Chapter 3
I walked back to our tree house, crying. Something felt weird about this situation, and I didn't like how things had been left. I started climbing the ladder up to the balcony when I heard someone speak.
"So when will you leave with your stupid git of a friend and rid of us you filthy Hylians?"
I jumped down, turned around, and looked straight at Mido whose eyes were still blue and purple from being punched the night before.
"Say that again and I'll bruise something else," I said bitterly. I took a step towards him and instinctively he backed away.
"Hey, Mido. How's it going?" Dmitri came up behind Mido and wrapped his arm around Mido's shoulder as if they were good friends.
Mido immediately pushed him off, "Geroff!"
"C'mon, Mido, cant you put the past behind you. I mean we don't take offense to the fact you left us in a pit. Isn't that right, Saira?"
"Speak for yourself" I went for Mido but Dmitri grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth before I could say anything worse.
"Bye, Mido" he said
"I don't feel like leaving just yet" Mido said crossing his arms defiantly
"Mido, scram before I let her go"
Mido stormed off but he wasn't scared of Dmitri letting me go. He was just afraid of Dmitri. Dmitri was wimpy when it came to certain things but defending me was not one of them. He would have dropped Mido in a heartbeat.
He finally removed his hand from my mouth but held my hands so I wouldn't try to run after Mido.
"I swear if he says one more thing -"
"Saira, calm down. I came to tell you something and its going to be hard with you glaring at that little weasel."
I sighed, wiped my eyes and looked at Dmitri.
"Good or bad?" I asked
"Depends on how you take it. I consider this a good thing"
"What is it?"
"My parents are moving away" he beamed.
"And how is that a good thing?" I asked
"In other words, in two months, we'll be free. They wont be around to tell us what to do"
"Oh, ok. Where are they moving to?"
"They were waiting for their house to be built in Kakariko Village and its supposed to be done." Dmitri said happily
"You've still got two months." I pointed out
"But then they're gone." He wrapped his arm with mine and began dancing around.
"Dmitri!" Vienne yelled "Come inside. Oh, Saira, would you like some breakfast?"
Just then my stomach growled loudly so Dmitri and I went inside to eat.
"So, Saira, I'm sure Dmitri has told you the news. I'm counting on you to keep him in check. Who knows what he'll try when we leave?"
"I will. I promise" I said
"Hey wait a minute. You're supposed to be on my side Saira!"
"I am but I cant let them know that." I said winking at Vienne
After we ate, I went back to my empty house. Most of Link's things were gone and left many gaps on our shelves. It didn't even look as if anyone else lived there anymore. I picked up a shirt off the floor and smelled it. I couldn't help myself anymore. I sat down on his bed and cried.
"Knock, knock." I looked up and Saria was standing in the doorway. "May I come in?"
"There's plenty of room" She walked in and sat next to me
Saria had always been a good friend to Link and I. If I ever had a problem, Saria was the first person Link turned to for advice. She also taught me a great deal about the forest and the spirits that dwelled there.
"I know its hard -"
"How? How can you know?" I said in anguish not really meaning what I said
"You don't mean that. I can tell. He won't be gone forever, but I do know he'll be gone for a few months at least. However I do have ways of speaking with him"
"What? How?"
"I gave him my ocarina. It possesses great magic. His new faery, Navi, should show him how to use it. Whenever you want to talk to him, just ask me"
I smiled
"Come with me. I want to show you something" she said
I followed her out of my tree house and into the Lost Woods. Right. Left. Right. Right. Left. Straight. Left. I lost track of how many times she took a turn. I recognized some of it from when Dmitri and I played with the Skull kids. Finally we emerged in a small flat open area.
"Welcome to the Sacred Forest Meadow"
I gazed around. I didn't think there was anything great about it though
"Um, wow?" I asked
"This is just the entrance"
We walked forward and entered a maze.
"You know where to go, right?" I asked
"Of course"
The path seemed endless but finally we reached some stairs. As we climbed another meadow came into view.
