Chapter-36 The road to redemption

"Whoa, hold on just a sec." Link said, tugging on the horse's reins. A click of his tongue caused the animal to slide his hooves to an abrupt stop.

Zelda twisted in the saddle to glance back at him. Curious as to why he halted.

"There's something I need to do. A promise I made. I think… I think we should go this way first."

Having halted beside them, Kelcifer spoke. "Sorry, my good sir, but I think the princess wanted to see her friend—"

"It's just a quick stop I need to make."

Zelda chimed in. "If Link says there's a reason why he would like to make a pit stop on the way, then I for one want to be there for him. He wouldn't say so if it wasn't important."

Kelcifer relented and bowed his head in humility at her decision. "As you wish, your Highness. Lead on then my good man."

"It will be really quick, I promise." Link said, reassuring Zelda. "However, there's someone I left behind before the battle started. One of Simon's men. I need to make sure he got out of there alright."

As Link said those words, he spotted more and more reinforcements marching toward them. They were coming to the entrance of the city. They would be descending on their position in no time.

Zelda spoke, also seeing the oncoming marching of men from every tribe and flag of people. "Which reminds me, my lord-"

"Kelcifer, Your Majesty, there's no need for formalities. I'm not a lord, I'm afraid. Just a humble servant."

"Yes, sorry, I mean, Mister Kelcifer. Speaking of lords… what did the lord of your house say when he received my letter in plea for his aide? And why hasn't any of his banner-men shown themselves to us? Surely, they had sufficient time to assemble and make a forced march?"

Link shrugged, staying the horse before they could plop away and waited for the wizard's reply. Kelcifer remained in silence, shook his head and then spoke up to them. "I'm sorry Your Grace, but we never received such correspondence."

Zelda was dumbfounded and almost slid off their horse in shock. "What? But, how? Impa told me she sent the letters days and days ago?"

"I assure you princess, that neither I or any lord of the Stonelands have heard of your plight-or your return, for that matter. In fact, if it weren't for the men of Illiastar that you sent for me, I wouldn't be standing before you now. I'm sorry, but nobody came to Serpent's Keep."

Zelda pondered for a moment and cupped her chin.

"Then, that means, if the letter was never received, then Draene won't be coming after all. What could have happened to the dispatches?" She whispered to herself of the ramifications of such a notion. How did they not receive them? But, her thoughts were cut short by a sudden touch of skin.

With a bit of confidence, Kelcifer smiled, placing a calming hand over her free one that lay atop the horse's mane. With an assuring squeeze, he spoke firmly. "That, my princess, may be not entirely accurate."

Zelda tilted her head down toward him with bent eyebrows.

"I hope you don't mind but I already took the liberty and sent word for the whole of my liege's house."

Zelda inhaled deeply and listened intently.

The wizard continued. "The very moment I was summoned, in fact." He turned to lock eyes with her again. This time, a wide smile stretched from ear to ear.

"They should have most certainly received my message by now and if I know any better, Mister Mattock, an advisor to my lord is most certainly on his way with a small company of his finest troops. He wasn't too far off from where I was found. He would surely be chasing after me if he got my message."

Kelcifer spun away with his hand canopying over his gaze. For a moment he paused to stare into the far off distance to evaluate the scenery. As if he could see them already on their way. Though they couldn't be seen.

"And if I were a betting man, Your Majesty, I'd say they should be here by nightfall. Maybe sooner if we're lucky. The lords of Draene may have been late in force, but not in solidarity. The truth of the matter is, we just didn't know of your return dear princess. If we did, we would have been here days ago. So, you see, princess, not all is for naught. I do believe your past misfortunes are behind you now."

Zelda sighed. "I don't know what to say. I hardly just met you and already you're willing to do so much for us. I—"

"Say nothing, Your Grace, I only wish to serve thee. And as soon as we get your friend restored, I could perhaps offer you more of my talents. The kingdom will need rebuilding, after all. And if there's anything I can do to facilitate that or hasten your ascension to the throne as rightful ruler of the realm, then all the better!"

Zelda leaned back into Link, and digested his words of comfort. His words of hope and of new beginnings were a load of her shoulders.

"Thank you, Mister Kelcifer. You're very kind. I will see to it that when all is said and done you are handsomely rewarded. If there is anything, anything at all I can offer thee, please do not hesitate to ask and if it is in my power, I will grant it."

Kelcifer coughed, putting away the slight smirk he formed when she offered up her praises. "There is perhaps one thing, Your Grace, that I would like your permission to acquire. Something of particular value to me, if it is no trouble for you?"

