This is a AU for the Legend of Zelda universe. This is not set in any one game, but I did pull some of my favorite elements from multiple games, namely Breath of the Wild and Ocarina of Time. I have also played with the roles of the Triforce users a little bit. Enjoy!
Ganon
Ganon stood on the ramparts of Hyrule Castle, looking out at Castle Town and Hyrule field beyond. He liked this early morning view, and was glad that his mother had suggested he come here. Behind and below him on the practice field, the soldiers of Hyrule were dueling one another in order to keep their skills sharp. Ganon thought that all of them would make for excellent dueling practice for himself, but he was an Ambassador for the Gerudo and his namesake had already given him a bad reputation. It had been difficult to gain admittance to the Castle, but the King of Hyrule had finally allowed him in on an oath of peace. Ganon was not to do any fighting until or unless his terms for staying in the castle were changed to allow Ganon to fight.
With a sigh, Ganon turned from the view of Hyrule and moved over to lean on the wall overlooking the practice yard. He may not be able to join them, but he could still watch them practice. He missed fighting. His three sisters would duel him all the time back home, but here he wasn't allowed to. Really, these soldiers were good, but they looked too...mechanical. They used the same attacks over and over again. That was what made Hylian soldiers so effective with their walls, but out on the field or in the desert that would get them killed in a heartbeat, maybe two.
One soldier caught Ganon's attention, mostly because he wasn't doing any fighting. This soldier sat in one corner, running a whetstone over his sword, not paying any attention to the other soldiers. He also seemed smaller that all of the other soldiers down there, his blonde hair tied back from his face, his green soldier's uniform slightly rumpled. The commanding officer overseeing the practicing soldiers didn't seem to care that he was just sitting there either. Ganon watched for a few more minutes, wondering idly why this soldier was so different, but his musings were interrupted by the approach of the King and his daughter, Princess Zelda. Ganon straightened, twitched his uniform straight -blasted thing- and then bowed to them in Gerudo fashion, bending all the way down on one knee, right fist clenched over his fist.
"Ganon, up here again? This seems to be your favorite spot in the castle. Any particular reason for that?"
Ganon could understand the King's question. A foreign ambassador with an infamous reputation set by the Calamity, who spent all his time on the wall, close to the training grounds of the castle's defenders. "I find myself drawn by both the view and the fighting, sire. I mean nothing by it." The king nodded and lightly touched Ganon on the shoulder, passing him to view the practicing soldiers himself. Ganon rose to find himself suddenly towering over Princess Zelda. He did a little bow to her in order to not appear so... well, tall, and she scoffed at him ever so slightly before brushing past him. Ganon straightened and looked after her for a moment before going to join them, standing on the King's left, but a few steps away so as to appear less threatening.
Zelda had been so friendly when Ganon had first arrived, but then her mother had died and Zelda had received that crown with a Sapphire set into it. She claimed it was from her mother, but something about it hinted at a darker origin to Ganon. Zelda had begun to wear it everywhere and had slowly become more bitter toward people, including her father. When Ganon had first arrived at the castle she had been so friendly and smiled all the time. It had been so endearing. Now, however, she rarely smiled and so often had that scowl on her face that affected the way everyone saw her. Even her father had seemed to grow weary of the way Zelda saw everyone. He slumped more often of late.
"You have shown that you are trustworthy Ganon. You are not following the path that your ancestors have set for you and despite the way you are drawn toward combat, you have shown incredible restraint."
Ganon stared at the king in shock for a moment before he caught himself and regained his composure. "Thank you sire." What else could he say to that? Where was this even coming from?
"I would like to see your fighting abilities. I know that the Gerudo people can be a powerful alliance to Hyrule, but I would like to see a representation of that power. Would you be willing to show me what the Gerudo can offer to us?"
Ganon was taken aback. Where was this coming from? As far as Ganon knew, there had been no hints leading up to this. Was the king feeling alright? Did the king know of something that Ganon didn't? Ganon bowed his head to the king. "I would be honored. How would you like for this demonstration to go?"
The king looked down at the training yard again. He made a gesture to someone below and Ganon looked to see, but whoever it was had either already left, or was no longer looking in their direction, because nothing had seemed to change too drastically. "I would like you to meet me and my soldiers beyond Castle Town, in the field just before the castle at noon. There I will have you face my best soldier in combat to first blood."
