((Disclaimer: Zelda characters are not mine, Impa II, Kiren, Eiry are.))
RUN EIRY RUN
The sun had climbed the blue skies as the battle raged in the Ranch, and now Eiry galloped out into the blindingly bright Field, baring Malon and Impa, and closely followed by a snarling Kiren. Impa clung to Malon's waist, sobbing uncontrollably into her dress. Malon fought the grief clogging her throat and concentrated on riding.
She intended to go straight to the Castle to inform Zelda, and urged Eiry down the slope. But all of a sudden the fields around her blurred in a blue mist; Eiry slowed and stopped. Malon glanced around and saw Kiren prowling around the outside of the large hazy shield that surrounded her and the Princess.
Impa raised her head and found herself face to face with a Zora woman. She smiled and stroked Impa's cheek, "Little Princess."
Impa's spine tingled pleasantly when she spoke. The Zora turned to a gaping Malon, "I am Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom. Don't fear; I'm here to help. You cannot enter the castle just yet, not with the Gerudo on your heels. ."
Malon saw the sense, but couldn't reply. Her mouth felt dry and cloudy. Nayru continued in a voice like the tinkling of a stream, "Instead, go to the Forest. My sister Farore will ensure your safety once inside. I will protect you on the way, but you must hurry!"
Malon found her voice, "But I won't be allowed inside the forest!"
Naryu smiled gently, "You will be permitted inside. When you are safe, I will bring the Queen Zelda to you. Ah yes, in your pocket, little one, there is a nut. Once inside the Forest, crack it open, but not a moment before, understand?"
Impa nodded.
Nayru made another smile and with delicate hands and a light touch, placed her fingers on each girl's head. The shield shrank to cover only them and Eiry. The horse had become calm and willing beneath the Goddess' touch, and she sprang forwards with renewed spirit. Malon yanked her about and spurred her onwards, back the way they had come and then towards the Forest.
Kiren snarled. The only Goddess worth worshipping was Din: he was certain. Power was everything. Who needed Wisdom? He spat at the Zora as the bubble shrank. She turned and glared at him, and the power in her blue, blue eyes was startling. She made a shoving motion with one arm, and Kiren fell from his stolen horse. The Zora leapt with grace and landed on the horse's back. The beast became instantly tame under her, and she urged it after the silver horse.
Kiren beat the earth once with his fist, before scrambling up and loosing arrow after arrow in their direction. But no matter how far back he drew the string, each one fell miserably short. He cursed and snapped the bow across his knee. Damn Nayru and her magic!
Perspiration was streaming from Eiry's sleek coat as they crested the hill and raced on downwards towards the great trees that framed the passage. There was a hissing sound, and without warning, the Desert Man appeared at the entrance in a cloud of dark purple smoke, holding the broadsword. Eiry reared with a wild neigh, and Malon clung tight with her knees.
"Give up the princess, farm-girl!" growled Kiren.
"Never," returned Malon, determination giving her strength.
Nayru tore down the hill and brought her horse to a halt alongside Malon and Impa. Kiren shifted his gaze and lifted his left hand, purple and black gathering in the palm.
In turn, Nayru lifted her arms, one horizontal, one vertical, in a cross shape across her chest, and another bubble of Nayru's Love surrounded all three. Kiren's energy ball bounced off with a 'sprang' and sizzled into the grass. His sword stroke did the same, and Kiren felt something snap in his wrist.
As Kiren fell to his knees in pain, Nayru dropped from the horse and hit Eiry on the rump, "Get moving! Remember the nut, little one. Fare Well, Malon of Lon Lon!"
"Thank you, great Goddess!" called Impa, as Eiry bounded forwards.
Nayru grinned, and then cast a Deku Nut to the soil and vanished in a flash of blue-green light, as Kiren clutched his wrist and called curses on the Goddess.
***
Farore stifled a snigger as Nayru flashed back beside the pool. Nayru looked at her quizzically, "What's so funny?"
Farore controlled herself, but her green tinged face still wore a smile, "Nothing, nothing. Just the look on the Gerudo boy's face when his arrows kept falling short!"
Nayru grinned, "Good huh? I thought it'd annoy the beast no end."
"And beast is about right too." Farore gestured, "Come and see this."
Nayru knelt beside the pool and laughed out loud in amazement. Kiren was venting his anger on the tree nearest the entrance. Clumsily wielded with his right hand, his sword took chunks from the bark and his teeth were bared like a wild Wolfos.
