Chapter 1:

Inheritance

The marketplace was extraordinarily crowded today. Perhaps it was the rare sight of the Hylian delegation, or more likely, it was the large caravan of traders and peddlers that came with them. A shrill young voice cried out in the midst of all the bustle.

"Ahh!"

"Here, take my hand."

A small space cleared as she took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. She dusted herself off as the crowd shifted around them, letting him lead her into an alleyway to get out of the crowd. She wasn't sure how exactly he had decided to materialize out of thin air to save her – yet again – but she was grateful.

"Thanks Attar."

"Not a problem Lore."

"Always have to be the Hero huh?" Lore smiled at him, shaking her head and pulling her hand back from him.

"All in a day's work, as you would say." Attar shot back, flashing her his patented roguish grin.

"That is not what I would say!" She stuck out her tongue at him.

"Except that you have said it." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's that you have there?" Attar made a gesture toward the wrapped object that was poking out from over her shoulder. Lore shrugged.

"An invitation for some palm juice and a day with your best friend?" She evaded his question neatly.

"Palm juice hmm?"

She feigned a swoon. "Ah, my savior knows me so well!" Although it elicited a small fit of coughing as she patted herself off. She wasn't quite ready when Attar's hand reached across the distance between them, patting some of the road dust from her strangely silver hair.

"Come on now. Your savior is also thirsty!"

"Well maybe if he was a little less late…"

Attar raised an eyebrow at her, before gesturing back to the marketplace. "If you would, My Lady?" He gave her a very deep bow in a practiced motion that made her roll her eyes.

"Such a gentleman." She drolled, but took the lead in heading back into the market.

It took some manouvering, but she managed to get them through the crowd and to the simply named Gerudo Tavern. Lore promptly acquired them some seats at the bar and gestured to the bartender as Attar took a seat beside her.

"Madame Romah! Two dews, if you please."

"Comin' right up dear. Glad to see you too Attar. It's always such a mess out there." The bartender winked, before turning to work on their drinks.

"So…" Lore began, looking over at Attar who raised yet another eyebrow. He definitely thought it made him look quite roguish. "Weren't you supposed to be present for some important diplomatic meeting between our two races today?"

"Well, yes. The important diplomatic meeting with my best friend is very critical to my day going well." She flicked some sand at him, and he ran a hair through his crimson hair. "You know what I mean, Attar."

"I already took care of it with enough aplomb to make even you proud of me. Although…" His lips curled into a frown. "… There is my coming of age ceremony, this evening."

"Right! It's your big day, you know? It should be all about you. What are you even doing, hanging out with Lore, the ol' Outcast of Gerudo City? Also, couldn't you guys have come up with a less obvious name?"

He laughed, and it seemed to ease some of the tension she felt coming from him as he responded. "Well, I'm getting to spend most of the day the way I want to. With my best friend, Outcast or not. You are one of us, you know."

"Just because I grew up with you…" She began.

"… Means you are one of the Clan. Doesn't matter if you have pointed ears and shiny hair or not. And I will remind everyone who decides to say otherwise." She heard his unspoken words, as he always had after all.

"Here you are dearies." Just on time, two tall glasses of chilled palm fruit juice suddenly appeared on the counter.

Lore drank a quarter of hers in the first gulp.

"You never were one to savor it." Attar observed, as he took a small drink of his own.

"It's too good to let it just sit, you know." She shot back, watching him.

Attar felt… off to her, today. Perhaps it was just nerves – with his coming of age coronation, and the Hylian delegation visiting today with all of their traders and wares. Still, she wanted to find a way to take his mind off of it and drained the rest of her juice quickly. She went to set some rupees on the bar for the drinks but scowled when she found some already there.

"… Attar."

"It's my day, Lore. Let me do things the way I want to. Listen to your elders." His voice was gentle, and he smiled at her. She couldn't say no to that after all.

"Only by a year or two… Oh very well then. We can head back out into the market and see what all the hubbub is about when you're ready. Surely it's settled a bit from the chaos it was before." She chuckled.

"If our luck is good, then perhaps. But don't call me Shirley."

She flicked her straw at him. She missed by a hair of course and went to pick it up and came back to her seat shaking her head. Attar finished savoring the last of his juice, and back out into the market they went after a quick thank you to Madame Romah.

"So, you aren't worried? You know, with the whole… 'Oh my gosh, there's only one male Gerudo every 100 years!' or whatever superstition they like to pass around?" Attar looked at her incredulously as they checked out a trader's makeshift stall together.

"Not in the slightest. Though I do find it strange that they do not allow men, myself aside, in the city." Attar was looking over the incredible collection of jewels and gemstones that the trader had on display. "Perhaps I'm an ill omen."

Lore came to a stop and turned to him to look at him fully.

"Attar, don't you ever say that."

"Lore-"

"Hear me three times. I don't care what they say; the myths, the legends. None of it matters. You are a wonderful gem of a person and I will always be grateful for you reaching out to me, and keeping me company when the others of your Clan shunned me for being an Outsider. Especially when we were kids. You have a good heart, and a level head on your shoulders." She took a breath. "… And I'm glad to be your best friend." A soft smile worked it's way onto her features as silence hung between them for a moment.

"… Thank you, Lore. Truly." Attar's voice was subdued and trembled with emotion. Lore nodded, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Your worst enemy is yourself, and I'll always have your back."

There was a pause.

