Chapter20: War is a Robbery
Ganondorf walked down the hall of the castle, smiling at the knights he passed, giving respectful nods to the servants. They always seemed to like that, and it didn't slow him down in any way. That was one thing he would have to enforce when he won himself his throne. Too many of the nobility and knightly classes ignored or disrespected the laborers and servants. They were not as abusive as his mothers had been to Bulira for the most part. But many of their manners were appalling enough to enrage him.
He almost missed the princess, as he passed the window of the hall. She had gotten much better at attempting to be stealthy. Finally taking lessons from the Shiekah, he imagined.
Were it not for someone coming up behind her making her gasp, he would not have noticed her at all.
He stopped, waving at Sir Bennihoff. "How has it been in the castle, since I've been gone?" As the knight gave a long-winded explanation of absolutely nothing of importance, Ganondorf watched the princess out of the corner of his eye.
She was talking to someone. Unfortunately, from his angle he could not quite get a good look at them, but he could see their feet and the bottom of a green tunic. A new servant, perhaps?
They moved, the figure's shoulder came into view for only a moment from behind the edge of the window. A faint blue light with a little wing sticking out barely visible in the sunlight.
A fairy.
It had to be from the Lost Woods, then it must be perched upon one of the Kokiri. That was who was carrying the Emerald out into Hyrule.
So, the little vaifound an ally. That is interesting.
Something sounded around him. Three beautiful voices singing in harmony. He looked around to see where it was coming from, but no one was singing. Sir Bennihoff continued talking as if nothing had changed. But he could hear them. Where were they coming from?
Then his vision went dark until three figures wreathed in light, one red, one blue, and one green appeared before him. They danced to the song of the three voices, and he was not certain if the dancer were moved by the song, or if the song was shaped by their dance.
NO
The voice howled.
NO
The figure in red stopped dancing. The red turned dark. The song tried to hold steady, but the screeching and howling grew louder. The red turned purple then black. Soon the song was gone and all Ganondorf could hear was endless and boundless rage and hatred.
Blackness spewed from the figure that was once red, engulfing everything around it until the other lights and figures were gone. The dark went further, across the lands and seas consuming, destroying, ending everything it touched. Until there was nothing left but the darkness and the screams. Then the screams too were choked upon the blackness, and all that remained was empty, inevitable, silence.
"Are you alright, Ganondorf?" Bennihoff said. "You seem distracted."
Ganondorf blinked. The singing was gone as was the howling. No lights danced before him. No darkness consumed him. Only Sir Bennihoff in a crowded hall, looking at him with concern on his face. For him of all people.
Perhaps he was going mad. "My apologies, sir. It has been a long journey and I do have a meeting with the king."
"Then don't let me slow you down," the knight forced a smile and stepped aside. "Tomorrow, on the training yard?"
"I'll face you then." Ganondorf headed toward one of the meeting rooms. "I hope you've been practicing."
One of the servants opened a door for him. "The king will be with you, shortly," he said and let Ganondorf inside. It was a small room, with a lower ceiling that was at that perfect height where Ganondorf worried that his head would scrape it, though he never actually did.
At the center of the room, was a table that held a map of the entirety of Hyrule kingdom. On it, several figures of horses were positioned in various cities and passes. The map looked accurate to Ganondorf's eyes, though the section for the Gerudo Desert was much less detailed than the rest.
Good. Always better if the enemy does not have complete information about your lands.
The door opened behind him, and four others entered the room. Coroto the Goron ambassador could barely fit through the door. Behind him, Selvas the ambassador of the Zora, and a grizzled old knight that Ganondorf recognized all too well.
"Duke Arlan," Ganondorf nodded. "I did not realize you were within the castle."
"I arrived. Last week," the man said, his rasp of a voice like the scrape of steels. A scar was visible through his beard and ran down his throat, making every word sound like it hurt. "Our king. Wished for my. Advise."
Of all the king's commanders, Arlan was perhaps the best of them. He had crushed Matron Bartel's army some years ago. And had always managed to avoid the destruction of his armies when he and Ganondorf faced each other.
"I can think of none more qualified," Ganondorf said.
"I can," the duke said with a polite bow of his head. He swallowed hard, as if preparing himself for the dangerous action of speaking further. "May I say. It is. A pleasure to be." Another had swallow. "On the same side."
Before Ganondorf could respond the doors opened once more and King Liotidos himself graced them with his presence. He walked to his seat at the head of the table, and all his advisors took their own positions. The massive reinforced chair for Coroto, and one only a little smaller for Ganondorf himself positioned at the king's left.
