Chapter Two: "I am Ganon"

Chapter Two: "I am Ganon"

The Gerudo Kingdom prospered under Ganon's rule. In a matter of seven years, the three Gerudo tribes were fused into one gigantic epicenter of Gerudo life. Ganon, now 28 years old, had fathered and raised 143 beautiful daughters. He had yet to create a name for himself as a "Ganon," but the citizens were already calling him "Ganonallios," king of prosperity. The Gerudo city had become famous in Hyrule for its marketplace, stretching for miles across a quiet valley, which traders had named "Gerudo Valley." In this time, there was a spike half-Gerudo half-Hylian children born due to the constantly visiting traders. Despite strict Gerudo law that stated all half-breeds were to be killed, Ganon welcomed all forms of life into his deserts. This upset the small population of elder Gerudo, but drove the younger generation into celebration. The Gerudo desert soon became an exotic place of leisure as resorts and inns were built, inviting more tourism. The once alienated lands of the Gerudo transformed into a city of relaxation and interracial peace. As more and more Hylians took residence in the Gerudo desert, word of the now wealthy city spread fast across the kingdom, eventually reaching the ears of none other than King Hyrule himself.

"My lord. The once barren lands of the Gerudo have become a popular and wondrous place. The revenue that the Gerudo kingdom has raked in is only rivaled by the great Kingdom of Hyrule, leaving the Zoran and Goronian provinces in a shadow. Rumor has it that the new Gerudo king is a man of peace and equality, welcoming outsiders regardless of their race. The Gerudo Kingdom would be a great asset to the Hyrulean Alliance, my lord. Imagine: Zora, Gorons, and Gerudo, all pledging their allegiance to the Hyrulean Crown! Only one kingdom left, my lord! The Hyrulean future looks promising!" Kneeling obediently on one knee, the Hyrulean messenger wiped a wall of excited sweat off his forehead. He was filled with joy that he was the one chosen to deliver such fine news to the legendary king of Hyrule.

On an oversized golden thrown sat the pensive old king, stroking his thick white beard. His eyes wandered about his vast chamber, moving from artifact to artifact, examining his treasures of conquest. Above his throne hung three flags: one bearing the blue skeleton of a fish, one with the picture of a red volcano, and one in the center hosting the image of three golden triangles aligned into a pyramid.

"Smithson…" whispered the king. The soldier bolted up and raised his right fist over his heart. "Yes, my liege?" he asked.

"Smithson…deliver a message to the Gerudo…" Smithson's hand darted into his messenger bag and pulled out a roll of parchment and an enchanted feather. As the king began to speak, the enchanted feather turned black, magically filling itself with ink. The king proceeded. "'King of the Gerudo. By order of his majesty, King Amadeus Hyrule the 13th hereby proposes a peace treaty between the kingdoms of Gerudo and Hyrule, titled the Hyrulean Alliance Act. Once under Hyrulean rule, there will be an unshakable order amongst the four mother races, uniting the four corners of these lands in the name of the Hyrulean crown. If you do not comply with this decree, the kingdom of Gerudo will be deemed a renegade nation and shall be considered an enemy to the crown! Signed, King Amadeus Hyrule the 13th."

The Hyrulean king leaned forward in his throne, directing his piercing blue eyes onto Smithson. Smithson looked up at the king in question, but then lowered his gaze in respect. "M-my lord?" Smithson asked, out of breath with anxiety. The king continued to stare at Smithson. He then cleared his throat loudly, fixed the collars on his expensive blue robe, and leaned back into his throne. Smithson cautiously looked back up at the king.

"Will th-that be a-a-all, my lord-d-d?" quaked Smithson. The king casually reached into his pocket and pulled out 5 tiny purple crystals. "Take this 250 rupees, Smithson. Before you deliver this message, I want you visit King Do Bon Zora the 3rd and then Chief Darunia of the Goron." Smithson ran forward and aggressively threw the crystals in his bag. He then stood up and shakily thumped his fist against his chest. "W-what shall I s-say to them, my king?" The king moved his gaze to the other side of the room where a large, engraved stone depicting three triangles adorned the chamber's doorway. "Tell them that they are summoned to Castle Hyrule for a conference…we have things to discuss" he growled. Smithson leaped in fright, but collected himself quickly. He respectfully bowed, turned, and ran out of the chamber as fast as he could with excitement. He could not believe his luck. 250 rupees?! I can't wait to see what the king will give me when I successfully deliver these messages! Smithson joyously laughed as his plated shoes clanked on the stone corridors of Castle Hyrule. Today was his lucky day.

The king then turned to far left corner of his chamber. From the shadows emerged a man draped in a white cloak. His left eye was covered by an eye-patch, decorated with the picture of bleeding red eye. His right eye burned red in the darkness of the chamber. His jet-black hair was slicked back, almost invisible in the darkness minus a white strand that hung over his eye-patch. The king smiled at the cloaked man. "Asura…follow Ensign Smithson. Make sure he makes it to the desert without any problems. Is that clear?"

