AGAINST THE DARKNESS
The land of Hyrule was a bright, joyous place. The people believed they were sufficiently protected by the flimsy Castle Guard. Ganondorf stared out at the rolling, green plain of Hyrule Field. In just a few, short months there would be nothing left but blackened bones and the charred remains of civilization. Hyrule would be nonexistent. He turned away from the sickening sight. If Hyrule was to live on, then he would have to do something about the fragile hearts and bodies of the Hyruleans.
Zelda sighed dreamily. In just a few days she would be married to Link and the Queen of Hyrule. Her heart fluttered every time she thought about it. She would finally be Queen and make her mother proud. Her mother, who's dying wish had been for Zelda to follow her heart and up until now, Zelda's heart had been leading her to the throne.
"Princess! Princess Zelda!" Impa said sternly.
Zelda snapped out of her fantasy and turned her attention to her bodyguard.
"Do you have any idea what I was just saying?" Impa asked.
"Something about the geographical location of Lake Hylia?" Zelda asked weakly.
Impa shook her head sadly.
"We will continue your lesson when your head ISN'T in the clouds!"
Zelda nodded and trudged upstairs. What had Impa been blathering about? Obviously it wasn't anything too important. Zelda laid her head on the windowsill and stared at the cottony white clouds. Except… there were no fluffy clouds to look at. She stood up and took a closer look at the pitch-black storm clouds. They were unnatural. Evil.
Zelda rad down the spiral staircase as fast as she could in high heels and a silken gown. She needed to find out what the source of this disturbance was.
Lucky her, the source was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
His eyes were pure gold but as icy as a world plunged into darkness. His hair ruthless flames. His skin a perfect bronze colour. It was note other than Lord Ganondorf of the Gerudo.
Zelda was in awe of this wicked display of beauty. She stood completely still. Wordlessly, Ganondorf slung her over his shoulder. She was much too dangerous to leave free.
The Castle Town was in complete turmoil. Gerudo soldiers and monsters were bent on beating the Hylians into total submission. Ganondorf and the stunned princess left the ruins of the once prosperous Castle Town. All of the other communities Zelda could see were also being consumed by fire. Zelda whimpered softly. Just before her wedding day Hyrule hand to be taken over by this… this malevolent, cunning, and devilishly handsome man!
She was set down on the ground and Ganondorf took out a thick rope and bound her hands behind her back. Zelda cursed herself for being so goddessdamned submissive.
"You represent all freedom and hope," Ganondorf growled.
Zelda bit her lip. Ganondorf slung her over a large, black horse. She made a discomforted noise in her throat but she wasn't about to say something to anger her captor lest, she put herself in a worse situation.
The horse was fast and it took all of the Princess's willpower not to up-chuck her lunch. When they reached Gerudo Valley she was back over the shoulder.
"Shoulder, horse, shoulder," Zelda thought.
The Princess had never been to Gerudo Valley before. And it was much, much more beautiful than she imagined. The sand was like powdered gold and the vibrant violets and scarlets the Gerudos wore dazzled her eyes like the sun, itself. Zelda's breath caught in her throat as she took it all in. She barely had time to enjoy the scenery before she was thrown into a desolate room.
The room was not dark or dank but it was small with a petite bed in one corner. Zelda sat down and blew a small golden colored strand of hair out of her face. What in Hyrule did Ganondorf want with her? She was just a vapid, self-centered, blonde.
"This doesn't make sense!" Zelda whined.
Of course it didn't, the Princess didn't know all that was at play here...
Ganondorf sat in a large leather chair, sketching out a detailed attack plan. But for some reason, he just couldn't focus. Every so often, his attention wavered to the girl sitting in the West Wing. He tried to shake the distraction out of his head. She was irrelevant. She just needed to be kept in captivity until they were defeated. But would that really be the most effective way. Ganondorf furrowed his brow. It was risky, but if he could pull it off it would make his job a hell of a lot easier.
Ganondorf strode up to the secluded room that now belonged to the Princess. He pushed open the door to see Zelda sitting on her bed.
"Perfect timing," she said drily. "I just got bored of banging my head against the wall,"
"Hopefully it didn't make you stupider than you already are," Ganondorf sneered.
Zelda opened and closed her mouth several times before muttering dirty things under her breath.
"Princess, what do you see?" Ganondorf asked gesturing out the window.
"A wall,"
"Past that,"
Zelda turned to him with a puzzled expression. Ganondorf touched the back of Zelda's hand. The Triforce symbol burned bright.
The wall involuntarily disappeared. A large plain of sand stretched out before her eyes. And at the very, very edge, so small it might not be there, a dark, jagged city rose up.
The wall reappeared.
"What… What was that?" Zelda asked.
"The accursed capital of the Dragonda," Ganondorf growled.
Zelda nodded.
"Princess, I need your help," he demanded.
"Me? But I'm weak…I… What do you need help with?!" Zelda stammered.
"Hyrule is weak and when the Dragonda attack there will be nothing left," Ganondorf said spitefully.
Zelda blinked several times. If what Ganondorf was saying was true, than it was her duty as Princess to help him save Hyrule. But if his words were false…
It was a big risk either way.
Zelda extended her left hand to Ganondorf.
"I'll help you,"
Zelda stared down at the outfit lying on her bed. She knew Gerudo fashions were different than Hylians but she hadn't expected… this. It was a high collared black dress with a split leg and a jagged hem-line. Zelda gingerly slipped into her new ensemble. Immediately she felt different, empowered.
