Chapter Twelve: A Song for Flowers

Lady Petalwood wept as I returned her son Resin to her arms. She held the boy at arms length to gaze at him and embraced him again.

As I was telling her what had transpired she saw I was tired and dismissed her court for the day, promising to reward me tomorrow. I left quickly to check on my friend.

He rested quietly, just as I had left him. I wanted to question him, force him to tell me what he had been hiding, but I could not bring myself to disturb him. Another pallet had been left in the corner. I settled upon it and fell into a troubled sleep.

Sangrel was still in some pain the next morning and to my astonishment he stayed in his bed. He did not treat me as if he knew I was aware of the strange tattoo and this relieved me somewhat. I decided to put my questions away for the time being. The matter of the hundred year tree and eventually the reopening of trade needed to be settled.

I was surprised to see what must have been the entire court assembled in the main room. Lady Petalwood was adorned in a gown of ivory white, extensively decorated with an ornate green leaf pattern on the neck and long sleeves and a sleeveless overcoat of gold cloth. Her long hair was arranged atop her head in a clever manner and bound with gold bands. A finishing touch of black kohl lining her eyes and she looked as grand as a queen.

Now seated upon an elegant chair of ebony wood, the lady addressed me.

"Link of Hyrule," she said, rising carefully from her seat. "Do not worry about that old tree. I decided long ago the king should have one, if nothing else for the flattery of his persistence. But Link, ask anything of me, for you have brought my dear son back. He is my heart and all I have left from my beloved husband. I can shower you with gold, coat your mail with silver, and line your cloak with opals."

I bowed and shook my head as respectfully as I could manage, remembering the words of my friend. "Nothing, my lady, there is nothing I want. I cannot accept payment."

"I feel an indomitable spirit and true courage in you," she sighed, "and I hope it never leaves your line. If riches are of no interest, you will let me knight you, if nothing else?"

The Lady of the Wood borrowed my sword and touched my head and shoulders with it before a rich burgundy traveling cloak was laid over my shoulders. Sir Luz came to her side, bearing a simple box of striped wood, polished to a high gloss.

She opened the box and I could see almost a dozen cloak pins within, all unique. Lady Petalwood selected a round gold one decorated with the image of a tree's root system in black enamel. She gathered the thick material at my shoulder and fastened the ornate pin to secure it.

"Rise, Sir Link of the Cedar Wood," said Lady Petalwood.

I did as she bid and she came with a slight limp to face me, placing a solemn kiss on my brow. I felt a shock go through me and I realized something significant had happened, although I knew not what it was.

"Go freely in this realm," she said, "for you are one of my chosen few, a being of character and cunning and bravery." The court applauded and came to me to take my hand in welcome and congratulations.

I was glad to rest for the remainder of the day. I learned much about the small forest village from Resin, who gladly served as my guide. About a hundred men, women and children lived there, some like Amatia the apothecary coming from outside lands. They all served Lady Petalwood, caring for the trees in some capacity. A limited number of trees were harvested and sold as income for the village, but the people mostly sustained themselves. There were other knights as well, besides Sir Luz, but they were away on missions.

I marveled that within a day I had been fully accepted into this small community. Resin led me about, introducing me to the village elder, a woman named Lydia who gave us freshly baked wild berry tarts.

Sangrel and I were given a small uninhabited cottage for our own use during our stay. My friend was determined to get better as quickly a possible and was already attempting to leave his bed whenever I wasn't looking.

Of all people I expected him to be pleased at my knighthood. As soon as his nephew left us his smile faded and he regarded my new cloak and pin. His expression was a mix of wariness and disappointment.

"Be cautious," he said, leaning against his pillows and drinking mint tea. "Lady Petalwood is very charming, but do not cross her. Do not be surprised to find yourself bound up by this place. Guard your heart."

I grew angry at his words but I chose to say nothing.

That night Sangrel began making plans for our return trip to Hyrule. He predicted he would be well enough in a half week to ride. A cold anger rose within me, fueled by what I had previously learned.

"I will not be going back," I told him, sitting on stool and retying the rawhide grip on my sword.

Sangrel regarded me from the edge of his bed, a stunned expression on his face. "Not going back? What game can you be playing? What man does not wish to return to his home? It is even home for me now."

I shook my head. "I'm going further on," I replied, hoping I could avoid the real reason. "There is so much to see that I cannot get from the books in a thousand libraries."

"No," said Sangrel coldly. I started, looking up at him in surprise. "You cannot just go off on your own, on some…some holiday. It is more dangerous than you realize. You belong to Hyrule and your place is there."

"What am I, a servant?" I asked heatedly. "You may treat me like one, but I'm free to go as I want, for I have no ties."

"Are we not friends?" Sangrel demanded, his clenched fingers white.

"I don't think distance would have any effect on our friendship," I said through gritted teeth, "but dishonesty would."

