Part I – A King is Born
Chapter II – Stolen Origins
Today was a special day. Or at least it was supposed to be. Ganondorf turned eight years old today and nobody seemed to notice. Everybody looked as if it was just a regular day. Other birthdays had been huge occasions with Gerudo crowding him and showering him with gifts. But even for a normal day, something seemed different. The people still greeted him the same way, bowing their heads and softly saying his name, but there were no broad smiles and some even seemed somber at his very presence. Ganondorf though didn't really take this to heart. He had been told that he was becoming an adult and that today he would finally get the coveted soul gem that all the Gerudo had bonded to their foreheads. In fact, becoming an adult had many perks. The first of which was that he was now permitted to train in the training tent at the back of the compound. Ganondorf was headed there now and he loved the sight of it. It was a giant tent that rivaled the compound's mountainside structures. It was made of a brown cloth that was pitched up high in three places with a parting in the cloth that served as an opening in the front. As he approached the tent his mother stepped out into the heat and the blinding light carrying a small wooden cube ornate with golden corner guards.
"Momma!" Ganondorf called and ran toward his mother who squatted down on her toes and laid the cube down on the ground before embracing her child.
"Hello, little one!" she laughed.
"Today's my birthday!" the kid said excitedly to his mother. He knew that, out of everyone in the world, she was the most likely to remember the occasion today, but he didn't want to take that chance.
"I know. You turn eight years old today. That is why," Rila dropped to one knee, picked up the solid wood cube from the floor, and dusted it off, "I've got you a special birthday present."
"But how do you open it?" the cube had no notable hinges or a seam that separated a top from the rest of it. It just looked like a wooden cube with golden corners and the Gerudo symbol emblazoned in gold on the top.
"Watch." Rila reached up to her forehead and unclipped her bright blue sapphire soul gem from the silver ornament bonded to her skin. She was extremely gentle with it as she lowered it towards the golden symbol on the cube. Ganondorf was amazed when the symbol began to slightly glow. But the glow soon rose in intensity until the light emanating from it was so bright the two had to cover their eyes and the Gerudo walking around stopped and watched the event unfold. Then the light abruptly ended and a small pop came from the cube. Rila replaced her soul gem to its rightful place on her head and then opened the newly seamed box in her hand. Inside lay a small medallion around the size of Ganondorf's palm. The sun's light danced on the polished silver with inlaid gold and splintered violently into dazzling rays when it hit the dark red gemstone that nestled itself securely in the middle of the pendant.
"This is your soul gem Ganondorf. It adorned the head of our last great king a hundred years ago and, as is tradition, it is passed on to you." Rila placed the silver piece in Ganondorf's hand and smiled at his amazement and wonder.
"Is it a ruby?" the boy asked looking up.
"No. That, my son, is a blood diamond and, like you, it is the rarest and possibly the only of its kind. It is the most respected stone both in our ranks and our politics."
The gem seemed to sparkle with delight at the touch of its new owners hands as Ganondorf rolled over the jewelry, observing it with keen wondrous eyes.
"Wow." Was the only thing he could whisper when his mother closed the box and stood up straight.
"Come with me, it is time it was bonded to you and time you became a true Gerudo." She led Ganondorf around the back side of the mountain and into the stone compound with all the eyes of the people around following them.
The inside of the main compound was huge and had miles of winding tunnels carved deep within the protective mountain. Sleeping quarters, kitchens, dining rooms, and infirmaries were the bulk of what was on the inner parts of the compound, as jail cells and dungeons made up the exposed stone structures outside the mountain. Hidden switches and secret doors concealed passageways that led into the inner compound where the rest of the Gerudo population lived. But Rila was leading Ganondorf farther into the deep corridors than he had ever gone before. Children were not allowed around this part of the compound and Ganondorf could see why. The halls were lined with pieces of armor and there were rooms dedicated to weapons that looked sharp enough to cleave a man in half by merely touching him. Other rooms were filled with gold and open chests that held artefacts more valuable than the most adorned jewelry.
