Categories > Games > Zelda > Dangerous Games
Silver clashed against silver and Zelda grunted with effort as she steeled herself against Ganondorf’s repeated, rapid blows. The muscles in her arms flexed and tense with a burning ache that trailed its way up to her shoulders and neck. Her knees felt as though they would give out at any moment, yet her teeth remained clenched and she pushed back against Ganondorf’s blade with a forcible grunt.
“Good, good, You’re Grace.” Ganondorf nodded approvingly and lowered his sword, easing out of an aggressive stance. During the months following Zelda’s initial lesson, the pair had gained an audience and Ganondorf had resumed formalities, especially considering Zelda’s father was usually among those watching. The crowd this warm afternoon was particularly sparse, save the King, Marius, and Lord D’asril, Marius’ father. They did not look necessarily pleased at the sight that was before them.
Ganondorf’s hands rested on Zelda’s hips, his mouth was a mere hairsbreadth away from her ear as he guided through a technique. Zelda’s face remained a bright shade of red long after his hands had left her and he stood to the side, with a rather satisfied smirk gracing his lips. “Now, show me,” he said simply.
She exhaled slowly before starting the technique, following the path Ganondorf had showed her. When she finished, she turned to look at her instructor. “Well? Was that correct?”
Ganondorf stood silent for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Your left side is weak. You leave yourself vulnerable that way. Here, I will show you how to correct it.” Within a few short strides, he stood behind her, his hands trailing down her arms and resting at her wrists. He adjusted her arms before moving his hands to her hips and guiding her through the modified technique again. “Do you understa--”
“ZELDA!”
Zelda was startled at how stern her father’s voice was. She had all but forgotten that he was even there. Her mind had focused on Ganondorf’s hands at her hips and how close he had been. Her heart raced and it caused her palms to sweat. Her sword fell to the ground with a light clatter and her head turned to look at him. Ganondorf’s hands slipped from Zelda’s waist and he clasped them behind his back. “Lunch will be served shortly. Perhaps you should end your…lessons early today so that you may enjoy it.”
“Y-Yes, Father.” She said with a nod of her head. She leaned over and picked up her sword and quickly slid it into its scabbard, before turning to face Ganondorf. She bowed slightly to him and smiled. “Thank you.” She turned toward the courtyard where lunch was to be served and noticed that Marius sat alone at the table. Her father and Lord D'asril were retreating to the castle.
“Father! Are you not eating with us?”
“I have business to attend to, my dear. But Marius would enjoy your company.”
Marius wore a shark's grin as he looked at her and the princess frowned slightly, before casting her gaze at Ganondorf. “Ganondorf, would you care to join us for lunch?” she asked politely with an almost pleading smile.
Ganondorf looked beyond the princess at Marius who seemed to be growing steadily impatient. “It would appear you already have a companion, Zelda.”
She turned her back to Marius and folded her arms across her chest, “He is too forward for my taste. And if you are kind at all, you would not force me to be alone with him.”
As she spoke, Ganondorf kept his intense gaze on Marius and the younger man finally rose from his chair and made his way to them after several minutes passed. He reached for Zelda's hand, “My dear, lunch is getting cold.”
She reluctantly allowed him to lead her to the table, only doing so because Ganondorf kept pace with her. Marius did not looked at all pleased with Ganondorf as the older man took the seat Zelda's father had occupied only moments ago. “Excuse me, Sir, but this is a meal for two.”
“I invited him, Marius. If that is okay with you.” Zelda spoke with an annoyed tone and Ganondorf smirked at Marius.
“Her Highness wishes it and I am but a humble servant.” His mouth remained twisted in a dangerous smirk as Marius scowled and took his seat. A rather uncomfortable silence settled and Zelda picked at her food then smiled softly at Ganondorf. “I must say I am enjoying my fencing lessons.”
“As you should; you are quite skilled. Naturally talented, dare I say?”
