Act II – The Life of a Knight

Chapter X – The Kingdom of Hyrule

The sun shined from the sky when Ganondorf saw the tremendous walls and rode into Hyrule Castle Town, the capital of the kingdom. The townsfolk cheered happily when they saw their general returning, but their faces became suspicious when their view caught the foreigner. Him. Yet he could care less about them. Other things claimed his mind.

Ganondorf had spent at least another hour staring at the fire last night before he came to the conclusion that for now it made the most sense to follow Aldar. He witnessed for himself that despite all the tales and stories told, he knew next to nothing about the world. He had also no clue where he should head to. Besides fighting, how to behave as a gladiator and other minor tasks the guards demanded from him, he possessed no abilities that he needed for the life in freedom.

Even more important, he always had dreamt to become a free warrior who would fight on the battlefield for a true reason. Albeit he was uncertain what this reason might be, it certainly was not for the entertainment of others. Joining the army of Hyrule appealed to him like it would bring him one step further to this goal. If not, he would just leave them again. He did not care much about loyalty though he kept that a secret, especially from Aldar.

Ganondorf followed him and the other two on the path through the town, which led to the castle. The keepers opened the massive gate that scratched over the ground, accompanied by a loud and rusty sound. Curiously Ganondorf looked around when he rode inside. A lot of people crowded the courtyard, some of them armored from feet to head, some in aristocratic dresses and others in common clothing.

The most impressive view was the tremendous palace in front of him. Walls with ornaments, windows in various forms, towers which aimed for the sky and knights that protected the royal castle with their lives. The atmosphere, dominated by enjoyment and peace. The opposite of what he was used to back at the arena. It appealed much to his liking and if it stayed like this, he could imagine to stay as well.

Once they had reached the middle of the yard, Aldar stopped and dismounted from his stallion. His two lieutenants and Ganondorf followed his example and soldiers came. These greeted them before they took the reins of the horses and brought them to the stable nearby.

Aldar informed the three to wait when he headed towards the palace gate. Ganondorf looked after him but soon lost his focus when he saw the person he went to. Formally Aldar greeted her by bowing down though the two men behind her, clad in a magnificent armor and their weapons at hand, did not leave her side.

They shared words with each other but Ganondorf did not understand them since they stood out of earshot. However, even if they were within, he would have not heard them either. His attention was fixated on the woman. She was young, maybe around his age, and she wore her blond hair long and loose, only her pointy ears sticking out from them. She carried around this presence of grace and elegance, maybe even royalty.

Ganondorf did not let his eyes go off from this woman. She left such a deep impression, a fascination which he had never experienced before. Neither could he explain where the fuzzy feeling came from or what it was. No words could describe it, but it was not awkward or even painful. Quite the opposite, he felt warm and comfortable inside.

Once their conversation ended, she headed back into the castle together with her company. Ganondorf still stared after her and neither noticed his surroundings, nor the yelling, but he was soon brought back to his senses by a short twirling pain on his cheek.

"I warn you. I know this absent gaze very well and you should better forget about this. Immediately! It will only bring pain and misery. To you!" Ganondorf turned his head down and looked into the face of the general whose finger pointed dangerously at him. Aldar's body was tensed and his twitches of the face looked like he had to restrain himself from drawing his sword and piercing it through his body.

Ganondorf needed a short time to realize what had happened, but he entirely ignored Aldar's menacing appearance when he responded, bugged, "What's your problem now?"

"Watch your mouth, you…" Jyrik stepped towards Ganondorf but Aldar cut him off with a wink of his hand. He never let his piercing glare off of Ganondorf.

"Listen. I only warn you once. She is far out of your league. Now and forever. And I swear to you: If there is anybody who even thinks about harming her in any way, I don't ask twice before I slice through his throat. He will not even have a single second to regret his idiocy." Aldar's voice became more sinister when he added, "And I certainly don't care who or what he is. And you, Ganondorf, will be no exception if you force me to slaughter you."

