Preface

The salmon colored sky faded away into the dark clutches of the night. The ghost of light seemed to only linger above the horizon, proudly held by the moon. As oppose to the night before, the glaze of shimmering stars was replaced by ribbons of clouds. The lake's reflection seemed significantly duller than the glass-like state it once had been not an hour ago. Tree branches loomed over each other as though they were battling for dominance.

Fog began to crawl in from the darkened forest and tumbled over itself like an avalanche of mist. In Hyrule, such ominous sights were scarce. Tonight was like a sickness to an otherwise peaceful, joyous community. The unpropitious night didn't escape the mind of the restless princess, peering out a stain-glassed window, desperate for a clearer view.

The young princess knew she shouldn't have been out of her bed, but the warmth and plushness of her mattress supplied her with no comfort tonight. The moonlight had just reached her window, but she still felt as though she was in the presence of a monster in the dark.

Monster.

The second the word crossed her mind, the little girl gasped and leapt away from her window. Her blue eyes scanned her room as though she were expecting a beast from the black abyss of the corners of her bedchamber to step into the light. She held herself and began to run for her door. As soon as her small hand reached for the knob, she practically turned and threw herself out the door at the exact same time. A wave of relief washed over her as she felt the glow of the corridor lanterns.

"Father?" She weakly whimpered, fumbling with her nightgown. Her legs were still too short for her own attire. She stubbornly grasped the fabric and hoisted her dress up so she could fumble forward. She knew he was discussing political matters with a "friend," but she couldn't help herself; she needed a hand to tuck her in other than the servants.

After a few careful strides, she managed to tiptoe her way to a staircase that would take her down to the Great Hall. The cold stones sent shivers up her spine, so she quickened her pace. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, she could see the entrance to the Great Hall which was now illuminated by an orange glow.

She could hear voices over the crackle of the fire. The young princess didn't know whether to smile because she had finally reached the safety of her father, or be wary that she would now have to face a stranger as well. However, she figured that any friend of her father's would be a trustworthy person.

Carefully, she tiptoed down the corridor until she was right at the archway. A light smile crossed her thin lips as she saw her father sitting at his grand desk, across from the fireplace. Despite finding the man she had been looking for, she couldn't help but notice the other man in the room.

This one had just stood to his feet from an arm chair and made heavy strides over to the mantle. He placed a hand on the smooth stone bordering the only source of warmth. His blood-orange hair sank down the back of his neck, and slicked back in such a way that it wouldn't get in his way. His thick brows were pulled down in a hard line, parallel to his narrow eyes that nearly reflected the firelight. There was a hint of red stubble lining his face. What struck the princess completely off-guard was his size; this had to be the tallest man she had ever seen! His broad shoulders and strong stance made him appear as though he were a human brick wall, standing at about 7'6".

"King Daltus," The larger man began. His voice startled the girl; it was a voice that demanded authority. This stranger's voice was smooth and alluring, but was as strong as the winter wind that blew through the tree tops. If she hadn't known any better, she would've believed that the Goddesses themselves have gifted him with this voice to turn calmest man's blood cold. "we are a proud people, so I'm sure you can understand that my presence isn't because of a simple draft or lack of sustenance. We require the western land in order to maintain balance and peace between your society and my own."

"I'm afraid I don't understand how you - " The king stopped in mid-sentence as his eyes suddenly fixed on his daughter. "Zelda?"

Princess Zelda grinned at her father, blushing. She glanced over at the large man who was now drawing his own attention to the new arrival.

"Hello, father." Zelda greeted, lovingly. She took a shy step forward into the light as her father stood from his chair to meet her.

"My dear," He began, chuckling while taking a few strides to meet her. He knelt down, and placed a hand on either shoulder. "is something the matter? You should be asleep."

Instead of answering the question, Zelda gave an inquisitive look at the goliath standing by the fireplace. The smile faded from her mouth as she now felt his eyes on her. Daltus met her gaze, and gave a halfhearted laugh.

"Oh, don't be afraid, little one." Her father replied, patting her small cheek. "I haven't introduced you to this man. My sweet princess, given the circumstances, I would now like to introduce you to the King of Gerudo Valley."

Zelda's curious eyes fell back to the stranger. She grew wary the longer she stared at him; he didn't smile nor offer a welcoming aura. His skin was a grayish green color, similar to that of a crocodile.

"Pleasure to meet you." She managed, giving him a small, clumsy curtsy.

A small smile grew on his lips, but that only sent a shiver down her spine.

