-Mitagi Fortress-
Smoke and fire rose from the Mitagi fortress. The castle's spires had impaled a dragon high in the sky where it still hung, ominously framed against the backlight of the moon. Without their 'mother' and the Rebellious Hero, the Twilight monsters were easily routed by the Mitagi, who were forced to invade their own fortress and sweep through the ruined streets. Hidden survivors were found and brought to the outside camp. Nearby cities opened their gates to the refugees, along with the Majora ambassadors and Mitagi nobles.
Under the leadership of Geoffrey, the military's efforts to protect and rescue the scattered pockets of survivors went smoothly. Districts were taken back in an orderly fashion, fires were quelled, and by the end of the night, the fortress had returned into his hand. The Fae were found in a broken home protecting the high heir and two of her companions. They were all quickly escorted to the general's camp.
By morning, all that remained was the quelling the last few fires, separately burning the bodies of every monster and civilian, and sorting the survivors out to decide what to do next. The fortress would need to be repaired, homes would need to be rebuilt, and while the Mitagi could afford the costs economically, other damages were done. Many lives were lost, and the reputation of Mitagi and Qin was damaged. The Mitagi fortress, the pillar of Qin that had so long held back armies of the Gerudo, had fallen for the first time since its creation. No matter how brief the collapse, it had fallen. Word of this would spread through Qin within days, and within weeks, all of the nations of Hyrule would hear. Qin would soon face the attention of all their enemies at once.
Geoffrey understood this and the pressure it would bring. Qin would look vulnerable. They had lost two of their pillars, Ouki Mitagi and the Mitagi house's invincible reputation, in short succession. The princess had said before that Qin was bleeding. Whether she considered it merely a speech to put their heads into the game, or if she truly believed it, she was right. Qin was bleeding. Qin was spread thin and crumbling at the seams. Unless something was done fast, Qin would fall and collapse under the weight of its own size. Enemy nations would see its vulnerability and press harder to claim territory. Piece by piece, and city by city, Qin would fall into enemy hands. Finally, someone would pierce all the way through to the capital, and then Qin would disappear.
Geoffrey turned from the meeting with his commanders and found the tent of the princess. He approached it when a guard announced him, and the princess said from within, "Let him in."
Geoffrey lowered his head around the flaps and entered the tent. It was his own tent before, so it was already prepared with a few short-term furnishings. It was still uncomely for a princess, though. Zelda's clothes were torn apart and laid out on a side table. Zelda herself rested on a cot under several blankets. She turned her head to better see her guest, and Geoffrey suddenly felt blood rush to his face. He dearly hoped she was not nude under the blankets. So far as he knew, there were no clothes prepared for one such as her.
He looked away and nodded to the Fae elder's construction near the side.
"He is not present, Lord Geoffrey," Zelda said in a tired voice.
"How do you figure that?" Geoffrey replied.
"Fae may always be still as statues, but there is no glowing presence inside currently. The Elder is resting."
"Ah, then it makes me wonder if he has done this before and tricked me into thinking he was listening when he was not," Geoffrey mused jovially. "But how are you, Princess? Is there anything you require of me?" He still kept his attention to the side.
"It is kind of you to worry. Water would be good, as well as to have my mind at ease."
"Then I shall have a man bring you more water. But what is it that worries you?"
"The state of affairs. Where is my servant girl, and where is the Dragmire child? How is Link and Lord Dragmire fairing? How do the Mitagi fair? My mind is plagued with concerns."
Geoffrey breathed in deeply. "I do not know where your servant or friend is. However, my firm belief is that they would be among the refugees sent to a nearby city. I shall send a messenger to look for them among those we've sent." Zelda nodded in understanding. "Link and Lord Dragmire are faring well. The former slept as soon as he was brought in, and the latter was found asleep. The doctors have told me that they are in good health." Zelda nodded again. "As for us, your highness... Be at peace. The Mitagi are strong, and our reclamation is well under way. We are winning by a great slaughter. By tomorrow, there will have been no corner of the fortress left where the monsters may hide."
"It appeases me that victory is well in sight, but it still concerns me how great the losses are. I want to know: how great is the damage to Mitagi's reputation?"
Geoffrey gulped. He looked down. "I... do not know. The people are hardy, so our losses are well below expectations, but I do share your fear. I suspect our enemies will not stand by and do nothing. That is why it is imperative we recover quickly-" He glanced towards her briefly. "-And why you must rest. Allow us the peace of mind of knowing you are of good health. We shall do our jobs well."
Zelda nodded. "Thank you, Lord Geoffrey. If my servant is found, please send her in to me."
Geoffrey saluted and left. He assigned a change of guard for her with a jug of water. There was no telling when or where the Rebellious Hero would appear again. Without the princess' usual servant around, the soldiers would need to accommodate the princess' needs themselves. He had barely finished before a messenger came running with a message from the Mitagi nobility. He groaned. There was just no pleasing some people.
-Ganondorf Dragmire-
Ganondorf considered himself a little lucky that he rarely dreamed, or at least, rarely remembered them. The few he knew inflamed his heart and set his mood on edge. This morning, as he rose, he had the sense he dreamed one of them. It was mostly a blur, but he had the faint impression he was wrestling all night with an unknown enemy. He was covered in sweat, his heart pounding furiously in his chest. Every breath came out as a gasp, and his blood boiled. All this together made him both hot and furious as he tried to remember. The dream foe couldn't have been the Rebellious Hero. He still had a clear recollection of that conflict from the night before, excluding the moments he was possessed.
Ganondorf rose, found a bowl of water nearby, and washed his face. It was warm, but against his hot skin, it felt refreshingly cool. He took a moment to breath and calm down. With each breath, he felt the fire in his heart rise. His old, comfortable anger settled in his stomach. He pushed it down to a controlled degree.
