36A/N: Thanks for the reviews. These first six chapters are about the Golden Goddesses' origins. You'll see how all of this ties in with the games very soon.
Chapter 2 Arrangements
"Mother, where are you?" Majora wandered down the unoccupied vase-lined halls. "Where could she be?" she mumbled to herself.
Glancing through one of the ornate hall windows, she spotted her mother standing in the courtyard. Majora stepped outside. "Mother, you wished to speak with me?"
Her mother remained immobile until Majora softly touched her shoulder. Brushing a strand of straight black hair from her face, Mother turned to her daughter, clutching a spiked, heart-shaped mask. "This is a dreadful mask. What made you decide to carve such a thing?" She shoved the mask into Majora's hands.
Majora took the mask, and hanging her head, replied, "Well, all my other masks are cheerful. I wanted to make something different."
Mother lifted her arm and straightened the sleeve of her maroon kimono. "I see..." she said, her voice trailing off. Abruptly turning to her daughter, she slipped her hands into the sleeves of her gown and announced, "Majora, it is time that you are married. Your father and I have decided that you shall marry tomorrow night."
Majora's green eyes widened in shock. "What?" she cried. She felt as if she had been doused in icy water. "But... but why so sudden?"
"Majora, you're almost eighteen," her mother stated matter-of-factly. "Most goddesses are wed by sixteen."
Casting about, as if seeking help, Majora pleaded, "But I'm not ready to get married." She reached out and grasped Mother's sleeve. "I still want to be with my brothers, and I have more masks to create," she pleaded in desperation.
"I will have no more of your childishness! It's time you grow up!" she snapped, brushing that errant strand of hair out of her eyes.
Torn between fight and flight, Majora felt trapped. Mother rarely yelled at her, but on those occasions it was usually hurtful. Dejectedly, she looked away from her mother.
Realizing she had crossed an unintended line, Mother's voice softened. "It's not so bad, sweetheart. You are to marry a prince from Hyrule." Mother's hand reached out and brushed Majora's hair.
"I've already met him," Majora said coldly. "His name is Shamash."
"No, that's the late Anu's stepson. You will marry Dion, his heir." Mother looked up and discovered the glow of the moon. "It's getting late," she said. "Get some rest. You will leave for Hyrule first thing tomorrow."
"Yes, Mother," Majora said, her head slumped to her breast, but making a perfunctory bow of respect.
Majora watched as her mother strode back into their house. Once her mother was inside, Majora wandered aimlessly into the garden; the perpetually blooming flowers and plants always soothed her. The evening wind sprinkled cherry blossoms over the garden and the stepping-stones. The full moon lit her way as she wandered, lost in reverie, along the path of stepping-stones. The fragrance of lilies and the lavender wisteria caught her attention.
"My favorite flowers..." she mused aloud. Then she remembered what had just transpired and sighed. "I don't understand—why do they want me to leave?" she whimpered.
Majora sat atop the stone bridge over the pond and dangled her legs above the floating lily pads and lotuses. As she stared sadly into the rippling reflection of the moon, she laid her mask gently beside her and let the tears flow silently down her cheeks.
"Majora," called a mellow baritone voice.
She twisted and saw her younger brother, Kyo, standing there in his tattered, wispy black hooded cloak. "What brings you here?" Majora asked, wiping her eyes with her knuckles.
"I was in the garden—I heard what Mother said." He reached over, handing his sister a white kerchief.
She scrubbed at the rest of her tears with the kerchief. "I don't want to get married yet," she sniffled.
Kyo made eye contact with her and then lowered his hood and untied his cloak, revealing his deformed face. He was born with only half his body covered in skin, leaving the other half skeletal with flaccid muscle and flesh covering his organs.
"But I don't want to marry a strange god," she said, trying not to sound like a petulant child.
"You don't have a choice," he said gently, "it's the way of the gods. Every marriage is arranged, and you are expected to do your duty and bear sons as soon as possible. It doesn't matter whether you love your betrothed or not. It is the price of being a god."
"Well, what if I don't want to have boys?" she said defiantly. "What if I want to have all girls?"
Kyo shrugged. What could he say to her immature outburst? He suspected that it wasn't the gender of the children that she rankled at, but who the father would be.
"Oh, come on," said another male voice from the shadows, "we're not that bad."
