Chapter 3
Later
Link had been lead into the largest tree in the entire town. This tree could have easily been the Great Deku Tree's brother for all Link knew. Epona was tied up outside much to Link's annoyance and hers. 'Can't have a horse roaming at night now could we?' Mr. Juba said as he tightly fastened Epona's reigns to one of the branches outside. Despite Link's protests, he was quickly led into the mayor's home. It was a marvelous sight with great carvings of humans, Gorons and Deku shrubs. Link followed the intricate patterns on the walls that came to the collage in the middle of the farthest wall. Link noted that the carving was the only carving with color and it was of a simple woman in a long dress with stark white hair. The mayor noticed Link's wandering eyes.
"So, you like the engravings of the Deku do you? That, my friend, is a rough sketch of our Lady Harvester Blue. A fine lass she is and a great tactician too." Link could only nod in reply it really was beautiful.
"You speak highly of her." Cera noted with a tinkle. The mayor of Deku town let out a small gruff in reply.
"Yes I do. I would speak more highly of her if she would stop this blasted war with the Yellows and get over her heartbreak." Link's interest in his tone perked up at the interesting tidbit of news. Heartbreak?
"What happened?" Cera asked flying over to the wall carving. The Deku shrub shook his head at the fairy's ignorance. Link walked up to the carving when Cera wouldn't fly back to him.
"You are a strange pair indeed to not know what is common knowledge. I thought that all traveling swordsman knew of her plight. Still, it is best if we have you rested so you can tell me of your story. Come, I shall have you cleaned up and sent to my chambers so you can entertain me with your victory this day and how you came to wear green."
"Alright." Link left the carving and followed Mr. Juba around his home as he barked orders at nearby servants. Link was bathed, his garments washed and mended. Link unfortunately was forced into a blue robe as his tunic was being cleaned. Link had left his things on his chamber's bed. Before he left to see Mr. Juba, Link felt an incredible urge to put the pendants back on.
'I had better keep these things safe.' Link rationed in his mind. 'They were kept for a reason and I still have to figure it all out.' Link was led into what looked like a den with a large amount of books and a fireplace crackled near the only two chairs in the room. Mr. Juba wasn't there yet so Link and Cera had to wait
.
"Hey Link?" Cera asked in a timid voice. Link glanced to the fairy hovering over his head.
"Yes?" Link replied. For some reason the little fairy seemed nervous to Link. Link couldn't put his finger on it but the way the people looked at Cera made him nervous as well. Could it be she was nervous about being fairy-napped?
"Um…when this is all over, what are you going to do?" Cera asked almost in a whisper. Link looked at Cera not understanding. "Will you go to Hyrule Castle? Become a knight like when you were the Hero of Time? Or will you stay in the Lost Woods even though you are not a Kokiri?"
'So that's what's been bothering her.' Link thought shocked. Then, Link came to a realization about something; he didn't know what he was going to do after he found Navi! Link knew he was going to stay as long as he could in the Kokiri village but he was growing. It wouldn't be long before he was as tall as the village elder and then he really wouldn't be accepted as a Kokiri. Link knew he always had a home in the castle with Zelda because she remembered what happened. Still, his wandering feet wouldn't let him stay still for long.
"You know, I hadn't thought that far ahead." Link said truthfully. "I know that I'll stay as long as I can in the Kokiri forest, then who knows? I might go off looking for another adventure!" Link said brightly. At this, Cera perked up a bit.
"You'll try to stay in the Lost Woods? As long as you can? Promise?" Link squinted at the brightness that she emitted at this information.
"I promise." Link said with a smile. "Then, I might try and find a good quest to go on. You know, save the world from certain doom or something." Cera's glow died down a bit again then brightened back up as if she had just thought of something.
"Will you take me on those adventures too? I want to come!" Link sighed and let the fairy come to a rest on his hand. Link thought of something and let out a little snort of laughter.
"You'll come anyway even if I have Navi back won't you? I suppose having two fairy companions won't be all bad." Link said aloud. Silently, he added that it would just give him an earache in both ears instead of just the one.
"You're darn right I would!" Cera replied teasingly. Link smiled. Then, the doors to the den opened slightly to entrance the waddling, small Deku mayor. "Hello!" Cera chirped happily. Mr. Juba bowed his head in response and smiled at the fairy.
"Well, it's nice to see you in some proper garb even though it's just a bathrobe, it suits you just nicely. I am Mayor Juba Deku of the main Deku tribe of the Blue. I am happy to greet you young warrior. Now then, care to introduce yourself young one?" Mr. Juba took a seat across from Link and handed him a cup of steaming warm tea he had brought in. Link blushed at the formalities and compliments that had just been slung his way.
"My name is Link and this is Cera." Link motioned to the fairy that was now sitting on the edge of Link's teacup. "I am pleased to meet you even though I don't deserve your praises." Link said embarrassed. Juba cast that comment aside with a wave of his arm.
"Nonsense! You have just killed the greatest threat to my home right now other than the war. You are indeed a fine warrior, young but a fine warrior." Link's blush burned brightly on his cheeks. "Now then, would you mind answering my questions before? I am indeed very curious to your origins and where you found such riches as a fairy and a horse in this day and age." Link sat back in his chair and sipped his tea making Cera find another perch. Juba noticed the behavior and copied Links actions.
"My name is Link and I come from the Kokiri village." At the mention of the Kokiri village, Mr. Juba spit out his tea. If Link had been in the line of fire, he would have been soaked in Deku Blackmist Tea. It almost put out the fire for crying out loud!
"What!?!" Demanded the Deku shrub. "Th-that's impossible! There's no way you can be a Kokiri! The seal is still in effect! The Great Deku Tree would not open that route again until the war has ceased" The boy across from the shrub looked sadly into his cup.
"The Great Deku Tree has been murdered by an evil man called Ganondorf a little while back." At this bit of news the Deku shrub stared at the youth in shock, no not shock, fear.
"Then there is no hope for the route to ever be opened again." The shrub said bitterly. Link shook his head in disagreement.
"The Deku sprout has taken his place. It's true that the seal stayed even in his death but the Deku sprout opened the seal for a short time. To let me pass through it." Link took another sip of his tea.
"Will wonders never cease." The Deku shrub said in awe. "Still, you can't be a Kokiri. The children of the forest would die if they stayed away from the forest too long and yet…" Juba looked at the fairy that was perched on the top of Links head. "You do have a fairy to back up your claims. Who are you boy?"