As ready as he could get himself, Ganondorf departed his tent and looked around. He was in the midst of a great encampment in the early morning. In the distance stood the fortress of Mitagi. He saw no fire over its walls, but there was enough smoke to block the sun. The dragon he had fought laid impaled upon the castle towers like an ominous reminder of who was here. There was little activity happening. Only camp guards, commanders, and servants moved around him. Most of the activity looked to be in the city and around its gates.
General Geoffrey approached. His entire personage showed aggravation, though it seemed to lift slightly upon seeing Ganondorf. It felt awkward.
"Lord Dragmire," Geoffrey commented. "It is good to see you are well."
"I am uninjured," Ganondorf answered," but it will be a time before I am well again. My spirit has been poor, and so my body has become sick for it." He eyed his visitor a bit. "But I do question who is asking."
Geoffrey had the sense to at least look aghast. "It is myself, of course."
Ganondorf scoffed. "Our interaction has been far less than favorable. I hold nothing against you, but I will not be fooled into thinking that you also hold nothing against me."
Geoffrey was silent. His eyes fell, and some of his guard seemed to crumble into sadness. "It is true; I will not deny it. Whether by fault of your own or another, you fought my lord... and my lord is now dead. I will be in mourning forever. I do apologize for my treatment of you before. I make no apology for taking you prisoner, but I apologize that I was overtaken by my zeal. The princess has spoken, judgement has been made, and I accept the authority made on it..."
Ganondorf felt there was more he had on his mind. "However?"
"However, the heart is a wild thing. Despite my better judgement, despite the wisdom portrayed by the princess, my heart still beats with anger. Her mercy does not fully douse the fury in my heart. You are right. I cannot accept you as an ally as long as I mourn."
Ganondorf nodded. "Your master died not that long ago. It is for the best that we keep our space."
"That would be best for everyone," Geoffrey agreed. He sighed and whispered to himself, "It is of sin I feel so..." There was another awkward silence.
Recovering, Geoffrey said, "For that matter, it would be for the best if we kept you under guard for now. There is no telling when or where the Rebellious Hero will appear again."
Ganondorf smiled darkly. "Oh, I do not think we have anything to worry about from him."
"How can you be so sure?"
Ganondorf held up his fist. On it was his triangle, fully lit and whole, along with a hollow one. "Because I ripped his power away from him."
"You-" Geoffrey stared at the mark in amazement, but his shock soon gave way to joy and levity. He laughed, clapped Ganondorf on the shoulder, and said, "He is defeated, fully and utterly! We must tell the princess! She frets still."
Ganondorf hesitated. "I... think it is better if I do not come. The last time I saw her I was..." Ganondorf let the sentence finish unspoken. It was clear to them both what he referred to.
Geoffrey paused, showing he understood the weight of the statement. However, he waved the concern aside and said, "Nonsense! One of the first things she worried about was you and Link!"
"What?" Ganondorf asked dumbly.
"Come, come!" Geoffrey ushered him along, and the larger man relented to it.
The princess was dressed in her tattered dress when they entered. The Elder Fae had returned to his wooden shell as well. Geoffrey explained what he just learned, and Zelda's sudden and bright smile did odd things to Ganondorf's stomach. She was entirely too happy to see him uninjured. And while he could understand the relief to know the Rebellious Hero would not be coming after her life again, the amount of open joy she had in their victory was uncomfortable. The level of Geoffrey's excited animations actually made Ganondorf take a step away.
These people should be scared of Ganondorf and what he was, not laughing for him like old friends.
Despite himself, Ganondorf shook the thoughts away. He roped his arms together, and watched the celebration. He allowing everyone's relief and joy without a word. He did not know it, but the constant threat of the Hero had left a heavy weight on them all. To have it finally lifted meant the world.
Link eventually heard the noise, and being the nosy pup he was, he had to know what was happening. Sadly, he gushed even more than those already present. Being on the receiving end of yet another's appreciation only made it more awkward for Ganondorf.
Watching their chatter, Ganondorf recalled the recent events. He thought upon not only the mercy he had just been given, but also the words the Rebellious Hero had said the night before.
Ganondorf inserted himself abruptly. "If you would all give us a moment, I wish to speak with the high heir and Link alone."
Geoffrey looked to Zelda. Zelda was surprised by the request, but gave her consent. Elder, Geoffrey, and their guards left.
"What is it you wished to speak with me about?" Zelda asked. Some of her guard came back up, and her composure returned to being royal. Ganondorf could see she was still mostly relaxed, though.
"Yeah, what's up?" Link looked up curiously from where he sat on the ground.
"The first thing is this," Ganondorf said. He lowered himself to one knee and bowed his head. "Thank you for the mercy you have extended to me and my house."
"You are welcome, Lord Dragmire..." Zelda gulped. She had never imagined a gesture like this from him. It was uncomfortable. "P-please raise your head. Even though you will not be a king for a time, I do consider you an equal."
Ganondorf stood. He never imagined he would someday bow before anyone, nor thank them for anything. He couldn't find any other gesture appropriate to what she had done for him.
"Be that as it may, there is no other way of showing my thanks. You have given me hope, Princess. You cannot begin to grasp how much it means to me."
They stood in silence. Zelda didn't know how to respond or take his gratitude, and Ganondorf didn't plan to elaborate further. Link simply watched them with wide eyes.
Ganondorf cleared his throat and moved on to another topic. "In my conflict with the Rebellious Hero, there were some words he shared that I find myself reflecting upon. Words worth sharing." He paused. "He said three spirits have been in conflict for an endless cycle, born again and again to fight. He said the spirits want to return to the Goddesses again, because, as if to explain it, that which is separate only wants to be made whole again. And none will accept death until they have."
"Whoa," Link mumbled.
"This... troubles me. He talked as if I was among these spirits... and as if you two were as well. I know we may be blessed as champions of the Triple Goddesses, but what more he spoke of I know little of."
Zelda's face darkened. "What he said makes sense with what I know. I have been told some in regards to this, so I will share it."
