[center][h3]Return of the King II[/h3]
Ganondorf’s [@Double], Sectonia’s [@Archmage MC], Primrose’s [@Yankee], Ms Fortune
[b]Word Count:[/b] 3400 [/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7LabBHO.png[/img][/center]

Soon, the Seekers reached the throne room. Though somewhat similar to Validar’s in Al Mamoon in terms of construction, it lacked its counterpart’s excessive size. Instead it was open to the air, offering a splendid view of the desert sands from its spacious balconies, but the interior seemed to be no less rich for it. The newcomers could see themselves in reflecting pools that sparkled in the light of magic lamps, beneath hanging curtains of rich white cloth adorned with huge gold ornaments and turquoise gemstones. At the top of a short flight of stairs sat the throne itself, a relatively humble affair of stone. To either side stood a red-haired woman of impressive stature, each with a huge crimson ponytail: the formidable [url=https://i.imgur.com/OAKu6yC.png]Bulliara[/url], captain of the guard, and the clever [url=https://i.imgur.com/RHLFTk7.png]Nabooru[/url], advisor to the chief. Between them, poised with an uncomfortable air on a throne that seemed almost too big for her, sat the young [url=https://i.imgur.com/PwFUXo0.png]Lady Riju[/url], crowned with a splendid tiara of gold that shone like the desert sun itself.

As the crowd followed Ganondorf, Nadia slipped into the throne room, where she kept to the shadows up and out of the action. Though far from insecure, this palace hadn’t been built with high jumpers or airdashers in mind, and with an enormous distraction in play getting in had been fairly easy. After a moment she stashed herself in one of the hanging banners, using it as a hammock in order to listen to the proceedings.

Sectonia, not wanting to miss the things to come, also entered the throne room, hovering a bit out of the way to get a better view of things. She found herself not that far from Nadia, but unlike the cat burglar, she didn’t really attempt to hide herself.

Riju watched Ganondorf approach evenly, neither intimidated nor intrigued. If anything she seemed out of breath. Maybe the news of Ganondorf’s sudden arrival had forced her to sprint here from elsewhere in the palace. How often did rulers just while away time atop their thrones, after all? To her credit, though, the teenager was making a heroic effort to appear calm, collected, and in control–despite the explicit challenge to her authority that the warlord offered. Dorrah ushered the Seekers closer, with the wall of Gerudo Town residents and guardswomen a respectful distance behind, and after the newcomers stopped a tense silence hung in the air for a few moments.

“...Greetings,” Riju said after a moment, a slight frog in her throat. After clearing it, she clasped her hands. “It’s very, very rare to see a man among Gerudo. But I’ve been told that you are no ordinary man. Please state your business,” she gestured regally, if a little stiffly, to her subjects. “For all to hear.”

There was a long pause from Ganondorf. Namely due to the one familiar face among the sea of strangers watching him. So there were others from his era in this town after all. And unfortunately for the warlord, Nabooru would surely have warned Riju against trusting anything Ganondorf said. He had no doubt that the bad blood that he and her once had still lingered in some form or another even here in this world. But nevertheless he let a smile cross his face as he held up his right fist and the Triforce of Power for all to see. [color=797979]”Greetings, my Gerudo Sisters!”[/color] he called out in a voice for all to hear, [color=797979]”See my face and behold the Triforce! It is I, your brother - Ganondorf! At long last, I hath returned home!”[/color]

His announcement brought forth a fresh surge of whispers. For the most part non-Gerudo citizens just kept quiet, wondering what was going on, but every member of the desert tribe had heard the old legends. That shining emblem on Ganondorf’s fist was all the evidence most of them needed to accept that the true Gerudo King stood before them in the flesh. Even Riju couldn’t deny what she saw. Yet while Bulliara looked to the young chief for guidance, Nabooru bristled, quietly seething. Out of the three, none seemed to be in any rush to kneel before him just yet.

After a moment, Riju swallowed. “That’s quite the pedigree. As you may surmise, though, no king has reigned in Gerudo Town for quite some time. I would ask what your intentions are here, Ganondorf.”

[i]I would know that myself,[/i] Primrose thought, cutting a glance towards Ganondorf. When she had first mentioned Gerudo Town, the man had mentioned his "throne and subjects," and staking a claim in the current world. She was curious what that meant exactly. Currently though, she stood on his side of the throne room representing the King of Evil's faction. At some point she had lost sight of Ms. Fortune, leaving herself and Queen Sectonia in the public view along with him.

