Bravely, boldly, and even foolishly, Ganondorf and Zelda marched toward Hyrule castle. Most people tried to avoid staring as they passed, but one could not help but wonder why the King of the Gerudo and the Princess of Hyrule walked side by side to the castle. She was such a good person to be associating with such a bad influence, some said. Others said that he had brainwashed Zelda and was going to do the same to the king.
Zelda did not fear her father, and reminded herself there was nothing to be afraid of. Her thoughts raced so frantically it felt like hours before they passed through the village and onto the path to the castle until they were finally stopped by guards at the gate. "He is not welcome here."
"That is exactly what we have come to change. Either you let us in or bring my father here," She said boldly, without an air of arrogance.
Ganondorf was in awe at the way she always spoke with such dignity, but this was not her fight. He stepped forward but not in front of Zelda. "I wish to speak with the King of Hyrule to discuss the fate of my people. I mean no harm."
Whether it was the noble way he said it or the aura of power radiating from him that gave him what he wanted, Zelda would never know. One guard left to prepare the king while the other opened the gate to escort them through the castle.
The gate was made of solid iron and was raised using a pulley system controlled from within the rock structure holding the gate in place. Beyond it was a path that ascended a hill and wound between gardens. Zelda remained beside Ganondorf the entire walk, symbolizing equality with him, not superiority. The guard stopped them at the castle's magnificent entrance doors made of white Hylian wood. During the time they waited for the second guard to return, Zelda glanced up at Ganondorf and was surprised by his expression of disgust. Should she have been surprised? Living with only the bare minimum while others lived selfishly in the life of luxury? Zelda supposed she would be angry but she was there to show him the right path.
Finally, they approached the great hall, heavily guarded inside and out. Zelda was insulted but Ganondorf was proud. It was invigorating to know he inspired so much fear in the hearts of men, although most of it was probably based on false rumors. He smirked as they led him through the doorway, filled to the brim with confidence with Zelda on his side.
"What is the meaning of this? You dare disobey my orders?" The king raged as they walked in the door. He was seated at the far end of a conference table with four guards posted around him and six more along the edge of the table. Obviously, they were not welcome to sit.
Ganondorf did not desire to sit anyway. "Your majesty, I come here with no ill intent. I only wish to peacefully discuss what it will take for the Gerudo to be treated fairly again."
"Your people lost the war. You do not deserve more than what you have," The king retorted.
"War?" Zelda asked, clueless. At that moment she heard another enter the great hall and she glanced for just an instant to see Impa walk by them to finally stand at the side of the table, half way between her and the king. Zelda avoided making eye contact with her attendant.
Ganondorf put a hand out to her, indicating that he would explain. "Your grandfather enticed the war between our people over the love of a woman. That time has passed and we are new kings now. We can start over."
"They are thieves and you are the king of them. There is no place for you in my kingdom and you have nothing to trade. What is the benefit of welcoming you and your people with open arms?" The tenacity in the king's expression and voice infuriated Ganondorf.
Zelda could see him tense so she put a hand on his arm and stepped forward to voice her own persuasive opinion. "Father, you must listen to reason. I have been there. They are starving and fight for everything they have. It is no way to live. We have more than enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and water to drink. They are not thieves by choice, they steal to survive." As the king shook his head, she added, "If this began because of a feud over a woman, then we must be the ones to take the step forward to peace."
He stood up and said sternly, "There was another reason why we fought the Gerudo off our land."
"You pushed my people away because of a prophecy? Because I am the demon reincarnate?" Ganondorf asked, eerily calm in demeanor and taking the King of Hyrule by surprise. "Did you not expect me to know my own destiny? To know that I am expected to corrupt and destroy the land of Hyrule? Or that your very daughter is the essence of the Goddess Hylia that defeated the demon hundreds of years ago?" Ganondorf laughed cruelly. "You must have mistaken me for a fool!"
The king did his best to ignore him but his eyes filled with shame, already knowing the answer to his next question. "Zelda, you knew this too, did you not?"
"I did, Father. Just because a man is told his fate does not mean he cannot change it," Zelda said softly, hoping to still make him understand.
Silence followed and she and Ganondorf waited in anticipation.
It was clear the king was weighing the consequences of his decision, but in the end the safety of his child and his people won. "No. He may change, you may find an ounce of purity in his heart, but you cannot change his fate. Zelda, you have shamed me by bringing this villain within the walls of the kingdom and my castle. You disobeyed me and endangered yourself by leaving the castle to tour Gerudo Valley. You are lucky to be alive. From now on you will dedicate your time to your teachings and you are forbidden from leaving the castle!"
"You can't," She protested, anger clouding her rational thoughts. The weight of her father's and Impa's disappointed gaze was more than she could bear.
"And you!" The King said, glaring and turning his attention to Ganondorf. "You will be arrested and tried for murder if you show your face in my kingdom again." His voice was so loud it filled the hall and rang in painful echoes.
Ganondorf tightened his fists. "You see, Zelda. I was right. I have failed to bring prosperity to my people and now I will never see you again. Some people are not capable of change." He turned to the princess and took her hand in his. She looked up at him, searching, as if the path forward was written on his soul.
"No. You have changed. You show compassion and you know kindness. Never forget that," Zelda said, doing her best to remain strong.
Ganondorf placed his other hand on her face. "I will never forget you Zelda. We will see each other again, I promise." Under what circumstances, he dared not say.
"Guards! Remove him from the kingdom!" The king shouted.
Before the guards could move Ganondorf slowed them in time with a wave of his hand. He kissed Zelda on her lips, as he had desired to do for so long. He only wished it did not have to be good bye. She tasted more amazing than any dream and that was all he would have left of her after that day. Zelda stared at him, frozen with the shock of the nightmare she lived. Finally, before Ganondorf disappeared, he conjured a beautiful white flower with a single stem.
The guards were returned to normal speed and stopped short when they realized Ganondorf was already gone.
Zelda held the flower delicately in her fingers, incapable of removing her eyes from it. It was the exact same flower she had given him the first day they met, somehow kept alive through magic. She was escorted by four guards and her attendant to her room. It was only once the door closed and she was alone with Impa that she fell to her knees by her bed and sobbed into her blanket.
The fight in Ganondorf's head nearly tore his mind to pieces before he reached home. Did he turn around and destroy Hyrule that day? Would revenge taste better if he allowed his hate to simmer? It was only Zelda's words that saved the kingdom and all of the lives in it. How long would thoughts of her keep his sanity intact? She was right about one thing: he was the King of the Gerudo and he needed to bring them wealth and prosperity and even happiness, no matter what it would take. They were his people to protect and he would usher in their golden age while doing it. This thought solidified when he passed by the village on the way to his home, the temple of the Goddess of the Sand. There was no doubt Koume and Kotake were aware of what happened and they cackled at his misery, boasting about being right. They were sorely wrong however, Ganondorf thought. He did not stop until he reached his room and closed the door to silence their laughter.
He debated on trying to send a letter to Zelda again and decided against it for now. All he wanted to do was see her but he did not want to see her distressed like she was when he left. The sight would have only persuaded him to return before he was ready. The full potential of his power would be tapped soon and he would bide his time until then to see her once more, for better or for worse.