Royal Rebel 4 ~ The Return

Chapter 62: King's Honor

The king dozed in and out as he leaned as far forward as the restraints binding his wrists and chest would allow him, and his breaths grew more heaved each minute he was trapped there. The room that held him was dark, and quiet. He hadn't seen his captor in what felt like ages as every second that passed grew longer.

During his dozing, different scenarios ran through his head. In one, he was reunited with his wife and daughter. In another, his life was ended. And in a few instances, he saw flashes of his past. He met a man, named Minken, in one, and in the next he was experiencing his first day on the royal guard. He even saw the first day he met _____. Followed by a memory of him seeing her again in the present day.

The more time that passed, the longer and deeper his dozes became. Even to the point where any of his time conscious he was extremely dizzy.

But finally, the doors to his room were open, and light filtered into the area, beaming onto his face. He slowly opened his eyes to see Sooga walk in, and he lifted his head and took a few deep breaths as the man stared him down.

"It's time to go." He spoke sternly as he stepped further into the room with his hands folded behind his back, and Link glared at him as he grabbed the keys off their hook and walked to him.

~~~~

"Melanie!" I called as I ran to the entrance where she was waiting with the other champions, and they all looked back at me.

"Ellet!" She smiled when she saw me, but I could see her smile drop when she didn't see Idalia behind me. "Where's Idalia?" She and the other champions where both peering behind me to see if they would come running in, but I sighed and went on to explain.

"A lot happened, and I'll explain it all soon, but she's with Zelda, and they're trying to find Link. He got captured by Sooga." Melanie gasped, and I began to walk out of the entrance and past them. "We have to get out of here now, though."

"Why? Shouldn't we go in and help them?" She caught my arm and asked, and I shook my head and pulled it away.

"Zelda told Idalia and I about the powerful bombs that are inside the heart of the clan. If she detonates them, it could destroy the whole clan." I explained to her, and she narrowed her eyes in question as she looked back inside the empty entrance. "She's going to set them up so they'll have time to get out of the clan before they go off. But we have to call of the invasion and leave now."

"Is she sure this is the best plan? What if... what if they don't make it out in time?" She asked, and I did think about it. But I didn't want to. "I think we should go get them before they set off any bombs. This could be so dangerous, Ellet."

"It's the only way to end this war in time for us to get to Elric." I sighed and looked away, but then I turned back to the doors of the clan. I brought my fingers to my mouth and whistled as loud as I could, hoping to catch the attention of some of the army knights closer to us. "EVERYONE RETREAT!"

I looked back at the champions and Melanie, and they were all just staring at me. They didn't want this to happen any more than I did, but Zelda made it an order to me. We had to do what she thought was the best thing.

"Help me get everyone out of here." I said to them, and Melanie's expression shifted from worry to assurance as she nodded and saluted me.

"Yes, captain." The four of them hurried in, and I took a deep breath and waited a moment before following them inside.

"This battle is over."

~~~~

"See that? That's what makes them so powerful," My mother trailed her finger along the screen of the Sheikah Slate as she explained everything to me, showing me pictures of the bombs she was planning to set off so we could end this war. "Once we find your father, we'll set everything up and end this."