Hey, what happened? Why didn't I get any review/comment on my last chapter? Is it because it was basically the same as the one prior to it?
Well, maybe this will gather feedback.
And Prince Link himself went on a journey, both to save his poor, old father and to find his two lost brothers.
From town to town he went, from village to village. But no matter where he asked, no one could tell him where the Great Fairy Spring of Life was.
Then one day, as he rode along the same beautiful field of wildflowers, along which his two brothers had ridden. And just as she had done the last year and the year before, the little fairy rose up from the flowers and to greet Prince Link.
"Good day to you, Master Traveler, where are you off to?"
Prince Link heard, and turned to find the speaker. Seeing her he smiled.
"And a good day to you Miss Fairy," he greeted back, "How lucky you are to have this beautiful flower field all to yourself!"
"Oh I wish…" replied the little fairy good-naturedly, "Too bad I have to share it with all my sisters and all kinds of bees and butterflies… ah well! 'Guess I'll have to share, though there's barely enough for me!"
At that both Prince and fairy laughed. But then a thought occurred to the youngest prince.
"Say Miss Fairy… would you happen to know where the Great Fairy Spring of Life can be found?"
"You too wish to find the Great Fairy Spring of Life?" asked the little fairy surprised.
"Huh? Wait… perhaps… have you met my brothers?"
"Those two were your brothers?!" cried out the little fairy even more surprised, "Gee… I never would have thought!"
"What do you mean?" asked the prince confusedly.
"Those two were nothing like you! They were most mean!"
At that the young prince flinched.
"Indeed they are… father has tried again and again to cure them of their nastiness alas to no avail… people say they inherited their meanness from their mother…"
"Their mother?" asked the little fairy, "Not our mother?"
Prince Link shook his head.
"Nay, we were sired by the same father, but we were not all born from the same mother," explained the prince, "My brothers are both the children of my father's first wife, a noble lady who was called Veran. She passed away soon after she gave birth to her second son. My father decided that his two sons needed a mother in their life and so he came to marry my mother. Alas…" and here the young prince sighed, "She too passed away soon after my birth…"
"If that Veran person was so nasty," asked the little fairy, "Why then did your father decide to wed her?"
At that Prince Link smiled ruefully.
"Princes and kings are not always free to wed who they wish to…"
"Why would anyone spend his whole life with one he cannot enjoy it with? Hylians are so strange…" replied the little fairy.
After a moment Prince Link remembered.
"Wait! Miss Fairy can you tell me where my brothers have gone and what happened to them? And can you tell me where the Great Fairy Spring of Life is?"
"On Koholint Island," answered the little fairy, "That is where the Great Fairy Spring of Life is. And that is where your brothers have gone."
"Do you know what happened to them?" asked the youngest prince again.
"I do not know," answered the little fairy, "As soon as they heard that the magical spring is found on that island, they rushed off like fools. Good thing you stayed, so I can warn you!"
"Warn me of what?"
"You three are not the first ones to seek out the Great Fairy Spring of Life," began the little fairy to explain, "Over the ages, many, many men such as yourself have sought out the Great Fairy Spring of Life, some their entire lives. Only a few have managed to learn that the spring is found on Koholint Island… but most of those who have and went never returned!"
"Why not? What is on that island?" wanted Prince Link to know.
"I know not," answered the little fairy truthfully, "I have never been there myself… all I know is that only one who is good and true of heart may reach the Great Fairy Spring of Life."
"Well then…" said Prince Link as he readied his horse to go, "Let us see if my heart is good and true enough."
"Are you sure you want to go?" asked the little fairy, "I think you better turn back home. Those brothers of yours got what they deserved, they had it coming. No sense risking your life for them. Blood may be thicker than water, but blood easily dissolves in water."
"I cannot deny the truth in your words," replied Prince Link, "But my father cares for them, and for some reason so do I. And speaking of my father, I must go to the Great Fairy Spring of Life either way. Else my poor father will die a blind, crippled, old man. I need the water to cure him. I thank you for telling me all this, but I must be off. I wish you a good day and much good fortune as well."
With that Prince Link quickly rode off to the nearest harbor.
"What a nice character that one has… He is nothing like his brothers, nothing at all" exclaimed the little fairy thoughtfully. Then she went back to her flower to drink her nectar "Methinks this one will be all right!"
…
A couple of weeks later, the words of the little fairy came true.
Prince Link had gone to Koholint Island, and there had asked about the Great Fairy Spring of Life. True enough, the locals knew of the magical spring, but still no one knew where exactly the castle was. They also told him about all the men who had gone missing, including his two brothers! And they urged him not to go look for them.
But Prince Link had set his mind.
"My father needs that water, and my brothers need me," he said, "I will not fail them."
With that, Prince Link bought himself a knapsack full of food and set out to find the enchanted castle. Deeper and deeper he went inland, deeper and deeper into the forest. But no matter how much he traveled or where he went he found no trace of a castle. He also found no way back leading to the village where he had arrived.
