Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Betaed by: Zim'Mostloyalservant and another.
THE GIRL FROM THE FOREST
Chapter 6
Malon had gently brought Luna to a halt as the road passed near a grove of trees. The underbrush this close to the road had been cleared to make it harder for bandits to lie in wait, but the trees were old, with thick branches almost reaching the dirt track's edge.
Saria was looking up curiously, while Malon was torn between frowning and wide-mouthed awe at the sight before them.
"Saria, did that owl just say hello?" Malon asked.
"Yes, I've met him before. Hello Gabera, sir," Saria said from behind Malon on the horse, making a quick wave before grabbing back onto the redhead, who flinched a bit. As a ranch girl, she was used to being stronger than most kids she met, but Saria was fit to crush rocks!
"It's Kaepora Gaebora, Saria of the Forest, and well met. And you too, Malon, daughter of Fegran and Talon," the great horned owl said, his face tilting side to side.
"That is the biggest owl I've ever seen. And why is it out in the day?" Malon whispered to Saria.
"I'm pretty sure he's magic, he has two faces," Saria whispered back.
"Those are just feathers!" Malon protested.
"Feathers that look like a face," Saria insisted. The owl made a sound like clearing his throat to grab their attention.
"Ahem! Well done in your quest so far, daughter of the Forest. No doubt many who would have questioned your worth are appeased. But peril still lies ahead."
"One to go, I know," Saria said.
"More than that. You should take care; the enemy may not know of you, or he may. Do not assume, as you make waves in the world, there are not others stirring the waters. Be mindful of those you befriend, when your enemy is a man who is abandoning honor. Farewell!"
The two watched the immense owl fly off.
"Do you think he could cary one of us through the sky?" Malon asked.
"I'd rather not find out."
"Seriously, you climbed a mountain, you shouldn't be scared of heights."
"Mountains and trees are different! They are firmly stuck in the ground," Saria whined as Malon set the mare in motion again.
The two girls continued a goodnatured argument as they carried on to the Castletown.
X X X
No sooner did Malon place Luna in a livery stable than Zelda in her Dezla attire was there behind Saria.
"How did you know we got here?" Saria asked the smiling blonde. Zelda pointed to Impa in her own disguise.
Saria tried to ask the question again with a look. Impa gave a sly smile.
"Let's say a little bird told me. Now, Malon is it, that is a fine mare there," the bodyguard said. And as Malon practically swelled up with pride and began to talk about Luna, Zelda dragged Saria off to the side.
"You did it. I knew you could. Goron City is saved and you got the you-know-what," Zelda whispered.
"The stone?" Saria asked to be sure.
"Yes."
"Will you take it now? It seems dangerous to carry it around with how much the Gorons did to guard it," Saria asked, patting her pouches.
"No, better you hold onto it. Ganondorf is a master thief, and he can just walk into the castle right now. Better to keep it safe by him not knowing where they are."
"So I shouldn't come back until I have the last stone then?"
"That's right. But since you and Malon are here, there is something very important we need to do before you leave for Zora's domain."
"What?"
"Bomchu bowling," Zelda said, her eyes practically gleaming.
X X X
The bombchu bowling alley was odd to Saria. The bricks it was built of were visible and a strange piece of furniture called a jukebox was emitting music. Malon suggested it was concealing tiny musicians. The sleepy shopkeeper woman insisted that wasn't the case, but got distracted after Impa in her disguise gave the woman several rupees.
"Uh, you're renting the store?" the keeper asked, her fatigue seeming to vanish.
"It's her birthday," Impa said, sounding quite exasperated.
"Well, prizes remain random regardless. Do they need to be taught how to play?"
"I'll show them! Give us the bombchus!" Zelda commanded. Impa cleared her throat, and Zelda quickly amended herself, "Please give us the proper number of bombchus in a safe and orderly manner."
It turned out bombchus were bombs shaped a bit like mice that when placed on the ground ran forward in a zig-zag pattern. And blew up when they collided with something. The game was trying to send your bombchu into a hole in the far wall of the alley while also avoiding obstacles shaped like blades and cuccos.
It was very loud. Saria was sure the boys back in the tribe would love it. Certainly the girls she was with took to it well. Malon was a quick study, and was soon overtaking Zelda's early lead in the score as Saria found herself practically pushed back by the friction between the veteran expert and the "upstart".
