Ganondorf could hardly believe the serendipitous luck he was quickly coming into.
The shifting of metal armour and the faint chinking of chain mail echoed coldly off of the stone making up the castle walls. Plush blue carpet beneath their feet muffled the sounds of their steps, lining the halls proudly as armoured statues, like the ghosts of still watchful soldiers, stood at each side. High marble arches swept overhead; any window passed was glorious and tall, depicting delicate scenes within stained glass. Tapestries and portraits decorated the walls, a coat of arms above every vast door.
The grand castle was immaculate, just as imposing and proud as it ever had been.
The disguised Gerudo's crimson gaze glided over every detail, taking it in as if it may disappear at any moment, nothing more than a dream. He was in the castle, beside his most elusive quarry, and with a little persuading, it could well stay that way. It's almost too good to be true, he thought to himself, a weary eye upon the Captain's back as they walked, Then again… I suppose there won't be much truth to it at all. Already he was cultivating appropriate lies within his cunning mind, trying to cover any conceivable questions that may be asked of him. Ganondorf didn't posses extensive knowledge of the Shiekah, and he knew it would be advantageous to play on the aloof nature the clan was rumored to have had. On the upside, the genuine article isn't likely to appear out of the woodwork to contest my claim, he thought with a slight smirk.
Padding barefoot beside her large savior, the Princess' worries for any punishment her state and behaviour may incur were slipping steadily away. So enchanted was she by this strange and sudden appearance of a Shiekan guardian, barely any other thought could cross her mind. The feel of the soft carpet on her toes and the taste of caramel sweets still on her tongue, Zelda had concluded that this day had easily been one of her best; sojourn well worth the risk. Perhaps the Gods were rewarding her, indulging in the Princess' adventurous nature.
Crystalline eyes peered eagerly up at the disguised Gerudo, questions buzzing at the back of her mind like an angry hive of wasps as tiny digits curled and picked at the hem above her dirty knees. The curiosity and wonderment was clearly evident in her expressive, childlike features. She had all but forgotten the Captain and his men walked ahead, within earshot, when after a long silence she could no longer hold her tongue.
"How is it that you came into your name?" She said suddenly, peering up at Ganondorf with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
When his attention pulled toward her, crimson eyes studying the child, Zelda's hands quickly ceased their idle fidgeting and were clasped lightly in front of her—Clearly a forced habit, he noted. Ganondorf's gaze left her for a moment, glancing toward the Captain, as he considered how best to answer. Doubtless, the pompous soldier's pointed ears were twitching with anticipation beneath that flamboyant helmet. With the click of his tongue, he cocked a brow toward the young Princess.
"What were you expecting, child?"
Ignoring the stifled scoff that came from the Captain, Zelda blinked, almost disappointed that he did not answer immediately. Her icy pink lips moved slowly, as if unsure of the words they formed.
"I… perhaps wondered if you are the same man from the legends, or a descendant." She admitted, somewhat quietly.
"He couldn't possibly be the same man." The captain announced loudly, in a tone that allowed no room for argument. His head was tilted at an angle that almost would have shown the top of his nose over his head, if not for the visor. "The Great Cataclysm was centuries ago."
The tiny Princess glared daggers at the Captain's squared shoulders, her eyes tracing the embossed patterns upon the armour as if silently questioning his right to wear it.
"I am aware of that, thank you, Captain Talleday." She uttered coldly.
Ganondorf chuckled lightly, the sound rumbling in his throat. Tenacious little thing, he thought, amused by the tension between the small sovereign and the soldier. Such sweet and sour dispositions he had seen in her already—Though, he was nothing short of thankful for her defensive reactions toward his authenticity. Deciding to test the waters while he could, he directed his response toward the Captain.
"Have you met any of my brethren before, Captain?"
Without even turning his head to look back, the man snorted. "Of course not."
"So, then, I am to assume you know very little of my kind? Life expectancy would be one of those, would it not?" He lifted a thick silver eyebrow, though he knew it wouldn't be seen. You could practically hear the expression in his tone.
