#blind courage

[vintagecamping]

Blind courage.

Bill Irwin, the first visually impaired man to hike the entire Appalacian Trail, with only his wits, his courage and his faithful seeing-eye dog, Orient.

Georigia to Maine

1990

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Zelgan week: the oldest shade of red

This time I’m going back to Blind Courage (remember that one?). Very short, but I think this might end the main story (along with the ‘Harkinian’s disposition’ chunk). I do plan to continue, but it will through Baby and Link.

click here for the blind courage / zelgan baby masterpost

-----

Ganondorf strolled up the path to Hyrule Castle, and for the first time there were no guards or citizens staring at him in apprehension. There were still a few who regarded him curiously, but it was for an altogether different reason- he was the man who brought their princess back, and soon the two of them would become their king and queen.

He passed through the gate and into the courtyard, and headed up to the fountain where he could see someone in a lavender dress sitting on the edge while two children splashed around.

"Hey, no fair, it was my turn to splash you!"

When Ganondorf got closer, not only did he discover that Nabs was rooting around for food nearby (as she sniffed out the crackers in his pocket), but the lavender dress that Zelda was wearing was the very same one she wore on the day they first met.

Zelda smiled and gave Ganondorf her hands, as he knelt in front of her and took her lips. "Welcome back."

Ganondorf smiled, then inspected her attire. "Zelda, why on earth are you wearing that dress? It's a beautiful piece, but it's horribly stained..."

"This dress holds a lot of memories," she explained, holding up part of the skirt. "Impa wanted me to throw it out back then, but I said no way. You bled so much, it was saturated a deep red..." Zelda let out a little laugh. "I did rinse most of it out. Imagine the heart attack the maids would have had if they saw me at the sink, rinsing all this blood away. But I consider what's left part of the design, and I'm glad I have it back."

"I'm glad I have you back," Ganondorf countered, and pulled Zelda into an embrace. Zelda giggled and returned his affections, until the two were suddenly hit by a splash of water.

"!!!"

Zelda and Ganondorf turned to find guilty looking Link, clearly victim of an accident, with Baby scolding him. "Link! You were sposta splash me! If you splash Papa, he'll never let you marry me when we grow up!"

At that moment, Link turned the deepest shade of red they had ever seen.

[defunctzombie]

Harkinian’s Disposition

This is really short, but while I work on things I thought I’d share how I chose to get rid of scumbag Harkinian in Blind Courage.

--

Ganondorf sat atop his steed at the edge of Eldin province, looking down over the gorge separating Eldin and Lanayru Provinces. The howling wind whipped fiercely past his head, warning him he was too close to the realm of shadow. He heeded its warning and kept back, though he was only waiting for someone to return.

After a few more moments Ganondorf felt the air shifting, and turned to see his companion withdrawing from the shadows. "Ah, there you are. I was beginning to think you enjoyed being down there a little too much."

"I have spent my fair share of time in the depths of the Shadow Temple," Impa replied with a smirk. "The year Iriana was taken away from me, I volunteered to perform the rites of appeasement in the inner sanctum. The fact that I came back out alive earned me the title of High Priest of the Sheikah."

Ganondorf nodded in approval, then hitched up his horse to leave. As he watched Impa mounting her ride, he noticed the faintest discoloration along her fingertips. Looking closer, he realized it was red. Blood red.

"Impa, were you injured?"

"No," she replied succinctly and sped off, leaving Ganondorf in confusion. As he sat there pondering, a horrible realization came to light. He left Impa alone with the man who took her love away, did nothing to stop the attempted murder of her daughter, and may as well have blinded her grandbaby himself.

"An eye for an eye," he said, departing with a shudder. Little did he know just how right he was.

--

I’ll give you a cookie if you can guess what Impa did to him. ;)

[defunctzombie]

Silly future offshoot of Blind Courage

So I read this shitpost from @blueganon, and my stupid mind thought “what if they had an accident in the middle”. So I came up with this. My original plan was that Zel and Gan in BC would stop at five. Welp, accidents happen. Then other kinds of accidents happen. (FYI this can actually happen, but it’s not as dramatic as I made it sound.)

