****
The Gerudo Fortress was in an uproar. A boy had been born! A male child! The news spread like wildfire, reaching the pointed ears of every Gerudo in the desert that could be reached. Guay birds bearing messages were quickly sent out to seek out Gerudo elsewhere at the time. All must know of this news! Soon, the entire Gerudo Fortress was up and active, rushing across the desert wasteland to the great monument of the Gerudo race stood. Called the 'Goddess Of The Sands', the child and mother had both been taken to the place of worship as soon as the mother could be put onto a cart to be transported.
The temple itself stood at the edge of the desert wasteland, breaking out of the sand like an emerging creature. The great stone structure had long ago been carved into the massive resemblance of the Goddess of Power: Din. The Stone Goddess' outstretched hands welcomed the oncoming Gerudo, allowing its daughters to enter safely into their sacred grounds.
Seated upon the left hand of the Stone Goddess was a shriveled wraith of a woman. Time had seemed to have been exceptionally cruel to this woman as her body was aged beyond her time. Shrunk to a diminutive three feet tall, the woman's wrinkled skin bore the wrath of time itself. A great shock of white hair, long since faded from it's fiery red, cascaded down the small woman's arched back. The woman's tiny form was enshrouded in dark robes and she bore upon her head an ornate headdress topped with a glimmering Blood Ruby.
"It seems to have finally happened, Koume."
'Koume', as she was addressed, turned to face her twin sister. The equally aged woman who stood behind her was identical in every aspect, save that her headdress held a well polished sapphire instead of a ruby. Koume closed her bulbous eyes and turned back out towards the desert. The sun had fully risen above the horizon, promising great heat across the sands.
"Indeed, it has Kotake." Koume replied.
"I didn't think we'd live to see the day the prophecy would begin." Kotake grinned with her crooked teeth shown. "But I guess I was wrong."
"Indeed."
Kotake watched her twin curiously. Koume seemed greatly under whelmed by this momentous occasion. The entire Gerudo race was up and praising Din for this day, the day that had been foretold in the texts of their ancestors as the day that began the Gerudo's rise to power in the world. Why was Koume so bland this morning?
"And lo, Din: the Goddess of Power, said to her sisters: 'Favor these, the Gerudo, who are made after my shape. For they will be great and mighty in the world we have created.'" Kotake quoted the prophecy written in the texts of the Gerudo. "And the Goddesses smiled upon the Gerudo and made them separate of the races of the world. They needed not the aid and comfort of others, but were strong of themselves."
"And lo, it was decreed by Nayru: the Goddess of Wisdom: 'As these Gerudo are indeed blessed, they shall forever remain in your image, dear sister.'" Koume continued the prophecy that she had long since memorized. She could say the entire thing backwards if need be. "And so it was. From the very day of their life, the Gerudo were not but women, never a man being born to their race, that their image remain ever that of Din."
Koume turned to her sister once more. Now she bore a smugly pleased expression upon her wrinkled face, her grin as toothy as her sister's. She stepped forward and embraced her sister's hands happily, their spindly fingers intertwining together.
"And lo, Farore: The Goddess of Courage, said as so: 'Nay, sisters. Allow there to be but one. One male child shall be born to the Gerudo, and this child shall be one of destiny. Allow this child to rule the Gerudo unquestioned, that he may lead the Gerudo into their might." Kotake continued.
"And the Goddesses agreed, that one male would be born of the Gerudo. The day of his birth would mark the soon coming greatness of the Gerudo; those blessed by the Goddesses themselves." Both ancient sisters concluded the prophecy in unison, sharing happy smiles upon their faces.
"Come, Koume. Let us see the child of destiny." Kotake invited.
"Yes, Kotake. Let's see our King." Koume agreed as she joined her sister's side.
