Link urged Epona faster. Zelda clung helplessly as they flew over
the two fences. After they landed for the second time, she lifted her head
to look around, and realized-Odin was missing!
"Link!" she exclaimed.
He reined in Epona. "What is it?"
"Odin-he's nowhere!"
"Well. . . " Link paused. "Well, where do you think he would have gone?"
Zelda couldn't believe he was going to look while his HOME was in danger! "Uh, the river, maybe?"
"Let's go look," Link said. He turned Epona north and urged her into a gallop. Zelda still held on to him. Over the crest of the hill, the river passed into view; however, it was devoid of Odin! "Maybe by Kakariko?" She suggested. "Oh, but that's hours out of the way. . . ."
"Never mind that," Link said solidly. He once again urged Epona into a gallop and directed the faithful palomino northeast. He said nothing as they rode down the long, winding dirt trail together.
"Link?" Zelda said.
"Yeah?" He answered distantly.
She paused. "Thank you," she said quietly.
He turned slowly in the saddle to look at her. "It's nothing. . . I know what that horse means to you. . . "
"Still." She sat up. "Link, let's go to the forest."
"But what about O-"
"Odin can wait," she interrupted. "He can take care of himself. Your home is in danger."
"If you're sure you don't mind-"
"I don't mind," Zelda said.
Link's face broke into a smile. "Thank you!" He said turning Epona in the direction of Kokiri Forest. Zelda smiled back, knowingly.
Despite the straight line they made towards Kokiri Forest, it still took a long time to get there. With every moment that passed by, Link seemed to become more and more tense. Zelda only wished that she could help more. It was then that the fact became evident to her: in the last few days, Link had become, aside from Harlan, her best friend. He was someone she could completely relate to. And she did NOT want him to have to lose his home-his home!-because of her.
A little while later, Epona was cantering down the dusty road shaded with trees that led straight to Kokiri Forest. Outside the huge log entrance, the hero jumped straight out of the saddle and dashed into the log without looking back. Zelda followed suit as best she could in a skirt.
Link crossed the rickety wooden bridge at full-out-run. He drew his sword, his face set with determination, ready to fight any battle to save his friends and his home! He charged through the log at the other end of the bridge, sword already in the "guard" position as he ran, and came out the other side of the log at top speed to find-
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It was gone. . . all of it. Clouds of dust still settled onto the barren ground. All around him stood the empty skeletons of buildings, the buildings his whole life used to center around. Slowly, Link resheathed his sword and trudged a few steps down the empty dirt road. His eyes took on a glazed appearance, completely defeated but too stunned to shed tears. His mouth hung slightly open in shock. He felt numb. This couldn't be real.
Behind him, he heard Zelda's running footsteps echoing through the log tunnel, eager for battle, but when she emerged into the light of Kokiri Forest, she stopped short just as he had. The princess's hand rose to her mouth. "Link. . . " she whispered. "Oh my goddess. . . I'm so sorry. . . "
He wanted to say something, wanted to tell her that he didn't blame her or Odin, to reassure her that it would all be alright, but he couldn't find the words. He turned to her, his eyes full of emptiness, and said nothing.
Without another word Link turned and ran off into the forest. Zelda watched him go, an expression of pain on her face. She had been so stupid. Why had she made him go and look for Odin? If they had just gone straight to the forest, then this never would have happened. And now, Link surely hated her. He had every right to.
She strode aimlessly down what remained of the dirt road. Occupied with her own thoughts, Zelda hardly noticed the sound of sobbing coming from somewhere nearby. She turned to look for the source.
In the middle of the oblivion, somehow, Saria's house still stood. The little Kokiri was leaning against the doorframe, weeping. Slowly, Zelda approached. "Saria. . . ?" she said slowly.
The green-haired girl looked up suddenly. "Zelda!" She stood and dusted herself off, wiping away her tears quickly. "What are you doing here?"
"I don't know," Zelda said honestly. "What. . . happened?"
Saria's eyes filled with tears again. "They fled, Zelda," she said bitterly. "And now, everything is all gone! We were just living as usual, when suddenly, there were all these Moblins and Stalfos and Skulltulas and Deku Babas and-everything, every monster conceivable in the entire forest! And they destroyed everything. . . no one could have stopped them. . . particularly not us. What are we anyway!? A bunch of kids!" Saria slowed herself for a second, calming down. "And now, there is nothing. Nothing and no one. Everyone is so deep in hiding that not even the faeries can find them, and they're never coming back."
"I am so sorry," Zelda said slowly, though she knew she wasn't helping much.
Saria dried her eyes again. "Don't say that. It's not like it's your fault."
Oh, but it is, Zelda thought. She felt awful. But she had to ask: "I do have one question. . . why is your house still standing?"
"I don't know," Saria said. "I wish it wasn't, and everyone else's was. I guess I should keep on living in it. If you'd like to come inside, I could make some tea or something." And with that, Saria retreated into her house. Zelda thanked her but did not take up her offer.
