Forgive me | Legend of Zelda FF | ENG

9 ~ The Master Sword

I ran as fast as I could out of Kakariko Village, always with the goal of arriving at Korok Forest and therefore the Great Deku Tree. My path took me over the Sahasra Slope and then to the Wetland Stable, or rather what was left of it.

When I arrived at the stable, I could see a deactivated Guardian stuck in the wall of the stable. A shiver ran down my spine as I walked past the stable and took a quick look inside.
In the stable itself I saw some dead as well as wounded people who had sought refuge there again. There were also mourners who did not want to let their family members and friends go; who could not believe that they had passed away.

I squinted my eyes for a moment and shook myself when suddenly I heard my name.
"Princess Zelda!" someone yelled after me and as I looked around, I could see a Hylian in the distance.
I ran towards him and when I reached him, I was shocked for a moment. The Hylian in front of me was wounded and blood was running down his neck. I couldn't make out where his injury was as he desperately grabbed my hand and pressed the reins of his horse into my palm, which was behind him.

I looked at him stunned as he suddenly fell to the ground in front of me.
I quickly knelt down to him and searched for the wound on his neck. Somehow I should be able to find it and stop the bleeding!

After a few seconds I had made out the wound and carefully turned him on his side when I felt him grab my wrist with his hand.
"Your Highness, get yourself to safety," he brought out in a weak voice. "You can't save me anymore..."

I grabbed the piece of cotton cloth I had wrapped the Master Sword in and gently pressed it to the wound on the man's neck.
"You don't have to die," I brought out through clenched teeth as I tried to stop the bleeding.

I realized I had failed as the man's body slumped lifelessly beneath me.
"NO!", I screamed, panicking and trying to save him somehow, when suddenly I heard the voice of the sword again.

"Your Highness, you can no longer help this man. Take the sacred blade to its rightful place, that it may rest together with its master."

Immediately I let go of the man and now took the Master Sword in my left hand again, having just soaked the cotton cloth with the man's blood.

I was about to start running again when I remembered that the man had actually wanted to give me his horse in the first place.
I briefly looked after the horse and checked whether it was wounded, because I would not have ridden with an injured horse; the animal should not suffer for my sake as well.

Relieved, I could see that nothing had happened to the horse except for a few scratches and burns on its butt, and that it was therefore justifiable to ride it.

My gaze fell once more on the dead man and the destroyed stable as I mounted the horse and took the reins in my right hand; in my left I still held the Master Sword tightly.

Together with the horse I rode at a gallop to the Trilby Plain and from there past the Woodland Stable to the Minshi Woods.
It felt good not to have to run for once, after I had been walking so much. The horse was also totally friendly and kept a steady pace, so I reached the Great Hyrule Forest pretty quickly.

Once there, I just left the horse at the entrance to the forest without tying it down. In case something happened, which was not predictable, the poor animal should be able to run away.

Carefully I entered the forest and made my way through it, when suddenly I heard the familiar voice of the sword spirit again. I continued on my way slowly as I listened to what the sword had to tell me.

" Master Link, he's alive."
My eyes widened and I noticed tears coming uncontrollably. This meant that Link had a chance to survive all this crap and could come back to us.

With renewed strength, I was now walking a little faster through the alleys overgrown with trees and plants when I suddenly stopped.
"Your Highness, you now have the task of placing the Master Sword in its socket and then facing the Calamity Ganon until my master awakens from his slumber," the sword spirit informed me urgently.

I gulped, but then nodded and just kept walking until I arrived at a clearing in the middle of the Forest. As I looked up, I could already see the face, as well as the beautiful pink canopy of the Great Deku Tree.

Slowly, I approached the socket as I carefully placed the Master Sword on the socket and it began to glow once again.
"Your Highness, I fear that my master will lose his memories," I heard the sword spirit speak as tears welled up in my eyes.
"That can't be...", I muttered as I folded my hands and carefully knelt in front of the Master Sword, which I had placed on the pedestal for the time being.

I took one deep breath and tried to collect myself as I spoke a few last words to the sword spirit.
"I will now position you here, that you may regenerate," I brought forth in a shaky voice as I tried to blink away the tears that were forming anew.
"In this place you shall rest and await the day when your master shall return...", I uttered with effort as a tear dripped from my face onto the blade of the sword.

"Even if the long sleep robs him of his memories, as you fear," I swallowed briefly as I spoke this; never could I imagine that Link remembered nothing; that he no longer knew who I was....
I sighed briefly as I thought of Link. "I'm quite sure he'll find his way to you."

Carefully, I propped myself off the ground with both hands and stood up as the Deku Tree cleared his throat prudently and then his calm and comforting dark voice rang out.
"Princess, what are you going to do now?" he asked me kindly, to which I just looked at my hands without looking at him.
"This sword...", I gasped as my gaze once again fell on its blade. "The Master Sword has spoken to me.... It says I have a task."

I now looked up at the Deku Tree and clenched a fist with my right hand, which I then placed on my chest, my other hand protectively over it.
"There is something I must do...", I then informed him, and then looked down at the Master Sword with determination.
"You are very determined, Princess," the Deku Tree remarked, eliciting a gentle smile from me. "And you are very strong."

I had just bent down and reached for the Master Sword when I decided to ask the Deku Tree for something.
"Great Deku Tree," I put in, my smile widening a bit. "If he comes someday, can you deliver a message to him?"

I took a few steps toward the Deku Tree as I tried to find the right words.
"I-," I continued, but was then interrupted by the Deku Tree.
"My dear child. Your words are yours alone," he gently instructed me, at which point I looked up at him, slightly confused.
"He should hear them from your mouth, don't you think?" he added, making me smile.

Looking up at him confidently, I smiled at him as I answered with a simple, "Yes." The Deku Tree was right, I should tell Link myself that I loved him and not let others deliver it.

Now I really bent down to the sword and carefully picked it up with one hand, as I then took it firmly in both hands.

I took another deep breath as I placed the Master Sword against its socket.

" May Link find his way to you," I said hopefully as I rammed the sword firmly into the pedestal.