"Ah, I feel much better now, thank you, Mido."
After a long drink from Zora's river, Saria felt hydrated again. The heat of the sun pounding directly upon her was not something she was used to. Now that she was in Hyrule's open fields, she was captivated by a sense of awe. Grass everywhere, it went on for miles! And the sky, normally obstructed by trees, was now bright and blue, save for a the occasional cloud. It was a wonderful sight to be sure, but she still had several questions.
"So, tell me again, what happened?"
"Well, the Great Deku- ehem, I mean the Deku Sprout, summoned all of the Kokiri."
"The Deku Sprout?"
"The Deku Sprout, erm... sprouted not too long after you left. Anyway, he told us that the evil that had killed, well, the Great Deku Tree, had vanished from the land, at that was reason to celebrate."
"Yes, that part I get fine. Keep going."
"And then, he said that we should leave the forest, and-"
"And you didn't stop and think something was up?"
"We did, none of us would listen at first. Of course, after some reassurance that we would be fine, we reluctantly left the forest. I left first, just to make sure it was safe."
"Did he say anything else? Any explanation? Rules? Reasons to leave?"
"Well, he told us that we should go out and enjoy ourselves, this day was destined to come for a long time."
"That's it?"
"I think... wait, no, he also said, 'words do not always mean what they seem.'"
"Well what in Hyrule could that possibly mean?"
"I still have no idea."
"I think it would be best if I heard it from the Deku Sprout myself. Which way is the forest from here?"
Mido pointed southeast from where they stood.
"Are you sure you're ready to get moving again? You weren't in too good of condition when I found you."
"Nonsense, Mido. The only part of me that still hurts is my arm, and I'm sure that will go away soon enough."
Saria didn't want to tell Mido that her arm was more than likely broken. He probably would have made her stay there until he got help.
"Well, if you are sure you're fine, let's go! We had better hurry though, it's almost sunset."
The sun had sank below the horizon just before the two made it to the hollow stump that marked Kokiri Forest's entrance. Mido had previously left the forest at nightfall, so the situation was an odd case of déjà vu for him, but that feeling was nothing compared to what Saria had felt. He ran in fast as he could, but Saria took a look around herself and passed along slowly. Seven years ago, right here, she had given Link an ocarina as a keepsake, and he left the forest. She had made it herself, hand carved from the very tree her house was made of. 'I wonder if he still has it? Does he treasure our friendship as much as I did?'
"Saria, c'mon!"
Mido always was impatient. He looked after her and twisted his head in confusion.
"What are you hanging around here for? The Deku sprout is this way!"
"Nothing Mido... just nothing."
Alas, Link had grown up, he probably didn't want to hang around with her, a kid, anymore. He had grown up things to do, and probably grown up friends too. But there was one thing she now realized, she had left the forest. Him and her no longer had anything standing between them. That is, if she could still leave the forest. What if she couldn't? Then she would be back to her old life, sitting around the village, and playing her ocarina by herself. She had plenty of friends, but none like Link. Without him, she just felt... lonely. Her and Mido walked through the village, and soon, they reached the Great Deku Tree's grotto. Not much had changed since Saria had been last, before she was abducted in the forest temple. The Great Deku Tree's dead trunk still stood, now, however, a sprout had emerged in front of him.
"Oh, what are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to be off celebrating?"
"Um... Mr. Deku Sprout sir, this is Saria, she hasn't met you yet."
"Ah yes, the sage of the forest! You have a few questions you've been wanting to ask me, don't you?
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Oho! Child, despite having only been around for a few years, I know how to tell when someone needs something!"
"Well, I have several things on my mind."
"Speak, then. Whatever your question, I may answer it."
What was she going to ask him? How was she going to word this? She didn't want to get any vague answers, she wanted straight crystal clear answers. She thought long and hard before responding.
"...Why are we able to survive outside the forest? Didn't the Great Deku Tree, the very dead tree behind you, say, 'if any Kokiri child leaves the forest, they shall surely die?' Why then, has everyone, myself included, left the forest, and survived? Are me and Mido not living proof that is not so? The Great Deku Tree... didn't lie... did he?"
The Deku sprout's smile turned to a frown, and he did not speak for a very long time. He slowly looked into Saria's eyes, and responded.
"You ask a very difficult question, forest sage. Are you sure you are ready for the answer?"
"Yes sir."
"Okay... leave us, Mido. I may tell you and the others later, should you wish to know."
"But- *sigh* yes Mr. Deku Sprout."
Mido left the grotto with his head hung low.
"Now... I shall tell you. Be wary, child, for this answer may not be what you would like to hear."
"I-... I'm ready."
"The truth is, you and your friends will all die."
"Wh-what?!"
"Hush, I have not finished yet. You will die, but not quickly. Rather, you shall live about seventy or so years more, and then die, assuming no sickness or peril fall upon you."
"But... I no longer will live forever?"
"No, my child, you will not. In leaving the forest, you have started an irreversible process. It may not be readily apparent, but it is in your blood. By the end of this week, you will no longer be a Kokiri."
"Huh? How so?"
"Because you have left the forest's protection, you shall be made like normal beings. You will age, you will be susceptible to diseases and ailments, you will be made a Hylian."
A Hylian? Was that not what Link was? He grew up into a strong man... does that mean Saria would soon grow up too? Was it good that she would grow up, even if it meant she would eventually die?
"I... so could I have left the forest years ago... and gone with Link?"
"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to, Saria. He had his destiny, and you had yours. He was destined to become the Hero of Time, and you were destined to become the Sage of the Forest. Had you left with him, neither of you would have fulfilled your destiny, and Hyrule would have been lost to Ganondorf."
The name Ganondorf still made Saria shiver. How could she be this selfish, wanting to disrupt future of Hyrule just to be with her friend more? Now, she was going to die anyway. Saria was on the verge of tears. She had been alive for several centuries, she didn't want it to all end so quickly. was there no way to prevent this?
"But... if I stay here, will I still live forever?"
"I am sorry child, but no. Once you have been tainted by the outside world, your life will fail. You still have many years left, so I insist that you enjoy them."
Saria burst into a fit of sobbing. Why did she have to die? Everything she had known all her life had been turned on its head. She was no longer immortal, she was mortal. She would be no longer Kokiri, she would be Hylian. But then she had another thought. She had been forced to leave the forest, why were the others made to leave?
"But... why did you make all the others leave? They don't all need to die, do they?"
"Saria, you and they are all of my father, you are not of me. Every time one of the Great Deku Trees die, the forest must change. And for the forest to change, you all must leave. It is a sad cycle, but it must be done to reform the protective barrier around Hyrule."
"I... I see... Now that I am free to leave the forest though... can me and Link... be friends again?"
"Oho! You always were friends! The forest can do nothing to stop that! However... Link himself may pose a bit of a problem."
"How so?"
"Maybe you had best ask Princess Zelda..."
Author's Note
This should be the end of this little tangent... for now.
Back to the main story in the next chapter.