Majora and Kyo recognized the voice; it belonged to Bythos, one of their younger brothers.
The Guardian of Great Bay emerged from the shadows, clad in his customary teal jacket and black shorts, followed by the two younger brothers, Norr and Pan, and their friend, a wooden imp, named Skull Kid.
Bythos held up a blue, circular mask, with a white skull painted in the center. "What does this mask do?" he asked as he donned the mask over his face and aqua-colored spiked hair.
Majora noticed her three youngest brothers were holding her masks. She stuffed her hands on her hips. "Did you get those from my room?"
Her brothers gave away the answer by giggling.
"It's called the Blast Mask," Skull Kid answered, ignoring Majora. "Try blowing up that rose bush."
Majora leapt off the bridge with her hands outstretched. "Don't do it, Bythos!" she warned. "That's Mother's favorite—" She was too late; Bythos annihilated the plant. Small bits and pieces were raining down before Majora's horrified eyes.
Skull Kid and the two younger brothers were rolling on the ground, roaring with laughter. "See, Bythos, wasn't that fun?" The imp managed to ask, holding his wooden stomach.
Skull Kid crawled to his knees, still clutching his stomach. "Here, Pan," he gasped to the youngest brother, "try this one on." He tossed a mask with floppy bunny ears and small glittering eyes.
"Okay!" Pan beamed as he slid the band over his fern-colored hair and stood motionless. "Um, what does it do?" he asked, apprehension making his voice quaver.
"It increases your speed. Now, give it to me," Majora ordered, dusting off the plant confetti.
The boy god giggled and raced off into the darkness, running in circles around statues and tearing up clods of lawn.
"Hey, Norr!" shouted the imp. "Catch!" He threw a grey mask with a curved head and a pointed chin to Norr.
Norr, clad in a pure white cotton kimono, caught the mask and donned it over his pale face. In an instant, he shot up many times in height, pushing apart the canopy of leaves with his gigantic body.
Pointing to the mask she had beside her, Skull Kid shuffled toward Majora and slyly inquired, "Can I see that one?" Before she could respond, he snatched the spiked, heart-shaped mask. "Thanks." Donning the mask over his own wooden face he said, "What's it do?"
"Nothing!" she shouted, now irritated. She grabbed for the mask, but Skull Kid darted away. "Give me back my mask!" she barked, shaking her fist at his retreating back.
Skull Kid was giggling uproariously as he continued to evade Majora. "If it doesn't do anything, then why do you want it back so much?" he sneered and capered away.
"Because it's mine!" she screamed. "Give it back!"
Tired of the bickering, Kyo called forth his scythe and blocked Skull Kid dead in his tracks. "Give it back," Kyo ordered.
For a brief moment, Skull Kid stared at his reflection in the glimmering blade. He sank his head and then dropped the mask. "There," he said. "You two are not fun anyway." He flopped down on the grass and pouted.
Majora walked over and collected her mask as if it were a tender babe. She glanced from the mask to the sprawled imp. "Thank you, Skull Kid," she said.
Suddenly, the young gods' mother appeared at the door. "What is the meaning of all this racket?" she exclaimed. Then she looked at her plants and gasped. "My garden!" She scurried out of the house to examine where once stood her rose bushes, but was now only a smoldering hole and charred bits of plants. "What have you done to my garden?"
At the sound of Mother's outcry, they removed the masks and cautiously approached with heads hanging low, knowing there would be consequences soon to follow.
Mother stood aghast, surveying the carnage to her precious garden. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned to the younglings and said, "Who is responsible for destroying my rosebushes?"
Bythos stepped forth, still holding the mask, with remorse on his face.
With blazing eyes she bellowed, "You're grounded! Go inside!"
Bythos obeyed, lumbering his way to the door.
Her eyes flew wide when she noticed the shredded hole in the canopy of her maple trees. The furious goddess pointed at the gaping hole. "How did that happen?"
Like Bythos, Norr stepped forward, his long, silver hair masking his lowered face. "You're grounded," Mother snapped, pointing to the house. "Go!"
Norr scurried inside.
As she surveyed the lawn, she was dismayed by the ragged holes in it. Turning back to the remaining group, she said, "Who did this to my grass?" She saw in her peripheral sight, one head drop. "Pan," she said sternly, "did you ruin my lawn?"
