Chapter Ten

Zelda

Dead. She was not told when, she was not told why, and she was most certainly not told how. Not that she needed to know. She sat on the edge of her bed, running a hand through her long hair, thinking about how unfair the entirety of a situation was. She had known Auru since she was a young girl. He taught her histories and legends and arithmetic... everything she would need to be a fair and just ruler of her kingdom. He had been old even when she had been just a small girl. He should have lived in happy retirement, content with his services to the Royal Family, gone peacefully in his sleep...

The Resistance was down one member, and Ganondorf and his minions knew where the others were headed. Three villages had already been burned to the ground, alongside one town. Niset had seen to that. She had learned early on that only the Usurper King's advisors could speak freely around him, that they did not have to kneel, that they were treated as equals to the king himself. And their cruelty never ceased to amaze her.

Niset could kill without batting an eyelid. Emita was as ruthless as she was power hungry. Still, the one that scared her most was Amunet, who would act as a friend, a confidant, to those around her, and then use the information she had gained against them. "His Grace has requested an audience," one of the Gerudo said upon entering Zelda's room. The Princess sighed and stood, smoothing her gown down as she moved.

Once more, the Demon King sat upon the throne, Amunet in his lap, Emita at the bench by his side, and Niset standing, spear in hand. He smirked down at her, and she tried to keep her expression as neutral as possible. She may have lost her freedom, but she would sooner be damned than lose her pride on top of it. "As you know, Princess," he spat out the title. "We conducted a raid on Castle Town late last night."

"I am aware, Your Grace," she spoke softly. She had seen the smoke from her chamber in the keep, heard the screams of countless innocents being slaughtered, or burning alive from the fires.

"Tell me, Princess," the man continued. "How it is you still have supporters?" he crossed his arms and leaned back in the throne. Auru would have scolded her had she dared show such a lack of respect to the throne and all it represented. "I have taken heads. I have burned settlements, and yet they still support you."

"I do not know, Your Grace," she spoke softly once more, despite knowing the answer. She had made mistakes in her short reign, as all rulers did, but she had still been merciful, been loved. The Usurper was none of those things.

"Not to worry," Ganondorf spoke. "Your precious little Hero has led us to the root of your little insurrections." Zelda bit her tongue to keep from speaking. The man was a liar, she knew that. She did not know Link well, but she knew he would not give such information freely, at least not willingly. He was a man of honor who would never betray his friends. "At sundown, your precious people will witness what happens to those who stand against me." He was silent for a moment, the smirk still plastered upon his face. "You are dismissed."

She turned on her heel, returning to her chambers. "He is a liar," she told herself. "Nothing more." She doubted they had really apprehended someone. If they had, he would have ordered them dead on sight. Still, she could not shake the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that his words were true.

Sundown came far too soon, and the Princess was escorted to courtyard by two of Ganondorf's warriors. She had to admit she held some respect for the Gerudo women, who dedicated their lives to the art of combat and warfare, skills she had never learned, and that no one had thought necessary for her to learn. After all, Hyrule had lived in peace for centuries after they had sealed the King of Thieves away...

They stood before a platform, the very same she had seen her father stand upon when executing the King's Justice. How wrong it felt, seeing her tormentor standing in the place reserved for the rightful monarch, his three advisors standing at his side. The crowd was large, and the Princess had to keep herself from laughing humorlessly. The people still enjoyed executions, it would seem. In a twisted way, it was almost comforting to her, knowing that some things never changed.

"People of Hyrule," Ganondorf addressed them. Zelda noted that he still wore armor, rather than court finery. She was unsure if his styling choices were a matter of safety, or a matter of showing authority, perhaps both. "There are some among you who would dare to defy your king."

"No," Zelda breathed in horror, keeping her voice low enough to not be overheard by the Usurper. Two Gerudo guards escorted Telma, clad in chains, to the platform. She was the only link the Resistance had to Castle Town, to the politics inside of the castle. Without her, failure was near certain...

"Telma," Ganondorf spoke to her. "For your crime of treason against the Crown, I, Ganondorf Dragmire, First of My Name, do sentence you to die."

The Princess watched in nothing short of sheer horror as one of the guards forced Telma to the ground, her head on the block, while the other swung a two-handed weapon down, and fainted before she could see the woman's head separate from her body.