Farore winced; her eyes fluttered shut and her hand involuntarily flew to her heart as the tree toppled in a shower of leaves. Nayru sighed quietly. "How right I was with the beast comment."
Farore roused herself and swallowed. "I suppose it's my turn. Better get ready. Did you tell the Princess what to do?"
Nayru nodded, and Farore ran a hand over the water to watch.
***
Eiry clattered across the wooden bridge at a walk, as the cawing of Forest birds echoed around them. Impa relaxed slightly. They entered the Kokiri Forest, and immediately were surrounded by babbling wide-eyed children all dressed in green.
Malon straightened on Eiry and tried her best to look commanding and in control, although she was all too aware of the tearstains on her cheeks, and the fact that Impa was in a worst state.
A boy with freckles, blue eyes and gingerish hair pushed his way forward, "What are you doing here?" The rest of the crown fell silent as Mido faced Malon defiantly.
Malon sighed, "My name is Malon, and this is Impa. Link's daughter." Her voice nearly broke to say his name, but she controlled herself. Impa sniffed behind her.
Mido softened, "Did you want to go see Saria? She's in the Forest Meadow again. It's through the Lost Woods. Come on, I'll take you."
"W-wait a m-m-minute!" Impa reached into her pocket and produced the nut. She slipped from Eiry, wincing at the pain in her thighs, and cracked the nut against the hard dirt path.
***
Farore chose her moment perfectly and vanished as the nut split. Nayru whispered a good luck prayer under her breath and turned to the water. Din joined her and sat on her favourite rock to watch. "How did it go?"
Nayru sighed, "I was cursed repeatedly, spat on, but I knocked the brat from his horse and broke his wrist, I think."
Din's eyebrows rose and she smirked, "Congratulations. I wish Farore hadn't thought up this scheme. That way I could wring his green little neck in peace."
Nayru smiled, "I know exactly how you feel. He destroyed a tree just now, and you know what pain that causes to Farore."
"The little."
Din leapt up, furious, and prepared to crack a nut to the floor. Nayru grabbed her wrist, "Din, no! His time will come. Farore is with them and she will steer the events now."
"Farore? Is that allowed?"
"Farore said she didn't see why not. Come on, she's talking to the Princess, look!"
***
RUN EIRY RUN
The sun had climbed the blue skies as the battle raged in the Ranch, and now Eiry galloped out into the blindingly bright Field, baring Malon and Impa, and closely followed by a snarling Kiren. Impa clung to Malon's waist, sobbing uncontrollably into her dress. Malon fought the grief clogging her throat and concentrated on riding.
She intended to go straight to the Castle to inform Zelda, and urged Eiry down the slope. But all of a sudden the fields around her blurred in a blue mist; Eiry slowed and stopped. Malon glanced around and saw Kiren prowling around the outside of the large hazy shield that surrounded her and the Princess.
Impa raised her head and found herself face to face with a Zora woman. She smiled and stroked Impa's cheek, "Little Princess."
Impa's spine tingled pleasantly when she spoke. The Zora turned to a gaping Malon, "I am Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom. Don't fear; I'm here to help. You cannot enter the castle just yet, not with the Gerudo on your heels. ."
Malon saw the sense, but couldn't reply. Her mouth felt dry and cloudy. Nayru continued in a voice like the tinkling of a stream, "Instead, go to the Forest. My sister Farore will ensure your safety once inside. I will protect you on the way, but you must hurry!"
Malon found her voice, "But I won't be allowed inside the forest!"
Naryu smiled gently, "You will be permitted inside. When you are safe, I will bring the Queen Zelda to you. Ah yes, in your pocket, little one, there is a nut. Once inside the Forest, crack it open, but not a moment before, understand?"
Impa nodded.
Nayru made another smile and with delicate hands and a light touch, placed her fingers on each girl's head. The shield shrank to cover only them and Eiry. The horse had become calm and willing beneath the Goddess' touch, and she sprang forwards with renewed spirit. Malon yanked her about and spurred her onwards, back the way they had come and then towards the Forest.
Kiren snarled. The only Goddess worth worshipping was Din: he was certain. Power was everything. Who needed Wisdom? He spat at the Zora as the bubble shrank. She turned and glared at him, and the power in her blue, blue eyes was startling. She made a shoving motion with one arm, and Kiren fell from his stolen horse. The Zora leapt with grace and landed on the horse's back. The beast became instantly tame under her, and she urged it after the silver horse.