"Look up" Saria instructed when we reached the top of the stairs
I did and there was a broken off stairway much too tall for anyone to reach, especially us. It led to a large doorway covered in ivy. Vines covered every inch of it giving it a very mysterious and foreboding look.
"What is it?"
"It's the Forest Temple. No one has entered it in a few centuries if not more"
"Amazing. What's inside?"
"I only know what I've been told. They say it used to be a magnificent temple where one of the old rulers lived. It was built as a tribute to the sages. However, our land has seen many wars and when evil claimed the land, it was locked up only to be entered when a hero would come to awaken the sage"
"Whose the sage?"
"No one knows. Could be anyone. The sage of the forest is a Kokiri. The other sages are members of the race that guard the temple.
Just then I began to hear whispers all around me. I spin around looking for someone but found only Saria.
"There's no one there" she said
"So you hear it too?"
"Always have. The spirits of the forest are whispering to each other and the trees."
"The trees?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, the trees speak. Very few are able to hear them. It pleases me that you can"
"So the trees are speaking to me?"
"Not necessarily to you, but yes, they are speaking. Can you understand them?"
"No, its all jumbled"
"Close your eyes. Concentrate."
I did. I heard whispers and suddenly they all became clear.
'Saria brought someone new'
'Who is she?'
'She's an elf. Not Kokiri'
'An elf who grew up as a Kokiri'
'Is she the one they speak of?'
I opened my eyes. I was amazed but wasn't quite sure what it all meant.
"Wow"
"Look down at what you're standing on" Saria instructed
I stood on a stone platform. The Triforce was embedded with a darker grey, and a medallion symbol was in the center of yet another shade of grey.
"What is it?" I asked
"The mark of a temple. You will find one of these in front of or in every temple."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"The trees have many secrets and know more than you could imagine"
"Okay?"
"But if you befriend the trees they can share with you infinite knowledge." Saria said "They have told me much"
"One tree asked 'Is she the one?' What did they mean?"
"You and your brother are special. There has never been a doubt in my mind about that"
"So?"
"Saira, have you ever felt like you knew that something was going to happen before it actually happened?"
"Why?" I didn't understand what she was getting at so I didn't want to admit that I felt like that all the time.
"You mother was one of the 'Hylian Seers' and I believe you will follow in her footsteps"
"A seer? Like someone who has visions?" I asked
"Yes"
"But I've never had a vision before"
"Hmm"
I walked around. I wanted to see the temple inside.
'She looks like the past princess'
The trees began to speak again
'She's the same'
'Identical'
'Her eyes!'
I turned around and looked at Saria who had begun to play her ocarina.
"Whose the 'past princess'?" I asked
"So you heard? The past princess was the princess of the old royal family before the wars. She did a lot for Hyrule until she went to Middle- Earth. Unfortunately she also died there."
"Middle-Earth?"
"What? Did you think Hyrule was the center of the universe?"
"Well, no." I said
"There are 3 'worlds' persay. Hyrule, Middle-Earth, and Earth, but we rarely interact."
"How could we?
"Portals appear all the time that will take you to those worlds"
I sat down on a stump and listened to Saria play. About an hour later, Saria stopped and said she needed to go.
"Are you coming?"
"No, I want to stay a little while longer."
Saria left me in silence. When I knew she was gone, I got up and stared at the temple. There was a tree that led up to the door. I climbed up the vines that wrapped around the tree and dropped down in front of the door. Unfortunately it was locked. I tried to open it anyway. The moment I touched the handle I felt a rush of cold flow through me. I saw a flash of Ganondorf and pulled away.
"SAIRA!!" Someone called
I turned and Dmitri was trapped in the maze, getting shot at by Deku Scrubs.
"Left. No! Your other left. OK. Now right. One more left." I guided Dmitri though since I could see everything from my standpoint.
"There you are," he said finally reaching the top of the stairs. "I've been looking everywhere for you"
"You found me"
"How'd you get up there?" He asked
"I climbed. You want to help me down?"
"How?"
"Just catch" I said
"What?"