Zelda explained what the Shadowmaster had told her beneath the Mitagi Fortress. She shared how the three spirits were reincarnated repeatedly, how the Spirit of Power became corrupted, and how the Elder Fae believed that a sign of Hyrule's fall would come when the unity of all three champions fell.
"And yet here we are..." Link whispered. "Almost like it was..."
"Fate," Zelda finished.
Ganondorf scoffed. "It is hardly fate that we should stand here. You think it fate that your little brother took the throne from you to bring you to us? This cycle of fate means we should be fighting, not helping one another. If we have been reunited over and over for thousands of years, and only been able to hate each other, then I hardly see how our camaraderie is fated."
"We very nearly did despise one another. We were united, and the first thing that happened was conflict, as always. I was to be no-doubt killed, and Link... Ganondorf's sword came very close to beheading you." Link paled, remembering how close the blade had come. Zelda looked to Ganondorf. "But you chose to accept my plea."
"The Fae got in my way."
"Yes, they did. They asked you to listen. The Elder asked for you to listen only once, and he said he would not stand in your way again. Listen you did, and then you accepted his deal. Lord Dragmire, I do think it was fate that brought us together. I will say you are right to believe that it was not all fate, though. Our choices determined how our conflict would resolve. Over and over, fate has brought us together, and it was perhaps our choices each time that demanded there be a reason to try again."
"Try again... towards what?" Link asked.
"Towards... something. Something we were doing wrong. Something we needed to fix and do right. Perhaps even something as simple as not killing each other."
"That will be difficult," Ganondorf said. "It is certainly my first instinct whenever the pup speaks."
"Hey!" Link barked.
"But I think the Rebellious Hero, for how twisted he became, was right in at least this much. We are three parts of a whole." Zelda revealed her mark for emphasis. The other two marks glowed dimly beside it. "We are bonded in some way. Equals. Like... cousins or siblings."
"Cousins," Ganondorf said harshly. He eyed Link. "Distant ones. Or even further, like being a comparable species. Man meet monkey."
"Hey now, you're the mountain monkey!" Link snapped.
"Pup."
"There may be truth to that," Zelda considered, smiling at how they bickered. "No one else can claim to be like us. Perhaps our bond is as simple as being the only three alike, but isn't that enough?"
"My skin crawls at the prospect of being 'alike' to that." Ganondorf pointed at Link like he was something repulsive.
Link finally had enough taunting and tackled him, but Ganondorf held him back with one arm. However, having not eaten, rested, or exercised in so long, Ganondorf found his strength leave him, and before he knew it, they were wrestling on the ground. Link had also grown taller and stronger over the last year, further surprising the man.
Zelda rolled her eyes, stepped over them, and left the tent. Link succeeded in prying himself free and raced out as well, but Ganondorf grabbed his feet and pulled him back in.
"Princess! HE'S GONNA EAT ME!" Link cried.
Zelda chuckled. "You started it. You challenged him. You know he's going to want to finish it." She waved. "Have fun."
"NOOOOOOooooooooo!" Link left marks in the dirt as he was dragged back into the tent.
-That Evening-
The day went by without incident. Link scrambled away from the tent with bruises, and Ganondorf left with a content smile. Zelda found somewhere guarded yet quiet where she could find some peace. A messenger brought back Sarah and Malon. It turned out that finding them was easy, as Sarah was putting up quite a fuss about returning to the princess. She was practically weeping in joy as she threw herself on Zelda. And without the threat of the Rebellious Hero anymore, and the monsters of Twilight reduced to ash, it was finally considered safe enough for the Majora and Mitagi nobles to return and see the layout of the city too.
The twin witches were found dead and barely recognizable. During the fight with the dragon, they had fallen a great distance to their deaths and exploded on impact, as that happens when you fall from a far enough height. Their remains were gathered in bags and presented to Ganondorf. He was stunned to say the least. Soldiers tried assuring him that it would have been a painless death, but he didn't hear them. He could only stare at the bags. Malon and Nabooru stepped up beside him to offer some comfort, but he barely noticed. It was like something big had been torn from him.
"They should be given proper funerals," He said, completely neutral.
"We will begin immediately," Nabooru agreed.
He nodded, and Nabooru left to gather help for the funeral arrangements. It would be a small, out-of-the-way, affair. Small logs were piled up with stones, and sweet-smelling oils and animal fat were thrown on top. What remained of the bodies were laid onto the pyre, and it was set aflame.
Through all of this, Ganondorf simply watched. He stood by the fire and watched as his mothers' corpses burned.
The Elder Fae stepped closer. He had seen and kept a respectful distance until the fire had just about gone out. Ganondorf could also see Zelda nearby, but she still kept her distance. Malon yawned from where she leaned next to him. It had been a long, silent night.
"How are you faring?" Nabooru asked.
"...I don't know..." Ganondorf answered. "I expected myself to be angry with them, to spit on them. A proper son would probably be mourning or sad. However, I feel... nothing. I am surprised more than anything else."
"From what I saw over the years, you three were distant." Nabooru tried to understand.
He nodded. "We were. They were more like teachers than parents as I have now seen. There is no love lost between us... but they did raise me to be strong. I will give them this much: I will stay here until the fire is out. Then we will continue on." He remembered himself and looked to her. "In a different way, at least, for I am no longer king."
Ganondorf didn't know how to feel about losing the leadership of his tribe. He had led the Majora because he was the strongest, fastest, and most stubborn. He was the alpha. He took care of his pack, and didn't think any more than that. However, his time among the Qin showed him that being alpha didn't always mean good things. There was a point where a nation reached such a scale that bullish leadership only hurt it. Being alpha of a pack was one thing, but to preside over multiple alphas with multiple packs required an entirely different touch.
He didn't mind being dethroned. Being alpha wasn't as freeing as he thought it would be. When it started, he had thought it would appease his angry spirit. Now he understood what he was fighting was not debts, responsibilities, mountains, or cages. He fought his own spirit.
Ganondorf did not mind being called the 'Demon of Majora,' either. It was a title based on his cruelty, angered nature, and appearance. But no one, not his former chief, not his parents, and certainly not Harken Dragmire, would ever tell him what he was. He would be judged for his choices now, not his birth.
