Hello hello and welcome to 2021!

The title of this chapter comes from a song which was originally by the Yolngu and balanda band Yothu Yindi, but I had the cover by the Butchulla rapper Birdz in mind. Since we're delving a bit into how Ganondorf's heritage informs his outlook on life, I thought it would be fitting to reference an indigenous artist.

Updated 1 January 2021. Minor typo fixed.

The Magic Awakens

Chapter 13

Sunset Dreaming

Hordes of Gerudo clapped and cheered for the leader that had brought them glory and liberation. Ganondorf received it, basked in it, but as they began to tire, he ordered them to continue. "More," he demanded. "More. More." They tried, really tried, but their enthusiasm faded into weariness. Still, he shouted for more.

"We have no more," they chanted.

Ganondorf thrust out his hand. "More!" A slash ripped through the knee of every Gerudo, forcing them to kneel. He marched past them. To Hyrule Castle, to crowds of Hylians, Sheikah, Zora, Rito, Gorons, and Twili all cowering under his gaze. He raised a hand caked in blood.

"More."

His eyes shot open, and his blood continued to pound like an army of war drums. Just when he had finally drifted into a safe rest that night, another nightmare had assaulted him. On the bright side, he no longer felt haggard, and strips of sunlight threaded through his blinds. Might as well start the day.

He reached for his slate and turned on the screen. 9:30am. Shit!

Ganondorf had expected some chatter about the debate when he arrived late to school that day. He did not expect to hear about some mastermind scheme Zelda had hatched. One which involved Link seducing Midna in the woods. Furthermore, students had the audacity to ask him what he knew about it. "Not a damn thing," he repeated.

He fought through the halls, picking up hushed chatter as he went.

"Zelda's probably making it up for attention."

"But this is Zelda we're talking about! She's not a gossip. She'd only say it if it were true."

"Maybe Midna was the one seducing Link to throw Zelda off her game."

"Well that certainly backfired."

"All three of them deny what happened last night. What are they trying to hide?"

"Does it matter? They all look like petty idiots now."

Ganondorf finally entered the cafeteria, where Groose was perched on a table, surrounded by a sizable crowd of students listening to the inanest speech Ganondorf had ever heard. "Their hair? Whack! Their posters? Whack! Their campaigns? Whack! Their arguments? Whack! The way that they talk? Whack! The way they scream at each other in front of the whole school? Whack. Me? I'm tight as fuck!" The crowd applauded him. Ganondorf's confusion hit the roof.

Link was huddled in a corner with a lone chair as he scarfed down his lunch. Ganondorf stormed over. "Oi, Link!" He looked over his shoulder, cheeks stuffed with the last few bites of his sandwich. "What the fuck happened?" Ganondorf demanded in a hushed tone. "Everyone says you banged Midna in the woods last night and Zelda told the whole school. Have I fallen into some alternate dimension where you've all lost your minds?"

Link almost choked. "Just pull up a chair."

Ganondorf ripped an empty seat from a table of gossiping students, ignoring their cries of "We were saving that!" He slammed it in front of Link (who had scooted around) and dropped himself into it with crossed arms.

"Answers. Now."

Link drew a long breath for the story ahead. "It started when Midna arrived late yesterday." He explained it all. The detention. The text. The Yiga. When he arrived at Gohma, Ganondorf cracked up. "What's so funny?"

"Just that you and Midna getting your asses beat by a giant spider at 3am is far more believable than the two of you having sex."

Link cleared his throat. "Cheers." He continued. The almost-death. The fairy. Zelda's stress-baking.

"But you lived, didn't you?" said Ganondorf.

"That's what I said, but she was stressed to the Dark World and back. Hadn't slept a wink. When the debate came, I guess she finally cracked. Yelled that Midna and I were in the woods last night, and everyone got the wrong idea." Link sighed. "Worse of all, we can't prove them wrong."

Ganondorf slumped back in his chair. "Damn." He took a moment to let it sink in. "After all that, I thought you'd be hiding in your secret nap spot."

"Yeah, well…" Link rubbed his neck. "Midna knows about it. She needs it more right now."

"Haha! A true gentleman." Ganondorf beamed. Link bounced his left leg, eyes on the floor. "Hey. How are you feeling about all this?"

Link scoffed. "Too much, mate," he said. "I get that Zelda wasn't in her right mind, and I get why she's testy around Midna, but it fucking hurts."

