A/N Welcome readers to my story.
This story will be AU story set in the BOTW/TOTK universe simply because these games have my favorite incarnation of Link & Zelda and other characters. So as you can guess it will not be strictly Canon because we have Ganondorf planning to marry Princess Zelda in order to take control of the Kingdom, instead of the I'm evil and want to conquer Hyrule. Of course he doesn't just want to marry Zelda.
There may also be references to various other games also.
A few mentions:for the story.
Link & Zelda do not know each other.
Link will start off dark and ruthless. He will however slowly redeem himself and there will be some Zelink later on as well.
Link is 23 in this story and Zelda is 21. I always imagined them to be around this age in TOTK and with about 2yrs between them.
Zelda will not realize she has magical powers/abilities until later in the story.
Ganondorf will vaguely be aware of them but for Zelda they will be triggered somehow
In this story The Gerudo will be the enemy.
There will be some graphic violence included and some cussing. There may also be some sexual innuendo included, I will include warnings before each chapter if necessary.
If you enjoyed, Please consider adding to favorites, or leave a review etc. That would be much appreciated.
CHAPTER WARNING: Graphic violence, one use of language
Chapter One.
Princess Zelda stood amidst the chaos, a rather grim and pained expression lacing her usually calm features.
Several homes and establishments stood burning before her very eyes, the town's citizens fleeing for their lives with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Broken helms and swords had been tossed across the marred ground.
The cobbled streets were littered with the bodies of Hylian soldiers. Pools of blood and guts stained the ground sickly colors of red. It was a gruesome sight to behold.
She could hear the shrieks, cries and agonizing wails, the clanking of metal, the clashing of swords.
Even among the carnage there were still those brave knights who continued to carry out their duty by huddling around their princess, shielding her from the onslaught. They protected her until one by one they collapsed under a barrage of arrows.
One of the surviving knights grabbed her hand and attempted to lead her back to the castle's stronghold. However they were forced to come to an abrupt halt when confronted by an enraged Gerudo warrior armed with a deadly looking scimitar. The knight instantly raised his sword and shield ready to fight.
"Hylian scum," the Gerudo spat as she began to circle them, venom gleaming in her eyes. She twirled her blade and then without warning flew forward, crying like a banshee.
"Run, princess, run!" the knight ordered.
Zelda hesitated, her expression that of shock and horror as the Gerudo moved with such skill and precision, somersaulting through the air followed by the sound of metal clashing against metal.
The knight was astounded by the Gerudo's speed and caught off guard by her sheer strength. He stumbled backwards and was forced to sidestep as the blade narrowly missed his face. She rushed forward attempting to land a few more blows, however the brave knight parried as best he could, managing to dodge every attack.
He jabbed forward with his sword, grazing her bare stomach. Fire blazed in her eyes as she charged towards him, leaping up in the air and pouncing. The knight lost track of her rapid movements and when he was finally able to track her position, it was too late. The curved blade made contact with his soft flesh, followed by a sickening squelch and the sound of his sword and shield clattering to the ground.
The princess screamed in horror as the knight's head was severed cleanly from his body, spraying blood all over her.
If he could see her now then he would be shocked at the sight of her still rooted to the spot—unmoving. It was like she was a statue which had been frozen in fear.
The Gerudo swiftly turned her attention to the princess. "That's one more vermin exterminated. Wouldn't you agree, princess?"
Snapped out of her reverie, Zelda ignored the Gerudo's statement, instead choosing to scan the ground for any sign of the fallen knight's weapon. She spotted the shimmering blade lying next to his severed head in a pool of blood. She grimaced, almost vomiting at the gruesome sight. With trembling and sweaty palms, she reached down and hauled up his Royal Guard's Sword. It was heavier then anticipated, requiring both of her hands to swing it.
The Gerudo smirked. "You don't honestly think that some prissy, pampered princess such as yourself has any idea how to wield such a weapon, do you?"
"Perhaps not. But against you, I'll do my best," Zelda retorted, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. She would not give the enemy the satisfaction of seeing her fear.
The Gerudo was under strict orders not to harm the princess, but then again, accidents do happen. And this would be a very happy accident.
Zelda had no idea what she was doing, so she just blindingly swung the blade with every last bit of strength she had, hoping it made contact with any part of the Gerudo's body.
The trained warrior successfully deflected the attack, before advancing towards the princess, her scimitar raised sinisterly. With perfect agility she then leapt off the ground and catapulted through the air, aiming to kill. Unfortunately, she was stopped mid-flight when an arrow came whizzing out of nowhere and embedded itself in her chest The Gerudo's body jerked and she was dead even before hitting the ground.
Zelda had squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blow that never came. She opened her eyes, panting heavily as she peered down at the lifeless woman. The arrow had clearly pierced her heart, the warm blood blossoming over her chest and staining her armor a deep crimson. She glanced around, wondering who had fired the fatal shot.
She dropped the sword, discarding it in favor of the scimitar instead. It was much lighter and surprisingly she was able to wield it one handed. On closer inspection, she also noticed that the Gerudo had been concealing a small dagger. She decided to take it for herself, hiding it within the bodice of her dress.
