Chapter Text
***
- His voice... It pierced through when I was on the brink of the abyss... I felt a sharp but familliar pain the moment I felt like I was falling...
- And you followed that voice. You welcomed the pain... It brought you back from the darkness, dear. You should thank your partner. We won.
- … we… won?
He could hear a laugh near him and the queen looked at him with the happiest smile.
- Yes, I can feel it… The darkness has lost its power.
The king looked around him. Where he could only see darkness now there was color and light, but a place of shadow still lingered. He pointed it to the queen.
- Demise… Isn’t gone.
She shook her head.
- Indeed, it isn’t. It's dormant and took its place within you, as it should. You will be changed, a little, by this darkness, but you won't be corrupted again. And I should sleep too now…
- W...what? Why?
The king frowned and wanted to protest but the queen laughed.
- You don’t need me in this life anymore, but I will always be here, dear… You might not remember, but I promised to keep you safe, a millennia ago. So if, sometimes, you feel alone, or in need of a friend, do not hesitate to talk to yourself, and know that I will always listen. But I need to rest, I'll need my full powers for our next life.
Ganondorf gave her a smile before taking her hands in his.
-I would've like you to stay, as I feel like you always took care of me, but I won't take your rest away from you.
- You are a wise young man. I can see why you won this battle.
He tilted his head.
- I don’t understand what changed, for me to survive this time… But thank you…
She chuckled and caressed his face like a mother.
- Oh, dear one… It’s because you found a reason to live. Without a strong will, you cannot have a strong heart. The first time we fought, you’d found it too. I was so happy for you…
Ganondorf tilted his head.
- But why didn’t he leave a trace, or told us? So many of us died alone… If only we’d known… We were all raised as sacrifice without tasting what life was all about, and many of us died in despair.
She shook her head slowly.
- All I remember is that he ran away with his loved one just after the ritual. Their relationship was… forbidden. But I understand your point, as I was here, failing my task every time. But I am guilty of all those death, as I couldn't wake up early to tell them that they should live freely and be happy before the fight. It was all so frustrating.
Ganondorf closed his eyes, understanding… He needed to leave a trace in writing for the next one… He didn’t want them to live like he did.
Suddenly, the queen’s light started to disappear slowly, leaving only a shining golden flower in his mind. Her voice was faint.
- It was nice seeing you again. Live happily. You earned it.
Then he was alone in his own mind, feeling a sting of sadness washing over him before the mist of sleep took him from this place.
***
Zelda had taken her rightful place as queen immediately after the battle. First, she appointed Bazel as captain of the knights. Being a beta who had never participated in the various cruelties inflicted by the alphas, he was the best candidate to take up the task of leading a more inclusive military force, as she had wanted.
Most of the remaining soldiers were busy rebuilding the castle, while the wounded were recovering and getting some rest. The princess had taken place in Denedall's office, joined by Impa, to take over the management of the kingdom.
She had some basic knowledge of diplomacy and politics, taught to her by her mother, but her skills were rather limited. Fortunately, Urbosa had come alongside her to support her. She was her alpha, after all, and would live by her side from now on.
The first discoveries in Denedall's files were not glorious. The man's plan was to expand the kingdom at the expense of non-Hylian nations. His plans were for an all-out war against other races to impose Hylian supremacy and create irreparable discord, just as he had tried to do by attacking the Gerudo. That was the slow corruption Demise wanted to impose onto the world.
So much to mend in the name of the kingdom, but Zelda was ready to take her throne with the help of Impa and her alpha.
She immediately organized many trips and meetings with the leaders of the other races to try to repair the ties that had been broken. She had so much to do.
Nabooru finally entered the room with a quick step. She seemed calm and gave them a brief smile.
- Princess, chief, Lady Impa... The hero is about to open his eyes.
***
When Link opened his eyes, he was in a large bed, surrounded by Hylian and Gerudo healers. His arms and legs ached and his body was covered in bruises from his rodeo on the corrupted boar.
He forced himself to sit up and ran a hand over his face. He remembered falling hard, but he should have been much more injured than that.
A Gerudo nurse calmly stroked his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.
