Author's Note: Hey guys, long time no post. I apologize, but things have been crazy with work plus I recently moved out...so I unfortunately haven't had much free time to write.
But thankfully I was able to put some time aside to write this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it. And again, thanks to those of you who have been following the story and reviewing! I really appreciate it (reviews are what makes it worth finding the time to continue writing)!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda or any of its characters that may be referenced. I do, however, own some OC's that appear, but those are just made-up names for nameless characters in the games. ^.^
XXX
When Sheik and I arrive at the forest, we're approached by several Kokiri consisting of Fado, the shop owner, and two of the Know-It-All Brothers.
"Link, Mido left!" Fado bursts.
"What?" I frown. "When, and why?"
"This morning. He said he was going to go rescue Saria." Says one of the Know-It-All brothers.
"What?!" I repeat in shock.
"Oh Link, this is really bad!" Sheik shouts. "Kokiri aren't supposed to leave the forest!"
"Did he mention if he was headed to the castle?" I ask.
"Yes, he said that's where they're keeping Saria!" the shop owner shouts.
"And just what makes him think he can handle Vaati's forces?!" I half-shout, rubbing my temples and sighing. "He's going to get himself killed…"
"Perhaps not." The second Know-It-All brother chimes in. I glance up.
"Hmm?"
"Before she was captured, Saria entrusted Mido with the Emerald of Forest. Perhaps she had cautious feelings prior to all these catastrophic events occurring."
"Wait, so Mido has the stone?" Sheik asks.
"Yes. Legend has it that as long as the stone remains in the hand of a true Kokiri, they cannot be killed." The first Know-It-All brother finishes. I sigh.
"We're obviously going after him, aren't we?" Sheik asks me.
"Of course…but once we do, how do we convince him to return and remain here in the forest? He loves Saria to death…he always has. And he's stubborn. He won't be able to rest until he knows that she is safe."
"Please get him to return home, we're all growing increasingly worried." Fado says, tears in her eyes.
"I know," I say with a sad smile. "You know we'll do everything in our power to return him safe and sound." I turn to Sheik and whip out my ocarina. "I think the surest way to beat him to the castle is by warping to the Temple of Time." As I press the ocarina to my lips, Sheik delays me by grabbing my arm.
"And what if there are Gerudos patrolling the area? Link, they'll take you out in a second."
"But Sheik…he left this morning! That gives him a good six-hour head start at the least."
"He doesn't know the area. He's never stepped foot outside the forest."
"So? I didn't know the area either and got to the market just before nightfall on my first journey…and I left just past afternoon! And knowing how he feels about Saria, he won't stop to rest along the way."
"Well…"
"And Sheik, the castle isn't exactly hard to see from a distance! Even if we ride Epona there full-speed, I don't think we'll be able to reach him before he makes it there."
Sheik smiles at me sadly.
"You're right." She says finally. I nod.
"Thank you." As I go to resume playing the ocarina, she grabs my arm again. I arch a confused eyebrow.
"But Hyrule still needs their Hero intact and unharmed."
"But Sheik…" Sheik puts her hand out.
"Let me warp to the temple. I have Sheikah training, remember? I know how to hide in the shadows and use surroundings to my advantage. If I see Mido, I'll grab him. You meanwhile ride Epona to the market and see if you can cut him off before he arrives." I smile.
"That's actually not too bad of an idea…"
"Then allow me." I nod and hand her the ocarina.
"Thanks, Sheik. You're a good friend." Sheik gives an almost sad smile before placing the Ocarina to her lips and allowing the sweet melody of the Prelude of Light to fill the forest. She vanishes as soon as the last note rings out. With that, I give the Kokiri standing by a quick nod of acknowledgement before darting towards the exit, Epona waiting just outside where we left her.
XXX
Interlude
"It's dark out tonight…" Malon commented from her view of the outside world via window inside the confines of Jasmina's chambers. "The clouds are thick and dark. It's almost ominous…like a bad omen." Malon shivered and pulled away from the window to stare at Jasmina, who had been sitting at the foot of her bed with eyes downcast. "Hey, is everything okay?"
Jasmina broke her sad gaze to stare up at her sister. "Do you know where they wash the laundry?"
"Um…at the Market Fountain?" Malon responded. Jasmina nodded with a serious expression. "Erm, why?" Jasmina took a deep breath.
