Chapter 1
Zelda looked out upon the castle grounds. It was raining again. It had been raining a lot lately, and rain meant no visitors. She sighed. She had never really liked rain. Sure, it watered the fields and kept the rivers full, but it also made everything dreary and muddy. The soldiers' shoes made wet footprints upon the floor. She secretly wished the rain would just stop for a while so she could walk without worrying if her dress was getting wet. Rain was depressing. There were no two ways about it.
"Princess!" someone shouted from the hallway. It was some attendant or another, due to tell her that she needed to dress for dinner. She had been wondering when someone would arrive. It was more than likely Impa. "Princess?" Impa stuck her head inside the door. She was worried about the princess. Zelda hadn't been herself lately. She was usually quite jovial, if not overenthusiastic at times. But lately Zelda had been keeping to herself, taking to moping in her room. It had to be this awful weather.
"It's time for you to get ready for the afternoon meal. Have you decided what you wish to wear?"
"No. You choose something. Surprise me."
Impa fretted, but knew that there was nothing she could do to raise the princess out of this predicament. She couldn't change the weather. But somewhere deep down inside her maternal instincts told her that the weather wasn't the only thing bothering the princess. She went to the wardrobe, selecting a lovely yet plain dress for the princess. She cast a worried glance back at Zelda's hunched form. There was definitely more behind this story than the weather.
"Is this acceptable?" Impa held up the dress.
"It will do." Zelda stood, a lingering frown on her face. Impa couldn't withhold herself any longer.
"Princess, is there something wrong?"
Zelda sighed. "If only there were some way to describe it, the feeling of foreboding and danger. I know not what causes this disturbance, but if only it should stop raining I could think clearly..."
Impa could see the growing discomfort in the princess's eyes. She wished she knew how to help.
"Has my father arranged for the desert king to arrive?" Zelda tactfully changed the subject. She knew continuation of her worries would make Impa uncomfortable.
"Yes. He is to arrive next week." Impa frowned. She had never liked the desert people. The Sheikah and the Gerudo had been on opposing sides in the Great War. Things were still tense between the races.
"I had thought so. Father had said that he would be arriving soon. I just didn't think that- Impa, that's too tight!"
Zelda's attendant had let her anger get the better of her, not paying attention to what she was doing. She quickly loosened the laces of the princess's corset. "I apologize! Are you all right, Princess?"
Zelda looked up at Impa's kindly face. The nurse was more a mother to her than the Queen. She smiled, more to banish the worried look on Impa's face than out of happiness or relief. "I will live," she joked.
Impa was relieved. It was the first smile that she had seen on Zelda's face in days. It lightened her heart. She finished lacing the dress and began fixing Zelda's hair. "Any particular style that you would like?"
"No, just do something with it. It has been standing on end because of this humid weather."
Impa meticulously braided ribbons into the first few strands of the princess's beautiful, silky hair on each side of Zelda's face. She then pulled it back and secured it behind Zelda's head with an exquisitely beautiful clip of a butterfly.
"Thank you. It looks lovely." Zelda stood, admiring her hair in the mirror. It looked as a crown of flowers might. Zelda walked over to her window once more. The bell had not yet rung for dinner. She sighed. If only the rain would stop...
"Are you sure that everything's all right?" asked Impa once more. She could tell that something was bothering Zelda.
"No, Impa, everything's all wrong, but I know not what I can do about it."
This answer surprised Impa. The princess seemed truly upset about something. "What upsets you?"
"If only it was that simple," Zelda answered. She paused before continuing. "I sense a disturbance in the tranquility of Hyrule. The world is changing. A new age is coming. An age that is not entirely welcome." The princess suddenly leaned upon the windowsill. "Impa..." The word came out barely a whisper. Zelda's body went suddenly limp and she fainted.
*~*~*
Hooves beat upon the wet ground. The cold, drear air seemed to have seeped into the land. The once-beautiful land of Hyrule mourned the sunlight. A castle loomed in the distance, its spires lit by lightning. Thunderous hooves beat a tattoo on the palpitating air. The drawbridge of the castle lowered, allowing passage to two horses. First came a fine white horse, no doubt of royal ownership. It sped by, made a barely recognizable blur by speed and the beating rain, bearing two frightened-looking riders, a princess and her attendant. The second was a tall, menacing horse bearing a rider of similar stature. The man's amber eyes were dark and secretive, bearing a hatred of something that the eyes did not reveal. He turned to face a thing that seemed very out of place in the strange scene. A child. The boy was clad all in green, with a small light hovering near his shoulder. This seemed to amuse the man, for he laughed, a cold, cruel sound. He raised his hand, and a ball of energy collected there. With one last laugh, he threw it at the child, and without a second glance, rode away into the night...