Sectonia was both a bit miffed and interested to see where this was going to go. After all, she was still a ‘homeless’ queen as it were as she hadn’t found her own kingdom while Ganondorf found his? Although from what she knew, Bowser was also without his kingdom. Well, all that was left to see how Ganondorf would handle this.

[color=797979]”The throne, naturally.”[/color] Ganondorf said quite simply. [color=797979]”Our laws dictate that it is mine, do they not?”[/color] He lowered his fist and then began to rub his chin thoughtfully, [color=797979]”But let us not labor the details just now.”[/color] He offered, attempting to sound as non-hostile as he could. [color=797979]”I am told that thou hath many enemies in this desert. I, too, have enemies of my own as it were.”[/color] Ganondorf added, making it rather clear where he was planning to go with this discussion. And so he held out both arms in a gesture of proposed unity and solidarity.

[color=797979]”Let us help one another.”[/color] The Warlord proposed, [color=797979]”I will help thee bring an end to the troubles with thine enemies. And you shall help me against mine.”[/color] Ganondorf explained and then added, [color=797979]”A rather beneficial trade, is it not?”[/color] But of course her current wariness was not lost on him, [color=797979]”The matter of the throne can be settled after we have achieved our respective goals. All I ask of thee is to allow my allies use of Gerudo Town as a base for rest and resupply - both the vai [i]and[/i] the voe among them alike. Rest assured, their stay here will be a short one. You’ll find that my particular enemies will require that my allies and I remain away to deal with them abroad in more faraway lands, so the vai here will not have to service any of the voe for long.”[/color] He paused for a breath, but then continued.

[color=797979]”I would also ask a personal favor of thee.”[/color] Ganondorf finally said, [color=797979]”I seek to pay a visit to the Spirit Temple. Does it still stand?”[/color] That was a topic he hadn’t brought up with anyone before this, not even the other Seekers. In fact it was entirely possible that Nabooru was the only other person in this room that would even know what the Spirit Temple was or why Ganondorf might have interest in visiting it - namely that it was traditionally the home where his two adopted mothers resided.

Finishing his proposal with a question left those Ganondorf was addressing in the awkward state of having to answer when they needed to deliberate. Luckily, the three didn’t need to put their heads together about this one. While the location didn’t ring a bell for Lady Riju or her guard captain, Nabooru stepped forward to reply, her tone curt. “There is no Spirit Temple in Gerudo Town, nor the surrounding desert. The expeditions I’ve arranged have made many discoveries, but the Spirit Temple that [i]we[/i] remember is not among them.” Her reply left little doubt that the chief’s advisor remembered Ganondorf himself, despite his changes, and not necessarily favorably.

After that, Riju cleared her throat. “Excuse us, just a moment.” The three conversed in low tones, Nabooru taking the initiative while Bulliara offered little. They did not keep their petitioner waiting too long.

Riju clasped her hands in her lap. If anything, she seemed a little relieved. “You say that leadership over the Gerudo should be ceded to you outright, but also that you plan to campaign in other lands, effective after your company’s ‘short stay’, I presume.” She paused, thinking. “I can only assume then that the state of affairs in Gerudo Town itself would change little. Though in truth I would be only too happy to surrender the mantle of leadership, I have a responsibility to my people, just as you do. I believe mutual aid, both at home and abroad, would benefit us both.”

Nabooru did not seem pleased, her eyes slitted with distrust for Ganondorf, but she did not challenge Riju’s decision. “To that end, it would not be a problem to host your company here, vai and voe alike. We expect discretion and honorable conduct from them, one and all. I’m sure you would expect the same.”

Nabooru’s first answer was a disappointment to be sure. If there was no Spirit Temple in this land, then that greatly lessened his chances of locating his two mothers - who he was certain would be invaluable assets to him if he could only but find them. Still, this didn’t completely eliminate any hope of finding them. It just meant that if they were here, they were simply somewhere else. When the deliberations were finished and his petition ultimately granted, Ganondorf nodded and even offered the young chief a courtesy bow. [color=797979]”But of course.”[/color] He said in agreement with her proviso at the end, [color=797979]”Any of them who act otherwise, will answer to me directly if needed.”[/color] It probably meant he was going to have to keep a close eye on Bowser and that son of his should they enter the town, but no matter.

