Chapter 4 Family Affairs

Dion and Majora's wedding would commence in two hours. Unlike mortals, the gods had small weddings. When a god who inherits the throne joins in marriage, the wedding was held in his land and all of his family members attended. Since Majora's brothers were young and could not stay alone, her parents stayed behind. Kyo was the only witness from Majora's family.

Kyo and Majora stood before the grand doors of King Anu's palace, waiting for someone to answer. Majora sighed as she nervously poked at the flowers and tasseled chopsticks in her small bun.

Kyo took his eyes from the door and looked at Majora. "You're nervous, aren't you?"

She turned to her brother, shocked that he would even ask such a ridiculous question. "Well, of course! Wouldn't you be?"

He chuckled. "You'll be fine. By the looks of this place, you'll have everything," he said, examining the imposing structure before him.

Majora frowned.

"Well, who knows? Maybe Dion is a gentleman and will treat you like a queen." He smiled, trying to lighten her mood.

She shook her head. "I would rather marry his brother, Shamash. We met last night and he was really nice."

"Majora, you don't have a choice—"

"Of course I don't have a choice!" she cried. "I never do!" Tears streamed from her eyes. "I just want to be with you and our other brothers. But Mother and Father don't care." Majora felt faint from the outburst and began to tremble as tears continued streaming down her face.

Kyo embraced his overwhelmed sister. "Majora, I know it's hard to cope with the situation, but there's no other way." He pulled away from her to make eye contact. "Please don't hold a grudge against Mother and Father. They honestly want the best for you."

Majora sniffled as she listened to her wise brother.

"They arranged this marriage so that you could be free—free from them."

Surprised, she looked at him with her mouth agape.

"They thought you'd be happier as a queen of another land instead of being confined by their rules."

Majora stopped crying. Hearing her parents' real motives behind the arranged marriage was enough to convince Majora to willingly go through with the plan. "I see what you mean. Maybe this won't be so bad after all," she said.

Kyo smiled and patted Majora's back.

They heard the door unlock and noticed the twisting doorknob.

Majora looked up from the doorknob to discover Shamash, who was already dressed for the occasion. "Shamash!" she beamed, resisting the urge to hug him.

Shamash smiled back. "Hello, Majora," he said. "Come in."

Kyo allowed Majora to go in first before introducing himself. "My name is Kyo; I'm Majora's younger brother," he said, clasping Shamash's forearm. "I will represent Majora's side of the family."

Shamash tried his hardest not to gape at Kyo's deformity by staring hard into his normal eye, pretending there was nothing unusual about the guest. "Nice to meet you," Shamash replied as he released his forearm and shut the door behind them.

"I expected this place to have hundreds of servants," Majora remarked, staring in awe at the grand palace.

Shamash scratched his head and blushed. "Oh, well, I raced to the door because I wanted to help our guests myself."

"Where's Dion?" Kyo asked, still looking at the palace interior.

"He's upstairs in his room," Shamash answered. "I'll get him." The young god climbed halfway up the spiral stairwell. "Dion!" he called. "Your bride-to-be is here!"

...

Dion glowered at the reflection of greenish-brown fur on his chest where Isamar stung him. "It's spreading," Dion growled as he grazed his sharp black claws across the fur. "Thankfully my accessories will cover it." He looked at his clawed hand. "What's happening to me?" he whispered with a hint of fear in his voice.

"Dion!"

The prince grunted as he heard his brother's cry from downstairs. "Well," he said, "duty calls." Dion took his ornate falcon pendant and put it over his head. After he double-checked the alignment of his pendant in the mirror, he headed downstairs.

Shamash faced Majora again. "He'll be here any minute," he reassured the bride.

Majora's heart skipped a beat when she caught a glimpse of Dion walking down the stairs. Is that Dion? He's handsome. Why isn't he smiling? Maybe he's being thrown into this like me. Maybe since we have that in common we'll connect! She struggled to keep from smiling at the thought.

When Dion reached the bottom, Shamash stepped forward. "This is Kyo, Majora's brother, and this is Majora—"

"I know," Dion rudely interrupted.