The princess kept on wandering through the empty streets. She felt like such an outsider. She had only been here once in her life, and it had been so full of wonders then, but now, it was gone. And it was all her fault. She felt that she had no right to feel sad about what had happened, but she couldn't help it.
The road took Zelda to the Great Deku Tree's Meadow. She was a little relieved to see that the Deku Tree Sprout was still alive. She went up to talk to it.
"Princess," it greeted her, attempting to be cheerful and failing.
"Hello," she answered absently. "What happened here?"
"Something powerful," it responded. "That's all I know. There was suddenly this light in the sky, and then there were monsters, and that was it."
"I feel terrible."
"Why do you feel terrible?"
"Well. . . Link and I were on the way here, and I held us up, because my horse had run away, and maybe. . . maybe if we had gotten here sooner, then. . . " she trailed off.
"You mustn't blame yourself, princess. These monsters were hideously powerful. . . I don't think anyone could have stopped this from happening."
"But we didn't even have a chance to try!"
"You would have only been killed as well," the Sprout said gently. "And what would have happened to the future of Calatia then?"
Zelda did not answer right away. "Thank you," she said finally, and turned to leave.
"Princess! Would you grant me a favor?" the Sprout asked.
"What?"
"Would you find Link and direct him to me?"
Zelda nodded. "I will try to find him."
"Thank you."
Zelda made her way back towards the empty village and went in the direction that she had seen Link run off to the forest. She didn't really know her way around that well, but did her best to follow any kind of trail she might find.
Link had gone off into the forest aimlessly. He hadn't bothered to use the log roads. His mind was so wracked with thought and emotion that he simply hadn't cared to. After wandering for a little while, he found an unmapped clearing with a log in the center of it. He sat down to rest. The sky above was grey and clouded; Link thought it seemed to fit the situation. His mind was clouded.
After a little bit of searching Zelda came upon the clearing. She still felt terrible. Before she sent Link to the Deku Tree Sprout, she wanted to talk to him herself. The princess considered what she was going to say, then began to approach Link. Midstride, though, she stopped short. Her breath caught in her throat.
Sitting in that clearing, it had all hit Link at once. His home was gone, and he could never go back, never! He felt so alone. . . like he had nothing in the world. He knew that that wasn't true, but he still felt miserable. He felt that his entire childhood, all his memories, had been reduced to the dust that was now being swept away on the breeze. Before he knew it tears were pouring down his face and he was making no effort to stop them.
Zelda saw something in his eyes. . . something she could never describe. Then she realized that Link was crying.
And something clicked that had never clicked before.
"Link!" she exclaimed.
He reined in Epona. "What is it?"
"Odin-he's nowhere!"
"Well. . . " Link paused. "Well, where do you think he would have gone?"
Zelda couldn't believe he was going to look while his HOME was in danger! "Uh, the river, maybe?"
"Let's go look," Link said. He turned Epona north and urged her into a gallop. Zelda still held on to him. Over the crest of the hill, the river passed into view; however, it was devoid of Odin! "Maybe by Kakariko?" She suggested. "Oh, but that's hours out of the way. . . ."
"Never mind that," Link said solidly. He once again urged Epona into a gallop and directed the faithful palomino northeast. He said nothing as they rode down the long, winding dirt trail together.
"Link?" Zelda said.
"Yeah?" He answered distantly.
She paused. "Thank you," she said quietly.
He turned slowly in the saddle to look at her. "It's nothing. . . I know what that horse means to you. . . "
"Still." She sat up. "Link, let's go to the forest."
"But what about O-"
"Odin can wait," she interrupted. "He can take care of himself. Your home is in danger."
"If you're sure you don't mind-"
"I don't mind," Zelda said.
Link's face broke into a smile. "Thank you!" He said turning Epona in the direction of Kokiri Forest. Zelda smiled back, knowingly.
Despite the straight line they made towards Kokiri Forest, it still took a long time to get there. With every moment that passed by, Link seemed to become more and more tense. Zelda only wished that she could help more. It was then that the fact became evident to her: in the last few days, Link had become, aside from Harlan, her best friend. He was someone she could completely relate to. And she did NOT want him to have to lose his home-his home!-because of her.
A little while later, Epona was cantering down the dusty road shaded with trees that led straight to Kokiri Forest. Outside the huge log entrance, the hero jumped straight out of the saddle and dashed into the log without looking back. Zelda followed suit as best she could in a skirt.
Link crossed the rickety wooden bridge at full-out-run. He drew his sword, his face set with determination, ready to fight any battle to save his friends and his home! He charged through the log at the other end of the bridge, sword already in the "guard" position as he ran, and came out the other side of the log at top speed to find-
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It was gone. . . all of it. Clouds of dust still settled onto the barren ground. All around him stood the empty skeletons of buildings, the buildings his whole life used to center around. Slowly, Link resheathed his sword and trudged a few steps down the empty dirt road. His eyes took on a glazed appearance, completely defeated but too stunned to shed tears. His mouth hung slightly open in shock. He felt numb. This couldn't be real.
