Chapter Four – A Day In the Fortress

Within an hour, the evening activities had come to an end. Everyone had eaten their fill and had plenty of time to relax and converse amongst each other. Now it was time to prepare the young ones for bed while the workers cleaned the dining hall and kitchen. Ganondorf had long left the hall and went to work with his officers in his study. Uganguzi was exempt because of Ashekha. It had been like a day off for her. But the next day, she had to be sure to get to work. For the time, she cherished every moment with her daughter. Ashekha had received some new clothes and she was absolutely excited about it. As she sat on the floor in Uganguzi's room, she kept holding up the pants which were a dark magenta. "They're so pretty! They're pink!"

Uganguzi was standing in front of the mirror, a comb in her hair. "Yes, all the young girls wear pink. Once you turn nine, you get to wear blue. Then when you reach sixteen, you can choose any color you like." Her long, dark red hair fell down slightly past her waist when it wasn't pulled up. The comb moved smoothly through the silkiness. "But right now, you have to get ready for bed. I've spoken to some of the teachers and they're going to let you come into their classes tomorrow."

Ashekha finally put the pants down and piled her new clothes off to the side against the wall. Then she ran at the bed and hopped up, climbing over the edge, emitting little grunts as her tongue stuck out to the side.

Her foster mother finished combing her hair and began to braid it. "Now you're going to have a busy day tomorrow. Are you ready for it?"

"Yeah!" Ashekha nodded quickly and hopped on the bed.

"Well, that means you're going to have to settle down and get some sleep tonight, silly," chuckled Uganguzi.

"Aww, but I don't feel like sleeping. I'm too excited."

Uganguzi finished braiding her hair, then turned to face the bed. "Well then… I guess I'll have to get you all funned out, huh?" She then quickly ran at the bed and hopped in, her arms quickly wrapping around Ashekha. "Ha! Got you!"

Ashekha let out a little cry and giggled. "Heeeyyy!" Her squirming form was hard to keep a hold of, but Uganguzi held tight.

"There's no escape!"

Ashekha laughed out loud as her mother began to tickle her. "Ah! Stop!" she giggled.

After a moment, Uganguzi stopped and just hugged Ashekha who now panted. "Are you tired now, kiddo?"

"Hehe, yeah." Ashekha just laid there in Uganguzi's arms for a minute until she caught her breath. She then rolled over and pressed close against her mother's form. Uganguzi smiled and gently stroked her daughter's long hair.

"So how about we go to sleep now? You can be excited again in the morning, okay?"

Ashekha nodded. "Okay."

Uganguzi left Ashekha on the bed as she went around the room, putting out the torches. She left one lit by the door in case one of them had to get up. She then returned to the bed and climbed in, pulling the fur blanket over her body and Ashekha's. "Comfy?"

The child nodded and closed her eyes as she snuggled back against her mother again. Uganguzi wrapped her arms around her daughter once more and closed her eyes also. Before long, the two had fallen asleep, lost in their dream world.

The next day started out as usual. The guards went out to relieve the previous night's guards while the horse keepers went in to tend to the horses. Many of the teachers had already awoken, heading to their classrooms to set up for the day. The workers in the kitchen began to prepare food for the morning meal while others prepared for an early morning trip to Hyrule Market. Ganondorf was most likely awake as well, but hardly anyone ever saw him in the early morning hours. There were a few of the women assigned to waking up the girls and getting them ready for their day. They would walk down the halls, shouting for everyone to get up. Then a servant would come in afterwards with a fresh bowl of water and towels for the girls to wash their faces. Once everyone was up, they were to go straight to the dining hall where they could be with their mothers and converse before their breakfast. That was the usual routine anyway.

As the light filtered through the curtains in Uganguzi's room, it caused her to stir. Her eyes fluttered open and she let out a yawn. For a moment, she forgot that Ashekha was with her. When she moved to stretch, she felt her daughter's form beneath her and she quickly glanced down. Remembering, she smiled. Ashekha's sleeping form looked so peaceful. Her legs were drawn up and her arms bunched up against her chest, her hair flowing out behind her. Uganguzi brushed back part of her golden bangs, causing her to shift. With a little yawn, Ashkeha opened her eyes and groaned.

Smiling, Uganguzi said, "Good morning, kiddo."

"Mornin', Uganguzi," Ashekha replied.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Uh-huh."

"And are you ready for breakfast then?"

Ashekha rubbed her eyes and stretched. "Uh-huh. What're we having?"

Uganguzi chuckled. "I don't know. Let's go find out." She then sat up and climbed out of the bed. Ashekha reluctantly did so as well. Uganguzi then took off her sleeping gown and slid into her normal two-piece Gerudo outfit. As she began to comb out her hair, Ashekha changed her clothes. She was waking up some more now and remembered how excited she was the night before. The magenta clothes fit her perfectly and it made her smile.

