Two Months Earlier

Ganondorf leaned his shoulder on the wooden fence post and yawned as he watched animals graze in the enclosure. His draft bay mare towered comically over the ponies and sheep next to her, what a fine animal she was. The hills around the stable were covered with thick tall grass and little white flowers, the only thing that broke the endless green besides the blue sky was the sight of a few trees and buildings in the distance. Beyond the hills he could see several towers which he knew belonged to Hyrule Castle.

He'd been in Hyrule before of course, but never in the central portion of it. He often went to Faron in order to trade, the people there were always kind and welcoming to him and his sisters, they even celebrated similar holidays. Here in the central area people kept their distance and held tightly onto their bags as if they thought he planned on robbing them. How ridiculous.

An impressive white stallion with a cloaked rider came barreling down the gray brick road and only showed signs of slowing when it arrived at the stable. When Ganondorf saw it had flashy golden and violet tack he rolled his eyes in annoyance, surely there had to be less conspicuous steeds somewhere within the royal stables. He whistled for his own horse and he climbed onto her saddle once he freed her from the pen. He patted her neck twice and looked behind him and saw the cloaked Hylian do the same, that was the signal he was looking for. The rider passed him without so much as a glance, he urged his mare into a canter and he followed the white stallion.

Just as the letter he received a week ago said the rider turned down a narrow path, he rode by it and veered toward a winding path that led through the forest. Everything about this screamed trap, but if the letter wasn't from the princess then he didn't know who it could have been from. He didn't have any enemies and his people had been nothing but peaceful with the Hylians for decades now. In case this ended up being some malicious ploy he did have his swords readily accessible on his waist.

The path finally ended and he was greeted to the sight of a clear pool of water with various flowers and bushes growing around it. The stallion was happily munching on some plants, his rider was nowhere to be seen. Ganondorf dismounted and let his mare drink from the cool water, his hands hovered over his swords as he looked at the trees around him for any signs of life. This was stupid, he didn't know why he agreed to this.

Just as he was about ready to call over his mare so he could leave and forget this ever happened, he felt the tip of a blade resting dangerously between his shoulder blades. He could have easily turned around to disarm the person, but he decided to play along out of curiosity.

"State your name and business." the voice commanded.

"Ganondorf Dragmire, as you can see I'm taking a stroll through the woods."

"What's the code word?" he recognized that from the letter, he lowered his hands knowing this encounter would be a friendly one.

"Truffles." he responded and the blade retreated. "Honestly, wasn't that a little overkill?"

"I had to ensure you weren't a spy from the castle." Ganondorf turned around and was face to face with Princess Zelda.

"I can't imagine there are many Hylian spies who look like Gerudo men." he pointed out but the princess seemed unfazed by his retort. Ganondorf shifted uncomfortably and eventually sat down on a mossy fallen tree. He messed with his braid and sighed when Zelda continued to watch him from where she rigidly stood. "What is so important that you had me come all the way to Central Hyrule? It's too cold here."

"I sincerely apologize for your suffering."

"You don't have to talk to me like that, we're still friends right?" he asked while defending himself from his horse who was currently attempting to nibble on his hair and clothes.

"Ten years is a long time."

Ouch. So that's how it was then. He truly couldn't blame her, ten years was a long time for someone to change, especially when that person was a child. It wasn't his fault she stopped visiting him, nor was it hers. Admittingly it hurt that Zelda no longer considered him a friend, but if she was seeking him out now after all this time then she must be desperate. He may not be her friend anymore, but she was still his and he would always help a friend in need.

"Yes it is," he finally responded after clearing his throat, "so what do you need?"

"I need you to get something out of the castle for me."

"Oh?" his head perked up and he looked at Zelda curiously.

"The King has a person locked away, I need you to free him. He's the third." she tapped her right hand for emphasis, Ganondorf knew the mark of the triforce was hiding beneath her skin. He also took note that she still refused to address the king as her father.

