Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning The Legend of Zelda. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody, though all original characters are my own property. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental. "Loosing Grip" lyrics are property of Avril Lavigne, all rights reserved.

o

"Tainted Wisdom" - Part One: The Tower of Darkness

By The Last Princess of Hyrule

o

Are you aware of what you make me feel, baby?
Right now I feel invisible to you,
Like I'm not real,
Didn't you feel me lock my arms around you?
Why'd you turn away . . .?

o

"And the other, the one who holds the Triforce of Wisdom . . . is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all . . ." I held up my right hand and the Triforce of Wisdom flared into life. "Yes . . . It is I, the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda."

Seven years, nearly half my life, spent hidden away within the body of a Sheikah man, as it was unsafe for a Princess of Hyrule to be seen in Ganondorf's realm. My only means of surviving that time of desolation had been to hide the true me and become the shadow man, Sheik.

Then, a few months ago, as I sat within this very Temple of Time, I witnessed something that relit the fires of hope in my heart. The Hero of Time had returned to Hyrule at last. After seven years, Link arrived once more in our land, only to find it in devastation since he had been sealed away. That was when I, still disguised as Sheik, told him what had happened and how to save Hyrule from this fate.

I don't know what did it, but something called him to strive to save my home and his. Throughout his quest, I was there to help him when he didn't know where to go. And now, with the power of the Sages awakened, we were finally ready to face Ganondorf, the King of Evil, and to free Hyrule from his tyranny.

I could feel Link staring at me as I gave him the Arrows of Light. I knew my sudden appearance had startled him, but surely the surprise should have worn off by now. That stare sent shivers up my spine; there was something not quite right about it.

"Are you ready?" I asked, breaking the awkward silence that had settled over us. He nodded. "Then let's go."

I turned toward the doors but, as I opened one, I knew he wasn't following. "Is something wrong?"

"You're coming with?" he asked.

o

Here's what I have to say,
I was left to cry there,
Waiting outside there,
Burning with a lost stare,
That's when I decided,
Why should I care . . . ?

o

"Yes," I answered. Why shouldn't I help him slay Ganondorf? "Why?"

"It might be dangerous," he said. From the tone of his voice, I couldn't tell whether he was being sincere or not.

"I know," I replied. "But, if you can do it, so can I."

"I'm sure you can," he told me. "But I want to know you're safe. What if you were to be hurt, and I couldn't help you?"

I threw my arms around his neck. "I can do this, I know I can," I felt him tense, but I ignored it. I tightened my grip, never wanting to let him go. I was so afraid that, if I let him walk out that door alone, I would never see him again.

I was still clinging to him when I heard a rumbling echo through the temple. I let go and swung around. The temple was shaking violently; so much so I feared it might crumble over our heads. I pressed my hand against a wall and felt the cool stone shudder. A moment too late, I realized what was happening.

I gasped. "That rumbling . . . it can't be?"

"What? What is it?" I heard Link yell behind me over the din, but I wasn't listening.

"No!" I tried to scream, but was cut off as I felt the air around me harden and solidify until I was trapped; encased in a giant rose-colored prism. I beat my gloved fists on the shining surface; but it did nothing save echo through the crystal. Through the walls, I saw Link looking wildly about him.

I could see him shouting, at me I assumed, but I couldn't hear a thing. The world had gone dead silent. Then, my ears pricked up as they took notice of the unmistakable voice that boomed into my consciousness. I could see Link's eyes filled with pure terror as he too heard, recognized, and remembered that dreadful sound.

"Princess Zelda . . . you foolish traitor!"

o

'Cuz you weren't there when I was scared,
I was so alone,
You, you need to listen,
I'm starting to trip, I'm losing my grip,
And I'm in this thing alone . . .

o

Ganondorf! I felt my legs begin to shake. I shivered violently. It had been seven years since I heard his voice, but even that amount of time couldn't make me forget him.

