Part II – Evil Sands

Chapter II – Reunion

The celebration the Gerudo put on for Ganondorf was a grand spectacle that involved every Gerudo in the compound. There were games for the children, drink for the adults, and the sheer amount of food they prepared was disgusting by Gerudo standards. They ate leever and guay prepared a dozen ways each along with large amounts of freshly baked bread, fruits from the trading caravans, and four large barrels full of wheat alcohol. By the end of the night, a single plate of roasted guay was left along with two loaves of bread and a half-eaten slice of fried leever. The four barrels were completely dry, signaling that more than a few Gerudo would be incapacitated tomorrow.

It was almost midnight when Ganondorf walked out onto the roof of the compound. He hadn't had much to drink, enabling him to be out at such a late hour. He stood at the edge of the tallest shelter's roof with his eyes closed, reliving the night's events. He silently remembered every conversation while also piecing together the events that transpired after his departure. He remembered congratulating many new mothers, catching up with old training buddies, and he fondly remembered that Rila, the entire time, was with him. He was even able to see the Allmother who, despite being eighty-three years old now, looked like she hadn't aged a day. The celebration went on for so long that Ganondorf concluded that there were only two Gerudo he hadn't spoken to at the party.

General Naberna was nowhere to be found during the festivities. This was strange because it always seemed to be when people wanted her the least was when she showed up, and her subordinates could attest to how much of a party person she was not. Despite all her guards and trainees being absent from their duties, she remained inside the compound where no one could find her. When he asked Rila about this, on multiple occasions, she would shrug off the question and distract Ganondorf with something else. Ganondorf had even sent Gerudo into the compound to look for her, but they were either too unenthusiastic about the task, or they came back fruitless despite their best efforts. This would've concerned Ganondorf, but his mother held a certain disdain for the General so her absence wasn't an entirely bad thing.

The other person he couldn't seem to get a hold of, was Nabooru. After his initial lasting embrace with his long-lost friend, she seemed to have disappeared within the commotion. At first, she would be walking just outside the group surrounding him, tantalizingly close yet frustratingly out of reach. Her form had filled out nicely over the years with her hips forming to her metal belt to keep her pants up, and her developed breasts held aloft by the single strip of cloth that covered them. When the celebration began, Ganondorf would catch a glimpse of Nabooru every once in a while, but he would always lose her just before getting to her. It was almost magical how she vanished the second his eyesight to her was broken. She was always looking at him with a sidelong glance, inviting him to go after her, almost daring him to leave the festivities in pursuit of her. Many times he would be in the middle of conversations and that gaze would captivate him, causing his thought processes to come to a screeching halt.

"Ganondorf." a sudden loud whisper shot straight into his ear. The unwarranted rush of air sent needles through his ear and caused him to jump right out of his skin.

"Nabooru!" he yelped in surprise, "Goddess, you scared me half to death!"

Nabooru was too busy laughing to respond properly. In fact, she was laughing so hard that tears began to form in her eyes and she eventually collapsed to the floor in a fit of giggles. As torrential as her emotion was, she did eventually gain control over her laughing and allowed Ganondorf to help her back up.

"Satisfied?" Ganondorf said, hoisting her up to her feet.

"Oh, goddess! I… I haven't laughed that hard in forever." Nabooru dusted herself off, still giggling slightly.

"Why not? I thought adulthood was full of humorous moments."

"Very far and few in between, unfortunately."

"In between what?"

"It's all politics Ganondorf." Nabooru shook her head, "Everyone's trying to move up the chain of command but no one's ever happy when good things happen to you."

"Sounds like you speak from experience."

Nabooru sighed and walked with him to the edge of the roof, "You know, I got into a fight today."

"What!?" Ganondorf sat down with Nabooru, "With who?"

"Nisha. She doesn't like it that I'm her lieutenant and challenged me to a duel in the arena at noon."

"Ok, one thing at a time. Nisha, the girl two years older than both of us, picked a fight with you?"

"Yep."

"But she was so nice back then."

"Turns out, she's actually very insecure and stubborn."

"And you accepted a duel at noon. Are you insane?"

"No more than you are. I also did it with one hand behind my back."

