The Tale of Time

by Lamberblamber

After the death of his parents in the Great Hylian War, Link is raised by Saria in the Kokiri Village. Not long into his 10th year, he discovers he is a part of a great destiny, a destiny in which he his not alone. Through some dreaded twist in fate, Link meets a boy who seems to be his dark half incarnate, a boy whose role in the fate of Hyrule is as uncertain as his origin.

1. Hylian Origins and the Great War

In the land of Hyrule, there echoes a legend. A legend held dearly by the Royal family and the people of the land, that tells of a boy, a boy who, after battling evil through the clutches of time and saving Hyrule, crept away from the land that had made him a legend. His name was Link. But what was not remembered within the legend, was the tale of yet another boy, a boy who accompanied Link in his quest. Fighting along side his comrades to seal away the terrible evil that threatened their land. But one such as him would not be taken account of in the fables and legends of what has come to be known as the Tale of Time. For his story is one of betrayal and deceit. Not only this, but not many have heard his name. For most, he is only an unknown hero lost to the ages; few even knew he existed. But the strangest part about that is...he never should have.

CHAPTER 1
Hylian Origins
And
The Great War
It was a bright and warm morning in Hyrule Field, and the sun had just begun to peak its glorious head over the desert horizon to the east. The Hylian Royal army Commander, Darin, and his second in command, Idien, readied for their one hour horse ride to Hyrule Castle. They had been summoned by the King on urgent matters, and had already journeyed for half a day from Lake Hylia with Darin's wife Anya, and their ten-month-old son. The land was in a silent slumber, but war was in the air, and a battle was close at hand. Darin and Anya lived on their own Ranch near Lake Hylia, and owned hundreds of horses. Idien, the son of a fisherman who lived near them, was about eight years younger than Darin and had been his best friend since they were both very young. Idien's family was very poor, and had lost their home a while back to a fire, so he was staying with Darin and his family until he could get a house of his own. He had also been made Darin's son's godfather when he was born, and occasionally took care of him. Near their tent under a plateau by the forest wall, Idien and Darin readied their horses.
" What's up with these daybreak calls that the king seems so fond of?" Idien yawned. " I could have slept for at least another hour." He said.
" Or two, or three." Darin laughed. " The King has his reasons, and you wouldn't be so tired if you had gone to bed when we did." Darin smiled and shook his head at him. Suddenly there was a loud cry from inside the tent. It was the baby. " Uh oh, we woke him up again.." Darin said.
" If we don't leave soon, Anya won't ever get any sleep." Idien laughed. " Maybe he wants to come with. I'd gladly trade places with him." He smiled.
" In your sweet, warm, and cozy dreams, Idien." Darin taunted as he entered the tent. Idien glared at him.
" Darin.. The baby.." Anya said sleepily as he kneeled next to her.
" It's okay Anya, I've got him. You can go back to sleep." Darin told her. She closed her eyes and quickly fell back asleep. Darin took his infant son outside the tent and over to Idien. " Would you mind getting him back to sleep?" Darin asked him. " I've still got some things to do before we leave." He said.
" Yeah, no problem. Let me see the little guy." Idien said as he held out his arms. Darin placed him in them and went to finish getting ready. " Hey there little dude." Idien said to the baby. " You're absolutely crazy for waking up this early on your own, if I were you I'd sleep till noon." Idien said.
" Sometimes he does." Darin laughed. Idien saw that the boy was starting to get sleepy again.
" See, now that's the sleepy little face that I want to see." Idien said to him. Darin smiled as he was hooking up his saddle. " Aaaand, there he goes.." Idien said quietly as the baby fell back asleep.
" He asleep?" Darin turned around from his horse and walked up to Idien.
" Yup, he's out." Idien handed the sleeping boy over to him.
" Great. Thanks, I'll just put him back to bed and we'll go. You're ready, right?"
" Ready as I'll ever be I guess." Idien replied. Darin nodded at him and took the baby back into the tent. Idien mounted his horse and waited for him.
" Okay, they're both out. Let's go." Darin said as he closed the tent behind him and walked to his horse.
" Oh goody, I can hardly wait.." Idien grinned. Darin scoffed at his sarcasm and mounted his horse.
" Great attitude. At this rate, you'll be a commander in no time." Darin said, situating himself on the horse. Idien shook his head
" Sure.." He said. They both kicked off and began riding quickly towards the castle. They rode through the hills and dewy grass of the vast field for almost an hour until they finally reached the castle gates. The draw bridge had just been lowered over the large, deep moat, and the guards at the gate greeted them as they trotted past them. They entered Castle Town, a bustling busy market full of sellers and buyers. Most of the people that lived there were older folks that had retired and were to old to tend to their farms and businesses. Other people that were there were just there to sell things, or buy things, or just visiting. There was a large fountain in the center of the square. Children played on its edge, and their grandparents sat on the benches and watched. They rode past people, greeting them as they went. Little girls pointed and smiled at their horses, and the boys awed at their uniforms, weapons, and armor. It was a custom for higher ranking Hylian officers to dress in uniform when summoned by the King, even if no battle was there to need weapons for. They waved at the townsfolk and continued. Every time they came to Castle town, Idien always looked over past the houses and people to the large stone temple beyond the crowd. The people of Hyrule knew it as the Temple of Time, but not many people knew why it was there or how it got there. All they knew was that it had been there for centuries and they just accepted it as part of the town although parents did not allow their children near it, and most other people were afraid to venture too close to it anyways. Idien always admired it's tall towers and it's large stone door way, and how it always seemed to look well kept even though no one took care of it. They rode through the market and to the gate on the other side of the town, where the road went from stone to dirt. The trail went up a hill for about twenty feet and turned towards the castles main gate where the gate guard, one of their good friends, stood and waited for them.
" Good morning, Commanders!" said the soldier at the castle gate.
" Morning Adiah, how goes everything?" Darin asked.
" Well, I can't complain, same as always I guess." Adiah murmured
"What, the kids dropping rocks off the wall again?" Idien smiled.
"No...Not yet anyway." Adiah grunted
" You'll get through it my young friend." Darin laughed.
" Yeah, he's right." Idien told him. " Darin had to go through the same boring gate post when he was your age, and now look where he is." Idien tried to encourage the young soldier, but left out the fact that Idien had gone straight from Esquire to Second Commander in less than a month, but that was Darin's doing. Adiah was only nineteen, three years younger than Idien and eleven years younger than Darin. He had been their biggest admirer as a young boy and looked up to both of them greatly, Darin especially.
" You may not even have to wait that long, you could be a second commander in a couple years." Darin said. " I mean, Idien here's only twenty two, he's very young for a second commander, you know." He said. Adiah smiled, he knew they were trying to cheer him up.
" You just wait, Adiah. You'll get there." Idien said.
" Yeah.." Adiah grinned, and tried to change the subject. " Say, how's that boy of yours?" He asked.
" Link? Oh he's fine. Asleep with his mother last I saw, won't be too long before he'll be making these trips with me. The little guy's growing up so fast." Darin said with a smile. Idien grinned at the thought.
"That's right, and we're all looking forward to it. How old is he anyway?" Adiah asked him.
" His birthday is in two months, and he'll be a year old, as hard to believe as it is." Darin replied.
" Yeah. You guys heard about the Queen, didn't you?" Adiah smiled. Darin and Idien both looked at him waiting for him to tell them what he was talking about. Adiah could tell they didn't know, and was exited to break the news to them first. " She had a healthy baby girl last month! Hyrule's got a new princess!" Adiah said with an exited smile and waited for them to reply.
"No, actually we didn't know to tell you the truth." Idien told him as he and Darin exchanged agreeing looks.
" What's her name?" Darin asked, still surprised.
" The King decided to name her Zelda. He thought bringing up some old tradition would give Hyrule a little hope in these times." Adiah explained. Darin nodded his head.
" Zelda, nice name for a princess." Idien said. " I wonder if they will keep the tradition going now that it's started up again."
" Yeah, it's been over three centuries since the kings of old stopped naming their princess's Zelda." Darin said thoughtfully.
" Maybe you and the king could schedule a play date for each of your young ones? I'm betting your boy would like to meet someone close to his age." Adiah suggested. Idien looked at Darin for him to reply.
" Ha, she may have to get in line. Link's already booked for a month of play dates with Talon's little girl." Darin smiled.
" Oh yes I heard about her! She's only a week or two old, Malon, right?" Adiah asked him.
" Yeah, Malon. It was her mother's choosing." Darin's voice trailed off from his once joyful tone.
" Ah Mariette. Poor Talon, hard to believe something so awful could happen to such a good guy, not to mention having to raise a child alone."
" Yeah, that's part of the reason Link's schedule is so booked. Talon knows where ever Link is, Anya and I are also, he appreciates the help Anya gives him. But who knows, I might just see what I can do for Zelda also. All I know is Link will probably the rope in a game of tug-of-war from the moment these girls can say his name." Darin perked the atmosphere into a once again casual tone.
" Poor kid" Idien and Adiah laughed.
"We're off to a meeting with the King right now, we'll see what I can do." Darin said. Idien looked back at Adiah. " In the mean time keep your chin up, Adiah. One day you might be invited to one of these meetings" Darin smiled.
" Laugh if you will, Commander, but I'm well on my way to passing you up in ranks!" Adiah declared.
" That's great, I'm glad you're so enthusiastic...now can you please open the gate so I can get through?" Darin smiled.
" Yes sir, Commander, right away sir!" Adiah scoffed and signaled the guards above to lift the gate.
" Goodbye Adiah, don't have too much fun." Idien smiled at him as they rode their horses through the gate.
" Likewise Idien..." Adiah said as the gate shut behind them.
" You think we gave him too much encouragement?" Idien smiled to Darin as they rode up the trail to the castle.
" He did seem a little smug at the end there, didn't he?" Darin said. They both laughed. Even in this time of war, a good sense of humor wasn't a bad thing to keep on hand.
They came to the end of the road and to the place where the castle draw bridge dropped. The guards at the gate greeted them and grabbed their horses reigns as they dismounted.
" Lower the bridge! The Commander and his Second in Command approach!" Said one of the guards.
" Thanks, Durel." Idien said to the guard as the bridge hit the stone platform in front of them, and the guards walked off with their horses to put them in the royal stables. Durel nodded at them as he walked away. Darin and Idien walked over the bridge and through the large stone doorway of the castle. They stopped in the large chamber as the draw bridge shut behind them. Throughout the castle there were troches lit and the Hylian crest hung on flags from the walls. The foyer was broad and tall, and a large crystal chandelier hung from the beautifully carved and adorned ceiling. There were great doors to their left, right and at the center as they edged further into the chamber. The one on their right led to the top towers, to the left, the Royal chambers, and the center one led to the throne room. Up the walls a ways was a balcony that encircled the room like a never ending hallway, and along it were many other doors not so big as the ones on their level. Attendants walked up and down the balcony and all around them, some smiled at them with a friendly "hello" and some looked at them and just kept going. From the looks on their faces, they would not guess that a Hylian princess had just been born, but that the atmosphere of war and the fact that many of these attendants family members were soldiers shown clearly in their expressions. They walked towards the door on their left that led to the Royal Chambers and opened it. The stairway on the other side was long and straight. They walked through the doors, up the stairs and finally into the Kings gathering room at the top.
"Commanders.." The guards at the door greeted them solemnly as they entered the room.
" Men.." Darin said. The guards closed the door behind them as they stepped up to the large wooden table in the center of the room, where many officers and the King of Hyrule sat and talked quietly. The King raised his head slowly as Darin and Idien approached, a faint sigh of relief escaped his lungs when he saw them.
" Good morning Commanders, please come in" The King said.
" Good morning your majesty how is everyone today?" Idien said as he walked up to the large wooden table.
" Not so good Idien, come sit down." The King said. Darin took a seat next to Idien in two empty chairs beside each other. Every officer in the room was silent and looked very upset.
" Congratulations on the arrival of the new princess, your majesty. What a blessing for Hyrule." Darin said with a smile.
" Thank you, Darin.." The King replied quietly, then everyone was silent again.
" What's happened? Has something gone wrong with the battles in the north?" Darin asked. The King looked up at him.
" No, Darin. Those battles were victorious. Unfortunately we did suffer a great loss of men, and the remainder will not return for some while." He said. " There is another matter that troubles me deeply.." The King began. Darin and Idien both sat anxiously and waited for the King to inform them of this matter.
" As you and all of Hyrule already know, we are at war with the West and have been for over a year." the King began. " The immediate Kingdom here in the East and the Provinces surrounding Hyrule Field have been kept safe from the affairs of this war by all battles being stationed to the west, north, and south…until now." The King sighed and paused for a moment. " The provinces of western Hyrule have declared a battle on the Kingdom and are marching on their way here as we speak." The King began. Darin and Idien both nearly gasped at this news. This meant that their families were now threatened, and were being targeted directly by their enemies. The King continued. "This comes not as a surprise, for they have a lust for power and have desired to conquer eastern Hyrule since the land was divided three centuries ago. An attack directly on the castle was to be expected eventually, but I would never have guessed so soon. Now I have called you all here because you are my highest ranking officers and can handle this truth in the best manner possible. I wish not to cause panic to Hyrule, but we must make haste to gather all our forces, they will be here by noon." The king finished. All was silent for a moment until Darin spoke.
" Sire, do not trouble yourself on this matter." Darin began. " No one could have known that they would come at such an unexpected time. This is war, and you can trust in us to keep your land safe, for it is also our land." Darin assured.
"The western providences are a ruthless and leaderless people. I doubt their strategy of battle will prove otherwise. We will do in this confrontation what we have done in every other of this war, we will come out conquering." Idien said
" We will begin immediately, your Majesty. Does anyone know from which direction they are coming?" Darin asked.
" We've received word that they are heading this way from the north west, around the lake." Said an officer seated near him. Darin stopped motionless immediately as the officer spoke, his breath was sucked from his lungs and he stood staring helplessly at the King.
" Darin.. Darin!" Idien yelled. Darin jolted out of his chair and ran out of the room.
" Commander!" the King yelled after him. Idien ran out the door to follow him. He quickly stepped down the stairs and ran through the Foyer and down the hall that went directly to the stables, where he had seen Darin vanish from sight. He turned the corner to see Darin mounting his horse and taking the reigns from Durel to leave the castle grounds.
" Darin wait!" Idien yelled. He ran up to his horse and grabbed the straps on its front. " Where are you going?" Idien asked him breathing heavily.
" Idien.." Darin began between heavy breaths. " Anya and Link are in their path, I have to warn them and get them to safety. If I leave them there they will surely be found and killed!" Darin told him. Idien let go of the reins in shock to now realize this.
" Get them out of the field.." Idien stepped away from the horse and dropped its reigns. Darin kicked the spurs and took off like the wind out of the stables and towards the market. Idien was left standing in a cloud of dust watching his friend ride away.