"I don't know my last name, I don't know if my parents are dead or alive. I do know that the Deku tree chose my name after I was brought to it as a squalling baby. I am not a true Kokiri in blood but was raised as one. I know the secrets of the Lost Woods like any other Kokiri, yet I am not one. I am Hylain by birth. Right now, I am searching for my first fairy companion, her name is Navi." The fire snapped and crackled to life again. The Deku shrub looked at Link as if seeing him for the first time. Then, a certain older fairy spoke up.
"You're forgetting the best part!" Cera said floating in Link's face. Link sighed at the fairy. Cera no doubt was about to tell the mayor of his exploits as the grand hero of time.
"Do we have to tell him that?" Link asked as if tired. "He wouldn't understand the meaning of it and neither do you." Link said eyeing the fairy. Cera giggled at Link naivety.
"I do now. Remember that fairy magic? I saw into your memories while doing it. Oh, don't look at me like that! I only saw a few bit and pieces of your memories. They were quite interesting actually. Especially your time in Termina! That looked like a lot of fun! I really envy Tatl now!" Link gaped at the fairy before his face.
"Is nothing private anymore?" Link murmured harshly. "Fine! Tell him. I don't think that he'll get the meaning of the hero of time anyway…" At the words hero and time, the Deku sat up straight as a board.
'It can't be! There is no possible way!' Juba jumped up from his seat by the fire. Link and Cera stopped their conversation when the Deku became excited. Juba almost ran out of the room and left two puzzled humanoid creatures puzzled in his absence.
"What was all that about?" Link asked Cera. Cera settled on Link's head once again. Equally surprised at the Deku's sudden departure, the fairy replied Link's question.
"Don't ask me, I'm just the fairy around here." Link sat back in his chair again and thought in the silence. Cera interrupted his train of thoughts with a question of her own. "Do you think he understood the Hero of Time title?" Link shook his head.
"No and you shouldn't either. Heck, even I don't know the meaning of the Hero of Time yet and I'm supposed to be him." Link said with a little laugh. "You know, I wonder what this place would be like in seven years." Link took out his ocarina suggestively.
"Don't you even think about it music boy!" Cera growled. Link laughed at the fairy's obvious hatred of magical travel and put the ocarina to his lips to play a song. By now, the mayor and leader of the Deku's had been running back to his esteemed guest in his den. In his den!
'The hero of time! Praise the goddesses that he's still alive!' Juba held the possession that he had so carefully hidden for all these years to his heart. 'It has to be him! There is no other explanation for it!' Suddenly, Juba's ears were assaulted with the sound of pleasant music. The song itself was bright, cheery and had not been heard in this part of the forest for a long time. What brought the smile to the Deku's lips however was that he recognized the instrument being played. Juba recomposed himself outside of the den and took deep steady breaths to steel his nerves. 'A few minutes ago, he was an ordinary boy with a curious green tunic, now… The Hero of Time! How grand is this day!'
"Good! What song is that?" Cera clapped at the end of the song. Link shook his head in amazement. Link had never heard of a fairy like this one.
"It was Saria's song! I can't believe that a Kokiri fairy of all things wouldn't recognize a Kokiri's song!" Link said teasing the fairy. Cera's glow became bright red in embarrassment.
"I knew it! I was just testing you, that's all." Cera said quickly in an indignant huff. Link laughed all the harder at the fairy's blunder and cover up. Link didn't notice until he saw that Juba had sat down again that their host had returned.
"Can you prove it?" Juba asked Link. Link looked confused at the Deku shrub for a moment. Prove it? Prove what? Cera echoed Link's query but voiced hers out loud.
"What do you want Link to prove? It's not like he's done anything bad." Cera said quickly to Link's aid. That's when Link noticed that Juba was holding something. It was a small stone that looked suspiciously like a pendant. It was green and Link could almost make out a picture.
"Can you prove to me that you are the Hero of Time?" Juba asked a little too excited in Link's opinion. Link broke off his gaze when Cera hovered at the tip of Link's nose.
"See? I told you he would understand the title! I bet you're just as famous here as you are in Hyrule!" Link gave her a narrowed look.
"If you remember correctly, my exploits in the future have no impact in the past. I'm only known as the little fairy boy that saved the Gorons on Death Mountain from hunger and Princess Ruto from Lord Jabujabu's belly." Link sniffed at the fairy hotly.
"Only he says!" Cera said just as hotly. "What about your exploits in Termina?" Cera asked quickly. Link frowned at the fairy now.
"Same thing! I had to replay those three same repetitious days over and over again! Sure, they all turned out in the end but the exact memories don't actually exist in the persons mind! My actions had to happen first and going back and forth through time tends to wipe one's actions clean!" Link growled at the fairy. Cera's wings wilted in response.
"What about all the items you get? Those are proof of what you've done." Cera said brightening up a bit. Link took another sip of his tea.
"That's the only proof I have other than Navi and Tatl to back me up. You haven't even been on one of my adventures so you can't back me up." Link sat back in his chair again. "I do have the ocarina of time though." Link sat up in his chair. Juba sat quiet throughout the entire bickering session between boy and fairy.
"You have the ocarina of time? That's the treasure of the royal family of Hyrule isn't it? That would prove you are the Hero."
'And much more than that.' Added the Deku shrub in his thoughts. Juba held out his hands for the instrument. Link cautiously took out the blue ocarina and set it in the Deku's waiting hands.
"It is the ocarina of time." Juba said in awe. The instrument had only been shown to the ancient shrub once before. It was before the Lost Woods trading route had been closed, before the war even when all of Hyrule had been at peace. Before Soaran. "I believe you." Juba finally said handing back the precious treasure.
"You do?" Link asked mildly surprised. The shrub nodded. Link and mayor sat before the fire for a while, neither saying a word. Finally, it was Juba who spoke.
"I suppose I should tell you what exactly you're getting into. You're in a warring state. Did you know that before you came?" Link nodded sadly.
"Yes, but I have to find Navi! No matter what!" Link said determined. Juba cast his glare at the fire for a while.
