"Daphnes! Daphnes!" Impa cries out, running into the throne room with a big smile on her face.
The king looks at the woman and can't help but smile with her. Impa runs right up to the throne past the angry guards who jab at her with their swords.
"Impa! Why, what has gotten you in such a great mood?!" Daphnes asks.
"You silly! As if I would tell you!" Impa says with a wink.
Daphnes looks at the guards and chuckles.
"Go on, all of you. Take a break," Daphnes says, waving them away.
The guards grumble and leave at once.
"Now, what was it you were going to say?" Daphnes asks, making a silly face.
"I have exciting news regarding your baby!" Impa says.
"Oh! He's growing again?" Daphnes asks.
"Sort of. He's learning to speak!" Impa says.
"Oh, is he?! Did he say "Impa"?" Daphnes teases.
Impa shakes her head.
"Come, follow me, you silly!" Impa says.
Daphnes follows Impa to the secret room. While everyone is well aware of the fact that there is a baby now, nobody has figured out where he is being kept. When they enter the room, they find Ganondorf sitting up and looking out of his crib expectantly.
"Hey, Ganondorf! Impa says you're learning to speak!" Daphnes says, crouching down to be closer to the baby.
Ganondorf grins, excited to see his father.
"Go on, Ganondorf, speak for daddy!" Impa says.
Ganondorf looks at Impa in confusion and then looks back at Daphnes.
"Aw, now he's not going to say anything..." Impa says, "I'm so sure I heard him say something when I was in here earlier..."
Ganondorf giggles and grabs the cage bars, yanking on them a bit. Daphnes sticks a finger through the bars.
"Mine!" Ganondorf cries out, grabbing the finger.
Daphnes' smile quickly fades and he stares in horror at the little child. Impa also falls silent, staring, mouth open and eyes wide. Ganondorf laughs and starts sucking on Daphnes' finger.
"..."Mine" huh...?" Daphnes asks after a bit.
Ganondorf blinks happily.
"Uh, Impa, I don't think that's a very good sign..." Daphnes says, gently taking his finger away from Ganondorf.
Ganondorf squeals and tries to grab the hand back.
"Mine! Mine!" Ganondorf cries out.
"No, no... This is my hand," Daphnes says, wiggling his slobbered on finger at the little boy.
Impa hands Daphnes a cloth to dry up the slobber. Daphnes does so at once.
"Mine!" Ganondorf cries out again, reaching for Daphnes.
"Can you say "Daddy"?" Daphnes asks.
Ganondorf falls silent.
"Or, "Mommy"?" Daphnes asks.
"Mine!" Ganondorf cries out.
Daphnes sighs.
"We're going to have to try a little harder to break the curse... I already can tell this is heading the exact wrong direction..." Daphnes says.
"Well, let's let him out of the crib to play a little," Impa says, reaching in and grabbing Ganondorf out of the crib.
While she is lifting Ganondorf out of the crib, he takes hold of her head covering and starts tugging at it, causing it to unwind.
"Ah! My hat!" Impa cries out when she realizes what is happening.
"Here, hand him to me," Daphnes offers.
Impa hands the baby over, but that makes things worse because he is still grasping the cloth.
"Mine!" Ganondorf cries out, laughing.
"Oh no..." Impa says, staring at the now completely unwound hat, "It's going to take me awhile to remake it..."
Daphnes sets the baby on the floor and rolls a ball over to him. With a giggle, Ganondorf takes the ball and tries to put it in his mouth. It's too big to fit so he gives up, drooling everywhere.
"Roll the ball back to daddy!" Daphnes says.
"Mine!" Ganondorf exclaims, hugging onto the ball.
"Well, I cannot play with you until you give me the ball back," Daphnes says.
Ganondorf pouts, but eventually releases the ball. Daphnes immediately passes the ball back. Surprised, Ganondorf doesn't grab the ball in time and gets hit. He begins to cry very loudly.
"Oh no... Ganondorf... Shhhh... There's no reason to cry..." Daphnes says, picking the baby up.
Ganondorf continues wailing so Daphnes sticks his finger in his mouth. Ganondorf instantly starts sucking on the finger. Impa laughs, still trying to reassemble her hat. The Triforce on Daphnes' hand glows a bit, causing Ganondorf to stare in awe. He grasps Daphnes' hand and then yelps as the Triforce is hot.
"Yeah, you probably shouldn't touch that..." Daphnes says, "That's for daddy only."
Ganondorf looks Daphnes in the eyes with a surprised look on his face. Then, even though he got burned the first time, he attempts to grab the Triforce again.
