Chapter 24: The Endless Cycle

The light no longer bobbed and waved in the air when she called it. It stood frozen, a fixed point hovering before Zelda. Precisely where she wanted it. She was getting better, she could cast a light spell with a wave of her hand. No need to even focus on gathering the energy inside of her. It was all just second nature to her.

She gave a satisfied little sigh, Rauru would be proud to see it. But that would have to wait for their next lesson, now she sat in the passage above her father's compartments. The king was below her, she could hear his occasional heavy footsteps. But he did not play any music. She hadn't heard him play anything in weeks. Not since they had their argument.

It had been the right thing to do. She knew that. But till she hoped whenever she came up here that she would hear her father play something. All she could hear was a moody silence. Punctuated by an occasional forlorn sigh as her father would pace around the room. Exactly as Zelda did when she was worried about something. Impa would have enjoyed pointing that one out.

There would be nothing to hear as she worked. There was no helping it, she needed to keep reading whether she was given a pleasant serenade or no.

She went to a stone on the wall at about the height of her hip. She knelt before it and waved her hand. The illusion dispersed and the small crook in the masonry revealed itself. Reaching inside, her fingers found the scroll and pulled it free, making certain not to damage the centuries old parchment along the rough edges of the stones.

No one had found the Prophecies and Songs of Nayru, and they had been looking. She could not put her finger on how she knew exactly, but she was certain that someone had been through her rooms a few days after Link gave it to her. And Rauru mentioned in their lessons how a few Gerudo warriors had visited the temple, obviously they were sent to look for any sign of it.

For once, Zelda felt she was a few steps ahead of Ganondorf. And finally being in control of the situation was a wonderful feeling. But the Gerudo was a clever one, she had to at least grant him that. She could not let herself get overconfident. So, the scrolls were tucked in a place he didn't know existed.

Unfortunately, she could only get away from her responsibilities and prying eyes occasionally to conduct her research. And half the time she thought she had a chance, she'd find a Gerudo suspiciously close behind her, or waiting in the garden themselves.

But she could be patient. Even if they knew about her, they didn't know about Link. With any luck he would already be at Death Mountain by now and heading to Zora Domain. And if Lord Jabbu-Jabuu was half as wise as the Zora claimed he would understand their needs and offer the last of the stones willingly.

All the pieces were in place. Not bad for a 'little vai.'

She sat with her back to the wall, and laid the scroll out before her. Her light hovered over her head making the script clear and legible. She rolled the parchment to where she had left off.

The next section was a song, The King Below, it was called. By it's tempo and the arrangement of the notes, it seemed almost like a funeral dirge.

Sorrow, sorrow King Below

Born to rule where no Suns glow

Sister's love twisted to woe

Sorrow, sorrow King Below

Jealous of the Queen Above

Who soared so high and free with love

Her lands a paradise to all within

Covetous was his great sin

A bitter song as far as Zelda could make out. A tale of the King Below and his sister the Queen Above. The King Below sought to conquer the Queen Above. His sister stopped him, but one of the lines was confusing.

Through her death, she gave her soul

To eons endless, her will consoles

Born in cycles, gold and whole

To drive back the King Below

Sorrow, sorrow King Below

Born to rule where no Suns glow

Sister's love twisted to woe

Sorrow, sorrow King Below

So the sister dies and is born again? But how does that help anything? If she died and was born again, then was she just a child? How does she drive back the King Below?

His final words a promised curse

His wrath shall follow through the earth

Sister's gift of life made worse

Throughout all time the endless foe

Sorrow, sorrow King Below.

What a strange song. The Goddess Nayru wrote it? It must mean something. Who is the sister and who the brother?

She stopped and looked around the empty hall, as if the stones would give her some clue. Here she was, with the words of a literal goddess in her hands. Everything within it should sparkle with the wisdom of eternity, and half of it she could not understand why it was there. Was it only a parable to say how jealousy is destructive?

The boy's voice, Link, drudged itself from her memory. "It doesn't make much sense. It's like they're talking in riddles."

She frowned down at the text. He was right, though she didn't want to admit it. He shouldn't be. She should be smart enough to figure out everything within the scrolls and more. Ganondorf was able to get everything he needed from them. Why should any of it remain a mystery to her?