"Is she usually like this?" Saria asked Impa.
"No, actually," Impa chuckled, as Malon and Zelda turned their attention to one another while awaiting more ammo.
"You're falling apart city girl, you lack focus!" Malon cackled.
"Focus?! What do yo know about focus, I have to stay awake through genealogy lessons!" Zelda growled.
"Genealogy is important, how else would we breed better horses!" Malon huffed.
"Well you're shorter!" Zelda retorted.
"Am not, you're just wearing that hat you won earlier!"
"Says the girl who hasn't won a hat! All you got was an empty bottle and some rupees!"
"Should we do something?" Saria asked. It wasn't much different from the way Kokiri sometimes fought, but was it appropriate for Zelda as a princess?
The question hung unanswered, and Saria noticed with annoyance that Impa had left. Puffing her cheeks, Saria decided she was not just going to get shut out of the fun, even if she kept blowing up fake birds by mistake.
"Well, this will be a very profitable headache I'm getting," the attendant woman said, handing Malon and Zelda new bags of bombchus as they continued to glare at each other.
"You might have beginner's luck, Malon, but experience will win the day," Zelda declared.
"Are you really that good at this game? Or do you just like blowing things up?" Malon taunted.
"Hey, I'm getting hungry, any chance we can go for food?" Saria asked, feeling a tad left out as the rivalry continued to bloom like spring flowers in the meadows before her eyes.
"Not until she admits defeat!" the two Hylians objected in tandem.
"Saria," Tuia whispered from the pouch, "We can probably leave to get something and come back, they won't notice. Besides, all these explosions are giving me a headache."
Saria was not willing to just leave without telling them, so she tried clearing her throat as the two continued their ever more erratic bombardment in the general direction of the hole. Getting louder and louder with the clearing until finally-
"HEY! LISTEN!" Saria yelled finally. Just as the two ran out of bombchus as it turned out, with them practically jumping out of their shoes, only to stare at Saria in shock.
Saria's indignation gave way to uncertainty at the sudden attention.
"Uh. Girls! I, well…"
"Time for food," Impa said from right behind Saria, making the Kokiri squeak in surprise. Impa was holding a stack of covered trays that hid her face and set them down on the floor.
"But we're not done," Zelda objected, trying to not sound whiny, if Saria was any judge.
"For the moment you are. Now I have meatbuns, Lon Lon milk, steamed vegetables, apples, and cream cakes."
"What's a cream cake?" Saria asked, sitting down with Impa as the bodyguard set out and uncovered the meal for four.
X X X
Saria rose gently into the warm dark of not quite asleep, with little thought snuggling down into the softness she was on. She resisted an urge to roll or curl, feeling the slight weight and familiar warmth of Tuia on her chest. There was only contented calm, not even a ghost of an urge to awaken fully.
Then a hand smacked her face.
"Bwugh?" Saria said around the hand as it pulled away.
Blinking sleep away, Saria propped herself on her elbows. She was on the biggest bed she had ever seen, most comfy too, in a room painted blue, with Impa sitting nearby with a tray covered in copper. The origin of the hand was Malon, still sleeping next to her, squirming about and muttering about keese trying to steal her cheese.
Groggily, Saria looked to her other side and realized she and Malon had been forced to the side, as Zelda was splayed out, snoring loudly.
And her stomach hurt, Saria realized, letting herself fall back to the mattress to clutch her aching tummy.
"That's what you get for overeating, especially on all of that," Impa chided. The Sheikah woman regarded her with red eyes as she set a tray with three cups and a steaming teapot down on the night stand.
"What happened?" Saria asked.
"You three ate yourselves into a stupor, and I brought you here to sleep it off. Brings back memories of my older brothers, only lighter and better smelling. Well, two smell better," Impa chuckled, glancing at the wriggling Malon. She poured a cup and handed it to Saria. The Kokiri sniffed the contents and gagged.
"Medicine never smells good, Saria," Tuia chided. Saria nodded and, pinching her nose, gulped it down.
"Ohhh," Saria moaned, rubbing her stomach as the hot liquid hit it.