- Your Majesty, please lie down. You're still injured.
Link shook his head and frowned, looking down at his arm.
- I... I remember breaking this arm... Why can I move it?
The nurse showed him some syringes, that Link recognized with a certain dread. She calmly explained.
- We found various potions in the lab. The healing formulas aren't the most effective and painless, but they work... We've also taken the liberty of destroying research and products capable of triggering unnatural cycles...
Link nodded, feeling relieved. He didn't want to undergo any more forced heat like he had. But that didn't explain why he was still in one piece.
- I should have been hurt a lot worse than this... I fell off the beast.
The gerudo nodded.
- Indeed... But you were lucky. When you fell, our king came to his senses and caught you before he lost consciousness.
Link suddenly raised his head at the mention of the gerudo. He had returned to his senses? He'd won! The hero tried to stand up with difficulty, held back by the gerudo healer.
- Gan! I want to see him. Where is he?
He began to push away the woman's hands to get up. He refused to lie down and refused to continue the treatment. He wanted to see his alpha. The woman insisted on keeping him down.
- Please don't be so careless, little king. Your body must rest, you are with...
The princess's voice cut the healer's plea.
- Link is stubborn, you won't win this battle of wills.
Link turned his head and smiled as he saw Zelda and Urbosa approaching. He pushed himself up on his legs and limped towards the princess to take her in his arms. She embraced him gently, careful not to touch his wounds. When he stepped back, Link repeated his question.
- Do you know where Gan is?
The young woman drew back and nodded.
- Yes, King Ganondorf has been awake for a few hours now... He's still getting used to his new ... him
Link frowned and tilted his head to one side. She sighed.
- He overcame the darkness, but it's still inside him, sealed. He's a bit different... But maybe it's easier to show you.
She took Link's arm to help him move. Link was a little afraid of what he was about to see... Had Ganondorf lost his gentle, protective nature? Had he become mean or violent? He didn't want an alpha like Mirathus by his side...
Deep down, he knew that wasn't the case. Ganondorf had fought against an incredibly evil abomination, but the fear in his belly remained. How was he changed?
With slow steps, they made their way through the corridors to a former servant's quarters, converted into a resting place for the Gerudo king. The princess let go of the hero's arm and motioned for him to go in.
The young man hesitated briefly in front of the large wooden door. He was eager to see the man he loved again, but terrified that he might have lost him to someone he didn't know.
He swallowed and put his hand on the handle before making up his mind. Finally, he opened the door.
The room was bathed in sunlight, filtered through the large windows. The double bed was empty, and Link stepped with difficulty into the middle of the room. His gaze fell on the imposing form of the Red King, who seemed to be looking at himself in a mirror.
Hesitantly, the gerudo turned to meet the young knight's gaze. Link opened his mouth but made no sound. He had indeed changed physically. He was a little larger.
His face had become a little more rugged, his beard looked unkempt and slightly longer, a pair of longer teeth had grown from his jaw, looking like little boar's tusks. His eyes had taken on a more amber color instead of the gold he was used to, with a strange, red circle near the center of his eyes and his nails had grown like claws...
His skin was covered with thin red arabesques that glowed with inactive corruption. Scarlet lines formed symbols akin to ancient Zonai script along his arms and around the edges of his face.
Yet Link couldn't help smiling sincerely. The man's gaze had lost none of its gentleness and warmth. The hesitation and fear of rejection he saw in the man's eyes won his heart, and Link finally approached him with his head tilted.
Ganondorf didn't speak, but attempted a smile. The knight then raised his hand to caress his face gently.
- Hey Gan.
His tone, confident and sweet, made the Red King sighed a reassured breath.
- Hey, hope you still fancy me with my new physique.
He was having a little more trouble articulating with his new teeth, but other than that, Link could only see him. If his body and face were a little different, his heart hadn't changed.
- Don’t ask stupid questions, Gan, let me show you how I feel.
He grabbed the cloth the gerudo was wearing to pull him against him and press his lips to his own.
He didn’t lose him, he wasn’t changed.
