Within the guest bedroom, Ganondorf found himself sifting through the obscure surroundings of his new chambers. The finery of everything would have revolted his younger self, but that was no longer the case. Back then, he was a far more sinister force, always cursing Hyrule for his people's suffering. To a degree, his claims were just, but they were not wholly sound. The maw of the Gerudo Desert was an unforgiving place, with an uncontrollable environment and unreliable resources. The King of Hyrule could not be blamed for the natural conditions of Ganondorf's homeland, though he could control what rations could be sent to his people's aid. The Gerudo and Hylians have always had a spotted relationship, to his defense, but Ganondorf would never drop the apparent offense while he was younger. Now that he gave it thought, if it were the old King of Hyrule asking for support, Ganondorf would still deny him outright. Fortunately, that man was dead and in his place was the young flower of a woman that was Zelda. He had his own agenda with her, which was all that gave her a fighting chance against these grim creatures of darkness. That was a curious thing too, those monsters. Ganondorf was a connoisseur of such things—being a magic wielder came with vast knowledge—but these beasts were no constructs of his design. On a certain level, he wished to ride out this little adventure, if not for the Triforce then for his personal desires.
The man continued his halfhearted search, flipping through old books lined perfectly within a bookshelf in hopes of finding something of value to no avail. A quiet growl of disinterest left his lips as he left to search the remainder of his bedroom. While it was filled with various furnishings which left it feeling welcoming, it was not cluttered. In fact, the room was tidy, void of any type of mess. Despite how sudden his arrangements had been, they certainly did not lack in their opulent impressions towards guests. Appearances were always important to these people, after all. Ganondorf sighed in resignation, wishing that it all hadn't been as predictable. Living for as long as he has, a little flavor to life was desperately needed. His mind idly traveled to the reigning Queen Zelda as the thought passed him. It couldn't be helped, what with his prize being right before his eyes. The Triforce must be within her, and Ganondorf would infiltrate from within so that he may possess the power of Wisdom for himself. Though his ambitions were becoming sated, his greed and lust for power were only teased. Patience would have to be exercised, difficultly so. If he acted too swiftly, he ran the risk of losing his advantage over the Queen. Acting too slow also spelled disaster, as it gave the young woman more time to awaken as the owner of the mystical relic. If that happened, then the charade would fall apart and battle between them would ensue.
Ganondorf wandered towards his balcony door, giving attention to that thought in his head. Peace would never be an option for them. This was their fate, their past lives' fate. Whatever he attempted to do would not sway the heavy shackles encompassing them. He was the monster that went 'thump' in the night, who hungered terribly of power due to his Triforce. She was his eternal prize, the one he'd seek out time and time again. It was the curse of the Triforce, especially that of Power. The relic cried out for its other pieces, but Power lusted for it. It darkened him, though that wasn't a problem given who he was. Demise tainted his soul, so the deep blackness had always been bred from within him, Triforce aside. It was similar of how Zelda bore Hylia inside her body. Ah, he wondered idly if the girl even knew of the goddess' light that lived within her mortal cage. Likely not, if she truly did know nothing of the Triforce. Again, the advantage was tilted in his favor, which pleased Ganondorf terribly.
At some point, the Gerudo King made his way out onto the large balcony, the marble material practically shivering beneath his footfalls. The downpour must have stopped shortly after his retreat within the castle. Nothing but the scent of petrichor remained as proof it had even happened at all. The skies parted, allowing a golden ethereal shimmer to fall over Hyrule. It was fetching to him since the desert rarely saw precipitation, nor the beautiful aftermath of skies. The tall, broad form of Ganondorf bent over the railing so he could get comfortable. There was nothing of specific interest inside his bedroom, so his attention was drawn more west. His darkened eyes brightened considerably once they fell upon the horizon. If he hadn't known already that this was the west side of the castle, he certainly would because of his home. No, it would be impossible to see it from here, but that was where his heart belonged. It ached for the scorching warmth and protection, the familiarity of the sands beneath him. It was nothing compared to this flourishing kingdom of greenery. Back at his capital were his two advisers—his mothers—likely bickering themselves half to death while he was gone. Ganondorf preemptively deemed them Queen Reagents until his safe return. The dark man had the suspicion that he would be spending quite a bit of his time within Hyrule for the next foreseeable amount of time. He was merely grateful the two women were so loyal to his cause and could be trusted with maintaining his rule while he was out.
