Zelda sat along a bench in the garden reading, when she heard a door slam and heavy footsteps. Looking up, she saw an angry Gerudo march over to a fountain and lean against the rails.
"I take it things didn't go well?"
Ganondorf looked up when he heard the angelic voice of the princess. "Not the way I wanted them to, no..."
"You can tell me," Zelda offered as she hopped up onto the rails. "Whenever he upsets me, it always helps to talk it out with someone."
"He wants something from my people to make up for the past disputes. Only then will he end this." Ganondorf gripped the rails so hard, the stone started to crack. "I ask only that my kin be treated like the citizens of Hyrule that they are. How hard is it to grant such a request?!"
"He fears that you and your people may one day overtake his authority," Zelda mused. "You had the courage to break from the pattern of your ancestors and try to make peace. He fears change."
Ganondorf scoffed. "Too bad I couldn't just wait for him to die, and then make a deal with you."
"Not an option, I'm afraid," Zelda sighed, and kicked at the air. "I've been told the people like me because I'm humble, but the royal advisors do not want me to rule on my own. I think their plan is to marry me to the noble they feel will make the best king. I am fairly certain they have me followed so I don't mess their plan up..."
Zelda lowered her head and stared at the ground, dejected. Ganondorf noticed, and lifted her chin back up. "Do not despair, Princess. I know for certain that you are a capable ruler. The mere fact that you welcomed me into the castle instead of attacking me speaks to your open mindedness. And besides," Ganondorf paused to pull back Zelda's hair, "it was very noble of you to treat my wound." As a thank you, Ganondorf pressed a light kiss to Zelda's cheek. "I will see you again, my princess..."
"Yes, I hope you will," Zelda answered with a smile, rubbing her cheek as Ganondorf took his leave.
It was a week before Ganondorf returned to the castle. He needed time to calm his temper before approaching the king again, though he still would not concede. Hylians and Gerudo were once the same tribe, and so the Hylians had no right to treat his people like dirt.
The castle guards let him in without incident this time, though Ganondorf guarded his sore shoulder just in case. He entered the castle and was making his way to the throne room, when he heard sad music coming from an adjacent hall. The tune was vaguely familiar, and brought back some of his oldest memories. Intrigued, he followed the sound to a balcony overlooking the castle graveyard. The source was down below, leaning against an intricate gravestone.
"Zelda..."
The princess stopped playing her lyre and looked up at the Gerudo. "Oh, Lord Ganondorf..." She looked rather sad, though his appearance brought a smile to her face. Ganondorf wasted no time in coming to her, descending the balcony with a simple jump.
"I've never seen someone jump from a balcony that high..."
"And yet you slid down from a rampart just as tall," Ganondorf replied as he sat next to Zelda. "Your playing was lovely, why do you look so glum?"
Zelda absentmindedly brushed her hand against the gravestone. "It's nothing. Two days ago was my birthday..."
Ganondorf sensed something was wrong, and glanced past Zelda's shoulder at the grave. It belonged to the late Queen Iriana, Zelda's mother. The date on the stone was ten years and two days ago- on Zelda's seventh birthday.
"...I don't like birthdays, nothing good ever comes of them," Zelda said as she stared at the ground. "I asked for a present once, a little brother or sister, because I love children. I didn't know she was already under pressure from the others... As time went on she kept getting headaches, had trouble seeing, then she had convulsions. I know now what happened, but back then I just couldn't understand. I was happy when I woke up on my birthday, and went straight to her room. But she wasn't conscious. Her breathing was ragged. She didn't even make it to noon."
Zelda began sobbing and leaned into Ganondorf for comfort. He held her close, and smoothed her hair. He thought about saying something to console her, but decided that she didn't need another stranger telling her it was okay. Instead, he began humming the tune Zelda had been playing earlier. The humming soothed Zelda's pain, and she started nodding off. Just before falling asleep, Zelda laced hers and Ganondorf's fingers together.
"May you have a thousand pleasant dreams, princess of destiny..."