Sangrel looked as if I had shot him through with an arrow. He had that same look in his eyes as when we had first met. Suddenly he lay down upon his bed, pale with exhaustion. "Never mind, we will talk more tomorrow," he said.

"Did you know I have the Triforce of Courage? Surely Zelda knew."

His silence answered both my questions in the affirmative. They had known from the moment they met me. I felt my spirits drop even further.

The single candle in our room leapt up as it reached the end of its wick, dying in a puddle of melted yellow wax and leaving us in semidarkness.

"Then, this means you either do not possess a piece of the Triforce, or…"

Sangrel stiffened, pulling himself up back into a sitting position and looking at me. "I don't care what you know. I won't tell you anything because I have sworn not to!" He turned his back on me, as if determined to feign sleep to elude me.

I stared at his back, feeling like a vice was grasping my heart, paralyzing my body. I was so angry at him and Zelda. I could not stand to be surrounded by such secrets, secrets that I felt entitled to know. I was still angry at Sangrel for his confusing actions at the Southern and Northern Palaces. As I paused to consider how to respond, something came quietly to my mind and I shivered just thinking about what it implied.

"Is it a curse seal?" I whispered to his back, half hoping he did not hear.

The sound of a quiet laugh met me in the dark, sending a prickle of fear down my neck. "What do you know of curses, Link?"

My blood boiled at his words. A rage arose in my chest, so thick I might have choked on it, were it tangible. What did I know of curses? I hadn't forgotten the monster that had lived within me once, giving me pain every day for most of my life. Of course I knew; it was like being a prisoner in your own body, with no way to fight your captor. With difficulty I swallowed, trying to focus on breathing to calm myself. As angry as I was, I did not want to start a fight.

"Only what they tell you in books," I said through clenched teeth. "Script curse seals are exclusively used to bind the darkest of evil."

"You are much more well-read than I have thought, but yes, it is a seal. Ask no more of it, for I gave my word to not speak of it."

My chest felt curiously empty and heavy at the same time. I put away my sword and prepared for sleep. I went to my bed believing that I would not be getting any true rest.

I somehow managed to leave before Sangrel awoke. The chill mist still clung to the resting village that morning and I dug my fingers into Kuma's thick mane to warm them. After I finished tacking him up and tying my belongings to the saddle we headed out, taking the path that I knew would take me north to Denos.

As the gentle pull of the copper ring grew weaker, the trees around me thinned. Kuma and I had gone at a steady pace for some hours but I stopped and dismounted, turning around to let our follower catch up.

Sangrel was riding atop Epona bareback, not having the strength to saddle her. He was hunched over her mane, pale and making a great effort to still his shaking body. A bare sword, not the Master Sword, was clenched in his hand.

"Come back," he said faintly, sliding to the ground and leaning against the chestnut horse.

"Or you'll fight me and drag me back?" I asked, my heart heavy with pity. "Where is the Master Sword? Did you leave it behind because you know you cannot use it on its true wielder? I am not going to fight you, Sangrel. I would only fight you at your full power or not at all. At this point you will only harm yourself and our friendship." This was a strange turn of events and I stood there, hoping the nervous tremors in my limbs would not betray me.

The Cyrilian prince said nothing for a while, his dark eyes barely able to hold my gaze. "You must hate me, Link," he finally said bitterly. "How can you not despise me, the imposter Hero who has taken the role that is rightly yours? I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. Why can't you just come back?"

"I need some time away from Hyrule," I replied. "Just like you needed to be away from Cyril. Just know that I could never feel any hatred toward you. You've taught me many things, and you're my friend. But I must go, I have…so many things to think on."

To my surprise, Sangrel lowered his head and nodded. He was tired and had given up. The sword dropped from his fingers and he sank to his knees on the pine needle covered ground.

"Just be careful out there, Link," he told me. "And come back to see us some day."

I nodded, glad I had been willingly released from the situation. Sangrel did not move from his spot. He wrapped his green mantle around himself and watched me go, worry openly showing in his black eyes.

I climbed back on Kuma and rode down the path, feeling a release from the ring as we went. Soon I was too far to tell where the village was. The trees, once ever-present companions, disappeared, eventually leaving us with a rocky path between two great clefts of stone. Down we went, the air remaining cool as the sun rose above us.

We stopped for lunch, I eating the apple and bread I had packed and Kuma working on a patch of green grass.

What greeted our eyes as we exited the stone pathway were great fields of sunflowers nestled in a deep green valley, their dark, gold-fringed faces following the sun's path above. A gust breathed over them, a wave rippling through the sea of large flowers. I took out my pipe, overjoyed by what I saw, and played a glorious melody as we headed further in.

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End Part I

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(a/n: Part Two to follow. Please review. I am interested to know what you think about the characters and where the plot is going. Questions, comments, suggestions, and corrections welcome and appreciated.)