Chapter Nine - Separate Ways.
Two days had now passed and Saria grew more worried for Link, his behavior since talking to the Great Deku Tree had changed. He seemed to now just want to be alone, and each time Saria would go to his Kokiri home, he would deny her his company. She became more and more upset with how her friend was treating her, her closest friend at that.
Maybe Mido was right about Link. Maybe he did not care at all about the village or his friends, if he was going to act like they did not exist. Saria thought that Link was becoming a Hylian, growing to not care about the forest.
She wanted answers for his behavior. She was not going to put up with his attitude anymore.
Saria entered Links tree home without even a courtesy hello, she looked at him sitting up on his bed looking out of the open window, just breathing quietly. She heard a whimper and could tell that he was crying. She did not understand why he was so upset.
"Link, tell me what the Deku Tree told you before he passed. I need to know. I want to help you."
Link did not reply, he turned and looked at Saria standing before him. He himself did not know what to tell his friend, wishing that he had the answers. Everything Xylas had said to him made him realize that he was no longer in control of his own life.
"Sweet Saria, my closet friend. I wish not to burden you with the sorrows that I live with. Please leave."
Feeling helpless she stepped towards her friend and wrapped her arms around him. Link returned the warm embrace and for the first time in two days he smiled.
Link knew that everything he knew was about to change. He could not forget the time he was imprisoned, trapped in time unable to move, forever looking at the evil that controlled the fate of the world. Should he tell her, Xylas did not say anything about telling Saria, believing that she had a right to know the truth.
"I want to tell you everything Saria, but I cannot, the truths I have learnt are for me to burden, for me to accept and for me to keep hidden. The pain I have felt for seven years burns inside of me, and for the short time I have been free of a timeless world, I know now of my fate, the path I must walk."
Saria was not sure what Link meant by "the truths", and she wished to know, but something inside her made her realize that the truth would remain hidden, and that Link would never change the world that they all lived in. Yet deep within her soul, she knew that whatever, wherever Link was to go and do, the world would not be controlled by evil.
Link kissed Saria gently on the top of her head, knowing that he would not see his friend after this day. Everything had changed in his world knowing it was now up to him to save the souls of all from a great evil, it was time to leave.
Letting go of his embrace he saw that Saria was crying, he caressed her cheek with his fingertips and kissed her softly on her jade lips.
"Saria, time is never on ours sides, moving slowly when we are apart and fast when we are together. And now, time once more tears us apart, our friendship is forever, and time can never change that. But now, time once more keeps us apart. I must leave."
Looking into his eyes she knew that he had to leave, knowing that what he was told two days ago was important to the survival of Hyrule. She wishes that he was not the 'Hero of Time', and prayed every night for it all to be a dream. She loves him and fate once more keeps them apart, feeling that even their friendship is cursed.
"Go Link."
Saria's last words echoed through Links head as he left the village, passed through the passage into the forest and over the bridge to Hyrule field. He did not look back as he left, as a single tear fell Link heard a voice all around him.
"Do not feel sorrow Link, you had to leave."
Xylas knew Link felt alone, and he knew there was nothing he could say to the Hylian. He felt guilt for the quest he gave to Link, but even a guardian cannot change someone's destiny. Link stopped walking.
"Where must I go?"
Everything that had happened in the past now disappeared to the back of Links heart, he knew that what was ahead would be dangerous and that he was alone for the beginning of his journey. Remembering that Zelda would get help, and wondering where Navi was.
"Travel over the mountains in the east, through the 'Goron City' and cautiously through the 'Outland Marshes', through the 'Forest of Darkness' towards the 'Great Hylius Lake'. There you will meet a friend to aid you on your journey, someone who has something to give to you."
Link laughed to himself, stories of the lands outside Hyrule would be the nightmares he would have as a child. Campfire stories about haunted woods would forever stay in his mind, but right now, all that mattered was getting to the lake.
"Where is Navi, she should be with me?"
Wanting to know where his friend was seemed important, Navi has been with him through almost everything during this journey, he needed her with him.
"She like Zelda has chosen her own path, and right now it does not lead to yours. But do not worry, in the future she will be with you."
Thinking to himself, wondering what Xylas meant, he was not to ask any more questions until he left Hyrule. The sun began to fall and as the 'Lost Forest' was no longer in sight Link looked back and could not help but think about Saria, having to leave her again.
Hoping that her destiny was one of greatness like the present he changed several years ago. She deserves so much, and he wishes that he could be the one to be there for her.
Link just turned and continued, feeling so much sorrow, leaving everything about his past behind. Time was no longer his curse, it would no longer control his life. And it was his life to control, his choices to make. Nothing and no one had any control but himself, not even fate.
Back at Kokiri village a heartbroken Saria wept in her warm tree home, thinking of her friend, the one she could not help but love. All she wanted was for Link to return to her, but she knew that she would not see him again. She wrapped her hands around her pillow and felt something, an envelope. She eagerly opened it to find a letter. She began to read it.
"Saria, through time I have traveled, even imprisoned. And the one face I saw when I was to find sanctuary was yours. You saved my mind because you are forever in my heart. I love you with all that is me and when this is all over my soul will meet with yours to tell you the stories of my travels.
We are friends until the end of time, and believe me when I say, time is eternal, I have given too much for time to stop. Goodbye my friend, for we are to now walk separate ways, yet we will always be together.
Love, Link."
And with that her tears stopped falling and a smile was to light up her home. She looked over to Kala asleep in her little fairy bed next to the fireplace, her glow glistened in Saria's eyes.
"Goodbye Link, good luck my love."
Next, Chapter Ten - Son of the Kakariko.