Ganondorf had spent far too long staring out after his homeland, so much so that the skies began to dull once more due to the encroaching nightfall. This caused the man to straighten his posture and grunt in annoyance. He had been wasting his time giving Zelda courtesies she did not deserve, such as that of resting. Kind gestures like the ones he offered her earlier were charming ploys, simple devices used to benefit his end goal. They would continue to happen for as long as they were effective against her. As if with burning ears, a creak from several feet away caught Ganondorf's attention. His posture tightened as he turned towards another balcony just some feet away from his produced a single form. Clad in a simple white gown was Zelda, looming over the balcony as he had moments ago. She mustn't have noticed his presence out of peripherals, so he stared on in secret. The way she held herself was confident, even in solidarity. Her grace was equally unparalleled, Ganondorf mused in the warm lighting. From the distance between them, the Gerudo could plainly see the thought-provoking stare she was sharing with the skyline. It was towards the desert, his home and—to a certain degree—it passively felt like it was directed at him.
"If you have such a desire to visit the sands, may I ask why you have not so far?" Ganondorf called out, breaking his silent vow to himself that agreed to withdraw unseen to his chambers. His mind growled in frustration, knowing he should not be stirring more attention than possible. He had a goal; the Triforce and absolute rule. There was no need for anything considered as excess. Conversation was excess. Yet, a part of him defended his actions. How could you be believable if you did not play the part well? His brassy voice came as a shock to the Queen. Her slender body twisted around and shifted towards the far side of her balcony to get a better view of her royal guest. Dainty hands pulled the long braid behind her to the front, stroking the golden strands of hair as she leaned over her railing towards Ganondorf, a bashful smile on her face.
"I apologize, I hadn't known you were out here." She responded first, giving him an innocent nod before glancing over her shoulder towards his homeland. "I suppose I was never allowed."
"Never allowed?"
"Given the state of our kingdoms' relationship, there was no real reason my father deemed worthy to send me over. Ah, but it is not how it sounds. My father did not like owing another for their generosity, nor did he appreciate sending his only daughter to a land without a proper alliance. In fact, he wasn't fond of sending me anywhere that was beyond his grasp." Though her quiet laughter following the statement did its best to cover her disappointment, Ganondorf was savvy enough to pick up the sad tone. His expression lowered as it became evident that she had a sheltered life. While there were some who would revel in a life of luxury without worry of needing to earn it, she was not content with that lifestyle. Zelda wanted to live outside of these enormous walls, live outside of her father's influence. She was a dove, yearning for the world just outside of her cage. So close, yet so far away from her reach. If she were merely a spoiled girl who was disappointed at a vacation opportunity lost, he'd have no problem dismissing her statement. As it was, Zelda was a woman with a heart of adventure, one that cried out in search of new lands to learn of. The Gerudo King noticeably gruffed at the thought.
"That sounds like your father, controlling and stubborn."
"Oh, but he was a fair King for our people, really! All of Hyrule adored him for the peace and freedom he gave—"
"Yes, but what of your freedom?"
Zelda froze a bit at Ganondorf's abrupt words. He had interrupted her praise, but that's not what threw her off. If she were to think about it, the only one to ask of her well being was Impa. Her body guard-turned-Hylian General was the only one who helped satisfy her daily boredom within the castle. She taught her the ways of the Sheikah—for emergency purposes—and told her tales of great triumph. It was all the freedom of the outside world could get her hands on, and Impa could testify to the Queen's enthusiasm as a child to learning of such things. Yet, Zelda could not ignore the fact that Ganondorf's point was becoming increasingly clear. He noticed her inner turmoil with only one statement. That was dangerous. She'd have to keep herself in check in the future, at least until she could deem him trustworthy.
"I...suppose it was a sacrifice to the cause. My father could not exactly worry about the kingdom and his daughter at the same time, now can he?" She offered with a lighter tone, as if to peel away from the attention directed at her. The Gerudo King had other plans in mind. He sauntered over to the edge of his balcony, leaning over the railing to mirror Zelda. There was still several feet separating them, but it did feel more personal being closer.
"And now with his death, do you feel you've become liberated?"
