Happy Anniversary | Ganondora Dragmire

Chapter 1

"Happy anniversary."

The voice of a goddess whispered words on warm breath into his ear before he awakened from his nightly slumber. When his eyes flickered open he gazed upon the face of a warrior queen. Sparkling yellow topaz gems set in a slender face gazed down at him, adorned with luscious lips that possessed the sweetest taste, and a tan complexion burned by the desert sun. Rust orange hair tumbled over her shoulders, concealing the naked beauty that was straddled over his waist. His battleworn hands glided along her smooth thighs, over her hips, and then traced along her back to guide her closer, until their lips met for a tender kiss. "You are irrationally sentimental," he whispered deviously in reply. He adored the way she raised an eyebrow at him when he annoyed her with his teasing. He kissed her smirking lips and was rewarded with another kiss.

"One of us needs to be," she retorted, what was once a smirk spreading into a grin. His muscular arms secured her chest to his torso. She traced her fingertips along his tall cheeks, her thumb across his bold chin and stern jaw line, while gazing into his devilish orange eyes. Every smile he bestowed upon her alone was malicious, and she adored that. "How could I be anything else? I've celebrated the last two centuries of anniversaries with misery. I deserve to be eager to share this one with you."

His hands trailed up her back, over shoulder blades, and wrapped his fingers around her shoulders. "You have verily earned that right, my goddess, to celebrate the rewards of your devotion and faith. Happy anniversary, Ganondora."

"Thank you, Ganondorf."

In the warmth of the morning sun peeking in the small windows of the master chamber, between the gray silken sheets covering the feather stuffed mattress, the Gerudo King and Queen celebrated the memorial of their union with an expression of passion that rippled across the land of Hyrule and reached the shores of the Sacred Realm.

Chapter 2

Dora longed to lay in the protective arms of her husband and caress the curves of his muscles for the day's remaining hours, and to smell the sweat covering his skin after he tamed her, but they ruled a kingdom in the desert. There was no escape from that responsibility.

Ganondorf was the first of the couple to roll out of bed, leaving a wall of cold air to berate Dora's back when he tossed aside the sheet. This was an act he performed only when he sensed her reluctance to leave the bed. Most mornings she was eager to embrace the day. On others, she longed to hide from the world in their chamber. Dora shivered, listening to his bare feet graze the stone floor as he crossed the room into the adjoining one. Relieving himself in the chamberpot was usually his first activity, followed by washing off in a basin of cool water. Dora always bathed at night, before sharing the bed with her husband. She slid out from under the sheet to sit on the edge of the bed, facing two identical wardrobes, and approached the one on the left. From the shelf inside she produced a clean, crimson halter top with gold seams and designs, and matching pants. Dora returned to the bed to slide on her worn, leather boots.

The queen groomed her hair with a brush from her bedside stand, preparing it to be braided. Ganondorf returned, amber hair slicked back along his skull, and walked by the bed to the wardrobe on the right. Dora intently watched his backside as he dressed, wrapping his knuckles and forearms in white fabric, covering his lower half with breeches in a shade of light brown. In addition to the faded scars decorating his torso, he donned a sleeveless tunic. By the time he strapped on his boots, he found Dora stood with her hair tied off at the end, waiting for him. She extended her hand, palm up and fingers outstretched. "Shall we, my king?"

Ganondorf carefully grasped the slender hand of his wife and escorted her into a short hall leading from their chamber into the fortress. The dark corridor stopped at the top of a staircase. Dora descended first, arriving in the Gerudo common room faintly lit by the pale morning light bleeding in the small square windows near the roof. A fire burned in a stone box, a large pot on top for a stew of lizard meat and vegetables. The long lumber table, surrounded by broken chairs and stools, was stacked with apples and bananas. Dora plucked an apple from the top of the pile, and then tossed a banana at Ganondorf. He caught it gracefully and stripped off the peel. Dora bit into her apple with a satisfying crunch. Together, they moved through the corridors, following the sounds of battle to where the Gerudo warriors sparred.

