Title: Rekindling Their Bonds - Chapter 9
Author: Viper Inferno
Genre: Action/Adventure Romance
Rated: PG
Author's Notes: This is my first Legend of Zelda fanfic, though I've been a fan of the series since the very beginning. This fanfic is a Link/Saria shipping, and takes place in the Ocarina of Time universe. Finally, after dealing with computer problems and illness, I've posted Chapter 9. I'm sorry I took so long. After Link and Saria shared their first kiss in the last chapter, where else can their relationship go? What other adventures lie ahead for the both of them?
Rekindling Their Bonds
By Viper Inferno
Chapter 9: First Date
After spending much of the morning in the Lost Woods, Link emerged carrying a large burlap sack full of delicious fruit for everyone. It was the second morning in a row that Link had spent hours in the Lost Woods gathering fruit. But more than that, he had also been getting himself out of bed much earlier than usual, before the cucco would even crow.
It had been two days since his moonlight rendezvous with Saria. And since then, Link had been in such a good mood that he was full of energy. He suddenly found himself wanting to get up earlier in the morning and wanting to gather fruit for everyone. He even volunteered to care for the Wolfos cubs in place of one of the Know-It-All Brothers last night. Link didn't know why, but ever since he and Saria kissed for the first time, he was really full of life and energy. He had to admit, he never felt so happy in his life, and it showed.
"Good Morning, Link," Fado greeted, her blond pigtails bouncing up and down as she ran up to him. "Did you go and gather fruit again?"
"Of course I did," Link replied as he dropped the sack to the ground with a loud thud. "It's some really tasty fruit. Besides, it's good target practice."
"Yes, you've been bringing home a lot of tasty food lately, ever since you came home after being gone for so long," said Fado. Then, she threw herself at Link and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're back home. You bring so many amazing stories and tasty foods. And we all really missed you. Kokiri Forest just isn't the same without you."
"I'm glad to be home too, Fado," said Link as he returned Fado's hug. "I missed everyone here."
"Mail call!!!" another voice shouted from near the pathway out of Kokiri Forest, startling the two.
Link and Fado quickly let go of each other and looked in that direction. There, they found a rather tall and slender man wearing a white tunic running into the village at high speed. He wore Greek-style sandals and carried a brown leather sack at his side.
"A postman? Again?" Fado wondered. "He's been coming an awful lot lately."
The postman stopped before the duo and hunched over, resting his hands on his knees, and began breathing very heavily.
'How does he ever run so much and never pass out?' Link inwardly asked himself.
Soon, the postman took a deep breath and stood back up. After regaining his composure, he turned to Link. "Good Morning, Mr. Link. How are you this morning?"
"I've never felt better," Link replied with a smile. "And how've you been?"
"The mail's been keeping me busy, as usual," the postman replied. "And how has Miss Saria been?"
"She's been doing great too," Link replied with an even warmer smile as thoughts of her immediately entered his mind.
"Well, I have a letter for you from Hyrule Castle Town," said the postman as he fumbled through his leather sack and fished out an envelope. "It was just sent this morning."
Link raised an eyebrow as the postman presented him the letter. "This morning, huh? Just how fast did you run all the way here?" he asked as he took the letter.
"Oh, I think about two and a half hours," the postman replied.
"What?! Two and a half hours?!" Link exclaimed as his eyes popped wide open from the shock. "That has to be some kind of a record. I mean, it takes me just barely an hour to get to the castle on horseback. And Epona's a very fast horse."
"Well, it is my job to deliver the mail as fast as possible," said the postman. "Well, I have more letters to deliver." And with that, the postman turned around and dashed out of Kokiri Forest, leaving Link to his letter and Fado amazed.
"How does he ever do it, running so fast and so far?" Fado wondered.
"I don't know. Those postmen are surely something else," said Link as he glanced at the letter in his hand. "Hey Fado, can you give everyone their fruit while I read this?"
"Sure Link," Fado replied with a cheerful smile before she dug into the burlap sack.
Link, meanwhile, turned and walked toward his house, with Navi following close behind. "Who's it from?" she asked.
Link turned the envelope over and inspected the wax seal. And immediately, he and Navi both recognized the logo on the seal. So Link quickly broke the seal and pulled the letter from the envelope. Navi floated over Link's shoulder as they both read the letter.
..
"Dear Mr. Link,
I know you have been patiently waiting these last two days. I have been working very hard and ham proud to inform you that I have finished your raindrop locket. I worked as hard as I could to not only finish it, but also to perfect it. I must say that it turned out to be one fine work of art. I assure you hat your young lass will be greatly impressed with it. Please come to my shop before sundown with your voucher to pick it up. I eagerly await you."
Sincerely,
J.M. Elgar, Hylian Fine Jewelry"
..
"It's done?!" Link said excitedly. "My gift to Saria is really done?!"
"It seems like it," Navi replied. "He must have worked very hard on it to have finished it in a couple days. He must've really wanted you to give it to Saria as much as you did."
"Well what are we waiting for?" said Link as he took off for his house.
"Link, wait up," Navi hollered as she flew after him. "You're not going now, are you?"
"Why not?" Link replied with a smirk as he arrived at the ladder to his house.
Moments later...
Once Link had gathered his item bag and everything else that he usually brought when traveling, he promptly left Kokiri Forest. Once outside, Link pulled out his fairy ocarina and played "Epona's Song", summoning the young chestnut. Once Epona arrived 10 minutes later, Link mounted up and they made their way toward Hyrule Castle Town. However, Link decided to take it rather easy on his trip to the castle town. So Epona only ran a rather moderate canter.
"Link, why are you going toward the castle so slowly?" Navi wondered. "Were you not in such a big rush to get to the jeweler's and grab that locket?"
"Of course I was," Link replied. "I was so excited, that I wished that my teleporting songs from my first adventure still worked. But as I waited for Epona, I started thinking about how I was going to give the locket to Saria. That night we spent together a couple nights ago would've been perfect."
