01-27-2014, 04:53 AM
With a single nod of his head, Ganondorf agreed with Eighteen’s sentiment. Yes, it was obvious this emptied town was related to the dragon in some way. His emerald eyes scanned the thatch-roofed cottages, and like his blonde companion, he could not see any signs of a struggle or fight here. The one dragon he’d had experience with, Volvagia, was a true force of catastrophe. It had laid waste to everything in its path and fed upon beings made of the very stuff of the mountain it called home. Though with the power of the Triforce, he had resurrected the beast, the Gerudo knew it did not call him master. Dragons knew no masters, and after it had finished with the Gorons who had slain it before, it would have made a move to conquer his kingdom as well. In the end, that boy had done him somewhat of a service in destroying the foul beast.
But Link was not here this time. There was no hero moving in to rescue the masses, to free them from their terror. The only ones who could help were Ganondorf and his liege-lady. That Ganondorf, the scourge of Hyrule would now be rescuing peasants from their plight. The thought made him chuckle as he climbed down from his mount to join Eighteen afoot. It really was laughable how things had changed over a relatively short time. Yet it wasn’t unexpected. The desert man knew he’d have to adapt to survive here, with his powers all but stripped away from him. He knew he’d have to return to his ways prior to his ascension. The clever diplomat, loyal and true; the fierce warrior, proud and righteous; a man seen as good by all who laid eyes on him. It was as easy as slipping on a new pair of boots, and somehow it felt more natural than when he had seized a world with strength alone.
The Gerudo King led his horse as they moved into the town, the quiet of their surroundings amplifying the clip-clop of Mirage’s hooves to a deafening level. Eighteen walked beside him, neither speaking of the silence, nor the state of the village, nor even of his decision to join her off of his mount. Of the former two, there was no need for words. If anything came of them, then action would be needed. Of the latter, Ganondorf preferred not to speak of it anyway. His decision had come spontaneously, most likely from some vestige of chivalry which had stubbornly held on after his descent into darkness. The thought turned his stomach a bit. Honor and chivalry had once been as much a part of the Gerudo as his own skin, but they had made him weak. They had allowed what he treasured to be taken from him, and they were useless to a true King.
The buildings stood silent as the duo made their way down the main street of town, shutters closed tight barring views within. The occasional cobblestone poked up from the road, signs that this town had once, long ago, been a center of trade. Ganondorf considered that the town may have been abandoned long before the trouble with the dragon, but he discarded that possibility almost instantaneously. The thatching of the roofs was in good repair, the buildings themselves even giving the feeling of being lived in, despite the empty streets. No… the likeliest explanation was…
Suddenly, Ganondorf turned from their path, moving directly to what appeared to be a small home. Like the others, the shutters and door were closed tight and as Ganondorf approached the building he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. Indeed, before he could raise his hand to the doorknob it opened a fraction. The contrast between the sun outside and the darkness within gave no indication as to who had opened it, but a voice spoke to him, quavering in nervousness.
“W-who are you?” it said, sounding definitively feminine, or possibly just the voice of a youth.
Ganondorf bowed his head slightly at the words, speaking softly and attempting to temper his words towards comfort.
“I am Ganondorf. My Leige-Lady here is named Eighteen. We have received word that a dragon most foul is besieging these lands. We have come to rid you of this menace.”
“The King has already sent out the call to slay this dragon… many have died already trying. What makes you any different?” the voice replied, its voice tinged with pain, but steadier than before.
Ganondorf considered the words spoken, and what he would say, for a moment. He knew the situation was delicate and didn’t want a wrong word to foul anything.
“Nothing.”
The voice, spoken from his side, caught Ganondorf off guard. Sometime in his pondering, Eighteen had made her way to his side and she was the one who replied to the voice. Ganondorf looked to her and despite being the larger of the two, he felt small in comparison as she continued.
“But if we stand idly by while people suffer, we’re no better than the dragon. We’ll do what we can to help you, or we’ll die trying.”