"I am sorry," Nabooru eventually said.
"Don't be," He answered. "Be truthful with me. Was I a good leader?"
"Yes."
Surprised by her answer, Ganondorf fully turned to give her his attention.
Nabooru continued. "You have no willingness to manage anything. You hate meetings. You hate giving orders as much as you hate receiving them. You have always pressed forward. You never liked to manage anything you possess because that requires looking back. You are the worst at these things."
Ganondorf's eye twitched in annoyance. She smiled. "But you always press forward. When things get tough, you press through. You find challenges, find ambitions, and seek to climb never ending heights. And you took us with you. We were all content with the mountains, but you were caged and seek to free yourself. In so doing, you freed us as well. Now we can extend to the plains. Yet you still press forward... it's like you live to seek a dream, a dream we all have begun to share. You carved a path forward for us. That is to be a good leader and king to us."
Stunned by Nabooru's words, Ganondorf said nothing.
"I only hope to be as inspiring as you," She added.
Ganondorf knew there was more to be said. He was no longer king. He could fight the decision, but he didn't want to. He accepted it for the benefit of everyone involved, including himself. It felt freeing to no longer be chained to a throne. Nabooru could, and probably should have, taken this time to discuss what his new position would be, but she did not. In a way, he knew she didn't have to. They both knew what capacity he would serve best in. It was most likely to be as a general or champion. He could even be an ambassador, as Ganondorf had the best relations with Qin among the Majora.
Although 'serve' wasn't the way he would put it. Ganondorf disliked being subservient to anyone. He didn't care for spending his time on the betterment of others, at least, he didn't before. As Ganondorf continued to think, the Dragmire name sprung to mind. The Majora did not need him, but the Dragmire did. Ganondorf needed them as well. If he could save his family, he thought that there may be a way to save himself along the way.
"Let me know when the Dragmire are safely in Majora lands..." Ganondorf murmured.
Nabooru did not respond verbally, but patted his shoulder before walking off.
Ganondorf watched her leave. Despite himself, he started laughing. He had thought himself the worst of all leaders, yet apparently, he was inspiring. He was cruel and did not believe in mercy. He had been lazy with his people and would use any excuse to chase the sun. Perhaps it was that chase that inspired them, he thought, as they wished to chase the sun like him.
"If you are not king... what are you now?" Malon asked.
"Myself," Ganondorf answered. "I now know what my enemy is. I am at war with myself. In my childhood, I was possessed, but thanks to the Fae water, I was awakened. Even so, I have a spirit in me that I cannot control. A spirit that would use me, control me, and set me as a slave. I refuse to submit."
"So, to the Fae, then?" She asked. "More of that water might help."
"To the Fae. However, I should give them the respect of requesting permission first."
Ganondorf and Malon stayed a bit longer, while the pyre continued to weakly burn. When the fire fully let out, Ganondorf said his final goodbyes. His relationship with his mothers had always been a bond of hate, anger, and cold teaching, but he would still acknowledge what they had done and sacrificed.
They departed in search for the Fae Elder. Soon enough, they found him standing near the center of the camp. As the Dragmire approached, they could see Mitagi elders arguing with both the Qin heir and General Geoffrey. Seeing the conflict, Malon thought it best to leave.
"Lord Dragmire," Elder saluted him. "you look as though you have thoughts on your mind."
"I have many," Ganondorf allowed. "Today is... surprising. I find myself humbled and in the debt of the Qin princess, with a glimpse of hope for myself and what remains of my clan. I hope you will not spread it if I admit to uncertainty in what to do with such feelings."
"I will not."
"The trials yesterday brought a thought to my mind; I wish to share them and follow with a request. As you know, I was trapped within myself for much of my youth. It was not until you thrust me into the Fae Grove that I was able to know myself. While it was against my will, I bathed in the waters of your people, and it cleansed me. However, despite this cleansing, recent occasions have proven I still possess a demonic spirit I cannot control. Would you say this is true?"
"It is true what you say. The corruption was pulled out, yet your spirit still tastes foul. Your control has become fragile ever since Harken awakened the Twilight in you. You risk awakening both sides of you every time you use your power. If you do, I do not think you could control it, and the results would be disastrous for those nearby."
"Then it is good we agree. My request is... may I use the waters of your Grove again?"
The Elder went silent. Faint head movements were the only indication that he was thinking. "What you ask is understandable and good. I sense you wish to gain control of this hostile spirit or purge it entirely." He grew back legs like a chair, leaned on them, and tapped his own knee. "However, before you bring your hopes up too far, I do caution you. There is no way of knowing if a second, third, or even fourth baptism will be any better than the first."
"Are you suggesting the first was a fluke?"
"No, rather that it brought as much good as this method can. Further attempts may offer no more benefit."
This did not bode well with Ganondorf. He growled in frustration and ran his hands through his hair.
Elder continued. "Do not be angry, Lord Dragmire. I caution you, but I do not withhold you. It is something that has never been done before. So as much as I want to say it will help, I only wish to caution you that it may not. If you wish to try, I will accept it. I will even go further and guide you to it so you may not get lost."
"Can I not use the Grove you have built in the Qin capital palace? Or the hollow volcano?"
"You can, but I would beg you to not. In pulling the corruption out of you, it would destroy the Grove. What you ask is comparable to setting all of Majora on fire to bathe in its flames. I say it would be best to go to the same one as before. My people have not returned to it, so doing this will not endanger us."
Ganondorf's eyes widened in surprise. "I-I did not know this. If I did this to you, why have you not held me accountable for destroying your Grove?"
"Of course not, we kept quiet about it. Your king agreed to keep it quiet, partially out of fear and partially out of your best intentions." Elder smiled. "We rebuilt. Not one of us would hold a child accountable for an accident like that."
Ganondorf gulped. He looked away, feeling ashamed. He disliked the feeling. "It seems I continue to pile up debts."