And with that, the two former leaders of the Gerudo Race conceded their control of the Gerudo to a newborn. Until he was of age to rule properly, they would maintain their state of governing in his stead. They would both raise him to become a powerful ruler, to lead the Gerudo proudly into a time of great prosperity. This was truly a day of greatness for the Gerudo that would be remembered for all time.
So happy were the two sisters that both failed to notice the ominous rumble of thunder in the distance.
****
Seven years passed.
In seven short years, a babe grew into a boy. A healthy, happy young boy who had far too much energy for his own good, as far as his mother was concerned.
"Gannondorf! How many times have I told you not to swing that around like that!?" Litara, mother of the child of destiny, chided her son yet again.
Gannondorf grinned sheepishly at his mother as he tried in vain to hide a scimitar behind his back. He knew very well that he wasn't supposed to be practicing swordplay in their home, but that thought had vanished when he picked up the sword in his tiny hands. Though young, he was already growing quickly to be a warrior of great promise. Even at such an early age, his skill with a sword rivaled that of fighters who'd been training for longer than he'd been alive. It was as if he had been born to wield a weapon, to fight for the Gerudo. The weapon became a part of him, an extension of his own body as much as his hand was.
His mother gently took the weapon from the boy, receiving a sorrowful look along with it. Litara felt her heart melt at the sight of her son's disappointed face. She never could say no to him when he did that.though she was glad that he didn't seem to be aware of that fact yet. She smiled and shook her head, then took Gannondorf's hands in hers. She placed the sword back in his grip and repositioned his arms into a lower hold than the one he had been using to practice with.
"You should start low, like this, then sweep upwards. An enemy won't expect such a low attack and will unintentionally leave their guard open for a strike here." Litara advised as traced her finger from her left hip across her belly. Gannondorf grinned broadly and hugged his mother's legs before rushing off to practice once more.
"You're going to spoil that boy rotten before he's old enough to ride a horse, do you know that Litara?" A Gerudo questioned with a slight chuckle from her spot at the living room table. Litara returned to her seat across from her friend and picked up her cup of hot tea. She took a slow sip, savoring the tangy flavor of the rare desert leaves before answering.
"You're far too critical. He has to learn to fight and he won't get very far without my encouragement. I'm the best swordswoman in the Fortress, or have you forgotten since the last time I beat you?" Litara smirked across the table. Her friend faked a grin and sipped at her own tea.
"Maybe so, but you should at least treat him with more respect. Scolding isn't good for a king, you know."
"And what would you know about raising a king, let alone a child, Keifa? Last time I checked, you've still yet to bear child.regardless of the 'friends' you visit at Hyrule Castle Town." Litara poked. Keifa flushed deep red across her cheeks and set her earthen cup down heavily.
"You sure know how to hurt a girl."
"Scolding is exactly what Gannondorf needs at this age. If I let him run wild now, what kind of leader will he be when he's old enough? He has to learn responsibility sometime and I'd rather that he learn it early." Litara explained rationally, ignoring Keifa's outraged tone.
Keifa sighed heavily as Litara kept her justified look. Litara finished off her tea and swirled the leaf dredges around in the bottom of her cup. She'd have to save those for re-use later. That was another value she had already instilled in her son: 'Waste not, want not.' The Gerudo never wasted any resource they came across and were all the better for it. Things like vegetation and certain animals were scarce in the desert and not everyone could travel to other regions for supplies.
"You may be sure of yourself, but I doubt the Elders would like that attitude." Keifa said.
"Tribe leaders or not, nobody tells me how to raise my son. I know what's best for him and that's that." Litara's tone left no room for argument. "He may be our king someday, but he'll always be my baby."
"I hope you're right about that."
"Of course I'm right and that's all I'll say on the matter." Litara concluded. A mischievous smile appeared as she looked over her shoulder for signs of her son. Finding that the boy had obviously gone outside, she leaned in towards her friend. "Okay, I know you made a drop by the Zora's Domain a few nights ago. So tell me, is he cute?"