"I was assigned to laundry duty tonight."
"Oh." Malon said with a confused frown, not quite sure where the conversation was leading.
"The laundry basket is large and has wheels. I am to roll it down to the entrance room where the dirty clothes will be waiting. Then I am to wheel it out to the fountain and proceed with washing."
"Wow, that's quite a ways. Is Vaati so vain he makes you girls go all the way to the marketplace just to wash the laundry solely because he wants all the hot water for himself?" Malon laughed. "Seriously, think about it. That's probably the reason." Malon's joking smile faded when she saw how serious - and somewhat nervous - her sister looked. "Um, anyway…why are you telling me all of th…?" Malon trailed off as she began to put two and two together. "Wait a minute…"
"The basket is large enough to fit someone in. I have some dirty laundry in here you could hide under as I wheel you down to the entrance room."
"Jasmina, no…"
"I wasn't assigned an escort, so I will be alone. And once we reach Castle Town, you're clear to run."
"Jasmina, I can't! I can't risk you getting into trouble!"
"Malon, listen to me…"
"No, Jasmina! I'm not risking your life just so I can be free!"
"Malon, please listen." Jasmina said calmly. "Our mother ran off with you to keep you safe. I am so grateful that I've had the honor of getting to know you and what an incredible young woman you've turned out to be…I won't let everything she did for you be in vain." For a split second, the emotion on Jasmina's face was evident. But with a deep breath she was almost instantly able to regain her composure and maintain her fierce Gerudo warrior persona. "As your older sister, it is my job to protect you. I know that's what she would've wanted…to see you safe." Tears sprung into Malon's eyes.
"But…don't you realize how much trouble you could get in?" Jasmina flashed a sad smile.
"Don't worry about me. I'm sure our mother knew how much trouble she risked to return to the fortress. She risked her life to save you, and actually gave her life to save me. She died an honorable death, and I will not disgrace her memory. If I am caught and sentenced to the same fate, then so be it."
"No…no!" Malon was beginning to sob.
"Malon, please stop sobbing…do not grieve for me. I'm not going to keep you here and let Vaati use you as bait for the Hero. Think about Link, do you honestly want him rushing in here blinded by anger and not thinking straight as he goes into battle?" Malon let out a shaky breath and whimpered. "You don't have a choice in the matter. I will personally gag you, tie you up, and throw you in the laundry basket if you refuse." Malon looked up in shock, and Jasmina smiled half-jokingly. Malon sighed.
"So I take it there's no getting out of this?"
"None whatsoever." Malon sighed and pulled Jasmina into a hug.
"I love you, big sis…" Malon whispered, sniffling as she pulled away.
"Same here, Mal…" Jasmina took a strand of red hair and placed in behind Malon's ear. "Irina…" suddenly there was a knock on Jasmina's door.
"Jasmina! Laundry, now!" one of the elders called from the other side of the door.
"Yes, Lady Milandra!" Jasmina called back. Jasmina opened the door to see the large laundry basket sitting there. She wheeled it in and shut the door, turning to Malon. "It's time." She whispered.
XXX
"Thank you so much, Darunia." I say as I sit down.
As I had begun riding Epona to the castle, it had begun to storm heavily. It poured down for a good forty-five minutes before I even began to near the marketplace, and with no Mido in sight, I began to slow. That's when I ran into none other than Darunia, who had apparently returned from the Chamber of Sages to help the villagers at Kakariko who had lost their homes and even loved ones during Vaati's attack. He had been hiding nearby, looking out to see if I'd return. During the rainfall, Mido had apparently taken refuge under a nearby tree. A concerned villager had seen him and offered him shelter. Darunia made me aware of this by saying that a lone Kokiri had been seen headed towards the castle and had been taken in by a good samaritan. So here I am at the villager's house, Mido fast asleep on the bed and wrapped up cozily in warm blankets.
"Of course. Stephan here grew concerned when he saw him, as it's commonly known Kokiri aren't supposed to leave the forest." Darunia responds. I nod and smile at the kind villager.
"Thank you, Stephan."
"Of course. I couldn't just let the poor kid freeze to death out in the cold." He replies. I smile and turn to stare at Mido.
"Poor Mido…this whole mess has affected even the Kokiri."