And she had mocked him for it! And he'd been right all along. Now she would have to apologize, or something when she sees the boy again. She frowned back down to the scroll. Ughh. And in all likelihood he'd just smile and give her another handshake. Acting all kind and sweet, with not an iota of decorum about him. It wasn't normal.

She should not be thinking about him, now. He was off on his adventure, and she needed to do the important work of figuring out what messages the goddess had given them. She started reading again, but found her mind wander back to Link's smile more than once.

The next section was not written with any notes, so a prophecy of some kind.

Through struggle and victory the Goddesses will alter the world

One raised in glory with the wisdom to find the proper path

One raised in ruin with the power to demand change

One raised apart with the courage to do what is right

The eternal echo, the Chosen of Goddesses

Three, that was how the Goddesses always seemed to work. Each of them with a champion or servant to do their will in the world. Where they in that cycle now? That had to be the case, she was supposedly a Chosen by one of them if Rauru is to be believed. And he should be. After all, there had to be some reason why she took to magic with such ease, or outmaneuvered Ganondorf with such skill.

Of the three she was obviously the one raised in glory with wisdom. She was the princess of Hyrule, there was no one more prestigious than her, except perhaps her father. And he was not the chosen of wisdom, she could say that.

Link is one of the others, a Kokiri raised apart. And he was definitely brave. Foolishly brave, to think that trying to challenge Ganondorf would lead to anything but his own death. That left only one raised in ruin and power. She had another ally out there. Someone perhaps with the power to challenge Ganondorf as Link had wanted.

She would need to find this third Chosen. But who could it be? Someone raised in ruin. There were some ruins scattered about from old cities left abandoned, or villages destroyed by the Gerudo during the war. She had heard legends of a sunken city within Lake Hylia once, if that was even true -and she had her doubts- that would be considered ruins.

Or was it ruin or ruins? Was the place already destroyed or had Naryu been poetical about living in simply harsh territory such as Death Mountain or among the land controlled by the Moblins? Maybe even a Gerudo, that would be some poetic justice wouldn't it? One of his own being instrumental for his defeat.

"Come in," her father's voice sounded below her. Had someone knocked at the door? She had been too lost in thought to notice.

The door opened and the heavy step and rattle of an armored guard entered. "Sire."

"Is it time?"

"Almost, the Gerudo have finished their preparation to join with their army, but there is something else. Their envoy has just arrived as well."

"A week late," the king muttered. "I assume the Gerudo King will wish to delay leaving for his expedition then. In order to coordinate with his ambassadors."

Well that was another thing Zelda would have to worry about. She had heard that Ganondorf had called for ambassadors from the desert to take his place to counsel her father. When they did not arrive she had hoped they were lost in the sands and she would not have to deal with their influence. But there was no such luck, unfortunately. Things were going a little too easy for her.

"I cannot say, your grace," the guard said. "I came directly to you, when we received message that they were arriving."

"Of course, Sir Westus, I was simply thinking out loud. See if you can find my daughter. She should be with me to greet our new guests, or see our old ones away."

"At once, sire," the door shut.

Alone in the room, Zelda heard her father sigh. "Zelda, help me."

A strange thing for him to say. Almost like a prayer, as someone would ask for guidance from the Three, or forgiveness from Hylia. And she was trying to help him, despite how it may appear to him. It was almost like he knew she was there. But that was impossible.

Zelda rolled up her scroll, tucked it back among the stones. Now the practice. She pressed her hands against the wall, capturing the image of the stones in the air she pulled the appearance from the wall. The ghostly stones light as air in her hands. She moved to the scroll and pushed the illusion into place, making certain that the edges aligned perfectly with the stones around it.

There. Secure from what prying eyes may stumble upon her passage. She stood up, and stretched her legs. She would need to figure out how to get a chair in here, next time.

"No," Ganondorf called from across the yard as he noticed what two of his warriors were preparing to do. They stood thirty paces apart five spears at each of their feet. He jogged to them waving them off. "Bethe, Makeela we don't have time for you two to fool around. We're trying to leave."

"Very well, my king," Makeela sighed and bowed her head.

"But," Bethmasse apparently couldn't let it go. "We're about to go to war. Someone should do Spear Dance. It's tradition."

"Then you should have done it this morning."

"I didn't think about it this morning. It won't take long."

"Let me make this very clear, Bethe. You and Makeela are not throwing any spears at each other or anyone else. Because if one of you makes a mistake we'll be delayed even further than we already are."

