Zelda watched him from afar, twirling her soft hair between her delicate fingers. She was supposed to be listening to the man before her, but she simply could not concentrate upon him…
"Princess? Are you listening?"
Zelda snapped back to attention, refocusing her cerulean gaze upon the suitor before her.
"I'm sorry, Prince Ezekiel, it's just… I cannot marry you," Zelda said, half-dreamily. The handsome man smoothed his already-slick black hair down again, frowning disappointedly. Zelda gazed again out of the window, and this time, the prince followed it to see a certain warrior dressed in green…
"You love him, don't you?" The question came abruptly from the prince's all-too kissable lips, startling the princess from her reverie.
Her cheeks glowed pink with embarrassment and indignation. "What--? No, I—Why would you say something like that?" Her hands clenched the windowsill with white-knuckled force, betraying the mixed emotions welled up in her heart.
Ezekiel took one of her pale hands and kissed it, his eyes never leaving hers.
"Princess, as much as I would… like to have you as my bride… I cannot let you live in misery for the rest of your life." Zelda's eyes widened in surprise. "I know what it is to love another… with no chance of marriage," he said, pain etched into his handsomely deep voice. "I, too, have loved one of… non-noble blood… You should probably tell him and savor what you can while you are still unmarried, princess… enjoy it while you can…"
"Ezekiel… I…" she took his hand in warm recognition. "Thank you…"
Prince Ezekiel gently pulled her hand away and bowed, exiting the room to leave the princess at peace. "It will be kept secret, I promise."
xxx
"Curse you, Sages! Curse you, Zelda!"
Ganondorf's body began to phase into the darkness, his image fading.
"Curse you, Link!"
Hate was etched into every inch of his lined face as he disappeared entirely. Now completely enveloped in the Dark Realm, he landed softly on the ever-changing sands of dark magic. Demons entered his mind, and he was forced to remember his past… his mouth opened in a silent scream of agony…
He saw himself as a child, watching as his mother beat him until he could not stand…
He watched as he grew into a young man, standing over his mother with his sword…
He saw himself as he was named leader of the Gerudos…
And he watched as he was banished from the clan altogether…
Ganondorf slumped forward, his mind filled with stabbing and slashing pains of excruciating torture. He gasped as he realized that he could not move…
He sensed the invisible evil around him with the last of his magic. He gritted his teeth in resignation as the darkness consumed his life force.
xxx
Link lay on his back lazily, his arms crossed behind his head and cushioned by the emerald green grass underneath him. The azure sky was spread out before him, offering its intensity to his curious eyes.
He hadn't realized how much he'd missed this place… A sudden thought occurred to him, and he whipped out his ocarina in record time. He played a simple melody and waited, ears anticipating a familiar sound…
He played the melody again, this time a little half-heartedly. No sound came. His head hung and he plopped back down on the ground, closing his eyes and preparing to go to sleep…
His ears perked up when he heard thudding noises, accompanied by an ecstatic whinny.
Epona, his loyal steed and companion, came galloping toward Link at her top speed, ears perked forward and tail high and flowing like a banner.
"Epona! You remember!" The horse came to a canter and nearly barreled Link over, covering his face with slobbery "kisses". "You remember me…!"
He patted her neck happily and climbed onto her strong back. "Let's go, just for old times…"
The enthusiastic animal did not need telling twice. She leapt forward gaily and followed Link's lead through the castle gates and out onto Hyrule field.