The sun rose in the distance, and Link rose to watch it. He had been
tossing and turning in his bed all night long. He had asked Saria to spend
the day with him. He had meant it, of course, but now he was petrified.
He had no idea what he was going to do with her. He didn't want her to get
bored with him, but at the same time he didn't want her to think that he
had gone crazy coming up with an entire impossible agenda for them to
follow. In the end, his thoughts fought each other until daybreak, when he
decided to just give up and let the day do what it would.
Link dressed quickly and sat on the balcony waiting for Saria's arrival. It didn't take long for her to appear. "Good morning, Link!" she said cheerfully as she climbed up the ladder that led to his house.
"Good morning, Saria. I'm glad you were able to sneak away for the day. We haven't been seeing enough of each other," he replied. Saria made her way to the top rung of the ladder and Link held out his hand to help her up. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek as she sat down next to him.
"So, Link, what did you have planned for us today?" she asked.
"Who needs plans? Spontaneity is the way to go, Saria. It's how I've lived that past few years of my life, and I've found it to be quite enjoyable. We'll just go where the day takes us," Link said, putting an arm around Saria's shoulders.
"Well, where do you think the day will take us?" she asked, resting her head on Link's shoulder.
Link suddenly had an idea. He wondered why he had never thought of it before. Saria had never seen most of Hyrule. She had been confined to Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods for most of her life, and had only seen more of the land when she became a sage. He wondered just how much of the land she had seen. "Saria, have you been out in Hyrule very often?" he asked her.
"No. I've been to Kakariko Village, and Death Mountain, and I've seen the Market and the castle, but that's about it. Why?" she asked, sitting up and looking at him.
"Do you want to?" he asked her, becoming excited. Link loved Hyrule. It was such a beautiful land, and it held so many wonderful treasures. He could take her to Lake Hylia and to Lon Lon Ranch, and maybe even to Gerudo Valley. All of them had their own unique beauty, and he wanted to share it with Saria.
"Do I want to what?" she asked.
"See Hyrule! It's incredible! You'll love it, I promise," he said, standing up suddenly from excitement.
"Won't it take a long time to walk around Hyrule Field?" she asked him.
"Well, it would, except we won't be walking. We'll take Epona. That's the only way to see Hyrule and truly appreciate its beauty. You can see more of the view on horseback. Plus we'll be able to visit more places. Oh, Saria, it will be so much fun!" cried Link.
Saria stood up and laughed. Link was suddenly very much like the boy she remembered; the boy she had known as "Link – the boy with out a fairy". How could she refuse when the moment was just like old times? "All right. But Epona's kind of big. She won't throw me off because I'm a stranger, will she?"
"Of course not. She's not that big. As long as you hold onto me real tight you won't be going anywhere, I promise. Let's go! There's so much to see in Hyrule!" cried Link as he took Saria's hand and pulled her towards the ladder.
Link and Saria rode all over Hyrule together. They made it to Zora Fountain where Link was welcomed with open fins. All the Zoras seemed to want thank Link personally, and the two of them made a quick exit. Saria did assure Link that she though it was a gorgeous place. Then he took her to Lake Hylia and took her to see the middle of the lake on top of the Water Temple. There too, she was in awe. The last stop for the two, was Gerudo Valley.
Link rode slowly through the rocky area, trying to help Epona avoid as many loose rocks as possible. The air seemed even more oppressing than the last time he had visited. He felt the need to apologize to Saria for this. "Saria, it's not normally like this. The air isn't as stifling. But the land is pretty," said Link.
Saria replied, "Link, it's wonderful." She was gazing around at the land much like she had been gazing at most of Hyrule. It put a smile on his face to see Saria enjoying the land that he so loved. They made a stop and dismounted. "It's so different from the rest of Hyrule. I love it!" she said. She started to run ahead of Link.
"Saria! Wait!" he cried after her. He didn't want her to get intercepted by the Gerudo. He had no idea what they would do to her. He ran to catch up to her. "I don't know how the Gerudos will react to you."
"Are you trying to protect me, Link? Do you think that I can't help myself? Hmmm?" asked Saria. She smiled to show that she was kidding, and grabbed his hand. "All right, escort me, please."
"With pleasure, my lady," said Link in a light mocking tone. They walked through the fortress, and once more, the Gerudo seemed to avoid him. Saria didn't seem to notice or care.