"Okay." he said and shoved his horse's head away for what seemed like the thousandth time, honestly that animal would be the death of him. He still loved her though.

"Just okay? You're not going to question this?" Zelda looked fairly annoyed, it was the first expression she gave him after ten years of not seeing him. What an honor.

"Not really. Wait, how old is this kid because I don't do diapers, feeding, naptimes, or bedtime stories." as he spoke he counted on his fingers, the princess didn't seem amused.

"He's only a year younger than us, now will you please take this seriously?"

"I am taking this seriously!" he feigned shock and grinned when Zelda narrowed her eyes at him. "When do I get to storm the castle?"

"There will be no storming of the castle."

"Aw, I wanted to see the look on your fa-, er, king's face. Maybe rough him up a bit while I'm at it." he managed to stop himself from saying 'father', and just for a second he thought he saw a bit of a smile from Zelda.

"That plan would work well if you wanted thousands of Hylian troops storming your home. I have an idea that will keep everyone safe." Ganondorf nodded for her to continue, she was right, he couldn't endanger his family by doing something entirely reckless. "You have a meeting with the King a week after the new year, from my understanding you'll be discussing trade routes and you'll be exchanging goods. I'll make sure Link is one of the offerings on the table and you'll negotiate until he's declared yours." There were so many things that could go wrong but he was never one to back down from a challenge. He lived for the thrill of a good challenge.

"What do you want me to do with this Link of yours once I have him?"

"All I ask is you keep him safe. Do you accept?"

"Of course I do."

"Then I will be seeing you in a couple months." Zelda turned and walked towards her horse. She rode away without saying another word and left him alone in the forest. He'd never admit it but he hated being by himself, his whole life he'd always been surrounded by his sisters and they always travelled with him wherever he went. This had been the first time he went on a trip without at least one companion, he was starting to feel rather isolated.

He called his horse and began his long ride south towards home. There were many preparations to be made before his inevitable return to Central Hyrule, he had plans of his own to make in order to ensure the safety of the princess' plot. This wasn't something he would take lightly, not when lives were on the line.

So on he rode alone.


Present

When Ganondorf entered the walls of Hyrule Castle for the first time he had to admit he was impressed. It was unbelievably large and packed with a myriad of soldiers, it was no wonder no raid in history had been successful in overtaking the mighty fortress. Banners of all sizes with the royal crest were in every imaginable nook and cranny; flagpoles, rugs, wall furnishings. He wouldn't be surprised if the king used toilet paper bearing the crest to wipe his royal buttocks.

His sisters surrounded him and chatted among themselves, he felt the protective measure was unneeded, he could take care of himself. Sure he was far smaller and younger than all of them but they didn't need to hover like he was a lamb under attack from wolves. He was the ambassador to the Gerudo, what would the Hylians think when they saw he was hidden away? Whatever, he didn't care.

When they marched through the corridors he noticed the Hylians kept their distance and looked frightened. As they should! The Gerudo were renowned around the world for being fierce warriors, no one would dare fight them. Lately they were more well known their oasis spas and delicious cuisine, that was okay, the spas made sure that tourists kept visiting to spend lots of money.

They passed countless doors and hallways until their guide led them into a rather large waiting room. Tapestries and paintings covered the walls, one of the pieces depicted a historical scene that happened hundreds of years ago between the Hylians and Gerudo. At the time the event had been known as Rhoaman's Expansion after the tyrant king who started it, nowadays it was often referred to as the War of Sorrows. Both Gerudo and Hylians living in neutral territories were mercilessly attacked and forced out of their homes to make way for the construction of some temples and holy cities. Ganondorf couldn't help but wonder if having his sisters and him wait in this room with the painting was a coincidence or not.

Before he could think on it his sisters started bowing in a polite Hylian fashion. He turned around and saw why they were doing that, Princess Zelda had entered the room. She wore a simple blue dress that somehow managed to match her eyes perfectly, in her hand she held a rolled up scroll. Ganondorf bowed as well and straightened himself when Zelda approached. His sisters stopped bowing when the princess acknowledged them with a wave of her hand.