Link awoke in a cold sweat. The same, recurring nightmare had been haunting his dreams for a while. Two weeks, if his counting served right. He looked outside. The first rays of light were peeking over the horizon. He had better get moving if he wanted to avoid Mido. He quickly dressed, and cautiously peeked out of the small tree house. There was no sign of any movement. He walked out onto the small perch that served as a balcony, and took a deep breath of the new morning air. He could still smell the dew, not yet gone from the leaves of the forest. He turned to look at the Lost Woods, watching the sun slowly crawl over the tops of the trees. It was the best time of the day, no contest. He walked toward the Lost Woods with an extra spring in his step. He knew that his only true friend, Saria, was most likely in the forest already. Out of all the Kokiri, she was the most closely connected with the forest. She spent every morning in the forest, doing what Link never knew. He knew that when she didn't want to be found, she went to her "secret spot", but Link knew not where that was, either. When he stopped to think about it, there were many things he didn't know about Saria. He knew one key factor, though. She was his best friend. He had tried many times to find her, but each had just succeeded in getting him lost.
"I suppose that's why they call it the Lost Woods," he thought aloud. Today he wouldn't worry about finding Saria, or finding out what was at the bottom of the small pond in the heart of the forest, or any of the usual mysteries that he tried to unravel. Today would be spent forgetting the nightmare and avoiding-
"Hey Mr. No-Fairy, where are you off to in such a hurry?" A voice came from behind Link. He knew at once who it was. Mido, the forest bully. Sometimes Link wondered if Mido watched him just to know when he was out of his house. Technically, Mido was older than Link. He had already reached the state of perpetual youth while Link was still an infant. It was said that for every Kokiri that became a Skull Kid, a new one must be born. Link had yet to find his Skull Kid.
"I was just heading into the Lost Woods. Care to join me?" Link had found Mido's weakness one day when he was going to search for Saria. For all his bragging, Mido was scared of the Lost Woods. He feared that he would get lost in them and turn into a Skull Kid, or worse, a dreaded Stalfos. The look of horror on Mido's face when Link mentioned the Lost Woods was enough to raise his spirits once more.
"No, just don't get lost in there. Wouldn't want the Skull Kids to claim you." Mido made a pitiful attempt to regain the upper hand, but Link was too focused on having a good day to care.
Link entered the Lost Woods, trying to keep a level head, and trying not to get lost, but soon found himself deeper into the forest than he intended. Every flower looked the same, every plant repeated. He looked around for something recognizable, but found nothing. He came suddenly to a very strange sight. In front of him stood two very large stone walls, ancient but beautiful in their simplicity. He looked on them with wonder, for nothing like this had ever been seen in the forest before. Afraid and curious, Link ventured forth with wonder. Beyond the walls lay a maze of hedges. Link carefully trod amongst the greenery, not wanting to disturb the majestic tranquility of the tall maze. A wafting sound met his ears, like a gentle breeze through the trees on a midsummer's day. He stopped, enjoying the lulling of the music. He went on, wanting almost desperately to find the source of the sound. It seemed the trees themselves were swaying in time to the rhythm. He could hear the music getting louder. He seemed almost there, when suddenly, in front of him popped the strangest looking plant that he had ever seen. Its face was brown, and atop its head was hair of leaves. Link stared at it in wonder. Suddenly, it glared at Link and spit something hard at him. The force of the blow caught Link off guard. He was thrown bodily against the hedge wall. The creature, seemingly satisfied, sank back into the ground, to look to all as a harmless bush. Link glared at it, and turned back the other way. He was quite certain that the bush was guarding the correct way to go, but he had no idea how to get past it, and wasn't about to go back and get another bruise.
"But how do I get past it?" Link thought out loud. There had to be a way...
He returned to wandering in the forest, and eventually found his way out. He saw no sign of Saria. A few people waved to him on his way home, but it did nothing to raise his spirits. He knew that they only waved because they felt sorry for him. He walked slowly into his house, the maze still on his mind. He knew there must be a way to get past the strange plant-people. There just had to be.
"Link! Hey, Link!" A voice called from the balcony. Link knew the voice as soon as he heard it. It was the only person who would visit him anyway.
"Come on in, Saria. Where were you today?"
"My secret place. What did you do today?"
"Just wandered in the forest. I found a really pretty flower. I wanted to show it to you, but I couldn't find you." For some reason, Link didn't want to tell Saria about the maze. He had the strange feeling that she knew anyway.
Saria giggled. "You can show me tomorrow. Did Mido give you any trouble?"
Link smiled. "Nah. I managed to avoid him, for once." Link knew that Mido liked Saria, and was very jealous of her friendship with Link.
Saria looked at Link with sad eyes. "You should just give him a chance. He isn't as mean as he seems. He just needs a friend."
Link rolled his eyes. "Mido sure doesn't want me as a friend. I'll give him a chance if he gives me one."
Saria sighed. "You never change. Were you bored stiff without me to entertain you?" Saria joked.
Link smiled. It was nice to have at least one friend. "Kind of. I think I caught a glimpse of a Skull Kid, but I'm not sure." He paused. "When are you going to let me come to your secret place?"
"When the time is right, you'll be able to find me," Saria answered cryptically.
"I hate it when you say that."
Saria just smiled. "Like I said, you'll know..."
"So, what do you do in your secret place, anyway?"
"Not much, if you think about it. Everything's so much more peaceful there. I listen to the trees, mostly. They remember things, the trees do. Some of them don't like the Kokiri, but others speak of our ancestors that walked among them and spoke with them." Saria paused. "I wish I could talk with the trees, like I do with the Great Deku Tree."