"I commend you for avoiding my pursuit for seven long years," he said, snidely. I could feel his presence though I knew I was alone. Link had stilled to listen, his hand on the hilt of the Master Sword. "But you let your guard down . . . I knew you'd appear if I let this kid wander around!"

I gasped and pressed hard against the crystal again. I threw all my weight into it but nothing happened. Link saw me struggling but did nothing, which confused me. He'd come all this way and he was going to give me up to Ganondorf without a fight?

I could hear Ganondorf chuckling. Could he see us? Most likely, I thought. This was probably just his idea of entertainment. "Well, hero. I see you decided to take me up on my little offer no doubt?"

Link's mouth moved as he shouted something at Ganondorf. I couldn't hear him but obviously Ganondorf could, because he responded by saying, "Collect? Collect what, hero?"

Collect? What were they talking about? I watched Link in confusion as he answered Ganondorf. "Deed?" Ganondorf asked. I could tell from his voice that his confusion was not sincere. "Oh yes, you want to collect the deed to the land I promised you in exchange for the princess. I must have forgotten."

I was utterly bewildered as I watched Link's expression grow increasingly more angry. It looked like Link snorted at that last remark before he spoke. "Of coarse I planned to give it to you. I always repay those loyal to me," said Ganondorf. It sounded to me as though he were trying to assure Link of something.

"With death? You view me as some sort of cold blooded tyrant, don't you, hero?" The King of Evil laughed, as Link grew more irritated. "No, you shall have the land your father once oversaw. Soon you will find yourself lord of those who reside there." I could not believe it; I had been sold out for the chance to rule over some piece of land.

Link looked somewhat pleased but his expression quickly turned to one of query. "There was more to our bargain?" Ganondorf asked, this time clearly confused. "Oh, of course, your little whore, Malon. What about her?"

"I promised her to you? Very well, she's yours. Anything else I've forgotten . ..?" There was a long pause as he thought about this. I held my breath, waiting in fear for what he might say. "Ah yes, the Triforce."

o

Am I just some chick you place beside you,
To take somebody's place?
When you turn around can you recognize my face?
You used to love me, you used to hug me,
But that wasn't the case . . .

o

I covered my mouth in a gasp. "Yes, the Triforce of Courage, which you hold in your hand," Ganondorf said triumphantly. "You owe it to me."

I screamed at the top of my lungs, "No!" Link held up his right hand and shouted something at Ganondorf. His hand began to glow with a green light. I felt a stabbing pain in my own right hand as the Triforce of Wisdom reacted to Link. "Link, no!" I beat my fists on the crystal, the searing pain in my hand nearly blinding me, but to no avail. A bolt of light sliced cleanly through Link's wrist.

"Noooooo!"

Ganondorf laughed as Link grasped the bloody stump of his arm in agony; his severed hand melted away into a thick emerald mist. The pain in my hand dulled to a throb as I sank to my knees. The Triforce of Courage was now in the hands of the King of Evil. "I knew you weren't one to throw your life away on some princess." Ganondorf said. Link glared at the ceiling and called out.

"As you wish," Ganondorf answered. I looked up. It sounded as though Ganondorf were granting some request of his. But in return for what? The Triforce of Courage? Or me?

A bolt of white light shot down from the vaulted ceiling. It hit the ground, blinding me, as it took on a slightly feminine shape. As I blinked away bright violet spots, the glowing shape faded away to reveal a woman. She looked slightly familiar to me. She had bright mahogany red hair and pale blue eyes. Her white shirt was belted at the waist and tucked into a pink skirt with a brown apron in covering it. No doubt this must have been the girl, Malon, Ganondorf had spoken of before.

She looked about her wildly for a moment. I watched as Link called out to her. I saw how she whirled around at the sound of his voice. I noticed the looks on their faces as they ran to each other. And when she kissed him, I slammed the glass with my fists.