The red-eyed man dropped to one knee. "Yes, my king…" His voice was raspy and deep, yet soft and soothing. The king nodded at Asura, signaling that he was free to leave. Asura then merged back into the shadows, disappearing out of the room entirely. The king then looked the right of his throne, where an adjacent wooden table supported a large goblet of wine. The king admired his reflection, but then grimaced at the thoughts that plagued his mind. Those wretched Gerudo…they WILL bow before the Hyrulean crown…or may the Goddesses have mercy on their foul souls…

Inside the castle walls, a young girl walked amongst the vast castle gardens. By her side walked an enormous, lightly-armored woman. The young girl spotted a horizontal line of red flowers growing at the end of the garden. She ran up with excitement, giggling on her way there. "Impa, look! Daddy had the gardeners plant 'Red Remalias' for me! I love these flowers! They remind of your eyes, Impa: red and fierce, yet silent and beautiful."

The large woman arrived at the line of flowers, looking at them warmly. "Yes. Your father loves you very much, Princess." Impa looked up at the sun. She then gently placed her thick hand on the little girl's shoulder. "Come, Princess. It's mid-day. Time for you lunch." The little girl nodded with a smile, wrapped her tiny hand around one of Impa's fingers, and began walking.

Ensign Smithson sat down heavily on a chair. He looked around the small tavern, examining the people inside it. Good. I'm not the only Hylian here… he thought, locking his eyes onto a small table of three Hylian traders. He then looked down at his feet and winced in pain. The unfamiliar desert terrain gave him blisters, something that could put a messenger to shame. On the other side of the bar sat a man draped in a white cloak. A large white hood covered his rugged face, leaving only his nose and lips exposed. Ensign Smithson turned to a nearby Gerudo waitress. He blushed at her momentarily, examining the curvy outline of her provocatively-dressed body. "Excuse me, Miss. Where can I find the Gerudo king? I bring for him a message from King Hyrule himself," he said proudly, trying to impress the exotic waitress.

She lifted a curious eyebrow at him. "The king? He is in his living quarters, surrounded by Gerudo guards. I don't care who you are, I doubt you are going to get in…," she scoffed. Smithson casually sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "My dear, you know not of the persuasive power of a Hylian." He stood up, left 10 rupees on the table, and left the tavern.

The waitress examined the 2 blue rupees, concluded that they were real, and slid them into her pocket. As she dropped the second crystal into her pocket, she felt a rush of heat against her body. She looked up in alarm, taking sight of a man cloaked in a white cloth in front of her. His eyes were hidden, but the sight of his perfect nose and beautiful lips froze the Gerudo woman in her tracks. He put his right hand over the center of his chest, roughly pressing her against a wall. Her breathing became short and shallow as her hands began to quiver. The man breathed down her neck as his tongue softly licked the beads of sweat that had formed on her body. "Tell me, little dove, where is your king really hiding?" His deep voice flowed into the Gerudo woman's ears like silk. She curled her toes in ecstasy when he spoke. She slowly opened her quivering lips and said "H-he is at a banquet w-with v-v-vassals. Th-they celebrate the s-success of his r-r-reign…" She then dropped to her knees as tiny droplets of drool oozed from her mouth. Her breaths had become loud and deep as she lay there, trying to calm her over-heated body.

The cloaked man reached into his pocket, pulled out 10 purple crystals and dropped them by the waitress's shivering body. "Thank you," he whispered. "That will be all." He then turned to the rest of the tavern, appreciating the fact that no one in the room had noticed his conversation with the waitress. He looked back down at the waitress with smile. My dear, you know not of the persuasive power of a Shiekah, he thought. After adjusting his hood he then casually walked out of the tavern, all the while whistling a jolly tune.

"A toast, in honor of Lord Ganon! May he bring ever-lasting prosperity to his people!" A long-table of richly-dressed Gerudo women lifted their golden goblets. "To Ganon!" they cried. At the end of long table sat Ganon, dressed in beautiful golden robes. His neck was adorned with large, golden chains and his fingers shined with grand, jeweled rings. He lifted his goblet as well, toasting the woman sitting to his right. "I owe my thanks to Nabooru. Without her direction, our lands would be knee-deep in debt!" he laughed heartily. The vassals joined him in laughter. The young Gerudo lowered her gaze in respect, hiding her flushed cheeks. Ganon reached out and raised her chin. "Be proud, young Nabooru. This banquet is not just for me…" Ganon stood up and raised his goblet once more. "To Nabooru! At the young age of 16, Nabooru has risen in the ranks of our society with her blessed wisdom and maturity. After much consideration, I hereby announce that from this day forward, Nabooru Narimas shall be my second in command!"