Keifa blushed again, then let out a girlish giggle. Leave it to Litara to turn the entire conversation around in the same sentence. Leaning in as well, she started a quick story of her visit to her friend. Halfway through the retelling, both were laughing to the point of tears.
~~~~
Gannondorf leaned against the sandstone wall that made up the entrance to his home. From inside, he could hear his mother's chiming laughter wafting out like music on the breeze. It pleased him to know that she was happy, not only with her life but with him as well. He still was neither entirely clear nor entirely accepting about this whole king thing, but it seemed like a grown-up problem and couldn't possibly involve him.
The Gerudo boy looked down at the sword in his hands with a sigh. Having not only permission but encouragement as well to practice with the weapon.it just lost its appeal without the danger of being caught. Where was the thrill of the moment if there were no risk? The excitement of the lethal blade had turned into tedious exercises with a practice sword in a moment.
A sudden flashing movement caught Gannondorf's eye and the previously dulled weapon became livid in his hands. The sword flashed up in a whistling blur, the metal ringing musically as an object ricocheted off the edge and straight into the air. The Gerudo boy held out his bare hand, expertly catching the falling object.
A painted rock?
Gannondorf turned the stone over in his hand, looking confused with it. It was an average desert rock, completely unremarkable for it's natural look. Fist sized, relatively round and smoothed as if by tool. What made it unique was the bright hues of red and dusty brown spots that decorated the surface. Along the diameter of the rock was a zigzag design etched as if by chisel. On one side of the rock was a large knick where his sword had struck it.
"Where'd it go?!" Gannondorf's attention was caught by the sound of a girl's voice.
"I think it went over the ridge." another girl's voice chimed.
"Well go find it! You're the one who lost it!" a third girl made herself known, though several other girls agreed loudly with this one's decision.
"Okay, okay. Keep your hair bunned already." The second girl spoke again.
Gannondorf watched as a young Gerudo girl appeared at the top of a nearby sand ridge. She looked the typical Gerudo child, long red hair put up into a tight bun. Her clothes were different from other girl's, as she wore fine silk pantaloons and a sleeved wrap shirt, rather than the light cloth outfits that other children wore. In her hand she held a dented driftwood stick, which looked rather worn from use of some sort. The girl slid down the ridge standing, keeping her balance deftly as she glided across the sandy rock. Upon reaching level ground, she began a search for whatever was paired with the club she held while muttering curses about lazy girls.
"S'cuse me." Gannondorf called timidly to the girl.
The girl looked up suddenly, as if just realizing that she was not alone. For a few moments, she wore a terrified expression upon seeing Gannondorf. Neither moved for a quite a bit of time, but their silence was broken first by the boy.
".This yours?" Gannondorf asked as he held up the decorated stone.
The girl nodded, but made no move to take the stone. Gannondorf studied it for a moment, then tossed it gently to her. The girl caught the rock and quickly hid the club and stone behind her back, still remaining silent.
"Hi." The Gerudo prince said lamely.
".Hi." The girl answered in a meek voice.
"My name's Gannondorf."
"I know.er.I mean.." The girl grasped for a few agonizing seconds. "Eh.I'm Trique."
"You're the General's daughter, aren't you? I heard my mom mention that General Iumai had a daughter."
General Iumai was one of the most highly decorated soldiers in the Gerudo's task force. That didn't really matter to Gannondorf, but he knew the General mainly as mom's-friend-who-brought-fried-Guay-on-visits. It would make sense that this girl was her daughter; about the right age and wearing the same outfit many high-ranking officers wore. The ranks of the Gerudo were passed on through lineage. The daughter of a high-ranking officer would be trained to one day take her mother's position.
"Y-yeah.she's my mom." Trique muttered. "Um..why are you talking to someone like me?"
"Whadd'ya mean?" Gannondorf was confused again.
"You're a boy.that means you're going to be the King."
"So?"
"Kings don't converse with people of lower rank."
