A/N: I forgot to add this on the first chapter and I can't believe I did. I want to thank my beta readers, Tori, Sarah, and Ruth for reading this monster. Without their encouragement this would never get done. Plus Tori keeps this thing legible and spots the many mistakes I over look. Thanks so much you guys. =)
Weeks passed and Ket saw parts of Hyrule she never dreamed existed, from towering forests of unimaginable heights, to chains of endless mountains, to sparkling lakes of crystal clear water.
While they journeyed onward, Ket slowly figured out how to sit correctly on her horse. Both she and the gray she christened Mizzle were grateful for her developing horsemanship skills.
Despite the long hours in the saddle, Ket immensely enjoyed the trip, feeling free as she sat astride the powerful gelding, no longer fearing that the horse's slightest movement would send her flying.
Impa was also pleased with Ket's progress. Now they could travel at faster speeds and for longer periods of time since Ket was hardening her body from the rigors of the journey, and no longer complained endlessly of how tired she was, or how much her muscles ached, or how much she desperately needed a break, oh please, could they take a break!
During the trip, Impa bought a pair of riding breeches for Ket to use after the girl developed saddle sores from the leather directly rubbing against her skin under the coarse woolen skirt she wore. Ket refused adamantly at first. Only warriors and men ran around in breeches, not a lady. She told Impa she may be only a peasant, but she would not disgrace herself by donning men's clothing.
Now here she sat, feeling the leather material press against her legs. Impa doesn't take no for answer, Ket thought with a scowl. When Impa asked her how the new garments were working out, she grudgingly admitted that the clothing made riding a whole lot easier. The warrior only grinned and promptly said, "I told you so."
Ket's reply was to scoop up a handful of mud that clung to her leather boot and chuck it at the woman's head.
Near the end of their third week, Ket followed Impa through a particularly dense forest. The overhanging boughs of the evergreens and oaks blocked most of the sunlight, leaving the woods in a perpetual state of twilight. The path they rode on was hard packed from hundreds of travelers and bordered on both sides by a thick, bushy hedge.
Passing under the gigantic trees, Ket felt the back of her neck prickle. She had the eerie sensation of eyes watching them pass. Craning her neck, she glanced about in hopes of catching a glimpse of the source of her anxiety. Only plants and trees met her gaze. Mizzle sensed her apprehension and began to fidget nervously. Realizing she was transmitting her fears to her horse, she tried to relax and push the unfounded feelings from her mind.
She had just about succeeded when a flicker of movement caught her eye. Whipping her head around, she spotted a small figure in the tree branches before it vanished from sight. Clearing her throat nervously, Ket called to Impa, "Um, excuse me, Impa?"
"What?" said Impa, who sat lounging in the saddle, her mind miles away.
"Are there, are there monsters or anything like that in this forest?"
"Why do you ask?" Impa said, turning to look at Ket with a puzzled expression.
"Because I saw something in the trees," Ket said, still peering about the forest, trying to spot the creature.
"As far as I know, no one has spotted anything hostile in these woods since I can remember. I'm sure you saw a bird or something."
"Yeah right," Ket muttered, refusing to placated. "Birds don't have arms or legs and hop from branch to branch."
While they continued on, Ket kept a wary eye for their mysterious watcher, but it never appeared again.
Daylight began to dot the forest floor more often and soon Ket knew the end of the woods was near. Thank Farore, she thought with relief. I don't think I could have stood another minute in that creepy forest.
Breaking from the trees, Ket blinked her sun dazzled eyes, trying to adjust them to the sudden luminescence. When her vision cleared, she felt her jaw drop. Miles upon miles of open grassland spread before her.
The prairie grass swayed gently in the breeze blowing off a huge mountain that crouched in the distance to their right. Set in the middle of the plain, barely visible from Ket's vantage point, sat a small building of unknown origin.
Watching the birds flit along the fields, Ket for the first time in her life, felt at home, like coming upon this meadow was a homecoming for her. Every other town she stayed in, every city she visited, none of them urged Ket to remain. Instead, after lingering long enough to gain plenty of cash for travel, she would leave again, following a hidden drive that always pushed her onwards.
But here, in this vast lea highlighted by the clear, cornflower blue sky, she knew she had come home. A broad grin spread across her face and she could not force it away even if she wanted to. Glancing at Impa, who stood next to her, she saw the same expression mirrored on the woman's face, her gleaming brown eyes alight.