Bethe's bottom lip pushed out, as if she was confused and thinking about something. "But neither of us are going to make a mistake. And if we do, that just means the ancestors disapprove of-"

"I said 'no' why are we still discussing this?" He walked away from Bethe before she could come up with some other argument. He loved the big woman, but now was not the time to find out what the ancestors thought of his war, and he did not have time trying to explain his reasoning to her.

He glanced up to the sky. The sun shown high, far too high. They would be lucky if they made it half the distance they needed to go by nightfall. The rest of his personal guard had most of their packs laid out, and were placing food and drink in carts.

As he oversaw what they were doing, he passed by Mulli. As soon as his shadow touched her, he noticed the girl's shoulders tighten, her back straighten. She slowly turned her head to look at him. Giving a tight smile that never touched her eyes.

"Good work, Mulli," he said. She seemed of all of them the most prepared, with her pack and horses set. Her equipment polished, and wearing her armor so they could leave Castle Town with fanfare, even if they would take it all off as soon as they got away from the city's eyes.

"Uh, thank you, Ga- my king." Terrified. She was absolutely terrified of him now. She had charged heedless into a line of knights by his side. They had fought together in the Moblin camp when they had been outnumbered by hundreds or more. But now just looking at him, and she was afraid.

And he couldn't blame her.

"Well," he said. "Keep up the good work."

"I will, I promise. I won't mess up again."

"You didn't-" Ganondorf sighed. "Thank you, Mulli."

He had apologized to her once already, and to Desqueza. They could not have known what was going on. He had the prophecies in his possession for over a decade. As soon as he learned the spell of marking he should have cast it on them. But he had been so used to being the only one who know of them, he had not even thought someone would steal it. After all, who would dare steal from a king? From him? Foolishness and vanity. And he was paying the price.

"Where is Nabooru?" He asked the air. Of all his warriors he had expected her to be the one keeping the rest on task. That was her job as second. But she wasn't even here.

Some of his guard shrugged.

"Perhaps she's with Jora?" Desqueza said with a laugh. "Saying her... goodbyes."

"Hmm," Ganondorf muttered. That was not as unlikely as he would have preferred.

Apparently, they were wrong and speaking of the man summoned him. Sir Jora appeared on the far side of the yard, calling for Ganondorf and waving for him.

Ganondorf sighed, and waited for the man to reach him. "Sir Jora, have you seen my second anywhere?"

"Yes, she gave me a message, King Dragmire," he said with a smile. "Nabs sent me with good news. Your envoys appeared, they sent riders ahead and Nabooru has ridden out to meet them and help lead them to the city."

"Thank the Goddesses," Ganondorf gave half a chuckle. They made it. He had been worried about them. They were supposed to arrive days prior to give him time to discuss what he wanted of them in person. How they were supposed to interact with King Liotidos, what to focus on. "This will delay me even further."

"I'm sorry for that, King Dragmire," Sir Jora said. "But it can't be helped. I believe the Royal Family is already scrambling to make a formal greeting. If you wish to join them."

"Of course, just give me a moment here first. Thank you, Sir Jora. I understand being a messenger is not your usual duties."

"Ahh, but what is lowering yourself a little for a friend. I'll tell the King and Princess you're to meet them." Then he gave a respectful bow and headed back toward the castle.

"Good that they're not lost," Bethmasse said as she approached his shoulder. "Since we're going to be delayed, does that mean that we have enough time for myself and Makeela to-"

"No spear. We're still leaving as soon as we're able. I'm just going to make an appearance at their reception." He looked around the field. "Dessi, get over here."

Desqueza stood up from her pack and walked over quickly. "Yes, my king?" She also looked at him with a bit of suspicion. But at least she didn't seem like she would burst into tears if he spoke to her.

"While I'm gone, you're in charge. Get the rest of our sisters organized, we are leaving in an hour. Do you understand?"

"Of course," she said with a small bow. None of her usual quips or jokes. Still not great, but he'd work on it. He needed to continue showing that he trusted them. That what happened when the scroll was stolen was not their fault. He would win them back. He just needed more time.

He made his way to the front of the palace, giving nods and smiles to those he passed. He had become a fixture here, in his way. Everyone knew him and trusted him. They were good people for the most part. He had even started to grow appreciative of some of the more intelligent among the nobility. Not all of them were fools as it turned out. But they did enjoy their pomposity a bit too much.

