Chapter Nine:
"Zelda!" Link heard King Harkinian shout as his daughter ran to embrace him. "My daughter! It's so good to see you again!"
Link opened his eyes. He was standing on the Pedestal of Time, everything just how he left it. The Master Sword was held limply in his hand and he stared at it. He heard Rauru's voice in his head, telling him that it was okay to place it back in the Pedestal. Link slipped it in just as Saria bounded up to him and practically jumped into his arms.
"Link!" She laughed. "Long time no see! Oh I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too Sar," Link half laughed, his mind still spinning trying to cope with all of the sudden changes.
There was such excitement to be had, probably more than that old temple had seen in a long time. There were many hugs and greetings, each person seeming to be passed along to the next for a "I've missed you!" Link looked over shoulder to see Loraefin standing there patiently, smiling at him. For anyone in the temple, it had appeared that Link had simply pulled out the Master Sword, and in the next instant he was still standing there, but the Sages had returned. Loraefin stood nervously, especially in the presence of Tiamra and Nabooru. She wasn't sure what to expect from them. Her grandmother had always told her that the ones who made them leave were harsh and dangerous. Link had told her otherwise, but it was hard to simply dismiss what your first education had disposed you to. Link came over to her and she beamed at him proudly.
"Well, it looked like everything went according to plan eh?" Loraefin gave a little laugh and joked. "I don't know if I've ever been this nervous before…wait, yes I have…the last time I was out with you. Is this going to be a pattern of ours?" She noticed that Link was staring at her strangely and she stared back at him. "Something wrong? I don't have some of breakfast in my teeth do I?! Oh I can't---"
"You look fine Fin," Link smiled, studying her face, trying to make a memory of that moment. "You always look fine." Loraefin looked up at Navi and then laughed at him.
"Where did that come from?"
"Yeah, where did that come from?" Navi echoed.
"You just do, I wanted you to know."
"Oh…well thank you."
Ruto came up suddenly and grabbed Link in a hug.
"You didn't think you were going to get away from me did you?" She laughed, kissing him on the cheek. "Loraefin! How nice to see you again!"
In time, after all of the excitement had faded, the Sages departed home to their families, and Loraefin and Link accompanied Zelda and the King back to Hyrule Castle. With the Sages home, Hyrule seemed to have all of its pieces back and something just fit together. Perhaps Hyrule was whole for the time being. Two days later Loraefin, Megeara and Lolita set off back to Murieope, Link escorting them though they persisted that he not go out of his way. The weather had taken a turn and it looked as if another storm was coming up. The weather seemed to reflect Link's mind he thought, gray and clouded. The words that the future Sages had spoken to him were like a splinter in his mind. He could not bear the fate that Loraefin had to endure, but he knew, if Hyrule was to survive, she must perish.
One year, four months, twelve days
"Zelda!" Link heard King Harkinian shout as his daughter ran to embrace him. "My daughter! It's so good to see you again!"
Link opened his eyes. He was standing on the Pedestal of Time, everything just how he left it. The Master Sword was held limply in his hand and he stared at it. He heard Rauru's voice in his head, telling him that it was okay to place it back in the Pedestal. Link slipped it in just as Saria bounded up to him and practically jumped into his arms.
"Link!" She laughed. "Long time no see! Oh I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too Sar," Link half laughed, his mind still spinning trying to cope with all of the sudden changes.
There was such excitement to be had, probably more than that old temple had seen in a long time. There were many hugs and greetings, each person seeming to be passed along to the next for a "I've missed you!" Link looked over shoulder to see Loraefin standing there patiently, smiling at him. For anyone in the temple, it had appeared that Link had simply pulled out the Master Sword, and in the next instant he was still standing there, but the Sages had returned. Loraefin stood nervously, especially in the presence of Tiamra and Nabooru. She wasn't sure what to expect from them. Her grandmother had always told her that the ones who made them leave were harsh and dangerous. Link had told her otherwise, but it was hard to simply dismiss what your first education had disposed you to. Link came over to her and she beamed at him proudly.
"Well, it looked like everything went according to plan eh?" Loraefin gave a little laugh and joked. "I don't know if I've ever been this nervous before…wait, yes I have…the last time I was out with you. Is this going to be a pattern of ours?" She noticed that Link was staring at her strangely and she stared back at him. "Something wrong? I don't have some of breakfast in my teeth do I?! Oh I can't---"
"You look fine Fin," Link smiled, studying her face, trying to make a memory of that moment. "You always look fine." Loraefin looked up at Navi and then laughed at him.
"Where did that come from?"
"Yeah, where did that come from?" Navi echoed.
"You just do, I wanted you to know."
"Oh…well thank you."
Ruto came up suddenly and grabbed Link in a hug.
"You didn't think you were going to get away from me did you?" She laughed, kissing him on the cheek. "Loraefin! How nice to see you again!"
In time, after all of the excitement had faded, the Sages departed home to their families, and Loraefin and Link accompanied Zelda and the King back to Hyrule Castle. With the Sages home, Hyrule seemed to have all of its pieces back and something just fit together. Perhaps Hyrule was whole for the time being. Two days later Loraefin, Megeara and Lolita set off back to Murieope, Link escorting them though they persisted that he not go out of his way. The weather had taken a turn and it looked as if another storm was coming up. The weather seemed to reflect Link's mind he thought, gray and clouded. The words that the future Sages had spoken to him were like a splinter in his mind. He could not bear the fate that Loraefin had to endure, but he knew, if Hyrule was to survive, she must perish.
One year, four months, twelve days