Dawn of Day

Mandrag sat on a wooden bench just outside of the house he slept in the previous night. The sound of the nearby running desert spring was soothing, the air crisp. The entire village was foreign to him: individual living instead of communal, houses constructed of wood, merchants, and most impressively- the Court.

He hadn't noticed most of Aginah as they entered the village because of the darkness, and he managed to get very little sleep because of his excitement. As usual he woke up well before the sunrise, and had made his way to the wooden bench he sat on watching the sun come up over a large mountain in the distance.

The village was due north of Skelton, a quarter day's walk. In their walk to Aginah Idona and Linyah explained that Aginah was the youngest of the three Sheikah villages, built after the time of the fourth King of Hyrule. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he went along with their stories.

Thoughts about Linyah swirled around his mind, chasing his sanity around. She was so beautiful that it was driving him crazy, he thought. He hadn't ever seen a woman like her in his life. The Gerudo women all had red hair, but this woman had a beautiful brown colored hair that flowed past the most precious set of red eyes. Her voice entranced him, as though he were under a spell.

Linyah stood inside of her house peering out of her window at Mandrag from across the way. He looked like a small child discovering new things at every turn. His mannerisms were enduring, and his strong physique wasn't off putting either. As they had made their way back from the desert the prior evening he seemed a bit distant and confused, but she didn't know what else to expect from a person who had never been outside of the desert in their life.

Mandrag heard the door open across the way from him and saw Linyah step out of the house. She looked even more beautiful than the night before after having a night's sleep and being able to brush her hair.

"Where does this spring come from, and where does it go?" Mandrag asked, trying to initiate small talk.

Linyah walked over to the bench he was on and sat down. "That is the Spring of Shadows. It comes from deep within the very rocks of the desert and goes all the way to Zora's River, flowing under Hyrule Castle."

"It's beautiful," Mandrag said. "I've lived in the desert my whole life and I've never seen anything like it."

"It certainly is beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

"Why are you awake so early?" asked Mandrag.

"I'm always up this early. We have much to do as Highers of the Sheikah, so we start our day off before anyone else does."

"Highers?" he asked. "What does that mean?"

"We live in a society that has several life commitments," Linyah began. "I am a Higher, as is Idona. We collectively discern the life commitment of each of the Sheikah after they complete a Trial; sort of a rite of passage."

"Is it just the two of you?"

Linyah shook her head. "There are seven of us; two from each village and then Idona. He's been the de facto leader of the Highers for longer than most of us remember."

Mandrag cocked his head. "How old is he?"

Linyah chuckled. "The Sheikah live for hundreds of years, but remain youthful for much of our lifespan. Once we reach a certain age we will slowly begin to show our years. The first thing to go is the hair."

Mandrag smiled at her. "What, does it fall out?" he joked.

"No. Not mine," she quipped. "We will start to turn grey. The men will sometimes lose their hair, but mostly it's just our hair turning grey."

"So how old is Idona, again?"

Linyah blushed. "Older than I am."

"Alright," he replied. "I get it."

"What about you?" Linyah asked jokingly.

Mandrag sat back on the bench and took a deep breath. "All I'll say is that I look my age."

Linyah gasped at him. "You're a baby!"

He pointed at her and smiled. "Watch yourself."

"Or what, you'll let me kick you in the chest again?"

Mandrag laughed loudly. "You really have a sense of humor."

"Thank you," she replied looking away in embarrassment.

"That must come with age," he shot back at her.

Linyah turned her head quickly back at him. "Good one."

"Thank you," he said with a smirk on his face.

The two sat there, soaking in their flirtatious moment.

"The Gerudo live about four hundred years on average," he finally said. "We also retain our youth through the years, but once the women reach three hundred it's like they just let go of themselves and become decrepit overnight."

Linyah smiled. "What about the men?"

"I wouldn't know," he replied.

"How could you not know?" she asked.

Mandrag took a deep breath and looked up to the sky. "I am the only male among our tribe."

Linyah leaned forward. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'm the only male," he started. "There is only one male born every hundred years, and he is the rightful leader of the tribe."

"And you're it," she said.

He nodded at her. "I'm it."

"So the men, do they die when the new male is born?" she asked.

"The last one did," he replied. "I was an infant, and I was apparently at his death but I don't remember it at all. My surrogate mother told me about it."

"Surrogate…"

Mandrag cleared his throat and shifted his weight. "My birth mother was sacrificed after I was born, just as every mother who bears a son."

Linyah's mind began to race. "Sacrifice, as in human sacrifice?" she asked curiously.

He said nothing, but nodded his head. It wasn't something he was particularly impatient to tell her. The Sheikah seemed far too advanced to accept anything that barbaric.

Idona ran quickly around the corner road behind them and headed right for the two. Mandrag turned and saw him approach, then sighed in relief as he didn't feel like continuing the conversation with Linyah about sacrificing people.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Linyah," Idona said quickly. "We will have to assume the Court's decision concerning Mandrag's visit to the King."

"What's going on?" Linyah asked.

Idona looked at Mandrag, then back at Linyah. "There's been a… problem at the prison that requires my immediate attention."

"Oh, my…" she said.

"There is a certain prisoner that I must talk to," he said raising his eyebrows.

"Oh," Linyah exclaimed. "I understand. What of the Trial this morning? Adorra's daughter…"

"Postpone it," Idona said immediately. "And don't let her anywhere near the Court today. I will be at the prison for the remainder of the morning. "

Linyah gave him a nod. "And what of Mandrag?" she asked.

"Assign one of the Sheikah Guardians to him to take him to Hyrule Castle immediately," he responded.

Mandrag looked up at Idona. "She can take me if it's all the same to you."

"It's not all the same to me, Mandrag," Idona said firmly.

Linyah put a hand on Mandrag's shoulder. "I will find one of our best Sheikah Guardians to take you to Hyrule Castle. It shouldn't take but about half a day to reach."

"half a day!" Mandrag exclaimed. "But I just got here! Surely Linyah can take me."

Linyah ran her hand across Mandrag's shoulders. "It will be fine. After you meet Daltus you should be able to travel back here. We will meet again."

Idona cleared his throat, reminding them of his presence. "Find an escort immediately. Do not waste time on this, there is much to do."

She stood up and held her hand out towards the road. "Come, Mandrag. We'll get your escort and feed you before you leave."

Mandrag got up and looked at the sun crawling over the mountains and sighed. He was beginning to think he would spend the day talking with Linyah, getting to know her.

"I will do as you wish," Mandrag said.

Linyah began to walk away with Mandrag and Idona stood there watching, contemplating what he would do about the situation at the prison. Things were a bit more serious than he gave Sheikahmu credit for. Today, an example would have to be made.