Chapter 8.

Grace rocked back on and off her heel, anxious to see if he would show. She had left the morning meal for her family set out as well as carefully wrapped lunch sacks for them. She was so excited for the morning to come she woke up before dawn, and silently crept out into the soft darkness of the morning. Now, as the sun scarcely peeked through the night, waking up the world, she was able to make out the dew on the plants around her. She yawned as she bent down to examine the Silent Princess that grew by the fountain.

"You are fond of Silent Princess?"

She nearly crawled out of her skin. It had been so quiet the moment before he spoke that his deep, rough voice had frightened her.

"Yes, aren't you?" She said dumbly, not knowing exactly what to say to him.

"It's a reminder of what I'll never have, it carries the scent of life and hope, something that does not exist from where I come from." He replied solemnly. Grace nodded, not quite sure what to say.

"Well, I like it very much. Here." She handed him the flower she had picked. Bewildered, he took it from her, noting the strange size difference in their hands. She was so petite compared to him. He stood at least three heads taller than her, yet, she wasn't afraid. Usually that intimidated people of her kind, but she seemed unphased.

"What do I do with this?" He rumbled softly, looking at the gift with resentment. She laughed sweetly.

"You take care of it, put it in water, then one day you can use it for whatever you like!" She said benignly. Her soft, pale hands touching it's wilting petals tenderly.

"It seems a waste to try to save something that is already dead." He asserted dryly. She frowned slightly.

"If that was true, then the Gerudo would not be able to sustain life throughout centuries in the desert." Her voice sounded so different from last night. Last night she sounded like a child, now she spoke with premature wisdom like any young woman should. She spoke with such passion that he expected her throat to give-way while she protested. Her words almost stung him because of the cold, unforgiving truth they carried. How could she possibly know what the Gerudo lifestyle was like? Then again, there was a lot neither of them knew about each other.

"Why did you ask me to come?" He said sternly, trying to figure out why he came. This morning before he left his room he debated with himself whether he should come or not. It seemed so childish to play her games, then again he needed her on his side so he came.

"I was curious to see if you would." She replied cheerily, swinging herself up on the fountain edge. He frowned, his anger rising, but he knew he must stay patient with her. This plan would be foolproof if he could win her, and he knew how he could.

She, on the other hand truly had no idea what she was doing. Last night she found herself wanting to talk to him, a part of her even believing he would cure her curiosity. Now that he was here, his dark and mysterious bitterness disturbed her, making her crawl back into her skin.

"So I'm wasting my precious time I could be using to clarify to the King why peace between us would be beneficial?" He taunted, taking his seat next to her. She lowered her head, desperately thinking of a reason she should have asked him here. Why had she asked him here? Was it her curiosity? No, it was the desire to get her answers. He was a man who wanted to barter, to trade knowledge for knowledge though, she knew that by mere discussion. She was all too familiar with the ways of men. Their boastful, ignorant, head-strong ways distraught her, but she wouldn't give him the pleasure of her knowing this.

"I want answers." She stated curtly, surprising him for a moment.

"What kind of answers?" He asked, furrowing his brows. Had she found him out that quickly? How could she possibly know he was using the peace treaty to gain the information be needed to attain-

"I want to know more about the Gerudo...You can answer my questions and I'll… Let you in on the court's private session today." She mumbled, unsure if he would agree or not. He grinned auspiciously.

"Oh, and how will you do that? I am forbidden to enter that room, as are any women." He replied errantly, taking her in for a moment. She smiled, nodding towards a stone wall.

"There is more than one way to listen in on a conversation. I swear I will show you how, only if you answer my questions." She was going to discover her answers through him, she could feel it in her. He hummed, deep in thought. He couldn't give in that easily. Did she really think he was that gullible for such an obscure cause?

"No." He laughed abruptly, loud enough it made her anger appear in her cheeks.

She blinked, had he refused her offer?

"Well, why not?" She whined, angry he ignored her offer. He grabbed the ledge, looking up at the early morning sky. He grit his teeth at the sound of her voice. He loathed her weak womanly play, but he knew he had to maintain his calmness until it was too late for her to leave.

"I don't trust you." He said suavely, forcing a smirk on his face. It was almost too much work pretending to have interest in her.

She sighed, bouncing her heels off the fountain. He was very hard to impress. She needed something to barter with, but he already had everything at his whim.

He admired her fixed gaze, knowing she was thinking her way into what she wanted. Perhaps, in that sense, they were very much alike. He had never thought of a Hylian woman being that way, that was almost enough to persuade him if it weren't for his own gain.

"Here is my offer. I will answer one of your questions in exchange for the hearing of the court's session. If you continue to show me ways around the castle, I will answer your questions depending on the value of what you show me. Are we at an agreement?" He offered, resisting any emotion from his voice.

Grace's eyes sparkled with triumph.

"Agreed!"

Zelda woke up with a start, panting from fear. She stared at her ceiling. She was too afraid to stand up. Her night terror keeping her glued to the feather mattress.