Kiren beat the earth once with his fist, before scrambling up and loosing arrow after arrow in their direction. But no matter how far back he drew the string, each one fell miserably short. He cursed and snapped the bow across his knee. Damn Nayru and her magic!
Perspiration was streaming from Eiry's sleek coat as they crested the hill and raced on downwards towards the great trees that framed the passage. There was a hissing sound, and without warning, the Desert Man appeared at the entrance in a cloud of dark purple smoke, holding the broadsword. Eiry reared with a wild neigh, and Malon clung tight with her knees.
"Give up the princess, farm-girl!" growled Kiren.
"Never," returned Malon, determination giving her strength.
Nayru tore down the hill and brought her horse to a halt alongside Malon and Impa. Kiren shifted his gaze and lifted his left hand, purple and black gathering in the palm.
In turn, Nayru lifted her arms, one horizontal, one vertical, in a cross shape across her chest, and another bubble of Nayru's Love surrounded all three. Kiren's energy ball bounced off with a 'sprang' and sizzled into the grass. His sword stroke did the same, and Kiren felt something snap in his wrist.
As Kiren fell to his knees in pain, Nayru dropped from the horse and hit Eiry on the rump, "Get moving! Remember the nut, little one. Fare Well, Malon of Lon Lon!"
"Thank you, great Goddess!" called Impa, as Eiry bounded forwards.
Nayru grinned, and then cast a Deku Nut to the soil and vanished in a flash of blue-green light, as Kiren clutched his wrist and called curses on the Goddess.
***
Farore stifled a snigger as Nayru flashed back beside the pool. Nayru looked at her quizzically, "What's so funny?"
Farore controlled herself, but her green tinged face still wore a smile, "Nothing, nothing. Just the look on the Gerudo boy's face when his arrows kept falling short!"
Nayru grinned, "Good huh? I thought it'd annoy the beast no end."
"And beast is about right too." Farore gestured, "Come and see this."
Nayru knelt beside the pool and laughed out loud in amazement. Kiren was venting his anger on the tree nearest the entrance. Clumsily wielded with his right hand, his sword took chunks from the bark and his teeth were bared like a wild Wolfos.
Farore winced; her eyes fluttered shut and her hand involuntarily flew to her heart as the tree toppled in a shower of leaves. Nayru sighed quietly. "How right I was with the beast comment."
Farore roused herself and swallowed. "I suppose it's my turn. Better get ready. Did you tell the Princess what to do?"
Nayru nodded, and Farore ran a hand over the water to watch.
***
Eiry clattered across the wooden bridge at a walk, as the cawing of Forest birds echoed around them. Impa relaxed slightly. They entered the Kokiri Forest, and immediately were surrounded by babbling wide-eyed children all dressed in green.
Malon straightened on Eiry and tried her best to look commanding and in control, although she was all too aware of the tearstains on her cheeks, and the fact that Impa was in a worst state.
A boy with freckles, blue eyes and gingerish hair pushed his way forward, "What are you doing here?" The rest of the crown fell silent as Mido faced Malon defiantly.
Malon sighed, "My name is Malon, and this is Impa. Link's daughter." Her voice nearly broke to say his name, but she controlled herself. Impa sniffed behind her.
Mido softened, "Did you want to go see Saria? She's in the Forest Meadow again. It's through the Lost Woods. Come on, I'll take you."
"W-wait a m-m-minute!" Impa reached into her pocket and produced the nut. She slipped from Eiry, wincing at the pain in her thighs, and cracked the nut against the hard dirt path.
***
Farore chose her moment perfectly and vanished as the nut split. Nayru whispered a good luck prayer under her breath and turned to the water. Din joined her and sat on her favourite rock to watch. "How did it go?"
Nayru sighed, "I was cursed repeatedly, spat on, but I knocked the brat from his horse and broke his wrist, I think."
Din's eyebrows rose and she smirked, "Congratulations. I wish Farore hadn't thought up this scheme. That way I could wring his green little neck in peace."
Nayru smiled, "I know exactly how you feel. He destroyed a tree just now, and you know what pain that causes to Farore."
"The little."
Din leapt up, furious, and prepared to crack a nut to the floor. Nayru grabbed her wrist, "Din, no! His time will come. Farore is with them and she will steer the events now."
"Farore? Is that allowed?"
"Farore said she didn't see why not. Come on, she's talking to the Princess, look!"
***