"Then listen to what I have to say. Before you were born, there were three kingdoms of Hyrule. The great Hyrule you know and these two that are now at war. In order to differentiate from each other, the people of that kingdom would wear different styles and colors of clothing. We wear the blue robes of the kingdom of Harvester. The yellows you have been hearing about belong to the kingdom of Hunter. Your kingdom would not have to wear such things because they had lord over the other two kingdoms and did as they wished. The reason for this was that Hyrule had more resources than both of the Harvester and Hunter kingdoms put together. Along with the many alliances between the King and his surrounding neighbors, the kingdom was quite rich. In order to maintain a balance between the two, the king of Hyrule would trade with both kingdoms in equal amounts and at the same prices. The only problem was that there was only one trade route, the Lost Woods. Eventually, the great Deku Tree allowed a pathway through the forest for the trade and a balance was met. That is, until Soaran arrived. Soaran was a wizard of immense power and greed. Soaran familiarized himself with the royal families of both sides of this war and started to whisper in their ears about certain things. 'If the blue family was gone, you could have all the riches for the trade.' The rulers at the time grew suspicious of the other and stopped the trade between the countries and focused on the trade with the King of the Hyrule fields. That was their first mistake. Soon all connections to the Blue and Yellow factions in this land were severed. Families renounced each other for their heritage, fights became more and more frequent and the people almost screamed out for a war. The shout was heard and the nobles obliged. During the first and bloody battle, two royals met on the battlefield. Torn and battered, they fought the other in a deadly game of life and death the other had never encountered before. It was strange but it was love at first sight. Their families scorned the pairing and pleaded them to reconsider. They ignored their families and ran way together. It may sound like a fairytale romance but I assure you that's not the end of it. The couple hid for a little over a year from their parents and family oblivious to the war around them. Their hiding place was renamed Neutral town and has formed into a magnificent city where all are welcomed. Then, in hiding, something terrible happened. I do not know to this day what had happened, all I know is that they both returned home angry and bitter. That's when the war turned for the worst. Alliances formed and we were brought into their battles unwillingly." Juba paused for a moment. "Neutral town stayed the same; neutral under the leadership of Soaran the wizard and has become a fine city. I do know that the wizard had connections with both royal families and are loved by both. The trade route was taken from us when the pair made alliances and started the war anew. Some say it was to protect the field King from becoming involved others insist it was punishment for our foolhardiness in war." Link nodded, taking in all this information at once.
"How do you know the legend of the Hero of Time then?" Cera asked Juba still on Link's head. Juba's piercing gaze looked Link square in the eyes and made the young Hylain uncomfortable.
"It is foretold that the Hero of Time would save Hyrule. Not just Hyrule of the field but Hyrule of the yellow and blue." Link squirmed in his seat.
"A new adventure!" Cera squealed in delight. "Link! Do you think we could help these people? Please!!!" Link looked deeply into his tea as if it was the deepest part of the Great Bay Coast.
"After we find Navi." Link said quietly. Before Cera could protest, Link cut her off. "Navi is the first and foremost thing I came here for! I will not allow another quest get in the way of my finding her! I did not say that I wouldn't help, I just said it could wait until after we find her."
"So you are going to help us?" Juba asked excited again. Link turned from fairy to shrub.
"It can't be any harder then defeating Ganondorf or stopping moon from falling onto a town." At the mention of a falling moon, Juba's eyes went wide.
"You stopped a moon from falling? How is that possible?" Link grinned a little and snickered.
"It's possible but really, really exhausting!" Link began to tell his tale of Termina to the mayor. Not really in depth, just a few simple things like the bosses he fought, the final battle, the masks, the people in the town and the surrounding areas. Link mainly focused on the southern swamp though.
"A Deku princess? Really?" Interrupted Juba for the third time. Link sighed and stretched a bit.
"Yes. After I had defeated the jungle warrior, I had to take her home in one of my glass bottles. You see, her monkey friend had asked me for help after I had snuck into the palace. The Deku King suspected that the monkey had kidnapped his daughter and was about to punish the monkey for it. I barely made it in time before he was turned into monkey soup!"
"How did you sneak into the palace? I thought you said that they don't allow humans into it." Juba asked suspicious.
"My Deku mask remember? I can turn into one of you guys at will." That got Juba's attention.
"You didn't tell me about that! I thought you could just turn yourself into a Zora! Can I see you do that? I would love to be talking to a Deku instead of a large human. Oh, no disrespect meant!" The mayor apologized to Link as soon as he let the slip up occur. Link rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry. I'm used to a lot worse remarks from Deku's. I'm actually used to a lot worse remarks from some Kokiri's as well." At this, the Deku shrub stopped talking.
'How-how disrespectful! The Hero of Time treated like a lowly commoner! If I ever hear such disrespect in my presence, I'LL-" Link gave a soft yawn and rubbed one of his eyes.
"I'm sorry." Link apologized. "I'm a little tired from today's activities." Juba stopped his train of thought.
"Oh! Silly me. Here I am imposing on a guest! Go, go! Sleep now and we can talk in the morning. Ooops! Before I forget, here." Link was handed the pendant that he had seen in Juba's clutches earlier. "That is for you. It's a present for saving our town. Now off with you!" Link was gently ushered out of the den in the direction of his room.
"What is it Link?" Cera asked once they were in their chambers for the night. Link looked down at the small stone in his hand. It was clear white and smooth, just like the one he had around his neck. Engraved in it was the same picture of the one on the back of his blue pendant. Link quickly pulled at the pendant to make a comparison. To his surprise, there wasn't a scrape in it! The back of the blue pendant had gone smooth and flawless.
'That's odd. I could have sworn I had seen that picture on the pendant before.' Link shrugged it off and put the other pendant around his neck. Link changed into his nightclothes and drifted into a fitful nights sleep.
Morning
Link was up and out of bed earlier than usual. Usually, during his adventures he wouldn't get any sleep. Link would just take sips of potion to restore his energy when needed and trotted forth. It was nice to have a good night's sleep. Link instantly put on his mended and washed clothes. Weapons were still in subspace in his item subscreen along with his items and masks. Link walked out into the hallway to see if anyone else was up yet; no one in sight. Link made his way down to what looked like the dining room and waited for Juba to show up, he didn't wait long.
"Ah, young Link! Care to join us as a Deku?" Juba said as he entered the massive hall to eat. Link and Cera were already seated by his right hand as they watched the food being brought out to eat.
"Go for it Link! I've seen your Deku form before so I promise not to get scared." Cera said quickly. Link smirked at the memory of 'What did you do to Link you little shrub!!!!'
