"There's not much of a story behind our relationship, I'm afraid," Link explained. "Sidon offered diplomatic protection when I told him that I wanted to be released from service to the Sheikah, so I decided to accept his help."
Ganondorf suspected Link wasn't telling him the entire truth. A handsome prince coming to the rescue of a humble intern was a noble idea, but it was improbable. As much as everyone adored Link, that didn't mean he didn't work to make connections. Ganondorf was certain that Link had gone through an enormous amount of trouble to engineer a meeting that would look like mere chance. Regardless of how artificial their initial acquaintance may have been, however, Sidon's affection for Link appeared to be genuine.
"You fly in high circles," Ganondorf remarked.
"It's true." Link laughed, completely at ease. He had been forthcoming about his connection to Rhoam when Zelda asked, and he seemed relieved that the matter was finally out in the open. Zelda had been apprehensive about bringing up the issue, but it hadn't taken her long to agree that it was impossible to have an awkward conversation with Link.
She walked a few paces behind him with Sidon at her side. Sidon and Zelda had apparently gone to the same private school, and she had been friendly with his older sister Mipha. Sidon was Link's age, so he and Zelda hadn't had many occasions to speak to each other in the past. They seemed to be enjoying themselves as they chatted. Zelda was never this easygoing when she was with him, and Ganondorf would have resented the way she smiled at Sidon if he weren't absolutely certain of the Zora prince's devotion to Link.
"I'd seen him around the parliamentary building, and I knew who he was, of course," Link explained. "We finally got a chance to talk to each other when we met at a photography exhibition. He knew me from Skyloft, and he was enthusiastic about the photos I've been posting recently."
"I can imagine he was," Ganondorf said, and it was true. Link had a knack for venturing into places most people would avoid and catching details that most people would overlook. Ganondorf doubted that it was Link's Skyloft feed that attracted Sidon, and he had a suspicion that Sidon had been observing Link for other reasons. He realized that he didn't actually know that much about Link – or about Sidon, for that matter.
"Sidon seems to be enthusiastic about everything," he said.
"It does seem that way, doesn't it," Link replied. "But you might be surprised. I don't think it's easy for him to be Mipha's brother, and he's only being like that with Zelda because she's Mipha's friend. I think he wants to make a good impression. There's no need for you to be jealous."
"I have no reason to be jealous of him."
"Whatever you say. You're clearly trying to listen to their conversation, but you haven't looked at them once since we started walking. But that's okay; you'll like Sidon once you get to know him. Most people think he's not that smart, but he has ways of getting things done. It was his idea for all of us to appear in public like this. Whatever is going on with Zelda, not even the Sheikah would risk offending Queen Mipha's brother."
"That's why I consented to this."
"See? There you go. I think you two would get along. I couldn't care less about politics, you know that, but I'm glad we're doing this. Someone needs to buy clothes for Zelda. I admire how she found the courage to cut off ties with her family, but she can't keep wearing the same two outfits on rotation."
"I have never agreed with you more."
"Anyway, I had Purlo put together a wardrobe for her, and he's promised to be discrete. Not that I believe him, of course."
"Purlo couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it."
Link nodded. "That's exactly what I said to Sidon, but he thinks it would be good for Zelda to appear on social media. And I agree with him. I think one of the best ways for Zelda to protect herself is by making her presence known, especially if the Sheikah are interested in her."
"You think it's less likely for her to disappear if she has an audience watching her."
"Exactly!" Link beamed up at him. "Sidon says that everyone used to call her 'the princess' in high school. She's descended from the old royal family through her mother's side, but I don't think as many people know that as you might expect. The nickname was more about the way she carries herself, apparently."
"I can see that."
"I can see that you do." Link laughed. "Isn't it funny? A Link, a Zelda, and a Ganon. It must be fate."
Ganondorf didn't find the concept the least bit amusing, especially not after his most recent conversation with Zelda, but it was difficult to resist Link's good humor. "You should invent a hashtag," he said.
"I already have," Link replied, grinning. "I just need to get the three of us in the same shot."
. . . . .
Ganondorf frowned as he watched Sidon adjust the lapels of Zelda's blazer. It was a relief to finally see her wearing an outfit that suited her, but he didn't appreciate the way she had become the focus of Sidon's attention.
Link could never have afforded this, and people in Sidon's position tended to be cautious about ostentatious displays of charity. Sidon was more than likely planning something, and Link more than likely was as well. Ganondorf resolved to pay for the clothing himself before either of them could offer.
He didn't understand what the pair of them had to gain from courting Zelda's friendship. Link said he wanted nothing more to do with Hyrule's political circles, and Ganondorf was inclined to believe him. Meanwhile, Sidon could easily have found more fertile connections to cultivate, especially since Zelda had gone through great pains to sever her ties with her family. Sidon and Link both seemed fond of Zelda, and they appeared to enjoy spending time with her. The way Sidon spoke and carried himself with an easy confidence that was entirely free from the oleaginous stickiness of a career politician. If he wanted to groom Zelda for a role in some political game, Ganondorf reasoned, there were much more effective ways to do so.
Sidon could be trying to charm his way into Link's good graces, or he could just be friendly. Both were possibilities Ganondorf was willing to consider.
Purlo had swept Zelda through a whirlwind of clothing, all of which fit her perfectly. She objected to Link and Sidon's insistence that she keep it, but Purlo silenced her, telling her that he'd have it delivered in a tone that brooked no argument. He'd ordered her to remain in the outfit she most favored, black slacks and a fitted white shirt with gold accents at the collar, which she wore under a blazer cut from light linen dyed a deep royal blue.