When they arrived, the spectators bowed with their right arm crossing their torso and fist resting over their heart. The combatants continued without hesitation, knowing their skills were under the scrutinizing eyes of not only their superiors, but their king and queen.

"Rayne," Dora called, drawing the attention of a Gerudo wearing a ruby red uniform, only a few shades darker from her own regal clothing. "Any trouble in the reports from last night?"

Rayne combed her fingers through short, bright orange hair, turning a set of dull yellow eyes to her queen and best friend. "The sand storm is continuing on strong, but remains far out in the wasteland to the northwest. Molduga is stirring, irritated by the storm it seems."

"Not that beast again," Dora groaned, transfixed on a new match that began between two rookies.

"Yes. I thank the Goddess this is all taking place far away from our home."

"Ganondora, I must tend to a lesson for the Gerudo who possess an affinity for magic," Ganondorf advised after finishing off his breakfast. "Join me. I need a disciplined warrior with a high tolerance for pain."

Dora smirked in that playfully irritated manner. "I will be along in a few minutes, once this match is concluded. You better be prepared for a difficult fight."

"Any less and I would be disappointed," he chuckled and walked away toward the hill that led to the archery grounds.

Dora shook her head slowly, restraining a laugh in her throat. She turned her head to Rayne and asked with a smile, "Is there any other information you wish to tell me?"

Rayne was glad to fill her in every morning, if only to gossip. She included details about the general happenings among the Gerudo, assuring the queen that her people were in good health, well fed, making her aware of any grievances, and the status of their supplies. These were responsibilities Dora took charge of even before she was married and crowned as queen.

"Queen," called a Gerudo voice. "Queen Ganondora!"

Dora looked to the frantic woman that rushed up the short hill where the fortress stood. Concerned, she wondered, "What is the matter?"

"My daughter," the middle-aged woman began. "This morning she played with the other children, but when they came back they said she squeezed through a hole in the gate and has not come back from the wasteland. The guards forbid me from going after her!"

Without hesitation, Dora asked, "What is her name?"

"Tadoca," she answered. "I beg of you, your majesty, to find her safe and bring her home."

"I will do exactly that, Sofy, I promise."

"I must protest," Rayne interjected sternly, snatching her friend's wrist at the same time she turned to move toward the gate to the desert wastelands. "I'll be the one to answer when you are found missing by the king, your husband, on your anniversary."

"We must not waste precious seconds, Rayne. Between the sand storm and Molduga, we have no time to argue. I will be back before he realizes. Tadoca could not have gone far."

Rayne reluctantly agreed, painfully aware that stopping Dora once she set her mind to the task was a feat not even the Goddesses of Hyrule could achieve. She freed the queen's wrist and hurried with her to the gate. At the top of the ladder, Rayne cranked the wheel for the pulley system just a quarter turn, which raised the gate enough for Dora to slip underneath unharmed and vanish into the dangerous wasteland.

Rayne whispered a prayer to the Goddess of the Sand.

Chapter 3

The Gerudo's schedule dictated they conclude their training and move indoors for food and water when the glaring sun reached the highest point in the sky. That was when the true heat began, when the sand became scalding hot, the gates and wooden doors, the stone walls of the fortress, all the surfaces too hot to touch. Their own tinted skin might have turned to flame if not for their natural resilience.

The Gerudo king scraped his elbow along the burning ground in an attempt to break his rough landing. The radiation of the magic attack dealt by his pupil burned through his chest. His student managed a lucky shot while his thoughts were not concentrated on providing a proper lesson. They lingered on Dora's absence. He called an end to the hour long lesson with the three Gerudo. Each student possessed an affinity for a different kind of magic. One was fire and one ice, like the Sorceress Sisters once mastered, while the third manipulated natural energy. Ganondorf's broad knowledge of magic was enough to train them, but each one required a unique set of skills based on their specific talent. "Take advantage of the next week to practice the techniques I taught you with one another. Then we will meet again to test your proficiency."

