Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Zelda: The Ballad of Fallen Angels ❯ Entrapment ( Chapter 13 )

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

Chapter 13: “Entrapment”

The throne room was where Saetoushei had battled the long-dead ghost of the last true Ikaylimu of Ikama. It was where he had defeated Igus de Ikama to free his cursed spirit from the mortal realm. Igus' throne room had been devoid of decorations, the only thing in the room was the great tapestry of his crest that had hung behind the throne.

Now the room was decorated in bright colors, beautiful paintings and tapestries depicting great battles and visions of utopia covered the walls. The room was brightly lit. High ranking officers sat around a long wooden table. They had all turned towards the door with the arrival of the `ambassadors'.

And seated on the great throne at the back of the room was a tall man dressed in fine silks. A perfectly groomed mustache adorned his upper lip and his shinning blond hair was slicked back to give him a dashing look. At Saetoushei's entrance, he stood up and spread his arms wide in as a sign of peace.

“Welcome!” he cried, striding down from his throne and extending his hand to Saetoushei. “Welcome to Ikama, good sir! I am the Ikaylimu, Augustine Descrod!”

Saetoushei was clearly taken aback by Descrod's laughing nature, not expecting this kind of a reaction at all. He quickly composed himself and clasped hands with the Ikaylimu. “A thousand thanks for such a wonderful greeting, Your Majesty.”

“Think nothing of it. Is what my runner said true? Is Mayor Doyour really extending the hand of friendship after all these years?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Saetoushei said, lying through his teeth. “The Mayor feels that the time has come for all of Termina to cooperate with each other. Only through friendship can we avoid war and death for all time.”

“The Mayor is a man of great wisdom,” Descrod replied. “Even if it is done slowly, race by race, country by country, one at a time, eventually all shall live in a world where it is safe to let children play late into the night without fear for them.”

Catching sight of the rest of the party, Descrod exclaimed again, “But where are my manners? Forgive me, madams,” he said, bowing low to Cremina and Romani. Then to Kari and Tael, “And even better, representatives from Clock Town, the fairy-folk, and the Zoras all right here in one place? This is remarkable! This is historic, I daresay!”

“Indeed it is, Your Majesty.” Hikari replied, bowing. “The Kaiser Reguge Zarana sends his regards and apologizes that he cannot be here himself.”

“Perfectly fine, M'lady, perfectly fine.” Descrod said. “The Kaiser has his own kingdom to run, after all. If only the Gorons and Dekus were among us, but that cannot be helped.”

Turning to a door at the far end of the room, Descrod clapped his hands together. A score of handmaidens, dressed in fine robes, hurried out of the room, giggling to themselves as they curtsied to the Ikaylimu.

“This is a cause for great celebration!” Descrod cried, lifting his hands into the air. “A feast! A great feast must be prepared at once! But I'm sure that you are all weary from your long journey and from the…inconvenience that you suffered earlier today, of which I apologize greatly, and a thousand times over. Madams, these girls will show you to your rooms where you may bath and change cloths and rest.” Turning to Tael, Descrod said, “I sincerely apologize, sir. I have never hosted a fairy before and I am lacking in knowledge of proper accommodations.”

“Think nothing of it, Your Majesty.” Tael replied, dipping up and down for a bow. “Merely open a window so I may fly around for a bit, and I'll be fine.”

“Wonderful! And you, Commander,” the Ikaylimu said, turning to Saetoushei. “Would you walk with me for a moment, before I escort you to your room? There is something I wish to show you.”

Augustine led Saetoushei down a circular flight of stone stairs. He led Saetoushei along a dark corridor, lit only by the torch that Descrod held in his hand. As they walked, the Ikaylimu spoke with Saetoushei.

“My dear Commander Saetoushei. First of all, let me say that it is a great honor to host you in my home, for the legends of your deeds in Termina are widely known to nearly all who live in this world. I understand that you battled members of my army in the Southern Swamp not a week and a half ago.”

“This is true, Your Majesty.” Saetoushei replied carefully, not sure where Descrod was heading with this. “We came to the aid of the Dekus when they were attacked.”

“Of this I know as well. The only thing I can say to you is that this assault on our neighbor was conducted without my knowledge, and against my will. There are certain, former, members of my ruling council that were more excitable than I. I am happy to say that they no longer hold any power in my kingdom.”

The pair reached a wooden door at the end of the corridor. Descrod reached for the handle and pulled it open.

They were in the castle's dungeons. It was eerily quiet. The only sounds that Saetoushei could hear were the dripping of water and the sound of his and Descrod's breathing and footsteps.

