Chapter Eleven: The Unexpected Plot Twist

A/N: Many thanks to Malon Aniku (update, woman!), zeldaisthebest, and Ganheim.

And Ganheim – I'm very glad you like it. I'm sorry I don't update too often, but that's actually only the story individually. I post a new chapter of one of my stories almost daily. I'm currently reading four books each at least 400 hundred pages long, writing seven different fanfics and poetry collections, completing a novel, doing homework all week, spending time with my family and friends, among normal living routines. If you'd like something to tide you over until I update again, (next chapter is the last, by the way), you can read the prequel to this, "Ducks and Dragons". I would most definitely read your fics, but unfortunately, I don't know anything about those fandoms. Hope you find a beta soon, as I'd really like to read that Zelda fic! Thanks for reviewing!


"Where do we go now?" asked Ruto, not nearly as whiny as she'd been before, because she had immersed herself in the Zora's River and it was now nighttime. After they'd finished with the Gorons, they had gone to the Gerudo hideout, inspected every house in Hyrule Castle Town, and even gone to see the Great Fairies. Each attempt had been unsuccessful, and each had left them less hopeful than the last.

Link rolled his eyes. "Who else is left? The Kokiri!"

"The Kokiri?" echoed Quinn incredulously. "What makes you think they have it?"

"Well, it's not like we have many other places to choose from, do we?" asked Link.

Cassandra leaned closer to Lute. "Have you noticed that throughout the time we've been on this mission, Link has gotten considerably smarter?"

Lute looked at Link thoughtfully and nodded. "I have, actually, now that you say that."

"Evolution exists! Darwin was right!" cried Cassandra.

Everyone stared at her.

"I wasn't talking to you!" she said, aggravated.

Everyone went back to what they'd been doing before.

"Shall we go, then?" asked Aranel.

"Yeah, let's get this over with," said Ganondorf, standing up and brushing his clothes off.

Ruto grudgingly pulled herself out of the water and they all climbed up on the dragon's back.

They flew off in the direction of Kokiri Forest, Link's childhood home.


"I can't fit through that tunnel," Aranel said as he touched down beside a large tree outside of the Forest Haven. "You'll have to go in there on your own."

"Ah, what do we have to be afraid of?" asked Falen. "They're a bunch of little kids."

"Well, firstly, we're outnumbered," said Link. "Secondly, you don't know what a Kokiri can do when it's angry. I've seen them ambush things…" He shivered. "I'd rather not think about it."

"No turning back now," said Quinn. They went inside.

The sight they met when they made their way to the village was a strange one, if not slightly scary. The forest children had built a gigantic bonfire, and were now dancing around it, waving axes and swords through the air, chanting and yelling in the bright moonlight.

The rescuers gazed on in silent horror.

"I didn't even know they had weapons," Cassandra said finally.

"You'd be surprised," said Link.

"What are they doing?" asked Ruto.

"Psyching themselves up. They're getting ready to do something big," explained the hero.

"But what?"

"That, I don't know."

Just then, something hurtled out of the crowd of Kokiri and landed in Lute's arms, nearly knocking him off his feet.

It was Saria.

She looked up at him, a dazed expression on her face. Then, she seemed to recognize him. "Hello, Your Majesty! How are you?" she asked brightly.

"Uh…fine, I guess," answered the bewildered prince. Glancing at the chanting Kokiri, he had a sudden fear that his health wouldn't last long.

"I heard about your wedding," continued the green-haired girl. She turned to Cassandra. "Congrats, both of you." She winked at Lute. "You sure picked a pretty one!"

"Thanks, Saria," said Lute, interrupting her next sentence. "Can you tell us what's going on?"

"Oh, they're getting themselves ready for the revolt," she said with a shrug.

"A revolt?" asked Lute.

"They were serious!" exclaimed Ganondorf, looking half-annoyed and half-awed.

"Do you know where the Zora's Sapphire is?" Link asked Saria.

"Yeah," said the forest girl, nodding. "They've got it. I was trying to get it back from them, but then they chucked me out of the crowd, and then you caught me, and – well, here we are!"

"We need it," said Lute.

"Okay, then!" Saria led them over to the chanting crowd. The other Kokiri froze as the taller people strode up to them.

"What do you want?" demanded Mido, his voice echoing in the sudden silence. He had a very sharp-looking spear pointed at them.

"Ah, we were going to save Zelda, but then she – " Lute began, but cut off abruptly as Mido thrust the spear at him.

"Cut to the chase, princie!" shouted the Kokiri.

"We want the Sapphire," said Cassandra.

"No can do, sweetheart," Mido grinned. "It's ours, now!"

"What are you going to do with it?" asked Ganondorf.

"You're the reason!" yelled Mido. "Our people told us that you refused to aid us, so we took the thing you needed most!"

"But how did they know what we needed before we knew it?" asked Ruto, confused.

"That's what private investigators are for," said Mido, inspecting his fingernails.

"Who did you hire?" Lute asked.

"Note that I said 'private' investigator."

"Well, we'll be taking this now," said Quinn, pushing Mido aside and picking up the Sapphire, which was lying on the grass behind him.

The Kokiri glared at them.

If looks could kill, was the thought that ran through the heads of all the rescuers.

Then, the Kokiri started to run toward them.

Ganondorf picked up four at the same time and flung them backwards. "Run, everyone! Run!"

They didn't waste time. Lute grabbed Cassandra's wrist and pulled her forward. The others followed suit. They began sprinting towards the entrance of Kokiri Village, the Kokiri at their heels, all brandishing flaming torches, swords, spears, axes – one even had a pitchfork. They caught Saria and pulled her back to the fire, tying her to a wooden stake.

Ruto screamed as two of them grabbed her from behind and dragged her to ground.

As Cassandra, Lute, and Link stopped to look back at her, she cried, "Go on without me!"

"Gladly!" Link called back. He grabbed Cassandra and Lute and pushed them on. "They won't kill her," he told them, seeing the Zora princess' indignant look as the Kokiri pulled her toward the fire and tied her to a stake beside Saria. The prince and his wife were not so sure he was telling the truth.

"I can't believe I've been taken hostage by munchkins," muttered Ruto irritably.

"Don't call them that!" scolded Saria in horror.

"Why not?"

Ruto's question was answered as a group of the forest children advanced upon them slowly, spears held out in front of them threateningly.

Ruto screamed.

The others didn't hear her, however, as they were all too busy screaming themselves as they ran for their very lives. Most of the Kokiri were still on their tail, and they didn't stop after they'd crossed the bridge and headed out to Hyrule Field. Aranel was startled to see the whole rescue party – excluding Ruto, of course – dashing towards him in a frenzy of terror.

"What's going on?" asked the dragon.

"No time – got Sapphire – they captured Ruto – get us out of here!" gasped out Link as they reached him. "Temple of Time!"

Aranel didn't ask questions as they scampered up his scales and he lifted into the air. The Kokiri remained on the ground, shouting war cries and waving their torches around menacingly.

"Din, I hope someone stops them," said Ganondorf, gazing down at them. "They're scarier than me!"

"If they carry out that revolt of theirs, Hyrule's as good as gone," Cassandra mused.

"Too late!" said Falen.

And indeed it was.

The Kokiri were headed toward Hyrule Castle Town, and they'd be there by morning.