Ganondorf suppressed a scowl by sheer force of will at her words. Dying was not something he could imagine doing for someone else. He had too much yet to do before his end. But that was not why his mood had turned sour, or why he had felt so tiny when she spoke them. One other had spoken words like that. The boy. The Hero. While Ganondorf struggled to maintain his composure, the door opened further, revealing the voice to have been a woman after all, well into her middle years. A young lad clung to her skirts as she beckoned them in.
“Best come in then. I’ll fix you some tea and explain what’s been going on to you.”
But Link was not here this time. There was no hero moving in to rescue the masses, to free them from their terror. The only ones who could help were Ganondorf and his liege-lady. That Ganondorf, the scourge of Hyrule would now be rescuing peasants from their plight. The thought made him chuckle as he climbed down from his mount to join Eighteen afoot. It really was laughable how things had changed over a relatively short time. Yet it wasn’t unexpected. The desert man knew he’d have to adapt to survive here, with his powers all but stripped away from him. He knew he’d have to return to his ways prior to his ascension. The clever diplomat, loyal and true; the fierce warrior, proud and righteous; a man seen as good by all who laid eyes on him. It was as easy as slipping on a new pair of boots, and somehow it felt more natural than when he had seized a world with strength alone.
The Gerudo King led his horse as they moved into the town, the quiet of their surroundings amplifying the clip-clop of Mirage’s hooves to a deafening level. Eighteen walked beside him, neither speaking of the silence, nor the state of the village, nor even of his decision to join her off of his mount. Of the former two, there was no need for words. If anything came of them, then action would be needed. Of the latter, Ganondorf preferred not to speak of it anyway. His decision had come spontaneously, most likely from some vestige of chivalry which had stubbornly held on after his descent into darkness. The thought turned his stomach a bit. Honor and chivalry had once been as much a part of the Gerudo as his own skin, but they had made him weak. They had allowed what he treasured to be taken from him, and they were useless to a true King.
The buildings stood silent as the duo made their way down the main street of town, shutters closed tight barring views within. The occasional cobblestone poked up from the road, signs that this town had once, long ago, been a center of trade. Ganondorf considered that the town may have been abandoned long before the trouble with the dragon, but he discarded that possibility almost instantaneously. The thatching of the roofs was in good repair, the buildings themselves even giving the feeling of being lived in, despite the empty streets. No… the likeliest explanation was…
Suddenly, Ganondorf turned from their path, moving directly to what appeared to be a small home. Like the others, the shutters and door were closed tight and as Ganondorf approached the building he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. Indeed, before he could raise his hand to the doorknob it opened a fraction. The contrast between the sun outside and the darkness within gave no indication as to who had opened it, but a voice spoke to him, quavering in nervousness.
“W-who are you?” it said, sounding definitively feminine, or possibly just the voice of a youth.
Ganondorf bowed his head slightly at the words, speaking softly and attempting to temper his words towards comfort.
“I am Ganondorf. My Leige-Lady here is named Eighteen. We have received word that a dragon most foul is besieging these lands. We have come to rid you of this menace.”
“The King has already sent out the call to slay this dragon… many have died already trying. What makes you any different?” the voice replied, its voice tinged with pain, but steadier than before.
Ganondorf considered the words spoken, and what he would say, for a moment. He knew the situation was delicate and didn’t want a wrong word to foul anything.
“Nothing.”
The voice, spoken from his side, caught Ganondorf off guard. Sometime in his pondering, Eighteen had made her way to his side and she was the one who replied to the voice. Ganondorf looked to her and despite being the larger of the two, he felt small in comparison as she continued.
“But if we stand idly by while people suffer, we’re no better than the dragon. We’ll do what we can to help you, or we’ll die trying.”
Ganondorf suppressed a scowl by sheer force of will at her words. Dying was not something he could imagine doing for someone else. He had too much yet to do before his end. But that was not why his mood had turned sour, or why he had felt so tiny when she spoke them. One other had spoken words like that. The boy. The Hero. While Ganondorf struggled to maintain his composure, the door opened further, revealing the voice to have been a woman after all, well into her middle years. A young lad clung to her skirts as she beckoned them in.
“Best come in then. I’ll fix you some tea and explain what’s been going on to you.”