I sat awake in Ganondorf's room most of the night, even after he left to conduct some business, or brood in the main hall in that hideous thing he called a throne. When I did fall asleep and woke up again, I was still in his room, sleeping atop of the covers. Ganondorf was nowhere to be found. I climbed off the bed and was surprised to find that the doors were unlocked. The guards looked at me, and one followed me as I went back to my room. I could hardly walk. As we headed through the main hall, I slowed down, looking towards the great doors of the castle. The desire to escape, to run, made my heart pound. I wouldn't even care if the guards caught me and killed me where I stood, leaving my blood to soak into the ground. The guard behind me nudged me onward, and I gritted my teeth. No. Link would want me to stay on and save the castle, to save our home. And he would be back, we always returned to the same song and dance as before.
I spent another week and a half in this way. Curled in my room on my bed, half-heartedly reading books the guards brought to me. To my dismay, it seemed that less and less of my father's ledgers had survived any damage, and the poorly-disguised smut my maids had hidden were indestructible. I entertained myself by reading them, mocking the innacuracies of court life in my head, sometimes laughing outright at a scene of romance. The more I read of them, the more I could not help but imagine Link in place of "Sir Gladwick the Suave" or "Rogue Privateer Captain Sebastien". The thoughts of us, together in love-making again, were harder and harder to cast from my mind. Shamefully, I had to clumsily paw at my own body to make the unsought dreams leave. But they would be back within an hour, stronger than ever.
When I could not cast them out, I paced the building, with a robe wrapped securely over a nightgown. Both items a guard had brought with my evening meal. Ganondorf had not requested my presence again after I clawed his face. I was glad; I would have no reason to see him. A guard was still trailing me, and I wandered to an open porch, standing in the moonlight and staring at the destruction. The guard stood behind me respectfully. I glanced at him and looked back to the ruined land. "So, you are a traitor to the crown." The guard did not respond. "I do hope for your sake that you were blackmailed into your position, or that you are a captured soul who had no choice in the matter. When I retake the castle, and I will, I'm afraid those found to have knowingly betrayed me will be killed. What do you think of that?" I glanced back at him with a frown. The guard did not respond. I sighed in irritation and whipped back inside, my babysitter following dutifully. I headed back to my room and slammed the door, locking it shut from my side and climbing onto the bed. Hang them all, that was exactly what I would do when I retook my crown. I climbed under the covers, letting my rage and frustration turn into tears again.
The next morning, I was woken by a guard gently shaking my shoulder. I sat up and stared at the men and few women in my room. The latter looked exhausted and pale, and they stared at me with shadowy eyes. The men were mostly guards, except for the little old tailor, who held a parcel in his arms. "Today is to be your wedding day, your majesty," he muttered in a sad voice. I noticed that the women were dressed alike—my bridesmaids, apparently. I stood up out of bed slowly, feeling dizzy and nauseous. The women stepped forward and pulled my nightgown and robe away. One wrapped my chest in a corset, lacing it up tight until I could hardly breathe. The others began to comb and style my hair, muttering to each other about its state of disorder. I closed my eyes and endured the pain, though I did have to look at my wedding dress. It was red, with a square neck and sleeves that ended at the elbow, the skirt billowing out at the hips. I was rather impressed with it, to be honest. "I trust this is a very traditional Gerudo style dress?" I asked the tailor softly. He nodded. "Will it be a Gerudo style wedding, as well?"
"We believe so, your majesty," muttered one of my bridesmaids. They styled my hair up into a high style, pinning it with a massive gold and red brooch. They wrapped a golden, sheer material around my shoulders and waist, letting the ends trail onto the ground alongside my dress. When I was dressed, the guards brought in a heavy, full-length mirror. I stared at my reflection, and started to cry.
