Sleep came easily that night. Zelda, plunged back into the cold, dank Twilight, found that her life was somewhere more bearable. The sunlight and warmth, now seeming like a distant memory, had indeed renewed her strength, mentally and physically. So she rested, truly rested, for the first time since her imprisonment.
Zelda awoke to the soft sound of rain falling gently on her balcony. Normally, Zelda loved stormy days. She loved seeing monstrous, gray rainclouds in the sky. They were a promise of a wickedly strong storm ahead. Yet as she crawled out of her tangled blankets to don her cloak, she felt that this rain was an unnatural as the Twilight. The raindrops seemed to fall from the sky more slowly than normal, and each drop falling on the stone floor of the balcony echoed eerily. The chill of Twilight deepened with the coming of the rain. Zelda pulled her cloak more closely to her body and wished that she were in the field instead of her tower room.
She closed her eyes and pretended that she was standing in the middle of the field, the stalks of barley swaying with each breath of wind. The sky above her would be filled from end to end with dark gray clouds. Glorious thunder would roar in the distance and the wind would whip into a frenzy. Zelda imagined tipping her face to the sky, letting the gentle rain fall onto her skin. How she longed to be in that field right now.
As she thought, something sparked her memory.
That field...Ganondorf...their hands...
A new sense of dread slowly seeped through her body like black ink spilled on pristine parchment. She stood as still as a statue, staring unblinking into the shadowy downpour. Her body felt numb, though her thoughts were a violent storm. Zelda's heart thudded wildly within her unmoving body. She willed her mind away from what happened in the field. Try as she might, she could not clean her mind of him. The memory of his touch burned her skin. She rubbed her hands together, as if trying to wipe away his essence. His eyes would not leave her. Her thoughts were haunted by the compassion that his golden irises betrayed. How could he be so familiar, so acquainted with her? They were enemies! He was not supposed to hold her hands and gaze into her soul with concern. How dare he? Yet as much as she wanted to, she could not force herself into real indignation. She was utterly lonely and even that small moment of familiarity with the enemy was almost a comfort. That realization alone deeply terrified her.
She recalled Ganondorf's face. He had the typical features of a Gerudo, red hair and yellow eyes to match. Zelda found that the face of her enemy was not the very picture of evil as she once thought. Maybe in a different world, she could have thought him handsome; very handsome...with the dusky light of the sunset glowing on his tanned skin and his strong jaw line. Perhaps if he ridded himself of his armor and stripped down to only a loose fitting peasant shirt and breeches, took out his crown and let his hair flow free, then what would he look like? He would be undeniably handsome, no doubt. What would it be like to run her fingers through those fiery locks? She wondered idly if the hair on his head matched the hair on his chest. She imagined letting her fingers trail down his neck, over his collarbone to the imaginary, fine red hair that grew over his broad chest.
As soon as that thought crossed the threshold of her mind, her heart stopped. Her mind snatched those images of Ganondorf's chest and shoved them deep into the depths of her consciousness. Was that really where her mind wanted to go? With Ganondorf?
Zelda dropped her head into her hand. "What is wrong with me," she whispered to the rain. Her response was the chilly drops falling rhythmically from the sky. Maybe she was just lonely; lonely and trapped in a world that she did not belong. She was just going a little mad, that was all. Zelda sighed heavily and walked over to the windows and began her daily vigil of the outside world shrouded in Twilight. She needed to purge her mind of the Gerudo.
A soft noise interrupted her daydreams. She could hear the faint sound of footfalls outside of her door. Tension tightened in her chest. This was not the usual sound of the guards or Zant. Something else had come to visit her. She heard the distinct sound of a chain being rattled.
To her surprise, Zelda heard a deep, throaty growling. The Twilight beasts made no noise except for their shrill cries. Perhaps Zant was in the throes of madness and came to her room to growl at her like a beast. Lightning suddenly illuminated the sky. Tension thickened the air. Zelda felt a familiar, underlying power enter the room. No, Zant was not with her. Somebody who bore one of the Triforces was in her presence. For a panicked second, her mind flew back to Ganondorf. He held the Triforce of Power. She had felt it in him when she saw him that day in the throne room. Zelda turned around in haste, suddenly terrified that she might find the Gerudo towering over her in the small, dark room.