Ganondorf followed the Gerudo down the hill with deliberately casual strides, but his cross expression betrayed the concern he tried to disguise. Few warriors remained lingering in front of the fortress as the final pair of students sparred, receiving corrections from Rayne. Aside from speaking to the combatants, she stood with her arms folded, legs apart, and eyes intently focused on the match as if she purposefully ignored Ganondorf when he called for her immediate attention. She dismissed the last two warriors at the conclusion of the match, but she rushed ahead of them.

"Rayne," Ganondorf called gruffly and impatiently. His stern voice stopped her just outside, before she could escape to the misleading corridors of the fortress. The others swarmed around her to enter the narrow doorway, while she paused and bowed to the evil king. Before she stood upright again, Ganondorf asked, "Where has Dora gone?"

"She went to get you a gift," Rayne answered quickly with the line she practiced in her head.

Ganondorf crossed his arms with measured patience, tilting his head down slightly to fixate a stone glare on Rayne. He waited, offering her one chance to replace her lie with the truth.

Rayne heaved an exasperated sigh. "Dora journeyed to the wastelands. To look for a lost little girl. Sofy's daughter," she explained with a whine.

Anger was immediately apparent, like fire raged uncontrollably behind his eyes. "And you did nothing to stop her?"

"I protested," Rayne explained with groan. "This is Dora we're talking about! It would have taken a small army and chains of steel."

Without any consideration, Ganondorf understood the accuracy of Rayne's statement. He entered the fortress ahead of her, taking advantage of his long strides to move swiftly through the halls. "I'm going after her." All he required before departing was a cloak to protect against the harsh elements.

Rayne followed behind him, all the way through the common room and up the steps. "Your majesty, I truly must suggest that we wait for her to return," she debated as respectfully as possible. When she entered the master chamber, Ganondorf was already gone.

The sand carried by bursts of howling winds berated Dora's exposed flesh like hot needles. Initially, she followed Tadoca's tracks that hurried off into the treacherous Gerudo Wasteland. As the sand increased to depths that rivaled Lake Hylia, those tracks became increasingly difficult to follow. Having ventured toward the raging sandstorm, all traces of the girl were eliminated.

"Tadoca," Dora screamed out to be heard just before the roar of a new gust of wind. All previous attempts to call for the girl were futile. She remained rooted to one spot while the wind raged around her, and only moved once the air was calm. The scorching sun began sinking into the second half of the sky, indicating afternoon. Dora's skin burned, the heat evaporating moisture from her lips and mouth. As horrible as the elements treated her, they were the least of her concerns.

The small voice of a girl rang out in the eerie silence that occurred between gales in the sandstorm.

"Tadoca," Dora yelled again, spotting the small girl wearing a bright, green dress secured by a brooch at her shoulder. She darted toward Dora, but her fatigued legs failed her and she collapsed. The Gerudo queen maintained a steady pace, the sand mercilessly giving way beneath her boots. She lifted Tadoca, holding her sideways with an arm to support her back and one for her legs. "You're safe now. I'll take you home," Dora reassured, making note of the Gerudo's condition. Patches of Tadoca's skin were worn raw from being exposed to the sandstorm, and her chapped lips were cracked and bleeding. Dora turned around and marched east but there were no prints to retrace, nothing to guide her. Every direction of the desert appeared the same.

Though the girl was not heavy, Dora grew weary. The heat radiating from the sand and bearing down from the sun drained her energy. In the distance, after what felt like hours of trudging through rolling sand dunes, the borders of the valley came into view. Only another kilometer lie between the pair of Gerudo and home. In that span of distance, Dora watched a dune rise out of the sea and then glide across the desert. Fear petrified her.

Tadoca screamed as the moving sands slithered toward them. Dora swiftly sat her on the ground with grace and stepped over her. She brandished her scimitar, concentrating on the energy held within the blade until an orange, translucent barrier surrounded Dora and the girl she protected. The sands fell away, revealing long, wide jaws of a molduga, anticipating the Gerudo queen as its next snack. The massive sandworm collided with the barrier and a surge of energy repelled the monster. Its head was catapulted into the sky and it collapsed on its side, wriggling to burrow into the sand. Dora dashed forward, slashing the molduga through the soft underside, spilling blood that stained the sand black. As the worm escaped, she stepped back to protect the child. "Remain perfectly still," Dora ordered Tadoca, who thought better about her struggle to stand.

