Chapter 8: Into the Lost Wood
"I've made sure that you can spend the whole day with Link, Zelda."
The little princess looked up at Impa with wide eyes while balancing a book on top of her head. It almost fell off when she tilted her head upward to meet Impa's gaze.
"Why?"
"You said that you wanted to learn the ways of the Sheikah, didn't you?"
"Yes, Impa"
"You can't expect to learn everything since you are already very late with starting the training. Since you obviously have to attend lessons and learn how to be an appropriate ruler of Hyrule too, you won't be able to spend enough time with this!"
"I understand Impa, no high expectations and I have to take care of my regular lessons. But what about this with Link" The princess said and stood as still as she could to make sure the book didn't fall to the floor.
"It should not take long until you understand." Impa swept the book from on top of her head. "But this I tell you Zelda. This will be nothing like balancing books on top of you head!"
Link tried his best not to grimace as Sharp sank down in a black hole of depression, leaning on one of the giant drums in the room while he asked the goddesses why he had to try to teach Link anything.
Link had even gotten his own nickname, 'useless apprentice'.
"Let us hear you play your homework again Link", his other teacher Flat instructed cheerfully.
Link had a bad feeling about this but did has he was told. He hardly began before he was interrupted by Sharps loud "Noooooo!"
Link instinctually took a step back as the short Sharp came wandering against him with huge steps.
"You're doing it wrong again! Already on the third note! The third!" Sharp shouted and swung his baton in every possible direction.
Flat went over to the window and watched the view while his brother yelled in the background. It was magnificent, the sun shining over the hills and the people in the castle doing their regular work. Flat opened the window and breathed in the fresh air as he listened to the sounds of Link getting chased around the room by Sharp.
Suddenly a low noise, like someone clearing its throat, made everyone turn the direction of one of the corners in the room.
A lady stood leaning against the wall. Due to the clothing there was no doubt she was a worker in the castle. She had a scarf covering most of her face so only the lower part of it was visible.
"How did you get in here?" Sharp snapped and straightened up.
"I only came to deliver a message", the mysterious woman said coolly.
Sharp seemed be a lot more civilized with a grown person in the room. He accepted the note she handed him and read it silently to himself.
"Well, usel… useful apprentice, you can go!" he said without looking up from the paper. Link was about to ask why but was interrupted by Sharp continuing. "Besides, I could use some rest, this really takes on my health! It might be so bad that I have need for a blue potion!"
He made a bow to the woman and shoved Link over to her.
Link followed her through three long corridors without daring to say a word. If there hadn't been something repulsive about her icy manner he would have let her drown in a flood of expressed gratefulness for saving him from Sharp.
He had the courage to glance at her but at the moment he started to move his head, hers quickly snapped in his direction.
"Sorry, reflex", she said through pursed lips and looked forward again.
"Just, who are you?" Link demanded and tried to sound challenging. Grateful or not, there was something about this woman he didn't like. She stopped. She just stood there, still in the corridor as if she couldn't believe her ears.
She grabbed the end of the scarf and the neckline of the dress that reminded much of a cloak. In one move she pulled both off and relieved Impa standing before him.
Link screamed and tried to run away but she grabbed him.
"Couldn't you tell it was me? You're loud, you're stupid and you're a coward! How can Princess Zelda even bother to stand a minute with you?" She mumbled as her grip tightened roughly.
A small high-pitched sound was all that escaped Link's throat.
"But that's the way Zelda wants it", Impa sighed. "You're going to spend the day with Zelda! Understand?" It sounded more like she threatened him than explained something.
"A-actually sir…eh…I-I mean Ma'am, I am very busy…" He would love to see Zelda but it was true that he couldn't. They almost never had time.
"I've taken care of everything. It wasn't very hard. You should have tried to do something yourself!"
Link couldn't believe she had looked like a peaceful and friendly lady before, if yet a bit cold. And how was he supposed to know it was her? Impa in a dress was an impossible thought. She was evil! That was the only way to describe her, and it was hardly good enough! He was already sick of her treating him like this!
"What about Zelda, she could have done…"
Impa grabbed him by his throat, hard, before he could finish the sentence.
"You are blaming the princess?" she hissed and her red eyes glowed dangerously.
Somehow Link survived the little dispute and also managed to survive the whole walk through the castle out to the stables.
"Zelda will meet you here, and remember that I am always, always, watching you so you better not bring her into trouble!" Impa said.
What she said wasn't true. She was busy today and couldn't watch them but he would probably behave if she said so.
Link, in the mean time, was ready to believe all terrible his father had told him about the Sheikah. He sat down and waited for Zelda to show up.