"Welcome to Hyrule Castle, I hope you've found your stay hospitable." she said while standing still.

"Thank you for having us, it's an honor." Ganondorf hating this part of being an ambassador, he was horrendous at word play. Not only was Hylian a second language for him making it hard to speak at times, he also spoke a southern dialect of it which for whatever reason a lot of nobles thought it made him sound uneducated. He had to think before speaking to important people so he wouldn't sound like a complete idiot. He often wished his people could forgo tradition this one time and make someone with a better understanding of the foreign language ambassador instead. "My sisters with me today have been informed of the situation, you can speak freely without worry."

"I'd like you to give this to Link once you're out of the city." she handed him the scroll and he placed it into his pocket. "It'll help him understand what's happening."

"You mean he has no idea what's going on?"

"No he doesn't." she replied quietly, she almost looked ashamed. He decided not to pry for her sake.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays safe." he said reassuringly and prepared himself to meet with the king. He was aware that he was over-enunciating vowels and slurring some words together in the southern fashion, he'd have to do his best to not let the accent take over during this meeting.

"I've managed to convince the King that Link is a liability, if you negotiate well you could be bringing home more than him."

"Noted."

"When you do have Link, please keep in mind he's shy, don't overwhelm him."

"I won't."

"He likes to read a lot, be sure to give him plenty of books."

"Okay."

"Teach him how to fight and defend himself, he wasn't allowed to here."

"Mhmm." at this point Ganondorf didn't think Zelda was paying attention to him.

"Give him a nice bed with extra blankets, he likes to nestle."

"...Oh my Din…"

"Milk products make his stomach queasy, so avoid giving him too much dairy."

"Yes mother." he said and Zelda blushed upon her realization that she had been rambling. It was a trait of hers he remembered from childhood, it seemed that some things never changed. "I promise you I'll protect him, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Gan." he smiled upon hearing the old nickname and nodded. His sisters stood by him as he walked towards the door, he huffed air into his chest and made himself look as tall as he could. Before he turned the knob he glanced at Zelda one last time.

"You're always welcome in the desert." he said to her sincerely and he entered the new room.

It was a small room with hardly any decorations, all it had were a few chairs and a table with a vase filled with wilting blue flowers on top of it. By the doorway stood two guards, the lack of medallions on their armor indicated they were of lower rank. When he and his sisters entered, they immediately straightened and regarded them cautiously. What caught his attention was the Hylian on the floor with tied hands, he knew this must be Link.

He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. The teen was incredibly small in every aspect of the word, Ganondorf made a mental note to get the Hylian on a high protein diet as soon as they got home. Link looked like he hailed from the southern region in Faron with his light brown skin and dark brown hair, his hazel eyes were also typically seen on the people in that area. Seeing the teen bound made him angry, how anyone could have looked at such and innocent and sweet looking boy and decide to lock him up clearly had no heart. His emotions got the better of him and he stormed towards the knights.

"You keep your chosen detained?" he asked angrily, the guards shrank back with fear in their eyes. Foolish cowards they were. After a long and awkward pause, one of the knights nudged the other with his elbow to usher him into responding.

"Chosen? He's just a kid with a fancy mark."

Ganondorf laughed and spoke to his sisters in Gerudo fully confident they were they only ones in the room who could speak it.

"The idiot doesn't know of his own people's legends, it's no wonder the princess wanted us to free Courage." they nodded in agreement and his oldest sister, Nabs, chuckled along with him.

"Besides," the knight continued, "if a dog bites you, you put it on a leash."

"Hm, I suppose that is true," Ganondorf spoke while taking deep breaths. Here he had to fight with his words and not his fists. "but I hope you won't find it presumptuous of me to say you shouldn't give the dog a reason to bite in the first place. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with your...king." he paused before saying the last word, it left a nasty feeling on his tongue. He walked past the guards and at last entered the throne room.

