Dora sparred with her sword instructor in the training hall of the castle. They were all over the place, changing up offense and defense frequently, moving as fluidly as the crystal clear water of the Zora's falls. She loved to practice, so much sometimes it was unhealthy, but she had proved her hard work paid off in the domination of Hyrule. Their king had given her the honor of leading the Gerudo in battle against the Hylian knights, once he had secured the Triforce of Power.
At one time, Dora had been as much of a rookie as any other Gerudo starting out. That time was difficult to remember, especially since she was strong enough to force her mentor to her knees at the end of her blade, and make her beg for mercy. Had she been anything but Gerudo, she would have lost her life, but every woman of her race was important.
"Ganondora," called the gruff voice of a moblin.
She finishing pulling her companion back to her feet, and sheathed her sword, before she said, "Can't you see I'm busy? I don't have time to deal with your petty issues in the Forest Haven."
The moblin grunted. "You better make time. Ganondorf has requested your presence, immediately."
Dora caught her breath, her heart skipped a beat, while her stomach filled with the fluttering of butterfly wings. "Is there a problem?" she asked impatiently.
"Just come with me."
The moblin escorted her to the throne room at the top of Ganon's Tower. Her mind swam with fear that she may have somehow, unknowingly, failed him, and concern that there was some unexpected trouble. Once they reached the open double doors, the guard turned to her and said, "No weapons, especially for you."
"Seriously?" Dora remarked, placing a hand on her hip.
"No weapons," the guard repeated more threateningly.
"Allow her entry with her weapons. She is dangerous, but not foolish enough to challenge me," came the King of Evil's deep, dark voice.
Dora grinned satisfactorily as the guard acquiesced and allowed her passage into the throne room with her sword still attached to her hip.
Ganondorf stood in front of his throne with his feet apart, and his arms crossed over his chest. His evil eyes locked on his general as she walked confidently toward him, until she was only a few feet away. She showed her respect by lowering herself to one knee and bowing her head.
He commanded her to rise, glanced over her strong, fierce physique, then sauntered to the balcony facing west. Dora followed obediently at an appropriate distance, with a great view of his backside, until she stood on the balcony behind him. The sunset that evening was perfect enough for a portrait, and the moon already whispered the world to sleep in the east. Ganondorf's silence wore on her, and she panicked about why he needed to meet with her. He seemed as fascinated by the scenery as she was, even though it could not have been his first time watching the sunset from his own balcony.
"Have you completed the preparations at the sage's temples?" he asked, his tone verging on angry like it always did.
"As instructed, all of your minions are in place. The ghost sisters haunt the forest and moblins guard the haven. The Gorons are captured and imprisoned, and Volvagia is free and hungry. The beasts of Lake Hylia and the Shadow Temple are awakened. Koume and Kotake are overseeing the punishment of the traitors at the Temple of Spirit. Nabooru is under their spell to serve you mindlessly, as we speak," Dora confirmed with pride. It had taken a month to complete all his orders. "It will be impossible for any sages to be awakened and call for help with your evil running rampant through the temples."
Ganondorf chuckled at her eagerness. "Excellent work. You are to be commended for your loyalty. Unlike some," he added darkly. "Are the witches certain Nabooru is the sage?"
"Completely," she confirmed with a curt nod he could not see because he still watched the transitioning sky.
Finally, he turned and looked at her, disappointed. His silence, and eyes drifting to the floor, made his feelings clear enough to her.
"I take it that was not part of your plan?" she questioned, failing to hide a satisfied smirk.
His eyes returned to her with cold certainty. "Nabooru's betrayal has brought me clarity. I was a fool to believe she was sincere, or capable of being devoted to anyone but herself. Instead, she turned her back on her people and her king! She is no Gerudo warrior," Ganondorf said, enraged. His eyes shifted back to gaze at the desert in the distance. "Stand at my side, Dora," he ordered.
Dora did as she was told, and walked carefully until she stood beside him, but not at his side, at the edge of the balcony.
"You are a model Gerudo, loyal to a fault, even in the face of death," he praised. "I could not have chosen a better general to lead my people to victory over Hyrule. Your skill with a sword and bow are unmatched by your peers, and you are ruthless in battle."
"Please, sire," she said, although she beamed brightly. "I take lives in the name of my king and I train because failure is not an option. That's all," she explained, trying to convince herself there was nothing else to it.
"Modesty does not become you," Ganondorf scolded. He smirked, and Dora heard it in his voice when he said, "Are you certain you obey my every command out of loyalty alone?"