"Well, Link, you could always create your own perfect time to present your gift," said Navi.
"Create the perfect time, huh?" Link pondered.
"Yes. I'm very sure your last time alone with Saria was a perfect time to give her the locket. But other perfect times will come along," said Navi. "Sometimes, if you're eager to give and such a perfect time doesn't come along, then you create it yourself. You create the perfect setting. You set the right mood. It can be something very simple, or it can be something very elaborate."
"Yes. Saria went through a lot to make that night so perfect for us," said Link as he thought back on the moonlit lake and Saria's beautiful dress. "I would very much like to have another night with her like that."
"Well, dear, if Saria can arrange a wonderful night for the two of you just to show off that dress you told me about, then you can do it too," said Navi with a smile. "Just arrange a night for the two of you for the purpose of giving her the locket."
"You know, Navi, I think I'll do just that," said Link. "I'll see about having her meet me someplace in the Lost Woods that we both enjoy outside the Sacred Forest Meadow."
"Oh? What kind of setting do you want to create? Where in the Lost Woods do you have in mind?" Navi asked as she flew closer to Link.
"I'm... not sure yet," Link hesitantly replied. "I want it to be similar to what Saria did, but I also want it to be different."
"Well, you have much of the day to think about it," said Navi. "Besides, we're going to the marketplace anyway. You might find some ideas there."
Epona whinnied as she continued her moderate canter toward the castle.
"See? Epona thinks so too," Navi said, giggling.
"I guess you're right," said Link.
Later, Hyrule Castle Town...
After a fairly leisurely ride through Hyrule Field, Link arrived at the front gate at Hyrule Castle Town and tied Epona up just inside the walls where many other horses were tied. The sun had completed nearly half its trip across the sky by the time Link had arrived. So he had plenty of time to not only pick up the locket, but also figure out what kind of arrangements to make for Saria.
When Link entered the marketplace, he and Navi found it to be as busy as ever, despite it still being late in the morning. Such a sight amazed them just as much as the first time they had returned here since their journey.
"Wow. Now I can safely say that this place has grown in the last two years," Link commented.
"I know," Navi agreed. "This is our third time here, and it's still very busy."
"I guess the King really wanted to bring all kinds of people and all kinds of shops here," said Link.
"Anyway, let's go get Saria's locket," suggested Navi in an attempt to steer Link back on track.
"Yet, lets," he replied. Then, remembering where Hylian Fine Jewelry was located, Link navigated through the crowd on his way there with Navi clinging to the fabric of his tunic at his right shoulder.
Soon, they emerged from the crowd and arrived at Hylian Fine Jewelers. Once free of the crowd and assured that she and Link wouldn't be separated, Navi let go of Link's tunic and hovered just to his right. Link opened the steel-reinforced wooden door and casually walked inside. There, the jeweler stood behind the counter, inspecting a new piece of jewelry under a magnifying glass.
Just as the reinforced door shut, he glanced up from his work to see the young teen in the green tunic and hat, accompanied by a glowing blue fairy. "Ah, Mr. Link, welcome back, young lad," the jeweler kindly greeted. "I trust you got my letter and have come for the locket, no?"
"Yes I have," Link replied. "That postman sure made it to the forest pretty fast."
"Well, they are very reliable," said the jeweler. "Wait right there. I'll go and get the locket."
As the jeweler turned to walk into the back room, Link fumbled through his item bag and fished out the voucher. He untied the rolled up parchment and neatly unrolled it on the counter, ready to present to the jeweler.
Not a moment too soon, the jeweler emerged from the back room carrying a medium-sized green felt jewelry box. "Here it is, young lad. Open it and take a look for yourself," he said before noticing the voucher on the counter. "And I see you brought your voucher too. Excellent!"
Link eagerly opened the jewelry box, and his blue eyes sparkled at what he saw. The golden locket and chain shined like the midday sun. The diamonds and emeralds around the sculpted edge twinkled under the store's light like the midnight stars. And the brilliant-cut sapphire in the center glistened like Lake Hylia on a beautiful spring day. Needless to say, Link was more than mesmerized.
"Wow, it's beautiful," Navi gasped.
"I must say," Link agreed. "It looks so much better than the other one I saw. And even that one looked great."
"Well of course, young lad. That locket is the real thing," said the jeweler.
Link ran his fingertips over each of the diamond and emerald studs, noting how perfectly they were cut and placed. Then, he found the hinge hidden in the top of the locket. So he slid the locket open and found the golden and textured inside to be equally shiny. "I need to find someone to make a picture of me to put inside," said Link.
"Well, there is a man from outside of Hyrule who can do that for you," said the jeweler. "He practices some new kind of art... something called 'photography'. He owns a shop here, so he can help you."
"Great! I know of the art," said Link, remembering the pictures that Saria and many in Kokiri Forest kept in their houses. "We had a traveling artist visit Kokiri Forest years ago when I was younger, who took all kinds of pictures of us. I wonder if it's the same guy who visited us back then. Thank you so much." Link closed the locket, closed the jewelry box, and placed it gently inside his item bag.
"You're very welcome," the jeweler replied. "Let me know how the young lass likes it."
"I will," said Link before he turned around and left the jeweler's. Once outside, Link sat down on a wooden bench as the dull roar of the crowd filled the marketplace.
"So all we have left to do is to get a picture of you for the locket, right?" Navi asked.
But Link only sat in silence, gazing into the crowd and seemingly lost in thought. Navi, however, placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"Hey! Are you still thinking about how you're going to give Saria the locket?" she inquired.
"Yes," Link softly replied before he turned to navy, nearly chuckling to himself. "I know what I want to do for Saria tonight."
"Really? Like what?" Navi wondered.
"Well first, I'm gonna write a letter to Saria and have a postman deliver it to her as fast as he can," Link explained as he started fishing in his item bag for his quill and parchment. "We'll go to that photography guy's shop first. Then, I'm gonna want to get some nicer clothes. Then, I thought about getting some really nice food to share with her."
