[center][h3]Return of the King I[/h3]
Ganondorf’s [@Double], Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC], Primrose’s [@Yankee], Ms Fortune
[b]Word Count:[/b] 2,563[/center]

If he didn’t have other business to attend to, then Ganondorf could have stood out in that dry air sunlight all day. Just the mere thought of not having to go back underground was enough to keep him in a good mood. But that coupled with the air of familiarity he felt upon finding himself in what was more or less his ancestral homeland made him practically smile underneath the dark shade of his faceless helmet. Deep down he knew this wasn’t technically the actual Gerudo Desert, but rather an iteration of it that was placed here by Galeem. But still, it couldn’t help but make the Gerudo Warlord feel almost… at home being in these desert sands where - once upon a time in another world - he was born and raised.

Gerudo Town itself was a curiosity to him, though. When last he dwelled in the lands of the Gerudo, there was no civilized town built there. The tribe instead lived in a fortress built into the walls of the desert canyon, and the only other notable structures were the Desert Colossus and the Spirit Temple where Kotake and Koume resided. It wasn’t lost on him that things may well have changed since his time in the tribe.

[color=797979]”Keep the Orb handy.”[/color] Ganondorf suggested to Nadia, presuming she was still the one carrying it. [color=797979]”Just in case I have to showeth them my real face.”[/color] His intention there was pretty obvious. He would tell them who he was, even show them the Triforce branded on his hand to serve as proof. But if that alone wasn’t convincing enough, then he was also willing to use the Orb to undo his fusions and spiritbindings in order to let them see his true face as undeniable proof of his identity.

When given instructions, Nadia gave a noncommittal grunt. She did still possess the Orb of Undoing, stashed in one of her pouches, but after the exchange with Asgore her eagerness to get to know Ganondorf better had waned. Surly, gruff, and inhospitable she could work with, but now she didn’t know what to believe about the Seekers’ most villainous member.

Approaching the gate, Ganondorf spotted the pair of Gerudo Guardswomen. Neither of them looked at all familiar to him, but they were unmistakably Gerudo nonetheless. The warlord stepped forward and they naturally moved to halt his advance to the gate. So he reached up and pulled the helmet off of his head. In spite of Igos Du Ikana making his face a bit more gaunt, Ganondorf actually did still retain most of his natural Gerudo features. [color=797979]”Look upon my face, Sisters.”[/color] Ganondorf told the guards, [color=797979]”Thou can surely see that I am of the tribe, just as thee. A Gerudo brother who now returns home where he belongs and to rule as spoken by our laws and traditions. Your King hath returned.”[/color]

The reveal took the two warriors by surprise, and they exchanged uncertain glances. While neither would recognize him as anyone in particular, they could not deny the strong Gerudo heritage that lent his face such a distinctively formidable visage. Of course, the fact that their visitor spoke and conducted himself with such authority helped his case. Charisma came in many forms, and one who dominated his surroundings by the mere virtue of his presence was hard to ignore. However, these women were not so easily quashed, and wary of outsiders’ subterfuge. The bandit hordes of the Aregal Salt Plain were never-ending, each vicious trickster more devious than the last. After a moment, the more senior of the two guards nodded at the younger one, then fixed Ganondorf with a stern gaze. “It could be that you speak the truth. Forgive our trepidation, but we must be cautious. We have heard of ways that allow one to steal others’ features for their own, and in this desert we have many enemies.” Her eyes briefly roved around the ragtag group of Seekers at Ganondorf’s back, none of which seemed to be Gerudo in the slightest. “If you speak truly, will you show us the Triforce of Power, birthright of the Gerudo king of legend?”

‘King of Legend’? Such choice of words indicated to Ganondorf that this town and the Gerudo inhabiting it were probably quite far removed from the era of the tribe he was from. Still, if the Triforce was what they needed to see, then that was something he could easily supply. Slowly he held up his right hand and closed it into a fist. As he did so, the fabled golden triangle glowed upon it in the usual telltale way. [color=797979]”Behold, the Triforce. The golden power bestowed upon Hyrule by the goddesses themselves in ancient times. No spy or trickster could hope to fake something like this.”[/color] Ganondorf said, allowing them a moment to look at it before lowering his hand once again.