"Come on."

"Really!"

"Show off."

"Takes one to know one."

They shared a curt sputtering giggle.

"Oh," Ganondorf interrupted their laughter, "and you're a lieutenant now?"

"I showed exemplary efficiency and skill as a leader so I was promoted two weeks ago."

"Two weeks and already in a fight for honor. Wow, a lot has changed."

Nabooru repositioned and tucked her knees up into her chest with her arms wrapped around them then spun to face Ganondorf.

"Alright, enough about me and the compound. Let's focus on you." She jabbed a finger into Ganondorf's chest, "How did you survive in the desert for four years?"

"I uhh… found an oasis."

"An oasis?! Where!" Nabooru's eyes went wide with excitement.

"I don't know!" he shrugged, "Do you think I was charting the desert as I was running away from home?"

"Oases are rare in the desert; you must know this. The only recorded oasis that has been consistently right where it is marked is the spirit temple. We have stories and legends about finding hidden oases but they're only that, stories. So it is a big deal if you found one."

"Well I did and I stayed there for the longest time. That's how I survived."

"On water alone?"

"I can catch guay, Nabooru. I'm not completely helpless."

Nabooru adopted a pseudo-pensive expression and nodded her head, "Ok, ok. Then maybe you can explain…" she grabbed Ganondorf's scimitar and began examining it in front of her, "this."

Ganondorf looked at his empty scabbard then back to Nabooru, "Hey! Give that back!"

"Where in the world did you get this?"

He didn't notice it when he had enchanted the sword, but in the nighttime darkness it emitted a feint unnatural glow. Even though the metal was very rusty and it was as dull as a rock, Nabooru seemed transfixed by its soft blue glow.

"Oh, you'll never believe that one."

"If I can take your oasis story, then I think I can handle how you got a rusty glowing sword."

"Fine then. You ready for this one?"

"I hang on every word." She gave him her undivided attention, even setting the sword down in her lap.

"I was attacked by a lizalfos."

There was a long and painfully awkward silence between the two that was only broken by a sneezing guard in the distance. Nabooru looked at Ganondorf with an incredulous expression and had one eyebrow raised. Ganondorf, on the other hand, had a smug grin that dared her to believe him.

"If you're not going to tell me then take it back." Nabooru gave his sword back and made to stand.

"What did I say? I Told you, you wouldn't believe me." Ganondorf accepted the sword then noticed Nabooru standing. He put the sword to his side and grabbed her arm before she got up, "No, wait! I'm serious!"

Nabooru settled back down on the ledge, "Ganondorf, everything you've said thus far comes from hearsay and nursery rhymes. Kids stories and legends!"

"But it's true, I swear! Look."

Ganondorf grabbed the blade and placed it in Nabooru's grip, "The handle is made all wrong. Feel the balance."

Nabooru tested the blade noting the extra weight it had on the blade without a counterweight in the pommel, "Yes, and?"

"And the grip has only three indents instead of four. Lizalfos only have four fingers. So why else would this sword have one missing if not to be used by a creature with only four fingers?" Ganondorf was very enthusiastic in his logic.

"That's… That's amazing."

"We fought for a long time and its scales were like armor, they were so thick. Thank the goddess my daggers were so sharp or I would've never won." Nabooru continued to look over his prize but he could sense a little sadness within her eyes, "What's wrong Nabs?"

Nabooru was caught off guard by the sudden use of her childhood byname. She looked into Ganondorf's pleading eyes and sighed in defeat, "It's just… you come back with these tales of spectacle and grandeur… and it sounds like you didn't-"

Ganondorf grabbed Nabooru's shoulders and delicately turned her to face him.

"Nabooru… every day, I thought about you. For four years I missed you. And there is nothing on this earth that could make me forget you. I… I- I just… I mean, I'm-"

"I know." Nabooru cut Ganondorf's stuttering off and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands fell away from her shoulders in confusion for what she thought he was going to say.

"I know." she repeated, "When you said it to Rila… you didn't just say it to her."