The new teeth didn't bother him during the kiss, and the man responded immediately by wrapping his arms around the hylian's slender body. Link let out a purr of satisfaction as he slipped his arms around the gerudo's head and let himself be carried in his powerful arms.
Words could not describe how happy he was at this moment.
***
Zelda stood up from her desk, stretching. It had been two weeks since the Gerudos had returned home. The need to set up the new treaty of alliance with Hyrule as well as the installation of a new Chief in place of Red wolf Urbosa was a little complicated, but all was progressing well. However, it was painful to be so far away from her alpha when she had just returned to her.
Link wasn't at his best either. He had locked himself in the gerudo's old prison cell to sleep there until Ganondorf returned for him, as he had promised. His behavior had changed, but he was still efficient and willing to help rebuild the castle.
The princess left the office and headed for the prison. On the way, she watched Bazel set up training sessions and classes to help the soldiers learn to stop seeing omegas as less than human. Years of discrimination were hard to eradicate, but Link's victory over the Beast had helped to change mentalities.
Tenel was no longer captain and had been punished for his despicable behavior towards Link. He was now on stable duty, looking after the horses. It wasn't glorious, but he'd accepted the punishment without complaint. All the better.
Zelda had wanted to put him in jail, but Link had decided that he could be rehabilitated. Perhaps it was nostalgia for their childhood friendship... Perhaps it was, because Ganondorf almost killed him when he recognized him as Link's abuser.
Since his awakening, Ganondorf had shown himself to be a particularly possessive alpha. It was a slight change in his behavior that appealed to Link.
However, when Ganondorf had to leave to announce that he would be returning to the throne as king, alongside a Hylian, Link was not happy about the separation.
The princess walked into the prison and found a mountain of sheets lying on top of the gerudo's old mattress resting against the wall. Link had made himself a place underneath, wrapped in the gerudo's old blankets and pillows.
He was sleeping peacefully, surrounded by the scent of his alpha.
Zelda raised her eyebrows at what the knight had done. She probably should have come earlier to see this new behavior.
That was a nest.
The omega had created his nest. He certainly hadn't realized what he was doing, nor what it meant.
Zelda put her hand to her lips. Has Link been knotted by Ganondorf during his heat? That wasn't possible, the hero was partially knotted by tenel when...
Oh... Maybe it was because they slept together just after his heat... Did that counted?
She hesitated, but decided it wasn't her place to tell him. It would make the separation from Ganondorf even more painful.
She didn't enter the room, but knocked politely against an iron bar. Link's tired little head appeared in the pile of blankets and his blue gaze fixed on the princess.
He gave her a big smile and invited her to join him.
Zelda smiled broadly and entered the nest where Link was curled up in a ball in his corner. She felt deeply honored to have the right to be there, and lay down beside Link, her forehead against his. Both of them began to purr.
She was taking full advantage of this unique moment, because when Ganondorf returns, Link will leave for his new kingdom.
They'll see much less of each other. But she wouldn't hesitate to make the trip to see him. It wasn't so bad, they were both free.
She smiled calmly and fell asleep beside the hero.
***
The Gerudo king appeared on a huge horse, dressed in royal regalia in front of Hyrule Castle. He no longer wore his black and red tunic, but had earned the right to the king's attire, reserved for any Gerudo men who survived the ritual without running away. He was the first one to wear it. It was one of his people’s unknown treasures. very precious.
It was a superb, colorful outfit, strewn with gold and jewels. He was wearing a gray scarf with gold lace over a red sarouel and gold legs. The crown on his head gave him a superior appearance.
Zelda welcomed him with open arms. Urbosa pushed past him with her suitcases to take her omega in her arms. The former chief was going to live here now, as the queen's wife. It was an unexpected exchange.
Ganondorf looked around, but couldn't find Link. He glanced at the princess, who pointed to the prison.
Confused by Link's imprisonment, the Gerudo king walked briskly towards his former cell.
What he found there stunned him. He knew exactly what it was, but he couldn't believe his eyes. He'd only knotted him once and Link hadn't been in heat... a few minutes before they slept together...
ah... He wasn’t fully knotted during his heat, and was knotted too soon after…
He ran a hand over his face, but his smile never left him. It was a little too soon, but he could live with it.
