My apologies for making you guys wait. I don't have much time to write due to work. I only have time during my work breaks, since I'm too tired when I get home and I sleep most of the time during my days off, also I leave my IPad at home (for obvious reasons), I had to write this on my old Android (add the grammar and spelling corrections and beta reading over and over again), I bought the phone back in 2012... So yeah not very convenient. There's also the fact that I have to save every freaking time or else everything I've written will be erased... This happened when I started to write this one-shot... Luckily the notes only allow 1500 characters so it wasn't much but still to rewrite everything on my iPad becomes a pain in the ass.
Anyway, I decided to split the one-shot into two parts, so it's a two-shot. I just kept getting too many ideas and I didn't want to make you all wait for this. This one-shot is more angsty and serious compared to the previous one, I'm pretty much a sucker for these things, I love mental struggles and such.
And on a side-note: I want to thank ShadowDeity'sFire again for helping me to come up with proper names for the Know-It-All Brothers.
Lamentation
Silence, silence and utter silence. It was the only thing which lingered in these dark woods. No chirping of birds, howling of Wolfos or Deku Scrub's chatter, no signs of life or sounds from the mystical creatures inhabiting the holt, was audible within this thick area of trees and vegetation. Such was the usual atmosphere on the most eastern side of Hyrule Kingdom, the Lost Woods. The only noise to break the forest's silence, were the sounds of footsteps, belonging to the young Hyrulean Princess and her 'escort'.
"It's surprisingly quiet here." The Princess mumbled.
"It was a lot livelier when I left the forest, even when I met Saria back in the Sacred Forest Meadow, she didn't mention anything Maybe she didn't want to make me worried... But I would have appreciated if she told me about the current situation in Kokiri Forest. The death of the Great Deku Tree has been a huge impact on this place." Link who had been walking slightly ahead to scout for any hidden enemies replied to the princess' question.
The two children were on their way towards Zora's Domain when they discovered a secret passage, which led towards the Lost Woods. Seeing this as a great opportunity, Link decided to take a detour to visit his home and keep the promise he made to Princess Zelda. They've been wandering around the forest for a few hours, encountering Wolfos, Business Scrubs and even played with the Skull Kids.
"The Skull Kids are really intriguing beings," Zelda commented as she recalled the small forest imps' playful behaviour. "It's hard to believe that they originate from lost children."
"That's because they lose their memories from before they arrived in the forest. Honestly, I think they were lucky. When adults become lost they turn into Stalfos and those creatures aren't so forgiving. They attack everything, adults and children alike, they don't have the playful innocence of the Skull Kids. Maybe that's why they don't like adults..."
"What are Stalfos like? Have you ever encountered one before?"
Zelda's question made Link lower his sword as he looked in front of him, almost in a daze. "To be honest, I've never seen a Stalfos. I don't even know what they look like. I've only heard the stories about them. But I think it's for the better, coming across a Stalfos is something no one wants to experience."
Both children had gone silent, pondering over the words that had been spoken. Link continued walking, cutting any branch or bush that obstructed their path. Zelda however, observed Link carefully and narrowed her eyes.
"Link, I've been meaning to ask you another question."
"Yes?"
Link did not turn around and continued with clearing their path.
"I was wondering if you're feeling under the weather."
While Link could still not fully understand Zelda's rich vocabulary, but this time, he was fully aware of the meaning behind her words. He flinched, realising how keen Zelda's observation was, but he still refused to meet her eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"I've noticed that you've become very quiet since we entered the forest..." Zelda trailed off before she continued to speak. "Your composure is also very tense, unlike your usual pose. Commonly, one would be very thrilled when they return home after such a long time. When you told me about your home, you were all too delighted to inform me, however you seem to be wavering now. Did something happened before you left the forest?"
The memory of his last moments inside the Kokiri Forest flashed into his mind; Mido's harsh accusation, the looks the other Kokiri gave him, the moment when he was crying all alone with only Navi doing her best to console him and the parting words he and Saria shared. It was the harsh treatment from the Kokiri tribe that gave him the final blow and push to leave the forest. It was also the main reason why he didn't bother to visit the Kokiri when he met with Saria at the Sacred Forest Meadow.