"Well, you've had your fun. I took the liberty of preparing your pack for the road. And extra rupees to make sure you won't have poor funds for the trip to Zora's Domain. Just follow the river road, you can't miss it. And once you reach the waterfall, play Zelda's song."
"That didn't work with Darunia," Saria pointed out.
"Boss Darunia, young one. And it will work to get you an audience with the Zora King, trust me. Now get dressed, you can wash up tonight at whatever inn you end up at."
Saria glanced to the other girls.
"Shouldn't I say goodbye?"
"That will only delay you, and make things awkward. Once the realm is safe, you can play around with the likes of them, little one," Impa said with a smile, rubbing the top of Saria's head while the Kokiri pouted a little.
X X X
Saria made her way down the streets of Hyrule Castletown, adjusting the Ingo hat in preparation for the trek across the Field. The road was longer than to the Gorons, and she didn't want to worry about sunburn along with protecting sacred jewels.
Curious about the home of the fish people, Saria got out her ocarina, having a mind to see herself off with music, when a crier in the market she was passing through grabbed her attention.
"Wolfos pups poached right from the Forbidden Forest!" the Hylian called out. Saria stopped in her tracks and turned to regard a booth surrounded by cages of wood and iron.
X X X
"I cannot believe you spent every rupee on this," Tuia muttered, as Saria hiked down the road into Hyrule Field. Saria was carrying an iron cage nearly the size of her torso with ease, only troubled a bit by the size making it awkward to carry.
"I couldn't just leave him there! He looked so sad," Saria said, turning to show her cargo to Tuia again.
Earlier:
The wolfos pups were fakes, not that the vendor agreed with her. But she took note of a large cage whose occupant barely fit in it. Scaly, lizard-like, but it practically brimmed with energy from crimson scales with ridges along its back and pale horns on its head. And most of all, large eyes that looked out forlornly as it was forced to curl in on itself.
The burly man in a too bright outfit and a too wide smile noticed her staring at the creature.
"Ah, the baby dragon! A rarity indeed, hatched from an egg pilfered from a distant land. Excellent for guarding valuables. And it doesn't get too big either, unlike what fairy tales say. Though I suppose you don't have much in the way of valuables to guard."
Saria ignored him for the moment, laying a hand on the cage. The stall, with all its cages, felt bad to her, but this one felt like it was the worst. Her rupees were heavy in her pouch.
Present:
Setting the cage down on the roadside, Saria drew out the key she had been given.
"Okay, let's get you out of there! My name's Saria of the Kokiri, I'm gong to call you Crimson, because you are. Let's be good friends! I'm traveling right now, but I'm sure you'll love the forest when we do head-" Saria opened the cage, only to be knocked on her back and trampled when the little dragon literally ran her over.
Sitting back up, Saria blinked in confusion rather than pain.
"Looks like he has other plans," Tuia remarked.
"…Well, as long as he's happy. BUT HE WAS SO CUTE!" Saria wailed, falling onto her back again to wordlessly throw a tantrum for a moment at not getting the adorable reptile. Then, taking a deep breath, she got up and dusted herself off, looking around to see there was no dragon in sight.
"Well, guess I'd better get moving to reach an inn," she sighed.
"You're broke, Saria, it's back to Stalchild dodging come sundown," Tuia reminded her.
"Ahhhh," Saria whined.
X X X
With no money for an inn, Saria just focused on traveling quickly. Those heart containers seemed to have made her stamina greater too; so long as she wasn't running much, she was able to go quite a ways down the road before needing a break.
Still, despite good weather and travelers that either greeted her friendly or ignored her, she felt she was being watched. The Kokiri wondered if she should leave the road and try to find out who.
Cross-country might be quicker, but until she reached Zora's River, she wasn't sure she wouldn't get lost without the road to guide her. Which would defeat the whole time saving part of going cross-country.
Finally, she stopped to get in supper before sunset saw her hiding from Stalchildren, and got out meatbuns wrapped in paper for traveling. Even stale from time spent traveling, she could still get a whiff of their aroma.
"Saria, the dragon's back," Tuia told Saria from her spot on a patch of clover. Tilting her head, Saria saw that Crimson was indeed there, watching her from an overgrown hedge, his head sticking out on his stretched neck, sniffing the air.
"You're the one who's been watching me!" Saria exclaimed happily. Getting up, she watched the dragon pull his head back into cover. But didn't hear him leave the bush.