Behind him, he heard Zelda's running footsteps echoing through the log tunnel, eager for battle, but when she emerged into the light of Kokiri Forest, she stopped short just as he had. The princess's hand rose to her mouth. "Link. . . " she whispered. "Oh my goddess. . . I'm so sorry. . . "
He wanted to say something, wanted to tell her that he didn't blame her or Odin, to reassure her that it would all be alright, but he couldn't find the words. He turned to her, his eyes full of emptiness, and said nothing.
Without another word Link turned and ran off into the forest. Zelda watched him go, an expression of pain on her face. She had been so stupid. Why had she made him go and look for Odin? If they had just gone straight to the forest, then this never would have happened. And now, Link surely hated her. He had every right to.
She strode aimlessly down what remained of the dirt road. Occupied with her own thoughts, Zelda hardly noticed the sound of sobbing coming from somewhere nearby. She turned to look for the source.
In the middle of the oblivion, somehow, Saria's house still stood. The little Kokiri was leaning against the doorframe, weeping. Slowly, Zelda approached. "Saria. . . ?" she said slowly.
The green-haired girl looked up suddenly. "Zelda!" She stood and dusted herself off, wiping away her tears quickly. "What are you doing here?"
"I don't know," Zelda said honestly. "What. . . happened?"
Saria's eyes filled with tears again. "They fled, Zelda," she said bitterly. "And now, everything is all gone! We were just living as usual, when suddenly, there were all these Moblins and Stalfos and Skulltulas and Deku Babas and-everything, every monster conceivable in the entire forest! And they destroyed everything. . . no one could have stopped them. . . particularly not us. What are we anyway!? A bunch of kids!" Saria slowed herself for a second, calming down. "And now, there is nothing. Nothing and no one. Everyone is so deep in hiding that not even the faeries can find them, and they're never coming back."
"I am so sorry," Zelda said slowly, though she knew she wasn't helping much.
Saria dried her eyes again. "Don't say that. It's not like it's your fault."
Oh, but it is, Zelda thought. She felt awful. But she had to ask: "I do have one question. . . why is your house still standing?"
"I don't know," Saria said. "I wish it wasn't, and everyone else's was. I guess I should keep on living in it. If you'd like to come inside, I could make some tea or something." And with that, Saria retreated into her house. Zelda thanked her but did not take up her offer.
The princess kept on wandering through the empty streets. She felt like such an outsider. She had only been here once in her life, and it had been so full of wonders then, but now, it was gone. And it was all her fault. She felt that she had no right to feel sad about what had happened, but she couldn't help it.
The road took Zelda to the Great Deku Tree's Meadow. She was a little relieved to see that the Deku Tree Sprout was still alive. She went up to talk to it.
"Princess," it greeted her, attempting to be cheerful and failing.
"Hello," she answered absently. "What happened here?"
"Something powerful," it responded. "That's all I know. There was suddenly this light in the sky, and then there were monsters, and that was it."
"I feel terrible."
"Why do you feel terrible?"
"Well. . . Link and I were on the way here, and I held us up, because my horse had run away, and maybe. . . maybe if we had gotten here sooner, then. . . " she trailed off.
"You mustn't blame yourself, princess. These monsters were hideously powerful. . . I don't think anyone could have stopped this from happening."
"But we didn't even have a chance to try!"
"You would have only been killed as well," the Sprout said gently. "And what would have happened to the future of Calatia then?"
Zelda did not answer right away. "Thank you," she said finally, and turned to leave.
"Princess! Would you grant me a favor?" the Sprout asked.
"What?"
"Would you find Link and direct him to me?"
Zelda nodded. "I will try to find him."
"Thank you."
Zelda made her way back towards the empty village and went in the direction that she had seen Link run off to the forest. She didn't really know her way around that well, but did her best to follow any kind of trail she might find.
Link had gone off into the forest aimlessly. He hadn't bothered to use the log roads. His mind was so wracked with thought and emotion that he simply hadn't cared to. After wandering for a little while, he found an unmapped clearing with a log in the center of it. He sat down to rest. The sky above was grey and clouded; Link thought it seemed to fit the situation. His mind was clouded.
After a little bit of searching Zelda came upon the clearing. She still felt terrible. Before she sent Link to the Deku Tree Sprout, she wanted to talk to him herself. The princess considered what she was going to say, then began to approach Link. Midstride, though, she stopped short. Her breath caught in her throat.
Sitting in that clearing, it had all hit Link at once. His home was gone, and he could never go back, never! He felt so alone. . . like he had nothing in the world. He knew that that wasn't true, but he still felt miserable. He felt that his entire childhood, all his memories, had been reduced to the dust that was now being swept away on the breeze. Before he knew it tears were pouring down his face and he was making no effort to stop them.
Zelda saw something in his eyes. . . something she could never describe. Then she realized that Link was crying.
And something clicked that had never clicked before.