Feeling Ket's gaze upon her, Impa looked at her and said, "We're almost home. See that building on the horizon?" she said, pointing.
Ket nodded.
"That's LonLon Ranch," informed Impa. "Home of the best horses and milk in all Hyrule, quite possibly all the world. They lie smack in the middle of Hyrule Field, the plain you see before you, and have been there since ancient times. It was erected in commemoration of a great battle fought there. And beyond LonLon lies the castle," Impa said, becoming misty eyed, her face the epitome of heartfelt longing.
"Then let's not waste any time," Ket replied with an impish grin.
With that, she urged Mizzle into a gallop, her first attempt at riding at such a high speed. For some unexplained reason, being in Hyrule Field stole away all her fears and reservations.
The normally plodding horse obeyed, and they gathered velocity, racing the birds across the plains. Wind tore at her hair and garments, and Ket watched as the world became a blur. The feel of raw power filled her as Mizzle's legs flew across the earth. Laughing from sheer delight, she leaned forward and asked for more speed. Mizzle complied and the gray gelding became airborne.
Nearing the walls of LonLon Ranch, Ket slowed Mizzle to a walk, allowing the blowing horse a chance to rest. Now that her mind no longer focused on the thrill of racing, she remembered Impa.
Looking behind her, she spotted the tall Hylian and her mount meandering through the grass, refusing to be rushed. Facing forward, Ket climbed the rolling hill that LonLon sat on, and crested the mound.
A gasp involuntarily escaped her mouth, her eyes taking in the magnificent sight. Before her stood Hyrule Castle in all its glory. The large mountain that she saw when leaving the eerie forest flanked the city and castle to the right, its snow capped peak providing a splendid backdrop. Gray stone walls surrounded the city and a small rill gurgled along the wall's borders. A wide wooden bridge spanned the river, allowing the only access into town and the castle beyond.
Impa rode to her side, her eyes fixed on the castle towering behind the city. Finally, after all these months, she was home. Home; the word rested on her tongue like honey, sweet and sorely missed.
She glanced at Ket and was surprised when she noticed the girl's expression. She seemed to be wrestling with some great emotion, as if she too, had missed this land as much as Impa, despite the fact the girl had never been here before. But this is the heart of Hyrule, Impa thought. Maybe every Hylian feels that this is home.
"Ready?" Impa asked Ket, snatching the girl from her daydreams.
Startled, not realizing Impa stood beside her, she nodded hastily, blinking her eyes rapidly. She urged Mizzle forward, leaving Impa to watch her receding back, her light blond hair catching the wind.
A smile turned up the corners of Impa's mouth. The Goddesses blessed her when she found this girl. Despite the harsh exterior, Impa sensed a gentle spirit that had been hurt many times in the past. She was drawn to Ket, her protective nature wanting to keep the child from hurting again. She hoped the girl would stay after receiving payment. Impa wanted to prove to her that honor and love still existed in the world, despite what she may have seen to prove otherwise.
She knew King Regius would have no problems with Ket residing in the palace, so long as the girl helped out in some way. Extra help always remained in high demand at Hyrule Castle. Impa believed that even if the entire kingdom of Hyrule worked around the palace, there would still be a need for more help. The stone castle was just too big, in Impa's opinion.
She was originally from Kakariko, the village at the foot of Death Mountain, the large peak that bordered Hyrule Castle Town. She had been a merchant's daughter then, struggling to comply to her family's demands that she be raised as a proper lady, even though Impa yearned to be out with her brothers, learning how to fight and defend others. That was Impa's true dream, to be strong enough to protect those who were too weak to defend themselves. When she turned fourteen, she ran off under the velvet cloak of night, to the land far to the east where the legendary Gerudo lived.
The Gerudo were a race of all female warrior thieves that lived in the vast desert on Hyrule's eastern borders. They were solitary creatures that rarely ventured into Hyrule's lands and it wasn't until after much searching and praying, that she found a tribe of the warriors and begged them to teach her how to fight.
Although the Gerudo mistrusted Hylians, or any other race, Impa wore them down and they eventually agreed, admiring the girl's determination and spirit.
