Ganondorf had no physical form in the Twilight Realm, he was simply an essence, existing but not existing. At least, that was how he wanted to appear to Zant, the eventual usurper King. Zant already had all the desire to have the power he wanted so badly, but he did not understand how to control it, therefore an easy mind to manipulate. However, it took time before Zant was ready to wrench control from his sister and transform her into the imp that she deserved to be. The true challenge was preparing for the day he was King of the Twilight, because immediately after, at Ganondorf's command, he began corrupting Hyrule with the twilight, merging the two realms.

It was finally time to return and complete his revenge.

Dora lost count of the years, only knowing that each one crawled by with no sign of his return. Her companions showed the marks of time, but Dora remained youthful. For some time it plagued her why she was cursed, or blessed according to everyone else, but all along she knew there was only one answer: Ganondorf. There were several reasons for him to keep her alive: the first one being punishment. She had failed, even though he told her that she would. Even if he did not see that as unacceptable, she did, and expected nothing less. The second was hopefully to finish the conversation they started just before he was stolen from her.

She sat in her room with the cot bed when it happened, and several guards came to retrieve her to see it. Together, they rushed outside and stared in awe at what approached. There was a wall of darkness rushing toward the fortress. The wall distorted the day light and consumed everything in its path. Dora knew to survive the attack they needed to be concealed inside the fortress, so she ordered everyone in. She was the last one to round the corner for protection, just as the wall stopped at their doorstep.

Dora cautiously looked back out. A cloaked figure wearing a giant, pointed mask of metal walked through the wall. Without hesitation, she stepped into view and shouted, "Who dares to trespass into the territory of the ruthless Gerudo thieves?"

She could hear the smirk in the voice of the unknown one, fearlessly ascending the stairs to the entrance. "He said I would have no trouble finding you, Ganondora, leader of the Gerudo."

Suspiciously, she drew her weapon and approached him. "Do not make me repeat myself."

"He also said I should be cooperative. My name is Zant, King of the Twilight, and I am here only to deliver a message."

"Do it quickly," Dora said threateningly.

"My master is Ganondorf, and his message is to prepare the Gerudo for battle. Tomorrow, come alone to the Mirror of Twilight." And with that, Zant flew straight backward and disappeared into the black wall.

Dora was too stunned to answer the questions of the Gerudo as they slowly appeared from the many entrances of the fortress and surrounded her. "Who was that? Is he telling the truth? Is Ganondorf alive? What battle? Why does he want you to go alone?"

There were so many questions and, at the moment, Dora did not have answers. The next day could not come soon enough.

The wind was eerily calm. Dora stood atop the prison at Arbiter's Grounds, waiting for what it was Ganondorf beckoned her for. The sages were not there, probably cowering from the evil power resonating from the broken Mirror of Twilight. Only a portion of the mirror remained. Had that strange man, Zant, done this? What was the purpose?

Her sword was in her hand the second the mirror began to glow. Then it turned dark and a strange smoke seeped through where the mirror should have been. A wall of darkness, exactly like the one that came at the fortress, burst forth from the mirror and straight through her. There was no pain, but she was filled with a strange sensation. The sun was blotted out, the world somewhere mysteriously between darkness and light, like a fog. The strangest part was that when the wall passed, Ganondorf appeared in front of her, just out of her reach. At first, she was startled by his massive figure and raised her weapon. When she recognized him she sheathed her sword and dropped to her knees obediently. "My lord."

Ganondorf stared and watched her observe the detail of her surroundings in seconds at the same time she brought her sword to bear. As expected, she greeted him as the same faithful servant he left behind all those years ago, but he never noticed before how lovely her hair was when it fell like a waterfall around her head. He had been gone for too long. "Your patience is rewarded, Dora," he said, acknowledging her loyalty.

"Thank you, my lord. I did only my duty."

"We both know it was much more than that."

Silenced followed as she stood to her full height.

"I know you, and so I know you are full of questions. Let us answer the more relevant ones. This is twilight," he explained, holding his hands out, "from the twilight realm beyond the mirror. This realm exists, even when you cannot see it. We can see you, but you cannot see us." The shocked look that she failed to disguise was exactly what he expected. "Your leadership was all that I trained you to be."

