With her father's guidance and loving care, Telma grew into a strong and intelligent young woman. By the age of ten (at Gormond's best reckoning) she was already as tall as him and by thirteen the top of his head hardly came up to her shoulder. When the limits of his own knowledge were reached and his few books exhausted, the devoted father bartered with his neighbors for her tutelage. Many of the farm wives in the region came to see her during this time, and every one of them would stop short and stare at her in wonder.
The girl had never become fully comfortable with how different she was from everyone else. Even when it was only herself and her father working at the farm, the difference of her deep bronze skin compared to his fair always struck her. Now, with strangers gawking at her and whispering frantic questions to her father, Telma felt absolutely miserable and exposed.
At first, Gormund would try to evasively explain where she came from, but the nosey women would only push and prod for more. Seeing the embarrassment and shame on his daughter's face, he quickly changed his tactic. If anyone asked after her skin color or her unusual height, Gormund would just loudly cry, "Of course she's my daughter! Don't you see the resemblance?! Don't you think I would know my own child?!" It warmed her heart to hear her father so loudly declare that she was his and to know that he wasn't ashamed of her. For their part, the farm wives were too frightened to push the issue farther, and just accepted her as "a big Hylian girl."
Each one had something different to teach her. The first, covered Hylian history, religion, and culture. She was pleased to hear that Gormund had taught his daughter to always pray to the Goddess Hylia each night before bed, but was sorely disappointed when she uncovered just how ignorant Telma was about the Hylian faith. So, for several nights each week, she lectured the young woman in the finer points of the religion until she was certain Telma had 'a passable' knowledge of the faith.
The second covered language – primarily helping the girl to refine her Hylian and "speak more as a lady should." Her father had given her enough speech to get by amongst the farmers, but Telma quickly learned that the Hylian language was far more complex than she originally believed. Furthermore, the woman criticized the "hard knock of her voice" and encouraged her to speak in a softer, slower, much more loving tone.
The third brought lessons in cooking, which disappointed Telma as it just seemed to her like more work, but she endured it for her father's sake after seeing the light come over his eyes, hearing about the different recipes she could make. Soon, her strong hands were pounding bread doughs into hot pans or slicing delicate steaks into savory cuts. Always, with a full belly and a satisfied smile on his face, Gormund would stand on tip-toe to kiss her cheek and call her "blessed daughter" for preparing his dinner.
Several others would come and go, and sometimes the farmers themselves would come if their wives did not have the skills Gormund was searching for. Telma was instructed in astronomy, Hylian Geography, basic mathematics, herbology & 'wife's alchemy' – making simple potions for healing sick children and the like-, simple business & trade – which her father admitted he needed instruction in as well-, and animal husbandry.
Early Summer, Year of the Great Kingdom 592
The final tutor came just after Telma turned fourteen – if one added nine years to the date she arrived at her father's house. This woman, her father warned her, would come from the citadel and was a person of great importance. She would be expected to be on her very best behavior for this one! Nervous, they dressed in the best clothes they owned, and patiently waited outside the following morning for her arrival.
Just after dawn, a beautiful carriage came rumbling down the Hylian road from the south, guarded by two soldiers on horseback. Telma had seen several of the local farmers' carts, but had never seen such a magnificent carriage before. As the driver leapt down and opened the door on its side, Gormund bowed low and motioned for his daughter to do the same.
A tall, elegant woman took the man's hand -who also bowed his head- and gracefully stepped down onto the damp grass below. She was tall for a Hylian woman, slightly taller than Telma, and wore a modestly decorated dress. She was older, likely past sixty years, and her silver-white hair was pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her head. But what struck Telma the most were her deep red eyes, which regarded the two inhabitants of the farm with a strong air of superiority.
"My lady," her father began, "Welcome to our home!" The woman released her driver's hand and waved him away as she stepped toward them. "Dame… will do nicely, Gormund." She answered in a quiet voice. "Oh… of-of course! My dame!" he stuttered, bowing his head even lower. The woman crossed the small distance and approached Telma directly. "A woman does not bow. She must 'curtsy' to her betters. I suppose this shall be your first lesson." She finished, with a disappointed sigh.
The young woman slowly straightened up and wrung her hands nervously. She had never heard of a 'curtsy' before, and feared that she might have already gotten her father into trouble. "I… I am sorry." She muttered, blushing deeply. "I beg your forgiveness, my dame." The elder corrected. "W-we mean no disrespect, my dame." Gormund interjected, but the matron raised a hand for silence. "I know that Gormund. That is why I am here. Do you have my commission?" she asked, still keeping her eyes locked on Telma. "Uh – yes! My dame. Here it is." He replied, fumbling with a rupee purse at his waist and holding it out to her.
With a raised eyebrow, she pointed over her shoulder back to her driver, and Telma's father handed the leather pouch to him. After opening the bag and checking its contents, the driver softly muttered, "All here, my dame." And the elder nodded to him that she understood. "Return before sundown." She instructed, and her men bowed their heads once more, and quietly drove the carriage southward again.