Ganondorf only released a grumble which could be interpreted as anything. Even though he was confident about his combat skills and never would be afraid of facing and fighting an enemy, he had to admit that Aldar appeared intimidating in this mood. In regard to him being in charge of the whole army, he must be a very unpleasant encounter if it would come to a battle until death.

Albeit he refrained from picking a quarrel with Aldar by now, he still had not given up on that woman. At least not as long as he did not know what the feeling was about.

Aldar must have felt the reluctance of Ganondorf. "Just because you're a free man doesn't mean you can do anything you want. Your freedom ends where you touch the laws of others. Let me assure you, we had one Great War because of another folk who did not understand this. And their price for this disrespect was their absolute annihilation. I hope for your own health that you do not have any intentions to follow their path because that one led them straight to hell."

Ganondorf did not want to give him an answer because this annoying lecturing reminded him of Karlos. And he never stopped when he talked back, quite the opposite. He only nodded to avoid another one, though he was certain that if this became a habit of Aldar, he would leave the army sooner than he had joined it.

"If this is clear now, see me in my office afterwards. I have to do some business before I can set up the rest for your membership," ordered Aldar in a calmer mood before he turned around and left.

"Congratulations. You were able to cross our highgeneral on your first day. That's quite an achievement, though not one you should be proud of," said Jyrik in a false-friendly voice though it soon changed into a derogative manner. "I don't give you a month before you quit. You might be powerful but that's all you have. Just as I said before, you aren't worthy to become a knight."

Ganondorf did not even look down at Jyrik and responded unconcerned, "You should keep your mouth shut in my presence. You pollute my ears and I don't like this. Would be quite another incident if I stomp you into the ground on my first day. Which will happen if you continue bothering me, squirt."

"Are you trying to threatening me, you savage?!" Ganondorf did not degrade himself again to speak with that man and walked away.

Though he heard Link sighing. "You two don't give much to each other. Hopefully our highgeneral is wise enough to not assign you to the same company."

Ganondorf grinned on his way to the castle's entrance. This little nuisance could do nothing against his behavior. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. He was not his master. He would never be. He bathed in the pleasure that freedom had to offer him. Finally he would not be forced to endure every obnoxious attitude or suffer the consequences if he just could not hold himself back any longer.

Ganondorf asked his way to Aldar's office but even though they replied to him politely, every single one of them eyed him with suspicion. Once it got too annoying for him and he began to ask them about it, they claimed it was nothing or just left quietly.

Once Aldar had returned and calmed down to his old reversed manner, he instructed him about the army and the expectations of him which Aldar had not told him before on their ride to the castle. Ganondorf listened only halfheartedly, yet he at least tried to look attentive. He never had a great interest in everything that had to do with duties and rules.

He left the office after Aldar had assigned him to Link's division because he trusted him to manage his haughty attitude. Ganondorf would see if he truly got along with this one, but at least he had shown to be more open minded and respectful even towards him compared to Jyrik.

"Seems like we've met sooner again than I thought." Link walked together with him across one of the many castle's corridors. Ganondorf merely mumbled in response. He was still too impressed by his surroundings because it was the entire opposite of what he was used to back at the arena. Chandeliers or windows lighted the gangways well, some of them had even carpets or portraits and statues that decorated them. Even though some people rushed the paths along, the overall appearance of them was respectful and friendly.

"Fine, I got it. You don't appreciate talking much," noticed Link though his voice remained calm. "But nonetheless, I don't call it a wise decision to immediately integrate you into my group and training in regard to your injuries. They might have been treated and healed up quite well, but they were severe and I don't want to risk anything if I don't have to."

"No need to care about these ones," responded Ganondorf unconcerned. Previously he preferred to be allowed to stay longer at the hospital ward and especially be without any tasks, but now he was far too curious about the things that awaited him. "I'm used to them. I can't even remember one fight I've fought without those. Don't even think they hold me back because they never did."

"Yes, you're tough as nails. I have no doubts about it." Link looked up to him and his view told that he was determined about what he would say next. "But I furthermore already noticed that you're boastful. You don't have to prove anybody anything here, you're already part of the army. Aldar had approved you without any trial or training beforehand and his word in regard to the army is absolute. There is no need to strain yourself if you're still injured. A wise man knows that even though injuries might push him to his limits, his limits are greater if he is at full health."