Link looked on Saria with amazement. "You've talked with the Great Deku Tree?"
"Yes, and he seemed quite happy to see me. We talked about everything, from lore of the Kokiri, to the world outside of the forest. There are many great things out there, like lakes, and castles, and villages, and even a desert!"
"What's a desert?"
"It's a place with lots of sand where no plants grow."
Link thought about this. "That's not possible. A place with no plants? It must be pretty depressing."
"I suppose you're right, but there are people that LIVE in the desert, and they survive. At least I think they do..."
Link burned to ask his friend about her secret place, but knew that he wouldn't get a straight answer. Instead, he asked a question that had been burning inside him for a long time. "Saria?"
"Yes, Link?"
"Did the Great Deku Tree... Did he tell you why I don't have a fairy?"
Link thought he saw a tear roll down Saria's cheek at the question. "No, the topic never came up." Saria didn't want to tell Link that the topic DID in fact come up, but the Tree refused to answer the questions. It was better for Link not to know this, though it pained Saria to keep it from him. "Link, don't think that anyone likes you less because you don't have a fairy. You're still you, and that's what counts. Cheer up! Tomorrow we'll spend the whole day looking for Skull Kids. It'll be fun!"
Link smiled. A whole day with Saria away from everyone else was definitely going to be a good day. "Thanks. Tell me about the outside world."
Saria smiled, and went into a long explanation of everything she could remember, getting a few details mixed up along the way, but not really caring. After some time, they both fell asleep, smiles decorating their peaceful faces.
*~*~*
Link awoke to find Saria still asleep beside him. He quietly rose, afraid of waking her. He had experienced the chilling nightmare once again. Perhaps a day spent with Saria would stop the nightly horrors. He looked outside, and discovered it newly dawn. The sun-kissed flowers, not yet awoken from their long sleep through the night, poked up through the green forest floor. Link stretched, breathing deeply of the morning air. This was his favorite time of day. Inside he could hear Saria stirring. He reached out, and picked one of the flowers growing near the door. It was blue. He was sure that Saria would like it.
Inside, Saria awoke, slightly disoriented. She knew that her house didn't look like this. Then she suddenly remembered that she fell asleep at Link's house. She got up, and looked around. Link had already awoken. She heard his footfalls out front. Peering over the edge of the small table in the center of the room, she saw him standing outside, watching the sunrise. There was a quiet dignity about Link that she had always found enchanting. Perhaps that was what had kept her from either sympathizing or hating him like the rest of the Kokiri. She stood, and stretched her cramped muscles, silently reminding herself never to fall asleep on the floor again. Link walked in, his hand behind his back, and a smile as bright as the sun herself on his face.
"Look what I picked for you!" Link held out the small flower towards Saria. It was pale blue, the color of the sky.
Saria's eyes grew wide. "Link... How could you? You hurt the plant!"
Link stared at Saria in astonishment. "What are you talking about?"
"You picked the flower! That flower took a whole season to get like that, and you just picked it without a second thought! Didn't you ever think how the plant felt? Would you like it if someone came up and pulled out a strand of your hair?"
Link hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Saria. I wasn't thinking. I thought you would like it. It was pretty, and made me think of you."
Saria averted her eyes. "No, I'm the one who should apologize. You didn't mean to hurt the plant. I overreacted. It was really kind of you to think of me." She suddenly smiled. "Do you still want to search for Skull Kids?" Saria had seen fleeting glimpses of some in the forest, but had never spoken to one, and had never seen one up close. They were wild, like the trees. They were free.
"Of course I still want to find some Skull Kids! C'mon, let's go!"
And with that the two friends went off in search of adventure and excitement, free in their innocence, without a care in the world.
~*~*~
Zelda awoke, lying in her room, the curtains drawn about her bed. She knew not how long she had been unconscious, but it seemed to be night. Cautiously she peered out, and saw Impa asleep next to her. Her nurse hadn't left her side. This single fact brought great comfort to the princess. She could count on Impa. She smiled, and quietly made her way over to the window once more. The rain had stopped, and the moon shone through the clouds. The sight made her heart happy. She hadn't seen the clear moon for a while. She sat, picking out the constellations in the sky, mulling over everything that was happening. The feeling of foreboding hadn't left her, and she had yet to figure out what had caused her sudden fainting.
Looking out of the window, she could see out across the marketplace. Few lights still twinkled in the windows. Most were asleep, dreaming dreams untroubled by the rising turmoil. Further out she could see the field, veiled in darkness. Zelda turned toward the room once more. She would eventually have to tell someone about her dream. Lying down on the soft down mattress, she tried to drift off into sleep, but her troubled mind wouldn't let her rest. Standing once more, she paced about the room, collecting her thoughts, trying to come up with a rational plan. None would come.
She paced for hours. Her feet were tired and sore, and still nothing had come to mind. She needed to calm down and collect her thoughts. As the first rays of light peeked over the emerald horizon, she resolved to collect Impa's opinion of the matter. Her most trusted advisor and nurse would surely be able to help her resolve the conflicting emotions within her. That decided she walked to the window once again. The sun shone golden over the hilltops. Zelda watched the peaceful scene, trying not to dwell on the dream. Beside her bed, Impa stirred in her sleep. The princess wondered briefly if Impa might be having the same dream.
