Chapter XXV – On the Track of Truth

Ganondorf lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Luckily, he did not meet Zelda tonight because she would not have let him get away as easily as Link did. Still he had difficulties to find sleep and even when he did, he woke up only shortly after, bathed in sweat. The nightmare haunted him mercilessly, but even though the faces of the ones who came to care for him remained blank plates, their voices sounded familiar and reminded him of the thief he encountered yesterday.

In all his confusion, one thing became for certain. This nightmare, it did not show him some alternation of an event he might have experienced, it was a remnant of a real one. It must. Considering his young age and the cruelty it offered, his mind must have buried those memories deep within to protect him. Seeing which reactions the mere nightmare caused even up to this day, it proved to be a necessary mechanism to keep his sanity.

From one second to the next, Ganondorf sat wide-awake on his bed. The shelter of his memories had served its time, it must come to an end. He grabbed his clothing, yet laid them back almost immediately. For some reason, he felt more comfortable to take on the armor. Though once he looked at the crest of the Hyrulian dynasty, engraved into the shoulder regions, he felt disgusted. Somehow, just looking at it made him feel sick.

Ganondorf shoved the thought aside as he had no other armor anyway when he put it on, before his view fell on his sheathed sword. After hesitating, he tied it on his armor with determination. Tonight, he felt safer with his steel, a lot safer, even inside these castle walls.

The night still claimed Hyrule its own once Ganondorf headed down to the oubliette. He had not entered that miserable place since the men had shown it to let him see what awaited rebels. When he walked down the old staircase and watched for the treacherous step, the sticky air and moldy smell greeted him. The cold of the walls entered his body as he squeezed himself through the small passageway. Such an unpleasant place, the Hylians made sure no one could ever make himself feel home down here.

However, not one of these miserable matters could hold back Ganondorf to speak with that thief, regardless of which harsh words she would throw at him. He had to seek out the truth and she must be a key figure on that track. He had no doubts about it.

Two men sat around a table in the keeper's room while the rest probably patrolled through the large corridors. One of the two played around with keys, causing clicking sounds while the other turned his head around. "You're here? What brings a knight into this hole, especially so alone?" The surprise vanished for a mischievous smile. "Don't tell me you finally want to test the comfort here."

"No," responded Ganondorf bluntly. "Where is the thief from yesterday? I need to talk with her."

The other guard yawned loudly, but still did not turn around while the man he talked to raised an eyebrow. "That one? Do you actually know whom she is? I've only gotten the news from a lieutenant, but she's a Gerudo. A true Gerudo! Who had thought that some of them are still living? Not that she would've lasted long anyway." He laughed out loud, but Ganondorf fierce glare silenced it quickly. "You still want to see her? Why would someone voluntarily want to meet someone of those brigands?"

"I've asked an easy question, I want a straight answer," demanded Ganondorf, who began to feel his temper fray.

"Calm down, mate. Calm down. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm afraid there is no option." Ganondorf breathed out loud, staying on the edge to beat him up. "Come on, it's really not that I or any other want to keep you off, but it's absolutely impossible, even if you were the king himself. She is no more."

"What do you mean she is no more?" Ganondorf stumbled as his fury vanished for dismay. This could not be true. It could not. It must not! Not this one. Not yet!

"See, mate, she's gone. Dead. And before you ask why, she somehow managed to sneak out of her cell. No clue how she did that, but at least one of the guards saw and tried to stop her. Unfortunately, his sword strike was fatal and she died tonight." The guard shrugged his shoulders when he added without remorse, "But since she was only a Gerudo, there will be no hard consequences for him, except that he let a prisoner escape in the first place."

"You killed her and act like nothing happened?!" yelled Ganondorf, his fist clenched. "And who cares for that cursed guard anyway?!" His only hopes of revealing his past were dashed in a spare handful of seconds. In regard to the war which eliminated the Gerudo tribe and spread the rest all over the kingdom, it was unlikely he would meet any of the tribe soon, if ever. And even if he did, he did not know if she would cause the same reaction this thief did.

"Are you alright?" The guard eyed him with a mixture of worry and suspicion. "Since when do you actually care for someone else than yourself and maybe two or three other people?" He scrunched up his nose. "Listen, if you want to have a change of heart, you could at least have it for someone else besides such a worthless lowlife."

"Well, yes, the way he acts one could believe he belongs to them," intervened the other guard with a sardonic intonation. "Wouldn't it be ironic if a Gerudo would be an officer of our army? A truly interesting case of a traitor. Maybe I would even find that one sympathetic in some ways."

"You and your overactive imagination. But I'm sorry to burst your little dreams because that one wouldn't survive even one second longer once that's revealed. Our high general would make a short shift. Just watch his reaction if you dare to even mention their name in his presence, assuming you survive that foolishness." His laughter fell silent. "Sorry mate, we didn't mean to offend you. We know you aren't one of them, otherwise you wouldn't be standing here, right?"

Not the words stunned Ganondorf, he did not even care for the subtle provocations, but something awoke inside him, like a curtain was lifted from his memory. Because it was so obvious that it pained him, a lot. Even the elderly told him, but due to the gender, he never carried on with that thought. Perhaps he himself did not maybe hail from a tribe related to the Gerudo, but that he was a nothing but a Gerudo by blood himself.

"Hey, mate, you can relax now. Everything's alright, okay?" The guard sounded worried, yet Ganondorf turned mutely around and slowly shuffled outside the oubliette.

Barely, he heard the other man behind saying, "Well, seems like we got him with this one. Didn't know this brute can be so sensitive."