"Alright just don't expect me to eat any of the things you Deku's eat. I don't like boiled moss and fern tips." Link said making a face at the horrid dish. Juba looked at Link and laughed.
"No, I wouldn't expect that of you. Tasted it in human form did you?" Link visibly winced.
"Gah! Don't remind me." Juba laughed again. Link then took out his Deku mask and put it on. Stifling a scream as the magic changed him, Link sat down to eat a human breakfast with the major Juba and a few of the patrol guards that had been injured in the Wolfos attack. Link finished his food quickly and then sat to listen to the conversation around him.
"I heard that the Wolfos was twice as big as the kid was." One soldier said with an eye patch over his right eye. Link sighed in Deku form. Why did people talk about him? It wasn't like he hadn't done anything like that before.
"You had to have heard that because you couldn't have seen it!" said a soldier with a wrapped up left leg. Rounds of laughed echoed in the room as the soldier growled at the tease.
"I heard that he wore a tunic of neither blue or yellow." A soldier with a splinted arm said. Silence.
"You got a good look at the kid Rios. What did he look like?" asked eye patch. The man that hadn't been included in the conversation hmm-ed and coughed. Link noticed him as the man that had entered the inn and warned the people there.
"I saw him I think when I warned the Birch patrol at the inn. He sat there on a stool obviously too big for him talking to old Kororo. I never thought of it until later but yes, he was wearing nothing but green. Had a fairy too." At this news, the other occupants of the table gasped. Obviously this was news to them.
"Really! Can any of the Birch patrol back this up?" wondered leg wrapped. Reos sighed loudly and shook his head.
"Unfortunately, no. They all are too hurt to get out of bed this day and I bet their brains are rattled beyond comprehension because of last night." Link looked at Juba who was grinning at the conversation.
"I heard that he used magic against the beast and then finished it off with his sword!" Splint said eagerly. Link nodded in consent, not that anyone noticed.
"Yeah right! You know that he had to use magic! No person in this kingdom could have finished that bloody beast off with just a sword unless he was a yellow." Growled the eye patch. Rios looked thoughtful for a moment.
"But he wasn't a yellow remember? Not a scrap of yellow on him." Interrupted splint.
"Neither is he a blue!" growled the eye patch in response. Before things got out of hand between eye patch and splinted arm, Cera decided to join the conversation.
"It's awfully rude to speak about someone when they're right in front of you as if they weren't there!" Cera floated out of Deku Links hat and shocked everyone at the table. Link shook his head.
"A fairy?" Rios said surprised. The whole table looked at Deku Link and in unison voiced their opinion.
"No possible way!"
"It was a human boy! Not a Deku shrub!" Growled eye patch.
"Dressed in green!" Added leg wrapped.
"With weapons too!" Finished splint. Cera flew back to Link in outrage.
"Alright! You've had your fun and ate the meal as a shrub. Now take it off before they decide I'm a fibber!" Cera demanded of Link. Deku Link sighed and looked at Juba for permission. Juba nodded and Link stood up and took off the mask. Link was rewarded with yelps of surprise and moved chairs when the magic was over. Link grinned at all the scared faces and sat back down again. Rios was the first to recover.
"Wow." That was the only word spoken for the next fifteen minutes as the soldiers settled down and finished their meal. Link was aware of their nervous stares and quick glances in his direction. After everyone was finished, Juba rose from his seat and addressed the men there.
"Gentlemen of the patrols, I would like you to meet Link. Link, these are the captains of the patrols that have been protecting this area." Link noted that he spat the word protecting the area as if it was a curse.
"Pleased to meet you." Link said politely. The words startled the men sitting at the feast table. A child this polite? "My name is Link and you've already met Cera."
"Humph! The least they could do is apologize for talking about you like you weren't even there!" Cera snorted at the group from Link's hat.
"Cera! Be polite!" Link scolded the small fairy. Juba snickered at the quick turnaround in behavior between boy and fairy. Link was the one scolding like a mother and Cera was the mischievous child.
"Alright! Yesh! I thought it was my job to keep you in line not the other way around. Hello. That better?" Cera didn't wait for a reply and scooted back into the folds of Link's hat.
"I really am sorry." Link said to the group. "She's not usually like this. Must have had a bad dream last night." The men stared at the boy in front of their eyes in disbelief. This was the boy that had save the town last night? Not ruddy likely!
"Who are you boy and why aren't you wearing your patron's colors?" Demanded patch eye. Link looked to Juba for help and found it.
"Let me explain Link. You have to be on your way to find your friend do you not?" Link nodded. "Then you best be on your way then. I take it that you're going to Neutral City?" Link nodded again. "Take a right outside my home and you shall find the gates. The road to the left goes to Goron country, the one up the middle goes to Neutral Town and the one to the right goes to Gerudo country. You'll want to go straight up the middle." Link nodded and rose from his seat.
"Thank you. I hope to see you again Juba. Oh! By the way." Link turned to the men at the table. "I used both magic and my sword to defeat the Wolfos!" With that said, Link left the gawking men in their seats and left to find Epona.
"Answers!" barked Rios. "NOW!" Juba sat in his seat with a grin that rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat's. Juba motioned for the man to sit down so he could begin.
"We gentlemen have had the distinct honor of eating with non other than the Hero of Time and if my suspicions are correct- someone even more special than you can imagine. I gave him the forest pendant." Every man in the room went pale and stared at the mayor as if he had lost his mind.
"Th-that that-" Stuttered eye patch. Juba clapped his Deku hands together in excitement.
"That boy is absolutely amazing! Tells of his previous adventures like you were actually there! Magic brimming from the depth of his soul and full of energy! Why, he's actually a friend of the field kings daughter herself. Never knew the old dodger had it in him! Named her Zelda, can you believe that? Lives, as one of the Kokiri and travels through time like it was his personal toy. Interesting to hear, is it not?" Silence. "Now, now, we all know this day would come. Why so shocked?"
"He's so so-" Sputter splint arm.
"Young!" Rios finished for the man. Juba looked around his companions happily and snickered.
"He may look young but he's an experienced fighter and magician! Just wait until you hear what he's done in Hyrule and Termina! You won't believe your ears, I barely believed mine!" Juba began Link's tale excited as always and grinned when something would make the men visibly pale or gasp in shock.
Disclaimer: I really want to own it but I have a really crappy lawyer. Kidding!
That's chapter three! Later!