Zelda strode over to her wardrobe, selecting one of her many beautiful dresses. It was a sundress, made with lavender material, woven in a floral design. It was one of her favorites. Setting it aside, she sat on her bed and waited for Impa to awaken.
An hour passed before the servant awoke. To Zelda it seemed like forever. While preparing for the day ahead, Zelda related her dream to Impa.
"In the dream I find myself standing in the midst of the field. Dark clouds overshadow everything. The land is covered in darkness, and raging storms ravage the land, damaging everything they touch. Then suddenly, in the midst of the wind-swept plain, a ray of light emerges from the forest. It shines brightly, tearing apart the clouds and flooding the world with peace and prosperity. The light then turns into a figure, holding a green and shining stone, followed by a fairy. Then I awaken, and am left with a severe disquiet. What could it all mean?"
Impa stood, a frown upon her face. "This cannot be a good thing. How often would you say that this has occurred?"
"Every night. It started around two weeks ago."
A worried look crossed Impa's face, twisting her features into an apprehensive frown. Something about this didn't sit right with her.
"Should I tell my father?" the young princess inquired.
"Perhaps. Though be warned. His Majesty is very skeptical when it comes to things of this nature."
"This I realize. Father has never allowed his wisdom to sway for such foolishness."
"Is it foolish to take caution because of a warning premonition? Consider all paths before making a choice."
"True that, true that. Though I daresay that a wrong decision could be disastrous. Father wants only the safety of his country. If he were to consider every foolish idea that came his way, what state would Hyrule be in now?"
"I suppose that there are definitely two sides to this argument. What do you plan to do?"
The princess said nothing. She had thought that Impa would have the answers to her questions. After some careful consideration, she came up with the answer. "I shall tell my father, and let him deal with the information as he sees fit. Myself, I believe it to be some type of prophecy, and, if nothing is done, will take action accordingly. After some time, I am sure that the answer to this riddle will become apparent."
"You are wise. I am sure that you will be able to figure out some kind of solution. But do not get ahead of yourself. Think before you act."
The princess sighed. "I do not know how much time we have left. If we do not act soon, we may not have a chance."
"Perhaps..."
"I will wait for my dream to make itself clear to me. I will then act appropriately. Let us hope that the chance does not come too late."
~*~*~
"'Bye, Saria!" Link waved to his friend as he climbed the ladder leading to his tree house. The day had been tiring, but fun all the same. They had caught a glimpse of a Skull Kid, but it had been fleeting, and when they had tried to get a better look, he had been gone. They had successfully avoided Mido, and after all that, Link was tired. He shuffled over to his small pallet, sitting down and pulling off his boots. After setting his hat on a conveniently placed hook on the wall, he lay down, and drift off into a troubled sleep.
~*~*~
"Navi... Navi the fairy, come hither..." a deep voice called into the rising dawn from the Deku Tree's Meadow. A small shining person, no more than the size of a fist, flew into the clearing.
"Yes, Great Deku Tree?" she said in a small, musical voice. The leaves on the trees seemed to quiver, as if the trees themselves were happy to hear the sound.
"Navi, it is time for the boy without a fairy to fulfill his destiny. Go, Navi! May your flight be swift. Bring me the one called Link."
Navi flew quickly from the clearing. She was in her element. To be given an assignment by the Great Deku Tree was every fairy's dream. She wouldn't let anything or anyone stand in her way of fulfilling her duty. Rushing out into the village, she scanned the surroundings for the dwelling of the boy without a fairy. Several Kokiri waved and shouted hello to her, but she couldn't spot anyone without a guardian fairy. After much searching, and a little panicking, she found her destination. Rushing toward the small tree house, she was elated with the joy of the mission. Flying into the house, she found Link, still asleep, shivering slightly.
"Hey! Wake up!" She flew in a circle around Link's head, trying desperately to rouse him from his slumber. He did nothing but roll over.
"C'mon! Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?" Flying all around the room, she managed to make herself quite dizzy. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looked down at the youth now staring at her sleepily.
"Who are you?"
"Well! Don't you know any manners? What a welcome!"
Link blinked. Who was this small glowing person in his house insulting him? Perhaps he was still dreaming. "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting to wake up to this. If I'm even awake yet, and this isn't some bizarre dream."
Navi crossed her arms huffily. "Well, at least now you've learned some manners. On with proper introductions. My name is Navi the fairy, and I'm here to deliver a message to you."
Link's smile, that had appeared with the word fairy, drooped. "You're not staying?"
"Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to interrupt? And I never said that I wasn't staying. But you have been summoned by the Great Deku Tree!"
Link's smile returned almost instantly. "Really? I've been summoned? Me? Of all people, I've been summoned?"
"Yes, you've been summoned. Now, let's get going!" With that, she turned around and flew right out the door.
Link smiled. First a fairy came to him, then the news that he, the boy without a fairy, the outcast of the Kokiri, had been summoned by the Great Deku Tree. This was most definitely the best day of his life! Without a second thought, he ran out of the room, towards his destiny.