"Says who? If that's true, then who am I supposed to talk to?"
"I don't know.those are the rules."
"If I'm supposed to be King, can't I change the rules?"
Trique blinked a few times as she tried to put together a counter. Seemed like Gannondorf had her on that one. Why couldn't he do whatever he wanted to do? He was going to be King, after all.
"You want to play Grewan with us? The rest of the girls are on the other side of that sand ridge." Trique offered as she motioned back the way she came.
"Gre-wha?" Gannondorf felt quite foolish for some reason.
"You're kidding me! You don't know what Grewan is!?" Trique gaped. "Geez, have they been keeping you in a vault or something? Everyone knows how to play Grewan!"
Trique noticed Gannondorf's crestfallen expression and her tone instantly lightened. She scratched her back with the club she held, smiling kindly and giving an indifferent wave.
"Well, that doesn't matter. I'll teach you. C'mon, it's lots of fun."
"I don't know.I should get back to practicing."
"C'mon..please?"
Gannondorf was instantly torn. He looked down at the glimmering sword in his hand, the well polished surface reflecting his own image back at him with crystal clarity. His gaze drifted upwards, landing on the face of the girl inviting him to play. He could see a hopeful glint in her dark eyes and could not bring himself to refuse it. Discarding of his sword by carefully leaning it on the inner wall of his house's doorway, Gannondorf and Trique took off running up the sand ridge to the still waiting game of Grewan.
It came much later on that Litara wished to know how her son gained a black eye and why another girl had a broken nose, but neither were in a talkative mood.
Gannondorf's head hurt, but his ego was only strengthened. After all, he made new friends and it wasn't every day that a Grewan stone was deflected by a headbutt into the goalie's face.
Life was good.
~~~~
Far, far too long between chapters. I apologize for my late posting, I've been busy with work and other stories. It's not easy writing three fanfictions and a novel at once, y'know. Keep those reviews coming, kiddos. Closure is what I live for.
The Gerudo Fortress was in an uproar. A boy had been born! A male child! The news spread like wildfire, reaching the pointed ears of every Gerudo in the desert that could be reached. Guay birds bearing messages were quickly sent out to seek out Gerudo elsewhere at the time. All must know of this news! Soon, the entire Gerudo Fortress was up and active, rushing across the desert wasteland to the great monument of the Gerudo race stood. Called the 'Goddess Of The Sands', the child and mother had both been taken to the place of worship as soon as the mother could be put onto a cart to be transported.
The temple itself stood at the edge of the desert wasteland, breaking out of the sand like an emerging creature. The great stone structure had long ago been carved into the massive resemblance of the Goddess of Power: Din. The Stone Goddess' outstretched hands welcomed the oncoming Gerudo, allowing its daughters to enter safely into their sacred grounds.
Seated upon the left hand of the Stone Goddess was a shriveled wraith of a woman. Time had seemed to have been exceptionally cruel to this woman as her body was aged beyond her time. Shrunk to a diminutive three feet tall, the woman's wrinkled skin bore the wrath of time itself. A great shock of white hair, long since faded from it's fiery red, cascaded down the small woman's arched back. The woman's tiny form was enshrouded in dark robes and she bore upon her head an ornate headdress topped with a glimmering Blood Ruby.
"It seems to have finally happened, Koume."
'Koume', as she was addressed, turned to face her twin sister. The equally aged woman who stood behind her was identical in every aspect, save that her headdress held a well polished sapphire instead of a ruby. Koume closed her bulbous eyes and turned back out towards the desert. The sun had fully risen above the horizon, promising great heat across the sands.
"Indeed, it has Kotake." Koume replied.
"I didn't think we'd live to see the day the prophecy would begin." Kotake grinned with her crooked teeth shown. "But I guess I was wrong."
"Indeed."
