Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Zelda characters. They are all property of Nintendo.
A/N: I just want to thank you for the reviews! ^^ They're really encouraging me to keep writing on this story, which isn't – that's my opinion – that good, but of course I appreciate reviews! I've got a low self confidence, but it's easier to believe in myself now. That's why I like writing so much. I'm probably going to post another new fic here soon, as soon as I can start writing it. I've got a lot of ideas... before I'll start writing on chapter 5, I also want to thank the people who reviewed Chapter 4: Anime-Master7, Ani1, Selah Ex Amino and Junky. *Ani1: Thank you. You have reviewed almost every chapter of my stories, and I really appreciate it. It means so much to me. And my thanks to JoboRule and Selah Ex Amino: Thanks for answering my questions! I still have some problems with HTML, like saving my documents and stuff like that, but you have helped me a lot! And thank you, Selah Ex Amino, for suggesting that site. The Webmonkey really helped me, too!*
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Chapter five: The Great Deku Tree
"Let me pass, Mido", Link sighed and watched the so-called 'leader' of the Kokiri. Mido looked at him with an icy glare. He folded his arms and a scornful smile appeared in his face.
"So, why would you like to talk to the Great Deku Tree? He's in a really bad mood right now", he said.
"Please, I don't have time to discuss anything with you!" yelled Link angrily. "Just let me –"
Mido's eyes suddenly widened and his jaw dropped. He pointed at something over Link's left shoulder.
"W-what's that?" he asked and his scornful grin faded. Link looked around, and felt relieved when he saw one of the fairies floating in the air right beside him. He did not know whether it was Tatl or Navi, but guessed that it was Navi.
"Um... she's... she's my fairy... I mean, she's with me", Link explained, not knowing what to say. He "Oh! So you've got a fairy now, too?" Mido mumbled dumbly and threw a hateful glare at Link, but at least he allowed Link and his new fairy friend to enter the Great Deku Tree's Meadow.
"Thank you", Link said to the fairy, still not sure of whom it was. "Perhaps Mido will stop acting so bully around me from now on."
"Don't mention it", said the fairy, and Link heard that it was Navi. She landed on his shoulder, and her frail wing tickled his ear. "You looked very sad... so I thought I should try to talk to you. Where are we going?"
"To the Great Deku Tree", Link responded. "I really need to talk to him right now. I haven't exactly talked to him before, but I'm sure he'll understand."
Navi thought for a moment. "I have thought of what you said before. You know, that you could never leave the forest... and I just wanted to ask a question about Zelda. Is she a Kokiri?"
"No. She's the Princess of Hyrule", Link explained. "She got lost in the Lost Woods and couldn't find her way back, so one of the Skull kids helped her getting to this village."
They turned a corner and saw the tallest tree in all of Hyrule, the Great Deku Tree. It seemed almost older than the world itself. Its rough bark shone as though it was made of silver, and the leaves rustled softly in the breeze. Link noticed some of the leaves were slightly yellow or brown. It seemed as though the tree was withering...
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"I can't believe I always have to do those things", Viscen sighed as he tightened the reins, causing his white steed to stop immediately. He patted her slightly on the neck, murmuring to himself: "I wonder which way it is..."
He had approached a crossing, with three different ways, each leading deeper into the Lost Woods. Viscen had absolutely no idea where to look for the young Princess. He tightened his grip around his bow as he decided to take the left road, though he had no idea where it would take him. He put a long, sharp arrow on the bow, wary about anything that might attack him. He glanced anxiously around him. He had heard the stories about Wolfos, Moblins, Skull kids and other creatures that lived in the shadows under the trees, and the thought wasn't very pleasant. Besides those stories, he had heard the legends about the 'forest people', a people who never grew up, and a giant tree, that was the spirit of the forest. Of course he didn't believe those tales. That was exactly what they were: tales. He, who was a brave soldier in the Army, shouldn't even think about things like this. He should not be afraid of battles, always strike first and not be scared of killing people.
"So why did they send me?" Viscen thought to himself. "They could've chosen someone in the Hylian Army! And what did I deserve to get a simple task like this? There are much worse things going on in Termina right now... I should be there and help my country in the battle, rather than being here, looking for some spoiled little brat that has ran away..."