Zelda looked out upon the castle grounds. It was raining again. It had been raining a lot lately, and rain meant no visitors. She sighed. She had never really liked rain. Sure, it watered the fields and kept the rivers full, but it also made everything dreary and muddy. The soldiers' shoes made wet footprints upon the floor. She secretly wished the rain would just stop for a while so she could walk without worrying if her dress was getting wet. Rain was depressing. There were no two ways about it.
"Princess!" someone shouted from the hallway. It was some attendant or another, due to tell her that she needed to dress for dinner. She had been wondering when someone would arrive. It was more than likely Impa. "Princess?" Impa stuck her head inside the door. She was worried about the princess. Zelda hadn't been herself lately. She was usually quite jovial, if not overenthusiastic at times. But lately Zelda had been keeping to herself, taking to moping in her room. It had to be this awful weather.
"It's time for you to get ready for the afternoon meal. Have you decided what you wish to wear?"
"No. You choose something. Surprise me."
Impa fretted, but knew that there was nothing she could do to raise the princess out of this predicament. She couldn't change the weather. But somewhere deep down inside her maternal instincts told her that the weather wasn't the only thing bothering the princess. She went to the wardrobe, selecting a lovely yet plain dress for the princess. She cast a worried glance back at Zelda's hunched form. There was definitely more behind this story than the weather.
"Is this acceptable?" Impa held up the dress.
"It will do." Zelda stood, a lingering frown on her face. Impa couldn't withhold herself any longer.
"Princess, is there something wrong?"
Zelda sighed. "If only there were some way to describe it, the feeling of foreboding and danger. I know not what causes this disturbance, but if only it should stop raining I could think clearly..."
Impa could see the growing discomfort in the princess's eyes. She wished she knew how to help.
"Has my father arranged for the desert king to arrive?" Zelda tactfully changed the subject. She knew continuation of her worries would make Impa uncomfortable.
"Yes. He is to arrive next week." Impa frowned. She had never liked the desert people. The Sheikah and the Gerudo had been on opposing sides in the Great War. Things were still tense between the races.
"I had thought so. Father had said that he would be arriving soon. I just didn't think that- Impa, that's too tight!"
Zelda's attendant had let her anger get the better of her, not paying attention to what she was doing. She quickly loosened the laces of the princess's corset. "I apologize! Are you all right, Princess?"
Zelda looked up at Impa's kindly face. The nurse was more a mother to her than the Queen. She smiled, more to banish the worried look on Impa's face than out of happiness or relief. "I will live," she joked.
Impa was relieved. It was the first smile that she had seen on Zelda's face in days. It lightened her heart. She finished lacing the dress and began fixing Zelda's hair. "Any particular style that you would like?"
"No, just do something with it. It has been standing on end because of this humid weather."
Impa meticulously braided ribbons into the first few strands of the princess's beautiful, silky hair on each side of Zelda's face. She then pulled it back and secured it behind Zelda's head with an exquisitely beautiful clip of a butterfly.
"Thank you. It looks lovely." Zelda stood, admiring her hair in the mirror. It looked as a crown of flowers might. Zelda walked over to her window once more. The bell had not yet rung for dinner. She sighed. If only the rain would stop...
"Are you sure that everything's all right?" asked Impa once more. She could tell that something was bothering Zelda.
"No, Impa, everything's all wrong, but I know not what I can do about it."
This answer surprised Impa. The princess seemed truly upset about something. "What upsets you?"
"If only it was that simple," Zelda answered. She paused before continuing. "I sense a disturbance in the tranquility of Hyrule. The world is changing. A new age is coming. An age that is not entirely welcome." The princess suddenly leaned upon the windowsill. "Impa..." The word came out barely a whisper. Zelda's body went suddenly limp and she fainted.
*~*~*
Hooves beat upon the wet ground. The cold, drear air seemed to have seeped into the land. The once-beautiful land of Hyrule mourned the sunlight. A castle loomed in the distance, its spires lit by lightning. Thunderous hooves beat a tattoo on the palpitating air. The drawbridge of the castle lowered, allowing passage to two horses. First came a fine white horse, no doubt of royal ownership. It sped by, made a barely recognizable blur by speed and the beating rain, bearing two frightened-looking riders, a princess and her attendant. The second was a tall, menacing horse bearing a rider of similar stature. The man's amber eyes were dark and secretive, bearing a hatred of something that the eyes did not reveal. He turned to face a thing that seemed very out of place in the strange scene. A child. The boy was clad all in green, with a small light hovering near his shoulder. This seemed to amuse the man, for he laughed, a cold, cruel sound. He raised his hand, and a ball of energy collected there. With one last laugh, he threw it at the child, and without a second glance, rode away into the night...