"What's out there?" she asked, pointing out to the Haunted Wasteland.
"Oh, nothing. Believe me. Sand dunes, quicksand, sandstorms," said Link.
"A lot of sand," said Saria with a laugh.
"Yes, a lot of sand. We can stand on the edge of it and you can see if you want," said Link.
"All right," said Saria. The two walked hand-in-hand to the entrance to the Haunted Wasteland. Unfortunately, they didn't stay there. The wind picked up, and they were unable to keep their footing. The pair was sucked into the wind, and flung around, until they landed with a thud.
Link looked around and didn't recognize where he was. It was a large room with five, large candles burning in sconces on the walls. The walls were a rusty reddish orange color, and when he looked up, Link noticed that there was a gilded ceiling. It was very quiet in the room, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. He made sure that Saria was all right and grabbed for her hand. "Don't let go of my hand, no matter what. I'm so sorry that I got us into this. I have no idea where we are," said Link apologetically.
"It's not your fault. I'm the one who wanted to see the Wasteland. Besides, it's kind of exciting. I was always jealous of all the adventures you got to have. Maybe this is my chance to be a part of one of your infamous battles!"
"I don't think you really want that," said Link. At that moment, the air grew colder, and Saria sank back against Link.
"I really didn't mean it," she whispered to him. He let go of her hand, and embraced her, holding her close and making sure she was safe.
"Who dares to enter the realm of her imperial highness, Irnan?" asked a female voice. Link didn't answer and squeezed Saria hoping she got the message to keep silent. The voice let out a laugh that rang throughout the room. "It doesn't matter. I know who you are, Hero-of-Time."
"All right, then who are you?" he asked.
"I am a servant to her highness. I am Retta, leader of the Gerudo warriors." Saria whimpered slightly and clutched at Link's clothing.
"It will be all right," he whispered to her. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."
"We'll see about that, won't we Hero-of-Time." In a whirlwind of sand, Retta was upon them.
**Did I leave you hanging? Good! That was my intent. You probably won't have to wait long for an update though. This is one of the last chapters. It should be done in two or three more, so I just wanted to prepare everyone. I hate it when I get caught up in a story and then all of a sudden, it's over and I had no warning. So, I'm giving you warning. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed it so far, and I hope you'll enjoy the end as well.**
Link dressed quickly and sat on the balcony waiting for Saria's arrival. It didn't take long for her to appear. "Good morning, Link!" she said cheerfully as she climbed up the ladder that led to his house.
"Good morning, Saria. I'm glad you were able to sneak away for the day. We haven't been seeing enough of each other," he replied. Saria made her way to the top rung of the ladder and Link held out his hand to help her up. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek as she sat down next to him.
"So, Link, what did you have planned for us today?" she asked.
"Who needs plans? Spontaneity is the way to go, Saria. It's how I've lived that past few years of my life, and I've found it to be quite enjoyable. We'll just go where the day takes us," Link said, putting an arm around Saria's shoulders.
"Well, where do you think the day will take us?" she asked, resting her head on Link's shoulder.
Link suddenly had an idea. He wondered why he had never thought of it before. Saria had never seen most of Hyrule. She had been confined to Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods for most of her life, and had only seen more of the land when she became a sage. He wondered just how much of the land she had seen. "Saria, have you been out in Hyrule very often?" he asked her.
"No. I've been to Kakariko Village, and Death Mountain, and I've seen the Market and the castle, but that's about it. Why?" she asked, sitting up and looking at him.
"Do you want to?" he asked her, becoming excited. Link loved Hyrule. It was such a beautiful land, and it held so many wonderful treasures. He could take her to Lake Hylia and to Lon Lon Ranch, and maybe even to Gerudo Valley. All of them had their own unique beauty, and he wanted to share it with Saria.
"Do I want to what?" she asked.
"See Hyrule! It's incredible! You'll love it, I promise," he said, standing up suddenly from excitement.
"Won't it take a long time to walk around Hyrule Field?" she asked him.
"Well, it would, except we won't be walking. We'll take Epona. That's the only way to see Hyrule and truly appreciate its beauty. You can see more of the view on horseback. Plus we'll be able to visit more places. Oh, Saria, it will be so much fun!" cried Link.