Ganondorf chuckled in the background, obviously entertained by the show before him. "Enjoy your whore, or wife, or whatever you call her." I closed my eyes against the tears as I felt my crystal prism rising above Link and his lover. It disappeared from the temple and I shook my head. The so-called, "Hero of Time" had sold out. How could I alone keep Hyrule safe from Ganondorf?

o

Everything wasn't okay,
I was left to cry there, waiting outside there,
Burning with a lost stare,
That's when I decided,
Why should I care . . . ?

o

I slept though the assent to Ganon's Tower and for some time after I think. When I woke, I found I myself still in the crystal. But now it was inside a room; one unlike any I had ever seen before. The room was spacious and empty. The lofty, vaulted ceiling lattice above me was made with many stoat beams. My crystal hung at the ceiling, so I looked down at my feet and was able to get a bird's eye view.

The room had no walls it seemed; only windows. They were made from thousands of interlocking panes of stained glass. Each pane was a different shade of red, orange, or brown, and no two were alike. The beams that supported them were carved from a deep cherry colored wood. Every two beams had an iron grate torch fastened to them. The torches' low glow made the room seem darker and more foreboding than it would have were it day.

Right beneath me stood a giant organ. It was nearly as long and high as the wall it stood against. Thousands of brass pipes burst from it with a range of scales greater than anything I had ever seen before. There were three rows of keys at the base and a long bench sewn with a rich crimson cushion. The organ stood on a burgundy carpet decorated with hundreds of tiny intertwining stitches.

Directly across the room from the organ was a pair of double doors. They were carved with scenes of great battles won; battles from that night seven years ago, I presumed. The gold handles twisted like vines where they attached to the wood.

To the left of the door, in the middle of the wall was a fireplace. It had to be nearly fifteen feet wide and was made from dark gray slate. The floor it stood upon was a rare blood-red marble; fitting, for an evil king. In front of the fire were several high-backed chairs sewn with ruby-colored plush cushions. My gaze traveled up. Atop the mantle, I could see precious artifacts he had collected over the years.

The first three were the spiritual stones, which he must have stolen from the Temple of Time. Next to the stones was my father's crown. It was gold, crested with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and a great diamond in the center. I had to shut my eyes for a moment as memories of him rushed back to me. It was too painful to remember him, or anything from my past life.

When I at last regained myself and looked back to the mantle, I was surprised to see my necklace next to his crown. The necklace was made from a star garnet with gold spikes around it. The gold chain also held the occasional barb before fastening in the back. Father had given that necklace to me for my tenth birthday; and he had died merely two months later.

The last thing on the mantle nearly made me sick. It was Link's right hand. It was shroud in a thick green mist through which I could see a slight glimmer of gold. The Triforce of Courage was rising out of his hand. I covered my mouth and turned away.

Beside the right wall stood a large four-poster canopy bed. The velvet hangings were scarlet colored, like blood. The bed had two thick feather mattresses heaped with heavy blankets. It was bedecked with multiple soft pillows.

I shifted uncomfortably, trying to get some feeling into my legs, which had fallen asleep beneath me. The bed looked terribly relaxing from here. I longed to stretch out on it, playing with the heavy tassels as I did when I was a child. I could almost hear Impa scolding me for jumping on my own soft bed. The pain of the memories was almost unbearable. I began to sob.

I was so immersed in my own sorrow I did not even notice my crystal descend to ground level. I didn't see the doors swing open to allow passage of some person or creature into the room. I was completely ignorant of the world around me, until I heard a cold voice call to me.

"Princess Zelda . . . so nice to see you again after so long."

o

'Cuz you weren't there when I was scared,
I was so alone,
You, you need to listen,
I'm starting to trip, I'm losing my grip,
And I'm in this thing alone . . .

o

I looked up; Ganondorf had entered the room. He looked different since I last saw him. He wore the same dark armor, yes, but his crimson hair had lengthened and he wore a rich scarlet cape with a complex pattern of masterful stitches.