"Oh, it sounds like you're trying to arrange a date," said Navi.
"A date, huh?" Link pondered.
"Yep. It's when a man and a woman meet together to engage in some kind of social activity to create a wonderful moment between them," Navi explained. "But, it's usually done if the man and woman either have feelings for each other or are seeking to develop them."
"I see," said Link as he turned his eyes to the sheet of parchment in his lap. "Then I guess it's a date. But once I'm done here, I'm going straight to the Lost Woods to set it all up."
"You mean you're not going home?" Navi wondered.
"Nope," Link replied with a smile. Then, he took his quill in his left hand, dipped it in his inkwell, and began writing his letter to Saria.
Later, Kokiri Forest...
After spending much of the morning to herself at the Sacred Forest Meadow, Saria returned home with a bottle of Lon Lon Milk for a pair of hungry Wolfos cubs. It had been a little over a week and a half since everyone agreed to adopt them. Within that amount of time, the cubs had already grown a few centimeters and gained a kilogram. With the care that everyone was giving these cubs, Saria was certain that they would grow up quite healthy. And every time she gazed upon them, it was that thought that warmed her heart and brought a smile upon her face.
Today, it was Saria's turn to care for the Wolfos cubs and keep them for the night. So she slid her boots off at the door and walked over to the miniature bed where the cubs lied. She gently took them both into her arms and carried them to her bed. There, she sat at the edge and placed one of the cubs next to her. She took the bottle and began feeding the other cub in her arms.
As the cub suckled on the bottle, Saria let out a very contented sigh. It wasn't just the two newest additions to Kokiri Forest that brought her such warm thoughts, but also a certain blond-haired and blue-eyed Hylian boy. It was only the second day since her moonlight rendezvous with Link, since she showed off a beautiful dress to him, and since he shared with her a very tender kiss. And since that night, Saria could do nothing but smile and giggle. She couldn't get that wonderful night out of her head, even if she tried. But Saria didn't mind, because she knew that Link thought about her a lot too.
Moments later, as Saria was feeding the other hungry Wolfos cub, a knocking sounded on her door frame. She gently set both the cub and the bottle down next to the other cub. "Yes? Who is it?" she asked.
"I'm a traveling postman, and I have a letter for you, Miss Saria," a man's voice replied.
'A letter? For me? Who could be sending me a letter?' Saria semi-skeptically thought to herself. She hadn't received any letters since Link was still in Holodrum, although she herself had sent out all kinds of letters to various shops and caterers. So she walked over to her door and pulled the door curtain aside to see the rather tall and lanky man in the white tunic.
"Here you go, Miss Saria," the postman said politely as he handed her the sealed envelope. "Well, I'm off to deliver more mail. Have a nice day." And the postman turned and ran out of Kokiri Forest like a rat deserting a sinking ship.
"Who's it from?" Spryte asked as Saria glanced at the wax seal. It bared a logo that she didn't recognize, But when she turned the envelope over, she found "My Dearest Saria" written in very familiar handwriting.
"This is Link's handwriting," Saria said excitedly as she broke the wax seal. She quickly removed letter from its envelope, unfolded it, and read it.
..
"Dear Saria,
I was out and about at Hyrule Castle Town after gathering fruit for everyone and immediately thought of you. I couldn't stop thinking about that magical night we spent together under the full moon. I would so love to have another night like that. So please meet me under the old moss tree at sundown, alone. I have another wonderful surprise for you. See you at sundown.
Your best friend in the whole world,
Link"
..
"Another night alone with Link?!" Saria exclaimed as she jumped up and down excitedly. "Oh, I can't wait."
"Wow. After what you did for him a couple nights ago, I wonder what Link has planned for an encore," said Spryte.
"Well, that's half the excitement," said Saria. "I'm already excited about just spending another evening alone with Link, especially after... after... he kissed me." And Saria blushed and giggled at that thought. She had to admit, kissing Link was the most incredible and magical thing she ever experienced. And a small part of her wanted to experience it again that night.
Spryte noticed Saria's blushing and giggling and floated closer to her face. "You really like Link, don't you?" she asked.
"Yes," she quickly replied. "With the way I think about him a lot, how I feel when we both hold each other, and how it felt when he kissed me... yes, I really like him."
Spryte smiled, "Uh-huh."
"What do you mean 'Uh-huh'?" she asked, glaring at Spryte rather jokingly.
"Oh, nothing really," Spryte replied, containing herself from giggling. "I'm just starting to get used to growing up. That's all."
"But I've been growing up for a couple years now. You're just now starting to get used to it?" Saria asked rather skeptically.
"In a way, yes," Spryte replied. "At least I'll have Navi to keep me company tonight... and the Great Deku Sprout and all the other fairies."
"Great. It's still a couple more hours before sundown, so I'll go ahead and get ready," she said as she walked over to her wardrobe.
"Saria, wait," said Spryte, stopping Saria before she could even open her wardrobe. "What about the Wolfos cubs? Isn't it your turn to care for them tonight?"
"That's right, the cubs," she said somberly as she let her hand slide down the wardrobe door. She really wanted to be alone with Link, but it was her turn tonight to care for the cubs. She couldn't just leave them alone in her house. As a responsible mother, her natural choice was to stay for the night and care for the cubs. She couldn't help but feel like she was at a loss. But as she thought about it, a bright idea hit her like a piece of fruit falling from a tree. "I know, I'll have Fado watch them tonight," she said, with the excitement returning to her voice. "She likes these little Wolfos cubs just as much as I do."
"Okay, dear. I won't stop you," said Spryte, smiling as Saria ran to her bed and took the Wolfos cubs and their bottle into her arms. Then, she walked over to her door, slid into her boots, and left her house. "Ah... youth," Spryte commented to herself aloud as she followed Saria out the door.
