A Shed of Hope

Chapter Two: Zelda

I listen to the sound of birds chirping loudly and the wind brushing the tree leaves softly as I pace through the garden. The flowers are in bloom this time of year, and as I gaze at all the pink, yellow, orange, red, and purple flowers, I find a sense peace and relaxation, something I don’t get often. When I'm here, I feel all the weight of the burdens of a princess taken off my shoulders. I walk lazily through the garden, looking aimlessly around at the walls of the castle towering around me. I walk over to a lone window on one of the walls, directly opposite of the entrance to the garden. I place my hands on the window sill and gaze inside.

The room beyond the window is none other than the throne room. The tile floor and red carpet along with the three thrones, a large one flanked by two smaller ones, one smaller than the other, on both sides, give it a royalty kind of feel. I see several guards along the walls of the room as I gaze intently through the window. At the bottom of the set of stairs leading up to the thrones is Ganondorf, the Prince of the Gerudo Thieves. He is a tall man, nearly a foot and a half taller than me. His hair is an unnatural red color, and his eyes are a piercing yellow. His unnatural green skin is covered in mud and dirt in places. His black armor is also a little dirty in places and there are dark bags under his eyes, signaling that he has been up all night. What scares me the most at the moment is that in a couple months, I am going to be married to him. About a year ago, Ganondorf declared to my parents that he loved me and wanted to get married. My parents, sensing a strong alliance with the Gerudo tribe of the desert far to the west and Hyrule, agreed and now I am stuck in a nightmare I can't get out of. Truth is the man gives me the creeps. I'm scared of him and his presence seems to hold some kind of evil. But, of course, my parents will not listen. I doubt they listen to anyone other than themselves and the Gerudo Prince as he kneels down in front of their thrones and speaks to them. I can't help myself as I lean my ear against the window to hear what they're saying. I can hear them clearly; they're not trying to be secret about anything at the moment.

“Your Majesties,” Ganondorf begins in his hoarse voice. “I wish to speak with your daughter in private later this afternoon, for I have something that I would like to show her.”

“And what precisely is that,” my father asks, not in a suspicious kind of way, but a curious kind of way.

“Well, you see,” Ganondorf says, getting to his feet and looking upon the king and queen of Hyrule with respect. But I think it’s fake. I think he’s just making this whole thing up to gain control over Hyrule like the Gerudo thief in legends. “As I know she does not return the feelings that I feel for her. And so, I've been trying to get her to return that love to me by making her happy. And by doing so, I've been getting her small presents here and there about once a week.”

“So you want to speak with Zelda about a new present for her,” the queen asks.

How I hate what Ganondorf is doing. He may be trying to win me over, but I will never buy it. All his stupid ‘presents’ are nothing more than trying to buy his way to the throne, I just know it. But, of course, my parents will hear nothing of it. They say I should be thankful for the gifts he gives me, but how can you be thankful for just a handful of flowers and a walk around the castle grounds, especially when you want nothing to do with the man giving them to you?

“Yes, indeed, my queen,” Ganondorf answers politely.