The King and the remaining officers were discussing the plan of attack when Idien returned. " Idien, did you catch up with the Commander?" The guards at the door asked him as he walked through the door. He didn't answer.
" Where did he go?" The king asked him. Idien walked slowly up close to him and spoke to him quietly.
" We left Anya and Link asleep in the north western thoroughfare." Idien told him. The king was taken aback, and looked at Idien in distress. He walked to the table and looked up at everyone that was sitting down; they were all still talking amongst themselves.
" This all could have been prevented if I had found this out sooner." The king said " He could have gotten them safely miles away from the field hours ago, instead he is rushing with all his speed to get them to safety at the last minute, and they will be lucky to be even a mile away from the battle when they arrive." He said as he slowly sat down in his chair. " The safety of the people of Hyrule is at stake and I can't even be informed enough to keep the family of my best officer out of harm's way. Let alone all of Hyrule. I should have told him this when I sent word for you.." He hunched over and put his head in his hands.
" What about our reinforcements?" Idien asked him. " Are they still stationed on the other side of the forest?" Idien asked him.
" Yes, but they can only be alerted of battle by messenger. Who knows if the enemy does not already have knowledge of them." The king told him.
" Captain Shad!" Idien alerted a man on the other side of the table who immediately raised his head in acknowledgment . " Send a messenger to the forest province right away! Tell them to get every man ready for battle by noon, and send a fleet of soldiers to scour the field. Clear it of every woman and child. A rider needs to be sent to Lon Lon Ranch. It is the closest Ranch near here and horses need recruiting. Immediately!" Idien said to everyone at the table.
"Yes sir" Shad said and walked out the door. All but three of the men followed.
"What would you have us do?" one of them asked.
" Logan.." Idien pointed at one of them. " Go into the market and inform every one of the circumstances. After you have made sure that they are all safely out of the market, go to Death Mountain and assemble the Gorons, Darunia also needs to be informed.. Colin, you go to Zora's domain and gather the Zoran army. And inform the Zoran King and Queen." Idien told them. Logan and Colin nodded with a " yes sir" and left quickly. There was now only one man left. " Jaren." He said to him. " You'll go to the Gerudo province. They do not have much of an army, but you can at least update Nabara on the situation." Idien explained to him.
" Lake Hylia is on that route, do you want me also to ride there?" Jaren asked him. Idien thought of his father at home and Anya and Darin's Ranch, and hoped Darin would not send Anya there.
" Yes. There aren't many people there, but notify those that are." Idien said.
"Yes sir" Jaren said, and walked quickly out the door. The King and Idien were left alone in the chamber.
" Where did Darin say he was bringing his family?" The king asked Idien.
" He didn't, say your majesty" Idien told him.

Darin rode through the field, past Lon Lon ranch and within an hour he reached the north western thoroughfare. Darin didn't see any movement, they were both still sound asleep. Anya awoke with a start when Darin came rushing into the tent.
" Anya, get up quickly. The western provinces have declared a battle, and their armies are right at the door step of Hyrule. You must take Link and leave Hyrule field!" Darin said between heavy breathes.
" Darin…" Anya was cut off by Darin.
" You've got to hurry! They will be passing through this road by noon!" he said. Anya began to speak, but was cut off again by Darin. He put his hand up to signal her to be quiet. All that could be heard was the faint cooing of the baby, even the birds had gone silent. There was a loud noise in the distance though, and it seemed to be getting closer. Darin quickly opened the tent door followed by Anya. They both looked out into the field towards the west, and saw a sight that froze their feet to the ground. An enormous army was marching straight for them. Darin looked up into the sky and squinted at the light. The sun was set in the middle of the sky. " Noon, oh no" Darin looked back at the huge force and they both darted back into the tent. Anya picked up her child from the blankets and Darin took him and held him softly, he looked into his sons deep blue eyes and wondered if he would ever see his family again. They both walked outside and Anya mounted her horse. Darin gave the baby back to her. "Anya, take the south western trail into the forest, from there go west till you reach the meadow near Lost Woods. Ride straight through it and continue south. You will find yourself in the Forest Provinces, tell them everything, they are sure to help you." Darin said to her.
" Darin, what will happen? This war has torn apart our peaceful nation, the people of Hyrule grow ever worrisome over the thought of unexpected attacks such as this, and they fear that there will not be a land to pass down to our children. Are you prepared for the uneasy road ahead?" Anya's voice began to shake.
"Do not worry for me, I will be fine. It is you and Link that I am concerned for. Hyrule will not perish while our soldiers defend her, and I am sure you will be safe within the walls of the forest." Darin assured her. Anya looked back at the host behind them, and back at Darin.
" I love you." Anya said to him quietly as a glistening tear rolled down her cheek. Darin said nothing. The sight of his wife crying for him wrenched on his heart, and he tried with all his strength not to cry himself. He needed to be strong for his family.
" And I love you." Darin finally said back. He touched his sons head. " Goodbye Link, look after your mother." He said to him "Now go!" Darin cried. Anya took up the reins and held her son firmly. " And Anya….don't look back." Darin said to her. She kicked her legs back and took off abruptly towards the forest trail. Darin watched her ride away and around the trees beyond sight. He saw the last of the remaining dust settle back onto the ground, and with a silent goodbye, he ran back to his horse. He mounted, grabbed the horse's reins and made a mad dash for the castle gates. It did not take him long before he was able to see the gathering of Hyrule's army in front of the castle walls. The Zoran archers stood proudly as the main defense of the wall, while Hyrule's soldiers and a mass of Goron fighters were congregated all along the field. There were also a surprising amount of Gerudo troops scattered within the group, armed to the teeth with swords and knives. Most of the Gerudos, known for their skill in horseback archery, were atop their black Gerudo Stallions with large quivers strapped to their backs, loaded with many of their own hand made arrows. Some were also atop the wall as archers alongside the Zoras.
They had so little time to prepare for the battle, and the army was not as grand as he would have hoped. But none the less they were the most magnificent and willing force that Hyrule had ever seen. The Hylian soldiers stood carrying their Hylian shields, clad in their Hylian armor and ready to give their lives if necessary. The King sat on his horse along side Idien and Captain Shad awaiting his return. Darin rode up to them and stopped beside Idien.
" Anya and Link are safe." Darin said to them in reply to the silent looks of anxiousness that they all gave him. " Can we now say the same for Hyrule?" He asked. The King took a deep breath.
" Fight valiantly gentlemen, this land will live to see another dawn." The King proclaimed loudly for all to hear. All the soldiers, troops, and archers raised their weapons and shouted in ambition. "Although I doubt that we will." They stood and watched as the soldiers of the western provinces emerged over the horizon. Their numbers were massive, and they out numbered Hyrule's force by at least two thousand. The plan was simple. The bulk of the eastern kingdoms military force was spread out afar within the many battles that were still taking place all over the land, while the best of the Western Province force had been saved for this very moment. Once the castle and its town had been seized, all other battles would end the same. With the surrender of the defeated Eastern Hylian army.
" My lord, where are our reinforcements? Should they not have been here by now?" Colin asked the King.
" A messenger has been sent, but we cannot wait for them. It is only us now, we can only hope that they are not as set as we are." The king said.