Soon, Saria arrived at Fado's door. With the cubs in her arms, she couldn't use her hands very well to knock on Fado's door frame. So she took a deep breath. "Hey Fado, are you home?" she called inside through the curtain.
"Oh hi, Saria," Fado replied from inside. "Yes, I'm home. Come on in."
Saria turned sideways and used her shoulder to push Fado's door curtain aside as stepped inside her house. There, Fado sat up in her bed with no boots on after taking a short early-afternoon nap.
"Hi Saria, how are you?" Fado greeted before she noticed the Wolfos cubs in Saria's arms. "Aww... you brought the babies too."
"Oh yeah. I just fed these little guys too," said Saria. "Hey Fado, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Saria," Fado replied. "What kind of favor?"
"Can you watch these little guys for me tonight?" Saria asked. "Please? I'll watch them for you the next time it's your turn to watch them, I promise."
"Okay, I'll watch them," Fado eagerly replied. "I just love having these little guys around. But, what're you doing tonight, huh?"
'I'd better not tell her about being alone with Link. No one knows how I really feel about Link... yet,' Saria pondered. Then, she turned to Fado. "Oh, Link's taking me to the Lost Woods to show me some really neat stuff that happens during the evening," she explained, having thought up a good cover story.
"I see," Fado replied. "It's so neat that you and Link are the only two who can go into the Lost Woods and not get lost. How do you do it?"
"Oh Fado, you know I that I have contact with the spirits of the forest," Saria replied. "Link, however, doesn't have contact with them like I do. But somehow, he still manages to find his way through the Lost Woods."
"He's so amazing," said Fado.
"I know," Saria replied. He really was amazing to her. That's why she had arranged that night under the full moon for him. And she was about to have another night like that one. So needless to say, she couldn't get it off her mind. "Well, Fado, I'm going back to my house to get ready," she said after seeing the Wolfos cubs creeping around at Fado's feet. "See 'ya."
"Bye, Saria. Have fun tonight," said Fado as Saria left her house.
That evening...
After a couple hours, the sun began to set over Kokiri Forest. And as the sun was setting, many of the Kokiri children began returning to their homes for the evening. Like good little boys and girls, the Kokiri would often spend the evenings inside their houses, and sometimes their friends' and neighbors' houses too. However, there were always a few Kokiri who enjoyed being outdoors after sunset.
But when Saria poked her head outside through her door curtain, she found only the lights shining from everyone's houses. A few fireflies shined their lights as they flitted about the village. But, she didn't spot the glow of even a single fairy.
"It doesn't look like anyone's out," said Saria as she pulled her head back inside.
"Are you sure you don't want anyone to see you leaving for the Lost Woods," Spryte asked, "and dressed like that?" Spryte took another look at Saria, who wore the same beautiful spring green sleeveless dress that she had worn two nights ago. She also wore the same brown dress sandals. However, she didn't wear a white rose in her hair tonight like she did then.
"Come on, Spryte, you know everyone still worries about me when I go into the Lost Woods after all these years, especially at night," Saria replied. "Besides... other than the play at the annual Summer Festival, no one's ever seen me wear a dress. And I'm... not quite ready for everyone to see me wearing one... not yet."
"Why not, dear?" Spryte asked. "Everyone already likes how you look in your princess costume."
"Well, it's just... they'll start wondering why I'm wearing a dress outside of the play. And I'm not quite ready to tell them that it's for someone special," Saria explained.
"Yeah, I can understand that," said Spryte. "But, didn't you say you got it to wear at Link's party?"
"Yes, but that was for a party. This is different. It's like... I don't know how to say it," Saria explained.
"You're wearing it to look good for Link, right?" suggested Spryte.
"That's it. And I'm not quite ready for everyone to know about my feelings toward Link... not yet," said Saria.
"And these feelings are still new to you," said Spryte. "You've only recently begun exploring them. On top of that, the others don't quite understand how friendships can grow, especially between a boy and a girl. So I can understand why you're a little reluctant to let everyone know about you and Link. But someday, they'll take notice just like they'll soon take notice that you're growing up."
"Yeah. When I'm ready, I'll tell them... we'll tell them, Link and I," said Saria as she turned to leave. "Spryte, can you... accompany me... at least until we get near the old moss tree?"
Spryte smiled at Saria, "Yes, of course, dear."
So Saria took one last peek outside, finding the coast to be clear, and left her house with Spryte trailing close behind.
'No matter how much she's growing up and maturing, she's still a Kokiri child who needs her guardian fairy, after all,' Spryte thought to herself as they entered the Lost Woods.
Moments later...
After traveling through the dark and dense Lost Woods with only a lantern in her right hand, Saria found herself getting very close to where the old moss tree stood. Despite leaving promptly at sundown, Saria took quite a bit of time to navigate the forest. Although she remembered the way to the old moss tree quite well, she had to navigate some of the denser parts of the forest more carefully so as not to mess up her beautiful dress. But her struggle through the forest ended as she neared the clearing where the old moss tree stood. Then, she turned to Spryte, "Well, we're here now."
"Okay, dear," Spryte replied, smiling.
"Thank you for coming with me," said Saria.
"You're welcome," Spryte replied as she began to back away from Saria. "You kids have a good time, okay?"
"Okay," Saria replied. "I'll see you when I get home."
After Spryte disappeared into the woods, Saria turned around and continued her walk toward the old moss tree. When she neared the clearing where it stood, she smelled something rather peculiar, yet somehow familiar. So she paused, closed her eyes, and took in the aroma from all around her. There, she pondered the strangely familiar aroma.
'Smells really good,' Saria thought to herself. 'It almost smells just like Link's birthday party... all that wonderful food... food?! That's what that smell is!'
Upon that conclusion, Saria took off jogging through the woods, being careful as not to get her skirt caught on a shrub. Soon, she arrived at the clearing and immediately found the massive tree where Link once hid from her during a game of hide-and-seek. But when she looked around, she found a rather small wooden table joined by a pair of wooden chairs sitting near the base of the tree. On the table sat a few plates of freshly-prepared fish, fruits, and bread. Only a table lamp provided the area with warm illumination. Saria gasped at such a sight.