Enjoy this silly offshoot that takes place about 9 years after the story!

Zelda laid in bed, fuming. She thought she was being nice by allowing Ganondorf one last night of fun, after all sex in the last month of pregnancy is very risky. By their calculations there was one month left before they welcomed their sixth child, so she had felt his request for a final night of intimacy was acceptable.

...Until her water broke halfway through.

"I hate you."

"I know, my love, I know," Ganondorf mumbled as he ran around the room, throwing his clothes on as quickly as possible and hiding evidence before Impa and the nurses arrived. A very sleepy Baby wandered in the room as he did so, having heard his shouting all the way down the hall.

"...Mama? Is everything okay? Why's Papa shouting?" Baby then sniffed the air, and with her heightened senses recognized the amniotic fluid scent from her twin sisters' birth. "Oh no, Mama, are you going into labor already?"

"Yes, honey," Zelda answered meekly, causing Baby to rush to the side of the bed.

Baby placed one hand on Zelda's forehead, and the other on her abdomen. Using her healing ability, she focused on mother and child's health. "...I think the baby's okay, but she can't stay in there now that your water's broken. We have to get her out."

"This is all your fault," Zelda hissed at Ganondorf, just as Impa came barreling into the room. "We weren't even going to have a sixth child!"

"Well there's nothing to be done about that now, is there?!"

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Impa growled, shoving Ganondorf out the door before sparks started flying between the two of them.

--

Ganondorf sat on a stool outside his bedroom, Nabooru asleep in his lap and Elise draped across his feet. They too had come investigating after hearing Papa roaring, apparently only the twins inherited his ability to sleep through anything. By the time Baby finally opened the door around breakfast time, he was at wit's end.

"Papa..?"

"Honey? Is everything okay...?"

"Mama's asleep but you can come in now."

Ganondorf scooped up his two daughters and crept into the room, shocked to see Baby and Impa both covered in blood. He hurriedly laid Nabooru and Elise on the couch by the door and rushed over to Zelda, who was out but breathing steadily. He then looked around for the baby...

"Over here," Impa directed, pointing to a small bassinet. Inside was a thickly swaddled, blonde infant with olive skin. "Baby and I have them under a sleeping spell for a little bit, but they're both just fine. Zelda will be confined to bed for at least a month, though."

"What happened? Why are the two of you covered in blood?"

"Are we?" Baby shrugged. "Oh well. We had to deliver the baby through Mama's tummy, instead of the traditional way. Something didn't feel right as I was checking, and Mama's birth canal wasn't opening up. We couldn't afford to wait for her to open any wider."

Ganondorf's face drained. "You cut her open?" He grimaced, before going over and kissing Zelda's forehead. "I'm sorry, love. Forgive me..." He then went over to the bassinet, and picked up his newest child. "Hello there, I'm sorry I made you come out a month early. But I'll make sure you grow up big and strong, just like your big sisters. Hmm... I know a big and strong woman we can name you after. Shall we name you after your Grandma Impa?"

Baby suddenly burst out laughing, making Ganondorf frown. He turned to her and glared. "Baby, what's gotten into you? Impa is a fine name! Wouldn't you agree, Mother?"

Impa narrowed her eyes, but then let out a sigh. "It is a fine name. Though in this instance I suggest you choose another."

"Aww, why not?"

"Because I doubt your son wants the same name as his grandmother."

Ganondorf backed off in surprise, and looked down at the baby in his arms. "Son...?"

"Yeah, Papa, he's a boy!" Baby giggled. "And before Mama went to sleep, she said to name him something honorable."

"Son... I have a son..." Ganondorf grinned as he looked at the sleeping bundle, and as he did so, a thought occurred to him. "So I can't name him after Impa... Then how about Sheik?"

Impa raised an eyebrow. "Now that is intriguing. How do you know of Sheik?"

