Author Notes:

Story: Legend of Zelda: The Fading Triforce

Chapter: Secrets

Rating: PG

Genre: Action, Drama, Romance

Summary: Link had to leave Zelda after he defeated Ganondorf, but not to go to the past, but to go save a distant land from perishing. Zelda then must fight along side of him once again as the power of the sages must be called on once more. But, will it be enough? When they find out that the triforce's powers are slowly disappearing and slipping away from them, will their power be enough?

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I look hesitatingly at the gates to the Sacred Forest Meadow - they are already open. Was someone here before me? But. . .the forest is supposed to be free of the evil Ganondorf cast upon it. And no people other than the sages, myself, and Link are allowed in it. . .

Link!

Was he the one who opened the gates? He has the access. . .

My heart pounds frantically in my chest at the thought of him.

Link. . .

We had been together for such a short time. We met as children, just once, before the world was turned dark, raided by evil. Then I saw him one more time before I trusted my instinct and threw him the Ocarina of Time. It was odd really. . .I just saw him standing there, gazing at me with those confused blue eyes and turning to run after me but then I saw a dark shadow looming just within the walls of the marketplace. Then I knew. I knew the boy's true mission, his true place, his true title.

Link, the Hero of Time.

I remember praying to the Goddesses to keep him safe and allow him to fulfill his role and save all of Hyrule.

After that. . .we were parted for seven long years as I served as an underling to Ganondorf. How disgusted I was to be in his presence! Yet, I knew. . .I knew if I was to survive and guide the Hero of Time, I must do what duty called of me. And that was to survive long enough to guide him, the Hero of Time. Thus, I had become Shiek, a shadow warrior to Ganondorf, a mysterious ally to Link. I remember my disgust for Ganondorf while the mere thought of Link allowed to me to keep going.

I remember how my heart ached. . .I knew from the moment I laid eyes on him that we were meant to be together. His strong blue eyes focused on me in the manner that made me shudder under his gaze.

Link. . .I have longed to be in your arms for so long. To be with you. . .yet, even after Ganondorf's defeat I felt it necessary to give you back those seven years you lost.

But you told me no.

You took me by the waist, lifted me up and gave me the first real kiss of my life. Then you handed me the ocarina.

You told me that if I could truly send you back with no regrets and never see him again, then he would allow me to send him back.

But I froze.

I couldn't do it.

I loved him too much!

And you know what?

He loved me too!

Even though we had been separated for all those years, there was still that burning sensation that rested within both us. That attracted us to each other.

I suppose the Goddesses call it love.

Oh. . .I hope you were really the one that opened this gate Link. . .please let it be you.

I continue my silent prayers as I make my way through the winding maze that led to the Forest Temple.

Saria, how did you ever find this temple? It must have been so confusing. I'm glad that I don't have a temple.

Knock on wood

I have heard the stories from each sage as they had struggled to find their temple and learn the twists and turns of the inside of their temple. But they each felt a strange pull to their temple. And then, once inside the temple, they felt another strange pull to the heart of the temple.

I always felt a strange pull to the Temple of Time

And, there, in the heart of the temple, they found the source of their power, their reason for being a sage. But no one would ever tell another person what they found. It was as if they were sworn to secrecy. . .

I don't know, they never told me so I assume that it was some unwritten law that each sage must follow. Who knows? I certainly don't.

"Yes!" I whisper as I set foot on the stairs that lead to the small meadow before the infamous Forest Temple.

I take each step slowly and look around. Despite the stone steps, there seem to be walls of trees around me. The forest seems to be guarding the Forest Temple. Odd, really, what power these temples seem to hold. I wonder how the sages control such power.

. . .Do they control it? Or does it control them?

Hmm, Zelda, you seem to be doing way too much thinking today.

"Zelda!"

My eyes widen in surprise as I see a small Kokiri girl running towards me. She grins tucking her green hair behind her ears. She looks at me with dazzling blue eyes and grins once more at the sight of me.

"Saria!" I look down at her happy face with a slight feeling of envy. How lucky a child she is to be blessed with such childhood innocence. But that isn't true, I know that much. True, she has the happiness of a child, the wisdom of an adult, and the tragedy of a hero.

For a brief moment I regarded her happily before I let my face harden slightly.

"Zelda. . .? What is it?"

"Saria, have you been having. . ." Oh, Farore, why does this always sound so weird? "Visions?"

"I. .I. . ." She looks down guiltily, "Yes."

"You have!" I eye her, were her visions similar to mine? "What have they been about?"

"I'm not sure. They always come in pieces and they never make sense. Why? Have you been having visions too?"

I nod sullenly. "Yes and mine have also been off."

Saria glanced at the ground before looking at me. "What have you visions been about?"