"Well, come on… Hey, Lore, these earrings match your eyes…"

"What? No! You don't have the rupees. Don't even joke about that. You have better things to hold onto your rupees for…"

"Oh I disagree…"

Lore was surprised how seriously he took their shopping. Normally he was a little more carefree. She did surprise him with her gift: a nice new foreign sword - it was no scimitar. She had been told it was of Sheikah make, and called a katana.

She pulled him to the side, away from the throngs of people to give it to him.

He stood there, dumbfounded, with it in his hands.

"... Lore, how-"

"Look, Attar. It's a thank you from me for... looking out for me, all of these years. Ever since we were kids. My mom is usually always so busy with missives, and her duties as the Hylian Ambassador and trying to strengthen ties to the Gerudo for Hyrule and yada yada yada... but you were the one who helped me feel at home here. You always, always, go out of your way for me and somehow - despite my greatest efforts, especially when upset - always manage to find me right when I need you. You're been and still are my Hero. Saving me today here in the market from being trampled to death, and getting the bullies off my case... Yeah. It's the least I could do."

He had always been there for her, and in a way... she knew they were kindred spirits. They were both outsiders in their own way; he, a voe in a sea of vai. And her, an outsider who was different and strange that all of the kids marked as an easy target for bullying...

They'd stuck together. The others had come to accept him for who he was, especially once they understood. But her? Oh no, she was a dirty Hylian... One of those.

Still, she'd managed to render him speechless. That was a win in her book.

She gave him a small nudge with her elbow. "Well go on, take a look at it. See how well I know you."

He unsheathed it with a reverence that surprised her, though she hid it well. She took a step back, and he gave it a few experimental swings and tested the edge with his finger - careful not to cut himself. Another spin, and his eyes were stars.

"It's so incredibly well balanced. The blade is beautiful, the motifs here on the guard remind me of the Molduga... Just... Wow, Lore."

"See? Now you're a real Hero. Every Hero needs his trusty sword."

"Well yes, but-"

"No buts, I've been plotting this all year and it's your day, today. So... Thank you, truly. For choosing to spend your time on me on today, of all days." She looked away, trying not to feel the heat in her cheeks.

Attar slid the katana carefully back into it's scabbard, before setting it equally carefully to the side. Lore squeaked when he pulled her into a hug, and it took a moment, before she returned it.

"... Careful Attar, you know what they say about me."

"I know they're all wrong. Thank you..."

"... Heh."

They stayed like that for just a little while longer, before he pulled away and used the sword belt she provided him to strap the katana to his side.

"You know..."

"Oh boy, do I know."

Attar shook his head. "... Here. I couldn't help myself when you got distracted with that trader's food wares." Lore eyed him warily as he offered her a wrapped object.

Naturally, she accepted it and knew what it was immediately.

"... Attar."

"Loreilei."

"You don't have to buy my friendship-"

"That is not what this is! I just wanted... to do something nice for you too."

Lore unwrapped the item and well, a slow smile formed on her lips. "Well. In an attempt to be gracious... Thank you." It was a jeweled curved dagger, inlaid with sapphire. Complete with a sheath of course.

"Just want to make sure you have something to protect yourself with too." Attar winked at her and she nodded.

"I know the feeling." She eyed his katana, before catching something that glinted before it hit the ground. "Oh."

It was the earrings he had mentioned from the first vendor, and like the dagger, they matched her eyes. She shook her head.

"... Well, another thing to add to my list. There's a special thing so that you can wear earrings, right?"

"Mmhmm. We'll go see the jeweler tomorrow."

"... Thank you again, Attar."

"Well aren't we strangely grateful-"

She made a face at him, and stuck out her tongue.

"It's a day for thanks it seems."

"True, although there's still some day left for us to spend together."

Lore squared her shoulders. "We better get to it then."

Attar gestured with a smile that reached his eyes. "After you."

They passed the rest of the day away with more shopping, and a light meal before finally Attar had to get himself ready. It was his Coming of Age after all.

Some hours later, adorned with the ceremonial jewelry and dress of his people, the Gerudo, Attar entered the Sacred Temple of their people, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sand. He made his way up to the torchlit altar. It seemed like everyone in the city had come for the occasion as he walked through and gave small waves to familiar faces. He caught sight of distinctively silver hair, and smiled for real.

The High Priestess was in attendence, a wrinkly old lady named Rova. The Chief, Urbosa, and her aide Riju was also there. The Hylian Ambassador was also in attendance up on the altar, standing with Riju.

Urbosa's booming voice quieted the crowd.

"My people! Today is a wonderous day. We have here with us, a walking miracle. Gerudo males are incredibly rare for our people and this young voe, Attar, has grown up to be a fine one indeed. Though the times are troubled, he is full of promise and will fulfill the legacy of his ancestors!"

There were cheers from the Gerudo gathered.

It was the Chief's turn next, for words.

"And so on this day, his day of awakening. The day that the flame of hope is passed onward. I, Urbosa, Chief of the Gerudo…" Urbosa drew her Scimitar and it glittered in the torchlight. "… Bequeath to you, the traditional name that is your birthright. May you help guide our people to a brighter future." Her scimitar touched his right shoulder, and then his left before withdrawing.

She raised her free hand, and snapped.

"Rise now, Ganondorf - Prince of the Gerudo."

The roar of thunder filled the air, along with the raised cheers and voices of the Gerudo.

His people.

Author's Note: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I had an idea and it's sort of been bouncing around my head for the last few weeks and well… Here we are. I don't know this is destined to be a short jaunt into The Legend of Zelda, but I do love the series quite a bit. As always, R&R! I'm really not sure if I'll continue this, or if it's worth continuing.