"You're not obliged to tell me if you don't want to," Zelda reassured him. "But if there's anything burdening your mind, know that I'm willing to lend you my ears. It's never a good thing to bottle up your sorrows."
Link allowed Zelda's words to sink in. Realising that his body was shaking, he wiped his face dry. Uttering a few words; "Thank you."
"Hey, Link!"
The painful silence between them was broken when Navi appeared from the bushes.
"The Kokiri Village is close by. I haven't detected any irregularities, so it's safe to say that we won't encounter any monsters..."
Navi trailed off as she was about to say something more, however, this didn't go unnoticed by Link.
"What's wrong?" He raised his eyebrows as he addressed his fairy.
"The thing is, it's too quiet. There isn't even one Kokiri outside. The Great Deku Tree's absence has a greater impact on the forest's state than I expected."
The fairy's exclamation surprised both Link and Zelda.
"Let's hope that everyone is alright." Link muttered.
The group arrived at the Kokiri Forest just a few minutes later. Just as Navi said, the small Kokiri Village seemed almost abandoned. The usual laughter and sounds of playing Kokiri were absent.
"Have they gone into hiding?" The princess wondered out loud.
Link scanned the area carefully before he took a few steps, only to freeze when he spotted something not far away from them.
"Navi isn't that...?"
"It's Mido!"
Navi confirmed Link's suspicions as she looked at the form of the self-proclaimed Kokiri leader.
The boy was sitting on a bench near the house of the Know-It-All brothers. He had short red hair and just like Link, he was dressed in green, along with a green hat.
Mido flinched upon hearing his name. He glanced at Link's direction, blinking a few times before he finally opened his mouth.
"Link?! Is that really you?!"
As if on queue, the window from the Know-It-All Brother's house opened, revealing a blonde girl, her hair tied up in two low buns. Like Mido and Link she was also dressed in green, but instead of a hat, she wore a green hairband.
"Mido, did you just say, Link?"
The Kokiri girl looked up, immediately meeting with Link's eyes. Her eyes widened in surprise and delight.
"It's Link! He's finally back! Everyone, Link is back!"
The door burst open, revealing several children, all dressed in a similar attire as Link and the other two Kokiri. All froze for a second until they dashed towards the blonde boy, surrounding him completely.
"It's Link!"
"You're really back!"
"You've been gone for so long! We almost thought we wouldn't see you again."
"We really missed you, Link!"
All Kokiri bombarded Link with questions and comments, making the poor boy too startled to continue. The crowd calmed down after a short while. Mido, who had stayed on his spot finally approached the group, followed by the blonde girl. Unlike the other Kokiri, the Kokiri leader refused to meet Link in the eye and just stared at the ground awkwardly.
"You're really troublesome, you know that?"
Link did not reply to Mido's comment, instead, he just looked away like Mido. Increasing the awkward atmosphere between them.
"Mido!" The blonde Kokiri girl yelled angrily as she nudged him in his shoulders. The boy yelped in pain and rubbed his sore shoulder sending a glare towards the girl which she ignored as she approached Link. "Link were deeply sorry for blaming you for the death of the Great Deku Tree. It must have been very painful for you and we don't blame you at all for having left the forest. We've been jerks to you, treated you horribly in the past and made you feel like an outcast. There's no way that you would want to hurt the Great Deku Tree. I hope you'll be able to forgive us because we really missed you and no matter how different you feel, we see you as one of us. You are one of us." She mouthed her apology as she bowed, tears almost falling from the guilt she had felt.
The girl's confession made Link go silent, his expression hidden under his bangs, body trembling.
"Link, are you okay?" Navi asked, concern obviously in her voice.
"Are you... Crying?" Mido asked suspiciously.
"N-no... I'm not crying... I'm just tired is all." Link's voice sounded shaken and when he lifted his head reluctantly his face was covered in tears and snot. "I-I... Just got something in my eye... I-I'm alright... I... can't cry..."
"Link..."
From the crowd of Kokiri stepped another one into Link's vision. It was a green haired girl. Her warm concerning gaze was locked with Link's watery eyes. She approached Link and embraced him.
"Sa-Saria... Uhhh."
The whole crowd stayed silence, watching the reunion of the two childhood friends, even Mido, while still feeling uncomfortable, kept quiet.
"I'm happy to see you again. It's been a while, hasn't it? Has my song helped you during your journey?"