Majora walked up to Dion and bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Dion." She came up with a humble smile that showed her innocence and fair beauty.

Still emotionless, Dion stared at her and huffed. "Well, you're not the prettiest girl, but I guess you'll have to do."

Majora felt like she had been crushed with a million bricks. Her body trembled as her heartbeat raced. It pained the goddess to look at him. Nobody, especially a stranger, had ever spoken to her with such bluntness. Majora let out the breath she held for what seemed to be hours. Shortly after she exhaled, the goddess felt a familiar burning sensation in the corners of her eyes. "Excuse me," she whispered as she fled the palace. Knowing that Majora would need comforting, Kyo quickly glowered at Dion before following Majora out into the garden.

Shamash's jaw dropped. "I can't believe you said that, Dion! She's gorgeous!" He shook his head out of frustration.

"I was just stating a fact," Dion answered unremorsefully. "She chose to be offended."

"Well, you can keep your opinions to yourself!" Shamash snapped.

Dion shrugged again. "Oh well, as long as I get the Blessing, I don't care."

Shamash opened the main door. "You're such a pig!" he remarked.

Fire ignited in Dion's eyes. That insult started to grate on his nerves. "Stop calling me that!" the prince barked.

Right before Shamash crossed over the threshold, he spat, "I was just stating a fact!" The younger god slammed the door behind him.

...

Majora lifted her long, scarlet dress and ran for a fountain in the palace garden. Kyo followed closely behind as he mentally gathered the appropriate words to calm Majora. His sister was physically strong yet emotionally tender.

Majora sat on the fountain rim and wept. She covered her face. "I can't do this!" she cried with a muffled voice.

Slightly exasperated by her emotional state, Kyo sighed. "Majora, for once can you think about others before yourself?"

Confused, Majora stopped crying and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"That's all I ever hear from you! It's always, 'me, me, me, I, I, I.' Why can't you do things for the greater good and not just yourself?"

She sniffled. "That's easy for you to say! You're not the one getting married!" Majora broke down again. "It was just last night when I found out about my engagement, and now that I'm here to meet and marry my future husband, he says I'm not pretty... right in front of me!"

Kyo sighed again and relaxed his tense body. "You have a good point," he admitted with a softer tone. "But for your sake and everyone else's, try to pick yourself up and go through with the plan. Everyone back home believes in—"

She couldn't take any more. Majora covered her ears and shouted, "Go away!"

His sister's outburst caused him to jump. Without another word, he started in the opposite direction back to the palace. About a quarter of the way there, he intercepted Shamash, who was sprinting.

Shamash eyed at the path ahead, silently asking if Majora was present.

Kyo responded by widening his normal eye and shaking his head while sighing as if saying 'good luck' to Shamash.

When Shamash finally reached Majora's location, he watched as she wept in her hands. Not knowing what to say, he sat next to her. "Hey," he murmured awkwardly.

Majora sensed the god's presence. She uncovered her face and wiped away her tears. "I can't do this," her voice quivered. "I just can't."

"But you won't be alone," he stated, wrapping his arm around Majora. "I'll be with you, even if he exiles me, I'll still find a way to you."

Majora's eyes brightened with a hopeful delight. If she did not have a say in the matter then she should at least have someone by her side at all times. Hearing those reassuring words gave her strength.

Shamash stood. "Come, Majora." He offered his hand. "Let's tackle the future together."

The goddess smiled as she took his hand.

...

Isamar peered around a distant fountain several meters away from the palace entrance. The demon grinned as she watched Dion stand motionless with Devi. She noticed the small group of people at the bottom of the staircase. "The wedding must be starting," she muttered.

The demon transformed into her beast form and scurried through the grass unnoticed by the guests. She rested near the closest fountain.

From out of the silent crowd, Majora emerged, holding a golden box: a wedding gift for her husband. The goddess took small, graceful steps, as she was instructed to do before the wedding. She wore a pleasant smile to hide her true feelings and to please her fiancé. She finally decided to listen to Kyo and go through with the plan.

Dion impatiently tapped his foot and sighed as he held another golden box similar to the one Majora held. He looked down at his box and at his claws. I'm really surprised she hasn't seen them yet, Dion thought as he glanced at Devi, who was watching the bride approach.

