The King's Reflections - Written by CaptainGan

 Desert nights were unlike any other that could be found in Hyrule. Surely, its days were scorching hot, with only the hardiest of the desert dwelling folk even daring to venture into the sands at the sun’s highest point. That would soon follow with a night that was blistering cold, where the Gerudo would exchange their protective cloaks for warm duvets and hot tea around a warm fire, seated well within their homes as they winded down for the evening, away from the chills of the dark.   However, on this evening in particular, one certain Gerudo king found himself lounging on the railing of his balcony right outside his bedroom chambers overlooking his vast kingdom. Despite the bone chilling wind, he had foregone his shirt, as if he had suddenly abandoned the idea of heading to bed for rest and somehow had found himself wandering outside. He seemed unfazed by the cold however; his eyes, sunken in with worry and his lips set in a deep frown were enough of an indicator that he was quite deeply lost in thought. 

  I... was never cut out for this.

The thought had always persisted in the back of Ganondorf’s mind. He had never held any desire to be a king; it just seemed far too restricted and completely unaligned with what he wished to personally accomplish within his life. It certainly did not help that he was far too inclined to react instinctively based on how he was feeling at the moment, with hardly any thought given to it beforehand. It was these rash decisions that had taught him over and over again that the consequences of his actions were not something that would only befall him; rather, the people he was leading suffered as well, if not more than he did. That thought alone was enough for the king to feel a sickening feeling rise within his chest, his grip tightening on the railing to the point where he could certainly bend the flimsy metal with his immense strength. This flaw of his, it seemed, carried over to the more personal aspects of his life.  

You’re not even my real mom! 

I have never been his mother.   

 As the wind picked up, rustling his long hair, the king found himself sighing deeply. He had always wanted to raise a family with children of his own, an instinct so deeply rooted within his being that he felt that it had been no mere coincidence that he had found Link on that fateful day in the desert. Yet, as the years went by, he found that he was failing at the one thing he desired the most. He knew teenagers were difficult to deal with, but to hear such heartbreaking words from the two people he cared for the most just seem to point at his failure. The harsh cold piercing his bare skin was one Ganondorf hardly felt as he found his hand racking through his hair relentlessly, as if it would help him sort out his thoughts in a better fashion.

He could not lead his people to prosperity on his own, so much so that his son believed that he had to put his own safety on the line to do something about it.   He had failed in truly allowing Nabooru to see what she was to Link; a loving, inspirational mother figure, one that had allowed them to be something much stronger than the word ‘family’ could ever encompass. 

 And for Link... he had failed as a father to protect him from danger, and as a king to ensure that such a situation shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Ganondorf’s chest tightened with the intensity of the pain and sorrow he was feeling, his knuckles white from the death grip he had on the railing of the balcony. The groaning metal beneath him went unnoticed as every thought he had buried within his mind resurfaced one after another. Had he ever done a single thing in his life that had not resulted in pain and ruin for those he cared for more than anything? He strove, with all his heart, to be the king, father, and lover that would bring prosperity and joy to whatever he touched. Instead, his touch was more akin to one of death; everything, everything he ever touched was destined for ruin. If it hadn’t been for people like Nabooru in his life, what would have happened to him? What would have happened to the people around him?

I….   

It was all he could do to hold back the tears of sheer frustration that threatened to escape him. He hardly noticed his arm mutating into something grotesque, sparks running along the mutilated flesh and scales as image after image assaulted his mind, of his people dying in battle and famine, of holding his son in his arms praying that he would not die, of the look of utter pain on Nabooru’s face as Link’s words pierced her heart. Why could he not stop this anguish, despite his best efforts? Why could he not give anyone the life of peace and happiness they deserved?   

I... AM A FAILURE!!!

  The physical struggle with his arm was only one of survival instinct; no living being would simply allow themselves to be strangled without putting up a fight. The pain and anguish from the dark energy permeating his compromised limb was overshadowed by the ever darkening thoughts clouding his mind. He was a failure, a failure of a king, a failure of a father, a failure of a lover, and a failure of a man. This dark signature he was cursed with was a clear indication of this; this was how he was born, and this was what he was meant to be. As his struggle grew more desperate, more primal and innate, he wondered if he should simply succumb to the dark callings within his very soul. It seemed so natural to him…. If he was meant to destroy everything that he touched, then why not do so with that very intention.  

Then maybe, for once in his life... He would finally find success.

-Written by CaptainGan

Side Note: Everyone look at this fantastic ficlet CaptainGan wrote for us! It perfectly illustrates the turmoil in Ganondorf's mind in the recent update, something I can't really add to the pages in an impactful way as a fic does. It honestly makes me so excited to draw the next update for next week! Thank you so much, CaptainGan!