Flower Girl

This is just a short little one-shot I wrote on a spur-of-the-moment thing. Don't worry, I'm still working on my other story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda. Shocker, I know.

"And we'd really like it if you would be the flower girl. Malon thought you'd like that job, since you're like, from the forest and all…and I'd really appreciate it, Saria."

I just can't seem to get those words out of my head. My childhood friend was getting married. Married. To a rancher girl. Not me. He wanted me to be the simple flower girl.

Well, what did you expect? Tears welled in my eyes. I swallowed hard and looked out the window of my house. You're a Kokiri. He's a human. You never had a chance with him.

Why did I find that so hard to accept? Somehow, when he was a child too, it seemed possible—anything seemed possible when you were so young and innocent. He had grown up way too fast…and left me alone. Small and forgotten.

"Sure, Link, I'd love to be your flower girl…"

Of course I had to accept the offer. That's what friends do, right?

"Thanks, Saria. I knew I could count on you."

Because I never change. I'll always be what I am now—a lady trapped inside a child, forever ignored, forgotten, and given the bottom rank job. He would never know.

I sighed. Link had his own life now. He was way too busy to worry about me. But I wasn't too busy to worry about him.

There was a knock on my door. I started, wondering who on earth it could be.

"Come in!" I called. The door swung open and a tall, voluptuous redhead sauntered into the room: Link's bride-to-be, Malon.

"Hi Saria!" Malon greeted me cheerfully, "I wanted you to try on a couple of these dresses for the wedding." She held up three different dresses; on pale green, one dark green, and one emerald. Always green for Saria. Even her hair is green!

"Sure," I answered Malon, masking my weariness with my usual smile, "Which one first?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter," Malon held them out to me. I carefully selected the pale one. It looked the itchiest.

As I dressed, Malon chatted away as if she hadn't talked in a month.

"I am so excited about the wedding, aren't you?" she squealed, "It's gonna be so great! We're gonna have it in the middle of the field, an outdoor kind of thing. Like everyone in Hyrule is coming! And we"

"—How does this look?" I couldn't stand to hear any more about Link's fabulous wedding.

"Oh, that looks so cute on you!" Malon complimented. Of course it looked cute. Saria's so cute—never pretty, or anything else that might describe Malon…or any other girl for that matter.

"It itches," my predictions had been correct. I was itching all over now.

"Oh, really?" Malon's face fell as if she was genuinely interested in my itching problems, "How about the darkest one, then?"

In the end, we decided on the emerald one. It went best with my hair, Malon said, and it was velvet, so it didn't itch.

Malon left me with my new dress and a basket full of flowers. I stared at it sadly. To think…the biggest role I would ever play in a wedding would be the flower girl.

The wedding was everything it should have been. The weather was beautiful and sunny. Trying to appear happy despite the tears filling my eyes, I strew flowers down the aisles and aisles of all races of Hyrule. Malon looked stunning in her dazzlingly white bridal gown. I tried not to look at Link, but he kept catching my eye and winking at me. When he kissed the bride, I turned away.

During the reception, I kept wiping away stray tears. Everyone thought they were tears of joy. I knew better.

It came time for the newly wedded couple to open their wedding gifts. I had carefully decided what to give to them. My present was clearly marked, "To Link," but Malon opened it.

"Ooh…" she held up the Fairy Ocarina in awe. Link took it gently from her and examined it closely. He looked at me, and I attempted a weak smile. I could tell he was truly touched. Finally, I had gotten to his heart, though not in a way I expected. Through nostalgia.

"Thanks a lot, Saria," Link said, wrapping his arms around me. I wished he would never let go.

"To remind you," I said quietly, when he let go.

I knew Link hadn't found the rest of the present yet. It wasn't much, just a simple piece of paper…

Never forget me.

Your Flower Girl

R&R. Thankees!

Keatonzeldagirl