Ganondorf was amazed that the tunnels ran for so long. They must've been walking for at least an hour and the lanterns that lit the way stopped showing up every so often as the white light they gave off was replaced with a red ominous glow. With it came a stuffy atmosphere that smelled of ashes and metal. The hall finally let out into a fantastically large room that echoed each footstep and had a red glowing hearth at the far end with two people tending to it. The mother and son approached a large stone slab and one of the people attending the hearth left the glowing fire pit to meet the new arrivals. The woman wore a frightening mask with two horns that curved toward the back of the head and teeth that were forever gnashing. The eyes were just two pits of the darkest black that made night jealous and when she spoke the words came from holes in between the teeth in the mask. Rila took the headpiece from Ganondorf and handed it to the forge hand who looked over every inch of the medallion several times, turning it around and around again only stopping every so often to exhale in what seemed to be admiration for its masterful craft.
"This is old silver," the person behind the mask said, "and very old magic. It will take some time to get it ready for the bonding process."
"That is fine," Rila bowed to the masked figure, "we can wait."
Rila walked Ganondorf over to the large stone slab and sat him down next to her facing away from the forge. Ganondorf lay his head on his mother's lap and she began to stroke his bright orange hair. Ganondorf's hair was straight and sloped toward the back of his skull where it piqued up like a tail. It was handsome enough but a portion of the mane at his temples had recently been growing in and threatened to connect his eyebrows with the rest of his hairline. It was a feature he had inherited from his father. The simpleton was probably still in his big tent in the tribe to the north calling himself king. "King Hyrule" he called himself, Rila thanked the goddess that it was the only thing he inherited from the old fool. Though Rila was actually cutting that back recently with his regular haircuts. She didn't think it looked too good. Certainly not befitting a king.
"Momma," the child spoke in a bored tone, "could you tell me a story?"
"Which story would you like to hear, little one? You've heard them all almost a hundred times over."
Ganondorf sighed in deep thought. The boys inhale filled out the rough folds of cloth that served as his shirt and he kicked off both his small leather sandals that were ready to fall off anyway. Ganondorf was so active around the tribe and with the other children that he needed new sandals almost every week. There was a new scab, cut, bruise, or blister that the child constantly came home with. Rila did not like to see these things on her son. She hated to see her child get hurt.
"Tell the one with the song." he finally said decisively.
Rila smiled, "That one was always your favorite. Ok." Rila took a deep breath and started her story.
"There was once a time long ago when the people of this world lived as one in the center of this land. The people were prosperous, hardworking, and had a deep respect for one another. However, the king was an evil, plotting, and selfish king who thought only for himself and his own gain. Many knew of his intentions and the extent of his corruption, but none dared to speak but a word in defiance as doing so surely meant death or worse. But a band of rebels sought to bring down this oppressive monster and deliver the people from his tyranny. But they were betrayed by their own kind and when they were brought to trial, they were banished to the desert and their names were hated throughout the kingdom. Nyru as cast as an evil and conniving witch who sucked the souls from children. This was a lie. Nyru was really the wisest and kindest woman in all the kingdom. She was so smart that she could weave spells that were so complex even the most seasoned wizard would be amazed. But her spells were only used to help the weak and poor and she never kept anything to herself. Din was cast as a mindless monstrosity whose only emotions were rage and anger. But these were all lies too. Din was indeed a mountain of a man, but he was still a man nonetheless. He was the most compassionate man who ever lived and he was just as protective. Finally, there was Farore who was cast as a thief and a traitor. But Farore was a thief that only took from those who had too much and gave to those who had none. She was a hero to many people and had a heart of gold. All three were brought to the desert and left without water or food to die a terrible and painful death.
"But fate had another plan for them. For days they walked the desert together until they found a river that ran deep into a stone ground. The trio were so happy and so thirsty that they drank the river almost dry. Only a small stream was left running within a deep canyon when they had finished drinking. The river, however, was a sacred river of the sand goddess and to see it reduced to a weak stream infuriated the goddess. 'WHO HAS DESTROYED MY BEAUTIFUL RIVER AND REDUCED IT TO A PETTY STREAM!' The goddess' voice shook the very ground and churned the sands as it seemed to emanate from everywhere. She appeared to the three thieves in a blinding light and clothed in golden armor. 'Who are you and why do you admonish us so?' the three called. 'I am the goddess of these desert sands and the river you have so violently destroyed was a beautiful masterpiece. What do you say before you die?' Farore then spoke, 'Please, we do not mean to trespass. We were banished from our home for doing only good for our people. We have nowhere else to go.' The goddess spoke softer then, 'My heart is moved to your plight. But I cannot overlook this transgression. For this, I will make you a deal.'