"Hmm, okay then," Saria said, sitting down again. She thoughtfully pulled out her sack of meatbuns and set them next to her, before tearing one in half and throwing half of it to land between her and the hedge.
"Hungry? Can't imagine someone who crammed you in a cage was feeding you well. Not up to hunting?" Saria asked the hidden dragon.
"Well, he claimed this one was stolen as an egg. He might never have hunted before. Been in one cage or another his whole life," Tuia pondered.
"Oh," Saria said, ears drooping slightly at the thought of a creature not knowing how to be part of the forest or wherever.
"Come on," Saria urged as the dragon crept out from cover, neck stretched and eyes on her. He snapped the meatbun up quickly, and purred loud enough for her to hear.
"Dragons purr?"
"What else would they do?" Tuia asked, self-importantly.
"Here, have another," Saria said, holding out the other half of the meatbun. The little dragon's eyes met hers. Saria smiled.
And the dragon dashed past her, grabbing up the whole bag of meatbuns in his mouth.
"Hey!" Saria yelled, springing up to chase after the dragon, brandishing half a meatbun.
X X X
"Git!" Saria yelled as she shattered a trio of Stalchildren in quick succession. The moon was high and dawn was far, and the skeletons seemed particularly persistent tonight.
"Still no good hiding places," Tuia reported, flying back to Saria's side. They were currently making their way across a field that had been left fallow, clover being crushed underfoot.
The last thicket Saria had tried for shelter had seemingly been hosting a bone party of some kind; looking back, Saria could see the mass of glowing eyes still following her. At brisk walk you could outpace them, but they were very, very persistent, the undead.
Cresting a hill, Saria stopped.
She didn't see many other travelers at night, and this was probably why. The Stalchildren were swarming below, a cluster practically climbing over each other, and the smell of blood and death thick on the air. And drawing more of the monsters.
"Saria! Go left!" Tuia ordered as the gathering mass of undead below took notice of her.
This time, Saria ran.
X X X
One blow after another, that was all there was to it. Don't bother over how many or that there was no exit. Dawn wan't that far off, see the glowing eyes, swing and smash.
Saria forced any hint of panic down as the sword got heavier. It was just like meeting rabid forest creatures, you had to remain calm. And surely someone would share a poultice for the racking cuts across her back from skeleton claws.
Just keep going until dawn.
So she was more stunned than properly surprised when fire engulfed a line of skeletons, briefly framing them in fire before they fell, crumbling to ashes.
"Huh?" Saria said, after cleaving skull from spine.
"It's him?" Tuia asked, as Crimson dashed through the gap to take a spot at Saria's back.
"You do like me!" Saria cheered and, feeling the spiny tail smack her leg, Saria gave a fierce grin and faced the oncoming undead.
X X X
"No dragons allowed in Zora's Domain," the guard stated.
"What? Why? I got him in Castletown," Saria asked.
Zora's River flowed onto the plain from a lush valley carved into the mountains, and both banks were dominated by a wall of stone and iron with only the water flowing freely. The gate was barred, with four silver-scaled fishmen with tails sprouting from the backs of their heads and black eyes above their pointed noses standing guard with silvery armor on their torsos and shins and short spears on their backs.
"The Hylians will let anything in for enough money."
"Well, she can bring it in, Balton. I mean, the valley isn't the Domain."
"Quiet, you want that thing wandering about craving grilled Zora?"
"Don't go misrepresenting the rules just cause you're scared of fire."
"I am not scared of fire! I am respectful of danger because of my experiences."
"The Goron backhanded you onto that grill because you walk like a cat and he didn't see you. Let it go, Balton."
"Well, we aren't letting Hylians into the Domain, anyway. The best she could do is hope someone steps outside to trade with her."
"Maybe she just wants to sightsee? Ever think of that? Not everyone comes here to make money, even with fish like you trying to scare people off."
"So, can I go in or not?" Saria asked.
X X X
It turned out she could go in, and Crimson was following her, occasionally sniffing the air, scratching at the ground.
Though the guards had been very firm she was not allowed to fish in their territory. And warned her to watch out for octoroks, which had been multiplying at an alarming rate lately. Apparently they were tentacled fish, much bigger than the one in the forest, who swallowed and spat rocks to hunt.
