As the day broke over the gently stirring land, Link rubbed his eyes and tried to keep himself from drifting off to sleep. For the past few nights before his sudden departure, Link had failed to sleep, instead finding himself sitting on the balcony in restless contemplation. Now that he was out of the stifling closeness of the castle and the stuffy protocol of court, both his peace of mind and his lack of sleep began to catch up to him. The steady clopping of Epona's hooves lulled Link into a dazed, groggy sort of complacency as the green landscape rolled gently past. The familiar scenery reminded him of three years ago, when he had ridden across Hyrule in an attempt to rescue what was left of the kingdom from the grip of a maniacal tyrant. The memories flooded over him as Link gazed dreamily at the now-peaceful countryside, and with them came memories of a time long before that. A time when he had been a child who had longed desperately to see what was beyond the world he knew.
Suddenly a cry rang out across the broad field and Link snapped out of his reverie. A young girl was chasing after him, her eyes wide and her chestnut hair flying out behind her. The child couldn't have been more than ten years old, her smock dirty and her apron smeared with mud that had somehow managed to make it to her face, where there were streaks of mud traced along her cheek and chin.
"Mister Link! Mister Link!" she shouted, her childish voice shrill and earsplitting in the clear morning air.
Link pulled Epona to a halt and stared at the child in confusion, wondering if he had ever met her before.
"What do you need, child?" he asked gently as the girl drew closer to his horse and tripped on an imaginary tuft of grass, nearly falling on her face.
"You're Mister Link, right?" the child demanded, her chubby little hands clutching a small leather pouch.
"Yes, I am. Why were chasing after me so enthusiastically?" Link replied, a faint smile tracing across his lips and lighting up his handsome, delicate face.
"I was so afraid that it wasn't you," the girl stated, ignoring the question. "Boy, you sure are pretty!"
Link laughed aloud at that, causing the girl to flush bright pink as her fingers toyed with the leather bag.
"Thank you, child, but tell me, why do you seek me?"
"She told me that you would be here soon. She didn't know when, but she knew you'd come. She wanted me to tell you that things have changed, and to be careful. She wanted me to give you this. She said it would protect you. She said to hurry." The girl held out the little bag, the contents clinking together as Link reached down and took it.
"Who told you these things?" Link asked quickly, his hand wrapped around the bag so tightly that his knuckles were white.
"The lady," the girl answered innocently.
"What did the lady look like?"
The girl squinted her eyes and thought hard, her pink lips pursing thoughtfully.
"She was pretty. Very pretty. And tall. Her hair was long, and it was green! Like the grass or the leaves on the trees. Her face was sad, and her eyes were green too. They looked like the pretty earrings that Mommy wears when she and Papa go out sometimes." The girl nodded resolutely, satisfied with her description of the woman.
"Saria," Link breathed, his heart racing in his chest as he stared down at the pouch in his hand.
"Where did you see her?" he demanded, looking up.
He gasped in amazement. The girl was gone. There was no trace of her, and no shrill voice on the air. Just the memory of her presence and the little leather bag Link held in his hand. He looked back down at the bag, half afraid that it too would disappear, but no, it was still there. He slowly opened it with shaking hands, his breath catching in his throat as he saw what he held in his hands. A small green amulet on a silver chain rested in his palm, the pendant made of a single emerald and shaped like a delicate oak leaf. The gentle curves of the leaf and the delicate veins carved into the emerald were all exquisitely done. The amulet sang of Saria's touch, and the silver chain was just as lovely as it sparkled in the bright morning sunlight. Link slowly undid the clasp and put the necklace on, the cool stone resting peacefully against his skin beneath the collar of his tunic.
"Saria, why have you sent this to me?" he whispered, his voice breaking as he addressed his old friend. "What is there that you have to protect me from? What is it that threatens me so?"
Link remained completely silent, his head bowed almost as if he anticipated an answer, but no reply came. Just the gentle whispering of a cool breeze and the rustling of the grass as it bent beneath the caress. Link sighed and slowly kicked Epona into a trot, his heart heavy with a longing for Saria's companionship, and his mind burdened by what lay ahead.
Sunlight. She moaned and turned over, shading her eyes as she woke. Green eyes stared up at the canopy of leaves above, the wind rustling through the branches and accompanying the birdsong. The light filtered between the long white fingers that shaded her eyes, lighting the emerald orbs with shafts of gold. She started, jerking up into a sitting position before groaning in agony at the pain that shot through her shoulder and arm. The whisper of the wind seemed to mock her as she removed her hand from her face to clutch at her arm in a futile attempt to lessen the stabbing pain. She didn't dare look down to see how extensive the injuries were. She moved her hurt arm slowly, testing its mobility. More pain. She stifled a cry as she forced herself to rise, using both hands to lever her weakened body from the soft grass. The grass was so soft. So inviting. Maybe she would just lie down for a moment. Yes, lie back down. Let the grass cushion her hurting body. No! She couldn't lie down! She had to get up, to move, to leave this place before it came back. What was coming back? She didn't even know. She only knew that she had to go. She only knew that she had to save herself by fleeing this strange place. But why did it matter so much if she died? There was something. Someone. They cared if she died. It was important that she lived, in fact. There was a balance. But what for? What balance?
"Saria." The strange word danced past her on the back of a playful breeze. No, not a strange word. Her word. No, not her word. Her name! That was it! But the voice. The voice was so familiar. It was so sad.
"Saria, why have you sent this to me?" It was a man's voice. The voice made her heart beat faster. "What is there that you have to protect me from? What is it that threatens me so?"
"Who are you?" she gasped, her voice choked with pain. "Where are you?"
The wind laughed at her. There was nobody. She was going crazy. Saria stumbled forward, her hand reaching out to catch herself as she collapsed onto the ground again. She couldn't walk. There was a burning pain in her leg too. She lay there on the ground, huddled into a ball of pain and tears and confusion.
"Somebody, help me," she whispered.
There were footsteps. Heavy footsteps. Maybe somebody was here to save her! Maybe they had heard her before! She struggled into a sitting position and hunched over, her forehead resting on her knees. She looked up. Her breathing stopped.
"Why hello there, my dear." It was not a rescuer that spoke. It was not even a man. It was a monster.
"What...what are you?" Saria gasped, forcing the words out.
"Me? Oh, I'm nothing that you should worry your pretty little head about. Just go back to sleep."
A heavy hand came down and connected with the side of Saria's head. Darkness reached out for her, enfolding her in its gentle, cradling arms. Release from her pain and fear. The last thing she saw before she sank into the black depths was her captor's leering face, hideous beyond belief and lit with a triumphant grin.