Bonds of the Triforce

by Loreseeker

The Era of Twilight has passed, and Hyrule flourishes in an era of dawn and hope. As prosperity yields to destiny, a lonely prince joins a knight and princess in an arduous quest to break the cycle. Their alliance, resolve and very lives will be tested, but bonds forged in fire are stronger than iron; the bonds of the Triforce, however, are enduring as time itself.

4. (I-4) Old Friends

Book I: Enter The Destined

Chapter 4: Old Friends

---

There were quite a few words that could describe how he felt, but perhaps the most accurate one was "lifeless".

Upon blinking awake, the first thing he noticed was the quiet tapping of something small on wood. The source, a tiny red bird on the windowsill, was small enough that no one could be faulted if it remained unnoticed. It fluttered away and left him alone with a crack of orange light that split the darkness, along with his stomach screaming for something to eat after yesterday's breakfast.

Understandable. And yet he didn't really care.

He then half-stumbled, half drifted towards the light with some effort. It was the only open window since the others were tightly locked like the grand door now serving as the repository for miscellaneous items. In fact, the whole room was strewn with dirty clothes, empty goblets and stacks of what were probably important documents.

Most of the latter spilled off his desk, which was also propped before the half-open window. Reports, invitations, affairs of state; just because he understood politics better than most didn't make it any less...boring. He might've cared a long time ago. Not anymore.

Something in the middle of the desk caught his eye. The letter's broken seal bore his coat of arms, and its contents, familiar writing. Port Laverra? A heroic swordsman?

They didn't matter. Save for his son and daughter, no one else did.

And it was to his greatest shame that he lacked the strength to face them when they bore a striking resemblance to...to -

"Sonia..."

The morning light faded when he closed the window.

=== I ===

Port Laverra, a lively town of bustling markets, animated sailors and rowdy taverns, was quiet.

Gazing from the battlements of Fort Laverra, its coastal guardian castle, Zelda saw the unease that permeated the landscape. It was a warm, sunny day with gentle winds and puffy clouds, where the streets should've been lined with people amidst the lunchtime rush hour. Instead, the city was a pile of powder kegs while Link and Ganondorf were the proverbial bomb flowers.

Not that she could blame them when they rescued her brother, the future king. The prophesied prince of malice and Hero of legend. Her people clearly didn't know how to feel. Neither did she.

"Rhoam...Ganondorf..."

Zelda frowned.

"Link..."

You are conflicted.

"Pff. Conflicted? I'm positively enthused to see my ancient enemy join teams with that...that lout of a Hero," Zelda huffed. Her shadow darkened to an unnatural black hue before coalescing into a humanoid shape, and Impa leaned against the parapet beside her. "No, my mind's been such a chaotic whirlwind of emotions over the past forty-eight hours that I feel like I'm on standby to throw up."

Impa's white wolf mask looked away. "Yes. I feel your anxiety through our bond, and I, too, have many questions. That said, you should not blame yourself for circumstances beyond your control and without historical precedent."

"I'm not!" she replied, sulking. "My brother almost died in front of me while his kagé, one of the best Sheikah warriors alive, couldn't help until after the fact. Then there's Link and Ganondorf. Now that everyone knows he's the Hero, will he kill the prince like destiny demands it? Or will he not? How will our people, much less the Gerudo, act? And what about -"

She rubbed her temples. "There's so much to process that I don't know where to even start."

"Then look away from the overall picture and ground yourself on what you do know."

Zelda sighed, turned and descended some nearby stairs into a limestone mezzanine hallway. A few passing servants greeted her warmly, though she could only offer distracted half-nods since she focused on recollecting the truth.

"...well, I remember smelling something awful before we were attacked - ah, right! A ReDead infiltrated the crowd...somehow. Now that I mention it, how could a monster like that sneak past the guards? Everyone fell paralyzed when it screamed, and then the real assassin struck."

A heavy weight settled in the pit of her stomach.

"I really hope there isn't a traitor in our midst."

"It is an unpleasant possibility," Impa admitted. "After all, only evil magic of the highest order can sever a Sheikah spirit bond. Who would know of such power, much less the forbidden knowledge of my tribe?"

The possibilities were endless. Hyrule had only recently entered into a state of official peace, and plenty of anger remained to go around. That was before considering foreign interference as well.

In the end, Rhoam lived. And all because of a certain duo.

Upon swerving into a hallway, she was promptly treated to muffled arguing echoing from wooden double doors at the end. The royal guards on either side looked somewhere between tired and exasperated.

She nodded to Impa, who disappeared into the shadow of a stone pillar when the doors opened. The council chambers were smaller than Hyrule Castle's, yet twice as cozy; a roaring fire burned inside a limestone hearth while side counters held figurines and decanters of wine. In the centre was an ovular granite table, which currently held the seven most powerful people in the kingdom.

Zelda exhaled.

"Let's see what they have to say."

Named after the Golden Goddesses, the Triune Council governed the land with the King's authority. Men and women of supposedly great talent...now arguing over a map of Hyrule like vultures surrounding a rotten carcass.