"Uhh... Yeah..." Link roughly rubbing his face dry, despite his efforts to sound normal, his voice sounded raspy. "It helped a lot, thank you."
After a short while, the crowd calmed down from the excitement and only then, did Mido notice the guest Link had brought along.
"Who is that? Did you bring an outsider with you?"
The Kokiri leader pointed at Princess Zelda, who had been observing the scene from a distance.
Link's cheeks turned rosy when he realised that the princess had witnessed a part of his vulnerable side. "Ah... uh yes... I eh... met her during my travels... She's... um... ah.."
Having all the attention suddenly aimed towards her, Zelda bowed politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Princess Zelda. Link has been taking very good care of me."
The Kokiri grew silent. All staring at the princess, observing her and absorbing the information they just got. Mido blinked a few times his eyes glued on the princess while he inspected her. After a few seconds, he signalled for all the Kokiri to gather.
"Explain." He ordered Link. The group turned curiously to towards Link, waiting for his reply.
"She's the princess of Hyrule." The boy answered.
Mido rolled his eyes. "Duh, I get that part, but why did you bring her here?"
Link glared at Mido for his rude behaviour but continued anyway. "The Great Deku Tree told me to look for her before he passed away."
"Was that the main reason why you left the forest?" One of the female Kokiri asked.
Link nodded. "According to the Great Deku Tree, this man called Ganondorf placed a curse on him because he was after this."
He pulled out a large green stone, making the whole group gasp.
"That's the Great Deku Tree's treasure, the Kokiri Emerald!" The blonde Kokiri girl gasped.
"I was supposed to give the stone to the princess. She was the one who sent me on a mission to collect the other stones."
"Wait, do you mean that there are more?" A chubby Kokiri boy asked.
"Yeah, two more. I already obtained the Goron's Ruby, which means there's one left for me to collect." Link explained. "Anyway, apparently we're not the only ones who were victims of Ganondorf's evil deeds. The Goron Tribe was on the brink of starvation, I don't know about the race that holds the last stone, but I'm sure they're also struggling with something. After I informed the princess about the Goron's situation, she decided to witness consequences of Ganondorf's actions with her own eyes. We discovered a passage towards the Lost Woods when we were on our way to Zora's Domain and I decided to show her the forest."
"I see..." The Kokiri leader mumbled.
"By the way, why were you all at the house of the Know-It-All Brothers?" Link asked curiously.
"We were having a meeting," Saria spoke up. "But I think it's better to discuss it inside."
Link nodded. He glanced at Zelda and signalled for her to follow him. The group of children entered the house of the Kokiri siblings.
The house was quite large compared to the other Kokiri houses. Consisting of a ground floor, which served as a dining room and living room and a first floor which served at their sleeping quarters. The dining room had a large table in the centre and a fire stove in the corner of the room. Next to the stove was a cabinet, where the brothers stored their goods.
Link, Zelda and the Kokiri seated themselves at the large table.
"Let's start with proper introductions." Link stated. He glanced at Princess Zelda and back to the Kokiri. "Princess, meet Fado, she's the blonde Kokiri. Miso is the small chubby one who manages the Kokiri shop. Mido, Saria, the twins; Remi and Mire and the Know-It-All Brothers, Saptaki, Pyko, Istrian and Reed. They are also in charge of the Forest Training Centre."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Link has told me a lot about you." The princess exclaimed.
Zelda's words made the Kokiri blush slightly.
"So, Saria, what did you mean about the meeting?" Link asked.
"Well, you've probably noticed on your way here. After you left the forest, the Lost Woods became infested with monsters. Even the village isn't as safe as it used to be. Monsters have been spotted here from time to time. The Mad Scrubs are becoming more violent and even Wolfos wander into the village at night. The only positive sign I've seen is that the forest stopped withering."
"That's probably because you beat queen Gohma!" Navi pointed out.
"Ganondorf's curse may have been dispelled from the forest, but the damage done has been too much," Zelda added. "His influence is worse than I imagined. For the Kokiri to be affected this much..."
"So, what is it that this Ganondorf guy is after?"Mido asked. "He can't be searching for only some stones."
"You're correct." The princess answered." It's not the stones. His ultimate goal is the Triforce."
