✓Bounded

Chapter 10- Like Him

"Why did you do this?"

"The same reason you might. To get rid of all the beastly monsters. They have no right to be here! Especially not the...tounge man!" The dragon spat, disgust in her tone. "I want peace."

Zelda thought for a moment. "We all do. Don't we?" She said, softening her tone a bit. "I understand how you feel."

"How could you ever?"

"I did somethings as well. Some things that..." 'I'm not proud of.' That's what should have come out of her mouth. But it didn't.

"Things that?" The water dragon looked a bit annoyed that she had trailed off.

***
"Are you proud?" Ganondorf asked her out of the blue, after riding in silence for the last hour.

"Of what?"

"Of what you're doing...you will be wed to me soon. Will you regret it?" The answer seemed to matter to him.

"...Prehaps."

"Oh. I see."

"But...I probably won't. My people will be safe."

"But you'll be in a loveless marriage." He said, a bit of disdain in his voice.

"My people will be safe. Who cares about me?"

"...I do, Princess."

She was caught off guard. "E-excuse me?"

Ganondorf cleared his throat. "You heard me." He said, in a bit colder tone. "Thank you for answering."

"Yes...no problem."
***

'If he were to ask me the same question again...would my answer change?' Zelda thought. Regretting what she had told him earlier.

"Girl, hello?" The dragon was looking at Zelda with confusion.

"Apologies. I'm saying that you should think of everyone. Including yourself."

"I...Including myself?"

"Yes...because I care about you. Having just met you. It's a noble cause...what you did. But not the right solution." She was calm and composed. But inside she was a mess. He cared for her? How could this be? Was that...what she needed to hear? Then yet, she didn't answer him the way she should have.

"You care about me? You hardly know me."

"I do. Because...I've known someone like you. Your reckless decison. It was for a reason...but it wasn't right. Now, everyone sees you as an evil being. Simply because...you thought had no other choice."

"I didn't think I had a choice. I only wish I did. But now, even my people hate me." Ganon scoffed.

"My apologies..."

"It's not your fault. Only your ancestors."

The water dragon didn't speak for a while. Zelda looked at her intently, trying to read her for an answer. The water started to slowly go down. It went down and it seemed to go back into the lakes or streams that it had come from.

"You certainly are something."

"No. I'm actually really dense."

"Why do you say that, child? Maybe I can help you. You helped me after all." The dragon smiled. Though, you can't really tell.

"I...No reason actually. Thank you for...unflooding the forest though."

"Of course, child. I will have a talk with Machi. He needs to stop sending people to do his bidding."

Zelda laughed. "Really?"

"Yes! He did the same thing with a boy."

"Boy?"

"Oh yes. His name was Link. That's what he called him."

"Link? Do you happen to know where he went?"

"I'm not sure. He hasn't come back- Oh. Look, there he is. He seems to be speaking to Machi." The dragon groaned. "Machi and his favors..."

Zelda looked in the direction Faron was looking. "Link!" She called out, walking towards him.

Fi appeared. "Princess! Hello!"

Link turned to look at her. "Zelda..?"

"Yes! Zelda. Listen, I need your help. Please. I have to get home."

Link looked at her, bewildered. "Home? But I-"

"She means back to her time!" Fi told him. "44% says we can, the other 60.1% says we can't. Think we can do it?"

"That's real helpful. Thanks, Fi." Link sighed.

"Yes, Mas- Link!" Fi smiled.

"Will you help me?"

"Fine. We'll help. But first, we have to help us with our Zelda."

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Two chapters in one day! Yay! Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed! I love you all! I'll see you in the graves! 💜