Overseeing them in the King's place was her brother, the only silent participant, who was also the first to acknowledge her with an exhausted look.

"Enter her highness, Princess Zelda of Hyrule!"

"...we must march into Faron and raze their villages to dust!"

Zelda blinked.

"Boy, that escalated quickly."

The knight's voice was lost amongst them, and Zelda gave him an apologetic smile. She caught the eyes of two ministers upon entering - first was a man half her size in a green dress coat, a pair of angled top hats and beady eyes. His bow was smarmier and grin, even more so, though she received a genuine one from Torston two seats over.

Rhoam sighed when she pulled a chair beside him. "So, brother. What did I miss?"

"Absolutely nothing," he sighed. "We've been deadlocked over what to do next."

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Investigate the attacker's identity and bring them to justice. Isn't that obvious?"

"Politics never is. There are other factors at play."

"Like what? Someone tried to kill you!"

Rhoam nodded towards the table, and Zelda trailed his gaze to find the King's Marshal, Knight Commandant Sir Alfonzo, staring down the green-coated councillor. "Hmm? What is he -"

"- so your proposal is that we should launch a punitive expedition into Faron despite no evidence that the Thyphlo was responsible? How would you even fund such a campaign? Decades of war have left us in debt."

The little man grinned. "I am the King's Treasurer. Let me worry about that. And need I remind you, sir, that multiple eyewitnesses of all stations confirmed the assassin spoke Thyphlo before fleeing into their territory? Faron Province has not seen royal control in hundreds of years."

"Concerning it may be, Lord Cole, we cannot make decisions based on hearsay alone," Torston stressed. Alfonzo nodded. "We are a nation of laws. To judge others by a lower standard than what we hold ourselves to goes against the spirit of law granted by the Goddess Nayru. As the King's Justice, would you not agree, Lord Dotour?"

Further down the table was a man with purple hair and a timid, but not malicious demeanour. He nodded frantically. "Y-yes, my Lord Viceroy. A few offhand words do not, um, provide evidence beyond reasonable doubt."

"Hmph. Then perhaps you can explain the surge in Thyphlo incursions over the past two days."

Zelda narrowed her eyes as another councillor simpered back. The older woman had bleached blonde hair, a bright frilly purple dress and a diamond necklace bearing her coat of arms - a small Triforce inside a golden sunburst.

"Lady Maud?"

"Not to mention increasing raids by the Free Sisters on our border posts. One raiding party even penetrated within a league of Totori City. The Rito are furious and demanding where the Knights were. Where are they, Lord Dotour?"

The purple-haired councillor looked away.

"Where are they, my Lord Viceroy?" she redirected at Torston. "At this rate, the Zora and Gorons will resume fighting against our orders while other nations will think us weak. Let us not forget the support Holodrum lent to Akkala before we conquered them."

Cole hopped onto the table. "What Hyrule needs, my fellow councillors, is strength!" he declared, earning nods from Maud and a councillor she recognized as Lord Onkled, the King's Seneschal. "And what better way than to avenge the attack on our beloved Crown Prince?"

Torston rose to his feet. "Lord Cole, you are out of line -"

"I call forth a motion to nullify the ceasefire on grounds of attempted regicide and declare war on the Thyphlo!"

Zelda's heart stopped.

Through her bond, she felt a small degree of shock from Impa as well.

Everyone turned towards Rhoam, who warily nodded with disdain. "The motion is sustained. All who support it may raise their hands."

Three hands went up - Cole, Maud and Onkled, and Zelda sagged in relief when they remained the minority. Rhoam tapped his signet ring on the table. "The final tally is three in favour, four against. This motion is not carried, and the Hyrule-Thyphlo ceasefire holds."

The belligerent councillors looked annoyed between themselves, then carried on with Cole at the helm. To her concern, his confidence was unwavering. "We respect the will of the Triune Council. However, we must address one more issue - Ganondorf Dragmire and the emergence of the Hero."

Zelda froze once more.

"Desert kings, demon thieves and mages of thunderous winds..." Cole continued, walking along the table's edge and eyeing those seated. "Hyrule has suffered since the nameless past at the hands of evil men who sought the Goddesses' power, a piece of which resides in our beloved Princess."

There was a moment of silence, after which Zelda realized the room was staring at her. Friendly, if concerned looks from Rhoam, Torston and Alfonzo, while Cole remained smarmy and Maud, dismissive.

"But while there is tragedy in every legend, there is also hope - a Hero who wields the sword that seals the darkness. Our most ancient records speak of one during the Era of Twilight that slew a warlord with Din's blessing. Who now rests beneath our roof? A Gerudo prince marked with the Triforce of Power, born under a lunar eclipse."

"I don't like where this is going..."

Cole finished circling the table in front of her. Her hands balled into fists as their stares devolved into a battle of wills.

Alfonzo and Torston stood, while Rhoam sat upright.

"For the good of all Hyrule, my fellow councillors, I propose that the young knight recruit, our generation's Hero of legend, execute the Gerudo prince to prevent his abuse of the Triforce of Power for nefarious gains -"

"Lord Cole!" Torston warned. "Remember who you are speaking to -"

"Enough!"