She nodded her head. "I am thankful that you are pleased."

"The mirror of twilight was a portal the sages sent prisoners through when capital punishment was too severe, opposed to an eternity as a disfigured creature," he added the last part with a bit of sarcasm. "Zant desired power, and so I helped him take it, but his will is not strong enough. He is a fool who does not realize I control him." He noticed that she struggled to keep her eyes focused on his face because they were drawn to the white mark in his chest. "I still crave more power and we know the Triforce belongs to me, deemed so by the Goddesses. The next phase requires the skill of the Gerudo to infiltrate and kill the royal family, collect the remaining pieces of the Triforce, and destroy the sages. I imagine you have not discovered the reason why you were not granted the Triforce of Courage," Ganondorf inquired. She nodded. "The sages were not mistaken. As my essence is centuries old I sensed that within you was the ability to be a hero, to be my demise. Through great effort I helped you hold onto your darkness and nurture it to drive the light from you. You were able to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal solely based on your heritage, but nothing more. The Goddesses felt the evil within you and denied you that piece of Triforce. Instead, it was sent to a newborn boy in the woods, the new hero which I discovered in my time of wandering the twilight. We will defeat him."

Dora listened actively, nodding when she knew she should and never interrupting. She could tell by his tone that he contemplated these ideas for many hours and each of his statements made perfect sense. There was not a question left in her mind when he was through explaining.

"Finally, your immortality," he said.

"Punishment and necessary, I understand," Dora said. "I figured that out a long time ago."

"Punishment?"

"I failed to keep you safe. As your servant I should have died for you," she explained.

Ganondorf understood but he corrected her. "No. You were ready to die for me, but it was foolish and needless. A reckless sacrifice is not one of honor. I spent years training you as my lieutenant and I would not allow the fealty of age, or sickness, destroy what I worked so hard to achieve."

She released the breath she forgot she held and relaxed.

"Now that I have been so generous to answer all of your questions you will answer mine. Why did you make such a claim in the Temple of Time?"

Dora did not understand the intention of his question, so she came up with something she thought he would want to hear. "An attempt at a pardon for your life, my lord."

Ganondorf shook his head slowly, disappointed. "Your lies are transparent to me."

She became nervous, immediately feeling sweat bead in her pores. The truth, then, was all she could manage. "I never thought I would see you again. I needed you to know the depth of the feelings I nurtured for you for many years."

"What leads you to believe these feelings to be true?"

Instead of using tact to answer this time, she let her emotions control her reaction. "Love is not something that any one, sage or otherwise, can comprehend or explain. It took me a long time to figure out exactly what I felt. I looked forward to the next duel to see you and be close to you. I was light as a feather when I heard your voice say my name. You were always on my mind. I ached to be near you so badly that there were nights I could not sleep. When I realized that I might lose you forever, and I could not live without you, I knew it was love." Dora inhaled a breath. She did not resist putting her arms around his waist or laying her head on his chest. It filled her with warmth.

The list Dora provided of the feelings she endured matched with his. Although her embrace was unexpected, he stood firm. When she laid her head against his chest he began to melt. This was unfamiliar, strange, but at the same time he wanted to resist. He needed to understand it completely. He wanted her for his own, more than she already was, more than he ever had a woman before, and almost as much as he wanted power. He put his arms around her shoulders and held her. The sensations passing between them were almost more than he could bear. There was no more uncertainty about what he needed to do. Could he speak the weaknesses that she made him feel? "In my life the only desire I have ever focused on was power, how to obtain it and then control it. I knew this endeavor would take me from the Gerudo, or even away from Hyrule, and so I trained the perfect leader. I never expected along the way that I would become obsessed with her. Obsessed with taming and understanding the fiery spirit housed within her. I knew by comparing your behavior toward me, against that of your peers, after years of training only I could control the animal inside you. Still, I needed to learn more and through our battles I learned all that I could, but it was never enough. There were many nights I wanted to call on you, but feared becoming more involved would complicate my goal and steer you from your purpose."

Dora stepped back when he paused and watched his eyes as he contemplated his next words. She promised to maintain her composure, no matter what came from him next. All she needed to hear was that he loved her and she would continue to love and serve him. All she needed to hear was that she needed to remain a servant, and she would continue to serve and love him.