"Nyru motioned the others to kneel with her, 'We wish to become your followers, oh goddess.' The goddess then nodded in approval, 'I will grant thee hospitality under my roof and you will share in a portion of my power. However, your punishment will be severe and will stretch across all your generations.' The three said in response, 'We are prepared to carry your blessing and your curse.' as refusing would've meant death. The goddess held a hand above their heads, 'your people will henceforth be known as the Gerudo, the People of Shadow and you will have thieving skills surpassed by none. Your daughters will be as beautiful as the sun and will be twice as deadly.' The three responded, 'you have surely blessed us, oh Goddess.' But the goddess was not finished and frowned, 'you forget your burdens. For your transgressions you are cursed to only have daughters and all of your successive daughters will be likewise cursed to only give birth to women. Only every one hundred years will your people know the birth of a male child. He shall be the king of all Gerudo and all will bow to his divine rule. It is forbidden for the king to bed another Gerudo so your daughters will be forced to prostrate themselves to other tribes and lay with men from other places in order to conceive. Now, you will bear a symbol as my people and it shall be fused to you as a symbol of your blessing and your curse.' The goddess produced three gemstones embedded into silver and gold medallions. A sapphire for Nyru, emerald for Farore, and," Rila tousled Ganondorf's hair, "a blood diamond for Din. 'These are your soul gems.' The goddess spoke, 'These will be fused to your foreheads, becoming part of your being. Part of your soul. You will pass them down through the generations and more can be obtained at my spirit temple in the desert. They are your people's beautiful disfigurement and you will brandish them with pride.' The medallions glowed white with heat and were burned into the foreheads of the exiled. The silver and gold bonded instantly and the Goddess' magic made the process painless. 'Finally, as is the nature of the desert, your children will be frightened and uncomfortable being born in such an arid place. I grant you a song for you to sing to your children and to teach your daughters to sing to their children. It will calm their spirits and make them one with the desert.'"
Rila looked at Ganondorf who, through his halfway sleepy gaze, waited for her to sing. When she sang, her voice echoed through the room in a chorus repetition and her voice was as smooth as the finest silk. The song was so powerful that it seemed that time flowed and shifted in rhythm to the melodic and flowing notes. The song commanded time itself.
"Oh child,
Sleep my child,
And all the world will release itself unto you.
Oh child,
Sleep my child,
And when you wake the world will belong all to you.
You'll have power for your might,
And have wisdom as your light,
Courage wanes so don't be late,
and be wary of your wand'ring gait
Oh child,
Wake my child,
Because the world waits for you to begin your rule.
Oh child,
Wake my child,
For all the world waits for your return,
wake my child."
Ganondorf had fallen asleep before the final verse had ended. The masked Gerudo returned to Rila and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"The soul gem is ready to be bonded to the child's body and soul."
Rila nodded and carefully lowered Ganondorf's head onto the stone tablet and rolled him onto his back. The woman then signaled to the assistant who picked up a pair of iron tongs and used them to pick up the glowing medallion form the blazing hearth. The one with Rila then produced a wooden bowl of white powder in her other hand.
"This will put him into a deep sleep and numb his body to the bonding. We will tend to him if you wish to excuse yourself."
"I will stay with my child."
"If you insist."
The woman sprinkled the powder over Ganondorf's face and her child slumped into an even more relaxed state. One that resembled a coma rather than sleeping. The assistant then arrived with the glowing ornament in the pair of tongs. The white hot metal was then lowered carefully and slowly towards the child's forehead with the masked woman guiding it to be perfectly center. Before it touched her son, Rila closed her eyes. She hated to see her child get hurt.