Sorry for the wait everyone. Only a few more weeks of school till summer break, and then hopefully the updates will pick up in pace a little. Before we begin, I want to mention a few things. So, I present, the King of Thieves NRFAQTIFTNTAA (Not Really Frequently Asked Questions That I Feel The Need To Address Anyways):
Q: Is this a Ganondorf x Nabooru story?
A: Yes and no. Or, more appropriately, no and yes. I seem to have lost one reader's interest from chapter 8 to chapter 9, so I want to clarify this. I am writing this to be a fully fledged novel experience, ranging the entire spectrum of fantasy storytelling: drama, action, adventure, humor, suspense, and romance. There will be relationships between characters, and not just with Ganondorf. But they will not be the sole focus of this fanfic. This is not to say that people who write fanfics solely to explore their preferred crossings are inferior, it's just not my preferred style. My storyline will drive the romances, not the other way around.
Q: Why is it taking them so long to travel through Hyrule? Link does it in a few minutes!
A: In my opinion, the overworld in Ocarina of Time is, as in all video game overworlds, a representation of the true thing. My interpretation is that it actually takes just as long as traveling distances between places in real life, it's simply condensed so that the player isn't bored to death traveling such great distances. Think about it logically. If the world of Ocarina of Time were a true representation, the entire land of Hyrule, with five genetically distinct races, would be much less than a mile across in every direction. That just doesn't work. So, while I may upset people by having traveling in my story take the true amount of time that it should, I feel it's the most appropriate way to handle it.
Q: Can Gerudo swim?
A: Well... I would say... that is... the answer is obviously... uh... I don't know. Probably not. I am very glad this point was brought to my attention, because it will certainly need to be addressed at some point in my story. Thanks!
Q: What is a kunai?
A: A kunai is a small throwing knife.
Q: What do the Tek'talla look like, exactly?
A: This question won't make sense until after you read this chapter. They are a very hard thing to describe with words. I plan on making a picture of them at some point and uploading it on my deviantART page. You can find the link in my profile. I'm warning you now, though, I'm a horrid artist.
Q: How long is this fanfic going to be?
A: -shrugs- I dunno. Long. Really really long. Over 50 chapters without a doubt, and I won't discount the possibility of hitting 100. The end of this fanfic will be the end of Ocarina of Time. It will take quite a lot of time to even get to the beginning of that game though, as the meat of the story will be the events leading up to that. And even once my story hits the beginning of OoT, it will remain Ganondorf's story, I assure you, so it will in no way be a retelling of the game. It will be the unseen events that Ganondorf was up to during that time. So, I hope you're all willing to stick around for the long run. The one promise I can make is that barring a death in the family or something similarly life-altering (and really, I very much doubt a death, beyond mine, would make me stop writing), I will NOT abandon this story, and will NOT put it on hiatus. I know that if I put that much time into reading something and the author just quit, I would be pissed, so I won't do that to you either. I'm sure I'll write some short works in the (long) time it takes me to write this, but I'll never drop it, I promise.
Well, I just thought I should bring these points up. Map of Hyrule with my edits (I have marked the Channel of Winds and the party's path) is always at my dA page (see profile). And now, on to what you're here for, chapter 10!
The first few days of travel passed uneventfully. Day one was spent climbing out of the lowlands that formed the Gerudo Valley. The next two days were spent traveling Hyrule Field, the expansive and largely unforested area that separated the five races of Hyrule. The Hylian capital lay northward, along with the mountainous realm of the hulking Goron. The Lost Woods, Hyrule's largest forest, covered the south; the dwelling of the childlike Kokiri. Gerudo Valley, from where the travelers now departed, occupied Hyrule's barren western reaches. And their destination, Zora's Domain, home to a graceful amphibious people, lay far to the east.