[color=797979]”May I have a word, Nabooru?”[/color] He requested, indicating that he wanted to ask her something further once the crowds had dispersed and he could privately ask her a little more about what she said regarding the Spirit Temple. [color=797979]”If there is no longer a Temple, then… What of Kotake and Koume? Do they live?”[/color]

If Nabooru seemed reluctant to even hear Ganondorf out, she seemed completely disinclined to offer him any form of comfort. “I haven’t seen them around town,” she told him coldly, making it clear that her response came as a professional courtesy only. “But who’s to say where they might be out in the world?” Even if Ganondorf wasn’t plotting to overthrow the rulership here right away, or orchestrate some power-hungry scheme that left his kingdom in ruin, there was no telling what endless ambition might reach for tomorrow.

Her answer was about as cold as he thought it would be. Even before he went to war with Hyrule, he and Nabooru had never exactly seen eye to eye. Maybe she didn’t like the idea of bowing to a man or maybe it was something else entirely? Ganondorf didn’t know. Either way, he at least learned what he needed from her and that would have to be satisfactory for the time being. So after this he returned his attention to Riju and stood before her again.

[color=797979]”About our respective enemies,”[/color] Ganondorf began, [color=797979]”Mine are a group of masked individuals known as Consuls. They orchestrate conflicts and wars to suit their own ends in service to an enemy that is greater still, a… false god, I suppose is one way to describe it.”[/color] He explained. [color=797979]”My company and I seek to dismantle this group and ultimately the ‘god’ that sits above them. But tell me, what enemies have you that troubles our tribe?”[/color] Ganondorf inquired, [color=797979]”I am confident that I can help rid thee of them.”[/color]

Something he said seemed to take Lady Riju by surprise, shocking her momentarily. Perhaps sensing her leader’s unease, Bulliara stepped in to help. “Our main problem is the Bandit Hordes,” she told Ganondorf matter-of-factly. “They’re a problem all across the desert, but their stronghold is the Aregal Salt Plain to the south. They’ve infested the place. You’ve gotta see it to believe it. I swear, there are more bandits than normal people in the desert by a factor of two or three to one, and while we Gerudo are no strangers to taking what we want, the Hordes make us look like saints in comparison. Our warriors make a better living as heroines than raiders.”

Well before she finished, Riju was ready to follow up on what she heard. “You mentioned Consuls?” she questioned Ganondorf. “That…complicates things, somewhat. You see, every week the three of us meet with our own Lady Consul X, who helps us in our efforts against the Hordes and others. She’s always keeping us updated on the latest incursions, making sure we’re ready to meet our foes in combat, as well as where we can take the initiative. You’re saying…this whole war is [i]her[/i] orchestration?”

For the first time in this entire meeting, Ganondorf himself was surprised. But he couldn’t let this throw him off, so he kept his composure as much as his tall and dark figure allowed him to. [color=797979]”I cannot say for certain.”[/color] He admitted. [color=797979]”Has this Consul ever mentioned anything to thee about a flame clock?”[/color] He asked. [color=797979]”Each of the Consuls possess one. My company has learned that these clocks are used as a source of power and life for the Consuls, and that the only way to fuel them is with the lives of others. And so to that end, we learned it is commonplace for the Consuls to orchestrate wars as a means of harvesting lives for their clocks in large numbers. I know not if this Consul X employs the same tactic, but the Consuls I have encountered up until now hath done so. So it is merely my presumption that the same is true for all of them.”[/color]

Riju ruminated on the troubling information. “Flame Clock,” she murmured. “That sounds familiar…”

“After we’re finished here, go to Clair de Soleil,” Nabooru spoke up, her tone confident. “And see for yourself. It’s the city’s temple, after a fashion–more like a monument to mankind’s greed. I think you’ll find what you’re looking for there.”

[color=797979]”I see.”[/color] Ganondorf answered, [color=797979]”I intend to destroy the clocks as a means of stripping away the source of the Consuls’ power.”[/color] He told them but then added, [color=797979]”But I’ve learned they cannot be destroyed by normal means. There must surely be some kind of weapon or tool that can do it, and so that is what I am focusing on searching for.”[/color]

Riju nodded. “Then we will help you in your search.” She paused. “If there is nothing else you wish to speak of, shall we consider this audience concluded?”

