Saria came over to Nayru's side. She looked down at her. "He's alive," said Saria. "I don't know what did it, I myself was sure he was as good as dead, but he is alive and is on the mend…I don't know, something happened that just brought him back." "He held onto his lifeline." Nayru whispered. "I love him!" she cried out loud suddenly. "And it doesn't matter that he's alive! I love him all the same!" she shouted, standing up and hugging Saria. "You are loved," She whispered into Saria's ear, and then ran to the infirmary. She threw open the door to Karzad's room and Zelda sat there by his sleeping form. "Hello Zelda, how are you this morning?" Nayru said, practically singing. She sat down on the other side of Karzad, looking tenderly at him. "Well much better than I was while I slept, I assure you." Zelda sighed looking too at Karzad "Really?" Asked Nayru, "I wasn't that worried, I knew he would survive." Zelda looked up at her, "I love him Zelda, I love your son, and as long as I do, death won't matter, it never will matter. If he died my feeling of love for your son would not change one jot." Nayru said plainly, looking up at Zelda. "He can't ever die Zelda, he will always be alive as long as I love him." She added softly, looking back at him. "I can't explain it… I was in the forest and then she came Zelda, the goddess Nayru came down and spoke to me… and I realized then, I love him, and I love you, and I love every stone, tree, and beast that crawls upon this earth, large or small, foul or fair!" She looked up at Zelda. "Love is the only hope left in this bleak land… it is the only thing left…" Zelda looked at Nayru skeptically for a moment and then said. "You speak of love as though it is a weapon, or a beacon to drive away evil… how would it work?" "Simply realize that love is no simple thing, it is a more powerful force than darkness will ever be, but real, true love is rare, which is why darkness has had such a grasp on this land. Our love is not true. If we rekindle the fire of true love, if we stop hating and lusting, if we regain our grasp on love we can win, and we will… Though it will be extremely difficult, for many have forgotten love, and fallen away into shadow…. But…if we fail… If love fails… all fails…" Nayru looked deep into Zelda's eyes. "Love is not a weapon Zelda, it is a lifeline…if we lose true love the lifeline will be gone as well… and love…our only hope, our only grasp on the future… it will fade away." Zelda looked long and hard at Nayru and then stood. "I need to think Nayru. I need to think long and hard… I will speak with you later." And with that Zelda strode swiftly from the room. Nayru watched her go and then turned back to Karzad. She put her hand on his and smiled. "She will learn soon Karzad, give her time… She has never felt true love, but she will…"
***
Over the next few days Nayru stayed by Karzad's side. Zelda was hardly seen about the palace, remaining secluded in her chambers. About five days after Karzad coming to the castle he awoke. Nayru had fallen asleep by his side and when he woke he smiled to see her there. He sat up slowly and rather painfully and the stirred Nayru to wake up. She opened her eyes and grinned to see him up. "Hello sleepyhead," she mumbled to him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "I was about to say the same thing to you…. Nayru, what happened, how did we get here?" Nayru looked at him. "You don't remember, Prince Karzad?" She said in a tone that was mockingly reverent. "How did you know?" He gasped. Nayru reached forward and grabbed the thin silver chain that was around his neck. She lifted the pendant up over his shirt. "The royal family's crest, perhaps?" She said blandly. "Why didn't you tell me?" She said, looking a bit hurt, Karzad looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I really haven't been that excited about having to become king someday…I have lived in the castle ever since I was born, I hardly ever got to leave! Then you came! You swept me off my feet, so to speak… I had long arguments with my mother on why I should be able to go with you, I was falling for you by then, and I think my mother knew it, she said I was being foolish to go, but she finally relented. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew it would change the way you acted around me if you had known… I'm sorry I deceived you." Nayru looked at him. "I understand. Actually, I'm actually glad that you didn't tell me. You're right, if I had known you were the prince then I most certainly would have acted differently… and if I had… I never would be so madly in love with you as I am now," She smiled. "I'm just glad you're alright." "Me too," said Karzad, "But, what did happen?" "That," Nayru said, "Is a long story."