And they were indeed very annoying to deal with, her shield arm getting sore from deflecting their attacks from the river itself. But Crimson kept rushing to the water's edge to try and burn them with his fire. The octoroks were well out of range and happy to pelt her poor dragon, who ran behind her, growling until the next time he felt the need to attack.
Well, the valley wasn't uniform, and the road winding along the river rose up to tower over the river and leaving the stupid octoroks behind. Still looking ahead, Saria could see the river road would descend again, and it seemed too much to hope there wouldn't be more dragon-bullying octoroks.
On the bright side, she soon ran into the first person she'd seen since crossing the border into Zora territory.
Saria was pretty sure he was a Hylian, though he had a larger head and neck so thick it blended into his round torso. Very pale, with a picture drawn on his arm, and no shirt. And he had a large sack next to him.
"Hey kid, want to buy some magic beans?" he asked as Saria approached. Saria stopped and looked at the bean pod he was offering her.
"Magic?"
"Oh yeah, very strong magic with this crop. They will take you places."
"Can they get me to Zora's Domain quicker?" Saria asked, stepping closer.
"Nah, you got to let the magic just grow as it grows, let it take you where it takes you. You can't be distracted by knowing where you're going."
"Okay, well, I do need to get to Zora's Domain, so bye!" Saria waved, walking on down the path.
"I can't promise you cheap prices later! The demand will go up. People want to go places! I want to go places," he said, before eating the bean in his palm.
X X X
"Crimson, start the fire!" Saria commanded, pointing at the firewood she had piled. Night was falling, and to her surprise no nasty skeletons had come out. So on this high ground, after finding a well-used fire pit, she'd decided she and Crimson should make camp.
Crimson just stared at her, and sat on his rear.
"Listen Crimson, Saria gathered the fire, now you start the fire. We can be a team. And I think the fire magic I've got is way too kaboomey for just starting a campfire. So come on, pretend it's a monster."
The dragon rolled over to show her his belly.
"I think he wants more belly rubs. This dragon thinks he's a dog," Tuia remarked from her spot floating around Saria's shoulders.
"Well, maybe dragons do act like dogs? I've never met a dragon before," Saria said as she walked over to give dragon belly rubs.
"So it really is a dragon," a voice said in the gathering dark. Saria looked around and spotted something silvery-blue ducking back under the ledge nearby.
"Hey, are you spying?"
"I suppose I was," the visitor sighed, instead hauling herself into sight. A Zora woman, Saria noted. She had the same silver-blue scales, and fins on her arms and ankles. But her body was more curved like Impa, and instead of a long head tapering into a tail, her head flattened wide where her ears should be, with two smaller eyes catching the light flanking her forehead, with some pinkish scales in place of a scalp.
"Hello, do you live here then?" Saria asked.
"No, I live in Zora's Domain, of course; it's a rare Zora that lives outside the Domain or Lakton. Though they do exist."
"Well, I'm Saria, I am going to Zora's Domain, and this is Crimson, he's going to light our fire tonight."
"I am Tila', an assistant perfume crafter. I heard a Hylian was hiking up the river with a dragon and wanted to see one."
"Okay. Say, do you know why there aren't any nasty undead around here?"
"Well, obviously it's because unlike the Hylians we haven't angered the restless dead!" Tila' snapped. Then, blinking, she glanced to the side, "Not that a child like you has anything to do with that."
"Is this about that war?" Saria asked.
"Things tend to come back to it. Here, I'll get your fire," Tila' said, pulling flint from her a strange pouch tied to her waist. While Saria gave Crimson a guilt-inducing pout, the Zora lit the fire, careful to keep her distance from the rising flames.
"Let's not talk about the war," Tila' said.
"Okay. How much further to the Domain?" Saria asked.
"Two days by road for most Hylians. But there's no point in you continuing. Didn't the guard tell you the Domain is closed to outsiders? And it's only gotten worse after… it's gotten worse. Children shouldn't be wandering about right now anyway. We have been keeping our own pollies in the Domain or at the Lake."
"Can't go home, I have a job to do," Saria said.
"Well, you should know dragons aren't allowed in the Domain. Zora have a history with dragons. They find us tasty."