The Fae waved it aside. "A debt we have no need to collect. We want for nothing, after all. But to answer your proposal again, I say it is a good one. I will go with you so you may not be lost. Then, if the Goddess is with us, it will be of great help to you. I was planning on returning to that Grove anyway."
"You were?" Ganondorf eyed him curiously.
"Yes..." Elder's composure saddened. "The Twilight we fought... they were once Fae. I do not know how, but they have become twisted and monstrous."
"Fae?! How is that possible?"
"Fae have, over the ages, gone separate ways. Some have become close to Nayru, some to Din, and some have stayed as children of Farore. We are all siblings, no matter what, but this occasion leaves me to wonder if some have gone after Twilight. It is a matter I wish to discuss with the forest. I fear a Grove has appeared that we must be wary of. Perhaps it is in league with a rival of Qin, or it is far off. Either way, it is no small thing that they showed themselves on the day you were to be executed. The Twilight Fae are drawn to you."
Ganondorf scoffed. "Most likely to eat me."
The Fae laughed, making Ganondorf scowl. "I do not find it amusing." Annoyed by his amusement, Ganondorf turned his attention elsewhere. "What are they arguing about?"
Elder followed his gaze. The Mitagi argument was heated and seemed to be going nowhere. "Troubling thoughts," he said. "Though I am not close enough to know every word, when they raise their voices high enough, I can catch something." Elder paused to listen. "...The Mitagi are not as loyal to the princess as it would seem to be."
Ganondorf frowned. He agreed that it was a troubling thought. If the Mitagi's loyalty was in question, so was the security of the entire nation-state. Inevitably, Majora would be in danger if Qin fell.
"How so?" Ganondorf pressed.
"The elders demand your head for the attack on the fortress. The price of Ouki Mitagi's head had been bought with compromise, though no one here was ever at fault for it. Now they demand compensation for the fortress."
"No one here is at fault for that one either. The Twilight and their so called 'hero' attacked it. The Mitagi elders can take it up with those two."
"It is a curious thing about mortals and their pride. They are rarely satisfied with the death of the ones who actually cause incidents. They see it as an excuse to gain something, as if they are a lowly victim that must be pitied beyond cause. If it were truly a just world, they would be satisfied with the Twilight's defeat. Yet here they are, and as much as I wish to reason with them, they are correct in saying you and I played a part in this."
Elder's words angered the Dragmire. He hissed and stomped a few feet away. It was moments like this that reminded him of how much he hated people.
"They would call for payment from the very ones who defended them?!" Ganondorf snarled.
"They would. This is the way of politicians. Now they are putting the princess in the position of choosing between you and them, yet again. All the same, calm yourself. Control yourself. They may be fools, but that is no reason to take it personally. The fortress is being retaken, their armies are secure, and their people are safe. It is their pride that is hurt most, as well as their indomitable reputation. It is not as though you or I can do anything for it. They are as children who throw a tantrum until they are given a toy."
"A toy," Ganondorf repeated. A thought suddenly struck him. "The Mitagi and Majora have never been on good terms, have they?"
Elder tilted his head. "I cannot say they have. Their rivalry has been from the beginning. Few have been able to cross it, Ouki, chief among them. Why do you ask?"
"I have an idea. A formal gesture, if you will, that may shut them up. I do not know if this will work, but follow me on this, if you will."
With that said, Ganondorf approached the tent from where the yelling came. The Fae followed, watching curiously. Guards tried to withhold them, but Ganondorf shoved every one aside to enter.
"Get that mountain demon out!" A Mitagi elder exclaimed as soon as he entered. He pointed furiously at the Dragmire.
The rest of the tent's occupants turned to see who entered. Zelda looked infuriated. Ganondorf had no doubt she was red-faced from yelling so much, but his interruption did not seem to help her mind calm. She seemed to silently demand that they leave. Even the ever-calm Geoffrey was angry, but it wasn't because of the new presence. Unlike the two Qin, though, the Mitagi loudly voiced that they would have none of Ganondorf and yelled for guards to remove him. Elder blocked anyone who approached and set a level glare, warning them to stay back.
Ganondorf sighed. "That is rude. I could not help but overhear parts of this discussion, as loud as you are." He leveled his attention on the elders. "It sounded like a hoard of pigs squealing or being poked with a hot iron. I asked my Fae friend if we were being overrun by swine now, and I came to be sure we were not in danger."
"... You did not." The Elder replied flatly.
"I was being sarcastic!" Ganondorf hissed through his teeth. He returned his attention to the Mitagi. "Now, regardless of whatever-what's-it problem you have with me, it occurs to me that we can come to a nice little compromise."
"Compromise!? You attacked us!" One elder screeched.
"He was defending-" Zelda barked.
Ganondorf put his up his hand. "Regardless of whether I attacked you or not, you really think it's smart to piss off a demon? I brought that dragon down upon your castle. I defeated your hidden little 'hero.' You really think four wet-behind-the-ears fools with more straw between their ears than what's fed to their horses are anything to me?"
The elders stepped back fearfully. "A-Are you going to let him speak to us like this?!" They blabbered to Geoffrey.
"I do have to ask you speak with more respect, Lord Dragmire." Geoffrey sighed.
Ganondorf laughed loudly. "I am not a king anymore. I don't care! You think I speak on behalf of anyone!? I was fine with dying earlier. I don't see why I shouldn't die now, taking four irritants with me!" Ganondorf set his hands to be aflame.
"Princess!" The men squealed.
Zelda and Ganondorf shared a glance. An unspoken exchange occurred that bordered on animal instinct. Her anger left her, and in its place was ice-cold defiance.
"Your words border on treason," She whispered to the elders. "I may be better off without you and leaving peasants in charge who would not question my authority and risk the security of Qin over mere pride. Besides, unlike you, I know better than to piss off a demon that can do that." She pointed in the direction of the castle. Though they could not see it through the tent, everyone knew she was referring to the giant dragon corpse.