Later
Link had been lead into the largest tree in the entire town. This tree could have easily been the Great Deku Tree's brother for all Link knew. Epona was tied up outside much to Link's annoyance and hers. 'Can't have a horse roaming at night now could we?' Mr. Juba said as he tightly fastened Epona's reigns to one of the branches outside. Despite Link's protests, he was quickly led into the mayor's home. It was a marvelous sight with great carvings of humans, Gorons and Deku shrubs. Link followed the intricate patterns on the walls that came to the collage in the middle of the farthest wall. Link noted that the carving was the only carving with color and it was of a simple woman in a long dress with stark white hair. The mayor noticed Link's wandering eyes.
"So, you like the engravings of the Deku do you? That, my friend, is a rough sketch of our Lady Harvester Blue. A fine lass she is and a great tactician too." Link could only nod in reply it really was beautiful.
"You speak highly of her." Cera noted with a tinkle. The mayor of Deku town let out a small gruff in reply.
"Yes I do. I would speak more highly of her if she would stop this blasted war with the Yellows and get over her heartbreak." Link's interest in his tone perked up at the interesting tidbit of news. Heartbreak?
"What happened?" Cera asked flying over to the wall carving. The Deku shrub shook his head at the fairy's ignorance. Link walked up to the carving when Cera wouldn't fly back to him.
"You are a strange pair indeed to not know what is common knowledge. I thought that all traveling swordsman knew of her plight. Still, it is best if we have you rested so you can tell me of your story. Come, I shall have you cleaned up and sent to my chambers so you can entertain me with your victory this day and how you came to wear green."
"Alright." Link left the carving and followed Mr. Juba around his home as he barked orders at nearby servants. Link was bathed, his garments washed and mended. Link unfortunately was forced into a blue robe as his tunic was being cleaned. Link had left his things on his chamber's bed. Before he left to see Mr. Juba, Link felt an incredible urge to put the pendants back on.
'I had better keep these things safe.' Link rationed in his mind. 'They were kept for a reason and I still have to figure it all out.' Link was led into what looked like a den with a large amount of books and a fireplace crackled near the only two chairs in the room. Mr. Juba wasn't there yet so Link and Cera had to wait
.
"Hey Link?" Cera asked in a timid voice. Link glanced to the fairy hovering over his head.
"Yes?" Link replied. For some reason the little fairy seemed nervous to Link. Link couldn't put his finger on it but the way the people looked at Cera made him nervous as well. Could it be she was nervous about being fairy-napped?
"Um…when this is all over, what are you going to do?" Cera asked almost in a whisper. Link looked at Cera not understanding. "Will you go to Hyrule Castle? Become a knight like when you were the Hero of Time? Or will you stay in the Lost Woods even though you are not a Kokiri?"
'So that's what's been bothering her.' Link thought shocked. Then, Link came to a realization about something; he didn't know what he was going to do after he found Navi! Link knew he was going to stay as long as he could in the Kokiri village but he was growing. It wouldn't be long before he was as tall as the village elder and then he really wouldn't be accepted as a Kokiri. Link knew he always had a home in the castle with Zelda because she remembered what happened. Still, his wandering feet wouldn't let him stay still for long.
"You know, I hadn't thought that far ahead." Link said truthfully. "I know that I'll stay as long as I can in the Kokiri forest, then who knows? I might go off looking for another adventure!" Link said brightly. At this, Cera perked up a bit.
"You'll try to stay in the Lost Woods? As long as you can? Promise?" Link squinted at the brightness that she emitted at this information.
"I promise." Link said with a smile. "Then, I might try and find a good quest to go on. You know, save the world from certain doom or something." Cera's glow died down a bit again then brightened back up as if she had just thought of something.
"Will you take me on those adventures too? I want to come!" Link sighed and let the fairy come to a rest on his hand. Link thought of something and let out a little snort of laughter.
"You'll come anyway even if I have Navi back won't you? I suppose having two fairy companions won't be all bad." Link said aloud. Silently, he added that it would just give him an earache in both ears instead of just the one.
"You're darn right I would!" Cera replied teasingly. Link smiled. Then, the doors to the den opened slightly to entrance the waddling, small Deku mayor. "Hello!" Cera chirped happily. Mr. Juba bowed his head in response and smiled at the fairy.
"Well, it's nice to see you in some proper garb even though it's just a bathrobe, it suits you just nicely. I am Mayor Juba Deku of the main Deku tribe of the Blue. I am happy to greet you young warrior. Now then, care to introduce yourself young one?" Mr. Juba took a seat across from Link and handed him a cup of steaming warm tea he had brought in. Link blushed at the formalities and compliments that had just been slung his way.
"My name is Link and this is Cera." Link motioned to the fairy that was now sitting on the edge of Link's teacup. "I am pleased to meet you even though I don't deserve your praises." Link said embarrassed. Juba cast that comment aside with a wave of his arm.
"Nonsense! You have just killed the greatest threat to my home right now other than the war. You are indeed a fine warrior, young but a fine warrior." Link's blush burned brightly on his cheeks. "Now then, would you mind answering my questions before? I am indeed very curious to your origins and where you found such riches as a fairy and a horse in this day and age." Link sat back in his chair and sipped his tea making Cera find another perch. Juba noticed the behavior and copied Links actions.
"My name is Link and I come from the Kokiri village." At the mention of the Kokiri village, Mr. Juba spit out his tea. If Link had been in the line of fire, he would have been soaked in Deku Blackmist Tea. It almost put out the fire for crying out loud!
"What!?!" Demanded the Deku shrub. "Th-that's impossible! There's no way you can be a Kokiri! The seal is still in effect! The Great Deku Tree would not open that route again until the war has ceased" The boy across from the shrub looked sadly into his cup.
"The Great Deku Tree has been murdered by an evil man called Ganondorf a little while back." At this bit of news the Deku shrub stared at the youth in shock, no not shock, fear.
"Then there is no hope for the route to ever be opened again." The shrub said bitterly. Link shook his head in disagreement.
"The Deku sprout has taken his place. It's true that the seal stayed even in his death but the Deku sprout opened the seal for a short time. To let me pass through it." Link took another sip of his tea.
"Will wonders never cease." The Deku shrub said in awe. "Still, you can't be a Kokiri. The children of the forest would die if they stayed away from the forest too long and yet…" Juba looked at the fairy that was perched on the top of Links head. "You do have a fairy to back up your claims. Who are you boy?"