"No trouble at all. You only have to just say the word and if I can grant it to you, it is yours."

"Back at the castle, there's a specific chamber. One only known to those privy to the comings and goings of clerics, nobles or royalty. You may have heard of it?"

Zelda sat up from resting back into Link and her eyes widened. During his speech, he spun around curiously, attracting her attention. As if to capture more of her intrigue.

The wizard twirled to face her again and continued. "Does the Room of Remembrance mean anything to you?" Kelcifer asked, pressing the palm of his hand atop the other; eyes aglow with curious mystery.

Taking a moment to reflect at his question, Zelda glanced upward, firmly placing her fist below her chin in a gesture of evaluation. A chill and gusty breeze whistled through her long flowing honey hair, even as she saddled in front of Link.

Then, after a moment of recollection, she replied. "Ah, yes, I think I do remember such a place. If I recall, that is the room that holds all of the kingdom's most precious artifacts and documents. A room piled high to the ceiling with scrolls, bindings, tablets and all other sorts of ancient texts that were on the brink of extinction. Most of which were doomed to be left alone in silence and untouched, destined to only gather dust. Though, I must confess, I never stepped foot in the place myself. At least, not since I've been an adult. I hardly remember the chamber… except…."

She then chuckled softly. "Curiously enough, my father often forbade me as a child from entering there when I would get lost wandering the castle."

Zelda then went quiet upon clinging to the sudden remembrance of her father. A tear swelled in her eye and suddenly, she remembered all those memories with every fiber of her being. She paused to reflect in silence as they waited for her to continue.

"Funny… as a little girl I loved venturing into that dreary place. I don't know why, now come to think of it. Maybe it was the books? Or perhaps it was the peaceful quietness of it all…. A place where I could be left alone to ponder my thoughts while gazing out the terrace window at the bustling city below while I read the old scrolls. The people looked so happy back in those days. Everyone carried out their day to day comings and goings without a worry or notion in the world that it could ever end.

"And I… I would be elsewhere in thought. My mind would be wandering when reading those curious mysteries that were written on the worn parchments from ages long forgotten. I could spend hours getting lost in their tales. Even if I could barely read them, they were still fascinating. But now… now…."

Kelcifer and Link both gazed at her. Her voice trembled. "Oh, what would I give for just one more scolding from my papa. Even if it was just to hear his voice only once. That would be enough… if only just to tell him how much I love and miss him..."

Zelda then shrugged up a soft smile at his memory and continued into her thoughts. "Goddesses hell, I wouldn't even mind if he were stomping mad too. Just like how he was back when I was a little girl, upon catching me. Father would be fuming. There he was, the king, having to abruptly end his council meetings to sound all the castle guard to scour every hall, street, and alley for me. Only to find me in the least of places he would expect. That lonely chamber within the safety of the castle walls.

"That was my father. Taking time out of his busy and demanding schedule, just to see what I was up to and if I was safe…. Ever since…."

She swallowed her smile and her brows fell low, and she began to choke on her words. "Ever since Mother passed… he never left anything to chance ever again."

Zelda breathed, gazed to the heavens and then looked far beyond and onward past the stretching cityscape. "Oh, what would I trade for just a moment to see him again…."

She then shook her head and continued. "All this time… since Mother's passing… and I never told him a thing… I wonder, does he even recognize the woman I've finally become? And here I am, supposed to be this sweet daughter everyone recognizes, looks up to, one chosen to lead them to safety and peace… someone strong for all the people! And I couldn't even work up the courage to console my own father when he needed me the most. Let alone, even make the move to get close to him like we once were when Mother was here."

Zelda squeezed a fist of regret, angered at the memory of herself. "I… I just... I always thought there would be more time… for us. Then the Calamity..." Zelda almost broke into full tears but held the squeeze in her throat from getting the best of her. "Everything happened so fast… I couldn't…."

Zelda then hung her head low and held both her hands into her bosom while closing her eyes. The breeze brushed past her face again and a gentle roll of tears trickled down her cheeks. "Five minutes would have been enough… enough to say sorry for everything, and… goodbye…."

She then suddenly realized they had been silently watching her air out her thoughts openly and swiftly wiped the tears on her face to turn to Kelcifer again. Speaking firm and swallowing the regret, she reiterated. "Yes, Mister Kelcifer. So, sorry, for you to have to see me behave this way and show you this side of me. Everything is just so fresh. It may have been one hundred years for all of you, but to me, it was just a blink of an eye. But, as I was saying… I do know of the room which you speak of, or so, I think. The one I mentioned is the chamber you're talking about, right?"

