The sun grew warmer each day, as the cold season faded. With the weather becoming calmer, Jafora held more and more classes outside, each day teaching a little longer. She wanted to build up the children's durability to harsh conditions, without causing them physical harm. Though most of the children silently protested in the chilly desert air, Ganondorf did not. He needed to be hardened, if he was ever going to be worthy of his sister's affection. True, he already had it, but in his mind, only a warrior was fit for her, and a warrior he would become.
Today, however, he felt off. he had been distracted over the passed few days, his stress increasing each passing day. Krysta had been gone nearly two weeks now, five days longer than she said she would have. When a Gerudo left for Hyrule on her mating journey, she was allowed one week to find a suitable male and procreate. Any longer, and a scout would be sent after her, to discover what had happened. Usually when a Sister did not return, it was because she had fallen for her mate, and had chosen to stay with him. However, on the rare occasion, incidents did occur.
Ganondorf did not know which scenario was worse. On one hand, he could not stomach the idea of her being injured. On the other, the idea of her falling for another man, especially a Hylian man, was almost worse. He desperately hoped that she had simply lost track of time, and would be arriving any time now. Or, and even better, she had yet to find a worthy mate. Yes, that had to be the cause of her extended stay from the Fortress. In any case, a scout had already been dispatched to find the absent girl.
The Gerudo scouts were those trained in the archery school. They were quick, agile, and quiet. The horses they stole from Lon Lon Ranch were bred into some of the fastest horses in all Hyrule. They could traverse many miles in a day. It was even said that they could leave the Fortress at dawn, run around the entirety of Hyrule Field, and return before the sun had set. It would not take long for the scout to find Krysta, so all Ganondorf had to do was wait. As it so happened, he would not have to wait much longer.
As the sun moved into it's twilight hours, and the dinner bell chimed, Ganondorf heard horse hooves clapping on stone. He turned his head towards the sound as it quickly grew louder and louder. Before him, approaching swiftly, a veiled Gerudo rode atop a beige horse through the Valley. Ganondorf had to hurl out of her way as she galloped passed, pulling the reins hard as she neared the infirmary. Behind the scout, laying crossways over the horse's back, a heavily wrapped form rested. "Wyjia!" the scout shouted, pulling herself off her horse. "I need you right away!" she said as she rested her hands on her cargo.
Quickly, the old Meister shuffled out of her ward, along with five other medicine women. They all rushed around the bound form and carefully, slowly, picked it up off the horse. Even from his distance, Ganondorf could hear muffled screams of agony emanating from the form. He lurched forward, but was caught by the shoulder, halting him dead in his tracks. He looked up behind him to see Jafora, who solemnly shook her head. She pulled him by his shoulder, dragging him inside the Fortress. "That is not for your eyes, Ganondorf. Let them handle it" She said as she pulled him towards the mess hall.
He could not wait, he had to know. In one solid movement, he rotated his should and ducked, slipping out of Jafora's grasp. By the time she turned around and yelled his name, he was already ten feet away from her, rushing at full speed towards the infirmary. It was possible that it wasn't her. It could have been a simple training exercise gone wrong. This was common, after all. He just needed to know for sure. As Ganondorf neared the infirmary's entrance, two veiled guards crossed their spears before him.
"Sorry young Lord, no one's allowed in right now" the right guard said. Ganondorf eyed her fiercely. "What is going on?!" He yelled. The two Gerudo looked to each other, their brows folded upwards. "There was an incident" the left guard said somberly. "It seems a Sister was found by our scout. She had been wandering through the Field. She had multiple cuts on her arms, legs, and abdomen...apparently she had been attacked by a group of Hylians the second night in..." she looked down to the floor, "they stabbed...and raped her".
The pupils in Ganondorf's eyes shot down to the size of a needle's point. Rape was the most deplorable act that could be committed among the Gerudo. Only the most vile, wretched scum deemed this an even thought worthy action. Were ever a Gerudo raped, her rapist would be captured, and brought to the Fortress. There, his, or her, punishment would be decided by the victim. Whatever sentence she demanded was carried out, without question. Were she unable to settle upon a punishment she felt suited the crime, or was too traumatized to face her rapist, the Elite Gerudo would carry out the "Phantos Redae". It was an execution that involved brutally deforming one's genitals, causing them so much pain that when they died, their bodies continued to scream for a whole day.
Ganondorf grew silent, and a heat began generating around him. He slowly walked forward between the two guards, who simply watched him. He pushed the door wide open with one hand as he entered the infirmary. All the medicine women, Wyjia included, huddled around the far bed. "Leave" Ganondorf said, a calmness in his voice. The Gerudo turned to him in surprise, but slowly did as he ordered. His pupils grew back to their original size and he sighed, as he saw that in the bed, laid Krysta.
Her arms were wrapped in bandages, that were soaking red. The sheet that rested over her also had red spots all over, where her abdomen and legs were. He walked to the edge of the bed, staring down in shock. "K...Krysta?" he asked, his recently calm voice now shaking. She coughed and winced at the pain her simple act had wrought. Her eyes opened halfway as she looked at him. When she spoke, her voice was ragged and worn. "G..anon...dorf...".
She hissed as she forced her arm up to the young prince. Her hand rested on the side of Ganondorf's face as she looked at him. "H...ow's... m-y... l...ittle... king?" she asked, attempting to smile. Ganondorf scowled at himself, trying as hard as he could not to cry. "I am fine...How's my desert Goddess?" he said, attempting to cheer her up. Krysta let out a weak laugh. "Sh-e's seen...better days" she said. As she looked up at the young prince, tears began to well in her eyes. "I-'m so... sorry... I shou-ld have stayed... I... failed... you" tears streamed down her face at her last words.
"No! No you didn't!" Ganondorf said, bending over her and resting his forehead upon her crown. He closed his eyes as his love sniffled beneath him. "Just stay with me... please... I need you" Ganondorf whispered. "I can't lead our people without my queen". Though in immense pain, Krysta blushed. Her thumb brushed against his cheek as he rested above her. "What's a girl gotta do... to get her king to... kiss... her?" She whispered back.
Gently, Ganondorf rotated his head. His lips met hers, and pressed against them. His hand came to the side of her face, just as her's was upon his. Her skin was hot, as she was going through a fever. Right now though, that didn't matter. Ganondorf had his friend back. He kissed her a little bit deeper, giving her all of his passion. Slowly, Krysta's hand slipped off the side of his face, dropping down, and resting just off the side of the bed.
The heat returned. Ganondorf's short red hair rose up from his scalp as he slowly stood tall. A tear oozed out of his tightly shut right eye. "Where is the scout" he said to Wyjia, who had lingered in the far end of the Infirmary. "She's right outside" Wyjia said. She was unsure what exactly was going on, but she could absolutely feel a change in the air. Cautiously, she knocked on the door that led to the outside. Shortly after , the scout came in.
Ganondorf turned to her. Both the scout and Wyjia gasped slightly, as they saw their future king's face. He glared at them, eyes full yellow. "Where, exactly, did you find her?" he commanded. "F..from what I could tell, she had come from Kakariko Village" She said, nervously. Ganondorf's lip twitched as he looked back to Krysta. He reached down to her face and, gently, removed the crown from her forehead. "Say nothing of this, either of you" He commanded, walking to the outside doors. "I have work to do".