Saria stood up and laughed. Link was suddenly very much like the boy she remembered; the boy she had known as "Link – the boy with out a fairy". How could she refuse when the moment was just like old times? "All right. But Epona's kind of big. She won't throw me off because I'm a stranger, will she?"
"Of course not. She's not that big. As long as you hold onto me real tight you won't be going anywhere, I promise. Let's go! There's so much to see in Hyrule!" cried Link as he took Saria's hand and pulled her towards the ladder.
Link and Saria rode all over Hyrule together. They made it to Zora Fountain where Link was welcomed with open fins. All the Zoras seemed to want thank Link personally, and the two of them made a quick exit. Saria did assure Link that she though it was a gorgeous place. Then he took her to Lake Hylia and took her to see the middle of the lake on top of the Water Temple. There too, she was in awe. The last stop for the two, was Gerudo Valley.
Link rode slowly through the rocky area, trying to help Epona avoid as many loose rocks as possible. The air seemed even more oppressing than the last time he had visited. He felt the need to apologize to Saria for this. "Saria, it's not normally like this. The air isn't as stifling. But the land is pretty," said Link.
Saria replied, "Link, it's wonderful." She was gazing around at the land much like she had been gazing at most of Hyrule. It put a smile on his face to see Saria enjoying the land that he so loved. They made a stop and dismounted. "It's so different from the rest of Hyrule. I love it!" she said. She started to run ahead of Link.
"Saria! Wait!" he cried after her. He didn't want her to get intercepted by the Gerudo. He had no idea what they would do to her. He ran to catch up to her. "I don't know how the Gerudos will react to you."
"Are you trying to protect me, Link? Do you think that I can't help myself? Hmmm?" asked Saria. She smiled to show that she was kidding, and grabbed his hand. "All right, escort me, please."
"With pleasure, my lady," said Link in a light mocking tone. They walked through the fortress, and once more, the Gerudo seemed to avoid him. Saria didn't seem to notice or care.
"What's out there?" she asked, pointing out to the Haunted Wasteland.
"Oh, nothing. Believe me. Sand dunes, quicksand, sandstorms," said Link.
"A lot of sand," said Saria with a laugh.
"Yes, a lot of sand. We can stand on the edge of it and you can see if you want," said Link.
"All right," said Saria. The two walked hand-in-hand to the entrance to the Haunted Wasteland. Unfortunately, they didn't stay there. The wind picked up, and they were unable to keep their footing. The pair was sucked into the wind, and flung around, until they landed with a thud.
Link looked around and didn't recognize where he was. It was a large room with five, large candles burning in sconces on the walls. The walls were a rusty reddish orange color, and when he looked up, Link noticed that there was a gilded ceiling. It was very quiet in the room, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. He made sure that Saria was all right and grabbed for her hand. "Don't let go of my hand, no matter what. I'm so sorry that I got us into this. I have no idea where we are," said Link apologetically.
"It's not your fault. I'm the one who wanted to see the Wasteland. Besides, it's kind of exciting. I was always jealous of all the adventures you got to have. Maybe this is my chance to be a part of one of your infamous battles!"
"I don't think you really want that," said Link. At that moment, the air grew colder, and Saria sank back against Link.
"I really didn't mean it," she whispered to him. He let go of her hand, and embraced her, holding her close and making sure she was safe.
"Who dares to enter the realm of her imperial highness, Irnan?" asked a female voice. Link didn't answer and squeezed Saria hoping she got the message to keep silent. The voice let out a laugh that rang throughout the room. "It doesn't matter. I know who you are, Hero-of-Time."
"All right, then who are you?" he asked.
"I am a servant to her highness. I am Retta, leader of the Gerudo warriors." Saria whimpered slightly and clutched at Link's clothing.
"It will be all right," he whispered to her. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."
"We'll see about that, won't we Hero-of-Time." In a whirlwind of sand, Retta was upon them.
**Did I leave you hanging? Good! That was my intent. You probably won't have to wait long for an update though. This is one of the last chapters. It should be done in two or three more, so I just wanted to prepare everyone. I hate it when I get caught up in a story and then all of a sudden, it's over and I had no warning. So, I'm giving you warning. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed it so far, and I hope you'll enjoy the end as well.**