As she continued to traverse the minefield of bloody bodies, she suddenly tripped, falling hands first onto the ground. Her eyes widened as she came face to face with Ashei, another brave soldier who was now covered in blood, her blank, lifeless eyes staring up at her.
A hand flew to her mouth, stifling her sobs. Pain flared in her ankle as she struggled to her feet and began limping, to where she did not know.
Up ahead she noticed a group of Yiga Footsoldiers armed with either Vicious Sickles or Demon Cleavers. Both deadly, both designed to rip through her supple flesh.
Zelda faltered, burning tears engulfed her as the sounds of her own cries and the raging noise around her drowned out their taunts and jeers. Completely overwhelmed and utterly exhausted, the princess fell to her knees.
Link stood at the entrance to Castle Town, overseeing the absolute carnage.
They had struck at dawn. An attack so sudden and unprecedented that even the Princess of Hyrule, in all of her infinite wisdom could not have predicted nor foreseen. As intended, her Royal Guard were also wildly unprepared.
Link had been privvy to his master, Lord Ganondorf's scheming and plotting for months, ever since his meeting with Hyrule's young ruler. The King of the Gerudo had traveled to Hyrule Castle in the hopes of negotiating a peace treaty, but after just a few short hours of deliberations, the princess outright rejected his proposal and refused to sign the agreement. He had returned to his homeland frustrated, angry and rather humiliated. Being powerful and ambitious, he was used to getting what he wanted. He felt insulted and offended that the princess had the nerve to refuse his offer.
Ganondorf, therefore had vowed to get his revenge on the princess. Usually, he would retaliate in the only way he knew how, and that was to use violence and cause bloodshed. However, whilst enjoying an evening meal together, his master had divulged to Link, that whilst in the princess's company, he had felt something unusual—a connection. Therefore, he devised a plan which involved a more strategic and subtle approach with only minimal bloodletting. First though, he needed to capture the princess and he knew just how to do it. His goal was not to attack the princess directly though, instead he would lure her away from the protection of the castle by targeting her beloved subjects. Castle Town, the small village neighboring the castle would be the first to bear witness to his deadly assault.
Due to his fierce loyalty, he had tasked Link with carrying out his devious plan, by leading the surprise attack, along with the Gerudo and Yiga Clan who he had been informed were at his disposal. It had certainly gained the princess's attention, so now it was time to follow through with the next step in his master's strategic plan.
From his vantage point he could already see the princess on her knees, surrounded by the mangled bodies of her loyal knights and a small handful of citizens who he assumed were just collateral damage. She looked rather forlorn and utterly vanquished.
Under his heavy cloak, Link smirked as he marched into the ruined town, flanked by two loyal Yiga Blademasters, Sooga and Hilo. They came to stand a few meters away from the distraught princess.
Zelda glanced up at the three figures standing before her. Her breathing was ragged and her heart beat wildly out of control. She was already aware that those clad in red and wearing masks with the inverted Sheikah eye were members of the notorious Yiga Clan. The shorter out of the three, she could only imagine was some kind of evil imp, goblin or troll.
The figure threw off his hood, revealing a pair of piercing blue eyes and a head full of wild blond locks.
Zelda gasped in shock. Standing before her wasn't some evil creature, it was a young, handsome, Hylian man with a well toned body. What was she thinking? Her emotions were clouding her judgment. No, she had to think rationally. It didn't matter how good looking this human was, he was clearly involved in this assault on the innocent townsfolk.
"Ah, Princess Zelda, it's an honor to finally meet you," Link said tauntingly as he inched closer. "I was going to offer a traditional greeting by kissing your hand, but judging by that look on your face, you'd probably try to take my head off if I tried. So, if you don't mind, I think I'll pass."
Zelda seethed with encompassing rage at his insolence and total disregard at what he had done—the death and destruction he had caused. Her grip on the hilt of the scimitar tightened, her green orbs were wild with fury. "Murderous, treacherous snake!" she accused as she ambled towards him, swinging the preferred weapon of her enemy.
Link chuckled. The princess may have been the epitome of grace and beauty, and he may have been slightly distracted by the way her dress clung to every curve of her body, however her fighting skills severely lacked fluidity and finesse. He raised his sword and the two blades collided. Despite his slightly shorter stature, he was far stronger and he effortlessly sent her careering to the floor. "You really need some lessons in combat, Your Highness," he suggested, a mischievous smile plastered over his face.
Zelda struggled back to her feet and stood there with anger in her eyes. Her cheeks had turned a slight shade of pink as she glared at him. "You're nothing but a traitor who has betrayed his own kind, and for what?"
Link smirked back at her, showing no hint of remorse or regret. "Those are strong words from someone whose own father once ordered attacks on the Gerudo people. Maybe you should focus on that little detail, rather then the choices I've made."
"That was to protect Hyrule! The Gerudo are our enemy, even dating back to the Hyrulean Civil War. You should know this. You're Hylian, aren't you?"