"I don't know my last name, I don't know if my parents are dead or alive. I do know that the Deku tree chose my name after I was brought to it as a squalling baby. I am not a true Kokiri in blood but was raised as one. I know the secrets of the Lost Woods like any other Kokiri, yet I am not one. I am Hylain by birth. Right now, I am searching for my first fairy companion, her name is Navi." The fire snapped and crackled to life again. The Deku shrub looked at Link as if seeing him for the first time. Then, a certain older fairy spoke up.
"You're forgetting the best part!" Cera said floating in Link's face. Link sighed at the fairy. Cera no doubt was about to tell the mayor of his exploits as the grand hero of time.
"Do we have to tell him that?" Link asked as if tired. "He wouldn't understand the meaning of it and neither do you." Link said eyeing the fairy. Cera giggled at Link naivety.
"I do now. Remember that fairy magic? I saw into your memories while doing it. Oh, don't look at me like that! I only saw a few bit and pieces of your memories. They were quite interesting actually. Especially your time in Termina! That looked like a lot of fun! I really envy Tatl now!" Link gaped at the fairy before his face.
"Is nothing private anymore?" Link murmured harshly. "Fine! Tell him. I don't think that he'll get the meaning of the hero of time anyway…" At the words hero and time, the Deku sat up straight as a board.
'It can't be! There is no possible way!' Juba jumped up from his seat by the fire. Link and Cera stopped their conversation when the Deku became excited. Juba almost ran out of the room and left two puzzled humanoid creatures puzzled in his absence.
"What was all that about?" Link asked Cera. Cera settled on Link's head once again. Equally surprised at the Deku's sudden departure, the fairy replied Link's question.
"Don't ask me, I'm just the fairy around here." Link sat back in his chair again and thought in the silence. Cera interrupted his train of thoughts with a question of her own. "Do you think he understood the Hero of Time title?" Link shook his head.
"No and you shouldn't either. Heck, even I don't know the meaning of the Hero of Time yet and I'm supposed to be him." Link said with a little laugh. "You know, I wonder what this place would be like in seven years." Link took out his ocarina suggestively.
"Don't you even think about it music boy!" Cera growled. Link laughed at the fairy's obvious hatred of magical travel and put the ocarina to his lips to play a song. By now, the mayor and leader of the Deku's had been running back to his esteemed guest in his den. In his den!
'The hero of time! Praise the goddesses that he's still alive!' Juba held the possession that he had so carefully hidden for all these years to his heart. 'It has to be him! There is no other explanation for it!' Suddenly, Juba's ears were assaulted with the sound of pleasant music. The song itself was bright, cheery and had not been heard in this part of the forest for a long time. What brought the smile to the Deku's lips however was that he recognized the instrument being played. Juba recomposed himself outside of the den and took deep steady breaths to steel his nerves. 'A few minutes ago, he was an ordinary boy with a curious green tunic, now… The Hero of Time! How grand is this day!'
"Good! What song is that?" Cera clapped at the end of the song. Link shook his head in amazement. Link had never heard of a fairy like this one.
"It was Saria's song! I can't believe that a Kokiri fairy of all things wouldn't recognize a Kokiri's song!" Link said teasing the fairy. Cera's glow became bright red in embarrassment.
"I knew it! I was just testing you, that's all." Cera said quickly in an indignant huff. Link laughed all the harder at the fairy's blunder and cover up. Link didn't notice until he saw that Juba had sat down again that their host had returned.
"Can you prove it?" Juba asked Link. Link looked confused at the Deku shrub for a moment. Prove it? Prove what? Cera echoed Link's query but voiced hers out loud.
"What do you want Link to prove? It's not like he's done anything bad." Cera said quickly to Link's aid. That's when Link noticed that Juba was holding something. It was a small stone that looked suspiciously like a pendant. It was green and Link could almost make out a picture.
"Can you prove to me that you are the Hero of Time?" Juba asked a little too excited in Link's opinion. Link broke off his gaze when Cera hovered at the tip of Link's nose.
"See? I told you he would understand the title! I bet you're just as famous here as you are in Hyrule!" Link gave her a narrowed look.
"If you remember correctly, my exploits in the future have no impact in the past. I'm only known as the little fairy boy that saved the Gorons on Death Mountain from hunger and Princess Ruto from Lord Jabujabu's belly." Link sniffed at the fairy hotly.
"Only he says!" Cera said just as hotly. "What about your exploits in Termina?" Cera asked quickly. Link frowned at the fairy now.
"Same thing! I had to replay those three same repetitious days over and over again! Sure, they all turned out in the end but the exact memories don't actually exist in the persons mind! My actions had to happen first and going back and forth through time tends to wipe one's actions clean!" Link growled at the fairy. Cera's wings wilted in response.
"What about all the items you get? Those are proof of what you've done." Cera said brightening up a bit. Link took another sip of his tea.
"That's the only proof I have other than Navi and Tatl to back me up. You haven't even been on one of my adventures so you can't back me up." Link sat back in his chair again. "I do have the ocarina of time though." Link sat up in his chair. Juba sat quiet throughout the entire bickering session between boy and fairy.
"You have the ocarina of time? That's the treasure of the royal family of Hyrule isn't it? That would prove you are the Hero."
'And much more than that.' Added the Deku shrub in his thoughts. Juba held out his hands for the instrument. Link cautiously took out the blue ocarina and set it in the Deku's waiting hands.
"It is the ocarina of time." Juba said in awe. The instrument had only been shown to the ancient shrub once before. It was before the Lost Woods trading route had been closed, before the war even when all of Hyrule had been at peace. Before Soaran. "I believe you." Juba finally said handing back the precious treasure.
"You do?" Link asked mildly surprised. The shrub nodded. Link and mayor sat before the fire for a while, neither saying a word. Finally, it was Juba who spoke.
"I suppose I should tell you what exactly you're getting into. You're in a warring state. Did you know that before you came?" Link nodded sadly.
"Yes, but I have to find Navi! No matter what!" Link said determined. Juba cast his glare at the fire for a while.
