a deep breath and began to try and explain the difficult subject to Link
"In the legends of ancient Hyrule, it is said that Ganon was once incarnated as a male Gerudo. He was a ruthless and merciless thief. He was known across Hyrule as the Demon King or the King of Evil"
"However, not all of the Gerudo accepted him as their leader. Nabooru, who divine beast Vah Naboris is named after, was one such Gerudo who defied her king. After Ganon was defeated by the hero and the princess of that specific ancient legend it would be another 100 years before another male Gerudo was to be born. It is a strange yet prophesied happening that remains true even to this day. Those who were like Nabooru and resented Ganon began a horrid tradition of executing the male born Gerudo every 100 years when he is prophesied to appear. They do this to avoid any chances of the boy growing into another Ganon and bringing the association with evil to the proud members of the Gerudo people."
Link sat in silence trying to process the weight of what the princess had just explained. So there were male Gerudo… they just never got the chance to live. Zelda looked down and the table, trying to avoid eye contact with Link.
"I apologize for keeping this from you and all of the other champions, Link… it was just too horrible for me to talk about…" Link took her hand in an effort to comfort her. When Zelda looked up and made eye contact with Link he could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "And I tried so hard to fight for that child's life 100 years ago! But Urbosa, being who she was, was too stubborn to let go of her people's tradition! I can understand wanting to protect her people but… but… that poor defenseless little boy… he never even had a chance to prove her fears wrong, Link. He was only an infant." Link had gotten up and moved to sit next to Zelda. She buried her face into his shoulder and he held her as she sobbed. After calming down slightly, Zelda began to quietly talk through her sobs.
"I just don't know why these memories are flooding back and tormenting my dreams… I couldn't do anything 100 years ago so why is it a century later…"
Link stopped stroking Zelda's hair and went completely still. Zelda looked up to see what was the matter and saw Link's gaze boring back into her own with a strong sense of realization. Zelda's eyes widened and realized what Link was so struck by: it was 100 years later. It was precisely 100 years after the last male Gerudo had been born. Within the next days there was sure to be another male Gerudo born somewhere in her kingdom and this time she was determined now more than ever to make sure the child was to live. She failed 100 years ago and would not allow history to repeat itself.
"Link, ready your things and prepare to endure some intense heat. We're going to go pay Lady Riju an unexpected visit."