Far to the south, Anya rounded the corner and entered the forest. Some ways away from the battle scene, the area was quiet and made Anya uneasy. As she merged further and further into the dark woods, she slowed her pace to a trot and continued on. There was a gap in the trees and Anya could see that there was a small clearing where tall grass grew. She stopped at the edge of the meadow and looked throughout the region. It was completely silent and there were no animals anywhere, the tone was uncomfortable. The baby looked up at her, he seemed to know something was wrong.

Meanwhile, the armies of Hyrule and the western provinces stood only momentarily, though the moment seemed to drag on forever, and observed each other from afar.
" READY MEN...ATTACK!" The king yelled signaling the army to charge into battle. With a rush of adrenaline, Darin, Idien, and the King each drew their swords and took off on their horses, all the men, Gerudos, and Gorons shouted and stormed into combat behind them.
The air was filled with the tremendous sound of soldier's feet and clanging swords as the two forces met head on in an epic battle. The Gerudos fought quickly and nimbly as they sprung into the air and put their training into action. The Gorons were like immense barrels of explosives, doing what they did best in curling up into hard, rocky shelled balls and blasting into the enemies lines. Some of them, including Darunia the chief of the Gorons, were even clad with long, sharp spikes that protruded from their backs as they rolled rapidly through the crowd. Swords flew and shields clanged as they fought. Darin rode through the thicket of men and spears swinging his sword and cutting through them. The scene was gory and horrible. Men lost their lives and took the lives of others. Idien and the King rode past Darin and into the heat of the crowd. They swept their weapons masterfully and took out as many as two men in a single blow. Suddenly Darin's horse reared up and flung him off its back and he fell down onto to hard dirt. The horse fell onto its side, it had been stabbed with a spear through its neck. Darin took up his sword next to him and engaged back into the battle, Idien and the King were still on their horses through the cluster of brawling men. The King rode away to another part of the battle, leaving Idien alone to fight off the onslaught. Darin fought hard to get through the swords and spears that were being flung at him, to reach his friend in need. Suddenly an enemy on horseback rode up to Idien, he got up close to him and lunged himself off his horse, tackling Idien off of his horse and onto the ground.

A group of militia from the western provinces sat along side the meadow. They had killed Hyrule's messenger to the forest province and were now awaiting the call to battle.
"This forest gives me the creeps, I feel like I'm being watched" A small un-kept looking man said to a larger, more rough man next to him.
"I can here the sounds of a battle off through the trees, it wont be long before we can leave." Another man walked up to the two sitting by a fire and sat down on a rock. "I'm sure we are being watched." He added, commenting on the smaller mans statement. The smaller man jerked a shocked look towards him and away from the fire, and the large man chuckled at his timid behavior.
"Haven't you ever heard of the Children of the Forest?" The large man asked him. The small man shook his head quickly.
"Yes, the Kokiri they are called. A mysterious race seen on an even less number of occasions than there are survivors of the forest to tell about them."
"Tales of these people have been passed through generations of traveling men from our part of the land, my great grandfather was a very small child when last anyone had claimed to have spotted one." The large man took a bite of an apple casually while the small man listened anxiously to their tale.
"They live through those trees in an area of the Hylian Forest called the Lost Woods, but the areas that far into the forest have been forbidden to all people. There is a cursed magic there that is centered around an even more mysterious place called the Sacred Grove, where there is said to be an ancient temple."
"What kind of magic?" The small mans eyes were wide with curiosity.
"No one knows for sure, because no one has lived to find out. All anyone knows is that for every five men that have entered the Lost Woods, there are five men who never come back out." The small man gulped loudly and glanced in the direction of the Lost Woods.
"The Kokiri are not totally unaffected by this power of course. It does not kill them, on the contrary, it allows them to live for hundreds and hundreds of years. They age to a certain point and then stop, well, so it is thought seeing as the only Kokiri ever seen were children. Children with eyes so green you would think they were fire-lit emeralds if you didn't look twice." The man sitting on the rock shifted a bit. The smaller man gazed into the bushes and between the tree trunks looking for anything like an emerald. Both of the other men chuckled again.
"Hey, Ekis, buck up and grow a spine. War isn't the time to fret over fairy tales." came another mans voice from behind the man on the rock. "Buckam, Yuri, quit tormenting the man and throw me an apple." He said and sat beside Buckam, the large man, who handed him an apple. Ekis quickly jumped up and saluted the new man.
"Sit back down, Ekis! This isn't a formal army, as I've told you before, and I'm not a Commander!" the man said. Ekis sat back down immediately.
"Sorry Ardus.." Ekis said quietly.
"There are no such thing as Kokiri's, you remember that." Ardus said firmly and pointed a knife in Ekis' direction. Ekis nodded and Ardus began slicing off pieces of his apple.

Anya continued on slowly through the grass. She had a strange sense of being watched from within the trees all around her. Suddenly the horse stopped and shook its head refusing to go on. "Come along Tyron, what's wrong boy?" she said to the horse. She looked down onto the ground. She was terrified with what she saw. A man lay dead in the grass, an arrow stuck in his back. It was the Kings messenger to the reinforcements on the other side of the forest. She did not know that this was the Kings messenger, and she really didn't care right now, all she knew is that the killers could still be somewhere close. Anya's heart pounded and she began to breathe heavily as she scoped the tree line around her, quickly looking back and forth on either side of her. Link looked up at his mother worriedly, grabbing on to her blue hood as she took up the reins and darted through the field.