"Then listen to what I have to say. Before you were born, there were three kingdoms of Hyrule. The great Hyrule you know and these two that are now at war. In order to differentiate from each other, the people of that kingdom would wear different styles and colors of clothing. We wear the blue robes of the kingdom of Harvester. The yellows you have been hearing about belong to the kingdom of Hunter. Your kingdom would not have to wear such things because they had lord over the other two kingdoms and did as they wished. The reason for this was that Hyrule had more resources than both of the Harvester and Hunter kingdoms put together. Along with the many alliances between the King and his surrounding neighbors, the kingdom was quite rich. In order to maintain a balance between the two, the king of Hyrule would trade with both kingdoms in equal amounts and at the same prices. The only problem was that there was only one trade route, the Lost Woods. Eventually, the great Deku Tree allowed a pathway through the forest for the trade and a balance was met. That is, until Soaran arrived. Soaran was a wizard of immense power and greed. Soaran familiarized himself with the royal families of both sides of this war and started to whisper in their ears about certain things. 'If the blue family was gone, you could have all the riches for the trade.' The rulers at the time grew suspicious of the other and stopped the trade between the countries and focused on the trade with the King of the Hyrule fields. That was their first mistake. Soon all connections to the Blue and Yellow factions in this land were severed. Families renounced each other for their heritage, fights became more and more frequent and the people almost screamed out for a war. The shout was heard and the nobles obliged. During the first and bloody battle, two royals met on the battlefield. Torn and battered, they fought the other in a deadly game of life and death the other had never encountered before. It was strange but it was love at first sight. Their families scorned the pairing and pleaded them to reconsider. They ignored their families and ran way together. It may sound like a fairytale romance but I assure you that's not the end of it. The couple hid for a little over a year from their parents and family oblivious to the war around them. Their hiding place was renamed Neutral town and has formed into a magnificent city where all are welcomed. Then, in hiding, something terrible happened. I do not know to this day what had happened, all I know is that they both returned home angry and bitter. That's when the war turned for the worst. Alliances formed and we were brought into their battles unwillingly." Juba paused for a moment. "Neutral town stayed the same; neutral under the leadership of Soaran the wizard and has become a fine city. I do know that the wizard had connections with both royal families and are loved by both. The trade route was taken from us when the pair made alliances and started the war anew. Some say it was to protect the field King from becoming involved others insist it was punishment for our foolhardiness in war." Link nodded, taking in all this information at once.
"How do you know the legend of the Hero of Time then?" Cera asked Juba still on Link's head. Juba's piercing gaze looked Link square in the eyes and made the young Hylain uncomfortable.
"It is foretold that the Hero of Time would save Hyrule. Not just Hyrule of the field but Hyrule of the yellow and blue." Link squirmed in his seat.
"A new adventure!" Cera squealed in delight. "Link! Do you think we could help these people? Please!!!" Link looked deeply into his tea as if it was the deepest part of the Great Bay Coast.
"After we find Navi." Link said quietly. Before Cera could protest, Link cut her off. "Navi is the first and foremost thing I came here for! I will not allow another quest get in the way of my finding her! I did not say that I wouldn't help, I just said it could wait until after we find her."
"So you are going to help us?" Juba asked excited again. Link turned from fairy to shrub.
"It can't be any harder then defeating Ganondorf or stopping moon from falling onto a town." At the mention of a falling moon, Juba's eyes went wide.
"You stopped a moon from falling? How is that possible?" Link grinned a little and snickered.
"It's possible but really, really exhausting!" Link began to tell his tale of Termina to the mayor. Not really in depth, just a few simple things like the bosses he fought, the final battle, the masks, the people in the town and the surrounding areas. Link mainly focused on the southern swamp though.
"A Deku princess? Really?" Interrupted Juba for the third time. Link sighed and stretched a bit.
"Yes. After I had defeated the jungle warrior, I had to take her home in one of my glass bottles. You see, her monkey friend had asked me for help after I had snuck into the palace. The Deku King suspected that the monkey had kidnapped his daughter and was about to punish the monkey for it. I barely made it in time before he was turned into monkey soup!"
"How did you sneak into the palace? I thought you said that they don't allow humans into it." Juba asked suspicious.
"My Deku mask remember? I can turn into one of you guys at will." That got Juba's attention.
"You didn't tell me about that! I thought you could just turn yourself into a Zora! Can I see you do that? I would love to be talking to a Deku instead of a large human. Oh, no disrespect meant!" The mayor apologized to Link as soon as he let the slip up occur. Link rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry. I'm used to a lot worse remarks from Deku's. I'm actually used to a lot worse remarks from some Kokiri's as well." At this, the Deku shrub stopped talking.
'How-how disrespectful! The Hero of Time treated like a lowly commoner! If I ever hear such disrespect in my presence, I'LL-" Link gave a soft yawn and rubbed one of his eyes.
"I'm sorry." Link apologized. "I'm a little tired from today's activities." Juba stopped his train of thought.
"Oh! Silly me. Here I am imposing on a guest! Go, go! Sleep now and we can talk in the morning. Ooops! Before I forget, here." Link was handed the pendant that he had seen in Juba's clutches earlier. "That is for you. It's a present for saving our town. Now off with you!" Link was gently ushered out of the den in the direction of his room.
"What is it Link?" Cera asked once they were in their chambers for the night. Link looked down at the small stone in his hand. It was clear white and smooth, just like the one he had around his neck. Engraved in it was the same picture of the one on the back of his blue pendant. Link quickly pulled at the pendant to make a comparison. To his surprise, there wasn't a scrape in it! The back of the blue pendant had gone smooth and flawless.
'That's odd. I could have sworn I had seen that picture on the pendant before.' Link shrugged it off and put the other pendant around his neck. Link changed into his nightclothes and drifted into a fitful nights sleep.
Morning
Link was up and out of bed earlier than usual. Usually, during his adventures he wouldn't get any sleep. Link would just take sips of potion to restore his energy when needed and trotted forth. It was nice to have a good night's sleep. Link instantly put on his mended and washed clothes. Weapons were still in subspace in his item subscreen along with his items and masks. Link walked out into the hallway to see if anyone else was up yet; no one in sight. Link made his way down to what looked like the dining room and waited for Juba to show up, he didn't wait long.
"Ah, young Link! Care to join us as a Deku?" Juba said as he entered the massive hall to eat. Link and Cera were already seated by his right hand as they watched the food being brought out to eat.
"Go for it Link! I've seen your Deku form before so I promise not to get scared." Cera said quickly. Link smirked at the memory of 'What did you do to Link you little shrub!!!!'