When he reached the front of the palace to stand among the King and his advisors he vaguely noticed that he was the only one not dressed in ridiculous flowing white robes or dresses. He wore his black armor, and the only jewelry he had on was his Gerudo headdress.

"Ganondorf," the king said as they lined up on a raised platform just in front of the castle entrance. "Good to see you."

"My king," he bowed to him and his daughter before he took his place on the king's side. "I would not wish to meet the entrance of my own subjects. One should always give respect to those who serve you."

"We all have to deal with our vassals," the king agreed. That gave Ganondorf a moment's pause, as one of his vassals. Was the king just trying to handle him, was there perhaps more going on than he assumed with the fat old fool?

But before he could dwell on that line of thought the first of his people entered the gates. Camels and horses, all carrying warriors and attendants in the finest armor of the desert. He could tell each of the tribes that were arriving. Three different matrons by the look of them. The Molduga-Skinners with their brown and gray fish-scale pattern on their armor, followed by the Star Singers, with their flags of a circle of stars that they all rode beneath. And last came a group of plain looking warriors, but the first of them wore a boar's head over her helmet.

The Boar-Head clan was here? Did that mean?

The Matrons entered next, and Ganondorf had to stop himself from laughing in delight. Rijya held the first position atop a thin but agile looking horse, to her right was Ashdin the Most-Feared, a woman of such size that she made Bethmasse look slight, though the age had made her turn to fat. She rode in a wagon led by three of the fiercest warhorses that Ganondorf had seen, each of them snorting and nipping at each other. That almost ruined Ganondorf's mood, these were certainly big, and their snarling amused the crowds, but a horse acting in such a way either meant they were ill-trained or mistreated.

The last of the matrons was the new leader of the Boar-Heads herself. And Ganondorf could not contain his laughter any more. Bulira rode in a plain but sturdy looking camel, with none of the armor or weapons of the others. Just a little white shawl for the former scullery maid to drape around her shoulders and head. Nabooru riding her new mount by her side.

Their guard rode before King Liotidos and saluted before riding off to the sides of the pathway to make way for their Matrons. The three old women reached the front of the platform and started to get down.

"Help me out of here," Ashdin snapped to her guards, who all dismounted to help her. Rijya slid off her own mount easy enough for a wrinkled old woman.

Ganondorf did not know why he did it. Bulira was not so weak or fat that she couldn't dismount a camel herself. And he knew it was not something one was supposed to do at one of these tedious ceremonies, but what was the point of being a king if he couldn't ignore protocol from time to time. He jumped off the platform onto the stairs below. He nearly ran to the little woman, even on her camel he was about the same size as her.

"Gan," she said, she opened her mouth to say more, but Ganondorf did not let her. His arms wrapped around Bulira and pulled her off the camel. "Oh!" she squeaked.

"Matron Bulira of the Boar-Heads, I could barely believe it when Nabs told me!"

"Gan," she said again, her voice somewhat strained. "I thought this was supposed to be a solemn and dignified occasion."

"Who cares?" he said. "I missed you."

"He never seems this happy to see me," Nabs joked as she dismounted and handed her reins to one of the stablehands.

"Ganondorf Dragmire," Bulira said her voice as firm as if she was scolding him as a child when she caught him stealing treats with Nabs. "You put me down right now."

He lowered her to the ground, as gently as he could. "I did not know they sent you."

"The Matrons voted," Bulira said, "Rijya to lead, Ashdin and I to assist. With my focus being organizing for this aqueduct of yours. Though in truth, I think Bartel just wished for me to leave the council for awhile."

"I'm glad you're here."

"So am I. Do you have time to talk?"

"Mother," Nabooru said. "Not here."

Ganondorf looked over his shoulder at the royal family. The king seemed a bit shocked at the display and Zelda seemed completely perplexed. He supposed they were not used to actual displays of affection among these stuffy aristocrats.

"I know," Bulira said. "But hopefully, before you leave."

"I'll be leaving as soon as this ceremony is complete," he sighed. "Let's finish this then." Ganondorf held his arm out for Bulira to take it and together they walked before the king's dais. Slim Rijya at one side and the massive Ashdin waddling behind them.