Kotake watched her twin curiously. Koume seemed greatly under whelmed by this momentous occasion. The entire Gerudo race was up and praising Din for this day, the day that had been foretold in the texts of their ancestors as the day that began the Gerudo's rise to power in the world. Why was Koume so bland this morning?
"And lo, Din: the Goddess of Power, said to her sisters: 'Favor these, the Gerudo, who are made after my shape. For they will be great and mighty in the world we have created.'" Kotake quoted the prophecy written in the texts of the Gerudo. "And the Goddesses smiled upon the Gerudo and made them separate of the races of the world. They needed not the aid and comfort of others, but were strong of themselves."
"And lo, it was decreed by Nayru: the Goddess of Wisdom: 'As these Gerudo are indeed blessed, they shall forever remain in your image, dear sister.'" Koume continued the prophecy that she had long since memorized. She could say the entire thing backwards if need be. "And so it was. From the very day of their life, the Gerudo were not but women, never a man being born to their race, that their image remain ever that of Din."
Koume turned to her sister once more. Now she bore a smugly pleased expression upon her wrinkled face, her grin as toothy as her sister's. She stepped forward and embraced her sister's hands happily, their spindly fingers intertwining together.
"And lo, Farore: The Goddess of Courage, said as so: 'Nay, sisters. Allow there to be but one. One male child shall be born to the Gerudo, and this child shall be one of destiny. Allow this child to rule the Gerudo unquestioned, that he may lead the Gerudo into their might." Kotake continued.
"And the Goddesses agreed, that one male would be born of the Gerudo. The day of his birth would mark the soon coming greatness of the Gerudo; those blessed by the Goddesses themselves." Both ancient sisters concluded the prophecy in unison, sharing happy smiles upon their faces.
"Come, Koume. Let us see the child of destiny." Kotake invited.
"Yes, Kotake. Let's see our King." Koume agreed as she joined her sister's side.
And with that, the two former leaders of the Gerudo Race conceded their control of the Gerudo to a newborn. Until he was of age to rule properly, they would maintain their state of governing in his stead. They would both raise him to become a powerful ruler, to lead the Gerudo proudly into a time of great prosperity. This was truly a day of greatness for the Gerudo that would be remembered for all time.
So happy were the two sisters that both failed to notice the ominous rumble of thunder in the distance.
****
Seven years passed.
In seven short years, a babe grew into a boy. A healthy, happy young boy who had far too much energy for his own good, as far as his mother was concerned.
"Gannondorf! How many times have I told you not to swing that around like that!?" Litara, mother of the child of destiny, chided her son yet again.
Gannondorf grinned sheepishly at his mother as he tried in vain to hide a scimitar behind his back. He knew very well that he wasn't supposed to be practicing swordplay in their home, but that thought had vanished when he picked up the sword in his tiny hands. Though young, he was already growing quickly to be a warrior of great promise. Even at such an early age, his skill with a sword rivaled that of fighters who'd been training for longer than he'd been alive. It was as if he had been born to wield a weapon, to fight for the Gerudo. The weapon became a part of him, an extension of his own body as much as his hand was.
His mother gently took the weapon from the boy, receiving a sorrowful look along with it. Litara felt her heart melt at the sight of her son's disappointed face. She never could say no to him when he did that.though she was glad that he didn't seem to be aware of that fact yet. She smiled and shook her head, then took Gannondorf's hands in hers. She placed the sword back in his grip and repositioned his arms into a lower hold than the one he had been using to practice with.
"You should start low, like this, then sweep upwards. An enemy won't expect such a low attack and will unintentionally leave their guard open for a strike here." Litara advised as traced her finger from her left hip across her belly. Gannondorf grinned broadly and hugged his mother's legs before rushing off to practice once more.
"You're going to spoil that boy rotten before he's old enough to ride a horse, do you know that Litara?" A Gerudo questioned with a slight chuckle from her spot at the living room table. Litara returned to her seat across from her friend and picked up her cup of hot tea. She took a slow sip, savoring the tangy flavor of the rare desert leaves before answering.