Zelda slammed her fist on the table, exposing Wisdom for all to see. "Ganondorf threw himself in harm's way without a second thought, and now you wish to repay his sacrifice by killing him?"

Lady Maud coughed and sent her a barely concealed sneer. "Princess Zelda, we respect your heritage as a member of the royal family, but I gently remind your highness that you do not sit on this council."

"And a reminder to you that while our houses share the blood of the Goddess, yours does not occupy the throne," Zelda countered. "Slaughtering those in our care after doing us good? You are the King's Emissary, Lady Maud. What message would that send?"

The councillor stifled a growl. "Weeds must be plucked before they mature, lest they overtake the garden. If this is not a ruse, my Princess, Ganondorf will surely reveal his true nature in time. No legend has ever recalled a vessel of Power to be a friend of Hyrule." Maud raised a hand. "I support Lord Cole's motion."

"I will not."

Zelda turned to find her brother leaning against the table to stand. Despite his frailty, fire danced in Rhoam's eyes.

"Your highness, if I may -"

"I will not execute the man who saved my life," Rhoam snapped, causing Cole and Maud to recoil. "In the name of my father, King Daltus, I, the Prince Regent of Hyrule, veto this proposal. The motion is dead. Attempts to revive it will be considered treason against the crown and blasphemy against the Goddesses. The Triune Council is adjourned."

The councillors stood as he headed for the doors, and Zelda glared at Maud once more before following him down the hallway. He paused at a window overlooking Port Laverra while clutching his chest and breathing deeply.

"Rhoam..."

"I-it's nothing. I'm fine," her brother smiled, albeit weakly. "Hyrule is safe for now. Ganondorf included."

"Not for long if those people remain on the Council."

"A sentiment we also share," Torston agreed, strolling up with a frustrated expression. The three then watched the councillors leave. "Though for all their dubious pursuits, we lack hard evidence to eject Lord Cole and Lady Maud."

Zelda growled. "What about the others?"

"Lord Dotour...means well, but is easily swayed. Lord Onkled's avarice is an open secret. That leaves the King's Prelate, Archbishop Rauru of the Temple of Time."

A kindly old bearded man emerged in white and gold robes of the priesthood. "While he had only ever sent representatives to these meetings, Rauru and Alfonzo are our only allies in court."

Zelda pondered. "Can't we just veto whatever they try to pull?"

"Abuse it, and we will garner concern from the court," Rhoam interjected. "Save for times of crisis, a royal veto can also be overridden with a simple majority vote. I used it here, however, because the consequences would be decisively fatal for all parties."

Torston gazed out the window. "Lady Maud was not entirely incorrect. We have endured nearly three decades of Gerudo rebellion. Hundreds more since the Thyphlo landed on our shores. The Goron-Zora feud simmers beneath a ceasefire we imposed against their will, and Akkala Province is nowhere near pacified. Killing Ganondorf will be the spark that re-ignites the flames of war."

She sighed. So many factors to think about, and they were nowhere near close to getting answers while Rhoam's assailant still roamed free.

"In the end, I can only wonder what will happen to Link and Ganondorf. All that effort to end up under house arrest. In hindsight, it's rather ridiculous to see those with the Goddesses' power sent to their rooms like rowdy children..."

Zelda narrowed her eyes and hummed.

"Do they even have a say in all this? I mean, they're the ones in the centre of it all, and if the Council doesn't know what to do..."

Rhoam traded glances with Torston. "What are you thinking, little sister?"

"That maybe we should go straight to the source."

=== I ===

What came from the source was a constant stream of fresh, hot water.

Link stood still as it trailed down his body, soothing his skin with a small measure of peace that was sorely needed after the past forty-eight hours. Even then, his mind stayed scrambled to the point where thinking proved painful, so all he could do was bask alone in the shower. It was an isolating feeling when the barracks' communal showers were devoid of anyone else, though at least there was no one nearby to whisper of him in hushed tones.

Outside was a different story. There was no denying that he now lived, breathed and otherwise existed beneath the scrutiny of an entire kingdom. He was no longer Link, a quiet knight recruit from a village in the boondocks; to thousands of strangers, he was a young man who now shouldered the weight of the world.

In other words...no pressure.

"..."

"..."

Link looked up at the one small window below the roof that let out steam. A thin beam of sunlight streamed in, and with it, the distant hum of the castle and the rest of Port Laverra.

"Not that I can make out anything specific, but I'd have to be living under a rock to not know what people are talking about. With all that time and effort trying to lay low for nothing I kind of wish I did."

Part of him also thought he should've done as Zelda suggested, though quitting now felt like wasting a prime opportunity since his skills would stagnate and he'd become an even juicier target for...ambitious individuals. Conversely, staying in Kitano Village would've stifled his growth like an open-air prison. In hindsight, perhaps this was because he got too used to being undercover when joining the Knights was a calculated risk.

Now it was beyond his control. Of all the worst-case scenarios, this one asserted its dominance as if an electric arrow in a pool of Zora.