He approached the nest and knelt down in front of it. He used his softest voice and whispered.
- Hey, I'm here, Link.
Immediately, the blankets began to move and two arms sprang out to grab his shoulders and pull him into the nest. He felt a ravenous mouth pressed against his own and his beautiful regalia being ripped off.
Well, here goes the treasure of his people… Stolen by an omega to build his nest…
The red king didn't even try to struggle when his partner stole his jewelry. He couldn't win against his omega.
***
Urbosa had pulled her hair out when she saw the red king leave the prison in his sarouel, without his regalia. She hadn't hesitated to yell at the king when she learned what had happened to their people's treasure... But hey, it was only clothes, and if an omega needed these fabrics and jewels, so be it. She wasn't going to make any remarks to their new king.
The red king, on the other hand, took several glares, though Urbosa didn't push the issue.
It was time to say goodbye, and she didn't want to spoil Link's farewell. It had already been difficult to convince him to destroy the nest, but the young man had given in when Ganondorf told him he could take whatever he wanted with him to their new home.
The knight had taken all the Red King's blankets and clothes into a large chest carried by the Gerudo's personal guards. Satisfied, he turned to the princess and took her in his arms as tears welled up in his eyes.
- I'll be back to see you... I swear, Zelda.
The princess laughed, but was also crying.
- Of course, and I'll come and see you too. I'm sure you'll be fine there. He'll take good care of you.
The hero tilted his head and glanced at Ganondorf, who was bidding Urbosa farewell. He nodded, pleased.
- He'd better. But I don't doubt it, I'm free now and he'll never force me into anything... I'm glad you've got your Red Wolf back.
She gave Link her brightest smile and took the gerudo’s hand. The hero never saw such a pretty smile on her face.
Feeling relieved, he climbed onto his horse and rode alongside Ganondorf and the Gerudo out of the castle.
It was a little painful to leave the place where he'd grown up, but he also felt like a bird leaving its cage for the first time. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.
He smiled and raised his arms, taking a deep breath. The Red King offered him a gentle grin.
- no regrets? Leaving Hyrule Castle to live in Gerudo Town... It's a little scary.
Link shook his head.
- It's not that far, and I can come back and see her whenever I want. And then, with your diplomatic trips, we can both travel here.
The Red King chuckled, looking Link up and down.
- The three of us, beloved...
Link frowned as the Gerudo guards began to giggle. He didn't understand.
-Who? Why three?
The Red King laughed again and tilted his head.
- When you were sleeping in prison, you made a nest... Do you know why?
Link blushed a little and scratched his head.
- Because I missed you?
The Red King stared at the young man with an amused expression.
- In that case, you don't feel like building a nest anymore, since I'm here, do you?
Link frowned. He still felt the need to build his nest, but why? his voice became hesitant.
- Gan, what's this? What's happening to me?
The gerudo brought his horse close to Link's and took him in his arms. The hero clutched his shoulders but remained perplexed.The Red King smiled at him and reached for his ear. In the hollow of one of his long ears, he whispered the little mystery Link hadn't yet figured out.
- I'M WHAT?!
The knight clutched his stomach, eyes wide with shock. But soon, shock gave way to joyous laughter as he hugged his alpha. It was very early in their relationship, but they were bound for life by a bond. So this was only good news.
The Gerudo blood in the alpha's veins ensured that it was a girl.
The young man stroked his belly calmly. She was a fighter. Link had faced the corrupted beast while pregnant. It was an incredible surprise, but he was happy. He murmured.
- Do you have an idea for a name, Gan?
The man ran his hand tenderly through his hair, thinking silently as they moved on across the great field of Hyrule. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a little sundelion about to hatch on a rock just ahead of them.
He didn't know why, but it made him feel nostalgic and inspired him to think of a name. He kissed Link on the forehead.
- Sonia... I really like the name Sonia.
Link smiled broadly and nodded.
Sonia was a very pretty name, symbolizing the start of a new life, free from the chains that have held them back all their lives.
For it's on the wild, untamed grasslands that the flowers are at their most beautiful.
***
THE END.