Ganondorf did not answer as he was surprised about his talking. He had not expected that Link would be able to get his point across without becoming demanding or rough at him. Probably there was more within him than his slender appearance indicated.

"We will start in one week, but we can already use that one to improve your knowledge. A knight who can't read is a bit…" Link stopped and looked as if he tried to find the right words to not insult him. "It's odd but nothing that can't be changed. Albeit what you lack there you surpass others in terms of strength and fighting skills. I'm certain we can make an honorable warrior out of you when we teach you suitable techniques and channel your powers the right way." To his surprise, Link smiled at him when he concluded, "Is this a proposal you can agree to?"

"It's worth a try at least. I'll see how much a knight can teach a gladiator or if you better cut off a slice of me." A smug grin appeared on Ganondorf's face. He could not imagine how this small man should be able to teach him anything when it came down to swordsmanship or fighting in general.

"You're very cocksure of yourself, aren't you? Let me tell you that power alone isn't the key here. The battles you encounter in our ranks differ from the ones you're used to. Don't let yourself get fooled," said Link in a serious manner.

It did not impress Ganondorf. "You know, the ones who talked big like that were also the ones who had fallen first. Monsters and other opponents aren't interested in those corny phrases; they don't even ask what knowledge is inside you when they impale you with their claws or swords. The only language they understand is that of the strongest."

The reaction of Link towards these words was quiet laughter. "Well, I'm certain things will get interesting with you sticking around. But first of all, you'll see a doctor now."

In the first days, Ganondorf got often lost in the castle's numerous corridors even though Link had showed him most of it. But enough people roamed around whom he could ask and albeit they still seemed to be suspicious and reversed around his foreign presence, they began to familiarize themselves with him.

He also got assigned his own room. Not a big one, but enough for him. At least at this moment. No musty and dark cell anymore he had lived in for more than a decade. Quite the opposite, the window enlightened it nicely, it possessed a bed that fit his size and was not merely a pile of worn out tissues. It also had shelves to store his belongings. At least, once he would have some.

To his surprise, Aldar personally cared for this even though this privilege was else reserved for the higher members of the army. Ganondorf did not complain since he had no home he could go to and he preferred it over the barracks where the soldiers on duty were housed.

All in all, the life here was vastly more comfortable compared to his old one. The food tasted delicious and was more varied, he was not restrained to specific areas and except for parts that belonged to royalty only, he could go to where he wished. He could even leave the castle without being afraid to get slaughtered.

One day, when Ganondorf returned from lessons in which he drove his teachers more than once to desperation due to his arrogant behavior, he walked along a corridor whose windows pointed towards the courtyard. As he did every time, he looked down on the events, on people who ran around, who involved themselves in conversation or who observed their surroundings.

On this particular day he saw Aldar there on the back of his stallion with his men waiting behind him. Ganondorf stopped and braced his hands against the windowsill to observe the on-goings further.

This was one of the reasons why he preferred Aldar far above Azett. He did not only sit in his office all day long and watched passively how others struggled for their life to give him money; he involved himself in these fights and stood side by side with his men. Even though Aldar could be obnoxious, he was at least able to respect him as a warrior and a man. Something he never could have said about Azett. Not back then, not now.

Soon Ganondorf's view caught the woman who spoke to Aldar. He felt a sting in his chest that quickly spread over his body. It vanished. That was the woman he had seen on his first day and yet again, he felt the prickling but warm feeling whose meaning he still did not understand.

He rushed through the corridors, down the staircase and to one of the doors which led to the courtyard. He had to meet her and find out what this weird feeling was about. Hopefully Aldar would be set off since then for he made clear that he did not want him to linger around this woman for whatever reason.

Once he had arrived, not only Aldar was gone but the woman as well. The only feeling left was disappointment. Surely, he had no clue what was going on or what influence this woman had on him. But she had a great one. That much he understood.