Yet it was not he. She was faced with a shaggy gray wolf. He was soaking wet, dripping cold rainwater onto the floor. Strange markings covered his muzzle. A silver shackle was bound tightly around his paw. Of course it wasn't Ganondorf. He wouldn't be growling at her...
A petite figure was perched on the wolf's back. It was incredible how such a tiny little body could support the weight of the stone headdress perched on its head. Scarlet eyes narrowed mischievously at her. An impish smirk tugged at her mouth. Turquoise blue lines grew over the smooth black and white skin like vines on a wall. A mocking girlish giggle cut the air.
Midna had returned.
She paced down the hallway of her castle, flanked by two Twilight beasts. A rush of excitement flooded through her. The goddesses had not abandoned her! The blessed guardians of Hyrule had heard her prayers through the Twilight and sent the kingdom a Hero. The Twilight had cursed his form into that of a wolf, but Zelda knew that he was the one. On his left paw, shining through the wet fur, were three golden triangles; the Triforce of Courage. There was no denying that the wolf, a boy in his true form, was the reincarnation of the Hero of Old. That visit alone had invigorated her hope far more than the trip to the sunlight.
Zelda desperately wanted to speak more with Midna, but she had heard the guards coming up the spiral stairs and told her guests to flee the tower. They had come to take her to the field, she supposed. Zant had not accompanied his minions to retrieve her and for that she was grateful. As the beasts marched Zelda through the wide doors of the castle and into the courtyard, Zelda saw with disappointment that the rain had already receded. The air was damp and the path to the field was muddy. Zelda plodded through the soft earth with her dainty slippers and tired to hold the hem of her gown out of the way of the dirt. The beasts nonetheless splashed mud on her formal gown. Growing increasingly annoyed with the mindless creatures, Zelda was relieved to see the wall of Twilight at the end of the path. Without hesitation, she stepped through the blackness. The world beyond was dripping from the recent rain. The sky boasted of cool, slate gray clouds. The heads of the barley were weighted down from raindrops. The air was scented with the wonderful smell of a freshly fallen rain. Zelda breathed in deeply, savoring every bit of the solace she found in the field.
As the last dredges of thunder rumbled in the distance, Zelda thought of the Hero of old who bore the Triforce of Courage, on a quest to liberate Hyrule from the Twilight curse. With him was the incurably brazen Twilight imp, Midna. Zelda was certain that the girl was hiding a world of secrets behind her sharp tongue and tough demeanor. They were her only hope now. She prayed for them a safe journey.
Zelda wandered through the field, her thoughts far away and, for once, peaceful. The walls of Twilight made a black stain on the distant horizon, but Zelda was able to pretend that they were not even there. After a while, Zelda found an old, weathered log. She sat down on it and rested her chin in her hands. The hem of her dress was hopelessly muddy and ruined from where she ripped it the day before when she was running away from Ganondorf. She contemplated asking Zant if he would allow her to fetch one of her simpler gowns for her to wear to the field instead of her soiled Royal attire.
A shadow fell over her and Zelda's muscles tightened as she felt a presence at her back. She did not have to turn around to know who was with her. Her muscles tensed and she willed herself not to turn around and give him the pleasure of her acknowledging him.
A cool, misty breeze blew softly over the rain soaked field as they waited in silence. "Was I not right when I said that you would return?" He asked with a shade of triumph in his voice. Zelda found herself speechless. She suddenly felt transparent, vulnerable. What if he knew that she saw Midna and the newfound Hero? Zelda forced herself to keep her face straight and her aura calm and unshakable. She had to be. Ganondorf could not know about her Hero.
"Did I really have a choice," she retorted dryly.
The already palpable tension in the air thickened and Zelda could almost feel the searing glare directed at her from two golden eyes. "If you would rather waste away in the Twilight, then by all means, do so," he growled, barely holding back the frustration in his voice. "However, it would be far more beneficial to the both of us if you lived. I am sure that you don't really want to die, leaving your kingdom unprotected and in my hands."