After many years of endless training, Impa finally became a Gerudo warrior. She returned to her village to see her family and how they fared, wondering if they would recognize her now that she was a fully grown woman.
Fate took over her plans while she traveled to her birth home. Along the way, she met up with a troop of Hylian soldiers looking bedraggled and exhausted. Their captain, a tall, sturdy man with raven black hair and sporting a deep gash across his forehead, told Impa how they had been attacked by a band of Dalitian soldiers.
This was before the Treaty with Dalite that ended the pointless battles and raids, the time when Hyrule constantly seemed on the verge of war with its neighboring western country.
Impa offered to accompany them to the castle to act as extra help, and the ailing knights quickly accepted. While on their way, a band of marauders, who sensed the knights' weakness, attacked during the middle of the night, demolishing their camp that sat only a day's march from the castle.
During the fray, Impa decided to put her hard earned skills to work. With the aid of men who were still healthy enough to fight, they made short work of the thieves. The knights' captain was stunned after watching this seemingly harmless woman defeat the well armed attackers almost single handedly.
Once they reached the castle, the captain told King Regius of Impa's help. Impa came forward for the King to personally thank. During their conversation, the King took an instant liking to the tall warrior with her warm humor and honorable soul, and Impa reciprocated the feelings. Regius quickly appointed Impa to his roster of guards.
Her relationship with the King, and her ability to be honest and give sound advice, allowed her to rise to the position of the King's personal guard. She now answered only to Regius himself and acted as his right hand while traveling throughout Hyrule. She also preformed as ambassador to Dalite, and had a hand in getting both Kings to sign the peace treaty. With her caring heart and strong sense of justice, the people of Hyrule adored her and came to her as often as they came to the King for advice.
Now she was finally back among her people and would see her King in a matter of moments. It's good to be home, she thought again with a smile, and followed Ket to the city walls.
Ket approached the wooden drawbridge, hearing Mizzle's hooves ring hollowly as they entered the tunnel that passed through the stone and led into the city. A notch in the tunnel wall to the right led to a guardroom and doubled as a storage place for the mechanisms that controlled the bridge's movements.
A man dressed in an armor similar to Impa's stood at attention at the end of the tunnel, ready to greet or challenge all who entered Hyrule Castle Town. The insignia of the Royal Family blazed on his steel helmet and chest plate. A golden triangle made of three interconnected triangles, the Royal Family's emblem was the symbol of the Triforce, the Sacred Relic the three Goddesses left behind after creating their world and retreating to their divine realm.
The Sacred Relic was said to grant the wish of whoever held the treasure in their grasp. The catch was that one had to find the Triforce first. Many legends shrouded the resting place of the Triforce, but one stood out from all the other tales. Historians said that the Relic rested in the Sacred Realm, the Golden Land that protected the Triforce from falling into corrupt hands. Only those pure of heart could enter the holy land. But even if one fit the description, the entrance to the Sacred Realm had never been discovered, at least not in Ket's lifetime.
It was rumored that ages ago, the entrance to the Golden Land had been breached to prevent great tragedies, but concrete evidence to prove these tales remained sorely missed. Nothing but romantic faery tales, Ket thought with a touch of scorn, glancing at the guard. Legends and heroes, they don't exist, probably never had. If they were real, why did so many suffer in their land?
She remembered times when passing through poor districts of cities, searching for food or work and coming upon the glassy eyes of the starved and sick. There little babies howled for food, their bellies swollen from starvation, held by mothers who looked like walking skeletons, their eyes downcast, refusing to meet anyone's gaze for fear of punishment. How the stench of filth and rotting filled her nostrils as she passed the bodies of those infected with a type of flesh consuming disease. The only way to separate them from the dead was to see if their chest rose and fell with their breathing.
There were still times when Ket would struggle from sleep, the odor of death overpowering her senses, their faces haunting her vision. Heroes and miracles were only tales the suffering told to raise their hopes and alleviate their pain. Anyone that believed otherwise was a fool.
She was about to enter the city when a voice hailed her from behind. "You could at least slow down," admonished Impa from atop Zephyr. "You need me to get in the castle, you know."
"Do I?" said Ket archly. "I thought I'd get in on my charm and good looks."
"I'll give you charm," Impa threatened with a smile, shaking her gloved fist at Ket.
