Blinding Darkness - Zelda X Ganondorf

Chapter 12

    "How do you do this?"

     Ganondorf, utterly bemused, turned the piece of paper to the other side to peer at the text strung on endlessly, the Hylian words blurring together and forming neither sense nor meaning.

     "By struggling." Zelda took it back and fingered through her folders, tucking it in its proper spot. "You'd be surprised."

     "But none of this is even remotely understandable." They were sitting alone in the Court Room, after a meeting/waste of time that Ganondorf attended, and he was "helping" her clean up.

     "I know, right?" She laughed softly. "So I usually improvise. It works actually really well, most of the time."

     "Okay, then?" He handed her the scattered reports he had collected on the table and she slipped them into a portfolio.

     "The Hyrulean court is more messed up than most people realize." Zelda shrugged nonchalantly and slid the rack of folders underneath the desk. "Hierarchy is a huge influence. Not enough representation of the lower ranks. Monarchy itself is pretty horrible, if you think about it. Nothing I can do."

     Ganondorf grunted noncommittally. "The desert is superior."

     "The desert produced you, so I would daresay different." She teased.

     "You insult me." He placed a hand on his chest.

     "You can't dance." She reminded him. "A sure sign of inferiority."

     "The ball was days ago, Princess." He rolled his eyes.

     "I will never forget about it, so you can give up hope." 

     He sighed dramatically. "You are cruel."

     "Thanks for the compliment." Zelda took the papers and proceeded to saunter out of the room. Ganondorf got up from his seat, staring daggers at the rack of the folders sitting innocently under the desk, then followed.

     Another week and a bit more passed like this.

     Ganondorf never did get used to suits, but slowly he adjusted to life in the Castle, after a month of staying. 

     He no longer got lost while navigating the leviathan of a Castle. He no longer fumbled with the complicated system of dinners and ceremonies. He no longer got so many stares as he passed on his way.

     But the more time he spent in the Castle, the more trapped he felt. The more he longed for the wild desert, of the sun to kiss his deprived skin. 

     There were good things, of course. Finally, he was free to probe the deeply hidden mechanics buried in Hyrule. As much as he tried to ignore the tiny voice constantly whispering that this was a golden chance to attack, to take over, and that he would not fail this time, as much as he despised himself for thoughts like this, he could not put it aside.

     So he stayed as sharp as ever, his eyes peeled.

     And, of course, Zelda.

     She was pretty cool. 

     He had expected anything other than to think that of the Hylian Princess.

     Was he betraying himself by this?

     Eh. Whatever.

     She was pretty cool.

     He suddenly wanted to talk to the child again. Something in him pushed him in her direction.