Link stared at the spot which Ebony had just disappeared from wondering what in all of Hyrule had just happened. He then remembered where he was, Impa was still outside the door but slowly waking up and Saria was still unconscious. Shaking himself back to reality Link carefully lifted Saria into his arms thankful to have her back with him. Impa pulled herself up as Link came over to her.
I suppose we can head back to the castle now then?" She asked casually while brushing herself free of dust. Link just nodded and carried on walking forgetting that he was the only one who had just seen what had happened, Impa shrugged and skipped after him.
A light rain pattered down upon them as they emerged from the well, Impa continued to skip behind Link who was starting to get annoyed by her unusual behaviour.
"Impa could you please stop skipping like that? It really isn't like you."
The Shadow Sage just smiled and carried on skipping ahead of him, something was seriously wrong.
The castle looked menacing in the darkness of the night, as Link approached it still carrying Saria images of Ganon's castle flashed before him and he remembered the dark looming tower Ganondorf had turned the Royal castle into during his seven year sleep, luckily that was all over now.
Using his free hand Link slowly pushed open the old castle door and entered the main hallway. There was silence, the whole building seemed so empty even with all of the guards and servants clattering about in the daytime, it didn't seem right without Zelda and her father there. After closing the door Link wondered where Impa had disappeared to, there was something really strange going on, he decided to take a look in the library for any information about it. Not wanting to leave Saria alone in a room again in that place he carried her with him and gently placed her in one of the large chairs that inhabited the library. Setting himself in another he began to flit through some old magic books.
A small candle on the table flickered as Link turned yet another dusty page of what seemed like the hundredth book he had scanned through. Suddenly he came across something that stood out.
"Now what did Impa encounter tonight? Ah yes that purple mist." Link mumbled to himself as he ran his finger down a list of dangerous magic until he found what he wanted.
Black magic: White Magic disarming method - Appears as a dark purple mist, when one who knows the art of White Magic comes into contact with this they will instantly lose the use of their powers and may pass out from shock. These effects usually result in the victim to remain unconscious the whole time or to become very over excited and active. However, the effects are only temporary and should wear off after a few hours.
"So that's what's caused this, well at least it's not permanent." Link sighed as he closed the book and was about to stand up when he felt a hand lightly touch his shoulder, turning to look up he saw a puzzled looking Saria.
"I didn't know you enjoyed reading so much." She smiled directing her gaze to the piles of books scattered along the table. "What were you looking for?" She asked removing her hand.
"Hmm, oh it's not important right now, what is important is that you're here." Link returned her earlier smile as he pulled her onto his lap wrapping both arms around her and softly kissed her. "I'm scared to let go of you in case I lose you again." He whispered like it was a big secret that the Hero of Time would actually be scared of something.
"Why would you lose me again?" She asked while sliding down beside him and leaning her head against his chest. Link remembered she had been unconscious during most of the night's events.
"Don't you remember what happened?" Saria thought about that for a minute then replied.
"Not really, all I remember is being pulled into the fountain then all of these monsters surrounded me and kept asking about my locket, but I obviously said I don't have it since that's the truth, it would be nice to have now though…." She trailed off and began to stare at the floor. Link knew he couldn't hide things from her anymore.
"Sar I have something I need to tell you." He said quietly trying to think how he was going to explain what had been going on. "It's about your locket, it's not actually in the jeweller's anymore." He went on to explain about Saffron and Ebony taking the locket and about how he had just found that Ellen had been Ebony the whole time.
Saria stared blankly at him for a second then untangled herself from his arms and stood up. "So what you're saying is, you've known all this time that the locket had been stolen and about the Shadow sisters but you never thought about telling me any of it?
"It wasn't like that!" Link exclaimed trying to defend himself but had the feeling it wasn't going to work. "I was only trying to protect you, I'm actually surprised Ruto didn't tell you first." Link winced when he realised what he'd just said.
Saria shot him a deadly look. "Oh so Ruto knew as well? Who else did you tell before me Link? Mido? Zelda? Or maybe you somehow even told Ganondorf!
Link looked helplessly towards the only person who could make him feel so small, he tried to move towards her but she backed away.
"And you were trying to protect me?" She continued, "I'm not a child you know? I don't need 'protecting' as you call it, some truth would be nice once in awhile though but no that's too much to expect even from the person I thought I trusted most in the world, oh wait, I can't trust anybody not just you!" With that said she ran out of the door slamming it behind her.
Link quickly followed to see her pulling open the main castle doors.
"Where are you going?" He yelled nervously.
Saria stopped what she was doing and gave him a very hurt look. "I'm going to a place where the only thing I can trust exists!" Without another word she vanished into the night.
Link took off after her rushing through the door and almost tumbling down the steps, just as he reached the bottom of them something hard and cold slammed him right on the back of his head causing him to black out.
Saria ran as fast as she could through the now pouring rain without looking back once. She slowed down as she reached the hollow wooden entrance and walked in. The Forest was silent at that time of night, it had only been a few days since she had last been there but it felt like a lifetime. Making her way along the grass covered paths she reached the entrance that led to the Deku Tree, just as she was about to enter she heard a familiar voice already talking to the Tree.