"Oops, I guess I must have somehow missed the history lesson on that little event, Your Highness," Link sneered. "However, I digress. The Gerudo are not the enemy here. My master, Lord Ganondorf came to you with a proposal of an alliance, which I believe was mighty generous considering the atrocities carried out by the Hylians. YOU rejected his offer."
Her eyes widened. "Wait, your master is Ganondorf?"
"That's actually Lord Ganondorf to you, Princess Zelda," he chided.
Zelda sucked in a strangled sob. "I should have known Ganondorf was behind this. You cannot listen to him. That man is a tyrant...a master manipulator who lies and corrupts."
Link's eyes narrowed in anger. "He has never once lied to me. Now disrespect my master again, princess and I will cut out your tongue."
Zelda lifted her chin in defiance. "Do it! It'll only prove to me further that you're nothing but a monster!" She swung at him again and again, but each time he avoided the blade with ease.
"Fight me, you backstabbing, spineless bastard!"
"How uncouth of you, princess," he chastised. "I'm not going to fight you, but it is amusing watching your feeble attempts to attack me. You seem to forget that I'm the greatest swordsman in all of Hyrule and could cut you down in one fell swoop if I so wish. However, my master wishes you alive, so stop with this temper tantrum and come with me. If you cooperate then we can surely avoid any further bloodshed."
"Never!" With quick reflexes, she whipped out the dagger she had concealed earlier and slashed at his arm, causing him to grunt in pain as a thin line of blood seeped through his fingers. She made another attempt, however this time he was ready. He tsked as he grabbed her wrist, twisting it painfully until she had no choice but to let go. The bloodied weapon clattered to the ground.
With rough, calloused hands he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Don't ever do that again!" He shoved her towards Sooga, bruises already visible on her jaw. "Restrain her," he then ordered.
Zelda's chest heaved as Sooga gripped her tightly from behind, whilst Hilo placed shackles on her wrists.
Even when restrained she fought like some wild animal, kicking and screaming and baring her teeth.
Link calmly walked over to her. "You have spunk, I'll give you that, but in the end it is rather futile to resist." He turned to face Hilo. "Gag her too."
A dark scowl flitted across her face as a rag of sorts was forced into her mouth, muffling a string of unladylike curses.
"Come along," Sooga commanded as he shoved her forwards, causing a fresh wave of pain to shoot through her. She gave a muffled cry as she stumbled to the point where she lost her balance. With her hands restrained she wasn't able to catch herself and she ended up flat on the ground, her face burning red with shame and agony.
Realizing her predicament, Link rolled his eyes before storming over to her and hauled her back to her feet. He then reprimanded the Blademasters for their incompetence. "You morons! Do you not know the princess is precious cargo." He turned back to Zelda. "Perhaps we should return to the castle, that way you can at least freshen up and have access to some clean clothes. I'd hate for you to think I lack civility."
He motioned to the two Gerudo women hovering nearby. "Nabooru and Aveil, return to Lord Ganondorf and inform him that we've secured the princess and we'll be preparing to move out soon."
They nodded, before instantly disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
Back at the castle, Zelda had been allowed a brief soak in the tub which had been enough time to clean off the grime, dirt and blood. She then headed to her bedchambers where she proceeded to pick out some clothes. Her chosen outfit consisted of a quilted blouse with blue tunic, fitted brown pants and thick leather boots. Not the usual garb for a princess, but more comfortable and easier to maneuver in then her traditional royal attire.
Once she was done making herself as presentable as possible, Zelda returned to Sooga and Hilo who were standing guard outside. Hilo immediately replaced the shackles and the two Yiga then lead her towards the throne room where they deposited her back at Link's side.
He gazed over her choice of outfit, realizing it hugged her figure even more then her royal dress. "Perfect choice, Your Highness. And that color. Did you know that once upon a time blue was often associated with virtue, royalty and holiness."
Truth be told, she had no idea. All she knew was that royal blue was the Royal Family's signature color, and had been for some time. "No I did not," Zelda replied.
"Strange that, because although you exude several virtues, and of course you are royalty, I don't seem to sense an ounce of holiness within you, princess." He paused momentarily before continuing. "Anyway, I commend your choice, seeing as we'll be doing a large amount of traveling."
Zelda stiffened, mildly confused. "Why? Where are we going exactly?"
"To my master of course, who is currently residing in his palace in the Gerudo Desert."
"Wait, What? I have a duty to my people. I cannot just abandon them. Not a time like this. No way!"
"You can and you will, unless you want to see more of your kingdom crushed to dust," Link warned.
"If you think I'm going to swear fealty or be fooled into an alliance with that conceited, egotistical and arrogant dictator who has oppressed his own people and brainwashed them into believing we're the enemy, then think again."
Link grinned broadly, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "What my master has planned is far more delicious. And in the grand scheme of things, once his plans come to fruition, that alliance won't really matter that much anyway."
"Why? What exactly does he want?"
Link smirked. "Your hand in marriage."
"Marriage?!" she exclaimed, her stomach churning.
"Yes marriage."