"I'm going to jump. Can you catch me?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
I looked down and Dmitri was standing with open arms. I grabbed a vine just incase he missed. But he didn't. I landed perfectly in his arms. A wolf howled and fireflies began to light our way.
"How was it?" he asked me as I walked with him
"How was what?"
"Saira, please don't play dumb. I know how smart you are. I thought I was your friend but if I really was, you'd talk to me"
I stopped him "Dmitri, you are my best friend and you always will be but I'm trying to adjust to life without my brother whom I've relied on my entire life."
"Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you"
"Just give me time"
The next few days were hard. Everyday I woke up seeing Link's bed empty. I finally asked Dmitri to come stay with me so I wouldn't be alone.
After it had been a week, I was compelled to learn more about Link's mission. I got all the books about Hylian lore from the Triplets. They were the three Kokiri triplets who knew just about everything, but I didn't want to ask because once they start talking they never stop. I was surprised to learn Dmitri loved Hylian lore. He actually read the books with me.
"Anything?" I asked
"Huh? Oh, yeah, a whole passage. Why is it we are 6 and reading these?"
"Dmitri, please"
"Sorry. Anyway, it reads: 'When the goddesses departed from the newly created Hyrule, they wanted to be sure that the Triforce could never be touched by evil. They forged the 3 spiritual stones and entrusted them to the 3 races they trusted most.' And that's it. It goes on to talk about the sages and their protection on the Triforce."
"OK, well the Deku Tree is, was, the keeper of the Kokiri Emerald. A Goron and Zora should be the keepers of the other two"
"Okay, can we go do something now?"
"What'd you have in mind?"
"I found something in the Lost Woods when I was looking for you a week ago. C'mon"
He shut the books and coughed on the dust. He led me back into the forest to a stone archway. However, several large boulders blocked where it led. It was also surrounded buy strange looking flowers.
"What do you think is on the other side?" I asked
"My dad said there was a passage that led to Goron City, but it had never been found" Dmitri explained
"Cool. Problem: How do we get past it?"
"I don't know" he laughed
So, now Dmitri and I ha a new way to pas the time. Everyday we went back and tried to figure out how to get past the boulders each idea wilder than the one before. Two months had passed by like seconds and soon Vienne and Stu were moving to their new house in Kakariko.
"Are you sure you'll be alright without us?" Vienne was becoming frantic
"We'll be find, mum. Really"
"Yeah, Vienne. I'll take good care of him"
"Vienne, lets go" Stu said
With tears in her eyes, Vienne exited the forest. When Dmitri couldn't see her, he cheered and started doing cartwheels in a circle around me. I pushed him over midway and watched him topple on the ground
"Ow.. Oh, Saira. We're FREE!"
He was in a good mood for a few hours until his stomach started growling. "Oh, no! What're we going to do about food?"
"You're helpless and don't worry. I can cook"
I made us lunch then we went back to the stone archway. We stayed there all day and when night fell I wanted to go.
"No, I want to figure this out"
I summoned a few light beads to light the small tunnel. I began to hear a hissing sound behind me. One of the light beads had landed on the flowers and it made the flower begin to glow and hiss giving off smoke.
"Dmitri"
"Not now, Saira. I'm almost through"
But I grabbed him and dragged him away. Just in time to because the flower exploded making the others explode as well. I covered my face and waited for the explosions to stop.
"Dmitri?"
"What did you do? He asked lying flat on his back with dust all over his face
"Sorry"
I went over to him and helped him up. Dust flew off our clothing making us cough hoarsely.
"Saira, its open. Look!"
Dmitri ran at the opening but it was like watching someone try to run through glass. He hit an invisible wall like the one I'd hit when I tried to reach for Link. Dmitri bounced off and light spanned out from where he hit.
I went to him and bent over staring at him. A red spot was forming on his forehead.
"That smarts" I said
"Ugh. Stupid barriers."
"C'mon. We better get back"
"Ugh. Gimme a minute"
I was tired so I healed him enough so he could walk and we walked back.