The sight of something of such mythical importance left the warriors shocked. After a moment, the younger of the two knelt down, bowing her head in respect. “Your highness!”

For another second the senior guardswoman considered the situation, wondering what this meant for the current state of affairs in Gerudo Town. She did not want to dishonor the current governess, but in the end she knelt as well. Better safe than sorry. “Your highness.”

Sectonia watched all of this unfold and was both amused and a bit concerned; mostly amused though. Ganondorf had never shown this power before so her mild concern of him being able to control others was abated almost as fast as it appeared much like the infection they had just fought. So that just left her being amused at these warrior women bowing to this ’king of evil’. Well, it seemed that his title wasn’t for show at the very least. Time would tell.

Ganondorf noted their mention of having enemies in this desert. In his time, the desert was ruled solely by the Gerudo Tribe. But in this twisted amalgamated world of Galeem’s creation, the Goddesses only knew who or what else inhabited this land. Information like this could potentially prove useful in the event that the Gerudo might need to be persuaded further to welcome Ganondorf into their fold. [color=797979]”These people who accompany me are allies. It is because of them that I escaped my would-be captors and was able to return to thee.”[/color]

As he explained, the two hesitated, then awkwardly rose one after the other. “I see,” the designated speaker murmured. She cleared her throat, assuming an officious posture with the butt of her spear planted. “I assume you would like to meet with Lady Riju, chief of Gerudo Town. I can escort you myself. Though you are naturally an exception, voe are not permitted in Gerudo Town, so I would ask that your male allies kindly wait outside.”

Watching and listening in silence, Nadia pursed her lips. Just when it seemed like the team was getting somewhere, the policy Primrose alluded to came into play. Even though it didn’t affect her, she couldn’t help but feel bad for those it did. “Why’s that even a thing?” she muttered under her breath, bemused. It didn’t make sense. Primrose herself had accompanied the group while Therion had gone on to the nearby oasis, since the dancer intended to enter the city. She didn't reply to Ms. Fortune's comment, assuming it was a rhetorical question, but she smiled slightly. Though she didn't say it aloud, personally she thought it was a fine rule. It was nice to just be around other women sometimes, with no men to worry over or about.

[color=797979]”Such is Gerudo law.”[/color] Ganondorf said in response, [color=797979]”In more ancient times, outsiders of any kind were not permitted. Obviously, times have changed since those days.”[/color] He remarked as he stepped forward further, [color=797979]”Lady Riju, you say? Her name is not familiar to me. Between that and these ‘enemies’ thou speaketh of, there is much I need to catch up on.”[/color]

It did make him wonder how this Lady Riju would react to him. Convincing a pair of gate guards of his authority was one thing, but a Chief? That may prove to be another matter entirely. And if things became sour then having the Seekers split up could prove disastrous. But Ganondorf couldn’t just walk away. Not now. [color=797979]”Thou should do as they say for now.”[/color] Ganondorf finally told the other male Seekers, [color=797979]”My authority here must be formally recognised first before I can order an exception to be made for thee. Until then, it is what it is.”[/color]

Nadia scratched her head, then sighed with a resigned shrug. “If that’s how it is. Guess I’ll come with you.” Although she didn’t like leaving some of her friends behind, she couldn’t stand the thought of staying behind and missing out when she could get a front-row seat on the action. Plus, if the situation turned sour, she could be the first to let the guys know. “Don’t worry, fellas,” she told them. “We won’t ‘desert’ you!”

[color=D34C25]"I will come along as well,"[/color] Primrose said. She undid her ponytail, shook her hair out, and quickly put it back up again to make herself a little more presentable, idly wondering if she should have taken the time to change into the Gerudo outfit she'd picked up last time and if it would even still fit her. She next spoke, it was with a teasing, slightly facetious tone. [color=D34C25]"It wouldn't do to have the king go without an entourage, hm~?"[/color]

She still considered Ganondorf an ally at the moment, despite what Asgore had told them, but she was also still hesitant to let the man take over the all female settlement. It didn't seem right, but she admitted to herself that the Gerudo were a culture unfamiliar to her, and so if their law stated that Ganondorf was their king there was little she was going to do about it. Like Ms. Fortune she was curious, but she also felt the need to be there for defense should things end up less than peaceful - though whether in defense of Ganondorf or from him she wasn't exactly sure yet.