"Isn't it already in your hands?" Zelda asked grimly. She heard him laugh darkly in response. "Not quite," he murmured. The grass crunched beneath heavy footfalls as Ganondorf strode around the stump. He stopped in front of her, towering over Zelda like a giant. Zelda looked up at him, making sure that her expression was unreadable and stoic.
"My plans are not yet complete The Twilight is only the beginning, Princess. Even so...there is still one more Province to submit to the Twilight, and we are finding it to be quite a challenge..." at this his face fell and Zelda wondered if this last threshold of Hyrule was where the Hero hailed from.
"Besides," he continued. "You cannot say that you don't love being here. I saw your face when you stepped out of the Twilight and came into the field."
Ganondorf knelt down, one knee on the muddy ground. He placed his hands on the log, one hand on either side of her. His face was uncomfortably close to hers, but she did not back away. "Your face was pure and undeniable delight. You cannot hide that you enjoy the generosity I show you by bringing you to my haven from the Twilight."
"Your haven?" She whispered angrily.
"We are creatures of light, Princess. We need the sun to survive. That Twilight is poison to us. When the Twilight came, I created this field as a place of refuge for myself, and ultimately for you as well. You need this field to live...you depend on my generosity to survive." A wicked smirk was plastered on his face. Something about the way he smiled so triumphantly at her made her sick. With her heart pounding and skin flushing, Zelda glared at him, her blue eyes merely inches away from his. She could fell the warmth of his breath on her skin. She wanted to strike him. The Gerudo took some strange, twisted pleasure in her being in this field, and she cursed him for forcing this to be her one solace, the only way she would survive the Twilight.
"You heard me saying all this to Zant when you were lying half dead on the floor of my throne room—"
"-My throne room, you mean, —" she hissed.
"Not anymore, Princess," he cut in. "Careful with that tongue of yours or I just might change my mind and have to leave you to rot in the Twilight."
"And you want to share your little haven with me? The enemy? You want your enemy to depend solely on you? You sicken me."
He was silent for a moment. Zelda saw unspoken thoughts working behind those golden eyes. "I need you alive," was all that he said.
That was not good enough for her. "Why? What use am I to you alive?" Zelda scoffed. "What do you need me for?"
His expression changed. It was too gentle, too...calm. "What was it?" He asked in a voice that matched the softness of his face.
Zelda was taken aback at this abrupt change in conversation. "I beg your pardon," she snapped, confused as to why he ignored her. "What are you talking about?"
He leaned ever so closer to her. His eyes softened. "When we last spoke, I challenged you, saying that there was no sorrow in your life. You argued with me and implied that there was something. I am asking you now, what was it?"
Zelda nervously ran her hands over her lower arms. Beneath the thin material of her gloves, Zelda could feel them...the raised scars that had been carved into her skin years before... The pain...the terror...the tragedy of how she earned them still stung at her heart. Anger flushed and she could feel her cheeks turn red. This was her story, her burden to bear. How could he demand this of her?
"What makes you think..." she began in a slow, stern voice. Zelda took a breath, trying to calm herself. Memories rushed back at her, the pain of them causing her throat to tighten. She tried again to speak. "What makes you think that you have the right to know? You are my enemy!"
Zelda's heart beast faster with every word she spoke Her righteous anger flared. "You imprison me and take my kingdom, but demand that I tell you about anything of my life?" Her voice was raised, growing higher in pitch with every word. "Why don't you tell me about your sorrows, Ganondorf?"
She could see his defenses rise. "Tell you of my sorrows?" Ganondorf scoffed. "I am the king and you are the captive. What worth do you have that I would tell you of myself?"
Zelda's eyes narrowed in response. "What worth do I have? Let me ask you this. What worth do you have? You take what isn't yours and insult me by saying that I don't deserve to know why because you claim that I have had a privileged life. Then why is it so important that I prove to you my abuses in life before you tell me of yours?" Zelda, full of resentment, rose to her feet. "Let me have what is left of my dignity. Spare me this question again. It is offensive to me."