"That is precisely the place, Your Highness. And never apologize. I too understand the feeling of loss… more than you could imagine."

"You do?" She asked faintly, genuinely concerned. "I'm sorry for your loss too. It seems that my weakness has caused nothing but pain for all those around me. It's even transcended time itself and caused future generations to weep for the consequences of my failures. Ganon and his triumphs… they were all my fault…."

"No princess… it isn't you that is the cause of my grief or grievances. Nor is it that of these people that exist today. You did all you could and in the end, you did save Hyrule. Now, you and the lad sitting behind you have saved them all. Never, ever forget that."

"Thank you…."

"It's true... but, as you remembered, that is indeed the room which I speak of. So, if it is no concern to you, I would like to forage through there for a specific ancient scripture. Not to keep it as my own but to study it. You see, since the calamity, we scholars who pondered ancient powers have longed for the skill and wisdom of ages past.

"However, we have been left only with a minuscule means to learn. But now, with the Calamity defeated, the castle returns to your possession. That chamber is home to a treasure house of knowledge, one I would not like to see lost. And I would like to see what mysteries lie within the pages of that holy text."

Zelda stewed for a moment and replied softly. "I see… well, if you are true to your word, you will have full access to the chamber, Mister Kelcifer. And anything else you may require. Knowledge is but a small price to pay if it means to save the ones I love." Zelda said smiling back to him, seeing no harm in someone reading a book. "But, if I may, what scripture is that which you seek?"

"Oh, it isn't an overly important text. Just something a bookworm like me would only find any real interest in. Useless to anyone else I'm afraid..." He said, shrugging away any conception or curiosity they may have had. "I do thank you though, Your Grace. Now, with no further ado, I think we should embark to see your knight's friend. Shall we?"

"Well, are you sure? Maybe I could help you search for it once things settle down. That room is a very large place, you know? And, if I'm being honest, I do like myself a good mystery. After all, the castle is a ruin and there's a good chance it could already be lost or destroyed.

"Ganon's minions held no regard for the well being of posterity's heritage or writings of unspeakable value. But, if you like, me and Link will both help you find it! Won't we, Link?" She chirped, prodding Link behind her who offered up a firm nod.

Kelcifer hesitated but relented to her eagerness to help. "Well, if you insist, it's the—-"

At that precise moment, galloping behind them in a noisy commotion and sliding to a dusty stop along the cobblestone, rode in Sylmoor.

"Whoa! There boy, halt!" The lord hollered. "There you are! I thought I might have missed you!"

"Oh?" Zelda said, stunned by his intrusion.

"Yes, my princess. I wanted to be a part of history, and seeing that I'm no good on the battlefield, I figured my presence alongside you three would be of much better use."

Zelda smiled. "Really? Is that so?"

Sylmoor gulped and grinned. Feeling caught for his cowardice, he offered an explanation. "Well, truth be told, my brother has a handle on things back at the castle and I thought—"

"It's absolutely fine my lord. I know your reasoning and I couldn't agree more."

"You do? I mean… really?"

"Yes, and besides, you have proved yourself quite useful today and more valiant than most. When Hyrule's need was at its most desperate, you answered your princess's call. You're not even a soldier and you did what you had to do. You didn't shy away but did your best to help with all you could. And that takes real courage. I mean, if it weren't for you, Link wouldn't have gotten that sword. All would have been lost. You owe it to yourself to give yourself some credit."

"I—I don't know what to say… thank you."

"So, with that being said, come with us! We were just on our way to see one of Link's companions."

"Is that right?"

Link spoke up. "Yes. In fact, he is one of your bannermen. I was thinking maybe you could put in a good word for him when we get back to camp and they could grant him a commission. I know it would do great by him and in doing so would make his family very proud of him when he returns from the long journey home."

"Well, if he helped 'Link, The Lynel Slayer' to succeed in his mission, then consider it done, friend. Of course I will! ...Well, then, not a moment to lose, I'll follow. Lead the way Ser Link!"

Authors notes: Cheers for a direct tomorrow from Nintendo! Please do leave a comment if you enjoyed this small bit. It really helps me a lot and there is much more to come soon. I'm working on finalizing the end of this arc. I want it to be just right for you all. Thanks again, and stay well wherever you are in Hyrule.