"Mine!" Ganondorf says, after removing Daphne's finger from his mouth.
"No, not yours..." Daphnes says, shaking his head, "You cannot have it."
"You know what I think?" Impa asks, fidgeting with the pile of cloth in her hands.
"Hmm?" Daphnes asks.
"YOU need to spend more time with your son. I understand being a king is a lot of responsibility, but so is being a good parent..." Impa says.
Daphnes sighs and holds Ganondorf tight.
"I know... I'm sorry..." Daphnes says, "Ganondorf, you and I are going to have a lot of fun. I'll teach you what I know."
Ganondorf laughs and coos happily.
From that day on, Daphnes snuck away from his responsibilities for several hours at a time to play with his son. This drives the advisor nuts because he never can figure out where Daphnes is going. Then, one day, the advisor stops Daphnes in the hall on his way to visit Ganondorf.
"Your majesty! Where are you headed to in such a hurry?" The advisor asks.
"I, uh... None of your business?" Daphnes says with an awkward smile.
"Hmmm, awfully suspicious of you to keep disappearing!" The advisor says, "Perhaps you are with your child...?"
"I told you, it is none of your business," Daphnes says.
"I want to see your baby, your majesty. What's so wrong with that?" The advisor asks, "Is there something wrong with the child?"
"No... You have to wait like everyone else. I'll reveal the child when I am ready," Daphnes says, "Now get out of here."
"Fine, fine, your majesty, but five years flies fast... I will see that baby! I WILL!" The advisor yells.
The advisor turns around and walks the other way. Daphnes, knowing he might be followed, takes the longest path around the castle he can think of before opening a random door and stepping inside. As he predicted, the advisor was following him and is taking note of the room he went into. Daphnes sighs and looks around the old unused room.
On the walls are a few paintings of the previous kings.
"I know what you are thinking... How could this failure be our descendant? Yes, I know... I have failed you... But please... Give me some time... I want to prove that I am worthy of being king... And that the curse is breakable," Daphnes says to the paintings.
Of course, they are merely paintings and cannot respond. Daphnes sighs and exits the room after some time. Having already messed up his plans to see Ganondorf, Daphnes sighs and returns to the throne room. Later that day, the advisor sneaks and finds the room Daphnes had entered previously.
"AH-HAH!" The advisor cries out, throwing the door open.
The advisor stares at the nearly empty room and groans.
"Really? There's nothing in here!" The advisor says, "Gee, maybe His Majesty is more bonkers than I thought..."
After that embarrassment, the advisor stopped trying to follow Daphnes to Ganondorf. As he said, five years fly fast. Ganondorf learns to speak, and walk, and enjoys spending time with Daphnes.
"Dad! Dad! Pick me up!" Ganondorf cries out one day when Daphnes comes to visit.
"Oh! My big boy! You've grown so much!" Daphnes exclaims, gently lifting his toddler out of his bed.
"Carry me!" Ganondorf says with a giggle, "Just like you always do!"
"Alright, my son!" Daphnes says, lifting Ganondorf onto his back.
"Woohoo!" Ganondorf exclaims.
Daphnes carries Ganondorf out of the room and out to the field.
"WHEEEE! I'M KING OF THE WORLD!" Ganondorf exclaims gleefully.
"Oh, are you?" Daphnes asks with a nervous chuckle.
"Yeah! I'm on your shoulders! That means I rule!" Ganondorf says, grabbing at Daphnes' crown.
"Sorry, kiddo, but I'M the king. You're my little prince," Daphnes says.
"I love you, daddy!" Ganondorf says, hugging Daphnes' head.
"I love you too, Ganondorf," Daphnes whispers.
"Dad, hey, dad! Guess what?!" Ganondorf says after some time.
"Yes, my son?" Daphnes asks.
"Mom said tomorrow is my fifth birthday! Isn't that so cool?!" Ganondorf asks.
Daphnes falls silent, suddenly terrified. Gently, he lifts Ganondorf off of his back and sets him on a tree stump. Ganondorf smiles up at his father, innocently. Daphnes sighs and gulps nervously.
"Five years old, huh...?" Daphnes says, forcing a smile.
"Yeah! I'm big! Just like you, dad!" Ganondorf says with a laugh, "And mom also said I can get out of my room now!"
"Oh, did she...?" Daphnes asks.
"Yeah! I'm gonna explore the entire castle tomorrow!" Ganondorf says, "It is MY castle, after all..."
"Oh, ho ho! YOUR castle?" Daphnes asks.
"That's right! Mine!" Ganondorf says, pointing to himself proudly, "I am, after all, your little prince!"
"You're right, but listen... There's a few people you need to avoid..." Daphnes says.
