Zelda slowly opened her eyes. An oil lamp was emitting a soft glow and she was laying on something soft and comfortable, definitely not the dungeon floor. She slowly sat up and felt her face. There was something crusty dried onto it and her head pounded. She looked around the room and sounded a quiet whimper as she saw Ghirahim sitting across from her bed, watching her.
"Where am I?" She asked.
"In a tower, in an unused room, just as my King instructed," he replied, bounding up from his seat and walking to the side of Zelda's bed.
"What do you want?" Zelda asked. Ghirahim remained silent and stroked the side of Zelda's face that had struck the wall. "What do you want?" Zelda repeated.
Ghirahim wound his hand back and struck Zelda in the face, "Don't speak out of line!" Ghirahim yelled. Zelda allowed herself to cry, only to keep the impression that Ghirahim had broken her. She hated pretending to be weak. All she really wanted to do was see him fall by her hands. She hated Ghirahim.
"I apologize!" She cried.
"Good," Ghirahim cooed, gently stroking her face again. "Don't cry," Ghirahim said in a teasing manner. Zelda glared at him. She had never felt such pure hate since she had seen Zant kill her mother.
"Link will save me," Zelda whispered. Ghirahim's eyes widened, surprised at what Zelda had said.
"You mean that scrawny boy? The one I left bleeding from a dagger wound? I doubt he is even alive!" Ghirahim exclaimed.
"He is! I know it..." Zelda said. She knew Link was alive; they were connected by the goddess! But that left Zelda thinking... Who had the third and final piece of the Triforce? And why hadn't she ever felt the connection like she had when Link was still on Earth?
"You can believe what you want," Ghirahim began, "But the truth remains to be seen." He said as he pinned Zelda's arms down and slowly crawled on top of her.
"What do you want with me?" Zelda cried out. She was sick of being abused by Ghirahim. She wished death upon him.
Suddenly, Ghirahim's lips were against hers, his tongue finding its way into her mouth. Zelda felt tears run down her face as she tried to bear it. This wasn't right. She had been brought to the Otherworld for a purpose! Not to be Ghirahim's puppet!
"Ghirahim!" A booming voice said from the doorway. Ghirahim was off of Zelda in a moment. Zelda looked to see who her saviour was and was relieved to see Ganondorf standing there.
"My King," Ghirahim bowed.
"What were you doing?" Ganondorf demanded.
"What you wouldn't," Ghirahim said as he looked at Zelda with want in his eyes.
"I can't have this happening to her while she is supposed to be under my watch!" Ganondorf bellowed.
"But she isn't under your watch, you entrusted her to me. If you want to watch her then by all means, do so," Ghirahim said, presenting his arms in the direction of Zelda.
"Ghirahim, you know what this means," Ganondorf said in a coarse whisper.
"Enlighten me," Ghirahim teased.
"You must be sent to the dungeons," Ganondorf said. He stepped closer to Ghirahim and whispered something that Zelda could not hear. Suddenly, three guards filled the room and took Ghirahim away.
Ganondorf walked to Zelda's side, "Are you all right?"
"What's your definition of 'all right'?" Zelda asked, acting the part Ghirahim had set out for her. "He has abused me since before I got here, has forced himself upon me, and constantly spoke of how easy it was to break me..." Zelda whispered, real tears forming in her eyes.
"I am sorry you had to go through that while you were supposed to be under my care-"
"'Supposed to be'? I'm not supposed to be here at all! I should be in Hyrule preparing for my coronation, or learning things about the species that inhabit my kingdom! I shouldn't be locked up here unable to do anything because of how weak I am from my magic being drained!" Zelda exasperated, the tears falling of their own accord.
"Your magic is drained?" Ganondorf asked, poorly masking his surprise.
"It was one of the first things Ghirahim told me upon arrival." Zelda said, though she hadn't actually been awake when they arrived.
"What is he planning..." Ganondorf mumbled.
"Pardon?" Zelda asked.
"Nothing, please get some rest. You are safe now," Ganondorf said.