"My king," he called. "I have the highest pleasure in introducing to you three of the greatest vai in all of the Gerudo Desert. Rijya, Matron of the Molduga-Skinners will speak with my voice while I am away on campaign."

Rijya stepped forward, tapped above her heart to salute Ganondorf, before turning and bowing before the king.

"Assisting her will be Ashdin the Most-Feared, Matron of the Star Singers, a stronger woman does not exist below the sun." In her youth, anyway.

The big Gerudo waddled up a few of the steps and gave a quick salute followed by a half-bow as low as her gut would allow her.

"And last, Matron of the Boar-Heads, the most wise vai I have ever known, Bulira." He ushered her forward off of his arm. Bulira bowed the lowest, too low for Ganondorf's taste. A lifetime forced to stay below the wrathful eyes of Koume and Kotake had made bowing and scraping come naturally to her.

The king raised his arms high. "Each of you are welcome within my palace, and I hope to grow as close to each of you as I have come to be with your great king. We will celebratory dinner tonight in your honor."

"Right," Ashdin said, adjusting her pants to make certain they did not come loose. "Enough of that then, it's been a long ride and I need to relieve myself."

"Better make it a late dinner then," Rijya said in her strange emotionless tone.

"Oh," the king looked almost to blush at the fat woman's crassness. But the Star Singers were a wild tribe, not well known for manners. Why had the Matrons sent her? "Of course. My servants will see you to your rooms, and to whatever else you need."

Ganondorf bowed once more before the king, and the Matrons and their guards did the same. Only then did the king raise his arms high. "Come, my friends. And enjoy the hospitality of Hyrule!" The crowds gave their cheers, and the matrons smiled. Bulira trying to applaud along with the crowd, though Ganondorf stopped her. That was for the common people, and she had never been a common woman to Ganondorf's eyes.

Once the crowd died down, the king returned to his castle. But the princess stayed, her eyes going over each of the ambassadors and their guard. She was analyzing them. Trying to figure them out.

Go ahead and try, little vai. You will not find my servants so easy to anticipate. I will not let you fool me again.

Bulira took Ganondorf's arm again. "If you're leaving soon, I would rather find my rooms later. Is there someplace we can talk?"

"If you can speak quietly," Ganondorf said and led her back toward the training yards, where he hoped his guards had finished their preparation. "Though I believe Nabs wished to show you someone."

"Yes, her knightly love. I am certain he is a good man."

"What makes you so certain of that?"

"Because," Bulira gave her daughter a smile and mouthed 'one moment' to her. Nabooru dutifully backed off. "If he was anything less, I trust that you would have sorted him out by now."

Ganondorf chuckled. "You're right there. Sir Jora is a good man. Can't say I like him all that much, but that is no fault of his." When he was certain that they were well away from prying ears, Ganondorf took a deep breath. No point delaying further. "So, what did you wish to say to me?"

She waited a long moment, then looked up into Ganondorf's eyes. "What happened to you?" She said. "I know it was hard growing up. I know I could have done more to help you."

"Don't say such things, you did everything you could. More than those crones would have allowed you."

"I could have done more," she shook her head. "But, when you left their home and became the man I knew you could be I was so proud. You were strong, but you were also kind and honorable. How you managed it after living with those monsters I don't know."

"I had you. I had you and Nabs to guide me."

"No, you were always a good boy. It's in you, I know that. Your people love you, they'd follow you wherever you lead." They reached the field where his guard prepared. She looked out over the hardest women in all of the Gerudo Desert. All ready and prepared for war. "Why are you taking this dark path?"

"I am doing this for my people. For you. So no one will have to live in fear as we did."

"We lived in fear because of your mothers. Because of the war."

"I am going to stop all wars. As soon as the throne is mine there will be peace. A true peace. A peace that will last throughout this age and into the next."

"Gan, you are the smartest man I've ever known. But you cannot control the future. All you can do, is try to make peace and prosperity for now."

"That is where you are wrong Bulira." He waved to Dessi.

She marched to Ganondorf and gave a salute. "Sire?"

"Are we ready?"

"Yes."

"Tell our sisters to mount up. We leave now." He whistled and Storm ran to him. He mounted his warhorse and looked down on the frail old vai that raised him. Her hands cracked, her face wrinkled. Kindness and worry mixed along the lines of her face. "When this is over, the future will be exactly what I say it will be."