Chapter Text
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
The fight that changed my life… I remembered it oh so clearly. I was sent by the king himself on a mission near Nette plateau.
When I attacked the monster, I took him by surprise. I jumped from the ceiling and landed the first blow on the golden helmet he was wearing.
Deprived of his only protection, all I had to do was defeat him.
I had the upper hand… or so I thought. The beast was desperate as it seemed to want to get away from me. He slid his huge, scaly body around the various rocks that made up the cave that served as his lair, but I didn't let go for a second.
The monster’s body moved with urgency as he seemed to be looking for something as my sword plunged into his flesh several times, making him hiss.
He was certainly looking for a weapon or maybe for his helmet to defend himself. But armed or not, I was certain I was quicker, stronger. Nothing could stop me. Not now. Not with victory so close.
This was my mission. My destiny. The king had promised me the title of royal knight if I could slay this beast and return with the kidnapped princess. The dreams I had since childhood were finally within reach. I could already imagine the shining armor, the honor, the cheers of the people…
But then I made a mistake.
I knew little about gorgons. The stories spoke of their bodies, half human and half snake. The stories also spoke of how dangerous they are but I’d been so consumed by the heat of battle, I’d forgotten that most important rule.
As I kept fighting with the creature, my hand instinctively gripped the mass of crimson snake-hair that crowned its head. I was so close to delivering the final blow, to cutting off his head once and for all.
That’s when it happened. The beast twisted, faster than I anticipated, and a pair of glowing, golden eyes locked with mine. It took only a fraction of a second. That was all it needed.
Immediately, I felt my body freeze.
I felt the cold crept through my veins. My muscles stiffened. My limbs refused to obey. It began with my arms and legs. All my limbs felt numb and I let go of my weapon. My sword, the one true sword of legend, clattered uselessly to the stone floor.
Panic surged through me and my heart started to race as I realized with dread what was happening.
The stone curse was consuming me.
Before long, I could no longer feel my fingers nor my hands. The gray color of the stone seized my skin.
No, this couldn’t be happening! I was the king’s chosen hero… I was the champion of Hyrule! This was supposed to be my moment of triumph, not my downfall. Was that the end of me? I couldn't die like that, with just one single gaze.
The gorgon’s eyes continued to stare into me, breathless. For a brief moment, I saw something strange. His eyes flickered with an almost human expression. something I couldn’t quite explain. But I didn’t care. I had to fight this curse. I thrashed, or tried to, but my body refused to listen. The stone had crept up to my torso, hardening my chest. I became more and more desperate.
He said nothing, but finally approached me as the stone curse reached my throat. Then, in one swift motion, the gorgon lunged at me and, before I could react, he shoved two of his fingers deep into my throat. Instinct took over, and I bit down with all the strength I had left.
The creature hissed from the pain. Yet still, he forced his fingers deeper, past my teeth. He was unnervingly calm even as blood dripped from the wounds where I had bitten him.
His eyes never left mine as the curse finally took me.
As I was on the brink of unconsciousness, a single tear escaped me. I didn’t want to die…
I had fought so hard, risked everything, only for it to end like this. My dreams of honor and glory, of knighthood and recognition, shattered by a single mistake.
It wasn’t fair…
I didn’t want to die… please goddess…
Then, cold and darkness took me.
…
…
huh…
…Huh?!
What was this?
I’m… I’m still here. I’m conscious…. How was this possible?
My body was completely frozen in place. I could neither move nor speak, yet I could see, I could hear. The world around me hadn’t faded into nothingness. I could still feel the gorgon’s fingers in my mouth, still taste the metallic taste of his blood from where I had bitten him. It was terrifying. I was supposed to be gone, petrified into a lifeless statue, but instead... I was a prisoner inside my own body.
The beast let out a long, tired sigh as he finally withdrew his bloodied fingers from my mouth. For a moment, he stood still, looking at me with his golden eyes, then he turned his gaze and began searching for something on the ground. Soon enough, he found what he was looking for. That strange mask or helmet he was wearing at the start of our fight. I still didn’t know what it was for…
Then, he grabbed me and lifted me by the hips, like I was nothing more than an object. The sensation of being moved wasn't nice. It felt sickening. I had become nothing more than a conscious trophy, a piece of furniture for this cursed creature.
