Choices

-0-Crimson-0-Nightshade-0-

Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda… or the awesomeness that is Dark Link.

Summary: Zelda must make a decision, a decision that she must make for the good of Hyrule. But how will the best decision sit with her heart? (DLxZel)

Note: Holy crap. I am so sorry this took so long again. I have to take a few to get the creative juices pumping ya know?

Anyhoo, without further ado, here's chapter two of Choices! And Thank my Wonderful Beta as usual!! Crimson Kaoru deserves so much for putting up with me.

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Recap: Dark smiled at her and backed towards a shadowed wall. When he reached the darkness, he became a part of it, and vanished.

The moment that Dark set foot inside of the Gerudo Fortress, he collapsed in a heap on the ground, his energy spent for the moment. He shook his head and lowered the barrier his father had placed on him to protect him from the light outside. As a shadow, if Dark was to come into contact with direct sunlight, he would die. Unfortunately, Ganondorf's protections used up most of his energy as well as blocking the sun's rays.

Dark shook his head, getting to his feet shakily. He leaned back against the shadowy wall of the hallway, watching as servants rushed by. Occasionally, one would look in his direction, but Dark's tunic blended in quite well against the darkness so no one truly noticed him.

After a few moments of resting, the shadow walked out of his hiding spot, smirking slightly as a few servants jumped. He waved away those who stared at him. Those present knew this boy as the reclusive son of the Gerudo King and were sure to obey him.

Sighing as the servants skirted around him, Dark looked down the hallway to his right. If he were to head that way, he would end up at his door, which led to his room and rest. However if he were to head left, he would eventually come to his father's door. Dark knew from experience that he would have to see Ganondorf eventually― and sooner was better than later.

Taking a deep breath, he ignored his better judgment and let his feet carry him to the right.

I believe you meant to go this way, a voice called out to him. The shadow jumped, but clearly he was the only one that had heard. An invisible force began to turn him around and push him towards the left. To all around him, it looked as though he was grudgingly walking in that direction. In reality, however, he was being forcibly pushed along, his heels digging into the ground. Come along now, Spy. It's time for you to report to me, the voice continued. Dark scowled; he knew that voice all too well. It was his father: the Gerudo King, Ganondorf.

"In you come," his father's voice called from inside. Without further warning, Dark was tugged inside the room.

He crashed onto the ground, yelping as his nose came into contact with the floor. He pushed himself up, clutching at his face and muttering darkly under his breath. Standing up, he glared around the room. Behind him, the door slammed shut. Dark rolled his eyes, used to his father's magic by now.

"Father?" he called out softly. When he got no reply, he scowled and began to walk forward. With every step he took, he grew taller, and older. By the time he had reached the center of the room, he was no longer the innocent looking ten-year-old.

His face had grown angular, his eyes much more cold. Dark crossed thin arms over his loosely fitting tunic. Tapping one booted foot impatiently, the seventeen year-old called out again.

"Ganondorf?! Get out here!"

At that second, a gauntleted hand shot out from the shadows and grabbed Dark by the throat. The hand pulled him in close to Ganondorf who had been lurking in the corner.

"I suggest," the Gerudo King snarled, "that you try to remember who's in charge around here."

Dark struggled and managed to kick his creator weakly in the shin. Ganondorf let the boy go, shaking his head in disgust. Gasping for breath, Dark glared up at the Gerudo King.

"You didn't have to strangle me!" he choked out.

Ganondorf growled, "Dark, I am in charge. You have forgotten this fact once too often, and now you shall be punished for your disobedience"

Rubbing his neck, Dark sighed. "I won't disobey you again…"

"Good." Ganondorf turned around and gazed out the window, staring at the endless expanse of sand known as the Haunted wasteland. "So, how did the mission go?"

Dark blushed slightly in the darkened room. Shuffling his feet uncomfortably, he looked away and muttered something too quiet to hear. "What was that?" the taller man asked sharply. "Speak up, boy!"

"I didn't kill her!"

An uncomfortable silence held control of the room until Ganondorf spoke.

"You didn't kill her."

Dark shook his head. "No."