"Impa?" She pleaded breathlessly as she looked around the room. There was no reply. Just the emptiness of the small room and a few odd noises from outside her room.

"Impa, please! I'm scared!" She sobbed as she pulled her blanket tighter around her chest. The early morning shadow of the trees began to stretch across the walls, sending her into an unusual panic.

"Impa!"

The Sheikah woman burst through the door, startled by the frightened cry.

"What's the matter? Why are you crying?" Impa inquired gently as she sat by the trembling girl's bedside.

"Daddy is making a mistake...! Mummy is making a mistake...! It's all wrong...! Somethin' bad is gonna happen...!" She coughed in between chokes for breath. The woman frowned as she helped the girl sit up. It was no coincidence that she and the princess' nightmares were most frequent when he arrived, but what on earth had she seen in her vision that frightened her so? Zelda never cried from her nightmares unless something truly awful had happened. It was almost too odd, too out of place.

"Explain." Impa had her own fears about the Gerudo man but this, holding this little girl, sent a different fear creeping down her neck. Zelda shook her head, too afraid to talk.

Usually, the princess would talk, tell her of her dreams, seek interpretation. But today, there was something running on a mantra through her head, something so coincidental that had collided in her dream it terrified her.

"Are you afraid?"

Zelda could still see that face. Skin like a snake, black as tar, whatever it was resembling a human face, a face she could almost recognize if it didn't appear so demonic, yet its eyes were the same sunken-in stare that she knew so well. Impossible as it was, it was him. He was something awful, she could sense it. Maybe it was fear that made her retreat from her words, but most reasonably, it was that she knew a truth no one would believe.

Impa frowned, it was time the king took heed of his daughter's dreams. The prophecy had begun to reawaken and it could not be denied.

"Flat! Sharp!"

The composers turned to the doorway, surprised by the early visit.

"Go! Go! We are busy!" Sharp hissed, flailing his arms at Grace as she entered the room.

"Please! I'll only be a moment! I have to leave soon anyway! Father wouldn't be happy for me but I know you will be!" She persisted as she grabbed the stool and propped herself on it by the table where they were working. Flat sighed but gave her a nod before beginning to pencil something in.

"Give us your news then out with you!" Sharp replied wearily, giving his brother a threatening glare. Flat only gave a muffled snort of laughter in reply. Grace nervously bounced in her seat, formulating the best way to share her excitement.

"I'm going to learn more about the Gerudo!" She stated, her voice breaking with happiness. The brothers continued to work, not moved by her statement. Sharp inhaled deeply, shooting a glance at his brother.

"Grace. We don't have time to listen to you ramble." Flat warned, giving her an affectionate glance. He was more of a brother to her than Gadrel had been and that made her uncomfortable.

"Well, not like I have been. I have a teacher now."

The brothers looked at each other, equally surprised. Nobody in the castle knew much about the Gerudo, to begin with, how did she manage a tutor?

"Go on! Tell us! Who is your tutor?" Sharp inquired as he continued to mess with his music.

"Lord Ganondorf is going to teach me." She continued, trying to hide her newfound discomfort. Never had she felt that they were judgemental but the looks they gave her made her cringe. Disgust was plainly written on their faces.

"Grace, I have known you since you were a little girl. Your curiosity has always gotten the best of you. This time it's dangerous. Ganondorf can't be trusted." Flat said warmly, trying to persuade her.

"And why do you say that? Hm?" Grace's eyes were filled with betrayal, something she had never expected from them.

"Because...Grace, please just don't do this." Flat's voice was on the verge of pleading. He was terrified for her. How could have she done something so stupid?

"Not unless you give me a good reason!" She barked, surprising herself with how loud she had been.

"Because he's a Gerudo!" Flat's face was red with rage, his temper lost and his breath gone with it.

Grace stood, defiantly rejecting them. They had been the only two who had seemed to believe the same as she had. Now that once truth laid around her in like a shattered lie. It hung in the air, taking her breath away.

"I knew it…" She choked as she took a step backward. Sharp, through clenched fists and eerie disposition, managed to produce a heartfelt smile for the first time in his life.

"Grace. It's for your own good." Flat's eyes were gentler now, realizing the pain he had inflicted.

"No! No! You're just like everyone else! Just like father, and Gadrel, and-and everyone!" She screamed, throwing the stool to the ground.

"Grace…"

"I'll come back when you look past people's appearances. Not all the Gerudo are bad…" She whispered, slamming the door as she left.

"She will learn in time Flat. For now, we need to focus on our work." Sharp encouraged quietly, handing his brother a stack of sheet music. Flat continued to stare at the door, saying a silent prayer for the girl. She was reckless, too hopeful. Ganondorf had a reputation of not being able to be trusted and yet at his first request she had already eagerly accepted him.