He suddenly heard something. It sounded like soft footsteps on the path behind him. Viscen turned around in the saddle, pointing an arrow at anyone who might be following him, but he saw no one. He heard a shrill laughter somewhere above among the branches. In fact, it sounded almost like a little girl...
"Princess Zelda!" Viscen yelled at the top of his voice. "Princess! Can you hear me?"
No response. He yelled again, but heard only more shrill giggles and frail voices. It sounded like little children, but they were nowhere to be seen. Viscen became slightly irritated, but continued deeper into the forest, deciding not to pay any attention to his followers. That was exactly what the voices were doing, they followed him. He could hear them everywhere around him, but could not see any of them. Eventually, something caused the horse to rear and almost unseat Viscen. He managed to get a grip on the reins and soothe his horse. In front of him stood a peculiar creature, which looked almost like a human child; and Viscen knew it was a Skull kid. It was dressed in clothes that seemed to be made of leaves, and it had a weird, pointy hat on the top of its head. Its skin was dark brown, almost the same colour as tree bark, but didn't seem rough or anything like that. The big, glossy eyes beamed at the rider. Viscen felt as though he either wanted to fire an arrow at the creature, or turn around and escape before it could attack him.
But the creature didn't attack him; it spoke to him, and Viscen recognized one of the frail voices he had heard earlier. "What are you doing here, Mister? It's dangerous for you to be here. The forest is no place for those who don't know it."
"I... I am looking for a little girl, Princess Zelda", Viscen stammered. "She disappeared a couple of days ago. I doubt she's still alive, but they... they sent me to look for her..."
"I see. You're a brave man, I can see that you're not afraid of anything. But you should be afraid. There are things in the forests you can't even imagine."
"I don't trust you, and I won't take any advices from you", Viscen said, trying to make his voice sound steady. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." He rode past the Skull kid, and disappeared out of sight. The Skull kid looked after him, and then it shook its head and murmured: "You're a brave man. Maybe too brave."
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Saria sat on the couch in her tree house, thinking about what she had told Link. She did not know what he would do, but it had been about time she told him. "I hope I made the right decision", she said to herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by a slight knock on the door.
She sighed, walked over to the door and opened it. Outside the door was a bouquet of flowers, with wild roses, oxeye daisies and other flowers. No doubt that the bouquet was beautiful, the one who had picked all of the flowers had really did a good job. But Saria already knew who had given her the bouquet, and she wasn't happy at all. She wanted to throw it away, but decided to put it in a vase instead.
She put the bouquet in a vase and filled it with some water. There was no card or anything, but she knew who had given her the flowers: Mido. He used to give her presents, flowers and similar things, and he had asked her many times if she wanted to go out with him. She refused. She loathed him, just because the way he treated the other Kokiri, and especially Link. She felt sorry for her best friend, but now when he knew the truth, they wouldn't be friends in the same way anymore. It was even possible that Link would leave her.
But he had to know. He couldn't live his entire life without knowing who he really was. But he would have found out later anyway. It wasn't possible to hide it from him. But yet Saria was worried about what he might do. She did not want to lose her best friend.
She threw a gloomy glare at the flowers on the table, as she heard another knock on the door. This time, Zelda stood outside the door with Tatl, who sat on her left shoulder. Saria thought that Zelda and that fairy seemed to like each other. But Zelda didn't seem gleeful at the moment, she had tears in her eyes and her golden hair was somewhat tousled. "I have made a decision, Saria", she sad and swallowed the knot in her throat. "I know what I want to do."
"So what is it, dear?" Saria asked in a concerned voice. "Please tell me, Zelda."
Zelda wiped the tears away with her sleeve. "I don't know if it's the right thing to do, Saria, but I... I want to stay."
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"Great Deku Tree, I have something I want to talk to you about", said Link nervously.
"What is troubling thou, Link?" The tree's stifled, loud voice made the young boy jump with surprise.
"Saria has told me who I really am", Link said. "I'm a Hylian, Great Deku Tree, and not a Kokiri like they have told me. But I suppose you knew this already."