"Impa," cried a voice from behind them. Turning, they saw that the guard had darted forward and stood staring at the woman with a kind of reverential awe.
"Yes?" Impa said, moving her horse so she could see the man better.
"The King instructed us to tell you that as soon as you arrived back, you were to meet with him right away."
"Thank you, sir," Impa said, saluting the guard.
The guard was startled by her show of respect and fumbled out an attempt at a return gesture. Impa pretended to ignore the man's folly, but Ket grinned openly, causing the man to blush.
Impa smacked her on the head as she passed. "Come on," she said. "I think I need to teach you manners before you enter public again."
"That's a battle you'll never win," remarked Ket sassily, rubbing her scalp. "I'll make it my mission to embarrass you whenever I'm around."
"Do you plan on staying around?" Impa asked, voicing the question she had wanted to say since she offered the girl to come with her.
The smile disappeared, replaced by a slight scowl. Her sapphire eyes darkened as she repeated Impa's words in her mind. Did she plan to stay here? A part of her instantly said yes, of course! Where else could she go? The other part, the one that thought before acting, felt alarmed at the idea. If she stayed, something would happen. She would become comfortable in her surroundings and she would feel at peace. At first. But her life never stayed happy for long. Something, or someone, always came around to destroy her fragile joy, leaving her empty and aching inside. The last time that had happened... but now was not the time to bring up past hurts. Not while Impa watched her expression for the slightest of changes.
She had slowly, but steadily, built solid emotional walls around her while growing up. They protected her from the pain that afflicted her any chance it got. Remaining in one place for any extended period of time threatened those walls, weakening them, allowing others to creep in.
Once there, they stayed until fate, wearing the mask of death and ill-fortune, came and snatched them away. That was why she moved from town to town, never daring to linger. That way, she would remain an enigma, an unapproachable figure people steered clear of, allowing Ket to continue on without fear of hurting again.
Now Impa was asking her to do what she never dared. To stay and grow comfortable again, an easy target for more pain. Even now the symptoms were forming. She already liked Impa, enjoying her company and the way the woman's laugh filled her with happiness. The silver-haired warrior already breeched her first defenses and it was only a matter of time before they all fell, leaving her exposed and vulnerable. Unforgivable, Ket thought. I can't allow it to begin all over.
"I don't know," Ket replied, giving herself more time before having to state a definite answer.
Impa knew better than to push and let the matter drop. Instead she said, "So, what do you think of the city?"
Shoving her emotions aside, Ket focused on the city for the first time. The sight left her feeling awed again. She had been in cities before, but none on this grand a scale. Townspeople bustled to and fro, carrying bundles of goods to be sold in the market that rested along the middle of the city, or bags of purchases from the score of booths set up along the city walls and streets.
As they rode forward, Ket saw a man selling pottery, another hawking exotic looking meats. The next showed a vendor with fabrics of all kinds, from lush velvet to delicate silk. A burly man hollering the praises of weapons caught her eye.
Craning her neck, she saw armaments of every style and metal. Swords dangled from the man's stall roof, catching the sun and potential customers' eyes. A selection of daggers and short swords covered the table resting beside different makes of weapons she had never seen before.
One consisted of two short, stout pieces of wood connected by a metal chain. Another was shaped like a quarterstaff, only the tips were capped by a wicked-looking curved blade.
Ket gulped, her imagination showing her what these weapons did to others. To divert her thoughts, she marveled at the different kinds of people she saw. Some were Hylian, some human. She thought she caught a glimpse of a Goron, the race of rock eaters that lived on Death Mountain, but she had never seen one before and was not sure. The images, scents, and sounds overloaded her brain and she began to feel trapped and claustrophobic amid the throng of bodies. She focused her eyes on Impa's back, trying to block out her surroundings and gain control of her slight claustrophobia.
Impa was impervious to the overwhelming sensations, her eyes fixed on the castle, taking in the way the banners snapped in the wind atop the towering turrets, how the slate colored walls rose above the town like a great bird watching her brood.
Seeing the castle come closer, she realized how much she missed the place and its people. She could hardly wait to see King Regius again. She missed his dry wit and gentle smile, the way he made her laugh no matter what the circumstance, the way he challenged her mind, making her feel equal to him.