It was a large circular room with a myriad of stain glassed windows, knights with medals of all colors lined the perimeter. While he was confident with his combat skills, he didn't think even he could fight them all without some sort of help. The narrow blue and gold carpet he stood on led to the raised marble throne. On top of the purple cushion sat the mighty king of Hyrule, King Rhoaman VII Hyrule. He was a stout man with gray hair, his blue robes looked like they were fitted for someone a few sizes smaller.

Ganondorf remembered to bow, he couldn't afford to come off as rude and disrespectful. He felt like a bit of a hypocrite since he decided to keep his hair down for the meeting, it was considered impolite with the Gerudo to not put up their hair during important encounters but he doubted the Hylians knew that. It was a subtle way of him displaying his strong dislike for the sovereign, even if the only ones who caught on were his four sisters waiting in the other room. Was it petty? Yes. Was he bitter? Absolutely.

"We are well met, Ganondorf Dragmire, Ambassador of the Gerudo."

"It's an honor to be here, your Majesty. I must thank you for your generous hospitality."

"The pleasure is mine. Come, have a seat." Ganondorf took that as his signal to cease bowing and he walked heavily towards the chair in front of the throne. He was displeased that he had to look up at the king to make eye contact, back home everyone was seen as an equal, clearly that wasn't the case here. "I have been looking forward to your arrival."

"As have I your Majesty." they were originally supposed to meet half a year ago but severe flooding in southern Hyrule prevented Ganondorf from travelling. Already he was annoyed, he didn't think he'd be able to keep up the dumb charade or speaking nicely. Still he did his best to not make it apparent he wasn't a great speaker.

"I've been receiving complaints from the nobles that spices are becoming scarce, it is a sad day when a man has not even so much as a pinch of salt to season his steak."

"Truly it is a tragedy." Ganondorf spoke then immediately mentally reprimanded himself, he hoped the king hadn't caught the sarcasm behind his tone.

"I'm glad you understand, now I'm sure there's a valid reasoning behind your people's reluctance to sell us spices." Ganondorf may not know the ways of word play all that well, but he knew a threat when he heard one. He knew the Hylians had no access to the salt deposits found in the desert and they seemed to prefer the herbs found in the scrublands rather than the ones on their own land. It was serious business that wars once raged over.

"Of course your Majesty. We've been in a drought for two years now, we've been focusing all our efforts on growing food for ourselves." It wasn't a lie in the slightest, the Gerudo had stopped mining salt in favor of tending to the animals and worthwhile crops.

"Perhaps I can convince you otherwise."

"How so?"

"There are many treasures I am willing to part with; ancient swords, paintings, rupees, and Farore's Courage for example." Now was his chance! He didn't want to make it too obvious otherwise suspicion might arise.

"Farore's Courage?" Ganondorf asked with mild interest. "What's that?"

"So you have not heard of our legends?" the king looked disappointed for a moment, then he went back to explaining, "In times of old it is said a hero bearing the brand of Farore saved Hyrule from evil forces, he's the one you see in many of our artworks. The brand vanished, never to be seen again, that is up until seven years ago. We found Farore's Courage in the jungle of all places, we had it brought here for safekeeping, you saw it before entering this very room."

Ganondorf dug his nails into his palm to prevent himself from saying or doing anything stupid. He had the king where he wanted him, there was no sense in ruining the opportunity.

"Well I must admit I'm intrigued, the boy did catch my eye on my way here."

"I'd be more than happy to part with Farore's Courage if you resume sending salt and spices to Hyrule."

"It's an offer I can hardly refuse, however," Ganondorf decided to push his luck knowing that at this point Link would be leaving with him anyway. "Farore's Courage is a person and not a thing, that's an extra mouth that needs to be fed."