Zelda blushed lightly and Marius rolled his eyes. “Where did you learn to fence?”
“Self-taught. I have had experience in it.” Ganondorf lowered a cup of tea and cast a pointed glare at Marius. “Do you fence?”
Marius' head snapped up and he looked between Zelda and Ganondorf. Zelda appeared genuinely curious while Ganondorf was smug. This irritated Marius. He shifted in his chair and held his head up, his nose in the air. “I have no need for it.”
Zelda glanced at Ganondorf then to gauge his response. His expression remained the same: smug, and somewhat dangerous and Zelda felt butterflies push against the walls of her stomach at that expression. What kind of magic was this man weaving over her to make her feel this way? She was not entirely sure, but she was not necessarily complaining. She tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear and smiled to herself as she began eating again while Marius and Ganondorf continued to stare each other down. Marius' mouth curled in a derisive sneer as Ganondorf slowly rose from his seat.
“Forgive me, Princess, but I have a previous engagement. If you would excuse me.”
Zelda looked disappointed, “Very well.” Her blue gaze watched him for a moment and noticed how his left hand tugged gently at his corresponding earlobe. It was a simple gesture, meaning nothing to Marius, but so much to Zelda. It had become a simple signal, a way for one to tell the other that their company was being requested at a time that would be frowned upon due to its impropriety.
And then he was gone and Zelda shifted in her chair, pleased that he wanted to see her that night.
“You seem quite taken with the sword.”
She looked up to find Marius staring at her with a suspicious expression. She squared her shoulders and looked at him pointedly. “I am skilled. And my instructor is excellent.”
“He is indeed. Very thorough. Very hands on.” Marius sneered at the words as Zelda glared.
“Just what are you suggesting, Sir?”
“I suggest nothing. I was merely making an observation.”
Zelda folded her silverware across her plate before standing abruptly, and leaning on the table. “Your 'observation' is too bold, Sir.”
Marius bowed his head; he was mocking her. “My apologies, You're Grace. It was not my intent to offend.”
Zelda threw her napkin down. “I will thank you to keep such to yourself in the future. Now if you will excuse me, I have a lesson to prepare for.” And with that, she turned curtly upon her heels and marched off into the castle.
“Good, good, You’re Grace.” Ganondorf nodded approvingly and lowered his sword, easing out of an aggressive stance. During the months following Zelda’s initial lesson, the pair had gained an audience and Ganondorf had resumed formalities, especially considering Zelda’s father was usually among those watching. The crowd this warm afternoon was particularly sparse, save the King, Marius, and Lord D’asril, Marius’ father. They did not look necessarily pleased at the sight that was before them.
Ganondorf’s hands rested on Zelda’s hips, his mouth was a mere hairsbreadth away from her ear as he guided through a technique. Zelda’s face remained a bright shade of red long after his hands had left her and he stood to the side, with a rather satisfied smirk gracing his lips. “Now, show me,” he said simply.
She exhaled slowly before starting the technique, following the path Ganondorf had showed her. When she finished, she turned to look at her instructor. “Well? Was that correct?”
Ganondorf stood silent for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Your left side is weak. You leave yourself vulnerable that way. Here, I will show you how to correct it.” Within a few short strides, he stood behind her, his hands trailing down her arms and resting at her wrists. He adjusted her arms before moving his hands to her hips and guiding her through the modified technique again. “Do you understa--”
“ZELDA!”
Zelda was startled at how stern her father’s voice was. She had all but forgotten that he was even there. Her mind had focused on Ganondorf’s hands at her hips and how close he had been. Her heart raced and it caused her palms to sweat. Her sword fell to the ground with a light clatter and her head turned to look at him. Ganondorf’s hands slipped from Zelda’s waist and he clasped them behind his back. “Lunch will be served shortly. Perhaps you should end your…lessons early today so that you may enjoy it.”
