Scars of a Caged Bird | Zelink Medieval

Chapter XVI

Hey guys – I made it with chapter 16; things are approaching the end because I'm pushing for another one or two chapters and an epilogue. To be honest, I'm trying to wrap things up as quickly as I can without making it seem rushed so I haven't delved into the prophecy and a lot of other story elements I'd been planning on delving into. I'm so sorry!!! :P

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Flying on Crimson's back, I had made sure that my sword was properly sheathed. Everyone else had saddled up on their horses, gathering their weapons and supplies. Against Sheik's and my advice, the Zoras and Darron were tagging along. A sickening feeling arose from the pit of my stomach as I watched them walk besides the trotting horses. Darron wouldn't have been able to get on a horse – He was way too massive.

Crimson and I flew on ahead, passing the team on foot by a great deal. Eventually, we could see the Castle in the distance, and I had to squint just to be able to make out the imposing towers and huge structures that made up the edifice. I spotted ranks and ranks of guards on the outside of the gates that surround the Castle and decided that that wasn't a really wise idea; I mean, where were the guards toward the back of the Castle?

Feeling Crimson begin to convulse underneath me, I knew that he could sense his mate nearby. That was when I saw her –

A beautiful, majestic periwinkle blue bird. A huge collar had been placed around her neck, choking her. I was no animal expert, but I could tell that it was hurting her terribly, most likely chaffing her neck. She wasn't about to be chained up without a fight, though. She was scratching and biting and making a number of indignant noises, all while glaring dutifully at her captor –

Ren.

Oh, how long it had been since I'd seen him – at least it felt that way.

Hadn't I traveled all the way across Hyrule? From the Desert to Zora's Domain to Death Mountain to Kakariko Village to Lon Lon Ranch to the Castle of Hyrule. I had matured over time, love and the choices I made shaping and changing me into the Link that I was now.

But what was my archrival doing here at outskirts of the Castle? That's when I saw Relena. She had a look of scorn and contempt on her face, yet she was clutching Ren's arm. Her face had matured over the time that I had left as well, and I could spot the bruises on her arms even from where Crimson and I were, still a good deal away from the Castle.

Crimson continued circling over the Castle, making these whining noises.

Wearing a sadistic smile, Ren raised his whip and brought it down on the poor bird. This wasn't right – seeing a bird this beautiful and majestic in chains, only to be whipped and beaten cruelly – it just wasn't right. With every crack of that whip, I could feel Crimson flinch; he wanted to go down there, but I made sure that he didn't.

"What're they doing to that poor bird, Link?" Rota questioned, her voice cracking, even in my head. "How could they do that to her? To see such a noble bird as a Loftwing reduced to such a terrible fate – I can't watch!"

"Ren is cruel – He takes pleasure in the pain of others," I responded bitterly. I could still remember some of the terrible things Ren did to me. They replayed over and over in my head until I wanted nothing more than to be able to kill him. I wanted to kill him. Nothing else would satisfy me other than his death – preferably a slow one.

Pausing in surprise at my thoughts, I suddenly slowed my train of thought. I didn't want a person dead, did I? That would be horrible – Was I becoming a monster? Some uncontrollable being with bloodlust running deep in my veins?