"Do you think you can forgive her?"

"Already did. Still sucks though." He dragged his hands down his face. "Gods, everyone thinks I'm a womanizer now. Sakon said 'Nice!' and tried to high five me. Sakon!"

"The bald kid who keeps stealing everyone's erasers?"

"Yep. Zelda trashed my reputation, but at least I have Sakon."

"You also have me," Ganondorf said. "Central High's most infamous womanizer and simp against the world."

Link chuckled. "A match made in the Sacred Realm."

They continued joking about, gradually lifting Link's spirits, until the bell rang. Next class was PE and they had both forgotten to change into their gym clothes. They dashed to the changing rooms, threw the uniform on, and dashed out before the second bell. Because they were the last to meet the class on the oval, Darunia said one of them needed to be benched for the first soccer game, next to Groose who had rolled his ankle after jumping off a table.

Feeling he owed Ganondorf for cheering him up before, Link volunteered. Unfortunately, Groose's mouth chose to be especially insufferable that day.

"So, you and Minda, huh?"

"No."

"Aww, c'mon. Banging the police captain's daughter? You should be proud. A real stick-it-to-the-man move."

A sickly mix of rage and shame bubbled within Link. He had grown up a lone boy in a female household, with a best friend of a similar background. The very concept of using a woman to get back at some man he didn't like made his blood curdle. The words burned his tongue, begging to be set free, but Link bit them back. Groose had proven over and over that he wouldn't listen. It would only cause things to escalate. Mouth shut. Eyes forward. Ignore everything. Groose would get bored eventually.

"Honestly, Minda is definitely up there for me. A real babe," Groose droned. "But she could never top Zelda." He snickered. "Someday I'd like to top Zelda in the woods, just like-"

A fist smashed into Groose's jaw. His side smacked against the bench with a wail. Link stood over him with fuming breath.

"Harkinian!" Darunia barked. "Principal's office. Now."

Without a word, Link scooped up his bag, swung it over his shoulder, and jogged past the bleachers. By the Goddesses, he was mad. So mad that he didn't regret the punch one bit. He hoped it left a nasty bruise. He hoped that every time Groose saw his reflection, he'd remember how much of a sexist prick he was. He hoped that punch would shut that goose up for good.

Link almost rounded the corner of a hallway when a hushed voice stopped him. "Apologies, Mr Vaati. Results may take longer than expected." The name was familiar, as though Link had seen or heard it many times before, yet he couldn't quite place it. "Please, sir. I can be the one to win her over." A sour pause. "Very well. I'll hang back and report what I can."

Footsteps approached the corner. Link bowed his head and tried to power walk around it, to disguise the fact that he had been listening in. Two bodies bumped into each other.

"Sorry," Link mumbled.

Yellow eyes blinked at him. "Harkinian."

"Ozul."

Zant had the same cool grey skin, nose, and almond-shaped eyes as his sister, though that was where the similarities ended. He was half-a-head shorter, and his choppy fringe was the colour of a dying ember rather than a roaring flame. His long face tapered off into a narrow chin. He wore an oversized, navy dress shirt tucked into wide-legged slacks with a hall pass poking from the pocket. The business-wear was a stark contrast against the typical casual attire of the student body.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he drawled, voice creaking the slightest bit.

"Who were you talking to?" It was an impulsive question.

The tips of Zant's lips curled upwards as he pushed his black frames up his nose. "That was the CEO from my very prestigious internship with Vaati Incorporated," he said. "I'm sure Midna mentioned it."

"She didn't. Sorry."

Zant frowned. "Well, I suppose you were too distracted to have a proper conversation."

Heat rushed to Link's face. "About that. The rumours, they aren't-"

"Oh, I know." Zant cracked a repulsive grin. "Your face amuses me." With a cold chuckle, he strode past Link. "Good luck wooing her now," he called over his shoulder.

That last line hit Link like a bucket of cold chu jelly. Even Zant picked up on his crush? It was never his goal to pursue Midna, even though part of him really wanted to. At this point, pursuit would not only be foolish, but an insult. Even friendship was out of the question. They'd have to work on the project and then keep their distance until this awful rumour died.

It hurt, having to give her up after just getting to know her, but it was for the best.