Majora finally reached the top of the staircase and looked at Devi as if asking what to do next.

"Behold," Devi spoke, "Princess Majora from Termina is here today to join in matrimony with Hyrule's Prince Dion." Devi moved Majora to stand at Dion's right side. "This is not merely a wedding ceremony," she stated. "This is also Prince Dion's coronation. He shall receive his father's blessing." Devi turned to Dion. "But first they must exchange a fragment of their powers."

Turning to face Majora, Dion reluctantly opened the box and held it out to his bride. The powers inside the box formed a light gold orb, about the size of a large grapefruit, and drifted slowly toward its new bearer. The small orb joined with Majora, giving her a matching soft, gold aura. No, he thought. I don't want her to have any of my powers! They're mine! The patch of fur on Dion's chest began to spread beyond the cover of his falcon pendant.

Majora closed her eyes as she enjoyed the warmth from Dion's powers. This power feels good. I feel stronger, she thought. To Majora's dismay, the sudden boost of energy ebbed as it permanently joined with her soul—the source of every god's supernatural powers. Majora opened her eyes and saw Dion foaming at the mouth like a rabid animal. His eyes became pitch black as his face gradually elongated into a snout with protruding tusks. The sudden change of her fiancé's appearance startled Majora. Not knowing how to handle the situation, she stood motionless and continued to watch the transformation.

Devi was oblivious to Dion's abnormal changes; she had her attention focused on a slow-moving figure in the distance. From what she gathered, it was a white-haired man clad in armor, wielding a double helix sword. Is that a demon? It doesn't matter. I must finish the wedding as quickly as I can. "Majora," she started before looking at Dion.

The witnesses gasped in horror as they watched the fur entirely cover his hunched body. Dion issued a beastly growl at the agonizing pain he felt.

Devi looked down at her transforming stepson with a calm anger. "So, you've become a demon, haven't you?" she asked almost mockingly. "I should have known you would become one someday."

"Give me the Blessing," his voice rumbled an octave lower than his already low voice. "It's mine!" The rumbling of his voice faded into a boar-like shriek. His body rapidly grew to ten times its normal size.

The crowd ran away from the scene, leaving behind Kyo and Shamash, who were already armed.

Devi glowered at Dion as she stood her ground. "Shamash," she called out to her son. "Take Majora away from here."

Shamash did as he was instructed. He crab-stepped up the stairs, keeping his attention on Dion.

Majora quickly followed Shamash down the stairs to her brother, who still stood at attention.

"Your father's last wish was for his son to receive the Blessing after his wedding. A wedding can only take place between gods, not a demon and a god," said Devi.

"But I'm still his son!" the boar demon countered.

"How dare you even think such a blasphemous thing? You are a demon! You're no longer a part of this family! Do you hear me?" yelled Devi. "You are no longer a part of this family!" she yelled a second time slower and more distinctly for emphasis. The Blessing had the power to restore Dion back into a god, but Devi refused to use it. The ancient relic was intended for Dion and him alone. If she used it, then she would be breaking Anu's will. But also, deep down, Devi didn't want to return him to his previous form. This was a perfect way to remove the spoiled prince from the family.

Dion felt heaviness within the core of his body. It was the feeling of loneliness and rejection. Throughout his life, he was the golden child—the spoiled Prince of Gods. No matter where he went or what he did, he was never alone.

The former god tensed his muscles and growled.

Devi smirked at his tense body. "Do you wish to kill me?" She stepped back and opened her arms in a welcoming fashion. "Go right ahead, but remember who I am and what I do."

Dion smashed his right fist against the alabaster steps and issued a roar, much louder than the previous ones. The boar demon charged impulsively at his opponent.

Before he could trample her, Devi levitated him so high he was level with the roof of the palace and flung him several meters, toward the fountains.

Still hiding behind the fountains, Isamar gasped as she watched Dion being catapulted across the yard. In human form, she utilized her powers and caught him in midair and set him on the ground as gently as she could. Even after Isamar tried, he still crashed and skidded across the earth. She stared emotionlessly at Devi before moving mechanically toward the palace.

