A/N: For those of you catching up, I realize my last addition was a little confusingly updated. I deleted a chapter and then posted one, so it looked like nothing had changed at all. So if this chapter doesn't make sense to you, go back and read the previous one. (: Enjoy!
WHEN WORD EVENTUALLY reached Castle Town that the Gerudo would be joining forces with the Adventaries, General Vincent of Erudone himself made a swift journey to the Desert. Lord Ganondorf was not at all surprised when he and a group of Hylian soldiers arrived at the city gates, and he gathered together a small council of Koume, Kotake, and Nabooru to meet in a moderately sized hall on the first floor of the palace. It had once served as a place for dining, but Lord Ganondorf had changed its purpose shortly after war was declared on the Hylians. Koume and Kotake stood vigilantly to the Gerudo King's right, while Nabooru hovered to his left. She and Lord Ganondorf had barely spoken since he dismissed her not long ago, and her eyes coolly watched the opposite wall.
When General Vincent eventually marched into the meeting hall, he outstretched his arms in what could have only been empty jubilance, a wide grin on his face.
"My favorite Desert people!" he said, steel armor clinking as he walked through the grand entrance. His silent and emotionless soldiers followed, raising their helmet guards above their eyes. "You have no idea how overjoyed I was to hear of your assistance in this dreary war." Lord Ganondorf could hear the excitement in his contradictory words.
"Our lineage is mostly of Hylian descent," said Lord Ganondorf. "Perhaps it is time we work together."
General Vincent walked right past the king and kissed Koume and Kotake each on the cheek. He turned to Nabooru, smirking slightly. "And who might this be?"
"This is Nabooru, my military advisor as well as Chief in command to our soldiers," said Lord Ganondorf.
"Very pleased to meet you," said General Vincent, taking Nabooru's hand and kissing it rather deliberately. Nabooru watched him with an idle smile and waited for him to return his attention to Lord Ganondorf.
"Have you come with specific matters to discuss?" said the king.
"Oh, come now," said General Vincent. "Am I not a visitor in your honorable home? Why don't we sit awhile, get to know each other. We are, after all, allies against our savage-like adversaries."
Lord Ganondorf raised his eyebrows. He smiled slightly at the eccentricity the general exhibited. "Very well. I can have a servant bring tea."
"Why so serious?" laughed General Vincent. "You there, girl, bring us the finest Gerudo wine in your cellar!"
The servant who had been standing vacantly in the corner of the room sprung to action as soon as the general spoke. She was soon back with a bottle of wine made of the cactus fruit found in the Desert and a whole tray of goblets. They all sat around the long table, the Gerudo on one side and General Vincent on the other by himself. His guards stood behind him in a haphazard semi-circle.
"Now," said the general after taking a long swig of wine and placing his goblet on the table. "I'm sure you have certain qualifications to explain, given your hesitancy on joining forces in the first place."
"That is correct," said Lord Ganondorf. He allowed the servant to pour him a goblet of wine but hadn't yet touched it. "It should be no secret to you that the Gerudo have always been treated…concerning within Castle Town's walls." The general nodded apologetically. "Do not think we will become great friends just because we fight for the same cause."
"And what cause is that?" General Vincent said. His eyes glittered in the light shining in from the arched windows, and Lord Ganondorf's narrowed at the prospect of being tested like this.
Nonetheless, he answered, "A unified Hyrule."
General Vincent nodded. "Under one king. I trust you've taken that aspect into consideration."
"It has crossed my mind, yes," said Lord Ganondorf. "And I hope you will find my qualifications acceptable. We are not fighting with the Adventaries for your High King, nor for your venerated goddess as the name of the alliance implies. We are simply fighting for unification."
"You do realize that by fighting for unification, you fight for King Daltus," said the general. He crossed his legs beneath the table, leaning back in his chair. "When we win this war, he will become your king."
Lord Ganondorf narrowed his eyes slightly, watching General Vincent's nonchalant posturing carefully. "I suppose that is necessary, yes. But I hope I can maintain the level of authority I currently have over my people."
"Sure, sure," said General Vincent, waving his hand in the air as if this were an obvious matter. "King Daltus would not downgrade your position in any way, save for the title. It's the same with all the other provinces of Hyrule. Chief Darunia will remain leader of the Gorons, King Zora De Bon the hundredth will still be leader of the Zoras. But you can't be a king under a king."
Lord Ganondorf ignored the general's obvious disrespect for the Zora King's lineage and nodded. "I can agree with that. But will the Gorons and Zoras maintain authority, even if they have so blatantly rebelled against King Daltus?"
"The High King has made it clear that no grudges will be held following the war," said the general a little disapprovingly. "He plans on keeping things peaceful between everyone. I guess that's what a unified Hyrule means, anyway." Suddenly General Vincent leaned forward, voice lowering as if to tell a big secret. "I think it has something to do with the rumor that's been going around Castle Town."
"What rumor is that?"
"The Queen is pregnant." General Vincent raised his eyebrows, a giddy smile on his face.
Ganondorf felt something push against his chest from the inside, as if something were trying to get out. It was a feeling he'd grown familiar with, and he made no outer indication of anything wrong. "Pregnant?"
"Indeed," said the general. "I happen to know that it's fact rather than rumor. And they've had doctors and apothecaries and alchemists of all kinds in to determine the baby's sex. They think it'll be a girl." He leaned back in his chair again. "Of course, it's not too significant. There have been plenty of princesses who were not the goddess's reincarnation, but it's always exciting to think about."
