Categories > Games > Zelda > Dangerous Games
The silence in this lonely hallway was split by the sound of the iron door’s hinges. She was greeted by a delightfully sweet scent and Ganondorf’s towering frame. Her skin tingled and she thought the hair on her arm stood on end. A lump had formed and settled in her stomach. Such was becoming a common occurrence whenever she was in his presence. “Good evening, Zelda.”
“Good evening.” She remained frozen where she stood and the hallway became silent once more. Ganondorf glanced down the dark corridor on both ends before looking back at the princess and smiling.
“Well, my dear, would you like to come in? Or will you remain in the hallway the entire evening? I daresay that this would make conversing a bit difficult.”
Zelda blinked, dawning on her that she still stood in the hallway. Ganondorf had moved to one side to allow her entry and she felt just a trifle foolish. She walked into the room, her heels clicking against the aged stone floor as she did so. A fire had been built in the ornate fireplace and the room was illuminated with the soft glow of candles, the source of the sweet scent. It was unexpected how warm the room was, compared to the hall. The atmosphere, however, still felt rather chilled considering the lot of metal used to decorate it.
Her hand trailed along a small wooden table before she finally chose a seat next to the fireplace. “I have lived here all of my life and am yet discovering new rooms.”
“I do hope it is to your liking. Your fondness for Hyrule’s history certainly helps you appreciate my tastes.” He sat down in a plush chair close to hers and reached for a ceramic tea cup. She had not noticed how close he was though her skin once again tingled as the breeze from his movements swept by her.
Zelda nodded in agreement, her gaze studying every aspect of his room. “It is as though I have taken a step back in time. These relics are beautiful. Where ever did you get them?”
Ganondorf chuckled at how awestruck she sounded. “I have lived a long time, Princess,” he said, setting his cup aside and giving her something rather similar to a genuine smile, “Can I interest you in tea?” his hand motioned toward an antique tea set.
Her attention was elsewhere and his questioned barely registered to her as she rose from her seat and moved toward a swords display. “No thank you,” said she finally. She studied each blade carefully and though they all appeared older than her father and mother combined, each blade looked polished and sharp, as if it had been forged that very day.
“These swords are beautiful. Do you fence?”
“On occasion.”
“I would love to learn,” she said, tentatively putting her hand on the glass of the display case.
“I will teach you, if you wish.” He said this as though it was the simplest thing the world; as if no one would question why he was spending so much time with the princess.
Zelda look astounded by the invitation. He certainly was not bound by palace etiquette and there was a bit of confliction within her. Maybe word would get back to her father and he would scold her for it. Though she could not decide if it was her upbringing, her sense of right and wrong or the thought of getting caught that was being the hindrance. “What would the people think..?”
“Whatever they like. People’s opinions matter not to me.”
“And my Father?” She returned to her seat and looked at her host. She did not expect him to have a way over that particular obstacle. She reasoned it would be a good excuse for her to refuse his offer.
“The situation will be explained to him. He was interested in you taking up some sort of hobby.” When there was no response, Ganondorf lowered his teacup and gave Zelda a pointed looked, “Princess, if you do not wish to accept such an offer, simply say so.”
“No! No! I just…I would like that very much.”
He nodded his head and resumed sipping his tea. Silence settled in the air and with a sigh, Ganondorf lowered his cup once more. “Is there a problem?”
Zelda shook her head, a deep red coloring her cheeks. “My apologies. I did not mean to stare.”
He set his cup aside and clasped his hands in his lap. She had lowered her head to hide her blush. He inhaled and attempted an almost genuine smile when she looked up at him once he called her name. “You are silent,” he said, “I do believe your purpose here was to talk.”
“It was. But…” Her voice trailed off and the princess tilted her head with a curious expression. “May I ask you something?”
“You may.”
“Well…the Hero of Time legend speaks of a man, not too dissimilar from you. He even shares your name. And I suppose you could call it childish curiosity…” She traced a pattern in her skirt with her finger.
He stopped her with a soft chuckle, getting to his feet and stoking the fire a bit. So it would seem she had him figured out. However, a lie quickly formed and rolled off of his tongue. “You are correct. However, our similarities end with our names.” He looked at her for a moment in an attempt to gage if she indeed believed his story. “He was my grandfather. I, fortunately, never knew the man. He died when I was a small child.”