"You know Ardus, I don't think the King will send another messenger. What's the point in us staying here when we could be seeing some good action out in the field?" Yuri asked. Ardus swallowed a chunk of apple before he spoke.
"We haven't been called yet, that's why. Besides, the King had no warning, so I doubt there'll be any need for our help out there." Yuri frowned and Ardus continued to eat his apple without a worry. All was silent but for the other men talking and moving about around fires of their own. Ekis was looking around casually when he heard a far off noise behind him getting louder. He turned and spotted a horse and rider riding through the meadow. The rider was cloaked and hooded in a dark blue wrap, and he couldn't see her face or her baby boy who she held close to her under her cloak. " Ardus, hey Ardus, look!" Ekis said. Ardus turned and peered through the trees at the mysterious rider.
" So. The King isn't going to send another messenger eh?" Ardus scoffed at Yuri, who just rolled his eyes behind Ardus' back. "Well, this one has gotten a bit farther than the last one, but he wont be getting any further than that" He said. He took out his bow and pulled an arrow out of his quiver. Pulling back the arrow he aimed carefully and let it fly. The arrow flew through the air for what seemed like an eternity, it's feathers making a quiet whistling sound as it pierced the air. It was a killing shot that struck Anya right in her back, and she gasped in pain as she came tumbling down off the horse. The horse kept running, and Ardus and the three other men went slowly up to their mistaken victim to see if he was dead.
" You got him good Ardus, even if he is still alive, he won't be for much longer." Said Buckam .
" The King is a stubborn man, but the least he could have done was send a bigger messenger. This tiny man is hardly a challenge." As they approached they heard a strange muffled sound.
" What is that horrible noise he's making?" Yuri asked. They looked down at Anya holding her wailing son. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing weakly. They gasped.
" Ardus! You've shot a woman! This is no messenger! Now you've gone and done it! We'll be lucky if a flogging is all we get!" Yuri said. Ardus was terrified.
"Not if we go unnoticed, no one saw us, and that means no one knows. We'll just leave." Ardus said to him.
"Sir?! She's got a child! We cannot just leave her here!" Then, over the loud cries of the baby, they heard a rustling noise in the woods.
"No one saw us, eh Ardus?!" Yuri whispered loudly as he began to back away from the Hylian woman.
"Lets get out of here!" Ekis squealed and clumsily ran in the direction of the field. Ardus glared nervously into the forest where the noise had come as both Yuri and Buckam followed Ekis out of the meadow. He glanced back at Anya lying in the grass, still barely breathing. Her little blond-haired child still clutching his mothers hood and crying for her to get back up.
"..I'm sorry.." Ardus said quietly to them both and ran back to the tree line and away from the thicket. If it was discovered that they had shot an innocent civilian, a woman and a mother no less, it would mean all their heads. Anya lay still on the ground, she was bleeding badly and was unable to move. At that time a young girl slowly emerged from the trees and looked towards the place where the men had left the thicket. There were no sounds and she saw no movement, the only thing she could hear was the soft crying of the child. The girl, assured that they were now alone, dropped the stick that she had purposely snapped in two and ran through the grass where she fell on her knees at Anya's side.
"Miss, miss, wake up, please wake up!" she said. Anya slowly opened her eyes and looked up at her. "Oh thank goodness you're alive!" the girl exclaimed. Anya was shocked as she opened her eyes and saw the girl. It was not the girl herself that shocked her, but it was her eyes. They almost glowed green, as if someone were holding emeralds up to a flame.
"What is your name?" Anya asked her.
"My name is Saria, I'm from the Kokiri village, what is your name?" Saria said.
"My name is…. Anya.." Anya struggled to get the words out. Link stopped crying and stared up at Saria, who looked back at him and smiled sadly. She picked him up off the ground and held him close. "Please, take care of him, for I will no longer be able to care for him. I fear I will not even last the day." Anya said. Saria cradled him in her arms. He gazed at her with big blue eyes.
"I will protect him with all my strength, you have no worry. What is his name?" Saria asked. And with her final breath, Anya answered.
"His name is.. Link.." Then she was gone, her life taken violently at the hands of an ignorant and careless enemy of war. Saria was left standing alone in the middle of the forest holding the Hylian woman's child in her arms.