[color=92278f]”I wouldn’t want to miss this.”[/color] Sectonia said, clearly enjoying the awkwardness of the situation. Although unlike a few others, Sectonia didn’t see how Ganondorf acted to Asgore, so a bit of this was how he’d ‘take over’ his old kingdom. Could be some interesting insights.

The guard nodded at Ganondorf. “My name is Dorrah. If you’re ready, let’s go.”

With the other guard, Merina, remaining behind to ward off the others, Dorrah led Ganondorf and his retinue into Gerudo Town. Beyond the tall, bare walls of sandstone lay a thriving city of swaying palms, intricate tiled mosaics, and aqueducts that sparkled with flowing water. Colorful tapestries adorned the market stalls, and in their stables the sizeable, thickly-furred sand seals either lazed in the sun or barked uproariously. While this place did seem to harbor non-Gerudo citizens, the vai-only tradition was strictly and unilaterally enforced, which made the sudden and inexplicable presence of a voe all the more startling. Dozens of pairs of eyes watched Ganondorf every step of the way, even more shocked than the guards had been. Murmurs and whispers flew freely as a crowd began to assemble to either side of Gerudo Town’s main thoroughfare, and as Ganondorf drew closer to the palace, the confused and fascinated throng closed in behind him.

Though she'd only been to Gerudo Town for a short time in the grand scheme of things, Primrose liked this town. The "no males" policy was just a bonus. Obviously she wasn't the only woman that felt the same, and she was keenly aware of what the crowd must be thinking and feeling. And though she shared some of those feelings, she didn't allow herself to feel bad for unwittingly informing the Gerudo king about this place and thus drawing his attention and presence to it. She kept her head held high as she walked, though few even spared her a glance in the first place when Ganondorf walked just a few steps ahead.

Sectonia glanced at the crowd as well to gauge reaction, and the stunned silence or shock was what she expected. Still, if it wasn’t for her prim and proper form and way of carrying herself, she’d be almost giggling like a schoolgirl at just how absurd this situation was. But she kept her composure and just observed, internally enjoying herself. She did stay a bit behind Primrose so she could watch the whole scene as it was. Although the fact that almost none of the people here looked at her, instead looking at Ganondorf, irked her a bit… hm..

In sharp contrast to how Ganondorf, Primrose, and Sectonia carried themselves, calm and self-assured if not outright at home in the spotlight, Nadia slunk along behind them in a state of uneasy, uncharacteristic quiet. She offered no cordial greetings, and cracked no off-handed jokes. The presence of so many staring eyes seemed to make her uncomfortable, even if she knew that Ganondorf commanded most of the locals’ attention. It wasn’t long before the feral made herself scarce, making no excuse as she slipped away into the crowd -shortly followed by a quick climb to the aqueduct rooftops- to more freely follow along Ganondorf’s path through the town without the heavy gaze of the public eye.

Ganondorf for the most part just kept silent. While most might feel awkward or uncomfortable being surrounded by women, for Ganondorf this was just old hat. He’d lived his entire life being the only male in the tribe and so keeping his composure here was very easy. The gathering stares and murmurs was something he simply ignored. It wasn’t lost on him that he was about to shatter the town’s customs, but as far as he was concerned that was just the law of the tribe. The last thing he wanted was a war against his own people. But what would he do if the current Chief rejected his claims? Well in that scenario he would simply play politics and win her over through some form of bargain. And the information he learned about the tribe having enemies could be an avenue he could take for that end.

For now though, the main avenue he took through Gerudo Town led him through the bazaar and toward a set of stairs leading up to the palace, with its distinctive sandstone goblets. Water cascaded ceaselessly from the water sources held within, feeding the canals that flowed throughout and sustained the whole settlement. It even fell in tiered waterfalls to either side of the [url=https://i.imgur.com/MYrZ92x.png]palace stairs[/url], and the use of such a precious desert resource as decoration spoke to the resilience of the Gerudo. After ascending, the newcomers followed their guide Dorrah into the royal complex, first passing through a courtyard filled with tropical ferns and flowers. To the right, city guards had amassed in front of the barracks, too impressed by the strange man’s audacity to make a move. The crowd tailed Ganondorf even into the palace, and the women-at-arms joined them. It seemed like nobody wanted to miss his audience with the Gerudo chief.