"Sorry" it wasn't the word he was going for but Nabooru seemed to have attached herself to that idea and Ganondorf was reluctant to say what he was really feeling. He just sighed the feeling away and rested his chin on Nabooru's head. She then released him and instead rested her head on his shoulder as they both looked out into the desert with the night sky above. Ganondorf sighed again, but this time out of comfort.

"The night sky still looks beautiful from up here." Ganondorf broke the peaceful silence that had briefly fallen.

Nabooru mumbled an agreement and inched closer to Ganondorf as the freezing air seemed to be getting to her.

"I really missed this spot. You can really see all the beauties of the desert from here."

"Since when was the desert beautiful?"

"Well, from my perspective, it's gorgeous."

Nabooru giggled and placed Ganondorf's arm around her. She was able to find a comfortable position leaning against the side of his chest with her arms tucked in and wrapped about her mid-section. The cold air didn't really bother Ganondorf so he preoccupied himself with lightly massaging Nabooru's hip.

"I bet you say that to all the ranking officers."

"What?" he chuckled.

"I'll have you know that fraternizing with a lieutenant of the army is not just against the rules, it will earn you no rank."

"Rank?" Ganondorf snorted, "What need have I of rank? I'll be king soon enough and I won't need to worry about rank."

"And when is this sudden takeover supposed to happen, your highness?" Nabooru snorted back.

"Mothe- Rila, said that the ceremony would be held in four days."

"So early? But you've just gotten back."

"She's confident that that no one will object. She said that I was supposed to be given the honor on my seventeenth birthday."

"So the 'reign of Ganondorf' should've started a month ago?"

"Oh don't make it sound like a usurping! I'm just being appointed a position of highest authority regardless of everyone's rank in society."

"That's exactly what a usurping is, Ganondorf."

"Yes, but don't make it sound like it."

Nabooru sputtered and laughed again, but with much more control than before. Her laugh, though goofy to others, rang out like a melodious song that he wanted to listen to repeated over and over forever.

"Oh, I almost forgot." she stopped her laughter abruptly and unfurled her arms to dig into her pants pocket, "I have this for you."

Nabooru produced the copper soul medallion and held it up for Ganondorf to take. When he held the cool metal, it felt comfortable and familiar to the touch. As he continued to look at the medallion a strange aura became noticeable to him. It was a very small white aura but it glowed enough to convince Ganondorf that the metal had at least small magical properties.

"You alright?" Nabooru saw his hesitation and nudged him slightly.

"You know what? Keep it." He said, handing the copper medallion back.

"What?"

"If the magic in that medallion was strong enough to work even though I was in the desert all alone… you're the only one I'd ever want to hold it."

She gently accepted the medallion back and, after feeling the cool metal again, placed it back in her pocket. She tucked her arms around herself again and fell silent while Ganondorf absent-mindedly stroked the shape of her hip with his hand. Her eyes went half-closed and she almost drifted to sleep until Ganondorf sighed heavily. It was painfully obvious that something was bothering him and she was certain she knew what it was.

"I'm sorry about my mother."

"Why do you say that?" Ganondorf's hand stopped rubbing her side.

"Ever since you left she's been strange. I mean, she's always acted strange when anyone speaks about magic, but… I was young and stupid, and she was less open about it as well. And now that you're back, she's just gotten worse. You saw what she tried to do this afternoon."

"She's always been like that. It doesn't bother me. As for magic, just don't mention it I guess."

Nabooru huffed and rolled her eyes, "Do you know how many of our sayings have to do with magic? And your explosion at the trials only sparked more talk of it all around the compound."

Ganondorf's eyebrows furrowed and his eyes darted about as if he was sorting through the cluttered ideas of his own mind. The man looked immensely pensive and the muscles in his jaw locked along with his thoughts.

"Listen," Nabooru brought her lips close to his ear, "don't worry about my mother. I'll keep her busy. You just relax." he smiled, "I've got a feeling that, now that your back, everything is going to be," she placed a soft affectionate kiss on his cheek, "perfect."

As she went back to her previous position, Nabooru felt Ganondorf melt into her kiss. His tense muscles loosened and his ears became the slightest hue of red.

"I missed you Nabs." He whispered to the sky.

"I missed you more." She whispered to his heart.