The king sat, and everyone sat with him. Another of those strange rules with the Hylians. Rising when a king rises, sitting when a king sits. Pointless ceremony for something as inoffensive as sitting. That would be the second thing to go. If you want to sit in his presence, you should just sit. Whether Ganondorf felt like standing, sitting, or jumping around on one foot. It shouldn't matter.
Once everyone had gotten themselves comfortable and seated, there was still one chair that remained empty, a thin raised thing on the king's right side.
"Well, it seems we're all here," King Liotidos said, pointedly ignoring that empty chair. "I have no need to remind all of you of the dire situation we're in. To the north the Lizalfos and Dodongo have surrounded Death Mountain. There are reports of Octoroks cutting off the trade from the Zora. And in the southern fields Moblins have been attacking every city and town they've encountered. I have never in all my years seen these creatures behave this organized."
"It is impossible," Selvas the Zora said, wiping her hand before her as if she could brush aside their enemies just as easily. "These lower creatures do not have the minds for such activities. It is far more likely that these are separate invasions that only happened to coincide."
"One invasion," Arlan gave a choking rasp as he shook his head, "is normal. Two is coincidence. Three is something more."
"The Duke has the right of it," Ganondorf said. "We should plan our response as if the armies are coordinating." Because I am coordinating them. But looking around the room, none gave any sign they suspected him. It must be so easy planning a war, when you see the plans of both sides.
"We will need. To keep. The armies separated," Arlan continued. "Easier to defeat them. One by one. So they cannot. Draw on each. Other for. Reinforcements."
"We seek battles of attrition then?" Ganondorf said. "With a mobile strike force that can move from one army to the next to strike them down."
Arlan nodded. "That's how," he coughed, cleared his throat and continued, "I would do it."
Simple, direct, and flexible. Precisely as Ganondorf would have planned it in Arlan's shoes.
The king nodded his agreement. "We will need to determine the path to-"
The door opened once more. Ganondorf looked up to see who could possibly interrupt a meeting of the king's war council.
"Princess?" King Liotidos said, his voice as confused as Ganondorf felt.
"Yes, my king." The little vai walked up to the war council, gave an elegant curtsy to her father, smiled to each of his advisors then walked to the open seat at her father's side and sat down. "I apologize for being late, I do hope I have not missed anything."
"No, princess," the Goron, Coroto said giving Zelda a large toothy smile. "We just started. We deciding on the way to smash the Lizalfos." And the Goron punched one hand into his other and ground the knuckles down.
"Princess," King Liotidos said, his brows furrowed as if he struggled to make sense of what he saw. "I am overjoyed that you have decided to join our company." Though he did not look overjoyed. More confused, and curious what his daughter was planning. Ganondorf couldn't help but feel the same thing. Ever since he had used the girl's own sharp tongue against her, she had done her best to avoid his presence. Why come visit him now? Did she just wish to keep tabs of the movements of the military?
"But," the king continued. "When last you and our esteemed guest were together, you greatly impugned his honor."
"Oh," the little via said, as though the insults she gave him had never crossed her mind. "Of course, how absolutely dreadful I have been." She looked across her father's enlarged stomach to meet Ganondorf's eyes. "Ganondorf Dragmire, King of the Desert, Protector of the Gerudo, the Black Rider, the Victor of Sotari Pass and a dozen more battles besides." She nodded her head with respect, or feigned respect at least. "When last we spoke I was absolutely dreadful. I let my prejudices and ignorance confuse me. Forcing me to spurn a noble and valued ally." She gave a deep breathy sigh, overplaying the part of the sorrowful waif in Ganondorf's opinion. "I was young and foolish. I still am truth be told, but I wish to grow, and become a princess worthy of this great kingdom. Could you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
"Don't see," the duke croaked, "how anyone. Can refuse that."
The king was looking to Ganondorf, his eyes intent on him. As if he was afraid to hope that the tensions were dispersed.
What is she doing? She would not have been spying on him earlier if she truly trusted him. And the king definitely did not know about this change of heart. She's trying something. But what?
How strange that in an entire palace the most astute and cunning of his opponents was a little vai.
Realizing that he had remained silent for too long, Ganondorf gave the princess his widest, wildest smile. The one he wore when he rode into battle calling for blood. The one that made grown men fall back, fearing for their lives. He had worked on that smile for years.
It had the intended effect the princess pulled back into her chair. For a moment the feigned smile of politeness fell from her face. It was only a moment. Just letting her know that he was still in control of the situation. Then he let his features soften to the point the smile seemed genuine as she tentatively put on the face of the calm and pure princess she pretended to be.