Out again, Ganondorf walked feverishly across the corridors, his hands covered in sweat while his thoughts circled around. The more he thought about it, the better it all matched. It would even make sense that the Gerudo thief called him a traitor for him taking the side of their archenemies. Everything but one fact matched, though this one let his whole theory crumble like a house of cards. There was no way he could be, as a male, a true Gerudo in a tribe that solely consisted of women. It was impossible. Just impossible.

Ganondorf stopped abruptly and another man bumped into him, dropping documents spreading all over the floor. The Hylian moaned some curses, even more when Ganondorf turned around and trampled on them, but he entirely ignored the man.

One thing had bothered him from time to time: The Hylian army itself. It stood in an excellent shape, having many skilled and talented members in its ranks, more than enough to protect the kingdom. There was absolutely no need to rely on a former gladiator and especially not a foreign one, yet Aldar seemed eager that he would join and had spent an immense amount of money for him, enough to feed an entire household or even two for the rest of their lives.

In no way had Aldar done it without an ulterior motive. No, he must have had and still had very good reasons why he wanted him and only him. Just watching a battle or two would not suffice, especially since he had not even won the last. This man was hiding something. Something great. And with the Gerudo gone, Aldar remained as the only one who held a key to his past. No matter if he was the high general or not, in no way would he delay that confrontation any further. He had to do it. He would do it. Now.

Soon Ganondorf reached the corridor of the leaders and headed straight forward for the staircase and up. Without knocking at the door of Aldar's office, he burst it open, letting it crash into the wall. Yet to his chagrin, he looked at an empty chair with no trace of Aldar being around.

"What's wrong with you?" Ganondorf looked to the side, seeing a man cleaning the shelves. "Can't you knock at a door and open it in a civilized manner?"

"Where's Aldar? Tell me!"

"What's that for an attitude? First you come in here unasked and now you're commanding me? Who do you think you-" Ganondorf had already rushed ahead and pushed the man against the shelves, roughly enough that even some books fell down.

"I haven't asked for your worthless opinion! Where the hell is Aldar?!"

The man had stopped struggling and answered fearfully, "He might be training in the leader's hall if he has not set off right now." Ganondorf let go and the man gasped for air. Once he reached the door, he heard the Hylian complaining, "I hope he will teach you some manners, you brute!"

The sun dawned when Ganondorf rushed along the corridors towards the hall. Nearing it, he already heard the sound of metal clashing into wood and bursting it into pieces. Seems like he got lucky and Aldar was for once not roaming around in the kingdom as he often did.

Ganondorf entered the hall without a word, just with his gaze fixated on the high general clad in a light armor made only for training and stomped towards him. Though Aldar must have noticed him, he did not turn around when he struck down the puppet and only wondered, "You're already awake at this early hour? That's very unusual for you."

Ganondorf had to restrain himself from rushing ahead and squeezing out all the information he desired. He had never seen Aldar fighting, but he probably knew his swordsmanship. In comparison to many others, he must have experienced what a battle of life and death meant and seeing he survived the Great War even at the frontline, fighting must be within his blood.

"You being that quiet is not usual either for a big mouth. But if you have nothing to say, you can as well leave. I have enough business for this day, therefore it would be complaisant if you go." Ganondorf remained and Aldar sliced down another puppet. "Go now!"

"This is important."

"I wasn't asking you if you want to stay, I've ordered you to leave. I hope for your sake that you have learned your lessons and don't intend to disobey me."

"I can't go because I must speak with you. Now."

"Do you wish to test my patience?" Aldar cut off the head of yet another puppet. Only then did he turn around and gazed fiercely at him. "If so, I can already tell you that it never lasts long once my men start to act reluctant or even disrespecting towards me."

Though Ganondorf felt a shiver running down his spine when he got that look and that cold voice, he remained steadfast. After a while, Aldar's expression lightened up. "Well, I guess it is truly important to you if you even risk to suffer from severe consequences." He sheathed his sword. "What is it then?"

"What are you hiding from me? What is it that you've never told me?" Aldar raised an eyebrow as Ganondorf had no intentions to beat around the bush. "What is the true reason you bought me free and wanted me to join your army?"

Aldar looked perplexed at him. "Why all of a sudden do you bring up that topic? Have you slept badly? Or are you kidding me?" Yet Ganondorf did not yield and only watched the bewildered Hylian. "You are serious?"

After Aldar had overcome his bafflement, he shook his head in incomprehension. "This is ridiculous and you know that. Still, if you can sleep better, I've told you it's because I was impressed by your fighting skills and thought you deserved a chance on a proper battlefield." His annoyance vanished and he just grinned desperately. "I am still amazed what a great fool I can be at times. But guess I just have to live with the consequences, regardless of how obnoxious these are."

"That's not all of it," Ganondorf retorted, ignoring the insult. "There was another reason!"

"Really? Ah, it's always interesting to hear when others claim to know more about me and my intentions than myself. Can I be certain you will tell me about it? I like to fill in the holes."

Ganondorf did not react to the sarcastic intonation. Although he had no clue how Aldar would react and in regard to him being the high general, it could be very dangerous, lurking around in the shadows of his own past was no solution either.

"I hadn't given much attention to your suspicion when it came to my origin first. I didn't even think much about it when the elder told me how similar I look to that one specific tribe you never want to talk about, because my gender always told me I can't be one of them. But then I encountered her, the thief from yesterday you certainly heard about, and the more I thought about it, the more it tied all together. And that is why I'm certain you know more than you admit. Therefore I've come here to ask you only one thing." Ganondorf pulled himself together. It was all or nothing now.

"I am a Gerudo myself, right?"