"I don't know anymore Great Deku Tree, I really did used to love her but the feeling isn't there anymore and now I'm stuck like this, not that I mind but it would be nice if the girl I've always felt something for would return those feelings, I guess that's never going to happen."
Saria froze when she realised that voice belonged to none other than Mido, she wondered what he was talking about.
"Well Mido," The Tree replied, "Everything happens for a reason, maybe you and Ruto were never meant to be. As you already know I cannot turn you back into a full Kokiri but I can advise you, I think you should go and see more of the world, meet new people and try new things. After all, you have the ability to go anywhere you want now."
Mido nodded taking in the words of the Tree, he decided to go away and think for awhile about what he really wanted. Talking to Ruto about it wouldn't be easy. Turning to go he noticed someone standing in the entrance to the meadow.
"Saria?" He asked quite shocked to see her. "Are you ok?"
She stood there for a moment looking like she had forgotten where she was but then walked down the slope and stood directly in front of Mido.
"Did you know?" She asked barely in a whisper.
Mido seemed to be confused at what he had just been asked but then it was clear by the look on her face.
"Um, I knew some of it, Ruto filled me I on bits here and there and I was in the room when Link first told her."
"Ah yes, Ruto." Saria said walking around him clenching one of her fists, "Everybody tells Ruto this and asks Ruto that but nobody lets me know anything even when it is based around me!" She ended in a yell that echoed throughout the entire Forest. After that she collapsed onto her knees tears silently sliding down her face.
Deep in the caves of Death Mountain Ebony appeared in a bright warp light, stepping out she looked around. Suddenly a hand appeared out of nowhere slapping her harshly across the face causing her to stumble backwards, the nails of the hand caught her skin and left a small cut on one side of her face.
"You idiot!" Saffron hissed "What do you think you were doing saving them like that? Those monsters could have killed them for us!"
Ebony stood up pressing a hand against her newly formed cut. "You know they are servants of him right? The purple water and mist proved that."
Saffron blinked then grinned, "Ah so he has finally returned, now the fun has really began, but you still should have let them destroy Link and Saria! Who cares if he did our work for us? Now, I have sent a wild moblin I managed to tame with magic to bring Link to us, they should be arriving quite soon actually."
The large moblin laughed as it picked up the now unconscious Link and slung him over its shoulder then prepared to return to Death mountain. Inside the castle Impa had now recovered and was walking by one of the windows when she spotted the creature carrying what looked like Link. She shook it off thinking the effects of the mist must not have totally worn off yet.
Back in the Forest Saria had calmed down a little. The Deku Tree had asked Mido to leave so he could talk to Saria alone.
"I understand Link protecting me, he does it all the time when we're in danger but I didn't think he'd keep things from me thinking it would be better." Saria explained
"And he also told a few others who you thought you had some trust in as well." The Tree finished, Saria nodded in agreement.
"I think I need some time away from them all, would it be ok if I spent the night here?" Saria asked pushing herself up from the ground.
"Of course, you are always welcome here my child." Saria smiled at that answer, thanking the Tree she headed into the village and into her house. A night without any disturbances was just the thing she needed.
Saffron chuckled with glee as she saw the figure of the moblin coming up the hill carrying a sleeping Link. Clicking her fingers she opened the portal to the dark realm and directed the moblin to take Link through.
"What exactly are you doing?" Ebony asked while watching the moblin carry Link through the portal.
"Oh nothing much, we're just taking Link back home with us, when they find out he's disappeared I'm sure some of the Sages will come looking for him and when they do I'll use their own power against them!" She laughed taking out the locket to admire it another time.
The next morning Saria awoke to the sound of birds singing and children playing. She exited her house deciding she had better go back to the castle, Link must have been worrying by now. "Maybe I should let him know I'm ok through my ocarina." She went to take it out but found she didn't have it. "That's odd, I must have left it in the castle somewhere."
After a long walk across Hyrule Field Saria ran up to the castle. Inside Impa was sitting in one of the main living rooms busily sorting through papers again, Saria walked in and looked around. Impa stopped what she was doing.
"Hello Saria, did you need something?"
"I just came to see if my ocarina was here and to look for Link, I guess I'll search the castle." Saria answered leaving the room to begin searching.
Soon an hour had passed and Saria was having no look finding anything, she made her way back to the room Impa was in, taking a seat across from Impa she sighed.
"I can't seem to find my ocarina or Link, did he say anything about going somewhere?"
Impa looked up from her papers then remembered the previous night. I might have seen some sort of moblin carrying him away last night but I can't be sure."
"A moblin? You didn't think to tell anyone about this when you saw it?" Saria snapped jumping up
"I thought it was just the after effects of the mist." Impa replied
Saria paced the room trying to think where this moblin would have taken Link. "What if we never find him? I was so rude to him last night…"
"It's ok, from what I've calculated from recent events it seems that the Shadow sisters have your locket but something else also wants it and that something else attacked Death Mountain looking for it, meaning that more than likely Link is somewhere on Death Mountain." Impa finished putting her papers down awaiting a response from Saria.
"Right, it looks like I'm going to Death Mountain then, don't worry Link help's on the way."