Purlo turned his attention to Link, presumably to give Zelda a moment to get used to her reflection in the mirror. To Ganondorf's eyes, there was nothing unnatural about her appearance; it had been her cheap off-rack clothing that had been abnormal. She seemed more like herself now that she was finally dressed well, and she looked just as brilliant as he'd known she would.
Ganondorf gestured her over and asked her to turn around so that he could break the thread holding the tails of her blazer together.
"I'll have this charged to my account," he informed her.
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."
"I'm not giving you a choice."
She turned to look at him. "Why did you set this up?"
"I didn't," he replied. "This was all Link's doing."
"We thought this wild child would never settle down," Purlo said to Sidon on the other side of the room as he clapped a hand on Link's shoulder. "He must have half the boys in Hyrule following him. Leave it to him to reel in a catch like you."
Leave it to him, indeed. Ganondorf noticed that Zelda hadn't commented on his statement that Link had arranged this outing. She must take Link's kindness for granted, just as he did. Just as Sidon seemed to, for that matter. The ability to find his way into the trust of even the most guarded people must have come in handy for a Sheikah agent.
Ganondorf could feel the weight of Zelda's eyes on his face.
"You look like you have something to say," she remarked.
Ganondorf wanted to ask her about her relationship with Link, but now wasn't the time. "I don't think Link has ever dated anyone," he said instead.
"How would you know?"
"Just a hunch."
"A hunch? Did you stalk him the way you stalked me?"
"I went through his feed on Skyloft when I first met him, yes. It seemed like a reasonable precaution."
"Still, how would you know? Have you ever dated anyone?"
What a ridiculous thing to ask. "Not that I can remember," he answered.
"Are we dating?"
Ganondorf was taken aback. Zelda always seemed so in control of herself, and it was odd to hear her ask such a vulnerable question. He didn't know what she wanted to hear.
She apparently took his lack of a ready answer for censure. "Never mind, I can't believe we're having this conversation," she muttered, shaking her head. "Forget I asked."
Ganondorf watched Link make a show of flirting with Sidon for Purlo's benefit. They seemed to be lost in their own world, and there was no danger of them overhearing his conversation with Zelda. "I want to make my intentions clear," he said. "If you hadn't asked me to leave last night, we would have done much more than 'dating.'"
Zelda didn't respond. He glanced down at her and was amused to see that her face had turned bright red. He was struck by an urge to kiss her ear, but he suppressed it.
He lowered his voice. "Let me take you home tonight."
"That's not what I meant." Her eyes were fixed on Link, who had focused the bright beam of his smile on Sidon. "I'm not sure what's going on with you, and I don't want to drag Sidon and Mipha into any sort of drama. You need to understand that I'm not the sort of person to toy with if you intend to keep a low profile."
Don't insult me, woman. Ganondorf clenched his teeth and bit back his response. How could she possibly think he was toying with her? She had enough magical ability to destroy him several times over if she chose to, and there would be little he could do to resist her if she ever realized the full potential of her power. She could kill him in the privacy of her own apartment, and no one would ever know. Her Sheikah contacts would make it seem as if he'd never existed, and Link would more than likely help her dispose of his body. How foolish did she think he was?
Ganondorf looked at her again and saw that her face had gone blank. Zelda only wore that expression when she was nervous. He realized that she may have only spoken out of a sense of insecurity. But why would she be insecure? He heard her voice in his dreams and saw her face in his fantasies. At first, all he could think about was what she had done to him, but at some point he'd started thinking about what he wanted to do to her. He spent his evenings with her and no one else, and the best hours of his day belonged to her. His every instinct insisted that kissing her was a terrible mistake, but he hadn't been able to stop himself. He had no clear understanding of his attraction to her; he only knew that he wanted her. She had the right of the situation – she was not someone to toy with, especially if he wanted to avoid the wrong sort of attention. He was completely in her power. How could she not know that?
Zelda cleared her throat. "Link may not have dated anyone before, but that doesn't stop him from treating Sidon like he's the center of the universe. Meanwhile, you haven't so much as touched my hand all afternoon. I like you, but I'm not interested in being with someone who feels like our relationship needs to be a secret. I've been with people like that before, and it wasn't pleasant."
Ganondorf scowled. Last night she'd trusted him enough to tell him about her dreams and her childhood, yet now she accused him of being faithless. Whenever something happened that she didn't have an explanation for, she always defaulted to treating him like her enemy. It was frustrating, but the friction of these misunderstandings only made him want her more. He was already half-hard from listening to the low and quiet voice she used to speak to him so that no one else in the room would hear. He wanted to pin her against the wall and kiss her until no one had any doubt about the nature of their relationship. He hadn't touched her hand, indeed. He wanted to possess her.
"I don't think you'd even know how to be with a woman, anyway," Zelda continued in a bitter voice. "You showed more affection to that ridiculous Sheikah Slate than I've ever seen you express toward an actual person."
Ganondorf's scowl deepened. "You seem to believe that I haven't touched you because I regret what happened last night," he said slowly. "You misunderstand. I've been thinking about you for months, ever since I woke up. Once I start touching you, I might not be able to stop."
Zelda raised her eyebrows, and the color returned to her face. "I'll believe that when it happens," she said, the slightest trace of a smile playing at her lips.
Ganondorf touched his hand lightly to the small of her back and was delighted when a small shiver passed through her body. "Yes," he assured her. "You will."