Pieces of Time

Ch 19: Goodbye For Now

"Absolutely not!" Link was standing at Kali's side.

Kali could feel his fierce blue eyes on her face, but she didn't look back at him. She only saw the swimming blue of Zelda's eyes.

The princess hadn't let herself react, but Kali could see something churning in her eyes. It was small, but not entirely concealable. She sensed it could be....relief?

She felt his calloused hands grip her shoulder and turned her to face him.

She didn't let herself think of the words as she spoke them, "I have to, Link."

"No, you do-"

"I do! I'm never going to be able to get to Pallas's level or even stand a chance at being equals with him on my own. Nobody else can teach me. Impa's powers don't work the same. She already said that." She argued, but knew in her heart that this was more than that.

She had almost watched Link die right in front of her, and she was nearly helpless to stop it. She watched a living, breathing villager go to being nothing but dust in the wind.

So much of this was her fault, so many people have made so many sacrifices for her.

He gripped both of her shoulders now, his eyes tense with concern, "Kali, you know that they will just keep you locked up here. Zelda doesn't mess around, and won't want any distractions-"

After swallowing hard, trying to fight back more tears, "I know that. I know what I'm giving up."

In his eyes she could see the real problem he had with this but dared not say in front of the princess. What if they tried to use her for her powers? To control her as some kind of secret weapon of the kingdom?

She placed her hands gently on his forearms to coax his hands off her shoulders. He wanted to say more, she could see it in the tightness of his expression.

The sight of Link struggling to get up while being ambushed by the second twin flashed in her mind again.  The blinding fear she felt only moments ago returned.

Her grip tightened on his arms, and he must have mistook it for fear for herself because he moved to grip her hands in his. She would not let this happen again.

"You're hurt," she muttered, her voice cracking.

Her eyes roved to a gash in his side, and the blood that trailed down his jaw from somewhere under his hat.

"He can be treated by one of our healers before he is escorted out of the castle," Zelda cut in as she began to descend the short steps from the top of her throned dais. "He is right about what he said before, you know."

The princess paused before them.

Kali squeezed Link's hands as she watched the princess, her green eyes determined.

"You will have no distractions while you're here. We cannot risk you leaving the castle grounds due to the threat that Pallas poses. You were only able to get through because I left the wards accessible to you specifically as well as Impa.

"I will allow letters, but your responses will be monitored as we cannot risk Pallas gaining any knowledge on what we will be doing with you or the condition of the kingdom despite him." Zelda's words were matter of fact, as if she were reading off a grocery list.

She didn't seem to find these rules restraining, but Kali had thought about this a thousand times since the first time the training was offered to her.

Before, her thoughts were colored by how much she would hate being here. She imagined herself as some kind of caged bird - at first glance leading a life of comfort and safety, but having no true freedom to make her own decisions.