A/N:I'm sorry the summary sucks. This is a gritty reimagining of the first fanfiction I ever wrote, posted on ffnet as "The Three Rings". It's tagged as rape, though there won't be any explicit scenes in this fic. I honestly hate writing sex scenes. Anyway, I wrote this for me, because this is the kind of story I like to read. But I thought I'd share just in case other people like reading the same thing. I started this version in October of '14, but the original was started back in 2006. Marin has always been my Zelda OC, and though I have her looking just like the LA Marin and she likes to play Ballad of the Wind Fish, she is really nothing like the original Marin.

Ramblings aside, please enjoy.

The sound of footsteps and guards shuffling to correct their uniforms alerted me to Impa's arrival. I was pulling back my hair when she came in, wearing her usual poker face.

"Nice to see you up already, usually when I come you're still in bed."

"Today's the day, isn't it? Thought I should be awake," I replied, working as quickly as I could to put the signature wrappings in my sidelocks.

"Yes, today the delegation from the desert arrives. Though if I had my way, the princess wouldn't be attending the meeting. It's far too risky." Impa walked over to the closet, selecting the best looking of my three gowns. "But it would be considered an insult for the princess to miss such a meeting. So I'm afraid we'll have to utilize your services."

I put my brush down and looked in the mirror. "You think this desert king will fall for it? I may have similar features but I'm a good half decade older than Zelda."

"Oh, Marin, you say that every time." Impa simply smiled. She was the one who recruited me for this job in the first place, when she found me in the forest. I was an orphan and she was escorting the King of Hyrule on his annual prayer expedition to the Sacred Forest temple. As soon as she saw me shoot down a Stalfos with an improvised bomb arrow, she knew I had potential. My similarity to the Royal Family's features was uncanny, and so she convinced the king to let me act as the baby princess's doppelganger. The princess was kept out of the public eye until she was six, and though I was twelve at the time, people believed that I was her.

"Fine. But you'll need to cast that eye enchantment again. This desert king may be uninformed enough to see me as Zelda, but he'll know that there are no green eyed children born from two blues." Impa came over to me and waved her hand over my eyes, using her Sheikah magic to change the color. Once I donned the dress and hair ornaments I looked the part of Zelda- pointy ears, thin nose, and an inquisitive demeanor.

"You look very much like Zelda, a pity your complexions are so different else you would be sisters," Impa said as she put the finishing touches on my attire. The only ones that knew of our ruse were the Royal Family and Impa, and since I always wore a disguise when elsewhere, it was a solid defense.

Impa and I arrived at the throne room, and I took my place beside Queen Liara's throne. I knew little about this desert tribe, only that they were warriors to the core. Their king was supposedly young and arrogant, and I heard that they killed anyone who looked at them the wrong way. So I kept my head bowed when the desert king waltzed in to greet "my father".

"Father" rattled on with the standard treaty language, so when I thought the two kings were paying attention to each other, I stole a glance at the desert man. He was quite the sight to behold, dressed in fine armor that gave off a peaceful look but would protect if need arose. In place of a crown he wore a large gem in the center of his forehead, and I swear I saw tiny little braids woven into his short red hair. His skin was a rich brown, and his eyes were as gold as the land that bore him.

I watched him, mesmerized, until he finally met my gaze. Too startled to look away, we stared at each other for but a second. But it was enough for him to catch something from me, some inkling of my anxiety, perhaps. He smirked, before excusing himself and his entourage.

That night I had trouble sleeping. Something about the man seemed off, but eventually I fell to exhaustion. It was always tough playing the part of the princess, especially since I didn't have the divine gift for learning that she had and had to fumble my way through conversation with the elders.

A hundred screams ripped me from slumber, and I rushed to the window- we were under attack. Part of the castle was smoldering, so I wasted no time grabbing my sword and running for the throne room. The plan always was that in times of peril I would stay in character, hopefully to throw captors off and ensure the princess's survival. But this was no time to sit around cowering, especially when I could be of some use to the castle inhabitants.

"Look! There she is!"

I stopped when I heard someone behind me shouting, and turned to see several women charging me, women I recognized from the desert entourage. They think I'm the princess, fine, but they won't expect me to fight back. It was a struggle but I threw them off, making it further towards the throne room until a large hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

I was suddenly pushed into the wall, with enough force that I dropped my sword. A man resembling a Sheikah stood over me, his maroon eyes nearly draining my soul. Seconds later my strength went out, and I slumped to the floor.

"Ungh..."

My head felt like a bomb went off when I woke, and my stomach felt even worse. I realized that I wasn't in my own bed when I saw the large comforter atop my body, and though I didn't have the energy to move, I could see enough to recognize I was in the solar, the royal bedchamber. But why?

"Let it not be said that my people do not know kindness."

A voice from the corner startled me, and I watched as its owner came out from the shadows. It was the desert king, this time wearing armor fit for battle.

"Where were you running to?" he asked with a smirk, holding up the sword that I dropped. "This is an impressive instrument, but it's a tad too heavy for someone of your stature. I would recommend a short sword or a scimitar over this longsword."

I mumbled under my breath, but was too hazy for a coherent reply. He didn't seem to mind, and continued his speech. "You're very noble, leaving the safety of your room and running off to help the others. A royal trait."

I see. He really does think I'm Zelda. I closed my eyes and retreated into the pillow, hoping he didn't notice that Impa's enchantment had worn off. But my withdrawal was short lived, as my nausea suddenly returned and I heaved over the edge of the bed.