The Gerudo almost grinned outright when the haughty Captain seemed to twitch with agitation, his muscles tensing as he took one significantly slower step before righting himself. Crimson eyes noticed a braced hand settling upon the hilt of the sword at his hip, and though innocuous, Ganondorf recognized the subtle move easily. The Captain had a temper, and though he would have to be adept at reining it in to hold such ranking, it seemed he had a very short fuse when undermined or challenged.
"I thought as much." Ganondorf rumbled lowly, his eyes flicking toward Zelda as a bright smile took her lips. The guards following Talleday exchanged concerned glances, further adding to the evidence of the Captain's irritability. The Gerudo could guess that the guards would most likely cop the fallout of any exchange that he and the Captain had.
He hadn't answered or confirmed anything for either of them, yet neither questioned him further, for the moment. He marveled at that, secretly amazed by the ease of which he was able to avoid subjects he wasn't able to answer effectively… yet. Surely, the King himself would follow suit with his daughter, easily accepting him. Once he gained access to the libraries, he could also research the Shiekah to flesh out his story. He just needed to keep this up until then, buying time for himself.
A grand marble archway towered over them as they seemed to reach their destination, a large chamber with a high and ornate wooden throne sitting at the opposite side, held high upon a dais. An expanse of royal blue carpet rolled across the stone floor, with wooden seating lining the walls around. It seemed this was a public court of some kind, a large effigy of the family crest held above the throne giving the sense that the Gods watched the proceedings as well.
To the eastern side, through a smaller archway, a decorated room with large tables and bookshelves held a small group of men, most of them older and dressed in fine robes. Councilmen. They seemed to be gathered around one man, milling about and pointing to the map spread across a large, circular plateau. Some seemed to be trying to pull attention to themselves, showing worn pages to the central figure and relaying whatever they held. As the group drew near, the ancient men paused their usual business, eyes turning to Ganondorf with hawk like precision; some looked shocked, others simply peered at him over their glasses curiously. The sudden scrutiny sent a shiver of self doubt crawling up the Gerudo's spine, though when the men moved aside to allow the central figure to see, Ganondorf quickly swallowed the feeling.
Standing in the midst of the council, with a kind though stern look upon his face, was a tall man with neatly trimmed short brown hair. A strong jaw was graced by a light beard, styled to frame his chin and draw attention upward. His stance was proud, despite a stocky build, and he held a regal air with sharp, defined features. Stark blue eyes, pale and clear, turned to meet crimson with intrigue. Dressed in a white ceremonial breastplate, adorned with gold filigree and a thick crimson cape that swept out behind him, any man could easily tell that they were now within the company of the King.
Within the blink of an eye, the trio of soldiers had dropped to a knee, seemingly folding under the sheer weight of the sovereign's presence, though their loyalty showed in every fiber of their beings.
"Your Majesty." Talleday greeted formally, head bowed.
Zelda, who had taken to standing slightly behind Ganondorf's leg, flinched slightly when her father's eyes, after the soldiers had given him clear view of her, immediately turned in her direction. He looked affronted.
"Zelda." He called sternly, his brow twitching slightly.
Hesitating for a moment, before slowly stepping out to the side of her position, she smiled, feeling small and nervous. "…Yes, father?"
She could already tell, by the expressions upon the weathered faces of the councilmen, that her earlier thoughts on punishment should not have been so easily forgotten. The King's eyes took stock of her state—A plain peasant's frock with grass stains and a crocheted cardigan, bare foot with dirt on her knees and flecks of what looked to be hay in her hair. The dress and cardigan sported red smears, as if toffee coated fingers had touched them. There was even a dark patch, like a spatter of mud that had been wiped clear, on her nose. The longer his gaze remained upon her, the lower her head fell, her toes twiddling nervously as she recognized the look on his face.
His Majesty's eye twitched.
"Who is to blame for this?" He spluttered, fiercely turning a suspicious eye toward the disguised Gerudo, who, quite calmly despite his internal worries, dropped his gaze toward the Captain in a silent answer.
Talleday shifted some as the King's firm stare landed squarely upon him.
"Explain." It was clearly an order.