Dora scanned the surface, gradually turning her head from left to right, anxiously awaiting the beast's return. Suddenly, ripples in the shifting sand warned her that it burrowed directly toward them, deeper than before to remain hidden. Her eyes widened when the worm dipped down, all traces of it disappearing. Dora snatched Tadoca's wrist, ripping her up from the ground into a sprint. They hastened to escape, avoiding being caught in the mouth of the molduga when it lunged out of the sand into the sky, like a fish leaping out of water to snatch a fly.

The queen spun around to see the sandworm reach its peak height and from nowhere a purple aura soared through the sky and collided into the molduga with a mighty force. The beast flew several meters before it crashed and rolled across the sand. A cloaked figure with a large frame remained in the air where the impact occurred, dark and evil magic swirling around his right fist. Dora might have been relieved to see Ganondorf but she knew he was furious. His rage was temporarily redirected to the sandworm. The magic focused around his hand propelled forward, guided by the evil king's will, and exploded against the belly of the worm. It emitted a horrid screech that echoed across the vast wastelands, and then retreated beneath the sands.

"Ganondorf," Dora started as he approached them, trying to catch his gaze.

"Silence," he grunted, and lifted Tadoca across his torso to carry her home. He avoided Dora's eyes, knowing that to glimpse them meant his anger might falter.

Chapter 4

Ganondorf carried Tadoca over the treacherous sands, Dora trailing behind. For as much as she desired to discuss the situation, she was already warned to hold her tongue.

The day moved well into the afternoon before the trio arrived at the fortress, where Rayne anxiously waited to crank the bulky gear that wound the chain to lift the gate. Sofy eagerly accepted her daughter from Ganondorf, wrapping Tacoda tightly in her arms with no plan to release her. "Your majesties," Sofy groveled, humbly bowing without dropping the girl. "I regret that my daughter caused so much trouble but I am more than grateful for her safe return. We are blessed by the Goddess of the Sand to have you."

Ganondorf grunted in response and turned away without a word. Dora offered the kindness that he lacked. "We are glad to have brought her home safely. Ensure she eats some fruit and give her extra water. Rayne, see that a mender brings herbs and bandages for her skin," the queen ordered, returning her friend's embrace.

"I will," Rayne acknowledged. "You need to talk to him," she whispered, giving her friend a concerned look with her brow furrowed.

Dora swept away with long strides to catch up with Ganondorf as he sulked into the stone fortress. Upon reaching him in the corridor, she extended her arm to take his hand only for him to rip it away. "I was completely capable of defeating that molduga on my own," she snapped in response.

Ganondorf stopped in the corridor just outside the common room. Time paused with him before he turned around to face Dora. "Foolish," he laughed, mocking her. "I watched that sand beast nearly eat you before I intervened."

"Everything was under control," she insisted.

"No," he barked. "You acted-"

"That child would have died had I not taken immediate action."

"We live in the desert, and we still live by the way of the Gerudo. Only the strongest survive," he reminded her harshly.

"You believe the wisest action was to leave her for dead?"

"As the queen it is expected that your life be regarded with more significance than that of a child. You rushed-"

"Every Gerudo life is important," Dora interjected. "You cannot ask me to stand by idly when I possessed the strength to save her life!"

Ganondorf's expression darkened after she interrupted him for the second time, and his volume increased. "You were aware of the dangers and made no preparations. It would have been wise to-"

"Done what? Gone to you only to be told it was too dangerous to go alone? To assemble a team while every minute wasted brought Tadoca closer to death? She barely survived as it was. I'm able to make decisions just as well as you. I'm not some fragile blossom that needs your protection, Ganondorf. You always ask me to trust you, but have none in me!"