The bridesmaids had to more or less bully me to the main hall, where the altar was set up. Guards had to hold me hostage so that I would not run off. Ganondorf stood at the altar already, his armor polished and clean. I was forced to walk the altar; several other guards and a few Gerudo women stood in attendance. They watched me with hateful, jealous eyes. I would gladly give up my stance to them. A priest stood in attendance, wielding a book and talking hurriedly, skipping most of a formal sermon at Ganondorf's insistence, no doubt. He waved his hand towards us, finally stepping aside and gesturing to three candles. We each lit a match, myself doing so with trembling hands, before we lit our own separate candles and used them to light the center one. After that, we stood back in front of the priest, and Ganondorf reached for my hands with a frown. I broke down, shuddering and sobbing noisily. He grabbed my hands and pulled me up, his grip like iron. The priest held out the rings. Ganondorf put mine on my thumbs, and had to help me put his on, guards standing nearby with their hands on their swords, waiting for me to make a false move. The rings were heavy and gold, studded with diamonds and rubies. "You may kis-"
"No!" I insisted, but Ganondorf grabbed me by the shoulders, pulling me close. "Play along, you riotous wench, and it will be all the easier for you." I shuddered as he kissed me, his lips warm and dry. I turned my head away as soon as possible, looking out at the pathetic audience that was already disbanding. And that was it. We were married.
We sat in the dining hall together at the table. Ganondorf sat at the head, and I sat to his right. Again, we were brought covered dishes, with small portions of rice and vegetables in a spicy sauce, flecked with red flakes. It wasn't terrible food, but I picked at it nonetheless, watching Ganondorf as we ate. No one else joined us. A rather miserable wedding, from my perspective, but the last thing I desired was a crowd of people congratulating me. Weddings were supposed to be the unity of two people that loved and cared for each other. Sometimes, yes, they were for political gain, but only if the betrothed had a respect and affection of their own. I couldn't eat most of my dinner. I'd been feeling nauseous all day, and the smell of the food made my nose itch. "Zelda, eat," Ganondorf commanded. I closed my eyes. "I'm not much hungry."
"You need to get your strength up," he replied, his tone hardening around the edges. "For what?" I retorted, piercing him with a stare. Ganondorf lowered his head and stared back. We remained locked like that for a few moments, until finally I broke and stabbed a vegetable with my fork, eating it savagely. Ganondorf continued to study me a moment longer before he ate.
At the end of our silent and miserable meal, Ganondorf and I stood at the same time. I barely noticed the spicy taste of my food now. "Shall we?" Ganondorf asked softly. I looked at him in confusion. "Oh, now I married you like our agreement, but nowhere did I agree to letting you be near me!" Ganondorf gritted his teeth, looking savage and furious. "Do not test me, girl!" He started walking towards me, and I ran. I fled for the doors, running as fast as the stupid dress and shoes would let me. His guards were ready, and they caught me before I even got out of the dining hall, one wrapping his metallic arms around me. I kicked and squirmed, able to barely reach the pommel of his sword with the tips of my fingers. If only I could get it free! Ganondorf walked up and sighed, touching my cheek with his fingers. "Zelda, you swore to be my wife, and perform all wifely duties. You're bound by our marriage agreement!" I lashed out with my legs, kicking furiously. Ganondorf merely stepped back.
"You're a bastard!" I screamed. "A bastard and an evil madman!" Ganondorf seemed unmoved by my insults. The guard shifted his grip, and I was able to wrap my hand around the sword handle, tugging on it. It came free in my hands, and I whipped the point around, pressing the tip to my throat. "I swore I would do it! I told you and you know I did!" I yelled. Ganondorf stopped, raising his hands. "Zelda, do not do something you would regret."
"I'm trying to keep that from happening!" I shouted back, aiming the point. Unfortunately, the weight of the blade rested on the guard's arm. He shifted it, and the sharp point raked a thin scratch from the side of my neck up to my cheek, just under my eye. Ganondorf lunged forward and pulled the sword away, and in a fluid movement, the guard let me go with one arm, pushing me down onto my knees and holding me there by painfully twisting one of my arms. Ganondorf stood directly before me, and I looked up at him in horror. "Swear to give yourself to me."
"No."
"SWEAR IT!" His voice boomed.
"NO!" I shouted back as loud as I could, a thin scrawl of blood running from my cut along my neck. He kicked me in the gut, and I gasped in pain. He waited a few minutes, looking at me. "No matter what you say or do, I will have my way! It can either be easy, or it can be VERY. PAINFUL." He feinted another kick, and I flinched. "Swear. It," he growled in his throat. I trembled. I felt sick, ready to vomit. My skin pulsed with pain where I'd been cut, and worse of all, my unbidden desire had returned fivefold, though it felt alien and detached. "Swear it," he snarled, one last time.