"The Triforce? Isn't that the golden inheritance of the goddesses?" Fado wondered.
Zelda, Link and Navi nodded.
I thought it was just a story." The Kokiri leader mumbled. "To think it actually exists."
"He killed the Great Deku Tree for it..." Miso whimpered.
None of the Kokiri responded. They just gazed at the large table, reminiscing the moment they realised their guardian had passed away.
"It really was my fault..." Link suddenly mumbled. Everyone glanced up at the boy, his hands were balled into fists and trembling. "Had I arrived sooner if only, I could reach Gohma faster..." The blond gritted his teeth.
"No," Mido's voice made everyone look up surprised at the Kokiri leader, he was staring at the table, slamming his fists on the table and startling everyone. "It was my fault... I was the one who didn't allow Link to pass. I should have let him meet with the Great Deku Tree!"
Mido's words shocked Link greatly. He did not expect them to come from The boy's mouth. "Mido..."
"It was no one's fault," Saria spoke up. Her words lingering around the room, it sounded both gentle but firm. "Mido, refusing Link's passage to the Great Deku Tree Meadow was a wise decision. Link was unarmed, how would you expect him to defend himself from those monsters without any weapons or a shield? He would have died pointlessly trying to defeat the plague haunting the great Deku Tree. That is if the Deku Tree even allowed him to go unarmed, which is something he'd definitely never do. As for you, Link." She turned towards her childhood friend. "You tried your hardest to save the Deku Tree, don't beat yourself over it. You've never wielded a sword before when you threw yourself into battle with zero experience. I can't even imagine how hard it was for you. Don't be ashamed of yourself, you should be proud of yourself."
Both Mido and Link looked at Saria, their faces stained with tears. They had nothing to say. However, a few seconds later the other Kokiri began to cry. Zelda witnessed the scene of the Kokiri Tribe's mourning for the loss of their late surrogate late parent.
"They may be a tribe that lives independently, but their hearts are still that of children," Navi explained. "They probably waited for Link to return so that he wouldn't need to mourn on his own..."
"Unlike us Hylians, the Kokiri don't grow. They are a race that is very united with one another, to make up for the wisdom and maturity that the other races possess when they grow up." Princess Zelda mused as she observed the Kokiri. "I worry what effect this journey will have on Link's mental state..."
Navi did not answer, she unconsciously glanced back to Link who was still crying with the rest of the Kokiri. "I wonder..."
By the time the Kokiri calmed down, the sun was already setting. The Kokiri had decided to throw a welcome feast in honour of Link's return and the Princess' visit. While the Kokiri were preparing for the evening meal, Link was showing the Princess around the village.
"And this is the entrance to the Forest Training Centre. You have to crawl in this hole to enter the training grounds. We call it the Hole of Z and sometimes the Hole of L."
Zelda hunched over and peeked into the hole. She scrunched her eyebrows as she inspected the strange entrance. "The Hole of Z and the Hole of L? That's a strange name, why is it called like that, why do you even have two names for it and what purpose does the training grounds serve?"
"I'm not sure why we call it the Hole of Z or L." Link admitted while scratching the back of his head. "I guess it's one of the village's mysteries. As for the training centre, it's for practice. If a Kokiri has gained enough experience they're allowed to enter the Lost Woods."
"If it wasn't for Link's training in the training centre, he would have more difficulties in beating Gohma," Navi explained proudly. "This is also the reason why Kokiri can wander inside the Lost Woods without becoming the victim of the monsters."
"And how do Kokiri determine if they're qualified to enter the Lost Woods?"
"They're given a trial." Link answered. "If they pass the trial, they're allowed to enter, if they fail they have to train more and try again later."
"I see..." Zelda glanced back at the hole, contemplating something.
The change in Zelda's demeanour was noticed by both Link and Navi. The boy slowly walked closer, trying to figure out what was wrong.
"Princess Zelda?" He asked carefully.
The princess suddenly hunched down on her knees and declared, "I want to go into the training centre."
Her answer astonished both Navi and Link. "What?!"
"I want to see it with my own eyes, what kind of training do you undergo there."
The boy and his fairy exchanged glances, both unsure what to decide.
"Are you sure?" Navi asked. "It's not a playground. There is a chance that you could get hurt, princess."