"Look! They fit!" Ashekha's voice sounded.

Uganguzi smiled. "Yes, I see. Now be sure to take good care of them."

"I will."

Before long, they were dressed and ready for the day. Uganguzi had braided Ashekha's hair upon request and the little five-year-old skipped along excitedly as they came into the dining hall. All the children were assembled at their tables with their mothers, aunts, and friends' mothers. Some of the girls looked over at Ashekha as she and Uganguzi entered. Glancing down, Uganguzi told her daughter that they would be sitting among the others today. "Are you okay with that?"

Ashekha nodded and stayed close to her foster mother as they approached a table. There was a spot on the end and they took the last two seats there. Ashekha sat beside Uganguzi and a girl. Sitting across from her was a woman and two other girls about her age. She looked from to the other, unsure of what to do or say. One girl across from her finally spoke up. "Are you new here?"

Ashekha nodded.

"What's your name?" the other girl across from her asked.

"I'm Ashekha. What are your names?"

The first girl replied, "I'm Terra."

The other girl said, "My name's Rikka."

Uganguzi smiled, pleased that her daughter was starting to make friends. The woman across from her smiled as well, thinking the same thing. They both watched and listened as the girls began to interact.

"So where did you come from?" Terra asked.

Ashekha replied, "From the desert. I lived with some people out there."

"Wow! Really?" Rikka said.

The girl sitting beside Ashekha heard and asked, "What was it like?"

"I don't know," Ashekha replied, "Just like here except there's not as many people."

"Well you'll like it here, Ashekha," said Rikka.

"Yeah, you'll be in our classes too!" Terra said. Then she paused and looked up at her mother. "Isn't that right, mum?"

Terra's mother, across from Uganguzi, nodded. "Yes, that's right. You girls are all close in age, so you'll have the same classes."

"Yay!" exclaimed Terra, Rikka, and the other girl.

Ashekha glanced at the girl beside her, then turned to Uganguzi and tugged on her pants. She whispered up to her mother, "What's that girl's name?"

Uganguzi chuckled quietly. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

Ashekha slumped her shoulders and pouted for a moment. Then she turned to the girl beside her and tapped her shoulder. "What's your name?"

The girl smiled and replied, "I'm Chandra."

"Hi, I'm Ashekha."

As soon as she said it, there was the sound of chimes that filled the room. Everyone fell silent and looked towards the kitchen opening where the food lines were formed. One of the cooks stood with a bag full of bells, shaking it so as to catch everyone's attention. Once that task was completed, she began her second task: announce that breakfast was ready. "Good morning, everyone," she called out. "Let us give thanks to the goddesses before we begin our meal." Everyone stood to their feet and said in one voice their customary prayer of thanks. Once done, the cook announced that the forming of the line was allowed. The sounds of commotion filled the room once again as always.

Eventually the line got smaller and everyone had a plate of hot food ready to be eaten. As they ate their breakfast, Ashekha and her new friends conversed excitedly. Terra, Rikka, and Chandra told Ashekha all about their classes and how fun they were. They also told her about their other friends that they would introduce her to later on. It seemed as if Ashekha was fitting right in. Though her appearance wasn't quite as common as the other Gerudo children, she still blended in well enough. Most Gerudo have paler skin as children. It is only after being outside so often that the normal Gerudo tan appears. That was one worry off Uganguzi's mind.

Soon after the morning meal, the girls were sent on their way to their classes. Some adults accompanied the younger ones. There were classes for different ages. The youngest ones were of the age of five and went on through the age of eight. The middle classes were from the ages nine to twelve. The last of the groups ranged from the ages thirteen to sixteen. After the age of sixteen, a Gerudo was usually considered a woman and began the duties of most adults. Some of those duties were simple tasks such as working in the kitchen or helping care for the infants. Usually upon the age of twenty, a Gerudo was allowed teaching rights and guard duties. But until then, most classes were purely informational and cultural. The youngest of the groups spent most of their time learning all basic matters of the world they lived in—the world around them—and then basic music lessons. Usually around the ages of seven and eight, weapons were introduced. Once in the next age group, they learned more skills such as cooking, instrument classes, and the basics of weaponry. Upon the final group, weaponry was emphasized as well as the basics of raiding. On the final day of classes, the eldest of the third age group were tested. They would go into Hyrule Market alone and attempt a robbery of their own choosing. If they succeeded, they were considered a woman. If they failed, they were either left to their fate in jail or—if they escaped—allowed another chance in the near future. As much as the Gerudo loved each other and cared for their sisters, they would not risk having a handful of them caught. If one must be a sacrifice, then it had to be so. It was for the good of the tribe.