I pushed myself to my feet as the pink prism surrounding me vanished. He was smiling at me, pleased, apparently, that the last piece of the Triforce was within his grasp. I knew that was all he wanted. Or at least, I thought.

"It has been a long time, Princess," he said as he came toward me, slowly. "Seven years since I last saw you." I glared at him. "You were only a child then," he continued, folding his arms across his chest. "But now, look how you've grown; unrecognizable from the wretch you were seven years ago."

"You haven't changed at all," I said spitefully.

Ganondorf laughed. "No, Princess. I have changed more than you know."

He beckoned me to sit in one of the plush chairs by the fire but I refused, planting my feet into the floor. He shook his head and sat down. "Still uptight I see."

I narrowed my eyes and walked around to the front of the other chair. I seated myself rigidly in it, feeling the soft cushions as if they were knives.

We sat in silence for nearly a minute before he spoke again. "You know where you stand now, Princess. Your kingdom is lost, the Triforce of Courage is now in my grasp, and you no longer have a hero to protect you." He faced me. "Isn't it about time you gave in?"

"I may not have a kingdom to protect, nor a family to live for," I said to the fire. I then turned my head and looked him straight in the eyes. "But I will never give in to you."

Ganondorf snickered and stood up. He walked over to the mantle above the fire and rested and elbow on it. He stared down at the fire, its reflection flickering in his eyes. "I expected that," he muttered under his breath.

His eyes drifted up to the mantel, where they scanned through his trophies, as if searching for a certain one. I watched him warily, trying to anticipate what his next move would be.

"Only one thing missing," he said his eyes flickered to the Triforce of Courage. He placed two fingers on his right hand. The Triforce of Power sparked and glowed on it.

I felt a tingling in my right hand as the Triforce of Wisdom flashed into view. "Just as I thought," he said, staring at my gleaming hand, "You do hold the Triforce of Wisdom."

I stood up. There was something in his words; something in the way he said them that made my skin grow cold. He was looking at me again, flaming orange eyes shining in the firelight.

He took a step forward. I stepped back. "Scared, Princess?" he laughed, taking two more steps.

I felt my blood boil. Scared? After seven years of living in fear of discovery? Of watching my every move to keep myself safe? Of risking my life to help that so-called hero just so he could betray me! I know longer knew that kind of fear.

But the fear I felt now was different. No longer for my physical safety but on a darker scale. Fear of what might come next. I glared at Ganondorf, who had backed me into a corner near the massive organ.

He laughed again, almost maniacally. My torrid blood quickly turned to ice. His intentions were becoming clearer to me with each minute. My heart knew what was going to happen, but my mind willed it not to be true.

I could feel myself begin to shake and prayed he didn't notice. Ganondorf came closer until he was right in front of me. I could feel his breath on my face.

My fear welled up in my breast. There was no one here to protect me from him; no one to pull him away. But I couldn't give in so easily. I must be strong.

Then, I felt his hand grasp my chin. I tried to fight it but he forced me to look at him. "There is no one here, Princess. No one to save you from me." The expression I saw on his face was like none other I had ever seen before. A product of some kind of desire, but poisoned; turned from something pure to something vile. And whatever it was frightened me to my soul and I longed to scream aloud; to run from the room. But I was trapped.

I wrenched my chin from his grasp and I heard him laugh softly. Then I felt the back of his hand stroking my cheek. "Are you scared now?" he whispered in my ear. I couldn't stand it anymore. There had to be someone who would save me.

(Help! Goddesses! Sages! Anyone! Help!)

There came no reply. My body had seized up, and I stood rigid. Ganondorf laughed again, "Who did you think would help you, Princess? Your goddesses? The Sages? All lies."