"You're far too critical. He has to learn to fight and he won't get very far without my encouragement. I'm the best swordswoman in the Fortress, or have you forgotten since the last time I beat you?" Litara smirked across the table. Her friend faked a grin and sipped at her own tea.
"Maybe so, but you should at least treat him with more respect. Scolding isn't good for a king, you know."
"And what would you know about raising a king, let alone a child, Keifa? Last time I checked, you've still yet to bear child.regardless of the 'friends' you visit at Hyrule Castle Town." Litara poked. Keifa flushed deep red across her cheeks and set her earthen cup down heavily.
"You sure know how to hurt a girl."
"Scolding is exactly what Gannondorf needs at this age. If I let him run wild now, what kind of leader will he be when he's old enough? He has to learn responsibility sometime and I'd rather that he learn it early." Litara explained rationally, ignoring Keifa's outraged tone.
Keifa sighed heavily as Litara kept her justified look. Litara finished off her tea and swirled the leaf dredges around in the bottom of her cup. She'd have to save those for re-use later. That was another value she had already instilled in her son: 'Waste not, want not.' The Gerudo never wasted any resource they came across and were all the better for it. Things like vegetation and certain animals were scarce in the desert and not everyone could travel to other regions for supplies.
"You may be sure of yourself, but I doubt the Elders would like that attitude." Keifa said.
"Tribe leaders or not, nobody tells me how to raise my son. I know what's best for him and that's that." Litara's tone left no room for argument. "He may be our king someday, but he'll always be my baby."
"I hope you're right about that."
"Of course I'm right and that's all I'll say on the matter." Litara concluded. A mischievous smile appeared as she looked over her shoulder for signs of her son. Finding that the boy had obviously gone outside, she leaned in towards her friend. "Okay, I know you made a drop by the Zora's Domain a few nights ago. So tell me, is he cute?"
Keifa blushed again, then let out a girlish giggle. Leave it to Litara to turn the entire conversation around in the same sentence. Leaning in as well, she started a quick story of her visit to her friend. Halfway through the retelling, both were laughing to the point of tears.
~~~~
Gannondorf leaned against the sandstone wall that made up the entrance to his home. From inside, he could hear his mother's chiming laughter wafting out like music on the breeze. It pleased him to know that she was happy, not only with her life but with him as well. He still was neither entirely clear nor entirely accepting about this whole king thing, but it seemed like a grown-up problem and couldn't possibly involve him.
The Gerudo boy looked down at the sword in his hands with a sigh. Having not only permission but encouragement as well to practice with the weapon.it just lost its appeal without the danger of being caught. Where was the thrill of the moment if there were no risk? The excitement of the lethal blade had turned into tedious exercises with a practice sword in a moment.
A sudden flashing movement caught Gannondorf's eye and the previously dulled weapon became livid in his hands. The sword flashed up in a whistling blur, the metal ringing musically as an object ricocheted off the edge and straight into the air. The Gerudo boy held out his bare hand, expertly catching the falling object.
A painted rock?
Gannondorf turned the stone over in his hand, looking confused with it. It was an average desert rock, completely unremarkable for it's natural look. Fist sized, relatively round and smoothed as if by tool. What made it unique was the bright hues of red and dusty brown spots that decorated the surface. Along the diameter of the rock was a zigzag design etched as if by chisel. On one side of the rock was a large knick where his sword had struck it.
"Where'd it go?!" Gannondorf's attention was caught by the sound of a girl's voice.
"I think it went over the ridge." another girl's voice chimed.
"Well go find it! You're the one who lost it!" a third girl made herself known, though several other girls agreed loudly with this one's decision.
"Okay, okay. Keep your hair bunned already." The second girl spoke again.