She was also eager to see Prince Elias, the King's only son and heir to the throne. After King Regius' wife, the slight, ethereal Queen Celestrial, gave birth to the small, squalling, baby boy, she had passed away, weakened greatly by the strain of birth and unable to fight an infection that had set in afterwards.
Impa was the only one who truly understood how much the loss of his wife had affected the King. For awhile she was worried he would follow his Queen into the realm of the dead, but she had not counted on Elias.
The moment the King held the baby in his arms, Impa knew he would live. The boy, with his violet eyes and red-gold hair, was an exact copy of the King, right down to his stubborn personality.
Impa helped Regius raise the tyke, acting as the boy's nurse, mentor, and guard at the same time. She had taught the boy how to ride and use a bow. She boasted to all that would listen of the boy's talents and abilities, secretly agreeing with those that joked that she was more mom than nurse to the fledgling prince.
After following the cobblestone street that twisted through the city, they entered a narrow gap between a pair of bluffs that rose behind the town. Ket breathed a sigh of relief, having left the crowded streets behind her.
The dusty path led around a corner and stopped at a wrought-iron gate where two guards stood, gleaming weapons like the one at the vendor's booth, the long, slender staffs capped on one end with a blade, held loosely in their strong hands.
Seeing Impa ride up, they snapped to attention, their bodies ramrod straight and tense. "At ease," Impa ordered with a slight smile. No matter how long she lived here, she would never get used to the blatant show of respect everyone offered her.
"It's good to see you again," said one guard, a broad smile creasing his weathered skin.
"It's good to be back, Wyvlen" Impa replied, leaning across her horse's neck to grasp the guard's hand firmly.
"The King sorely missed you," informed the other, taller guard. "I think when you leave, you take his mind with you."
Impa and Wyvlen chuckled. "Now, now, Ifrim," Impa said with a warm smile. "You have to give our Lord more credit than that. I only take half of his brain."
"Aye," Ifrim said with a laugh. "The better half."
Wyvlen playfully cuffed the other guard on the head. "If you want to keep your job, boy, I suggest you watch yourself."
Ifrim and Impa both grinned and continued to exchange the latest gossip and news. Ket hung in the back, unsure of how to act around the two imposing men. Her past dealings with guards were not pleasant ones, though these two appeared laidback and friendly.
Still, her memories of being chased after picking a pocket or two were hard to push away, especially since everyone who lived in the street held most officers of the law with contempt.
She was caught between the urge to run or knock the guards upside the head, and felt that either decision would cost her a lot of trouble. She was contemplating the idea of sneaking off, when Impa turned and motioned for her to come forward. Drat! I waited to long, Ket thought with despair, her hopes of fleeing dashed to pieces.
Feeling her hands begin to shake, she buried them in Mizzle's steely mane and urged the gelding forward. "So she's the one that found you," Wyvlen said, giving the girl an appraising look.
Ket said nothing, not trusting her voice at the moment. She only stared at the ground between Mizzle's ears and tried to force her body to relax.
"Are you sure she didn't set this whole scenario up with the Dalite soldiers?" asked Ifrim, his eyes cagey and hard.
What?! Ket brought her eyes up and fixed them furiously on the offending soldier. How dare he accuse her of such deceit! Just because she wasn't a noble or some wealthy merchant's daughter, that didn't mean she was any less trustworthy. She'd seen nobles that stole more than the Thief King who terrorized Lexandri's high born population.
Ifrim quailed under her blazing gaze, but told Impa, "I think you're too trusting to just take in this street brat."
That was it. Ket threw herself from Mizzle and strode up to the guard. She stopped before him and planted her hands firmly on her hips, staring up into his wary gray eyes. Ifrim was taller than almost a hand's width, but she stood her ground before the guard. "Who gives you the right to be both judge and jury to someone you haven't even spoken to?" Ket demanded, trying to keep her voice slightly civil.
Ifrim opened his mouth to reply but Ket cut him off. "No one, that's who," she answered herself. "You never lived on the streets and I bet you'd never survive if you had to. Until you actually experience what I have and understand everything, until you become something close to the Goddesses themselves, you keep your unwanted opinions to yourself!"
"Are you through?" Ifrim asked with a strained smile.