Knuckles rapped against the wooden door. The panicked jingle of glass answered. A draw slammed. Rauru called Link inside his dimly lit office, where the blinds behind his desk were shut. He gestured at the seat across from him and Link took it. A bitter smell hung in the air. Chateau Romani.

Link pointed at his upper lip. "You've got something."

Rauru's eyes bulged. He hastility wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "We'll keep this between us, shall we?" Link nodded. "I don't normally day drink but, well, you saw what happened this morning." He sighed. "I really should've had a better handle on things. I owe you an apology."

"Thank-you, sir," Link said, a little weirded out by this unprompted heart-to-heart.

"Anyway, I'm assuming you're here because you got into a spot of trouble yourself. What happened?"

Link rubbed his neck. "I kinda punched Groose in the face."

Rauru sighed as he removed his red scarf. "And what possessed you to do that?"

"He was making objectifying statements about Midna and my sister."

"I see." Rauru stood and approached the blinds. "Three students acting very out of character on the same day." He twirled the stick, and the blinds shifted open. "There must be something I can do to help. A contingency I could provide." The tattoo of Hylia's crest sat at the nape of his neck.

Link thought for a moment and straightened up. "Yes," he enthused. "We've been, uh, overwhelmed by personal stuff. Real stressful."

"Seems like it." Rauru eased back into his chair. "How about this? I'll instruct your teachers to be lax with your homework for the rest of the term, and grant extensions on assignments whenever any of you ask. Does that sound fair?"

Already, the emotional weight from Link's day felt lighter. "That's very kind, sir," he said. "Can you do it for Ganondorf too?"

Rauru smiled. "But of course. Now, about your punishment."

The bell rang, ending Zelda's final period. She cleared her desk of the mountain of history books she had been referencing for an assignment due the following week. One she was behind on. As soon as she got home, she was going to crack those books back open, provided she didn't have another breakdown.

When she stepped through the school's sunlight entrance, a burly figure sailed into view. "Hey, Zelda. Heard you had a rough morning," Ganondorf said.

She scowled. Though she felt leagues better after a three-hour nap in the sick bay, she still had dredges of anxiety flowing through her. Between the crushing guilt, mounting stress, and overall sense of failure, she was not in the mood for Ganondorf's shenanigans, nor was she ready to face the fact that he probably thought less of her now. Like everyone else.

"Hey, don't give me that look. I came to cheer you up," he chirped. "We can check out the food trucks near the park. My treat."

"I can't, Ganondorf. I have a lot of study to catch up on." The books weighed her down like her conscience.

He cracked a smile. "Check your email."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

With a huff, she drew out her slate and opened the mail app. The first message was from Principal Rauru. It was addressed to Link, but had her, Ganondorf, and Midna cc'd in. In response to this morning… the subject line read. If not for Ganondorf's knowing smile, she would've dreaded opening it. A quick perusal later, and she felt like she had witnessed a miracle. "No way," she breathed.

"Link got us extensions!"

"I just read that, Captain Obvious," she said, but she was smiling. Without the weight of looming deadlines, Ganondorf's offer sounded quite enticing now. Then she frowned. "Where's Link? No, wait!" She waved a hand. "Let me guess. Detention?"

He snapped finger guns at her. "Bingo."

"Again? Urgh. What has he gotten into this time?"

"I'll tell you on the way." Ganondorf offered his hand. Zelda glared at it, and her own twitched at her side. A chortle burst from his nose. "I was gonna carry your bag. It's slicing your arms off."

She flushed. "Oh." Zelda shrugged off the straps and heaved it over. "A gentlemanly move. Thank-you."

"I'm more than a scoundrel, Zelda." When he grabbed the bag, his hand plummeted. "Din almighty! How many books do you have in here?"

"Enough."

Ganondorf held the bag to his chest and faced the nearest wall, as if reading one of Groose's posters that had been "accidentally" splashed with various dried liquids. When he turned around, the bag was gone. "Ganondorf!" Zelda hissed. "You can't use magic in public."

"Can and did," he said with a grin.

She smiled the tiniest bit. "Scoundrel."

They chose to skip the bus and walk instead, since they had no heavy bags weighing them down. Zelda's shoulders still ached, but she felt free as a fresh morning breeze. Along the way, Ganondorf dramatized the whack Link gave Groose. Zelda was almost in disbelief. Whenever the odd fight broke out at school, Link was the first on his feet to break it up. Never the instigator.

