Sorry for the wait everyone, but here's chapter 12! Back to Ganondorf again, of course. Please review! Oh, and good eye sakume! I thought you might get it. ;)
P.S. I just realized that back in chapter 10 I referred to "Termina Field." Wow I'm an idiot. Can't keep my games straight, I guess. It has since been changed to Hyrule Field as it should be, and all further mentions will be of Hyrule Field.
The sun hung high in the sky as Nabooru sat outside the waterfall entrance to Zora's Domain. Before her lay a latticework of grassy stone bridges stretching over the very beginnings of the river that flowed east across the entire land of Hyrule. There it formed the chasm at the entrance of Gerudo Valley, then continued far south until it became Lake Hylia. The bridges appeared to be natural, but she couldn't understand how something such as them could be naturally formed. They extended upward and over themselves, seeming to defy gravity as they climbed to the waterfall she now sat before. When they had first arrived here almost two weeks ago, the night after the attack on Ganondorf, she had been nearly too frightened to climb them. After all, she had not been taught to swim growing up in the desert.
After they entered past the waterfall and into Zora's Domain, she knew it had all been worth it. It was a massive cavern, the roof seemingly as high above as the sky itself. Every wall in the cave glittered like crystal, and the pristine water that filled nearly every part of the domain shined to match. To the left of the entrance fell yet another waterfall, dropping into a wide pool so deep that she could not see the bottom, though the water was clear as glass. She had been tickled by the idea of a waterfall inside a cave hidden by a waterfall. The path led upward to the top of the internal waterfall, with dwellings cut into the walls on either side. At the top were the chambers of the king, beyond which lay the mouth of the river that spanned Hyrule: Zora's Fountain, home to the giant fish and god of the Zora, Jabu-Jabu.
The Zora themselves were an amphibian race: they could breathe both underwater and out of it. They were slender with webbed feet and large fins that grew from their arms and waists. The backs of their heads elongated to resemble the tail of a fish, and their skin was a beautiful light shade of blue. There was not a trace of hair on their bodies, and they wore no clothing. Their grace in the water could not be matched by any creature in Hyrule. Nor, Nabooru had decided in the days they had spent here, could their kindness.
The king, Asla, had welcomed the travelers to his chamber immediately. He appeared to Nabooru much the same as all of the Zora did, though perhaps slightly more muscular. She had trouble telling most of the Zora apart. It became quickly apparent that Asla and Kirandorf were old friends, and they spent much of their time together, talking of joys past and tidings present. This left Ganondorf and Nabooru most of the days to do as they liked.
Nabooru had reluctantly begun swimming lessons with a group of friendly Zora her age. They had assured her that the blue tunic they gave her was enchanted with Zora magic, and would allow her to breathe underwater. They had playfully shoved her into the pool after she had donned the tunic, and she discovered as she flailed helplessly that it did indeed work as they had promised, though she nearly died of fright, much to the Zoras' amusement. After practicing daily, however, she had decided she quite liked swimming, and had even braved the pool without the tunic the day before, though she stayed very near the wall. Kirandorf had amazed everyone one day by appearing out of nowhere and diving gracefully from the waterfall, then proving himself a natural at swimming. Ganondorf, however, refused to even dip his feet.
Instead, he spent much of his days with Lilya, King Asla's six-year-old daughter. She was quite enraptured by the young man, and though he fervently denied it, Nabooru could tell he enjoyed the child's attention. She could not help but giggle at the frequent sight of the hulking, muscular prince of the Gerudo walking through Zora's Domain holding Lilya's miniscule hand in his palm as she skipped and laughed merrily.
Just as she thought this, the waterfall behind her split, revealing the entrance to the cavern, Ganondorf and Lilya framed by the opening. Ganondorf's right arm had been taken out of its splint two days ago, though the wounds were still healing. The Gerudo man lifted the girl onto his shoulders and leaped across the gap to where Nabooru sat, the young Zora giggling madly with excitement. Nabooru smiled, but sadly, wishing Ganondorf would pay her such attention as he paid to the child. He had seemed so open that night at the Channel of Winds, but that seemed like so long ago now. Ever since then he had been cold and closed off to her, and the attack on him by that mysterious girl had only caused him to pull further into himself. She got so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Ganondorf saying her name until the second time.
"Nabooru!"
"What? Sorry," she stumbled, looking up at him.
"I said I am taking Lilya to Hyrule Field to pick fruit. Would you like to come?"
Perhaps the relaxing days in this paradise had served to open him up after all, she thought to herself. "I would love to, if you will have me."
Ganondorf set Lilya back on the ground and placed her hand once more in his own. The Zora smiled up at Nabooru and grabbed her hand with her other arm.
Laughing again, she proclaimed, "I love you Gannie! I love you Naboo!" her little mouth unable to vocalize Nabooru's name completely. Nabooru laughed herself and questioned the child.
"Did you make Ganondorf's nickname up yourself?"
Lilya nodded. "It's lots easier to say."
"You're right," agreed Nabooru, still laughing. "I like it very much."
Ganondorf grunted, but smiled. Hand in hand, the two Gerudo and the small Zora began down the winding bridges to Hyrule Field.
That evening, Ganondorf, Kirandorf, and Nabooru supped with the King in his chamber. As they waited for their meal to be prepared, they shared old stories.
"And so here we are at the annual Gerudo sword tournament," Kirandorf was saying, leaning toward Asla for emphasis. "And Ganondorf moves to parry my strike. So I kick his sword, just real lightly to set it off its path, and he cuts right through the front of his trousers, exposing himself to every Gerudo woman in the village!"
Both kings howled loudly, pounding the arms of their seats. Nabooru tried not to laugh for Ganondorf's sake, but soon gave up and joined the kings. Ganondorf's face had turned red enough to match his hair, though he couldn't help but laugh a bit himself.