Link leaned against the stone wall and stared into nothing. Water poured amidst hissing steam, which was quite like the smoke grenades thrown into the courtyard from Goddesses-know-where. He could still hear the screams from the people, the ReDead -

From Zelda as she feared for her brother's life -

Heat surged from the back of his hand, and Link growled as he fought in vain to stifle it. Less so when the window light dimmed along with the shower ambience. In its place was a dark, woefully familiar forest, but the gnarled wolf of his nightmares was mysteriously absent.

In its place was a low canine growl that seemed to come from...himself?

Link gasped.

Courage waned, and the sizzle of falling water returned full force.

"Hah...dammit. Always at night, and now, during the day...? That's a first."

Before his mind could argue, Link finished up and returned to the barracks. Thankfully, most people were out for lunch, and those who either stayed or recently came back...well...

"...the mess hall's on the other side of the castle. Just the thought is killing my appetite, but I can't afford to waste my strength. Here goes nothing."

With ironclad will, Link ignored the stares of a few and entered the literal court of public opinion. Every knight and servant in the courtyard who noticed stopped to gawk; a group of dignitaries by a stone column whispered between themselves, and an awestruck little kid was pulled away by his worried noble mother.

Hopefully, he didn't see his balling fists.

Upon reaching the mess, not many were alerted at first due to the lunchtime rush hour. The cooks behind the counter were also more concerned about getting people through than profiling individual customers.

The moment he left to find a table, a young knight recruit - one he recognized as a fellow classmate - gasped upon seeing him, then slipped and sent her tray clattering across the floor.

Link sighed.

Everyone else fell silent. The only noises came from crackling fires beneath the stoves and the barrage of whispers directed his way.

"...that's the guy who saved Prince Rhoam!"

"...I heard he killed six monsters before turning on the Gerudo chieftain!"

"...where was he when the Thyphlo destroyed Deya Village? If he even is a Hero, what kind is he -"

Even the girl seemed unsure as he helped her up, and so Link wheeled away towards a vacant corner table that was far from the closest ones occupied. The whispers and glances continued, and in a hall full of his supposed comrades, Link had never felt so alone.

"...you know what? I don't think I'm hungry anymore -"

"Ah, finally! There you are!"

The table creaked beneath the combined weight of Ralph and Pipit. It was like night and day - the redhead remained his firebrand self, and the latter, while composed, was subtly stiff with tension.

Link and Pipit locked eyes.

"We were looking for you all day and tried to catch up when we saw you in line," Ralph said, pointing his fork at Link with a mouth full of mashed potatoes. "You see, I owe you a big debt of gratitude. Thank you kindly, brother."

That was...not what he was expecting. "Um, what for?"

"For proving me right!"

Link raised an eyebrow as Ralph fished out a pair of purple rupees. "Wait, you actually took that bet?"

"Sure did! You know what that means, boys. Double the fun next time there's happy hour, and just for you, I got the first few rounds."

"Well, at least he has his priorities straight."

"Sponsored through me, of course. You're welcome," Pipit quipped, eliciting a cackle from Ralph before leaning in. "Poor lifestyle choices aside, what he's trying to say is that we're concerned. The past few days have been...eventful for everyone."

That was one way to put it.

Pipit glanced at Ralph, whose mirth dipped as he wolfed down his shepherd's pie. "So, Link. When did you plan to tell us?"

He dropped his gaze.

"Come on, Pipit. Give the man a break. Goddesses know he hasn't had one since -"

Ralph paused when Pipit shook his head. "None of us had one since then. Tripled patrols, a city on lockdown and troops across the kingdom mobilized on emergency standby...those, I understand since it is our duty. The issue is that you lied to us."

"Hey, what gives? Link didn't lie to us, he just...didn't say anything!"

"Withholding the truth is equivalent to lying," Pipit replied curtly. "If we lack honesty and integrity, then we're training to become brigands, not defenders of the people. How can we protect them when we can't rely on each other?"

Ralph narrowed his eyes. "I seriously think you're blowing this out of proportion. Everyone has their secrets. Us included."

"There's stealing cookies from a jar at home when you're a child, and being blessed with divine power others would spark wars over."

Link stayed quiet, gazing at his untouched food while Ralph met Pipit's steely expression. Eventually, the mage piped up. "Listen. Am I surprised he's the Hero? Of course! I'm still having trouble wrapping this around my head as well. But if one thing's for certain -" Ralph spared him a genuine grin - "you're still my friend, Link. Even if I have no idea what the hell's gonna come next."

That was probably the kindest thing he'd ever heard recently, enough so that he gave Ralph an appreciative look.

Pipit was more hesitant. "Link...I consider you a friend as well. I also see Ralph's point, that everyone has things that we'd like to keep close to our chests. This, however, is bigger than all of us. If I had a secret that could endanger the lives of others, I'd tell them. Knowing that my friend is essentially someone we all grew up hearing about in legends, and why they appear in the first place -"

"- I didn't choose this..."

The two watched his left hand curl into a fist. Courage remained dormant. "I didn't even know I had the Triforce until it was too late. If I could get rid of it, I would. Nothing good ever came from having Courage."