"Well, he must have had a good reason," she said. "Not that I condone it."

"Trust me. He did."

The green field was rimmed by trees on the two furthest sides and Zelda's street on the closest. A large deku tree with curling branches overlooked slides, swings, climbing nets, and more. Chattering parents were gathered around picnic benches. Children darted through the playground and slinked through the tree. The smell of spiced meat wafted through the air. Three food trucks were parked on the road closest to the playground. One was your classic ice cream truck, one was hot chips, but the third was for skewers.

Zelda followed Ganondorf to the third truck. After a quick peruse of the menu, the pair ordered. The jovial Goron seared them on the grill in a jiffy. "One mild veggie skewer for the lady," he said as he handed it over, "and three extra spicy meat for the lad."

The moment Zelda caught a whiff of Ganondorf's skewers, she coughed. "Goddesses, it burns my throat from here!"

"If you think this is bad, you're not ready for Gerudo grub."

They strolled around the perimeter of the park as Zelda savoured her skewer with dainty nibbles while Ganondorf scarfed down each of his in three bites. By the time they passed the deku tree, its shadow reached halfway across the field.

"Remember when the council wanted to chop it down?" Ganondorf asked.

"Of course."

For decades, the tree was a pillar of the park. Zelda would read under it while Link and Ganondorf wove through the branches above. The tree was a place of comfort, community, and nostalgia. When Zelda was ten-years-old, she formed the Deku Tree Defence Club so that the park regulars could appeal to the council. It was the first and only time Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf teamed up for anything prior to their grand destiny. Zelda did all the research and case-building, Link gathered signatures for the petition, and Ganondorf recruited others to join the cause. They even had a few cute little protests where they'd march around the tree with signs as they chanted, "Defend the deku tree!"

On the tree's execution day, Link, Ganondorf, and half-a-dozen brave Gerudo children sat around the trunk, linked arm-in-arm. For all of them, it was their first experience with civil disobedience. Their eyes bulged at the revving chainsaws. Those big lumberjacks looked ready to cut through them! Zelda was too frightened to join in, but she was nearby to offer food and water, and she was the one who spoke with the council representative.

Eventually, the children's stubbornness won out. "It's just a tree," the representative grumbled. He ordered the logging team to withdraw. Elated, the children climbed and played on their beloved tree while Zelda contently read beneath it, and they continued to do it every week after that.

After a few years, it was time for Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf to make way for the new generation, such was the cycle of the playground. Zelda's only regret was that she never had the courage to climb the tree herself.

Present-day Ganondorf caught a glimpse of her sadness. "Hey, we should climb it."

"In this skirt?" She swished the powder blue linen that reached her mid-calf.

"Right. Hylian vai don't learn how to gird up their loins, do they?"

"And Gerudo do?"

Ganondorf nodded. "It's a right of passage. You never know when your evening could be crashed by baddies," he joked.

Zelda giggled. "Fascinating. Do teach me."

Without a skirt or long tunic of his own, instructing Zelda with naught but his empty hands was a confusing process for both of them. Ganondorf gave in and pulled up an illustrated guide on his slate. From there, Zelda picked it up instantly. Though her job was rather sloppy, it was secure enough to climb.

More hues painted the clouds. The last few children dropped from the tree at their parent's commands. Zelda stared upwards, nerves building. It was so high. Those branches were a bit too far apart, and that one didn't seem all that stable, and there was no way she could do this without falling.

But she wanted to try, one branch at a time.

Ganondorf gave her a boost to the first hold. Zelda clung to the side of the trunk, heart a ticking bomb. Her foot felt around until it landed. An arm peeled away from the trunk, but the branch was just out of reach. She inched her torso against the bark until she grabbed her hold and hoisted herself up. A victorious giggle spun into a scream as the branch below her shook; Ganondorf had leapt up to grab it. With a huff, Zelda continued to the next branch and the next. She squeaked each time the tree creaked under her weight or a slight breeze rustled the leaves. Through Ganondorf's encouragement and her own perseverance, she continued higher. He ascended with the ease of a ladder, overtaking Zelda within a minute.