I froze; Ganondorf could pick up my telepathy. "Didn't think I could hear you call out like that, did you?" Could he read all of my thoughts? I waited a moment, thinking at him about the Triforce. Nothing. So at least I was safe in my own head.

Then, I felt the fastenings on my gold chain hangings loosen. "No, they have no power." I became alert again as my decorations slid off my bare shoulders. My sleeveless magenta over shirt flopped lazily over my curving breasts and hips. The pale pink sleeveless shift seemed stiff; its high clasp and collar choking me.

His fingers traced the contours of my circlet before he pulled it out of my hair. "Only the darkness holds true power. Power imbued with the might of the Triforce." (Nayru, my patron goddess, hear my pleas! Spare me!) I no longer cared if he heard my calls.

o

Open your eyes,
Open up wide,
Why should I care?
'Cuz you weren't there when I was scared,
I was so alone . . .

o

Then, miraculously, Ganondorf backed away, my trinkets in hand. He walked to his mantle and placed them lightly on its smooth surface. While he was busy, I backed warily out of the corner and sidestepped across the room. I kept my eyes locked onto his back.

I was halfway across the room when he turned around. As he spotted me, I jumped up and tried to back away, but the backs of my knees bumped something. I turned my head around and found that I had backed into the bed.

"You'll never give in, will you?" I heard footsteps and swiveled around to see Ganondorf advancing on me slowly. "If I cannot bend you to my will, than I shall be forced to break you."

There was no one here to protect me from him, but I was not going to give in. I would not be beaten by him! At least, that was what I told myself, repeating it in my mind like a mantra. But my body convulsed under his gaze. "What are you going to do to me?" I asked, voice dripping with fear.

"Whatever it takes."

That is when it happened. Before I knew it, he was on top of me. For a moment, I was frozen with surprise as we fell back onto the bed. Somewhere in the back of my mind, my consciousness was fighting to regain control of my petrified body. But terror gripped it tighter than dungeon chains.

I felt a hand on my back. At that instant, my conscious mind broke free and I screamed, physically, and mentally. (Help! )

It felt as if I had been jolted from one nightmare into another. Suddenly I was fully aware of what was happening to me. His face was looming over mine, an evil glimmer in his eyes. A look that made me want to be sick.

There was no one to save me this time. But I was not going to let this happen. I would not give in! So, I slapped him; I bit his hand and balled up my fist, slamming it into his thick skull.

He lurched back with a slightly surprised look on his face. I propped myself up on the bed. My decorative hanging apron had been ripped off and tossed aside. My belt had been undone and my loose magenta over-shirt torn in places. My long, pale legs were exposed from under my loose white skirt. I was breathing heavily; my tangled hair drooped limply in my narrowed eyes.

As I looked at him, I expected to see anger in his expression, but rather he looked amused. As though this were all a game. "Going to try to fight me are you, Princess?" he asked with a laugh. "Still trying to win?"

Our eyes locked for a moment. It was in that instant that I could have sworn I saw a flash of fear cross his sharp features. But suddenly, whatever I saw was lost as he lunged at me. However, I was expecting him this time. I pulled my legs back and thrust them forward in a powerful kick, knocking him away again.

This time he did not look very amused. He seemed to be loosing his temper. "What does it take to show you you've lost?"

I was panting now, from trying to keep him away from me. As I caught my breath, I thought he looked as though he were going to give up. I relaxed, against my better judgment.

That was when he came at me again, catching me off guard. I tried feverishly to force him away once more. I tried to kick, bite, and scratch; whatever it took. But nothing worked.

I could hear my dress rip. I wanted to slap him, but he had pinned my arms above my head with one massive hand. Because I could no longer fight, I screamed, as loudly as I could. The most hateful of my thoughts poured out my mouth. But, of coarse, that didn't loosen his hold on me. I struggled futilely against the hand running across my body.

And then I felt it. Myself, my innocence, my very essence slipping away. A sensation unlike any I had ever felt before. A physical feeling; nothing to do with my mind. And I knew what it was. It was the result of lust, namely, his lust for me.

