2nd Draft
Saria stretched her arms above her head, clearly enjoying every second of the sunshine. Link sighed.
"I wish I could be as satisfied as you," he said. The perpetual perfectness of the life the Kokiri's led had been agitating him more and more of late. Saria took in a large breath through her nose then exhaled out her mouth.
"The glory of the day will only last until nightfall," she said. Then she giggled as if she found Link's agitation cute. Link sat up on the grass next to his friend, but did not say anything. Every day was sunshine. Even the nights were perfect, warm with a slight breeze that brought clean air to their small valley in the woods. Small as it was, this was their entire world.
"She means," Saria's fairy piped in, Link had forgotten her name. "This will not last forever. Enjoy it while you can."
Link nodded to the wise fairy but he could not rid himself of what now felt like an itch. He was the youngest Kokiri by far, only ten years old and already he felt he had outgrown the village. He could not fathom how someone as old as Saria or Mido could be happy here. Not that he would consider Mido an incredibly happy person.
The overly serious boy turned, distracted by the sound he heard from his friend. He grinned pleasantly when he saw Saria had her ocarina out. She played her favorite tune, an original piece she had composed herself.
Suddenly Link felt foolish. Saria's friendship and company were what he prized most in his life. And here he was taking it for granted. Lying back down into the grass Link cleared his mind and listened to the melody.
"Oh, you're leaving . . ."
Link stopped in his tracks. Slowly he turned and saw his best friend. Immediately he could see her cheerful demeanor was gone.
"I knew . . . that you would leave the forest. . . someday Link." Tears gathered underneath her eyes.
"I didn't kill The Great Deku Tree," Link said. He was having trouble holding her gaze.
"I know," Saria said.
"Mido blames me. He'll have the village at my throat before the sun sets." A lump was beginning to form and words were becoming difficult.
"You aren't like us Link."
Link felt his heart drop. He had always wanted to leave, it's true, but not at the cost of his best friend. Or the life of the Great Deku Tree.
Saria looked at the hilt of the Kokiri Blade, protruding over his left shoulder, and forced a smile. "You look like a real hero."
Link opened his mouth to say something but words would not appear. Saria reached into her purse then held her hands out to Link. "I want you to have this." In her delicate hands was her ocarina, her most beloved possession.
"Saria I . . ."
"Shhhh," Saria placed the hand-carved instrument in his hands and closed his fingers around it. "Take good care of it, and think about me when you play."
Link could hear his heart beat in his ears. Saria gazed at him with some meaning that was lost. He wanted to stay, embrace her, lay in the field and listen to her play her ocarina one more time. Facing Ghoma had been enough excitement to compensate for the past ten years. He was about to say as much when Navi slipped out from under his hat. He could hear her buzzing behind his head. She was anxious to leave. Anxious to follow the Great Deku Tree's dying instructions.
Embarrassed, angry, and confused, Link tucked the ocarina into his pack, took two steps back, then turned around silently and fled Kokiri Village.