A couple hours later I headed towards the giant gates that I had earlier climbed over.
When I got close, some guards came and quickly escorted me inside and through the gardens to the waiting palace beyond.
"Everyone has been worried."
"How could you do that?"
"Why on a day as important as this?"
Was all I heard as people rushed around me, washing and dressing me as if I was a doll.
I said nothing but giggled at their seriousness.
"Where is she?!" Came a bellow followed by the double doors to my room being slammed open.
"Where have you been? Do you realize what today is?"
I sighed, and when I saw her face I knew she was furious.
"Mother-"
"No, I don't want excuses, you knew this was coming and had time to prepare." She said glowering.
My mother was beautiful with her black hair and tan skin, clothed in the finest silks and jewels.
We looked very similar with our golden eyes, tan skin, and shapely bodies, though I was still growing into mine.
She had high cheeks and a softly framed face with a straight and slightly pointed nose.
I mirrored all her features, except my hair was a bright silvery red from my father.
"Well I'm here now, and I won't run away." I told her, putting my hands on my exposed hips.
The style for women of the Gerudo desert was low slung, skirt like pants that tightened at the bottom with some type of fitted top.
And jewels, lots an lots of jewels. Along with the veils of course, but that was only required for noble women.
Now I wore a purple veil with my hair in a long loose braid flowing past my hips.
Then a red and gold top with matching pants and gold sandals.
"Good, now come, you must meet your newest suitor."
This was the fifth suitor I had met this year, and that totaled to eight all together that I'd met since turning thirteen.
As I was escorted to the dining room with my mother, sister and elder brother I thought about how boring these meetings had become.
I would be dressed up and meet some man who thought he would marry me and be the next ruler of the Gerudo people.
Some had been old men with power across the sea, one younger than me and others of all ages.
Though they all had to wait three years to marry me until I turned sixteen, which was the proper age for marriage here.
I had not bothered to ask anything about this next suitor, I had simply grown tired of the process.
I didn't want to marry any of them anyway.
Though there had been one...but I pushed that out of my mind.
"...listening to me?"
I realized my brother had been speaking to me.
"Forgive me brother, what was that?"
He chuckled and looked down at me while we walked.
My brother was the most handsome man in the land.
With his powerful frame, strong features, midnight black hair, purple eyes and towering height he was easily the envy of all men, and desire of all women.
Dressed in the darkest red clothing and gold jewels, he looked like a king.
But he wasn't.
"I was saying, that this doesn't have to take long, especially if he is anything like your last two suitors." He said, shuddering at the thought of them.
I giggled and remembered the boy that had been younger than me, my brother had called it a joke.
Then the old man that had no teeth but supposedly controlled a lot of land somewhere far away and couldn't stop talking about all the children we'd have.
My sister had said no to that one.
"It is true that there have not been any good suitors, but I still have three years so it is also quite pointless to be doing this now." I said, with a pointed look at my mother.
She smiled and glanced at me, "you must find a fiancé before your sixteenth because that is when you shall we'd and you both will begin learning how to rule here."
I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Yes, but could I not meet serious suitors that we would all approve of instead of wasting such time?" I asked.
I was to someday become ruler of the Gerudos, and I was going through rigorous training to live up to the standards.
All men and woman here were worriers that learned to use their bodies as weapons at a young age.
And the king and queen were to be the perfect example for all to model themselves after, physically and mentally.
My mother sighed, "well I just want you to be ready in case the right one comes along."
I grimaced as we neared the great double doors to the dining hall.
My sister grabbed my arm and leaned into me. "When this all becomes too much, don't forget you have other options." Then winked at me.
My sister, whom was an exact replica of my mother, was eighteen and had chosen a life away from the crown to become a traveler.
She went to different lands and found goods to trade with the Gerudos, and from what she'd told me, had also found many lovers.
I giggled as my mother went to stand in front of us, with me and my sister each taking hold of my brother's arms.
The doors were opened and we all strode into the great room.
There were tables set up in two lines surrounding the walkway to the royal seating at the end of the room.
Great pillars and walls of rustic gold were decorated with red tapestries, as were the floors and tables.
"Your highness, it is a pleasure to finally meet you!" Said some man standing next to the thrones.
I peaked around my mother and saw that he had tan skin and red hair, with a big belly and many fine clothes and jewels.
My mother walked up to him and held out her hand to be kissed. "Yes, master Ganondorf, I, as well as my children are glad also."
What?
I could not see the other person standing in front of my mother, but I released my brother and leaned around her.
No way, it couldn't be!
Standing beside the big bellied man was the boy from earlier!
He had changed his clothes to black and purple, and had clearly bathed, but it was him!
He was my suitor?
As I stared at him wide eyed, he looked over and caught sight of me.
I didn't hear what the others were saying, probably introductions.
"Could it be, you are Nabooru?" He asked, beginning to smile and walk my way.
"What?" My sister said, then noticed Ganon and moved to stand on my other side as my brother also moved closer.
"I am Nabooru, You must be prince Ganon, correct?" She asked.
Ganon looked confused, as did everyone else.
"Son, what is this?" Master Ganondorf asked.
"I met this girl earlier, in town she was-"
"My name is Nabooru, he must have seen me in the village while I shopped earlier." I said, cutting him off before he talked about the guards.
"Nabooru, this is Ganon, your suitor that has travels far from the east." My mother said this turning to me, giving me the eye.
I grimaced, glanced at my brother, sister and mother then stopped at Ganon.
He was grinning and was about to speak when I began first.
"I cannot marry Ganon."
Ganondorf looked shocked, then stuttered and his face began to turn red.
"What is this young miss, now listen here-"
I turned and spoke to him now. "I am sorry you traveled all this way, but I will not let myself marry such a person and leave my people in his hands."
Ganon's face had gone pale, then he dropped his head and his face also flushed red.
He said nothing as my family kept their faces completely clear.
"I'm sorry to say this in such a manner, but I have already seen your type Ganon, and though you are a kind boy, I must marry a strong man that can be on equal grounds with me when I rule."
With that I turned and left the hall to Ganondorf yelling and my mother attempting to calm him.
I wasn't proud of what I had said, but I was tired of seeing so many weak suitors.
My face fell as I walked away, he was a nice boy and I wished we could have met earlier.
I had to speak up for myself though.
"Naboo!" My brother shouted and grabbed my shoulder.
I didn't look at him, "I'm sorry, that was disgraceful of me. I shall make amends later."
His booming laughter startled me and I turned to see his head thrown back in delight.
Just then my sister jogged up to us and also laughter with him.
"Sister dear, we've been waiting for you to speak up! Oh dear, you should have seen the poor boys face when you left!"
I was super confused, " you're happy I did that?"
"Well of course, it was a joke that they even thought of coming here. How insulting!" My brother chuckled.
"I'm sure mother is quite pleased with you also." Nabooru said, winking and linking arms with me.
"Come Kane, we must celebrate Naboo finally becoming a woman!" She laughed to my brother.
Though everyone was glad I had refused him, in the end I still remembered his dejected, pretty face.