"Mine have been completely random. They make very little sense." I silently recall the spastic visions that I still sought to make sense of.

Saria looked at me quietly before speaking. "Did any of them involve a temple?" She asks softly.

I shake my head in confusion. Why would they involve a temple? Mine seem to be different from hers.

"What have yours been about?"

"Mine. .have been. . ." She looks at the ground once more. That's odd, Saria has always been the type to look into the eyes of another with her innocence. This is strange. . .her innocence. .it seems to have faded slightly. Almost like she is hiding something. . .But, Saria? The child of the forest? I have never known her to hide anything. She is always so cheerful and honest.

"Saria?" I look at her gently. "What is it?"

"I. .I. ." She looks at me guiltily. "I can't tell you." She whispers, her voice disappearing into the subtle breeze.

I look at her uneasy, why would she need to hide something from me? We have always trusted each other.

I shift awkwardly before speaking. "I am sorry, but I must be going. There is something I must attend to."

She nods, a mutual understanding between us. She can't tell me what she is hiding. I understand that feeling. I understand much too well. . .

I walk away from her and make my way through the winding maze to the beginning of the Sacred Forest Meadow.

Standing before mouth of the tunnel, I look back. I didn't even ask her if she had seen Link. . .

I slap myself mentally. I can not constantly think of him. It is trivial to dwell on such matters constantly.

But why does my heart beat like this? For him? Is this really love? Or just petty lust. . .?

It can not be lust. It just can not. It would not have stayed so strong throughout these years had it not been love to the truest.

I gaze at the ground. . .at least I hope not. Could he have really just left me forgotten about me? What about this land? These people? His people? The ones he fought so hard for. . .

No one, not even I, could forget of a bond so great. Sacrificing yourself for those you do not even know. . .A noble sacrifice indeed. And with the sacrifices he made just because a small girl told him her land was in danger, and she needed his help. So, his life was transformed and he fought for those that she pleaded for him to save. And he earned the respect of those he saved.

Not that he didn't earn that respect rightfully. . .It's just that. . .I wish I had that same respect. The kind I have is simply because I am that figurehead of a system of royalty.

I guess the people of Hyrule don't realize that there was more than one person saving Hyrule. Never mind their princess and the sages. This isn't really something I should be bitter about, everyone is safe, that is what matters. Nothing else is more important than their safety. And their ignorance may be just as well. . .

What would happen if they learnt of the sages and myself? I suppose some would greed for our power. A power that none other than those blessed by the Goddesses can control. But they do not know of that, so they might very seek the power. Perhaps through the temples or the sages themselves. We couldn't let that happen. No, it is much better that they think Link saved everyone. He is the Hero of the Five Nations to them. But the sages and I are grateful that holds the power of the Master Sword and the Triforce of Courage than just the admiration of those he saved.

I gaze at the sky while I ponder. Life has been so confusing. And, at times, I have even wished for death before fulfilling my duties. The past was difficult, the present is considerably easier than living during the past, but I have a slight fear of the future.

The future is unknown. That is what frightens me. Without Link here, I am alone. Impa has seemed quite distant these past few years. I know she is concerned with other matters and I am quite capable of ruling, but still. . .Having her besdie me, to guide me, that gave me such a strong feeling of reassurance and I long for it once more.

But I know I can do without it. I just wish once more to be a child, free of the burdens of ruling. But I know I can do it, so does Link, Impa, and all the others. That was why they let me handle it by myself. I suppose it might be because I some more growing to do, but haven't I done enough of it? I don't-

What?!

"Ow," I mutter. Something just fell on my head! Do things normally fall on a person's head when walking through a forest? Wait. . .this can't be something normal. . .

I look at a small, tattered scroll that now rests at my feet. Where did this come from? I bend slowly, picking it up.

I open the scroll carefully, the brown edges crumble slightly. I squint slightly as I try to make out the old wording on the delicate manuscript.

It takes me a moment, but I do make it out. And when I do, my mouth dries and my eyes moisten.

This can't be true.

This isn't happening.

It was supposed to be fulfilled.

Everything was supposed to done with!

But this tells of another!

This can't be true!

Please! Let it be a lie!

It can't be true!

The prophecy is not yet fulfilled!

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Author's Notes:

*winks* See I told you I would have it out by Sunday! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I will see what I can do about having the next chapter out by the end of the week. I don't think I will be as busy this week. But *shrugs* we'll see. Life can be deceptive.

One more thing, reviews. Please give 'em to me. They are what keeps me sane. For the last chapter I didn't think I was going to get any reviews, you guys scared me. I've never written a chapter that didn't get any reviews. I thought you didn't like the story. . .But that doesn't matter too much. I will still upload chapters regardless of the amount of reviews.

But, thanks for reviewing anyways ^_^ I really appreciate it.