Zelda rested her slender, manicured hand to the doorknob. It swung open freely. Zelda smiled. After a mere day Ganondorf trusted her enough not to run away. She descended the stairs softly and carefully. One Gerudo head turned to her, then another until everyone was staring at the raven-clothed princess.
Ganondorf strode into the room applauding slowly and loudly. A dark, pink blush settled on Zelda's cheeks. Ganondorf brushed his hand across Zelda's face. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Ganondorf slipped his arms around Zelda's waist holding her captive to his chest. Zelda felt so alive. Link's affection hand never made her feel like this. Her heart hammered in her chest so fast and loud she was sure all of Hyrule was deafened by it. Zelda pulled away simply to catch her breath. Ganondorf smirked and turned heel.
Zelda put her fingers to her lips. She was simply…shell-shocked. A dreamy smile played across her face. She turned away and floated up the stairs on a cloud of romance. Maybe being kidnapped wouldn't be so bad after all. One kiss. That's all it took. She had fallen under his spell. But why? What in Hyrule did Ganondorf see in her? It was obvious but Zelda didn't want to admit it. He was feeding her lies just so he could have her, own her. No. That couldn't be right. She had seen the Dragonda city! It must be true.
Zelda looked out the window at the wall that confined everyone to Hyrule. The adrenaline from Ganondorf's touch was still running free through her body.
"Mother is this what you meant?" Zelda called out.
Of course, no one answered.
Zelda's mind told her that falling in love with Ganondorf was much too dangerous for a woman of her stature. But her heart begged her to fall in head first.
It was decided. Come morning she would help Ganondorf to the best of her ability save Hyrule.
"Princess, get up!" Ganondorf growled.
Zelda sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"What's happening?" Zelda moaned.
"They're here!"
"Already?" Zelda gasped.
Ganondorf tugged her out of bed and pulled her across the room as the walls began to crumble around them. It was the Castle Town attack ten-fold. The fire that consumed everything in it's path was dark black and violet. Zelda coughed at the smell of smoke only to realize that the deadly flames had started to burn her dress. She screamed and Ganondorf swept her up and made a break for it. The foul stench of decaying flesh and smoke was too much for the poor princess to bear, she found herself with her face buried in Ganondorf's chest.
Outside an army of monsters waited for their master's command.
"What is this?" Zelda inquired.
"Hyrule, I'm glad I got this done as soon as I did," Ganondorf snarled.
"Hyrule?! Ganondorf, if we get out of this alive you have to change them back!" Zelda begged.
Ganondorf stared down into Zelda's crystalline blue eyes. Yet another promise. It was highly unlikely that they would live but if they did…
"Fine. But only if we make it out,"
"Thank you," Zelda breathed.
Ganondorf set her down on the ground.
"Get a sword, we've a whole army to decapitate,"
Zelda scrambled to an abandoned weapons rack. She snatched up a red-hot silver sword. It scorched her hands but she needed something to fight with.
The Dragonda were waiting for them. They were scaly, flaming insects with pitch black, soulless eyes. And there were hundreds upon thousands of them all waiting to tear away at the accursed outsiders. Zelda whimpered softly and her hands began to tremble. Ganondorf grasped one of her hands in his own.
"You murdered our Queen. You shall suffer as we have suffered, feel every second of our excruciating pain, cry out as your life becomes a living hell," clicked a Dragonda on the front line.
Ganondorf remained silent, his eyes narrowed to slits.
"CHARGE!" he yelled.
The bloodiest battle Hyrule had ever known ensued. Zelda, for she had no idea how to fight, attempted to slip under the radar but was not left unscathed. The Dragonda each had the strength of ten Iron Knuckles. Zelda gasped in pain as one of their claws cut across her back. Zelda whirled around and stabbed the monster in it's insect stomach. Blood spurted all over her face. She wiped it away and tried to maneuver her way back to Ganondorf. He was battling four large Dragonda all at once. Zelda rushed in and put up her slender sword as a barrier.
A Dragonda sliced through the sword cleanly and swiftly. It clattered to the ground leaving the princess defenseless. She scrambled to the shelter of Ganondorf. Hyrulean and Dragonda blood alike flew throughout the air almost constantly, but Hyrule had a chance. The number of Dragonda was actually dwindling but for every one Dragonda death, three Hyruleans died. But most of the foul bug's attention was directed towards the Gerudo King and the Hylian Princess.
Ganondorf stood up and began to fight off some of the surrounding Dragonda. A nearby insect took advantage of the moment and pierced it's long, sharp claw through Zelda's stomach.
She shrieked in pain and collapsed to the ground. The pain that wracked her body was unspeakable. Ganondorf rushed to her side a panicked and enraged look on his face. Zelda moaned and her vision swam.
"Ganondorf…I…love..you," she rasped.
Her head lolled to the side and her body lay motionless.
What started as a low rumble like thunder from the Gerudo King grew into an animal-like wail of despair that shook mountains and pierced the Heavens.
Nayru stared down at the tragic, bloody scene below.
"Sisters, I believe it is time," she whispered.
"Nayru! You mustn't!" Farore insisted.
Nayru shook her head.
"Wisdom and Power are meant to be together,"
The goddess descended to the bloody battlefield. She looked at the young princess.
"You deserve life, you are too young and the fate of Hyrule rests upon your shoulders," Nayru said.
She touched Zelda's heart gently and briefly and the Goddess of Wisdom burst to golden dust.
Zelda's eyes fluttered open.
"I love you too, Princess Zelda," Ganondorf whispered.
Ganondorf leaned in and pressed his lips to Zelda's.
A world with only two goddesses.
Was the life of a simple girl worth all the world's law?
TO BE CONTINUED...