Disclaimer: If it is found in a Nintendo game then it belongs to Nintendo. I made up the rest. Enjoy the story!
Vignettes: Life in the Fortress
Translated from Gerudo by Trixie Falsae
Early Training
"Nabooru, you are going to get us into trouble," my best friend whispered as I peeked around the corner. It was getting hard to see in the waning light, but I could see sparks glinting off the blades of the guards.
"No, I'm not," I insisted as I dashed across the courtyard, followed close by Aveil. We had recently moved from the grotto into the fortress proper, and I was feeling very grown-up and daring. I was, after all, training to be a full-fledged Gerudo now. I naturally assumed I should already get the privileges of more mature Gerudo, and that included admission to the one place that peaked my interest. The training grounds had always seemed so mysterious, so aloof, and so grown up. It almost held as much allure as the Desert Colossus. As a mature candidate of ten, I was more than prepared for the rigors of the elusive training grounds.
"They'll never let you in," Aveil insisted as we huddled behind a crate.
"I wasn't planning on walking up and asking," I shot back. I crouched in preparation to sprint and waited for an opportunity.
"We aren't allowed in, Nabooru," she hissed.
"Fine, don't go. I'll tell you what it is like later," I smiled cunningly. I saw my chance and hurtled myself toward my goal. She let out a rather mature oath and followed close at my heels. The guard had wandered off to relieve herself and the patrol was in just the right spot. I began to pick the lock, but Aveil quickly pushed me aside.
"You aren't good at anything that requires finesse," she declared as the lock popped open in her capable hands. She shoved me inside and slammed the gate shut.
"Aren't you coming?" I asked as she replaced the lock and gave me a smile.
"No way, I'm not getting into trouble," she winked and dashed off before the guard could return.
I mentally congratulated myself on my accomplishment and dashed into the unknown dungeon. "This is awesome," I whispered to myself as I crept along the torch lit corridor. I stood in awe in the entrance and randomly decided to go to the right. My skin prickled with anticipation as the door slammed down behind me and I was greeted by the angry cry of two of the largest dinalfos I had ever seen.
In truth, they were the only dinalfos I had ever seen. I had never actually left Gerudo Valley outside of the few trips I had made to the Desert Colossus. Leevers were the most monstrous things I had seen to date. I had read about monsters and had studied them in theory, but my eyes bugged as I actually stared the two of them down. I fingered the weapons I had managed to secure; a stone cudgel and a small, dull dagger. I let out a battle cry and hurtled towards my enemies, only to back pedal immediately as a beam shot out at me. I had to circle the room, flipping around to get the dinalfos to accidentally stab each other while still avoiding the beam. Once one dinalfos was down it was easy to pick off the last with the dagger.
I still had to get rid of the beamos. I had seen these before. They were used to guard the temple in the desert, but I had somehow never managed to pay attention to how to disarm one if needed. The ones I had been around didn't shoot at Gerudo. This traitorous version preferred dinalfos. It didn't matter which angle I came from, the beam always found me. I finally chucked my cudgel as hard as I could, which managed to knock the device over, destroying the mechanism.
I congratulated myself and advanced to the next room. I was immediately greeted by a sweltering wave of heat, and the sound of the gate mechanisms creaking. From the noise in the next room, someone was working their way towards me. I let out the most mature oath I could think of and dashed off to the door opposite where I thought the others were coming from. It didn't even occur to me to go back the way I came. All I knew is that getting caught would mean I was in big trouble. As soon as the gates released I dashed through my chosen door as the other trainees were entering the room I was in. I huddled down in the corner and looked around. I was trapped. There was only one door, and that led to the room I had just come from. The room was small and square.
I sat huddled in a corner, praying that whoever was out there would pass this little room by. I didn't see anything to do here so I thought my chances were pretty good. Sitting there I had enough time to think about how many rules I was breaking and how much trouble I would be in If I got caught. I didn't have a clue how to get myself out of the training grounds now that I had gotten in.
I was pulled from my fretting by the sound of the door rumbling open. I stood and pressed myself against the wall in a panic, only to have the floor slide out from underneath me as the door finished opening. I gasped as I immediately fell and hit water.
Gerudo do not swim well. The river is too rapid for swimming, and there is not a good access to it. There is a lake nearby, but it is usually teeming with Zora so we don't frequent it. I flailed uselessly as I found myself over my head in water. This was going to be my punishment for breaking into the training grounds, I was going to drown.
Somehow amid my flapping and splashing a strong arm grabbed the back of my utilitarian top and hauled me up. "Thanks," I sputtered as she held me up at eye level, not yet putting me on my feet. I looked up into her eyes and found myself face-to-face with Bonshie, the scourge of the Gerudo. Bonshie was second-in-command only to the most exalted Gerudo, yet she was mean and hateful. I heard rumors that she had taken her position by force. She glared at me with her cold eyes. My fate was sealed. I was dead.
"You aren't allowed in here," she hissed, still holding me above the water. I froze, trying to plan an escape. She turned and whistled. Shortly thereafter another Gerudo entered, trying to catch her breath. She wiped the sweat off her brow.