Link awoke in a cold sweat. The same, recurring nightmare had been haunting his dreams for a while. Two weeks, if his counting served right. He looked outside. The first rays of light were peeking over the horizon. He had better get moving if he wanted to avoid Mido. He quickly dressed, and cautiously peeked out of the small tree house. There was no sign of any movement. He walked out onto the small perch that served as a balcony, and took a deep breath of the new morning air. He could still smell the dew, not yet gone from the leaves of the forest. He turned to look at the Lost Woods, watching the sun slowly crawl over the tops of the trees. It was the best time of the day, no contest. He walked toward the Lost Woods with an extra spring in his step. He knew that his only true friend, Saria, was most likely in the forest already. Out of all the Kokiri, she was the most closely connected with the forest. She spent every morning in the forest, doing what Link never knew. He knew that when she didn't want to be found, she went to her "secret spot", but Link knew not where that was, either. When he stopped to think about it, there were many things he didn't know about Saria. He knew one key factor, though. She was his best friend. He had tried many times to find her, but each had just succeeded in getting him lost.
"I suppose that's why they call it the Lost Woods," he thought aloud. Today he wouldn't worry about finding Saria, or finding out what was at the bottom of the small pond in the heart of the forest, or any of the usual mysteries that he tried to unravel. Today would be spent forgetting the nightmare and avoiding-
"Hey Mr. No-Fairy, where are you off to in such a hurry?" A voice came from behind Link. He knew at once who it was. Mido, the forest bully. Sometimes Link wondered if Mido watched him just to know when he was out of his house. Technically, Mido was older than Link. He had already reached the state of perpetual youth while Link was still an infant. It was said that for every Kokiri that became a Skull Kid, a new one must be born. Link had yet to find his Skull Kid.
"I was just heading into the Lost Woods. Care to join me?" Link had found Mido's weakness one day when he was going to search for Saria. For all his bragging, Mido was scared of the Lost Woods. He feared that he would get lost in them and turn into a Skull Kid, or worse, a dreaded Stalfos. The look of horror on Mido's face when Link mentioned the Lost Woods was enough to raise his spirits once more.
"No, just don't get lost in there. Wouldn't want the Skull Kids to claim you." Mido made a pitiful attempt to regain the upper hand, but Link was too focused on having a good day to care.
Link entered the Lost Woods, trying to keep a level head, and trying not to get lost, but soon found himself deeper into the forest than he intended. Every flower looked the same, every plant repeated. He looked around for something recognizable, but found nothing. He came suddenly to a very strange sight. In front of him stood two very large stone walls, ancient but beautiful in their simplicity. He looked on them with wonder, for nothing like this had ever been seen in the forest before. Afraid and curious, Link ventured forth with wonder. Beyond the walls lay a maze of hedges. Link carefully trod amongst the greenery, not wanting to disturb the majestic tranquility of the tall maze. A wafting sound met his ears, like a gentle breeze through the trees on a midsummer's day. He stopped, enjoying the lulling of the music. He went on, wanting almost desperately to find the source of the sound. It seemed the trees themselves were swaying in time to the rhythm. He could hear the music getting louder. He seemed almost there, when suddenly, in front of him popped the strangest looking plant that he had ever seen. Its face was brown, and atop its head was hair of leaves. Link stared at it in wonder. Suddenly, it glared at Link and spit something hard at him. The force of the blow caught Link off guard. He was thrown bodily against the hedge wall. The creature, seemingly satisfied, sank back into the ground, to look to all as a harmless bush. Link glared at it, and turned back the other way. He was quite certain that the bush was guarding the correct way to go, but he had no idea how to get past it, and wasn't about to go back and get another bruise.
"But how do I get past it?" Link thought out loud. There had to be a way...
He returned to wandering in the forest, and eventually found his way out. He saw no sign of Saria. A few people waved to him on his way home, but it did nothing to raise his spirits. He knew that they only waved because they felt sorry for him. He walked slowly into his house, the maze still on his mind. He knew there must be a way to get past the strange plant-people. There just had to be.
"Link! Hey, Link!" A voice called from the balcony. Link knew the voice as soon as he heard it. It was the only person who would visit him anyway.
"Come on in, Saria. Where were you today?"
"My secret place. What did you do today?"
"Just wandered in the forest. I found a really pretty flower. I wanted to show it to you, but I couldn't find you." For some reason, Link didn't want to tell Saria about the maze. He had the strange feeling that she knew anyway.
Saria giggled. "You can show me tomorrow. Did Mido give you any trouble?"
Link smiled. "Nah. I managed to avoid him, for once." Link knew that Mido liked Saria, and was very jealous of her friendship with Link.
Saria looked at Link with sad eyes. "You should just give him a chance. He isn't as mean as he seems. He just needs a friend."
Link rolled his eyes. "Mido sure doesn't want me as a friend. I'll give him a chance if he gives me one."
Saria sighed. "You never change. Were you bored stiff without me to entertain you?" Saria joked.
Link smiled. It was nice to have at least one friend. "Kind of. I think I caught a glimpse of a Skull Kid, but I'm not sure." He paused. "When are you going to let me come to your secret place?"
"When the time is right, you'll be able to find me," Saria answered cryptically.
"I hate it when you say that."
Saria just smiled. "Like I said, you'll know..."
"So, what do you do in your secret place, anyway?"
"Not much, if you think about it. Everything's so much more peaceful there. I listen to the trees, mostly. They remember things, the trees do. Some of them don't like the Kokiri, but others speak of our ancestors that walked among them and spoke with them." Saria paused. "I wish I could talk with the trees, like I do with the Great Deku Tree."