Two days had now passed and Saria grew more worried for Link, his behavior since talking to the Great Deku Tree had changed. He seemed to now just want to be alone, and each time Saria would go to his Kokiri home, he would deny her his company. She became more and more upset with how her friend was treating her, her closest friend at that.
Maybe Mido was right about Link. Maybe he did not care at all about the village or his friends, if he was going to act like they did not exist. Saria thought that Link was becoming a Hylian, growing to not care about the forest.
She wanted answers for his behavior. She was not going to put up with his attitude anymore.
Saria entered Links tree home without even a courtesy hello, she looked at him sitting up on his bed looking out of the open window, just breathing quietly. She heard a whimper and could tell that he was crying. She did not understand why he was so upset.
"Link, tell me what the Deku Tree told you before he passed. I need to know. I want to help you."
Link did not reply, he turned and looked at Saria standing before him. He himself did not know what to tell his friend, wishing that he had the answers. Everything Xylas had said to him made him realize that he was no longer in control of his own life.
"Sweet Saria, my closet friend. I wish not to burden you with the sorrows that I live with. Please leave."
Feeling helpless she stepped towards her friend and wrapped her arms around him. Link returned the warm embrace and for the first time in two days he smiled.
Link knew that everything he knew was about to change. He could not forget the time he was imprisoned, trapped in time unable to move, forever looking at the evil that controlled the fate of the world. Should he tell her, Xylas did not say anything about telling Saria, believing that she had a right to know the truth.
"I want to tell you everything Saria, but I cannot, the truths I have learnt are for me to burden, for me to accept and for me to keep hidden. The pain I have felt for seven years burns inside of me, and for the short time I have been free of a timeless world, I know now of my fate, the path I must walk."
Saria was not sure what Link meant by "the truths", and she wished to know, but something inside her made her realize that the truth would remain hidden, and that Link would never change the world that they all lived in. Yet deep within her soul, she knew that whatever, wherever Link was to go and do, the world would not be controlled by evil.
Link kissed Saria gently on the top of her head, knowing that he would not see his friend after this day. Everything had changed in his world knowing it was now up to him to save the souls of all from a great evil, it was time to leave.
Letting go of his embrace he saw that Saria was crying, he caressed her cheek with his fingertips and kissed her softly on her jade lips.
"Saria, time is never on ours sides, moving slowly when we are apart and fast when we are together. And now, time once more tears us apart, our friendship is forever, and time can never change that. But now, time once more keeps us apart. I must leave."
Looking into his eyes she knew that he had to leave, knowing that what he was told two days ago was important to the survival of Hyrule. She wishes that he was not the 'Hero of Time', and prayed every night for it all to be a dream. She loves him and fate once more keeps them apart, feeling that even their friendship is cursed.
"Go Link."
Saria's last words echoed through Links head as he left the village, passed through the passage into the forest and over the bridge to Hyrule field. He did not look back as he left, as a single tear fell Link heard a voice all around him.
"Do not feel sorrow Link, you had to leave."
Xylas knew Link felt alone, and he knew there was nothing he could say to the Hylian. He felt guilt for the quest he gave to Link, but even a guardian cannot change someone's destiny. Link stopped walking.
"Where must I go?"
Everything that had happened in the past now disappeared to the back of Links heart, he knew that what was ahead would be dangerous and that he was alone for the beginning of his journey. Remembering that Zelda would get help, and wondering where Navi was.
"Travel over the mountains in the east, through the 'Goron City' and cautiously through the 'Outland Marshes', through the 'Forest of Darkness' towards the 'Great Hylius Lake'. There you will meet a friend to aid you on your journey, someone who has something to give to you."
Link laughed to himself, stories of the lands outside Hyrule would be the nightmares he would have as a child. Campfire stories about haunted woods would forever stay in his mind, but right now, all that mattered was getting to the lake.
"Where is Navi, she should be with me?"
Wanting to know where his friend was seemed important, Navi has been with him through almost everything during this journey, he needed her with him.
"She like Zelda has chosen her own path, and right now it does not lead to yours. But do not worry, in the future she will be with you."
Thinking to himself, wondering what Xylas meant, he was not to ask any more questions until he left Hyrule. The sun began to fall and as the 'Lost Forest' was no longer in sight Link looked back and could not help but think about Saria, having to leave her again.
Hoping that her destiny was one of greatness like the present he changed several years ago. She deserves so much, and he wishes that he could be the one to be there for her.
Link just turned and continued, feeling so much sorrow, leaving everything about his past behind. Time was no longer his curse, it would no longer control his life. And it was his life to control, his choices to make. Nothing and no one had any control but himself, not even fate.
Back at Kokiri village a heartbroken Saria wept in her warm tree home, thinking of her friend, the one she could not help but love. All she wanted was for Link to return to her, but she knew that she would not see him again. She wrapped her hands around her pillow and felt something, an envelope. She eagerly opened it to find a letter. She began to read it.
"Saria, through time I have traveled, even imprisoned. And the one face I saw when I was to find sanctuary was yours. You saved my mind because you are forever in my heart. I love you with all that is me and when this is all over my soul will meet with yours to tell you the stories of my travels.
We are friends until the end of time, and believe me when I say, time is eternal, I have given too much for time to stop. Goodbye my friend, for we are to now walk separate ways, yet we will always be together.
Love, Link."
And with that her tears stopped falling and a smile was to light up her home. She looked over to Kala asleep in her little fairy bed next to the fireplace, her glow glistened in Saria's eyes.
"Goodbye Link, good luck my love."
Next, Chapter Ten - Son of the Kakariko.