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trixiwritesfanfic · 1 year ago

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We'll Do It Right This Time

Chapter 4: Reaching an Accord

For the second time in ten minutes, Zelda heard wood cracking. It was swiftly followed by a huff and a distinctive clattering sound as the bow hit the ground.

‘Another!’

‘If I may, Ganz, kindly stop stacking my bows. I understand that you’re used to a greater draw distance, but you have damaged the limbs of two of my favourites since we began.’ The queen didn’t even look at the man, too busy sighting a target halfway across the courtyard. Her form was exquisite as she drew back the string, then let fly with an arrow. Without looking, both heard the thunk! as it found its home in the centre of the target.

‘I’ll replace them. You’d like one of our golden bows, I’m sure. They’re designed for distance shooting, so I reckon you’d be able to hit a bullseye all the way down there,’ He gestured vaguely to the opposite end of the courtyard.

‘You speak as though you doubt my capacity to hit a bullseye without the aid of an enhanced scope…?’

‘Well, most folks need an assist for distance shooting. The Rito are the best at aerial archery, the Gerudo have distance shooting covered, and Hylians excel at flexible short-range fire.’ Despite the fact he’d just been asked to be careful, the Gerudo immediately strode back across to the weapon rack, plucking one more bow from the collection. He began the process of examining it and gingerly pulling the string back, testing the draw distance… and then—

THUNK!

‘I asked you to stop!’ Barely an inch from Ganz’s nose, an arrow trembled in the sturdy wooden frame of the weapons rack. The redhead’s gaze slowly swivelled from the bow he still held to the irate blonde. Passion furrowed her brow and flared in the endless blue of her eyes, and it was beautiful.

No, not just beautiful. Powerful. She was a powerful, fierce Vai, and doubtless could challenge him if she so chose. Looking at her now, seconds after she’d shot an arrow almost straight at his face, he knew. Of course, her resolve thus far had been admirable regardless – meeting with a threat to her land, maintaining cordial relations amid tensions, her enduring willingness to consider distasteful options – but now, he also knew she would not hesitate if necessary.

Good.

‘You asked me here to discuss the possible terms of a betrothal.’ He could see uncertainty swirling in her expression at the mention of official business. ‘We should get started.’

‘Now, sire?’

‘Yes.’

The queen gestured for her advisor, who had been watching apprehensively from the sidelines. He bobbed over to the duo, clutching a board and some parchment. A pen was tucked behind one of his long, pointed ears.

‘Very well. For the first order of business—’

‘At least five children.’

For a solid minute, Zelda was stunned into silence, her cheeks still flame. Despite the laid-back, informal way Ganz had acted since his arrival, she had anticipated at least some degree of posturing, a struggle to negotiate political influence, a bid for the throne – anything but that, really.

‘I- don’t you want to argue about the balance of power? Political advantage? Distribution of duties?’

‘Nope. I’m happy to rule the Gerudo as I always have, and to support you in ruling Hyrule as you have. If something impacts both territories, we can argue then, don’t you think?’ Ganz’s attention turned to weapons other than the bows as he spoke, loath to have his hands idle for long. He procured himself a spear and began to work through some basic drills as he waited for the queen to snap out of that shock.

‘Well, what about where you’ll live? I cannot be in Gerudo Town, away from my people, but isn’t the same true of yourself?’

‘If you don’t mind me saying, I think you need to spend a little more time on your own roads, your nibs. Yes, we settled in Gerudo Town, and yes, it’s where we’re most comfortable, but we’re roamers by nature. Vai constantly leave town to find boyfriends and start families. They tread the roads of Hyrule more than any others, by my reckoning. We learn independence from infancy, and I have sisters who can serve as my mouthpiece in my absence in any case.’ Despite his massive size, there was a fluidity and grace to Ganz’s every movement as he walked through the various combat stances. As if it was something he was simply built to do. ‘So I’m not worried about political power, though I get it if you want some safety clauses in there. I’m more interested in protecting and expanding my family.’

‘Expanding. You mentioned before that you have children – how many?’

‘Four so far.’

‘So far?’

‘Mm. There could be a few more coming – Baki and Kota were involved with me a few months ago, and I’ve not seen either since. I don’t have any way of knowing yet if either is pregnant.’

‘How can you not know?’

‘Well, as I mentioned, many of our Vai do spend their time on the road. There are also a few cliques who isolate for parts of the year for spiritual reasons. I’ve never questioned who’s coming and going, as long as they’re a Vai.’

‘Well, yes, but… how can you not know if…’

‘Ah, Zelda. Do not ask questions you do not want the answers to!’ The Gerudo king’s laughter was deep and rumbling, curling hot and heavy around Zelda’s already flushed ears.

‘I assure you I want the answers! If there is one thing I hate, it is remaining ignorant.’

‘Very well – in our land, marriage is not a prerequisite for all things carnal. My experiences are numerous and varied, and some involved several different women. Simultaneously. I bedded Baki, Kota, and Risha all on the same night. I know only one of them has had her bleed since.’ He paused, considering the queen’s expression. Thunderstruck. The concept seemed to paralyse her rather than necessarily inspire revulsion, which if he was honest, was what he’d anticipated. ‘See it as an assurance that I will be able to please you.’