"Someone I've wronged in a past life..." Ganondorf kissed his son's forehead, then laid him in his bassinet. "You rest well, my son."

"Come on, Papa, we need to sleep," Baby said, coming over and hugging her father's arm. "I didn't plan to be up all night delivering my baby brother. I have a date tonight with Link, after all, so I can't be all tired out."

"Link?!" Ganondorf was too tired to grumble. He gathered Baby and went over to the bed, tucking her in beside Zelda before laying down himself. Impa would clean everything up, he just needed to sleep...

"Papa? Mama?"

As if on cue, Tetra and Iriana came wandering into the bedroom, wondering why there was no breakfast. They were thoroughly confused when they saw two sisters passed out on the couch, Baby and their parents in bed, and a blood covered Impa standing beside a bassinet.

"Um... Did we miss something?"

[defunctzombie]

Blind Courage timeline shenanigans

So, I posted a coda for Ocarina, the story I wrote last year for nanowrimo. But this story is also a loose prequel to Blind Courage, in that I use the same timeline. So I decided to work up a history for the Links in both stories.

Ocarina and Blind Courage take place in a slightly altered Zelda universe, where Twilight Princess happens on the adult timeline.

Linkle is the daughter of Link and Sheik, the heroes that defeated Ganondorf and retired to Clock Town. She was conceived by the Great Fairies as a thank you, as Sheik is physically unable to have children due to torture they received as a child. The three and Navi move to Ordon and live happily.

Linkle and her descendents will have some hardship, unfortunately. Linkle herself won't marry but she will have a son around her 30s, this will be TP Link. Around his 3rd birthday some trouble starts happening, which Linkle goes to investigate (aka Ocarina Ganon breaks out). She never returns. 15ish years later the game happens, Linkle's friend Rusl having taken Link in and raised him in her place.

After the game's events, TP Link will marry Ilia and have a somewhat normal life with one son. That son will then marry an Ordonian girl, and their child is Blind Courage Link.

The scrapbook Sheik creates is actually the same scrapbook Blind Courage Ganondorf mentions in chapter 33, that Aveil and her husband find after Link's mother dies and they take him in.

On Ganondorf's side, Mia is Blind Courage Aveil's grandmother, making Ganondorf her great grandfather in both stories. After TP Link kills Ganondorf, he is reborn into the Blind Courage timeline. His physical body shares no blood relation to Aveil, but he is still Ganondorf so he still bosses her around like he's her grampa. XD

Confused yet?

[defunctzombie]

Happy Thanksgiving, here’s part three of the Blind Courage climax!

Well here we go, part three of three for the Blind Courage / zelgan baby climax! This chapter is technically to be continued as well, but it is the final part of the climax. 

And I’ve decided what happens to our favorite slimeball, the king! Half of his punishment is in this chapter. There will be a second punishment, though given that this story is only rated T I’m not sure how detailed I can be... ;) (hint hint karma’s a bitch and wears purple)

Click here for part two of the climax

Click here for part one of the climax

click here for the blind courage / zelgan baby masterpost

The air became deathly silent the second Zelda set foot inside that throne room. As she and Link marched up to the dais, Ganondorf studied the reactions of the council. As expected only Anju was able to keep her color, for the rest of them were white as sheets.

"You are dead," the chamberlain mumbled as Zelda stopped in front of him, causing her to turn his way. She merely stared at him, until he became uncomfortable and shirked away.

"Come, Link," Zelda said, taking his hand and moving beside Ganondorf. In that instant one could hear gasps and the sound of chairs scraping against the floor, as their occupants slid backward from hearing the legendary hero's name. A few murmured to each other in disbelief, but the chancellor was the one who stood and formally addressed her.

"This... this is some kind of trick. What foul plot have you conjured, demon Gerudo?!"

"I assure you, Chancellor Cobal, I am no imposter," Zelda declared, before removing her right glove and holding the back of her hand high for everyone to see. The Triforce of Wisdom shone brightly at her request, scaring him back into his seat. "My child and I are very much alive."