***
So Nayru and Karzad sat in the sunny infirmary room, while she told of her escape from the dungeon, finding help in the lost woods and at last she came to the part she was worried about. "Well, go on, what happened after Saria took me away?" Nayru shifted in her seat, "I'd tell you Karzad, but I'm worried, I'm worried you won't believe me, so far all whom I've told have thought I was hallucinating or dreaming, but I know it was real." "Well I'll believe anything you tell me." Said Karzad, "I promise," "Well, okay, I bathed myself to get all that skin dye off and I went and sat in the woods. I was just sitting there in the forest, very calm and quiet when she came…" Nayru drifted off. "When who came?" Karzad asked. "It—it was Nayru, Karzad." She said quietly. "She came down, bathed in light, and she spoke to me… The goddesses spoke to me." Karzad looked shocked. "The goddesses?" He asked sounding reluctant to believe what he was hearing. "Nayru came Karzad," she said, "I swear that I tell the truth, here, I can prove it!" She grabbed Karzad's hand and showed him the ring that now was on it. "She gave this to me," Nayru said. "She—the goddesses gave you—that?" Stuttered Karzad. "Yes, it is the goddess' love, it's what saved you!" Nayru said, "Nayru, wait, if this is what you said it is then this is amazing! Well—I still can't believe this but—well here, let me tell you the legend… See the ancient legend tells that there are three chosen rings for the legendary heirs to the goddesses. They are called forth from the earth, each one son or daughter of one of the seven sages, and each with a different power. One is the power of fire, to destroy and burn. One is to give life, to cultivate and create. And one is the power of love. The sky and the water are its domain. It gives healing powers to its possessor. Together the three rings will combine to have a great power against evil's legendary second reign." He looked at the ring in awe, drawing it from his finger. "It is yours, you are Nayru's heir!" Nayru looked shocked. "Wait, how come I have never heard tell of this legend?" Nayru said. "Oh, it is very, very old. It outdates the legend of the Hero of Time by centuries! And as far as I know it is a story that is only known by the Royal family," Nayru took the ring in her hand and looked at it. It had the same unearthly luster to it as it had back in the forest. She slowly slid it onto her finger. The same warmth spread through her, and she looked up at Karzad. "Then it is my fate. To save my parents I must find the other two heirs. Then we must try to somehow rescue my mother and father."
*****
Meanwhile in the Gerudo fortress Zarij was in trouble. As Nayru had vanished from sight with Karzad guards who had been alerted to their presence rushed into the dungeon. They caught her and Ruto, throwing Ruto back into her cell, and then taking Zarij into interrogation. They beat her mercilessly, but she would not speak. They had her with her hands chained over her head and they whipped her unendingly with the sharp leather thongs. Her back bled, raw with whip marks. They tortured her for hours on end, burning her, cutting her, whipping her, stopping periodically so that they could try and get her to talk, but she remained stubbornly silent. They lay her down on a table then, face down, tying down her arms and legs. They whipped her again, her body convulsing in pain, and the rough wooden table driving thick splinters into her skin. They whipped her bleeding back and then after what seemed like an eternity they stopped. Zarij felt weak and light. Her body was going limp and she felt her eyes begin to darken over, all was going black. The guards meanwhile now rubbed scalding hot salt water on her wounds, causing her to cry out in white-hot agony. It would be over soon, she thought it would be all over soon. She began to cry and groan weakly, in a tortured delirium. The guards stopped, listening to her dying breaths in satisfaction. As her vision began to fade and darkness engulfed her she suddenly saw a light. She blinked her eyes. "Zarij," called an echoing voice. "It is I, Din, your goddess."
*****
Soon Karzad had fully recovered and one morning his mother walked into his room and found him packing. "What are you doing?" Zelda asked quietly. Karzad looked up and saw his mother. " Oh, I was hoping you wouldn't come up, it would be easier that way…" "What would be easier?" Zelda asked slowly. "Mother, I have to help her… I have to go with her…" "With whom?" Zelda said. "You know of whom I speak mother. Nayru needs me almost as much as I need her… I can't let her go alone." Karzad said. "You most certainly can, and you will." Zelda shot back, her voice quivering with restrained anger. "You cannot tell me what to do, I am a child no longer, I have seen death and I no longer fear it, and… I have fallen in love, and unlike you I do not wish to marry someone who I do not love," Karzad spat. Zelda gasped. "How dare you?" Zelda cried, "Your father was a good man, and I am terribly distraught with his death." Karzad grimaced, "But you never loved him, did you? Not in all the years that I was raised by you did I ever hear you exchange that simple phrase, I never even saw you kiss, or hug, or show any signs of love between you at all!" Karzad said bitterly. Zelda looked at him in silent defiance. "I am sorry you never loved, but I do, I have, and I must be with her, no matter what." He grabbed his pack and marched from the room.
****