"Really Bonshie," she huffed, leaning on her knees for support, "if you wanted to go fishing we could have gone to the lake. What have you caught?" Bonshie slowly lifted me higher so that the newcomer could see me. My shirt was painfully digging into my chest, but Bonshie refused to lower me so I could stand on my own feet. The newcomer tried to look stern, but her eyes sparkled with mischief and delight.
"She looks a bit small to have been caught in here," she joked, her eyes twinkling and a smirk spreading across her face. I couldn't help but notice how her merriment clashed with Bonshie's severity. I couldn't imagine Bonshie tolerating this banter from one of her trainees. I had heard how she was a cruel and brutal trainer. Bonshie frowned at me.
"I'll throw her back," she said and released me. I splashed back into the water and resumed my frantic splashing. The ledge of the floor the others were standing on was much too high for me to reach. I choked on the water but finally Bonshie once again hauled me up, this time throwing me across the floor. I coughed up the water I had swallowed and stay lying on the floor.
"Well, get up now," the nicer Gerudo prodded after I had ceased hacking. I clamored to my feet and shivered as I stood before the two as if in inquisition. They both stared down at me, Bonshie with her harsh glare and the other with amusement.
"We'll throw her in the pit," Bonshie decided at last. The other rolled her eyes.
"While this is a serious transgression, it hardly warrants the pit," she replied. They eyed each other for a few seconds.
"She needs to learn to obey orders," Bonshie countered.
"I'm sure we can find a suitable punishment that won't inflict physical or psychological harm to the child."
"It is better to teach her obedience early, not coddle her because you think she is adorable," Bonshie grumbled. The other looked at her severely then laughed.
"You know me too well, Bonshie," she finally said as I looked on with both fear and amazement. No one laughed at Bonshie and survived. No one. "Besides," she continued, "I remember a young Gerudo who once followed her sister into the training grounds. She didn't even make it past the first room."
"She was younger and she wound up in a room with stalfos."
"Well she turned out okay,"
"If this Gerudo is anything like her, she has a bleak life ahead of her," Bonshie replied seriously before turning to me. "Your life will be much easier if you follow the rules. We have them for a reason. Make sure everyone follows the laws." I stared at her openmouthed, not able to form a reply.
"Quit scaring at her and think of a suitable punishment," the other prodded. "What is your name, little Gerudo?"
"I am Nabooru, mistress," I answered with as much courage as I could muster. Even I was surprised at how confident I sounded.
"You will refer to her as Exalted Yeresft," Bonshie demanded. My stomach caught in a knot. I hadn't seen the exalted at any rituals so I didn't know what she looked like. She hadn't even been present during the ceremony where I left the grotto and entered the fortress. I stared at her anxiously.
"It isn't her fault she doesn't recognize me," Exalted Yeresft chided. She turned to me. "I've been out of commission for a while. Bonshie decided I need to relearn my training before resuming my duties. I'll let this slide, but just this once," she said as she gave me a slight wink. They seemed incredibly grown up to me. If I hadn't been so young I would have realized how young they were to be holding the positions they did. I didn't know it at the time, and wouldn't learn for many years, how early the wishes of the prince impacted the fortress. Both Yeresft and Bonshie had been close to him since his infancy. He had a large impact as having Yeresft named exalted when the position came open. It wasn't that she wasn't suited to the job; it is that she was young and inexperienced. Yeresft did tend to be more lax than other leaders had been. I was so startled I let out oath referring to bodily waste.
"Perfect!" Exalted Yeresft said, her eyes twinkling merrily at me. Bonshie grabbed me by the back of my shirt again and marched me out of the training grounds. I couldn't help but notice the mischievous sparkle in her eyes as she looked at Yeresft, as if she could read her thoughts. My fate had been decided and I still didn't know what it was.
"I told you, you were going to get into trouble," Aveil taunted, leaning through the doorway of the latrines I was scrubbing. Again. I had been assigned latrine duty, alone, for two whole months. I made a rude gesture before holding my breath again. Even through the mask the odor was powerful.
"Shah. I at least got to see the training grounds. So there," I boasted.
"I'll get to see it someday," she countered defensively. "What is it like?" she asked in awe, unable to hide her admiration.
"Awesome," I replied as I continued my agonizing task.
"I bet it wasn't worth it," she teased. "Getting caught by Bonshie herself and then having to scrub toilets for two solid months. You are lucky you made it out alive. I heard she killed a Gerudo in training for not talking respectfully enough."
"Actually," I replied proudly, "yes it was worth it." I could only hope Bonshie would forget about me when this whole thing was over and I'd never have to face her again.
Author's Note: I had thought about going back and revising my story, Memoirs of a Gerudo, because I am not entirely happy with it. I knew I would wind up rewriting the entire thing and that is a greater task than I am willing to undergo right now. I'm going to leave it be and chalk it up to a learning experience. What you are finding here is snippets that didn't make in into the story, as well as other bits and pieces I write as I try to master character development, as I feel that is my weak point in writing. This isn't going to be one linear and cohesive story. This is shorter segments that open a window into life in the fortress. There will be pieces from different perspectives so you never know what you will find here. I'm going to write this so you can follow along even if you haven't read my other stories. As always, I welcome constructive criticism and feedback.