"Thank you," Zelda whispered as Ganondorf left the room. Zelda lay back in the bed and tried to call upon her magic. She nearly cried when she felt the literal empty feeling within her from being drained. There was nothing left. Zelda doubted she would even have enough strength for any sort of melee combat. She was completely defenceless.
Zelda woke with a start, quickly sitting up in the bed. Light was streaming in through the curtains, something she wasn't used to after being locked in the dungeons. She slowly stood from the bed and walked over to the windows, opening the curtains with a single motion.
Zelda blinked her eyes as she was momentarily blinded. As her eyes finally focused, she couldn't believe what was outside her window. She had a full view of the castle below, really giving her the impression that she was in a tower. But even further below Zelda were beautiful gardens, going as far out to the moat surrounding the castle. Zelda didn't know what she had been expecting; perhaps a world with a dark sky and lava pits, with evil creatures walking the ground; but not a place that she could have mistaken for Hyrule, with all it's pure beauty and folk.
A knock at the door pulled Zelda from her thoughts of home, "Yes?" Zelda called.
"May I come in?" A female voice with an accent asked.
"Yes..." Zelda said, wondering who could be calling for her. The door opened and in walked a young woman.
"I will be your handmaiden," the girl stated.
"I have a handmaiden?"
"Yes, my King ordered it."
"Well, thank you," Zelda said, not wanting to defy the people of the Otherworld.
"So let's get you washed up and dressed," she said, making her way to a door the Zelda hadn't even noticed, assuming it was the bathing room.
"What's your name?" Zelda asked as she followed.
"Beth," the girl said.
"I'm Zelda," she said with a smile as Beth filled up the tub. "I don't mean to be rude," Zelda began, "But I can wash myself," Zelda said, not exactly wanting her new handmaiden's company.
"I know, but my King has ordered me to be here. You can wash yourself, but having me here is a means to keep tabs on you."
"You speak so open about it," Zelda said, somewhat surprised.
"Well there is no one to hear me but you," Beth smiled. Zelda nodded and excused Beth.
Zelda undressed from her filthy gown – one she had been quite fond of – then looked at the warm water welcomingly. She smiled and sighed as she stepped into the bath. She hadn't bathed for so long! She breathed in and began scrubbing the dungeon filth from her skin.
By the time Zelda was finished, her skin was pink from being scrubbed so hard and the water was filthy. As Zelda got out of the bath, she realized she didn't have a change of clothes, but noticed a towel and wrapped herself in that. She left the bathroom and found Beth just finishing making up her bed. The blankets were a dark, royal burgundy colour, embroidered with golden symbols.
Beth looked over at Zelda and smiled, "Let's get you dressed," she said, guiding Zelda to another room she hadn't noticed.
Without Zelda's opinion on what she would be wearing, Beth started to help Zelda get dressed. She was dressing her in all the undergarments before finally helping Zelda into a long, burgundy gown, trimmed with black lace and laced up in the back in the style of a corset. Beth moved out of the way when she was finished, allowing Zelda to look at her reflection in the body mirror as Beth started on her hair.
The gown was magnificent. It made her feel more royal and important than she had in any of her own gowns. Zelda had never worn dark colours, especially after her mother's funeral. The only thing she remembered from that day, other than the empty feeling within her, was how much black had surrounded her. Since then, she wore pastels, spring colours; anything that made her think of life rather than death.
But Zelda could not deny the beauty of this gown. It truly was a piece of art. It had long sleeves that draped down to her waist and cut off at her knuckles. The collar was low-cut, showing off her cleavage and neckline. It was tight around her waist, hugging her body tightly in the waist, before elegantly flowing downward.
"Why am I dressed so fancy?" Zelda queried.
"You are to meet with the King," Beth informed.
"And? He has seen me in all of my filth, why does it matter now?" Zelda asked. Something was happening behind the scenes, and she hated not knowing what it was.
"You will be presented in front of the entire court…" Beth trailed off. Zelda turned to face her handmaiden, interrupting her hair doing.
"Why?" Zelda asked, her heart beating faster than ever.
"He is going to make you his Queen."