"What do you propose?" the king stroked his beard and took a sip of water from his golden cup.

"There is a river that runs along the southern border of Hyrule, I would like permission to construct a canal from it so my people can grow larger yields of crops and increase the amount of spices we're able to export per year."

"That seems a reasonable request, we have a deal." Ganondorf had to stop himself from celebrating on the spot, he couldn't believe how well his first negotiation with a foreign power went. He'd been expecting more bloodshed and vulgarity for his first time so this was a pleasant surprise. The king pulled out a thick piece of parchment and began writing down the specifics of the trade.

In exchange for Farore's Courage, access to the Farosi River, and the small amount of five thousand rupees, the Gerudo had to supply Hyrule Castle with ten pounds of salt and spices per month in addition to resuming their trading routes. With the official document signed, Ganondorf properly thanked the King and left with the paper rolled up in his hand.

He entered the room with his waiting sisters and spoke to them in Gerudo.

"The operation was a success, plus we'll be able to finish that canal we've been working on. Now let's go home before that old fart changes his mind." his sisters were clearly pleased with him and they excitedly grabbed their things. It was nice not messing something up for once. He looked and saw Link sitting on the floor quiet as ever, the poor kid didn't know his life was about to go through a dramatic change, though it was a change for the better. Ganondorf held out his free hand and pulled Link up, all would be explained to him in due time. For now they had to make the journey home.

"Well Hylian, you are under my care now." He led Link out of the room by placing his hand protectively behind his shoulder as if someone would come and swoop him away.

"Noní, pick up the pace. We need to leave before noon." Nabs called out to him in Gerudo. She was right, the roads would be hard to navigate with a wagon in the city once everyone started crowding them. When they left the confines of the castle walls, Link's eyes widened and he looked around like he'd never seen the city before. He probably hadn't except for what he could see from the windows. That made Ganondorf all the angrier at the wretch of a man this land called king.

"Noní! Hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" he called out to his sister, some of the Hylians blocking his way dispersed upon hearing his booming voice. Finally they arrived at the stable where their horses and wagon were kept safe for the week while they stayed in the city. He moved Link near a haypile so he'd be out of the way while the horses were being hitched and Ganondorf spoke to him in Hylian, "Hold still a moment so I can get those ropes off." Link held out his hands and looked at the horses while Ganondorf untied the bindings. Once the ropes fell to the ground, he kicked them aside and helped his sisters finish up getting the wagon ready. Link wrapped his newly freed arms around his waist and he stared blankly at his feet.

"He's a sweet boy, it's a shame we had to meet him under these circumstances." Urbosa, his second eldest sister, commented to him when he started attaching the horses' tack to the cart.

"Yeah, but I'm glad he's out of there. I only wish I could do the same for Zelda."

"She'll figure something out, she's a smart girl." Urbosa reassured him and chuckled. "I remember when you two were little kids always getting off into some sort of trouble, one time she snuck a puppy into the house and managed to convince our mothers the whining they heard was you. She'll be fine."

"Thank you." he said softly and his sister patted his shoulder gently. She always knew what to say.

"Of course. Now come on we should get going." Ganondorf nodded and walked to Link who was still standing in the same spot.

"We're leaving now." he said to Link while doing one last look over of the stable to make sure they weren't forgetting anything.

"Yes, sir." the voice was meek and it caused him to freeze in his tracks. Nuh-uh. Nope. Definitely not. Gross. Not today, not ever. While he did appreciate being called names of respect, rare as that was, this was not one of those times. The Gerudo language did not have a sir and ma'am equivalent, there was no need for it. Besides, it felt wrong that a kid his age felt obligated to call him that in fear of some unknown retribution.

"Don't call me that." he hadn't meant for it to come out as a command, but that was his natural manner of speaking. Link flinched as if he'd been struck, he moved his lips to speak but no words followed. Great. The Hylian had only been in his care for twenty minutes and he was already having a panic attack. "I'm sorry. You don't have to talk if you don't want to." That seemed to calm Link down slightly and Ganondorf ushered him into the wagon before any more time was lost.