Time felt like it stopped as the closest people looked unsure between themselves. They didn't know how to react.

How could they, when the Hero rejected a power that people, as Pipit mentioned, fought wars to claim? Being a Hero was only a dream from a childish mind that could never become noble ambition. It faded in the orange glow of burning houses and the faces of those who didn't make it - the faces of reality. What good was Courage then?

The truth was cold, like the bloody steel that kept him alive. So he kept fighting to ensure no one else would have to experience the same again.

Just like no one else could ever understand.

"..."

"..."

"...no one else..."

Link chuckled, a sudden sound that surprised Ralph, Pipit...and himself. What was a lie, after all? Omission of the truth.

A statement he realized was one that very moment.

He took a few bites of lukewarm steak before standing to go. Ralph and Pipit turned, confused.

"Wait, Link! Where are you going?"

"Off to see an old friend."

=== I ===

When he looked back, he saw none of what could've been - only what he let himself become.

Every kid probably wondered at some point in their life about being a king. Armies of servants and soldiers would cater at their whim if they wanted to see the coolest weapons or have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not to mention all the money in the whole, wide world.

How frighteningly quick that children understood what it meant to have power.

How dismally unlucky that he was once that child and sacrificed it all.

Much like when he first entered Hyrule, Ganondorf never stopped gazing across its blue waters, green fields and vast, fertile landscape. His people would call it imprisonment. His hosts, hospitality. Semantics aside, he still ended up in a modest little room on the side of Fort Laverra's lighthouse.

It did the view a great injustice and an even greater one against himself.

"All that effort to be imprisoned like a common thief. Are my hands to be sliced off as well?"

The betrayal was sickening. He was no longer a child. He didn't just understand power - he felt Power course through his veins. Dreams were meaningless without the capacity to realize them. Blue waters? Green fields? Vast, fertile landscape?

Ganondorf closed his eyes and smirked. The ivory mountains of Hebra, the rainy hills of Akkala and the lush jungles of Faron...he could picture them all flying the Gerudo banner of the desert cobra.

"And yet, I couldn't even defeat some shadowy assassin."

The smirk fell as he opened his eyes.

Grunting, Ganondorf banished those thoughts and Power faded with their departure. For not the last time, he reminded himself that conquest would undo all his efforts over the past twenty-one years of his life. Sure, he could've used the Triforce to blanket Hyrule in darkness. His infamous predecessor did just that in a previous era.

"A time when we were banished to near-extinction in the wastes. What kind of king brings death to his people?"

Despite every instinct renouncing such an action, returning his people under Hyrule's fold was for their greater good. He would be neither demon nor thief to Hylians, Gerudo and otherwise.

None of that could stop him from feeling betrayed, however. It would've been easy to let the Prince die - the assassin was stronger, faster and a better warrior than anyone else in the courtyard. It would've been a done deal if he embraced Power, which was also the point of no return since it took good effort to restrain it while staying alive.

"Which only leads to more questions; who was the assassin? What did he hope to accomplish through Rhoam's death? How did a Sheikah monster infiltrate the castle, and what will the Triune Council do now?"

Most importantly...what of the Hero?

If there was one way to describe how he felt, it was conflicted.

"It is said that my predecessor was slain by the Hero of that time using a sword crafted from the forgotten past. One always appears in response to rising darkness."

The aftermath that day was like the attack itself - chaotic and emotional, ensuring that when the threat had passed, the moments spent with the other two Triforce wielders were fleeting. A second, however, was all it took for him to feel encumbered by some unexplainable weight. Perhaps the weight of destiny itself.

Chances are the others felt the same. His first impression of Zelda reminded him of...well, himself - a calm exterior with a heart plagued by anxiety. Sympathetic, yet not overly fond since she was still royalty of the nation that subjugated his.

As for the Hero, there was no room for thought, only instinct.

And all of them screamed for him to tear apart his beating heart.

A familiar heat emanated from his left hand, and Ganondorf raised it to feel Power return with a grating growl. It intensified similarly to when he first rode into the courtyard.

Ganondorf sighed.

"She's here."

Upon forcing it to vanish, a new sound drifted through the door - a faint, melodic hum which, too, faded into silence. When it opened, he was greeted by a hooded figure whose face was hidden by a white-and-red wolf mask. Ganondorf fixed his posture, touched his forehead and mouth before extending that hand in the traditional Sheikah greeting.

The ninja didn't return it. She was about the Hero's height, roughly five-nine to his six-four, and through her masked glare, enough enmity burned from ruby red eyes to put him on edge.

"Sheikah."

"Murderer."

Ganondorf reined in his annoyance. "Has the Princess come to visit?"

"Not alone."

"Of course. The bond between your people and Hylia's descendants is legendary."

"As is our memory. We never forget what others have done for us...or to us," she replied, stalking forward without breaking eye contact. "And if you lay a hand on the Princess..."

He crossed his arms.

"Thank you, Impa. It's alright. Stand down."

The ninja scoffed, stepped behind a divider and a few seconds later, a black mass scurried across the wall to seep between the bricks.

