Summer, Year of the Great Kingdom 592
If it had been any other woman, the crowd would have likely laughed – the drunken idiot getting what he deserved – but this wasn't any other woman, this was Telma. 'The Gerudo' had just knocked a Hylian aristocrat unconscious, and not just any aristocrat – the son of the Governor of Faron, one of the "Outer Kingdoms" that fell under Hyrule's control.
As soon as the sound of her strike echoed around the tent, complete silence fell. Everyone now stared at her in shocked disbelief as Gormund leapt back to his feet and Guru's servant struggled to rouse his master. Her heart, which had been pounding with fury only seconds before, now froze in absolute horror. "What… what have I done?!" her mind wailed, and her father begin to firmly pull at her arm. "Let's go! NOW!" he urged, as members of the crowd began shouting for the guards to arrest her.
Fighting panic, the two dashed their way through the people and toward the stabled gate. But after only a dozen paces, a host of armored men surrounded them and seized the farmer and his daughter. The noise became deafening. The combined shouts of the crowd, the cries of Telma for them to have mercy on her father, and the commands of the soldiers for everyone to be still and silent, blended into a confused symphony of chaos. Their hands were swiftly drawn behind their backs and bound with ropes, when Dame Neva rose up out of the crowd – standing on a table – and bellowed, "STAND FAST!"
The men straightened their backs and the crowd parted, as the imposing Sheikah leapt down from the table and came near. "I saw the entire thing!" she shouted, "The man attacked this girl in the most dishonorable fashion! Let her go!" But the captain of the guard was unwilling to release "a gerudo" who had struck a Hylian knight. "No commoner can raise a hand against a knight, my dame, and I would see it that she is not even a Hylian commoner!" he shouted. Neva, narrowed her menacing red eyes and leaned in close to him, "You dare defy my orders man?!" But, from the base of the tower, across the courtyard, boomed a deep and commanding voice, "What is going on here?!"
Lord Aryn, stripped of his armor, and wearing only a pair of trousers and a half un-tied linen shirt, quickly strode across the yard and came beside the Dame. All bowed low – Telma and her father were forced to their knees by the guards – as the aggravated groom surveyed the scene. "Well?!" he barked, when no one offered an explanation. "May it please your lordship," Neva began, curtsying again, "Sir Guru of Faron… 'forced himself upon this girl' and gave offense. In her shock, she struck him." She quietly explained. Aryn studied Telma for a moment before echoing, "Girl?" with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, my lord," she answered, "She is only fourteen. She is not yet 'of age'."
Lord Aryn's eyes widened as he looked back down at her once more. Blushing deeply, he shook his head and laughed, "Guru likes them young then! (laughing harder) Where is he then? I would hear his words and see him shamed for this." The lord searched left and right until he spotted Guru's servant kneeling on the ground – still trying to wake his master. His smile quickly faded as he realized the seriousness of the situation. "Is he dead?" he called to the servant. After quickly checking Guru's pulse, the man called back, "No my lord. Just taken by his lust and drunkenness." The answer coaxed a few chuckles from the crowd and a sigh of relief from Aryn. "Damned fool… probably won't even remember it in the morning." He muttered, turning back to the two prisoners.
Despite the amusement, the lord's face hardened as he considered them. "You are called Gormund, are you not?" he asked Telma's father. "Your faithful servant, my lord." He answered nervously, with a bow of his head. "Truly?" he asked, "Then begone. Return to your farm and approach my citadel no more. I would never see you or your daughter here, Gormund! And never see you pass through to the desert again! But for her honor-" his eyes now turned back to Telma, "I will see Guru back to his lands, and let no more trouble come from this." Gormund's face turned white, but he did not dare to argue with his master. "I understand, my lord. Thank you for your gracious mercy." Satisfied, Aryn waved a hand to his guards, "See them out." And walked back to his wedding night in the tower.
The soldiers roughly pulled Telma and her father back to their feet, unbound their hands, and firmly pushed them toward their cart in the stable. With a final glance back at the crowd, the young woman could see the mournful face of Dame Neva, silently expressing her regret at what had just happened to them.
As they passed through the gate and out onto the open lands, Telma held her emotions in check and said nothing. But once the sun fell behind the Gerudo heights and the castle receded into the distance once more, her composure failed, and she sobbed into her handkerchief. "F-forgive me… papa! I am so sorry! I was so stupid!" she begged her father. The farmer – still staring ahead into the dim landscape- reached one hand over and patted her back, "It will be ok honey… we'll just… find another place to sell our crop." The disconnected fear in his voice however, frightened her and made her feel only more ashamed. "I should have never been brought to him!" her heart cried, "I have only been a curse upon him!"
When they reached their home, she dashed into the hut and threw herself upon her small bed. She hated everything: her own life, the farm, the citadel, the soldiers, the men, everything. But above it all, she hated how much of a burden she had been upon her papa. He had a quiet life; A simple life, before she came. And now so many of his years had been wasted on this child that no one wanted. "How peacefully he could have lived! If it had not been for me!" she sobbed into her pillow, "By Hylia… I hate her so much!" (referring to her mother.)
After unhitching and watering his mule. Gormund returned to the house and found his daughter sobbing, face down, upon her bed. He was still badly shocked by everything that had happened that day and was terribly afraid for their future – Where could he sell his crop if not to the garrison? There were no other towns or villages nearby to support him.
But none of that mattered now. His precious child had been hurt and she was still in pain. Softly, he pulled off his boots, dropped his vest upon his own bed, and sat down on the frame of hers. Gently, he began to rub her back, and quietly spoke to her. "Its ok, honey. Its ok. You didn't do anything wrong." "Yes, I did!" she shouted, still facing her pillow. "No… no," he soothed, "You didn't. That man was wrong. He should never have touched you."
Furious, Telma turned over and sat up – tears pouring down her cheeks. "They are just… just breasts papa! What does it matter?! He was a knight! A friend of the king! How could I hit him like that?! AND OUR FARM? WHAT WILL WE DO NOW?!" she screamed, covering her face and shaking with anger. Gormund allowed her to shout at him without resistance, and gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in to a tight hug. "Do not worry about that now, honey." He whispered as he rocked her back and forth, "And they are not… not… not nothing. It is your body and no man has any right to touch you without your leave -and maybe your papa's too." She wrapped her arms around him too now, and squeezed him tightly. He was such a good man – caring only for her feelings. After everything that she had just done to ruin his livelihood, he was still only caring for her grief. "I love you, papa." She bubbled through her tears. "And I you, my blessed daughter." He answered, keeping her in a tight embrace and gently patting her head.
After a few minutes, they released one another and Telma returned to wiping her face with her handkerchief. "You know," Gormund began again, "I am actually… rather proud of you!" She looked up at him, confused, and with a doubtful eye. "No, really." He insisted, "Any other woman would have just let him do it – too afraid to stop him. She would have let herself be taken for the moment, out of fear! You… (laughing) You laid him down with-" Gormund slapped his hands together, "with just one hit! Think of that my dear! With one hard smack, you defeated a Hylian knight!" True to his words, Gormund was smiling at her now and the light in his eyes showed that he genuinely was very proud of her for not allowing the man to handle her.
Her heart melted immediately. Yes, she still felt all of the same grief and fears, but they were swiftly pushed away by her abounding love for her father. Her lips quivered and quickly turned upward into a shy smile. She even gasped a small laugh or two. "No father, could be more proud of his daughter!" he finished and she threw her arms around him again. "I love you papa!" she sobbed once more. "And I love you Telma, I always will." He answered.