“Y-Yes, Father.” She said with a nod of her head. She leaned over and picked up her sword and quickly slid it into its scabbard, before turning to face Ganondorf. She bowed slightly to him and smiled. “Thank you.” She turned toward the courtyard where lunch was to be served and noticed that Marius sat alone at the table. Her father and Lord D'asril were retreating to the castle.
“Father! Are you not eating with us?”
“I have business to attend to, my dear. But Marius would enjoy your company.”
Marius wore a shark's grin as he looked at her and the princess frowned slightly, before casting her gaze at Ganondorf. “Ganondorf, would you care to join us for lunch?” she asked politely with an almost pleading smile.
Ganondorf looked beyond the princess at Marius who seemed to be growing steadily impatient. “It would appear you already have a companion, Zelda.”
She turned her back to Marius and folded her arms across her chest, “He is too forward for my taste. And if you are kind at all, you would not force me to be alone with him.”
As she spoke, Ganondorf kept his intense gaze on Marius and the younger man finally rose from his chair and made his way to them after several minutes passed. He reached for Zelda's hand, “My dear, lunch is getting cold.”
She reluctantly allowed him to lead her to the table, only doing so because Ganondorf kept pace with her. Marius did not looked at all pleased with Ganondorf as the older man took the seat Zelda's father had occupied only moments ago. “Excuse me, Sir, but this is a meal for two.”
“I invited him, Marius. If that is okay with you.” Zelda spoke with an annoyed tone and Ganondorf smirked at Marius.
“Her Highness wishes it and I am but a humble servant.” His mouth remained twisted in a dangerous smirk as Marius scowled and took his seat. A rather uncomfortable silence settled and Zelda picked at her food then smiled softly at Ganondorf. “I must say I am enjoying my fencing lessons.”
“As you should; you are quite skilled. Naturally talented, dare I say?”
Zelda blushed lightly and Marius rolled his eyes. “Where did you learn to fence?”
“Self-taught. I have had experience in it.” Ganondorf lowered a cup of tea and cast a pointed glare at Marius. “Do you fence?”
Marius' head snapped up and he looked between Zelda and Ganondorf. Zelda appeared genuinely curious while Ganondorf was smug. This irritated Marius. He shifted in his chair and held his head up, his nose in the air. “I have no need for it.”
Zelda glanced at Ganondorf then to gauge his response. His expression remained the same: smug, and somewhat dangerous and Zelda felt butterflies push against the walls of her stomach at that expression. What kind of magic was this man weaving over her to make her feel this way? She was not entirely sure, but she was not necessarily complaining. She tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear and smiled to herself as she began eating again while Marius and Ganondorf continued to stare each other down. Marius' mouth curled in a derisive sneer as Ganondorf slowly rose from his seat.
“Forgive me, Princess, but I have a previous engagement. If you would excuse me.”
Zelda looked disappointed, “Very well.” Her blue gaze watched him for a moment and noticed how his left hand tugged gently at his corresponding earlobe. It was a simple gesture, meaning nothing to Marius, but so much to Zelda. It had become a simple signal, a way for one to tell the other that their company was being requested at a time that would be frowned upon due to its impropriety.
And then he was gone and Zelda shifted in her chair, pleased that he wanted to see her that night.
“You seem quite taken with the sword.”
She looked up to find Marius staring at her with a suspicious expression. She squared her shoulders and looked at him pointedly. “I am skilled. And my instructor is excellent.”
“He is indeed. Very thorough. Very hands on.” Marius sneered at the words as Zelda glared.
“Just what are you suggesting, Sir?”
“I suggest nothing. I was merely making an observation.”
Zelda folded her silverware across her plate before standing abruptly, and leaning on the table. “Your 'observation' is too bold, Sir.”
Marius bowed his head; he was mocking her. “My apologies, You're Grace. It was not my intent to offend.”
Zelda threw her napkin down. “I will thank you to keep such to yourself in the future. Now if you will excuse me, I have a lesson to prepare for.” And with that, she turned curtly upon her heels and marched off into the castle.
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