'Wow, look at all that food,' she thought to herself.
"Hi Saria," Link's voice greeted.
Saria turned to her left and found Link standing near a circle of stones surrounding a pile of ashes and smoldering wood. But she found that his outfit looked very different than usual, and different than during their moonlight encounter. He wore his traditional green tunic and hat, but he also wore a brown leather vest over it. His white undershirt had much shorter sleeves, coming down just past the sleeves of his tunic. However, his brown belt, brown boots, and white tights looked the same as before.
"Hi Link," Saria greeted. "My, my, aren't we looking so nice."
"Thank you, Saria," Link replied. "I'm not the best with fashion, but I wanted to look good in my tunic."
"Well, you did a fine job. That vest looks great on you," Saria commented.
"And you look so beautiful in your dress, just like you did a couple nights ago," Link commented, looking Saria over from her lovely brown dress sandals to her sapphire blue eyes.
"Why... thank you, Link," Saria replied with a slight blush. She set her lantern down, walked up to Link, wrapped her arms around his chest, and hugged him tightly. When she did, Link wrapped his arms around her shoulders and returned her embrace. And there, they held each other for what seemed like hours. After their time alone together under the full moon, they had yearned to be alone together again, and to be this close again. But soon, the aroma of the freshly-cooked fish tickled their noses.
Saria loosened her hold on Link, looked into eyes, and commented, "Hey Link, that food smells really delicious."
"Why, thank you, Saria," Link replied. "Are you ready for dinner?"
"Am I ever," Saria replied a she let go of Link. "I'm so hungry, I could eat the biggest fruit in the forest."
"And I'm so hungry, I could eat an Octorock," said Link.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat," said Saria. So she turned and went to retrieve her lantern as Link walked over to the dinner table. She grabbed her lantern and promptly blew the flame out. Then, she walked over to the dinner table where Link patiently awaited her. As she neared, Link pulled one of the wooden chairs back for her.
"Why, thank you, Link," she replied as she kindly took her seat. Once she was comfortably seated, she patiently waited as Link took his seat across the small table from her.
"Well, go on ahead. Eat up," said Link. So they both took their plates and loaded up with fresh fish, boiled vegetables, heated dinner rolls, and fresh fruit. Many of these foods were quite exotic to Saria, having seen them only once at Link's birthday party. And having enjoyed this great food then, she was more than eager to dig in.
They remained quite silent as they ate. They both seemed to enjoy the amazing food more than the company they shared with one another. And why wouldn't they? They both enjoyed tasty food very much just as any kid would, even though they were older kids. Plus, they were hungry too. But over halfway through their meal, Saria finally broke the silence. "Link, this food is really amazing," she commented.
"Thank you, Saria," Link replied before taking the last bite of his fish.
"Did you... really cook all of this... yourself?" she asked.
"I sure did," Link replied. "Well, I didn't cook the bread and fruits, but I cooked the fish and vegetables."
As Link explained, Saria smiled, covered her mouth modestly, and giggled.
Link sneered, "What's so funny?"
"Oh Link, I never figured you'd be any kind of a cook," said Saria. "You never once cooked as long as you've been in Kokiri Forest."
"Well, I never really needed to. Besides, I was kinda nervous to even try it," Link explained. "But when I left the forest both times, I had to cook a lot of my own food. And often times, I had to find or hunt it myself. I was terrible at cooling at first. But after a while, I got better at it. I guess that with being away from home for so long, I sorta learned how to cook.
Saria sat in her chair, gazing into Link's eyes and smiling as he explained. The things that Link had learned on his journeys continued to amaze her. He learned many amazing new songs, he learned how to use all kinds of neat tools, he learned how to cook some great food, and he even learned a wonderful thing to give a girl such as a kiss. Saria had to admit, Link never ceased to amaze her. "Well, you certainly did a wonderful job, because this is the best dinner I've ever had," she commented.
"Why thank you, Saria," Link replied before eating his vegetables.
Saria too continued with her dinner. But she couldn't even get a few bites in without catching a glance at Link. He had arranged another evening that they could spend alone together and also cooked a wonderful meal... all for her. And at that thought, she brought her right foot up and barely brushed Link's tights just above his boot with the toe of her dress sandal.
When he felt something brush his left leg, he glanced up from what was left of his dinner to see Saria looking into his eyes. "Uh, Saria... what're you doing?" he wryly asked.
"Oh... nothing," Saria meekly and evasively replied, looking completely innocent as she rubbed up and down Link's shin with her foot.
'This is a strange feeling,' Link thought to himself as Saria continued to slowly rub his shin. 'It's kinda like when she was rubbing my chest the other night. It sorta... feels good.'
So Link extended his right hand across the small table. When he did, Saria looked into his eyes and cracked a grin. She stopped rubbing his leg and laid her foot back down beneath her, and then gently laid her left hand into his. And for a few moments, they just sat there silently, with Saria's hand in his, gazing into each other's eyes.
Then, Link finally spoke up. "Oh, I have another song for you," he said as he let go of Saria's hand. He took his cup and gulped down the rest of his Lon Lon Milk.
"You do?" said Saria, her pointed ears perking up. "Oh do play them for me." She finished off her fish and continued eating her fruits as Link reached into his item bag and extracted his fairy ocarina.
Then, he took it and placed it to his lips. And after a few quick scales to warm up, Link began to play a moderately-paced Celtic tune, one not unlike the ones that Saria had played a couple nights before. It was neither a festive nor a romantic tune, but rather one that a group of people in the lounge of an inn could relax to. And as Link played his song, Saria took a few bites of fruit and glanced at Link, mesmerized by his song.
A few minutes later, as Link finished his song, Saria finished her fruit and thus finished her dinner. "That was a wonderful song," she commented. "Where did you learn it?"