Was this what petrification was? Not death, not oblivion, but an eternity trapped like this, suffocating in silence and never able to see the sun? My mind screamed in denial, in rage. I didn’t deserve this. I was the king’s chosen one! I was supposed to be a hero… to help the weak and save the kingdom…
What a terrible fate...
The gorgon carried me deeper into the cave, pulling me toward a hidden alcove. I became confused as we passed through the opening, and I saw what it was.
A home…
It was a cozy, human-like home, despite having a style I'd never seen before. There was a fireplace, a wooden table, and even warmly-colored utensils and decorations. In one corner, I could see a pile of pillows forming what could only be his bed, though a far more comfortable one than I had imagined for such a creature.
With a fluid movement, he set me down beside the fireplace with a surprising gentleness. He turned my body so that I faced the room. It was as though he wanted me to be able to see more than just a wall. Then, without a word, he searched into a cupboard, pulling out a small bottle of alcohol, a needle, and some thread. He moved toward the pile of pillows and settled himself down, before starting to tend to his wounds.
I watched, unable to tear my gaze away, though part of me desperately wanted to.
This doesn’t make sense… He was supposed to be a monster. He was supposed to be a mindless beast. But here he was, living in a house and tending to his own injuries.
If I could frown, I would have.
I was so confused. How could a creature like him know how to care for himself? How could he live like this, with such human-like habits and place? There was no savagery in his movements, no malice. He was just… Here?
I was terribly lost, but that didn't change my situation. I was still a statue, condemned to live like this in my enemy's lair.
While the Gorgon was busy slowly stitching up his wounds and the silence was deafening, I just stood there, staring into space. Hours passed like this….hours with me sitting motionless by the warmth of the fire. My body no longer felt the cold; it was the only comfort I had in this living nightmare.
And so, with nothing else to do, I watched him. The gorgon.
I hadn’t paid much attention to his appearance before as I was too caught up in the battle. But now, I noticed the details I had missed. His upper body was totally human, muscular and tall. His dark brown skin was scarred but clean. Below his hips, his body transitioned into a massive, coiled snake’s tail, with dark red and golden scales.
His hair... or rather, what I thought was his hair, was a mass of red snake-like creatures. Yet they weren’t exactly snakes. Their heads were more like gleeoks, with only one eye by head and the little thorns around their necks. They curled into what could only be described as a braided bun. It was strangely clean for something so wild.
He wore a very colorful toga, draped over his shoulder, secured by a golden brooch on his shoulder. Jewelry adorned his arms and neck. He wore bracelets, rings, chains and even some sort of circlet. It was absurd. A monster, covered in fine clothes and jewels, as if he had a need for any of it.
For several hours, the beast tended his wounds. I must say, I'd done a real number on him. He winced every time he cleaned his cuts with alcohol.
Serves you right, you monster.
I'll die with at least the satisfaction of knowing I've made you suffer.
But then... there was a sound.
Footsteps.
Slow at first, but growing quicker, drawing nearer. Who was it? Had the king’s knights found me? Was rescue finally at hand? But how? How could they have discovered this place so quickly? It had taken me days, following the few clues, to find the gorgon’s lair. Were they following me?
Normally, news like this would make me furious. But this time, I was overjoyed. They were coming to save me. I felt a wave of shame wash over me for the relief I felt. I was the king's hero, trained for battle and I failed. Here I was, pathetically glad to be taken from this hellhole. I just wanted to go home.
The beast heard the approaching steps too. He sprang up from his bed of pillows and lunged toward his golden helmet. Without hesitation, he put it on. It covered most of his face.
I watched him, confused. Why go for that helmet? Shouldn’t he be grabbing a weapon? A sword? A shield?
What an idiot...
But then, my joy and hope turned to even more confusion as she entered the room.
Princess Zelda.
Except she was not the princess I remembered. To be honest, I might not have recognized her if my instinct didn’t tell me who she was.
She looked... different. Masculine in every way…
Her form was hidden beneath a Sheikah outfit. Her hair, once long and flowing, was now cropped short. And she was armed. Well-armed, in fact, with a sword strapped to her back, a pair of daggers at her hips, another one at her heels and MY own sword in her hand. That was a far different meeting than I had in mind.
