Chapter one
The Siege.
Far away, at the end of the hall, a door opens, sending echoes across the stone floor. The royal commanding officer, marches in followed by a small band of soldiers. I look up at him, only for a minute, but even still his eyes meet mine. I see a hint of a grin form on his face, and then it disappears.
He kneels before Mother and Father, holding out his sword before him and putting his head onto his knee. He is still bowed when he starts to speak.
"Your Highness's, has summoned me?"
Father stands up from his throne to address him, "Ganon, you have served the kingdom of Hyrule well, for all of these years… but your actions in Kakariko Village are… Father slumps back into his throne, and chokes back a nervous cough before he continues. "You will…. remain here ..for the time being, You are not to leave Hyrule castle, and I wont have you upsetting citizens. For now, you are dismissed of your duties"
Ganon rises slowly, his huge frame towering over everyone in the room. He wears his dark steel breast plate and armour and his long red cape dusts the floor slightly. He puts both hands on the hilt of his giant sword so that its tip rests on the white marble floor. I look to my Father, the King of Hyrule, as he shifts nervously in his enormous chair.
Ganon stands as straight as an arrow. "Your…. Highness, how else would you have me collect late taxes? Haven't they upset your order by being late" I see that his huge hands are tightly griping the hilt of his sword.
Father adverts his eyes from Ganon's impressive form, and focuses on a lose thread on his royal red tunic, "This is a peaceful kingdom Ganon" he says casually.
I watch the exchange, with halted breath. Eventually father will have to deal with Ganon, who grows bolder everyday. I fear that it may be someday soon when the shaky friendship finally breaks.
"Very well your highness" Ganon reply's dutifully, but when he turns his body, I catch the scowl on his face.
The air feels tight and thick, until the door bangs closed at the far end of the hall. Ganon and his soldiers are gone. Father is visibly distressed, and inside I curse the large cowardly man he has become. He immediately rises and takes leave, Mother follows him quickly, only pausing briefly to bow slightly to the few men and soldiers. I follow them, knowing I must speak to Father.
When we are alone, just the three of us, I am unable to hold my tongue, "Father, you must do something about Ganon before it is too late"
"Zelda, he is the commander of the army, he has served this kingdom well for many years." Father's voice is mechanical, it is the same response I have heard again and again.
"Why don't you just admit that he has become a problem, and that…." mother cuts me off mid sentence.
"Zelda! Enough! the room goes silent. "Perhaps, you should go outside, to the gardens, it is a beautiful day."
"Yes Mother"
I gather up my skirts, and nod politely, but inside I am seething. If he wasn't stopped, Ganon was going to be more trouble then they realized.
From the walled garden, I can hear the bustling city. The flowers in the garden are beautiful, and when you are in it, at first, it feels like a paradise of never-ending mazes of tall shrubs and marble fountains. Yet, it is not limitless, and it is not paradise, for it surrounded by tall stone walls.
I think of the day that Link came and we snuck under the rear wall. We spent hours roaming the streets of castle town. Outside was dirty and congested. There were no topiary shaped as lions and bears or beautiful golden fountains. The ground was muddy and the air sometimes smelled of pigs and chickens, but still it had been the best day of my life.
Before Link came, I never thought of the garden and the castle as small, but now the walls of the garden seemed to crushing me so tightly, I can feel the breath slipping from my lungs. Almost a year ago now, I saw him, climbing the wall the castle, I had been sixteen then, and Link just a few years older then me. Link came often and told me about all the things he had done and seen. He was always traveling the world, having amazing adventures.
I hear a whisper in the trees. "Zelda" I look for the voice but see nothing.
"Over here" it comes again.
I see his green tunic, next to a tall line of shrubs. His tousled blond hair under the brim of his green hat.
He steps out into the bright sun and shields his eyes. His sword reflects the sunlight like a crystal. Together, we sneak into the castle store rooms, because they are always deserted. There is no need for soldiers to guard sacks of grain.
Link pulls out his long sword and looks at it long and hard before leaning up against the wall. "I'm going to leave again, something is going on at Lake Hylia, It's drying up"
I feel the tears welling up in my eyes, "Your leaving again…"
Link's hand is on my shoulder, "Zelda…don't cry"
He pulls me to him, and kisses me.