The council's murmuring increased at the mention of her child, with several glares directed at Link. Link noticed, and for show huddled closer to Zelda and intertwined their fingers.

"But we saw your dead body!" the matron interjected. "Impa brought it in here, crying like a twit! They even made me swap it out with the fake one..."

The man seated next to the matron hurriedly covered her mouth, making Aveil snicker and Ganondorf raise his brow. "Now this is all very interesting, considering how it was my people who supposedly murdered her," he said, making a point to face the very confused royal guard.

"Yes, Ganondorf and his people have been nothing but kind and protective toward me and my child," Zelda said, before turning to Impa who had joined her at her side. "Impa recognized the danger this pitiful excuse of a council placed me in after its 'decision' seven years ago, and took me away to a safe place where I could give birth."

Zelda's expression then became hostile, even to an extent that startled Ganondorf. "You murderous bastards tried to kill my child, simply because my pregnancy interfered with your succession plans. The Goddesses are offended by such brazen behavior! Not only that, but you made one big mistake. You never bothered to find out exactly whose child you tried to kill!"

All of the council members turned to Link, but Zelda merely laughed. "Link is part of my family and the descendant of the Hero of Time, but alas, you lot are wrong if you think he is my blood. Link is here because though you did not take my child's life, you took my child's sight and he must offer support. Despite your efforts, my child has been blessed by the Goddesses, as a child born between races at odds. My child is Baby Hylia, daughter of Ganondorf Dragmire!"

The council members gasped as Ganondorf handed Baby to Zelda, stunned even more by the affection Baby showed her mother once reunited. Ganondorf's prediction about the happy family versus the withered council came true, as Impa could see smiles on several guards faces when they saw their princess and her daughter embracing.

Zelda kissed Baby's cheek, and rubbed her hair. "Hello my Baby, sorry I took so long..."

"It's okay, Mama," Baby responded, and laid her head against Zelda's shoulder.

"I told you her father wasn't scum," Zelda couldn't help but brag, as the council members collected their jaws from the floor. Her attention turned to her father, who until this point had remained entirely silent. "Father, surely you see the resemblance between Baby Hylia and myself? Do you not agree that a marriage with Ganondorf seven years ago could have proven far better for this country than a poisoning and a cover up? You would have had a strong line of succession then, instead of this desperate scrambling for a wife and heir. Hyrule would be unified, the Goddesses would be pleased, and the people wouldn't have to suffer. Why couldn't you just stand up to the council?"

Harkinian averted his eyes as if in thought, then stood from his throne and approached Zelda. He studied her and Baby for a moment, before sharply smacking her across the face. Baby screamed and Zelda stumbled backward out of fright, nearly dropping Baby though Ganondorf quickly caught both of them. He knelt down, allowing Zelda and Baby to sit and rest against him.

"Spreading your legs for that Goddess forsaken pig?! You've inherited your mother's stupidity along with that damn mole on your face!" Harkinian shouted, as Impa tackled him to the floor.

"How DARE you lay a hand on my Zelda," Impa seethed, her forearm digging against Harkinian's throat as he thrashed against the ground.

"Do no speak to me about dares, Sheikah traitor," he wheezed. "You go against your blood oath with this act of treason. All of you will hang, I will see to it!"

"You have no power anymore, Harkinian," Ganondorf growled, pulling the Master Sword from Zelda's back and slamming it into the ground a hair's breadth from Harkinian's ear. "Oh, and if that blade frightens you, wait until you see this. Link, take Baby's hand!"

Link did as instructed and came over to Baby, smoothing her hair to calm her down as he took her hand. The glow of their Triforce appeared, and Ganondorf called forth his own. "My wife, our child, her companion, and I control the entire Golden Power. If exposing your plot to murder Princess Zelda's child and your responsibility for her disappearance does not sway the people of Hyrule to renounce your rule, then we will take your kingdom by force. Aveil!"

Aveil gave a shout in Gerudo, causing two Gerudo warriors to drop from the rafters. Those two flanked the council box, then turned to their king for orders.