"Ah, it would seem my servant's spell took quite a toll on you. Sheikah magic can be ferocious when used on an unwilling target." The desert king clapped his hands, and a pair of servant women rushed in to clean my mess off the floor. I recognized them, and I think they recognized me, but they rushed out as quickly as they entered. I was shocked; if the desert people took over the castle, why would they spare the workers?

"I'm really impressed with your courage. Were our situations reversed and I the maiden, I doubt I would have charged ahead blind. But you should know, it is the highest compliment to be in your position."

"You mean as a princess about to be used for who knows what?" I mumbled out loud before I realized it, and braced myself for retaliation. But he merely laughed, unsettling me even more.

"No. Where I come from, it is the highest honor to be appointed as a royal guardian."

My eyes widened, and I forced myself to sit up. I should have known better, he was too smart to fall for such a ruse.

"Surprise is written on your face, are you really so shocked that I recognized your tactic? We use it as well, although as the only male of our tribe, I am not so easily imitated."

"Only male? How is that possible?" I must not have heard right.

Ganondorf scoffed. "As expected, you Hylians know nothing of your neighboring countrymen. My kin mate with the other races, of course. Our blood is so strong that it overwhelms their inferior makeup. But every so often it will choose a worthy soul, and a male Gerudo can be born from the union."

I found the subject fascinating. "So what happens if you conceive?"

"Is that an invitation?" He laughed as I grunted in horror. "I can see the hunger for knowledge in your eyes. Fear not, I will tell you what you want to know, should you tell me the things I want to know."

I get it. He kept me alive for information. "If you think I'll tell you anything, you're sorely mistaken."

"You will find it in your best interest to cooperate with me, girl," he barked, walking over and clamping his massive hand over my throat. "Because the alternatives, while not lethal, will leave you wishing for your death."

I woke in what could only be described as a filthy pit, surrounded by dirt and the bones of small animals. I rubbed my neck, and could only imagine the pattern of bruises covering it. I tried standing, but my legs would not hold my weight. It was too dark to see anyway, so I laid there and waited.

Some time later, a kick brought me out of slumber, and I looked up to see the Sheikah again. From his torchlight I could see how horrible my prison really was; bones of long dead prisoners lined the walls.

"Tch, what a waste of time it is for me to come down here. But you heard the Master, death is not your luxury." He tossed a plate on the ground in front of me, then swiftly exited the cell. He placed the torch in a sconce on the wall opposite. "I give that maybe an hour at most, before it burns out. Memorize your cell in that time, 'Princess', because I won't be giving you any more light."

The Sheikah stormed off, leaving me to stare at the rotten plate of slop serving as my sustenance. I couldn't eat it, not once I discovered the bugs crawling through it. I looked around the cell and sighed in relief once I spotted the plank sticking out from the wall. One of the "previous occupants" laid atop it, and I said a prayer to the Goddesses on his behalf as I moved his bones to the floor. I was sick at the thought of laying where this man had died, but it was less sickening than continuing to lay in the pile of shit and bones that was the floor.

The Sheikah (or possibly someone else, I couldn't tell) came once a day to drop off the same plate of scraps. And just like before, I ignored it. I began to waste away, losing my mind in that infernal darkness. Even my dreams had left me, and all I saw was dark. I tried to comfort myself with the thought that I was doing this for Zelda, but even that failed to ease my pain. Slowly, I stopped caring for anything but death...

"I don't know what I can tell you, this one is too far gone for my skills. As it is, I'd say she'll be dead within the hour."

"You call yourself a healer, so heal."

"But I'm telling you, my abilities can't rebuild brittle and spongy bones, nor can they regrow the organs that have most certainly broken themselves down. You'd be doing this girl a favor by simply letting her die."

"She has no right to death. And if you ever talk back to me again, you'll meet the same fate. Now heal her!"

Voices? When did people come into my cell?

"As you wish, My Lord Ganondorf."

Ganondorf... is that the desert king's name? The one voice sounded like his, at least I think so...

I felt a hand around my face, and a few seconds later something wet touching my lips. I started opening my eyes, but was immediately blinded by bright light.

"Oh! Master, did you see?"

A third voice... was that the Sheikah?

"Yes Agahnim, I saw, an involuntary response from being in blackness so long. Shut all the curtains and light only as many candles as necessary for the healer to work with."

The hand around my face shifted, parting my lips. Cool glass was then placed in my mouth, while the other hand massaged my throat to get a sweet liquid into my belly. After a few moments the glass disappeared, and the desert king spoke to me.

"Girl, I know you are awake. Open your eyes and look at me."

I very slowly opened them, afraid of being blinded again. My vision was blurry at first, but I managed to focus on the man in front of me. The desert king, lit by a small candle on the table next to him.

"Ga...non..."

"I prefer Ganondorf over Ganon, but if that's all your tired voice can muster, it will do. You truly are dedicated to your princess, aren't you? But it's a shame, you sacrificed yourself to waste away in that dungeon, and she'll never even know what you've done for her. Such is the fate of royal guardians, never to be acknowledged simply because they don't exist..."

A thought came back to me from the day I was found in the forest, something I had heard the king say. I was an orphan and wouldn't be missed, therefore they could toss Marin's life away in favor of Zelda's. Only now did the meaning hit home. I was literally a ghost.

"Precious little Marin, tell me. Where is Zelda?"

When did I tell him my name? My head hurt, my stomach growled from the tease of sugar water he had given me, and I could feel the healer picking at my dilapidated skin. I wanted relief, and my mind betrayed me.

"...Im...pa..."