I sob into his shoulder. "Why do you have to leave again? I love you"
He cups my face in his soft hands, "Someone has to protect Hyrule, Zelda"
I look at the ground shyly "I know that, its just that… I miss you…and who will protect me when your gone?"
I can feel his hand undoing the laces on the back of my dress. "I'm the only one you need protection from"
My dress falls to the floor, and I am scarcely aware of his hands unfastening his trousers.
"Don't be silly link. Stay here, Link please, I can't bear it when you are gone
"Where should I stay, Zelda?" he whispers into my neck.
He is kissing my neck gently, and I am starting to forget my sadness "In the castle, with me…..we could be married."
"Zelda….. you are a princess, you can't marry me, I am just a…boy…. From… the forest…" he stammers, as he pushes inside me.
"Oh Link" I moan, and the fact that he is leaving tomorrow is temporarily forgotten.
When he is on top of me, I look up at his shaggy blond hair and his soft lips. I watch lovingly as his green eyes close tight, and he groans softly. How can I ever be without you?
As soon as he is finished we start dressing. I pull my dress back on and wrestle with the laces in the back. Then I can feel links hands on mine tying the laces tightly, and I start to cry. I can't help it. I can't stand to think of being with out Link, even for one day and I know it will be longer.
"Zelda" his hand is brushing the tears from my cheek. "I wont be gone forever" his thumb wipes away a fallen tear. "Come, lets go before some one realizes your gone"
We sneak back out to the garden and link kisses me again quickly, before climbing back over the wall. "I'll be back soon," he calls as he disappears behind the castle wall. Ever since, the day he had first kissed me, the sight of him disappearing beyond the wall brought tears to my eyes. I had fallen in love with him and seeing him occasionally was no longer enough for me.
I take my time walking back to the castle, pausing to stare up at the sky and dream of the day when Link and I can be together. Night starts to fall over Hyrule, and tiny stars appear In the hazy grey sky. A light rain starts to fall and I take cover in the cloisters. Missing the sun shining through the small windows the stone pathways are almost all dark and so quiet, I can hear the soft steps of my cloth shoes on the stone. I shiver and rub my forearms at the sudden chill brought on by the rain and the night.
A figure steps out of the shadows in front of me. "Hello… little Princess
I stop. My heart starts hammering fiercely in my chest, I know that voice, Ganon.
He steps out of the shadows and start walking toward me, his heavy iron boots scraping the stone floor.
My feet instinctively step backwards, I remember Father's cowardice earlier, and I feel a lump of anger fill my throat "What do you want Ganon?"
"What kind of hello is that?" his voice is deep and thick, fitting for a man of his size, but frightening in the dark. He moves closer very slowly and I know he is toying with me. Time feels like it is in slow motion. I am not of afraid of him, I am not afraid.
"I don't have time for this" I say, ashamed to hear my voice squeak a little.
He is standing very close now and I can see that he is so tall I would have to look up to see his face.
"I have to go." I say sharply, stepping to the right of him. He puts his large hand on my tiny wrist and squeezes. I can feel his fingers close around my wrist, and fight the fear that welling up inside me.
"Get your hands of me!" I shout, as I try to yank my arm free, but he is too strong.
His hand tightens on my wrist, "I just want to talk to you"
His voice is a sickening whisper "Can you do that Little Princess? Just talk to me for one minute?" He steps to his right a little so he is once again standing in front of me.
"Stay away from me" I hiss at him, my mind is spinning, "My father told you already, I don't want to marry you!"
I yank my arm again but he pulls it back, "Oh yes, I remember, Did you think I'd forgotten, Little Princess? You turned down my marriage proposal. It's a pity really, things could have been different between you and me, although honestly I didn't really expect you to say yes, Little Princess….I just wanted to make a …..lets say easier transition…"
"I am your Princess! Princess Zelda! You will address me as such!" I say my voice once again becoming strong.
He leans down and I can feel his mouth is next to my ear, "I am truly very sorry your Highness….I do wonder though….If you make your forest boy call you Princess Zelda? Do you make him call you your highness, when he is fucking you?"