Link looked on Saria with amazement. "You've talked with the Great Deku Tree?"
"Yes, and he seemed quite happy to see me. We talked about everything, from lore of the Kokiri, to the world outside of the forest. There are many great things out there, like lakes, and castles, and villages, and even a desert!"
"What's a desert?"
"It's a place with lots of sand where no plants grow."
Link thought about this. "That's not possible. A place with no plants? It must be pretty depressing."
"I suppose you're right, but there are people that LIVE in the desert, and they survive. At least I think they do..."
Link burned to ask his friend about her secret place, but knew that he wouldn't get a straight answer. Instead, he asked a question that had been burning inside him for a long time. "Saria?"
"Yes, Link?"
"Did the Great Deku Tree... Did he tell you why I don't have a fairy?"
Link thought he saw a tear roll down Saria's cheek at the question. "No, the topic never came up." Saria didn't want to tell Link that the topic DID in fact come up, but the Tree refused to answer the questions. It was better for Link not to know this, though it pained Saria to keep it from him. "Link, don't think that anyone likes you less because you don't have a fairy. You're still you, and that's what counts. Cheer up! Tomorrow we'll spend the whole day looking for Skull Kids. It'll be fun!"
Link smiled. A whole day with Saria away from everyone else was definitely going to be a good day. "Thanks. Tell me about the outside world."
Saria smiled, and went into a long explanation of everything she could remember, getting a few details mixed up along the way, but not really caring. After some time, they both fell asleep, smiles decorating their peaceful faces.
*~*~*
Link awoke to find Saria still asleep beside him. He quietly rose, afraid of waking her. He had experienced the chilling nightmare once again. Perhaps a day spent with Saria would stop the nightly horrors. He looked outside, and discovered it newly dawn. The sun-kissed flowers, not yet awoken from their long sleep through the night, poked up through the green forest floor. Link stretched, breathing deeply of the morning air. This was his favorite time of day. Inside he could hear Saria stirring. He reached out, and picked one of the flowers growing near the door. It was blue. He was sure that Saria would like it.
Inside, Saria awoke, slightly disoriented. She knew that her house didn't look like this. Then she suddenly remembered that she fell asleep at Link's house. She got up, and looked around. Link had already awoken. She heard his footfalls out front. Peering over the edge of the small table in the center of the room, she saw him standing outside, watching the sunrise. There was a quiet dignity about Link that she had always found enchanting. Perhaps that was what had kept her from either sympathizing or hating him like the rest of the Kokiri. She stood, and stretched her cramped muscles, silently reminding herself never to fall asleep on the floor again. Link walked in, his hand behind his back, and a smile as bright as the sun herself on his face.
"Look what I picked for you!" Link held out the small flower towards Saria. It was pale blue, the color of the sky.
Saria's eyes grew wide. "Link... How could you? You hurt the plant!"
Link stared at Saria in astonishment. "What are you talking about?"
"You picked the flower! That flower took a whole season to get like that, and you just picked it without a second thought! Didn't you ever think how the plant felt? Would you like it if someone came up and pulled out a strand of your hair?"
Link hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Saria. I wasn't thinking. I thought you would like it. It was pretty, and made me think of you."
Saria averted her eyes. "No, I'm the one who should apologize. You didn't mean to hurt the plant. I overreacted. It was really kind of you to think of me." She suddenly smiled. "Do you still want to search for Skull Kids?" Saria had seen fleeting glimpses of some in the forest, but had never spoken to one, and had never seen one up close. They were wild, like the trees. They were free.
"Of course I still want to find some Skull Kids! C'mon, let's go!"
And with that the two friends went off in search of adventure and excitement, free in their innocence, without a care in the world.
~*~*~
Zelda awoke, lying in her room, the curtains drawn about her bed. She knew not how long she had been unconscious, but it seemed to be night. Cautiously she peered out, and saw Impa asleep next to her. Her nurse hadn't left her side. This single fact brought great comfort to the princess. She could count on Impa. She smiled, and quietly made her way over to the window once more. The rain had stopped, and the moon shone through the clouds. The sight made her heart happy. She hadn't seen the clear moon for a while. She sat, picking out the constellations in the sky, mulling over everything that was happening. The feeling of foreboding hadn't left her, and she had yet to figure out what had caused her sudden fainting.
Looking out of the window, she could see out across the marketplace. Few lights still twinkled in the windows. Most were asleep, dreaming dreams untroubled by the rising turmoil. Further out she could see the field, veiled in darkness. Zelda turned toward the room once more. She would eventually have to tell someone about her dream. Lying down on the soft down mattress, she tried to drift off into sleep, but her troubled mind wouldn't let her rest. Standing once more, she paced about the room, collecting her thoughts, trying to come up with a rational plan. None would come.
She paced for hours. Her feet were tired and sore, and still nothing had come to mind. She needed to calm down and collect her thoughts. As the first rays of light peeked over the emerald horizon, she resolved to collect Impa's opinion of the matter. Her most trusted advisor and nurse would surely be able to help her resolve the conflicting emotions within her. That decided she walked to the window once again. The sun shone golden over the hilltops. Zelda watched the peaceful scene, trying not to dwell on the dream. Beside her bed, Impa stirred in her sleep. The princess wondered briefly if Impa might be having the same dream.