"Such a polite young lady." He mused in a deep voice. "To whom do I owe the pleasure of meeting?"

"King Ganondorf," Daltus addressed him by his name. "I'd like for you to meet my daughter, Princess Zelda."

Ganondorf's smile twitched, but didn't fade. He gave a low bow, but never lowered his eyes.

"I'm honored." Ganondorf murmured. Zelda couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something empty in his words. "She's quite beautiful. Her mother must've been a sublime woman."

"Indeed, she was sublime." The king replied, allowing a hint of sadness leak into his words. He drew his attention back to his daughter. "Was there something you wanted, love?"

Zelda allowed one of her hands entangle itself in her oak tresses before muttering a few words about how she had grown scared of her own room. Daltus chuckled, and stroked her small arms.

"I have to finish this discussion with King Ganondorf," He replied, calmly. "so how about I find you someone who'll stay in your chambers with you until you fall asleep?"

Zelda gave a sheepish smile, but nodded in agreement. Her father stroked her cheek with his thumb one last time before exiting the room. Now alone with the stranger, Zelda's cheeks burned red. She twisted her hair even harder and bit her lip. She didn't bother to try to conceal the fact that she was shamelessly staring at the man before her.

Ganondorf frowned and stared into the fire. His muscular build became more pronounced as the light of the fire outlined his every feature and dent in his armor and skin.

"Your father is a smart man." He piped up after a few moments of awkward silence. "I can only imagine that a lovely young lady, such as yourself, is equally intelligent."

Zelda furrowed her brows.

"Intelligent?" She queried, taking a cautious step towards the towering man.

A smile crossed his lips again as his smoldering eyes met hers.

"Yes." He simply replied. "How many years have you?"

"Eight." Zelda chirped, rocking on her heels. "My brother is next in line for the thrown. He has twelve years. How old are you?"

"Older than most." Ganondorf chuckled. The sound of his laughter crackled and popped like the flames that grew and stretched in the fireplace. Zelda didn't understand his reaction, but Ganondorf seemed to be making it clear that he wasn't going to let her in on the joke. He appeared to be significantly younger than her father, but certainly older than herself.

"How long have you known my father?" She queried, taking a few careful strides towards the guest. She cocked her head to the side, both because she was curious, and because it was hard for her to see his face without making some adjustments. The armor he wore didn't make seeing him any easier.

"You're a very curious child," He mused, allowing a crooked smile to cross his face. "Yet you are the bearer of wisdom."

Zelda smiled at his response. "I suppose."

King Ganondorf carefully lowered himself so he could kneel to see the small princess at a more appropriate angle. He rested an armor-clad forearm on his knee as he greeted her on a more personal level. At this point, Zelda could see his face a bit more clearly. His fiery hair encircled his face like a lion's mane, highlighting his darkened face. The shadows outlining his eyes revealed two golden orbs reflecting her own face.

Absentmindedly, she reached a hand out and touched a few of his locks. He rumbled a small laugh. Just as soon as he realized what he was doing, his lips curled downward and he glanced away. Zelda took note of his behavior, but she also noted that he didn't recoil.

"A very curious child." He repeated, rolling his eyes.

"I like your hair." The young princess murmured, petting his hair. Her small hands began to separate a few bunches of hair from the rest of the mane, and started to braid the pieces. "Can I play with it?"

"I believe it's a little late to ask for permission." Ganondorf mumbled, quirking a brow. However, he tolerated the child's meddling, and rested his chin on his fist. A smile flickered on his face for just a split second. To Zelda, it seemed like he was focusing on something but kept getting distracted. "Eight years?"

"Yes, sir." The young princess chirped, politely. A shiver ran up her spine when he asked.

"You're very young." He noted, emptily. His eyes lulled as though he were in deep thought.

"Perhaps to you." Zelda giggled, trying to ease the tension. However, something about the way he murmured his thoughts made her feel like something was amiss. It was as though her appearance had stopped him from fulfilling a task. Be that as it may, she knew she couldn't bestow judgement upon someone of whom she could only assume was innocent. "Does my age bother you?"

He blinked as though he were coming out of a trance, and his eyes focused on the small being.

"No." He grunted, clipping her chin with his large hand. "I must've forgotten your father had a child."

"Children." Zelda corrected.

Ganondorf paused before giving a small unintelligible rumble. The princess uneasily brought her eyes back to her handiwork. She was about to tie the braid with a ribbon she had in her own hair before she was stopped by a much larger hand, clasping her tiny one.

"Don't." Ganondorf grumbled. Zelda blinked at his response, causing him to remove his hand. "I'm certain it can hold its own."