A playful smile appeared on the princess' face. Don't worry about me, I've had my fair share or climbing, running and hiding experiences."
Link scratched the back of his head. He eyed the princess, who met his gaze with her determined ones. "Alright, let's go." He let out a sigh. "But I'm going first. I don't think it's appropriate if you... eh... go in first." Links cheeks turned slightly red as he mumbled those words.
Zelda blinked a few times before the words he said finally sunk in. "Ah, if you insist. But if you go first that means that I'll-Be-'Behind' you." She took a few steps closer to Link until their foreheads were almost touching, a smirk formed on her face.
Link's face turned beet red. He quickly turned around to keep some distance and began to mumble gibberish. "I, well, uh, I... Um... I'm going first!"
The boy quickly crawled into the hole, as if he was trying to escape the awkwardness he felt. Zelda watched him go while attempting to hide the amusement she was experiencing.
"I appreciate your attempts to keep him positive," Navi commented. "but don't go too far, alright?"
"Was I that obvious?" The princess asked in which Navi answered with a nod." My apologies, it's just... This is the first time I've had so much freedom, but do not fret, it won't happen again."
"No, you're not. It's just that we faeries life a long life. Link is still a child and unlike you, he never had any need to learn about dealing with adult matters or psychology, on top of that's he's quite dense since he is still learning. Trust me when I say this." Navi explained.
"Really? Then, how old are you?"
"... That's classified information, it's also rude to ask a fairy about their age."
While Zelda was still curious about Navi's age, she respected the fairy's customs and privacy thus decided to not inquire any further and nodded. Glancing back at the Hole of Z, the princess began to crawl into the small space. The narrow hole made her feel uncomfortable, but she did her best to focus on the feeling of the damp soil on her hands as to prevent herself from panicking. Luckily for the young Hylian girl, the opening was short. She quickly noticed Link's shoes on the other side of the gap. The boy was waiting for her.
He reached out with his hand and helped her up when she crawled out of the hole. The Kokiri boy gave an apologetic expression when he noticed her mud-stained dress.
"Ah, don't worry about it," Zelda reassured him. "I don't mind the mud and thank you for helping me up."
"Alright, and you're welcome." Link replied. He turned around, focusing his attention on their current location. "This is the Forest Training Centre!" He exclaimed proudly.
Zelda observed the surrounding, frowning at the narrow passage.
"It looks small for a training ground..."
"Yeah, the narrow path is also part of the training. We practice sneaking around, mobility and more. This is not the place where you can take your time."
Link's words did not make much sense to the princess until her ears picked up a large, rumbling sound. "What was that?"
Her question was answered seconds later when a large boulder rolled past them.
"I can't remember how often I was hit by that damn rock." Link remarked awkwardly.
The purpose of the training centre finally made sense to Zelda, once she observed the layout again. "This... Is a labyrinth. In order to pass you have to find the exit without getting hurt, it's similar to the Lost Woods." She stated calmly.
Link was gawking, too surprised with how quickly Princess Zelda was about to deduct such a conclusion.
"How..."
"I compared the surroundings to the layout of the Lost Woods. While the forest is not narrow, but the density of the woods does give you that feeling. Also, the Lost Woods is also similar to a labyrinth. You have to know where to go in order to navigate yourself through it."
"Dense... What?"
"In this case, she's referring to the quantities measure of the trees that occupy the forest," Navi explained.
Link just stared at his fairy as if she had grown a second head.
"She means that there are so many trees, that the forest seems smaller than it actually is."
"Oh..." Link's blunt answer made Zelda chuckle. Which in turn made the boy blush. "Um, well, let me show you around. Don't worry about getting injured. I aced this test on my first try! I mean when I took the test, I aced it! Yeah, that's it!"
"Aced means passed in this context, doesn't it?" Zelda inquired.
"Uhh, yeah. Ah here take my... hand..." He held out his hand for the princess, keeping it slightly stiff in front of her.
Zelda scrutinised the boy carefully. "Your hand is covered in sweat." She remarked.
"Uwah! Sorry, I didn't know!" Link quickly tried to dry his hand with his tunic.
"Don't worry about it, I don't really mind. I'm actually glad that I got to see so many sides of you. The many faces you have, how you act in the presence of your fellow Kokiri and your hidden feelings."