The King of Evil's hands rose abruptly in front of him and a burst of magic expelled from them, colliding ruthlessly with Dora. She hit the wall close behind and he approached her one deliberate, menacing step at a time. The shocked gasps and whispers from behind reminded him they were not alone. "You never listen, Ganondora," he scolded in a dark tone, drawing so near he stood directly over her. He gazed down with a firm glare, a pair of orange eyes that delved into her soul and promised suffering. Her head tilted back, chin pointed up, to boldly lock eyes on his face. "Now, I will force you to be silent, to allow your husband and king to speak," he said, voice lowered. She never failed to intrigue him by fearlessly staring back into his eyes and searching his soul in return. His resolve did not falter and neither did hers. "You act always with disregard to the risk you take with your own life." His fingertips touched the front of her throat and traced along her neck, until it was almost enclosed by his hand. The spark of a flame appeared in her eyes, prepared to lash out, but he severed that and reigned in her spirit like taming a wild horse. Dora opened her mouth to speak and his hand tensed. Her core was shaken by his firm grip. The fire was doused and he peered into the eyes of a meek servant instead of a fierce warrior. With a touch worn from battle, the fingertips of his left grazed her chin and traced the length of her cheek, until they were entwined in her hair and cupped her skull. He enjoyed the tremble that escaped her soul. Knowing he possessed this control and power over her, to bend her feisty spirit to his will at his command, enticed him. "Given the option of losing the woman I chose as queen, potentially a handful of Gerudo, all for the chance to save one child, I would have left her to die. Instead, you acted thoughtlessly. Regardless of the dangers, you rushed off alone without a concept of what you would do when the desert beast spotted you. You told me that you've been celebrating anniversaries in misery. Dora, if you died, I would spend eternity in turmoil."

Dora strained to swallow the tears stinging her eyes, until his hand loosened, rising to tenderly cradle her jaw. In the end, his anger at her was out of concern. Even once he finished, she thought of nothing more to say.

"One more thing, my precious queen," Ganondorf said smugly, taking advantage of her silence. "I do have a gift for you to commemorate our union. Now that you have utterly infuriated me, you must earn it."

A smile tugged at her lips that she could not fight, which returned her divinity. He lifted her head up, forcing her to her toes, and leaned down to kiss that smile he so easily invoked.

"You must defeat me in battle."

Chapter 5

A golden sun graced the Gerudo archery arena that evening, where Gerudo young and old attended the highly anticipated spectacle of King versus Queen. They quietly wagered among themselves, knowing that if either learned of their gambling they would be harshly reprimanded.

"Dora, you need to keep control out there," Rayne advised, waiting with her at the far end of the horse track.

"That is surprising to hear you say, Rayne, considering you've always been my most aggressive sparring partner," Dora reminded with a grin, twirling the scimitar in circles from left to right to loosen her wrist. "I will be fine," she promised.

Rayne laughed harshly, in disbelief. "I was fortunate enough to bear witness to many of your sparring matches with him. He always wins," she reminded cruelly.

With a harsh glare, Dora remarked, "You are not being helpful."

"Fine. All I ask is that you make a promise to me, your life long friend. When he orders you to yield, you do just that," she requested sincerely.

The Gerudo queen raised an eyebrow at Rayne and said, "I cannot promise that. I refuse to lose."

Her words prompted Rayne to simultaneously drop her head and smack her palm to her forehead. As she shook her head, laughing, she noticed Ganondorf arrived, sauntering up the hill toward their location. She departed Dora's side to greet him before the battle. Out of earshot from her friend, Rayne spoke in a low volume to him. "Your majesty, the only request I have is that you avoid causing her too much agony. No, wait, one more request," she added, receiving an impatient glare. "I do not recommend allowing her to win by going easy."

Ganondorf grunted, and then smirked, the only sign that it was a laugh. "This is going to be the battle of the century."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Rayne said with a groan, stepping away to join her fellow Gerudo as a spectator.

The King and Queen of Evil crossed the dry, dusty training grounds to meet each other in the middle and tapped their blades together. "Practice no restraint," Dora warned.

Ganondorf grinned wickedly. "Trust me, I will be merciless." Immediately after those words, he vanished.