She didn’t look like a prisoner… Not at all…
She moved with confident steps through the cave, her eyes closed tightly. It was an odd sight, like she was navigating by some miracle, avoiding every rock as if she knew the place by heart. I wanted to warn her, to shout that the gorgon was right there, but no sound would come from my petrified throat.
Run princess! I was desperate to scream.
As she approached, she spoke in a low whisper. Her voice was also very much masculine. “Ganondorf... May I open my eyes?”
A guttural, low sound answered her, from the creature
Ganondorf? The name hit me like a slap. But… It was a legend… right?
Zelda stood tall, letting out a sigh in relief. Slowly, she opened her eyes.
My heart sank. I wanted to scream at her, to stop her from making the same fatal mistake I had. Didn’t she know what he was? She was going to be turned to stone, just like me!
She stood there, eyes wide open, meeting his gaze with no fear, no hesitation.
The tension was unbearable for me.
“Ah, you're fine,” Zelda sighed in relief. “Thank the goddess. I was so worried when I saw the blood and found that sword at the entrance.”
What...
WHAT?!
I couldn’t believe my ears. What... What did she mean? Worried? She was worried about him? But he was a monster! He literally turns people to stone!
Yet she was speaking to him like an ally. Someone she cared about. Why wasn’t she terrified?
And why didn't she turn to stone herself ? Her eyes were wide open...
The Gorgon entered my field of vision again, this time wearing the golden mask. That was why. The helmet covered his eyes, shielding her from the same fate. He had protected her from his own curse…
I was so lost, until she turned her head in my direction. I had a glimmer of hope again… Surely, she would see in him a monster once she saw one of her loyal subjects turned to stone.
But then her expression shifted in an instant from surprise to anger. She made a face that I could only describe as one of disgust, and that disgust wasn't for the gorgon. She was disgusted by me… As if the very sight of me offended her.
Zelda approached and studied me from head to toe. “So this is the last dog my father sent,” she spat. “When will he understand? It’s been ten years, the princess he knew no longer exists.”
Her words hurted me. What? What was she talking about? I was here to save her, to rescue her from this beast. I was her loyal knight! How could she look at me with such hatred?
Then, she blinked, her eyes widened. She took a look at my sword again. “Oh... no. It’s... it’s the hero,” she whispered. “I recognize him.”
She straightened, turning back to the gorgon. “Ganondorf, perhaps you should have killed this one.”
Her words were like a cold shower. Why would the princess want me dead, I'm her loyal servant... I only came here to help her.
Why?
Ganondorf stepped into my line of sight again as he shook his head. He seemed to disagree, though his silence gave me no comfort.
Zelda stepped closer. Then, without warning, she slapped me across the face, her hand connecting with the stone that was my skin. The pain was intense. My petrified body began to topple and this time, I was scared.
If I fall… if I hit the ground... I’ll shatter. I’ll die.
I braced myself to hit the ground as I tried to close my eyes to no avail.
But the impact never came.
A tight, constricting pressure wrapped around me. Ganondorf’s massive coils caught me just before I hit the ground. He then gently lifted me back to an upright position and put me back on my feet.
He had saved me.
The monster... no... this Ganondorf had just saved me without hesitation. My enemy, the beast I wanted to kill, had just saved me from my own princess... The world was spinning its wheels.
I didn't know what to think, but the monster... Ganondorf hissed at the princess as if to scold her. She rolled her eyes in exasperation, as if used to such reactions. She sighed heavily, muttering under her breath, “Yes, I know I’m going too far… But he tried to kill you, dear… ugh, now you’ll have to move again.” Her tone was casual, like she had done it before. It was a terrifying thought.
Then she turned to me and her gaze was still cold. But at least she would not try to murder me again… “You're lucky he's here.”
Lucky? That word stung. I had to admit, she was right. If Ganondorf hadn’t caught me, if he hadn’t saved me from shattering to pieces, I’d be nothing but rubble on the floor right now.
Before I could even process my own emotions, Zelda’s tone shifted. She turned toward Ganondorf with a playful smile. “Oh, by the way!” she said happily. “I’ve finished the potion I was working on! If this one works like I hope, you’ll finally get your voice back!”