Zelda looked unsure of whether or not to believe him. He seemed sincere enough and he had no real reason to lie to her, correct? She closed her fists in her lap, before looking up at him and smiling. “It was silly of me to believe otherwise.” She nodded and motioned toward the teapot. “May I have that tea now?”
He poured her a cup in another ceramic teacup and handed it to her. “If you do not mind me asking, how exactly are you employed here?”
“I am an advisor to your father in military matters.”
Zelda was not at all surprised by Ganondorf’s answer. His face was weathered and he appeared like he had left many battles behind him. She set her teacup down and smiled at him, “So, The Hero? Do you really believe he was just a myth?”
Ganondorf chuckled lightly, “Come now, Princess. A boy who can travel through time? It sounds absolutely ridiculous, stuff of fairytales, wouldn’t you agree?”
“But I…” Zelda bit her lip, casting her gaze downward. Ganondorf had succeeded in making her feel quite foolish. She was beginning to wonder if coming to see him was such a wonderful idea to begin with, “Perhaps I should go. It is getting late and I…” Her sentence ended abruptly and blue eyes followed the large man as he crossed the room and returned to her in just a few long strides.
He presented her with a sword, pulling it free so she could survey the narrow blade. The hilt was golden and etched with the Triforce symbol. “For you,” he carefully slid the blade back into its scabbard and held it out to her.
Zelda looked hesitant before gingerly wrapping her hand around it, “I could not.”
“I insist. It’s yours. If I am to teach you to fence, I recommend becoming familiar with that sword.” Releasing the sword, he stepped back and held his hand out, “And you are correct; it is late. You should return to your room before someone’s ire is raised.”
The princess hugged the sword to her chest before reaching up and taking Ganondorf’s hand with her own and slowly getting to her feet. “You have my thanks for the company and the sword.”
His hand held hers and he’s guided the princess to the large iron door. Her skirts ruffled behind her as she stepped from the warmth of the room into the dark hallway. “Zelda.”
Before a chance to respond had even begun to form in her mind, his hands gently gripped her arms and he drew her up to him. She stood once more on her toes and her eyes darted back and forth before fluttering shut at the sensation of his lips pressed against hers. It felt as though an eternity had come and gone before he finally released her. “Good night,” he whispered, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.
He retreated behind the iron door and Zelda stood there, feeling as though her heart would beat out of her chest. “Good night,” she replied though no one, save that iron door, was there to hear her.
“Good evening.” She remained frozen where she stood and the hallway became silent once more. Ganondorf glanced down the dark corridor on both ends before looking back at the princess and smiling.
“Well, my dear, would you like to come in? Or will you remain in the hallway the entire evening? I daresay that this would make conversing a bit difficult.”
Zelda blinked, dawning on her that she still stood in the hallway. Ganondorf had moved to one side to allow her entry and she felt just a trifle foolish. She walked into the room, her heels clicking against the aged stone floor as she did so. A fire had been built in the ornate fireplace and the room was illuminated with the soft glow of candles, the source of the sweet scent. It was unexpected how warm the room was, compared to the hall. The atmosphere, however, still felt rather chilled considering the lot of metal used to decorate it.
Her hand trailed along a small wooden table before she finally chose a seat next to the fireplace. “I have lived here all of my life and am yet discovering new rooms.”
“I do hope it is to your liking. Your fondness for Hyrule’s history certainly helps you appreciate my tastes.” He sat down in a plush chair close to hers and reached for a ceramic tea cup. She had not noticed how close he was though her skin once again tingled as the breeze from his movements swept by her.
Zelda nodded in agreement, her gaze studying every aspect of his room. “It is as though I have taken a step back in time. These relics are beautiful. Where ever did you get them?”
Ganondorf chuckled at how awestruck she sounded. “I have lived a long time, Princess,” he said, setting his cup aside and giving her something rather similar to a genuine smile, “Can I interest you in tea?” his hand motioned toward an antique tea set.
Her attention was elsewhere and his questioned barely registered to her as she rose from her seat and moved toward a swords display. “No thank you,” said she finally. She studied each blade carefully and though they all appeared older than her father and mother combined, each blade looked polished and sharp, as if it had been forged that very day.
“These swords are beautiful. Do you fence?”
“On occasion.”
“I would love to learn,” she said, tentatively putting her hand on the glass of the display case.
“I will teach you, if you wish.” He said this as though it was the simplest thing the world; as if no one would question why he was spending so much time with the princess.