‘Will… will you be expecting me to enable this behaviour indefinitely?’

A silence fell between them as Ganz considered the question, apparently having never put thought to it before.

‘I suppose it depends, really.’ He placed the spear back in its rack and scratched at the back of his head. Not for the first time, he wished they were a more similar height; he’d have liked eye contact in this moment. ‘I was blessed with an enormous amount of stamina, and a libido to match. The prolific nature of my experiences is due, mostly, to that.’

‘The implication being that one woman is not enough?’

‘The implication being that I know my needs and wish to have them met. I have met few Vai who were capable of keeping up with me, but I hope one day to meet my match.’

Zelda turned from him, then, swiftly nocking another arrow and sighting her target. She loosed it moments later, and it flew straight and true before embedding itself deep in the heart of the bullseye. The bullseye at the opposite end of the courtyard.

‘That sounded a lot like a challenge,’ the queen quipped, turning back to him and arching an eyebrow. ‘Is this the start of a slippery slope, Makeela Ganz?’

‘A challenge doesn’t mean a war, your Maj. Challenge is healthy. Desirable, even.’ There it was again – a flame in those eyes, burning blue. He found himself smirking at her as he was drawn into that easy confidence. ‘Why do you think I wanted to shoot with you, Zelda? When I could head to the parapets and test my aim on far harder targets?’

‘You wanted my measure.’

‘I wanted your measure. I assumed you were fit for your role, but many Vai can be cowed by a Voe. I wanted to know if you were one of them.’

‘And your conclusion?’

‘I asked to negotiate, didn’t I?’ It was a strange sentence to be flustered by, and yet Ganz watched as Zelda turned slowly back to that pretty pink shade.

‘Yes, I suppose you did.’ She gathered herself with a deep, soothing breath. Was it her imagination, or was there a tension in the air? ‘Please, grab a bow. I can walk you through shooting without breaking it, if you’re willing to listen.’

‘Always.’

‘I would expect you to cease all sexual contact outside the marriage bed.’ Zelda’s hand rested against Ganz’s arm as he gradually pulled back the string of the new bow. There was a point, far before the extent of his draw, where she pushed against his triceps, resisting for him. ‘I do not wish to have a husband who diverts his attention elsewhere – I will keep up with your needs, following an adjustment period.’

‘This is as far as these puny bows go?’ He huffed and cast his gaze down the arrow, lining up much as she had. He held the shot longer than she had without the slightest hint of effort, taking his time with the whole aiming business.

‘Accuracy and moderate range, rather than distance and helm-splitting power,’ she responded, internally marvelling at the display of strength. Not even a tremor… ‘The point is to aim and fire quickly. Remember, these are often used on horseback.’

‘Mm.’

Another sound thock! followed the release of the bowstring as the arrow found a new home, barely missing the centre circle of the faraway target. Ganz lowered the bow, feeling Zelda’s hand still resting against the back of one arm. It was uniquely delicate and warm.

‘If you are sure you can keep up with my needs,’ he rumbled, scrutinising the spread of their shots, ‘I will do all I can to meet yours. I will cleave to you, Queen of Hyrule, if you bear me many daughters.’

‘…Daughters? Isn’t it typical to want sons?’

‘Not when you wish for your offspring to be able to visit their homeland. To experience their heritage firsthand.’

‘You understand I cannot control…’

‘I am aware. I will not blame you if you bear only sons. As long as our destinies entwine and our blood intermingles, I shall bear you no ill will. You shall be safe.’

‘And you have no demands of a political nature? Not a one?’

‘I will support you if you support me. We each govern our own and work together for the betterment of both.’

‘And what of your… children?’

‘My children and their mothers. A wing of the castle, perhaps, or a home in Castle Town. Somewhere I can see them daily and teach them.’

Off in the corner, Zelda’s advisor was scribbling furiously, barely keeping up with the conversation now that the sport had ceased. The man sweated lightly, and the scratch of pen against parchment underscored the tension which followed that demand.

‘Your relationship with your children and their mothers, it shan’t interfere with our family?’

‘You will become of our family, and they will become of yours. My children will be our children, and the siblings of our offspring. Their mothers, our friends. A support.’ He saw the doubt in her expression, a smouldering, subtle thing beneath a gracious host’s smile. ‘A strictly platonic support, unless you desire otherwise.’

Really, it was more than she’d hoped for.

‘Very well; I accept your terms, Ganz. May I enquire as to your preferred duration for our engagement?’

‘However long it takes for all the dignitaries I plan on inviting to our wedding to get here, of course! I must start planning immediately; tell me, are you well-acquainted with Valora and Corbin?’

‘The chieftains of Rito Village? We’ve met on occasion since their inauguration, but we’re not particularly close.’

‘They’ve been working on a means for us wingless folks to visit the sky temples. I think that might be the best place for us to be wed. It’s on neither your sovereign soil nor mine and was the last known place of import for the Sages of Upheaval. It feels fitting, don’t you agree?’ The man seemed to have come alive now he’d been given a task – or well, grabbed the task for himself, rather.

‘If you can figure out how to invite King Sidon into the skies for the ceremony then I will happily follow wherever you lead.’

‘…Maybe I should send word and ask how the Rito are getting on with that project, first.’

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

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