In her place was the Princess of Destiny. She was casually dressed in sandals and a pale blue dress encased by a darker, cobalt blue corset while loose sleeves of a lighter shade stretched to just above her wrists. They were inlaid with gold and crimson square threading, and a simple gold circlet caressed blonde hair that fell like a golden waterfall.

A million emotions pierced him. Judging by her stiff, crystalline eyes, she also felt the same.

"Your highness. How is the Crown Prince?"

"Alive and well," Zelda replied, closing the door. She shook her head when Ganondorf bowed. "Considering you saved my brother's life, I should do that for you instead."

"A Hyrulean princess, bowing to a Gerudo chieftain? Your people would be horrified."

"Well, their pride would certainly take a blow. Perhaps earn you a more...comfortable room, as well."

Ganondorf snorted quietly, eliciting a subtle grin from Zelda. "Please. This is luxury, your highness. The desert is searing by day and freezing at night. I am grateful for Hyrule's hospitality."

Her mirth vanished beneath an unreadably conflicted expression. Zelda stood by the window and gazed across the city. "I was born with the Triforce of Wisdom. Even if you hide it, I can sense the resentment in your heart. Gratitude isn't all you feel in your heart. There's something else. Something...chaotic."

And there it was. He still wanted a face or name to blame so he could cope with being locked up. What person wouldn't, if they were unjustly wronged? A few minutes and he could already tell Zelda understood, a trait that separated her from most of the nobility. It was a breath of fresh air when he spent most of his life fighting them.

Yet there was rage. Hatred. Disgust. Jealousy. The line between his feelings and those of his curse grew increasingly blurred, be it the allure to abuse Power or the constant nightmares of demon boars and armoured skeletons. Part of him desired nothing more than to pry Wisdom from her cold, dead hands. Would anyone even know if he woke up one morning and was no longer himself?

Out of anyone he could think of...maybe Zelda. Maybe the Hero too, for every moment was déjà vu without the memories to back it up.

"Then why am I still alive?"

Zelda looked taken aback. "Excuse me...?"

"Why am I not dead yet?" Ganondorf repeated, sitting on the edge of his thin bed. "Let us be frank, your highness. Carrying a Triforce piece is a heavy burden. My people endured generations of death because of me. And as your brother is heir to the throne of Hyrule, I am heir to a legacy of darkness whose origin had long faded from legend. I will be judged no matter what I do. After all, what was the first thing your knights did when I saved Prince Rhoam's life?"

"I forbade them from harming you," Zelda stressed. "It was a misunderstanding. The assassin had already fled."

"Yes, and without your word, they would've attacked me anyway," he continued. As anger rose to the forefront, so too did Power.

"Prince Ganondorf -"

"Is this how Hyrule treats its people, by kicking them when they are down? I came to make peace!"

"You came to surrender over a war you started!" Zelda protested, stepping up to Ganondorf. "The Sisters' Revolt began when the Gerudo razed innocent villages!"

"After the king before your father slaughtered ours in cold blood."

She glared balefully. "Spreading lies about the royal family? Are you calling my dead uncle a liar, Ganondorf?"

"You carry the Triforce of Wisdom. Can't you see I'm telling the truth?"

For several seconds, he and Zelda held each other's gazes in a battle of wills, amidst Triforce pieces that shrilled like scraping glass. In the end, it was Zelda who lost when she averted her gaze, but right as she was about to respond, something else drew her attention. His, as well.

Ganondorf glanced at the door. It sounded like someone was having a heated argument on the other side...along with an entirely different noise. One with a hard, metallic timbre.

And their Triforces' ringing only intensified.

That could only mean one thing, and Zelda seemed to realize that when she backed away with a wary glance.

Power. Wisdom.

"And now...Courage."

The door burst open and a trio of figures collapsed in a tangled heap - two in deep blue armour of royal guards, and a young man in the brown shoes, dark green pants and tan shirt of an off-duty knight. Everything else faded beneath the trio of ringing Triforces; Zelda dismissed the guards against their will, and when the door closed, Hero scrambled to his feet.

Dark gold hair, the mark of Courage, ferocity simmering beneath deep blue eyes...despite seeing each other for under a minute, it took much less to feel like he'd known him forever. Which, in a sense, he did.

Ganondorf stepped forward. Hate flowed freely, even if he didn't actually hate the guy, and he didn't resist the murderous instinct that suddenly took control.

The Hero responded in kind.

Zelda's eyes widened -

And Ganondorf threw a punch that the Hero ducked beneath, then countered with a sharp elbow to the gut. Grunting, he caught the smaller man in a headlock and proceeded to suplex him on the stone floor.

The Hero gasped in pain, though before they could wrestle, a tangible shadow fell from the ceiling to immobilize him in darkness.

Ganondorf roared, and so did Power. The darkness abated somewhat against its divine light until disappearing when fingerless-gloved hands shot out to shove him. Feeling the wall and a blade pricking between his ribcage immobilized him.

"One more move and your life is forfeit," Impa warned, a hint of worry through her hostile demeanour. "Try it out."