"Royal guardsmen, you are witness to what has occurred today," Ganondorf said, addressing the soldiers around the room. "You are also aware of the futility of the ongoing war, and the dwindling prosperity of your people. Would you need additional testimony before taking my side? Then look no further than your own General!"

Alfonzo came forward, and turned to the other council members. "You remember how I said the Princess's pregnancy was the will of the Goddesses, and that I was against termination? If you had only listened to me seven years ago..."

"Listen to you? You're a traitor," Doctor Rhames hissed.

"No, you are!" Anju interjected, standing from her seat and facing the council. "Admit it, Doctor, you weren't in Kasuto for anything important. You only went away so that when Princess Zelda showed symptoms of her poisoning, I would be the only one around to treat her, and my 'inexperience' would assure loss of the baby. Then when we found out the baby survived, you magically show up and send me away so I would be out of town when you decided to fake the Princess's death!"

Several of the royal guards began whispering to each other at this revelation, bringing a smile to Ganondorf's face. "Well? Have we proven our point?"

"Take the entire council save Anju and Alfonzo into custody," Zelda ordered of the guard, her head bowed in disappointment. She looked over to her father, who was still struggling under Impa's hold. "What should we do with Father?" she whispered to Ganondorf as the royal guard obeyed and arrested the council members.

"I could use a new rug for my strategy room..." he joked, before receiving a smack from Aveil.

"Shahzadi, may I make a suggestion?" Impa asked over her shoulder, still holding Harkinian. "His crimes are unforgivable, and his punishment should be proportional to the pain he's caused. I think the only fitting course of action would be exile- with the shabah."

"Exile? Don't let him get off light," Ganondorf scoffed, until he looked at Zelda and saw her face was pale. "Huh? Love, what's wrong? What does shabah mean?"

"...The Shadow Temple," she whispered, making Ganondorf flinch. It was the hell of hells, known to be the royal family's secret execution grounds in the years before the Hero of Time. When Ganondorf seized the Triforce in that era, he used it for a killing arena as well, and ever since his defeat, it was sealed off as monsters and demons continued to breed inside. Only the descendant of the Sage of Shadow could access it, and once inside, there was no way out.

"I take it back, that is a perfect punishment," Ganondorf said with a nasty grin. "Impa, you are a brilliant woman and I am proud you are part of our family. Wouldn't you agree, Zelda?"

Zelda gave Ganondorf a tired smile, then turned to Baby and Link, who were huddled together in her lap. "Baby... Honey, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Mama, but..." Baby kept a tight hold of Link's hand, and raised her other hand to Zelda's sore cheek. "...There, all better. I'm sorry that mean man hit you, Mama."

Zelda gasped in amazement, and raised a hand to her cheek. The ache and redness from her father's strike had completely vanished. She looked to Ganondorf, who was filled with pride. Apparently the Triforce had given her more abilities than they realized. "Oh, Baby, thank you! You have the gift of healing..."

Baby smiled, then gripped her shawl. "Yeah, um... So is what you said true? The evil people tried to kill me and that's why I can't see?"

"...Yes, Baby. That's why we lived in the forest and not with Papa. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Tears ran down Zelda's face, and she hugged the children tight.

"Oh Mama, don't cry!" Baby said, rubbing Zelda's back. "Who cares if I can't see, I got a Mama and Papa who love me, my special friend Link to read to me, and my piggy and the girls in the village to play with me. That's what's important. Right, Papa?"

"Right," Ganondorf answered, helping Zelda to her feet. "Well, Mommy, are we ready to face the people? I imagine rumors have started to swirl by now, especially if the guard were seen escorting the council to the dungeons."

"...I suppose we must," Zelda answered, setting Link and Baby down and straightening her dress. She then instructed Anju and Alfonzo to call the citizens to North Castle Town for an important announcement. Aveil came over and helped Impa restrain Harkinian, while Ganondorf withdrew the Master Sword from the floor.

"Try anything funny, and this goes down your throat," he warned, before taking Harkinian by the collar and pushing him forward. "Lead the way, my Queen."

