Author Note: Reedited 5/21/2012
Inspiration: "My Curse" by Killswitch Engage
Chapter 1
How long has it been?
Five years?
Seven years?
No... it's been ten years.
It's been ten years since the Hero of Time returned the master sword to its pedestal, and sealed Ganon's essence away.
Wow... ten years.
It's amazing how time flies.
You're probably wondering who I am and why the time period I stated is relevant.
Well, I'm a Kokiri named Saria. I'm the Forest Sage, and for the last ten years I've been protecting Hyrule by living in the Sacred Realm, and concentrating my energy on Ganon's seal.
When I lived in the forest I never knew my life would have such importance.
I always imagined myself living carefree among the meadows, and sharing special moments with my friends.
There was one friend in particular I especially wanted to create tender moments with.
I previously mentioned him, the Hero of Time, but I much prefer to call him Link.
He's my best friend.
Well...at least he used to be, these days he's keeping other company. You see, he's married now, and has a son with ruby red hair like his mother. Her name is Malon, a lovely milk maid who lives on Lon Lon Ranch right outside the outskirts of Hyrule Castle.
With that kind of life, there's no need for a Kokiri in it, right?
I was pretty convinced of this idea for a while, but now I'm not so sure.
The reason for my new circumvented thought process is because for the first time in a long time I heard Link play my song.
That may not seem like a big deal, but he hasn't played my song for years.
I told him, when I gave him my fairy ocarina, that if he ever needed me all he had to do was play my song and he could instantly talk to me.
When he first ventured off on his quest he played often.
I'd hear from him at least twice a day, but then suddenly he stopped.
Just stopped.
It was as if he had fallen off the face of the planet. For seven years to be exact.
I thought Link was dead.
I panicked.
I worried.
I cried incessantly.
Why wasn't he playing my song anymore?
What had happened to him?
"Please Link if you can hear me," I remembered praying softly, "let me know you're safe."
I got no response and began to fear the worse, but deep down I refused to accept him being dead.
I went to search for clues regarding his whereabouts in a temple deep in the forest. While trying to figure things out, I got captured.
I was put in a cell and left there to die.
In all that time I prayed that Link would awaken and find me.
"Just play my song," I whispered one night in the freezing depths, "just play my song."
...And eventually...he did.
The beckoning of his presence came like a thief in the night.
"Where are you?" he had asked me telepathically.
At the time I couldn't believe it, I knew one thing was for sure, he sounded different.
"In a room full of paintings," I had replied to him, "I think I was carried underground."
Link drudged through that temple, overcame all the obstacles, and fought off my horrible phantom captor.
Link came and saved me.
But... when the blue beaming lights dissipated, the harsh reality set in.
My eyes widened when I first saw him again.
Why was he so big?
I could see the surprise in his face when he saw me, as if to ask, 'why are you still so small?'
He had grown so much.
He was tall.
He was handsome.
He was strong.
He was a Hylian and I was a Kokiri, and we could never live in the same world.
I could never be what I wanted to be with him. I had to let him go, and hope and pray that he would not forget me.
So how does he not forget me? Now I think you understand why that song is so important to me.
I told Link I would always be his friend, and that if he ever needed me all he had to do was play my song.
Link did for a little while, we talked, everything was good, or so I thought.
After the evil was cast away, Link had different interests, different needs. Needs I couldn't help him with, so he played his ocarina less and less.
When he got married it was even less, then it came to an eventual stop.
I understand that life happens. I wasn't expect him to live in the past forever. I knew he was going to move on. I knew he was going to bury me away. I just hoped he'd dig me up and discover me again one day.
I think today might be that day.
I think he's trying to rediscover our friendship, or at least that's my hope.
It's like a bolt out of the blue, I hadn't had a hope like this in a long time.
Link's playing my song again.
After ten long years of waiting...
I don't want to get too excited, but I am wondering why.
Why now?
Is he in trouble?
Does he need a friend?
Is there something he wants to unload?
What's going on Link?
Maybe it's to reminisce on old times; maybe he wants a little of his childhood back.
Or perhaps it's for closure.
Maybe, just maybe, he wants to discuss all the things we've never said to each other.
I don't know, but I'm hopeful.
This is my present dilemma, and this is why I'm going to see Impa.
Impa is the Sage of Shadow, however she also controls the gateway between the surface and the Sacred Realm.
If I wanted to travel to the surface, I needed to speak to her to do it.
Impa is very strict when it comes to such things, but I believe in this time of peace a stipend of due diligence is in order.
My life is the sage-ship and the Sacred Realm, I should at least be allowed to have this one request.
If I don't get to go I'll regret it for the rest of my life.
I'm walking down the hall of the chamber of sages, when I spot Impa meditating in a corner of the library. I look down at the ground, where she's sitting, and notice a book on Hylian lore.
I can never tell what will come next from Impa. She is always educating herself in the many different aspects of the Hylian people.
"You seem depressed," Impa says to me without looking up.
I smile sadly, unfortunately making her words more perfunctory.
"I'm not depressed Impa," I say softly.
"Then why the long face?" she asks glancing at me.
I sigh and shrug my shoulders seeing no need to put off the request any longer.
"I think he needs me Impa," I say to her.
Impa took in a deep sigh and went back to reading her book.
"And by 'he' you must mean Link," she replies. "Really Saria, you're getting quite predictable. Not the best attribute for a sage."
I raise my eyebrows at her logic knowing what she was saying was true.
I don't care, I think, I just want the opportunity to go.
"Impa please…" I say to her softly, "hear me out."
Impa sighs irritably at my tone.
"You know what you want is impossible," Impa replies bluntly. "I've already seen it."
I look away from and bite my lower lip.
It was a catch twenty-two with Impa. I think. Her gift and curse for foresight could be both exhilarating and annoying at the same time.
"No it isn't," I reply with a quiet defiance, "I just want to talk to him."
She takes in another deep breath.
"Doesn't he have your song?" she asks me abruptly.
"Yes," I reply.
Impa narrows her eyes slightly.
"So if he isn't trying to speak with you that way, don't you already have your answer?" Impa asks in a rather obtuse manner.
I swallow hard and take a step towards her.
"You don't understand," I say. "This isn't like any other time."
"Oh I do indeed my sweet Saria," she replies looking up from her book, and caustically slamming it shut. "You're in love with him."
I clear my throat, not having a reply to that.
Of course she knew. I think bitterly. Everyone knew!
"I-I..." I stammer and trail.
"You're always going to be a child to him," Impa states. "A child he can never be with."
I felt tears fill my eyes.
"I just want to speak with him face to face," I say not caring if Impa thinks I'm foolish, "I haven't been able to talk to him for ten years."
Impa looks at me with a bit of sympathy, but it quickly fades.
"And you don't think that as odd?" Impa asks honestly. "If a person really and truly loves you, don't you think they would take the time to see if you're doing alright?"
I shake my head at her logic.
"I haven't tried to contact him in all this time either," I reply, "I'm just as guilty."
Impa shakes her head again.
"That's because you can't contact him," Impa divulges. "You're a sage and you live in the Sacred Realm."
I narrow my eyes at her never knowing that was the case before.
So even if I wanted to I couldn't... that's just cruel. I think getting a little upset.
"But... doesn't that mean he can't contact me either?" I ask incredulously.
Impa doesn't have a reply to that.
I shake my head at her disbelievingly.
"Why didn't you ever tell me that?" I demand softly. "All this time I thought..."
Impa looks away from me.
"It wasn't necessary Saria dear," she says and then doesn't elaborate.
"Not necessary?" I whisper and bite my lower lip upsettingly. "You don't think I had a right to know that?"
Impa grows quiet and doesn't reply.
"He has tried to contact me Impa," I say back to her a little forcefully. "You know that."
"How do you know that?" she asks me abruptly.
My eyes widen at her.
"He's been playing my song!" I reply, "And by your own omission just now, I can't speak with him because I live here."
Impa sighs again.
"Saria..." she trails not finishing.
Impa looks at me with some sadness and pity, probably understanding my dilemma more than I am giving her credit for.
Long ago there were tales of a beautiful raven haired Sheikah maiden who had a love affair with one of the kings of Hyrule. It was believed that the woman bore the king a son, however the child died and the woman was banished.
A few years later another Sheikah appeared to look after the royal family; that Sheikah was Impa. Impa bore a striking resemblance to the raven haired beauty. However Impa's hair was white as snow. There were whispers around the kingdom about Impa's role in the protection of the royal family. However Impa did her job dutifully and without recourse.
Impa sighs again.
"Saria he's married now," she says, trying to reason with me, "he has a family; a wife… a son."
"I know," I say looking away from her.
"But you still want to go through with this?" she asks me incredulously.
I nod knowing she thinks I'm foolish.
"If you see him you'll only hurt yourself," Impa warns. "It's not going to be easy dealing with pent up emotions on a man who may not reciprocate them."
I look down at the ground.
"I know that," I reply realizing the risk I was about to take.
Impa shakes her head disapprovingly.
"I'll go in a disguise," I suggest, trying to think of some way for Impa to see things my way. "I'll go back as a Hylian."
She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously.
"Why do you want to go back in disguise?" Impa inquires questionably. "Why a Hylian?"
In all honesty, I just wanted Link to see me as a beautiful, desirable woman. Not merely just a forest child he could play the ocarina with.
"He won't know it's me," I say quickly.
"Is that all?" she asks me, clearly not believing me.
I swallow hard and nod.
"Yes," I say again, "he won't know it's me."
Impa gives me a long hard stare before she replies, "Saria, he's married."
I look at her in surprise and feel my heart accelerate.
"I know," I reply quietly.
She raises an eyebrow at me.
"Do you take me for a fool my dear?" Impa demands suddenly.
I look to the ground.
"Of course not," I reply.
"I know what you would look like as a Hylian," Impa replies, "your beauty equal, or perhaps, surpass that of even queen Zelda herself. I cannot allow that."
I feel my cheeks flush at that thought.
Even more beautiful than queen Zelda? I wonder disbelievingly. No way.
I took in a deep sigh.
"Impa I won't be gone long and I need to do this," I say trying to argue my case. "I've been Link's friend at the most critical junctions of his life, and we've never been able to tell each the things we've needed to say the most. Just let me have this and I promise I'll never leave the Sacred Realm again."
Impa stares at me thoughtfully for a moment.
"You'll never entertain this notion again?" she inquires wanting reassurance.
"Never," I say, getting hopeful. "Oh please Impa, let me go."
she takes in a deep breath and roles her sharp eyes.
"And how long would you like to be gone?" Impa asks me.
"Six months," I say hoping to get away with it.
"Six months?" she repeats incredulously. "I think not."
I smirk at my attempt.
"Fine, six weeks," I say.
Impa took in another deep breath, unsure she wanted to allow such a rendezvous to take place.
"My dear please reconsider, you'll-" she tries.
"Impa please," I interrupt her knowing what she's going to say, "I need to do this."
Impa looks away for a moment.
This could actually disrupt the time continuum, she thinks. All our sage power needs to be exerted on protecting the Sacred Realm. If Ganon gets out we're finished. However, Saria's unhappy state could have negative effects as well. It could possibly cause a distortion.
"Alright," Impa says finally.
"What?" I reply not believing my ears.
"What?" I reply not believing my ears.
"You can go," Impa replies, "as a Hylian and all that you asked for. You'll have six weeks to resolve these issues and then come back. After that, don't ever ask me again."
I feel my mouth drop in happiness.
"Oh thank you Impa!" I say enthusiastically. I run over to her and give her a big hug. "You won't regret this I swear!"
I better not. Impa thinks doubtfully hugging me back. I better not.
Please tell me what you think.