"It angers me. The forest is supposed to be a place of peace and tranquility." Darunia says, balling his fists angrily.
"I feel like at this rate, nowhere will ever be safe again…" I sigh and put my head in my hands. I feel Darunia pat me on the back gently.
"Everything will work out, Brother. I have faith in you…we all do."
"Thanks, Darunia…" I mutter.
My thoughts are interrupted as Mido stirs and sits up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He blinks at me in confusion.
"Link?" he whispers.
"Hey buddy." I offer him a smile. "How are you feeling?" his eyes grow wide.
"Link, we have to go rescue Saria!" he shouts.
"Mido…"
"We have to! They're holding her prisoner in the castle!"
"I know."
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Mido throws the blankets off and jumps to his feet.
"Mido, sit down."
"What? Why?!"
"Because Mido, we can't go rescue Saria."
"What?!" he shouts. I gesture for him to keep it down, but of course I'm ignored. "What do you mean, 'we can't go rescue Saria'? Isn't that your JOB?"
"Mido, listen…"
"You're the Hero of Time, for Din's sake! You've rescued TWO nations in your lifetime! And you're telling me that you CAN'T rescue one of your oldest childhood friends?"
"I AM going to rescue Saria!" I snap, frowning distastefully at him. "And believe me, I know how you feel! There is nothing I'd like more than to burst in there and unleash Hell on them!"
"Then WHY can't you?!" Mido shouts, clearly trying to fight back tears.
"Vaati is a very powerful foe…possibly as much as Ganondorf. We can't just rush in there unthinkingly…we'd get killed." Mido's glare softens considerably as he lets my words sink in. "If it were that simple, don't you think I would've defeated him long ago? I actually just got attacked by him a few days ago…and he really did a number on me."
"Oh." Mido's anger seems to have been replaced with frustration…not directed at me, but at the situation.
"I lost my sword in the attack. So now Sheik is helping me regain the Master Sword." Mido's eyes seem to light up when I mention the legendary blade. "But in order to do this, I need to recollect all three stones. You know, the Spiritual Stones…"
"So you need the Emerald?"
"Yes." Mido sighs and looks down at the floor.
"But…I need it to protect me when I join you in the final battle..." I blink.
"Mido, you do understand I'm not taking you with me…don't you?"
"But Saria…"
"Just leave the fighting to me, Bud. Go back to the forest. All the Kokiri are worried sick about you."
"I don't care! And I don't care what you think! I want to help rescue her!"
"Mido, you've never stepped foot outside the forest a day in your life until now. What makes you think you can handle the wrath of Vaati and his minions?"
"You'd never stepped foot outside the forest either! And look what you became!"
"I learned from a young age how to wield weapons. And it was my destiny, Mido. I worked my way up from easy monsters and they gradually worsened, which gave me the experience I needed to take on and defeat Ganon." Mido pouts and crosses his arms. "So please, give me the stone. The Master Sword belongs in my hand, and with it I stand a much higher chance at defeating Vaati and rescuing everybody…including Saria." Mido regards me for a long time before removing the stone from his pocket and staring at it. I smile at him encouragingly. He steps forward slowly, looking up at me. "That's it, Mido. With this, I'll only need one more to get the Master Sword. And let's say after the storm lets up, we head back to the forest?" Mido looks down at the stone again before sighing.
"Saria entrusted this to me before she was kidnapped. If you won't go rescue her, then I don't need your permission to do so myself!" before I can even comprehend what he said, he's shoving past me and darting out the door.
"Mido!"
Darunia and Stephan follow me outside, but Mido is nowhere in sight. "Mido!" I shout again, the rain beating down on us.
"Let's split up. He couldn't have gotten far." Darunia says.
"Alright." Stephan and Darunia head their separate ways. I sigh and shake my head, knowing he must be hiding nearby and waiting for our backs to be turned so he can run off unseen.
"Okay, where would I be hiding if I were Mido?" I whisper. "MIDO!"
XXX
Interlude
"Okay, Malon. The coast is clear." Jasmina said, dumping the last of the clothes in the fountain before helping her sister out of the laundry basket.
"It's pouring buckets out here!" Malon shouted, stepping out of the basket carefully. Malon turned to look at her sister sadly. "Jasmina…"
Jasmina pulled her younger sister in a tight embrace before pulling away and patting her back.