Zelda strode over to her wardrobe, selecting one of her many beautiful dresses. It was a sundress, made with lavender material, woven in a floral design. It was one of her favorites. Setting it aside, she sat on her bed and waited for Impa to awaken.
An hour passed before the servant awoke. To Zelda it seemed like forever. While preparing for the day ahead, Zelda related her dream to Impa.
"In the dream I find myself standing in the midst of the field. Dark clouds overshadow everything. The land is covered in darkness, and raging storms ravage the land, damaging everything they touch. Then suddenly, in the midst of the wind-swept plain, a ray of light emerges from the forest. It shines brightly, tearing apart the clouds and flooding the world with peace and prosperity. The light then turns into a figure, holding a green and shining stone, followed by a fairy. Then I awaken, and am left with a severe disquiet. What could it all mean?"
Impa stood, a frown upon her face. "This cannot be a good thing. How often would you say that this has occurred?"
"Every night. It started around two weeks ago."
A worried look crossed Impa's face, twisting her features into an apprehensive frown. Something about this didn't sit right with her.
"Should I tell my father?" the young princess inquired.
"Perhaps. Though be warned. His Majesty is very skeptical when it comes to things of this nature."
"This I realize. Father has never allowed his wisdom to sway for such foolishness."
"Is it foolish to take caution because of a warning premonition? Consider all paths before making a choice."
"True that, true that. Though I daresay that a wrong decision could be disastrous. Father wants only the safety of his country. If he were to consider every foolish idea that came his way, what state would Hyrule be in now?"
"I suppose that there are definitely two sides to this argument. What do you plan to do?"
The princess said nothing. She had thought that Impa would have the answers to her questions. After some careful consideration, she came up with the answer. "I shall tell my father, and let him deal with the information as he sees fit. Myself, I believe it to be some type of prophecy, and, if nothing is done, will take action accordingly. After some time, I am sure that the answer to this riddle will become apparent."
"You are wise. I am sure that you will be able to figure out some kind of solution. But do not get ahead of yourself. Think before you act."
The princess sighed. "I do not know how much time we have left. If we do not act soon, we may not have a chance."
"Perhaps..."
"I will wait for my dream to make itself clear to me. I will then act appropriately. Let us hope that the chance does not come too late."
~*~*~
"'Bye, Saria!" Link waved to his friend as he climbed the ladder leading to his tree house. The day had been tiring, but fun all the same. They had caught a glimpse of a Skull Kid, but it had been fleeting, and when they had tried to get a better look, he had been gone. They had successfully avoided Mido, and after all that, Link was tired. He shuffled over to his small pallet, sitting down and pulling off his boots. After setting his hat on a conveniently placed hook on the wall, he lay down, and drift off into a troubled sleep.
~*~*~
"Navi... Navi the fairy, come hither..." a deep voice called into the rising dawn from the Deku Tree's Meadow. A small shining person, no more than the size of a fist, flew into the clearing.
"Yes, Great Deku Tree?" she said in a small, musical voice. The leaves on the trees seemed to quiver, as if the trees themselves were happy to hear the sound.
"Navi, it is time for the boy without a fairy to fulfill his destiny. Go, Navi! May your flight be swift. Bring me the one called Link."
Navi flew quickly from the clearing. She was in her element. To be given an assignment by the Great Deku Tree was every fairy's dream. She wouldn't let anything or anyone stand in her way of fulfilling her duty. Rushing out into the village, she scanned the surroundings for the dwelling of the boy without a fairy. Several Kokiri waved and shouted hello to her, but she couldn't spot anyone without a guardian fairy. After much searching, and a little panicking, she found her destination. Rushing toward the small tree house, she was elated with the joy of the mission. Flying into the house, she found Link, still asleep, shivering slightly.
"Hey! Wake up!" She flew in a circle around Link's head, trying desperately to rouse him from his slumber. He did nothing but roll over.
"C'mon! Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?" Flying all around the room, she managed to make herself quite dizzy. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she looked down at the youth now staring at her sleepily.
"Who are you?"
"Well! Don't you know any manners? What a welcome!"
Link blinked. Who was this small glowing person in his house insulting him? Perhaps he was still dreaming. "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting to wake up to this. If I'm even awake yet, and this isn't some bizarre dream."
Navi crossed her arms huffily. "Well, at least now you've learned some manners. On with proper introductions. My name is Navi the fairy, and I'm here to deliver a message to you."
Link's smile, that had appeared with the word fairy, drooped. "You're not staying?"
"Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to interrupt? And I never said that I wasn't staying. But you have been summoned by the Great Deku Tree!"
Link's smile returned almost instantly. "Really? I've been summoned? Me? Of all people, I've been summoned?"
"Yes, you've been summoned. Now, let's get going!" With that, she turned around and flew right out the door.
Link smiled. First a fairy came to him, then the news that he, the boy without a fairy, the outcast of the Kokiri, had been summoned by the Great Deku Tree. This was most definitely the best day of his life! Without a second thought, he ran out of the room, towards his destiny.