Darin pushed as hard as he could to get through the crowd. When he finally reached Idien, he found that he was being attacked as he lay on his back. Darin jumped at the man and knocked him off of his friend. The man had gashed Idien all over his arms and stabbed him through the shoulder. Idien looked over at Darin to see him kill the attacker and walk back over to his side. "you alright my friend?" Darin asked him over the roar of the battle.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Idien said sitting up. They both looked around them, they were surrounded. "Ruthless bloodthirsty killers" Idien glared holding his wounded shoulder.
"We do not thirst for blood, no, we are not so barbaric." A very large man stepped out of the crowd in front of them. " We only thirst for the pleasure of spilling yours" The man said and smiled a terrible smile with yellow crooked teeth.
"We will not die easily, for we have something to fight for." Darin said.
"Unlike you" Idien agreed. " You fight only for your selfish desire to conquer those whom you think are under you." He said. The man grinned with a gross chuckle.
" The Kingdom of Hyrule, however strong you think she may be, is under me. She will crumble by our hands and your King will fall to his knees and beg for mercy as he watches his Kingdom become ours." He said. Darin and Idien were both furious and waited for the chance to take their heartless foes down. " As for your unwillingness to surrender, That will only please me more. For I love to hear the screams of my enemies dying slow, painful deaths for a cause which is lost" The man said. "Men, attack the Commander and his pet, and show them no mercy!" the man yelled. The entire crowd closed in on them without any hesitation, and began to violently and recklessly swing their weapons. Darin dodged the blows and delivered his own with the skill of a master, all the while searching franticly for anyone near enough to help them . Most of the uncoordinated strikes bounced off of his shield and sent the attackers backwards onto their behinds. Idien got up and fought along side his friend with what little maneuverability he had left. Many yards away, the king saw the two of them fighting with all they could, and tried to hurry to their side. He was quite a ways away with many hundreds of men between him and them, but still he had to try. Darin and Idien fought off the men two at a time, but still they kept coming. It was such a mess that eventually they got separated from one another and were fighting alone. Darin turned around to find Idien out of the masses of fighting men, and spotted his friend trying to fight off his attackers with his terribly wounded and bleeding arm. The man with the yellow smile had drawn his large sword and began to charge at Idien with all his speed. Darin gasped and immediately recognized this attack. It was a Finishing Blow, a swordsman's strike that was meant to quickly end the life of an opponent, and if Idien was struck from behind as the man was aiming, he would die almost instantly. Darin rushed to him through the battle as fast as he could and tried to hit the man before he killed his friend, but he was not quick enough.
The King, still trying to make his way to his officers, was stopped cold. The man's attempted Finishing Blow that had been aiming for Idien had instead stuck Darin. Darin had effectively saved Idien from death, but he himself was not spared. Idien turned around to see his friend standing with the sword through him, he was struck with horror. Darin dropped his sword and shield to the ground and looked down to where the sword had pierced his armor and now blood stained uniform. The man smiled and looked into Darin's eyes, he stepped up to him still holding the sword steady. " You were wrong... you do die easily." He said quietly, and yanked the sword out of him. Darin gasped, stumbled backwards, and fell to the ground. He gazed up into the cloudless sky as he lay still on his back, clutching the center of his dark red soaked uniform. The King was still standing in place and completely traumatized with what he had just seen. Anger built up in his violently pounding heart and he raged back into pursuit. "You're next, my young friend." The man said to Idien as he stepped over Darin and raised his sword to strike Idien down, Darin was now helpless to stop the man from slaughtering his friend, he and Idien looked at each other with one last farewell. The King rode up to the man from behind and with one strong, anger driven swipe of his sword, cut the man's head clean off before he could even turn to see who was there. His sword, still coated with Darin's blood, fell to the ground next to his beheaded body. The King quickly dismounted and kneeled down beside Darin along with Idien. Darin was hardly breathing, and blood began to drip down his cheeks.
" Darin.. No, Darin, don't worry, we will get you to the castle" the King told him, he was just trying to be comforting, but he knew that no one has ever survived a Finishing Blow. He didn't know what else to say. Darin's eyes began to slowly fall shut as they tried to find words to say, silently kneeling next to him.
" Darin NO! stay awake! Stay awake! You're not going anywhere!" Idien's eyes were filled with tears as he lightly smacked Darin on his cheek, vainly trying to keep him alive. All of the Hylian soldiers, Gerudos, and Gorons around them fought off the ambush of attacks to insure their safety as they spoke. "Darin, why did you do that!? You idiot! You cant die! You have a son to raise! Remember?! He was going to come to the castle with us when he gets older!" Idien was now yelling at Darin, tears streaming down his face as he continued to shake Darin's shoulder to keep him from closing his eyes. " You're my best friend,.. You're.. YOU'RE EIGHT YEARS OLDER THAN ME, DAMN IT! You're supposed to be smarter than me!" Idien screamed. The King kneeled quietly alongside them and cried as he listened to his young Commander plea for his friends survival. Darin looked hazily up at Idien, and almost began to cry himself when he saw the look on his friends grief-stricken face. He found the strength to get a few words out.
" Idien.." He said weakly. Idien's expression loosened up a little, and he quickly edged closer to Darin's head so he could hear him better. " Idien, I'm sorry.. For being so.. Stupid" Darin said and smiled up at him. Idien laughed awkwardly with a shaky voice as he wiped his face with his hand. " But.. I couldn't.. let you.. Die." His face became serious now as he spoke. " Like you said.. You're my best friend.. I have you to look over.. Link and Anya.. You're Link's father.. Now.." Darin said to him. Idien looked very stunned to be given this responsibility, but nodded in somewhat agreement. Darin reached to his side and grabbed his shield from the grass. " When he gets older.. give him this...tell him, his father... Will always love him." Darin said to Idien. " And tell Anya.. That I will always be.. With her." He finished, and handed him his shield with a bloody outstretched hand. This was a very exceptional shield, a shield made especially for the most valiant and loyal officers of Hyrule. One could tell these shields apart from ordinary soldiers' shields by the Triforce of Courage painted on its base. There were only five known in existence. They were set to be made once every fifty years when the King of Hyrule began making them over two hundred years ago. That tradition, however, proved unreliable due to the fact that so little of Hyrule's officers had been deemed worthy enough to carry such a relic. But Darin had, and his was now being passed down to a new generation. Idien started to cry once again as he took the beautiful shield from his friend.
" I wish you could be the one to give your son this shield and teach him how to use it.. I.. I'm not fit to be a father to your boy.. He needs you, Darin!" Idien sobbed.
"...I trust you.." Darin said in almost a whisper, then closed his eyes and gently fell into eternal slumber.
"Goodbye, my dear friend." The King finally said quietly, and lay Darin's sword across his chest, folding his hands around its handle.
The battle raged on, all around them they heard the screams of men and the clanging of metal on metal. The King and Idien, still in utter shock and dismay, sat still on the ground next to Darin's body. They thought all was lost, when suddenly a shout rang out from a Zora atop the wall.
"THEY'RE HERE! THEY'RE HERE!" the voice said. The King stood and looked around them. Half a mile to the south and still emerging from the forest with great speed, was the reinforcements from the Forest provinces. Their numbers were countless and they swept across the field like a flood, taking out every enemy in their path. Idien was not phased. He sat on his knees and continued to stare down at Darin's lifeless body and his shield that he had entrusted to him.
"Come Idien, let us get Darin out of this field. This battle is won." The King said to Idien with a smile. Idien looked up at him with red, puffy eyes, and slowly stood up. He strapped the shield to his back and they gently lifted Darin onto the Kings horse and began leading him out of the field. As they approached the castle gates another voice rang out.
"VICTORY! WE HAVE VICTORY!" A soldier yelled out. His voice echoed across the valley as the remaining enemy's were driven off into the desert, where the unfortunate few found a group of heavily armed Gerudos. The Zoran and Gerudo archers cheered atop the castle wall, Gerudo horseback archers were galloping their horses around madly and rearing them up with shouts of triumph as they raised their bows. Many Gorons around them were doing victory dances and hitting each other in excitement, and the soldiers all over the field lifted their weapons and shouted with joy. The sound, they say, could be heard all across Hyrule that day as the Kingdom of Hyrule had won their freedom. The draw bridge was lowered and the King and Idien walked across it onto the stone walkway. The drawbridge closed behind them, and they continued on to the castle. The market was silent, everyone was still inside their homes awaiting the call that it was safe to exit. Idien was very quiet as they slowly walked the horse along the cobble stoned square, he wished that his friend was alive to take part in their victory. He looked up at the stone Temple and thought, Darin would never gaze upon such a magnificent sight with him ever again, he would not get the chance to bring his son throughout Hyrule and show him what a beautiful land they had fought for. He and the King walked slowly out of Castle Town and up the dirt road to the main castle gate where they met Adiah. Adiah stood up tall when he saw them round the corner, and as they came closer, he saw that they were very battle worn. Idien's shoulder and arm continued to bleed, and his hands were still covered in Darin's blood. The King's armor had many deep scratches from the enemies weapons, and he himself had a rather deep sword wound on his leg below his knee that dripped down his shiny silver armor.