Ganon blinked. He kept his skepticism to himself. If this champion was going to fight the way these soldiers did, then this would be a very easy fight. However, that could easily prove his people's military prowess to the king. He bowed again and then excused himself politely to return to his guest rooms where his armor waited.
It didn't take him long to get out of the too stiff, super restrictive black ambassador's suit he had been wearing into the more comfortable, multi-jointed, and easily removable black armor that he much preferred. He made his way out of the castle and through Castle Town to the drawbridge that led out to Hyrule Field. Briefly, Ganon wondered if he had been subtly dismissed from the castle, and then he saw the small army waiting for him.
It took Ganon about five seconds to realize that the army wasn't waiting to fight him. They were here to watch. Ganon was fine with that. The king was there, along with Zelda and the small kid that Ganon had noticed before. These three stood away from the rest of the watching soldiers, waiting for Ganon. Idly, Ganon wondered how they had gotten out here so fast, but that would explain why everyone in Castle Town had already been in their homes, watching curiously from doorways and windows.
Ganon approached the king and did a half bow, still clasping his fist to his chest, but not falling to one knee. That was a little hard to do in his armor and he felt that doing so might ruin any respect these soldiers might have for him. Ganon knew from experience that you treated a soldier differently than you did a royal. After all, his mother was Queen of the Gerudo and his sisters were all warriors. "I am ready to face your warrior, sire."
The king nodded and motioned to the young man in green who stepped forward. He had his sword strapped to his back and a shield also looped there. His garb tickled something in Ganon's memory, but at the moment he couldn't place it. The young man bowed to the king and then to Zelda. The king nodded to him, but Zelda just scowled.
The king turned to face Ganon again. "This is Link, our best fighter in the castle. He will be your opponent. You may use weapons, and combat will proceed until first blood or one of you yields."
Ganon frowned and looked at the young man. "Sire, I mean no disrespect, but I am wearing full armor and your soldier appears to only wear light chain mail for protection. I don't feel that combat in this situation would be exactly fair."
The king nodded slowly, but looked to Link. "Link, do you wish to proceed now, or would you like some time to don your armor?" Link simply shook his head. The king nodded. "We will proceed then. Ganon, are you ready?" Ganon blinked in surprise. Link really wanted to face Ganon with such a disadvantage? He frowned at Link as he drew his sword, a long blade that normal men would wield two-handed. Ganon's Gerudo strength allowed him to hold the weapon easily in one hand. He decided that he would wait to judge until he actually saw what Link was capable of. Gannon nodded to the king as he watched Link draw his sword with his left hand and settled his shield on his right arm in one practiced, fluid motion. The king and Zelda stepped back and the soldiers excitedly began to ring them in a wide circle so that all of them could see.
"Begin!"
Ganon resisted the urge to simply lunge at the barked order from a captain standing near the king. Instead, he circled warily the way he did when facing his sisters or the other warriors back home. Link moved in first, swinging at Ganon in a controlled motion, testing Ganon's reflexes. Ganon parried and then pushed Link away, responding with his own swing. Link deftly and nimbly executed a backflip up and away from Ganon's swing. He landed lightly and circled again, sword ready, shield almost forgotten on his right arm. Ganon was wary now. Link had just proved that he was fast and agile. This may prove harder than he had thought.
They clashed again, this time both of them exchanging a flurry of blows, metal clanging on metal as their swords connected in parry after parry. On three separate occasions, Ganon was sure he was about to accidentally disembowel the younger man, but Link would duck under the weapon, block with his shield, or deflect it with his sword at the last second each time. Ganon began to feel the primal rage of his ancestors build within at the unexpected skill of this young man. He fought to keep that fury contained, but channeled it into fuel for fighting.
With a roar, Ganon swung at Link, connecting with his shield that Link lifted to defend himself. Ganon's sword hooked just under the edge of the shield and he heard leather snap and the shield went flying. Link immediately jumped back and away from Ganon, apparently unphased by the loss of his shield. Link flexed his sword arm and grunted. Ganon was certain Link's left arm had to be aching from all of the swinging and parrys. He circled Link, breathing heavily as he forced his fury down again. He wasn't trying to kill this young man, but he almost wondered if he would need to just to achieve first blood. His own arm was beginning to tire and he took his sword up in both hands to help with the strain.