Wordlessly, he nodded his head.
"Go inside," she said gravely.
The boy turned around before entering the house. "Mother," he said, "does that mean I'm not grounded?" A hopeful glimmer lit his eyes.
Slightly annoyed by her son's question, she replied, "No, it does not! You most certainly are grounded. Now, go inside!" She watched as Pan scuttled his way to the house.
"Majora," Mother called into the shadows.
Majora winced at her mother's tone. "Yes, Mother?" she peeped.
"Come here where I can see you," the goddess hissed into the darkness.
Majora looked imploringly at Kyo before trotting toward her mother. She anticipated a lecture or some punishment for allowing her younger siblings to run wild through the garden. Once she stood before her mother, she raised her head and, with shoulders back, looked Mother squarely in the eyes.
"And you are grounded for allowing them to wear your masks!"
Majora took a step back out of shock and confusion. "How can I be grounded when you said I'm supposed to leave tomorrow to get married?"
Mother's jaw went slack at her daughter's logical question. "Well... well, you're grounded until you're married," she stammered. With that, she shoved her hands in the sleeves of her kimono, and stormed off to bed again.
Majora sighed heavily. "What a day," she muttered, slowly heading for her bed chambers. "At least she didn't punish Kyo," she realized with satisfaction.
In the land of Hyrule, the Goddess of Sand, also known as Queen Devi, reigned as the supreme deity of the heavens following the death of her husband, King Anu. The late king had one son, Dion, from his previous consort, who died years ago by the hands of a demon.
Anu's son, Prince Dion, was spoiled; he bore a selfish heart, full of greed and a lust for power. And the only power that could quench his wicked thirst was the "Blessing," the ancient power handed down and preserved through the generations. But, to Dion's dismay, his father's last wish before dying was for Devi to seal away the Blessing until Dion's wedding and coronation. Only then could Devi transfer the relic's power to the new king.
Prince Shamash dreaded his stepbrother's upcoming reign. He well knew that Dion would, undoubtedly, be a tyrant to both gods and mortals alike. He pitied Majora, for he knew she would be unhappy with Dion as her consort. Deep inside, Shamash wished that he could wed her instead, but he knew that would never happen.
...
Devi hummed to herself as she descended the spiraling marble stairs, crafted by skilled masons eons before. The cerulean wrap of gossamer chiffon slid to the back of her crimson bun. Her matching sari fell in elegant folds over her left shoulder and her pearl and gold accessories jingled with each step. When Devi reached the foot of the staircase, she noticed her son sitting in the lounge, his cheek on his fist. She walked over and gracefully sat on the couch adjacent to his chair, studying his face closely.
Shamash did not seem to notice his mother's arrival; he was too lost thinking about Majora, and dreading his stepbrother's impending reign. Poor girl, he thought, Majora is too spirited for a controlling god like Dion.
"Shamash," Devi said, "have you tried on your ceremonial garb yet?"
He rolled his eyes. "Why do I have to be a part of this stupid wedding?"
"Because you're a part of this family," she answered. "Your stepbrother is getting married to—"
"I know who he's going to marry!" he said as he slammed his fist into the seat. "He doesn't deserve her!" Shamash snapped at his mother harsher than he intended. Rolling his shoulders and unclenching his fist, he took a deep calming breath and turned to his mother. "I'm sorry, Mother," he murmured.
She ignored both his outburst and apology. "So that's where you were last night." Devi leaned back and crossed her legs and clasped her fingers on her knee. "Was it beautiful?"
"Yeah..." he distractedly replied, "she's beautiful."
Refraining from laughter, Devi discreetly covered her lips. "I meant Termina," she said.
He snapped out of his trance, embarrassment streaking his face. "Oh, well, I couldn't really make anything out, since it was dark, and we were busy battling demons."
"What?" she yelped. "You go all the way to Termina just to fight demons in the dark?"
Running his fingers through his unruly red hair, he stammered out, "Well, that's not exactly it, Mother. I went there to check out what Majora was like, and as luck would have it, she was on duty and some demons tried to harass her. I saved her, and we defeated the demons together."