To hell with it. Since he was already in trouble, Ganondorf yanked Impa forward, letting the dagger pierce him a little so she was within inches of his face. Surprise briefly flashed across her eyes. "Test me again and you won't be alive to regret it."

"Enough!" Zelda fumed with a voice that echoed off not just the walls, but in their skulls as well. Impa retreated, and they turned to find chains of light restraining the Hero several feet off the ground like a cat dangling off a windowsill.

"Your highness -"

"Shut up. And Link, stop struggling. You can't escape," Zelda snapped. He continued writhing in place, so she dispelled the chains and Link fell with a startled yelp. "So is this what Hyrule has come to. Legendary figures wrestling on the ground like kids in preschool. What kind of first impression is this, when the first thing you two do is try and kill each other?"

Ganondorf and Link traded glances until the latter pointed a finger. "He started it."

"You played along," Ganondorf replied. "And to be fair, that's how the legends always end."

Zelda looked like she wanted to pull her hair out.

"Link, was it?" he asked. "I am unimpressed. It seems you are nothing without that fabled sword that seals the darkness."

"Not like I needed one," Link spat back. "In fact, I made it here without having to rely on my Triforce. Can you say the same for yourself?"

This time, the anger he felt was truly his.

Zelda stepped in between. "Stop it. The people are already on edge because of the past chaos and confusion. Fighting amongst ourselves will only make it easier for our enemies."

Link's expression was conflicted, and so was his. He spoke up when all three Triforces waned.

"Your list of enemies is quite long, your highness. Even if the assassin is Thyphlo, the Gerudo have no quarrel with them. I know as much as you do. And while I appreciate your patience, did you really expect me to consider my overlords as friends?" Zelda flinched. "I came here to negotiate peace and a deal to lift my people from poverty. Instead, I received house arrest for saving your brother's life, followed by the arrival of the one person fated to kill me." He narrowed his eyes. "Should I be concerned?"

"N-no! He barged in here on his own accord! I don't even know how he found us! All I wanted was to hear your side of the story since the Council essentially sidelined you both in trying to figure out what to do next."

Zelda seemed honest enough, and so Ganondorf rounded on Link. "Alright, then. What exactly do you want, Hero?"

He pondered the question for quite some time, then continued in a quiet tone. "Why did you do it?"

Ganondorf stilled. "What did you say?"

"As you said, the legends always end with a Hero killing whoever wielded Power," Link repeated. "So why did you save Prince Rhoam's life? What was in it for you?"

Being asked that by anyone else was something he was used to. For some reason, hearing it from the Hero felt somewhat...uncomfortable.

"Because it was the right thing to do."

The silence returned, this time without the ring of either Triforce. Link stared at him long and hard, suspicious of whether he spoke the truth; Ganondorf couldn't fault that when the Hero might've been the one person who had every reason to doubt him, but emotions were illogical. Somehow, it stung to hear Link doubt his character. He was sure the irony wasn't lost on anyone, either.

In the end, Link switched his gaze from Ganondorf to Zelda.

"As for what I want...? Your permission."

Zelda blinked. "Um...permission for what?"

"For unrestricted access to the Hyrule Castle archives."

She traded confused glances with Impa. "Only the royal family, certain scholars and royal guards have permission to enter. Why would you need access?"

"You once said that I shouldn't stay longer than I need to if the knights don't have the answers I seek. If the archives don't have them, then I'll be out of your hair as soon as possible." Link nodded curtly. "Your highness."

Zelda closed her eyes for a few moments.

"I will ask my brother, the regent. I...do regret to say, however, that leaving is no longer up to you, nor was it ever something I can grant. That ship has sailed the moment you revealed yourself. I...I'm..."

Sorry, was what she probably meant, though Zelda looked away without saying it. Link's head fell, and with one final gaze, headed out the door.

Ganondorf sighed, feeling the odd temptation to sympathize with his historic enemy. After a few moments of silence, he and Zelda traded troubled looks. "It is like you said a few days ago. These are truly unprecedented times. Do you have any ideas as to what the Council desires of us?"

"I'm not sure," Zelda admitted. "And while I have limited sway since I am not a member, I will vouch in favour of you both. That much, I promise. All I am certain of is that the next few days might very well determine the future of Hyrule. Just...not in the way everyone is expecting."

Ganondorf laughed mirthlessly. If they're setting a new standard, hopefully it will be better than the last.

"On that, your highness, we can both agree."

=== I ===

Thunder cracked, and lightning struck the peak of Fort Laverra's lighthouse. Rain poured down in sheets, battering the city while transforming its packed dirt roads into muddy canals. Sensible people would've stayed indoors, especially since the reward for breaking the midnight curfew was to spend the rest of it in prison.

Not him. Here, he was safe - a tavern dimly lit by chain-hung lamps. It was a stone-floored t-shaped room with alcoved booths in the walls, where about half the tables were empty and the other half, occupied by cloaked patrons. Most were Hylian, though a few Zora fins were scattered in the mix.