Zelda stormed away. This field was huge. Surely she could go somewhere where that Gerudo wouldn't find her.
The grass rustled and a hand gently wrapped around her wrist.
"Wait," he murmured deeply. The tone of his voice was the only thing that paused Zelda's angry strides. The lack of hostility and spite was strange. His voice was calm and even. Zelda waited for him to say more. There was a thickness in the air. Zelda found it hard to put a name to, the unspoken tension between them. Hesitantly, she turned around. Ganondorf was staring intently at her. His golden eyes were intense and fiery, but she saw hints of remorse in his gaze. She drew in the tiniest of breaths. Surprise numbed her and it was difficult for her to form words. Everything about this seemed so wrong, so backwards. It was just not possible that it was real. Her mind refused to comprehend that this evil Gerudo man could feel remorse for his ancient adversary.
Yet there he was, standing with her and holding her wrist, patiently awaiting a response. She could not say a word. His face fell into a somber frown, as if disappointed at her lack of communication. He gently tugged on her wrist.
"Will you sit?" He asked, gesturing back to the knotted stump. Zelda met his eyes. It was still there. The remorse he showed suddenly angered her. She hardened her expression.
"I would rather leave," Zelda replied with a tight, biting voice. She was afraid to be vulnerable to him. What kind of tricks was he trying to play with her by being contradictory to what she believed him to be? She couldn't let him think that he was fooling her.
"I would rather you stay," he growled back. His voice was less kind this time. She could hear that he was becoming irritated. Zelda only glared at him, giving him stony silence as her only response. Ganondorf sighed heavily and placed his hands on her shoulders. Zelda tensed underneath his touch.
"Stay," he whispered gruffly. "Stay and I will tell you everything. You are not so undeserving as I want to believe..." He was holding her, but it was not forceful or rough. She could have pulled away if she wanted to, yet she listened to him. She stayed. His words were imploring and they made her curious. Zelda was still suspicious of his intentions, but she wanted to know of his past. It might give her some advantage.
And she was also very curious.
She pulled herself from his grip. Zelda crossed her arms defensively and made her way back. Ganondorf followed her silently, making heavy footfalls on the soft ground. Begrudgingly, she lowered herself onto the knotted log and folded her hands in her lap.
"Why am I suddenly so deserving," she asked curtly. Ganondorf lowered himself, kneeling in the mud before her. To Zelda, it seemed almost a humble gesture.
"Because in this field, you are not my enemy," he answered. Like most everything else he had done thus far, this took Zelda by surprise. "Here, you are my equal. We come here for the same reason and if we are to survive this Twilight together, then I wish this place to be one of peace for us. I've shown you great contempt by taking your kingdom and making you a prisoner in your own home. I've been no kinder here." He smiled suddenly, a true smile, and Zelda found the change unsettling. "You would think that growing up in a culture made up entirely of women would teach me some respect for them, but I am still learning those lessons it seems. When we are away from the Twilight, I want to show you the respect that you deserve, war or no war."
It took Zelda far too long to realize that she had been staring at Ganondorf with her mouth gaping open for this entire exchange. Ganondorf wanted to respect her? What did that mean coming from him?
"Where do we stand when we are in the Twilight?" She asked, shaking her head from confusion. "How can we be anything but enemies, no matter where we are?"
Ganondorf frowned slightly. "Adversaries," he gruffly responded. "That is all we are outside of this field. Here, everything is different."
Zelda was still confused, and it angered her. In her mind, she saw him as her enemy no matter where she was! They could be at the bottom of the ocean or the highest heaven and he would still be her enemy.
"I say this only for you to understand why I decided to share my story with you."
It did not help her to understand. There was so little that Zelda understood about him. It only left her more confused than before. She briefly went back to that forbidden thought she had of him earlier in the day: him standing before her, handsome and bare-chested. Her confusion ran ever deeper as her heart skipped a beat, imagining him like that again. She took a deep, calming breath.