Link thought back on it for a moment. Then, he turned to Saria. "Well, after I found Navi, I returned to Holodrum to get Epona, as you may remember. But when I got there, the sun was already setting and the ship wasn't going to leave for the town outside of Hyrule until morning. So I stayed at the inn. When I got there, I saw some pretty familiar faces."
"Let me guess, the dancer girl and her dance troupe," Saria guessed as she grinned.
"Uh-huh," Link replied, and then continued. "They just happened to be there at night on their little tour all around Holodrum and beyond. And they played so many new songs, that I just had to learn them."
"Brilliant!" Saria commented. "You were learning new songs even as you were coming home, huh?"
"Yeah. I've been practicing this particular song for the last couple days since you showed me your new songs," said Link. "Ocarina songs are something we'll always share together."
"I know," said Saria, smiling at Link. "Are you finished with dinner? Your plate is empty."
"Yes, I'm done," Link replied. "I'm so full, I feel like I just ate a Dodongo. This food was so good."
"Well...," Saria said as she held out her hand for his, "come sit with me under the tree."
So Link took Saria's hand and they both stood up from their chairs. From there, they walked to the tree, holding hands along the way. Once at the base of the old tree, they both sat down. Link leaned his back against the moss-covered trunk and extended his legs out in front, while Saria sat to his left with her knees on the ground and her legs out to her side. Once comfortable seated, she leaned against his shoulder and let out a sigh, "Ahh... this is great."
"Yes... it's a nice evening in the forest," said Link.
With darkness having fallen over the forest, they could see nothing beyond the small area around them as the table lamp provided the forest's only illumination. Link could barely make out Saria's fair skin and even the piping and embroidery on her dress under the lamp's warm light. But even under the fairly dim yet warm light, Saria looked absolutely beautiful.
"I feel like playing another new song," said Saria, breaking up their short and silent moment.
"Oh really?" said Link.
"Yeah, but... I sorta... left my ocarina back at my house," Saria sheepishly said. "Can I borrow yours?"
"Sure, of course," Link replied as he handed Saria his fairy ocarina.
"Thank you, Link," she said before placing it to her lips. With it not being her instrument, despite being identical to hers, she took a moment to get a feel for it in her hands before she played a couple of scales. 'This is just like my ocarina,' she inwardly commented. 'After all, it was my spare ocarina before I gave it to Link.'
After warming up, Saria closed her eyes and began to play a somewhat slow and beautiful motif. It was a slower song than both the new songs that she had played two nights before, but its mood was every bit as romantic as her second new song from that night.
Link closed his eyes and gently wrapped his left arm behind Saria's back and around her waist as she played. "Now this is a beautiful song," he said in a low and soft voice. He listened as Saria continued playing her song. Now and then, he caught a glance at her lovely face under the warm light of the table lamp. More and more, he was looking at his best friend much more differently than he ever did before, seeing her as quite an attractive young lady. No other girl that he'd ever met, not even the beautiful Princess Zelda, compared to Saria.
After Saria finished her song, she lowered the ocarina and turned to Link, her eyes meeting his. "Well, what do you think?" she softly asked, watching the reflection from the table lamp dance in his blue eyes.
"It's such a beautiful song," Link replied. "What do you call it?"
"I call it... 'Eyes'," Saria replied, her eyes not averting from Link's. "I read somewhere that the eyes are the window to the soul. And as I thought about the next time I would gaze into yours again while you were gone, I wrote this song. It was the last song I wrote before you came home."
"You really are something, Saria," Link commented," You should be a musician or something. You know, share your wonderful songs with everyone in the world."
Saria's eyes averted slightly at Link's comment. "Well... I would love to, but you know I can't leave the forest," she said, and then turned back to Link. "But, I'll be sharing some of these songs with everyone at the festival."
"Brilliant!" At least it's a start," said Link. "You and I can both share our amazing new songs with everyone."
"Now that's a plan," she said, showing her warmest smile.
And as she smiled, Link turned himself toward Saria, wrapped his other arm around her waist, and pulled her close to him. In response, Saria wrapped her arms around his shoulders and nuzzled her cheek into the crook of his neck. "Mmm... I'm really liking being in your arms," she said.
"I like being this close to you too," said Link.
And there, under the old moss tree, they sat snuggled in each other's arms. They spoke not a word to each other and let their intimate moment express their feelings for them. They had both yearned to be in each other's arms again since the wonderful night they shared under the full moon. So for the rest of the night, they just wanted to be close to each other and take in the feel of their bodies snuggled up together.
After a few moments, a little voice in Link's head spoke to him. 'The locket, Link... the locket.'
"Oh... Saria?" Link said, breaking the silence as he remembered why he had invited her to the old moss tree in the first place.
"Hmmm?" Saria replied.
"I... have something for you," said Link.
Saria pushed herself up from Link's embrace and glanced excitedly into his eyes. "Really?"
"Yes," Link replied as he let go of Saria. "Come to the table where the light is and I'll show you."
So they both stood up and walked over to the table. Link gently moved the plates, utensils, platters, and cups to one side of the small table and the table lamp to the other. Saria took her seat, placed her hands modestly in her lap, and eagerly awaited what Link had for her. Then, Link took his seat across from Saria and reached down into his item bag.
Saria anxiously twiddled her thumbs under the table as Link took his time feeling through his magical bag. 'I wonder what he has for me,' she thought to herself. 'Ohhh... I really want to see.'
After an anxious moment of fumbling through his item bag, Link extracted a small box wrapped in a silk cloth and tied with a small ribbon. "Here you go, Saria," he said as he gently placed the gift box in front of her.
"Wow, it's really pretty," Saria commented as she took the gift box into her hands, feeling the soft silk of the wrapping brush against her skin as she brushed it with her fingers. "It's so neatly wrapped."
"Well, open it, silly," said Link. "I promise you that what's inside is even more beautiful than the box it comes in."
