Chapter 2



Still invisible, Hope snuck toward the funeral pyre for a closer look. Sitting in ornate chairs were a man and a woman. The woman was crying, and she clutched the man's hand tightly. They were both dressed in finery fit for royalty, purple silk of varying shades. The woman wore a veil over her eyes, and she had a pink handkerchief clutched in her left hand.

The man had short, golden hair with silver streaks. He was pale, his face drawn with sorrow. His eyes, blue, piercing, sad, lingered on the fire, .

"My baby," he whispered softly. "Dear Amelia.. . We failed you." He lowered his head then, and Hope felt a blast of heat. She turned, and saw the fire explode up into the sky, ashes flying everywhere.

"Into the light, safe trip, my darling," the woman whispered, her voice cracking. She began her sobbing anew.

The crowd was thinning out. Hope was now throughly confused. What was she supposed to do? What knew threat was on Hyrule? And who were these people, the king and queen of a past time? Or, were they king and queen of a future time, one beyond the eras of the Ocarina of Time?

Someone bumped into her. Startled, Hope turned, and jumped to the side, hoping that the person did not reach out to find what they had bumped into. She came face to face with cold, hard eyes. Shiekah eyes. Impa's eyes. Hope cried out in shock.

"Who are you?" demanded Impa. "You wear the Shiekah form, but you are no Shiekah." Hope struggled for an answer.

"I am Hope," she replied at last.

"Hope is no Shiekah name. You are coming with me." Hope ducked out of Impa's grasp. She did not really want to go with the Shiekah. She wanted to follow the King and Queen to the castle.

"There is no getting away from me," Impa said, her tone cold. Hope grabbed for her instrument. It came out as a lyre. She played the first melody that came to her mind, the Minuet of the Forest.

Suddenly, Hope was flying through the air, nothing but energy. She came into the forest, landing just before the forest temple. She ran down the stairs, and jumped along the upper paths. She made her way into the Lost Woods, talking a rest. Her heart was pounding. It occurred to her that she should change into her Kokiri form. She pulled out the piece of parchment.

"Forest child," she whispered. She felt odd again, her body shrinking to the height of an eight year old child. Her hair pulled itself up off her neck. She suddenly had bangs. Green, spiky bangs. She wanted to find a pond to look at her reflection, but she knew she did not have time. Instead, Hope found a tree, and she hid herself in the thick leaves.

Impa came charging through the underbrush, a small Kokiri at her heals.

"I know she transported herself here," Impa growled. "Where is she?"

"It could be that she transported herself to another Temple, so that it would be harder for you to trace her."

"She's up to no good, I tell you that much, Saria." Impa cracked her knuckles. "She might be a Daemon."

"A Daemon? Why do you jump to conclusions?"

"Jump to conclusions? She was in Shiekah form. Only Shiek and I are left. Therefore, she must be a Daemon, out to trick the people into believing there are more Sheikahs to cause havoc."

"What did she say her name was?"

"Hope. A silly name, if you ask me. A name that is not Shiekah, Kokiri or Hylian."

"Hope? No Daemon would call themselves Hope. It is too good a concept."

"Perhaps Hope means 'destroyer' in their language."

"Impa really," Saria sighed, throwing her hands up in the air. "You have all the sense of a newborn fairy. Go on back to them, and stop chasing after shadows."

"Keep on your guard, Saria," Impa warned. "Do not relax your watch on the Temple. I'll contact the others, and tell them that."

"You do that," Saria replied, sounding generally frustrated.

Impa left, crashing back the way she had come. Saria stood, shaking her head, before she turned to the tree Hope hid in.

"Come on out now, she's gone back to the city. You didn't really think you could come into my realm, past my Temple, without me noticing, did you?" Hope swung down from the trees with a grace born of practice.

"Not really, but it seemed the fastest way to get away from her. Why didn't you let her know I was here?"

"Simple," Saria replied with a shrug. "I did not believe you were a threat, but I wanted to find out for myself. Impa would have smashed first, and then wondered whose side you were on."

"I'm not out to hurt anyone," Hope told Saria.

"I didn't think you were. Still, will you let me measure your spirit?" Hope blinked.

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"If you will allow it, I would like to see what makes up your spirit, if you are trustworthy, violent, noble, whatever. . ."

"I think I get it. All right."

"Your name is Hope?" asked Saria as she stretched out her hand.

"Yeah. I'm Hope." Saria smiled, taking her hand back.

"There is no evil within you. There is great courage, wisdom, and, oddly, there is a power in your soul that I do not recognize."

"Courage, wisdom and power?" Hope repeated. "That doesn't make any sense. Any one more influential then the next?"

"Your courage and your wisdom are greater then the power aspect within your soul," Saria replied. "You are not a threat. You have free access to my realm, but stay out of the Temple. There is great evil starting to take ground in the world. None may enter the Temple but the Hero of Time."

"I'll stay out," Hope replied. She was confused. She understood who she needed to defeat, the Daemons, but if she wasn't to go into the Temples, where was she supposed to go?

"Good. I must be going, but I will see you later, I am sure of it. Come to me if you have any troubles dealing with Impa or the others."

"Thanks, Saria."