Lights In The Dark (Midlink Fanfic)

One Gerudo Child

Hyrule, the land favored by the Goddess and protected by her light spirits.the Hero of Time advocated passionately for the acceptance of the Gerudo people, however even he couldn't live long enough to enforce his beliefs. the years passed and the hatred against the Gerudo people mounted more then it ever had. The Hyrule army marched into their dessert and slaughtered them in droves separate from the crown, the anarchy and mutiny of the crown did not go unpunished when they returned. But as the dessert crawlers came close to extinction, the golden Goddesses intervened for the first time since the unification wars and offered them a chance to continue their tribe as long as one child was given to the Hylians every ten years. This child was of the Hylian choosing and to refuse would have been a deliberate act of war.

For decades the Gerudo complied, giving one of their children to the Hylians, even if the action broke their hearts.

After one hundred years of this humiliation, in a small tent on the edge of the Gerudo settlement a young boy toddles around merrily. There is not a threat in the world that he could even think of.

His mother watches gently from one corner of the tent, ensuring that he is well looked after. She doesn't stir for sometime, just keeps watch. There is an unknown chill in the air, and suddenly she hears it.

Starting as one, then four, then countless multitudes. She hears the roar of Hyrule's blood hounds followed by the thrumming of soldier's horses. She swoops up the toddler and then takes the hilt of her sword.

Her tent only has one opening, the poles that support it are thick and driven deep into the ground. The fabric is sturdy and capable of withstanding the onslaught of several sword blows.

Three wolf sized dogs burst through the flaps. With one swipe she dispatches them. Several more follow and are also cut down in quick succession. Then a man enters. A sick smile on his face as he flashes the superior size of his sword at her.

He swung twice in large arcs, she dodged the first one, and paried the second before sliding down his blade and slicing into the vulnerable neck area. He gurgled then fell to the floor silent.

Her child still hugged to her side was giggling as he was maneuvered through combat.

While the structure was strong, arrows meant for armor were stronger, and split the fabric one made its way to her lower back. she groaned, grunted and fell onto one knee, using her sword as a crutch. Three more men came into the tent.

One kicked her sword away, while another wrestled the child from her arms. She was dragged from the tent into the center of their compound. Where the child was handed to the Captain.

She was then presented before him and though the arrow in her back bled she stood, defiant that they should take her child. The village watched as she took one of her adversaries swords and sliced and danced through them killing most of the Hylian soldiers.

She took her gaze to the Captain who held the child in one arm and a knife to the youth's throat in the other. The child looked fearful and whimpered "mama?" as tears ran down his face.

The Captain's face changed from determination to fear as he saw a battalion of fully armored Gerudo march from their tents to challenge his dwindling troop of soldiers. As a final attempt to calm the quarrel he raised his voice and shouted. "This child is the tribute Hyrule has chosen! Go in peace for many years!"

Many of them lowered their arms and backed off by a step or two. Others growled and came to the side of the wounded mother, however they would not receive their chance.

An armored wagon drawn by five just as armored horses. The Hylians scrambled inside and took off west towards Hyrule once more.

Several of the Gerudo gave chase for a short while until the mother fell to the ground weeping her child's name over and over again. "Ganondorf... Ganondorf... Gan-" Until she succumbed to her wounds and fell unconscious from blood loss.

~

On the wagon many of the soldiers removed their helmets and relaxed by conversing. One of them loosely bound the kid before falling back onto the bench with a huff. "They really did a number on this raid. Don't you agree... They are getting more bold. Before long we may have an uprising on our hands."

"I say we let'em come! We whooped their asses before this will be no different!" another one shouted brashly.

"You idiot the last time we had the hero of time. It was only because he defeated Ganondorf that we were able to do anything at all! Anyway what's this kid's name?" the first asked again "no one? Eh, alright then kid whats your name?" he asked as gently as he dare with the others watching.

Between his sniffling and runny nose the young Gerudo said "Gan- ga. Ganondor."

All eyes in the wagon drilled holes into the kid. "Did he just say his name was Ganondorf? Kid is that what you said? Ganondorf?"

The child just nodded.

"Look at this! Ha! We have captured a rare elusive Gerudo male with a namesake of their once great leader. Too bad he won't live long enough to be their leader again." the obnoxious one bragged.

"Hush! We are at the gates. Helmets on!" the Captain barked, as the wagon came to a stop. They filed out in a calm fashion leading the child into the thick bustle of castle town. The people parted and some even cheered as they processed by with Gannon.

He was dumbfounded by the amount of people bustling around; and the magnitude of the city was unlike anything he could have imagined. However the men escorting him seemed not to notice and prodded him onward towards the hugest building in the area. Its great spires reaching hundreds of feet into the air.

As they reached the huge doors to the castle Gannon asked "Where are we go-ing"

"To see the King. You will be quiet unless you want to see the butt of my sword in your face." the guard on his left growled. The Gerudo was smart enough to take the hint and kept his head down as they led him through the maze of a structure.

When they reached the throne room the king sat on an exuberant throne with his queen seated to his right in a much less ornate chair than his. The Captain led the band of soldiers down the middle of the room then bowed before the King. "Your majesty, we have done as you have commanded. We have captured our next tribute."

"Thank you Jared... bring in the other Gerudo!" He announced, and a door was opened as they pulled in a young woman into the room by chains. "Despose of her. We have our new tribute."

The guards started to pull her away, but she fought with fever to get away from them. After minutes of fighting their grips slipped and she darted towards Ganondorf. He stepped backwards prepared for her to ram into him, but she stopped and took a knee. "For the king of the Gerudo it will be and honor to die for you." she practically yelled as the guards got hold of her, and this time she went with no struggle.

"Father! I must object! Never in the Goddess's decree did it ever say we must kill them! Release her back to her people!" roared an enraged prince as he raced past the guards to stand just in front of his father.

"Learn your place Bente! I will not have you causing an uproar in my court. Remove yourself or you will be removed!" the king bellowed in response.

The prince backed off walked over to the girl and laid a hand on her shoulders. "May you find your way to your ancestors in the oasis. Go in peace." at this she lost her steel composure and wept as she was led out of the throne room.

Bente shot his father a look of disgust then walked briskly from the room.

The King turned his attention back to the band of men with Gannon and spat "get him out of my sight."

They took him through the door the girl had originally came through. It took them down a seemingly endless flight of steps and spat them into a hallway with only two cells in it. They opened the first one, cut the child's bonds and threw him inside and locked the door.

"Welcome to your new home. Get comfortable. You aren't leaving for a very long time. Goodbye kid." one of them said as they all left back up the stairs.

When he was alone. Finally he let all his pain escape."Mama!Mama!Ma-ma!" he screamed, not knowing or caring if anyone could hear him. "I'm sc-ared mama! Please!" he went on for hours until he fell asleep on the pile of hay against the back wall.