"Alright just don't expect me to eat any of the things you Deku's eat. I don't like boiled moss and fern tips." Link said making a face at the horrid dish. Juba looked at Link and laughed.
"No, I wouldn't expect that of you. Tasted it in human form did you?" Link visibly winced.
"Gah! Don't remind me." Juba laughed again. Link then took out his Deku mask and put it on. Stifling a scream as the magic changed him, Link sat down to eat a human breakfast with the major Juba and a few of the patrol guards that had been injured in the Wolfos attack. Link finished his food quickly and then sat to listen to the conversation around him.
"I heard that the Wolfos was twice as big as the kid was." One soldier said with an eye patch over his right eye. Link sighed in Deku form. Why did people talk about him? It wasn't like he hadn't done anything like that before.
"You had to have heard that because you couldn't have seen it!" said a soldier with a wrapped up left leg. Rounds of laughed echoed in the room as the soldier growled at the tease.
"I heard that he wore a tunic of neither blue or yellow." A soldier with a splinted arm said. Silence.
"You got a good look at the kid Rios. What did he look like?" asked eye patch. The man that hadn't been included in the conversation hmm-ed and coughed. Link noticed him as the man that had entered the inn and warned the people there.
"I saw him I think when I warned the Birch patrol at the inn. He sat there on a stool obviously too big for him talking to old Kororo. I never thought of it until later but yes, he was wearing nothing but green. Had a fairy too." At this news, the other occupants of the table gasped. Obviously this was news to them.
"Really! Can any of the Birch patrol back this up?" wondered leg wrapped. Reos sighed loudly and shook his head.
"Unfortunately, no. They all are too hurt to get out of bed this day and I bet their brains are rattled beyond comprehension because of last night." Link looked at Juba who was grinning at the conversation.
"I heard that he used magic against the beast and then finished it off with his sword!" Splint said eagerly. Link nodded in consent, not that anyone noticed.
"Yeah right! You know that he had to use magic! No person in this kingdom could have finished that bloody beast off with just a sword unless he was a yellow." Growled the eye patch. Rios looked thoughtful for a moment.
"But he wasn't a yellow remember? Not a scrap of yellow on him." Interrupted splint.
"Neither is he a blue!" growled the eye patch in response. Before things got out of hand between eye patch and splinted arm, Cera decided to join the conversation.
"It's awfully rude to speak about someone when they're right in front of you as if they weren't there!" Cera floated out of Deku Links hat and shocked everyone at the table. Link shook his head.
"A fairy?" Rios said surprised. The whole table looked at Deku Link and in unison voiced their opinion.
"No possible way!"
"It was a human boy! Not a Deku shrub!" Growled eye patch.
"Dressed in green!" Added leg wrapped.
"With weapons too!" Finished splint. Cera flew back to Link in outrage.
"Alright! You've had your fun and ate the meal as a shrub. Now take it off before they decide I'm a fibber!" Cera demanded of Link. Deku Link sighed and looked at Juba for permission. Juba nodded and Link stood up and took off the mask. Link was rewarded with yelps of surprise and moved chairs when the magic was over. Link grinned at all the scared faces and sat back down again. Rios was the first to recover.
"Wow." That was the only word spoken for the next fifteen minutes as the soldiers settled down and finished their meal. Link was aware of their nervous stares and quick glances in his direction. After everyone was finished, Juba rose from his seat and addressed the men there.
"Gentlemen of the patrols, I would like you to meet Link. Link, these are the captains of the patrols that have been protecting this area." Link noted that he spat the word protecting the area as if it was a curse.
"Pleased to meet you." Link said politely. The words startled the men sitting at the feast table. A child this polite? "My name is Link and you've already met Cera."
"Humph! The least they could do is apologize for talking about you like you weren't even there!" Cera snorted at the group from Link's hat.
"Cera! Be polite!" Link scolded the small fairy. Juba snickered at the quick turnaround in behavior between boy and fairy. Link was the one scolding like a mother and Cera was the mischievous child.
"Alright! Yesh! I thought it was my job to keep you in line not the other way around. Hello. That better?" Cera didn't wait for a reply and scooted back into the folds of Link's hat.
"I really am sorry." Link said to the group. "She's not usually like this. Must have had a bad dream last night." The men stared at the boy in front of their eyes in disbelief. This was the boy that had save the town last night? Not ruddy likely!
"Who are you boy and why aren't you wearing your patron's colors?" Demanded patch eye. Link looked to Juba for help and found it.
"Let me explain Link. You have to be on your way to find your friend do you not?" Link nodded. "Then you best be on your way then. I take it that you're going to Neutral City?" Link nodded again. "Take a right outside my home and you shall find the gates. The road to the left goes to Goron country, the one up the middle goes to Neutral Town and the one to the right goes to Gerudo country. You'll want to go straight up the middle." Link nodded and rose from his seat.
"Thank you. I hope to see you again Juba. Oh! By the way." Link turned to the men at the table. "I used both magic and my sword to defeat the Wolfos!" With that said, Link left the gawking men in their seats and left to find Epona.
"Answers!" barked Rios. "NOW!" Juba sat in his seat with a grin that rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat's. Juba motioned for the man to sit down so he could begin.
"We gentlemen have had the distinct honor of eating with non other than the Hero of Time and if my suspicions are correct- someone even more special than you can imagine. I gave him the forest pendant." Every man in the room went pale and stared at the mayor as if he had lost his mind.
"Th-that that-" Stuttered eye patch. Juba clapped his Deku hands together in excitement.
"That boy is absolutely amazing! Tells of his previous adventures like you were actually there! Magic brimming from the depth of his soul and full of energy! Why, he's actually a friend of the field kings daughter herself. Never knew the old dodger had it in him! Named her Zelda, can you believe that? Lives, as one of the Kokiri and travels through time like it was his personal toy. Interesting to hear, is it not?" Silence. "Now, now, we all know this day would come. Why so shocked?"
"He's so so-" Sputter splint arm.
"Young!" Rios finished for the man. Juba looked around his companions happily and snickered.
"He may look young but he's an experienced fighter and magician! Just wait until you hear what he's done in Hyrule and Termina! You won't believe your ears, I barely believed mine!" Juba began Link's tale excited as always and grinned when something would make the men visibly pale or gasp in shock.
Disclaimer: I really want to own it but I have a really crappy lawyer. Kidding!
That's chapter three! Later!