Ket opened her mouth to yell, No, she was not through, not until your head is pounded into the ground, when Impa appeared from behind her and gripped the young girl's shoulders in a gentle but tight hold. "I think that's enough," she advised the angry girl. Facing Ifrim, she said, "I'll decide who I do or don't trust Ifrim, though I do appreciate your advice. Most of the time," she added as an afterthought. "But I do think you should be more discreet with your opinions."
"After today's encounter, I won't have any problems remembering that bit of advice," Ifrim said, a sarcastic grin twisting his lips.
"See you later," Wyvlen called after them as they headed past the gate, their horses following closely behind. Impa waved goodbye, her arm still clasped around Ket, the other keeping a firm grip on Zephyr's reins. The horse sensed he was close to home and he strained to reach the warm comfort of the stable.
After they followed the trail for a distance, Ket said quietly, "You can let go, I promise I wont run back to beat him, no matter how much he deserves it."
Impa complied, glancing down at the girl. A frown etched deep lines across her face, making her seem far older then her true age. Poor child's been through so much, I don't think she's ever had a real childhood, Impa thought with sorrow.
Sensing Impa's eyes upon her, Ket met her gaze and snapped, "What?"
Forcing a smile, Impa said, "I doubt anyone will question your integrity after today's encounter."
"They shouldn't have done so in the first place," Ket said grimly, refusing to see any humor in the situation.
"No, they shouldn't," Impa agreed softly, staring at the light brown path before her.
Ket peered at the silver-haired woman out of the corners of her eyes. She hated seeing that saddened expression on her face. Despite her attempts of thwarting her emotions, Ket deeply cared for the Hylian who was kind enough to believe in her and allow her to prove herself. The strong feelings scared Ket, shaking her to the core with their intensity. This was the first time in a long while that she had anyone to care about and her heart was afraid of being rejected or hurt. Still, she could not bear to see Impa distressed, so she forced a smile and said to her, "What's done's done."
Impa half-smiled and gripped her in a one-armed hug again, this time without the intent of holding her back. "Agreed," she said.
Following the road, they continued on. The path lay between grassy hills dotted with trees and cultivated gardens. Smaller trails led off the main one they were on and to little nooks, giving visitors and servants alike a private place to relax and enjoy the beauty around them.
Ket began to wonder if the palace was miles off, when they crested another hill and the full glory of the castle spread before her eyes. Even after spotting the stone walls from a distance, seeing the gigantic battlements and towers up close was no comparison. A moat, probably a branch from the river that ran before the city walls, flowed around the castle. An open drawbridge, smaller than the city gate's, led the way past the castle walls and into the courtyard beyond. No trees were allowed to grow close to the walls, to prevent attackers from getting too near without being spotted, but carefully tended beds of flowers dotted the grassy knolls, showing color like brilliant gems in the warm sunlight.
More guards stood to either side of the gate, just before the raised portcullis, but these only waved hello, and did not impede Impa's passage. Ket breathed a sigh of relief and continued on, following closely on Impa's heels.
Passing through the tunnel, she stared with amazement at the thickness of the stone that bordered the castle. She wondered what feat of strength or magic could have made a path through stone of this immensity. Three horses could have easily stood nose to tail within the confines of the tunnel.
Guardsmen dressed in the full regalia of the Royal Family stood at attention on either side of the tunnel, adding to the scene before her. Already cowed, when Ket exited the tunnel and stepped onto the cobbled stone of the courtyard, she felt her chin drop involuntarily.
Chuckling, Impa reached her hand under Ket's chin and firmly pushed up. Servants clad in the royal colors of purple and gold scurried to and fro. Noble courtiers glided by, their bright silken garments whispering secrets to the stone ground under their feet.
Straight ahead lay the entrance to the castle itself, the way lined with more court dressed guards, their imposing armor gleaming brightly in the light, the Triforce a gold blaze across their shields. The sight was unlike any she had ever seen before and she wondered how anyone would allow a commoner like herself to enter into all this splendor.
Two of the servants came and led their horses away and while Ket let go of the reins, she felt an uncontrollable urge to chase after them, mount Mizzle, and flee again. Her mind yelled to her that this was not right. What was she doing anywhere near these aristocrats and their finery? She should be back in the city or the fields outside the town. That was where she belonged, not in this faery-tale castle.