Zelda herself was on her way. A beautiful day like this many were outside so she didn't have to sneak through all of the corridors and rooms to make sure she wasn't spotted.
She couldn't believe Impa had helped her with this. Deciding today when she had several lessons to attend and Link was also busy she guessed. More strange was that Impa let her sneak off with Link when she had matters of her own to take care of and couldn't keep an eye on the princess.
No one noticed if Impa left for a day or two since she usually kept herself unseen when she guarded Zelda.
Zelda hoped it meant that Impa trusted Link. She walked by the training grounds and saw that the soldiers had removed the scarecrows. No surprise, they only used them as targets to aim for and to help them imagine that they were fighting real opponents when they weren't fighting each other. Scarecrows had a good size and were easy to make but was only up when they were used or if someone forgot to put them away. They did take up place.
She sighed. She had wished to see Bonooru, only a glimpse would have made her feel better.
When she finally saw Link she hurried over to him.
"Link!" She called out and he looked up.
"Zelda!"
"I'm glad I could meet you today, so what should we do?"
"Uhm, yeah, how about we do something… safe… how about we sit on that bench over there… or maybe it's better if we're inside…" Link said and looked around to see if he could catch a glimpse of Impa.
Zelda giggled. "Can't we take the horses and go somewhere outside of Castle Town? I haven't seen anything else of Hyrule."
Link forgot about Impa in a second. That sounded like so much fun!
"Okay let's do it!" he grinned.
Zelda found two smaller horses and it didn't take long till they rode across the open Hyrule Field.
The winds, the speed, everything made her feel so alive. Zelda felt such a strong happiness grow inside of her. She wanted more. She wanted to go even faster. There was no end to this. She had to laugh out to the sky.
Suddenly a cold feeling washed over her. She looked to her left and saw old trees reaching toward the sky and a small passageway.
It was as if sorrow tried to escape out to her and it made her tremble for a second.
Link had also stopped. He hadn't seen much of Hyrule either but he had visited the field and this was without doubt the entrance to the Lost Wood.
He looked around. It should mean that this was the place his mother's village had been before it got destroyed. He didn't like how this place made him feel.
"Let's go, Zelda!"
But she didn't answer. He looked around and saw her disappear into the passage.
"Zelda!"
He quickly rode after her.
Zelda looked around. She was definitely in a forest. It was a bit chilly and murky in here but it all had a warm and charming mystique to it.
She slowed down and moved forward in a dreamlike state.
"Hyrule is beautiful" she whispered softly to no one.
She heard someone sob and was awakened from her dreaming.
"Oh, no I wasn't paying attention at all and now I'm lost… but I better check on that other person before I worry about that", she said to herself. She jumped of the horse and forced it in the direction of the sobs.
She saw a small person, it had to be a child, crying on the ground. It held something tight against its chest and bent over it so the face wasn't visible. Its clothes seemed to be made out of forest material such as leaves and it had a big hat that easily hid its face.
"Excuse me…" Zelda said hesitantly and the child stiffened at the sound of her voice.
"Are you lost too?" She asked and sat down next to it. It hugged its own legs and hid its face against them but held out a small piece of wood and a sharp rock as it nodded. Zelda held it up in front of her. She brought it closer to her face and then it hit her.
"It's a mask, isn't it?"
The child nodded again and held back a sob. Zelda looked at the mask. It was probably only half done and poorly made. She took the rock and started to carve out holes to see through.
"I have never done something like this before", she said happily to try and cheer the other one up. "I bet this will turn out great!"
She sat next to the child and kept carving. When it was done it was far from perfect but definitely better.
"There you go", she handed it over to the child who quickly covered its face with it. It rose and grabbed her hand. Zelda let it lead her through a misty tunnel. Who was this?
She found them standing in the middle of a meadow.
"Why won't you let me see you?"
The child turned to face her and removed the mask. It had no face. It had small glowing eyes and something almost beaklike but other than that there were no lines or personal features. Zelda reached out and touched its cheek.
"You feel like… a leaf…"
She suddenly caught herself. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean…"
The child didn't say anything. It seemed that her touch had made it happy and it picked up a flute and started to play a wonderful tune. Zelda obediently fell silent and listened.
"ZELDA!"
Link didn't know how many times he had called her name. He had lost her and he had probably gotten lost too. Most of all he just wanted to sit down and cry. He would never be able to go home now and what if something awful had happened to Zelda? He would never let that happen! She wasn't going to disappear! They had said they would marry! Mummy never lied to him so why was Zelda gone? If you married the other wouldn't disappear.
He sobbed but kept on going.
"ZELDA!"
"Hey, can't you keep it down? It's stupid to yell in here you Deku Nut! What if a wolfos heard you?"
