Link hung his head in his hands. "This is my fault," he said softly.
"It is not your fault," Zelda started, but he ignored her.
"I said Pyra should come with us; I let her go off by herself. This is just like what happened with Ilia and the village children," he muttered, red staining his face.
"You saved Ilia and the children."
"I wouldn't have had to, if I hadn't let King Bulblin get the jump on me," he spat. "And Pyra wouldn't have gotten captured if I had been paying more attention. I just don't understand how they did it."
"It does not matter how," Ganondorf said, glaring at him. "Stop your self-pitying, hero. The only thing that matters is what happens next."
Zelda looked to him. "And what is that?"
"I will go, of course."
She exhaled. "Is that wise?" she asked quietly. "That is what they want. Perhaps Link and I –"
"No. It will be me." His hands were clenched into fists. "Their note was clear on what would happen if it is not me."
"Fine, then," Zelda said, though the thought of letting Ganondorf anywhere near the witches was making nerves pool in her stomach. "But we will be with you."
Link nodded. He was watching Ganondorf skeptically, who scowled at him when he noticed it.
"You are surprised I want to get her back?" he demanded.
Link shrugged, looking away.
"That girl is Gerudo; she is under my protection," Ganondorf said fiercely. He closed his eyes, and Zelda did not think he was speaking to Link anymore. "My past failures may have driven my people out of their home, but I can at least – " He cut himself off, shaking his head. "There is an oasis not far from here. We can spend the night there and reach the Twinrova's camp tomorrow."
"I don't like that we are doing exactly what these witches want," Link said while they walked. "Maybe I could sneak into their camp and get Pyra out."
"No." Ganondorf's hand was tight around his sword hilt, though his voice was steady. "I will not risk Pyra's life if you are caught." He looked to Zelda now, who realized she had been nervously wringing her hands for the past several minutes. She forced them to her side. "I got us away from them before," Ganondorf added, giving Zelda an arrogant smile. "Their magic does not compare to my power."
"Do not become overconfident," Zelda warned, though she could not help feeling reassured by his smile. "Were it not for the Triforce your arrogance would have already killed you." She nodded towards Link, and Ganondorf's smile faded.
"I underestimated the Triforce of Courage; that is all," he said quietly. "My mothers' magic I know well. They were not able to uncover the hidden temple either, so they won't be able to do anything to me. They are still missing the Zonai Stone."
"If that is even what they were looking for," Zelda said, and they continued in silence.
They eventually reached the oasis Ganondorf referenced, by which time the sky was beginning to darken and Zelda's eyelids were heavy with exhaustion. She must have done more travelling since the Twilight Invasion than the entirety of her life before. If only it were under better circumstances, she thought as she helped Link and Ganondorf set up their bedrolls.
"I'll watch first," Link said after they were finished. Zelda agreed, and was on the verge of sleep when she heard Ganondorf say, "Hero, I would speak with you briefly. Come here for a moment."
She opened her eyes, glancing behind her, and saw Ganondorf standing in front of Link, his arms crossed. Link's mouth dropped open slightly and he gave Zelda an alarmed look before saying, "Alright." The two of them wandered away, speaking too lowly for her to hear, and she lay her head back down, closing her eyes. It was fully night now, and the air had become cold. She pulled her bedding up to her neck, missing her warm bed, and fell into a shallow sleep, which she was pulled from sometime later when she felt a weight upon her, and blearily opened her eyes to see Ganondorf laying his cape over her.
He cleared his throat when he saw that she had woken. "You were shivering," he muttered, and looked down when she smiled at him.
"Thank you," she said softly.
He nodded, returning his gaze to her.
"What were you and Link talking about?" she asked.
"That is none of your concern. Go back to sleep."
She sat and pulled his cloak around her, relishing in its warmth. "Ganondorf, are you worried about tomorrow?"
"No."
"I am," she said. "I cannot stand the thought of anything happening to Pyra." She paused. "Or to you."
She watched the movement of his throat as he swallowed. "Zelda," he murmured. "You should not worry about me."
"I cannot help but worry." She could not see his expression clearly in the dark, which gave her the courage to press on. "Ganondorf, as I have gotten to know you these past months, and especially now, that I have been travelling with you, have become allies with you, I… you have come to mean a lot to me."
He blinked slowly, and for a moment there was nothing but the sound of their breathing. Then he reached for her hand, watching as the cape slid from her shoulder. "You are too good… Zelda." He brought her hand to his lips, and she trembled as they touched her skin. "My sweet Zelda," he murmured against her fingers. "I wish… When this is over… I want…" He hesitated.