The Gerudo vassals raised their goblets as well, drinking deep in honor of the newly appointed official. Just as Ganon's lips made contact with his goblet, an unfamiliar voice rang through the courtyard. "Let go of me! Honestly, how was I supposed to know that the Gerudo king was being defended by WOMEN?!" Ganon looked to the other side of the courtyard where two heavily-armored, tall Gerudo women held back a tiny Hylian man. Ganon nodded at the guards, telegraphing that they should release him. They nodded in response and threw the little intruder onto the ground, right in front of the banquet table.

The little man stood up furiously, brushing the sand granules off his padded shoulders. "Well, I wasn't expecting such a rude welcoming. And here I thought the Gerudo were civilized…" smirked the Hylian visitor. Ganon slowly rose from his seat, over-shadowing the Hylian and the two Gerudo guards nearby. "How can I help you, stranger?" growled Ganon, straightening out his massive figure. The silence that followed afterwards was soon interrupted by loud clanking noises coming from the knee-plates of the Hylian messenger.

The messenger cleared his throat, pulled out a piece of parchment, and began reading the contents. "King of the Gerudo. By order of his majesty…"

Once the message was read, the messenger rolled the parchment back up and returned to his side-bag. Ganon remained standing, staring down at his goblet. "Tell me, Sir…" he began. "Smithson," interjected the messenger. Ganon continued to peer into his cup. "Tell me, Sir Smithson…how did you find out about this banquet you so kindly disturbed?" The messenger shuffled his feet. "A man told me. He was dressed in white, must've been a Hylian trader or something," explained Smithson. Ganon shot his head up, his eyes burning with fury. His gaze seared into Smithson's eyes, causing the Hylian to look down in fear. "You tell your king, little Hylian," began Ganon, "that the Gerudo are a peaceful and docile people; we do not search for trouble. But, your king brings an unwelcome voice to my deserts, so he shall hear mine as well." Ganon dropped a boulder-like fist on the banquet table, creating a hairline fracture in its center. "If your king wishes to have these lands, he must take them from the Gerudo by force! While we may be peaceful and merciful, we are also proud. Tell him, Hylian! Tell your king not to mistake mercy for weakness!" Ganon's voice boomed through the courtyard, turning the heads of Gerudo miles away. As the echoes of his voice died out in the distance, black thunder clouds gathered around the Gerudo kingdom, wrathfully rumbling in the skies. In the shadows of the courtyard, Asura was trembling in fear. Although undetected by the Gerudo, his hands could not stop shaking. Such strength…such fury…that man alone could take out armies with his very voice, he thought.

Smithson was already on his knees, tears of fright rolling down his eyes. "Y-y-yes, King of the G-Gerudo!" he cried. Ganon walked towards the Smithson, each step disrupting the ground beneath him. His iron-clad boots stopped in front of the bowed Smithson. "Ganon…" whispered the titanic king. Smithson raised his head to look up. His eyes widened as the unheard of size of the desert king was temporarily silhouetted by a flash of lightning. Ganon kneeled down by Smithson, leaning his head beside Smithson's ear. "I am Ganon, little Hylian. Ganon of the Desert, king of the fierce and ancient Gerudo people. Know thine enemy, Hylian…"

Smithson's tears flowed like rivers down his face. Asura, too overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, dashed out towards Ganon. Two large scimitars fell out his sleeves, falling into his hands. He pulled one arm back, ready to thrust the large blade into Ganon's heart. As lightning flashed above the courtyard, Asura's red eye made contact with the Ganon's, seeing the king's eye-color for the first time. Without even seeing it, one of Ganon's thick arms shot out towards Asura. His hand wrapped around Asura's neck with ease, almost like a twig.

There Asura hung, his neck in between the colossal hand of Ganon. Struggling to breathe, Asura did not resist his captor. As he inhaled, blood shot out his mouth, staining his white cloak. "Your eyes…they are red like mine…yet, you are not a Shiekah…" Asura strained his throat to cough up more blood. "What have you seen…that makes your eyes…burn with such fires..?" Asura inquired. Ganon released the assassin, dropping him next to Smithson. Asura's swords clanked to the floor, which the two Gerudo guards quickly collected and ran back to their spots. Ganon wiped Asura's blood off his hand and onto his golden robe. "I have seen the peaceful future of my people, Shiekah. But now that your king bring his blades into my desert, I can see that the future I saw was just a dream," sighed Ganon. "I spare your lives, you dogs. I doubt your king would have done the same for my people. Go now. If you value your lives, you will never come near the Gerudo sands ever again…"

Smithson turned to the bloodied Asura, recognizing him as the stranger who gave him the location of Ganon's banquet. Asura turned to him and smiled. "It is okay, Smithson…we…work for the…same king," Asura whispered as blood ran down his chin. Ganon walked past the two men, stopping by the courtyard entrance. "Nabooru…see to it that these men make it out my deserts alive…I don't want any pointless deaths in my lands…" Ganon walked up to the two Gerudo guards and kissed them both on the forehead. "No deaths…" he hissed to them sternly. He then continued to walk past them, entering the now silent Gerudo streets. As his feet left the courtyard premises, it started to rain.