Making her way down the halls, Ashekha could hardly contain her excitement. She had friends now and she was going to classes! She stayed among the three girls she met at breakfast for most of the day. Their first class was general and covered the basics about Hyrule and the desert. The teacher asked such questions as, "How was Hyrule created?" and, "Which goddess is most blessed to us?" They were very general questions, but Ashekha was fascinated. The children also began learning the ways of the Gerudo. The teacher had showed them maps of Hyrule, pointing out where the fortress was located. "Because we live in a desert," she said, "We don't have much food to grow. But if we make our way down to this area," and she pointed to the borders, "We can make our own gardens and grow some vegetables." Such discussions continued for an hour.

After that class, the girls were allowed some time to play. Given some toys such as balls, blocks, and dolls, the girls were allowed to roam the grounds outside so long as they didn't bother the guards. During that free time, Ashekha was introduced to several other girls. They all seemed to get along well. While conversing and playing with her new friends, they also advised Ashekha about which girls to avoid. Apparently even this large family group had its pests. In time she would meet the two most annoying of them all. But for the time, she enjoyed the company of her friends.

Once their playtime was over, the children returned indoors for another class. This time it was a music class. The girls gathered around as their teacher, Miss Jinni, began the lesson. She started off asking basic questions to the girls. "What kinds of songs are there?" she asked them.

Several hands flew into the air. One of them was Terra and she was chosen. Replying, she said, "There's a lot! There's happy and sad, there's angry, there's funny, and there's boring."

Giggles were heard through the room at the last one.

"Now now, Terra," Miss Jinni said as she wagged a finger, "But she is correct. Music is used most of the time to express a mood. Now let's say I want to play a song that shows that I'm sad." She picked up a gitar and posed it, ready to play. "Would this be a correct tune?" The strings sounded, a quick and bouncy tune filling the air. All the girls shook their heads. Miss Jinni stopped playing and pretended to be confused. "It isn't? Well how about this one?" She then strummed out another tune with a quick tempo and light feel to it.

"No!" the girls giggled.

Pretending still, Mss Jinni dropped her jaw in shock. "No? Well… tell me if this one sounds right." Her fingers gently began to play a slow song in a minor key, the melody flowing along as if the strings themselves could cry out. All the girls then began to nod their heads and mutter "yeah!" Miss Jinni then stopped and nodded, all pretending aside. "Yes, you guys are right! Could you hear the major difference between songs?" Heads nodded in reply. "Well very good! You all have good ears then. Now, who would like to try some singing for us?"

Ashekha's hand was the first to go up. Most of the girls seemed shy about volunteering. "Well come on up here then," Miss Jinni said. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Ashekha."

"And what kind of song would you like to sing?"

"It's a happy song."

"Okay, well go right ahead, Ashekha."

The girl paused for a moment, trying to compose herself. Then she closed her eyes and began to sing in her high soprano voice. "High in the sky through the clouds and rain, every familiar field seems like an old friend. When every hand that you shake is like a warm embrace, could only be one sweet place: home and the heartland." She continued on through the entire song until her last note faded away. Everyone watching her was in awe of her amazing talent. Miss Jinni was even speechless.

After a moment, someone called out from the back. "That was really good!"

That triggered it all. The girls all of a sudden stood up and crowded around Ashekha, complimenting her and praising her voice. Miss Jinni had to finally calm all the girls down and get them to sit again. Ashekha sat down among them, smiling. She was glad that everyone liked her singing. Miss Jinni smiled, her eyes wide with amazement. "How did you learn a song like that?" she asked.

"I heard it a lot when I lived out in the desert. I had someone teach it to me."

"Well that is very good! Let's give a round of applause to her, everyone," and she began clapping her hands. The girls all joined in and clapped too. Ashekha's cheeks turned bright red and she grinned shyly.

That was the highlight of the music class. For the remainder of their time there, Miss Jinni continued on about different kinds of music and how various tunes related to specific regions of Hyrule. Pretty soon, it was time for lunch.

With lunch over, the girls were allowed another play hour. They went back outside and enjoyed the free time. Ashekha got to converse with her friends some more and got to know them better. It was hard to believe that just yesterday morning she came to the fortress for the very first time. She felt at home though and it made things all the easier for her. She now had a loving mother, good friends, a place to live and interact with, and a future ahead of her. Upon discovering her vocal talents, Miss Jinni sought out Uganguzi to tell her of the great potential Ashekha had. Of course Uganguzi already knew, but she was grateful nonetheless. It was that feeling a mother gets when she feels proud of her child; proud that her young one is being accepted and loved.

Ashekha was just glad to have friends. She enjoyed the attention she received, but she didn't particularly want it. Bragging was something that she naturally was not inclined to. But all in all, she accepted any and all praise with a humble smile and "thank you."