Kirandorf anticipated an easy journey. They would first head south to reach the border of the forest, and then continue east from there. The covering of the trees would offer shelter from both unfavorable weather and the eyes of other travelers. Most people were not overly happy to meet Gerudo along the road, so Kirandorf preferred to avoid being seen altogether. In the late months of spring wild game was never scarce, and they set a steady but easy pace. By the end of the third day they reached the forest's edge. They set camp for the night and began eastward the next morning.
In the middle of the fourth day, the companions noted a dust cloud rising over a hill in the distance. Nabooru was the first to point it out, and Kirandorf motioned for them to enter the woods and stay out of sight. After several minutes, a convoy came into view at the top of the hill.
The convoy was made up of twelve fully armored soldiers, the two in front prominently displaying large blue flags with the symbol of the royal family, three golden triangles. Between the flagbearers, a smug looking nobleman led the group. His blonde hair reached his shoulders, falling on the frilled white collar of his red satin coat. This coat also displayed the golden triangles on the breast, as well as a number of other noble patterns declaring him as the King's ambassador. The sheath at his belt displayed an ornate golden hilt adorned with a large ruby. Kirandorf could see the corded muscles through the nobleman's shirt, and knew that this weapon was not simply for show. The Gerudo sat in silence as the party passed by, watched them top another hill, and waited for several minutes longer after they had left view. Kirandorf stepped out of the cover and judged the direction the procession had been traveling.
"This is most unusual," he said to himself.
"What do you mean?" asked Ganondorf.
Kirandorf looked at him as if just remembering he were there. "They are headed in the direction of the Kokiri Forest. The Kokiri have not had contact with the castle in as long as I can remember. They are a very reclusive people, and do not leave the forest or concern themselves with the affairs of the outside world. Why would the King be sending an ambassador with such an insultingly well-armed guard?"
None had an answer for this, but there was nothing for them to do about it. Putting the event to the back of their minds, the three travelers continued on their way to Zora's Domain.
"You are certain that is the path they will travel?"
Hama was getting irritated with this line of questioning, but she was careful not to show it.
"Of course I am certain," she replied, in her characteristically unemotional manner. "Kirandorf will not want to risk being seen. He does not enjoy killing."
"Very good. You will be rewarded for your service. My lord is always a man of his word."
"I do not doubt it," Hama said simply.
The figure that she held discussion with walked toward the opening in the stone wall that served as a window and stepped onto the sill. Without a word, it rolled out into the open air. Hama walked across the room and peered out of the second-story window of the Gerudo Fortress to see exactly what the expected to see. Absolutely nothing.
The figure crept silently through the treetops, watching Ganondorf carefully. It had taken three days to catch up with the travelers after leaving the Fortress, making it the seventh day of their march. They had reached the river that flows from Zora's Domain and were searching for a crossing point. Camp had been set for the night, and Ganondorf had gone alone to the river to collect water. The figure knew an opportunity when it saw one.
Ganondorf was completely aware he was being followed, but was certain not to show it. He bent down as if to fill the water skins he carried, maintaining an acute awareness of his stalker. The instant he sensed the attack he spun around, swinging his left arm in front of him. The four kunai that had been hurled in a horizontal line were all deflected off of his bracelet. He was given no time to recover as the figure leapt from the shadows to engage him.
She wore a form-fitting blue and white cloth outfit. On the chest was a design of deep red: a large eye with a drop falling from it. Three red triangles sat above the eye, though they were not connected like the golden triangles in the crest of the royal family. The top of the outfit extended above the neck to cover her face up to her nose. Her dirty-blonde hair managed to seem disheveled and well-kept at the same time.
As she emerged from the shadows, she was instantly upon him. With blinding speed she struck with two weapons Ganondorf had never seen before. They were circular, the outside circumference razor-edged, with a three-pronged handle in the middle. Three blades ran parallel to the circle. She attacked fiercely, and Ganondorf was hard-pressed to block such a lightning-fast attack with his single broadsword. He felt himself being backed closer and closer to the river.
