Son of the Hero

Chapter 2

Nabooru Lonlon woke with a start, sweat beading on her brow as she looked around, stunned.

"What was that?" she asked herself, looking around again. The room was dark, though heavens knew it wouldn't be for long. Soon enough, the other girls would be up, forcing her to follow them through the torturous morning training ruteens. So, wiping the sweat off her face, and pushing the thoughts of her family from her mind, Nabooru slipped out of her night dress and into her regular Gerudo "uniform" as it were. Slightly baggy pants made for the desert heat, a "crop top" which had the same purpose, slippers with pointed toes, and a veil which she clutched tightly in her hand as she pulled her long red hair up into a pony tail. Then, putting the veil on her face, she went to the corner of the room (which was still filled with the other sleeping girls) and picked up a spear, before heading out the door.

She made her way quickly through the sand stone hallways, all the way out to the courtyard, which was brightly lit with lanterns. A few other Gerudo were already training. It was that one time of day in the Gerudo Desert, when it wasn't so cold that it would give you frost bight, but wasn't so hot that you'd get burned like an over cooked Cucoo. As she suspected, the only girl her age who was training at this time was Ally, a light hearted girl who had way to much energy. "Hiya Ruto!" that's what she called Nabooru, she wasn't sure why, and it was starting to get annoying. "For the last time... my name is Nabooru. Nab - Boo - Roo. Not Ruto" Abby shrugged and continued to practice, motioning for her to join. Reluctantly, she did.

Abby was her cousin, one of the many Gerudo Girls who were actually half Hylian. Though, few of them actually admitted it. But to be honest, most of them were, it was clear to see. A different shade of hair color, less resistance to the son, and slightly pointed ears. The only ones that weren't Hylian were either part Zora or.... Nabooru shivered. A few of the older girls were the daughters of the late king of the Gerudo. The one her father had defeated. Not that she liked her father one bit, but the second the other girls knew her heritage, they had been on her like bees on a bear.

Needless to say, she wasn't popular with the older Gerudo.

"Come on Ruto, pick up the pace" Ally called, spinning around, and causing her to fall to the ground. The blade of her spear went to Nabooru's neck, a safe inch away from her flesh. "Alright... I yield" Abby helped her to her feet. "You okay Ruto? You seem a little..." Nabooru brushed her off, raising her spear again. The other girl didn't say anything, but raised her own spear, ready for Nabooru's attack. They fought for about an hour. Once in a while, one of them would win, but then they would begin sparring again, and the "win" would be forgotten. 

By the time the sun came up, they were both dripping with sweat, and had barely stopped since they had both woken up. The other girls were out in the courtyard, sparring with spears and swords and shields. A few of them shot bows at targets lined against the sand stone walls, the shadows they casted being the only shade. By the time noon time came, both Nabooru and Abby were both very close to having sun strokes, and sighed in relief as the top Gerudo Warrior, who was over looking their training, called for a lunch break. Some days, they would stand in lines, out in the desert, and practice different fighting techniques. Somewhat like the Hylian soldiers. But unlike the Hylians, the Gerudo had a different way of training their warriors. 

"Hello Nabby" came a voice coated in malice. She and Abby were leaned up against the wall, in a small spot of shade as they ate a bit of lunch. "Hello Riju" she snarled back, slightly surprising Abby, who tried to back farther into the wall. "Hylian Bastards" another Gerudo scoffed. Though it was obvious that she was part Zora. The slight gills on the side of her neck, making it so that she could probably breath underwater, and the webbing on her hands, showed that much. On the other hand, the first girl who had spoken was one of the few Gerudo who weren't from Hylian or Zora parentage. She was a daughter of the "late" Gerudo King, Ganondorf. Meaning that she wasn't to happy that Nabooru's father was responsible for the Hylian victory in the Hylian Gerudo War.

"Hello Riju" Nabooru replied, fists clenching as she looked up at the all Gerudo girl, a few years older than she was. "Get out of my spot" she spat back, looking at the two girls. "This isn't your spot, we were here first" replied Abby, backing even farther up as a third girl glared her down. "Well, you don't belong in our town anyways Hylian Bastards. Now out of our spots before we kick you out of our town" Nabooru looked up, glaring at the Gerudo girls with a look that could battle her fathers. Riju simply raised an eyebrow, and brought the butt of her spear down, right in front of Abby's leg. The younger Gerudo girl scrambled to her feet, bread almost falling from her hands. Nabooru stayed exactly where she was, hand at the ready to quickly grab her spear.

A fight was inevitable.

Luckily, Nabooru had always been good with weapons, since her father had brought both her and her twin brother back swords and shields and spears and bows over the years. So she had no problem fitting right in with the Gerudo (even if the work outs were harder than she expected at times) "I wouldn't do that if I were you" she said, keeping her voice steady. The same thing her father would do when he was forcing his anger down. She knew it all to well. "Why's that? What are you going to do?" Riju leaned down so that she could hear her voice at a whisper. "Tell your father"

With a quick motion of her arm, Nabooru had grabbed her spear, and had Riju's out of her hand. Then, she rose to her feet, two spears in her hands as the older girl fell back in surprise. "Oh, so it's a fight you want, Hylian Bastard? Than it's a fight you'll get" she reached out her hands, and within seconds, the spears of her two "friends" were in her hands. "Than it's a fight you'll get. Do you really want to fight me Nabby?" her voice was taunting as she said the nickname. Nabooru once again had to force the thoughts of her family out of her mind.

Holding the spears tightly, she rushed forward, one out stretched to scratch the older girl across the stomach. But Riju wasn't that stupid, she back flipped away and went on the defense, protecting herself. Cracking her neck, Nabooru quickly found a way around her guard, rushing forward, only for Riju to swing her spear around, catching the younger girl across the ribs. No blood spilled, but it was painful, and bruised. "Hylians bruise so easily" Riju scoffed, rushing forward this time. Nabooru had just enough time to bend backwards, ducking under the swinging spear.

"Go Ruto!" yelled Abby, as other girls started to surround them.

"It's Nabooru!" she shouted back, half heartedly as one spear went flying from her hand, and meeting the others with her spear. "You put up quite the fight bastard" Riju snarled, kicking out her legs and sending Nabooru sprawling backwards, the last spear falling from her hand. The enemies spear was an inch from her neck. With a huff, and a flush of embarrassment that she hoped the others would mistake as a sun burn, she looked down in defeat. "Fine, I y...." the spears went flying from Riju's hands. "What is going on here?" asked a woman's voice. She was maybe 60 years old, but well built, with the silver streaks in her hair seeming to shine in the sun.

"Nothing my lady" said Riju, bowing as she stepped away. Nabooru tried her best not to glare at the woman. "On your feet, Ms. Lonlon" said the woman, hands on her hips. Nabooru glared at the woman, who knew that she didn't want to be called "Ms. Lonlon" anymore than "Hylian Bastard". She didn't want to remember her family, she didn't want to see them ever again. "Five laps, to the Outpost and back. No lagging, both of you, now" Riju sent Nabooru a glare but said nothing. "Whatever you say Lady Nabooru" she shot back angrily. The woman, the leader of the Gerudo, was technically her Grandmother... But she'd never been there for her mother, Malon, and so Nabby hated her with a burning passion. As much as she hated her family, her mother was one of the sweetest people she'd ever met. "That'll be seven laps Ms. Lonlon" Nabooru growled back. "Very well" Nabby stormed off angrily, leaving the courtyard behind. 

It was going to be a long day.