Descrod stopped in front of one of the cell doors and turned to Saetoushei. “Five members of my council were tried and convicted on charges of high treason against Ikama and the Southern Swamp. The usual sentence for such charges is execution. That is the way it has been since long before yours and my great-grandparents were even born. However, I am much kinder and more lenient than many of my predecessors, and I pardoned four of them, for they were merely puppets. The fifth, the leader and founder of the entire idea to seize the swamp in my name, I sentenced to a life in my dungeons. I brought you here to see for yourself, Commander. I know your story, and this will most likely seem poetic justice for you.”

Descrod seized the cell door and swung it open. Saetoushei couldn't help but gasp out loud. There, with his hands chained above his head, was Jasper.

The great banquet hall of Ikama Castle was filled to overflowing. Servants bustled back and forth along the length of the great table, setting out food and drink. The members of the Ikaylimu's ruling council were already seated at the table, but they quickly rose to their feet and cheer when the ambassadors and Descrod all entered together.

Descrod seated himself in his throne and gestured that the ambassadors sit next to and near him. When everyone was seated, Descrod rose to his feet and tapped his knife against the side of his goblet until he gained control of the room.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you all to my table. There is a time to make great speeches to mark this joyous occasion. Luckily, this is not that time. Everyone, dig in!”

Everyone cheered and began handing around the dishes of food and jugs of fine wines and tasty ales. Conversation buzzed through the air as jokes and stories were exchanged, and debates over military strategies and politics were fired back and forth between diners.

Having lived in the Great Bay all her like, Kari had never seen or tasted many of the dishes laid out before her. She grabbed some of almost everything and attacked it with gusto. Saetoushei laughed when he noticed that she refused to touch the cooked fish.

Cremina however wasn't enjoying herself as much as everyone else. She was instead keeping a close eye on Descrod and Romani, who was seated next to him. Cremina and Romani had lived on the ranch alone together for over a decade, and she knew that her little sister was loving the attention and fawning that the Ikaylimu was currently showing her with. The debonaire ruler was working his charms over the young woman and Cremina could see by the look in Romani's eyes that Descrod was succeeding.

Descrod gestured to a waiter, “Bring me the keg of passion!”

A cheer went up from the council members as the waiter hurried off to do his master's bidding. Saetoushei asked, “What is this passion, Your Majesty?”

“'Tis my special wine. It is called Eternal Passion wine, I brewed it myself. `Tis reserved for special events like this.”

The waiter returned with the keg, followed by a line of servants bearing trays of solid gold cups with gemstones inlaid on them. A cup was placed before each person at the table and the wine was poured in.

Descrod stood up again, raising his cup as he proclaimed, “A toast! Not to Clock Town, not to the Zoras, not to Ikama or any other separate land, but to a blessed and united Termina!”

Another cheer issued from the table as cups were raised and drained. Saetoushei sipped his thoughtfully. It was sweet and creamy, good, the only problems was the strange aftertaste it left behind. Not wishing to insult the Ikaylimu, he drained the cup. It was wonderful, but that aftertaste…he knew that taste, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Descrod sat back down. Romani laughed. “Your wine is wonderful, Your Majesty!”

“Please, M'lady, call me Augustine.”

Cremina snorted under her breath, “I'll give him some passion with my javelin if I get the chance.”

Saetoushei was going to shush her, but the room started to sway a little. He felt so tired that he didn't know if he was going to be able to stay awake much longer. And that aftertaste-

“-tranquilizer,” Saetoushei thought as his head lobbed forward onto the table. “There's tranquilizer in the wine. We've been betrayed.”

Augustine Descrod stood on the balcony of his chamber, watching the night roll on to morning. Once he had shown the commander Jasper in his cell, he had Saetoushei like putty in his hand.

A knock sounded at his chamber door. Descrod smirked. And speaking of the devil himself- “Enter.”

Jasper Baldwin, once again dressed in his formal robes and velvet tunic, entered, closing the door behind him. He stepped onto the balcony and bowed to the Ikaylimu. “My lord, I have completed the deeds you gave me.”

“And?”

“I found it, Majesty.”

Jasper handed something small to Descrod, who took it and grinned broadly at the sight of it.

It was the key to Hyrule.

“Everything is proceeding accordingly to your plan, Oh Great One.”

“Indeed. Showing the commander you in that cell brought him right into my hands, just as you said it would. This merely goes to prove that you cannot be wrong all the time.”

Jasper bowed his head. “Yes, my liege.”

Descrod placed his arm around Jasper's shoulders, a normally friendly gesture that lost that particular effect when he tightened his arm around Jasper's neck. “I still have not forgotten that you failed me in the swamp. And you cost me much-needed supplies and troops. Do not fail me again, and serve me well for the remainder of this campaign, and you will not only live, but you will be greatly rewarded as well. Fail me again, and you'll wish that you died by the Dekus' hands in the swamp.”

Jasper gulped, feeling the muscles around his neck tighten. “Yes, My Lord.”