Ganon jerked in surprise as Link rushed in again. He parried the two handed blow Link swung toward him and shoved him back again. Link stumbled ever so slightly, his left arm beginning to visibly get heavy from exhaustion. Ganon pressed in, certain that he had Link. To his shock and mild horror, Link moved his sword to his right hand and rolled around Ganon's lunge to swing at a chink in his armor, just below Ganon's left arm. Ganon snapped his arm down and winced as the sword instead clanged with one of Ganon's plates. He wasn't bleeding, but he was certain that there would be a bruise there later. Link then jumped back again, shaking his left arm as if to wake it from sleep and get the feeling back.
Ganon made eye contact with Link. He could see that the smaller man was getting tired, but he could also read the determination to win in his eyes. Link didn't want to lose and let his king and kingdom down. Ganon could respect that. He didn't want to lose either. He stared at Link, willing his eyes to communicate his silent question. Link struck him as the type to be able to read people well and who found words to be frustrating at times. He saw recognition alight in Link's eyes and then his slight nod.
As one, Link and Ganon relaxed and planted their swords in the ground: The sign that they yielded. The soldiers ringing them began to shout in surprise, frustration, and confusion. Apparently they had been hoping to see one of them get bloodied. What none of them realized was that in order for that to happen, he and Link would have to be actively trying, and willing, to kill one another. Link was breathing hard, and Ganon was only mildly surprised to find himself breathing hard as well. It had been a good fight.
Ganon stepped forward and offered his right arm to Link. "That was well fought. Thank you." Link nodded and clasped forearms with Ganon. Ganon smiled to see that Link was familiar the Gerudo way of warriors. Ganon gave Link's arm a slight squeeze and felt the pressure returned. Link was tough and Ganon hoped fervently that they would never be forced to meet on the battlefield as enemies.
"Well done both of you!." Ganon turned from Link to face the king, leaving his sword in the ground. He bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you. Link fought very well. I was wrong to doubt his skill." Link stepped up beside Ganon, bowing to the king from the waist. The king nodded to Link as the smaller man pulled his sword from the ground and then went to reclaim his shield.
The king turned to walk back toward the castle, motioning to Ganon to follow. Ganon, caught off guard, quickly recovered and retrieved his sword, falling into step beside the king. "Ganon, when you came to Hyrule, you wished to forge an alliance between your nation and mine. Is that still your wish?"
Ganon nodded. "Yes. I feel that our two kingdoms would benefit from regular interactions with one another. My people need trade with Hyrule, and we can provide combat advice to your soldiers. We can also provide reliable defense of your Southern border and aid in the event of attack."
The king looked at Ganon and smiled tiredly. "You offer so much in exchange for relatively little. One might think the Gerudo are after more than just Hyrule's trade."
Ganon quickly shook his head. "The Gerudo have done well for ourselves. We do not need much, and the desert quickly teaches you to thrive off of very little. We seek regular trade with Hyrule to help support our population. You might be surprised at how much a Gerudo woman can eat." Ganon said that last with a wry smile. His sisters had out-eaten him more than once while growing up. The king smiled and looked ahead to where Zelda walked, her two guards a few paces behind her.
"I can understand that in some ways. Very well Ganon. I will write to your Queen regarding trade with the Gerudo. You are welcome to stay or go at Hyrule Castle. However," the king looked to where Link was now walking slightly apart from the other soldiers. "I think Link would appreciate a friend or sparring partner who can actually challenge him." Ganon looked to Link. Ganon felt a thrill at being able to spar freely again.
Yes, he thought, it would be good to have Link as a friend. Perhaps he could convince Link to visit the Gerudo Fortress. Little Lidi would like him. So would Mother.
Ganon excused himself and moved over to walk beside Link. "Thank you for that fight. I actually enjoyed it." Link looked up at him and simply smiled and nodded in agreement. Ganon shifted slightly, unsure what to think of Link's lack of words. He tried again. "Perhaps we could spar again sometime?" Link thought about it for a moment and then nodded. Ganon suppressed a sigh. Link apparently didn't like words. Maybe he was actually mute. Ah well. One didn't have to be good with words to be good with the sword.
"Not the training grounds. The forest, tomorrow."
Ganon blinked down at Link is mild shock. So he did speak. Ganon smiled and nodded down at him. "Alright. Tomorrow then."