He saw an opening as the girl swung high, and dropped himself to his knees to try and slice at her legs. She anticipated this, though, and leapt over his swing, planting both feet on his face and kicking off into a backflip. Ganondorf was knocked to the ground, his head impacting a stone. He felt moisture. While still in midair, the woman threw one of her strange weapons at Ganondorf's prone form. He barely managed to deflect it off of his bracelets as it spun toward his neck with deadly precision.
As she was left with one weapon, Ganondorf took the offensive. Leaping to his feet, he made two vertical chops, both of which she dodged effortlessly. Then, she extended her empty hand toward him only to sharply pull it back to her side. Bewildered, Ganondorf heard a whistle behind him and jerked to the right just as her thrown weapon streaked through the air he had occupied a fraction of a second earlier, returning to her hand.
"Who are you?" Ganondorf demanded in the lull in the fight. The mysterious girl gave no answer, and instead rejoined the battle. Ganondorf found himself again losing ground to a blinding series of strikes. Unused to battling a foe that meant truly to take his life, he became frustrated and unfocused. With a shout, he made a wild horizontal swing. Exactly what she had been waiting for. Her right-hand weapon met his sword, and Ganondorf's steel slid underneath the blade that extended from her unorthodox instrument. With a quick twist of her arm, the sword was wrenched from Ganondorf's hand, and she spun her weapon so that the sword it held became a blur of motion. Ganondorf tried his best to dodge as she attacked him with his own weapon. He stepped on the rock that he had fallen on minutes ago, still slick with blood from the impact. His boot slipped from underneath him, and he was put off balance. This was the only opening his assailant needed, and she sunk his broadsword deep into his right shoulder.
Ganondorf gave a cry of pain and rage as he felt his arm go limp. The girl tore the weapon from his shoulder and brought it in again for another strike. His face a mask of seething hatred, Ganondorf twisted around to catch the weapon in his already-useless right arm. It sliced through skin and muscle just above his elbow, stopping as it connected with bone. Ganondorf ignored its bite. With another cry, this one a guttural howl, and speed that the young woman could barely follow, Ganondorf planted his left fist with all his force into her face, satisfied at the sound of her nose breaking.
She was thrown backward several feet and landed hard on her back. She had lost her grip on both of her weapons, and they lay on the riverbed with Ganondorf's huge broadsword in a pool of red. Before she could even realize what was happening, he was atop her. His face was twisted into a horrifying visage, his fist held above his head with a slight purple glow around it, prepared to shatter her skull across the earth. As he brought his fist down for the final strike, all of her composure was lost, and a look of absolute terror swept across her face. The young warrior's own expression faltered slightly, and he turned his punch at the last minute, his fist burying itself deep in the ground and his bracelet making a deep gash across her forehead.
Only momentarily stunned, the girl kicked out from under Ganondorf and made a pulling motion with her hands, causing her weapons to fly back to her. "My Tek'talla will taste your blood, as they rip your head from your shoulders. Fear the shadows!" She threw something Ganondorf couldn't see toward the ground, and was gone in a puff of smoke.
Koume and Kotake watched from high in the air. They were prepared to strike when they noticed Kirandorf and Nabooru running toward the injured Ganondorf. No matter; this new development complicated things. There was more planning to be done.
As darkness fell, Ganondorf sat with his companions around their campfire, his arm bandaged and splinted. He had been silent since the encounter and refused to elaborate on it beyond, "A girl attacked me. She got away." This particularly upset Nabooru, as he had been very closed off from her the entire journey.
"I will keep watch for tonight," Kirandorf was saying. "When we reach Zora's domain tomorrow, we shall be safe."
They cooked the day's catch, a wild boar, and after eating, Ganondorf and Nabooru laid their sheets around the fire to sleep.
"I am glad you're okay, Ganondorf," Nabooru said as they lay there, a touch of sad hopefulness in her voice.
Ganondorf did not reply.