I walked back to our tree house, crying. Something felt weird about this situation, and I didn't like how things had been left. I started climbing the ladder up to the balcony when I heard someone speak.
"So when will you leave with your stupid git of a friend and rid of us you filthy Hylians?"
I jumped down, turned around, and looked straight at Mido whose eyes were still blue and purple from being punched the night before.
"Say that again and I'll bruise something else," I said bitterly. I took a step towards him and instinctively he backed away.
"Hey, Mido. How's it going?" Dmitri came up behind Mido and wrapped his arm around Mido's shoulder as if they were good friends.
Mido immediately pushed him off, "Geroff!"
"C'mon, Mido, cant you put the past behind you. I mean we don't take offense to the fact you left us in a pit. Isn't that right, Saira?"
"Speak for yourself" I went for Mido but Dmitri grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth before I could say anything worse.
"Bye, Mido" he said
"I don't feel like leaving just yet" Mido said crossing his arms defiantly
"Mido, scram before I let her go"
Mido stormed off but he wasn't scared of Dmitri letting me go. He was just afraid of Dmitri. Dmitri was wimpy when it came to certain things but defending me was not one of them. He would have dropped Mido in a heartbeat.
He finally removed his hand from my mouth but held my hands so I wouldn't try to run after Mido.
"I swear if he says one more thing -"
"Saira, calm down. I came to tell you something and its going to be hard with you glaring at that little weasel."
I sighed, wiped my eyes and looked at Dmitri.
"Good or bad?" I asked
"Depends on how you take it. I consider this a good thing"
"What is it?"
"My parents are moving away" he beamed.
"And how is that a good thing?" I asked
"In other words, in two months, we'll be free. They wont be around to tell us what to do"
"Oh, ok. Where are they moving to?"
"They were waiting for their house to be built in Kakariko Village and its supposed to be done." Dmitri said happily
"You've still got two months." I pointed out
"But then they're gone." He wrapped his arm with mine and began dancing around.
"Dmitri!" Vienne yelled "Come inside. Oh, Saira, would you like some breakfast?"
Just then my stomach growled loudly so Dmitri and I went inside to eat.
"So, Saira, I'm sure Dmitri has told you the news. I'm counting on you to keep him in check. Who knows what he'll try when we leave?"
"I will. I promise" I said
"Hey wait a minute. You're supposed to be on my side Saira!"
"I am but I cant let them know that." I said winking at Vienne
After we ate, I went back to my empty house. Most of Link's things were gone and left many gaps on our shelves. It didn't even look as if anyone else lived there anymore. I picked up a shirt off the floor and smelled it. I couldn't help myself anymore. I sat down on his bed and cried.
"Knock, knock." I looked up and Saria was standing in the doorway. "May I come in?"
"There's plenty of room" She walked in and sat next to me
Saria had always been a good friend to Link and I. If I ever had a problem, Saria was the first person Link turned to for advice. She also taught me a great deal about the forest and the spirits that dwelled there.
"I know its hard -"
"How? How can you know?" I said in anguish not really meaning what I said
"You don't mean that. I can tell. He won't be gone forever, but I do know he'll be gone for a few months at least. However I do have ways of speaking with him"
"What? How?"
"I gave him my ocarina. It possesses great magic. His new faery, Navi, should show him how to use it. Whenever you want to talk to him, just ask me"
I smiled
"Come with me. I want to show you something" she said
I followed her out of my tree house and into the Lost Woods. Right. Left. Right. Right. Left. Straight. Left. I lost track of how many times she took a turn. I recognized some of it from when Dmitri and I played with the Skull kids. Finally we emerged in a small flat open area.
"Welcome to the Sacred Forest Meadow"
I gazed around. I didn't think there was anything great about it though
"Um, wow?" I asked
"This is just the entrance"
We walked forward and entered a maze.
"You know where to go, right?" I asked
"Of course"
The path seemed endless but finally we reached some stairs. As we climbed another meadow came into view.