Gannondorf watched as a young Gerudo girl appeared at the top of a nearby sand ridge. She looked the typical Gerudo child, long red hair put up into a tight bun. Her clothes were different from other girl's, as she wore fine silk pantaloons and a sleeved wrap shirt, rather than the light cloth outfits that other children wore. In her hand she held a dented driftwood stick, which looked rather worn from use of some sort. The girl slid down the ridge standing, keeping her balance deftly as she glided across the sandy rock. Upon reaching level ground, she began a search for whatever was paired with the club she held while muttering curses about lazy girls.
"S'cuse me." Gannondorf called timidly to the girl.
The girl looked up suddenly, as if just realizing that she was not alone. For a few moments, she wore a terrified expression upon seeing Gannondorf. Neither moved for a quite a bit of time, but their silence was broken first by the boy.
".This yours?" Gannondorf asked as he held up the decorated stone.
The girl nodded, but made no move to take the stone. Gannondorf studied it for a moment, then tossed it gently to her. The girl caught the rock and quickly hid the club and stone behind her back, still remaining silent.
"Hi." The Gerudo prince said lamely.
".Hi." The girl answered in a meek voice.
"My name's Gannondorf."
"I know.er.I mean.." The girl grasped for a few agonizing seconds. "Eh.I'm Trique."
"You're the General's daughter, aren't you? I heard my mom mention that General Iumai had a daughter."
General Iumai was one of the most highly decorated soldiers in the Gerudo's task force. That didn't really matter to Gannondorf, but he knew the General mainly as mom's-friend-who-brought-fried-Guay-on-visits. It would make sense that this girl was her daughter; about the right age and wearing the same outfit many high-ranking officers wore. The ranks of the Gerudo were passed on through lineage. The daughter of a high-ranking officer would be trained to one day take her mother's position.
"Y-yeah.she's my mom." Trique muttered. "Um..why are you talking to someone like me?"
"Whadd'ya mean?" Gannondorf was confused again.
"You're a boy.that means you're going to be the King."
"So?"
"Kings don't converse with people of lower rank."
"Says who? If that's true, then who am I supposed to talk to?"
"I don't know.those are the rules."
"If I'm supposed to be King, can't I change the rules?"
Trique blinked a few times as she tried to put together a counter. Seemed like Gannondorf had her on that one. Why couldn't he do whatever he wanted to do? He was going to be King, after all.
"You want to play Grewan with us? The rest of the girls are on the other side of that sand ridge." Trique offered as she motioned back the way she came.
"Gre-wha?" Gannondorf felt quite foolish for some reason.
"You're kidding me! You don't know what Grewan is!?" Trique gaped. "Geez, have they been keeping you in a vault or something? Everyone knows how to play Grewan!"
Trique noticed Gannondorf's crestfallen expression and her tone instantly lightened. She scratched her back with the club she held, smiling kindly and giving an indifferent wave.
"Well, that doesn't matter. I'll teach you. C'mon, it's lots of fun."
"I don't know.I should get back to practicing."
"C'mon..please?"
Gannondorf was instantly torn. He looked down at the glimmering sword in his hand, the well polished surface reflecting his own image back at him with crystal clarity. His gaze drifted upwards, landing on the face of the girl inviting him to play. He could see a hopeful glint in her dark eyes and could not bring himself to refuse it. Discarding of his sword by carefully leaning it on the inner wall of his house's doorway, Gannondorf and Trique took off running up the sand ridge to the still waiting game of Grewan.
It came much later on that Litara wished to know how her son gained a black eye and why another girl had a broken nose, but neither were in a talkative mood.
Gannondorf's head hurt, but his ego was only strengthened. After all, he made new friends and it wasn't every day that a Grewan stone was deflected by a headbutt into the goalie's face.
Life was good.
~~~~
Far, far too long between chapters. I apologize for my late posting, I've been busy with work and other stories. It's not easy writing three fanfictions and a novel at once, y'know. Keep those reviews coming, kiddos. Closure is what I live for.