"What do you want?" Zelda whispered. "Ganondorf."
He shook his head, and turned her palm, pressing a kiss to her wrist. "Sleep now, Zelda," he said, and squeezed her hand briefly before releasing her. "We must be well rested if we are to rescue Pyra. There will be time to speak of this later."
She watched his retreating form fade into the darkness. Her skin still felt warm where he had kissed her. My sweet Zelda. He would not say such a thing if he were still planning to conquer Hyrule, would he? Would not give her his cloak for warmth, and touch her so gently. Unless it is all a manipulation. Surely she was wise enough to see through falsities, she thought, touching a finger to her wrist where his lips had been. She shook the thoughts away – Ganondorf was right; they needed to focus on the Twinrova now. She lay down, pulling his cape back over her, and soon fell into an uneasy sleep.
The Twinrova had made their camp along the edge of the desert, where the hot sand gave way to stone cliffs. It was the least travelled part of the Gerudo Desert, far from any Hylian settlements, though Zelda imagined that would change with the uncovering of the hidden temple. A canyon meandered between two cliff sides, and it was here that Zelda could make out the sight of tents in the distance, and as they got closer, she could see a few people – women – standing on guard or patrolling. Their red hair marked them as Gerudo. Ganondorf watched them with an inscrutable expression on his face; Link had his hand on his sword hilt. Zelda was breathing steadily, attempting to stem the feeling of dread that had developed in her overnight.
As they approached, one of the Gerudo women looked up towards them. She began to march towards them, a spear held in her hand and a metal circlet around her head. Ganondorf unsheathed his sword, but the woman stopped a few paces in front of them. "The Elders are waiting for you," she said flatly. There was an odd look in her eyes, but she turned around before Zelda could see clearly. "Follow me," she said.
Zelda exchanged a wary glance with Ganondorf, who was beginning to develop a frightening expression on his face, and followed the woman into the small camp. The few Gerudo who were patrolling continued their marching, not even glancing at the newcomers, which struck Zelda as very strange. Perhaps she and Link would not warrant much attention, but surely a male Gerudo would draw curiosity. She caught a blank look on one of the guard's faces, much like their escort, and her feeling of dread intensified. The guard was also wearing a metal band on her head.
The woman led them to the largest tent, in the center of the camp. She drew the flap open, and gestured inside. When Zelda and her companions entered, she did not follow. At the back of the tent, the Twinrova were waiting for them, sitting on pillowed chairs.
"Looks like you win, Koume!" Kotake said with a laugh.
"What?" Ganondorf snapped.
Koume's lips curled. "Kotake did not think you would show up. Why would you care if we kill a girl you hardly know? But I knew you would appear." She wrinkled her nose in disgust, looking now at Zelda. "You association with this princess has rotted you."
"Do not speak of her," Ganondorf growled, stepping in front of Zelda. "I did what you asked. I am here. Where is Pyra?" He crossed his arms. "And release all these women here who you've enchanted."
"Greedy, greedy," Kotake mocked. "They were not part of the deal."
"We meant what we said in our letter, son," Koume rasped. "You come with us and we will allow Pyra to live."
"You will free her," Ganondorf ordered. "You will return her to the Princess."
"Fine, fine." Kotake waved her hand. "The girl will be free to do what she likes."
"Where is she?" Link demanded.
Kotake glanced him briefly, before turning her attention back to Ganondorf. "I'm disappointed, son. Not only have you ruined yourself with Hyrule's princess, you've also befriended your killer! How pathetic!"
"I am losing my patience, mothers," Ganondorf snarled. "Take me to her now. I have only become more powerful than when I was your king, you know."
"You can transform into a beast now," Kotake said, feigning a yawn. "So what? You have lost sight of your goals; you are weak."
"I'm growing tired of this, Kotake," Koume said. She sighed, picking at her yellowing nails. "During the era of Hyrule's founding, the Gerudo capital was in this area of the desert. Pyra has been taken to the ruins there. You will meet us there, or you know what will happen."
Then, with a flash, the witches disappeared.
Link blinked. "What was the point in telling us to come here if they are just sending us somewhere else?"
Ganondorf's hands were clenched into fists at his side. "They find it funny," he spat. "Or they wanted me to see this place; to see what they are doing to my people." He closed his eyes, and when he opened them Zelda was not sure if she had ever seen his eyes so furious. "I am going to kill them," he swore. "Today."