"There is nothing to forgive," Ganondorf said. "It is the prerogative of a growing youth to let their passions run away from them from time to time. And royals more than most. I am one to know."
Coroto smacked his hand against the table, causing the figurines to rattle and a few to fall over. "It is good! Friendship among the ranks, that is a sign of a healthy alliance."
The princess gave the Goron an endearing smile and nodded. "Now, that is done. What has been decided?"
Ambassador Coroto did his best to describe what had already been discussed, but when he made a mistake on the details the King or Duke Arlan would correct him. It should have taken only a few minutes, the princess was full of questions, however.
"How many Lizalfos have Darunia's scouts reported?"
"I have heard the Octorok have dammed several tributaries of the Zora River. Do we know what method the Octorok are using?"
"If the Moblins are moving south and east, which towns do we have time to evacuate?"
All of them perfectly reasonable questions, many of which led to answers that would bring more questions. As she delved deeper and deeper into military thought. And for a moment, Ganondorf let himself marvel at her.
She went from asking about the numbers of horses Duke Arlan could command, to calculating in her head how many days it would take his force to meet up with King Zora's garrisons. If she had been a Gerudo, he'd have sent her to train directly with the Matrons in preparation for great things in her future. And Ganondorf was not the only one to notice. The king seemed proud of her. With each question, answer, and analysis he practically beamed at his daughter's intelligence.
But she was not a Gerudo, she was the princess who wished to beat him. Even here, even with her false smile and childish charm. What was she trying to do?
"I think," Ganondorf said after nearly an hour of questions, answers, and debate, "that we are all in agreement that the correct response is reinforcing each of the centers the monsters are attacking, with a strike force centralized along brushing them all away. Now the only questions remaining are what order the monsters are fought."
"Because of the might of the Zora and the protection of our great Lord Jabbu-Jabbu, our people remain relatively safe," Selvas said, holding her chin high, proud in her people and her god.
Ganondorf would have thought it was pointless bravado, but after seeing their deity dispatch the oversized Bari it no longer seemed unreasonable. It must be nice, having a deity cater to your people's every need. The Zora have Jabbu-Jabbu, the Hylians have Hylia who hears all their prayers and forgives them of their sins.
The Gerudo had no one but sand and the blazing sun. And those offered no protection at all.
"That leaves the villages to the south and the Death Mountain to the north," the king mused proving for all around he could in fact read a map.
"Chief Darunia told me to get help fast," Coroto said. "Dodongo have reached the high places, led by the biggest of their kind we have ever seen."
"If we send our strike force to Death Mountain," Zelda said peering over the map. "It would make most sense for it to then move directly to aid the Zora."
"Agreed," Arlan rasped. "Which will leave. The south. Ravaged while we. Wait for them."
"Sad but necessary," Ganondorf said. He looked to Zelda to see if the vai would raise some objection, some means of delaying the meeting further. But she didn't. Only nodding as he spoke. "It would be best if we pull the peasantry into walled cities and castles."
"Hateno Castle," Arlan said. "Strong walls. Good perch. To mount. Defenses. Though it'll be. Crowded."
"What about Kobitan?" Zelda finally struck. "It's walls are not as large, but it will have far more food stockpiled, better to feed everyone."
Which brought in a whole additional round of debate. Hateno, Laurelin, Kobitan, and half a dozen more were brought up for discussion and discarded. After hearing the strengths and weaknesses of every notable population center in the entire area the king cleared his throat to make his decision.
"It seems to me, that Hateno is the best choice of the options available," he looked to his daughter as if worried that not picking one of the cities she had championed would upset her. But the girl gave no indication that this was the case. Simply smiling and nodding at her father's words. "However, the problem with food is a worrying one. And we will need to organize supply shipments to the city regularly while they wait for the strike team to relieve them."
The council gave their agreement.
"Duke Arlan," the king continued. "I am placing you in command of the defenses at Hateno. Make the walls impregnable. I want a second supporting garrison at Kobitan to organize necessary supply lines."
"It will be," the duke tried to lower himself as he spoke, making his voice strain all the harder. "As you. Command."
"Then that leaves," Ganondorf said. "Who is going to lead the strike force?"
"I thought that was obvious," the king said. "We need a cavalry commander skilled in making rapid and overwhelming assault against our enemies. That can only be you, Ganondorf."
Perfect.
"There is," Arlan rasped. "No one. Else with your. Experience."
