The Doppelganger

Some interesting information about another character you are familiar with: Dark Link, Shadow Link, whatever name you prefer. He's more of a demon than you realize. He did not always take on that form, and he was originally quite a pest. He was not always loyal to Ganondorf, or so I thought. And, he's a pervert.

That was how I first encountered him.

I was cleaning up at the end of the day in preparation of my wifely duties. After I finished up in a bath of scented oils and herbs that kept my skin soft, I loved to sit nude in front of my vanity and brush my long, thick red hair. I always left it down for the night, since it was wavy from being styled in fancy braids all day. The balcony door was closed, as well as the main doors to the master chamber. I glanced up from my hair to the mirror and caught a person's shadow in the background. The figure was tall, so I assumed Ganondorf, but when I spun around I was still alone. Shivers skipped up my back. That was odd, I thought, because I had not heard the creak of either set of doors open. I went back to brushing, but all my nerves were on end.

Now, as I sat massaging my legs and feet, it occurred to me this was not the first I had felt eyes on me while I was alone. Nightly, for a week or more, I had sensed a similar presence. I felt it around the corner, out the window, and through the glass in the door to the balcony, even while I was bathing. Just then, it felt like it was right over my shoulder. I hated to admit how much it shook me that someone other than my husband watched me while I was naked.

This was meant to be the twenty minutes I had to myself for a moment of peace after a chaotic day. Instead, I was spying for creeps. I cautiously watched the mirror so that I was aware the next time he approached. I leaned forward to pretend to check for blemishes on my face. There weren't any of course, but I had a better view of the room behind me. Except, he wasn't behind me, he was to my right, leaning on the hearth. I only saw him because the shadow cast by the fire was skewed. The moment I glanced in his direction he disappeared.

That was it. I was done playing. I slipped a dagger out of my vanity drawer and walked into the wash room. There was one entrance, no windows. I had to corner him there. I heard footsteps stealthily approach me as I pretended to be occupied washing my hands in the water setting in the basin. I kept my eyes down, but the moment I heard breathing behind me I spun with the dagger poised to kill.

Thank the goddesses Ganondorf was fast enough to block my blade with his gauntlet. He glared at me, as if I was honestly attempting to attack him. I saw the look in his eyes expecting that immediate explanation, so I did not hesitate. I pulled the dagger back and pressed against him to hide my exposed flesh. "There was someone else in here with me," I explained quickly. Ganondorf held me protectively and turned back to the chamber.

"Show yourself," he yelled into the empty room.

"How do you know he's still here?" I asked, just before I felt a hand forcefully meet with my rear end. I screamed and turned around, just in time to see the shadow shrink back into the floor.

"How dare you lay a hand on my wife, you mangy demon," Ganondorf yelled, shaking a fist. "Bow before your king, and I shall slice your hand off as punishment!"

A mischievous snicker filled the room, before the dancing shadow at Ganondorf's feet began to take form. Had the demon taken any shape, it might not have been as frightening, but it looked as if Ganondorf stared at a mirror of his own solid shadow. The eyes opened, and my heart jumped, because they were glowing red. "Where is the fun in just surrendering, my lord?" he mused.

"Ganondorf, what is that?" I wondered. I really wished I had some clothes on so I could fight.

"My lady, I am quite capable of speaking for myself. I am a shadow demon, freed from the Shadow Temple that you yourself awakened, and I have been watching you ever since."

"Pervert," I sneered. "How dare you spy on a married woman?"

"Ah, but at the time you were not married. And really, watching you is such a difficult habit to break."

He was actually pretty charming, except...

"Oh, the nights I longed to ravish you," he admitted dramatically. "I should have used the shadows to crawl between the sheets and have my way with you," he cooed with a devious grin.

I felt a chill race over my skin and tiny bumps appeared under the hair along my arms. I couldn't decide if his words were more arousing or frightening.

Ganondorf was not amused. He made a quick attack to catch the shadow demon off guard, but he avoided the bolt of purple energy. "I shall smite you where you stand, traitor!"

"Come now, I am just looking for a little entertainment," the shadow said smugly. "Let us battle. I'm sure your wife would enjoy the show. And let's make a wager. You win, I serve you. I win, I make love to your wife while you are helpless to intervene."

Ganondorf eagerly accepted, though I wasn't pleased with the wager. His anger was concentrated as magic flames surrounding his fists. There was no joke in this fight. His heavy sword appeared in his hand, and he lunged at the shadow version of himself.

I immediately grabbed a robe to cover up with, the dagger from the floor to defend myself, but then took a seat to watch the fight.

It truly was a spectacle. The shadow Ganondorf was more than just an image, he was a complete duplicate. Their identical swinging swords moved at the same speeds and angles, inevitably clanging together to spark. The magic they chose to cast at the exact same time possessed equal energy. I could tell when Ganondorf tried to adjust his stance so that it was slightly different, but his shadow version read his mind, or even predicted his opponent's next move. The problem was, the only one wearing down was the real Ganondorf.

If the real Ganondorf lost, I was going to be furious.