"I did. But do not worry, young one. The reason that no one told thou was that I did not allow them to. I wanted thou to discover thy real self. But if Saria has already told thou, then I will tell thou anything thou want to know."
"Please, could you tell me about my family? I want to know everything about them!" Link exclaimed.
"I am afraid I might disappoint thou with this, Link. But thou have to know. Neither thy mother nor thy father are still alive. Thy mother came to this forest during the war ten years ago, when thou was still an infant. She was badly injured and had not long left to live. She could not penetrate the barrier that surrounds that part of the forest. When she passed away, her last wish was that her little baby boy would not die. The Kokiri managed to take the boy into the forest to protect him."
Link said nothing. To know that he hadn't any parents or any family, that he was a Hylian and that he didn't belong among the Kokiri was just too much for him to bear.
"I won't... I won't have to leave the forest, right?" he asked eventually. "Please, I don't want to leave my friends."
"Thou do not have to leave everything just because thou are not a Kokiri, Link. Thou can live with us in the forest as long as thou want to. But this means a new experience for thou. Thou can leave the forest."
"I... I can actually leave the forest to see Hyrule?"
"Yes. But once thou have left the forest, thou can not enter the forest again through the entrance in Hyrule Field. Thou have to go through the Lost Woods. Thou can not penetrate the forest barrier, either. But there is no barrier in the Lost Woods. The forest children, the Skull kids, may help thou to find thy way back to the village. Remember, Link, that thou are always welcome to return to the village. This is thy home."
"Thank you, Great Deku Tree. But excuse me, is there something troubling you?"
"No, there is not anything for thou to worry about. A child like thou should not have to worry about anything at all."
"All right, thank you. Come on, Navi! I have to tell Zelda about this!"
Link ran back towards the village, Navi floating in the air behind him. When they approached the village, however, something wasn't right.
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"Probably attacked by a pack of Wolfos", Saria stated. Mido walked beside her with an expression of concern on his face.
"He almost found the village", one of the Know-It-All Brothers said. "I wonder what he was up to."
"He was probably looking for the Princess, Zelda", Saria said. "She just told me that she don't want to leave and go back to the Castle."
"She has to!" Mido exclaimed. "How are we supposed to live here if we know that a lot of soldiers are looking for her? Any of them might find their way to this village. Mind you, that Hylian soldier was found just one kilometre away from the village!"
"I know that, Mido", Saria said and frowned. "But I can't tell her to go back. She has had a terrible life in the Castle!"
"We can't risk the safety of the Kokiri just because of her!" Mido yelled. "She don't belong with us, and nor does that Link! I told you not to save him that day ten years ago!"
"Don't bring that up now, Mido! That was ten years ago!"
"I don't see your point, Saria", Mido sighed. "Has he ever caused us anything but problems? And he's not even a Kokiri! He should return to his own people – now."
"No! Don't you dare to speak about him like that! He's my best friend!" Saria turned around and rushed towards her house. Mido felt awful; he really liked Saria, more than she could ever imagine. But he only wanted the best for the village. He couldn't risk its safety because of that child. A Hylian soldier had been attacked by Wolfos, and just before he was about to reach the village. He had probably been looking for the young Princess, but he hadn't succeeded to find her. But what if there were more soldiers out there?
I've got to get rid of her, and Link too, Mido thought. I've got to get rid of them both – somehow
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A/N: There's chapter 5! I know it probably was a little short, but I'll try to make the next chapter longer! I had a really hard time deciding what to call this chapter, but I decided to name it "The Great Deku Tree", even if it isn't just about the Great Deku Tree. It's hard to decide a name for a chapter if it's about a lot of things! And some of you probably recognized Viscen, one of the soldiers from Majora's Mask. I decided to use him in this story.
*Just a note about the older language that the Great Deku Tree speaks. I hope I got it right. And if I didn't, oh well.* I'm sorry if I don't update as frequently as I did before, but as I said, I'm very busy. I'm glad if I can update any of my stories once a week. I hope it'll get better. To put the next chapter up, I want... 5 reviews. Yes, 5 reviews it is! So please review and tell me your opinion of this story!
..::Hylian Heroine::..