Zelda inhaled sharply. Ganondorf looked to her. "Does this displease you?" he asked softly.
"No," she whispered, and then repeated, stronger, "No, Ganondorf. They have killed innocent women and infants. They have hurt my people. I want them dead."
He gave her an approving smile. "Vicious Princess," he murmured, and briefly touched her cheek. Link cleared his throat.
"These ruins they were talking about," he said. "Do you know where they are?"
Ganondorf stepped back from Zelda, nodding. "Yes," he said. "It is not far from here. I will take us there." He held out his arms, and when Zelda reached for his hand, his grip was tight.
"This was the Gerudo capital?" Zelda asked.
"That is what they say," Ganondorf replied. "I have been here only rarely. Supposedly we abandoned this place to be closer to Hyrule Castle Town, but that was before my time."
She supposed the ruins they were approaching looked like the remains of a city, but one that had clearly been ravaged by time and the elements. The buildings had been constructed of stone, and many were still standing, but the walls and roofs had been warn through by the wind in places. At the edge of the city was a building with multiple floors, and the guards standing outside it indicated to Zelda that this was where Pyra was being held. As they approached the ruins, Zelda felt magic washing over her, dampening her. Another anti-warp barrier. She heard Ganondorf unsheathe his sword. Link let out a nervous chuckle next to her.
"Just thinking about how much easier my life was when all I had to worry about was herding goats," he said when she looked at him.
"Do you ever wish none of this had happened, Link?"
"Never," he said seriously.
The guards did not react as they walked towards the large building, the same blank look on their faces as the Gerudo at the Twinrova's camp. Zelda found it incredibly eery.
"My mothers have gotten more proficient at that spell, if they no longer need the helmets," Ganondorf said darkly.
They climbed the stairs into the decrepit building, so worn down Zelda almost worried about the roof collapsing on them. Inside was a large hall, and at its end a massive stone throne. On each side of the throne, Koume and Kotake were hovering on their brooms. At the back wall stood an array of monsters: Bokoblins, Lizalfos and Moblins. And in the grip of one of the Moblins, her hands bound and her mouth gagged, was Pyra. Her eyes widened when she saw Zelda, and she began struggling. The Moblin held a large knife to her throat and she stilled.
"Let her go," Zelda demanded. Kotake cackled with laughter.
"I hope you enjoyed wasting my time," Ganondorf spat.
"It is only fair, after how long you wasted ours," Koume said.
"I am here. Free her."
"We will keep our promise, son," Kotake said, the amusement dropping from her face. "You sit on this throne again, where you belong, and your princess can have the girl."
Zelda breathed heavily, eyeing the stone throne. A trap, she thought. Although it appeared to be normal stone, at least from where she stood.
Ganondorf approached the throne, a frown on his face. He studied it thoroughly, and the surrounding area, stopping only briefly to let out a short laugh. Then he looked again at Pyra and the knife at her throat, and sat. At the same moment as the Moblin released Pyra, a ring of flames erupted from around the stone throne.
Ganondorf, lazily sprawling himself on the throne, yawned. "You think this can hold me?"
"I know it cannot," said Koume.
Meanwhile, Pyra ran to Zelda, who immediately tore the gag from her mouth. The girl burst into tears while Zelda got to work on her bound hands. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I'm sorry."
Kotake clicked her tongue. "Poor thing," she cooed. "So desperate to save her sister that she would do anything."
Pyra shuddered. "I'm sorry," she whispered again, and Zelda froze.
"What did you do?" she said softly. The only answer she got was renewed sobbing.
"Don't cry, girl," Koume said, crossing her arms. "What are these strangers compared to your beloved sister?"
"Pyra," Zelda repeated. "What did you do?"
"I didn't – didn't know," she cried. "I – I didn't know what they wanted it for."
"This really is the perfect place, Koume," Kotake said gleefully. She held out her hands in front of her, and the air in front of her began to shimmer. "Exactly where it all started." In her outstretched hands, something appeared – a yellow stone. It was shaped like a tear.
Ganondorf quickly stood, stepping through the fire. Zelda summoned her bow.
"I'm sorry," Pyra whimpered again.
"I agree, Kotake," Koume said. "There is no better place to resurrect our king."
And then Kotake shoved the Zonai stone into Ganondorf's forehead.
Before Zelda could so much as scream, the monsters attacked.