"Look up" Saria instructed when we reached the top of the stairs
I did and there was a broken off stairway much too tall for anyone to reach, especially us. It led to a large doorway covered in ivy. Vines covered every inch of it giving it a very mysterious and foreboding look.
"What is it?"
"It's the Forest Temple. No one has entered it in a few centuries if not more"
"Amazing. What's inside?"
"I only know what I've been told. They say it used to be a magnificent temple where one of the old rulers lived. It was built as a tribute to the sages. However, our land has seen many wars and when evil claimed the land, it was locked up only to be entered when a hero would come to awaken the sage"
"Whose the sage?"
"No one knows. Could be anyone. The sage of the forest is a Kokiri. The other sages are members of the race that guard the temple.
Just then I began to hear whispers all around me. I spin around looking for someone but found only Saria.
"There's no one there" she said
"So you hear it too?"
"Always have. The spirits of the forest are whispering to each other and the trees."
"The trees?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, the trees speak. Very few are able to hear them. It pleases me that you can"
"So the trees are speaking to me?"
"Not necessarily to you, but yes, they are speaking. Can you understand them?"
"No, its all jumbled"
"Close your eyes. Concentrate."
I did. I heard whispers and suddenly they all became clear.
'Saria brought someone new'
'Who is she?'
'She's an elf. Not Kokiri'
'An elf who grew up as a Kokiri'
'Is she the one they speak of?'
I opened my eyes. I was amazed but wasn't quite sure what it all meant.
"Wow"
"Look down at what you're standing on" Saria instructed
I stood on a stone platform. The Triforce was embedded with a darker grey, and a medallion symbol was in the center of yet another shade of grey.
"What is it?" I asked
"The mark of a temple. You will find one of these in front of or in every temple."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"The trees have many secrets and know more than you could imagine"
"Okay?"
"But if you befriend the trees they can share with you infinite knowledge." Saria said "They have told me much"
"One tree asked 'Is she the one?' What did they mean?"
"You and your brother are special. There has never been a doubt in my mind about that"
"So?"
"Saira, have you ever felt like you knew that something was going to happen before it actually happened?"
"Why?" I didn't understand what she was getting at so I didn't want to admit that I felt like that all the time.
"You mother was one of the 'Hylian Seers' and I believe you will follow in her footsteps"
"A seer? Like someone who has visions?" I asked
"Yes"
"But I've never had a vision before"
"Hmm"
I walked around. I wanted to see the temple inside.
'She looks like the past princess'
The trees began to speak again
'She's the same'
'Identical'
'Her eyes!'
I turned around and looked at Saria who had begun to play her ocarina.
"Whose the 'past princess'?" I asked
"So you heard? The past princess was the princess of the old royal family before the wars. She did a lot for Hyrule until she went to Middle- Earth. Unfortunately she also died there."
"Middle-Earth?"
"What? Did you think Hyrule was the center of the universe?"
"Well, no." I said
"There are 3 'worlds' persay. Hyrule, Middle-Earth, and Earth, but we rarely interact."
"How could we?
"Portals appear all the time that will take you to those worlds"
I sat down on a stump and listened to Saria play. About an hour later, Saria stopped and said she needed to go.
"Are you coming?"
"No, I want to stay a little while longer."
Saria left me in silence. When I knew she was gone, I got up and stared at the temple. There was a tree that led up to the door. I climbed up the vines that wrapped around the tree and dropped down in front of the door. Unfortunately it was locked. I tried to open it anyway. The moment I touched the handle I felt a rush of cold flow through me. I saw a flash of Ganondorf and pulled away.
"SAIRA!!" Someone called
I turned and Dmitri was trapped in the maze, getting shot at by Deku Scrubs.
"Left. No! Your other left. OK. Now right. One more left." I guided Dmitri though since I could see everything from my standpoint.
"There you are," he said finally reaching the top of the stairs. "I've been looking everywhere for you"
"You found me"
"How'd you get up there?" He asked
"I climbed. You want to help me down?"
"How?"
"Just catch" I said
"What?"
"I'm going to jump. Can you catch me?"