Zelda took Baby's hand, and with a deep breath and her head held high, marched out of the throne room toward the castle courtyard.

[defunctzombie]

Ooh, the suspense! Blind Courage climax PART TWO

Unfortunately I didn’t get as far as I hoped, but I still wanted to share something with you all. So here’s another juicy cliffhanger for everyone! Sorry @quietpastelcolours but it’s another cliffhanger. :3

Click here for part one of the climax

click here for the blind courage / zelgan baby masterpost

Ganondorf strode through town, Baby in his arm and Aveil at his heel. Villagers moved from his way immediately, and the usual amount of frightened guards shook their spears at him as he passed. Aveil played her part perfectly, every so often throwing a glance over her shoulder at the cloaked figures that seemed to be following them.

"Sir, we're being followed."

"Good."

The Gerudo king pressed onward, up the streets of North Castle Town into the castle courtyard, where a pair of familiar guards stood watch.

"Lord Ganondorf, back so soon? You normally make yearly peace trips, and yet you're back after barely a season," the senior guard exclaimed, this being the very same guard who broke the news of Zelda's passing.

"I have another urgent matter I must bring to your king's attention. Let me pass," he barked, pleased when the guard ordered the door open. The guard raised an eyebrow at Baby, and let out a tiny gasp as they walked by.

"...I think that one knows," Aveil mumbled in Gerudo, keeping a straight face as they entered.

"He probably does, he remembered Zelda's beauty mark and was the one who told me about the resistance movement," Ganondorf replied. "He loved the 'little princess' and has six kids, so he probably would see a resemblance. Figures."

"Let's hope he stays out here, then."

Once they were through the gate and on their way to the throne room, Aveil surveyed the surroundings. She reported in Gerudo. "We've lost our spies, but we've gained an escort."

"Good. She's probably preparing the boy now. The escort?"

"Royal guardsmen have been following us since the gate, but they're ones I've trained."

"Deep breaths... Ready, Pumpkin?" Baby squeezed Ganondorf's arm in response, just as he reached the throne room. He looked to Aveil for her conformation, and without further delay threw open the doors and stepped inside. "Harkinian..!"

The King of Hyrule and all of the royal advisors were in attendance, as Impa said they would be. They turned their attention to the three Gerudo at the entrance, who didn't even wait for permission before barging up to the dais.

"Ganondorf?! What is the meaning of this?! How dare you come before us uninvited?" the king shouted, clearly unprepared for such a visit. Impa stood behind him, pretending to have her guard up. She made eye contact with Ganondorf for a brief moment, before casually directing her gaze to the two row council box.

Seated in the front near the door was Anju, whose eyes widened when she glimpsed the little girl in Ganondorf's arms. She shot a glance to Impa, who made the slightest of nods before resuming her staged apprehension. Anju did her best to hide the satisfaction on her face, upon seeing what could truly be considered her first life saved. After being told of Zelda's supposed death, Anju grew highly suspicious of the chief physician, and did a little investigation into the doctor's sudden trip to Kasuto. He had no business there, and could not have made it back so quickly unless it was a day trip. She therefore suspected that whoever poisoned Zelda bribed him to go, expecting that Anju's lack of experience would ensure the princess miscarried. Her suspicions were confirmed when Impa approached her with the plan.

"I have come before you because I am tired of being a second class citizen," Ganondorf shouted in anger, after spotting Impa’s signal. "I am here to demand that you surrender your kingdom to me!"

The chamberlain laughed, and stood from his chair closest to the king. "What? You dare spew such nonsense?! You have no claim to this throne!"

"For starters, you and I are of the same earth, as much as your idiotic ancestors wish to forget," Ganondorf hissed at the king, ignoring the councilman who spoke in his place. "But second, all the claim I need is right here in my arms." That was when he bounced Baby, making her smile.

"So you knocked up one of your desert sluts, big deal," the chancellor scoffed, making Aveil hiss.