He knew he shouldn't, it would reveal far too much. But he could not help himself glancing toward the princess. Expecting her to come up with some reason against him. But she remained silent.
"You will take your cavalry through the north, sweeping aside all the enemy you encounter. Relieve Death Mountain, clear away the enemy of the Zora, and then make the final sweep south. Where you and Duke Arlan will crush the Moblins between you." King Liotidos stood up, and the rest of the room stood to attention with him. "Thank you all. I feel we are well prepared for the war ahead. But I have more meetings to attend to, and this one took longer than I anticipated." Then he walked to the door, his guard opened it for him and he left. Stopping only a moment to smile to his daughter.
The other members of the council left as well, some giving Ganondorf respectful courtesies as they went. The pleasure of fighting on his side, the desire to see his famed prowess in battle. All the usual empty compliments that Hylians had been giving him for months.
All except one, who stood behind the rest of them, staring at him. "Ganondorf," she said. "Do you have a moment."
"Of course, little vai," Ganondorf said when they were alone. "You made a showing for yourself in there."
"Thank you, I have been attempting to study the rules of warfare, along with some other interests."
"I can see. Have you taken my advice?" Now what was she trying to do? Her mask of pleasantness had slipped off, and she regarded him coldly. Thinking about something. How to humble him for their last meeting? Or perhaps something more direct, slowing him down further. But to what end? Something to do with that Kokiri she had been with moments before, maybe?
I should just leave. There is no reason to stay any further. But for whatever reason he found himself curious just what the princess wanted. After how long she delayed him in the meeting, what was a few more moments? It was not as if she could call the guard and have him killed. If she had anything to do that, she would not have sat through the war council. And it's not as though the guard could kill him if they tried.
"Yes, I have," she said. "The lesson of harsh punishments, wasn't that what you called it? But I do not think I took the same answer from the lesson as you did."
"Do tell."
"You learned how not to get caught," she said. "And you learned that lesson well. I know what you're doing and still haven't found a way to catch you."
"Still think I'm up to something nefarious then?"
"You can stop the charade, I know you are." She looked almost bored as she said it.
Ganondorf didn't say anything as a response. Anything he said here may be twisted against him, so it is best to remain silent around your enemies. But he nodded for the child to continue her thoughts.
"You took only one lesson, but I learned that every harsh punishment is just an opportunity to learn. I have learned a great deal Ganondorf. And soon, I will learn even more."
Ganondorf climbed the steps to his rooms, musing on what the little vai said. Had anyone else said it, he would have dismissed the sentiment as simple hubris. Part of him wanted to dismiss her as well. She was after all only what? Ten, eleven years old? But she knew. He did not understand how, but she knew.
He thought back on his tracks. Had anyone overheard him discussing his plans with Nabooru that first day of peace? No. He was certain of it. Had he spoken of his plans within the castle grounds since? Again, no.
Did any of his guard tell her? Even that didn't make sense, she was convinced of his guilt before the peace treaty was signed. She had started spying on him before he even told the rest of his guard what they were doing.
It could be simple bigotry, but it did not feel like it. He'd seen the upturned noses of those who despised the Gerudo from among some of the Hylian nobility. There was even the little joy he had trying to watch the fools crane their necks up just to try to look down their nose at him even when he towered over top them all. The princess was not one of those simple minded idiots, blinded by their prejudices.
She saw him. Somehow, she saw him. And it infuriated him that he was not certain how she had done it.
He reached the top of the tower that he and his guard slept in. Desqueza and Mulli stood guard at the door. They quietly talked to each other, Mulli caught sight of him first and snapped to attention, bringing her spear perfectly aligned with her side. Desqueza did the same a half breath after.
"At ease," Ganondorf said as he reached them. "Any visitors?"
"Not since you left," Desqueza said. "None of our sisters even came to keep us company during the day. All wandered off to have their fun without us. Cruel of them, if you ask me."
"Dessi, didn't you disappear for two days when you lucked out with no guard shifts?"
"Just because I'm a bad friend doesn't mean it's right everyone else is too."
"It was alright," Mulli said. "You know we'd all do anything for you, my king."
"Some of us truly mean anything," Desqueza smirked and gave a look over to Mulli.
"Oh, shut up," said Mulli, before she returned her smile to Ganondorf.
Some inside joke between the vai? It didn't matter, the two of them did their work well. "Well thank you both, I know it's dull," then he opened the door and stepped inside his rooms.
Something was wrong.
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he shut the door behind him. No one is in the rooms set aside for him and his guard. Nothing moved, nothing seemed wrong. But still his heart quickened and he felt his fingers tense, as he did just before he called his sword to him.