"Yeah. Go ahead."
I looked down and Dmitri was standing with open arms. I grabbed a vine just incase he missed. But he didn't. I landed perfectly in his arms. A wolf howled and fireflies began to light our way.
"How was it?" he asked me as I walked with him
"How was what?"
"Saira, please don't play dumb. I know how smart you are. I thought I was your friend but if I really was, you'd talk to me"
I stopped him "Dmitri, you are my best friend and you always will be but I'm trying to adjust to life without my brother whom I've relied on my entire life."
"Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you"
"Just give me time"
The next few days were hard. Everyday I woke up seeing Link's bed empty. I finally asked Dmitri to come stay with me so I wouldn't be alone.
After it had been a week, I was compelled to learn more about Link's mission. I got all the books about Hylian lore from the Triplets. They were the three Kokiri triplets who knew just about everything, but I didn't want to ask because once they start talking they never stop. I was surprised to learn Dmitri loved Hylian lore. He actually read the books with me.
"Anything?" I asked
"Huh? Oh, yeah, a whole passage. Why is it we are 6 and reading these?"
"Dmitri, please"
"Sorry. Anyway, it reads: 'When the goddesses departed from the newly created Hyrule, they wanted to be sure that the Triforce could never be touched by evil. They forged the 3 spiritual stones and entrusted them to the 3 races they trusted most.' And that's it. It goes on to talk about the sages and their protection on the Triforce."
"OK, well the Deku Tree is, was, the keeper of the Kokiri Emerald. A Goron and Zora should be the keepers of the other two"
"Okay, can we go do something now?"
"What'd you have in mind?"
"I found something in the Lost Woods when I was looking for you a week ago. C'mon"
He shut the books and coughed on the dust. He led me back into the forest to a stone archway. However, several large boulders blocked where it led. It was also surrounded buy strange looking flowers.
"What do you think is on the other side?" I asked
"My dad said there was a passage that led to Goron City, but it had never been found" Dmitri explained
"Cool. Problem: How do we get past it?"
"I don't know" he laughed
So, now Dmitri and I ha a new way to pas the time. Everyday we went back and tried to figure out how to get past the boulders each idea wilder than the one before. Two months had passed by like seconds and soon Vienne and Stu were moving to their new house in Kakariko.
"Are you sure you'll be alright without us?" Vienne was becoming frantic
"We'll be find, mum. Really"
"Yeah, Vienne. I'll take good care of him"
"Vienne, lets go" Stu said
With tears in her eyes, Vienne exited the forest. When Dmitri couldn't see her, he cheered and started doing cartwheels in a circle around me. I pushed him over midway and watched him topple on the ground
"Ow.. Oh, Saira. We're FREE!"
He was in a good mood for a few hours until his stomach started growling. "Oh, no! What're we going to do about food?"
"You're helpless and don't worry. I can cook"
I made us lunch then we went back to the stone archway. We stayed there all day and when night fell I wanted to go.
"No, I want to figure this out"
I summoned a few light beads to light the small tunnel. I began to hear a hissing sound behind me. One of the light beads had landed on the flowers and it made the flower begin to glow and hiss giving off smoke.
"Dmitri"
"Not now, Saira. I'm almost through"
But I grabbed him and dragged him away. Just in time to because the flower exploded making the others explode as well. I covered my face and waited for the explosions to stop.
"Dmitri?"
"What did you do? He asked lying flat on his back with dust all over his face
"Sorry"
I went over to him and helped him up. Dust flew off our clothing making us cough hoarsely.
"Saira, its open. Look!"
Dmitri ran at the opening but it was like watching someone try to run through glass. He hit an invisible wall like the one I'd hit when I tried to reach for Link. Dmitri bounced off and light spanned out from where he hit.
I went to him and bent over staring at him. A red spot was forming on his forehead.
"That smarts" I said
"Ugh. Stupid barriers."
"C'mon. We better get back"
"Ugh. Gimme a minute"
I was tired so I healed him enough so he could walk and we walked back.