Below his breath, Dion growled as he remained sprawled where he lay. The humiliation was too much for him to bear. He would rather allow Isamar to battle against his stepmother than to have his pride hurt again.

Devi stood calmly as Isamar approached. When the demon was within range, Devi trapped Isamar with a levitation attack. Instead of being thrown, Isamar broke free in midair.

On landing, Isamar regained her footing and continued walking toward the palace.

Devi's heart skipped a beat. For the past decade, no demon had the strength to break free from her telekinetic powers. If she was going to defeat the demon, she would have to think of something fast.

Devi summoned her scimitar and lunged at Isamar. The goddess swung her sword horizontally, but unfortunately Isamar's reflexes were too quick; she caught the blade with her bare hand. The sharpness of the blade caused Isamar to bleed an acidic tar-like fluid that began to eat at her own flesh. Isamar bit her lip. The pain from the wound infuriated the demon. With her other hand, Isamar grabbed Devi by the neck and lifted her above head level.

"It will bring me much delight to kill the famous Demon Exterminator." Isamar opened her mouth and unhinged her jaw beyond what any humanoid could accomplish, revealing a pair of moving arachnoid fangs.

"And it will bring me much delight destroying you," said a male voice from behind Isamar.

The demon turned her head the best she could, but it was too late. The hand she used to strangle Devi with was severed by a disc of light energy. Isamar clutched the severed wrist with the other hand and grimaced once again from the searing pain of the acidic fluid.

Isamar faced the wielder of the double helix sword. "Why?" she cried. "Why are you doing this? We are the same." Isamar let her guard down and walked closer toward the warrior. She stopped in front of him. "You don't have to do this. You're a brother of mine."

The armored warrior frowned at Isamar and quickly glanced at Dion. "Go back to the underworld, you vermin of darkness!" The warrior stabbed his sword into the earth. The soil surrounding his sword became viscous, like when Majora sent demons back into the underworld. Several long-fingered hands reached out from the ground and trapped the demons in their grasp.

Attempting to escape, Dion regained his footing on all fours, but it was too late. The hands from the underworld pulled him through the earth without much resistance, despite his enormous stature. The boar shrieked as the hands took him deeper and deeper until the earth closed over him.

Isamar tried multiple times to break free from the trap but failed. "You can't do this!" she protested. The arms from the underworld pulled Isamar down to her neck. "This isn't the end. My powers have no boundaries..." she solemnly warned as her head was pulled under. The earth solidified back to its original state.

Relieved, the armored warrior sighed before pulling his sword out from the ground.

Shamash charged at the warrior from behind with his weapon drawn. "All right, that's it!" he cried. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The warrior chuckled. "Is this how you treat your mother's rescuer?" He faced Shamash.

Shamash looked at the solid white eyes and distinctive red and blue facial markings. There wasn't a god in the universe who had his features. The prince was certain that the being before him was a demon. "You're a demon!" Shamash positioned his sword against the warrior's chest.

"Stop it, Shamash," Devi finally spoke after observing the two. "Let him speak."

Shamash turned to his mother. "You heard what that demon said!" Glowering, he turned back to the being before him. "She said that you're a brother of hers."

Devi lowered Shamash's sword with her hand. "He still has the right to speak. After all, he did save me." She looked at the stranger with a soft smile. "What's your name?"

The warrior hesitated. "My name..." he began. "I'm called the Fierce Deity."

"Where are you from?" asked Devi.

"Nowhere," he answered solemnly. "I live a nomadic lifestyle, much like you did in your younger days, Your Highness."

"Who are your parents?" she continued.

"They're deceased," he replied.

"Why did that demon refer to you as a brother?" Shamash interrupted.

The Fierce Deity sighed, expecting the worst reaction. "My mother was a goddess and my father was..." his voice trailed. He looked to the side, away from Devi and Shamash. "A demon," he painfully finished.

Shamash gasped and pointed his sword at the Fierce Deity's chest again.