The men fell back to the edges of their seats in fear. "Compromise?! What do you propose?"
"I have something of yours I would see returned," Ganondorf said. "I typically don't mind a good steal or a good kill, but if it means shutting up your insistent pig squealing, I guess I can go without." Ganondorf held up his fist and lit up his triangles. Their eyes fell on the hollow one and widened. It clearly meant a great deal to them. "I took this hollow triangle off your hero. It belongs to Mitagi. So how about I return it to you, and we never meet again?"
"You would do that?" Zelda asked, surprised. "You took it from the assassin. You earned it."
"Earned it!?" The nobles exclaimed. "It is ours!"
"Oh, just shut up," Geoffrey snipped.
"I would give it," Ganondorf said. He pointed to General Geoffrey. "But only if you receive it." The room stood stunned. Ganondorf smirked, "Consider it a gift. A gesture of good will. If, of course, the princess of Qin agrees."
Zelda smiled brightly. "I agree wholeheartedly. I can think of no greater honor, and no better man worthy of it."
"Will this satisfy you?" Ganondorf looked to the nobles. "It would bring much fear from your enemies to allow a champion of the Triple Goddesses on the front lines for the Mitagi's honor, "
The nobles gulped and then whispered amongst themselves. They despised the prospect that an outsider would be made champion of the Triple Goddesses and receive the Mitagi birthright. But their thoughts were tempered by the fear they had for Dragmires. His words of them regaining some honor were sweet too. For many years, the Rebellious Hero had guarded the hollow mark zealously. It was a powerful tool, both in military and religious honor. If it was in the hands of one who championed them, their influence could skyrocket.
"We accept," The men agreed.
Ganondorf extended his hand. "Then will you accept the honor of becoming marked as a champion of the Goddesses, Lord Geoffrey?"
Geoffrey looked between them. Zelda nodded, and suddenly the nobles were in support as if they had never disagreed. He looked to Ganondorf. What they requested was more than just being a champion of the Mitagi, or of their Triple Goddesses. Geoffrey was being offered to be equal to a legend, to wield power literally ripped from the hand of an ancient hero.
Geoffrey reached out and took Ganondorf's hand to shake it. It took a moment for Ganondorf to let go, holding it a bit longer than Geoffrey expected from a handshake. Upon release, though, Geoffrey found he had a hollow triangle on the back of his hand. He felt gentle heart pulses, distant, yet near, on his hand. In that moment, he knew that he had bridged a gap between their peoples in a way only Ouki could have done. In his heart, Geoffrey still mourned, but this gift, this honor, was one he knew his lord would be proud of. He could almost imagine Ouki smiling on him.
Zelda stepped in. "With this, I think it only appropriate to be given the honor of a great title."
"You honor me, princess." Geoffrey saluted her. "What name do you propose?"
Zelda left the tent and looked at the fortress. She saw the dragon's corpse and said, "You smited the dragon with your shield, did you not? Stood against it for a long time, both in my defense and the defense of the people? Already, I have heard whispers that the people and soldiers want you to be named 'The Dragon' in honor of this. But I think it isn't quite fitting. You are a man of the west, and I think some respect to that should be acknowledged. If you do not object, you will be known as Lord Geoffrey Mitagi, the Dragon Knight of Qin."
-Zelda-
Zelda stood on the hill looking over the rest of the camp and the fortress beyond. The fortress had returned into Mitagi and Qin hands, and the people were being escorted back. A massive gathering of men and woman moved over the valley back to their home. Along with them were supply filled caravans provided by the city.
Though it was good, a part of the report made Zelda frown. Word of Mitagi's fall had spread quickly on the wings of a messenger to the palace, and Ryu had stepped out of his self-imposed exodus to take command in her absence and have repair efforts provided from the nearby cities and forts. She knew all of this by the simple document that Chancellor Ryu had signed for these things to be done. Chancellor Impa also signed the order below his name, but Zelda knew Ryu would be the one to gain a token of prestige from the work. Zelda was absent. She was here, at Mitagi, but she felt powerless. She had shown face here, and presided over a dispute between two clans of Qin, but she hadn't been at the palace to stand before her ministers and give the order in a way that would give her honor.
A frightened squeal drew Zelda attention. Sarah scampered up the hill towards camp, only to be terrified of a little creature who she was desperately trying to avoid. However, the creature, a little mouse, blocked her path completely. The two were left at an impasse until the mouse decided to move on to its next hiding place. Zelda's concubine picked up her skirt and ran up the grassy hill towards her.
Zelda smiled in amusement briefly, before returning her attention to where it belonged. Seeing the people again made her frown. Her brows knit together in frustration.
"You can't be everywhere at once, you know," Sarah said from the side.
Zelda narrowed her eyes briefly. "Are you a mind reader now?"
Sarah smiled knowingly, patted down her skirt, and pretended to be nice and innocent. "Your countenance has been sour since you read the notice. I don't have to be." This only made Zelda's composure sour further. Sarah laughed. "You aren't that easy to read for most. No need to fret."
"Stop reading my mind. Now this is becoming scary." Zelda saw no one else was near, so while it was impolite and unprofessional, she could allow Sarah to seem smug. Zelda sighed theatrically. "Whatever happened to the nervous, stuttering girl."
"Well, I nearly died. Multiple times. Then she was threatened by a Dragmire with half of his mind gone. Compared to them... Well..." She left the sentence unfinished.
"I am not what? As scary?"
"As mad."
Zelda snorted. Some would argue with her on that. Zelda knew she wasn't the most stable person, and so far as Sarah and Impa told her, she was also in the thralls of the most chaotic years of her life before becoming a woman. She had to admit that Sarah had a point. Her little concubine had braved untold terror and looked death in the face just by fervently standing by her side. Experiences like that would shape a person. How she was terrified by a mouse was beyond her.
Zelda changed the subject. "I need to be at the capital soon. If Ryu has returned from his self-imposed exile, then that means his plan will be set in motion, and I cannot trust him to not take some action against me in my absence."