The pressure in Ganondorf's chest seemed to tighten. He made a mental note to ask Ganon about it later.
"Anyway, peace between the provinces will certainly make for a more unified Hyrule," continued General Vincent. "We just need to think of something to put the rebels in their place."
Lord Ganondorf nodded. "So I will still be in command of Gerudo Valley," he said. "Are there any conditions I need to take into account?"
"A general tax will be implemented," said the general. "Of course, for the betterment of Hyrule."
Lord Ganondorf smirked. He wasn't born yesterday, and General Vincent knew it. But neither of them said anymore on the topic.
The rest of the meeting was rather light, with no serious discussions about hard war tactics. Lord Ganondorf mentioned his plan to creep in on Death Mountain, and General Vincent nodded dismissively to his proposition. "We'll have it all in due time," was all he said. "But for now I think this session is ended. My men and I have been travelling for days and I think we deserve a long rest, don't you?" He drained his second glass of wine and stood, turning to his men to mumble something about how they should relax a little.
"There are guest rooms on the second floor," said Lord Ganondorf. "I can have a servant bring you there."
As the Hylians left the meeting hall following a petite Gerudo girl, Koume turned to her son. "That man is quite an odd fellow."
"I don't like him" said Kotake. "I never did."
"We have to get along with him," said Nabooru quietly. "He's the highest rank in the Hylian army. If we're to fight on the same side, we're to become acquaintances at least."
"He is right in that the discussion has ended though," said Kotake. "It's off to a nice warm bath for me." She and her sister exited the hall.
Lord Ganondorf looked at Nabooru after motioning for another servant to take the goblets and straighten the chairs. She left with the tray. Nabooru returned his gaze.
No one is looking, said a very faint voice inside Ganondorf's head. It is the perfect time to strike.
"Death Mountain, then?" said Nabooru.
"The Gorons are easily the most…emotional opponent," said Ganondorf. "There are already many cracks within their people."
Kill her.
"I thought I was supposed to be your new advisor," said the girl. The corners of her lips turned up ever so slightly.
"You are," said Ganondorf, returning the semi-smirk. "I was planning on telling you."
Kill her.
"Do you have a plan?" she asked.
Ganondorf's was beginning to set with each word the entity within his mind spoke. "We might have some information regarding the status of Goron City," he said. Kill her. "It's still a young settlement, and the mountain had inhabitants before they came to Hyrule."
"You mean Kakariko?"
Kill her. Ganondorf's voice was clouding over with frustration. "No, Kakariko is at the base of the mountain. I think the previous mountain dwellers are"—Kill her. Ganondorf paused. "Somewhat extinct."
"How is that useful information?" said Nabooru.
Kill her.
"Enough!" Ganondorf slammed his fist against the hard wooden table, feeling it splinter beneath him. He glared at the fracture with wide eyes, anger flaring his nostrils. Eventually he looked back up at Nabooru, who had taken a step back with widened eyes as well. "I'm sorry."
But Nabooru only stared at him for another moment, sad expression deepening, before she turned and left the hall.
That night Ganondorf did not want to spend alone. He ate a small meal with his parents in a private dining chamber (the Hylians were perfectly understanding and ate in a larger hall with many curious upper class Gerudo who had their sights set on bearing children), then he made his way up the stairs to his personal chambers. He called for a servant to send a woman to his room that night, any woman from the harem who would come. He waited by the window. "I will not kill her."
You are weak.
"I am not weak."
You allow your emotions to get in the way of your great conquest.
"Not my great conquest. Your great conquest," said Ganondorf, brow furrowing as he stared at the moon glowing over the sandy horizon. "I will not kill her."
If you will not kill her, said Ganon calmly, then I cannot gain corporeal form.
Ganondorf rolled his eyes, sitting on the wide stone window sill and propping an arm across his knee. "I thought all I had to do to give you corporeal form was get all of Hyrule to believe in you. What does killing Nabooru have to do with any of it?"
It is a test of your strength. If you cannot complete the task, then you are ill fit for the task ahead of you. You and I will be bound together forever.
Ganondorf stood, taking a few steps around the window, before letting out frustrated yell and slamming his fist against the stone wall. He pulled it back slowly, staring in shock at the crumbled stone.
You are already unaware of your incredible, physical strength, said Ganon. Now you must match it with mental strength.
"Shut up!" Ganondorf shouted, bending over and clutching his chest. "Leave me alone!"
Kill the girl, and you are one step closer to ridding yourself of me.
"I won't do it!" he yelled, hands raking through his lengthening red hair. "You cannot make me!"
Just at that moment, a beautiful woman opened the door to his bed chamber, a confused and mildly frightened expression on her face. "My lord?" she peeped, slipping in quietly. "Are you all right?"
Ganondorf let out an incredible roar of fury and lunged his open palm at the girl. A thick, deep purple ball of energy had begun forming in it, and as soon as his palm faced her, it released with an immense crackling sound, like lightning. The girl didn't make a sound, save for the dull thud of a lifeless body hitting the floor.
The air around Ganondorf felt dense and electrified, and the hair on the back of his neck prickled upward. He was breathing heavily as he watched the girl's slumped body, hoping beyond all reason that she would get up. After what felt like a never-ending, breathless second, Ganondorf walked over to her slowly and turned her body over in his arms.
Her dead eyes were paralyzed open, and purple-black lines covered her skin like veins. Ganondorf dropped her in horror, getting to his feet as his hands shook violently.
"I killed her…" he whispered.
He heard nothing from the being within him, save for a deeply malicious chuckle.