"Your Majesty, and Idien! What news of the battle? Were we victorious?" Adiah asked anxiously. Adiah, although a soldier, was not called to battle. He was a year too young.
"Many men lost their lives today, young soldier.." The King said quietly. Idien closed his eyes tight and looked away from Adiah to hide his tears. "..Including that of a very brave officer and friend." The King told him. Adiah's smile faded, he had just noticed Darin's shield now strapped to Idien's back, and the body on the Kings horse.
"No...it can't be.." Adiah began, and took a step towards them. " Not Darin!" Adiah cried loudly as he saw the face of the man on the back of the horse. Idien walked up to Adiah and held his shoulders, he saw the tears now running down Adiah's face as he removed his helmet and dropped it on the ground beside him.
"He gave his life for me, and because of him, Hyrule is free. We should be very happy, it is what he would want." Idien told him, his voice shaky and his face stained with his tears.
" You and him were my only friends, and he taught me to be who I am now." Adiah said quietly. " I don't think I would have ever made it if I hadn't had him with me.. And I think now I will never get any farther…"
"He was a friend to us all, and he will be dearly missed. But he will live on through the lives that he has saved and the life of his son, whom will someday take his place." The King said. Idien suddenly remembered Anya and Link. They had been sent away from the battle and knew nothing of its current state or of the tragedy.
"Your majesty, please go on without me. I must find Anya and Link." Idien said
"Yes, go. I will wait for you in the castle." The King said to him.
"I shall return with them safely, goodbye Adiah." Idien said as he mounted his horse. He left the King to comfort his soldier and turned around. He dashed down the path and around the corner. He rode through the market where people were starting to slowly come out of their safe houses. They watched him gallop past and across the draw bridge. Out in the field the soldiers and Gorons were beginning to tend to the wounded and carry the dead on horses to the cemetery in Kakariko village. Idien stopped by the crowd and looked on, the captain of the Forest Provinces rode up to him and stood along side him.
"Such a loss, there are more than three hundred casualties." The captain said.
"They didn't die in vain; Hyrule is safe once again thanks to all those brave men." Idien said.
"I heard about the Commander. I know he was your friend, and I'm terribly sorry." The captain said to him. Idien closed his eyes and held his head down. Both men knew what Darin's death meant, Idien was now to be made Commander. He had wanted this since he was a little boy, but he never wanted to get there in this way. He never expected the price he'd pay to serve his Kingdom. Idien was silent after the Captain spoke.
" I'm just regretful that we didn't learn about the battle earlier.." the Captain continued. Idien looked up at him. " But I also wish we could have found out some other way." The captain sighed. Idien continued to look at him.
"What do you mean? we only sent you a messenger on horseback." Idien asked.
"Yes I know. And in a way, he both failed and succeeded in delivering the message." The captain told him. "We found two bodies in the in a meadow near the Lost Woods, one of them your messenger, and the other a young woman. Both had been shot by enemy militia and left for dead." The captain explained. Idien hardly waited for him to finish his sentence before he was riding hard for the forest. Past the Gorons and soldiers helping wounded men, and the lost weapons of enemies and fallen Hylian men lying on the ground, Idien charged forward away from the battle scene. He was terrified of what he might find on the other side of the forest wall, he was almost totally numb to his senses in anxiety, and the pounding pain in the wound on his shoulder seemed almost nonexistent. He hoped and prayed that he would not find Anya and Link, not this way. But how could it be? The Captain had said only two bodies were found.. Maybe.. Maybe they hadn't found Link yet. Maybe they had overlooked the tiny infant in the tall grass. These questions in Idien's racing mind tightened his stomach and sliced at his heart with every hoof beat that brought him closer to the answers. Link and Anya were now his responsibility, now with Darin gone. It killed him to even think that the woman lying dead in the meadow was Anya, or what could have possibly happened to her baby boy in these woods. He entered the woods and weaved quickly through the large trees. He passed groups of men searching the thick forest for casualties, they watched him gallop past, and they wondered where he was going. Idien could see the clearing through the trees, his heart was in his throat and he could barely hold onto the reins. Soldiers were gathered in the middle of the field, and they were readying a horse to carry the bodies out of the forest. They looked away from what they were doing and saw Idien emerge from the tree line. Idien slowed his horse as a soldier walked to meet him.
"What…who…." Idien tried to ask him.
"Sir..." the man said slowly with an expression of dread to what he was about to say, and he removed his helmet as he approached.
"NO!" Idien blurted out jumped off his horse and ran to the group of men.
"Sir!" the soldier yelled after him. Idien reached the men, and saw that his worst fears had been true, and that his false hopes had been for absolutely nothing. He saw Anya lying in the grass, lifeless. He fell to his knees clumsily and held Anya's head in his arms.
" no.. no.. no, it's not true, it isn't.. it cant be. She's not dead, she's here, she's here with us.." Idien sobbed as he rocked back and forth holding Anya close, with the hope that his love and sadness alone would bring her back, bring back the life of his lost friend's wife. He could not believe that this was happening, and found it very hard to accept that this woman really was Anya. The men around him stood and held their helmets in their hands and silently mourned the loss of the commander and his family. Although they felt as they did for Anya and Darin, they could never feel as Idien did. The sorrow and shock was overwhelming, to lose both of your best friends within the afternoon, they could not even imagine what he felt. Idien closed his eyes tight and stopped moving. It was true, he had lost almost everything now, his two best friends were gone. He wiped his tears and slowly lay Anya's head back to the ground. As he gazed down at the beautiful woman who seemed to just be peacefully resting, he suddenly remembered.
"Link..." Idien whispered in shock as he saw Anya's empty arms.
"Sir? Did you say something?" Asked a soldier standing next to him. Idien looked around the area and up at the man.
"There was a child, an infant, did you find him? He wasn't… ..was he?" Idien stood, and asked with little hope that Link wasn't also dead.
"We found no infant, sir, nor any trace of an infant." The Soldier said to him. " We did however find a lost horse near the forest province, and the remnants of an enemy militia camp on the borders of the meadow." He explained.
"Where is the horse? Is it here?" Idien asked.
"Yes Sir, it is over there." The man pointed to a brown horse with a group of others close to the edge of the forest, about ten yards from them. Idien saw it and walked over to it, thanking the soldier as he left. He stopped halfway there and watched solemnly as they covered Anya with a shroud and carefully lifted her onto a horse. He continued on slowly, and as he approached the horse, it turned its head and looked at him with large, sad, brown eyes. The horse was a reddish brown color, it had a light brown main and tail, and white ankles. Idien reached out his hand and stroked the horses forehead.
"Tyron, I'm so sorry boy. It looks like you and I are the only ones now that can help Link, he's our responsibility.." Idien recognized the horse as Anya's. Darin had given him to Anya's father the day that he proposed to her. A kind of peace offering between Darin and the man, who did not approve of him too well. Anya inherited the horse when her father died. Tyron was only five years old, but his line before him had been in Darin's family for over one hundred seventy five years. Darin and Anya loved their horses that they raised on their own ranch on the lake. Tyron was their favorite, and he knew something was wrong. The horse looked away from him and closed his eyes. Idien stepped closer to him and began searching for any trace of Link. A blanket, a toy, a bag, anything that might help him find the child. His hopes were in vain though, he found nothing to indicate that Anya even had the boy with her at all. With a sigh of distress, Idien turned away from Tyron and looked to the heavens for an answer. What had happened to his world? Why had this tragedy befallen the people closest to him? He then remembered something Darin had once told him.
" Perhaps the worst thing that could happen to a person is not to have a terrible thing ensue them, but to watch a disaster take place in the life of a dear friend and be helpless against it." Idien recalled the strong and wise voice of his friend, and found hope to press on. He was not totally helpless against this, he realized. There was, perhaps, still some chance that a part of both of his friends still remained. Link could still be alive, and Idien was going to do whatever it took to find him.
"Soldier!" Idien shouted to a man in the field. "Rally a search party, we have a missing comrade!" He said.
" Yes Sir!" The man said. Idien ran back to his horse as the men were readying to enter the forest. He mounted and took off towards the forest provinces, a large group of soldiers followed also on horseback. They stormed into the forest in every direction except east. They knew what was to the east, that was the one place they could not ever search, and it was the one place that held the one they searched for.