"Stop it, Shamash!" With greater force, Devi pushed the sword down, away from the Fierce Deity. "I've heard of you," she said. "You're the half-god, half-demon who travels the universe and slays demons for pay. I know that lifestyle and how difficult it is..." Devi's smile faded upon remembering her past. "Not knowing when your next meal is or the next time you'll see a roof over your head is tough." She looked up and noticed the sky darkening and the bride-to-be still standing without a groom. "Well," she started, straightening her ceremonial sari, "enough about me. We have a wedding to finish, don't we, Majora?"

Still holding the gift box, Majora approached Devi and Shamash. "A wedding cannot take place—the groom is gone," Majora pointed out.

"Really?" she asked. Slyly, Devi jerked her thumb at Shamash. "Here's a groom."

Astonished, Majora asked, "What? You can do that? What about my parents?"

"Your parents asked me if one of my sons needed a wife. Their main concern was for you to find a prince from a powerful dynasty. They weren't really concerned about which son you married, as long as you were married. Before he died, Anu asked me to arrange the marriage, if possible."

"Oh," said Majora, "then I accept my new suitor."

"Very well," she spoke approvingly. "Majora and Shamash, will you exchange a fragment of your powers?"

Shamash closed his eyes as a similar golden orb appeared before him. He encircled the still floating orb with his hands. "Here you go, love." With his powers he sent the orb to the young goddess before him.

Majora opened the box and sent her powers to Shamash. Their powers simultaneously fused with their souls and as a result, a golden aura formed around them. For an instant, Majora and Shamash felt fully energized and warm from the inside out. Their auras ebbed as they quickly grew accustomed to their newly acquired powers.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Devi placed her hands on their shoulders. "Everyone, I present to you the King and Queen of Gods."

Kyo and the Fierce Deity, who were the only two remaining, applauded for the newlyweds.

Devi leaned inward and looked painfully at Majora. "I'm sorry for ruining your happy evening with this bad news, but this is urgent." Devi swallowed the lump in her throat. "Unfortunately, you will always be a part of Dion because he gave a fragment of his powers to you. Even your children will be a part of him."

Horrified, Majora cried, "What?"

"Is there something we can do to change that?" Shamash asked frantically.

"There is nothing you can do. Only Dion can reverse this problem by taking back his powers."

"What about the Blessing? Surely the Blessing is powerful enough to remove the fragment from my bride," said Shamash as he took Majora's hand.

"It is," Devi answered. "But I cannot use the Blessing or give it to anyone. That is against Anu's will. I'm sorry."

Majora and Shamash exchanged anxious glances.

"Majora, no matter what happens, I will protect you with my life. I am now king of this land and you are my queen. We must stand by each other always," he reassured her as he took her into his arms.

The goddess felt joyful tears form in the corners of her eyes. Shamash fulfilled her dream: to be loved unconditionally. Even in spite of what Kyo said about her duty and how her parents threw her into the situation, everything worked out for the better. Majora could not wait to tackle the future with her husband and king.

"And that's how your parents met," Devi said as she tucked a redheaded, teenage goddess under the bed covers.

"Oh, Grandmama, no matter how many times you tell that story, it never gets old!" the girl exclaimed.

"It's amazing how after all these years you still get exited from that same story. Pretty soon you'll be able to quote it word from word at the rate you're going," Devi joked as she kissed the girl on the forehead. "Now, get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow with your mother's thirty-fifth birthday party." Devi took the candle stand that dimly lit the girl's bedroom.

"I love you, Grandmama," the girl whispered as she watched Devi close the sheer canopy.

"I love you, too, Din. Goodnight," Devi said before making her exit from Din's bedroom and into the hallway, still holding the candle stand.

Seventeen years had passed since Majora and Shamash married. A few months later they had Din, their free-spirited child, much like Majora in her younger days. The slightly rebellious, hot-tempered goddess had more ambition than the average individual. Laziness and procrastination were not in her vocabulary. Whatever she set her mind to was done swiftly and as soon as possible. She was attached to Devi and Shamash and often banged heads with Majora. Din also had the tendency to become protective over her two younger sisters and would do anything for them.

Then the next year they had Nayru, their introverted child with a strong sense of justice and a love for fine arts. Her laidback personality often caused tension between her and Din, but never to the point where they could not resolve their differences. Nayru remained quiet and soft-spoken in most situations. A few weeks ago, she had married a nomadic deity of her choosing named Jabu-Jabu, a water god.