"It's not her ideas that are wrong though, Sharp. She's just going about them wrong…"

It was true. Tranquility between the Gerudo and Hylian nations was something that had been on the verge of existing, but with Ganondorf as ruler, that ideology could never be followed through. There was something in his eye, the glossy glare, the constant stream of thought, even the twitch he had when something went awry seemed to send a warning to everyone he met. Except for Grace. They could only hope she would learn, that she would realize they were right and she was wrong. If he would break her, it would end her childish daze and that would break their hearts, but she needed to learn. There was the smell of disaster rotting in the distance and only a few seemed able to smell it.

Nabooru frowned as she reread the letter. Time and time again, politic after politic, there was never a solution. His hot temper had the best of him already though, she supposed, after leaving with high hopes. He was ever the complainer, but only to her. Blessing or curse she couldn't decide. It was her rightful duty as Second in Command to be there when he needed her but even she felt used sometimes. He was draining on a person. He sought so much attention. She would often tease him about being needy but he always would retort back with an insult that would lead to larger arguments. It was his talent, making war out of nothing, and that is exactly what he intended to do.

"No... ! This is not going to happen under my watch!" Nabooru said as she grabbed a piece of paper and began to write.

"War over nothing… over the rejection of a peace treaty? That'll make them change their minds for sure!" She mumbled, mocking his deep, manly tone.

"Great Nabooru? Is something the matter?" An elder asked as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No vaba. Just a voe with the mind of a child." She growled softly, trying to hide her anger. The older woman and smiled as she brushed the young woman's hair from her eyes.

"Isn't every voe that way?" Her crackling voice rumbled.

"Vaba, I fear that he will destroy the very means of what he wants due to his ridiculous behavior." Nabooru spoke up, her eyes glittering with impatience and concern.

"You've known him since you were a child Nabooru. You know his ways like no other, yet even you can't figure him out. You don't know what he's looking for so you can't help him find it. Do you know why?" The older woman crossed her arms, sinking into her hip. Her tired face etched with mischief but humble honesty. Nabooru shook her head, eager for her grandmother's wisdom.

"It's because he doesn't know what he's looking for. When he finds it, it is your duty to help him with it." The older woman shook her head with a grin before collapsing onto a cushion. Nabooru's face turned red.

"Vaba! Ganondorf knows exactly what he is looking for and we are both trying very hard to attain it!" Nabooru snapped, returning to her response.

"Voe his age think they know what they want but they don't. Trust me, if they did you never would have been born, Ganondorf too! Nasty voe, both of them, neither of them ever committing to your mother's. Both of your mothers were almost banished if it hadn't been that the voe refused to accept that they were to be fathers. Of course, I supposed fate has a funny way of keeping things in check." The older woman reminisced as she leaned back, breathing deeply as if she were young again. Nabooru froze.

"What was mother like when she was in love?" She asked faintly, half afraid to look at the woman.

"Nabooru, your mother was never a cruel woman. She was just tough with you. She wanted the best for you, unlike her life… She didn't heed me, so let's see if you will."

"No! I want to know!" Nabooru begged as she locked eyes with the old woman. Her grandmother sighed deeply.

"Your mother would dance, barefoot in the night, singing some Hylian lullaby. She was good friend's with Ganondorf's mother, I suppose it's only natural that you became fast friends as well." She paused, studying Nabooru's solemn face.

"Your mother would sneak to Hyrule with Ganondorf's mother. There was a set of brothers in Hyrule…some sort of Sheikah researchers. What they were researching I could never tell. But your mother loved them. They were almost children then… Shame really. Well, while Ganondorf's mother would sneak off, yours would sneak to the palace. Every time she'd come back humming some silly new song she had been taught. She laughed a lot then too… Then…" The older woman looked at the floor, not wanting to continue.

"Then she had me." Nabooru's subtle voice lay thick in the air, not letting either of them speak momentarily.

"Your mother loved you, even before she could see your face. She would sing you songs she had learned from your father when she thought she was alone. And she held on to this… this insane notion that your father loved her and that they would run away together." Her voice had grown bitter, bringing her to her feet.

"That's enough of this. That is all you need to know."

"What happened to Ganondorf's mother?" Nabooru asked, turning her back away from the older woman.

"It's none of my business to say. But if you truly want to know I'll tell you. She was a weak little thing, disappeared for months. We gave up on her, thought she had resigned. Then she showed up one day, swollen, bruised. She was going to have her child any day and all she would talk about is her life with some man. She was a fool. She let him beat her. Imagine! A warrior, beaten by some farm-hand or drunk! Anyway, she died. Satisfied?" The words were so different from the woman's usual gentle wisdom.

"Yes, vaba." She muttered, knowing if she said anything more that same fierceness her mother had would resurface through her.

"Now, Nabooru, this isn't because you are romanticizing something, is it?"

"No. You know that we are never to be. I failed him and he failed me. It was never ours to have. Now please, leave me alone so I can write." Nabooru said quietly, playing with her pen. Her grandmother nodded, knowing what she had meant. She also knew her granddaughter too well though, to know that she was hiding her feelings.