Two miles east of the field, Saria had brought Link to the Kokiri Meadow. The Kokiri people were only children. They never aged past a certain point in their lives. Although most of them looked to be only ten or eleven years of age, many of them were at least one hundred or more years old. Saria herself was eighty three. Normal Hylians would think her to be a child, but Saria was wise, courageous, and caring. She had left the Hylian Forest and was now in a part of Hyrule that was forbidden to outsiders. Everyone that had entered these "Lost Woods" that was not a Kokiri, was lost in the deep, dark closeness of the trees, and was placed under a dark spell that transformed them into a part of the forest. As Saria carried the baby deeper and deeper into the woods, she watched for any sign that Link would be put under this spell. Usually, sure warnings would be a deep sleep that one could not be woken from, or changing of the eyes from their normal color, to a very dark green. However, Link exhibited none of these symptoms, he instead was wide awake and curious about his surroundings, and his eyes stayed a sparkling blue. Saria was confounded by this. Never before had a normal Hylian, child or adult, ever been untouched in some way or another by the magic of the Lost Woods. She stopped on the bridge to the entrance of the Meadow, and held him up. " You must be a very special child, Link." She said. " It is so terrible what has happened to you, and no child should ever have to endure what you have, but I am also glad that I can now call you my own." She said, and she closed her eyes and kissed his forehead. He gazed at her, and smiled. She tucked him back nicely into her arms and continued into the Meadow.
"Hey, Saria!" a Kokiri girl yelled as Saria walked the path towards her " Look everyone, Saria's back!" She said, and ran up to her. She suddenly stopped running and gazed at what Saria was holding, she could only just now see that it wasn't Deku Sticks. " Oh my, Saria, is that a Hylian BABY?!" She shrieked with delight. She could tell he wasn't Kokiri, no Kokiri ever had blue eyes, not like the ones Link had. About eight other Kokiri boys and girls nearest them stopped what they were doing and looked when they heard her yell the word "baby".
" Um, yes it is, Tia." Saria gritted her teeth and tried to signal the girl to be a little quieter about it. She didn't quite want them all to know yet. But Tia didn't even notice the look on Saria's face. In fact she wasn't even looking at her face, she was much to occupied by the arrival of Link.
" Goochy goochy goo! Hi there little…fella? Is it a boy or girl? He looks like a boy." She asked Saria.
" He's a boy" Saria sighed as every Kokiri girl in the village ran up to them. Link had a slightly worried look on his face. It was obvious for a Kokiri that seeing a Hylian or a baby was a very rare thing, and it was even rarer yet to see a baby that was a Hylian. Suddenly Saria was bombarded with question and comment after question and comment. Things like, " What's his name?", " How old is he?", and "He's so CUTE!", " I just LOVE his pretty blue eyes!". They were all as baffled and shocked as Saria was to see that the boy was completely immune to the Lost Woods' magic.
"I just can't believe it, Saria! It's like a miracle, it doesn't effect him at all! Can we keep him?!" Tia was overjoyed. In the midst of the loud giggling and gaping over the baby, someone else yelled out a question.
" Where is his mother?" the louder voice over powered all of them and silenced everyone. The group parted and let Saria see who was speaking. It was Mido, the self appointed village chief, and somewhat of a heel. Saria saw the angry and perhaps a little bit jealous look on Mido's face, and answered him.
"..She's dead." Saria told him. She could hear the gasps and murmuring of the girls around her after she spoke. The expression on Mido's face changed only slightly.
" What about his father?" Mido asked her as he crossed his arms. Saria had only now even given any thought to Links father.
" I don't know anything about his father, or if he even has one. His mother gave him to me just before she died, and she told me nothing of a father." Saria told him.
" Well, isn't that just our luck. Why didn't you think of getting some of this information? It would have been useful, you know!" Mido rolled his eyes and waved his hands around, frustrated. He didn't approve of the new attraction.
" She was shot in the back with an arrow and fell off her horse while still somehow managing to keep her baby boy from getting hurt! I don't think "useful information" was one of the most important things on her mind at the time!" Every one was absolutely silent. They knew what kind of horrible things happened right outside their safe village, but they never gave any thought to just how terrible. It was also a very rare thing to see Saria get angry and yell, and none of them had even thought of how Link had come to be with Saria in the first place. Mido was quiet for some time, until he finally got the nerve to speak to her again. Although Mido thought of himself as Chief, he and all the rest of the villagers had more respect for Saria than any of them had for him, and what a terrible thing it would be to be the one she was angry at.
" Fine, Saria, you can take him to the Great Deku Tree. We'll let him decide what to do." Mido said quietly. Saria took a breath to calm down, and began to walk through the now silent crowd and past Mido. " Wait, Saria. What's his name again?" Mido asked her. Without looking up at him, she said.
" Link, his name is Link." She told him, and kept walking. Mido shook his head and looked around at everyone, they were all watching Saria walk away.
" Well, show's over everyone, go back to doing…whatever it was you were doing." He said, and turned to walk back to his house.