But I was not so untouched by the world that I had not heard wives stories about their husbands. Things I knew I should not have heard. Things about what went on in the bedroom after the door had been closed. I knew all about it.

But what I also had heard were the stories of romance. That this act in which I was taking place was a sacred one. One that would give me pleasure. And in some sick, twisted way, I felt what must be called pleasure. Some mental feeling accompanying this physical sensation.

Thousands of thoughts raced through my mind; fear, sadness, pain, longing, and even, though I shuddered to admit it, delight. My body had been violated; yet, here I was, enjoying it? What was wrong with me?

The events lasted hours into what I thought must have been night, but the light in the tower never changed. All I knew was that he eventually left me, at which time I cried myself to sleep.

o

Why should I care?
'Cuz you weren't there when I was there,
I was so alone . . .

o

Sometime later, I awoke. It took me a moment to recognize my surroundings. As the events of the previous day rushed back to me, I sat up in the large canopy bed. The crimson sheets were strewn about me in jumbled piles. Despite their dark colour, I could still make out the stains of blood distinctly marking them.

I stood and suddenly realized I was naked. Wrapping a sheet around me like a toga, I heaved a sigh. On a chair next to the bedside was a black robe with a silver tassel. Atop the seat of the chair was a slim silver dagger on a chain. Ganondorf had laid them there for me obviously.

I looked around the room but he was nowhere to be seen. Clearly, he was elsewhere, giving orders to his many minions, or probably coming up with some new plot to swindle me out of the Triforce of Wisdom.

Quickly I dressed, tying the tassel loosely around my waist and lashing the chain and dagger at my hip. Crossing my arms, I walked over to the fire, which was still burning as brightly as it had been the night before. My eyes scanned the mantle quickly. I picked up my father's crown. The precious stones set in it glittered in the firelight.

My eyes filled with angry tears. I looked away from the crown to the mantle. In the center of the treasures was a small figure of the Triforce, which I had not noticed before. It was made from pure gold and each piece of the relic was embedded with a different stone. A ruby for power, an emerald for courage, and a sapphire for wisdom. Now, both the ruby and the emerald were pulsing, which meant that Ganondorf had obtained those two pieces. Only the Triforce of Wisdom remained unlit, as I still held it in my hand.

I was tempted to knock the tiny thing right into the fire. Somehow, it symbolized defeat. Defeat . . . all because of Link. Just the thought of him made me want to scream. He deserted me; he hadn't been there when I was scared. He hadn't been there. In my fury, I threw my father's crown to the ground. It clanked and rolled to a halt at the foot of one of the windows.

I walked over to the intricate stained glass and rested my right hand on its cool surface. The Triforce mark had faded to a glimmer but I knew it was still there. Yet, somehow, despite everything, its burden on me seemed lighter than it had before last night.

Last night. I was so confused. I placed my other hand on the window, trying to peer through its clouded pigment. In a way, I felt violated, as I thought I should, for I knew I had been raped. But another part of me felt content. As though I had filled a void I hadn't even known existed until last night.

I balled up my fists and rested my forehead against the glass, my eyebrows knitted together in anguish. Content, satisfaction, pleasure. He—Ganondorf—my rival had made me feel pleasure. Just the thought of it made me want to be sick.

It must have been my imagination. I can't really have felt so . . . can I? I slammed my fists against the glass. My thoughts battled each other; for every point there was a counterpoint; every pro had a con. I could feel a dull throbbing ache in my lower regions. That was expectable. It had hurt and I knew it always hurt the first time, especially for the woman.

Suddenly, the doors behind me slammed. I whirled around to find Ganondorf standing before them. Uncontrollably, my heart skipped a beat. I slammed a hand to my chest, hoping to slow its racing pulse. I didn't know what it was, but somehow, the void—which I deemed as my own lust— felt hollow. My longing swelled up, against the disgust my mind felt at the sight of his face.