By time the free hour was over, all the girls filed back inside for one more class. Just for fun to fill up a gap of time, the Gerudo gave the younger girls a dance class. All the girls enjoyed it. It was a time when they weren't only learning, but getting to be silly and random as well. The Gerudo could be strict at times with classes, but they did understand that children need to be children. Everyone only gets one chance at it. So the dance class began. The children learned to stretch before doing any routines and they learned about how to stay fit and hydrated for dancing. The first day, they were allowed to play it by ear and make up whatever dance they wanted. Later, they would begin learning specific forms and move on from there.

During this last class, Ashekha met Y'kana. She was naturally inclined to dancing and had the talent for it. "Hey!" Ashekha called, walking over to her. "You're really good."

"Thanks," Y'kana replied, grinning, "I wanna become the best dancer in Hyrule!"

"I bet you will be one day," Ashekha giggled.

"And I bet you'll be the greatest singer ever!"

"Me? No way!"

"What?! Come on, you know it!"

Ashekha shrugged. "Well I don't know…"

"Trust me, you will be!"

The two giggled and went back to their dancing with the other girls.

The evening had finally come. The dining hall was filled with Gerudo eating their last meal for the day. Ganondorf sat at his chair, looking over some papers while Nabooru spoke to him. The music rang in the air while the dancers performed their routines, some from the dinner tables occasionally joining them in good fun. That evening, Ashekha sat with her friends while Uganguzi got back to work. There was still one thing left to do for Ashekha. She got up from the table once she finished her meal, carried her plate to the kitchen opening, then exited the dining hall. Turning corners and making her way through the intricate hallways, she came to the storage room where one of the workers was placing newly washed bed sheets onto the shelves.

"Nienna," Uganguzi called. "I need to ask you something."

The woman, Nienna, turned around gave a bow. "Yes, m'lady Uganguzi?"

"My girl, Ashekha, needs to be roomed with some of the girls. Do you have any open rooms right now?"

Nienna nodded. "Yes, one room right now bears only two girls. Ashekha can easily fit in there."

"Alright, thank you. Are there already new bed sheets in the rooms?"

"Yes."

"And which room is this one?"

"On the second level in the dragon crest hallway."

Uganguzi smiled gently. "Thank you again, Nienna."

"My pleasure," and she bowed once more before Uganguzi left the room.

Uganguzi walked through the hallways once again, heading up the sloped stairs to the second level. She looked down one hall at the top and saw a tarp along the back wall of an eagle. At the next hall she saw the symbol of a serpent. Continuing on, she finally found the dragon crest hallway. Each hall was divided into such symbols so as to reduce confusion. She walked down the hallway and glanced into each room. All the rooms towards the front of the hallway had some sign to show there were four inhabitants; perhaps a doll sitting on the bed, or clothes laid out, or even wrinkled covers from where one of the girls was lazy.

She finally came to one of the back rooms where there were only two beds being used. Both were on the bottom bunks. Uganguzi peered around when her eyes came to rest on a paper hidden within a pouch above the door frame. She reached up and grabbed it. Opening it up, she saw the names written "Y'kana" and "Holly." She would add "Ashekha" to the paper and return it the next morning.

With her last few minutes of freedom, Uganguzi made her way to her own room and gathered up her daughter's belongings. She carried them back to the room and set them atop one of the bunks. She would inform Ashekha of her new room as soon as the children were sent to bed.

The time flew quickly and before she knew it, Uganguzi could hear from her room the sound of footsteps all throughout the fortress. She rose from her desk and paperwork and left the room. In the hallway, Ashekha met her. "Hey, Uganguzi! I got to meet a lot of new friends today!"

Uganguzi smiled and dropped to her knees as her daughter came bounding up to her. "Well that's great, sweetie!"

"Uh-huh. And I can't wait to see them tomorrow!"

"Well guess what."

Ashekha hopped excitedly. "What?"

"You are all set to stay in a room with some of your friends. Would you like that?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, still hopping.

Uganguzi chuckled. "Well, I already put your things in the room. How about we go check it out together?"

She nodded quickly and grabbed her mother's hand. Together they walked through the hallways until they came to the room. Uganguzi pulled aside the tarp door and Ashekha went inside. She saw Y'kana and Holly. They both looked surprised to see her. "Girls," Uganguzi said, "Ashekha is going to be rooming with you for awhile, okay?"

Y'kana and Holly both grinned widely and ran over to Ashekha. "Yaaayyy! This is gonna be so cool!"

Ashekha smiled and hugged them both.

"Now you girls get ready for bed and I'll see you in the morning," said Uganguzi. She bent over as Ashekha reached up at her. "Goodnight, darling." And she kissed Ashekha on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Uganguzi," she replied.

Then she turned and left. She had business now to discuss with Ganondorf and Nabooru.

Song lyrics from Riverdance, by Bill Whelan, "Home and the Heartland"