Chapter Overview: This chapter's mainly an introduction to Ganondorf and his kingdom.
Through a Nightmare Darkly
Chapter 2: The Hundred Year Old Tradition
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The Gerudo legends tell us that every 100 years a boy is born, to lead to their secluded kingdom to happiness and prosperity. Such a time is tonight. This is where our story begins…
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A baby's cry, piercing the cool night air, traveled throughout the entire Gerudo kingdom, with each Gerudo wondering if this was the boy that was to be born. For you see, there were three pregnant women in the kingdom. Each one wanting to have the honor of bearing a boy. The woman giving birth was Namira, and as fate had it, she bore a healthy, strong baby boy.
"It's a boy," the mid-wife whispered. "A boy! Here Namira, my child, your beautiful son!"
Everyone in the room was awestruck. To look at their future leader brought upon a gamut of emotion. Namira gazed into the eyes of her child and smiled tenderly. "Bring him to Vusatunell," Namira said softly.
The mid-wife tenderly picked up the boy and brought him to their current leader, Vusatunell, as to decide the boy's name. The once powerful Gerudo king now lies on his death-bed, awaiting the child. As Gerudo law states, only the king may name the new-born child and, after giving the child a name, he passes into the afterlife.
The mid-wife propped the baby up in her hands. The king lightly put his and on the boy's leg. "The boy shall be called," a weak and decrepit voice escaped from the king, "Zantorian." With that, the old king's hand fell from the baby's leg and his last breath was drawn.
Everyone in the room bowed their head to the old king to pay final respects. The mid-wife then left the room and returned the child to Namira. "The child's name is Zantorian."
Namira let out a comforted sigh, "Zantorian…my little Zant."
Word soon spread around the kingdom. The name of their new leader was on all of their lips.
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And thus is the birth of Ganondorf…or should I say Zantorian. That's right. His real name. Skipping a few years ahead, Zantorian is now 10 years old. Only five short years until the…incident. But you'll find out about that later on. Zantorian is now nearly fully immersed in his studies to be a king. Swordsmanship, strategy, diplomacy, and economics…all instilled into the fragile mind of a 10 year old. But Zantorian is no ordinary child. As you will soon see…
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Zantorian stepped out from the classroom out into the open space of his home. The once crumbling and old buildings were now being rebuilt, under Zantorian's orders of course. For a mere child, the kingdom had never been more prosperous. Food productions were doubled, living and schooling standards increased, and trade with neighboring kingdoms nearly tripled. The treasury overflowed with gold from Hyrule and priceless gems from Termina, and what little precious stone that was found in the desert was now being imported from the Gorons under the oath of a treaty. Zantorian achieved what the kings of Hyrule would take a lifetime to achieve in only three short years. He could even rival the greatest rulers Hyrule has ever known.
The young boy, dressed in his usual tan pants and black sleeveless shirt, stood less than five feet tall. His red hair, representative for all Gerudo's, fell down shoulder length and his tan skin made him blend in with the Gerudo's. Only his masculine features made him stick out. Though he was a great ruler, he also was a typical 10 year old boy, like the boys in Hyrule: wanting to play instead of learn. Though the child in him wanted to play and have fun, the king in him knew that he couldn't. The king part of him always won. Suppressing childhood desires and keeping him wise, disciplined, and level-headed.
He left the shade from the school and headed home. The once quiet streets of his home were now bustling with merchants from all over the kingdom. Zantorian despised the secludedness of his home and began to open it to outsiders. Slowly, of course, any drastic change could upset his people. Any good king would know this. He accomplished all this while still maintaining their heritage. The Gerudo women would still learn how to be deadly soldiers and their guards were still put on patrol, but they were now on roof tops. As to have a better vantage point to keep an eye one the outsiders. Plus the streets were too crowded.
He arrived at his home and nodded to the two guards posted at the entrance to his house. "Mom, I'm home," Zantorian called out as he pushed back the curtained entrance to his home. An archetypal Gerudo home holds two rooms. The first one is a combination of a greeting room, sitting room, and an eating room. The second room is always used for sleeping. A home can accommodate two to five people, depending on how may want to stay in one home. Zantorian chose not to live in the palace yet, not liking the fulsome state of it.
"How was school?" Namira asked while leaving the second room. Namira wasn't one of the usual Gerudo women. She was one of the few that was exempt from becoming a soldier. There were four jobs in the Gerudo land: builders, soldiers, farmers, and birth mothers. The jobs came in pairings. If the women was a soldier, she was also a builder. If they were farmers, they were birth mothers as well. The women that were exempt from being soldiers usually appeared weak at birth.
"Boring…as usual." He replied dully.
"Well, it has to be done. And you only have a year left before to fully become king."
"I know, I know. And that incompetent emissary from Hyrule is coming tomorrow." Zantorian groaned. "I hate dealing with those idiots," he thought.
"I know Zant, but that's one of your responsibilities now. You should get some rest, though. Most people get tired by just listening to them. I can only imagine what it's like to talk to one."
"You're right. Goodnight Mom."
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Most people believe that people are born evil. That is never the case. It is man that instills evil in others. Tomorrows' meeting is essentially the beginning of the end. I can't even describe the meeting in my own words, only the words that were given to me. The idiocy of the king of Hyrule and the emissary…is completely unbelievable and unimaginable.
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Disclaimer: I do not own any Zelda related characters / places / themes / etc.. Only original names, characters, themes, and places.