Clearing his throat with trepidation, the Captain spoke rather weakly now that he was in front of the King and council. "Please, Sire, understand that I took all haste and care in finding her once she had slipped away from her lessons." He began, taking a slow breath. "I was attending my usual duties, unaware of her absconding, until her literary tutor informed me that he had lost track of her Highness, towards the end of the lesson, after her request for a glass of water…"
The King shook his head slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh as he spoke. "Zelda, really…" He muttered, sounding disappointed and slightly annoyed. His hand shifted, curling to hold his chin betwixt thumb and forefinger as pale blue eyes leveled the child with a long stare. "I thought we talked about this."
The Princess' hands, held behind her back apologetically, idly fidgeted. Only Ganondorf was in a position to see this, and noted that the strange habit seemed to show stress and excitement within the child. Zelda spoke up with a slight pout. "I am sorry father… I only wished to see the festival races, and my request was denied unfairly."
Her father's attention wavered now, seeming to flick between the disguised Gerudo—Remembering his presence—and his daughter. "It was denied, because you are still under watch from your last offense." The king arched a think brow at the girl. "You requested instruction with the violin, and not more than three weeks after I finally find a tutor that meets the requirements, you deliberately sneak away from your lessons to spend the day in the gardens."
Ganondorf's brow furrowed slightly, when Zelda sent him a pleading look. Unfortunately, the King's gaze quickly followed his daughter's, settling on the stranger. "And who is this?" He asked, obviously intent on moving onto the subject of why his daughter was in Ganondorf's company.
Zelda spoke quickly, cutting Talleday off before he could sour this crucial first impression. "A member of the Shadow Clan, Shiek; He is the one who found me." She bounced on her feet lightly, once, before reining in her enthusiasm to continue. "He recognized me immediately father, and swept me out of harm's way. He even mentioned that he has been observing me for some time, I don't doubt that he is responsible for my safety recently."
A hushed discussion immediately started amongst the councilmen, as the King narrowed his eyes slightly. Ganondorf's gut twisted with the notion that he may be suspicious, though had to keep himself from staring blankly when her father's thoughts seemed to tangent. "…Harm's way?" He questioned, his stern expression thinly veiling displeasure, directed toward the guards.
"Yes, Sire…" Talleday grudgingly admitted, "A wayward stallion caught her Highness within its path. Then this 'Shiek' appeared and put it off course, before insisting on the fact that we were…" He peered back at the disguised Gerudo, "…'Ill equipped', was it?" His attention returned to his sovereign. "…To guard the Princess." He finished spitefully.
Ganondorf's blood boiled with the urgent need to break his rouse and send the Captain sailing through the wall. All in good time, he calmed himself, repeating it in his head until his heart slowed to a calm pace again. He noticed though, with some relief, that the King was now studying him with the same intrigue as when he first entered, the ghost of a smile upon his lips.
"And yet, he's not said a word since he's stood before me." The King said softly, the weight of his words felt throughout the room as he said them. It was a clear sign for Talleday to curb his opinions. With a curt nod, he gestured towards the guards. "I shall see to him now. You and your men may take your leave, Captain."
They rose, the two accompanying Talleday saluting with unison, "Sire!" They called, before turning to obey immediately. The Captain fought to hide a grimace, nodding slowly, before giving a similar salute. "Your Majesty." He turned on his heel, green eyes glaring toward the supposed Shiekah with utter spite as he left, boots leaving an echo with their heavy steps.
The Gerudo smirked some, turning his head to watch them leave. It seemed the haughty Captain held less sway than he thought. That's promising, he thought, noticing the Princess also seemed pleased that they were leaving. She smiled up at him reassuringly, as if he were a stray pet that was finally being accepted into the family, despite protest.
"Now, then…" The King sighed some, turning to take a few steps toward the Gerudo, "Let's start from the beginning, shall we?" He turned a smile toward his daughter.
"Shiek, wasn't it?" The King asked casually, arching a brow.
Ganondorf nodded, crimson eyes watching the girl's father cautiously. The King studied him openly, circling the large man as if inspecting him for any flaws. Once he had completed his movement, a glance was sent toward the councilmen, who looked upon their King with rather bored and doubtful expressions.
"…And you claim to be a Shiekah…" He mused, eyes narrowing slightly. "Though that clan has not been seen within the last century, and not a one has contacted my family to inform us of a surviving line within Hyrule." He stated matter-of-factly, a cold tone seeping into his voice.