Dora's eyes went wide and she turned away so he could not see her shock. Was it that obvious?
"I recognize your actions as being above and beyond the call of duty, and not for fear of punishment for failure," he pointed out, still smiling with amusement. "You have always gone out of your way to stand out, to gain attention, as if you have something to prove to someone. And now you act as though you are surprised that I noticed."
Her face was on fire from the blush she could not control. She tried to stand firm and fight the way she felt. "What's your point?" she asked, growing cold. "We all know you were after Nabooru to be your queen."
Ganondorf scoffed. "It is a curse being the king of a race of women," he complained, shaking his head. "No. That traitor was never my first choice, although she went a long way to make everyone believe that, and to ensure I was blinded to her true intentions by her sexual advances."
Dora clenched her hands into fists. Imagining them together was bad enough, but hearing about it from his own lips angered her. "That bitch never deserved you," she growled under her breath.
"I intend to correct that mistake," he said quietly.
Dora was further humiliated because she had not meant for him to hear her words. She kept her eyes locked on the darkening sky, while he returned to the room. In an attempt to compose herself, and continue the conversation, she asked, "What is your plan, sire?" The stars shimmering above her were magical and mesmerizing. Even though she disliked their topic of discussion, she hoped they would talk for a few minutes longer. She wanted him to return to the balcony and watch the stars more, to share a small, enchanted moment with her, so she continued to watch the sky and waited.
Could Ganondorf really have summoned her just to talk about getting revenge on Nabooru for being a traitor? Or to confirm that all her tasks in the temples were completed? What else had he mentioned that he might want to talk about? Her heart skipped, remembering what he had said just a minute before. She had been too angry and nervous to realize it might have been important. Dora turned her head slightly and looked at the floor when she spoke so he could hear her back in the throne room. "Nabooru wasn't your first choice?" she asked, her voice betraying the hope she tried to conceal.
She heard footsteps that announced his return, but she froze because they stopped directly behind her. She gripped the hilt of her sword, tore the blade from its sheath, and spun around to defend from his attack. Her sword met with his large dagger that he brandished just in time to block, and she saw a familiar evil grin of satisfaction light his eyes. Her knees turned to water and her legs struggled to stand firm. Ganondorf reached out to her weapon hand, curled his fingers around hers, and lowered her arm. He sheathed his dagger and said, "That, Ganondora, is why you have always been my first choice."
"Wh-what?" she asked in disbelief. "Are you serious? The last thing I want to do is sound like an idiot, but I also thought those were the last words I would ever hear." She looked down and realized she was still armed. Since he still held her main hand firmly, she sheathed her sword with her off hand. Once her sword was away, he led her back to the throne room. It was the first Dora noticed the room was vacant, and dark, except for one candle lighting a small table in front of the throne. The double doors were even closed. Ganondorf had obviously been prepared for her reaction. "This can't be real," she admitted.
Once they reached the stand he freed her to pick up the item that sat there. "This is an offer you cannot refuse, so I prepared this crown in advance." He turned back to her, a necklace crown dangling in his fingers. The flame danced against the amber gem set in the front, tied to an elegant gold chain.
"You are serious," she managed to say while she tried to breathe.
"Only if you agree to be my queen," he reminded.
Dora had done nothing but stammer since he pronounced his love for her, and she felt awful. For him to be doing this for her, even if he had emptied the room, meant she was special to him. "I have always wanted this day to happen, but I came to terms that it never would a long time ago. I never knew how to tell you, how to reach out to you, or to admit how I felt because I feared your rejection would drive me insane. Ganondorf, I love you, and it would make me the happiest woman alive to be your queen."
Ganondorf assisted his fiancée in situating the elegant crown in her hair so the pendant rested perfectly against her forehead. Dora investigated it with her fingers, and traced the chain around her head. When she met his eyes again, she found admiration. She smiled delicately and tears of joy burned her eyes. Instead of asking permission, she cautiously reached for his waist and traced her fingers along his abdomen. "I need to know this is more than just another dream."
He stepped toward her and closed the distance between them. The energy surging between them stole her breath, and she gazed longingly into his eyes. He then guided her idle hand to rest against his face, and she grazed her thumb along his lips. He leaned down as if to kiss her, but hesitated and whispered deviously, "Allow me to prove how real this is."
His breath danced warm against her face, he wrapped his strong arms around her back, and kissed her passionately. She melted into him.
Dora fulfilled her dreams of exploring every part of Ganondorf's body that she ever dreamed of seeing, and he made it explicitly obvious that he wanted her all to himself.