Morning was beginning to dawn when Arella reached the edge of Lanayru Province. Her eyes were droopy and she felt the desperate need to sleep, but she knew if she stopped know, Aunt Lila and Kaio would find her. She kicked Aeri and the horse whined before speeding off into the direction of Faron Province.
It wasn't until they traveled a few more yards until Arella realized she had no idea where she was going. Fear was starting to kick in and she stopped Aeri.
"Great. Just great." She said sarcastically to herself. She dismounted Aeri and took out a map that once hung on her bedroom wall. The sun was almost fully raised and Arella sighed.
"I might as well take a little nap." She muttered before tying Aeri's reins to a nearby tree. She settled on a patch of soft looking grass and rested her head on her bag. By the time the sun had fully risen, Arella was asleep.
In front of Arella was a great tree, with branches as long as a house.
"Come to me…" the goddess whispered. Arella's eyes fell upon a small entrance and she quickly seized the opportunity to look inside.
"Do not venture inside there." A voice said. Arella turned around and again was standing face to face with a goddess. This time, it was Din.
"You will not find Farore there." The goddess said. Arella was stunned by her beauty; she had flaming red hair, which swirled around her as if she were swimming. She had an olive skin color and auburn eyes.
"Where will I find Farore then?" Arella asked.
"Go to the Maku Tree, there you will receive the message regarding the fate of Hyrule from Farore." Din said before dissolving into a single flame.
"Arella….come to me." Farore whispered again.
"HEY! WAKE UP!" some yelled. Arella screamed and opened her eyes.
"Who are you?" Arella asked, instantly standing up.
"Who are YOU?" he replied.
"My name is Are- uh…Rayne. My name is Rayne Isis." Arella said.
"My name is Caleb." The boy said. He had too had red hair, except it was more like Din's. His eyes were a forest green color and Arella had a hard time not looking at him.
"What are you doing in this part of the forest anyway?" Caleb asked.
"Oh…uh…I'm looking for the Maku Tree." Arella replied, untying Aeri's reins. Caleb scoffed and looked her in the eye.
"Good luck with that! No one's ever been to the Maku Tree."
Arella ignored him and mounted Aeri.
"Thanks for the advice. Now, if you excuse me, I'll be looking for the Maku Tree." Arella replied coldly.
"Hey, wait! Maybe I can help you. I know someone who has a map top Maku Tree." Caleb said. Arella paused, sighed and turned her head toward Caleb.
"Fine, but what do you want?"
"Nothing…for now." Caleb said. Arella rolled her eyes and Caleb mounted his horse.
"Just follow me, and whatever you do, don't get off your horse." He said. Arella nodded and kicked Aeri, following closely behind Caleb.
"Why do you need to find The Maku Tree anyway?"
"I have to find Farore." Arella replied, ducking underneath a tree branch.
"You believe in that?"
"Shut up, it's important to me. Anyway, why are you over by here?" she said as they began their way through the clearing.
"Nothing really, just riding around the area."
Arella looked at him for a second and wondered if she could really trust him. Where was he taking her anyway?
"Heads up!" Unfortunately Arella was too lost in thought to hear Caleb's warning and a long tree branch smacked her in the face, smacking her off Aeri.
"OW!" she screamed, pain throbbing through her forehead.
"Arella. Don't. Move." Caleb said quietly.
"Why not?" she replied, rubbing her red forehead. She began to get up and Caleb groaned in frustration.
"Oooh how scary that was." Arella said sarcastically. Suddenly a long vine began to wrap around Arella's ankles and she froze.
"There's a Deku Baba behind you…stay very calm." Caleb said. Arella had only heard of these creatures before. Her cousin and Uncle told her horror stories of these terrible plants.
Arella could feel herself being pulled and she turned to face the creature. It was smiling cruelly, its ugly yellow teeth ready to gobble her about.
Out of nowhere a sword slices through the roots of the plant and it emits a terrible scream. Arella wasted no time jumping on top of Aeri and watching Caleb slice through the plant. The plant let out a scream before falling to the ground and bursting into flames.
"And that's why you don't get off your horse." Caleb said, mounting his horse.
Arella shivered and followed Caleb down the dusty path. She made mental note to check the ground for Deku Baba's next time.
It wasn't long before Caleb and Arella arrived in the small Ordon Village. Arella carefully dismounted her horse and followed Caleb to a wooden house. The sun was beginning to set and Arella was beginning to wonder if Caleb really did have a map to The Maku Tree.
"Link? Are you here?" Caleb called out. Arella looked questioningly at him and then at the figure that was climbing down the ladder.
"Link, this is Arella. She's trying to find the Maku Tree and I think you might be able to help her." Caleb said. Arella looked at the Triforce on Link's hand and looked at her own hand. She one too, except the middle triangle was black.
"Why are you trying to get to the Maku Tree?"
"Well, I had a dream…and the goddess, Farore was beckoning me. Normally I would ignore this and go on but, then I had another dream…This time it was Din. She told me I would receive an important message regarding the fate of Hyrule at the Maku Tree….so….here I am." Arella said.
Link gazed at her hand and his eyes widened. Caleb looked at Arella with disgust and turned back to Link.
"Do you really believe this junk, Link? Link?"
"Caleb…she has the mark of the Triforce on her hand." Link said. Arella peered curiously at it; she always had wondered how that mark came to be; her Aunt and Uncle would marvel at it but Arella never understood why.
"That can mean anything Link." Caleb said, rolling his eyes. Link ignored him and turned to Arella.
"I have no idea where the map to the Maku Tree lies, but I do know someone who will." He said. Arella smiled at Link and nodded.
"Alright, who?"
"Princess Zelda." Link said, bounding for the door. He motioned for Caleb and Arella to follow and the cool Hylian air hit her face as she stepped out the door. Caleb scoffed and climbed down the ladder as well.
"Well, you fools have fun on your journey." Caleb said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Caleb, I need you to come with us." Link replied as he mounted Epona.
"There is no way I'm going to risk my life to journey to some tree that probably doesn't even exist!" Caleb said, beginning to walk away.
"If you come with us you will get a reward." Caleb paused and turned around.
"What type of reward?"
"One involving rupees." Link said. Caleb smiled and mounted his horse, which by the way is named Frigg.
"Well, what are we wasting time for? Let's go!" Caleb said before kicking Frigg.