Nabs took the reins and led them out of the city, they managed to leave just before the crowds hogged the streets. Link sat between Urbosa and him, the Hylian eagerly took in the sights of the lush countryside and he stared at the horseback riders who passed their wagon. Ganondorf rested his head on his hands and closed his eyes, the warm summer breeze felt refreshing on his face.

He must have fallen asleep like that because a sudden jolt from the wagon sent him flying to the floor. His sisters laughed at him, even Link had a hint of a smile, He dusted his clothes off and sat back down with his arms crossed in front of him.

"As I was saying," Urbosa said to Link while he fiddled with his necklace, "you can tell the twins apart by looking at their hair. Koume's is long and Kotake's is short. You've already met my brother, Noní, and up front leading the horses is Nabs. It's short for Nabooru, but don't let her hear you say it, she hates it. Our mothers had a thing for old traditional names you see."

"I heard that!" Nabs shouted in Gerudo and she purposefully steered the wagon so it would run over a bump.

"Lighten up, you're going to make us fall out." Kotake said after rubbing her sore back.

"That's the idea." It didn't take long for the twins and Nabs to start bickering while using every vulgar Gerudo word they knew. Urbosa was annoyed while Link looked confused, it was an expression he wore a lot.

"Stop arguing!" Ganondorf interjected while staring down the twins. "Can we all at least try speaking in Hylian?"

"What's this? Little brother is trying to order us around? How precious." Koume said with a mock and she laughed until she realized no one had joined her. Ha! For once he wasn't the one to make a fool of themself.

"I agree with him," Urbosa said in Hylian, out of all his siblings she was by far the best at speaking the language, "try speaking it at least until we arrive home." A few grunts of understanding followed and things finally seemed to settle down.

By the time the sun started to set they were already more than halfway home. Thankfully the farther south they went, the more friendly the passerby travellers became. They parked their wagon at a designated resting area and Nabs began tending to the horses. The twins started a fire and started cooking dinner which smelled surprisingly wonderful. Link had fallen asleep a couple of hours ago, he was resting peacefully on Urbosa's arm.

Ganondorf hopped out of the wagon and made himself comfortable by the fire. He stoked it a few times and watched as a flurry of embers floated into the sky and turned into gray ash. As the sun vanished beyond the horizon the sky gradually darkened and made way for the bright moon to shine upon the land. Creatures of the night stirred and rustled through the tall grass. Somewhere in the distance a pack of wolves howled, beckoning their members to join in on a hunt.

Urbosa approached the fire with Link trailing her like a hound, she sat on her travelling pillow while Link contently stared at the flames. Ganondorf yanked one of the pillows out from under him and set it to the side with a few pats.

"You can sit if you'd like." he was painfully aware his tone came across as a demand. He was talented in many ways, he was good at most things he did. Great even. When people spoke of his exploits he was sure they mentioned how amazing his sheer power and skill was. Despite that there was something he didn't have; volume control. He felt pretty bad about that now.

Link sat down with a tense posture while keeping his line of sight directly on the fire. When the twins were done cooking the mutton rice patties, the food was passed around in old wooden bowls they kept stored away with the other cooking supplies. Ganondorf carefully ate his large portion and made sure to not spill any of it on his clothes. He couldn't help but gawk at his newest companion who was scarfing down the meal, rice was all over his face and dingy tunic. Link must have noticed he had an audience because he slowed down and brushed off his shirt.

"Have the rest of mine, I'm full." Ganondorf handed his bowl to Link who greedily accepted it and did a little head bow before digging in. He lied, he was still hungry but Link needed the food more than he did. Nabs gave him a wry grin like she knew something he didn't, he wasn't sure what that was about. Older sisters were just weird.