Link looked around for the owner to the high-pitched voice but no one was there.
"What are you blind too?"
He kept looking around.
"Hey, up here!"
But the only thing he saw was a small glowing light, probably an overgrown firefly. He heard a sigh and the light flew down and stayed hovering inches away from his face.
"Well, aren't you just cute? One of those stupid blonds! I know, but don't feel bad about it!"
Link gaped as the light kept blabbering. It was a fairy! He could see the small body and he couldn't believe he missed the wings which were so long they reached outside the glow which radiated from her.
"Woah!" He grabbed her to look closer.
"Hey, hey! Let go! Let go, now!" She banged with her small fists on his hand that held her. "I like you but that can change you know! I got some nasty powers that can get you into real trouble!" She yelled and made some weird movements with her hands.
"Sorry!" Link apologized and quickly let go. "What's your name?"
"Did you listen to me? This is a dangerous place, I'm dangerous and… Oh, Farore lend me strength! You just don't get it, do you? This isn't the time for small talk!"
Link decided to leave. He had to find Zelda and the fairy's voice had started to hurt his ears.
"Hey, but listen! Stay here!" The fairy shouted and followed him. "And you're bringing a horse into a forest? Poor animal! Get off it, it needs rest! Get off, get off, get off!
After five minutes Link couldn't take anymore and got off the horse.
"Thank you", the fairy said sweetly. "So what's your name?"
Link made the conclusion that this fairy always had to make things her own way and at her own pace.
"I'm Link."
"I'm Navi the fairy."
She paused and licked her small lips.
"You know, I've never understood why the Deku Tree kept nagging about 'you have to protect the Kokiri' all the time" she said while deepening her voice at the last words, obviously trying to imitate the Deku Tree. "I mean why should we have to hang around them all the time? But now…" she said as Link tripped and fell flat on the ground. "… I really start to get the picture."
Link quickly got to his feet.
"The Deku Tree?"
"Yeah, the boring guy who always speaks about moral, taking care of each other, honor and such… for hours! Who has time to listen or care?"
"So you guard a Kokiri?" Link asked excitedly.
"Nah, why should I? I don't want to!"
They kept talking for a while and even though the fairy was convinced that she always knew best no matter what they talked about, it was a pleasant and friendly talk.
"Hey, Link, I'm really beginning to like you. Do you… have a fairy? I mean you look more than old enough. How old are you? 270? 300?" She sounded really shy but Link was too surprised by her second question to notice the seriousness of her first one.
"What? I'm not even near that age stupid!"
The fairy was silent for the longest time she'd ever been since he met her. Then her soft glow turned into a furious red.
"S-stupid? Y-you, you!"
Link was ready for a real fight when a giggle interrupted them. He looked around and saw another fairy hovering above a branch.
"Another fairy!" Link's eyes sparkled excitedly.
"Hey, just so you know I'm mad at you and won't talk to you unless you beg on your hands and knees!" Navi shouted as Link ran up to the tree.
"I bet you're nicer than Navi!" Link said as he looked up.
"Which one?" A playful and almost echoing voice said. Link shook his head and looked up again to meet sparkling and cheery green eyes staring into his. A girl was sitting on the branch. She wore green clothes and green boots. She even had green hair with curled ends. She giggled again at his surprised face.
"I guess you meant my fairy then."
She looked a few years older than him but it couldn't be that much difference. She jumped down and landed on her feet.
"Oh, yeah, have fun over there and forget about me!" Navi huffed as she flew over to them. Having to stay silent had already bored her stiff.
The girl didn't seem to bother about Navi. She simply grabbed Link's hand and started to lead him deeper into the woods.
"Hey, wait up!" Navi shouted and flew after them.
"We have to hurry", the green clad girl said. Even though looking careless and happy this girl had something mature about her.
"W-why?"
"Do you know about skullkids?"
"I guess…"
"The Kokiri doesn't wander through the forest too often. They can't save everyone. Many Hylians and other people lose their way in here. Children who get lost turn into skullkids. They live of what the forest gives them, like the Kokiri but they have it worse and don't have a fairy to protect them. They lose their identity and even the way they look. They have to leave their past lives behind. Most pitiful is how hated they are when it's such a sad situation. Skullkids often stick together but they are very lonely… None of them are a real person anymore. But that is the forest's cruel way of taking care of them. Awful things happen to those who aren't children."
"I don't think I…" Link felt very empty inside.
"The Kokiri help anyone to find their way out of the forest and aid its inhabitants while skullkids help children survive in the forest."
"Very touchy! It is exactly such things the Deku Tree nags about, but for him it takes another five hours to tell the story!"
