Chapter 3: The Prophecy
Link ran as fast as he could, carrying Saria in his arms. Her head lolled to one side and her breathing came ragged and shallow.
"Don't worry Saria. I'll get you to somebody who can help you," Link whispered to the limp girl.
Link ran out onto the Hyrule field and quickly summoned Epona with a song. He gently lifted Saria into the saddle and climbed up behind her, holding her in the protective circle of his arms. Hurriedly, Link kicked his horse into a gallop and rode pell-mell to the Hyrule Castle. When he got there, he quickly dismounted and lifted the unconscious Saria off the horse and ran through the marketplace and down the road to the castle itself. When he reached the gate, rather than entering, he turned to the right and ran down a short path. The path ended at a cliffside that had a boulder leaning against it. Gently, Link lowered Saria to the ground and walked up to the boulder. Setting his shoulder against the huge boulder, Link gritted his teeth and began to push. The muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged and creaked, and the boulder rolled aside to reveal a tunnel. Link hurried over to Saria and swept her into his arms again and ran down the tunnel and into a beautiful cave that emitted a calm feeling. At the back of the cave was a wondrous fountain that had clear blue water. Link gently set Saria down in front of the fountain and pulled out his Ocarina. Link played Zelda's Lullaby and a beautiful Fairy emerged from the fountain.
"Ah, Link, what do you desire?" the Fairy asked sweetly.
"Saria is poisoned, heal her as you have healed me so many times before," Link replied, fear creeping into his voice.
The Fairy smiled gently and held out her arms to the comatose Sage. A soft light began to shine down onto Saria and the huge gashes in her shoulder faded and disappeared, leaving only bloodstains on Saria's gown and fair skin. Color began to creep back into Saria's face and her breathing became easier and deeper, losing the raggedness.
"Saria?" Link whispered softly, touching her pale cheek lightly.
Saria's eyes fluttered open and she smiled weakly at the sight of Link's worried face.
"Where are we?" she asked, struggling to sit up.
"Calm down Saria, we're in the Great Fairy's fountain," Link replied.
Link slowly eased Saria off his lap and walked to the entrance to the tunnel. Darkness was creeping over the land as the sun slowly slipped below the horizon.
"We'd better stay here tonight, it's already dark and you need the rest," Link said once he returned.
Saria nodded her weary agreement and Link rolled the boulder over the tunnel entrance. When Link returned, Saria tried to sit up but all the strength was drained from her slight body. Seeing the weariness etched on her face, Link hurried over and eased her into a sitting position. With a tired sigh, Saria leaned against Link's hard body and was comforted to feel him place his strong arms around her shoulders, supporting her and protecting her. Saria was quickly asleep with her head resting on Link's chest, and Link felt a feeling of contentment steal over his tired body. With a soft sigh, Link tightened his arms around Saria and fell asleep with the soft light of the Great Fairy's fountain soothing his stressed mind and weary spirit.
******************************************************
"Saria," Link whispered in her ear, "It's time to wake up, we gotta get going."
"Oh, okay," Saria mumbled, not even opening her eyes.
Link stood and looked around, checking for intruders. Once his inspection was over, Link sauntered over to the tunnel entrance and set his shoulder against the huge boulder that blocked the opening. With a grunt, Link began to push the boulder. His muscles bulged and groaned and the huge rock slowly rolled aside, letting the morning sunlight flood in.
"Come on Saria," Link called.
"Oh fine, I'm coming," Saria muttered.
"Wow! It's beautiful!" Saria exclaimed as she emerged from the tunnel and beheld Hyrule for the first time.
"Yeah," Link replied, coming up behind her.
"Hey, what was that thing that attacked you?" Link asked staring solemnly into her eyes.
"It must be from the prophecy," Saria answered softly.
"What prophecy?" Link asked urgently.
"Just before you came, the Great Deku Tree spoke a prophecy. After that, it refused to speak to us. I think it went like this: 'Armies from the East shall come,
Once the Hero is homebound.
The land of Hyrule shall be gone,
Unless the Lost Sage can be found.'" Saria said helplessly.
"Come on," Link said suddenly, grabbing Saria's hand.
"Where are we going?" Saria asked.
"To speak with Princess Zelda," came the reply.
"Um, okay," Saria said, but Link didn't hear her.
Link vaulted onto Epona and reached down to help Saria up. Saria grinned and leapt up without help. Once Epona got started, Saria let out an alarmed little cry and wrapped her arms around Link.
"Hey, try not to strangle me!" Link exclaimed in surprise.
Saria giggled and loosened her grip. The two rode right up to the castle gates and slid off the horse. When the guards recognized Link, they let them in at once and the two hurried into the castle gardens. There, gazing at them, was the beautiful Princess Zelda. She wore a pale lavender gown embroidered with Hyrule's emblem. Long honey-gold hair framed her delicately featured face and large violet eyes. Zelda smiled and ran up to Link, giving him a quick hug. Saria smiled but felt a slight twinge of jealousy scurry through her.
"Who are you?" Zelda asked, turning to Saria.
"I'm Saria, Sage of the Forest, and Link's bet friend," Saria replied.
It was Zelda's turn to feel jealous as she noticed how Link smiled at Saria.
"Zelda, I have to ask you about something," Link said, remembering why he came.
"What is it?" Zelda asked.
Link related the tale of how they were attacked and told Zelda of the prophecy.
"What should we do?" he asked when he was done.
"You must go west, across the desert," Zelda replied, "and once you cross the desert, you must find the Lost Sage and restore her to us. But beware, the Lost Sage was known as the Sage of Balance, and she is more dangerous than the invaders themselves."
"How?" Link asked.
"She would kill us as readily as she would kill the enemy."