When everyone finished eating they remained by the fire and told stories in Hylian for Link's sake. He still looked to be confused about his new surroundings but at least he wasn't frightened. Ganondorf didn't know if Link would attempt to run away with his newfound freedom, nor did he know what he would do if he tried fleeing. Tie him up? Knock him out? He could do those things but he didn't want to. Friends didn't tie up friends. Usually.

Link and the twins were the first to fall asleep, Urbosa carried them individually to wagon so they wouldn't have to sleep on the dew covered grass. Nabs tossed a few more logs on the fire and she let out a yawn as she sat next to Ganondorf. When Urbosa was finished she sat on his free side, the three siblings huddled together near the flames for warmth.

"We're proud of you." Urbosa said while she combed his perfectly shaped hair into a set of plaits. He couldn't help but smile due to both the praise and his hair being braided, he knew he was fairly amazing but it was still nice to hear the validation from his sister. Some people back home had been nervous about his meeting with the king, they thought he would start a fight or something along those lines.

"I'm curious about something." Nabs said in their native language, since Link was sleeping there wasn't a need to speak in Hylian. "It's told in the old writings the bearers of the triforce were naturally drawn together so they may find each other during times of need. What does it feel like?" Ganondorf looked at his wrapped hand not quite sure how to respond.

He remembered when Zelda showed him the mark on her hand all those years ago, it had given him a warm and fuzzy feeling even if all three were not yet together. When she magically concealed it a part of that warmth vanished as well. He instinctively knew Zelda hadn't shown it to anyone since because he hadn't once felt that warmth resurface, not even for a second. There was another warmth constantly present, he knew now it must belong to Link, it felt different than Zelda's in a way he couldn't explain. The closer he went to the castle the stronger the warm feeling became. Now that Link was close there was a consistent thrumming in his heart, though he still felt there was a piece missing. He wondered for a moment if the other two felt the same sensations he did, along with the strong urge to protect.

"I don't know, it's tingly I guess. Why?" he finally responded while narrowing his eyes and swatting away bugs.

"In all my years of knowing you I have not once seen you share your food with someone else."

Oh. He shrugged his shoulders and rested his head on his palms, it had been an exhausting day. His sisters continued to play with his hair and they talked about things that didn't interest him. Eventually he fell into a well earned deep sleep, one that would go uninterrupted

The rest of the ride was uneventful, they passed the border shortly after noon. Ganondorf remembered Zelda's note was still in his pocket, he retrieved it and gave it to Link. He read over it intently and folded it into his pocket when he was finished, he frowned and stared at the nearing city. Ganondorf was curious about the letter but he was a decent enough person and hadn't snuck a look at it.

Finally they arrived home, the stable hands took care of the cart and horses for them so they didn't have to. He ushered Link away from the crowded market square while giving a few people a nasty glare; the Hylian was strictly off limits. Quickly he led Link out of the heat and into one of the massive buildings, he brought him up a set of stairs and he opened the door to his room.

The room was small and cozy, the red walls were bare save for a few portraits of his immediate family and his lovely mare. His clothes were hung neatly on a rack, though there were still a few thrown on the floor from when he was frustrated picking out what he wanted to wear when he met the king. A large mirror was positioned on a palm wood dresser, jewelry and combs of all sorts were strewn across it. His soft mattress had been shoved aside to make room for another identical bed.

"You'll be staying with me." he explained to Link. "We don't have any spare rooms and I'm the only other guy around here so…" he trailed off but Link gave him a nod of understanding.

"There's a library upstairs that you're more than welcome to use, the restroom is on the bottom floor next to the meeting area we walked by. If you go outside don't go past the patrollers, the land out there isn't safe. And for the love of Din, if anyone offers you something called a 'salerto' tell them no. I have to take care of some business so make yourself comfortable, Urbosa is across the hall if you need anything." Link nodded again and he sat on the bed with the folded up blankets.

It was going to take the both of them a while to adjust to this.