So Saria grasped the ribbon bow and untied it was a slow and easy pull. Then, she removed the silk wrapping from the box, revealing the green felt container. 'Oh, what is it?" What is it?' she excitedly thought to herself as she grasped the top of the box and hesitated. 'I'm so nervous. I want to open this box, but I just can't. Come on, Saria, you want to know. So open it already.'
She squeezed her eyes shut and opened the box as Link watched and smiled. After a few seconds of anxiety, she slowly opened her eyes and discovered the beautifully studded raindrop-shaped golden pendant inside. As the gleam of the gold and the glistening of the sapphire and studs caught her eyes, Saria drew in a very sharp and audible breath. "Oh my goddesses!" she gasped. "Link... I-I-I-It's... it's really... beautiful. Oh my goddesses, Link, you shouldn't have."
"You like it?" Link asked, still smiling at her.
"Like it?! It's the most beautiful little trinket I've ever seen," Saria replied.
"You were talking about eyes, right?" said Link, "Well, that sapphire stone in the middle matches your eyes perfectly. That's what drew me to it."
"Wow," she gasped as she took the locket in her left hand and removed it from its box to admire it.
"It's a locket you wear around your neck," said Link as Saria examined it. "It opens up too. Go ahead and try it."
Saria brushed her fingertips over each of the studs and all around the sculpted edge and found the small golden stud hidden in the top of the locket. Then, she pressed her finger on the sapphire and slit the locket open. Inside, she found a black and white picture that looked just like Link and drew in another sharp breath. "Oh my goddesses, it's you," she gasped. "It's a picture of you."
"Yep. Now you can always keep me close and look into my eyes anytime you want," said Link before he stood up. "Here, let me put it on for you."
Saria closed the locket as Link walked up beside her. She handed the locket to Link, who then unclasped the chain. He then stepped behind her, spread the chain, and set the locket down on the top of her chest. He then brought the chain around her neck and clasped it on. "There you go, Saria," said Link as he backed away.
Saria slid her left hand under the locket and looked down at it in the light. Even under the warm light of the table lamp, the diamond and emerald studs twinkled like the stars over Kokiri Forest, and the sapphire glistened like the moonlit lake. Saria stood up from her chair and turned to Link, meeting his blue eyes with hers. Then, she stepped toward him and wrapped her arms over his shoulders and pulled him close. She smiled very brightly and pressed her lips to his, letting her gentle kiss show Link her appreciation.
In response, Link caressed her lips lightly against his, once again showing her how much she meant to him. Without their guardian fairies around to ruin the moment, Link wrapped his arms around her waist and immersed himself in the kiss.
Saria tightened her hold over his shoulders and leaned her body against his. She then bent her right knee and lifted the back of her heal behind her as she leaned into the kiss.
After a few moments of sheer bliss, what seemed like an hour to them, Link and Saria slowly separated. "Thank you, Link," Saria whispered. "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome," Link replied in a soft and low voice before giving her another quick peck on the lips. "So what do you want to do for the rest of the night?"
"Well, it's still early in the night. Why don't we sit back under the tree and just be with each other?" suggested Saria. "I don't care how late we stay out tonight."
"I'd like that," Link replied. "I don't care either, as long as I'm with my best friend in the whole world."
Later that night...
The sound of footsteps coming up the latter woke Navi from her late night slumber. She sat up in her basket bed and glanced around her. Catching a quick peek out his window, she found the sky to be completely pitch black. On top of that, Kokiri Forest was very silent outside the footsteps coming up the ladder. So Navi concluded that it had to be at least close to midnight. Then, she glanced toward Link's door curtain. 'I wonder who could be coming up at this time of night,' she thought to herself.
Soon, the light from a lantern shined through the tiny space between the door frame and the edge of the door curtain. Then, the door curtain opened, revealing a familiar adolescent boy wearing a green tunic and hat, and a brown vest. "Link, are you just now getting home?" Navi sleepily asked as she shielded her eyes from the lantern's soft light.
"Yeah," Link replied as he dimmed his lantern. "I spent a wonderful night with Saria, so of course I'm just now getting home. I'm sorry I'm so late."
"Well... tell me about your date in the morning. You need your sleep, dear. So get to bed," Navi sleepily said before she fell back in her own bed. And in moments, she drifted back into sleep.
"Don't worry, I will," Link replied as he walked toward his table and set his lantern down. He then walked over to his wardrobe, opened it, and began undressing. As he did, he reflected on tonight.
After giving Saria the locket, they had spent the rest of the night in each other's arms. There, they shared stories of their day. They shared Link's day in Hyrule Castle Town and his preparations for their date. They also shared the story of Saria's time in the Sacred Forest Meadow, practicing some of her newest songs, including the one she'd played for him that evening.
After spending a couple hours alone in the Lost Woods, Link decided to call it a night as fatigue had crept up on him. So he walked Saria through the Lost Woods all the way back to Kokiri Forest. He even continued the walk all the way to her house, where they shared a long and blissful kiss good night before he finally came home.
Once Link removed his clothes and hung them neatly in his wardrobe, he slipped into his green and white stripped pajamas. Then, he walked back to the table and grabbed a twig. He then opened his dim lantern and lit the twig, and then used it to light a small oil lantern in the middle of the table. It was one that he and every Kokiri kept in their houses for use as a very dim nightlight, unlike the larger ones they all kept for illumination.
He then blew out his lantern and walked over to his bed. But just as he had gotten under his sheets, a knock sounded at his door frame. "Hello, Link? Are you still awake?" Saria's soft voice sounded from the other side of his door curtain.
"Yeah, I'm awake," Link replied, not even sitting up in bed.
"May I come in?" she politely requested.
"Sure, come on in," he replied.
Saria then slid inside through the door curtain. And as se walked toward him, he saw in the dim nightlight that Saria was still wearing her beautiful spring green dress and brown dress sandals. And she still wore her beautiful golden raindrop locket as it shined even in the dim nightlight. In her hands, she held her fairy ocarina.