"Go now, before somebody sees you."
"…Thank you…" Malon whimpered.
"Hey, Jasmina!"
Both Jasmina and Malon jumped in surprise as one of the elders approached. "Lord Vaati has requested your presence…" the elder's eyes grew wide as they laid upon Malon.
"Malon, RUN!" Jasmina shouted. Malon began to dash away just as the elder blew a loud whistle.
There must have been unseen Gerudos patrolling the surrounding areas, as several appeared seemingly out of nowhere as soon as the whistle had sounded.
"Guards, after her! Jasmina's trying to help the farm girl escape!"
"MALON, GO!" Jasmina cried just as she was tackled down by one of the Gerudo guards.
More whistles began to sound and more shouts began to bellow. Malon began to sprint as fast as her legs could carry her. She was almost free when a Gerudo tackled her.
"Ah!" Malon cried as she crumpled to the floor.
"I've got her! I…AGH!" Malon turned to stare in shock as the Gerudo was sent flying off of her. Malon did a double-take. Standing in a spell-casting stance was a familiar Sheikah.
"Sheik?" Malon whispered.
"MALON, RUN NOW! AS FAST AS YOU CAN!" Jasmina shouted as she was dragged away roughly. Malon stood up again and began to take off again.
Unfortunately she was yet again struck down, this time by a searing pain in her left shoulder. Malon cried out from the pain as she was sent to the ground, realizing she'd been shot by an arrow.
Sheik began throwing spells at Gerudos that charged at her, but soon realized there were too many. Sheik looked over at Malon concernedly before her red eyes took notice of something by the drawbridge.
Malon's eyes followed, and standing there was a terrified-looking Kokiri. One of the Gerudos took notice and began to charge at the young boy.
Malon stared back at Sheik, who was shooting an apologetic glance at Malon. Malon gestured her eyes towards the young Kokiri, as if telling Sheik to forget her and help the boy. Sheik frowned but nodded in acknowledgement before flashing a Deku Nut and vanishing, blinding the Gerudo that had been charging her.
Sheik reappeared behind the Kokiri boy. She pulled him into a tight grasp before flashing another Deku Nut, disappearing with him just in time to avoid the Gerudo impaling him with her spear.
All of this happened just as Malon was being roughly yanked to her feet, someone ripping the arrow from her shoulder. Malon cried in pain and cringed, trying to fight back her tears in front of these fierce female warriors. They began to drag her off unceremoniously back to the castle. All Malon could think about the whole trek there was how Jasmina had risked her life for nothing, and that it was all her fault.
XXX
"How could he have snuck past us like that?" I whisper in disbelief as Darunia accompanies me to Castle Town.
"He's a tiny little thing, and fast. Don't be too hard on yourself, Brother. We'll find him."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because I have faith." He says with a grin. I smile at him half-heartedly.
Not a second later, the rain seems to let up instantaneously.
"What's that?" Darunia points to something in the distance. There's Sheik, holding hands with a familiar green-garbed kid.
"Mido!" I run forward. Mido runs towards me with tears in his eyes. I get down to his level and hug him, and he sobs into my shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Link. I should've listened to you…"
"Never mind that, Mido. You're safe, and that's all that matters to me." I pull away and look over at Sheik. "What happened to him?"
"There…um…there were some Gerudo patrolling the area." She says, almost uncertainly. I disregard the matter.
"Did they…see him?" I whisper.
"Yeah, but I was able to get him out of there before they were able to touch him." I breathe a sigh of relief.
"Farore…" I swear. "Let's just get you back to the forest." Mido nods his agreement.
XXX
Author's Note: So I was finally able to write some ideas I've had at the back of my head for a long time now. I was certain Mido would be hard to convince to go back home to the forest as he cares for Saria so deeply, but even a kid like Mido would be smart enough to know what dangers he faces when he saw first-hand how fierce the Gerudos were. And Jasmina attempting to help set Malon free has been an idea I've been holding onto for awhile now, but they've both been caught and Sheik has yet again abandoned Malon, except this time she didn't set out to due to her jealousy...it was to protect Mido, who had been in more of an endangering predicament than Malon at the time. But do you guys have any thoughts on Sheik not mentioning Malon to Link? I'd love to here your guys' thoughts and comments!
Thanks again for reading, I will try to get the next chapter out faster! :)