"Well, Crimson will behave himself. Crimson?" Saria said, reaching over to pat her dragon, only to find him gone.
Tilia' grunted and pulled her hand up to find it was in Crimson's mouth, pulling him up with the appendage. He gave the Zora big wet eyes as if kindly asking if he could eat her.
"Crimson! Bad dragon!" Saria scolded as the Zora woman screamed and started running around the fire, dragging the little dragon.
X X X
The entrance to Zora's Domain was behind a waterfall, a very pretty waterfall. Well, one entrance — judging by the signs and dock, people usually were taken in underwater by the Zora. Well, that was closed, but if she was reading this right, she wanted the entrance further up. Namely a bridge across the plunge pool made of stone with the royal crest on the centermost stone. A pair of Zora men watched her, so she waved to them before getting her ocarina out, and playing Zelda's lullaby like Impa told her.
With the last note, the air seemed to shift. Saria stepped off the softly glowing crest, and the waterfall split, revealing a door that was sliding into the walls, revealing a big tunnel and another bridge that extended to connect to where she had just been standing.
Crimson growled at all the movement, his ears going flat. He relaxed as Saria scratched behind his ears.
"Neat, let's go Tuia. Crimson, you be a good boy and wait out here," Saria said, taking in the sight and walking carefully over the wet stone, leaving the Dragon behind on the bridge.
"It can't just be that easy, can it?" Tuia pondered.
X X X
"But sir, I really do have permission to use it," Saria pleaded, holding up her ocarina in the alcove the Zora guards had put her in.
Zora's Domain was a very big cavern, with white glowing rocks for walls and streams of water falling from above into a great pool. There were ledges carved in the walls along with pathways and doorways, but with how many Zora were swimming in the clear waters, she guessed most of the city was underwater.
Not that she had gotten to see much of it, as she was quickly taken aside by this group of Zora guards wearing helmets and wielding spears.
"Listen young miss, that entrance is only for use by the royal family or their official representatives."
"And most official representatives aren't authorized to use it."
"And we get word from Hyrule Castle in advance of any state visits. There is no such a thing as surprise state visits."
"Impa said the ocarina would work this time," Saria grumbled. She was starting to wonder if that almost-a-mother knew what she was doing.
"What is this?" A Zora woman with thicker fins than Tila' and a vest of dark blue adorned with six gold medallions said, walking up the ledge, still dripping wet from presumably just being in the water.
"Lady Magistrate, this is the illegal entrant for the royal passage."
"A child? Whose bright idea was it in ancient days to make a door that opens to a song anyone can play?" the woman sighed, shaking her head. Saria wondered if this was why the other end of the passage had the very thick-looking iron door on it.
"Well, I will take her to His Majesty," the magistrate stated.
"Is that necessary? She is just a child. We should just take her back to the border and send her on her way."
"Back into the undead?" another guard said in an unimpressed tone.
"I meant during the day, Zymun, stop putting words in my mouth."
"The law clearly states usage of the royal passage is royal business that needs to be judicated by the King himself, as it is both sacred and historic as a trust of the royal house. And it would be good to get him out of his bed; His Highness has done little but sleep and eat the last two days," the Zora woman said to the guards, thinking Saria couldn't hear them lower their voices.
"No word on the Princess?" the guard asked.
"No, and Lord Jabu-Jabu's condition continues to worsen. The King fears for his daughter, and that the end of the Domain may be upon us."
Saria let the two argue it out, and finally was led off by the magistrate and her shiny vest. She took the time to compliment the polished gold, which seemed to please the Zora woman. And so they descended to a doorway adjacent to a much smaller waterfall that emptied into the Domain, a pair of well-dressed guards stepping aside for the magistrate.
Well, the Zora King certainly looked like someone who did too much sleeping and eating, Saria thought. His house seemed to be carved into this place, like everything else, and the room she was led into had little in the way of furniture but a large stone couch for the King, with large fish corpses decorating the wall, and a stone chair she'd been steered into. And water flowed over the floor; she was feeling rather soggy being here.
The King himself was the fattest person she'd ever seen, and had the fishy mustache some fish had, bulging eyes again more like a fish, yet limbs that looked scrawny and poorly matched to his thick body and head. He wore a red cloak that seemed to have been thrown on, and a gold crown adorned with sapphires fashioned in the shape of water drops.
