"Harder!" Jafora shouted at her class, who were busy training the Gerudo martial arts. The sun beat down upon the group as they formed the motions of each style of hand to hand combat as Jafora called them out. When she yelled "Goddess!", the kids would begin by holding their hands out, palms up, in the Gerudo defense stance. When she yelled "Snake!", they switched to the offensive stance, holding their hands out before them like claws. When "Leever!" was ordered, the children moved one hand behind them, and kept the other out in the Goddess pose. Each student had their own preference of stance. The latter, was Ganondorf's favorite.
It had been nearly four months since Ganondorf had visited Hyrule, and in that time, Ganondorf's life had taken a shift. He had passed his ninth birthing day, for starters. It was celebrated in the traditional Gerudo way, with a meal of his choosing, depending on what was within the cooks' limits. He had asked for Cucco eggs and pork, as that was really the only unique food he had tried outside of the Valley. They had to replace the Cucco eggs for Guay eggs, and pork for Dodongo meat, but it was close enough for the young prince. However, he had to have a lot of water with the meal, as Dodongo meat is naturally very spicy.
This meant, however, that Ganondorf's trials were swiftly approaching. With this in mind, he focused all his energy into each training session. Every day, he would wake up before the other girls, get dressed, and run to the square. Sometimes, he would even be standing outside before dawn broke, before any other girls even woke up. Jafora, of course, was always awake then. In the mornings that he would be outside before the sun rose, he and Jafora would start early, doing minor stretches and attack formations. This eventually became his routine. Any chance he had to better himself before the trial, he would take it.
He would give one hundred percent of himself into each day, thinking that if he did not collapse on the bed at night, he had wasted the potential for more training. He made sure that he had just enough energy to eat and make it back to the dorms each night before passing out in his cot. Then, by the next morning, he would have all his energy restored, and an entire day to utilize it. This made his muscles form quickly, even at his young age. His arms contoured to his maturing biceps. His calves tightened from his many laps, though he still hated to do them. Hs torso revealed his many labors, as the softness within it gradually transformed into solidity that rivaled stone. He was becoming quite the young warrior in his Meister's eyes.
Another change had been within Ganondorf's class. As sisters grew older, they took their trials and dispersed into their different schools. Among these sisters, was Donaru. Much to her dismay, however, she had not been selected into the priestess-hood, like she had so greatly desired. Instead, she was taken in by the crafting schools, where her skills would be put to use creating items and buildings for the Gerudo.
Ganondorf was not at all saddened to see her leave. In fact, it granted him a little more freedom, as he and those nearest his age became the senior members of the class. He was looked up to by the younger girls who entered the fold as they had reached the age of seven; the youngest allowed age in the class. It amused him, slightly, to watch what felt to him like the next generation, as they learned the basics of the skills he had now nearly mastered.
He did not focus on the others too much, though. He had far more important matters to worry about. He had never seen the trials first-hand. He had only been told of them, and seen girls emerge from the council chambers. It was unclear to him just what was in store, so he made it his goal to be ready for anything. He scheduled the remaining eleven months to be his most rigorous, so that when his decade birthing day arrived, he would be prepared for whatever trials he might face.
"Again!" Jafora shouted, "Leever!". The sisters took the neutral form once more, though slower now that they had been earlier in the day. Jafora had been running the drills all day long, boring the motions into the children's minds. The repetition, however, had tired the group out. Except, of course, for Ganondorf, who kept his balance steady and his stare hard on his Meister. He had quickly grown used to his new routine, which now forced him to continue pushing himself. He continually sought the next limit, like the ravenous Wolfos, constantly seeking new prey.
When the sun had finally begun to set, and the dinner bell chimed, the class collapsed on the rapidly cooling stone. Ganondorf and Meister Jafora coaxed them all back to their feet. and led them back into the fortress. They walked through the halls and down to the mess hall, where the rest of the Gerudo were gathering. The young Prince helped his sisters to their seats before sitting down himself. Within a couple minutes, the cooks had brought the food out and delivered it to each Gerudo. The young sisters slowly began eating, some not even lifting their tired heads from the table. Ganondorf, on the other hand, had enough energy within his body to dine on his stew as if it were only midday.
For the Gerudo in training, all classes ended at the dinner bell. Any time they had afterwards was their own, to do with as they pleased. Most stayed in the mess hall with their friends, talking about their days and dealing with their own personal dramas. Others would retire to an early night, using the evening to get an early start on sleep. The children, wiped out from the extensive work out, decided on the latter, leaving Ganondorf alone.
It was in the evenings that Ganondorf spent his alone time training his mind. Once his food had been eaten, and his sisters had left, he would make his way from the mess hall to the old scroll room, where all the written documents and reports were kept. This was also the place where the more intellectual schools would train. Architects, scientists, alchemists, and all manner of mathematic schools would meet here to discuss their trades, learn the ancient ways of the tribe, and study the history of the world. Ganondorf viewed this place as a treasure trove of knowledge, and would spend hours here each night, looking for hidden and untold secrets to give him an edge in his future rule.
He had already discovered much about his homeland. How the Gerudo and Lizalfos had fought for the desert ever since the latter had evolved from lesser dragonkin. He had read about ancient beasts that plagued his realm and all the others, ranging from massive parasitic arachnids and monstrous sand worms, to mighty dragons and terrifying demons. All had intrigued him. The raw power these primordial creatures held impressed him. A part of him wished he could see such monsters in his lifetime.
This night, however, he came across a different tome, one he had never seen before. Shuffled among many other, less important scrolls, rested an old, rolled up bit of parchment Ganondorf had noticed as he scanned the shelf. This one stood out, because on its wooden ends, it bore a symbol unlike any of the common Gerudo symbols he had seen. This one was of a triangle, formed by three smaller triangles. Curious of what the scroll contained, he pulled it out and sat down at his table. Using his single candle to see, he began to read the crusty parchment.
The scroll told of the beginning of the world. How three perfect beings descended upon the nothingness that was, and changed it to form matter, light, and life. The first being, named Din, used her power to create the physical realm of Hyrule. She pleased Ganondorf the most, as it was said she was a golden being with fiery red hair. He could only assume she was the Sand Goddess, who was said the first Gerudo. Next, there was the being Nayru, whose wisdom granted light and law into the freshly forged world. She was described as a golden woman with blue hair. Lastly, there was the one called Farore, who, using her vast courage, gave life to enjoy the land, bask in the light, and uphold the laws. She was the same as her sisters, with green hair as the only exception.
This was all well and good, but one portion stood out to Ganondorf more than that of the three beings. As the writing on the scrolled continued, it said that when there tasks were finished, the three Goddesses, as they were called, left the realm of Hyrule. Before their final departure, however, they granted the people of Hyrule with a special gift. Three golden triangles that held the essences of the three beings; Courage, Wisdom, and Power. Combined, the three shards would create an item that would grant the wish of any who touched it. "The...Triforce" Ganondorf whispered to himself. Though none were around to see, a grin curled up on Ganondorf's lips.