Link ran as fast as he could, carrying Saria in his arms. Her head lolled to one side and her breathing came ragged and shallow.
"Don't worry Saria. I'll get you to somebody who can help you," Link whispered to the limp girl.
Link ran out onto the Hyrule field and quickly summoned Epona with a song. He gently lifted Saria into the saddle and climbed up behind her, holding her in the protective circle of his arms. Hurriedly, Link kicked his horse into a gallop and rode pell-mell to the Hyrule Castle. When he got there, he quickly dismounted and lifted the unconscious Saria off the horse and ran through the marketplace and down the road to the castle itself. When he reached the gate, rather than entering, he turned to the right and ran down a short path. The path ended at a cliffside that had a boulder leaning against it. Gently, Link lowered Saria to the ground and walked up to the boulder. Setting his shoulder against the huge boulder, Link gritted his teeth and began to push. The muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged and creaked, and the boulder rolled aside to reveal a tunnel. Link hurried over to Saria and swept her into his arms again and ran down the tunnel and into a beautiful cave that emitted a calm feeling. At the back of the cave was a wondrous fountain that had clear blue water. Link gently set Saria down in front of the fountain and pulled out his Ocarina. Link played Zelda's Lullaby and a beautiful Fairy emerged from the fountain.
"Ah, Link, what do you desire?" the Fairy asked sweetly.
"Saria is poisoned, heal her as you have healed me so many times before," Link replied, fear creeping into his voice.
The Fairy smiled gently and held out her arms to the comatose Sage. A soft light began to shine down onto Saria and the huge gashes in her shoulder faded and disappeared, leaving only bloodstains on Saria's gown and fair skin. Color began to creep back into Saria's face and her breathing became easier and deeper, losing the raggedness.
"Saria?" Link whispered softly, touching her pale cheek lightly.
Saria's eyes fluttered open and she smiled weakly at the sight of Link's worried face.
"Where are we?" she asked, struggling to sit up.
"Calm down Saria, we're in the Great Fairy's fountain," Link replied.
Link slowly eased Saria off his lap and walked to the entrance to the tunnel. Darkness was creeping over the land as the sun slowly slipped below the horizon.
"We'd better stay here tonight, it's already dark and you need the rest," Link said once he returned.
Saria nodded her weary agreement and Link rolled the boulder over the tunnel entrance. When Link returned, Saria tried to sit up but all the strength was drained from her slight body. Seeing the weariness etched on her face, Link hurried over and eased her into a sitting position. With a tired sigh, Saria leaned against Link's hard body and was comforted to feel him place his strong arms around her shoulders, supporting her and protecting her. Saria was quickly asleep with her head resting on Link's chest, and Link felt a feeling of contentment steal over his tired body. With a soft sigh, Link tightened his arms around Saria and fell asleep with the soft light of the Great Fairy's fountain soothing his stressed mind and weary spirit.
******************************************************
"Saria," Link whispered in her ear, "It's time to wake up, we gotta get going."
"Oh, okay," Saria mumbled, not even opening her eyes.
Link stood and looked around, checking for intruders. Once his inspection was over, Link sauntered over to the tunnel entrance and set his shoulder against the huge boulder that blocked the opening. With a grunt, Link began to push the boulder. His muscles bulged and groaned and the huge rock slowly rolled aside, letting the morning sunlight flood in.
"Come on Saria," Link called.
"Oh fine, I'm coming," Saria muttered.
"Wow! It's beautiful!" Saria exclaimed as she emerged from the tunnel and beheld Hyrule for the first time.
"Yeah," Link replied, coming up behind her.
"Hey, what was that thing that attacked you?" Link asked staring solemnly into her eyes.
"It must be from the prophecy," Saria answered softly.
"What prophecy?" Link asked urgently.
"Just before you came, the Great Deku Tree spoke a prophecy. After that, it refused to speak to us. I think it went like this: 'Armies from the East shall come,
Once the Hero is homebound.
The land of Hyrule shall be gone,
Unless the Lost Sage can be found.'" Saria said helplessly.
"Come on," Link said suddenly, grabbing Saria's hand.
"Where are we going?" Saria asked.
"To speak with Princess Zelda," came the reply.
"Um, okay," Saria said, but Link didn't hear her.
Link vaulted onto Epona and reached down to help Saria up. Saria grinned and leapt up without help. Once Epona got started, Saria let out an alarmed little cry and wrapped her arms around Link.
"Hey, try not to strangle me!" Link exclaimed in surprise.
Saria giggled and loosened her grip. The two rode right up to the castle gates and slid off the horse. When the guards recognized Link, they let them in at once and the two hurried into the castle gardens. There, gazing at them, was the beautiful Princess Zelda. She wore a pale lavender gown embroidered with Hyrule's emblem. Long honey-gold hair framed her delicately featured face and large violet eyes. Zelda smiled and ran up to Link, giving him a quick hug. Saria smiled but felt a slight twinge of jealousy scurry through her.
"Who are you?" Zelda asked, turning to Saria.
"I'm Saria, Sage of the Forest, and Link's bet friend," Saria replied.
It was Zelda's turn to feel jealous as she noticed how Link smiled at Saria.
"Zelda, I have to ask you about something," Link said, remembering why he came.
"What is it?" Zelda asked.
Link related the tale of how they were attacked and told Zelda of the prophecy.
"What should we do?" he asked when he was done.
"You must go west, across the desert," Zelda replied, "and once you cross the desert, you must find the Lost Sage and restore her to us. But beware, the Lost Sage was known as the Sage of Balance, and she is more dangerous than the invaders themselves."
"How?" Link asked.
"She would kill us as readily as she would kill the enemy."