Ganondorf stood in the shade of the tall palm tree and observed Link from a respectable distance. His charge sat on the soft sand around the oasis, his feet were submerged in the clear blue water. He wondered how long Link had been sitting under the oppressive rays of the afternoon sun wearing nothing but that sleeveless shirt of his and rolled up pants. While he did have a moderately dark complexion like the rest of the Hylians from Faron, that wasn't enough to protect him from the harmful desert sun. Especially not right after noon.

A little bit annoyed, Ganondorf took off his bright cotton tunic and was left with his dull brown undershirt. He padded towards Link while making sure his footsteps were heavy and easily heard. The past several days he and everyone else gave Link space so he could adjust to his new surroundings at his own rate, there was no sense in overwhelming him. Without fail his new roommate always made his way to the oasis after breakfast and stayed there for hours at a time.

Perhaps what he needed was a friend.

Link cast an eye at Ganondorf when he entered his field of vision with the maroon bundle in his hands.

"This is for you, it'll protect you from sunburn." he said while cutting the silence like a knife through reeds, Link grabbed the large tunic and put it on without uttering a word. The tips of his long ears were tinted red due to the exposure from the sun, it was nothing a little bit of ointment couldn't fix. He didn't know what to do next, he wasn't accustomed to dealing with people his age. Friends were something he really didn't have a lot of. "Can I sit?"

Link nodded and adjusted the baggy tunic sleeves that engulfed his arms. Ganondorf sat next to Link, but not so close that he'd feel uncomfortable. They watched the water ripple when a wind from the east picked up, the lilies and grasses swayed gently from side to side. He could see why Link enjoyed staying in this spot for hours on end, it was peaceful. Etched in the sand were a few crude drawings of different types of animals, he decided he'd rummage through one of the council rooms later to find some supplies Link could draw with.

"You know there's many things Hylians don't know about me and my people." Ganondorf managed to say, Link regarded him curiously. He did his best to talk in a calm manner as he continued. "The northern Hylians happily take our food and jewelry as their own, but beyond that they know nothing of our culture. They're told the Gerudo only give birth to a male once per century. Do you believe in that?"

Link shook no and he kept his head turned slightly so Ganondorf could see both his eyes. They were an interesting color, teal with dark flecks and a ring of brown. He realized he probably had been staring longer than he should, but in his defense it wasn't often Link made eye contact.

"They're wrong of course, but there is a reason that myth became popular. It is still rare to see Gerudo men, I didn't meet another one until I was fifteen. He was a real jerk too, he totally cheated at our fighting match, went for a real low blow." There! Just for a moment he saw Link smile. Maybe if he continued to talk about the more embarrassing parts of his life it would make Link happy. Perhaps another time, he had a different plan in mind.

"Before then I used to feel like the only one, I knew there were others but I started doubting myself. I haven't really told this to anyone before, but I used to feel so alone. I know what you're going through." Admitting his feelings like this felt strange, he hoped his confession helped Link feel a little less lost.

"Here, I'd like to show you something." Ganondorf carefully unwrapped the cloth binding he always kept on his right hand, the skin there was lighter due to it never being exposed to the sun. The golden tone of the triforce permanently imbedded into his skin sparkled in the sunlight. He lowered his hand and moved it so Link could easily see it.

"...Nonny, t-that's…" Link said with a slight stutter, his eyes went wide and his mouth remained open in his shock. It only took Ganondorf a few seconds to realize Link had called him by his nickname, even though it was a slight mispronunciation of Noní. He dared not correct him though, that had been the first time Link spoke to him. The time Link called him sir didn't count. His heart fluttered a bit.

"I'm a bearer, just as you are." he supplied. "You can touch it if you'd like." Link softly grabbed his hand so he could inspect the mark, his finger lightly traced the outline of the triangle. The heartwarming smile that crept onto Link's face was precious, for the first time since he'd been freed from the clutches of the king he didn't look lost or weary.

He didn't have to be alone anymore.