The next day he came to wonder how the island could be so big.
The day after he came to realize:
"I am lost… but how?! I followed the paths, I marked my ways… it's as though the moment I walk, my surrounding changes!"
Worriedly he walked this way and that, trying to find his way back to the village.
The day that followed he ate the last of the food he had brought.
All throughout the day that followed that he hungered.
Then on the fifth day…
"Farore be praised… I feared I'd be lost in these woods forever."
…Prince Prince found himself on a wide open field.
And on that wide open field, peacefully grazing, was a whole flock of goats. Seeing them the hungry Prince sighed.
"What beautiful goats… a shame I have to kill one, or else I shall fall from hunger."
With that Prince Link unshouldered his bow and nocked an arrow to the string, for the prince always carried with him a strong shortbow, a quiver full of arrows, and a sturdy hand-and-a-half sword.
Setting his sights on a beautiful, healthy-looking young goat, not quite a kid, not quite a full-grown, he took careful aim.
"Hold it right there, young man, have a care!"
The prince startled so much he nearly let the arrow fly. Out of nowhere the old witch came up running to him.
"Young man, I warn you, do not harm any of these goats! They are the children of the forest spirit Ordona! They are holy animals and none may harm them! The lord of this island punishes all that do!"
At once the young prince lowered his bow.
"Oh dear me, I beg your forgiveness, dear mother, I had no idea! I thought them to be wild goats, without any master… and I haven't eaten in two days…"
At that the old witch smiled like a kind, loving grandmother fond of her dear grandchild.
"You are forgiven dear child… so you have not eaten in days you say? You poor boy… come," invited him the kind, old witch, "If you do not mind having a simple meal with an old woman, then you are welcome to have lunch with me."
"Oh dear mother, that would be wonderful!"
With that the kind, old witch brought forth a basket, and out of that basket she pulled out one delicious thing after another: dark, but rich bread, fragrant herbed soft cheese, sweet marmalades of all kinds of fruits and berries… and many more.
The young Prince, not having eaten in two days, fell about the food as soon as the kind, old witch urged him to. The witch herself though ate only little.
After his first three slices of spread bread, the young Prince let his gaze roam. It was then when he noticed all the statues standing in the field. And it was then when he saw his two brothers.
"Good mother…"
"Yes my boy?"
"What can you tell of those two statues? Why are they here?" this Prince Link asked while pointing at the two statues that were his two brothers.
"Do you know those two?"
"Yes, mother… those are my brothers."
"Your brothers?!" cried out the old witch, "My, I would have never thought that!"
Prince Link immediately turned to look at her, "You have met my brothers then?!"
"I have indeed… those two are your brothers!"
"What?!" wildly the young prince cast his eyes about, "You mean to say… all these statues… they used to be men?! They have been turned to stone?!"
"That is correct, my boy."
"Who or what did this?"
"I did," said the old witch calmly and picked up a slice of bread.
At that Prince Link froze.
"Why would you-" then his eyes fell upon the goats again, "Did they harm any of these goats of yours?"
"Those goats are not mine but other than that you speak true," answered the old witch, "Yes, both your brothers, as all these other men standing here in this field, they all intended to harm these goats, despite my warnings, and so I turned them to stone."
"But why ever would you do such a horrible thing?!" wanted the young prince to know.
"A great evil is imprisoned here on this island…" explained the old witch, "And imprisoned it must stay. To do so, none who is evil of heart may be allowed to step foot into these grounds. This is my sacred duty as a sheikah, I must obey. Only good men, such as a good boy as you yourself, are free to roam this island."
Prince Link took a moment to take all in that the old witch had told him. Then he asked, "Good mother, would you release my brothers from your spell?"
The old sheikah witch looked at the young prince strangely. Then she closed her eyes, and kept her silence. The young prince waited. Knowing that she was a witch, he thought that she may have gone into a trance.
Eventually she opened her eyes again.
"Those brothers of you will bring you great harm… it'd be best for you if you left them as they are."
Hearing this the young prince took a good long moment to think. It was the first time he had met and spoken to a witch such as her, so he knew not whether this was only a warning of hers or an actual vision.
In the end though he chose to have faith in his half-brothers.
"Please, good mother, I beg thee… release my brothers from your spell."
The old sheikah witch frowned most displeased. But then she sighed.
"Very well… you are such a good boy that I cannot refuse you… tell me first this though; Why have your brothers come to this island? Tell me truly now."
"They came in search of the Great Fairy Spring of Life," answered the young prince truthfully, "My father is very old and ill. The magic water from the Great Fairy Spring of Life is his last hope."
"Ah… I see…" said the old witch, "What ails your father?"
"Old age mostly," answered Prince Link, "His eyesight was failing before I left, he is most likely completely blind now. His limbs and joints ache very badly, so he can hardly move."
"I see, I see…" said the old witch, noddingly.