"But... Impa is there."
"That is perhaps the only reason I will still have a throne to sit on."
"You can't really think that, do you?" Sarah asked, surprised. "Ryu has worked with you when Zhao attacked. Ryu stepped away and now has sent aid. He even was the one to place you on the throne. I mean, he did play a part with the assassin, but... if he truly wanted the throne, wouldn't he have taken it by now?"
"You would think so, and he does. He has told me many a time his ambition is to plant his seed on the throne. A funny statement from a man with no heir to the family name. The problem is that this game is over the long term. He does good for the kingdom, but he also will go on the offensive against me. I cannot just sit by and do nothing. Much as I want to accept the good he does, it also gains him honor and prestige, increasing the distance between us." Zelda sighed. "If only he lacked this ambition, then I could take his work at face value. But it is also his ambition that makes him... effective."
"How do you think your decision for the Dragmire slaves will be taken?"
"Hopefully not too badly. The Dragmire are mostly considered extinct, but those of us who know better know there are slaves sprinkled among the kingdom. Few enough for the masses to think them dead, but enough for me to know differently. Hundreds at most amongst millions. Practically, it is nothing, but the implications and stance it has me making is the problem people will have. It will be as if I will stand to free more slaves, and if so, which ones? By what standard? It is new and different and sudden and threatening. Some will wonder if I am showing favoritism to the Dragmire, who, to be fair, haven't worked to gain it more than, say, the Mitagi... I will lose my stance for this."
Zelda's eyes fell and her composure saddened. "Once I had no power to create change, no ability to influence the world. Now I have power, weight behind my words, and I don't know if it is any better."
Seeing her worries grow, Sarah had an idea and left to search for Geoffrey. The man was not far off. He was occupied with meetings, receiving updates, and giving orders, but when the that was over, he welcomed Sarah warmly.
"Lord Geoffrey, I want to ask something," She said.
Geoffrey blinked in surprise. His gaze momentarily went past her. "You? Not the princess?"
"Yes, although it is for her. I heard your master was a fan of games."
"Lord Ouki was, as am I."
"I remember my princess spoke well of the games she and Ouki played, and looked forward to more. They lifted her spirits."
He smiled knowingly. "Are you proposing the princess plays a game with me?"
Sarah blushed. While she had seen many beautiful men in the palace, the Englishman was exotic and noble. He was strong without being herculean, but that only made her want to vomit: the amount of muscles he had disgusted her! But he was solid, firm, and the twirly mustache made him look slightly comical, so it added to his persona of being warm and welcoming. He was, literally and figuratively, a girl's dream knight, complete with silver armor.
"N-no-nothing so sp-specific... B-but something to lift her sp-spirits. Sh-She will be returning to the palace soon and the battles that await her there w-wa-weigh on her." She mentally kicked herself for stuttering again.
"I think a game would be good for us all. The people have experienced a shock, and we have just finished a heavy topic of discussion between two factions. Something my..." Geoffrey paused. "My lord Ouki always made sure that no matter how heavy a subject one started with, meetings should never end the same way. It is customary amongst lords to host feasts following a political event. We cannot host a feast, but I am sure we can make do..." He stroked his beard and mustache a moment, bringing another blush to Sarah's face.
-Later-
It was a bit sudden and impromptu, but Geoffrey made a challenge to the Majora as a friendly game before they departed. They accepted. A hole was dug near the edges of the city and then backfilled with urine, feces, and mud. The strongest rope that could be found was provided. Crowds gathered along the walls, the hills, and mudpit to watch. Zelda and Link sat near the events to watch. The nobles stayed much further back, on account of the smell. Having been downwind of much worse in her youth, Zelda merely found it unpleasent.
From among them, the Majora selected nine men plus Nabooru. From among the Mitagi, they selected ten men. Geoffrey stepped in between the parties, inserted a long pole into the hole, and pulled it out for everyone to see. The muck was four feet deep.
Nabooru turned her nose up. "This is quite a smell."
"Yes, I know you Majora are sensitive to it," Geoffrey cajoled. "More incentive to not fall in! I also know you play games with your do-" She leveled a glare at him. "-wolves, and I thought to repeat it on a... grander scale." He patted her roughly on the shoulder, causing her to wince.
A few minutes later, the coffers of drink were opened wide, and Geoffrey stood on a stand of barrels. He raised his sword, a few horns were blown, and people's attention was drawn forwards.
Geoffrey pointed his sword to the side and roared, "Over here! We have the ugly, the unwashed, the dark-skinned, the dog-smelling and soon to be the shit-smelling, the pig-humping, the frog-licking Majora!"
"Frog-licking?" Nabooru muttered. "Ew." None of the less, the Majoran contestants roared along with the crowd. "We don't lick frogs!" Nabooru yelled.
"Out of all of that the problem you have is the frogs?!" Geoffrey asked. "Fine! I have been kindly informed the dog-smelling, pig-humping Majora do not, in fact, lick frogs!"
People laughed. Zelda found herself smiling at the theatrics as well. Geoffrey definitely had a way of putting on a show with confidence. It lacked some of the craziness of Ouki, but it had a more composed, comfortable charisma. Zelda glanced to Link and Sarah by her side and Ganondorf and Malon in the distance. Link watched in amazement, never having seen a public game like this before. Ganondorf showed no emotion from where he sat. Sarah and Malon both seemed to enjoy the festivities as well.
Geoffrey waved his sword to the other side. "They face, in a battle of strength, the pretty, the sweet-smelling-"
Someone yelled, "Whoo-hoo!"
"Yeah, whoo-hoo. No more alcohol for you," Geoffrey quipped. "They are the light-of-foot-!"
"Apple-cheeked!"
"-the apple-cheeked, rowdy boys of Mitagi, Qin, and beyond!"
The crowd's roar reached such a peak that Zelda had to cover her pointed ears. She saw a number of her companions wince, and the Majora wolves covered their heads with their paws.