The gorgon tilted his head. He looked skeptical... He seemed cautious as Zelda handed him a small flask filled with a disgusting, murky liquid that looked like it had been scooped from a swamp. Its color was… yucky. It was a strange mix of green and brown.
When Ganondorf opened the bottle, the smell hit us both like a slap. Even from my petrified state, I felt like I wanted to puke. The stench was unbearable. It smelled like rotting flesh and stagnant water. Apparently, the smell was just as horrific to the gorgon, because he recoiled instantly, turning his head sharply, his entire body wincing at the scent.
Zelda crossed her arms, looking offended. “Oh, come on,” she huffed. “Don’t you trust my genius? I’m an exceptional wizard, and you know it, I've already proven that to you. Now, drink up.” Her voice was teasing but she looked quite sure it would work.
Oh, I've never been so happy to be a rock. Ganondorf looked dejected, like a kid forced to drink his vegetable soup. If the soup was rotten… that is…
Then, with a deep, resigned breath, he downed the potion in one swift gulp.
That man was brave…
He must really trust her talent, no matter how awful that potion seemed. But immediately after, his complexion turned a sickly green as the potion coursed through him before taking back his brown, natural hue. He coughed violently and he was wincing.
I felt sorry for him.
The Gorgon coughed again for a long moment before regaining his composure. The princess gave him a big smile. “Perfect!” she exclaimed. “Now, let’s see if it worked! Try to say my name.”
Ganondorf, still recovering from the ordeal, coughed again before attempting to speak. At first, he sounded like a broken instrument, emitting an inhuman shriek without any sense or melody.
But soon enough, his voice took a deeper tone, clearer too, and human.
It sounded deep, hoarse, and raw. “Sh… shhhh… ShhhheeeeEiiiK…” he tried, struggling to form the word. But he looked quite happy to manage to say a word nonetheless.
Sheik? who…what? It wasn’t Zelda? Was I… wrong?... No, that's impossible, she spoke about her father…
Zelda…no, Sheik burst out laughing, clapping like a child. “Yes, that’s it! See? It’s working! Well… your voice is a bit cracked, but with practice, you’ll sound just like you did back in the day… might take a while though… Like months… ” The gorgon smiled and nodded to thank the princess.
I was confused... Nothing made sense anymore. ‘Back in the day’? What day? What was she talking about? Also, the princess wasn’t called Sheik… And she was not a mage, not to my knowledge anyway.
But to be honest, I didn’t know what to think anymore. The potion, the effort to give him back his voice, this meant that, at some point, he had been human.
So that would mean… Was he really the Ganondorf I heard in the stories? The king who became a monster and turned against his own? I was so lost…
Before I could even begin to understand anything, Zelda…or Sheik, wrapped their arm around Ganondorf’s and led him away so they could speak. It was clear they were having a conversation I wasn’t meant to overhear. They were close. Very close.
So close I could have sworn they were a couple... But the wedding ring on Sheik's finger and the absence of it on the gorgon's finger told me otherwise.
Oh dear… When the king learn that his daughter got married and she didn’t invite him… Did she run away because she fell in love? Maybe with someone not from nobility…
That would have been too much of a scandale for the king, for sure.
As I was lost in my mind, I finally noticed that I couldn’t even see them anymore…
I was left alone and I hated every second of it. I could hear my own heart beating and the low rumble of my stomach… I didn’t notice before how hungry I was… How long had it been since I’d eaten?
But how could a stone statue eat? I couldn't help but wonder if this was how I would die… starved, thirsting for something I couldn’t physically consume. The idea of slowly starving while trapped in this petrified shell was terrifying. It would be a pathetic death…. Alone, forgotten, with no glory to my name and all my dreams destroyed.
When Ganondorf returned, he was alone again. In his arms, I saw my sword and a small sack slung over his shoulder. The princess likely came here to give him this bag.
She didn’t live here… Probably live in another place with her better half.
So I was right, she never was a prisoner… Then… Why did I come here?
Slowly, he removed the golden helmet, freeing his eyes from their concealed prison.
So that was his way of controlling the curse and keeping himself from petrifying everyone who dared to look at him.
I realized, with bitter regret, that my first grave mistake in our fight had been ripping his mask off. I thought it was a weakness but in truth, I had condemned myself the moment I’d done it.
