-Come Back When You're Older-
-The Beginning of a Journey-
The day was cool and inviting as Link set out up the side of Death Mountain. The sun was just coming around the left side of the mountain, the summit ringed with smoke. Link remembered long ago, on a day much the same as this, when he first climbed the rocky slopes, intent on finding the spirit stone of legend. His mare beneath him grunted with exertion and Link rubbed the side of her mane, they would reach their destination soon.
The path up the mountain had not changed much in the eight years since he had taken those first magical steps. Since then, though, his face had been a common sight among the subsurface citizens of Goron City. Eight years ago when Link had saved the race of stone eaters from starvation, he had been rewarded with a brother status, and each of the Goron's treated him as one of their own kind. Link respected their society, rich with honor and kindness.
Nearing the wooden gates that separated the city under the mountain from the surface, Link dismounted Epona and brought his gloved hand up to knock. But before his fist even hit the door, the large gate groaned and opened inwardly, revealing a pleasant surprise.
"Brother Link! I heard you were on your way up the mountain. What honors us with your visit?" The largest of all Gorons, Big Boss Darunia, stood nearly eight feet tall with his arms crossed and a quirky smiled smeared across his face. The Gorons were a race that rivaled all others in Hyrule in both size and power. Generally good-natured and kind, an angry Goron was one to be feared. An average Goron, to say nothing of the warrior class, had the ability to crush most living things with their shear muscle. But the Goron's Link knew were nothing like the savage brutes many ignorant Hylians claimed they were. Link found that they were often times more civilized than the people living in the cities.
Darunia extended his hand and grasped Link's outstretched arm, his palm covering up past Link's wrist. Though the handshake was painful, the young Hylian much preferred it to the Goron hugs he had received in the past. Link was unsure how to handle the situation, he and Darunia had shared a close friendship these past years since his return to Hyrule. The chieftain of the Gorons solved his problem for him and before Link was able to think of a way to break his new to him, the Goron ushered him inside.
"Come, come. It's been several weeks since your last visit, I'll prepare a meal for us." The two entered the Goron's home and Link was again taken aback by the underground settlement. The city rivaled most Hylian cities in both size and complexity. Tunnels twisting and turning, carving out a spider's web of intricate living spaces in the granite. But in the massive hollowed out center, lit by the fire of a thousand torches, was the central square, where dozens of Gorons lived and worked, mostly in metallurgy.
Cutting out holes into the lava filled central caldera of the mountain, the Gorons used the magma to create and refine the most beautiful, yet durable of weapons the land had ever seen. A member of the rock eating tribe would spend many weeks pounding out the imperfections of a sword or axe until it was solid as the rocks they devoured. Link had had his own eye on several of the blades for the last year, but he would never use his friendship with the chieftain to gain one. Nor did he have the rupees to procure such fine craftsmanship.
Darunia lead Link down one of the spiral staircases, chatting endlessly of the goings on of his people and their sheltered life within the stonewalls. Many of the Gorons, unaccustomed to seeing a non-native in their midst, greeted Link with his brother title and several dropped what they were doing and shook his hand in their prodigious grip. Link's ears were assaulted with the clanging of the smithy's hammers on hot metal, and his nose burned with the smell of the sulfur from the hot magma, it was an aroma he had grown to tolerate, and the Gorons were bred to ignore.
Along the walls, the history of the tribe was recorded in a myriad of images. The Gorons had developed a sophisticated alphabet and writing system, but they had great respect for the oral traditions of their forbearers and were prone to retelling great stories of hardship and tribulation that their ancestors had endured to make a life in the bowels of Death Mountain. Those stories were told to anyone who gazed upon the stone walls, some of mighty warriors who had fought the giant beasts, Dodongos, who once dominated this mountain. Stories of how the first tribe had migrated here from a far off land, and looked upon the raging volcano and said that this was the place they would make their living. Though every other race in Hyrule referred to the range of mountains simply as Death Mountain, the Gorons, in a tongue that few could speak, called their home the "Rock of Life". Where the Hylians, the Zoras, Gerudos, Kokiri, and Deku saw death and destruction to anyone who scaled the mountainside, the Gorons saw their home, impenetrable earth between them and the raging lava.
Darunia paraded Link through the town square and announced his visit, commanding everyone to break from work and join him and Link for an early dinner. The young Hylian was lead into the communal eating room, where long slabs of stone spanned from one end of the cavern to the next, the meals the Gorons consumed were too heavy for wooden tables, to say nothing of the fact that the mountain was devoid of wood to build such things. Darunia sat cross-legged at the end of the center table and gestured Link to take the seat to his right, a privileged position in any society.