"The game is simple! Grab the rope on your side, all together, and pull! You must pull all of your opponents into the aptly named shit-pit! If you fall in, you lose! Stabbing is not allowed, and if you can reach enough for a good groin-kicking, again don't. In a different note I have lately suffered from random bouts of blindness." Zelda chuckled with the crowd.
With a gesture, both sides grabbed the rope and pulled. Zelda returned to covering her ears as the crowd roared and yelled for the Mitagi to win. The Majora were not in home territory and lacked supporters to yell for their side, but it did not seem to deter them as they held their ground, literally and figuratively.
The first to fall in was a Mitagi. Seeing their companion fall in gave them a burst of strength and they regained the momentum enough to pull in two Majora. The Majoran wolves leaped in and pulled, growling fiercly as they did. Some grabbed the Mitagi's side, to the crowd's laughter, as the poor hounds didn't understand the line was drawn between factions.
Back and forth the line was drawn. Mitagi and Majora fell in. It lasted many minutes as both sides had strong men, and it only grew to be longer as some from the crowd spontaneously joined in on either side to keep it up. The insanity did not end there as many who fell in wrestled amongst each other. Men had to reach in with poles from all sides extended towards them to give them a hold to climb out with.
Nabooru fell in. Not because the Mitagi side pulled her in, but because several in the pit (impossible to tell who anymore, covered as they were) pulled her in. She went in screaming and promptly attacked the first person she saw.
In the meantime, Zelda noticed Ganondorf had ended up near her and Link. She smiled devilishly, thinking the poor man was a bit lonely where he had been. He was annoyed at some drunks, and found the others less annoying. Whether he was drawn to Zelda and Link by the endless cycles of reincarnation they shared and the kindred spirit of champions in spirit, he would never admit if asked. He was not asked, but he wouldn't answer if he was. Zelda figured he was annoyed, judging from his constant fist clenching, sharp glares, grit teeth, and the punch he landed on one man who had stumbled into him.
Geoffrey watched all of this from a laid back position and a smirk on his face.
"You look more like an observer than a referee, Lord Mitagi." Zelda observed.
"That is because I am, your highness. I set the flame, and now I am watching it spark on its own life."
Ganondorf growled, "They make a fool of themselves."
"I don't know. A little insanity is good to release the tension after last night."
"That is not what I refer to. They allow themselves to lose."
Before either Zelda or Link could respond, Ganondorf abrubtly stood and stepped into the fray. He growled for others to step aside, took hold of the rope, and pulled.
"He is as competitive as the rest of them," Zelda mused, smirking. Her attention was drawn to Link bouncing just behind her, excitedly watching like a twitchy rabbit. Link was no better, Zelda thought. Before Zelda could respond, or notice at first, Geoffrey also stood, left his shield and sword behind, and took up the rope opposite Ganondorf.
That was when the crowd lost its shit. Ganondof smirked and pulled, finally enjoying the occasion since it started. Geoffrey also smiled, wishing to test himself against he demon-man his Lord had defeated. They both pulled the rope to a stand still evenly. Ganondorf, ever competitive, ignited his Mark and small flames burst off his skin, his hair shined and his eyes burned into everyone's vision. His strength increased several times over. Geoffrey found his feet skidding across the muddy tracks others had already made, and to everyone's amazement, tapped into his own Hollow Mark. Dozens of chains burst out of the ground, looped themselves around the rope, and held it firm. The rope stopped moving against him, and pulled back a bit. Ganondorf growled, planted his feet, and renewed his effort. The rope stopped moving.
Zelda's eyes widened. Her jaw nearly dropped. Sarah squealed in delight and cheered him on, prompting Malon to do the same for her caretaker.
"The man of Mitagi learns quick." Elder observed, proudly.
The rope would not budge between them, not fully. Everyone else climbed out or left the two to it rather than participate. A few had tried to help pull, but their strength offered nothing in the end and they were useless. The rope would move a bit to one side, then a bit to the other.
The rope started to fray a bit, but did not get far before a blur appeared near the middle, Link thrust his spear down, and cut the rope. Ganondorf and Geoffrey both fell.
"AND WITH BOTH SIDES FLAT ON THEIR ASSES! THE WINNER IS LINK!" Link yelled. He raised his spear.
Zelda couldn't help laughing at how befuddled and frazzled Ganondorf was. The man was knocked, both literally and figuratively, on his ass, and needed a moment to realize what had just happened. The crowd joined in, laughing and cheering at how it ended so oddly. Link soaked it in almost drunken on the energy of the game. Meanwhile, a moment passed. Ganondorf and Geoffrey shared a glance, a glance of shared animalistic instinct along the same unspoken wavelength.
"Get him." They both said at once.
With Link's attention elsewhere, they both tackled Link and held him firmly. Poor boy was squashed between two very strong men.
"NO! NO NO! NO NO NO NO NO!" Link screamed. He squirmed as best he could, but his arms were locked tightly. Meanwhile Geoffrey tied him up in half of the rope. Then Ganondorf took a cloak off the ground and tied it around him, weaving it so the teenager's arms and legs were tucked into what resembled... a sack.
"In we go!" Ganondorf yelled.
He started to throw Link into the pit, but Geoffrey pulled back.
"Now, hold it, Lord Dragmire." Geoffrey argued. "Before the poor lad meets his untimely fate, it is only proper he be allowed a few words."
"Fine. Pup, anything you have to say before your execution?" Ganondorf asked.
"You're a dick!" Link exclaimed. Then his face turned smug. "Also you should have taken away my spear."
"Wha-" Ganondorf looked at his smug face, felt something tap his leg, looked down, and realized two things at once. One, they had tied -and sacked- Link in with his spear; and two, Link positioned said spear between his legs. Ganondorf barely had time to look back up at him before Link was violently twisting around, causing the spear to throw Ganondorf's leg out from under him and they both fell into the pit. Geoffrey was still holding onto Link and was pulled in as well, not expecting the sudden momentum.