His fingers twitched as he realized the King was perhaps not as foolhardy as he had wished; The Gerudo's mind raced to find a response, finding his voice. "I came here by the instruction of an elder, who has recently passed." He lied, his back itching as the words rolled of his tongue.
He had to choose every word carefully now, memorizing anything that passed his lips. Though Ganondorf had done this many times, he was now out of his element—He had always been able to craft masterful lies by exploiting political position, or his intimate knowledge of both his own and Hylian cultures. Now he was left raw and exposed, unprepared and limited in his information, and he knew if he ventured too far that he would fall prey to those present who did truly know of the Shiekah and their ways.
"My line has served as caretakers and attendants to your family in the past. Impa, who founded Kakariko, was one of my great ancestors, though not directly. I am of the sons of that family, a brother of hers, if I am to understand the tales of my lineage correctly."
The council once again slid into whispers, and the Gerudo could tell that he'd gone out on a limb already. Under the stern scrutiny of the King, and the hopeful gaze of his daughter, he continued.
"We are no longer the clan we were. Our blood has thinned over time, and no pure blooded Shiekah remain, though I am of the closest degree. The Elder's visions foretold a cycle and the presence of the bearer of Wisdom once again within the world. There is a very high chance that the Evil King, too, will follow. I have been sent at the Elder's behest to guard her, due to this revelation."
The King seemed to accept this, nodding slowly, though turned away for a moment to address the council quietly. "A moment." He requested, as he and a few of the oldest men wandered aside, speaking with low voices.
The young Princess watched them with a look of concern, before peering up at her savior again. Ganondorf could see it all within her eyes; This explanation was not going to pass easily. He needed something substantial. Blast, he thought, combing his mind for anything that may help his case—A whisper, a rumor, a myth or even another name. His face was set, calm though it held its natural scowl, as he watched the men converse privately. He was so close, he just needed something more…
That was when it struck him, flowing across his mind like the gentle breeze within the fields he adored. A melody, glowing dim like an ember, from long ago… Before the Triforce. Before his rise, when he had stood at the Hyrulian King's side, at the time a seemingly faithful friend and ally.
His gaze turned to Zelda as the memory grew stronger, her wavering crystalline eyes staring up at him with innocence. His face contorted into one of deep thought, as if searching her eyes for the final notes, before a look of eureka swam across his crimson irises. Ganondorf stared down at the ground for a moment, imagining utter silence before closing his eyes, the sound clear within his head. A hand rose to his mouth, two fingers pinched to his lip as he drew a deep, calm breath.
A low, soft whistle resounded in the chamber, drawing the immediate attention of all those within. Eyes went wide, and mouths were left open in awe, as the familiar sound of a lullaby rolled sweetly through the air. The whispers and deliberations ceased, the King left speechless, without a touch of judgment to taint his defined features as he simply stared.
Zelda stared up at him too, taking an unconscious step toward the disguised Gerudo, the lullaby like a siren's call to her twitching ears. Her eyes, pure and untainted, gazed up at his harsh face with only wonderment and adulation. Her icy pink lips quivered with unspoken words, lost to the sound, before spreading into one of the sweetest, joyous smiles any may have ever seen upon her delicate face.
"My lullaby…" She whispered. "You know my lullaby…"
The soft sound faded with the last breath, as Ganondorf slowly opened his eyes, looking down upon her with an oddly fond and knowing glance.
"I do, child. For I will guard even your dreams." He smiled at her. Inside, echoing through his mind, a sinister chuckle unvoiced rolled like thunder. There would be no doubt now. How ironic, he thought, That such a sweet lullaby would be the venom to kill all that you hold dear, in time.
The Gerudo's gaze pulled toward the sound of boots stepping slowly away from the councilmen, to once again meet the cool blue eyes of the King. A moment passed in silence, the ghost of the melody haunting the room still, until the quiet and regal voice filled the space from between a soft smile.
"Welcome back to my family's service… Shiek."
Ganondorf is in! Whoo!
I've been replaying OoT lately, 3DS is epic. But it brought back that idea of the lullaby being proof of connection to the Royal family. And, well, I just couldn't resist.
Now we can really get this thing rolling! Yay!
Also, I love Talleday. He is such an epic douche. I'm going to let him grow a pompous moustache, I think.