"Then share your story with me," she said in the calmest voice she could muster at the moment.
"I wasn't born into luxury as you were, Princess. I came into a world of heat and sand. Even at a young, tender age, I knew that I did not live in a place that was forgiving or kind. Neither were those that raised me. Those that I were to someday rule, the race of strong, warrior women, did not want a weak King and they saw to it that my life was learned in harsh, painful lessons. So just as my father before me, and his father before him, and so on since the beginning of the Gerudo tribe, I was schooled by brutality and strength. I was taught to fight as soon as I could walk. Weapons were placed into my hands instead of toys. I became a stonehearted warrior when most boys would still be clinging to their mother's apron strings. My mentors pushed me, beat me, bruised me, and broke me. Yet as much as I hated them for their vicious lessons, I never saw them as my enemy. I saw them as my people. For all their cruelty, they were Gerudo. My Gerudo people. They could not beat the love for them I had out of me. My love for my people was strong. No, my teachers were not my enemy and they were not my greatest teacher.
The desert was. The place that I called home was the thing that I hated most in the world. It was the source of all our misery. The unrelenting sun beating down on us with no relief, or the sandstorms that would appear out of nowhere and leave us stranded in our homes, starving and thirsty for days on end. The land yielded no food. Water was scarce. We scavenged for what resources there were to be found. The people of Hyrule condemned us for being thieves, but what choice did we have? How else were we to survive if we did not take from what others had, and what they were so unwilling to share?
I had heard stories of the green, prosperous land that lay just beyond our borders. It was not that the Gerudo were banned from Hyrule. We were not welcomed with open arms, given our reputation for thievery and stealing away Hylian men to help repopulate the race. I came to resent the Hylians as much as I did the desert. Those pampered, well-fed people lived without bothering to lift a finger to help those who were in need. Not to mention the monarchy...the King of that time hated my people and would rather see us suffer, starve to death and finally the world would be free of the thieving, dirty barbarians he believed us to be.
I longed to visit Hyrule and see for myself what a place without sand was like. My chance came when I was still a young boy and my mind soft and easily molded. It was while on this sojourn to Hyrule that I learned of a well-guarded secret that the Royal family had kept for centuries. They had a powerful, mystical relic on their possession, one that they called the Triforce."
Ganondorf looked down at his left hand. A soft golden glow shone through his thick gloves.
Power. Ganondorf was the bearer of Power. Zelda looked down and ran her fingers over the top of her own hand. Wisdom had chosen her. Courage had found a host in the Hero of Old. The Hero of Time, they had called him.
"Did you choose Power?" Zelda asked, daring herself to speak.
"No. Power chose me. Years later, when I was a grown man and at the height of my reign, I went back to Hyrule to claim the relic for my own. Little did I know that the other pieces of the Triforce would reject me, find me unworthy. Power was the only one that would rest with me. That did not happen until much, much later.
After that first journey to Hyrule, I returned to my desert home and I made two vows.
One; I would possess the Triforce. Such a powerful relic could help my people. The Hylian monarchy did not deserve to keep that power to themselves. I spent years learning all that I could about the Triforce. I learned where it was hidden, the legends surrounding it, and how to use it properly. The Triforce would be mine, and I would become the most fearsome, most powerful being that ever was.
My second vow was this; Hyrule would be mine. I lusted for the green land, with the rivers and lakes and forests and fields. The desert was death, while Hyrule was life. I would not stop there either. My people had suffered for centuries on centuries. Their dues were paid. It was time for us to make a new home for ourselves, and why should we be limited to just one kingdom? Why not many kingdoms? Why not rule every land we could find? If we were known for being thieves, why not act upon eons of accusations and make our enemies rue they day they had named us as such? I vowed to steal their land, their riches, and their power. I would make my name known across the land.
This I vowed to my people.
Initially, I did want a better life for my people, but as time wore on, I became consumed with the thought of domination and power. When the time came, I came face to face with the King of Hyrule. It did not take long after that before he was dead at my hands. His daughter and her slippery, devious attendant ran away. The Princess, the other Zelda, was just a child but she escaped my grasp. With her, so did the Ocarina of Time. She gave it to that blonde boy with the fairy."