"How does the land of Hyrule fair these days, my brother?" Darunia said as a Goron set a small pile of black stones in front of him, and placed flagons of water in front of the two. The Gorons consumed rocks they dug from the adjacent mountains. They were very fond of geodes, loving to crack open the egg-like rocks and, with their rough tongues, link the mineral deposits out of the inside. The Gorons knew though that Link could take no nourishment from the rocks, so each time he visited the mountain, they were ready with a new dish, made of some form of edible food found around their home.
"Peaceful, a soldier's nightmare, to say the least." Darunia laughed and slammed a rock onto the hard stone table, cracking it in half and munching on the crystals in side.
"We know the saying, 'a warrior prays for peace, then trains for war.' Correct?" Link took a sip of the irony water and nodded.
"The Hylian King has requested my presence at the Tribal Summit a fortnight before the next full moon. Personally I am not one for ritualistic meetings, the summit will be nothing more than a resigning of the treaty among the races. I would much rather use my time to do a little training with the royal guard." It was a common sight every year around the time of the Tribal Summit to see the royal guard and Goron warriors square off in obstacle courses and mock hand-to-hand combat. It was common to see the thin and lanky Hylians whip past the large, overbearing Gorons in the obstacle course, and for the Gorons to toss the guards outside the ring without breaking a sweat. Link and the chieftain shared a collective laugh as their thoughts turned to the games that would ensue soon. Again Link almost regretted not being able to see the games, and Darunia noticed his drop in mood. "What's wrong my friend, you've hardly spoken."
"Have you ever visited the nation of Termina?" Link had never spoken much with Darunia about the land near Hyrule. Darunia leaned back and a rough hand tussled his long gray beard.
"Yes, once, many years ago, before you came to us. During the great Civil War, tribesmen from Termina were part of our ranks, before Daphnes negotiated the Great Peace. A strange land for certain, I most remember the beautiful blue mountains that our sister tribe inhabited, truly breathtaking. Why do you ask? You plan to journey there?"
Link set down his flask. "Yes, I've left Kakariko. Hyrule is my birthplace, but I feel as though my heart lies in Termina." Darunia seemed to understand and took another bite out of his meal.
"You are my sworn brother, Link. You will be truly missed, for who will come to regale us with stories of the outside world once you are gone? You'll force us to experience Hyrule for ourselves, and drive me to an early grave!" Link laughed and the rest of the Goron congregation laughed with him. "But if you must leave, I insist that you stay here with us this evening, set out tomorrow morning." Link accepted the Goron's hospitality and the rest of the tribe rejoiced and toasted to their friend's health and safe journey.
"You're kindness is much appreciated, Darunia." The old Goron waved away Link's comment and raised his flask.
"To Link, may your journey be free of obstacles!" He then shouted something in his own tongue and the entire roomed exploded in applause and chants of Link's name. Once the group had settled, Darunia returned to his sitting position and turned to the Hylian of the hour. "But, if you must leave us, I entreat you brother, please regale us with the Forest sprite's song once more."
Link smiled and knew he couldn't resist. The entire race of Gorons were amazed by his grace with the Ocarina, and even more enamored with the song that Saria had once taught him. Link rummaged through his satchel as the other Gorons cried for him to play the song.
Fishing Saria's Fairy ocarina from the pouch, Link stood up and sat on the stone slab. Closing his eyes and bringing the hardened clay instrument to his lips, he played the notes he had learned so long ago. The green notes floated among the room, in stark contrast to the black and brown granite. The Gorons cheered madly and many began to dance with each other, all infected with the good spirit of the forest. Link didn't stop though with that single song, for these Gorons he played everyone song he had learned in his travels. From the sun's song, to the song of healing. As the night finally died down, and many of the Gorons were finished dancing, Link exited with his favorite song.
The tune permeated the silence that had preceded it. The Gorons listened as Link played the song with earnest and emotion. The song wasn't merry as many of his former ones had been, but more pensive. Link played through it once, and realizing that the Gorons sat silent, he played it once more. Visions of wide-open spaces and blue skies, something the rock eaters had never seen, left them speechless. Even Darunia, the most wise and vocal of the Gorons, sat silent, mesmerized by the tune. As Link finished, and brought the ocarina down to his lap, the Gorons all clapped lightly, not for lack of enjoyment, but almost in respect of the tune that they could still here, lingering in their hearts. As Link sat back down next to Darunia, the tribal leader asked Link who taught him that song.