"Why?" Ganondorf asks, staring wide-eyed up at Daphnes.
"Well, you see... Not everyone in the castle would approve of you being my son..." Daphnes says.
"B-but... That's not fair! I didn't get to pick my father!" Ganondorf says.
Impa drops down from a nearby tree. Daphnes smiles as he sees her approach. Upon reaching the tree stump, she sits down beside it. Ganondorf grabs for her hat like he did when he was a baby.
"No, Ganondorf, what did I tell you about grabbing mother's hat?" Impa asks.
"...that it is not mine..." Ganondorf says with a pout.
"Good boy," Impa says.
"So tomorrow is the big day, huh, Impa?" Daphnes asks Impa.
"Yes, yes it is. Are you ready?" Impa asks.
"No, I'll never be ready..." Daphnes says.
"Dad, why are you upset?" Ganondorf asks.
"...I'm afraid that my people won't like you..." Daphnes says.
"They'll love me! I'm their prince!" Ganondorf says.
"I wish it were so... But I do have a few ideas..." Daphnes says, studying Ganondorf carefully, "I will MAKE them love you."
"Cool!" Ganondorf says.
And so, at the sunrise of the next day, Daphnes quickly begins arrangements. The Hylians would be arriving soon and he needs to act fast. Daphnes sneaks down to Ganondorf's room and knocks gently. Ganondorf wakes up with a yawn.
"Ganondorf... Time to get up..." Daphnes whispers, opening the door.
"Dad! Hi!" Ganondorf exclaims, grinning.
"Are you ready for your ceremony...?" Daphnes asks.
"Sure I'm ready! Let's go!" Ganondorf says, throwing his blanket aside.
"We need to dress up nicely today, so please allow me to fix you up," Daphnes says.
"Alright, dad!" Ganondorf says.
"First, we got to get your hair fixed up... You're looking a bit matted..." Daphnes says.
"Huh? Mom combed my hair just the other day!" Ganondorf objects.
"Yes, well, it's a mess again," Daphnes says.
Daphnes leads Ganondorf to a bathroom and fills up the sink with hot water and bleach.
"What's that fluid?" Ganondorf asks, curiously.
"It's hair conditioner," Daphnes lies, "It'll make your hair look good."
"Okay," Ganondorf says with a grin, "Mom never let me use the conditioner!"
"Today's a special day, so it is good to try something new," Daphnes says.
He takes Ganondorf's long red hair and dips it into the bleach.
"Gotta scrub it in well..." Daphnes says, scrubbing the water into Ganondorf's hair.
"It burns!" Ganondorf wails, "Stop!"
"Just hold still a little longer..." Daphnes says.
After much complaining and squirming, Daphnes finishes washing Ganondorf's hair and rinses the bleach water out.
"There... You look great!" Daphnes says, drying Ganondorf's hair gently with a towel.
"Can I see...?" Ganondorf asks.
"Not yet... Hmm... Next, I'm going to dress you up in my old ceremonial robes," Daphnes says.
Daphnes leads Ganondorf quickly down the halls after checking to make sure the coast is clear. They reach a storage room and Daphnes rummages around until he finds some small red robes.
"What's all this stuff?" Ganondorf asks.
"Just stuff..." Daphnes says.
"Any toys?" Ganondorf asks, picking up random stuff.
"Probably not..." Daphnes says.
"Hey, what's this book?" Ganondorf asks, picking up an old dusty book.
"Uh, that's nothing. Put it down and let me dress you up," Daphnes says.
Ganondorf pouts, but puts the book down. Daphnes changes Ganondorf into the red robes and grins.
"You look so good in those robes!" Daphnes says, "Hmmm... A few more things and then we can go..."
"Daphnes, the Hylians are approaching," Impa calls as she passes the storage room.
"Oh shoot! Come on, Ganondorf..." Daphnes says, taking his little boy's hand and rushing him out of the storage room.
"Daphnes! What have you done to our son?!" Impa exclaims upon seeing Ganondorf.
Ganondorf's hair has been bleached to a pale orange color, closer to the common hair color of pure blood Hylians. The robes are also distinctively Hylian.
"I'm dressing him up for the ceremony, Impa!" Daphnes argues.
"By destroying his gorgeous locks?!" Impa asks.
"It will grow out..." Daphnes says.
"Wait, what did you do...?" Ganondorf asks.
"Nothing, nothing, come on..." Daphnes says.
"Mom, you'll be at the ceremony, right?" Ganondorf asks as Daphnes pulls him away.
"Of course I will!" Impa calls back.