Ganondorf laughed bitterly. "How could I have known then that those two children would ultimately be my downfall? If I had know who that boy was going to be, his life would have ended right then and there."
Zelda frowned at the thought of somebody callously killing a child, but what did she expect from her enemy? He killed more than his share of innocents.
The Gerudo shook his head and continued his story. "I used that boy to find the Sacred Realm and ultimately, the Triforce. Yet, as soon as I touched the golden surface of that ancient relic, my plans crumbled to ash. The Triforce split into three. Power found me worthy host, but Courage and Wisdom sought their rightful bearers. They chose the children...the children who were now out of my reach. Princess Zelda was nowhere to be found and the boy was sealed away, unreachable. For seven years, I searched for her, for the Princess. In those seven years, I utterly lost sight of why I had taken Hyrule in the first place. My people were no better off than they were before. Evil overcame my soul and Hyrule turned from the green land that I lusted for into a foul wasteland crawling with monsters.
I did not care. I did not see past my own desire for domination. My people became less than nothing to me. Power became everything. My new obsession was to find the remaining pieces of Triforce and take them for myself. That thought and that thought alone drove me to become the infamous, murderous King that I am known for.
At the peak of my power, that child who entered the Temple of Time emerged as a man, wielding the Master Sword. Eventually, the girl who had escaped me aided him under the guise of a Sheikah. Those two children were now using their skills to fight against me."
His deep voice fell silent. Ganondorf turned his face to the setting sun. His mouth was grim, but his eyes were sad.
"Together, they brought me my demise. By the might of the six sages, I was sealed away. I spent an age living in a world of nothingness. Left with only my thoughts, I spent that lonely time thinking about the course that my actions had taken. After all that power, all that strength and glory I had gained, there was nothing left to show for my efforts. It had been an empty, vain pursuit. Yet, even in my isolation, I never felt remorse. I was only bitter, and rage grew from my bitterness.
The time came for my final judgment. Bound in fortified chains to a massive block of stone, the sages stood before me. After spending so long alone with my fury and defeat, I was nothing more than a wild animal, striking out and snarling like a beast. One sage stepped forward with a sword, glowing with light and magic. Without hesitation, the sage struck me through. It was excruciating pain. The sword came in one side and out of the other, pinning me to the stone. When the deed was done, the sages stood around, watching as I groaned in agony, seconds from death."
Without warning, Ganondorf reached for his armor and ripped away apiece that Zelda thought was just a breastplate. As he did, something white glowed on his chest. It looked like a wound, but instead of blood, there was only a brilliant white glow.
"This is what the sword left behind. It has never healed, but it causes me no pain. It might be a combination of their power still trying to kill me and my Power preventing that from happening." The immortal, glowing wound amazed Zelda. A part of her wanted to touch it, but the intimate thoughts she had earlier today prevented her from doing so. She shut her lips and looked at the wound with a blank expression.
Ganondorf continued his story when Zelda said nothing.
"As I awaited death, something surprising happened. When I was banished by the original sages, I thought my Triforce to be gone, ripped from my possession as my soul was ripped from my body. Yet, I was wrong. As I hung there dying, Power surged through me. It had never left. Faithful to its master, the Triforce burned in my skin like a new breath of life. Strength swelled, as did my triumphant anger. I broke my chains, ripped the sword from my chest, and struck the closest sage. His frail body turned to dust at my blow. I was beyond control, beyond subduing. My Triforce, dormant for almost a century, was gathering Power once more. It was a raging storm inside me.
Unfortunately for me, the sages found a way to get rid of me again. Not able to kill me, they opened the portal to the Twilight Realm and banished me to, once again, live a half-life. I was sucked into this new realm, protected by the still growing power of my Triforce.
Fortunately for me, I was able to retain some of my power and some of my form in that world. For some time, I explored the world, living as less than a phantom. I had a plan to get back to Hyrule, but I needed to find the right Twili to help me.