Eventually, he reached the branch he and Link used to sit on and was delighted to find that it was sturdy enough for his matured body. He glanced down at Zelda and patted the spot beside him. She hoisted herself up the last stretch and awkwardly shimmied her legs over the branch, grasping Ganondorf's shoulder as she did so. At her request, he had an arm around her waist to keep her steady, which she wasn't supposed to savour, but she did none-the-less. Once she had settled into place, they withdrew their arms from each other.

The tree provided a perfect window onto the neighbourhood awash in twilight. The odd car hummed along the roads, the playground swings gently swayed, chirping birds hopped about the picnic tables, plucking the morsels left behind. That morning, if someone had told Zelda that she would find herself at peace in a tree with Ganondorf, she might've accidentally ruined their reputation as well.

The way the light dappled against his bronze skin and crimson hair, with the most serene expression on his face, told her that this was a voe who belonged in the sun. Being with him, in his element, without some race to win or medallion to collect, felt like finally understanding a part of him she never did before.

He side-eyed her with a smirk. Zelda flushed and stared ahead. Say something, she thought as she swayed her crossed ankles. "So, what did you and Link usually do up here?"

Ganondorf shrugged. "Sometimes we'd people watch. Sometimes we'd talk. The kinda stuff we wouldn't tell others." Zelda bowed her head. "Something wrong?"

"I want to apologise for being so crass with you," she said.

He waved her off. "Nah, I don't mind. Kinda like it actually."

"Still," she insisted. "I always envied you for being Link's main confidant, because he's always been mine."

Ganondorf nodded as he chewed his tongue. "You know what? You could tell me the stuff you can't tell Link."

"Like what? I tell him everything."

"Aww, c'mon. There's gotta be something."

She was about to shake her head when her face lit up. "Actually, there is, but you have to promise you won't tell."

He showed his hand. "I swear on the Triforce that I won't tell him."

Zelda blushed and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's about my first kiss." His lips pulled back into an expression of pure glee. She chuckled as she shook her head. "He knows all about it, you know, aside from one thing."

"By all means, tell me."

"Well, it was when I was thirteen. Link and I were staying in Ordon for the Winter Festival. I had the biggest crush on my childhood friend, Malon, but I was so shy about it. That's why I wrote her a letter. When I asked her to meet me at the spring, I shoved the letter in her hands and ran off."

He snorted. "That's adorable! What did it say?"

Zelda groaned. "Farore, you do not want to know." She ignored his pleading expression. "Anyway, whenever I sat down to read, I chose to do it near the mistletoe. I thought I was being subtle, but I'm pretty sure everyone picked up on it. They'd ask me who I was waiting for, and I'd say no one."

She smiled fondly. "Then Malon came along. She was quite nervous, which wasn't like her. I asked if she wanted to talk about the letter. She said, 'Not exactly' and took my hand. We kissed. Under the mistletoe. Short and sweet, but I was smitten, and then she ran off!"

Ganondorf slapped his thigh. "Nayru's love. You two deserved each other!"

"Yes, well, you'd think that. I told Link about it, and he said she probably liked me too but was just as nervous as I was. That night, I could barely sleep. I was so giddy and couldn't wait to tell all my friends about my beautiful farm girlfriend who could protect me with a pitchfork. Tomorrow, I would take her to the spring, serenade her with my terrible poetry, and kiss her again under the snowfall." She sighed. "But come the next day, Malon confessed that she didn't feel the same. She was curious, but apparently kissing me helped her realise that she was indeed straight.

"I was crushed. Shut myself in the guest room and refused to participate in the Festival Eve ceremonies. Link was really sweet. He brought me tissues and hot chocolate and listened to my gay woe. Impa told me about her first crush on a straight woman, so it was nice to have someone to relate to. I was heartbroken, but well-loved.

"Malon felt guilty about the whole thing, but we made up on the day of the festival." Zelda grimaced. "The day after that, she had the audacity to say that she'd had a crush on Link for the longest time and asked me to play wing-woman!"

"She did not."

"Oh, she did. We had another row, patched things up the next day, and everything was fine after that."

Ganondorf furrowed his brow. "Wait, what does Link not know?"

Zelda smiled deviously. "He doesn't know about Malon's crush, and he never will, because then he'll have a comeback whenever I play the 'I kissed a girl before you did' card." Ganondorf roared with laughter, sending birds flying from the tree. Zelda joined in with just as much heart.

"What about you?" Zelda asked, having settled. "What's something you've never told Link?"