It was as he felt just before a battle whose outcome he was not quite certain of. Or when he was a child and his mothers' moods shifted to rage. What was going on? He moved through the small communal room, past the quarters for his guard, and finally came to his own room.
A pleasant breeze blew through the window. He'd removed the glass from it on purpose to enjoy the wind blow over him as he slept. Did someone crawl through it? He stuck his head out of the window and looked down, nothing but stones on a surface no one could ever climb. There was barely anything you could get your fingers around. He looked over the window to check for any signs of grapple scratches along the stonework. Nothing.
There were no secret passages into the room. As soon as that Shiekah revealed their existence he and his guard thoroughly checked every stone, every floorboard and the ceiling to make certain there was no way in or out.
So why did he feel like something was about to attack him? Why was he getting angry? He sat down on his bed, trying to slow his heartbeat, trying to simply focus on what was in front of him. Was it that vision he had? That was nothing, just his own mind messing with him. He could control it. He'd done so his entire life.
His eyes wandered down to a bag tucked beneath the bed. Not where he left it. He pulled up the bag and scrolls toppled out of it. His scrolls, but far fewer than there should be. His eyes went wide as he pushed the scrolls around the floor. "Where is it?" He grabbed one, an official summons from the king. Another was just a report from Matron Konoru. Then a map that he bought for a few rupees.
"Where is it!" he screamed. Witch-fire swirled around his hand and spread to the map. Black flames erupted around him.
The door burst open and footsteps raced toward him. "My king!" Mulli ran into the room, her spear at the ready, Desqueza came a moment behind her.
THEY FAILED YOU
"Where is the Prophecy of Nayru!" he stepped toward them.
"Your- your eyes-" Mulli stepped away from him.
"Gan," Desqueza said. "Gan no one-"
"Are you blind that you couldn't see someone slip past you?" He stepped toward them again. "Are you deaf that you could not hear anyone inside? Or did you abandon your post?"
"Never," Mulli said, dropping her spear. "We didn't let anyone in. No one could have entered."
THEY MUST BE PUNISHED FOR THEIR FAILURE
Ganondorf raised his hand toward the two, black magic cackling around his fingers. They had failed him. The single greatest weapon he had, and they let his enemies take it from him. They were either against him or they were incompetent, and he had no use for failures among his followers.
"Gan- my king," Desqueza said, and lowered her spear toward him. "We didn't do anything wrong."
Mulli dropped to her knees. "We stayed at the door the entire time. No one came in. I swear to you. I swear it."
KILL THEM FOR THEY ARE STUPID
KILL THEM FOR THEY ARE WEAK
KILL THEM FOR THEY ARE HOLDING YOU BACK
Ganondorf growled, and witch-fire flashed from his hand. A cloud of darkness erupted around him and the vai screamed. Pieces of wood erupted from the blast showering him with flecks of debris that bounced off his chest and arms.
The hole in the wall sizzled as the two women cowered together on the ground. Their arms covering their heads as the blackened debris fell onto their arms and shoulders.
"Get out," Ganondorf said, gritting his teeth while the voice within him howled. "Now."
Desqueza scrambled from the ground, her spears abandoned as she ran from the room. Mulli gave him one tearful look before she followed.
He sat down on his bed, and rested his chin on his fist. It wasn't their fault. He had to remind himself. Good or bad, it was always the king's responsibility. The Kokiri and their fairies have magic that he did not yet understand. Who knows what spells they cast upon his guard? He would need to apologize to them. Make certain that they understand they did nothing wrong.
When he caught glimpse of the Kokiri, he should have done something. If he abandoned the meeting with the king to deal with the youth then this would not have happened. But then without his presence the council would have chosen a different path, one that would not allow him to collect the stones as he wished. No he needed to be at that council. He should have sent a message to Nabs.
And tell her what? Go hunt down a child standing right next to the princess? That would only end badly.
He sat and stared at the twisted ruin of the wall. Half his thoughts on what the best course of action should have been, the other half fighting the rage within him. Forcing it down to the back of his mind where he could barely hear its screams of hatred.
The more he thought, the quieter the voice became. His heart slowed down. Let the rage die. It only got in his way.
He took a long slow breath, letting it fill his chest and when he exhaled he could not hear the rabid voice of rage in him any longer.
He could fix this. It would be difficult, but the plan did not change. It just meant his opponent was more informed than they were before. He could work around that. That must have been why Zelda took part in the council, why she had asked so many questions.
A slight grin pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"Well played, little vai."