Devi and Shamash's conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a shirtless twenty-five-year-old man with a chiseled physique and silver hair, brushing his shoulder blades. He strolled imperiously into the lounge and spotted Devi and Shamash sitting together. He strode over to the pair, and standing directly before Devi, barked, "What are you doing here? My coronation is tonight, and you're just sitting around like a pair of lethargic imbeciles. Get up!"
"Dion!" Devi shouted as she sprang from her seat. "How dare you speak to me like that? I am your stepmother and queen!" She punctuated her reminder with a ringing slap to his face.
Dion drew his right arm back, preparing to strike his stepmother. But, instead, he found himself thrown forcefully backward against the wall by Devi's telekinetic powers. She locked him in place with bands of crackling energy across his abdomen and arms. Her years of exterminating demons left her a formidable adversary, something Dion apparently forgot in the moment.
Struggling to free himself, Dion flexed his muscles until he no longer had the strength to struggle. Glowering at his stepmother, he bowed his head in submission as she regally approached.
Devi's merciless stare bore into his azure eyes and sent chills down his spine. Her power was great. Dion now knew just how much greater than his own. At a whim, she could summon up any weapon from her vast arsenal and strike him down. Before marrying, she spent her youth and early years slaying all manner of demons. Not only was she known as the Goddess of Sand and Hyrule's Queen of Gods, but she was also known as the Demon Exterminator. He knew her power was second only to his father, the late King Anu and the Blessing.
"Know your place, Dion," she said coldly. "You may be Anu's son, and merely four years my junior, but you are not yet King. Until then, you will respect me as your mother and queen." Devi crossed her arms. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes... Mother!" he unwillingly affirmed.
Queen Devi dispelled the energy restraints binding him to the wall, and without a backward glance, strode regally to the hall.
Dion caught Shamash in mid-turn, still scratching the back of his head. "After today, I shall exile you and your harlot mother to another world," he growled.
Resisting the urge to attack Dion for the slur against his mother, Shamash just crossed his arms over his chest, and shot a disgusted look at him. Shamash learned years before not to lash back when Dion issued many insults, but to let it slide by. "If you hate us so much, then why don't you just kill us instead?"
Dion had to immediately find a comeback to put Shamash in his place. "Because," he sneered, "killing you would be far too easy. If I kill someone, they should be worth it, not some harlot and her bastard son... Just not worth the effort," he said smugly.
Shamash sighed heavily. "That's the lamest excuse I have ever heard from you, Dion." Shamash shook his head slowly from side to side with a pitying expression. "Regardless of what she did in the past, she is still your stepmother and you fear her power." Inside, the shame that he was, indeed, the result of Devi's fornication with an unknown god, gnawed away at him.
Dion gritted his teeth and started for the doorway, but his stepbrother was in his way. "You always have to get your mommy to save you, don't you?"
Shamash raised his head and glared at his brother. "Shut up!"
Dion chuckled. "Well, it's true. She always has to save you because you're weak."
"Dion, we've been over this before. You know I'm just a late bloomer. Some gods are like that."
"Oh, now you're making excuses for yourself? That's so like you." Dion circled around the small-framed teenager to get to the exit. "No goddess would ever want you. You're a bastard, Shamash. That's been your label since birth, and it shall remain so until you are dead."
"Well, what makes you think a goddess would want you? You're a pig, Dion. No woman wants to be with a pig."
Dion pretended he didn't hear Shamash's insult. "Even if you found a mate, you could only produce daughters," he taunted.
Shamash sighed heavily again. "It's a myth, Dion. A god's power does not determine the sex of the offspring. And even if it were true, so what if I only had daughters? I wouldn't care. My girls would be strong, independent, and not have to rely on their husbands."
Dion halted in his tracks. He shook his head. "Pitiful..."
Shamash stood before his stepbrother; he had to look up at Dion when they were this close because Dion stood a little over a foot taller than he. "There's nothing pitiful about it. Now can we please end this conversation and go about our day?"
Although he would prefer antagonizing Shamash further, he decided not to, out of fear that Devi might return. "You're worthless; but I guess I can't expect anything else from a bastard." He made sure his broad shoulder collided into Shamash as he stormed out of the room.
Shamash watched his brother leave before climbing the same spiraling staircase his mother had recently descended. He knew that he would have to try on the dreaded ceremonial garb for the dreaded wedding.