"A friend…" Link blushed at the thought of her. Darunia noticed this and inquired further.
"What kind of friend, brother?" Link just smiled.
"A very special kind of friend, brother Darunia." The chieftain cracked a wry grin and patted Link on the back.
"I should like to meet such a friend that puts a smile on your normally placid countenance."
"One day." Was all Link said.
The rest of the evening was spent in the center of town. Link took a seat next to Darunia as a group of Gorons, gathered around the center fire pit, enacted the carvings on the wall. As the actors, all dressed in ancient Goron war paints and armor, played their parts, another group sang the lines, creating a rather comical, but overall interesting form of historical literature. Link sang along with folk songs, all of which he barely understood, and laughed along with his friend as the actors played out the more comical aspects of Goron history. He even felt his heart palpitate rapidly as he watched the Goron Hero fight the fire demon for control of the mountain. But what hit home the most was the story of the warrior who left his love to fight a war that he was certain he would not return from. Link's heart sank as he listened to the heroine's monologue, her heart crying out to him the way Romani had cried to him.
As the play ended, Link stood up to applaud, and Darunia suggested that they retire for the evening. Lying on the uncomfortable Goron style bed, a pile of rough sheets woven from the harsh vegetation that dotted the mountain, Link tried to slow his racing mind. This would be the last chance he had to stay, after tomorrow there would be no turning back.
"But why? Why must you leave?" Link tossed to lay on his stomach, hoping to squash the guilt and regret beneath him. "Was it something I said?" Her face, her pale complexion, beckoning him, pleading with him, to return. He wish he could have told her, told her he wanted to stay, to stay with her.
As Link's breathing slowed, and his mind rested, he felt himself slowly slip into the welcoming embrace of sleep. But soon he fond himself standing in the middle of Termina field. To his right was the swamp, in front of him the city of Clock Town, and the ocean to his left, that must mean…
Grasshopper! The voice was like a shot in the dark. Link turned and saw the girl of, literally, his dreams. She stood by the sign pointing to Milk Road. But she was older now, and had matured into a beautiful woman. The white ankle length dress accentuated her curvaceous body and her red hair cascaded down her back. His angel waved to him, beckoning him closer. Link sprinted toward her, covering the distance easily. But as he neared her, she turned and fled down the road toward her home. Come on! We have a long day ahead of us! Link didn't care what they did; he was simply ecstatic he would spend his entire day with her.
Romani. He rounded the corner and saw her hot footing down the dirt road. She turned and winked at him, her blue eyes sparkling. Link redoubled his efforts, his boots digging into the soft earth as he raced after his object of affection. The road curved until Link was greeted by the great expanse of Romani Ranch. The fields and farmland that belonged to the family were beautiful, more so than Hyrule field. The dirt road cut a path through a group of trees and Link could see Romani, farther ahead than he could believe, nearly making it to the small cottage her and her sister called home.
Hey! Wait up! He screamed, trying to reach the maiden further up ahead. Link followed her until he could see her fling the door of the cottage open and rush inside. Coming up to the old cabin, Link stood still for a moment, not sure if he could muster the courage to walk inside. It had been so long, and he had come so far, only to stand silent at the door of his objective. He doubted he had the constitution to do what he did next.
His hand reached for the door, but it was opened for him. Standing in the doorway was a man Link did not know. With dark brown hair and a knee length black tunic, the man glared at Link with two steely gray eyes.
"What do you want, you vagabond? We're not in the practice of giving charity!" The evil looking man spat at Link's feet. Out of the darkness within, a meek voice called out from the inside of the house, which reeked of body oils and other unsanitary things.
"Who is it?" The dirty and haggard form of a woman appeared next to the man in the threshold of the door. Her red hair was clotted with dirt and her white dressed was stained tan with mud. But most noticeable were the bruises that dotted her face and arms. The man turned his glare on the woman next to him, and shoved her away from the door.
"Did I ask for your assistance woman?" Link stepped forward to break up the fight but the man had already turned his attention back to the Hero of Time. "Leave, now. Or I'll be forced to kill you." Link wasn't the least bit intimidated by this man and took one more step forward, showing his resistance. The girl inside was once again at the door.
"Why don't we give him something to eat, he looks so hungry."
"I'm not here for food, I'm looking for someone. You know a woman by the name of Romani?" The man's evil gray eyes narrowed to slits and he turned to his companion, an accusing look plastered on his face. The woman pulled some of the dirty hair from her face, revealing the same blue eyes that Romani possessed, only Link realized this was Romani.