[color=797979]”Yes.”[/color] Ganondorf agreed with a nod, [color=797979]”I shan’t keep you from your duties any longer.”[/color] With this he turned to make his exit from the palace, hopefully with his ‘entourage’ of Seekers in tow.

As the throng began to disperse, Nadia waited until the guards had all moved on, then dropped down from her hiding spot. Things had gone better than she hoped, despite the reveal of yet another Consul, and she had a lot she could tell the guys left behind. In fact, she realized, she could have used her linkpearl to transmit the conversation to them live. [i]That would’ve been smart. Oh well.[/i] She hurried in the direction that the other three had gone, trying not to draw too much attention.

[color=797979]”We should inform the others that they hath been granted permission to enter the town.”[/color] Ganondorf told Primrose and Sectonia once they were all outside and he was reasonably sure no one would be eavesdropping on them, despite him being the talk of the town. [color=797979]”And I’m sure they’ll be interested to know of the flame clock that may well be here within the town’s walls as well.”[/color] He added in a more lowered and hushed town. [color=797979]”And one more thing. If Gerudo Town is going to be our allies for the foreseeable future, then it would be wise of us to find some way we can ‘destroy’ them, lest we run the risk of them being turned against us as the people in the Home of Tears had been.”[/color]

Primrose nodded her head in agreement. She had kept quiet the whole time, as she had no stake in Ganondorf's claim to the throne besides wanting to be there to see how things turned out and lend her aid one way or another, but now that the meeting was over she was relieved by the way Ganondorf had handled things. [i]The brute he becomes in battle is not all there is to him,[/i] she mused to herself, all the while knowing that being well versed in politics did not make the man any less dangerous - maybe even more so. Still, it was a fruitful meeting, and she would be glad to have Gerudo Town as another safe zone for the Seekers eventually.

[color=D34C25]"We can come up with a plan of action in the morning,"[/color] she suggested. [color=D34C25]"So long as the latest Consul doesn't know we are here, we can afford ourselves some rest first."[/color]
Much like Primrose, Sectonia was also taken aback a bit by Ganondorf’s little encounter there. But she didn’t show that on her face. Still, he had shown that ‘king’ title was more in the talking kind than the ‘things follow you’ kind like bowser. If this bore anything would need to be seen though. [color=92278f]”Hm, While I would recommend keeping bowser under a close eye, he isn’t a womanizer. From what I’ve seen, hes more the… ‘single dad’. Sort. ”[/color] Perhaps that's how he gained his kingdom, a kingdom of the lost and downtrodden looking up to a ‘father’ of sorts. A lot more noble of a prospect than his demeanor seemed to indicate.

There were many things they had to consider if they were going to take on another Consul so quickly, in addition to what Ganondorf had mentioned there were also the other Seekers back at Alcamoth and even farther that could use the information they had. Perhaps they knew things their current team didn't and could lend their aid as well. For now though, Primrose glanced around to see if she could spot their Feral friend now that they were outside. Once the men (and Rika) were informed, she had a bathhouse and tailor she wanted to take Ms. Fortune and Sectonia to.

“I guess if we’re gonna spend the night somewhere, we’d be better off in Carnival Town.” Primrose’s search came to an end when Nadia dropped down into the Seekers’ huddle from a nearby rooftop. A shiny sprinkle of water on her legs suggested she’d used the aqueducts to get around away from the crowds. Now that the feral had only her friends for company, she seemed a lot more like herself. “This place isn’t that big. If the Consul did show up, I Gerudon’t think there’d be many places to hide.” She crossed her arms and shrugged. “Still, it’s nice to be welcome, eh? I’ll call the guys in a minute and let ‘em know they’re good to come in thanks to Ganondorf’s ‘man’-date.”

After this, the Seekers could fan out to do whatever business they had in Gerudo Town. For Ganondorf’s part, he intended to pay Clair de Soleil a visit as Nabooru suggested. Of course, for all he knew, she was trying to lead him into a trap of some kind. Well it was better to settle that issue now rather than allow it to become a problem in the future. But before that, Ganondorf had the inkling to pay a little visit to the town’s Bazaar. His twin greatswords hadn’t been worked on in some time and who better to work on a pair of Gerudo-made weapons than a fellow Gerudo?

Sectonia meanwhile would make sure that, if they were supposed to be here, she’d make the others prim and proper. She wouldn’t be around slobs while she was here, and there was quite the bathhouse in this place. Although she may need to use her antlers to…. Give the common folk some privacy.