It did not take long for me to find Zant. For a few weeks, I watched him. He was mad, yet vulnerable. This one can be easily manipulated, I thought. Like me, he desperately wanted power. He was the perfect pawn. I thought that I would present myself to him as a god and convince him to follow me to the ends of his world. A time came where I saw him weeping and wailing on the balcony of a great fortress. That was my golden opportunity."
Once again, the Gerudo fell silent. He stood to his feet and stepped away from Zelda. He faced the sunset, becoming a black silhouette on the fiery horizon. His cape snapped in the wind.
"Then, I came back to Hyrule." He growled. There was danger in his voice. "I came back to Hyrule with an army at my side. When I had secured the throne and shrouded the world in darkness, I fled to the desert, desperate to see my people once more. When I came to my old home, I found it empty."
He turned back to Zelda. His face was set into a withering glare. Accusation burned in his eyes. "Every last woman and child of my people was gone. Do you know what I discovered, Princess?" Ganondorf stomped back over to Zelda. He knelt once more in the mud, but gone was the gentleness from before. Zelda backed away, growing fearful at the look in his eyes. Ganondorf placed his hands on either side of her and leaned in closely. Golden eyes pierced blue.
"It was your family that did it. When my people were left without a King, they became weak and defenseless. Banished back to the unforgiving desert from whence they came, life was no easier for them. The history books tell me that they suffered far more than they ever had. That is, until your forefather decided to put them out of their misery once and for all. Queen Zelda's sons came in the night and massacred every last one of them. There were no survivors."
It could not be denied. The Gerudo Massacre was a dark red stain on Hyrule's history. Acting out of prejudice and fear, the old Zelda's sons had ordered an attack on the remaining Gerudo tribe. Ganondorf was right. There had been no survivors.
"It was wrong of them. They should not have done such a heinous thing. It was unforgivable," Zelda pleaded. The actions of her great grandfathers were unspeakable.
"Yes," Ganondorf whispered viciously. "It was unforgivable." The Gerudo stood to his feet and towered over Zelda. She tensed her body, waiting for him to serve justice against her for the actions of her grandfathers.
"It was unforgivable what those Hylian men did to my people, but it was also unforgivable what I did to them." His expression softened and he looked down at her. Somehow, he did not look sad. He just looked tired.
Now, for the first time since I was a child, I feel remorse for my actions. I put the loss of the Gerudo on my shoulders. Had I not been so seduced by power, I might have served them better when I took Hyrule for myself. Maybe if my intentions for the Gerudo had been pure, the Triforce would have found me worthy of not only Power, but Courage and Wisdom as well. All that time I spent in exile, I never thought that while trying to give them a better life, I caused them to lose everything. I am guilty for breaking my vow to give them what I had always promised. At my own hands, they did not receive life at all. They were only given death."
Think of me what you will. The blood of my people is on my hands, just as much as it is on your forefathers'. My zeal died with my people. I am not the murderous, arrogant tyrant you have learned about. It is a cold, quiet anger that smolders in me now."
Doubt nagged at the back of her mind. Zelda was wise and she had a talent for reading people. She could always tell when someone was lying to her or putting up a false persona. She stretched her mind, trying to catch any hint of a lie or manipulation, but she could find none.
"Now more than ever, I deserve Hyrule."
Shaking her head, Zelda looked at him. After his story, she could hardly feel anger at him. She just felt numb. "Do you though?"
Ganondorf nodded somberly. "More than you do. What makes you think you are so worthy?"
She frowned at him. What sort of question was that? "I was born into this life. Of course I do," she responded as she stood to her feet. Ganondorf followed suit.
He gave a half-hearted laugh. "As I was born into mine, but we have the power to change our destinies don't we..."
This made Zelda pause. A part of her wanted to agree, but something in the way he said it did not seem fair. "Even if it means changing another's?"
"Even if it means changing the course of the entire world to change your destiny to what you want it to be, then yes. It was your family that brought an end to my people."
"Do not blame that on me! Their blood is on my grandfathers' hands, but it is not on mine. Look into my eyes and believe that I am not the kind of ruler who would wipe out an entire race of people!"