"You are awake at last, are you?" he asked, seating himself in one of the chairs. He looked at the crown by the fire but made no move to pick it up. Ganondorf looked back at me and beckoned me to sit. Feeling somehow more relaxed in his presence today than I had yesterday, I sat. His eyes were locked on my face, and I could feel myself blush. Oh goddesses, I was embarrassed by the way he looked at me.

"You really are beautiful," he said, as though realizing it for the very first time. "How did that hero ever bring himself do abandon you?"

"Obviously, whatever you offered him was worth more than me," I said without feeling.

"The farm girl," Ganondorf whispered, "The whore."

I nodded. "He's obviously in love with her. And I, saw them, together once," I shifted uncomfortably; feeling his gaze on my face. "They were in the bedroom in the house . . . I had gone to borrow a horse, but there was no one in the stables. So I went into the farmhouse to look for someone. There was no one downstairs, but I could hear voices coming from behind the door, and . . ." I sobbed, "And the distinct sound of bedsprings . . .!" My voice quavered and ended on a high pitch. I his my face in my hand and turned away from him; I wouldn't let my enemy see me cry.

Ganondorf, however, made no reply. He stood and walked over to the fire and rested his arm on the mantle like the night before. "You love him, don't you, Zelda?"

I looked up at him; I had never heard him call me by my name before. It was always 'wretch' or 'Princess'. Never Zelda. My heart thumped loudly again.

I couldn't admit to Ganondorf that I loved Link. But when I looked in his eyes, I saw not the fire I had seen last night, but compassion. Real, pure compassion. "I did," I managed to answer. Tears filled my eyes again and I turned from him.

A hand lightly rested on my shoulder. I started and looked up at him. "I am sorry," he whispered. Somehow my hand found his and I clasped it tightly. Gently, he pulled me to my feet. My skin felt warm.

I looked up at him and before I knew what I was doing, I kissed him. My mind was screaming that it was foul but it wasn't. Being kissed when you want to be is pleasant.

Not to my surprise, he kissed me back. I pressed my mouth against his hungrily, wanting more and more. He opened his mouth, which I allowed, my right hand clutching the back of his neck, as he was so much taller than I.

It was on the combined impulses of both that we managed to find the bed again. He fell on top of me, but I didn't mind. The ecstasy from the previous night, which had died down, was suddenly reawakened in me with a surge of longing. "Oh, Zelda . . ."

I could feel him undo the clasp on my tassel, but ignored it. It felt so wonderful, to be with a man. Oh, such pleasure must never have been known before now. I couldn't get enough, loving every minute.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, my old conscious yelled at the wrongness of this act, and with him most of all, but I ignored it. My body swelled as I felt that pleasant, glorious feeling from last night. So wonderful, so great. I never wanted it to end.

o

Why should I care?
If you don't care then I don't care,
We're not going anywhere . . .

o

I awoke again to find myself alone once more. Ganondorf obviously wasn't much of a sleeper but I supposed that must come from practice. Oh, it was such a glorious day, even up in that drafty tower. I pulled my robe on again and walked around the room.

I felt so good. My body had been satisfied, physically and mentally. I finally allowed myself to admit that I had felt pleasure, even from Ganondorf, and I enjoyed it. But a tiny voice in the back of my mind continuously got the better of me as it whispered, "But you are still scared, aren't you, Zelda?" it sneered at me. "Scared he has played you false; put on this show of loving you only to trick you into giving him the Triforce." Try as I might, I could not silence it.

I was loosing my sanity, I knew it. My burden had returned, stronger than before. The need I felt to protect my country and the Triforce. Then I would remember my satisfaction and wish with all my heart that things could have been different.