"Who…how do you know me?" Her husband, as Link had finally realized, became enraged. He took her and shook her shoulders.
"You whore, you went to town and slept with the first man you found! I knew I should have never let you out!" Link pushed the man aside and tried to pull Romani away.
"She did no such thing!" He screamed into the man's face. Summoning up strength that Link did not anticipate, he brought his closed fist to Link face and knocked him flat onto the ground. Blood gushing from his nose, he looked up at Romani, her face contorted in an expression of remorse, and understanding. "It's me." Link coughed. The man pushed Romani back into the house and slammed the door shut.
From inside, Link could hear the screams of his friend. "No! Verci! Please don't! It isn't true!" The sound of flesh meeting flesh, and a body hitting the floor echoed inside the cottage. Romani screamed again and again, and Link pounded on the door furiously, screaming at Verci to stop. A voice steeped in blood, mumbled from the other side of the door. "Link? Why did you leave? Why did you leave me to this?"
Tears flowed down Link's cheeks and he sobbed. The wooden door did not budge, and the sounds of Romani's beatings were as loud outside as if they were happening right next to him. Link ripped at his clothes and prayed to the Goddesses that he wished to take her place. He cried out for the Master Sword, to destroy the evil that lurked inside the house, but neither of his prayers were answered.
Link woke up hiccupping, his face stained with the salty tears. His sheets were spread out across the floor and he felt the chill of the stone seep into his body. Gathering the burlap cloth, he wrapped it around him and tried to slow his breathing. Once the hiccups had subsided he tried to make sense of the nightmare he had just had.
"It's okay… its only a dream…it could never be true." He told himself over and over again. Link couldn't dare think that the woman he longed for was taken by a another man, and his eyes saw red at the thought of any man laying nothing but a loving hand on her perfect skin. "I'll be there soon, then everything will be alright."
He didn't sleep for the rest of the evening.
The city was just beginning the workday as Link and Epona stood at the entrance to the Lost Woods, connected to the city by a warp tunnel. Darunia stood next to Link, his arms crossed upon his barrel chest.
"This should lead you to the Lost Woods, I believe that you know where to go from there." Darunia turned to Link and the two embraced in a hug Link knew he would miss. "This could be a good thing though," Darunia exclaimed. "It will give me another reason to visit my brothers at Snowhead." Link told him that he expected the Goron to visit him on a regular basis. "Where will you live?"
"Wherever there is work." Link said as he mounted his mare. Darunia reached for a long object bound in cloth and handed it to Link.
"A token of your great deeds, a respectable weapon for master warrior." Link unwrapped the present and marveled at its beauty. The sword was of the finest craftsmanship he had ever seen. The scabbard was brown and inlaid with gold filaments, all twisting and turning like the tunnels under Death Mountain. The hilt was black with a ruby the likes of the Spiritual Stone of Fire, and seemed to flicker like a flame. And where the beautifully crafted hilt met the indefinably sharp edges of the blade, carved into the unbreakable metal was the insignia of the Goron Tribe. Link stayed his breath and looked to Darunia, this was too much. Its beauty rivaled even the legendary Sword of Evil's Bane.
"My friend, I cannot accept such an amazing gift." Darunia laughed louder than Link had heard him do so before.
"This weapon's loyalty is crass in comparison to the friendship you have given me and my people. It is the least we can do." Link slipped the sword over his back and found it was a perfect, comfortable fit.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, brother." Darunia clapped his hands together.
"Sworn Brother! You send word of your safe arrival, wont you?" Link nodded and tipped his green tuke to the Goron leader. "Because if you don't, not even the goddess Din will save you from my wrath!" Link laughed.
"But you'll visit me, wont you?" The old chieftain smiled and brought a swift hand to Epona's bottom, sending her flying down the tunnel.
"You bet your bottom rupee I will!" He called out as Link could feel the tunnel magically twist and turn, spitting him and his steed out into the green forest.
He recognized the juncture, standing under the stone arch; he could go left and travel to Kokiri Forest. Link knew if he did he would never leave, he would go right, and follow the trail into the deepest part of the Hyrulian woods, and hopefully back to Termina.
Leaning down and whispering into Epona's ears, Link egged her on. "I bet you Zelda's horse could make it to Termina in less than two days. Want to prove me wrong?" The mare's eyes squinted and she took off at full speed down the trail, covered by the green canopy above. Link laughed and held onto his tuke as they rocketed down the path.
He would be there in no time.