"Yes, sir." Zelda murmured. That's when she took a closer look at the hand that had once clasped her own. "Your hands are so much larger than mine!"

Ganondorf frowned, looking at one hand. "I suppose it is."

Without thinking, Zelda gingerly tugged at his hand and placed her hand in his to get a better measurement. Her eyes bulged as she saw that her fingers just reached the edges of his palms.

Ganondorf chuckled at her response before recoiling his hand.

"In the Gerudo Valley," He started. "You would be called 'Zewaųni Žų Fípsme Do.' That means -"

"Brunette girl of small body." Zelda interjected.

Ganondorf's brows nearly shot into his widow's peak.

"You speak Gerudo?" He stated it more as a fact than as a question.

Zelda nodded and folded her hands in front of her. "Müs Egra." She replied in his native tongue, saying "not a lot."

"Swank." He mused. When she cocked her head to the side, a small smile spread across his face. "Impressive, I mean."

"Princess Zelda?" A voice from behind her chimed.

The young princess turned away from the large guest. Impa, her nursemaid, stood in the archway, patiently. Zelda gave her a polite smile and took a few cautious steps towards her. Her father emerged from behind Impa with a pleasant smile. This was when Zelda took notice of the bags under her father's eyes and the grayish pigment of his skin. He looked stressed.

"Beautiful Zelda," Her father sighed, softly. "Impa will stay with you until you can fall asleep."

"No monster in this entire world will harm you." Impa assured Zelda, offering her elbow.

Zelda smiled, warmly, and reached a small hand up to link around Impa's dainty, mature elbow. She glanced over her shoulder to see the guest one last time. By this time, he had gotten to his feet and stared after her, almost regrettably. She watched as his hand went to the braid she had made in his hair, and started to pull it apart. Her eyes fell to her feet in disappointment. She reckoned that Ganondorf probably thought that such a petty thing as a braid a child made for him served him no purpose, and deemed it unnecessary to keep around.

"Now," She heard her father continue. "we can aid you in other ways, but the land must remain Hylian. Especially since you're asking for a huge piece of land that's highly populated."

Hearing this, Zelda dropped Impa's arm and scampered back into the Great Hall.

"Princess!" Impa protested, turning on a heel to try to catch the runaway.

"Why would you want our land?" The young girl asked without thinking. The two occupants of the room turned to the girl in disbelief.

"Zelda," Her father spoke in a precarious tone. "you should be headed back to your chambers."

"Father, is their land dying?" She asked, worriedly.

Ganondorf snorted as if to say "what a childish question."

"No, Zelda." Daltus replied, sternly. "The land is not dying, I assure you."

"Is the population rising at a dangerous rate?" She questioned.

"No." Daltus snapped. "That's why my friend is here, negotiating."

"There's no need to negotiate if he has all of the land needed." The young princess argued. Her eyes flickered to the man by the fireplace. He glowered at her and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I believe that's not the concern of a tiny child." He growled, flashing his gold eyes.

"But Hyrule is home to so many. Would you remove them from their homes?" Zelda asked, angrily.

Ganondorf smirked at the small girl. "Perhaps."

Daltus stared at Ganondorf in confusion. "You would?"

"If the land becomes part of Gerudo property," Ganondorf continued to explain. "then perhaps some will have to leave to make room for some of our people."

"We'd welcome your people, sir." Zelda assured Ganondorf. "Why would you require the ownership of the land?"

"Why, indeed." Daltus murmured, placing a hand to his chin. "I can't imagine you would want to change the land too much in the first place."

"Aye." Ganondorf muttered, sparing a glance at the king. "So what would be the harm?"

"We could provide you with new lodging and farmland, if that would help." Daltus bargained. "But removing hylians from their homes, Ganondorf… That's unreasonable."

Ganondorf scowled. "Can you not provide them with different lodging?"

Zelda stared at the man in disbelief. "That's rude."

"Impa!" Daltus snapped, allowing his eyes to focus on the woman behind Zelda. "If you don't remove Zelda from this room right now-"

"Yes! Yes, of course!" Impa stammered. Despite the fact that Zelda didn't protest, Impa still felt the need to pick up the little girl and carry her away.

Zelda's mouth had gone dry. This was the first time that she had ever had the thought that the land could be lost. Of course, she wouldn't mind if her father agreed to hand over some land to Ganondorf if Ganondorf would be willing to have the occupants keep their homes. However, something about the man her father was negotiating with told her that he had more sinister intentions.