Saria took Link through the Village and back into the woods on the other side. The trees in this part of the woods were much larger than those towards the Hyrule Field border. They were of very dark wood, and most of them had thick dark green moss all over them. They were now completely out of sight of the village, and they came to a very high wall of rock that the Kokiri ancestors had built. " You see, Link. Our ancestors built this wall over three hundred years ago, when they first arrived in this forest and found the Great Deku Tree. The wall is to keep all others besides us Kokiri out of the Great Deku Tree's Meadow." She explained to him as he looked up at it in awe. " It only allows the Kokiri through, and there is no known magic that can penetrate it." She said. Suddenly the vines on the wall began to pull apart the stones in front of them, reaching between the cracks in the bricks. The stones seemed to just disappear inside of the ones that they were against as the vines continued to pull them away to form a neat path in front of them. As the wall stopped moving, Link gave a curious " Oooo" and smiled. Saria chuckled and grinned at him, then continued on to the Deku Tree's Meadow. There was only a short area of forest encircling the enormous tree in the center of the meadow. As Saria exited the tree line, Link saw the huge tree, and his mouth fell open. It was at least three hundred feet tall, and seventy feet in diameter at its base. A broken branch and a few odd bumps on its front gave it the appearance of having a human-like face. This was the Deku tree, the guardian of the forest and the keeper of the sacred Kokiri Emerald, an ancient stone that connected the Kokiri to the rest of Hyrule in that it was one of the four keys to opening the Sacred Realm of Hyrule from this world, but neither Saria nor any of the rest of the Kokiri knew this. A time would come when this stone would leave the Deku Tree's possession and be passed down to the one who could use it to make a difference for all of Hyrule. All of the Kokiri knew this, but not that that time was closer than they could ever expect. Saria approached the tree and began to speak.
" Great Deku Tree, I found this Hylian child in the meadow just outside the village…" She was interrupted by the Tree.
" The boy's name is Link, his mother has recently passed, and his father has fallen in battle. He is now an orphan alone in this world." He said.
" His father has.." Saria was distraught at learning the fate of the child's father. He really was an orphan. She looked down at Link and held his tiny hand as he reached it out at her face, and smiled.
" There is something special about this child, Saria. He has a great destiny. I sense one day he will lead Hyrule to freedom from a new and soon to come terror. He has a mysterious power about him, and that, I'm sure, is why he was immune to the deep magic of these woods." Saria looked up at him surprised to hear this. " But there is something else, I sense a dark presence in him, something I have never felt before. It is almost as if.." The Deku Tree paused, and Saria gazed at him in wonder at everything he had to say about Link." Never mind, Saria. Care for this boy, and until his day of destiny comes, he must never leave the boundaries of this forest, for there will be many who would seek his life." The Deku Tree explained.
"Yes, Deku Tree, but, will he ever feel like one of us? Or will he always have a hole in his heart that he cannot fill, and not know what belongs there?" Saria asked. The Tree sighed.
" He will always feel an emptiness until the time comes that he should know of his true heritage, and I am afraid Mido will never accept him as a Kokiri. One day Link will grow to be a man, and Mido will always have the appearance of a child. He will always resent Link because of that, but the decision is not for Mido to make. For now, he will be one of us." He replied. Saria sighed. "Go now, take the child to your home and give him a place to rest, he has had a rough day." He said.
" Thank you, Great Deku Tree." Saria thanked him, and turned to head back to the village.