Impa obviously felt otherwise. She placed her hand on the small of Ket's back and firmly pushed the suddenly stiff and non-motile girl forward. Regaining control of her limbs, Ket began to walk on her own, keeping her eyes down and focused on her feet. How did Impa live with all this around her? wondered Ket as they passed through the entrance and into the castle.
Upon entering, a plush, red velvet carpet led straight to the Great Hall. Impa chose a different path leading to the left and away from the soft carpeting. They continued on, past hundreds of doors set along long corridors lit with sandalwood torches that gave off a pleasant earthy aroma, and up numerous flights of stairs, some twisting, some wider than the castle entrance.
Soon Ket was thoroughly lost and her neck began to ache from her constant craning as she tried to catch a glimpse of everything inside the castle walls.
When they climbed another horrendously long set of stairs, Ket panted, "When are we going to get wherever we're supposed to be?"
Impa, hardly out of breath, looked behind her to the sweating girl, whose blonde hair curled around her damp skin in elf-locks. "Tired already?" she asked wickedly.
"After the hundredth stair case, yes."
"Don't worry," Impa assured her. "Only a few hundred more to go."
"You're joking right? Right?! Impa!" Ket hurried after her, praying fervently that Impa's reply was only the woman's twisted attempt at humor.
They neared the top of the wooden stairs and Ket spotted a warped oak door barring their passage. Impa rapped on the old wood and proceeded to wait.
A reply came within seconds. The door flung open and a short man answered, his wizened face twisted in an annoyed scowl. "Just who is it now?" he demanded, his rheumy eyes squinting in the dim light.
"Lycass, you stubborn old goat," Impa said lightly. "Why don't you have your spectacles on, then maybe you'd be able to see us."
"How dare you talk to me that way, you scoundrel, you scallywag, you-"
Before the old man could go in depth of how he felt about Impa's rudeness, another head popped into the door's opening. This one was tall and imposing, dwarfing Lycass who stood at his side. Command and nobility clung to him like a cloak and Ket felt her nervousness return in a flood.
When the taller man spotted Impa, his handsome, chiseled face broke into a warm smile. Brushing past the still muttering Lycass, he swept forward and embraced Impa warmly. "Great Goddesses, it's good to see you again," he told Impa heatedly, holding her tight.
Impa held him just as fiercely and said playfully, "I haven't been gone that long."
"Well it felt like an eternity to me, you callous beast," he said, pulling back to grin at her.
"You just can't live without me," Impa said. "Who'd tell you how to run this place right?"
"I'll have you know I didn't start a single war while you were gone," replied the man, a self-righteous expression on his face. "And the castle is still standing."
"Miracle of all miracles," Impa said then ducked as the man mock swung at her.
Impa's movement exposed Ket to the man's field of vision and he stopped his playful bantering. "Impa, how rude of you to not introduce me to your young guest," he chided with a smile.
"I've been gone too long from the court. I seem to have forgotten all my manners."
"As if you had any in the first place," he taunted.
Impa sniffed and strode past him to Ket, resting her hand lightly on the girl's left shoulder. "My good sir," she began in a horrible imitation of a court greeter. Ket and the man both winced at the same time, and Lycass retreated back into the room, muttering about young upstarts.
Impa got the hint and dropped the act. "Ket, I'd like to introduce you to my good friend, Regius. Regius, this is Ket, the girl I told you about in my letter."
Ket froze at the mention of the man's name. Regius? Surely this was not the King of Hyrule? The man bowed to her and clasped her hand in his strong grip. "It is an honor to meet the young heroine who saved my dearest friend's life," he said with no trace of mockery.
Ket could only stare. Her throat seemed frozen and her body failed to respond to her demands. Regius' eyes, a deep indigo in the dim light, peered into hers. At the girl's lack of response, he smiled kindly and said, "I know you must be feeling overwhelmed right now (That's an understatement, Ket interjected in her mind.). But rest assure, the feeling of grandeur wears off after awhile."
Working past the boulder size lump in her throat, Ket croaked, "I highly doubt that, sir."
Regius smiled. "Well you can speak now, that's an improvement."
Ket blushed at his words and ducked her head. Impa squeezed her shoulder. "Knock it off you ogre," she admonished the King, her chestnut eyes alit.
"All right, all right," Regius said, his hands up in defeat. "Listen, is there anyway I can persuade you to come to a council meeting today?" he asked Impa, his once playful face now serious.