"Leave him," urged the voice in my head. Yes . . . I had to. He had stolen something from me I could never bring back. My innocence; my virginity. Even if I did manage to save Hyrule, I could never rule. I had been deflowered. No prince or king would ever wed a used princess. And I could not rule without a king.

But what if I let Ganondorf rule? Perhaps with my aid, I could sway him toward good . . . Perhaps if he had the whole Triforce, its righteousness would make his heart pure. "But you know it wouldn't," the voice said. "And because of that, your people be no better off than they are now?" But I did not know how to run a country, especially one as vast as Hyrule. Would it be any better off with me than with him?

No! I would not succumb to him! "I will not allow him control of the Triforce or my home!" I screamed to the voice. "I will beat him if it takes my life to do so!"

My life. Would I give my life for Hyrule . . . ? Yes. Yes, I would. "But that's what you were trained to think," the little voice laughed, "What do you want?"

o

Crying out loud,
I'm crying out loud,
Crying out loud,
I'm crying out loud . . .

o

What didI want? All I had wanted from the beginning was a legacy. That was why I had tried to gain control of the Triforce when I was a little girl. Not because I wanted to keep it from Ganondorf but because I wanted to be remembered. When I died, I wanted people always to remember Zelda, the princess of Hyrule, who had mastered the Triforce and brought about Hyrule's golden age.

"Will they remember you?" laughed the little voice. "And if they do, why should you care?"

Why should I care? The question struck me. Why should I care? What should it matter to me what happens to Hyrule? That was just it; it shouldn't matter. Hyrule cared not for me when I was forced from the castle seven years ago. They didn't try to restore me to the throne. They don't care, so why should I?

I looked back at the fire and the crown, which still lie on the floor. I picked it up and traced its contours with my index finger before throwing it into the fire. Perhaps the voice was right. Ganondorf was pure evil; capable of showing love, when it fit his desires, but unable to feel it. I had been tricked into thinking he cared about me, which in time he hoped, would lead to my willing surrender of the Triforce of Wisdom into his grasp.

Perhaps it was time to rejoin my mother and father.

I kicked the mosaic window nest to the fire, shattering the glass. I leaned out and watched the wire frame as it ricocheted off the tower walls into the pit of lava far below. Strong winds rushed past me, threatening to pull me from the room.

The Triforce on my hand must have sensed my purpose for it burned me. For a moment, I considered forfeiting the Triforce to Ganondorf, as the little voice advised. But this time, I would think for myself. I drew the silver dagger. It flashed in the firelight as I screamed in pain.

Blood poured from my pitiful stump as I dropped the dagger and looked at my decapitated right hand. It lay on the tiled floor, shroud already in thick blue mist. I picked it up and glared at it. If I couldn't have the whole Triforce, no one could. I threw my hand, with the Triforce of Wisdom emerging from it, into the pit of fire.

I stepped out of the window and poised myself carefully on its frame. I looked up at the sky and sent up a prayer. (Nayru, my patron goddess; Mother, Father . . . forgive me.) When I felt the burn of the molten rock on my skin, I was at last truly at peace.

o

Why should I care?
'Cuz you weren't there when I was scared,
I was so alone,
Why should I care?
If you don't care then I don't care,
We're not going anywhere . . .

o

Serious Note: Rape is not a thing to be taken lightly. It's also not something to be viewed as surreal. Rape is in our society and, as you sit here and read this, some poor victim is being robbed of something more precious than money. Take it from me. It doesn't seem real until it hits home. If you know a friend or family member or even someone you hardly talk to that has been raped, don't sit by and do nothing. They can't fight this by themselves, no matter how strong they seem on the outside. Take the time to talk to them and find help for them. Be supportive. Stay by their side and someday, they may thank you for it. Keep them from doing something drastic. And as for the sick bastard who committed this crime against the victim, if you know anything about them, call your local police immediately. With your help, they can put that person behind bars; to serve a sentence as severe as the crime if called for. Bring rapists to justice. Call or go online. It's never too late to help someone.