The nightmares passed through his mind. "Dunno. Maybe… something to do with my mother?" Actually, Link knew all about Ganondorf's mother, but he had to mention something.

Zelda shifted. "I understand how you feel."

"Yeah, I don't think you do," he said matter-of-factly. "Link and I bonded a lot over having no parents, but there are some things you'll never understand. Different culture, different experience, you know?"

"Well then, I'm ready to listen if you're ready to tell."

He smiled weakly. "Mum was a prostitute. Never knew who my dad was. Just a woman trying to make ends meet. When I was one, she got busted. Sentenced to seven years even though it was only her second felony. A year later, she died under real sketchy circumstances. Urbosa reckons she had an STI but the warden refused her medication."

"That's horrible."

Ganondorf shrugged. "Not that unusual among the Gerudo. It's why we raise kids as a community. Even though I never knew mine, I grew up with dozens of parents, even a father figure."

"Spirit voe?" Zelda inquired.

He nodded. "His was the first death I grieved. Gerudo fathers are hard to come by."

They continued to chat for a bit, learning about each other's views on the world, until the sun was half-submerged on the horizon.

"We should get going," said Ganondorf. "Nice chat."

"Actually, there was something I wanted to ask." He shifted around. "I think it's quite apparent that I've been struggling to unlock my powers. I can't even get a pencil to float." Zelda toyed with the folds of her skirt. "You said that the Gerudo never stopped believing in magic, and you were able to unlock your thunder abilities so quickly. I was wondering if you could help me figure this out."

He hummed thoughtfully. "Look at the sunset."

She did as he said, watching the wash of coloured clouds. "Why?"

"Don't ask why," he said. "For a long time, we didn't know what the sun was or why it set every day. Only that it did. Now look at your hands." She did, a little puzzled and sceptical, but she remained silent. "What could they do?"

"Move? Touch?" Zelda suggested.

"What else?"

"Click? Clap? Pick stuff up?"

"What if they can do more than you think?"

Frustration prickled at Zelda. "They can't levitate anything. It's physically impossible!"

"That's your problem right there. You use science as an excuse to not believe in yourself," he said, "but the sun rose and set before we could study it. Grass was green before we knew why. Now magic exists, and we have no idea how it works. It just does. Look at your hand again."

Zelda huffed but did as she was told. The three triangles glowed faintly on the back, undeniable evidence that magic was inside her, but why wouldn't it manifest to her will? "I don't get it. I know magic exists, and I know I should be able to harness it. What am I missing?"

"Faith," Ganondorf said. "When that target fell, I had to have faith that it wouldn't hit you, and then it didn't."

"But it almost did."

"But it didn't." That annoyingly smug grin was back. He sounded just like Link, though oddly more reasonable in his weird Ganondorf way.

"Okay, it didn't. I'm fine because you had 'faith' or whatever, but what should I have faith in?"

"That I won't hit the ground."

"What?!"

Ganondorf pushed himself off the branch. Nothing marred his five-storey plummet. Zelda thrust out a hand, screaming his name.

He froze. Inches above dirt. Encased in a golden glow. This must be a trick. A hallucination to protect Zelda from the very real image of Ganondorf's legs crushed and mangled at the base of the tree. Or worse.

Her hand withdrew. Ganondorf landed with a soft thud. Zelda scurried down the tree, scared and determined to find out what really awaited her at the bottom. She landed and spun towards him. He sat cross-legged with the biggest grin on his face that said what she refused to accept.

"What in Din's name, Ganondorf? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"But I didn't."

Zelda's fists clenched. "Oh really? And why didn't you?"

"Because I had faith that you would catch me, and you did."

Everything stopped. Her heart and mind came to a screeching halt. Magic. She had used magic to save him.

A leaf from the canopy spun on the breeze. Zelda stretched out her hand. The leaf glowed gold and slowed its fall, gently descending into her palm. She had faith that it would.

First, she blinked at the leaf, then she picked it up to examine, and she laughed. "Wow. I did it. I actually did it!" She turned to Ganondorf; just the madman she needed to figure it out. "Thank-you, Ganon."

He quirked a brow. "Only my friends call me Ganon."

"Oh! Um…" She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I guess that means we're friends."

If you're queer or a BIPOC and have any feedback on how I've represented your identity, you're welcome to comment. I'm doing my best to research and be respectful but there's still a chance I might mess up.