Link dropped his hands to his sides. "I..." He took a deep breath before he continued. "Honestly, I'm not a confident person...I was scared when the Great Deku Tree asked me to kill Gohma. I didn't want to go. I didn't even want to leave the forest; I wasn't even sure if I could help the Goron tribe. I'm just a child who grew up in the Kokiri Forest, ignorant of the outside world, I realised this after I set my first steps into Hyrule. The world is so big, so dangerous, why does a little boy who loves to sleep, has to be the one to save it? Why do I have to be strong for everyone else?"
"Link..." Princess Zelda took a few steps, searching for the words needed to comfort the boy. "The Kokiri, are a very secluded and pure race, they are being shielded away from the outside world, protected by the forest, away from the corruption and greed." She unconsciously pulled at the skirt of her dress and glanced at her companion, eyes filled with remorse. "Forgive me for dragging you into my affairs..."
Zelda's sudden exclamation astounded Link. "What? What do you mean? Don't be sorry. Sure it's been a tough journey, but I got so much in return. I've learnt many things, I met a lot of amazing people. I wouldn't trade this for the world! Besides, it's because of your 'selfishness' that we were able to spend time like this, right?" A cheeky grin appeared on his face.
The Princess blinked, almost taken aghast by Link's bold exclamation. Her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "... I... am happy that I get to spend time with you, Link." A joyful smile formed across her face.
The boy's face also turned a slight shade of pink. He moved his left foot awkwardly as if he was trying to create a small hole while trying to come up with a reply. "M-Me too and t-thank you for cheering me up and for being my friend." He mumbled as he scratched his nose.
"The pleasure is mine."
Having felt like the weight on his shoulders was lifted by a tonne, Link grabbed Zelda's hand and let her through the Forest Training Centre.
The time of dusk quickly arrived in Hyrule and thus the evening feast of the Kokiri had finally commenced.
"And then I almost got squashed by that big rock!" Link exclaimed proudly.
"How can you get yourself into so much trouble, Link? Weren't you the one who was supposed to hold the current record of clearing the training trial?" A sigh escaped Fado's lips.
"It was not my fault!" The boy pouted. "That stupid rock was supposed to appear much later!"
Chuckles and smirked were exchanged by the feasting children.
"Princess Zelda, do you live in a castle? Are they really as big as the stories mention?" Mire questioned, her eyes filled with excitement and curiosity.
A smile appeared on Zelda's face when she noticed all the faces looking expectantly at her. "Yes, I do live in a castle. It's quite large, but I'm not fond of the large walls. It gives me a feeling of isolation. You should see the courtyard it's one of the most beautiful places of the castle. The flowers are beautiful and whenever I go there I feel at ease."
"What's a courtyard?" Miso asked.
"It's the castle's inner gardens." Link explained.
"You've seen it?" The Kokiri shop owner asked. His attention quickly switched to Link.
"Well, yeah, it's where Princess Zelda and I met. Although I had to sneak into a small hole and pass the guards first..."Link muttered while scratching the back of his head.
"You had to sneak into the castle to get into the courtyard?"
"Ah no, there's a small drain at the entrance of the Courtyard where the water flows through. Link used that small hole to get inside." Zelda explained. "I guiltily, use that same drain to sneak out sometimes. While I love being at the Courtyard, I like strolling around the streets, getting familiar with the citizens and interact with them. The castle isn't as remarkable as others deem it to be, compared to the ancient temples and their structure, but I suppose for those who never left their homes it's very majestic."
"Majestic means very beautiful." Link added before the Kokiri could ask.
"You seem to have learnt a lot during your journey," Saria remarked.
"Uhh, you think so?" Link asked as a soft blush appeared on his cheeks.
"Yeah, you know so many adult words." Reed agreed. "As a Know-It-All Brother, I'm impressed."
The young boy's blush grew deeper. "It's nothing really... I mean, the princess has taught me a bit and there's still a lot of things that are foreign to me. Every time I see the castle, I'm still impressed by its structure. It's so big, solid and white and the courtyard is beautiful. There are so many flowers. You guys should see it. You should see all of Hyrule!"
"The Great Deku Tree said that we Kokiri die if they leave the forest," Mido exclaimed.
"Link left the forest and look, he came back alive." Fado defended.