"What for?"
"Lucoye's making a fuss over his and Drace's land borders again. You know Lucoye respects your opinion, ever since you helped him beat off those raiders that were attacking his holding. I need someone to knock some sense into his thick skull before he starts a civil feud over this. Great Nayru knows he hasn't agreed to any of my suggestions."
"Of course," said Impa, then she looked at Ket. "Is that all right with you?"
Surprised, Ket said, "What?"
"I said is that all right with you?"
"Why would you care?" Ket said, then immediately regretted her words. They sounded incredibly rude, even to her. She had only meant, why should Impa care of her opinion? She was only a commoner. Only because of Impa's kindness was she here. The woman should not have to worry about her.
"I'm sorry," Ket apologized hastily. "I didn't mean to sound like that, it's just-" She broke off, unsure of how to continue and fiercely aware that her face burned hotly.
"Don't worry about it," Impa said. Giving the flustered girl a wink, she continued, "We'll get you used to being treated kindly soon enough."
Ket smiled ruefully, relieved that she was not insulted by her words.
"I hate to interrupt," began Regius.
"Yeah right," joked Impa.
"You're right," conceded Regius. "It's one of the few privileges I can truly enjoy. But the meeting is starting soon."
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Is it all right if Ket wanders around?" Impa asked.
"If you don't mind her becoming horribly lost forever in these blasted halls," Regius said. "I should have someone escort you around."
"I- I'll be fine," Ket said hesitantly. "You don't need to worry about me."
"My dear," said Regius with a knowing smile. "I have lived in these walls all my life and I still find myself lost. I remember the time I went searching for the kitchen for a midnight snack and wound up in the maids' quarters.
"Needless to say, after the screaming quieted down and the alarmed guards returned to their posts, they were not happy with me and I never did get that cookie I was craving. But I digress. Now who could I recruit..." Regius thought for a moment, then he turned his head back to the room he had left. A balding head surrounded by a fringe of white met his gaze and he smiled. "Lycass," he called. "Can you come here a moment?"
The grumbling old man from before walked to the door. "Yes, your majesty?"
"Would you be kind enough to show Miss Ket around the castle while I steal Impa away for a council meeting?"
Lycass looked past the King and stared at Ket. Under the man's steel gray gaze, Ket felt like she was being examined from within and without. She met his gaze straight on in defiance and received a shock.
His eyes, they were at odds to the attitude he gave off. While staring into the man's eyes, she saw a soul of infinite wisdom, not the bumbling, senile man he portrayed. Then Lycass blinked, and the feeling was over as soon as it had begun. Ket was not sure if she imagined the whole incident or not.
Grunting, Lycass said, "Your will is my command, my Lord." He glared at Ket and continued, "So long as this child does not try any mischief, I will take her."
Ket stiffened at his words. Get into mischief? Child? She wasn't a babe anymore and had better manners then that crotchety old man would ever possess. Lycass seemed to sense her thoughts because he smiled sourly at her.
"Well, now that that's settled, shall we go?" Regius said to Impa.
"Let's get this brilliant display of stubborn goats butting heads over with," Impa said with a wicked grin.
"Stubborn goats indeed," Regius said, starting down the stairs with Impa. "You're one to talk my dear."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Soon their voices faded in the distance and Ket was left alone with the oldest, stiffest man she had ever met. She glanced warily at Lycass, unsure of how to address or act around him. Lycass soon amended that. "You will not touch anything unless given permission," he began, facing her and wagging his finger in her face. Ket fought the urge to smack the hand away and tried to listen to the man without making a face.
"You will not speak unless spoken to," he continued. "And most importantly, you will remain on your best behavior."
"What about you?" Ket interjected, no longer able to hold her tongue. This old man was treating her like some idiot barbarian.
"What?" said Lycass, her words throwing the man off balance. He was not used to being interrupted.
"Shouldn't you be on your best behavior? I mean, I don't have any manners at all, I'm only an ignorant peasant, so I'll need a reference to go by. Should I follow your example and snipe at everyone I meet?"
Lycass' jaw worked, and he glared at Ket. Finally he swept past her imperiously, saying "Follow me" and started down the stairs. Ket allowed herself a grin, starting after the gleaming bald head and thinking, At least we won't have to worry about light. His head'll shine in even the deepest dungeons.