"Navi, we all now how fond you are of the Deku Tree. Can't you at least try not to complain about everything?" The forest girl said.
"What are you?" The words had jumped out of Link's mouth. The girl giggled again, she seemed to be an awfully joyful person.
"Well, my name is Saria, how about we start with that?"
"I'm Link."
"You're looking for someone Link."
She stopped walking.
Link gasped. In front of them, Zelda's horse was standing.
"You two take care of this one too", Saria said to the two fairies that already made sure Link's horse followed them.
"Sure, give more work to the fairies. We can do anything because we have magical powers! It doesn't matter if you give us one or two freaking horses to take care of!" Navi said with unmasked sarcasm.
Navi waited for Link to say something but he didn't. She looked at him and noticed that he had turned dreadfully pale.
"Don't worry", Saria said and grabbed his hand again and led him forward.
He could hear a happy tune being played. The walked through a tunnel and Saria stopped at the end.
He saw children, dressed in what looked to be clothes made out of leaves with big hats of the same material, dancing and jumping around in a meadow. Three of them played the happy tune he had heard. In the middle Zelda sat on the ground with flowers around her neck, like a necklace, and in her hair. It was a very innocent scene but Link felt uneasy. It gave him a tight feeling in his chest.
Children who get lost turn into skullkids…
They lose their identity and even the way they look…
"This is…" He swallowed. This was how it happened. The skullkids took care of the children who got lost and then…
"Zelda!" he shouted and ran straight into the meadow.
Saria stepped out peacefully. It became dead silent. Most skullkids backed away from Link except the one who stood closest to Zelda. It cocked its head to the side and looked at him. Then it held out one hand as if it wanted him to hold it.
"I'll take care of these children", Saria said behind Link and the skullkid backed away but still held eye contact with Link.
Every one of them disappeared. Saria turned and walked away with her fairy following but Navi had hid inside of Link's cap.
Zelda let her eyes linger on the place where the girl had stood seconds ago and then she looked at Link who stood with hands curled into fists.
"Y-you dummy! Zelda, you dummy! I won't play with you if you do things like that!"
She rose and looked closely at his face. It felt liked she was digging through his soul. He turned around so she had his back against her and grabbed her hand hard.
He walked with long strides toward where the fairies had left the horses and didn't say a word.
"Link… Link, do you know where we're going?"
"…"
"Link, are you angry?"
Zelda was sure that she had seen hatred in his eyes but she couldn't imagine Link hating anyone. Who did he hate? Her?
In his eyes she had been able to see so much she didn't understand. He had been afraid… of what? He had been angry… why? Plenty of things she couldn't answer or understand in that single, short glance.
"Link?"
Link didn't want to talk to her. This was all Zelda's fault. He listened to Navi whispering which way he should go and tried to ignore Zelda as best as he could. It was hard. He clenched his teeth.
"I'm sorry Link. Really! You are my best friend! Don't be angry…" She carefully squeezed his hand.
He quickly turned around and grabbed her other hand.
"Let's marry! Now!"
"Eh?"
They stood completely still while he looked intensely into her eyes.
"How do you do when you marry someone then?" She asked.
Both stood there dumbfounded.
"I… don't know…"
"B-besides… I'm not sure I want to!"
"What?"
Link couldn't believe his ears! Why wouldn't she? Hadn't they decided they would? It was a good thing to marry! It prevented people from disappearing, right? "Stupid Zelda, I'll show you!" He mumbled to himself as he turned his back toward her.
"Oh, what is that?" Zelda suddenly asked and grabbed something from his belt. "A flute? Are you writing me a song?"
"What if I am?" He said and felt his sour look turn into a grin. She wrapped her arms around him from behind.
"I'm so glad that you are my friend Link!"
"Z-Zelda?"
She let go and grabbed a hold of his arm instead.
"You remembered…" She said softly.
"Zelda… We'll always remember, won't we?"
Inside of Link's cap Navi the fairy listened to the two Hylians. He wasn't a Kokiri and didn't need a fairy… he wasn't alone either… He had no need…
"Go left…" She silently whispered in Link's ear.
I can't believe so few words can make a person so happy (I'm talking about the reviews) which I must say was wonderful for the last chapter!
All people that show up in this story seem to be very violent and love to pester Link's life… Navi needs a personality! Hmm… Maybe something like that she's "big in words, small on earth". She likes to be in charge and is very impatient and loud but very sweet and caring deep inside… At least that's what I had in mind…
One more chapter then I'll let them grow a little. The only sad thing about that is that Impa and Link hasn't gotten that much time together and won't be able to see each other for a long time! 'sniffle'