The Kokiri turned their gazes towards Link.
"If you consider the monsters that roam in Hyrule, then I'd agree that you would die if you encounter them. But like I said before, there are secret passages in the Lost Woods which lead to different parts of Hyrule." Link explained.
"I've heard of those secret passages," Saptaki commented. "But no matter how much I've looked and searched, I could never find the secret routes. How did you find them?"
"I wasn't really looking for them since I didn't even know such paths existed. I stumbled upon them on accident during my journey." The boy admitted.
"It's been more than a month since you left..."Mire mused. Her attention quickly turned back to Zelda with a new expression of curiosity in her eyes. "So for how long have, you travelled with Link?"
"If I start from the moment we left Hyrule Market," the princess mumbled as she counted the days. "I would say, about four days."
"Four days already? So you're already used to travelling with our Link? What's it like to travel with him? Are his sleeping habits as bad as ever? Here in the Kokiri Forest, he's pretty famous for being a sleepyhead."
"Mire!"
Link's protests were quickly overshadowed by the giggling from the girls and the chuckles from the guys.
"Just face it, Link." Navi snorted. "You're a pain in the ass to wake up."
As the noises quickly died down Princess Zelda opened her mouth.
"Well, in the beginning, I had to get used to the whole camping idea. I've never slept outside in the open air before, never the less on the grounds. But truth to be told, I was so exhilarated the first night that I couldn't fall asleep and kept Link and Navi up because of it. There was also this incident with the Stall Children. Which was why I didn't blame Link for his tiredness the first two days. But I ought to admit, it's quite the challenge to rouse him from his slumber. Navi and I tried everything, from shaking him, calling him repeatedly, even removing his blankets, does not seem to work."
Link dropped his head on the table, trying to hide his embarrassment from the Kokiri who had begun to snicker.
"Yup, that's our Link," Mido exclaimed proudly, not bothering at all to hide his amusement.
"It was tedious, I had no other choice but to throw water over him just to wake him up." A deep sigh left the princess' lips.
"You should have seen his face!" Navi commented. "He was so upset! It was priceless! He almost thought that the Stall children were attacking again!"
"Ugh, thanks a lot, Navi..." Link grumbled, his face was hidden between his arms.
"Don't be such a baby." Navi scolded. "Yeah, you've done a lot of cool things: running around Hyrule, travelling, helping others, meeting new people and gaining knowledge of these lands, but you're still a lazy child who prefers sleeping about anything else. Don't you remember how often you almost got killed by those Peahats and Larva? And that was because you refused to wake up while I've been warning you for hours."
"So what? I'm still here in one piece. Besides, I'm proud to be a freaking baby!" Link huffed proudly as he smacked his hand on his chest. "I'm part of the Kokiri Tribe! I'm allowed to be as childish as I can be!"
Despite the few giggles that were exchanged, the majority of the Kokiri cheered or clapped, even the Princess was applauding happily.
Watching the warm atmosphere and friendliness between the children, Link beamed. After all the insecurities, he finally felt like he returned home after a long time.
With the sounds of children's laughter permeating throughout the Kokiri Forest, after a time of silence and dread having ruled over the sacred forest, came the day of the princess, her young hero and his guardian fairy to an end.
I feel so satisfied with this part. I'm seriously starting to notice how much I keep improving over and over again.
A little trivia about the Kokiri names. Their names are all inspired by the Solfège musical scale or Music related names.
With part 1 over we just need to wait for part 2, which I'm already working on. With Link having finally been accepted by the other Kokiri and himself, he will finally crawl out of that dark sombre shell and grow. But wait?! What about MidoHeheeh, well you'll have to wait for the next chapter. He's been silent in this chapter for a reason. Most of you probably think that Link is surprisingly quiet if you consider how much he's been boasting in the other one-shot. True, but I feel like this is how Link would react. Like every person, he tries to hide his fears by acting all cheerful and stuff, but whenever the time is nearing he'd become nervous, remember what happened just before he left Kokiri forest and his fears start to leak out. Zelda noticed this obviously and decided to first observe and afterwards comfort him once the got the total picture.
Anyway, my apologies for my boring rants. You're not forced to read this all, but for those who like character analysis and such are free to read this.
Thank for reading, if you have any opinions, questions or anything else, feel free to ask.