Blinding Darkness - Zelda X Ganondorf

Chapter 1

     "Lord Ganondorf."

     Zelda stood in the torrid sands, the dry winds stirring the golden, shifting desert beneath her feet. Her golden brown hair whipped softly, almost the exact shade of sand at the hour of twilight.

     She had been strongly advised against coming here in this time, or rather, visiting the desert at all. She listened to none of them, a headstrong woman of just over twenty two years old. She knew the risks well enough. In the Gerudo Region lurked many enemies, each one more dangerous, and the greatest of them all slept here, but that was precisely the reason why she needed to visit.

     Ganondorf was standing with his back to her. In the quickly cooling desert he had on a dark cape that rippled in the winds in time with his long, crimson hair, the sturdy cloth embroidered with patterns and words that Zelda could make neither head nor tail of. She stared at them instead of his face when he turned around slowly, his lightning green eyes alight with mocking humour.

     "I came alone." Her voice rang out clearly in the unnatural silence. "I brought no reinforcements, no armed men. All I want to do is talk." She clenched her left hand, and the Triforce of Wisdom lit up, golden on the smooth skin, piercing through the darkness falling on the sprawling desert.

     She was far from unarmed, even alone, even against such a formidable enemy. And Ganondorf knew it.

     "How very..." He sounded like he was contemplating every word with a sardonic slowness, a smirk flickering on his lips. "Unexpected of you, Princess Zelda. A delicate, poor damsel, all alone in the huge desert. Oh, dear! What if she gets lost?"

     Zelda's chocolate brown eyes narrowed. "I am trying to be diplomatic, and you are making it difficult. I have an... offer for you."

     "By all means, let's hear it." Ganondorf leaned back, seemingly very at ease in his home territory. Two glinting blades sat on either side of his hips.

     Zelda took a deep breath. "Hyrule Castle invites you to stay for 60 days, and 60 days only. This is a chance to exchange peace and cease the endless war that had been raged on Hyrulean soil."

     Ganondorf looked infuriatingly amused. "Hyrule Castle's decision, or that of a stubborn Princess?"

     "Both." Zelda was losing her cool rapidly. "Look, Ganondorf. I cannot be the only one that is tired of the pointless battles. Too much blood had been spilt, both of Gerudo and Hylian. I am not asking for anything more than for you to stay for two months at the Castle, just to make an attempt at peace. If it doesn't work, then by all means, rage another war against us. We repeat this cycle every century or so, after all." She tossed her hair dismissively. 

     Ganondorf looked behind her shoulder, like he expected someone else to jump from the lengthening shadows of night. "So what does your... little knight think of this? Who's to say he won't stab another blade through my head the moment he lays his eyes on me? Because I rather like living, a reasonable request, no?"

     Zelda put her hands on her hips. Childish, she knew. However, she needed to make a statement. "Once again, I came alone, so there's no need to scour every shadow behind you. As of Link... We are still not sure where he is at the moment, but he'll show up sometime." A dull flush of shame rose to her face, and she cursed herself for letting this slip.

     Ganondorf threw back his head and laughed. 

     "So you are without your knight in shining armor, huh?" Amusement was evident in every plane of his face. "Who's to save you from the horrible Gerudo who's about to eat you up in one gulp?" He growled and snapped his teeth at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief.