A/N: This chapter hopefully makes some sense... I didn't want the pairing to come out of left field like it does in the movie, so I tried to add some of Ganny's thoughts. I hope it's not too out there. :x

Ganondorf sat at the table by his room's small window, staring out into the field behind it. The boys (sans Agahnim and Ghirahim, who was all but shackled to his bed) were introducing Zelda to their craft. Yuga explained that made their living scavenging for kinstones and force gems, which could be sold or used to make weapons, and pointed out some good digging spots. He then told her how the Skull Kid foraged for and planted gasha seeds, which yield various treasures. Ganondorf watched the kid knock down a mature gasha nut and hand it to the princess, who cracked it open revealing a glittering trinket.

"Wow, look at what the Princess found inside Skull Kid's gasha nut! It's a blue ring!" Vaati ran over and inspected it. "That has to be worth an entire wallet full of rupees. You're so lucky, Your Highness."

"Oh no, I can't take this from you. If it's worth that much, you can trade it for clothing and food," Zelda protested as she shoved the ring into the Skull Kid's hands.

But Zant came over and took it back, lifting Zelda's slender hand and sliding it on her finger. "A giffft forr tthe Princessss." Zelda shuddered a bit as the ring's magic took effect, surrounding her skin with a faint periwinkle glow. Her eyes and even her dress seemed to shine in tandem. "Sssee? Keepss Princesss ssafee. Worthh mmore thann rupeees."

Zelda smiled in return, laughing when Zant slightly blushed. The other boys teased him for it, making Ganondorf grumble at the pathetic sight of an embarrassed shadow warrior. But he had to agree; that ring had better value on her finger than it did at the marketplace.

His gaze remained fixed on her as she looked it over. The ring gave her eyes a beautiful sheen, making them seem like amethysts lined with azurite. The fresh red scar on her cheek was unsettling, but her mahogany hair and pale skin made her adorable in spite of it. He felt himself make the faintest of grins - this angel was part of his home.

"You're smitten."

He turned around to see Agahnim in the doorway. "Not that I blame you. She returns your affections as far as I can tell, but you're both stubborn so it's not outwardly obvious."

"Who asked for your input, priest?" he growled in response.

"The dresses, letting the boys slack off to be with her, not to mention giving her your bed and taking the floor..."

"Enough, I get it." Ganondorf's eyes returned to the window. "But honestly, look out there and tell me again that she likes me best out of the lot. Ghirahim took a knife for her, Yuga used up his magic to guard her, Skull Kid's world revolves around her. Even you get more smiles than I do."

Agahnim gave his master a slight grin. "That's because we're not hiding in our room every time she's awake and hovering over her when she's not." He came over and looked out the window. "I can see Zelda is fascinated with you. Perhaps it stems from our first meeting, she wonders about that part of you that let her stay here instead of breaking her in half for what kings of past have done. Her fear has dissipated, and I've noticed an air of sadness whenever you catch her eye."

"She saw the scar on my chest."

"Ahh, that explains it," Agahnim nodded. "You told her where it came from, I take it. If I recall correctly, the Royal Sages dismissed your survival as happenstance. Did you tell her the truth, that the two of you share more than just your status as outcasts?"

Ganondorf clenched his right fist, his leather gauntlet making a rough scraping sound. "Don't be a fool. That piece was lost to time and I prefer it stay that way."

Edwin dug through every tome in the royal library, and even some stolen from the descendants of Sages. He found what he was looking for in an ancient volume called the Book of Mudora, which he had plundered from the royal archive in Kakariko. "Ganondorf..."

"'A man from the desert, hungry for power and territory, who the Sages foretold would bring an end to Hyrule. Because of this, he was captured and executed at the royal prison. But for a reason unknown to the Sages, he survived impalement on the holy Master Sword. Speculation suggests that the Sword refused to lend its power for a preventative execution.' How does one survive being impaled?" Edwin scoffed as he read the words. "'Instead, the man was confined within the deepest depths of the Castle un...'"

The rest of the page was torn, and Edwin cursed. "Wasn't this the same vermin that tried to block my conquest of the lands to the west? I thought I drove a dagger between his eyes..."

Don't you see? This man cannot be killed. If the Sages failed, then certainly you will as well...

"I won't once I have it!"

But you can't get to her if she is under his protection. You'll have to find a way to strike in secret. Perhaps one of these books can impart the spells you require.

Edwin drew a sick grin and flipped through the books. He found a page that caught his fancy. "Living death..." The spell was particularly vicious, forcing its victim into a paralysis that slowly killed from within. Even better was that it could be cast into an object. "There will be no need to confront those barbarians if we slip this into her food supply."

How will you do it? Won't she be wary?

"Oh, no. Zelda never could resist a nice, shiny apple..."