Then…
I remember…
He tried to flee… He tried to find that helmet again… I met his eyes because I pulled on his hair…
He didn’t want to petrifie me… I did that to myself.
The gorgon set my sword down on the stone floor then opened the bag. He took out an assortment of mushrooms and a bottle of milk.
Ganondorf then sliced them with a knife in silence. He added the mushrooms to a pot, along with some Lon-Lon milk and spices. Soon, the rich scent of mushroom soup wafted toward me. It gave me a little bit of comfort in my personal hell.
A gorgon cooking... Sounds like a bad joke.
Still, I felt no surprise anymore. So much had happened, so much had been turned on its head, that nothing seemed beyond the realm of possibility. But when he approached me, bowl in hand, I was startled nonetheless. He sighed softly as he knelt before me with a gentle smile.
Without a word, he raised the bowl to my lips, carefully tilting it. Then, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I heard his voice. “...Drrrriiii..nk...” It was still as broken as before but there was a gentleness in the tone that I couldn’t understand.
The warm soup slipped into my mouth and down my throat. It was delicious. The pain of hunger disappeared slowly and if I could sigh, I would.
Suddenly, it all made sense. I realized why, in the heat of our fight, Ganondorf had forced his fingers into my mouth, holding it open as the stone curse overtook me.
He knew.
Without an open mouth, I wouldn’t be able to eat, I wouldn’t be able to drink, I wouldn’t be able to survive this cursed state.
As much as I fear spending the rest of my life like this, I can't bring myself to let myself die.
But then… It’s even more terrifying.
How long would he take care of me before abandoning me? How long would I remain a burden to him before he got tired of it and left me to waste away in the dark? I was a prisoner, locked in my own body, dependent on the very creature I had come here to destroy.
And for what? To save a princess who didn’t want to be saved. To kill a monster who didn’t act like a monster and probably never kidnapped her.
I felt a wave of despair under my skin that I couldn’t stop. I was lost and I was scared. I felt a tear forming in the corner of my eye. It slipped down my stone face, followed by another and another.
I had been so sure of my purpose, so certain of my role as a hero. Now, I had nothing.
I wanted to live. I wanted my body back. I wanted to see the sun again, feel the wind on my skin. I wanted to escape this cavern, this prison, and reclaim my life.
Before I could spiral further into my despair, Ganondorf, the “monster”, set the bowl down on the stone floor and slowly reached toward me.
His large hand approached me and he gently wiped away my tears with the pads of his fingers. His touch was soft, far gentler than I would have imagined.
It was an odd sensation, to be comforted by the very being I was supposed to kill. His fingertips brushed my cheeks, giving me the confort I needed.
Ganondorf tilted his head slightly, his lips curved into a sad smile. Then, with great effort, he spoke again. “...doOOOon’t... beeee... sc..ScaaAred...”
His voice was still rough, still broken, but those few words gave me a little bit of hope.
For a moment, I let myself believe him.
His gentle touch and his smile sparked a small, fragile hope within me and I didn’t know why… My tears finally stopped flowing and he nodded, letting his hand linger a little bit longer on my cheek. Maybe as a silent way of saying it was going to be alright.
“ Theeeee c… CuuuRRSsssse … It…” He opened his mouth again as though he wanted to speak, to say something more that might comfort me. But his voice caught in his throat and the noise he made sounded like a broken instrument. He coughed, his face twisting in pain and frustration.
He sighed as he resigned himself to silence for now. The potion Zelda had given him was working, slowly, but his voice still hadn’t returned completely. He couldn’t push it.
He grabbed the soup again and finished feeding me.
It felt good. The warmth of the soup was very comforting, like a return to childhood. It was a simpler time… Far away from battle. Royalty was good, monsters were bad… It was easy.
Now I just didn’t know what to think.
While I was lost in my mind, he fed himself and washed his dishes.
Then Ganondorf came near me again. I felt his large hands grip my stone body again, moving me as easily as if I were a small child. He carried me over to the pile of pillows and laid me here. He even draped a blanket over my cold body to keep me warm. He also put a piece of cloth over my eyes. As I cannot blink, that was the best way for my eyes to be closed.
I assumed he wanted me to sleep, and I obliged... This day had been complicated enough as it was.
As I let myself fall to sleep, I felt two gentle pats on the top of my head.