Zelda look astounded by the invitation. He certainly was not bound by palace etiquette and there was a bit of confliction within her. Maybe word would get back to her father and he would scold her for it. Though she could not decide if it was her upbringing, her sense of right and wrong or the thought of getting caught that was being the hindrance. “What would the people think..?”
“Whatever they like. People’s opinions matter not to me.”
“And my Father?” She returned to her seat and looked at her host. She did not expect him to have a way over that particular obstacle. She reasoned it would be a good excuse for her to refuse his offer.
“The situation will be explained to him. He was interested in you taking up some sort of hobby.” When there was no response, Ganondorf lowered his teacup and gave Zelda a pointed looked, “Princess, if you do not wish to accept such an offer, simply say so.”
“No! No! I just…I would like that very much.”
He nodded his head and resumed sipping his tea. Silence settled in the air and with a sigh, Ganondorf lowered his cup once more. “Is there a problem?”
Zelda shook her head, a deep red coloring her cheeks. “My apologies. I did not mean to stare.”
He set his cup aside and clasped his hands in his lap. She had lowered her head to hide her blush. He inhaled and attempted an almost genuine smile when she looked up at him once he called her name. “You are silent,” he said, “I do believe your purpose here was to talk.”
“It was. But…” Her voice trailed off and the princess tilted her head with a curious expression. “May I ask you something?”
“You may.”
“Well…the Hero of Time legend speaks of a man, not too dissimilar from you. He even shares your name. And I suppose you could call it childish curiosity…” She traced a pattern in her skirt with her finger.
He stopped her with a soft chuckle, getting to his feet and stoking the fire a bit. So it would seem she had him figured out. However, a lie quickly formed and rolled off of his tongue. “You are correct. However, our similarities end with our names.” He looked at her for a moment in an attempt to gage if she indeed believed his story. “He was my grandfather. I, fortunately, never knew the man. He died when I was a small child.”
Zelda looked unsure of whether or not to believe him. He seemed sincere enough and he had no real reason to lie to her, correct? She closed her fists in her lap, before looking up at him and smiling. “It was silly of me to believe otherwise.” She nodded and motioned toward the teapot. “May I have that tea now?”
He poured her a cup in another ceramic teacup and handed it to her. “If you do not mind me asking, how exactly are you employed here?”
“I am an advisor to your father in military matters.”
Zelda was not at all surprised by Ganondorf’s answer. His face was weathered and he appeared like he had left many battles behind him. She set her teacup down and smiled at him, “So, The Hero? Do you really believe he was just a myth?”
Ganondorf chuckled lightly, “Come now, Princess. A boy who can travel through time? It sounds absolutely ridiculous, stuff of fairytales, wouldn’t you agree?”
“But I…” Zelda bit her lip, casting her gaze downward. Ganondorf had succeeded in making her feel quite foolish. She was beginning to wonder if coming to see him was such a wonderful idea to begin with, “Perhaps I should go. It is getting late and I…” Her sentence ended abruptly and blue eyes followed the large man as he crossed the room and returned to her in just a few long strides.
He presented her with a sword, pulling it free so she could survey the narrow blade. The hilt was golden and etched with the Triforce symbol. “For you,” he carefully slid the blade back into its scabbard and held it out to her.
Zelda looked hesitant before gingerly wrapping her hand around it, “I could not.”
“I insist. It’s yours. If I am to teach you to fence, I recommend becoming familiar with that sword.” Releasing the sword, he stepped back and held his hand out, “And you are correct; it is late. You should return to your room before someone’s ire is raised.”
The princess hugged the sword to her chest before reaching up and taking Ganondorf’s hand with her own and slowly getting to her feet. “You have my thanks for the company and the sword.”
His hand held hers and he’s guided the princess to the large iron door. Her skirts ruffled behind her as she stepped from the warmth of the room into the dark hallway. “Zelda.”
Before a chance to respond had even begun to form in her mind, his hands gently gripped her arms and he drew her up to him. She stood once more on her toes and her eyes darted back and forth before fluttering shut at the sensation of his lips pressed against hers. It felt as though an eternity had come and gone before he finally released her. “Good night,” he whispered, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.
He retreated behind the iron door and Zelda stood there, feeling as though her heart would beat out of her chest. “Good night,” she replied though no one, save that iron door, was there to hear her.
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