Inside the Deku Tree
"Whoa," Sakina breathed.
Link was speechless, which wasn't unusual. The cavernous innards of the Deku Tree were terrifying and awe-inspiring. In the middle of the floor was a hole. Sakina walked cautiously over to look down it. There was a web of sorts shielding it.
"It looks like a spider web," Link said softly.
"I hate spiders." Sakina shuttered, pulling her dagger defensively to her chest.
They left the Deku groove, eyes wide and terrified. Sakina was still holding her dagger very close to herself. Neither child could believe what had just happened. They had killed an enormous spider and seen the Deku Tree die. Both children were jittery and felt as though a million years had passed as they left.
"I really, really hate spiders," Sakina spoke finally.
"Yeah," Link agreed, swallowing hard. "Yeah, I really do too."
Mido saw the two of them leaving.
"Hey, HEY! What just happened?"
"The Deku Tree was possessed." Sakina explained. "Now he's dead."
"You killed the Deku Tree?!" Mido's face looked thunderstruck. Sakina had a sudden urge to slap his pointy face.
Everyone that was outside stopped and listened in horror.
"No," Sakina said quickly, heart still racing from the encounter with the gigantic spider. "No, he died after we helped him. An evil sorcerer killed him."
Link nodded slightly in agreement.
Mido continued to gape and mouth wordlessly.
"We must leave," Link said softly to Sakina. They took off. The Kokiri children watched them in horror as they crossed the forest. They whispered suspicions to one another. Sakina took Link's hand for comfort. Sakina felt her heart drop. She had never left the forest before. This would be the first time she would see the outside world. Link's palm was sweaty with nerves. They approached the tunnel and went out to the bridge.
"Another dark tunnel." Sakina said. She looked back. "I feel like we should say goodbye to people." The bridge felt empty as Sakina's body. They were about to cross into the other tunnel. Tears threatened to come to Sakina's eyes, a mixture of sadness, terror and excitement.
"Wait!" There was a soft girlish voice and quick feet approaching them. The little green-haired girl approached them. Saria looked filled with sadness. "Link… Kina…."
Her blue eyes were filled with tears. Sakina and Link looked at one another as though they'd like nothing more than to stay in the forest and just drop this stupid mission. Sakina, not knowing what else to do, hugged Saria and whispered a goodbye to her.
"I have something for both of you," Saria pulled out an ocarina. "It's for you, Link. I hope when you play it, you'll think of me."
Link took it and blushed, thanking her.
"And I found this for you," Saria handed Sakina a longer, sharper dagger.
"Wow, thank you." Sakina smiled, lips trembling.
"You two… I knew you were different from the rest of us… but I never wanted you to leave." Saria's eyes watered. A bird hooted somewhere off in the distance of the Lost Woods.
"We're going to be back, just you see." Sakina said confidently.
Saria nodded. "Good luck," Sakina and Link turned away and, as nine-year-olds are wont to do in iffy situations, they ran out. "I'll miss you." Echoed through the forest behind Link and Sakina's backs.
When they emerged from the dark tunnel, their eyes were bombarded by afternoon sunlight. Both had to blink several times to allow their eyes time to adjust.
"Hello,"
Link stared in amazement at the gigantic owl perched above their heads. Sakina smiled uncertainly.
"Young Link, you certainly do not appear the hero that is expected of you, but I suppose you will grow." The owl hooted a couple of times. Sakina bit her lip, wondering what sort of owl this was. "And Sakina, I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that you joined him on this mission, but it is certainly not easy. The castle of Hyrule is yonder that way," the owl pointed behind him. Link and Sakina peered in that general direction and saw in the far distance the shape of a fortress of types. "Take caution at nights. And good luck to ye." The owl took off. Sakina and Link stared at one another as the random owl flew away.
"What in Kokiri was that about?" Sakina muttered.
Link shrugged. He lifted a finger up to point at the sun. "We should get moving. He said to be careful at night."
"Yeah, I don't really want to die on my first night out." The two children traipsed cautiously through the field, amazed at the lack of forest and people. Every-so-often someone would ride by on a horse or with a cart of goods.
"Top o' the mornin' to ye!" An old gray-haired man tipped his hat to the youngsters. "Could I perhaps interest either o' ye fine children in a toy? We have lots of toys. Dolls for the pretty lady," he winked at Sakina.
"No, we're not interested, thanks." Sakina said smoothly, smiling at the man.
"Are ye sure?" The man's face fell. "Say, what are you two kids doing out at this hour anyway? Shouldn't you be at home with your mama?"
"No," Sakina continued. "We have to go."
"Oh, all right! No need to get touchy with me, little missy," the man put his hands up defensively. Sakina counted five rings on his hands. "I wish ye well on your journey. Careful for the stalchildren."
"The what?" Sakina frowned.
The old man leaned forward. "The horrors of the night, child!" He whispered right in her face. His horse whickered and pawed nervously at the ground.
"We'll be careful, thanks." Sakina backed away slowly.
The old man lifted his brows. "I wish ye a good evening, madam," he tilted his cap again and whipped his horse into action.
"I don't like him," Link muttered after he was long gone. "Do you think he was being honest about the stalchildren? I thought they were monsters of stories."
Sakina shrugged. "I don't really want to find out either way, if you catch my meaning. Come on, let's get to Hyrule castle."
Link nodded. They sped up their steps. The sun fell behind the mountains leaving them in the black night. A wolf howled a mournful cry in the distance.
Chinker, chunkle, chinker….
"Did you hear that?" Sakina whispered, barely breathing for fear.
"AH!" A zombie thing popped out of the ground. Navi flew towards it and shouted that it was a stalchild. Link pulled on his sword quickly. Sakina's fingers trembled as she pulled out both daggers. Link hacked off the stalchild's head and the body kept moving towards them… reaching… reaching….
"There are more of them!" Sakina screeched, stabbing one in the gut and removing its head simultaneously. About seven stalchildren had just emerged from the earth underfoot. Link and Sakina backed instinctually into one another, arms and legs trembling.
"We have to run," Link whispered.
"What?"
"RUN!" Link shouted at her. They lunged at the closest stalchildren, wounded them, and kept running. The castle was so far away… there was no way they would reach it….
"The drawbridge is closed!" Sakina cried desperately.
"Look! A house!" Link pointed up towards a ranch.
"AH!" Sakina avoided the newest group of stalchildren that had popped up. Link was fighting off one when another came behind him. Sakina grabbed him by the hand and pulled him away from his fruitless fight. "We have to GO NOW!" They ran together towards the ranch. The minute they arrived, the stalchildren stopped attacking them, but stared instead, grinning manically.
Both children breathed heavily and ran further still into the ranch. There was a fenced in enclosure further off and pots lining the walls. There were two buildings, one of which seemed more habitable than the other. They knocked on the door of the homier-looking area. No one seemed to be inside, so they admitted themselves.
"Hello?" Sakina coughed, hands trembling. "Anyone home?"
A cuccoo clucked noisily from a haystack and looked reproachfully at the newcomers. Sakina tugged anxiously on her braids. There was a set of stairs leading up to a door. Link and Sakina silently agreed to go up. They knocked on the door a couple of times before entering.
"I hope no one minds…." Sakina whispered.
Link nodded in agreement. The bed was big enough for both of them. The frightened nine-year-olds curled defensively around the other, holding hands and fell asleep.