"What is it, Saria?" Link wondered. "I'm really tired."
"Oh, I was thinking, and... I want to play one more song for you tonight," Saria replied.
Link smiled at Saria's gesture, "That's really kind of you. What kind of song are you going to play?"
"Just a really nice one that I wrote, that's all," Saria replied. "It's kind of a lullaby."
"A lullaby, huh?" said Link.
"Mmhmm. You wanna hear it?" Saria asked.
"Of course. I always like listening to your songs," Link replied, smiling warmly despite his fatigue.
So Saria adjusted the front of her skirt and sat on her knees on the soft rug next to Link's bed. Once comfortable, she placed the ocarina to her lips and took a deep breath. Then, she began by playing a short and sweet intro, and then closed her eyes as she began the melody. Much like Saria's previous songs from the last couple nights, this song had a very Celtic-like sound to it. It was a very sweet and relaxing melody, as a lullaby should be.
"It's beautiful," Link softly commented as he closed his eyes and immersed himself in his best friend's sweet song.
Saria smiled as she continued playing. 'Yes... I wrote this song just for you, Link... right before I wrote 'Eyes',' she thought to herself mid-song. 'I too love its sweet melody. It really relaxes me whenever I play it. I didn't tell you tonight, Link... but, I just couldn't stop thinking about you... ever since we spent such a heavenly night together under the full moon. You have no idea how much I yearned for another night like tonight. And you really have no idea how excited I was to have read your letter earlier today.'
Saria took another deep breath in between verses and continued playing her beautiful lullaby.
'This locket... it's such a wonderful gift you gave me,' Saria thought to herself as she played her song. 'You even put a picture of yourself in it for me. That was simply the best gift. I will always keep someone very special to me close, someone I care so much about, and someone I really... like. Even tonight, since you gave me such a wonderful gift, and after you kissed me goodnight, I just couldn't stop thinking about you. Right away, I wanted to see you again. Right away... I just wanted to play one more song... just for you. I just... couldn't resist the urge to come see you again tonight.'
Saria reached the final verse of her song, completely absorbed in both her song and her thoughts, and oblivious to all else. 'Is this what it means... to really... like someone?' she asked herself as she played the final verse. 'Perhaps I am starting to understand... just how much our friendship really is... growing. Maybe there really is something more than being the best of friends... and I think... I kinda...sorta... feel that way for you. And more than that, I've always felt this way. It's just... just like Spryte said: as I grow up, so will my feelings for you. If only you knew how much my feelings for you have grown, Link... if only you knew.'
Saria played the last note to her song. She took a deep breath and held her ocarina to her chest, not even opening her eyes. 'Yes... I do,' she admitted to herself. 'I do believe there is something more...'
She opened her eyes to look at Link in the dim glow of his nightlight, only to find him completely serene and motionless in bed. Saria smiled and quietly giggled. "Fast asleep," she softly whispered. "You must've been really tired, going through so much in one day just for me. You really impress me, you know?"
As she gazed at his tranquil face, she couldn't help but to reflect on everything she thought of and felt about him. 'Oh Link, you're always so adorable when you sleep,' she commented to herself in thought as her heartbeat began to rise. 'I just wish you knew and could tell me, Link... what this is I'm feeling for you... because... maybe...'
And at that thought, Saria stood up from the floor. She took another look at the sleeping boy and smiled. "Good night, Link," she said softly before she leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Sweet dreams."
She then gave him another slow and gentle kiss on his forehead, and gazed upon his peaceful face again. 'Yes... I think, no... I really do...," she thought to herself. 'Goddesses, Link, if only you knew...'
And suddenly, as if being driven by an uncontrollable urge from being imprisoned for so seemingly long, all of Saria's thoughts and feelings finally escaped her lips. "I... I love you, Link," she softly said.
She stood back up and looked at his sleeping face one last time for the night. 'So this is what it means... to love someone,' Saria thought to herself as she took a deep breath. She then turned to leave his house. But as she took the first couple of steps, she heard Link begin to stir in bed behind her.
"Mmm... I love you too, Saria," Link said quite sleepily.
Saria gasped and froze in place as Link uttered those words. Immediately, she felt her heart beating in her chest and her face hearing up as it began to redden. 'He... heard me?" Saria thought to herself as she was noticeably breathing in and out. Then, she looked back over her shoulder at Link, who was still very much dead to the world.
'He... loves me?' Saria thought to herself as the initial shock subsided. But that realization only made her blush even more. 'Oh my goddesses, he loves me too? He really loves me?!'
Saria beamed very happily as she walked out of Link's house and climbed down his ladder. 'Yes... I do love Link... I really do,' she confessed to herself inwardly as she headed back to her house to join Link and everyone else in the dreaming world. Tonight, Saria was certainly going to have some pleasant dreams.
end of chapter 9
Now how is that for an encore? Their relationship is developing to the point that Saria has confessed her love for Link. But did Link really hear her? Was Link's confession of love just a subconscious thought? We can only speculate for now. Just a few notes about this story: We all know Link is 13 in this story. But Saria, with her aging only half as fast and being a Kokiri who's been alive for who knows how long, looks of a 12-year-old in this story. As for all the Celtic music in the last couple chapters, I've always viewed Irish and Celtic music, whether folk songs or more relaxing songs, as very fitting to the Kokiri.
This chapter turned out to be my second longest one, with all the content I had in it. I'm already working on Chapter 10, which will likely be much shorter. So keep your eyes out for it. I hope you've enjoyed this and all my previous chapters. All reviews are welcome.
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its characters ain't mine, but belong to Nintendo and the various creators and directors of each of the games. So, please don't sue me. I'm just a lonely man who ain't got anything but his pride. Well, y'all enjoy this fanfic and review.
Have fun Zelda fans,
Viper Inferno
(Y2V)