Chapter Twelve – Kanalet Castle

Malon stared at Link. "What? Where is he?"

"Kanalet Castle," Link replied. "I'm trying to think of where it is. I know there's a castle on Koholint, but I can't for the life of me remember where."

"Kanalet?" Tarin asked, walking out of the house. He stretched, yawning. "What's yer interest with the castle?"

"Link says my father's there!" Malon shouted. "Do you know the way?"

Tarin nodded. "Of course! Jes' go east from here through Ukuku Prairie, and you'll be there. They keep the gates locked, so yer way in might be a bit… tricky."

Link stood. "I can get in." He started walking to the east.

Malon followed him. "I'm coming, too!"

Link stopped. "No," he replied, turning toward her. "You're going to stay here away from trouble."

"But-"

Link didn't want to have to do this, but he didn't want this argument to go on too long. "How am I supposed to protect you from Ganondorf, and maybe even Dethl, when I'm trying to save your father? If you come, only one of you will come out."

Malon was silent. After a few seconds, she replied, "Fine. Go, and please, Link, bring him back safe, for me."

Link nodded. Unsheathing the Master Sword, he spun it once before carefully dropping it down on his shoulder. "Of course. I'm the Hero of Time, after all." And with that, he spun the sword back around and sheathed it.

----

Link shoved aside a large Moblin-shaped rock using his Power Bracelet. Trudging up strange steps carved into the mountain, he vaulted down the other side. Seeing a sign near him, he glanced over at it. It read:

Kanalet Castle 5 Min. -

Link chuckled. Following the path north, he curved right and read another sign.

Kanalet Castle 50 Paces

Link nodded and, again, followed the path north. This time, instead of another sign, he saw a large drawbridge. It was raised, and evidently locked into position. Link smashed his fist against it.

"Who goes there?" a voice shouted down.

Link couldn't suppress a chuckle. Even though Zelda hadn't enjoyed any of her suitors' visits, Link would often hunt them down and say hi. One of them, a man by the name of Richard, had become a good friend to Link. Often annoyed with people asking him 'who goes there?' when anyone with eyes could see that it was him, he once dared Link to give a ridiculous answer next time he was asked that.

Link was a man of his word. Shouting at the top of his lungs, he replied, "King Bob goes there! And he's come here, too!"

The voice laughed. "Never in my life did I actually expect to hear King Bob shouted back at me." A little window opened up and a head poked out. "And, by the Goddesses, if it isn't Link! You're a sight for sore eyes!"

"Richard!" Link shouted back. "Good seeing you again! Mind letting me in?"

"Sure thing!" Richard shouted back. The drawbridge fell open with a slam, granting Link passage.

Link walked in and drew his sword. Even if Richard was here, that didn't mean that Ganondorf wasn't.

Richard appeared to the side of Link, having exited through a doorway. "What, decided to steal my castle from me?"

Link shook his head. "No, of course not. I'm here because I got a tip from a reliable source that a man, my friend's father, is being held captive somewhere around here."

Richard shook his head. "Sorry, man, the dungeons are empty. The only things in this castle are me and a few Iron Knuckles that I've managed to tame."

"Tame Iron Knuckles?"

Richard nodded. "Yes! It's brilliant, actually. You and your Ocarina gave me the idea. Those melodies of yours seemed to have magic in them, so I came back here and made one myself. A fairy on the top of the Tal Tal mountain range blessed it, too. Well, one day, I was walking along when I met this enormous frog that called himself Mamu. Mamu taught me this one song that he called 'the Frog's Song of Soul' and I tried it in a secret area in the castle. Suddenly, every statue around me started to move! At first, I thought they would hurt me, because I could see that they were Iron Knuckles, and you had told me of your fights with them. However, they never once tried to hurt me. They actually listened to what I asked them to do!"

Link was impressed. "Nice work. Now, about this man…"

Richard laughed. "Ever the persistent one. What does this man look like?"

Link thought for a moment. "You know Tarin?"

Richard nodded. "Around these parts, you'd have to be a fool, or blind, deaf, and dumb, not to know Tarin."

"Well, he looks a lot like him, but older. That, and sleepier."

Richard seemed to be deep in thought, and Link did his best not to disturb his friend. Finally, he looked up.

"I saw a man not three days ago, wandering around here. He headed north, though. He never actually stopped around here."

"The man you seek is there…"

Kaigara's words echoed through the back of his mind. "Are you the only person around here?"

Richard nodded. "Besides you, of course. Why? You seem anxious to find someone in this castle. Why?"

Link sighed. "You better sit down…"

----

When Link finished his tale, Richard looked at him in amazement.

"And here I thought you were just some Hylian that hovered around the castle. I can see I was wrong." He was silent a moment more, before continuing. "And this woman, Kaigara, you say she's the spirit of the Conch Horn?"

Link nodded. "And she said that this Dethl would wake soon, so I've got to find Talon and get him and Malon away from here, soon."

Richard stood up and walked out of the castle. "Come on."

"Where are we going now?" Link asked, jogging to keep up with Richard.

"The Tal Tal Mountain Range. I'm gonna show you where I last saw Talon."