The Reformed Gerudo King (Legend of Zelda)

Chapter Twenty One- Raina and Ganondorf

Nadia rode across the Hyrule Fields, pulling her hair out of her braid and standing in the stirrups, feeling the freeing air as her horse galloped along. She spread her arms out as she felt the wind blow her hair and cloak back. She sat back down and rode faster, a new fire of desire in her chest. She wasn't going to let it go anymore, and no was no longer an answer. She was going to learn everything she could about herself and what happened. She made her way to the edge of the forest and she jumped off her horse. "I will return." She patted her neck. "Wait here." She stepped into the trees.

The forest was as ethereal as she remembered, everything having a soft blue cast. Deer looked at her and ran off, the sounds of their hooves fading away. She took a deep breath and pulled a stick off a tree and pulled matches from her satchel, lighting it before continuing. She weaved through the trees, no longer fearing being lost. She made her way deeper and deeper and her confidence grew more and more. She saw a glowing light in the distance and she put out her torch, running towards it. A cabin came into view through the blue fog and her heart pounded. She slowly stepped up to the house, seeing a small garden and stable alongside it, a Unicorn sleeping peacefully in its stall. She walked up to the door and knocked. The door opened by itself and she stepped in.

"I knew you would come to me." A voice came from behind her.

Nadia leapt out of her skin and turned around quickly, seeing the Oracle standing over her with her staff in hand. "Hylenia..." She looked up at her hopefully. "Please, you have to help me!"

"I know what you wish to ask, but I do not wish to speak of it." She walked into her home, tapping a fireplace with the end of her staff and it set ablaze. "Please make yourself comfortable if you wish."

"I'm not taking no for an answer!" Nadia said. "I need to know! I have to know what my great grandmother was thinking!"

She let out a soft sigh. "I know you won't leave without answers." She said. She put a kettle over the fire. "Please, sit. I'll make you tea and we can talk." She pulled off her cloak, all of her tattoos visible. "Are you hungry?"

Nadia shook her head and sat down. "No...I'm not hungry."

Hylenia sat down. "You want to know why Raina combined her bloodline with Ganondorf."

"I thought she was in love with you." Nadia said. "But Ganondorf said that she married him during his seven years of reign. Why would she do such a thing?"

Hylenia looked at the fire. "Raine made a great sacrifice for the betterment of the world, it was just like her to do it...But when she joined his side, I think she did see a side that no one else saw."

"Do...Do you really think she fell in love with Ganon...?"

"Not Ganon." Hylenia looked at her. "Ganondorf was his own person too. The Thief King." She sighed. "Yes, Raina and I were in love, but she needed to be in love with Ganondorf to do what she did."

Nadia stared at her. "...So it's true...But what does that mean for me...?"

"No one believed that she was actually in love with Ganondorf and that she did it all as a great sacrifice, so her name stayed pure and she was a hero to all." She looked at her. "But it did change her bloodline. It's why your mother is so kind to the Gerudo, because she's part Gerudo herself. But not all of your bloodline was proud to be Gerudo, namely your grandmother."

"I know all of that, but..."

"But how does this affect you now." She held her hand. "It makes it easier for Ganon to reach this world, it makes it easier for people to blame you, and it makes it harder for you to see the good in others. But you must look past what Raina did. She had her daughter with Ganondorf, yes, but she also stopped Ganon."

She looked down. "...Ganondorf was right about her loving him..."

"I'm afraid so, yes..." Hylenia rubbed her back. "Your great grandmother was a very complicated woman. I don't know what she could have possibly seen in him, but she saw something no one else did, and she took it to her grave." She pet her hair slowly. "I wish it had turned out differently as well, but we all must make sacrifices..."

"...So what now?"

"Nothing's changed." Hylenia said. "Nothing. Times are different now and your great grandfather is gone. Ganon will try to use the past to get what he wants from you, but things are different now, he's got nothing." She poured the water for the tea. "I loved Raina more than people will ever know, but I don't hold what she did against her, I knew it was for the best. We all have to make sacrifices."

"What will mine be?" Nadia asked.

"You already know. A normal life." Hylenia looked at her. "You were promised a normal life, but you will never have it..." She blew the steam away from her cup. "I know the world leaders are cruel to you, but you must keep strong. It won't be that way forever. You have the younger generation on your side, and you have your family and fiance. You're going to be okay."

Nadia and Hylenia spoke for a few more hours, Hylenia letting Nadia vent. After a while she got up. "I should be returning to the castle now..."

"Indeed." Hylenia looked at her. "Ganondorf has been looking for you everywhere."

She nodded and left, taking off on her horse back to the castle. She made it back in the dead of night and walked up to her room, exhausted. She groaned and laid down. She heard the door open and Ganondorf ran in. "Nadia! Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"I went to see the Oracle." She said, muffled by her pillow. "I'm exhausted..."

Ganondorf let out a sigh and sat with her. "You can't just take off without me, you know that..."

"I'm sorry..."

He pulled her into a hug. "The leaders spoke to the Rito leader about what he said. It's been handled."

"He's going to believe what he's going to believe...Doesn't mean it's right..."

Ganondorf kissed her forehead. "We'll figure out something for tomorrow, okay? Get some rest..."