After a moment the young prince asked, "Say, good mother, could you help him? We would reward you handsomely-"
"Gold and jewels hold no sway over me," replied the old witch curtly, "I cannot leave this island. I cannot abandon my sacred duty. And from what you tell me, I fear your father is not fit to travel and come see me. Nay, I think you better fetch water from the Great Fairy Spring of Life, and do so quickly."
At that the young prince came alert.
"Good mother, do you know where the Great Fairy Spring of Life is?"
The old witch nodded.
"I do indeed. See that path over there? Follow it until it splits into two. Follow the path that leads into the mountains, and eventually you will come upon a wide raging river. Once you are on the other side, keep walking and you will come upon a large ruin, an old abandoned castle. In the courtyard stands the Great Fairy Spring of Life," explained the old witch.
Immediately the young prince rose.
"Thank you, dear mother, I'll-"
"Be seated, young one, it is not as easy as you think!" chided him the old witch, "Near the river lies the den of a large ferocious bear… it matters not how good a bowman or hunter you are, for this bear is bigger and stronger than all the other bears you have ever seen and his fur is as tough as chainmail! And then there is the ogre!"
At that the young prince startled.
"There lives ogre here on this island?! Why did the locals not tell me?"
"They did not tell you because they do not know," answered the old sheikah witch, "He is the evil I mentioned, the evil that must remain imprisoned here. Long ago, this ogre once tried to steal a sacred treasure, and for his crime the three golden goddesses banished him here. He lives now in the castle ruin I mentioned, that is his prison. Though he is free to roam within the castle's grounds, he cannot leave the ruin. Not unless someone other sets him free. That is why I was tasked to turn all evil men to stone, for they might do this, and in doing so bring great ruin upon the world. Not only is this ogre a fearsome warrior… he is a terrible warlock as well! Demons and monsters answer his call! Or rather they would, he were free."
At that the young prince frowned.
"Hold… so… to reach the Great Fairy Spring of Life I have to get past a monstrous bear with skin like steel, cross a raging river and sneak past a demonic ogre?" the young prince's brow creased in confusion, "How am I to do all that?!"
"Fear not, I can help you…" assured him the old witch and began to rummage in her basket. Out she pulled several loaves of sweet honeybread, "Take these. Go up to the bear, and feed him a few. Once he is calm and distracted, climb on his back. If he starts to buck and try to throw you off, hold on tight! Then give him another loaf to calm him! Once he is, hold out another loaf before his nose then throw it across the river. Once he has carried you across, climb down, and leave him another loaf or two, just to make sure he does not go after you. But be sure to keep enough loaves for your back trip!"
"Now for the ogre…" began the old witch, "Do not attempt to fight him; one such as him can only be slayed with magic or a magical blade. You do not carry such a blade and I have none either, and from what you have told me, your father has not the time to wait it'd take me to teach you the arts of magic… So you'd best sneak into the castle without him knowing… Now… ogre or not, warlock or not… he still needs to sleep some time… the problem is that since he naps during the day he only sleeps a few hours at night; the last hour before midnight until the first hour after sunrise is when he sleeps. That is when you must sneak into the castle and fetch the water from the Great Fairy Spring of Life. You need not worry about finding the spring itself; it is in the middle of the courtyard; you cannot miss it. But you must be most quiet when you are within the castle! Again, the ogre naps often during the day, and thus he has grown into a very light sleeper. And he has been imprisoned for many, many ages now… any loud or unfamiliar noise is very likely to wake him! Sneak into the castle, fill a flask with water, and sneak right out! If he wakes and catches you… I know not what will become of you…"
"Once you are back at the river, lure the bear with another honeyloaf, and make your way back across the river, just the way you have done before."
The young prince nodded vigorously, "I will do everything you say, good mother, thank you for all your good advice."
"You can thank me if and once you make it back alive…" said the old witch, "The old bear is a monster of terrible strength… more so the ogre! I have given you all the advice I could, but it may very well not be enough for you to keep your life… will you still go?"
Brave young prince Link nodded.
"I will! I have to, for my father," then he remembered something, "Dear mother… what of my brothers?"
The old witch sighed most displeased, "…are you certain you want me to release your brothers?"
The young prince nodded.
"Even though I foresee that they will harm you?"
The young prince nodded again.
Again the old witch sighed most displeased, "…very well… I will release them once you come back…"
The young prince quickly hugged her.
"Thank you dear mother!"
"Do not thank me just yet… now be off with you! The longer you tarry, the longer your father suffers!"
The young prince immediately stuffed all the honeyloaves into his bag, and took off like a young stag.
The old witch looked after him. Then she shook her head.
"Foolish young boy… wanting to save these good-for-nothing brothers of his… ah well…" she said while looking at the two stone statues that were his brothers, "It is a good thing you two will not succeed… else I would have refused his wish to save you, kind though he is! You two are much better the way you are now!"
Okay, now the story continues... what do you think?
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