Ganondorf put a hand on her shoulder as a calming gesture. Despite her anger, Zelda felt herself calm beneath his heavy hand.
"I know you would not, Princess. You are not so blinded by hatred and prejudice. Yet, it hardly matters now who did it. In my eyes, retribution still needs to be paid."
"So that is what this about now? Your people are gone and I am to be punished for it. Is this now about revenge?" Zelda shrugged his hand off her shoulder. She was growing too comfortable with his touch.
"No, not completely. Part of it is revenge for the loss of my people but also...fulfilling a promise to give them a better life."
"There would be nothing left to rule but my people, and they would despise you with every fiber of their being. Who do you have left to keep that promise to?"
"No one...but it needs to be kept."
Zelda's heart fell and sadness welled up in her heart. It was not so empty, fulfilling a promise to somebody who will never know that it has been kept. She knew the feeling all too well.
Pity welled up in her heart. So it was true that even evil men had sorrows. Something must have shown in her face, for Ganondorf frowned at her suddenly.
"Don't pity me. I won't have your sympathy."
That was hardly fair. "You felt sorry for me. I saw it in your eyes that day in the throne room. You pitied me then. How is it any different now?"
He broke into a wicked smile. "I did not know that I was so transparent to you, Princess. I will have to be much more careful."
Zelda secretly thought that he had been transparent with much more than just pity, but it frightened her to even admit what else he might have shown to her. She doubted that he would attempt to be even remotely careful. In fact, he seemed to relish in the fact that she did notice.
"It's your turn now."
Zelda sat back down on the log and crossed her arms stubbornly. She hardly wanted to share anything with him. It was well and all for Ganondorf to be transparent, but she refused. She laughed, somewhat amused by her situation. "Here we are, two enemies sharing each other's secrets."
Taking his final bow in the mud, Ganondorf knelt in front of her. "In this field, we are not enemies." His voice rumbled gently.
The tension left Zelda and she unfolded her arms. She wasn't ready to share. It did not feel right, sitting here in her royal clothes and baring her soul to Ganondorf.
"Since we are not enemies here, let me ask you of one thing," she demanded gently. If Zelda were to survive this Twilight, then she had better accept that this field was a no man's land, a temporary peaceful ground between them, and to take every advantage of it that she could.
"What may that be?" Ganondorf tilted his head, eyes curious and a smile growing at the corners of his mouth. That expression caught her off guard and for half a second, she forgot what she wanted to ask for. Her mind wandered back to the thought of her running her fingers down his chest, letting her fingers linger over the glowing scar in his skin—
"Please, if I may," she blurted out, secretly chiding herself for that thought. "These clothes that I am wearing are uncomfortable and soiled. Will you grant me access to my own castle so that I may get more appropriate attire for this current situation that I am in?" She asked this as formally as she could. The familiarity between them was becoming too much.
Ganondorf looked, for a second, disappointed. He bowed his head in a silent yes, giving her permission to have freedom in her own home.
"Thank you," she said abruptly and stood to her feet. Ganondorf stood up as she did. "I would like to be going back now."
Ganondorf said nothing, but once again nodded at her. She felt bothered by his sudden silence. Somehow, for whatever reason, Zelda felt very guilty and thought she might have done something wrong. Yet she would not ask if she had done something. She was afraid of the answer. However, she did brave one question.
"Ganondorf," she began, her voice tremulous and soft. His eyes ever so slightly lightened at the sound her speaking his name. That alone made Zelda nearly stop her question, but the words kept coming.
"If there was no Twilight...if your people were still alive...if there had never been any war between our Kingdoms, then where would we stand outside of this field?"
His face was cast in a golden glow as the sun set lower with each passing second. A sad smile formed on his sharp, exotic features. Zelda felt her heart beat nervously as she awaited his answer. After all that had happened with them in the past few days, for every confusing moment and damning thought, she had to know this one thing, even if everything it might mean petrified her.
"If there was none of this strife..." he began, his voice low and unreadable. "Then there would be no need for this field for us to not be enemies..."