Behind the bar was the burly proprietor, who met his gaze and nodded to a far, isolated corner while wiping down glasses. With the booth partially obstructed by a wooden support pillar and its frosted glass window, illusorily shrouded so outsiders couldn't see in, it was the perfect spot to talk business.

If only the others were punctual like him. People who couldn't even respect time didn't deserve respect themselves.

Fortunately, it was only after a few minutes of staring out the one-way window that he heard approaching footsteps. Two cloaked figures drew close; one was a rather tall woman, about six-five, with a dull white wooden mask whose grooves resembled a bandaged corpse head. Deep amber eyes stared back through the slits, amidst bronzed Gerudo skin.

The other figure was a girl around five-three, who wore a mask that was made entirely of thick black mesh crisscrossing in odd, abstract patterns. It was almost certainly magical, given that it seemed to writhe and that she could see without slits for eyes.

Through his own mask - a crystalline obsidian shell with an engraved grin and tribal swirls around sapphire gemstones for eyes - he watched the girl plunk down four mugs of ale with bandaged hands. "You're late."

"We arrived precisely when we meant to," the Gerudo snapped, tone deep and annoyed. "You have no right to be so impatient when you were the one who failed to kill the Crown Prince. And let us not forget, voe, that you are the ones who requested this meeting."

"And after all that effort it took for us to get here. Blegh. Lighten up, love!" the girl sighed with a light, innocent voice. She then grabbed some ale and her mask mesh parted just enough on its own to let her drink, revealing grinning Zora fangs beneath. "Ah. That's the spirit. Nothing like it after a long night full of swimming, spearing fish and devouring the hearts of your enemies. Actually, I meant that the other way around. Or did I? Sometimes you get lost in the haze of it all."

"Thank you both kindly for joining us on such short notice."

No one was either shocked or scared at the distorted ethereal voice that resounded in their heads. Instead, they watched as a black pixelated portal with turquoise ley lines appeared on a nearby wall, just out of sight from the rest of the tavern. It spewed square-shaped motes that coalesced into a fourth cloaked figure, bearing a simple funerary mask with an embedded gold circlet on the forehead. Upon sitting down, he snapped his fingers to surround them in a magic field that protected them from eavesdropping.

The figure sat, took a mug but didn't drink. "I trust you both have been busy over the past two days. "

"We stepped up raids into the western provinces," the Gerudo added. "Sneaking into Hyrule wasn't as difficult when my sisters destroyed various outposts. Some even penetrated as far as Totori City. I will not let the Free Sisters bleed themselves without purpose, however. After all, the Crown Prince yet lives."

"Yeah! I've never sat through so many meetings in my life!" the Zora complained. "Is this what you Hylians feel like when you say you're drowning? Power, Wisdom, Courage...this is gonna make things so much harder. Like, we agreed to call you the Tyrant. Isn't there anything you can do about it?"

He watched the Tyrant raise a hand. "Patience is our best weapon now. While this does complicate things in the near future, neither ourselves nor our dear friend -" he gestured towards him - "could have anticipated the Hero to intervene. His appearance, unsurprising. At that very moment? Pure misfortune. However, it is also an opportunity."

The Tyrant leaned forward. "For one, most in the kingdom now assume our assassin friend is Thyphlo. From this, I have already begun modifying our ongoing plans," the Tyrant replied. "For example, Hyrule is an old, old place. A few scoops with a shovel and you've uncovered ruins beneath your basement. I've intercepted...promising information from Hyrule University regarding recent archaeological discoveries, so we have an angle there. And the kingdom will know chaos once more - first with the Thyphlo, and then -"

The Zora raised a hand. "Ooh! With the Gorons as well?"

"Perhaps so. We will cut them off from support, something they aid us in by simply...being themselves. Ganondorf is reluctant to draw upon Power, Zelda is a trained light mage who never learned to use Wisdom despite a lifetime of education, and now, there are rumours that Link, the Hero, doesn't even want to be...the Hero. Having three figures who resist their divine destinies and each other will make it easier to steal their pieces."

"And we'll say sarqso for when they hand it over on a silver platter," the Gerudo scoffed. "When will be the time to strike? My sisters grow weary."

"Soon," the Tyrant promised. "A little surprise, perhaps, but nothing we cannot overcome. After all, we, the Outcast -"

The Gerudo woman crossed her arms.

"- the Judged -"

The Zora girl drank some ale and grinned, exposing her fangs.

"- the Abandoned -"

He grunted.

"- and I have adapted to defy the unfair destinies thrown at us, a sin that can only be rectified through the power of the Triforce. For as the sun falls with looming night..."

The Tyrant raised a mug. So did he and the others.

"...light will drown beneath the evening tide."

---

- AN -

Well hey, I'm still alive, and since TOTK's been out for some time, I went back to replace all Zonai words from previous chapters now that the truth behind them was revealed. Had an entirely different idea for how they'd appear here (which is unchanged), but now they'll fall under a different name, lol.

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- Stats -

Publication Date: Sept 1 / 2023

Chapter Word Count: 7877

Approximate Page Length (Times New Roman, size 12, single spaced): 19.8

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- Disclaimer -

The Legend of Zelda series of games is property of Nintendo.