Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Zelda: The Ballad of Fallen Angels ❯ An Adventure Accepted ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 3: “An Adventure Accepted”

The sun rose bright and hot the next day. Saetoushei had not slept the night before, staring out a window of his fortress in the direction that he and Tael would set out on; the path to Hyrule.

Tael slowly floated over to him. “Are you okay?”

Saetoushei didn't respond; instead, he flung his coat on and started for the door.

Outside, he paused, and then turned towards the gatehouse that protected the entrance to the Phantom Wasteland and the Spirit Temple. Tael was at first frightened that they would be heading there again, but Saetoushei climbed the ladder to the high ledges and manipulated the gate controls. Slowly, the gates lowered and closed, sealing off the desert from outsiders. Saetoushei drew he sword and slashed the ropes. With a jarring scream, the controls crashed to the ground, the ropes ruined.

There was now no way to enter the desert.

Tael stared as Saetoushei closed and locked the gates to the fortress area. They were standing on the wooden bridge that hung over the enormous chasm that separated Gerudo Valley in half and was the only way across to access the fortress. Saetoushei finished with the gates and tossed the keys into the abyss, knowing they would be swept away in the fast river that ran to Lake Hylia. Running across the bridge, Saetoushei spun and, with his sword, severed the ropes that held the old bridge. It fell in a slow arc to smash against the walls of the ravine and snap the ropes that held it on that side. It too fell into the river.

“Saetoushei…” Tael breathed.

“The only thing out here now that is of any use to me is the temple. I can reach that a different way. Nabooru is safe.”

The green of Hyrule Field stretched out in front of them. Saetoushei walked briskly out of Gerudo Valley, turning left at the fork in the path. Tael gazed all around them, awed by the natural beauty of the open plains around them. When he and the Skull Kid had passed through, it had been pouring rain and they had had more important things to worry about. Now the field was spread open for all to see.

The pair reached Hyrule Castle as the sun was about to set. Saetoushei hurried over the drawbridge to make sure he wouldn't be stuck outside during the night. He and Tael walked quickly passed the guard on gate duty and hurried into the bustling marketplace that made up the center of Hyrule Castle Town. The little town was the center of commerce in Hyrule; it boasted the reputation that anything could be bought there, and it usually was able to keep that promise.

Saetoushei walked straight through without a glance to either side, hurrying to gain the path to the castle proper.

“I must be allowed into the castle! I have urgent business with the Queen!” Saetoushei argued with the guard who watched the castle gate.

“It's nearly nightfall. At this hour, Her Majesty will be settling down to dinner now. Come back later, or better yet, not at all!”

Saetoushei grinded his teeth. “I'll make you a deal: you get a message through to the Queen for me. Tell her Link is here to see her. If she doesn't let me in, then I'll hand you my sword and let you arrest me!”

The guard thought for a moment, then grunted and turned to the relay station. “Send a runner to Her Majesty. Tell her a young man is here to see her. He says his name is Link.”

It had been years since Saetoushei had been inside Hyrule Castle. And now he was in a part that he had never been allowed to view before: the royal chambers. The high ceilings boasted the beautiful artwork that had been painted there centuries before. Grand furnishings decorated the walls; vases and pots from untold decades ago lined the walls.

Saetoushei took in little of this. He was busy trying to sum up all the courage he had in his body for the encounter that was to take place.

The doors in back of him opened slowly. He turned towards them, and there she was. She was taller than she had been when he last saw her, her hair was longer and darker as well, lines of worry and stress had already begun etching themselves on her young face, but it was still, unmistakably her.

Saetoushei bowed deeply, “Queen Zelda, I trust I find you well.”

“Master Warden Saetoushei,” Zelda replied formally, “I am well, thank you.”

Silence reigned for a few minutes as the old friends sought for things to say to each other. Zelda spoke first, getting to the point.

“Warden, I understand that you had an urgent request to make of me. Is this true?”

“Yes Your Majesty. I am leaving Hyrule for a time. I do not know when I will be able to return. There are some items I require for my journey that only you can provide.”

Zelda blinked. “What exactly do you need?”

Saetoushei took a deep breath. She wasn't going to like this. “I require the Ocarina of Time and the Portal Key to Termina.”

Zelda's eyes blazed. “You want what!? No! That's impossible! You yourself forbade anyone from opening the gates to the other world. Now you want to break that rule yourself? I-”

“Zelda,” Saetoushei said, cutting her off and removing all formalities. “The gates have already been opened and closed again.” He nudged Tael from his hiding place in his tunic. “The Skull Kid is dead. He died to bring me a cry for help from Termina. I must go.”

“Saetoushei, you can't be serious about this. It's been years since you took up your sword.”

Saetoushei stepped closer to her, “Please Zelda, please do this one final thing for me?”

Zelda stood still for a moment longer, then turned and strode to the door of her chambers. Calling to her guards, she ordered them to send for her Chief Magistrate. To Saetoushei, “Be warned of this: you are no longer welcomed in this room and most definitely in this castle.”

Impa, last of the Sheiklan warriors and Zelda's trusted friend and Chief Magistrate, entered the room. “What is your bidding, Queen?”

“Open the vault and bring the Ocarina and the key.”

Impa bowed and left.

“I will need to return here once more.” Saetoushei said. “In order to return these items to you.”

“You can send a message to me and I will send someone to retrieve them.” Zelda replied coldly.

Neither spoke for long minutes, until Impa returned, bearing the two items in her hands. She presented them to Zelda and left. Zelda turned and thrust them at Saetoushei. “Here! Now get out!”

Saetoushei accepted them and bowed. “Your Majesty.”

“Master Warden.”

“Zelda.”

“Saetoushei.”

He left without a backwards glance. When he was gone, the queen sat on her bed, letting the unshed tears finally fall from her eyes. Zelda whispered, “Good-bye, Link.”