Then finally, the following year they had Farore, their creative child. Farore had a fascination over nature and life. She was the most empathetic sister, even toward mortals. The goddess interacted with mortals, usually posing as one, to help them in need. Farore possessed a heart of gold and a valiant spirit. However, her heart was her weakness. Unlike Majora, Farore insisted that her parents choose a suitor, for she trusted their judgment. Shamash and Majora thought it was odd that she would want someone to pick a spouse for her, but, nonetheless, they complied. Farore married Deku, a forest god, on the same day Nayru married Jabu-Jabu.

Shamash was overjoyed that he had a full-sized family consisting of a father, a mother, children, and a grandmother. He was also relieved that he no longer lived with the "bastard son" stigma Dion and other gods labeled him with. Majora loved him dearly, regardless of his background. That's all that mattered to Shamash—his wife's love and acceptance.

As Devi strolled down the hall, the light from her candle shone from underneath Majora and Shamash's door. Majora slipped on her short night gown and sighed disapprovingly at her stretch-marked thighs and stomach.

Shamash sat on the bed before removing his shirt. "Don't even start," Shamash warned playfully as he continued to undress for bedtime, leaving only his undergarment remaining. "We've been through this a million times! You're beautiful no matter what tiny blemish appears on your gorgeous body."

Majora pointed at her thighs. "But they're everywhere," she whined.

"So?" he said. "That means you're getting more curvaceous."

Majora pretended to gasp in mock offense at what Shamash thought was a harmless comment. "I beg your pardon! You're basically saying I'm getting a fat bottom!"

Shamash smirked mischievously. "Well, what if I like my women curvaceous on bottom?" he asked using a deeper voice as he spanked her left buttock.

Surprised, Majora covered her bottom. A mischievous thought crossed her mind. She smirked at the idea. "Well," Majora began as she caressed his slight stomach pooch, "what if I like my men curvaceous in the middle?"

Without saying a word, Shamash stood up next to Majora, looking down at her, unlike in their younger days before he had his growth spurts. "You're going to regret that."

Majora blinked; she knew he had something up his sleeve.

He trapped her smaller frame in his strong arms and spun around, landing on the bed with Majora still in his arms on top. "Shamash!" she chastised. "We're getting too old for this!"

"Whatever!" he cried. "We're in our early thirties. That's still young enough."

She pulled her finger up from her side. "No, you are in your early thirties," she said as she poked his chin to emphasize her point. "After tonight I'll be thirty-five and you will still be lucky thirty-two."

"Ooh, that's right," Shamash said, smiling impishly. "I'm married to an old lady."

Majora gasped. "You're just full of it tonight!"

"That's right, I'm full of love for you!" he exclaimed, tightening his bear hug. Shamash stared worryingly at Majora's head.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"You have something on your head."

"What? What is it?" Majora frantically patted her head.

"Grey hairs," Shamash answered, now snickering.

Majora playfully swatted his chest. "That's not very nice, you know. You'll be there too before you know it."

"I know," he said, calming down. "Majora, no matter what you look like and how much I tease, I will always love you for who you are."

"I know," she responded. "Despite all your cracks at my age, I know you're just teasing."

"Yeah," Shamash said, smiling. "It's late; let's get some sleep."

Majora and Shamash untangled themselves and slid under the covers.

"Goodnight," he said before kissing his wife on the cheek.

"Goodnight, my love."

Shortly after Shamash put his head against the pillow, he fell asleep.

Majora, on the other hand, took a longer time falling asleep. She went over thoughts in her head—good and bad. She thought about her two daughters' marriages and how they seemed well. So far they're doing great. I wonder when they'll have babies, Majora thought to herself. But when they do have kids, I'll feel really old! Her mind jumped to how busy she'd been the past few weeks. Speaking of children and pregnancies, I haven't had a cycle in a few weeks. Majora sat up, bug-eyed.

Majora shook Shamash's shoulder. "Wake up, Shamash," she whispered.

He moaned as he rubbed his eyes. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant."