Chapter One: The Task
"Link? Link, are you in there?"
Link raised his head sleepily and called from the warmth of his bed, "Izzat you, Saria?"
"Yeah, sleepyhead! Can I come in?"
"Yep," Link agreed, smothering a huge yawn with one hand.
The thirteen year old sat up and stretched as his childhood friend, Saria, entered with a smile on her face. "Morning. Or should I say, afternoon, lazybones."
Link grinned at her. "I need my beauty sleep, Saria, you know that!"
Saria shook her head and smiled inwardly as she glanced at the tousled blonde hair of her friend, his bangs falling haphazardly over his big blue eyes. She crossed her arms in a vain attempt to be serious.
"Now, Link, you'd better get dressed and be quick about it, 'cos the Great Deku Tree wants to see you. I don't know why, but it sounded important."
Ryelle, Link's faerie, flitted gracefully above Saria's head, her lilac wings shimmering in the early afternoon sunlight that filtered through into Link's small treehouse dwelling.
"You'd best hurry Link, if the Great Deku Tree has summoned you it must be something important." Ryelle piped as she alighted on her friend's shoulder.
"OK, OK!" Link laughed, "I get it. Thanks Saria, for telling me."
Saria grinned at him and said jauntily as she got up to leave,
"any time, sleepyhead."
Link washed and dressed hurriedly in his green tunic, pausing only to flick water at Ryelle teasingly as she fluttered around his head, attempting to annoy him.
"Get out'a my face you little pest," Link exclaimed in mock irritation, dousing her with water from his cupped hands. Ryelle shrieked and shot away outside like an arrow from a bow. She was hovering watchfully outside when he peeked outside, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight.
In moments he had worked his way past Mido, who went off in a huff once he realised that Link had been summoned by the Great Deku Tree, and was ambling along the grassy path to the Great Deku Tree's meadow, Ryelle flitting ahead, then racing back to hurry him along.
Link always felt slightly awed when he came face-to-face with the Great Deku Tree, for the old tree's power and wisdom was greatly respected and revered among the Kokiri, and Link's attitude was no different. Prompted by a minute kick from Ryelle, he approached the great tree and spoke quietly,
"you wished to see me, Great Deku Tree?"
"Yes, young Link. I am glad to see that you have come, for I have something of great importance to tell you and a task to entrust to you. I need you to take a message to the King of Hyrule. You will need to leave immediately and be swift in your journey, for Time waits for no one, and Evil is even less eager to do so."
Link's mind was buzzing with sudden questions, but the Great Deku Tree moved on, regardless of the young Kokiri's apparent need to probe for more information.
"You will need protection, for the journey may be more difficult then you first perceive. The sword of the Kokiri has been hidden for many decades, unused, for we are a peaceful people. But I fear it is too late to hold to our way of life for much longer, and the sword will be taken up and used once more. It is a shame that its bearer is so young, but this cannot be helped. Go, Link, get the sword from its hiding place and remember this message for the King. Tell him that a great evil has come once again to Hyrule, and he must be ready for it to strike. That is all. Tell him I am sorry do not know more, but it is the best warning I can give. Oh, and Link?" The Deku Tree paused as Link spun back to face him. "This will not be easy for you to hear, but you are not a Kokiri by birth. Your true race is that of the Hylians. You were raised in the forest after your mother was killed by an evil tyrant. She felt that this place would be safe for you, her son, and begged me to take care of you. I asked Saria to watch over you, and she has carried out this task willingly and with much pleasure. I think that Saria will be the one who will be sorriest to see you go, but she knew this day would come and now that it has, we must all accept what follows. She will tell you where to find the sword. Now Link, hurry, and do not delay. The King needs your help."
Link opened his mouth, unsure what would come out - he had so many urgent questions to ask, about his mother, this evil tyrant who had killed her, the evil that was once again uprising in his homeland - but the Deku Tree intoned solemnly, "no one can answer your questions but yourself Link. In time, you will know all that you need to."
Link nodded dumbly, his head ringing with everything that he had just heard. He hardly noticed when Ryelle landed gently on his shoulder. He turned and ran blindly back towards the Kokiri forest, his home. But it was not his home any longer...
Saria was waiting for him when he came out, and surprisingly, there was no sign of Mido.
"What's wrong?" she asked immediately, seeing the troubled, confused expression on her friend's face as he struggled to take in everything that he had been told.
"What happened Link? What did He tell you?"
"The Great Deku Tree told me...he told me that I wasn't a Kokiri." Link burst out, staring helplessly at Saria.
Saria.
She had cared for him ever since he was tiny. She would understand, help him in his task. His words tumbled out, one after the other, and he failed to notice the shocked look in Saria's dark green eyes and then the profound sadness that came over her face.
"I have to find the Kokiri's sword Saria, the Great Deku Tree told me you knew where to find it, that you'd help me. He gave me a task as well, he said I had to take a message to the King of Hyrule, tell him that evil was uprising in Hyrule and to warn him..." link's words tailed off and he whispered, "how...how am I ever going to do it, Saria? All I wanted was to stay here in the forest with you and Ryelle, I was happy here, oh Saria...I'm not a Kokiri any more..."
Saria's eyes filled with tears and she pulled Link close to her and hugged him tightly.
"I always knew..." she managed to mumble through her sobs, "I always knew you would have to leave one day, but I never thought it would be so soon. It doesn't make it any easier now, knowing...Oh Link, I'll miss you so, but I know that you have to go. Come with me now, come on, I'll show you..." she gave a little hiccup, "I'll show you where the sword is..."
Link followed speechlessly, but feeling he still had so much to say, so many questions to ask of Saria. Ryelle, catching his mood, sat quietly on his shoulder and didn't say anything, which was, for her, a rare thing indeed.
Outside a narrow opening, Saria paused and gestured inside, without looking at Link. "In there." She said softly, sounding as though she was struggling not to cry again. "That's where the Kokiri sword has been hidden all this time. I was the only one who knew about it. I never thought I'd have to reveal its secret and I never thought it would be to you, Link." She glanced up at him quickly, then away again. "But go, quickly. The Deku Tree is right, speed is of the essence now. I too have felt this evil."
Link slipped past her and through the narrow space. There was a dark chamber lit by a single burning green torch, who's glow never flickered or died. Link supposed it must be magic.
In one corner was a large, dusty chest. It looked as though it hadn't been touched for years, and as Link reflected, it probably hadn't. The Kokiri people were peaceful and hated war. They never were seen with weapons. Link hated to be the one to take up this sword, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. All his life he had been different from the other Kokiri, and never known why, but now that he did, he wished that he was ignorant of it again. Knowledge was a burden, and to him, it was better not to know.
Snapping out of his dismal thoughts at a quiet urging from Ryelle, he nodded his head slightly, to his faerie, who was hovering calmly over the chest and moved forwards, springing the rusty catches with some difficult and taking out the sword, still in its scabbard.
When he exited the chamber with the sword firmly strapped to the belt around his waist, Saria was gone. Sadly, Link turned away and headed for the way out of the Kokiri Forest. He didn't know if he could ever return. After all, if he was a Hylian, he would grow up, and grown-ups were never seen in the Kokiri Forest. He gave the guard who watched the entrance a small smile as the Kokiri moved aside to let him pass, telling Link that he had heard about the situation, and allowed Link to walk out onto the bridge. He knew that his life would never be the same again.
To his surprise, Saria was waiting for him. He looked at her, shy with her for the first time in his life and saw that her beautiful emerald eyes glittered with tears. "Don't forget me, Link," she said quietly, so softly, he had to strain to hear.
"How could I?" He asked, feeling his own eyes fill up. "I'll never forget you Saria, and I'll come back to see you, I promise."
"Will you?" She sounded tired suddenly, tired and sad. There was no hope in her voice. "You won't Link, you know. You'll go away and grow up and forget me."
"Don't say that Saria," Link cried, distraught. "I couldn't! And I won't. You have my word."
"Goodbye, Link." She whispered.
There was no need for further words. They had said enough. Link turned away and walked from the bridge, leaving Saria staring after him as darkness began to fall.
'How can you just walk away?
When all I can do is watch you leave...
We shared the laughter and the pain,
And even shared the tears.
You're the only one who really knew me
At all....'
OK, there's my first chapter everybody (hurrah!!!) and I just stuck the verse in there for good measure - I know a lot of people think its corny, but I thought it was cute and it fit my mood at the time! (That's courtesy of Phil Collins by the way - thanks Phil!)
And I don't own and of the characters they're property of Nintendo - apart from Ryelle, Link's faerie, who's ( me.
Right, second chapter on the way soon, I hope - I warn you all this fic's gonna be long, so I'm apologising now, 'K?
Peace, love and light to you all,
CaraJade
"Link? Link, are you in there?"
Link raised his head sleepily and called from the warmth of his bed, "Izzat you, Saria?"
"Yeah, sleepyhead! Can I come in?"
"Yep," Link agreed, smothering a huge yawn with one hand.
The thirteen year old sat up and stretched as his childhood friend, Saria, entered with a smile on her face. "Morning. Or should I say, afternoon, lazybones."
Link grinned at her. "I need my beauty sleep, Saria, you know that!"
Saria shook her head and smiled inwardly as she glanced at the tousled blonde hair of her friend, his bangs falling haphazardly over his big blue eyes. She crossed her arms in a vain attempt to be serious.
"Now, Link, you'd better get dressed and be quick about it, 'cos the Great Deku Tree wants to see you. I don't know why, but it sounded important."
Ryelle, Link's faerie, flitted gracefully above Saria's head, her lilac wings shimmering in the early afternoon sunlight that filtered through into Link's small treehouse dwelling.
"You'd best hurry Link, if the Great Deku Tree has summoned you it must be something important." Ryelle piped as she alighted on her friend's shoulder.
"OK, OK!" Link laughed, "I get it. Thanks Saria, for telling me."
Saria grinned at him and said jauntily as she got up to leave,
"any time, sleepyhead."
Link washed and dressed hurriedly in his green tunic, pausing only to flick water at Ryelle teasingly as she fluttered around his head, attempting to annoy him.
"Get out'a my face you little pest," Link exclaimed in mock irritation, dousing her with water from his cupped hands. Ryelle shrieked and shot away outside like an arrow from a bow. She was hovering watchfully outside when he peeked outside, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight.
In moments he had worked his way past Mido, who went off in a huff once he realised that Link had been summoned by the Great Deku Tree, and was ambling along the grassy path to the Great Deku Tree's meadow, Ryelle flitting ahead, then racing back to hurry him along.
Link always felt slightly awed when he came face-to-face with the Great Deku Tree, for the old tree's power and wisdom was greatly respected and revered among the Kokiri, and Link's attitude was no different. Prompted by a minute kick from Ryelle, he approached the great tree and spoke quietly,
"you wished to see me, Great Deku Tree?"
"Yes, young Link. I am glad to see that you have come, for I have something of great importance to tell you and a task to entrust to you. I need you to take a message to the King of Hyrule. You will need to leave immediately and be swift in your journey, for Time waits for no one, and Evil is even less eager to do so."
Link's mind was buzzing with sudden questions, but the Great Deku Tree moved on, regardless of the young Kokiri's apparent need to probe for more information.
"You will need protection, for the journey may be more difficult then you first perceive. The sword of the Kokiri has been hidden for many decades, unused, for we are a peaceful people. But I fear it is too late to hold to our way of life for much longer, and the sword will be taken up and used once more. It is a shame that its bearer is so young, but this cannot be helped. Go, Link, get the sword from its hiding place and remember this message for the King. Tell him that a great evil has come once again to Hyrule, and he must be ready for it to strike. That is all. Tell him I am sorry do not know more, but it is the best warning I can give. Oh, and Link?" The Deku Tree paused as Link spun back to face him. "This will not be easy for you to hear, but you are not a Kokiri by birth. Your true race is that of the Hylians. You were raised in the forest after your mother was killed by an evil tyrant. She felt that this place would be safe for you, her son, and begged me to take care of you. I asked Saria to watch over you, and she has carried out this task willingly and with much pleasure. I think that Saria will be the one who will be sorriest to see you go, but she knew this day would come and now that it has, we must all accept what follows. She will tell you where to find the sword. Now Link, hurry, and do not delay. The King needs your help."
Link opened his mouth, unsure what would come out - he had so many urgent questions to ask, about his mother, this evil tyrant who had killed her, the evil that was once again uprising in his homeland - but the Deku Tree intoned solemnly, "no one can answer your questions but yourself Link. In time, you will know all that you need to."
Link nodded dumbly, his head ringing with everything that he had just heard. He hardly noticed when Ryelle landed gently on his shoulder. He turned and ran blindly back towards the Kokiri forest, his home. But it was not his home any longer...
Saria was waiting for him when he came out, and surprisingly, there was no sign of Mido.
"What's wrong?" she asked immediately, seeing the troubled, confused expression on her friend's face as he struggled to take in everything that he had been told.
"What happened Link? What did He tell you?"
"The Great Deku Tree told me...he told me that I wasn't a Kokiri." Link burst out, staring helplessly at Saria.
Saria.
She had cared for him ever since he was tiny. She would understand, help him in his task. His words tumbled out, one after the other, and he failed to notice the shocked look in Saria's dark green eyes and then the profound sadness that came over her face.
"I have to find the Kokiri's sword Saria, the Great Deku Tree told me you knew where to find it, that you'd help me. He gave me a task as well, he said I had to take a message to the King of Hyrule, tell him that evil was uprising in Hyrule and to warn him..." link's words tailed off and he whispered, "how...how am I ever going to do it, Saria? All I wanted was to stay here in the forest with you and Ryelle, I was happy here, oh Saria...I'm not a Kokiri any more..."
Saria's eyes filled with tears and she pulled Link close to her and hugged him tightly.
"I always knew..." she managed to mumble through her sobs, "I always knew you would have to leave one day, but I never thought it would be so soon. It doesn't make it any easier now, knowing...Oh Link, I'll miss you so, but I know that you have to go. Come with me now, come on, I'll show you..." she gave a little hiccup, "I'll show you where the sword is..."
Link followed speechlessly, but feeling he still had so much to say, so many questions to ask of Saria. Ryelle, catching his mood, sat quietly on his shoulder and didn't say anything, which was, for her, a rare thing indeed.
Outside a narrow opening, Saria paused and gestured inside, without looking at Link. "In there." She said softly, sounding as though she was struggling not to cry again. "That's where the Kokiri sword has been hidden all this time. I was the only one who knew about it. I never thought I'd have to reveal its secret and I never thought it would be to you, Link." She glanced up at him quickly, then away again. "But go, quickly. The Deku Tree is right, speed is of the essence now. I too have felt this evil."
Link slipped past her and through the narrow space. There was a dark chamber lit by a single burning green torch, who's glow never flickered or died. Link supposed it must be magic.
In one corner was a large, dusty chest. It looked as though it hadn't been touched for years, and as Link reflected, it probably hadn't. The Kokiri people were peaceful and hated war. They never were seen with weapons. Link hated to be the one to take up this sword, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. All his life he had been different from the other Kokiri, and never known why, but now that he did, he wished that he was ignorant of it again. Knowledge was a burden, and to him, it was better not to know.
Snapping out of his dismal thoughts at a quiet urging from Ryelle, he nodded his head slightly, to his faerie, who was hovering calmly over the chest and moved forwards, springing the rusty catches with some difficult and taking out the sword, still in its scabbard.
When he exited the chamber with the sword firmly strapped to the belt around his waist, Saria was gone. Sadly, Link turned away and headed for the way out of the Kokiri Forest. He didn't know if he could ever return. After all, if he was a Hylian, he would grow up, and grown-ups were never seen in the Kokiri Forest. He gave the guard who watched the entrance a small smile as the Kokiri moved aside to let him pass, telling Link that he had heard about the situation, and allowed Link to walk out onto the bridge. He knew that his life would never be the same again.
To his surprise, Saria was waiting for him. He looked at her, shy with her for the first time in his life and saw that her beautiful emerald eyes glittered with tears. "Don't forget me, Link," she said quietly, so softly, he had to strain to hear.
"How could I?" He asked, feeling his own eyes fill up. "I'll never forget you Saria, and I'll come back to see you, I promise."
"Will you?" She sounded tired suddenly, tired and sad. There was no hope in her voice. "You won't Link, you know. You'll go away and grow up and forget me."
"Don't say that Saria," Link cried, distraught. "I couldn't! And I won't. You have my word."
"Goodbye, Link." She whispered.
There was no need for further words. They had said enough. Link turned away and walked from the bridge, leaving Saria staring after him as darkness began to fall.
'How can you just walk away?
When all I can do is watch you leave...
We shared the laughter and the pain,
And even shared the tears.
You're the only one who really knew me
At all....'
OK, there's my first chapter everybody (hurrah!!!) and I just stuck the verse in there for good measure - I know a lot of people think its corny, but I thought it was cute and it fit my mood at the time! (That's courtesy of Phil Collins by the way - thanks Phil!)
And I don't own and of the characters they're property of Nintendo - apart from Ryelle, Link's faerie, who's ( me.
Right, second chapter on the way soon, I hope - I warn you all this fic's gonna be long, so I'm apologising now, 'K?
Peace, love and light to you all,
CaraJade
