Ganondorf heard the light steps of his wife swiftly approaching from the back of the group, and found comfort when her hand slid against his palm to intertwine their fingers. He gripped her hand firmly.
"We're moving all night," she stated, more than she questioned.
He glanced at her with a smirk. "There is no rest for the wicked, my queen."
"I'm… sorry, about my behavior," Dora said quietly, her eyes on her feet.
"An apology?" he mocked. "That's not in your nature."
"You're making this difficult," she scowled. "It's Aishea, she just reminds me of someone," she confessed.
"Dora, I know you all too well. Do you truly believe I'm oblivious?" he asked, insulted.
"I never doubted you. Even after a lifetime, I still get defensive," she explained.
"We have discussed this at length in the past. As with her, none of it is significant to me," he reassured.
Dora squeezed his hand, and stepped closer so that she could rest her head on his padded shoulder. "What happened, something like that, sticks with you forever," she said solemnly.
He rested his arm around her back and his fingers clutched her waist. "We only need to keep her around for a short while. Just try not to start a fight before her usefulness runs out," he requested.
"I'll try."
Felious was in pace with the king and queen directly in front of him, and the conversation he heard brought a smile to his face. In that moment, he learned exactly why the two of them were perfect for each other. It was a glimpse into the secret love that Ganondorf stored in his dark heart for this one woman. Felious's thoughts turned to Din, and just how incredible he felt around her.
Din was not caught up with them yet, but he figured she needed more time to cool off. That was what he assumed at first, until she never came to find him and he became worried. He held back from the mass of people working their way around the mountain. Dora managed to make peace with Ganondorf. Felious was sure they had made up hundreds of times over the course of their lives. It was odd that Din was not yet with her parents, the two people she admired more than anyone in Hyrule.
His worry grew to panic when the last of the Yiga passed and Din was not among them. He thrust his fist toward the ground and cursed. There was little wonder where it was Din ran to. She was all too eager to rid her family of the hero, and this was the perfect chance. Despite her father's direct orders, was she defiant enough to chase after Link alone? Felious easily knew the answer. Or did someone convince her it was a good idea? He needed to hope she was not foolish enough to be goaded into such a reckless decision.
His first instinct was to go straight after her. He hesitated when he remembered Dora's request to be informed if Din ever considered or discussed running away. Her strange favor suddenly made perfect sense. Perhaps the princess was guilty of something similar in the past. Felious needed to bring Din home without making Dora worry, or add to her current stress. He could locate Din and bring her back to the camp before anyone realized they were missing. The situation provided a good opportunity to earn Ganondorf's blessing, but Din's safety was most important. Felious rushed away, toward the Sacred Grove, taking deep breaths to avoid panic at the thought of his fate if he reached her too late.