Dora twisted around, left and right, searching for a distortion in the air that obscured part of her surroundings. Her frame became engulfed by an amber aura. There was no need to sacrifice any energy to Ganondorf, so all available power was focused on protecting her. A menacing chuckle echoed all around her, confusing her senses on which way he planned to attack from. His magical essence was perfectly disguised. Dora detected the dark orb spiralling toward her back and spun. The curve of her scimitar struck the magic ball, cutting it in half, causing the attack to avoid her completely. The audience applauded, Rayne loudest of all.

Raised as a Gerudo warrior, Dora's offensive maneuvers relied primarily on her skill with the scimitar she wielded. Without hesitation, she dashed forward in the direction the magical attack came from and swung, successfully clanging with steel. "Ha," she shouted by way of celebration. Ganondorf revealed himself and their blades were intersected.

"I'm impressed," he admitted, and then swung his open hand under the crossed swords. Before colliding with her bare waist, a pulse of magic exploded into her stomach. "However, you need to do better if you expect to earn that gift."

Dora flew back several yards before landing. To avoid scraping up her arms on the dry ground, she quickly rolled to her feet. She came to a stop and rushed back to continue the attack. Along the way, she dodged a beam of magic that threatened to skewer her heart. Dora swiped away Ganondorf's broadsword when she arrived, and then fell into an offensive barrage of attacks.

He struggled to dodge many of her slashes. They were swift attacks, not intended to kill or even maim, but deal bits of damage over time. Ganondorf jerked out of the way just in time after making a successful block. This was the warrior he had challenged and learned about during their days and nights sparring together. In a world where a person fought for every scrap to survive, battle was the only way to learn the truth about someone. The truth about Dora was that she hid nothing. She was ready to win, allowing the fires of her spirit to burn brightly and fuel her until he was defeated. Ganondorf thrust out his main arm, catching her wrist against his bracer and interrupted the flow of her graceful technique. Dora's eyes widened, both in shock and fear. She knew what happened next.

Ganondorf's off hand shot up simultaneously with stopping her blade, fingers closing around her throat. A surge of pure hatred jolted into Dora through their connection, causing her to scream. Her body went limp, all the deadweight resting in his hand by her jaw. When he released her, she stumbled forward and caught her balance. Ganondorf already moved into his next attack, bringing his great sword over his head and swinging it straight down with immense power.

There was enough time to block but Dora needed only one good strike to lead her down the path of victory. She took advantage of his opening. The reach of his broadsword was far, so instead of dodging backward she lunged to the side. Her foot slid almost completely out from underneath her as she still recovered from his dark attack. Ganondorf's sword met dirt, the wide end cracking the ground. Dora found proper footing and spun, driving the heel of her boot into the center of his back. He shouted, staggering forward and ripping his sword from the ground. At the same time, Dora followed through as soon as her foot landed and sliced him near the shoulder of his main arm.

His arm screamed but he refused to express the pain, stealing her satisfaction. The energy from the Goddess of the Sand defended against the quick blast of magic he used to buy him a minute to recover, allowing Dora to stay on offense. Regular use of her limbs was returned, so she attacked without mercy. Ganondorf abandoned his broadsword and swatted her foot away as she kicked at his torso. The evil malice resonating from him increased drastically, causing her to panic. Her next attacks were desperately aimed to end the battle, so she pulled her blade back and prepared to swing at him with all her strength. At first she jumped back to confuse him, and then darted forward. Dora's wrists were snatched at the same time by vines of black magic that shot up from out of the cracked ground. Her arms were rendered completely useless by their steel grip. She tried to purge the magic capturing her wrists, but he proved relentless. More tendrils lashed out at her, slithering up her legs. Dora watched the ground move away from her at an alarmingly fast rate, and Ganondorf grew smaller with distance.