Seizing the front of Dark's tunic, Ganondorf lifted the boy off the ground. "How dare you directly disobey me!" He threw Dark across the room, the shadow hitting the wall painfully. Stalking over to Dark's crumpled form, Ganondorf snarled, "I told you to kill her. And yet, here you are, and the Princess is still alive!" He punched the wall little more than an inch from Dark's face. The shadow barely flinched and tried to look unafraid as he stared at his father. His traitorous voice, however, told of his fear.

"F-father, I'm… I'm sorry," he stammered, flinching as Ganondorf's eyes flashed at the word 'father', "I… I just couldn't kill her… I don't know why… b-but I couldn't."

Ganondorf paused as Dark mentally kicked himself for letting his fear show. The shadow was terrified that Ganondorf would know immediately that he wanted to be her friend, and expected to die for it. Gulping slightly, he looked up at his father, expecting to see rage. He was surprised to see something that looked like pity.

"You couldn't kill her?" the Gerudo King asked softly.

"No. I just," Dark paused, struggling to find the right words― ones that would describe how the thought of killing her had made him feel sick to his stomach, "couldn't."

"Does she trust you?"

"How should I know?!" Dark exclaimed, almost annoyed. "I barely know her!"

"Can you gain her trust?"

Dark froze. Is Ganondorf really saying what I think he's saying? Looking his father in the eyes, Dark asked, "Are you asking me to bring you information on her? Spy on her?" And become friends with her? he added silently.

The Gerudo King shook his head. "Not yet. For now, I want you to… spend time with her. Gain her trust. Become like a friend to her. Then, once she trusts you with interesting tidbits from around the palace will you bring me information."

Raising an eyebrow Dark frowned, "What are you planning?"

Ganondorf smiled, "Nothing that concerns you."

Dark nodded, waiting anxiously to get ready for the next day's plans He knew that he had to sit still and be a good little spy until he was properly dismissed. Fidgeting slightly, he grinned. "Yes, sir."

Waving his hand dismissively, Ganondorf murmured, "Now scram."

"Yes, sir."

As he ran back towards the door, Dark began to change again. When he reached the entrance to the hallway he was once again a ten-year-old boy with a tunic much too big for him. Grinning toothily, he called back to Ganondorf, "Thank you, Father!"

"I am not your 'Father'." came the expected reply from the confines of the room.

Giggling slightly, Dark ran off in the direction of his room feeling, for the first time since he'd arrived in Hyrule, truly happy.

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Rubbing his temples impatiently, Ganondorf turned from where he had been facing the door. Why is it, he thought, thoroughly fed up with Dark's shenanigans, that whenever he turns into that goddess-cursed ten-year-old, he acts so childish? Sighing, he resigned himself to the fact that it made perfect sense that the shadow's 17-year-old mind went dormant at these times.

Looking out the window at the Wastelands once more, he let a small smirk cross his face. Despite his annoyance with Dark, he was pleased that his little plot was working out perfectly. By sending the shadow out to spend time with the princess, Ganondorf was bound to get all kinds of useful information. Not only that, he thought, his smirk spreading, but Dark will be perfect to keep the Hero away from the Princess.

Legend dictated that whenever and wherever the Hero of Time was to appear, he was destined to fall in love with the Princess of Destiny. The legends said that when the Princess combined her power with the Hero's they would be unstoppable against the forces of darkness. Upon finding that out, Ganondorf had been trying to find a way to keep the Hero away from the Princess.

Discovering Dark's inability to kill the princess at first had filled the Gerudo King with such rage that he was ready to kill the boy. But, after hearing that the shadow wasn't sure as to why he couldn't kill her, Ganondorf had come up with a brilliant scheme.

He would use Dark as a kind of wedge between the Hero and Zelda. If Dark managed to get the Princess to fall in love with him, all the better. As the Hero's shadow, he would be able to keep the Herofrom getting too close to the Princess. The plan was perfect and foolproof.

At least, that is what Ganondorf believed.

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End Chapter

giant sigh wow… I finally got off my lazy butt and finished it. I like this chapter a lot. I certainly hope you enjoyed it.

Tell me what you think.

Next time:

The Marketplace