"Presenting King Zora De Bon XVI , Warden of the Flowing Water, Heir of the Once Seabound, Shield Against the Verdant Plague, Keeper of the Fountain Pact, Lawful Master of Lakton, Lord of the Domain, King of the Zora of Hyrule, and Four Time Winner of the Silver Scale Diving Contest," the magistrate declared, introducing the unimpressed-looking fishman with impressive flourishes.
"Why have you dragged a child here, Lulu?" the King groaned with a deep gargling voice.
"Your most moist Majesty, it is royal protocol. And you should address me as Lady Magistrate while I am on duty, and off duty for that matter. These shiny medallions deserve respect," Lulu the magistrate gasped.
"Well, you can go polish them. This shouldn't take long," the large Zora said, rolling his eyes.
"But she used the musical door, Once Shiniest One."
"I'll take care of it, Magistrate. If you want to be useful, join the search. You're not Princess yet."
Looking practically on the verge of tears, the Zora woman bowed herself out of the room, closing the door with a flourish.
"Excuse Lulu, she tries too hard. So did someone dare you to use that fancy sacred door?" King Zora asked dispassionately.
"No, Lady Impa told me to. She sent me here to get the Zora Sapphire."
"Only Lady Impa? Why not claim Princess Zelda herself asked you to get it over tea?"
"Well yes, Zelda asked first. And I already got the Ruby," Saria said, whipping the Goron Ruby out to cast its glow in the room.
The King made a startled gasping sound, jiggling as he made to stand, only to sit down harder, eyes fishy wide.
"Let, let me see that?" he asked, stunned. Saria walked over and put the ruby in his webbed hand.
"No doubt. It's been nearly a Hylian lifetime, but I journeyed to Goron City to see it myself, as three Bosses have journeyed here in my lifetime. Beautiful, powerful, beyond compare."
"I have the Emerald too," Saria said, pulling the Kokiri Emerald out.
"…Are you really a Hylian child?"
"No, I'm a Kokiri, and this is Tuia," Saria said, with Tuia emerging from her hiding place.
"We are on a mission from the Great Deku Tree, his final will," Tuia declared regally. The King held out a finger, and Tuia alighted on the tip briefly.
"After all these decades of my life, I never thought I'd be permitted to see one of the Hidden Race. And here one comes to my home, treated like a petty criminal. My apologies."
"Don't worry. Impa probably realized me breaking that rule would be the quickest way to see you. She's very smart," Saria said, stepping over to pat the King's hand before Tuia returned to her shoulder. The King smiled and gave a short laugh.
"Lady Impa is indeed an impressive woman. All the more for what she has gone through. But you say the Eldest of Trees has perished? And while the dead haunt he Hylians by night. And our patron deity is ill. Dark signs upon dark signs."
"What patron deity?" Saria asked, eyes focusing.
"Jabu-Jabu, Lord of Fountains. He resides in and wards the Zora Fountain, the source of the Zora River which flows into the Great Hyrule River and even to the Great Lake. Some even say it flows deep beneath the ground to bless all the waters of this land. Some say Zora of old built it at his instruction. Others say that when the Zora left the sea, he and the fountain were here waiting for us as a new home. But whatever his origins, he has watched over the Fountain and Domain, blessing the Zora. But now he grows lethargic, shunning the depths to look upon the sky and linger by his air altar. Even his attendants cannot hear his song."
"Has a man named Ganondorf been here?"
"The Dragmire? Yes, he has lost his sense of courtesy. He dared to try and haggle for the Zora Sapphire. Fool, it is no longer mine to give, and my daughter would never part with it for mere riches. As I told him, it can only be given to the worthy, and him seeking to obtain it with bribes and then thinly-veiled threats only showed he was summarily unworthy. I had him escorted from Zora territory in disgrace. The Zora did not cower before Harkanian the Oathbreaker, we are not about to tremble for the poorest prince of the land spitting bile over old wounds. Still, I hear he is seeking reconciliation from the King in the Castle. So perhaps my words stirred some reflection in him," the King noted.
"I don't think so. He killed the Great Deku Tree and made a monster try to starve the Gorons."
"…I will ring for lunch. Tell me everything."