As they recovered, a fat Zora, nearly as round as he was tall, walked into the room carrying a tray of four drinks. He set one in front of each of them.
"Gildo, you are my squire! You have no obligation to be serving me like this," Asla said jovially, patting the younger Zora on the back. Gildo smiled but waved off his concern.
"I am a deformity and a disgrace; the only Zora in history unable to swim. I was ridiculed and outcast my entire life. Even my parents threw me out, and yet you took pity on me and made me your squire. The least I can do is help entertain your guests."
"You are more than my squire, Gildo," the king said to him. "You are a true friend. To Gildo," he proclaimed, lifting his drink, and the three Gerudo did the same.
Draining his glass and setting it down, Asla began a story of his own. "That was embarrassing, but did I ever tell you about the time I..." He was choked off suddenly, and grasped at his neck, falling to the floor. Everything happened so quickly that Ganondorf could barely follow.
Two Zora stood at each end of the chamber: the king's guard. One on each side suddenly lifted his spear and stabbed his comrade through the neck. From behind the Gerudo, six fully armored Hylian knights emerged, each taking hold of one of the desert warriors' arms. Another six knights came from behind the king's throne, led by the man in red they had seen leading the convoy toward Kokiri forest. Asla looked around from his place on the floor.
"Gildo, what is happening?" he managed to rasp.
"What is happening, is that I am climbing above your worthless pity. I am climbing above all Zora! They could not be more right to call me different. For I am superior!"
He gave the king a kick to the face with one of his stubbly legs, but by then the poison had already done its job. King Asla of the Zora spoke no more.
The blonde man in red satin strode confidently toward Kirandorf. "You must be the King of Thieves. I have wanted so badly to meet you. I am Dorcas, ambassador to King Umbar Fait of Hyrule. The king has requested your presence."
"I do not suppose I have a choice," Kirandorf said, scowling at the smug ambassador.
"Very astute," he smirked, then turned to the two Zoran guards. "Bring me the princess."
Minutes later they returned, each carrying Lilya by an arm as she struggled to break free. When she saw the scene in the king's chamber, her face became even more frightened.
"Gildo, what's going on?"
Before she could receive an answer, her eyes fell upon Asla's body. "Daddy!" she shrieked, tearing at the Zora who held her.
Dorcas' rapier was a flash, out and back into its scabbard almost quicker than Ganondorf could follow. The six-year-old princess' throat was opened, spilling its contents as the Zora dropped her next to her father, her face frozen in wide-eyed surprise. Nabooru fell to her knees in shock, crying freely. Kirandorf's only reaction was to tighten his mouth.
"Lilya!" cried Ganondorf, tears erupting from his eyes. His muscles bulged through the leisure clothes the Zora had provided him and he pulled the guards who held his arms together with all his force. Their armored heads impacted each other, and Ganondorf pressed them together until they crumpled, blood leaking from the eye slits. He then leapt toward Dorcas in a rage, unable to hear Kirandorf's warning to stop.
Dorcas smiled and sidestepped the furious Gerudo, grabbing his right arm and twisting it behind his back. Both of the wounds from his fight two weeks ago were reopened, and leaked blood anew. Dorcas pulled a dagger from a sheath on his thigh and thrust it deep into the wound on Ganondorf's shoulder. As the Gerudo fell to his knees in pain, Dorcas turned him to face his companions, both of whom had swords held to their throats.
"It is in your best interest to end this foolishness."
Ganondorf's head dropped, defeated, tears flowing unabated. "If it is the last thing I do, I will kill you."
Dorcas leaned down, just inches from his face. "The first reward I shall ask of the king for this success is to give you the opportunity to try. Shackle them," the ambassador ordered his guards, pulling the dagger mercilessly from Ganondorf's shoulder. "Gildo, address your people."
The bulbous Zora walked to the edge of the waterfall and called in his loudest voice, "People of Zora's Domain, I have urgent news!" After the entire population gathered underneath him, he began.
"Despite my warnings, King Asla allowed the treacherous Gerudo to enter our sacred dwelling. They have fooled us all into trusting them; even I was beginning to be won over. Yet tonight they have revealed their true selves. Our king lays dead!"
There was a collective cry from the Zora, most falling to the ground in tears.
Hearing these words, Dorcas took Kirandorf's broadsword and dealt Asla's body a fierce chop. "It was a bad idea to kill the king," he whispered lowly to Kirandorf, smiling as he replaced sword in its sheath. Gildo continued his address.
"All is not lost! Princess Lilya has escaped from Zora's Domain, and the guards managed to kill the murderous Gerudo, though two were lost. The bodies of the Gerudo will be offered to Lord Jabu-Jabu. I offer myself as Steward of Zora's Domain until the princess is found! We must not let these desert vermin upset our stability!"
The crowd was bolstered by Gildo's words. One Zora swam forward in the pool below, wiping his eyes. "You are right, Gildo. What would you have us do?"
After splitting the Zora into parties and giving them areas of Hyrule to search, Gildo turned back to the company behind him, speaking to the two Zora guards in allegiance with him.
"Hide the princess' body and leave as your own search team. Return in two weeks and we shall claim she was killed by bandits. Go."
The Zora set into action. Finding the situation to be under control, Dorcas prepared to leave.
"You have done well, Gildo. Enjoy your rule. King Fait shall contact you soon."
Gildo nodded and set himself on the throne. "This chair really is as comfortable as it looks."
The knights pressed their captives forward, up to Zora's Fountain. There they made their way in silence down the secret path Gildo had revealed to Dorcas for his entry earlier that day. When they reached the bottom, horses awaited them, secured to several trees. Each Gerudo was forced onto a horse and tied to ensure they would not fall, and the group began their trek to Hyrule Castle.