"Oh, my wife is no slut," Ganondorf said with a grin. "And my daughter is every bit the rightful heir to this kingdom. Show them, my Baby, show them what the Goddesses have given you."

"Yes, Papa," Baby said, and reached under her shawl. The entire council recoiled in shock as she produced the one and only sacred lyre, the very same said to be owned by Hylia herself. Their panic increased as Baby gave it a light strum, and the matron nearly fainted from the shock.

"You... you dirty, rotten thieves!" the chaplain stood and shouted, his face redder than Ganondorf's hair. "How DARE you steal such a holy relic?! And to defile it by letting that filthy child's fingers touch the same strings as Her Grace..."

"Fucking bastard," Ganondorf hissed. "We'll show you... Baby, play the lullaby!"

Baby obliged and began playing her mother's favorite lullaby, sending the chaplain and several other council members into a frenzy. Ganondorf's gamble paid off, and eventually the king himself was riled into action.

"Enough!" Harkinian shouted, and stood from his throne. "Guards! Take that foul beast into custody for treason and theft, and throw his woman and child into the dungeons!"

The room stood still as Harkinian's order echoed off the walls, without a single guard moving to obey. The council members looked around bewildered as he repeated the order, yet the guards still did not move. Impa smirked and turned to her left, where General Alfonzo stood waiting.

King Harkinian turned and glared at them. "What is the meaning of this?! Arrest him!"

Impa and Alfonzo strode forth, but continued past Ganondorf to the main doors. With a dramatic flourish, they pulled them open and allowed a ghost to enter the throne room. She was a slender ghost, dressed in a pink breasted gown with gold shoulder pauldrons. Her hair was pulled back and braided past the neck, with a charm fastened at the tail. A long scabbard hung on her back, the blue and green handle sparkling in the torchlight. But most frightening of all was the child that accompanied her, a child garbed in sacred green.

[defunctzombie]

The Blind Courage Climax, Part one

Not much to say other than the prior parts may be read on ffnet or ao3. (sorry, bad headache)

click here for the blind courage / zelgan baby masterpost

At dawn, Ganondorf hunched down under the north Hyrule field bridge, holding Zelda in his arms. The two of them kissed, then Zelda held tightly to his chest. She was dressed in the Sheikah armor Impa had given her after Baby was born, the same armor she used to sneak into Ordon Village. Scarves and a mask hid her face, and a long cloak further concealed her.

"Don't be scared, my love," Ganondorf murmured into her ear as he held her head. "Aveil and I will be right there with her, and her identity will not be revealed until you come in. By then Impa will already be in the room, and we have the royal guard on our side. Baby will be fine."

"My duty is to protect the Princess," Impa said to Ganondorf from the sidelines. "I will be counting on you and Aveil to guard the children, should hell break loose." She then placed a comforting hand on Link's shoulder, who stood at her side prepared for battle in the most ironic of outfits- it had taken Zelda a week to make, but she had constructed a perfect replica of the green tunic and hat worn by the Hero of Time. They had decided the more they spooked the council, the better. "Remember lad, keep your cloak closed and do not don your hat until Zelda tells you to."

Link nodded, and pulled up his hood. The plan was that Ganondorf, Aveil, and Baby would enter the city, demanding an audience with the king. Zelda and Link would act as Impa's spies and follow them, meeting up with her in the palace. It was a common tactic for young Sheikah to accompany their elders, and was the perfect disguise.

Impa then stood straight. "If everything is set, I must depart. I will be in the throne room, as I am expected on security detail. The guards should show you no resistance. If they do..."

"I'll think of something," Ganondorf replied with confidence.

"Alright." Impa came over and kissed Zelda's cheek, then hugged her. "I will see you inside."

Zelda embraced her with a heavy heart. "Goodbye, Nanny."

"This is not goodbye," Impa whispered with a smile, then disappeared into the shadows.

"...Are you ready, love?"

Zelda turned back to her husband and sighed. "...Yes. As ready as I'll ever be. I just don't want to wake Baby yet. I feel this will be hardest on her."