X X X
"And that's why I need that sapphire. I'm not worthy probably, but it's for Zelda, not me. And she's princess, so it's okay for her to have it, right?"
"That is quite a bit to take in. And I agree, our dear lord's illness fits the pattern. But I cannot just give you the sacred jewel of my people."
Tuia groaned between the two of them over the recently picked clean fishbones and sauce cups.
"What does she have to do, win some contest first? Solve another problem for you? We are talking threats to all of Hyrule here."
"Well, I don't have the Sapphire. I do not actually know where it is," the King admitted.
"Huh?" Tuia and Saria said.
"Understand, we are not Gorons, to display it on some alter. It is a reliquary of the Zora Royal Line. It was passed to me by my mother, I gave it to my queen, and when she passed she bequeathed it to our daughter, the Princess Ruto. Only my dear Ruto can decide who is worthy to receive the Sapphire from her. And she is quite young for such a choice, and frankly, she has not met you. Not that you do not seem a lovely young lady, that is. But well… you'd have to take it up with Ruto. And Ruto is missing! I have no idea where my princess has gone!" the King suddenly began to wail.
X X X
When the King had calmed down, Saria had asked him to take her to Jabu-Jabu. If she was right, then she might be able to do something for the Zora's guardian deity, and then hopefully look for their princess with better success than the army.
Of course, it turned out tradition said only non-Zoras who bore a Silver Scale were allowed into Jabu-Jabu's presence. So the King had to take a few minutes to dig one out of a trunk in his chambers and bequeath it to Saria with some fancy-sounding words he said to quickly for her to follow.
Now they were here, and Saria breathed in the mist rising off the sacred waters. This place felt a bit like the Kokiri Forest. It was a place where the magic of life and nature pervaded deeply. It made her long for the sounds and smells of the forests. The faces of the tribe.
Yes, it felt similar, but she could never mistake it for home. The white and silver stone the place seemed to be made of and waters barely visible in the mists but strangely clear were all beautiful. But in a way more alien than even the undead infested groves of the Hyrule Field.
The grand altar rose before them, also known as the area for rituals to be done above water, the King explained. And there waited what Saria could only call a king of fish.
The mist kept her from seeing his full size, but his face towered over them, taller than a Kokiri tree house, each tooth displayed along his jaw taller than her. His scales a grey misty color, but the eyes catching the light, a serene blue like a deep pool. And seemingly growing out of him were gold and jewels forming a crown that glittered softly in the light.
Saria went down to her knees in respect, feeling the attention of an ancient fall on her. She lowered her eyes, and Tuia settled down on her head amidst her green hair.
The Zora King backed up, and Saria felt the air move and shift. Raising her eyes, she watched as Jabu-Jabu opened his mouth wide. And wider, until it was like a gate lined with teeth. The stench of his insides made her wrinkle her nose; that wasn't natural. Something foul festered within him.
And he had opened his way to her as the Great Deku Tree had.
"Ganondorf, not this time," Saria said grimly, getting to he feet and drawing he Kokri sword as Tuia started to float around her.
"Wait, you're going inside him?" the King asked.
"How else am I to kill what's killing him?" Saria said, focus making her impatient just now. Pulling up the neck of her tunic to cover her mouth and nose, she leapt over the teeth onto the tongue and waked further in as the jaws closed.
His own jaw dropped and eyes wide in horror, the venerable King of the Zora resisted the urge to fall on his royal rear.
"That, that… Where is the old elderberry?" he groaned, putting his face in his hands.
Author's Note:
Here we are again, I am glad you came.
I had fun with the girls time for three girls that are hardly 'typical'. Though I think Impa comes across best as the veteran caretaker even knowing when to let them take things a little too far.
Crimson was something I debated but finally decided to include, hope you enjoy him as an addition to Saroa's journey for now.
For a good while I was planning to do one with Saria exploring Zora's Domain and having to earn the Silver Scsle with a diving contest. But it never came together and I decided it wasn't worth holding up the story.
Next chapter I have already gotten a start on, and I am quite looking forward too it. I have plans for Ruto I hope will prove fun not only for me but you.
Furthermore I plan on two more chapters for this story with a sequel cover aprt 2 of the game's content. And that is where tings will start to get intense for our dear hero.
Hope you are well, God bless.
Long days and pleasant nights to you all.