Pure loathing filled her veins through the vines that lifted her into the air, weakening her to the point the protective, amber barrier vanished. Dora gritted her teeth against the fear that erupted through her limbs when Ganondorf flew effortlessly up directly in front of her and snatched her shoulders. At the same time, the vines released her, shrinking into the ground. A wave of darkness burst from him and left her debilitated, shocking her like a force of lightning berated her body. He launched off of her, sending her frame hurtling down while he landed gracefully on his feet.

Every witness held their breath collectively.

A sickening thud indicated Dora's fierce impact with the ground, throwing a cloud of dusty dirt into the air that was defeated by a gust of wind. The collision scraped open her back and every little cut that bled stung.

"I recommend you stay down," Ganondorf taunted. "Yield, and maybe next year you'll be good enough to defeat me."

Dora groaned, rising from the dented ground on her hands and knees. Snarling, she shouted with fiery determination, "I refuse! I am not beaten yet." All of her wounds, no matter how deep, were already healed, while his still poured blood and ignored the pain. Ganondorf's sword suddenly levitated from the ground, hovering just over his head and spinning. The rounded tip was aimed directly for her torso when she managed to stand on her wobbly legs. It sped at her, and he charged immediately after. Dora spun to the side and avoided his sword by only a breath. Facing him again, she grinned, holding in her hands a bow made of pure, amber energy with an arrow of the same. The arrow was loosed from her fingers and exploded upon impaling Ganondorf, halting his attack.

His tortured cries were restrained as he collapsed to his knees, struggling to regain control of his scrambled magic power. Only Dora could hear the way he suffered and it brought her satisfaction. She drew up her scimitar from where it fell out of her hand, and pressed the blade's curve to his throat while standing in front of him. "I'm impressed. You're still breathing."

Chapter 6

The blood stained steel pressed to Ganondorf's throat reflected defeat as bright as the crescent moon rising in the sky behind him. Dora remained perfectly still, her hand firmly gripping the hilt. His raspy breath was the only sound heard while everyone waited for the outcome to be announced.

In a voice filled with conceit, she asked, "Do you yield?"

Ganondorf's response was a chuckle. At last, he managed to stand but her blade remained at his neck. "You've been waiting a long time to ask me that."

"And what is your answer?" she demanded.

"Yes. The battle is over. You have won."

Dora grinned broadly as she sheathed her scimitar on her hip. The Gerudo applauded, increasing from a few claps to a resounding roar. Ganondorf bent his arms at the elbow until his hands were straight out in front of him, palms facing up. Fiery red magic swirled midair in front of his chest and expanded. Dora's yellow eyes widened with surprise at this display of sorcery. Suddenly, the red energy shrank into a dense ball, and with a pop a burst of ruby smoke revealed a large egg that he held between his hands. With an eyebrow raised, she looked into his eyes and asked, "A dragon's egg?"

"Not any mere dragon's egg, my queen. The egg of your beloved," he corrected.

Her eyes stung immediately with tears, her breath quickening and eyes filled with disbelief. "Volvagia?"

"Precisely," he confirmed with a nod. "A dragon's wisdom is unfathomable. Volvagia knew its time had come and before being killed laid this egg. I have kept it hidden for years, waiting for it to hatch. Only in recent months have I realized that the egg is waiting for a specific event to happen before it will hatch. I believe it is waiting for you."

Dora swallowed the cursed tears clogging her throat. Without another word, she cautiously reached forward and placed her hands on either side of the egg. Simultaneously, Ganondorf stepped back, leaving it completely for her to hold. The surface was coarse, like sand, and white the color of bone. She breathed only as needed for a full minute before anything occured. The center at the top cracked, a small horn pushing its way to freedom. More of the shell was broken away by the little horn, until the baby dragon's head poked out. Scaled shoulders forced their way out, collapsing the rest of the egg. Wingless, just as Volvagia had been, the whelp crawled out of the egg and into Dora's arms. Ganondorf freed her hands of the eggshell and she curled her arms to hold the red dragon. Turquoise eyes gazed up at her while a quiet roar rolled over in its throat like a kitten's purr of affection.

The Gerudo queen peered up at her husband with a smile bright enough to erase the day's troubles. "This is the perfect anniversary gift, Ganondorf. Sarqso."