"Oh, come here." Ganondorf pulled Zelda close for one more hug, but stopped when he felt something strange on her back. "...What's this? Are you wearing a weapon behind your cloak?"

Ganondorf tried to inspect it, but Zelda pleaded for him to stop. "No, Gan, don't."

He ignored her plea, and fished the scabbard from her back. Once he saw it, he immediately dropped it in surprise. "Zelda! Where in the name of the Goddesses did you get that?!"

"I told you not to..." she sighed, and watched as Link bent down and picked it up for her. "This was Impa's idea," she said, unsheathing the only other relic that could help their cause- the holy Master Sword itself.

"Just what do you plan to do with that?" he growled, eyes dimming from the sheen reflecting off the blade.

"Hopefully nothing," she answered. "But if necessary, we will use it to defend the children."

"We."

"Yes, we." Zelda grabbed Ganondorf's hand and wrapped it around the sword's handle, proving to him that it was not his enemy. "Ganondorf, the Goddesses trust you. They gave your daughter a piece of their Golden Power, and they blessed you with a family. You aren't Demise. They know you are benevolent."

The sword felt small in Ganondorf's hand, almost like a knife compared to the blade he normally wore. He really had no desire to wield it after having been killed by it so many times. But his desires meant nothing when it came to the safety of the children.

Taking one last look at the blade, he handed it back to Zelda. "...Alright. But only if we need it."

Zelda nodded and sheathed the blade, then tucked it away. She then took Link's hand, and went over to a tent where Aveil stood guard. Aveil smiled, and lifted the flap.

"She's still fast asleep, My Lady."

Zelda nodded and crawled inside, where Baby was tucked into a small sleeping bag. Her hair and clothes had been done up in the Gerudo style, though Zelda had worried that she would be cold and so added a little shawl to the outfit.

"Baby... Honey, time to wake up..."

Baby rolled around, not too eager to get out of her sleeping bag until Zelda leaned in and kissed her nose.

"Mamaaaaa... No kissies... Sleepy..."

"I know my baby, but we have to do this. Today is the big day, then it will all be over." Zelda hoped that was the case, but even she couldn't be certain what the future held. "I brought Link with me..."

Baby yawned and reached a hand out, catching Link's fingers. "Get up, sleepy," he prodded, using his thumb to rub the junction between her thumb and forefinger, a gesture he knew she wasn't too fond of.

"Nyaaaah... Okie, I'm up..."

Once Zelda had Baby up and out of the tent, the five key players sat down for one last meal and strategy meeting. "Remember, Aveil, you have to notice Zelda and be suspicious of her," Ganondorf said. "Two Sheikah following you can't be good. Their Hylian masters are dishonest."

"You don't have to convince me of that," she snorted.

"Baby, honey, you're going to hear a lot of strange things," Zelda explained next. "Some of them are going to be rude. Remember what I told you about how some Hylians think the Gerudo are bad, and remember that those people are wrong."

"I know, Mama. Gerudo aren't bad, Gerudo are really nice."

"That's the kind of kid Hyrule needs as its Princess," Aveil mumbled with a smile, and nudged Ganondorf in the side.

"Make sure you stay quiet unless I say it's okay to talk, Baby," Ganondorf said once he shook off his grin. "If you get scared, I want you to use that magic spell I taught you, okay?"

In addition to teaching Baby how to speak Gerudo, Ganondorf had spent the last month teaching Baby how to call him using telepathy. Since she could only access her Triforce abilities when she was with Link, he had to use the natural magic she inherited instead. Right now she could only call to him and hear him in her head, but it was a comfort.

"Do the troops know what to do?" Zelda asked, to which Aveil shook her head.

"Yes, our forces are ready to counteract the Hylian troops should they choose to storm the castle," she answered. "I have four units surrounding the city, with an elite unit positioned in the spillway beneath the castle. That unit is the quickest to reach you should Impa's royal guard prove not to be on our side."

"Then we are ready," Ganondorf declared, and snuffed out their fire.