"Excuse me? My father died and—" Zelda retorted in shock, ready to ramble on her offended emotions if not for Ganondorf interrupting her again.
"And do you feel a sense of freedom now?"
"...no, I do not. I've only inherited the beast he had so well tamed. It seems the Goddesses have cursed me, but it will be the price I pay for the betterment of my people." She responded after a long silence, resigning herself to answering the question truthfully. The Gerudo King had to find a certain irony in her words. She was the opposite of cursed compared to him. Then again, perhaps Wisdom brought about something negative as well, just as Power did. The thought had no time to manifest before Zelda began speaking again. "I am the one true ruler of Hyrule now, whether I like it or not. I must be the leader they need me to be, not the human being I desire to become."
"Hm..." Ganondorf hummed out, bringing a hand to cup his chin in thought. "You're quite the noble leader then, a wise one at that too...my sentiments were correct then. You'll certainly create a more prosperous kingdom than your predecessors. I only hope you do not forget yourself. Never forget at the end of the day, you're still human, living your one single life. If you do not go after your desires, what sort of life would you have to look back on?"
Zelda shifted in place, a bit humbled by his words of acknowledgment. He was being far more considerate than she assumed. The Gerudo held little space for compassion, but this man was destroying that mold. Strange that it had taken this long for Zelda to realize that she wasn't indulging herself as she should. She had been raised to inherit the throne, to be fully equipped to handle the strife that came with it. For the longest of times, she convinced herself that ruling was her passion, but her heart knew better. It seemed as though she were an easier book to read than she liked. That, or the Gerudo King excelled at reading her specifically.
A voice from beyond Ganondorf's sight called out to the Queen, beckoning her attention. Zelda glanced back towards her chambers, then to Ganondorf again with a helpless smile on her lips. Giving a polite bow, she exited the scene and left him all alone once more. By the sounds of it, dinner would be ready soon, and he would have to prepare himself for the battle of words to come. Just as he assumed, a maid came to his room and informed him of the nightly preparations being complete. After acknowledging her, he set a course for the dining hall. It would be where Zelda was now, awaiting his presence. He was mentally prepared for whatever could be spoken of. This woman was Wisdom, so he'd have to be cautious of his words and ambition. She'd snuff out his motives if he gave an inch to the woman.
It hadn't taken long for him to reach the open hall. The room was engulfed in light, candles from ancient chandeliers that hung from the ceiling illuminated the room's entirety. The majority of the room was compromised of the single wooden table, stretching down nearly the entire length of the room. There, at the closest end of the table stood Zelda. She still wore her pristine white dress, the cape sleeves hiding the natural cream of her skin from her arms. While she had disregarded the armor, she still wore her royal earrings along with that glistening crown. If he were a normal man, he'd proclaim her beauty was unmatched. Yet, he had no space for such sentiment, nor was it their fate. Ganondorf knew the game well, and he refused to try and break the wheel that was their destiny. The universe had away of adjusting itself, so anything attempted outside the realm of their predestined course would only result in failure. Not that he had any intentions of testing out the theory, let alone on the Queen before his eyes. The two shared a bow of respect to one another before Ganondorf descended the steps towards Zelda. With a plain expression, she welcomed him to sit beside him at the table. Acting chivalrously, he had pulled out her chair and seated her before doing so for himself. He noticed a fire within her eyes, and it was clear that she was in a whole different mindset. Zelda was not a daft woman who could simply be wooed out of information. She was beyond such cheap tricks.
"Now," she quietly began, her hands lacing a bridge of fingers before her mouth. "let us begin our discussion." Zelda did not hesitate with jumping into the thick of it. She would not beat around the bush, she called him here with the intentions of an alliance. Why he came here was still unclear. Perhaps part of him wanted a truce, but it was impossible for her to believe that it was the only reason. Zelda appreciated Ganondorf's words of empowerment, but it did not clear him suspicion in her eyes. The heart of the problem was what drove him here, which the Queen hoped to learn of in short time. They were both aware of the dance their words were about to engage in. Zelda's sapphire stare held firm to the man before her, more prepared than she's ever been in her life. A smirk of amusement came from the Gerudo King, signaling he was ready to this dance for two. No matter how the negotiations would come to be, he would be victorious in the end.