"Get away from me!" I scream, as loud as I can, and finally yanking my wrist free, I start running and don't stop or look back until I am safe inside the castle.
"What's wrong your highness" a guard asks me immediately.
"Ganon! Find him! He is to be.. arrested at once! Find my father right now! I am out of breath so I follow the guards slowly. But I burst through the study door.
"Father! Father! Where are you!" I yell loudly.
"Here, Zelda, I'm right here calm down, what's wrong?"
"It's Ganon, he just attacked me, outside, in the cloisters"
Fathers face drops.
"He is out of control!" I scream "you must do something now! He must be stopped!" I show him my wrist which is now turning purple where Ganon grabbed me.
Hours later, after a search of the whole castle turns up nothing. The castle sleeps uneasily. I know, he is out there somewhere, and the thought of his dark eyes and his large hand on my wrist haunts my dreams.
The next day at court it is decided that he has run off. . Ashamed and afraid, he had fled the castle. Most likely to the Gerudo camp in the desert. Father, being the coward, I know him to be, excepted this idea wholeheartedly. Even though I feel better knowing that the search for Gannon, has turned up nothing, I know his absence is not to be treated lightly.
"We will find him, don't worry Zelda" the guardsmen swear while we sit at court. Mother and Father sit on the throne. Fathers face is pale and shows the wear of last nights ordeal.
The colorful glass windows, grow suddenly dark, despite it being only late afternoon and howls of wind, and pounding rain sound in the hall. I see the fear cross fathers eyes and then I feel the familiar lump of fear swell in my throat as well.
The needlework I am working on, falls from my hand, as the giant oak door at the end of the hall, flies open. Winds and darkness pour into the hall, like the raging waters of the stormy sea. Gusts of wind bring autumn leaves swirling across the marble floor, led by Ganon himself.
"Seize him!" Father yells, louder then I had ever heard him.
But Ganon is not alone, his sides are flanked by a small army of….. UN-dead. I I watch in horror as living skeletons wielding swords and toting heavy iron shields cut down the royal guardsmen one after another. I run to mother and father, falling at their knees, as Ganon approaches.
"Move her!" Ganon commands of his skeletal army, and I feel a bony hand clasp on my wrist and I am being dragged away.
"Let go of me!" I scream. The room is spinning, I see the littered bodies of the guards haphazardly skew on the floor. Streams of monsters are pouring in the open door. Farther away, I hear the sounds of fighting and screaming.
Ganon is dressed in full battle armor. His heavy iron boots clank loudly on the floor as he approaches the throne.
"Ah brave King, always at your throne. If you weren't such a weak man, perhaps you'd have seen this coming. I'm afraid to tell you, I have out grown my appointment as Tax collector and guard dog of Hyrule. Since you are so fond of your throne I thought I might let you stay here. You may think of it, as… a thank you for all the years I've known you"
I see Gannon hold out his hand flat, and the black magic that is floating up from his palm.
"Ganon, you must stop this! Father is yelling. I hear the clashing of swords, from every direction and I feel like I am underwater.
The black magic is floating toward mother and father. I kick and scream trying to break free from the skeletons grasp.
"No! Mother, Father! Ganon, Stop this!" I cry out just as the first tendrils of magic swirl around their feet. They are becoming stone.
The magic crawls up mothers leg first, then fathers, its happening too fast. "Zeld…" Father tries to say but his face turns to stone before he can finish. Mother and father are stone statues sitting on their thrones. Fathers mouth is open, frozen in time, as he tries to finish his last word. Zelda
The skeleton hand releases me and I collapse to the ground, Sobbing uncontrollably. Then I am up and running towards Gannon.
"You killed them! You monster! I can barely see through my tears. I try to claw at his face but he easily grabs hold of arms and restrains me. His hands are on my shoulders holding me steady. I turn quickly, and squirm from his grasp and my nails find his face. He shoves me away roughly and I fall to the floor. Gannon's hands go to his face, and he pulls away bloody finger tip. "Take her to the tower"
A skeleton is dragging me away, and it is hideous. I kick and fight but can't break free. "I will kill you for this Gannon!" I scream
Under the watchful eye of monsters, two frightened castle maids, tie me to the bed in the highest tower, each foot and each arm.