Daphnes's next sneaky step is to slather Ganondorf with sunblock to make him look pale.
"Just a little more sunblock on your nose, Ganondorf..." Daphnes says, trying to hold the wiggly boy still.
"Why do I need sunblock! You aren't wearing sunblock!" Ganondorf argues.
"You know what? I should," Daphnes says and smears some on his own face, "See? Now even I am wearing sunblock."
"Fine," Ganondorf says with a pout.
Daphnes dabs a bit more sunblock onto Ganondorf's nose and smiles.
"Perfect! Now... About your ears..." Daphnes says.
Ganondorf, like all Gerudos, has rounder ears than the Hylians do. Pure blood Hylians especially have long ears. Daphnes grabs some Deku nuts and cracks them. At first, they puff and make smoke go everywhere. Both Daphnes and Ganondorf cough a bit until the smoke clears.
Next, Daphnes paints the shells apricot and sticks the pointed pieces onto the tops of Ganondorf's ears. Daphnes then steps back and smiles at his handy work.
"Perfect! Everyone will love you!" Daphnes says.
"Why did you put Deku nuts on my ears...?" Ganondorf asks, looking like he's about to cry.
"When I was five, I also wore Deku nuts on my ears to my first public showing," Daphnes lies, "Here, take a look in the mirror..."
Daphnes pulls up a mirror and shows it to Ganondorf. Ganondorf stares sadly at the image reflected.
"Dad... Is all of this really necessary...?" Ganondorf asks, "I don't even look like me anymore..."
"It's just for today, I promise..." Daphnes says, "I love you, Ganondorf..."
"I love you too, dad..." Ganondorf says.
"Are you ready to go or not?" Impa asks, looking impatient.
"Yes," Daphnes says.
"Then come with me," Impa says.
Impa leads Daphnes and Ganondorf out to the courtyard where many Hylians are standing and waiting. The guards were not able to hold everyone back. There are so many people that some are even standing in the water.
"Greetings, people of Hyrule!" Daphnes says, "I promised you five years ago that I would show you my son on his fifth birthday! Well, here he is!"
Ganondorf steps out from behind his father and stares at the crowd. Everyone stares back at him. At first, all is silent. A wind blows, ruffling Ganondorf's hair.
"WE CAN'T SEE HIM!" someone towards the back cries out.
"Here," Daphnes says.
Daphnes grabs Ganondorf and lifts him up into the air for everyone to see.
"This is your prince!" Daphnes announces.
The crowd claps and cheers suddenly. Ganondorf waves to everyone with a smile on his face.
"Hello!" Ganondorf says.
"Now that you've seen my son, you may go away," Daphnes says.
"What is his name?!" one person asks.
"He's um..." Daphnes says.
"I'm Ga..." Ganondorf begins.
"Gary, his name is Gary!" Daphnes lies.
The crowd cheers again and then disperses.
"Dad! My name is NOT Gary!" Ganondorf whines as Daphnes puts him down, "What are you so afraid of?! Do you REALLY love me?!"
After the crowd leaves, the advisor appears.
"Your highness?" the advisor asks.
Daphnes turns around to face the advisor.
"Is THIS your son?" the advisor asks.
"Yes, yes he is. That is my son. Are you happy now?!" Daphnes asks.
"Hmm... Hmm... Interesting... And who, exactly, is the mother...? I don't recall you ever marrying anyone..." the advisor says.
"That's my mom!" Ganondorf says, pointing to Impa.
As he says this, Impa uses a Deku nut to flee.
"Huh? There's no one there?" the advisor says, looking confused.
"She just left..." Ganondorf says, sadly.
"Ah, sorry to hear, umm, Gary, was it?" the advisor asks.
"My name's Ganondorf, you fool!" Ganondorf says, sticking his tongue out at the advisor.
"GANONDORF!" the advisor exclaims.
"Gary, don't be silly..." Daphnes says, sweating nervously.
"Dad! Stop calling me Gary!" Ganondorf yells, smudging the sunblock off of his face, "And I hate this stupid ceremonial garb!"
"OH MY GOSH! WHEN THE KINGDOM HEARS ABOUT THIS, THEY WILL ABSOLUTELY LOSE THEIR MINDS, YOUR MAJESTY!" the advisor screeches.
"He's my son, and I love him! So you better shut up or I'll kill you!" Daphnes yells.
"You've gone mad, your highness! If you don't control yourself, you'll lose control of your powers again!" the advisor says with a sneer.
"D-dad...? What is so wrong with me being Ganondorf...?" Ganondorf asks, looking up with big tear-filled eyes.
"You're fine, son... You're fine..." Daphnes says.